PART TWENTY-FOUR
The Aftermath
It was a pretty big issue at Hogwarts, needless to say. Curiosity grasped everyone's mind concerning Malfoy's accident, excitement coursed through everyone's veins on discussions about the heated rivalry that occurred between the two Seekers, and skepticism enveloped everyone's hearts about Hermione and Malfoy. Word spread so much about the latter issue and never had Hermione felt so gossiped about in her life. Everywhere she went, every corner she turned, every class she took, people were always whispering and stealing glances at her. It went on for so long and was always the same thing every day that Hermione almost memorized how everyone had a different reaction to her controversial and long-kept romantic relationship with Malfoy:
The professors were all treating her awkwardly; in fact, it was so awkward that it made Snape not give her a hard time these days.
The Slytherins were extremely disgusted at Malfoy now for having done what he had done to Hermione (as tales of their sexual escapades grew taller and taller) and for going against all odds to have an affair with her. They were angry at Hermione for taking away the guy they all once respected and idolized very much in every aspect of his once un-violated Slytherin ways.
Gryffindor had an opposite reaction; they were disgusted at Hermione and angry at Malfoy. Their long-standing Gryffindor values seemed to have disappeared with a snap because of Hermione's doings.
Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff concluded that the two of them were lowly, sex-starved players who only went on with the relationship just to fool around.
As a result, both Hermione and Malfoy's reputations crumbled down like Pixie dust, and since Malfoy was still in the hospital wing and was inaccessible at the moment, Hermione was receiving the full blow of anger, disgust, humiliation and loss of dignity and respect—in short, total isolation.
The weeks of teasing and mockery were hell; she would've handled it all better if only Malfoy were by her side, instead of lying half-dead, heavily injured, and in a coma in the hospital wing, where she wasn't even allowed to draw back the curtains on his bed to look at him. Malfoy was in extensive care, and no one—not even his friends (or so-called friends)—was allowed to visit him. It would've been so much easier to take the blows of going public with her relationship if she could hear Malfoy whisper lovingly in her ear that they would make it through all this…that they wouldn't give a damn what others thought as long as they were together…or say those words he'd told her when they first made love in the study—that whatever happened, they would face them together…or if she could at least visit him in the hospital wing…see his face and that would be enough…
It was during these moments that Hermione was never more grateful to have her friends, who stood beside her every step of the way. Not once did they leave her side whenever she got mocked, but rather they defended her with everything they had. Hermione could never be more touched…and she swore she'd never forget that fateful day when she realized that her two best friends would support her no matter what:
It would always play back in her head. It was the night on the Quidditch grounds where she cried with Malfoy in her arms in the heavy downpour. Dumbledore and Snape rushed towards the two of them, and after McGonagall had gathered Hermione in an embrace to comfort her, she saw Dumbledore beckon to Snape. Snape immediately took a vial of a potion with an orange hue and let a few drops land on Malfoy's bleeding mouth. The rest of the professors pushed back the crowd circling them, and then Dumbledore supported Malfoy's arms as Malfoy began making sudden jerks, and when he settled down again, Hermione saw that although shallow and burdened, he was breathing again.
Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. She broke free from McGonagall's embrace and reached out to the unconscious Malfoy again, but Dumbledore had conjured a stretcher and the professors were hurriedly taking Malfoy back up the castle to the hospital wing. McGonagall saw the agony in Hermione's eyes and brought her with them, while the rest of the spectators gathered outside the hospital wing's closed doors, buzzing with mixed emotions.
McGonagall explained that Snape's Rejuvenating Potion was kind of like an electric pump in the Muggle World, where doctors used shock to revive the heart. Malfoy was lucky to have been brought back, McGonagall had told her, and that he'd need a long time of recuperation and Madam Pomfrey's extensive care to be back to his old self again.
Hermione watched with tears in her eyes as Malfoy was laid down on the bed, still losing his blood, but soon her view was blocked when McGonagall led her to the door, not wanting her to watch any more of it.
"We'll take care of him," she promised her, and when Hermione exited the hospital wing, everyone began fussing and bombarding her with questions. Harry and Ron grabbed both her arms and sped off to help her escape, and when they finally reached a secluded area, she held back her sobs and tried to gather herself.
She looked at Ron's worried face and said, trembling, "I-I guess…you both know by now…you all saw what happened with Malfoy…I couldn't help myself…when I saw him out there in the rain…god…" she trailed off and looked at the ground, her shoulders shaking. "I couldn't keep it to myself anymore…"
Harry made a move towards her. "Hermione…"
She looked up at him, her face now glistening with fresh tears. "I love him, Harry…I always have…I know I shouldn't, but I do…and I hate myself for it…" She turned to look at Ron, who, as opposed to Harry's extremely shocked look, was looking at her with a face devoid of all emotion except pain. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you both sooner…I was so scared…I'm so sorry…Ron…" she trailed off completely and covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
A few moments of silence passed, with only Hermione's sobs echoing through the empty halls. And then, Ron took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her, making her sob even more. He hugged her tighter and closed his eyes, letting her cry onto his shirt.
And Harry, looking at them both with his own tears beginning to well up in his eyes, knew at once that at that moment, Ron had summed up everything he was feeling for Hermione, even though he now knew that Hermione loved somebody else—and Draco Malfoy at that.
Ron loved Hermione that much.
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OMIGAWD what a short short short short chapter!!!! The next update's going to be a bit longer, I promise! Maybe now's the time to reply to the readers and reviewers once more. Weeeeee!:D
LilyMarielle, arlette, Shina-Etsu, mage, sprinkle89, Mystical, Atiyyah, jxelle, Realalien, iluvdraco: OMG thank you so very very much!!! I'm doing the best that I can for all of you guys, and as my fic goes on, I hope I don't disappoint any of you! Thanks for all the encouragement and the compliments!!!
