Chapter 23
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
Author's Note: Sadly, this is the final chapter. Thank you so much for all the people who read and reviewed this story, you are my inspiration! More thanks to hpchika, Angel125, and snow-angel. You guys rock!
***
Hermione appeared in front of Draco's apartment to confront him one last time. Once she confirmed the letter from Harvard, Hermione would be able to leave in a matter of days. She wanted to make sure that she wouldn't regret leaving London. She wanted to make sure there was nothing to look back to.
Hermione knocked but there was no answer. "Draco?" she called out. "It's me! We have to talk. You don't have to hide!"
But still there was no answer. Hermione considered that he wasn't home. She didn't want to wait any further. She was going to wait for him there like she did the other day. Hopefully it wouldn't rain on her again. Somehow, the rain was always connected to sadness. And Hermione didn't want to feel sad, especially before she would leave.
Feeling relieved, Hermione saw Draco's car pull over. She approached him as he climbed out of the car, looking tired but nonetheless composed. "You came back," he said."
"This is the last time I will come here," she replied. "I want to make sure about how you feel." Draco motioned for the apartment but Hermione held him back. "I want to talk to you now."
"What else do you want to know?" he said, feeling irritated.
"Tell me you never loved me," she said. It was painful to say it, but Hermione knew it was the only way. "Answer me!"
Draco tilted his head and looked up. Hermione reached to make him look at her. "You really want to know?" he said.
"I deserve to know, Draco."
Draco took a deep breath. "I never loved you, Hermione."
Hermione nodded as tears fall from her eyes. "I just needed to make sure." She was just about to turn when she thought of something else. She reached behind her neck and unlocked her necklace. She held it with one hand and reached out to Draco.
"I can't take that," he said disbelievingly, his voice echoing after the distant sound of thunder.
"Take it, it's yours," she said, taking his hand and dropping the necklace on his palm. She closed his fingers and pushed his hand back to him. "I'm leaving for Harvard in a few days. I guess this is the time when we will part ways." Drops of rain started to fall. Hermione smiled and shook her head. "That's my signal. It's time for me to go." As soon as she had blinked, Hermione was gone.
Draco leaned by his car, opening his palm to reveal the emerald necklace. He pushed it inside his pocket. Seeing it brought him pain. Resting his hands on his car and looking up the sky, Draco watched the drops of rain fall from the dark clouds and shower on him. Somehow, he just wanted to stay there forever.
***
The day came when Hermione had to leave for Cambridge. She had tried forgetting about Draco by keeping herself busy in arranging her paperwork. But now that she was standing on the airport, bidding her loved ones goodbye, she knew it had come to an end. She would never see him again.
"Take care, both of you," she said, wrapping her arms around her parents, trying not to cry.
"Shouldn't we be the one to say that?" her mother joked, though dejectedly.
"Always lock your room in the dorm, okay?" his father added, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"You're worrying too much," Hermione said.
"Hermione!" Ron called out. "Mum, Dad, and Ginny are here," he said.
Hermione turned to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny walking towards her. Harry trailing behind her, beaming widely.
"Take care, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said, giving her a hug.
"You look after yourself, okay?" Mr. Weasley chimed in.
Hermione turned to see Ginny. "Take care of Ron for me, okay?" she whispered to him.
"I will," she said. "Goodluck on your trip."
Harry approached her and pulled her a few meters away from the rest. "Hermione, where's Draco? Isn't he coming?"
Hermione looked flushed. "I don't think so. Let's just not talk about him," she answered.
Harry gave her a nice warm hug. "Don't forget me, okay? Write to me everyday! Update me on what's happening to your life."
"How about me?" Ron said, moving towards them. "Hermione, your plane's about to leave."
Hermione gave Ron a tight hug and slapped him on his arm. "Thanks for everything."
"No problem," he said, checking to see if his arm was swollen. Hermione pushed him aside and smile. Walking towards her parents and embracing them one last time, Hermione finally left to take her flight. Fighting back tears, she didn't look back. It was hard leaving everyone she loved.
