Lauren - Oh, you'll see, but I don't think it's what you think.
Dreaming One - Probably a little of both, but I hope some things will get cleared up soon.
Blueamber - Lol, cliff hangers are the best way to ensure someone comes back, I've said it before and I'm saying it again. It's TRUE!
Crystal369 - Well, no, I didn't think they would make the block go away, but I hope it made you laugh, either at the stupidity or my naïve - ness. Yes, I am aware the cliffies are mean, but you gotta love 'em.
~The Simon Cowell of Fanfiction.net~ - I know, I know, but it was sorta the confusing part. Actually, I think the whole story is confusing.
Darkmoon of Shadows - Wow, such compliments. I really wasn't sure about this chapter, I mean, I didn't know how everyone would like it, but apparently you like it. That's always good. I enjoyed reading your review, it made me feel very good. I hope this chapter is acceptable too. :)
Vu - Thank you! Please enjoy!
Mandarinn Orange - Of course, I am updating as we speak!!
ILUVRONWEASLEY - Ellipses, and you're welcome.
Mudpie - Yes it is off the subject, but yes I do. And "wow" is always a good word. Thanks!
MARTITA - At the edge of your seat? That is REALLY cool!
Willowfairy - lol, I made you wait, huh? LOL! Force me to update? Your review made me WANT to update. Here's more!
Artemis MoonClaw - Is that a pretending to understand review or an "I understand" review?
Lynseyax Heparedds - LOL, poor Jade. You two don't get along. Don't worry, just see what happens to Draco here. I made you enjoy the story more? Wow, that's always a good thing. Enjoy moremore!
Ickle Ronniekins Girlie!! - Lol, I dunno, IS he dead? Read and find out.
Crazzieaddict06 - Wow, thanks for the many many compliments, they make me feel especially special. Or something like that. I'm tired. Lol.
Lady Scarlett1 - CLIFFIE! YES!!! Read and see! Read and see!
~*iNfLueNZa*~ - sheesh, how much did you read? I hope I updated quickly enough for you, I am getting busy now, lol.
daisuke_malfoy39 - yes, as I have mentioned before, Draco Malfoy will NEVER become 'instantly nice'. Ya know, that sounds like a product. Insta-nice.
Freakyfairy - letter will come later, I promise, really, I do.
M.J. Kobayashi - LOL, it stopped yes, but now there's more, so have fun!
Silinde - Thanks for reviewing, and I was just wondering . . . what drew you to read my story? Was it the number of reviews or something? Thanks for reviewing my other story too, potc. I appreciate it.
---
Chapter 28
Hermione wasted no time trying to figure out what had happened to the men and instead busied herself with trying to make Malfoy stop bleeding. He had already lost a ton of blood, and he needed to be healed now or he was sure to die.
She had no idea what she was actually going to do because every thought she came up with was impossible to actually achieve, especially here. There was no time to head to the hospital wing, the moonstone was gone and Hermione's mind was still blissfully blank.
She was running every thought and memory through her mind, trying to think of one thing that would help her, she didn't want to see Draco die, even if he hadn't come here to save her, she still couldn't just let him die. She desperately needed to remember something that she had learnt in class or something she had read or even something she had been told. Anything at all.
Think, she silently commanded her jarring brain, think.
Draco was showing no signs of moving let alone and signs of life, which meant that he was losing strength, because she was sure he would have used any energy he could to thoroughly insult her before he was completely out of energy, and if she didn't do something now. . .
Hermione shuddered and forced herself to think of what to do. She had to heal him somehow, but there was nothing to do. . .
She watched as his blood continued to seep through his robes and now ver musy uniform. She might as well try to stop the bleeding.
She ripped her socks and tied them tightly around his chest, hoping to stem some of the flow of blood, but these tricks didn't seem to work as well on real live people as they did in the movies. The blood seeped through, and Hermione was beginning to feel sick, as she thought of the blood and knife and everything that had happened in the last few hours.
Tears were beginning to seep out her eyes as she now resigned herself to knowing that he was dying, right here at her hands and there was nothing she could do. The last thing he had seen was his father trying to kill him, and how happy he would be when - if - he knew it had worked.
"What will I do without you?" she asked him out loud, almost wishing for an answer, but not wanting one at the same time. Remembering everything that he had done to her was somewhat of a painful and enjoyable experience in one. It didn't seem to matter anymore where they stood on the social ladder, mudblood and pureblood, Slytherin and Gryffindor. None of it was relevant in a life and death situation, now, was it?
