“Hermione?!” Harry called out to her again. She just looked up at them in a frozen state, unable to move.
“I…I…We… I mean…” She stuttered.
“He just jumped into the lake!” They all turned towards the bank to see Luna standing with a feeble smile on her face.
“Luna?” Hermione breathed.
“What?” Ron looked from Harry to Hermione and back to Luna.
“He dropped this –” she held up the little black box, “and he thought it went into the lake so he dived in, it was really unexpected.” They all just looked at her, Hermione was breathless. “Hermione and I were just standing over there and saw it happen, something in the water must have latched onto him because he went under. Hermione saved him.”
“And that?” Harry pointed to where Hermione was crouched over Malfoy’s unconscious body.
“An old muggle technique, it’s proven to be quite effective.” Luna smiled over at Hermione, who seemed to be in a state of shock. “Didn’t you say your parents taught it to you, Hermione?”
She snapped out of it fast enough to answer her. “Uh… yes, mouth to mouth, clearly… he… he wasn’t breathing when I pulled him out.” She looked over to Luna as if for confirmation.
“So that’s two of us who’ve saved his skin then.” Harry muttered.
“Well don’t be looking at me to put my lips on Malfoy next time, I’d rather face the creature in the lake.” Ron said, looking horrified.
“You obviously have somewhere to be, I’ll get him to Madame Pomfrey.” Luna walked over and crouched next to Draco.
“Are… are you sure?” Hermione asked, her hidden hand holding onto Draco’s so very tightly.
“It’s no trouble; I have nothing planned for the day. Go on.” Luna looked down at Draco and then back up at Hermione.
She gave her a quick nod and Hermione released Draco’s hand and stood up shakily. Her heart was pounding so quickly she thought it might burst through her chest. They had almost found out about Draco, and they didn’t take to it lightly.
“Come on Hermione.” Ginny reached out a hand and Hermione took it lightly.
The ride to Hogsmeade was a blur. She didn’t think her heart would slow down and all she could think about was how Draco was doing, he didn’t look so good when she left him. What if something bad happened to him?
They made their way through Hogsmeade until they walked through the saloon doors of the Three Broomsticks and took their seats in the booth that had always been their favourite.
For a while Hermione said nothing. The others ordered her a butterbeer but she was lost in thought.
“…”
She heard something and looked up from her trance.
“What?”
“I said are you alright?” Harry tilted his head sympathetically.
“Oh, yes, of course, just still in a bit of shock I think.” She smiled and gave a little shrug.
“I’m not surprised; we should have taken you to Madame Pomfrey.” Ron said.
“Why is that?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Well, you had your lips on Malfoy, you could have caught all sorts of things from him.”
“He does spend a lot of time with Pansy Parkinson.” Ginny said.
“Now I definitely think we should take you to the hospital wing.” Ron had a look of horror mixed with disgust on his face and Hermione stifled a giggle.
“I am perfectly alright, it just happened in a flash is all.” She rested her chin on her hands.
“You know, I heard from Charlie that they’re starting up the Quiddich World Cup again next year.” Ron took a long sip from his butterbeer.
“Really? When did he tell you that Ronald?” Ginny asked.
“At Christmas.” He shrugged.
“So why did he tell you and not the rest of us?” She looked over at him accusingly.
“Well because he told me not to tell anyone.”
“Well he obviously chose the right man for the job.” Harry grinned and Ron gave him a shove.
Hermione and Ginny just laughed.
***
That evening, when they had returned from Hogsmeade, Hermione left the common room to head for the very top of the castle; the hospital wing.
The sun was just about to leave the horizon as she walked through the big doors. There was a girl sleeping in the bed closest to the door, her face was red and blotchy. She saw a dark-haired boy sitting up and talking to a friend down the other end of the hospice, and in the middle of the left hand side row of beds she saw Draco lying asleep with Luna sitting by his side, the Quibbler in hand.
Hermione walked over to them and Luna looked up.
“Have you been here all this time?” Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at him, he looked so peaceful.
“Yes, I didn’t think he should be alone when he woke up.”
“You mean he hasn’t woken up yet?” Hermione put her hand over Draco’s.
“No, not yet, he had a lot of water in his lungs. Madame Pomfrey gave him a nasty tonic to cure it; she wasn’t sure when he’d be awake.” She put her Quibbler in her bag and smiled. “Now that you’re here, though, I think I should be getting to the hall for dinner.”
“Dinner isn’t for another two hours.” Hermione looked away from Draco for a moment to question Luna.
