Authors Note: Following this chapter would be my one shot Count the Saints. I don't want people to get confused but I wrote that story before I started this one. It was what inspired me to write this. So the next time this gets updated it will be a epilogue of sorts. If you don't want to be confused I suggest reading that after finishing this chapter and of course please review that as well.
Thank you to PAULA FOREVER, gahmeep, littlexsiren, mcollis3, Jules-Millicent and PetraAmia for following the story. Thank you to Grovek26, srkw89, Jules-Millicent and xXMizz Alec VolturiXx for the reviews. Thank you to littlexsiren, mcollis3, Sadler26, and MyFlutteringWings for adding the story to their Favorites.
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Hermione walked into the infirmary, book bag in hand, and walked to the very back of the room where a curtain had been drawn around one of the beds. Pulling it back just enough to slip in, she was met with a tired smile from Blaise who hadn't really left Draco's bedside since Professor Snape had brought him in a little over a week ago. She set her stuff down on the other side and went to hug Blaise.
"How is he today?" She asked.
"Nothing has changed. I could kill Potter, really I could. I don't care who he is, how stupid could you be to use a spell you knew nothing about? And I still don't understand why they were dueling anyways." Blaise spat.
Hermione winced at the mention of killing Harry, she was still just as upset as she was when all this happened nine days ago, but she didn't wish her friend any harm for it. She was just as curious as Blaise as to why they had been fighting, but she hadn't really had a real conversation with Harry since they discussed getting rid of the book, and Draco had been unconscious since Snape had found him.
She knew Snape had been able to reverse the spell Harry had used but Draco had never woken up after passing out. They had kept him closely monitored in the infirmary since then but his condition hadn't improved or worsened. It was as if he was simply sleeping.
"Madame Pomfrey has been going on about notifying his Mother but both Snape and Dumbledore agreed that it was best to keep it quiet for now." Blaise said. Hermione looked at him oddly and leaned forward in her chair resting her forearms on the edge of Draco's bed.
"Dumbledore was here? And why has his Mother not be been notified?! Someone should have sent her an owl the moment he didn't wake up!" Hermione exclaimed. Blaise shook his head and shrugged.
"Apparently no one has. I don't think Dumbledore and Snape knew I was here when they were talking to Madame Pomfrey about it earlier."
"Why didn't you send her one? Aren't your families really close?" Hermione questioned. Blaise shook his head.
"Draco and I are close but not our families. Mine never took a side in the war in the past and don't intend to take a side in this one. Lucius never wanted Draco and I hanging out after that was made very apparent."
Hermione sat back in her chair and rested her head on her hands. She looked over Blaise who was slumped down in his chair, clothes disheveled, hair a mess. It looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"You really should go get some sleep Blaise. I'll watch over him. Take a shower and get something to eat and take a nice long nap. I won't leave until you come back." Hermione urged him to go. Blaise didn't need to be told twice.
"If anything changes at all let me know." He said. Hermione nodded. He paused at the opening of the curtain and looked back at her with a sad look on his face.
"I don't know if I should owl his Mother Hermione. I have a bad feeling something has happened at the Manor." His eyes made their way from her face over to Draco's arm.
Hermione followed his eyes and nodded softly. She understood what he was getting at but she couldn't bring herself to look. The day everything had happened, Draco had been missing up until then. A student had come forward saying he thought he saw him in Hogsmeade earlier in the day but couldn't be sure it was actually him. She had the same bad feeling Blaise had but still…she wasn't ready to know if Draco had finally chosen a side in the war.
Later that night Hermione walked into the Gryffindor common room once Blaise had come back to the infirmary. They had been taking turns sitting alone or together with Draco every day. Pansy had come to visit a few times but hadn't stayed long.
The common room was empty, most students having gone up to their rooms already. A movement next to the fireplace startled her but she relaxed when she noticed it was just Harry.
"How is he?" He asked softly. Hermione frowned but noticed that Harry looked just as tired and disheveled as Blaise had earlier. She dropped her book bag at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the girls rooms and walked over to join him in front of the fireplace.
"Nothing has changed. He's still….sleeping." She said softly. Harry nodded and looked into the fire.
"Can I ask you a question Hermione?" When she was silent he continued. "Is there something more serious going on between you and Malfoy?"
