A/N: Lol, here I am again! I'm on a roll. anyways, thanx for the reviews! here ya go!
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Chapter 12: Promise
Hermione just stared at the nurse, too shocked to answer, and then reality sank in.
"What?" She breathed, and her eyes looked down toward the ground. More tears formed. It all fit. The coughing, the blood, the fatigue, the weakness, and headaches. It all fit. Tears leaked down her face as she got up and pushed Madame Pomfrey out of the way, then ran down the aisle and out the door. She ran back through the hallways, up the stairs, crying the whole way. She reached the Head Boy/Girl Tower and choked out "Peppermint Pastry." Ariel looked at her weird but swung herself forward.
Hermione ran through the entrance to find it empty. She sat behind the couch and leaned her back against it. She pulled her knees up to her chest and broke down. She cried. Tear drops stained her cloak.
Draco opened his door and looked down into the common room at her. "Hermione?" He walked quickly down the stairs and knelt down before her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong? What ever it is, I'll do my best to fix it. What happened?" He used his hand to lift her chin to see Hermione's glistening eyes.
"Fix it??" Hermione pushed his hand away and stood up. "Fix it. Tell me. How the hell can you fix LEUKEMIA?" She ran past him and up the stairs, into her room, and slammed her door shut. Then she threw herself on her bed and started crying again.
Downstairs, Draco just stood there, taking in each word. 'Leukemia. She has leukemia,' he thought, he himself trying to fight back tears (which was very rare. Draco never cried). He sat down on the couch and put his face in his hands, letting the tears come. 'Why her? Why does she have to be the one to have leukemia?'
-ooooooo-
Meanwhile, outside the Head Boy and Girl Tower, Harry and Ron were trying to figure out the password.
"What's the password, Ron?" Harry asked, looking at Ariel. The mermaid raised her eyebrows and then looked at Ron, who was looking back. Ariel smiled and winked and Ron turned pink.
"I don't know! It's probably something weird, like 'Peppermint Pastry' or something," Ron replied, looking away from the mermaid, his face still pink.
Suddenly, Ariel sighed and swung forward.
Ron and Harry stared in amazement. "Wow," Ron said. "I am good."
Harry grinned and they both entered the Head Boy/Girl Common Room, looking around in amazement.
"What are you doing here, Potter and Weasel?" Draco sneered, wiping his eyes, and trying his best not to let them see that his eyes were red from silently crying.
But Ron noticed. "Were you crying Malfoy?" He smirked.
"I'd shut up, Weasel if you know what's good for you, and no I wasn't crying."
"Right," Harry said, and started up the stairs. "Is Hermione in her room?"
"Yeah, but I don't think she'd want to see you," Malfoy said, meaning about what she found out about herself.
But Harry thought he meant what happened between him and Hermione and continued up the stairs. Ron followed. "Hermione?" Harry called through her door.
"Go away," Hermione mumbled.
Harry looked at Ron and Ron nodded. They opened the door and went in, closing it behind them.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked, sitting on her bed. He brushed the hair from her face.
Hermione shook her head and sat up, wiping her eyes and sniffling. "What do you guys want? And how'd you get in?"
"I guessed the password and Harry came to tell you something," Ron said, and looked at Harry.
Hermione turned her attention to Harry. There was a odd pause, then Harry exhaled and spoke. "Hermione, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just really upset because I really like you. I shouldn't have ignored you either."
"No, Harry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't of- of two-timed you. I--" she replied but was interrupted by Harry.
"No Hermione. Don't apologize. Ron's right. You really can't help who you love. I'm sorry."
Hermione smiled through her tear-stained face and gave Harry a hug. "Friends?"
"Friends."
"What was Malfoy crying about anyway? I never thought that he would cry. Must be something big," Ron asked.
Hermione looked down at her hands that were in her lap. She fumbled with her fingers and took a deep breath and tried to hold back more tears. "Actually, uh, there- there is something I need to tell you," she said.
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Um, I uh, this is really difficult to say. Last night after the party, Drac- Malfoy--"
"You can say his name," Ron interrupted. Harry nodded.
