Ron is back? He is back here in England? No, that's not possible. This is just a sick joke. Yes that's it, Ginny is lying in hopes that I will tell her what her brother did to me. But I won't tell her, no I most certainly will not. I can not believe that she would stoop to such a level as to tell this twisted lie. She is supposed to be my friend and, while she doesn't know the whole truth, she knows that Ron hurt me and she should know that she is causing me pain by joking like this.

Hermione pulls away from her thoughts to look at her red headed friend, preparing to admonish her for telling the hurtful joke, when she notices a certain look in Ginny's eyes. It was pain, concern and a sincerity that sickens her.

It isn't the emotions themselves that made Hermione feel that way. It's that there isn't an ounce of deceit in her eyes. Ginny had been completely earnest when she had spoken.

If she was being sincere then that means... that means Ronald Weasley really was back.

In that moment of realization, Hermione's ear ring and her heart thuds sharply in her chest, deafening her to whatever Ginny is attempting to say. She's lost again to the stormy sea of her thoughts.

He can't come back! After what he did, he wouldn't havethe nerve to come here again. And to want to see me as well? Does he want me to suffer, even more so than I already do? I don't know how I can survive with him back in town and seeking me out. It was hard enough trying to forget when he wasn't here!

Hermione breaks away from her thoughts again when she feels the sob rising in her throat and the tears pricking at her eyes.

She's going to cry, that she is positive of, but Ginny was still there. The curly haired girl glances up at her friend who's still pacing and talking. Hermione can't cry, not in front of her friend. When she's alone in her own room with a silencing charm to mask the sounds, it's one thing. But to show a weakness like that to another person is something she can't allow. Ginny has to leave.

"...so sorry! we all tried to get him to leave you alone when he came to the Burrow for a visit but he wouldn't listen to anyone."

Hermione interupts before Ginny can barrel on. "Ginny just calm down. I'm not upset with you or the others and everything is fine. I told you before and I'll tell you again, I've long since forgotten what he has done and I've moved on. You should too. Everyone actually. What he did is in the past and it can't be changed but he's your family and if I can forget what he did then you should, too." Hermione plasters on her most convincing smile to reassure Ginny but, for the first time in a long time, Ginny sees straight through it.

"Hermione Granger, don't you lie to me! I may not know the full story as to what happened between you and him, and I respect that you don't want to tell me, but don't you dare tell me that you're fine. I don't care if that git is my brother or not. He hurt you in a bad way and I know I won't ever look at him the same way again, none of us will. You know, George and Bill nearly threw him out of the house and Mom gave him the coldest shoulder, barely looked his way, let alone spoke to him. As for me, well let's just say that when I found out he was back at The Burrow, I was there so fast that Harry barely had time to catch me before I really did a number on Ron." Ginny glows with pride at the actions of her family against Ron and even Hermione can't help but feel touched that they all defended her in such a way.

"They didn't have to do that for me," Hermione says, but her smile grows a bit more sincere. "I wasn't lying when I said I had forgotten, thoght. I really have, and it's time you all did as well. Now go on home, Ginny." Hermione gets up and starts to lead her back to the fire place, rushing to be alone so she could allow the tears that were beginning to cloud her vision to be released.

"Are you sure? I can stay and talk if--"

"No, no. I'm perfectly alright," Hermione promises. "Besides, I have to go and deal with Malfoy, then make dinner and write to my aunt to tell her I am coming for Christmas. Tell Harry and little Teddy that I'll see them soon though. I promise! Love you, Ginny, goodbye. Have a wonderful evening!"

Hermione gives her a handful of floo powder and Ginny, after giving her friend a final look of concern, throws the powder in the fire then shouts the name of her home. She disappears in a roar of green flames. The moment she is gone, Hermione staggers up the steps.

She's almost to her room when a cool voice stops her. "Don't think that I have just forgotten that little stunt you pulled earlier, I--"

Hermione hisses, "sod off, Malfoy. I'm in no mood to deal with you at the moment." Without so much as a glance his way, she enters her room and slams the door in his stunned face. Alone at last, she takes a couple steps away from the door then stands silently, staring blankly at the hard wood flooring beneath her feet.

