A/n: I'm disappointed to say that I'm not getting that many reviews at all; I have about five per chapter. Please, people, up the review count! Here's Chapter 4.

Purple Rose

By: RomanceCharm

{Chapter 4: Horrifying Happenings}

Draco was to move in two weeks after their run-in at the park. Hermione spent thirteen days merrily straightening up around the house, excited for Draco's arrival. James was ecstatic at the obtaining the knowledge that his daddy was moving in, and tried to help out however he could. Hermione was immensely pleased that her son had accepted his father back into his life, and that he seemed to genuinely care about Draco already. On the night before Draco's move in day, Hermione sat on the rocking chair in her son's room, James in her arms, falling asleep to the tune of the Weird Sisters' soft, new bedtime album. She slowly rocked the chair, soothing her son to rest. As he fell into his nighttime slumber, Hermione softly eased out of the chair, and approaching her son's tyke bed, gently laid him down. When she left his room, she didn't know that another tragedy was about to occur.

No sooner than had she walked downstairs and into her kitchen for a glass of water, her telephone rang. 'Who is phoning at this time of night?' she wondered as she caught the time from her stove, quarter after eleven. Hermione picked up on the second ring, "Hello?"

"Mione, it's Ron. You need to get over here as soon as you can," Ron said in a hushed voice.

"Ron? What's wrong?" Hermione grew anxious.

She could hear Ron sigh over the phone. "It's Harry, Mione. I'm at Harry's place. Come as soon as possible," he softly urged her.

Hermione was now getting scared. 'Harry…' her mind screamed. She thought quickly. "Um, let me see if I can get a hold of Draco to come and watch James, and I'll be there," she said.

"Okay, see you then," Ron said and hung up.

Hermione replaced the phone on the cradle for a moment. She inhaled deeply, frightened out of her wits. What had Harry done, what was wrong with him? Hermione quickly picked the phone up again and dialed Draco's number.

"Yeah?" drawled a groggy voice from the other end.

"Draco, honey, it's Mya," Hermione rapidly told him. "Listen, do you think you could come watch James for a while? Something's happened with Harry and I need to be there. I know it's late, but could you do this for me?"

Draco sounded fully awake when he gruffly replied. "Sure, baby. Give me five minutes and then I'll leave, alright?"

"Oh, thank you so much, Draco. I'll see you soon," Hermione thanked him, and ended the conversation. She ran back up to her son's room, and gently placed a kiss on his forehead. Combing out her hair and slipping on her sweater, she headed down the stairs once again. Hermione had waited but two minutes by the door before Draco arrived, and they exchanged a quick kiss and a 'thank you' before she left.

The drive over to Harry's house was pure torture for Hermione. Ron hadn't told her much of anything over the telephone; she had no idea of how severe the situation was. Her hands unconsciously pounded a soft pattern on the steering wheel as she drove, and she had barely turned the ignition off in her car before she jumped out and ran up his walk. Ron met her at the door and embraced her lightly before taking her in.

After he'd closed the door behind him, he turned to her with a solemn expression. "Hermione, Harry had called me over for a drink this evening. Since he's been avoiding both of us, I accepted, and I came. During our conversation, he told me some pretty disturbing things."

He then placed his hands on her shoulders to support her. "Mione, he told me that if he couldn't have you, he didn't want to live any longer. He kept saying there was nothing left for him in life. I consistently tried convincing him otherwise, but his mind is set. He got tired, and I told him I'd see myself out. I called you instead; because I'm worried he'll do something to brutally harm himself. I don't know what you can do to help him, Hermione, but it can only be you that revives him."

Hermione felt her legs give out from beneath her because of all she'd just been told, and Ron steadily caught her. She then burst into tears, repeatedly sobbing, "It's entirely my fault; it's because of me." Ron shushed her, and told her they'd talk to him in the morning when he awoke. He urged her to get some sleep, but she refused. They both sat by Harry's bed all night, watching him sleep and making sure he didn't awake and commit an act of damage to himself. Near four in the morning, Ron had dozed off, and Hermione's eyelids greatly desired to fall over her eyes and rest, but she didn't give in. Harry awoke three hours later.

The first person he saw when his eyes fluttered open was Hermione, and his expression was curious, but tart. "Harry…" she moved over to the bed when she saw him awake. Hermione took hold of his hand, and Harry remained still. "Harry, I realize how much I have hurt you, and I am eternally apologetic. But the pain I have caused you is no reason to talk of ending your life," Hermione said softly.

