Summary: "You could have been something. You could have been someone. But you blew it."-When Hermione Granger finds Draco Malfoy crying in the girls' bathroom, she decides to find out what's wrong. With only the girl who he despises willing to help him, things are going to change. DM/HG. Compliant up to Order of the Phoenix

Mature content and themes, explicit language.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything belongs to Ms. JK Rowling.


Chapter 33: Blankets and Moonlight

Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, as she found herself in the comfort of her bed, shielded by her four curtains. Checking the time, she realized it was quite early in the morning. Deciding an early walk would do her good, she rose from her bed, and pulled open her curtain.

The last thing she had remembered from the previous night was speaking to Harry and Ron, and then falling asleep with Ginny sitting by her side. She was thankful they were there...but she wished she was with Draco.

The comfort of falling asleep in Draco's strong arms would clear her mind of all other thoughts, and simply allow her to live.

She would have to find him that day. He had looked worried when he spoke to her in the hall. She felt bad leaving him like that, but in that moment, speaking to Professor McGonagall had been the most important thing to do.


It was seven am, and he still hadn't spoken to her. He hadn't gotten any sleep the previous night, his mind full of thoughts about her, and why she was upset.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"You seem to be thinking about something."

"Fuck off Blaise."

"Why so grumpy? Did you not get off this morning—"

"Fuck you."

"Draco, how long has it been since you've shagged someone? It must be a year now—"

"What I do is none of your business—"

"—and you have made that quite clear to me this year." he said, his words having a double meaning attached to them, as Draco quirked up an eyebrow. "However, I will tell you that you need to cool down a bit. You got significantly better, but since I came back, you've been a pain—"

"What are you implying?"

"I'm implying that you should sleep with someone. Being with someone will do you good. Having someone beside you...having someone to be there through your good and bad...that shit will help."

"Blaise—"

"And I'm not just talking about shagging them. Find someone...to be with. Find someone who will support you, and help you become...not so much of a pain. Someone you can call yours."

Images of Granger immediately flashed in his eyes. Images of them in the Room of Requirement, and the Astronomy Tower. Images of Granger smiling at him like there wasn't a problem in the world. Images of her stroking his hair, and kissing his neck.

Just her.

He hastily pulled out of his thoughts, trying to push away thoughts of Granger from his head.

"I'm okay, mate. Besides, there isn't really anyone—"

"What about Astoria? She's still very interested, and she's a nice girl. Give her a chance mate—"

"I'm good Blaise. I'm good. I don't need anything at the moment. Really."


"Pass the toast, Ron."

"Here you go."

Reaching over to grab the toast from Ron, her elbow accidentally knocked over a pitcher of pumpkin juice, spilling it all over the table and her skirt.

"Merlin...let me clean this up."

"Do you need some help?"

"No, I can manage."

Muttering a cleaning spell, she cleaned the juice on the table, and patted down her skirt, now dry.

"Are you okay, Hermione?"

"I'm fine, Harry...I just need to speak to someone…"

She noticed him quirk an eyebrow up at her, as she took a bite out of her toast. Just as she was about to risk a glance towards the Slytherin table, a Second Year approached her, and handed her a note.

"This is from Professor McGonagall. She told me to give it to you."

"Thank you." she said, as she eyed the note, inquisitively.

Please come to my office immediately. —Professor McGonagall

"What does it say?"

"She wants me to go to her office...it might be to discuss what we're going to do about my parents! She's made her decision! I need to go, I'll see you two later." she said, ecstatically.

"Tell us how it goes later!"

"Of course!" she yelled back, smiling.

Of her entire morning, finally, this was the first thing she had gotten the opportunity to be optimistic about.


He finally caught a glimpse of her at breakfast.

She was eating solemnly, seated beside Potter and across to Weasley, as always.

Suddenly, he saw her burst into a smile, making something inside him twist.

He watched, as she ran out of the room, a note in her hand, smiling to herself.

If it had been any other time, or any other witch, he'd be concerned, but since it was Granger…

It only made him smile.


"Yes, Professor?"

"Hermione…"

"Yes?"

"Your parents." she started.

She sat in her spot, impatiently waiting for a response.

"They are dead."

She felt something lurch in her stomach, as she simply failed to comprehend McGonagall's words.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I am so sorry Hermione…"

"Professor...what do you mean…?"

She suddenly felt like she was falling, as everything began to form together in her head. It all felt like it was a nightmare, and she was just about to wake up…


"She's not here. You think she's okay, Harry?"

"I'm sure she's fine. She's Hermione, after all."


"They were murdered this morning...the dark mark has been left over your home."

"No…"

"Hermione I am so sorry, love." she said, leaning over, placing an arm on her student's shoulder.

