Say Something

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 (Ch.10 cont.)

Draco and Hermione walked up the long stair case towards the entrance hall. Since the Final Battle, the school spent many months repairing the damages. Some were actually beyond repair, such as the greenhouses and the Hospital Wing. From what they heard they had to build them up again from scratch.

They did a surprisingly well job in repairing the school and continuing classes as if nothing were amiss. Hermione nervously twiddled with her hands, afraid that being back will bring back far too many memories.

The Dining Hall doors were open and as soon as they stepped inside, Hermione wanted to run away. But Draco stopped her by putting a hand on her arm in a gentle way. There weren't many students in the hall, since lunch just ended, but there were enough to get them noticed.

Out of the corner of their eyes they saw them whisper and point, but they didn't mind. They walked down the aisle, but he wasn't sure what Hermione wanted to see.

She abruptly stopped, just about in the middle of the hall. "What is it, Granger?"

She turned to the right and looked down at the table. "This is where we sat," she said sadly, "Everyday." He felt the sadness emitting from her and for a second, he wanted to put a comforting arm around her.

"Hermione Granger?" a small voice came up from behind them. They both turned and a small girl, no older than 12 stood directly in front of them. Her eyes were full of innocence but at the same time contained sadness. "Oh, hello there," she said as sweetly as possible with tears in her eyes, "What can I do for you?"

And almost instantly, the little girl wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist and squeezed her tightly. Hermione was so taken back by this that all she could do was gently pat her hair. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" Hermione asked.

"For saving my parents." She petted her head again and Draco couldn't help but think this girl was like the younger version of Hermione. "Your welcome," she said breathlessly.

•••

"Well that was...interesting?" Draco commented as they walked out of the cafeteria.

"Did you see the way she looked at me, Draco?!" He liked the way she said his name. "I saved her parents!"

"When?"

"Huh, I don't know!" she exclaimed. This was the most excited he's ever seen her. It was good to see her smile.

He liked it.

•••

They continued walking down the hall, side by side her arm brushing up against his own. Her sadness upon arriving today turned into joy at seeing all their old classes again. This was more enjoyable on Hermione's part, for everything involving learning brought excitement to her eyes.

Hermione led him down various halls until they reached a painting of a very large woman. The lady nearly dropped her glass at the sight of Hermione. "Hermione Granger, is that you?!" her shrill voice pierced his ear drums, "It's so good to see you!"

"And you as well. May we come in?"

"Well, you may come in. He may not," she said pointing to Draco. Hermione turned to Draco and back to the Fat lady.

"Then I'm sorry. I can't," she immediately said, walking away from the room.

"Granger, wait. I'll be fine out here. You go in, I can wait."

She shook her head and held his arm, "I can't go in there alone. I've never gone in alone before."

"I'm right here, Granger. You'll be fine in there."

She looked back at the room longingly, then back at Draco. "I won't be long," she said then running towards the opening portrait door. The painting closed, followed by a smirking Fat Lady. "Well what are you staring at?" Draco snapped.

"You like her."

"What?! No, I do not! I'm a married man!"

The Fat Lady tsked, "I don't know, I saw the way you looked at her."

Draco scoffed, "Yeah, right. Bloody painting," he mumbled. Suddenly, the door opened again and Hermione ran out of there as fast as she ran in just seconds before. "Let's go," she muttered, passing him.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked in a concerned tone.

"Too many," she gulped, "Memories." It was like she was almost out of breath and wanted to burst into tears.

"Granger. Granger, look at me!" He said putting both hands on her shoulders. When she wouldn't, he tilted her chin ever so slightly towards his face and gazed into her eyes. "You're alright, Granger. We knew that coming back here would bring back memories."

"I know it's just...I can't."

"Let's go check out the rest of the castle, alright?"

She nodded as Draco ran his hand up and down her arm comfortably. They turned away from the door, but just as he did he caught the Fat Lady giving him another smirk.

•••

Granger was weird when it came to the certain places in the castle she wanted to see the most. They stopped at the library, which apparently was her favorite place in all of Hogwarts as well. It was either the staircase here, the hallway over there, the girl's bathroom down the hall. He wasn't entirely sure what each place meant to her, but it wasn't his business to know. Besides, they visited this place like it would be there last and she deserved to relive her good times.

Before they knew it, it was already dinner time and just about every student was walking back to the dining hall. Draco didn't want to ruin her fun by telling her he was hungry, she would tell him when she's ready.

"So...is there anywhere else we haven't seen yet? Any hidden passageway? A small alcove, possibly?" he asked, hoping that was it.

"Just....one more."

"Where?"

"...here." The two stopped at a grey staircase, illuminated by the moonlight from the window. She dropped down to the last step and sat there for what seemed like the longest time. He didn't want to ruin the moment, but it seemed like she was waiting for him to sit down as well.

As he sat, he asked, "So how is this place special to you?"

"It was one of my weakest moments. Right here, right where I'm sitting."

"What happened?"

She sniffled and replied, "The night after the first Gryffindor Quidditch game of the school year. Sixth Year, during the after party. Ron...he...he..."

"He what?"

She sighed and breathed out, "He kissed Lavender Brown. In front of everybody. In front of me."

"I see," was all he could say. He remembered her obvious crush on Weasley during that year. The looks she gave him. That time in Potions when she looked at him as she smelt the Amortentia potion. "Was it....upsetting?" he asked hesitantly.

She scoffed and repeated it, "...was it upsetting? Ha!"

He awaited for her to continue, "After running out of that party, I sat here for the longest time and cried. Because then I knew that I fell in love with him."

Something inside Draco broke, not out of pity or sympathy, but something much more important to him.

"And then Harry shows up...finally deciding to tell me that he loved Ginny....and he never got to grow old with her," she sniffed, "Like he said he wanted."

Draco wrapped his arm around her and Hermione finally broke. She sobbed into his chest, and he didn't mind. All he wanted was to make that pain, that suffering go away.

"It was the day I learned that...love...its just weakness. They say it makes you strong but....that's a lie. It brings you pain, deep throbbing pain in your chest that you can't make go away. It could either bring you to life, or it can make a piece of you die with it."

"I loved him, Draco. I loved him so much." He knew he was talking about Weasley, but she couldn't bring herself to say his name anymore.

"Would you have married him?" he asked, throwing caution to the wind.

"It's easy to talk of 'would haves' but not of what is. They're dead, Draco. They're not coming back."

All he could do was offer his shoulder for her to cry in. Little did he know that only a few years ago, they were in the same place, same time, same moment that one Harry Potter did the same for her.