Author's Beginning Notes: All notes are at the end.
Thank You To: Everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I'm too lazy to thank anyone individually right now. Maybe next time.
Now... Onto the chapter...
It was hours later, after many tears were shed, that Harry, Hermione, and Blaise sat at one of the round tables in near silence. Hermione had just informed Harry of all the had happened when he had gone. Blaise had stayed relatively silent while the two had caught up. Hermione had plenty to tell Harry, and he mainly just listened, enjoying being able to talk to her again. Harry was feeling happy, glad he had come though he thought he would not be ready to see Hermione so soon. He felt better than he had in a while. That is, until Hermione broke the silence they had been sitting in.
"Harry," She said, voice still croaky from crying, "I was just wondering, really,"
Harry glanced up from the table top. "What's that Hermione?" He knew what came next, but also knew he would eventually have to tell them why he'd left. "Why did you go?" Hermione looked into Harry's eyes, but Harry looked away instantly.
"I just," Harry paused, words caught in his throat. Can I tell her about Draco? He pondered to himself. I've always been able to tell her everything that I felt or was on my mind. He looked back up at Hermione. "Hermione," He started before coming to his senses. "I'll tell you when we're alone." Hermione glanced at Blaise, distraught that she couldn't know what had made Harry leave just yet.
"It wasn't anything I did, was it?" Hermione asked quietly.
"No!" Harry reached across the table and took Hermione's hand into his own. "You're one of the best things that's ever happened to me, 'Mione. I mean that, too. Hermione who was always there for me." Hermione smiled despite the tears steadily gathering in her eyes. "Hermione," Harry said, softer this time, "who always had the answers to the problems I couldn't solve, my best friend. You and Ron were the only thing I regretted leaving."
Harry's eyes were filled to the brim with tears, just as Hermione's. He fought his off, but Hermione never tried to. A tear fell from her eye and Harry used his other hand to wipe it away as he looked into her eyes.
"I love you, Hermione. You and Ron both. I've never stopped and never will. You two mean the world to me, and I'm glad to be-to be home." Harry bit his bottom lip and finally allowed his tears to fall.
Harry released Hermione's hand and turned away, wiping his own tears. Hermione grabbed a napkin from the container on the table and dabbed her eyes.
"Harry," Hermione sniffed, "I've left Nicholas outside this whole time." She laughed, although it wasn't exactly amusing. Blaise pushed his chair back and stood up. "I'll go get him. You two could use some time alone." Hermione nodded her head and Blaise left to go retrieve Nicholas.
Harry realized Blaise had gone due to what he had told Hermione earlier about telling her why he'd left when they were alone. Hermione glanced at Harry, wondering if he would tell her what he was going to before. "Harry-."
The door behind the bar burst open and ran in Nicholas. "Aunt 'Mione!" He cried, running to her. "Uncle Ron is going to be here soon?" Hermione gathered the boy in her arms. "I suppose so." She said to him.
"Erm, Hermione?" Blaise had appeared in the doorway. "Ron's here." No sooner had the word left his mouth, Ron dashed in.
"Uncle Ron!" Nicholas cried as he dislodged himself from Hermione's embrace and ran to Ron.
"Not now, Nicholas." Ron said, ignoring the boy and heading straight to Hermione.
"Herm, I heard and came as soon as I could. I-Oh!" Ron stopped short upon noticing Harry. "Bloody hell!" Ron sank down into Blaise's vacated chair.
Harry smiled sheepishly at Ron. "Hello, Ron."
Ron stared at him, mouth agape. "Harry. Wow. I just, gee," Harry gave another small smile. "I see you're doing well for yourself." Harry said. Ron shrugged, "I guess,"
Hermione stood up. "I'm going to go fix some tea. I believe we have a lot to talk about. Blaise," She said, looking over at him, "could you return Nicholas to Jyllian, please? Harry is safe here." Blaise nodded and bent to pick Nicholas up. "Alright," Blaise said. He plucked his wand from his pocket, and both of them Apparated on the spot.
