Confession
All of Hogwarts had deemed Hermione Granger a know-it-all. She would've agreed with them if hadn't been for Draco Malfoy. For fifteen years, Hermione saw the world as split into two separate categories: good people and bad people. An easy, comforting philosophy to travel through life with and it made perfect sense. But since the start of sixth year, that philosophy had been slipping through Hermione's fingers.
It started the night Hermione stole a secret walk around the castle after curfew. She rarely snuck out at night, but couldn't stomach Lavender Brown's constant obsessing over Ron Weasley any longer. Lavender hardly knew Ron. It was ridiculous that Lavender took an interest in someone she knew nothing about.
"Hey Granger," a voice called from behind. Only one person called her Granger. She drew in a deep breath, clutched her wand and turned around, preparing for the worst.
"What do you want Malfoy?"
He opened his mouth as if to speak and then shut his lips together. Slowly, Malfoy sauntered toward Hermione. She had never seen him dressed like that before. He was wearing jeans, a light grey cardigan and his Slytherin tie loosely around his neck. He looked pretty good, but Hermione would've let Neville take her potions final for her before she would have admitted it to him.
Malfoy ran a hand through his white-blonde hair and smirked."I should tell Professor Snape you were out of your dormitory."
"If you did that wouldn't you be admitting that you were also out of your dormitory?"
"Fine."He sighed. "I'll let you off this time."
"Thanks,"Hermione said sarcastically. Without thinking, she clasped her hand on Draco's shoulder. He didn't say anything, but his eyes widened at her touch. She pulled away quickly and hurried down the hall.
"Can I ask you something?"Draco said, rushing to catch up with her.
Hermione groaned. Whatever Draco wanted from her, it couldn't be good.
"Am I going to be able to stop you?"
"It's unlikely,"he replied.
Hermione said nothing, but kept moving. She had walked much further away from the Gryffindor dormitory than she had intended.
"If you weren't a witch, what would you do? I mean, as an adult, in the muggle world?"
Hermione paused for the punch line and when it never came, she answered, "I don't know. I'd probably go to law school and become a lawyer. Why?"
Draco pursed his lips thoughtfully.
"I think I'd fly planes."
"You'd be a pilot?"A smile found its way to Hermione's face.
"Of all the muggle inventions planes seem the most... magical,"said Draco, his voice slightly more than a whisper.
"Have you not heard about the space shuttle?"
"I considered it, but I'm not especially fond of Tang."
A laugh pushed through her lips."You know what Tang is?"
His stormy grey eyes flashed."There's a lot you don't know about me, Hermione."It was the first time Draco had ever used her first name. A chill ran from her spine to her toes.
"Stop,"Hermione ordered. "What are you doing?"
"Come on, Granger."Draco shook his head. "Why do you have to ruin everything?"
Hermione ran her hands over her face, trying to block him out. A Malfoy-induced headache was pounding at her ears. "I'm tired, Draco."She didn't mean to, but Hermione had just used his first name, something she had also never done before.
Hermione headed toward the Gryffindor dormitory.
"I need to tell you something,"Draco called down the hall. Hermione shut her eyes. Keep walking. Just keep walking. She turned back to him.
"Can you get on with it because I've got class early in the morning and I-"
"I'm in love with you,"Draco whispered, his hand wrapped around his left forearm.
Hermione's mouth fell open and her heart started pounding in her head like someone banging on a door. This was a low joke, even for a Malfoy. "What?"
Draco stared at Hermione, his eyes never moving from hers. "That's probably weird for you to hear, but-"
"Weird? What do you expect me to say?" How could this be happening?
"Herm-"
"Just don't."She put both her hands up in front of her to block him out, push him away. "You don't even know me."Lavender's giggle rang in her head and Hermione flushed with bitter anger.
"I do know you,"he said with a soft voice.
"Then you know I don't love you."Hermione rushed down the hallway, her back to Draco. She wanted out of there.
The last thing Hermione heard before she turned the corner was Draco slamming his fist into the wall and cursing.
