Chapter Ten:
O Negative
"No...no, no, no, no," Draco muttered over and over to himself as he searched Hermione's wrists and neck for a pulse. Her eyes had fluttered closed, and her breathing had lessened. He found a faint pulse in her neck and sighed with relief.
"Malfoy! Is she all right?" Harry asked, running towards them. He was followed by Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore.
"Does she look all right to you, Potter?" Draco demanded, angrily. Harry opened his mouth to respond when McGonagall interrupted.
"Stop bickering! This situation calls for a certain level of maturity that you both do not seem to possess," She snapped. Draco and Harry fell silent, but keenly watched Dumbledore kneel on the ground next to Hermione.
"She needs to get to St. Mungo's. I will apparate her there, Minerva, but I think you should come along also," Dumbledore muttered quietly. Draco managed to over hear, and he grabbed Harry's arm.
"What the hell are you doing, Malfoy?"
"They're going to St. Mungo's. We can meet them there if we travel by Floo Powder," Draco explained, dragging Harry into the manor. It would have been easier to apparate, but from what Draco had seen of Harry in Charms, half of him would end up in China.
"What is going on here?" Harry demanded, when Draco released him to get the bowl of Floo Powder. Draco groaned and took a handful.
"Look, Potter. I'll explain everything when we get to St. Mungo's. Now just take the damn Floo Powder and get in the fireplace," Draco ordered in a voice of strained calm. Harry glared at Draco, but did as he said. Draco followed, his heart galloping in his chest. What if they were too late? What if Hermione didn't make it? She has to, he thought desperately. When he stepped out of the fireplace into St. Mungo's, Harry was waiting for him.
"Now can you tell me what's going on?" Harry asked impatiently. Draco ignored the Boy Who Lived and hurried over to the front desk.
"Excuse me, miss, but did a girl arrive here just a few moments ago?" The receptionist looked up at him like he was disturbed.
"A lot of people come through here, kid."
"Did a girl arrive here a few moments ago with Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall? She was bleeding...really badly...and I need to know where she is." The receptionist's eyes softened.
"Oh...her. I'm sorry, dear, but unless you are immediate family, you have to wait here." Draco's mind raced at the speed of light. He had to see Hermione. He had to know what was going on.
"I'm her fiance," Draco finally said. The woman gave him a sad look and her eyes filled with tears. Draco felt like he was going to be hit with bad news all of a sudden.
"Oh dear! I am so sorry. She's in intensive care right now...her condition is unstable."
"Where is she?" Draco demanded, his voice breaking.
"Sixth room on your right, but I don't think you can go in there-" Draco had stopped listening. He was barreling down the hallway to the sixth room.
"Wait! Sir, what is your relation to the patient?" The receptionist shrieked after Harry. Draco paused and turned around.
"It's okay. He's Harry Potter." Not another word came from the receptionist at the desk. Draco burst into the sixth room but found himself in a waiting area. Dumbledore and McGonagall were crowded against a window that looked into the operating room.
"What do you think, Albus?" McGonagall asked quietly.
"I always think there is hope, Minerva...but it looks bleak."
"What's going on?" Draco asked, pushing to see through the glass. McGonagall sighed.
"We're not sure. They took her in just a few minutes ago and they haven't told us anything since." Harry tapped Draco on the shoulder.
"Malfoy, can you please tell me what is going on now?" Harry practically shouted. Draco rolled his eyes and gestured to a chair.
"Sit down, Potter. This might shock you." Harry took a seat suspiciously and never took his eyes off of the blonde Slytherin.
"Hermione and I have been seeing each other for quite some time," Draco began. He decided he should give it to Harry bluntly and give details when Harry appeared ready to deal with them.
"What?"
"You heard me. I love Hermione, Potter. She loves me. So when you're ready to square with the fact, come ask me what's going on again." Draco returned to the window, but Harry remained seated. He stared off into space, wondering how he could have been so blind. Draco was not even thinking about how Harry had taken the news. He was completely concerned about Hermione's fate beyond the glass. After several minutes of waiting, one of the doctors came into the waiting room.
