Unbidden Love Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen: Lost In-between

Hermione became so lost in her own world of isolation that she didn’t realize why she suddenly felt comforted. Someone whispered in her ear – “Hush now, Hermione; it’ll be alright” – but it was not the voice she longed to hear.

But it was a voice she loved, nonetheless…

“Harry?” She straightened slightly and rubbed her swollen eyes. “Harry, what…”

“Not now, Hermione; let’s get you in the house.” Without waiting for a response, Harry lifted her off the ground and carried her back to the Burrow.

Hermione closed her eyes and allowed the warmth of him to comfort and soothe her. She tried to block out everything that Draco had said, all the words he had spoken that she knew had to be a lie. It all was rubbish, for she trusted Draco. Draco wouldn’t speak such confusing words for no reason – there had to be a reason. There had to be something beneath his hurtful words…if she could just figure it out…

“Here, drink this.” The cold had seeped deeply into her and her mind and body were only now beginning to function again, so Hermione took the proffered mug in a half-awake daze.

Ogden’s Old Firewhiskey, Hermione thought with a content smile. What else wakes someone up?

Her audience (whom she soon discovered to be Ron and Harry), waited quietly for several minutes as she sipped on her drink and allowed her mind to wander.

When the men beside her finally came into clear focus, Hermione took in the couch she was strewn across and the crackling fire warming her toes. She set her mug down and eyed her best friends cautiously. There was so much to be said, so many apologies to be released…

But Harry and Ron weren’t her best friends for nothing. Even Ron, who had every right to attack her right now, sat beside Harry rather calmly in a straight-backed chair. Hermione met his eyes and hoped the compassion in hers would be a good start to the uncomfortable conversation ahead.

Hermione blurted out the first question that burned in her mind. “Why are you two so calm? And so…unnecessarily generous?” Blood rushed to her face and she bit her lip. “I don’t deserve this. I’ve caused too much…”

“Stop, Hermione,” Ron murmured, folding his arms across his broad chest. His eyes narrowed but not unkindly. He merely studied her like an artist studies the subject of his painting. “I don’t want you to apologize for the whole bloody night, although I’m glad you want to. I should be the first to admit I’ve been a prat myself these past few months. So I guess we’re both equally to blame. And as for our calmness, you can thank Harry for that. I never knew how effectively the Calming Draught works on your nerves.”

Hermione frowned at Harry. “But your potions usually aren’t…”

Harry chuckled slightly. “Don’t think I never went back to the Room of Requirement and got the Prince’s book back – before the fire, of course. That thing can be useful in extreme cases such as this.”

Hermione managed a smile and traced a finger along the rim of her mug. “I appreciate your effort to speak to me humanely, no matter how much I don’t deserve it. I hurt you both so terribly; I don’t know how I’ll ever forgive myself.” A tear leaked from the corner of her eye, and she hastily brushed it away. She couldn’t start off emotional or else she’d never say all she wished to.

Ron twisted in his chair, looking as if he wished to comfort her, but he stopped himself and leaned back instead. “Let’s here the story, then,” he said.
”Perhaps I’ll be able to lessen my anger so that I don’t explode when this potion wears off.”

Harry cast him a frustrated look. “Did I not just explain to you what I heard while Hermione slept?”

“Slept?” Hermione inquired. “I don’t remember sleeping.”

“You dozed off for about an hour. That was long enough for me to explain to Ron all that went on in the forest.”

“Sounds like you made the whole thing up,” Ron told Harry coldly. “After what we saw a few days ago, why would Malfoy freak out and run off like that? For Hermione’s protection? I thought you both were…” He stopped, clearing his throat uncomfortably and hardening his face.

Harry sighed and glanced at Hermione. “I think you’d better tell the truth, Hermione. The whole truth.”

