Round 3 Challenge 8: The Screening
Grab a soda and some popcorn, movie fans … It’s time for the week Eight screening!
Welcome all to the World Premiere of "I Must be Crazy to be in a Loony Bin Like This!"
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Guidelines:
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Example: Most - #40: the ending was brilliant - OR - Least - #57: the ending fell flat
Please remember writers, that you may not vote for yourselves.
Here we go for week Eight!
Choose your favorite and least favorite drabbles. Favorites will receive +1 point per vote, and least favorites -1 point per vote.
Voting ends at 11:59pm, Friday, March 20th.
I Must be Crazy to be in a Loony Bin Like This!
Scene (inspirational movie): One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Action (must include): set in St. Mungo’s
Theme (additional information): Insanity
1
Title: Visitation
Author: bookishwench
Rating: G
Warnings: AU seventh year
Word Count: 499
The closed ward was never quiet, but the disjointed noises became a different sort of silence, one characterized by lack of meaning rather than lack of sound. It was disorienting, as though if a well person stayed long enough, the sanity would be leached from them like a vibrant riverbed turned to baked mud in a cruel drought.
Draco knew that was what had happened to her. What a perfect plan it had been, to rob the most dangerous rebels of their strongest weapon: Hermione’s intellect. The Carrows, on Voldemort’s orders, had pried Hermione from Potions in seventh year and sent her here, claiming any Mudblood who believed herself to be a witch must be deranged, that this was the kindest thing they could do.
Kind. There was no kindness in any Death Eater, and none in their leader. If they had known she was guilty of loving a Pureblood, they both would have been killed, but that might really have been kinder. Potter had eventually destroyed the Dark Lord, but not before countless lives had been taken. She was one.
Draco hated St. Mungo’s, the smell of decay that hit him the moment the doors opened, but still he came, hoping each time that there would be the smallest improvement. He steeled himself outside the fourth floor door, then opened it.
Hermione sat on the edge of her bed, ignoring the tumult around her, looking out the window at London below.
“Hello,” he said, sitting in a chair opposite her, wondering if she would notice him.
She didn’t move, not even her eyes, but she did say, “It’s raining.”
Draco looked out the window at the clear autumn sunlight, but he didn’t correct her.
“Feeling any better?” he asked, replacing a faded yellow rose in the vase on her bedside table with a fresh one.
She said nothing, but eventually she turned towards him, her eyes vacant as empty fishbowls.
“You’re covered in it, you know,” she said, “the blood. It doesn’t ever really wash off, does it?”
She looked at her own hands and began rubbing them roughly, nearly hurting herself, until Draco took them gently in his to make her stop.
“There isn’t any on yours, Hermione,” he said. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing except love me, I suppose.”
“Love thy enemy,” she said, and she lifted her palm to his face, touching his cheek.
For a moment he thought he saw a glimpse of her, the real her, behind her eyes. He put his hand on top of hers, entwining their fingers, and the ruin of who she had once been was too much for him. A tear ran down his cheek.
“It’s raining,” she said again as her fingertip traced its track over his skin before she lapsed once more into silence, drawing into herself and staring at nothing at all.
“It’s always raining, love,” he said as he ran a parting hand over the tangle of her hair, then left once more.
2
Title: The Gene
Author: kate0404
Rating: PG
Warnings: Is angst a warning?
Word Count: 499 super-special words
“I don’t believe you.”
“Malfoy, I don’t understand you.”
“Why’s that, Granger?” His eyes met hers with a smirk on his lips. He’d been waiting for this conversation for days, months even.
“You have been nothing but cordial to me since the end of the war, yet your ‘side’ lost. Why is that?” Her brow crinkled in worried confusion; surely worried because she expected him to lash out at her and confused because she truly didn’t understand his new-found behavior.
His smirk widened to a grin, as he tutted, “And they call you the brightest witch of our day.”
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Malfoy.”
“Thank you for tonight, Draco.” Her voice was quiet as she glanced down at her shoes. It was completely uncharacteristic for her to be so shy, yet endearing.
He lifted her chin with his fingertips and gazed into her eyes. “I should be thanking you.”
She furrowed her brow, “Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “You gave me a second chance.” His lips brushed against hers.
“It can’t be. She was fine four days ago.”
They had been sitting in front of the fireplace all evening talking about anything they could think of; her favorite color, his silly quirks, her fear of water, and his true feelings about his father. They had laughed and smiled. She had cried.
The firelight danced off her dark curls and he brushed his fingers through them to get her attention. She hummed in content.
It was time for his confession.
“Hermione?” He swallowed. “I love you.”
Her smiled was easy and she didn’t hesitate. “I love you, too.”
“Sometimes there are no warning signs.”