Kiss
Almost a week passed before Hermione saw Draco again. She was thankful she hadn't seen him, but a part of her was also worried. He hadn't been showing up to class. It wasn't like him. Draco was as committed to his studies as she was, even though most people didn't notice. Until this year, he had been second in the class.
Hermione had told noone about Draco's confession. Not even Ginny or Harry, who she told about most things. Certainly not Ron. He'd probably say Draco was making it up to get to Harry. Even though the thought of Draco being "in love"with her made Hermione's skin crawl, she wanted to believe that this was about her, not some part of Voldemort's scheme.
Harry and Ron were already in class when Hermione arrived. She sat down beside them without a word.
"Hey, Hermione,"said Harry with a smile. Nobody in the world made her as light and happy and free as Harry Potter. He was her best friend in the world. As she was thinking of Harry, Draco walked in the class. He glanced at Hermione and went to sit alone two rows in front.
For the first time in six years, Hermione didn't listening to Professor McGonagall's lecture. Instead, she found herself staring at Draco, at the way his blonde hair curled slightly at the tip in the back of his neck, at the way he'd bite down on his lip when he'd write a note on his parchment.
"Hermione."Harry nudged her. "Class is over."
"Huh?"Hermione jolted from her thoughts.
"Class is over."
"Oh, yes, of course," said Hermione who slowly gathered her things as she stood up. Everyone else was filing out of the class, but Draco remained standing at his desk.
These words were not falling out of her mouth. "You guys go ahead without me. I have to, um, ask Professor McGonagall a question." I guess they were.
"Yeah,"Ron said to Harry. "She probably wants to know what the lecture was about. What was with her today?"
Once everyone was out of the room (even McGonagall), Hermione said, "Where have you been?"
"Is that any of your business, Granger?"drawled Draco.
"Well, you show up and you tell me you, that you..."
"That I'm in love with you."
Her cheeks flushed. He had to stop saying that."Yes, that. You drop this huge bomb on me and then disappear for almost a week. I thought maybe you, I don't know, ran off and joined British Airways."
"Would you care if I did?"he smirked.
"Yes. I would know not to fly British Airways anymore."
"Whatever, Granger."Draco scooped his books into his arms and walked toward the door. When he passed by, Hermione caught a whiff of his sweet, woodsy scent.
"Seriously, though. Where were you?"she asked.
Draco stopped at the door and leaned against it. "Smoking, drinking, doing drugs... dealing drugs, joining a street gang, you know, the usual."
"Just go."Draco could be so... so... there was no describing him sometimes.
He slipped out the door but before it closed behind him, he stuck his head in and said, "Oh yeah and I got a couple body piercings."Without another word, he let the door slam shut.
Hermione spent the rest of the day wandering class to class like a zombie. She had to ask Harry what the assignments were in the last two classes. Draco had changed so much. It was more than his strange absences from school during the last week. He hardly spoke to Crabbe and Goyle, never Pansy, he was often alone, doing terribly in potions, which had been his best class, and he no longer got along with his favorite teacher, Professor Snape. What was going on with him? She didn't know, but something was happening. Draco was changing.
She was on her way to the Great Hall for dinner, one part of her hoping to see Draco there, the other dreading it, when she ran into Harry.
"Oh, hey, Hermione,"he asked. "You feeling any better?"
She smiled weakly. "Yes. Thank you."Hermione had told Ron and Harry she was behaving strangely because she was feeling under the weather. Harry had believed her, but she Ron seemed skeptical.
Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulder. She placed her arm around Harry's waist and pulled him in close. They let go of each other and kept walking until they were inside the Great Hall.
Draco was heading down the aisle by the Gryffindor table.
"What's Malfoy doing?"asked Harry.
"Don't know."Hermione's stomach flipped as Draco passed Ron. Hermione and Harry were moving toward their seats when Ron muttered something and Draco grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his feet.
"What did you say about her?"Draco snarled.
Oh no, Hermione thought. This couldn't be about me. Could it?
"Get your hands off me!" Ron shoved Draco away.
No ever fought in the Great Hall, right in front of the professors. She ran as fast as she could to break them up.
"Weasley, you're as stupid as you are poor."
Ron swung his fist at Draco and punched him across the jaw, knocking him to the ground. Hermione jumped in between them.
