Count Your Blessings

Dreamweaver – I originally wasn’t going to add in the attempted rape, but I thought it’d show a great contrast between Hermione’s initial feelings and how her body reacted. Not to mention, Fenrir made a comment in DH about how he wanted a “bite” of Hermione. I always pictured him a little sadist and rapist. I mean who’d willingly shag him? No one. I’m a sucker for cliffhangers, it makes people tune in. HAHA! And yes, I like my Snapey-poo too. LM, SS, and DM are my all time faves. Followed by RL and FW/GW (odd but I’ve read some really good fics with them and HG paired up together.)

slytherinprincess31 – Thank you sooo much! Totally made my day! I know all about reading stories where you get hooked and your entire day is pretty much screwed over. Lol. I know there is one by Tinkwolfe called “Thief of Time” that I spent an entire day reading and didn’t even bother working on class assignments because it was so bloody brilliant.

A/N: I finished this chapter a little while ago but for some reason wasn't happy with it as it didn't catch the severity of the situation everyone is in...so I ended up scraping the entire thing (sad I know). Listening to Snow Patrol makes me write really angsty stuff. Lol! I wrote the first part while listening to Snow Patrols’ Make This Go on Forever. You can listen to it on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iAbZHmaWjs Just try not to cry like I did. Then again, I’m a wuss when it comes to writing this type of stuff.

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Hermione sobbed into Draco’s chest, her hands clenched around his black pajamas. The room fell silent, even after Dumbledore entered and witnessed the feeling of dread. He stood beside Snape, who held his head in his hands clearly trying not to show emotion, like a marble statue. Dumbledore’s hand came to rest on Snape’s shoulder, his mouth dropping to say something but even the great Albus Dumbledore was unable to come up with something to pacify the situation. Hermione felt Madam Pomfrey place her hands onto her shoulders, but the curly-haired witch shrugged her off.

“Hermione, dear….” Madam Pomfrey said quietly, all traces of hope diminished in her tone. “We need to…”

“Leave me!” Hermione sobbed, “He’s not dead! He can’t be!” She remained holding onto Draco, tears pouring all over her face.

She didn’t bother looking up when she heard the doors open and the rest of the staff enter. Hagrid rushed to Hermione but stopped midstride at the sight. The normal bright pink cheeks of his drained of color and he looked as if he were going to faint. Flitwick merely stared, his eyes darting to the disheveled face of McGonagall, who had let down all barriers of formality and cried openly.

Snape rose from his knees and stalked out of the room. His angry shouts and the sound of crashing items echoed across the halls and filled the once silent room. It was only then did Hermione hear him cry for the first time. Like the sound of a haunted man, his sobs echoed around the corridors. For once, Peeves remained silent.

“Draco,” she whispered into his chest, “I have been so wrong. So wrong about everything…Please, forgive me.”

She didn’t know what else to do or say. Everything came crashing down around her. All of the barriers she put up around her fell down like the Berlin wall. No longer caring about hiding her feelings, her emotions, everything, Hermione let the tears flow from her eyes and drip onto the bed sheet beside Draco.

It was a time like this did Hermione wish things were different. That she’d stay and listen to what he had to say and believe him. She regretted all those things she had said about him and realized, at that moment, that his broken face wasn’t a lie. She had broken his heart with her words and he still came to rescue her. He was not his father. Not one ounce. He was a man. He was Draco Malfoy.

The entire room gasped but before Hermione could lift her head up she froze. A hand came up to her head, stroking her curly hair softly. So soft that she thought it was a breeze that had entered. She pulled from Draco, her cheeks stained with tears. His eyes were open, but barely, and he had let out a strangled breath, parting his lips to speak.

“I knew you’d miss me,” he whispered so quietly that only Hermione could hear. “I’m so missable.”

She brought her hand to her mouth to cover a very explosive sob. Madam Pomfrey let out a similar cry and nearly pushed Hermione from Draco as she moved over the boy.

“SEVERUS!” McGonagall shouted loudly, several times. “He’s…he’s…”

“Alive.” Hermione whispered, feeling Hagrid’s large hands clasp onto her shoulders and remove her from Draco while Madam Pomfrey attended him. She wanted to stay there with him, be with him until he was better. But, she knew she would only get in the way.

Snape rushed into the room and shoved Flitwick to the side as he came crashing down onto his knees beside Draco. His face was red and tear stained as he glared into his godson’s eyes.