***
She entered the plane and searched for her seat, holding her ticket. She found it and saw that someone was already there, looking out the window. Hermione approached the person, who was wearing a blue cap, and tapped his shoulder. "Excuse me, I think this is my seat."
Turning to look at her, Hermione gasped as she saw who it was. "Draco!"
"I see you're not glad to see me, Hermione," he said, standing up.
Hermione uncomfortably tilted her head. "What are you doing here?" she said, looking down.
"Would you please look at me?"
"It depends on what you are going to say."
He reached for her chin and moved her head upward. "Look at me. I made a mistake and I regret ever doing it. I'm here to apologize."
"That's not what I wanted to hear," she said, walking down the aisle.
Draco quickly followed her and made her turn around. "Hermione, I love you too."
Hermione's eyes widened it surprise. "What did you say?"
"I said I love you. I lied when I told you I never loved you. Because I couldn't take the risk while I'm not yet free."
"What are you talking about?"
"My mother. I needed to rescue her first before I could dive into any other commitment."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she said, eyebrows curled.
"Because I didn't want it to affect your decision. I told you before I couldn't lose the both of you at the same time. What I realized was that I couldn't stand not having the both of you at all. And now that I have her." He reached for her hand and placed it on his chest. "Tell me what you hear."
"I. I don't know."
"My heart is beating for you, Hermione."
With that, Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. He moved his hands around her waist and pushed her towards him. Both of them were oblivious that all of the passengers had stood up and had begun clapping their hands.
***
Draco went with Hermione and they arrived at Cambridge a few hours later. Instead of heading straight to Harvard, Draco convinced Hermione to rent an apartment with him. After much hesitation, she finally agreed, with the conditional that they would have separate rooms.
It was night when they arrived. And when Hermione opened the door of the apartment, she couldn't help but notice how cozy and quiet it was inside.
"Do you like it?" Draco asked, walking after her.
"I love it!" she exclaimed, moving towards the large glass window that was overlooking the city. "Look, you can see the sky clearly from here," she said.
Draco approached her from the back and wrapped his arms around her waist. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder as she watched the stars. Draco pulled something from his pocket and Hermione was surprised when he showed her what he was holding. It was the necklace.
"You still have that?" she said.
"Of course, I do. And I'm giving it back to you." Draco hung the necklace around her neck and Hermione placed her hand over it. "Promise me you'll never take it off again."
Hermione closed her eyes and smiled. "I promise." She then remembered something. She turned around and voiced her thoughts. "Draco, how were you able to rescue your mother?" she said, looking up at him.
Draco's eyes moved to her necklace. "Thanks to this," he pointed to it.
"What do you mean?"
"When I went back to the manor, I was wearing this necklace. To my great surprise, it gave me unrestricted passage. I still don't understand why. But it seems to me it was the key I've been looking for all along," he explained.
Hermione's eyebrows curled. "It was probably because your mother being trapped was merely an illusion for your father to be able to bend your will. And since the gem of the necklace holds nothing but truth, it was able to break through the barriers your father has set up."
"I wish you had known that sooner," he said, pulling her close.
"There's a time for everything, Draco."
"Then what does time hold for us now?"
"Love. and happiness."
"Then I guess you won't be needing that necklace anymore."
"Probably. But I still want to wear it."
"It's that gem that showed you happiness when you almost lost it."
Hermione chuckled. "It wasn't really the gem, Draco. It was you."
Upon hearing those words, Draco started to move closer. And as their lips pressed against each other, a shooting star dropped by the open sky. It had meant that finally, after so many ordeals, their dreams had come true.
***
You guys are probably wondering if Mrs. Granger was really sick, and if she was, why I just skipped the part when she became well. Actually, I didn't skip it. It was implied in the story all along. Mrs. Granger wasn't pretending to be sick, she really was ill. But I refer to her "real" sickness as not being able to accept that her only daughter is now all grown up, and that she might be giving her up to no less than Draco Malfoy. When she was finally able to accept this, that was the time when she was "healed." Remember the conversation she had with Hermione in Chapter 22 (Confession) before Hermione took off to confess her love for Draco? That was it.
Many thanks!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot.
