Chapter Text
Draco worked late; the proposals kept mounting, and he knew he had to go through them eventually.
Groaning, he leaned back in his chair and sighed.
He rubbed the back of his neck and groaned. His body ached in places he did not know he had.
Fuck, he was tired.
He had just returned from a trip to Germany. His luggage sat clumsily in the corner.
Without bothering to head home, he went straight to the office from the airport.
It was late, but not late enough to call it a night.
Certain matters required his immediate attention, and he frowned at the cluttered table of various papers.
Despite his competent staff, there was only so much they could handle in his absence.
Most matters required his final say, and that's exactly how he preferred it.
The eye-catching snow globe sat to his right. It made him smile.
He had placed it there earlier, hoping to drop it off to the rightful owner after work.
Draco picked it up and gave it a shake. The fake snow fell over the miniature figures, and he fondly thought of the woman he had bought it for.
While strolling through the marketplace in Munich, he found the perfect one to make her eyes light up and come alive.
Handcrafted and beautiful, it played a soothing lullaby.
She would absolutely love it.
Every time he travelled, he bought back a snow globe to add to her growing collection.
It was the part of his trip he loved best, anything to make her happy.
He was wealthy, the Malfoy namesake aside. He had built his empire from the remnants of his late father's business.
Not that there was much left. Lucius had run the business into the ground.
Draco wanted to break away from the infamous Malfoy name and legacy. His achievements would be his own.
Being a Malfoy was a huge burden, but he did it with flair and style.
He took a deep breath, pulled the file toward him, and began flipping through it enthusiastically.
Halfway through the proposal, the vibrations from his mobile phone sent ripples through his solid oak desk, and he glanced at it.
If it were anyone else, he would have let voicemail pick it up, but it was Blaise.
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and he wondered what his best friend wanted.
There was barely time to say hello. Blaise's urgent and frantic voice cut through as soon as the call connected, "Theo's been in an accident. He's critical!"
Stunned, Draco almost dropped the phone.
No, fuck, what was Blaise saying?
All he heard was Theo, accident, critical.
A name flashed across his mind, making his blood run ice cold.
"Hermione," he whispered into the darkness.
"St Mungo's, get here, now!" Blaise demanded, his voice cracked with the intensity of the situation.
Draco did not bother with a reply. He was already on his feet and running to the apparition point.
A cold sense of dread settled within him.
Hurriedly taking out his wand, he disapparated with one destination in mind.
He took the stairs two at a time and ran inside St Mungo's, frantically searching for Blaise.
The heels of his imported shoes clicked dangerously on the tiled floor and echoed throughout the deserted corridors.
Where the fuck was he?
Draco sighed as Blaise, Potter, Ginny, and Weasley came into view.
Their faces were set in stone. The gravity of what happened was plain to see in their eyes.
Blaise nervously paced up and down the waiting area, Potter reassured a sobbing Ginny, and Weasley stood awkwardly rooted to the spot with his arms crossed.
Potter and Weasley looked grim and strained.
Draco passed them and nodded curtly. They nodded solemnly and averted their eyes.
He locked eyes with Blaise and knew the situation was worse than he thought.
Blaise's usually calm and collected face was contorted with pain and despair.
Without hesitation, Draco grabbed his best friend by the collar and hissed, "What the fuck happened?"
Ginny sobbed. Her silent cries were needles to his heart.
A fleeting thought crossed his mind. Please let Hermione be safe.
The usually fiery redhead crumpled against her husband and cried. Harry rubbed Ginny's back, stared at the ceiling and fought the tears that gathered.
Draco eyed them nervously. His heartbeat hastened with uncertainty.
Blaise broke free, stepped back and started to explain. His voice broke at the severity of the situation.
He waved his arms wildly and tried his utmost to paint a vivid picture of the events that transpired.
Draco narrowed his eyes and drank every word.
Blaise said in pain, "They were returning from a colleague's birthday party. It was raining, and the roads were slippery."
He muttered miserably, "That stupid fucking Muggle car."
His face fell in anguish as he concluded, "A truck crashed into them near the traffic light."
Tears gathered at the corner of his eyes and spilt over. He wiped it away and stared at the wall.
