I own nothing. I tried to make this original, but the plot has most
definitely been used. Please don't sue!
Ch. 16 Awakening
Draco sat vigilantly beside Hermione's bedside. It had been two days since she had fallen off the ravine and into Raging River's icy death grip. Draco watched in horror as he saw his lover fall backwards. Had she not seen the cliff side? Why didn't she stop herself, or catch herself from falling.
Harry was only a few steps behind him when Hermione fell.
"Draco, come on! We have to save her." He didn't wait for Draco's answer. He jumped over the edge and fell the 75 feet into the water, Draco by his side.
"Hermione!" they both yelled. She was nowhere to be found. Draco dove underwater in hopes that he could find her. The river's current was strong because of the rain and it was cold, but panic kept him from noticing. He looked around underwater and found nothing. He came up from underwater and looked around for his girlfriend.
"Harry do you see her?" Draco yelled.
"No, I think the water swept her down the river!" Harry called back. Draco started swimming down the river, hoping he could find her. Harry stayed behind, dunking underwater, hoping that she was holding on to a rock or something. The air was cold, and the water was colder, and Harry was soon having trouble finding feeling in his legs. He couldn't give up though; he wouldn't give up on Hermione. Harry picked himself up out of the water and began running down the edge.
Draco swam back and forth, under water and above searching for his beloved. He too was having problems feeling his limbs. The icy river was beginning to have an affect on Draco, but he dared to give up. He felt tired, he knew his body would want to give out soon, but not until he found Hermione.
Harry came running down the embankment. "I can't find her! Do you think the river took her farther down?"
"I'm going to keep looking in the water, go try and find her further down!"
With that, Harry ran down the river, desperately looking out for Hermione. He called out her name as his eyes darted all over the scenery. How could have her little body traveled so far down the river?
"I can't find her, Malfoy!" Harry shouted.
"Keep looking. Go further down! She couldn't have gone that much further!" Draco yelled back. Draco put his head underwater, the cold burning his eyes as he tried to open them. He thought he saw the glimpse of the something, a shiny necklace perhaps? He swam towards it, his heart racing and his mind hoping that it was her. The sparkling object kept floating away from him, and he had to use every ounce of him to keep up with it. His lungs burned, and he had to reach up in the air for breath.
"Draco, I found her!" cried Harry as Draco reached the surface. Draco looked up to where Harry had yelled at him, and there he was, carrying an unconscious Hermione. "Her robe got snagged on a rock; she was down the river a few feet more from here. Draco, she's freezing. She needs to get back to the castle."
Draco jumped out of the water and took her in his arms. She was chilled to the bone, but all he could do was hold her. He picked her up and he and Harry began running to the castle the best they could with their cold, tired limbs. They were further from the castle than either one of them realized, and they still had to get Hermione up on the cliffs.
"You stay here and try to keep her warm, I'll go get help. There's no way we can get her back like this." Harry commanded. Again, he didn't wait for Draco's answer, but instead he bolted off into the distance. He was determined to save his best friend, no matter what the cost.
Draco held Hermione as close as he could. Her lips were dark, her eyes were closed, her body colder than a piece of ice. She was wet, soaked to the bone. Draco himself was not in much better condition, but he stayed as close to she as he could to try and salvage whatever warmth there was left between them.
"Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry. I should have run faster so that I could have caught you before you fell. I promise you that once we get you warm I'm never letting you go. I'm always going to be by your side to protect you, to keep you warm, to love you." Draco's eyes filled with tears as Hermione lay motionless. "You can't live me, Hermione. Not after what we've been through. You are my first love; you were my first to make love with. Your kisses send electricity down my spine, and I can get lost in your eyes, how deep hazel they are. I want to be able to look into your eyes and see my soul. You make me want to do something with my life. I want to be a good person because of you. No matter what, we'll always be together. You make my life whole, complete." He rocked her back and forth as chilling tears rode down his cheeks. There were still no signs of Harry or a rescue team, and Hermione's life was slipping away slowly. She hadn't stirred, nor did she make any signs that she was awake. "Oh please, some one, anyone help her. She's too young, too beautiful, too motivated to die now. She's got her entire life ahead of her. And I swear on my life I'm going to make her each day that she's with me."
