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Draco worked late, the proposals kept mounting and he had to go through them at some point.
Groaning, he leaned back in his chair. His body ached in places he did not know he had.
Fuck, he was tired.
He had just got back from a trip to Germany, but certain matters required his immediate attention.
There was so much his staff could handle in his absence.
The eye-catching snow globe sat to his right.
He had placed it there earlier, hoping to drop it off after work
While strolling through the marketplace in Munich, he had found the perfect one.
Handcrafted and beautiful, it played a soothing lullaby.
She would love it.
Everytime he travelled, he brought back a snow globe for her to add to her growing collection.
Draco was wealthy, the Malfoy namesake aside, he had built his empire.
He wanted to break away from the infamous Malfoy legacy, his achievements would be his own.
Pulling the file closest to him, he began flipping through it unenthusiastically.
He hardly had time to go through the entire proposal, the vibrations from his mobile phone sent ripples through his solid oak desk.
With a heavy sigh, Draco glanced at it. If it was anyone else, he would have let voice mail pick it up, but it was Blaise.
There was barely time to say hello, as soon as the call connected Blaise's urgent and frantic voice cut through, "Theo's been in an accident, he's critical!"
Draco almost dropped the phone.
All he heard was Theo, accident, critical
A name flashed across his mind, making his blood run cold.
Hermione…. he almost whispered.
"St Mungo's, get here now!" Blaise demanded, his voice on the verge of breaking.
Draco did not bother with a reply, he was already on his feet, running to the apparation point.
A cold sense of dread settled within him.
Hurriedly taking out his wand, he apparated.
He ran inside St Mungo's searching for Blaise, his shoes clicked dangerously on the tiled floor echoing throughout the empty corridors.
Blaise nervously paced up and down in the waiting area with Potter, Ginny, and Weasley standing around awkwardly with their arms crossed.
Potter and Weasley looked grim and strained. They nodded at him and he returned the gesture.
Blaise locked eyes with Draco and he knew it was not good.
His normally calm and collected face was contorted with pain and despair.
"What the fuck happened?" Draco asked urgently, grabbing onto Blaise.
Ginny sobbed, her silent cries were needles to his heart.
Please let Hermione be safe.
The usually tough woman crumbled against Potter. His own expression solemn with red-rimmed eyes.
Draco eyed her nervously, his heart beating fast with uncertainty.
Blaise stepped back and started to explain, his voice breaking at the severity of the situation.
He waved his arms wildly, trying his best to paint a vivid picture for him.
"They were on their way back from a colleague's birthday party. It was raining and the roads were slippery."
His face fell in anguish, as he concluded, "A truck hit them near the traffic light."
Tears gathered at the corner of his eyes and spilt over.
Draco listened intently. Shocked into silence.
Fuck!
Minutes passed...seemed like hours.
"Theo?" Draco asked in alarm and growing concern.
Anxiety and uncertainty took residence in his mind, clawing at his sanity.
Blaise shook his head in fear and dismay.
Draco tuned out after Blaise said, internal bleeding and paralyzed from the waist down.
No...please let him be ok...
They were fucking wizards; they could fix this.
He swallowed, willing himself to calm the fuck down.
His voice barely audible, he managed to ask the question he dreaded.
Would he even have the strength to hear the answer, "Hermione?"
Blaise pointed to a few feet away from them, and said, "They are checking her now."
He placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, "She seems better off than Theo." Blaise knew how he felt about Hermione, he had always known.
A weak smile was all he could muster...
Momentary relief mixed with anguish at his best friend's status.
Theo was dying. No! It could not be.
He would pull through. This was some fucked up nightmare they would wake up from.
Draco massaged the bridge of his nose, "Where is Theo?"
Blaise pointed to the room in front of them.
Without another word, Draco strode towards the room, with trembling hands he pushed open the door.
His jovial and ever-smiling best friend gave him a weak smile.
"Theo, mate..." Draco managed to say, his friend looked ok on the surface.
Theo smiled again, "I know I've looked worse. Remember that time at Hogshead after I pissed off those vampires?"
Draco laughed, "Ya I remember. Aberforth was furious."
They looked at each other in silence."Can you check on Hermione?" Theo asked, his voice cracking with concern.
His eyes darkened, anger shaking his already frail body as he continued, "These fuckers won't let me see my wife."
Draco placed a hand on Theo's shoulder, "Calm down mate, she's fine."
Theo looked away in misery but deep in thought, his face tired and bruised.
A coughing fit tore through his broken body, a few drops of blood landed on the sheet.
Wiping it away, he spoke, "Draco, promise me you will look after her!"
Draco stared at his friend, Theo was deadly serious, his eyes full of tears.
His breathing clenched at the request made.
"Stop talking shit, you are going to be fine," Draco replied reassuringly, his voice cracking with emotion.
Theo laughed softly, "I know when you lie fucker."