“And what did he say?”
He saw her fists clench together. “He said he couldn’t approve of us.”
Draco would have liked to have been surprised, but he wasn’t. He was, however, as mad as she was. “What more do I have to do to prove myself? I’ve done everything I can think of! When will it be enough?”
He watched her anger dissipate instantly as she wrapped her fingers around his tightened hands. “Shh. No one else matters, Draco. It’s you and me now.”
He sighed.
“Forever,” she said and twirled the ring around her finger. “Everyone is just going to have to get used to it.”
“We were going to get married.”
The healer at St. Mungo’s set his clipboard down. “I am truly sorry, Mr. Malfoy. We have tried everything. There is nothing left to do.”
Draco’s body shook - with anger, fear, and pain. “It just can’t be possible.”
“Unfortunately, it can. All witches carry the gene. It affects some and not others. Unfortunately, Miss Granger was one of the unlucky ones.”
Draco moved his eyes from the healer and over to his fiancé, lying on her sterile bed in a medicated induced coma - his fiancé who had been declared mentally insane two days ago and was harmful to others and herself.
Draco wanted nothing more, at that moment, than to die.
3
Title: The Bride's Tears
Author: hathorx
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Word Count: 498
--
"Can she see us?"
Blood... his blood... always.. .
"No, the glass is only one-sided. Only padded cell we have like this in St. Mungo’s. Are you the new Healer then?"
So much blood... it wasn’t me...
"Yes, I was assigned to replace you. How is she doing today?"
The motherly-looking Healer peered through the glass at the patient she had been looking after for the past year and shook her head. "Not good. She clawed at her wrists this morning and although we restrained her in time, she lost a lot of blood. It’s the fifth time this week and every calming and sleeping potion we tried no longer have any effect on her."
Draco... he was in my mind...
"Hermione Granger. One of the Barnton Church survivors, is she?" the younger Healer asked, looking down thoughtfully at the file in his hands. "How tragic."
I’m so sorry... Draco... Draco...
"What is she saying?"
"Mostly gibberish," the woman assured him, watching the skinny girl claw at the padded walls in vain. "Sometimes she remembers things, small details from her life before… other times, she’s like this. Endlessly beating her head against the wall, muttering his name."
"His name?"
"Draco."
"Draco Malfoy?" the young man asked in surprise. "I didn’t realise his death meant -"
The plump woman smiled sadly. "You wouldn’t think so when Voldemort slaughtered both her parents before her as well. Some of her friends too. My friend was one of the Aurors who cleaned up afterwards. A complete blood bath, apparently, but the worst was Draco. His body was found scattered among the rest of them - cut up in little pieces I was told."
The world turned red... his blood on my hands...
"Voldemort killed many of her friends and family that day, but I guess losing him was the one loss she couldn’t take."
The young Healer looked down at his new patient and scanned her pale face with interest. "I never realised they were so close."
"The Ministry forbid the media to mention it, but the reason why they all gathered in that church was because they were secretly getting married. Hermione and Draco - they were in love."
Draco... in my heart... Draco... on my hands...
"It’s all in the file," the woman added, as an afterthought.
"And the curse? I trust the Imperius Curse used had no lasting effects on her?"
"None physically of course, but that wasn’t the point." The elderly woman stopped to gaze into the girl’s sunken, empty eyes. "Voldemort didn’t use the curse to block her. On the contrary, he made her participate."
"Merlin! Are you saying -?"
"After studying her wand, the Aurors informed us she was forced to butcher her own fiancé. Voldemort wanted to break her and he succeeded."
Draco... I’m so sorry... my love...
"Her mind is gone. It’s been over a year and I doubt even you can help her now."
He was in my mind... then the world turned red...
4
Title: Insanity
Author: kalina_blue
Rating: PG
Warnings: Post-DH, EWE
Word Count: 499
"Morning," Hermione said, not bothering to look up from the letter she was reading. She knew who had come into her office. There was only one person rude enough to enter without knocking. Every. Single. Time.
"Hello, Granger," Draco drawled, sitting down in the chair in front of Hermione's desk and propping his feet up on the table. Hermione rolled her eyes, pulling a file out from underneath his shoes.
"Do you mind?" she asked, annoyed.
"Not at all," Draco assured her cockily. His feet stayed on the desk.
Hermione barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. Malfoy's weekly visits were always trying her patience. Resolving once more not to be baited, Hermione pulled out Narcissa Malfoy's file and opened it.
"I'm afraid there still isn't any change," she said.
