The Circle of Endless Confusion

Chapter 12: His Broken Spirit

By: Amorina Weasley

The night before everyone was to come back to school, Hermione found Harry sitting alone by the fire in the common room. He was quietly reading a book and she saw a tear trickle down his cheek. She walked up behind his chair and looked over his shoulder. Harry had a piece of parchment concealed inside of the book and though she couldn't make out most of it, she saw the flourishing signature of Draco Malfoy in the bottom right corner.

"It's alright, Harry," she whispered in his ear as she leaned over the back of his chair.

"Hermione!" he screamed, jumping up out of the chair. "You almost gave me a heart attack, sneaking up on people like that." He straightened his clothes and stood trying to recollect his pride.

"Sorry," she said, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh.

"Oh, stop it!" he squealed, losing the bit of reserve he had left.

"Sorry," she said again, sitting down on a nearby couch.

"It's alright," he replies, smiling and sitting at the other end of the couch.

"It's good to see you smile," she says, putting her feet in the space between them. "You don't do that very often these days. He loves you," she says, looking into his eyes.

Harry looked away and responded quietly, "How would you know?"

She sighed and leaned her head back, "Because I can see it in his eyes. The way that he looks at you in class, it's really sweet, almost pathetic. He'll come back, Harry."

"No, Hermione, you don't know. He gave up everything for me and then I screwed up. He's never going to come back," he replied, with a tear in his voice.

"He is. I know because Ron talked to him," she says, tentatively.

"He did what?" Harry exclaims, turning back toward her.

"He talked to Draco," she said very carefully.

"Why the bloody hell would he do that?" he asks, standing up and looking at her accusingly. "Oh wait, that was a stupid question. Ron wouldn't come up with that one his own, it must have been Hermione, Mother of All Who are Weak!! Why, Hermione, do you find it necessary to fix everything?"

"Because I broke it!" she replied, tears now streaming down her face.

Harry sat down next to her and took her into his arms. "I'm sorry, Hermione, it's just that I love him so much. And, well, Ron wasn't exactly the best person to talk to him, you know," he said, looking into her eyes.

"He was actually quite good with him from what I understand. Ron really cares about you Harry, he's just easily angered. You know that. He talked to Draco for you, for goodness sakes. I think the two of them just might be okay and I know that you'll be okay too."

"It doesn't seem like it, 'Mione. All the stuff with Voldemort, I can handle that. Even Sirius dying, it broke my heart, but I've survived. But, when I got with Draco, well it was like I was finally a whole person; like there was always this part of me missing, this part of me that just wasn't quite fulfilled. I've never been as happy as when I was in his arms. I mean look at me. I'm the bloody Boy Who Lived and I'm now friendless, broken hearted and at the bottom of the well, all because of one stupid mistake," he said, pacing around.

"Harry, you're not friendless, I'm still here. And, Ron's reserve is breaking, as is Draco's. Things seem really dark right now, but it'll all turn out. Especially if I have anything to do with it," she said, hugging him.

"Well, 'Mione, your prince charming will be returning tomorrow, I suppose," he replied, pulling away and stretching.

"Yes, he will. I'll be glad to see him," she replies and starts toward the stairs. "I have a feeling that your prince charming will be returning tomorrow too. I guess I need to get to bed, I get more tired the closer I get."

"Hermione, you have five months, you silly girl," he says, smiling at her. He reaches over and hugs her. "Thanks, Hermione, for being so great to me. We've really messed things up this time. I hope you're right, about everything turning out alright."

"Aren't I always?" she asks, smiling as they start up the stairs.