Disclaimer: All hail Jo Rowling for giving us Harry and his world.

A.N. Yes, yes, I know, I took forever to update this time. I'm sorry. You guys can throw all the rotten vegetables you want at me, I'll graciously accept them. I just needed some time to decide where this was going and to quiet the urge to start yet another fic. I promise you though, I will finish this one and "Imperfect" or at least try to finish "Imperfect" before I start this next fic I've been thinking of. So read on, and don't shoot me if you can figure out where this one is going. Love ya guys!

Come What May

Chapter Fifteen

January faded into a dreary February, leaving the castle shivering in bitter cold temperatures. All around them, their fellow students were studying harder and harder for their approaching exams. Fifth years with their O.W.L.'s and Draco and Hermione with their fellow seventh years for their N.E.W.T.'s.

But Draco couldn't focus on studying right now. He sat in their common room in one of the armchairs next to the roaring fire, about the only warm place left in the castle. A book was open on his lap, but he wasn't looking at it. Instead, he was staring at the top of the stairs, where Hermione had disappeared fifteen minutes ago to go take a hot bath.

He was worried. She had sat down here, with him, for a good two hours after dinner, both of them trying to study with earnest in preparation of their upcoming exams. But for all the progress Draco made in an extra book he was reading on the advancement of disfigurement charms in the seventeenth century, Hermione couldn't seem to get through two pages of her own hand copied notes on the centaurs' fight to be classified as humans for their boring History of Magic class. Draco had watched her struggle to concentrate on her notes for two hours before he himself had suggested that maybe she needed a warm bath to help her relax a little so she could concentrate better.

She wasn't even trying to stay focused any more on any of her class work. She blundered through most of her homework with Draco's help, though, more often than not, she was falling asleep before it was finished and Draco was finishing it for her so she wouldn't get in trouble with their professors.

Hermione laid in the giant bathtub now, letting the hot water soak into her skin and warm her. The giant layer of bubble bath sat on the surface of the water, making her feel cozy and warm. She closed her eyes and leaned back to rest her aching head. Her head was no longer a safe place. She couldn't concentrate on her studies any longer because the Voice had taken up a never ending tirade against her. It was all she could do to fall asleep any more, and when she did, it wasn't for very long nor was her sleep deep. The Voice made sure to plague her with nightmares every night of the week, and her parents' voices followed her everywhere she went.

The lack of sleep and the Voice were clearing taking a toll on her appearance. Dark circles rimmed her eyes, try as she might to conceal them with a concealment charm. Her face was thinner than it had been, and she had lost an almost alarming amount of weight. She tried to eat as much as she could, but in truth, the sounds of her parents being tortured to death made her lose most of what little appetite she had. Though she never saw her parents dying during the day, the sounds left nothing to the imagination. And what she didn't see during the day, she saw at night.

She sighed deeply, her brow furrowing as she once again tried fruitlessly to ignore the Voice and his tirade. She wished he would just shut up already.

'You're wasting your time, you know. Trying to keep me blocked out. You never will succeed. It's just a matter of time now,' it taunted.

She yawned, wanting a peaceful night of sleep, not plagued by those terrible nightmares.

'You'll never sleep peacefully again, my sweet. I'm here to stay until the day you die and go off to join your worthless parents.'

'Go to hell,' she thought halfheartedly.

'I'm taking you with me. But, would you look at that? You're already in hell!'

'Go die.'

'After you, of course.'

Hermione gave up. It was no use. He wouldn't shut up even if she pleaded with him. Draco's father sure was a vindictive son of a bitch.

She opened her eyes again and stared at the wall across from her. The best she could do was remember how happy Draco made her feel when he was close. It was really the only thing keeping her going anymore. She wanted to give up, but she didn't want to leave Draco behind and alone.

"I hate my life," she muttered miserably, scooping some of the pillowy suds into her palm and blowing them across the room.

Draco managed a couple more pages of his book before glancing at the clock again. She had been up there for almost forty-five minutes. He didn't like to leave her alone for too long for fear that she might lose it again and find something else to hurt herself with.

He closed his book with a snap and threw it onto the couch. It squeaked loudly at the impact.

"Oh, shut up," he muttered, glaring at it.

He walked up the stairs quietly, straining to hear any sort of noise that would clue him in on what she was doing. He peeked into her bedroom, but was greeted with darkness. She was still in the bathroom.

He stuck his ear next to the bathroom door, listening intently. There was nothing. He knocked gently on the door.

