Something to Remember

Chapter 20 Live To Tell

**

The next few hours were some of the hardest of Harry's life. Draco was taken to St. Mungo's, where Dumbledore explained he was to have a "revitalization" procedure performed, and that they couldn't see him until the following day. Harry found it difficult not being near Draco, with him when it happened. Hermione and Ginny felt the same way. But Dumbledore didn't want them leaving Hogwarts unless absolutely necessary, much out of thought for only their own safety.

Harry and Cho had spoken for the first time in a long time. The conversation had mainly been about Draco, keeping it safe, but Harry remembered how much he had enjoyed being with Cho. Effectively, in a way it hurt a lot speaking to her, but at the same time, he enjoyed the bliss of it. He had been slightly surprised that Cho had come and seen Draco and had been there with Ginny and Hermione the entire time. True, Cho had been close to Draco before, but they hadn't spoken much since the falling out.

To keep herself busy, Hermione was reading the instructions on making the Draught. Cho and Ginny had gone for a walk around the lake and Harry had been sitting with Ron in the Common Room, trying to keep his mind off the current situation. It was too hard to think about, really. He and Ron played Chess for a bit, and then they attempted to do homework.

"Mate, you know I'm sorry about Draco, I know he's your friend," Ron had said suddenly, quite awkwardly, and as though he had been trying to say that all day.

"Thanks," Harry had managed, just as awkwardly.

"Blimey, Harry. It really does sound like the whole thing is seriously bad," Ron said a rash moment or two later, a little too harsh in his word choice.

A chill went through Harry's body. "I don't want to talk about Draco, Ron," Harry said following a frustrated sigh, and only just finally, not even looking at his friend.

"What do you mean? You've got to talk about it, don't you?" Ron said stiffly, though truly he was just confused. He gazed at Harry as though he was being insane, and thereby continued to beckon his friend's interest. "How else are you going to move past it, mate?"

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT HIM!" Harry had yelled, though he had not meant to sound so terrible.

"Right, Harry," Ron said unappreciatively, once past his state of utter shock at his friend's livid response. "I have to go."

**

Ginny and Cho walked together around the lake again and again and again, as they had done earlier that day ... Except at this point Ginny was no longer very tensed, but rather much more relaxed now. She was glad Draco was at St. Mungo's. Hopefully they'd be able to cure him, so that then when they saw Draco the next day he'd be conscious and well. Ginny knew that if anyone could care for him, the Healers at St. Mungo's could, and as such her unsteady heart's pulse had gained some regularity back.

Hermione was inside, doing what she did best, read. Ginny had decided it'd be better to leave her to it, and so she and Cho had left. Cho had offered to take her to Hogsmeade for a bit of a drink, which she thought they could both rather use. And The Hog's Head would be most convenient, Cho had additionally mentioned. Ginny hadn't decided yet.

"... Harry," Cho spoke softly, quite randomly at one point. "He's taking this all pretty bad."

Ginny nodded sadly. It was very true. Harry was having a terrible time. Ginny was sure Harry blamed himself. Ginny knew Harry couldn't help it. It was part of who Harry was. He felt he had failed as he hadn't saved his friend from possible mortal peril.

"Draco is the closest person to him," Ginny said, nodding agreeably. "He can't help it."

Ginny was never completely sure if Cho understood the nature of the strange relationship between Draco and Harry. They were best friends. But somehow, the fact that they had been enemies so long had only made their friendship now stronger. They had had such a passion for hating each other then, that when they became friends, the passion only changed into something else, something much deeper, a care beyond anything ...

Love.

"I know that," Cho said, shaking her head. "I feel terrible about it all. I haven't spoken properly to Draco in some time."

Cho looked away for a moment. Ginny noticed then that Cho was not a girl. Cho was a woman. Ginny often forgot that Cho was two years older than she was. Cho was seventeen now. As Ginny watched her, she saw the tired and sad woman that Cho was.

