Chapter Twenty-Five – Karma

"Oh my goodness! Lie him down, yes, yes, right there!"

Draco lowered Ron onto one of the empty beds in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey hustled over, inspecting the wound on Ron's chest which had turned dark red...almost black. She gasped. "What happened?!"

"Long story, one that I should tell to Headmaster Dumbledore first," Draco answered, wincing as the nurse stripped Ron of his bloody shirt. He sad down, because his knees were shaking so violently. Hermione, meanwhile, laid Harry down next to Ron.

"Any improvement in eyesight?" she asked him, waving her hand in front of him.

He shook his head. "Uh…no…" he answered, fatigue paying its toll on him. He closed his useless eyes, and sank deeper into the comfortable mattress. "Go…" his voice fell quiet. "Go tell Dumbledore…"

Hermione nodded, and stayed by the side of the bed a few extra minutes until she was sure the raven-haired boy was asleep. She then turned to Draco. "We need to go talk to Dumbledore," she said, causing him to look up from Ron.

Standing, Draco nodded. "Okay. But…where do we begin? I mean…where does this story begin?"

"I don't know," Hermione whispered breathlessly, heading for the door. She then stopped short, seeing a black dog panting in front of her. She beamed, and then dropped to her knees. She wrapped her thin arms around the shaggy canine, and he licked her ear. "Oh, Snuffles!"

Feet suddenly came into her view, and she looked up to see the Headmaster and Remus Lupin, who was looking particularly frightened. She frowned at them, still not letting go of the dog.

"Is it bad?" Lupin asked, looking past Draco Malfoy into the infirmary. His eyes lost their glitter as Draco sadly nodded his head, looking over his shoulder at Ron. He sighed, and looked up at the Headmaster. "Sir, I believe we," he nodded at Hermione, "should talk."

"I believe that is a very good idea."

Dumbledore led Draco and Hermione to his office, while Sirius and Lupin stayed by Ron and Harry. He sat in his chair, analyzing their faces. "Something more serious then Mr. Weasley's injury and Mr. Potter's eyesight, or lack there of, is bothering you two. What on earth is the matter?"

Hermione, unable to control her self any longer, exploded into tears, while falling into a chair. "Oh, Professor!" she cried, her voice barley audible. "Hagrid! It's Hagrid..."

The old man's eyes closed, and he sighted heavily. He had feared this as soon as he had stopped receiving letters. "He is dead?"

"Yes sir," Draco answered, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "But perhaps I'd better tell the entire story."

Dumbledore agreed, and Draco went into the saga, about his father, Neville, Harry being kidnapped, Ron's injury, and Hagrid's death. With each depressing detail, Albus Dumbledore's face became paler, and his body shook slightly. Durlseys, Lucius, Bill, Fudge, Hagrid...it was hard to stomach.

Eventually, Draco's story finished, and his eyes were slightly watery. He looked down at the bushy brown hair that fell around his fingertips, He slowly began massaging Hermione's shoulder, and her breathing slowed and was a normal rhythm after a few minutes.

Dumbledore stood. "You two are free to go. You may go to the Gryffindor common room, or the infirmary." He smiled sadly. "I must contact the Weasley family."

Hermione and Malfoy headed to the door, and walked out, working their way back to the hospital wing. The idea of the common room never even crossed their mind: they only wanted to see Ron and Harry. Hermione played with her robes uneasily, while Draco eyed her, worried.

"What's wrong?" he asked, but then cursed himself. What a stupid question, he thought.

"I should have gone second," Hermione replied, her voice barley above a whisper. "He wouldn't have gotten hurt, then."

Draco shook his head. "No, he was just too tall, Herm. He would never have made it."

She smiled slightly at the use of the nickname, then frowned again. "But if..."

" 'If ifs and buts were candy and nuts'," Draco recited intelligently. "It's not your fault. Karma."

"Karma?"

"You know, Karma. Someone about was getting him back for not trusting me."

Hermione frowned. "You were never gotten back for treating us so poorly," she said, referring to herself, and the rest of the Gryffindors.

"I didn't need punishment," Draco Malfoy replied, looking away from her. "I just needed to be freed."

^*^*^

"The summer has come."

The students listened quietly. Draco, from the Slytherin table, caught Hermione Granger's eye and winked, causing her to smile.

"Each one of you has gained qualities which will help you in your future years. Whether they be pure knowledge, bravery, or friendship," Dumbledore seemed to eye Draco and Hermione, "you will never forget what we have gone through this year.

"Fear plagues each of us, including me. But the bravery that I have seen in all of you has caused me to rise above my fright and has allowed me to carry on with life. I hope that you all received a bout of courage from your friends, and have been able to deal with the outside world with brighter eyes, and higher chins.

"Remember that names mean nothing. Voldemort is only a name, and cannot hurt your ears." He frowned a bit as some mumbles from the students sounded at the name. "It is only the man inside of him which can do any danger.

"So many of you, if not all, believe the only one who can defeat Lord Voldemort is our very own Harry Potter. I'm proud to say that is not the case. Each of you hold the power to conquer him at his own game. Be brave, never back down, and he shall fall again. And maybe next time, he will fall forever.

"I would like to give mention to those who cannot be with us today at our closing feast. Mr. Harry Potter, who lost his eyesight in the face of danger. Mr. Ronald Weasley, who is in a sever coma after receiving a traumatizing blow to the chest, while saving his best friend Harry. And finally, to a teacher so many of you have respected. I only regret the first years were not able to know his light-hearted, honorable, and gracious spirit which so many of us loved. I, of course, am speaking of the deceased Mr. Rubeus Hagrid."

A few students gasped at this: never had the news of Hagrid's death been announced.

"It is terrible!" Dumbledore cried over the noise. "But we must all realize that he died bravely and without fear. Of this, I am sure.

"He was killed by Voldemort. The innocent man was captured while doing a mission for the Ministry and me. He never completed this mission. He was buried in the Forbidden Forrest, a place that he prized and visited without hesitation. He was a good, kind man, of whom I shall never forget. Let us raise our glass, to Rubeus Hagrid."

The students raised the glasses, and muttered, "Rubeus Hagrid", before taking a small sip.

Hermione Granger silently cried.

So did Draco Malfoy.

The End