A/N: This started as one of those things where you hear a song or read a quote and just have to replicate that feeling in a story. This story is technically inspired by the quote by Joseph Campell "Suddenly you're ripped into being alive. And Life is pain, and life is suffering, and life is horror. But my God, you're alive and its spectacular." It was originally posted on my tumblr (username over there is draco-and-granger) under the name Nothing is sure (based on the quote "When nothing is sure, everything is possible).
I hope you enjoy.
It's set during the war and Draco has joined the order with Snape.
Harry approached the bed slowly. Jonathan, the only healer in the order, had explained to him that Hermione had been hit with a curse that was very slow and difficult to counteract. She was unconscious but stable for the time being but she wouldn't be out of the woods for quite some time and there were still a lot of things that could go wrong. They were very clear that he shouldn't get his hopes up but as he walked in, she looked so peaceful. It was easy to pretend she was just sleeping rather than in some sort of coma.
"Hey, Hermione." He said somberly as he grabbed her hand. "You've gotta wake up now. You know that this whole thing only works because of you. You, me, Ron, the order? Everything only works because of you. You keep us all together, you keep us sane. I know that's a lot of work so it's understandable that you'd want to take a break and sleep for a while but it's been three days. You've gotta wake up now.
You're too important not too. Too special."
He choked back the sobs that threatened to escape.
"So um, Molly is just going mad cleaning everything she possibly can. I swear she thinks you're sleeping because the house was dirty and if she gets it spotless, everything will be fine. I suppose that's not the worst reaction though. You should still come back though before she scrubs through the floor boards and falls through. Ginny and Ron miss you. And I miss you.
I guess its hard to notice just how much of your life is filled by someone until they aren't there anymore and you can feel the emptiness where they're supposed to be. I wish I'd never known just how important you are to me. I wish I never had to feel this emptiness. You have to wake up, Hermione."
Harry probably could have continued on for much longer but he heard footsteps coming down the hall and the healers had already caught him after telling him to get some sleep the last two nights and he feared they'd prevent him from visiting at all if they found him one more time so late. The wizard quickly cast a disillusionment charm and ducked outside the room just as the footsteps reached the top of the stairs outside Hermione's room.
Harry's eyes went wide as he saw that rather than a healer, it was Draco who had gone into visit Hermione. Draco had been working for the order for some time now but it was still disturbing to have to view the blond wizard as an ally.
Draco pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat silently for a while.
When he spoke, it was slow and deliberate. "I never planned for this, you know? I didn't sit up one night and decide that this was something I wanted.
It sort of crept up on me, I suppose. I didn't fall for you…as if it was as simple as tripping down the stairs. It snuck up on me and before I even noticed, I was too entwined to escape it.
I suppose that rather irritates you, the illogical nature of it all. You always did hate things that didn't make sense. Even magic, which isn't supposed to make sense, you somehow figured out how to understand.
But some things are just random and aren't part of any greater purpose. They just are what they are.
We are what we are, Granger. I'm still trying to figure out what that means. How am I ever supposed to figure it out if you're not with me?"
He went very still for a moment.
"Granger? Hermione? I know we agreed not to ask anything of one another, but I'm asking. Come back to me."
He paused to gently sweep the hair away and press a small kiss to her forehead.
"Just come back to me."
And with that, he left the room.
Harry lingered outside the room for a moment longer trying to piece together what he just witnessed. With one final shake of his head, he resolved to go to bed.