From Dreams to Reality

Chapter 22______________________________________________________________

Hermione stood shaking in Draco's arms, one eye on Lucius' limp form as though she was expecting it to show some sign of life. Her eyes were filled with tears and her face was still a pale white. The events of the past half-hour penetrated through her mind, causing images to flash before her eyes as though she was seeing it all over again.

Draco stood quite still, hardly speaking a word as Hermione sniffed and shook in his arms. He had nothing to say; he could think of no reason to have some sort of explanation for his actions. The Ministry of Magic could try and send him off to Azkaban or have him charged with some punishment, but he would stand tall and get his reason heard: He had done it save himself and the girl he loved. The law couldn't possibly overrule that.

The sound of people approaching the place where they stood broke the eerie silence and Draco looked around to see Dumbledore leading a small group of people including Cornelius Fudge, Professors McGonagall and Snape, three people whom neither Draco nor Hermione recognised, and, to Hermione's astonishment, Harry.

"I see you won a fair fight, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore said, a small smile briefly covering the grave expression that was printed on his aged face.

Cornelius Fudge hurried forward and took Lucius' pulse. He looked up at Draco with a strange expression before turning to Dumbledore. "He's definitely dead, Albus," he said shakily.

"Of course he is," Draco snarled. "Only Potter has ever survived the Killing Curse!"

Dumbledore seemed to ignore the comment. "Very well," he said, looking around at the three unrecognisable people behind him. "Bendly, Jenkinson, Randell - take Lucius Malfoy's body up to the castle. Try your hardest to keep it out of view of anyone that might be taking a midnight walk. You know where the hospital wing is."

The three men walked forward and conjured a stretcher for Lucius' body. They headed away, back up to the castle wordlessly, one of them guiding the body with their wand.

Dumbledore turned to Fudge. "Cornelius, if you could please send word to the Ministry. Tell them Malfoy is dead and that his son, Draco, and Hermione Granger are safe and unharmed."

Fudge nodded before turning on his heel and following Bendly, Jenkinson and Randell's path up to the castle, leaving Dumbledore standing there with McGonagall, Snape, Harry, and, still wrapped in each other's arms, Draco and Hermione.

"Minerva, could you please take Harry and Hermione up to my office, please?" Dumbledore asked calmly to McGonagall.

McGonagall stepped forward slightly, gesturing Hermione to follow her. Hermione glanced at Draco, who gave a small nod, but she didn't move.

"There is no need to worry, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said calmly, looking at Hermione over his half-moon glasses. "Draco will be joining you soon. I would just like to have a quick talk with him and Professor Snape about the seriousness of his actions tonight." Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Dumbledore cut in. "I am quite aware that his actions were through protection and also in a life-threatening situation and, thereby, I can guarantee he will not be punished in any way."

Hermione nodded, gave Draco a kiss on the cheek and approached McGonagall and Harry. Together they headed up to the castle silently, entering the Entrance Hall and heading up the marble staircase without a word. The corridors were deserted and quiet, the only sounds coming from their feet as they hit the stone floor.

They entered Dumbledore's office through the wall behind the stone gargoyle and up the spiral staircase, the silver ornaments shining up at them. McGonagall conjured up chairs for them and sat down in one herself, silently twirling her wand between her fingers as Hermione and Harry looked around, avoiding each other's eyes.

Finally, after what felt like half an hour, the doors to the office opened again and Dumbledore stepped on through, Draco following right behind. McGonagall immediately stood up for Draco to take her seat.

"Thank-you, Minerva," Dumbledore said with a small nod. McGonagall gave a short nod and headed out of the office, closing the door behind her. Dumbledore headed around his desk and gracefully sat down behind it, surveying Harry, Draco and Hermione, his blue eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

"You might wonder," he began to Draco and Hermione, as Harry merely sat listening, "why I have let Draco's act of murder go unpunished. But really there is no need. I would have a right in thinking that if Draco had not used Avada Kedavra on his father, Lucius Malfoy, tonight, both he and Hermione would be dead, meaning that his act was that of protection. I can not punish someone for protecting himself and a fellow person.

"I might also mention that if it weren't for Harry here" - Draco and Hermione looked around at Harry - "as well as Lavender Brown, I wouldn't have been aware of Hermione's absence from Gryffindor Tower. According to Miss Brown, you woke up screaming, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked, looking at Hermione carefully.

"Yes, I had another dream," Hermione said slowly. "It was different from the others, though. Similar, yes, but ... different. Everything I saw tonight down by the lake was in my dream. All except for one thing: Draco didn't die. In my dream it was Draco who died, not Lucius - just like in my other dreams."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "It is possible for your dreams and premonitions to give false information, Hermione," he said. "The fact that the false information is as major as the death of a person in this case, is very unfortunate, but I'm afraid there is nothing you can really do to change that. Your gift will grow soon enough and, if it is powerful enough, you should be able to avoid such false visions."

Hermione nodded, and looked around at Harry. To her surprise, Harry gave her a small smile.

"Now," Dumbledore said with a small sigh as he stood up, "it is quite late and as you have classes tomorrow, I feel it wise that you all head back to bed."

Harry, Hermione and Draco stood up and made for the door, which Dumbledore held open for them.

"Thank-you, Professor," Hermione said weakly, heading through behind Draco, feeling Harry's gaze on her back.

> * <

The news of Lucius Malfoy's death on the grounds spread quickly through the castle, though the story of exactly what happened varied from student to student and very few knew the truth.

Hermione had passed a group of third-year Hufflepuffs in a corridor three days after the events by the lake and overheard them telling an extremely detailed and over-exaggerated story about Lucius being squeezed to death by the giant squid. She had also, on that very same day, heard a fifth-year boy telling his blonde girlfriend that Professor Flitwick had told him Lucius had in fact died of brain hemorrhage and just happened to be in the Hogwarts grounds at the time!

All in all, however, Hermione found that her life had increasingly improved from how it had been a week prior, not only because there was no longer a mad Death Eater after her and Draco, but also because of some sudden changes in people's attitudes towards her. She was no longer that bookworm Gryffindor that was having it off with the popular Slytherin prince and being teased for it. She was the respected person she had been before Draco and the rest of the school year's events, who just happened to be getting hot and heavy with a changed Draco Malfoy. That was how she wanted it.

Harry and Ron, two of the only people who knew the true story, had approached her the morning after Lucius' death and had asked for her forgiveness with Harry stating that he was immensely sorry for his selfish being and attitude towards her and Draco's relationship. Hermione had quite happily accepted their very long and meaningful apologies with open arms and platonic kisses.

Draco's foul attitude towards everything had also ceased and he was being exceptionally charming towards Hermione in a kind of act for her to forgive and forget it.

Hermione had of course had to give her own short line of apologies, beginning with telling Draco she was deeply sorry for not telling him about her dreams, though he seemed not to care and responded to it by kissing her neck in a fiery passion.

And now, as she lay naked beside him in bed, she could admit to honestly having no regrets about what had happened since the moment she had awakened from her dream about Draco being brutally punished by his father over the summer. Everything had turned out for the better and not a thought could make her want to turn back the time and change a single something. She was happy with everything. Not even her newest sequence of dreams featuring Voldemort, his Death Eaters and dying innocent beings could possibly ruin that happy feeling that swelled inside her chest. To her, everything was perfect and she felt that everything that was to follow this moment was just another adventure for her to take, just like the months passed.

The End________________________________________________________________