Falling For You ☽ ☽

Just Friends

"Hermione! Hermione, wait up!" Harry's voice calls from behind me.

I turn around and wait until Harry has caught up to me.

"Yes?"

"Oh, I didn't really have anything in particular to say, I just wanted someone to walk to tea with." He laughs

"Oh, um right." I say, distracted by my thoughts. I'm still thinking about him, Draco. Less then 5 minutes ago I was feeling sorry for him, then angry at him and then I was felt like I... loved him? No, I don't love Draco, I mean sometimes I like him but I don't love him. My thoughts start to fade out as I hear my name getting repeated over and over. I awake from my mind and see Harry waving his hand in front of my eyes.

"Oh, um sorry, what?" I ask as I try to remember what he had said.

"Are you feeling okay? Because your acting really strange." He repeated.

"I- I'm sorry, I'm just thinking about Dra-... I uh, mean, things."

"What sort of things?" He asks me as he gestures for me to sit down on one of the seats in the corridor.

Crap! Why did he have to ask this question? I'm not a good liar.

"Oh... it's just my... uh, History project. You know, the one I'm doing with Draco." I say, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh, yeah I'm sorry you got paired with him for that. He would be a pain to work with."

I laugh.

He's not all that bad actually."

"I'll believe that when I see it." He smiles.

I give him a little nudge on his arm with my shoulder.

"I promise you, he's becoming human."

"Oh, are you in love with him now after your waltz at the Yule Ball?" Harry teases.

"No, Harry."

"I'm just joking, if you did like Draco though, I would kill you." He says casually and my heart drops.

"Wait, would you really hate it if I liked Draco," I ask before quickly adding "I don't like him though, you know, just for the record." I fake a quick smile to cover up my lie and it seems as if Harry hasn't suspected anything.

"Well, I mean, he's been my enemy ever since the first day of Hogwarts. He always treats both me and you badly and somebody like that doesn't deserve somebody like you."

"Oh." I reply, not knowing what else to say.

"I would also hate if you liked him because I uh, like you." He says as his cheeks turn pink.

My heart thuds loudly as he takes hold of my hand and leans in for a kiss. I know what's going to happen next, but I can't do it. Our noses slightly touch and it feels too wrong.

"I can't do this Harry." I whisper before turning my head away from him.

Harry looks stunned as he leans back, obviously embarrassed. I feel terrible, just a few short weeks ago, I would of killed to feel his lips on mine. But now everything has changed and I don't want to kiss him.

We both just look in different directions for a minute or so before Harry speaks.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" I ask, avoiding eye contact.

"I just thought, that maybe you liked me... like that."

I turn to look at him and see that he is obviously disappointed.

"Harry, I love you, without you, Hogwarts wouldn't be the same and I never could of made it throughout these past four years. You've made me a better wizard and person but, you're my best friend. And we work well as friends. Just friends." It kills me to hurt him like this but he has to know.

"Yeah. It's fine. I understand." He sighs.

"Wow, really?" I just so used to Draco being difficult it almost feels unbelievable about how well he took it.

"Yeah, can we just pretend that... that never happened?"

"Okay." I reply as I still try to comprehend what just happened.

"Uh, good. Well, we better go to the hall." Harry says awkwardly.

"Yeah."

We both stand up and walk to the hall without speaking and standing at least a meter apart. It's funny, I'd always wanted Harry and when I finally had the opportunity to get him, I no longer wanted it. And it's all Draco Malfoy's fault. Why does he have to be so damn addictive?