Chapter 25

The ground was harsh and he found it impossible to move.  He lolled his head from side to side; he could see blurred figures closing in on him.  The pain shot through him and he clenched his teeth with every white-hot jet.  He tried to move himself, but he was paralyzed from the neck down, his body wouldn't listen to his brain, all he could feel was the stabbing pain in his back.  He'd heard the shrieks, but couldn't comprehend the words that people were mumbling.  The bludger had hit him square between the shoulders, shattering half his spine.  He passed out, nauseous from pain.  He floated off into a darkness.  He could her a song playing in his head, a song he wasn't familiar with, but it was there nevertheless.

When darkness is upon your door
And you feel like you can't take anymore

"Draco.  Draco.  Can you hear me?  Can you move?"  Her voiced was strained.  She hovered over him, brushing his hair away from his lifeless body.  She took a hold of his hand and moved in close to his ear.  "Draco, if you can hear me, I believe you.  Please come back to me.  Please."  She felt hands surrounding her, trying to pull her away, but she wouldn't move, so they had to work around her.

If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart

He could hear her voice, but not her words.  Her being so close to him comforted his mind, but he wished he could speak, or at least he could hear what she was saying.  He smiled in his mind, hoping it would carry to his face, but it didn't.  He lay there pale and motionless.  'Hermione, don't go.  Please stay, I'm scared.'  He slipped deeper into unconsciousness.  When he 'awoke' he was traveling down a long white corridor.  He felt as though someone was summoning his presence, but he couldn't distinguish what or why.  He felt like it was a summer day.  He was sitting on a pier overlooking the Atlantic, but everything turned dark.  The clouds began to cry.  He shivered by the instant change in climate.  'I have to find warmth.  I'm cold.  It's so cold.'  He walked and walked back up the pier, trying to find someone.  Anyone that could help him.  There was no one in any direction he turned.  He heard a clear voice in his head, one he'd never heard before, but it was comforting to him.

"It's time to go home, Draco.  It isn't your time.  You need to go home, now."

"I can't.  I don't know how."

"You do know how.  Let her help you."

He slipped back into what he thought was unconsciousness.  He could hear the voices again.  His face felt wet and what he tasted was salty.  Tears.  'Who would cry for me?  Is it Hermione?  I wish she wouldn't cry.'  "Hermione, please don't cry."

Because there has always been heartache and pain
And when it's over you'll breathe again

"Draco. Draco, you can hear me?  Please try and say something."  Her eyes were wide and glazed over with tears.  Instinctively she closed in over him and wrapped her lips softly around his.  He felt a warmth run through his body.  "Please, say something again."  She whispered against his mouth.  She thought she felt him return the kiss, but it was probably her mind playing with her emotions.

"I love you."  He whispered back against her lips, moving his lips to hers.

"Oh, god Draco.  Don't fall asleep.  You have to stay awake.  You can't leave me."  She hugged herself close to his body and he winced unintentionally; she lightened her grip, but he wished she hadn't.  It was too good to be true that she was there with him.

"I won't."  The next events that happened took place in a whirlwind.  He felt his body lifted onto a stretcher.  As he floated back to the castle, Hermione never left his side.  Madam Pomfrey quickly went to work doing a few comforting charms and pain spells.  He rested into the bed and no longer felt pain, anywhere, including his heart.  He fell asleep – a dreamless sleep.

"Congratulation Harry."  A fourth year Ravenclaw boy called out as he walked past him in the corridor outside of the hospital wing.

"What?"  Harry asked truly not knowing what the boy was talking about.

"The game…congratulations on your win."  And the other student cheerfully walked away.

"Oh, the game, right.  Thanks."  He said in a quiet, far away voice, which only he could hear.  Then he saw Ron lurking down at the end of the hall.  Harry became incensed and Ron was avoiding eye contact with him.  When Harry finally caught his gaze, Harry furiously called out to his friend.

"Ron.  A word.  Now."  There wasn't any intonation of a request in Harry's words.  Ron paced a little, but then he slowly approached Harry.

"Yeah, Harry.  What did you want?"  Ron tried acting as innocent as possible, but the guilt was swimming across his transparent face.

"I think you know exactly what I want.  What are you playing at Ron?"