Hermione had taken over Narcissa's case shortly after she had finished her training as a Healer. A year after the war, Narcissa had been attack by a fugitive Death Eater who wanted revenge for the betrayal of the Dark Lord. Although Aurors had eventually rescued Mrs. Malfoy, the countless Crucios and other curses had permanently damaged her health and sanity. She was now staying at the long-term resident's ward at St. Mungos, where her son dutifully visited her once a week.
"At least she hasn't gotten worse," Draco commented bleakly.
"So far your mother's condition has been very stable," Hermione agreed.
There was a short pause in which Draco seemed to contemplate his mother's situation. Hermione stayed silent as well, giving him time to think. Whatever else she thought of the youngest Malfoy, throughout his weekly visits Hermione had learned that Draco deeply cared for his mother.
But all too soon Draco's serious expression was gone and his familiar smirk was back in place.
"So, Granger, are you going to go out with me?" he asked.
Hermione sighed. Draco had been asking her out every week for at least three months now. He had started to do so when during one visit where he had been particularly irritating, Hermione had lost her composure and expressed her surprise that any woman with half a brain cell would ever voluntarily date him.
Hermione's usual answer to Draco's question was a resounding "Not in a million years." However, this time it was different. Resigned, Hermione looked back down on the letter she had been reading when Draco had entered her office.
It was an invitation to Ron and Lavender's wedding.
While Ron and she had parted ways amiably, Hermione did not particularly fancy attending the wedding without a date. And with her busy work schedule, dating had never been much of a priority. She really didn't have that many options.
Reluctantly, Hermione looked up again, only to see Malfoy's triumphant smirk.
"I must be crazy to even consider this," Hermione mumbled.
"Well, look at the bright side," Draco drawled, "If you do take up permanent residency at the loony bin, your commute to work is going to be very short."
5
Title: Varying Shades of Grey
Author: luvscharlie
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word Count: 474
Hermione had seen him at St. Mungo's several times on trips to see old friends, those for whom the war had simply been too much to process. St. Mungo's had become a busy place in the last few months.
The first few times she saw Draco there, she'd simply turned away and went about her business. He looked a bit the worse for wear, but didn't they all these days?
Today, though, he looked bad even by recent adjustments for standards. So, she stopped. "Are you okay?"
He looked up from where he sat, lines of worry and grief etched deeply into a face once smooth with youth. "No, I'm not."
She had expected a snarky comment, at the least a 'mind your leave,' but this sort of direct show of-was that vulnerability?-was a first. Hermione was rather stunned. She had prepared a retort of, 'I was only being polite,' or 'forgive me for asking,' but those seemed inappropriate now.
Instead, she took a seat beside him and waited, gathering her wits about her before replying. "Why are you here? Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine-I guess. I mean, physically, I'm fine." He wiped his hand across his brow. "It's my mother."
"Oh. Is there something I can-"
He cut off her words. "There's nothing anybody can do. And what do you care, anyway? I mean she's just a Death Eater's wife. The consensus is that she'd be better off dead or with Father locked away in Azkaban."
His tone was biting, and she was almost relieved for the familiarity. At least this Draco she recognised. She could deal with this. She stood and stalked away… or started to.
"Hermione, wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
Bugger! He was apologising. She'd have to be gracious. She was the better person, after all. Hermione felt instantly contrite for her thoughts when she turned to look at him, head in his hands. She walked back and at sat down beside him once more.
They sat in silence for a few moments before he began speaking. "It's my mother. She's been here for the past few months. Since they took Father away to Azkaban, her grip on reality has been slipping. There's just been too much she's seen, and well-I guess I should just be thankful I was away at school for most of it. My mother's a strong woman. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been to break someone like her."
Only at that moment did it hit her how much both sides had lost during this war… when things were no longer so black and white, just many, many shades of grey. She reached out and touched his hand. "From here, it has to get better," she whispered.
"Does it? I'm not so sure."
6
Title: Carrots
Author: dazzled_x
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none.
Word Count: 329
“The carrots are talking.”
“Do you want me to take them out of the room?”
“No, it’s okay. They’re only discussing what kind of engagement ring I should buy you.”
“We’re not even dating.”
“Tell that to the carrots.”
“That would make me a tad uncomfortable.”
“It’s your choice, Granger. But please don’t ignore the fact that they are still arguing if the diamond should be a princess cut.”
“Err…right.”
Thirty minutes later…
Hermione Granger leaned towards Blaise Zabini and whispered, “How much longer will this potion last? Malfoy’s already threatened to sue every Healer in St. Mungo’s.”
Blaise sighed heavily. “Pretty soon, I think. One would think an Auror such as he would have at least hesitated when a stranger bought him a drink.”
“Ron said it was from a pretty witch; Malfoy walked right into the trap,” Hermione said, ignoring the pang of jealousy she felt.
“What a git,” Blaise snorted. “In that case, my mate deserves to suffer from insanity.”