"Hermione?"

The soft splashing of water was all he got. He tried again.

"Draco?" came the muffled response.

"Can I come in?" he called softly.

"I suppose."

He cracked the door open and slipped inside. He shut the door behind him to seal in the warmth and steam that was escaping from the giant tub.

He was just able to discern a head above all the foam and bubbles floating in the water. He sat down on the side and rolled his jeans up before sticking his legs in the water.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Hermione asked softly, hearing him sigh.

He nodded, swishing his legs around to create a disturbance. "Are you all right? You've been up here for awhile. I got worried."

She sighed and gave him a tiny smile. "You always worry. I've resigned myself to that."

"With my damn father and that damn voice, it's sort of hard not to," he said lightly, trying not to make too much out of it.

She shook her head. "If it makes you feel any better, I never know when I'm going to go off the deep end. It just happens."

He smiled slightly, in spite of what she said. "No, it doesn't really make me feel any better. It's worse if you never know when it's going to happen, because then I may not be there to help you."

She shrugged, her thin shoulders rising up out of the water before slipping below the surface again. "One of the others might be there. Don't worry so much, it causes forehead wrinkles."

He splashed her for that last remark. "Quit trying to change the subject, missy. I wanna know how you really feel right now. Are you any better than you were a couple weeks ago when we came back?"

She closed her eyes briefly, resigning herself to the fact that this had come up. She really didn't want to discuss with him how she was feeling as of late. The only reason she was still here anymore was because of him, and she didn't want him to know that.

"I'm just so tired, Draco," she trembled out, trying not to give in to the despair trying to engulf her once more.

"I know. I hear you every night after you go to bed. Is it that bad?"

She shook her head. "I can't control it anymore. Before he got out of Azkaban, I could tell it to shut up and it would leave me alone. But now that he's out, I can't do it anymore. Day and night, it's all I can do to keep focused on whatever I'm doing at the moment. I'm lucky I haven't killed someone yet, I can barely focus on my wandwork and potions anymore."

"You haven't been eating enough lately, either."

She looked him straight in the eye. "Would you want to eat if you could hear your parents being ripped apart by Greyback?"

His eyes widened. "It's that bad?"

She nodded, staring down at the suds in front of her. "I can't take this anymore."

"You don't have to, by yourself. I'm here for you. I keep telling you that."

She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. "I should say, I don't want to take this anymore."

He blanched. "What do you mean?"

She choked back a sob. "The only reason I'm hanging on anymore is because of you. I don't want to leave you all alone and have to deal with your father and V-Voldemort. I remember what you said that night a few weeks ago. Without me, we'd both be dead. And if I was gone, you wouldn't last long either."

He looked down at his hands. It wasn't working. His attempts were no longer working. He was busting his ass trying to make her live, but the fact of the matter was, she no longer wanted to live. She was making herself live only to keep him alive.

That was no way to live for anyone.

"I'm a big boy," he managed out after a few moments of silence.

"I know you are," she whispered. "I couldn't bear it if I left you like this."

"You shouldn't have to make yourself want to live because of me," he whispered fiercely.

"But I do it anyway. I am only truly happy when I'm with you. And I know you feel the same, whether or not you care to admit it."

It was true. These past couple of months had only been bearable because she was here with him. He didn't know what he would be like without her anymore. And he didn't want to think of what he would be like without her.

Without him truly realizing it, once he had figured out that she was used to the fact that they needed each other to survive, he had been subconsciously dreaming of their lives together. Oftentimes, at night, he would dream of their future. A modest wedding, a charming house by the sea, a little boy and a little girl running around the yard. . .growing old together, watching their children grow up. . .their grandchildren now running around on the shores by the sea. . .

His eyes were now full of tears. "I've seen it all, Hermione."

She looked up at him through her tears, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I. . .I've dreamt it all. I've seen our future. I've dreamt of our children and our grandchildren. I've watched us grow old together. . .I've seen a world where there is no more Voldemort, and no more of my father. I've seen it all. And I know now that it will never be."

A small sob escaped her lips. "I've seen it too, Draco. I didn't want to, it only makes things harder, but I've seen too. And I know it will never be. And I'm so afraid, Draco. I'm so scared."

He grabbed a towel that sat next to him and unfolded it before standing up. He held it open, lengthwise, for her.

She stepped out of the tub, the tears falling slowly down her devastated face. He wrapped her up in the towel tightly and held her close, allowing her to cry, allowing himself to cry.