"Nobody will be there to keep me in line. I won't be called a mudblood anymore." Hermione smiled sadly. "It's funny how I feel like an old woman, looking back on a childhood and thinking about how stupid everything was. And I'm only fifteen." It was amazing at how miniscule all of the things he had said and done seemed now, especially since . . .
"Things will be different without you around, you know that, don't you? Harry won't have a rival in Quiddich and everything else, Ron won't have stress-relieving topic, Pansy won't have an idol. . ." Hermione almost sniggered at the thought, but held it back. She wasn't even sure if he could hear her.
'I won't have a crush anymore.' Hermione wanted to say. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. They were stuck, she couldn't talk, and she couldn't breathe. All she could think about was what was going to happen to Draco.
She hadn't ever realized that she would actually miss Draco Malfoy, but now that it looked like he was going to be gone, she realized that she was going to miss him, and she wouldn't be able to admit it to anyone.
She brushed some stray hairs out of his face, wishing that he would talk or move or do something that would show her he wasn't dead yet. It was worse for her because she couldn't communicate with him at all, and was forced to wait until his chest stopped moving up and down and it became apparent that he had died.
What a bitter end, and it WAS just like the bloody movies. One of the people in the movie always died leaving the other to suffer immense heartache and wallow in their pity until the end of time.
Almost laughing through her flood of tears, Hermione stared down at the almost lifeless form of Draco Malfoy. He looked so peaceful, yet she knew that there was no way that he could be.
Tears flooded down her cheeks and fell to the ground.
"Why?" she asked him, knowing no answer was going to come. "Why did you come here? Was it for me, or did you want to get your father?" If he had come to save her, then he had wasted his bloody life. She continued sobbing but she tried to keep it silent, just in case that he could hear her. She didn't want to show a weakness now of all times.
Tears. . .
They flooded down her cheeks and mingled with sweat, blood, water and anything else that covered her hands and every other part of her body. She didn't want to be here, sprawled on the ground next to a dying Draco Malfoy. . .
If only tears could heal everything that was wrong - wounds, both physical and mental. But it would never work and it was worthless.
Tears that heal. . .
Hermione sat up completely straight and she couldn't have been any more rigid. How could she have not thought of this? Tears that heal, tears that heal. . .
PHOENIX TEARS.
How could she have overlooked it? Why had she decided to be modest? Why couldn't she have been cocky like Draco and chosen the hardest animal to transform into? NOOOO, she had to be miss goody-two-shoes and be modest, which was now costing Draco his life.
But perhaps she could still transform into a phoenix. It would definitely be dangerous, but just about anything was worth the risk right now, wasn't it? If she didn't do anything at all, then Draco would die, and Hermione would never be able to life with the guilt, knowing that she was responsible for his death.
But if she died, then he would die two and the two remaining recipients of the gifts from the founders would be gone from the earth, and she remembered Dumbledore saying something about that shredding the very fabric of the universe. That couldn't be good, now, could it?
Their gifts would be lost forever. . .
It wasn't until now that it struck Hermione as odd that she hadn't died, but now wasn't the time to think of that, right? But something was nagging Hermione to think about if for a second.
She had felt like something was pulling her back to life. . .
Or someone. . .
She hadn't died like she was supposed to, why was that?
"Oh my god." Hermione whispered as the realization hit her with extreme force. It hit her with an extreme force that she was completely not ready for, and guilt hadn't yet kicked in, because shock was coursing through her.
Their gifts had to have something to do with this, but wand less magic couldn't have brought her back to life, but what were Draco's gifts?
Draco had used his one chance to walk into life to save her. He had given up 'temporary immortality' in order to save her life. She had to do it, it didn't matter if it killed her, and she now owed him her life.
Hermione closed her eyes and thought for a desperate moment, trying to think of something and virtually anything else that she could do to help herself and Draco. Something less dangerous, something that didn't have the potential to kill her and everyone else in the area, but nothing came to her mind.
She took a deep breath - a breath that could be her last - and steadied her thoughts, willing herself not to be nervous or afraid. She was going to do it, even if it killed her. She was in a lifetime of debt.