Draco heard the crunching of feet behind him, but it was only an owl returning to the castle. There was nothing he could do now but sit and wait. He wondered what time it was, where they were, and how long Harry was going to be. Draco's eyelids began to sink. He fought the urge to sleep as long as he could. He put his head on top of a still unconscious Hermione and held her. "Well, maybe if I just let them rest a few minutes."
Draco woke up a few hours later back at Hogwarts. He had slipped into unconsciousness while waiting for Harry to return, who did only a few minutes after Draco drifted off. And now, two days of the accident, he sat next to Hermione's bed, holding her hand. Madame Pomfrey bustled in and out, continually checking to see if there was any change in her condition. Harry and Draco suffered mild hypothermia and were to stay in the hospital wing another day. Neither one left her side unless they had to sleep or as Madame Pomfrey told them so.
Professor Snape walked into the hospital wing one day, surprisingly. He pulled Draco aside, and they talked in low voices, deep in conversation. Harry walked over to Hermione's bed and pushed a piece of hair away from her face. She looked lifeless, but she was still alive.
"I heard what you told me during Christmas vacation. I know that I'm sorry isn't always enough, but you were strong enough to apologize to me. I only pretended to be asleep, I think you knew that. I forgive you for what happened, as long as you can forgive me for hurting your feelings like I did. Draco is a good guy; he took good care of you when I left him. He truly does love you. "Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall came to check on you. All three of us really. Draco and I are going back to classes tomorrow, and we'll be sure to keep you up to date on your assignments. You need to wake up, Hermione. We don't do well with out you. Who else is going to nag me about getting my homework done and listen to my endless hours of quidditch talk? I need you, Draco needs you. We all love you very much," Harry whispered as Draco talked to Professor Snape. Harry saw Snape give Draco a red envelope: a howler. It must be from his father; everyone knew how Lucius Malfoy felt about "dirty" blooded witches, and to find out his son was dating some one of that nature, Harry was positive he didn't want to be around for that conversation. He turned his back to Draco and Snape to give them their privacy, and kept his eye on Hermione in case she woke up. Madame Pomfrey walked into the room. "Professor Snape, Draco, Harry, it's time to leave this poor child alone. Draco, Potter, you two will be released to class tomorrow." Draco and Harry left Hermione's bedside as Snape left the building. They hopped into their beds, and Draco looked at his father's howler. "What are you going to do with that?" Harry asked. "Nothing," and with that, he ripped it up into tiny pieces. Draco smiled. "That felt good." Harry and Draco slept through the night with out disturbance. They were given the Dreamless Potion and were not roused until Madame Pomfrey gave them both a new set of robes, telling them it was time to leave. Draco gave Hermione a kiss goodbye, telling her he'd see her when classes were over. Madame Pomfrey bustled them out of the room, and then looked at Hermione quizzically. "What is it that you are hiding from, child?" She looked at all of Hermione's vital signs- all normal. She decided that perhaps it would be best to draw a little blood and see if there are any problems.
* * * *
Draco ran upstairs to the hospital wing upon hearing that Hermione was awake. A messenger was sent to him during Potions, and Professor Snape allowed him to leave. He dropped all of his books on the stairs, and he didn't care. In a few moments he would be holding on to his beloved once more, and they would be united, and they would love each other forever and ever. He entered the room and found Hermione sitting up in bed, drinking a small bowl of soup. "Draco!" she yelled. She set aside the bowl and Draco ran into her arms, and they held one another for the longest time. "Honey I was so worried about you. You gave me and Harry a fright. What happened? "Well-" She began. "Good, you both are here." Madame Pomfrey came in. "There is something I need to discuss with the both of you." Confusion struck both Draco's and Hermione's face. They held hands and waited for Madame Pomfrey to deliver her news. "Aside from Hermione being overtired, malnourished, hypothermic, and slightly elevated blood pressure, she's okay." Both breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at one another. "Except that Hermione is pregnant."
