7.

SECTUMSEMPRA

Hermione strutted into the room without even noticing who or what was around. The eclectic music sounded loud in her ears, and she made a beeline for the table of refreshments. She went straight to pour herself a firewhisky shot and downed it in one gulp, closing her eyes.

"Might want to pace yourself before you wake up from a blackout Merlin knows where," a familiar drawling voice said beside her.

"Not in the mood for banter, Malfoy," Hermione told him. She didn't hear him again for a few seconds and thought he might have left when a hand wrapped around her elbow.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a low voice close to her ear.

She shook her head, infinitesimally hating how that seemed to be the question of the week. She felt conflicted by the rush of affection and desire that raced in tight spirals down her spine and the tiny sliver of guilt Harry's words had created in her mind. Was she a traitor? Was she a fool?

She finally opened her eyes and barely had time to see Malfoy's concerned expression before Harry came in and wracked the blonde's hand from her arm.

"What do you think you're doing, Malfoy?" he asked with ill-concealed disgust. "Let her go."

Malfoy looked between Harry and Hermione, his eyes turning to slits as Professor Slughorn reached them, putting one arm around each of them.

"My dear boys, please let's keep this night peaceful, yes?" he requested. "Mr Malfoy, why don't you attend to your date, she's been looking for you. Harry, let me introduce you to—"

"One moment, Professor," Harry interrupted as Malfoy stormed off. "Hermione, what just happened back there? Can we talk?"

Slughorn spattered beside him, mildly offended that Harry Potter had brushed him off so early in the evening.

"I have nothing to say to you right now, Harry," Hermione said, noticing without care about how childish she sounded.

"Come on, Harry," Ginny said appearing on his other side and clutching his arm. "Give her some space."

Slughorn, Ginny and Harry walked away towards a small group of witches and wizards, including Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's father, who seemed to have been introduced to Rolf and was regaling him with a story.

"There's an odd bunch if I've ever seen one," a new voice said beside Hermione, startling her.

She turned to the spot Malfoy had vacated and saw a woman she knew of, but had never talked to before. Up-close, Hermione noticed how the woman exuded the kind of timeless beauty which a few wrinkles couldn't get rid of. Half of her shiny, long, greying hair was tied back in a series of thin braids and two walnut-sized round and purple earrings framed her face. Like the first time Hermione had seen her, her wrists were covered by chunky bracelets and her dress was flowy and ethereal-looking with a lavender and purple tinge to it, made from several layers of thin material. She was a beautiful woman with an air of wisdom and mystery around her.

When she'd spoken, Hermione had noticed a slight French accent in her voice, though not as evident as Fleur Delacour's. This woman had been living in England for several years already.

"Hello, dear," the woman said, extending her hand, which Hermione shook. "You must be Miss Hermione Granger."

"Just Hermione, please," she said and the woman smiled. The wrinkles around her eyes gave her a kind, approachable look.

"Pardon me, I'm Professor Marie Gournie," she said, pronouncing the "r" with a bit of a guttural sound. "I teach Alchemy for your fellow Slug Club friends in Slytherin."

Professor Gournie motioned air quotes when she said "Slug Club" and laughed a little as though the name amused her.

"I know," Hermione said. "But I'm confused, I didn't know Alchemy classes were being offered at Hogwarts."

"Oh, I'm sure," Gournie said emphatically. "I believe Dumbledore taught a very select group of students whenever he found someone exceptionally interested, but he hadn't done it for years."

"You knew Dumbledore?" Hermione asked intrigued.

"Oh, yes indeed," Gournie said with a fond smile. "When I was a young witch, fresh out of Beauxbatons with crazy ideas and eager to learn more, while in Paris, Albus introduced me to one of his old friends, a man who turned out to be my greatest and dearest Alchemy teacher. For over forty years I was his disciple. I followed him and his wife to England almost ten years ago, until something terrible happened."

Hermione's eyes were wide listening to the story, completely captured by the dulcet tones of Professor Gournie.

"What happened?" Hermione asked in a whisper, feeling the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place.

"Someone got a hold of his secret," Gournie continued gravelly. "Someone very dangerous almost got his hands on a weapon far more legendary than He had ever been: The Philosopher's Stone."

Hermione gasped in recognition. "You were Nicolas Flamel's disciple?"

