Chapter 40

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——One Week Later——

—Hermione POV—

"I just can't stop thinking about it." I readjusted myself in bed to get comfortable. Ron was laying next to me.

"Thinking about what?" He asked.

"Harry... and Malfoy... everything that happened last week."

I heard him sigh, and felt the bed shift as he turned over to face me.

"I honestly don't know what to think. It's scary... Harry killing himself, I mean."

I couldn't hold back a sob when he mentioned that, but I kept it quiet. Sniffing in, I spoke.

"I just don't understand why he didn't talk to us... a-and we should have seen the signs. We've known him all our bloody lives." I said in frustration.

"And how on earth did Malfoy see it? Malfoy. I mean, how did this all change so quickly? How is it, that all thanks to Malfoy, now suddenly Harry talks to us again, only to go off and-" my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't say it. I'd said it before but now, I couldn't. I closed my eyes, allowing my self to just catch my breath as tears clogged my chest. I hugged Ron desperately, crying into him. I felt an arm come around me, rubbing up and down my back in comfort.

"Believe me, I'm as confused as you are. I don't think even Harry understands what's happening... he looks like he's just floating through life."

"But isn't that what always happens?" I said, sniffling and wiping my eyes, pushing away to be able to speak to Ron face-to face.

"He's always been 'floating through life' in a sense. He's only ever lived for seemingly one reason, and that reason is gone. I..." my eyes widened in realization. "Malfoy is part of that reason. Wh-what if. What if this is Harry holding on to the only thing people know him for. He's never not been somehow related to Voldemort and his death eaters... I... but Malfoy has been nothing like he used to be... No. It doesn't add up. And where on earth did the whole 'being into blokes' come into the picture? I mean. It's not like I never noticed... but he never said anything, he never did anything-"

Ron cut off my rant.

"Hermione, it's late. Please. Let's go to sleep okay? Maybe we can Owl Harry, or visit him and talk. Just us, or just you. Whatever you prefer."

I didn't want to stop because my mind was running wild trying to understand everything. But as he hugged me tight, I realized he's correct. So I cuddled into him, my mind buzzing and teeming with thoughts. And eventually, we fell asleep.

—Harry POV—

I was cutting tomatoes to help Draco cook breakfast, when I was startled by the sound of the fireplace roaring to life. I jumped in the direction of the sound, drawing my wand, before noticing Hermione, covered in floo powder.

"Herm-"

"I need to speak with you." I looked over to Draco in uncertainty.

"Hello M-Draco." She swallowed. "I would like to speak with Harry, in private." She said. Before I knew it, I was being dragged upstairs gently by the arm, and now I'm in my room, with Hermione standing in front of me.

"Harry, please tell me what is going on."

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled, and a bit anxious.

"Harry wh-" she signed in frustration. "Everything ha-" she sighed again.

"Harry, Ever since everything happened back at Hogwarts, you stopped talking to us. You left without a goodbye and you went off with Ginny... and an entire decade later, I hear that you ran into Malfoy at the market, and then about a month after that Ginny comes to us crying saying that you... How did this all happen? Tell me Harry. What did I miss? Where was your plan, or your thoughts..."

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