A/N: Okay… some of you got teary eyed… and I am sorry… got teary eyed too and I'm the writer! BUT! There will naturally be sad times… but also happy times… such as the dance!
DISCLIMER: I own the plot, nothing else.
Chapter Ten: Fate
Draco held Hermione's hand as they walked back to the castle for lunch. Both were silent, neither daring to say a word to each other. Around them, students gave them odd looks – a Gryffindor and a Slytherin walking together, holding hands, yet looking as if they are both about to break down in tears, more still – Draco Malfoy looking like he's about to cry. How very odd indeed.
Yet neither gave a damn as to what anyone else was thinking, especially as they entered the Great Hall. Draco led Hermione to her friends and hugged her bye and left without a word.
Draco walked to the Slytherin table and sat down, ignoring who was across from him – Blaise.
Draco picked at his chicken salad and sighed as he looked over at Hermione. She was sitting still, shaking her head at something the female Weasley had asked her.
How could it be? Someone, so smart, kind, funny and beautiful is dying to a… disease.
Draco but his lower lip and breathed in deeply, looking at his plate.
"What's eating at you Malfoy?" came Blaise's voice.
Draco looked up at him, glaring, "I'm not in the mood for any of your crap!"
Blaise smirked, "Gee, wouldn't Granger sleep with you or something."
That was it. That little punk had pushed him too far, but no. He had to control himself. Instead Draco stood up and left the Great Hall. He couldn't let Blaise get to him. He had to be strong for himself and Hermione.
He ran down the staircase leading to the Slytherin Common Room entrance. After muttering the password he walked in and sat down on the lounge near the fireplace and stared into the burning flames.
He couldn't let this affect his and Hermione's relationship – well it had, but they couldn't let it… control their life. The dance was only days away and they had some more planning to do.
"Gee, Malfoy. Walking out on a fight huh?"
Draco sighed and looked up a Blaise, "Go die somewhere will you?"
"What has happened to you? Don't you care that your father is going to break out of Azkaban?"
Draco stood up glaring at his once bestfriend, "No I don't give a damn what that man does! I have more to worry about then him! The world doesn't revolve around Lucius, as much as he wished it did! You know why? Because it is a scientific fact that it moves around the sun! Which one-day will die out, killing us all! Wow life sure sucks doesn't it? Knowing that you don't live forever, that we all die! That I found out Hermione is dying! That she in fact has bone cancer and is only going to be alive till March, which is only FIVE months away!"
Draco took in a deep breath and slammed his fist into the wooden mental hanging above the fireplace, while Blaise stood still, stunned.
After a few tense moments he spoke.
"Granger… is dying?" he asked softly and not at all in his cocky voice.
"I just said that!"
"Whoa… man… I… I am sorry."
Draco looked at Blaise frowning, "What?"
"I'm honestly sorry… I didn't know."
"Neither did I till a few hours ago…and it's hard… I really care about her… I don't know where I would be without her."
Blaise sat down, "Man… I am so sorry. I am so sorry for what I have been like these past weeks. I'll write to your father telling him that everything has gone back to normal… I am such a dickhead."
"That is a major understatement."
Blaise and Draco passed small smiles.
"So… how are you coping?" asked Blaise looking at Draco seriously.
"Well, how do you think I am coping? I really like Hermione a lot… and I will be by her side till the… till the end."
Both fell into silence and Draco sat beside his, well friend. Both stared at the crackling fire for a few silent moments, until Pansy entered.
"Blaise, darling there you are. I've been looking for you all over," cried Pansy walking over to the lounge where she finally noticed an annoyed Draco, "Oh, you're with him."
"What is it Pansy?" sighed Blaise looking up at the blonde haired, pug nosed, stuck up… person.
"Never mind, it's just about Granger."
"What about Gra- Hermione?"
Pansy's eyes snapped wide open in complete terror missed with shock, while Draco looked at Blaise surprised.
