With you in my Arms

8. She's been crying for too long

Hermione stood in front of the ward where she had spent the last night contemplating what had happened. What an utter waste of time!

She pushed the door open and quietly slipped into the ward. Nico came out of one of the compartments. She knew right away that he must have been talking to him.

She put his fingers on his lips before he could address her by name. He looked at her bewildered.

"I want to see my patient, but I don't want to alarm him." She whispered.

"Oh? Why do you want to see him?"

"I want to understand what has happened to him."

"He won't tell you. I have been trying in vain so far to get him to talk to me."

"We were at school together. Maybe I have a better chance to get him to talk, as he already knows me."

Nico nodded. That was possibly a good way to try and tackle his total lack of cooperation so far.

"Okay, go ahead. Call me, if you need me. And should he try anything..."

She smiled.

"He won't. Don't worry."

'He hasn'tt enough time left to try anything!'

The older healer smiled at her and they walked over to where Draco's bed was. He smiled at her and then joint the patient in the next compartment.

Hermione stepped gingerly next to the bed and cast the strongest silencing charm she knew. Then she stepped to the side of the bed. Draco had his arms behind his head, his eyes were closed.

She took a deep breath.

"You lying bastard!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

He shot up, looking at her in utter shock.

"I trusted you! I actually trusted you!"

"Hermi..."

"What was it? A bet with your pals? Or a dare? Who shags a mudblood wins?"

"What are you talking about?" He yelled back. "You were the one having it away with me, letting me think it was special for you, too. And then days later you just find yourself somebody else. And get yourself knocked up."

"Don't pretend you actually felt anything for me, you evil little snake!"

"I would have given you my life in that night! I would have done anything for you!"

"Does that include leaving your FIANCÉ?"

He glared at her. What was she on about?

"What are you talking about? What fiancé? I have never had any real relationship, EVER! You are totally insane! Has the special someone already had enough of you? I wouldn't be surprised, if you were going on like this with him as well!"

"What are you talking about? There has never been anybody in my life except Ron!"

"That Weasel? You must be joking! Why would you want to have anything to do with that looser? You are too good for him!"

Hermione glared back at him.

"What do you know about it, ferret?"

"I have seen the way he is treating you. He has no respect for you! He doesn't appreciate how clever or witty or beautiful you are. I have seen him with Parvati several times during the last year. And they weren't discussing homework."

"How dare you? Ron is my best friend."

"You don't need any enemies with friends like him around!"

"But the company you are keeping is so superior, eh? Engaged to Pansy Parkinson of all people. That must be an all time low even for you."

"WHAT! Have you totally lost your marbles? Why would I want to get engaged to Pansy of all people? I couldn't stand her at school and I can stand her even less now! Were do you get these idiotic ideas? Was there something illegal in your tea this morning or what?"

"What are you on about? I read the interview in the Daily Prophet this morning. She has blown your cover. Being so reclusive as you are occupied organising your wedding and now having vanished to..."

She suddenly stopped yelling. He hadn't vanished form the face of the earth to organise his honeymoon as the paper claimed. He was here, in the hospital. So that part wasn't true. Then what about the rest? Was that all a pack of lies as well?

She looked at him. His face was flushed. There was murder gleaming in his eyes. She noticed that he was not wearing anything to cover his torso. After a brief moment of staring at his bare chest she closed her eyes as not to keep staring at him and bit her bottom lip. She had just managed to make at total fool of herself.

Draco wasn't quiet sure, what had made her stop ranting in mid sentence. The silence was eerie though. She was just staring at him wide eyed and with a rather bewildered expression.

Then her eyes stared blazing at him.

"What do you mean, I had my way with you?" She said. Her voice had a threatening quality.

He blinked.

"What?"

"You said, I had my way with you, as if I had taken advantage of you."

"You did!"

"I never! You came on to me. You kissed me. You got me to Merlin-knows-where and had your way with me!"

"Are you saying, you didn't want me to?"

She blushed.

"I didn't think so. You wanted me as much as I wanted you! You can deny it all you want, but we both know the truth, you were just as..."

"I never thought..."

"What? That you would go with somebody like me? That I am human after all? I am, Hermione, I am! More so than you seem to be able to imagine. I have been honest to you in that night. I have never been so honest with anybody ever before! Though I seem to have deluded myself in believing that I could show you a part of me, nobody else has ever seen before. I gave you my heart and my soul in that night. What did I get in return? Nothing! Less than nothing, you found it necessary to find somebody else the next day to get shagged up with."

His breath was ragged.

"I have been hoping to convince you to give me a chance. A chance to proof to you that I am worth your attention, your kindness, maybe even your love. I have loved you that night, Merlin damn it! I have truly loved you! For the first time in my life I found something that was worth living for. I found it in you. In your arms!"

His face had a distinct reddish tinge now.

"I loved you, Hermione Granger! I loved you! And you threw it all back into my face."

His eyes were locked onto her. Screaming at her. Making her see how much pain he felt, because of what had happened.

"I honestly thought, that you would want me to be around after what we shared. How delusional have I been. You will never see me as anything but a Death Eater, son of a Death Eater, a worthless lowlife."

She was too shocked to reply.

"Fine! Get on with your life then! I don't want to stand in your way any longer! Be happy with the poor sod that has fallen for you."

For a moment it seemed as if she was going to say something after all but a moment later she just run off.

Draco was trying to calm down. His heart was beating like a drum against his chest. He held his breath for long moments as not to pass out through hyperventilation.