Disclaimer: Not mine. Not yours. Only JK Rowling's.
A/N:Hermione: Draco, do you think 2booklover4's "11 Things" is "a festering sore?"
Draco: (looks shock and all) WHO told her that?
Hermione: She read it somewhere… (sighs) She looked pretty sad, you know. But she still reassured me she was all right.
Draco: (cracks knuckles… snarls) Tell her to tell you so that you can tell me who told her that… wow, I was pretty redundant.
Hermione: (Laughs) Don't worry, I'll tell her to tell me so that I can tell you who told her that. (smiles at him). She'll appreciate it… though, no physical violence whatsoever! That's a big no-no!
Draco: Whatever, Beaver. Stop being a goody-two-shoe for a while, all right?
Hermione: (rolls her eyes) Whatever, Ferret.
Okay, I'm so sorry for that A/N. My imagination was just running pretty wild. Anyway, that "my story is a festering sore" is really true. I read it somewhere and you know, I felt pretty bad. Thank goodness it wasn't a review or a PM. But still, it was pretty sad… It's criticism, of course. But you know… sad.
Oh well, like what they say "You can't please everybody".
Anyway, enough of my small ranting. Here's the new chapter! Review afterwards, okay? So that I'll be happy again.
Chapter Nine: James Moore, Part I
3. I want to save a life.
"No."
Draco blinked several times. And then, his face morphed into shock which soon shifted to pure anger then went back again, before finally landing on blankness. Simple, plain blankness. Lucius Malfoy watched this sudden shifting of Draco's emotions in amusement.
"Why?" the Malfoy heir asked, sounding strangely calm. But then, his father knew him too well. Lucius could hear him grinding his teeth in frustration.
"Lucius!" Narcissa exclaimed after composing herself. "If this is another blood issue, I swear, I really will sign our divorce papers."
Draco glared at his father darkly before turning around. "Never mind; I'll just be going then. Good day." He made a move to apparate but his father grabbed his arm. The blond turned around warily, a tired frown plastered on his pale, handsome face. "Do you need something, Father?"
Lucius sighed, closed his eyes, and started to rub the bridge of his nose. "This is not a blood issue," he said, both answering his wife and his son. "You know very well that even before the war ended, I made it clear that blood issues between Purebloods, Half-Bloods, and Muggle-borns are ridiculous."
The younger Malfoy hadn't failed to notice the fact that his father had used the term 'Muggle-borns' instead of 'Mudbloods'. "Then, why?" he asked.
The Malfoy patriarch sighed again. "Draco, you know that your request is against the rules," Lucius reminded him. "A person cannot be a Healer without passing through a written and practical examination."
"Then give her the exams," the blond reasoned out.
"She should have done it a few months ago," Lucius pointed out. "'s is not looking to hire another Healer, Draco. So, I'm sorry to say, but there is no way that it can be done."
"Damn it, Father!" the blond cursed, already irritated. Narcissa made a disapproving noise at Draco's choice of words but Lucius chose to ignore him. "Hermione only has to be a Healer for two weeks. After that, she can go back to being the same sick and dying girl she is and just wait around for her last day."
Narcissa frowned and moved closer to the blond, clutching his arm to calm him down.
Mr. Malfoy, on the other hand, was now frowning at the blond. "Why are you so adamant about this, Draco?" he asked.
The blond looked at the floor. "It is part of her list," he answered. "I figured it's the only way for her to save a life." Draco then looked straight at his father's eyes again. "She's almost done accomplishing her list. The least that I can do is to help her finish it. And the least that you can do is to help me help her."
Lucius sighed and shook his head. Narcissa was giving him a hopeful look while Draco continued to stare at him determinedly. He really wanted the brunette to be a Healer for two weeks and accomplish her third goal. "Anything for the girl, eh?"
Draco took a deep breath before answering, "Anything for her."
Silence ensued. Draco patiently waited for his father's answer while Narcissa nervously looked at her husband. She was worried that he wouldn't agree. She knew Lucius too well.
Finally, Lucius broke the silence. "Oh, all right," he said, noticing the surprised look his son shot him and Narcissa's sigh of relief. "But… but on one condition."
"What condition?" Draco asked, feeling quite suspicious.
"As what I've told you a while ago," Lucius started, "St. Mungo's is not hiring new Healers. And so, for Miss Granger to be a Healer in the hospital for two weeks, one of the Healers must take leave. Once she is done with her work, the Healer will go back to work." He pursed his lips before continuing, "Are you willing to give up your job for two weeks to make way for Miss Granger."
Draco didn't even give it a seconds thought. "Of course," he said automatically, releasing a sigh of relief.
