Don't Fall to the Enemy

Part Twenty One

Hermione sat on her bed legs crossed, her finger running down the silky fur of Maggie. She had found that Matt was actully a girl, so she changed her name to Magda, Maggie for short. She picked up Maggie and slowly set her in her bed, as not to wake her. Then she went straight to a package she had gotten that morning at breakfast. It was large, but that wasn't surprising, as it was a dress she had ordered from "Witches' Wardrobe", a magazine she was now getting regularly.

Unwrapping the package she said, "Designer dress, you are mine at last." Hermione felt the soft velvet and examined the sapphires at the bottom of the dress. They matched the color of the fabric exactly. "This is the perfect dress." Hermione picked up the dress held it up and spun around the dormitory, a conversation forming in her head.

"Why, Hermione, how lovely you look!", Draco would say.

"Thank you, Draco", I would answer politely.

Then he would offer me his arm and say, "Care for a dance?"

"Yes!" I answer. And it leads to a lovely night of dancing and dinner and-

"Hermione! Prefects' lounge, NOW!" Devon broke in on Hermione's fantasy.

"Whatever." Hermione walked to the dorm and followed Devin to the Prefects' lounge.

"All right. I don't know why we are here, but someone better fill me in, pronto!" Hermione sat at her chair, miffed and unhappy at the surprise meeting, probably something about the stupid dance. Well, not exactly stupid. A bit silly, yes. Stupid, of course not.

"All right, ideas for the theme." Devin took out her pen and a pad of paper, ready for any great ideas.

"We already discussed this," Hermione said irritably. "We decided on Winter Festival, remember?"

"No, Hermione-"

"Yes, Winter Festival, end of discussion!" She slammed her fist on the table.

"No it isn't!"

"Oh, yes it most certainly is! Meeting adjourned." Everyone filed out.

"Wait! Come back! We're not done here!" Everyone ignored Devin, including Hermione. "Come back!" Hermione felt completely happy. She had beat Devin to it. And it felt good.

Hermione walked slowly down to the Entrance Hall, where she was meeting Draco for the dance. She picked up her skirts as she went down the marble stairs. When she got to the bottom she saw Draco standing in the corridor going down to the dungeons. He was talking to a Slytherein that was a year above her and Draco. They were both in dress robes, Draco in dark green, the seventh year in deep sea blue.

"She's got a great figure," Hermione heard the seventh year saying when she got closer.

"Yeah, I know. She is the prettiest girl I've ever seen. I can't wait to tell everyone about the great night I had tonight with her tomorrow," Draco answered. Hermione was listening attentively.

"Are you going to, like, do anything afterwards?" asked the seventh year.

"Dunno. Probably," Draco said. He wasn't the slightest bit awkward about the subject. He turned around to find to see Hermione backed up, each step quicker than the next. "Hermione, wait-" but before she let him finish she had fled, holding up her skirts and running at top speed. Draco followed, trying to explain all the while. "Hermione, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings-" Before she pushed the door open, Hermione looked back at Draco, her make-up smeared and hair that used to look like an angel's now looked like she had been savagely attacked by wolves.

"LIAR!" she screamed. Then she pushed the door open and ran out. Draco watched as she tripped down the stairs but she just got up and ran more. She tripped several more times before stopping. Then, she stood there and whistled loudly. Draco blinked but when he looked at where she had been standing there was an enormous cat with wings that were probably the same length as his height. When he tried to walk forward, toward the caticus, (they had studied them in Care of Magical Creatures) she growled fiercely.

"Hermione?" Draco recognized those eyes. Hermione was an animagus. She had never told him. A huge wolf came bounding out of the darkness and it, apparently, also had wings. When the two flew off Draco saw wounds on the caticus' back. She was also lopsided. Was this really Hermione? It couldn't be. Hermione was nice. She didn't take offense of things he said like that before. Why? Why now?

