Saving Each Other - Dramione

Insecure

I am in a forest but this is not a normal forest. The trees aren't moving and I can't hear a single sound. I slowly rotate around to get a look at my surroundings but I can't see anything but trees in every direction.

I begin to run. I sprint as fast as I can dodging branches and leaping over tree roots. I don't know what I'm running from, I just know I need to get out of here.

I almost fall over when I feel a vine wrap around my arm. I rip it off with my other hand but when I turn my head I see that there are more coming after me. My path is becoming more difficult as tree branches bend forwards to block my way.

I try to find gaps in the leaves but it slows me down and the vines wrap around my legs, my arms and my body. I can't fight them all off so they hold me there. I am trapped.

The branches of the trees around me form a circle enclosing me in a forest prison. The walls of thorns and leaves constrict tighter around me. Leaves brush menacingly across my body and branches poke at my back.

I scream even though I know no one will hear me.

Just when I think I will be suffocated by the branches, everything around me bursts into flame.

The fire is gone as soon as it came but when it clears I see that the trees are gone. In their place are people. Each of the people wears an identical look of pure disgust on their faces.

Harry and Ron stand right in front of me and I open my mouth to say something to them but stop when Ron simply turns his back on me and walks away.

I look to the side and see Ginny and Draco but both look at me like I'm something horrible on the bottom of their shoe. Both of them just shake their heads and leave the circle. Soon Harry follows after them.

My four best friends just walked away from me. I want to run after them but invisible vines still hold me in place.

I know that there are people behind me but I can't bring myself to turn around and look at them. Tears begin to trickle down my face. I know I have done something horrible to make my friends leave me like that.

From behind me, I hear people whispering but I can't hear what they're saying until someone shouts 'no one ever really liked you anyway smart ass.'

That's when I really start crying. I had always been that know-it-all who no one really wanted to talk to but at least I had had Harry and Ron. That must be the truth. They all hated me and it wouldn't take much for all my friends to abandon me.

I feel a hand brushing my arm and I turn my head against the pillow. When I open my eyes I see Draco sitting on the edge of my bed.

I know I'm a mess but I don't really care if he sees anymore. I push myself up onto my arms and lean into Draco's shoulder.

Even though I'm awake it doesn't stop the dream from seeming real. I'd always hated the idea that people were talking behind my back. I always worried that I was that girl.

I don't try to stop myself from crying. What if that was the way everyone thought of me. Did they all secretly see me as that awkward girl who's only talent was to be the first to stick her hand up in class?

Every sob works it's way up from the pit of my stomach before bursting out of my mouth. My whole body shakes and the horrible thoughts in my head keep coming to the front of my mind despite how hard I try to push them back.

The crying hurts physically but it is not nearly as bad as the pain in my heart. The pain hits me ten times stronger when I realise that I have already lost Ron's friendship. What if I do something to lose the others too.

At some point, I begin to think that I'm probably just being stupid but this only makes me feel worse and brings a fresh wave of tears to my eyes.

When my body stops shaking I notice that Draco's arm is wrapped around my shoulders. Even in the state I'm in I have to admit that I like the feeling of his fingertips against my skin. I love that he understands that sometimes I just need to sit and cry.

Finally, I manage to get words out of my mouth.

'My worst nightmares are not the ones that remind me of the war,' I say in a soft voice and Draco turns his head to look at me, 'though I still don't like them, but the really horrible ones show me my own worst fears and I hate it because it's those dreams that I cannot even escape in daytime. It's those dreams that I worry could become real.'

'Nothing's going to hurt you Hermione. I'm here and Harry and Ginny too. Honestly, half the school would probably stand between you and anything that could harm you.'

'But I'm not worried that anything's going to hurt me,' I croak through another sob.

Draco moves on the bed so that he is facing me with his legs crossed. He places a hand on each of my shoulders and tries to look me in the eye but I turn my head away from him. 'Then what are you worried about?'

This sets off a fresh wave of sobbing but I manage to hiccup out an answer. 'That... you're all... going to... leave me like... Ron did... because nobody likes me.'

'Hermione the whole school thinks you're amazing. Remember how they cheered for you when it got announce you were head girl? You don't hear them talk about you but they always say that you are so brave and that all those things you've done are amazing. And as for people leaving you... I'm not going to leave you. At the moment you're the only friend I've got and Harry and Ginny have been your friends forever...'

'Ron's been my friend forever.'

'Ron will come round I'm sure. He'll get over the arguments you've had and maybe he'll find a new girl that he loves so he can go back to loving you as a friend.'

I give a small half sob, half laugh. 'It's a bit silly of me to be worrying about such a thing after all that has happened to me.'

'You have nothing to worry about. I mean you have everything. You're smart, brave, the most determined girl I've ever met not to mention the fact that all the guys think you're beautiful.'

At that, I start blushing and I also don't fail to notice that my stomach decided to start doing backflips. I give a small laugh. 'What? All the guys?' I scoff, 'even you?'

A laugh is all I get for an answer but that is enough to send my brain into a spiral of what if's.

'We should probably get up,' Draco says shifting himself off the bed. I look out the window and see that the sun has risen and it is now completely light outside.

'You can have the bathroom first,' I answer as Draco walks out through the bathroom back to his room.

When he had left I began to think about the way he had complimented me, how he tried so hard to comfort me and how his fingers always lingered on my skin. I find myself not only wondering but hoping, that maybe Draco Malfoy has a crush on me.