Chapter 20: Is This the Final Goodbye?
The next morning, Draco and Hermione woke up in moods found on opposite ends of the spectrum. While Draco woke up in high spirits and hopes that he would possibly get another chance with Hermione, the object of his affection woke up feeling like shit. She woke up and took in her surroundings slowly. The she remembered what a jackass Draco was and pasted a scowl on her face; mostly because she couldn't hate him...even if she tried. She sighed and placed her feet on the floor and decided she'd have a bath. She conjured up some clothes and a towel and headed towards the prefect bathrooms.
On her way out, she noticed a dark lump asleep on the sofa. She tiptoed over and found Harry fast asleep. She smiled as she watched his for a little bit, then brushed his unkempt hair away from his forehead. She leaned down to give him a soft peck on the cheek and headed out the portrait hole. Since it was Sunday, most of the castle was still asleep. She took her time walking to the prefect bathrooms and reminisced about all the adventures she had gone on with Ron and Harry within these very walls.
Graduation was very close and at the thought of leaving, Hermione sighed. The big Graduation Ball was supposed to be on the night of graduation, a day before the Leaving Feast. All the lower year prefects were making the plans since it was to be a seventh-year only ball. She didn't even know if her and Draco were planning on going together, but it was supposed to be tradition for the Heads to go together. She sighed as her mind drifted to Draco again. She couldn't help it...she still loved him. She was frustrated, though, because she had no idea why he'd do such a thing to her. All his words seemed real and he sure as hell made her thing he loved her when they slept together. She blushed at that last thought...who would have guessed that she'd end up losing her virginity to Draco Malfoy?
She finally reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, counted four doors to the left and stated the password. She entered and immediately headed toward the huge, pool-sized bathtub. She turned a few taps to send jets of almost scalding-hot water and apple scented bubble bath out. She stripped down and stepped into the water, immersing herself slowly. She sat in the bath and closed her eyes, letting the water wash away her worries. Soon she fell asleep.
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Draco awoke in a much better mood. He got up and stretched before heading to the bathroom to take a shower. He changed quickly and headed off to breakfast. He entered the Great Hall and scanned the Gryffindor table, looking for Hermione. She still was not there. His spirits dampened some as he realized that even if she was there, he couldn't do anything. Harry walked in and looked tired. He sat down and glanced up, meeting Draco's eyes. Draco nodded slightly in greeting and Harry returned it. Harry was still wondering if was doing the right thing helping that git fight against his father so that he could get Hermione back. Light Side or not, Malfoy was still a wanker.
"Hey Harry," Ron greeted. Harry simply grunted in reply. Ron frowned.
"Something wrong, mate?" Harry shook his head.
"No, Ron. Just a bit tired, I guess." Ron nodded and went back to his food.
"I know what you mean. Snape gave us a shit-load of homework, didn't he?" Harry nodded lazily, not even hearing what Ron said. All he could think about was what he was about to do for Hermione.
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Hermione awoke suddenly to find the water had turned cold and the bubbled had almost disappeared. She wondered if that was what woke her. She shivered, but not from the chilly water. She felt was if someone was watching her. She looked around the bathroom, but found no one. She shrugged it off, thinking it was just her imagination. But just as she was about to get out of the tub, some unknown force pulled her down under the thin layer of suds.
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Draco left the Great Hall, catching Harry's eye on the way out to signal that it was time. He left and headed towards Dumbledore's office, but not really watching where he was going. Unfortunately, one of the staircases changed on him and he ended up on the fifth floor. He cursed and muttered about having to go the long way. As he passed by the door to the prefect bathroom, he heard a scream...a girl's scream.
He hurriedly said the password and burst through the bathroom door, not even knowing why he was doing this. He noticed the tub was full, but all the bubbled were gone and a dark figure was struggling at the bottom. With what, he couldn't tell. He looked around the floor, unsure of what to do or even what he was looking for. He looked at the set of school robes and the school uniform set neatly on the chair, the Gryffindor crest and colors emblazoned on them. He sneered and was about to let whatever poor Gryffindor got herself into trouble when he saw the Head Girl's badge gleaming atop the pile of clothes. Hermione! He looked back at the dark figure, but she wasn't struggling anymore.