Shocked into silence, Draco listened intently.
He shook his head disbelievingly.
Fuck!
Seconds passed, but it seemed like hours.
Draco found his voice and asked in alarm, "Theo?"
Anxiety and uncertainty took residence in his mind and clawed at his sanity.
Blaise looked directly at him and slowly shook his head, fear and dismay on his face.
He tuned out after Blaise managed to say aloud, "They can't stop the internal bleeding, and he's paralysed from the waist down."
Draco took a step back and stumbled. His back hit a wall, and he leaned against it heavily.
He refused to believe that his best friend was dying.
Salazar, I beg of you, please let him live.
They were fucking wizards; they could fix this.
He swallowed, willing himself to calm the fuck down.
His voice was barely audible, but he asked the dreaded question.
Would he even have the strength to hear the answer?
Draco kept his voice low, "Where is Hermione?"
Blaise pointed a few feet away from them and replied sadly, "They've been checking her for hours."
Draco felt his resolve crumble, and tears welled in his eyes.
Blaise placed a hand on Draco's shoulder and managed a few reassuring words, "She seems better off than Theo."
They swapped a look of understanding. Blaise knew how he felt about Hermione. He had always known.
A weak smile was all Draco could muster.
Relief swept through him and disappeared as it came at the anguish of his best friend fighting for his life.
Whether they chose to accept it or not, Theo was dying; that was the grim, undeniable truth.
Draco refused to believe it; his internal thoughts screamed, No! It could not be. He would pull through.
This was some fucked up nightmare they would all wake up from.
Draco massaged the bridge of his nose and asked solemnly, "Where the fuck is Theo?"
With a heavy heart, Blaise pointed to a room in front of them.
Draco strode towards the room with purpose, without another word, but froze outside the door.
He closed his eyes and prepared himself for what lay within. Grabbing the handle, he turned it and pushed the door open.
His jovial best friend struggled to sit up and gave him a weak smile.
An eye was swollen shut, and dried blood caked the corner of his mouth.
Theo looked like he had taken a bludger to the head, but looked fine on the surface despite the visible injuries.
Draco moved closer, and the open wounds and injuries came to light.
He stared at the broken form of his best mate and struggled to find the right words.
He mumbled, "Theo, mate...."
Cuts, bruises and a lethal-looking black eye adorned Theo's fragile frame.
The lanky blonde smiled halfheartedly, "I know I've looked worse."
He let out a strained chuckle, "Remember the time I pissed off those bloody vampires at Hogshead?"
Draco laughed low, "Yeah, I remember. Aberforth was fucking furious."
An uncomfortable silence followed.
Theo swallowed with difficulty and looked at Draco.
His voice cracked with concern, "Can you check on Hermione?"
Draco stiffened and stared into Theo's blood-smeared face.
Theo's eyes darkened, anger shook his frail body, and he spat, "These fuckers won't let me see my wife."
Draco placed a hand on Theo's shoulder, gently squeezed it, and said, "Calm down, mate, she's fine."
Theo looked away in misery but deep in thought, his face tired and bruised.
Draco couldn't hold back any longer, "Why the fuck didn't you apparate?"
A coughing fit tore through Theo's shattered body, and a few drops of blood landed on the sparkling white sheet.
He wiped it away, ignored the question, grabbed Draco's hand and pleaded, "Promise me you will look after her!"
Fresh blood dribbled down the side of his mouth and landed on Draco's hand.
Frozen and stunned into momentary silence, he stared at his friend incredulously.
Theo was deadly serious. His blue eyes shone with unshed tears.
Draco felt his breathing clench at the request made.
He swallowed hard and tried to keep the fear out of his voice, "Stop talking shit. You are going to be fine."
He failed miserably; his tone was unconvincing, and his voice cracked with emotion.
Theo chuckled softly, "I know when you lie fucker."
Placing a hand on his legs, he hissed, "I can't feel my legs, and I know… I'm dying."
Draco raised a warning finger and demanded sternly, "Shut the fuck up."
He lowered his voice and mumbled, "Nothing will happen to you."
Theo smiled, and tears filled his eyes. He raised a battered hand, and Draco took it at once.
