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Nature's Cruelty: Sequel to Earth Shattering	By : Luckycharms Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 4870 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. That right goes to the AMAZING JK Rowling. No profit is made off this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Prologue
- 2-Flight
- 3-News
- 4-Secrets
- 5-Fireworks
- 6-Broken
- 7-Zoo
- 8-Tremble
- 9-Danger
- 10-Loss
- 11-Cruelty
- 12-Hope
- 13-Epilogue
- 11
- 12
- 13
A/N: This is it guys! Last chapter before the epilogue! It has been a crazy journey so far and I feel this story went above and beyond my expectations; especially since I didn't really have a plan in place for it and basically winged it. I received so many requests for a sequel that I just had to do it for all who fell in love with the first story. Thank you guys so much for your patients and support; it means the world to me. Don't forget to follow me to keep up to date on new stories down the road. I have some good ones in store for you!
Chapter 12- Hope
Saturday, July 8th, 2006 10:10am
Hermione sat at Draco's bedside in Kindred Hospital San Diego, staring down at unopened letters delivered by owl earlier that morning. It had been three days since the massive overdue earthquake and two days since Draco was moved to the new location due to overflow.
After he had passed out, Hermione was able to extract the bullet lodge in ribs before help arrived. Search and Rescue combed the zoo for hours looking for any survivors. They had heard the gun shot from the other side of the park and happened across them just as she pulled the round out. He was quickly rushed to the closest evacuation point just outside the zoo for emergency surgery in the field; and all she could do from that point on, was pray to Merlin that he survived.
The medics refused to let her near Draco while they cut into him, and others whisked Steven away just as quickly to treat the snake bite he receive. Feeling hopeless and alone, she sat on a cooler in a small tent down the street and waited. The hours ticked by ever so slowly and it caused her to replay all of the events that took place that day.
During the transition from the zoo, Hermione released the spell hiding Jason's body and told fireman where to find him. She knew that if one good thing could come out of all that hell, it would be giving his family something to bury…and she could speak from experience.
She had become desensitized over the years to the pain of loss, but somehow the demons within her still found their way to the surface. Something inside her cracked when she saw the firemen finally carry Jason's body from the zoo; she knew it was him even with the black zipped tarp covering his face, and as she watched them set him down in a row with other zipped up bags, she lost charge of her mind, and snapped. Tear drop after tear drop continued to plunge to the ground well after she thought there was nothing else left.
Inconsolable and out of control, a doctor working on a patient close to her had to sedate her in fear of her harming not only herself, but others around her. She was forced to check in to the psych ward for 24 hour surveillance as the doctors at the hospital deemed her too unstable. They diagnosed her with survivors' guilt, which in her opinion, weighed more heavily on her soul than the PTSD she had suffered after Voldemort's collapse.
Once the hospital cleared her and the baby, Hermione stopped at the somehow still standing Villa they were staying in to get some fresh clothes. She had managed to clean up the mess with a few spells and pack a bag for Draco, but in the process of packing a few items for herself, she found the space book Regina had given her husband just the other day. She picked it up off the floor and opened it up, as curiosity got the better of her, and flipped through a few pages. She was just about to close it when a page on meteor showers caught her attention.
As she scanned through the paragraphs, one sentence made her heart stop cold. Even in muggle literature, they still believed in signs. According to the book, having a fight during the cosmic event was considered bad luck for things to come. She remembered both the time she saw the shooting star and the shower occurring when Draco walked out, and cursed herself for momentarily believing that the fortune teller wasn't a fraud. She didn't believe in Divinations ever since Trelawney, but it was hard for her to not deny that it was a very big coincidence.
After getting her thoughts together, Hermione head back to the hospital and juggled the remaining time between Draco and Steven's rooms. Steven's Aunt and Uncle checked him out early, against the hospitals wishes, and the entire time they were there, she could see the fear and resentment they held against him. It crushed her heart to see them treat him so terribly. It was like Harry's childhood all over again and she wanted nothing more than to help him. But she couldn't. She could only imagine how his parents would react when they found out the news.
