Disclaimer: All characters and places in the Harry Potter series are owned
by J.K. Rowling. I have created a few characters and places of my own in
relation to this story. But everything else is owned by Rowling.
Chapter 12: "The Truth Will Set You Free"
"I've had enough. We have to end this right now," Draco said, standing up, reaching for his wand, and pointing it at the goblet. "Evanesco!" Immediately, the contents of the goblet vanished.
"Why are you always in a hurry every time we talk about your feelings?" Dylan said, sitting by the bed, and watching Draco unlock the door magically.
"Because there really is nothing to talk about. You know how I feel about Hermione. The potion has proven it. And it has also proven that it is okay for me to maintain even just a friendship with her."
"But you love her."
Draco slammed the door shut just when he was about to go out. "You don't get it, don't you? How can you ask me about unconditional love when you don't know what it really means?"
"All I know is that if you love her unconditionally, then you will fight for how you feel."
Draco chuckled. "Then you have a very twisted idea of love. Loving her unconditionally means loving her with all my heart, without asking for anything in return. If it means letting her stay with Harry, then that's what I'm going to do."
"Even if it will hurt you?"
"Even if it will hurt me, I don't care. Because all I want is for Hermione to be happy. And maybe, just maybe, seeing her happy with another person would make me happy too."
Dylan brushed his hair with his fingers and shook his head. "But you can be happier being with her."
"But she won't be."
"Is this always about her?"
"Yes. And that's what love is."
"I still don't understand," Dylan said, throwing his arms up.
Draco slowly approached him and looked him straight in the eye.
"Dylan, do you love your mother?"
"Of course I do."
"Would you be willing to sacrifice your own happiness just for her?" Draco said, putting his hand on top of Dylan's shoulder. "Because you love her."
"Yes, I think so."
"Then that's exactly how I feel about Hermione."
"But she's not your mother."
Draco grinned. "She doesn't have to be."
Dylan had only about a second to ponder on the thought when the door flew open and Crabbe and Goyle came in laughing.
"What's so funny?" Draco asked.
"Granger's sick. And they don't know what hit her," Goyle replied.
Draco's eyes grew in shock. "What? What do you mean she's sick?"
"Geesh, Draco. Since when did you care?" Crabbe answered.
"Since now!" he shouted, attacking Crabbe with his bare hands. The punch was so hard that it knocked Crabbe out of his bed.
"Where is she?" Draco asked, turning to face a dumbfounded Goyle. But Goyle was too afraid to speak.
"Where are you going?" Dylan asked as Draco immediately ran towards the door.
"Hospital Wing," he replied. "And you're coming with me."
***
"Hermione!"
"What is that noise?" cried Madam Pomfrey as she went out from her office.
"Hermione!"
"Who is that?"
Draco finally emerged at the doorway. Behind him was Dylan. "Hermione, are you-"
Seeing everyone inside the ward looking at him in bewilderment, Draco suddenly found that his voice was lost. Hermione was seated on her bed, and Harry was beside her. Ron was on the opposite bed, staring at him all puzzled. But Hermione suddenly burst into laughter, and was followed by Harry, then by Ron.
"What's so funny?" Draco muttered.
"I thought you'd never come," Hermione replied.
"How could that be possible?" Draco said, going inside and taking a seat beside Ron. "I'm sorry, I just heard."
"Where have you been all day?" Hermione asked.
"J-Just in the common room."
Hermione beamed widely.
"Why do you look so happy? I thought you were sick?"
"I am sick. I'm just glad you're here. And I'm flattered you were worried about me."
Draco suddenly turned pink.
"Is that blush I see on Draco Malfoy's face?" Ron said, nudging Draco on the shoulder.
"Ahem," Harry said, grinning.
Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and whispered something on his ear. Both Draco and Ron looked at each other, wondering what it was about. Then, Harry stood up from his seat, grabbed Ron by the arm, and dragged him all the way outside.
