Life is Beautiful

Disclaimer: No. I did not make up the characters (unfortunately). JK Rowling made them with her wonderful mind. bows down I am forever your servant.

Credits: The title is from a movie called 'La Vita é Bella' or 'Life is Beautiful'.

Summary: After being captured by Voldemort and escaping Hermione is left blind. She has learnt to look after herself and is Head girl in Hogwarts. Unfortunately Head boy is none other than Draco Malfoy. Just because someone is blind does not mean they can't see. The things that you want to do the most are the things that are probably most worth doing and don't let anyone or anything stop you. HrD

Chapter 3: Understanding
Draco silently watched as Hermione sat stiffly with her eyes cast blankly down at her hands. It was clear to him that she was obviously trying not to appear nervous as the boat swayed uneasily on a particularly large ripple coming from near the shore. Hagrid had just gotten out of his boat and was helping some First Years onto solid ground. Draco realized that they were going to be the last boat to shore so he sat back a little, relaxing. He contemplated his situation and decided that he was somehow going to have to win Hermione's trust if this year was going to be productive, and if he was going to get the praise he wanted for his job as Head Boy.

He took a deep breath and was just about to open his mouth to apologise when suddenly he was flying through the air looking down, and then splashing into the freezing cold, black water. He came to the surface, spluttering, trying to get warm and trying to get his bearings. Then he remembered that someone else had been in the boat, Hermione. And Hermione was blind.

"Hermione! Granger! Hermione!" He called out frantically. He twisted around, swimming this way and that. All of a sudden, about 10 meters away, a head of dark, twisted, messy hair came up, gasping for breath. Draco struggled to swim in his restricting robes but finally managed to get over to a very panicked and more or less drowned Hermione. He grabbed the upturned boat with his left hand and with his right arm secured a shivering Hermione to his side. He felt a sudden rush of warmth run through his body as he realized he was doing something good. An action he did not often indulge in. Not that I am evil or anything… He thought hurriedly.

When Hagrid was finished with the First Years he noticed that he didn't see Draco and Hermione, which was odd because they should have already made it to the shore. He noticed, with panic that they were in the water. He went to their aid. Hagrid eventually got to the struggling teenagers, scooped Hermione out of the water first and wrapped his cloak around her, taking his time comforting her.

"T'ill be alrigh' 'Ermione…we'll get you back soon." Draco heard him saying in a soft voice that didn't seem to suit the large man. Draco started to worry that he was being forgotten so he gave a little cough through his chattering teeth and purple lips. Hagrid gave him an annoyed frown but reached over and helped him into the boat where he sat squished between the side and the large half-giant looking very displeased.

They made their way as fast as possible towards the castle, bouncing over ripples in the water, and leaving white water in their wake. Once they arrived at shore, looking a little greener than before, Hagrid leapt out of the boat, trying to avoid getting caught in the various weeds floating around, and then lifted Hermione out and supported her with his thick arm. He beckoned with his hand for Draco to follow so he scrambled out of the boat, clumsy, cold fingers gripping the side. Unfortunately his hands were too frozen for him to steady himself properly, so he found himself sitting on his ass in freezing cold water. He jumped up hastily, embarrassed, and ran to the dry shore and fell over again as his frozen knees failed him.

Hagrid gave an amused chuckle and held out a hand to help Draco up. Draco accepted with a disgruntled look on his face and gladly allowed himself to be supported by the bigger man. They made their way slowly towards the castle, none of them uttering a word. Draco felt strangely uncomfortable in the awkward silence but decided it was probably for the best. Hagrid led them through the castle and to the Hospital Wing. As soon as Hagrid knocked on the large, heavy door, Madame Pomfrey bustled out and immediately accosted Hermione and Draco, mumbling something about 'Thinks it's so entertaining!… every year…I'll have to see Dumbledore about that brainless squid!'. She secured them into beds and administered sleeping potions to them. Before Draco knew it, he had gratefully slipped out of consciousness.

When Hermione woke she kept her eyes closed. What's the point of opening them? I won't see anything anyway…She thought as she shifted a little in her bed to remove her arm from under her as it had a particularly bad case of pins and needles.

"Hermione! Are you awake?" She heard an anxious voice call out. She was feeling too groggy to bother attempting to identify the anonymous voice so she attempted to answer, but found her vocal cords felt as though they hadn't been used for years and had forgotten how to work. To her embarrassment all that came out was an unintelligible gurgling sound. Argh…How horrible did that sound? She thought with disgust and tried again.

"Y-es. Wh-who is it?" She managed to force out with great difficulty.

"Oh, Hermione! It's Ginny. You are going to be fine. You've missed the Sorting, but you have only been out for a few hours." Said Ginny and Hermione felt a delicate hand squeeze hers. "I'm just going to go and get Harry and Ron. They are waiting outside." And she heard Ginny leave the room briskly.

Hermione reached her trembling hands up to her face and felt it, just to check everything was there, smoothing her hair down away from her face. Slowly, she ran her hands down her hips, feeling the soft hospital wing blankets from her armpits down. She brought her weak legs up at the knees and made sure they were both there and finally feeling complete she settled back down. She couldn't remember much apart from one minute being in the boat and the next she was cold, wet and couldn't breathe. She passed her chilled hands over her forehead before rubbing her temples, trying to make the dull ache in her head fade away.

