CHAPTER 17

"Mione…"

"Mione.."

Hermione opened her eyes but with difficulty, upon hearing that familiar voice, but when she saw who it was she feels as if her heart will burst any moment because of happiness.. "R-Ron" She said in a very weak voice.

"Hey." Ron said softly while smiling at her.

"A-am I dead." She asked. But if she is, she doesn't care at least Ron is here. Finally, they are together again. After everything she been through maybe Merlin doesn't really hate her.

Ron chuckle at that. "Not yet." He hold and embrace her. "Not yet." He said so quietly that she almost didn't hear it.

Hermione embraced Ron tightly as if her life defends him. "R-Ron , I miss you so much. D-don't leave me..please." She cried in his arms like a child clinging to her parents and begging them not to let her go. She is afraid that if she let him go he will just vanish.

"Shhh..You've been very brave, Mione. But this is not yet your time." Gently, Ron created a gap between them, then he gently and lovingly wipe Hermione's tears.

"I'm breaking, R-ron. " Hermione cried harder. "I just want everything to stop. I just want to be with you and Harry. I-I'm so tired of being alone." Tired of fighting and questioning herself if she can still do it. Tired of everything.

Ron smiled at her and Hermione can see the pain in his eyes. "I know, Mione…but you are never alone. I may not be there for you but I am always watching you. I love you so much, My Princess."

"Then let me stay. Let me be with you." She beg knowing that him being with her now is just a borrowed time.

When Ron smiled at her sadly and regretfully she knows what it means and it is breaking her heart.

"My journey already ends, Mione…but yours, is only beginning. "

Hermione shakes her head. "I am alone already so why do I have to f-fight?"

This time it is Ron who shakes his head." True,life will not be easy for you. You will meet a lot of danger but you should never forget that you are never alone. Never was and never will be." Ron takes her hand and helps her stand. "Everything will be okay. I promise to you, he will come for you."

"He? What do you mean?"

But instead of answering her. Ron only embrace her tightly. "I love you so much, Hermione Jean Granger. I wish I can be with you f-forever.. but I am not your f-forever… So allow me to finally let you go and find your happiness."

She wants to protest up hearing the pain in his voice as if he will do something that will break him any moment."W-what…" Before she can say anything she feels his lips on her then darkness after.

HERMIONE POV

She frowned while looking at her hands. Madam Pomprey said that she can finally go back to her dorm and attend classes but since she woke up she can't help but feel as if she is forgetting something important.

"Hermione, Are you ready?"

She looked up to see Lucious who are smiling at her softly. Lucious was the first person she saw when she woke up. He is crying harder while embracing her that time.

"W-who died?" She asked slowly, because from the way he is shaking and crying while embracing her you will think that his whole clan has been vanquished or something.

Instead of answering he just hold her tightly while still crying and seeing that she will not get any answer from him anytime soon, she just awkwardly pat his back. But then her stomach growled loudly and the next thing she knows, Lucious is laughing while crying at the same time.

Two weeks. He said that she has been in comatose stage for two weeks, but she doesn't care because she is more worried knowing that probably almost everyone knows her real magical abilities. Som much for secrecy.

"You're frowning." Lucius said while gently trying to wipe her frown.

She released a long sigh. "I just hate thinking what will other say once they saw me." She said tiredly.

"Do you care about their opinion?"

She looked again at Lucious with a frown ,while quietly asking herself. Does she care about that? But a big NO is the answere. "You're right." She can't help but smile.

Lucious smile, and hold her hand. "Then let's go."

She followed him without any word, But when they are already in front of the Great Hall she suddenly stop making Lucious stop too.

"Hermione?" Lucious look at her questioningly. "You know we can always eat at the kitchen if you really feel uncomfortable."

She shakes her head softly. "Sooner or later I will face the entire school, so why prolong my agony. I'm just thinking.."

"About?"Lucious patiently waited for her answer.

"Now that they know my magical ability..I can finally hex them without problem, right?" She said seriously.

Lucious blink then blink then laugh loudly. He cannot remember when was the last time he laugh so hard. But he can't help himself and he will not be surprise if the people inside the Great hall heard him. The hell with them!