"It's not your fault, Cho," Ginny immediately said, trying to console. "You weren't friends for a while."

These had been the wrong words to say. It had never exactly been official that they hadn't been friends for some time now. It had been pretty painfully obvious regardless. Cho knew this. But she didn't like hearing it much.

"Yeah, he was a good friend, I reckon," Cho said diplomatically, so quietly Ginny could have imagined it.

"He IS a good friend," Ginny corrected testily at her.

But Cho did not respond to this. Instead, she swiftly dodged the subject entirely. "Let's go have a drink, Ginny," Cho spontaneously suggested, loudly and peachy-sounding this time, as though the subject beforehand had been perfectly ordinary.

"Well, all right then," Ginny responded, and then, smiling, she added amusedly, "If we get caught, I'll hex you."

Cho laughed. "Don't worry, Ginny. This isn't the first time I have snuck out of the castle when I'm not allowed to go to Hogsmeade for a drink. After what happened with Cedric, well, I did it a lot at the beginning of the first term until Harry well ... Saved me. My friends at the time were like, I dunno, nothing but people who were around me more often than others," Cho explained self-consciously.

"And the Hog's Head gives us drinks without caring about our age?" Ginny questioned her skeptically.

"Well they don't question ME," Cho began to boast, carefully moving her words along, while yet seemingly still coming across taken abruptly aback. Then she smiled her best effort at reassurance. "No worries, Gin. I'm a pretty good customer." And then Cho laughed loudly in an odd sort of way.

"Err..." Ginny began uncomfortably. Right at this point -- well, laughing was just not contagious.

"We're both single girls, Ginny," Cho provoked her. "We should have some fun."

Ginny thought about it. Hell, she needed something to keep her mind off everything. Fun ... That was barely a word in her vocabulary these days. Would it be such a crime to have some fun, to help her relax? Certainly Hermione wouldn't approve, Ginny considered ...

But she needed this. "You know what, Cho," Ginny said. "Let's bloody go, then."

**

Hermione was stunned at what she found in the instruction book. It literally changed everything. It made things so much more difficult, and she wasn't sure exactly how to handle it or how to tell Harry. But of course she had to. It would affect them all immensely. Hermione wished the Draught wasn't that complicated.

But it was, and the fact of the matter was Hermione felt slightly helpless. Yes, the Draught would be made .... But with the circumstances in which it would be made, they could in a lot of danger for quite some time. She would have to explain it to Dumbledore ... Well, it would probably be better if Harry did. But first she would have to tell Harry, obviously, and that Hermione did not look forward to.

According to Ron, Harry had run off somewhere and Ron did not know where. They had gotten into some stupid argument over Draco. Hermione had told Ron not to go after him. She told him it'd be better if she did. And now she would have to. She thought of where Harry had probably run off to, knowing him ... And then she thought ... Perhaps he may have ... In fact, most likely ... It was Harry, after all, where else ... Yes, it had to be so.

And at that Hermione got her coat.

**

"Get us your best firewhisky," Cho said energetically, enunciating in a rather demanding tone, notably, at the bartender in Hog's Head tonight. "Get us a table, Ginny."

Ginny instructively took a seat right by the window. Cho had told her before they entered to keep her hood up at all times, which she did. Cho did as well. But it seemed as though the barman looked almost pleased to see her. Cho was telling the truth -- she had been here often.

Cho came back beaming at Ginny with two long glasses of firewhisky. Ginny was somehow nervously excited. She had never properly drunk before, and this was the perfect opportunity. At the same time, she was quite nervous of the experience ahead of her ...

"Cheers, Ginny!" Cho said happily, handing Ginny her drink. "A toast to Draco's speedy recovery is in order."

"Oh, yes," Ginny agreed excitedly. "To Draco!"

"To Draco!" Cho repeated, very much approving.

