Let Me Help You

DracoxHermione

Rated NC-17

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Let Me Help You

Chapter 19

Hermione looked absolutely bewildered at Harry as she jerked her head away from his. Harry had just kissed her. Her best friend had just kissed her! Trying for her words she finally was able to ask, "What was that?"

Harry looked confused for a moment before answering, "I kissed you."

"Why?"

"Because I like you, Hermione."

Brown eyes widened and Hermione asked softly, "What did you say?"

"I like you, Hermione. I've liked you for a while, Hermione."

Shaking her head Hermione began to back away, not completely believing what her friend had just said, that he had just kissed her. Harry could tell that she was in the midst of denying what he had said and quickly moved towards her, stopping her from turning and leaving. Grabbing her arm he said, "Hermione, wait a minute. Just give me a chance. I know things have been tense lately, but they don't have to be between us. I know we can work out together and be happy. Just give us a chance."

Hermione looked into Harry's green eyes, seeing his sincerity and obvious affections for her in them. She didn't know what to say she was so shocked. Blinking she finally said, "Harry, I'm sorry, but I can't."

Harry's hands slid down from her arms and asked, "Why not? Am I not good enough?"

"No Harry, that's not it. You're great, you have to believe that. But I just don't see you as any more than a brother. And I'm sure there is someone else out there for you, but it's not me. Besides, I already love someone else."

There was a moment of silence before Harry asked, "Is it Malfoy?"

The brunette opened her mouth to lie, but found that she couldn't, not to Harry anymore. Looking down at her feet she rubbed her arm and answered truthfully, "Yes. Yes, I love Draco."

The boy said nothing as he looked at his friend. His heart hurt at her confession, but he couldn't be upset with her over it. Somehow his rival/enemy had won his friend's heart and he couldn't do anything about it. It hurt, but at the end of the day all he wanted for Hermione was to be happy, even if it wasn't with him. With a small smile he stepped up and hugged her, softly saying, "I won't tell anyone, Mione. I'll admit I wish it wasn't Malfoy that you love, but I can't fault you for whatever reason it was that you did fall in love with him for. I just want you to be happy, and I'll be here for you no matter what."

Hermione wrapped her arms around Harry and returned his hug, thanking him as she leant her head against his shoulder. When she let go she gave him a kiss on his cheek before running back up to the castle, leaving Harry standing alone by the Great Lake.

Hermione went up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and walked inside and up to the professor's office. She knocked on it and waited for Professor Snape to allow her inside. When she heard his deep voice say 'enter', she walked inside and closed the door behind her. Turning to face him she sat in the chair in front of his desk where he was seated behind it. Seeing that he was looking through the old potions book she said, "I spoke to Harry about the book."

"And?" Severus asked looking up at her.

"He said that was the only curse he learned in the book. Everything else was either easier ways to get through a potion, or written in a dialect he couldn't understand."

"That's because it's written in Gaeilge, my ancestral language on my mother's side."

Hermione nodded, hearing in his tone that he would be saying no more on the matter. She watched him move from his desk and place the potions book on his bookshelf before he turned to look at her. Turning back to her he was about to say something when the Floo suddenly roared and Narcissa stepped through the green flames. She waved her wand over her long, dark green dress to get rid of the soot on it before looking up at her lover. Hurrying to him she said, "Severus! Severus I just got the news about Draco! Is he alright?"

Severus nodded and said, "Yes, he'll be fine. I was able to reverse most of the damage before taking him to the hospital wing. He'll probably be there for a few days, but he will be alright."

Narcissa let out sigh of relief and leant her head against the younger man's shoulder, Severus wrapping his arm around the older woman and holding her close to him. Hermione was surprised to see this bit of affection from the Potions Master and couldn't help but think it was cute. Thinking she was intruding on this private moment she moved to excuse herself, but stopped when Narcissa called her name.

