If I Say Yes [UNFINISHED]

Chapter 12 - Let Me Down Slowly

Harry felt his heart tug a significant amount and swallowed to try and keep his tears from falling. He'd done his best to ignore how he felt over the past few weeks, pushing away any thoughts of Draco. He tried not to think about the way they'd laughed, tried not to think about the way they'd danced, the feel of Draco's hands on his waist. Tried not to think about the kisses, soft touches and electric 'I love you's'.

But this... This was too much. If Draco really had gone, if he really wasn't coming back.. If Harry would never see him again... He didn't know how he could handle it.

"Harry?"

Hermione's voice yanked Harry from his thoughts as he looked up to see a pair of brown eyes meet his own worriedly.

"You haven't touched the food," Hermione said, gesturing to the platters piled high with all sorts of delicacies. Harry hadn't even realised the feast had begun. Merlin, he was out of it.

"I... I'm not hungry," Harry replied, looking anywhere but at Hermione.

He could feel her hard, burning stare pierce through him, but he still refused to look at her.

"Harry, this needs to stop," Hermione hissed under her breath so as not to alert the other Gryffindors.

Not that it mattered; Ron was busy stuffing his face with a large chicken leg, whilst Dean and Seamus giggled with each other, completely immersed in their own conversation. Harry didn't miss the hand Seamus held on Dean's thigh.

"You're making yourself ill," Hermione continued, putting her cutlery down. "You need to talk to Draco! It's the only way this will be resolved."

Harry scoffed, and before he could stop himself he said, "I'm afraid Hermione, I've already talked to him. We're not together anymore." Harry's eyes widened at what he'd just let slip.

He hadn't wanted to tell her that. He hadn't wanted to tell anyone. Saying it out loud would make it real. He'd just wanted to brush it all under the rug and pretend none of it ever happened.

Hermione's expression mirrored his own. She looked horrified. "Harry, you didn't!" She hissed, grabbing the boy's arm and hauling him out of his seat, ignoring the protests from himself and Ron.

Dragging the raven-haired boy out of the Great Hall, Hermione rounded on him once they were out of earshot of everyone else.

"You rejected him, didn't you?!" She cried, putting a hand to her forehead and breathing heavily.

Harry was shocked.

"Hermione! What's the big deal? We just broke up! Yes I rejected him, because he lied to me! He lied about being a Veriae, which might I remind you, I found out from you, not him! He betrayed me, Hermione, he got what he deserved! As heartbroken as I am, it couldn't continue," Harry explained, and sighed. He tried his best to force the tears down that were threatening to make an escape.

"Harry, I wanted you to talk to Draco! Have a civil conversation with your boyfriend, about what this means for the both of you! Yes, he lied to you, but did you even ask why? He was just trying to protect you! You were never supposed to reject him!" Hermione cried, exasperated. What she done? She put her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking. Had she just indirectly murdered someone? Oh, Merlin.

This was never what she intended. She just wanted Harry to talk to Draco. She had wanted him to know the dangers, yes, but none of that seemed to matter now. Harry had taken the worst route possible. She should have seen it coming. Through all her own thoughts and feelings on the situation, how she knew it would be dangerous for Harry to be Draco's mate, she never in a million years thought Harry would reject him. She thought he loved him...