Falling For You ✘ Draco & Hermione *COMPLETED*

#22 The Escape

Draco's cold, limp fingers intertwined with Hermione's as he rested his head on her shoulder, stroking his thumb over her knuckles as they sighed in unison.

It seemed maybe this was the end.

"He's not one for empty threats." Draco muttered, breaking the silence that had fallen. "My father, that is."

Hermione nodded as they exchanged looks of dismay. "I know."

The boy let his arm fall from around her shoulders, shifting around so that they were face to face.

"He's been wanting to take me out of Hogwarts ever since the war." he continued. "All he needed was one little thing to happen..."

Hermione's head fell limply against the wall in defeat. She looked so exhausted; Draco's heart ached for her, but then again, maybe it was his fault all along.

He should've kept away from Hermione when he'd seen the signs of his feelings developing; it had been selfish and cruel to pursue her when he'd known what was coming next. It had always been in the back of his head that his father wouldn't approve of the girl, yet he'd still led her into this situation without thinking it through.

Now Hermione was suffering, and it was all because he'd put his own feelings first.

Draco sighed, reaching out to touch the girl hand. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen, Hermione, I'm sorry."

Hermione gazed back, smiling softly. "Don't be sorry."

She was so incredible.

Hermione Granger deserved all the happiness in the world, and what angered him most was that he couldn't give it to her. Was his past going to ruin every possible chance of happiness in his life?

"It's not your fault, Draco." she continued. "You need me. I can't let you go through this alone."

His breath caught tightly in his throat.

"You're too good to me." Draco grunted. "I don't deserve it; I've been so selfish."

The girl looked up at him from under his chin. His eyes were shut, but his skin was hollow and grey.

"You're not a bad person."

Silence.

"I worry, you know." Draco eventually murmured with a sad smile. "I worry that when everything gets too much you'll leave me, and I'll be alone again."

Hermione reached out to hold his face. "Draco..."

"...But I'd expect nothing less." he shrugged hopelessly. "I mean, after all this, who wouldn't want to leave me? I don't deserve you, I really don't."

Hermione held him tightly into her chest. "It's not your fault your father is the way he is. Stop blaming yourself-oh, please don't cry..."

Draco's jaw was clenched in a desperate attempt to hold back tears.

"I hate him." he growled in a low, spitful tone. "I hate him!"

His father was the centre of all his unhappiness, but what made it worse was that he was all Draco had. Lucius was the only person he could really call family, and having a family that didn't want the best for you was extremely hard to deal with.