"I don't know what you're talking about.  Maybe you should just spell it out, so we can skip the twenty questions portion of this game."  Ron's face was beginning to turn as red as his hair from anger and irritation.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about.  Ever since before Hermione's birthday you've been angry and very much not yourself."

"You'd be angry too if you couldn't have the one person you wanted."  Immediately he blushed at the slip he made.  He hadn't wanted to say that, but it was too late.  He couldn't take it back once the words hit the air.

"Hermione's not one to be had.  You should know that all to well.  You've had five years to make your move and countless girlfriends in between.  Are you angry that she's not with you or that she's with Malfoy?"

Ron was taken aback by Harry's accusatory tone and didn't quite know how to respond.  There was nothing to say; Harry was correct on both accounts.  No way to dispute that.

"Which is it?  You are Malfoy, because I think it the latter.  I don't think you wanted her until you knew you couldn't have her."

"Shut up, Harry.  Just sod off.  You don't know what you're talking about."  Ron was shaking in anger as he spat the words from his mouth.

"No, I think I hit the proverbial nail on the head, but if you want to talk about something else that's fine.  Tell me why I shouldn't have you kicked off the Quidditch team?"

"For what?"  Ron asked heatedly, but also curiously.

"That was a cheap shot you took at Malfoy.  You could have killed him."

"Oh, and I guess that would be a tragic loss."

Harry was completely perplexed by Ron's wanton disregard for someone else's life, even Malfoy's.  "I don't know who you are anymore Ron, and I don't like who you're becoming.  If you don't like Malfoy, then that's your problem, because as far as Hermione is concerned he's going to be around for awhile, and if you want to continue to be her friend you're going to have to put your anger aside.  You need to ask yourself if you really love Hermione, or if you just can't stand to see her with Malfoy, because if it's the second, you need to let it go and be happy for her.  She would be for you and you know it."

"I know."  He answered lethargically.  "I don't like having to admit when I'm wrong, but you're right.  I don't know if I'll ever be able to be as ambivalent as you are about Malfoy.  All I can promise is that I will try.  Will she, I mean, do you think she'll talk to me."

"I don't know.  She's pretty hacked off about what you did at the game."  Ron nodded his head and pushed the door open to Draco's room.  Hermione was sitting in a chair, close to Draco's side, holding his hand as he slept.  Ginny sat on the other side of the bed and she appeared to be sleeping.

"Um, Hermione.  Can I talk to you?  I owe you an apology."

"Not here.  I don't want to wake Draco.  He needs his rest."  She stood and gently removed her hand from Draco's, somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he felt her leaving, his hand tried to reach out for Hermione's, but he couldn't.  "I'll be right back."  She whispered into his ear and kissed him lightly on the cheek.  Her soothing vibration eased him and he fell back to his deep sleep.  Hermione stepped out in to the hall to speak with Ron.  Harry had made himself scarce. 

"What is it that you wanted Ron?"  She asked trying to control the building temper from within.

"I'm sorry Hermione.  I've acted like an arsehole and I'm sorry."

"We were supposed to be friends.  Friends don't treat friends this way.  You've been acting like a silly article for a long time and I don't think I can be your friend if you continue."

"I know.  Like I said, I'm sorry.  Tell me what I can do to make this up to you.  I'll do anything."  He dropped his head and looked dejectedly at his shoes.

"It's not me that you should be apologizing to now.  You need to apologize to Draco.  Madam Pomfrey still isn't sure his back will mend properly.  Why did you do that Ron?  Why?"

"I was jealous."

"Of what?"

"That he had you."

Hermione wasn't expecting that.  She knew that Ron had liked her after the Yule Ball during fourth year, but thought that had passed.  It had seemed like a little crush that neither saw into fruition.  "I…I didn't know you had feelings for…me."  She finally managed to stutter.

"I don't.  At least not like that.  Just that someone like Malfoy found someone as great as you and I haven't.  He gets everything:  money, fancy clothes, the girl, everything."

"Money isn't everything and you should now that.  The family you have is worth more than all of the galleons in Gringotts.  Draco didn't have the kind of family you or I had.  Yes, he lived in a mansion and had servants wait on his every whim, but he never received unconditional love, like you do from your parents.  In ways, you're a lot richer than he is.  He makes me happy Ron and I hope you can accept that."

