The inevitable

Cross roads

Madam Pomfrey was checking Hermione's vitals when the large group entered the Hospital Wing. Draco went straight to Hermione's side and took her hand. "How is she?"
"Not much change. But we can give the cure today." Madam Pomfrey replied, fluffing Hermione's pillow and looking at the comatose girl with affection.

"Can we give it to her now?" Draco asked, urgently.

"Of course. Just let me go get it." The Mediwitch ambled out of the ward and into her office. She unlocked the cabinet where she kept special potions, such as Wolfsbane.

She pulled out the lime green potion and returned to where her patient lay in the bed. Draco held his breath as Madam Pomfrey poured the potion carefully down his girl friend's throat.

"Now what?" He said after a minute.

"Now, we wait. But, just to let you know, this could go either way. One way she survives and the other... well, you know."

Draco stared at Hermione's pale face and let the memories of her wash over him.

You foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach!" Hermione snarled, stomping towards a laughing Draco.

Suddenly, Draco found himself at the end of her wand, a rather dangerous place to be. He whimpered slightly.

"Leave it, Hermione. He's not worth it." Ron called from behind her. Hermione lowered her wand and turned away. Draco began to laugh at her.

He didn't expect her to spin round and punch him.

Draco smiled lightly at that memory. It was when he first started to see Hermione as more than just a Muggleborn.

Draco tilted his head to the side and admired the girl sat by the lake. Even though she was skinnier than was healthy, she still had a great hourglass figure; or what remained of one. Her once bushy hair had now tamed to graceful looping curls that stretched to her mid back. Her curls were the most wonderful golden brown colour.

It was then he truly saw her beauty.

Hermione looked up at them all with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, I just don't know why you would do this for me."

"Because we care." Blaise told the girl, smiling.

"You do?"

"Of course we do." Draco smiled.

First time he considered his feelings.

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 old age 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.

Their first kiss.

Draco grasped Hermione's hand and tears slipped down his pale cheeks. He couldn't believe that if she died, he would lose the opportunity to make many more wonderful memories with the girl he loved. He didn't want to imagine life without her. Life without would be nothing, he would be dead. His shoulders shook as he wept.

Sat in the other chair, was another man who needed comfort. But he seemed to be overlooked by everyone.

Severus Snape loved Hermione as if she were his little sister and would be devastated if he lost her. Especially since it was his stupid error that had made completing the cure impossible.

"Hi, Sev." Hermione greeted, grinning.

Severus looked up at her and frowned. "You're getting skinny, Mya."
"Hi, Mya. Good to see you. How are you? Why, I'm fine thank you, Sev. How nice of you to ask." Hermione retorted sarcastically as she took a seat on his desk.

Severus raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "The first sign of a mad person is talking to themselves."
"Takes one to know one."
"Very mature."
Hermione retorted by sticking her tongue out at the dark man. Severus rolled his eyes.

Severus chocked back a sad laugh at the memory.

Hermione lay across Severus' lap, reading a potion journal that she had plucked from the shelf.

"I need to get something." Severus told her.

"Tough, I'm comfy."
Severus poked her in the side and Hermione squirmed. "Ticklish, hmm?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

Severus grinned and began to tickle his new best friend, her laughter ringing out through his dark rooms.

Severus sighed heavily. If they lost Hermione Granger now, then the world had lost a remarkable, witty and brilliant girl that not many had ever had the pleasure of experiencing her full friendship.

Harry and Ron stared blankly at their best friend, Harry's arm wrapped around Pansy's waist. "I can't believe we could lose her. Most of our lives, Hermione has been there to guide and help us." He whispered into Pansy's ear.

Hermione had always been there for them. Like when they had been trapped by the Devils Snare.

"I've read about these! it's the devil's snare! you have to relax, if you don't it'll only kill you faster." Hermione exclaimed.

"Faster? Oh, now I can relax!" Ron retorted

She had even helped them with their homework, making sure that they didn't get anything wrong.

Hermione was reading over their Astronomy Essays, correcting them when needed. "Harry, yours is okay except for this bit at the end, I think you must have misheard professor Sinistra, europa's covered in ice, not mice"

Harry shook his head sadly. "We're going to be lost without her." He told Pansy.
Pansy nodded in agreement. "I know. She alone has brought house Unity. I mean, she and Draco are in enemy houses and they fell in love. Not to mention, if she hadn't gotten ill, Blaise would never have gotten to know Luna properly and they wouldn't be dating."
"Yeah. I'd probably be married to Ginny and Hermione would be off somewhere alone." Harry added brokenly.

Pansy just hugged the man she was sure she would grow to love dearly. "I know, I know. But she's here now. I'm sure she is strong enough to survive this. I mean, she survived the Mountain Troll in her first year, Basilisk in her second year, a werewolf in her third, being underwater in her fourth, Umbridge in her fifth and the war in her sixth. I doubt she'd stop now."

"Thanks, Pansy. But to be Honest, I think Professor Snape and Malfoy need this more than I do." Harry smiled sadly. "Besides, Professor Dumbledore always says that Death is but the next Great Adventure. I'm sure Hermione would be at peace. Not that I want to lose her, I just want her to be happy."
"A good point of view to hold." Pansy smiled.

It was true, she mused silently, Harry James Potter had aged long before he should have done. He was way more mature than anyone really gave him credit for. Pansy smiled to herself. She would never take him for granted; Hermione's illness had taught her that. Life was way too short for that kind of thing.