Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.
AN I am so sorry for the long delay, but I have been really busy and for a while it seemed that I had writers block for this chapter, but I finally finished this story and I hope that it turned out ok.
Chapter 19
Forgiveness
Draco pulled himself slowly off the floor, although he was shaking so badly that Dumbledore had to help him up.
Dumbledore lead Draco to seat where he had him sit down, and gestured for the other three to as well. Ron pulled out a chair for Hermione as Harry helped her sit down, and they both sat down on either side of her, each holding one of her hands.
Without saying a word, Dumbledore poured each of them some tea, which none of them touched.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all too busy staring at Draco, who currently was still sobbing.
" Please, have some tea I dare say you all look like you could use some." Dumbledore said.
Harry, who for the past few years had found himself having to talk to Dumbledore right after confrontations with Voldemort, found his voice first.
" Sir, we were attacked by Voldemort."
Dumbledore simply stared at Harry for a moment before saying.
" And how did this happen?"
"It was my fault." Said Draco weakly.
" At the beginning of the year, Voldemort told me he wanted to get information about Harry, and thought the best way to do it would be to get to Hermione since she is best friends with him. He wanted me to make her fall in love with me." Draco said still shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.
" But I didn't want to do it. I don't want to be a death eater. I didn't want to hurt anyone. I never wanted to follow that evil murderous son of a bitch."
At this Dumbledore patted Draco on the back and said warmly.
" Yes, I do not doubt that you did not have much of a choice. Voldemort would have killed you if you disobeyed him and with your father being who he is and all, I am sure that you felt that you had no way out."
" He could have told you." Ron blurted out.
" Aw well, one would think that he could. But Mr. Weasley to fully understand Draco's situation we should not look at it from our own prospective, but rather from Draco's prospective." Dumbledore said. " Now correct me if I am wrong Draco, but it is my understanding that at a very young age, Draco was taught to believe certain things about people that maybe caused him not to come to me. Since he was very young he was raised to believe that he would one day serve Voldemort, and why shouldn't he? His whole family is on Voldemorts side, which meant that he was against my side. However, I believe that when Draco saw what Voldemort truly was and realized he did not want to follow him he felt lost and confused, since he no longer wanted to be on the side that was expected of him, but he couldn't very easily go to the side that he had been brought up all these years to be against. So I think it is fully understandable why Draco did not come to me. "
Silence followed Dumbledore's words, so he continued. " Now that we have cleared that part up why don't you tell me the rest of the story."
It took Draco a few minutes to find his voice. He was shocked at Dumbledore's words and how true they were. He couldn't believe that Dumbledore knew that much about him. After all he had always been taught that Dumbledore was a cook. But he guessed a lot of things he had been taught had been wrong.
" Well not only did I not want to go through with Voldemorts plans I did not think I was going to be able to accomplish them because Hermione and I hated each other and I had no idea how I was going to get her like me." At this he glanced at Hermione, who was staring at him intently back.
" So you can see how surprised I was at how easy it was to get her to like me, but after hearing about how you instructed her to get me to like her to get information about the Dark Lord, I guess now I understand why. Because it was all bullshit." Draco said harshly.
Dumbledore did not correct Draco for his language, he only urged him to go on.
After about a half hour Draco had finally managed to tell Dumbledore the entire story, which by this time Dumbledore was pacing around his office.
After a few moments he turned to Draco and said.
" Today, Draco you realize you put three students in very grave danger."
Draco nodded.
" They were almost killed."
Draco nodded slowly again.
" Yet, they weren't. Because you saved them."
Draco looked up at Dumbledore.
" I think the question that I and every else in this room would like to know Draco is why? I mean if your plan had not worked Voldemort would have killed you."
" He probably is plotting how to kill me now." Draco said quietly. " But I would rather die than see Hermione and the people she cares about get hurt."
" Why is that? I thought you were only pretending to care for Hermione?" Dumbledore said softly.
" No sir, I was pretending that I didn't ." Draco said quietly.
Silence filled the room. It was Dumbledore who finally broke the silence.
" Alright why don't you three," Dumbledore said to Harry, Hermione and Ron " Go to the infirmary. I need to talk to Draco alone for a few moments and then he will be joining you there as well."
Harry and Ron left without complaint, both still looking stunned at what Draco had just said.
However, not as stunned as Hermione, who didn't take her eyes off of Draco until she left Dumbledores office.
The next morning Hermione, Harry, and Ron all went down to breakfast, neither of them really talking, due to their extreme exhaustion from last night's events. They sat by Ginny who was the only one talking and seemed to be a lot warmer towards Hermione after hearing about what happened.
