Don't Let Hermione Cry

Don't Let Hermione Cry

Hermione Granger opened her eyes got out of bed. She crept quietly out of the dormitory, trying not to make the slightest sound. She put on her robes and climbed out of the portrait hole. "Where are you going, dear?" asked the Fat Lady in a sleepy voice. Hermione did not answer, but merely smiled at her. She took a deep breath and walked down the corridors, making her way towards the Great Hall.

"Let him go, Hermione...You know he's not turning into someone you hoped he would be. Let him go." Ron Weasley's voice kept echoing in her mind. "He's going to duel with Harry tomorrow... He's going to kill Harry, Hermione. Which is more important? Him or Harry?" Her eyes glistened with tears. Ron and Harry had told her to stay at Hogwarts. They had told her not to follow them, afraid that Draco would harm her.

Aren't you both my best friends? Don't you trust me? she thought.

She halted in front of the big oak door. It was obviously locked, but Hermione wasn't stupid. Everyone knew that. She pulled out her wand, pointed at the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora." There was a soft 'click' and she pushed the door open. She slowly walked towards the lake. She needed to see him.

As she neared the lake, she saw a figure leaning against a tree. The person looked up and the moonlight shone on his face, revealing his grey eyes and his blond hair, which looked almost silver under the soft radiant moon. Hermione choked and ran up to him. She hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. "I thought you weren't coming," he whispered.

"Of course I would come," she mumbled. "Draco--are you sure you want to do this?"

Draco patted her head softly. "I've got no other choice, Hermione. Either way, I would lose you," he said sadly. She bit her lip and buried her head into his shoulder.

"Then I will come with you tomorrow..."

"No, Hermione," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You mustn't... I don't want to see you suffer."

"Are you--are you going to kill Harry?" she asked, her mouth quivering.

"I don't know... I really don't know," Draco said in a frustrated voice. "If I kill your best friend, you will hate me forever. If I don't kill him, then I will die."

"Can't you run away?"

"Would you want to look back and think I was a coward?" Draco asked, looking deeply into her eyes.

Hermione shook her head and tears began to fall from her eyes. "Don't cry," he murmured. "If I die tomorrow, it would be better--after all those lives I took." She sobbed and took his left arm. The Dark Mark was clearly visible. "Hermione..."

"Yes?" she whispered.

"Could you promise me something?"

"Anything,"

"Don't ever cry for me."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but instead, she said, "I promise."

They hugged once again. Hermione wondered whether she should go back to her dormitory. Her friends might be wondering where she went. She stepped away from Draco, but he pulled her back. "Please... stay," he said softly. "Just for a moment."

She nodded, and he sat down, his back against the tree trunk. There was fear, sadness, and hope in his face. Hermione could not believe that she had actually fallen in love with him--a Death Eater who had killed so many people. He had chose the wrong Side, but there was no option left for him. She remembered the day he told her that he was going to become a Death Eater, and that Lord Voldemort had threatened to kill Draco's mother, Narcissa, if he declined.

His life was meaningless, resembling a cage.

She sat next to him, and he pulled her closer. She could hear him breathing steadily, and the fast beating of his heart. "I want you to know something," he said. Hermione turned to him, trying to smile. "I love you," he said finally. "You're the light of my life when everything is shrouded in darkness--and you mean a lot to me."

"I love you too, Draco Malfoy," she said, smiling at him. "I have to admit, you have a good way with saying sweet things."

"I take that as a compliment, although it almost made me shudder," he said, smiling sheepishly. Hermione studied his face. This was certainly not the face of a Death Eater who was going to duel with perhaps one of the most talented wizards. There was utter calmness in his face, and it was plain that he was trying to hide his fears from her.

He placed his hands on her shoulder and kissed her cheeks softly, then her lips. Hermione put her hands around him and kissed him back, releasing all the sadness, all the anger, and all the regrets that was building inside her. He kissed her her forehead tenderly and his mouth traveled back to her moistened lips. He savored every passion that she had, and she savored his.

