Author's note: I know what you're thinking! Where the heck has she been? Where's the update? Well, I have the stock excuses---work, etc., and also that I must have written and rewritten this about three times before finally going this way. I hope you like it. The last chapter will be an epilogue. Please read and review! They keep me going! I am still in utter shock and disbelief at the response I've gotten on this one. I hate to see it coming to an end! I'm going to have to think long and hard about a new story…hmmm….the wheels are turning as we speak! Well, hold on for this chapter and then the epilogue (which I will try to post soon!)!
Chapter 27
Low
"Have you ever been low?
Have you ever had a friend that let you down so?
When the truth came out
Were you the last to know?
Were you left out in the cold?
What you did was low"
(Kelly Clarkson, "Low")
"They sure have been gone a long time," Lavender said to Parvati as she looked out the window of their bedroom window for the third time in 10 minutes.
"Maybe we should go check on her?" Parvati asked. "Hermione's a smart witch and all, but I mean, that just goes right out the window where Harry is concerned."
Lavender was about to agree with her best friend that they should go and search for Hermione, but were interrupted when the door suddenly opened and Hermione came barreling through the room. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair looked windblown.
She didn't say anything to her friends. She went over to her bed and pulled open her trunk and began packing her things into it. Lavender and Parvati exchanged a look.
"Hermione?" Lavender asked cautiously. "What did that dog say to you? You told him what was what, didn't you? I mean, you didn't listen to any rubbish he had to say, did you?"
Hermione continued to pack her belongings into her trunk and didn't turn around to acknowledge her friend's question.
"You're not leaving school, are you?" Parvati asked. "I mean, I know it's bad now, but we only have a couple more months left. You won't have to even look at Ginny Sodding Weasley's face anymore in two months time. Surely, you could hang in just a little bit longer."
When Hermione didn't answer, Lavender indignantly went over to her bed and picked up her wand.
"Well, if I can't get answers from you, I'll go ask Harry Potter," Lavender said. "I'll hex him into next week."
Hermione turned suddenly and quickly went over to Lavender.
"You don't have to do that, Lavender," Hermione said. "Harry didn't do anything!"
Lavender stared at her friend, her mouth open in surprise.
"How can you say that? He hurt you in the worst possible way, Hermione! And he thinks he can just fly outside someone's window like a white knight and dazzle you with slick words! He has another thing coming!"
Parvati took Lavender's wand from her hand. "What are you going to do, Lavender? Paint his toenails? Give me that before you hurt someone with it!"
Lavender looked quite affronted at this remark.
"I'm trying to stick up for my friend, Parvati," Lavender said, looking pointedly at Hermione.
Hermione shook her head, amused and touched at Lavender and Parvati. She had probably treated them a little unfairly in the past. They were a little flighty and they were way too interested in superficial things, but there was no denying that the two girls had been good friends to Hermione when she needed it the most.
"You don't have to do that, Lavender," Hermione said. "I'm okay. Harry's okay. I'm not leaving school. Far from it. I'm moving back to my old quarters, actually. Tonight."
"What?" Parvati and Lavender said in unison.
"I'm moving back to my old room," Hermione said again with a smile.
"Hermione!" Lavender exclaimed. "I know how you believe in giving people second chances and all, but this is a little extreme, isn't it? The witches' magazines are always doing articles about this sort of thing. Once a cheater, always a cheater. If he's done it once, he'll do it again."
Hermione shook her head. "But he hasn't. He didn't cheat."
Parvati sank down on her bed. "It's official. Hermione has lost her mind. Have you forgotten what's happened? He slept with another girl---a girl you thought of like a little sister. He lied to you and broke your heart. Is any of this ringing a bell?"
Lavender put a hand on Hermione's shoulder. Her eyes had gotten very big and she looked as if the secret of life had just dawned on her.
"Oh, Merlin! Harry cast a memory charm on you, didn't he? He made you think that none of this happened!"
Hermione shook her head again at her two friends.
"Perhaps we should all sit down," Hermione said, leading Lavender over to Parvati's bed where they both sat down beside Parvati. Hermione took a deep breath and then explained everything Harry had told her a few minutes ago on the Quidditch pitch. They'd both listened intently.
There was a silence in the room after Hermione finished relating the whole story to them. It was Lavender who broke the silence.
She smiled smugly at Parvati. "I told you Harry would never do something like this! I knew it all along!"
Parvati snorted. "Oh for Merlin's sake! Not twenty minutes ago, you were calling him a dog!"