"Stop it!"she screamed. Just as she did, Hagrid and Professor Slughorn arrived. Draco sat up on his elbows.
"Mr. Weasley, I'm sorry, but I saw you attack Mr. Malfoy,"Slughorn said.
"Come on,"said Hagrid. "Malfoy provoked him. Didn' he?"
Hermione stood there, frozen between them, unsure of what to say. Unsure of what side to be on.
"I'm fine. I'll be fine,"Draco said to Slughorn as he crawled to his feet. That was out of character for Draco. Usually, if he got a paper cut, he'd spend two weeks in the hospital wing moaning and wailing about it. Draco was already half way to the hall when Hermione spoke up.
"What did you say, Ron?"her voice trembled.
"Wh-what?"Ron muttered.
Lavender said in a perky voice, "Oh, just that he'd never snog a girl with buck teeth and bushy hair."
Hermione's face burned, not with anger but embarrassment. A million eyes spun around her, all staring, all judging. She lifted her head to Ron.
"Did you say that?"
Ron didn't reply. He just looked at the ground and she knew the answer was yes.
"Hermione,"Harry said softly, but even he couldn't make her feel better. She spun around and stomped toward the door, doing her best to ignore the snickering on the way out.
As soon as she stepped into the hall, a rush of coldness overcame her. She had fancied Ron for so long and now she would never have him. Draco was walking down the hallway. Her mind just snapped. She ran toward him.
"Hey, Draco. Wait up."
He sighed and turned to face her. "Just go. Go back and hang out with your friends. Enjoy your feast."
"I don't want to."
Draco pursed his lips, his face looking even more stressed than usual. "What do you want?"
"Uh."Hermione's mouth fell open. She didn't know what to say.
"Owl me when you figure it out."
Hermione hurried the next few steps until she was only a foot away from Draco.
"There's something I need you to know,"said Hermione. Draco stepped toward her, touching the tops of his toes to hers.
"What's that?"Draco replied, his voice hoarse.
"I hate you sometimes."
Before Draco could respond, Hermione pressed her lips to his. He responded immediately, kissing her back with urgency.
When Hermione had kissed Krum in fourth year, it had been wet and sloppy and forgettable, but with Draco, she sparked with electricity. She was a pulsing orb of energy that could implode at any second, turn into a black hole and suck the world in after her.
Draco squeezed her arms so tightly she swore he'd leave bruises, but it didn't matter. She just didn't want him to let go. Hermione bit down on his lip as he pulled her closer to him.
When they parted, she stared into his eyes and watched as the questions formed in them. Questions she didn't have answers to. That kiss had been like nothing she'd experienced, but he was still Draco Malfoy, the son of a Death Eater. It could never happen again.
Again
She had successfully avoided Draco for days, constantly surrounding herself with Harry, Ginny, Luna and even Ron when it was absolutely necessary. She was all alone in a corridor when she heard Draco's voice.
"Hermione."
She didn't respond.
"Hermione we need to talk."Draco ran up to her side..
"Why would we need to do that?"Hermione said as curtly as possible. Draco needed to understand that they could never be together. No matter how it felt when he was so close to her, his arm brushing against hers, making it hard to breathe.
"We kissed. You kissed me."
"It was a mistake,"said Hermione matter-of-factly.
"Some mistake."Draco smirked. Hermione had to fight the smile trying to crawl across her lips.
"Draco,"Hermione stopped and looked directly at him. "It can't happen again."
Any hint of life in Draco's face melted away. "Don't say that."
"Please. Leave me alone."Hermione turned away from Draco, but he caught her arm and pulled her back to him. "Let go,"she said.
A group of Hufflepuffs swept around the corner and into the corridor. Draco still had Hermione by the arm. He was frozen and staring at the other students. Hermione tugged her arm away from Draco.
A few of the Hufflepuffs looked up at them, confused.
"I was just, uh, helping Granger with her, uh, arm."
The Hufflepuffs looked even more confused as they walked past them and outside. Hermione was glad it was Hufflepuffs. They weren't likely to gossip.