Turning to face the older witch she said, "Yes, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Giving Hermione a grave look Narcissa said, "Just so you know, things are becoming very serious very quickly now. Draco's time to complete the Dark Lord's request is coming to a close and soon. And when that time comes, you will have to make a choice. I know you love my son and he loves you; I can see it in the way you two look at each other. But you will have to decide whether you will continue to stand by him or not. If you find you cannot, I need you to let Draco go."

Hermione hadn't expected the woman to tell her all of that. She hadn't thought about what she would do when Draco completed his task, if he would ever complete it. Narcissa was basically telling her that she would either have to stand by Draco an abandon all that she knew and believed in to fight Lord Voldemort, or abandon Draco and his love for her and stick by Harry and Dumbledore's side. She felt so conflicted as those thoughts filled her head and she could feel her heart throb in pain as she thought of when she would have to make that choice. Nodding she quickly turned and left the office, running from the DADA room and to the Fifth Floor for the Founder's Room.

Severus and Narcissa stood in silence following Hermione's departure, both of them knowing the young witch was probably having a hard time digesting what Narcissa had told her. Looking down at his woman Severus said, "Don't worry about Draco completing his task, Narcissa. I'll handle it."

Narcissa looked up at Severus and nodded before saying, "I'm not worried about that; I know you'll end up doing it, Severus. My worry is whether or not Draco will be able to cope with Hermione if she decides to stick with Mr. Potter."

The wizard nodding and wrapped his arms around Narcissa, holding her close as he thought about what was to come.

Later on that night in the hospital wing, Draco lay awake staring at the ceiling. His whole entire chest hurt, despite the Pain Relieving Potions Madame Pompfrey had fed him. He hadn't a single clue what kind of Dark curse Potter had used on him, but it nearly killed him, not to say any Dark curse couldn't kill a person. He just never expected Potter to attempt to kill him in school of all things. Yes, he had sent the Killing Curse at him first, but he had been panicking at being cornered along with his already high strung emotions. All he could really remember at the time after being hit with the curse was Severus healing him and Hermione telling him to focus on her. He remembered that he had in fact done just that, right before he passed out.

Just thinking of his girlfriend made him want to have her there with him. However it was night time and past curfew; there was no way Hermione could come to see him without getting caught and in trouble. Even so, he hoped that he'd be able to see her before the night was over, seeing as it would be almost impossible for her to visit him during the day without it looking suspicious.

He heard a slight creak of a door and he turned his head in the direction of Madame Pompfrey's private quarters, wondering if she was coming to check on him. However he saw no movement that way, making him turn his head to face the entrance of the hospital wing. Grey eyes widened as he saw the object of his affections silently making her way towards him in her long nightgown with a robe wrapped around her and slippers on her feet. Her hair was down and falling around her face, her brown eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"Hermione," Draco whispered as she reached him.

The brunette softly shushed him and sat on his hospital bed, moving his platinum locks out of his face before caressing cheekbone. Smiling softly she whispered, "I couldn't stay away anymore."

Draco smiled and he reached up slightly with one hand to take the one on his face, holding onto it tightly. Looking into her eyes he said with the utmost truth and sincerity, "I love you."

Hermione gasped softly at hearing his confession, but she then smiled and replied, "I love you too."

The blond grinned brightly and lightly tugged on Hermione's arm, silently asking her to lie down with him. Hermione helped him shift over a bit without hurting himself before lying down next to him, gently resting her head on his shoulder, her right hand resting overtop of his beating heart. She felt Draco give her a kiss on her forehead before it was quiet between them, Draco's arm wrapped around her shoulder, his thumb lightly rubbing it.

After a while Draco had fallen asleep, leaving Hermione the only one awake. When she was certain that her boyfriend wouldn't wake up, she silently sat up and looked at his peacefully sleeping face. As she looked at him she couldn't help but hear Narcissa's words in her head.

"You will have to decide whether you will continue to stand by him or not. If you find you cannot, I need you to let Draco go."

Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she whispered, "Oh Draco, what am I going to do?"