It All Started With Duties

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Chapter Eleven

Not as it Seems

"Ron," Hermione said desperately, as she ran through the Portrait Hole into the crowded Common Room, "You've got to understand, it's not as it seems." She looked around, only to find a large group of Gryffindors of all ages looking at her confused, not Ron.

Ginny, who was amongst the group, came over to her. "He's up in his dormitory, and he looked really upset," she said, "What happened anyway?"

"Never mind that, Ginny, I'll tell you later," Hermione said and she quietly made her way through the room and dashed up the stairs to the seventh year boys' dormitory.

"Ron," she said as she pushed the door open and entered, "please understand. He's changed, he's not like he used to be."

"It certainly seems like he is," Ron said irritably, "I mean even after you did those duties together, he still called you 'Granger' and 'Mudblood' and act as if he hated you. It seems like you're fraternising with the enemy again or he's using you."

"Well, it's not as it seems, Ron. That was all an act," Hermione said. "You see this necklace -" she walked closer to Ron and sat beside him on the bed, showing him the necklace Draco had given her for her birthday "- It was Draco who gave it to me, not my cousin Samantha, who doesn't even exist. I had to lie to you, because I knew how you and Harry would react if I told you right then and there that it was from him, you'd freak and do exactly what you did tonight. Confront him and get into a fight."

Ron grunted. They were silent for a while after that, while Ron worked up the courage to say what he had wanted to say for very long time, "I love you, Hermione."

Hermione froze. If only he had told her that three weeks ago, before she fell head over heels in love with Draco. Finally she spoke, her voice rather quiet.

"I love you too, Ron," she said, "But not as much I used to, or as much as I love Draco. I only love you as my best friend now."

"I gathered that," Ron muttered. "I guess it's up to you, Hermione, if you're sure you love him and that he's changed enough for you to love him, then I won't bother you, but if hurts you, in any way whatsoever, I swear I'll rip out his heart and feed it to a dragon to kill the bastard."

Hermione smiled, hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, before standing up. "Thank-you," she said, walking to the door, ready to leave, but Ron stopped her.

"Hermione," he said. She turned back around to face him. "if you guys break up, always remember, I'm here."

Harmione smiled and nodded. "Definitely," she said and she walked out of the dormitory and made her way downstairs to the Common Room. After making her way through the crowd, she exited through the Portrait Hole to head to the Hospital Wing to see Draco.

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Chapter Twelve

In the Hospital Wing

"I talked to Ron," Hermione said as she walked towards Draco, who was sitting at the edge of one of the many beds in the Hospital Wing, waiting for Madam Pomfrey to come back with a Pain Relief Potion for him. "He's not going to kill you. He's just a bit ...jealous.

"I realised that," Draco said. His nose seemed to fixed, but he was still wincing with pain.

"He understands, but he said that if you hurt me in any way, he'll kill you," she continued.

"I won't hurt you." As he said this, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down to sit next to him.

Hermione shifted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know,' she murmured.

"I love you so much," Draco said with a smile, resting his head on hers.

"And I love you so much," Hermione said, "and just think, it all happened in a matter of three weeks, and it all started with our Head duties."

"Here you go, Malfoy,' Madam Pomfrey said, coming in from her large medicine cupboard. "Ah, you have a visitor. Take this and you may leave."

Draco nodded and took the goblet the matron was holding out for him, drinking it down quickly, the pain disappeared immediately. He stood up, left but didn't go far, he stopped at a large window and peered out at the lake, Hermione beside him.

He thought of the past three weeks and the effect Hermione had had on him and how full and right he felt around her. A wide smile spread across his face and he said, "It all started with duties."

The End