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Chapter 14::
His Sign

Calling on Hermione's parents was the hardest thing Harry had ever had to do. The sheer pain that crossed their faces the moment Harry crossed into their living room from the floo network was enough to nearly knock him out. He didn't even have to tell them what was going on. They just knew that something wasn't right. After all, their floo was strictly for emergency situations only. Following them through the busy halls of St. Mungo's, Harry tried to keep pace with them. They were heading to the wing that specialized in cancer research. Hermione was in the best possible hands there. The moment her parents got there, he had faith she would be fine. If she would only wake up, that is.

Upon reaching Hermione's assigned room, Harry was relieved to see that not only Ginny and Ron were there, but the whole Weasley family as well. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sitting on a little loveseat, their arms around each other as Molly cried quietly. George sat with Bill, Charlie, and Fleur, discussing something Harry couldn't hear. Even Percy was there, standing awkwardly off to the side with his muggle blackberry in one hand. Apparently, several Ministry individuals carried them, finding it more convenient then owls and flying memos. However, it would appear they were insanely addictive. Percy hadn't taken his nose out of his since he's gotten there.

The moment Molly and Arthur saw them walk in they rushed over and immediately tried to console the worried parents. They thought of Hermione as a child as well. They couldn't believe something like this was even possible for the brilliant curly haired woman. Molly immediately embraced the sobbing Mrs. Granger, whispering words of reassurance as best as she could.

As Harry joined his girlfriend, the Healer in charge of Hermione walked in, looking grim. Mr. and Mrs. Granger eagerly ran to them. "Well, Doctor? How's our Hermione?" Mrs. Granger asked, sounding scared.

The healer looked at the couple and tried her best to smile. "I'm afraid, Mr. and Mrs. Granger that your daughter isn't doing well."

"Wait," Mr. Granger grasped his wife's shoulders. "What are you trying to tell us?"

She shook her head sadly, black curls bouncing on her shoulders. This was always the worst part of her job. "I'm saying, Sir, that there is nothing more we can do for your daughter. We have tried everything we could; every kind of potion imaginable as well as everything muggle. She's not responding to any of it."

"But, what does that mean?" Harry took a step forward, Ginny looking on in hope.

"It means that Hermione is dying." Her voice was low, full of emotion.

Mrs. Granger's wails filled the room, her husband trying to hold onto his wife while crying himself. Mrs. Weasley could also be heard crying, every Weasley in the room trying to make her stop. Harry was frozen, unable to speak. Ginny was trying to keep herself composed. So much pain was flashing through her chest as she stood there that she felt like she was having a heart attack. Ron was huddled into a ball in the corner of the room rocking himself as George held onto him. George knew all too well the pain of losing someone close. He didn't want his little brother to go through the same thing.

"How long does she have?" Ginny managed to strangle out of her constricted throat.

The healer looked around at the room full of sobbing people. The girl she was carrying for was obviously loved deeply. Of course, she knew who Hermione Granger was. Everyone in the wizarding world did. She was Harry Potter's best friend and by far the most caring witch to have existed since Rowena Ravenclaw; not to mention the brightest. This is why she had transferred to St. Mungo's. The moment she was told Hermione Granger was being seen by healers for cancer, she had to treat her.

Now, here she was, telling her lovely patient's family and friends she had failed. "A month. At the most."

Narcissa Malfoy stared at her son with a look of pure surprise. After all, it's not every day that a Malfoy admitted to being in love with a muggleborn. Bloody hell, she didn't even think that has ever happened! Now, here she was looking at her forlorn and heartbroken son while he was begging her for help. For the longest time, she didn't know what to say. Granted, she didn't share her husband's pure hatred for muggleborns, but that didn't meant she had fluffy puppy feelings for them.

"Mother, please say something." Draco fidgeted under her intense gaze. Only his mother had that look. The one look that made him feel uncomfortable.

Still giving him the look she said, "Let me get this straight. You want me to help you save Hermione Granger's life?"

He nodded.

"And how, son, do you propose we do that?" She raised an eyebrow.

At this, Draco didn't really know what to say. This was as far as his plan went. He just figured he would ask his mother for help and she would take it from there. After all, that's how it has always been. "Well, Mother, I was hoping that you would have an idea for that."

"Draco, love, the most I could do is find the best healer for her. I'm assuming she has a healer already?"

He nodded again.

"Do you know his name?"

Draco wrinkled his head in thought. "It's not a man. It's a woman, but I didn't catch her name before I left Hermione to come talk to you."

Narcissa sat forward. "Did she have black curly hair? Silver eyes?"

