Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. They all belong to JK Rowling. :)

Chapter 29

"This Is Where Our Story Ends"

"You're alive?" Theo asked; surprised by the time he had entered his best friend's room. Everything was organized now. No empty bottles of firewhiskey could be seen and all the curtains were drawn so the light of the morning sun paved through the whole room.

Draco was sitting calmly on the chair of his study table with a frame on his hand.

He looked neat and even clean-shaven.

It was a very unlikely seen, he needed to ask. "What happened, man?"

"I-I just… thought that Hermione won't like me if I look like a mess, you know," Draco replied, his eyes still glued on the picture of the girl he was talking about.

Theo just knowingly nodded and patted his friend's back.

"I didn't know it'll be too complicated like this," Draco started to speak quietly while caressing the picture of a laughing brunette as if it was real. She was trying to cover the camera with her hands as the morning light shined through her skin. "Last time I checked, I pretty much give the heartache, not the other way around."

"Aah… Missing the old carefree bachelor days, aren't we?" Theo laughed softly, looking quite pensive for a while. "I remember you shouting at my face on how ridiculous the idea was when I pointed out you were jealous of me and Hermione. You even recalled your heartbreaking capabilities on girls in front of me, turned out she was also listening to all of it."

"Merlin, she was so pissed," Draco shook his head, now slightly smiling at the memory.

"She's always pissed when it comes to you, man," Theo chuckled lightheartedly, until he noticed Draco's sudden gloomy expression.

"I know… I always give her a reason to be, anyway," he smiled sadly.

There was a long silence.

It was too silent, actually, that they could hear the soft peaceful chirping of the birds outside the room's opened window, seemingly unaware of the heavy heart its master was carrying.

"Hermione is…" Draco finally spoke, albeit quietly. He breathed deeply before continuing; "Hermione is such a beautiful girl. She'd always been beautiful," he smiled his rare smile again; making Theo think that he'd only been able to see this when he was thinking of Hermione. It was such a fascinating phenomenon. "But somehow, in some very twisted way, I'd always make her think that she isn't. I'd always end up hurting her…"

"You didn't really want to do it, mate. You were hurt too. Nobody's perfect," Theo replied, but Draco just shook his head.

"The first time we made love, she was scared of me. She was scared because she thought she wasn't beautiful enough for me. Hell, she'd been my dream girl ever since I was young, but I was the one who instilled that thought to her. All I wanted was to keep her and make her happy; to correct all the mistakes I've made in the past. But then, I just decided to make that same mistake all over again. I honestly don't know how the hell I'm going to make her accept me again. This may sound pathetic but if I can't have her, I'll seriously lose it, man. I think I'll die," Draco suddenly told him gravely.

"What the fuck are you talking about? Draco, you're scaring me," Theo frowned at him.

"Why would I even want to live in the same world with her if I can't have her? I'll only be torturing us both. I'm a selfish man, Theo, and you know that. I can't be a better man either. I want and need Hermione. I'll try to get her no matter what, but I won't force her either. I've done enough damage… I'm giving her the choice this time."


"Upon returning, Belle found the Beast lying on the ground. The heartbroken beast was almost dying. He couldn't live without her. Belle couldn't do anything but just cry and weep over him while whispering how much she loves him. Belle had never noticed it before, but no matter how cruel and ugly the beast could get, she loved him still… When her tears had strike him, however, the Beast had then transformed into a very handsome prince. The spell was suddenly broken and the prince opened his eyes to see her. He and Belle soon married and lived happily ever after," Hermione breathed as she finished reading a muggle fairytale to little Rose.

Rose was Oliver's roommate on his stay in the hospital and Hermione had been very fond of her. She would always read her some stories whenever Oliver was sleeping, or sometimes she'd read for the both of them. Rose had a heart defect ever since she was born and had been constantly in and out of St. Mungus. The healers told her family that she wasn't going to live long and a heart transplant was very much needed as soon as possible.

It was always Hermione's dream to be a healer. There was just something in her that always wanted to help other people. When she was younger, she had even sworn to herself to always elicit a smile on people and told herself that she'd make her future younger sister smile. She was too devastated with her mother's miscarriage which was why she had always loved being surrounded by little children and why she had been very protective of Ginny as she considered her as her very own little sister.

"Hermione? Why are you crying?" Rose suddenly asked while looking up at her with round curious eyes.

"It's nothing, Rosie. I just… have something in my eyes," she smiled as she hastily wiped the tears she had unconsciously shed.

"Now, you're just like Belle in the story," Rose giggled. "She's as pretty as you too, Hermione," she added while pointing a little finger on the drawing of a beautiful princess inside the muggle story book. "Have you also seen your beast, Hermione?"

Hermione knew it was a very innocent question, but an invisible string had suddenly thug her heart, making her small stitches open to bleed once more.

She nodded, though she didn't know why.

"Is he really ugly?" Rose asked.

"No, Rosie. He's not ugly. In fact, he's beautiful... He's too beautiful that it sometimes hurt to remember his face."


Hermione went home with a very tired disposition.