A hint of happiness flashed across his face, "Best friends for life?"
Draco felt his vision blur with the rush of tears. He held on tight and nodded, "For life."
Theo's grip tightened, and he again pleaded, "Please, promise me you will look after her."
She means everything to me, Theo.
Draco could barely take it.
He swallowed hard, hoping to stop the tears that would surely fall.
Heavy drops clung to his eyelashes. He looked to the ceiling and begged Merlin to give him the strength to remain collected.
Looking down at his friend, both men locked pained eyes.
Draco nodded solemnly and promised without hesitation, "You have my word."
Theo let go, closed his eyes and sighed with overwhelming relief.
He mustered a bright smile and said, "Good, now get the fuck out of here. I want to sleep."
Draco reluctantly but slowly backed out of the room.
He leaned against the hospital wall and wiped away the tears that were falling.
He ran trembling fingers through his platinum blonde locks and let out a frustrated growl.
Fuck, he desperately needed and wanted a smoke.
A habit he had long since given up, but he needed one badly.
Blaise approached and asked, concerned, "How is he?"
Draco shook his head gravely, "Not good."
Nodding understandably, Blaise asked, unable to look Draco in the eye, "Soon?"
Draco's voice cracked, "Yes, very soon."
The Gryffindors huddled together. He glanced in their direction and went down the hall to where Hermione was.
Standing outside the door, his racing heart hitched and slammed against his ribcage.
He stepped inside and froze.
Her name escaped his lips before he could stop it, "Hermione?"
No one heard him. The room was in utter chaos.
Hermione sobbed hysterically while a Healer held her close and stroked her back in comfort.
Draco stepped inside the room and scanned the surroundings.
What the fuck was going on?
There was a large pool of blood on the bed under her.
Was that her blood?
Healers rushed around her, trying to stabilise the situation.
He stared at the crumpled figure of Hermione Granger on the bed.
She lay in a fetal position, hugging her legs to her chest.
Grabbing the arm of the Healer closest to him, he asked through clenched teeth, "What the hell is going on?"
The Healer's face fell. It was days like these that made her job unbearable.
The older woman swallowed painfully and morbidly replied, "She lost the baby."
Draco stared into the creased, grief-stricken face of the Healer in shock.
She added sadly, "The impact was too severe."
Draco felt the wind get knocked out of him.
Fuck!
Please, God, no!
Not the child, please, don't take her baby.
His back hit the wall, and he waited patiently for the Healers to leave. His eyes never left the woman in front of him.
He watched her chest heaving with sobs, and then she stopped crying and lay deadly still.
Once the final Healer left, Draco slowly walked towards the bed.
Oh, Merlin, she looked so small and fragile.
The blood was magicked away, and she wore a strikingly bright white gown.
Her eyes opened, and she stared at the wall unblinkingly.
Draco reached for her hand slowly and muttered, "Hermione."
Her eyes were void of any emotion. She ignored him and stared straight ahead.
She clutched her stomach protectively. Whitened fingers dug into the soft flesh of her abdomen.
Absentmindedly, as if in a trance, Hermione twirled the chain around her neck with her free hand.
The red locket was a brilliant contrast against her pale skin
She rocked, mumbling incoherently.
His long fingers made contact. She snapped out of her daze and looked up at him.
Hermione whispered helplessly, "Draco...."
He brushed a tendril of hair off her face, and she was in his awaiting arms, crying and holding onto him.
Loud sobs echoed through the room.
Draco held Hermione close, letting her cry for as long as needed.
I'm sorry... he wanted to say... it would offer little comfort.
Instead, he barely managed, "I'm here, darling. I'm always here for you."
Ginny, Harry, and Ron moved cautiously into the room and stood around the bed, taking in the situation with both concern and sorrow.
Their faces creased with worry as they saw their best friend's suffering.
Hermione broke away, but hot tears fell down her pale, distraught face.
She looked at her friends through haunted, vacant eyes.
The softness of the chocolate brown orbs was no more. In its place were soulless dark pits.
Ginny held onto her hand, and Draco moved away to make room for Potter and Weasley.
His eye roved over her from a distance, and besides the mild cuts and bruises, she seemed fine.
