Life as we know it...

Chapter 7: A Sorrowful Start

Hermione and Draco lay asleep on Draco's bed in Malfoy Manor. It was a few nights before New Years Eve. Hermione had decided to stay with Draco over the Christmas break rather than staying at the Burrow where Lavender, Dean, Angelina and Percy's fiancée Audrey were staying for break. Not to mention the fact that Draco would have been alone hadn't Hermione come to visit.

Cho and Harry had married three days previously and were now on their honeymoon in Barbados. The ceremony had been small and cute. The reception wasn't as good as the Finnigans, but then again Seamus Finnigan was Irish. Hermione had been  a bridesmaid and Draco, to his suprise, a groomsman.

Draco now lay with his arm curled around his fiancée' petite waist. He was awoken to a pecking at the window in the middle of the night.

He lifted his head and saw an owl with a letter repeatedly tapping on the window. Draco quickly and quietly moved towards the window not wanting the irritating noise to wake Hermione. As Draco approached the owl he noticed the small St. Mungo's crest tied on a band around a talon.  It was one of the birds used for emergencies at St. Mungo's. He grew nervous wondering why it had been addressed to Malfoy Manor. Reading the envelope, he noticed it was addressed to Hermione. Reluctantly he decided respect her privacy and to wake her.

" 'Mione, Hermione darling, wake up." He shook her.

"Malfoy what do you want?" She yawned."It's the middle of the night!"

"Look it's from St. Mungo's." Draco said, handing her the letter cautiously.

Hermione took it and ripped open the seal, annoyed she had been awoken from her slumber. She huffed and read the letter. Reading the words instantly put her into a state of shock. Draco noticed. She jumped up from the bed, dropped the letter, and headed straight for her trunk.

"Hermione?" Draco asked. "What's wrong?" He asked concerned by the paleness his fiancée had turned from reading the letter.

"It's from Harry." She gulped. "Cho's been hospitalized."

"What! Why?" The blond said grabbing the letter.

"I don't know, but I have to go over to him. He wouldn't send word to us, if he didn't think it was bad." A shaky Hermione replied.

"I'm coming with you." Draco stated grabbing a pair of jeans.

"You don't have to." Hermione protested.

"I'm coming with you." Draco repeated while pulling a quidditch jumper on over his head.

"Alright, lets go." Hermione said grabbing his hand.

The pair arrived at St. Mungo's. Hermione was scared stiff, hospitals weren't her strongest point. Draco pulled her to the front desk.

"We are here to see Cho Chang-Potter." He told the healers assistant.

The witch looked at then sadly.

"Friends or Family?" She asked.

Hermione found her voice.  "Friends, practically family."

Draco looked at her. He had seen her look that petrified in a long time. He squeezed her hand.

The witch from behind the desk nodded.  "Go down this corridor." She said pointing to the left corridor. "Then take a right. Then a left and then go straight down to the end where you take another left."

Draco thanked her and tried not think of the bad feeling he had. He and Hermione followed the directions the witch had given them, practically running. The pair eventually got to a corridor where they both saw Harry crying with his head in his hands.