A/N: Well I was bored and I was reading some of my fics and I came up with this: Sequel to In Love, I Lost. If you haven't read it yet, please read it before reading this. Thanks.
Disclaimer: Con: I don't own Harry Potter. Pro: Neither do you. Bwahahahaha! –evil-
This is the End
By: SociallyDriven
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"To love truly, is to love forever – even though the love be unrequited."
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The Hogwarts train glided through the sunlit valleys, like a long red streak amidst the different shades of green. I look out the window, lost in a daze of blurred meadows.
This would be the last time I'd be riding this train. The last time I'd get to sit in a compartment with my friends. The last time I'd step out off Platform 9 ¾ as a Hogwarts student. But most all …
This is the last time I'd get to see him this way.
After Draco Malfoy and I would step off from this train, there will be no Houses to divide us. Instead, there will be Dark and Light, Death Eater and Auror. The division set up by adolescence will be replaced by a more distinct one set by painful reality.
But before that alteration comes, I have decided to spare myself one last act of juvenile bliss. It shall serve as the concluding statement to my adolescent whims. One last recognition to the abstract thoughts spurred by my illogical mind. After which, the thick towering walls shall rise again … and logic will rightfully rule my world.
I tightened my grip on the tiny brown package in my pocket. I have a feeling that with all my squirming, the crisp, bronzed wrapping is already crumpled beyond repair of smoothing down. I could almost imagine myself handing Draco Malfoy a wrinkly, lame-looking parcel. I inwardly groaned.
Sighing once again, I turned my head away from the window only to be met by the worried eyes of Ron. "Hey 'Mione, you okay?" he whispered.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered weakly. His eyes softened. "It's okay. We're all going to be in the same team anyways. Nothing's gonna change much except for the place, and the food, and the school stuff …"
"Right, Ron," said Ginny, overhearing what her older brother had said. "Transposing from school to the real world isn't much of a change, is it? Instead of grades, you get a paycheck."
"Instead of detention, you go to jail," supplied Harry.
"Instead of Albus Dumbledore, you've got Rufus Scrimgeour."
"And instead of McGonagall, you've got some git like Malfoy to boss you around." My ears perked up at the name.
"If you look at it close enough, it's pretty much the same. Right, Ron?"
"Are you two being sarcastic?"
"Pretty much. Yeah," said Harry with a grin.
"Look Hermione," started Ginny, shifting her gaze on me, "it's okay to be sad but everything's going to be fine. I mean, if you miss some of your friends–" An image of Malfoy flashed in my mind. Friend? Fat chance. "or even some of the professors, you could always write them a letter or something like that. Even though you guys are graduating, that doesn't mean everything has to end."
But that's the thing. It is the end. For the two of us.
"That's what I was trying to tell," I heard a disgruntled Ron murmur to himself. I looked at him and forced a smile. "I know that's what you've been meaning to tell me, Ron. Thank you." I held his hand, he smiled. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed me on the forehead. Harry and Ginny gave us the look. You know, the same look everyone gives us whenever they see Ron and I being all lovey-dovey. Like they're saying "I knew they'd end up together!" It's quite sickening really, though I don't exactly know why.
All throughout the trip, Ron kept his arm around me, always playing with my hands. We engaged in small talk, smiling and laughing from time to time. I knew he was doing this to keep my mind occupied but even so, my mind would always have a space solely functioning for him. Like it or not, I was constantly thinking of Draco Malfoy.
We were midway of discussing Filch and Madam Pince's love affair (my mind started wondering what Malfoy was doing) when the train started decelerating. It was an odd experience. It's as if the train's velocity has been transferred to my heart. It began to beat sporadically and became worse with every second. By the time the train halted to a total stop, breathing normally became to be a challenge.
This is it. My last juvenile act.
Everyone in the compartment started to get their things and I slowly rose from my seat. "Oh, it's okay 'Mione. I'll get your stuff," said a cheerful Ron.
"No, Ron. It's fine. I can –" He wouldn't listen. Before I could even finish my sentence, he has already carried both of our luggages our of the compartment. I let out a sigh.
He cares for me so much.
My hand unconsciously went to the pocket containing the reason for all of this mess. Today marks the end of schoolgirl Hermione Granger, stalker of Draco Malfoy, and the start of the new Hermione, faithful girlfriend of Ronald Weasley.
Geeez. When did life get so cheesy? "C'mon 'Mione!" Ron's voice floated somewhere from outside the compartment.
"Well, here goes nothing," I murmured to myself.
I took my first steps onto the platform and I looked around. If I'm gonna do the job, might as well get it done quickly, right? The quicker, the less painful. I craned my neck and even stood on my toes for a while to get a better view of the surroundings. I let out a sigh of frustration. No Malfoy. Where is he?
"Move, Granger!" Such great timing. "Didn't you hear me Mudblood? I said move!"
