The sun was rising high in the sky when Hermione finally awoke. Opening her eyes she saw, directly in front of her, Ginny was staring at her. Her eyes tear filled and completely engaged with Hermione's shoulder. With a small grunt, she attempted to sit up, only to realize that Draco's arms were tightly around her, restricting her movement.
" Hey!" She said, poking his side, making him thrust awake," I gotta get up"
Getting to her feet, she walked to the kitchen with ease. Everyone watched her cross the room, acting as if they thought she was never going to recover.
" Whoa..take it easy 'Mione" Harry said. putting his hands up, like a parent guiding a walking toddler.
She simply waved her hand in his direction, shooing him off.
" How are you feeling?" Luna asked, as Hermione opened the fridge.
She was digging through the food like she hadn't eaten in a year.
" I'm okay. I'm just really fuckin' crazy hungry!" She said, shutting the fridge and heading towards the pantry door.
" Well you did loose a considerable amount of blood, your body needs some vitamins right now. " Ginny said, looking to Harry, for his agreement.
Draco stepped into the kitchen, quite unable to say anything, so he chose to just watch her. Every one seemed to have something to say to her. How she should be walking, taking it easy. What to eat, what to drink. Sit down, walk around. It was like having 4 parents all at once telling you what do to.
" Leave her be" Draco said, finally speaking up. " If she says she's ok, then we need to trust this"
Everyone looked at Draco like he was depriving her of well needed care. Hermione turned to Draco and gave him the much needed look of a pleading "thank you". Finally deciding on grapes and a large glass of orange juice, Hermione walked to the table, emptying her bag. As books became strewn across the table top, it had become clear to the others, just how modest Hermione was being when she said this was going to be easy. A general over look would make the book count about 15 to 20 different books. Ginny and Ron gave an simultaneous " ugh" while Hermione let out an appreciative sigh. This was her element. Usually in battles she would freeze up, getting scared, but with her books, in her solitude, this was where she fit.
Draco came to her, giving her a great hug and an even more beautiful kiss. She hesitated when he got close to her new found scar. Whether that was because it was still painful or that it was horrible looking, he didn't know.
" hey" He said, getting her attention to his eyes.
" hmmmmm?" she asked in a Luna like sweet tone.
" I love you!" He said, kissing her forehead.
She gushed with pleasantries. Not matter what the mood she was in, this was making it all seem unimportant.
" I'm gonna be ok. I figure I'll go sit up on that rock by the beach. Get some sun and try and work some of this book out."
And just like that she had lifted several books, and was out the door. Draco stood there watching her. He knew she was okay, but that was too close of a call for even him to handle.
A hand reached up to his elbow, " Hey, lets go down to the beach and talk about this patronus matter. Help get our minds off of things."
It was Harry, he had two pops in one of his hands, his wand in the other.
With a final look to Hermione, perched up on the boulder, he followed Harry to the beach front. After finding a perfect spot, Harry set the drinks down, removing his shirt in the hot sun.
" It's best if you leave all this behind, you know that right?" Harry said, seeing Draco peeking again at Hermione.
" What part exactly?" He asked, still looking at her.
"The whole backing behind a patronus charm is something strong, and by all means, if that's Hermione, then go with it. But if you are going to let this morning sit on your shoulders, you'll never be able to accomplish it."
Draco knew he was right. Turning to Harry, he sat down against a large piece of drift wood.
" Can you cast one for me. I want to see what yours looks like. Seeing though I only caught a glimpse of it last night." He said, cracking open a bottle of pop.
" oh yeah. Sure!" said Harry, making it seem like he should have thought of it himself.
Pointing his wand towards the ocean he spoke, " Expecto Patronum" A great light fused around Harry's wand, and a large stag erupted from the tip. In awe Draco watched as the stag charged back and forth across the water. It was beautiful, so powerful. He started to think he'd never be able to do this.
Watching the stag start to drift away, it had come to Draco's attention that Harry was now sitting directly in front of him, cross legged, opening his own drink.
" so, what do you think of. What's your happy memory?" Draco asked Harry, in true curiosity.
" Well. It's kind of hard to explain. It's more of a collection of things. The Weasley family, and how they have taken care of me. My friends and all they have sacrificed for me. Mostly it's Ginny. It's everything really." Harry said, smiling a little at all the great memories that had just rushed through him.