Hermione closed her eyes again and sat down, trying to steady her entire soul. She was trying to think of how she was going to do this. Transforming into a golden fox was hard enough, and she had only done that a handful of times. She knew how to do it in theory written in books and how to do is in a practical setting, but this was quite a different story.
And she had already chosen the fox. How was she going to change it now? There really was no way. Except. . . something that she had read now seemed to be ringing in her ears, not leaving until she addressed what it was telling her.
Any kind of magic is inferior compared to the magic of human sacrifice and love.
Human sacrifice. Love. Human sacrifice AND love. Well, it would certainly be human sacrifice, but did she love Draco Malfoy? The single person who had made her first four years at Hogwarts somewhere below un- enjoyable? Did she love him? Perhaps? Maybe? Yes?
Hermione sighed, knowing that there would never be anything she could do about the way she felt for Draco Malfoy, and hoped against all hope that he would never find out.
She squeezed her eyes shut and took a breath, imagining herself changing into a phoenix. This would be her last transformation, she had to make it grand, and beautiful, and maybe something that someone would learn about later.
Concentrate on the task at hand. Visualize every possible problem and find solutions. Allow the transformation to take over your mind, body and soul, allowing you to become that of which you wish to turn.
"Please don't die, Draco." Hermione whispered, and she fully expected these to be her last words. She needed to say something more. She needed to tell him something, perhaps give him a message? But there was no time and she needed to do it - it was now or never.
She let her arms hang at her sides and she stared at the ceiling, allowing her mind to think it was a phoenix.
Be the animal. . .
Yet it was so much easier to visualize than to do. She sat there, forcing her mind to believe she was a phoenix, but nothing was happening. Her mind felt strained and her head was beginning to throb, but nothing that she wanted to happen was actually happening, which was rather annoying.
The transformation began, her hair shortening, her arms changing shape, her skin turning shades of orange and red and yellow - the fiery plumage that was one of a phoenix.
Be the phoenix. . .
Finally, she could tell that it was beginning, it wasn't a strong feeling and she knew it wasn't happening very well, but it was happening.
It was a painfully slow process. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, just about ready to explode into a million, flaming pieces and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to finish and she would pass out in pain.
No. She couldn't. She had to stay here, she had to stay conscious. She had to save Draco Malfoy before she died. She just had to, no matter how much pain she had to go through in order to do it.
Don't let the pain get to you. Pain is a part of life, a part of love.
Her arms slowly turned to wings and her nose flattened into her face. Her mouth turned to a beak, and her eyes became full of fire and determination. Feathers began to appear and she began to shrink.
Do the job at hand. . .
Hermione allowed herself to turn to a phoenix, completely changing her body. She was in so much pain that she couldn't believe it. She could barely breathe and her mind was fraying. Her memories were slipping away and her thoughts were incredibly painful.
Save the boy. . . Save Draco Malfoy. . .
With all of the strength she could muster she forced her phoenix-like self to walk over to Draco and bend over his wound. Blood had seeped out so fast that it appeared there was none left to bleed and there was no more coming out of it.
Hermione closed her eyes and thought of everything that her leaking mind would allow. Her father, dead; her mother, about to be without any family left; Draco, dying; Harry and Ron abandoning her; everything that could possibly go wrong when she were dead.
Draco could handle it. He was powerful enough. She knew it.
She opened her phoenix eyes and stared down at Draco's wound, pearly- white iridescent tears beginning to form in her eyes, now sliding down her bird like cheeks. A few more seconds and they would land on the wound, they would heal him, he would be alive again.
She squeezed her eyes shut and forced the tears down. She opened her eyes again and was able to watch as the wound closed in on itself and the skin appeared to have had no scratch at all.
She stayed completely conscious for another five or ten seconds before she didn't remember anything.
She could feel her lips moving and she was obviously saying something, but she had no idea what it was and before she had a chance to try to figure out what she was saying, her head his something rather hard and the world turned black.
~+~
Noise. She could hear noise. Someone was walking louder than a thousand leer jets and she wished they would stop. As long as she was dead she might as well have been able to enjoy it.
Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself looking into the face of Draco Malfoy. Oh god, was he dead too? Had she failed?
He looked empty of emotion, his face and eyes showed nothing, and Hermione was having a hard time trying to put rational thoughts together into workable sentences and understandable phrases.