"Goodbye, Malfoy."Hermione followed the Hufflepuffs into the courtyard, but still she couldn't get Draco out of her head.
It had been weeks since she'd spoken to Draco. He had left her alone, as she requested. Sometimes she would catch him staring at her in class. This didn't bother Hermione because sometimes Draco would catch her staring at him. Their unspoken compromise.
Hermione attended the Slug Club party with harry. It was terribly boring and she didn't particularly enjoy being pranced around as part of Horace Slughorn's collection, but Dumbledore had asked Harry to get close to the potion's professor. Hermione would do anything to help in the fight against Voldemort.
She left the party early because Ginny's date had ditched and Harry had wanted to go with her. Hermione loved Harry so much all she wanted was to see him happy. He deserved happiness more than anyone.
Hermione planned to go back to her dorm, but ended up wandering into the dungeons. She chatted with a few Hufflepuffs and then descended even further into the castle's dark catacombs.
Snape's familiar voice hissed down the corridor. Hermione jumped into the nearest nook and hid.
"Let me help you,"said Snape.
"I don't need your help!"Draco shouted.
Hermione's heart skipped. She had missed his voice. More than she'd care to admit.
"Yes you do,"Snape replied harshly. Hermione considered leaving them to their conversation, but knew Harry would kill her if she missed out on something important.
"No one can help me."Draco pounded down the hallway.
"Draco,"Snape said softly. He never spoke with any kindness, but that name was said with enormous compassion and tenderness.
"I've been chosen,"he whimpered. "Th-there's nothing we can do."Draco sniffled and then took a deep breath, steeling his voice again. "I can take care of it."He kept walking down the hall. Hermione shut her eyes and held her breath as he passed by her hiding place. Snape's footsteps got lighter and a door shut in the distance.
Hermione wrapped her arms around her knees and let what she learned sweep over her. Draco had been chosen for something, something he couldn't get out of. Snape was definitely involved. It had to have something to do with Voldemort. As all these facts slipped around in Hermione's mind, the only thing she could think about was the pain in Draco's voice, the confusion, the fear. His world was slipping away. He was losing everything.
To the outside observer, everything appeared to have gone back to normal. But on the inside, Hermione was being torn apart, confused and conflicted by desires she shouldn't have.
She had passed Draco in the hallway a few days before. No one would have noticed, but he reached out and stroked her hand. That one touch sent Hermione reeling for days. One stolen touch and he was taking over every thought, every moment. Wherever Hermione went she could feel Draco there with her. She had hated him so long. He'd called her awful things and done awful things to her and her friends. Draco didn't deserve a place in her head. But when she thought about that Draco, he seemed like a stranger, like a separate person from the boy who wanted to fly planes and wasn't particularly fond of Tang.
Hermione told everyone she was going to the library, but really she just wanted to get away from Ron and Lavender. She didn't need anything – or at least, she didn't think she needed anything, when the door to the Room of Requirement appeared on the formerly blank wall. Curiosity got the best of her and she entered.
Someone gasped and slammed a door shut as soon as she stepped inside.
"Whoa!"shouted Hermione. The Room of Requirement was always a place of privacy if one wanted it. You usually couldn't sneak in on people."Who's there?"
"Granger,"a voice grumbled. "Is that you?"Draco stood up from the back corner of the room near an old black cabinet.
"Draco?"
"Yes. It's me."The old Draco's tone returned to his voice. "You shouldn't be in here."
Hermione's stomach dropped. "Fine with me,"she snapped and turned to leave.
Draco groaned. "Hermione, wait."His voice was soft again.
Hermione spun around. Draco's hair was slightly messed and the first three buttons of his shirt unbuttoned. He looked... she needed him.
"Nice dress. I like the color."
Hermione glanced down at her dress and let out a small laugh. It was Slytherin green.
She made her way through the maze of assorted items to Draco. He took a step back and crashed into the old cabinet.
"We shouldn't,"said Hermione, shaking.