How long they stood there, holding each other, he wasn't sure. But he knew that he couldn't stand to be alone tonight.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" he whispered into her hair.

She nodded, sniffing to hold back more tears. "Let me go put something on, and I'll be right back."

She slipped away from him, her hand holding onto his until she had to let go.

He watched her retreat to her room. He didn't want her to go. He never wanted her to leave his sight. He was afraid that she would disappear completely when he wasn't there. And that's what scared him the most. To lose her when he wasn't there would surely destroy him.

He retreated to his room and threw on his flannel pajama bottoms and an old white t-shirt. He pulled the covers down on his bed and climbed in, fluffing the pillows so they would be more comfortable.

She reappeared in his doorway a few minutes later, clad in a purple shirt and some knit bottoms. He held out a hand to her, and she came to him slowly, each step costing her a little more of herself.

She slipped underneath the covers as he held them up for her to climb in. She settled herself as close to him as she could get, afraid to get too far from him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, resting his head on top of hers, which was now snuggled into the crook of his neck.

"Can we just stay like this until the end of time?" she whispered.

"I would love to."

"I'm so tired, Draco."

"Try to get some rest. I'm right here if you need me."

She nodded against his neck and settled herself even closer, if it was possible.

Draco stared up at the ceiling, willing himself not to just break down and sob. There was nothing else he could do. He would just stay with her until. . .until it was no longer possible to remain at her side. There truly wasn't a damn thing he could do anymore. He had never felt more helpless in his life.

He reached for his wand on his bedside table and flicked it at a piece of parchment and a quill. The quill set to work, scribbling furiously across the parchment.

Dear Professor Lupin,

It isn't working anymore.

Draco Malfoy

He flicked his wand again and the parchment sealed itself. Another flick of the wand and some Floo powder was dropped into his fire. Another flick and the parchment was dropped into the fire as well.

"To the attention of Professor R. Lupin," he whisper-called to the fire.

With a whoosh, the parchment disappeared and the fire returned to normal.

Hermione stirred in his arms with a soft whimper. She was already having a nightmare.

'God, just let the end be quick for the both of us,' Draco silently prayed.

February faded into windy March, and with it came the prospect of spring. And with spring came hope. Draco found himself hoping that the warm weather approaching would lift Hermione's spirits, and she would get better.

But his hoping was in vane. Hermione was getting thinner and thinner. It took all her willpower to force herself out of bed in the mornings and to force herself to attend another day of classes. She found no point in anything anymore. All the dreams she had ever had for herself she now threw down the drain. She didn't see the point in dreaming for anything. She had resigned herself to the fact that she was wasting away and was never going to accomplish any of the things that she had ever dreamed of.

The only thing that she could bring herself to hope for was that Draco wouldn't suffer when she was gone. She wanted him to go on and live life and exact the revenge that they both hoped to get on Nemesaris and his father. That was the only way she knew she could rest in peace, was if she knew Draco would be all right.

Ginny and the boys watched as she forced herself through another day. They knew from what Draco told them and what they saw that things were not looking good any longer. Their hopes that Draco would be able to save her were quickly fading into a thing of the past. They too wrote to Lupin, begging him to find something, anything that would reverse the effects of the curse on Hermione. He wrote them back with a fervent assurance that he was trying everything in his power to put a stop to the madness, but nothing was working.

I've tried everything I can to try and reverse the curse. Nothing is working. It all boils down to one thing: Either Lucius, the originator of the the curse, is killed, or we lose her. I'm sorry. I've tried everything. I don't want to lose her either, but there is nothing more we can do. I'll keep looking and have Tonks find out if there's any way that we can get him back in Azkaban. In the meantime, keep her comfortable and keep her happy. And watch your backs for any sign of Nemesaris. They still have yet to find her.

Give Hermione my best and Tonks' as well-

Remus

They all read the letter, including Draco. Their spirits fell, if possible, even lower than they already were. If Remus couldn't find anything to help, they really were powerless to help her. Like he said, all they could do now was keep her comfortable and happy and try to get her to eat more.

Ginny's face crumpled as she read what Remus wrote. "There has to be more we can do! We can't let her go like this!"

Harry and Ron pulled her into a tight hug. Draco stood there, his arms hanging limply by his sides, the letter clenched in his fist. They all looked at one another, the despair they were all feeling evident in their faces.

Hermione was going to disappear from their lives, and there wasn't a damn thing they could do about it any longer.