RETROUVAILLE // H. Granger x Male OC (Book 2)

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As Hermione stepped into her office, the weight of worry still heavy on her shoulders, she found Ron waiting for her, his expression a mixture of concern and confusion.

"Hermione, what's going on?" Ron asked, his brow furrowed as he rose from his seat. "I haven't seen you these days."

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Hermione recounted the events of the past few days—the urgent message from Hogwarts, her frantic departure from Castelobruxo, and her subsequent arrival at St. Mungo's to find Draven confined there. Now, he was released and went back to his normal routine but Hermione seemed to still worry about him. 

Ron listened intently, his features growing increasingly somber as Hermione spoke. When she finished, a heavy silence settled over the room, broken only by the sound of Hermione's ragged breaths.

"How is he?" Ron finally asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hermione shook her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "He's okay now," she admitted, her voice trembling with emotion. "He said that he was just exhausted that is why he fainted."

Ron's expression darkened, his worry for his friend etched plainly on his face. "I can't believe this," he muttered, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

Hermione reached out to place a comforting hand on Ron's arm. "I know," she said softly, her voice filled with empathy. "I'm just as worried as you are."

Suddenly, Ron's features hardened, a determined glint entering his eyes. "Hermione, there's something I need to tell you," he began, his voice grave. "Few weeks ago, I saw Draven at St. Mungo's."

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. "You did?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Ron nodded, his jaw set in a grim line. "Yeah, I did," he confirmed. "And when I asked him about it, he said he was there to pick up potions for one of his students."

Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion, a sense of unease creeping over her. "That's strange," she mused, her mind racing with possibilities.

Ron nodded solemnly. "Yeah, it is," he agreed. "I didn't want to say anything before, but now...I don't know, Hermione. Something just doesn't feel right about this whole thing."

Hermione's heart sank at Ron's words, the weight of his doubts settling heavily on her shoulders. "I know," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the hum of the office. "But right now, I just want to make sure he's okay. I can't bear to lose him, Ron. Not right now. Not anymore. I've been wishing this happiness for years already. Now that we found each other again, I will never let go of him. Not ever."

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While he is resting in his quarters, Draven remembered how he first knew about his diagnosis. It was not an easy path. Now that everything is getting better with Hermione, he just does not want to ruin what they have right now because of his condition. 

- FLASHBACK - 

Draven had always been a man of control, someone who meticulously planned and executed every step of his life. But the first time he collapsed, he felt a terrifying loss of that control. It happened one afternoon during his tenure at Ilvermorny, while he was teaching a class on advanced dueling techniques. One moment, he was demonstrating a complex spell, and the next, everything went black.