Goodbye to You
By
Cherished Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I do not own the song.

III. The Present


The hairs on the back on his neck stood up on their ends. His breathes were short and rugged and his eyes wide with shock. In his arms was the past that he had been trying to forget; the source of his happiness and guilt. There in his arms was Hermione Jane Granger. His past lover and friend. She had matured beautifully into a young lady. Her pink, soft looking lips were slightly parted and even in the dark he could see that her teeth were a pearly white. Her cheeks were flushed and they contrasted greatly to her pale complexion.

Pale.

Snapping out of his reverie he remembered that she needed medical assistance and magicked the brooms to follow headed towards the castle cradling her closely to his chest. At the castle entrance he stopped and put his hood on, and hoped that Dumbledore's deatheater wards didn't stop him from helping the unconscienous girl in his arm. He hesitantly stepped into the building, when nothing happened he stopped and thought of the mediwitch's reaction if she saw him. He turned instead towards his god father's chambers and ran.

The couple students that lingered around in the halls looked shocked as a black hooded figure ran with the potions assistance in his arms. Some frowned and stared after him, as he ran towards the dungeons, but figured that it must be important, when they saw the determined look on his face.

He reached his god father's chambers and adjusting his hold on the girl, banged on the door urgently. After a few bang, the door opened revealing a scary and angry looking potions master. He's god father's face changed from pissed to surprised, after seeing Draco's face. He then noticed the bundle in his arms and cursed. "I can't bring her to the hospital wing. The medi--" Draco started in a rush. Severus seemed to understand and nodded interrupting his little tirade.

He checked her vitals and found that a mobiliocorpus could not be preformed. He reached out and Hermione was handed over to the older man. "Go to the headmaster's office and inform him of this matter. The password is 'Sugar Quills.'" Snape said, before nodding and rushing off to the hospital wing with his potions assistant in his arms. 'She's incredibly light,' he thought glancing down at the girl. Hermione stirred a little in his arms and half opened her eyes to see her potions master's face.

"Se-Severus.." She said, her voice raspy. He looked down at her and said in a low commanding voice, "Do not exert energy Granger, you will need your strength." But in the middle of his sentence she closed her eyes frowning slightly. Her sub-consciousness was wondering whose warm touch she had felt before, because her teacher's hold on her was certainly not as warm and comforting as it was before. The warm touch had felt.. familiar. Feeling worn, her mind tugged her back into unconsciousness.


"Sugar Quills!" Draco called out as he rushed around a corner to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle came to life and quickly moved aside, allowing him to rush up the stairs. He knocked on the door, and entered the office after hearing the Headmaster's raspy 'Come in.' Dumbledore sat behind his desk, which was filled with many magical objects. The headmaster rose from his seat, and greeted his ex-student with a smile. "Ahh.. Mister Malfoy.. I've been expecting you. What can I do for you?"

Draco stopped in front of the table separating them and replied, "If you don't mind me saying sir, but that sounded like something I'd expect to hear from Professor Trelawney." He smirked as Dumbledore chuckled and continued. "I'm sorry for disturbing you this late sir but…" Draco wanted to fidget on the spot but used all of his free will not to do so. Instead he blurted out about Hermione's physical state. The headmaster's smile turned upside down into a frown. He moved around the desk and ushered Draco and himself out towards the hospital wing.

Dumbledore rushed to the hospital wing with a hesitating Draco in tow. Just before they reached the stairs leading to the hospital wing, Draco cleared his throat, which stopped the Headmaster in his tracks. "Sir," he started, "err perhaps.." Dumbledore raised his hand, silencing him. "Do not fret Mister Malfoy. Madame Pomfrey will not throw you out of the wing. I will take care of it." Inside the potions master was talking to the mediwitch, in a hushed manner. They both stopped talking, when they found the Headmaster and the young man standing there quietly.

The mediwitch narrowed her eyes at Draco. Dumbledore noticed and asked Madame Pomfrey if he could talk to her. As the headmaster conversed with the still glaring mediwitch, the potions master took the time to talk to his god-son. "What is the reason of your visit here Mister Malfoy?" The younger man had to use a lot of his free will to stop himself from wincing at the sound of his name. He levelly looked him in the eye and replied with the same cold nonchalance, "My reason here is with Dumbledore." Severus nodded understandingly as Draco allowed him to access particular memories that forced him to visit Hogwarts after avoiding it for so long.

After reading it all, Snape's eyebrow rose and he opened his mouth to comment, but Dumbledore called their attention back to him and the mediwitch. Madame Pomfrey seemed to have been told that Draco Malfoy was a visitor to the school. But this didn't stop her from occasionally sending suspicious looks in his direction.