" We're just gonna chill for a while now. Try to go deep a little. Let your mind wander. You are really going to have to tap into your core here." Harry said to Draco, sitting next to him now." The most important thing that Lupin taught me was that it doesn't always have to be happiness. For me, it is, but when I first started to produce it, things were different. Suspicions were still that Sirius had given my parents up to Voldemort. When I found out that I had discovered the reason for all my heartache, it took me over. It was in no way happiness, but a whole hell a lot of satisfaction."
Neither of them spoke for a while. Both of them just watching the small waves coming up with the tide. The sun was warm on against their faces, the ocean breeze tossing through their hair. With just a close of their eyes, all the trails and tribulations in the world seemed so insignificant here.
" How you doin' over there mate?" Harry asked, peeking through his eyelids, able to see Draco digging his toes into the sand.
" I'm okay." Draco said, sounding unsure, " I was just thinking, well..about my sister"
He was staring at the horizon now. It was almost as if he was watching it to make sure it wasn't getting any closer to them, bringing their problems to them again. Harry didn't know if he should speak at this, but before he could, Draco spoke again.
" It was something she said to me" He said, sitting up a bit, " in the hours between when she burst into the room, interrupting the ritual and when she was supposed to have gone, she came to me. Our rooms were conjoined so she could easily sneak from hers into mine, without being detected. As quietly as she could she tip toed to me, taking my hand.
" Come on Draco..." she said to me.
"We crept out,making our way down the hall, without even a whisper. We saw my father and another man by the front door, having a heated discussion, my father looked furious. Quickly she pulled me towards the east wing, and out the side door by the long path that headed behind the manor. It was beginning to rain and I can remember how cold I was, being only in my pajamas. We sat ourselves on the massive step leading out of the door to the grounds. Suddenly, she grabbed my arms tightly. I could see the fear in her eyes.
" You have to be brave for me Draco" She said.
Through the rain I was still able to see she was crying, " Be brave like me and no matter the beating, it will all drift away."
I was young and foolish, I yelled at her.
" Why did you have to run in there Xuxa?" I screamed, crying my eyes out like a nutter.
" Why did you have to be so foolish?" She pulled me into a deep and heavy hug.
" You are the love of my life. Without you, I am nothing. Remember that always for me brother."
I didn't care to understand what she was saying. I just remember hearing the sound of my father calling her name in anger, searching the manor for her. The slamming of the door, the screams of hatred, damning her.
"Xuxa,I'm so afraid" " Don't let go of me Draco"
he voices rang through his head once more. A large wave crashed against the sand, jolting Draco back into reality. Lowering his head he spoke very solemnly, " I know what memory to use"
With that Harry and Draco stood together, facing the large and vast ocean.
" Alright Draco" Said Harry, " I want you to grab that memory, use it, control it, let it fill your body and soul up."
Draco looked at his feet, watching a little ant crawl past him. Slowly he raised his wand up towards the horizon. Instantly he was flashed with the image of his sister. Happy, warm, full of life, spinning in circles.
Then the words he would never forget for the rest of his life, " The blood of my only daughter on my hands"
No sooner than he said, Expecto patronum then a pale silvery form shot out of the end of his wand. It was weak, there for it faded rather fast. But it remained just long enough for Hermione to come bashing down from atop her rocky sanctuary. " Holy crap" She yelled, jumping down to meet them.
" That was wonderful!" Her eyes swimming with joy.
" It wasn't so great, Harry's is much better" Draco said, running his fingers through his hair.
" Yeah but I've been doing it for years, and this was your first try !" Harry said, he meant to continue but Draco had cut him off.
" Yours is identifiable, for Merlin's sake. Mine was a blob!"
Hermione took a step forward, taking Draco's shoulder.
" Of course, it must have been the glare of the water. You didn't see did you?" She asked, causing the boys to look at one another, confused.
" What Hermione?" Harry said, with an eyebrow up.
" It was pale and kind of shaky yes! But it had form" She said, smiling at them.
" Draco...it's a falcon."
A/N Hey guys, sorry it took me sooooo long to get this out. It was taking me forever to figure out what I wanted to make Draco's patronus. Granted I had amazing ideas given to me..Beck...I still to this moment am juggling the ideas you gave me.(love you)..but I was watching Nat Geo ( national geographic) last night and there was a story about Falcon's and well...I had to do it...loves to all- Dazen