I'm back baby! Exams are gone, going to try and get this story finished :)
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A few days before the match against Ravenclaw, Harry sound himself walking down to dinner alone from the common room, Ron having rushed off into a nearby bathroom to throw up yet again (stricken with nerves), and Hermione had not yet returned from Ancient Runes. Harry suspected that she would already be in the Great Hall. More out of habit than anything, Harry made his usual detour along the seventh-floor corridor, checking the Marauder's Map as he went. For a moment he could not find Malfoy anywhere, and assumed he must indeed be inside the Room of Requirement again, but then he saw Malfoy's tiny, labelled dot placed just around the corner from where he was standing. Malfoy was not alone.
"Oh Draco, I'm sorry!"
Harry didn't need the Marauder's Map to tell him whose voice it was. He backed against the wall and slowly looked around the corner.
Malfoy and Hermione were in a tight embrace by the window. Harry's face burned with rage as he watched them kiss. This changed everything.
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Hermione smiled to herself as she walked down to the Great Hall for dinner, her heart fluttering at the thought of kissing Draco.
It'd be okay, the house-elves were probably too busy preparing dinner to spend time following students around. It'd be fine.
"You look happy," Ginny said as Hermione took a seat opposite her at the Gryffindor table. "care to share?"
Hermione raised her eyebrows and nodded over to Ron, who was sat next to Ginny. Ron was staring into a plate of sausages and mashed potato, looking unsure whether to eat or not.
"Relax, Ron." Ginny smiled, rubbing his back. "It'll be fine. You've been playing really well this year."
Ron grunted and picked up his knife and fork, spearing one of his sausages diligently.
"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked, scanning her eyes down the Gryffindor table, looking for his face.
"I'm not sure, last time I saw him he was in the common room." said Ginny.
Hermione shrugged and helped herself to some food.
But by the time the three of them had finished, Harry had still not turned up.
"Maybe we should bring him something." Hermione mused, taking a slice of treacle tart and wrapping it up in a napkin.
The three of them made walked up the main staircase, deciding that Harry was probably still in the common room.
They reached a corridor on the sixth floor and were greeted with the sound of shouts and clatters.
"THE ORDER HAS PROTECTED YOU, AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY US?"
They froze, wondering from which room the sound was coming from.
"I COVERED FOR YOU, TOLD EVERYONE THAT YOU COULD BE TRUSTED. I ONLY ASKED ONE THING FROM YOU!"
There was another clatter and Hermione looked down the corridor to see water pouring from the doorway of the boys' bathroom.
"BUT I LOVE HER!"
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She realised who the voices belonged to and started rushing down the corridor.
"Ginny, you didn't tell anyone, did you?" she called over her shoulder.
"No!"
Ron looked confused as he followed the two girls to the source of the commotion.
"What's going on."
"I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE HERMIONE OUT OF THIS!" Harry bellowed.
"Hermione," Ron said in a low voice, as he caught up with her. "What's going on?"
But Hermione was stood motionless, ankle deep in water, staring at the scene before her.
"No! No! Stop it!" squealed Moaning Myrtle, her voice echoing loudly around the tiled room. "Stop! STOP!"
There was a loud bang and the bin behind Harry exploded; Harry attempted a Leg-Locker Curse that backfired off the wall behind Malfoy's ear and smashed the cistern beneath Moaning Myrtle, who screamed loudly; water poured everywhere and Harry slipped over as Malfoy, his face contorted, cried, "Cruci-"
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" bellowed Harry from the floor, waving his wand wildly.
Blood spurted from Malfoy's face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backwards and collapsed on to the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand.
"No -" gasped Harry.
Hermione's body regained feeling and she ran to Draco's side. There must be something to stop the bleeding, a counter-curse, a charm...
"No – I didn't -"
Harry did not know what he was saying; he fell to his knees beside Hermione and Malfoy, the latter was shaking uncontrollably in a pool of his own blood. Moaning Myrtle let out a deafening scream.
"MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!"
