Story of the Stars

*Disclaimer: This story is a piece of Harry Potter fanfiction, which is owned by J.K. Rowling and her associates. This story is simply based on the wonderful wizarding world that she created.

I stared coldly at the night overcome sky, turning my mind slowly and thinking intently; trying to figure out for how many hours I had been out here, and how many exactly I had left. The Final Battle had taken place within the last twenty-four hours and my eighteen year old body had been a true victim

I guess that most had thought me dead. I must look horrifying; tracks of dirt and blood on my face and ragged clothes, grains of frail sand in my curled hair, a crumpled pile of worthlessness on the moist ground. My right leg had been twisted painfully, and now I was trapped in my current position without any hopes of savior. Whenever I tried to move the broken osseous tissue made structure, a spasm of pain tore at the helpless complexity, driving me fearful of advancing it any further. My voice was caught in the back of my bleeding mouth and so even when there were others out here I could not scream loud enough for the help that I so desperately needed.

I could not rise due to the composite material that was fractured or snapped. My tinged, wooded wand was out of reach and that being my only hope for getting out of this mess, I was doomed. Doomed to die here in this terrifying graveyard without any other choice.

I knew that there were bodies around me. Lifeless bodies- many of them. I could not help but let my mind linger on that fact that after just several more hours in this climate I would end up just like them.

I heard a quick movement to my right and instinctively tried to crane my sore muscled neck to see what had caused such a sound after my long hours of complete silence. But my ponderings were interrupted as something solid came directly in contact with my unbroken leg.

“Ouch,” I coughed, my voice suddenly cooperating with me. I slammed my dark eyes closed and felt them water warmly with ease.

A man grunted, a strain of curiosity and courage escaping from his deep throat. From my worthless position, I could make out a slender figure rising from his lowly position. My heart beat advanced automatically.

“Who's there?” He asked, turning my way. I noticed him move closer to my cramped body, assuming that he was trying to receive a more accurate view of who I was in the dark. I did not answer him. Instead, I waited until he was nearer so that we could comprehend at the same time.

I noticed a pointed nose, defined cheekbones, broad, sculpted shoulders. But his eyes seemed to be the most stunning of all. I would recognize the sturdiness and gentle shine anywhere.

Draco Malfoy.

I was not disappointed to see him. Rather, I was suddenly hopeful. He was strong and safe; if he was willing to help me I would be in good hands.

“Hermione Granger,” he commented huskily. The strange light in his voice informed me of the fact that he was not exactly disappointed to see me either. I smiled internally at the intimate thought.

I rested my bruised head back down, realizing that not only was the pain in my neck and upper back continuing in a worse form, but our closeness was no longer required. We had discovered the other’s identities- what seemed to have been our entire goals- and we no longer needed to be inches apart.

“You're hurt,” Draco admitted in a solid tone. His sturdiness and stability was present with every word that his charming voice exhaled.

“Yes, but nothing too serious I don't think,” I informed the eighteen year old. “Just a few scratches and such.”

“And a broken leg.” He was watching my leg intensely, not looking away with his words.

“Yes, that too,” I replied, feeling my frozen cheeks heat up mildly with slight embarrassment at my lapse of information.

A comfortable silence overcame us two former students. Breathing deeply to ease the miserable sensation in my right leg, I could see that Draco appeared to be deep in thought.

“I want you to live, you know. I want you to survive this cold night and all of the suffering that it has tangled you in. I wish for you to go ahead after this and make a beautiful life for yourself,” Draco confessed, staring more toward the musty ground then at my face. I did not blame him though; I could only begin to imagine the depth and intensity of the wounds that scattered its pale color.

“I was not aware of that,” I honestly responded, suddenly curious as to what direction this conversation was headed in.

“Neither was I. That is until I caught myself praying for it one night. I was down on my knees, praying for you. For both of our eternities.”

“Being quite honest with you, I do not entirely understand how you can see such a thing ahead for either of us. Eternity is a good chase and we have both hardly began our run.”

He chuckled freely as if my intentional statement had been a joke.

“Eternity is more than just a chase; it is an adventure. You have an eternity, Hermione. Please trust me when I tell you that. Making your way through adventures is part of who you are.”

I could not believe the sureness in his voice. Saying such a thing was desperate and hopeful. And the fact that he used my first name is just as startling. I knew then for a fact that he most definitely did not mind my company.

“How?” I questioned him accusingly, an urgency in my voice that Draco seemed not to overlook. By his wild intake of breath, I knew that he knew what my indifferent ponder had meant.

“Can I tell you a story? A story of the stars?” He asked me, repositioning himself on the dirt ground next to me, careful no to accidentally come in contact with me. I was becoming more and more convinced he had a concussion or been bewitched or some other combination of events had occurred for him to be talking to me so. This couldn't be the real Draco Malfoy. If it was, I had no idea who he had been all these years.

