DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter.
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CHAPTER 4: SCREAMS AND TEARS
Hermione was walking in the darkness. Her only source of light was the one from the tip of her wand. It looks like she's in a dungeon.
"Harry? Ron?" she whispered in to the darkness.
She heard a hysterical laugh of a woman and her heart skipped. She stopped walking and muttered Nox. The light disappeared. The voice was getting louder.
"I killed Sirius Black, I killed Sirius Black!" A woman was singing. Her voice is so familiar.
"Come and get me, Mudblood! I killed Freddie. I killed Freddie and Nympha-Dorie."
The woman was now getting closer and closer so Hermione decided to run. She can't be found by Bellatrix. She can't torture her again!
"Gotcha!" the bitch said and a pair of hands held her wrists. Suddenly, there was a light from another wand and to her horror, she saw Bellatrix laughing like a maniac.
"Noooo!" she screamed.
"Hermione! Hermione, wake up!"
Hermione opened her eyes and saw Draco Malfoy's worried face. He's bending over the bed where she's lying. Hermione pulled herself to a sitting position and placed a paml on her forehead. She felt Draco's hand, gently yanking her, but she pulled away. "Don't—touch—me!"
"Nightmare," he said and stood straight, holding a light on his wand. "You've been talking in your sleep. I thought you're just having a bad dream, but then you started to move uncontrollably and screamed."
She clutched her forearm and stroked the white faded scar. "Bellatrix Lestange," she muttered.
"She's dead," Draco said quietly. "She'll never hurt you again." There was guilt on his voice.
"She's always in my dreams… Sometimes, she's chasing me. Sometimes she's laughing at me hysterically while looking at dead bodies."
"I'm sorry, I wasn't brave enough to stop her," he said regretfully.
She stared at the bed sheets and leaned on the headboard. "I'm going back to sleep," she said.
Draco walked back to the tent and disappeared in her sight. She lay down and hugged herself. When will the nightmares stop? When is she going to sleep in peace?
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THE NEXT day, Hermione prepared to go out, leaving Draco still asleep inside the tent. She walked from the hotel to Murray Rd and searched for the house of the Wilkinses. She found a white single-storey house with a small garden. Hermione's tears started to fall. It resembles to her childhood home. She pressed the doorbell and waited. But no one answered.
"Hey."
She turned around. She saw a woman from the adjacent house, walking towards her. The woman eyed her intently. "You look like Monica," she said.
She smiled. Indeed, she looks like her mother. "I'm a relative," she said.
"No wonder. They'll come back on Friday. They went camping."
Hermione nodded. "Thanks. I'll just come back."
Hermione walked away, but she didn't come back to the hotel. She went to the park she saw earlier and decided to spend the time there. She watched the doves flying around while enjoying a cup of ice cream. She saw some children playing around, being chased by their parents.
She realized how much she missed her parents. Ever since she began attending Hogwarts, she seldom sees and spends time with them. Now that there's peace in the wizarding world again, she swear to make it up to her parents. She won't be able to see more of Harry, Ron and Ginny, but they will understand that she has to make it up to her family. She doesn't want to feel it anymore—the feeling of being an orphan.
After two hours, she felt hungry and decided to go back to the hotel. Her guest might be awake already. When she entered the room, she found Draco Malfoy sitting by the breakfast table and his arms were crossed on his chest. He glared at her and she frowned.
"Where have you been?" he demanded.
"Walking," she simply said.
"I was worried, you know!" he said frantically. "I don't know where to find you, where to Apparate or where to go. I might not find my way back easily. This Muggle area drives me crazy."
"Then why did you come if you're going to complain?" she said in a loud voice. "I didn't ask you to come with me."
"I just want to help because I care for you," he muttered.
"Well, I don't need your help!" she said crossly. "Just because I had seen some memories and learned about your little secret doesn't mean you're allowed to tail me. Do you honestly think that I'll believe you so easily? For six years, you bullied me and called me 'Mudblood' for Merlin knows how many times," she fumed.
"You, little stubborn Brave Gryffindor, I'm trying to help. You should be thankful," he snapped. His eyes were cold and for a moment, Hermione saw the Malfoy she disliked. But then, his expression changed easily, as if he remembered he's a changed man now.
She composed herself and reasoned out. "You can't blame me for not trusting you."
"I know," he said, his gray eyes met hers with sadness. He never looked at her like that before. They loathed each other for six years and now, he always looks at her with disgust. But since the funeral, something changed the way he looks at her. His gray eyes were warm, not cold. When he looks at her, there were not more trace of disgust and loathe; they were replaced with warmth. But right now, his eyes look sad.
Draco raised his wand, as if trying to get her attention and placed it on her bed. "To give you peace of mind, I'm handing you my wand. I'll live like a stupid Muggle if it's the way to earn your trust." He didn't wait for her response. He quickly returned inside the tent.
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HERMIONE ordered food via phone call. She remembered that Draco liked pizza, so she ordered it for him while she got different food for herself. When their breakfast arrived, she entered the tent and found Draco sleeping on the bunk. He's snoring a little. She walked towards beside the bed and looked at her former nemesis liberally. From his sleek blond hair, covering his eyes…She vividly remembered how those gray eyes look like earlier, when he looked at her with sadness; like the one she saw in Pensieve. He's very far from that boy she knew in school. Suddenly, she remembered a few lines of his parents' favourite song…
**Are those your eyes?
Is that your smile?
I've been looking at you forever, but I never saw you before…**
Then, her fingers gently traced his chin… to his attractive arms. His body is built for a Seeker, just like Harry. She caught his hand and gave it a light squeeze.
