A/N: Aaah, you guys are so amazing. Thank you for reviews goes to (in order):
VampireQueenBrittany, Forbidden1991, Lex Lina aka WW, padfootsgrl971, articcat612 (finally got your name right), scv914 (thanks for also putting me on your favourites), greeneleka, OotoriDreams (thanks for the whole gamut), and Rocky181.
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Alright, on with the story: I think I'll need your help with the next chapters. They will have to come to terms with what's going on. This chapter is going to be a little dramatic again, because a catalyst is needed for them to face their emotions. Now, the "facing their emotions" part is extremely tricky and that's where I need your help. I'd like you to tell me when you are confused, when you find inconsistencies, when something doesn't make sense and so on. I wrote the next chapters (again starting out as one and splitting it the longer it got) in many sittings, back and forth actually, as the scenes occurred to me. The difficulty with this is to keep the development constant and sometimes it's difficult to connect it to the rest. I went through it with a fine comb but I'm not sure if I saw every inconsistency because I've over read it already so much. I only see what I want to see by now because I know it by heart. And the chapters are so long, it's takes a lot of time to edit them. And I'm running out of time. I really need to start working on a work project and I wanted this story done by Xmas (not going to happen as Xmas is already next week) but no later than a little into the New Year.
So, please, help me out here by editing with me. With the power invested in me, I all assign you to voluntary editors, so, please tell me where something struck you as odd or incomplete.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand: Action!
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18. The last mission
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"This can't go on."
Hermione was bent over an ancient runes text, trying to figure out what it was about. It would have been more efficient had she actually looked at it.
"Pardon?" she reacted to the previous sentence, thrown at her from Ginny who stood in front of her work table, scowling with her arms folded over her chest and Luna at her side.
"Look at you, Hermione. You are a shadow of your former self. You are always only half there and half somewhere else, Merlin knows where. You withdraw from us and I want to know what's going on with you. So, we are taking you to lunch where you WILL eat something and then tell me exactly what's wrong with you. Luna." Ginny jerked her head to Hermione's one side and Luna stepped obediently where indicated. Ginny stepped on Hermione's other side and they hooked their arms under Hermione's and dragged her toward the door.
Hermione started a feeble protest of: "But I'm not hungry, I'd rather …"
"Shut it," Ginny barked at her. "You are coming with us and I won't let you go anywhere near work until I am satisfied with your explanations."
Hermione was too tired to protest more and let herself be pulled out of the ministry and to a lunch place in Diagon Alley where Ginny ordered her a hearty soup with meat and fresh bread. The short waiting time bridged by chatter, Ginny barked: "Eat" when the steaming soup was placed in front of her, before she dug into her own sandwiches.
Hermione tried a careful spoon of the soup and was surprised to discover that she felt halfway starved when she felt the broth run down her throat. She dug in.
After they finished their lunch, Hermione felt gratefully satisfied for once. She had neglected herself, she knew that, but she couldn't bring up the energy to take care of the necessities of life. Like eating. And sleeping.
"Alright, old girl, now tell us exactly what's been going on? Did Malfoy do anything to you?"
Hermione shook her head at Ginny's presumption. "No, he didn't do anything. Nothing to hurt me, if that's what you mean."
"Then what, Hermione? Tell me. We won't let you go before we know exactly what's going on with you. Right, Luna?" Luna nodded. Her usually dreamy face for once was concerned. It warmed Hermione's heart that her friends cared so much about her. And that did the trick. The knowledge that her friends would catch her in her fall opened the gates. She slumped on the table and groaned.
"I just miss working with our special magic, the compow. The extra energy was so invigorating and with him gone, it's just quiet and I don't know where to gather the energy for anything."
Luna asked, unusually inquisitive: "Do you miss the energy or working with him with the energy?"
"The energy, I don't know, working with the energy, no, both, oh, I don't know," Hermione whined.
Ginny questioned: "And why don't you two work together anymore?"
"Because he is engaged and he can't. Or he won't. I don't know," Hermione exclaimed.
"Are you in love with him, Hermione?" Ginny prodded carefully, trying to prevent a full out explosion of temper.
But Hermione only shook her head tiredly. "No. I just miss the work with him. We were just so close to finding out what the compow can actually do and he just had to get engaged and stop working on it, it's driving me mad."
"Can you tell us what you know? Perhaps we can put our heads together and conclude what it can do," Luna prodded gently. She had been filled in by Ginny with the permission of Hermione.
"It's supposed to be something from each of the carriers, something that makes the kind of our magic, something typical. The compow is the stronger the more different the original carriers are, which would make it pretty strong in our case and the manifestation of the extra powers comes with something from both of us. We've been able to resolve spells put on us, the Petrificus, and we've combined our two magics through it and when we fight too strongly with each other it explodes on us. And I have no idea where else to look."
Ginny looked at her attentively: "And you have no clue as to what it could be, other than dissolving a Petrificus? Which is actually something."
Hermione shook her head, then something occurred to her. "There was this dream I had between the …, ehm, the morning before the day of Draco's engagement reception. It was about a couple who were in love but couldn't marry because of society rules. It was all very mythical, she was a priestess in a temple, he was a warrior and of lower social standing. But even though these two didn't look like us, they had our eyes and the woman had a name similar to my second name, Jean, and it was clear that they stood for Malfoy and me. He asked for her blessing because he was going to go to make amends for sins against society because he didn't want to marry the girl picked for him, because he was in love with the priestess. She sent him on his way, but said that it would make her sad to see him go. He asked her to go with him, she declined, said her duty was there, although she cried, and when she kissed him good-bye on the forehead he pulled her down and snogged her good. She was shocked and slapped him and he said it was worth it and left. She stood there for days on end, watching the door through which he left and when somebody told her that he had been killed by hunters of his clan, she fainted in despair. There was a lot of talk about sins and tarnished souls and debts and so on, it was very confusing. I took it as a message from my subconsciousness because it was so clear with the slapping but I don't know what it is supposed to tell me. Oh, there was something else, the warrior, Arion by the way, said, when she told him that their union wasn't allowed that it would have been so right, they could have created a strong shield to protect the innocent and about darkness approaching. I'm not telling this right." She lowered her head to the table. "As it is with dreams, there were so many nuances, so many telling things in what I just saw, I cannot recount that."
"So, she sent him away but after he left she was too paralysed to move?" Ginny clarified. "A bit like you now?" Hermione twitched. That couldn't be right, she didn't send him away; he left.
Luna added quietly: "And did you reject him like the priestess in your dream?"