And Ginny drank. And, Ginny was shocked by the fact that she enjoyed it. Yes, it all seemed quite bitter at the beginning, but as the evening continued, the taste of each random drink given to her became bettered one-by-one. For instance, firewhisky was strong, yes, but the taste sweetened as Ginny adapted more and more to the strong taste of its tricky liquor content. And as she did, all her worries sunk away ...

"Very nice," Ginny managed to blurt as she swallowed the last bit of her fourth firewhisky.

Cho, on the other hand, was only halfway through her second. "Blimey, Ginny," Cho said, looking shocked. "Fast, much?"

Ginny beamed at Cho. She felt, if even only a little, better. Ginny was very much glad she had had this opportunity at drinking. She was a little more relaxed now, seeing now the positive side of things. Before she had a little ray of misery around her, and now perhaps, she saw some happiness and hope. Draco would be fine of course ...

"I think I'll have another, Cho," Ginny decided promptly. "I liked that a lot, really."

Cho looked at her a bit disapprovingly, but she couldn't have thought much of it because she then nonetheless smiled. "Okay," she finally said more brightly, and went up to the barman, got her yet another and brought it back. Cho, to the contrary, was drinking her third, and rather slowly at that. "Go a little slower for a second here, Ginny, reckon?"

But Ginny barely heard what she had said as she continued to take in the firewhisky.

**

Hermione was on the Quidditch pitch and as she suspected, Harry was standing there, looking as though he had been flying for some time and had only just come down. Hermione resisted the urge to smile. Harry was such an elegant flier ...

"Harry," she spoke quietly, as tenderly as she could. "You all right?"

Harry did not answer her. Hermione walked over directly by him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Harry, I'm talking to you," she said sternly, quite sure he had heard her before.

"I know," Harry said, ashamedly looking away. "Sorry."

"Harry, I know it is hard for you," Hermione said more gently. "Regardless, I think you're taking it well."

"It definitely is hard for me. But it is harder for you, I know it," Harry said. "Isn't it?"

Harry had asked her directly, and she could not just wave it off. "It is, Harry. It really is, but I'm worried about you right now," Hermione said, and as she finished, she felt she had chosen the wrong words. And in a few moments, she realized she would have been better off not speaking at all.

"Oh, Hermione," Harry said, rather concerned. He looked so cold. He was not dressed for the chilly night.

"Why don't you come inside, Harry? We can have some tea," Hermione said, trying to sound very comforting. She was very cold in her thin turquoise coat and light cloak, meaning Harry was probably freezing since he was without a coat at all. But Hermione knew Harry did not care. That was why she had to be there to do it for him.

"I'm all right, Hermione," Harry attempted, pitifully unconvincing, and trying to ignore her burning request to take him inside.

"No, Harry, REALLY, it is much too cold," Hermione no less firmly restated, a bit urgently now. "Honestly ..."

"Hermione, honestly, go inside yourself if you must!" Harry protested back, now sounding a large bit annoyed.

"Harry, we need to talk. It is important. I'm going to insist you come with me inside," Hermione said, but she did not sound like she was insisting, but as though she was rather desperate.

"Well, all right then," Harry said more calmly, as though he was doing it out of pure spite, but it seemed as though Harry, too, was just noticing how cold it really was and did feel like he should do as Hermione asked.

"Good, then," Hermione said simply, and she dragged him off the Quidditch pitch most orderly.

**

Ginny was now on her seventh drink, and she was feeling slightly drowsy now. It took her a little longer to think about simple things. For example, when she tried to remember what she'd done all day, it took her a real moment to put a straight mental line together. She was sure she was just feeling a bit groggy ... She had had a lack of sleep lately anyway. Nonetheless, Ginny was still feeling pretty good, and would keep feeling so -- as long as she remained 'in the moment' of things, so to speak ...

"Cho, you still want Harry a lot," Ginny said randomly. "It is painfully obvious."

"Yeah, I suppose so," Cho awkwardly responded, looking a little uncomfortable. Cho was on her second drink now. Cho, though, had barely loosened up, which at this point, irritated Ginny a bit.

