Veela Love

Chapter Twenty-Eight: St. Mungo's

            Ginny sat next to Hermione's bed in St. Mungo's, just as she had for the past three days. Hermione was curled up with her back to the door, and Ginny was at a complete loss as to what to do. Hermione had only spoken one word since they'd found her, a single soft, "Leave," directed at Draco when she'd awoken in the hospital. Without hesitation, Draco had gotten up and exited the room, although they'd found him sitting outside her door after, his head in his hands and tears rolling down his cheeks. He refused to explain anything when asked, but everyone knew something was wrong. Mrs. Weasley and Narcissa had been taking turns sitting with him ever since.

Hermione's shoulders started to shake again. Ginny looked around helplessly. Finally, she kicked off her shoes and climbed into the hospital bed, wrapping her arms around Hermione. The woman's silent tears turned into gut-wrenching sobs. "Shhh, Hermione. You're safe now."

After several minutes the tears subsided, and Hermione turned in Ginny's embrace so she could bury her face in the other girl's chest. Ginny started petting her head, trying to calm her down as much as possible.

Finally, Ginny couldn't bear it any longer. They didn't know what had happened, except that memories had been ripped from Hermione's mind; Ron and Pansy had been tight-lipped about the entire event. "What happened, 'Mione?"

Hermione froze, and Ginny thought she'd gone too far, but Hermione started in a hushed whisper after a moment. "I was on my way to the library after dinner, and they attacked me. I woke up in the shrieking shack and... and he did it. I didn't know he hated me that much now. He took my thoughts against my will."

Ginny froze. He? They'd all just assumed Pansy had forced her way into Hermione's thoughts. Advanced magic was not Ron's strong suit, and breaking down the walls of another's thoughts took magic beyond which they'd assumed he could do. "You don't mean... Ron did this to you?"

Hermione gave a slight nod against Ginny's chest. White-hot anger towards her brother raced through Ginny, choking her up for a moment. How dare Ronald violate Hermione like this. He was no brother of hers; how could he be after he did something like this. For the first time, Ginny was glad he was in custody.

There was a knock on the door, and then it swung open. Draco stood in the doorway, his eyes red-rimmed. With a sinking heart, Ginny realized he must have been listening. He probably couldn't help himself – every fiber of his being was tuned towards Hermione.

It took Hermione a second to realize someone was in the room with her. When she did, she lifted her head slightly. Seeing Draco, she flinched away from him and buried her face in the crook of Ginny's arm. "Make him leave," she whispered. "I can't stand to look at him."

Ginny felt more than heard the hiss of air that left Draco at these words. She glanced back at him and found him deathly pale. "Hemione -," he started, but she cut him off.

"Leave, Malfoy."

The use of his last name seemed to shake him from his stupor. His back straightened, and the pain on his face disappeared, replaced by cool indifference. He turned on his heel and fled the room, making sure to close the door behind him.

"What was that about, Hermione? I thought you'd want him with you?"

She didn't answer, and Ginny thought she'd fallen asleep. But when she started squirming her way out of their embrace, Hermione spoke again. "I've been such a fool, Ginny."

Ginny stopped trying to escape, bewildered. "Hermione, none of us would have ever guessed Ron had it in him to do that. Never in my wildest dreams did I think he was capable of such cruelty."

"No. Not Ron. Malfoy."

The use of Draco's last name only left a sour taste in Ginny's mouth. "What... what do you mean?"

"I thought – I thought, well I thought he loved me. Or at least he was on his way to loving me in my own right."

"He does," Ginny said cautiously. She had a feeling of where this was going but hoped she was wrong.

"No, he doesn't. He can't. Not after all the things he put me through."

"Hermione..." Ginny trailed off.

"I've been such a fool, Ginny. I thought he'd changed because he wanted to, that he cared for me, not his Veela. But it's just been his Veela all along. There was never any bit of Draco in his actions. And I fell for it, hook line and sinker."

"That's not true – Draco loves you; anyone can see it."

"Ginny, the man spent six years of my life making it a living hell at every opportunity. And now he suddenly loves me? Not possible without his Veela."

"Fine, let's say you are right. Who cares, as long as he loves you?"

Hermione finally met Ginny's gaze, and Ginny almost gasped at the unending pain she saw within her friend's amber eyes. "I do. I don't want half of a person; I want the whole thing. I deserve to be loved wholly by someone, not loathed by half and loved by another. I deserve better."

"But... you're marked, Hermione."

"I know."

"What are you going to do, then?"

"I don't know."

"You know, you're wrong," a third voice rang out. Blaise stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He approached the bed carefully, as if not to scare Hermione away. When he reached her bedside, he sank down into the abandoned chair. "Draco really does love you."

Hermione shook her head stubbornly. "He can't. Not all of him."

Blaise shook his head. "You're right, Hermione. You deserve someone who loves you with all that he has, and Draco is that man. Don't let his past actions get in the way of your current happiness."

"You don't understand, Blaise. You weren't there for all those years."

"I was," Blaise admitted softly. "I just never did anything to stop him. And I am so sorry for that, Hermione. I hope someday you can forgive me."

Ginny and Hermione were saved from responding by the doctor sweeping into the room. She didn't bat an eyelash at the odd setup, just ushered Ginny and Blaise out of the room. Outside they found Draco slumped on the floor leaning against the wall. Ginny sat on one side of him and Blaise on the other.

"You better pray I never see your brother again, Ginny. Otherwise, I'll rip him apart limb by limb."

The anger Ginny had been suppressing for Hermione's sake bubbled up. "Only if there's anything left after I get through with him."

"How much did you hear?" Blaise asked Draco.

There was a brief silence before Draco admitted, "Everything."

Ginny sighed and wrapped an arm around him. He leaned into the embrace. "So what are we going to do?"

"Exactly what Hermione wants," Draco replied without hesitation.

"You can't mean that!" Blaise cried.

"Of course he means it," Ginny sighed. "You love her, don't you?"

"More than you can imagine. And if she doesn't want me around, then I won't be around."

"You'll die, mate."

Draco shrugged as if it was nothing. "You don't understand. I can't hurt her, and being around her is causing her pain. Dying is the better of the two options."

"It won't come to that," Ginny assured everyone. She hoped they couldn't tell she was lying.