PART TWENTY SIX
For the First Time
May came and the studying for the exams came with it. Hermione made it a point to visit Malfoy in the hospital wing every day, even though no one still was allowed to pull back the curtains draped around his bed. Everyone began cramming for the upcoming exams, but even so, no one ever forgot to give Hermione the time of day.
"Hey Granger," one of Malfoy's Chasers, Tristan Gonzales, called out to her in Charms class one day. "I'm not doing anything tonight. Wanna come over to the Slytherin dungeons and totally ruin my life, reputation, and all that my House has lived for? You get to shatter what's left of your self-respect, you know. Ain't that tempting?" The Slytherins burst out laughing.
"Oh, come off it, Gonzales! Everyone knows she can't do that! She's going to be too busy tonight being a slut in your dormitories and destroying Gryffindor's name!" Lavender Brown giggled along with the other Gryffindors.
Harry, Ron, Ginny, Dean, and Seamus all stared at them menacingly. Neville Longbottom frowned. "Yeah, yeah, one more word about Hermione from any of you and its ten points from Slytherin and Gryffindor!"
Tristan and Lavender laughed again and said something about 'sticking up for the fellow Head Girl', and as Harry and Ron made a move, Hermione cleared her throat. "For your information, I'll be too busy tonight trying not to sink as low as you both have," she turned to look at Tristan. "But if you are that desperate to have a girl over," she turned to Lavender, "and you are that sex-starved to even mention the word 'slut', then I suggest you both get together tonight and pound each other crazy. That way, you both won't need my help to destroy both your names."
Tristan and Lavender went red and shut up.
Hermione mostly studied alone, sometimes in the privacy and sentimental value of the study and sometimes at Malfoy's hospital bedside. She allowed Harry and Ron to study with her sometimes when the Easter holidays came, but even so, she preferred to be alone.
One day, when she was burying her head in her books beside Malfoy's bed, Cho came to the hospital wing.
"Hey," she greeted, and Hermione looked up at her.
"Hi," Hermione said softly. Cho pulled up a chair and sat beside her. She looked at the drapes on Malfoy's bed. "What did Madam Pomfrey say about his condition?"
Hermione looked curiously at her, then replied, "She told me that his wounds weren't bleeding anymore, but they're still there and when they do heal, the scars will probably remain forever. His coma isn't doing any better, either. It's been more than a month now…with the exams coming up in June…"
Cho continued staring at the drapes, and Hermione's words lingered in the air. "I know what you mean," Cho responded after a few minutes. "If that were Harry, I would've never left his side as well." She turned to look at Hermione, and they stared at each other for a while. Then, Cho smiled.
"Listen, Hermione, I know it hasn't been easy for you. Everyone's being a jerk because they don't understand any of this…but if it makes you feel any better, I'm kicking the ass of anyone who badmouths you in front of me." Cho winked at her. "All I'm saying is, you've still got your friends; and if you need anything, we've got your back."
Hermione looked down at the floor wordlessly, and after a few moments of silence, Cho stood up. "Well, I guess I better get going. I hope Malfoy gets well soon."
She started to leave, but Hermione stood up abruptly and gave her a hug. "Thank you so much, Cho…and I'm so sorry for everything…"
Cho looked shocked, but then she smiled and hugged her back. She knew that finally, Hermione had made her peace with her.
As the holidays went on, Hermione's friends started visiting as well. Ginny and Dean had come one day, and they all talked for a long while. Seamus and Neville had come, too, and Neville had even given her an unexpected advice.
"Hermione, I know I'm not supposed to tell you this because I especially shouldn't be breaking any rules, but," Neville grinned. "take a little peek at him sometime, okay? I know you can't stand not knowing how he is…just wait for when Madam Pomfrey leaves for a bit."
The day Harry and Ron came to visit was an unforgetful day for Hermione. They stayed there for about half a day, just talking about everything heart-to-heart. They were completely supportive of her relationship, but were very protective as well.
"One wrong move he makes on you and we'll be there in a snap to send him to hell," Ron grinned.
And as the holdays came to an end and June came fast approaching, Hermione couldn't be more touched by her friends. They truly did stand by her, and she couldn't help but feel infuriated with all of Malfoy's so-called pals. Not one of them even came to visit him or check up on him, not even his teammates whom he'd treated so well. Not even Crabbe and Goyle who used to be by his side all the time.
Not even Pansy, the slut who was always sticking to him like a moth to a flame.
She couldn't believe how insensitive they were being, how they didn't even care about how Malfoy's wounds were faring. Hermione knew she herself couldn't help it, so the night before the first of June, Hermione crept towards the hospital wing in her borrowed Invisibility Cloak from Harry, and decided to give Neville's advice a shot.
She removed the Cloak from over her head the moment she got to Malfoy's bedside, and, making sure Madam Pomfrey was out of both earshot and sight, she gently tugged at the drapes and gasped.
Malfoy was lying peacefully on the bed, the blankets covering his bare body up to his waist, which made his torso completely visible to her. There were gashes and cuts everywhere: on his chest, his abs, his arms…only his face seemed to be unblemished, and he had a bandage wrapped around his forehead and on his upper right arm. Her eyes traveled to his right hand, and saw that the cut that had long been there was now gone. Both his hands were smooth, but every other part of his body had long and deep incisions, like he was slashed a hundred times.
Oh god…Hermione's tears began to silently trickle down her cheeks, and she gently ran her fingers through his blond hair and on his face. She traced his half-opened lips with her thumb and sobbed. She couldn't understand what Malfoy ever did to deserve any of this, and it pained her to see him the way he was now.
Right then she knew that she would never be able to love another as much as the love she was feeling for him. He was the only one.
She cried that night on Harry and Ron's shoulders, who were both waiting for her in the common room when she returned.
When Hermione cried herself to sleep that night, I couldn't help but hate myself…somehow I knew I was responsible, even for just a little bit. I knew Ron told me it wasn't my fault…that what happened to Malfoy was something I couldn't have prevented—or caused, for that matter. But within me, I knew it wasn't true. I was a horrible person…I couldn't even make the people around me happy now that I knew everything was 'at stake'…Godric was right—the visions are warnings of what's about to come…and I had found that I was not ready for it. I couldn't do this.
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Yey!!! Another chappie!! I guess once every two weeks it is…school's not treating me so well…crap…so glad I'm about to graduate…ANYWAYS, thanks so much once again you guys!!! 158 reviews!!!! Never in my life did I imagine I'd get that much feedback!! And so many praises, too!!! God, you guys are great!!! My heart is swelling too much…sniff sniff…I hope you liked my installment! I know most of you wanted Draco to wake up already; I'm really sorry! Some stuff have to be cleared and things have to happen first, plus it just goes to show how long it took for him to recover (and how much Hermione had to suffer…ah, the pains of true love!). Don't worry, though! He's going to come to real soon! So, 'til that time comes, I bid you goodbye for now!!! Please keep R&R-ing!!! Love y'all!!! .
Up next: Malfoy's secrets are revealed to Hermione! How will she react to the Dark Mark on his arm? Will they EVER get back together??? Aaaaaand, of course, Malfoy FINALLY wakes up!!!:D