“Temporary insanity,” Hermione corrected.
“Whatever. Is it my turn or yours to check on him?”
“It’s mine,” Hermione sighed and headed back into Draco Malfoy’s hospital room.
“Hello, Malfoy. How are you holding up?” she asked politely.
“The Healers say that the potion has worn off. I’m only feeling the side effects now,” the blonde wizard replied, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“That’s good news.”
He shrugged. “I feel like a fool for getting myself into this predicament in the first place.”
“You should.”
“I’m going to ignore that. Tell me, Granger, why are you still here?” Malfoy asked.
Hermione avoided his curious gaze. “I haven’t a clue.”
“You’re still not ready to admit it, are you?”
“Admit what?”
Malfoy smirked. “Admit that the reason why you’ve kept a careful eye on me during my stay at St. Mungo’s is because you’re in love with me.”
Six months later, Witch Weekly reported a witness seeing Draco Malfoy examining engagement rings - focusing on ones with princess cuts.
7
Title: Free to Love
Author: greenschist
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Um, Evil!St. Mungo's, aka a "Voldemort Wins" dystopia
Word Count: 497
A/N: I'm very grateful for the existence of manu86's guide to dialects in HP. Any mistakes are my own.
Healer Grieves beamed at his guest.
"As you can see, here at St. Mungo's, we are successfully retraining afflicted wizards and witches for proper roles in society."
Madame Échapper, an imperious woman from Paris's wizard hospital, with sleek, tightly-bound brown hair, horned-rimmed glasses, and a small mole by her mouth, remained impassive. "I nevair would 'ave chosen ze word 'afflicted' for people in love."
Grieves frowned. "It fits when the so-called love is unnatural. These patients are here because of self-destructive affection for Mudbloods. We cure them."
"Oui, of course you are correct." The woman moved slowly up the hall, peering into every room through windows in the doors. She stopped outside room 418. "'Oo is zis?"
The Healer joined her at the window. Within, a blond man slept curled in the fetal position.
"Draco Malfoy…a disappointing case, I admit. He became involved with a particularly notorious Mudblood-Hermione Granger, close friend of Undesirable Number One-and turned traitor. Such a shame. His family used to be so well connected."
Against the window, her hand curled into a fist. "Ze patient is not responding to ze program?"
"Not as well as we'd like. He still loves her. He even insists they're married." The Healer's disgust was reflected in the glass. "Such a union is not recognized, of course; we now have laws against miscegenation. Nevertheless, he remains devoted."
Emotion gripped the woman, and Grieves laughed.
"I know. It would be romantic if it weren't so perverse." He shook his head. "Luckily, we've made our first breakthrough in his treatment."
"Breakthrough?"
"A Sleeping Draught to prevent dreams. Apparently, he often dreams of his Mudblood." Grieves examined Malfoy again, evidently pleased bywhat he saw. "When we told him this would no longer be tolerated, he cried."
Something like grief crossed her face.
"Feel no pity, Madame. It's a sign we're reaching him."
She abruptly opened the door with her wand and entered.
"Madame!" Grieves was rendered unconscious with one swish and flick. Wordlessly, she locked the door and darkened the window.
Moving swiftly, she poured a restorative potion down Draco's throat. "Wake up, love."
"Hermione?" Groggy, he touched the mole by her mouth.
"Yes. I'm in disguise." She helped him sit up. "We have to hurry; the extraction team leaves in six minutes."
Dreamlike, Draco traced her lips with his fingertip. "I tried to hold on, but they took you from me."
Swallowing a sob, she kissed him, relishing the feel of his mouth after months apart. "I've come for you, and we're getting out of here."
Hermione tugged hairs from Draco's scalp, and from Grieves's, and dropped them into tiny vials of Polyjuice Potion from her pocket. Pressing one into his hand, she forced the other between the Healer's jaws.
Slightly more alert, Draco looked from the vial in his palm to the floor where Grieves was turning into his twin. "You're real, aren't you?"
Hermione cupped his face with gentle hands. "I'm real, and I love you."
8
Title: Silence of End
Author: midnight_birth
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst. Character death. Mental instability.
Word Count: 364
St.Mungo’s was quiet at night. Her breathing was the only sound he could hear. He supposed the other patients were breathing too, some even snoring, but they didn’t exist to him. Not ever, but especially not tonight.
Her stone-like eyes followed him as he rocked above her, the pillow clutched tightly to his chest.
You’re not crazy, Draco. Not beyond help. You’ll get through this. We’ll get through this. We’ll get out of here soon. Soon, I promise.
Her words, from back when her tongue could still string them, floated in and out of his head. In the last four months her words were the only thing that overpowered the hundreds of others screaming at him constantly from inside his mind. Screaming, blaming, condemning. She could always make them all go away. But not anymore.
