Disclaimer: Nah. Still don't own it.
A/n: Hey guys!ü Yes... I feel guilty for not being able to write you personalized messages... You've all grown too many!ü And I love it! (sniff sniff...ü) Thanks soo much again... And by the way, here's chap 24.ü Enjoy!ü
By: Aningme
Chapter 24
Dilemma
"Draco! Draco! You asshole! Breathe!" She screamed, still hitting him, hard. "Damn you! Don't leave me!"
Draco suddenly choked up and vomited water. Lots and lots of water.
Hermione was startled. She held his face and stared at him.
"Hey, hey…" She whispered. She was sobbing already. He was alive…
He tried to open his eyes, but his head was still spinning.
"Draco…" She was crying. "Draco… Tell me you're alright…"
She held him and wrapped her arms around him, letting his head rest on her shoulder. "Tell me you're alright… Please…"
He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. He wanted to answer her, comfort her, but he couldn't. His body was weak.
"Draco…" She heaved. She couldn't stop calling him. "Hold on."
He wanted to smile. She had called him Draco.
"You'll be alright… You'll be alright."
She held tight on him and cried. She couldn't stop. She just couldn't. She couldn't think of almost losing him. She almost went crazy-O just seeing him lifeless like that. She couldn't think... even imagine... he would die in her arms... die and be gone...
Struggling to move, he flinched his fingers a little. He wanted to touch her face and wipe those tears away, but his body was just holding him down. He wanted to stop her crying. He didn't want to make her cry.
Feeling him move a little, Hermione's eyes grew wide. People usually stay paralyzed after an incident like that. It was implausible for him to move even his hand this quickly.
She held his hand and held it to her cheeks. She felt its coldness. She felt his touch.
"Herm…" He struggled to speak. "Hermione…"
She abruptly burst into tears, hearing her name…
"I'm…" He was trying to say something. "I'm… alright…"
His voice was weak. It was just simple words, but she couldn't help but cry, hearing them.
"You're so stupid, you know that?" She bawled. "You made me worried sick!"
Draco tried to smile, butonly managed toclose his eyes and let himself drown in her arms.
She held him tighter. She couldn't let him go...
Their lives returned to normal as they returned to the city. After being found by a truck driver hours after the incident, they were able to return. Ron was absurdly furious of what happened. Ginny was terribly worried. Seamus was nonstop questioning them if they were alright. And Neville couldn't help but stare at them, feeling lucky for them, being able to survive.
The tension and mayhem of it finally lowered down. Everyone cared for their own businesses and returned to normal. Hermione still drove herself crazy of hospital work. And Draco just did his so-called "work".
"Hermione Granger." Draco uttered.
Hermione just smiled, hearing his voice in her answering machine.
"Pick up the phone." He commanded. "You might have saved my life, but you still ought to answer your calls."
Hermione laughed. She gave in. "Good point." She chuckled.
He smiled and savored her chuckles. "I want to see you tonight."
It had been one week since the incident. And their time was running out.
She wanted to see him too. "You want to see me?"
He sighed. "Yes. I have something to give you."
"Give me?"
"Yeah. In return for you saving me."
She laughed. "Your life costs more than gifts, Malfoy. You couldn't pay me with things. Even with your riches." She pointed out. He had saved her life before too. Twice, even. She was about to jump off the building when he arrived in her hospital, half-dead. And the next time she attempted to kill herself, Mrs. Dubley called her down because of his bed of roses. He wouldn't have known it, but it was fair for both of them.
"Even so. I just want to see you."
She smiled. "Alright then. Café?"
"Seven?"
"Alright." She agreed.
"Okay. See you then, Granger."
"See you too, Malfoy."
"Take care now."
"You too."
"Hermione?"
"Draco?"
Draco smiled. "I…" He paused. He couldn't say it.
"What is it?" She asked.
He sighed and ignored it. "Nothing. I'll see you."
"Okay. See you." And she hung up.
I love you. He thought and dropped the receiver.
She sat there in her moderately big office for a while and thought. It wasn't just seven years ago when Malfoy was their enemy. He was the most horrid, egocentric bastard extraordinaire she had ever known. But now, it all went into a full circle. The Demonic Malfoy she had known was gone. He became something else. Something way beyond comparison to the Malfoy should-be mannerisms.
It was just a plain miracle of time.
Yanking from her line of thoughts, the sometimes-irritable ring of her phone sounded. Picking it up, Ginny greeted her with her oh so lovely voice.
"My Hermy, how are you dear?" She cheerfully spoke, while absentmindedly rubbing her bloated belly. It had been six and a half months already, anyway. Two and a half more, then they'll have their precious baby.
"I'm fine, Gin. It's good to hear from you." She replied. She took a piece of paper and started doodling.
"Are you busy? Doing some life saving today?"
"It's still my break." Hermione smiled. "So, what's up, Gin?"
"Nothing." Ginny giggled. "Just wondering how you are doing."
"Me?" Hermione furrowed her brows. "I'm quite fine, thanks."
"Good. How's Malfoy too? Is he good?"
"Ah. Yeah. He's just fine." She answered. "He's been doing good and all that. He hasn't got any injuries or so."
"What about his nasty cut on his brow? Is it good? Will it leave a scar?"
Hermione suddenly paused. Nasty cut on his brow. Leave a scar. A scar on the forehead. She shivered. "I think it'll be fine."
"That's good to hear. Seeing you both that night was horrible. You had gashes all over. And Malfoy was bleeding and all… That was just—"
"Okay, okay. Enough with the ditz." Hermione interjected. That night was one hell of a night. She wanted to forget what happened. She wanted to forget he almost died. "He's fine, I'm fine, everyone's fine. Nothing to worry about." She assured, ignoring the cold shivers she had.
"Alright." Ginny gave up. "I just couldn't believe what happened."
"Yeah. It is shocking."
"And horrid. To think of drowning into that scary lake—"
"Gin!"
"Oh yeah. Sorry." Ginny laughed. "Well, you better get back to your life saving job."
"Yeah. And you get on working with your motherhood skills."
"Aww…" Ginny cooed. "That's just chocolate for the ears, Herm…" Ginny started to sob. "Oh my gosh, I still couldn't believe I'm going to be a mother…"
Hermione smiled. This must be what it's like to be a mother. "You are going to be a mother. And a great one too."
"Thanks Hermy." Ginny sniffled and settled herself. She often gets too emotional when it comes to her baby. "Anyways, I have to ditch. My sweetums is waiting for me upstairs."
Sweetums? That would be Seamus. "Alright then. Take care now, Gin. Say Hi to Seamus for me."
"Of course. Take care too." Ginny bade.
Hermione just sighed tiredlyand stood up.
She had to prepare later for her date.
A/n: That was kind of boring. I know. But wait for the next chapters.ü I'll try to work harder on those... I just couldn't concentrate right now...
until then...