Chapter Four

The Capacity For Love

It was coming to her slowly. Hermione Granger thought she was dead. There was a bright light, but she couldn't go towards it. She was weighted down. She heard voices, and strained to listen, to recognize them. One she did not, the others she did.

"Is she going to be okay," her mother cried.

"Yes, ma'am, she is," said a stranger. "She had a fall. There's minor damage to her shoulder. There was a nasty cut, but we were able to heal that easy. There was a lot of water in her lungs. If the boy waited any longer to bring her in..."

"Thank you..." She knew that to be her father's voice.

Hermione forced her eyes open. She had to see what was going on around her. Hazily she saw her parents. They weren't talking to a doctor, but a Healer, she could tell by the patch on her robes, a bone, and a wand crossing. She was in St. Mangos. Who had taken her there? Couldn't have been Draco, they weren't allowed to use magic out of school. They weren't of age yet, not for some months.

"Mum," she croaked.

Mrs. Granger gasped, and cried harder. She embraced her daughter in a tight hug. Hermione felt the wind knocked out of her. "Oh, sweetie, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mum."

Her dad had tears in his eyes as he grasped her hand. "Thank goodness you're alright. What happened?"

"I fell," that much Hermione knew. She surveyed the room around her, everything was a sterlizing white. "Where's Draco?"

"We thought it best to leave him in the waiting room until we heard your story."

"What story?"

Mr. Granger sighed, exasperated. "Hermione, you can tell us if something happened. You don't have to be afraid of him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Was there a fight," her mother asked.

"Yes, but -"

"Don't be afraid, dear."

Hermione felt her head spinning. "What are you getting at? Are you suggesting that he pushed me?" She saw their expectant faces. She groaned. "He didn't push me. I backed up, and fell."

"Why were you backing up," her father pressed.

"Because, dad, some people have the ability to walk backwards -"

"Don't talk to your father that way, Hermione!" Her mother screeched, piercing Hermione's ears.

She felt herself exploding. "Then don't accuse him of something he didn't do! He didn't push me, he tried to help me, but his hand slipped. It was an accident."

Her mother sighed, as if she was being forced to give up, and kissed her forehead. "If you say so, I believe you." She glared over at her husband.

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Thank you," Hermione said sincerely. "Thanks for caring, but I'd like to see Draco now. Please."

Her parents exchanged a glance, and nodded. They walked out, and she laid waiting for Draco to walk in. Hesitantly she lifted her arm. She felt no pain, and she was able to move it freely. They really did work wonders.

Draco came in wearing a heavy cloak, his steps slow, his head down as if he was ashamed. He pulled a chair to her bedside, and sat down. His hand shook as he ran his fingertips over her palm. When she didn't pull away, he laced his fingers with hers, but he didn't dare look at her.

"Thank you," she said knowing it had been him that saved her.

He shook his head, and she caught a glimpse at his cheek, a shiny wet streak running from his eye to his chin.

"Draco, please look at me."

He let out a breath he seemed to be holding. Like his hand, his voice shook. "Hermione, you know how I said I wasn't afraid of anything?"

"Yes."

"I lied. When you fell, I never felt so scared in my entire life. I - I thought I lost you."

"I'm right here -"

"I know... But today made me realize something. I didn't grow up with the love you did, Hermione. Meeting your parents I was wondering if I could ever love you as much as you love me. I didn't know my capacity. I saw you under that water, sinking to the bottom. I fucking froze, I couldn't move, and when I did, swimming you to the top, you weren't breathing, and I thought I was too late. The last words you said to me were that you weren't enough, and you are. I don't know what I would do without you. I'd give anything for you, yet I almost let you drown."

Tears burned her eyes. "It's a natural reaction. Sometimes we freeze. I froze when I saw the basilisk in the mirror," she tried to joked.

He bent his head lower, his hand gripping hers as if he would never let go, as if it was the only thing keeping him from falling. "I'll never be good enough for you. No matter how hard I try... I almost let you die. I stood there, and watched... What kind of person does that to someone they love?"

