Chapter 24

Draco's illness seemed to worsen from there. He started becoming exhausted and passing out at random intervals. He also did a lot of sleeping and when he did, he only ever had nightmares.

The majority of them were about Titus and his father but occasionally he would have one which included Voldemort. He had assumed these were the worst ones until he had one about his task.

He was standing in the Astronomy Tower with his wand pointed at Dumbledore's heart. He couldn't do it. He knew he wasn't a killer but if he didn't…

He then lowered his wand a little. Death Eaters flew in through the window behind the Hogwarts Headmaster and Draco's eyes darted around for search for help. He saw Potter under where he was standing, looking at them through the floorboards.

Trust Dumbledore to have Potter there on that very day. When he would show his true colours. He was scared. No, he was petrified. He felt like a forgotten victim of a Basilisks petrification.

He suddenly felt a tiny bit sorry for all of those Muggleborns that got petrified… No. He had bigger things to worry about at that moment. He could think about that later on. Once this task was done.

Or when it wasn't. He figured that when he was dead, he'd have all the time in eternity to think about all of the things he should have done.

Perhaps he should have been nicer to Potter while introducing himself. Not insulted Weasley in doing so. They could have been friends. He should have actually used his own decisions instead of use the premade path that his father had laid out for him and been his own person. He should have not insulted the Muggleborns of the school. Especially a certain bushy haired Gryffindor…

Hermione Granger. So many things he had wanted to say to her that weren't insults. They never seemed to want to come from his mouth though. It was as though she were some sort of drug to him. And when she'd punched him… Well, he supposed it was a taste of his own poison. No, not medicine, poison, because medicine makes you feel better.

The scene before him then showed his parents. Only, his mother was in his father's arms and both he, and is father were crying.

"You're a coward, Draco." His father roared. "Because you didn't kill him, your mother is dead! Look at what you've done Draco! Look! You are no son of mine."

"Please, father, she didn't want me to have to go through with it! She said she would rather be dead and not have a killer for a son than be alive and have her family be ruined by crazy, power thirsty villains!" Draco retorted. He knew in real life that he would never use that in an argument but this was a dream after all.

"Well, then, maybe you should join her!" His father yelled and everything went black.

Except, they didn't go black. They went white. Draco was awake and hovering above him was the unmistakable honey eyes of Hermione Granger.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly. Draco found that he wanted to sarcastically reply with something like, 'yeah, never been better!' but found he could not move. His eyes were stapled open wide and he was rigid, frozen. He tried to blink but found he was unable to. He wasn't even breathing! Was he dead? He didn't think so.

He could feel his bod slowly turn to concrete as Hermione screamed and Draco was trapped in his dream once more. Only this time, it would continue until Hermione figured out how to help him.

He silently begged her over and over that she would do it as quickly as possible as he felt he could not survive long enough to make it through that dream many more times. He had originally been pretty sure that the house wouldn't kill him but now, well, let's just say he had his doubts. Okay, he was almost certain that this stupid, blasted house would go to any means to make the people staying there forgive.

Draco then wondered whether Hermione would forgive him if he died. Whether she would be allowed to leave the house without forgiving him. He realised that they needed a bit more time to forgive each other completely but if he died, she may not be able to get out due to neither of them fully forgiving each other for everything.

Not that Draco felt he had to forgive Hermione for anything. He knew that it was her that had to learn to forgive him for all the horrible things he had done to her. He had to learn to apologize first, though.

Draco was cut short from his musings as he appeared on the Astronomy Tower once more.

Hurry up, Hermione. He begged. The last thing he heard before being completely engulfed by the dream was Hermione saying something unrecognisable.

SlytherdorGirl4life