Love
Chapter 2 [Tylenol: Extra Strength]
Last Time:
Draco sighed and followed his Mother up the freshly shoveled path to the Burrow, wondering what awaited him inside.
Little did he know, it was exactly the person he dreaded making contact with.
TBC ________________________________________________________________________
"Ron, move. Fast." Hermione mumbled ineloquently, shoving his chest a little. They were still cuddling in the bed, and Harry and Ginny were sitting on the edge. The four, the famous 'Fab Four' of old, had simply been enjoying the contemplative silence. Each had been lost deep in their own thoughts. Ron looked down at Hermione in confusion, but rolled flat on the bed so she could climb over him. She scrambled out of the bed and ran out of the room. The others looked at each other.
"Cry?" Ron suggested, eyebrows furrowed. Harry cringed and Ginny shrugged absently, looking at the door which Hermione had disappeared through.
"I hope not- she did enough of it last night." She said, biting her lip. There was a moment of tense silent before they heard a strange sound from the bathroom. The three glanced at each other as the sound came again, and then they laughed. Collapsed into giggles that were pure relief after the stressful night- the stressful past few nights. Hermione was suffering from a dreadful hangover. A few minutes later came the groggy sounding call,
"Where's the damn toothpaste? And does anybody have some Tylenol? I feel like a."
The rest of Hermione's words were drowned out by a burst of laughter.
Ginny, Harry and Ron ate breakfast, and Hermione had a Bloody Mary, a Bloody Maria, a Prairie Oyster, a Bullshot and a black coffee. Unfortunately, none of these hangover cures quite worked- instead they constituted another trip to the bathroom to empty her stomach and the use of another half-a-tube of Colgate.
"What else is there?" Hermione demanded, wiping her forehead exhaustedly.
"Um.nothing? Sleep?" suggested Ron, shrugging helplessly.
"How about breathing into a paper bag, or standing on your head?"
"That's for hiccups, Harry," Ginny explained.
"But it might work. Hermione?" Harry insisted.
"At this point, I'll try anything."
What a waste of Colgate.
The doorbell, which was charmed to play Jingle Bells, began ringing - er, jingling- just as Ginny sat down on the couch with the boys, bowl of Doritos in hand as the Christmas specials began. She grumbled and set the bowl down, getting up and heading towards the door.
"Fat lot of help you two are," she said to the boys, who were innocently eating the Doritos. Ron smiled through a mouthful.
"Ugh," was Ginny's reply.
"Make it stop!" yelled Hermione from her bed, as the bell, continued ringing - er, jingling- repeatedly.
"I'm COMING!" Ginny yelled to the impatient doorbell jingler. She muttered a few expletives and then swung the door open, smiling cheerfully.
Her smile faded when she saw who it was.
"How'm I supposed to know how it works, for the love of Merlin! I don't employ the use of these things." Draco was saying in an exasperated manner as Narcissa, a small frown on her pretty face, incessantly pressed the little white button. a 'bell-door', yes?
Ginny choked slightly in her shock (which was supreme), and Narcissa and Draco looked up at the same time, their white-blonde hair falling into their eyes in the exact same way. Narcissa gracefully shook hers out of the way as she smiled serenely and offered Ginny a small, pale hand, recently ungloved. Draco shuffled his feet (on the pretense of keeping warm), blushing, and ignored the hair in his eyes. Ginny wiped her hand, still orange from Doritos, on her gray sweatpants and straightened her hot pink, raggedy tank top (which clashed horribly with her hair, but which she insisted on wearing anyway), before taking the proffered hand a little weakly. *Oh my God- they must think we're a family of slobs- if only Mummy was home!*
If Narcissa took any notice of Ginny's disheveled appearance or the messy house behind her, she didn't show any signs of it. She smiled sweetly, her tiny pearly white teeth showing between red lips, and said,
"You must be Ginny! I've heard how pretty you were, but descriptions can do you no justice!" She said quite earnestly in her usual excited voice. Ginny blushed in a way that would've been adorable if not for the red hair, and stuttered,
"Would- would you like to c-come in?" S opened the door a little wider.
Narcissa smiled and nodded, walking into the house and clutching the sleeve of Draco's black winter coat so that he had no choice but to follow, if he didn't want to make a scene. Ginny looked up at him in an awed way that made him feel a bit uncomfortable, so he loosened his warm green and silver scarf slightly. Ginny snapped to attention, taking the scarf, coats and gloves of her guests, as well as Narcissa's jaunty hat.
Narcissa glanced around the kitchen cheerfully, taking in the piles of dirty dishes, the leftovers of breakfasts and the strange amount of empty glasses, as well as scattered boxes of Tylenol: Extra Strength.
"Isn't this a darling little house!" She exclaimed, seeming not to notice the mess, much to Ginny's relief. Ginny was still occupied with staring at Draco though. He was so tall and aloof, and she hadn't seen him since the breakup. Her natural Weasley loyalty prevented her from being too friendly with him until she knew the details of the seperation. His grey eyes were melancholy and steely, and none of his usual humor showed through. Even in his 'brat' days, when they had all been enemies, there had been that slightest of twinkles in his eyes as he called the Fab Four his customary derogatory names. It had vanished.