"A person whose scared. You were scared, and that's okay, I don't blame you -"

"You should! I let you fall. I've never done that before... I've always caught you." She knew he was thinking of the first time they kissed, when she almost tumbled down the stairs, and he pulled her back up.

Hermione tightened her fingers over his. "And you lifted me back up. You didn't mean to let go. It was all an accident. You can blame yourself all you want, but in the end the result is the same: it was an accident. I know that, and so do you, I don't blame you. Please don't let this get between us. I know you love me, if you didn't you wouldn't have saved me. Now, I owe you a life debt," she laughed.

"Will you give that to me," he whispered so softly that Hermione almost didn't hear him.

"What do you mean?"

"Will you give me your life? Not now, but someday, when we're ready. This isn't a fling, Hermione. I want you. Forever. I'd like to marry you."

The tears that once had been sad were now falling from happiness. She burst with it. "One day," she mummered.

His thumb ran over the soft skin of her hand. He hadn't so much as glanced up at her.

"Draco, look at me."

Leisurely he lifted his head. He was still crying silent tears. She tugged on his hand motioning for him to come closer, and when he was nose to nose with her, she kissed his cheeks tasting the sweetness of his worry. He tangled his hand in her damp hair, and brought his lips to hers. "I'll never let this happen again," he said against her mouth, "we're never going near water again."

She giggled, and then thought of something. Something that didn't make sense. "Draco, how'd you get me here? We're not allowed to use magic."

He pulled himself back. "That's a dumb question."

"You didn't use magic, did you?"

"Of course I did. What'd you expect?"

"Draco! You'll be expelled!"

He fell back into his seat. "Lets see," he held his palms up, "saving my girlfriend," he rose one hand, "getting expelled," his other dropped. "Call me crazy, but I went with saving the girlfriend. Sorry to disappoint you."

She pressed a hand to her head. She felt a migraine coming on. "I don't want you expelled..."

"What was I supposed to do, Hermione? I didn't know where any muggle hospitals were!"

"You know, it was a dire emergency, you could appeal."

"Ex-deatheater appealing to finish his education..."

"Don't be like that."

He pursed his lips, crossing his arms over his chest. They didn't speak until her parents had come back into the room shortly after. Draco insisted in being the one who helped her up. He shrugged off his cloak wrapping it around her. She realized then that she was only in a long hospital robe. At least it covered more than the muggle ones.

While adjusting it over herself, she happened to see Draco's arm. He wore short sleeves, and where there was the dark mark there was a black band covering it. He's smart, she thought proudly. She knew that he carried the band with him. He never told her, but one night when they lived together she picked up his clothes from the floor, they needed to be washed, and the band had fallen out of the pocket. It was always on him, just in case it was needed. This was one of those cases. If he walked out of that room, every wizard, and witch they passed would know, and there was still anger in their world, one distraught victim could lash out, especially when he was already well known. They didn't need that, especially with her parents.

They left to the hall, and were almost out the doors of St. Mungos when a voice yelled behind them. They turned around to see a livid young man with a healing gash along his cheek, and wild dark hair. He stomped towards them. Hermione felt for her wand, but horribly remembered that she didn't have it on her. It was at home, on her desk.

"Draco Malfoy! What a pleasure it is to see you," the man spat. "Looking so healthy too!"

Mr. Granger furrowed his brows, "do you know this man, Draco?"

Draco wasn't listening, he was glowering at the stranger. "What is it? I have things to do."

The man turned to Hermione giving her a long look from her head to her shoes. "Oh, a mudblood. A step down, Draco? Is that why your daddy won't claim you?"

It happened in a flash. Draco had taken out his wand, and pointed it underneath his chin. "Don't dare call her that," he hissed. "And don't you dare speak of my father. I have no father."

"You betrayed us."

"And I'd do it again."

"For her?"

"For myself. This has nothing to do with her, so you leave her out of it. You apparently know me, so you would know that I'd have no problem killing. I can do it. Don't push me." He slid his wand in his back pocket covering it with his shirt. He snatched Hermione's arm, and pulled her after him, her parents following in startled confusion.