Title: Blinded
Summary: In the war, Hermione Granger lost both of her eyes to an unnoticed (by her) spell casted by Bellatrix Lestrange before she herself was struck down by Molly Weasley. Living healthily Hermione continues with her life, living without sight. When one day she is saved by ex-enemy Draco Malfoy, whom was one of the last people she saw before losing her eyesight, instead of holding a grudge against him, she finds love and solace in the new man he's become, and he opens another world for her, one she never experienced. When she reveals her deepest desire, Draco goes to the ends of the Earth to provide her with it, making the most life-changing decision of his life. Find out what Draco's love for Hermione caused him to do and realise that sometimes, love can really conquer all.
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Hermione fought ruthlessly, her usually warm chocolate eyes held blazing fire, anger seized her body, the bloody bastards killed him, they killed her beloved Fred, it was all their fault he was dead, away from her... long way away... She could no longer hold her fury. After quickly Stunning a Death Eater, she stepped near him, her eyes holding no mercy. She lightly trembled as she looked down at the unconscious man donned in black attire. She kneeled down and removed his mask, and everything temporarily froze. Under her control, was a weakened, bloody and dishevelled Draco Malfoy. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she glared at him in contempt. She could no longer contain her anger, which had evidently rose at the sight of her enemy, the foul git that mentally tortured her all those years, seven years to be more accurate! She hated him, he was the only person who made her blood curdle, on several accounts it was he, who made her doubt herself as a witch, all because of her being Muggle-born. Well, she will never have to endure his slimy drawls, not anymore. The world would no longer have to endure Draco Malfoy. She shook her head violently as she shakily raised her wand and her mind blurred, she could no longer hear the cries of victims, or the harsh curses that flew about –
"AMITTERE OCULOS!" Bellatrix screamed loudly, causing Hermione to fall ungracefully on the floor with a loud thump, her wand rolling out of sight. "DON'T YOU DARE TRY AND HARM DRACO! DO NOT TOUCH PURE BLOOD! AMITTERE OCULOS!" Blood began to ooze out of Hermione's eyes, she staggered back, and the last sight she ever saw was Bellatrix Lestrange grinning as she too, dropped on the ground by the force of Molly Weasley's Killing Curse.
"Hermione Granger! Get downstairs now! You're going to be late for your appointment! Hermione!"
Hermione groaned loudly. "Damn it, I forgot about today." She thought, rubbing her eyes harshly. She quickly rushed out of her small bed, tripping over her old school trunk. After putting her colourful vocabulary to use, she stumbled into her small bathroom, quickly locking the door and jumping into the shower. After thoroughly washing her body and hair, she performed a drying spell on herself, brushing her teeth and effortlessly tying her messy, coffee coloured curls with a swift hand movement. Putting her clothes on roughly, she grabbed her small bag and flew out of the door, running as fast as her small legs could catch her.
As she entered the city, she took a deep breath and continued walking, looking around aimlessly, knowing that all she'll ever see is blackness. As she was well rehearsed of the streets she was walking on confidently, despite not being able to see both Muggles and wizards bustling around to get to their destination. She turned and paused momentarily to hear the car horns and smell the carbon dioxide in the air, knowing that she'd cross the traffic lights. Whoever's up there, Hermione thought desperately in her head, please let me be able to cross this road once, without falling flat on my back. She would've laughed at herself for praying in her head, but she took it seriously, and each time she did it, she would find herself doing quite the opposite.
Tentatively, she crossed the road, unsure if it was a red light or green, she couldn't hear the sound of cars, so it must be safe for her to cross! She walked slowly, worried to trip over her own clumsy feet, but when she felt the stone pavement and the cars hooting, she knew what was coming next. Putting her hands to shield her face, she let out a small shriek before the cold, hard pavement come in contact with her skin, but instead, she felt two strong arms wrap around her and pull her up.
"Whoa, easy there." A deep voice said in her ear, slightly familiar. Hermione could almost hear the mirth bouncing off of his voice. She smiled slightly at the sound of her saviour and, odd as it was, thought she knew who he was. She could smell the expensive, spicy cologne emanating from him and couldn't stop herself when she inhaled again. It was then she realised that his arms were still around her. She moved slightly, hoping he would release her, which he did luckily.
