Perfect Sacrifice ~hotsleekeyz~

Chapter 4

In His Heart

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And so did the cool air inside through the open windows of the infirmary. Draco in his deep thoughts instinctively took another blanket and covered Hermione with it. He then took his warm hand over Hermione's and clutched it tight.

"Hermione, please wake up. I need you. I need you Hermione. Do you hear me?" pleaded Draco as he felt himself being helpless. . . and it wasn't often he'd feel that way.

Footsteps rushed inside the infirmary and Draco heard the person who owned them come to a stop.

"I'm off. You can take your time with her", said Draco without even knowing who it was that came in. He expected it was some of Hermione's friends--- probably one of the Weasleys.

"No need to be in a hurry Malfoy. Take your time", a cold, seething voice replied.

Draco turned his head towards the owner of the voice at once and saw a brown-haired man standing firmly behind him. The man had his eyes fixed glaring at Draco.

"Zabbini? What are you doing here?" asked Draco in utmost disbelief.

"Why won't you ask yourself that question Malfoy? Why are you here in the infirmary at this time when you're supposed to be inside your room? And why the hell are you hands touching that mudblood's? Could you give me an answer right now Draco?" Blaise smirked. "I bet you can't."

"What is it to you if I'm here at this time of the night and if I'm looking after her? It's not something to inquire about", answered Draco as he attempted to appear as if it was no big deal at all.

"Well, it will be tomorrow morning", snapped Blaise as his eyes glimmered maliciously in the faint light.

Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't you ever think about it Zabbini. Don't you spill one thing about this!"

"This? Malfoy, do you know what THIS you're talking about? I for one don't know that THIS is and why, you are so defensive about THIS." Blaise snorted.

"Just---just keep your mouth shut or else---"

"Or else what? Draco Malfoy, you don't scare me one bit. One word that I'd spill to your father and I will gain more than honor from him. Live to see. Now, if you don't mind, I'd want you to come with me now and we'll settle this back in our dormitory. I assume you haven't gotten any rest. . . not that you don't want to take care of the muggle but you see, your name shouldn't be tainted with the filth of that Granger. But of course, if she's more important than your reputation, you could always opt to stay behind. It's simple Malfoy. The mudblood or your bloody reputation---"

"---but---"

Blaise smirked. He had affirmed that there really was something going on between Draco and Hermione. And so he turned around and started walking though deep in his mind he knew what Draco was to choose.

"Fine. I'm coming", said Draco though reluctantly. He heaved a sigh and gently placed Hermione's hands over her abdomen and gave a gentle squeeze to it, with some stress of finality on the pressure.

"You're too smart to think of your reputation but very silly to pursue anything with that girl", finished Blaise without looking behind him where Draco followed him short.

Back at the bed, Hermione's tears fell over her cold-stricken cheeks.

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// Draco, what is it you've never told me? Why did you save me? I should have been dead if you let me alone in my room! It should have ended easily. . . why'd you have to make it harder now? //

Hermione's mind was struggling. Before she had breathed one of her lasts, she could remember well that she was struggling to stay alive. But that time, she wanted anything but to live. She didn't want to live in not knowing what was happening. . . she didn't want to keep on guessing who she was in Draco's life—of which was blatantly seen from how Draco managed the whole situation.

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The Slytherin Common Room was colder than usual given that it was nearly April. Draco sat at the couch nearest the fireplace to get some warmth. The tension between him and Blaise was too much that his hands grew clammy and sweaty.

"So, Draco, what's it between you and the mudblood?" inquired Blaise at once as if he was an investigator, a bit Rita Skeeter-like in tone.

"There's nothing Blaise. Believe me." Draco's eyes was giving him away.

"Then why are you there, pleading for her to wake up? I heard that she cut her wrists to bleed herself dry and die. And most of the students assumed it was all schoolwork towing on her. . .And silly for them to think of that! It was only I who knew there was something more than schoolwork that could make the Bookworm lose control of her mind."

"What are you telling me now?"

"The moment you went out of the library and walked as if you were in a trance made suspicions grow inside me. But I remained and knew well it was something unnecessary for me to meddle in. But there was Potter, going in the same direction as you were and from there I knew there was something going on. I followed both of you to the Gryffindor dormitories and waited for you to exit only to find Granger in Potter's arms. . . Bleeding. . . probably dead. If you were there panicking, there was something more than you as her enemy. It couldn't be as simple as being an offender that caused you to get worried. It should have been that you were acquaintances. . . and probably lovers if I may say so."

"We are not! Zabbini, if you're just to yak about nonsense then I suggest we both head to our rooms now. I don't have time for this rubbish."

Blaise' eyes glimmered the same it did back at the hospital wing. "I as such, don't even have the disgust to tackle on this but others do. . ."

