“Sectumsempra!”
Harry Potter yells at the spell with his wand pointed towards Draco Malfoy. Harry doesn’t know the repercussions of the spell he only read in a book.
He doesn’t even know that his two best friends had followed him into the sixth floor boys’ bathroom.
“NO!” Harry turns around to the voice that screams behind him. Hermione Granger is running toward Draco, who is now laying down on the cold bathroom floor, bleeding profusely.
“Harry, what have you done?” Harry turns to Ron who is almost as pale as the boy lying on the floor.
“I didn’t know what it would do. I swear. It was in the book and I just thought it would be like a stunning spell.” Harry and Ron watch as Hermione is with Draco.
“Ronald, go and get Snape. NOW!” Hermione directs. She turns her attention back to Draco. She casts a diagnostic spell and he states he has significant blood loss. She’s trying to think of ways to stop the bleeding or at least slow it down until she hears her name as a whisper.
“Granger..if this is all it took to make us public, I would have had Theo hurt me a long time ago.” He tries to laugh but it comes out more like a gasp.
“Shh, we can talk about that later.” There are tears falling down her face. “Look at me, Draco. You have to stay with me, please. Stay with me.” Hermione pulls his body into her lap and holds him.
The door to the bathroom slams open. Harry turns around and Hermione looks up. Snape looks at the picture that is before him.
“Hand him to me, Miss. Granger.” Snape walks toward her and Draco and scoops Draco into his arms. Hermione gets up to follow them when Harry grabs her arm.
“Hermione, I didn’t know. I’m sorry. But he was-”
“I don’t care what he was going to do at the moment. You just better hope he ends up okay or I’ll never forgive you.” With that, Hermione chases after Snape toward the Hospital Wing.
Harry tries to explain to Ron about what happened. Tells him that Draco was about to use Cruciatus curse on him. That he was only acting in self defense. Ron understands but also tells him that he shouldn’t have casted an unknown spell. They walk back to Gryffindor Tower, where the common room gets quiet when the two walk in.
Why are they surprised that people already know what happened? The portraits and walls talk- someone probably overheard in the Hospital Wing.
Ginny is on the couch when Ron and Harry walk in and she runs to hug Harry. The Common Room gets loud again with conversation
“What happened?” Ginny asks as the three of them walk back to the couch. Harry recounts what happened in the girls' lavatory.
“I didn’t expect Hermione to be so upset. I mean it’s just Malfoy.” Harry stated with confusion.
“Harry, please don’t tell me you have been that blind.” Ginny’s voice made him look to meet her eyes.
“Yeah, mate. I understand her reaction.” Ron stated while thinking about if Harry had put him in that situation with his girlfriend.
“Wha-what do you mean?”
“You really don’t know?” Ginny questioned.
“Know what?”
“Harry, Malfoy and Hermione are dating. Even if they don’t think the entire school doesn’t know, at least a good portion do.” Ron stated while Ginny should her head in agreement.
“WHAT? Since when?”
“Not sure, but it was made pretty obvious this year. And if that wasn’t obvious enough, then she’s been taking notes for him in class since they have identical schedules. She has literally been doing that right in front of us.” Ginny continued explaining. Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He thought Hermione and Malfoy hated each other. He even considered her a Mudb- No. Harry couldn’t even finish that word in his thoughts.
***
It had to be hours after the incident. Ginny assumed that Hermione would miss dinner in the Great Hall. That didn’t stop Ginny making a plate for her with the intent of bringing in to the Hospital Wing.
By the time dinner came around, the school was buzzing about what had happened. The Slytherin table, specifically Draco’s friends, were eyeing Harry.
Harry couldn’t find it in him to eat. The guilt of almost killing a student, even if it was Draco, was eating him on the inside. Ron, Ginny, and Neville were talking when the entire Great Hall went quiet. Except for a set of footprints at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Harry and the trio of friends looked up, just like everyone else, and Harry felt himself go pale. There stood Hermione Granger with anger in her eyes that her friends had never seen before.
Her wand was in her hand and her clothes were stained with Draco’s blood. She knew exactly where to look for Harry. When they made eye contact, Harry wished he had his invisibility cloak with him.
She stalked toward him and as she got closer, she pointed her wand at him. Hermione started throwing hex after hex at him. She didn’t care who was watching. She didn’t care about the detention she would get. She didn’t care about anything.