"Then give them hell, Hermione." He said mischievously while opening the door, and he can't say that he is surprise when all the students look at him or specifically the girl besides him.

"Gryffindor? Slytherin?" He asked without looking at her. He wants her to choose where she wants them to sit.

Hermione look at Lucious. "You choose." She said, she doesn't really care. She looked at the students who are still looking at her and she can't help but frown. It's not as if she revived Merlin for them to look at her like that.

When Lucious hold her hand, she expected him to guide her at the Slytherin table, but to her surprise he guided her at the Gryffindor. They sat at the end table. Her co-gryffindor is still looking at them. She just don't know if it is because of her or because the Slytherin's prince are sitting at the lion's table willingly.

"Stop, staring it's irritating." She finally snapped while eating when they began to get on her nerves. And thank Merlin, they stop.

"A-are you really a IGNIS MASTER." Some third year near her asked nervously. The noise in the Great Hall suddenly stops, clearly hearing the question.

"Mind your own business!" Lucious snapped sharply making the said third year chuckle nervously.

She did not want to answer. She just want to eat and be left alone just like before but the silence are getting to her nerves. "I am what I am." She answered vaguely.

"W-what?" another student asked clearly not understanding her.

She gently put down her spoon and look at the students in front of her."Why does it matter?"

"Hermione , you don't need to-" Hermione hold Lucious arm silently asking him to let her.

"B-because if y-you are r-eally an IGNIS MASTER..it..it means you are a pureblood."

Hermione sighed loudly. Her head is aching because of this pointless questioning. " Pureblood, Halfblood and Muggleborn? What's really the difference between them?" She asked seriously.

The said students suddenly don't know how to answer. He starts to regret opening his mouth.

"Magic is magic.. Whether it's light or dark ,it is still magic. When someone casted a spell to hurt or kill someone it will not matter if the one casted who did it is Pureblood, Halfblood and Muggleborn . It's still magic. Because whatever his blood status, it will not erase the fact that he used his magic to hurt someone. Nothing is accidental in this world because everything begins with a choice. Whether you are pureblood or maggleborn it's still your choice how to use that magic."

"How about you?"

Hermione look to see who asked and surprisingly it came from hufflepuff. When she look around it seems that even the professors are listening "Me? Like I said, I am what I am and no blood status will define who I am." She said seriously. She once believes that being a muggleborn is a hindrance but Harry and Ron made her believe that otherwise.

"You're wrong! Blood Status is everything!"

Hermione need not to look to know that, that those words came from Slytherin table . She sighed again. She just wants to eat breakfast quietly..how did it turn into a blood status lecture. Hermione stands up and look at the boy from slytherin table, "Regulus". Hermione immediately recognized Sirius' brother. "Am I?"

"Yes! I am a pureblood and I can get everything I want." Regulus said smugly yet seriously.

"Everything? "This guy is really Sirius's brother. "Yes you can." And she will not lie about it. They can if they want to but she will not let them.

The Slytherin table smile at her sardonically as if telling her that she lost this battle., But she will not be called the brightest witch if she will let them. "But are you happy?" When the look of shock crosses their faces, she knows that she wins. She gave them a meaningful look before going back to her sit and finish her food. She feels Lucius gently grab her hand and smiled at her proudly.

When the other students notice that Hermione no longer wants to talk they stop asking her and just resume to their breakfast but anyone will notice the noticeable silence in the Hall specially at the Slytherine table.

After finishing their food, Hermione and Lucious prepared to leave for their class and since they are from different year, they have different subjects.

"I'll wait for you after your class." Lucious said.

"There's no need, Lucious. You still have you're prefect duty and besides don't you have birds to chase?"

Lucious almost lost his steps because of that. "My what?

Hermione almost laugh at the expression of Lucious as if she said something scandalous. "You know, birds." She said trying to imitate a flying birds movement.

Lucious sighed expiratedly. " You will kill me someday with your extraordinary use of vocabulary."

Hermione can no longer contain her laughter. Sometime she tends to forget that Lucious is a perfect example of Old School Men.