Draco's curiosity almost killed him. What was Blaise referring to? "Then why do you have to know?"

"I don't."

"Then why do you have to stall me here then?"

"Because we want to know the truth Draco. . . only the truth. The truth that even YOU, doesn't realize."

"You will never get it. A Slytherin will never give a word of honour to a fellow Slytherin. You know that."

"Not if you're hiding something."

Blaise won. Draco was caught in his own doing. What was he in the infirmary for in the first place? Madam Pomfrey told him that Hermione will be doing well and she just needed rest.

"What side of the truth do you want to know", stated Draco rather ordering than an inquiry.

"Who are you to Hermione Granger?"

Draco felt himself about to defy Hermione. They both promised each other not to tell anyone about their confidential relationship. "I can't tell you that. But I can tell you who she is to me."

"Very well said Draco. And so, who is she to you?"

"She is my friend. We've been acquaintances way back. No one's supposed to know that but she and I alone. Now, would you leave me to my peace?"

Blaise smirked. "Not yet Malfoy. Not until you tell me the reason why you are dead worried that she could have been dead. . . the reason why you were holding her hand as if you never wanted to lose her again or even have her away from your sight. . . Why Draco?"

"Of course, she's a friend. Not unless you don't know how it is to be a real one."

Draco stood to leave as he got irritated by the questions thrown him. He promised to himself never to admit anything. Not a thing that could reveal anything of his true emotions. . .

Fast as he was, Blaise got hold of Draco's arm and pulled him back. "We're not done yet Malfoy. If you don't want me to put some twist to your story then you'd rather you stay."

Draco took his arm off Blaise' grasp. He continued walking fast so as not to have Blaise purge him of any answers.

"Draco, you almost lost Granger tonight because of her own doing. Are you going to risk it to lose her again through your father's hands?" asked Blaise in a malicious tone.

Draco turned around and spat, "Don't you dare tell my father or I'll kill you! If I hear anything that you touched Granger by a finger, you might as well start watching your back and wait when I'm going to end your life!"

"Your claim works against you Draco. You love her. You can't deny it now."

"What is it to you if I do?" spat Draco as he started to walk away to the stairs that led to his dormitory. He thought he was going to get away with just that. What he didn't expect were the other Slytherins walking towards him with eyes glinting in malice.

Draco looked around and saw that every Slytherin was there, gaining at him. The men were leading and the women were calm standing from afar. "What's this?"

"A surprise Draco. . . a big surprise. . ."

At once, the sixth and seventh year Slytherins ran towards him with mighty fists aimed at him.

All that Draco managed saying was, "NO!!!"

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It was morning after Hermione was found almost dead. She was already in the infirmary, almost awake as whispers accumulated inside the infirmary. Though still half-asleep, Hermione managed to eavesdrop as she pretended to still be at rest.

"Minerva, I don't reckon Ms. Granger would do such thing only because of her schoolwork. She's a tough girl, that Gryffindor. Why would she give up on her studies now? As far as we know, finishing school with high marks is her top priority and I wouldn't see it the way others see it that she would want to end her life over that. Ms. Granger is smarter than that", claimed Dumbledore. To Hermione's ears it sure sounded that everyone else in the room was dead worried.

"Albus, I as such believe the same thing but if there really is something else that is bothering the young lass, then I assume it's very personal. I've asked Ronald Weasley about it and said he knew nothing that could bother Ms. Granger that gravely", answered Professor McGonagall who hasn't taken some rest herself.

"Have you asked Harry about it?"

"I haven't seen him around. Not at breakfast even."

"Where could he be?"

"I don't know Albus. I'll just inform the Gryffindors to tell me if they see any sight of Harry around."

"And Mr. Malfoy?'

"I haven't seen him as well Albus. And why, why are you asking about Mr. Malfoy? Are you assuming that he has something to do with this? As far as I could remember, Mr. Malfoy would never want himself near Ms. Granger."

"Madam Pomfrey told me that both Harry and Draco brought Ms. Granger to the infirmary last night. We have to seek through that angle and probable from there we could find some answers to our questions."

Snape cut in. "I don't think that would be necessary Headmaster. I for one could attest that Mr. Malfoy wouldn't be connected to Ms. Granger other than being a schoolmate to each other."

Dumbledore shifted his eyes from McGonagall to Snape. "But we're under investigation here Severus. We have to look at all angles."

"Headmaster, if Mr. Malfoy has anything to do with this then I shall inform you at once."

Dumbledore stared over his half-moon spectacles. "Is there anything you want to tell me Severus?"

"Nothing sir. I see it's just unnecessary to count the young lad in this matter."

Snape excused himself out of the infirmary as the older professors eyed him suspiciously.

McGonagall initiated. "I now believe that Mr. Malfoy has something to do with this."