Lavender looked down sheepishly at the floor. "Well, I didn't specify the kind of dog, actually. I mean, I didn't say he was an English bulldog or something like that. He's more like a cute poodle or a schnauzer."
Hermione laughed heartily at this. She gave her two friends a hug.
"You two are priceless," she said, with a laugh. "I don't know how I would have gotten through this if it wasn't for you."
Parvati and Lavender beamed back at Hermione.
"Well, you're one of us," Lavender said. "One messes with you, we miss with them right back."
Parvati laughed. "All for one and one for all."
"Let's help Hermione pack, then," Lavender said getting to her feet.
"That'd be greatly appreciated," Hermione said. "Harry's waiting for me upstairs."
"Do you want to see Ginny?" Lavender asked Hermione a few moments later. "I mean to see what she has
to say?
Hermione looked quite thoughtful for a moment. Then, she shook her head. "I don't think I care about anything she has to say. What could she say? There's nothing she can say that would either make me feel better or understand what happened? I just wash my hands of the whole thing."
"That's quite mature of you," Parvati said. "If it was me, I'd want to go scratch her eyes out!"
Hermione nodded. A part of her wanted to do just that, but she knew it wouldn't do anyone any good. There was still a little baby to consider. The health of that baby had to be paramount now. Hermione might confront Ginny after the baby was born, but for now, Hermione vowed to stay as far away from Ginny Weasley as possible. It would only be asking for trouble.
****
It was nearly midnight when Hermione finally made it back to the suite. She'd levitated her trunk behind her and breathed a sigh of relief when she set it down on the floor just inside the door. She didn't much feel like unpacking it tonight. It could wait until tomorrow.
As she'd been longer than she'd expected, she wasn't surprised to find Harry sound asleep on the sofa. He had a Quidditch magazine in his lap. She never in a million years would have dreamt that they would be right here, together again. As she stared down at his sleeping figure, she couldn't help but smile. She was glad everything had worked out for them. She wasn't fooling herself into thinking it would be exactly as it was before Ginny's deception, but hopefully they would come out of this much stronger and with a better appreciation of each other and their relationship.
She took a few tentative steps toward the couch and leaning over it, gently shook Harry's shoulder with her hand. His eyelids flickered and then opened sleepily.
"Sorry for falling asleep," he said, sitting up on the couch. He motioned for her to come and sit beside him and she willingly sunk into his arms. "I'd about given up on you. I thought you might have changed your mind."
She vehemently shook her head. "No, I got a little sidetracked from my roommates. They weren't going to let me leave without full disclosure. Lavender and Parvati can be quite feisty when they want to be."
Hermione rested her head on his chest and his arms wrapped protectively around her.
"Parvati and Lavender were discussing ways of castrating you when I made it back to the room," Hermione said, jokingly.
"Ouch," Harry said, with a visible wince. "Good friends you've got there, Hermione."
Hermione smiled. "They sure are."
They were silent for a few moments, just enjoying the peaceful, calm atmosphere of their home.
"I'm really sorry, Hermione," Harry said finally. She lifted her head from his chest and looked him square in the eyes. She put a finger to his lips.
"Shhhhhhhh," she whispered. "Let's not talk about any of that now. It doesn't matter now. Let's just enjoy tonight."
He nodded and smiled at her, placing a kiss on her forehead. She nestled into his chest and sighed.
"This is nice, isn't it?" Hermione asked.
"Mmmmm," Harry said, closing his eyes. "This is pretty damn near perfect, actually."
******
A couple of days later and Ginny was still recovering in the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey wanted to keep her at least a week for observation. At the end of the week, Ginny's parents were going to take her back home to the Burrow.
She hadn't really said much to anyone in the past couple of days. Her brothers were in and out to visit and offer their support, but she could see it in their faces. They were disappointed in her. She'd never seen them look at her like that, not even after the whole Tom Riddle fiasco in her first year at Hogwarts. Yet, she understood why they looked at her as they did. She deserved it. Worst of all, she didn't know what she would possibly be able to do to make up for it.
She'd also be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed that Draco Malfoy hadn't at least shown up to express some concern over her condition. She was carrying his baby after all. By now, the whole school must know the truth, she thought bitterly.
He could have least have the common decency to check on me and his baby!
She'd been here for nearly four days and there was no word from him. Though, to be perfectly honest, she could understand why he wouldn't come. It would be like throwing yourself to the wolves, as it were. At all times, one of her brothers seemed to be hovering about, trying to be supportive and understanding, but Ginny couldn't help wondering if they weren't on some sort of guard duty. They alternated shifts to watch over the wayward youngest Weasley, to restore some of her honor.