Draco however, had soot in his throat and lungs on top of the gunshot wound, so the surgeons were forced to put him in a medically induced coma, after his surgery, while his body tried to heal itself. Due to being a wizard though, his wounds healed a lot faster than anyone expected and they reversed the medication keeping him asleep, ahead of schedule. It was only a matter of time now before he woke up and she could see his gorgeous grey eyes again. She missed him, more than words could say.
Letting out a small sigh, Hermione continued to stare at the letters addressed to her and Draco. She had sent Harry a letter after her release, letting him know that everyone was okay and ask him if he knew anything that could explain her connection to the Lion. He had finally responded via Express Owl, but she was hesitant to open the envelope in fear that it would say something she couldn't handle.
The other letter was addressed in neat cursive to Draco specifically and she had an inkling on who it was from. She wasn't going to open it though. She knew that in the end, it was up to her husband on whether or not he wanted to read what his mother had to say. She half wished to burn the thing and never mention it again, but lies and secrets already got them into one mess, she didn't want to create another. Her curiosity also got the better of her and she deemed the letter too important to throw out.
Setting the parcels on her lap, Hermione turned the envelope from Harry over and started to open it. Pulling out the parchment, another letter fell from the folded sheet and on to the floor. She leaned down to pick it up when she saw her name written in a penmanship she recognized all too well.
Sucking in a breath, Hermione opened Harry's letter and began to read it carefully.
Hermione,
Words cannot express how happy I am to hear that you are alright. Myself, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasley clan were beside ourselves with worry over you and Malfoy after we heard what happened in California. We were told that aftershocks can occur at any time, but they will be smaller than the one you had to deal with. Please stay safe while you are there. Oh and Mrs. Weasley wants me to tell you, that as soon as you can come straight home so she can care for both of you herself. She doesn't trust muggle medicine and wants to have you both checked out at St. Mungo's ASAP. Mr. Weasley of course wants to study the effects of the medicine on a wizard, but that request was denied as soon as he brought it up. (Keep Malfoy away from him. I fear he will try and study him regardless.)
We all also want to express to you how I terribly sorry we are to hear of the loss you occurred over your trip…and the loss we all share as well. I know that there is nothing I can say to ease any of that pain for you; just know we are all here for you, if and when you need us.
Anyway, I know you are eager to hear a reply on what you mentioned in your letter and I did look into both requests for you. As for Steven's predicament, I talked to Kingsley about what you stated and he said he would do a bit of research for you and get back to me via Owl as soon as he figured something out. But trust me when I say, that I refuse to let that boy go through the same thing I did. We will fix this for him.
As for the Lion situation; I honestly couldn't find anything about it in any books or at the Ministry, so I asked around and I only found one viable piece of evidence that might explain the odd encounters. I can't really explain it well through writing, but I was told by George that it is some sort of link. He became guarded when I pressed further and wouldn't tell me anymore. He did say to ask Malfoy though, which is odd; however…Sorry, it just hard to write…however, I think it is time I give you something that might help you better than any of us. Something I never should have kept from you.
I have enclosed the letter Ron had written you before his, well before what happened to him. Maybe his words will bring you the answers you need, and more importantly, bring you comfort. I know what he did to you was wrong and there is no excuse for the trouble he placed on all of us, but try to give his words a chance. He is…was, our best friend Mione. Don't let one mistake ruin the thousand memories we share of him. I am not asking you to forgive him for his wrong doings, I am simply just asking you to keep an open mind and an open heart.
We love you; return to us safely.
Love Always,
Harry
PS- Please don't be mad at Malfoy for hiding anything from you. It was my fault for not telling you myself in the first place. Please tell him I am sorry for putting that burden on him and that we all wish him a quick and speedy recovery.