I turned around and the velocity returned. I'm sure the barely breathing part will soon follow.
The moment had finally arrived and I didn't know what to say or what to do. For a full second, we both just stood there staring at each other. Then, something in his eyes changed. He scoffed.
"Don't block the way," he brushed pass me, his cronies following.
"Hermione! Hermione!" Someone was yelling my name but I didn't bother to turn around, or even to move at all. The scenario that just played before me … it put me back to painful reality. It reminded me why these … feelings are so useless and would forever be useless. It's not because the one I like loathes me to his very core. No. It's because he doesn't care. He doesn't give a damn about me.
A tear slowly slid down my face.
After all, hate isn't the opposite of love. It's indifference.
"Hermione! Are you alright?"
Ginny. Oh, I hope Harry and Ron aren't with her.
"Hermione, look at me!" I obeyed. Thank goodness, she was alone. A few feet away, I could see Ron being fawned over by Molly. "Are you okay? Ron's been trying to find you and suddenly I see you just standing here. Is something wrong?"
I shook my head in response. "Oh Hermione," she wiped away the tear, "I didn't know you were so attached to Hogwarts. Don't cry anymore. You could always visit school during breaks or whenever you're free, right? Right?"
I just nodded. "Good. C'mon, Ron must be worried already." I followed her like zombie amidst the crowd. Sigh. There goes Mission Bookmark.
I was ready to fully give up when I saw a streak of platinum blonde in the corner of my eye. I turned my head a bit and saw him, alone. He was walking towards his parents. I looked at the distance between him and them. There was a barrier exactly between. My brain kicked into high gear.
You can do this, Hermione. You aren't a Gryffindor for nothing.
And without even noticing it, I was slowly walking towards him, gaining confidence with every step. This is the last, Hermione. It's the last. Make the most of it.
One second I was walking towards him, the next I was already grabbing his collar and pulling him towards the barrier. Imagine the surprise in his face when he saw it was me, the mudblood.
Well, I've gone this far, might as well go all the way. "D-Draco." His eyes widened.
"So um," I quickly took out the brown package, "here. Whenever you fancy a bit of light reading." For a second, I was absolutely sure he was going to just ignore me again but then, he reached out his hand and took it. I didn't think he knew what he was doing.
"Well, er … bye." I turned and fast-walked my way out of his range of sight. Good job, Hermione. Good job.
And that was the end of it. I could be free now. I could kiss this Draco Malfoy infatuation goodbye!
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Right?
"'Mione! There you are."
"Sorry for making you worry."
"Oh Hermione, dear. You've grown even more beautiful. No wonder Ron has grown even fonder of you."
"Mum!"
"You take care of my son now, okay?"
"Mum! Stop it!"
"Oooh. Our ickle Ronniekins is turning red."
"Shut up, Goerge!"
As the people I love surround me, I look away and like a compass, my eyes land on him. He's talking to his father. I observe him and his stature, his composure, his everything … perfect as usual. It's like nothing had happened just a few seconds ago.
Indifference again, huh?
Sigh.
Why is this happening, Malfoy? Tell me. Why am I still affected by you?
I kept my eyes on him, hoping he'd look my way but just like every other thing that I've expected from him, it never happened.
And with that sullen thought, I did what I should've done a long time ago: I looked away and walked forward.
"Everyone here? Everyone ready?" asked Mrs. Weasley. A general grunt was given by the group.
"Let's get going then," said Mr. Weasley, "got a lot of things to prepare." As the Weasley clan and Harry step off the platform, Ron and I fall behind.
"Where did you go?"
"Just got a bit … sentimental." He smiled at my convincing lie.
"C'mon," he softly put my hand into his and we started walking, "You're gonna stay at The Burrow for a few weeks, right?" I can sense the excitement in his voice.
"Yeah. My parents practically considers it as my second home already so — oomf!" Two thing happened very fast. First, I was bumped moderately hard on the shoulder. Second, a warm hand slipped something thin and metallic into mine.
"Hey! Watch where you're going, Malfoy." Velocity, we meet again.
"You're the one who should stay out of my way, weasel." I didn't dare to look up. No, not after I've just looked away. I felt Ron's grip tighten.
"Let's go 'Mione." Ron threw a final glare at him then gently pulled me at my side. I kept my eyes down.
And as we started walking … I heard it. I really heard it.
Hermione.
Draco Malfoy whispered my name. All resolutions fallen away, I turned to look but my eyes only caught a glimpse of his retreating form before the sea of people engulfed him totally.
This is the end.
And as I kept my eyes down and tightened my grip on my free hand, feeling the pressure of the bracelet Malfoy gave me … Ron kept pulling me forward.
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"To love truly, is to love forever – even though the love be unrequited."
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Well, let me know what you think. Please review. If you have any comments/suggestions on the fic, I'd be pleased to hear them.
SociallyDriven