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She looked exquisite, she always did. Her hair was wild, eyes fiery.
He’d made a mistake.
“Hermione… I…”
“Save it, Malfoy.”
Malfoy again. Like a dagger straight to the heart.
“I still love you,” Draco whispered.
Her laugh was immediate, a sharp and cruel sound, like the unexpected bite of fresh ginger in a Chinese takeaway. He’d never heard her laugh so viciously before. Pansy would’ve been proud.
“Love. You think love will solve all our problems? Your problems? You’re delusional.”
“I came to apolog —”
“You can save your apology, Malfoy.” In all of his imagined scenarios, he never once thought she wouldn’t let him speak, and perhaps that was his hubris.
“You dumped me, remember? It’s been five years.” Hermione was yelling. “You took me to Hyde Park at 11 in the morning. You said your parents were forcing your hand, that you, quote, ‘had no choice.’ And then you left me there. Alone. I cried for months after. I couldn’t set foot in that park for two years. I got a panic attack once when my aunt unexpectedly stopped at the Marble Arch tube station to patronise an ATM, but you wouldn’t know that would you. You don’t care—”
“Of course I care, Hermione.”
“Don’t ‘Hermione’ me, Draco Malfoy.” You ruined my life for a significant amount of time. I’ve only now gotten to a place where I can smile again; where my friends’ happinesses do not cause me physical pain. You took my soul and shattered it into millions of pieces scattering them into the wind, and now, five YEARS later, you show up at my work, of all places, to corner me into accepting your apology.”
Draco didn’t know what to say.
“You’re disgusting, and how I ever even imagined I loved you, I will never know. You’re appalling and repulsive.”
He grabbed her wrist as she made to shove past him. She spun and opened her mouth but he cut her off.
“You’re not leaving-“
“The hell I’m not.”
“Please, don’t leave.” He squeezed her wrist tighter.
“Ow. You’re hurting me.”
She opened her mouth to scream, but at that moment, the pressure dissipated. He released her wrist as suddenly as he’d grabbed it.
“Please don’t go. I’m sorry.” His voice was raw, desperate.
“The fact that you showed up here today, and grabbed me just now, means you haven’t changed a bit, Malfoy. You cannot manhandle me to cave to your will. If you seek me out again I’ll be forced to file a complaint with the DMLE.”
“Hermione, please.”
“Don’t, Draco. I’m leaving.”
Hermione walked out of her office, down the stairs and out the main lobby into the afternoon sun. She took a deep breath as she slid her sunglasses on. Her eyes burned, but she’d run out of tears years ago.