Harry's gaze remained trained on the wall before him, not the face of the woman he loved. "I have never received anything I have truly desired, and it seems it shall always be that way. There is no reason to live if I cannot have the woman I love, the last possible chance I had at being happy," he told her.

Hermione grimaced at his words. "Harry, you don't really mean that. I am not such an item that one cannot live without me. There are many more things to live for. Your life is treasured by those who surround you, and we would be devastated without your presence in our own lives."

"I have not been in your, nor Ron's, life for the last few months. You both seem to have gotten by well," he countered.

"That is the farthest possible statement from the truth. Ron and I have both suffered dearly while you were not talking to us. Harry, how badly I missed you, how I wanted discuss just anything with you. But you never called," she said sadly.

Harry now looked at her. "I would've, had you not turned me away, Hermione. You could not have missed me, or you wouldn't have rejected me so harshly; leading me on one minute and then saying you don't love me the next," Harry admitted.

"I would never say I didn't love you, Harry, and I didn't. I will always love you in my own way, but I don't think it is enough to solidify that type of relationship between us. Now, just because that is the case doesn't mean you should talk of suicide, Harry. Think of how many people will be deranged at the loss of Harry Potter," Hermione attempted.

"The majority of those people don't even know me," Harry shook his head.

"But the people who do would miss you even more. Think of Ron and I. Think of James, who absolutely adores you," Hermione reminded. She knew it was a harsh blow, but by now she was desperate. Her expression pleaded with him, and he turned his face away.

Harry remained silent for a few minutes. This gave Hermione time to think. The only thing Harry wanted in life was to be with her. That was the one thing that could save him. Hermione's heart fell at the knowledge. She knew what she had to do. Hermione fought the tears forming behind her eyes, and spoke again, "Harry, if you were to end your life because of me, I could never forgive myself. You have no idea how much you mean to me, Harry. That's why now I am offering myself to you. You may have all of me, Harry, so that I may ensure your safety. If you want me, I am yours," Hermione whispered.

Harry turned back to face her, a grin starting to spread on his face. "Really, Mione?"

Hermione nodded, the tears being held in side stinging her nose. "Yes, Harry. I give myself to you now, I am now ready for a romance with you," she said, and forced a smile.

"Oh, Mione!" Harry sat up and embraced Hermione tightly. He slightly rambled through his hug. "I love you so much, Mione. I'll take such good care of you. I'll always protect you; no harm will ever touch you. Oh, Mione, you have made me the happiest man on earth!"

They pulled apart, and Hermione's eyes finally filled with the tears. "Hermione, why are you crying?" Harry immediately questioned.

Obviously she wouldn't tell him the real reason; that she longed to be faithful to Draco's love, and how badly she wanted to be with him, and that she felt hooking up with Harry was the only way to save his life. Instead, she told him, "I was just so worried that I would lose you, and the tears are just escaping now." She forced a laugh. "I tried to hide them so I could be strong for you."

"Oh Mione," he said, and held a hand to her face. "You don't need to be strong for me. If anything, I should be strong for you. You're having the whole ordeal with Draco's return. How dare the bastard come back and disrupt you and James's lives…" Hermione winced inwardly at Harry's remark. "Well, I'll be there to protect you if he decides to act out."

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said, and pecked his lips softly for effect.

Harry smiled, and promised her, "Now that I have you, Hermione, I swear that I will never do anything to harm myself." She smiled at him, and then excused herself to go to the bathroom.

When she had closed Harry's bedroom door behind her, Hermione broke into silent tears. The last few years had made her tolerance for pain so low, and she felt so emotionally weak. Hermione really didn't like appearing so helpless, but she couldn't find any other way to deal with her troubles than to cry them out, which always seemed to help a bit. Ron had awoken at the close of the door, and entered the hallway from the bedroom, a curious expression on his face. He closed the door after him, and Hermione quietly explained her endowment to Harry.

"Oh Mione, you didn't have to go to such an extreme if you wouldn't offer yourself to him on other circumstances," Ron whispered.

Hermione shook her head, and softly answered, "It was just like you told me, Ron. It was me who was to fix the problem, and at first I didn't know how. But as I talked to Harry, the solution flew into my mind, and I knew what I must do. Oh, the yearning I have to be with the man who changed his lifestyle solely to return to me. But, sadly, this is the only way. It is time I pay for the consequences I violated by turning Harry away before," she said solemnly, and walked away, and out of the house.

She got in the car to return to her son, and remembered that Draco was taking care of him. 'Draco…' she thought mournfully; she realized she still had to break the news to him. The whole drive home was spent contemplating how to tell him, and she still came up empty. Hermione sighed as she walked up the path to her front door. She had no idea how to tell him, but she had to. Hermione opened the door, and let herself in. She tiredly hung her coat up, and put her purse on the glass end table near the door. Hermione walked the hallway to the living room, and the sight she saw nearly broke her heart all over again.