Hermione wished she had been given a Calming Draught as well. Her head spun and left her feeling unstable, but she forced herself to think clearly. “We were together,” she whispered, focusing on the dancing flames in the fireplace. “It wasn’t something either of us planned, or even wished for. It just…happened. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Ron; you have to believe that.” She forced her eyes to meet his, although his face revealed none of his emotions. But having him listen to her and not scream was good enough for her right then.

“We never talked about what we were going to do, but I wanted to talk to you that day when…when we both came here. Draco said I’d lose my friendship with you both if I stayed with him, but I couldn’t…” Her voice cracked and she took deep, steady breaths to stop a gush of tears. “I’m so sorry. That’s all I can say now. I’m sorry I hurt you both; I’m sorry this had to be such a mystery. But you told me to be honest, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m being honest when I say I can’t be away from him. I’m falling for him hard, which scares me more than you can imagine. And when he said we couldn’t be together, I…I…” She shook her head in devastation and allowed her eyes to well up. Harry and Ron did not speak and Harry only moved to pass Hermione a tissue. The tense silence made her tears flow harder, but her friends let her release it all.

“Hermione,” Harry said hesitantly after her sobs had calmed to sniffles. “Do you know why he would say such things? Why he’d desert you just after you both knew how the other felt?”

“He said he wanted to protect me,” Hermione said, grabbing another tissue. “He said we couldn’t be on the same side and let the world know we were together. He told me to help destroy the Wand…but I guess you heard all that.”

Harry sighed deeply and lowered his head. “I knew we’d be coming to that point soon. It’s too dangerous having it in one piece when so many of our enemies are searching for it. The sooner it’s destroyed, the sooner we can focus on keeping you safe. Don’t think I didn’t understand what you both were saying – I know you’re in real danger, Hermione.”

“And he’s right.”

Hermione started at Ron’s deep voice.

“Not about you being in danger; that part’s obvious.” Ron clasped his hands together and leaned forward like he was discussing battle plans. Hermione took in his seriousness and determination. There was hurt in his voice, but that wasn’t surprising. What shocked her was how well he was handling all this. Was it merely the potion that kept his hateful emotions at bay?

“Malfoy’s right about what, then?” Harry demanded.

“That she’s safer with us. That being close to him would make it easier for both of them to be killed. If he keeps up the charade of being best mates with the Neo-Death Eaters, no one would easily suspect his treachery. He’ll keep to his side, Hermione will keep to ours. We’ll destroy the Elder Wand and the Ministry will help us decide what to do after that.”

Harry’s frown deepened. “You make it seem too easy, Ron; especially the bit about Hermione being kept away from Draco.”

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek. No, she wouldn’t interrupt. She wanted to hear what they thought. They deserved far more from her than an apology.

“We’ll have to decide that later,” Ron replied rather harshly. “The important thing now is to destroy the Wand and keep Hermione away from the Neo-Death Eaters, especially Malfoy’s dad.”

“So you don’t…hate me?” Hermione found herself speaking, her voice raised in hope. “You don’t want to throw me in the direct path of Lucius Malfoy?”

Ron knelt beside her and took her hand. He stared up into her eyes, and her heart leapt to find the old flame of their love glimmering in his eyes. But besides relaxing her, it also struck her heart, for she was now directly reminded of all she had had with him…and could never have again.

“Hermione, I won’t lie to you. You’ve hurt me far deeper than I could ever say, but just because you fell for a prat like Malfoy doesn’t mean I’ve stopped loving you. No matter what happens between you and me now, I can honestly say that I will forever care about you. And unlike Malfoy, I won’t leave you alone. I won’t let my emotions get in the way of not fighting for you and protecting you.”

Hermione sobbed and took him into her arms, a flood of different emotions falling down her cheeks. She couldn’t process all that ran through her heart and mind, but she did know how much she loved him. She loved Ron Weasley more than ever now, and nothing happening in the future could change that.

*

“So we have no choice, then.”

Lucius Malfoy glared directly at his only child as he tossed the remainder of his mead down his throat. He winced slightly at the burning in his throat before tossing his glass unconcernedly into the flames. The fire roared dramatically as it consumed the shards.

