©Soulmates | Dramione

23. Pain of the Scar

Draco was sitting alone at the balcony of the pool of the mansion. His mind was somewhere else for the meantime. It was like he was thinking about something but he couldn't figure it out. The thing that has been in his mind for like.. 3 months now. He sighed before looking at the autumn leaves falling from the tree in front of the balcony.

"Draco, what are you doing here?"

"Hermione? Oh, have a seat"

Hermione took the vacant space next to Draco, throwing looks outside. The temperature is a bit chilly as winter is approaching in few weeks from now. The couple remained in an awkward silent, not talking or looking at each other. Hermione hugged herself, feeling cold because of the thin fabric of her satin pyjama. Draco put his jacket on her, making sure she stayed warm.

"Thanks"

"No problem"

Then, it was dead silent again. Even though talking to each other was like part of their lives daily, but sometimes it felt awkward because they have the thoughts of disturbing the other side. Hermione pulled the jacket closer as the cold wind hit her small figure. She looked at the red and brown autumn leaves falling from all the trees along the road.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

"What?" Draco asked.

"The autumn leaves"

"Yeah"

Draco turned to look at Hermione. He just realized that she put her hair into a messy ponytail, which surprisingly looked so gorgeous. Draco observed her brown locks and her brown orbs, her beautiful freckles on her face. Her beautiful soft lips. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but he was too afraid of doing it. He was afraid she wouldn't like being in his arms. He didn't know why, but he just felt like that because they were enemies in school.

"Do you hate me?"

"What?" Hermione turned to look at him.

"Do you hate me?"

"I thought— I convinced myself that I hated you whole these years. But, I just realized,— I never hated you"

"Never?"

Draco looked at Hermione. A thin smile escaped from her mouth before it turned expressionless again. Her brown orbs were looking at the leaves falling from their trees outside. Hermione turned to Draco only to find him was lost in her eyes. A tint of blush was obvious on her cheeks. She waved in front of him, bringing him back to his sense.

"And, you? Why did you hate me?"

"Never, not even once. I tried— but, I just can't. My father said I can't be your friend because you're a Muggle-born. He asked me to bully you"

"I.. I didn't know that"

"I'm sorry" he said, in almost whispering tone.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, for everything. For what I did, my family and also, what my aunt did to you"

"Draco, it's no—"

"No, you're hurt. I would hear you screaming every night when you were asleep. It was the same shriek at the Manor. I remembered you, on the floor, with my aunt on top of you, torturing you and you—"

"Draco, stop— fuck"

Hermione pulled up her sleeve, realizing that the scar was burning. She closed her eyes, the crook on her face was visible as she tried to bear with the pain. The memory came again. The memory of Bellatrix torturing her while carving the knife into her arms. The cursed knife. The scar looked new, as if the dead woman just carved the word Mudblood into her arm yesterday. Draco pulled Hermione closer and started to whisper something.

"Draco, what are—"

"Shut up"

Hermione frowned, still bearing the pain. She looked at Draco who was holding her arm and said something. Something.. something she couldn't figure out. Something out of her knowledge. Something related to Dark Magic. Something only people who learned Dark Magic knew. The pain soon disappeared. Hermione pulled down her sleeve, looking down.

"When did this start?" Draco asked firmly.

"What?"

"Your scar. I know you've been keeping it for too long, Hermione"

"I'm fine, it's not like I'm dying"

"Hermione! Did you know you could've been dead with that knife? Stop acting like a know-it-all for once! The knife was cursed! My aunt wanted to kill you, idiot! You were lucky I knew the counter-curse to stop the poison from running into your bloodline"

"What?"

"The knife was cursed. My aunt wanted to fucking kill you. I felt like killing her at that moment, but I didn't dare to do it. So, I.. I tried to stop the poison from spreading into your body"

The situation became awkward again. Hermione felt guilty after realizing how much Draco cared about her. She hid the pain quite well from his knowledge. She looked down, trying to hold her tears. Whole this time, she thought Draco was just faking his care towards her. She thought.. maybe he cared because it was his responsibility as her husband. She looked up and saw a tear falling from Draco's eyes.

"Draco, I'm sorry"

"It's okay. I'm happy you're not dead yet"

"Thank you.. for saving my life"

Hermione looked down, crying. She hugged her knees, didn't want Draco to see her tears. But he heard her. Draco pulled Hermione into his hug and kissed her forehead.

What is this feeling?

Draco had no idea why he can't stand looking at Hermione crying. He still remembered on fourth year, when they had Yule Ball. Hermione was pairing up with Durmstrang champion, Viktor Krum. He was so jealous that he wanted to push Krum away so that he could have a dance with Hermione. He saw her cried after the ball. He didn't know why but it pained him to see her in such state. He felt like taking her into his arms and tell her everything's fine for her.

Why did he feel this weird butterfly just for Hermione?

He can't see her with another guy. He can't see her in pain. He can't see her in tears. He got jealous when other guys talked to her. He can't stand the thoughts of Hermione liking someone else besides him. He had no slightest idea why was he jealous knowing that Hermione was his enemy former girlfriend. That bastard Ronald Weasley.

"Hermione, why are you crying?"

"I don't know. I just feel lucky to meet you again"

"What? Why?"

"You made me feel safe, protected. Not like Ron. He.. he never made me feel happy the way you make me. You make me the happiest me, Draco"

"Me too, Hermione. I don't know why but I'm happy with you. I mean, we're supposed to hate each other and bicker every evening right?"

Their eyes met, both of them bursting into laughter. Draco wiped Hermione's tears using his thumb, a soft smile escaping his lips. Hermione took his arm and looked at the Dark Mark. She looked back at him with a beautiful smile. Draco smiled before caressing her scar. Their brown and grey orbs met with smiles.

"The pain of the scar.."

"They're only our past"

*******
23 is out!

Malaysia is really cold nowadays, I feel like freezing to death. I couldn't even get out from my bed without wearing jacket and socks. Yeah, it's very cold here.

PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME!

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