Redemption.

Chapter 23

Draco was sitting on his bed in the hospital wing, feeling much better than he had in days. He was waiting for Hermione to come. Just the thought of her, made his heart speed up, and he felt slightly nervous. Why the fuck was he nervous? This wasn't normal, was it?

He had decided to win her back. To make her his, and he was not going to lose her. Not again.

The doors opened, and she came in, looking gorgeous like always. His stomach gave a funny whoop, and he smiled at her, involuntarily. She smiled back, but he sensed a certain reluctance to it.
"How do you feel?" she asked, stopping a few feet away from him.

"Good." he said, standing up. "Shall we go then?"

She hesitated. "Draco, it would be better if we go separately. That way people wont think something's up."

Draco felt confused. She wasn't meeting his eyes. "But I don't care what they think." he said with a shrug. "Not anymore."

"I do, though!"

"So you don't want to be seen with me?" he asked, slightly hurt.

"I don't see where this is going, Draco." she sighed. "We should just stop here, and come out of our dream land or whatever. It's over."
She turned to walk away.

"Don't leave me like this, again." he said, his voice thick with suppressed emotion. She could feel the sadness rolling off of him, in waves. "Please."

Hermione stopped, her heart melting. "Draco it isn't going to work." she said heavily.

"How do you know that?" he came and stood in front of her, blocking her path. His eyes were pained, but his tone was challenging. "How do you know it's not going to work?"

"Because look what I did to you!" she shouted. "Because of me, you were on your death bed!"

"Hermione-"

"No, Draco! You need to understand that I can't possibly be good for you; I've seen what became of you, all because of me!"

"Will you listen-"

"This cannot possibly work! It can't! I just know it. We need to stop-"

Draco grabbed her, and pulled her close, kissing her full on the mouth. She whimpered. Draco put all his love for her in that one kiss, trying to make her understand that it would be okay. That they would try. That they would make this work. There was a sweet sensation in his gut as he kissed her. Had he forgotten how good it felt to move his lips on hers?

Draco drew back, but didn't let go of her. "I was on my death bed, yes. But it wasn't because of what you said or did; it was because I was without you. It was because I couldn't stand being away from you for all those weeks. And that was my own fault. I never, ever, meant any of the foul words that came out of my mouth that day."

She was silent as she gazed into his eyes. "You gave me the second chance I was craving for. You helped me redeem myself. But when you weren't there with me, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, and I started blaming myself for it, over and over again, until it drove me mad. I couldn't stand being in the same room as you were in, and not being able to hold your hand. It wasn't because of your words...it wasn't because of that slap...it wasn't because of the cold indifference...it was because of your absence. I couldn't help but think that I was being punished because..." he gulped, his fear evident in his eyes. "...because I didn't do anything to save you from Bellatrix. And a part of me felt like I deserved whatever you threw at me..."

Tears were strolling down her cheeks, and Draco kissed them away gently. He held her for a long time, enjoying the warmth her embrace bought to him. He inhaled her scent, having craved for it for almost two months. It seemed like an eternity had passes before he got to hold her again.

"I love you, Hermione." he whispered against her head, holding her tight, because she was his lifeline. He couldn't live without her. She inhaled sharply. When she was silent for far too long, Draco drew back, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. Would she say no? Did she love someone else? Had he read the signs wrongly? His head was whirling with unease.

As the grey met the drown, she smiled, and Draco felt like he was hit with the purest ray of hope and sunlight.

"I love you, Draco."