Sorry I haven't posted in a while! I have a lot of ideas, but have been having a hard time getting into the flow of any story. I have signed up for 2 festival fics, and I'm super stoked… but this is totally not a procrastination on them :). I am hoping to post a new fic at least once a month… Here we go!
If you're not a dramione person, you can still read this, but please refrain from writing your opinions on Draco/Hermione/dramione/dramione fics in general in the comments, but feel free to critique my writing. Reviews that focus on the shipping pair can be really hurtful and rude, and fanfiction is my safe space where I can be whoever I want. Your ship might not be my ship, but I need you to respect that. Thank you.
TW: Suicide, Major Charecter Death
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its rights,
It took them one minute to kill her only love. One minute to tear her life away from her, and one minute to make her decision. It took them a minute to cut her lifeline, took one minute to kill her soul. It took one minute to run here, on the edge of a cliff.
Her fingers made a constant drum on the seat of the chair, a roar of thunder that thrummed on the wood. It had already been 10 minutes, and while she knew that cases like this could go on forever, the facts were so potent, so strong. It was clear that he became a death eater under duress, but- she wasn't on the Wizengamot. And in the end, no matter how many testimonials she made, no matter how much information she gathered, prejudices ran deeper than blood.
She fingered a bracelet that she held, pulling it off and inspecting it to the light. Flipping it over and looking at the inscription, she felt a smile crest her lips. To Hermione Granger, from your constant among variables, Draco Malfoy. She could still remember the night he gave it to her, in witness of the great blanket of stars, proud in the face of the wind threatening to blow them away. The night held the two of them in its embrace, even though they both knew that it would be the last night they met.
June 29, 1997
She sat in wait for him to come. He was never late, and she wondered what the hold up was. Sighing, she settled down, wrapping her arms around her knees in the crisp chill of summer. Leaning back on an elbow, she raised her arm to the sky, locating the constellation, Draco. Closing her eyes, she leaned back again. Suddenly, the door opened silently, and Hermione grasped her wand. Waiting for the intruder to reveal himself, her breath quickened as she saw the cloaked figure lower his hood.
Dark bags lined the eyes of her boyfriend, and his silver hair looked limp in the soft light of the moon. The door shut with a soft click as Draco stepped forward. A strong gust of wind swept the top of the tower as he swept her into a kiss. Stepping back, he sighed, raking his hand over his face.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way."
The silence was punctuated by his words.
"You had no choice, Draco. You're not a monster, and I know why you had to do this. It's for your mother, and your family. Draco, I know you don't want to do this, but I also know that you have to." She smiled at him, before her expression became grave. "You know that the death of Dumbledore will be one that will start the war? I need you to stay safe, obey your master." Her voice broke. "Please- just get back to me in one piece." A lone tear slipped down her cheek, and his warm hand wiped it away.
"I have something for you. A reminder." said Draco. "But you'll have to use a portkey out of the grounds." He held up a beautiful pearl necklace. "Where's the portkey?" He laughed. The sound was seldom heard these days, and Hermione was grateful for it. "What do you think this," he shook the necklace, "is?" Hermione looked at it, and looked at him. "This? Isn't this a pearl necklace?" He grinned proudly. "Tahitian freshwater pearls." Hermione gaped. "And," he added, "you even get this afterwards as well." Before she could protest, he dropped the necklace onto the ground and pointed his wand at it. "Portus." his wand emitted a warm blue light and the light fell like a water drop onto the necklace. He grinned at her and they touched their fingers to the necklace as it whisked them away.
They landed in a field, the kind that grew on the cliffs on the beach. Draco stepped behind her, pausing to fasten the necklace around her neck. He nodded in approval before stepping back and grabbing her hand. He lead her to the edge of the cliff, where they sat together. Pulling two bottles of butterbeer out his coat pocket, they clinked glasses and gulped their drinks down.
After a while of watching the moonlight settle on the white-crested waves, Draco reached yet again into his pocket, withdrawing a periwinkle pouch. Pulling it open, he withdrew a silver bracelet, presenting it to Hermione.
"You told me once that no one was dependable, everything was constant, and you were tired of people changing, times changing, and you needed something that you could always depend on. I want to be that person, but I am not. But I promise. Promise with all my heart that I will try to be your constant." He paused, caressing her hand with his thumb. "If I am gone, or if…" he cleared his throat. "I don't make it through this war, I promise I will try to watch over you full time. The future is full of possibilities. It's not clear what will happen. But no matter what, I will always try to be your constant."