"What was that all about?" Draco asked.
"I wanted to talk to you alone," Hermione answered.
Draco glanced at the door of Madam Pomfrey's office. Hermione knew what he was thinking. "Don't worry, she won't come out until she hears a noise. So," she reached for her wand from under the bedsheets and pointed it on the office door, "Silencio."
"Now she won't hear us," she said, tucking the wand under the sheets again. Looking up, Hermione saw that Draco wasn't smiling at all. He looked pale and uneasy. "Draco, what's going on?"
"What? Oh, nothing, I. I'm just, just worried about you, that's all."
"I promise I'll get better soon, so don't you worry. There are a lot of doctors helping me get better, well, actually, they don't know what my illness is yet."
Draco looked up, more worried that ever. "What do you mean?"
"I shouldn't have told you. I knew you would get all worried. It's just that they haven't traced the reason of my sudden weakness yet, and they are trying their best to diagnose me and find me a cure" Hermione said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
"How long has it been?"
"A day"
"That's too long." Draco turned around and walked towards the window. "Do you know what the funny thing is? It's you who has to experience all this. Of all people who could come up with this kind of mysterious ailment, it has to be you. Why?"
"Maybe it's part of the test that I am being put through," Hermione answered. She wasn't sure where the conversation was leading, but somehow, it made her feel good talking to Draco like this.
"Isn't it enough that you've done your best to make everyone you love happy, and somehow even forgot to take care of yourself?"
"That's why I'm going through this. This is how I learn."
"What if you don't escape it?"
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Was he trying to say goodbye to her? "Please don't say that."
"I have to, Hermione. Because if I don't say it, then it's only going to hurt me more. It hurts me that I have caused you so much pain before, that it took so long before you learned to forgive me, that we just became friends and you suddenly get sick with no certain chances of healing, and I just stand here, watching you there, smiling at me, being able to do nothing for you," Draco said, tears streaming down his face.
"Why are you saying this? I'm not going to die," Hermione said, her eyes getting watery as well.
"Because I can't risk not being able to tell you what I feel, now that I have a chance."
"What you talking about, Draco?"
"I love you Hermione! I know you heard it when we talked by the lake, but I'm saying it again. Do you how painful it is to be close to you and not be able to tell you how I really feel? Before, all I wanted was to be your friend, for you to accept me as your friend. And now that I'm your friend, I realized that I couldn't handle it. Because every time something bad happens to you, something like this, I have to be there to comfort you, to be near you again. And then I see you with Harry, you're both happy and in love. It hurts me that you don't know how I feel, but it hurts me more that I cannot tell you because it might ruin our friendship. It's just so hard."
There was a moment of silence. Hermione didn't know what to say. She just let her tears fall down her face, not knowing when they would end. Her suspicions were right, after all. But now that they have been confirmed, and she was caught unguarded, she didn't know what to do about it. It was time to face the truth and she wasn't ready. "Draco, I."
"You don't have to say it, I know."
"If I could only take away how you feel, right now, and never let it come back, I would," she said, more tears rolling down her cheeks.
"But you can't."
"Then what am I supposed to do? What can I do?"
"Nothing," Draco said, turning around and looking up the sky outside. "When I allowed myself to love you, I also opened myself for more pain. I knew there was no way in the world that you would love me, and I'd just have to live with the friendship we have."
"Look at me!" Hermione said. "Look at me!" Draco turned around, but it was hard for him to look straight at her. "Are we still friends?" she asked. "Answer me!"
Draco finally smiled. "I will always be your friend, Hermione."
Upon hearing this, Hermione finally smiled as well. "Good, because I can't bear to lose you." Draco approached Hermione and gave her a hug. He has accepted how things have turned out. He was glad that he and Hermione are still friends. But most importantly, he was happy for her, and for Harry.
