Wolves | Dramione

16. restoration

"So, when were you supposed to tell me?" Hermione asked Ron as she sat beside him, looking out at the courtyard, stars glistening up the sky in an almost gloomy night. Ron didn't reply, he only fiddled with his wand and looking down at the grass. Hermione then leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"I couldn't." he finally spoke. "Because?"

"I know you, Hermione. How you've been acting strange lately."

Hermione's throat felt dry, as her heart skipped a beat. "I was afraid you'd notice that--"

"I'm not stupid, Mione. But please..." Ron looked over her with his red eyelashes start to dampen with tears. "Look at me," his voice shaken.

"I love you, Hermione." he whimpered silently.

"Ron I..." Her chest started to heave, with her lips mumbling, as she put her hands over his. "Please tell me you thought about loving me back" he looked over at their hands intertwined, until finally a tear drop escaped from his eyes and landed over the back of her palm. She brought them up to kiss it. "I wish I could tell you things that doesn't hurt you, because you should know that I would never ever hurt you" she sniffled.

"I'm sorry." she shook her head, then bites her lip as she cried.

"It was never my intention to break your heart, Ronald, please believe me" she continued. "It's kind of funny actually," he chuckled through the tears. "How I've had a thought-- that maybe we could perhaps end up together"

"I guess I was wrong." he shrugged. "If you loved me, why didn't you tell me when I was in love with you?"

"Why did you stop?" he protested. "I thought you knew--"

"From what my gut tells me yes, I think I know. But I want it to come from you. I want you to confirm it. I want you to tell me I was wrong for thinking that you were out looking for Malfoy"

"I can't.. I can't tell you"

"He was an enemy--"

"He was just like us!" she cut him off. "He was scared, and he was in the wrong side."

"And you believe you could've done something to save him?" he asked. "I.. I don't know" she sighed.

"So, there's nothing really to it for me then, hm?" said Ron. "How do I unlove you, Hermione?"

"I honestly have no idea.. But you have to try. Please." She slowly slipped her hands away from him, then leaning in to his forehead to kiss him. "You're still my best friend, Ronald Weasley. You always will be"

***

It has been two weeks. Two weeks since the personal conversation, and two weeks of being Malfoy's butler. Hermione may not like it, but she's slowly getting used to it-- like feeding a stray dog that you can't bring home with you.

One day while washing Malfoy's dishes she noticed how she had only fixed the kitchen, and not the manor itself. As soon as she was done, she was expected that she would leave soon. But upon looking around the dining area where the table and chairs were scratched and broken, and the curtains ripped at its seams and lopsided, to be followed by the mysterious stench emitting the house; it was then when she realized that this house needed cleaning.

Hermione never liked the idea of being his maid, but just this once, she's tired of coming back to a place so disgusting that was once beautifully arranged.

So, piece by piece, she first starts with the dining area where she used reparo before she could leave the manor.

As the next day, Malfoy hurried down the stairs to wait for Hermione to give him food when he was presented by a clean, and decent dining hall. He didn't want to admit it, but it felt like home again, even just for a little bit.