The Contract
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter in anyway, shape, or form (though I wish I did because J. K. Rowling has to be one of the richest people in the world by now).
AN: the final chapter is coming soon!
Special Thanks to: Everyone! I really enjoyed reading your review(s)
Chapter 22
Hermione stared into Oliver's earnest eyes and prayed that her resolve wouldn't cave. She couldn't go back to him after what he'd done. It would only lead to more heartbreak. She should've known better than to sign that contract in the first place but nothing would have made her think that she'd end up actually liking Oliver. She sighed and gently pulled her chin away.
She saw Oliver's shoulders hunch and heard his sigh. His head hung low for a moment before lifting so that his eyes could meet hers. He stared at her intensely, the spark of the old Oliver returning with the promise of a challenge.
"I'm not giving up," he told her quietly. "So don't plan on it."
Harry looked to Ron with wide eyes. The two had hidden, yet again behind the bookshelves of the library with Fred and George.
"Oh, Georgie, did you hear that?" Fred asked merrily. "Our ickle Ollie is going to set things straight."
"Bout damn time if you ask me," Ron and George grumbled at once. They looked at each other, glared, and then turned back to their friends. Harry held back a laugh while Fred looked disgusted.
"George!" he said. He placed a hand to his chest and observed his twin in a way that suggested that he felt betrayed. "You're supposed to double talk with me and me only!" Harry looked disbelievingly from Fred to George.
"The people I surround myself with," he muttered.
Hermione watched as Oliver stood and walked away from her. She forced herself to watch as he left the library. He would only hurt her again; she had to keep believing that. She couldn't trust him. He'd made that evident when he'd shown that he didn't trust her. She sighed and stood. Grabbing her things, she headed for the exit. She had something to take care of.
Draco headed back towards his chambers from Dumbledore's office with relief evident on his face. His father hadn't been there to train him. Instead, he'd been there to inform Draco that he'd be 'leaving town' for awhile. Draco smirked. More like hiding out. He'd been spotted at the meeting Draco had warned Harry about, but had escaped. The warrant for his arrest had yet to be put out, but it was only a matter of time.
Lucius had only wanted Malfoy to remember to 'uphold the family honor', 'excel all mudbloods', and 'keep an eye on that bothersome Potter, Weasley, and Granger'. Draco hadn't minded the last request that much, seeing as how it had something to do with Hermione, but he had sneered at her name to make sure his father knew of his infinite dislike of the girl.
Draco jumped in surprise as an owl flew in through the window, clutching a letter. Opening his hands, Draco caught the letter and watched the owl leave him behind as it flew freely into the sky. Draco sighed and opened the letter.
Draco,
Meet me at midnight in the astronomy tower. We must talk.
Signed,
Hermione
Draco sighed as he clutched the letter and stuffed it into his robe pocket. She wanted to talk to him. He could take that one of two ways, but he decided for the bad way. That way if it wasn't something he wanted to hear, he wouldn't be disappointed.
That night, Hermione waited patiently for Draco in the astronomy tower. She had to talk to him again. School was almost over and she wouldn't be there for him during the summer. She wouldn't be able to.
At the sound of an opening door, Hermione turned around. She frowned in confusion as she saw Oliver entering the tower.
"Wood?" she questioned as he came closer to her. He carried a stack of papers in his arms, but she ignored it. "What are you doing here? Where's Malfoy?" Wood ignored her. Instead, he continued moving closer to her until he stood only inches from her.
"Hermione," he said softly. "I know I've hurt you by not trusting you, but I'd like the chance to make up for it. I really like you and I think we could make our relationship work." Hermione shook her head as she raised a hand to protest.
"Wood, you've said this before-"
"Shh," Wood cut Hermione off smoothly. He handed her the stack of papers in his arms. "Read this." Hermione looked at Wood skeptically before looking at what she held.
"'I, Oliver Wood, do hereby promise to earn the trust and affection of Hermione Granger.'," Hermione read aloud. She looked up to Wood, awe apparent on her face.