“C’mon, ‘Mione,” Hagrid breathed into her ear, pulling her away from the scene.

Her eyes never left Draco, not until the walls of the corridors blocked him from her view. Even then, she tried to imagine his face in her mind. That smug look was last spotted on his lips. She collapsed, or wanted to, but Hagrid held her up. They stopped at the foot of the stairs when Dumbledore appeared.

“Ms. Granger. I think we might need to have a talk,” He said quietly, holding his hand out for Hermione.

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Hermione didn’t know what ever happened to Greyback but she wanted to curse him to hell for what he had done. Dumbledore had, of course, asked what happened in the owlery but she was hesitant on some details. He seemed to understand and didn’t pry any further. Before she left his office, Hermione ran into Remus Lupin and Snape. Before either of them noticed her, she hid behind a partition while they spoke in hushed voices.

“It was a good thing you flooed me, Severus,” Remus was caught saying, digging his hands into his pockets. “With the full moon only a few days away, this could have been disastrous.”

“Yes, well we assume that Greyback was able to reach the grounds through the Forbidden Forest. Dumbledore has sent word to the centaurs as to inquire why they hadn’t alerted us.” Snape replied in a harsh whisper, “I personally believe that Lucius Malfoy had some hand in it. We found a vial of Polyjuice potion in his robes. Polyjuice potion is very difficult to brew on a whim and Greyback lacks intelligence in that subject.”

“Do you think Draco had advanced knowledge of the attack?” Remus asked, his bright amber eyes flickered with curiosity under the torch light. “He appeared in the most opportune moment to save Hermione.”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he deduced it. Draco is fairly intelligent and would notice robes missing from his closet,” Snape replied, nodding slightly his mind clearly traveling elsewhere. “Will the…”

“The scars will be there for life. It’s a miracle he survived after losing so much blood,” Remus let out a hollow sigh, “Did you tell his father?”

Snape shook his head, “He requested I not. The boy fears the man the way you or I fear the Dark Lord. Imagine the consequences that he would have faced for saving the Granger girl against direct orders from You-Know-Who.”

“Mmm.” Remus nodded, looking over slightly, “I know you’re there, Hermione. No need to hide from us.”

“Oh,” Hermione blushed heavily and stepped away from the partition, pocketing her hands into her robes, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

“It seems you’ve been doing that quite a lot lately,” Snape replied over his shoulder, stepping aside when Remus moved to Hermione.

“How are you feeling?” Lupin’s voice ushered a feeling of comfort to Hermione. It always had and she had a feeling that it always would.

Hermione merely nodded, her eyes crossing the threshold to the corridor that lead to the infirmary. She wanted to see Draco, but she was afraid. Dare she admit her fright of how he’d look because of her? It was, after all, her fault he was injured. If only she had gone to the library, listened to him, done something than ostracize herself from the safety of the castle. None of this would have happened. Draco would be fine. They would be fine.

“He’s not allowing visitors,” Snape held with a firm nod, “Even if he were in a state capable of staying conscious, I would suggest against it.”

“Now, Severus…” Remus replied softly, his hand reaching out to touch Snape’s shoulder. Snape shrugged his hand from him and glared at her former professor.

“Stop meddling in things you do not understand, Ms. Granger,” Snape’s eyes were still trained on Remus but they eventually bore into Hermione’s, which were beginning to become teary. “If I were you, I’d refrain from going anywhere near Mr. Malfoy….for both your sakes.”

He turned on his heel, black yards of fabric swarming his body like a tornado as he stormed down the corridor. No doubt he was going to the infirmary to check on Draco. Remus sighed and brought his hand to his tired looking face, rubbing his eyes open. He looked down at Hermione, who was at a loss of words, her bottom lip trembling.

“Hermione,” Remus said quietly, trying to appease the on-the-verge of tears Gryffindor. “As much as I hate to say this, but I agree with Professor Snape. It’s a dangerous game, this war.”

“It’s not a game,” Hermione whispered, finally looking to her friend and former professor, “It was never a game.”

She moved quickly, pushing Remus out of the way. Her cries filled the empty corridor but were soon gone when she disappeared into the portrait hole to her common room. Remus slumped against the cold wall and exhaled, bringing his hands to his face once more to shake himself from feeling pity for Hermione. He understood the difficulties of young love, let alone with some one as determined as Hermione was. The former DADA professor prayed to the gods that, some how, things would work out – but even he wasn’t sure if it would.