"Please,"begged Draco, breathing heavily. "I need-"
Draco leaned in, his arm snaking around her back and pulling her body flush with his. Heat rushed through her limbs as Draco's lips softly met hers. He sighed as their lips parted briefly and then crashed together again. Her hand ran up his chest, across his cheek and then her fingers wound in his hair. The moment Draco's lips left hers and landed on her neck, the moment his fingers tangled gently around hers, Hermione was ruined.
Draco unraveled her. The chords that held her life together, her parents, her blood status, her intelligence, her friends, fell to pieces on the floor. She was no longer a sum of those parts, of her accomplishments, of her limitations. She would be measured by what she could feel, what she could create with Draco in their secret world.
Promise
Hermione and Draco had been meeting for over a month and no one had caught on. It was nearing the end of the year so Hermione claimed she was just studying for her tests. Draco, on the other hand, had been mostly vacant from his friends' lives that year so his absence went unnoticed.
At first, they mostly kissed, but as time went on, they started getting to know each other or just talking about nothing at all. Draco's health was deteriorating. He always had dark circles under his eyes and would sometimes get dizzy spells. Hermione also had a suspicion that Draco wasn't eating or sleeping nearly enough, even though he would deny it.
Hermione was on her way to meet Draco. She had told Ron and Harry that she would be studying and they had Qudditch practice anyway. One of their favorite places to meet was a small patch of dandelions near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Draco felt sorry for dandelions because they looked like flowers, but were treated liked weeds. That could have been a metaphor for how muggle-borns were treated. When she told him so, he laughed and said, "I'll bring it up at the next meeting."
Draco was lying in the dandelion patch. He looked lazily up at Hermione as she joined him.
"There are more dandelions today,"he said with a yawn, his eye lids drooping.
"You sure you're getting enough sleep?"Hermione asked as she curled into his side, her head on his chest. Draco started running his hand through her hair.
"I'm fine,"he replied.
"Draco, can I ask you something?"
"Will I be able to stop you?"He laughed. She had asked him that same question more than a month ago.
"It's unlikely."She kissed his chest. "When did you, you know, fall..."
"In love with you?"
Hermione nodded. The words still made he uncomfortable.
"Dumbledore's Army."That wasn't what she'd thought he'd say.
"That was Harry."
"It was your idea, you got everyone together, you talked him into doing it."
"Weren't you the one that shut us down?"
"I know. It's just when I saw how you inspired all those people, how you kept everyone together, even at the end. I just knew. You were the real thing."
Draco's arm tightened around Hermione and he flipped her on top of him. They both smiled, their noses touching.
The next day they were in Potions together. Hermione had stacked her books by the side of the desk because there wasn't room anywhere else. Ron and Harry were chopping potions ingredients beside her. Draco stood up from his spot a few rows ahead and headed toward the cabinet of ingredients at the back of the room. Draco must not have noticed Hermione's stack of books because he tripped and knocked them over.
"You okay?"Hermione asked, which wasn't how her friends assumed she'd treat Draco, but it wasn't scandalous or anything.
"Sorry, honey."Well, that was scandalous.
Ron and Harry simultaneously stopped chopping and whipped their heads toward Draco and Hermione.
"Honey – I need some honey for my potion."
"Honey?"Slughorn shouted. "Don't be ridiculous. Honey isn't an approved potion ingredient."
Hermione survived the rest of class, but became more and more nervous by the second. It wasn't the best potion she'd ever made. Draco had left and headed to his next class, when Ron appeared next to Hermione.
"What is going on with you and Malfoy?"he asked, his arms crossed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."Hermione tried to walk away but Ron blocked her. "Could you move?"
"Not until you tell me the truth."
Harry joined them in the corridor.
"Are you seeing Malfoy?"Ron hissed.
"You're snogging Lavender."
"You're snogging Malfoy? That's disgusting."Ron threw his hands up in the air.
"Calm down,"said Harry. "And stop being ridiculous Ron. Hermione is not dating or snogging Malfoy. Hermione tell him he's being ridiculous."
"Ron, you're being ridiculous."Hermione huffed and then stormed away. She was snogging and dating Malfoy, but that didn't make it any less ridiculous.
They weren't supposed to be meeting that night, but Hermione was feeling trapped in the Gryffindor dormitory so she snuck out and wandered the castle. Out of nowhere, the Room of Requirement appeared.
