A Tale of Him and Her

A Tale of Him and Her

Forewords:

This is a tale of him and her.

Of him, who was never loved and had never lost

Of her, who loved too much and lost too much.

Under unforeseen circumstances, they are brought together,

tied by all reasons yet separated solely by love.

My friends, I give you our story. I beg of you to hear my words wisely and guard them safely in your hearts... don't repeat my mistake.

Love is a gift,

Cherish it before it's too late

Don't be the one who breaks down regretting

Because death is forever

And even love is helpless then.

Chapter One: Of Tears and Unrequited Love

Her pale brown eyes welled up with tears as she sat there silently, trying hard to not be affected by his words. She had finally understood the meaning of betrayal when her own eyes caught him and her ex-housemate in a passionate kiss. Using both hands, she tried to block out his frantic yells. She felt her heart ache in sorrow.

"Hermione, let me in," he yelled furiously, banging her front door with his fist.

She raised her hand and sunk her teeth into her arm, hoping to mute her sniffles. A sudden dull pain in her chest sprang and she felt herself gasping for air; but she refused to obey his command. She was tired of it. Ever since their marriage, she had been his slave, never daring to defy him.

This was the first time.

"Hermione Malfoy!" he shouted at the top of his voice.

"Go away!" she screamed, but to no avail. Tears were rapidly trailing down her red cheeks.

The scene of Lavender and Draco making out flashed across her mind abruptly, causing her to collapse on the floor.

Hermione felt her body giving in to exhaustion. The day wasn't supposed to go this way. It was meant to be the perfect opportunity to patch up with Draco after he became infuriated with her when she had accidentally spilt tea on his office robes. He had invited her to join him for lunch at Three Broomstick with some of his employees, stirring up hope within her.

To her dismay, she caught him in an alarming situation in the phone booth.

The banging became more insistent.

Her eyelids fluttered shut.

"Appareo apartment Newto," she whispered and allowed magic to take her away, back to her sanctuary.

It didn't take long for Draco Malfoy to realize that his wife was no longer inside the room but he immediately knew where she would be.

'She has to be there, I know she is,' he thought to himself.

They were supposed to patch up that day.

"I need to make a phone call to Hermione," he told the others when he failed to see her after they had finished their meals.

Even though Draco Lucius Malfoy would never admit it aloud, he had found himself constantly worrying for his wife, ever since he discovered that he had unknowingly fallen for her.

Thinking about love made his lips curve upwards slightly.

He loved her the only way he knew how which wasn't much, since he had grown up with a father who constantly abused him especially after the reign of the Dark Lord and a mother who was too afraid of her husband to attempt to show any love on him, choosing to be distant and cold to him. Basically, Draco never felt love. He never knew how to proclaim his love to her, only silently hoping that she knew of his deep affection for her.

Their marriage had been arranged unlike the others.

Draco was always well aware of the fact that if Hermione could have her way, she would never have married him. She was the type who would only marry the person she truly loved from the depths of her heart; a person who loved her back to bits and pieces and a person who would give her the love she truly deserved.

Draco didn't need to be a genius to know that he was none of that.

In the beginning, he had loathed her but understood that the marriage had to take place.

But somehow, his feelings for her switched as the days they spent together grew.

He wasn't sure whether she noticed it, but Draco fell in love with her.

Perhaps it may seem impossible for someone who never experienced love from anyone else to love, but Draco knew it had to be it, the moment those beautiful hazel-shaped eyes of her twinkled with amusement and joy as if... as if she had been glad that she was his wife.

Just as he was about to pick up the phone, Draco felt two hands cover his eyes and he tensed abruptly.

"Guess who I am!" the person said and instantly Draco relaxed and turned the figure towards him before kissing her breathlessly. He hadn't been thinking, only loving the fact that she was able to forgive him so easily and that she was back in his arms once again. He just assumed that the face and the voice was hers. How wrong he was.

He should have known by the scent.

Hermione always smelled like cinnamon and fresh apples.

The person smelt like expensive perfume.

He should have known by the way she felt.

Hermione's touch gave him goose bumps.

The person's touch had no effect on him.

But he didn't.

And that was how the real Hermione found him in the phone booth, shagging Lavender Brown, the slut who used the polyjuice potion to trick him.

He could clearly remember her reaction when he finally caught sight of her.

"Appareo apartment Newto," he said to thin air, hoping that Hermione had not block apparation in her apartment.

Curled up in a corner, by her bed, Hermione didn't bother stifling her sobs.

The moment she pushed the door to the phone booth, Hermione had felt something wrong.

How right she was.

For the first time in her entire life, Hermione Malfoy was helpless as she watched on the scene displayed in front of her.

She felt fatigue suddenly drain her ability to think or do anything.

When those grey orbs of his finally caught sight of her, however, she regained her soul.

Hermione would never admit it, but his eyes had a strong hold over her soul.

The same way they made her fall in love with him when they showed joy and amusement as if... as if he was glad that she was his wife. They made her feel like she belonged entirely to him. Something that in the past she would have despised feeling, but now, cherished.

As she felt an overwhelming gush of emotions flood her inside, she did the only thing she thought would be best.

She walked away.

Hermione was alarmed by the sudden 'pop' in the kitchen.

Hastily, she got up and ran to the only place he would never think of finding her.