A/N: Blackians! I'm so excited for this chapter! I truly am. It is almost double the size of the last chapter and the biggest chapter yet. I have left some pretty big Easter eggs in this chapter, I hope that you catch them. I have been loving reading your theories so far. Keep them coming. Let me know what you think of this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, only the plot that deviates from the original story.
XoXo,
Elle.
Chapter 5
Draco had tried spell after spell to wake Hermione, all to no avail. The magic he had expended had caused sweat to bead on his brow and upper lip and his hair to fall into his eyes. He pushed his hair out of his eyes with his hand as he sighed and sank onto the bed with Hermione's lax body. He was exhausted, if he were being honest with himself.
"Why isn't she waking?" George asked from beside him, worry etched on every line of his face. He looked like Draco felt, like they were both failures.
Draco sighed softly, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I don't know. The potions are next, but with her lack of response, I don't know if they are going to work either. I honestly think she may be holding herself in this coma of sorts. And there may be nothing we can do until she wakes on her own. Especially if the potions won't work."
George quickly turned his head in Draco's direction, his eyes widening. "What do you mean the potions might not work?" He looked back down at Hermione, a frown pulling his brows down. He reached forward and brushed his hand across his forehead. "If they don't work, how long do you think it will be until she wakes up?"
Draco shook his head and puffed his cheeks out, blowing the air out of them. "I honestly have no idea, this is beyond anything I've ever seen or studied. She must have gone through something major to cause her to shut down mentally, something very traumatic. If that is the case, it is up to Granger when she wakes up."
He opened the black bag on the floor at his feet and began pulling phials out of its depths. The liquids inside the phials varied in color, from pearlescent purple to a putrid looking brown. Draco hoped that one of them would rouse Granger, for all of their sakes. He pulled the stopper out of the first, his nose turning up at the vile scent. "George, can you tilt her head back and hold her jaw open?"
George nodded and did as he was told, his thumb on her forehead rubbing gently, his eyes watching her face. It was clear he was worried sick about her, but Draco wasn't sure in what sense. In a way, it reminded him of how he was with Astoria's sister, Daphne. But in another way, it also reminded him of his early courtship with Astoria. He clenched his jaw. He had to focus on Granger now, not think about Tori. It would only send him into his depression and anger. Granger didn't deserve that right now. She deserved all of his attention.
He tipped the phial against her lips, the sluggish green liquid dropping in globs onto her tongue. Draco pulled the phial back to level, allowing what had gotten into her mouth to slide down her throat. This was going to be a long process, as Draco didn't want to choke her. "This is going to have to take a while. I don't want to drown her."
George chewed on his lip as he kept stroking Hermione's forehead, his eyes never leaving her face. "I noticed you were using quite a few Muggle instruments. Why is that?"
Draco looked at the phial in his hand, swirling the contents around once more. "I, uh, I'd rather not talk about it, really." Draco checked Granger's mouth, making sure that her throat was clear, tipping some more of the potion past her lips. He could feel George's eyes on him for once and it made him uncomfortable. He avoided looking into those hazel eyes across the bed from him.
"It has to do with what happened to Astoria, doesn't it?" George asked.
Draco's free hand gripped the duvet below him and squeezed. The hand holding the phial was shaking as his eyes closed. The gaping hole in his heart that had previously been filled by Astoria opened back up, making his chest ache. "Look, mate, I really don't want to talk about it. I need to focus on Gra - Hermione. If we start talking about Astoria, I will spiral down and not be able to do my job properly. But yes, it does."
George nodded. "Got it, mate. I won't ask again. I just worry about you. You haven't been the same since. Even with the help from Healer Brownstone. The only thing that brings you out of your shell is Scorpius."
Another check of Hermione's throat had Draco tipping the last of the potion into her mouth. "That's what losing your other half does to you, George. You, of all people, should know that. After all, you bottled up your emotions for years about Fred's death and you still have trouble dealing with it. Alright, if this is going to work, it should take half an hour."