"All right, then, now that's settled," Lucius said, clasping both of his hands. "I am expecting Miss… Healer Granger to report to my office on Monday, 6:30 am sharp. I will give her the guidelines and rules." Lucius waved his wand and conjured a set of royal blue robes – a Healer's uniform. "I want you to deliver this to Miss Granger. Is that clear?"
"Crystal," Draco answered, grinning widely now.
"Now, off you go!" Lucius exclaimed. "You're giving me a huge headache already. I still need to finish my report for tomorrow!"
The blond nodded and prepared to turn on his heel, Hermione's new Healer uniform tightly clutched against his chest. He was about to apparate when he suddenly swiveled around. "And Father?"
"What is it now?" Lucius snapped frustration evident in his voice.
"Thank you." And Draco meant it. "Thank you… for helping me."
The older Malfoy was stunned. Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, never thanked his father before. After he composed himself, he nodded his head. The blond grinned cheekily and apparated.
Lucius sighed. Hermione Granger had definitely changed his son.
To his surprise, Narcissa suddenly kissed his cheek affectionately. "That was the sweetest thing you had ever done for your son," she replied, looking at her husband fondly. "I'm so proud of you, Lucius."
Mr. Malfoy's lip twitched upward. "Stop being so melodramatic, Cissy," he said, calling his wife by her nickname. "And can you please make me some coffee?"
Narcissa frowned. "Why not order the house-elves?" she asked.
Lucius smirked. "Ah, what if I told you, you make the most delicious Coffee I had ever tasted?" he asked.
Mrs. Malfoy smiled beautifully. "I'll be bringing it to your study as soon as possible, dear." She kissed his cheek again before disappearing from sight.
Hermione grabbed her favorite mug after releasing a very, wide yawn. Apparently, she had slept in again (it was so unlike her!) and woke up a few minutes after midday. So she was having a late breakfast… or brunch, as what she wanted to call it since it was lunchtime already.
The brunette was busy pouring hot coffee to notice that her blond best friend had popped into her house, unannounced.
Grinning at the busy brunette, Draco walked quietly until he was a hairsbreadth away from Hermione. Slowly, he leaned closer to her ear. He paused for a moment, taking in the wonderful aroma of coffee before whispering a soft, "Boo."
Her reaction was instant. She released a deafening shriek which could rival a banshee's and twirled around, knocking the mug of boiling hot coffee off the bench in the process. Hermione instantly scowled upon seeing the also scowling blond who was rubbing his right ear.
"THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" she screamed, face turning bright red. The brunette let out a small wail upon seeing her favorite mug shattered into pieces. "And look at what you've done!"
"Christ, Granger, ever heard of magic?" he asked her, rolling his eyes. He pulled out his wand from his pocket and murmured 'Reparo' under his breath. Instantly, the mug was whole again. It was as if it had never been acquainted with the floor.
Draco bent down and clutched Hermione's beloved mug. He placed it on her counter and poured coffee again. With a wave of his wand, the spilt coffee vanished.
Hermione grinned, reaching out for her hot mug when suddenly, the blond sipped it. "Hey! That's mine!" she exclaimed, snatching it away from Draco. The blond just chuckled and steered the brunette towards her table.
"Guess what, Beaver," he said, pushing her down on a chair.
"What?" she frowned, looking at his mysterious smile suspiciously.
He conjured a box from thin air and showed it to Hermione. The brunette was about to grab the box but Draco hastily hid it behind his back.
"Oh, come on," she scowled, standing up from her seat and approaching the blond. Hermione stood in front of him, arms over his shoulders as she reached for the box. "Stop being so bloody annoying, Draco. Just give me that box so I can see what's inside."
Draco held his breath and licked his lips. Hermione was too close to him for comfort. His lungs filled with her alluring scent. He cracked a grin and looked up at the brunette (after making sure that his eyes were well-guarded). "Say the magic word," he said, chuckling once the brunette scowled again.
"Merlin," she said, smacking the back of his head. "Quit that."
He laughed a little louder. "Come on, Hermione. Just like what Sophie would always say, 'Say the magic word.'"
"You're really tempting me, Malfoy," she dangerously growled, right hand twitching just beside her pocket. "One day, you'll find me trapped inside Azkaban for killing my own best friend."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Beaver… creepy," he said, though his eyes were twinkling.
"Just let me see it!" she whined, eyes trained intently on the box behind his back.
Draco rolled his eyes. He clutched the box again and showed it to the brunette. Almost immediately, Hermione snatched it away from him. "Feeling impatient today, eh?" he asked, watching as the brunette opened the lid.