Aidan666: Wow, I'm on your author alert!!! That's sooo flattering, thanks so much for being so hooked :D I know Malfoy was awful back there…such a bad ass (but that's why he's so hot .) but there was a reason behind it all :D Anyways, I'm updating a lot faster now, hope you're enjoying!
anna: Hi! Thanks for finding my fic qualified for your search . I'm really sorry I couldn't email you, but I'm really flattered that you are that eager to know when a new chappie is up:D Thanks so much!!!
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matet: wow, kudos to your friend for recommending my fic to you! Thanks so much for being so hooked, matet:D I'll be doing my best to give you the ending you want!
PolishPrincess: Whoa! Don't go killing yourself hehehe!!! LOL :D Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart! I'm doing the best I can to update more often:D Thankies!!!!
GlitterGreen: Wow, you're good! Yup, it's Hermione, but no, I don't want them to end up together either . That's why this fic is in the DM/HG category! Weee!!! Go Draco!!! Go Hermione!!!
ebbe04: hehehe Ron didn't have the guts to say it after all :D But trust me, once Malfoy finds out about Ron's feelings for Hermione, he's not going to take it too well…. Thanks for finding Harry's visions interesting!:D
Shoshi: Hi!!! Thank you for finding my fic different from the rest. Sorry about the loving then losing thing; it's kind of a basic love story twist . Thanks so much and please keep r&r-ing! J
N- : omigawd!!! I'm sooooo flattered and I really really appreciate your wonderful compliments:D I can't believe you read the whole thing in one sitting!!! It delights me to know that you were that captivated:D Thank you so much!!! I'm sorry my summary stinks . It's pretty tough, but I've asked for some suggestions:D I hope my story won't make you regret that you didn't skip over it for the thirteenth time hehehe!! . LOL :D Thanks soooooooooo much!!!!!!!! I'll do my best!!!
Just b: heya!!! Thanks a bunch for finding my fic to be one of the best!!!! You have no idea how wonderful it is to receive a compliment like that:D Thanks for all the reviews ! I'm doing my best for you all!!!:D and yes, I'm soo totally psyched to watch PoA!!! It's showing here in my country in June 2 nationwide!!! I am sooo gonna watch it so that I can drool over Tom Felton's new look! .
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Zing-baby : OMIGAWD work for Rowling??? That's probably the most heart-warming compliments ever:D I can never match up to the great works of JK Rowling (she's the best!!!!!!!!) but thank you sooooooooooooooooooo much for that praise!!! You have no idea how great it feels to be appreciated that way. I won't let you guys down!:D And I'm sorry if I haven't had the time to read your fic, it's getting hectic for me but I will read it as soon as I get some free time! I bet it rocks! Thanks so much again!!!:D (PS: thank you very very much for recommending my fic to your buds!!! It means a lot!!J )
TomFeltonsBabe: Hey thanks sooo much!!! Muchas Gracias!!! Er…I'm not really sure how to say it in Spanish. I'm honored to have pleased you J And don't worry, I assure you that Draco and Hermione will definitely get back together and Ron isn't really going to be a big hindrance (well, maybe a little, but not to the extent that Ron and Hermione will…er…you know .) Plus, Hermione's definitely going to use her locket again, but not for a while :D Anyways, happy watching of PoA!!! And most especially, advanced happy birthday!!! :D
Kigomae: Heya!!! Thanks a bunch! You and your friend Zing-baby are so great:D Thanks for spending four hours to read my fic . I hope I didn't waste your time!!!:D And I'm doing my best to update quickly and to make the chappies really good for you all. I hope I won't let any of you down!!! Please keep r&r-ing!!! You guys are the best!:D
The Nauti Dolphin: Waaaaaaaaaah I'm sooooooo utterly touched that you have told all your pals about my fic:D It's so inspiring. Don't worry, I'm doing the best that I can!!! Thank you for making my fic the reason you go online :D How flattering!!!:D Thanks soooo much again and may we all enjoy the third movie!!!!! (I can't wait to see Tom Felton in action again!!!:D )
The Nauti Dolphin, noisyamie, kris, PolishPrincess, Mialana, Mle, Sarah, chocl8chps,sweetdreamsmuse, rainstorm: Omigwad omigawd omigawd!!! Thank you very much everyone!!! I'm soooooo sorry about the cliffhanger…it's just the way things are . I hope this update was good for you guys!!! And I will definitely not kill Draco off!:D I hope I won't disappoint you guys and I'll be pouring my heart and soul into my chappies!!! Thanks sooooo much for your continuing support and encouragement and all your praises!!! If these won't get me going, nothing will!!:D Luv y'all!!!
Kigomae: Yey!!!!! Thanks for enjoying!!! I hope this chappie was good for you:D And I'm really really sorry, but I'm kind of really super busy at the moment:D it's becoming harder and harder to update a lot, but I promise I really will read your fic as soon as the god of time lends me a hand . Thanks soooooooooooooooo much!!! Luv ya all!!!:D
LovesFantasy: Hi there!!! Wow, considering you like Draco/Ginny fics, I'm honored that you enjoyed my DM/HG fic:D I hope I entertained you as much as D/G fics do for you!!!:D I'm not really a fan of D/G, but I'll give it a shot if I can!! Thanks again!!:D
To everyone: YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH AND MAY WE ALL ENJOY THE THIRD MOVIE!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!:D