No Choice (Dramione/Veela)

Chapter 9: The Reasons

N.M

- - -

I almost gagged reading that last part. She was more loving than my father, that was for sure, but sometimes... yeesh. I wasn't going to write back, she told me everything I needed to know. I wasn't really familiar with the friend zone; usually girls fawned over me at my feet, and I never knew a guy who had clawed his way out of that zone.

At the moment I was sitting in the library. Our common room was right around the corner, and I knew Granger was in there, I could sense her. That sounded bloody creepy, but it was true. I wondered if she could tell that I was in the library, or at least that I was worried out of my mind about this. Damn, I thought, get it together. I had a feeling that I'd be hearing that one from myself quite a bit. Nevertheless, I had to get to my room. It was 10 o'clock, and Pince was glaring at me. Perhaps she was trying to kick me out of the library using her own mental powers.

I recited the password to Dumbledore, and I pulled it open and closed. She wasn't there. I breathed a sigh of relief. Why was I so on edge? I climbed the staircase as quietly as humanly possible for someone who wasn't human, and was about to dart into my room when a thought crossed my mind. Maybe I should talk to her? I glanced over at her room door. Closed of course. Probably hiding from you. I didn't know why, but that thought sickened me.

Either way, she won't want to talk to you. Or she's asleep.

Fair point.

I din't want to wake her up just in case she was sleeping, so I took refuge in my own bed, staring up at the ceiling in deep thought before falling asleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hermione's POV

Malfoy was in the hospital wing during classes all day, probably passed out all day because I couldn't feel his emotions, which I realized I could do. I read up on Veela's in the library as soon as I left the hospital wing. That's right; believe it or not, my knowledge of that subject was limited. Turns out I could feel what he was feeling and him feel my emotions as soon as we had our first kiss.

I was confused as to why I could, but then I remember that freaky encounter in the hallway when he kissed me and ran off. That all made sense, then. Based on what I had previously read, I would assume that he really couldn't control it. I really had no idea what he was thinking now, especially that by now he was probably out of there and knew that I knew what was going on.

I tried to access his thoughts, but there was nothing. He's gotta be asleep, then. It was probably past 11. I was at the desk in my room, doing homework by candle light. I had heard him come in; the creaking staircase gave him away. He might have gone right to bed. I probably should too, I thought, a yawn escaping me. I shoved the books and paper into my bag without looking. I'd fix it up tomorrow morning, I was too tired to do it now. I would probably be doing Harry and Ron's homework if I was in Gryffindor tower, I mused as I fell into bed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Draco's POV

The sun coming through my window shone into my eyes. I forgot to close the bloody curtains, I thought. I got out of bed and shoved them closed, almost ripping them off the wall. When I was satisfied with the light level I checked the time, expecting it to be around four or five in the morning. I growled when I read 7:30. I was late for breakfast. By the time I was ready and down thereafter it would be at least 8 and breakfast would be over.

Great way to start out a Friday, I thought to myself. Shedding my pajama's, I pulled on some black skinny jeans and t-shirt with my robes over it. Classes didn't start until 9:00, I could always sneak some food from the kitchens before class. I pondered this as I crept down the stairs, but froze when I saw a familiar bushy mane showing itself from over an armchair.

She obviously had heard me because she turned to me briefly before turning back to her book. "Malfoy," she said, but in a surprisingly soft tone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hermione's POV

I wasn't sure was to say to him, but I didn't want to make things awkward. "Madam Pomfrey informed me of your - of our situation," I said, staring at my book but not really reading it. Obviously!

"Yeah," he said softly, probably still standing on the staircase.

"I should have told you earlier," he continued to explain, but then paused, "But you're not angry with me."

I was about to shoot him a glare for being so assumptions before I remembered he could read my emotions like I was reading the book in my lap. Just great. But he was right, I wasn't angry.

"You're right," I said, but then added quickly with a frown, "But I wish you would've told me."

Now I could feel what he was feeling. It was an emotion I never thought a Malfoy would feel.

"But I know you're already sorry," I added with a smirk.

There was silence for a few seconds. I resisted the temptation to look back at him. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, but I wasn't about to say I didn't hate him anymore, because I didn't think any amount of time could change that.

I really thought he was gonna say something, but he only headed the door. I sighed quietly, and he stopped in his tracks. "Listen," he started quietly, back still to me, "I understand what your feeling, even though you may not want me too. I don't expect your feelings for me to change."

He added a small scoff, but it lacked it's usual contempt. "At all," he added, "but just... don't shun me, OK?"

I thought about it. I wasn't about to shun him; I wasn't that kind of person, but I wasn't about to love him, and I wasn't sure I ever would. I was about to open my mouth to respond when he interrupted. "You might not know this," he continued, trying to keep his emotions in check, "But if this... doesn't happen, I will die. And you might, too."

He paused. "I'm sorry."

I thought about whether or not his apologie was genuine as he left the common room through the portrait. He was right; I hadn't known.