"Oh God...NO!" He reached into the tub and pulled her out with both arms, not caring if his robes got wet, just as long as Hermione was okay. He laid her on the floor and took his cloak off, waving his wand over it, charming it to be dry and warm. He wrapped it around Hermione, who wasn't breathing. He took his wan again and used the Resuscitation Charm to try to revive her. She still wasn't breathing.
"Hermione, come on," he pleaded. "You can't do this again. I almost lost you once. Please...wake up!" He cast the charm a second time, but still nothing happened.
"Hermione...No...don't do this! I'm fighting against my father...for you! You can't die on me now!" Still, there was no response from Hermione. Draco held her closer, the panic starting to get to him. He cast the spell a third and final time, willing her to come back to him.
"Please let this work," he whispered before waving his wand. "If this works, I promise that I will love you forever and no matter what. I'll never leave your side again." He waved his wand one more time and finally, Hermione coughed up water. Draco breathed a sigh of relief and was so happy that he held her in his arms, forgetting that they had broken up.
"Hermione...I thought I lost you again." Hermione pulled away from her savior upon realizing whom it was. Draco looked at herconfused.
"What..." he began, but she cut him off.
"I thought I told you that I never wanted to see you again?" she spat, clutching his cloak tighter to her thin frame. Draco put his hands down, which were on her shoulders, startled that she grew tense. He looked straight into her honey brown eyes and immediately saw the bloody corpse of Hermione, tumbling out of the trunk. He took her hands in his and she didn't pull away.
"I thought I lost you again, Hermione," he said again.
"Why would you care?" she spat, but with less venom than before. He reached up to caress her cheek and she didn't pull away.
"Because I love you, Hermione," he whispered. "I thought you knew that." He put his hand on the general area of her "tattoo." She looked down, avoiding his eyes. "Amor Vincit Omnia, remember?" Hermione shook her head, holding back tears.
"Malfoy," she began. His heart dropped at her use of his surname. "Just leave me alone...please? I don't think my heart can stand getting broken by you again." Tears started to roll down her pristine cheeks. He stood, staring at her for a long time, feeling like he wanted to cry too. He stood up slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.
"I still love you, Hermione, even if you don't believe me. I'm sorry for hurting you. Trust me, if I could, I would take back what I did to you. I'm going to walk out this door...and out of your life once and for all, since you obviously don't want me in it." He took a steadying breath for he felt the sobs rising in his chest.
"But before I go, just let me know one thing." Hermione looked up at him, tears streaming down both their faces now. He knelt down in front of her again and held her face in his hands. "Do you hate me?"
Hermione looked into his stormy, gray eyes, which were begging her to say "No." she thought about it, and she knew that she could never hate Draco again. She began to cry harder at that last thought and leaned into Draco's chest.
"No, I don't hate you, Draco," she whispered through her sobs. "But, God, I wish I could. It would be so easy just to hate you, but I just can't." Draco wrapped his arms around her and tried to calm her down.
"That's all I needed to know, love." He pulled away from her and gave her one last gentle kiss before leaving her...for good. When he got to the door, he turned and gave her one last look.
"I'll always love you, Hermione Granger. Remember...I promised." And with that, he left her. She stood staring at the closed door for what seemed like forever. Finally, she came to her senses and mentally slapped herself for just letting him go and she began to cry almost uncontrollably. She threw on her clothes, pocketed her badge and reduced her dirty clothes, pocketing them as well. She ran out of the bathroom and into the corridor, searching over other students' head for even a glimpse of his platinum blond hair. Many of the other students looked at her strangely; her hair was still dripping wet and her clothes had been put on haphazardly. Finally, she saw Draco and began to walk briskly towards him, tears still running down her face.
Another student blocked her view of him, but when she looked again, he was gone...gone forever, so it seemed. She clutched her cloak tighter around her and realized that it was a bit big and dragged on the floor. She looked down...it was Draco's. She collapsed in the middle of the now empty hallway and held the last piece of Draco she had close, letting out dry sobs, for her eyes could cry no more.