Before Hermione realized it, her hand was at his chest, where the wound should have been, but there was absolutely nothing in the place, just smooth skin, and then she realized where her hand was and her face began to burn. She pulled her hand back and starred at her knees.
Draco kneeled down next to her and forced her to look at him. She reluctantly looked up from her knees and into his eyes, which she was finding disturbing at the moment.
"Is it true?" he asked, and Hermione stared at him, her mind completely blank and she felt more confused than she had ever felt in her life. What on the bloody planet earth was he talking about?
Hermione gave him a look, one that said, "WHAT?"
"Is - Is what true?" Hermione asked, hoping there wasn't something that she should have known.
"What you said, before you passed out." Draco said as though this were the most obvious thing in the world, and it really wasn't that obvious, because Hermione was completely lost.
What did I say? I don't remember saying anything. To be frank, I really don't remember that much.
"Well, I-I don't remember what I said. . .exactly. . ." Hermione said, and Draco's face appeared to fall, but barely, and she was left to try to figure whether she had imagined it or not.
"Never mind then." He said, quickly dismissing it and getting up. Hermione drug him back down, and she was a little hurt by the way he looked like he was trying to avoid meeting her gaze.
"What did I say?" she asks again, and he closes his eyes, and she isn't sure whether he is trying to remember what she said or if he is trying to hide from her.
"You said you - you said you loved me." Draco said eventually and Hermione found that her mind jammed up again. She said, WHAT? WHATWHATWHAT?
Hermione is forced to stare at Draco as she tries to comprehend the words that came from his mouth. Maybe he heard wrong, after all, he was just beginning to recover and he wouldn't have heard everything right, naturally of course. It was all a big mistake and it would blow over soon.
"Just thought you should know what you said." Draco says lamely and he stands up again. He looks around the room for a minute and then kicks a spot on the wall. The bookshelves begin moving and he motions for her to come out.
Hermione somehow manages to pick herself up and they are both out. Someone is talking in the background and she isn't paying him or her any attention whatsoever. All of her attention is focused on one individual.
Draco was a hard person to gauge and she had no idea what he was thinking, which bothered her a little bit. All right, it bothered her a lot.
Both of them are standing rather close, the bookshelf is halfway turned and they are stuck in the same space. Hermione is looking at Malfoy, her mind turning over on itself. Words began to spring from her mouth before she can stop them.
"It's true." She says, and Draco raises an eyebrow.
"And that would be?"
"What you said I said. I don't remember it, but it's true. All of it. Every single word." Hermione wants to slap a hand to her mouth and erase what she just said but that is impossible, and she decides to look away from Draco, not wanting to see his trademark smirk and insufferable attitude.
Much to her surprise, he doesn't answer, and she sits there, wondering exactly what it is he is thinking too.
"Look, I just wanted-"
"I want to tell you-"
The both said at the same time and they both make the same arm gesture, telling the other to go first.
"I just wanted to say, I, uh, I know that you used that Slytherin gift thing to save me, and I wanted to - you know - thank you." Hermione can feel the flush returning to her cheeks and she hopes that he doesn't notice.
The wall shifts and they are closer together now. She hasn't been this close to him since. . . well, in a while anyway.
"I could say the same for you." He says, and Hermione shakes her head.
"No, it was. . . I had to. . .I mean. . ." Hermione trails off, fully aware of how stupid and lame this sounds, even to her. She looks at the wall wistfully, waiting for it to open up and let them OUT.
Draco touches her chin and Hermione feels something like an electric shock run down her spine at his touch. She is forced to watch him, to look into his eyes.
It seems that they stare at each other for an eternity (probably only a few seconds) and then they both move, the few inches between them close.
Hermione gave up trying to use logic long ago and she simply lets the pleasure of kissing fill her mind and body.
It isn't a make out kiss, her hands aren't in his hair, his hands aren't moving. Her hands are on his cheeks, pulling him closer and his hands are on her waist, bringing her closer still.
Kissing Draco Malfoy wasn't like kissing anyone else, Hermione knew that right away, and she completely forgot where she was. In fact, neither of them noticed when they were in the library, and a few students had arrived back from their exchange trip. In fact, some of them were going to the library.
Chattering loudly they turn the corner of the bookcase.
"Oh my god." Hermione and Draco spring apart and find themselves staring into the faces of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson.
~+~
dun, dun, dun. It is getting near the end of the story, sad, I know, but fun, isn't it?