Hermione exhaled: "I don't think I did. You need to be important to somebody to be able to reject him. I was never important to Malfoy, I was always just Granger. Just look at the girls he was always dating. How can I compete with that? How could I mean anything to him when he can have women like that?"
Ginny scoffed. "Hermione, please, do you appreciate the women he was dating? Do you appreciate his choice in a wife? Do you really want to be like them? I don't think so." She shook her head. "Don't you think he may appreciate something else in you? The compow is certainly something special but what do you think about the fact that you were the only person who backed him up in sixth year? That has to mean something to him."
Hermione thought back to the talk she had had with Draco Malfoy right before she told their secret to her friends, last month. When he had calmed her freight and told her how he had never wanted to hurt her since she discovered him in the classroom and everything that happened that night. So, if she had some importance to Draco Malfoy, could he really have felt rejected? And then, she had done it twice.
"If I rejected him, it was all in his head. And I never meant to," she defended herself, trying to quiet her doubts about her own behaviour.
Luna said in her usual dreamy voice: "A rejection is a rejection, no matter if you had a reason for it or not."
Hermione startled and looked guiltily at her friends.
Ginny groaned: "Hermione, do us all a favour, don't go around finding reasons not to be with him. I know my brother was not the most excellent boyfriend but don't take that as a life lesson. It's not that you don't have anything to offer, just because my brother likes his women more experienced than him, and don't think you don't deserve a good man at your side. I know it's too late with Malfoy now, but for future reference, if you find a guy you like, go for it. You might want to put a little mascara on your lashes and perhaps gloss your lips. But don't disqualify yourself by your own judgement. Either you like the guy or not. Don't worry about your friends. We are your friends. If he is good for you, we'll come around. You deserve it, Hermione." Luna nodded in agreement.
Hermione thought back to the one romp she had shared with Malfoy. It had been good, heck, it had even been fabulous. It hadn't worked with Ron but she certainly seemed to have something to offer to Malfoy, even in the bedroom. He had admitted himself that it had been exceptional. Her looks hadn't even been an issue. And she wasn't ugly, she knew that. She just didn't spend two hours each morning in the bathroom to make herself presentable; or booked a hairdresser at least once a week. Or had her nails done. Well, you get the point.
Oh, Merlin, he had as good as admitted that he wanted to be with her, twice and she hadn't believed him and shoved it back in his face. Twice. And now he was engaged.
Why could her brain never shut up? It had felt so right, her body had hummed and glowed, the kisses, his body, it had all fit so well. She missed his smell, his smiles, his calm voice, his teasing, his magic, his energy, his presence. And his body. And she wouldn't have minded a repeat performance. And when he had offered it all to her, her brain had to question it. Her body had told her all along where it wanted to be but her brain had overruled it.
What had she done?
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Hermione's POV:
When I came back into the ministry the next morning, Harry was already waiting. He gathered our entire group and waited again until we had all settled.
"Listen up. We found the place where the Lestrange brothers hide. It'll be just the two of them and maybe one or two more, thus, our group together can take them down. But I want the entire group, the buggers are not to be underestimated. Gallows and his colleagues have another mission, a bigger group out west, so we need all hands on deck today. So, pack your stuff, we are moving in an hour. Hermione, can I talk to you for a minute?"
My head perked up. What did Harry want? Did he want to leave me behind because I was so fragile at the moment? I made my way over to him.
"Harry?"
He greeted me warmly. My worst suspicions felt confirmed. He wanted to leave me behind. "Hermione, how are you feeling?"
"Quite alright, Harry, why are you asking?"
He hummed and hawed: "Well, you know, this is going to be a big mission. We'll need all hands on deck, …"
"Yes, Harry, you said that. I can hear, you know. That's one more reason to take me with you."
"Take you with me? Why would I ever not take you with me?" Harry was taken aback.
Now I was flabbergasted. "You were going to take me with you? I thought you wanted to leave me here."
"Gods, no, Hermione. I need you."
"Then what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked nonplussed.
"Well, when I said "all hands on deck" I meant ALL hands." He looked at me expectantly. I still didn't know where he was going and what it had to do with me. Until a shadow fell over us and I smelled a familiar smell. And the world felt right again.
"Hullo, Granger." I didn't want to look up. I was too embarrassed. After my recent insight, I didn't want to face him again. But if you abide by society rules, and I was all for rules, you greet someone who greets you. Since the world was so right again, I felt a little indulgent. And following rules made me feel safe.
"Malfoy," I greeted quietly. And then I looked at Harry and tried to skewer him.
"Ah, the big welcome committee. Just as I expected," Malfoy chuckled humourlessly.
"Ehm, well, Hermione. I thought with a danger as big as we are going to face, we'll need your combined strength," he whispered the last part.
"Harry, …" I tried to object.
"Please, Hermione. I know that for some reason something came between you two. But I already almost knelt in front of Malfoy to persuade him to help us, don't let me beg you as well. Please."
I refrained from pointing out to Harry that he was already begging. And I understood that our strength would be important.
"You don't have to stay close to me, Granger, if that's what you worry about," snarled the blond man who occupied every third of my thoughts (yes, my brain was big enough that I had some other thoughts still). "If my presence is so repugnant to you, stay on the other side," he rubbed it in some more. I heard his bitter tone of voice and I was ashamed of myself. The way I had behaved, I had made him believe that I abhorred his presence. But this was not the time to clear up his mistake, well, no, my mistake. Even though I couldn't understand how he could have forgotten how well we fit together, I understood that rejected people make up all kinds of explanations as to why they've been rejected. It's only natural. He must have thought I really didn't like him (as irrational as that sounds), and it was my fault. The insight constricted my throat, so I could only nod to indicate my agreement to work as a group.
Malfoy and Harry nodded in return, and he turned to prepare for the fight, whereas Harry gave me a grateful hug and whispered "Thank you" in my ear. After he had turned away from me, to prepare as well, my throat took up his regular function again and I was able to whisper "I'm sorry" to the empty room. I was sorry: sorry that I had been so stubborn, so blinded by my own prejudices and sorry that it was too late now because he was engaged to marry another woman. I hadn't allowed myself to feel anything for him because he was Draco Malfoy and we had a history. And now I couldn't allow myself to feel anything for him because he belonged to another woman and that was way worse. I had missed my chance. The epiphany almost took my breath away and only our combined strength held me up. I turned away just to gain control over my muscles again, and to prepare for the fight as well.
