Space Between
House: Gryffindor
Category: Themed
Prompt: Space Between from Descendents 2
Word count: 1857
Disclaimer: I own a Starbucks gift card, does that mean I own Starbucks?
He grasped at his stinging forearm, frustrated tears running unbidden.
"Draco?"
His blond head shot up, and he scrambled up from where he had been leaned up against the bathroom wall.
"What is it?" He muttered, tugging down his robe's sleeve.
Hermione's brow furrowed as her brown eyes darted between his grey ones.
"Draco?" She repeated, stepping closer.
The tall boy leaned against the wall, standing this time, looking very casual.
"What, Hermione?" Draco said, impatient.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Draco Malfoy, this has gone too far. We're together for two years, and suddenly you start ignoring me, avoiding me?"
He looked away, his steely eyes zeroing in on the opposite wall.
"It's nothing, Hermione. Leave it alone."
All of a sudden, her hand shot forward and grabbed his left arm, making him hiss.
"Bloody..."
She tore up his sleeve, not even putting up the pretense of being gentle.
"You didn't..." She whispered, eyes transfixed on the mark branding his flesh.
He ripped his arm away, eyes flashing.
"What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me?!" She yelled. "What's wrong with you? You're a..."
Her voice dropped to barely a whisper, "A Death Eater!"
Draco shook his head at her, disgust permeating his features.
"Mione..."
"They all said I was mad to date you," she ranted. "They all said you would go bad. But did I listen? No! I did the stupid, cliche, 'follow your heart' bit and look where it's got me! Dating a Death Eater!"
"Hermione!" He said sharply, cutting off her angry snaps.
She looked at him ruefully, eyes blazing, but also a clear sense of hurt running through them.
"I did what I had to," he gritted out. "You have no clue, not a single frickin clue what would have happened otherwise."
She took his hand firmly, eyes locking with his.
"Then tell me."
"I... I didn't know..."
"No, it's not your fault. I didn't tell you."
"I thought you were avoiding me because I'd done something..."
"You don't have to worry about that anymore, huh?"
"It's a bit of a relief, just knowing."
"Good."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want to disappoint you. I'm so weak, not able to stand up for myself, not able to follow my heart..."
"You're not weak. And I will never be disappointed in you. You've done what you must, and I respect that. I wish it wasn't tearing us apart though."
"Ow! Ugh..."
"It's burning, isn't it?"
"... I'm sorry, Mione."
"I won't stop you."
He sat on his bed, head in his hands. He'd done all he could, he'd avoided identifying them. That was all he could do...
No.
He had stood by and watched his aunt torture his girlfriend with the Cruciatus. Who does that? Draco groaned, hitting his head, trying to knock all the angry voices out of it. He had to stay blank... If the Dark Lord knew who he was to Hermione...
"Draco."
He looked up wildly. There, perched before him, was a silvery-blue otter. He knew exactly whose Patronus that was. She'd shown it to him not long before the school year had ended, separating them for months...
"We're fine. Well, mostly. Dobby... He died. Your aunt's dagger stabbed him."
Draco was surprisingly sad to hear this. He wouldn't say he liked the strange house elf, or even had a soft spot for him, but he was somehow sad, nonetheless.
"I'm alright though. So don't worry your pretty blond head, as I'm certain you're doing."
He smiled slightly. She knew him all too well.
"I wish that we'd seen each other under better circumstances, but at least I know you're alive. And that's always comforting."
The otter nuzzled his cheek. Its muzzle was strangely cold, and yet, there was no feeling from it at all.
"I'm proud of you, Draco. You did what you could. I love you."
Draco looked at the little Patronus, silently begging it not to go. He hadn't heard Hermione's voice in so long, too long...
"Wherever you go, you'll never be alone. I'm a part of you, and you, a part of me."
With that, the otter left the boy with a smile on his face.
Over the course of the war, when Draco was depressed beyond belief, or in horrible pain from the Cruciatus, the little otter would come visit. Sometimes it would bear a message, while other times it would simply curl up by him, a comforting presence. He had no idea how Hermione always knew he was hurting, but she did. He only wished he could send a message back. He'd been practicing the Patronus charm in private for weeks now, but a crushing environment, with little source for joy, wasn't exactly the best place to discover one's spirit animal.
"This time," he hissed from behind clenched teeth. "This time, I've got it."
He closed his eyes and focused on the happiest memory he could find, like Hermione had always said. He concentrated on it, nearly reliving it in his mind.
Her lips on his.
Him trying to take control of the kiss.
Her fighting back like the fierce firecracker she was.
The taste of mint lingering between them as they panted for breath...
His grey eyes snapped open, blazing with a passion that had no business being on Draco Malfoy's face.
