Torn Between Two Lovers

Chapter 2: Explanations

"So she just left? Just like that?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Well, yeah," replied Ron. Ron couldn't get to sleep, so he stirred up a conversation with Harry.

"That must've killed you."

Ron nodded. "Kinda did." He looked up. "Maybe I was moving too fast."

"Nah," said Harry. "I think she was just scared."

"I shouldn't have kissed her." He growled and slapped his hand on top of his face. "I'm such an idiot!"

"Just chill," said Harry, trying to calm down his best friend. "It'll all blow over by tomorrow."

"I won't be able to face her again!" he groaned.

"Ron! You two will be able to talk again tomorrow. Don't worry. Now go to sleep."

"What if I can't go to sleep?"

"Then I'm just going to have to make you."

"But then..."

Harry threw his pillow on Ron's face.

The next Sunday morning, Ron woke up with a worse face than what he fell asleep with. Seems that he was even more worried than before. He brushed his teeth with a frown. He didn't bother doing anything to his hair, and he put on his shirt backwards.

"Still worried?" Harry asked on their way to breakfast.

"Just a tiny bit," Ron muttered. "I'm more nervous to see her than worried."

"I can kind-of see that," replied Harry. They walked towards the Gryffindor Table. "Deep breaths, Ron. Deep breaths," he whispered.

"Okay, deep breaths," Ron repeated. He drew in a deep breath and let it out shakily. There he saw Hermione with two empty chairs next to her. She was looking around with her cheek leaned upon her hand and using her fork to pick at her food.

Ron and Harry walked to her and Harry took the seat farthest from her, as Ron sat in between them. "Hi Mione," Ron nearly croaked.

Hermione smiled lightly. "Good morning, Ron." She leaned back and caught a glimpse of Harry. "'Morning, Harry," she greeted.

The three of them were silent. "So, Ron. Did you sleep well?" Hermione asked, without making any eye contact.

"I slept okay. You?"

"Oh, fine..." she mumbled.

"Yeah, well, I slept like a rock, thanks," said Harry, trying to liven up the conversation.

"Ron," said Hermione.

"Yeah?" He replied eagerly.

"About yesterday..." she lowered her voice. "I'm really sorry..."

"Oh, it's ok. I can understand if you didn't want me to kiss you. After all, I was just - I just wasn't thinking." He sighed. "I mean, it was my first time. I can also understand if you didn't like it..."

"I liked it," smiled Hermione.

"Really?" His eyes brightened.

Hermione nodded and took his hand in hers. "Very much. And, I just wanted to say sorry for not telling you sooner." She looked into his eyes.

"I understand."

"Good things come to those who wait," Hermione quoted and leaned in and kissed his cheek. Ron's cheeks flushed.

"So, does this mean you'll be willing to be my girlfriend?"

"Of course, Ron."

Harry grinned and looked around the table. He spotted Ginny. How cheerful she was, just laughing and chatting with her friends. Millions of guys would do anything to be with her. So why didn't he? "Stupid git," he mumbled to himself.

Ginny looked up from her plate and caught Harry's eyes. Then, they made eye-contact for that one second...one mere second and then she broke the connection and looked away. All Harry could do was try not to look back either and just sit there and pretend like nothing happened. Luckily enough for him, Lavender and Parvati had no idea that that had happened either.

***

"Malfoy, aren't you going to study for tomorrow's Potions test?" Pansy complained to him in the Common Room.

"I already did," snapped Malfoy with annoyance, sitting in a chair. "Now leave me alone!" Pansy didn't budge. "Even Goyle and Crabbe have enough sense in themselves to leave me alone when I say so."

"You were never this annoyed with me before," said Pansy. "Why are you starting now?" She pouted. She wasn't trying to be a smart-mouth. She just hated to see him not like her anymore.

"None of your business...I just...just stop bothering me! You know we're over. We alway have been ever since you've been lying to me about our relationship!" snapped Malfoy, making a fist with his hand.

"My goodness, I didn't really mean to..."

"You mean you didn't mean to ignore me after I gave you the ring?"

"What could I have done? I was baffled..."

"You should've said yes and accepted it!" growled Malfoy. He pounded the chair's arm. "Besides, it cost me over a thousand dollars."

Pansy frowned. "I was just at an awkward time..."

"An awkward time because you were cheating on me."

"Me? Cheat on you? Puh-lease! I saw the way you've been staring at Hermione ever since last year. You never took your eyes off her." She crossed her arms.

"I never intended to do anything with her! Because I had you...You were my one and only...But NO! Ever since you've started making out with Blaise in the library!..."

"It was an accident! How many times do I have to tell you? I didn't want to...He just..." Pansy didn't even know what she was talking about. In fact, she didn't even have anything to back it up with.