"Well?" Draco demanded, quickly. The doctor sighed and wiped his brow.
"It's not looking good. She lost a lot of blood-"
"Can't you give her transfusions or something?" Draco asked, angrily. McGonagall put a hand on Draco's shoulder to restrain him.
"We would, but she has an extremely rare blood type and the hospital does not have enough to help her recover. We've already contacted a neighboring hospital for their extra blood supply, but it will take an hour or so to arrive. And unfortunately, Hermione can not spare that one hour."
"What's her blood type?" Draco finally asked after he had regained enough strength.
"O negative. It's a universal donor type, but there are few people that possess it."
"I'm O negative," Draco said quickly.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm O negative, doctor. Let me give her the transfusion!" Draco exclaimed, suddenly feeling like hope had been restored.
"I'm sorry, sir, but you alone could not possibly give the amount of blood she needs to stay alive."
"Would it keep her alive until the other hospitals came through with the shipment?" The doctor paused and sighed.
"Come with me." Draco followed the doctor into the operating room and he tried not to break down when he saw Hermione's ghostly white face on the gurney. She looked so pale, so delicate. Draco had an irrational fear of needles, but for Hermione's sake, he refused to show any signs of his weakness as the doctor hooked Draco up for the transfusion.
"You're going to be here for a while, son. Do you want a book or something?" An elderly doctor with gray hair asked him gruffly. Draco shook his head. Nothing could possibly distract him from Hermione's limp body. A few of the doctors left, but some remained to monitor the transfusion process. Draco sat in silence, staring at Hermione's closed eyes, somehow believing that they would flutter open. He watched her intently and began thinking about everything he had done with her since the start of their seventh year of Hogwarts. It was incredible to think that they had been enemies for so long, and all it took was twenty-four hours to correct it. Twenty-four hours. If only that had happened earlier, maybe they wouldn't be in St. Mungo's today. Maybe Hermione wouldn't be fighting for her life. Draco felt tears coming to his eyes. It was all his fault. It was entirely his fault that Hermione was so close to death. It didn't seem fair after she had been so understanding and supportive of him throughout the past six months. She was a good person at heart who did not deserve any of what she had received. Draco began to wonder what would have happened if they hadn't fell in love. The plot would still have been conceived, and he would have still been assigned to carry it out. But would it have been any easier for him? He was so unlike his father because Draco had real feelings. He could never kill as ruthlessly as his father did, because he was able to feel guilt. He suddenly decided that it didn't matter what could have happened. All that mattered now was what did happen.
Draco watched the clock. The second hand made lazy circles around the face of the clock, ticking away priceless seconds Draco had with Hermione. He was beginning to feel weak and light headed. He had been giving Hermione his blood for the past forty-five minutes. His own skin was beginning to look deathly pale, but he didn't even notice. What he did notice was that color was returning to Hermione's face. She didn't look like a corpse anymore. His dizziness meant nothing to him as long as he had the reassurance that he was helping Hermione get better. He would give her every last drop of blood in his veins just so that she could survive. The doctors seemed to sense this, and they interfered.
"Mr. Malfoy? You've done all you can. If you give any more of your blood to her, you're going to need a transfusion yourself," A young woman doctor with red hair told him gently. It seemed like Draco needed to utilize all of his energy just to turn his head and look at the doctor.
"I'm not leaving her until there is more blood for her transfusion," Draco replied in a shaky voice.
