Chapter 16

AN: Hey guys, I'm so sorry if some of you didn't like the last chapter. I've decided to cut the story short to cater to your requests. I wanted to add some more drama, but I guess not all of you want to see Hermione hurt even more. Therefore, I am sort of concluding the drama for now.

I hope you guys find this chapter interesting! Read and review please.

It's been a week since Draco's birthday and he hasn't heard from Hermione yet. After sleeping with Jennifer, he had yelled at her to never show her face to him again and fired her. He had hired a new assistant, this time, he ruled out all female blamed her for his failed relationship with Hermione, but he knew he was at fault too. He was a mess, never living the bedroom for anything. Narcissa was currently handling Malfoy Inc., since Draco was in no shape to work.

"Draco darling." Narcissa peeped through the small crack of the bedroom door. "Get up and put yourself together. Harry Potter waiting in the living room wanting to talk to you."

Draco eyed his mother suspiciously. Nonetheless, he got up from his bed and looked around the room. It was disheveled to say the least. He had been drinking his eyes out in the past week, which explained the empty bottles of firewhiskey and butterbeer scattered around his room. His sheets were on the far end of the room and a pillow was atop of a burned out candle on his nightstand. Robes were lying on the floor and discarded food was spewed all over the fireplace. Every time a house elf would ask to clean his room, he would throw food at the poor elf and shout curses at it, thus the unkempt state of his room.

Narcissa entered his room and took in the sight of his room. Her stature was a complete contrast with what the atmosphere of the room was giving off. She was clean and poised, while the room was dirty and disheveled.

Draco walked towards the bath, but the feeling of someone staring holes at his head made him feel uneasy. "What is it, mother?"

"Draco, this is not how I raised you. I never raised you to give up so easily." Narcissa's voice was full of apprehension. "I worry about you."

"Mother, I wasn't the one who gave up on us. It was Hermione. So, if you would be so kind as to not chastise me when it was her choice. All I did was respect her decision."

Narcissa gracefully walked towards his bed and patted on the space next to her. "Come sit with me, son."

Sighing, Draco did as his mother bade. He did not want another lecture from his mother, but it was better than listening to her reprimanding him for not obeying his dear old mother.

"I know you and Hermione had your ups and downs—" Narcissa started.

"Ups and downs? You don't know the whole of our story then." Draco cut her off, laughing sardonically.

Narcissa looked at her son sternly. "Do not interrupt me again, Draco." Then her face softened again. "You and Hermione had your ups and downs, but that's what makes the bests relationships. It's when you seen the worst and best of each other. It's when you accept each other for who you really are. Hermione has loved you and will always love you, no matter what. You just need to accept her love and fight for her. Do not give up on her."

Draco peered at his mother. She was definitely full of wisdom and experience. "How do you know she still loves me and will forgive me for what I've done?"

Narcissa smiled. "I know Draco. I just know. She reminds me of myself when I was young, and you remind me of your father. Her love for you won't be burned out, just like my love for your father."

With renewed courage, Draco embraced his mother like he never did before. "Thank you, mother."

"You go get her." Narcissa replied.

Draco headed for the bath and looked at his reflection. His blond hair was everywhere. His facial hair started to grow out, which he thought made him look like a caveman. His deep set eyes were deeper than usual, and bags under his eyes were very visible. He was paler than usual from the lack of food and excess of alcohol in his system. His robes were the same robes from two days ago. And the sock on his left foot was missing.

"Winky!"

A house elf appeared beside Draco with big brown eyes. "Master call for Winky?"

"Yes. I need you to prepare my shower, fix my room and bring out my best robes." Draco commanded.

Winky bowed her head and disappeared with a pop.

"Potter, what brings you here?" Draco walked across the lavish living room of the Manor. The heels of his shoes clicking with every step he took on the marble floor. He was tidy as can be a complete contrast of his earlier state.

Harry Potter was seated on the white couch watching Draco approach him. "You know what I'm here for Malfoy." He spat his name like it had a bad taste on his mouth. "I'm here to get Hermione's stuff."

"No need to be unfriendly here Potter." Draco replied, unaffected by Harry's innuendo.

"Look, I'm here for one reason and one reason only—to get Hermione's things. Now if you could just give back her stuff, I might just leave without putting up a fight." Harry said getting infuriated. He stood up to match Draco's height as to not be intimidated by him.

"How is she?" Draco asked sitting down on the couch, clearly insinuating that he will not put a fight.

"She's in terrible shape, all because of you. Just leave her alone, will you? Weren't those 7 years of torturing her in Hogwarts enough for you?"

