Driven

Acknowledgment: Ellen.

It was hard love,

every step of the way.

Hard to be close to you...

but hardest to turn away.

- Modified from the lyrics of "Hard Love".

"What?" he asked, his voice sounding annoyed as he put his robes back on, fiddling with the belt.

Hermione was currently putting down the creases on her nightgown, looking out the window, her arms folded as if she could not hear him, but that was soon ruined when Draco walked behind her, closing his arms around her shoulders as she took a shuddering gasp, as if repulsed by his mere touch. But I am not repulsed, she thought to herself. Not anymore. That's what scares me the most.

"We'll do it at midnight," he protested to an argument that had already began silently, his lips trailing kisses down her neck.

He's so gentle, a soothing voice calmed her. No he isn't, she insisted. He's evil...he's rotten...

"Will he still be alive?" she challenged, her chin upwards, her eyes tightly closed.

"Of course he will...now get back to sleep. You won't have you're energy if you don't, Granger," he snapped, rolling himself gracefully onto the bed, and closing his eyes, his soft breaths filling the room.

Hermione laughed coldly, imitating his perfectly, muttering to herself, "I don't think you're allowed to call me Granger after what just happened."

***

Harry looked at the frozen face, but with no avail did Ron make movement. Madame Pomfrey had settled him down with another potion, but he was weakening, even though Harry couldn't face it. All the years he'd loved Hermione inside, it couldn't even compare the way he felt about Ron. Ron was the thing he'd most miss in fourth year, Ron was his first friend in Hogwarts. Ron was his best friend at Hogwarts. Harry had known his whole family, gone on so many adventures with him, and Ron had risked his life at first year just a chance for Harry to defeat Voldemort.

"Damnit," Harry whispered, leaning over and clutching Ron's hand, "I'd give up Qudditch to just see you open your eyes."

The thought of never being able to see his face again, just like never being able to see Sirius alive again gave him an awful thump in the middle of his chest, and all he could wonder how anybody could make him suffer pain like this again; hadn't he suffered enough? Why didn't everybody just murder every person he talked to? In the midst of his thoughts, Harry yawned, closing his eyes.

Ron will be alive, Ron will be alive, he has to, was his last thought before his head plopped into the bedside, his fingers still lingering a person he'd known for over five years.

***

"Draco!" Hermione breathed. "You're stumbling on my foot!"

"Sorry! I just forgot the way," he said stubbornly, and they tried to move among the many layers of silver fabric in the Invisibility Cloak.

"Take the cloak off," she instructed.

"Are you crazy? Filch will see us and he'll have us strangled!"

"I don't hear any cat noises, nor Filch noises."

"Filch noises?" Draco exclaimed in an amused tone, chuckling.

"Oh, shut up, you," she said, almost saddened to hear her playful range of voice. Ron, Ron, she reminded herself. We're here for Ron. Your boyfriend?!

"Calm down, I think we just need turn back a few doors, let's do this without the cloak. After all, if we get caught we can just say we're desperate to see Ron," Hermione said logically.

"I AM desperate to see that Weasley?!" Draco said, his voice shaking, echoing in the hallway. Hermione punched him on the shoulder.

"Shut up!" she hissed. "Just carry the cloak, will you..."

Grumbling, he obeyed, the cloak in a bundle of his arms.

"Oh, what if..." Hermione groaned.

"What if what?"

"What if - he - he..."

Draco gave an exasperated sigh, clutching her chin in one hand. "Damnit, Granger, he's not going to be dead."

Hermione tried to pull away, but an intensity like no other hovered between them; and it was very hard to do so, her eyes boring into his gray pools.

"You sure?" she murmured.

"Yeah." Awkwardly, they drifted apart before they were in front of the door of the Hospital Wing. It was already opened an inch, to Hermione's delight, as she would not charm it open.

"So...this is it."

"Yeah."

"It either works or doesn't...and if it doesn't, I'll kill you with my bare hands," she threatened, looking at him evilly.

"It'll work," he promised.

They stepped inside, wands in front of them.

***

Songs That I Listened To, Therefore To Be Blamed For The Eternal

Now Four-Love-Triangle- (HERMIONE, DRACO, RON AND HARRY) And Harry's Queer But Adorable WHOLESOME Love For Ron

Bring Me To Life by the lovely, but morbid Evanescence

What Do You Do by the symbolic The Troys otherwise known as the Troy Sisters

30 Minutes by the outrageous but out-spoken T.A.T.U. I had no idea this was the Russian version of the song until I listened, so...okay why am I telling you guys this? (I don't speak Russian... *sad sigh*)

You're Still The One by the soft-voiced Shania Twain.

Okay, that was a cliffhanger. I can't help it! It's a bit longer though...right? Right? *looks around nervously, sees reviewers come toward her menacingly with lamps...one reviewer says, 'What the hell am I doing with a freaking lamp?*...

Anyways. I loved all of your reviews!!! Except some of you told me to kill off Ron... *glares at reviewers, who cower*...

Now...do it again. Review.

Love,

-S.A. Court