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We apparated to the abandoned quarry, where in a worker's hut the Lestrange brothers were supposed to hide. The hut was clearly visible in the middle of the quarry but randomly strewn boulders were obstructing the view of the other side.
We spread out to surround the hut from all sides and then encircle it. Malfoy took great care to be on the exact opposite side of the circle from me. I couldn't blame him. He didn't know that I was longing for his presence and that I blamed myself that I had driven him into the arms of another woman. I could feel him through the compow but he shielded his magic from my contact. Whenever I came close, he pulled the compow in between to separate us. Like it had been in the beginning when it had been clear we were separated and it was only natural that we were.
There is no way to communicate well when out in the field. The best way we had found was our messenger Galleons to vibrate in our pockets. On Harry's command, we moved forward, toward the hut, our next man or woman right and left just within sight.
With the silencing spells and disillusionment charms over us, we moved without sounds and you could barely see the ripples of air moving. It was eerily quiet, except for a few birdcalls. It was also extremely cold, even for December and I remember that I thought why of all days it had to be so freaking cold on that day. Draco and I had dissembled the wards before we had spread out in the circle, it looked like child's play.
Until I heard a scream from the right.
"Auugh, get your hands off me, let me go, you bloody prick, ow, let go. It's a trap, people, it's a mmpfff." Ginny. Silenced. A trap? How could it be a trap?
I ran before I heard Harry's yell of "Charge". Before I reached the place where I had heard Ginny being silenced (likely by a hand over her mouth), a spell singed close over my head. I ducked and continued in a bent down running form, sending out stunning spells in a patterned fashion, one every five degrees. If I hit Ginny, it would be alright. If I hit an attacker, all the better.
Two or three of my stunners must have hit the mark because there were three people lying on the ground where Ginny was supposed to be. I bound two of them and enervated Ginny with a wave of my wand, and then half supported, half dragged her to cover behind one of the boulders.
She panted the shock out of her system and nodded when I asked her if she was alright. "Yeah, sure," she said. "Go, get the bastards. I'll gather my wits and come help in a minute." I eyed her carefully. She looked shaken but her fierceness still gleamed in her eyes. She would come around, Ginny was a fighter, she was.
I nodded in agreement and peeked around the boulder to see if the way was clear. When I saw flying curses and spells a little in the distance I sneaked around and made my way zigzagging towards the fighting.
Next to one boulder on my way I found a moaning body on the ground. I quickly went to check if it was one of us and found Neville bleeding from a shoulder wound. The front of his cloak was soaked through.
"Neville, dammit, what happened?"
"Got hit," he moaned. "Sliced right through, the spell. I lost my wand or I would have fixed it already."
"Accio Neville's wand," I hissed. With a slap it surged into my hand. I pushed it in his hand and before I lost more time was going to be on my way again, but I had to make sure he was going to be alright. I needn't have worry, though. Neville had developed into a brave warrior and wouldn't be held back by a bleeding shoulder. He had already pointed his wand to his injured shoulder and was mumbling the healing spells under his breath.
"Alright, Neville?"
He nodded and jerked his head in the direction I was going to go. "Yes, go."
I continued on my way, ducking behind boulders where I could, until I reached almost Harry's side. He was duelling an attacker in a black cloak with a hooded mask. I shot a stunner at his attacker. I knew it wasn't fair, it was against all duelling rules but we were at war here. They didn't play by the rules and I came to understand slowly that rules have their place and sometimes you were to disobey them. I listened for a second. There was more fighting a little in the distance but where Harry and I stood is was eerily quiet. I hadn't seen Draco on my way over here but I could still feel by his magic that he was somewhere off to the right. I watched Harry bind and disarm the captured attacker when he bent over and started choking.
"Harry, what's wrong?" I gasped.
I heard him choke next to me: "Dementors." And then I understood why it was so freaking cold on that day. I hadn't felt the effect because with the compow whole again, my day had seemed bright. But this kind of death-cold it couldn't keep at bay.
I saw Patronuses alight left, right and centre, charging forward to the ugly creatures, shepherding them together in the middle. Yes, I thought, good move, we can keep them in the middle guarded by the Patronuses until we can take care of them. There had to be a way to destroy them, I was sure the aurors would know. Good strategy, I thought until I realized who else was in the middle.
"Draco. Oh, my God, Draco. Harry, we are moving the Dementors to him."
Harry choked. He was still affected by the closeness of them.
Draco was somewhat immune to the paralysing effect of the Dementors, just like I. I could see him fighting valiantly in the middle, his wand slashing the air like the rapier of a very experienced fencer. But he couldn't find a break in the wall of their shapes, he couldn't get out of their circle. And he didn't know the one spell that would disperse them, these lifeless forms.
"Draco," I screamed, locked in place by fright. "They are circling you in."
I saw his face tighten and sweat glistening on his forehead. They were overwhelming him. There was only one way. I gathered my thoughts, beaming energy, prickling on mine and the exhilaration of combining two magics in one and a soft kiss that made my world stop.
"Expecto Patronum," I yelled and a being emerged from my wand, grand, majestic, white with silver eyes and a white spiky mane, bigger than an elephant. At a swish of my wand, it charged towards the melee of Dementors with Draco in the middle. Mesmerized and relieved, I watched as my Patronus drove the Dementors away like chicken by the fox. Draco turned to me gratefully, with his genuine smile on his face, but while I watched from afar the progress of my Patronus annihilating the slimy creatures, I saw his smile morphing into a mask of horror. I saw him yelling at me but I couldn't hear him over the battle noise. "Granger" I thought I heard him yell desperately, running toward me, before my world exploded with a bang and then everything became very quiet.
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Draco's POV:
I had thought she couldn't stand my presence anymore. After our last fight in her apartment, I thought I had catapulted myself out of her life for good. What did it matter if we were the perfect pair if she couldn't see us as such? If she didn't trust me enough, if she couldn't trust me enough to feel something for me? I hadn't done much for her to trust me, didn't I? She had reached out to and stood up for me and I? What had I done for her? I couldn't think of anything.
But her panic, when the Dementors surrounded me, was tangible. Not only could I feel her magic pulsing irrationally through the compow, but I could taste her panic in the air. She had panicked. For me. She didn't want to lose me. The thought had warmed me so much that I had been able to withstand the creatures for a second or two longer than should have been possible. I had enough dark thoughts in my mind for them to overwhelm me with. Fortunately, I didn't have that many happy thoughts in me for them to feed on. I believe that had slowed down their advance a bit.
