Her Solace
by embracingthelightanddark
(Set on HBP)
Hermione Granger's POV
His sobs echoed the deserted washroom and I gulped nervously outside of the said washroom. Despite the well-block walls and doors, his pained sobs could still be heard from the outside of his lone confinement. My mind urged me to run as far away as possible, and pretend that everything are still rainbows and sunshine. But my heart told me to put it together and enter his solitary confines. Instead of following my mind like I always do, I followed my heart. I outstretched my right hand towards the door handle, gripped it, and pushed it open after a deep calming breath.
I entered the washroom and closed the door gently with a click. I saw him up ahead, sobbing. As if noticing a presence behind him, he looked towards the door with tear stained face, rumpled school shirt and a crooked tie. He stared at me as I slowly approached him. Then he did something I would never expect him to do. He laughed and laughed with raw bitterness on them. I stood there looking at him. He stopped his humorless laughter and spoke with an ice-laced tone.
"What, Granger? Come to laugh at the pathetic boy in front of you?" He paused and I just kept staring at him, "Well? Why aren't you laughing at me?"
He was in hysterics, as I just kept quiet and stood there watching him. At that moment, I saw a gash on his left cheek. Trickle of blood fell on his pristine school shirt. I looked at him with pure anxiety, but it seemed he decipher it differently.
"Stop looking at me with pity in your eyes, Granger." He said bitterly while looking away from their staring match.
In the softest of voice I spoke, "I don't pity you, Malfoy. I'm worried about you."
His head snapped back towards me, he searched my face for signs of jest. Finding none, he hung his head low.
"Why? You shouldn't. I've done nothing to receive that from you. I made you suffer for the five years of your Hogwarts life. I called you names! I called you filthy, disgusting, and other derogatory words!" He paused again and continued in a low tone, "But turns out I'm the filthy, disgusting one. What you said is true I am a coward and a heartless wizard."
"Malfoy. Do you still view me as a mudblood?" I asked softly and he jerked his head at me. I could tell he was stunned. I in turn just smiled softly at him and walked towards the sink. I stood in front of the mirror and I motioned for him to stood beside me, which he did albeit curiously. I pulled out my wand and I made a line on my left cheek while whispering, "Vulnus Creare." As I said the spell, I flinched a bit from the pain and saw a gash at the same spot as Malfoy's. I saw Malfoy's shocked gaze through the mirror.
"Look, Draco." I smiled through the mirror, "Our blood are the same. Scarlet red. Not muddy. Not half red and half muddy. I bled the same blood as you. Your father, your mother, your friends." We watched through the mirror as our blood trickle to our school shirts. I then turned my gaze towards him without the medium of the mirror.
"I know this revelation will shatter your beliefs. But I just want you to see the truth behind all the web of lies. We are all the same."
"Why are you doing this, Her- Granger?"
"Because I see you, Draco. The real you that are trying so hard to come out. And you're neither filthy nor disgusting. I was the one who is wrong. You're not a coward nor are you heartless." I paused to give him a smile, "Someone who shed a tear can never be heartless. And someone who shed them freely can never be a coward."
He continued to stare at me with an expression that I couldn't decipher. I took my wand from the sink and approached him. We were so close that I could hear his intake and outtake of breath. I followed the gash on his left cheek with my wand with a whisper of, "Curare."
I saw the wound close and his pale face revert to how it was before the wound was there. I smiled at him one more time and walked towards the door. As I gripped the door handle, I heard him spoke.
"Why?" His question entails of my behavior towards him and I looked back towards him. A smile graced my lips and I said my reason.
"Because I care and love you, Draco." With those reasons I opened the door and exited the washroom.
Draco Malfoy's POV
I stood there shocked at her reasons. I then shifted my gaze towards my left arm, the place where the Dark Mark laid. This mark stood against everything she knows. If I continued being what she is against of will she still want me? Can I carry out the mission given to me after what she did? Can I still deny my feelings for her? The answer was obvious. No. I lifted my hand towards my now pristine left cheek. In those seconds, I made the decision that will change my whole life. I broke out into a run and hurriedly exited the washroom. I looked to my right and saw someone turning around the corner. I ran towards that direction while my mind battled with my heart.
"What are you doing, Draco?"
"After her."
"You'll lose your wealth!"
"If I have her love, I'll be the wealthiest man alive."
"You'll lose your status!"
"The only status I want is to be the only one she loves."
"You'll be shunned!"
"I'll be welcome to her life."
"You'll regret it!"
"Regret will never even pass my mind if I have her. I choose her."
I turned the corner and saw her walking ahead of me. I ran faster towards her and I grabbed her arm. She turned back with a shock look.
"…Draco?"
"I choose you, Hermione Granger. I'm ready for the consequences."
"Wh-" I cut her off by pressing my lips to her soft ones. It took her a minute to respond back to the kiss. As it goes on, she tentatively put her arms around her neck while I wrapped my arms around her waist.
We pulled back to catch our breath but never stopped staring at each other. I then spoke,
"Regarding your confession. I love you too, Hermione. Since the Quidditch World Cup."
She smiled the most beautiful smile I've ever seen at me and I know from then on that I would never leave her for anything. Consequences, be damned!
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it, guys! To be honest I myself even cried while making this and I'm sorry if Draco's OOC.
Regardless, please review!
Oh, I might make a sequel where they went to Dumbledore and tell Harry and Ron as well. Tell me if you want it, okay?
- Ariana