Chapter Eight

Disclaimer- I didn't write the Harry Potter series. JK did. Lol. For the billionth time!

Some months had passed since Draco had found visited his mother... There had been many more visits since then, but now, on this cold, dreary European morning in early December, he sat at the Slytherin table, for the first time in weeks, reading an incredibly emotional letter over breakfast.

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

We here at St. Mungo's hospital are sorry to inform you of your mother's passing last night around midnight. We know you must feel terrible and we send our greatest sympathy. However, your mother will need a proper funeral, and we have to leave it to you to plan it, considering how busy we stay ourselves. We will be here to speak with you about this situation this Saturday morning, December the sixteenth, eight-o-clock sharp.

Miranda Glott, St. Mungo's Community

"What's that you've got there, Draco?"Blaise Zabini asked. "You haven't had anything to do with us in a while, mate. It's about time we talked about something!"

"It's... Nothing." Draco said, getting up from their table and giving Hermione a dreadful look. "Oh no," she thought to herself, seeing the St. Mungo's seal on the letter he was holding. He gave her one of those "follow me" looks, and he was gone.

She met him up in their dorms, and he was sitting on their couch with his face in his hands.

"What does it say, Draco?" she asked curiously.

"Just... Read it... Please, don't make me say it..." he choked.

After giving the letter some thought, and reading it twice, she put her arms around his heaving back and whispered to him, "Everything's alright, babe... You're going to be fine... I promise..."

He shook her off and said, "I need to be alone for a little while... I don't mean that rude, but honestly... I don't know what to do, Hermione..."

"You can talk to me about it, if you wish... I just hate for you to be alone in a time like this..."

He got up and went to his room, alone, for the first time in ages... He never slept alone, and always in Hermione's room... It was more peaceful to him.

After about an hour, she decided she better check on him, to make sure everything was okay with him... She could hear the snow storm beating against the castle walls, and could feel the drafty winds that blew in from the window in Draco's room. She closed it automatically and said a spell to make his floor dry again, and then walked over to his bed where she saw his silhouette.

He was sleeping.

She rubbed his back and sung to him, one of the talents she'd picked up over the summer. She sung mostly songs that he had probably never heard, like "Love Song" by the Cure. He felt freezing to her... So she climbed in bed with him, with every intention to warm him up a bit.

He rolled over and looked into her eyes. "What're you doing?"

"I was just trying to make you feel better, you're freezing!"

"Sorry... I just... Hermione... I know you recently lost a whole lot more than me... In part because I hated my father and didn't care that he died anyway... But you never really showed your feelings about it as bad as I am... I just want you to know that I'm sorry... I'm just overly sensitive about my mother, I always have been... When my father used to beat her, and she'd crawl back to him anyway, I'd be the one to stand up for her... Because I cared about her more than anything..."

"Shh... It's okay... She's in a better place now, Draco... Just think that... Think positive thoughts..."

"Hermione, all I can think about is her... She went insane because of my stupid, bastard ass father... She went insane because she loved him... And it took control of her life... And there was nothing I could do about it..."

"I don't know what to do, Draco... I mean... You'd think that I'd have some idea how to comfort someone in a time like this, but I don't... Because what I always tried to do... By cutting... Was making my pain so numb to me that I couldn't feel it... Making it hurt so bad, that I got used to it. And I really don't know... I just love you..."

"I love you too, Hermione... Believe me. I've never meant it more than I do now..."

Hermione stared into those gorgeous blue eyes of his, and she could see the pain behind them... And all she could think to do was kiss it away. He wrapped his arm tight around her neck, and they fell asleep like that.

Three or so hours later, the awoke to Dumbledore standing over their bed, with that familiar twinkle in his eye.

"I see you two have gotten much closer. I'm glad. But, I have to say... I can't cover for you missing this many school days, when you're going to need to take all of your exams in a few short months."

Draco interrupted, "But sir, we don't mean to miss this many days, honest... I'm having a very rough day..."

Dumbledore held up his hand, as though to stop Draco. "However," he said, "I trust that you two are keeping up with your studies, considering you are head boy and girl, and I will continue to cover for me as long as you promise me two things."

"What are those two things, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"First off, that you don't fall behind, and that you keep excellent scores in all of your classes, and then on your exams... And second, I would like for you two to host a ball for the students to enjoy in January. There is no particular theme, just to give them a little relaxation... This year, there are too many students who are too deeply into their schoolwork. How do those sound?"

"Those are great, sir... But will we need to host a meeting with the prefects to plan out this ball?"

"Yes, but not quite yet. I have already held a meeting with the prefects and told them that January first would be a great time to go over it with you two."

"Thanks, Professor."

"No problem," he replied, and turned on his heel to leave the room.

"I can not believe that Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of our school, just saw me shirtless, in a bed, with a girl on top of me." Draco said, jokingly.

"Me neither," Hermione laughed. "But hey, at least he didn't say anything."

Draco kissed her on the nose. "Has anyone ever told you that you're beautiful when you sleep?"

"Maybe once or twice," she said sarcastically. "But that was my 'pretty' sleeping face. All I had to do was look into those striking blue eyes of yours, Mr. Malfoy."

"I need a shower," Draco said, playfully throwing Hermione onto the empty spot on the bed next to him.

Hermione dramatically brought her hand to her face in mock distress. "Oh no, what will I do?" she said, a little too loud.

With that, Draco jumped back into the bed next to her and rolled her over on top of him. "I'm not letting you go," he said, latching his arms around her middle. "Ever."

Well, this chapter was a little shorter... I think. But how is it? I know it kind of changed pace a lot all up there, from Draco going from being depressed and gloomy to happy and joking within three hours... BUT according to all the flames I get, I think this'd suit you all better.

Love, Shelby.