He watched as Hermione's face morphed into surprise as she fingered the soft material of the royal-blue robes. Her face then changed into awe once she removed the robes from the box. Hermione transfigured one chair into a full-length mirror and surveyed herself with the royal-blue robes. "It suits me," she told him, eyes still trained intently on her reflection. Slowly, the brunette turned her head and focused her eyes on the now smirking blond. "Is this… mine?"
The blond snorted. "Obviously," he said, also fingering the robes. "I think it will look good on you."
"Why?"
"You're asking me why it will look good on you?" the blond asked, confused.
Hermione profusely shook her head. "No, no, no," she said. She gestured at the other robes inside the box. "Why are you giving these to me?"
Draco smirked again. "What do you think?" he asked.
The brunette knitted her eyebrows together. "Aren't these the robes Healers always wear?" she asked him.
"Of course," the blond said, draping his arm around a chair. "You've seen me wearing those kinds of robes before, Granger."
"Then why…"
"Think, Beaver, think," Draco said, standing up and snatching the royal-blue robe away from the brunette. "Royal-blue robes… Healers… I want to save a life…"
Realization dawned on the brunette. Draco watched as the brunette's eyes misted. And before he knew it, Hermione Granger's arms were tightly wrapped around his neck. He chuckled upon feeling the tears trailing down from the brunette's cheeks down to his neck. "God, Granger, why are you crying again?"
"I got my dream job, oh, I got it," she cried, her face pressed against his neck.
"Yes, yes, I know that," the blond said, patting her back for comfort. "But don't be too emotional, Hermione. You'll only be a Healer for two weeks."
Hermione pulled her face away from his neck and stared into his eyes. "But… but how?" she asked, confusion evident on her face. "To become a Healer, examinations have to be taken. I can't be a Healer without taking any exams."
"Hello, Granger, you're the brightest witch of our year," he pointed out. "If I passed the tests, then, that means you'll pass, too."
"But your Father… Lucius…"
Draco sighed. "He agreed, all right," he said, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "In fact, he wants you to show up in his office on Monday, 6:30 am sharp."
"But…" Hermione bit her bottom lip, still confused. "I very well know that St. Mungo's is not hiring any new Healers. I mean, I got to be one for two weeks, but that meant that someone had to… give up… their… job." Her voice faltered in the end once realization dawned on her again.
She blinked, eyes still directly staring at the blond. Draco was giving her a smile now. "Finally figured it out?" he asked.
Tears welled up in the brunette's eyes again. "You didn't have to," she sobbed, tightening her hug around him. "You didn't have to give up your job just for me."
"Merlin, it will only be two weeks," he said. "No harm done. I'm not really a responsible Healer, Hermione, and I have a feeling that Father didn't have any second thoughts in making someone take my job even if it was you. Well, yeah, he had second thoughts but still… you know…"
"Draco, you're babbling," the brunette told him, a small smile tugging at her lips.
The blond gave her a sheepish smile. "Well…" He paused and took a deep breath, face immediately becoming serious. "I did it for you." He gave Hermione another kiss on the forehead. "The least you can do is to appreciate it."
"Who said I didn't appreciate it?" she asked, a large smile plastered on her face. She completely pulled herself away from the blond, her smile not leaving her face. She grabbed her new Healer uniform and looked at her reflection again. "Oh, I can't wait to start my job," she said, followed by a sigh. "This will be fun."
"Good evening, Healer Malfoy."
"Good evening," Draco absentmindedly said, tilting his head slightly to acknowledge a young Healer. He had seen her around before, though, he couldn't remember her name. The Malfoy heir sighed upon seeing the blush on both of the young woman's cheeks. 'So, she's one of the witches who are trying to gain my attention, eh?' he asked himself.
He opened the Healers' lounge in St. Mungo's and to his relief, Hermione was found inside. "Beaver."
Hermione looked up, surprised, and smiled widely once seeing her best friend. "Draco!" she exclaimed.
Draco stretched out his right hand and wriggled his fingers. "Come on, I'll take you home," he said.
The brunette took his hand and smiled. She looked over her shoulders towards her other colleagues. She had only known them a day but they had formed a strong bond already. "Goodbye everyone! I'll see you tomorrow."
The other Healers bid her goodbye. The blond looked amused. Even if Hermione had only worked in St. Mungo's for a day, she had managed to make friends with everyone already. It took him a week to make friends with all of his colleagues! But then again, she was Hermione Granger.
"How was your first day?" he asked.
Hermione sighed and smiled. "It was fantastic!" she exclaimed. "The other Healers here are so nice, you know. They made me feel as if I'd been working in this hospital for years already. Oh, and the patients here are kind of nice. There were stubborn ones but, it was all right. I love challenges anyway."
