Already Over, Pt 2 - Chapter 31

"Hermione...I need you to come back to me, love. Come on, Angel...we need you...I need you."

Draco's voice was literally hoarse from whispers. The man had barely slept in eight days and few morsels of food had entered his body so to say he was weak would be an understatement.

The man was borderline death.

"Come on, sweetheart, I need you to wake up. Everyone wants to see you and...damn it Hermione, I need you...I can't do this on my own. Please wake up, Angel."

Hermione's eyes remained shut, her body unmoving, and in no way appeared to have heard him. It was killing Draco to see her like this. To see her in a bed, so utterly helpless, and he couldn't do anything to help her, to ameliorate the woman he loved.

Curse me...Curse me! This is all your bloody fault!

"Malfoy?"

Draco did not turn around upon hearing the dreaded voice at the door for he knew, as would anyone in the wizarding world, who the voice in question belonged to.

"Potter," he snarled, his own expression coming off harshly due to his lack of sleep, his stress level, and not to mention the distaste he had for the man at the moment.

Sure, he was not the one who kissed Hermione, but he damn well befriended the beast who did - one of the reasons for why she went outside in the first place. So curse him, Draco didn't care. He welcomed harm coming to hero-boy's best friend and even the slightest bit to hero-boy himself.

"How is she doing?" asked Harry sadly.

"No change. She is the same as she has been since she arrived. At this rate, I'll be lucky if I get to be a father...but not a husband." The broken voice he spoke through was enough to break a heart; Harry's was nearly there.

"She'll be okay, Malfoy. She is a Gryffindor after all. We're known for not giving up."

Draco smiled–not smirked–but smiled at this. It was one of the rare instances when he had let his guard down in front of Harry, his once sworn enemy. The two had their moments when they were not sitting over Hermione's very fragile body, but this rift, still fresh on Draco's mind, would probably separate them forever–

"Malfoy I know you're mad at Ron and–"

"I don't want to hear it. If you've come in here strictly on the grounds to defend that vile, pathetic...thing, then I don't want to hear it. Get out. Now."

"That is not why I am here! Will you for once listen to me?!"

Draco was tempted to pull out his wand and curse the man on the spot, but he was held back by the sight of Hermione laying on the bed, unmoving. Knowing it would hurt her more, well, he could not bring himself to do it. So he attempted to stay calm and he would...for a while.

"Look, I wouldn't be happy with him either. If he had kissed Ginny–"

"That's his fucking sister, Potter," hissed Draco.

Harry rolled his green eyes before saying, "Work with me here. I'm trying to make a point so if you would stop bein' so bloody stubborn, then maybe I could finish, you sodding prat."

Under normal circumstances, Draco would have hurt him. Yes, the Slytherin would have loved to hit him with just as much force as he hit Ron with, but he held back; resisted temptation given it would hurt Hermione. He would never hurt her again.

Unintentionally, fine–so be it; it happens.

Intentionally, at a time when he knew what he was doing would hurt her, never again. He would never hurt her like that again for seeing her in the aftermath of such acts, when he knew him not talking to her would bring upon her hysteria, her emotional meltdown–Merlin, it killed him to think about it now. He had been so heartless, but as it was said, never again would he do such a thing.

So he did not hit Harry. Instead, he acted very much like say...like say a Hufflepuff would and let the man speak.

"Ron just did what he always does meaning he didn't think all the way through. It's a problem he has been dealing with, or should I say Hermione and I have been dealing with, since we were young. To deny he has feelings for her would be wrong for he does. He always loved Hermione beyond anything I ever have. I love her as a friend, yes, and I would go to the end of the world for her, but...he is in love with her–"

"And I am not? Am I not in love with Hermione?" asked Draco reminding Harry unduly of a small child; he sounded so heartbroken.

"I know you do. We all know you do and even Ron does, but you have to understand that he loves her too."

Draco scoffed at this.