It had been a very strenuous day. She just had an appointment with Oliver's muggle doctor after talking with his healers at St. Mungus. They were considering having both options now. Oliver was going to get the muggle chemotherapy treatment with the help of some magical remedies to alleviate the expected side effects of the treatment. It seemed quite substantial but it would greatly help his recovery. She had also received a letter from Rosie's parents, asking her to have lunch with them. Rosie's family was very sweet and kind just like their child, although unlike her, they were very scared and miserable. She couldn't blame them, of course. Rosie was their only child and they have kept everything from her and had carried the entire burden.

They told Hermione how thankful they were to her for making their child happy. After that, however, Hermione needed to listen to all their problems. She had even cried with them. She was too sensitive these days that she had often cried. She couldn't blame herself for being such an emotional wreck, anyway.

Having a broken heart was heavy enough to carry but she also needed to carry more load than the usual.

She'd always wondered why she was born to always have other people's needs first in everything she did.

But then again, it was her choice.

Having the right choice wasn't exactly that easy.

"Narcissa?" She suddenly frowned by the time she saw the refined woman on her doorstep.

"Hermione, my child," Narcissa beamed at her with opened arms, it was too difficult not to run and embrace her. She had learned to love this woman as her very own mother.

"Narcissa," Hermione smiled into her embrace, smelling the familiar scent of peppermint and her slightly metallic, golden scent. "It's very nice to see you," she smiled, trying not to look at the woman too deeply in the eyes. They would just make her remember him.

"How are you, child?" She asked her softly.

"I-I'm doing well," she lied. "What about you? Why did you come here?"

"Am I not allowed to visit you anymore?" She asked; pouting slightly and making Hermione smile a little.

"Of course you can, Narcissa. I was just wondering why. Come inside," Hermione invited her while opening the door.

It was very quiet for a while as Hermione made a tea for Narcissa while she sat and looked around the little cozy home his son had once lived in.

Draco had always bragged to her how he loved Hermione's little place.

"What brings you here, Narcissa?" Hermione asked by the time she had settled down on the sofa beside the older woman.

"I suppose you might have already known," Narcissa just replied with a knowing look.

Hermione nodded and looked down. "H-How is he?" She asked in a slightly trembling voice.

"Why? How are you?" Narcissa just asked back.

Hermione couldn't answer and just pursed her lips while her thumb stroked the sides of her mug.

"He misses you so much, Hermione," Narcissa started to speak once more. "Just as you miss him."

"You know that Draco and I are over. Too much have been said and done. I refuse to start at the beginning again because if I do then I'll just be letting the cycle in all over again," Hermione explained. Suddenly, it was hard breathing again.

"Please understand my son, Hermione. He's not perfect, but he's trying. He's trying really hard for you," Narcissa told her while desperately taking her hand.

"It's not just about him, Narcissa. It's about us. We destroy each other. Even when we were young, we kept on destroying each other. If I forgive him now, I know that somehow we'll still end up like this again. I'm going away before it's too late. We're too scarred from the battle we, ourselves, have made. We'll just make everything worse if I let this continue. I love your son, I really, really do. But sometimes, love just can't be enough. I wanted it to be, but it just isn't in real life. I don't want a decision that will bring us both to our downfall. I love him too much to keep destroying him," Hermione said with trembling hands as her eyes started to water.

Narcissa shook her head and stifled a sob. "You will destroy him once you leave him, Hermione. I know my son. I know the things that he can do. Please, Hermione… I'm begging you. Come back to him. Save him."

"The sooner I'll go, the closer I get to saving him. We just can't be together anymore, Narcissa. Once I go back to him, the possessiveness we'll have for each other will just double up, and it will kill us both at the process. This is not an easy decision, but I'll stand by it because I know that this is for the best."

"How do you know that it is? Hermione… Please… Take him back. Let him love you again. Give him another chance," Narcissa pleaded, still not letting go of the younger woman's hands.

"We are better off alone, Narcissa. We are better off without each other. Our scars have been too deep to ever be nearer to each other anymore. There is no reason in fighting when both of us were bound to lose at the first place," Hermione answered firmly before taking her shaking hands away from the sobbing woman.


Narcissa went home with a heavy heart but had to instantly hide it when his son greeted him by the door of the manor with a kiss.

It seemed that he was prepared and about to go when she came in. He was even wearing a neat tuxedo with fresh beautiful hydrangeas and roses in his hands.

He looked sunny and handsome.

She couldn't help but smile on how she had gotten to have this very beautiful boy.

Lucius didn't live and die in vain.

At least he had done something right even once by giving her this gift.

"I'm going to talk to her now, Mother," Draco kissed her. His grey eyes looked alive now and were gleaming with excitement and optimism. "I've been thinking a lot since I talked to you yesterday at the lake. I realized I love her too much to let her go. She's everything to me. I know that she loves me too. I just have to explain that to her, right? I know she loves me enough to take me back."

He just looked too hopeful, she couldn't help but lie. "O-Of course. Of course, son…"

"Wish me luck, okay?" Draco smiled at her before kissing her again.

"Yes, darling. I wish you and Hermione good luck," she said while swallowing a lump on her throat.

