DRAMIONE – CHAPTER FOUR

"Is a kiss not the very autograph of love?"

DRACO POV

I put my face on one of my hands as I gazed into the green and silver flames of the Slytherin fireplace. Typical of my family to let me find that my father had escaped from Azkaban via newspaper. The whole school will have read that and they'll all know my family are fugitives. I wish for once them two insolent, pathetic excuses for parents, would at least consider my feelings for once. First they force me to be… like them. And expect me to do things even the Dark Lord himself can't do. And then they make it ten times harder by slipping up that they're Death Eaters. What's the school going to think now?

I felt Pansy's leg accidentally nudge mine as I snapped back into reality. She was talking and flirting (rather badly) with Blaise, her eyelashes fluttering about a million-mph. I stood up and started walking to the portrait hole.

"Draco? Where you going?" Blaise asked, breaking eye contact with a crestfallen Pansy and looking towards me.

"For a walk. See you later" I mumbled waving him off as I strode out of the common room. I didn't know where my feet were taking me but I let them lead. A million pictures swam through my head. I had never felt so heavy. My hand pushed open a door and I found myself in the old girls bathroom where that atrocious ghost girl had died by basilisk stare. I walked over to the sink and pulled off my jumper and splashed the icy cold water onto my face. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, a mere shadow of my father... of what I was to become. Soon, it could be me locked up in Azkaban with a son that resented me.

I broke down and felt the hot tears roll down my cheeks. I gripped the cold basin and cried.

A quiet noise made me jump almost clean out of my skin. I turned to see Granger by the door, her mouth hanging wide open and her eyes locked on me.

I felt like a complete fool.

"Malfoy.... Are you… are you alright?" she whispered, taking a reluctant step forward.

I felt angry and stupid and weak so I swung back around to the mirror, leaning over the basin again. I could hear her footsteps come closer to me. Next, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I felt helpless against her touch, as she turned me around to face her.

Her hand wiped the last of the tears away and she smiled gently and looked down, embarrassed. Her hand was warm and silky, like I had imagine in my dream once, that seemed a thousand years ago. I couldn't help myself. My hand went to her chin and lifted her face delicately up. Her brown eyes melted my entire being as I got lost in them. Next, all I could feel was her soft lips moving with mine. It felt like heaven, it wasn't like kissing Pansy or any of the other girls id courted. It was perfect. Like we were harmonious, designed to work together this way. Her hands drifted to my neck, to my face and settled in my hair as my hands pulled her closer and caressed the small of her back. She broke off then for air and had her hand to her mouth looking shocked and flustered. "What…?" She stuttered. I could see her smile slightly behind her hand. I went to put my hand back on her waist when I heard a familiar voice by the door shout a spell I'd never heard. "SECTUMSEMPRA!" Potter bellowed. A second later I felt my arms, face, chest and legs warm with searing pain, I looked down to see my once pearly white shirt, stained completely red with my own blood, pouring like a river from the deep gashes in my skin. I dropped to the floor and felt a hand fluster helplessly over me, before I could register anything more, unconsciousness consumed me.

HERMIONE POV

"Im really sorry again Hermione. I just can't get my head around it. You kissed Malfoy. I really did think he was trying to hurt you." Harry pleaded again clutching my hand. I couldn't be angry with Harry. I did wish he would evaluate situations before diving in, shooting off spells he'd never heard off at random people. But he was trying to protect me so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Draco was lying in the hospital wing, being bandaged up and still unconscious according to Blaise, who was rather unhelpful. I was on my way to visit him and Harry was determined to come with me and make sure everything was okay, even though one of his worst enemies was lying in a hospital bed, he felt horribly guilty. When we finally reached the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey was hovering over Draco's bed.

"Is he awake?" I asked.

Madam Pomfrey shot a concerned glance at me and then looked behind me and said, "Ah Professor Im glad you came!" Both Harry and I turned around to see Albus Dumbledore, striding in.

"Should I tell these children to leave before…?" Madam Pomfrey asked Dumbledore. I could feel confusion radiating from Harry, and I felt confused too. We both looked at Dumbledore, hoping for a little hint at what was going on.

"That will not be necessary Poppy." Dumbledore said kindly.

"Over here then." Pomfrey said and lead Dumbledore to Draco's bed. I felt a sinking feeling. Were his injuries that severe he would have to go to St. Mungos?

"Look, right there… it can't be?" Pomfrey squeaked with panic.

Dumbledore stared for a long while at Draco before he managed to say, "ah…"

I couldn't handle the suspense and intruded on the worried professor and matron.

"What's wrong with-" I started but broke off when a sickening feeling flooded through me as I stared at Draco's limp, deeply cut arm. There on the back of his arm, was the brand of the Death Eaters, the brand of Voldemort…the dark mark. I felt my hand slap to my mouth as tears flooded my eyes. I inched backwards and fell into a sitting position on the opposite bed.

Harry was glaring furiously around the room. His hand kept twitching towards his pocket where his wand was but he kept his temper at bay. I could feel the silent oceans pouring from my eyes, as I felt stupid. How could I care for someone like him? Why did it kill me to see him covered in his own blood when he was nothing more than a lowlife death eater like his family? I closed my eyes and let anger flood through me. I wanted to deny what I'd seen but no explanation came. So I silently fell to pieces.