Lifelines (Draco X Hermione)

Chapter 20 HOGWARTS

HERMIONE felt worry pile up into her stomach as she approached the headmistress's office. They were back at school and Draco was not there. "Oy Granger" a voice called from behind her, Pansy Parkinson approached Hermione with a big grin. "I know where Draco is" she sang happily before turning and walking away. Hermione was not in the mood for the childish games that the Slytherin was pulling, she followed her around the corner. Pansy smiled happily at the sight of the golden girl restrained and unable to move. For the brightest witch of their ages, she was stupid enough to waltz straight into her brilliantly crafted plan. After Draco had embarrassed her, she owed it to her family name to redeem herself.

Pansy watched Hermione with a broad grin, "he is back where he belongs, with people of his own kind" she sneered. She had wished that he would have at least left her a note when he left the inn on Christmas.

"Why would you feel compelled to tell me Parkinson is the question" Hermione added back. He would have visited his mother, was her theory. Pansy's interjection hinted to Hermione that she had seen Draco recently. Something in her mind told her that if there was something wrong, she would know. She would feel it. "If you do see Malfoy, you better tell him that he has duties to attend to. I won't be doing his work for him".

"You are lying mudblood" Pansy sneered hold her wand up to Hermione's chin. "You are lying right to my face. Admit it. You have a crush on him" freckles of spit landed on Harmonie's face.

Hermione maintained a straight face. "He got hexed for you. To think about all he has gone through for you, and you don't even care" the flicker in Hermione's face caused Pansy to chuckle. "Don't you want to know where he is then?" she asked.

"I care about all student's welfare Parkinson" she rebutted.

"You are really making me angry Granger" with a hard push, she shoved Hermione onto the gravel ground. "Draco deserves better than you filth".

"You are an idiot, Pansy."

"Stupefying" Hermione felt the familiar pain ring through her body. Before waiting for the familiar relaxing of the spell, she felt herself get hit by another and another. "Ha. If only Draco could see how pathetic you are now". Her heavy eyes closed, and she lost feeling of her body.

"Medera, your solution is not bloody working" the Minister added, as soon as the letter from Hogwarts had flown into his office informing that Draco Malfoy was nowhere to be found and Hermione Granger was laying in the infirmary recovering from a vex. "Bloody hell, you think we would learn not to entrust the legacy of the wizarding world to children. But here we are, yet again" he adds.

"Well, we better go pay Hogwarts a visit then" Medera adds with a sad smile. McGonagall was not pleased to see the pair walk into her office but escorted them to the infirmity none the less. Harry, Ron and Ginny sat around the bed with worried looks.

"Good evening, Minister" Ginny Weasley was the first to speak. The trio didn't recognise the lady behind him and were surprised that the minister would show up at all. The whole interaction was peculiar, he had approached the bed, shared a look with the mystery lady and then departed again without a word. "Hermione isn't telling us something" Ginny noted when the room had been left empty again. Guilt ate up at Ron as he sat down staring at her unmoving hand, willing it to move.

"She has been hiding a lot of things from us lately" Harry added looking down to his hands. He felt stupid for not checking in with Hermione all this time, his mind had been so focused on the Weasleys that he never assumed that she was not doing well. Hermione had always been the one who had everything under control. She was the strong one of the lot. Ron and Ginny had fallen asleep, and all the while Harry sat waiting patiently for her to wake up.

"Hermione" it was Harry's voice she heard first; her blurred vision spotted mops of red hair which confirmed her thoughts that they had come to check on her. There was a lot of muttering around her, but nothing she could decipher. As she lay there, she could see dark blue waves in the back of her mind.

"My daughter, you do not need to go through with this if you don't want to" a voice said. She had been busy catching fish again. She enjoyed the tingle from her toes when they gold cold from the water. "I do not mind really father" the voice had said. The lord had been one of little words and so left his daughter to proceed with her endeavours. Under the warm spring sun, she tucked her feet under her woollen dress and carved the stick she had found into a boat. An activity often reserved for men and boys – but something she enjoyed doing when alone. The boat resembled one of a true Viking ship after her morning endeavours; and after a moment she placed it into the water and gave it a soft push. "Come back to me" she whispered against the breeze of the Norwegian fjords.
"Hermione" the voice came again like a distant whisper.
The milkshake shop had become their spot, and Hermione loved it when it rained and the jukebox blared out music. There was something magical about imagining how they were the only ones in the world. Teenagers danced and clicked their heels against the

beat, while others chatted and ate happily. It was their little spot of paradise and if their parents could see them now, they would be mortified. "You did promise to come to my next game did you not?" he asked, to which she rolled her eyes and nodded. "Of course, it is your last one. But to think you will be leaving for college soon" she mumbled. "Let's not think about that now" he whispered. "Let's think about it tomorrow, or the tomorrow after that?" she joked. He shrugged before tapping a smudge of whipped cream onto the tip of her noise.

"Hey, Hermione I am here"
Hermione blinked out of it. And saw Harry staring down at her.