She looked up at him. "I-I'm so sorry! I di-didnt mean to – the problem – I'm..." She trailed off stupidly, unable to tell him. But he quietly shushed her. But she didn't stop, "No – honestly, I – I have an issue," she mumbled, feeling the rush of blood staining her cheeks. Each time she had to tell someone of her lack of sight, she would feel all flushed and embarrassed, especially to the Muggles, who never understood the cause of her condition, but what she loathed out of it all, was the sympathy and fake-pity, she detested it. Hermione Granger was a strong willed person; she did not need fake compassion. Would it bring her eye sight back? Obviously not, or else she would've been able to see the moment she found out about her problem. And if the person did not pity her for seeing the beautiful sights of the world, then they would look down at her, or think of her as ugly because of her eyes, which had changed colour from the warm chestnut brown to a cold, almost ice blue, empty of everything.
"What is it?" He murmured, scarily recognizable. He pushed her gently to the side of the road, away from the curb.
"I-I..." She gasped as realisation hit her. "I'm late!" Her mysterious rescuer was confused.
"What?" He said, dumbfounded.
"I have an appointment at the Healers'!" She said loudly. "What time is it?" She asked hurriedly.
"Ten o' clock on the dot," he replied.
"Shoot, I have five minutes to get there! Anyway, thank you for helping me, it was very kind of you but I need to go now!" Without waiting for a reply, she walked briskly into an alleyway, praying again to be successful in the one thing she has not done in over three and a half years, and apparated to her destination.
"Hermione Granger." The female receptionist's voice rang through the hollow room filled with injured or sick people. "Hermione Granger?" She repeated, waiting for this woman to quickly step into the Healer's room. "Hermione Granger?" She repeated again, less patiently.
"Here, here! I'm here!" Hermione ran into the room, dodging a random pillar in the waiting room.
"Well, Miss Granger, please follow me into Healer Hart's room." The receptionist said curtly, crossing the room to aid Hermione.
"Thank you," she breathed, walking into the room with the assistance of the receptionist.
"Miss Granger!" A deep voice boomed as she entered the Healer's room.
"Healer Hart," Hermione greeted, nodding her head slightly. Healer Hart smiled at the woman in front of him.
"I hope your travels to St. Mungo's were okay," he said kindly, earning a smile from Hermione.
"Oh I wish," Hermione answered, laughing. "I slipped on the road, again." Healer Hart gasped slightly.
"Dear, dear Hermione! Why do you trouble yourself so much, I have heard of those Muggle toxi's –"
"Sir, its 'taxi'—"
"Yes, yes, taxi's who transport the person to where they want to go! Why do you not use them?" He asked earnestly, Hermione smiled sadly.
"Sir," she began, choosing her words carefully. "When I woke up from the unconsciousness Bellatrix's curse put me in, and only saw blackness, I was scared, more scared than I was during the war, more scared than I was when we were hunting the Horcruxes, or when I was being tortured in Malfoy Manor. When the Healer explained the... condition I had, I shed no tears, not because of the spell, but I just couldn't cry. I wouldn't let myself. I shut myself away from the world for weeks, food and drink being brought to me. Rose Kennedy, a Muggle philanthropist, once said –" She paused, thinking about the wise words. "She said, 'it has been said that time heals all wounds. I do not agree. The wounds remain, in time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessons, but it is never gone.' The woman is wise and correct. It took a long time for my wound to be covered, but during that time, when I was in pain, in a lot of pain, my way of thinking changed. Everything about me changed. Hermione Granger, the third of the Golden Trio, was blind. And nothing could change that. After I started adjusting to my new life in blackness, I realised that sometimes making your life that one bit harder, you learn a lesson worth much more than that little effort."
Healer Hart nodded consolably. "I know I won't ever be able to understand how you feel, but putting yourself under that little bit of strain..." He trailed off, shaking his bald head tiredly. "But you managed to Apparate today!" He smiled warmly at her.
Hermione was confused. "H-how did you know?"
"You don't smell so much of car fumes." He grinned wider. "But anyway, that's a really big step, I know that it must've been really hard, and blindly performing Apparition is extremely hard, but you accomplished it, they really didn't lie when they called you the smartest witch of their age." He winked at her, and Hermione blushed prettily.