Ginny couldn't believe that this soft-spoken, broken young man was the same who had tormented her in her early Hogwarts, or even the one who had slightly befriended her as the Hermione's partner in Head Student-ish crime, all those ages ago. Narcissa chattered a little about some of the antique spoon collection that Arthur had found at a Muggle thrift-shop and had displayed proudly in the kitchen, and Draco and Ginny took each other in, each trying to figure everything out. "It's so damn complicated!" Ginny felt like yelling, but for Mrs. Malfoy's sake, didn't.
"Gin, the Grinch is starting." said Ron, stepping through the door with an empty Dorito bowl in hand. He stopped short on the threshold, staring at Narcissa like he had never seen a Malfoy before. In almost slow motion, his eyes left her, and drifted to Ginny, and then painstakingly they traveled and settled on Draco. The eyes flared in fire for a moment as he glared at the one who was his recently re-sworn enemy. The bowl was laid down on a counter as he took a step towards the blond menace to society. Narcissa giggled, not noticing the tension in the least, and reached up ( a good ways up) to run a hand through Ron's red hair.
"I've never really seen hair that's that red- wow, I didn't know you could have hair that was that red! It looks so adorable! Does everyone in your family have hair that red? I wish Draco could've had nice red hair, although I don't think it would've matched his complexion. Maybe if he had freckles- oh, you're freckles are so cute! You must all have been the most adorable babies! Babies- I do love babies! I can't wait until Draco has babies, they'll be so cute and fun to play with, with those little dimples in their elbows- I'm sure they'll have blonde hair, but it would be so nice if one- just one- had red hair. Draco?" She looked over at him hopefully, as though she expected him to say 'Of course I'll have a baby with red hair, if that's what you want!'. Instead he ducked his head slightly, his face expressionless, and said quietly,
"Yes Mother." Ginny and Ron were staring at Narcissa as though she was insane (which most would agree she was, once she got over her initial socialite-ness). At this point Harry wandered in, looking for a Coke refill, and like Ron, halted abruptly as he noticed the guests. Narcissa gasped, breaking the awkward silence (she was doing quite a bit of that lately, it seemed),
"Harry Potter." she said in an awed whisper, her eyes wide. She glanced back and forth between Ginny, Ron and Harry all of whom she seemed quite enamored with; the same adoring expression on her face. Suddenly she switched back into her socialite self in the blink of an eye. Her polite smile spread across her face, and she asked nicely, "Is Mrs. Arthur Weasley at home?", looking at Ginny.
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid to say both Mr. And Mrs. Weasley are away from the house at the moment," Ginny said absently, sharing incredulous glances with Harry and Ron. this was too strange. And was there something a little - off- with Narcissa Malfoy- or were they imagining?
"Will they be back anytime soon?" the object of their thoughts asked.
"I'm afraid our parents won't arrive home for a few weeks at least, Mrs. Malfoy," Ron said, truly regretting as he saw her face drift into earnest disappointment.
Narcissa had some sort of magic over people. no matter how insane they thought she was, they couldn't bear to see that sweet, childlike face sad, and there was no better pleasure than to bring a smile or a laugh to her pretty lips. Nobody actually said that there wasn't something wrong about her, something strange, but nobody said that she wasn't the most enchanting witch - or person for that matter - alive, either.
"I- I had some Christmas gifts- for them - was hoping." Narcissa said, her eyes starting to brim with tears as she held out a large gift bag filled with gifts. Ron took it hastily, smiling reassuringly.
"Don't worry, we can owl these to Mum and Dad express, they'll get them before Christmas Eve, Mrs. Malfoy," He said, nodding his head. Narcissa smiled.
"Thank you so much! I don't know what I would've done- what a sweet boy you are! And-" All of a sudden her face paled, if that were possible. "D-Deedee honey. when's the Eve?"
"It's tomorrow, Mother," Draco said, still looking at the floor.
"The - the eggnog." Narcissa said in utter shock, her hand flying to her mouth.
Everybody looked to Draco for an explanation.
"Father won't mind if you make it tomorrow morning, Mother. Or the house elves could make it."
"No. no." She said, shaking her head worriedly. "He'll be so mad. I'm going home, I might be able to make it before he gets back from Diagon Alley- I must go! You - stay here Draco," She said in the most strict voice she had, and then, with no warning, she was gone. There was silence, and no Narcissa to break it.
"Is your Father that bad?" Ron asked heedlessly, still in shock.
"No. She doesn't quite get that he won't do something- something like he would've." Draco trailed off and Ginny unconsciously laid a hand on his arm. He simply stared it.
"Is- is there something wrong with her?" Harry stuttered, totally amazed by the performance that Narcissa had just given. Draco glanced up sharply, thinking it to be an insult, but upon seeing the dumb-struck faces, he smiled slightly.
