A/N: I'm sorry it took long to write this chapter but as it's the last one, I needed more time to finish it off
A/N: I'm sorry it took long to write this chapter but as it's the last one and I needed more time to finish it off. Hope you like it! It's rather long, so hope you don't mind!
Chapter 41
Draco knocked on Hermione and Ginny's bedroom door but didn't get a reply. He turned the knob and pushed it open as quietly as he could.
There she was, leaning against the frame of the window, oblivious to everything around her.
Draco coughed to let her know of his presence but no reaction emitted from Hermione's mouth or body.
He silently walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and standing close to her so that their bodies were just touching.
He felt her stiffen and then she relaxed within a second. She leaned in, pressing her back into his chest. Draco smiled and put his arm around her body, gripping the window sill.
They didn't speak for a while, just stared out into the outside the world. The snow showered the ground below it; the trees, the grass, the houses and even the few people.
Until Hermione landed back to reality, quickly pulling away…
Outside, Ginny, Harry, Fred and George, and Ron had their ears pressed against the door. Each ones head on top of the other.
"Why is it so quiet?" Ginny asked for the fifth time, getting frustrated.
"Ginny, this is wrong; we shouldn't be eavesdropping on them!" Harry said, his conscience kicking in.
"Yeah Ginny, I don't want to be outside of the room, I want to be inside…so I can break the ferrets nose for even being that close to Hermione!" Ron said angrily, stepping back, waiting for the others to do so as well so he could barge in.
Ginny and Harry looked at Ron with disappointed faces and Fred and George, in turn, slapped Ron on the back of the head.
"Ow! Ow!"
"You really need to know when you should shut up!" George said shaking his head in a disapproving way.
"What? You can't tell me that you think this is right?" Ron said, turning bright red.
"Ron, Hermione is like a sister to us and even though we don't really like Malfoy, if she likes him then there's nothing we can do. We've accepted him and so should you. He's not that bad of a guy!" Fred said, proud of himself for giving a good speech; well only in his thoughts.
"This…this is ridiculous! You guys are idiots for believing Malfoy and his bullshit!" Ron said firing up now.
"No Ron you're the idiot if you can't see where Hermione's happiness lies." Harry said finally speaking up.
Ron looked at Harry and then at the rest of them as if they had grown extra heads or something. Shaking his head in anger, Ron stormed of.
Ginny resumed her eavesdropping and then huffed angrily.
"They're not talking…by the sounds of it they're not even breathing!"
"Ginny let it go!" Harry said pulling on her arm and pulling her towards the stairs but Ginny was reluctant. Harry managed to pull her down a few stairs when the door opened and Hermione came out, bright red.
She hadn't noticed the others but when she Fred called out to her, Hermione began to mumble, and blush scarlet even more!
"Hey guys." Hermione said only now noticing them all sanding there. Fred and George with knowing grins and Harry with both hands grabbing Ginny's.
"Erm…what are you doing?" Hermione asked curiously looking at Harry and Ginny.
Ginny managed to squirm her hands away from Harry's grip and rubbed them, staring at Hermione.
"I should be asking you the same thing Hermione." Hermione looked up in surprise but before she could say anything Draco came out of the room, his hand through his hair and stopping halfway when he noticed everyone standing outside.
"Erm…hello!" was all he could manage as he tried not looking at anyone, bearing a blush similar to the one Hermione was wearing a few minutes ago.
Harry ignored him and continued pulling Ginny down the stairs, Fred and George hot on their tale.
"Ignore her Hermione, I think Fred and George mixed something in her tea this morning!" and with that they all left leaving Hermione and Draco alone.
"Er…" they both began but not looking at each other. Hermione turned around and heard Draco sigh heavily as she too followed Harry and the others downstairs.
"Shit!" Draco said storming into the bathroom and slamming the door behind him.
--
Ginny walked into the living room and noticed that Draco was sitting on his own staring into space. Confused, she went up to him and sat down on the sofa.
"Hey, what's up?" she asked him as he smiled at her but not as his usual happy self.
"Hey."
"So how did things go with Hermione the other day? I would have found out for myself but Harry literally dragged me away!" Ginny said cheerfully, trying to enlighten him but as soon as Hermione's name came in his eyes clouded up.
"I don't wanna talk about it!" he said quietly and standing up but Ginny dragged him back down.
"It might help!" Ginny whispered as she watched Draco sit back down all too reluctantly.
