CHAPTER TEN
Fleur was sitting by Hermione's bed in the St. Mungos hospital as everyone else was walking in and out of the room. She signed and moved a piece of hair away from Hermione's face and soothed down her curls. She didn't think it was fair for Hermione to have to go through all this. The twins had told her what had happen and how Hermione was constantly calling out for Draco the whole time they were dragging her out. They also mentioned how Hermione had cast shield to protect Draco when Ron was about to kill him, and not only that, Hermione even disarmed Ron. Fleur simply nodded throughout the whole story and kept on casting Hermione looks.
"We don't know what curse had hit her." Fred said finally.
"Draco was pretty devastated as he saw the curse hit her, but we apparated away." George put in.
"Where izz everyone?" Fleur asked, she looked around the twins and no one was behind them.
"Dad and Harry are attending to some matters, like deaths from our side."
"Where izz Bill?" Fleur demanded.
"Right here sweetheart." Bill said, walking into the room with Ron, Harry and the rest of the Weasleys.
"Is she going to be alright?" Harry asked.
"The nurses said eet wasn't any form of killing curse, but eet izz still a pretty bad curse." Fleur told him, "But good news izz that she will 'eal perfectly." Just as she had finished saying that, Hermione stirred. Everyone looked at her immediately as she moaned and clutched her head.
She opened her eyes slowly and squinted. She saw a big mass of red hair and then Ron's face became clearer.
"Ugh, not you." Hermione mumbled.
"She doesn't know what she's talking about." Ron told everyone else quickly. Hermione could practically hear Fleur roll her eyes at Ron.
"Where am I? How long have I been here? Who won?" Hermione asked, shooting out questions.
"You've been at St. Mungos for about five days already Hermione." Harry said, coming up beside her, "We've won the battle. Voldemort's gone…The remaining Death Eaters were tossed into Azkaban. Only a few were granted trials." Hermione shot straight up.
"Five days?" Hermione echoed, "Where's Draco?" Everyone went quiet and looked at her. Some were shock, but the twins and Fleur just gave her a sad look.
"Hermione, I think you should get some sleep, you're not thinking right." Harry said, pushing her back down onto her back softly, but she pushed him away and sat back up.
"Where is Draco Malfoy?" She repeated sternly.
"Why do you care about that git?" Ron said angrily beside Harry, "He has caused nothing but harm to you!" Hermione rounded on him.
"No Ronald, you have caused nothing but harm to me!" she cried out.
"You cheated on me!" Ron fired back, "Couldn't even stay faithful when you're not in my sight!"
"Excuse me? I cheated on you? You were the one fucking whores every time you're out!" Hermione barked out a laugh, "Buying them expensive clothes and perfumes and jewelleries! When I confronted you on all those you beat me!"
"WHAT?" everyone shouted.
"Nonsense! Lies!" Ron defended, turning red, "I've never laid hands on u!" Hermione lifted up her shirt to show her stomach and back.
"This is what you've done to me!" Hermione cried as the light scars were visible for everyone to see.
"That was Draco's doing." Ron said, but his voice faltered.
"Draco never laid a hand on me." Hermione growled menacingly. Harry turned around and threw a punch right into Ron's face, breaking his nose.
"I knew you were pathetic." Harry growled. Ron staggered back up and looked at his brothers for help, but none gave him the backup he wanted. They all just glared at him angrily. Hermione's eyes fell on Ginny, who looked terrified.
"Ginny, help me out here won't you?" Ron said exasperatedly. Ginny shook her head stiffly, "You knew this was happening all along anyways!" Hermione could see that Ron was trying to drag someone else down with him, but she knew he had made a mistake when he said that. He just admitted that what Hermione had said was true.
"Thanks for the confession." Bill said coldly. Harry, however, was looking at Ginny.
"You knew?" he whispered.
"Yes…" Ginny said, looking scared, "I just did what was best! I wanted Hermione to be with Ron and you to be with me! I wanted this ever since school! And I've got it! I wasn't going to let Hermione ruin it all!"
"Ruin it all?" Harry exclaimed, "She was getting beat up for merlin's sake! Would her death be more satisfying for you?" Ginny winced as Harry spat every word out with hatred.
"Now now, this isn't the place for arguing!" Molly Weasley said, "Let's go back to the burrow."
"I was actually enjoying myself." Fleur said nonchalantly, but followed everyone else to the fireplace. Harry went to get Hermione's release papers and walked back up to Hermione.
"Here 'mione, the papers here says you're free to go." Harry said, helping Hermione up.
"Harry, where's Draco?" Hermione asked, looking at him.