"Got hit by too many curses when her and Father turned against the Dark Lord, I reckon." He sounded weak, laughing half-heartedly. "The coma set her back a bit." He stopped, abruptly turning, flinging the door open, and striding out into the Winter Wonderland.
"Draco!" Ginny called after him. He spun on his heels. "Y-your coat." Ginny yelled, gesturing to the closet. Draco came back up the walk, took his and his Mothers outdoor clothing and gave a stiff nod before turning again.
"Wait," Ginny said, with more command than she usually had when around the unnerving Malfoy. He fixed her with a questioning stare. "You can't go home- "
"Of course not. She'll panic," He said simply.
"Well where will you go?" Harry demanded.
"I don't know," Draco said, turning to leave once again.
"There isn't anything around for miles, only houses and a green grocer in Ottery St. Catchpole. There's a storm coming on. You can't Apparate, you aren't experienced enough," Harry insisted.
"Can I use your Floo powder then please?" He asked through grit teeth.
"The Floo system is closed down for the storm as well. It won't be working for at least three hours."
"Then I'll walk to St. Catchpole Ottery, and I will take a cab-taxi to London," He said, more stiffly yet, a strange desperation in his eyes.
"You haven't got any Muggle money. Nor do we," Ron said.
"She's here isn't she?" Draco asked. There was no doubt as to who 'she' was. Ginny nodded reluctantly. "Well. I guess I'll be going." He turned one last time to the door. There was nothing left for Ginny, Ron and Harry to do, short of forcefully restraining him.
"Stop." Came a voice from behind them, and all four turned to see Hermione in the doorway. She was dressed in a long, fuzzy blue robe that was slightly lopsided and pair of matching fuzzy blue slippers. She and Draco stared at one another for a long moment.
"You got out of your jeans, finally?" Ron chuckled awkwardly, glancing between the two.
"Warmed up? No more headache?" Harry asked helpfully.
"Would you like anything, dear?" Ginny cringed as she patted Hermione's shoulder.
"You shouldn't leave in the storm. Just stay," Hermione said to Draco, then finally broke contact and turned to Harry; almost as if Draco, once dealt with, no longer existed. "I caught a second chill," she said simply.
"How?! Hermione!" Ron said angrily, forgetting Draco as he stamped his foot and trudged towards the kettle. Ginny rubbed her arm anxiously and Harry rummaged for the hot water bottle.
"It wasn't my fault. The window flew open," Everyone stared at her.
"There isn't any wind on that side of the house, the storm is coming up from the West."
"I know. It was strange. Anyway, I thought I should come tell you, because I can't close it."
"What?! I have to go see this," Ron said, sprinting up the stairs. Eventually the others followed him.
They looked in through the door way. The windows were wide open, and the entire room was filled with snow. There was a path through it, where Hermione had crawled out of her bed and made her way into the hall. An awed silence.
"What the fuck?" Harry trudged over to the window and leaned his head out. "There isn't any wind." He shut the window and turned to the others, shrugging.
"Well you boys get the snow out then, I'll take Hermione down to feed and dress her." Ginny said in a businesslike manner.
*Since when is Hermione an invalid?* Draco wondered. She had always been the one to insist on taking care of herself until she couldn't handle it anymore- was she to that point now? When she had come down he had been shocked. The fluffiest of bathrobes couldn't hide how gaunt and angular she had become, her cheeks had gotten so hollow with those big dark circles under her eyes- like someone had taken the face of the old sweet, crazy Hermione and carved it out so that it was new thin, sickly, pale Hermione. *What would Stephen think?* he wondered suddenly. Harry and Ron had transfigured hangers into shovels and were about to start getting rid of the snow. *So all those warm spring days we spent cooped up with McGonagall payed off- slightly.* Draco made himself a shovel, flung open the window, and set to work. A few minutes of hard work and they took a break to pant.
"Should've worn gloves," said Ron, rubbing his hands together and looking around - only then noticing... The boys looked at each other in shock. Draco drove his shovel into the snow, and heaved it out into the white wilderness that lay outside the window. They stared at the spot that he had dug into. The snow was still there. He tried again. It was if he had done nothing. The snow would not be gotten rid of.
"It could be- it must be- magic." Harry said, glancing involuntarily down the stairs.
The three tried every spell they could think of, but the snow would not budge. By the time they trooped downstairs defeated, dark had fallen and Ginny was making delicious smelling seafood pasta.
"That smells yummy, Gins," Ron said half-heartedly, sitting down at the table. "Where's Hermione?" He took a long sip of hot chocolate.
"She's asleep, poor thing. I don't know how she even managed to make it down the stairs, she was so freezing - even colder than last night. That snow must've been on top of her for a while before she woke up. It took me ages to get her warm; I practically had to shove her whole into the fire. The warming spell had no effect at all, she just sat there, shivering. That cold isn't like any cold I've ever seen - it went right into her bones. She managed to dig out from under the snow, get out of her pajamas and put on my robe, and then came down. She wasn't blue at all like last night either, just freezing, like a chunk of ice. Like she was below zero or something. Jesus, I was scared for a while." Ginny said, shaking her head with a small smile of reassurance for the boys. *She's getting more and more like Mum every day.* Ron realised.