"Drink, Cho, DRINK! You've been on the same glass for so long now!" Ginny commanded her, sounding quite irritated.

"Ginny, err ... I only just got it," Cho said especially attentively, in a questioning tone almost, but not honestly expecting an answer back. To satisfy Ginny, she took a gulp of her firewhisky.

"That's the spirit," Ginny said. She felt better in knowing the fact that Cho could enjoy herself just as much as she was.

And then Ginny burst out laughing.

"Ginny! Calm down already!" Cho begged.

"I was just thinking ... Imagine if Hermione was here!" Ginny was still laughing quite much, and Cho looked distastefully at her as though she was crazy. But Ginny ignored it and got up on the table, not minding the stares she was receiving. She started jumping up and down, doing a buck-toothed impression of Hermione.

"Ginny, stop right now!" Cho yelled, now looking angry. "Enough!"

Ginny got down rather reluctantly. She did not understand why Cho was being so stingy. It wasn't that big of a deal. She was just having some fun. "'We can't be drinking! I am a prefect, we'll be in so much trouble!'" Ginny mimicked Hermione almost right on target, and laughed even more hardheartedly at her own joke -- rather loudly, too.

"Ginny, I said stop," Cho said pointedly, so quietly and so face-to-face in her directness that Ginny knew Cho was now much angrier.

Ginny became silent quite ungracefully and did not look at Cho. "I was only being funny," Ginny unceasingly said, protesting childishly.

"No, you were being stupid," Cho corrected impatiently. "I think you've had enough to drink."

Ginny gave her a nasty glare as she swallowed down the last bit of her drink rather fast.

**

Hermione and Harry were sitting in the Common Room. Hermione was thankful Ron wasn't there. It was going to be hard to break it to Harry, though of course she had to tell him anyway. But it would have made it even more complicated if Ron had to be there, too. No, she instead would tell Ron later, in a different place, in a different time, in a different way ...

"I have some bad news regarding the Draught," Hermione said outright, looking prudently at Harry, who then turned quite pale and worried.

"What? We can still do it, can't we, Hermione? There has to be some way," Harry said.

"Well, that's it isn't it? There is a way, but there is just one way to do it right. And it won't be able to be done soon," Hermione said, sipping her hot tea.

"What do you mean exactly, Hermione?" Harry asked totally directly, irresistibly forcing a direct answer from her.

Hermione looked apologetically at Harry. "Well, Harry ... It can only be made on one day of the year."

Hermione watched the color leave Harry's cheeks.

"... And what day is that?" Harry asked anxiously, in a barely audible whisper.

"December 21st, the date of the winter solstice," Hermione responded affirmatively, in an even lower tone of voice.

**

Reluctantly, Cho had allowed Ginny to have one more drink after Ginny's endless protest and saying how she deserved it as she had been much stressed lately. Ginny then swore she would not ask again for another.

And Ginny drank this one a bit slower, not because she necessarily intended to, but because she kept involuntarily dozing off a bit. But just as fast, she'd often bounce back. Cho was talking to her here and there but she only caught every few words of most of it.

"Oh, Cho! You're such a great friend," Ginny said to Cho with a lot of emotion. She had felt the need to say it. Cho was such a good friend, taking her there and all. And everything she had done for her. "So hot."

What did she just say?!

"Umm ... Thanks, Ginny," Cho muttered quite awkwardly. "You think I'm hot?"

"Huh? You think I'm a lesbian?" Ginny said, raising her eyebrows.

What was Cho playing at?!

"No, Ginny, well you just said ... Oh, never mind," Cho said irritably.

"Good," Ginny said harshly, as she had been prepared to hit Cho after making such a comment. Why would she ask her if she thought she was hot?

"We'd better get back to the castle, we have class tomorrow," Cho reminded her. "At least it's Friday."

"Yeah, at least we get afternoons off," Ginny agreed. She felt calmer all the sudden. "Let's go back, yes."