"You know what? I never got to say this to you but I… I love you, Mother. I suppose you know that right?" He told her softly, making her nod and embrace him tightly. She couldn't talk or else she'd cry.

When she stared at his retreating form, she couldn't help but remember her little boy the very first time he walked out of the manor to study and stay at Hogwarts.

Only this time, she had a strange, sinking feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'd never return again…


Hermione was done crying.

She was just done crying.

Until she needed to cry again.

"W-What are you doing here?" She stammered when she opened the door.

"I came to take you back. That's what I'm doing here," Draco replied, his steely grey eyes piercing through her brown blurry ones.

He looked dominating and powerful, she almost melted.

"I-I thought we've already talked about this," she replied, trying to sound cold but failing to do so. Her trembling state didn't help as well as it had become too prominent now that he's here.

"I know we did, but I'm trying again… until you take me back," he spoke a little softly now while letting her see the flowers in his hands. "Hydrangeas and roses. Your favourite," he smiled at her.

"I can't take them anymore," she replied while shaking her head and taking a step back away from him.

"Why, princess? They're your favourites…"

"They are, but I'm not your princess anymore, Draco," she smiled sadly at him.

"I love you, Hermione. I know I've hurt you but I promise—"

"You can't promise anything, anymore. You just broke your promise. You'll only be breaking it again," she said while cutting him. "I don't want to go back to the beginning again, I don't want to—"

"Dammit! I love you, Hermione! You know that I love you and you can't just close your eyes to the truth that you love me too! We don't have to torture ourselves like this, please… Please, Hermione. If I can't be sorry enough for you then I'll be proving it forever. I just fucking love you. I need you too much to let you go. Please…" Draco desperately pleaded and embraced her tightly so she couldn't go.

"You don't understand," Hermione cried as she struggled to get away from his persistent hold. "This is not well anymore. We always fight! We always—"

"I know that, Hermione! But hell, this is us! This is what we do! We fight a lot, but it's our thing, Hermione... We are such a weird, dysfunctional pair, but that's who we are. We're different but that makes us special. Please don't give up on this, Hermione. Please don't give up on us," Draco uttered while cupping her wet cheeks and gently wiping her tears away with his thumb.

"But I'm always scared. We're always scared. We keep on telling each other that we're going to make it okay but somehow, we end up making it all worse. It's always like this. I'm too tired, Draco," she sobbed while pushing him away.

"I-I can make it all okay. I promise you. This time, I won't fail anymore," Draco looked too desperate and frantic now that he had let go of the flowers on his hands to hold her more firmly.

"Draco, let go of me," Hermione resisted his embrace but he was just too strong that he was almost crushing her small frame.

"You're mine, Hermione. You're mine. You'll never be with anyone but with me!"

"Draco! L-Let go of me…"

"You know that you love me!"

"D-Draco, let go!"

"You know that—"

"I can't breathe!"

Draco had suddenly let go of her and stepped back when he realized he was holding her too tightly that he was already hurting her. He felt himself convulsed as he saw what he had just unconsciously done. Hermione was crying and hyperventilating while clutching on her chest, trying to compensate on the breathing that was so hastily snatched from her.

"H-Hermione—"

"Do you see what we can do to ourselves, Draco? Do you see my point now? We destroy each other. We just can't be together anymore!" Hermione cried.

"Don't leave me… Please don't leave me. Please don't walk away from this, Hermione. Please," he was trembling and crying now.

No.

He couldn't leave her.

He'd die without her.

"You and I… we have something beautiful," Hermione whispered sadly as she looked down. "It's beautiful, but also very destructive. We have something so special, Draco, but I guess this is where our story ends…"

She looked at him for the last time before apparating away.

Draco stood there for a whole minute before crying and kneeling in front of her abandoned door.

He had given her the choice this time.

Only, he didn't expect she'd choose the one without him…

The sky was grey and dark as he looked up, but it wasn't raining.

He raised his hand to see the source of a droplet from his trembling hand and felt it was from his eyes.

No.

He wasn't crying because of the situation.

He wasn't crying because she left him.

"We strive hard to get them, but sometimes the things that we want the most are not exactly the things that are meant for us, you know.I suddenly realize it's kind of better this way, like being a firefly rather than a starfly…"

He was crying because he had to let her go.

He had to set her free.

Because a firefly could never be truly happy inside a small, empty, constricted bottle.

A few days later, there was a new heart for little Rosie.


A/N: I just especially want to thank reviewer Eye of The Tigress for sending me a song to listen to. You know, for the past days, I've been listening to the song "Jar of Hearts". It's such a sad and beautiful song. I'm very keen to music and lyrics and I often listen while writing. And I'm sorry to those people who have sent me reviews saying that I made them cry, as you all know, I cried myself while writing so I guess we're all even. :D

And I feel like I should say sorry to dramioneluver32. I feel a bit responsible for you in getting in trouble in school because of my fic while getting caught reading it on your phone. I'm so sorry dear, but I feel very honoured in some way, which makes me guiltier again. 0_0 LOL.

Keep on tuning guys!

PS: You don't have to believe everything your mind whispers at you. ;)

A blessed Sunday to all!

Sue