Chapter 12- Awakening
My life pretty much was constant sleep. I woke up just enough to shower and eat and then I went back into my heavenly bliss of unconsciousness. I knew Draco was with me every time I woke up. I could feel him in the room watching over me. I could only sleep for so long and when I couldn't anymore I just lay there and cry. It's the quite kind of crying, where you don't make a sound. I was sure I would have run out of tears by now. It's been at least a week since the funeral and I haven't even checked on Dad since. I felt too ashamed to ask Draco if he was alright. He wouldn't want anything to do with me even if he was. I dragged them into a world they weren't ready for. They don't belong in my world. It's no surprise he hates me. Draco's all I have and I can't even bring myself to talk to him. What's worse is every time I'm drifting into sleep, I hear him whisper how beautiful I am to him. He still has to carry out his sentence to complement me every day from the rest of the year.
"Is she sleeping?" I hadn't heard the voice before, but that didn't mean anything. I hadn't exactly been listening very well.
"No idea. She could just be lying there, drifting between. She's been like that since we came back from the funeral. I haven't tried talking to her. She thinks you blame her. I think it'd be best if you tried first."
That was my Draco. And he was talking to my father. My dad was still here? Why hadn't he left? What did he have here, at Hogwarts?
"I think you're right. Give us a minute?" I recognized his voice now. It was dad, trying to talk to me. I opened my eyes and stared at him in a daze. The room started to spin and I gripped the wall for support. I didn't remember ever standing up.
"Hermione? Honey, are you alright?" I held up my hand to make him be quite. Now that I was really listening, the voices were so loud. Were they yelling? My legs were shaking, but I continued to stand and stare at my father.
"Why are you here?" I asked in a soft whisper. My voice was rough from not speaking and it made my throat ache.
"How can I not be? You're my little girl and we just lost your mom. My wife…. I need to be here for you."
I looked into his warm brown eyes that I had inherited from him, looking for some kind of anger. There wasn't anything but concern for me. His daughter.
"It's my entire fault. I should have stayed in the muggle world like you wanted. If I had, none of this would have ever happened." My voice kept creaking and my lips were chapped. It hurt to take deep breaths, but I suspected that was more pain of loss than any physical problem.
"This world is who you are, Hermione. We were wrong to tell you that it wasn't. You've tried to so hard to be in both worlds. That's why this happened, because we tried to make you choose, and I'm so sorry for that."
I had never seen my dad cry over me before, but he was now. I took a step towards him and he hugged me tightly. He kissed the top of my head and whispered he was sorry. I knew he was, but it didn't make the pain any less real. He understood my pain more than anyone.
"Now who is this boy you've shacked up with? Drasho?" I let out a bell of laughter and shook my head.
"Draco, dad, it's Draco. He's just been taking care of me. No one else could." Dad didn't need the glory details of our exploits.
"All right, I want you to know we're going to be just fine. No matter what happens."
My heart clenched painfully. For some reason, that sounded like a goodbye.
"Ok, Dad. I need to talk to Draco, could you come back soon?" He hesitated and smiled at me.
"I think it's best if I go back home sweetheart. You can owl me I suppose, but it's safer if I go by myself somewhere in the muggle world. You know I'm right."
He was right, but that didn't make me any less mad. I wanted him here with me. Harry still had to fight a war and I had to help him, but why should that make everything else so hard? Voldemort may be dead, but his followers weren't. There was still so much to do.
"Okay, I'll keep in touch. If things go… badly someone will tell you." My dad flinched just a little and nodded sadly.
"I can't change your mind?" He whispered wistfully, but it was half-hearted. He knew I had to stay. How could I abandon Harry when he needed me? What about Draco? The could-be love of my life? That was a bit much but I couldn't deny that I had strong feelings for him that I couldn't make go away. I didn't even want them gone anymore. Who would take better care of me than him?
"No, I'm sorry, you can't. Goodbye, Daddy." I gave him one last hug and he left. I willed myself not to cry. It was time to be strong again. I had important things to do, not including crying like a four-year old.
Draco walked in calmly, like he braced himself for a storm. I laughed at him shocked expression when I smiled at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed a warm kiss on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly. He remained stiff and unresponsive in my arms and I pulled away, suddenly unsure about his feelings for me. What if he used me for sex? What if he never even cared and was just using me for his sick and cruel and vile-
"Hermione, I love you."
My horrid thoughts fumbled to a stop and I looked up and searched his face for lies.
"Potter needs you. We'll talk later okay?" He promised and laced our fingers together. He led me out of the room and down the steps. Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat in the common room, but it was otherwise deserted. Ron made a face at Draco and looked away pointedly. Ginny rolled her eyes and ogled at my hand joined with Draco's. Harry was smart enough to keep him opinions to himself.
I put up a privacy charm, hating that I could have forgotten my new found power. I closed the open window on the far wall and locked all the doors.
"What's happened since I went insane on you all?" I was waiting for Harry to answer but Ron beat him too it.
"Well you decided to abandon us and start fucking ferret face over there." Ron sneered with a wave in Draco's direction. I felt my blood boil and I swallowed sharply. Now wasn't the time to lose control of my powers again.
"Anything that doesn't directly involve me." I clarified as if I hadn't heard Ron. What good would yelling at him achieve? He wouldn't believe me if I told him I wasn't. Anyway he was right, so I would be lying myself.
"No one except the teachers and us five are at Hogwarts. It's closed and won't be opened until next September." Ginny said softly looking put out. Any other sixth year would be jumping for joy at the thought of school being closed, but I guess the circumstances weren't exactly pleasant and didn't deserve a positive reaction.
"Harry, say something!" I finally said, almost ignoring Ginny's comment completely.
"I can't believe that it's finally over." He whispered sadly in disbelief. I clutched Draco's hand more tightly in mine. He was silent for the whole evening, but it meant the world to me that he was here. It really would be all right.
A/N: Writers block and a very nasty flu are the reason behind my late updates. There will be one more chapter after this, which will act as an epilogue of sorts. I hope you guys liked how this turned out. Review and let me know!