"Any new assignments?"
The brunette nodded her head. "Your father gave me a new one," he said. "Actually, I requested for a harder patient. How can I save a life when all I do is to heal a child's wound made by some random hippogriffs?"
"You're still saving a life," he pointed out.
"I know," she said, pouting. "But my idea of saving a life is curing someone from a disease with an unknown cure or something that was too hard to cure." She sheepishly smiled, removing the hair tie on her hair. "You get me, don't you?"
"Of course," he said. They had arrived at the apparation point and Draco grabbed Hermione's arm. The next thing they knew, they were standing in Hermione's bedroom.
The brunette frowned at him and removed her Healer uniform. Underneath it were her normal Muggle clothes. "You know, I still know how to apparate properly. No need to use Side-Along."
Draco just dismally waved his hand and plopped down on Hermione's bed. He rolled onto his back and stared at the frowning brunette. "So, who's your new patient?" he asked, tucking his left arm behind his head
"Oh, a seventeen-year-old teenager," she said, speaking using her serious voice. "Older Healer Malfoy" – Draco shot her an amused look – "told me that this boy had been in this hospital ever sine he was thirteen-years-old. Hermione heaved a huge breath. "I pity him, really. Older Healer Malfoy told me that this boy was cursed by his wizard father because his Muggle mother killed herself once knowing that her husband was a wizard. Then, after that, this particular patient stayed in St. Mungo's with a curse which still doesn't have a cure."
The blond was scowling now. "What's the curse?" he asked. Draco was honestly dreading Hermione's answer.
"Odium Deprecor," the brunette announced, sighing. "Or most commonly known as the 'Hate Curse'. There is no known cure, though Healers have a huge feeling that this particular curse is curable."
To Hermione's surprise, Draco groaned. He stood up, his scowl deepening. "Please don't tell me that the name of your new patient is James Moore."
Hermione frowned. "Umm… I'm sorry but that's the name of my new patient," she told him casually. She flinched once Draco blew up.
"No, no, NO!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. He dashed towards Hermione's desk and rummaged around, trying to find a clean parchment, a quill, and an ink bottle.
"What are you doing?" she asked, perplexed.
"I'm going to write to Father and tell him to give that blasted patient to another Healer," he spat, absentmindedly, furiously scribbling down on the parchment.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Really, Draco…"
"No, don't object!" he exclaimed. "James Moore is… is the epitome of the devil himself."
"Really, Ferret, you're overreacting," she said, brandishing her wand. She pointed it to the half-finished letter and whispered 'Incendio'. Almost immediately, the parchment burst into flames until it was reduced to ashes. Draco scowled and glared at her. Hermione grabbed the irate blond and pushed him into a sitting position on top of her bed. "Now, calm down," she said, wagging a finger in front of his face. "I don't know why you're acting like that, Draco. Care to explain?"
The blond sighed, visibly relaxing already. He watched as Hermione sat down beside him, an expectant look plastered on her face. "I suppose you still haven't seen him," he said. Upon seeing Hermione's nod, Draco continued. "James Moore had been one of my patients before. Like you, when Father told me about this Odium Deprecor in his system, I immediately pitied him. I mean, this curse is very rare. It is said that Grindelwald himself invented this to inflict people he greatly hated. He almost cursed Dumbledore with this particular spell. And besides, the Hate Curse slowly kills people. James Moore is still too young to die."
He scowled and stared straight at the brunette. "But once I met this young man… I instantly disliked him. He was just so… so unbearable. He'd been my patient for a month when I gave up and requested for Father to give me a new patient. How can I heal someone who doesn't want to be healed?"
A contemplative look was seen on Hermione's face. One finger was tapping thoughtfully against her chin.
"Well?" he asked, looking expectant.
"He definitely sounds like a challenge." To Draco's surprise, a large smile broke on the brunette's face. "I like it."
"You'll regret that once you see him," he said, scowling again.
"Shut up," the brunette said, giving him a glare.
"Shutting up," he shot back, raising both of his hands in surrender.
Hermione giggled and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head and sighed. "Anyway, I think it is best if you go home." She approached the blond and bent down to give him a kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Ferret."
Draco grinned. "Night, Beaver. Sleep tight," he said, standing up, too.
He gave Hermione a brief hug.
"Don't let the bed bugs bite." And with that, the Malfoy heir apparated back to his own home.
Hermione nervously tapped her ballpoint pen against her notebook as she strolled down St. Mungo's corridors, towards James Moore's room. She occasionally greeted one of the other Healers with a smile or a quick wave, before continuing her journey.