Part Twenty Two

Annie sat bolt upright. That cry hadn't been in her dream. She ran to the window and looked out. There was a slight glow in a place in the Forbidden Forest. She opened the window and changed to the form of a large cat-like animal. She leaped out the window and spread her wings, staying low so no one would see her. She landed a few yards from the strange light. She bounded over to it to find her sister and brother sitting there, Hermione in animagus form and Adam sitting, legs crossed, Hermione's head in his lap. The caticus form of Hermione had a blanket around her shoulders. Annie became human again and scratched Hermione's head.

"I'm not an animal," Hermione snapped as she changed back. One might think it looked strange, three teens sitting cross legged in a clearing, one of the girls in a fancy blue dress, the other girl in a night gown, and the boy in wizards robes.

"You were acting like one."

"Shut-up, Annie."

"Why'd you scream?"

"I told you-"

"Why'd you scream?" Annie repeated.

"Because she was trying to lay on that branch up there, the broken one, and then the branch gave way and she got scared half to death of hitting the ground but she had barley gotten ready to release her wings when she hit the ground and I cracked up."

"And I told him not to tell anyone," said Hermione through gritted teeth. Before she continued she relaxed. "But then, Adam will be Adam."

"You can say that again. I brought hot chocolate."

"Annie, I'm tried. I'm going back to the castle. To sleep. Like normal people." Hermione changed and flew lopsidedly to the castle.

"Hot chocolate? I brought marshmallows. The BIG ones."

"Sure, what the hey. It's my life and I'll get fat if I want to." Adam took a mug, filled it with chocolate, and took a handful of huge marshmallows, stuffing them in his cup. Annie had a HUGE mug, one that said "Big Sky Montana".

"Well, aren't you little miss piggy?"

"Shut-up, Adam."

Part Twenty Three

Draco stood outside the Transfiguration classroom, waiting for Hermione to come out. He was in no mood for her attitude but he was going to try for the thousandth time to get her to talk to him. The door opened and she walked out solemnly, and Ron had his arms wrapped around her. Harry followed close behind.

"Hermione!" he called. Harry turned round and Draco heard Hermione sob.

"Don't you get it, Malfoy?" he snapped. "She doesn't want to talk to you! You broke her heart." Hermione sobbed heavily and Ron tightened his grip on her heaving shoulders, then kissed her cheek. They walked away leaving Draco standing there, alone and cursing in his head. This was the final straw. If she didn't love him, he sure as hell didn't love her. That was at least how he acted on the outside. But it was nothing to what he was feeling in his heart. He was deeply in love with Hermione Granger. The way he tried to think was, If she didn't love him, he wasn't going to let it bother him. And that was how it had been the first few weeks, when it had actully worked. But slowly, little by little, in his soul, he was breaking down. He couldn't help letting it bother him because whenever he turned around he saw something and thought how different his life could be if he had the figure of Hermione Granger in it. He always realized if he hadn't made that stupid comment that night in December, he wouldn't feel like a nasty, rotten, bitch right now.

Part Twenty Four

"C'mon Mione. Play Wizard Chess with me," Ron pleaded. "You really have to get over that bitch Malfoy. Everyone thinks you're my girlfriend now. And I want to know if you feel the way I feel about you about me. Please!!"

"I don't feel like it, Ron, all right?" Hermione said. He gave her puppy dog eyes. "Fine," she agreed flatly. She was very much not in the mood to play chess and Ron could most certainly tell.

"Hermione," he whispered. "You would tell me if there was something wrong, right? Hermione?" But Hermione had a glazed look on her face that told him she obviously hadn't heard him. "Hermione, snap out of it!!!!!" he said.

"Ron, I can't see you anymore," Hermione said suddenly.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Because you said you wanted to know if I felt the way about you that you feel about me and, and-" She paused, talking a breath after her fast rant.

"So you actully WERE listening. Very nice." Ron grinned. "And?"

"I, I, oh I really don't know how to say this. Whoa, this is really difficult." She kept telling herself to stop procrastinating. What's so hard about it? It's easy as pie! Ron, I don't think you're my type, for God's sake!!