She opened the door. Draco faced the old black cabinet, breathing heavily. He also had something in his hand.
"Dr-"Hermione didn't get to finish his name before Draco swung the large bat and smashed it against the side of the cabinet.
Hermione threw her hand over her mouth but didn't make a noise. Over and over again, Draco whacked the bat against the cabinet. Black splinters and chunks of woods flew wildly around the room. What was happening?
Hermione moved toward Draco, hoping she should calm him down, but in seconds the cabinet was nothing more than a pile of wood chips. The bat clattered as it hit the ground.
"Draco,"Hermione finally finished his name, unsure of what else to say.
He spun around. "Hermione."
His sleeves were rolled up (they were never rolled up) and Hermione's eyes fell to Draco's left forearm. Her stomach clinched. The Dark Mark.
Draco didn't say anything. He just stood there, eyes wide and unblinking. Hermione's whole body started shaking and tears streamed from her eyes. She walked forward and fell into Draco.
At first, he didn't move, but then he wrapped his arms tightly around Hermione and held her close to him.
"I'm sorry,"he said as his tears started. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'm sorry."
Tears gushed from their eyes, staining their cheeks and burning their skin. Draco pressed his lips to Hermione's and she tasted his tears. She wiped one away, but it was no use for either of them. They would drown in these tears.
Shaking, Hermione ran her fingers down Draco's arm and to the mark. She stroked it gently. Even though Voldemort had scarred him, Draco still belonged to her.
Draco pulled his arm away from Hermione and grabbed her face in his hands. Her tears ran over his fingers. "I need you to promise me,"his voice shook, his eyes were wild, desperate. "If something happens to me you'll-"
"Stop. Draco, don't."
He grabbed Hermione's face tighter, almost scaring her. "Take care of my parents. Don't let anything happen to them. Please."
"Draco, I-"
"You have to promise me!"he shouted.
Hermione nodded. "Yes. I promise."
Draco dipped his head down and kissed her again with more strength than Hermione imagined possible. When he pulled away and looked into her eyes, Hermione took his hand and tugged it gently. She walked backwards toward the door. Hand in hand, they headed through the castle, down the moving staircases, to the dungeons and to the Slytherin dormitory where Draco whispered the password. They snuck inside, but it was dark, so Hermione raised her wand.
"Lumos,"she said. Draco and Hermione followed the small light all the way to Draco's private prefect bedroom. There was nothing on the walls and just a simple bed with green linens.
She slipped her wand back in her cloak and they walked until they were at the foot of the bed. Hermione grabbed Draco's hands and lifted them to her cloak's clasp. They didn't look at what they were doing, only in each other's eyes. Hermione couldn't let anything distract her from Draco, from what was happening.
Her cloak slid onto the floor and pooled around her. Hermione reached up to Draco's shirt and began unbuttoning it. Both were still crying. Draco shrugged out of his white shirt and it crumpled to the floor, revealing his milky white skin and slender frame. Hermione placed her hands on Draco's hips and then turned so her back was facing the bed.
Thee control shifted. Draco's eyes darkened and he walked toward her, edging her closer. He loosened the red tie around Hermione's neck and slipped it off.
As Draco laid Hermione on his bed, a tear slipped from Draco's eye and landed on Hermione's lips. Draco leaned down to kiss it away.
"Draco -wait,"Hermione was shaking.
"What is it?"Draco asked, his voice deeper than usual.
"I need to tell you something."
"Okay."
"I'm in love with you,"Hermione whispered.
And it was in that moment that Hermione knew, right or wrong, she needed this to happen.
Gone
No one had seen Draco in five days. Hermione was a mess. She tried to hide it, to come up with reasonable excuses for why Draco had disappeared after the night they spent together. She had used every bit of restraint she had not to slug Ron when he made a crack about being glad Draco was missing. The last time she saw Draco, he was asleep and she was sneaking out of bed, early enough that no one would catch her. She had kissed him on the cheek and departed without saying goodbye.
Hermione had eaten nothing in days. She thought of owling Draco, but was afraid of what happened if he got with a owl from a muggle-born around the Death Eaters. The same thing went for his parents. Hermione couldn't put them in danger either. She had promised to protect them.
