Chapter 6: Fallen Angel

Hermione jumps from her seat and screams, "DRACO!!" She runs down the steps taking them 3 at a time. She just has to get to him. 'God, don't let him be hurt!'

"Draco Malfoy looks pretty hurt folks." The voice roared over the speakers.

'Oh God.' She thinks to herself.

"He appears to be unconscious. Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey…and what appears to be a student come rushing down to his aid." The voice roars as Hermione reaches the field and sprints across it as fast as she can.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing out here." Dumbledore asks in amazement.

"Is he okay?" She asks not answering his question.

He looks at her for a second.

"I'm not sure." Madame Pomfrey answers for him. "He's unconscious; we need to get him to the infirmary."

With that, Dumbledore conjures a stretcher and floated Draco on top of it. He lifts him in the air and leads the way to the infirmary.

When they get their, Madame Promfrey settles him into a bed and tend to his wounds. Hermione sits at the end of the bed, holding her breath.

Madame Pomfrey stands up and looks at Hermione. "I think he'll be okay. I've given him some potion for the pain, but he'll be unconscious for a while."

Hermione looks at her, "I'll wait."

Madame Pomfrey knows that she's not going anywhere. She leaves for her office to do some paperwork.

Hermione moves closer so she's sitting at his side. She looks at him and runs her fingers through his hair. She sighs to herself before curling up and lying next to him, being careful not to touch him. She doesn't want to wake him or worse, hurt him even more.

"Hermione, wake up." A soft, distant voice calls.

Hermione stirs a bit and opens her eyes. She finds Draco sitting next to her, leaning over her, running his fingers through her hair.

"Hey," he says brightly, "Sleep well?"

"Oh my God, Draco," she cries and throws her arms around his neck. Her body hits him so hard she nearly knocks the wind out of him.

"I was so worried Draco. When I saw you hit the ground…"

"Shh." He stops her by placing a finger over her lips. "I'm okay…really. I hit my head pretty hard so I have a mild concussion; and I broke my arm and a few ribs but Madame Pomfrey healed it in about 30 seconds."

She looks lets go of him and looks him in the eyes, "I was just scared."

He looks at her for a few seconds. Then, he softly caresses her cheek and leans in and places a soft peck on her lips. It only lasts a second, but it seems like a slice of heaven.

Hermione just sits there for a second, her eyes still closed. When she opens them, Draco is looking at her smiling. She realizes this is the softest she's ever seen him. She's known him for 7 years, and she just now seeing his soft side. She's now seeing a side of Draco that no one in this school has ever seen.

"Alright Mr. Malfoy, you're okay to go to your room. Miss Granger, would you take care of him?" Madame Pomfrey interrupts.

Hermione smiles and looks at Draco, "Of course I will," she says more to him than her.

They get back to their common room, Draco supporting his weight on Hermione's shoulder. She sets him down on the couch and sits next to him.

"How you feeling?" She asks him.

He smiles, "I'm feeling fine…really!"

Knock, knock, knock

Hermione gets up and answers the door/portrait hole. It was Harry.

"Hey Hermione, I thought I'd come and give you your homework." He looks in the room and sees Draco sitting on the couch. He lets out a deep sigh. He does NOT want to say this, "How's he doing?" he asks barely above a whisper.

Hermione smiles at him. She could tell he didn't care, but he was trying so hard to make her happy. "He'll be okay."

Harry nods, "Well…I better get back. I have practice."

"Okay Harry. I'll talk to you later."

Harry enters the portrait hole and finds Ron standing by the fire in the common room.

"Hey Harry, how's Hermione?" Ron asks Harry.

"Fine…she was with Malfoy." Ron looks at him with shock on his face.

"What, she's actually taking this friend thing seriously?"

Harry sighs, "I think it may be more than that Ron. Did you see the way she reacted when he fell off his broom? She screamed "Draco". Not Malfoy, but Draco. Then she ran down to the field and sat by his side while he was being taken care of. That's something she would do for one of us!"

"God Harry, I'm so sorry." Ron said.

Harry sits in the armchair and puts his head in his lap.

"God, I just love her so much. Now what am I suppose to do?" Harry asks completely frustrated.

Ron sits in the armchair across from him and looks him in the eyes. "I told you what to do 3 years ago, when this all started. You need to tell her how you feel. You've been taking her for granted ever since your friendship started. She won't be around forever. You need to let her know how you feel before someone else does…that is if he hasn't already."

Harry looks down at his feet. Suddenly, his head pops up and he looks at Ron, "But what about Jenny. I'm with her!"

Ron looks at him like he's stupid. "I can't tell you what to do about that. You need to decide which one you want. One way, you can dump Jenny, tell Hermione how you feel and either have the girl of your dreams or risk your friendship. The other way, you stay with Jenny, remain friends with Hermione, but lose her to another man. It's completely your call."

Suddenly there's a small cry from behind them. They both whip around and find Jenny quietly crying to herself. "I knew it." She whispers.

She turns around and heads for the portrait hole.

"Jenny, wait!" Harry cries as he runs after her.

She stops but doesn't turn to face him. "I won't stay with a man that's in love with another woman." She sobs, "I'm out of the way now…you can make your move."

She runs out the portrait hole.

Harry stands there for a minute before turning back to Ron.

"What am I going to do?"

Hermione closes the portrait hole behind Harry. She turns back to Draco and sits next to him.

"Why haven't you been seeing Harry very often?" Draco asks.

Hermione closes her eyes and sighs. "He's been a little too busy with his girlfriend, Jenny."

"Oh right," Draco remembers, "the mind reader, right."

"Yeah, she's a great girl, but I hate that he spends so much time with her instead of me."

Draco smiles. "His loss."

Hermione kisses him and looks him in the eyes. "Why are you being so sweet to me?"

Draco looks at her, "You know what, I don't know."

Harry walks out to the quidditch field, broom in hand. He walks with his head down and no spring in his step. He could stop thinking about Jenny. He walks on the field to find the whole team and a bunch of teacher, including Dumbledore, circling something in the middle of the field. He comes closer and Ron sees him approaching. He runs to him and stops him.

"Don't come any closer Harry; DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

"What's the matter?" Harry asks seeing the wiped away tears and shock in his eyes.

"Its…Jenny, Harry she's…Harry NO!"

Harry runs for the crowd and breaks through. He runs through his friends, his teachers, and head master. He finds his girlfriend laying in the middle of the circle…a sword sticking out of her stomach.