Always

18

The weeks carried by. Dumbledore made an announcement that the ball would be changed to Valentine's Dance, which was in two days. Big whoop. It didn't mean a thing to Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Draco, who had all become very close with each other. Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey were talking about moving Hermione to St. Mungo's! She wasn't getting better. Madame Pomfrey had taken down the misty silver screen because it was getting to be too much for everyone. Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Draco took turns watching her. Sometimes they all brought their homework after lessons and sat in the hospital just to keep each other company.

Everyone thought she would wake up in the middle of the day when everyone was around, but that was not the case. One night, Draco slipped into the hospital. No one was there, not even Madame Pomfrey. She had stepped out for a moment to talk to Dumbledore. It was almost midnight. Draco quietly sat down. He looked at her and started talking. Not about anything important, just little things.

"I couldn't sleep. It gets lonely down in the Slytherin common room and dorms. I couldn't sleep so I was staring at the fire and all I could think of was you," Draco confessed. He wasn't used to talking about how he felt, but once he started, he couldn't stop. After all, there was no one around to judge him, why not just keep talking. "I wish I could tell people about how fantastic and lovely you are. Pansy and the others started making fun of me after they found out. My father....my father..." Draco choked up, "he doesn't approve. I let it slip to Mum one day during the summer. I never told you that. Dad overheard. Got real mad. Mum was okay with it, but he wasn't. Said I was disgracing the family name." Draco paused for a moment, then started to cry. "I don't want to be like him, Hermione! He is horrible! He's a monster, and I see myself getting more alike him every single day! I look in the mirror, and I see him." Draco took a deep breath and steadied himself. "Hermione, please get better. We- I need you. I....I love you." Draco faced Hermione and leant down and kissed her. 

Hermione's eyes flew open.

Draco leapt back. Hermione sat up as if she hadn't been unconscious for the past month and a half. At that moment, Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey walked into the hospital. Upon seeing Hermione, Madame Pomfrey rushed to go get something for her.

"I sent for a house elf to go get Ron, Harry, and Ginny. They will be arriving shortly," Dumbledore said calmly to Draco. Seeing Draco's puzzled face, he added, "Madame Pomfrey, being the intelligent witch she is, put a spell on Hermione to notify her immediately if something happens." Just then, Ginny, Harry, and Ron came running in.

"Hermione!" Ginny shrieked, not bothering to keep her voice down. She ran over and hugged her. 

"How are you feeling?" Ron said, a lot gentler than Ginny. Hermione started crying into Ginny's shoulder. 

"It......it was so......sc..c..ary," Hermione sobbed. Ginny rubbed her back.

"Shhhh. It's okay. You're okay. It's okay," Ginny soothed. Madame Pomfrey came back with a dark red, bubbling potion. Hermione drank it, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Everyone waited for her to open her eyes or say something. She whispered one word, but it was so quiet that they barely heard her.

"Draco," she whispered, her eyes still closed. Everyone parted and Draco, who was standing behind everyone, ran forward and kneeled in front of her. He took her hand. Hermione opened her eyes and looked at him.

"What is, 'Mione?" Draco asked, searching her eyes.

"I heard you," she whispered. "I heard you talk to me. Not all of the time. Just bits and pieces. I heard you say you felt lonely. I wanted to help you. That's what gave me the strength to wake up." Hermione paused and looked away. "I heard you say you loved me." She turned to face him. "Do you love me?" she asked weakly. Draco looked at her. He was about to say something, but then Madame Pomfrey interrupted him.

"I'm going to have to ask you all to leave. You may come back later, but Miss Granger needs her rest," she said briskly, shooing everyone except Dumbledore out.

"Have you no sense of anything?!" Ginny said, exasperated.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy can confess their undying love for each other later," Dumbledore said. "In fact, Professor Mcgonagall owes me 10 galleons. I expected these two would be back together again by the end of the year. I suggest you all get something to eat in the Great Hall." Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Draco all exited the building, all the while looking bewildered at Dumbledore, but relieved that Hermione was okay.