Author's Note: Sadly, this is the final chapter. Thank you so much for all the people who read and reviewed this story, you are my inspiration! More thanks to hpchika, Angel125, and snow-angel. You guys rock!
***
Hermione appeared in front of Draco's apartment to confront him one last time. Once she confirmed the letter from Harvard, Hermione would be able to leave in a matter of days. She wanted to make sure that she wouldn't regret leaving London. She wanted to make sure there was nothing to look back to.
Hermione knocked but there was no answer. "Draco?" she called out. "It's me! We have to talk. You don't have to hide!"
But still there was no answer. Hermione considered that he wasn't home. She didn't want to wait any further. She was going to wait for him there like she did the other day. Hopefully it wouldn't rain on her again. Somehow, the rain was always connected to sadness. And Hermione didn't want to feel sad, especially before she would leave.
Feeling relieved, Hermione saw Draco's car pull over. She approached him as he climbed out of the car, looking tired but nonetheless composed. "You came back," he said."
"This is the last time I will come here," she replied. "I want to make sure about how you feel." Draco motioned for the apartment but Hermione held him back. "I want to talk to you now."
"What else do you want to know?" he said, feeling irritated.
"Tell me you never loved me," she said. It was painful to say it, but Hermione knew it was the only way. "Answer me!"
Draco tilted his head and looked up. Hermione reached to make him look at her. "You really want to know?" he said.
"I deserve to know, Draco."
Draco took a deep breath. "I never loved you, Hermione."
Hermione nodded as tears fall from her eyes. "I just needed to make sure." She was just about to turn when she thought of something else. She reached behind her neck and unlocked her necklace. She held it with one hand and reached out to Draco.
"I can't take that," he said disbelievingly, his voice echoing after the distant sound of thunder.
"Take it, it's yours," she said, taking his hand and dropping the necklace on his palm. She closed his fingers and pushed his hand back to him. "I'm leaving for Harvard in a few days. I guess this is the time when we will part ways." Drops of rain started to fall. Hermione smiled and shook her head. "That's my signal. It's time for me to go." As soon as she had blinked, Hermione was gone.
Draco leaned by his car, opening his palm to reveal the emerald necklace. He pushed it inside his pocket. Seeing it brought him pain. Resting his hands on his car and looking up the sky, Draco watched the drops of rain fall from the dark clouds and shower on him. Somehow, he just wanted to stay there forever.
***
The day came when Hermione had to leave for Cambridge. She had tried forgetting about Draco by keeping herself busy in arranging her paperwork. But now that she was standing on the airport, bidding her loved ones goodbye, she knew it had come to an end. She would never see him again.
"Take care, both of you," she said, wrapping her arms around her parents, trying not to cry.
"Shouldn't we be the one to say that?" her mother joked, though dejectedly.
"Always lock your room in the dorm, okay?" his father added, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"You're worrying too much," Hermione said.
"Hermione!" Ron called out. "Mum, Dad, and Ginny are here," he said.
Hermione turned to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny walking towards her. Harry trailing behind her, beaming widely.
"Take care, Hermione," Mrs. Weasley said, giving her a hug.
"You look after yourself, okay?" Mr. Weasley chimed in.
Hermione turned to see Ginny. "Take care of Ron for me, okay?" she whispered to him.
"I will," she said. "Goodluck on your trip."
Harry approached her and pulled her a few meters away from the rest. "Hermione, where's Draco? Isn't he coming?"
Hermione looked flushed. "I don't think so. Let's just not talk about him," she answered.
Harry gave her a nice warm hug. "Don't forget me, okay? Write to me everyday! Update me on what's happening to your life."
"How about me?" Ron said, moving towards them. "Hermione, your plane's about to leave."
Hermione gave Ron a tight hug and slapped him on his arm. "Thanks for everything."
"No problem," he said, checking to see if his arm was swollen. Hermione pushed him aside and smile. Walking towards her parents and embracing them one last time, Hermione finally left to take her flight. Fighting back tears, she didn't look back. It was hard leaving everyone she loved.