The tears that she was fighting started to fall with each hex she threw at her best friend. She didn’t feel anyone trying to stop her. She wasn’t even sure if someone even tried.
As she got closer, she saw Ron and Ginny towards her. She couldn’t hear them. She was solely focused on Harry. Harry casted Protego after Protego trying to make sure Hermione didn’t cause any serious damage.
“Hermione, I’m sorry. Please.” Harry begged. She wanted him to hurt.
“Hermione, you have to stop. He didn’t mean it.” Ginny was pleading with Hermione. Hermione kept throwing hexes. Harry was fast but Hermione was faster at this moment. Harry was a little too slow to cast his blocking spell.
“Stupefy!” Hermione yelled. Harry was pushed into the air. She kept walking toward him. Her wand hand was shaking. That’s when a green tie came into her line of vision, standing right infront of her.
She looked up with watery eyes. Theo.
“Come on, Granger. You have to stop. I know, trust me, I know how you are feeling. But you’re going to regret this later.” Theo spoke softly but sternly. Theo put his hand on her wand arm to lower it. When she looked back at Harry, the look of fear was evident.
“Please, Granger. Let’s go. We have to get you cleaned up. Please, let’s go.” Theo puts both his hands on her shoulders and Hermione looks back at him. She lets out a loud sob. She throws her arms around Theo’s middle. Theo holds her and starts to walk her back to the entrance of the Great Hall.
“Show’s fucking over. Go back to whatever the fuck you were doing.” Ron yells and the Great Hall is alive again with voices and whispers. Ron runs to Harry to check on him. Ginny goes to Theo to take Hermione from him but Hermione flinches. Ginny looks at her surprised. Hermione just shakes her head.
“P–Pa-Pansy. Please, Theo. Just Pansy.” Hermione says through sobs. Theo doesn’t answer but looks back at his class table and makes eye contact with the mentioned witch. He nods his head at her to follow and Pansy rushes over. Both Slytherins take Hermione back to their Common Room and lead her to the bathroom.
Pansy starts to get the bath ready while Theo still holds on to Hermione. Her cries are quieter.
“Come on, Hermione. Let’s take these clothes off, hm?” Pansy says quietly. Pansy’s heart slowly broke for the witch that stood before her. She remembers a time where she couldn’t stand her and now she just wanted to support her. Pansy looked up and gave a nod to Theo, a sign to let him know that she got this. Theo quietly leaves the two girls.
Pansy undresses Hermione, even her knickers and bra. “Hermione, step into the tub. Be careful.” Hermione steps into the hot water and sits in the tub. Her tears fall heavier. Pansy quickly gathers her clothes and takes them outside to the door where Theo is waiting for them.
“Get these clean. She’s gonna need a change of clothes, either go to her dorm and get another uniform or she can borrow something of yours. My clothes are not gonna be the comfort she needs right now.” Theo just nodded. He made his way to Gryffindor Tower.
When he left, Pansy made her way back to Hermione. She was in the same position that Pansy left her in. “Let me clean you up, okay Granger?”
Pansy summons a mug and starts to clean Granger. Her hair has some dried blood in it. The bath water starts to turn a shade of pink. It takes Pansy about 25 minutes to get Granger clean. Within that time, Theo was able to get Granger a change of clothes, with the help of Ginny who was waiting for Hermione to come back. Ginny brought down a pair of pajama pants and a Quidditch shirt with Malfoy’s on the back of it. She also gave him her house slippers that she knows Hermione loves so much.
Pansy dresses Hermione and leads her out to the Slytherin Common Room, where Theo and Blaise are waiting for them. Hermione hasn’t spoken since being in their care until they are about to sit her down on the dark leather couch.
“I have to go back to Draco, Pans. Madam Pomfrey said I could stay there tonight. Please bring me to him.” Hermione said in almost a whisper.
“Of course, Hermione.” The trio guide her to the Hospital Wing and it is like a switch turned on in Hermione. She is no longer holding onto herself. She straightens her back and wipes both the fallen and unfallen tears from her face. She makes her way to Draco’s cot. The three Syltherins behind her finally see their friend and his condition.
Draco lays motionless and his shirt off and a sheet covering him from his hips down. His chest has large gashes in it that you can see the pink and red of his insides. Now they understand Hermione’s outburst. They suddenly felt the same way. Hermione sits down and takes Draco’s hand.
Draco’s eyes flutter open and Hermione gasps.