"Malfoy I know you don't want to hear that, but it's the truth. Bloody hell...he didn't know the reaction from both you and her would be as bad as they were. Well, maybe he did expect yours."

"Why are you telling me this? Why come in here and talk to me about one of the people in the world I despise most at the moment as I sit here with my very...very hurt girlfriend and..."

Draco looked away. Ruddy Potter will not see me break down! Fuck that, I'd rather die at this point then let him see me weak.

"I don't care to hear an excuse, whether it's from him or from you on his behalf; I don't want to hear it. I may have granted you permission to come into this room–" those words going in much more depth given how true they were. Unlike him, Ron was one of the many who were forbidden by both brute force and magic to enter Hermione's scope, "–but that does not mean I will tolerate in listening to any of this. Because of him, Hermione is laying here near death!"

Harry remained quiet as Draco's body heaved up and down, his breaths coming out in frantic bursts. Harry knew what was coming, something they all had been waiting for the moment Hermione had been hurt–

Draco was breaking down...

"And it's my fault more than anybody else's. It's all my fault...my fault..."

"Malfoy it's going to be okay–"

"NO IT WON'T! Don't you get it? I did this to her. If I had just listened to her and accepted one of her many bloody apologies then we wouldn't be in this fucking situation! This is all my fault...it's my fault..."

Harry was at a loss for how to handle everything at the moment. He had never been in Draco's position ever, in all of his life. Sure, he had lost people, countless in fact; Sirius, Dumbledore, his parents, dozens of friends–but he had never been in love with any of them. The thought of losing Ginny, his wife, was enough to make him sick to his stomach, weak at the knees even. He would die before any harm would come to her. For Draco to see Hermione like this, someone he loved just as Harry loved Ginny...well, Harry could only imagine the pain.

"If I lose her...Merlin, I don't know what I'll do." Draco's somber voice and heartfelt confession, underlining what everyone already knew he felt, was Harry's hint to leave the room.

The raven-haired man reached out to cup Hermione's pale cheek, a feeling of odd warmth brushing his hand, as he bent down to kiss her forehead.

"Get better Hermione. We all need you, love," whispered Harry, giving her hand a little squeeze. He then arose and made way for the door.

"Potter?" Draco called out quietly.

"Yeah Malfoy?" asked Harry as he turned around.

"Um...why aren't you and Ginny heading off on your honeymoon?"

It was Harry's turn to smirk, though it was much more understated than the infamous Malfoy leer, causing Draco to smile in spite of himself.

"We're not going until Hermione wakes up. Ginny refuses to leave knowing her best girl-friend isn't here to gush all the details to every night. Women, right."

Draco flashed his smile toward Hermione without saying anything else to Harry. The man knew it was his time to leave Draco with his girl.

Draco was not sure when he fell asleep, but after eight days, on the brink of the ninth, he was exhausted. He had been holding her hand, whispering sweet nothings, and caressing her face throughout the long wearing days so sleep just hit him and held onto the man. He planted his face into the bed still holding her hand and just did not get back up.

Most people in his position would have stayed asleep through anything; a sleeping coma one could say. At this point, somebody should have been able to blow the room apart using the magic of ten different wands and he still would have not woken up. It was Hermione's voice which brought him back to the real world, away from his dreams of her.

Waking up to her voice was even better than his very dreams.

"Draco?"

Draco's head shot up instantly, instinctively, as her tawny eyes, though distant and hazed with eight days of coma-induced sleep, met his.

"Hermione?"

"Wha...what happened?"

Draco let out the heaviest of breaths he ever thought had left his body. It was one of those rare times when he sucked in a breath and held it there, unaware of ever doing so. It was the relief. It was all of the relief he felt being let out in one heavy and deep breath.

"Oh Hermione...damn it, you worried me to death. I thought I'd never see you again."

"Huh?"

Draco smiled as he reached out to cup her cheek, whispering, "It's alright, love. Everything is going to be okay and nothing is going to happen to you ever again. I promise you that."