Lucious found himself laughing while looking at Hermione.

The two laughing students are beautiful sight. They made it look like they are not in a world full darkness. And that is the scene that the Marauder saw while walking to their class which made them stop immediately.

JAMES POV

The feeling of being useless and powerless. James never expected that he will feel that way in a very painful way, but he did, while watching Hermione in the arms of Malfoy after her fight. But it was worst knowing that she is just in the Hospital Wing and yet he cannot go near her because of Malfoy and surprisingly Dumbledore.

He managed to enter the Hospital Wings once with the help of his friends. But after that their attempts failed miserably.

His steps are very careful fearing that anyone will catch him. He cannot use his invisibility clock because Dambledore temporarily confiscated it. So here he is, acting like a thief while sneaking in the Hospital Wing.

James almost lost his breath when he finally see Hermione. She is like a wounded angel while sleeping. Anyone can see immediately her wounds and bruises from the battle which reminded him of er scream that day, that still giving him nightmare every time he fell asleep.

Gently, James held Hermiones right hand. "Hey Hermione…It's me James…Your asshole c-classmate. Your jerk and bigheaded co-gryffindor."Before he can stop himself, James found himself silently crying. "I-I'm sorry. I'-I'm sorry." He felt so stupid. Before he came here, he had a lot to say but now he don't know what to say. He just want to hold her and assure himself that she is still here…breathing and alive. "I know I'm stupid selfish prat hwho only knows how to hurt you. But I just afraid that I can never be good enough for you.

"J-just wake up, Princess and I promise to you, I will be someone that you can defend on. " James said softly.

"If you are done, you can leave, Potter." A cold voice suddenly said.

James immediately stand up and raise his wand to the culprit but stop upon seeing the miserable look in Malfoy's face. He never saw Malfoy like this…miserable…defeated and as if he cannot see any light anymore.

"I just want to see her." He asked defensively. He can't help the bitterness in his heart knowing that this guy can stay here and watch Hermione while he and his friends can't.

Instead of answering, Malfoy walk to the side table where he vanished the dead flowers there and replace it with a new one. "Honestly, I really don't care." Malfoy said coldly and yet tiredly.

"She will be okay..right?" James doesn't want to talk to Malfoy, but right he just want to know the condition of Hermione.

"She will!" Malfoy said sharply while glaring at him. But when Malfoy look at Hermione all James can see is the tenderness and his eyes as if he is looking to the most important person in his life.

For the first time in his life in Hogwarts James found himself sitting near Malfoy without them insulting or trying to kill each other while watching Hermione.

NOONE'S POV

This past few weeks has been the hardest week of his life. But when Hermione finally opened her eyes he promise to do better in protecting her. But when he saw the Marauders his laughter immediately falters and was replaced by his cold demeanor which was not go unnoticed by Hermione.

Hermione look at the Marauder who are looking at her with different emotions but she did not want to interpret it, she is too tired to deal with anyone right now. She just wants to go to the class and sleep after.

"I think I need to go to DADA class already." She said quietly while looking at Lucious silently asking him to not start any fight.

"I'll bring you there."

Hermione sighed silently, knowing that she will not win if she argue with him. Lucious take her hand again to guide her but immediately stop when James called her name. She looks at him questioningly. It's not that she forget what they did to her, its just that she don't think she wants to deal with them, right now.

"H-how are you? I-I mean…O-of course y-you're not okay.. I-I mean."

Hermione look at James with confusion in her eyes.

James feels like an idiot. He bow his head and shut his mouth before further embarrassing himself in front of Hermione.

"I'm fine."

James immediately looks at Hermione upon hearing her. "Oh." His very intelligent answer.

"Thank for visiting." Hermione added without any expression in her face and voice while looking at James.

"H-how?" James look at Lucious but judging by surprise expression of his face it seems that is not the one that told her.

"I'm in comatose…not dead." Hermione said shortly before resuming her walk.

It takes some minute before James can process what she said. "She heard everything?" And it take a lot of control for him to stop screaming because of extreme embarrassment. How can he have AN EXTRAORDINARY talent in embarrassing himself in front of Hermione without effort!

-TBC-