Memo: This is it. This is the chapter you've all been painfully waiting for. I could blab on but just enjoy Memo at the end of this as well.

Malfoy burst into Dumbledore's office, anger and fear and pain in his eyes. Ginny, Harry, and Ron all sat there already. Tears were burning angrily in Draco's eyes as he stood there, looking at Professor Dumbledore with cold hate.
Tears stained the student's faces.

"What the bloody hell is going on? What happened to Hermione? Where is she? Tell me!" Draco shouted, his breathing rapid and angry. Everyone was silent, waiting for his outburst to end.

"It was my fault… I got her worked up… I fought with her… she was fine until…" Ron whispered with his lip trembling. He buried his face in his hands and his shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his sobs.

"You son of a…" Draco started and lunged at Ron.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said. Draco found himself unable to continue his attack on Ron. He strained to try to attack, but found it worthless. When he just wanted to step away, he was allowed to. He just stood there shooting venomous glares at the dirty Weasel.

"Please Professor… please tell us what's wrong with Hermione," Ginny pleaded. They all waited for his answer. He looked from face to face and then gave a sad sigh. The twinkle was missing from the depth of their blue.

"Miss Granger is a very ill young woman, as I think you've all realized," he started. He stood and paced around quietly, running his hands along the many books on the shelves. "Each book is like a person in itself, you know. It has it's own story to tell. It has secrets scrawled beneath covers and meaning hidden in the words. Miss Granger is indeed the thickest and most complex book ever opened," he said.

"Professor Dumbledore, I apologize for being rude but could you please stop with metaphors and similes and just tell us what's wrong with her?" Harry asked, his eyes brimmed with tears and red from rubbing at them continually.
Dumbledore sighed and the four of them waited expectantly for an answer.

"As you all seem to know, she is not going to live very long. It was predicted that she would survive another two months, but apparently the process has quickened," he said simply, sadness in his voice.

"Two months!" Ginny cried out as tears began to spill ever more heavily from her eyes. "You can't take her away from us!" she sobbed.
Dumbledore sighed sadly.

"Both muggle doctors and magical healers have tried to heal her, but there is no way to save her without killing her in one way or another," he said.

"What is it? What's killing her?" Draco demanded to know. Dumbledore looked at all of the expectant faces and continued sadly.

"Miss Granger has a tumour, mostly located below the crown of her head," he explained and placed a hand right above his neck. Ginny cried out in horror. "Ronald, you saw the stitches. Over the summer, muggle doctors attempted to remove the brain tumour. It decreased its size, but there was no way to remove all of it without forcing her into a coma or completely destroying all physical and mental capabilities. We all know that there is no such thing as a Hermione Granger who knows nothing and has nothing to say," he said with a sad smile.
Harry hid his eyes with his hand and Ron hugged himself tightly. Ginny sat there with tears streaming down her face as she made choking sounds.

"There has to be some sort of magical remedy!" Draco demanded angrily.

"No, I'm afraid not. After the surgery it seems that the tumour continued to grow. It developed in a way where the brain is actually depending on it to hold it together. It is part of her brain. Without the tumour, there is no Hermione. With the tumour, she can at least be with us for a little longer," he said sadly.

"So there's literally nothing anyone can do?" Draco asked, all the breath escaping from his lungs. He slowly sat down on the floor, the blood rushing to his head and dizzying him.

"No, Mr. Malfoy, there is something you can do," he said. All four looked at him hopefully, the tears still falling. "You can make her last days with us the best possible. It's the best anyone can do," Professor Dumbledore said. He slowly ushered them out of the office. "She will be returning late this evening from St. Mungo's. I recommend acting as if nothing is wrong. She went this long without telling you because she was afraid that you'd treat her differently. She just wanted to be normal. Please, fulfill her last wish. Good day, all," he said in a goodbye as the gargoyle slid shut. The four of them stood in the middle of the corridor.

"This isn't right," Harry whispered.

"You can say that again," Malfoy mumbled and began to pace about.

"I blame you, Malfoy," Ron sneered out of nowhere.

"What did I do? I didn't get her sick!" Draco snapped at him. "You were the one who caused her to pass out and fall down the stairs!" he challenged.

"You stole her away from us! If you hadn't been manipulating her then maybe she would have spent more time with us!" Ron shouted.

"You're just jealous she preferred to be with me than with you, you pathetic Weasel!" Malfoy snarled. Ron let out an angry cry and threw his hands in the air overdramatically, rampaging about.

"What does she see in you? Why does she want you?" Ron hissed at Draco menacingly. Draco challenged him, his expression solid and his silver eyes unfaltering.

"Because I didn't pry into her business. Because I treated her the same as I had before I found out about her sickness. Because I still fought with her despite the fact she was sick. Because around me, things were most normal," Draco growled. Ron shook his head, not believing a word.

"Normal around you? Normal would be her despising you, and instead she's in love with you!" he snapped. Draco took a step back, taken by surprise at Ron's words. "Don't try to deny it, Malfoy. I can see it in the way that she looks at you and in the way she talks about you! She's always thinking about you! Why did she choose you, Malfoy? Why couldn't she have chosen me?" Ron asked angrily.

"I… I…" Draco stuttered, unsure of what to say for once in his entire life.

"Don't play innocent, Malfoy. I would be there for her through thick and thin and death… but you, you will just run away the moment things get too hard. You will just run away as soon as you're frightened. We both know what I mean," Ron said, challenging him with his eyes.
Draco paled.

"This is why she didn't choose you, Weasley," Draco said quietly, affected in a way that Harry and Ginny didn't understand. "When you're angry you pick out a person's most vulnerable memory or feeling and you tear it apart. You think I'm evil? Look in the mirror, and I think you'll be surprised at the character you see staring back," Draco hissed and turned on one heel, leaving the three of them speechless in the corridor.

"I'm not through with you, Malfoy!" Ron called after him as Malfoy walked away with dignity.

"I didn't think you were, Weasley. You never did know when enough was enough," he said and disappeared around a corner.

"What was that all about?" Harry demanded to know. Ron looked at his best friend sadly.

"Secrets, Harry. That's all anything is ever about."

Memo: The reason why I decided to "give" Hermione a tumour in her brain rather than any other part of her body (I was considering heart but decided to pass on that. I think if I were to give another character cancer in the heart it would have to be Draco) is because she uses it to its full extent. To have something like that taken from her and especially her would practically be the end of the world because Hermione just wouldn't be Hermione.

I also decided on a tumour rather than any other disease is because I don't think people realize the impact unless someone in their lives is affected. Maybe with this BREIF outlook on what a tumour can do some people will be more considerate (hopefully -.- You better be or else)