They both sat in silence after that little heart to heart, grey and hazel trained on the woman with the curly hair lying in George's bed. Draco found himself hoping that she hadn't gone through what he and George had.
XxX
September 19, 2000
It was her birthday today, and while it fell on a Tuesday, Tad had insisted that they celebrate somehow. So Hermione was on her way to his house. He lived about a mile away and she had contemplated Apparating, but didn't want to risk being caught. Even if she did know the area.
Instead, she just huddled into her jumper and set up a brisk pace. She didn't even think to use a warming charm around herself. If she had still been in the magical world, it would have disconcerted her with how easily she had let her powers be moved to the back burner. But Hermione found it refreshing to do things the Muggle way.
The only thing she used her magic for now were the wards around her house. Besides, she had to be careful around Tad. He couldn't know she was a witch. Not until they were engaged or married, if things headed that way. They had only been dating for three months, and a wonderful few months they had been.
Tad never ceased to make her smile and laugh whenever they were together. He made Hermione forget all about what had happened during the war and the people who had died, at least for a little while. That was when she felt whole again.
When she arrived at his house, she knocked on the door and stepped back, waiting for him to come and open it. After a couple of minutes, he hadn't answered, so she rang the buzzer and that was when she heard the scuffling noises as he hurried to the door. The door opened wide and those blue eyes and that dazzling smile greeted Hermione, causing her heart to beat faster and her breath to catch.
"Hello, beautiful, and happy birthday." Tad leaned down and she thought he was going to kiss her cheek as he always did. They had been dating for three months and they'd yet to kiss or snog. So it surprised her when his thumb and forefinger gently gripped her chin and tilted her head back. He fit his lips over hers.
Hermione's knees went weak at the gentleness of the kiss and her hands moved to rest on his waist. When he broke the kiss, he rested his forehead on hers and grinned down at her. "I think that may have been the best birthday kiss I've ever received."
Tad chuckled softly and took Hermione's hand, leading her into his house. When the door was shut, the warm air surrounded her and she shivered at being suddenly enveloped. "You okay, babe?"
Hermione nodded at him and pulled her jumper off, revealing the almost sheer camisole underneath. She could feel Tad's heated gaze and felt goosebumps rise all over her body. She'd never had a man look at her like that before-Muggle or wizard-and it made her feel strangely powerful.
Sure, Ron had looked at her with a teenage lust at Hogwarts, but that was before Lavender had caught and held his fancy. Hell, even Harry had, and he'd actually followed through on his desires when they'd been on the run and Ron had left them. Being lonely and scared for your life could make you do some desperate things. They had never brought it up again, but neither of them had any regrets about it and it hadn't made things awkward. If anything, it had brought Hermione and Harry closer to one another. But even he hadn't looked at her the way Tad just had.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just still a little chilly from the walk over. It smells wonderful in here. What is that smell?" she asked, walking further into the house, following the scents into the dining room where Tad had the table set up. Two place settings, close together. Two glasses of wine, candles lit, a bouquet of daisies, the whole nine yards. Hermione smiled wide at the display, "This is beautiful."
"Only the best for my birthday girl." Tad pulled out the chair meant for her, and Hermione walked over, taking the proffered seat. He helped to push her in, and she got comfortable, placing her linen napkin into her lap. Tad disappeared for a few moments, returning with a tray, laden with the side dishes. He set the first tray down and once again went into the kitchen to return with the entree.
Hermione's olfactory system lit up at the scents of rosemary, garlic, and thyme, all mixed in with the smell of cooked meat. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, her mouth watering in response. "Is that rack of lamb?"
Tad's deep rumble of a chuckle sounded as he set the platter down. "Yes, it is. You knew just by the smell?"
Hermione nodded, a lump forming in her throat. "It actually smells just like my mother's. I didn't know you could cook." She had to change the subject quick. Tad knew her parents were a sore subject for her, so he didn't push her on it and she was thankful for that.
