CHAPTER 32: DRACO PUNCHES MORE PEOPLE (OR, DRACO MALFOY CAN BE SCARY SOMETIMES PART 2)

For a moment, everything was all right.

Hermione and Draco had walked out of the forest and back to Hogwarts' ground, expecting to be locked up, but thanks to Harry and Ron's explanation, their names were cleared by Neville almost immediately, and the news was being broadcasted to the necessary places to ensure that they would no longer be hunted.

Ron's family was contacted and the Weaselys all arrived soon afterwards, rushing around Ron, crying and laughing and hugging and promising to never let him out of their sights again. Molly Weasely hugged her son tightly, before smacking the back of his head for being dead for so long and for chasing after poor Hermione for wo years. She'd told him numerous times that the brunette girl wasn't to fault, and Ron sheepishly accepted his mistakes, vowing to find some time later to speak to Hermione.

They pulled Harry to the crowd too, hugging him tightly.

Astoria had been made aware that Blaise had been found, and she was already there, waiting for him when he emerged from the forest. She'd taken one look at him and burst into tears before running and hugging him tightly and refusing to let go. Yelling at him, her arms still around his neck, for being so stupid and getting caught in the first place and promising that if he so much as tried to leave without permission, she was going to break his legs. Blaise just hugged her back, finding comfort in her arms.

Everything that had happened had been a lot scarier than he'd been willing to admit, but with Astoria there, he felt secure once more. Why on earth had he wanted to divorce her again?

Pansy stood a little away from all of them, waiting to see how the rest of Draco and Hermione's love life was going to emerge. If she was going to write this all down, then she needed to know all the details.

But she felt somewhat awkward amongst the amass of tears and joyfulness. She didn't have anyone that was expecting her to arrive or be alive, but soon enough, she found herself within Molly Weasely's embrace too, as the woman thanked her for being with Ron the entire time. Ron glanced at her awe-struck expression at the action before smiling at her.

All was well.

Draco and Hermione walked out from the forest together. He was holding her up, her body on the brink of shutting down, but they were both smiling. As broken as they both were, the fact that they were now free from the curse of being on the run, and the fact that finally, finally, they would get to live out their lives, made Draco smile in a way no one had seen before.

No one was brave enough to comment on his dimple either.

Perhaps the universe did love Hermione Granger, after all, it had rewarded her with her freedom, and the one person in the world who was hers forever.

But it was like the sigh of relief came too fast, and just as things seemed to be settling down, Crystallex Valarie appeared from nowhere, a wild, crazed look in her eyes, her head bleeding heavily, and a wand held against the throat of an extremely terrified Ginny Potter.

.*.

"Ginny!" Harry screamed rushing forward, pushing people out of the way as he stumbled into the front of the crowd.

Crystallex smirked and pushed her wand deeper into Ginny's throat, Ginny gasped in pain, her knees buckling, but Crystallex pulled her up by her hair and made her stand.

Blaise caught Harry and held him back, "wait Potter. You won't help by rushing into things without thinking." He muttered to the man, who stopped struggling.

"Blaise, that's my wife. That's my wife. I can't..."

"Get a hold of yourself. Before you do something stupid, you need to disarm the crazy bitch first."

"Where's Hermione Granger? And Draco? WHERE IS DRACO MALFOY?! Give them to me or this woman dies!" Crystallex screamed out. Ginny glanced around the gathered crowd, her eyes searching desperately, tearing up slight when they caught sight of Harry.

To be caught off guard the way she was, Ginny felt like the most useless person in the world. To be held captive by her own wand too...

Hermione made to move forward, but Draco held her back, "oh no you don't! I just got you back, I'm not losing you again." He muttered, hugging her tightly.

Hermione shook her head, "but Ginny..."

Everyone had stopped their talking and moving, the Hogwarts ground was silent, all eyes trained on the two witches up at the front, no one daring to do anything in case things went wrong.

"Where is Dennis Creevy? He was supposed to give me Draco as a present at the completion of the spell of revival." Crystallex called out, digging the wand deeper into Ginny's throat. Ginny winced in pain, but didn't make a noise.

Ron held up his hands to show her that he wasn't armed, taking a few steps forward carefully and slowly, "Dennis is facing the Dementors now, his plan didn't work. We're not handing over anyone to you, now let go of my sister, you stupid bitch!" he roared.

Crystallex's eye twitched in irritation, "stupid man. I knew I shouldn't have left it to him! Give me Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger, and I shall not harm anyone else. was promised the death of those two, and I will have it." she screamed.

Hermione struggled to move, but Draco wouldn't let her go, but the movement caught the attention of the witch at the front whose eyes narrowed at the couple. "Found you!" she muttered before she stupefied Ginny who went flying into a wall, her head smacking into the bricks before she fell onto the floor, unconscious.

