Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Cake

The next day, I'm afraid to say, I called in sick for work. I was quite afraid of facing Hermione after yesterday's humiliation. So I stayed at home, walking around in my pyjama bottoms, sighing and moaning all the time. I know, I was a pathetic mess. Whiskey was kind enough to tell me quite many times. But I didn't care. Safe to say, I was devastated.

I thought about going to her house later on, when she would be home from work.

I thought about waiting for her to get home with some sort of apology-strawberry.

I thought about quitting my job and avoiding her.

I thought about going to work and just kiss her.

I thought about kidnapping one of her squirrels and forcing her to be my girlfriend.

I did neither of those things. Instead I just stayed at home, sighing and moaning. Finally I decided that there was no point of me staying awake when I was just going to be miserable. So at 5 o'clock I went to bed. But I had just tugged myself in when there was a shrill yell from the kitchen.

"Pretty lady!" Whiskey yelled and I flew out of bed. There was only one person that Whiskey would call 'Pretty lady'. Without even thinking about my appearance I ran out of my room and into the kitchen where the most beautiful sight awaited me. There, in my kitchen, was the very woman, who had me feeling so low and yet so high. She was as beautiful as ever, albeit sad. Her eyes had a haunting glimmer of sorrow and her kissable mouth struggled to smile.

"Hi," I breathed and was suddenly very aware of how I looked. I tried to smooth down my ragged hair, which finally made Hermione smile her perfect, flawless smile.

"Hi," she smiled heartedly. "I heard you were sick."

I cringed, unable to lie to her.

"Yeah, I didn't believe that," she said sorrowfully. "That's why I didn't bring you soup like I would have done if you actually were sick."

"You brought me something?" I asked incredulously.

"I thought I owed you something," she apologised. "After running away from you last night. I should have stayed with you. I should have let you talk. I should have listened."

"I understand why you ran," I said and took a step closer to her. She did the same. "I was wrong to just say it so bluntly."

"No," she said hurriedly. "No, it wasn't your fault. I asked for the truth. I was a fool for not trusting you. But I was an even bigger fool for rejecting you altogether."

Hope flickered in my chest. I waited for her to say more, to say that she loved me too. But of course she didn't.

"So I brought you strawberries," she said with a beaming smile. From behind her back she pulled out a wonderful looking cake. "It's a strawberry chocolate mousse cake. Never tasted it before but it sounds nice, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," I said slowly. "Yeah, it does."

Hermione was quick to catch up on my disappointment, and looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

"I know you want more from me, Draco," she whispered and took a step closer to me. "But I need time."

I nodded, knowing she was absolutely right, but secretly hoping that the time she needed would only be mere seconds.

"I'm sorry."

The pain in her voice was so real, so tangible, that I could think of nothing else than to put my arms around her and draw her close to me. She willingly leaned into my chest and her arms wrapped around my waist as she clung to me. Suddenly I felt her shoulders start to shake and heard sobs from her. I felt panic welling in me. I wasn't used to dealing with crying women. I had n idea what to do. So I did the only thing I could imagine would help her. I gathered her in my arms and carried her to my couch, where I sat down with her on my lap. And there I held her even closer than before, her huddled form snuggling close to me. I rocked back and forth, thinking of something soothing to say but coming up empty.

"I'm so sorry," I finally hiccupped between sobs. "I'm sorry for being so mean to you and for crying and everything."

"Mean to me?" I asked incredulously. "When where you ever mean to me?"

"Well, now," she said, sounding clearly confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's mean of me to string you along like this. You're a great guy and I don't want to hurt you by not being able to give you what you want. What you deserve."

I hesitated, taking in her words, before answering, "That doesn't make you mean. Quite the opposite, I'd say. Since you don't want to hurt me."

"But I am hurting you, aren't I?" she tilted her head so that her large, brown eyes filled with glassy tears were staring up at me.

"No," I answered honestly. "Yes, I am hurting, but you're not the one doing it. My feelings are. I'm only hurting myself."

A little smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you," she whispered. Her little hand reached out and stroked my cheek, and I closed my eyes, savouring the touch and her affection. I hadn't expected what she did next. Suddenly, while my eyes were still closed and I was still lost in the wonder of her touch, her beautiful, plump lips pressed against mine. My eyes flew open and stared straight into hers as she kissed my tryingly. Then she pulled away as suddenly as she'd started the kiss.

"What…?" I started saying but then I noticed the wide, happy grin on her face. She shook her head with a joyous little laugh and threw her arms around my neck, pressing her lips firmly against mine, kissing me feverishly and hungrily. I held on to her for dear life, feeling my stomach fill with butterfly and my head fill with church bells. When she drew away again she was smiling and laughing like a little girl.

"What was that about?" I tried to sound serious, but her smile and her laugh was infectious and I started laughing as well.

"I thought that was clear," she laughed.

"And I though you needed time," I commented.

"Apparently I didn't," she said, more seriously this time. "Apparently I only needed a little crying and a heart stopping kiss."

"Your heart stopped?" I asked teasingly. "That's so strange; I could have sworn I felt it beating hard and loud."

She laughed again.

"You know what I mean!"

I laughed with her before leaning down to steal another kiss from her. And another. And another till we were breathless and giggling and happy like two fools in love.

To this date we still eat strawberry chocolate mousse cake every year on your anniversary.

Once again, I'm so sorry for being a lousy updater.

I hope you enjoyed this, the final chapter. I hope you'll all review and tell me EVERYTHING you're thinking. I'm quite nosy when it comes to thoughts.