"My mum always had me in the kitchen with her when I was growing up. She wanted me 'to be a well-rounded gentleman.' So I cook, I clean, I do laundry."
Hermione grinned at him, then put her hand over her heart and the other on her brow. "Oh help me, I may faint. You're just too perfect." Tad just rolled his eyes at her and laughed as he served her food. The sides turned out to be rosemary potatoes and steamed broccoli.
They talked over their meal as they ate, holding hands when they didn't need both of them. Hermione told Tad how school had been going since it had started last month and he told her about the training class he had been overseeing. When they were finished eating, Tad cleared away their dishes and brought out two cupcakes, one with a candle in it.
Hermione laughed softly as he tilted the cupcake into the long candles and lit the birthday candle. Tad then set the cupcake in front of her and began to sing, loudly and off key, happy birthday to her. "Make a wish." He told her when he finished. Hermione smiled at him then closed her eyes and thought really hard. With her wish firmly planted in her mind, she blew out her candle. Please, my wish is that no one else that I love dies any time soon.
XxX
At the sound of a rustling on the bed, both George and Draco looked up. Hermione was moving her hands, her lips were turned up into a slight smile and there were tears sliding from under her closed lids. But the movement passed and the smile faded, Hermione once again falling into a stillness that rivaled death.
"It's been an hour, Draco. That potion didn't work." George said, his thumb swiping under Hermione's eye closest to him.
Draco took care of the other eye, his hand lingering longer on her face than he normally would have. He just wished he could see what was going on in that complex mind of hers. The more time that passed, the more he was sure that this coma she was in was self-imposed. Albeit probably unconsciously, but she had put herself in it all the same, to avoid whatever had happened to her.
Draco looked at his watch, chewing on the inside of his lip. "I'll give her one more potion tonight. But I don't want to push her too much. And I need to get back to Scorpius. I promised I'd be back for bedtime."
George nodded at him, clearly understanding. Draco turned back to the potions he had pulled from his bag. His fingers plucked the phial with the yellow potion inside. As he uncorked it, light refracted around the room, bringing the scent of sunshine on skin. He hoped like hell something worked.
Draco gave George a nod, and George held Hermione's head back once again, his other hand forcing her jaw open. This potion was very thin and went down easily, all in one go. Draco dropped the empty phial into his bag and pulled out his stethoscope to check on her vitals once again. "We'll give this one thirty minutes as well."
"They're not going to work, are they?" George asked, the exasperation in his voice. He gently lifted Hermione's hand and played with the rings there. "What happened to you, Hermione?"
Draco put away his instruments and sat quietly, his own hand reaching out of its own volition and lifting Hermione's other hand into his lap. He stroked her fingers gently, his eyes taking in the scars on her hands. She had been through so much, they all had and this world just kept on throwing shite at them. They all deserved a little happiness.
Half an hour later, there were still no signs of Hermione waking and Draco clenched his jaw. He didn't know what to do. He knew that those potions weren't going to help, knew it deep down in his gut. He looked over at George with a sigh. "I really don't think the potions are going to work either, mate."
George dropped his head, his forehead resting on their joined hands. "I knew it. Dammit, Draco. I don't want to just sit here and wait until she wakes up. I feel useless."
"Honestly, I'd feel more comfortable if she were where I could keep an eye on her." George looked up at him, an almost feral look in his eyes. His hand tightening on Hermione's. "If she goes, I go."
Draco nodded at George, a small smile on his face. "I know, mate. I was going to say that I wanted to move her to the manor and that you are coming with her. She came to you. If she wakes up, she needs to see you there. But you may want to post a sign on your shop that you'll be gone for a few."
George calmed instantly, his tall frame relaxing as he sank back into his chair. "I should probably tell my mum I'll be gone for a few days as well. I'm actually surprised she hasn't beaten down the door looking for me." He sighed and stood, leaning down to kiss Hermione's forehead. "I'll be back. My owl's in my shop."
