Chapter 14
Green light is flashing around me. I just can't seem to get used to this floo thing. Once I am safely inside the grate, suddenly I fly out. Rolling on the floor I feel Weasley right behind me. We are in. Now it's time to find what we came here for.
No words are spoken. With as much speed as I have, I speed up the grand staircase and up to the third floor of the manor. This place is so familiar to me, and inspires a hate deep in my soul. It only makes me want to find the book faster. I will beat this curse. In a way, this is like a crusade against my family . . . against the dark side.
The library is so close, yet it feels so far away. My legs are athletic, yet I feel like I can't get there fast enough. I sprint to the end of the hall and enter a circular room. This is the room where I spent most of my childhood years. This is where I was forced to learn dark spells. This is where I felt my most pain.
Half of the room is windows, and moonlight spills through. The trees outside allow for creepy shadows in the library of this monstrous house.
"It's a big red book" is all I can say to him. "You'll know it when you see it". Ron looks less than convinced, but still takes to the shelves that go floor to ceiling. I scan as fast as I can. I can't believe this. I am so close to the cure. After what feels like years, I will finally have Hermione back.
The thought hits me like a freight train. I can't have her. I have to say goodbye. I can't hurt her anymore. I will not allow myself to hurt her anymore. Maybe she would be happier with the Weasel, or someone like him. She doesn't need someone like me. She doesn't need someone that causes her so much pain.
I straighten up. It doesn't matter. I will make her happy again. I will make her better, and then get on with my life. But I owe her a cure. I owe her her life. That's just the way it has to be.
I step back and stare around the room. It's a huge room, and there are hundreds of books. This could take a while.
"I see it!" I hear Ron yell. "It's up there!" he points to a spot near the ceiling. I run toward it, but it's out of reach.
"Get the ladder!" I yell to him. But the ladder won't reach. It seems no one is taking care of the mansion like they used to. The track the ladder used to take to go around the shelves is dilapidated and no longer works.
"Ok, move that table over here instead!" I try again. He moves over a desk that I once used to do my dark work at for my father. Crawling up on top of it I realize I still can't reach the book. Ron is no taller than I, neither of us can get it.
Another thought hits me. Teamwork. This is what it's going to take. Well crap. This is the last thing I want to do tonight, but it's the one thing I actually have to do.
"Get up here" I tell him. He looks at me with an odd expression, but he does what he is told. "Now, you are stronger than me, let me up on your shoulders".
"What?"
"Shut up and do it" I persuade him. Now is not the time to yell at him, and it's not the time to second guess what I'm saying because of our past. I crawl up on his shoulders, but we are wobbly. Just before we hit the floor I manage to grab the book.
"This is it!" I yell. "We got it! Let's go!" and as quick as we hit the floor we are down the stairs and to the fire place. Grabbing the powder, we find ourselves back in that circular office we all know so well.
"Ahh, I see you have found what we have all been desperately searching for" says a wise old voice. "Let's take it to Miss. Granger, shall we?"
He leads us to the hospital wing in a slow, patient pace. The only problem is I have no more patience left. I want to get there now. I want this nightmare to be over finally.
The door opens and we all walk in. Dumbledore proceeds to Madam Pomfrey, and Weasley follows. I, however, take another route. I am going to sit by Hermione's side while they figure this out.
Her hands are cold, and she looks alone. Her face is of comfort to me, but I know what I must do. "I'm so sorry Hermione" I begin to speak. A tear runs down my cheek. "This is all my fault you know. It's all my fault that this happens. I hurt you. I don't want to, but I do. That's why we have to end this. It's gotten out of control. If I am not around, then I can't hurt you. But I will always love you".
Dumbledore comes back with Madam Pomfrey and Weasley. They have a vial of solution that I can only assume is the cure to our problems. Opening Hermione's mouth slightly, they tip the contents down her throat. At first, nothing happens. I am crushed. Tears begin to freely flow, when suddenly she coughs. Her sweet eyes flutter open, and squint in the harsh light. Looking around, she evaluates her situation. She looks at me and my heart melts.
"You can't leave me. That's not fair" she says in a mere whisper.
"How did you . . .?"
"I heard you. I heard everything. I could hear, but I couldn't speak. And that's torture. You can't leave me just because this happened Draco. You can't just back out. You can't run away!" she says more strongly. Her voice is starting to come back and she tries to move. "I love you!" she says with all her strength. She starts to cry and I grab her. Picking her up off the bed I hold her in her arms. Sure, there are people there staring at us, but I don't care anymore. I love this girl, and I always will.
