The inevitable

Deterioation

Hermione got out of bed the next morning feeling worse than she usually did. She was dizzier and felt sicker than usual. Being who she was, Hermione shrugged it off.

As she pulled on her jeans and a cosy Jumper, Hermione began to think back on yesterday. She touched her lips and grinned. Yesterday she had kissed Draco.

The two ambled up to the Gryffindor Common Room. They were just generally talking, Draco telling Hermione some funny stories from when he was younger.

Hermione giggled at the last story as they came to a stop in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. The Fat Lady saw Hermione acting happy with Draco and smiled softly.

"Thanks. I had a great time today, Draco." Hermione told her date softly.

"Yeah, me too. If you want, I'd like to take you out again sometime." Draco replied.

"I'd like that."

Draco moved closer to Hermione, touching her cheek. Hermione leaned into the touch and Draco leaned forward. His lips gently brushed hers and their eyes slid shut. Draco applied more pressure, swiping Hermione's lip asking for entrance.

Hermione let him in and their tongues did the age old dance of the battle of dominance. They finally parted when they needed air. Hermione grinned at Draco. "Goodnight, Draco." She whispered, pecking him on the lips once more.

"Goodnight." Draco replied, breathless. Hermione slipped into the Common Room and Draco smiled. 'We kissed!' He thought happily, almost giddy.

"Excuse me, young man." Draco looked up at the Fat Lady. "You take good care of that girl. She needs someone who can make her smile." The Portrait told him.

"I will. Goodnight."

Draco woke up from his dream about that evening and grinned happily to himself. He was in love for sure now. He headed down into the common room after getting ready and spotted Pansy and Blaise sat by the fire talking.

He made his way over and their eyes widened. "Morning, mate. Look, you aren't angry about yesterday are you?" Blaise stuttered, gauging his friend's reaction.

Draco laughed. "Blaise, if you weren't a guy, I could kiss you!" He exclaimed. "Yesterday was perfect, wonderful, amazing and I'm deliriously happy."

"You kissed her then." Pansy smirked. Draco nodded dreamily and sunk into the seat.

Pansy shook her head. "Come on then Lover boy, let's go meet Hermione and Luna in the Room of Requirement."

Both boys leapt up and ran nearly the whole way there, causing Pansy to run as well to keep up with them. They finally arrived there panting as Luna made the door appear.

"Good morning." The Blonde girl smiled, pecking Blaise on the lips happily.

"When did this happen?" Draco asked.

"Yesterday. Pansy set us up and I asked Luna to be my girlfriend." Blaise told them.

"Good for you." Pansy grinned, marching into the Room of Requirement. The boys and Luna followed her inside and they all stopped short.

Hermione sat on the sofa, her head in her hands and a pained look on her face. She looked worse than any of them had ever seen her. She saw them and got to her feet, plastering a fake smile on her face. She was barely upright before the world tilted and she fell to the floor.

Draco ran to her. "Hermione! Are you okay?"

Hermione smiled weakly up at him. "I'm fine."

"No you're not. I'm taking you to Madam Pomfrey." Draco sighed, picking Hermione as if she were a child. He headed towards the door, just as worried as the others were.

"No." Hermione moaned.

"Yes. You need to be looked at by a doctor."

"We're right behind you." Pansy told her friends, looking at Hermione with concern.

Draco nodded at her and the group began the trip down to the Hospital Wing to get Madam Pomfrey to check Hermione over.

"Really, I'm fine. Just a little dizzy." Hermione protested as Draco carried her.

"A little dizzy? Hermione you collapsed as soon as you stood. That is not a little dizzy." Draco snapped.

"I'll be fine. Just need a good nights sleep."
"That won't work anymore Hermione. Everyone can see it's more than sleep you need."

"But they don't care, so why should you?" Hermione snapped, stubbornly looking the other way.

"Because we care for you. I love you Hermione, I can't lose you just yet." Draco sighed.

"That's what Sev says. You all have to get used to it. There is no cure and I will die."

"Don't talk like that." Luna whined from Draco's side. "Please. We all have lost too many to even contemplate losing yet another person. I lost my best friend and my mother and that's already too many. I can't think about losing my other best friend."
They soon arrived at the Hospital Wing. "Madam Pomfrey!" Draco shouted as the doors banged open.

"What on earth is it that causes you to make all this racket?" The Mediwitch snapped entering the room. "Oh dear." She whispered, paling as she noticed Hermione.

"Put her on the bed." She commanded, moving off to grab some potions from the cabinet.

Draco laid Hermione on the cot told by Madam Pomfrey and stroked her curls away from her face. "I love you."

"I love you too." Hermione replied. "But I really am fine."

"No, you're not. Just let Madam Pomfrey do her thing. Please? For me?" Draco pleaded.

"Fine. For you."

"Thank you." Draco kissed Hermione quickly before heading over to where his friends were.

Madam Pomfrey soon returned and handed Hermione a pain relieving potion. "Okay, I need you to lie very still for me, Hermione. I'm just going to run a diagnostic spell over you."
"Yes, Madam."
"Good girl."

Madam Pomfrey ran her wand over the girl, whispering spells as she went. A blue light ran over Hermione's body before focussing on her chest and glowing red.

"Thank you, Miss Granger. It will only take a moment for the spell to recognise the problem." Madam Pomfrey told the ill young woman sat on the bed.

Hermione looked over at her friends to see Draco being comforted by a teary Pansy. Luna was equally upset and was being hugged by Blaise who looked on the brink of crying.

After a minute the results came back and Madam Pomfrey's face turned grim. "I'm very sorry, Miss Granger. But the curse is killing you quicker than thought." Madam Pomfrey sighed.

"WHAT!" They turned to see a horrified looking Harry and Ron.