The appointment was short, but Hermione found herself laughing and smiling more than she had in a while. It was a normal appointment, same as all the others. He checked her eyes and sadly nodded when she asked him whether it be possible for her to regain her eyesight back, as per usual, only this time her eyes did not swim in tears, she just looked down sadly, quietly said her farewells and walked out of the door, quickly retreating to a booth in her favourite cafe down the road.
Hermione was not miserable at the sound of the news he delivered. She had accepted her fate long before. She willed herself to not cry, to not show any sign of emotion. Why should she? Could this be some sort of penance for all the sins she had committed beforehand? No, surely not. All it was Bellatrix Lestrange, her and her wretched curse, for what? Touching her precious nephew? Draco Malfoy. The name repeated in her head bitterly. Draco Malfoy. The man who she lost her eyes to. One would think her hate for him would have doubled, and as much as Hermione wished she could blame him for everything, curse him to the pits of Hades and evilly wish his children would have some deformity. Just like she did.
But she couldn't. She couldn't blame him.
How could she? How was he to know that at that moment, Hermione would have been hit with that curse? Honestly, his life was in danger. Hermione smiled oddly at the thought of how her eyes looked at that time, she was sure he was frightened just by that. She couldn't blame him for that either.
Hermione sighed as a waitress came and took her order. Quietly (to Hermione's annoyance), the waitress put the cup of coffee down, and Hermione had to grope around to find her cup. When she located it, she grabbed it and drank the liquid eagerly, hoping the coffee would burn her thoughts as well as her tongue. She choked slightly as the bitter taste came back up. She attempted to clear her throat. "Umm... Excuse me? Excuse me?" She called out feebly. She stood up and tried to get out of the booth, but luck would never be on her side, and she hit the side of the table and went tumbling down.
But the floor she did not meet.
"Well, well, well. Déjà vu... or fate?" A recognizable voice whispered into her ear. Hermione's eyes narrowed at the familiar sound.
"Déjà vu." She replied, getting to her feet quickly. "Thank you," she said, smiling at the chair her male companion stood near. "You saved me from the floor twice today."
Her companion gazed at her oddly. "I'm standing here." He pointed out, waving his hand in front of her. Her gaze remained normal.
"Oh... sorry." She mumbled, blushing.
"I don't think I've ever met a clumsier person than you, one day I might not be here." He winked and Hermione blushed deeper. "Can you not see where you are going or something, or do you just rely on a handsome prince to save you?" Hermione's eyes narrowed further, and she glared at him.
"Not at all. Thank you again, but I must really go." She said coldly, grabbing her purse, but before she could get it, he seized her arm gently.
"Have I said something wrong?" He asked quietly.
"No actually, you haven't. You said the right thing. I can't see where I am going. I'm blind." She replied acidly. His eyes grew wide.
"Oh... I'm err... I'm –"
"If you're going to say sorry, don't bother." She cut him off harshly.
"Okay then..." He said. "How?"
She looked at him suspiciously; hardly anyone asked how it happened. Sighing, she explained in the lie she was well rehearsed in. "Three and a half years ago, I was in a... in an accident where I was in a coma. When I woke up, I found out that I lost my eyesight." She breathed deeply. "I'm blind, and have been for three years, that's why I tripped and fell, roads aren't particularly easy for me, and that's why I couldn't recognise you, I actually don't know how you look like, I only know how your voice sounds like. So... yeah." Hermione finished lamely, smiling sheepishly. Hermione felt him go rigid and she groaned internally, she knew what was to come.
"I don't think we've formally met." He said lowly. "My name is Draco Malfoy. My aunt was the person who made you blind. You are Hermione Granger, the girl who was about to kill me three and a half years ago."
She ran out when she recovered from her shock. Ran away from him. Ran away from the hurt and pain she knew he would make her feel. She forgot about everything else, she just got up and walked out, walked out of the one person who was looking for redemption. Redemption from the one person who was on his mind since the war.
Redemption from her.
She couldn't hear him calling her name, begging her to listen to him. She couldn't hear the people who were walking by, living their lives, taking granted for seeing what they can see. She couldn't hear the cars go by, people blaring their music and honking their horns, eager to reach their destination. But Hermione had nowhere to go; she had no destination to reach. She couldn't see, she could barely hear, she couldn't feel.
And it was all because of him.
She apparated back to her home, seeking solitude and quietness, unfortunately, her care taker was home.
"Hermione you're back so late! God I was worried, I phoned the Healers and they said you left over twenty minutes ago! Hermione? Are you alright?" Annie looked at her worriedly.