"Hermione!" A gleeful voice called, which Hermione guessed was Harry's. "You're awake!" And then before she knew it there was a 17-year-old boy squeezing her and she had a mouthful of messy hair.

"Harry!" She spluttered "I just got your hair in my mouth!"

"I'm just so happy to se- Ron!" Harry exclaimed as Ron threw him off her and then proceeded to also squeeze her to death.

"You know guys…I have been in worse danger before than being capsized by the giant squid. It's not that big of a deal…" Hermione said in a stiff voice as Ron let go of her. "I feel fine. Is Madame Pomfrey nearby? I'd really like to go."

"Erm…yeh I'll just get her for you…" came Ginny's worried voice.

"Thanks Gin." Hermione replied and settled back down into the pillows.

"We were really worried about you Hermione." Ron said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "There is nothing wrong with being worried."

Hermione sighed "I know. I do appreciate it. Really. I just hate feeling helpless and pitied. I am pretty much the same it's just a little harder for me to do things."

"We know, Hermione." Both boys said, reassuring her. Then they took one of her hands in each of theirs and squeezed.

"Come on guys, it is almost curfew and we have to get back to Gryffindor tower." stated Harry.

"Madame Pomfrey will be through in a minute Hermione. We've got to go. We'll see you later I guess." And after a group hug they all departed leaving Hermione to contemplate in peace.

I wonder what happened to Malfoy… Hermione thought, as she could not remember a thing after being thrown out of the boat. I hope he was okay. Maybe I shouldn't have got angry with him in the boat. I was being just as bad as him! Then Madame Pomfrey came bustling in making quite a racquet so she was snapped out of her thoughts.

"Well it's good to see you're up! I certainly have a bone to pick with Dumbledore about going across that lake with that colossal, brainless squid. Here take this…" Madame Pomfrey babbled, shoving some sticky potion down her throat, which sent warmth down to her fingertips. "And this…" said Madame Comfrey, slipping yet another potion into Hermione's mouth. Hermione felt her headache fade a little. "Now, what did you want to see me for?"

"When can I go? I'd like to begin my Head Duties. I don't want to miss anything more than I already have." Hermione pleaded.

"You go when I say and not before. I'd like to keep you overnight and then maybe you can go in the morning." Madame Pomfrey replied sternly and added "But I must be completely satisfied with your condition." Before Hermione knew it she heard her turn and bustle out again leaving Hermione disappointed and fuming, lost in her own thoughts again.

Draco heard voices nearby, but he didn't take in what they were saying. He realized he was lying on his back in a soft, warm bed. He also realized that he had a small headache and felt as if he had been sleeping for hundreds of years. His head was so cloudy it was amazing he could actually think at all and his eyes felt as though they were gummed shut. After about 15 minutes of deciding whether or not to move, he noticed that the voices had stopped, so he gingerly opened his eyes, only to shut them again quickly to block out the harsh light. He tried to open his eyes again, bringing his hands up to rub them hard.

A while later he was looking round the empty hospital wing. As he slowly sat up, supporting himself with his right arm, he noticed Hermione Granger in the bed next to him. She had her eyes closed and looked like she was thinking deeply about something, fiddling with her fingers as she did so. He wondered if he should say something but opted for just sitting and watching for a little longer. He got quite a surprise when she turned her head towards him.

"I know you have been watching me. I can feel it. I'm sorry but I am going to have to ask you to stop. It bothers me and I can't think." She said hurriedly but with a sense of authority.

"Sorry…" Draco muttered and turned to play with the corner of his bed sheet. A minute later Hermione spoke again.

"No, I'm sorry. I am being a complete bitch. Are you okay? I can't remember anything that happened after we were thrown from the boat."

"That's okay. Um…well I swam around looking for you and finally you popped up. You had been under for quite a while. I swam you over to the boat and helped you stay up until Hagrid came. Hagrid took us back to the castle, he carried you and I walked. Then when we got here Madame Pomfrey put us both to sleep in these beds, and…well you know the rest." He paused briefly and then said, "It wasn't all that exciting but everyone seemed worried about you." Not bothering to mention that no one had been worried about him.

After sitting in silence for a short length of time, Hermione abruptly stated "Well. I wish everyone wouldn't worry so much. Or rather they would worry at times that actually need some attention. I mean…this wasn't really all that life threatening."

"Yea, I know what you mean. Sometimes people make such a big deal about things that are actually quite trivial in comparison to other things that they have tried to ignore."

For the first time, they shared a brief moment of understanding. The moment was broken and they both turned away. Draco reached for a book on his bedside table and Hermione rolled on her side to continue thinking.

A/N: I am a very bad girl. I haven't updated this for ages. My reason being I wasn't at all inspired and I have been very, very sick. I had whooping cough for a while and now I have another something or other over top of that so I feel really shitty. So I am sorry if this isn't all that good.

Delly