Hermione's hand covered her mouth in horror, she sobbed loudly and fell backwards. Ginny rushed forwards to stop Hermione from hitting her head on one of the sinks, cradling her limp body. Harry's eyes stared in awe, while Ron was still in shock, standing in the doorway. Within seconds someone charged past him, his face livid. Pushing Harry roughly aside, Snape knelt over Malfoy, drew his wand and traced it over the deep wounds Harry's curse had made, muttering an incantation that sounded almost like song. The flow of blood seemed to ease; Snape wiped the residue from Malfoy's face and repeated his spell. Now the wounds seemed to be knitting.
Snape paused for a moment, but did not look up.
"Weasley," he said, to neither sibling in particular, "Take Granger to your common room."
"But Professor -" Ginny said, looking down at Hermione as tears rushed down her face. Her eyes had glazed over, looking in the direction of Draco's now motionless body.
"Or the hospital wing, I don't care." Snape said sharply as he inspected one of the cuts on Malfoy's neck. Ron helped his sister lift Hermione up, and they took her out of the bathroom.
Harry was still watching, horrified by what he had done, barely aware that he too was soaked in blood and water. Moaning Myrtle was still sobbing and wailing overhead.
When Snape had performed his counter-curse for the third time, he half-lifted Malfoy into a standing position.
"You need the hospital wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we might avoid even that … come ..."
He supported Malfoy across the bathroom, turning at the door to say in a voice of cold fury, "And you, Potter … you wait here for me."
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Hermione lay in bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Ron and Ginny had brought her back to Gryffindor Tower, the latter taking her up to the dormitories. Ginny had whispered "he'll be okay" before leaving Hermione alone in the sixth-years' room.
Hermione knew things between her and Draco had gone too far. It clearly wasn't safe to be together. Or was it? Draco was being protected by the Order, as was she, maybe they could … no, after what just happened, it would be impossible. Why would Harry keep this from her? Why would Draco?
Hermione's mind raced for what seemed like hours, until eventually Ginny returned.
"Draco's alive and in the hospital wing," Ginny said. "Harry's been banned from playing Quidditch."
"Good." Hermione said, not looking at her.
"Hermione -"
Hermione sat up briefly and drew the curtains around her bed. She waited until she heard Ginny's footsteps leave the room before she poked her head out to pick up a book from her bedside table. Reading would distract her.
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The morning after Hermione was quiet at breakfast, only speaking when Ron asked her whether she wanted any pumpkin juice. Harry only spoke when he asked Ginny to pass the toast. The two Weasley siblings noticed the obvious tension between their two friends, but were unsure what to do. Ron tried to remain cheerful through Herbology, Harry and Hermione quietly got on with what they were supposed to be doing without a word to each other.
Hermione couldn't help but notice the absence of Draco when she sat down in Arithmancy and the seat next to her was vacant. As the Ravenclaws came into the classroom, their conversations stopped at the sight of her. When Blaise and Theodore turned up, they didn't acknowledge Hermione at all. Not like they usually did, anyway.
When the lesson ended, she went down to the hospital wing. She was initially unsure whether it was right for her to visit Draco, but in the end convinced herself that she would be able to find out more about what was going on if she did.
Draco was in the last bed on the right-hand side of the room, lying on his side away from her. He wasn't wearing his Slytherin jumper any more but was still wearing his long-sleeved white shirt, which had bloodstains all over it. Hermione sat down in the empty chair next to his bed.
"Draco?"
Draco stirred and slowly rolled over to look at her sleepily.
"Oh, hello," he murmured with a small smile. "I was worried that it was Pansy, again."
"Again?"
"Again." Draco said, rearranging his pillows so he could prop himself up. "She's been in three times today already, and she came last night. Won't give me a moment's peace."
Hermione smiled and took his hand.
"I'm sorry."
"Hermione, you need to stop saying that all the time. It's not your fault." Draco squeezed her hand.
"It's Harry's for getting you into this mess." Hermione sighed.
"I think I had it coming to me, really," Draco said. "It's my fault." His brow furrowed momentarily. "Don't tell Potter I said that."
"I won't," Hermione laughed.