"Yes Annie, I'm fine..." She cleared her hoarse throat. "Actually I would like some time alone, if that's okay with you."
"Yeah, that's fine! Should I go now?" Hermione just nodded. Annie's voice faltered. "I-I'll see you later then." But Hermione did not reply, she just walked upstairs robotically, ignoring Annie's concerned look.
Why had hearing him affected her so much? Why had being in his arms affected her so much? She felt sick as she remembered his strong arms wrapped around her waist, and felt the strong urge to vomit. Running into the bathroom, she divested her clothes and jumped into the shower. She rubbed her body erratically as the tears fell from her eyes. She let out a cry as the hot water hit her cold, numb body, but never stopped rubbing her red, sore body.
She left the shower after a cruel twenty minutes, her movements slow and cautious, her body burning in pain. Her tears stopped after five minutes, and she willed herself not to let another tear fall, it would mean losing her own personal war, and she would not let him have that satisfaction. She couldn't explain how she felt at the moment, and sleep seemed inviting at that moment, so she fell into her bed, wincing as the springy bed hit her raw body painfully, she fell asleep minutes after, flashbacks of the blonde haunting her dreams.
She met him once again in the same cafe shop weeks after, and she ran from him again. This time, he followed her, grabbing her arm as she Apparated. They both had fallen into her house, and screams, tears and shouting ensued, mainly from Hermione. Desperation was limpid in his voice, yet Hermione never yielded. She had forgotten about her wand, and ended up throwing punches at the pleading man. He never stopped her. She sobbed with each punch, hitting him angrily and releasing all the pent up emotion she held for him, all the anger and feelings she was ready to liberate by having the thrill of murdering him, now hurting him. And he never let her go; he let her continue her assault on him, whilst screaming, "LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" But he didn't leave, he couldn't. Not until he got what he came for, her forgiveness.
What he got was more than that. He had infinitely received her forgiveness, and also her love. Over the course of twelve months, Draco and Hermione had begun restoring their relationship. Feelings of hatred and anger soon dispersed after that one emotional night, after Hermione's hysterical tirade, they had spent the night talking and sorting things out since Draco refused to leave. Now, Hermione and Draco were in fate's hand, and it seemed he had some plans in order. It was in their third odd meeting that Draco finally fixed an actual friendly date with her, which Hermione had agreed to reluctantly. It had begun from then on, occasional lunches here and there, one another staying over and supporting the other. A wonderful friendship had bloomed from that one night and Draco found himself falling for her.
It was a rainy lunchtime, where Draco and Hermione (with the help of Draco) had run into a restaurant. After they had leisurely dined and Draco was helping Hermione into her coat, he had gently tucked her hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek. "Hermione..." He murmured, his lead-coloured eyes zealously gazing at her. She shivered as his breath tickled her face. "How about you and I go out on Saturday?" He asked her in a low murmur, his fingers caressing her jaw line. She inhaled sharply.
"T-the usual?" She stuttered.
"No, not the usual... as in a proper date." He replied in the same elusive tone, his fingers grazing her lips. She looked at him, stunned and distracted by his lingering fingers.
"Err... Okay?" She replied, slightly confused. She felt him shake his head slightly.
"I want a straight answer Hermione." He said to her, his hands returning to his side. Hermione breathed in relief. She tilted her head up and her hands reached his chest, where she felt the steady beat of his heart.
"Yes, yes Draco I would love to."
It had started from then on. Their friendship had taken a more serious turn, and Hermione began reciprocating his feelings for her. They spent an enormous amount of time together, not only being each other's partner, but best friend. Hermione was so incredibly in love with him by the second month she wished she had gotten to know him earlier, and even went to the extent of thanking God for letting Bellatrix hit that curse on her before she could kill Draco. The only person who could match her in her love was Draco. He had fallen for her well before he had asked her out, and to him, it seemed his love was doubling each time he had seen her face. He began praying to God every day, wishing for Hermione's eyesight to return to her, so that she could see him now, see the man she fought against once, and loved now. It seemed his prayers were futile. Hermione would never see the world ever again; she would never be able to see Harry and Ginny's newborn child, or any of the Weasley grandchildren, or even her own.
Most importantly, she would never be able to see him.