The brunette didn't have any idea why she was feeling nervous. She was just visiting her new patient, for goodness' sake! But when her best friend told her yesterday that James Moore would be somewhat of a challenge to her, she couldn't help but feel jittery. She was glad, of course, knowing that another challenge was in store. But if Draco Malfoy couldn't tolerate James Moore, well, that was saying something.
Finally, Healer Granger arrived in front of James Moore's private room. The black plastic announced 143. Hermione blinked, smiling at the irony. It was funny to think that the poor teenager with the blasted Hate Curse was staying inside a room that actually stands for 'I love you'.
She shook her head and took a moment to compose herself before opening the door. Hermione was immediately greeted by a lump lying down on the mandatory St. Mungo's bed. Cautiously approaching, Hermione looked around the room. It was basically the same as the other rooms she had visited. There was a single bed with one window and another door that would lead to a bathroom. There was also a television or, wizivision as what the wizards fondly called them. As years passed, the Wizarding World had been slightly tainted by Muggle technology, and thus, the wizivision emerged. It was still quite the same with the normal television but of course, it worked by magic.
Hermione's eyes focused on her new patient lying down on the bed. She was surprised to observe that her new patient was quite a handsome, young man with dark hair. But (Hermione frowned), he was way too thin to even begin to look healthy. His hands, which were placed on top of the white blanket, were very pale. His knuckles were very prominent and the veins were showing. In fact, his whole form was skeletal.
Her eyes then traveled up to his eyes… his cold blue eyes which were intently staring at her.
"New Healer now, eh?" James Moore asked. Hermione frowned; his voice sounded cold and she could hear hints of rudeness in it. "Why don't they just give up? I have."
"Yes," the brunette said, switching immediately to her professional facade. She pointedly ignored his second question. "My name is Hermione Granger and I will be your new Healer for two weeks, James."
"Great, I'll be looking forward to those days," he snarled sarcastically, his eyes now focused on the window.
Hermione's frown deepened as she brandished her wand. She waved it and conjured three bottles of potions – one red, one green, and one black. The brunette eyed the black and couldn't help but scrunch up her face. Even if she was a Healer for two weeks, she still wouldn't be a fan of odd-looking potions.
"Here, James, please drink these three bottles," she said, eyes trained intently on her notebook as she absentmindedly placed the three bottles on the bedside table. "I presume that you already know the sequence – first the black, and then the red, then lastly the green." Hermione looked up from her notebook and noticed that James Moore was busily reading a book. "Are you even listening to me?" she asked, face contorting into slight irritation.
Her new patient looked up from his book, his face cool and calm. But when Hermione's eyes connected with his eyes, irritation became evident. "What? Did you say something?"
The brunette's jaw dropped. She was about to retort but she remembered that she had just met him and she decided to close her mouth and then her eyes. 'All right, calm down, Beaver. Just calm down,' the brunette said to herself. She opened her eyes again and this time, forced out a small smile. "I expect you to drink your potions now, James."
The teenager just ignored her and continued reading, idly turning the page.
Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her right foot impatiently. "Well?"
James continued to ignore her and just continued reading.
Healer Granger let out a puff of breath. 'Insolent brat, he truly is,' she said. "Mister Moore…"
"Don't call me that. It's annoying," he said.
"Mister Moore," Hermione continued, strangely pleased to see him glaring at her, "I am working from direct orders from Older Healer Malfoy" – he looked at her, amusement readable on his face – "And he said that you have to drink your potions exactly, right now. So, if you can just be a good boy and follow your orders then that would be good. I know that you have Odium Deprecor and for you to be treated, you have to drink the potions."
James Moore, to Hermione's surprise, scoffed and threw the book to the floor ('SACRILEGE!' the brunette screamed in her mind). His eyes, now a darker shade of blue, were focused intently on his new Healer. "Listen here, Miss Know-It-All, I do not care if I do or do not take the potions. And what's the fucking point?" Hermione visibly flinched. "I'm dying, anyway. Merlin, do you think I'm stupid? I've heard them… those other morons who reassured me that I'm going to get healed when the truth is, I'm bloody dying. So, what's the point? What's the fucking point?"
Hermione bit her bottom lip, instantly pitying the teenager in front of her. For some strange, twisted way, she could relate to him. After all, they both had diseases that they didn't want at all. "Please, James, I've heard of Odium Deprecor before and, it doesn't have a cure YET. That doesn't mean that it cannot be cured."
"Bullshit," he spat and looked away from her. "Are you done now? Because honestly, I just want to go back to sleep."
The brunette blinked, eyes still staring intently at the young man. She was immediately broken out of her reverie when the door opened and in came the blond Draco Malfoy himself. "Ferret," she greeted, forcing a smile on her face. She noticed the curious look he was showing but chose to ignore it.