Gournie's expression morphed into a beaming smile and she put her hand on Hermione's shoulder, squeezing lightly for a second before letting go. "You are the brightest witch of your age!" she gushed. "Horace wasn't exaggerating, then."

"Well," Hermione began, slightly embarrassed. She hated the saying, but coming from Professor Gournie, it sounded more like a compliment than ever. "I did a lot of research on Flamel during my first year. There's just not enough information out there."

"I know," the older woman said. "He was rather private, especially considering what he possessed."

"I understand."

Professor Gournie looked at her with a pensive expression. "Maybe one day you could help me put some thoughts together and write them down. I'm not the best with words, I much rather prefer measurements and quantities, you see."

Gournie chuckled at her own joke and Hermione smiled, her spirits already lifted since she'd entered the party.

"I always thought it would be interesting to celebrate the accomplishments and memory of Mr Flamel, but I'd actually like to do it highlighting how crucial Perenelle was for him."

"Was that his wife's name?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, a brilliant woman, very French, elegant, with striking beauty," Gournie responded. "I was admittedly more taken with her than I was him, to be honest, physically and intellectually…but he didn't seem to mind as he always ended up on the forefront."

"She sounds wonderful," Hermione commented with a smile. She wanted to know everything about this woman and all she'd done. "I'd be honoured to write your stories."

"Thank you, dear," Gournie said. "Let's get together one day and have a chat in a quieter place, yeah?"

Hermione nodded just as Astoria approached them, pulling Malfoy by the hand behind her. Hermione took the chance to really look at him this time. He wore an immaculate suit, more festive than she'd seen him in, with black dress trousers, a deep green velvet blazer, a white shirt and dark green tie. His hair seemed to have some kind of product in it, having slicked back the sides and pulled the long strands at the top to the side with a straight parting. He also wore a thin tie pin in gold, which was a departure from the Slytherin silver. She secretly loved, as small as it was, that simple accessory matched her dress.

Astoria looked fabulous in a long, sleeveless, creamy-white, fluffy chiffon dress with pearl and silver details on the back and shoulders. Her shoes weren't visible under her dress, but today she stood at the same height as Malfoy, taller than Hermione now. Her blond hair had been pinned in a complicated updo, which showed off her slender neck. It was no surprise how she was turning heads as she passed by the other guests.

"Professor Gournie," Astoria greeted enthusiastically before releasing Malfoy's hand and embracing the older woman. "I'm so glad you made it, isn't this fantastic?"

The girl motioned to the room, decorated in silver and white tinsel, small lights dancing around and a thin dusting of enchanted snow falling from the ceiling to almost their heads. The music clashed a bit with the atmosphere, but the room looked positively Christmas-y.

"You've outdone yourself, my dear," Gournie said kindly.

Hermione looked at Malfoy, who still hadn't said anything, and she found he was gazing at her with intensity. What could he be thinking at that moment?

Suddenly, several plates of appetisers appeared on the table next to them and Professor Gournie started handing them smaller plates for them to eat. Hermione ate a few bites and set it back down, but Malfoy kept it empty, down by his side, still watching her. Gournie moved in between Astoria and him and squeezed their shoulders, her chunky bracelets making loud clanking noises.

"Ah, my best students," she gushed. "Hermione, these two will go far, mark my words."

Malfoy snorted and rolled his eyes, but she could tell he was flattered by the attention.

"I'm only sad I didn't get to have you," Gournie said pouting slightly and pointing with her whole hand towards Hermione. "Bloody brilliant woman."

"She is," Malfoy said for the first time. Astoria looked at him with a mixture of surprise and defeat.

Hermione felt her cheeks getting hot as the music slowed down. There was an awkward pause before Professor Slughorn ambled over to ask for Professor Gournie's hand for a dance and Hermione smiled as she watched them hold each other and step slowly next to Harry and Ginny, who were slow dancing but also having a quiet conversation very close together.

Harry looked up to Hermione who, avoiding his eyes, directed hers towards the pair next to her. Astoria was gazing wistfully at Malfoy, who had his hands in his pockets and seemed to be fascinated with the snow above.

"Draco!" somebody called from the far corner of the room. Theo motioned for him to go over where he and Blaise were nursing drinks and watching their dates dance together.

Malfoy nearly jumped at the opportunity to leave the awkward scene, so he went to them, leaving his date behind without another word. Hermione furrowed her brows at him.