“Draco!” She caresses his head and plants a light kiss on his lips. Draco looks up and tries to smile. He tries to open his mouth to talk but his mouth is dry.
“Shh..don’t talk. Just rest.” Hermione soothes.
“Wa-water.” He struggles to say. Blaise walks to the other side and pours a cup of water that was on the table. He helps Draco drink.
Draco looks around and sees his friends and girlfriend surrounding him. His eyes fall on Pansy who is quietly crying.
“Oh, Parkinson, are those tears for me?” He tries to chuckle but it turns out more like a cough. Hermione rolls her eyes and the other two boys let out a low chuckle each.
“Shut up, you prat.” Pansy says with a smile. Draco turns and makes eye contact with the witch to his left. He sees the red rims under her eyes and the slight redness in her nose.
“Hi, my love.” Draco says. Hermione’s eyes begin to water again. “Sh sh, please don’t cry. Don’t waste your tears. I’m okay. Just a couple of scratches.” Draco tried to joke but he saw the fear in her eyes. The tears start to fall but Hermione wipes them away. She has to be strong.
Draco turns back to his best friends and sees the tiredness in their eyes.
“Guys, I’m fine. Go to bed. I’ll still be here tomorrow.” After much arguing, the three friends bid the couple a goodnight and head back to their respective House.
Draco turns his attention back to the girl that is still sitting to his left. Hermione is staring at the ground while she is rubbing her thumb on the hand she is holding. Draco gently pulls his hand from hers and brings it up to her chin. He lifts her face so their eyes can meet and he sees the tears that were falling earlier fighting to again fall.
“Hermione, please. I’ve told you to stop crying. I’m not worth those tears.” Draco tries to give her a slight smile but Hermione is already shaking her head.
“Be quiet, Draco.” She rolls her eyes and Draco brings his hand to her cheek. She leans her head into his touch, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. “I’ve told you before and I will tell you again. You are worth everything. My tears, my anger, and my love.” She brings her hand to meet his on her cheek and she makes eye contact with him again. That’s where she sees it.
Absolute adoration and fear.
Her tears fell harder.
“I thought I was going to lose you. You were bleeding so much. I was trying to heal you as fast as I could but you just kept bleeding.”
“Hey, but you didn’t lose me.”
“I don’t know what I would do if I lost you. If you were gone. If you were taken from me.” Hermione put her head into both of her hands. Her crying was harder now.
“Granger, please. I need to breathe, okay? I’m still here. A stupid curse couldn’t take me from you. I promise I am right here and I will be here until you tell me you no longer want me.”
“I could never say that.” Hermione mumbles but Draco still hears her.
“Then I guess that means you’re stuck with me.” Draco chuckles. Hermione looks at him and rolls her eyes with a small smile gracing her lips.
“Come here.” Draco pats the bed. Hermione knows she shouldn’t. Madam Pomfrey would be upset but she can’t resist the boy that she loves. She hesitates but makes the decision to join him on the hospital cot, carefully making sure that she doesn’t touch any of his wounds.
They fall into a comfortable silence. As Hermione rests her head on Draco’s chest, she starts to fall asleep. Draco hears her breathing level out and he smiles. He won’t admit it to her because he knows that she will start crying again but he was scared that he would be lost without her too. He swore he would never be able to see her again.
He feels her snuggling closer to him and again he chuckles. He kisses the top of her head. As he is about to settle into sleep, Madam Pomfrey is opening his curtains.
She is surprised at first but then is about to tell Hermione she can’t lay there but Draco puts a finger to his lips and mouths that she is sleeping. Madam Pomfrey looks between them and shakes her head. She gives him a potion to help with his pain and a potion to help him sleep better.
He takes the pain potion but not the Dreamless Draught. He wants to make sure he can dream while having the love of his life tucked in his arm.
***
It’s been 3 days since Draco was bleeding on the bathroom floor. Madam Pomfrey was allowing Draco to be released. Hermione wanted to stay with him but then he reminded her that someone would have to take notes for both of them, which meant their notes would most likely be incomplete. Hermione Granger could not let that happen.
But whenever she wasn’t in class, she was in the Hospital Wing, as well as Theo, Blaise, and Pansy. They would bring her food or help relieve her for a loo break. Besides the bandages, Draco seemed in perfect condition.