"You never did care about my feelings. Not the way I cared about you." He interjected and stood up. "You betrayed me. I've hated you ever since the day you told me we couldn't be together. I could've done anything for you. ANYTHING!"

"I know, I know. Only because you're the great and rich and powerful Draco Malfoy!" she scoffed. "You've told a million times. And still, I didn't really get anything. You were always pushing me, telling me how to study, blah, blah, blah. You never really loved me! If you had loved me enough you wouldn't have even brought it up."

"Didn't really love you? Didn't really...?" He choked on his own words and steam rose from the top of his head. "I don't have to take any of your bullshit..." He got up from his seat and stormed out of the Common Room.

Pansy sighed. She was a fool. She knew she was. As much as she wanted to be with him again, there was no chance he would take her back. Not after what she did to him. On the floor, she noticed a crumbled piece of paper on the floor. She picked it up and uncrumbled it.

"Dear Hermione..."Pansy began reading to herself. "I don't know how to explain this to you, but I really, really admire you..." Pansy's eyebrows raised and her jaw dropped. "That liar..."

***

"Mr. Malfoy, your last test was quite atrocious. I thought you knew a lot about Potions! At least last Friday you knew everything that we were going to be tested on!" Professor Snape scolded in front of the whole class. All the students in Gryffindor gasped. Even a few Slytherins did too. For once, Malfoy didn't study for a POTIONS test. And Snape was actually being mean to a Slytherin.

I thought he studied! Thought Pansy. Something was not up...did it have something to do with the letter? Hmm...interesting.

"Yes I know. I guess it's a lot harder this year." Draco lied. Goodness, Draco, you're getting good at acting, he thought. Watch out Tom Cruise.

"Oh, how unfortunate," Snape said dryly. "I'm playing you a sad song on the world's smallest violin." Some students chuckled. "How can it be that you let ten questions blank, and got every single question you answered wrong?"

Malfoy lowered his head. "I am very sorry."

"I think you need a tutor, since you claim that this is 'so hard'." Snape looked around the room. "Granger! You are my," he gacked, "best student." He couldn't believe he called a Gryffindor his best student. Nor could any of the Slytherins. Everyone in the room silenced...their eyes widened.

"I am?!" She asked in surprise.

Snape cringed a bit. "Yes...you're now going to tutor Mr. Malfoy here until he understands these things better. Then I'll add..." he gulped, "fifty points to Gryffindor." His voice cracked and his face turned white.

Excellent, my plan has worked!Malfoy thought happily. "But Professor Snape -," Malfoy said in a fake whine.

Snape put up his hand. "No...my decision is final." He leaned against his desk, as if he were holding on to dear life. "Class dismissed!" He wailed. All the students began shuffling out of class.

"Hermione, be careful when you're with Malfoy," said Harry, gathering his books.

"Of course, Harry. As long as he's not beating you up in the halls, I don't see why he would hurt me." Hermione said as-a-matter-of-factly. "I'll catch up with the two of you later, I have to set up a study date with Malfoy."

"Please, don't use date. Use 'time period'," corrected Ron.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Okay, I have to set up a study time period with Malfoy."

"Have fun," said Harry sarcastically.

Ron leaned over to her and kissed her gently. "Good-bye," he whispered.

"Bye for now, Ron." She grinned.

"Ugh, Ron...we need to go get ready for dinner." Harry complained, pulling Ron away from Hermione.

Hermione watched them walk out of the room and took a deep breath and walked to Malfoy who was waiting for her, still in his chair. His arms were just dangling and he had on that smirk she hated so much.

"So, Malfoy...um...how about this weekend? In the library, when everyone's out, we'll go there and study, ok?" Hermione said a little uneasily.

Malfoy smiled. "Sounds good to me."

Hermione never saw him smile so nicely before...she thought it was kind of nice in a way. Gently, she smiled back. "Around two?"

"Anytime is good..."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you then." She walked away while Malfoy inhaled the scent of her shampoo.

Her smile, oh, what a beautiful smile she has...Malfoy thought. How it has lifted up my spirits so. And her hair...that wonderful hair. It's so untamed, yet tamed...ahh, it can't get any better than this.

On her way out the door, she slammed into Pansy. "Oh, Pansy...I'm terribly sorry."

"That's okay Granger." She forced a smile. "Just watch it next time."

"Of course..." Hermione mumbled and quickly walked away.

"Hermione, did Malfoy hurt you or anything?" Ron asked in curiosity while they were eating dinner.

"Of course not, Ron. He was actually quite...nice..."

"Nice?" Ron asked in astonishment. "Do you believe that, Harry? He was nice!" He stuck mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"Huh? Oh...yeah." Harry said, not paying attention. All he could think about was what Malfoy told him about loving Hermione and that kiss Ginny had given him. That was all he could think of for the last couple of days...how did everything suddenly get so confusing to him?

