Blood Boundary [A DRAMIONE fanfiction]

14 | Snake and Lion

"I'm fine with it." Harry said. 

On the other hand, Ron stood up with a sheepish look on his face. "Look, Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute?"

She blinked her eyes, judging that, by his tone, this conversation will not go well. "Oh, sure."

The two of them went into the kitchen—a very palatial one, indeed. Hermione crossed her arms, her back to the countertop, having the presumption about what this talk was going to be about. 

"Look," He started, his voice low. "I understand that you want to take part in this case. Believe me, I do. It's just that. . ." He searched for the right words to say. 

"It's just that what?"

"Are you sure you want to stay here? We can always ask someone else in the MLE to do it. Who knows what Malfoy will do to you."

She sighed. "Believe me, Ronald. No one else will take my place. The MLE has a lot on their plate right now and, seeing as I'm the most qualified person to take Draco on, I'm going to do this."

He took a step back away from her, his face looking like he had just seen a ghost. "Draco," he murmured. "You said Draco."

"What?"

"You said Draco, Hermione. Are you two in first-name terms now?" There was a harsh edge to his tone. 

"What's this about, Ronald? She asked him, uncrossing her arms. 

"Are you two...friends now?"

"No! We are certainly not." She felt quite offended at his statement. Why was he suddenly asking all these questions? She felt like he knew something she didn't. "Look, I've got to get my things now. I don't want to be out very late. So I'm going to be hasty about it." She moved past him to leave.

"Wait!" Ron looked at her with a certain defeat; anxiety, even. His shoulders sloped and his eyes kindled with some kind of melancholy, as if the Dementors had sucked out all the jovialness in him. If something was really bugging him, why couldn't he just tell it to her straight away? And why the secrecy? 

She stopped in her tracks, her brown eyes piercing at him. "Is there something else you want to tell me, Ronald?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Look at you, it's like your tongue's up in a twist." She said. "Is there something else you want to tell me?"

His eyes lingered with hers for a second too long, but then suddenly, he straightened his posture, pulling back his shoulders as if he'd just taken a dose of Felix Felicis. "Nothing else," he replied. 

"Are you sure?"

"I am absolutely sure. There's definitely nothing else." He smiled wanly at her. 

Even though she wasn't entirely convinced, she just nodded at him. Thinking that, if there were something else, he'd tell her eventually, when he is ready. She then sauntered out of the kitchen, patting Harry's shoulders once. 

"I've got to get a move on," she informed them, noticing the sound of thunder outside. "There's thunderstorm a-brewing, and I need to be back before rain hits the ground."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Harry offered, his conversation with Zabini put aside for a moment. 

"No, I'm fine," she assured him. "If you could just clean up the dishes, though, if you don't mind."