Draco sat, quiet and not looking at Ginny's caring face. He sat there, pondering over her words and reflected on the fact that how different Ginny was too her annoying brothers and she was the only one he could really talk to apart from Blaise.
"Everything was fine…" he started and Ginny listened.
"Until…" Ginny continued for him when he had gone quiet again.
"It's like she doesn't want to be in the same room with me alone!" he said a bit too loudly. "What am I supposed to do when she won't even talk to me? At first it was alright but then as if something hit her, she jumped a mile away from me and then left!"
"I mean why the hell she invited me here when all she does is stay away from me?!"
Draco didn't say anything after that and Ginny used the quiet to think of a logical reason towards Hermione's behaviour.
"Do you know what I think?" Ginny said after a few minutes, "I don't think she's trying to hurt you," Draco snorted, "She's just doing what she thinks is best for everyone. She's still afraid of losing you as well as Harry and Ron, for her it's a matter of you or them."
"But…how…I mean…" Draco stuttered.
"Okay listen, you know were doing the whole New Year countdown thing tonight right?" Draco nodded, confused, "Bring the Christmas present you haven't had the courage to give her yet." Draco's eyes grew wide. How did she know about that?
And as if listening in on his thoughts Ginny said knowingly, "I know everything! You just be there and I'll do the rest!" Ginny said cheerfully, leaving a confused Draco in her wake.
--
Ginny knocked on the door and walked in. Hermione was standing by the window, her back to the door and Ginny was positive that Hermione's shoulders were shaking.
Walking up to her, Ginny placed a hand on Hermione's back and turned her towards herself.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked her, pulling Hermione into a hug.
Hermione shook her head as if to say nothing but then started sobbing uncontrollably on Ginny's offered shoulder.
"Everything's going wrong. I've ruined it with Draco and now he doesn't want to talk to me and if I tell him the truth then I know I'll lose everything!"
"What truth Hermione?" Hermione pulled away from Ginny and stared at her best friend in the eye.
"Th-that I-I…I love him." Hermione finished, hardly breathing.
A smile captured Ginny's face and she pulled Hermione for another hug.
"Oh Hermione I knew it! And I know he loves you too. And what's this rubbish about losing everything?" Ginny said leading Hermione towards the bed to sit.
Hermione muttered something but Ginny didn't quite catch it but she had inkling what Hermione meant.
"If you mean Harry and Ron then I'll inform you right now that that is nothing to be worried about."
Hermione looked up at Ginny mixed emotions strayed her face. Confusion, hope and assurance.
"Now there's only an hour or two until everyone arrives for the new year party so lets get ready and maybe you can tell Draco what's really in your mind." Hermione nodded and Ginny left the room telling Hermione that she'll be back in ten fifteen minutes.
--
"Can I have a word with you two?" Ginny said walking over to where the boys were sitting playing a game of exploding snaps.
She pushed them into an empty room and shut the door, turning towards Harry and Ron who had scared looks on their faces.
"Sit." Ginny demanded and Harry and Ron did as they were told.
"Ginny, what are you doing?" Ginny ignored the question from Ron and peered down at them.
"Now listen to me carefully, Hermione is risking something she loves for you two prats who don't deserve her love. And I'm warning you, if you do anything that will stop her from being happy, I swear on Merlin's grave that I'll hex both you into oblivion and believe me…I will!"
Both boys were scared to even mutter or nod their heads. After several glares and swear words Ginny calmed down and was about to leave when Harry's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"Is this about Hermione and Malfoy?"
"Yes and I swear on Merlin if…"
"I know you'll hex us into…"Harry shuddered at the thought.
"Haven't we already had this conversation?" Ron said angrily.
"Don't even go here Ronald! You're a selfish twat who only thinks of himself ad no one else, not even their own best friend who would do anything for you happiness." Ginny began to ramp on angrily.
"Ginny's right Ron, she deserves it and we have no right to take her happiness away from her."
"But this is Malfoy were talking about?"
"Yeah I know." And with that Harry and Ginny opened the door to leave.
Stepping outside, they walked back into the kitchen where everyone else was. Fred and George, who were looking rather sheepish, walked up to them and whispered in Ginny's ear.
"Way to go sis, were behind you 100 with this!" Ginny knew that they had been listening; they wouldn't have been Fred and George if they didn't eavesdrop!
The night had progressed and there was fifteen minutes till a new day, a new year began. Everyone was outside, a drink in hand watching Fred and George set up the fireworks display.