"Hermione, I know what you're going to say."

"You do?!" Hermione cried out, jumping up.

"Yeah, I mean, you've probably had a crush on me as long as I've had a crush on you. I kinda guessed that one."

"WHAT?!" Hermione yelled. "No, no you've got the wrong idea. Very wrong. See I like you as a friend and all but I can't date you. I don't like you the way you like me. I'm ever so sorry."

"What do you mean?" The grin had vanished from Ron's face.

"You're a great friend but I just can't."

"Can't what?"

"Date you!" And she stormed off, not believing how stupid Ron was being.

"Why the hell not?!" Ron yelled, he stood up, no longer confused but very, very angry.

"Because, because I don't love you, idiot!" Hermione turned around and looked at him over the banister. Ron felt one of her tear drops fall on his head. And suddenly he felt terrible. It wasn't fair to Hermione at all. She hadn't really done anything to him and they hadn't REALLY been dating so she hadn't REALLY dumped him. He just had that illusion. And he too started to feel like a rotten, evil, idiotic animal.

Part Twenty Five

Draco hurried through the crowd to the jewelry store. If this didn't work nothing would. Hermione would HAVE to see exactly how much he loved her after he did this. He walked into Hogsmeade Jewelers and started looking in the cases. A beautiful ring was sitting on a velvet cushion with tassels. It was exactly the thing she would love. It had a white opal in the middle that flashed with every color of the rainbow when light touched it. Surrounding it where minute diamonds. This was the one. But his spirits fell when he saw the price. 8 Gallons, 15 Sickles, 18 Knuts. That was practically all he had. But it was the only way.

"Excuse me. Madam, I would like to get that ring in the case there." Draco pointed.

"This one?" The woman touched the velvet cushion. He nodded. He had no idea Pansy Parkinson was standing right outside the door. "It's half off today. We've had it for months and no one has bought it. I'm very grateful." Me too! thought Draco. He paid and left, his spirits higher than they had been in months.

"Hey, Draco. I saw you in the jewelry shop today." Pansy slinked up by Draco and wrapped her chubby arms around his neck. "You can give it to me now."

"What the hell are you talking about?" he said, turning round in his chair quick.

"My ring. You got it for me today at the jewelers."

"That's not for you, you damned idiot." He stood and shoved his book in his backpack.

"Who is it for then?" Pansy looked at him with a puzzled look and her fat hand on her hip.

"For what God damn reason should you care?" Draco was getting seriously irritated. This was not what he had been hoping for in this day. She was ruining it.

"I thought we were back together," Pansy whispered.

"Well, we're not! And it wouldn't fit your fat fingers, anyway!" He stormed out. Pansy bit her lip. Her life was so unfair.

Part Twenty Six

"What makes you different, makes you beautiful!" Hermione sang along. Her voice wavered. Everything seemed to remind her of Draco. Including this song.

"Knock, knock, knock!" Devin walked into the room, holding four big boxes. "I got doughnuts! And not just any doughnuts! Krispy Kreme!"

"Whatever," Hermione sniffled.

"What are you talking about? You LOVE Krispy Kreme doughnuts! Especially the ones with the crème in the middle! The ones without holes!"

"The ones I ate with Draco!" Hermione sobbed.

"Good Lord! How pathetic can you get? I went all the way down to Hogsmeade to get these for you.

"Don't be a prat. Today was a Hogsmeade weekend. Just because my heart is broken doesn't mean I forget Hogsmeade." She blew her nose. "Give me one."

"That's the Hermione I know. I can't wait till Monday. Exams will be OVER!"

"Yeah. Well, I have to go. I give me two more." Devon handed her two more doughnuts and grinned. Hermione knew what she had to do.

Part Twenty-Seven

"So, I realized, you ARE the guy for me. Forgive me?" said Hermione.

"Yeah. I forgive you," said Ron, giving her a hug. "And how 'bout this? Go to Hogsmeade after exams end, for ice cream."

"Yeah! That would be fun."