"Well," Hermione sighed, turning back to the two men, "I'll go get that tea now. Harry?" Hearing his name, Harry shifted around to face Hermione. "Do you still take your tea the same as you did?" She asked, glancing at Ron.
Harry smiled, "Yes."
Hermione beamed. "Excellent! I'll be back." She bustled into the kitchen and left Harry and Ron to themselves.
Draco entered the Ministry of Magic building. He had no idea why, but his temper was ablaze. It appeared to him he must be angry with Ginny if he was here, at her work place. What had she done, though?
Draco came to a halt, pondering this. Nothing, He thought. Then why am I so angry? He spun back around. I should leave. He thought, and did so.
As Draco exited the front doors of the building, an eerie, sickening feeling took over him. Something is wrong. The warning signs went off in his head, moments before there was a deafening explosion, and blackness came over him as he was engulfed by flames, smoke, and debris.
Draco disappeared into the smoke that was steadily taking over the surrounding are. If the smoke had not been present, many of the people that were in the area, but not in the direct path of the explosion, might have seen a tall, dark-haired man, clad in all black, leaving the scene.
When Draco came to, he was lying in a bed, enclosed behind white curtains. His head throbbed as he sat upright. As he put his hand to his temple, he felt a bandage there. Draco had no memory of an accident. Was he in the hospital? What had happened?
Questions flooded Draco's mind, and his head swam, feeling as if it was about to burst apart. He groaned and reached to open the curtains around his bed. As his hand grazed the soft material, the curtains were unexpectedly pulled open. Draco covered his eyes as bright lights were turned on inside the room. Turn them off! Cried Draco's inner voice.
"Draco?" A voice said.
The sound of the voice that had said his name sounded oddly familiar. Draco uncovered his eyes and they adjusted to the light fairly quickly.
"H-Harry? What happened? Why am I in a hospital?" Draco stammered, a feeling of dread lurking in the back of his mind. Harry wouldn't look him in the eye, and Draco knew whatever it was that had occurred must be bad. Maybe it's just me? Draco wondered, and asked Harry the same question again when he received no reply. "What happened?"
Then it dawned on Draco. "Oh my God." He was frozen in panic. "Where's Ginny?!" Draco flung himself from under the blankets, yanking out the IV in his wrist.
"Draco!" Harry cried, grabbing Draco's shoulders to hold him in place. "Draco," He said gently this time, looking into Draco's stormy grey eyes as he said his name. "Listen to me." Draco looked back at Harry, their gazes locked on one another. Harry's heart went out to the blonde haired man before him. This was too hard for Harry alone to tell Draco, but looking into those beautiful grey eyes again, he felt it would be best if it were him who told Draco.
"Draco,"' He tried again, "Ginny is- she's gone, Draco." Draco slumped down onto the bed. He felt like his heart had just been torn in two all over again. Oh Lord, Ginny, Draco felt his eyes sting with tears.
Draco had admitted to himself that Ginny was not his true love, and never would be. Draco's heart belonged else where, but he found solace when he was with Ginny. It was undoubtably because Ginny had loved the one person who had ever loved him, and Draco knew, Ginny had loved them back unconditionally so. Maybe Draco and Ginny had been together as a result of the one their hearts belonged to had left them.
"Draco?" Harry's voice shattered Draco's heart completely. The pain that was lingering in his tone caused Draco to stiffen. "There's more, isn't there?" Draco whispered, as if to himself.
"The twins- they're gone, too. I'm so sorry, Draco." Harry reached towards Draco, but the blonde flinched away from his touch, letting out a choked sob. Harry stiffly sat down on the edge of the bed. Perhaps this had been something better left for someone else to tell Draco. Harry wanted to comfort the Slytherin, but felt that it just wouldn't do. Harry never had been able to do much for Draco.
