I Love You (Dramione)

I Love You

The Malfoy Manor was quiet that night except for violent shrieks echoing off the walls. The Malfoys were standing together in the living room, watching as relative Bellatrix Lestrange had poor Hermione Granger pinned to the ground. Hermione was crying which caused Draco to be the only Malfoy who seemed uncomfortable with the whole situation. His parents, on the other hand, appeared accustomed to this scene. They stood expressionless as Bellatrix pulled out a small, but sharp, knife and held it to Hermione's throat. Draco stepped forward a little bit, but just as he did, his father swung out his cane. It clashed with Draco's chest and he stood still.

"Curious, are we?" His father retorted with a sneer. His son shook his head microscopically and gulped.

"DID YOU TAKE THAT SWORD OUT OF MY VAULT AT GRINGOTTS?!" Bellatrix's hair-raising screech sounded throughout the Manor and reached the ears of prisoners trapped in the dungeon.

"What do you reckon is going on up there?" Ron Weasley asked, worriedly. Harry Potter didn't answer. Instead, he stood quietly staring at the locked door.

"Perhaps Bellatrix Lestrange is convinced of Hermione Granger stealing the sword of Godric Gryffindor." Luna Lovegood suggested.

"But she didn't!" Ron jammed his fingers into his flaming red hair. It seemed to be falling out little by little. Once again, Harry stood quiet. Too shocked to do or say anything.

Back at Hogwarts, Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley were hiding in the Room of Requirement with the other Gryffindors and a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Neville had been the main contributor in putting the D.A. back together.

"Oh, I hope Harry is okay." Cho Chang said, standing up.

"I hope they all are okay." Ginny replied, with a glare. Cho slowly sat back down.

"They will be. I know it. Nothing, no one can hurt Luna and get away with it." Neville said, a determined look on his face.

In the Manor, Bellatrix Lestrange removed the knife from Hermione's neck and brought it down to her left arm, slightly poking it. Draco's grey eyes were locked on it.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. HOW DID YOU STEAL THAT SWORD, YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD?!" She spat in Hermione's face.

"I didn't t-take anything." Hermione cried, weakly. Her face was scrunched in pain and fear, teardrops were swiftly flowing down her cheeks.

Draco narrowed his eyes, anger flashing in them. His hands were in tight fists at his side. They were turning whiter and whiter. He was like a predator ready to pounce on his prey, that being Bellatrix.

"LIAR!" Bellatrix bellowed as she slammed the pointed knife directly into Hermione's vein and sliced downward. Hermione screamed so loud, it was heard in every crack and space in the Manor.

Down in the cellar, Ron slammed his fists on the brick wall. Tears or sweat were running down his face. Anxiety raddled him for he could not see what they were doing.

Draco broke. That was the last straw. He dashed forward but was suddenly pulled back by a strong grip on his upper arm.

"STOP!" He shouted at Bellatrix, while struggling to be set free from his father.

"What are you doing? What is your problem?" Lucius Malfoy asked, his son squirming in his arms. Draco continued to struggle as Hermione continued to wail.

Bellatrix was slicing Hermione's arm left and right. Her screams were heart wrenching. Draco began to yell profusely.

"PLEASE STOP! LEAVE HER ALONE! HERMIONE! PLEASE! GET AWAY FROM HER!" His throat was raw. "LEAVE HER ALONE! LEAVE HER ALONE! STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP! YOU'RE KILLING HER!"

By that point, he was crying and had stopped trying to get out of his father's grasp.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. Something must really be taking place if Draco Malfoy is screaming for his aunt to stop.

"Is that Draco?" Ron was confused as well. His heart beating fast and his breath was rapid. He too had been screaming Hermione's name while pounding the walls.

"It is quite strange to be trapped in here. I remember when I was younger, me and Draco would play in this place." Luna said, her eyes seemingly somewhere else. Harry and Ron turned to her.

"What?!" They exclaimed in unison.

"You grew up with Draco?" Harry asked.

"Yes. His mom and my mom were sisters until my mom... Anyway, I used to live here until my father no longer trusted Mr. Malfoy. Ever since then, Draco and I haven't spoken. Not even when we were at Hogwarts. He avoided me. It hurt, really." She looked down at her shoes.

The boys just stared at her in astonishment. Their gazes broke when a noise like glass breaking sounded from upstairs.

Draco had stupefied Bellatrix and sent her flying into a nearby vase. His father let him go in shock. After a moment of lucidity, he noticed Draco was already kneeling by the Mudblood's side and holding her body in his arms. Lucius was about to step forward when Narcissa held him back.

"No." She whispered.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry..." Draco repeated to Hermione, quietly. Her eyes were barely open and her left arm no longer looked like an arm but a battlefield. He looked into her eyes, but couldn't tell what she was thinking.

Slowly, but surely, her mouth fell into a faint smile. He returned the gesture, though confused as it was not the appropriate time for that. She shook her head, microscopically.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked in barely more than a whisper.

"Because this is all my fault. If I had just warned you guys in the first place, this would've never happened. I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'm so, so very sorry." His tears dropped onto her cheek.

"I love you. Okay? I always have. Ever since I first laid eyes on you in Ollivanders before first year. I've loved you ever since I came face to face with your big, brown, bushy hair. I've loved you ever since you turned around and I caught sight of your many, many freckles. I'm so sorry I was ever mean to you. I was just so afraid of my father finding out, I had to make it seem like I hated you but I don't. I love you so much, Hermione."

Her eyes opened a bit wider. She was losing so much blood.

"I love you." He told her one last time.

"I love you." She responded, as her eyes slowly rolled back and her smile faded.

Draco let his head drop. He was tired.

Hermione fell into an endless sleep in Draco's arms.

Pretty soon, he let himself join her.