"I still love you too, Draco," she whispered.
The next morning, Draco and Hermione woke up in moods found on opposite ends of the spectrum. While Draco woke up in high spirits and hopes that he would possibly get another chance with Hermione, the object of his affection woke up feeling like shit. She woke up and took in her surroundings slowly. The she remembered what a jackass Draco was and pasted a scowl on her face; mostly because she couldn't hate him...even if she tried. She sighed and placed her feet on the floor and decided she'd have a bath. She conjured up some clothes and a towel and headed towards the prefect bathrooms.
On her way out, she noticed a dark lump asleep on the sofa. She tiptoed over and found Harry fast asleep. She smiled as she watched his for a little bit, then brushed his unkempt hair away from his forehead. She leaned down to give him a soft peck on the cheek and headed out the portrait hole. Since it was Sunday, most of the castle was still asleep. She took her time walking to the prefect bathrooms and reminisced about all the adventures she had gone on with Ron and Harry within these very walls.
Graduation was very close and at the thought of leaving, Hermione sighed. The big Graduation Ball was supposed to be on the night of graduation, a day before the Leaving Feast. All the lower year prefects were making the plans since it was to be a seventh-year only ball. She didn't even know if her and Draco were planning on going together, but it was supposed to be tradition for the Heads to go together. She sighed as her mind drifted to Draco again. She couldn't help it...she still loved him. She was frustrated, though, because she had no idea why he'd do such a thing to her. All his words seemed real and he sure as hell made her thing he loved her when they slept together. She blushed at that last thought...who would have guessed that she'd end up losing her virginity to Draco Malfoy?
She finally reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, counted four doors to the left and stated the password. She entered and immediately headed toward the huge, pool-sized bathtub. She turned a few taps to send jets of almost scalding-hot water and apple scented bubble bath out. She stripped down and stepped into the water, immersing herself slowly. She sat in the bath and closed her eyes, letting the water wash away her worries. Soon she fell asleep.
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Draco awoke in a much better mood. He got up and stretched before heading to the bathroom to take a shower. He changed quickly and headed off to breakfast. He entered the Great Hall and scanned the Gryffindor table, looking for Hermione. She still was not there. His spirits dampened some as he realized that even if she was there, he couldn't do anything. Harry walked in and looked tired. He sat down and glanced up, meeting Draco's eyes. Draco nodded slightly in greeting and Harry returned it. Harry was still wondering if was doing the right thing helping that git fight against his father so that he could get Hermione back. Light Side or not, Malfoy was still a wanker.
"Hey Harry," Ron greeted. Harry simply grunted in reply. Ron frowned.
"Something wrong, mate?" Harry shook his head.
"No, Ron. Just a bit tired, I guess." Ron nodded and went back to his food.
"I know what you mean. Snape gave us a shit-load of homework, didn't he?" Harry nodded lazily, not even hearing what Ron said. All he could think about was what he was about to do for Hermione.
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Hermione awoke suddenly to find the water had turned cold and the bubbled had almost disappeared. She wondered if that was what woke her. She shivered, but not from the chilly water. She felt was if someone was watching her. She looked around the bathroom, but found no one. She shrugged it off, thinking it was just her imagination. But just as she was about to get out of the tub, some unknown force pulled her down under the thin layer of suds.
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Draco left the Great Hall, catching Harry's eye on the way out to signal that it was time. He left and headed towards Dumbledore's office, but not really watching where he was going. Unfortunately, one of the staircases changed on him and he ended up on the fifth floor. He cursed and muttered about having to go the long way. As he passed by the door to the prefect bathroom, he heard a scream...a girl's scream.
He hurriedly said the password and burst through the bathroom door, not even knowing why he was doing this. He noticed the tub was full, but all the bubbled were gone and a dark figure was struggling at the bottom. With what, he couldn't tell. He looked around the floor, unsure of what to do or even what he was looking for. He looked at the set of school robes and the school uniform set neatly on the chair, the Gryffindor crest and colors emblazoned on them. He sneered and was about to let whatever poor Gryffindor got herself into trouble when he saw the Head Girl's badge gleaming atop the pile of clothes. Hermione! He looked back at the dark figure, but she wasn't struggling anymore.