"I will."    Unexpectedly, he felt Hermione's arms wrapped around his shoulders.  He returned the hug and when the embrace ended they smiled at each other.

"Thank you.  I have to go back now.  He needs me."  She turned and reentered the hospital room.  Much to her shock, Harry was standing at the foot of Draco's bed, having what looked like a friendly conversation with him.

"Harry, where did you come from?"  He raised the invisibility cloak as his answer and continued talking to Draco.

"Am I interrupting something here, because I could leave."

"No."  Draco grimaced outstretching his hand, inviting Hermione to his side.  "I was just telling Potter that if he wanted to win so bad, all he had to do was say so."  He grimaced again and gave a faint smile, hugging Hermione closer to his bedside.

"Draco, that isn't funny."  Hermione responded with a slight laugh.

"Malfoy…"  Harry started uncomfortably.

"Oh, lighten up Potter.  It was just a barb."  Draco responded in his slow drawl.  "But I do find it curious as to how you buttered the snitch to fly into your hand."

"I did no such thing."  Harry answered irritably.

"Oh, Harry don't be daft.  Draco's just being a prat."  Sighed Ginny coming out of her nap.

"Well I'm thoroughly offended.  I didn't know it was protocol to disparage someone in my condition."  Draco replied, acting injured by her remarks.

"Draco Malfoy you don't fool me one bit.  Growing up with six brothers, I know when one is being a git."  They all laughed, except for Draco who more or less grimaced.  That was as close as he could get to laughter for now.

"Now that I'm up, could I talk to you, alone."  He looked up at Hermione and she nodded back at him.

"Ginny, I think that's our cue to leave.  Nothing like being tossed out on your bum."  Harry pretended to walk out dejected, but threw a smile back as he walked through the doorway. 

"See you later Mione.  Feel better Draco."  She gave a warm, sincere smile, and followed Harry out the door.

"Hermione." 

"Wait.  There's just one thing I have to do."  She placed her hands on the sides of his face and brought her lips down to his for a long, soulful kiss.  When she lifted her head back up he saw tears streaming down her face.

"Please don't cry.  I don't want you to be sad."

"I'm not sad.  I'm just so happy that you're all right.  I don't know what I would have done if you…well, I don't he want to think it.  I'm just glad you're here."

He lifted his arm and brushed away the trail of tears.  Resting his hand on her cheek he was mesmerized by her beauty.  Two miracles in one day, I must be on HIS good side.  "Does this mean you believe me when I say I didn't, you know."

"Yes, yes I believe you and I never should have doubted you.  Ginny told me everything while you were sleeping.  I'm so sorry for what I put you through."

"No.  It's me that should be sorry.  If I hadn't been, what was it that Ginny said, oh yes, a git these past years you wouldn't have reason to mistrust me, but I was, and you had every right not to believe me."

"Draco, all that's gone.  I've erased it from my memory.  I want us to live in the present and forget any unpleasantries from the past.  It's not fair to keep blaming yourself for things you've done in the past.  I don't hold it against you and neither should you.  I love you Draco Malfoy and nothing will ever make me doubt that again."

"I love you too."  He patted her arm, which rested on his bed.  A peace swept through him and he was happy.

"There's one more thing.  Don't you ever pull another stunt like that again.  You nearly scared me to death."  She told him trying to keep as stony a face as she could, but a smile curled at her lips and she couldn't hold the hard look.

"I would like to point out that it wasn't entirely my own doing."  He told her with an arrogant smile, sort of challenging her.  She laced her fingers through his and kissed his hand.  "You know there is room for two up here."  He added with a smirk.

"You are a naughty boy.  And what do you think Madam Pomfrey would have to say about this?"

"Who cares?  I just know I would feel much better with you lying next to me."  He gave her his best puppy dog eyes and she consented.  She nimbly slid in beside him and he covered them with the blankets.  Hermione lay on her side and they looked into each other's eyes.  Anything left to be said would be communicated silently.  They exchanged several raw kisses before Hermione settled into his chest, where she fell asleep, as well as Draco.

In the astronomy tower, two were hiding in the shadows.

"No.  I don't want to do it anymore."

"You will.  You don't have a choice."

"I won't.  You can't make me.  I'll fight you."

"But you will, silly boy, you will do as I instruct.  Your will is mine."

A/N:  The words from the song Draco hears is from Savage Garden.