"Hang on a second, am I missing something? Last night? She was cold last night?" Draco asked, obviously confused. A tense glance. Ginny opened her mouth, but closed it at a glare from Ron. she understood he wanted to save Hermione's pride. but really, Draco ought to know. her dilemma was solved as Harry explained the events of the previous night. Draco looked shocked.
"She." He took a deep breath, as though he was afraid to ask. "She hasn't. you haven't noticed. if she's cut herself. at all.?" He managed to force out, as though just saying the words might give Hermione the subconscious inspiration.
"I watch her," Ginny said, shaking her head.
"There's just something wrong with her Draco, I don't know what.! It drives me crazy, not being able to help her. something's eating her from the inside. I'm afraid she may. she may just. die, one day. Soon." Ron blurted, swallowing his own pride.
"It's not me. is it? I didn't do anything. she just came back from that manor. wrong. But I didn't do anything, even say anything," Draco said.
"I know." Ginny said, locking eyes with Draco and nodding. Ever since that night when they had sat together, when Hermione had still been in her. 'place'. they had been just a little bit closer.
"Gin. Ginny?" came Hermione's voice from the living room. Ginny left the room regretfully, breaking off the conversation. The boys could hear the soft conversation and couldn't help wonder what was being said. something about a cup of coffee, or something about life and death.? Ginny came in looking paler than she had a few minutes before.
"She's cold again. She's right in front of the fire, I don't know what's wrong with her! Jesus, she's bleeding everywhere! We need to get someone." she said, wringing her hands.
"What do you mean? Has she.?"
"No, she swears she hasn't cut herself, and I believe her, God help me. There isn't anything in the living room to cut with. all her old wounds. the ones on her wrists. and the others. are opening up," Ginny said.
"Others? The other wounds?" Draco asked, standing abruptly.
"Draco. didn't she tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"She didn't tell you?!" demanded Ron, turning a furious Weasley red. All of a sudden things were changing for him. how had Hermione been playing this poor guy. "That girl."
"TELL ME WHAT?!"
"The scars. she still has scars from when her Father took her Draco. Didn't you know? On her arms, on her chest, on her legs."
"What? But - but she said that they had used Abstergio on them, at St. Mungo's."
"They did. It didn't work. They aren't so bad, just white lines. but she hates them. because they aren't just lines. they're symbols. It's hideous. I mean, the symbols themselves are beautiful. but what they represent." Ginny blinked furiously and began boiling the kettle.
"I'll get the blankets and the hot water bottle," Harry said, he himself holding back tears as he ran up the stairs. Ron still seemed furious at Hermione, and began heading toward the living room. Draco held him back.
"I want her- I want her alone." He said, brushing past Ron and into the room where Hermione lay, shivering and bleeding on the couch. Ron and Ginny glanced at each other worriedly. Was it a good idea for them to be alone together?
And what was wrong with their Hermione?
TBC
AN: I know it's been a long time, but I'm traveling, and doing vacationey things, so it's really hard to find the time to write, especially with my grandparents being strongly against computers and/or reading. save me!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapters and thanks to reviewers:
Mione G.- Thanks, and I'm sure it will end happily as long as my morbid streak stays nice and downtrodden.
Allee kat- well, I thought I might as well post it before I went away, because as you see now, I have very little time to get near a computer when I'm on holiday.
smiley13- Thanks and have you ever noticed how much you invoke God? How many times a day do you think He has to bless America? What about Japan?
An hour later *panting* I'm-telling-you-they-had-to-drag-me-kicking-and- screaming-into-that-Jacuzzi-full-of-jasmine-scented-bubbles-and-my-last- thoughts-as-I-floundered-beneath-the-rose-petals-was-of-my-dear-dear- reviewers. *pant* Ok, let's continue.
Ruby-Kate Gamgee- Kittikins, you know very well that you aren't allowed to die! If you do, who will beta for me? *tuts*
MiaMaria- yes, widdle Dwaco id berry tweet, idn't ee?
Give Me Stitchez- Faith.in.me.? Eheh. *nervous titter*
Cleo2427- Thank you very much. I love my G*Ness.
Lady Saint Veronica- NYC was a total laugh. Total.
Eden- Thank-you kindly darling. I appreciate your thinking "Love" is splendid.
Rina- I don't know what you'll do either, but I'm sure it will be fearsome, so I'll try to comply.
Dracolover- I'm glad you aren't getting sick of my dramaticism yet. yet being the operative word.
Fire Belle- I'm glad you liked the chapter, because I thought it might be a little to dramatic- then again, isn't every thing I write just a little over-the-top? *sigh*
Shadia- your wish is my command, darling.
Snow-Queen- Eek! Going as fast as I can! Please don't hurt me!
Star-queen- See you in the asylum then!