"Hermione?" Draco's voice rang through the house. Hermione's head lifted at the sound of her lover's voice, and she eagerly ran to the front door to be in the arms of her boyfriend. It seemed her clumsiness had not improved since she had met him, and she fell to the ground by the foot of the stairs. Draco ran to help her up. "You really need to stop doing that Hermione, you could seriously hurt yourself." He scolded, but she merely sunk into his arms.
"I missed you," she whispered. "You've been gone too long."
"It was only a couple of days." He replied. "Besides, they are my parents, sick parents mind you."
"I know, I know... I just wish they knew about me so I could come along, the bed's been cold without you." She said in a hushed voice, unlocking her arms from his neck. He took her arm and led her into the living room.
"About that..." He began. "Maybe it's time we told them?"
She looked at him oddly, and shook her head slowly. "They'd never accept me, and they could disown you. I don't want to ruin your relationship with your parents, it's unfair on you."
"Hermione, it won't! Listen, you are the woman in my life now, and hopefully will be for the rest of my life, and before my parents die, they should at least meet their future daughter-in-law!" Hermione blushed and Draco smiled. "You will be my wife one day, I promise, but before that, please, I'm asking you, will you meet my parents at Malfoy Manor for Thanksgiving dinner?" He pleaded.
Hermione bit her lip anxiously, she really hated saying no to Draco, but this was difficult. Draco had told Hermione everything about his parents, about how, despite losing the war and narrowly avoiding Azkaban due to a terminal illness, his father shared his racist ideologies. His mother was neutral though, and Hermione respected the woman for it, after all, she did risk her life to end this war and save her son and puts up with her husband's sick comments, and on top of that, fighting for her life. Hermione sighed heavily. Narcissa she could handle, it was Lucius she was worried about.
Unenthusiastically, she muttered. "Fine."
It was a disaster. An utter and horrid disaster.
Draco rose from his chair, which unceremoniously hit the ground. His spidery fingers curled in tight fists, he glared at his father.
"Take it back." He hissed in a low tone, shaking in anger.
"No I will not!" Lucius retorted, also getting up. "Get rid of this filth from my house this instant! How dare you Draco, court a mudblood? A blind one at that! You are of pure blood Draco, you cannot! Get it out of our clean house now!" He roared, ignorant to Narcissa's protests, but Hermione did not need to be told twice. Quickly, she ran out of the house before her emotions fell down her cheeks.
Draco watched her run off. He turned to his mother and coldly said to her. "Tell him he is dead to me." With that, he quickly grabbed his coat and followed Hermione, casting a spell to find the blind-sighted girl.
Frantically, he searched the area for her, occasionally glancing at his wand. When he had found her, he had sprinted over to her and wrapped his coat around her, and found she was silently weeping.
"I-I told you they'd never accept me. Why didn't you listen to me?" She hiccoughed as Draco rubbed her shoulders comfortingly.
"I know I should've. I hate my father so much, I'm so sorry Hermione, you shouldn't have had to endure that." He mumbled. She merely shook her head.
"That was exactly what I was afraid of. I don't want you to hate your father because of me Draco, I don't want to break your family up, I'm just not worth it. Don't hate your father; he just acts on his beliefs." She reasoned, but Draco wasn't having any of it. He scoffed.
"I hated my father long before you, you were just the last thing I could tolerate. He cannot insult you Hermione, not you. I love you too much to tolerate his abuse. Him 'acting on his beliefs' isn't a valid excuse, his beliefs is what caused the war, and now that the war is over he still believes them? That's crap." He replied bluntly, his tone holding a sense of finality. Silently, tears protruded down Hermione's cheeks, which Draco tenderly wiped away. "What is it you want, love?" He asked her. She choked a sob back as she answered.
"I want my eyesight back."
He had said yes.
Those five words drove Draco to oblivion. He had thrown himself into finding the best surgeons to perform the eye transplant on Hermione, both Muggle and magical. He was working non-stop to finding the best eye donor for Hermione, while she lovingly watched and worried from the sidelines. He had spent a generous amount of money into fulfilling her one wish, which he did not allow her to spend a dime for.
It was a gruelling day at the Healers when Draco entered Hermione's home with his head hung low.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, sensing his despondency.
