The Bond Of Fate - DracoxHermione

Chapter Thirteen

Later that day, as she made her way to Professor Gray's office, Hermione finally allowed herself to think about everything that had happened last night. She remembered Malfoy's pain-stricken face and something inside her twisted.

She knew she'd hurt him, she had seen the look in his eyes as he asked why she hadn't left him in Azkaban for the rest of his life, but the universe had a twisted way of paying her back for that kindness if it was now forcing her to face him every single day.

Just because she'd helped save him, it didn't mean she now wanted to be friends with him, share a bed with him, or marry him.

She chuckled at the thought, Draco Malfoy marrying a Muggleborn. It was practically the poster marriage for the new age Kingsley was trying to build. The Brightest Witch of the Age married a rehabilitated Death Eater, son of the famous Lucius Malfoy. If she hadn't felt excruciating pain last night when Malfoy had tried to break the bond, she would accuse Kingsley of fabricating it to serve his political purposes, but she now knew it wasn't possible.

She reached Vivian's office and knocked twice, expecting to be let in, but no one answered. After a few minutes she knocked again and the door, slightly annoyed. Seconds passed and finally, the door opened and she found herself face to face with Malfoy.

She froze, surprised, and he smirked slightly. Without saying a word, his hands slipped onto her waist and he moved her gently so he could pass.

"Come in, Hermione," Vivian called from her office and Hermione was pulled away from her stupor, embarrassed.

"Why was Malfoy here?" she asked, as soon as the door had closed behind her. Professor Gray arched an eyebrow and pointed to her couch.

"He has individual therapy too," she said simply and Hermione's insides froze. He had already talked to Vivian about what had happened last night, about why he didn't have a list of ten things to tell her about Hermione. She sat in silence, wringing her hands, while Vivian scribbled down on her clipboard. The room felt stuffy, the windows were closed and there was a tea-set in the table between them, ready to be poured.

"Very well," Vivian said after a while, inspecting Hermione with her large, violet eyes. "Why don't we start with your assignment?"

Hermione arched her eyebrows.

"I'm guessing Malfoy already told you that we didn't finish the assignment-" she said, eyeing her suspiciously.

Vivian nodded, a sad smile on her lips.

"Yes," she said softly, "and we'll get to what happened last night in a second. But I want to know what you learned. Not what he told you."

Hermione sighed, thinking back to everything they had said to each other.

"Okay," she finally said, shuddering slightly, "well, he's an only child, he had a pet snake named Slithers, he-"

She hesitated.

"Go on-" Vivian pressed, smiling knowingly.

She sighed deeply, she knew there'd be no going back, Vivian was forcing her to let go of her anger, her hatred for him.

"He's changed," she finally said, averting her eyes, "he- he cried, I never thought I'd ever see him cry. He used to be incredibly rude, and full of hatred, he hated Harry, he hated me, he hated Ron and his entire family. But now- now I think- I think now he just hates himself."

"And how does that make you feel?" Vivian asked, and Hermione blinked.

She didn't know how she felt, everything was incredibly confusing. She'd spent the entire summer trying to heal, to forget, her decision to come to Hogwarts had been based on her desire to confront the past, the deaths that had left holes in her heart, she hadn't expected to be thrown into a room with Draco Malfoy and be forced to confront the one trauma she had just wanted to bury deep inside.

"It makes me feel angry," she finally said, and immediately she felt it begin to bubble inside of her as if it had been there the entire time.

Vivian seemed surprised but scribbled a note onto her clipboard before pressing her to continue.

"I feel angry- because- because he's making me not hate him. And I need to hate him."

Tears began to well in her eyes and Hermione blinked furiously, trying to keep them at bay. She was tired of crying, of looking weak and traumatized.

"I think-" Vivian began, choosing her words carefully, "I think that Draco Malfoy has suffered in his own way these past two years, and I think that you know this."

Hermione pursed her lips and nodded, averting her eyes.

"But I will never be able to love him," she whispered, her heart aching. She'd found love, she'd been in love for years, but this new realization, this... soulmate bond, was stopping her from ever loving Ron or anyone else ever again.

Vivian sighed, she sat back on her chair and watched Hermione carefully.

"I think- I think that you should let the bond take its natural course. Stop fighting it, focus on other things. Spend time with your friends, confide in them what you refuse to confide in me, study for your N.E.W.T.s and you'll see that things will soon start to make more sense."

Hermione stared at Vivian, incredulous. Here she was, the one person who was supposed to be helping her, telling her to just go with it.

"What about- well- what about what you said last time, about breaking the bond at the end of the year?" she asked, her voice practically a whisper.

Vivian frowned and looked at the time. Seeming to make a decisión, she put her clipboard away and walked over to the door, opening it.

"Come with me," she said, "I want to show you something."

Confused, Hermione followed her out of the room. They walked in silence for a while through the castle corridors. The day outside was dark and foggy, the rain had stopped pouring but the chill that had set on the castle signalled the end of sunny days sitting by the lake.

"Mr. Malfoy told me he tried to break the bond last night," Vivian finally said, and Hermione turned to her, surprised. She nodded, a chill running down her spine as she remembered the pain.

"I have already forbidden him from trying such a thing again, but I'm sure the excruciating pain you both felt is reason enough to convince you."

Hermione nodded, sombre.

"I felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside," she whispered.

Vivian nodded as they came to a stop outside the hospital wing, she grabbed Hermione's arm, pulling her to one side.

"I'm going to show you a possible consequence of breaking the bond, but I need you to remember, yours isn't an ordinary bond, I said I'd be willing to help you but- there could be consequences."

Without another word, Vivian walked into the hospital wing and Hermione followed. They made their way to the last bed, which was surrounded by curtains for privacy.

"Good Evening, Poppy," Vivian said, as Madam Pomfrey rushed over to them, shooting Hermione a concerned look.

"Is everything- Miss Granger are you okay?"

"Yes, Poppy, everything's fine. Don't worry. We've just come to visit Mr. Finnigan. How is he doing today?"

Madam Pomfrey sighed, relieved before her features turned sombre.

"Same as yesterday, I'm afraid. His parents have already secured a room for him in St. Mungo's and he's being moved there tonight."

Vivian smiled sadly and beckoned to Hermione. Together, they stepped past the curtains into the small makeshift room where Seamus Finnigan was staying. Hermione left out a horrified gasp and her hands flew to her mouth. Vivian shot her a glare, before sitting next to Seamus' bed with a warm, motherly smile.

Hermione watched her as she talked to him, but Seamus didn't move. He was lying on his side, staring straight at Vivian, but it was as if he couldn't see her, his eyes were unfocused and his hands seemed to be clinging to the bedsheets for dear life. Hermione felt bile begin to rise up her throat and she stumbled backward, bumping Madam Pomfrey on the shoulder. Without a single word, she turned on her heels and ran out of the hospital wing.