"What are you doing here?" James snarled, glaring daggers at the said blond.
Draco arched one eyebrow. "Missed me, Jimmy, because I definitely didn't miss you," he said, approaching the brunette.
"Stop calling me Jimmy," he spat, his glares turning darker.
The blond just smirked. His eyes then landed back on the brunette and he immediately frowned. "Did he do something to you, Hermione?" he asked, looking at James at the corner of his eyes.
"No, no," she said, a bit distracted.
"Come on, I'll take you to lunch," he said. He gently grabbed Hermione's right elbow and steered her towards the door. "See you later, dear Jimmy."
"Take your potions," the brunette reminded him sternly.
"Trust me, Moore, follow her," Draco said, looking at James challengingly. "She knows spells more than I do… and that's saying something!"
"Go to hell," he muttered, standing up to reach for his book strewn on the floor.
Draco just chuckled and pulled an irate brunette out of the room. "So, still think he's pitiful?" he asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I still think that, all right," she spat, annoyed. "But I just can't believe that he thinks he won't be healed! I mean, where there's life, there's still hope. But look at what he's doing to himself… rejecting medications! What's the fucking point?"
The blond flinched and frowned. "Are you trying to be funny, Granger?" he asked, looking very serious.
"What?"
"I mean, hello, here you are, ranting and ranting about a teenager which pissed you off just because he didn't want to take any medications when you yourself refused treatment for your damnable cancer."
Hermione opened her mouth, ready to snap back, when she chose to closer her mouth and sighed. "I just… I just think that he should be saved. He's… I mean, he's still too young to die!"
"Do you hear yourself, Hermione?" Draco asked, starting to get frustrated. "I just don't get you."
The brunette sighed and stopped walking. They were outside St. Mungo's right now. "I… just… I think… I want to save him."
Draco sighed again and looked everywhere and anywhere but at Hermione. "Give up, okay? I'd been with James Moore for a month. If you think healing your cancer is hopeless, then I think healing him is hopeless, too."
Hermione blinked her eyes rapidly and looked straight into his eyes. Her eyes were oddly glazed. "I want to save a life, Draco."
"Save yourself then," he snapped, showing his anger. He turned on his heel and was about to walk away when he suddenly felt Hermione's arms wrapping around his waist. The brunette leaned her head against his shoulder while she took a shuddering breath.
"Why are you mad at me?" she hiccupped.
The blond sighed and turned around, facing the now crying brunette. "Why are you being so emotional nowadays?" he asked. Draco pulled her closer to his body and placed his chin on top of her head. "Crying is bloody annoying, Granger. Please stop that."
She playfully hit his chest. "You're making me cry." Her voice sounded muffled since her face was buried against his chest.
"All right, all right, I'm sorry," he said. "I guess I was just… kinda stressed. I dunno. Let's just eat lunch, okay."
He felt Hermione nod against his chest. After making sure that no one was looking, Draco apparated both of them to a restaurant he had just discovered yesterday.
Draco released a wide yawn as he rubbed his itchy right eye, his illuminated wand clutched tightly against in his hand. He was just sleeping soundly in his room a while ago when some disturbing noises came from his library (just beside his room) awakened him. He guessed that Hermione, who was sleeping at his house tonight, was still awake and reading.
Grumbling softly to himself, Draco opened the doors of his library. Lo and behold, Hermione Granger was seated on one of the chairs only illuminated by her wand and a single candle. Books were strewn messily around her table (which was unlike her) as she furiously scribbled notes on a parchment.
"Typical," the blond scoffed as he approached the table she was currently occupying. "Granger, why the hell are you still awake?"
Hermione's head snapped up and focused her tired eyes at her frowning best friend. "Researching," she simply said, followed by a small sigh before staring back at the parchment.
"In the middle of the night?" he asked, looking highly amused.
The brunette rolled her eyes and looked back at Draco. She watched as he took a seat beside her and scanned her notes.
"Odium Deprecor or most commonly known as the Hate Curse was invented in the 1930's. It is theorized that the great Gellert Grindelwald himself invented it to use against Albus Dumbledore. The Hate Curse is actually self-explanatory. The castor will say a simple spell, odio. To be able to produce it, though, requires a great combination of swishes, flicks, waves, and stabs with great precision. In the History of the Wizarding World, only five known great wizards were able to cast the Odium Deprecor." Draco looked up from Hermione's notes and frowned. "Do you think Moore's father's included in the five wizards?"
Hermione sighed and shrugged. "I honestly don't know," she said, her face scrunching up.