She felt him staring at her, studying her to see if her body language gave anything away. She took a deep breath and contemplated telling him everything. But she felt like she would be betraying Draco by telling Harry everything without at least telling him she was going to.
"We've grown closer. He's not who you think he is. There's so much good in him Harry. He just needs help seeing it himself." She didn't elaborate more than that. She looked over at him and watched as the thought of Draco being good processed through his mind. Unlike her, Harry was never very good at keeping his emotions off his face.
"If he figured it out and he decided that he didn't want to walk the same path as his father would you accept him?" She didn't know what possessed her to ask him but she had asked and was curious for his answer.
Harry had always been a compassionate boy but as they grew older she had noticed he'd hardened. She couldn't blame him what with all he had been through, but she didn't want to see her friend lost to all the pain and suffering his life had brought him. She felt guilty in that moment even asking if he would accept Draco. She felt that maybe she hadn't been there as much as she should have been for her friend over the past year. It seemed this year had been hard the friendship between the Golden Trio. Ron had always been off with Lavender, Harry had been spending a lot of time with Dumbledore and she had spent more and more time with Draco.
"I really don't know Hermione." Harry shook his head. "I just don't believe there is any ounce of good in him. I know you think that he just needs someone to be friendly towards him and he's going to turn into this cheery, happy, helpful Malfoy but I just can't see it."
"All I'm asking you to do is give him a chance!" Hermione bristled. She felt tears forming in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "Give him a chance Harry James Potter! I think you can do that much! He's lost he needs some guidance."
"And Blaise? His family isn't taking a side in the war right? Why can't he give him guidance?" Harry stared at her.
Hermione didn't know how to respond to that. She just shook her head and stared into the fire. She felt Harry reach for her hand and give it a gentle squeeze. With that simple gesture the tears that had threatened to fall rolled freely down her face. She cried silently for what seemed like forever before Harry spoke again.
"If it means that much to you Hermione I'll give him a chance." He said softly.
Hermione didn't know if his exclamation made her cry more because she was happy he would try for her…or because deep down she still wasn't entirely sure herself that was the right decision.
A few days later found her sitting next to Draco's bed quietly doing her homework when a movement startled her. She stared at Draco's body for a minute and then convinced herself she had just imagined it. She went back to her homework then jumped up when she saw his hand twitch.
"Draco! Draco can you hear me?!" She cried. She watched as the movement went from his hands up his body and finally he opened his eyes. "Madame Pomfrey!" She yelled. He blinked his eyes at her a few times while Madame Pomfrey threw open the curtains and ran to the bedside. She quickly ushered Hermione out of the curtained area and told her to owl Dumbledore and Snape. She rushed over to the medical owls and send out a quick note to both Professors before sending one out to Blaise as well.
Blaise had arrived before either Professor but they hadn't been too far behind him. A few hours later they had been allowed in to see him after the Professors had talked to him about the accident. Hermione was relieved to hear that Draco wasn't going to push for Harry to get in any serious trouble.
She was currently sitting on the side of his bed holding his hand, Blaise sitting in a chair next to them. She had waited to rush to his side until the Professors had left the infirmary. Snape had been curious as to why she had spent so much time at Draco's side and Blaise hadn't given him any answers. They knew that if any news about her and Draco got into the wrong hands it could potentially be dangerous for both of them.
"Blaise do you mind giving me a minute?" Hermione asked. Blaise nodded and left them alone saying he would be back in a little bit and that he would go update Pansy and the others.
Draco reached up and cupped her cheek pulling her down for a small kiss.
"I was so worried about you." She said.
"I'm sorry. I can't believe I was out for that long."
"Harry is sorry you know. We talked about things." She looked at him to gage his reaction but he kept his face neutral so she continued. "Draco when it comes time…Harry would give you a chan-"
"I don't need Potter to pity me Hermione. I'm capable of making my own choices." He sternly said. She looked taken aback and shook her head at him.
"Draco I didn't mean-"
"Did you tell him about us?" He demanded.
"No I just said that we were friends." She said.
He nodded in acceptance and they fell into an uncomfortable silence. After what seemed like forever he sucked in a sharp breath. His forearm started burning badly. Somehow his concealment charm had held in place over the few weeks he had been unconscious and he wasn't going to waste that by grabbing his arm. He clenched the bed sheets underneath him and grit his teeth together all of which didn't go unnoticed be Hermione.
