Draco did not even realize that he had run into the shower, clothes and all. Now thoroughly soaked, he sat opposite of where Hermione was. As the water poured over his head, he felt he could breathe once more. With every cool drop that hit his face he thanked God, because Hermione was still alive. She seemed not even to notice his presence.
Legs tucked beneath her, she sat in the corner and scrubbed her skin. Cleansing it of unseen soilage. Over and over again, until every part of her was a deep vermilion shade she scrubbed. Compulsively, she scrubbed away his touch. Removing his phantom hands from her arms, legs, and face. Her now shoulder length tresses fell listlessly in front of her face. But even now all Draco could see was his angel. His angel with a broken wing.
Draco finally could not take it any longer. He could not sit idly by and watch her destroy herself. Taking a hold of her busy hands, he held them tightly in his own, stopping her movements. It was then that she came out of her daze. Her head snapped up sharply and stared at him astonishingly. Before he knew it, Hermione had thrown herself in his arms and curled into his lap, like a frightened kitten. As her head hid in his shoulder he held her, feeling the racking sobs lessen, until there were no more tears left to be shed. Holding her was his only purpose in life, at the moment. He was so grateful just to have her safe in his embrace.
With shaking hands he took her by the shoulders and pulled her away form him. His eyes had to see that it was really she and not a mirage fooling his heart. For a few intense moments they looked into each other's souls. He could see her heartache and fear. Bringing his hands to the top of her head, he smoothed down her hair, stopping his hands just below her ear. He softly kissed her forehead, cherishing what he had missed for so long.
The highs and lows of the week finally took its toll on Draco. His entire being was exhausted, like he had been running on pure adrenaline and now was coming to a crashing halt. And now that she was with him again he could relax once more. Forehead to forehead, they breathed each other in, exchanging the air that separated the short distance of their lips.
"I was so scared Hermione," Draco whispered against her lips. It was then when he finally felt the water for what it was. He pulled her from the freezing onslaught of water, wrapped her in her bathrobe, and placed his arms tenderly around her form.
"You're wet," she sniffled into his ear. Her cool whisper vibrated against his eardrum. It was the most breathtaking resonance he had ever heard.
"It's fine."
But everything was not fine, at least not to Hermione. Her mind and speech went into overdrive.
"You have to get out of these clothes." Hurriedly she unclasped his robes. "I'll get you something of my father's. You're about the same size," she reeled. "You're going to catch a cold. You're soaked. Ruined. You have to change." Her frantic ramblings continued, past the point of making any sense. "We'll stick them in the dryer. It'll be fine. I'll fix everything. I just have to…"
"Hermione. Stop." Abruptly she did just that. She looked up from his chest, tears swelling in her eyes. Draco pulled his wand out and wove it around himself, softly speaking a few incantations. In an instant, he stood before Hermione dry, from head to toe. She blinked quickly, faltered backwards, and sat haphazardly on the vanity bench.
"God, I'm such a muggle sometimes," she admitted shamefully, turning her head away from Draco's gaze.
"Hermione, look at me," he demanded of her, while knelt beside her. "You can't believe that about yourself."
"Why shouldn't I? I'm what you said I was for all those years. I'm a fraud. I tried to convince myself I was a witch, but I'm not. Books and cleverness," she said bitterly.
"Don't blame yourself for the hateful things I said to you. I was jealous. Jealous that you were so much better than me - a better student, a better person. I was jealous of your friendships. Jealous of what I lacked. Love isn't jealous, Hermione. None of that matters to me anymore. It stopped mattering the moments our lips met."
"I was angry with myself for not having the courage to tell you how I felt about you and the only way I could get close to you was when I hurt you. If I could take back all those words I said, I would. I'd snap my own wand in half and never do magic again if it meant it would erase every wrong I've ever committed against you."
"Passion, bravery, and instinct isn't something you learn in books, but that is what it takes to be a great witch, Hermione. And that's what you are. You're a great witch. You must believe that and you have to come back. Hogwarts needs you. I need you."
Hermione was left awestruck by Draco's soliloquy. All she could manage was a small, feeble nod, but that is all it took, because shortly after she found herself in the comfort of his embrace. For the first time since the incident her heart felt cleansed and everything washed away, as his arms encircled her.
"Let's get your things. I brought enough floo for the both of us," he spoke, eagerly, as they walked to her room. The panic returned, however, as she remembered who would be there when she returned. He would be there, mocking her, taunting her.
"No," she whispered deathly low, "I can't go back yet."
"All right." Draco didn't argue. He captured her lips one last time, slipping a piece of paper into her quivering hands, and once again took the long solitary walk from her room. The Grangers saw from Draco's longing, mournful eyes and hurt expression, things did not go as well as had been hoped.
With unsteady hands Hermione opened the note.
I was born the day you kissed me.
I died inside the night you left me,
But I lived while you loved me.
Draco
"Draco, wait," she yelled, running from her room. She flew down the stairs to the paused structure of Draco, who had stopped on the second landing. Hermione threw her arms around his neck, brought her lips to his, and kissed him with all she had. And Draco kissed her back with equal passion. No longer able to contain his joy, he swept her into his arms and spun her easily around, savoring the moment when they both felt complete again.
"I love you. You caught me when I fell."
"I'll always catch you, Hermione."
Mr. and Mrs. Granger smiled fondly at the scene before them; happy seeing their daughter smile again since she returned home.
"Shall we get you things, love?" Draco inquired, starting back up the stairs. Hermione tugged on his arm and when he turned back she was dressed in her school robes and her trunk was in front of the fire.
"I'm a witch, remember," she told him with a truly happy grin.
"And an amazing one at that."
Before stepping in the flames together, Draco shook Mr. Granger's hand and received a warm hug from Mrs. Granger.
"Take care of my little girl, Draco," Elizabeth Granger whispered into his ear.
"I will," he promised back.
The Grangers kissed Hermione goodbye and in a flourish they were back at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
"I really like you parents, except your father is a bit scary, Hermione. Said something about a canal root. What is that?"
Hermione smiled widely at him. "With or without novacaine?"
"Nova what?"
After going through an elaborate and more detailed than necessary explanation of the root canal, Draco's countenance was considerably paler than normal; he was on the verge of fainting.
"Your father," he gasped, "people…they pay him to do that?" Draco asked horrified. For a second he believed wizards have absolutely nothing on muggles, in comparison to torture methods.
"Yes."
All he could do was shake his head and stutter a few incoherent sentences.
"I love you."
"For my sake, I hope that never changes. I'm afraid of what your father would do to me if you ever stopped," he said with extreme earnest.
"You'll never have to worry about that," Hermione told him, placing a kiss on his cheek, as they stepped into the front of the shop. He seemed to be reassured; his features soften to her touch.
"Hermione!!!" All of the sudden she was surrounded by two Weasley's and a Harry. Home, Hermione thought.
"Party in the Gryffindor common room," Harry beamed.
"Everybody out," George yelled, or maybe it was Fred.
"Shops closed," Fred, no George, no definitely Fred hollered. Well, it was one of them anyways.
"Paws off, boys. My girlfriend," Draco said admiringly as he swatted away the arms of the other three boys. Laughs shared all around as they made there way back to Hogwarts.
"I love this girl," Draco declared, squeezing Hermione closer to him.
"We know," Fred, George, and Harry sniggered as they walked behind Draco and Hermione. Everything was as it should be. For now at least.
A/N: 10 house points to anyone that can correctly guess which song Draco's note came from.