Hermione stared at the envelope Harry attached and studied the handwriting on the front. She had to admit she missed Ron more than words could say, but forgiveness was a long ways away. He had caused her too much grief by cursing her, and even though he didn't do it of his own free will, he still chose to have Narcissa Malfoy help him get what he desired.
Harry was right though, she might not be able to forgive Ron, but she could at least listen to what he had to say; even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear.
Slowly running a finger over the writing on the cover, she listened as Ron's voice said her name in the back of her mind. Swallowing slightly, Hermione turned the envelope over and freed the parchment inside.
My Dearest Hermione, (I hope you are okay with me saying that)
This is by far the hardest letter I have ever had to write in my life. I know hearing from me is the last thing you want and I won't blame you if you stop reading now and just throw this parchment away. What I did to you and Malfoy, well there-there is no justifying it. I was selfish and desperate and even that is not a good enough reason for what I did. All I can say it how sorry I am for hurting you. I regret everything. I know you won't ever forgive me and I am not expecting you to. I don't deserve any sort of mercy and I know I will never earn your trust back. But I am sorry. I am truly and deeply sorry for the emotional pain I caused you. It eats away at my soul every day and I pray to Merlin for an absolution…but I know it will never come.
My hate for Malfoy ran too deep for me to comprehend my actions, but as I sit here in this dark and cold cell, I realized that it was not my place to try and break you away from him. Please don't be mad at him, but he did visit me many times over the year and I got to know the real Draco. He has been my only visitor since being put in this prison, other than Harry this one time, who will hold on to this letter for me.
At first I still resented Malfoy, but he kept coming, even when I refused to speak a word or look in his direction. It took a long time for me to finally give in and look at him; but as soon as I did, the pain I felt at losing you began to soften. He caught me up on your life and how you were fairing. He told me about your engagement and how excited he was to marry you. He kept me sane in this bloody hell hole. (Of all people, who would have guessed?)
It is strange for me to admit it but it was actually nice talking to the git; even if I was forced into it at first. He loves you Mione, more than I ever could. He promised me he would protect you at all costs and I could see it in his eyes that he meant every word of it.
What I am trying to say, is that the bloke isn't half bad once you get to know him. I still see him as our childhood nemesis, though Ginny was right about him changing. Everyone deserves a second chance. And if we are being fair here, everything he did and said to us at school was not okay, but the torment he put us through was nothing compared to the unforgivable act I carried out. If anyone should suffer here, it's me and I am.
Anyways, I know for certain that you will never see me again and I have finally come to terms with that. If I did it correctly, which I hope I did, I know you will have a ton of questions about something in the near future that you can't explain and you won't find in any book I know you have researched. I guess I have Malfoy to thank for it. Draco this time, not his awful mother. And before you blow your top on him, I want you to know that it was not a secret. Think of it more as a surprise gift-to both of us.
I want to wish you all the best on your life. I am happy for you, really. You will always be my best friend. You may not see it that way anymore and I completely understand, but please remember what you said in your speech during Fred's funeral, as it still holds true to this day.
'We may have lost so many loved ones during our fight for freedom and we may feel dead ourselves inside. There may not be a way to fix the past, but there is always a way to rebuild our future. Cherish the good memories made though out our lives, even if we are no longer connected to the person we once shared them with. Don't dwell on the mistakes made for they were never truly made to harm you; if they were, they wouldn't be called mistakes. Hang on to the lives still around and tell them every chance you get how much you love them, because even though we may feel broken, we aren't. We are just…slightly bent. And the ones we love, will always be right there to help us stand up straight again.'
I think you harnessed your inner Dumbledore a little too well. Although I will never forget your words Hermione, I repeated them every night to help me fall asleep. I still do.
Nerveless, I think it is time I finally stepped aside and let someone else love you more than I can. Don't annoy the git too much alright; he might not deserve you, but he will certainly do his best to try.