Chapter 2 [Tylenol: Extra Strength]
Last Time:
Draco sighed and followed his Mother up the freshly shoveled path to the Burrow, wondering what awaited him inside.
Little did he know, it was exactly the person he dreaded making contact with.
TBC ________________________________________________________________________
"Ron, move. Fast." Hermione mumbled ineloquently, shoving his chest a little. They were still cuddling in the bed, and Harry and Ginny were sitting on the edge. The four, the famous 'Fab Four' of old, had simply been enjoying the contemplative silence. Each had been lost deep in their own thoughts. Ron looked down at Hermione in confusion, but rolled flat on the bed so she could climb over him. She scrambled out of the bed and ran out of the room. The others looked at each other.
"Cry?" Ron suggested, eyebrows furrowed. Harry cringed and Ginny shrugged absently, looking at the door which Hermione had disappeared through.
"I hope not- she did enough of it last night." She said, biting her lip. There was a moment of tense silent before they heard a strange sound from the bathroom. The three glanced at each other as the sound came again, and then they laughed. Collapsed into giggles that were pure relief after the stressful night- the stressful past few nights. Hermione was suffering from a dreadful hangover. A few minutes later came the groggy sounding call,
"Where's the damn toothpaste? And does anybody have some Tylenol? I feel like a."
The rest of Hermione's words were drowned out by a burst of laughter.
Ginny, Harry and Ron ate breakfast, and Hermione had a Bloody Mary, a Bloody Maria, a Prairie Oyster, a Bullshot and a black coffee. Unfortunately, none of these hangover cures quite worked- instead they constituted another trip to the bathroom to empty her stomach and the use of another half-a-tube of Colgate.
"What else is there?" Hermione demanded, wiping her forehead exhaustedly.
"Um.nothing? Sleep?" suggested Ron, shrugging helplessly.
"How about breathing into a paper bag, or standing on your head?"
"That's for hiccups, Harry," Ginny explained.
"But it might work. Hermione?" Harry insisted.
"At this point, I'll try anything."
What a waste of Colgate.
The doorbell, which was charmed to play Jingle Bells, began ringing - er, jingling- just as Ginny sat down on the couch with the boys, bowl of Doritos in hand as the Christmas specials began. She grumbled and set the bowl down, getting up and heading towards the door.
"Fat lot of help you two are," she said to the boys, who were innocently eating the Doritos. Ron smiled through a mouthful.
"Ugh," was Ginny's reply.
"Make it stop!" yelled Hermione from her bed, as the bell, continued ringing - er, jingling- repeatedly.
"I'm COMING!" Ginny yelled to the impatient doorbell jingler. She muttered a few expletives and then swung the door open, smiling cheerfully.
Her smile faded when she saw who it was.
"How'm I supposed to know how it works, for the love of Merlin! I don't employ the use of these things." Draco was saying in an exasperated manner as Narcissa, a small frown on her pretty face, incessantly pressed the little white button. a 'bell-door', yes?
Ginny choked slightly in her shock (which was supreme), and Narcissa and Draco looked up at the same time, their white-blonde hair falling into their eyes in the exact same way. Narcissa gracefully shook hers out of the way as she smiled serenely and offered Ginny a small, pale hand, recently ungloved. Draco shuffled his feet (on the pretense of keeping warm), blushing, and ignored the hair in his eyes. Ginny wiped her hand, still orange from Doritos, on her gray sweatpants and straightened her hot pink, raggedy tank top (which clashed horribly with her hair, but which she insisted on wearing anyway), before taking the proffered hand a little weakly. *Oh my God- they must think we're a family of slobs- if only Mummy was home!*
If Narcissa took any notice of Ginny's disheveled appearance or the messy house behind her, she didn't show any signs of it. She smiled sweetly, her tiny pearly white teeth showing between red lips, and said,
"You must be Ginny! I've heard how pretty you were, but descriptions can do you no justice!" She said quite earnestly in her usual excited voice. Ginny blushed in a way that would've been adorable if not for the red hair, and stuttered,
"Would- would you like to c-come in?" S opened the door a little wider.
Narcissa smiled and nodded, walking into the house and clutching the sleeve of Draco's black winter coat so that he had no choice but to follow, if he didn't want to make a scene. Ginny looked up at him in an awed way that made him feel a bit uncomfortable, so he loosened his warm green and silver scarf slightly. Ginny snapped to attention, taking the scarf, coats and gloves of her guests, as well as Narcissa's jaunty hat.
Narcissa glanced around the kitchen cheerfully, taking in the piles of dirty dishes, the leftovers of breakfasts and the strange amount of empty glasses, as well as scattered boxes of Tylenol: Extra Strength.
"Isn't this a darling little house!" She exclaimed, seeming not to notice the mess, much to Ginny's relief. Ginny was still occupied with staring at Draco though. He was so tall and aloof, and she hadn't seen him since the breakup. Her natural Weasley loyalty prevented her from being too friendly with him until she knew the details of the seperation. His grey eyes were melancholy and steely, and none of his usual humor showed through. Even in his 'brat' days, when they had all been enemies, there had been that slightest of twinkles in his eyes as he called the Fab Four his customary derogatory names. It had vanished.