After arranging that Draco stay in a guestroom for the night, Dumbledore and Severus Snape left the Hospital Wing, leaving the mediwitch, to make sure that he remembered the rules of the Hospital Wing. Draco stood by the window, watching the clouds move and cover the silver moon and stars. He allowed himself to reminisce about the past he had at Hogwarts. He was pulled out of his thoughts, when the hospital wing entrance opened, revealing a young boy no older than the age of ten, Draco guessed, looking worried. Madame Pomfrey poked her head out of her office. "Madame Pomfrey! I--"

Madame Pomfrey came out of her office and talked to the boy in a hushed voice. Draco turned away and back to the scene in front of him. After a few moments, he heard footsteps approaching him and he turned around. The boy had paused beside Hermione's unmoving figure and held her hand. Curiosity rose within Draco. He walked away from the window and next to the boy. The boy's shoulders were shaking.

The older man placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Leave me alone." The boy said, his voice evidently shaky and weak. Draco sighed and kneeled down beside the bed and slowly turned the boy to face him. He held out his handkerchief to the boy, who in return accepted it and wiped a few tears away. "Thank you."

"I'm Draco Malfoy. What's your name?" Draco asked smiling at the little boy. The boy froze then looked at him surprised. Draco frowned and stood up. The boy drew his wand quickly and aimed it towards him. "Cru--" Draco's eyes widened.

"Silencio!" They both turned to the new person who had cast the charm. Severus Snape stood there just slightly panting, his wand pointing at the boy. " Severus said, "Alexander." And the boy came over to where he was standing. Severus pulled the boy away from Draco and said a few words to him. The boy nodded understanding and the professor removed the charm. He was stubborn but looked at Draco haughtily, "I'm Alexander." Then he rushed over to Hermione's side again to kiss her forehead and ran out.

Both men watched the boy before they turned their eyes to face each other. "Alexander? Who was that?" Draco said cautiously. "And why was he about to use an unforgivable on me?" The potions master answered, "The Ministry of Magic has allowed wizards and witches to use all force necessary to bring down a..." trailing off. The young man nodded with understanding.

"Perhaps you would be better off resting here in the castle tonight; the Headmaster has asked the house eves to set up the guest room in the Slytherin tower. I think you'll remember the two serpent statue? The password is 'Serpent'." Draco nodded and after bidding his godfather a good night, he headed off in that direction. The professor watched him leave the wing before turning to the sleeping figure, and turning in for the night himself.


Opening her eyes, as if someone flipped a switch, she felt her body ache. She winced and let out a little whimper. She moved, and felt something warm atop her hand. She turned but found nothing. Her auror skills coming back to her, she observed for a moment, before reaching out. Her hand collided with a familiar piece of material. Sighing, she pulled off the invisibility cloak. Hermione felt a tug at her lips at the sight of Alexander sleeping there peacefully. So innocent. She tousled his hair, accidentally waking him. He stirred, blinked his eyes and smiled. "How are you?"

They heard a cough on the other side of the curtain and Madame Pomfrey drew back the curtains. She seemed surprised seeing Alexander there, but dismissed it. After setting a tray of food down, she waved her wand over her patient, checking her vitals. Content, she let Hermione eat before handing her a small vial. "Professor Snape delivered it himself this morning. He said, if you've run out to come see him." Hermione nodded in thanks before emptying the vial clean.

After much pleading from both, the patient and visitor, Madame Pomfrey allowed Hermione to leave the Hospital Wing. "You look after her, Alexander. Make sure she doesn't exert too much energy!" she called out to them, as she watched them leave. Alexander turned back and nodded.


Snape's first year Slytherin and Gryffindor class had begun when Hermione and Alexander walked in. After heading to her private chambers and changing her robes, they headed over to the dungeons. They walked in just in time to see him docking points from a Gryffindor student. Hermione frowned and said, "I hope that was well deserved, Professor Snape."

Snape turned in her direction, not having noticed her walk into his classroom. "I see you're well, Professor Granger." She nodded, let Alexander wander to the front of the classroom. The class watched the two professors and the little boy, before being 'reminded' to 'get back to their potions'.

Seeing that the class was focusing on their potions again, Snape mentioned Hermione to the front of the classroom. "Noting your pale complexion, I'll have to surmise that you pleaded with the medi-witch again." He said, whilst handing her a piece of parchment inscribed with the current class' potion. She smiled, reading. Snape cleared his throat, vaguely uncomfortable. "…perhaps it would be best, if you take this day's classes off." Hermione looked up from the parchment smiling up at him. "Thank you for your concern Professor. I think I will." Alexander nodded firmly at the decision.