"You called her by her… name!"
"Pansy, just tell be the bloody news, would you and quit being a drama queen for once."
"Granger left the hall with her… friends in tears. Someone over heard her say something about cancer and last resort."
Blaise looked at Draco who stood up and started running for the exit. Blaise stood also and looked at Pansy.
"Listen Pansy," sighed Blaise placing his hands on her shoulders, "I'm not against Draco and Hermione anymore. I want to tell you something, but I need to know you won't tell a soul, because if you do I'll lose Draco's friendship again and he will loose Hermione's trust."
Pansy's obnoxious look on her face faded and a look of actual concern appeared and when she spoke her voice for once sounded sincere, "What is it?"
"Gran- Hermione is sick, very sick. When you heard her mention cancer, she was talking about herself. Draco found out today that Hermione is going to die."
"Oh… I don't know what to say. I mean I never got along with the girl… but to hear that, it makes you realize people are so fragile."
Blaise nodded, "Draco is going to need our support and real friendship more then ever for a long time. And I am trusting you Pansy, that you won't tell anyone."
Pansy smiled and hugged Blaise, "You have my word."
Blaise hugged her back then let go. With a quick kiss on the cheek he turned and left.
!D!
Draco ran into the Great Hall and spotted Dean Thomas. He ran over to him and tapped him hard on the shoulder. Thomas turned and looked at Draco in surprise.
"Where is Hermione?" asked Draco urgently.
"Hospital Wing," he replied before Draco turned and ran out of the Hall and up the stairs.
Draco dodged student, after student as he sprinted through the corridors, around corners until he came to a halt outside the Hospital Wing.
Standing at the doors were Potter, Weasley and the female Weasley. All were looking solemn as Draco approached, with caution.
"What's going on?" asked Draco quietly to the female Weasley – the only one he was game to talk too.
"Hermione got some bad news," she replied sadly.
"What? What news?"
"She had one more hope of survival."
Draco frowned, "But she told me that no cure magic or Muggle was going to help."
"She only recently applied for it. But after the Doctor's read her assessments they sent back a reply saying there was nothing they could do. Hermione desperately wanted it to be able to work… she is being counseled by McGonagall and Dumbledore now."
Draco only nodded and looked at the door, "So I can't go in?"
"You could try," spoke up Potter, "I doubt Pompfrey will let you."
Draco walked to the door and opened it a bit and slipped inside. Pompfrey looked up from her desk and shook her head at him – obviously meaning he couldn't see Hermione.
"Please, can't you just ask her if she wants to see me?" pleaded Draco walking over to her.
"Miss Granger needs peace right now. She's in a terrible state," replied Pompfrey firmly.
"Which is why she is in need of friends who know how to calm her. Not Professor's talking a whole lot of crap to her!"
"Mr Malfoy, do not speak of your teachers that way!"
"Than can you just please ask Hermione if she wants to see me or her friends outside? That is all I'm asking. If she says no then I will go, no arguments."
Pompfrey sighed and placed her quill on her desk and stood, "I doubt she will Mr Malfoy, but if it is the only way to make you leave I will ask her."
Draco nodded and Pompfrey hurried to a closed room at the back of the wing. Draco paced back and forth impatiently as he waited for Pompfrey to return.
Just as he was sure he was starting to leave a track of where he kept pacing he heard three voices and looked up to see Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pompfrey walking towards him. Draco stopped his pacing and looked at them expectantly.
"Mr Malfoy," spoke Dumbledore, "Miss Granger is in a terrible state at the moment, but she does wish to see you. You may go see her, but for only an hour, unless she requests you to stay longer."
"Thankyou Professor," replied Draco before running down the isle to the closed door.
!D!
Draco opened the door to see Hermione sitting on a made bed with her legs crossed Indian style and her arms hugging her body. Draco felt his heart constrict when he saw her tear stained face and her hair falling out of its ponytail. Draco walked over to her and sat in front of hr on the bed and placed a gentle hand on her knee.