Also before I go, I know you will hear of some news in the coming days and I don't want you to blame yourself. And please don't blame Malfoy either; he doesn't know anything other than that he helped me find a way to, I guess I could say, watch over you. Not in a creepy stalker like way, more like a protector since we apparently share a link due to my unspeakable crime. Stay strong through it, okay? I know you can. You are stronger than all of us.
I love you Hermione. I always have and I always will.
Ron Weasley
A single tear drop fell on to the parchment as Hermione read Ron's last words. She never expected something so proper and so heartfelt from him, but then again, she never really gave him the appropriate credit. His message made it hard for her to hate him. He did quote her word for word and the letter was the most sincere he has ever been…ever will be. She owed it to herself to at least try to move forward. Only problem was, now that he was gone, she didn't know how.
She reread the last line over and over again until the words blurred together. She began to wipe her eyes when she heard Draco grumble slightly. Lifting her head, she observed him as he awoke from his slumber and it took everything in her to not jump on top of him in delight.
He looked tired and weak, but as his eyes connected to hers, a small smile appeared at the corner of his mouth making her heart fill with happiness. Setting the parcels on the bed Hermione stood up, cupped his face in both her hands, and kissed her husband with a great passion. The kiss was deep and filled with such warmth that caused an aching need to just want to hold on to each other forever.
Hermione pulled back slightly and rested her forehead against his. Their lips just lightly grazing against each other as they stayed connected, basking in each other's presence. Draco reached up and began caressing her jaw line like he was memorizing the feel of her skin. His fingers brushing against her face, bringing goosebumps to the surface, helped her relax, as she closed her eyes, and finally…breathed.
It had been too long since she felt composed. Ever since their first big fight she had felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. Knowing he was alive and really there aided in calming her thoughts, bringing tranquility back into the mist.
"Merlin's beard, I missed you" he whispered in a hoarse voice while raising his eyes to hers. "but we really need to stop meeting like this."
Hermione giggled lightly before leaning in to place a quick gentle kiss upon his lips.
"I couldn't agree more." She grinned with a scrunch of her nose.
"Next time let's go somewhere where Mother Nature can actually be predicted."
"How about for now we just…go home?"
"You are my home, Love. As long as you are with me, I will always be home."
"Gods you have become soft!" she laughed.
She broke away from him and smacked him lightly in the arm.
"You love it." he smirked.
"That I do." She replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
An awkward silence filled the room as they both stared down at their fingers. There was so much she wanted to talk about with him, but for some odd reason, she didn't know where or how to even start.
"So how are you feeling?" she asked "I should grab the nurse-"
"I meant what I said." He quickly cut in, making her tilt her head to the side and look at him in confusion. "I want you to keep the baby, Hermione…I-I want us to be a family."
"Wha-"
"I involuntarily did some soul searching while in the Zoo and realized…I did more to protect that monkey-"
"Primate." She corrected and he lifted his eyes to her.
Letting out a huff through his nose, he smiled before looking back down at his hands.
"Primate" he continued "and I did more to protect Steve than my own father would have ever done for me. I didn't do it out of responsibility or because it was expected of me, I did it because I actually cared about their well-being. I cared about their safety and they both sort of, I don't know, grew on me. I felt a connection to them like they were mine and it made me think about our situation…I'm not scared anymore; I want to be a father to that baby."
"Really?" she beamed.
"Really."
Hermione let out a squeal before hugging the daylights out of him in excitement.
"Oh, I knew you would come around!" she claimed as she released him.
"Yeah well, you can thank Steve for being the one to finally break me in…Speaking of which, where is he? Is he okay? Are you okay? What happened to the monk-primate? What happened with Tate? Is the baby okay?"
"Slow down." she grinned "First, The baby is fine; second, I talked to the police here and a few Auror's. I explained what happened and they are investigating the situation. MACUSA will also want to talk to you. They have been waiting ever so patiently for you to wake up."
"In other words they are going crazy trying to figure out how I won't sue them for allowing that lunatic into the country." He rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Precisely." She chuckled "As for the Bonobo, she was taken by a staff member at the Zoo. As cute as it was, it was still property of the park and couldn't come with us; besides the hospital would not have allowed it in. She'll be fine though, her name is Sophie, and they said you have free access to visit her anytime you desire; as a thank you for saving her life."
