We Will Meet Again

Draco stared at the ceiling of his dormitory - cold, grey stone, with streaks of mildew that even the house elves couldn't remove. How could Hermione leave him? How could she think he could live without her?

He rolled over onto his side, the emerald green satin brushing his cheek... brushing his cheek like Hermione's hair used to.

"You've driven me insane, Hermione," he muttered, glaring at the framed photograph on his bedside table. "I still love you, damn it! What the hell did I do wrong?"

"Hermione..." he whispered, his fingers caressing the first photo he had received from her. He just realised it would be the last photo he would get.

~

Hermione ran up to the Gryffindor common room, tears blinding her vision. How dare Draco... change? Or was he always like that?

"Love is blind," Hermione sighed, fingering the heart shaped locket around her neck Draco had given her for Valentine's Day.

Hermione frowned suddenly and tore the delicate chain from her neck, tossing the locket to the floor. The locket split open, revealing a smiling picture of Draco on one side, and a smiling one of her on the other.

Hermione walked over and picked it up, looking closely at the pictures.

"No, Draco. You never smiled in this photo... Ron was right, it really is an arrogant smirk."

~

Draco sank into a green sofa, flipping through his Potions notes. He pretended to study - he tried to study, but images of Hermione kept floating through his mind.

He scowled, frustrated. "I'm over Hemione, damn it!"

Inside, he knew he was not. "Damn it, Hermione, I can't live with you and I can't live without you," he gritted his teeth.

Pansy looked over at him, concerned. He gave her a tight-lipped smile and turned back to his notes, scribbling furiously around the edges: 'Hermione', 'Hermione Granger' and finally 'I love Hermione.'

"That's it, Hermione! You drove me to it; you can't blame me," Draco swore to himself silently and rose from the sofa.

Draco stalked over to his dormitory and took out an ancient looking trunk from underneath his bed. He flipped it open and took out a long, silver case, with the name Malfoy inscribed in the bottom right hand corner.

He opened it and carefully slid out a silver dagger, with emeralds on the hilt. He ran his thumb lightly over the blade, feeling the knife cutting into the skin slightly.

"Yes, Hermione," Draco smiled grimly, "you'll be the death of us."

~

Hermione shuddered slightly as the cool winter's wind played across her arm, bringing up goosebumps and making her hair stand on end.

The moon was full. It sent a blade of moonlight across the book, bathing it in silvery light. Hermione looked outside, wondering how Lupin was coping that night.

The library was quiet now - most people had gone to the Quidditch pitch to watch the Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff match, but Hermione wanted to study. The NEWTs were coming up, after all.

Hermione was engrossed in the history of the Hogwarts founders, rapidly turning over the bleached white, thin pages. She didn't hear a footstep of a figure creeping up on her.

~

"Oh, God..." Draco stopped, a few feet away from Hermione's chair. "I can't do this."

He bit his lip, watching Hermione busily flick through pages. Could he? He closed his eyes, trying to sort out the thoughts flitting through his mind.

"All right," he steadied himself, and lifted the knife. It hovered dangerously above Hermione's head. She looked up, and screamed.

~

Hermione looked up at the thin, blond figure standing above her. Her gaze flicked from the tortured, grey-blue eyes to the dagger, shining in the faint slice of moonlight.

"Draco... no..." she whispered hoarsely. She saw Draco lift the knife. She saw it pierce her skin, a pinpoint of blood, turning into a gushing red river, flowing down her robes. She saw his eyes, now teary, with repressed rage and grief.

~

Draco gasped as he felt the knife slide neatly into Hermione's chest. He didn't think he'd actually do it. He hadn't expected it to work. He hoped it wouldn't work. But the first half of the plan was complete. The second part would only take a moment - but it would take all of his will to finish his plan.

Draco gazed at Hermione, seeing her eyelids flutter for the last time. Her last breath escaped from her parted lips, and she was gone.

He felt the dagger stab into him, though he felt no pain. No physical pain. He felt the love he had for Hermione stream out through his wound. He knew they would get back together... dead or alive.

After all, Hermione couldn't resist him.

~

Hermione blinked once - perhaps it was a reflex - perhaps it wasn't. Before she died, all she knew was she and Draco would get back together... when they meet again.

After all, Draco couldn't resist her.