Chapter 20-new directions.

AN: I hope you enjoy it, and remember, things are never what they seem!

Recap: "Where did you get that!?"

Chapter:

"What?" Hermione asked, nervous at the shocked look on Draco's face.

His eyes travelled back down, coming to rest on her now covered leg. Hermione just stared at him, waiting for an explanation.

"On your leg, where did it come from?" Hermione still did not know what he was talking about, so she pulled her robe away from her legs, keeping it covering her bottom.

"What?" She asked, gesturing at her leg.

"That horrible rash! It looks dreadfully painful. You should go to the Hospital Wing." Hermione finally looked at where he was pointing to. She had a large red rash of hives climbing up her legs. She sighed.

"I have an allergy to Christmas trees," she explained. "It always acts up this time of year, especially on my legs, since my pants or skirts touch the trees the most. It's really not that bad." She smiled at him, trying to make him worry less. She really did not want to have to go to the Hospital wing, not in her incurable condition; they might want to try and fix her and she knew that to be impossible.

"Are you sure you don't want something for the pain or the itching? I could get something for you, it looks awful." He looked really concerned. Hermione was touched that he had really come to care something for her heath in their real lives.

"It's fine, really." She assured him.

"Here, let me help you get up." He offered, holding out a hand for her to grab. After he helped her to stand he went to walk up to his room. A thread of Hermione's robe had gotten caught on his watch and as he walked away her robe came off completely. She gave a little yelp and turned to go to the bathroom, embarrassed to be standing in front of Draco Malfoy in only her underwear. Draco had turned when he hear her yelp and had, by that time, unhooked her robe from his watch. When he went to hand it to her he saw her retreating into the bathroom.

"Oh my god." He whispered. Hermione turned around, curious as to what had made him sound so shocked.

"What?" She asked, retrieving her robe from where he had just dropped it on the floor in front of him. She slipped back into it while he just stared at her for the second time in five minutes.

"You're Emily." It was Hermione's turn to stare, shock clear on her face.

"Who?" She pretended she had no clue what he was talking about, it was almost the truth in a twisted way.

"I can't believe you never occurred to me. Of course you would be the last person to ever skip school, and that's how you knew that I knew that you were sick, and that's why your room is purple, you told me it was your favorite color. And that's how you knew that Emily would like the jewelry I picked out, because you are her, or rather she is you. I can't believe this!" He was in shock, but Hermione was even more so.

"What in the world is making you say this now?" She was careful to neither confirm nor deny.

"When you turned to go to the bathroom just now, without your robe, I was with you the day you got that tattoo. Remember? I have a matching one." He pulled up his sleeve to show her the tattoo of the dragon and the owl. "I thought I saw something when you fell, but I just assumed it was the rash that caught my eye. But now I know. I don't know what to say." He couldn't believe that he'd actually gotten his one true Christmas wish and he wasn't sure he even wanted it anymore. Things were so much more complicated. He had feelings for Emily. But Hermione was Emily and Hermione was dying. He wasn't even sure if he had the same feelings for Hermione as he did for Emily. Damien and Emily were two completely different people, even if he now knew her true identity.

Hermione was studying her feet, waiting to hear what his reaction would be. She almost didn't want to hear it.

"I'm going to be honest with you; I'm not really sure what I think about this." He told her, she didn't look up. "Remember, it took you a while to warm up to me once you knew who I really was. I need time too. I'm not saying that this is a bad thing; I just need to absorb it. I think I'm going to go to the room of requirements to think it all over. Just, please, give me some space for now. I'll find you when I finally get my head around it all." With this promise he left, heading off to think. Hermione wasn't sure what to think either.

Not knowing what else to do, Hermione continued on her path to the bathroom, finally starting her shower.

Three days passed before Draco talked to Hermione again. He really did just need some time and space. He had to decide if he wanted to be more than friends with Hermione like he had with Emily. Lots of things were different. First of all, Emily was Hermione; he had not been expecting that. Secondly, Hermione was terminally ill. He was not all that sure that he wanted to trust someone with his heart if they were not going to be there for very long. Losing a friend would be difficult, since he had come to see Hermione as a kind of friend, but losing a girlfriend or a love would be that much harder. He was not sure the few months they would have together would be worth all the added pain. Draco finally made his decision and went to search out Hermione to tell her.