"See Minerva? A Slytherin will remain loyal to his fellow housemates even if he has to risk truth over honor", finished Dumbledore as he walked out of the infirmary with the lady professor following him.

Hermione immediately opened her eyes. "No, they can't concern Draco in this! He'll be good as dead!"

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Draco's eyes slowly opened in pain. He felt that he couldn't move his limbs easily. Pain constricted the thriving of his sleeping nerves.

"Ouch . . what the hell?"

Draco saw himself being surrounded by tall trees that towered over his head. Plants of different sorts were around him. But where was he?

In great pain, Draco sat up and saw himself in tattered clothes. He led his hand up to his cheek and felt it swollen and dry. He raised his palms to his face and saw that the same dry area on his cheeks and the dry spots on his palms were both tainted with blood.

With great loss of strength, Draco went out of balance and wasn't even fast enough to support his body before he fell back on the ground. He thought he was just to fall back on it. He was wrong. His head hit a huge rock and the impact surged smarting through his head.

Draco caught himself groaning and grunting in pain.

While his eyes were tightly shut, memories of what happened the other night flashed in his mind. The library. The hospital wing. Zabbini. The Slytherin common room. And the last thing he saw were fists damaging his flesh in hatred and disgrace.

What he did that for? Why did he let them attack him helpless by the number when he could have defeated them all? Draco knew most of the Dark Arts than any student at Hogwarts and could have easily defeated even his two bulky cronies who were included in the pact that almost killed him that night. But he didn't do anything.

"Help. . . Help me. . . anyone. . ."

Draco pleaded endlessly. His head hurt most and he felt warm sticky liquid ooze out of the wound that came about through the collision of his head to the hard rock.

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Harry was inside Hagrid's house taking some time for himself. All that happened with Hermione and Draco bothered him a lot. That time, Harry knew nothing else but the fact that the two had secretly met each other through the years that Harry knew that they were just enemies.

Hagrid was over a pitcher, pouring out some tea while he stared at Harry's pitiful disposition. He never saw Harry be so sad about something.

"Yer alright Harry?" inqured Hagrid whose eyes never left Harry.

Just when Harry was about to speak, he heard a soft moan. He took silence and waited to hear another one.

And there it was. Another desperate cry for help.

"Did you hear that? Someone's in danger. We've got to help him!"

Harry ran out of Hagrid's house while Fang followed short. The huge dog kept on barking as he, himself heard the agonized sound.

"Wait Harry! Wait fer me!" yelled Hagrid who rushed out of his house as well.

Harry then found himself headed to the Dark Forest. He went inside and didn't hesitate to enter it for the nth time. He knew danger would hunt him down in there but he knew well that it was better to risk it than play deaf to someone's cry for help.

*Help. . . Goddamnit. . .*, the cry went again.

"We're near him", said Harry who kept on walking towards the heart of the forest. Hagrid was just tailing Harry's tracks.

A few trees more and Harry saw legs outstretched by one tree. "There he is! Wait! We're here now!"

Harry's legs moved faster. The moans were too painful to bear hearing. When at last he reached the spot, he saw the most pitiful person that he could see in his lifetime.

"Malfoy?"

"Potter?" asked Draco though he hasn't opened his eyes.

"What happened to you? Who did this?"

"They almost killed me. . . every Slytherin. . . I mean everyone. . . they tried to kill me last night. . ."

"Why would they want to kill you? I thought they worked under your command?"

Draco's eyes opened a bit and in pain, were shut again. "Not now. . . Blaise had me confess last night what was happening. I didn't know everyone was listening to our conversation."

"That scum!" yelled Harry, surprised himself to being on Draco's side for the first time. He knew it was odd but in truth it felt right to him.

"Potter, go back to the castle. Make sure Hermione's safe. . . they will be after her."

"No, I can't leave you here. Hagrid will carry you back to the castle and then I'll look for her."

"No Potter! Please. . . it's because of her why the Slytherins wanted me dead. They thought I was not faithful to what we should believe in. . . they will be after Hermione."

Harry was in panic. Draco was there in the worst form imaginable and still he was thinking of Hermione's safety. "Why Malfoy? Why would you risk your life over Hermione's?"

"I love her Potter. If that isn't enough, I don't know what else could bloody make you go back to the castle and look after her, damn it!"

Harry was surprised that the words came out of Draco's mouth. Then he saw what could have been the most painful thing in his eyes. Draco curled in pain, clutching the side of his stomach that began to bleed again.

"Go! I'll be fine!" yelled Draco.

Though hesitant, Harry left Draco in Hagrid's hands and he ran away with his head still facing Draco's direction, seemingly shocked by how much love Draco had contained all those time.

~Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns characters, setting, etc. Except: the plot is mine.~

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Edited version. Next chapter, slightly edited will come out soon.

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