Dramione Fic: Bend or Break [3/?]
Title: Bend or Break
Author: charlottetrips
Rating: M
Genre: Drama, Angst, Romance
Warnings: character death, images of violence
Characters: Draco, Hermione, Ginny, Harry
Disclaimer: Anything from the Harry Potter-verse belongs to JKR. The plot is mine.
Summary: After a fatal accident, Hermione is left to raise her child alone. She finds that she can't--can't bear to look at the child that reminds her of him. Will she be able to move on? Or will she break?
Chapter 1 - Her
Chapter 2 - Him
Chapter 3 - Cliff
"Why do you care?" Harry knew his words were rude, born out of old habits that died hard.
The fairer man flinched at the harsh tone. Draco knew it was nothing less than deserved, he had never been more than bare acquaintances with people of Harry's kind, the kind that looked out for the people around them, the sort of people who sacrificed their desires for the needs of others.
But this had become important to him, somehow, that Hermione and her child survived. She was one of those people and, Draco knew from intimate experience, that there were not enough of them in existence. He already had the burden, the responsibility, of Blaise and Ron's deaths, he would rather not add that of hers and the unborn baby.
He took a deep breath and raised his eyes to meet the wary gaze of Harry's, knowing full well that the other man was thinking of the Malfoy family's continued betrayal to the Dark side, of Draco's own part in the Final War. There was no trust between them, nothing to give Harry or Draco the reassurance they so badly needed. His voice came out low and fierce. "Because I do not want her or her baby to be dead. I bloody well took the time to save her so I think that gives me a right to know if she survived."
Harry was unfazed by the vehemence in Draco's tone, his skin thickened from his years as an Auror. The green eyes steadily looked at the injured man, taking in the shallow, labored breaths through the thin hospital gown, the whiteness of his already pale face and the slight tremors running through the lanky frame and Harry realized that Draco was fighting back physical pain. "For God's sake, Draco, you can lie down!" Harry exclaimed exasperatedly, putting out a hand to gently guide him into a lying position.
Draco swung his arm up, fighting him off. "Don't! Just fucking tell me!"
Harry sat back in his chair, surprised, despite himself. The man was serious. "Okay. She's alive. And so's the baby, her son."
Draco's tense shoulders relaxed just a little bit, as if a burden had been lifted for a moment. He gingerly moved to lay back on his bed, not caring that Harry would see him in such a weak position. The fact that Hermione and her son had survived seemed to be the only truly important thing right now. He wasn't going to analyze it just yet, but he at least felt that he could finally get some rest. He closed his eyes.
"Draco." Harry's voice cut through his sudden drowsiness. His eyes opened to meet Harry's stare and remembered that Harry had wanted to know what happened. He also recalled that Harry was the Head Auror, and probably the next Minister as well. Not knowing what the consequences of his actions of the night before could be and not wanting to find out just yet, he decided to play on the wizard legend's compassion.
"I'll tell you this, it was my best mate, Blaise, who hit the Weasleys' car and he died instantly. I hope. I'm sure you've had your Aurors all over the scene of the accident and will find what data you find." He let a grimace escape him, not really needing to fake it due to the hammer that had started to bang its way through his brain. "But Harry, I've just had a near death experience and want to get some rest before my head splits open."
Through his barely open eyes, he saw Harry's stern look soften. "Of course. I'll leave you for now. The Healer says you should be fine by tomorrow. Please come see me at my office, say one o'clock?"
Draco nodded and shut his eyes fully, turning his head away. He heard Harry get up and leave the room. Slowly, he opened his eyes to take in the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window and thought about fear and death, changes and crossroads, and a pair of brown eyes, dark with pain and grief.
*.*
She took refuge in the darkness, in the nothingness and the void. There was a blankness inside of her, an empty space that could never be filled. Where once she had had passion for the world around her, love for her friends and family, a driving purpose to make the world a better place through her every action, there was emptiness. She didn't want to remember. She did not want to feel. And most of all, she did not want to live. She willed herself to expire, to simply not be.
She knew they were worried about her. Their gazes filled with concern, their whispers out of sight but still there. Worried smiles turned her way, soothing voices filling her ears. But still she did not care.
She knew there was the baby, a life just begun. But she couldn't look at him, could not bear to be near him, for when she was, she remembered. She felt pain. Pain so great it threatened to consume her from the inside out, slowly working its way through her until it escaped the confines of her skin to explode out to those around her.
And so she stayed away, locked up in the prison of her own making. She had remained in the hospital for only a few more days before she was released for bed rest at home. She supposed she should be grateful to Harry and Ginny for bringing her to her parents' home, instead of the other place, the home she had made with-
Her mind shied away from the thought, already knowing that to brush up against it would bring about unending anguish. She kept to the deadness that filled her.
A pitiful cry seeped in through the cracks of her bedroom door, wanting comfort and love from his mother. For a space of a heartbeat, she thought about getting up to answer it. Then she shut her eyes to the outside world and welcomed oblivion.