She did not want to drink anymore. She was getting a bit of a headache now. She should really go back to the castle and get to bed. She felt so tired. And Hermione and the others were probably quite worried ...

As Ginny got up, she realized just how much of a task it was to walk. Everything was moving so much ... But why? Damn the man at the corner table! Why wouldn't he stop moving in circles?! Ginny kept trying to stay still and she couldn't. What was wrong with her?! What had messed with her head?

"Come on, Ginny, sweetie," Cho said gently.

But Ginny wasn't listening to her. She felt a certain pain in her body, and yes it was coming ... Ginny felt an odd sensation and a lot of pain ... Her stomach felt terrible ... She needed to lie down or something ...The castle was so far away ... Oh, what a walk. Cho would need to carry her or something ... Oh, Ginny really did not feel too well at all ...

And Ginny threw up on the floor of the Hog's Head.

**

Hermione and Harry sat in Dumbledore's office. They had explained to him everything about the Draught and how it could only be properly stirred one day of the year. They expected Dumbledore to be shocked, but he wasn't at all. He actually beamed at them.

"Yes, I quite understand, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said. "Thank you for telling me. I rather expected something like this."

Hermione looked at Dumbledore curiously. "What do you mean, Professor?"

"Miss Granger, I'm shocked in you. Did you not stop to think Helga Hufflepuff would not take steps? She was a brilliant mind, as you both know. Well, if you who pay attention in History of Magic," Dumbledore said, twinkling at Harry, who was blushing.

Hermione smiled at Dumbledore. "But this leaves us months of waiting ... What to do?"

"Just as you said, Miss Granger. Wait," Dumbledore said simply, as though it was rather obvious.

"But Voldemort is causing treachery everyday, Professor!" Harry exclaimed, sounding confused as to why Dumbledore didn't have more to say on the subject.

"Yes, Harry, of course he is. And we have managed thus far and our only option is to continue to manage, to allow ourselves to live to tell this tale. When the winter solstice comes, we can strike. We must have patience and faith." Dumbledore's specially eloquent manner never failed to affirm the soundness of his astutely-guided words.

Hermione was still shaken, but understood she had to accept what Dumbledore said. He was very much right, of course. But she had expected him to be significantly worried. But he was not in the least. He was smiling at them even. Hermione had simply not expected any of this at all.

"I am certain you both are very worried about Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore transparently expressed his sympathies, swiftly changing the subject on them.

"Of course we are," Harry said, still sounding befuddled.

"I have one request from you both. I must ask for you to attend your classes tomorrow like normal. Then in the afternoon you may go see Draco, and even remain there with him during the weekend. Hopefully, at that time, he will be conscious ..." Dumbledore spoke in a gentle tone.

"Have you heard anything from St. Mungo's, Sir?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"The procedures are going well," Dumbledore confirmed with an uplifting smile, and Hermione visibly calmed a little. "Now, it's getting a bit late. If you'll excuse me, I think I shall retire here soon."

And Hermione knew it was the end of their visit.

**

It was a fight to get through the next day for Ginny. She decided to just go to her classes and hopefully get through it. She hoped time would go by fast as it was Friday and it was just a half-day. But she had McGonagall which went by rather slowly, and then History of Magic. The day droned on forever.

But finally, when the classes were over, Ginny could not be happier. They were leaving to see Draco. Hermione had been quite worried about Ginny, asking her why was she tired and sick. Ginny of course had not been truthful. Hermione would kill her if she knew the true events that had occurred. What Hermione didn't know wouldn't hurt her after all ...

Later on, after a quick lunch, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Cho were going to see Draco. Ron had offered to come along, but they told him it was all right. They knew he honestly didn't care about Draco. They had an understanding about that, and it was fine. Ron could never care for Draco.

Hermione was shocked that St. Mungo's was identical to a Muggle hospital. If she had simply walked in there not knowing it was a wizarding hospital, she was sure she wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. Not knowing where Draco was, the group of them went to the reception desk.