"I really did not mean to hurt her. Can I see her?"

"Fuck off, Malfoy." Harry's temper was back. I just need Hermione's things.

Draco sighed. It was not going the way he planned, but what else could he do? He just had to give in to Potter's request. "Winky!"

A house elf appeared by the side of Draco with her head bowed. "Yes master?"

"Pack up all of Hermione's things and bring them here."

Winky looked at Draco with watery eyes. "Master means that Mistress no longer stay in Manor?"

"She's leaving Winky. Now do as I say." Draco commanded.

Winky disapparated, but it was evident that she was crying upon hearing the news that Hermione is never to come back to the Manor.

A moment later, Winky reappears with a trunk filled with Hermione's things.

"That is all of her things, Potter."

Harry nodded at Draco and heldout his hand for Draco to shake. Draco stood up and shook it, with all of his defenses down; Harry punched him square in the nose.

"Argh!" Draco whimpered.

"That is for hurting Hermione." Harry pulled back his hand and punched him in the cheek this time.

"What was that for, now?" Draco held his nose, which was bleeding profusely and his cheek, which already held a red mark.

"That was just for me." Harry replied. "Have a nice life, Malfoy." He said sarcastically.

Before Harry could completely disapparate from the Manor, Draco held on to Harry's arm and they were both transported.

"Bloody hell!" Draco cursed as he stumbled with Harry into the Potters' house.

"You git!" Harry was ready to pound Draco again, but Draco was able to retaliate. "How dare you apparate here with me? The nerve of you! Hermione does not want to see you, you bastard."

Harry began throwing punches at Draco, but he was able to dodge every single hit.

"What going on here?" came a voice from up the stairs.

Both of the men stiffened. They could hear footsteps coming down the steps.

"You will leave this instant! If only for Hermione's sake!" Harry whisper-shouted at Draco.

"Fuck off Potter." Draco said in a normal voice. Just then Hermione appeared down the steps frozen at the sight of Draco with a bloodied nose and cheek.

"Draco?" Hermione's voice was hopeful yet sad at the same time. She could not believe her eyes. "What happened to you?"

"Hermione." Draco could not contain his smile. He finally saw Hermione again. She was a sight to behold. Even though her tear-stained cheeks were pale and her swollen eyes indicated she had been crying, she was still beautiful to him. He took three full steps and when he reached Hermione at the bottom of the steps, he embraced her. "I missed you."

"You son of a bitch! Let go of her!" Harry came running towards them trying to separate them.

"Harry! Harry! It's alright." Hermione smiled letting go of Draco. "What are you doing here?"

"I came here to apologize, and ask you to come back to the Manor." Draco said hopeful.

"Why only now?" Hermione inquired sitting down on the couch as both men followed.

"I've been a fool. I've made reckless decisions. I just want you to know that I'm not giving up on this marriage just yet. I love you and I'm willing to work this out. Please Hermione." Draco sounded desperate.

"Mione. You can't just take him back again after what he did. He's a bastard and he'll only hurt you again." Harry interjected, his voice was commanding and hatred was evident in his tone.

"Harry, please calm down." Hermione sighed and coughed a little.

"How can I calm down Hermione? I have sided with you when you told us about your relationship with him! I have defended you from Ron! And then this happens. I just don't want you to get hurt Mione. Please understand."

Hermione coughed again, louder this time. "Excuse me, I've got a bit of a cold."

"Mione, I've got to tell you something." Draco started again. Hermione coughed again but waved her hand for Draco to continue.

"After you left on my birthday… I…"

Hermione coughed again. "Sorry continue."

"I…"

Hermione coughed again, but this time her eyes widened when she saw blood on the handkerchief she had coughed on. She starts coughing out blood uncontrollably. Draco and Harry looked at each other with concern and started to calm Hermione down.

"Hermione, just breathe, okay?" Draco said soothingly. "Breathe."

Hermione's world was spinning. She could hear Harry's voice shouting something, but she could not make out what. Then there was black.

Footsteps of finely crafted high-heeled shoes could be heard from anywhere in St. Mungo's as Narcissa came brisk walking when the news that her daughter-in-law was rushed to the emergency section.

"Malfoy. Hermione Malfoy." Narcissa demanded the receptionist.

Upon looking at Narcissa, the fat receptionist scrambled to her feet and started looking through the files for Malfoy.

"Mother." Draco's voice echoed through the hallway.

Narcissa turned only to find her son at the end of the hallway looking very distraught. She turned back to the receptionist who was now regarding her with big eyes. "Never you mind. My son has found me, you filthy little piece of dung."