George left, leaving Draco with Hermione. When George had begun to get angry, Draco had stood, but now he sat back down and looked at Hermione, really looked at her. She had aged since he'd last seen her, but then again, so had he. And even though he shouldn't, he found himself comparing her to Astoria.
Hermione's face was more full and heart-shaped, giving off a feeling of warmth, whereas Tori's had been long and slender, always giving her a slightly angry look. Tori's nose, like Draco's, was straight as an arrow, where Hermione's curved up at the end and looked like a button. Hermione's skin glowed compared to Astoria's pale skin. The freckles across her nose and cheeks only served to give Hermione an endearing quality Astoria had lacked. But both women were beautiful in their own way.
Before Draco could focus on Hermione's lips, George had returned, his eyes focusing back on Hermione. "You're sure that it's a good idea to move her?"
Draco nodded, "I want her close. She's stable and I believe she'll stay that way, but even an apparition can take away precious seconds when they're needed most." The pain in his voice was evident, but he couldn't hide it.
George bent to scoop Hermione from the bed, but Draco stopped him. "It's best if I carry her." The redhead gave him an incredulous look and was about to argue when Draco cut him off. "I'm going to have to Side-Along you both through the wards. It's better if I hold her, to reduce the likelihood of splinching her. She doesn't need that on top of everything else." That seemed to break through whatever irrationality George was seeing and he nodded.
Draco handed George his kit and then bent over, sliding one arm beneath Hermione's shoulders, carefully adjusting her head and the other under her knees. When he curled his arms and cradled her against his chest, her head lolled and fell right into place. Hermione's forehead rested against his neck, her breath tickling the collar of his shirt. Draco tried to ignore the feelings that were being stirred at having a woman in his arms again. But it was near impossible, especially when Hermione had one of her moments of semi-consciousness as he was coming to think of them, and draped her left arm around his neck.
Draco took a deep breath, trying to clear his head, but he only succeeded in getting a lungful of Hermione's scent. Which did absolutely nothing to help him. Then an image of Astoria popped into his mind and he felt sick to his stomach, swallowing back the bile and guilt, he looked over at his other companion. "Alright, George. Grab my arm." George did as he was told and Draco apparated them away.
They landed in the suite next to Draco and Scorpius' exactly where Draco had pictured. He hadn't wanted to risk Scorpius, or his mother, seeing Hermione. George rushed forward and pulled the covers back, and Draco laid Hermione out on the bed. "Fellie."
The little elf popped in, bowing low in her pink frilly dress. "Yes, Master Draco?"
"This is George and Hermione. Hermione is a patient of mine. She is in a coma right now. If George calls you, you will come to him and bring him anything he requires. You will also tend to Hermione, make sure she is clean and cared for. But you will not tell your Mistress or Scorpius about her until I say so. Do you understand?"
Fellie bowed once again. "Yes, Master Draco. Shall I clean the Missus Hermione now?" Her luminous eyes darted to Hermione on the bed and her dirty clothes.
Draco nodded, glancing back at Hermione. He took a deep, steadying breath before he spoke once again. "Yes, please bathe her and get her some clothes. You may see if any of Mistress...Astoria's… old clothes will fit her." Draco's hand came up and rubbed at his sternum. His heart was simultaneously pounding behind his ribs and being squeezed in a vice at offering some of Tori's clothing. George had looked at him sideways, but had said nothing.
"Come on, let's go and get us some food. I'm sure you haven't eaten. It'll give Hermione some privacy while Fellie cleans her up. Oh and Fellie, if she opens her eyes and speaks, come get me. Immediately." The elf bowed in acknowledgement and returned to gathering what she would need. Draco led George away from the room, closing the door behind them.
They both felt the unease as soon as the door closed, separating them from Hermione. Draco didn't take them far, just next door to his suite. "If you need anything in the middle of the night, I'm in here. Second door down that hallway. Just be quiet when passing the first door. That's Scorp's room."
