Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! Not even the complete storybook series!

A/N: Some ppl said that it was a bit annoying due to the fact that Hermione cries alot but I wanted to story to show that Hermione changed to be stronger as times pass by...this shows how love had affected her! Don't worry..she'll be stronger k? Now my beta said it was a good idea to make Hermione stop crying bcoz she is crying almost everyday since she arrived at Italy -surprising isn't it?- and she wanted to make this story longer and spread the details...that's why this chapter is taking so long...actually she gave it to me like days ago but I'm to lazy to post it YET! Then when I wanted to post it, fanfiction decided to go crazy on me! I just accidentally fixed it by holding the 'control' key while clicking refresh! Kkk...on with the story!

Because I Care For You

January 28th 2005

Hermione Granger

Time to wake up.

Ouch! My head hurts!

Is it just me or, all of a sudden, did everything go blindingly white?

Am I dead? Already? So fast?

No!

Help!

Save me!

I tried to open my eyes -- but they sting.

I could barely remember anything. My head was spinning. Then suddenly, a voice rang through the room.

"Miss Granger? Can you hear me?" came a voice, loud and firm.

"Am I dead?" I asked hoarsely.

The words ... banging around in my head... Merlin, they sound stupid even to me.

The same voice chuckled.

"No, Miss Granger, you're not dead," more gentle laughter.

"Then, who are you?" I asked again.

I tried to open my eyes but failed.

"Dr. Andréa. I just saved you from dying," the voice, now known as Dr. Andréa, joked.

"I can't open my eyes," I whined. -- Scratch that. A Granger does not whine!

"It's normal, now just get some rest, okay?" she advised.

"How long have I been sleeping?" I asked again.

"Three hours," Dr. Andréa answered, checking my heartbeat.

"Then I've had enough rest already," was my smart-mouthed comment.

"You are so stubborn" the doctor replied, a smile softening her words. "Fine, try to open your eyes," she scolded me.

I tried. The moment my eyes opened, they snapped shut again.

"They won't open!" I wailed.

An I-told-you-so chuckle from the doctor.

"Don't be silly, do it slowly," the good doctor advised.

Gingerly, my eyes slit open. And I got a good look at Dr. Andréa. She was pretty -- but I didn't really care.

At that moment, I cared about one thing only... what had happened to me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, I don't know. I was only told that someone kidnapped you and wanted to die with you. Your throat got cut quite badly by a blunt-edged knife. That's all I know, sorry," Dr. Andréa said, smiling faintly.

I smiled back at her.

"Oh, you're back. Good news, she's awake!" Dr. Andréa spoke suddenly.

"Thank you," another voice drifted in from the open doorway.

"Pleasure's mine," Dr. Andréa said cheerfully and left the room.

The next moment, Draco Malfoy had come to stand in front of me.

Blond head tilted in the overhead light, making gold strands glisten among the platinum. Perfect. I felt like crap and there he stands - not a hair out of place. The prat!

"What do you want Malfoy?" I asked coolly.

"I just wanted to visit you," Malfoy answered calmly, looking the picture of innocence.

"How much did you pay him?" I laughed sarcastically.

A wrinkle formed on his brow.

Ha! Not so perfect after all, are you, Mr. Heir-to-the-Malfoy-Fortune! I hope he gets worry lines. Muck up that pretty face of his, Hermione thought uncharitably. After all, there'd been no love lost between them for years.

"What?" Malfoy said, puzzled.

"How much did you pay Ron to do that to me?" I repeated.

Memories of the incident are coming back to me.

"I did not pay him. I would never - "Malfoy said, genuinely flustered.

"Then why are you here?" I asked, still convinced he was behind it all ... I mean, this is Malfoy. The I-hate-all-mudbloods-and-you-most-of-all Malfoy!

"Because I care what happens to you," Malfoy answered simply.

Yeah, right. Now I know I'm hallucinating, I thought trying to shake the fuzziness from my brain.

"Are those white roses?" I asked, ignoring Malfoy's last comment.

"Yeah, I heard you like them. Anyway, Hermione, can I ask you a question?" Malfoy asked me.

I blinked and stared wide-eyed at the blond. "Did you just call me Hermione?" I asked, disbelievingly.

"Did I? Merlin, what the hell has gotten into me?" Malfoy's face reddened. It was not becoming…

"That's the same thing I wanna know," I snapped.

"Whatever. Why did you leave Weasley during the wedding ceremony?" he asked.