“I’m meeting Neville in the hall, and I think the two of you should be alone when he wakes up, it was quite a row down at the lake wasn’t it?” Hermione felt her cheeks flush and she turned back to stare at Draco.
Luna began to walk away before she turned back. “I think this belongs to you.” She handed over the black box that Draco had tried to give Hermione that morning.
“How did you get this?”
“It didn’t go into the lake, I managed to save it before it hit the water. Lucky I just happened to be walking by, don’t you think?” She smiled shrewdly and Hermione hoped that she knew just how true it was.
“You seem to be just walking by a lot of the time Luna.” Hermione raised her eyebrows.
“I suppose I’m just lucky.” She smiled and walked towards the door in a flowery kind of way.
Hermione shook her head with a smile. She moved up closer to him and caressed his cheek gently. He had a red welt that looked to be fading on one side; there was another on his neck. She knew there were probably more on his arms and legs.
As she pushed his hair away from his eyes she sighed. How were they ever going to make this work?
Even if they promised not to tear each other down how were they going to explain it to their friends? Would they even tell them?
Hermione tried to think it through but her mind was exhausted. She pulled the curtains around his bed to give them some privacy and came back to sit in the chair by his bedside. She took his hand in hers and rested her head on the mattress.
It was just over an hour later that she woke up, realising that she had fallen asleep. It was only because she felt him stirring that she was startled awake.
She watched his eyes flutter open and he tried to sit up but thought better of it. When he saw that she was there with him his hand tightened around hers and that rare but beautiful smile graced his lips.
His vision was blurry to start with. He blinked a few times to regain his bearings but sitting up was a mistake. He felt dizzy the moment he moved so he relaxed and lay back again. As his eyes cleared he saw a figure sitting by him, and only when he saw her rich brown eyes did he realise that she was holding his hand with a firm grip.
He gave hers a squeeze and she breathed a sigh of relief. She came for him.
“You’re here.” He said with a rough voice.
“I’m here.” She whispered.
She was beaming down at him and she put a hand on his good cheek. He relished her touch. It was warm like sunlight and soft… like her lips. He reached up to touch her cheek and it was like she already knew what he wanted.
She leant down and pressed her lips against his gently, his heart started pounding. She pulled back, but only a little.
“I’m sorry I put you here, I was stupid. I was ignoring myself, and you.” She whispered; her breath warm and sweet as it washed over his face.
“I don’t care, you’re here.” He entwined his fingers in her hair; he never wanted her to leave him.
“I’m here. I don’t want to give up this time.”
“I can't lose you again. I promise I won't walk away.” He closed his eyes tight.
He was going to stick to that promise. There was no way he could deal with the pain of losing her again, he just couldn’t do it.
“Forgetting you was the hardest thing I have ever tried to do, and I have tried a lot of difficult things.” She let out a nervous laugh and he pulled her lips down to meet his.
This time when she pulled away she took his hand and sat back with a warm smile on her face, her cheeks rosy.
“I really am… sorry, for everything I did to you.” He looked away.
“Hey…” She said softly as she tilted his face towards her. “Don’t apologise anymore, I know.”
He smiled up at her and if it were possible she gave him an even bigger grin.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m a little dizzy.” He sighed.
“I don’t know how this is going to work.” She looked down with a furrowed brow.
“You don’t have to tell anyone, I… I understand that much.”
There was silence between them for a moment before she sighed.
“So we keep us a secret. This time you need to show up when I send you a time.” She raised an eyebrow and he tried to laugh.
The smile left her face when he started coughing and reached up to his throat. “I will.” He croaked.
“Don’t say anything, you’ll just hurt yourself.”
“I’m okay, really, I’m just glad you came back after… after everything. I just thought that you’d choose them over me, why wouldn’t you?” He avoided her eyes.
She turned her eyes away too. “Honestly, I thought I would choose them too. I just couldn’t ignore the way… the way I feel.” She looked to the clock on the wall and back to him. “Dinner will be soon, I can come back after if you like.”
“I’ll let you know when I get out; you don’t need to come back tonight.”
“Are you sure?”
“As long as I get to see you tomorrow.” She gave him a smile and left him with a kiss.
“Let me know the second you’re better.”
As she pulled back the curtain she came nose to nose with Madame Pomfrey.
“I need to administer another dose of his medicine.” She said stiffly.
“I… I was just leaving.” Hermione rounded the physician and gave Draco one last look before she left the hospital wing.
She couldn’t get the smile off her face and her stomach was fluttering about like the first time, things were finally looking up.