“A story would be lovely,” I replied, despite myself and my misgivings. I mustered a smile and even in the darkness, I knew that he had sensed it. I sensed his return of one.

“The stars know of one torn man. A man of great intelligence but a shattered destiny. They know of this one man’s past, his present, and his future, as they do of every other being in the world. But he is different, you see. He is tired of the pressure and expectations that are forced upon him and he wants only to settle down with the woman that he fell for nearly a year before.

It was not difficult- falling for the one girl. She had always been attractive in his eyes and he had secretly always marveled at her smarts. But when he was seventeen, it just clicked, and it was as though the concept was glued permanently into his mind. He could not last two minutes without suddenly thinking of her again.

Some would call it misery while others called it being trapped inside of your own mind. But he liked to think of it as a dream. A living dream. Thinking about the woman that you loved was not something that should put you down. It should excite you and pump you up, or at least that is what he believed.

His love was injured one day as a battle raged through their community. He immediately thought the worst and posed dead so that he could find her body before anyone else had time to do so. And when he did, he was startled to find her alive. He professed his love for her; her not catching onto what he was trying to get past to her. He did so again, and she realized what he had meant, but as the next three minutes passed, he still had no idea what she thought of his feelings.”

He stopped there, seeming to expect me to say something at that moment. I carefully thought over his words and the realization quickly became clear.

“I think that love is a beautiful thing. It teaches you lessons of all sorts and practically forces you to constantly put another before yourself. I am excited to hear that you love me Draco Malfoy. The thought and beauty of the whole situation is incredibly inviting,” I admitted shyly, the words coming to me from somewhere that I could not pinpoint.

“Are you sure about that?” He pondered. “If you don't mean any of it, please don't feel pressured into saying something you don't want to."

“I mean everything. You excite me, Draco,” I replied with intensity, meeting his sturdy gaze for a few short seconds.

He fell quiet after that comment. It seemed to me that he was almost disappointed with my response.

“I was not asking for your return of my feelings. I was just wondering what you thought of the fact that I am hopelessly in love with you,” Draco commented.

“But that is what I replied with,” I curiously responded. “I told you exactly what I thought.”

“Yes, you did. But they were not the words that I was looking for. You should have yelled at me, saying how rude I was to take advantage of you when you are in such a state. You should not feel the same way that I do about you only reversed toward me. I am not right for you.”

I drew in a whiff of frozen air, trying to ease and ignore the pain that progressed further in my leg. I knew that I was losing a lot of blood, but I could not bring myself to ask Draco to take me to St. Mungo’s or try to help me in some other way. He would do it, no doubt, and I would not allow him to go to extremes to get me there. There was no reason for him to feel sorry for me.

“You are perfect for me. We balance each other in a more sensible way than half of these couples in the world today. You are negative about situations; I have a positive attitude. You enjoy being active and playing sports; I prefer only to watch and spectate them. You are still trying to find yourself; I know exactly who I am.

You were the smartest boy in our year; I have the most brains of any girl as well. You center your life around reality instead of fantasy; I try my best to stray away from my dreams and wishes. You have been loved and rejected; I have been through wondrous times and depressing phases. You see? We were made for each other. You and me have the best chance of making it through life together,” I concluded breathlessly. I had not realized that I had known so much about him.

Draco watched me the entire time that I spoke and then registered a thought of his own. “I am a coward and a phony; you are more real and strong than anyone that I have ever met.”

“You understand the misery and heartbreak of being torn apart from your family due to belief; I have never suffered at such a distressing level,” I shot back, trying to sit up, but failing to do just that.

“You have been there for your friends and family when they needed you; I pushed everyone who ever cared out of my life because of my own selfishness,” Draco retorted.

“You have always tried so hard to get people to like you; I never tried at all.”

Draco breathed out, setting his last remark free from his throat. “You say that we are perfect for each other; I realize now that we have the making of a surely unbreakable bond.”

I smiled widely, caressing the moment of solitude. Staring lovingly into his gray eyes, I felt my heart speed up.

“I sympathize for you,” Draco whispered, lowering his pale face so that our foreheads were touching.

“There is no need for that,” I replied, my voice skipping as it caught in the back of my throat. Only this time, it was due to our noticeable closeness. Closer than earlier, I recalled.

“There is every need for it,” Draco argued roughly. “You are hurt and in pain. Not sympathizing for you would be not returning the favor.”

“Favor? What have I ever done for you?”

I know that you want me to feel sorry for you, Hermione. Just accept it for once in your life.”

I sighed shakily, mulling over the last of his words.

“You are right. I am dying for you’re your sweet words of care and gentleness more than anything right now.”

“So your faith rests in my arms?” Draco breathed.

“Yes,” I agreed. “It does.”