"How may I help you?" asked an irritable-looking witch.

"We need ..." But Hermione was overtly cut off.

"Say no more. You're Harry Potter," the woman announced, with a dramatic sense of finality in her tone that seemed to emphasize that that revelation in itself wrapped it all up. "Draco Malfoy is in room '378'."

"Wow, how'd you know?" Harry asked.

"Well, blimey, I do read the paper!" said the witch cheerily.

And they left. When they approached room '378', Hermione felt a bit nervous. She hadn't gotten any reports that day and she was scared. Would Draco be awake to greet them or still in a terrible unconscious state? But Hermione did not hesitate. She needed to know now. She opened the door and entered.

"About time. I was wondering if you lot died or something," called Draco's bitter voice.

Hermione beamed.

Draco's mother had visited him several times today and had been there yesterday when he had been unconscious. But Draco had missed his friends and Hermione and was becoming lonely. No one had alerted him if and when they would be coming. This was a total and complete surprise in an hour of increasing despair for him. So upon seeing them right now, a mere couple hours after noontime, Draco was quite happy.

"I was so worried about you all," Draco admitted, relieved as he did. "As I had no idea what happened after that spell hit me."

"Yes, well, thankfully we were all fine. We've all been ever so concerned about you. We all cried a lot," Hermione confessed. If this had been Ginny talking, this fact would not have had been admitted to him. But Hermione was different, candidly revealing all in expression of her sentiment and sincerity ...

There was an awkward silence. Harry particularly did not look at Draco for a prolonged surreal moment.

"I love you," Draco said, and presumably this had been said to Hermione, but he really meant it to all of them. "Cho -- it's great to see you here."

And he really meant that.

"Draco, I'm really sorry we didn't talk for so long," Cho said, looking so sincere and sad and happy at the same time.

"It's all right, Cho. I missed you," Draco said. "Harry ... Mate ... This girl loves you."

He said this so bluntly. Only Draco would dare do that. It was a terribly awkward moment for all of them, who remained so silent. But Draco knew this was true. He had watched her for a long time since they had had their falling out; Cho had not smiled properly since.

Cho blushed so terribly, and Harry looked more uncomfortable than they'd probably ever seen him, intentionally looking at none of them. But it was Cho who spoke first. "I do, Harry," she said very quietly. It was all that needed to be said.

And like magic, he, too, poured his heart right out. "Cho, I never stopped loving you," Harry said, finally turning and looking at Cho.

And it happened fast. The two of them kissed.

"... Well, I'm certainly glad that worked out," Ginny said sometime later, smiling at Draco. "Now I'm the only one alone here. The circle of life."

"Oh, Ginny, be quiet," Hermione said, in a bashful tone.

"How are you feeling, Draco?" Ginny asked.

"Like shit," Draco said. "But it could be worse. What happened with the Draught?"

Hermione looked to Harry, and together, they explained it all. Draco was not very surprised either, but he was also upset.

"On a more amusing note though, read this," a too giddy-sounding Draco said rather self-satisfyingly, and then he showed them the day's issue of the Daily Prophet:

**

Narcissa Malfoy: More Secrets?

Narcissa Malfoy has recently admitted to the rumors of an engaged romance between herself and Remus Lupin. However, recent photos of her show us something worthy of sufficient suspicion: Is Narcissa Malfoy with child?! When entering Diagon Alley two days ago for quick shopping, she denied any requests for a quick interview for the Daily Prophet.

Only time will reveal the true motives and consequences of the increasingly unknown former husband of Malfoy Malfoy, the said perhaps questionably-motivated Narcissa Malfoy.

**

Hermione and the others chuckled at this little piece in the Daily Prophet.

"There's a bigger piece on this in Witch Weekly, too!" Draco laughingly also told them.

For the rest of the day, they remained, laughing and enjoying each other without a care in the world.

**