"It's okay," Astoria said beside her. Hermione saw her look at Malfoy's retreating form with longing. "I know he's not into me the way I'd like him to. I've been dragging him around this whole party all night. He just doesn't want to tell me to piss off for Theo's sake."

Astoria finished with a long, sad sigh and Hermione didn't know how to respond. On one hand, she felt the need to support a woman suffering from unrequited love like she'd done for Ginny when Harry barely knew she existed. On the other hand, she thought she might be stepping into a thorn bush called a conflict of interest.

"He likes you," Astoria said matter-of-factly. Hermione opened her mouth ready to deflect when the other witch raised her hand with a small smile. "Save it. I know he trusts you, I know he's told you a lot because I'm his friend, first and foremost, but to him, you're…whatever you want to be, I guess. He's quite smitten."

"I don't know—"

"Just don't hurt him, okay?" Astoria said with a sad expression. "He's been through enough and he's more sensitive than he wants to let on."

Hermione took in a sharp breath. She didn't know this girl very well, but she admired the way she conceded to letting go the boy he liked, accepting he might want to be with somebody else, as long as he was happy. Romantically, Hermione had never been able to do that. Even when Ron broke her heart to be with Lavender, Hermione had taken to crying and moping around instead of fighting back. Then, when they were together and she'd wanted out, he hadn't been able to step up either. How sad was it to think that she and the only love she'd ever known hadn't been made for each other?

Watching Malfoy at the other side of the room chuckle at some joke Theo had said, his whole face illuminating beautifully, she wanted to tell Astoria that somebody else would come along and sweep her off her feet when she least expected it. But the words died in her throat thinking how she'd feel if the girl who'd taken the boy she fancied was the one telling her she'd find someone else.

Astoria walked away to join her sister and Tracie Davis once the music picked back up. Hermione grabbed a glass of water from a floating tray that was moving around and saw Ginny and Harry had disentangled themselves, as well.

For the third time that night, Draco Malfoy approached her before she could go to Harry and Ginny, now chatting with Rolf and Luna.

"Sorry I left you alone with Astoria," he said. "I know she's not your favourite person."

"She's growing on me," Hermione said lightly and Malfoy looked relieved that she wasn't pushing him away. "She may or may not have given me her blessing, actually."

"Her what?" he said confused.

"She seems to think you fancy me and she told me not to hurt you," she said with a shrug.

"Does she, now?" he responded in a hoarse voice, moving closer. "I think it's your dress. I can't stop admiring you."

"Just the dress, huh?" she asked, feeling playful. "And here I thought it was my brains you enjoyed, me being brilliant and all…"

"That too," he said, smirking and running his thumb under one of her dress straps. "There's very little of you I don't like, even if I haven't seen everything."

She scoffed at his brazenness but her cheeks betrayed how much she was enjoying it.

"It'd still be less trouble going for Astoria," she challenged looking him in the eye. "She's beautiful, intelligent, a very capable witch, a pure-blooded Slytherin. Right up your alley."

She saw his silver eyes flash with irritation and his smirk faltered before he composed himself back. Why she was trying to get a rise out of him, she couldn't say.

"I could put in a good word for you if you'd like," he responded sardonically. "You seem to have given her much thought lately."

He finished by wiggling his eyebrows and she snorted, slapping him lightly in the chest before he caught her hand against it.

Out of nowhere, Harry was grabbing that same hand by her wrist and he was pushing her back.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" he demanded angrily in a low voice.

"What are you doing?" she retorted, pulling her hand back.

"Don't answer my question with a different one," Harry said. "You know what I mean."

Malfoy was trying to get to them, but Ginny pushed through. "What's this?" she asked worriedly.

"She's flirting with Malfoy!" Harry bellowed with disgust.

"Harry!" Ginny said in alarm.

"We're not having this discussion here," Hermione said panting and on the verge of tears. "But know this, Harry Potter: I'll be the one to decide who I'm going to flirt with and I'll do it with whoever I damn well please!"

Hermione stormed out through the opposite door they'd come in, out onto the corridor in the sixth floor.

As soon as she closed the door behind her, the silence engulfed her as her ears continued to ring. She wiped her tears in vain, with new ones falling right after, and walked down a few paces before sitting down, taking her shoes off and sobbing down on her hands. She cried out of emotional exhaustion, frustration and rage. Her heart was torn between wanting to feel like a regular teenager, falling for a boy she liked who made her feel beautiful and special, and the logical side of it, which told her that there was an easier way which didn't bring this much hurt or division between her and her friends.

