I'm not Allowed to Love You

The Tiger and the Snake

"And then, when I told him all of the facts and figures, he still said that he didn't know!" Hermione finished her story, outraged.

    "Honestly, you've said he can be even more thick-headed? I almost feel as if Draco's chosen wrong," Pansy noted. Hermione groaned and buried her head in a pillow. Pansy patted her on the back casually.

    "Malfoy doesn't know we hang out, right?" Hermione asked suddenly.

    "Well, no. We don't really talk about anything other than schoolwork. See, we are supposed to get married after seventh year, and neither of us want it. We are just friends. I really hope he comes out this afternoon."

    Hermione was about to ask why when the common room opened, and in walked Malfoy. He froze when he saw Hermione.

    "What is she doing here?" Draco asked, instantly stiffening.

    "Relax, Draco, she's one of us," Pansy said calmly.

    Zabini bounced over and shook her hand instantly, smiling at her.

    "You're the genius Granger, yes? Wonderful to finally meet you. You can call me Blaise," He definitely seemed much more playful than he acted outside of the common room. He shot Draco a look. "No one is here to see, Draco."

    Draco relaxed a bit and walked over to sit on a sofa. He coughed. "So, Granger. Friends with Pansy?"

    "Yes," Hermione said cooly.

    "Calm down, tiger, he only acts the way he does when others are around," Pansy assured her. Draco looked embarrassed.

    "Yeah, sorry for... everything. I- it's complicated, but I don't expect you to forgive me so easily."

    "I'm going to find Nott, then you can say your announcement," Blaise told Malfoy with another look.

    "Are we still doing it? What with an unexpected arrival?" He asked.

    "Anything you have to say, you can say in front of Granger," Pansy growled.

    "Oh, okay, fine," Draco gave in to her glare.

    A little time passed, and Blaise finally came back with Theodore Nott.

    "So, what was it you wanted to tell us, Draco?" Pansy asked curiously.

    "Errr, right. Well, err, I wanted to come out as... homosexual," Draco said, with many nods from Blaise.

    Pansy slapped her hand and the table, causing all of them to jump.

    "Fifteen galleons, Theo! Pay up!" Pansy shouted happily.

    Theo glared at her.

    "I'm never taking a bet with you again, Pansy," He muttered grumpily. Pansy only cackled in response.

    "Wh-what?" Draco asked.

    "We bet on if you would come out in the morning or afternoon," Pansy explained.

    "So, you guys know? But what about you, Granger? You're not going to go tell Pot- your friends about it, right?"

    "Oh, he already knows. He overheard you talking about it with Blaise. Also, my name is Hermione," She responded stiffly.

    "He- he knows?! Oh no, this is awful!" Draco jumped up and ran up the stairs to the boys dormitory.

    "I'll go get him," Pansy said immediately.

    "Wait, what's bad about Harry knowing?" Hermione asked.

    "Well, Draco is war, and Harry is peace. Polar opposites. And the fact that Draco's family is already close to being killed, if it gets out that he likes the enemy, it's sure to be the death of all of them," Blaise answered gravely.

    "Goodness, I didn't know how dangerous this could be."

    "Yeah, Draco never breaks down like that. I think the stress is getting to him," Nott added. "I'm Theo, by the way. You can call me whatever."

    They shook hands.

    "So what are the stats then?" Hermione asked, and was relieved when Blaise knew what she was talking about.

    "I'm gay. Theo's asexual. Pansy is pans, ironically. Draco's obviously gay, and you know that. Crabbe and Goyle are souless things. I really don't know why Draco keeps them around.

    "So then, who do you like?"

    "Me? Seamus. But I don't think he's interested," Blaise said sadly.

    "Well, Gryffindors know nothing about Slytherins. I wished we had more house unity," Hermione said in a defeated voice.

    "Well, what are you then?" Theo asked.

    "I really don't know. I don't think I'm asexual, but I also don't think I need to be with anyone to be happy."

    "Well, there isn't any need to know right now," Blaise said bracingly as Pansy came down alone.

    "He's refusing to come down. He says he can't take any more pressure," Pansy said with a frown.

    "Can I go up there?" Hermione asked timidly.

    "Go ahead, tiger."

    Hermione walked up the stairs leading to the Slytheirn boys dormitories. She saw the door marked for sixth years and knocked. She didn't hear an answer but opened the door cautiously. Draco was lying on what could only be his bed, facing the wall, sobs making his back shake. Hermione sat on the bed and put a hand on his shoulder carefully.

    "He didn't seem mad when he told me. If anything, he was shocked. I don't think he hates you, Draco," Hermione whispered.

    "You don't get it. I can't let him know I like him. It's dangerous," He said between shuttering breathes.

    "Harry has been through a lot of danger, I think he can manage."

    "But what if he doesn't hate me? What if he actually fancies me too. It would be horrible! We would both secretly long for each other, and the closer we get, the more we are putting the other in danger!" Draco finally looked up at her, his face pained with a broken love story.

    "Well, I think secretly is a bit of an exaggeration," Hermione said with a smirk. "And there are always blind dates. Or detention. Both are perfect times to talk to each other in private."

    And with that, she left Draco to his thoughts, going back down the stairwell to joke around with the other Slytheirns.