She was sitting in transfiguration, fidgeting nervously, when an owl flew in the room and dropped a letter on McGonagall's desk. McGonagall slowly opened it and looked at the message curiously before putting it away.
"Everyone collect your things. We have a meeting in the Great Hall."
The students buzzed around, talking. Hermione just trembled, her teeth chattering all the way to the Great Hall. Everyone was too busy to notice her troubled state. She filed in the room and sat down between Ron and Harry. Her heart was beating so fast it might break her ribcage. What if something has happened to Draco?
The room fell silent as Dumbledore stepped to the podium, his face pale and hollow. He began to speak, "I have some painful news. I received word this morning that one of our brightest students, Draco Malfoy, has committed suicide."
Everything stopped existing. Even Hermione didn't exist – she wasn't real. Nothing was real. The words that Dumbledore said were not real. But they were real. The most real thing in the world.
Dumbledore continued, "He left this note and requested that I read it aloud to you all. It says everything that I cannot.
My name is Draco Malfoy and rather than allow Voldemort to take another life, whether it be mine or the life of someone's whose death I would have caused, I have chosen to end my own life. For those of you who I have hurt by this decision, I am truly sorry.
To everyone at Hogwarts, especially my brothers and sisters in Slytherin, I ask this of you: Fight for Harry. When the day comes, and there will come a day, you must stand with Harry Potter. This is my final request.
And, also, everyone should know that I left this earth a blessed, though undeserving man. In my last days I was loved by the kindest and most talented witch I've ever known. Her love, even for a short while, was more than I could ask for in a thousand lifetimes. Know, Hermione Granger, that even in death, I will love, cherish and keep you.
Everyone was silent. The room was spinning with death. Blood pumping through her veins pounded in her ears. Her throat closed up, her body shaking uncontrollably. Her stomach turned. She was going to be sick.
Hermione jumped up and raced out of the Great Hall, shoving open the doors. She ran down the hallway several steps before losing her breath. Every time she tried to take in air, she'd wheeze and cough. Tears poured from her eyes, her body was of no help. She collapsed on the floor, her hands gripping her hair, her arms and legs twitching.
Water. It was like waves crashing into her, ripping her back and forth between reality, pain, shock and disbelief. The pressure threatened to crack her bones. She couldn't take anymore.
Warm arms surrounded her. Her eyes met Harry's and she buried her face in his chest. Harry stroked her hair. His strong arms trying to hold her together, to this earth.
When Dumbledore joined them, she cried through her tears, as she recalled a promise, "Help them. Please. You have to help them."
"Who?"Harry said quietly.
"The Malfoys. I made a promise. Please,"she begged.
Dumbledore knelt down. "You will keep your promise."
Two days later Hermione was standing in a small, dim apartment in Godric's Hollow with with Harry. Hermione was the Malfoy's secret keeper and Dumbledore was on his way with them. Hermione was nervous. Lucius Malfoy was a know muggle-born hater, but he had agreed to let Hermione be their secret keeper, so that meant something.
The door squeaked open and Dumbledore stepped inside. He quietly walked to the back of the room with Harry. Hermione had forgotten how much Lucius Malfoy resembled his son. How did she feel about that? Draco's mother, Narcissa, followed her husband into the apartment.
Mrs. Malfoy broke down into sobs. She raced over and hugged Hermione tightly.
"Thank you,"she said through her tears.
"I made a promise,"Hermione replied, trying not to cry and failing miserably.
"No. Not for us. For Draco. For being there for him like we should have been."Mrs. Malfoy cried harder and Hermione fell apart.
The most unexpected thing happened. It was not exactly a hug, but Mr. Malfoy walked over to them, draped one arm around his wife and the other around Hermione, silent tears streaming down his face.
Epilogue
The sun shone particularly bright that morning, filtering in through the windows and filling the Great Hall to the brim with its glow. Hermione had her graduation robe laid across the table they had eaten countless meals on over the years. This was the moment they had waited for for so long. One they thought would never come. But with Voldemort's defeat, the wizarding world had become a very different place. A much happier place.