Dreaming One - Probably a little of both, but I hope some things will get cleared up soon.
Blueamber - Lol, cliff hangers are the best way to ensure someone comes back, I've said it before and I'm saying it again. It's TRUE!
Crystal369 - Well, no, I didn't think they would make the block go away, but I hope it made you laugh, either at the stupidity or my naïve - ness. Yes, I am aware the cliffies are mean, but you gotta love 'em.
~The Simon Cowell of Fanfiction.net~ - I know, I know, but it was sorta the confusing part. Actually, I think the whole story is confusing.
Darkmoon of Shadows - Wow, such compliments. I really wasn't sure about this chapter, I mean, I didn't know how everyone would like it, but apparently you like it. That's always good. I enjoyed reading your review, it made me feel very good. I hope this chapter is acceptable too. :)
Vu - Thank you! Please enjoy!
Mandarinn Orange - Of course, I am updating as we speak!!
ILUVRONWEASLEY - Ellipses, and you're welcome.
Mudpie - Yes it is off the subject, but yes I do. And "wow" is always a good word. Thanks!
MARTITA - At the edge of your seat? That is REALLY cool!
Willowfairy - lol, I made you wait, huh? LOL! Force me to update? Your review made me WANT to update. Here's more!
Artemis MoonClaw - Is that a pretending to understand review or an "I understand" review?
Lynseyax Heparedds - LOL, poor Jade. You two don't get along. Don't worry, just see what happens to Draco here. I made you enjoy the story more? Wow, that's always a good thing. Enjoy moremore!
Ickle Ronniekins Girlie!! - Lol, I dunno, IS he dead? Read and find out.
Crazzieaddict06 - Wow, thanks for the many many compliments, they make me feel especially special. Or something like that. I'm tired. Lol.
Lady Scarlett1 - CLIFFIE! YES!!! Read and see! Read and see!
~*iNfLueNZa*~ - sheesh, how much did you read? I hope I updated quickly enough for you, I am getting busy now, lol.
daisuke_malfoy39 - yes, as I have mentioned before, Draco Malfoy will NEVER become 'instantly nice'. Ya know, that sounds like a product. Insta-nice.
Freakyfairy - letter will come later, I promise, really, I do.
M.J. Kobayashi - LOL, it stopped yes, but now there's more, so have fun!
Silinde - Thanks for reviewing, and I was just wondering . . . what drew you to read my story? Was it the number of reviews or something? Thanks for reviewing my other story too, potc. I appreciate it.
---
Chapter 28
Hermione wasted no time trying to figure out what had happened to the men and instead busied herself with trying to make Malfoy stop bleeding. He had already lost a ton of blood, and he needed to be healed now or he was sure to die.
She had no idea what she was actually going to do because every thought she came up with was impossible to actually achieve, especially here. There was no time to head to the hospital wing, the moonstone was gone and Hermione's mind was still blissfully blank.
She was running every thought and memory through her mind, trying to think of one thing that would help her, she didn't want to see Draco die, even if he hadn't come here to save her, she still couldn't just let him die. She desperately needed to remember something that she had learnt in class or something she had read or even something she had been told. Anything at all.
Think, she silently commanded her jarring brain, think.
Draco was showing no signs of moving let alone and signs of life, which meant that he was losing strength, because she was sure he would have used any energy he could to thoroughly insult her before he was completely out of energy, and if she didn't do something now. . .
Hermione shuddered and forced herself to think of what to do. She had to heal him somehow, but there was nothing to do. . .
She watched as his blood continued to seep through his robes and now ver musy uniform. She might as well try to stop the bleeding.
She ripped her socks and tied them tightly around his chest, hoping to stem some of the flow of blood, but these tricks didn't seem to work as well on real live people as they did in the movies. The blood seeped through, and Hermione was beginning to feel sick, as she thought of the blood and knife and everything that had happened in the last few hours.
Tears were beginning to seep out her eyes as she now resigned herself to knowing that he was dying, right here at her hands and there was nothing she could do. The last thing he had seen was his father trying to kill him, and how happy he would be when - if - he knew it had worked.
"What will I do without you?" she asked him out loud, almost wishing for an answer, but not wanting one at the same time. Remembering everything that he had done to her was somewhat of a painful and enjoyable experience in one. It didn't seem to matter anymore where they stood on the social ladder, mudblood and pureblood, Slytherin and Gryffindor. None of it was relevant in a life and death situation, now, was it?
