||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 49

He had been staring at the photograph for a very, very long time. 

"Draco," Narcissa walked into his room, and sat down beside him on his bed. He tried to sit up from his sleeping position, but he couldn't. Narcissa held a vial of pepper up potion to his lips, which he swallowed with difficulty. She set the vial aside and pulled a bowl to herself.

"It's a little cold, but Pomfrey said it should take the fever down," Narcissa placed a cold cloth over Draco's forehead. Some of the ice cold water trickled from the cloth down the sides of his head, soaking his hair and the pillow underneath him. He shivered. 

"You should have told us earlier," Narcissa said heavily, using her finger to trace the crusted blood along his lips. 

He had had a violent fit of coughs, in the living room. His parents had been present, and there was no hiding it from them now. Narcissa had immediately contacted Madam Pomfrey, who had said that without Hermione, the potion would have to be started again from scratch. 

"Draco, I know it is a lot to ask." Narcissa said, removing the cloth and dipping it in the water bowl again. She replaced it on his forehead, and he shivered once more. Narcissa sighed, "Don't hurt yourself."

"I'm not," he said hoarsely. Perhaps it was all the dried blood in his throat. 

"If anything happens to you, if I loose you too..." Narcissa said, letting out a strangled sob. She squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.

"I don't want to die," Draco said, realisation seeping into his mind, "I don't, I really don't. But I can't help it."

He paused and placed the photograph beside him, "I love her, mother."

Narcissa sobbed again, "Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry."

"I love her, but I can't ever tell her," Draco said, "maybe if I would have told her before…"

He was overcome by a cough. It hurt his chest, his lungs felt like they were on fire. 

"I'm fine," Draco said when Narcissa looked panicked. She sat back down. 

"I'll be fine, mother," Draco said, forcing a smile onto his face, "I'll go meet her. We could become friends again. She wouldn't have to know anything about the Wizarding world, I'll tell her only in time. We can go through our feelings again, and I can fall in love with her again. Maybe she'll love me too."

Narcissa didn't know how to tell Draco that Hermione did love him. Only, she hadn't realised it at that time. 

"Yes, that's what I'll do," Draco said decidedly, as Narcissa removed and replaced the cloth once more, "I'll meet her as a muggle."

"I hope you get better," Narcissa said, smoothing his hair, "buy her some flowers, she seems to have a liking for roses. And she likes cookies."

"Do you think I'm too dependent on her?" Draco asked, furrowing his brows. 

"No," Narcissa said, smiling down at him, "you love her."

"Do you think I'm weak?" Draco asked, hating how unsure he sounded. If Hermione were here, she would smack him upside the head, and lecture him about self depreciation. Then she'd probably drag him to the library or to a McDonald's. 

Memories flashed through his head.

They were dancing in the guest room at Godric's Hollow, Hermione had just purposely stepped on Draco's toes. He had retorted by jabbing at her sides, causing her to laugh because that's where she was most ticklish.

Next, they were in the kitchen, trying to cook pasta. The flame grew out of control, and a part of the wall paper ended up singed. 

Hermione was holding him as he sobbed on the floor, right after he had nearly killed himself in the bathroom.