Draco nodded. That was something he was sure of. The witch had looked extremely young to him; maybe 21 or so.

His mother nodded and sighed. "Then I'm afraid there is nothing I can do for your little girlfriend, Draco."

Shock shook Draco to his core. "What do you mean?"

"If the mediwitch is the one I'm thinking of, then Hermione Granger does have the best there is. The healer that matches that description is Dr. Meredith Sinclair. She is the best there is in any country. She's generally a travelling healer, in fact; one that only works with royalty or those with a great deal of money. I'm surprised that she even agreed to be Miss Granger's healer. After all, the girl isn't really that important." Her voice was low, full of uncaring.

Draco, for the first time in his left, started to feel the sharp stab of rage towards his mother. "I would appreciate it, Mother, if you didn't talk that way about Hermione."

Narcissa looked at Draco with surprise. "I don't understand your feelings for this... muggleborn, Draco, but I won't allow you to talk to me in that tone."

"I will talk to you however I please, mother. I mean, here I am telling you that for the first time in my life I love someone other than myself. Most mothers would be excited. You, however, just say she isn't important. You sound as if you would prefer it if she just died!" His voice was rising, border lining on shouting.

She frowned. "I never said that. I'm just thinking about what your father would say if he was here—"

"Well, he isn't here, Mother! He is never going to be here again! For all I care, he can rot in his tiny cell in Azkaban! He does not control me anymore, and neither do you! I know that you don't care for muggleborns, and honestly I didn't either! But, she's different, Mother. She sees things no one in this world does. Her outlook is so beautiful, so heartfelt that I couldn't stay away from her. She's the only good thing that has ever happened to me. She's my sign, Mum! The one sign I needed to show me that I'm not as hopeless as everyone thinks. If you can't accept my feelings for her, then I can't stay here any longer." He turned on his heel and walked out of his mother's sitting room.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! You come back here this instant!? I will not allow you to speak to me in such a manner and walk away!" Her voice rose, echoing through the room.

Draco didn't hear her. He was already gone.

Hermione opened her eyes to a bright white room. The ceiling was bare, except for a lone tile that had a picture of a sunrise painted on it. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she tried to clear her groggy brain. Every inch of her felt horrid. Her stomach was aching, her throat feeling raw, and her lips dry. Attempting to reach up to rub her eyes, she felt her hand pull something. Turning her palm down, Hermione flinched when she saw the IV sticking out of her hand. Now she knew where she was.

She was in the hospital.

Lifting her head slightly, she saw her parents fast asleep in the couch across the room. That wasn't a good sign. If her parents were called in, then that typically meant the worst. Sighing, she tried to sit up, only to have her side scream in protest. This was going to get annoying fast.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A whisper echoed from the other side of her bed.

Turning her head, she saw Ron sitting there, leaning against the back of his uncomfortable chair. Her eyes widened as she remembered he was the only one who didn't know of her cancer. If he was sitting there now, that meant Harry and Ginny must have told him. She didn't know what to say. "Ron…"

He held up his hand, scooting forward to grab hers. Silence filled the room and lasted for several minutes. The two just stayed where they were, clutching onto each other's hand. Finally, Ron decided to speak. "Harry and Ginny told me; about you." He looked into her eyes sadly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Hermione sighed, looking away from those bright blue eyes. She'd asked herself that same question many times; especially since she told Harry and Ginny. Deep down, she knew the answer. It was that answer that she decided he should know. It was just going to be hard to say.

"I didn't tell you," she swallowed hard. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want to see that look."

"What look?" He asked, his eyes questioning.

"The look you get when your heart gets broken." She squeezed his hand as hard as her weak muscles would allow. "I've seen that look in your eyes before. It's that look that about kills me… no pun intended."

Ron laughed nervously. He knew the look she was talking about. When she broke his heart, he let it show. Whenever he would look at her, he knew he had that look in his eyes. It wasn't until after Christmas that he stopped. It wasn't her fault that she didn't love him the way he loved her. It just took him a long time to finally realize it. Now, as she lay in the hospital bed dying, he tried to keep the look away; tried to keep it from shining in his eyes. It wasn't easy. It was probably one of the most difficult things he had to do, in fact. The girl he was in love with was dying in front of him; his heart was breaking.

"I'm sorry, Mione. I didn't know I hurt you that much." Ron looked away, unable to look her in the eye.

Her free hand lifted, touching his face to make him look at her again. "I know you didn't want to hurt me, Ron. Merlin knows that I never wanted to hurt you. I do love you, Ronald Weasley. I'm just sorry it's not the way you'd like."