Harry broke free from Blaise and ran over to her, trying to shake her awake.

The armed witches and wizards threw all the spell they knew at her, but she deflected them all easily, hexing the closest people to her and turning her beady eyes on Hermione and Draco, growling at them in rage.

"You don't get a happily ever after." She yelled, throwing the 'avada kedavra' at Draco.

He tried to shield her from it, but Hermione used what little strength she had to push Draco to the ground, turning around just in time to get the spell straight in the chest, right at her heart.

And before anyone else could react, she fell on the floor, dead.

A strangled scream of horror and shock escaped from Draco's lips as he grabbed the wand from a fallen Auror and sent a spell flying at Crystallex so fast that she didn't have time to defend.

The curse hit her and sent her headfirst into the ground, her flesh and bones tearing into pieces as she screamed in agony. Soon enough all that was left was her wand amongst a pile of ashes.

Draco threw the wand away, falling to his knees and cradling Hermione's body in his arms.

He'd never been in love before. He'd always laughed at the idea of falling for some girl, being unable to live without someone else was ridiculous and he'd ever wanted to believe in such things. The war had opened his eyes on how fast you could lose the people you cared for and he never wanted to be vulnerable to that feeling again.

He'd lost his family. He'd lost friends. He'd seen indescribable pain and the tears of hundreds that had lost the ones they cared for.

He'd thought being away from Hermione in that short while when she'd sent him away had been bad, but now, kneeling on the cold, hard ground, holding onto the body of the only person in the world who'd managed to give him some hope again, the one person he'd been willing to admit that he loved, Draco found it hard to breathe.

The world seemed to be fading in colour, blurring around them, becoming mute. The only thing he could see was her, but the only thing he could hear was his own heartbeat. Her heart was still.

"No! NO! C'mon Hermione, don't go, stay with me. You promised me forever and ever. You can't break that promise; not again! I won't let you. Wake UP!!"

She didn't respond.

She was cold and pale, and his heart...Draco clutched at his chest...it hurt so much. It hurt so gaddamn much.

"Granger. Hermione...please, don't leave me too." He hugged her close, her scent, orange and cinnamon, it was still so strong, he crushed it into his memory. True love's potion; the romanticised idea of a twelve-year-old girl, and after so many years, it had done it's magic, except, now, he couldn't be with her anyway.

To find your true love, only to lose them so quickly. Why was there no justice in this world?

He grabbed her hand, holding them to his lips, tears streaming down his cheeks, "Granger! You promised!" he interlocked their fingers, the ring on his ring finger and hers, side by side as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

Everyone was watching him with sorrowful eyes, all hope lost to them, they had finally got back their Golden Trio, only to lose it. No one approached the grieving Malfoy, afraid that they would anger him by doing so.

Pansy clenched her fingers at her sides, wanting desperately to do something...anything to fix it all, but her mind was broken at the sight of Draco crying over a dead Hermione. This wasn't how the story was supposed to end. She'd been praying for a happily ever after...why was this happening?

She watched, wiping her own tears away as Draco suddenly perked up, his body stiffening for a second before he leaned down to put his ear to her chest, his eyes closed in concentration. Pansy froze...did that mean...was there...?

"Potter! Weasel!" Draco called suddenly, laying Hermione gently down on the ground.

Ginny, who'd been awakened just then, pushed Harry towards the couple on the floor, "go to him. Look after Hermione." She ordered him.

Harry hesitated only for a moment longer before running over to Draco, Ron followed, both rushing to his side and wondering what was going on. Why did Malfoy sound so excited?

Pansy edged closer to the three men, wanting to hear he conversation herself. Blaise seemed to have the same idea, since he, and Astoria in tow, joined her near to them.

"She has a pulse," Draco murmured, he didn't want anyone else knowing, especially if he was only hallucinating. He heard Pansy gasp and glared at her to keep her quiet.

Harry looked at him in pity, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder, "that's not possible Malfoy, the Avada hit her right in the heart. There is no way she can be still alive after that, I'm sorry." Harry wiped the tears from his eyes hastily, staring down at Hermione's dead body in pain.

Ron, who wasn't good with emotions, stared at Hermione and then at Draco and then at Harry, before patting the two men on the shoulders awkwardly. He was deeply upset too, but no tears would come and having a good cry now wouldn't help the situation at all.

Draco growled in anger, and shrugged both their hands off him, resisting the urge to knock them both out and leave, "I'm not hallucinating Potter, she has a pulse," he grabbed Harry's hand and placed it at her neck, watching in satisfaction as Harry's eyes widened and he stared at Hermione in confusion and awe.

Ron, seeing the look on Harry's face, grabbed her right arm and checked her wrist, his eyes closing in concentration, but they snapped opened in surprise.

She had a pulse. It was incredibly weak, but there was something within Hermione that was fighting to keep on living. She didn't want to go yet.