"Hermione?" he spoke softly.
"I really wanted it to work, you know," replied Hermione in a monotone voice, "But I knew it wouldn't deep inside, yet a built up all this hope only to have it ripped out of me. What am I going to do Draco? I don't want to be in this state till I die."
"You won't be. I promise with all of my heart Hermione, that I will make your life full of memories that will last you till all eternity."
Hermione finally looked at Draco and smiled, "Starting with the dance?"
"Definitely. We will dance the night away or at least till our feet are begging for us to sit down and when that happens we will sit at a table and make fun of other people dancing."
Hermione finally chuckled and smiled at Draco, "I don't know what I would do with out you. I really like you, Draco but I don't want to make things go further."
"Why not?"
"Draco you know why. It would just be… wrong."
"Hermione, I like you a lot too and I don't want to let things stay where they are. If being with you until you… until you… until…"
"I die?"
"Yes, until you die is the only way my life will be a good one and yours as well, then I want this to happen. Maybe it was meant to happen."
"If it were meant to happen I wouldn't be dying Draco."
"Don't say that. It was meant to happen. You and I were meant to be brought together and perhaps this is it… you are like an angel sent to me to show me there is more to life then being someone's puppet. You cut my strings Hermione and set me free."
Hermione looked at Draco, fresh tears were in her eyes and she was biting her lower lip, "This will make things harder. How can I live with that?"
"By living in the present and not thinking of the future."
Hermione leant forward and hugged Draco tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight before pulling back and looking her in the eye, "So, will you be my girlfriend?"
Hermione nodded smiling a little before Draco leant down and placed a sweet, single kiss on her pink lips.
!D!
The week passed and now everyone was at his or hers dorm getting ready for the dance. Pansy was for once true to her word and didn't say anything to anyone about Hermione's condition.
Draco looked in the mirror in his room. Thankfully it was only a dance and not a ball, so he didn't need to go all out and get dressed in a fancy tux. Instead he was wearing dressy pale blue jeans, that weren't tight ankle freezers, but were baggy enough to look stylish. His shirt was a dark forest green button up shirt with a collar. He sat down on his bed and pulled on his clean skeg shoes then ran a brush through his hair.
A knock came at his door and with a deep breath, Draco opened it to see Blaise smiling at him dressed in khaki cargoes and a black shirt with white writing across the front.
"Ready man?" asked Blaise.
"Guess so. So who are you going with?" asked Draco shutting he door behind him and descending the staircase to the Common Room.
"Pansy. And I wrote to your father telling him everything I said was my misjudgment."
"So now you just have to wait and see what his says."
Blaise nodded and smiled at Pansy, who walked over to him dressed in a black skirt and a silver singlet top.
"Let's go," smiled Pansy leading them out.
!D!
Draco waved goodbye to his friends as they entered the hall and Draco waited to the foot of the Entrance Hall staircase. Around him couples entered chatting to each other, laughing or whispering sweet nothings to each other. Draco nodded politely to Potter, female Weasley, male Weasley and his date Lavender Brown as they walked past. He turned up at the top of the stairs to see Hermione descending them.
Draco's breath caught in his throat when he saw her. She was dressed in a pale pink dress that came to just below her knees. It had spaghetti thin straps and it had a loose, ripple like affect at the chest that dipped only a little, but wasn't revealing. Her hair was down and curled a little to give a ringlet type affect and her make up was very little. Her shoes had a small heel and they were pink slip-ons.
Draco held out his hand for her and smiled at her. She looked back smiling shyly.
"Hermione, you look amazing… wow," breathed Draco.
Hermione smiled, "Thankyou. You spiff up pretty good yourself."
"Thankyou. Shall we dance?"
