FANTASY. WRITTEN BY GIRL-NOT-BOY.
Disclaimer: ILUVRONWEASLEY owns N.O.T.H.I.N.G.
Chapter Twenty-one: An End
It was Christmas day and Christmas spirits were high in Hogwarts. Since the death of Lord Voldemort, the students were back to their old cheerful selves – but there was an exception. A group of students and Professors gathered around a bed in the Hospital Wing, staring hopefully at a certain brown-haired girl that lay there. She was alive, but unconscious – in a coma – and had been ever since the end of the war. This girl was no other than Hermione Granger.
Harry, Ron and Ginny stood on one side of the bed, while Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape stood on the other. Madeleine, Luna, Ben, Alex, and Daniel had left for their dinner, as had Hagrid, Hoover, Sprout and Flitwick. Draco was the only one seated. He held her hand protectively, waiting for her to wake.
The injured had been easily healed with help from Madam Pomfrey and healers from St. Mungos. The only one they had not been able to help was Hermione. Lucius had used what had seemed to be an old muggle knife – but that was not so. The knife was enchanted and caused much more damage than was expected. The healers had said that she would need to heal like any muggle would – without potions, spells or any other form of magic.
"Malfoy, maybe you should get some sleep. You haven't slept in days." Harry said. He watched Draco for a while, but got no response. He continued. "It's not healthy, you know."
"Leave me alone, Potter." Draco said, his voice hoarse. "What if she wakes up and I've gone to take a nap or have a bath or something? I can't risk that. I want to be the first person she sees when she opens her eyes."
"Malfoy," sighed Harry, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder, "You haven't washed for ages, you've got bags under your eyes, you've only been on quick toilet breaks which last less than a minute and you're not even eating properly. You smell awful too. Look at yourself. You're a wreck. Hermione wouldn't want to wake up and see you like this."
Draco didn't move. He looked at Hermione's face – she hadn't moved either, yet she looked just as heavenly as she did before. He smiled to himself, stood, and left the Hospital Wing without another word.
Draco entered the Hospital Wing a few hours later, covered in little bits of snow to find that everyone had left. In their place was a pile of Christmas presents at the foot of Hermione's bed. Draco had bathed himself thoroughly, before going to Hogsmeade to get his hair properly washed and gelled back by Professionals. He was dressed in some new robes that his mother had bought him a while ago and as he glanced at his own reflection in the window, he smiled rather smugly. This was exactly the way he wanted her to see him.
He walked over to Hermione and sat back on his chair. She had not woken. He held her hand once again and placed it against his heart.
"How are you feeling, Granger?" He asked her, although he knew he would get no reply. "I went into Hogsmeade today. Dumbledore gave me permission."
Draco paused and laughed. "You've really changed me, you know. I passed this kid on my way to get you a Christmas present and I actually felt sorry for him. I actually gave him some money. Would you believe that?"
He paused again. "I wish you could say something, Granger. Anything. I wonder if you even know that it's Christmas."
Looking out of the window, Draco saw the snow continue to fall. He, like many others, enjoyed a white Christmas, but without her, Christmas seemed meaningless. He spoke again. "I passed this shop today and I saw something that I thought was perfect for you - so I bought it. I asked them to personalise it though, to make it unique. I know you can't see it right now, but I know you'll wake up and when you do, I think you'll like it."
Draco reached slowly into his pocket.
"Where am I?" Hermione asked, curiously looking around.
She was floating. Stars surrounded her and they seemed so close to her that she felt as though she could touch them. Her voice sounded distant like an echo. Although she felt safe where she was, Hermione also felt a little lost. She had no idea where she was. Shivering slightly, she longed for someone to hold her and to guide her. Maybe someone like Draco.
Hermione didn't feel like doing anything but hold herself as she floated. She didn't feel the need to eat, sleep or do anything that she usually would have. Whimpering, she laid her head on her knees. There was nothing she could do but wait until something happened.
Before she had found herself afloat in the deep midnight skies, she remembered that Draco had told her that he loved her too. The thought brought a comforting smile to her face. Suddenly, she felt something warm on her back. Careful to shield her eyes from the sudden light, Hermione looked behind her and saw a bright star shining down on her.
The light was strangely welcoming and Hermione felt an urge to run to it. And then, she remembered something.
When she was small, she had always been told tales, tales of people who died and ran towards the light to enter their version of 'heaven'. But Hermione did not want to go to heaven. She didn't want to go anywhere but back to Hogwarts, where she was sure that Draco – and everyone else - would be waiting for her. She was sure now that she had a future (an even brighter one than before) and dying was the last thing on her mind.
"I want to be with the people I love." She whispered quietly to herself.
"Don't worry. I will help you get out of here."