"So it was a girl? I thought it was boy the whole time." he shrugged "What about Steve? How is he doing after everything?"
"Well…"
"Well, what?" he raised a brow "Please tell me he is okay."
"He's fine, physically…mentally, not so much."
She continued to fill Draco in on the boy's circumstance and brought him up to speed on her own condition as well since he refused to drop the subject until she told him.
"I knew you would save me." He claimed gently.
"Can we…Can we not talk about that right now? Please?"
Draco's face fell to a frown, but he nodded his head and took her hand in his.
"Are you okay though? You have been through a lot."
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"I can't help but worry my love."
"I should go get the nurse." She stood up abruptly and removed her hand. "They are going to want to examine you."
"Oh…Yeah okay." He frowned again.
But she quickly left a kiss on his forehead before making her way out.
"Mione?" he called out to her.
Hermione stopped in her track and rested a hand on the edge of the open door before looking back to him.
"You're not crazy you know? Just because you had a melt-down doesn't mean you're weak."
"I know." She spoke quietly.
"I don't think you do." She removed her hand from the door and fully turned to face him. "We are all allowed to have our moments, Love. But that doesn't make you helpless or defective, it makes you human. I would be worried if you didn't crumble. What we went through-what you went through is enough to cause anyone to break. Just know that I love you regardless and I will always be here for you when you are ready to talk."
"Thank you." she replied with a half-smile forming on her lips "I'm going to get the nurse, alright?"
Draco nodded his head and she turned out the door.
XXX
010:46am
As soon as the door closed, Draco felt scared and alone. He didn't want to admit to Hermione that muggle hospitals scared him. Ever since last years' incident, he never wanted to be in another hospital again. But there he was, sitting alone in a plain white suit; although this time he was the one hooked up to machines.
Letting out a deep sigh, Draco began looking around the room as he waited for his wife to return. His eye caught on an open parchment near the end of his bed and he raised a brow in wonderment. Readjusting himself, which was painful at best, he reached forward and picked up the once folded paper.
His eyes grew wide as he read the letter Ron had written her and even though the git mentioned for her to not be mad at him, he knew she still would be. Behind that letter was a second one from Harry, and as much as he didn't want to read her personal mail, he couldn't help himself from inquiring what was written.
He had just finished the last line of Harry's letter when Hermione came back into the room. He quickly placed Ron's letter back on top and set the parchments on his lap.
"The nurse said she will be in in a minute or so; she is just checking on another pat…ient- What is that? Are you reading my lett-"
"We need to talk." he muttered softly.
"You're damn right we do! Where to you get off invading my personal things?"
Draco raised his eyes to her before looking back down at the letter.
"That's not why you are really mad."
"Excuse me?" she stated angrily while crossing her arms; however her anger was played out and he knew she wasn't really mad.
"I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? That was personal!"
"Then why did you leave it open on the bed?"
"I-I forgot to put it away!"
"No you didn't." he sighed "You don't forget things like that. You wanted me to read it because you wanted to ask me about what he wrote and you didn't know how to start…I don't want to fight with you, darling. I want to explain everything."
Hermione sighed just as a nurse entered the room behind her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I can come back when you're ready." The nurse claimed when she saw the expressions radiating off the couples faces.
"No" Hermione stated while not taking her softened eyes off Draco "no its okay. We are ready" She brushed her hands on her jeans before taking a seat.
The nurse nodded her head and quickly checked Draco over. After scribbling a few notes on his chart, she bowed her head and exited the room.
"Can we talk now?" Draco asked as he looked at his wife slumped over in a chair in the corner.
Hermione let out another sigh and moved the chair closer to him. She took her seat but kept her eyes to the ground.
"Why did you visit him?" she asked after a moment of silence. "You knew how I felt about him."