"Oh God...NO!" He reached into the tub and pulled her out with both arms, not caring if his robes got wet, just as long as Hermione was okay. He laid her on the floor and took his cloak off, waving his wand over it, charming it to be dry and warm. He wrapped it around Hermione, who wasn't breathing. He took his wan again and used the Resuscitation Charm to try to revive her. She still wasn't breathing.
"Hermione, come on," he pleaded. "You can't do this again. I almost lost you once. Please...wake up!" He cast the charm a second time, but still nothing happened.
"Hermione...No...don't do this! I'm fighting against my father...for you! You can't die on me now!" Still, there was no response from Hermione. Draco held her closer, the panic starting to get to him. He cast the spell a third and final time, willing her to come back to him.
"Please let this work," he whispered before waving his wand. "If this works, I promise that I will love you forever and no matter what. I'll never leave your side again." He waved his wand one more time and finally, Hermione coughed up water. Draco breathed a sigh of relief and was so happy that he held her in his arms, forgetting that they had broken up.
"Hermione...I thought I lost you again." Hermione pulled away from her savior upon realizing whom it was. Draco looked at herconfused.
"What..." he began, but she cut him off.
"I thought I told you that I never wanted to see you again?" she spat, clutching his cloak tighter to her thin frame. Draco put his hands down, which were on her shoulders, startled that she grew tense. He looked straight into her honey brown eyes and immediately saw the bloody corpse of Hermione, tumbling out of the trunk. He took her hands in his and she didn't pull away.
"I thought I lost you again, Hermione," he said again.
"Why would you care?" she spat, but with less venom than before. He reached up to caress her cheek and she didn't pull away.
"Because I love you, Hermione," he whispered. "I thought you knew that." He put his hand on the general area of her "tattoo." She looked down, avoiding his eyes. "Amor Vincit Omnia, remember?" Hermione shook her head, holding back tears.
"Malfoy," she began. His heart dropped at her use of his surname. "Just leave me alone...please? I don't think my heart can stand getting broken by you again." Tears started to roll down her pristine cheeks. He stood, staring at her for a long time, feeling like he wanted to cry too. He stood up slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.
"I still love you, Hermione, even if you don't believe me. I'm sorry for hurting you. Trust me, if I could, I would take back what I did to you. I'm going to walk out this door...and out of your life once and for all, since you obviously don't want me in it." He took a steadying breath for he felt the sobs rising in his chest.
"But before I go, just let me know one thing." Hermione looked up at him, tears streaming down both their faces now. He knelt down in front of her again and held her face in his hands. "Do you hate me?"
Hermione looked into his stormy, gray eyes, which were begging her to say "No." she thought about it, and she knew that she could never hate Draco again. She began to cry harder at that last thought and leaned into Draco's chest.
"No, I don't hate you, Draco," she whispered through her sobs. "But, God, I wish I could. It would be so easy just to hate you, but I just can't." Draco wrapped his arms around her and tried to calm her down.
"That's all I needed to know, love." He pulled away from her and gave her one last gentle kiss before leaving her...for good. When he got to the door, he turned and gave her one last look.
"I'll always love you, Hermione Granger. Remember...I promised." And with that, he left her. She stood staring at the closed door for what seemed like forever. Finally, she came to her senses and mentally slapped herself for just letting him go and she began to cry almost uncontrollably. She threw on her clothes, pocketed her badge and reduced her dirty clothes, pocketing them as well. She ran out of the bathroom and into the corridor, searching over other students' head for even a glimpse of his platinum blond hair. Many of the other students looked at her strangely; her hair was still dripping wet and her clothes had been put on haphazardly. Finally, she saw Draco and began to walk briskly towards him, tears still running down her face.
Another student blocked her view of him, but when she looked again, he was gone...gone forever, so it seemed. She clutched her cloak tighter around her and realized that it was a bit big and dragged on the floor. She looked down...it was Draco's. She collapsed in the middle of the now empty hallway and held the last piece of Draco she had close, letting out dry sobs, for her eyes could cry no more.
"I still love you too, Draco," she whispered.