He smiled and nodded his head. "The thing is? It doesn't really matter to me if you love me that way or not. I'll take you any way that I can get you, Hermione Granger."

A small smile lit her pale face. The equipment surrounding her bed was certainly muggle. The healer in charge of Hermione claimed that muggle medical supplies had the best hope of maintaining a witch or wizard when they were dying from cancer. Wizarding medicine was excellent at healing; just not the preserving part. An IV was in her left hand and oxygen tubes in her nose to give her a good amount of oxygen. The only thing run by magic was the heart monitor, a transparent screen flickering above her head.

"Hermione?" Mrs. Granger said, waking up from her not-so-peaceful slumber.

Ron smiled, "I'll leave you alone with your parents. Harry and my family went to the cafeteria to get some food. I'll go tell them you're awake."

Hermione sighed, "They all know?"

He nodded sadly. "Ginny flooed them when you were being transferred. My parents, brothers, and Fleur are here."

She nodded her head and signaled for him to get a move on. There was nothing in the world she'd rather see more than her entire family. The Weasleys were certainly a part of her family.

'Too bad Draco isn't here…' She thought her heart clenching as she remembered their kiss.

Her parents rushed to her side. Her father touched her forehead. "You alright, love? Your heart stuttered a moment there."

Hermione felt the urge to giggled, but suppressed it. It didn't seem like now was a good time to giggle. "I'm fine. Just remembering something."

Her mother smiled sadly and touched her face. "How are you feeling, Mimi?"

Hermione sighed, unsure how to answer. To be honest, she felt awful. This was the worst she'd ever felt and she'd felt some pretty terrible things. Even being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange didn't touch this. "I'm fine; just tired."

Her father smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Well, I'd think so. You've been unconscious all day."

Mrs. Granger turned her head to wipe the tears out of her eyes. She had hoped that Hermione wouldn't see. She did, however. If there was one thing her parents should have remembered about her was that it was near impossible to get things by her without her seeing right through it. "Mum?"

Sniffling, her mother smiled at her trying to hide her previous slip. "Yes, Mimi?"

"You're hiding something from me. What is it?" Coughing, Hermione turned her head until her coughing fit was over.

Her father brought a cup of cold water to her lips, putting the straw in her mouth so she could drink. "Alright, dear?" He asked her once she was finished.

She nodded and turned back to her mother. "Mum, I need you to tell me."

Sighing, her mother grabbed her daughter's hand in both of hers as she sat on the edge of the bed, her father doing the same on the opposite side. "The doctor here that's been examining you told us the extent of your… condition."

Hermione frowned. "Mum, I think we're beyond the point of denial. It's time you just called it my cancer."

Nodding, her mother looked at the floor. "Right. I'm sorry, Mimi. Your… cancer… had progressed. It's so far along that there's not much they can do… for you…"

Her mother fell into loud sobs, her grip becoming painful. Scared, Hermione turned to her dad, hoping he could finish explaining. "Daddy?"

He started to cry too, but softer and silent. Hermione silently prayed he wouldn't sob like her mother. She needed some stability, a rock. She didn't think she could hold it in if they both broke down. Clearing his throat, he spoke silently, "The doctor said that your body has been fighting the… cancer… the best that it could. At first, your immune system was doing just fine, it still managed to function. Now, however, it's stopped functioning."

Hermione nodded her head. She pretty much figured that out on her own. After all, she did feel particularly terrible. "What else? There's more isn't there?"

Her mother had finally controlled her crying. "What you might not understand, honey, is that your body can't keep going without your immune system. It's slowly shutting down."

Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat. If her body was shutting down… "How slow?"

Her mother started to sob again, so her father answered her. "A month, Mimi, at the most."

Hermione started to shake as those words repeated themselves in her mind. There was not going to be any two years like she originally thought. There was only going to be a month. Her body was shutting down on her. She wouldn't be around in a month. She was going to die…

For the first time in months, Hermione cried. Her entire body shook as the tears fell in thick drops down her face. Her heart was racing fast as she curled into the fetal position to hold herself as she sobbed. Her life had meant so much to her, her friends meant so much to her. In one month she wouldn't have her friends or family anymore. She was leaving for good. She was going to die…

Her mother slid onto the bed behind Hermione, wrapping her arms around her little girl. Curling around her, she held her close like she used to when she had nightmares as a child. It didn't matter how old Hermione was, she was her baby. She was going to lose her baby and didn't want to let her go. Hermione's father tapped his wife on the back, signaling the two to scoot forward. Luckily, they didn't have to for the bed magically lengthened, allowing him space to lie next to his wife. As he did so, he wrapped his arms around the two women in his life. The two women who meant the world to him.

