poison ✞ dramione

part forty three

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march was the month of bad news.

hermione eyed bill in disbelief. "no," she breathed out, eyes watering. "you're lying."

bill shook his head sadly. "the wizengamot decided yesterday."

hermione cupped her hands over her mouth as if that'd, in some crazy way, make everything change. "so after all this time, that's their decision? that's what they fucking choose!"

bill sighed, rubbing his temples. "believe it or not, i did try to change their mind. he hasn't even as much as gotten within ten meters of the line since his return here. they won't listen."

"they're the fucking wizengamot!" hermione screeched, stomping her foot like a petulant child. "of course they won't listen!"

"if it helps, kingsley seemed reluctant," bill said, trying his best to sooth hermione. "i guess all those meetings with malfoy had him thinking, didn't they?"

"his name is draco," hermione grounded out, channeling her sadness and annoyance into anger. she didn't mean to direct it at bill but he was there and even though he did try it wasn't enough. "draco. malfoy is the burden of a last name he has no choice but to carry."

"hermione—i'm not the one you should be angry at," bill snapped, backing away. "i get you're sad—he's your friend after all—"

"he is my friend," hermione confirmed, holding her head high. however she felt the tears slide down her cheeks even though she tried her best to keep them in. "and i fight for my friends."

bill sighed. "that's what i'm trying to tell you! kingsley is reluctant, meaning he's open to any reasons to keep malfoy out—"

hermione gasped. "oh my god, i have to get to draco! i need to talk to him—"

"then go," bill said, pointing in the direction her dorms lay. "talk to him. malfoy was eerily calm at the trial and i wasn't sure if he was planning something or giving up hope. hopefully it's the former, i must say. for your sake."

hermione nodded, jogging backwards. "okay, okay. sorry for shouting at you!"

hermione didn't get to hear his reply as she sped down the corridors to their dorm. their dorm. she wiped away the tears as quick as they fell—he's her friend. hermione's not giving up without a fight and so help her merlin she will do so.

hermione shouted the password and rushed in, completely ignoring the beautiful piece being played as she rushed over to draco and pulled his shoulder, jerking his hands over random keys in the process.

"they're throwing you into azkaban for life?" hermione gasped out, eyes so full of tears everything was a blur to her. "when you're eighteen?"

draco stood up and shrugged. "that's what i've been told."

hermione shrieked in anger. "'that's what i've been told'. 'that's what i've been told'! how are you so calm?"

"i didn't have much hope in the first place," he said casually while closing the lid of the piano. "to be honest, i thought they were going to sentence me to the kiss."

hermione gulped in fresh air as she wiped at her tears roughly with the sleeves of her robe. "and i had to hear from bill? why couldn't you tell me?"

draco raised a hand and brushed away her tears. "this is why, princess. you care too much."

hermione batted his hand away. "and you don't care enough," she whispered.

draco sighed heavily and plopped onto the settee. "never had, really," he admitted, hands running though his hair. "for fucks sake, i don't care if i die. i've almost killed myself on multiple occasions."

"stop," she choked out. "just—just fucking stop, draco. they're locking you away for life and you're going to let it happen?"

"they're not locking me away until the end of school," draco said, closing his eyes. "i have until mid-july."

"doesn't matter!" hermione shouted, setting down next to him. "you have to give them a reason to not incarcerate you—anything, please, you can't go to azkaban when you don't deserve it."

"i can't tell them anything, princess," draco muttered. "i tell them one thing then they'll demand to hear more until all my secrets are laid out in front of them. i can't have that."

"then tell me," hermione demanded, clutching his hand tightly. "i deserve to know why you won't try, don't i?"

draco opened his eyes and stared at her lazily. they were such pretty eyes. she'd probably never see them after july. "it's complicated."

"the world runs on complications," hermione said. "it's our job to work ourselves around them."

"don't get all philosophic on me, princess. it's complicated, okay?" draco said, annoyed.

"you've said that about everything else," hermione reminded him. "what's the difference?"

draco eyed her for a moment before huffing loudly. "it's not your problem, granger, so leave it be."

"you're my friend so by definition it is my problem," hermione told him strongly. "to me at least. want to know why? because i care."

draco scoffed, rolling his eyes. "whether you care or not doesn't matter. the endgame is the same."

hermione shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "not to me it isn't."

——————————

well yikes.

yeah, that happened. it's sad. it's cool. draco deserves better.

told you these next few chapters will be sad (:

ik this is pretty short but that's because i want to reveal some shit to you so maybe next chapter or the ones after that? yeah, you're gonna hate me((((:

[yes mate double update]
[new cover whatcha think]

-bee