Fan Fiction ❯ Last Hope ❯ 10 ( Chapter 10 )

"What is with you, Hermione? You missed a question on Flitwick's exam," said Harry, worriedly. Hermione flushed and avoided the curious gazes of Ron and Harry as she hurried along the corridor toward the Gryffindor Common Room. She wasn't about to tell them that she was preoccupied thinking of Draco Malfoy, whether it be the future Draco or not. He was still a Malfoy. Still a Slytherin. Then again, Gryff and the others said that in their time, the houses had stopped feuding and banded together as a single force against Voldemort. So, she supposed being a Slytherin really didn't matter at all, did it?

Gryff, Dragon, Niki and Phoenix all looked up when their younger selves piled through the doorway. Ginny was dozing against Gryff's shoulder and Ron cast her a slightly skewed glance before blinking and shaking his head and turning his attention back to the others. No one noticed Hermione's quick, shy glance at Dragon before she rushed up the stairs to the girl's dormitory, except for Niki, who squeezed Phoenix's hand quickly before rising to her feet and following. The boys collapsed onto armchairs and sighed, ignoring the two Hermiones.

"He's not the same as the Draco you know," said a soft voice. Hermione's head snapped up. Niki was in the doorway to the room. "Wha- what are you talking about?" Hermione stuttered, a flush rising to her cheeks. "Dragon, of course. Honestly, Hermione, did you really expect me, of all people, not to notice?" Hermione sighed as her elder self came into the room and sat beside her on the bed. "But he is Draco, kind of," Hermione said. "And he's also a lot older than me. Why would he ever take any notice of me? It's hopeless, really," she said, miserably. Niki smiled. "Not that much older. Look at Gryff and Ginny. Besides, if it weren't for Phoenix, Dragon and I may very well have gotten together," Niki informed her. Hermione's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" Niki got a far away look in her eyes and when she spoke, her voice sounded different, distant almost.

"When we pulled Draco out of his father's dungeon, he was a shadow of the man you see today, barely a trace of the boy you know left inside him. They had nearly completely broken him. We brought him back to Hogwarts wrapped in a cloak and shaking like mad. Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey gave him all the medical attention they could, but the damage was also inside him, like a poison in his mind, a cancer in his soul. I was very angry at first, when Dumbledore sent Phoenix and Gryff on a mission and ordered me to stay with Dragon and care for him. I resented him for keeping me from what I considered to be the more important job. After a day or two, however, I got over it and decided that if this was what I had been ordered to do, I would do it well. Dragon began to improve after that, slowly coming around and talking again, that haunted look in his eyes fading and he no longer jumped every time someone made a sound. We- grew close. There was a bond between us, chemistry, some kind of force drawing us together, but always the image of Phoenix stood between us. I loved Phoenix, even then, but a part of me loved Dragon as well, cared for the man he had been forced to become. I knew he felt the same, but he would never betray Phoenix or Gryff that way, not after we'd released him from his nightmares. Then, after a month, Phoenix and Gryff came home and Dragon and I put away our feelings and have kept them locked away ever since."

Hermione stared at Niki, until the older girl realized she was still staring into space and blinked, bringing a hand to her suddenly flushed cheek. "Sorry. The memories are still pretty strong," she apologized. Hermione nodded. "So, anyway, don't give up hope on Dragon. He's a man, after all and that means we must make allowances and give him plenty of time and help when it comes to noticing what's right under his nose." Hermione suddenly grinned. "I have an idea," she stated. Niki's eyes widened. "Uh-oh."