Just Breathe || Ron Weasley

s i x t y - t h r e e

Chapter; Sixty-Three

Born To Fight

"Mione..."

"Hailey..."

"You know you are literally the best person in the world." The girl said with a grin sitting down beside her. Hermione looked her up and down suspiciously and narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"What do you want Hails?"

"Who said I want something?"

"Hailey I know you well enough to know you need something." She said with a laugh as Hailey fake gasped putting a hand on her chest.

"What a cruel world I live in. I just expressed my love for my dearest friend and she accuses me of wanting something... Someone as great and kind as me does not deserve to be treated this way." She said dramatically putting her head on the desk. Hermione still not believing her kept her eyes narrowed. "Okay, maybe I do need something-"

"See! I knew it!" She exclaimed clapping her hands, happy to prove the point.

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

"So what do you need?"

"Mind doing my potions homework?" Hailey asked with a sheepish smile as Flitwick got into the class. "Please... I'll let you borrow my black sweater that you like for a week."

"Fine," Hermione said as she did her victory dance. "I swear to god... You and Ron are so similar."

"What? No we're not." Hailey said defensively. She looked at the back of the class to see the thirteen-year-old Harry and Ron laughing at something Seamus had just said. "We're opposite."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. You're just getting defensive because you like him." Hermione said wiggling her eyebrows making Hailey hit her with the book. Ron was a really good friend. She never saw him as anything more than that. Yes, there were times when she thought he was extremely handsome. But those were rare moments. "Hey what was that for?"

"I also know you have a crush on Fred."

"What? No. Who gave you that idea?" Hermione asked, her face burning red which she tried to hide with her hair. The truth was she always found Fred handsome. Especially when he played Quidditch. But she wasn't letting a soul know about that. But it was too late. Hailey already had an evil smirk on her face. "Okay so how about this. I'll never bring up Ron if you promise to never bring up Fred."

"See. So you are admitting your crush on our dearest Freddie."

"Hailey..."

"Fine. Fine. Deal." The girls shook hands. But Hailey stopped before taking her books out. "But just for the records, I don't like Ronald in that way."

"Yeah? Keep saying that to yourself."

"May I come in?"

"No, you may not," Hailey said once she understood who the voice belonged to. She was still mad at Draco for what he had said. Maybe he hadn't meant it. But who was she kidding? She had millions of reasons to be mad at him. The doorknob twisted and Hailey threw the diary in her hand under the pillow. "What the hell Malfoy? Ever heard of manners?"

"No actually." The boy said with an I don't care look.

"What are you here for? Apologizing? Then let me tell you. You're not going to get anywhere." She said grumpily crossing her arms over her chest knowing very well it was Narcissa who sent him here.

"I don't apologize Potter." The boy said smugly making her raise a brow. "I'm here to talk."

"Wow. Let's talk Malfoy. Let me start. You piss me off." Hailey said with a tight smile making the boy sigh. Why was she so annoying and stubborn? He looked around the room before sitting down on the furthest corner of the bed.

"So... What I said the other day... I didn't think it would hurt you. So I'm here to make peace." He said as the girl gave him a bored look.

"And you expect me to forgive you. For all the years you bullied me and my friends. Treated my brother like trash. You expect me to forgive you for all that with this stupid apology. Use your words Malfoy."

"Does it matter? What I say?"

"Yes. Actions matter. But words matter as much. You were oh so poetic back in those days. I know you can do better."

"Okay fine," Draco said standing up. "I never had any friends okay? Not one. All of them only hang out with me because of my dad. I am not the best with my words and I intend to hurt people a lot. What I did to you guys was wrong. I was young and stupid and- and I don't know. Am I expecting you to forgive me? Not really. But do I need you to forgive me? Yes... I need you to forgive me."

"Why?" Hailey asked getting up on her feet.

"The dark lord is powerful... And I don't want to die. I don't want anything to happen to my mother. She is the only person who truly cared about me." The boy said. His voice was barely a whisper. It showed how scared he truly was. How were these Malfoys making her feel something for them? She hated them. But suddenly she felt sorry for them instead.

Hailey really didn't know what to say. The boy in front of him just poured his heart out and she was just standing there awkwardly. So she moved closer and patted him on the back.

"What are you doing Potter?"

"Patting you on the back... Though I have to wash my hands a thousand times after this." She said with a scrunched nose making the boy raise a brow. "What? I'm being nice."

"You're weird."

"Thanks. I started taking that as a compliment since I was 6." Hailey grinned. He just nodded and there was a thick awkward silence in the air. She looked around and suddenly her bedsheets were the most interesting thing in the world. "So... Yeah..."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

Draco for the first time felt this uncomfortable. He had no similar interests as Hailey nor a common topic to talk about. The only thing he could remember she liked at that moment was. "So I heard you like playing the piano."

"I do," Hailey said excitedly finally someone asking something about her favourite hobby. "But where did you hear that from?"

"Oh just from some of your fans."

"Interesting thing to know from my fans." She said rubbing her chin.

"We have a piano... You could use it sometimes..."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no being deal."

Well that was awkward. Hailey thought as Draco left. She sighed in relief happy that this interaction was over. She plopped back down on her bed and took the diary out and continued reading.

The girl who was born to fight. She is half of a whole. A lover and a protector. But be aware love makes one weak. Soon allies will be made and war will be fought full of betrayal...

........................