Suddenly, everything was dissolving, as if she had been spiraling into a black hole. Her limbs became numb, as she slumped over in her chair, almost falling over. She felt her breathing slow, as she replayed her Professor's words in her head, making sure she hadn't made a terrible mistake.

They are dead…

"NO!"

She jumped up, knocking over the tea cup in front of her, shattering the glass all over the floor. She started moving back, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, as her body acted on impulse. She tripped over the chair leg, and fell on the floor, her hand slamming into a glass shard, slicing open her palm.

"Hermione! Let me help you up…"

The elderly witch rushed to her side, but as soon as she extended an arm to help her up, Hermione met her eyes with a piercing stare.

"Were they tortured?"

"Hermione—"

"Please. I need to know. Were they tortured?"

"As far as I know...no."

She sighed just momentarily, before resting her hands on her knees, her face in her hands. Her cut stung, but it was overshadowed by the pain she felt internally. She felt as if she was burning up, while being stabbed a thousand times.

They were all she had left…

And now they were gone.

Gone, never to return. Just like that.

"Hermione...if you wish to do so, I can take you to your home right now. You can see them...one last time."

She snapped up to attention, getting up, and wiping blood on her skirt.

"Let's go."


Feeling warmth around her body, she disappeared from her Professor's office, and appeared in the fireplace she had been so used to sitting beside, as a child. Exiting the fireplace, she walked right into the living room of her home...the place she had grown up. The place she had ran around as a child, while her mother chased behind her. The place where she held so many memories…

It was her home, yet it felt dark and gloomy. She smelled death in the air, as she subconsciously noticed her Professor join her from behind. As she slowly took a few steps forward, she immediately stopped in her tracks, when she saw them.

They were right there. In front of here. There, yet so far away. It was as if she was trying to grab smoke: right there, yet slipping past her fingertips.

Their bodies laid right in the middle of the room, her father and mother's hands almost touching, as if they had been holding hands right before.

They looked like they were sleeping...ever so peacefully.

Hermione slowly advanced, before crouching down, to place herself right in between her parents.

Did the killing curse hurt? Not as far as she had remembered studying…

She took both of their hands in hers, before lifting her lips to touch both of them. They had always done the same to her, before putting her to sleep at night.

She stroked her mother's long curly hair, hair that she had inherited. With her other hand, she cupped her father's face, now cold and frosty, and leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead.

They were beautiful, in such a tragic way.

She felt a lone tear slip down her cheek, falling on the carpet. She remembered back to September, when her parents bid her farewell, as she went off to Hogwarts once more. It was the last time they'd kissed her. She hadn't known it would be the last time she'd see them at all…

"I'm so sorry." she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry, Mum. I'm so sorry, Dad. You don't deserve this…"

More and more tears began to fall, as she clutched onto their bodies, almost as if they would come back any second. Almost as if it would all turn out to be some weird, crooked joke. Almost as if they were still with her…

"I love you…"

Just as she turned to look at her mother, she found a piece of paper beside her hand. It seemed as though she had been holding it before she fell…

It was her letter.

She had read it. She had gotten...one last message from her. From their daughter. She had read it.

Her fingers trembled, as she held onto the letter tightly in her hands. She rocked back and forth in her spot on the floor, as tears descended down her cheeks in silence.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look back.

"Miss Granger...we must leave now. The funeral will be held in two days, after official Ministry investigations."

Quickly wiping away her tears, she stiffly nodded, causing her Professor to take a few steps back. She turned back to her parents, before leaning down to place one last delicate kiss on each of their foreheads.

"I love you, Mum. I love you, Dad. Goodnight."

Slowly rising from her spot, she joined her Professor, and headed towards the fireplace. Before going, she turned around to take one last look, before stepping in, and disappearing with the green flames.


Draco watched the clock, as lunch concluded. She had been gone since breakfast, and hadn't been to a single class they shared. In fact, after Potions, both Potter and Weasley went missing as well. Professor McGonagall had also not been present for Transfigurations.

It was odd.

He assumed the three were together, with their teacher. It only made sense. But...where could she be?

He walked through the crowded halls, when suddenly, he felt as though he had bumped into something. He couldn't find anyone near him...that was odd. Turning around, he swore he saw a pair of feet appear out of nowhere, and then disappear as soon as it came.

What in the fucking world…

Potter's invisibility cloak.

He knew it was her. He knew it was the three of them. He sighed, knowing she was okay, but suddenly became strung up in his thoughts. Why were they under the cloak…

Nothing made sense to him. Everything was all over the place. He would look for Granger afterwards, but for now...he knew she was okay with Potter and Weasley.


"They're gone." she stated, dully, as she stared into the flames, her jaw set.

"Hermione…" whispered Ron, who had an arm around her shoulder.

"I could have saved them. It could have been prevented."