"Right, well, uh, Draco and I were patrolling the corridors and uh, I sort of had another coughing fit--"
"Again? You should have that looked at, Hermione. Madame Pomfrey should know something about it," Harry said.
"I had another coughing fit and I ended up coughing up. . . coughing up blood--"
"Blood?! You really should have that looked at."
"I coughed up blood, and well, and had it checked out this morning, and Madame Pomfrey did some tests and I found out that. . . that. . . I found out that I have. . . leukemia. That's why Draco's crying." Hermione slowly raised her eyes to see her friends staring at her.
"What? No! That's not possible. You can't!" Ron said, him also blinking back tears. Harry seemed to struggle with tears too.
"It's possible, and I do, and I don't want you telling anybody else. Please," she replied.
"What about Ginny?"
"No. Not Ginny either," Hermione said, wishing she were alone.
"Ok. . ." Harry said, standing up. So did Ron and Hermione.
"I think you guys should probably leave. If Filch catches you, then you'll be in trouble," she said, giving each of them a big hug.
"Since when does Filch come in here?" Harry asked, but Ron nudged him in the ribs.
"I think she just wants to be alone," he said, a tear sliding down his freckled cheek.
Hermione nodded a little and Harry and Ron gave her another hug. "We love you. Just want to let you know. You'll always be our best friend no matter what," Ron said.
Hermione struggled more to fight back tears, it was almost unbearable.
Harry and Ron left, leaving Hermione alone in her room.
-ooooooo-
Sometime in the middle of the night, Draco crept into Hermione's room and saw her sleeping on top of the covers. Her face was still a little red from crying. He walked over to her, and bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then he walked out and went back to his own dormitory.
-ooooooo-
Draco got up at 7 in the morning and went to Professor Dumbledore. He walked into his office and saw the Headmaster sitting at his desk, working on something.
"Professor?"
Dumbledore set his quill down and looked at him through his half-moon spectacles. "Mr. Malfoy. Good morning."
"I was wondering if I could take a special trip to Hogsmeade this morning. I would be back by 10 am."
"Of course, all the teachers have been informed of Miss Granger's condition and we are all very sorry. You may take a broom if you wish. Please tell Miss Granger we will do everything we can to help her."
"Thank you and I will," Draco replied, leaving.
He walked out onto the grounds with his Firebolt II and mounted it. He kicked off, feeling the morning air brush against his face. He zoomed off towards Hogsmeade.
10 minutes later, he landed outside a shop at the end of the village called "Promises That Are Kept" and entered it.
Draco walked down each jewelry aisle and finally found the perfect ring set. He told the shopkeeper which one he wanted and paid 75 galleons for them. The shopkeeper put them in a nice black velvet box and handed it to him.
He put the rings in the pocket on the inside of his cloak and mounted the broom again. He soared off back towards the school.
When he arrived, he ran back up towards their Tower.
"Peppermint Pastry," he said, out of breath.
Ariel swung forward with another wink and let Draco in. Draco saw Hermione was in the Common Room reading a book by the fire.
He walked over toward her and sat down beside her. "How're you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm okay. Draco, I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday. I was just upset," Hermione closed her book and faced him.
"It's okay, Hermione," He pulled her in for a hug, which she gladly gave, and when they pulled away, Draco reached into his cloak pocket.
"You know I care about you, right?"
"Yeah."
"You know that I don't want anything to happen to you, right?" Draco pulled out the box.
"Yes."
Draco opened the box to show two glittering rings. Both had silver bands, but one had a square-ish diamond in the center. The other was just a silver band. He pulled out the one with the diamond.
"This is a Promise ring. It alerts me whenever something is wrong when I'm not around. If something is wrong with you, my ring--" he picked up the other ring. "--Will burn a little and light up. If something is wrong with me, your ring will burn and light up." He slid the ring with the diamond onto Hermione's left ring finger (A/N: this is not an engagement ring ppl. just to let you know) and looked into her eyes. She was staring at the ring and her eyes filled with tears of happiness. She looked back up at him.
"But you can't take the ring off, Hermione. Promise me. Promise me you won't take it off." Some hair fell into Draco's eyes.
"I promise," Hermione said, and Draco met her lips with a gentle kiss.