Present Day
Hermione was jolted back to the present when the doors opened and an auror informed her that it was time for her testimonial. Swallowing back her worries, she stood up, striding through the doors. Confident. In control. Trustworthy. Those words became her mantra, blurring together as she mounted the steps. Her heart broke as she saw him chained to the wooden chair in the centre of the room. "This war was an ugly one. Kidnappings, murder, but I think the worst was blackmail. Draco Malfoy's parents were borne into the stereotypes and prejudices of pureblood society, and thus those ideals were a large part, I might even say huge, of his childhood. I'm not going to say that he did everything right, but I will say that he did not have any choices." Some of the wizengamot shifted disapprovingly.
"We all lost something in the war," Hermione continued. "For me, I lost my parents. The war cost Harry his parents as well. We also lost many of our family members and friends. But let me tell you something else. There is another war. But this war is silent. It's stealthy, and it feels like just a couple of instances, unremarkable, unimportant. But this war is deadly. And this war will never end, unless we stop seeing people as 'we and them'. 'Purebloods and mudbloods.'" The courtroom shifted uncomfortably at hearing the word 'mudblood' escape from her lips.
"This war is an internal one. It grows on misunderstandings and mistakes. It grows on stereotypes and assumptions. And it will never end until we understand this. People don't fit a mold. It's not black and white, not evil and good. It's shades of grey, and we all possess a bit of evil, or a bit of good. I believe- no I know that Draco Malfoy is good. Yes, he did call me a mudblood throughout our years in Hogwarts, but I know that he didn't believe it himself, and he just thought he believe in it because his parents told it to him, and- you believe what your parents tell you. Draco stopped calling me a mudblood in 6th year. That was the same year he was forced, under the lives of his parents, to become a death eater. This shows one thing. Draco Malfoy might be easy to control, might be slightly cowardly, but he is loyal. He cares about his family, and he is capable of emotion." She felt her tone getting loud, so she paused.
"Furthermore, he did not reveal our identities when we were held in Malfoy Manor. He hesitated, although you could see that he knew who we were. If Draco Malfoy was a real Death Eater, and his loyalties were with his lord, Voldemort," she wet her lips. "Then he wouldn't have paused to call his lord."
Entering the last stages of her argument, she paused, recalling her mental notes to the forefront of her mind, smoothing down the periwinkle pantsuit that she wore. "Draco Malfoy's only crime is loyalty and obedience to his parents. And Draco Malfoy lowered his wand on the night Albus Dumbledore died. He became a death eater under duress, and he did it to save his parents. He was under continued pressure this whole war, and I think he suffered as much, if not more, than I did. Now close your eyes." To her surprise, they actually did.
"Now forget barriers. Forget what you lost for just a moment. Now look at this boy who put everything on the line for his parents, who sold his innocence, his freedom, to keep his family safe. I know you would do the same for those who you love. When you look at him, do you see someone deserving of Azkaban? Do you see someone who hasn't suffered? No. I see someone who has made mistakes, but I also see someone who did the wrong things for the right reason. Draco Malfoy is innocent." And with that, she walked down the aisle, once again repeating her mantra. Confident. In control. Trustworthy.
The auror escorted her back into the courtroom for the verdict. Trying hard to keep a grasp on her confidence, she straightened her spine, making sure steps to the benches, where she sat down, sitting on her hands to stop their trembling.
"Our fair court has made it's decisions, weighing all the evidence we were provided with." The head judge continued speaking. "Our final verdict is that Draco Malfoy is guilty of all crimes," Hermione's gasp was heard through the room as she clasped her hands over her mouth, hoping with all her mind, as he delivered his next words. "And will be sentenced to the dementor's kiss."
Hermione's eyes locked onto Draco's. His resigned expression told her all she needed to know. He was going to take it. But Hermione wasn't going to go down without a fight. She ran to him, eyes filled with tears. "What will happen to my constant?" she whispered. He sighed, caressing her hand like he usually did. "I told you what I would do if I didn't make it out alive." His voice was cracked and scratchy from being unused. "But I… I can't do this with-without you. You need to be here! What happened to our dreams, our wishes. Why are you just giving up!" She stopped whispering. "I can't do this without you, knowing I could've saved you." He sighed. "But you couldn't have. The wizengamot doesn't give a shite about testimonials, or evidence unless it's absolutely deciding. There's nothing you could've done. Hermione- please just… live your life and forget about me. Please." She sobbed. "No. No. No!" She stood up and screamed at the judges. "You can't do this! You know that he isn't guilty! The evidence is substantial. You know this isn't right! Please!" They were unmoved. "Ms. Granger. Please control yourself." She collapsed into herself. "Please." she whispered.