"This is not your decision to make, sir. It's our policy. You've done all you can to save her. There is nothing else you can do for her," The doctor responded, starting to take the needles from Draco's arms. Draco would normally protest or try to fight her off, but he was far too weak to lift a hand. He was ushered back into the waiting room in a wheel chair, since he was unable to stand alone. McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Harry were still waiting. They all watched him as he was wheeled back into the room, but they all remained silent. Draco requested to be placed near the window. He gazed through the glass at Hermione, who was still unstable. Tears began falling down his cheeks. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever cried so hard. He was just so overwhelmed. He had thought that his blood transfusion could save her, but he no longer knew that for certain now. The doctors hadn't returned with blood from the other hospitals, and Hermione still needed transfusions. Draco may have delayed the process, but an ugly voice in the back of his mind kept saying that Hermione was going to die anyway.
Draco watched the clock once again. Every minute that went by brought more doubtful thoughts to Draco's mind. The little ray of hope in his mind was dimming as seconds passed without signs of the doctors returning with the blood. Draco suddenly became dizzy. His lack of blood was taking a toll on his consciousness, and suddenly he had passed out in his wheel chair.
Draco awoke fifteen minutes later to find that McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Harry were all pressed up against the glass. Trying to regain a sense of where he was and what was going on, Draco peered through the glass.
"What's going on?" Draco asked groggily.
"While you were passed out, the doctors came back with the blood. They just started her transfusions ten minutes ago," Dumbledore informed Draco in a hurried manner. Draco watched the doctors bustling around inside the operating room, checking Hermione's pulse frequently and giving her random injections.
"Is she going to be all right?" Draco demanded in a voice stronger than he had anticipated.
"We don't know yet, Mr. Malfoy. The doctors don't know how much damage occurred when her blood supply was down," McGonagall replied softly. Draco stared intently at Hermione, who was still unconscious on the gurney. The red haired doctor came out of the operating room.
"Is she going to be okay?" Draco asked immediately. The doctor gave him a small smile.
"Her condition is improving, but it's going to be awhile before we know for sure if she's stable. It'll be even longer before she regains consciousness," She added, yawning. "I'm going home for the night, but I can tell one of the other doctors to owl you when she awakes so you can all go home and get some rest." Draco was shaking his head by the middle of her sentence.
"I'm staying here," He stated firmly.
"Mr. Malfoy, I think it's best for you to return to Hogwarts-" McGonagall began, but Draco interrupted her.
"I'm staying here, professor." McGonagall was about to rebuke Draco for speaking to her in such a tone, but there was something in the young man's eyes that rendered her speechless. His complete devotion to Hermione was apparent in the way he spoke and in the depth of his eyes. She knew that it would be impossible to convince Draco to return to Hogwarts.
"Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Potter, come with us," McGonagall said to Harry. Harry frowned.
"If Malfoy gets to stay, then I want to stay," Harry replied. McGonagall looked into Harry's eyes but did not see the same love and devotion that Draco harbored. Nevertheless, it was clear that Harry cared about Hermione, and he should be permitted to stay.
"Fine. I expect an owl from one of you when there is any word on Hermione's condition," McGonagall told them both, suddenly returning to her crisp, professor ways.
"Of course, professor," Draco reassured her. She nodded to both boys and left the waiting room with Dumbledore. Harry seemed as though he could not stand still. He sat down in one of the chairs, but was soon on his feet again, pacing the length of the room.
"You're being annoying, Potter," Draco finally muttered.
"Malfoy, do you really love Hermione?" Harry asked bluntly. Draco took his time raising his eyes to look at Harry directly.
"With all my heart, Potter." It seemed like Harry's worst nightmare had come true as he sank into a chair with his head in his hands. Draco smirked. He was very much enjoying himself.
"For how long?" Harry finally managed to ask.
"Well, I don't know if you remember this, but a while back, Hermione and I got stuck in a room together for twenty-four hours and-"
"Something happened in there, right?" Harry interrupted suddenly.
"It's not really your business to know, Potter. All you should know is that I fell in love with her at some point during those twenty-four hours, and I haven't fallen out of it since." Every word cut Harry like a knife. He wondered how he didn't see it coming. Draco patted Harry on the shoulder, as if reading his thoughts.
