"There you are! I've been trying to get Potter or Weasel to tell me where you disappear to but your friends are really good for nothing." He said, taking a seat next to her. Hermione frowned, immediately gathering her things to leave. "Hey, where are you going?"
She sniffed, ignoring him and walking away quickly. It was her free period and Hermione was hoping to have a relaxing afternoon in the sun, but at the sound of Malfoy's voice, her heart sank.
"Hold on a minute Granger."
"Careful, don't want to be seen with a mudblood do you?" she hissed at him, pushing by.
"Aren't still upset about that, are you? Come on now, Granger you are a mudblood after all!"
Hermione turned to him finally, eyes flashing. "Stop calling me that!"
"Why?"
"It's rude! And I am not a mudblood."
"It's not rude. My father says it to people all the time!"
"Well then your father is rude too." She said in a matter-of-factly way.
"How is he rude? It's the truth." He said and Hermione stared at him like he had two heads.
"You honestly believe I have mud running through my veins?" she asked with narrow eyes.
Draco shrugged, wondering why Hermione was acting so hurt. He had only said it last week on the quidditch field to insult her … Okay maybe it had been rude. But he insulted people all the time and they were fine. Besides it was true, wasn't it? "Why else is that the word then?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, trying to fight the urge to push Draco down the hill. "I have shiny, red blood running through my veins just like you, Malfoy. Calling people mudblood is a rude way to make someone feel inferior – because some people are afraid of anyone who's different. But just because I have nonmagical parents makes me no different than you."
"We're not the same though." He said immediately. "We can't be you – you…" he struggled to find something to say and Hermione smiled triumphantly. There really was no difference between them.
"We're the same, Malfoy. And next time you think of calling me a mudblood, remember that."
After that, Hermione met with him again to research the runes and though they never talked about the mudblood incident again, Draco thought about it every day. It was weird because the word had been on the tip of his tongue ever since he had first learned to use it. He knew it was not allowed at Hogwarts but it bothered him that such a simple word to him meant something very different to Hermione. Especially because if the word had no literal meaning then why should muggle-borns be treated any different?
He wanted to forget her; she was just another boring girl after all. But try as he might, he could never fully convince himself of this idea. She was definitely not boring, and now that Draco had met her, he did not think he could undo it. Here was a girl who challenged him intellectually, who put up with his bullying, and actually said something back to him. It was not a friendship per say but it was a start. Or it could be anyway.
He did not want to be friends with her though. She was friends with Potter and smelly Weasley (whom his father hated as much as mudbloods), and she was a Gryffindor. What would everyone say? His friends especially would never let him hear the end of it. And his parents made it clear that they only valued other purebloods.
But he could do it, he thought, as he took his seat behind her in potions. He could be friends with this bushy haired, incredibly bright girl. He knew she probably wanted nothing to do with him, but that was okay. He would take the initiative and show her that he was more than he had seemed to be thus far.
Hermione had been wandering around the blustery city for two hours trying to figure out what she should do. There was so much she was capable of if she started practicing magic again. Or she could just give it up for others' safety. But if she decided to give up magic this would be the definite last time she could give it up. If she damaged her magic again – she could lose it forever. Could she live like that?
"Oh!" someone exclaimed bumping into her.
"Sorry about that – I was not looking," Hermione said, helping to steady the woman's belongings.
"Wait a minute, I know you." The lady said and Hermione's stomach flipped. "You're Hermione Granger! Don't you recognize me?" she asked when Hermione did not return her smile. "It's me, Elena." Hermione tried to think of an Elena but failed.
"I'm sorry I –"
"Elena Weasley." She clarified and Hermione stopped in her tracks. Oh, God. She thought.
"Right," she said, trying to smile. "Ron's wife?" Oh God, I do not want to do this right now. Hermione could feel her face begin to heat up and wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her cloak.
"Yeah I've heard so many things from him about you. It's so nice to finally meet you."
Finally meet you. Yeah, I guess you never forget the person that replied to your wedding invitation but never showed up.
"Hey, are you okay? I don't bite, you know," Elena laughed.
Hermione tried to laugh but it came out awkward and strangled. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine, don't worry." She probably thinks I'm crazy – and rude for never replying to Ron. I can't do this.
"Are you sure? You seem a little pale. Do you need a glass of water or something? My apartment is just down the street and I'm sure Ron wouldn't mind–"
"No," Hermione exclaimed, holding her hands up between them. I just want to be alone. And then she suddenly noticed that small, red sparks were shooting out of the palm of her hands. Oh, no. "I have to go, excuse me." Hermione said, shoving her hands in her cloak pockets and brushing by the woman. She was in such a rush to get away she didn't notice that she'd stepped off of the street into oncoming traffic. She barely registered the headlights headed in her direction before it was too late.
When Hermione woke up, she found herself in a hospital bed with a headache.
"Hey, don't try to get up yet." A kind voice said at her said and Hermione turned to see Elena in the room with her.
"What happened?" Hermione murmured, closing her eyes.
"You got hit by a car. You had a bit of a concussion but it was nothing Archfield Hospital couldn't take care of,"
"Archfield?" Hermione asked, not recognizing the name.
