Say Something

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Draco had spent all his time at the hospital with Hermione that week. And everyday he would bring her new books. Soon enough, Draco had to conjure a bookshelf and a reading lamp next to her bed. The lamp had a yellowish glow to it, transforming the whole room into a more comfortable place.

He soon found himself staying up with her into the hours of the night, and not once has he come home to a questioning wife. Every night, he would curl up in bed and Astoria would never ask where he's been. Draco was torn between questioning his wife about this, or labeling it a lost cause.

One night, upon returning home from the hospital, Draco made his way into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat when he heard laughing coming from the drawing room.

He opened the door and in the room stood Daphne and her sister drinking wine and chatting endlessly. Daphne turned and smiled warmly at him. "Oh hello, Draco! Haven't seen you in quite some time!"

He smiled back and kissed both ladies on the cheek, "Oh yes, I've been busy at the hospital."

"Tell me, is it true that Hermione Granger was admitted just a little over a week ago at St. Mungo's?"

Draco had the overwhelming desire to turn to his wife at this, but suppressed it as he replied, "Yes, actually. She's one of my patients."

"Really? And how is she? Barely breathing?"

He furrowed his brow and replied, "No, she's fine. Heartbeat is a little slow but she's doing alright."

"Poor little thing. Just waiting to die in that hospital room. Endless suffering, I'm sure," she commented as she sipped her wine.

"You'd be surprised. She's doing quite well. Better than the others, she's pulled through much longer than they had."

"I see," Daphne replied casually. Draco could feel tension in the room, as if he said something wrong. He excused himself and went into the next room.

He left the room opened slightly and listened in as he poured himself a glass of wine. "Tori, tell me you're not at least a little bit concerned where he's been for the past few hours."

Silence followed and he wasn't sure what Astoria was gesturing to her. "Well he's been coming home around the same time every night. I'm not worried."

"But did you see him just now? The way he was talking about that Muggleborn? You don't think that there's the slightest possibility he could-"

"What? Cheat? No, he wouldn't."

"You're not even a tiny bit jealous? I mean he spends more time with her than with you! Doesn't that tell you something?"

"He wouldn't cheat on me."

"And how do you know?"

"Well...let's face it...the girl is dying. Draco's too smart to fall for someone who could possibly be dead the next day."

"So you don't mind him spending so much time over there?"

Draco awaited a response, his knuckles turning white as he clenched them.

"Let him have his fun. At the end of the day, I'm still his wife and he is still my husband."

SMASH! The glass he held shattered as it made contact with the ground.

"What was that?!" Astoria shouted. The ladies follows the sound into the next room but all they found was a shattered wine glass on the marble white tile and the red liquid pouring into the cracks. A few doors down, they heard a door slam and the sound of a floo.

•••

He couldn't believe this.

He could not believe this.

His wife didn't remotely care about his whereabout, who he was with, what he was doing?! He needed a drink. He needed to calm his nerves. He wasn't sure how he could face her after that? He couldn't even stand the sight of her.

He immediately flooed back to the hospital, where he held a secret liquor cabinet in his office. The lights were office and the patients were sleeping. He marched as quietly and as angrily as possible towards his office door.

As he approached the door, he saw a dim light from underneath, and a small crack in the door. He took out his wand and was prepared to hex whoever broke into his office. He pushed the door open, reached for the lights and there stood Hermione Granger, wand in hand with her hospital gown on.

"Granger?! What the hell are you doing out of bed? And in my office?!"

"I-I couldn't sleep. I like to go walking once everyone's asleep."

"How did you get in?"

"Your locking charms aren't that hard to break," she said, "Can you put your wand down? It's making me uncomfortable."

"Oh, right. Sorry," he apologized, pocketing it, "You really shouldn't be using magic. It'll make you weaker."

"I feel more in control when I do," she said, sitting in his desk chair.

"Don't get yourself comfortable. You're going back to your room."

"What? No! I just got here!"

"No, Granger. You need rest."

"Oh I'll have plenty of that when the time comes," she mumbled, "Please don't make me go."

Draco stared into her eyes, still containing sadness, although this time she pitied her for simply wanting some source of freedom. He sighed heavily before replying, "Alright, but just for a few minutes!"

She smiled and proceeded to open the Manila folders on his desk. "No, you can't look at those," he said, taking it from her hands.

"Why? I looked at mine."

"You did?! When?" he asked, shocked.

"When you were in my room and you weren't looking. It doesn't matter anyway, I know what's going to happen to me and I've accepted it."

Draco looked at her skeptically, "Well that still doesn't give you the right to look at the other peoples's files." He put the folders on his shelf.

"I guess you're right," she sighed, "So what brings you so late this evening?"

Well, my wife thinks I might be cheating on her with you and she doesn't seem to mind, is what he thought to himself. "I, um, forgot something," he simply replied.

She nodded and proceeded to examine the things on his desk. "Is this your wife?" she asked, holding up a photograph of Astoria in her wedding gown strolling through the Gardens. He held back a scowl and replied, "That's her."

"She's very pretty. Do I know her from somewhere?"

"She's Daphne Greengrass's little sister, Astoria. They went to Hogwarts," he replied absentmindedly, his fingers skimming over the spines of books on the shelf. He pulled one and than the one next to it. The whole bookcase then sunk into the wall and shifted to the right, revealing a secret liquor cabinet. He kept his best liquor away from the house so Astoria wouldn't be tempted to give a few to her guests.

"Forgot something?" her voice called out from behind.

"I needed a drink," he said. He pulled out his best bottle of Firewhiskey and s single shot glass.

"I've never had Firewhiskey before."

"Really?" he turned to face her, "You should tr-Wait," he paused and chuckled slightly at her attempt, "You almost had me there, Granger. I was almost going to let you have a taste."

"I'm serious! I've never had it before!"

"Yeah, okay. I'm not giving any to you, Granger, so don't even try."

"Why not? Harry and Ron had some before they-" she couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth. She almost said it. Almost. she looked down sadly at her lap, and Draco knew instantly that she was going to cry.

He grabbed another shot glass from the cabinet and set the liquor down on the table in front of her. "I guess a few shots wouldn't hurt," he said opening the bottle and pouring into both glasses.

The two lifted their glasses and Draco toasted, "To first times."

"And lasts," she mumbled before they downed the fire liquid in one gulp.