"Nobody will be there to keep me in line. I won't be called a mudblood anymore." Hermione smiled sadly. "It's funny how I feel like an old woman, looking back on a childhood and thinking about how stupid everything was. And I'm only fifteen." It was amazing at how miniscule all of the things he had said and done seemed now, especially since . . .
"Things will be different without you around, you know that, don't you? Harry won't have a rival in Quiddich and everything else, Ron won't have stress-relieving topic, Pansy won't have an idol. . ." Hermione almost sniggered at the thought, but held it back. She wasn't even sure if he could hear her.
'I won't have a crush anymore.' Hermione wanted to say. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, but the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. They were stuck, she couldn't talk, and she couldn't breathe. All she could think about was what was going to happen to Draco.
She hadn't ever realized that she would actually miss Draco Malfoy, but now that it looked like he was going to be gone, she realized that she was going to miss him, and she wouldn't be able to admit it to anyone.
She brushed some stray hairs out of his face, wishing that he would talk or move or do something that would show her he wasn't dead yet. It was worse for her because she couldn't communicate with him at all, and was forced to wait until his chest stopped moving up and down and it became apparent that he had died.
What a bitter end, and it WAS just like the bloody movies. One of the people in the movie always died leaving the other to suffer immense heartache and wallow in their pity until the end of time.
Almost laughing through her flood of tears, Hermione stared down at the almost lifeless form of Draco Malfoy. He looked so peaceful, yet she knew that there was no way that he could be.
Tears flooded down her cheeks and fell to the ground.
"Why?" she asked him, knowing no answer was going to come. "Why did you come here? Was it for me, or did you want to get your father?" If he had come to save her, then he had wasted his bloody life. She continued sobbing but she tried to keep it silent, just in case that he could hear her. She didn't want to show a weakness now of all times.
Tears. . .
They flooded down her cheeks and mingled with sweat, blood, water and anything else that covered her hands and every other part of her body. She didn't want to be here, sprawled on the ground next to a dying Draco Malfoy. . .
If only tears could heal everything that was wrong - wounds, both physical and mental. But it would never work and it was worthless.
Tears that heal. . .
Hermione sat up completely straight and she couldn't have been any more rigid. How could she have not thought of this? Tears that heal, tears that heal. . .
PHOENIX TEARS.
How could she have overlooked it? Why had she decided to be modest? Why couldn't she have been cocky like Draco and chosen the hardest animal to transform into? NOOOO, she had to be miss goody-two-shoes and be modest, which was now costing Draco his life.
But perhaps she could still transform into a phoenix. It would definitely be dangerous, but just about anything was worth the risk right now, wasn't it? If she didn't do anything at all, then Draco would die, and Hermione would never be able to life with the guilt, knowing that she was responsible for his death.
But if she died, then he would die two and the two remaining recipients of the gifts from the founders would be gone from the earth, and she remembered Dumbledore saying something about that shredding the very fabric of the universe. That couldn't be good, now, could it?
Their gifts would be lost forever. . .
It wasn't until now that it struck Hermione as odd that she hadn't died, but now wasn't the time to think of that, right? But something was nagging Hermione to think about if for a second.
She had felt like something was pulling her back to life. . .
Or someone. . .
She hadn't died like she was supposed to, why was that?
"Oh my god." Hermione whispered as the realization hit her with extreme force. It hit her with an extreme force that she was completely not ready for, and guilt hadn't yet kicked in, because shock was coursing through her.
Their gifts had to have something to do with this, but wand less magic couldn't have brought her back to life, but what were Draco's gifts?
Draco had used his one chance to walk into life to save her. He had given up 'temporary immortality' in order to save her life. She had to do it, it didn't matter if it killed her, and she now owed him her life.
Hermione closed her eyes and thought for a desperate moment, trying to think of something and virtually anything else that she could do to help herself and Draco. Something less dangerous, something that didn't have the potential to kill her and everyone else in the area, but nothing came to her mind.
She took a deep breath - a breath that could be her last - and steadied her thoughts, willing herself not to be nervous or afraid. She was going to do it, even if it killed her. She was in a lifetime of debt.