“You’ve given us no choice!” Lucius thundered, pounding his serpent staff onto the stone cobbled floor. “Your little game with the mudblood has failed disastrously, and now we must assemble a force to attack the trio before they can do the inevitable. They are, of course, aware of our intentions?”

Draco refused to meet his father’s eye as he clasped his hands behind his back and glared ahead at the mantelpiece. His silence was answer enough.

“You fool!” Lucius’ wand rose in an instant and sent a bolt of lightning crashing through the air, striking Draco in the chest. Draco groaned in pain for but a second before recomposing himself. Narcissa paled as she turned her face away and ignored them both.

“I don’t know what happened between the two of you,” Lucius hissed, creeping up to his son until their faces were inches apart. Draco struggled to keep his face relaxed, but he found his jaw clenching. “But I have a few theories. Trust me, Son; if any soft feelings have been created in your pitiful mind, you’ve only caused yourself more pain. Granger will be the first to die! You can take down Potter, I don’t particularly care who does it as long as he’s dead within minutes of our arrival.”

“What an honour, Father,” Draco muttered darkly.

Lucius thrust his cane into his son’s chest, and this time Narcissa cried out her disapproval. “Shut it, Narcissa,” Lucius cried in her direction. “You should’ve learned by now the right way to discipline our son. A swat on the cheek is hardly sufficient for such a…”

“When you’re done discussing proper parenting methods,” Draco hissed without a hint of self-restraint. “I’d like to bring up the possibility of a bargain.”

Lucius’ wide brow furrowed and he backed away. “A bargain? There are no bargains possible now, Son. You’ve gone far beyond the acceptable time for pleas and pacts.”

“You may want to reconsider,” Draco replied steadily. “It concerns Granger.”

Lucius arched an eyebrow. “Don’t you dare try to spare her life, Draco. All three will die, preferably one at a time so they can watch each other perish. If we’re swift, we may be able to complete the task before a single Ministry official Apparates to the scene.”

“Are you able to listen properly or is everything I say useless?”

Lucius’ lips twitched into a sneer. “You’re too much like me, Draco – arrogant and decisive. But go on, then. What brilliant plan have you conceived?”

Draco raised his chin a bit higher to cover up the churning of doubt in his mind. “Kill Potter and Weasley straightaway – they don’t matter to me. But let me keep Granger. We’ll bring her back here and you’ll be free to torture the information out of her, but don’t kill her now. She’s more useful than you think, and if she’s kept alive, there’s the possibility of using the Imperius Curse on her and using her to spy on the Ministry. She’ll be weakened after her friends’ deaths, after all.”

Lucius studied him for a long moment. “And what will you give me if I do this? If she is captured instead of murdered?”

Draco paused. “You can have the Elder Wand.”

Narcissa gasped and rushed up to the two men. “Lies! Don’t listen to him, Lucius; he’s merely trying to save his own skin…and possibly the mudblood’s. He’s afraid because of how close he is to failure. How do you expect to obtain the Elder Wand, Draco, when you told us Granger never spoke a word? Ha! She held her tongue, you say, expect for – oops! – that one time when she spilled all.”

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you ever recall me saying recently I got nothingout of her? I may have learned something today that I haven’t spoken of until now.” He turned back toward Lucius. “Father, you have my solemn promise that, if I am still alive by the end of the battle, you will have the Elder Wand in your hands.”

Draco’s heart thudded against his ribcage, but his parents seemed not to hear it. They studied him skeptically, but Draco noticed a glint of satisfaction in his father’s eyes.

“Your stakes are high, Draco; do I dare make them even higher? For example…what is to happen if you are still alive at the end but do not fulfill your promise?”

Draco didn’t hesitate. “Then you’re free to do with my life as you wish.”

Lucius smiled wickedly. “Then I believe I’ll take your bargain.”