Then the enormous Patronus had taken care of the creatures. I had seen it emerge from her wand. Why she of all people should have a Siberian Silvereye for a Patronus, I couldn't fathom; white as snow, with the flame-like mane and with the typical silver eyes, a beautiful beast. Well, it was a little smaller than the original. A little larger than an elephant and of course, longer. But it had been a powerful one, it dissembled the 15 or so creatures around me in mere minutes.
I saw her standing, breathing in relief, when she watched her spell save me. But looking at her I saw the spell advancing on her other side, blue light coming closer to her, as if in slow motion. I could gauge that it would hit her right in the side if she didn't move aside and I yelled at her to step back. She saw me saying something but she couldn't hear. I saw her forehead furrow trying to understand what I said and I started to run to get closer to her, to push her back, if necessary to take the spell for her. But I was too far away because before I had taken twenty running steps, the spell was already on her. I yelled "Granger" in hope against hope but saw her faltering in the onslaught.
And then she went out like a light.
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Draco Malfoy was going to eradicate all these Death Eaters from the face of the earth. He was going to kill them, rip them limp from limp, mince them, put them through the wringer, burrow them more than six feet deep and stomp and spit and piss on their burial sites. And if that didn't satisfy him, he would dig them back up and start all over. Through red clouded vision, he roared his fury like a battle cry that startled even his fellow fighters of the light and turned with lightning speed to the unfortunate Death Eater in the distance that had sent the spell that hit Hermione Granger and knocked her out.
'You may be unconscious but I can feel you in there,' he talked to her in his mind. 'Granger, I know you are still in there, I can feel you, I can feel our compow. I'm pulling it, Granger, I'm pulling it and atomize these bastards who dared to trap us. Give me your fucking Gryffindor courage, and I'll finish them. Just hold on, Granger, we'll get you out of there as soon as I'm done with them, just hold on.'
He hardly noticed that Harry joined his side with an angry outcry. With the majority of Dementors destroyed by Hermione's Patronus, Harry recovered and took charge again.
He let Draco throw out his spells as he pleased, though, and stayed supportively a little to the sides but out of the way and had his fellow former Dumbledore's Army fighters do the same. He wasn't sure if Draco Malfoy noticed what he did for him because Malfoy seemed to see nothing but the targets for his superhuman magic. He sliced and he swished, he twirled and he stabbed his wand through the air faster than the eye could follow, leaving streaks of light behind as an afterimage. He focused on felling the attackers so much, that the air started bristling in bright colours around him. Weeks later, everybody teasingly called him "the Light fighter" afterwards. This name was later stretched to include Hermione Granger as well, but he would always claim the title as the first who carried it. Something he couldn't help rub into Hermione whenever he could, much to her amusement, years later.
The aurors, who had been called by Harry when Ginny called the trap and when he felt the Dementors approaching, popped into existence through apparition around them and were stunned for a moment by the spectacle they saw. And then they jumped in the fray and within minutes the attackers, who had been stunned by Draco's magic as well as the terrible wrath exuding from him, were surrounded, disarmed and bound.
The battle sounds hadn't silenced entirely yet, before Draco Malfoy turned back to run to Hermione's side. He sank down next to her lifeless form, and was on his knees before he was fully at her side yet, which made him slide the last meter or so. Ron Weasley was already bent over her but Draco elbowed him out of the way to take her face in his hands.
Harry followed quietly and wondered about Draco Malfoy never ceasing to surprise him. Despite his usual spiteful behaviour, Harry had seen him nervous and afraid the night on the tower, facing Dumbledore; he had seen him a nerve wrack that held himself together by a thread in Malfoy Manor when he had refused to identify them; and he had seen him afraid for his life the night of the final battle when he had saved him from the Room of Requirements. But he had yet to see him entirely frantic as he was at that moment, bent over Hermione Granger's prone form.
He held her face gently but talked frantically: "Granger, come on, Granger, where are you, I can feel your magic, you're there, I can feel you in there, where are you, say something, move something, what hit you, fucking Merlin, where is it?" He sounded so desperate that even Ron put a calming hand on his back. He shrugged it off and concentrated quietly for a moment on Hermione, looking at her still face. Harry assumed he focused on their mutual magic, their compow. After a minute he shook his head frustrated but tried again none the less with his forehead resting on Hermione's chest. Harry made his way to his side, looking down at Hermione's face. He had seen her still before, when she had been petrified by the basilisk in second year. Fortunately, there had been a cure and it just took time. He hoped there was a cure now.
"Anything you can do, Malfoy?"
The blond man sat back up and shook his head frantically again. "No, I can't see it. I don't even know where it is. I need her participation to find it." His voice broke on "her".
Harry put his hand on his former adversary's shoulder. The blond man straightened up with resolve.
"But she's warm, she's breathing, she's there, I can feel her in there, we have to get her to St. Mungo's." He shoved his arms under Hermione's body and lifted her up.
"Granger, do you hear me, we are getting you help. Stay with me, you hear me, wherever you are in there. If you see a bright light, don't go there, stay with me. Dammit, don't you dare die on me, Granger." His voice broke again while he stood up with her in his arms. Harry stood next to him and they apparated together, to make sure they got to St. Mungo's without splinching. Ron and Ginny followed in a heartbeat.
The receptionist at St. Mungo's had seen many obscure things in her career at the entrance of St. Mungo's. It came with the territory. But this one made her drop her coffee mug. It dropped to the floor and splashed coffee all over her new dragon hide boots, which fortunately, didn't do any damage. Where would all the dragons be, if a little coffee on their scales would do any damage, I ask you?
But it certainly was a sight to behold and worthy of a dropped coffee mug: Draco Malfoy running with an unconscious Hermione Granger in his arms towards the Spell Damage ward, accompanied by Harry Potter, followed by Ron and Ginny Weasley; Potter was shouting orders while running, a medic team burst from a side room to run into the same direction as they were, and to start working even before the doors of the elevator closed behind them (A/N: avid 'Emergency Room' watcher, couldn't resist).
Once in the room, one unfortunate Healer took it upon himself to tell them to leave. He was able to convince Harry that they would work better if not another four people would stand around them, trying to hold the patient's hands. But when Harry nodded and pulled on Draco's arm to leave with him, the Malfoy heir dug his heels in. "No," he said firmly.
"Malfoy, come on. They'll be faster when we aren't here, looking over their shoulders."
"You go, Potter, there'll be three people less when you take your girlfriend and her oaf of a brother."
"Hey" Ron protested feebly.
The healer came to help. "Mr Malfoy, you are not family."
