Dramione - Fire and Ice

Chapter 16 (Draco/Hermione)

Hermione reminded Draco of a sleeping princess from a film he watched with her over the holiday.

When he first saw her in the Hospital Wing, he wished for Muggle fairytale magic to be real. That a single kiss would wake the Sleeping Beauty and undo the curse.

He tried anyways.

It didn't work.

"Good news is we don't think it's poison," said Madam Pompfrey, idly running her wand over Hermione to check her vitals.

Draco didn't know if he was relieved or frustrated. He wanted to demand answers, have the hag get straight to the point, but he'd been barely allowed back in the Hospital Wing as it was so he stayed quiet.

Apparently jinxing students was against the rules.

Which wouldn't have happened if he hadn't walked in on Weasley holding Hermione's hand.

Maybe he overreacted.

Maybe.

"Unfortunately, there seems to be some kind of... block on her magical core."

He really... really disliked the mutual exchange of confusion between him and Potter.

"How do we get it... unblocked?" asked Ginny, looking perplexed.

"I consulted with Healers at St. Mungos - the spellwork was rushed. The hope is her magic will disintegrate the block over time. It may be hours or days. When she wakes, Miss Granger will need plenty of bed rest to replenish her magical core. It would be dangerous for her to use magic while her body recovers."

Hermione is going love that, thought Draco sarcastically. All the same, it wasn't poison. She was going to be okay...

But this attempted killing business needed to end. His witch had earned the right to overly fret over her N.E.W.T.S. and drive him mad with her constant need to study. And Draco would be there to make sure she didn't skip meals, slept at night, and snog her senseless to distract her from revisions.

That is what her life should be. He would do everything he could to make it happen.

After a scathing look from the medical witch was sent his way, she left to restock supplies.

Draco brushed his lips against the back of Hermione's hand, satisfied her skin felt warmer than yesterday.

Potter sighed, and Draco tried not to glare when the git held her other hand.

"Spellwork was rushed," Ginny mused, sitting on the edge of the bed "Does that really narrow it down?"

"No one was around when you found her?" clarified Draco, raising a brow.

Ginny shook her head, but Potter's head to tilted to one side. "If we don't count Dennis Creevey."

She rolled her eyes. "Dennis is harmless and three years below us."

"Maybe he saw something then?"

"We should extract his memory," said Draco sharply. "I don't trust anyone at this point."

"You trust us," said Ginny cheerfully.

Draco only shrugged which caused the witch to roll her eyes again.

"What are we missing..." murmured Potter, looking down at her hand in his.

"She'd probably tell us to go to the library," chuckled Ginny, patting Hermione's knee affectionately.

Draco allowed a corner of his mouth to lift at that.

He sat with Granger while Potter and Ginny went to go find Dennis to extract the memory.