"It's none of your damn business!" Hermione spat.

"Fine! Be that way and see if I care!" Malfoy snapped as he reached for the door.

"I don't care if you care or not!" I shot back. Well, Hermione, that was a bloody brilliant thing to say, I chided myself.

"You should've died there!" Malfoy cursed, a pained blush of fury staining his cheeks.

"You know what? I should've died there! Here! Take this, cut this tube and I'm dead in no time!" I said offering the I.V. to Malfoy.

Malfoy reached for the door but his hands jerked back, almost against his will.

"Can you please just tell me why?" Malfoy pleaded.

I could see how much it cost his pride to ask it.

"Why do you even care?" I asked Malfoy.

"Because it matters- ... b-because I ... care for you! Really!" Malfoy said; his eyes staring unflinchingly into mine.

I think I might be concussed. I'm almost buying it. His eyes shine with something suspiciously like affection… maybe even a smidge of compassion. Could the bane of my existence actually be having a change of heart? I lower my guard just long enough to let the possibility, the sliver of hope begin to kindle. Okay, I can allow the vague possibility that Malfoy could soften up a bit… That conceded, my traitorous heart dared a step further. And for once, I allowed myself to see a part of Draco Malfoy I'd never seen before. I was speechless. My heart melted at the sight of Malfoy's quicksilver eyes. How can I not notice those eyes?

"Hermione, what went wrong at the wedding?" Malfoy asked again.

He's calling me Hermione! I think I should call him Draco, I thought in my head. Merlin, I'm a goner! 'Come on, Hermione, snap out of it!' I berated myself silently.

"Nothing was wrong at the wedding! The flower girls were adorable! The place was gorgeous! Everything was perfect!" I exclaimed.

"Then why did you leave him?" Malfoy - Draco, I mean - asked again.

"Because I didn't love him. He was just a replacement. And I couldn't accept the fact that I was going to spend the rest of my pathetic life with someone I didn't love! To tell you the truth, I don't even know if I ever loved Ron," I said, tears welling up in my eyes, my words tripping over themselves in the rush to get out at last.

A hand caressed the side of my face as Draco bravely advanced inside my personal space. Have to hand it to the Slytherin. He's got balls.

"Then what does love mean to you?" Draco asked me.

"You -- love was when I loved you, Draco," I answered, tears ghosting faint silver trails against my cheeks.

"One tear can represent anything. What does it represent to you?" Draco asked me, holding my hands tightly.

"My broken heart," I choked.

Draco was taken aback. He let go of my hands. Confusion, suspicion and disbelief stamped across his face. Silently, he turned and left the room. Exhaustion, that had to be what it was. What else could make me imagine that look of dawning horror in his eyes; that terrifying epiphany about what was really happening between us? His eyes took on a suspicious shine. Those can't be... he'd never... not over the likes of me. I mean, this is Malfoy!

"Can I have a sheet of paper please?" I asked the nurse.

"Sure. Writing a letter before you leave?" the nurse asked.

"Yeah, does the hospital happen to have a flower shop?" I asked the nurse again.

"Ground floor, from the reception area turn left, won't miss it," the nurse informed me.

I'd been released to leave the hospital under orders of bed rest and room service. Nothing strenuous and no consorting with homicidal ex-fiancés.

No problem.

I went down to the gift shop and bought a long-stemmed white rose. Then I signed out and walked back to my room. Wrote the letter. Then apparated to Draco's room where I left the letter on his freshly made bed. Along with the letter were two long-stemmed roses, one white, and one blood red. I managed to apparate back to my room just as Draco entered his suite.

A/N: Much thanks to my beta -Nzomniac- for making this story sparkling! And to her for her wonderful ideas...I also wanted to ask if you readers realised how this story had become sparkly all the sudden? Thanks to all reviewers! You guys rock! I'm also thinking of posting a new story so keep your eyes open! It's not based on Harry Potter story so if you're reading it, act as if it isn't a HP story! Also...I'm very sorry to inform you guys, I haven't started on the next chapter yet as I have preparations going on. Last Friday I went to get my pasport done but failed to get a number so I had to come back again on Monday. The I have to collect it on Tuesday and get my visa done! You know, travelling stuff...then I went around borrowing Diskman from everyone but no one seems to have it! I finally found one yesterday and tomorrow I got to get some cds burned and stuff. Well, it's 2 am here but I decided to post it anyway after the long wait...Sorry!

Yours truly

Ashley