A/N: Hello everyone. Sorry for not being here for so long. My beta's unavailable so forgive me any mistakes. If anyone would be interested in being my beta then I'd appreciate it. I'd like to thank those of you who took the effort to motivate me to write again.I was about to wait for the summer but I decided to write more now. I'm finishing chapter XVII right now. Thanks for being faithful for so long.

Chapter XVI

Malfoy,

I'm sending you the signed divorce papers.

The fact is I never wanted Hermione dead or anything... True, out of my stupid pride I didn't really want to divorce her. I didn't want to ruin my reputation, to be seen as a disloyal husband. I know I'm at fault for Hermione's state. If I wasn't being a stupid prat Lavender would never try to kill her. Therefore, I am signing the papers to atone for my wrongdoings even though I know I'm much too late.

Because I ruined my best friend's, my wife's life, I feel like I need to disappear from it completely to make it possible for her to recover. I decided to leave for The States. When... If Hermione wakes up tell her that I am very sorry and that I hope she can forgive me sometime... That I wish she has the life she has always wanted with my dear brother George.

I sincerely hope you, as her attorney, will take care of this even though we're not on the best of terms.

Ron Weasley

Draco set down the letter on his desk and stroked his chin thoughtfully. Quite frankly he was amazed at Ron's stupidity. Do people really have to be in danger for other people to see that they're behaving like immature idiots? He sighed heavily. He was relieved though. No trial this time. If he only could pass the good news to Hermione...

Hermione looked apprehensively at the clump of lavenders near the edge of the forest. She was considering going there and sniffing them. Mr Poppy wasn't agreeing with her though.

"Oh c'mon, Mr Poppy! It can't be that scary!" She tried to rationalize with the flower "I'm not going to the forest after all. I'm just going to the small clump over there. Why aren't you letting me?"

The bear looked at her sadly and tried to stop her with it's eyes.

"No Hermione... Don't go... You can't go into the forest..."

George looked at her pale face and a tear made its way down his freckled cheek. "Don't go Hermione... You have to stay alive..."

"Oh she will. After she hears the news." George turned his head surprised. He didn't hear anyone come in.

Malfoy sat down next to him and looked at Hermione in silence for a few minutes.

"So...The news?"

Malfoy didn't say anything just gave George the envelope. They sat quietly for a moment while the redhead was reading the letter.

"I can't believe he has some conscience after all. Pity he didn't let it act on its own earlier." George's voice was quiet and resigned. Draco looked at him and started noticing that something was wrong. George's face was white, he looked as if he hadn't eaten for quite a long time. He had vibrant purple bags under his eyes and his whole silhouette looked rickety.

"Merlin, Weasley... What have you done to yourself?" George looked at him slowly.

"What do you mean?" He said his voice sounding rough.

"Have you eaten lately? Where do you sleep? Do you spend every frigging moment in this fucking morgue?" George's eyes gleamed dangerously. He lifted himself as if he was preparing for an attack.

"How dare you?" He snarled his voice rough. "Or didn't you notice that she's still alive? Don't you care at all? Of course you don't! You're a fucking Malfoy after all! Why did you even take her case, huh? Wanted to see her suffer or what?" He was hovering over Malfoy, seething. Draco closed his eyes getting angrier every second of George's tirade. He took a deep breath and opened them to see a very angry face only a few millimetres from his own. He tried to calm himself and react civilly.

"I am very sorry for my noun confusion. I never meant..."

"As if I'd ever believe your bullshit." George interrupted him and Draco snapped. He stood up and looked George right into the eyes.

"Listen, and listen good you fucking moron. I took this case because in contrary to your stupid redheaded self I am a mature adult. She was my employee and she needed help. I could give it and kill two birds with one stone at the same time. Three birds actually..."

"So you did have a motive!"

"Of course I did have a motive! What the fuck did you think? Think realistic! Everyone. Has. A. Motive. Deal with it. But remember that I didn't mean her any harm. Now, if you'll excuse me..." He tried to pass George and get to the door.

"No, no, no. You're not going anywhere until you tell me what exactly did you have in mind with 'three birds'!" George blocked his way successfully. Draco flared his nostrils like the nature of his name suggested and tried to push George out of his way but the redhead stood his ground unperturbed.

"Let me go you retard!"

"Shut up!"

"You know what? I don't care what you think! I like lavenders very much so I will go to them!" Hermione left the poppy on the ground and started walking towards the flowers. She approached the edge of the forest slowly and when she reached her destination she crouched near the flowers. Suddenly they started growing and their leaves were making their way around her ankles. She tried to stand, but new sprouts were tightening around her legs. She shouted for help, and shouted, and shouted...

"I won't let you leave until you tell me your motives!"

"Fine then! First of all I wanted to make Weasel miserable! Second of all, it would do wonders to my reputation to have helped a muggleborn! That was my target from the very beginning to expand my clientele to halfbloods and muggleborns! I was pretty clear about that when I hired her. And third of all..." They heard a quiet sound coming from the bed.

Hermione moaned.

George leaped to her side as fast as he could. "Hermione?! Hermione! Wake up honey! Please wake up! Malfoy call the healers!"

Draco ran out of the room and George stroked Hermione's head.

"Please Hermione, please come back... I love you. I can't live without you. Not anymore. Please don't leave me..." He started sobbing his eyes out, and Hermione moaned again.

She tried to free herself from the weeds that surrounded her. They were not lavenders anymore, they were ugly, rotten weeds trying to push her into the dark forest that suddenly stopped to look as unthreatening as she thought before. She looked for the bear but it was nowhere in sight. Suddenly she heard a voice inside her head...

Please Hermione, please come back... I love you. I can't live without you. Not anymore. Please don't leave me...

Come back...

Don't leave me...

I love you...

I love you...

Love...

The voice echoed and Hermione felt sudden tranquillity overwhelm her... Love? Then she remembered that she was trapped and about to die... Die? I don't want to die! No! There is love! Love... I want to... I want to live and love... I have to... She struggled again against the weeds but they were firm around her body. She was getting closer to the forest. I must fight. I must come back. I must live...


George was crying beside her when Malfoy came running with the healers. They told George to stay away and run a series of charms over her. George and Draco stood quietly and were looking at the scene playing itself before their eyes. It seemed so surreal. Here they were, two enemies looking over a pale girl lying on the hospital bed, wishing for her to survive. The healers started to behave more frantically every second. George lost his words and was weeping in the corner while Draco couldn't take it anymore. He went over to the healers and demanded information.

"Mr Malfoy... She's dying..."

I Must Live...

~ End of Chapter XVI ~