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A/N: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. . . how sweet!!!!!!! lol, anyways, how'd you like that? review with your thoughts!!
ashley
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Chapter 12: Promise
Hermione just stared at the nurse, too shocked to answer, and then reality sank in.
"What?" She breathed, and her eyes looked down toward the ground. More tears formed. It all fit. The coughing, the blood, the fatigue, the weakness, and headaches. It all fit. Tears leaked down her face as she got up and pushed Madame Pomfrey out of the way, then ran down the aisle and out the door. She ran back through the hallways, up the stairs, crying the whole way. She reached the Head Boy/Girl Tower and choked out "Peppermint Pastry." Ariel looked at her weird but swung herself forward.
Hermione ran through the entrance to find it empty. She sat behind the couch and leaned her back against it. She pulled her knees up to her chest and broke down. She cried. Tear drops stained her cloak.
Draco opened his door and looked down into the common room at her. "Hermione?" He walked quickly down the stairs and knelt down before her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong? What ever it is, I'll do my best to fix it. What happened?" He used his hand to lift her chin to see Hermione's glistening eyes.
"Fix it??" Hermione pushed his hand away and stood up. "Fix it. Tell me. How the hell can you fix LEUKEMIA?" She ran past him and up the stairs, into her room, and slammed her door shut. Then she threw herself on her bed and started crying again.
Downstairs, Draco just stood there, taking in each word. 'Leukemia. She has leukemia,' he thought, he himself trying to fight back tears (which was very rare. Draco never cried). He sat down on the couch and put his face in his hands, letting the tears come. 'Why her? Why does she have to be the one to have leukemia?'
-ooooooo-
Meanwhile, outside the Head Boy and Girl Tower, Harry and Ron were trying to figure out the password.
"What's the password, Ron?" Harry asked, looking at Ariel. The mermaid raised her eyebrows and then looked at Ron, who was looking back. Ariel smiled and winked and Ron turned pink.
"I don't know! It's probably something weird, like 'Peppermint Pastry' or something," Ron replied, looking away from the mermaid, his face still pink.
Suddenly, Ariel sighed and swung forward.
Ron and Harry stared in amazement. "Wow," Ron said. "I am good."
Harry grinned and they both entered the Head Boy/Girl Common Room, looking around in amazement.
"What are you doing here, Potter and Weasel?" Draco sneered, wiping his eyes, and trying his best not to let them see that his eyes were red from silently crying.
But Ron noticed. "Were you crying Malfoy?" He smirked.
"I'd shut up, Weasel if you know what's good for you, and no I wasn't crying."
"Right," Harry said, and started up the stairs. "Is Hermione in her room?"
"Yeah, but I don't think she'd want to see you," Malfoy said, meaning about what she found out about herself.
But Harry thought he meant what happened between him and Hermione and continued up the stairs. Ron followed. "Hermione?" Harry called through her door.
"Go away," Hermione mumbled.
Harry looked at Ron and Ron nodded. They opened the door and went in, closing it behind them.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked, sitting on her bed. He brushed the hair from her face.
Hermione shook her head and sat up, wiping her eyes and sniffling. "What do you guys want? And how'd you get in?"
"I guessed the password and Harry came to tell you something," Ron said, and looked at Harry.
Hermione turned her attention to Harry. There was a odd pause, then Harry exhaled and spoke. "Hermione, I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just really upset because I really like you. I shouldn't have ignored you either."
"No, Harry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't of- of two-timed you. I--" she replied but was interrupted by Harry.
"No Hermione. Don't apologize. Ron's right. You really can't help who you love. I'm sorry."
Hermione smiled through her tear-stained face and gave Harry a hug. "Friends?"
"Friends."
"What was Malfoy crying about anyway? I never thought that he would cry. Must be something big," Ron asked.
Hermione looked down at her hands that were in her lap. She fumbled with her fingers and took a deep breath and tried to hold back more tears. "Actually, uh, there- there is something I need to tell you," she said.
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Um, I uh, this is really difficult to say. Last night after the party, Drac- Malfoy--"
"You can say his name," Ron interrupted. Harry nodded.
"Right, well, uh, Draco and I were patrolling the corridors and uh, I sort of had another coughing fit--"
"Again? You should have that looked at, Hermione. Madame Pomfrey should know something about it," Harry said.