Ginny couldn't believe that this soft-spoken, broken young man was the same who had tormented her in her early Hogwarts, or even the one who had slightly befriended her as the Hermione's partner in Head Student-ish crime, all those ages ago. Narcissa chattered a little about some of the antique spoon collection that Arthur had found at a Muggle thrift-shop and had displayed proudly in the kitchen, and Draco and Ginny took each other in, each trying to figure everything out. "It's so damn complicated!" Ginny felt like yelling, but for Mrs. Malfoy's sake, didn't.
"Gin, the Grinch is starting." said Ron, stepping through the door with an empty Dorito bowl in hand. He stopped short on the threshold, staring at Narcissa like he had never seen a Malfoy before. In almost slow motion, his eyes left her, and drifted to Ginny, and then painstakingly they traveled and settled on Draco. The eyes flared in fire for a moment as he glared at the one who was his recently re-sworn enemy. The bowl was laid down on a counter as he took a step towards the blond menace to society. Narcissa giggled, not noticing the tension in the least, and reached up ( a good ways up) to run a hand through Ron's red hair.
"I've never really seen hair that's that red- wow, I didn't know you could have hair that was that red! It looks so adorable! Does everyone in your family have hair that red? I wish Draco could've had nice red hair, although I don't think it would've matched his complexion. Maybe if he had freckles- oh, you're freckles are so cute! You must all have been the most adorable babies! Babies- I do love babies! I can't wait until Draco has babies, they'll be so cute and fun to play with, with those little dimples in their elbows- I'm sure they'll have blonde hair, but it would be so nice if one- just one- had red hair. Draco?" She looked over at him hopefully, as though she expected him to say 'Of course I'll have a baby with red hair, if that's what you want!'. Instead he ducked his head slightly, his face expressionless, and said quietly,
"Yes Mother." Ginny and Ron were staring at Narcissa as though she was insane (which most would agree she was, once she got over her initial socialite-ness). At this point Harry wandered in, looking for a Coke refill, and like Ron, halted abruptly as he noticed the guests. Narcissa gasped, breaking the awkward silence (she was doing quite a bit of that lately, it seemed),
"Harry Potter." she said in an awed whisper, her eyes wide. She glanced back and forth between Ginny, Ron and Harry all of whom she seemed quite enamored with; the same adoring expression on her face. Suddenly she switched back into her socialite self in the blink of an eye. Her polite smile spread across her face, and she asked nicely, "Is Mrs. Arthur Weasley at home?", looking at Ginny.
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid to say both Mr. And Mrs. Weasley are away from the house at the moment," Ginny said absently, sharing incredulous glances with Harry and Ron. this was too strange. And was there something a little - off- with Narcissa Malfoy- or were they imagining?
"Will they be back anytime soon?" the object of their thoughts asked.
"I'm afraid our parents won't arrive home for a few weeks at least, Mrs. Malfoy," Ron said, truly regretting as he saw her face drift into earnest disappointment.
Narcissa had some sort of magic over people. no matter how insane they thought she was, they couldn't bear to see that sweet, childlike face sad, and there was no better pleasure than to bring a smile or a laugh to her pretty lips. Nobody actually said that there wasn't something wrong about her, something strange, but nobody said that she wasn't the most enchanting witch - or person for that matter - alive, either.
"I- I had some Christmas gifts- for them - was hoping." Narcissa said, her eyes starting to brim with tears as she held out a large gift bag filled with gifts. Ron took it hastily, smiling reassuringly.
"Don't worry, we can owl these to Mum and Dad express, they'll get them before Christmas Eve, Mrs. Malfoy," He said, nodding his head. Narcissa smiled.
"Thank you so much! I don't know what I would've done- what a sweet boy you are! And-" All of a sudden her face paled, if that were possible. "D-Deedee honey. when's the Eve?"
"It's tomorrow, Mother," Draco said, still looking at the floor.
"The - the eggnog." Narcissa said in utter shock, her hand flying to her mouth.
Everybody looked to Draco for an explanation.
"Father won't mind if you make it tomorrow morning, Mother. Or the house elves could make it."
"No. no." She said, shaking her head worriedly. "He'll be so mad. I'm going home, I might be able to make it before he gets back from Diagon Alley- I must go! You - stay here Draco," She said in the most strict voice she had, and then, with no warning, she was gone. There was silence, and no Narcissa to break it.
"Is your Father that bad?" Ron asked heedlessly, still in shock.
"No. She doesn't quite get that he won't do something- something like he would've." Draco trailed off and Ginny unconsciously laid a hand on his arm. He simply stared it.
"Is- is there something wrong with her?" Harry stuttered, totally amazed by the performance that Narcissa had just given. Draco glanced up sharply, thinking it to be an insult, but upon seeing the dumb-struck faces, he smiled slightly.