Malfoy's glittering eyes would have lesser men run for cover but the sturdy healer had seen many alike. "I am a friend, as is Harry Potter. Would you deny Harry Potter to stay with his friend if he insisted on staying?"
The healer hesitated: "Well, no, but…"
"Then you can't deny me." Malfoy cut him short.
"Hey," Harry intervened, "you just told me to leave."
"But we don't even know what hit her, it could take months." The healer tried to rectify his call.
Draco disregarded him. "I don't care, I'm not leaving." And he plopped himself unceremoniously down on a chair close to Hermione's bed where other healers were working frantically, and folded his arms.
Harry on the other hand had pity with the healer just trying to do his job, and with a nod to him, he took Ron and Ginny by the arms and pulled them out the room.
The Healer sighed. The people he had to put up with. But he went to work. It didn't really matter whether Draco Malfoy was there or not, as long as he stayed out of the way. It could actually help if she had a familiar face or voice close once she woke up.
After three quarters of an hour, they had her just stabilized. Without more information about what had hit Hermione, this was all they could do. It was an entirely unknown spell to all of them. It looked like a stunner but it didn't react like one. They had to wait and see how she progressed. This was what they told Harry Potter and company as well when he came back into Hermione's room. When the healers left after the initial care, Draco moved his chair next to Hermione's bed and took her hand. He was going to try again if he could reach her magically. When Harry and Ginny saw how possessively Draco placed himself next to their friend, they exchanged a glance of understanding and with a nod turned around to leave again, pulling a protesting Ron with them out of the room.
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Draco's POV:
Her hand looked so small in my larger ones. Here I was again staring at her hands when she was unconscious. "Are you in there, Granger? Can you hear me? Are you in pain?" I spoke and let my head sink on her arm on the covers. I kept mumbling into the bed sheet. "I remember you telling me to give you my pain, the first time we met in that classroom, in the middle of the night in sixth year. It feels like a life ago. This is not the same life anymore. I am not the same person anymore and it's your fault, you know that, Granger, don't you? Granger. I'm still calling you "Granger". I don't even know why I'm doing it. Granger. You've always been "Granger" to me. I know you have a first name. Hermione. Daughter of Gods, Queen of Leontes, leader of her people."
Tired of talking, my thoughts went on quietly. 'Leading you do. You led me out of the darkness. Like a queen you stood up for me, to support me, to protect me.' I delved on the softness of her body where it touched my head, her smell of roses. I thought back to her panic before her Patronus had saved me. I had Potter beg me to help him on this mission one more time, but it was for show. I jumped on the opportunity to see her again, to feel our compow whole, I would have said yes before he even opened his mouth as soon as I saw him in my fireplace. But a Malfoy needs to be begged. And I was so sick of it. I had missed her presence, her witty repartee to my snarls and I couldn't get how her body had reacted to mine out of my head. I hadn't even slept with Astoria since I'd been at Granger's apartment the last time. I didn't have the energy. This was not supposed to happen to adjuncted wizards and witches. They were supposed to continue to live separately if they so pleased. But I couldn't. I felt hollow, I felt half, I felt off kilter. What would happen to me if she died?
When I had realized how compatible we were in the bedroom after our one-time romp, I had resigned myself to the fact that Granger was my physical counterpart. It took a few moments to adjust my thoughts around it but she had simply fit. The way her body had reacted to mine had catapulted me to unknown heights. Don't get me wrong: It wasn't that she was so extremely talented and experienced in the bedroom. Rather the opposite. And of course I had had great sex with other witches before, some of them very skilled in the art of seduction, so I knew what I was talking about. But it was the fact that Granger hadn't even tried to seduce me, that she had reacted on impulse, to me, despite my name, despite my earthly possessions, perhaps not despite my looks, but certainly despite the less than friendly history that we shared, that had fit so well, that had brought me up as it had. She didn't care that I was 'Draco Malfoy, heir of the Malfoy empire, owner of a vault at Gringott's with gazillion Galleons in it'. I thought my head would explode when I came. And I am not normally that outspoken in the bedroom. After the explosion in my groin though, after coming down from my almost meeting with the guy who winked at me, the fact had sunk in that she was 'Hermione Granger, Potter's best friend, fighter on the side of the light, bookworm, know-it-all' and so on. It didn't make sense that she was to be my one woman. Therefore, I was reluctant to tell her. But I had to let her know. And she had reacted as expected; like a cat with fur on end. And with hindsight I understood why she had reacted that way: I had never shown her that I wanted to be with her because I hadn't known myself until that fateful day. And even on that day, I had only had just about come to terms with the thought. But it hurt like hell to be rejected like she had done. Although that was nothing to how it would rip me apart if she actually died now.
I groaned: "Oh, Merlin, don't die on me, Granger. You can't die. What am I going to do without you? What's life going to be without you? I don't want to know. You've always been there, from my first day at Hogwarts, you were there, showing me how wrong I was. I didn't want to believe you, you were nothing to me, a sub-being, a muggleborn, a mudblood. And you still stood up and reached out for me. Because of who you are. Merlin's beard, I'm sorry for every hurt I gave you, for every insult that cut you, for every pain I've caused. If I could take them back, I would. I'd suffer every pain that I ever gave you if you gave me the chance. And you know that's a huge offer, because of who I am. Remember my whining over the hippogriff scratching me. Give me a chance to take back the pains, to make it up to you. Don't die, Granger, don't die." A dry sob dragged itself out of my chest and I was reminded of the sound again that I made that night in the classroom where it all started, my connection with Granger.
And then I remained quiet for the longest time, listening, trying to reach into our magic, feeling her magic pulse against mine like a soothing touch but no other sign of life but her equal breathing.
.
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People came and went. Harry, Ron and Ginny stopped by alternately every few hours to sit with Draco at Hermione's side for a while and check on any progress. They always left again after five minutes because it was unbearable to see Malfoy clutching Hermione's hand as if he was drowning without it. Healers came in and did the same, waving their wands over Hermione's body to see any reactions. Draco didn't look up, when the door opened again late in the evening. He had his head laid again on the edge of the bed in exhaustion, close to Hermione's arm, grasping her hand which rested on her stomach over the covers. He startled therefore when the visitor put her hand on his bent back and quietly said: "Draco."
He raised his head to look up at her, his fiancée. "Astoria" She kissed his forehead and wrinkled her nose over his state. He looked ready to pass out. Then she motioned with her chin to the reclined Hermione. "How is she doing?"
Draco shook his head and with breaking voice admitted: "I don't know, I don't know."
