Dramione Short Stories

The Night We Met

"I had all and then most of you, some and now none of you." ~ Lord Huron
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"Draco?!" Hermione whispered. She walked through the dimly lit rows of books she knew so well. The Hogwarts library was the only place she always knew no one would bother her, not even Harry and Ron dared to disrupt Hermione's time there. Hermione had taken advantage of this to spend time with someone who she knew she could never be seen with beyond closed doors and meetings at dusk.
As she looked around the corner of the next row, a pair of hands lightly wrapped around her waist. Hermione's breath hitched as the hands briskly turned her around.
"Miss me Granger?" He asked. Hermione's shock instantly melted into a smile. She threw her arms around Draco and buried her head in his shoulder.
"I'm going to take that as a yes." He said. Hermione kissed him partly to shut him up and partly to answer the question.
"Me too." Draco replied as she pulled away.
  "I haven't seen you in days." Hermione said. Draco sighed. They had started writing to each other over the summer using pen names, only as friends, but when school started up, they secretly started seeing each other.
  "I know, I know. With Umbridge ordering us all around it's hard for me to slip away. Especially from the other Slytherins." Draco said. Hermione frowned pitifully.
  "Well I'm glad you came tonight." She said.
  "Of course darling." Draco smirked at her and Hermione rolled her eyes.
  The two of them talked and laughed together quietly as possible. They worked on homework (per Hermione's request) and gossiped about the latest Hogwarts drama until the virtually empty library closed for the night. Hermione headed back to her common room smiling and so did Draco. They were happy.
~
One month later...
  Hermione stormed down the hallway tears dripping from her eyes as she headed as far away from Umbridge's office as possible. She had just endured her first detention with the monster. Dumbledore's Army had been discovered the previous day, no thanks to Draco and the Slytherin goons. He then had the audacity to not meet Hermione in the library that night. As she left detention she hoped she wouldn't run into anyone on the way to the common room. It wasn't usual for others to see her cry.
  Unfortunately her wishes weren't obeyed as she ran straight into someone as she turned the corner.
  "Sorry..." She began to say before she saw that it was Draco.
  "I've been meaning to talk to you." He said. Hermione glared.
  "Really?" She asked.
  "Because not showing up after ratting her out is a great way to show a girl you wish to talk with her." Hermione continued as steam lured out of her ears. Draco sighed.
  "Look I'm really sorry, I didn't want to! Cho was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Draco said.
  "I can't believe you." Hermione said and started to walk away. Draco grabbed her hand as she walked off and Hermione winced.
  "Ow." She shook her hand.
  "Hermione what did you do to your hand?" Draco asked. Hermione's jaw nearly dropped. She held it up for Draco to read.
I must not tell lies.
It was engraved deeply into her flesh, raw and fresh with blood.
  "That's what happens when you try to teach people... no, children how to defend themselves around here." Hermione said. Draco's face paled.
  "Hermione I'm so sorry. I had no idea that she would-" Draco struggled to find the right words.
  "Let me make it up to you. Please." He continued.
  "How do you think you're going to do that?" Hermione asked him. Draco shuffled around in his pockets until he found what he was looking for. He handed it to her.
"A piece of parchment." Hermione almost laughed. What was he thinking.
"Watch." Draco picked up the parchment and folded it around until it was in the shape of a ring, he drew a letter D on the front. He took Hermione's unharmed hand and slid it onto her finger.
"Cute gesture but I haven't forgiven you." Hermione said. Draco pulled out his wand.
"I'm not finished yet." He said. He tapped the wand on the ring and muttered a spell. It looked the exact same.
"What did that do exactly?" Hermione asked.
"Well, when someone looks at your hand, they won't be able to see the ring. Only you and I can see it. If you're wearing that, I'll know you still love me. If you're wearing that, I'll know we'll be alright." Draco said. Man he knew how to get attention when he wanted it. Hermione was close to folding. No one ever did gestures for her, even something as small and insignificant as a paper ring.
"I guess I forgive you... half way." Hermione said. Draco heaved a sigh of relief and hugged her. Thankfully there was no one around.
"I will do anything to make it up to you." He said.
"I expect you to be prompt for our meetings in the library every night. One minute late and I'll forget that I forgave you." Hermione explained. Draco nodded.
"Of course ma'am." He laughed.
"Oh shut up." Hermione shoved his arm.
~
Months later...
Throughout the end of fifth year Draco had continued to show up on time. Today was the start of sixth year and Hermione was ecstatic to see Draco tonight. It had been months since they'd last seen each other. Over the summer unpleasant rumors had been spread about Draco especially throughout the Weasley household. Ron of course was an instigator for all of them. Harry had been living inside a conspiracy theory about Draco's family. Hermione chose not to believe anything they were saying. She chose to wait until she could see for herself. She wore her secret paper ring every day and when she got lonely she looked at the D inscribed upon it.
Hours passed slowly but it was finally time for her to meet Draco. She headed to the library, granted a few minutes early, and practically skipped down the corridors. When she arrived, she waited. Then she waited some more. Then some more. She fidgeted with her ring and tried to focus on a book until he showed. He had been on time all last semester and now he wasn't even showing? What changed? Hermione couldn't bring herself to leave until Madame Pince told her the library was closing. She reluctantly got her things and left.
She follows this routine for a week. He never showed. He never showed to classes either. She decided she would seek out Draco herself. What was going on with him?
One night as she was heading back to the common room, the stairs were closed and she had to go through the dungeon corridor. She passed Professor Snape's classroom and Draco stumbled out of it looking distraught and slightly sick.
Their eyes met. Neither knew what to say or do.
"Hermione." Draco squeaked out.
"Where have you been Draco?" Hermione questioned. He looked like he was about to cry.
"I've been busy." Draco answered.
"We had an agreement." Hermione reminded him. Draco rubbed his fingers through his hair in frustration.
"I know. I still lov- I still want to see you but I have a lot going on." Draco said.
"Who doesn't in these times? What is so important that you're choosing it over me?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms.
"I can't tell you Mione." Draco insisted.
"Yes you can Draco, I swear I won't tell anyone you know that." Hermione said.
"It's for your own safety." Draco said. A year slid down his face.
"Are the rumors true Draco?" Hermione asked him. The life drained from his face.
"What rumors?" He asked.
"You know what I'm asking about." Hermione said.
"I'm sorry. I can't do this." Draco said.
"We'll than neither can I." Hermione replied and walked away. The two didn't talk for months after that. Hermione continued to wear the ring. She couldn't bring herself to take the stupid thing off. Not if it might finally get Draco to come back to her some day.
~
One Year Later
Hermione lay on the floor of Malfoy Manor cold and nearly lifeless as blood seeped out of her arm. The word mudblood forever engraved in her skin. Draco stood by, he watched with utter pain in his eyes. He looked like he was about to vomit. Still, he stood by. Hermione was experiencing the worst pain of her life, not from the arm but from the heartbreak. He hadn't done anything to save her. She had been holding onto hold that things would return back to normal between them at some point after the war was over but now, she didn't think they could return from this place. Her blood was splattered across his floor and in the mess, the ring had fallen off.
When Harry and Ron came to rescue her she noticed this. Hermione had the opportunity to grab the ring before she apparated away but she left it.
Later, Draco would pick it up off the floor and silently cry to himself. What had become of his life. He didn't think he could ever fix this mess.

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OMG I UPDATED! What?! This is definitely not a regular thing, just finally got a bit of inspiration from the titular song. Hope everyone's having a good October!!