Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series, or any of the characters. Only the plot is mine.
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THE REAL HEROES
"Ow Ron! That was my foot!" Harry cried form under his invisibility cloak.
"Sorry mate," Ron whispered back. "It's a bit cramped under here."
"I think a bit is an understatement, don't you?" Harry remarked dryly.
"Yeah," Ron paused, confused. "Remind me why we're sneaking around, after dark, with an invisibility cloak over our heads."
"Because Ron," Harry began exasperatedly, explaining for what he felt like the tenth time, "Hermione's been acting really strange lately. She's been really depressed and quiet. I'm worried about her."
"Uh Harry," Ron began uncomfortably, "Don't you think that maybe it could be, uh…well-"
"Yes Ron?" Harry asked impatiently. "We haven't got all night!"
"Don't you think that it might be lady problems?" Ron blurted out, his cheeks going red.
Harry sighed. Ron could be so unobservant some times.
"No Ron, Hermione has been acting like this for a while now – since the war ended actually."
They both paused. Remembering the war was hard for both of them. While none of the Weasleys, Sirius or Lupin was hurt, they had lost many friends.
"Maybe it's because of her parents Harry," Ron said.
Despite all Hermione had done to protect her parents, they were still murdered. Not by death eaters, but by muggles. They had died and they didn't even remember that they had a daughter. This had almost killed Hermione. She blamed herself for her parent's deaths.
"Yeah," Harry said softly, "You're probably right."
He sighed again. He only wanted to see her happy.
"And I guess that us avoiding her hasn't helped her much," Ron voiced.
"Avoiding her? We haven't been avoiding her!" Harry said, confused.
They were almost at the girl's bathroom, where the marauders map said Hermione would be.
"I know we haven't Harry, but does she know?" Ron asked. "Most of the time we're at parties to celebrate the end of the war. Parties Hermione doesn't come to."
Harry thought about it. Perhaps Ron was more observant than he gave him credit for.
"You're right." Harry stated after a minute. "We haven't been very good friends have we?"
They finally arrived at the girl's bathroom. They heard sobs coming from inside.
"Be quiet," Harry warned Ron before they walked inside.
The sight that greeted them was horrifying. Hermione was on her knees sobbing intently, a blade in her right hand, which was poised over her left wrist. On her wrist they could see tonnes of healed scars, and one bleeding one, which Hermione had just obviously made.
"Oh God," Ron whispered. "Oh God."
Harry understood. How could they have not realised? Were they that bad friends? No, were they that bad brothers? They had always prided themselves on being on family like terms with each other. They often referred to Hermione as their sister.
Just the Malfoy walked into the room. Harry felt Ron tense and grabbed his arm before he could reveal them.
"No Ron," He hissed quietly. "Wait until we know she's in trouble. We can't burst out from nowhere just because he shows up. Hermione will know that we have been following her!"
Ron relaxed a bit, but was still quite tense. Harry knew that he didn't want Malfoy to speak to Hermione. Neither did he. He might set her off to cut herself again.
"Hermione," Draco whispered quietly when he entered the bathroom.
"Oh, hello Draco," Hermione said.
Her sobs had stopped and she was smiling at him.
"What the hell?" Ron hissed. "Since when have they been on first name basis?"
Harry looked as confused as Ron felt. He was right. When had they got onto such familiar terms? And why was she smiling at him.
"Hermione," Draco began, his voice filled with anguish. "You promised me you wouldn't do this anymore.
Harry and Ron gasped. He knew? He tried to stop her? Neither Draco nor Hermione noticed the sound. They continued with their conversation.
"No Draco," Hermione said, still smiling. "I promised you that I would try and stop. But I can't Draco. I just can't."
"I'll tell Potter and Weasley," Draco threatened.
Hermione's face fell. Now she looked sad. Draco walked up to her and plucked the blade from her hand and threw it across the room. He then grabbed Hermione's left wrist and pointed his wand at it. The wound sealed itself, and became a scar like the others.
"Tell them then," Hermione whispered sadly. "They won't care."
Both Harry and Ron felt like they were going to be sick at that moment. She thought they didn't care? Since when?
"Why do you do this to yourself Hermione?" Draco asked, walking back to the other side of the room.
"Why?" Hermione asked. She began laughing hysterically. "Because it helps. It helps me forget. Forget that my parents are dead. Forget that it is my fault. Forget that my friends hate me and I don't know why. Forget all the screams."
Ron felt his heart breaking at this point. She thinks we hate her. She thinks her parent's deaths were her fault. She bloody cuts herself. He thought.
"I think I'm gunna be sick," Ron hissed.
"The screams?" Draco asked confused. "What screams?"
"See. That's my point," Hermione said angrily. "Everyone has forgotten! Forgotten the war! The blood that was spilt! Forgotten the screams! Forgotten our friends! Our friends who died when we should have!"
"No ones forgotten Hermione," Draco whispered sadly, thinking of the war.
"You know," She begun, "Neville died for me. He jumped in front of the killing curse for me Draco. The people who died in the war – they're the real heroes. Not us. Not the people that survived."
By the end of her speech Hermione was sobbing hysterically. In two long strides, Draco crossed the room. He sat down on the floor next to her and pulled her into his lap, rocking her slowly while whispering comforting words in her ear.
"I've seen enough," Harry whispered to Ron. "Let's go."
"What? And leave them here?" Ron asked incredulously.
"Yes Ron." Harry replied. Leave them be. "We'll confront Hermione tomorrow."
Ron nodded, unable to say anything more and followed Ron out of the room. They left Hermione and Draco alone in the bathroom.
"Hermione?" Draco whispered.
"Yes Draco?" Hermione replied, calmed by the feeling of his arms around her.
"Will you stop this now?" He asked her, hoping desperately that she would say yes. "Please Hermione. I love you and if I lost you…if one day you cut too deep…I don't know what I would do Hermione."
"Oh Draco," Hermione whispered. "I'm not sure if I can…but I will try…harder than before…and I'll come to you if I get to tempted Draco. I promise."
"Thank you," Draco whispered feverishly.
Hermione and Draco stayed there the whole night, simply holding each other, never wanting to let go.
THE END
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Authors Note: So what did you think? Please review!