Forbidden Paths

Chapter 12

Hermione awoke the next morning to find that Harry and Ron had never gone upstairs to their dormitories last night. Harry’s tear stained face was on the arm of his chair and Ron had some how made his way on to the floor. She shook them both awake and they were slightly surprised to find themselves still in the Common Room.

She waited hey hey both went upstairs to take a shower and change into clean clothes. They walked toward the staircase that would take them to that corridor that led to the Great Hall but Hermione took a left and weo tho the Hospital Wing. She was determined to see Draco.

Harry and Ron cast loo look at each other. They would much rather be eating then going to visit their worst enemy. But they were Hermione’s friends and she needed some support so they reluctantly followed her.

She walked in and immediately saw that all the beds were empty. She walked a little faster towards Madam Pomfrey’s office. She rapped on the door and Madam Pomfrey leaned her head out to see who was making the disturbance.

“Yes?” she asked but then it occurred to her who Hermione was looking for and she said, “Mr. Malfoy is no longer with us,” she said. But when she saw the shocked look on Hermione’s face she quickly said, “He was taken to St. Mungo’s. He sustained some serious brain injuries. But with time and rehabilitation he should be as good as new when he returns. But he might not remember everything. Good Day,” she finished and she closed her door with a snap.

Hermione felt as if her heart had been removed from her chest. She felt her legs give way as she fell to the floor. But before she hit Ron had caught her and was heaving her upright. She stared into space as she began to comprehend what Madam Pomfrey had just said.

She turned around and looked at her friends who were searching her face seeing if she was about to cry again. They were trying to see whether they could predict her next move.

She started walking up to the one person she knew that could help her, Albus Dumbledore. She walked up to the stone gargoyle that flanked his office and began yelling names of random sweets. After she had said, “Acid Pops!” then the stone gargoyle jumped a side and Hermione stepped onto the revolving stairs case.

When Ron and Harry began to follow she shook her head and said, “No, I have to do this alone.” They nodded and stepped off the steps and watched her rise higher and higher until she was totally out of view. She reached the knocker shaped like a griffin knocked once and the door swung open on it’s own accord.

“Professor Dumbledore,” she called. She saw the old man step out from behind one of his many bookshelves. The portraits that were on the wall were all feigning sleep.

“Ah, Miss Granger I was wondering when you would come to see me. Please take a seat,” he said gesturing to the chair that was in front of his desk. She sat down and he surveyed her through his half-moon glasses and said, “Are you here to see if you can go visit Mr. Malfoy at St. Mungo’s?”

Hermione nodded slowly. She knew that Dumbledore was skilled in Legimency so she wasn’t at all surprised when he told her exactly what she was thinking, “If you don’t mProfProfessor. I would like to see how he’s doing.”

“Well, that can be arranged but are you sure you want to go visit Mr. Malfoy considering what his family is like?” Dumbledore asked still looking at Hermione with his blue eyes. Hermione nodded and he said, “I see. Well, let’s get on with it. You are lucky today is a weekend or there would be lots to explain,” Dumbledore smiled and grabbed one of the many trinkets that littered his desk.

He muttered, “Portus,” and the object glowed blue and he handed it to Hermione and said, “On the count of three you will be taken to St. Mungo’s one… two… three.”

She felt the familiar sensation of something jerking her from behind her navel and she wound up right in front of the Welcome Witch’s desk. She had been here last year when she was visiting Mr. Weasley after he had been bitten by a giant snake.

The Welcome Witch stared at Hermione for a second and said, “May I help you?” In a bored voice.

“Umm…, I , I was wondering if you could tell me which floor Draco Malfoy is staying on,” Hermione said in a timid voice.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy is on the fourth floor behind a door that reads spell damage,” the witch said surveying Hermione.

“Thank you,” she replied and set off for the fourth floor. She had been there also a year before. She had run into Gilderoy Lockhart, her old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and she, Harry and Ron had run into Neville Longbottom who was visitins pas parents who’s brains had been grievously damaged by Bellatrix Lestrange a Death Eater who was demanding information about Voldemort’s whereabouts.

She walked through the doors and she ran into one of the Healers that was there and she asked, “Could you tell me where Draco Malfoy is?”

The Healer gave her a once over and pointed to a bed to the left of them where a tuft of white blond hair was sticking out of the top of the blanket. There was another Healer sitting by his bed wearing the usual lime green robes that St. Mungo’s Healers wore.

She walked over to the bed and she looked at Draco who immediately smiled. Draco pointed at Hermione and looked at the Healer and slowly said, “Girlfriend,” and kept nodding and smiling. Hermione’s heart leapt! He remembered her.

“So, you’re the famous Hermione. When Draco began to regain some memory this morning you were all he could talk about. He still has to relearn to walk so he will be in here for a while. It’s nice of you to come visit. His mother hasn’t come and Draco keeps asking for her but I’m sorry to have to tell him the she’s not here,” the Healer said sadly, “Please take a seat,” she said pointing to a chair that she had just conjured.

Draco was still staring at Hermione and then the Healer said, “Well, I leave you two alone,” she got up and left.

Hermione reached out and took Draco’s hand. He squeezed it and said, “Thank you for saving me,” he was still speaking slowly.

Hermione blushed and said, “You were the who who told me to run. So, literally you saved me.”

Draco started laughing but then he stopped and winced, “One of my ribs almost punctured my lung so it hurts to laugh and stuff.”

“Is that why you are talking so slowly?” she asked she could feel tears coming to her eyes. She didn’t like seeing Draco like this.

He nodded and said, “Please don’t cry Hermione,” he reached up and wiped her eyes, “I’m okay thanks to you.”

She stood up and kissed him and he kissed heck. ck. She stayed with him for a couple of hours until the Healer came to her and said, “A portkey has just arrived for you Hermione,” the Healer set the portkey on the table and walked away.

Hermione turned around and gave Draco another kiss and then she touched the Portkey and was transported to the Hogsmeade Village where Ron and Harry were waiting for her.

“He’s going to be okay,” she said leaping into Harry’s arms.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two months later after everyone had returned from Christmas break Draco returned looking a lot better than he had when Hermione had first gone to visit him. He still walked with a slight limp and he had to use a muggle cane to get around.

Everyone knew about what happened to Draco. His father had been given a restraining order to stay away from his son for Draco’s safety and his mother had moved to Albania because of the shame her husband had put her through by almost killing her son.

Draco and Hermione’s relationship was no longer secret. It was very well known that Hermione had gone to visit him every weekend that he was in St. Mungo’s.

Hermione and Draco both became Head Boy and Girl and after they graduated they married.

Harry married Ginny Weasley. They began going out after Draco came back to school and Hermione was no longer in need of her friend’s comfort. Ron’s dream came true. Harry had become Ron’s brother and they were never separated even long after retiring from there jobs at the Ministry.

Ron married Lavender Brown who confessed to having a crush on Ron since their first day at Hogwarts.

Ron, Harry and Hermione forever remained the Golden Trio as long as they lived and as long as they died. They all bought burial plots next to each other so they never had to be separated.

Draco and Hermione had two children twin boys both with very curly white blond hair. One by the name of Harold and the other by the name of Vincent. And of course they lived happily ever after as all highschool sweethearts do.

THE END.

Umm... I hope you like it. It took me a while to finish and yes yes I know my ending is crappy as hell. If you wanna no how I got my characters names email me!