Hermione closed her eyes again and sat down, trying to steady her entire soul. She was trying to think of how she was going to do this. Transforming into a golden fox was hard enough, and she had only done that a handful of times. She knew how to do it in theory written in books and how to do is in a practical setting, but this was quite a different story.
And she had already chosen the fox. How was she going to change it now? There really was no way. Except. . . something that she had read now seemed to be ringing in her ears, not leaving until she addressed what it was telling her.
Any kind of magic is inferior compared to the magic of human sacrifice and love.
Human sacrifice. Love. Human sacrifice AND love. Well, it would certainly be human sacrifice, but did she love Draco Malfoy? The single person who had made her first four years at Hogwarts somewhere below un- enjoyable? Did she love him? Perhaps? Maybe? Yes?
Hermione sighed, knowing that there would never be anything she could do about the way she felt for Draco Malfoy, and hoped against all hope that he would never find out.
She squeezed her eyes shut and took a breath, imagining herself changing into a phoenix. This would be her last transformation, she had to make it grand, and beautiful, and maybe something that someone would learn about later.
Concentrate on the task at hand. Visualize every possible problem and find solutions. Allow the transformation to take over your mind, body and soul, allowing you to become that of which you wish to turn.
"Please don't die, Draco." Hermione whispered, and she fully expected these to be her last words. She needed to say something more. She needed to tell him something, perhaps give him a message? But there was no time and she needed to do it - it was now or never.
She let her arms hang at her sides and she stared at the ceiling, allowing her mind to think it was a phoenix.
Be the animal. . .
Yet it was so much easier to visualize than to do. She sat there, forcing her mind to believe she was a phoenix, but nothing was happening. Her mind felt strained and her head was beginning to throb, but nothing that she wanted to happen was actually happening, which was rather annoying.
The transformation began, her hair shortening, her arms changing shape, her skin turning shades of orange and red and yellow - the fiery plumage that was one of a phoenix.
Be the phoenix. . .
Finally, she could tell that it was beginning, it wasn't a strong feeling and she knew it wasn't happening very well, but it was happening.
It was a painfully slow process. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, just about ready to explode into a million, flaming pieces and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to finish and she would pass out in pain.
No. She couldn't. She had to stay here, she had to stay conscious. She had to save Draco Malfoy before she died. She just had to, no matter how much pain she had to go through in order to do it.
Don't let the pain get to you. Pain is a part of life, a part of love.
Her arms slowly turned to wings and her nose flattened into her face. Her mouth turned to a beak, and her eyes became full of fire and determination. Feathers began to appear and she began to shrink.
Do the job at hand. . .
Hermione allowed herself to turn to a phoenix, completely changing her body. She was in so much pain that she couldn't believe it. She could barely breathe and her mind was fraying. Her memories were slipping away and her thoughts were incredibly painful.
Save the boy. . . Save Draco Malfoy. . .
With all of the strength she could muster she forced her phoenix-like self to walk over to Draco and bend over his wound. Blood had seeped out so fast that it appeared there was none left to bleed and there was no more coming out of it.
Hermione closed her eyes and thought of everything that her leaking mind would allow. Her father, dead; her mother, about to be without any family left; Draco, dying; Harry and Ron abandoning her; everything that could possibly go wrong when she were dead.
Draco could handle it. He was powerful enough. She knew it.
She opened her phoenix eyes and stared down at Draco's wound, pearly- white iridescent tears beginning to form in her eyes, now sliding down her bird like cheeks. A few more seconds and they would land on the wound, they would heal him, he would be alive again.
She squeezed her eyes shut and forced the tears down. She opened her eyes again and was able to watch as the wound closed in on itself and the skin appeared to have had no scratch at all.
She stayed completely conscious for another five or ten seconds before she didn't remember anything.
She could feel her lips moving and she was obviously saying something, but she had no idea what it was and before she had a chance to try to figure out what she was saying, her head his something rather hard and the world turned black.
~+~
Noise. She could hear noise. Someone was walking louder than a thousand leer jets and she wished they would stop. As long as she was dead she might as well have been able to enjoy it.
Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself looking into the face of Draco Malfoy. Oh god, was he dead too? Had she failed?
He looked empty of emotion, his face and eyes showed nothing, and Hermione was having a hard time trying to put rational thoughts together into workable sentences and understandable phrases.