George nodded numbly and sat down in a chair by the fireplace. Draco poured them both a Firewhiskey and brought the glass tumblers over. George took a sip and closed his eyes as he exhaled slowly.
Draco called for one of the kitchen elves, ordering him to bring up whatever had been served for the evening meal. His grey eyes were studying the redhead across the way. He still hadn't figured out exactly what Hermione meant to George. There was no matching ring on his finger, so Draco didn't think that they were married. Besides, George still lived at the Burrow.
The food arrived and they both dug in, not realizing how hungry they were. They had been so focused on Hermione that they hadn't cared about themselves. Just after they finished eating, Fellie appeared, stating that Hermione was clean and still sleeping. Draco dismissed the elf with a wave and rubbed his hand over his face. "I had hoped that maybe a bath would rouse her."
George looked over at him and ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'd kind of hoped the same thing. I'd better get back-"
The door to the suite flew open and they both turned to look, hoping against hope that it was Hermione. But the little blond-haired boy that bounded through was enough to break some of the levity of the day. "Daddy! You're home!"
Scorpius rushed over and climbed into Draco's lap, his little arms winding around his father's neck. Draco tucked his nose against the top of Scorpius' head and inhaled. He had a unique scent that was all his own, as everyone did, but it was so similar to Astoria's that Draco found himself doing this often. "Hey, buddy! I told you I would be home for bedtime. Look who I brought for a visit."
His son then turned and looked in the chair opposite Draco's that had its back to the door. A smile spread across Scorpius' face when he spotted George. "Uncle Georgie!"
And just like that, his son had abandoned him in favor of the joker. But Draco didn't mind. He smiled as he watched Scorpius give George a hug, eliciting a smile from George. The two were thick as thieves. Draco often took Scorpius to the joke shop so the two could spend some time together. It had helped George get out of some of his darker days.
"Alright, buddy. It's bedtime," Draco called, looking at his watch and starting a countdown from five in his head. Like clockwork the whining started. "Nope, you know how this works, buddy. Come on. Tell Uncle George goodnight."
The lip wobble was next as he pleaded with George to talk some sense into his daddy. But George resisted Scorpius' attempts. Draco chuckled and scooped his little progeny up, tickling his middle and carted him off to his room. As he placed the boy in his bed, he kissed his head again. Tonight, he seemed to need the scent of Astoria more than ever. He summoned the book they'd been reading from, a Muggle fairy tale about a beauty and a beast.
It didn't take long for the young boy to be out like a light and Draco left the room, pulling the door shut. He walked back into the living space and nodded at George. "Let's go and check on our girl."
They left and walked down the wide hall to the suite next door once again. Draco opened the way and let George in first, following behind and closing the door. Hermione lay in the bed, her hair still damp and drying in soft curls. She was wearing one of Tori's old night dresses, and it felt like Draco was being stabbed in the heart as he looked at the vision she presented before him. He would have to go and buy her some clothes of her own. He couldn't handle this.
Draco shook himself free and moved over to her, checking her over. No changes could be seen, except that she looked cleaner than before. But she was at least out of her dirty and tattered clothes. He summoned his stethoscope and blood pressure cuff, checking her vitals. Everything was still stable, which he was grateful for, but this was just frustrating, not knowing how to wake her. "Everything is still stable. As I said, if you need me, come get me. Goodnight, George."
He rose from the bed and walked for the door, as he was passing by, George's arm shot out to grab him. Draco turned his head and caught the gaze of his friend. "Thank you, Draco."
Draco leaned in and rested his forehead against George's, grey eyes staring into hazel once again. The two of them hadn't been this close in a year. George's hand slid from Draco's forearm to grip his hand and Draco squeezed back. "She's going to wake up and we're going to be here when she does."
They stood that way a moment longer, their eyelids sliding closed as their noses rubbed together. In a silent mutual agreement they both broke away and Draco returned to his rooms, now even more exhausted than he was before.