"I know it's not fair. I know I should walk away, and know you are safer without me, but I can't do that. I can't walk away now. I love you too" I whisper. I sit on the bed still holding her in my arms. "Marry me" I whisper with my lips touching her ear.
"What?" she asked, taken by surprise.
"Marry me. Just say you will. Just say you want to spend your life with me, and only me. Say yes".
"Of course" is her only answer.
"Mr. Malfoy, I am afraid we are going to have to let Miss Granger get some rest. You need to get back to your dormitory".
"Rest? She's been in that bed for long enough. Now she needs to move around. She needs to stretch her legs. She needs to be with me" I plead to them. "Please".
She turns the headmaster, who reluctantly allows me to stay. The two adults walk out. Weasley stands there smiling. "Hi, Hermione" he manages to say. "I'm so glad you are alright".
"Yes I am fine" is all she said to him.
His smile fades. "Well, I'm sorry for this. I'm sorry that you had to go through this. I'm just really sorry" he finishes before leaving the room. So the guilt finally hit him. He finally feels bad. Well, it's about damn time.
I stay the night in that room again. I stay with her, and she knows I'm there. She has always known I was there. This time when I say 'I love you', finally she says it back.
****Hermione****
Feels nice to be able to move. It's great to be able to talk back. But I'm troubled. I hear running. I know people are rushing inside the wing, and I can only hope it's because they have found a cure. The only problem is, Draco is by my side. And he's telling me he's going to leave me. He's telling me it has to end. Why? What have I done to deserve this? This isn't fair.
They open my mouth and pour the medicine in. It's icy cold as it goes down. But it gives me new life. I take in a deep breath and open my eyes. Finally, I see the world again. Finally, I can see Draco's face again. It's a heavenly sight.
I am back. I am refreshed. And thanks to Draco, I have not missed one bit of schoolwork. Little did he know that reading it to me would actually be helpful for me.
He lays down in the bed beside me, and we fall asleep together. He's asked me to marry him. I will marry him. I will love him forever. This has been the best day of my life. I have a new respect for life, especially my own. Now I will take it day by day, and tomorrow will be a tough one. Tomorrow, I will have to face the rest of the school. Wish me luck.
A/N: Ok, it's been a while. I am so sorry. Let me tell ya, I am so stressed out. With at least one test a week, and too many assignments to count, I just haven't had time. This story is almost over, sadly. Good thing I only have a little over one month of school left. Keep checking for updates, and of course REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Green light is flashing around me. I just can't seem to get used to this floo thing. Once I am safely inside the grate, suddenly I fly out. Rolling on the floor I feel Weasley right behind me. We are in. Now it's time to find what we came here for.
No words are spoken. With as much speed as I have, I speed up the grand staircase and up to the third floor of the manor. This place is so familiar to me, and inspires a hate deep in my soul. It only makes me want to find the book faster. I will beat this curse. In a way, this is like a crusade against my family . . . against the dark side.
The library is so close, yet it feels so far away. My legs are athletic, yet I feel like I can't get there fast enough. I sprint to the end of the hall and enter a circular room. This is the room where I spent most of my childhood years. This is where I was forced to learn dark spells. This is where I felt my most pain.
Half of the room is windows, and moonlight spills through. The trees outside allow for creepy shadows in the library of this monstrous house.
"It's a big red book" is all I can say to him. "You'll know it when you see it". Ron looks less than convinced, but still takes to the shelves that go floor to ceiling. I scan as fast as I can. I can't believe this. I am so close to the cure. After what feels like years, I will finally have Hermione back.
The thought hits me like a freight train. I can't have her. I have to say goodbye. I can't hurt her anymore. I will not allow myself to hurt her anymore. Maybe she would be happier with the Weasel, or someone like him. She doesn't need someone like me. She doesn't need someone that causes her so much pain.
I straighten up. It doesn't matter. I will make her happy again. I will make her better, and then get on with my life. But I owe her a cure. I owe her her life. That's just the way it has to be.
I step back and stare around the room. It's a huge room, and there are hundreds of books. This could take a while.
"I see it!" I hear Ron yell. "It's up there!" he points to a spot near the ceiling. I run toward it, but it's out of reach.
"Get the ladder!" I yell to him. But the ladder won't reach. It seems no one is taking care of the mansion like they used to. The track the ladder used to take to go around the shelves is dilapidated and no longer works.
"Ok, move that table over here instead!" I try again. He moves over a desk that I once used to do my dark work at for my father. Crawling up on top of it I realize I still can't reach the book. Ron is no taller than I, neither of us can get it.
Another thought hits me. Teamwork. This is what it's going to take. Well crap. This is the last thing I want to do tonight, but it's the one thing I actually have to do.