"I did. But I also knew where he was coming from."
She raised her head up and eyed him skeptically.
"What?"
"Loving you isn't easy, you know."
"That's a rude thing to say."
Draco let out a light laugh and slightly tilted his head to the side.
"I don't mean it to be…What I am trying to say, is that loving you, it's all consuming. It is a good thing…Most of the time."
"Most of the time?"
"Hermione, Love, you are always on my mind. Always. There is not a second that passes that I don't think of you. What you are doing, what you're thinking, what you're wearing." He laughed lightly "But sometimes that can interfere with my task at hand. Work mainly, but I am lucky enough to be able to come home to you afterwards and snog and shag the shite out of you to make up for putting you to the side for those brief moments to concentrate…Weasley didn't have that."
"He could have found another girl to love, he could have moved on." She held out a hand before crossing her arms in a huff. "He didn't even try."
"You think it's easy to stop loving you? I know you feel the same about me, so what if I just broke things off and told you to move on while I dated someone you hated? Would it be easy for you stop loving me?"
"Well no but-"
"But nothing. He didn't have a choice in forgetting you Mione. You lot were best friends. It was hard for him to just stand on the sides while his childhood enemy took the love of his life away. What he did was wrong, but at least he owned up to it; and since you wouldn't visit him to hear his side…I did it instead."
"What did you help him with?" she questioned promptly.
Draco sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly; knowing the question was coming sooner rather than later. He just wished he wasn't stuck in a hospital bed when it finally came.
"Weasley wanted to make up for all his wrong doings, but he was trapped in a grungy cell for a few more years and he knew you wouldn't see him after his release. I promised I would help him find a way to...reach out to you, in a sense. I did a bit of research on the dark magic he used. I found a book in my father's study and I figured out that when the Imperius curse is used for a long period of time, usually more than 24 hours consecutively, it can cause a link between caster and victim. It's extremely rare but it happens."
"So you discovered that he and I shared a link?"
"Yes."
"So what exactly did you do to help him 'reach out to me'?"
"Well, I knew you wouldn't listen to anything I had to say about him, so I tried looking into to how he could send you a message through the link; like how a Patronus can send messages. But I couldn't find anything. So I tried to find other ways…"
"Like what?" she asked with her interest now peaked.
"Okay, um…You know how Dementors are no longer used as prison guards, but they are still used for executions?"
"Yes, they are notoriously known for the Dementors' kiss." She replied "But I don't see how they connect to all this."
"They are in a way…Weasley was sentenced to five years, but he still had the possibility of receiving the kiss."
"What? How?"
"New evidence was found in one of your memories…He-he apparently tried to have sex with you, but you fought back through the curse. He withdrew as soon as it happened; however the memory was cut short because at the time you were only semi coherent…It-it looked more like he was trying to rape you."
"But he didn't…I don't think…Didn't they take any of his memories to see the rest?"
"The Wizengamot refused to use any of his memories in the trial since he was also under the curse and my mother's power was stronger. She could have very well altered any, if not all, of his memories. Even so, they debated on whether or not Weasley trying to shag you while you were in that condition was still considered 'attempted rape'. Rape, in wizarding law, is considered a heinous act and it is punishable by death. A lot of the Death Eaters caught after Voldemort's fall received the kiss for that deed alone. "
Draco paused and watched Hermione's face intently, trying to read her reaction to hearing the news. But she just sat in the chair looking at her hands.
"Anyway" he continued "I was furious when he told me, but once I heard the rest of the story and did some digging, I started to believe that he wasn't seeking to hurt you. Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to rip his throat out for even trying, but he said he realized his mistake as soon as he snapped out of his own trance. My mother apparently had put the idea in his head that if he got with you, then you wouldn't want to come running back to me. She altered his thoughts."
"So it wasn't really him trying to shag me." She claimed, but it was more of a statement than a question.
"No Love, it wasn't really him. He was sucked too deeply into my mother's grasp and she manipulated him."