He let go of Hermione's hand and embraced Astoria who pressed him to her chest and stomach and let him cry his heart out. She knew Draco Malfoy had needs. In the short while, since they had been engaged she had quickly learned that she had to take care of his needs. Physical needs and intellectual needs. She wasn't sure how well she did, taking care of him but this was going to be her role as his wife in the future. He was an attentive lover who made sure that the woman had equal pleasure and she knew she was going to enjoy some parts of her wifely duties very much. Being so thoroughly pleasured, though, she couldn't help caring somewhat for her fiancé, even though they were not in love, and that was the reason she embraced him so wholeheartedly, even when he was crying for another woman. While she held his shaking body and stroked through his silky locks, she made soothing noises, like a mother to an upset child. "It's alright, Draco, she'll come around, just you wait, it'll be alright."
After about fifteen minutes, Draco had calmed enough to be able to sit back on his own again. He leaned forward and took Hermione's hand up again, stroking over her lifeless fingers. Astoria watched him.
"She's it, isn't she?"
Draco's voice was raspy when he replied: "It?"
Astoria made an impatient noise: "Your match. I'm a Slytherin, too, you know."
He nodded.
"Did you know before you proposed to me?"
He nodded again. "Then, why did you?"
His voice sounded dejected: "She rejected me."
Astoria raised her eyebrows: "She rejected you? What did you do, spring it on her that she had to be with you from now on and forever, without thoughts about her friends and family and everything she knew and was familiar with?"
Draco pulled his mouth in a thin-lipped smile: "Somewhat like it."
Astoria snorted: "And you felt rejected when she said, wait a second, let's think about this? This is Hermione Granger, Draco, even I know that overthinking things two, three times is what she does."
Draco lowered his head again: "I know."
Astoria exhaled: "Typical Malfoy." The blond man remained silent and kept staring at Hermione's form. Astoria sighed and made her decision. She was hoping she was not going to regret what she was about to do now, but there was no way she could not do it.
She stroked through his hair again. "I'm going to miss this, stroking through your hair. Can I perhaps do it when we meet as friends?"
Draco's head snapped up: "What?"
Astoria smiled angelically at him. "I'm giving you the pass, Draco Malfoy. I'm breaking off our betrothal. Or are you going to tell me that you could ever feel for me anything close to what you feel for her?"
With a furrowed forehead her almost-husband-to-be snapped at her: "No, but you knew that. That was our agreement."
Astoria sighed: "Yes, but I didn't know that you had such strong feelings for another woman and that you came to me because you felt rejected by her. I thought, you were just sick of searching and were settling, to get your parents of your back. I thought, it was stupid and overhasty but, hey, who was I to complain that I would become Lady Malfoy? My parents could have picked a worse husband than you. You were an excellent lover."
Malfoy glanced at her with bleary eyes. "How are we going to break the bond?"
Astoria smiled smugly. "I'm sure we can find a way. We cannot be the first couple that made a mistake in choosing a partner. We are not even married, there has to be a way."
He was still sceptic as to her true intentions: "What are you going to do, disengaged?"
Astoria looked sternly: "I'm going to marry Theo Nott."
Draco raised an eyebrow. There was something in the way she said Theo's name. "If you are in love with Nott, why didn't you tell me?"
Astoria looked down to her knees. "The Notts are a good enough family but when you "proposed" my parents of course pushed me to accept you. I never expected that I would be able to have Theo. I knew that my parents would usher me off to the best suitor. We had a huge discussion the night after you announced your visit and before you proposed the next morning. They won't be thrilled now, but they'll get over it."
He put his hand on her cheek and lifted her head again. "Let me know if they give you a hard time. I'll help. You shouldn't have to do this alone."
Astoria laughed. "Oh, I'm not doing this alone. I'll wait until you are available again and then, you'll do it with me, the telling."
Draco smiled. "I will."
She hugged him. When she pulled back, he held her close and looked her in the face. "Thank you."
She had to swallow. The depth of his feelings for the other women was written all over the lines of his tired face. If she could have inspired such feelings, she could have had this man, this tall, handsome, magically powerful, upstanding, rich man. But it was not her call, not her fault, and she really wanted Theodore Nott. Malfoy was not the right one for her. He was right for this woman lying on the bed next to them. Hermione Granger would be able to tame the temper and power of this man with her wit and own power. Sparks would fly but that would be the beauty of their stormy relationship. Astoria would never have been able to do that. Against Granger's rose, grown from dirt (A/N I swear roses grow best on dung), she was nothing but a pretty little violet.
She shook him off and stood up to leave. "Anytime, Draco. Remember to defend me when your woman takes offense to my right to go through your hair, next time we meet as friends."
He chuckled. "Deal."
Astoria bowed down to him one last time and kissed his forehead: "Deal, my friend."
And she left Draco to his quiet watch and thoughts, thinking on her way out, 'Merlin, let her recover soon. I couldn't stand seeing Draco break for good.'
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Draco's POV
When Astoria left, I felt elated like I hadn't in a long time. She had set me free. I wasn't going to be trapped in a marriage while pining for another woman. I had felt like the light in my life was missing with Granger absent, everything came in shades of grey and when I felt whole again by simply being in the same room as she, there was no doubt to me any longer that I wanted Granger. But I thought she didn't want me. And even though my Malfoy pride was a little injured that there actually was a woman who didn't want me, I couldn't blame her for that. I hadn't given her much reason to want me besides the amazing magic we shared and the incredible shag we had. I had exuded a certain attitude toward her all through our school years and understood that we had to overcome that kind of ingrained antagonism. But Astoria set me free and I was going to spend my future trying to convince Granger that we could have something worthy. And even if she couldn't be convinced at least I had the freedom to try.
I didn't deserve this kind of dedication. Why were people around all showing their best sides, their generosity, their big hearts? Next thing would be Zabini hugging and comforting me. Or Goyle telling me he found the love of his life. Heard that, Granger, I think that's your fault as well.
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The next morning, Pansy and Blaise came visiting.
"Draco, man, look at you," Blaise blurted out as soon as they stepped into the room. Pansy supported his outcry. "Draco, honey, you need to take care of yourself. You look like you've been through the wringer." Draco shook his head.
"Put a Scourgify over me if you want but I'm not leaving her bedside before she wakes up."
"But that could take months," Pansy exclaimed.
Draco nodded. "Then I'll stay here for months."
