Save Me

FOUND

When they returned to the Department of Mysteries, they were all exhausted. Snape said he needed to leave and deliver Voldemort's requested ingredients from the cover up mission, and that he would be in contact with any new information, as he expected them to be. 7 days left now.

Draco needed to shower, and sleep, but there was no time- Neville and Luna still couldn't open the prophecy. At least they had Fawkes. Fawkes, right.

"Fawkes, would you be willing to lend me some precious tears? Can't leave this lot to solve the war by themselves now can I?" Fawkes nodded understandingly and lowered his head as Draco removed his shirt. He laid out, and the bird climbed onto his back as a cluster of tears fell to meet his wounds. Draco instantly felt a warming sensation crawl through his muscles. It was liquid gold. Draco felt more and more strength seeping into his body with every passing moment.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Draco said.

Hermione ran into the room. "You're healed! I can feel it." She hugged him and he returned it with confidence. One crisis averted, for now.

Ron knocked on the door, "Hermione, could I have a word?"

She glanced at Draco and nodded, "Sure."

She looked at him again, nervous. She grabbed his hand. "It's okay Hermione. You should go," Malfoy replied. She wasn't asking Draco's permission, she just wanted his support.

"Okay Ronald. You owe me quite the explanation I should think."

–

They walked into Hermione's bedroom, not exactly the most neutral location, but there was an extreme lack of privacy in their makeshift workspace where they also happened to live. Unknown to Ron, Hermione live-streamed the conversation to Draco just in case things got heated and she needed an easy-out.

Maybe it's against Ron's trust, she thought, but then again, we don't seem to have a lot of that right now. She was suddenly pulled from her internal justifications.

"I shouldn't have done that 'Mione," Ron started.

"That?" she replied with a slight hint of annoyance. Honestly, he's supposed to be apologizing and can't even be specific, she thought to Draco.

Be nice, he's nervous, Draco thought back.

Ron continued, "Everything. Listen- I don't know how to say this- but you're my best friend and when...when I saw you with him, it was like all I could feel was rage. I mean, I know that people change but honestly, it's Draco Malfoy. I watched him bully you growing up, and now all the sudden you're in love with him? It's baffling, I mean."

"Being inside of someone's head can change your opinion of them quite quickly. Plus, it wasn't just our connection that influenced it. We met-at the library actually- and worked together for almost an entire semester. He bought me this ring as a Christmas gift actually. His is just a coordinating one that facilitates the bond."

"So it was actually him, that you fell for? Naturally? It's not just because of the ring?"

"Yes, Ronald."

That was a valid concern, Draco thought.

"Okay," Ron responded, looking down at his shoes. "I- well I was also jealous because once you were with him, I thought that I may have loved you too. But I realized, it was never until you were happy with someone else. We've been friends since we were eleven, but the thought of something more than friends never even occurred to me until after Draco."