Only Ones Who Know

Patronus Charms

Harry and Hermione ran through the castle to the Hospital wing. They stumbled in on Ron and Draco who were both unconscious, heads wrapped in gauze, on opposite sides of the room. Hermione almost stopped at Draco's bed until Harry ran past her to Ron.

"What happened?" She croaked.

"They got into a duel. Ron's stupify hex backfired and sent them both into the wall. Madam Pomfrey suspects concussions for both of them."

"Why?" she darted her eyes back and forth between Ron and Draco trying to figure out who she felt more sorry for.

"You and I both know he has been planning something like this. After what happened during the match and Ginny. I guess seeing you come out of his room was the last straw." Explained Harry.

Madam Pomfrey swept into the room and headed straight to Draco, leaving Ron unattended. Hermione stared down at Ron. His eyes fluttered once in a while.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Yeah. He only got half of it. Draco, on the other hand, got the full blast." Hermione looked over to Draco's bed where Madam Pomfrey was checking his vitals. He looked almost dead. "Don't worry about him. I'm sure he'll be fine." Harry said, not realizing he was comforting her. "Besides, now we can practice without worrying."

Hermione gave him a half-smile and followed him out of the Hospital Wing.

***

A few weeks went by and Ron was finally released from the Wing. He had no recollection of what happened that night. Most days he was dazed and ditsy from the blow to the head. Honestly, it was nothing too out of the ordinary. Draco, however, was still trying to wake up.

Hermione would sneak into the Hospital Wing late at night. She would sit by him, read to him, and lay with him. He never woke up though. Some days she would skip out on meetings just to be with him. She was losing it.

The next night she went back to his bed. Sat down. Pulled out a book and read it to him. Just like the nights before except something was off. He was breathing heavier and his eyes were moving rapidly beneath his eyelids. He looked as if he was responding to her presence. Hermione held his hand as she watched his subtle twitches.

Hermione felt his finger move in her hand. Seconds later he was squeezing it. His head rolled around on his pillow as he mumbled something under his breath.

"... mione... hermione..."

"Draco?" Hermione gasped. "It's me."

She was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. He smiled and laughed which wasn't what she had expected him to do. He was so out of it he probably didn't even know where he was.

"What happened?" He said breathlessly.

"Well..." Hermione didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. "You fell off the moving staircase."

"Really?.." He looked confused. "Last thing I remember is you and I were in my room." It seemed that he had forgotten all about their fight.

"Yeah, it happened after that." Hermione fibbed.

"Oh..."

Hermione brushed his hair out of his face. His pupils were dilated and out of focus. Hermione had never seen him so weak. Ron didn't need to go that far. Drunkenly performing a stupify hex was the most foolish thing he has done yet.

"I'll go let Madam Pomfrey know that you're awake."

***

A couple of days later, Draco was back at school. Ron had made a full recovery while Draco was still having trouble holding his quill. Hermione didn't care if he interrogated Ginny or not. He didn't deserve that.