healed (dramione)

3 : Draco

Song for the Chapter: Lonely Hearts Club ~ MARINA

Draco's POV

Warning: Some strong language

As expected, Weasley wasn't taking this well.

"Ron, I'm really sorry you had to find out this way, but I was going to tell you," winced Hermione apologetically, marching after him as he stormed down the corridor. I followed behind, slightly less desperately.

My friends hadn't taken Hermione and I dating very well either, but I'd dealt with that by telling them to piss off and keep their unwanted opinions to themselves.

Hermione had been rehearsing for the last hour or so what she was going to tell Ron. Instead, he'd rounded a corner while she'd kissed me on the cheek on the way to the library and he'd reacted like a nuclear bomb - explosively.

"And anyway," Hermione continued fretfully, "You suspected this for ages, didn't you? And --"

"All right, fine!"

Ron stopped abruptly, turned around and held up his hands plainly. "Fine." He stared at the floor. "Hermione, I wish you all the best with that idiot, I really do. All I want is for you to keep him out of my face."

"Ron!" She exclaimed reproachfully. "Don't you trust my judgement? I had the sense to date you for a year or so. My choice can't be that bad." She offered him a shy smile, and he seemed to relent slightly. Weasley looked moodier than I'd ever seen him.

"But I'm a git," spat Ron. 

"A massive git," I offered unhelpfully. Hermione glared at me darkly and I grinned.

"A massive git," Ron agreed hollowly. He stuck out a hand and looked honestly from me to Hermione. "Listen, since the start of the year I've been horrible to you both. And I don't know why. But I've got a girlfriend, too. I - I love someone too. So --" he turned to me, his ears red, "So if you really love Hermione, then I - I trust you to take care of her."

He swallowed uneasily.

"Really?" I asked quietly, raising my eyebrows, although, not, I hoped, too unkindly.

"Yeah," replied Ron, a small smile beginning to break out across his face. "I trust you."

I reached out and tentatively shook his hand. "Um - thanks."

A squealing sound from Hermione, her cheeks blush pink, broke us apart, and she leapt forwards and hugged Ron tight. He looked surprised, went pale for a moment, then chuckled and gently pulled himself away.

"Thank you, Ron, thank you!" She beamed, grabbing my hand tight and squeezing it. I squeezed back, ever so slightly, and attempted a smile as bright as hers.

"Don't think me and dear old Draco are best chums," muttered Ron darkly, running a hand through his hair and eyeing me cautiously. "I'm still going to look out for you, Hermione, boyfriend or not."

"Of course," she said quickly. "I don't expect you two to become friends immediately. And I don't think things between you and I can ever be the same, Ron."

She looked at her ex-boyfriend sternly, and he nodded glumly.

"I know, Hermione," he said. "I know I can't unsay all the horrible things I've said to you both. But I can try and forget them. Can you let me?"

Hermione sighed, and smiled. "Of course." She stood on tiptoe, pushed back some of my hair, and kissed my forehead affectionately. "Come on, we'd better brave the hall, I suppose."

I shuddered and smiled down at her. That was probably the first time I realised that seeing Hermione happy made me happy. I loved being friends with her. I loved dating her. I loved kissing her. I loved everything about her. And she was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

It felt like everybody's eyes were on us as we stepped into the great hall. Ron quickly avoided this by slipping past us and sitting down at the Gryffindor table. Hermione made as though to pull her hand away from mine, feeling easily embarrassed, but I held onto it tight and squeezed it gently.

She looked up at me. "This is mad," she whispered, slowly beginning to ease her way between the aisles of staring kids.

"What did you expect?" I asked quietly. It was impossible not to smile when you were around Hermione, even in the worst situations. 

I looked up at Ron and Luna Lovegood, sitting side by side and feeding one another cereal while wearing upside down Spectraspecs and Luna read from her magazine.

Apparently Hermione and I weren't the only unlikely pairing in Hogwarts. 

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