Chapter 36 Only Draco's Mudblood
Draco Malfoy could not be dead. There just was no way. Jacque wouldn't accept it. It was Malfoy, his hero, his champion… He just couldn't be dead. Fate just wouldn't allow for it. Jacque wouldn't accept it.
But Hashim wasn't lying, Jacque could tell by his face. He really believed Draco was dead. Perhaps he was wrong? Perhaps Malfoy wanted him to believe he was dead. But that didn't make sense. That would mean Draco lost to Hashim and Jacque wasn't willing to accept that either.
"No!" the cry came tearing out of him without Jacque even realizing it. "He's not dead. He's not!"
Turning on his heal, Jacque raced towards the school. His eyes were full of tears and everything became blurry to him. This couldn't be happening, he kept telling himself. This wasn't happening…
But it was, and he knew it. He knew more than he wanted to at the moment. Draco and Hermione were linked. Their destinies, intertwined. If Draco died, what would happen to Hermione?
The shocking realization left Jacque numb. She would die. Her destiny wouldn't exist with Malfoy. She would no longer be able to live.
No, no…
Nearly tripping through the archway, Jacque ran straight into someone and fell to the ground.
"He fell how many feet?!" Melina demanded. She and Hermione sat side by side, staring at Ron, Harry, and Ginny with wide eyes.
"Two hundred," Harry told her. "At least."
Melina shook her head. "He should not have survived that."
Hermione swallowed and pressed the pillow closer to her chest. It still ached, but the pain had subsided for the most part. Everything made sense now, well almost. She had felt Draco's pain, but… why? Frowning, she made a mental note to do some major research.
"I didn't think he had," Ron said, looking as if he still didn't believe it had actually happened. "Blimey. He was just laying there and then poof! He was getting up with his hand to his chest. Poor bugger. Must have hurt like…" He stopped and his face went sheepish. "Like a hot place.
"It probably did, Ronald," Hermione whispered. "But he was okay? Seriously okay?"
Ginny smiled softly and sat down next to her. "Yes, Hermione, he was. He's the same smart mouthed Malfoy we've always known."
"Unfortunately," Ron muttered sourly. He coughed when his sister elbowed him in the ribs.
Melina watched the exchange with interest, studying all of their faces carefully. Her eyes went first to Ginny's and saw the love of a friend, then Ron's and nearly laughed at his innocent banter. When her eyes went to Harry she noticed that he seemed generally concerned for Draco, but when her eyes fell on Hermione, she knew the answer to her question.
"You are in love with him aren't you?" she whispered.
Hermione's head jerked towards her and they locked gazes. Hermione began to blush and slowly nodded yes.
"Watch where you're going, runt. One of these days, someone's going to run over you when you do that."
Jacque's head snapped up. His mouth gaped and his eyes widened. "D—Draco?"
"Who does it look like? Princess?" He stopped as he noticed the look on Jacque's face. "Oh, don't tell me that fall's gotten around already…"
Stumbling to his feet, Jacque through his arms around Malfoy in a hug.
"What the..? What do you think you're doing?! I'm not Hermione!" Draco pulled a startled Jacque back quickly. "I am not hugging post. I just fell 200 feet and all everyone wants to do is hug me or take me to the hospital!"
Jacque blinked at him in surprise. "But... 200 feet? Whoa."
"Yeah," Draco rolled his eyes. "I'm really proud of that one." He looked around agrily. "You haven't seen princess around by chance?"
"Actually, yes!"
Malfoy's gaze hammered down on him. "Where?!"
"Back in the quidditch field," Jacque began. "He told me you were dead."
"Oh, like I'd give him that satisfaction," Draco snapped. "That's like asking Granger to fail a quiz…"
"Hermione!" Jacque slapped his own head. "Draco, Hermione's in trouble! We were in the infirmary and she started clutching her chest and everything. It was awful! I came looking for you."
Draco raised an eyebrow at the younger boy's reaction. "My hero…" her muttered sarcastically. "Too bad you couldn't have gotten here sooner, like when I was having the exact same problem!"
Suddenly, Jacque stopped and a hurt expression came over his face. "I was only trying to help…"
Malfoy let out a sigh. "I know, but I really want to kill that bugger."
"Who? Hashim?"
"Yes."
Jacque's eyes widened in horror. "You can't kill Hashim!"
"Why not?"
"Cause… cause…" Jacque looked around in desperation. "That's murder!"
"And what he was trying to do with me wasn't murder?" Draco snapped. "This is the second time I've nearly died by his hand, and no one gets away with that. I'm a Malfoy, for crying out loud. I was born into a family of profession avengers! And I will not, can not sit back and let that royal pain the rear get away with this."
He gritted his teeth together. "Come on, runt. We're going to give our little princess a going away present."
Jacque hurried after him and Malfoy started down the hall. "A going away present? Hashim's leaving?"
"Yes," Draco told him. "He just doesn't know it yet."