A/N: Do any of you watch WWE? Can you believe what Eddie did to Rey? How… disgusting! I wish RVD would come back! And the draft is coming up! Okay… sorry… I just so my wrestling… anyway… yeah… onto the err… story.
DISCLAIMER: Plot is mine…
Chapter Nine: Heartbreak
Draco looked at his watch. It was nearing quarter to six and all day he hadn't heard a word about Hermione. Never before had Draco worried so much about someone. He didn't even worry this much when his parents fought… okay well that was different considering Draco didn't really care about them.
But now Draco was in a deep thought at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall… about his feelings for Hermione. What did he feel? Was it becoming more then friendship? But how? Why so… soon and sudden? What did he think when he saw her face?
"Mr Malfoy."
Draco looked up to see Madam Pompfrey looking at him, "Madam Pompfrey! How is Hermione? Is she okay?"
"Well… she wants to see you," replied the nurse.
Draco stood up, "Then that means she is okay?"
Madam Pompfrey didn't say anything but beckoned Draco to follow her, which he did. The walk was silent and Draco fell back into his thoughts. Perhaps now, when he saw Hermione, he could work out what he was feeling. Then maybe he will understand everything much better… who knew; maybe she even had hidden feelings for him.
Madam Pompfrey pushed the door open and stepped aside for Draco. He walked in and spotted Hermione sitting up in a bed. Her long hair was pulled in a plait and her skin… was paler then normal. Something wasn't right, Draco knew it. No one fainted just like that.
"Draco," greeted Hermione smiling at him brightly, "I'm glad you came."
Draco felt his pulse quicken as she spoke, that said it all. Draco Malfoy liked Hermione Granger, more than a friend… maybe he should ask her to the dance…
"How could I not come and see you?" smiled Draco sitting in the chair beside her bed, "How are you feeling?"
"Much better. I think the stress of the moment got to me… sorry if I gave you a scare. I sure scared Harry and Ron."
Draco just nodded, "Hermione, there's more to it, isn't there? I mean, that was the second time you fainted around me."
Hermione didn't say anything and Draco moved his chair closer, taking hold of one of her hands. He looked up at her and it pained him to see the sadness in her warm, bright brown eyes… she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
"What is going on?" asked Draco softly.
"Draco, do you want to go to the dance with me?" she replied out of the blue, catching Draco off guard, "The dance is in just two weeks… and well… you know."
Draco smiled, "I'd love to go with you. There's no one else I'd rather go with."
Draco chuckled a little at the blush that crept across Hermione's face. The colour in her skin was returning, which pleased Pompfrey when she came bustling over to check on Hermione.
"Well, I think you can go Miss Granger, but McGonagall has arranged for the two Ravenclaw prefects to do the patrol tonight. I want you to relax and get some rest. You need your strength," said Pompfrey handing Hermione her clothes.
"I'll wait for you outside," said Draco standing and walking outside the Hospital Wing.
He leant on the wall and closed his eyes… he couldn't believe it. He had a crush on Hermione. He knew he'd been feeling something for a while but he couldn't help it. She was perfect.
"Are you awake there?" came her voice beside him; he could hear the amusement in it and opened his eyes to meet her grinning face.
Draco smiled, "Sure am. Can I walk you to the Gryffindor Tower?"
She nodded in response and both started walking in silence, a comfortable silence. Draco felt a smile creep on his face when the thought of her asking him to the dance crossed his mind.
"So, why did you ask me to the dance?" asked Draco curiously.
"I… don't know… honestly, I'm not using you as a last resort… I guess I just…I don't know, but I am happy you said yes."
Draco nodded but was surprised she didn't have an answer. He'd never heard her sound so… well… he didn't know what, but he knew it sort of proved she has feelings for him.
"You didn't say yes for the sake of not wanting to hurt my feelings did you?" she asked looking at him as they trudged up the stairs to the Gryffindor Entrance.
"No. I'm glad you asked because I was thinking of asking you."
They both smiled and stood outside the Common Room entrance. Hermione looked at the Fat Lady who smiled at Hermione.
"Well I should go in. Harry and Ron will be considering to sneak out and see me," she said, "So I'll see you tomorrow."
Draco smiled and nodded, "Tomorrow. Bye."
"Good night Draco."
Draco waved and turned and headed down the stairs, he heard the sound of the portrait opening and then shutting.
Life couldn't get any better… except for the fact that he had detention the next night.
!D!
"HE ASKED WHO OUT!" came a screeching voice, which jolted Draco out of his sleep.
He groaned and looked at his alarm clock. It was 9am and it was Sunday.
"Bloody murder her one day," mumbled Draco sitting up and stretching.
He stood and dressed in dark blue baggy jeans and a black hooded jumper, plus his skeg shoes. After a quick brush of the hair – he never was a pretty boy whom did his hair all-perfect, he considered that to come across as… well wrong. No he had nothing against those sort of people, he just saw no point in getting all done up for school when people saw you everyday.