"I can't find a donor for you." He said slowly, biting his tongue. "I've searched high and low for the perfect eyes for you Hermione, the same beautiful brown that used to light up in school, the eyes that you would love so much but I can't find them, I can't and I know why. Hermione, no pair of eyes could ever match yours, yours was so unique, I have not found a replica, and I'm so sorry because I've failed you Hermione, I've failed you." A lone tear made its way down his flushed, cold cheek and he was glad at that moment that Hermione could not see his moment of weakness. He looked at her expectantly. Hermione's face drew blank for a minute before tears welled up in her eyes.
"Oh Draco," she breathed, embracing him. "Draco, you caring is enough for me. Draco I've lived without seeing for a long time, and I've gotten used to the fact that I won't ever see again, it is my wish to see, but I don't need it, not as much as I need you. You never failed me love, and you never will. I'm sorry you wasted your time Draco, I don't need to see, if I have you, that's enough for me." She held his face lovingly in her palms and looked at him squarely. "You've tired yourself enough for me. Maybe I can make it up to you."
She had made love to him that night, and four times after that. Her body was flush up against him as they both fell into each other's arms after their shared orgasm, and both had fell asleep soon after, but not before Draco whispered into her ear a sweet 'I love you' which she replied to in a hushed tone similar to his.
"Hermione!" Draco shouted at the bottom of the staircase. "Hermione where are you?"
Hermione heard his voice and yelled back. "Upstairs!" She heard the loud thuds on the stairs which indicated he was coming into the room, which he did so in a matter of seconds, panting heavily. "Draco?" She said, alarmed. "Are you okay? Why are you so out of breath?"
He merely ignored her. "Tell me what to pack. You and I are going to the hospital." He said chastely, scurrying around the room, looking for a small suitcase.
"What?" She replied, bewildered. "Why are we going to the hospital?"
"To get you a new pair of eyes."
She had gone into surgery two hours after her odd conversation with her boyfriend in a state of pure terror. However, Draco was there to tend to her, and gently guided her into the surgery room, where a nurse had handed over the clothes that Hermione had to wear. Both had gone into the tiny changing room and Draco helped Hermione change, as she was in a paralysed position. After that, Draco had let the medi-witch take her, and he walked outside of the room anxiously and sat down, Harry handing him a cup of coffee.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" He asked, wringing his hands. Draco looked up at him.
"She's in the care of the best Healers in the world. Of course it is."
"And you're sure of the decision you're making." It wasn't a question, rather a statement, to which Draco merely nodded. Harry looked at him nervously. "Draco she's used to it, you aren't."
"She'll be there for me." He replied surely.
"And there's no way of me persuading you to not go through with this?" He asked.
"No." A wave of silence overwhelmed them, and Draco fidgeted under Harry's intense gaze.
"Well, to whoever called you a coward, they ought to eat their words, myself included. Thank you Draco." And with that, he walked away, leaving a frightened Draco alone with his deceiving thoughts.
Hermione let out a mild groan as sleep refused to overtake her, despite her aching limbs and eyes, having undergone surgery hours ago. Stifling a yawn, she opened her eyes to look at the room she was occupying –
Wait a second.
Hermione blinked.
She could see?
She could see!
She squealed in delight and looked around the large hospital room, feeling disappointed that Draco wasn't there when she first opened her eyes. She didn't let this damper her contented feelings and continued to roam the room with her eyes. It had been almost five years, five years since she was last able to see, and now, thanks to Draco... She can again.
Pulling her bed sheets back, she walked out of the room, to find Harry with his head in his hands with Ginny rubbing his shoulders.
"Harry? Ginny?" Hermione said, delighted to be able to see her best friends again. "You're pregnant?" She exclaimed, her new eyes going wide as she stared at Ginny's slightly bulging belly.
"Hermione, what are you doing out of bed? Come; let's go into your room." Ginny stood up, Harry following closely by, and together, they walked into her room, Hermione going in first.
"You look beautiful with your new eyes Hermione," Harry said softly, looking at her with a sorrowful look etched on his tired face.
"What colour are they?" She whispered.
Harry looked disorientated for a moment, but he replied quietly. "Grey." She looked at Ginny, her eyes full of tears.
"Five years," she breathed. "Five years and now I can see." A weak laugh escaped her mouth. "How come I didn't know you were pregnant? You look at least five months along."
