An Ordinary Day

Draco took a deep breath to calm him self. Thing was, he was extremely nervous, and didn't want to stutter while he said the speech he had prepared for so long now.

"Well, firstly I want to apologise for breakfast this morning. I didn't mean to make you angry, I was just going to say what I'm going to say now..."

Uh oh...my worst fears are about to be confirmed.

Here goes.

"I really like you, Hermione. I have for ages. That's why I come to the Great Hall every morning, that's why you probably think I'm stalking you. I've been meaning to say this for over two months now, but I...well, I haven't had the guts. I'm not telling you this because I expect the same in return. I just need to get it off my chest."

He took a deep breath, as this had come out at an alarmingly fast rate. Almost too fast.

Ron saw Harry standing at the top of the stairs to the dungeon.

"What are you doing? Where's Hermione?"

Harry spun around at the sound of Ron's voice.

"She's down there with Malfoy, talking about Prefect duties or some such thing. I'm just waiting for her."

Ron was immediately concerned. Hope she's OK. Malfoy does one thing to her and I'll kill that bastard.

"I'll wait too then."

Sitting down on the top step next to Harry, that's exactly what they did.

Hermione was mildly shocked. She had, of course, expected this. Deep down, she knew the truth. But she felt nothing for him.

"I knew. I'm not stupid you know? But why do you think I would actually consider having a thing for you? I mean, you insult me and my friends..."

Draco snapped.

"You and your friends. I'm sorry, I forgot you were all joined at the hip and can't make a decision without each other. I like you Hermione, does it mean I have to like them as well?"

He knew what he had just said ruined any slim chance he ever had.

"Well no, I can make decisions without them. But as I was saying, you constantly insult my friends and me, you call me a Mudblood, you play awful tricks on all of us, and now you tell me you want to snog me? Forget it."

She picked up her cauldron and stormed out of the dungeon, furious. This can't be happening, this just can't be happening.

Harry heard the door slam and immediately ran down the stairs, where a very angry Hermione greeted him. Very angry indeed.

"What happened? Are you OK?"

Ron spun around also, repeating Harry's question.

"You OK?"

Hermione looked up to see her two best friends, the people she wanted to see the least at the moment.

"I thought I told you to meet me in the Great Hall."

"Well I..."

"God, can you just leave me alone for like, five minutes? I'm going to the Common Room."

Draco was right. I can't make a decision without them. I don't have a life.

Draco stood there, shell-shocked. What went so horribly wrong? He picked up his cauldron, numb with pain. He seemed to be at the door too quickly, and before he knew it, he was going up the stairs, Hermione's words ringing in his ears. I'm just like my father. I'm an arrogant bastard, just like my father. What have I become? He could distantly hear Potter and Weasley shouting insults at him, but they merely bounced off. He ended up in his Common Room, not even realising he was going there, and before he knew it, he was on his bed. Weeping.

Harry was shocked. Hermione hadn't had a snap at them like that for so long...years.

"I wonder what that git did? He seemed to really upset her. Maybe we should go and see if she's OK."

Ron was by far the angriest there. Hermione was hurt, and he couldn't do anything.

"I think I'll go. I'll see you next class."

Harry didn't like the sound of this at all.

"I think I should go, I'm her friend just as much as you are."

He crossed his arms. Why does he always have to be so over-protective?

"No, I'm going alone. I'll see you later."

He stormed off, but felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, red with rage.

"LISTEN! I BLOODY LOVE THE GIRL; CAN I JUST SEE HER WITHOUT YOU STICKING YOUR NOSE IN FOR ONCE?"

Stupid Harry...thinks he's so good. Just because he's Quidditch Captain, he thinks everything should go his way...

Harry was shocked. He had just had his two best friends yell at him, and he didn't know why. For either of them.

Draco was miserable. He had just poured his heart out to the person he loved, and had been rejected harshly. All because he was a bastard.

Hermione was in pain. She had pushed her only two friends away, yet had realised something that she had been denying for the past six years. She couldn't do anything on her own.

Ron was furious. His best friend couldn't see what he was going through; his enemy had upset the girl he loved who incidentally, was angry with him. He was having a very, very bad day.