Hermione couldn't help but glance over at the Slytherlin table, searching for Draco, who was no where to be seen.
Hermione sighed, and turned back to her breakfast, which she hadn't even touched.
However, she noticed that she wasn't the only one who wasn't touching her breakfast.
Ron still had a full plate of food, poking at it with his fork.
" He really does care about you Hermione." Ron said quietly still looking down at his food.
" And you really care about him don't you?" He said this time raising his head up and looking at Hermione.
She nodded her head slightly. " That's mad isn't it? After what he did." Hermione said shaking her head.
" Are you kidding he saved our lives after he almost destroyed them. Do you know how much guts that takes? He went against everything he had ever believed in. He gave up everything he was, is, and will be all for love. All because he loved you." Harry said.
" Who could blame him?" Ron said quietly.
" Oh Ron." Hermione said as her eyes filled with tears.
" Go to him Hermione. I know he makes you happy." Ron said with a smile.
Harry smiled as well.
Hermione couldn't find the words to tell her friends what it meant to her that they were supporting her even after everything she put them through.
" Oh I love you guys." She said as she pulled them both into big hugs and kissed them both on the cheek, and then went off to find Draco.
Draco slowly made his way out of the common room.
How can I face them after what I did? He thought to himself.
He couldn't believe how badly he had blow things with Hermione.
He could only hope that by some miracle she could forgive him.
After all he only lied to her, sold her and her friends out to the Dark Lord, and almost raped her. He shook his head. The idea of her forgiving him was laughable.
Also why should she forgive him? She never really loved him. It was all just pretend.
It was all just pretend. It was that very thought that had kept Draco up all night.
All the pain that he had ever felt in his life, was nothing to how bad he felt knowing that she had never really loved him.
At that moment his thoughts were interrupted by, " Draco"
He turned and saw the very person he had just been thinking about.
" Hermione". Draco said, his heart beating faster as Hermione ran up to him.
" How are you?" Hermione asked with a small smile.
" I'm ok, Dumbledore is developing a plan to keep me from going back to my fathers."
" Oh, that's really wonderful Draco." Hermione said as she looked into his eyes, and he into hers.
They both seemed to be lost for words.
" I'm sorry." They both said in unison, which seemed to surprise them back into silence.
" Compared to me you have nothing to be sorry about." Draco said.
" No Draco you" Hermione started but Draco interrupted her.
" No please let me try and get this out before I lose my nerve and can't."
" Look I know I lied to you, betrayed you, and hurt you. And I am so sorry. But as hard as it is to believe I really did love you." Draco said shaking slightly. " I still love you. Even if you only pretended to like me."
" Draco the only pretending I did was to pretend that I never loved you." Hermione said smiling.
Draco's eyes widened. " You mean."
" Yes. I mean I really did love you." It was Hermione's turn to shake now. " And I am sorry for lying to you and I forgive you. I only hope that you can forgive me."
" Of course I forgive you. But why do you forgive me?" Draco asked.
" Because I still love you." Hermione said as her eyes filled with tears.
Draco's eyes filled with tears as he stared at her for a few moments before he leaned in and pulled Hermione into a soft passionate kiss.
The kiss was warm and exactly what they both needed after last nights events.
It seemed like they both throw all of their emotions into this kiss. Which was now growing more and more passionate.
Finally they pulled apart, and it was Hermione who spoke first.
" You know if we are going to make this work this time we have to be honest with each other."
" Alright" Draco said holding out his hand to Hermione. " Hi I'm Draco Malfoy. I'm formally evil, sometimes downright rude git, but am still the best looking guy in this school."
Hermione laughed and shook Draco's hand, and said, " Well I'm Hemrione Granger, a know it all book worm who is in love with an arrogant git."
" But a good looking arrogant git." Draco said smiling, which Hermione returned.
They just stood there with their hands joined together for a moment before bringing their hands down to their sides, but still not letting go of the other and began walking down the corridor.
Neither of them knowing what was to come, but what they did both know was that they had each other and that was enough for them.
THE ENDAN Well I can't believe I finally finished my story. This was the first story I have ever written and I am just so happy that I finally finished it. I hope you guys liked this chapter as well as this whole story. Even thought it's over I would still really appreciate it if you guys review and let me know what you thought of this story.
Thanks, for all of your reviews which gave me confidence to keep on writing this story along with a few others stories, which you guys can feel free to check out. They are Hermione/ Draco stories as well.
Well once again thanks for sticking with my story.
Candy04