Her injuries were deeply embedded in her mind. He feared for her sanity.
It was clear that Theo had taken the brunt of the accident. The truck crashed head-on into his side.
Hermione glanced at Draco and widened her eyes in realisation.
She sobbed and asked urgently, "Where is my husband? Where is Theo?"
Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Ron purposely averted his gaze, and Harry looked at Draco.
Hermione looked at her friend in alarm.
Why the fuck was no one answering?
She rounded on Draco and demanded loudly, "WHERE IS THEO?"
He walked over, took her hand and retorted cautiously yet soothingly, "Calm down. He's in the other room."
Hermione could feel something was wrong. She tried to get up, but Draco held onto her shoulders firmly and stopped her.
She struggled, but he held on and said sternly, "You are not fit enough to walk."
Trying to break free from his grasp, Hermione cried, "I don't care. I want to see my husband."
Draco closed his eyes and, in defeat, uttered, "Fine."
Minutes later, they were in Theo's room.
Hermione gasped at her husband's broken body.
Draco held her to his body, afraid she would fall.
Theo pulled himself up and greeted Hermione cheerfully, "My love."
She stumbled, trying to reach him and collapsed near his bed.
Draco bent to catch her, but she slapped his hand away.
Hermione held Theo's hand, brushed it with a kiss and sobbed, "Please don't leave me! I need you so much."
Theo looked over his sobbing wife's head and locked pained eyes with Draco.
She will need you more than ever...
The broken man wore a faint smile. Tears filled his eyes and spilt over.
No words were shared. It was not needed.
The look they shared would haunt Draco for the rest of his days.
Look after her...
He closed his eyes, took in the situation, and slowly backed out of the room, leaving husband and wife with the few moments they had left.
Theo stroked Hermione's hair and whispered, "Don't cry, darling. I could never leave you."
He struggled to sit up and asked softly, "Can you come close, my love?"
She stared at him, perplexed, but bent down at once without hesitation. Theo whispered hurriedly in her ear.
Hermione shuddered with every word her husband uttered, and new tears fell on her grief-stricken face.
Gently, he touched her face, and they shared a soft kiss.
Theo looked at his wife's face hungrily and memorised each feature.
His lips quivered, but he said adoringly, "I love you, Hermione."
Hermione brushed his bruised knuckles with her lips, "I love you so much, darling."
Theo flashed his boyish smile and drifted off to sleep.
Flat out, refusing to leave Theo's side, Hermione held onto his hand and slept beside him.
Hidden by the shadows, Draco watched Hermione with increasing distress.
He watched her intently as she slept next to her husband.
Blaise handed him a coffee, and they sat in the waiting area.
They could not bring themselves to speak, drinking their coffee in silence. Draco studied the surrounding area.
Most people were grieving, crying softly in the corners, and a few others were jubilant, holding on to relatives or newborn babies.
Pain...
Suffering...
Yet, the presence of happiness lingered in the dark corners.
St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was a rollercoaster of emotions and internal turmoil.
Ginny, Potter, and Weasley left, promising to return in the morning.
They had small children at home who needed them.
Harry looked defeated, his face contorted with anguish over the situation. He tried multiple times to say a few words, but they evaded him with purpose.
Draco and Blaise shook their hands and reassured them that they would look after everything.
He meant every word. He always felt responsible for her.
My love...
My everything...
Ginny touched Draco's arm, gave it a slight squeeze and reluctantly left
Harry threw them one last look and followed his wife and Ron.
Hermione stirred and woke to a dimly lit room. The lack of light disoriented her vision; she rubbed her eyes to see straight.
Theo's hand was still firmly in hers, but it was ice-cold and unmoving.
She got to her feet immediately and ignored the searing pain that tore through her abdomen.
Grabbing Theo by the shoulders, Hermione shook him and cried, "Theo? Wake up! THEO!!"
She let out a blood-curdling scream.
She passed out and fell backwards. Draco rushed into the room in time to catch her.
He scooped her up at once and hurriedly left the room as Blaise barged into the room with a Healer, and they quickly approached Theo's unresponsive body.
Draco lay Hermione down gently on a bed and stared into her face.