She stood up and dragged herself to him. Cradling his face in her hands, she kissed him. Whispers broke out as she pressed her lips against his. "Hermione," he whispered. "You have to let go."
She stayed by his side as they droned on and on about the procedures of a dementor's kiss, and what would happen. His hand traced circles on the back of her hand. His hand was still warm. "Aurors Harry Potter and Ron Weasley will bring in the dementor now." Hermione's head swiveled to look at them. They were unflinching. "Harry," she whispered. "Ron. You don't have to do this!" she cried. "Please! It isn't right!" They didn't even look at her as they replied to the head judge. "Yes sir."
Hermione Granger had a plan. As the dementor was brought in, Harry was stoic and Ron's face was filled with glee. She was escorted back to the bench. Hermione gripped her wand. As the dementor was given it's orders, she recalled memories of Draco. Draco laughing, Draco smiling, Draco tickling her until they collapsed laughing in the grass. As the dementor bent down, Hermione whipped out her wand crying Expecto Patronum. Her new patronus after the war was a dragon. It reared its head as it flew through the air towards the dementor. The demeanor retreated hastily as Hermione's patronus swooped triumphantly through the tall, honey-wooden ceilings of the courtroom before it curled around her. Chaos broke out as Ron herded the dementor back to Draco and Harry took away her wand and held her wrists behind her back.
"Let me go!" she shrieked. "Let me-" her magic bursted, burning Harry and adding a protective shield around Draco. The head judge nodded to Harry as he took a golden rope and tied Hermione's hands together. "It's for the best." he whispered. "Fuck you, Harry. You wouldn't know best if it hit you in the face. You don't even know how to love." In the blink of an eye, his face settled back into stoicism as he stepped back. "Ms. Granger. If you can't control yourself, we must ask you to leave." Hermione's eyes sparked with tears as she sat back down onto the bench as Draco's shield disappeared. "Any last words, Mr. Malfoy?" The head judge sneered down at the prisoner. "I love you, Hermione, and I intend to fulfill my promise. Stay safe, and…" He paused, tears forming in his eyes. "Please. Forget me."
As the dementor swooped down from his spot on the ceiling, his black robes signifying her pain, her hopes, and her wishes, and her dreams, he sucked away the soul of the kindest, most compassionate wizard she had ever known.
Her tears dripped down her face, making a puddle on the floor between her legs. Slowly, she rose to her feet, untying the golden rope and letting it drop to the floor. She lifted his limp body up and faced the judge. "Are you happy now? Knowing that you took away the life of a boy 17 years old? Are you happy knowing that you got rid of one of the best wizards of this age? Are you happy now that you've killed the man I love? ARE YOU HAPPY?" She was screaming now, and she sucked in deep breaths. "I thought I ended the war so people could be free. I thought I ended this war so everything could be fair again. But I guess I ended a war where people are killed before you can get to know them. I guess I ended a war so the unfairness, prejudice, and injustice can fill the world again. A world I no longer want to be a part of." And with those parting words, she snatched her wand from Harry, hoisted Draco's limp body up, and apparated away.
Hermione sat on the tall sea cliffs of Dorset, England. The place where Draco gave her the silver necklace that she tugged from her wrist. Draco had been given to Narcissa Malfoy who was on house arrest. She took the silver bracelet and transfigured it into a quill, tugging a piece of parchment loose. She knew that she was being overly dramatic, but she was so angry, so sad, so raw. Pulling a silver knife from her jacket pocket, she stared at the inscription as she pulled her coat tighter around her body. A hot tear fell from her eye onto the cold metal. Forever. Forever ended today for her.
A thin line of crimson bubbled up on her wrist. Gathering it up onto her quill, she wrote three words. Satisfied, she laid the silver bracelet onto the parchment so it wouldn't blow away, then lifted up the silver knife and plunged it into a deep cut on her other wrist. Blood slowly dripped down her wrist, falling off her fingers as she stood. Her blood kept on pooling in two puddles on the ground as she stepped back and jumped into the sea.
It took the aurors a couple of hours to trace her apparition, but when they got there, all they found was a silver bracelet with the inscription To Hermione Granger, from your constant among variables, Draco Malfoy, and a piece of parchment with the words You killed me written in blood atop a tall cliff looking down at the ocean.
The rain fell like tears from the sky as the wind screamed with all the grief, all the pain, all the hopelessness- of someone who lost the last person keeping her alive.
Ok. Well then, goodbye. Go read something fluffy while I crawl into a corner to cry.