"I didn't tell you, I was planning to before you had your eye surgery." Ginny replied delicately, Hermione nodded, looking at her two best friends. Ginny had grown taller, and infinitely more beautiful, a perfect bride for Harry, her bright blue eyes was dimmed with sparkly tears, which occasionally fell down her cheeks. Harry had grown more bulky and taller; his face seemed to have aged with lines, his glasses still broken and crooked, which he pushed further up his nose childishly, and a distant gaze on his face.
Hermione cleared her throat. "Where's Draco, Harry?"
"What?" He said, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh... he had some important business to attend to. He's... sorry he couldn't see you when you woke up, but apparently he couldn't delay this work. He'll meet you at your house." He told her, and Hermione nodded, her head feeling heavy.
"When can I go home?" She asked.
"As soon as I sign the papers, which I'll go do now." He walked out of the room without a second glance. Ginny looked worried.
"Ginny? What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked, slightly frazzled.
"Nothing Hermione, he's just... tired."
A couple of hours after and Hermione was in the back of Harry's car, driving home. As the car moved fluidly through the city, Hermione's eyes were wide in astonishment as she drank in the changes that occurred over the past five years, like a child who discovered some candy.
"Here we are Hermione, this is your home." Ginny announced, stepping out of the car and opening Hermione's door for her as Harry collected the suitcase from the boot. Slowly, the trio made their way up the wide steps and into Hermione's former family home. After her parents died in the war, she had received their house in the will, and it was her home for the past five years.
Harry unceremoniously dropped the suitcase at the foot of the stairs and told Hermione that Ginny had an appointment at the Healers' and they had to go now. She nodded at his, understanding, and sincerely thanked them for the drop and all they had done, still a bit frustrated that she had not seen Draco yet. Nonetheless, she languidly walked through her old home, taking a small tour. She smiled as memories of her and Draco fell into mind, and slowly, she walked up the stairs into her room, where she and Draco made love for the first time. She decided to take a bath, get the sickening smell of hospital off of her.
She sank in the bath, revelling in its magical ways of untying her knots. Before she knew it, she fell asleep.
Drying off and putting on her pyjamas, she flopped her way into her living room area, and screamed at the sight that was before her new eyes.
"Hermione, is that you?" The familiar voice rung out, nearing her blindly. She took two steps back
"Draco?" She said disgustingly. "Is that you?" He smiled at her, looking like a rag doll. He was in a pair of black slacks and matching shirt, his hair damp with sweat and his eyes an icy blue, diverse to his lead grey. Stitches and cuts surrounded his eyes, marking his face and altering his beauty. He looked hideous.
"It is I. How are you enjoying your new eyes?" He asked warmly, his smile never leaving him.
"Fine." She replied shortly. "Why do you look like that? Are you blind too?"
"Yes I am blind love, like you used to be." He replied softly, his hand reaching to touch her wet hair. She dodged it.
"So you never thought to tell me you were blind? What did you think, that I would look after you after I regained my sight back? Is that why you searched high and low for a donor for me? You disgust me Draco Malfoy, I was stupid to ever trust you and think you weren't the coward you were in Hogwarts. I should've killed you all those years ago; I wouldn't be in this situation right now! I can't believe this! I should've known... Get out of my house, it's clean and I would like it to stay like that." She said coldly, watching Draco crumble slowly.
"Herm-" He began, she cut him off.
"It's Granger to you. Out!" When he didn't budge, she shrieked. "OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW BEFORE I HEX YOUR BLIND ASS OUT!" With his head hung low, he made his way towards the door, stopping in front of her.
"I love you Hermione Granger." He said quietly, leaning down to kiss her, she moved away.
"Leave." She said finally. He didn't need to be told twice, he left the house clumsily, tripping over her suitcase and using the table in the corridor to get up. Standing in shame, he walked out.
She let out a breath. "I can't believe it." And then she broke, falling to the floor and letting the tears fall.
The next morning Hermione woke up looking a tired mess. Red nose and swollen eyes, she claimed the bathroom and washed herself off thoroughly. Taking a moment to look through her clothes, she found an outfit and dressed quickly, expecting to go over to the Potters' for a brunch. As she put on her heels on the stairs, she noticed a piece of parchment on the table. Taking it in her hands and opening it curiously, she wondered who left it there. Her eyes grew wide as she read the contents on the paper, and she took a step back in horror, letting the parchment fall to the floor. The words rung through her mind as though he was right there saying it to her...
Take care of your new eyes my love, because before they were yours, they were mine.
-D.M