Forgiven // Drarry

Hope

Harry, Draco, and Ron looked at Hermione expectantly. Hermione has the book in her lap and was reading carefully.

"It's a potion.." Hermione said without taking her eyes off the page.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Harry asked eagerly. "Let's make it." Hermione frowned.

"Harry, we don't want to rush this. It looks complicated and we don't know what will actually happen if we give it to Draco."

"He'll get cured." Harry said.

"No, Harry. Does it not seem odd to you that this appeared out of no where? Flipped directly to the page we need? We burned this book Harry, it should be gone."

"Hermione, the answer is right there. It's the only hope we have left at this point!"

"And if he gets hurt because of it?" Hermione demanded.

"God, just stop arguing over this." Draco said and they both fell silent. "Just let me take it. It doesn't matter at this point. I'm already in pain, and I'm already dying."

"We should at least try." Said Ron. Hermione sighed stressfully.

By the end of the week, Hermione had managed to gather all the ingredients.

"How'd you get all that?" Ron asked as she placed a bag full of ingredients next to her potions cauldron.

"Actually, I just went digging in your garden, and I also took a visit to see Luna and her father, who lives over the hill from your house. Luna was happy to help."

"Oh,"

"Luckily, it shouldn't take too long."

"I thought you said it was complicated." Said Ron and Hermione glared at him.

"It is. I have to be careful, putting the the ingredients in the right order, stirring the right direction and the right amount of time. If I mess this up we have no idea what effects it could have. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to concentrate."

It took hours for Hermione to complete the potion. When she finally finished, she pored some into a mug and warily  handed it to Draco.

"I was as thorough as possible." Hermione told him hesitantly. "But, if anything happens... I'm really sorry."

"Can't be any worse than what I've got going for me now." Draco shrugged and gulped the potion, plugging his nose.

The potion took effect quickly, and could be seen clearly the next day. Colour seemed to return to Draco's face. His appetite returned, and Draco seemed to be in a much better room. He was still cold to the touch, but Harry could've sworn he was becoming a bit warmer.

Harry finally felt hope. Draco wasn't going to die. Relief flooded Harry and the whole day he was cheerful.

But Hermione still seemed unsure. "We can't be sure it actually worked..." She said nervously. " I could've gotten it wrong."

" Hermione, you're the best witch I know. Look at him, he's looking so much better now. You've saved him." Harry smiled at her. Hermione gave him a small smile back.

All was well. For a few days. Hermione woke him up one morning, one of her schoolbooks in her arms. Her expression was almost... broken. Panic jumped to Harry's throat and he felt a weight in his chest.

She opened the textbook and held it out to Harry. Her hands were shaking.

"I'm so sorry Harry." She her voice quavered. "That potion wasn't a counter curse." 

Harry looked at the page, dread filling up in him. It was a masking potion. To treat illnesses. It treated nausea, vertigo, tremors, and coughs. Draco wasn't really better. It just seemed like he was.

A surge of frustration and hurt filled Harry, and he threw the text book at the wall. Hermione jumped.

He felt an abundance of emotions at once. He couldn't control it. The mirror in the room cracked. Accidental Magic. He needed to calm down. But god it was so hard.

Draco was going to die after all. He had thought... he had thought that Draco was finally cured. He closed his eyes and imagined a future where Draco didn't die. Where they lived side by side together. Where they were able to be free. Able  to look at the stars together. To escape from everything. To spend years with each other . But that was impossible. All that hope was washed away. He felt shattered. His death was inevitable.

He put his head in his hands and he couldn't control the sobs. Hermione came beside him and hugged him. Tears ran down her cheeks too.

"I'm so sorry, Harry."