Ch. 16 Awakening
Draco sat vigilantly beside Hermione's bedside. It had been two days since she had fallen off the ravine and into Raging River's icy death grip. Draco watched in horror as he saw his lover fall backwards. Had she not seen the cliff side? Why didn't she stop herself, or catch herself from falling.
Harry was only a few steps behind him when Hermione fell.
"Draco, come on! We have to save her." He didn't wait for Draco's answer. He jumped over the edge and fell the 75 feet into the water, Draco by his side.
"Hermione!" they both yelled. She was nowhere to be found. Draco dove underwater in hopes that he could find her. The river's current was strong because of the rain and it was cold, but panic kept him from noticing. He looked around underwater and found nothing. He came up from underwater and looked around for his girlfriend.
"Harry do you see her?" Draco yelled.
"No, I think the water swept her down the river!" Harry called back. Draco started swimming down the river, hoping he could find her. Harry stayed behind, dunking underwater, hoping that she was holding on to a rock or something. The air was cold, and the water was colder, and Harry was soon having trouble finding feeling in his legs. He couldn't give up though; he wouldn't give up on Hermione. Harry picked himself up out of the water and began running down the edge.
Draco swam back and forth, under water and above searching for his beloved. He too was having problems feeling his limbs. The icy river was beginning to have an affect on Draco, but he dared to give up. He felt tired, he knew his body would want to give out soon, but not until he found Hermione.
Harry came running down the embankment. "I can't find her! Do you think the river took her farther down?"
"I'm going to keep looking in the water, go try and find her further down!"
With that, Harry ran down the river, desperately looking out for Hermione. He called out her name as his eyes darted all over the scenery. How could have her little body traveled so far down the river?
"I can't find her, Malfoy!" Harry shouted.
"Keep looking. Go further down! She couldn't have gone that much further!" Draco yelled back. Draco put his head underwater, the cold burning his eyes as he tried to open them. He thought he saw the glimpse of the something, a shiny necklace perhaps? He swam towards it, his heart racing and his mind hoping that it was her. The sparkling object kept floating away from him, and he had to use every ounce of him to keep up with it. His lungs burned, and he had to reach up in the air for breath.
"Draco, I found her!" cried Harry as Draco reached the surface. Draco looked up to where Harry had yelled at him, and there he was, carrying an unconscious Hermione. "Her robe got snagged on a rock; she was down the river a few feet more from here. Draco, she's freezing. She needs to get back to the castle."
Draco jumped out of the water and took her in his arms. She was chilled to the bone, but all he could do was hold her. He picked her up and he and Harry began running to the castle the best they could with their cold, tired limbs. They were further from the castle than either one of them realized, and they still had to get Hermione up on the cliffs.
"You stay here and try to keep her warm, I'll go get help. There's no way we can get her back like this." Harry commanded. Again, he didn't wait for Draco's answer, but instead he bolted off into the distance. He was determined to save his best friend, no matter what the cost.
Draco held Hermione as close as he could. Her lips were dark, her eyes were closed, her body colder than a piece of ice. She was wet, soaked to the bone. Draco himself was not in much better condition, but he stayed as close to she as he could to try and salvage whatever warmth there was left between them.
"Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry. I should have run faster so that I could have caught you before you fell. I promise you that once we get you warm I'm never letting you go. I'm always going to be by your side to protect you, to keep you warm, to love you." Draco's eyes filled with tears as Hermione lay motionless. "You can't live me, Hermione. Not after what we've been through. You are my first love; you were my first to make love with. Your kisses send electricity down my spine, and I can get lost in your eyes, how deep hazel they are. I want to be able to look into your eyes and see my soul. You make me want to do something with my life. I want to be a good person because of you. No matter what, we'll always be together. You make my life whole, complete." He rocked her back and forth as chilling tears rode down his cheeks. There were still no signs of Harry or a rescue team, and Hermione's life was slipping away slowly. She hadn't stirred, nor did she make any signs that she was awake. "Oh please, some one, anyone help her. She's too young, too beautiful, too motivated to die now. She's got her entire life ahead of her. And I swear on my life I'm going to make her each day that she's with me."