If Draco attempted to visit her, she had no doubt her brothers would go ballistic. There had never been any love lost between them before and with this latest turn of events, there was no hope of any détente or truces.
Still, it did sting when she looked up expectantly when the doors opened and she saw someone come in. It was never him, though. The one person she wanted to see and he didn't come. He didn't send a card or a letter. He didn't care. She knew it shouldn't bother her. She had enough time to get used to it. But, it still hurt.
****
At that very moment, Draco Malfoy was standing outside the corridor leading to the hospital wing, contemplating the best way to get in to see Ginny. It would have been easier to break into a bank then to visit her. The hospital wing was populated with Weasleys every day it seemed.
He'd take a quick peek along the hall before classes and after meals to see if the coast was clear, but invariably it never was.
Ginny was right. I am a coward.
He should just go in there and face the whole lot like a man. He would apologize to them for what he'd done and ask them to please let him see Ginny. He would tell them that he wanted a chance to make things right.
They'd laugh in my face. And I can't say as I'd blame them.
Giving up for the evening as he saw Fred and George Weasley walk into the hospital wing, he turned on his heels and made his way down the staircase toward Slytherin Tower. As he did so, he nearly bumped into Ron Weasley.
Ron stared at Malfoy coldly.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"It's none of your business," Malfoy replied equally.
"My sister is very well my business," Ron spat back at him. "And if you value your so-called life, you'll stay as far away from her as possible. You've done enough damage to her, haven't you?"
Malfoy started to walk away, but he turned around and faced Ron.
"I know you find this hard to believe, Weasel," Malfoy said, trying to keep in control. "But I happen to love your sister."
Ron laughed.
"Love?" Ron asked him. "You wouldn't know love if it came up and bit you on the arse! If you feel bad about what you've done, you can make it right. You can do that by staying as far away from her as you possibly can! She doesn't need you! And if I hear that you've been anywhere near her, I'll make you regret it so badly your grandchildren will be talking about it!"
Malfoy wanted to respond with a witty, trademark Malfoy reply, but he didn't feel the need to do so. It would only make things worse, if that was even possible.
"I'm not scared of you, Weasel," Malfoy said. "And you don't have to worry. I will stay away from her. The funny thing is that I agree with you. I wish that she would have stayed away from me. Merlin knows I tried to stay away from her, but I couldn't do it."
Ron shook his head and rounded on Malfoy.
"I don't want to hear you talk about my sister," Ron said. "Just stay away from her and you and I won't have any problems! Have you got that?"
Malfoy stared back at Ron wanting to do something---hit him or hex him. But, to even his surprise, he just nodded and with that walked away, leaving a stunned Ron in his wake.
********
While Hermione enjoyed being Head Girl for many reasons, there were certain aspects of the job that were not at the top of her list. One of them was doing nightly patrols when she had a massive assignment to work on. She and Harry were still working on their project for Snape and they'd made plans to make a lot of headway into it tonight.
Harry' had picked up the necessary ingredients from Snape's private stock and Hermione had checked out a couple of books from the library that would help them out even further with the project.
While they usually did rounds together, tonight they decided to split up so that the chore would go quicker and they'd be able to spend a lot of time on the project.
Hermione stifled a yawn as she made her way along the third floor of the castle. There was a bustle down the corridor and she quickened her step to check out the cause of the noise.
She found it at the staircase. A first-year Hufflepuff was cowering on the stairs. He'd obviously been knocked over or pushed and he was whimpering. Hermione's heart went out to him immediately.
"Are you alright?" she asked him, leaning down so they'd be on eye level.
He nodded.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Some of the Slytherin boys came up from behind me and pushed me out of the way. I tripped and fell."
Hermione smiled sympathetically at the boy.
"Did you recognize who pushed you?"
He shook his head no.
"Let's help you up, then," Hermione said, offering a hand to the grateful boy who tried to stand, but winced in pain as he did so.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Looks like you might have turned your ankle," Hermione said, looking down at the boy's leg. "Lucky for you the hospital wing is just over there. Let's get you over there so Madame Pomfrey can check you out."
The boy nodded and leaned on Hermione for support as they gingerly made their way toward the hospital wing.
Madame Pomfrey looked up expectantly as Hermione pushed open the double doors.
"What have we got here, Miss Granger?" Madame Pomfrey asked looking at the boy.
"I think he turned his ankle," Hermione said. "He's having trouble putting weight on it."