"Is something wrong? Can I do something?" She asked worriedly. He shook his head at her.
"I think I just want to be alone for a little while." He said. A hurt look crossed her face but she nodded and left him, heading back to her common room.
As soon as she was gone he unclenched his fists and grabbed his arm. He uttered a spell and the concealment charm fell away revealing the Dark Mark still bright and new on his skin. The snake was wiggling around and the whole Mark seemed to be moving making him feel like his arm was being held over a fire. He broke out in a sweat and grabbed the water glass that was on the table by his bed. After he downed three glasses he leaned back on the pillows and took deep breaths. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as the burning finally subsided on his arm.
He couldn't have been asleep for more than thirty minutes when Blaise came back. He tried sneaking in quietly but Blaise was anything but quiet. Draco opened his eyes and glared at him but it was quickly wiped away when he followed Blaise's eyes to his arm. He had fallen asleep and forgotten to cast the concealment charm again. He moved his arm underneath the blanket and looked down sheepishly.
"Does she know?" Blaise asked. Draco shook his head. Blaise sighed and sunk into the chair next to the bed. "When?" He simply asked.
"The morning of the accident. It's why no one could find me. I received an owl to meet Mother in Hogsmeade only she wasn't there. My father has escaped from Azkaban." He saw Blaise visibly flinch at this exclamation.
"You know Potter told her he would try and accept you if you decided to fight for them." Blaise said. Draco shook his head again.
"He's going to kill her."
"Who is going to kill who?" Blaise asked alarmed.
"Voldemort. Father told me he's threatened to kill my Mother if I don't complete my task for them as soon as possible."
"What's the mission?"
"It's finished. I haven't told them I finished it but it's been finished." Draco answered.
"That doesn't answer my question Draco."
"I don't have an answer for your question Blaise. Just promise me one thing. Promise me you'll get Hermione out of here safely."
Blaise' eyes widened and after a moment of shock he nodded his head in agreement. He wouldn't push him but he also wasn't letting him off that easy.
"Tell me what you can Draco." He said. Draco nodded his head and told him what he could. He trusted Blaise and he knew the information was safe with him. He knew he could trust him to protect Hermione when she was going to be stubborn and do something foolish with her friends like they always did. Like he knew they would as soon as his mission was completed.
Later that night Hermione was walking back to the infirmary. She didn't like the way things had ended earlier that day with Draco. He had just waken up from over two weeks of being unconscious and already they were fighting. She didn't like it at all.
Harry had left earlier in the evening with Dumbledore. She wasn't sure where they were going but Harry said they wouldn't be back until later that night. Blaise had sent her an owl telling her he wanted to talk but she had replied and said they could tomorrow. Tonight she wanted to make things right with Draco.
When she got there however she was surprised to see that Draco was no where to be found. It was too late to bother Madame Pomfrey so she set off to go find him on her own.
Draco walked through the halls being careful to not be caught by anyone. His arm burned again this time with a message that tonight was to be the night he fulfilled his mission. He struggled with the knowledge that he wouldn't have time to say goodbye to Hermione. He couldn't bare to see the look on her face when she found out what he had done.
He made his way up to the Astronomy Tower. He still had some time and he wanted to spend one last moment in the place where it had all started. He stared up at the night sky and took a deep breath. There was no turning back now.
He seemed to be lost in his thoughts for an eternity before he heard a noise behind him. He didn't have to turn and look to know it was her but he did anyways. She was frozen at the top of the stairs just staring at him.
"What on earth are you doing out of bed Draco?" She asked. She made a move to walk towards him but he backed up against the wall, his movement away from her made her stop her advancement.
"Hermione you need to leave." He said solidly. Her confused look made him want to reach out to her and hold her. Tell her everything would be ok…but he knew it wouldn't be.
"We can't be together any longer Hermione. We don't belong together. Nothing will ever change that." The look on her face broke his heart. Tears started falling down her face and his hands itched to wipe them away. Everything in him screamed 'it's a lie' but he knew for her safety and for his Mother's this is what he had to do. He had to break her heart.
Authors Note: Bittersweet. Now to start the epilogues. Remember Count the Saints comes after this chapter and it's already out so please read and review that story as well.