The television was on, but Draco was animatedly entertaining James, flying him around on his shoulder. James was thoroughly enjoying this, giggling like mad. Hermione's presence was acknowledged and both blondes smiled widely at her entrance. Draco set James down, and James hurried over to his mother, happily yelling out, "Mummy!" Hermione numbly knelt down and embraced her son, and when she looked up at Draco, she saw his expression had changed. He was searching her face for the source of her apparent misery.

James was soon engulfed in a flashy commercial that had appeared on the T.V screen. Draco approached her, gently took her by the elbow and led her out into the hallway. "What happened, Mya?" he asked so sweetly that Hermione couldn't look at him. "Hermione?"

Hermione sighed before she started. "Draco, I had to do something very irrational this morning, and I hope you will forgive me," Hermione said, and Draco shot up an eyebrow. "I had to save Harry, honey. He was becoming suicidal; he had talked to Ron of ending his life. I can't have my best friend killing himself on a count of me. Harry was completely depressed because while you were gone, he told me he loved me, as more than just a friend, and I consistently, but politely refused him.

"Eventually, I sort of snapped on him. I was tired of hearing that he could not live without me, and I softly argued that there was some other woman out there for him. Well, apparently there is not, for he didn't give up on me. He was ready to die because I wouldn't have him. Draco, I miserably realized that there was only one thing that would save him, me. I had to give myself to him if he was to keep on living. The tears formed in my eyes, how I wanted to cry for betraying you," she whispered, and Draco's face fell.

Hermione's heart cracked, but she had to go on. "I feel absolutely awful for committing myself to him, when I was about to do so to you. But Draco, you must understand. If I was the cause of Harry's suicide, I just couldn't live with the guilt. And plus, once Harry recovers from the depression, I am sure that I can slip away. He will comprehend, eventually, that he is not the man for me. You are that man, Draco; that is," Hermione looked down at her shoes, and then gazed back up at him, "if you'll still have me when this whole ordeal is over." She was telling him that it would only be temporary, but there was fear in Hermione's heart that it would be longer than that before she could safely leave Harry.

Draco said nothing, but his face explained it all. He was indeed hurt, as she knew he'd be. The pain he felt was written all over. But when she looked into his eyes she also saw a smidgen of understanding. "You're doing the right thing, Mya," he finally said, finally breaking the gaze between them. "I admire you for that, I could never leave you to comfort a friend," he said honestly, but there was a sting to his words. He started back toward the living room, but Hermione pulled him back.

"Draco, you cannot even imagine how hard it was for me!" she argued, and he looked taken aback. "How can you think for even the tiniest instance that it wasn't difficult to leave all that we've worked for? That even for a second I didn't want to run into your arms and never leave them? Hell, the desire to do so is strong right now! I love you, Draco, and to desert you like this not only hurt you!!" Hermione screamed, and suddenly she felt faint.

Seeing the new expression on her face, Draco started toward her, as everything in Hermione's vision started to dim. "Hermione…?" Draco called to her, but that was all Hermione heard before she blacked out.

Hermione awoke to her son kneeling beside her on the bed, with a peering gaze that brightened when he saw her eyes open. She took in her surroundings as James cried out, "Mummy!" and clung to her. Her head suddenly stung with pain, making her slightly dizzy; pain that before now she hadn't been conscious enough to feel. She realized, as the shock of the pain subsided, that she was in a hospital room. 'Damn it,' Hermione thought, angry with herself. 'I had to go and have another anxiety attack, and it was probably at the most inconvenient time, too.' For she didn't remember where she'd been or what she had been doing before she blacked out, just that she did. Her eyes fell upon a dozing Harry, nestled in a chair beside her bed, and she smiled weakly, but she wondered, 'Where is Draco?'

As if he had read her thoughts, James told her, with a giggle, "Daddy's conked out in the waitin' room. He was wired before, but he got real tired a little while ago and fell into a chair. He hadene'nt been sleepin' for the longest time. Daddy was watchin' ova you like a hawk, Mummy, makin' sure you was okay. He kept whispa'ing to himself, sayin' somethin' like it was all his fau-lt," James struggled to pronounce the word.

Her already poor smile faltered, and her son noticed. "What's wrong with you, Mummy? Why did you fall at home? Are you sick?" James asked her anxiously.