Draco nodded and looked back at her parchment. "The Hate Curse's symptoms are simple, yet fatal. The symptoms can easily be confused with the symptoms of a mere fever but the Hate Curse is deadly. There are three stages of the Hate Curse – the mild, severe, and deadly. Once a person is placed under this curse, he or she will undergo the mild stage. In the mild stage, the inflicted will often have high fevers. After three years, if the curse is still active in a person's body, the stage will shift to severe. This time, the person will often feel extreme fatigue and painful headaches. Lastly, the person placed under the curse will feel extreme abdominal pain with migraines and convulsions. Nightmares may also be present."
"In James Moore's case, the curse is still in the 'severe stage'," the brunette said, a thoughtful look plastered on her face. "But, his past Healer told me that nightmares were starting to show. And… at times, he's having seizure attacks so I assume that the curse placed on him will soon turn to the 'deadly stage'." Hermione suddenly looked grim. "Once the curse turned to deadly, he will only live for about a month."
The blond sighed and shook his head. "I told you his case is hopeless, Beaver." He scooted slightly closer to the still thinking brunette. "Odium Deprecor has no cure."
"No," Hermione shot back, frowning slightly. "Odium Deprecor has no known cure. They are two different things, Draco. And besides…"
Draco perked up, eyes intently gazing at the brunette. There was something in the tone of her voice that made him interested. "And besides what?"
A small smile appeared on Hermione's face. "And besides…"
"Granger, you're killing me! Just bloody spit it out already!" the blond exclaimed.
Hermione softly giggled and patted the blond's hair. "All right, all right, calm down," she said. "I, well, I have a theory about the cure for the Hate Curse."
"Eh?" he said, lifting an eyebrow. "Enlighten me."
The brunette bit her bottom lip and stared at her parchment. "The opposite of hate is love."
"Yeah, thanks for stating that, Captain Obvious," he retorted, curiosity still evident on his face. "What are you trying to explain, Beaver?"
"See, Draco, the cure for the Hate Curse is the most underestimated thing in the whole world, love," Hermione explained closely. "There was this fairytale I've read somewhere. A man named Oedipus Cantebur came across a woman, Cecilia Olps, who was inflicted by this particular curse. There were no specific details, actually, but the book stated that they became spouses and Cecilia was completely cured from Odium Deprecor."
Draco was looking at Hermione incredulously before bursting into loud laughter. "Christ, Granger, that's just a fairytale."
The brunette shot him a serious look. "What if I told you that the reason why we were able to defeat Voldemort was because of a fairytale?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard… The tale of the three brothers… Deathly Hollows… I'm sure Narcissa had told you about that story before," Hermione said.
"You're kidding me!" he asked, eyes wide open. "I always wished that the deathly hollows were true."
"Well, they are, though they are safely kept somewhere," she said, frowning. "Anyway, back to our topic. As I was saying, to cure the Hate Curse, the only thing a person has to do is show love to the inflicted."
"So, you're telling me that Moore needs to be shown love to be completely cured?" he asked, snorting. "Hermione, hello? That kid is intolerable! Who in their right mind would show any affection towards that brute?"
"I can and I will," she said, her frown deepening.
He scoffed. "And what are you going to do? Marry him?" His face contorted into disgust with the thought.
"Silly," she scoffed. "There are different kinds of love, Draco. Not only romantic love."
"Are you serious?" he asked.
Hermione pursed her lips and nodded. "Absolutely," she answered. "I only have two weeks, Ferret. But I will try my best to at least show him some care and… happiness."
Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "All right, if that's what you want," he said, frowning.
The brunette scowled. "Oh come on, Draco. You know that I can do it," she said, smiling up at him.
"Of course you can; you're Hermione Granger after all," he said, returning her smile. "Just make sure to kick him where it hurts if he hurts you, okay? Oh, and don't hesitate to owl me." Draco cracked his knuckles. "It's been a while since my hand accidentally slipped."
"Git," she giggled, playfully punching his arm. "James Moore will never hurt me. I have a wand, anyway."
The blond grinned boyishly. "Of course," he said. He pulled out his wand and idly turned it. "And I believe that it's way past your bedtime already, Hermione." With a gentle flick of his wand, the candle was extinguished. The room dimmed slightly because of lack of lighting.
Hermione yawned and stood up, scraping her chair in the process. "I'm aware of that," she grumbled. The brunette bent down and placed a gentle kiss against Draco's right cheek. "Night, Ferret."
Draco patted her arm lightly. "Sleep tight, Beaver."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite." Hermione grabbed her wand and soon walked out of the library, leaving Draco shrouded in darkness.