"Hey" he said meekly when he finally found her in the library. He had not spoken to her in three days, so he was not sure whether she was mad at him for taking so long or not.

"Oh," she looked surprised. "Have you decided something then?" Her tone was a little frosty, but her eyes told him that she was not really angry, just a bit put out.

"I have." There was a moment of silence as they both realized what this decision could mean for each of them. "I know that you are ill, and you are not going to get better" he said it softly, wondering how tender a topic it was, but she nodded, letting him know it was ok. "To lose a friend is hard enough, but to put your heart out, trust someone with it, only to have them leave you forever, that is much harder. The question became whether or not I thought the few months we would have together would be worth all the added pain." Hermione began studying her shoes again, she knew what was coming, what conclusion he must have come to. "I decided that it would be worth it, I want to be with you, no matter the pain."

"It's ok-" Hermione cut off, she had had a response planned for him saying she was not worth it. His answer surprised her. "I don't know what to say" she told him. "I'm shocked, truly. Why do you think I'm worth it all?" He looked perplexed that she would ask him straight out, but she was always rather direct and to the point.

"I had so much fun at the ball with Emily, and you gave me the extra chance, even when you found out who I was. Knowing who you are, I am extremely shocked that you gave me that chance, considering my past. Since that night you have been amazing. My time with Emily has been some of my best times this year. Outside of the Emily and Damien relationship that kind of speaks for itself after Christmas, I like you as Hermione. We have become good friends. It has been really nice to have two people in my life that I enjoy spending time with and who I feel really care about me. Combining those two people into one person is getting the best of both. I can't justify not giving us a try, considering I like both you and Emily independent of one another, why would I not like you all in one? Besides, I can't imagine you going through all this on your own. You need me, and I have come to need both you and Emily."

Despite her best efforts Hermione had tears in her eyes. That was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said about her, she could not imagine Harry or Ron saying anything like that, ever.

Draco and Hermione started slowly. They did not want to totally freak out the whole school. First things first they brought their friendship public. They had been friends for several weeks by then, though everyone had been on holiday for most of that time. But now that everyone was back in school, it was ok to show that things had changed.

"Are you out of your mind!?" Ron was shouting, Hermione had not heard the cause just yet, but she thought she had an idea as to what might have upset him.

"I'm sorry Ronald; I can't read minds, so you are going to have to actually tell me what you are talking about." Ron's face was beet read.

"Do NOT act like you don't know what's going on, I saw you." Harry still looked confused. Hermione knew what Ron was talking about, but she still wanted him to actually have to say it.

"What Ronald? You saw me what? I am pretty sure you have seen me before, it should not be anything new." Ron started pacing.

"No, it was new. We leave you alone for a few weeks to go on holiday and I come back to find you hanging out with Malfoy?! What is that?" Harry looked shocked.

"Hermione has not been hanging out with Malfoy, you must have seen somebody else, or been dreaming, or something."

"No, he did see me with Draco." She decided to get right to the point, it seemed easiest.

"But why?" Harry was much calmer, though she could tell he was thoroughly confused.

"Draco is he now?" Ron was shouting again. "What, have we been replaced? You've gone to the dark side?" Hermione laughed.

"Of course you've been replaced." They both looked stunned and hurt. "If I did not replace you I would be entirely on my own. Even before you went on holiday I was alone. Think about it, when was the last time either of you spent more than a single minute with me? You guys are so caught up in your new, care-free world without danger, crushing on girls and being total guys, that it never occurred to you that you guys are practically my only friends. Without you two I needed a new friend, so I got one. You two have failed me, so suck it up. I will be friends with whomever I want and you two will have no say in the matter. You have no right to judge me based on who I chose to be friends with, so sod off." Hermione turned on the spot and attempted to make the huffy and dramatic exit she had seen in movies as a child, she tripped a bit on the carpet, but other than that it was marginally successful.

As she made her spectacular exit she heard Ron say, "What's gotten into her?" She couldn't help thinking, and not for the first time, what an idiot.

AN: Please review!