Placing a hand on his legs, he continued, "I can't feel my legs and I know…. I'm dying."
"Shut the fuck up Theo," Draco demanded sternly.
Theo raised his hand and Draco took it at once, "Best friends for life?"
Draco felt the tears, "For life."
Theo held onto Draco's hand, "Please! Promise me you will look after her." He pleaded, almost begged.
She means everything to me, Theo.
Draco could barely take it...he swallowed hard, stopping the tears that would surely fall.
Looking down at his friend, both men locked eyes, Draco promised without hesitation, "You have my word."
Theo sighed and let his hand drop, "Good, now get the fuck out of here. I want to sleep," he said with a bright smile and Draco backed away from the room.
Leaning against the hospital wall, Draco wiped away falling tears.
Running trembling fingers running through his platinum blonde locks, he let out a frustrated growl.
Fuck, he wanted a smoke. He had given it up, but he needed one bad.
Blaise approached and asked in concern, "How is he?"
Draco shook his head gravely, "Not good."
Nodding understandably, Blaise asked unable to look Draco in the eye, "Soon?"
Draco's voice cracked, "Yes, very soon."
The Gryffindor's huddled together, he glanced in their direction and went down the hall to where Hermione was.
Standing outside the door, his racing heart hitched and slammed against his ribcage.
"Hermione?" Draco whispered to no one in particular.
The room was in utter chaos.
Hermione sobbed hysterically while a Healer stroked her head in comfort.
Stepping inside the room, his eyes scanned the surroundings.
Blood on the bed, a pool of blood under her.
Healers rushed around her, trying to stabilize the situation.
He stared at the crumpled figure of Hermione Granger on the bed, hugging her legs to her chest.
Grabbing the arm of the Healer closest to him, "What the hell is going on?" Draco demanded through clenched teeth.
The Healer's face fell, days like this made her hate her job.
It was not just a job, they shared the loss a patient suffered.
She swallowed painfully and morbidly said, "She lost the baby."
He stared into the creased grief stricken face of the Healer in shock.
"The impact was too severe."
Draco felt the wind get knocked out of him.
Fuck! Please God no!
Leaning against the wall inside the small room, he waited patiently for the Healers to leave, his eyes never leaving the woman in front of him.
Time stood still.
She had stopped crying.
Once the final Healer left, Draco slowly walked towards the bed.
Oh, Merlin, she looked so small and fragile. The blood gone; she wore a strikingly bright white gown.
"Hermione," Draco muttered, reaching for her hand.
With a vacant expression, she stared straight ahead, emotionless, clutching her stomach.
Whitened fingers dug into the soft flesh of her abdomen.
Absentmindedly as if in a trance, Hermione twirled the chain around her neck with her free hand.
The red locket a brilliant contrast against her pale skin.
She rocked mumbling incoherently.
His long fingers made contact, she snapped out of her daze and looked up at him.
"Draco..." Hermione whispered helplessly.
She was in his arms, crying holding onto him.
Loud sobs echoed through the room.
Draco held Hermione close, letting her cry for as long as she needed.
I'm sorry...he wanted to say...it would offer little comfort...
Instead, he barely managed, "I'm here darling, I'm always here for you."
Ginny, Harry, and Ron had moved into the room and stood around the bed looking at them in concern and sorrow.
Their faces creased with worry, at the sight of their best friend.
Hermione broke away, tears still falling down her pale face, she looked at her friends through haunted eyes.
Ginny held onto her hand and Draco moved away to make room for Potter and Weasley.
He looked her over and besides the cuts and bruises, she seemed fine.
Her injuries were deeply embedded in her mind, he feared for her sanity.
Theo had taken the brunt of the accident. The truck crashed head-on into his side.
Hermione locked eyes with Draco, her brown orbs widened, "Where is my husband? Where's Theo?"
She looked at her friend's wildly, why the fuck was no one answering.
"DRACO, WHERE IS THEO?" She demanded loudly.
He went to stand by her again, "Calm down, he's in the other room," Draco replied cautiously and soothingly.
She tried to get up and he held her firmly.
"You are not fit enough to walk Hermione," he told her sternly.
Trying to break free from his grasp, Hermione cried, "I don't care, I want to see my husband."
"Fine," Draco uttered in defeat and went in search of a Healer.
Moments later, they were in Theo's room.
Hermione gasped at her husband's broken body.
Draco held her firmly, afraid she would fall.
"My love," Theo greeted Hermione cheerfully.
She stumbled trying to reach him and collapsed near his bed.
Holding onto his hand tightly, she sobbed, "Please don't leave me! I need you so much."
Theo looked over his sobbing wife's head and locked eyes with Draco.
She will need you more than ever...
The broken man had a faint smile on his face, tears filled his eyes and spilt over.
No words were shared, it was not needed. The look they shared would haunt Draco for the rest of his days.
Look after her...
He backed out of the room leaving husband and wife.