She was the only person who had ever told him that he wasn’t hopeless. That he wasn’t committed to the four white walls that kept closing in on him every time he blinked forever. And she wasn’t afraid to touch him or look at him without averting her eyes. Those eyes stared at him, empty. She looked just like everyone else in the ward now. Probably the same way that he looked to her when she looked at him, back when she was able to really see him.
In one fluid motion the pillow left his chest and was covering her face, his other hand running through her hair as she struggled weakly under him for air he wouldn’t allow her. Once she promised him they would leave here together, and when she did, unbeknownst to her, he promised her the same thing. Now the way was open, but he wouldn’t leave her behind. If she couldn’t leave with him, he would leave with her.
He left the pillow on her face. The lifeless body on the bed wasn’t Hermione. His Hermione was standing right in front of him, her eyes shining with happiness and peace. She outstretched her hand toward him, wiping away the renegade tear creeping down his face.
“Let’s go.”
He nodded, smiled, and tipped the pile of multi-coloured pills in his hand into his mouth.
9
Title: Sixth Sense
Author: floorcoaster
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word Count: 474
Note: THANKS go to M. You know why. The all caps was inspired by Death in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.
HELLO.
Draco yelped in surprise, jumping up from his chair and whirling around, plastic straw drawn and pointed at the intruder. It was Crabbe.
“Merlin, Vin, you nearly scared me to death!” He shakily resumed his seat and stowed the straw.
SORRY, DRACO. IT’S JUST TOO MUCH FUN TO STARTLE YOU THAT WAY.
“Well, I rather wish you wouldn’t.” Draco scowled. “You only come here to tell me bad news, isn’t that enough for you?”
I GUESS NOT.
“All right, then. Out with it.” Draco opened the day’s paper and began perusing the gossip column. “Who’s going to bite the dust today, hmm? Some sad bloke over in Bristol? Will a woman in Tiverton be sawn in half by a charmed kitchen knife?”
YOU’VE GOT SOME IMAGINATION, YOU KNOW THAT?
“I talk to dead people,” he replied with a shrug. “Seems only natural, really. Come now, let’s hear it. They’ll be bringing in the jello in a few minutes, and I’d like to enjoy it in peace.”
I’M AFRAID … IT’S BAD NEWS.
Draco rolled his eyes. “It’s always bad news, Vin. Always. You never come to talk about the weather, or Quidditch or some bird you saw the other day.”
IT’S … IT’S GRANGER.
He felt all the blood drain out of his face, and he felt suddenly very weak. “G-Granger? What’s going to happen?”
I DON’T KNOW THE PARTICULARS. BUT IT’LL BE TODAY. AROUND 2 THIS AFTERNOON.
Draco glanced at the clock and saw that he had less than half an hour to find Hermione and lock her in a broom closet where she couldn’t come to any harm.
I KNOW YOU FANCY HER, MATE. I’M SORRY.
“Do something!” he cried, rushing around his room and putting on his trousers. “At least tell me where-” Vin was gone.
Draco cursed his dead friend right back to the afterlife as he stepped into the silent hallway of St. Mungo’s. Think, Draco, think. Monday, quarter of two, where should she be? Her office, fifth floor.
He took off, running for the lift. When it didn’t immediately open for him, Draco cursed again and flung open the door for the stairs. He was halfway up when he saw Hermione at the top, flipping through a chart.
“Granger!” he cried, leaping up the steps two at a time, dread and panic suffusing his bones. “Stop! Don’t move!”
She stared at him, puzzled, and turned to face him. Her foot slipped, however, and she stumbled-right into his arms.
They stared at each other for a moment, then Hermione blushed and bit her lip. Draco smirked and set her on her feet.
“What just happened?” she asked breathily, her hand pressed to her heart.
“Call me crazy, but I think you just fell for me.”
Over her shoulder, Draco saw Crabbe chuckle and disappear-for good, he hoped.
10
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Voting ends at 11:59pm, Friday, March 20th.
I Must be Crazy to be in a Loony Bin Like This!
Scene (inspirational movie): One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Action (must include): set in St. Mungo’s
Theme (additional information): Insanity
1
Title: Visitation
Author: bookishwench
Rating: G
Warnings: AU seventh year
Word Count: 499
The closed ward was never quiet, but the disjointed noises became a different sort of silence, one characterized by lack of meaning rather than lack of sound. It was disorienting, as though if a well person stayed long enough, the sanity would be leached from them like a vibrant riverbed turned to baked mud in a cruel drought.