When it was over, he put his head on her shoulder, and she sighed. "I wish we could be like this forever." He slowly took her hand and placed it on his chest.

"If I live--then we're going to be together forever."

"But if you live--Harry dies," Hermione whispered. "Draco, I don't know what to think anymore."

"Don't think," he told her. "Some things are just not worth to be contemplative about." He looked at his watch. "I have to go."

"Don't," she pleaded.

"Hermione..."

"No, please. I don't want you to go... we could run away together. That way, we'll both be cowards," she said desperately.

"They will trace us--especially the other Death Eaters," Draco mumbled. "The Dark Mark--it lets Voldemort find me where ever I am."

"But I don't want you to go. I don't want this to happen. I want..."

"You want several things, Hermione," he murmured. "But it does no good to want everything and yet nothing at the same time."

"So what?!" she cried. "I'll still have you."

Draco smiled at her. He looked so different. The Malfoy she knew would always had a scowl or a smirk on his face, but now--neither of those things were there. None. The only thing that was there was--Draco. Only Draco. "And you still haven't answered my question," she added. "Not properly, anyway."

"You will know the answer tomorrow."

Hermione bit her lip. "Draco..."

"I love you, Hermione. I love you so much. I don't want to see you cry if I, or Harry dies. . I don't want to."

"I won't cry," she said determinedly. "For your sake."

"Good," he murmured.

He kissed her one final time. "I love you," she said, her voice cracking because of the tears she was trying to hold back. "I love you, I love you, I love you." She held his hand tightly, not willing to let go.

"Go, Hermione, and never look back," he said.

She released his hands and walked away, trying not to look back. But she could not hold her temptation. She turned around, only to see that Draco was gone. She saw him hurrying towards Hogsmeade to Disapparate. She slowly went back to the Gryffindor Tower, regret piling in her heart.

* * * * *

Hermione was practically biting off her nails as she waited for Harry and Ron to return. Parvati was trying to console her, telling her that Harry was going to be all right. No one told her that Draco was going to make it through the duel. No one. Please... please survive, she thought, praying.

Three hours passed, but there was no sign of either Harry or Ron. She waited in fear and hope. Suddenly, the Fat Lady portrait burst open and Ron climbed in with Harry behind him. Hermione jumped up, but did not give either of them a hug, to their surprise. "What happened?" she asked anxiously, eyeing them both. Harry looked very weak and his shoulder was bleeding.

"You should have taken him to the Hospital Wing," said Hermione critically.

"We--we decided to come here first to tell you..." Harry said breathlessly.

Hermione felt her heart dropped. "Is it--is it Draco?"

"He's dead, Hermione," Ron blurted out. "He lost the duel. It was almost as if he wasn't really up to it, and it was as though he was willing to die."

She knew she was about to cry, but she wasn't going to let that happen. "Before he went away..." Harry looked away from her, avoiding her eyes. "He said; 'please don't let Hermione cry.'"

"I see..." Hermione muttered.

"Hermione--you can cry if you want to." Ron said uneasily.

"No. I promised him I wouldn't, so I won't." she said determinedly. Her face changed, and they stared at her admiringly. They were expecting her to break down and to give up everything she had... but here she was, not letting herself cry, and boldly accepting the truth.

"I'm sorry," Harry said guiltily.

Hermione gave both of them a hug. "It's all right, Harry. I am just glad you made it through," she said.

Ron grinned at her and Harry smiled. Hermione looked away from them, staring out of the window, her eyes traveling to the lake where she and Draco were last night. Everything is going to be all right, she thought. This is not the ending yet. No it isn't, and you know that too, don't you, Draco?

"Come on, Harry. Let's go to the Hospital Wing, and you too, Ron. Don't be too cocky," said Hermione in her old bossy voice.

She smiled. Thank you, Malfoy.