Theo stroked Hermione's hair, "Don't cry, darling. I could never leave you."
He struggled to sit up and asked softly, "Can you come close, love?"
At once, Hermione bent down and Theo whispered hurriedly in her ear.
At every word, her husband spoke, Hermione shuddered, and new tears fall down her grief-stricken face.
Gently he touched her face, they shared a soft kiss.
"I love you, Hermione," Theo said adoringly taking in every feature of his wife's face like he was memorizing it.
Hermione kissed his hand, "I love you so much, darling."
Theo flashed his boyish smile and drifted off to sleep.
Flat out refusing to leave Theo's side, Hermione held onto his hand and slept next to him.
Draco watched Hermione from the shadows sleeping next to her husband and his best friend. Blaise handed him a coffee and they sat in the waiting area.
They could not bring themselves to speak, drinking their coffee in silence, Draco studied the surrounding area.
Most people were grieving, crying softly in the corners, and others jubilant, holding on to relatives or newborn babies.
Pain...suffering...yet happiness
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was a rollercoaster of emotions.
Ginny, Potter, and Weasley left promising to return first thing in the morning.
They had small children at home who needed them.
Harry looked defeated, his face contorted with anguish over his best friends suffering.
Draco reassured them that they would look after everything.
He meant every word, he always felt responsible for her.
My love...my everything
Ginny touched Draco's hand and reluctantly left followed by the two men.
Hermione stirred and woke to a dimly lit room, her vision disoriented.
Theo's hand still firmly in hers, but it was cold as ice.
Standing up in alarm, Hermione ignored the searing pain that tore through her abdomen, she cried, "Theo? Wake up! THEO!"
She let out a blood-curdling scream.
Hermione passed out and fell backwards. Draco got there in time to catch her.
He scooped her up tenderly and hurriedly left the room as Blaise rushed in with a Healer and they went to stand by Theo.
Draco laid Hermione down gently and stared into her face.
A powerful surge of emotions engulfed him.
I love you...
When he returned, Blaise was outside his chest heaving with sobs.
Draco looked inside the room in time to see them cover Theo with a white sheet.
His best friend, his brother was gone...
Gut wrenching pain gripped his heart and he almost fell to the ground.
Theo...mate...gone too soon...
He punched the wall next to the door repeatedly.
"Fuck!" He cried out, tears streaming down his face.
Hours passed.
They stood by Theo's body unable to look directly at him.
The smell in the room was unbearable.
Draco felt the bile rise.
Unable to contain himself, Blaise vomited into the sink closeby.
The Healer spoke a few words, they weren't listening for shit.
Draco stared at Theo
His best friends face calm, his eyes closed shut.
Peace...
Blaise took the hand of the Healer and thanked him for their efforts.
Taking the Healers hand next, Draco gave a curt nod before turning on his heel and fleeing the room.
He sat next to Hermione for what seemed like a lifetime.
She did not speak and neither did he.
They sat motionless, deep in thought.
"Mrs. Nott?" The Healer spoke gently trying to get her attention.
Hermione sat motionless in the waiting room.
Her pale face displayed no emotion.
She stared into nothingness...
The sight of the woman before him broke his heart into pieces.
My love... he thought...a moment of weakness...
Draco bent down, taking Hermione's hands in his, he kissed them gently.
Her eyes were vacant. She stared straight ahead.
"Hermione?" Draco desperately pleaded.
Please talk to me.
No response...
The Healer withdrew and decided to come back later to discuss vital details about her recovery.
Let me share your pain, he wanted to shout.
Draco hugged her tightly and after a moment Hermione responded.
He felt her arms go around him.
That's it, darling...let it go...
His shirt dampened with her soft sobs.
Blaise turned to watch them in sorrow. His grief threatening to spill over.
Walking over, Blaise placed a consoling hand on Draco's shoulder and clumsily wiped the tears that fell down his face.
Harry and Ginny ran to Hermione's side having just arrived.
Their faces masked the horror and pain they felt.
Oh, Merlin...Hermione...
They stood by Blaise; Ginny cried holding onto Harry.
"Why did this happen?" She questioned her husband in painful disbelief.
None of them had answers.
Theo was a fun-loving, genuinely good man. It was always the good ones that left first
Harry stared sadly at Hermione crying against Draco's shoulder.
His emotions got the better of him and before he could hold back, he felt hot tears slide down his cheeks.
Draco slowly tried to withdraw but Hermione held onto him tightly.
His arms went around her once again and he stroked her hair lovingly.
I got you, my love...
"Let her cry," He muttered to the people surrounding him.
The Healers backed off.
Let out your grief...
Draco tried his best to reassure her, "It's going to be ok, Hermione."
He cradled her body and kissed her forehead.
"Theo, oh Theo," Hermione sobbed, firmly holding onto Draco.
I will keep my promise, Theo...
I will look after her until my dying day.
His stormy grey eyes blazed with purpose.