Draco knew that was what had happened to her. What a perfect plan it had been, to rob the most dangerous rebels of their strongest weapon: Hermione’s intellect. The Carrows, on Voldemort’s orders, had pried Hermione from Potions in seventh year and sent her here, claiming any Mudblood who believed herself to be a witch must be deranged, that this was the kindest thing they could do.
Kind. There was no kindness in any Death Eater, and none in their leader. If they had known she was guilty of loving a Pureblood, they both would have been killed, but that might really have been kinder. Potter had eventually destroyed the Dark Lord, but not before countless lives had been taken. She was one.
Draco hated St. Mungo’s, the smell of decay that hit him the moment the doors opened, but still he came, hoping each time that there would be the smallest improvement. He steeled himself outside the fourth floor door, then opened it.
Hermione sat on the edge of her bed, ignoring the tumult around her, looking out the window at London below.
“Hello,” he said, sitting in a chair opposite her, wondering if she would notice him.
She didn’t move, not even her eyes, but she did say, “It’s raining.”
Draco looked out the window at the clear autumn sunlight, but he didn’t correct her.
“Feeling any better?” he asked, replacing a faded yellow rose in the vase on her bedside table with a fresh one.
She said nothing, but eventually she turned towards him, her eyes vacant as empty fishbowls.
“You’re covered in it, you know,” she said, “the blood. It doesn’t ever really wash off, does it?”
She looked at her own hands and began rubbing them roughly, nearly hurting herself, until Draco took them gently in his to make her stop.
“There isn’t any on yours, Hermione,” he said. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing except love me, I suppose.”
“Love thy enemy,” she said, and she lifted her palm to his face, touching his cheek.
For a moment he thought he saw a glimpse of her, the real her, behind her eyes. He put his hand on top of hers, entwining their fingers, and the ruin of who she had once been was too much for him. A tear ran down his cheek.
“It’s raining,” she said again as her fingertip traced its track over his skin before she lapsed once more into silence, drawing into herself and staring at nothing at all.
“It’s always raining, love,” he said as he ran a parting hand over the tangle of her hair, then left once more.
2
Title: The Gene
Author: kate0404
Rating: PG
Warnings: Is angst a warning?
Word Count: 499 super-special words
“I don’t believe you.”
“Malfoy, I don’t understand you.”
“Why’s that, Granger?” His eyes met hers with a smirk on his lips. He’d been waiting for this conversation for days, months even.
“You have been nothing but cordial to me since the end of the war, yet your ‘side’ lost. Why is that?” Her brow crinkled in worried confusion; surely worried because she expected him to lash out at her and confused because she truly didn’t understand his new-found behavior.
His smirk widened to a grin, as he tutted, “And they call you the brightest witch of our day.”
“I’m very sorry, Mr. Malfoy.”
“Thank you for tonight, Draco.” Her voice was quiet as she glanced down at her shoes. It was completely uncharacteristic for her to be so shy, yet endearing.
He lifted her chin with his fingertips and gazed into her eyes. “I should be thanking you.”
She furrowed her brow, “Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked. “You gave me a second chance.” His lips brushed against hers.
“It can’t be. She was fine four days ago.”
They had been sitting in front of the fireplace all evening talking about anything they could think of; her favorite color, his silly quirks, her fear of water, and his true feelings about his father. They had laughed and smiled. She had cried.
The firelight danced off her dark curls and he brushed his fingers through them to get her attention. She hummed in content.
It was time for his confession.
“Hermione?” He swallowed. “I love you.”
Her smiled was easy and she didn’t hesitate. “I love you, too.”
“Sometimes there are no warning signs.”
“And what did he say?”
He saw her fists clench together. “He said he couldn’t approve of us.”
Draco would have liked to have been surprised, but he wasn’t. He was, however, as mad as she was. “What more do I have to do to prove myself? I’ve done everything I can think of! When will it be enough?”
He watched her anger dissipate instantly as she wrapped her fingers around his tightened hands. “Shh. No one else matters, Draco. It’s you and me now.”
He sighed.
“Forever,” she said and twirled the ring around her finger. “Everyone is just going to have to get used to it.”
“We were going to get married.”
The healer at St. Mungo’s set his clipboard down. “I am truly sorry, Mr. Malfoy. We have tried everything. There is nothing left to do.”
Draco’s body shook - with anger, fear, and pain. “It just can’t be possible.”
“Unfortunately, it can. All witches carry the gene. It affects some and not others. Unfortunately, Miss Granger was one of the unlucky ones.”
Draco moved his eyes from the healer and over to his fiancé, lying on her sterile bed in a medicated induced coma - his fiancé who had been declared mentally insane two days ago and was harmful to others and herself.
Draco wanted nothing more, at that moment, than to die.