She hated being the girl who ended up with mascara tears down her face, sitting on a dirty floor and bawling her eyes out. She was wearing the most gorgeous dress she'd ever worn and, instead of enjoying the party, she was alone and broken because of a boy. But it wasn't just a boy, was it? It was Malfoy, a tortured soul who, despite his past, had changed and become someone who put his trust in her, shared his secrets with and had managed to touch her brain and skin in the most delicious ways.

The door she'd slammed shut minutes ago opened, carrying out raised voices which mingled with the loud music, before it closed again. Hermione heard somebody's steps walking towards her until she felt them sit down to her left. She immediately knew who it was, she could smell his fragrance. She let her hands fall on her lap but kept her eyes closed and leaned her head gently on his shoulder, sniffling.

"That escalated quickly," Malfoy commented in a light tone, but neither of them laughed.

"I don't know how to handle this," Hermione confessed.

"I do," he said firmly. "We just have to push through."

She admired his resilience. He'd always had that in him, she thought. Even when his father sold his family out to the Dark Lord, Draco and his mother kept fighting for their survival.

"You shouldn't let people dictate who you are or what to do," he said convincingly.

"Are you following your own advice?"

"I've started to."

She touched her left palm flat against his right, just two hands barely touching.

"Why is this so difficult?" she whispered mostly to herself. "With Ron, I had him so close but so far away for so long…Then I finally had him and it wasn't enough. He didn't even fight for it."

"Everything that matters is worth fighting for," Malfoy responded quietly.

After pondering this for a few moments, she moved her fingers, interlacing their hands. It was a step, a signal. They were in this together.

They stayed like that for a long time. It could have been minutes or hours, she couldn't tell. Her backside felt numb and her legs were cold, but she didn't want to move or untangle their hands. His felt slightly rough and warm.

She was startled when the door to Slughorn's office opened again. The music had come down to a low volume, so it wouldn't be long before everyone started filing out.

"So this is it?" Harry's loud voice rang along the corridor.

Hermione sighed and opened her puffy eyes before she let go of Malfoy and they raised from the floor together.

"No, don't stop snuggling on my account," Harry said sarcastically.

"You've always been a pain in the arse, Potter," Malfoy said. "But especially now, you are being a right arsehole."

"I'm sorry, who asked your opinion?" Harry responded angrily. "Last time I checked, you were a Death Eater."

"Get with the times, then."

Hermione stepped forward, her shoes forgotten. She felt small standing in between Harry and Malfoy.

"That's enough," she said to Harry, sounding completely exhausted.

"When did this start, huh?" he asked looking at Malfoy over her head. They both maintained a fighting stance. "Did you just forget a war happened because of people like him?"

"Harry, you're right out of line!" she roared.

"You know nothing about me," Malfoy said more calmly.

"I know plenty, Malfoy," Harry responded. "The question is, what have you told her to get her on your side? We all know you lie for your own benefit no matter what. What's the end goal here?"

"What are you saying?" she cried. "Are you hearing yourself right now?"

"Stop defending him!" Harry said furiously. "What is wrong with you, Hermione?"

"With me?!" she yelled. "It's you who's being a hypocritical, prejudiced git!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from the girl who's been called a 'Mudblood' multiple times by the same guy you've apparently been snogging!"

Her best friend saying that word made her skin crawl and her hair stand up on her arms.

"Stop right there, Potter," Malfoy intervened. "Before you end up hurting her more than you mean to."

"Oh, so you're protecting our friendship now?" Harry said, still furious. "If you cared about hurting Hermione, you wouldn't be messing around with her."

"That's for her to decide, isn't it?" asked Malfoy, narrowing his eyes.

"Like hell, it is!" Harry shouted and drew out his wand.

"Harry, stop!" Hermione yelled, suddenly scared of where this could go when wands entered the fight. She looked behind and, sure enough, Malfoy had his out too. She held a placating hand towards both of them. "I'm not a damsel in need of rescue," she said fiercely. "So both of you back down. Now!"

They didn't obey. In fact, they moved closer.

"Step aside, Hermione," Harry warned.

"No!" she shouted. "Stop!"

