Say Something

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Hermione waited, god knows how long she's waited. Yesterday, today, and now tomorrow. Across the street, only a few feet out, were the two people she came here to see. And now here she was. Sitting on a park bench, watching their house from a safe distance.

Just as she did yesterday. She sat on that bench waiting for her brain to move her feet up to their door, and nothing. She couldn't breathe either. It wasn't the illness prohibiting her, it was the sadness. They haven't left their house yet either. She decided to knock on their door yesterday, but realized that might be too much. So she waited, knowing that they were well-enough inside but couldn't find the words to say hello and goodbye.

"Penny for your thoughts, Granger?" a voice popped up behind her. Hermione sighed in aggravation and turned to meet the same grey eyes she tried to escape. "You're not supposed to be here" she seethed.

"Is this illness affecting your brain? You thought I wouldn't find out your little game. Bott told me what you said. You weren't planning on coming back."

"I just wanted to see my parents," she stood, "And maybe you're right. Maybe I was planning on staying here for as long as I could."

"But how could you do that to me?" he pleaded, taking a step forward, "After everything we've been through, you were going to hide?"

"Yes, for as long as I could until you would find me!" She knew he would have.

"Well then, Granger. Your condition has done quite a number on your brain then, because within two days you didn't think we'd find you in the same place you said you'd be."

"I thought I would have been gone by now!" she spat.

"Then why aren't you?!"

"Because I can't do it, okay?! I can't look them in the eyes and tell them that lie! Tell them I'm not their daughter and I'm just some stranger! They're happy here, and changing that could ruin it all! I've waited on this bench forever, trying to figure out what I could say, and it's gone nowhere!" She broke down on the bench and sobbed. She felt a warm body sit next to her and wrap an arm around her. She sobbed into his chest.

In one moment, Draco gained so much respect for her, not that he had enough already. He admired her strength for leaving her parents alone even though that's where she wanted to be the most. And as they stood up and walked away from their home, she looked back with a brave face and turned back with a sullen one.
_______

Draco and Hermione ate their dinner together at a nearby restaurant. Bott said their portkey would probably be there by tomorrow morning. He watched her spin her fork around her un-touched food and heard a deep sigh of sadness as she did so. "You know the beach is pretty close by, we could probably..."

"I'd rather not, Malfoy," she noted his disappointment, "I'm sorry for making you come out here."

"I was worried, Granger. I thought...well maybe I thought that would be the end for us."

"Draco, I-"

"No, I mean it. I thought a lot about you yesterday. About what we are. And I know it sounds crazy and impossible, but I'm willing to make a deal with you."

"On what grounds?"

"No, not that kind of deal. I mean one that involves something we both want. You want a lifetime, correct?"

"More than anything," she breathed out.

"...then share a lifetime with me, Granger."

"What do you mean?"

Draco put his hands to his sides and sighed deeply. "I have the rest of my life to live, and you don't. Share my lifetime with me, love. Marry me."

"That's absurd," she commented. She dropped her napkin on her plate and stood, "You're insane."

"Correction, love. I'm just about as insane as one can get. I know what I'm asking for is unreal...but tell me you don't feel it too?"

Hermione shook her head and walked away. Draco quickly followed and dropped some money on the table. He followed her out into the moonlight. He was right, the beach wasn't too far away, in fact he could just see the reflection of the full moon coming from that direction. And she followed it.

"You are crazy, Draco Malfoy! Please leave me alone!" She yelled back as she continued on.

"Crazy enough for you, Hermione." He chuckled. Draco followed her all the way down to the dock, where she continued till he could hear her feet on the boardwalk. People gave them strange looks as he passed them, but he could care less. She was running away from something totally and completely real because she didn't want to break his heart. Well bad news for her, because it's been broken too many times before.

He jogged up to her when she ran out of pier to walk on. She leaned up against the railing and looked next to her. "You can't expect me to say yes, Draco. You're married," she whispered. He also leaned in, touching his elbow with her arm. "Not in Australia, we're not," he whispered close to her ear.

"Even if I wanted to, Draco- not saying that I do -it will never be enough for you. You can give me the world...but I could never give you anything back. There's no time..."

"We'll make time, I promise," she still looked uncertain, "Look, put your hand on my chest." She did, it stayed atop his heart. "You can't break my heart anymore then it already is. I want to spend an eternity with you even if that means a year, a month, or maybe even tomorrow. We live for now, Granger. So I'll say it again, share a lifetime with me."

A tear rolled down her pale face, reflecting with the moonlight. It was perfect. Especially when she said, "Okay, Draco."