He opened his bedroom door and walked out and down the stairs to the Common Room to see everyone looking at Pansy, who was towering over a girl in about third year.
"What the devil is going on here?" asked Draco annoyed, "Pansy you bloody woke me up, on a Sunday."
"Is it true you asked bloody Granger to the dance?" she replied angrily.
"Actually she asked me to it and I said yes. Is there a problem with that?"
"Apart from the fact that she is a Gryffindor, a mudblood, a know it all and looks like she is dying!"
"What do you want with our society? Some apartheid where muggleborns aren't allowed to do anything the purebloods do? There is nothing different between people who have had magic in there family for generations and muggleborns. We all can do magic, we all grow up to work in the magic world… Hermione is a wonderful girl and you all are too shallow and stuck up to notice it."
"Draco she has brain washed you! Don't you see it, she has you wrapped around her little finger, she will use you to get information on the Dark Lord for Potter!"
"Why do I care? I want to see that prick be killed by Potter! It's his fault you all have the same stupid belief about muggleborns. Now I like Hermione, yes I like her and I am going to the dance with her and if any of you dare harm her in anyway, so help you that I do not find out!"
With that Draco left the Common Room and made his way to the Great Hall.
!D!
A week had passed and things between Draco and Hermione were going smoothly. Both continued to get to know each other and found they had much in common. But now Quidditch training was back in session and on that Sunday morning that was where Draco was at, well was just finishing.
"Good practice boys! Now the first match for us this season is against Gryffindor. And it is in just two weeks… we all know Gryffindor is good, especially this year with Potter being the captain. Now next practice session is on Wednesday afternoon at 4pm to 6pm, don't be late! Go shower!"
"Captain Draco," greeted a smiling Hermione.
Draco looked up from packing the Quaffles away and smiled at Hermione, "Hey. What are you doing out here?"
She shrugged her shoulders in reply, smiling, "I decided to go for a walk. Ron and Harry are discussing the match coming up; Ginny is doing homework, leaving me to be alone. And don't worry I saw none of your practice."
"I wasn't panicking."
"Sure, sure… you wouldn't want me telling Harry all your top secret moves now would you?"
Draco felt himself pale at the thought and panic filled his eyes, "Would you tell Potter?"
"No because I honestly don't see what is so god about Quidditch. It's just a sport."
"To you it is just a sport, but to us males it is a way to see who is the best."
"No, it is your way to show off to all us girls is the crowd. Did you know, sometimes I read while the match is on. Especially when the match is dragging on forever and a day."
Draco chuckled, "Perfect time to do homework I suppose?"
"Not with all the yelling, but it is a good time to catch up on reading. Do you need help with that?"
"What do we have here? Mudblood and Malfoy on a date?"
Draco looked up, as did Hermione at the interrupter, only to see Blaise smirking at him. His hair was wet from a shower, as were Crabbe and Goyle's.
"If you wish to remain on the Quidditch team Zabini, I suggest you get going back to the castle," snapped Draco. He was not in the mood for any of Blaise's antics or comments.
"Oh, but you can't get me off the team if I don't say anything nasty to the captain… but Granger on the other hand isn't on the team or in our house, is she now?"
Draco tensed up but felt Hermione rest her hand on his left arm. He looked at her to see a small smile on her face… now why would you be smiling when you have three Slytherin's, two heads taller then you and two the size of a small hippo glaring down at you?
"Now, Zabini if I were you I would not even consider harming me," spoke Hermione sweetly.
"Why is that, Granger?"
"Dear me, do you suffer from memory loss? Hmm I think you do," Hermione winked at Draco but when she spoke her voice had lost its sweetness and filled with force and warning, "Because I am Head Girl. Harm me verbally or physically and I will see to it that you and your comrades are out of this school before you have the chance to even comprehend the thought! Also if I discover that you are behind any more disgraceful graffiti of this school you won't just receive three months detention, I will make sure that you are sent to work with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest every night, so far in there that you won't find your way out. That we all can only dream will happen."
Blaise glared at Hermione with immense hatred, a look he had returned back at him by two sets of eyes.
"Watch you-" he started.
"I wouldn't even finish that sentence Zabini," snapped Draco.
Blaise growled angrily and turned on his heel and left, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.
Hermione sighed, "Now do you want some help or not?"
!D!
Draco walked into the Potions classroom and smiled at Hermione when he spotted her sitting in between Weasley and Potter. She smiled back and turned back to whatever Potter was going on about. Draco sat beside Christopher and heard drifting bits of whatever Potter was going on about.
"… He is at some old mansion… his father owned it before Voldemort murdered him… Lucius Malfoy has tried to escape… five times… higher security… we need to do something… getting really serious."
Draco started drumming his fingers on the table, biting his lower lip. His father had tried to escape five times. FIVE TIMES… Blaise.
Draco stood up angrily and stormed over to where Blaise was sitting and pulled him out of his seat and slammed him up against the stonewall, "What have you told him? Tell me! What have you told him, Zabini?"