Hermione was about to answer, "No, baby, of course not," but stopped herself, wondering. She truly didn't know; after all those anxiety attacks over the years and having to be hospitalized after most of them, she very well could be sick. She answered honestly, "I don't know, baby. Mummy will have to talk to the doctors."

James just nodded; a concerned look on his innocent little face. It pained Hermione to see her little boy worried about her. Harry stirred in his sleep, and Hermione turned her head to see him awaken. As his eyes opened, a large grin spread over his face at the sight of her. "Hey, Mione," he softly said to her, and approached her with a kiss on the forehead, which pained her but she didn't wince, for James's sake. All he'd seen was the kiss, and he looked slightly disgusted, and climbed off the bed and into the hallway.

Only then did Hermione reach up and touch the bandage that she felt circling her head. Harry sat down beside her, his smile consistent. "How are you feeling?" he questioned.

"My head is killing me. What happened after I fell?" she asked him.

"From what Draco told me, after you blacked out you stumbled back and knocked your head on the glass table in the hallway, and as I saw, it shattered, and then you hit the ground, again bashing your head. Only a few pieces of glass cut you, and not severely, but you hitting your head once again worries me," Harry confessed, the grin slowly evaporating from his face.

"That's what I've been thinking about. With all the attacks I've had the past few years, I fear that it may have done some serious damage, and that today's attack was the last straw," Hermione admitted.

"You mean last week's attack," Harry corrected, his smile now completely gone.

"I've been out a week?!" Hermione almost yelled in shock. "And they haven't told you what's wrong with me?"

"I told them I didn't want to know until you knew, but Draco knows," Harry said with a scowl.

Hermione nodded, and tightly gripped the hand Harry had slipped in hers. "I'm sorry for being such an inconvenience to you, and everyone. Oh, how miserable I feel for saddening my baby so."

"James was fine, dear. Well, he was upset initially, but he knew you'd be okay. He sat here on your bed, watching you everyday. Draco only managed to pull him away for meals and trips to the loo," Harry remarked with a chuckle.

Hermione half-smiled at her son's devotion, but shamed herself for causing him to act in such a way. Harry continued, "Much to my dismay, Draco's been hanging around here everyday, shaking his head, wringing his hands and mumbling to himself. I think he's gone mad," Harry shook his own head. "Of course, Ron's been by too. But you know that with his work he couldn't come as often as he would've liked. I'll go and call him, to tell him you're awake, if you'll be alright alone," Harry offered, his face slightly worried.

"Yes, I'll be fine, Harry," she told him, and he pecked her on the lips before exiting the room.

Hermione sighed deeply and folded her hands over her stomach. There was fear in her heart, but overriding that was a sensation that was coming on strong. Hermione had this powerful feeling that there was something really wrong with her. There wasn't any reason that could prove this, but Hermione just knew it, in her heart.

She heard the door opening, and looked up into the face of Draco. His expression was exhausted, and his eyes were red. He covered the distance to her bed slowly, watching her intently as he did so. Not a word was spoken as he stopped next to her, and lightly brushed a hand over her most prominent wound, where her head had connected with the table. She winced slightly, and he quickly retracted his hand. Tears formed in his eyes, and he started to murmur, "Oh baby…oh baby, it's my fault…" He repeated such things as he fell to his knees on the floor, holding her hands in his, occasionally marking them with kisses.

"Draco, honey," she addressed him softly. "What are you talking about?"

Draco looked up at her, his eyes glazed over and his chin quivering. "When you fell…oh, Mya, when you fell and hit your head, it hurt you pretty badly. The doctors have told me of the countless number of times you've been in here from the attacks, each time hitting your head, either on the floor or furniture. All those blows added up, Mya. You've...you've got minor brain damage," he sadly confessed to her, and had to look away.

It wasn't quite the ailment she had expected, but the knowledge still rattled her mind. Yet Hermione said not a word. If she wanted to, she couldn't have. As Draco spoke to her, telling her that they weren't yet sure of how bad it was, she felt as if her throat had closed up, and she couldn't breathe. She had brain damage, however minor it was. Hermione realized, at that moment, with an extremely pessimistic attitude, that she would probably die, from too much damage to the skull, similar to the way her little brother had perished so many years ago. Hermione felt completely and utterly deranged; her insides felt squeamish. Hermione numbly squeezed Draco's hands as he sobbed, and stared straight ahead. Strangely, not a single tear fell from her eyes.

{End}

A/n: I wasn't too mean this time, only a small cliffie. Next chapter there will be a flashback, of how the brother no one knew Hermione had had died. And before you go criticizing the event, once I write it, the incident really did happen, and to someone I'm close to. So think before you speak.

Please review.

Laura