"So, a definite yes? No unexpected plans?"

"None."

"Great." A kiss. A big screen kiss. Afireworks kiss. The best and worst moment in Hermione Granger's life. Because sooner or later she would have to tell him. And the later, the better.

Part Twenty Eight

Hermione sat in the common room waiting for Professor McGonagall to come with the exam results. Hers had to be top marks, they had to be. But when would she be here? She needed to know.

"God, reading can't sustain someone forever!" she cried slamming her book down on the table. "Can't she hurry it up a little?"

"Don't worry, Mione! She'll be here soon!" Ron reassured her.

"Whatever."

Part Twenty Nine

"Here are the exam results!" called Professor McGonagall to the Gryfinndors. Hermione jumped up, ran over to her and looked at her pleadingly. "Here you are Miss Granger. And here are Mr. Potter's and Mr. Weasley's.

"Thank you!" she said and scurried back over to her seat. "Here Harry, Ron." They all sat in silence as they slowly opened the envelopes.

"I don't believe it! I don't BELIEVE it! I got top marks!" she cried, jumping up and down in the air.

"I'm so surprised," said Ron sarcastically. Then he leaned down and kissed her. But when he opened his envelope, he really DID look surprised. "So did I," he told Harry and Hermione sheepishly.

"Really?!" said Hermione. For a moment, she forgot what she was going to have to tell him when they went to Hogsmeade. But that moment stretched to a minute, which stretched to a minute, which stretched to a day and so on. And she never did tell Ron Weasley that she wasn't in love with him, even when it did come back to her. And it was something she seriously regretted.

Part Thirty

"Thanks Ron. It was really nice of you to get me this!" said Hermione, taking a sip from her frappicino.

"You deserved it," Ron told her as they walked into the book shop.

"Why didn't you get anything?" Hermione asked, dragging him over to the adult Muggle reading. "Oh, look at this! A new book by Tamora Pierce!"

"I'll get it for you," Ron offered.

"No, no! Really, I'll buy it myself! I should give myself a reward, not another one from you!" Hermione made her way through the crowd and to the counter. "Thank you!" she said after she paid. They walked out of the book store and stood outside, just standing under the slanted roof.

"Hermione," said Ron nervously.

"What Ron?" asked Hermione, walking closer to him.

"I-I love you," he said.

"I love you, t-too," Hermione lied. Then they kissed. Again. And this, Draco saw. And he felt like he was watching a movie on a big screen, with fireworks blowing in the background. His heart broke in two as he watched the girl he was in love with walk off. With someone besides him.

Epilogue

Draco Malfoy's life was never the same. He missed Hermione and his summer was the worst he had ever had in his life. He constantly saw happy couples that reminded him of what he and Hermione could have been. He always cursed when he did the slightest thing wrong. His life couldn't have been worse.

Hermione's life was also a living hell. Her parents had told her to find a job and live on her own. Ron bothered her constantly, and she never got and sleep at night knowing she was living a lie and dating her best friend, who she didn't even love.

I hope you enjoyed the first volume if my series, or trilogy or quartet. I don't which it is yet and I haven't chosen I title. I will post volume 2 (The title is yet to be decided) as soon as I am able. I will be very busy with homework (curse you teachers! You better not give me homework on winter holidays!) and wrapping and buying Christmas presents for my cousin, friends, parents, grandparents, sister, etc. My Christmas present to you is my stories, which I hope you enjoy. If you have any requests of something you want me to write, email me at [email protected]. This is my second fanfic I've ever finished (I finished A Twisted Life, which is under a different name.) I hope you enjoy this. If you want a laugh (which I need lately) scroll down and read my UPDATED version of The 12 Days of Christmas. Enjoy!

(On the twelfth day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Twelve Snitches hiding

Eleven Rouge Bludgers

Ten House Elves

Nine Weasleys arguing

Eight goblins guarding

Seven Dementors torturing

Six Chasers Chasing

Five Golden Eggs

Four champions

Three Dragons

Two