Turns of Time

Disclaimer: see previous chappies...

Chapter 28

Acceptance


He hugged his knees to his chest. Coldness was seeping in.

His eyes were partly closed. He was seeing through curtains of his lashes.

A figure was approaching. It was standing atop a dune of sand, looking directly at him, he could feels its gaze on him.

He didn't move an inch, he closed his eyes, waiting for the stranger.


His back was leaning against the gnarled trunk of the oak tree by the lake.

He was breathing quite heavily and his vision was swimming in front of him. He felt nauseous. He coughed and mouthfulls of fresh water and blood dribbled down his chin.

For all that he was feeling at the moment he brushed them all aside. He knelt down painfully, and attended on the girl, who lay unconcious upon his feet.

"Hermione, wake up." he whispered rubbing her cheeks lightly.

He fumbled inside his pockets, almost crying. His wand lay forgotten inside the hospital wing.

He sat her up and pounded lightly on her back trying to get her to cough up all the water.

"Come on, I didn't save you earlier this day, for you to just die in front of me tonight." he said feverishly to her ear.

A shadow loomed over them.

"Potter..." he said breathlessly.

Harry was standing above them, watching them with glazed eyes. His knuckles were white as he gripped his wand tightly in his hand. "Malfoy, what---"

"She's not breathing. I-I am afraid I can't help her anymore." His voice was cracking and he was trembling all over. Not because of the cold, but of fear. Fear of losing someone. "Get Madam Pomfrey, please."

Harry stepped back numbly, staring at the scene. Malfoy trembling and crying, while Hermione, his Hermione, lay on his hands, pale and blue.

Harry nodded shocked before turning heel, and running madly back into the castle.


He opened his eyes.

A boy was standing beside him.

He was still curled up, feeling lost, but he was looking at the boy beside him, curiously.

The boy reached out a hand to him. Inside his palm was a white seed. Glinting with the dim light of the sky.

He looked at hesitantly.


He still held her hand, when the school nurse found them.

Color was returning to the girl's complexion, but he was trembling madly beside her.

The nurse gave out a small cry when Draco fell limp beside Hermione, finally releasing her hand.

The professors stood a good few feet away from the scene. Harry and the Headmaster was standing beside the tree, looking at all the proceeding.

When Madam Pomfrey was tending to Malfoy, Harry ran towards Hermione and cradled her in his arms, removing her from the scene. He placed her on soft grass a meter away from all the hubhub.

She opened her eyes and stared into Harry's eyes for a minute.

"How are you?" He whispered as he sat her up. She was still shaking but she was out of danger.

Hermione didn't answer him. She kept looking around her.

"Darco..." she blurted out.

Harry's eyes darkened and Hermione gasped as immense cold radiated from his skin.

"Why?" he asked darkly.

Hermione scrambled out of his arms and stood up weakly. "I-I felt him." She said softly.

Harry's eyes flickered to the ok tree by the lake. Hermione followed his gaze and stumbled to the site.

Madam Pomfrey's hands was trembling as she tended to the Head Boy.

Hermione dropped to her knees as she stared at Draco. He was pale as a ghost. His chest rose and fell quickly and he was trembling from head to toe.

"What happened?" She asked weakly.

"He almost died, saving you, that's what happened." the older woman snapped. "Stupid boy." she added weakly, her voice cracking. The nurse looked at Hermione. "You are really lucky." she added softly.

Hermione's hand were on her mouth as she cried, her other hand stroked Draco's hair gently.

"Miss Granger." She looked up and saw Dumbledore smiling sadly at her.

"I-isn't there anything we can do?"

"I'm afraid not. We just have to wait."

Hermione turned back to Draco as tears blinded her. She moved to his head and placed it on her laps.

"Please wake up, please." she whipered. Her lips brushing on his forehead.


Harry watched them all with extreme sadness. He bit his lip as Hermione leaned forward and kissed Malfoy on the forehead. His right hand dove to his robe pocket and he let out a sigh as he fingered the dagger.

"All's lost...What do you say? Shall we get on with it?"

The translucent form of Nathaniel materialized behind him, laughing.

Harry nodded.


His hands made contact his the boy's. He felt the surprisingly warm surface of the seed on his palm.

He pulled his hand back out of the boys reach with a gasp.

Images flowed into his kind rapidly.

"You need to remember and braek free." the boy said.


A/N: by now, the new comer must be clear to you all already... okies?

now i would like to thank Claire, tricia and Kylala-san for reviewing

As for the replies... you'll see them next time... when i have accumulated more than 3 reviews...

Cme on you guys. clicking that button's not that hard.!

p.s. Claire, Draco didn't die... don't panic. haha!

kitty

:click the review button , please, for me?