Author: charlottetrips
Rating: M
Genre: Drama, Angst, Romance
Warnings: character death, images of violence
Characters: Draco, Hermione, Ginny, Harry
Disclaimer: Anything from the Harry Potter-verse belongs to JKR. The plot is mine.
Summary: After a fatal accident, Hermione is left to raise her child alone. She finds that she can't--can't bear to look at the child that reminds her of him. Will she be able to move on? Or will she break?
Chapter 1 - Her
Chapter 2 - Him
Chapter 3 - Cliff
"Why do you care?" Harry knew his words were rude, born out of old habits that died hard.
The fairer man flinched at the harsh tone. Draco knew it was nothing less than deserved, he had never been more than bare acquaintances with people of Harry's kind, the kind that looked out for the people around them, the sort of people who sacrificed their desires for the needs of others.
But this had become important to him, somehow, that Hermione and her child survived. She was one of those people and, Draco knew from intimate experience, that there were not enough of them in existence. He already had the burden, the responsibility, of Blaise and Ron's deaths, he would rather not add that of hers and the unborn baby.
He took a deep breath and raised his eyes to meet the wary gaze of Harry's, knowing full well that the other man was thinking of the Malfoy family's continued betrayal to the Dark side, of Draco's own part in the Final War. There was no trust between them, nothing to give Harry or Draco the reassurance they so badly needed. His voice came out low and fierce. "Because I do not want her or her baby to be dead. I bloody well took the time to save her so I think that gives me a right to know if she survived."
Harry was unfazed by the vehemence in Draco's tone, his skin thickened from his years as an Auror. The green eyes steadily looked at the injured man, taking in the shallow, labored breaths through the thin hospital gown, the whiteness of his already pale face and the slight tremors running through the lanky frame and Harry realized that Draco was fighting back physical pain. "For God's sake, Draco, you can lie down!" Harry exclaimed exasperatedly, putting out a hand to gently guide him into a lying position.
Draco swung his arm up, fighting him off. "Don't! Just fucking tell me!"
Harry sat back in his chair, surprised, despite himself. The man was serious. "Okay. She's alive. And so's the baby, her son."
Draco's tense shoulders relaxed just a little bit, as if a burden had been lifted for a moment. He gingerly moved to lay back on his bed, not caring that Harry would see him in such a weak position. The fact that Hermione and her son had survived seemed to be the only truly important thing right now. He wasn't going to analyze it just yet, but he at least felt that he could finally get some rest. He closed his eyes.
"Draco." Harry's voice cut through his sudden drowsiness. His eyes opened to meet Harry's stare and remembered that Harry had wanted to know what happened. He also recalled that Harry was the Head Auror, and probably the next Minister as well. Not knowing what the consequences of his actions of the night before could be and not wanting to find out just yet, he decided to play on the wizard legend's compassion.
"I'll tell you this, it was my best mate, Blaise, who hit the Weasleys' car and he died instantly. I hope. I'm sure you've had your Aurors all over the scene of the accident and will find what data you find." He let a grimace escape him, not really needing to fake it due to the hammer that had started to bang its way through his brain. "But Harry, I've just had a near death experience and want to get some rest before my head splits open."
Through his barely open eyes, he saw Harry's stern look soften. "Of course. I'll leave you for now. The Healer says you should be fine by tomorrow. Please come see me at my office, say one o'clock?"
Draco nodded and shut his eyes fully, turning his head away. He heard Harry get up and leave the room. Slowly, he opened his eyes to take in the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window and thought about fear and death, changes and crossroads, and a pair of brown eyes, dark with pain and grief.
*.*
She took refuge in the darkness, in the nothingness and the void. There was a blankness inside of her, an empty space that could never be filled. Where once she had had passion for the world around her, love for her friends and family, a driving purpose to make the world a better place through her every action, there was emptiness. She didn't want to remember. She did not want to feel. And most of all, she did not want to live. She willed herself to expire, to simply not be.
She knew they were worried about her. Their gazes filled with concern, their whispers out of sight but still there. Worried smiles turned her way, soothing voices filling her ears. But still she did not care.
She knew there was the baby, a life just begun. But she couldn't look at him, could not bear to be near him, for when she was, she remembered. She felt pain. Pain so great it threatened to consume her from the inside out, slowly working its way through her until it escaped the confines of her skin to explode out to those around her.
And so she stayed away, locked up in the prison of her own making. She had remained in the hospital for only a few more days before she was released for bed rest at home. She supposed she should be grateful to Harry and Ginny for bringing her to her parents' home, instead of the other place, the home she had made with-
Her mind shied away from the thought, already knowing that to brush up against it would bring about unending anguish. She kept to the deadness that filled her.
A pitiful cry seeped in through the cracks of her bedroom door, wanting comfort and love from his mother. For a space of a heartbeat, she thought about getting up to answer it. Then she shut her eyes to the outside world and welcomed oblivion.