Hermione looked up. Floating steadily in front of her was Godric Gryffindor, a kindly man that she only recognised from a painting. He gave her a warm and friendly smile, which she gladly returned.
"How?" asked Hermione. Although she stood, her feet never touched the ground, for there was no ground in the eternal space they were in.
"I have the power to, Hermione, for you are not dead. You are simply stuck between the world of the living and the world of the dead and you'll float here forever unless I help you. We must prove how much you really want to return to your loved ones."
"But, Sir, how did you get here?"
"Do you not remember that I chose the Hospital Wing behind my portrait? I chose it so that I could help the sick and I have the power to help only one person every century stay alive – by proving that they truly deserve to live. This century, I'm helping you. The young Slytherin – not to mention many of your friends - is unstable without you."
Gryffindor held up a small glass orb. They looked into it, and Hermione couldn't help but smile.
In the orb, they could see Draco. He held a box embroided with Hermione's initials entwined with his in a rose pink heart. Roses were all around the heart's border and the box was made of blue velvet. He opened the box and Hermione gasped. Inside was the most beautiful ringshe had ever seen. It was made of pure white gold and on it was three brilliantly sparkling diamonds.
The diamonds were the perfect size - not too big, but not too small. Someone had delicately carved roses around the ring and Hermione almost thought she saw roses inside the diamonds.
"I hope you like it." Draco smiled as he slipped it onto her finger.
"Malfoy, I love it." Hermione whispered. She didn't care whether he could hear her or not. She replied, just in case.
"I know it's not exactly the biggest diamond ever, but if we ever get as far as marriage, Granger, I'll get you a bigger one – I promise." Draco gave a nervous laugh and kissed her hand gently, closing his eyes as he did so. Hermione wanted nothing more than to tell Draco how much she loved him. She had never felt this strongly about anyone before.
"I want you to know, Granger, that I do want us to be together . . . and if you don't then . . . I'll try not to mind. Just, please, wake up. Wake up and tell me that you don't love me and what you said before was just a lie to try and see if I loved you. Wake up and tell me that the ring is stupid and cheap and you want something more. Wake up and tell me that you'd rather kiss a frog than kiss me. Wake up and tell me off for touching you. Just please, wake up, you can't just leave me here like this . . ."
Draco's eyes filled with tears and he desperately tried to swipe them away. He didn't want the woman he loved to see him crying over her like this again.
Hermione couldn't stand it. He was crying because of her - he doubted the fact that she even loved him at all. She needed to get back and tell him how much she needed him; tell him that she couldn't possibly live without him. She needed to be with him, to live her fairytale life with her Prince Charming – happily ever after.
"Sir." She pleaded with Gryffindor. "Please, I need to go back. Take me back now."
"If you really love him, you'll find your own way back." Gryffindor said apologetically. "I am only here to help you figure it out, and not to tell you."
Hermione watched the orb intently still. Draco was letting the tears flow freely now. He sat there, staring sadly at her while still clutching her hand. She wanted to hold him and tell him that she was okay. She needed to.
Hermione reached out and seized the glass orb. She held it close to her – it was the closest she could be to him if she couldn't get back.
Suddenly, a startling white light filled the quiet blue space.
Hermione opened her eyes and was met by a giant window. The scene outside was truly spectacular. The snow was falling gently onto the fir trees and she could hear the robins singing merrily on the branches. She turned slowly to her side and saw the one person who she was longing to see.
Draco was speechless. He opened his mouth to shout for someone – anyone – but he found that his voice wasn't working. All he could do was smile and for the first time in weeks, Hermione smiled back.
"Malfoy." She said – her voice barely above a whisper. But Draco could hear her.
"Granger." He whispered back.
They smiled at one another affectionately. All horrible thoughts were swept away as they drew closer. All the insults that had been swapped for the past seven years were forgotten. All differences in bloodlines were simply washed away. They forgot where they were; frankly they didn't care anymore as they closed their eyes and drew closer still.
Their lips pressed against each other in a gentle first kiss that seemed to last forever. In that one moment, Hermione knew that he was The One – her one and only enemy, was clearly the one who she would happily spend the rest of her life with and although she knew her life was pretty much perfect, this was the most perfect part of it all. In that one little moment, she felt, and knew, that she was living in a truly, wonderful, fantasy.
Edited Version: 13th September 2005
Ending Author Note: It's taken almost two months for me to finally finish editing this! And I suppose I can finally say that I'm (remotely) satisfied with it. I won't say that it's perfect, because nothing ever is, but reading this fanfic again has made me realised how much I've grown as a writer, and as a person. As I did in Chapter One, I'd like to thank again everyone who read or reviewed this! To you guys, I am eternally grateful, and I would only be all too happy to do you guys a favour (as long as it doesn't break any rules, or put anyone in any mortal danger).
Until we meet again!
ILUVRONWEASLEY