She saw Harry move before she could react.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled.

Malfoy was quicker. He'd already put an arm in front of Hermione and pushed her to the side before he threw a nonverbal protecting spell over them.

"Still using that, Potter? And aloud?" Malfoy taunted. "Pathetic. And you call yourself an Auror…"

"Stupify!"

Malfoy moved his wand upwards and protected himself once more.

"Fight, you coward!" Harry yelled.

"No, stop!" Hermione shouted. She was reaching for her wand inside of her dress, fumbling with nerves through layers of slippery satin fabric. She'd stun them if she had to. This was maddening!

Harry shot a curse at Malfoy, this time without a verbal incantation, and Malfoy smirked as he protected himself yet again. This wasn't about Hermione anymore. Harry had spent years wanting to duel Malfoy, to catch him and give him hell, because he thought he deserved it. Hermione saw the rage in Harry's eyes in a way she hadn't seen in a long time. She remembered how he looked when he ran after Bellatrix when she killed Sirius, when he'd used the Cruciatus curse for the first time. Was he capable of that now?

"There you go," Malfoy said in a gentle tone.

"Don't egg him on, you idiot!" Hermione said.

"This isn't Dueling Club anymore, Potter," he kept saying over her. "Come on. Let it out."

In seconds, the corridor turned into an echo of the Battle of Hogwarts. Jinxes and curses flying around, rebounding off protective spells, while Harry advanced on Malfoy and the latter provoked him.

Hermione found her wand at last, but there was so much confusion in between spells that she didn't dare cast anything in case something went wrong and they were seriously harmed because of her. Harry wasn't holding back and she could see the battle was wearing on Malfoy, who started struggling to keep Harry at bay. Malfoy was protecting and deflecting more than he was attacking, and Hermione could only feel sympathetic towards him.

"What's happening here?!" a female voice rang behind them. "Harry!"

It was Ginny. Hermione turned around and saw a group of people exiting the party. Ginny started running down the corridor but stopped when she saw the brawl.

"Somebody stop them!" she yelled.

Harry was becoming frustrated. He kept screaming at Malfoy to fight back instead of being a coward like he'd been all his life.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry yelled full of rage.

Hermione stepped up to grab the arm holding his wand, but she was too late. The curse shot out of Harry's wand and her movement had caught Malfoy by surprise. He'd been about to cast a stunning spell, but her appearance right next to Harry had startled him. Thrown off-balance, he barely had a second to cast a protective spell strong enough almost at the same time as a Stupify. The angle and mix of spells made them rebound the worst possible way, hitting Hermione on her left shoulder and sending her backwards.

Time seemed to slow down all of a sudden. She felt the full force of two combined spells like a cannon, then the immediate pain of her skin being slashed open. It hurt in a way she'd never felt before, and she'd been through a war. She'd been tortured by a psychotic woman, knocked down by a powerful striking curse and petrified before. None of that hurt as much as this. In the few seconds it took for her body to completely shut down, nothing hurt more than a horrible curse lacerating her skin, soaking her dress with blood, cast by her best friend and intended for someone she already cared deeply about.

There were so many voices around, but she couldn't distinguish them, the world was fading fast and if this was how it ended, she'd be angry that she wouldn't be able to say goodbye.

· - ·

It wasn't goodbye. Hermione woke up feeling like a ton of bricks had fallen over her, with her left arm numb and a dry mouth. Her other hand felt warmer than the rest, there was something around it. She squeezed and felt an answering pressure. It took her a few tries to be able to open her eyes.

"Hermione?" a soft voice said as she blinked awake.

Finally, she noticed she was laying down on a bed in the hospital wing at Hogwarts, a familiar but unnerving scene. Next to her, holding her hand and giving her a sad smile was Ginny, now make-up free and in regular muggle clothes. Hermione knew something very serious had happened, but she couldn't fully remember. She'd argued with Harry; she could still hear him yelling. She'd been crying. And then…nothing.

"What happened?" Hermione asked hoarsely.

"You don't remember?" Ginny asked in response and Hermione shook her head a little and furrowed her brows when it hurt. "You should rest."

"Tell me," Hermione demanded.

Ginny reached on the bedside table for a glass of water and helped Hermione drink, buying herself time. When she was done, Hermione kept looking at her expectantly.