Draco fell into his mother's arms as she approached him.

"Draco? Where did you get this locket?" Narcissa eyed the jewelry around Draco's neck suspiciously.

Draco looked at his mother then back at the locket. "This? Hermione gave this to me for my birthday. Why do you ask?"

"May I have a look at it?" She inquired holding her hand out.

Draco removed the chain from his neck and handed the locket over to his mother. Narcissa was inspecting the locket and her eyes enlarged. "What did you wish for Draco? Tell me! What was the wish you asked the locket?"

"What wish? Mother? Was is it?" Draco had a worried look on his face.

"You wished for something on this locket. What is it Draco?"

"Wish on the locket? What do you mean?"

"Draco! This is a rare locket wherein it can grant any one wish. It was created by magical creatures—"

"That's the locket?"

"Yes Draco."

"So then we can use it to heal Hermione, then?" Draco's voice sounded hopeful.

"I'm afraid not, my dear. You have placed a wish already." Narcissa said sorrowfully.

"But mother, I never wished for anything in particular."

"Draco, listen to me. Even though you did not know that this locket can grant your wish, it will grant your wish when wish for something. If it has not yet granted any wish of yours, the locket would be of the color gold, but now it's silver. It means that you have already wished for something, my dear boy."

"But mother, how can I know what I wished for already?"

"There might be a potion, but I'm afraid it is quite difficult to make—"

"Mr. Malfoy?" a voice interrupted them.

Both Malfoys looked to the source of the voice and stood up.

"My name is Mediwizard Rogers, and I am the one overseeing Mrs. Malfoy's condition." He said hold out his hand for Draco and Narcissa to shake.

"Is there any news?" anxiety evident in the voice of Draco.

"Well, for now, my colleagues are still working to stabilize her condition. She has a complicated case, I'm afraid. It is quite difficult to heal and to monitor. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life, and quite frankly, nor does anyone in the hospital—"

"Get to the point Mediwizard Rogers." Narcissa cute him off, getting more annoyed by the second.

Rogers looked at her warily, but got to the point anyway. "She is dying. And her illness is not the usual illnesses we have here in St. Mungo's. Some higher form of magic is sucking out the life in her, and we cannot do anything about it. We can delay her death, but that is all we can do. We cannot completely heal her. That is all." Rogers gave a final nod and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Draco yelled in his direction.

Rogers paused before looking back at Draco and raised a brow at him.

"Is there anything, I mean anything you can do to save her? I can give you fame or fortune or women? Please." Draco looked at the mediwizard with pleading eyes. He had never come to the point of being so desperate. But this was Hermione, his Hermione, and she was dying.

Rogers put his hand on Draco's shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. "If I could do anything, I would have done it already. This is Hermione Malfoy nee Granger, the heroine of our world, and we own her a debt. Believe me, I've tried everything, contacted everyone I know to help with her case, but no one seems to know her condition. I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy." Rogers turned to look at Narcissa. "Mrs. Malfoy." And walked away.

Draco on the same spot staring at the same spot for a long time and Narcissa looked at her son helplessly.

"I can't help but overhear the thing about the locket, mate. And I think it has something to do with Hermione." Harry said from afar, walking towards Draco.

"What do you mean?" Draco looked up to Harry.

"I'm saying that I think that locket has done something to Hermione. We must know what you wished for, Malfoy. I think you wished something that would harm Hermione." Harry's tone was level.

"Are you saying that I hurt Hermione?"

"I'm saying that we must know what you wished for. And I know just who to ask."

Draco nodded and grabbed his coat. "Mother, stay here and look after Hermione."

Narcissa gave Draco a stiff nod, while Draco and Harry rushed to the fireplace.

The room was dark. The awful smell of dead rats and filthy potions permeated the air and Harry and Draco were standing side by side. Draco's heart was beating faster by the second. He knew this place. He knew that distinct smell. He knew who where they were. And he was not overly fond to meet this wizard. He wanted out, but for the sake of Hermione he would stay and plead if he had to.

"Man up, Malfoy." Harry whispered.

Slight movement was felt by Draco from the dimly lit table a few feet away. Footsteps could be heard approaching the men.

"What brings you here, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy?" The man stopped 3 feet away from them. The lighting of the room would not give a sight of the man's face, as if he wanted to remain in the dark.

"Professor." Harry spoke first.

The man stepped closer and the candle gave a glimpse of his face.

"Severus." Draco noted.

AN: Again, sorry for the delay. I hope you guy liked it!

Read and review please!