Sometimes Love Just Isn't Enough

Chapter Three

"... He-hello Harry..." Draco said, trying to smile but failing miserably. Harry just ignored him and pushed his way out the Entrance doors. Draco watched in pain as Harry walked out into the pouring rain. He turned around, sulkily, and headed back to his common room, passing Hermione and Ron on the way. He had just enough time to notice the shocked looks on their faces. 'Did he not tell them?' he asked himself. 'Well, Harry. I guess you're not as proud as I thought you were.'

He strode down the dungeon stairs and through the common room, ignoring the curious faces of a few first and second years. The third years had been there long enough to know to stay out of other people's business - especially Draco Malfoy's.

Draco went into his dormitory and lay down on his bed. He noticed Crabbe and Goyle coming at him again and pulled the curtains shut, surprising his large roommates.

"Malfoy? Are you alright in there?" Crabbe asked.

Draco sighed. "Yes, Crabbe," he drawled in an annoyed tone. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" This time it was Goyle.

"Yes! Now will you go away?" Draco snapped. All he wanted was to be alone. To his astonishment, the two boys left without another word. Draco sighed once more and rolled onto his side, clutching his pillow. He looked at the table next to his bed and noticed the box bearing Harry's ring. 'Damn... I forgot to give Harry the ring,' he thought. Though there wasn't really any time for him to do so - Harry had left so quickly. Draco stuffed the box hastily into his pocket. 'I'll just give it to him later.' With that, Draco closed his eyes and thought about what he had come to the dorm to think about. A question that had been running through his head since the previous night. Why? Why did Harry dump him and what could he have done to avoid this horrible outcome? He longed to ask Harry that question, but wasn't sure if he should. 'Maybe I should wait a few days. Give us both time to adapt,' he thought. 'How will I tell everyone that I, Draco Malfoy, was dumped? Nobody will believe it! I'm too good looking to be dumped! But then... I probably won't have to tell them at all. No... it's probably all around the school by now.'

Draco frowned as he thought about everyone's reactions when the Weasley twins had let it get around that he and Harry were dating. Oh, the humiliation! All the nasty looks. The jokes, the offers. It was almost unbearable. But it had all been worth it. Up until now, at least.

Draco sighed, got up out of his bed, drew back the curtains, and headed to the great hall, wondering if there would be anything left to eat. After skipping breakfast he was famished...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry quickly ran out the entrance doors and, unconsciously, to the lake. When he got their the first thought that came to his mind was 'Why do I keep coming here? There's nothing for me here but pain and sorrow.' (AN: The second thought was obviously 'Dude! It's raining!' lol) He didn't have much time to dwell on it, though, for a few moments later Hermione and Ron were standing right behind him, very out of breath from running. Hermione looked worried and Ron... was grinning from ear to ear.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "Is there something wrong? Why did you run away from Draco?"

"Why!?!" Ron exclaimed. "Because Malfoy's a stuck up git, that's why!"

"Ron!" Hermione snapped.

Ron looked aghast. "Well he is!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to Harry. "Will you tell me what's bothering you Harry?" Harry just stared at the lake. "Did you and Draco have a fight?" Finally Harry turned and faced Hermione with a sigh before answering.

"No, Mione. We're - we just... we're taking a break... that's all," he said, and lightly sighed again.

"That prat! He dumped you didn't he!?!" Ron burst out in annoyance. "Did he think you weren't good enough for him or what? I mean, he was very lucky to even be considered by a Gryffindor! He'd be lucky to be considered by Hufflepuff! And you know how THEY are! I mean -" Hermione cut him off.

"Ron! Lay off, will you!" Hermione yelled, before turning back to Harry with a questionable look. "Why did you two decide on taking a break? You didn't seem to be having any problems. It was hard to get you to stop staring at each other in classes and during meals. What happened?"

Harry sighed again and looked at Hermione with annoyance. "WE didn't decide anything. For the record, I dumped HIM. HE didn't know anything about it until it happened. Okay? Is that enough for you or would you like the password to my journal also?"

Ron grinned at Harry, but quit when Hermione shot him "the look". "Well... alright Harry, we get it. If you need us, we'll be in the common room studying," Hermione smiled.

"WE!?!?" Ron bellowed, but Hermione grabbed his ear and dragged him towards the castle, leaving Harry to his thoughts once more.

Harry waited until he could no longer hear Ron's angry screams of protest before he sighed and collapsed onto the ground. "Heh... déjà vu," he said to himself as he watched the giant squid bob up and down on the lake's surface. He noticed that it was still raining, but the thought really comforted him rather than give him a reason to get up and go back into the castle as it would other people. He looked around him and noticed, also, that everyone else had gone inside and that he would be able to think without happy couples walking by and laughing, bringing back wonderfully painful memories, as in all of those Muggle movies he had seen while living with the Dursleys. No... Finally, he would be able to sit and enjoy the peace... but he found he couldn't enjoy anything anymore. He sighed and got up and headed back into the school. He hadn't slept the night before, and he could really use the rest.