Draco heard the crunching of feet behind him, but it was only an owl returning to the castle. There was nothing he could do now but sit and wait. He wondered what time it was, where they were, and how long Harry was going to be. Draco's eyelids began to sink. He fought the urge to sleep as long as he could. He put his head on top of a still unconscious Hermione and held her. "Well, maybe if I just let them rest a few minutes."
Draco woke up a few hours later back at Hogwarts. He had slipped into unconsciousness while waiting for Harry to return, who did only a few minutes after Draco drifted off. And now, two days of the accident, he sat next to Hermione's bed, holding her hand. Madame Pomfrey bustled in and out, continually checking to see if there was any change in her condition. Harry and Draco suffered mild hypothermia and were to stay in the hospital wing another day. Neither one left her side unless they had to sleep or as Madame Pomfrey told them so.
Professor Snape walked into the hospital wing one day, surprisingly. He pulled Draco aside, and they talked in low voices, deep in conversation. Harry walked over to Hermione's bed and pushed a piece of hair away from her face. She looked lifeless, but she was still alive.
"I heard what you told me during Christmas vacation. I know that I'm sorry isn't always enough, but you were strong enough to apologize to me. I only pretended to be asleep, I think you knew that. I forgive you for what happened, as long as you can forgive me for hurting your feelings like I did. Draco is a good guy; he took good care of you when I left him. He truly does love you. "Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall came to check on you. All three of us really. Draco and I are going back to classes tomorrow, and we'll be sure to keep you up to date on your assignments. You need to wake up, Hermione. We don't do well with out you. Who else is going to nag me about getting my homework done and listen to my endless hours of quidditch talk? I need you, Draco needs you. We all love you very much," Harry whispered as Draco talked to Professor Snape. Harry saw Snape give Draco a red envelope: a howler. It must be from his father; everyone knew how Lucius Malfoy felt about "dirty" blooded witches, and to find out his son was dating some one of that nature, Harry was positive he didn't want to be around for that conversation. He turned his back to Draco and Snape to give them their privacy, and kept his eye on Hermione in case she woke up. Madame Pomfrey walked into the room. "Professor Snape, Draco, Harry, it's time to leave this poor child alone. Draco, Potter, you two will be released to class tomorrow." Draco and Harry left Hermione's bedside as Snape left the building. They hopped into their beds, and Draco looked at his father's howler. "What are you going to do with that?" Harry asked. "Nothing," and with that, he ripped it up into tiny pieces. Draco smiled. "That felt good." Harry and Draco slept through the night with out disturbance. They were given the Dreamless Potion and were not roused until Madame Pomfrey gave them both a new set of robes, telling them it was time to leave. Draco gave Hermione a kiss goodbye, telling her he'd see her when classes were over. Madame Pomfrey bustled them out of the room, and then looked at Hermione quizzically. "What is it that you are hiding from, child?" She looked at all of Hermione's vital signs- all normal. She decided that perhaps it would be best to draw a little blood and see if there are any problems.
* * * *
Draco ran upstairs to the hospital wing upon hearing that Hermione was awake. A messenger was sent to him during Potions, and Professor Snape allowed him to leave. He dropped all of his books on the stairs, and he didn't care. In a few moments he would be holding on to his beloved once more, and they would be united, and they would love each other forever and ever. He entered the room and found Hermione sitting up in bed, drinking a small bowl of soup. "Draco!" she yelled. She set aside the bowl and Draco ran into her arms, and they held one another for the longest time. "Honey I was so worried about you. You gave me and Harry a fright. What happened? "Well-" She began. "Good, you both are here." Madame Pomfrey came in. "There is something I need to discuss with the both of you." Confusion struck both Draco's and Hermione's face. They held hands and waited for Madame Pomfrey to deliver her news. "Aside from Hermione being overtired, malnourished, hypothermic, and slightly elevated blood pressure, she's okay." Both breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at one another. "Except that Hermione is pregnant."