Don't get Draco wrong, he knew she was so out of it that she could barely hear him let alone register his words, but damn it - he had been wanting to say all of that since it happened. He had two more things he had been dying to say and he wanted to say them in that moment, scream them out even. Well, one of those was actually a question.

"Draco?"

It tugged at his heart, clenched it, and did not let go to hear such a plea from her. That was exactly what the whisper was, the call of his name - a plea. It was a plea of help, plea of confusion, and plea merely of the need to hear her own voice, a vocal sound which seemed foreign to the both of them.

"Love...something bad happened, but it's over now. You're okay. I mean...you're awake so everything will be okay."

"Oh...my head hu-urts."

"Damn it, I should have gone sooner. I'm going to go get the healer–"

"No," she whispered, breaking his heart, "don't go."

Draco let out a deep sigh as he leaned over her, cupping her face with his rugged hands. He could feel hot spirts of her breath brushing his face and it felt good - damn did it feel good.

"Angel I want to stay with you right now and I'm going to be right back, I promise you. I'm never going to leave you again. Ever."

"Then don't leave me...p-please don't leave me..."

It went against his better judgement and oh, how he would regret it later...

He stayed.

Draco gripped her face in the most affectionate of caresses. He had to reassure her in every essence of that word that he was there, he was with her and holding onto her. With their eyes locked, his silver ones glazed with fatigue and hers glassy with dull confusion and pain, he began to speak the words which had been killing him for so very long–

"Draco–" Hermione had cut him off before he even got the chance to begin, "–I...y-you were mad at m-me. I'm sorry. D-don't be mad. Please? Don't be m-mad at me..."

The man had never felt worse in his life, ever, and that said something. The woman he loved, his counterpart, his other half–damn near lying in a bed of death–just whimpered a plead for him to stop being mad...at her. Merlin, she thinks I'm mad at her. Oh Gods, what have I done?!

"Angel, I'm not mad. I'm not mad at you at all. This was my fault, not yours and I...Merlin Hermione, I'm not mad at you."

"But...I thought–"

"No. Angel–" he gulped thickly, "–you're my world. I'm not mad. Damn it, Hermione, I love you so much and I don't even think you realize just how much I love you. You're my everything."

"That's good..."

He could tell she was exhausted, the short exchange of words between them draining her to the fullest. Yes, she was tired, but he refused to let her sleep until he got the chance to ask her the question.

"D-Draco...the baby?"

"The baby is alright, love, and all thanks to you. You see...your wandless magic worked. You couldn't stop the Cruciatus Curse, but you were able to keep the baby from feeling it at your expense given the pain became even more unbearable. You did amazing, Angel."

"Again...that's good..."

Draco brushed his thumb against her upper cheek, her supple skin sending shivers up his spine. All the things he had missed about her were nearly chocking him as he stared at her—the sparkle in her eyes when she laughed; the pleasant smell of her hair, laced of sweet apples and her own Hermione smell; the way she trembled beneath his touch—Needless to say, it was nice to have her back.

"Hermione everything that happened...Merlin, I thought...well, I thought I'd never see you again. I thought I'd never get the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I'm s-sorry," she replied weakly.

"No. Oh Merlin, no, Hermione it wasn't your fault. If anything it was completely my fault and I'm the one to be sorry. Right now, though, let's look past that. Let's look beyond the apologies and what not to just focus right now on what I'm trying to say. You with me Hermione? Do you understand?"

"Y-yeah...I un'stand..."

"You see...what I'm trying to get at..."

"What you t-t-trying to say?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Um...wow I uh...Hermione? HERMIONE?!"

Draco had looked down trying to regain some confidence given he was about to ask the woman he loved more than his own life to marry him. When he looked back up, the sight before him kicked him in the stomach several times and wrenched many groans from him which could not be declared as coherent.

"HERMIONE! NO!"

Her eyes had drifted shut and he somehow knew–just bloody well knew–that she was not alright. The swarm of healers rushing into the room afterwards only confirmed his dreadful thoughts even more.

