Borrowed Time (Part 1 of the Time Turner Trilogy)

On Borrowed Time by Emaleth

GENRE: AU, Darkfic, Unresolved Sexual Tension.
ADT\'L(This Chapter): Nothing much going on yet... so eh.
RATING: PG-13... for now.
SUMMARY: Seventh Year, post Harry-defeats-Voldemort: Harry and Hermione became a couple the summer before their 7th year. Their romance went along well... until they went back to Hogwarts. The first day of class, Hermione was given an ultimatum to go back in time in order to change something that had just happened... and of course, her actions had consequences. Some might consider it bad, but she doesn\'t.
PAIRINGS: Harry/Hermione... then transforms to Draco/Hermione
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
E-MAIL ME: manticorechimera@msn.com

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Chapter 10 - Brawling Suitors (Saturday - October 19, 1996 continued)

When Hermione woke up, she was startled at the sight of the unfamiliar room around her. She certainly had not fallen asleep in her own room. When she realized that she was in Draco’s room, she sighed in relief. He was sleeping beside her, but when she saw the clothing he was wearing, she realized that Draco was late for the Quidditch Game
.
\"Draco,\" she muttered as she shook him. \"DRACO! The Quidditch Match starts in a few minutes. Wake up!\"

Draco practically jumped off the bed before he opened his eyes. He ran to his closet and started to rummage for his Quidditch uniform.

\"Holy Fizzing Whizbees!\"

Hermione turned away almost instantly, for he had started to take off his pants.

\"Draco…Er...\"

\"Oh sorry!\" he apologized. \"Just face that way. I am almost done changing. Ow!\"

*****

\"My knee hurts like hell!\" he said in between gasps for air as they ran towards the Quidditch Pitch.

\"I told you that I should have had a look at it.\"

\"Like there was time! I certainly would not want to pull my pants down so you could… oh stop giggling!\"

Hermione laughed as they entered the Quidditch Arena. \"Good luck,\" she said as she gave him a hug.

\"Thanks.\"

Hermione ran straight to her usual seat and watched Draco fly out of the Slytherin locker room. She smiled as he flew her way, but resisted waving as she feared the other Gryffindors would push her down the stands.

\"That was a close call, Malfoy!\" she heard Harry shout from a few feet away. \"They were planning to forfeit the game because you were absent. but it’s not like it would have made a difference since you couldn’t even see the Snitch if it hit you between the eyes!\"

\"Shut up, Potter.\"

\"You won’t win this game or any other game against Gryffindor,\" scowled Harry.

\"I might never win a game, but you will never win the girl!\"

Without a warning, Harry flew straight in his direction, almost knocking both he and Draco to the ground. They dropped a hundred feet through the air, and once they touched the ground, Draco lunged at Harry. They both rolled on the ground, punching each other silly.

Hermione did not know how fast she ran from the stands. The moment Harry headed for Draco, she was already sprinting down the stands. She was the first one to break them up. Harry’s lip was already bleeding, and the area around Draco’s right eye was red as Hermione separated them.

\"Draco! Harry!\" she screamed, getting between them. \"Stop it, both of you!\"

As the two boys separated, Harry threw one last punch that sent Draco flying backwards. Hermione pointed her wand at Harry.

\"I said stop it!\" she shouted before turning towards Draco and offering him a hand. \"Are you alright?\"

As Hermione put away her wand, Harry took a few steps back and started to laugh sinisterly.

\"You know what, Malfoy? You can have her! You two are so perfect for each other! You see, you are a Seeker who can‘t even ride the broom properly, and she is the fucked-up broom that everyone has had a ride on. You are both losers. You two are the perfect couple!\"

*****

Hermione held her face between her hands as she sat in the waiting area outside the Infirmary. She had been sitting there patiently for more than half an hour as Madame Pomfrey mended both boys into good health… at physically. She was hoping that the two would be placed under heavy sedation to prevent them from getting at each other’s throats, but Madame Pomfrey would certainly not fulfill that wish.

She heard footsteps and looked up, thinking it was Draco. When she saw Harry, she rolled her eyes and sat back down

\"I saw that,\" he said angrily.

\"Harry… I was...\"

\"You thought I was Draco, so you got all excited, but since it was just me, just go back to whatever you were doing.\"

\"Harry...\"

He pointed a finger at her and continued. \"If you value your life, don‘t talk to me. I am resisting the urge to strangle you right now. Just leave me be.\"

Without another word, Harry walked away, turning back as he reached the corner. \"Just to let you know, I did love you.\"

When Harry was gone, Hermione took her seat again and slapped her forehead numerous times, wishing that she could go into a coma and be able to sleep for months without thinking of the situation at hand.

\"Harry says he loves me. Draco says he loves me. They both had to say it at almost the same time! Why me? Why did life suddenly get so complicated! What did I do to deserve this? I shouldn’t have…I shouldn‘t have been with him!\"

\"It’s because of me. I did this to you!\"

It seemed that Draco had appeared in the middle of her soliloquy, and it seemed he had misinterpreted what she had said as he turned and ran straight towards the Slytherin Commons. Hermione followed him, squeezing through the portrait door just before it closed on her.