Hermione straightened her dress and smiled at Ron and Harry who were being fussed over by Mrs. Weasley. Apparently, Harry didn't have one hair in the right place.
It would have been a perfect day, if it hadn't been for the friends they'd lost in the war. Remus Lupin, his wife, Tonks, Fred Weasley and Snape, among so many others. Draco too, though he had been gone the longest. If it hadn't been for him, Dumbledore wouldn't be happily chuckling at a joke Hagrid told and preparing to graduate their class.
Her parents couldn't be there. The Hogwarts graduation was held on the grounds and muggles couldn't see Hogwarts. At least the Malfoys would be attending. Ever since Draco died, other than the time Hermione spent hunting horcruxes, Hermione had lived with the Malfoys. Just as Hermione was thinking of Draco's parents, a bright light, almost like that of a spell, flashed in her eyes.
"What the-"Hermione said, blinking. As her sight returned, she saw Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy waving at her, Mrs. Malfoy toting a large magic camera.
"Be careful, Narcissa. You'll blind somebody."
Mrs. Malfoy dropped the camera on the table next to Hermione's robe and then wrapped Hermione in a hug. "Love you, beautiful girl."She kissed Hermione's cheek.
"Love you too,"she replied.
When Mrs. Malfoy pulled away, a tear slipped from her eye. She promptly wiped it off her cheek.
"I know,"Hermione said softly.
She sniffled. "But this is your day. It's a happy day."She smiled.
"So," Mr. Malfoy said. "Are you prepared to give the graduation speech?"
Hermione smiled. "I think so."
"It helps if you pounds your fists on the podium. Apparently, some of the best speakers in the world do that."
Harry and Hermione exchange a glance. Some of the best evil dictators do that.
"Thanks, Mr. Malfoy. I'll keep that in mind,"she replied. He nodded happily.
"I had something I wanted to give you." Mr. Malfoy reached into his cloak and pulled out a black velvet box. "Narcissa and I planned on having more children after Draco – and well, we couldn't. I was going to pass this down to my daughter... anyway, it was my mother's."
This was such an important heirloom. How could he be giving it to her? Mr. Malfoy opened the velvet box and revealed a simple silver chain with a pendant. The pendant was an intricately carved Malfoy crest.
Mr. Malfoy set the box down and removed the necklace. He held it out facing Hermione. "I'd like you to have it."
Tears peeked out at the sides of Hermione's eyes. She looked up trying to keep them in as she lifted her hair and Mr. Malfoy clasped the necklace. The cold metal fell against her neck.
"Lovely,"he said. One of the tears slipped from Hermione's eye.
Mr. Malfoy squeezed her hand. "Happy day, remember?"he said with a smile.
Hermione nodded.
"I'm sorry your parents couldn't be here,"Mrs. Malfoy said.
"Me too."
"Well, trust me. Narcissa will take so many pictures, it will be like they were there."
All three of them laughed. Even Harry and Ron smiled.
"Would you like me to take a picture of all of you?"Mr. Weasley spoke up. Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley, though not friends, had come a long way since punching each other in Flourish and Botts during before second year. They were like distant relatives that could put up with each other once a year on Christmas for the sake of the family.
"Sure,"Mr. Malfoy said.
Hermione squeezed in between the Malfoys, their arms tight around her waist. They all smiled as Mr. Weasley clicked the camera. They were momentarily blinded by the bright light.
"I see what you mean about the flash,"said Mrs. Malfoy.
An owl swooped down, aiming straight at Hermione. It dropped a letter in front of her.
"Maybe it's from your parents,"suggested Mr. Malfoy.
Hermione grabbed the envelope and tore it open. The contents slid into her hand. They were small golden wings with the words "British Airways"carved into the center.
All the blood rushed from Hermione's face and her heart raced. She couldn't breathe.
"What is it, honey?"asked Mrs. Malfoy.
"Draco's alive."
THE END
(Authors Note: Hope you enjoyed it :) Read and Review if you'd like. There are two longer sequels to this story I may put up as well. Steel Faith and Blood Faith. Thanks for reading)