"Mr. Malfoy, you must step back, now!"

Draco was leaning back against the wall, observing all of the things they were doing to her. He frantically tried to remain calm, tugging at the silvery strands of his hair as though feeling pain would lessen hers.

"She's gone into labor. We can't stop this any longer. Get your wands out, get him out, and let's get this baby out."

"What?! No, I'm staying with her. I promised I wouldn't leave her."

"Noble as that is, Mr. Malfoy, you're a distraction. Get out of the room, now."

After several long moments and many words hissed out by Draco, which are better left not repeated, he left the room to once again sit and wait. He was shocked when he walked out to see Harry approaching him with Ginny holding his arm and what appeared to be several pastries in his hand.

"Malfoy? We were just coming to bring you some early breakfast–"

"She woke up. She woke up and then I was pushed out. They bloody well kicked me out after they fucking start going on about her about to give birth and unconscious no less!"

"Whoa, slow down. Unconscious? Didn't you just say she was awake?" asked Harry calmly though fear was flashing behind those green eyes of his.

"She blacked out. She fucking blacked out right in the middle of me proposing to her. Talk about timing, huh?"

Harry knew it was coming again–the mental breakdown–so they had to keep him talking, perhaps even keep him upbeat. Think you idiot! Think...pose him a problem. Bring up something good–oh right! Genius Potter–his girlfriend is near death while healers are currently trying to save his child while she is unconscious...oh yeah, there are just so many good things going on right now–

"Well on a simple note, we did bring pastries," said Ginny with a small smile.

Draco's reaction was not the one that Ginny nor Harry expected, given Harry was pleased at how she made an effort to lighten the mood–that's my little redhead–because Draco did break down.

Dropping to his knees in one hard movement, pain taking over in an instant, he placed his face in his hands...

It would be several hours before anyone emerged from Hermione's room, none of whom had the decency to go talk with Draco and explain anything. Ginny had managed to contact Mr. and Mrs. Granger and within minutes they had arrived. Mrs. Granger gave Draco a small hug, one he did not return, before she took a seat next to her husband. Ginny had informed them about Draco's reaction through summarized words, leaving out bits and pieces she knew would send them both over the edge, allowing them to succumb into the silence without any questions. They knew to leave Draco alone.

So, together, they waited...

and waited...

and waited...

and waited...

and–

"Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco looked up to see the same healer who had thrown him out of the room approaching him.

"How is she?"

"Hermione...she is still not in the best of conditions, but she is alive. She is still fighting."

Draco sighed, closing his eyes–her face flashing before his silvery eyes.

"Um, would you kindly follow me?" asked the healer apprehensively.

"Are you taking me to her?" Draco's voice was absolutely monotone.

"Sort of," muttered the healer, turning on his heal to walk in a different direction from where he came. Draco exchanged a look with Harry, Ginny, and the Grangers before the five of them followed the man away from Hermione's room.

Draco was like a walking corpse as they trudged throughout the hospital, various staff members watching him intently with every step. It was as if they thought he was about to explode like a burning pixie at any moment. Draco didn't care. Hell, he'd been under the gaze of much more important and deadly people before so their stares meant nothing to him. All he wanted to know was why this healer was taking him so far away from his beloved.

Suddenly, the healer stopped in front of another door.

"Where the bloody hell did you take me?"

"We're um," began the healer, his voice shaking, "going to introduce you to someone."

"What?" asked Draco, annoyance and almost fury-like anger filling his voice, "Are you kidding me? Do I look like I'm in the mood for fucking introductions?"

"You might not want to curse around this person–"

"Take-me-to-Hermione. Do-you-understand?" growled Draco patronizingly.

"Oh Merlin...Draco you have to go in."

Draco turned around to look at Ginny, the one who made the comment. What the fuck does she know that I don't? I uh...oh Gods...

"Um...I uh...am I about t-to–"

"Yes. That's who you're about to meet."