Hermione felt her mother's arms circle her waist to hold her close. Bringing her hands down, she covered her mother's with her own and held on tight. Soon, her father's followed. As she laid there in the miserable hospital bed where she was likely to die, she sobbed her heart out. It didn't matter that she was an almost nineteen year old witch. And it didn't matter that she was a witch. She needed her mummy and daddy. She needed them more than the world.

Draco knew the moment he got to St. Mungo's that he wasn't wanted. The Weasley's were crowded in the waiting room, waiting for their chance to see Hermione. Chances were that he wasn't going to be allowed to, but that didn't matter. He needed to at least try. Letting out a large sigh, he walked into the waiting room where Harry and Ginny were sitting. When they saw him, they didn't look at him with rage or disgust. No, they were too emotional drained to do such a thing.

Instead, Harry just nodded in his direction and said, "We were wondering when you were going to get here, Draco."

Draco's eyes widened when he heard the man say his name. While that startled him, he didn't dwell on it very long. He had more important thing to attend to. "How is she?"

Ginny sighed and released her boyfriend's hand before standing. "Draco, follow me. Love, I'll be back in a moment."

Harry nodded and stood to join Ron. Ron was standing by the window, his eyes red from crying. Though, it was impossible to find a face in the room that wasn't red from crying. Following the little redhead out of the room, Draco felt that he didn't want to go back in there. He hadn't cried yet and he was sure that the moment he started, he wouldn't be able to stop.

Once out in the hall, Ginny turned on him with a determined expression. "Did you talk to your mother?"

He nodded his head, unable to meet her eyes.

"What did she say?"

"He said that there wasn't anything she could do. It turns out that Hermione's healer is the best there is. If she can't save her, no one can." His voice was voided out. He tried to keep his emotions at bay.

Ginny sighed and felt the tears welling up. "I suppose I knew that already. I was just hoping you'd prove me wrong."

He nodded, unable to say anything to that. He had hoped the same.

"Draco?" Ginny's voice was curious. "I know you love Hermione. But, why didn't you do anything about it?"

Draco sighed and leaned his back against the wall, his hands in the pockets of his slacks. "I was afraid, I guess. Bloody hell, I was horrified. I've never loved anything in my life and then one night, I find Hermione. She was different from before; she was still smart and had her stubborn ways. But, she was different. She made me see the world in a different way and in turn I saw her in a different way."

"When did you find out you loved her?" Ginny asked leaning next to him.

"When we kissed." He decided honesty was the best. Lying felt pointless right then.

Ginny smiled. "You kissed?"

He nodded his head, a small smile crossing his face as he remembered their passionate kiss. That was the first time his heart felt so light. "Yes, in the rain."

Ginny sighed, "That's romantic."

He just shrugged. It's not like he planned it.

"Can I ask you a question with you being honest with me?" Ginny asked, looking at the ground.

Without words, Draco just nodded.

"Are you only in this because she won't be here in a year?" Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible.

Shock shot through him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she turned and looked him in the eyes. "Hermione is dying. She won't be here for long. Are you only in this because you know that no commitment is necessary? One more month and you're off the hook?"

"Of course not..." his head whipped around as he let the words 'one more month' float through his head. "One month?"

"Answer the question, Draco." She needed to know the answer.

He shook his head. "I couldn't care less that she's dying, Red. I don't know why it happened, but I fell in love with her. You know how people say that love grows over time? That wasn't the case for me. It was like a bolt of lightning just shocked my heart. One second, she was just muggleborn Granger, the girl I hated. Then, suddenly, she's Hermione, the girl I love. I can't explain why it happened, but it did. And I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for Hermione until the end and forever after."

Looking at him, Ginny could see he was telling the truth. His eyes were shining with fresh tears that he refused to let fall. Bless him; he was trying to be brave. "Okay."

He raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"That's it." Ginny linked her arm through his and they headed back to the waiting room.

"Hey, Red?" He asked, scared to hear the answer to his question that he has yet to ask.

"Yes?"

"Hermione only has a month doesn't she?" His voice cracked, his heart aching.

She nodded her head, unable to meet his eyes. "A month at the most."

Draco had been dreading that answer. "One month."

She nodded her head again. "One month."

"Red?"

"Draco?"

"Does it always hurt like this?"

She smiled slightly as her heart went out to him, understanding exactly what he meant. "Yes, Malfoy. It hurts."