"Ah," Madame Pomfrey said. "Can you help me get him to one of the examining rooms?"
Hermione nodded and helped Madame Pomfrey lead the boy back to one of the examining rooms. As she did so, she didn't notice Ginny, sit up in her bed at Hermione's arrival. Ginny looked after Hermione as she disappeared into one of the rooms.
A few minutes later, Hermione emerged from the room, alone. She was walking toward the exit when her eyes met Ginny's. Hermione froze in place as the two former friends looked at each other.
Ginny spoke first.
"Hello, Hermione," she said, sitting up further in her bed and pulling the duvet cover protectively around her.
"Ginny," Hermione replied coolly. She had forgotten about Ginny still being in the hospital wing.
"How are you?" Ginny asked, not really knowing what else to say.
Hermione looked at her in surprise. "How am I?" she repeated.
Ginny knew at once that this was the stupidest question she could have asked.
"I'm sorry," Ginny said quickly.
Hermione was silent, her expression stony.
"Please say something, anything," Ginny pleaded.
"What do you want me to say?" Hermione asked her, stepping closer toward her bed. "I didn't expect to see you. This is just a little too soon for me, right now. I don't think I can talk to you without losing my temper and that's not a good idea right now with you trying to recover."
Ginny nodded. "I appreciate your concern, Hermione. But, I do want to say something to you. If you'd just give me a couple of minutes, I'd appreciate it. I know you don't owe me anything and I don't have the right to ask, but I want to say this, please."
Hermione looked doubtful, but she sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed and looked solemnly at the girl.
"Thanks," Ginny said softly. "I know you aren't going to believe me, but I truly am sorry for what happened. I don't know what I was thinking."
"I do," Hermione interrupted. "You weren't thinking at all. You had to have known that this all would have eventually come out, Ginny. Harry's not stupid. When your baby came out looking like a miniature Malfoy, he would have known the truth. And how could you have endangered the life of your baby by taking a potion without knowing the effects it could have on it?"
Ginny nodded and felt tears come to her eyes. "You're right. I wasn't thinking. If I was thinking, I was only thinking of myself."
"It's all well and good to be sorry for it now, but Ginny, did you even think about feeling sorry while you were doing this? I seem to remember a certain girl showing off her engagement ring to anyone who came around."
Ginny looked embarrassed at this. She had done that. She'd mainly done it within sight of Malfoy to rub it in even further. Remembering this fact made her feel even worse.
"You played around with people's feelings and emotions, Ginny!" Hermione said angrily. "How could you have done that? And you didn't do this to total strangers, but to people you supposedly cared about and who cared about you!"
"Don't you think I know that?"
"No," Hermione said, shaking her head. "I don't think you do! I don't even know who you are. This isn't the same girl who used to stay up nights talking with me about all different kinds of stuff. This isn't the same person who used to ask me advice and confide in me with secrets and jokes. I don't know where that person went, but she isn't you anymore. I don't know if she ever really was."
"I never meant to hurt-" Ginny began, but Hermione got up from the bed and held up her hand.
"Don't even start with that," Hermione said coldly. "Don't even tell me that you never meant to hurt anyone. You had to have some idea that by doing what you did that people would get hurt."
"You're right," Ginny said.
"And you can't make it better by saying all the apologies and spouting off what people want to hear," Hermione continued. Tears were welling up in her own eyes as she spoke.
"I know I can't take any of this back," Ginny said. "I wish I could! You have no idea how much! I don't know what to do to make up for this."
"There's nothing you can do," Hermione said, her voice faltering a bit. She wanted to get as far away from Ginny as possible. "I don't know if I could ever forgive you for what you've done, but if you want to make up for it in some way, you can accept responsibility for what you've done. You can be the kind of person that your daughter or son would be proud to call a mother. You can turn your life around. Do it for your child, Ginny. You owe them that. Not me, not Harry, not your family, but you do owe your child that."
Ginny nodded.
Hermione looked at her once more before turning around and walking out of the room.
In the confines of the empty corridor, Hermione felt the tears fall down her cheeks.
In her hospital bed, warm and snug, Ginny, too, broke down in tears.
She heard the sound of footsteps approaching and she looked up, expecting to see Hermione's face, but instead saw the familiar eyes of Draco Malfoy, staring at her, his eyes full of concern.
"What are you doing here?" she asked him.
He stepped closer and sat on the edge of her bed.
"I know I'm a little late," he said. "But if you need me, I'm here."
She hesitated a moment before letting him engulf her in a warm embrace.