Draco was flabbergasted for a moment, his body unable to move, to draw in enough air to sustain life. This was a moment of truth in his life, a moment he was suppose to share with Hermione, and damn it—I can't do this by myself!

He was not quite sure how he managed to get into the room nor did he remember who had pushed him down in the chair, but all thoughts were lost when a young healer, looking no older than twenty, came in carrying a small pink bundle in her arms.

"Mr. Malfoy, I would like you to meet your daughter."

Oh Merlin...

As the tiny girl was placed in his arms, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione's parents standing behind him all in awe of the situation themselves, Draco felt so many overwhelming feelings all at once—joy, fear, wonder, anxiety, bliss—

"Merlin...she's beautiful..."

And she was. The small child who was born a week and half early was positively radiant, if not a little on the small side. Ginny placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.

"She is. Wow, she's gorgeous, Draco."

"All I can say," said Harry with a smile, "is thank Merlin she looks more like Hermione than you."

It was then in which Draco let out a laugh, a genuine and pure laugh, for he agreed entirely with Harry. The newborn girl was blessed with a small mop of dark hair though Draco did spot some light strands reflecting is own translucent color.

In that moment, as Draco held his daughter in his arms, close to his heart and chest, he had an epiphany—he was a father. He was responsible for another life other than his own. Sure, he would protect Hermione until his dying day and would never let harm come to her again, but Hermione was still an independent woman. The little girl in his arms was his daughter, a girl he was suppose to take care of for the rest of his life.

She was his daughter.

She was something that Hermione and him had created—that feeling overwhelmed him.

"She's beautiful Draco. Oh...my grandbaby is absolutely beautiful," wept Mrs. Granger, free tears falling down her cheeks.

Mr. Granger clasped onto his shoulder as he said, with a sympathetic smile, "You do realize that all the boys will be looking at this little beauty, right?"

"Oh Merlin...please don't remind me," griped Draco. Everyone in the room laughed at him, so much happiness finally taking over. None of them could deny it, but the baby brought them all so much joy, a feeling they had not felt in so many days, as it was a way to forget about their troubles for even the smallest amount of time.

The twenty something healer walked back into the room and said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid we need to take her right now."

"No," whined Draco, pulling her somewhat in the opposite direction from her. Harry, Ginny, and Mr. Granger all openly chuckled. Mrs. Granger would have as well, but she was still dissolved in her fitful tears.

"I'm sorry new-dad, but she was born a week and half early. We still have a lot of things to go over with her before we can let her go."

"I know...but just...give me another minute with her."

"Of course," replied the healer softly, exiting the room.

It would be several long moments before he spoke again, tears and sobs threatening to dominate his body by the simple sight of his little girl in his arms.

"I know her name. I know what I want to name her."

"What's her name then?" asked Ginny, gently stroking the little girl's cheek.

Draco shook his head as he said, "No. Hermione gets to know first. I think she has earned that right."

"Malfoy, for once I couldn't agree with you more," replied Harry, too stroking the infant's chubby cheek.

Draco smiled before he dropped a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead.

A/N: So what do you guys think? Sweet, eh? Oh and I'll totally give anyone a cookie if they can guess what her name will be.

Eek...only one more chapter left. I'm finding myself coming so attached to this story that I hate to see it end, but I'm afraid it will be coming to a close in the next chapter.

"Already Over, Pt 2" is another song by the band RED and yes, it is a different song. Actually, it's the same song only it's a different version. The one I was referring to in chapter 5 was the rock version whereas Pt 2 is the ballad. It's soft with the most amazing vocals, an acoustic, violin, and piano. I love both versions and this one really seemed to work for the chapter. I thought of it when I wrote the beginning portion of the chapter, the scene between him and Hermione. I thought of the lines, "I'd give it all to you, reaching as I fall. It's already over now. Loving you again, it's already over, already over now. You're what I reach for when I fall."

READ AND REVIEW!! If you can read it, then you can review it.

Iris is the work of fanfiction. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling, but the featured story is mine.