"I had another coughing fit and I ended up coughing up. . . coughing up blood--"
"Blood?! You really should have that looked at."
"I coughed up blood, and well, and had it checked out this morning, and Madame Pomfrey did some tests and I found out that. . . that. . . I found out that I have. . . leukemia. That's why Draco's crying." Hermione slowly raised her eyes to see her friends staring at her.
"What? No! That's not possible. You can't!" Ron said, him also blinking back tears. Harry seemed to struggle with tears too.
"It's possible, and I do, and I don't want you telling anybody else. Please," she replied.
"What about Ginny?"
"No. Not Ginny either," Hermione said, wishing she were alone.
"Ok. . ." Harry said, standing up. So did Ron and Hermione.
"I think you guys should probably leave. If Filch catches you, then you'll be in trouble," she said, giving each of them a big hug.
"Since when does Filch come in here?" Harry asked, but Ron nudged him in the ribs.
"I think she just wants to be alone," he said, a tear sliding down his freckled cheek.
Hermione nodded a little and Harry and Ron gave her another hug. "We love you. Just want to let you know. You'll always be our best friend no matter what," Ron said.
Hermione struggled more to fight back tears, it was almost unbearable.
Harry and Ron left, leaving Hermione alone in her room.
-ooooooo-
Sometime in the middle of the night, Draco crept into Hermione's room and saw her sleeping on top of the covers. Her face was still a little red from crying. He walked over to her, and bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then he walked out and went back to his own dormitory.
-ooooooo-
Draco got up at 7 in the morning and went to Professor Dumbledore. He walked into his office and saw the Headmaster sitting at his desk, working on something.
"Professor?"
Dumbledore set his quill down and looked at him through his half-moon spectacles. "Mr. Malfoy. Good morning."
"I was wondering if I could take a special trip to Hogsmeade this morning. I would be back by 10 am."
"Of course, all the teachers have been informed of Miss Granger's condition and we are all very sorry. You may take a broom if you wish. Please tell Miss Granger we will do everything we can to help her."
"Thank you and I will," Draco replied, leaving.
He walked out onto the grounds with his Firebolt II and mounted it. He kicked off, feeling the morning air brush against his face. He zoomed off towards Hogsmeade.
10 minutes later, he landed outside a shop at the end of the village called "Promises That Are Kept" and entered it.
Draco walked down each jewelry aisle and finally found the perfect ring set. He told the shopkeeper which one he wanted and paid 75 galleons for them. The shopkeeper put them in a nice black velvet box and handed it to him.
He put the rings in the pocket on the inside of his cloak and mounted the broom again. He soared off back towards the school.
When he arrived, he ran back up towards their Tower.
"Peppermint Pastry," he said, out of breath.
Ariel swung forward with another wink and let Draco in. Draco saw Hermione was in the Common Room reading a book by the fire.
He walked over toward her and sat down beside her. "How're you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm okay. Draco, I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday. I was just upset," Hermione closed her book and faced him.
"It's okay, Hermione," He pulled her in for a hug, which she gladly gave, and when they pulled away, Draco reached into his cloak pocket.
"You know I care about you, right?"
"Yeah."
"You know that I don't want anything to happen to you, right?" Draco pulled out the box.
"Yes."
Draco opened the box to show two glittering rings. Both had silver bands, but one had a square-ish diamond in the center. The other was just a silver band. He pulled out the one with the diamond.
"This is a Promise ring. It alerts me whenever something is wrong when I'm not around. If something is wrong with you, my ring--" he picked up the other ring. "--Will burn a little and light up. If something is wrong with me, your ring will burn and light up." He slid the ring with the diamond onto Hermione's left ring finger (A/N: this is not an engagement ring ppl. just to let you know) and looked into her eyes. She was staring at the ring and her eyes filled with tears of happiness. She looked back up at him.
"But you can't take the ring off, Hermione. Promise me. Promise me you won't take it off." Some hair fell into Draco's eyes.
"I promise," Hermione said, and Draco met her lips with a gentle kiss.
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A/N: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. . . how sweet!!!!!!! lol, anyways, how'd you like that? review with your thoughts!!
ashley