"It's okay. I didn't even see it coming."
"So are you two going to...like...get married or something?" Harry asked cautiously. Draco chuckled out loud at Harry's expression of disgust.
"Only if you'll be my best man," Draco replied in a joking manner. Harry, apparently, didn't understand Draco's humor.
"What? Are you serious?"
"I wasn't really, but if you'd like to be-"
"I'd have to think it over," Harry replied hastily. Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't hurt yourself. I can always find someone else." Even as Draco said this, he knew it wasn't true. He didn't have any close friends to be his best man. The closest thing he had was Harry Potter, and that wasn't really saying very much. There might not even be a wedding, the ugly little voice in the back of his mind whispered. Draco glared and tried to rid his thoughts of such negative feelings. Hermione was going to live. She had to.
"I'm going to the cafe to get something to eat. Do you want anything?" Harry asked Draco at eight o'clock in the morning. There had been no word on Hermione's condition for four hours. Draco was beginning to get worried. He waved his hand at Harry, unable to even think about consuming food. He couldn't eat or sleep until he knew that Hermione was going to be all right. Harry shrugged and left the waiting room. Draco returned to the glass that separated him from his true love. Doctors were huddled around the hospital bed, talking amongst themselves. Draco longed to know what they were discussing. He just needed to know right then and there if Hermione was going to make it. He was sick of waiting and he was sick of Potter's pacing back and forth. If anyone was going to pace anxiously, it was going to be Draco Malfoy. Finally, Draco sat down in a chair and put his head in his hands. He was exhausted. Worrying about Hermione did not help the fact that he hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours. Suddenly, the operating room door creaked open and a brown haired doctor approached Draco. Draco was convinced that he was just imagining it, but he hoped that he wasn't.
"Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes?" Draco asked in a distant voice. He was expecting to hear bad news from the sound of the doctor's voice and from the amount of time information had been withheld from him.
"We just thought that you'd want to know Hermione's progress."
"Well?" Draco demanded impatiently, wondering why the doctor didn't just come out and say it.
"The damage done to her internal organs from the lack of blood was minimal, and we can now confidently say that she will recover." Draco felt all sorts of emotions rushing through his mind. He felt like he wanted to cry out of relief, but start shouting and dancing around like an idiot out of rapture. Instead, Draco got to his feet and grasped the hand of the doctor.
"Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. I can't even tell you how grateful I am for everything you've done. Thank you so much!" Draco rambled on, shaking the doctor's hand furiously. The doctor smiled and muttered a thank you, but he seemed to be relieved when Draco finally released his hand.
"When can I see her?" Draco demanded.
"She won't wake up for another hour at least, so if you don't mind hanging around-"
"I don't."
"All right. I'll have a nurse inform you immediately when she wakes up." Draco thanked the doctor yet again and set off to find an owl. Instead, he bumped into Harry.
"Watch where you're going, Potter," Draco hissed.
"Where are you headed?"
"To find an owl," Draco replied. Harry's eyes widened.
"Did you hear anything about Hermione?"
"She's going to be all right. I need to owl Professor McGonagall like I promised, so if you'll excuse me-"
"Wait, Malfoy! I have Hedwig."
"Hedwig?"
"She's my owl. I saw her outside the hospital window on my way to get breakfast," Harry replied, heading for the doors. Draco followed, too tired and ecstatic to care. Harry found Hedwig on a tree branch and called her down. Draco quickly scribbled a message to McGonagall and handed it to Harry.
"Okay, Hedwig. I need you to take this to Professor McGonagall straight away," Harry murmured to the snowy owl as he attached the parchment to her leg. Draco rolled his eyes. Who talks to their bloody owl? He thought, while watching Harry muttering to his owl.
"Are we allowed to see her?"
"The doctor said he'd send someone when she wakes up."