3
Title: The Bride's Tears
Author: hathorx
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Word Count: 498
--
"Can she see us?"
Blood... his blood... always.. .
"No, the glass is only one-sided. Only padded cell we have like this in St. Mungo’s. Are you the new Healer then?"
So much blood... it wasn’t me...
"Yes, I was assigned to replace you. How is she doing today?"
The motherly-looking Healer peered through the glass at the patient she had been looking after for the past year and shook her head. "Not good. She clawed at her wrists this morning and although we restrained her in time, she lost a lot of blood. It’s the fifth time this week and every calming and sleeping potion we tried no longer have any effect on her."
Draco... he was in my mind...
"Hermione Granger. One of the Barnton Church survivors, is she?" the younger Healer asked, looking down thoughtfully at the file in his hands. "How tragic."
I’m so sorry... Draco... Draco...
"What is she saying?"
"Mostly gibberish," the woman assured him, watching the skinny girl claw at the padded walls in vain. "Sometimes she remembers things, small details from her life before… other times, she’s like this. Endlessly beating her head against the wall, muttering his name."
"His name?"
"Draco."
"Draco Malfoy?" the young man asked in surprise. "I didn’t realise his death meant -"
The plump woman smiled sadly. "You wouldn’t think so when Voldemort slaughtered both her parents before her as well. Some of her friends too. My friend was one of the Aurors who cleaned up afterwards. A complete blood bath, apparently, but the worst was Draco. His body was found scattered among the rest of them - cut up in little pieces I was told."
The world turned red... his blood on my hands...
"Voldemort killed many of her friends and family that day, but I guess losing him was the one loss she couldn’t take."
The young Healer looked down at his new patient and scanned her pale face with interest. "I never realised they were so close."
"The Ministry forbid the media to mention it, but the reason why they all gathered in that church was because they were secretly getting married. Hermione and Draco - they were in love."
Draco... in my heart... Draco... on my hands...
"It’s all in the file," the woman added, as an afterthought.
"And the curse? I trust the Imperius Curse used had no lasting effects on her?"
"None physically of course, but that wasn’t the point." The elderly woman stopped to gaze into the girl’s sunken, empty eyes. "Voldemort didn’t use the curse to block her. On the contrary, he made her participate."
"Merlin! Are you saying -?"
"After studying her wand, the Aurors informed us she was forced to butcher her own fiancé. Voldemort wanted to break her and he succeeded."
Draco... I’m so sorry... my love...
"Her mind is gone. It’s been over a year and I doubt even you can help her now."
He was in my mind... then the world turned red...
4
Title: Insanity
Author: kalina_blue
Rating: PG
Warnings: Post-DH, EWE
Word Count: 499
"Morning," Hermione said, not bothering to look up from the letter she was reading. She knew who had come into her office. There was only one person rude enough to enter without knocking. Every. Single. Time.
"Hello, Granger," Draco drawled, sitting down in the chair in front of Hermione's desk and propping his feet up on the table. Hermione rolled her eyes, pulling a file out from underneath his shoes.
"Do you mind?" she asked, annoyed.
"Not at all," Draco assured her cockily. His feet stayed on the desk.
Hermione barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. Malfoy's weekly visits were always trying her patience. Resolving once more not to be baited, Hermione pulled out Narcissa Malfoy's file and opened it.
"I'm afraid there still isn't any change," she said.
Hermione had taken over Narcissa's case shortly after she had finished her training as a Healer. A year after the war, Narcissa had been attack by a fugitive Death Eater who wanted revenge for the betrayal of the Dark Lord. Although Aurors had eventually rescued Mrs. Malfoy, the countless Crucios and other curses had permanently damaged her health and sanity. She was now staying at the long-term resident's ward at St. Mungos, where her son dutifully visited her once a week.
"At least she hasn't gotten worse," Draco commented bleakly.
"So far your mother's condition has been very stable," Hermione agreed.
There was a short pause in which Draco seemed to contemplate his mother's situation. Hermione stayed silent as well, giving him time to think. Whatever else she thought of the youngest Malfoy, throughout his weekly visits Hermione had learned that Draco deeply cared for his mother.
But all too soon Draco's serious expression was gone and his familiar smirk was back in place.
"So, Granger, are you going to go out with me?" he asked.
Hermione sighed. Draco had been asking her out every week for at least three months now. He had started to do so when during one visit where he had been particularly irritating, Hermione had lost her composure and expressed her surprise that any woman with half a brain cell would ever voluntarily date him.
Hermione's usual answer to Draco's question was a resounding "Not in a million years." However, this time it was different. Resigned, Hermione looked back down on the letter she had been reading when Draco had entered her office.
It was an invitation to Ron and Lavender's wedding.