Hermione hadn't talked to Draco and Draco hadn't given her late Christmas present. When Hermione had walked down the stairs with Ginny, wearing the dress Draco had given her, Draco tried hard to hide his smile.
Over the night, they had both shared smiles, oblivious to what might happen during the end of the night.
Harry and Ron, on different accounts, came up to Hermione apologising and encouraging her. Harry's speech was more heartfelt than Ron's and Hermione knew that Harry meant what he was saying.
"Hi Hermione." Harry watched her as she said hello, not missing the sad glint in her eyes and all of a sudden guild washed over him.
"I'm sorry Hermione for not being happy for you and for saying bad things about your relationship with Malfoy. At first I thought he was just doing this get back at us or something but I know now that that's not true. I'm so sorry Hermione." Hermione hugged him and they both felt a huge weight lifted off their shoulders.
After Harry, Ron walked up to her, looking at his feet the whole time he apologised.
"Sorry Hermione, I should've known that…Malfoy might actually care for you and I'm sorry for not seeing it like that."
"Thank you Ron." Hermione said hugging him.
"But I swear Hermione; if he hurts you I'm gunna make his life hell." Hermione just laughed and hugged him again.
Hermione felt her night was going better than she thought it would have and for once in ages Hermione let all her sorrows go and enjoyed the night with her family.
Ginny had been watching Hermione and Draco glance each other several times and felt that they needed a push; the night was nearly ending and they hadn't gotten anywhere.
"Are you going to stand there all day and stare at her all night?" Ginny said over the loud music Fred and George bringing Draco out of his thoughts.
"Hello to you to!" Draco said sarcastically taking a sip of his drink.
"The night is ending and still you haven't done anything."
"I'm waiting for the right moment."
"The right moment never comes; you have to make it right!"
"Quite the philosopher!" but Ginny just glared at him for changing the subject.
"Fine! I'll go over now!"
"You do that!" Draco walked over to Hermione, turning around once as I asking Ginny if it was right receiving a curt nod from Ginny.
Harry, Ron, Fred and George came up behind Ginny.
"Is he going now?" Harry asked and Ginny nodded, not taking her eyes off Draco.
"About bloody time!" all four said in unison.
"Shh! He's talking to her now!" Ginny said excitedly.
Draco tapped Hermione's shoulder and she stopped talking to Tonks.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Yeah sure. Excuse me Tonks." Tonks just smiled and left to chatter with Lupin.
Hermione turned her eyes to Draco whose eyes quickly shot to the ground. No one spoke for a minute both waiting for the other to talk.
"I just…" they both started at the same time and Draco nodded at her to continue. Breathing deeply, Hermione coughed before looking him straight in the eye.
"I-I just want to say that…that I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry for all the pain I've caused you in the past few days. My minds been screwing me a lot and I've just been confused and scared of everything else and stupid and confused…have I already said that?" Hermione continued babbling nervously not noticing Draco smile.
"I know I've been stupid but I can never seem to get those memories of us out of my mind. They were the best times of my life and I'm an idiot if I want to live without them. They're all I think about and it's like a…" before Hermione could finish Draco gently but firmly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her towards him.
"Shut up Granger!" and to make sure that she did, he kissed her, putting all his mind and heart into it, wanting to do it for ages.
They were both lost in the kiss, their hearts soaring, that they didn't notice the cheers erupt from behind them. After ages, they pulled apart in sync as Fred and George set off their firework display but Hermione and Draco didn't take their eyes off each other.
"I just want to say Hermione that I love you with all my heart and I don't give a rat's ass of what anyone else thinks." Hermione smiled as Draco pulled her in for another kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and his arms around her waist. Stopping for a minute as Draco took the small box out of his pocket and taking the ring from the velvet and placing it onto hermione's finger, the rainbow colours shining like their very own fireworks.
Both were oblivious to the fact of a new set of fireworks the twins had set off, in a perfectly shaped pink heart the engulfed the couple.
A/N: Sniff, sniff! I can't believe I've finished! Probably the best story I have ever written in my whole life even though it took me…11 months!! And I couldn't have done it without all my faithful readers! Love you all a lot!
Though it pains me to say goodbye, I shall make you all happy by saying that I haven't entirely abandoned you! Please read my other stories and keep out for any other stories in the future!
Wooh! This is the longest chapter I have ever written so don't disappoint me by not reviewing! Think of it as a temporarily leaving gift! :)
Take care and I promise to keep writing!
Mev x