Theo and Blaise had helped Draco back to Slytherin dorms, where Hermione was fluffing his pillows and making sure he had all his pain potions ready. As much as she wanted to stay there, Ginny was waiting for her. Hermione didn’t want her to worry. After making sure Draco was settled in and a gentle kiss on his lips, Hermione made it to Gryffindor Tower.
Ginny was reading a book on the couch and Hermione was surprised to see that Ron was also sitting with her.
As was Harry.
Hermione was avoiding Harry. To his dismay.
She hadn’t let him even speak to her. He definitely tried but she didn’t want to hear it.
“Mione, please.” Hermione hears Harry's plea from behind her. She stops walking.
“I’m sorry, Hermione. I really am. I don’t know that would happened. I didn’t know what the spell would do. I read it in that stupid textbook and I didn’t think.”
“You’re right. You didn’t think.” Hermione states while her back is still facing Harry. She slowly turns and is shocked to see tears staining Harry’s cheek.
“I know, Hermione. I can’t even tell you how sorry I am. I’ve been obsessed with trying to take down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and I thought Draco was a lead to him. But now I know he isn’t. That he never was.
“Please, understand that I’m just scared. That doesn’t excuse my actions but I am. He’s in my head more lately and I just don’t know how to get him out sometimes. When I casted that curse, I heard him as if he was right next to me telling me to hurt Draco. I swore I thought Draco was going to cast the Cruciatus Curse at me.” Harry looked defeated. Hermione just stood there. Her eyes glanced over at Ron and Ginny. Ginny was crying and Ron looked pained.
Harry was her best friend. She laid her life on the line countless times for him. She knows that he would do the same for her.
Harry was gentle and kind. He was ambitious and resilient. Hermione knew that Harry didn’t mean to cause that much damage to Draco. But that didn’t make it okay.
Hermione finally addressed Harry.
“Harry, I’m not gonna say it’s okay. It doesn’t matter what Draco is or isn’t to me. You almost killed someone. Of course, it wasn’t your intention but you can’t just use curses or spells that you don’t know. That doesn’t just make it forgivable.”
“I know, Hermione. I am so sorry. I’m trying my best.”
“I shouldn’t be the one that you need to apologize to.” Hermione stated matter of factly.
“What? Who else? I mean, I already apologized to Draco.” Hermione’s eyebrows went up.
“You did? When?”
“Yesterday. He was alone. I went to him and apologized. Told him almost the same thing I told you. He was surprisingly understanding. Actually he told me that he would only forgive me if I apologized to you, as well.” Hermione huffed a laugh and Harry smiled.
“He said that Theo told him what happened in the Great Hall and that I need to apologize to you for getting you to that point.” Hermione rolled her eyes.
“Well, you can tell him he can forgive you. I forgive you, too, Harry. I know you and you don’t have a mean bone in your body. I know your intention wasn’t to actually kill him. But Harry, you can’t just use spells and curses without actually knowing the consequences of them. That’s why I am mostly angry with you. It could have been anyone, I would have been as upset.” She closed her eyes and sighed. When she looked at Harry again there was a smile gracing his lips.
“I’m sorry too, by the way. For doing what I did during dinner.” Harry shook his head at her while Hermione tried to apologize.
“No. Don’t. I don’t know what I would have done if I was in your position and it was someone I loved.” Hermione looked over Harry’s shoulder and saw Ginny perk up a little. They were still lingering around each other. Hermione hopes they can get their shit together.
Hermione walked to Harry and hugged him. He returned the hug back. There was so much that they had to tell each other but for right now this is all they needed.
***
If it wasn’t obvious enough that Hermione and Draco were dating, then they made it clear to everyone when they walked into the Great Hall for breakfast together, hand in hand.
When Hermione had woken up that morning, her intention was to go to the Slytherin dungeons and help Draco. But he seemed to have the same idea because when she stepped out of the portrait hole, he was already waiting for her. She wanted to yell at him but seeing the color back in his cheeks and the life in his eyes when they met hers, she stopped. She gave him a good morning kiss but he only deepened it. He put his hand on her cheek and held her there.
She could feel his tongue slowly across her lips, entering her mouth. She met him with the same velocity. It wasn’t until she heard someone clearing their throat behind her that they both stopped. While he got his breathing under control, Hermione looked behind her and saw Ginny smirking at them.
Ginny walked ahead of them. Hermione and Draco both let out a light laugh.
They headed down towards the Great Hall and when she went to release her hand, he held on tighter.