Suddenly, Draco felt Hermione's body became a little heavier. When he withdrew his embrace, he was stunned when Hermione fell on the bed, unconscious. "Hermione!"
Chapter 12: "The Truth Will Set You Free"
"I've had enough. We have to end this right now," Draco said, standing up, reaching for his wand, and pointing it at the goblet. "Evanesco!" Immediately, the contents of the goblet vanished.
"Why are you always in a hurry every time we talk about your feelings?" Dylan said, sitting by the bed, and watching Draco unlock the door magically.
"Because there really is nothing to talk about. You know how I feel about Hermione. The potion has proven it. And it has also proven that it is okay for me to maintain even just a friendship with her."
"But you love her."
Draco slammed the door shut just when he was about to go out. "You don't get it, don't you? How can you ask me about unconditional love when you don't know what it really means?"
"All I know is that if you love her unconditionally, then you will fight for how you feel."
Draco chuckled. "Then you have a very twisted idea of love. Loving her unconditionally means loving her with all my heart, without asking for anything in return. If it means letting her stay with Harry, then that's what I'm going to do."
"Even if it will hurt you?"
"Even if it will hurt me, I don't care. Because all I want is for Hermione to be happy. And maybe, just maybe, seeing her happy with another person would make me happy too."
Dylan brushed his hair with his fingers and shook his head. "But you can be happier being with her."
"But she won't be."
"Is this always about her?"
"Yes. And that's what love is."
"I still don't understand," Dylan said, throwing his arms up.
Draco slowly approached him and looked him straight in the eye.
"Dylan, do you love your mother?"
"Of course I do."
"Would you be willing to sacrifice your own happiness just for her?" Draco said, putting his hand on top of Dylan's shoulder. "Because you love her."
"Yes, I think so."
"Then that's exactly how I feel about Hermione."
"But she's not your mother."
Draco grinned. "She doesn't have to be."
Dylan had only about a second to ponder on the thought when the door flew open and Crabbe and Goyle came in laughing.
"What's so funny?" Draco asked.
"Granger's sick. And they don't know what hit her," Goyle replied.
Draco's eyes grew in shock. "What? What do you mean she's sick?"
"Geesh, Draco. Since when did you care?" Crabbe answered.
"Since now!" he shouted, attacking Crabbe with his bare hands. The punch was so hard that it knocked Crabbe out of his bed.
"Where is she?" Draco asked, turning to face a dumbfounded Goyle. But Goyle was too afraid to speak.
"Where are you going?" Dylan asked as Draco immediately ran towards the door.
"Hospital Wing," he replied. "And you're coming with me."
***
"Hermione!"
"What is that noise?" cried Madam Pomfrey as she went out from her office.
"Hermione!"
"Who is that?"
Draco finally emerged at the doorway. Behind him was Dylan. "Hermione, are you-"
Seeing everyone inside the ward looking at him in bewilderment, Draco suddenly found that his voice was lost. Hermione was seated on her bed, and Harry was beside her. Ron was on the opposite bed, staring at him all puzzled. But Hermione suddenly burst into laughter, and was followed by Harry, then by Ron.
"What's so funny?" Draco muttered.
"I thought you'd never come," Hermione replied.
"How could that be possible?" Draco said, going inside and taking a seat beside Ron. "I'm sorry, I just heard."
"Where have you been all day?" Hermione asked.
"J-Just in the common room."
Hermione beamed widely.
"Why do you look so happy? I thought you were sick?"
"I am sick. I'm just glad you're here. And I'm flattered you were worried about me."
Draco suddenly turned pink.
"Is that blush I see on Draco Malfoy's face?" Ron said, nudging Draco on the shoulder.
"Ahem," Harry said, grinning.
Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek and whispered something on his ear. Both Draco and Ron looked at each other, wondering what it was about. Then, Harry stood up from his seat, grabbed Ron by the arm, and dragged him all the way outside.
"What was that all about?" Draco asked.