A/N: And, end! Did d'ya like it? Oh, btw, the reason why it's 'James Moore, Part I' because it obviously means there is a part II. And so, I'm going to post the next part of this chapter on the next weekend. Hermione's third goal is pretty long, you know.
Anyway, Replies-to-Your-Reviews time!
LoVeDoNtHaTe: Thank you, thank you, thank you. By the way, my story says its in love with you, too (LOL!). Awww, and thanks for telling me I'm amazing. Self-esteem booster!
Gryfferin Princess: Yeah, it was almost their third kiss. Hahaha, but sorry, I have to leave it like that. And thanks for the great review!
Jika: Uh huh, me too, I like little Sophie! Only thinking about her makes me squeal in delight! Oh, and of course, this is a Dramione story, dearie. There should be some romance in the background. Thanks for the review!
fantasia-49: Wait patiently, dear reader! And yeah, Sophie's so adorable and all. Just wait patiently for the end, okay? Don't worry, you'll soon know if they'll have a happily ever after. And, I'm flattered I have a fan. :D
lrmorena: Thanks for thinking it was a brilliant move for me to introduce Sophie. I mean, yeah, I have a purpose behind it. Thanks for reviewing!
GurlOfTheNight: And it loves you, too. Oh, and of course, I do to! :D Thanks for the review
Hachiko06: Wow, I can't wait for you to translate my story. Once you did, please tell me, okay? And please, send me a link. I would love to post it in my profile so that everyone will know that some people do love me, okay? Thanks for the review!
gitgit: Yes, that's right. Always be happy! Hahaha… and I do think that the last chapter was sweet, too. Thanks for reviewing!
Hermone-Loves-Ron16311: Aww, that's so sweet. You, reading this story even though you know what would happen in the end. Just wait for the end to see what will really happen, okay? Thanks for the review! :D
TwistedLover: Wow, really? You're immune to sad things? It's so cool I made you sad! Thanks for the review.
Draco and Hermione is like PBJ: First of all, funny name! I like it :D And, you really think so? I mean, I was kind of scared of posting the last part of the story because I think the readers wouldn't understand what was happening. (Offers a virtual handkerchief… is that even possible?) Aww, and please don't cry. Thanks for the awesome review, btw!
hiddenstarrz: Thanks for the compliments! I appreciated it! Thanks for the review! :D
Umbridgeskitty: Yes, you're right. Poor, poor Draco. Aww, and you're another person who told me she liked little Sophie! Anyway, thanks for the review!
Roxie Black: Haha, endure the pain… jowk! I'm so sorry if you are torn between continuing to read this or stop reading because you're sad. This story is under the 'Drama' category after all. Thanks for the great review!
malfoysgirl09: Aww, Sophie is definitely adorable. As for your other question, why don't you just wait for the next chapters to know if the little blonde will appear or something. Thanks for reviewing.
jessirose85: Yes, you're definitely right. Draco's starting to breakdown. Poor him… I just want to hug him! Or, I'll just let Hermione hug him and I'll be happy! Hahaha, is it just me or are you giving me a hint to keep Hermione alive? Dear, just wait for the next chapters to know what will happen in the end. Thanks for the review!
Ninja Nicole: I love Mister. Cotton-Candy, too! Hahaha! I was really laughing when I came up with that name. And yeah, I think the last chapter was sweet, too. Thanks for the review!
.Poisoned Scarlet.: Aww, darling, if you must know, I really took my time typing this story. I mean, it's practically my baby already! Oh, and btw, nice avvie! Hahaha, completely off the topic but I do like Tenten from Naruto, too. Thanks for the review. :D
Hermione'sBFF454: Hahaha, sorry for torturing you. I think it's really… appropriate if I didn't let them kiss for the third time. Just, stay tuned for more, okay? Thanks for the review!
WinnieThaPoo92: Dry your tears, honey. Thanks for the compliment and all… greatly appreciated, you know. Just wait patiently for you to know the end, okay? Thanks for the review! (By the way, I like Tigger more than Winnie The Pooh :p)
Kat.1600: Hurrah, another person who told me Sophie's adorable! Ah, and thanks for liking my story. I'm flattered. Thanks for the review!
sarahyyy: A review full of compliments! Dear reader, you're making me cry! Be patient so that you'll know the ending, okay? Thanks for adding me to your C2, Faves, and Alerts. Thanks for reviewing, too! :D
Kwebbeltje: Thanks for reviewing, honey! I do appreciate it. :D
Wow, a total of 23 reviews! Surprising! You really do love me. Review this chapter, too, okay? And, I'm aiming for the reviews of this chapter to be at least one point higher than the previous one… So, REVIEW! That's every author's dream.
Before I end this, I just have one more question – Do you think my story is a festering sore?