She had tried so hard, only wanting to live a happier life without him. After he had disappeared a year and a half ago, she was left to mend herself and, so far, was making only slow progress. But now everything she was working towards and every triumph she made in fixing herself is useless because he's back. The man who left her in ruins is back in her life. Ronald just can't leave her alone

At the very thought of his name, Hermione feels her legs quiver and give out. She hits the floor just as her tears start to fall. Loud gasping sobs tear from her body, shaking her to her core and leaving her feeling empty. Her tears roll in clear streams, down her cheeks to her chin and dripping onto the floor with a soft splat.

Mustering up the remaining energy she possesses, Hermione pulls herself up from her hands and knees and leans against the wall. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she wraps her arms around them and lowers her head onto her legs. So lost in her own thoughts, she doesn't realize that she'd forgotten to place a silencing charm or even lock her door.

Draco, who had remained standing outside her room, heard her fall and listened as she cried. Not pausing for a moment to think about how they had been fighting only minutes ago, he rushes into her room. The sight before him as he entered was enough to make him come to a startled halt. Curled against the wall, practically folded in on herself, and shaking like a leaf in a thunderstorm, is Hermione.

He feels sick, almost, seeing the girl who was always so strong suddenly look so broken. The first time he saw her like this had been bad enough but to see it a second time makes his chest hurt for her. This isn't how she's supposed to be. She's meant to smile and laugh and joke and spit fury when he snaps at her, not look like this.

"Hermione?" He says softly, taking a step closer to her and feeling the sudden need to comfort this poor girl. All prejudices be damned, he isn't about to let her suffer knowing that he could have done something to help.

At his voice, her head jerks up from where it had been resting on her knees and she looks at him in wide-eyed shock.

"How did you get in here?" Her voice is a soft whisper that is no louder than the quiet buzz of a bee of the shuffle of leaves in the wind. Draco ignores the hushed question and stares at her now exposed face.

It's pale and soaked with tears, her mouth open slightly as she gasps to regain her breathing. Her eyes, normally so bright and warm, now hold an unexplainable sadness. Her body thrums as she struggles to contain her weeping in front of him, hoping to maintain some dignity, but to no avail.

As another wail burst from her trembling lips, Draco abandons all other thoughts and drops down beside her. He pulls her carefully into his arms and stills as he waits for her response. At first she goes stiff in his hold but slowly relaxes against him and buries her head in his chest as he whispers calming words in her ear.

"What am I doing?" Hermione thinks to herself. "I'd sworn to never show my weaknesses again, to him especially, and now I'm seeking comfort in him. I need to pull away, hide from him and keep this all to myself."

Yet she stays, crying into his shirt as he holds her. It's for that reason, her staying instead of fleeing, that cause Draco to make a difficult decision. He decides to do the one thing that he has only done a handful of times in his life

"Hermione, I apologize for shouting at you for dropping the book and then instigating another argument. I've been so restless and I took that out on you and for that I'm sorry," He says in a soft voice but still keeps a firm edge to it to show that he means what he had said.

To say that Hermione was shocked when she heard this would have been an understatement. She was completely and utterly astounded for many reasons. One being that he actually apologized to her and Malfoy's have been known to never feel guilty enough to apologize. Another reason being he accepted full blame for the argument when they were both at fault.

She lifts her head from his chest and gazes at the blonde boy who's now waiting for her acceptance of his apology. She lookes into his eyes, searching for the joke that she had hoped to see in Ginny's eyes, but much like her, Draco is being completely sincere.

When she nods her head, he smiles broadly before it disappears in favor of a furrowed brow. "You don't have to," he starts, "but if you want, you can share what's upset you so much. It would be better get it out."

Hermione jerks, not having expected him to make that offer. Her friends had given her that option a thousand times, but they were too close to Ronald. She would never give them reason to hate someone they consider family. It's bad enough that they're mad at him. Draco isn't close to the situation at all, though. To share with him wouldn't mean anything more than speaking aloud what had happened to her. She'd never told anyone, though, and she isn't entirely sure she can do it now.

If she tells him, she's giving away a part of herself that not even her closest friends know about. It's a choice that, had she been in her right mind and not lost in the emotions that Ronald's return had caused, she feels she might have never made. But as it is, she is swamped by her emotions so she does make the foolish decision. She's going to tell him because keeping it in for one more day isn't possible.

"I loved him. I really truly loved him with all of my heart but he apparently didn't feel the same way for me."