They were quiet for a few minutes, before Hermione spoke again.
"So do you want to tell me what's going on?"
Draco's face paled slightly and he looked worried. He looked over her shoulder in order to survey the room. They were alone, Madam Pomfrey was in her office and the hospital wing had no other patients.
"The Order of the Phoenix is protecting me." he whispered.
"I gathered that," Hermione said. "Protecting you from who?"
"I have instructions that I need to carry out, but I didn't -"
"Instructions from who?"
Draco didn't say anything. Hermione let go of his hand and slowly moved her own past his wrist and up his forearm. Draco hastily jerked his arm away from her touch.
"Sorry." he muttered.
Hermione folded her arms.
"I'll be out in time to watch the Quidditch tomorrow." Draco smiled timidly, changing the subject quickly. "Out in time to watch your team loose to Ravenclaw."
There was a small smile on Hermione's face. But she wasn't looking Draco in the eye, more looking at her own knees.
"I fear we will loose, we have no seeker. Snape's given Harry detention on every Saturday morning for the foreseeable future."
"Brilliant." Draco said, rubbing his hands together with glee. His grin broadened when Hermione giggled, her eyes finally moving from her lap to his face.
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On the morning of the Quidditch match, Hermione and Harry were left alone at the Gryffindor table at breakfast, Ron and Ginny having left to get ready for the game.
"I'm sorry that you can't play today, Harry." Hermione said in a quiet voice, stirring her cereal slowly with a spoon.
"It's okay, I deserve it." Harry replied, spreading marmalade onto his toast without looking at her. "I wonder how Malfoy's holding up."
"Better, he left the hospital wing this morning."
Harry looked up at her questioningly as she nodded over to the Slytherin table. Draco was sat with his friends, Pansy Parkinson glaring in their direction.
"Everyone hates me." Harry said glumly.
"Harry," Hermione said, "The Slytherins have always hated you."
"Yes, but not just them. Everyone hates me."
Harry looked down the table to see Lavender, Seamus and Dean sitting a considerable distance away from them. The three looked at Harry and Hermione briefly, before continuing their conversation as if they never had.
"Give them time." Hermione said.
"I bet Ron and Ginny hate me too." Harry mumbled.
"Of course they don't, they love you."
Harry's had jerked up from his plate. Hermione simply nodded knowingly, her lips forming half a smile.
And then they returned to silence. Neville arrived and dropped into a seat next to Harry, seemingly oblivious to yesterday's events. When they finished eating, Harry left to begin his detention with Snape, whilst Hermione and Neville walked down to the Quidditch pitch together.
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At half past one, Snape finally let Harry leave his office. As he reached the entrance hall, Harry hesitated at the door of the Great Hall before running up the marble staircase. Whether Gryffindor had won or lost, the team usually celebrated or commiserated in their own common room.
"Quid agis?" he said tentatively to the Fat Lady, wondering what he would find inside.
Her expression was unreadable as she replied, "You'll see."
And she swung forwards.
A roar of celebration erupted from the hole behind her. Harry gaped as people began to scream at the sight of him; several hands pulled him into the room.
"We won!" yelled Ron, bounding into sight and brandishing a silver cup at Harry. "We won! Four hundred and fifty to a hundred and forty! We won!"
Harry looked around; there was Ginny running towards him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her.
After several moments – or it might have been half an hour – or possibly several sunlit days – they broke apart. The room had gone quiet. Then several people wolf-whistled and there was an outbreak of nervous giggling. Harry looked over the top of Ginny's head to see Dean Thomas holding a shattered glass in his hand and Romilda Vane looking as though she might throw something. Hermione was beaming, but Harry's eyes sought Ron. At last he found him, still clutching the cup and wearing an expression appropriate to having been clubbed over the head. For a fraction of a second they looked at each other, then Ron gave a tiny jerk of the head that Harry understood to mean, "Well – if you must."
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I found this chapter to be a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions, I don't know about you. Wanted it to end on a more happy note, hence the huge chunk of quoted text.
I'm getting closer to the end of Half Blood Prince, it's quite exciting but also sad at the same time...