\"Draco! Draco listen to me!\"

Draco pushed his bedroom door open, and Hermione barged in with him.

\"Why did you stop me from killing myself, Hermione?\" he said as he wept. \"Damn it, Hermione! If I only knew, I should have taken the chance when I could have and risked thinking that I am a dog than have you play with my heart like this!\"

\"Draco...\"

\"Just tell me. How did you know that I would be at that place at that certain time?\"

\"I...\"

\"TELL ME!\"

\"Please don’t make me relive what happened to you. Anything but that!\"

\"I don’t get it, Hermione.\"

\"You died!\" she shrieked. \"I saw you die! Your attempt was not just an attempt. It was real! You did succeed in killing yourself! When I got into that room, you had already drank the poison, and you had just slashed your wrists. It was… it was gruesome! I just can’t imagine you like that, Draco. I can’t.\"

\"What? When did this happen?\"

\"The only reason you are alive now is because I turned back time and stopped you from doing what you were planning to do.\"

\"You what?\"

\"I used a Time-Turner, Draco. You died, and I turned back to stop you from dying.\"

Draco shook his head. \"Damn it! You made a mistake, Hermione. You shouldn’t have!\"

\"I had to save your life.\"

\"You shouldn’t have!\" Draco turned away from her and shouted, \"Then turn back time, Hermione! Turn it back!\"

\"No!\"

\"Turn it back and let things be the way they were before you stopped me! You should not have borrowed time like that! Now you have to pay for it. You are suffering now because of me. I ruined your life.\"

\"No, Draco. You didn’t.\"

\"I caused it all to happen. If I did not exist, you and Harry would not be in the situation.\"

\"No! It was not a mistake, Draco. I will not turn time back again!\"

\"Why not?\"

\"Because I can’t bear living my life without you! I didn’t know it then, I didn‘t know it yesterday, but I figured it out today. I love you now, and I loved you then! That was why I turned back time! I cared for you, and I loved you.\"

It was as if the weight of the world was suddenly taken off her shoulders. She had finally admitted it.

\"You said that before and did not mean it!\"

\"This is for real, Draco.\"

\"Then how come you said ‘I shouldn’t have’?\"

\"What made you think I was referring to you, huh? I was thinking about Harry. I shouldn‘t have been with him to begin with! I liked him, but there was not much there besides the kisses. There was no passion. I got nothing from that relationship, and I had him expecting feelings that didn’t exist. I love you, Draco. I care for Harry, but I love you.\"

\"So… this is for real this time?\"

\"It’s for real. This time, I am not taking it back. I was just… I was just too scared to admit it. I was too scared of how Harry would react. I was too scared of how my housemates would react. I was scared of how you would react.\"

\"You are scared about how I would react? You already know how I feel for you.\"

\"I do, but it scares me to think of what others might do when they find out that a Gryffindor and a Slytherin, a pureblood and a mudblood, have feelings for each other.\"

\"Don‘t call yourself that, Hermione. I made you think that way. It’s my fault. Everything that hurt you and will hurt you was and is going to be my fault! I treated you like dirt then and made you feel like scum. I am trying to undo my mistakes, and I made you feel worse. Stay away from me, Hermione!\"

He got up looked down at his feet.

\"I am poison! Everyone around me is poisoned and slowly dying! My father is rotting in Azkaban, my mother is at home depressed at losing him… and then there’s you! Your wellbeing is falling apart right in front of my eyes. I made Harry and everyone else detest you.\"

\"It was not your fault, Draco.\"

\"I am poison, Hermione! A jinx! If you value life, stay away from me! I care for you too much that I could not bear to see suffer like this. I would rather be as far away from you as possible, knowing you are in good hands.\"

\"No Draco,\" she said. Hermione held his face in her palms and looked directly into his eyes. He touched the back of her hands lightly. \"I am in good hands - yours.\"

He placed his hands on her cheek before moving her hair away from her face and pulling her close.

\"I can’t believe that I have you in my arms, and you are not resisting my hug.\"

\"Yes.\"

\"Then this is the only reason why my life is worth saving.\"

Draco pulled her in for another kiss before leading her to the bed. Without pulling away, Hermione managed to kick off her shoes as he pulled down the top layers of the sheets on his bed. He then picked her up and placed her on the bed before kneeling by her feet to take off his shoes. He pulled off his socks as his kisses forced Hermione back. She pulled herself to the middle of the bed as he himself slithered on top of her.

\"I love you, Hermione.\"

~@~ PLEASE REVIEW!!! Or at least leave some lovin\'! VOTE!!! ~@~

A/N: This fanfic was written for for the Contra Veritas : Dr/Hr Fanfic Challenge AKA Livejournal\'s \"The Enemy\'s Valentine - Dr/Hr Fic Gift Exchange.\" The rules were a bit restricted (I had to include Time-travel, Love triangles and a Happy ending... and NO Harry/Ginny romance) and so was my fanfic. The second part of the Trilogy would have a bit more freedom but I\'ll just play it by ear, k???

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this fanfic as much I as I enjoyed writing it!^_^

SPECIAL THANKS to Snapeaholic, for betaing my fanfic. Without you, I\'d be drowning in a sea of grammatical mistakes. LOL