Hermione nodded and both walked into the hall as a slow song started…
The loneliness of nights alone
The search for strength to carry on
My every hope had seemed to die
My eyes had no more tears to cry
Then like the sun shine from up above
You surrounded me with your endless love
And all things I couldn't see are now so clear to me
Draco placed his hands on Hermione's hips and she slipped her arms around his waist and both began moving in a small circle smiling at people they knew.
You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything
Hermione sighed and rested her head on Draco's chest and Draco moved his hands to rest on the small of her back. Both were unaware of the sadness in McGonagall's, Dumbledore and Snape's eyes.
Now all my hopes and all my dreams
Are suddenly reality
You've opened up my heart to feel
A kind of love that's truly real
A guiding light that'll never fade
There's not a thing in life that I would ever trade
For the love you give and wont let go
I hope you'll always know
"Albus… why now?" asked McGonagall softly, "Why did they discover this now?"
Dumbledore sighed, "Fate works in different ways – happy, sad… or hurtful ways. In this case all three."
You are my everything
Nothing your love won't bring
My life is yours alone
The only love I've ever known
Your spirit pulls me through
When nothing else will do
Every night I pray
On bended knee
That you will always be
My everything
"No in this case fate is being cruel," snapped Snape, "That boy has changed an incredible amount because of that girl. Her death will only bring him back down!"
"Severus, please be calm," spoke Dumbledore softly, "We can't change what Miss Granger's fate is."
You're the breath of life in me
The only one that sets me free
And you have made my soul complete
For all time (for all time)
"Then we must stop it," suggested McGonagall looking at Dumbledore only to receive Dumbledore shaking his head no, "Why not?"
You are my everything (you are my everything)
Nothing your love won't bring (nothing your love won't bring)
My life is yours alone (alone)
The only love I've ever known (oh no, no)
Your spirit pulls me through (your spirit pulls me through)
When nothing else will do (when nothing else will do)
Every night I pray (oh, I pray)
On bended knee (on my knee)
That you will always be
Be my everything
"Could you live with yourself if you stopped something happening that is so pure and innocent? Even if it will only last such a short time?" asked Dumbledore before leaving the two Professors to talk with Hagrid.
McGonagall and Snape watched the two Head students dance slowly and both looked at each other.
"He's right," both said in unison.
You are my everything (you are my everything)
Nothing your love won't bring (nothing your love won't bring)
My life is yours alone (alone)
The only love I've ever known (oh no, no)
Your spirit pulls me through (your spirit pulls me through)
When nothing else will do (when nothing else will do)
Every night I pray
Down on bended knee
That you will always be
My everything
Oh my everything…everything
Draco pulled from Hermione and smiled before leaning down and kissing her softly.
"Let's get a drink shall we?" asked Draco smiling.
"We shall as long as you don't spend the whole night talking like some snob at a muggle country club or something like that," replied Hermione taking Draco's hand and following him through the dancing bodies as they moved to the beat of Lindsay Lohen's Rumours.
Once on the side of the dance floor Draco walked over to the punch bowl and pulled his wand out and muttered a spell to check whether or not someone had spiked it.
"Is it spiked?" asked Hermione looking at him.
"No yet," replied Draco handing her a glass of the fruit punch.
Hermione took a sip, "Dumbledore was smart to show us that spell."
"He was. I dare say it was a good idea to hire a DJ instead of a band. Different type of music instead the same all night long."
Hermione nodded and smiled, "Harry and Ginny seem to be making the most of it."
Draco followed her gaze to see Potter and female Weasley in a slow lip lock, "Yes… good for them but that isn't something I want to see."
Hermione chuckled and pecked Draco on the cheek, "Come on. We came to dance and that's what I want to do."
Draco placed his cup on the table and took Hermione's hand and led her too the dance floor as Jessica Simpson's Forbidden Fruit came on.
A/N: So there were sad bits and happy bits during that chapter. I don't own the song Hermione and Draco dance to that is 98 Degrees My Everything. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed that chapter!
Love yas!
Love Coz!