"Got hit by too many curses when her and Father turned against the Dark Lord, I reckon." He sounded weak, laughing half-heartedly. "The coma set her back a bit." He stopped, abruptly turning, flinging the door open, and striding out into the Winter Wonderland.
"Draco!" Ginny called after him. He spun on his heels. "Y-your coat." Ginny yelled, gesturing to the closet. Draco came back up the walk, took his and his Mothers outdoor clothing and gave a stiff nod before turning again.
"Wait," Ginny said, with more command than she usually had when around the unnerving Malfoy. He fixed her with a questioning stare. "You can't go home- "
"Of course not. She'll panic," He said simply.
"Well where will you go?" Harry demanded.
"I don't know," Draco said, turning to leave once again.
"There isn't anything around for miles, only houses and a green grocer in Ottery St. Catchpole. There's a storm coming on. You can't Apparate, you aren't experienced enough," Harry insisted.
"Can I use your Floo powder then please?" He asked through grit teeth.
"The Floo system is closed down for the storm as well. It won't be working for at least three hours."
"Then I'll walk to St. Catchpole Ottery, and I will take a cab-taxi to London," He said, more stiffly yet, a strange desperation in his eyes.
"You haven't got any Muggle money. Nor do we," Ron said.
"She's here isn't she?" Draco asked. There was no doubt as to who 'she' was. Ginny nodded reluctantly. "Well. I guess I'll be going." He turned one last time to the door. There was nothing left for Ginny, Ron and Harry to do, short of forcefully restraining him.
"Stop." Came a voice from behind them, and all four turned to see Hermione in the doorway. She was dressed in a long, fuzzy blue robe that was slightly lopsided and pair of matching fuzzy blue slippers. She and Draco stared at one another for a long moment.
"You got out of your jeans, finally?" Ron chuckled awkwardly, glancing between the two.
"Warmed up? No more headache?" Harry asked helpfully.
"Would you like anything, dear?" Ginny cringed as she patted Hermione's shoulder.
"You shouldn't leave in the storm. Just stay," Hermione said to Draco, then finally broke contact and turned to Harry; almost as if Draco, once dealt with, no longer existed. "I caught a second chill," she said simply.
"How?! Hermione!" Ron said angrily, forgetting Draco as he stamped his foot and trudged towards the kettle. Ginny rubbed her arm anxiously and Harry rummaged for the hot water bottle.
"It wasn't my fault. The window flew open," Everyone stared at her.
"There isn't any wind on that side of the house, the storm is coming up from the West."
"I know. It was strange. Anyway, I thought I should come tell you, because I can't close it."
"What?! I have to go see this," Ron said, sprinting up the stairs. Eventually the others followed him.
They looked in through the door way. The windows were wide open, and the entire room was filled with snow. There was a path through it, where Hermione had crawled out of her bed and made her way into the hall. An awed silence.
"What the fuck?" Harry trudged over to the window and leaned his head out. "There isn't any wind." He shut the window and turned to the others, shrugging.
"Well you boys get the snow out then, I'll take Hermione down to feed and dress her." Ginny said in a businesslike manner.
*Since when is Hermione an invalid?* Draco wondered. She had always been the one to insist on taking care of herself until she couldn't handle it anymore- was she to that point now? When she had come down he had been shocked. The fluffiest of bathrobes couldn't hide how gaunt and angular she had become, her cheeks had gotten so hollow with those big dark circles under her eyes- like someone had taken the face of the old sweet, crazy Hermione and carved it out so that it was new thin, sickly, pale Hermione. *What would Stephen think?* he wondered suddenly. Harry and Ron had transfigured hangers into shovels and were about to start getting rid of the snow. *So all those warm spring days we spent cooped up with McGonagall payed off- slightly.* Draco made himself a shovel, flung open the window, and set to work. A few minutes of hard work and they took a break to pant.
"Should've worn gloves," said Ron, rubbing his hands together and looking around - only then noticing... The boys looked at each other in shock. Draco drove his shovel into the snow, and heaved it out into the white wilderness that lay outside the window. They stared at the spot that he had dug into. The snow was still there. He tried again. It was if he had done nothing. The snow would not be gotten rid of.
"It could be- it must be- magic." Harry said, glancing involuntarily down the stairs.
The three tried every spell they could think of, but the snow would not budge. By the time they trooped downstairs defeated, dark had fallen and Ginny was making delicious smelling seafood pasta.
"That smells yummy, Gins," Ron said half-heartedly, sitting down at the table. "Where's Hermione?" He took a long sip of hot chocolate.
"She's asleep, poor thing. I don't know how she even managed to make it down the stairs, she was so freezing - even colder than last night. That snow must've been on top of her for a while before she woke up. It took me ages to get her warm; I practically had to shove her whole into the fire. The warming spell had no effect at all, she just sat there, shivering. That cold isn't like any cold I've ever seen - it went right into her bones. She managed to dig out from under the snow, get out of her pajamas and put on my robe, and then came down. She wasn't blue at all like last night either, just freezing, like a chunk of ice. Like she was below zero or something. Jesus, I was scared for a while." Ginny said, shaking her head with a small smile of reassurance for the boys. *She's getting more and more like Mum every day.* Ron realised.