Hermione raised her eyes and parted her lips as she sucked in a shallow breath.
"So-so his sentence wasn't fully enacted?"
"No."
"How did you help him? What did you do, Draco?"
"I rummaged through the Manor's library. We have books you couldn't even find in the Restricted Section at Hogwarts. But I couldn't find anything. On my way out though, I found an old very rare book hidden in the floor boards near the back. One of the house elves must have hidden it there when Voldemort took our house as his base. It was a book on white magic. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but it mentioned how to create a Patronus and other things…It also contained a spell on how to hide the essence of a soul in the event of one's death."
"Essence of a soul? It's that the same thing as a horcrux?"
"Yes and no. It isn't created the same way and it is only temporary. It is also only the essence, not the soul itself. Instead of killing someone to place their soul in an object, the caster has to be the one to die and the essence of who they once were would place itself into something living. It is a way for loved ones to say good-bye to each other I guess, but a link has to be established first. Your link with Weasley, even through dark magic, could still be used."
"So you did know Ron was going to kill himself!" she claimed angrily as her fists tightened around the chairs' arms.
"What? No! It was a last resort contingent on if he received the kiss. I didn't know the man would cut his life short! I knew he was depressed, but Salazar Hermione, I didn't think it was bad enough for him to do what he did! The last time I spoke to him he seemed happier than he ever had been. Then we got married and all this shite happened. I haven't seen him since; I swear to you I didn't know what his plan was."
"Jason was right." She sighed heavily.
"What? What does any of this have to do with Jason?"
"He told me he wanted to get you when the Lion thing happened. He told me that you might be able to help me and he was right, you knew all along."
"What Lion thing?" he asked perplexed "You mean when I found you? He was already gone by then."
"No," she let out a breath and leaned back "after you left with Steve we went to see the Lion before heading to the Elephants. I-I had a connection with it. I couldn't explain what happened and he asked me multiple times if he could grab you. I-I should have just let him get you."
"That's why you were hugging that thing when I found you?"
She nodded her head while wiping away a tear.
"It saved me from the Grizzly…It's eyes looked so much like Ron's, Draco. I swear it was him."
"Merlin's beard, his Patronus wasn't a Lion was it? According to the book, the spirit attaches to a living being which represents the individual's innermost personality."
"No, his Patronus was a Jack Russel Terrier."
"Are you sure it didn't change? When was the last time you saw him produce one?"
"Um; during the final battle, I think. I haven't seen him cast another one since Fred's death."
"Lion's represent courage; which is why your house mascot is one. It is possible his changed to one after everything you all went through."
"Yeah…" she stated softly.
"Mione, I am sorry for everything."
"Don't be. Just…No more secrets, okay? I am so done with being kept in the dark."
"I promise no more secrets."
"Thank you for helping him." she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees.
"I didn't do it for him. I did it for you."
"Still…Thank you." she claimed as a delicate smile formed on her lips.
"You're welcome my Love."
Hermione let out a huff through her nose and placed her chin in her palm as she looked at him lovingly.
"Oh, before I forget."
She stood up unexpectedly and walked over to his bed. He watched as she picked up another envelope he didn't originally see and handed it to him.
"I have a feeling that this is from your mother. I didn't open it. I figured you would want to decide what to do with it."
Draco stared at the parcel in his hand and contemplated throwing it out, but a burning desire to read what his mother wrote plagued his mind. He wasn't going to open it just yet though. He didn't feel ready enough to battle yet another matter.
He sensed Hermione staring at him as he studied the writing on the envelope, so he set it on the bed and looked up at her.
"I can't right now."
"I understand." She smiled softly "When you're ready."
She leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before climbing into the bed to curl up next to him. He held on to like he normally would at night when they read together and looked up at the ceiling titles.
"So tell me more about Steven's situation." He expressed, squeezing her close to him and placing a tender kiss on the top of her head. "Tell me everything."
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Nature's Cruelty: Sequel to Earth Shattering