**Are those your hands, holding mine?
Now I wonder how I could've been so blind…**
She stared again to his hair and stroked them gently. Never, even in her wildest dreams, she imagined that she will be this close to Draco Malfoy—the boy who have always bullied her for six years. And she never expected him to like her.
**For the first time, I am looking in your eyes
For the first time, I'm seeing who you are.**
She always sees him as an enemy and Harry's rival in Quidditch. He was never a friend; always an enemy. But this time, he's a companion.
I can't believe how much I see
When you're looking back at me…
She gave a start when Draco opened his eyes and stared at her. He frowned upon seeing her, but he doesn't look upset; just surprised. She immediately pulled away and removed her hands from his person.
"Time to eat," she said awkwardly and walked away.
She started eating her breakfast and when she's about to finish her toast, Draco approached the table. "Pizza for me?" he asked.
"Yes, I thought you like it," she answered quietly.
He gave a nod and started eating. They ate in silence, which is very awkward.
"Have you seen them already?" Draco asked after a while.
She looked down on her food, looking sad again. "I found their house, but they're out of town. The neighbourhood said that they'll be back on Friday."
"It's only Tuesday," he remarked.
"I'll wait until they come back. You can go back to England," she said casually.
Draco shook his head. "I'm not coming back without you."
After breakfast, Hermione and Draco turned on the television and sat on the bed. Hermione picked his wand and eyed it carefully. "So, this is the Hawthorn wand that defeated Voldemort," she said matter-of-factly.
"We both know why Voldemort was defeated. It's not because of my Hawthorn wand," said Draco simply.
After the Battle, when everyone who fought were still inside the Hogwarts castle, Draco approached the newly appointed Minister for Magic, and asked permission to disarm Harry, to get back the allegiance of his valued wand. Kingsley agreed and understood. That's how Draco possessed his wand again.
And from his wand, Hermione eyed Draco. "Why are you surrendering this to me?"
"To tell you that I will do no harm; to give you peace of mind."
"Draco, if it's about Bellatrix's torture and my nightmares—"
He shook his head. "It's not about your nightmares. I guess we all experience that after the war. It's about telling you that I won't hurt you. With you, I'm powerless."
She smiled timidly and Draco turned his attention to the TV show. Hermione stared on his back and his voiced echoed on her mind. With you, I'm powerless.
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DRACO FOUND Hermione that night at the balcony of their room. Her back was on him and she's looking up at the sky with her one index finger in the air, as if tracing something. He approached her and stopped when he's barely inches away, but it seems that she didn't notice her presence. She continues to trace something while looking at the sky.
"Draco…"
Draco's eyebrows furrowed. Is she calling him? But she's still engrossed with what she's doing. He looked up at the sky, only to see the stars. He beamed, realizing what she's doing. Apparently, Hermione is looking at the constellation in which he was named after. He watched her carefully, not wanting to reveal his presence. His eyes fixed on her brown curls, swaying on her back. He raised his one hand, tempted to stroke her curls, but he decided to stop himself.
"Draco," she mumbled again, but this time she sighed and dropped her hand to her side. She stopped tracing the stars.
"Hermione," he called tenderly.
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SHE FROZE at the sound of his voice, calling her name. She feels like being drenched in cold water. How long has he been there, on her back? She slowly turned around to meet his gaze. There, he's standing, wearing a pair of green pyjamas; his hair ruffled and he's wearing a warm smile on his face.
"Hi," she greeted timidly.
"Watching the stars, I see." It wasn't a question. It's a statement.
"Uhm, yeah," she answered.
"I was named after them," he said casually, looking at the sky.
"I noticed," she said. "It's a Black family tradition, isn't it?"
Draco's eyebrows rose higher, reaching the end of his forehead. "How much do you know about my mother's family?" he asked curiously.
"Just a bit. Tonks and Sirius were my friends and we stayed in Number Twelve Grimmauld Place for quite a short time," she explained.
"Ah, the tapestry," he groaned. "Yes, some of us were named after the constellations."
"Are you planning to live to the family tradition, or you'll want to give your child a different name?" she asked curiously.
"Live with the family tradition, I guess. I'm Draco, so I think if I'll have a son, I'll name him 'Scorpius'."
"Scorpius," she muttered. "That's another dangerous name." She chuckled.
Draco smirked. "Well, you surname sounds danger."
"Scorpius, dangerous; Granger sounds like danger," she said heartily.
"How about 'Scorpius Granger-Malfoy'? More dangerous, I think." He smirked.
She looked at him with wide eyes and her mouth formed a small O. Is he talking about their future son?
Draco sniggered and waved his hand dismissively. "Forget about it. I'm going to bed. Good night."
Before she could answer, he walked away and entered his tent, leaving Hermione puzzled. Did Draco Malfoy imagine himself with her in the future?
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THE FOLLOWING nights, Hermione always finds herself in the middle of the night being awakened by Draco. He would always give her a pat on her shoulder and remind her that Bellatrix is dead. She cannot harm her anymore and that the war is over.
During daytime, they would walk to the park. She will peacefully watch the birds and children playing. Then, they would go to her parents' house, stare at it and will return to the hotel.
Friday came and Hermione went to her parents' house alone. From a distance, she saw them, unloading things from the car and talking happily. She felt her tears on her cheeks. Her nightmares are not yet over. Emotional scars from the war are not yet healed. And she realized this is not the version she wanted her parents to see. She wants them to see the 'normal Hermione'. Perhaps she'll wait for few more days. For now, she's satisfied to see them from behind a tree.