"Harry and Malfoy had a fight," Ginny began with a sigh as flashes of light and shouting came to Hermione's mind. "Harry…He used a terrible curse, but somehow it rebounded and it hit you. Luckily, it mixed with Malfoy's protection spell and it wasn't as powerful. Professor Gournie did something to stop the bleeding and you were brought here."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears. She remembered now, the pain of the curse slashing her skin, sharp as a knife, and the frustration of knowing that after having survived so much for almost ten years, she could die like that. Bleeding out from a rebounded curse in a childish fight.

"How long?" Hermione croaked.

"It's Sunday now, just after dawn."

Hermione nodded, putting her thoughts in order.

"Where is Harry and…Draco?" she asked and if Ginny was surprised at the name change, she didn't let on.

"McGonagall came to fetch them right away, she was furious," Ginny explained. "Last time Harry used that curse on Malfoy he only got detention because he was ignorant of its effects, but now…I don't know what could happen, because he's not in school anymore. He'll be sacked from Auror training, probably."

"He won't be," Hermione said. "He's Harry effing Potter."

"Hermione!" Ginny said in a loud scornful whisper. "Really?"

Hermione's shoulder was starting to wake up, she was feeling pins and needles down her arm now. She sighed.

"Harry will be fine, I'm sure," she said with a tinge of resentment.

Harry had always been more protected than he thought, and even when Dumbledore was gone, his status as the wizarding world saviour granted him more than a few passes. To her, fighting Draco the way he'd done was a disappointment, but she couldn't deny that she still loved him as a friend. Stupid Gryffindors, she heard Draco's voice say in her head.

Thinking of him, Hermione didn't have that much faith. He could be expelled at any moment for any stupid reason and he'd been so good thus far at avoiding confrontations. But fighting Harry would be the stupidest reason to go back to house arrest without completing his education. As much as he'd tried to defend himself, he'd also been taunting Harry, relishing in his anger. Stupid Slytherin, she thought.

Madam Pomfrey entered the room from her office. She carried a tray of potions and ointments.

"I'm going to pack, but I'll be back before we leave, okay?" Ginny said, patting Hermione's hand and standing up. "Unless…Do you want me to stay for the holidays with you?"

"No, you go ahead and be with your family," Hermione responded. "I'll be right here when you get back. At least out of the hospital, I hope."

"Yes, yes, don't worry, dear," Madam Pomfrey said as she placed her tray on the bedside table. "These potions Professor Gournie provided are excellent. The curse wounds will scar, but the rest of the arm will be fully functional in just a few days."

Ginny left and Madam Pomfrey set to work on undressing Hermione's shoulder, applying ointment and measuring doses of potion which Hermione drank with a grimace. She was only glad she wouldn't be missing any classes this time.

Thanks to Sleeping Draught, she promptly fell deeply asleep. It was only a few hours after that the big door to the hospital and several people coming in awoke her again. A very stern-looking Professor McGonagall, followed by Harry, Ginny and—to Hermione's surprise—Theo, walked up to her bed.

"Miss Granger," McGonagall greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Hermione looked around at the others. Ginny went to her right side, exactly where she'd been before. Theo moved to the opposite side where the new dressing was resting on her shoulder and her arm was below the sheets. He glanced at it grimacing. Harry stood to McGonagall's side, a few feet away from Ginny. He looked quite hard-faced.

"I've been better, Professor," Hermione said to her.

"We're about to leave for Hogsmeade Station," Ginny said. "We just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery."

Ginny said the last sentence while looking at Harry, who glanced down at his shoes. An uncomfortable silence took over the group before he cleared his throat loudly and raised his head to fix his eyes on Hermione's shoulder.

"I never meant for you to get hurt," he said gravely.

"Look at me," Hermione demanded and he obeyed. "I forgive you, Harry."

His shoulders sagged as though a heavy weight had been lifted from them. He didn't smile as Ginny did, but he sighed in relief.

"However," Hermione continued. "I can't forget how you always disregard my judgement every time it doesn't suit what you think is right. You are a leader, Harry, a damn good one, but you need to learn how to listen to others before you make rash decisions."

Harry looked rightfully chastised. Ginny took his hand in support but nodded in agreement with what Hermione was saying.

"Mr Potter has agreed to visit me at least twice a month next semester to work on issues like those you mentioned," McGonagall announced.

"Good," Hermione said curtly.