"Continue," he said with a slow smile. He looked at Hermione from under his eyelashes. Hermione swallowed thickly and nodded as she looked back down to the papers.
"'I promise to be everything that she deserves in a boyfriend. I promise to care for her always and I promise, above all else, to not jump to unwarranted conclusions." Hermione looked to Oliver once more, her face crumpling with the promise of tears.
"There's more," Oliver whispered stepping closer. He took the papers from Hermione and turned the page. "'I, Oliver Wood, do hereby admit to falling for Hermione Granger and wanting her to fall for me also." Oliver reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a quill. He placed the papers on a nearby table, stooped down, and signed them.
Once he'd finished he stood and turned back to Hermione with a nervous smile. He placed the papers in her hands and waited.
"The rest is up to you," he admitted softly. He turned and made to leave the tower. Hermione looked after him, staring at the papers and then at Wood's back. Finally, she could take it no longer.
"Oliver!" she shouted. He stilled, his shoulders rising in hope. He turned around slowly, his face mirroring the hope his body language betrayed. Hermione's words failed her as she looked at him.
"This-this contact," she stuttered. "It…it doesn't say anything about me." Oliver smiled slowly. Hermione returned the smile before pulling out her wand and pointing it at the papers. Immediately, the papers flipped to the last page, where there was still a bit of room.
"I, Hermione Granger, do hereby admit to falling for Oliver Wood and wanting him to fall for me also," Hermione whispered. As she said this, the words wrote themselves on the contract. Hermione smiled. "Signed, Hermione Granger." Wood smiled and rushed over to Hermione.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. Hermione nodded.
"I know. Me too." She looked up at him and mimicked the cocky smile he was known so well for. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to kiss me?" Oliver laughed.
"Who am I to argue with the lady?"
As Oliver bent down to gently kiss Hermione. Fred, George, Harry, and Ron sat hidden behind one of the large furniture pieces of the tower. The four of them beamed happily at the ending in sight.
"Oh Georgie, look!" Fred whispered happily. "Ollie fixed it!" He turned to his brothers and Harry to see them sniffing. Fred frowned. "Are you guys crying?"
"No," Ron denied a little too quickly. "I've got allergies. What about you Harry?"
"Um, something just flew in my eye," Harry lied as he blinked rapidly to back up his story. "What about you George?"
"I'm crying," George admitted honestly. At the amazed look he got from his brothers and Harry he shrugged and placed a hand to his chest. "I am comfortable enough in my own masculinity to admit that Oliver and Hermione's happy ending touched my soul." Harry sighed.
"Another good thing about this is that we can finally stop spying so George can stop being a woman," he whispered to Ron.
Draco watched from the entrance of the Astronomy tower as Hermione and Oliver made up. He'd seen Oliver walking the halls after getting his letter from Hermione and, after much inner struggling; he'd told Oliver where to meet Hermione. He hadn't done it for the oaf, but for Hermione. Being away from Oliver hurt her and Draco decided that they deserved another chance.
He sighed as he saw Hermione and Oliver kiss. They'd made up. It was over. He'd lost her. Draco stared at Hermione, willing himself not to feel any pain at the knowledge that he'd never be with her. That he'd never have the chance to love her the way she should be loved.
"Be happy Hermione," he whispered. He took one last look at her before turning and walking slowly back to his room in the dungeons. He was a Slytherin and a Malfoy. Slytherins didn't mope and Malfoy's didn't love. This knowledge brought him no more joy as the pain in his heart increased. It seemed that Malfoy's didn't receive love either.
AN: I hope you guys enjoyed the story. It took me a while to get here, didn't it? Just so you know, I'm thinking of a sequel to this story centering around Malfoy and a character I created named Tanya. If anyone is interested in this please let me know because as bad as our little Slytherin prince is, I think that he deserves some happiness also. Especially after what I put him through in this story.