Only Time

Lovely Reviewers:

Linneh - Happy to have pleased you. Hope this is as lovely. I like it.

meankitty69 - You certainly know how to flatter me...I'm excersizing my right to Schadenfreude. I take pleasure in your pain. I'm back. I haven't the heart to carry on for horribly long periods. I'm pretty sweet. I like cherries. They are my favorites!

happybunny - I forget nothing. I couldn't stand to make it much longer.
Draco grew up a lot during his sixth year. I think it is realistic.
You're so delightful. I do update regularly.

HermioneMalfoyFan - What if she doesn't wake up? I could be mean and make Draco her saviour. Such strong faith in Lucius waking his Hermione.
Men are all the same. COWARDS! I don't recall having read 'snidget' bit anywhere before. But that doesn't mean someone hasn't said it before.
Hope you approve of this update.

crissy - He's about to get mean(er)! I hope that you would review the chapter as soon as you finish the reading. Angst is good for Lucius...it helps build character.

blufalcon - The docs are doing what they can. I'm glad you like them both. I don't keep the suspence up for too long, do I?

Jessie - You'll know soon.

The Lady in Blue - I'm glad. Thank you for the review!

Ashley - And you couldn't see that one coming? My doctors have decided to test for Hypoglycemia first given that I have diabetics on both sides of my family. We're (me and the friendly people who live in my head) expecting to be talking to a neurologist soon.

Lauriurix - I hope you've survived. Here is your update.

bournespeed - Yes. It was a predictable cliffie, wasn't it?

maddie50 - Lucius and Hermione will have their trials still. The last two were quite sweet, weren't they?

Heidi191976 - Who knows if she will wake up? Who knows if he will want her to stay? He's decided that he has to let her go.

Apple - Yes, Hermione. Please wake up.

Citten - It wasn't a joke. Though, I'm glad you appreciated my humor in the situation. You needn't worry too long if our dear Hermione will awaken? Just read on.

trippingEYES - Do leave reviews. I'm glad that you liked it. I work at it.

Jade - That was quite a review. I'm delighted. It was pretty easy to stop there, if you want the truth. He is so BAD in the other fic, isn't he? A bit mad though. Doctors are a laugh a minute. I think they should be punished.

vamp_grl23 - Never you worry! Never you fear! An update is quite near!

yuri - Oh...you sweetheart. It's going to be okay! As long as I get reviews. Read on down.

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Well, I was startled by how many reviews I suddenly received. It made me feel quite special. I hope that y'all will like the upcoming chapter. I've certainly enjoyed typing it. Please check out "Lights of Questionable Faith" and review it as well. Would make me feel better.

Doctors think now that I am hypoglycemic.

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When he pulled back a moment later and looked down at her resting, he moaned and dropped his head into his hands when she didn’t twitch. He shouldn’t have tried. She wasn’t going to wake up. He didn’t deserve her. He knew it.

But if she'd awakened, at least he could have tried to deserve her.

Hermione turned her head to the side and blinked. It was so bright in the room. The moon was bright. She jerked up in the bed. Where was she? These sheets were not sheets that Hogwarts had.

A sob drew her attention from her left.

“Lucius.”

Lucius whipped around and saw Hermione sitting up looking at him.

“What happened?” she asked, staring at the wide grey eyes.

Lucius stood up and began to back away from her as if he’d seen the grim.

Hermione began to kick at the sheets she was snuggled in.

“Where’re Harry and Ron?”

Lucius turned and fled into the bathroom slamming the door.

She was awake.

He awakened her.

The spell was broken.

He broke it.

She was going to leave. She was really going to leave him. Well, she would not have the satisfaction of making a fool of him. He would send her from him—before she had a chance to hurt him.

“Lucius! Lucius Malfoy!” Hermione cried as she stumbled to the door.

“Get out,” Lucius whispered, hiding his face in his hands.

“Lucius! Lucius Malfoy!” Hermione cried, banging on the door.

“DON’T YOU DARE TORMENT ME! GET OUT!”

Hermione jerked back from the door as Lucius screamed at her.

“DON’T TEASE ME! GET OUT!” He let his hand slide down the door before he whispered. “Just leave. I can’t take it. I can't lose you again.”

BANG!

Hermione flung the door open and ran from the room not pausing for a moment, not even when she heard feet following her.

She flung open the front door of the manner and raced down the porch steps across the grass.

“WAIT! Hermione, wait!” Lucius called, leaping down the stairs. “We’re just…”

No! NO, NO, NO! She had run out. Under the light of the full moon.

"AWOOOO!"

Lucius slammed the doors and ran out after her.

“HERMIONE!”

Hermione ran faster when she heard Lucius coming after her. She should have known. He didn’t want her. He told her to get out. Why was she there?

He was married. She had no right mooning around him. She was just a silly little muggleborn to him. She was undesirable. He claimed to love her, but he wouldn’t even listen. He wouldn't talk to her. He told her to leave. What did she do?

Hermione cried out when she stumbled over a large branch and fell. Pain lanced through her knee, and she looked down to see a jagged cut across it.

She clapped her hand over it and squeezed as tears rose in her eyes. She fished in her robes and came up to realize that she didn’t have her wand.