"Have some rest, Miss Granger," McGonagall said dismissively. "I'll see you soon."

"Yes, Professor." Hermione wanted to ask about Draco, she wanted to talk to McGonagall and try not to get him expelled, but she recognised this wasn't the moment. Maybe later she'd even get to see him.

McGonagall led Ginny towards the door while Harry stayed behind. He looked at Theo questioningly, but when the other boy didn't move, Harry took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said. "I really am."

Tears welled in her eyes and she saw his becoming glassy too. The lump in her throat prevented her from speaking, so she only nodded in response. He patted her hand just like Ginny had done before and walked away, turning once he reached the door to look at Theo once more.

Theo stood silently rooted beside Hermione for a few minutes while she wiped her tears. She wasn't sure why she didn't feel embarrassed crying in front of him, but his quiet presence soothed her.

"Turns out it's not easy being Potter, is it?" he finally spoke with a hint of mirth in his voice.

The comment took Hermione by surprise, she snorted unladylike and let out a brief chuckle, followed by a grimace when she felt the pang in her shoulder.

"Sorry," Theo said worriedly.

"It's okay, I needed that," she said and looked up at him. "Thank you."

He walked around her bed to her good side and dragged a small chair from the wall next to her bedside table before sitting down.

"With all the points he'd won in my mind from beating Voldemort," Theo said. "He lost like half last night."

"Yeah, well," Hermione said. "Not the first time I've been hurt badly on his watch."

"So I've heard."

She couldn't resist it anymore. "Where's Draco?" she asked, trying to sound as casual as Theo often did, but failing miserably. He smirked.

"He'll be in detention most mornings through the holidays," Theo explained. "I believe Professor Gournie vouched for him and Saint McGonagall agreed to him doing extra work and having weekly meetings with her."

"That's it?" Hermione asked, completely surprised.

"Hard to believe, but yes," he said smiling. "It helped that his memories showed him mostly defending himself."

Hermione exhaled deeply, feeling some of the tension she'd been carrying leaving her.

"McGonagall said if there was someone right now who wanted to see him succeed, it was her," Theo continued. "But he also needs to work on himself."

Hermione nodded, feeling a rush of affection and gratitude for the Headmistress. She seemed to have grown to trust Draco and wanted to help him. She could have easily gotten rid of him, but she didn't. Hermione had to appreciate McGonagall's persistence, as she hoped Draco did as well.

"He—He feels very guilty, you know?" Theo said in a low voice while standing up and Hermione looked up at him, seeing the genuine concern for his friend. "Hey, just rest, okay? They said you'll be out soon and then we'll have the castle to ourselves, pretty much."

"Thank you, Theo," Hermione said, reaching to grab his hand. He took it and squeezed it before bending down to place a light kiss on her forehead. "Tell him…Tell him this wasn't his fault, please."

"I will. I just don't know if he'll listen right now." At her anxious expression, he rushed to say, "He'll come around, don't worry."

Theo said goodbye and left the hospital. She lay there feeling emotional and exhausted, with a million thoughts running through her mind. But with the energy she'd put into her visits, it wasn't long before her eyes were drooping again.

Madam Pomfrey woke Hermione up to offer her some food, which she gladly took, suddenly starving. The sun had already started going down and she revelled in the silence while she ate some chicken soup. But as the minutes passed, she started feeling sorry for herself. She was sure that most of the students and teachers would have already arrived at their homes for the holidays. All her friends would spend Christmas together without her and leave her lying in a hospital bed, hurt and alone.

Her thoughts went to Draco. What was he doing? Was he still doing extra work for Professor Gournie or was Professor McGonagall still lecturing him at this hour? Hermione wanted to see him, to reassure him and herself, to know he still cared.

As darkness took over the room and Madam Pomfrey gave her a new dose of Healing Potion and Sleeping Draught, tears ran down Hermione's face as she closed her eyes. She recognised the longing she was feeling, the heartbreak that threatened to overtake her, from the day Ron left her and Harry in the middle of nowhere while on the hunt for Horcruxes.

She went to sleep that evening feeling extremely lonely.

· - ·

A/N. Freaking ouch, am I right? What do we think?

Thank you so much, everyone who has reviewed! I love reading your reactions and I'm very happy to see such a great reception to this story I've worked on for a long time.

As always, queens AurorEowyn and Girl of Chaos made it possible :3