"That's...not possible," Harry cried out in horror, Draco smacked the back of his head, irritated.

"Don't be a hypocrite Potter; you've survived the Avada before, twice if I re-call correctly. And Hermione is three hundred times better than you could ever hope to be, of course she's alive!" Draco muttered, gathering her up in his arms and standing up.

Harry didn't know whether to be offended or not, but he decided that now was not the time to start an argument. Right now, stabilising Hermione took main priority. He stood up and immediately began to yell out instructions.

"All Aurors head back to Headquarters and commence the report regarding this incident. Those who are hurt, process to the infirmary or the hospital as required. Blaise, Pansy, head to Professor McGonagall's office and ask for permission to floo to hospital and arrange for an emergency Healing."

All the Aurors dispersed immediate, broom sand various other methods of transport being used. Blaise and Pansy ran into the school, making their way to the Headmistresses' Office to contact the woman somehow.

"Ginny and everyone else, Ron, Malfoy and I are going to Mungo's. Meet us there once you're all alright and checked up." Harry stated, nodding at his wife to ensure that she was okay. Ginny smiled at him before giving him the all clear to head off.

Draco carried Hermione bridal style and ensuring that she was secure in his arms, ran inside Hogwarts. His steps were carful but fast, making sure that he didn't jostle her in anyway, but travelling as fast as he could. Harry and Ron followed behind him.

They ran into the Headmistress' office and headed straight for the fireplace that was already set up for them by Pansy since Blaise had gone ahead to the hospital already.

Draco landed carefully onto the Hospital's emergency department, Harry, Ron and Pansy following afterwards and was surrounded by five Healers, all of them regarding the crowd of people in a mixture of fear and confusion.

Blaise ran up to them too, and by the look on his face, it was obvious that the situation wasn't going to be handled smoothly from the get go. Clearly the hospital hadn't been made aware of Hermione's new status as 'no-longer-wanted-for-murder.'

One of the healer took a step forwards, smirking at them in smug amusement, "so it's true then? Hermione Granger has been hit with the killing curse? I don't even want to know what you think that bringing her here would be a good idea. This is the emergency department, not the morgue. And even if she did have a fighting chance, what makes you think that any of us would be willing to help a wanted criminal? If anything, we should be grateful that she's dead!"

Pansy narrowed her eyes and shook her head in pity for the Healer and Blaise visibly winced, moving away from the Healers as Draco handed Hermione carefully over to Ron, who held her close as if shielding her from the things about to happen.

Harry took a step back and turned his back conveniently, as did Ron. The other Healers glanced at them in confusion, not understanding what was happening, or at least, that was until Draco grabbed the arrogant Healer by the collars of his uniform and crushed him against a wall, lifting him off the ground so that the man found it hard to breathe.

The other Healers gasped, and one of them grabbed her wand, but Harry shook his head at her, holding her and down.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. We've all just arrived from a battle against a crazy man who was trying to bring someone dead back to life, and we're all tired. And anyway, messing with Draco Malfoy is like digging your own grave. And if you do try and hurt him, I'm afraid I'm going to have to step in, and just because I'm Harry Potter doesn't mean I'm afraid to throw hexes. If you decide to try for back up, Ron Weasley, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini will have my back. So, a little advice, put away the wand and pretend none of this ever even happened, and do something to help my friend Hermione Granger."

The rest of the Healers immediately gaped at them in shock, putting away their wands at the mention of the put away her wand at the mention of the Malfoy heir, the saviour of the wizard world, the not-so-dead Weasley and Parkinson heiress, the Zabini heir and the most dangerous witch alive.

Draco punched the Healer straight in the nose, breaking the soft bones easily, the man yelped in pain. "What did you say about Hermione, you filthy Hippogriff? You're grateful that she's dead?"

He punched the man in the stomach and let him fall to the ground, only to knee him in the face once more. The sight of blood didn't seem to bother him at all, and Harry glanced from over his shoulder at the blond man, wondering if he would have to step in after all.

"How dare you? It's because of her that most you are even alive to be so smug! She's not dead, you pathetic excuse for a Healer," he pulled the man to his feet and punched him so hard, that he went flying into the wall and fell to the floor, unmoving, "mention anything about a funeral again and you'll be the one in a coffin before you can mutter an apology. You're lucky that she's here right now, or I would have killed you right here."

No one said anything as he carefully took Hermione back from Ron, but the rest of the Healers decided to comply and rushed off to find them a room to examine the patient before Draco Malfoy went on a rampage or something. The man was kind of scary.

Even Harry and the others seemed a bit wary of him now, but Draco didn't care. He'd meant what he'd said before at the graveyard. He didn't care about anyone else, but he couldn't lose Hermione.

