"I'm sorry, what?" I was caught off guard but kept my composure and put on a puzzled look.
Ron scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Please," Ginny walked up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder as if I needed reassurance," Don't you think it's time for you to come clean?"
"Can I just say I have nothing to come clean about?" I shook her hand off and stepped away from her to stand closer to Malfoy. In my peripheral vision, I saw him completely checked out, the piled snow outside seemed more interesting to him than listening to this dreadful conversation.
"I must say, even with all the nonsensical ridiculousness I've seen from your bunch, this is undoubtably, the most absurd one," Malfoy said indifferently in a flat tone, "Hermione, I think it's the time we leave."
"Are you scared, Malfoy?" Ron said mockingly, "And all you can do is to run away? A coward is always going to be a coward."
I looked over my shoulder, worried how Malfoy would react. Overtime, something in Malfoy changed, the rough edges in him smoothened. Perhaps there was no roughness in him at the first place and it was nothing but a teenage haste, and it gradually faded into maturity. The boy I once resented would have an insulting comeback that would only accelerate the confrontation, but the man I loved said:
"That statement says more about you than me, Weasley."
"Aren't you philosophical? Stop avoiding the issue," Said the freckled, red-haired boy, clearly intimidated. He then turned to me, "Stop avoiding the issue. Now you know we know, so how are you going to explain yourself?"
"There's nothing to say about it," I crossed my arms and squinted my eyes, "Ginny, how come you are so sure about Malfoy and I signed a contract?"
Ginny turned red. After clearing her throat, with her fingers twirling her hair, she said:
"Well, remember that day you asked me to remind you about your journal? You had this excruciating headache and Malfoy was looking for you. It just didn't feel right to be a coincidence. I mean, you never keep a journal, ever. So…"
"So, you went through my journal after I left for Malfoy," I finished her sentence for her. I paused and stared at her with disdain before I continued in a dry, sarcastic voice, "Because that's what a friend does, am I right?"
"Hermione, you need to know I only did that for your good," Ginny was desperately trying to make herself look better, "I was worried about you. Who knew what you are doing with Malfoy? I didn't want him to manipulate and hurt you. I knew how broken you were after you and my brother split. You don't need any more heart breaks. And even if you get one, it should never be from Malfoy."
"I did a bad thing but it's actually a good thing because I was concerned about you," Malfoy mimicked Ginny's tone, "How cliché."
"I thought you are a friend, Ginny," I find my hands shaking uncontrollably. I was upset, I was angry, but I couldn't say this was unexpected. I should've known she'd choose her own brother over me. She had always been and always would be, "I thought you understand me. But how wrong and how pathetic I was. Our conversation here is done. Malfoy and I will be packing our things and leaving right away. Thank you for letting us stay over for Christmas."
As I was walking towards the door with Malfoy trailing behind me, Harry, who hadn't spoken a word since this whole confrontation started, stood between the door and me.
"Excuse me?" I said with a frown, not sure what he was up to.
"I never wanted to this to go this far," He pushed his glasses up and said slowly, "Neither did I ever wanted to intervene your relationship in anyway."
"But?" I prompted him to make him spill out what he had on his mind faster so that Malfoy and I could leave.
"I think it's about time to set things straight," He continued, "I know this looks like all of us are against you, but like Ginny said, we only want the best for you."
"Because Harry Potter and his sheep are always on the good and righteous side," Malfoy said contemptuously, "Why is this conversation still dragging on?"
"I'm not speaking to you, Malfoy, I suggest you stay quiet," Harry stared at Malfoy broodingly before glanced back at me again, "I'm going to be frank, Hermione. I want you to look at me in the eye and tell me that you are with Malfoy because you want to be with him and not because you want to get back to Ron and make him jealous."
I took a deep breath and glanced around the room again. I simply couldn't comprehend how these people, who I used to call friends, who I loved, cared and trusted, could be so fixated on an illusion they created about Malfoy and I's relationship, while refusing to hear what I had to say.
Sometimes people would stubbornly believe what they want to believe rather than the truth.
The mind is a curious and dangerous thing.
"Listen, this is the last time I will say this," I squinted and stared into Harry's eyes, "I understand how the contract thing sounded ridiculous and it was. But that ridiculousness brought me close to someone I never thought would love and care for me more than anyone else ever did. The little silly bet turned out to be a true blessing that I needed the most after all that drama happened. I am with Malfoy because I love him and I don't care what you think, say, or judge. It has nothing to do with Ron, so someone needs to get out of that insane delusion of his. Now, if you excuse us, we are leaving."
I reached to Malfoy's hand and held it tightly. I nodded at Harry, and without waiting for anyone to say anything, I walked pass him and pushed open the door.
The cold yet fresh winter wind blew into my face, and I felt a great sense of relief that I had never felt before.
"I'm proud of you," Malfoy wrapped his arm around my waist and pecked me on the cheek.
"Me too," I smiled, "Me too."
A new year was around the corner and it was just about the best time for a brand-new beginning.