||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 48

Draco, Ginny and Harry stood restlessly in the lobby of St Mungo's. Kingsley had gone in, with one of the healers. 

Draco would have found interest in the people around him with their strange maladies, but at that moment, he just didn't care. The medical smells were straining his lungs, and he knew if he stayed here for much longer he'd have a coughing fit. 

"Harry!"

Draco turned to the sound of Ron's voice. The whole Weasley clan had barged into the lobby, all with worried looks on their faces. George looked about ready to barge past the counter forcefully, while Arthur Weasley was comforting his wife. 

"Oh, Harry dear, I'm so sorry," Molly broke away from Arthur, and embraced Ginny and Harry, patting their heads and mumbling soothing words. 

"Where is she?" Ron asked, trying his best not to sound desperate. 

"Inside," Harry informed him, "they won't let us in right now."

Molly turned, and only then caught sight of Draco, "Mister-"

"Draco," Draco said instantly, "please, call me Draco."

"Draco," Molly nodded. After only a moment's hesitation, she wrapped him in a hug, "I'll go inform Narcissa."

Molly and Arthur went off to make a floo call. Ron was impatiently pacing, Harry was tapping his foot, Ginny looked furiously at the woman at the counter. 

All Draco felt was worry. It was of such magnitude it made his head hurt. He crossed his arms across his chest, annoyed that they hadn't let him inside yet. After all, he was her-

What was he to her?

It was clear that she liked him. And he liked her. But they never talked about their relationship. 

No matter, he was one of her closest friends. They should have let him inside along with Kingsley!

"You lot here for Hermione Granger?" a young boy dresses in all white came up to them.

"Yes," everyone said instantly.

"Four people at a time, you can go in now," the boy turned away, uncaring. 

George volunteered to go later. Ron, Ginny, Harry and Draco hastily made their way past the counter. Ginny uttered a curse when they passed the receptionist, making sure she would hear it. 

It took forever to go down the long hallways. Finally, they reached her room. 

The air of despair was very tangible inside. It made Draco's gut twist in anxiety, and he found his muscles weakening. 

Hermione lay on the bed, still unconscious. The healers had wiped the little blood from her clothes, and changed her into a hospital gown.

"She has suffered several injuries," a healer who had come up to them informed them, "fractured arm - apparantly the fall was rather hard - and a minor concussion. We've patched her up."

Even though she was saying they had healed Hermione, her face remained morose.

"Her memory?" Ginny asked.

The healer, Healer Margo, Draco read off her name badge, became even more saddened.

Panic rose in his chest.

If he lost her, he'd go mad. 

"The obliviation charm she was hit with was a very powerful one," Margo said with a sigh, "her brain, it's completely wiped out of any traces of the magical world. Restoring such a large part of her mind may lead to loss of brain function for the rest of her life. Restoring her memory will not be possible without sending her into a permanent state of comatose."

Draco's world fell around him. All he could think was please don't let this be true. He looked around desperately. Ginny and Harry were already in tears, Ron was standing in a corner, his hands in his hair. 

This couldn't be.

"There-there must be a way," Draco choked out. 

Healer Margo looked extremely regretful about being the one who has to tell them all of this, "We cannot risk any tries."

"But- you can't just give up!" Draco's voice rose, he was uncaring of Kingsley's presence. 

"We cannot risk an attempt and have her slip into a coma," Margo said, "the odds are too great. We are sending her to a muggle hospital."

"No!" Draco said, his voice somewhere between a growl and a sob, "You won't take her anywhere."

Nothing made sense. Everything was supposed to be fine now. 

"It is the only option we have left," Margo said, ringing her hands, "she will continue to live, without any memory of the Wizarding world."

Harry had fallen to his knees with Ginny. 

Draco's vision blurred with tears. He wanted Hermione to live, and not on a hospital bed. He cared for her more than anyone, and did not want her to go through any suffering. He wanted her to have a good life.

All he wanted was to be part of that life of hers. 

"I'm not leaving her," Draco choked out, he managed to reach Hermione's side. He gently took her hand in his, "I won't."

Ginny had come to him, "Malfoy, the others will want-"

"They can come, but I'm not leaving her."

Draco's voice left no space for arguments. Ginny nodded, and squeezed his arm reassuringly. She looked longingly at Hermione, and placed a kiss on both her cheeks. Harry took Hermione's other hand, crying over it for a while, before letting her go. Ron stood behind them. 

They left. The others came, shed their tears, bid their goodbyes, pressed kisses onto her face and hands, and they left as well.

Draco stayed.

He held her hand, crying now. 

She had been, literally, the light in his life in the past few months. He had even bought her a Christmas present. He had planned an outing, to a library he knew of. Now, none of it would come to pass. Not when she would leave. 

He had vowed to himself that she would live. No matter what. 

"Mister Malfoy," Kingsley had come up to them, looking lost and desperate.

Draco turned to him, hoping for some reassurance. He'd take reassurance from anyone now.

"I am deeply sorry," his voice resonated as he spoke, "but I must ask you not to go after her when they take her to the muggle hospital."

"You can't tell me what to do," Draco growled, his hope for reassurance snubbed out like a candle flame. 

"It is for her benefit," Kingsley said, turning away. He was gone before Draco could say anything else.

He could never, would never, want to put her through suffering. He'd rather suffer himself for every remaining day he had left. She would live a good life. She would live no matter what, without suffering. She would not spend the rest of her days on a hospital bed surrounded by wires and machines. 

He sat holding her hand for a long time. She didn't show any signs of knowing of his presence. He harshly wiped his tears away. Hesitantly, the healers began putting Hermione's papers away, and informed Draco that it was time. 

Hermione was taken away to a muggle hospital. Draco went with them. 

He visited her every night, when she slept. Whispering to her, holding her hands, talking to her even though she never replied in any way. The nurse, Miss Figwood, promised not to tell Hermione of his visits. 

Draco moved back to the Manor. Before doing so, he had put all of Hermione's things from the apartment into a large trunk. Their pictures were right at the top. The trunk was put under his bed, never to be opened again by anyone except himself.