Saving Mr. Malfoy

Chapter Twelve

Hermione

Draco collapses further into my lap after I whisper the two words to him. He's sobbing, with his head buried into my abdomen and thighs. His face is violently contorted and he is crying out loud violent sobs. Mumbling about how he can't accept it. He has sinned and in his mind he cannot be forgiven. He thinks he cannot atone for his sins. He has. He did when he took a stupefy for me in the battle. He did when he fought back against his family. He did when he started a new. He did when he saved me from Ron.

He is still sobbing into my lap when I start to stroke his stark white hair. Almost subconsciously, I begin to hum. I don't even realize I begin to sing along with my hum. It's a Muggle song by a group called The Beatles.

"Hey, Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better"

He continues to sob, but tightens his grip on my waist. Becoming slightly louder.

"Hey, Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better"

His sobs starts to quiet, slowly and it's barely noticeable.

"And anytime you feel the pain,
Hey, Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool
Who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder"

His breathing becomes slower but continues being loud and ragged. My hand never stops stroking his hair.

"Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah
Hey, Jude, don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better"

His breathing comes back to normal, the tears come slower now, and less of them.

"So let it out and let it in,
Hey, Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you,
Hey, Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder"

His breathing is completely normal now, as well as the tears have stopped. All that is left of them is the residue in the corner of his tightly shut eyes.

"Nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah, nah nah yeah"

He loosens his grip on me but stays put, likely asleep from exhaustion.

"Hey, Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you'll begin to make it better..."

I finish the song on the last verse and can hear his slight snores. Luckily he collapsed just in front of the sofa that still has my pillow and blanket from reading there with him earlier. I pull them down to us and lay him down on the pillow with enough room for me. I tuck a stray hair out of his face and kiss his forehead. I'm in love with this amazing pureblooded git and he makes me so happy. I love how easy it is to be around him. To laugh with him, to compromise. I can't tell him though, he'll probably hate me. Or think I'm using him as a rebound. Truth is, I have been in love with him since I saw him passing Olivander's before first year...

I shake my head, dispersing these thought and lay next to him on the soft fur rug, whilst pulling my blanket over both of us.

"Good night love..." I breathe out to him before letting sleep consume me. Thank goodness tomorrow is Saturday...

~*~ The Next Morning ~*~

I wake to cat paws standing on my chest, and feel a soft surface beneath my back, unusual considering I slept on the floor next to Draco last night. I open my eyes and find myself back in my own room, completely alone. Well, that is except for Crookshanks who is on my chest holding a note in his mouth.

I sit up and take the note from his mouth, my name is on top of the fold, I recognize the neat scrawl as Draco's. I open it gently and rub Crookshanks as I read the note.

Mione,

Good morning. I didn't want to wake you so I wrote this note and sent Crookshanks with it. Today is the first quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin and I hope you can make it to watch it. You may sit on the Gryffindor side but, I expect you to be cheering on for your favorite Slytherin bestie, moi. If you wake before 11:00 I will be in the Great Hall enjoying my breakfast. After that I will be heading to warm up. I hope to see you there.

The BEST Seeker Hogwarts Has Ever Seen,

Draco.

I laugh to myself once I finish the note. He has to be such a smart ass. I scan my eyes across the room and look for the tiny details I have added. There's a rose that's charm to be frozen in time, it was my birthday gift from Professor McGonagall. There's my small shelf of books, mostly of which I have read, the top shelf an undiscovered sea of literature. There's my jewelry box, a gift from Harry and Ginny for my birthday, it's silver and plays Hogwarts school theme. My gift from Draco is a fluffy green bathrobe that he said I should use it when I read so,(And I quote), "You stop leaving your bloody blankets all over the goddamn living room!" I just laughed at him and thanked him. I have been using it, just so he would stop complaining about the blankets. But, wait... I used a blanket last night, and a pillow, and I left them on the couch. And the memories of last night flood me.

I jump up from bed and look at my grandfather clock to see it's 9:30. I still have time to catch him in the Great Hall. I rush to our bathroom and take a shower to wash my hair, brush my teeth and do subtle make up. I only put on a light mascara and lip balm, nothing flashy. Girl's my age have been filling in their eyebrows, and that is fine for them but I have trouble enough keeping my bushy eyebrows in check. I rush to my bedroom and grab sunset orange sweater and black jeans. Since it was early October it wasn't freezing, but it was no summer day. I grab my brown army boots and my black bomber and rush out to the living room and check the time. 9:45, I still have time. I rush back into the bathroom and throw my hair into a messy side braid, nothing too spectacular, but enough to make it so it won't loosen.

After one last check to make sure everything is in place I grab my beaded bag, my book, and my Gryffindor flag. Saying farewell to Professor Dumbledore I head out to the Great Hall.