A/N: Written for The Houses Competition forum run by MoonlightForgotten

Theme: Drabble

Prompt: "Yet here you are" [Speech]

Word Count: 656 words. Enjoy!

It was September 19th, and not the best day for Hermione. The sun was nowhere in sight; only dark clouds and rain in its place. She should be celebrating the day she was brought into the world; instead, Hermione was coughing out blood in her bed.

The irony of her death being on her birthday was too much for her. She was not meant for this Shakespearean moment, yet it was happening. Her friends were all out, giving her the space she 'wanted.' No one bothered to be there for her birthday except the twins. Both George and Fred provided her with entertainment of the joke variety; it was expected of them to do something of the sort.

Among her scarce gifts was the promise of a healer to stop by and hopefully help her back to good health before her birthday ended. At the sound of the pop, Hermione's eyes swept to the entryway of her bedroom to lightly greet the newcomer she assumed would be her healer. Once she saw the tousled mop of platinum blond hair atop of a tall, built figure come into her room, Hermione laughed weakly yet harshly.

"They sent my killer, not my healer," Hermione remarked before coughing another spout of blood into a towel.

"I didn't have to be here," Draco said.

"Yet here you are," Hermione retorted.

Draco leaned against her door frame with a soft, pained look in his eyes, "Do you really think so low of me to think I would kill you?"

"Considering the years before I was nothing but a mere spec of dirt on your shoes, yes," she answered coldly.

The blond snorted, "The keywords were 'years before,' Granger," he informed her, "I haven't even contemplated the thought since graduation. If you really thought that of me, then you wouldn't have asked for my pardon during my trial."

Hermione remained quiet, knowing what the blond was saying was true. "I'm...I'm sorry, Malfoy. You're right, and I shouldn't have-" she started into a coughing fit again.

Draco rushed to her side, placing a hand gently on her back as the blood seeped the cloth in her hand. "Aunt Bella…" he said softly with a pained look on his face.

The bookworm laughed raspily, "Yes, that wench of an aunt cursed me with this...this...whatever this is," Hermione said, "so maybe you being here won't be such a bad thing after all."

A frown was etched across Draco's face as he turned to her, placing a hand on her cheek, "You won't be in pain any longer. I promise." He kissed her temple lightly, causing Hermione to tense up. A chuckle passed through Draco's lips with a very evident hint of smugness in it. She hit him lightly, allowing Draco to laugh again.

Draco raised his wand, whispering an incantation. Hermione's eyes started to droop as her body was held in Draco's arms. The last thing she heard before her world turned black was:

"Happy birthday, Granger."

The tone was so soft, so...caring that Hermione didn't believe that it came from Draco Malfoy.

"Happy Birthday, Hermione!"

The exclamation came from the many friends surrounding her on her birthday. It had been a year since the curse that had kept the brightest witch down was lifted. The first thing that came to Hermione's mind when she woke the day after she was healed was that it was all a dream. The only thing keeping her from believing that was a box sitting on her nightstand. Inside of the box was a simple silver bracelet with a note signed 'DM.'

Hermione had put the bracelet on and had never taken it off since. It was a reminder of the best gift that anyone had given her in a while. She loved Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the others dearly; but as meaningful as their gifts were, nothing could compare to the present of having her life back.