"We'll discuss this once we get to the burrow okay?" Harry said as he helped her over to the fireplace. Hermione grabbed a handful of powder and shouted, "The Burrow!".
When Hermione stepped out of the fireplace, she already could see the next battle flashing before her eyes. Everyone was yelling and shouting and throwing things. Ron and Ginny were on one side of the table as the rest their siblings were on the other shouting at them. Fleur was using her wand to drop random objects on Ron's head.
"You're so pathetic Ron!" Fred shouted, "I don't even know how you got the other whores to sleep with you."
"Is that why you have to keep buying them things? So that they can sleep with you?" George mocked.
"She wasn't even a good wife anyways!" Ron fired back.
"We should have known all along the moment she had stopped coming to the meetings!" Bill seethed, "You told us she was pregnant, my ass!" Harry stepped up behind Hermione and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Well look who's here, the cheating whore." Ron sneered. Hermione whipped out her wand and pointed it at Ron, "You've tried to get me killed back at the Malfoy Manor."
"You deserved it!" Hermione replied, looking pissed off.
"I nearly lost my left hand due to your cheating!" Ron cried out shoving his left hands, which was bandaged, in her face.
"I can chop it off for you right now if you like!" Hermione screamed. Ron gave a quick glance at her left hand.
"Woman, I knew you'd still want to be married to me." Ron smirked, but it just looked ugly on him, unlike how it was on Draco, "Keeping your ring on, now let me see that ribbon of yours."
"You are so inconceivable!" Hermione spat and she reached into her pockets. She took out the black ribbon that was laced through the ring and threw is across the table, "Here! Here's your pathetic ribbon and your cheap ring!" Ron gaped down at the ribbon and the ring.
"Why is it black?" Ron demanded picking it up to examine, "I don't even think this is the right ribbon!"
"Eet izz black because she does not love you anymore!" Fleur said gleefully behind Hermione, "The moment there izz no love left in ze marriage, ze ribbon will turn black." Fleur couldn't help but grin widely at Ron, who looked absolutely furious.
"What's that on your finger then?" Ron pointed it out. Everyone looked at Hermione's left hand. A dreamy expression came upon her face for a second before it turned into sorrow.
"I married Draco." Hermione pulled out the silky ribbon that was dancing around in her hands. Everyone's mouth dropped open, but Ron's mouth took first place. His jaws was so wide opened that she was sure a hippogriff could have fit in there.
"Oh la la! Ze ribbon izz so pretty!" Fleur reached over to run her fingers over the fine silk, "Eet looks vairy expensive! You can tell eet was specially made, and judging by the material and how eet izz made, a veela made it." she concluded. Hermioned looked at her, eyes wide.
"How do you know?"
"Eet izz seemple, only veela 'air can produce something so fine and delicate. Eet izz woven with unicorn 'air as well. Zis ribbon izz done vairy intricately. Eet does not come cheap." Fleur fingered her own hair, "Of course, my 'air izz not as soft and fine because I am only part veela." Hermione thought she heard some resentment in her voice, but Fleur just gave her a reassuring smile.
(A/N: just to clarify Fleur's french, 'air is "hair" and vairy is "very" if there is any confusion.)
"Pathetic!" Ron spat, "You've married the ferret?" But no one was paying too much attention to him. Fleur was too busy looking at Hermione's ring and gushing over how beautiful it was.
"Look at zis!" Fleur claimed excitedly, "I 'ave never seen anything so detailed before! I think ze snake izz a vairy smart idea. You said 'is ring 'as ruby eyes? Vairy nice! Eet sort of resemble unity between two houses, and that 'e izz willing to look pass ze differences." She brushed her hands over the emerald eyes lightly. Hermione straightened up and looked at everyone.
"I will ask one last time." Hermione narrowed her eyes, "Where is Draco?" Everyone looked at Harry, who cleared his throat.
"He was one of the few that was granted a trial." Harry began, but Hermione let out a sigh of relief.
"You mean he's alive?" Hermione asked, a smile playing upon her lips, "Is he okay?"
"He is fine." Harry said shortly, "But after many hours of compromising, the Ministry sentenced him to one year in jail." Hermione took a sharp breath.
"Is he a free man after one year?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed, she has one year to make it right, and this time she wasn't going to screw it up.
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A/N: I know I know, this chapter is a bit shorter and isn't too exciting. I wrote it late at night and was planning to upload two chapters at once, but I wanted to spend a bit more time on the next chapter. I think there's about maybe 2-4 chapters left? I haven't quite decided yet.
Again, sorry for the dull chapter!