"Hang on a second, am I missing something? Last night? She was cold last night?" Draco asked, obviously confused. A tense glance. Ginny opened her mouth, but closed it at a glare from Ron. she understood he wanted to save Hermione's pride. but really, Draco ought to know. her dilemma was solved as Harry explained the events of the previous night. Draco looked shocked.
"She." He took a deep breath, as though he was afraid to ask. "She hasn't. you haven't noticed. if she's cut herself. at all.?" He managed to force out, as though just saying the words might give Hermione the subconscious inspiration.
"I watch her," Ginny said, shaking her head.
"There's just something wrong with her Draco, I don't know what.! It drives me crazy, not being able to help her. something's eating her from the inside. I'm afraid she may. she may just. die, one day. Soon." Ron blurted, swallowing his own pride.
"It's not me. is it? I didn't do anything. she just came back from that manor. wrong. But I didn't do anything, even say anything," Draco said.
"I know." Ginny said, locking eyes with Draco and nodding. Ever since that night when they had sat together, when Hermione had still been in her. 'place'. they had been just a little bit closer.
"Gin. Ginny?" came Hermione's voice from the living room. Ginny left the room regretfully, breaking off the conversation. The boys could hear the soft conversation and couldn't help wonder what was being said. something about a cup of coffee, or something about life and death.? Ginny came in looking paler than she had a few minutes before.
"She's cold again. She's right in front of the fire, I don't know what's wrong with her! Jesus, she's bleeding everywhere! We need to get someone." she said, wringing her hands.
"What do you mean? Has she.?"
"No, she swears she hasn't cut herself, and I believe her, God help me. There isn't anything in the living room to cut with. all her old wounds. the ones on her wrists. and the others. are opening up," Ginny said.
"Others? The other wounds?" Draco asked, standing abruptly.
"Draco. didn't she tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"She didn't tell you?!" demanded Ron, turning a furious Weasley red. All of a sudden things were changing for him. how had Hermione been playing this poor guy. "That girl."
"TELL ME WHAT?!"
"The scars. she still has scars from when her Father took her Draco. Didn't you know? On her arms, on her chest, on her legs."
"What? But - but she said that they had used Abstergio on them, at St. Mungo's."
"They did. It didn't work. They aren't so bad, just white lines. but she hates them. because they aren't just lines. they're symbols. It's hideous. I mean, the symbols themselves are beautiful. but what they represent." Ginny blinked furiously and began boiling the kettle.
"I'll get the blankets and the hot water bottle," Harry said, he himself holding back tears as he ran up the stairs. Ron still seemed furious at Hermione, and began heading toward the living room. Draco held him back.
"I want her- I want her alone." He said, brushing past Ron and into the room where Hermione lay, shivering and bleeding on the couch. Ron and Ginny glanced at each other worriedly. Was it a good idea for them to be alone together?
And what was wrong with their Hermione?
TBC
AN: I know it's been a long time, but I'm traveling, and doing vacationey things, so it's really hard to find the time to write, especially with my grandparents being strongly against computers and/or reading. save me!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapters and thanks to reviewers:
Mione G.- Thanks, and I'm sure it will end happily as long as my morbid streak stays nice and downtrodden.
Allee kat- well, I thought I might as well post it before I went away, because as you see now, I have very little time to get near a computer when I'm on holiday.
smiley13- Thanks and have you ever noticed how much you invoke God? How many times a day do you think He has to bless America? What about Japan?
An hour later *panting* I'm-telling-you-they-had-to-drag-me-kicking-and- screaming-into-that-Jacuzzi-full-of-jasmine-scented-bubbles-and-my-last- thoughts-as-I-floundered-beneath-the-rose-petals-was-of-my-dear-dear- reviewers. *pant* Ok, let's continue.
Ruby-Kate Gamgee- Kittikins, you know very well that you aren't allowed to die! If you do, who will beta for me? *tuts*
MiaMaria- yes, widdle Dwaco id berry tweet, idn't ee?
Give Me Stitchez- Faith.in.me.? Eheh. *nervous titter*
Cleo2427- Thank you very much. I love my G*Ness.
Lady Saint Veronica- NYC was a total laugh. Total.
Eden- Thank-you kindly darling. I appreciate your thinking "Love" is splendid.
Rina- I don't know what you'll do either, but I'm sure it will be fearsome, so I'll try to comply.
Dracolover- I'm glad you aren't getting sick of my dramaticism yet. yet being the operative word.
Fire Belle- I'm glad you liked the chapter, because I thought it might be a little to dramatic- then again, isn't every thing I write just a little over-the-top? *sigh*
Shadia- your wish is my command, darling.
Snow-Queen- Eek! Going as fast as I can! Please don't hurt me!
Star-queen- See you in the asylum then!