Hermione staggered through the hallways of Hogwarts in the dead of night. She hated Slytherin and they hated her back. She winced in pain as the fabric of her shirt rubbed against the cuts on her back. She collapsed in a corner unable to move. She felt like she was about to pass out. Her breathing was shallow and she could barely stay conscious. Suddenly there was a sound and a boy rounded the corner. It was Draco Malfoy. Draco walked towards her
"Granger? Are you alright?"
"Yep! You?" she asked, a cheerful tone in her weakened voice.
"Erm, I was just headed to the common room when I heard you... were you crying?" He said with a note of concern
"No." lied Hermione before a fit of coughing shook her body. She covered her mouth with her hand and pulled it away bloody.
"Stop lying to me Granger. What is wrong with you?" Any tone of concern was gone. Draco had forgotten who he was speaking to. No matter what feelings he had for her, he couldn't let her know so he put on his usual annoyed façade. Hermione sighed.
"Fine." she snapped turning around. There were many long slash marks on her back, all deep, almost to the bone and bleeding badly. Draco couldn't hold back the gasp that formed in his throat.
"Who would do something this ghastly? I mean, you may be a mudblood but this is just disgusting." Hermione glared at him.
"The Slytherins think it's funny to use crucio and sectumsempra on me." she said bitterly.
"Oh…" He had nothing else to say. Draco knew exactly what it felt like to have the sectumsepra curse used on him. It was the worst feeling in the world.
"Um, do you... need help with anything?" The tone of concerned returned involuntarily to his voice. He couldn't help it. After all he did love her.
"Why would you want to help me, a filthy mudblood?" she asked angrily, tears dripping down her cheeks.
"Because I know what that curse feels like. And it's absolutely terrible." He realized he was showing too much concern, "Look, I honestly could care less about helping you but I can't let you limp around the halls bleeding like that. At least let me do a healing spell and then we can each go our ways and never speak again. This conversation alone is tiring enough". Hermione glared at him and wiped her eyes.
"Healing spells don't work! It's dark arts magic. There's a specific spell and I don't know it." said Hermione, her voice breaking, her eyes desperate.
"My god, Granger. You are so stubborn sometimes. If you don't want my help with healing then let me walk you to Madam Pomfrey's at least." She looked at him questioningly and he quickly added, "We don't want you falling down in the hall and bleeding to death do we? It wouldn't exactly look good for the school."
"Fine you can help me." she said hastily. "There's no way I'm going to Madame Pomfrey's."
"So, healing spell?"
"Let's see if it'll work." said Hermione gingerly. Draco gingerly pulled his wand from his pocket to perform the spell. Hermione couldn't help but notice the way his long, slender fingers artfully grasped his wand. He quickly performed the spell and Hermione winced a little. He pulled back to examine his work, "Better?"
"Little bit thanks." said Hermione smiling. Most of the smaller ones were fully healed and had faded, but the larger ones had left long scars that stood out against her skin.
"Alright then. Goodnight, Granger". They both turned to go their separate ways but found they were headed in the same direction. Hermione tripped over Draco's robes and he quickly grabbed her in his arms.
"Thanks." blushed Hermione. "Can I ask you something that might sound slightly self-centered?" asked Hermione quietly as they walked together. Draco stared into her deep, brown eyes. Draco often imagined himself staring into those eyes and then kissing her passionately. He quickly snapped out of his daydream, let her out of his arms, brushed off, and then without even looking at her replied.
"Sure thing, Granger".
"D-did the curse leave scars?" she asked nervously, biting her lip. Draco was a bit taken aback by the question.
"I-I don't know, turn around and I'll check." He stammered. Hermione turned around and let him see.
"I just have one too many already." she said running her fingers over the scar that said 'mudblood' on her arm. Draco stared at the milky skin of her back. She had a few scars and he longed to reach out and kiss each one. Without thinking, he did just that. Hermione gasped.
"Draco Malfoy what're you doing?" she cried. He staggered back. He was so in shock at what he had just done, he had difficulty forming a sentence.
"I-I, um I have to go!" He turned on his heel and ran down the hall, fighting tears. 'This is absurd' he thought, 'Malfoys do not cry. Especially over mudbloods'
"Wait Draco!" cried Hermione stumbling after him. Somehow, he brought himself to stop. He refused to turn around and face her. He could feel her coming closer to him as the tears began to stream down his face. Hermione put her hand on his shoulder.
"So you're just going to leave me like everyone else?" she asked, her voice breaking. He gasped. The last thing he wanted was to hurt this girl, but at the same time he didn't think he was ready to face his feeling for her. Still, without turning around he replied softly
"I'm sorry, Granger. I don't know what came over me back there. Do you think we can just forget this ever happened?" He liked the feeling of her hand on his shoulder, so he didn't try to shake it off.
"Well I don't know!" she cried. "I don't even know how you feel about me now!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. Draco turned suddenly. He didn't want to hear her cry. Without thinking he grabbed he and pulled her close to him. There was a 7 inch height difference so he had to pick her up to make their faces at the same height, and putting everything behind him, gave her the most passionate kiss he was capable of. Hermione looked shocked before bursting into sobs.
"Now I'm even more confused!" she cried. "Whatever happened to hating me? I'm just a filthy mudblood!" she sobbed.
"I... I never really felt that way about you, Granger." He didn't know where all of this was coming from. All his tension from the past 7 years just came pouring out, "I'm sorry if I'm confusing you, and even sorrier for all the times I have hurt you." He decided it was time to finally call her by her first name "But Hermione, I think I'm in love with you". Hermione wiped her eyes and smiled at him.
"Me t-too." she said before wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. He couldn't believe it. The girl he had wanted for 7 years wanted him too. He was still holding her and now her arms were also wrapped around him. He buried his face between her shoulder and neck and let the tears fall.
"My god, Hermione. I never knew."
"I n-never told you because I thought you h-hated me." she murmured, still refusing to let go. He brought his face out from her neck and looked straight into those brown eyes of hers that he loved.
"How could I ever hate someone so perfect". And with that he swooped her into another passionate kiss, never wanting it to end. Hermione smiled at him.
"Thank you." she whispered. "I'm just scared. Everyone's leaving me." she said looking scared. "I don't want you to leave too..." He gently stroked her hair and gave her a light kiss, then
"Why would anyone want to leave you? You're more perfect that you know."