He pressed his nose skillfully against mine, unintentionally pushing my frizzed hair further into the muddy ground. I was still lying against the frozen earth and Draco was hunched stiffly over my left side.

“Sing to me,” I declared in a soft tone. Moments before he had wrapped both of his large hands around my numb left one. I was caught up and dazed by the heated flame that ignited in my chest.

“Sing to you? Oh, I cannot sing, my dear,” Draco admitted quickly.

“Just sing. Anything. Anything at all,” I pleaded, closing my brown eyes before he could begin. I knew that he would follow through with the idea. He could see just how desperately I wanted him to accept my request.

“Dum, dum, hush, dum, hush, hush, hush. Dum, dum, hush, dum, hush, hush, hush.”

I smiled as his moist breath came in contact with my parted lips. “That was beautiful,” I sounded, opening my glassy orbs only to meet his gaze once more.

“Why did you want me to sing to you?” Draco questioned me quietly.

“So that you would realize another reason as to why we are meant for each other,” I commented, a playful smile gracing my lips.

He did not respond, merely returned my sugary smile. He politely waited for me to announce my reasoning.

“You give in to what I request of you; I would undeniably do the same.”

He let out a wild breath, cascading warmth across the entire diameter of my face.

“I would request of something now, but I think that I should get you to St. Mugos before you die because of an extreme loss of blood,” Draco declared, lifting his face from my own.

“I am strong- you admitted that earlier yourself. I want to fulfill your request before I do anything more.”

“Hermione, please, let me take you to the hospital. I will not do anything that you do not want me to do. That is why I need you to accept this offer as quickly as you can,” Draco cried.

“Let me fulfill your request first,” I argued, wild, hormonal fluid pumping through my beating heart.

“Fine,” he sighed, realizing that I had the authority in this obscure relationship. “Allow me to kiss you.”

I nodded twice, letting the man above me know that his desire was alright with me. I lowered my eyelids completely, darkening the world, the stars, and Draco’s handsome face.

Draco’s lips tumbled onto mine, gently gracing in circular waves. They caressed my own so sweetly and tenderly that I felt a sudden longing for more. But it ended almost as suddenly as it had begun.

“That is not fair,” I objected, a shiver strangling me from the inside. “That was too quick. You cheated!”

Draco chuckled at my childish remark, but I could see a sense of regret pooling in his glossy eyes that I was already so accustomed to.

“I know, but you are going to die if you do not get some help soon. I should have taken you to help the moment that I saw you alive.”

“But my wand!” I gasped, suddenly aware of its disappearance for the second time.

“Ummm,” Draco thought aloud. He searched the ground instantly around us, felling urgently with his hands. He lit the air with his own black wooded wand, crawling on his hands and knees in haste.

“Found it,” he yelled thankfully. He had traveled twenty feet away from me in the process.

“Are you positive that it is mine? There are probably hundreds littered on the grounds due to the war that just went through,” I shouted croakily back as he neared my twisted self.

“I am sure,” Draco responded confidently, holding the wand up so that I could see it from my lying position.

“Yes, you are correct,” I confirmed in a soft tone.

“Do you mind if I keep this safe for awhile? Just until you are better?”

“Not at all.” I grinned at a passing thought. He was not going anywhere.

“Let us get you out of here,” Draco cheerfully announced. He wrapped one sturdy arm around my legs and another behind my bony back. I was hoisted swiftly off of the ground. “I am sorry if this hurts your leg. There really is no other way to get you out of here.”

I did not respond. I simply stared desirably at his clean shaven fac. Now that my head was lifted off of the ground, I could see every angle of the beautiful features that I would naturally grow to love. He caught my gaze a short moment later.

My neck was stiff and sore after so many hours of lying on the chilled ground and I did not know how much longer I would be able to keep it straight up. There was one more thing, however, that I wished to accomplish before the two of us were to apparate to a warm safety.

I leaned only a few inches forward and my trembling lips met his pointed cheekbone. They lingered there for a few seconds and then I slowly pulled away from its velvet state. I blinked once and then registered automatically into my previous position.

Draco’s cool eyes met my smoothed ones once again, and a facade of shock sculpted Draco’s charming face.

“Allow me to kiss you.”

“Without a doubt,” I gasped, instinctively noticing the absence of the stars as my eyes draped shut.

Our lips brushed melodiously against each other, absentmindedly composing an unforgettable song of its own. Draco’s grip on me tightened in a pain-absent way as he hugged me closer to his stone body of warmth.

The kiss did not last long- only short moments longer than our first- but the simple melody created would surely remain clear in both of our minds.

“You make my sorrows worthwhile,” I fevered slightly.

Draco kissed my own chilled cheek thankfully before we began the apparition. Spinning blurrily around and around, we were traveling closer and closer to our guaranteed safeties and desirable eternities.