A small, evil looking smirk rose to the older man's lips. "Oh by the way, he was about to use an unforgivable last night on a Hogwarts'… guest." He said pointing at Alexander. The little boy glared at the older man, and turned to Hermione. "But mama said.." Hermione frowned. "Later we will visit this visitor and you will apologize. Remember what your mama said about manners." Alexander hung his head and said in a small voice "yes professor." Hermione nodded, bid farewell and turned to leave, Alexander getting up to leave with her. Snape watched them leave and frowned.


Letting Alexander roam about the school, the in-training professor headed to the headmaster's office, to inform him of her day off. Turning a corner, she bumped into someone. She barely had time to see their face before teetering, her balance having been thrown off, falling backwards. She braced herself for the impact, but after a few seconds, it didn't come. A tingling sensation shot through her arm, making her spine shiver. She curiously opened her eyes and found a hand holding her own.

You were the one I loved
The one thing that I tried to hold on to

Her eyes went up and saw the face that had been haunting her dreams for a decade. There holding her hand, keeping her from falling onto the floor, was none other than Draco Malfoy. It had seemed that he had reached forward and grabbed her hand before she fell to the floor. Blinking a couple of times, processing the situation, he set her back onto her feet, his hand never once leaving hers. Hermione noticed this and pulled her hand from his gentle grip.

Suddenly remembering, fire rose to her eyes, her anger flaring. She stepped back a couple of paces away, and glared at him. "What are you doing here?!" Students walking past them looked stunned, but hurried away from the two adults whispering to one another. Hermione looked down, suddenly feeling ashamed of herself, and turned but not before saying, "Follow me." She quickly trekked back down the hallway, and into an empty classroom. He followed her.

Walking into the classroom, he shut the door behind him. He turned around and faced her. 'It's now or never.' He said to himself. But after seeing the fire blaze angrily in her eyes, something in unconsciousness said, 'I'd rather take never!' She glared at him venomously, faint memories coming back to her. She saw red liquid, white roses, and many many tears. Hermione couldn't help but feel her eyes prick uncomfortably. "What are you doing here?" She said anger obvious as she repeated herself.

Draco eyes flicked at the sound of the young woman's voice that stood in front of him. "My reason here is with Dumbledore. Had I known you would be here, I would've arranged a meeting with him elsewhere." After a moment's thought, he added, "What are you doing here?" "After you left, I came here. It seemed like my knowledge was needed in a different area." He nodded stiffly. The atmosphere was tense, both of them could tell. Lowering his guard, he stepped towards her. "I--" He started. Hermione quickly unsheathed her wand from her pocket and pointed it at him.

He stopped in his tacks, eyes locked on her wand. "You know I can do it. I won't hesitate to do so this time." Hermione said confidence in her voice. Draco quickly took his wand out and threw it across the floor in front of her. "There I'm unarmed now. Please. Lower your wand, so that we can talk." Hesitatingly, she lowered her wand. He watched her. From the expression on her face, he knew she remembered everything. "…you remember…" He said sounding surprised although he was not. Her anger flared, as she whispered coldly, "How could I forget? What you did was unforgivable." 'It was today.' He thought, suddenly remembering.

"I cried and cried for weeks at a time. I blamed myself for trusting you." Brown met grey. "I couldn't believe you out of all people did what you did."

"I.. I.. I'd never needed you as much as I needed anyone else, after that whole ordeal." He said quietly. She crossed the room and slapped his right cheek; a slap that sounded throughout the whole room, and marred a red mark on his pale cheek. "Don't you dare lie to me. I've had enough of your lies to last me the rest of my life!" She snarled at him. He didn't wince at her slap but his eyes flickered in surprise.

Hermione looked down suddenly tired for doing what she did, her cheeks flushed, panting softly hoping he wouldn't hear. He neither defended himself nor did he apologize. He instead stared at the top of her head with emotionless eyes. Suddenly, she turned and walked towards the exit. He looked at the place she had stood last. "Can I tell you something?" Draco said gently, his words effectively stopping her. She kept her back turned and waited, hand poised on top of the doorknob. He sighed that sigh of his; the one that always sent shivers down her spine.

"At one point you were my only reason to breathe."

She was stunned, his words rung in her ears. Her confident facade trembled a little as did her knees, but she strengthened them, hoping he didn't see how much his words affected her so. Blinking once, then twice she remembered her pride and the reason she abhorred him so. Hermione walked out of the room, walking head high and with confidence, though her still tired body was against it, robes flaring around behind her.

The door shut close, and after walking around a corner, she slumped down in a nearby shadow, hiding herself from passersby. The sob that she held back was released and tears fell down onto her cheeks freely. She embraced her upper torso tightly and she didn't stop the painful memories of her past from emerging.

Little that she know, he was breaking down too.


A/N: It's going to be longer than I thought. Oh well… :D I'm having fun writing this story anyway!

Song: "Goodbye to You" by Michelle Branch