It was initially his idea that they hid their relationship from the world. He didn’t want people to know about them, for fear it would get back to his parents, and in turn get back to the Dark Lord. But Draco didn’t care anymore. After almost dying, things turned into perspective for him. He wanted people to see their relationship for what it was.
He wanted his parents to know why he changed his mind on being another mindless follower for the evil that was trying to wreck their world. He wanted to show them the life they were willing to throw away because of “purity”.
This world wasn’t pure anymore. But Draco knew his love for Hermione Granger was. He would fight for it.
When they walked into the Great Hall, just like before, it became quiet. Students stared at them, gawking at them holding hands. Draco knew Hermione hated when people stared, but he reveled in it.
He turned toward her and put his index finger under chin. He lifted her head up to meet his and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. He could see the pink rising up to her cheeks. He smiled down at her and then brought his attention back to everyone else.
He glared at everyone and they went back to whatever conversation they were having before.
Hermione tried to let go of his hand again and he held on tighter. She looked at him with confusion in her eyes. With his free hand, he indicated to lead the way to her table. The Gryffindor table. She beamed a smile at him and led him there.
If her friends were surprised to see him sitting with them, they didn’t show it. Harry and Ron bid both of them a good morning. Harry handed Draco the pitcher of pumpkin juice while Ron started up a conversation about Quidditch.
“So Potter,” Harry looked up as Draco directed toward him “how’s dear ole Cousin Sirius doing? Still leading the charge for the Order then?” Harry looked surprised. How did Draco know about Sirius leading the Order? He looked at Hermione but she was looking at Draco with a surprising expression.
Draco looked at Hermione when everyone went silent.
“What? Did Granger not tell you?” Harry looked back at Hermione, who was already looking at him with wide eyes. Ron had stopped eating to listen and Ginny was quiet.
“If it wasn’t for me, you would have never known it was a trap. If Granger hadn’t told you to floo Sirius before invading the DoM, I’m pretty sure there would have been a different outcome. I mean that’s at least what my Aunt Bella was plotting.”
“What do you mean?” Potter asked.
“What I mean is that as I was talking to my mother through the floo, I overheard the plan to put in your mind about Sirius getting tortured. When I did, I ran to Granger to tell her.”
“So wait, you’ve been helping all this time.” Ginny asked. Harry didn’t know what to say.
“I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t know how to tell you.” Hermione reached over to hold his hand. He let her. She looked at him and she saw the tears in his eyes.
His godfather.
His last living family.
Alive.
All because of Draco Malfoy.
“Th-Thank you, Mal- Draco. And um he-he’s doing fine. Great actually.” Harry quickly wiped his tears before they fell. He looked at Ron, who was still in shock, and Ginny whose hand was on his thigh comforting him.
“You didn’t answer my sister, Malfoy. You’ve been helping us, the whole time.” Ron questioned.
Draco went on to explain, from the beginning. How he always liked Hermione but hated her because his parents told him he had to. But after fourth year, when they were partnered up for Potions, he couldn’t hold his crush any longer. Before the summer break, he told Hermione everything about his feelings and how sorry he was for treating her the way he had. They sent owls all summer and even met up once in London.
Hermione explained that she didn’t tell them because if it was nothing but a silly crush then it wouldn’t matter. But as fifth year went on, she knew it was more, and then she just didn’t know how to explain it to them without making them feel like she betrayed them.
Draco explained that during Christmas break, he told his parents that he didn’t believe in what they did anymore. His father was outraged but his mother was understanding. His father kicked him out and that’s when his mother told him that her sister Andromeda would take him.
“You deflected?” Ron asked
“I did. And I would do it again, knowing she would be the reward.” Draco nudged Hermione with his shoulder. Hermione smiled and that's when Harry, Ginny, and Ron realized how the two infront of them really cared for them.
“So what’s the next step? How do we take down Who-Must-Not-Be-Name?” Draco asked. He surprised everyone with how he called Voldemort.
Harry wasn’t 100% sure what the next step was but before he could answer he was caught off guard about who stood behind Draco and Hermione.
“Whatever it is, make sure you count us in. Can’t let the Gryffindors have all the fun.” Theo Nott responded. Blaise and Pansy on either side of him. They sat down and although the trio of Gryffindors were surprised, they didn’t show it.
Whatever was being discussed was dropped after a resounding laugh from Draco, in response to Theo. Everyone else followed suit.
The discussion was dropped, for now, but the impending feeling of war lingered.
But it was good to have allies from the other side.