"Yeah, don't worry. Ron knows some people here and they're great healers."
"Ron's here?" Hermione asked, alarmed. She sat up too quickly and her head pounded in protest.
"Whoa, whoa, take it easy. Yes he was here, but he left a moment ago. Hugo – our son – had to be picked up from my sisters' so he went to go get him."
"You and Ron have kids?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Yes," Elena nodded. "One boy right now. Um, I think Ron mentioned him in one of the letters he sent you?" Hermione nodded, looking away. "If you don't mind me asking, are you sure you're okay? I mean Ron… You barely replied to him, he thought something terrible had happened to you."
Hermione sighed as guilt enveloped her. I probably deserve this, she thought as a healer walked in. "Hello, Ms. Granger." The man said. "How are you feeling?"
Hermione smiled, grateful for the interruption. "Just a bit of a headache, but I think I'm okay."
"That's good. When you came in, you had a bit of a brain bleed and a fractured collar bone but our staff took care of it. If you don't mind, I would like to scan you to make sure everything is fine." Hermione shrugged, expecting him to take her to a machine. But instead he traced his wand around Hermione's body and a holographic picture of Hermione appeared. He said another incantation and then image of all of Hermione's organs appeared and it was so clear, Hermione was sure she could see each of her veins. The healer manipulated the image so that he could see Hermione's bones and then her brain. "Yes, everything looks good. You'll have a slight headache for a couple of days, but other than that you should be fine."
"Thank you," Hermione said. "H-how long have you been able to do that?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"The spell – the magic you did – is that new? I've never learned that."
"It is," he said with a smile. "It was manifested by Katerina Rowling one year ago, specifically for medical purposes. It takes a long time to be able to do it without incantation, but I've got the hang of it."
"Wow," Hermione said with a smile. "Medicine has evolved,"
"It sure has. Is there anything else you wanted to ask?"
"No, thank you."
"Alright then, since your fees have been paid you have one more hour in this room to rest, but after an hour we need you to vacate it."
When he left, Hermione turned to Elena with a sour face. "Did Ron pay for it? How much was it? I should-"
"Hermione, there's no reason to pay him back – you're good friends. And besides you just got back; you should be more focused on using your magic again."
"How much was it?" Hermione asked again when Harry appeared out of thin air – literally.
"Hermione," he said, immediately rushing to her side. "How are you? What happened? There are all these people saying you tried to off yourself."
"What?" Hermione exclaimed. "No, Harry. I was simply not looking where I was stepping – which turned out to be a roadway. Who said I was trying to off myself?"
"Never you mind, Hermione." Elena said, stepping up. "Harry can I talk to you outside? Hermione probably needs to rest a bit longer,"
Harry gave the smiling woman a quizzical look but followed her outside. They were having a hushed conversation and kept looking at Hermione every two minutes, but she was too busy looking at everyone else. She peered around into other rooms and saw the healers using several spells that she had never seen.
Her fingers itched and Hermione felt it again. It was a like a rush to know these spells, to access all this brand new knowledge, and to use it to help people. She had not felt this in a long time. She did not want to give magic up if she could learn new things and use them for good.
Before Hermione had sworn off of magic, she had made an alias for herself. She could not just leave and become a hobo, so she cast a charm on herself to understand and be able to practice modern muggle medicine and get her a job at a hospital. In a week she was off to Seattle Grace Hospital in America as a surgical resident.
At first, she had been horrified at the way muggles had to cut each other open to fix themselves because they did not make potions that mended bones and repaired lung tissue. She was used to using magic but eventually she got used to being without it. The only thing she did not get used to was the lack of knowledge she could obtain. Of course there were new procedures developing across the states, but the spell she had casted on herself made it so that she already understood every basic surgical procedure. There was nothing new.
Every day she woke up knowing the perfect way to slice someone open and close them again. It was good because it never put anyone's life in danger but it had made life terribly bland. After two years she began to feel that she had not made the correct decision. She had a strong urge to start over again. But did she want to continue as a muggle surgeon? Or did she want something else?
After another year of the same routine she found herself at a park on a Tuesday afternoon. Her phone was ringing constantly as her supervisor was trying to reach her. Hermione absentmindedly wondered if she was going to be fired. She wasn't the type of person that did not fulfill her obligations. She remembered herself as being someone who always put 110% effort in every task. But was she still the same person?
She found herself in her parent's house reflecting on the same questions. As she thought about if she really wanted to have full control of her magic back, she remembered her nightmares. But when fell asleep, she had positive dreams. They were full of adventures and smiling faces. When she weighed her wand in her hand she didn't feel the same confidence that she used to, but her blood sang with the magic that coursed through her. A large part of her wanted to practice magic again.
Elena, Harry, and Ron were trying to build a relationship with her even though she was hesitant. Draco said he trusted her. So why was she still having second thoughts? If she said she did not want to practice magic, she would never have it back. Hermione didn't think so could live with that.
Here in the magical world there were hundreds of things to explore; hundreds of things to create. And she could be a part of it all if she just could find it in herself to take the initiative.
So what would her decision be?
Note: I won't be updating until next year, so enjoy your holidays my lovely readers :) Leave me a review and I will high five you.