"What the hell are you on about, you crazy bastard!" cried Blaise in between pain and anger.
"MY FATHER! What have you told him? He has tried to escape FIVE MERLIN DAMN TIMES!"
"You want to know?"
Draco pulled Blaise from the wall and slammed him against it harder.
"DRACO! NO!"
Draco dropped Blaise to the ground, but towered over him in anger, "What did you tell him?"
Blaise looked up at Draco holding his rib cage, "Everything. Every god damn bit about you and that wench beside you."
Draco looked to his right and saw Hermione looking at him, her brown beautiful eyes wide. Draco shook his head and let out an angry breath before looking at Blaise in disgust, "You became his fucking puppet. Just like I used to be when I was naïve like you are. And now you have had not my death certificate signed, but Hermione's. You know what he is like, what he has became thanks to Voldemort!"
The whole class gasped, with Longbottom falling off his chair, at the name.
"Draco, please calm down," begged Hermione, "I'm not going to be killed."
"He will kill you!" cried Draco before storming out of the classroom, ignoring Snape as he walked in yelling at the class.
This was all Draco needed to hear. Especially from Potter of all people. But still, it would be only a matter of time before Lucius did manage to escape from Azkaban and with Blaise having told him all about his close friendship with Hermione that will only make Lucius even more determined to escape.
Realization hit Draco like a ton of bricks… and boy, did the blow hurt – he had to distance himself from her. No matter what the consequences were.
!D!
Draco sat, stony faced looking at the rippling lake… it looked so calm, if you exclude the splashing on the far side from the Giant Squid. He sighed and pushed some hair out of his eyes.
"Have you gone back to looking all grumpy like?"
Draco looked up and was heartbroken to see Hermione's smiling face. How could he push her away? She was like an angel sent from god. Without her he would still be like his father puppet, she cut the strings.
"Not really. Do I look it?"
"Yes. Draco… you heard about your father from Harry didn't you?" she asked sitting down beside him and looking at him worriedly.
Draco nodded, "If he escapes and I know he will Hermione, he will hurt you. Possibly kill you."
He looked at Hermione too see her gazing at the lake.
"Death doesn't scare me, Draco. Not when you know you are dying already."
"We're all dying, slowly… but deaths a long way off."
Hermione looked at Draco tears in her eyes, "I was wrong to get close to you. I should've stayed away."
"Hermione, I won't let my father hurt you," said Draco sliding closer to her and placing his hand on her cheek, "I promise he won't hurt you."
Hermione placed her hand on Draco's and shook her head, "Draco… listen to me. I am dying. Quicker then you are."
"What do you mean?" asked Draco his heart racing in fear.
"I'm dying… I have bone cancer."
Draco felt his heart beat really heart and fear ripple threw his body… I have bone cancer… Draco shook his head in disbelief and laughed a little, "Yeah right Hermione. Quit joking with me."
"I'm not kidding Draco," cried Hermione tears rolling down her cheeks, "No treatment, muggle or magic is working for me! It's too far in advance… the doctors caught it too late and they say I only have at least till March to live… I won't even graduate Hogwarts. And there will be a new Head Girl."
"NO!" yelled Draco standing up, "I don't believe you! Quit this lying! It's a joke isn't it?"
Hermione stood up trembling as she cried, "I wish it was… I shouldn't of got close to you… it was a mistake… a huge mistake."
Draco felt his heart fall to pieces as he looked at Hermione, "That's why you faint so easy? Why you caught that cold… isn't it?"
Hermione nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"How could I Draco? I didn't think I would… get close to you… but, Harry told me I had to tell you…so did Ginny."
Draco felt tears fall down his face. She was dying. She was going to leave him. The first person he'd ever truly cared about and cared about him. Life was cruel. To cruel.
"So I guess you are going to push me away so you don't have to worry about me when I finally wind up six feet under?" asked Hermione bitterly.
Draco looked at Hermione in surprise. As much as he was hurting, he would never, COULD never leave her. No, he had to keep her for as long as he could… which wasn't long,
Draco stepped forward and placed his hands on her cheeks and wiped her tears away, "I could never leave you."
"But you should! I'm only going to hurt you! You don't need anymore hurt in your life… you've had so much," sobbed Hermione closing her eyes as the tears rolled down her pale cheeks.
Draco felt his warm tears roll down his cheeks, but shook his head, "I can't leave you. I can't."
"You should. Go now… please don't make this hard for me Draco. It's hard enough knowing my friends are going to be in so much pain when the inevitable ending comes… can't die knowing you are living in pain."
"And I couldn't live without having you while I can."
Draco pulled Hermione towards him and hugged her, while both cried, holding each other and never wanting to let go… though both knew… eventually, they would have too.
A/N: Tissues anyone? Don't worry I got all teary eyed reading it. Anyway all your reviews rocked… umm… review…
Bye for now!
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