"I wanted to talk to you alone," Hermione answered.
Draco glanced at the door of Madam Pomfrey's office. Hermione knew what he was thinking. "Don't worry, she won't come out until she hears a noise. So," she reached for her wand from under the bedsheets and pointed it on the office door, "Silencio."
"Now she won't hear us," she said, tucking the wand under the sheets again. Looking up, Hermione saw that Draco wasn't smiling at all. He looked pale and uneasy. "Draco, what's going on?"
"What? Oh, nothing, I. I'm just, just worried about you, that's all."
"I promise I'll get better soon, so don't you worry. There are a lot of doctors helping me get better, well, actually, they don't know what my illness is yet."
Draco looked up, more worried that ever. "What do you mean?"
"I shouldn't have told you. I knew you would get all worried. It's just that they haven't traced the reason of my sudden weakness yet, and they are trying their best to diagnose me and find me a cure" Hermione said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
"How long has it been?"
"A day"
"That's too long." Draco turned around and walked towards the window. "Do you know what the funny thing is? It's you who has to experience all this. Of all people who could come up with this kind of mysterious ailment, it has to be you. Why?"
"Maybe it's part of the test that I am being put through," Hermione answered. She wasn't sure where the conversation was leading, but somehow, it made her feel good talking to Draco like this.
"Isn't it enough that you've done your best to make everyone you love happy, and somehow even forgot to take care of yourself?"
"That's why I'm going through this. This is how I learn."
"What if you don't escape it?"
Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Was he trying to say goodbye to her? "Please don't say that."
"I have to, Hermione. Because if I don't say it, then it's only going to hurt me more. It hurts me that I have caused you so much pain before, that it took so long before you learned to forgive me, that we just became friends and you suddenly get sick with no certain chances of healing, and I just stand here, watching you there, smiling at me, being able to do nothing for you," Draco said, tears streaming down his face.
"Why are you saying this? I'm not going to die," Hermione said, her eyes getting watery as well.
"Because I can't risk not being able to tell you what I feel, now that I have a chance."
"What you talking about, Draco?"
"I love you Hermione! I know you heard it when we talked by the lake, but I'm saying it again. Do you how painful it is to be close to you and not be able to tell you how I really feel? Before, all I wanted was to be your friend, for you to accept me as your friend. And now that I'm your friend, I realized that I couldn't handle it. Because every time something bad happens to you, something like this, I have to be there to comfort you, to be near you again. And then I see you with Harry, you're both happy and in love. It hurts me that you don't know how I feel, but it hurts me more that I cannot tell you because it might ruin our friendship. It's just so hard."
There was a moment of silence. Hermione didn't know what to say. She just let her tears fall down her face, not knowing when they would end. Her suspicions were right, after all. But now that they have been confirmed, and she was caught unguarded, she didn't know what to do about it. It was time to face the truth and she wasn't ready. "Draco, I."
"You don't have to say it, I know."
"If I could only take away how you feel, right now, and never let it come back, I would," she said, more tears rolling down her cheeks.
"But you can't."
"Then what am I supposed to do? What can I do?"
"Nothing," Draco said, turning around and looking up the sky outside. "When I allowed myself to love you, I also opened myself for more pain. I knew there was no way in the world that you would love me, and I'd just have to live with the friendship we have."
"Look at me!" Hermione said. "Look at me!" Draco turned around, but it was hard for him to look straight at her. "Are we still friends?" she asked. "Answer me!"
Draco finally smiled. "I will always be your friend, Hermione."
Upon hearing this, Hermione finally smiled as well. "Good, because I can't bear to lose you." Draco approached Hermione and gave her a hug. He has accepted how things have turned out. He was glad that he and Hermione are still friends. But most importantly, he was happy for her, and for Harry.
Suddenly, Draco felt Hermione's body became a little heavier. When he withdrew his embrace, he was stunned when Hermione fell on the bed, unconscious. "Hermione!"