"So we have to wait another hour?" Harry asked, sounding disappointed. Draco, on the other hand, was seeing it in a different light. It was only another hour until he got to look into Hermione's beautiful eyes again. Draco ignored Harry as they went back to the waiting room and took a seat. He picked up one of the old magazines and leafed through it, but his eyes didn't catch any of the words on the page. He was too excited to concentrate on anything. He finally decided to entertain himself by flicking little balls of paper at Harry and trying to hit his scar. Harry didn't find this game as amusing, and he eventually turned his back to the blonde Slytherin. Draco frowned and started pacing around the room. He needed another way to pass the time. Without really considering his other options, he decided to see how long he could walk around on his hands. It was in the middle of this time passing method that the nurse entered the waiting room to announce that Hermione had woken up. Draco crashed to the floor and hurriedly got to his feet.
"One visitor at a time, please," The nurse said to them. Draco and Harry looked at each other in silence. Harry finally sighed and waved Draco on.
"Go ahead, Malfoy," He muttered. Draco was actually touched by Harry's gesture, but he only took a moment to wonder at Harry's generosity. He almost ran into the operating room and to Hermione's bedside. Her eyes were open and staring up at the ceiling. When Draco arrived, she slowly shifted her gaze to look at him. A smile graced her lips, and Draco felt his entire body melting.
"Hey," She whispered softly. Draco felt tears coming to his eyes and he blinked furiously to get rid of them.
"Hey there. How are you feeling?" He asked, his voice breaking slightly. Hermione lifted her hand and gently stroked his cheek.
"Better. I don't really remember much of anything. What happened after I passed out?"
"Dumbledore apparated you here, while Potter and I came by Floo Powder."
"I meant with Voldemort and everything."
"You were still awake when Voldemort died, weren't you?"
"Yes, but were there any other deaths or captures I should know about?"
"I have no idea. I've been here all night."
"What?"
"I haven't slept or eaten in over twenty-four hours. I've been in that waiting room, patiently wondering what was going to happen to you." Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Patiently?"
"All right, I was impatiently wondering what was going to happen to you. Can you blame me?"
"Not really. I would have been the same way."
"Can you forgive me, Hermione?"
"For what?"
"For all of this. You're here because of me."
"Don't blame yourself for this ever again, Draco. Please. You tried to save me, remember? Not destroy me. Even after all those awful things I said to you. If anyone here should be asking for forgiveness, it's me. I didn't mean what I said, Draco-"
"I know. You told me."
"I feel horrible about it."
"It's been forgotten, Hermione. Now can we just concentrate on what our future holds for us?"
"And what might that be?"
"Well I made you a promise before you passed out...do you remember what it was?" Hermione frowned and shook her head. Draco reached over and brushed a curl away from her face. He had almost forgotten what it was like to feel her hair in his fingers. It was something he never intended to forget as long as he lived. He gently caressed her cheek and traced her lips with a soft fingertip.
"I promised you that when this was all over, you were going to marry me. And we were going to raise beautiful children who are just as wonderful as their mother." Hermione stared at him for a moment.
"What are you saying?" She asked in a voice that was only a whisper. Draco took her hand and glanced up into her beautiful eyes.
"I want you to marry me, Hermione. Please say that you will." Hermione smiled so widely, her cheeks began to hurt. Tears came to her eyes, but she didn't bother to blink them away. She stared into Draco's incredibly blue eyes and felt her heart give an extra thump.
"Of course I will, Draco," She replied immediately. Draco wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. He had almost lost her once, and he was never going to let her go ever again. They remained for a while in their passionate embrace, but Draco eventually pulled away to look at her.
"I love you, Hermione. God, do I love you."
"I love you, too," Hermione replied, her voice cracking. Draco wiped away a tear with his fingers and Hermione laughed.
"Why are you crying?" Draco asked, grinning.
"I don't know!" Hermione replied, laughing harder. Draco fell in love all over again. It was all of these random things about Hermione Granger that intrigued him and made him fall outrageously in love with her.
And so began their life together.