A powerful surge of emotions clawed its way to the surface
I love you...
Reluctantly, he left her in the care of a woman Healer and ran down the corridor.
As Blaise came into view, Draco knew the worst was confirmed.
The olive-skinned man leaned against the clean wall and doubled over, and his chest rose and fell with continuous sobs.
Draco came to an immediate halt.
No! It couldn't be...
He refused to believe it...
He looked inside the room in time to see a Healer cover Theo's pale body with a white sheet.
His best friend, his brother, was gone.
Gut-wrenching pain gripped his heart, and he almost fell to the ground.
Theo...mate...
Gone too soon...
Draco punched the wall next to the door repeatedly.
His knuckles turned white and red from the abuse they endured.
Tears streamed down his face, and he yelled, "Fuck! No! Theo!!"
Dreadfully long hours passed.
They stood by Theo's body, unable to look directly at him.
The smell in the room was unbearable.
The stink of potions and fluids was sickening.
Draco felt the bile rise.
Blaise vomited into the sink close by, unable to contain himself any longer.
The Healer spoke reassuringly, but they weren't listening for shit.
Draco stared at Theo.
His best friend's face looked calm. His eyes closed shut.
Peace...
Blaise shook the Healer's hand and thanked him for his efforts.
Taking the Healer's hand next, Draco gave a curt nod before turning on his heel and fleeing the room.
He found her sitting in the waiting room, slumped and defeated, staring deadpan into the crowd.
Draco took the seat next to Hermione and glanced at her.
He didn't dare to touch her.
They sat together for what seemed like a lifetime.
She did not speak, and neither did he.
They sat distraught and deep in thought.
A Healer came close and gently spoke to Hermione, "Mrs Nott?"
She made no sound, but she heard the Healer. She continued to stare at the moving crowd.
Her pale face showed no emotion.
The Healer looked to Draco for help.
The eyes.
Merlin, her once beautiful eyes were cracked shades of brown and black.
Suffering...pain.
She stared into nothingness.
The sight of the woman before him broke his heart into pieces.
My love.... he thought in a moment of weakness.
Draco nodded at the Healer, bent down, took Hermione's hands, and kissed them gently.
Her fingers were limp in his. She looked past him at a few children playing in the foreground.
He tried again desperately, "Hermione?"
Please talk to me.
No response.
The Healer sighed and decided to return later to discuss vital details about her recovery.
Let me share your pain, Draco wanted to shout.
He couldn't bear it any longer; he threw his arms around her and cradled her body.
He felt her respond after a moment of holding her and soothingly rubbing her back.
Her arms went around him and pulled him close.
Draco almost cried out in joy.
That's it, darling, let it go.
His shirt was dampened with her soft sobs.
Blaise glanced over his shoulder and watched them in sorrow. His grief threatened to consume him.
Walking over, he placed a consoling hand on Draco's shoulder and clumsily wiped the tears that fell down his face.
Having just arrived, Harry and Ginny ran to Hermione's side.
Their faces masked the horror and pain they felt.
Oh, Merlin...Hermione.
They stood by Blaise; Ginny cried, holding onto Harry.
She asked between sobs, "Why did this happen?"
Harry shook his head in painful disbelief.
None of them had answers.
Theo was a fun-loving, genuinely good man.
It was always the good ones that left first.
Harry stared sadly at his best friend, crying against the tall blonde man's shoulder.
It was apparent Malfoy still cared deeply for her.
Harry's emotions got the better of him, and before he could hold them back, hot tears slid down his cheeks.
Draco slowly tried to withdraw, but Hermione held onto him tightly.
His arms went around her again, and he stroked her hair lovingly.
I will always look after you, my love.
He glanced at the people around him and warned darkly, "Let her cry."
The Healers backed off at once.
Let out your grief.
Draco reassured her, "It will be alright, Hermione."
He cradled her body and kissed her forehead.
Hermione dug her fingers into his tear-stained shirt and sobbed uncontrollably, "Theo. Oh, Theo."
Helplessly, Draco let her unleash the torment of her suffering.
I will keep my promise, Theo.
I will look after her until my dying day.
His stormy grey eyes blazed with purpose.