"Expecto patronum," he breathed, a huskiness controlling his voice.
A silver light came from his wand, a shape forming. He held his breath, anxiously watching the charm do its work.
A large bird appeared in the mist, spreading its broad wings. Draco stared at it, a bit in shock.
"I did it..."
Hermione sat outside, taking watch while the boys slept. She held her wand loosely, lazily almost, as she draped an arm over her knee. The teen considered sending another Patronus to Draco, but decided against it. It was too late for such things.
A flash of silvery blue light caught her eye, and she quickly turned, raising her wand, a curse on her tongue. Hermione froze, seeing a bird Patronus swooping towards her. Cautiously, she lowered her hand, looking around for the caster. The charmed creature hovered in front of her, beating its stout wings.
"A goshawk?" she mused. "Who do I know with a goshawk Patronus? More importantly, why is it here?"
The bird opened its beak, and the girl's brown eyes widened when she heard the voice that left it.
"Mione?"
"No way," she whispered, tears touching the corners of her eyes.
"It's... It's me. I did it, Hermione. I finally did it. You were heavily involved in my happiest memory. I'm sure you can guess what it was."
She smiled softly, remembering their first kiss. That was her happiest memory as well... It was why her Patronus had grown so strong.
"I'm sorry I'm such a coward. I'm sorry I let Bellatrix hurt you like that, without saying a word. I know that dagger would have left a scar. Be proud of it, Mione. Be proud of that scar, because it spells out how brave you are."
She rubbed her left arm, thinking absently of how she and Draco matched now... In some gruesome, morbid way.
"I miss you. Hurry up and end this war so I can snog you senseless, would you?"
Hermione laughed quietly, fiddling with her wand as she studied the bird Patronus.
"I'm fine. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to send you messages. Makes it difficult when your home is Death Eater headquarters, you know. I love you."
The Patronus snapped away, and Hermione snapped back to her senses.
"I... Love... You," Draco breathed between kisses.
Hermione pulled back, tears running down her face.
"Don't ever leave me. Ever. I frickin meaning it, Malfoy."
He grinned, pulling her tight to him. It was over. Harry had killed Voldemort, not an hour earlier. They could be together now. Forever.
"As if you have to worry about that, Granger."
Their moment was broken by a hand grabbing the back of Draco's collar and hauling him off of Hermione. A wand was immediately held to his throat, his arms restrained, and his wand stripped from his pocket.
"Draco Malfoy, you are under arrest for the use of Unforgivables, attempted murder, and alliance with a mass murderer and criminal. You will be put under strict custody until the day you stand trial. You will not be allowed contact with the outside world. You will..."
Hermione stepped up angrily.
"You can't arrest him!" She exclaimed.
The tall woman restraining Draco shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Miss Granger, but all Death Eaters must be arrested and stand trial. No exceptions."
Draco narrowed his eyes at the floor dangerously. He glanced up at Hermione, who met his eyes with a horror struck expression. She could see clearly from his countenance exactly what was about to happen, and what the consequences would be.
"Draco, no..."
He twisted around quickly in his captor's arms, kicking her knee out, smoothly retrieving his wand, and turning on the spot, all in a matter of seconds.
Hermione was left staring at the spot where her criminal fugitive of a boyfriend had been standing.
"I'm fine. Found a quiet place where I can hide out. Don't worry."
"Idiot! Harry would have vouched for you! Why did you run? That was the most stupid thing you could have done! Now you're on the run from the law, Draco! You Slytherins are supposed to think things through, aren't you?".
"...I'm glad you're safe, though."
"I'm sorry, Hermione. All I could think of was how broken my dad was when he came back from Azkaban. I panicked. How are the trials going, by the way?"
"Your dad has been sent back. Most of them have; there's still some more trials to go yet, and they're hunting down a few who slipped through their fingers, you included. Draco, what's going to happen with us? Are we going to spend the rest of our lives sending messages via Patronus?"
"Well, I don't have to worry about any of them coming after me, at least. I don't know, Hermione. I didn't think this through... I think the most we can do right now is use our Patronuses. Do you think... Would I be okay if I came back? Would Potter still vouch for me?"
"That's true, I didn't think of that. Draco, I'm not sure. Things will definitely be messier since you ran. I suppose I could talk to Harry, but that would mean revealing we've been in contact."
"Ask him, Mione, please. I need to see you again. I shouldn't have run. I should have faced it instead of running like the coward I am."
"If you come back and turn yourself in peacefully, he'll try to get your sentence shortened, but you won't get off completely free and clear. It's the best he can do under the circumstances."
"Done."
He curled up in his prison cell in Azkaban, keeping his spirit alive with the thoughts of his beloved.
Only two years... Only two years til I see her again...
My Hermione...