Before Hermione realized it, her hand was at his chest, where the wound should have been, but there was absolutely nothing in the place, just smooth skin, and then she realized where her hand was and her face began to burn. She pulled her hand back and starred at her knees.
Draco kneeled down next to her and forced her to look at him. She reluctantly looked up from her knees and into his eyes, which she was finding disturbing at the moment.
"Is it true?" he asked, and Hermione stared at him, her mind completely blank and she felt more confused than she had ever felt in her life. What on the bloody planet earth was he talking about?
Hermione gave him a look, one that said, "WHAT?"
"Is - Is what true?" Hermione asked, hoping there wasn't something that she should have known.
"What you said, before you passed out." Draco said as though this were the most obvious thing in the world, and it really wasn't that obvious, because Hermione was completely lost.
What did I say? I don't remember saying anything. To be frank, I really don't remember that much.
"Well, I-I don't remember what I said. . .exactly. . ." Hermione said, and Draco's face appeared to fall, but barely, and she was left to try to figure whether she had imagined it or not.
"Never mind then." He said, quickly dismissing it and getting up. Hermione drug him back down, and she was a little hurt by the way he looked like he was trying to avoid meeting her gaze.
"What did I say?" she asks again, and he closes his eyes, and she isn't sure whether he is trying to remember what she said or if he is trying to hide from her.
"You said you - you said you loved me." Draco said eventually and Hermione found that her mind jammed up again. She said, WHAT? WHATWHATWHAT?
Hermione is forced to stare at Draco as she tries to comprehend the words that came from his mouth. Maybe he heard wrong, after all, he was just beginning to recover and he wouldn't have heard everything right, naturally of course. It was all a big mistake and it would blow over soon.
"Just thought you should know what you said." Draco says lamely and he stands up again. He looks around the room for a minute and then kicks a spot on the wall. The bookshelves begin moving and he motions for her to come out.
Hermione somehow manages to pick herself up and they are both out. Someone is talking in the background and she isn't paying him or her any attention whatsoever. All of her attention is focused on one individual.
Draco was a hard person to gauge and she had no idea what he was thinking, which bothered her a little bit. All right, it bothered her a lot.
Both of them are standing rather close, the bookshelf is halfway turned and they are stuck in the same space. Hermione is looking at Malfoy, her mind turning over on itself. Words began to spring from her mouth before she can stop them.
"It's true." She says, and Draco raises an eyebrow.
"And that would be?"
"What you said I said. I don't remember it, but it's true. All of it. Every single word." Hermione wants to slap a hand to her mouth and erase what she just said but that is impossible, and she decides to look away from Draco, not wanting to see his trademark smirk and insufferable attitude.
Much to her surprise, he doesn't answer, and she sits there, wondering exactly what it is he is thinking too.
"Look, I just wanted-"
"I want to tell you-"
The both said at the same time and they both make the same arm gesture, telling the other to go first.
"I just wanted to say, I, uh, I know that you used that Slytherin gift thing to save me, and I wanted to - you know - thank you." Hermione can feel the flush returning to her cheeks and she hopes that he doesn't notice.
The wall shifts and they are closer together now. She hasn't been this close to him since. . . well, in a while anyway.
"I could say the same for you." He says, and Hermione shakes her head.
"No, it was. . . I had to. . .I mean. . ." Hermione trails off, fully aware of how stupid and lame this sounds, even to her. She looks at the wall wistfully, waiting for it to open up and let them OUT.
Draco touches her chin and Hermione feels something like an electric shock run down her spine at his touch. She is forced to watch him, to look into his eyes.
It seems that they stare at each other for an eternity (probably only a few seconds) and then they both move, the few inches between them close.
Hermione gave up trying to use logic long ago and she simply lets the pleasure of kissing fill her mind and body.
It isn't a make out kiss, her hands aren't in his hair, his hands aren't moving. Her hands are on his cheeks, pulling him closer and his hands are on her waist, bringing her closer still.
Kissing Draco Malfoy wasn't like kissing anyone else, Hermione knew that right away, and she completely forgot where she was. In fact, neither of them noticed when they were in the library, and a few students had arrived back from their exchange trip. In fact, some of them were going to the library.
Chattering loudly they turn the corner of the bookcase.
"Oh my god." Hermione and Draco spring apart and find themselves staring into the faces of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson.
~+~
dun, dun, dun. It is getting near the end of the story, sad, I know, but fun, isn't it?