They lay her on a bed and immediately got to work, connecting her up to machines, placing spells on her, bussing around busily, their faces all wound up in concentration and amazement. "What one earth happened to her!? This amount of lost blood and wound would've been enough to kill her, without the Avada too," someone muttered.

Draco growled, and it took both Harry and Ron to take him outside to cool down and let the Healers do their work. It only took around ten minutes for a Healer to call them back in and hand them a report of her condition. They'd stabilised her heart enough for it beat regularly again, but it was still weak.

Draco grabbed the report before any of the other could and read it to himself, barely keeping the anger he felt under wraps as the list was laid out in front of him.

Hermione had been hit with the torture curse countless times. Countless... they couldn't even tell how many times she'd had to suffer that spell because the other injured were too averse to pinpoint what came from which spell. She had a severe concussion from repeated head trauma, and the bruising on her body suggesting severe physical assault too.

She had fracture bones everywhere, and broken bones everywhere else. she was covered in so much scarring and bruising that even now, they were trying to heal her and barely managing. The blood loss wasn't helping either.

They hadn't been wrong in their surprise that she was alive after just all that, but even after being hit with the Avada curse, the fact that her heart was still beating was a miracle.

Draco handed the report to Harry and went and stood outside the room where she was, waiting. He didn't notice the other Weasely's arriving or the various other people who came to visit, wanting to know about what was going on. His attention was fixated on the door, and the fact that he couldn't see her right now.

Almost half an hour later, they managed to heal all her physical wound, though the bones would take longer to heal, and one of the Healers, a young woman who looked petrified to the bone, stepped outside, wringing her hands in fear and confusion.

"Mr. Malfoy sir?" she squeaked, jumping when he looked at her with his piercing grey eyes, "we've stabilised her and healed most of her wounds...but" she swallowed heavily, "but um...she's gone into a coma, and we can't waker her up with or without magic. The rest is up to her; she must wake up herself. The effect of the Crucio and the Avada can't be removed with magic, only with time. The only thing we can actually do is wait and hope for the best."

She winced, waiting for the man to get angry at her, but he simply nodded and patted her head gently as he walked past her into the room to Hermione. She gaped after him in shock and Pansy walked over to the girl, sighing. "Did you expect him to get angry again?" she asked the girl, watching as Draco sat beside Hermione and held her hand in his.

The Healer nodded meekly, and Pansy smiled sadly, "he's not a monster. I know he acts like one, but he's just hurting and he doesn't know what to do with himself. Forgive his actions earlier, he was scared because he thought he might lose the love of his life." Pansy told the girl.

Draco observed Hermione, her hand in his as she scanned her form. She looked better now, no bruises or dirt or blood was scarring her skin, but it was easy to tell that she was worn out and tired.

He was going to stay by her side until she woke up. She had to wake up. She had to.

Pansy wrapped her arms around herself and walked over to where the three men were seated, looking at the report in horror. "There is no point in being horrified at all that. Potter, Blaise, Weasely, get up, we're going to go and figure out a way to wake her up." She told them, crossing her arms.

"That's what Hermione would do for us," Ron muttered, standing up and nodding in agreement. Pansy inclined her head in thanks, glad that he at least had his head screwed on straight.

Harry and Blaise stood up too and nodded. They were going to do all they could to help Hermione. There was no way that they were going to lose her again.

.*.

Hermione could feel him sitting next to her. She couldn't' see him, but she knew it was him. His fingers were intertwined with her, and she tried to move them, to do something, to let him know that she was okay, but her fingers wouldn't do what her mind was telling them to.

She was aware of herself. She was on a bed, with Draco sitting next to her, her wounds had been healed and she could breathe easier now, but she couldn't move, or talk or do anything to let him know that she was alright.

Which made her even more confused. How was she alright? She'd seen the Avada curse hit her, she'd felt it start to drain her life, yet she was still breathing?

That crazy daughter of a hog, why had she wanted to kill Draco so much? Hermione didn't regret jumping in the way, in fact, she was glad that she did, but now she was frustrated.

Why couldn't she move?

She felt something fall onto her hand. Drops of a cool liquid...was Draco crying?

Why was he crying?

Was she dead?

But she didn't feel dead.

Was this what death was? The helplessness of being aware of one's surroundings, but being unable to do anything about it?

"Hermione Granger, you better wake the hell up now, or I swear I'll kill you!" Draco's voice broke through her questions, "you promised me forever Granger; I won't let you break that promise. Now wake up!"

Hermione wanted to answer, tried to answer but her mouth wasn't functioning. She lay there feeling distraught. She could feel, him, hear him, yet she couldn't reply, she couldn't be there for him.

Draco lay his head on her hand, she could feel his tears, one after the other falling from his eyes, and it broke her heart, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't comfort him.

But as much as it hurt her, her heart was glad that he was still alive.