Blaise sat down next to him. "But what will people say? There are already whispers that Draco Malfoy won't leave the bedside of one Hermione Granger and everybody saying that raises their eyebrows. Everybody is aware that you worked together, but the way you watch over her is a little to intimate. What about Astoria? Does she know?"
Draco mumbled. "She knows." And nothing more.
"And? What does she say?" Pansy was almost excited that there was going to be more societal gossip.
Draco shook his head. Not before they had told her parents. If he told Pansy now, the whole town would know tomorrow. (The same applied for telling them about the compow.) And it wouldn't be fair to Astoria. Because he wouldn't be there to help her deal with it. He would be here, right here. Unless Granger had woken up. Which was not bloody likely. Damn.
Blaise understood. "Pansy, let him be. Draco, my man, is there anything we can do for you?"
Draco quietly shook his head again. "Not unless you can tell me what hit her and have a counter curse at the ready." Just leave me be, my friend, he didn't say. But Blaise understood him anyway.
Blaise sighed. "I can go and hit the books. But don't expect too much. It will take a while, too."
Draco nooded.
"But…," Pansy started.
Blaise took her elbow. "No, Pansy, we can't help here. But we can help with research. Who knows better than us what curses they could possibly use?" He gave a tight-lipped smile toward his blond friend and pulled the quietly protesting Pansy with him out of the hospital room, closing the door quietly after him and leaving Draco once again to his so far unsuccessful trials to pull Hermione out of her magically induced coma.
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The next day, when the door opened once again, the unlikely face of Gregory Goyle peeked around it. When he saw Malfoy's head rest on Granger's bed, he quietly snuck in and sat down next to his former commander.
"Hey, Draco, how're you doing?" he said to make his presence known.
Malfoy looked up surprised at his former subordinate. "Goyle. What are you doing here? You are the last person I would expect to visit her."
Goyle shook his head. "I'm not visiting her, I'm visiting you."
Draco's eyebrow furrowed. "Why would you not visit her? Once a mudblood, always a mudblood?"
Gregory Goyle snorted. "What do you take me for? But why would I visit her? I bet she doesn't even know that I actually can talk and that I finished my NEWTs." He paused. Draco waited.
"But you know, Draco. And after I heard, I just wanted to see how you are doing." Goyle continued. "And to give you my support."
Draco Malfoy raised an eyebrow sceptically and kept waiting.
Goyle chuckled, understanding that he had to give Draco more than that. "You know, Draco, she helped to safe my life. She and Weasley. I could imagine worse things than you being happy with her."
Malfoy looked uncertain. "What about the mudblood bullshit?"
Goyle shrugged. "That's just what it was, bullshit. You know it, I know it, that part of our life is hopefully completely over. There will always be idiots who think that some people are better than others but we know how to deal with it now, head on. It doesn't matter what you choose to differentiate between people, you can always find a dimension where somebody is better than another. But it's all the same bullshit." He paused again, reminiscing, then continued.
"Too bad, Crabbe isn't here. He would have eventually understood as well. Too bad, he never had a chance." Goyle looked off to the window.
Malfoy understood. He gave him enough time to dry his tears again. He personally couldn't cry for the loss of Crabbe. Crabbe had never been a mate for him, more like a minion to order around and do his bidding.
He might have struck up a friendship now that they were older and the war was over. But they would never know if Crabbe would have actually wanted that. Goyle, on the other hand, had been very close to Crabbe and Malfoy could respect that. Now, he could. Again Granger's fault. Oh, he would give her hell whenever she woke up, for all the epiphanies he was having while waiting for her.
And for the first time in his life, he reached out his hand and patted Goyle's meaty shoulder. "Rest his soul, my friend," he said. Goyle nodded silently. And then joined Draco in staring at Granger's still from. After a minute, he asked with a jerk of his chin toward the bed: "Is she going to wake up?"
Malfoy sighed: "I don't know. I don't know what hit her. Our magic is connected, we had an adjunction in sixth year, but I don't know enough to isolate the foreign magic in her from her own without her input." He didn't care anymore who knew. People would find out eventually anyway. He could at least tell his closest friends.
Goyle raised an eyebrow. "You are adjuncted with her? Well, that explains quite a bit."
Draco shook his head tiredly. "I'll tell you the whole story another time, alright?"
Goyle swallowed the news simply to be digested at another time and looked back to the bed. "What colour did it have, the spell that hit her?"
Malfoy looked at his fellow Slytherin sceptically. It would be a first if Goyle actually could contribute something. "It was blue."
"What did she do before the spell hit her?" Goyle inquired further.
Malfoy sighed again: "She casted a Patronus to save me from 15 Dementors circling me in. And it was huge, a dragon. It dispersed the foul creatures like sparrows on a park bench."
Goyle chuckled. "Yeah, they do that, Patronuses. I've tried to cast one but I haven't managed it yet. Dementors creep me out." He looked down on his knees but continued talking. "You know Crabbe and I received special training from the Carrows in seventh year, right?"
Malfoy nodded. That was no secret.
Goyle nodded as well. "Amycus took us aside one day and showed us that one spell, "Katatonici" that basically incarcerates the targeted person inside their body, inside their mind. It's different from a Petrificus or a Stunner. A Petrificus immobilizes you temporarily, but you can see in their eyes that they are still there, you can blink to protect your eyes and such and like a knock-out stunner, it's easily resolved, everybody knows the counter spell. Katatonici imprisons them within their mind. They are wide awake in there, but very deep in there, and can't move a muscle and have no control over their body or their magic anymore. And nobody knows the counter curse, except for very few. Carrow tried it out on Crabbe and he looked exactly like Granger over there. When freed from it, Crabbe told me it was horrible, he could hear us talking and thought he'd go mad because he knew he couldn't get out. And he was only under for a few minutes."
Malfoy interrupted: "What's the counter curse?"
Goyle sighed. "That's the problem, Carrow didn't show us. He used it to free Vincent but I don't remember; it was just that one time. He trained us afterward to do the spell on other students as punishments and for detention but he always awoke the students himself and never let us do it. I'm just telling you, so maybe you have a better idea of what it could be. I also believe that this spell was invented by the Dark Lord himself, you won't find it in any books. And Carrow is not going to tell you unless you give him something in return."
Malfoy snorted impatiently. "What can I do, then?"
Goyle shrugged. "You need to find her in there. And fast. She has a well sorted mind and will keep herself busy but being confined in your mind is not funny and the longer you wait…."
Malfoy was highly alarmed. "But I already tried that. How else can I find her?"
Goyle glanced at his friend. "That I don't know. I believe that is something only you know and can do. At least you know now that she is awake in there."
