Aftermath

CHAPTER 22: A DIFFERENT FLIGHT

Hermione fluttered her eyes open, her vision's a blur and her lungs in pain. She was surrounded by blurred figures. She wanted to speak but couldn't find the strength to. She wanted to ask if everyone's alive, if Astoria was saved too, if everyone's okay, Harry, Ron, Blaise, Theo, and if Draco's safe. She wanted to ask all of those but she couldn't barely lift her lips to open after coughing saltwater out of her system.

She felt someone hug her tight. She couldn't smell clear, her nostrils were sore.

She gave a smile.

When Hermione smiled, Harry and Ron's heart flushed and rushed. She came back to life. They both thought.

Hermione tried to open her eyes again and she met a familiar gaze. Stormy grey eyes met hers. A rush of pain, happiness, sorrow and love were evident in his eyes.

"Draco," She whispered, soft. "SHH. I'm here Granger. Don't speak." He said as he pulled Hermione to his arms, making her lean against his broad chest.

"You don't ever scare me like that, Granger. Never again." He firmly said.

"Hermione,"

She heard different voices called her name. Voices that she knew of. She closed her eyes and smiled, knowing all the voices were familiar, and for her, it was a more than enough roll call.

***

Hermione woke up in a daze feeling much better than before. Her limbs were sore but much better. "Hey," A soft greeting and familiar smell enveloped her being.

"Draco?" She asked just to be sure. She felt a pair of soft lips crash down on hers gently and she smiled against it. "You fell asleep last night, and the curse hit you around midnight, there were a couple of screams but you survived." Draco smiled. Hermione glanced at her skin and there were in fact bruises. She felt the searing pain last night but she couldn't really comprehend after what she'd been through. "We're almost there." Draco whispered and hugged her softly.

Her heart felt like it was going to explode as Draco engulfed her in his warmth. This feeling is so good she's afraid of losing it, that's why she will do everything to never lose it.

As for Draco, he held Hermione in his arms like she was the most important thing in his life — which she was. Draco knew he could never let go of this woman ever again. He would lose it if he does.

They both drove eachother insane but they were also eachother's sanity and in that balance, they found peace.

"Hey," A soft voice came from the entrance of the tent. The couple looked up to see Astoria. "Did I interrupt something?" She asked shyly. Draco smiled at her. "No — I guess I'll be leaving you two to talk." Draco kissed Hermione by the forehead and stood up and patted Astoria's left shoulder.

"Hey," Astoria said again. "Hey," Hermione replied with a smile. "I — I never knew how it felt to lose you yesterday, I — I just heard screaming and crying but my hearing was muffled as well but I knew they were devastated when they thought — they lost you." Astoria grimaced and stood awkwardly in front of Hermione.

"Sit with me." Hermione called and patted the empty bed space beside her. She never had a little sister nor a little brother growing up. Astoria was in Ginny's batch and Ginny was all Hermione ever had closest to a female sibling and back there, while she reached for Astoria's hand, she reached for it like she was protecting Ginny, like she was protecting a sister.