As Harry sat in silence, Draco's muffled sniffles breaking it, he felt completely lost. Harry suddenly was aware of a small pressure on his shoulder. He looked down to see Draco leaning against him.
"Draco, I'm so sorry." Harry said once more, voice seeming distant.
"Oh, Harry," Draco titled his head up and looked at him, eyes still misted over, "I've done Ginny such a great wrong. All of them. Ginny, the twins, the Weasleys," He trailed off. "I never got to tell her- to apologize for it." Harry looked bewildered.
"What are you going on about, Draco?"
"I never loved her." Draco stated bitterly. "But you did, and she loved you." Draco looked away then. "It made me feel better to be around her. She reminded me of when we were at Hogwarts, before you left. She went through the same turmoil I went through without you."
Harry felt his jaw tighten. "You used her?" He demanded softly, not quite sure if that was at all what his Draco would do.
"I missed the feeling of being with you, Harry."
Harry peered at Draco a moment. Is it supposed to be like this? He thought. Isn't he supposed to be angry that I left? Is he even upset over Ginny?
"Draco," Harry said, facing him, "I don't think you understand what you're saying. You're just distraught." Harry glared, wishing it wasn't so.
Draco timidly reached his hand up and cupped Harry's face. "Harry," Draco murmured, leaning in toward him so that they were barely an inch apart. "I think you are the one who hasn't a clue what he's saying." Harry's heart rate sped up.
"I think," Draco continued, tone dropping lower, "that you're just as lost as me, Harry." Draco finished, and, to Harry's dismay, kissed him hard on the mouth.
Many miles and hours away from the devastated Wizarding community around the destroyed Ministry of Magic, a slender, brown haired teenager entered a private pub at the end of a small Wizarding village. He swiftly wove around the coffee tables and to a splintered wooden door across the room.
Voices could be heard beyond the door, and the boy kneeled down, pressing his ear against the wooden panelling.
He listened intently as a man spoke.
"I have done as you requested, my Lord." Said the male voice. Another man replied, this one having a more charming sound in his voice then the other, whom had sounded gruff. "Wonderful." The silky voice drawled. "Does Mister Malfoy remember anything at all?" There was a pause, then the first man answered, "Yes, but not much." The voice sounded fearful.
"You couldn't erase it all?" The second voice snapped, agitated.
"No, my Lord, but he does not remember what he heard. About the plan." The man stopped speaking.
The brown headed boy pressed his ear against the door harder, straining to hear.
"Well, there is no longer a Ministry of Magic, Severus, you should feel lucky. I expected better from you, though."
"Yes, I'm sorry, my Lord." Severus, the one who'd spoken with the gruff tone, said.
"You may leave, you bore me. Next time do just as I say, Severus. The plan requires all your effort, and one slip up, no matter how small, could sabotage it." The 'Lord' said.
"Yes," Footsteps neared the door.
The boy leapt aside and disappeared. Seconds later the door opened and Severus Snape emerged.
Author's Ending Note: Do you people know... I don't like this chapter very much at all. I'm working with the plot in hopes of getting the story pulled together soon. I'm writing the next chapter as you read this, so be happy. There is a possibility that chapter 13 might be out either next weekend or around Wednesday after that. Maybe Thursday, but it depends on how much free time I have.
Hm.. Off a serious note.. Who read Cassandra Claire's new Draco Veritas chapter (11)? ^_~ ; If you haven't read it yet and you read her series, I suggest you go read it! It was very good, especially the surprise ending Cassia gave to us, Just smashing, I think.
Also! Weh, I've seen CoS 7 times. ^_^ Maybe I'll go see it again over Christmas break. *grin* Um, if you haven't seen that, I suggest you do that aswell. (Poor souls... =P )
Hm, well, thank you guys for all the lovely reviews. I hope you all liked this chapter. Cheerio to you guys! *Big hugs*
PLEASE REVIEW!! ^_^;!