Change of Hearts

Change of Hearts

Chapter 4

The next morning, Draco cornered Harry before breakfast. "Do you have any ideas?" he asked, hiding all emotion as his upbringing had taught him.

"Hermione and Ron had a couple."

Draco inwardly groaned. Not the weasel and Mudblood, please? "Well," he prompted when Harry stayed quiet. As little as he wanted to hear about what ever they had to say, he surely didn't have any ideas of his own.

"Ron says to date you, Hermione says to either break your heart or to just not do it."

"Pansy shares Granger's point of view. About not helping me that is."

"You told her?"

"No, she eavesdropped on the train. She wants to help me instead."

"Well, you have the ideas, decide."

"I don't know what I want to do, so don't give me that."

"I'm here to help."

Harry walked into the Great Hall then, letting the door shut behind him. Draco stood alone in the foyer, with only his thoughts.

"I'll remember that," he said quietly to the closed doors.

Who else can help me, he wondered finally joining the school for breakfast.

The answer was sitting at the staff table with a look of complete disgust on his pale face. But could his godfather really be the answer to his problem?

No, he couldn't. Professor Snape was too close to his father to help him. There was no other way. It was either Pansy, or Harry.

*****

Harry watched Draco from across the hall and hoped he decided what he wanted soon.

Eventually, he looked down at his untouched plate of food and found that he wasn't remotely hungry, though that wasn't a surprise.

He chanced a glace at Hermione. She hadn't eaten much either. She seemed far away, daydreaming of something.

And Ron, of course, was eating enough for the three of them and then some. What an interesting thing, those Weasley appetites.

"Why aren't you eating, Hermione," Harry asked.

"Just thinking," she said in that dreamy voice that confirmed Harry's suspicions about her daydreaming. She was most definably a million miles away from here.

"Harry," she said a few minuets later, back to her normal self. "Would you like to go for a walk by the lake?"

Harry looked at Ron and decided the red-head couldn't be bothered by their absence. He was too busy shoveling food into his mouth as if it were a rare commodity that was soon to be lost forever.

He looked back at her and nodded. She had the look of someone with something of extreme importance to say, and he couldn't deny her telling him.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning and the grounds seemed like a dream to Harry. The sun glittered off of the surface of the lake and the giant squid basked in the shallows. They walked over to the tree and sat down.

"I'm jealous, Harry," she said looking past him towards the lake.

"What do you mean?" Harry had never thought of Hermione to be the jealous type, and he was curious to know why.

"I know he's got your heart now, Harry. I knew on the train. Just like it was with Cho... And you have his. Everyone knows that.

"But that doesn't change the fact that he's not the only one who fancies you Harry. I do too, and you have no idea how much it costs me just to say that, especially now..."

Her voice trailed away as her thoughts overpowered her speech.

She looked so depressed now, a sad thing for Harry to see after seeing her so dreamily happy. The sparkle was gone from her golden eyes and all Harry wanted to do was put it back. But how? Hermione was one of his best friends, not his girlfriend...but she could be...

"He doesn't have all of it," Harry said quietly looking up at the bright blue sky. And it was true. Hermione, it seemed, was slowly stealing his heart away from the blonde Slytherin and if said Slytherin did not make a decision soon, Harry may find himself in the arms of said thief.

He could feel her looking at him, though he avoided her gaze. "Are you saying what I think your saying?"

"Yes, if what you think I'm saying is that you are a tricky little witch with your kisses and your insight."

"I thought so."

To take this conversation further would have to wait as Draco was currently making his way toward the two, his loose hair flying in the slight breeze.

"I've made a decision, Harry," he said crouching so they were eye level. "I want your help. If it doesn't work, then I'll go to Pansy."

"What do you want me to do then," Harry asked.

Draco gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek. "Break my heart, love."

"But--"

"How is he supposed to do that if you know it's coming?" Hermione asked jumping into the conversation. Harry silently thanked her.

"I don't know when it's coming now do I?" he asked rudely.

*****

Harry looked thoroughly stunned. "Thanks, Hermione," he muttered.

She looked offended. "What did I do?"

"It was your idea," he smiled.

"But--" she cut herself off seeing his smile. Merlin, that smile could melt the coldest of hearts. It was beauty, warmth, Gryffindorish. And it had nearly always melted Draco's iciness. Made him weak...

"So," he said, smile sadly fading, "you want me to break your heart. How?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way."

"And I'm sure there was a step somewhere that said you had to do something before the breaking of hearts could take place..."

Draco thought a moment. What on earth was he talking about? Then it hit him.

"You mean like dating?"

"That's it! Yes, I mean like dating."

"You're not making this easy," Draco pouted.

"Who ever said this was supposed to be easy?"

"I am a Malfoy. Everything comes easy."

"And I'm a Potter, what's your point?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"You figure that out, and then come ask me."

What did he want him to say?

"Erm..." he said thinking. Then, "will you go out with me?" he guessed awkwardly.

"Yes."

Draco let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holing. Dating was too hard, he decided.

"So, I'll see you later then?"

Damn awkward moments.

"Yeah."

*****

Harry didn't watch Draco walk away. He didn't want to hear the sniffle that came from the warm body somewhere off to his right. He really didn't want this to be happening.

"I'm sorry," he quietly sighed.

"No," she replied through her tears.

Harry looked at her confused. "No, what?"

"Don't tell me you're sorry, tell me I'll have a chance if this doesn't work."

"Assuming I'm still alive, Hermione, you'll have more than just a chance."

She let out a sob and Harry pulled her into his arms.

Saying yes to Draco now seemed like signing a 'kill me' sign that would be tapped to his back whenever Lucius was around.

*****

Draco wondered if Harry knew he was watching. The raven haired sixteen-year old hadn't watched him leave, but there was that chance.... He also wondered if this was Harry's brilliant plan for breaking his heart. If so, Draco knew it'd work.

Granger must be in love with him, she's sobbing, he thought pulling his thoughts away from the impending pain.

He could stop it all, right now. He could have stopped this from ever happening if he hadn't been so damn careless.

It occurred to him that only one person could avoid pain in this mess. Only one lacked a seeable reason not to get hurt.... Harry.

But then again, maybe they all would be hurt, including Harry. Maybe his pain was yet to be revealed.

God, I hope so.

*****

Harry had flown to his favorite hide out to be alone with his thoughts. The main one being: how can I do this?

He could see everything from here...the castle, the lake, the forest, even the little village of Hogsmeade. Ron was flying over the grounds, possibly searching for him. Who knew?

I fought against this last night, so how can I so easily agree to do it?

One word out of his mouth had made his best friend cry for over an hour. How can he hurt someone so close to him, and why did he agree to this? How badly did he really want to help?

He flew back to the castle as dinner started, but couldn't go in there. He sat on the marble staircase lost in his thoughts again.