Say Something

Chapter 1

A/N: I own nothing except the plot. Everything else was created by J.K. Rowling.

Chapter 1

The world was silent. Was it despair? Sadness? Or just plain shock? It's been a whole month since the death of the war hero, Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived, dead.

Of course, after he died, everyone forgot about the other two. Ron Weasley had died months before, but no one had given him as much thought, which wasn't surprising.

Then there was Hermione, who to this day still manages to get out of bed everyday, or so he thinks, and look at the world with the same despair as the rest. She watched her two friends die a little each day until their hearts stopped beating.

Which is why, as of that morning, whilst Draco Malfoy read the Daily Prophet, did he realize that he admired her. He admired everything about her. Her will power, stamina, determination, the ability to look at the world with a stern expression as if the next day she would live, and the day after that, and the day after that.

Draco looked over at his wife, practically oblivious to the world around her, sipping daintily at her tea without a care in the world. He was half tempted to slide the paper across the wood table, just to get her to look at what's out there. But that wouldn't happen. She barely gave him a passing glance, barely touched him as she slept by his side, she gave him nothing. But at the same time she was all he had.

Draco left for work early that day.

The hospital wasn't as chaotic as it was a month ago, searching for a cure for the poison the Deatheaters had slipped Potter and his friends. As he made way to his office, setting his briefcase down on his desk and putting on his lab coat, and sitting down, his secretary, Hannah, knocked tentatively at his door.

"Mr. Malfoy?" She called out.

"Yes, come in."

"You have a new case file. Mr. Bott says it's pretty urgent, he wants you to get on it right away."

"I've got several other case files, I don't have time for another one. Just tell him to give it to someone else."

"But sir-"

"That's an order, Mrs. Longbottom."

Hannah made her way to leave, but before she opened the door, she set the Manila folder on his bookshelf and said, "I read it. I know you didn't get along in school, but I just thought you should know. It's Hermione Granger," and she shut the door on her way out.

Draco froze, his hands dropping the case file he was already holding. Hermione Granger? But she...she's dying. There's no cure for her illness, why would he assign me this? Draco picked up the the case file and opened it. Out slipped a small photograph of her. It was taken at a press conference, dated about a year ago after the fall of Voldemort. She was smiling as she held hands with both Potter and Weasley. She was happy. He set the picture down and read her file.

Patient: Hermione Granger

Illness: Unknown

Diagnosis: The patient does not have much longer and will soon experience weakness in all her joints. Her magical abilities will also disappear over time.

Notes: According to other fatalities, the patient will lose her sight within the coming months, followed by her hearing. Soon the patient will lose all her senses and will eventually die.

Draco read the file over and over again and not once did they list some sort of treatment. What could treat a dying person other than a cure? It was then Draco realized that he did not want to see her. He refused. Bullying Granger was one thing, but watching her die was not something he could stand.

He marched over to Mr. Bott's office, determined to give the file to someone else, but stopped at the reception desk.

"Grace?"

"Yes, Healer Malfoy?" The young lady greeted from the other side of the counter.

"Has there been any visits to room..."
He looked down at his file, "302?"

"302...302....um, no. There hasn't. Would you like me to prohibit visitors?"

"No, that's fine, just curious. Thanks," he thanked as he walked away from her desk. It was sort if sad to know that no one had bothered to visit her, not even her parents.

Draco knocked on his boss's door, and it opened by itself.

"Oh, hello, Malfoy," the plump old man greeted him, "What can I do for you?"

"My secretary just gave me this case file and I was hoping you would give it to someone else."

"And that would be...?"

"Granger, sir. Hermione Granger."

"Oh, yes, Ms. Granger. Tell me, weren't you in the same year as her at your school?"

"Yes, but I honestly think I would be the last person she would want to see at this...difficult time."

"Yes, but you are the only Healer her age in this hospital. And seeing as she hasn't had any visitors, I think she would like to see a familiar face."

"But, sir-"

"No buts, Malfoy. She is your new priority now. I suggest you attend to her right away."

Draco nodded respectively and left his office, clutching the case file in his hand. Draco always remembered Granger as a strong, willful person. He wasn't sure if he could see her in such a...weak position. It just wasn't fair to her or to himself.

But then again...Bott had a point. She hasn't had any visitors in the past few days and it wouldn't hurt for her to see a familiar face, or would it?

Draco braced himself as he stood just outside the door marked Rm. 302. He turned the knob and opened the door.

And in that bed was certainly a sight to see. It was Hermione Granger. Expressionless, unmoving, and possibly dead Hermione Granger.

Draco breathed out in relief when he saw her turn her head ever so slightly and make eye contact with him.

"Hey, Malfoy."