Let Me Help You

DracoxHermione

Rated NC-17

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Let Me Help You

Chapter 21

Hermione sat up in bed gasping, beads of sweat decorating her forehead and tears streaming down her face. She took several deep breaths as she placed her face in her hands. Ever since she had escaped with Professor Snape and Draco from Hogwarts the night her love helped Death Eaters infiltrate the school and Snape had murdered Dumbledore, she had been having nightmares. Not nightmares about that necessarily, but nightmares filled with the guilt she had been feeling since that night. She wondered if she was going to regret leaving her best friend behind to be with the boy she loved, but she could find none, just guilt over abandoning Harry. He would need all the help he could get to defeat You-Know-Who, and she couldn't help him.

Raking a hand through her hair she took another deep breath before wiping the tears from her face. She then threw the covers off of her form and placed her feet on the cold floor of the safe house she was staying in with Draco and Narcissa. She made her way down the familiar hallway and down the stairs to head towards the kitchen. As she went she thought about how long it had been since she had been staying in the safe house. What was it now? About eight, no nine or ten months? Ten months, she believed. She could only imagine what Harry and Ron were doing or where they were.

Severus had informed her that they hadn't returned to Hogwarts for their seventh year and believed they might be out hunting Horcruxes to bring down the Dark Lord. Hermione had asked him if there was any way she could help but he wasn't sure considering the delicate situation she was in. He knew she was feeling a large amount of guilt for abandoning Potter and Weasley for Draco, but he could understand her decision. She had left them to fight for a cause she and they believed in on their own for his godson, the same as he abandoned his belief and following of The Dark Lord's cause due to his love for Lily and deciding to risk his life to keep her son safe. He had also informed Hermione about his past and his relationship to Lily Potter, what he had said to her that completely ruined their friendship and how it was essentially his fault for causing her death. He also told her about how he made it his personal mission to watch out for Harry and protect him with his life to honor Lily. It didn't mean he loved Narcissa any less, but Lily was his first love and would always be in his heart, and Narcissa understood that. Hermione also listened to everything he had done and knew, things that not even Harry knew or understood what he was doing. Severus knew that to Harry he was a Death Eater and murder, but what he didn't know was that Dumbledore told him to kill him. Hermione wished there was some way she could inform her friend of all of this information, but she doubted Harry would listen.

Hermione poured herself a glass of water and drunk it, the cool liquid calming her and putting her at ease a bit. She sat the glass on the sink and turned around, only to be startled by Draco standing in the doorway of the kitchen. With a gasp she said, "Draco! Goodness, you startled me."

"I'm sorry," Draco replied before walking over to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"Because I could hear you crying not too long ago."

The brunette frowned before looking down at her feet, rubbing her arm while trying to find her words. After a moment she said, "I guess I'm just still having guilt about leaving Harry to deal with everything on his own. His look of betrayal when we left that night…it still haunts me in my dreams."

Draco wrapped his arms around his girlfriend and held her close, giving her some sort of comfort. As he rested his cheek against the top of her head, Hermione snuggled into his embrace, beginning to feel a bit better. As they stood there holding each other, Draco couldn't help but think that maybe he was selfish for having Hermione stay with him in hiding and not out helping Potter and Weasley. She had essentially given up fighting for a cause she believed in to be with him because she loved him. And yet, it was obvious her mind still wasn't at ease about the whole thing. He had no doubt she loved him; in fact, he was most certain of it. But he was beginning to think she was regretting not fighting for the Wizarding World and for Muggleborns and all witches, wizards, and creatures alike.

Pulling away from her a bit he looked into her brown eyes and asked, "Hermione, do you regret coming with me here?"

Hermione's eyes widened as she looked up at him and shook her head answering, "No, of course not. I chose you because I love you and want to be with you."

"But do you regret being here doing nothing when you could be out there with Potter and Weasley?"

"I…I…"

"You just said yourself that you are feeling guilt over leaving Potter to deal with everything on his own."

"Draco, I chose to help and stand by you, despite how hard it would be to also do so with Harry."

"But you want to be out there with them."

"I want to be with you."

The blond smiled down sadly at her before leaning down and kissing her softly on her lips. Grey eyes looked into brown ones as he said, "I'm not going to force you to stay here. If you want to go and find and help them, you can."

The brunette blinked in surprise at her boyfriend, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to find words to say in response. Draco placed his finger against her pink lips before saying, "Just come back to me alive, alright? That's all I ask."

"But..."

"Don't waste time, Hermione. And don't worry about me; I'll be fine. And I'll let mother and Severus know where you are. They'll understand."

Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she hugged him close whispering, "I love you."

Draco held her close as well and whispered, "I love you, too."

Hermione pulled away and ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room, leaving Draco standing alone, a crestfallen expression on his face.

Harry looked up from Dobby's grave in the gardens of Shell Cottage at the sound of someone Apparating caught his ear. Wand held tightly in his hand he stood up and looked down towards the beach, his eyes taking in a familiar figure. As he watched the figure walk towards him, green eyes widened as they took in the curly brown hair, brown eyes, and fair face of his best friend. Walking down to where she was, he met her halfway and stood still as she did the same, the both of them staring at each other with a tense silence between them.

"Hermione?" Harry said as he put his wand back in his pocket.

Hermione gave him a nervous smile as she replied, "Hi Harry."

Harry looked at her for a moment before asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I…I realized that though I love Draco, I couldn't just turn my back on this; this being you, Ron, and bringing down You-Know-Who. I'm sorry for what I did that night, and for betraying your trust in me. I hope you can forgive me one day Harry, but at least let me finish this with you."

Hermione stood anxiously waiting for Harry's response, her fists balled up in worry. She had never in her life been so nervous to hear something come out of her best friend's mouth before now. She had no idea if Harry would ever forgive her, but she could only hope.

Harry stood staring at her before a small smile appeared on his face. Stepping up to her he said, "We've been together since First Year and have been through so much concerning Voldemort. I can't see myself finishing it all without you, Hermione. You're my best friend no matter how upset I get with you. You're my friend and my sister and I'll always forgive my family."

The tears that Hermione had kept at bay upon first seeing Harry after ten months weld up and fell over onto her cheeks, sobs escaping her throat as relief filled her body. Wrapping her arms around Harry in a hug and said through her sobs, "Thank you, Harry."

The boy held the brunette close, relief filling him at seeing her again and having her by his side once more. Despite his initial feelings of betrayal at the time, he understood why Hermione had left with Malfoy. She had been put in a difficult situation and she chose to follow her heart which led her to leaving with Malfoy. And yet and still she still sought him out determined to help him finish taking down Voldemort. Hermione was his best friend and no matter what happened she always would be. He couldn't wait to fight by her side when it was finally time and he was positive that now she was by his side, their chances of defeating Voldemort were higher than ever.

Author's Note: This story will begin to wrap up soon, though I'm not entirely sure when. Probably in the next few chapters or so. Don't forget to take part in my poll for my next HP story (if you want to, of course). I will be closing it probably within the next week or two. Thanks for all of your reads and reviews. Love, SehunsBae37.