Beginning at the End ⏃ Dramione

Chapter 31: Fragment

[ Chapter Warning: Gore and Smut ]

Back at Hogwarts, Hermione turned in her bed, feeling her body slip out of a wonderful dream she did not want to abandon. There was something she could barely hear from afar, and she desperately wanted to ignore it. She tried to reach back for the dream again, to continue it... to go back to the warmth of Draco's body after their intense night of lovemaking. She could still feel the echo of his touch as she reached back out to him, but when Draco in her dream grabbed her abruptly, she yelped out loud. Opening her eyes, she found both the Patil sisters standing to one side of her bed.

"Hermione, couldn't you hear us?" Pavarti inquired, her arms crossed.

Padma shook her lightly again. "You're needed in the Slytherin dorms." When Hermione slowly sat up, squinting to adjust her eyes to the light, Padma continued, more curious than aggressive this time. "Professor- I mean, Headmistress McGonagall said you are going to be working down there? Are you not taking classes?"

"Yes, Hermione, where'd you go?" Parvati continued. Almost as an afterthought, she asked, "Are you okay?"

Hermione's mouth was dry, and it stuck slightly when she tried to speak. She suspected she would be confronted by more classmates with similar questions, as she had only just arrived the other day.

"Yes, I'm... helping the healers."

The twins gave each other a look, clearly impatient that their questions were not being answered. Hermione tried to focus. It was clear their message was being lost, and they did not understand its urgency. If only they had seen what was out there...

"You said I was needed? I'd better get dressed, I'll explain all of this later, okay?"

They both hesitated, but finally left her alone, the door shutting behind them. As she dressed, her dream continued to take root in the front of her mind. Gradually, she began to feel ashamed for sleeping so much, and for thinking such thoughts while a war was going on, but she missed Draco. Their relationship was still new. Her experience with him, still new. With a sigh, she reflected, it was likely the symptoms of the contraception spell Madam Pomfrey had renewed on her. After the first time it had been placed on her, she'd had side effects in the form of salacious thoughts about nearly every boy that passed her. At least her thoughts were on Draco this time, and not some sleaze like Cormac McLaggen. It had been the only reason she asked him to the Slug Club's Christmas party back in sixth, only realizing after the fact that it had been a huge mistake.

Once she was finally dressed, she headed down to the Great Hall, where she only managed to grab a quick bite whilst breakfast was wrapping up. As she passed a sparse amount of students, she realized she did not recognize any of them, and felt like a stranger over not finding a familiar face.

Perhaps they've all gone to class already, she reasoned. That is when she began to pity herself as she quickly made her way down to the Slytherin dormitories to see what she was urgently needed for. She had only studied a few pages of spells from the large medical book she had been given. Surely they would have her start by folding bandages and such.

She was not prepared for the commotion of the infirmary.

"Hurry up, child! Where's your head? I was told you were clever!"

The woman who barked at her reminded her of a female Mad-Eye Moody, with looks to match. Her thick stockings rubbed against her legs, making an angry swoosh-ing sound as she waddled off, while the stout witch herself continued to mumble some insulting remarks as she went. Hermione observed her clearing empty potion bottles into a bin to make space, then looked around, trying to figure out where to start. There was a patient in each bed and the rest were waiting in a queue for their turn.