"Harry, can I talk to you for a second?" said Ginny, standing in back of Harry. He was startled as his train of thought broke and he quickly turned and smiled at Ginny. "Yeah. Sure..." He got out of his seat and walked with her out to the corridors.

"Harry, I am very sorry for kissing you all of a sudden in the common room the other day." Ginny said softly. "It was rude of me to, and I know you probably didn't like it. It's not like you would like me...a little red head," her head dropped down. "I'm not anything special, like everyone else..." She began babbling on about how she was sorry and how she wasn't anything special. "I know you couldn't possibly like me like I like you," she sighed. "And I know that that's why you were probably ignoring me. But, in a way I was ignoring you too...but I didn't mean to..."

"Ginny," interjected Harry.

"Yes?" She didn't look up at him. Her eyes were stuck on his shoes.

"You talk too much." His two fingers lifted up her chin and he leaned closer to her, just to gently touch his lips with hers. The kiss was soft and gentle. Almost like an apology kiss.

Ginny caught her breath and smiled. "So does this mean you like me too?"

"What do you think?" Harry smiled back and took her in his arms again.

***

That weekend, Hermione waited in the library for Malfoy. She was very anxious to see him for some reason. She didn't know why. It was probably because of their short conversation after Snape's class. She could feel a spark. But could there really be something? Or was she just over-reacting? After all, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. She just needed to know for sure.

Clumsily, she fumbled with her textbook and opened to any page. Her eyes scanned through the pages, as her nerves eased. Suddenly, a bouquet of flowers appeared in front of her face.

Pansy gawked as she looked at them from behind a shelf.

"For you, Hermione," said Draco, with a smirk on his face.

Hermione closed her book and grinned as she took the flowers from him. "Wow, Malfoy. These flowers are beautiful. I love Stargazer Lilies! They're gorgeous. Just stunning." She dug her face in them and took a sniff of the fresh floral arrangement.

Draco smiled. "I'm glad you like them." He took a seat across from Hermione. "So what will we be learning today?"

"Well, I'm first going to test you on what you know." She opened the text book. "It's very hard for me to believe your grade was so low."

"Yes well..." Draco blushed. It was also the first time Hermione ever saw him blush so pink. She couldn't help but giggle. Draco suddenly felt at ease just by being so close to her.

"Where can you find a fungi amageous?" Hermione questioned.

"In the biggest forest in Switzerland." He said promptly.

She began questioning him on everything that was on the test, and surprisingly Draco got them all right.

"Malfoy. It seems to me that you've gotten all the right answers. This was the last test we took. So, why did you do so poorly?" Hermione questioned. Her eyebrow raised as she rested her chin on her hand.

"Oh, um, because I guess I was out of it," lied Draco. He didn't mean to get them all right. Just looking into Hermione's beautiful eyes, and her rosy cheeks made him forget his plan. Curse her good looks.

"You're never 'out of it'," said Hermione. "Now really, why did you do so badly on that test?" She leaned slightly forward with her eyes piercing his.

Malfoy looked down, and up, and then stared deeply into Hermione's eyes. "I did so badly on that test so that I could do this." He leaned forward and pulled Hermione forward too with his hands on her shoulders, pressing his lips against hers. At first Hermione tried to fight it, but he had such a strong grasp on her arms. Then slowly, it began to get good.

No, no...I can't believe he did that to her, thought Pansy sadly.

Soon enough, Draco let go of Hermione and she gasped for breath. "Wow," she said to herself, her finger tips touching her lips.

"I'm sorry," Draco said sheepishly. "I don't know what got over me."

Hermione quickly gathered all of belongings. "Yes, well, the past is the past and I'm going to tell Snape that you've passed the test and that you should be right back on track by the next test. Good-bye." Quickly, she walked out of the library.

"I am such an idiot," Malfoy slammed his head on the table. "Now I'll never get to be with her again."

You're not the idiot, thought Pansy. I am for letting you go...

Hermione walked back to the Gryffindor Tower with a blank stare on her face and the flowers still in her hands.

"Hey Hermione," said Ginny as Hermione walked in through the portrait hole.

"Oh, Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed. "I have to tell you something. But you have to swear not to tell a soul!"

"Where'd you get those lovely flowers?" Ginny asked.

"That's what I have to tell you about." Hermione said. She looked around. "Draco gave them to me," she whispered.

"WHAT?!" Ginny asked in astonishment.

"Yes...he did. Then, I just quizzed him again on all the things that were on the test. He got them all correct...and suddenly he just grabbed me and kissed me."

"He kissed you? Your lips must feel like scum."

"Actually, it was quite enjoyable." Hermione smiled slightly.

"You don't plan on telling Ron about this little encounter, do you?"

"Of course not. Let's just pray he doesn't find out. You know how fast news travels around here." Hermione sighed.