Saving Each Other - Dramione

Reading

'How could she just let them get off like that?  She knew they were lying,' I start complaining as soon as we reach the bottom of the stairs.

'Sometimes teachers do that, either so that the people will think they've gotten away with it and get careless or sometimes because they just can't be bothered to deal with it,' Draco tries to calm me down. 

'But I know they were up to something.  None of this makes any sense.  Why were they there, why was Rodolphus there?'

'I don't know but maybe the others will be able to tell us something.  I think that's them coming across the courtyard now,' Draco says looking out the window.

We walk back to the entrance hall to meet the others. 

'So did you find anything?'  I demand, as soon as Ginny is with hearing distance of us.  She takes a moment to catch her breath and the others gather behind her as she was at the front of the group.

'Well we searched the rest of the village and we didn't find anyone else so then we went back to Dervish and Bangs.  We didn't find anything in the cellar but we did also look behind the shop counter and,' Ginny pauses and Dean jumps in to explain.

'Well, we found the shopkeeper, stunned.  We woke him up but he said he didn't remember anything.'

'It must have been those kids,' I say.  'They definitely didn't want anyone knowing they were down in that basement.'

'Well we know they were up to something and that this is probably connected to Rodolphus, Padma speaks up as the voice of reason, 'but there isn't really anything we can do about it until we know anything more.'

The urge inside me to just do something is so strong but I can see the truth in Padma's words.  At this point, we would even know where to start.

'Yeah Padma's right,' I admit, 'we should probably just all go back to our common rooms.  There's no point trying to do something now so as long as we're keeping an eye on things, now we just have to wait until something happens.'

'Well I suppose that's always been our style,' Harry laughs nervously.  'Wait for something to happen to us because we just know that it will.'

'Well then I guess we'll see you guys at dinner,' I say and with that that the group splits up to go its separate ways.

Draco and I walk through the empty corridors back to our common room.  We don't speak but our hands remain intertwined. 

Once we have made it through the door I rush to the couch and collapse onto it and Draco comes to sit beside me. 

'Hey, um Hermione?'

'Draco, I know there's probably a lot of stuff we need to talk about but like Padma said there's nothing we can do about it and I really don't like not being able to do anything.  So right now, all I want to do is lie down, read my book, and forget about all of this just for a while.'

'Yeah of course.  I understand.  But, can I please just ask you one thing.'

'I guess.'

'Well, after Rodolphus was stunned, you passed out.  I know you weren't hit by a spell or anything so what happened.'

'Honestly, I don't know.  I guess I just couldn't take it anymore.  All of this was meant to end.  When the war was over I was a mess, and I still am, but I thought it would all be okay because it was going to stop.  All the running, fighting, hiding.  It was all meant to stop.'

I take in a deep breath and Draco lifts his hand to brush my cheek.  It is only then that I realise that I'm crying.

'It just made me realise that no matter what we do there is always going to be something and it's always going to be us who has to stop it.  Because this never ends.  There are always going to be people dying and getting hurt just because someone thinks that they're better than everyone else.  I just don't know how much more I can do this.'

'But look at what you did Hermione.  No one died today, not one.  We have peace again and every single person in this country, maybe in the world is now safer because of what you and Harry and Ron did.  No one is making you do this 'Mione but I know that you will every single time because you want to protect the people you love.  Just remember that you never have to do this alone because I will always be there to protect you.'

I look up through the tears blurring my vision into Draco's stormy grey eyes. 

'Thank you.  That's really sweet.' 

'No I mean it Hermione.  I will always be there for you.  You have become the only happy thing in my life and I don't want to lose you.'

Draco's hand is still cupped against my cheek and slowly he is moving towards me.  I've read about this in books so many times and I did kiss Ron that one time but that doesn't mean I know what I'm doing.  I gently try to shift my weight towards him and with a quick glance down my hand finds his knee. 

Our lips collide and I lose all sense of what is happening.  His hands are in my hair and he catches my bottom lip between his teeth.  My hand slides around his back to pull him closer towards me and I feel myself start to fall back onto the armrest of the sofa.

It is all over so quickly and we are lying there with Draco's head resting on my shoulder, both of us breathing heavily. 

Draco pushes himself up with a half smile on his face like he's trying not to but he can't help it.  'Weren't you saying you wanted to read.'

'Oh... Yeah,' I stammer slightly and I feel my face blush bright red as I reach for my beaded bag.  I find the pile of books we bought in Hogsmeade and hand Draco his copy of Pride and Prejudice.  Struggling to choose which of my books to read first I just close my eyes and pick up one at random which happens to be The Fault in Our Stars. 

I pull off my boots and set them to the side.  I look back over to Draco and see that he has already opened his book but instead of reading it he is looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

'Draco you're staring,' I accuse but I can't help but laugh.

'Oh, I'm sorry miss Granger is that not allowed.'

'Oh just shut up you,' I grin at him.

Draco is sitting against the other end of the couch, leaning against the armrest.  I make a quick decision, thinking that I may as well be a little bit reckless.  I shuffle back on the sofa and lie down to rest my head in Draco's lap. 

He just smirks down at me and returns his gaze back to his book.  I too fall into the world of my own book but as I read I can still feel Draco's hand as he gently plays with my hair.