Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Author's Note: Remember - just 'cause they say Ronnie's dead doesn't mean he can't come back... This is the ending I wanted to post on the last chapter, but didn't. It might seem unreal, but I'll try to back it up next chapter.
"Love is too young to have conscience." -C.S. Lewis
"What are you doing in my room?" Hermione asked playfully.
Draco smiled. Then Hermione got serious.
"Thank you, Draco. I'm not sure what happened exactly, but I know I probably owe you my life." Draco smiled again at this.
"Ella spoke, you know. She came right outside, after going in to look for you. She called me Daddy." Hermione was shocked.
"And of course I had to miss that!" She chuckled a little. "You know, Draco, I didn't mean for that to happen. I wasn't trying to hurt myself."
"I know. I just don't understand what could've pushed you that far." He got no reply. Draco moved around Hermione so she was in front of him. They both looked into the mirror above Hermione's bureau. They stared for a moment at their reflections. Hermione's eyes were alert, and deep brown. She was a little pale, but she just seemed worn out. Draco's hair had become disheveled, but he seemed to be very awake still. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned slightly into Draco. He responded by putting his hands at the top oh her arms, supporting her. She listened to his heartbeat, and his breathing. It had become very quiet in Hermione's room. A minute later, Hermione realized Draco had lowered his head to her neck. It was pale and warm, and she could feel his breath against it. She opened her eyes, and by the reflection, she could see his eyes were closed. Not hurrying, he kissed her neck very, very softly. She held her breath for a moment, then closed her eyes again.
Both Draco and Hermione lost track of how long they'd been standing there. He continued to kiss her neck gently, and she began to fade underneath his touch.
It had begun to rain again. They could hear it on the roof and on the windows. Ella was still asleep on the couch. Draco and Hermione were lying in her bed, talking softly to each other. Sometimes they'd pause to listen for Ella or to the rain. He held one arm around her, his face half buried in her hair.
"After he raped me, he never came back to school. No charges were really pressed. I just found out today he killed himself a while ago. I keep thinking to myself, if I hadn't told anyone, if things were different, he could still be alive. I never wanted him dead, Draco. I wished a lot of things on him, but never death."
"I know, I know. Hermione, you couldn't stop him from killing himself anymore than you can change the tides. It was his choice, and it wasn't your responsibility to change him."
"Thank you, Draco." Awhile later, they spoke about Draco's wife.
"Her name was Lupa. She was beautiful. She had these brilliant green eyes, and blonde hair, like mine. I met her through father, and while she wasn't my choice of wife, we were good to each other." Draco took a breath before continuing. "We had a child, which was expected. Father wanted a boy, but was just as pleased when he saw Aucella. She's beautiful, isn't she?" Hermione nodded. "Things were fine, until that day. I suspect someone was after me. Wanted revenge on me, and decided to take my loved ones instead of me. I loved Lupa, but I wasn't in love with her. Does that make sense? I can't tell you the feeling, of seeing her die in front of me." Draco's voice broke, and he stopped his story for a moment.
"Ella screamed for an hour, it seemed like. She saw everything, too. Then she just stopped talking, making any noise. We moved, broke off contact with all our friends. It's just Ella and I."
They lay there for a while longer. Hermione was about to get up to check on Ella when Draco's grip tightened around her, and he whispered, "Please, please don't leave me right now." His voice broke every other syllable, and Hermione quickly lay back down, kissed his face, and comforted him as best she could. She ran her fingers through his hair, until the rain's steady rhythm lulled them both into sleep.
Author's Note: Remember - just 'cause they say Ronnie's dead doesn't mean he can't come back... This is the ending I wanted to post on the last chapter, but didn't. It might seem unreal, but I'll try to back it up next chapter.
"Love is too young to have conscience." -C.S. Lewis
"What are you doing in my room?" Hermione asked playfully.
Draco smiled. Then Hermione got serious.
"Thank you, Draco. I'm not sure what happened exactly, but I know I probably owe you my life." Draco smiled again at this.
"Ella spoke, you know. She came right outside, after going in to look for you. She called me Daddy." Hermione was shocked.
"And of course I had to miss that!" She chuckled a little. "You know, Draco, I didn't mean for that to happen. I wasn't trying to hurt myself."
"I know. I just don't understand what could've pushed you that far." He got no reply. Draco moved around Hermione so she was in front of him. They both looked into the mirror above Hermione's bureau. They stared for a moment at their reflections. Hermione's eyes were alert, and deep brown. She was a little pale, but she just seemed worn out. Draco's hair had become disheveled, but he seemed to be very awake still. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned slightly into Draco. He responded by putting his hands at the top oh her arms, supporting her. She listened to his heartbeat, and his breathing. It had become very quiet in Hermione's room. A minute later, Hermione realized Draco had lowered his head to her neck. It was pale and warm, and she could feel his breath against it. She opened her eyes, and by the reflection, she could see his eyes were closed. Not hurrying, he kissed her neck very, very softly. She held her breath for a moment, then closed her eyes again.
Both Draco and Hermione lost track of how long they'd been standing there. He continued to kiss her neck gently, and she began to fade underneath his touch.
It had begun to rain again. They could hear it on the roof and on the windows. Ella was still asleep on the couch. Draco and Hermione were lying in her bed, talking softly to each other. Sometimes they'd pause to listen for Ella or to the rain. He held one arm around her, his face half buried in her hair.
"After he raped me, he never came back to school. No charges were really pressed. I just found out today he killed himself a while ago. I keep thinking to myself, if I hadn't told anyone, if things were different, he could still be alive. I never wanted him dead, Draco. I wished a lot of things on him, but never death."
"I know, I know. Hermione, you couldn't stop him from killing himself anymore than you can change the tides. It was his choice, and it wasn't your responsibility to change him."
"Thank you, Draco." Awhile later, they spoke about Draco's wife.
"Her name was Lupa. She was beautiful. She had these brilliant green eyes, and blonde hair, like mine. I met her through father, and while she wasn't my choice of wife, we were good to each other." Draco took a breath before continuing. "We had a child, which was expected. Father wanted a boy, but was just as pleased when he saw Aucella. She's beautiful, isn't she?" Hermione nodded. "Things were fine, until that day. I suspect someone was after me. Wanted revenge on me, and decided to take my loved ones instead of me. I loved Lupa, but I wasn't in love with her. Does that make sense? I can't tell you the feeling, of seeing her die in front of me." Draco's voice broke, and he stopped his story for a moment.
"Ella screamed for an hour, it seemed like. She saw everything, too. Then she just stopped talking, making any noise. We moved, broke off contact with all our friends. It's just Ella and I."
They lay there for a while longer. Hermione was about to get up to check on Ella when Draco's grip tightened around her, and he whispered, "Please, please don't leave me right now." His voice broke every other syllable, and Hermione quickly lay back down, kissed his face, and comforted him as best she could. She ran her fingers through his hair, until the rain's steady rhythm lulled them both into sleep.