“AWOOOO!”

“Shit,” Hermione hissed, looking up to see the bright light of the full moon.

How long had she been out? Had it really been over a week?

“Hoot!”

Hermione bit her lip and looked around. All around her, the sounds of the night seemed amplified. She should have checked for her wand. Why did she run anywhere without that? She was a witch. It ought to be an extension of her arm.

“Hermione! Hermione, where are you?”

Hermione kept her mouth shut as she stared at the yellow eyes creeping toward her through the gloom.

Slowly a large grey-furred animal walked into the clearing. Drool dripped from its jowls as it pointed its snout toward the moon.

“AWOOOO!”

“HERMIONE!”

Hermione stared at the wolf as it walked toward her. She was going to die.

Lucius tore toward her.

“It’s the full moon! Why did you run off?”

He placed a hand on her shoulder. He wanted to gather her in his arms and hold her. She was safe. Only a tiny scratch on her knee.

A deep, loud snarl distracted Lucius. He looked over and saw the grey furred animal snarling at him.

The werewolf reared up on his back legs and walked toward Hermione and Lucius like the humanoid beast it was.

Lucius quickly put himself between the creature and Hermione.

The wolf charged at them then. With one sharp swipe of his large front paw, Lucius clothes were shredded and three thin scratches marred his chest. The wolf howled in agony and reeled back a moment before angrily coming back. With the second swipe two deep gashes from inch and a half claws ripped into his face to throw him aside. He whipped his wand out as the wolf snarled above Hermione who screamed and was looking at Lucius with tears in her eyes.

A jet of silver light erupted from the end of his wand. It slammed into the animal sending it flying back into a tree.

“Incarcerus,” Lucius shouted, from his position on the ground.

Ropes flew out of his wand and bound fast the drooling werewolf to the tree. The werewolf struggled in his bonds snarling and snapping fiercely.

“Lucius,” Hermione said, crawling over to him where he lay with the werewolf scratches.

Blood flooded down the left side of his face and soaked his ruined clothes as he fell back in shock. He shivered in the cooler night air and laid back.

“Hermione,” Lucius whispered. “I’m—I’m sorry.”

“Shh,” Hermione said, stroking his cheek as his face became a little paler. “It’s okay. Everything is going to be fine.”

“I—I,” Lucius tried to speak.

“Don’t talk,” Hermione said, and she took his wand up. She pointed his wand in the air, and a large horse like creature with a mermaid-like tail burst from it and swirled in front of her a moment before it flew off through the air.

She stared after the gorgeous form. What was wrong with her patronus? It was different. She knew Tonks patronus changed when she fell in love with Remus. But why was hers different? It looked like a hippocampus. It was lovely with a tiny head and large ears and long pretty legs.

Hermione stroked his face draping herself on his chest. It wasn't long before she heard a voice shouting.

“Father! Father!”

Hermione gasped as she heard Malfoy’s voice calling out. She continued to stroke Lucius’ face after he passed out.

“Malfoy!” Hermione screamed back. “Over this way.”

“You’re awake,” Draco exclaimed, and he directed the winged horse he was riding down.

Hermione didn’t respond to it.

“Please alert the healers.”

“What happened?”

“The werewolf scratched him.”

“It didn’t bite?” Draco asked, looking over at the beast that was struggling in the trees.

“No, he seemed more interested in biting me. Go get a healer, and I will get Lucius to the house.”

Draco reached a hand into his pocket and pulled out something tiny and tapped his wand against it. A firebolt appeared in his hand as he dismounted the horse.

“Can you take them back to the house, Dáire?” he asked, looking into the large brown eye.

Dáire nodded his head, and he walked over to Hermione.

“I don’t like flying,” Hermione said, looking at the winged horse.

Dáire snorted.

“Just walk back, Dáire.” Draco instructed.

Dáire tossed his head and looked affronted by the idea of being some kind of pack mule. He was a flying horse. He was meant to carry a witch or wizard through the air.

Hermione levitated Lucius onto the winged horse’s back before climbing up herself behind Lucius. She wrapped her arms around him and took the reins in her hand.

Dáire took off at a trot through the woods and took them to the stone path that led to the front door. The breeze whipped her hair back. She shoved her face into Lucius' back, pressing her ear close so she could hear the heartbeat. He stopped as he arrived at the front door.

“Thank you, Dáire,” Hermione said, dropping the reins and sliding off the horse.

Lucius was still unconscious and slumped forward on the neck of the beast. Hermione reached up wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. She could feel the wet, sticky blood that soaked his now ruined clothes. She dragged him up the steps with tears falling down her cheeks. She sniffled as she stared at the trail of blood on the stairs.

POP!

Hermione heard a snap and registered a soft tingling in her knee but paid it no mind as she almost fell under the weight of the man she was pulling inside.

“Mistress, Nelly is here to help with Master,” Nelly said, snapping her fingers and levitating Lucius.

Hermione tried to rewrap her arms about Lucius’ chest.

“Mistress, Nelly be taking Master to his room. You knows the way?”

“I’ll clean his wounds,” Hermione said, pressing her lips together tightly.

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Hope y'all enjoyed it. Please drop a review. I love um!

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