DRAMIONE - STAND BY YOU

BRAVE DECISIONS

Hermione woke the next morning with a smile on her face and colour in her cheeks, sunlight pouring in through the windows, reflecting her new mood. Last night she had slept dreamlessly, peacefully, a relieving contrast to the past few weeks. She felt free, strong and in control.

Finally she was going back to lessons! With the final exams around the corner, Hermione was determined to dominate her thoughts with schoolwork and revision, spending her lunchtimes in the library and taking that first step towards normality. Well, as normal as things could be when she was part of The  Golden Trio and lost her parents to an obliviate spell. She supposed she would forever make up a third of The Golden Trio, in fact, it was a selfishly proud smile that she cast upon her features when she thought about forever being seen as a Heroine. Hermione couldn't change that. Her parents however...

No. She couldn't think about it, couldn't even consider reversing the spell on them. Not when it would cause them so much pain. Or would it? Sure, guilt would devour them greedily for forgetting their own daughter, but against Hermione's own guilty conscience it would fade into insignificance. They'd be highly worried and ask a tonne of questions about the Wizarding War but they would be nothing compared to Hermione's shocking answers. Perhaps it would even take time for them to act casual around her again. She had the worst end of the deal. The mother and father who she had once always been dependent on would be in desperate need of her support and reassurance. After all, as far as they were concerned they had been living the dream in Australia whilst their unknown daughter was out searching the world for pieces of an evil villain's soul.

That was when it hit her.

Retrieving her parents' memories had never been about the burden she would be laying upon them, though that was a contributing factor to her reluctance. Hermione had never truly thought they wouldn't appreciate it. After all, they would get their daughter back. No, it wasn't about any of that. Hermione's parents weren't the problem. She was.
After all the pain, torture, suffering and sacrifice she had endured, it felt unnatural to do the one thing that would make her truly happy again, the one thing that would make everything okay. She was scared.
Hermione Jean Granger was scared.

The realisation hit Hermione like an agonising punch, punishing her for how selfish and cowardly she had been. She had to do something about it. With her newly found control, determination and bravery, she had strided out of the hospital wing only yesterday. But the achievement felt silly compared to what this one would be. She had to talk to Draco about retrieving her parents' memories.
She had to be strong.

Hermione jumped out of bed with lightening speed, showering and dressing in record time before entering the common room at the same time as Draco.
"Draco! I need to speak to you. It's important" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and leading him over to the sofa.
"Woah! What's the matter, love? It's only been one sleep since we last saw each other. Miss me already?" Draco winked playfully.
Hermione whacked him over the head. "Now is not the time for your cockiness!" She scolded, Draco rubbing the back of his head with a frown on his face.
"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.
"Iwanttoreversetheobliviatespellonmyparents" Hermione blurted out.
"Speak a bit faster I don't think Eminem can understand you" Draco replied, raising an eyebrow. Hermione hid her shock that Draco even knew who Eminem was and took a deep breath.
"I want to reverse the obliviate spell on my parents."
"Wha- Hermione you've been in hospital for a week after being tortured to the brink of death! If you take on too much you'll break!" Draco protested.
"And if I don't take anything on at all, I'll regret it. I can't just waste my life away sticking in my comfort zone and wishing I had my parents back!" She argued.
"I'm honestly proud of you for wanting to do this. So so proud. But Mione, now isn't the right time." Draco said softly, putting his hand on her shoulder.
"You don't believe in me, do you?" Hermione whispered, recoiling from his touch and standing up. How dare he underestimate her like this!
"No I do it's just-" Draco began.
"Save it, Draco" Hermione snapped, cutting him off before picking up her schoolbag and storming out of their dormitory, ignoring Draco's apologetic calls after her.

Hermione spent the rest of the day in lessons, orbiting Herself around Harry, Ron and Ginny in an attempt to make it more difficult for Draco to catch her alone. At lunchtime, she had raced to the library before he could find her among the bustling crowd of students, absorbing her mind into her textbooks and jostling down notes on that morning's lessons, a distraction from the frustration she was feeling towards her boyfriend.
Hermione had put every ounce of courage, selflessness and strength into making the decision to retrieve her parents' memories and Draco had comtradicted her. It hurt.
At dinner she had desperately tried to avoid meeting his familiar grey eyes across the great hall, ignoring each glimpse of he and their slytherin friends that she caught out of the corner of her eye. She even spoke to Ron about quidditch just to distract herself!
Though as she exited the great hall and entered she and Draco's common room, Hermione knew she couldn't avoid him any longer.

Draco was already waiting for her, a pained expression on his face.
"I'm sorry" he said, meeting her chocolate brown eyes, homely warmness against winter skies.
"Sorry doesn't cut it, Draco! All I want is your support in this! This means so much to me and I thought it would mean something to you too. Clearly not" Hermione replied, a tear escaping her eye.
"It does mean something to me. It means so much! But your health means more" Draco replied, hand reaching out to cup her cheek delicately.
"Not to me, it doesn't" she said stubbornly.
"Surprise, surprise" Draco chuckled, touching her forehead with his and seeming relieved that Hermione didn't push away, his shoulders relaxing noticeably. "How about a deal?" He offered.
"I'm listening" Hermione replied curiously.
"We'll go and find your parents and retrieve their memories. But we go in Easter break. That way we have more time and you won't miss any more of your precious lessons" Draco explained.
Hermione pondered for a moment figuring it was the best deal she was going to get.
"Fine" she grumbled.
"Good. Now how about we get your mind off it and do something fun?"
"Like?" Hermione asked.
"Games night" Draco grinned.