"Hermione, it's not your fault. You—"

"But it is, Harry. It is."

"Don't blame yourself for what you didn't cause. It's not your fault, Hermione."

No matter how much Harry and Ron tried to convince her it wasn't, in her head, it always would be. Her parents had died because of her, and would now never return.

And the worst part was, she didn't do anything about it.


She woke up with a jolt, sweaty and nervous. Everything seemed like a dream...her parents couldn't be gone…

But they were, because this was reality.

Everything was just how it should have been. Her pitcher of water was by the windowsill, her trunk was clean and organized, and her dresser had every cream lined up and put exactly where it should have been.

It was all the same. Yet, her life had changed. In ways she couldn't describe, and neither wanted to.

All she could say was that she felt empty.

Empty, as though she was drowning away to somewhere from where she'd never return.


Somehow, he found himself in the Astronomy Tower, alone at night. He usually would have been with Granger, but now hadn't spoken to her for more than three days.

It made him think...maybe this was good. Maybe she was trying to distance herself from him. It was bound to happen, so why not then?

She would be better off without him being a burden on her...she could be happy.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him, prompting him to turn around.

Granger.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and had a blanket wrapped around her body. She looked thinner than usual, with dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was a mess, and looked as though she had pulled it for hours.

"Granger…"

His voice caused her to look towards his direction, finally realizing she wasn't alone.

"Oh...Draco. I'll...I'll go then…"

"No, no! Don't leave" he said, rushing to her side, and placing his hands on her forearms to guide her to the railing.

As the moonlight shined on her face, he got a better look at her. She looked sick.

"Granger! Why do you look like this? You've been crying…"

Quickly, he reached up to cup her face, and brushed off a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"What happened, Granger?"

Silence.

"What happened? You need to tell me."

Still silence.

"What happened, Hermione? I need to know...please."

And that was all it took.

"They're gone, Draco."

"Who is?"

"My parents...they killed them, Draco. They killed them…"

And then suddenly, she was crying.

She simply couldn't hold them in any longer. After three days of keeping everything bottled up inside her, she had burst. Her emotions ran wild, as she yelled and sobbed into Draco's chest, clutching his shirt.

"They took them from me. They took away my mum and dad…"

He had no idea how to react. His mind was immediately filled with thoughts and questions as to how it could have possibly happened...and who was behind it.

Could it be his father?

Surely not.

Probably not.

Not his father…

It broke him to see her broken like that. She used every last bit of energy she had left in her so simply...cry.

She needed it.

"Draco...you know what was the worst part of it all? I couldn't do a fucking thing. They just killed them...and you know what I did the next day? I woke up, and went to my classes. I attended every single class, while my parents' killers are somewhere out there. It's all over Draco…"

"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for this."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, while he placed the other one on the back of her head, holding her close to him.

"My mum always said that one day, she wanted to become the coolest grandma to my children. I always said I'd never have any kids...but now I do. When I'm older, I want two children, and I want my mother to babysit them when I'm busy. I want her to play with my children, and sneak them sweets when I'm not looking. I want her to exaggerate every story she tells them, and I want her to give them kisses before they go to sleep..."

She trailed off, her voice cracking, as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. She clutched onto Draco as if he was the only thing that existed in this world, as they stood there together on that moonlit night on the Astronomy Tower.

"My dad always said I will be the most beautiful bride ever. I always joked that it wasn't likely that I'd ever get married...I wish I could. I wish I could walk down the aisle, holding his hand. I wish I could hear his corny speech that he always said he would read out, and I wish I could cry with him when I go off with my husband. I wish I could see him look at me with the same glimmer of pride in his eyes that he always looked at me with…"

He wanted to say something, but he had no idea what to say.

So instead, he held her.

Held her for what seemed like an eternity and more.

Somehow, even that didn't seem enough.

They stood there together, until Hermione let out every emotion, and cried until she was physically incapable of doing so.

"You need some sleep."

"Draco I—"

"I don't give a fuck what you say. Come with me. You need to sleep."


a/n: chapter up! Okayokay, I know, a lot is happening in this chapter. This is my first time killing off characters in this fic...and I hate it. However, it must have been done. I think it adds depth to Hermione, and truly shows how strong she is. It almost makes my characters a bit more three dimensional, ya get me?

Woah...a LOT happening in the US. This is fucking insane, and just bizzare. I honestly don't know what to say. In my many years of living, never in my life have I seen shit like this. For all my lovelies in the US, stay safe. It's insane out there, make sure you don't get hurt.

And once more, just because I don't see enough of it: Wear. A. Mask. It's not hard, and you could save lives. Please don't argue with science. Just wear a mask.

And with that, I will now shamelessly ask for some reviews and comments. They make my day!

Stay safe out there,

Sydney