Embracing The Present

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Fortunately, at least the plot is mine.


The Past: Part One

Before the War

“I am so sure that I am right!” Hermione insisted. “I’m positive!”

“You are definitely wrong,” Draco argued. “There is no way that adding powdered root of asphodel strengthens the potion! It can’t be strengthened, how many times must I tell you?”

“It is most decidedly so,” Hermione snorted, bristling with indignation that he actually thought she might be wrong! Her, Hermione Granger, wrong!

“Look, there’s Prof. Snape,” Blaise rolled his eyes. “I’m sick and tired of this childish argument, so will one of you kindly consult him and put an end to this, therefore saving my poor ears?”

“I’ll go!” Hermione marched, and the two Slytherins followed closely behind.

“Prof, does adding powdered root of asphodel strengthen the Numbing Potion?” Hermione said politely.

“No,” Prof. Snape answered and Hermione’s face fell.

“I told you it can’t be strengthened!” Draco gloated.

“You’re wrong too, Mr. Malfoy,” Prof Snape said and it was Hermione’s turn to gloat.

“The Numbing Potion can certainly be strengthened, not only so but adding different ingredients strengthens it to different stages. I think you recalled wrongly but it’s not the powdered root of the asphodel that strengthens the potion, but toad spleen. The powdered root of the asphodel strengthens the Healing Potion,” Prof Snape corrected.

“Ha, so both of you are wrong so can I have peace now?” begged Blaise.

Hermione laughed. “Put me and Malfoy together, Zabini, and you actually think there could be peace?”

Draco smirked. “For once I agree with you, Granger.”

Hermione bristled, “What do you mean for once? You should always agree with me, seeing that I’m always right!

“Here we go again…” Blaise moaned.

~

Hermione’s eyes slowly adjusted to the dark as she climbed the steps.

When she reached the landing, she noticed that the room was already occupied.

She squinted, her eyes tracing the outline of the figure by the window.

She would recognize him anywhere.

He was hunched over the window, elbows resting on the sill, his legs crossed at the ankles and his face bowed, making his blond hair fall across his forehead in that attractive manner that had Hermione thanking Merlin once again for the fact that he no longer slicked his hair back.

“Malfoy?” She whispered and she saw his back stiffen.

He turned slowly, his grey eyes- those pools of liquid steel- focused on her. “Granger?”

She nodded. “What are you doing up here?”

“What are you doing up here?” He rebuked.

“Thinking,” she answered. “Do you by chance know what this place is?”

“Sure,” He said. “It’s the old viewing room. Years back students were allowed to come up to do Astronomy. It’s the best place in Hogwarts to look at the stars.”

She was surprised he knew. “How do you know?”

“Granger,” He said, hiding a small smile. “You are not the only one who reads Hogwarts: A History.”

She ducked her head. How could she assume he hadn’t read that book? He had read everything she did, if not more, owing to the huge collection of rare books in the Malfoy Library.

“Are you scared?”

She looked up, blinking in confusion. “Of what?” she asked carefully.

“You know what I’m talking about. You’re involved the Order, if I’m not wrong,” He cast a sideway glance at her. “I also know you’re the one who is responsible for those ridiculously complicated codes that you use to send messages to each other.”

Hermione swallowed. She had expected him to know about the Order, seeing that his father was a Deatheater. But the fact that she was the one who created the codes… how could he know?

He read her expression and grinned, ‘I see Potter doesn’t tell you everything.”

Harry? What about Harry? Hermione thought, her thoughts getting messier by the moment.

Then all of a sudden it hit her.

~

“Who’s the one who told you this?” Hermione asked, her mouth agape, her eyes searching the faces of Harry and Dumbledore. “How in the world did you manage to get information this secret?”

Dumbledore and Harry exchanged looks. “Let’s just say,” Harry said. “That we have a very good spy among the Deatheaters working for us…”

Hermione raised an eyebrow but did not ask more, knowing that they were determined not to reveal the name.

~

“Oh my God,” Hermione gasped. “It can’t be you!”

Draco’s grin grew wider. “Bingo. Ten points to Gryffindor.”

“You? You’re the one who’s been feeding us with so much information?” she asked, eyes wide.

“Very good,” He said approvingly. “You really are right in everything.”

“No,’ she said.

“What was that?” He asked.

“No, I’m not right in everything,” she said.

“Oh?’ He asked.

“You,” she replied. “I wasn’t right about you.”

They were both silent for a moment.

“So we’re friends now?” she asked at last.

“More or less,” He shrugged.

“What do I call you? Malfoy?” she smiled. “Draco?”

He paused and a slow genuine smile crossed his face. “For now, a come here, will do.”

And then he closed the distance between them.

~

“No,” Hermione said, backing away from him, her eyes wide and disbelieving, shaking her head rapidly. “No, you wouldn’t.”

“I’m sorry,” Draco mumbled.

“I don’t want you to be sorry!” she shouted, picking up the book on her table and hurling it towards him.

He ducked and gaped at her. “What is wrong with you?’ he demanded. “Why are y-“ he broke off in a yelp as her lamp came flying towards him, narrowly missing his ear.

“You said you would stay!” she shouted, losing control and bursting in tears.

“I have to go back!” he shouted back. “I need to go back! I swear I’ll come back for you after everything is over.”

She crumbled onto the floor, sobbing and he crossed the room in three big strides to kneel down by her, taking her into his arms, kissing every single centimeter of her face, uncaring of her tears being smeared onto his face.

He felt like crying but he didn’t need to, because her tears were his.

Hermione lifted her hands to his face, brushing her thumb every bit, trying to commit every inch to memory, just in case he wouldn’t be able to come back.

“I’m scared,” she said shakily. “I’m scared I won’t be able to see you again.”

“Me too,” his voice cracked as he kissed her hungrily, afraid that he would never be able to do this again.

She opened the buttons of his shirt, meeting his eyes, wanting this particular memory, just in case she lost him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his voice hoarse as she worked on his buttons.

As her honey coloured eyes met his, she nodded. “Very,’ she whispered. “I want you.”

“I’m sorry,” he said again and again and again…

Even until when it was over and he was quiet, she could still hear his cries of apology in her ears.

Even the next day when he was getting ready to leave, she could still hear the echoes of his screams of “I’m sorry!” in her ears as though she was still in her room, her body next to his.

“Goodbye,” she whispered in his ears, trying to hold back her tears.

She waited for his goodbye but it never came.

“Wait, Draco!” she called out, confused.

He never turned around. Hermione glanced at her friends and they all shrugged.

“Draco!” she shouted again.

He finally stopped, spinning around to face her slowly.

“I’ll wait,” she shouted, bringing a trembling smile to her lips.

What came later completely broke her heart, leaving her empty and cold for months after.

“Don’t,” he said, before turning around and heading out of the door.


~*~

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