Vexed- A Dramione Fanfic

21. Time heals all

It was a known fact that going back in time by more than a few hours brings upon certain death. It changes the balance and order of things which can only be restored by the death of the travellers in the present. 
Many great wizards had made such failed attempts and lost their lives. Even Dumbledore himself had told Hermione of the same when she had been given the Ministry issued Time-turner back in her third year. Dumbledore would always hint if something greater were possible, but even he knew that time was best left alone. And time-turners were not to be fiddled with.

What they had not realised was that it can affect their loved ones too. Draco had managed to drag himself to the coffin. The duo sat on the floor next to the opulent coffin on display. Draco had not uttered a single word or given any reaction after the initial. Hermione was starting to worry. She had her arms wrapped around him from behind, her head resting on his back and was murmuring assurances. 

"It won't be okay dammit! I have lost the only person who actually cared about me! This cannot be!" he suddenly bellowed pushing her aside.

Hermione's shock was written all over her face. Despite his tempers, she could see he was broken and this was just the pieces of a broken soul that were trying to harm her sentiments. She steeled her determination and with all the Gryffindor courage that she had, she stood up next to him. She looked straight into his eyes, "No. You are wrong. There are so many that care for you."

"Oh really? They care because their livelihoods depend on me or some other twisted reason. They don't love me to care enough to turn up if I drop dead today Granger."

His already broken heart could not take the grief anymore. He was feeling as if someone had put a huge weight on his chest and he was suffocating under its weight, unable to breathe or feel the beat of his heart. 

Hermione moved in closer, making sure he could see her.

"But I do."

Those three words calmed his temper and put a thousand question into his head about their meaning. What did she mean? That she loves him? That wasn't possible. She had clearly said how she believed all of it to be sham. She must have grown attached to him over the past few weeks. Anybody you live with for that long in a strange place was bound to be a bit important to you.

He tried to ignore the inner voice in his head and crushed any hope that had bubbled up within. Draco turned away without gracing her with any reaction or reply. It stung if she were, to be honest, but he had just lost his mother and she could hardly hold him accountable for anything he said or did at the moment.

The Manor was quiet like in the dead of the night. The only sounds were the sound of them breathing and the occasional breeze outside the windows.

Hermione Accioed an armchair and settled Draco in it. She grabbed a nearby futon and sat down. She had a million things to do, to find Harry, to meet everyone, to find out what day it was! But none were motivation enough to leave a shattered Draco Malfoy on the floor of the drawing room, where she was tortured by his aunt, next to his Mother's coffin.

She could not even find enough drive in her to at least run to the study and write a letter to inform Harry or Shacklebolt. Seeing Draco like this had changed something within her. She felt no joy in returning to their times. She just felt hollow and miserable at being helpless about Draco's situation. Could she have done anything to prevent this? Probably not, her rational side concurred. But, the human mind had to always blame someone of bad situations for peace of mind. Draco could hardly be blamed for Narcissa Malfoy's death. Hermione had grown fond of her in recent times, so she knew that the Wizarding world had lost a wonderful, albeit misunderstood witch.  She decided that the only person she could blame was herself for not trying the alternative ways to return home any sooner. She should have tried harder or thought about the basic things sooner. She was so caught up in being a healer and Draco's pseudo-wife that the actual problem seemed to slip her mind most of the days. The fact that there was a problem, to begin with, was a fact she often forgot. She liked that life. She liked being a healer and being Draco's bride was not so bad she had to admit. He would make someone a great husband one day. All that he had managed as a pretend husband in a bygone era was more than what many husbands would do in a lifetime of opportunities.