***
She entered the plane and searched for her seat, holding her ticket. She found it and saw that someone was already there, looking out the window. Hermione approached the person, who was wearing a blue cap, and tapped his shoulder. "Excuse me, I think this is my seat."
Turning to look at her, Hermione gasped as she saw who it was. "Draco!"
"I see you're not glad to see me, Hermione," he said, standing up.
Hermione uncomfortably tilted her head. "What are you doing here?" she said, looking down.
"Would you please look at me?"
"It depends on what you are going to say."
He reached for her chin and moved her head upward. "Look at me. I made a mistake and I regret ever doing it. I'm here to apologize."
"That's not what I wanted to hear," she said, walking down the aisle.
Draco quickly followed her and made her turn around. "Hermione, I love you too."
Hermione's eyes widened it surprise. "What did you say?"
"I said I love you. I lied when I told you I never loved you. Because I couldn't take the risk while I'm not yet free."
"What are you talking about?"
"My mother. I needed to rescue her first before I could dive into any other commitment."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she said, eyebrows curled.
"Because I didn't want it to affect your decision. I told you before I couldn't lose the both of you at the same time. What I realized was that I couldn't stand not having the both of you at all. And now that I have her." He reached for her hand and placed it on his chest. "Tell me what you hear."
"I. I don't know."
"My heart is beating for you, Hermione."
With that, Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. He moved his hands around her waist and pushed her towards him. Both of them were oblivious that all of the passengers had stood up and had begun clapping their hands.
***
Draco went with Hermione and they arrived at Cambridge a few hours later. Instead of heading straight to Harvard, Draco convinced Hermione to rent an apartment with him. After much hesitation, she finally agreed, with the conditional that they would have separate rooms.
It was night when they arrived. And when Hermione opened the door of the apartment, she couldn't help but notice how cozy and quiet it was inside.
"Do you like it?" Draco asked, walking after her.
"I love it!" she exclaimed, moving towards the large glass window that was overlooking the city. "Look, you can see the sky clearly from here," she said.
Draco approached her from the back and wrapped his arms around her waist. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder as she watched the stars. Draco pulled something from his pocket and Hermione was surprised when he showed her what he was holding. It was the necklace.
"You still have that?" she said.
"Of course, I do. And I'm giving it back to you." Draco hung the necklace around her neck and Hermione placed her hand over it. "Promise me you'll never take it off again."
Hermione closed her eyes and smiled. "I promise." She then remembered something. She turned around and voiced her thoughts. "Draco, how were you able to rescue your mother?" she said, looking up at him.
Draco's eyes moved to her necklace. "Thanks to this," he pointed to it.
"What do you mean?"
"When I went back to the manor, I was wearing this necklace. To my great surprise, it gave me unrestricted passage. I still don't understand why. But it seems to me it was the key I've been looking for all along," he explained.
Hermione's eyebrows curled. "It was probably because your mother being trapped was merely an illusion for your father to be able to bend your will. And since the gem of the necklace holds nothing but truth, it was able to break through the barriers your father has set up."
"I wish you had known that sooner," he said, pulling her close.
"There's a time for everything, Draco."
"Then what does time hold for us now?"
"Love. and happiness."
"Then I guess you won't be needing that necklace anymore."
"Probably. But I still want to wear it."
"It's that gem that showed you happiness when you almost lost it."
Hermione chuckled. "It wasn't really the gem, Draco. It was you."
Upon hearing those words, Draco started to move closer. And as their lips pressed against each other, a shooting star dropped by the open sky. It had meant that finally, after so many ordeals, their dreams had come true.
***
You guys are probably wondering if Mrs. Granger was really sick, and if she was, why I just skipped the part when she became well. Actually, I didn't skip it. It was implied in the story all along. Mrs. Granger wasn't pretending to be sick, she really was ill. But I refer to her "real" sickness as not being able to accept that her only daughter is now all grown up, and that she might be giving her up to no less than Draco Malfoy. When she was finally able to accept this, that was the time when she was "healed." Remember the conversation she had with Hermione in Chapter 22 (Confession) before Hermione took off to confess her love for Draco? That was it.
Many thanks!