When You're Strange. {Harry Potter}

Chapter 24. The Truth.

Out of the woods comes Hermione. Never before have I been so happy to see her, because I never have been happy to see her.

"Ron," She exclaims, seeing him injured on the ground.

I want to run over and help her, but I think I hurt my ribs more, falling from Draco's rescue. I can barely move at all, without pain erupting throughout my entire body.

I just cough loudly, on my hands and knees. Everytime I cough, a sharp pain sears across my torso. Unable to take it any longer, I just collapse on the ground.

"Alice," Hermione cries out, "Draco, you're a bloody monster!" She shouts as I hear her hurrying over to me.

She rolls me over, which causes me to yelp out in pain. I open my eyes to see her looking at my body in fear. I strain to look down and I see what she's grimacing about... My robes are practically in shreds as my arms and legs are cut up.

"My ribs..." I manage to choke out, "My ribs," I repeat, for good measure. I feel another coughing fit coming, but I try my hardest to fight against it.

"Alice, this may hurt..." Hermione warns me as she picks up her wand. I doubt she could make it hurt any worse than it already does... "Episkey," She whispers, pointing her wand to my broken ribs.

A large crack sounds off from my ribs and I let out a scream of pain, as loud as I can. I was wrong... She could make it hurt far worse. Frantic hands cover my mouth, muffling my scream.

"Draco, get your filthy hands off of her," Hermione says quietly, through her teeth.

As the pain in my ribs cease, fear takes over as I look up to see Draco glaring at Hermione, covering my mouth. I feel helpless and weak as I watch them glare at each other. Draco could easily end my life in a matter of seconds.

"I'm trying to save her life, Granger. If the others show up, they'll kill her within seconds." Draco explains, releasing my mouth.

That wipes the bitter expression off of Hermione's face. She continues to look at Draco, but I can feel his eyes on my face. I don't dare look up to meet his eyes.

Why is he trying to protect me? Why is he not clamping his fingers around my throat, trying to strangle me?

Interrupting the tense silence, we all hear Ron moaning in pain. Instinctively, I try to get up and help him, but Hermione pushes me back down and rushes to Ron's side, quickly.

I glare at her as I watch her fawn over him. I sit up, relieved to be able to move around, comfortably. I can still feel Draco's eyes on me, but I pretend he's not here. I wipe the blood from my mouth. My lip's still bleeding from when I fell from Draco's curse, protecting me from Bellatrix's attack.

"Alice..." Draco speaks up as Hermione uses 'Ferula' to create a splint for Ron's leg and bandages his arm. I close my eyes, trying to block it all out. "Alice," He repeats, reaching out and touching my arm.

I can't help but to flinch. I open my eyes to look at him.

"Alice, I'm sorry... For everything. I'm not surprised that you seeked comfort elsewhere. I'm not asking you to change your mind, or come back to us. I'm just apologizing, so you know that I still care about you. I may only care for you as a friend, but I still care." He says.

I feel as if a load has been taken off my shoulders. My chest doesn't feel heavy with guilt anymore. He admitted to only caring about me as a friend. It feels nice to not have to lie to each other's faces anymore.

"Thank you," I croak out, unable to stay strong. I lean over and wrap my arms around him. He pulls me in tightly. I bury my face in his neck, just wanting to break down. But, I can't. I have to stay strong, for the night isn't over. "I'm sorry it had to end like this." I whisper.