"Get up here" I tell him. He looks at me with an odd expression, but he does what he is told. "Now, you are stronger than me, let me up on your shoulders".
"What?"
"Shut up and do it" I persuade him. Now is not the time to yell at him, and it's not the time to second guess what I'm saying because of our past. I crawl up on his shoulders, but we are wobbly. Just before we hit the floor I manage to grab the book.
"This is it!" I yell. "We got it! Let's go!" and as quick as we hit the floor we are down the stairs and to the fire place. Grabbing the powder, we find ourselves back in that circular office we all know so well.
"Ahh, I see you have found what we have all been desperately searching for" says a wise old voice. "Let's take it to Miss. Granger, shall we?"
He leads us to the hospital wing in a slow, patient pace. The only problem is I have no more patience left. I want to get there now. I want this nightmare to be over finally.
The door opens and we all walk in. Dumbledore proceeds to Madam Pomfrey, and Weasley follows. I, however, take another route. I am going to sit by Hermione's side while they figure this out.
Her hands are cold, and she looks alone. Her face is of comfort to me, but I know what I must do. "I'm so sorry Hermione" I begin to speak. A tear runs down my cheek. "This is all my fault you know. It's all my fault that this happens. I hurt you. I don't want to, but I do. That's why we have to end this. It's gotten out of control. If I am not around, then I can't hurt you. But I will always love you".
Dumbledore comes back with Madam Pomfrey and Weasley. They have a vial of solution that I can only assume is the cure to our problems. Opening Hermione's mouth slightly, they tip the contents down her throat. At first, nothing happens. I am crushed. Tears begin to freely flow, when suddenly she coughs. Her sweet eyes flutter open, and squint in the harsh light. Looking around, she evaluates her situation. She looks at me and my heart melts.
"You can't leave me. That's not fair" she says in a mere whisper.
"How did you . . .?"
"I heard you. I heard everything. I could hear, but I couldn't speak. And that's torture. You can't leave me just because this happened Draco. You can't just back out. You can't run away!" she says more strongly. Her voice is starting to come back and she tries to move. "I love you!" she says with all her strength. She starts to cry and I grab her. Picking her up off the bed I hold her in her arms. Sure, there are people there staring at us, but I don't care anymore. I love this girl, and I always will.
"I know it's not fair. I know I should walk away, and know you are safer without me, but I can't do that. I can't walk away now. I love you too" I whisper. I sit on the bed still holding her in my arms. "Marry me" I whisper with my lips touching her ear.
"What?" she asked, taken by surprise.
"Marry me. Just say you will. Just say you want to spend your life with me, and only me. Say yes".
"Of course" is her only answer.
"Mr. Malfoy, I am afraid we are going to have to let Miss Granger get some rest. You need to get back to your dormitory".
"Rest? She's been in that bed for long enough. Now she needs to move around. She needs to stretch her legs. She needs to be with me" I plead to them. "Please".
She turns the headmaster, who reluctantly allows me to stay. The two adults walk out. Weasley stands there smiling. "Hi, Hermione" he manages to say. "I'm so glad you are alright".
"Yes I am fine" is all she said to him.
His smile fades. "Well, I'm sorry for this. I'm sorry that you had to go through this. I'm just really sorry" he finishes before leaving the room. So the guilt finally hit him. He finally feels bad. Well, it's about damn time.
I stay the night in that room again. I stay with her, and she knows I'm there. She has always known I was there. This time when I say 'I love you', finally she says it back.
****Hermione****
Feels nice to be able to move. It's great to be able to talk back. But I'm troubled. I hear running. I know people are rushing inside the wing, and I can only hope it's because they have found a cure. The only problem is, Draco is by my side. And he's telling me he's going to leave me. He's telling me it has to end. Why? What have I done to deserve this? This isn't fair.
They open my mouth and pour the medicine in. It's icy cold as it goes down. But it gives me new life. I take in a deep breath and open my eyes. Finally, I see the world again. Finally, I can see Draco's face again. It's a heavenly sight.
I am back. I am refreshed. And thanks to Draco, I have not missed one bit of schoolwork. Little did he know that reading it to me would actually be helpful for me.
He lays down in the bed beside me, and we fall asleep together. He's asked me to marry him. I will marry him. I will love him forever. This has been the best day of my life. I have a new respect for life, especially my own. Now I will take it day by day, and tomorrow will be a tough one. Tomorrow, I will have to face the rest of the school. Wish me luck.
A/N: Ok, it's been a while. I am so sorry. Let me tell ya, I am so stressed out. With at least one test a week, and too many assignments to count, I just haven't had time. This story is almost over, sadly. Good thing I only have a little over one month of school left. Keep checking for updates, and of course REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!