Malfoy looked desperately at Hermione on the bed, trying to find an entrance into her mind. Goyle patted his shoulder. "I'll leave you to it, then. Best of luck, my friend."
He got up and left the room as quietly as he had come in. He didn't need to wait for a thank-you. He owed them enough, the two in the room back there. It was the least he could have done. Gregory Goyle hoped there would be time later.
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Malfoy didn't really register that Goyle got up and left. He had already dived again into the magical energy that connected him and Granger. He dug down, mentally, until he could "see" the border between their mutual purple magic and Hermione's burgundy-red. When his magic touched hers, he again could feel the pulsing against his energy that told him that she was still alive. That was as far as he had recently gone. He needed her help if he wanted to use their combined magic. What had Goyle said, they were wide awake in there? He had to try.
"Granger, can you hear me? Did you hear what Goyle said? Is it true, are you in there, unable to move or communicate? I need your help if I want to get you out of there. I cannot move our magic alone into you. But if you can pull on your end, maybe I can get it in there? Where ever you are in there? Remember how we almost neutralized the magic of my Dark Mark? Maybe we can neutralize this here? But I need your help. I can't do it alone. Can you do something, like push your magic against mine if you can hear me?" He paused. And waited. On the border between the compow and his and her magic, he hovered and waited with baited breath.
He almost had a heart failure when he felt the pulsing of her magic change. As if it skipped a beat, the rhythm changed and started anew. Like a knocking on his magical wall.
He huffed. "Granger, was that you? If that was you, do it again. Please. I'm having a heart attack here. And I know that's a muggle thing to have."
The beat skip and knocking came again.
"Yes," Malfoy hissed. "Merlin's dirty underpants, you can hear me. I can feel your knocking. Alright, quick, how do I get in? Can I push our compow in to you?" He waited again, not daring to breathe.
Something pulled on his magic. No knocking, no beat change, but real pulling.
"You can pull? Why didn't you do so before then? Oh, bloody hell, don't say anything, Granger, I know you can't answer." The pulsing changed again. It felt like a tickling, like she was laughing in there. Great, imprisoned in her body and mind and she was laughing at him.
"Yeah, laugh at me, why do I care? I should just get up and leave. Alright, alright, Draco, get a grip." He squeezed the bridge of his nose. Something pulled again on him. "Don't want me to leave, eh? Should have thought of that before you laughed at me. Wait, if you pull and I push, can we do it together?"
The beat skip and knocking again. "Hello? Are you saying Hello? As in Hello-o, somebody home? You just wait till I get you out of there." The laughing pulse again.
"Okay, let's get on it. I need to yell at you and I need you to respond to my yelling. On three, I'll push the purple into your burgundy, alright? And you pull with all your might on your end, alright? Alright, Granger?"
Beat skip and knocking. "I take that as a yes. Okay, Granger, one-two-three."
With the same might he had pulled on Granger's magic months ago to save her from unendurable pain, he pushed purple magic into Granger's energy. He felt a complimentary force on the other side of his push and saw the purple brightening, vibrating, trembling, pulsating, like a germ-eating protein working its way into Hermione's burgundy.
When it was swallowed and stopped vibrating he stopped and left. He observed Hermione lying on her bed and was satisfied to see her eyelids flutter as if in a REM dream. That was an improvement from before. He had done his part, and he knew that he had succeeded. Now he had to wait and see.
A few hours later, a Healer came back in to do a regular check on Hermione. This time the light of the wand swept changed from blue to red. The Healer smiled.
"Cheer up, Mr Malfoy. There is a response. Her body is shaking the spell off. It will only be a matter of time until she awakes. A few more hours at the most, I'd say."
Draco Malfoy sagged in relief. Even though he had had a feeling that she was going to be alright from their "conversation", it was good to have it confirmed from a Healer.
"Thank you, Healer Montgomery."
The Healer patted his shoulder. "I'll have you some tea brought. It's going to be a long night if you want to wait." Draco nodded and thanked him again. There went his motto that Malfoys never thanked.
Then, when the healer had left, he let his head sink back on her arm on the bedcover.
"Merlin, Granger, I don't think you can ever make up for this kind of aggravation." But he breathed a few times deeply to calm himself. And then he fell asleep where he was.
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Draco Malfoy awoke from his uncomfortable position in the morning hours with his head resting on the edge of a hospital bed because the arm that touched his head was moving. And then a warm hand was laid on his cheek. His eyes flew open and he lifted his head carefully so as not to dislodge the gentle hand. Hermione Granger was still lying on her back and the only difference was that her eyes were open. They were staring at the ceiling at the moment, though.
"Granger," Draco said gently. The brown eyes moved over to him and brightened upon his sight.
Draco was still too anxious to appreciate this subtlety, so he snarled: "About time, Granger. Do you have any idea how long I've been sitting here waiting for you to get your lazy arse back up?"
Her mouth crinkled into the hint of a grin and he felt a knock against his magic. A beat skip and a knock. Hello-o to you, too.
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Can't speak yet? Can you move your head or something?"
She shook her head infinitesimal to answer both his questions at once. "Okay, alright, Granger, get some more rest. The curse will wear off. At least you're conscious again, we can work with that."
She blinked once as if to nod her head and then closed her eyes. Her hand gave his face a pat and then slid off, falling on the bed sheet between them. Draco waited a few minutes before he was sure that she had gone back to sleep by the calm breathing.
But she was back. Merlin's beard, she was back. He had pulled her out. No, she had pulled herself out but he had pushed the helping magic into hers.
With all the tension of the last few days receding, he rested his head once more, as he had done countless times by now, on the bed between them and breathed deeply to calm his nerves. He felt tears prick his eyes and let one or two drop but no more. He was a man after all, a Malfoy. People could come in and see. He wiped his face on the bed sheet.
And then the door opened and Harry Potter himself came in, followed by his girlfriend Ginny Weasley and her brother Ron.
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A/N: In case anybody wonders about Astoria's age (it struck me at one point), I'll calculated it as such: Harry is seventeen for Deathly Hallows, according to his birthday at the beginning of the book and Hermione eighteen. My story continues right after Deathly Hallows, so they are all eighteen now, Hermione nineteen because her birthday is in September. Astoria being two years behind her sister Daphne I figured may already have reached wizarding adulthood with her seventeenth birthday or will very soon at the end of her purposed engagement. Good?
Anybody still on the challenge? There were more clues in this chapter.
Don't forget to edit and review, please. Thanks a bunch
M