Chasing a Dream

Chapter 25

The End (for now)

Harry had tried to visit Hermione in the hospital wing, but they wouldn't let him in. After an hour or two of constant badgering, they finally let him see her. He ran over to Hermione, who was sitting up in a bed. She smiled and looked as she always had.

"Hello, Harry."

"Are you okay?" Harry asked eagerly as he took a seat next to her bed. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine. They tell me it was some sort of allergic reaction."

Harry was skeptical.

"To kissing me?!"

Hermione chuckled.

"No, silly. It must have been something in the lake water. We were right by it, remember."

Harry nodded. That didn't make any sense, however. Hermione had been in the water only last year, and she hadn't reacted like that. Harry just shrugged, relieved that she was all right.

"Thank God you're okay!" he said. Hermione smiled. At that moment, Ron chose to burst in through the hospital doors. It annoyed Harry that Ron could get in so easily, while Harry had to beg and beg. Ron ran over to her.

"What's going on? Lavender told me she saw Hermione on a stretcher!"

Hermione blushed.

"I have... allergies."

Ron looked at her with the same skeptical look Harry had. He shrugged.

"You are ok, right?"

Hermione nodded. Ron smiled.

"Good. We've got work to do."

"What work?"

"We have to start packing."

Harry and Hermione passed glances and looked back at Ron with a questioning expression. Ron rolled his eyes.

"We're leaving for Christmas break tomorrow, duh!" Ron laughed and left the hospital wing. Hermione smiled. Harry frowned. It would be his first year he wouldn't spend Christmas at Hogwarts since he was eleven. It was strange, but he'd have Sirius, Margaret, and not to mention Hermione to keep him company. Harry smiled. Maybe Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all. He didn't realize how very wrong he was.

_-_-_

"Hurry you three!" Ginny called, her head hanging out a window on the Hogwarts Express. She waved at Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Ron laughed and tore off for the entrance to the train. Harry helped Hermione with her suitcase. She'd been a little weak lately and had struggled with it earlier. It was a very heavy suitcase.

It was very, very awkward when Harry had to climb upon the train and glance back at the luminous castle. It made him feel like he was abandoning it or something. Hermione squeezed his hand comfortingly, seemingly reading his mind. Harry smiled and they climbed on the train together, finding Ron munching on sweets in a secluded cabin.

*_-_*

The train rumbled slowly down the tracks. Hermione was staring out the window. The objects moving slowly by fascinated her, or so it would seem. She was really distracted by her thoughts. She'd had another talk with Draco in the hospital wing before they let Harry in.

"Yes, Draco?"

Draco sat down on her bed. He had this strange look in his eyes that made her nervous. Draco always seemed to make her nervous.

"You've told him you love him, haven't you?" He asked. Hermione swallowed hard and nodded. Hermione watched the muscles in his arms tensing as he clenched his hands into fists.

"You have a lot more to tell him, you know."

"I know, Draco."

Draco looked down at her bed. His hands kept clenching and unclenching.

"I can't believe this is happening."

"It's going to be ok, Draco."

He looked up at her, his eyes shining with emotion that she'd rarely seen before. Hermione had sensed his feelings for her before, but now they were stronger than ever. It made her sad.

"But what if it's not, Hermione?"

Hermione took a deep breath. She didn't know how to answer him. They were very, very quiet for a while.

"Maybe I should talk to Septarian about Potter," he sneered. Hermione was startled. Draco was very angry, she could tell. Hermione knew he liked her and knew that he was jealous of Harry, but she'd never heard him threaten to do something like that to him out of jealousy before.

"That won't help anything, Draco. You shouldn't meddle in my affairs."

Draco snorted at the word 'affairs'.

"Why not? It's my job isn't it?" he snapped. Hermione had never seen him like this before.

"It isn't your job! You're my bodyguard, nothing more."

Draco froze and she realized what she'd said.

"Oh, Draco, I didn't mean it like that."

"Are you sure about that?"

Hermione was taken aback.

"What is that supposed to mean? You are my friend, Draco."

"Sure I am."

Draco was still looking down at the comforter. Hermione tried to get him to look up at her. Hermione loved Harry with all her heart, but she didn't want to hurt Draco.

"You are."

"Whatever you say, Your Highness."

"That hurt, Draco."

"Why, Your Highness?"

"Stop calling me that."

Draco stood up, anger etched into his features.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! Your Highness!!!" he screamed at her like a child desperate to disobey. Hermione blinked back tears. Draco stopped and his face fell. He looked back down at the ground.

"I should go."

Draco turned on his heel and walked out of the room.

Hermione did have a lot to tell Harry. She looked across the cabin at him. He was playing Exploding Snap with Ron. Her heart fell. Yes, she had a lot to tell Harry, she just didn't know how to tell him.

Hermione felt the train come to a halting stop. She stood up and Harry helped her with her things. She looked at him. She loved him. She loved him more than anything in her life. She smiled at him and walked slowly behind him.

She winced. It hurt so much to walk, even to breathe. She couldn't let Harry see, though. He couldn't see her pain, not yet. She climbed slowly off the train, resisting the urge scream in pain with each step.

Sirius and Margaret were there, waiting for them. Hermione observed them for a minute. It was obvious how much they liked each other. Margaret had cut her hair a little, and had it pulled back with her favorite butterfly hair clip. Sirius was looking less pale and not quite as thin.

Hermione smiled as she watched Harry hug Sirius. Margaret walked over and hugged her, barely touching her. Margaret knew. She knew she was in pain.

Sirius came over to her next. He placed a light hand on her shoulder and Hermione tried not to laugh as she watched Margaret strangle Harry. Sirius took this opportunity to stoop down and whisper in her ear,

"Do you want me to tell him?"

Hermione looked at him. He was looking grim. She shook her head.

"No, I can do it," she said. He looked concerned for a moment.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded his head. Sirius straightened up.

"Let's get going," Sirius said to Margaret and Harry. They got all of their things together and got in the car that Sirius had bought. It was a quiet drive home. Hermione stared out her window, which was a mistake. As soon as she saw all of those trees going by so fast, she grew very nauseated.

Harry picked up her hand and pressed it to his lips. Hermione looked up at him. He's so sweet. Hermione leaned on his arm.

"I love you," she whispered. He whispered back, "I love you, too."

Hermione smiled as the car stopped in the driveway of Chrysoberyl Manor. She looked up at the big house and the garden that she'd lived in for her whole life. The house had always seemed so big and empty. But, as she looked around the car at Harry, Margaret, and Sirius, it didn't feel as lonely as before. Only because she knew that they'd always be there for her for the rest of her life, however long that may be.

Harry took her hand and helped her into the house. She didn't want to make Harry sad. That was the last thing she wanted to do, but this was out of her hands.

"What's the matter, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione realized that she'd been staring into space and smiled at him.

"Nothing, Harry. Nothing at all."

Inside her mind a little voice kept chanting, "Liar, liar. Pants on fire!"

"Harry," she said. He turned and smiled at her.

"Yes?"

"I love you, do you know that?"

Harry grinned and walked over to her and took her hand.

"Yes, and I love you, too."

He kissed her on her cheek and whispered in her ear,

"And I always will."

Harry dropped her hand and went off to help Margaret in the kitchen. Hermione's head was bent down so her hair would hide her eyes. A single tear slipped down her cheek and splashed on the wooden floorboards.

"Me too, Harry. Me too."

To Be Continued...