Redemption.

Chapter 19

"Stop pretending." she hissed. "Where's Hermione?"

"I don't know." and it was the truth. He could see that she believed him.

She-Weasel let out a frustrated breath and stamped her foot. "What did you say to her? Did you hurt her?"

"Why would I?" Even to him, his voice sounded hollow.

"You worthless git." she said, with a look of disgust. "You pathetic, good for nothing, slimy-"

"Are you done?" he said.

"No I am not!" Her hair looked like it was on fire. She pushed him harshly and Draco almost tripped on his robes. "I told her to be careful around you!" she screamed. "I told her not to let you break her!" She pushed him again. "Now I don't fucking know where she is, nobody does! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Her words hurt more than her shoving. But she was oblivious and continued. "Do you have any idea how much you hurt her? I knew about your relationship with her! I knew you were only using her for sex! You're such a lowlife! Did it mean anything to you that she cared about you as much as she cared about all of us?! Now she's gone!" She broke down, tears gushing out of her eyes. Draco had never seen the fiery She-Weasel lose control like this and bawl her eyes out. 

"She's g-gone, and I-I don't know if-if she's c-coming back! What have you done?"

Draco took a step back. It was too much for him, hearing her accusation. Too much for him to take in the blame. He stumbled and flew back down the corridor, leaving the red head to cry on her own. But he was unsuccessful in trying to leave behind his guilt that crushed him, once more. The nightmares were back, and he was a wasted spirit again. He ate less and less, the gaunt look in his eyes refused to leave him.

The memory of her refused to leave him...

His own words washed over him coldly, more bitter than the winter wind. 

What have I done?

Draco stumbled and fell face first into the snow covered road. Blaise cursed and pulled him to his feet. Then Draco laughed. He laughed like a lunatic, thinking about his ridiculous situation. He laughed about how he'd forgotten he was sinner when she was with him. He laughed about how he'd thought about spending his life with her. He laughed about how useless he was and that she deserved someone better.

The mere thought about seeing her with someone else, made him angry. And that made him cry. His laughter faded and his tears began to flow. Draco howled and stumbled along the road, lost in his world of grief and misery. He was a wounded animal, who didn't know how anyone could save him. Not now. Not ever. He regretted every word that left his mouth in that pathetic broom closet. He couldn't bare to imagine the expression on her face as he had turned to leave. He couldn't stop thinking about what a fucking git he was, and that Ginny Weasley had been absolutely right.

IT WAS ALL HIS FUCKING FAULT.

Blaise watched with concern as he his friend continued to go insane. He knew what the problem was of course. Granger. Ever since she'd disappeared, Draco hadn't been, well...Draco. He was back to being the son of a Death Eater. He had never seen his friend act like this because of a...girl. Being second best to the Slytherin Sex God, had always pissed Blaise off. He'd seen Draco with five different girls, in five different places in one single night. But he'd never seen his friend lose it because of just one single girl. Who was a muggle-born. Who was a Gryffindor. Who was one of the Golden Trio.

Blaise Zabini had never imagined Draco Malfoy falling for Hermione Granger.

But he had fallen for her. Blaise could see he was head-over-heels for the bushy haired bookworm. He had seen how Draco looked at her, as though she as the only person in the room. Their silly arguments in class had been more of a giveaway than anything else. He didn't miss the looks they exchanged when they were in the Great Hall.

At the beginning of the year, Blaise had seen just how broken Draco was. With Granger in his life, he'd noticed how his best friend seemed to be smiling a lot more. Smirking a lot more. Insulting Blaise a lot more (in a friendly was of course).

Now, with Granger virtually non-existent, Draco was back to being haunted by his past and the memory of Miss Know-it-all. And Blaise was left to take care of the silvery-blond haired boy, who had no life left in him. No confidence. No swagger. Nothing except the heavy guilt and painful memories.

As Blaise watched Draco crying and laughing at the same time, he hoped for his friend's sake (and his own), that Hermione Granger would come back after the damn vacations and end this horrible, horrible nightmare.