While Ron and she had parted ways amiably, Hermione did not particularly fancy attending the wedding without a date. And with her busy work schedule, dating had never been much of a priority. She really didn't have that many options.
Reluctantly, Hermione looked up again, only to see Malfoy's triumphant smirk.
"I must be crazy to even consider this," Hermione mumbled.
"Well, look at the bright side," Draco drawled, "If you do take up permanent residency at the loony bin, your commute to work is going to be very short."
5
Title: Varying Shades of Grey
Author: luvscharlie
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word Count: 474
Hermione had seen him at St. Mungo's several times on trips to see old friends, those for whom the war had simply been too much to process. St. Mungo's had become a busy place in the last few months.
The first few times she saw Draco there, she'd simply turned away and went about her business. He looked a bit the worse for wear, but didn't they all these days?
Today, though, he looked bad even by recent adjustments for standards. So, she stopped. "Are you okay?"
He looked up from where he sat, lines of worry and grief etched deeply into a face once smooth with youth. "No, I'm not."
She had expected a snarky comment, at the least a 'mind your leave,' but this sort of direct show of-was that vulnerability?-was a first. Hermione was rather stunned. She had prepared a retort of, 'I was only being polite,' or 'forgive me for asking,' but those seemed inappropriate now.
Instead, she took a seat beside him and waited, gathering her wits about her before replying. "Why are you here? Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine-I guess. I mean, physically, I'm fine." He wiped his hand across his brow. "It's my mother."
"Oh. Is there something I can-"
He cut off her words. "There's nothing anybody can do. And what do you care, anyway? I mean she's just a Death Eater's wife. The consensus is that she'd be better off dead or with Father locked away in Azkaban."
His tone was biting, and she was almost relieved for the familiarity. At least this Draco she recognised. She could deal with this. She stood and stalked away… or started to.
"Hermione, wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
Bugger! He was apologising. She'd have to be gracious. She was the better person, after all. Hermione felt instantly contrite for her thoughts when she turned to look at him, head in his hands. She walked back and at sat down beside him once more.
They sat in silence for a few moments before he began speaking. "It's my mother. She's been here for the past few months. Since they took Father away to Azkaban, her grip on reality has been slipping. There's just been too much she's seen, and well-I guess I should just be thankful I was away at school for most of it. My mother's a strong woman. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been to break someone like her."
Only at that moment did it hit her how much both sides had lost during this war… when things were no longer so black and white, just many, many shades of grey. She reached out and touched his hand. "From here, it has to get better," she whispered.
"Does it? I'm not so sure."
6
Title: Carrots
Author: dazzled_x
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none.
Word Count: 329
“The carrots are talking.”
“Do you want me to take them out of the room?”
“No, it’s okay. They’re only discussing what kind of engagement ring I should buy you.”
“We’re not even dating.”
“Tell that to the carrots.”
“That would make me a tad uncomfortable.”
“It’s your choice, Granger. But please don’t ignore the fact that they are still arguing if the diamond should be a princess cut.”
“Err…right.”
Thirty minutes later…
Hermione Granger leaned towards Blaise Zabini and whispered, “How much longer will this potion last? Malfoy’s already threatened to sue every Healer in St. Mungo’s.”
Blaise sighed heavily. “Pretty soon, I think. One would think an Auror such as he would have at least hesitated when a stranger bought him a drink.”
“Ron said it was from a pretty witch; Malfoy walked right into the trap,” Hermione said, ignoring the pang of jealousy she felt.
“What a git,” Blaise snorted. “In that case, my mate deserves to suffer from insanity.”
“Temporary insanity,” Hermione corrected.
“Whatever. Is it my turn or yours to check on him?”
“It’s mine,” Hermione sighed and headed back into Draco Malfoy’s hospital room.
“Hello, Malfoy. How are you holding up?” she asked politely.
“The Healers say that the potion has worn off. I’m only feeling the side effects now,” the blonde wizard replied, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“That’s good news.”
He shrugged. “I feel like a fool for getting myself into this predicament in the first place.”
“You should.”
“I’m going to ignore that. Tell me, Granger, why are you still here?” Malfoy asked.
Hermione avoided his curious gaze. “I haven’t a clue.”
“You’re still not ready to admit it, are you?”
“Admit what?”
Malfoy smirked. “Admit that the reason why you’ve kept a careful eye on me during my stay at St. Mungo’s is because you’re in love with me.”
Six months later, Witch Weekly reported a witness seeing Draco Malfoy examining engagement rings - focusing on ones with princess cuts.
7
Title: Free to Love
Author: greenschist
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Um, Evil!St. Mungo's, aka a "Voldemort Wins" dystopia
Word Count: 497
A/N: I'm very grateful for the existence of manu86's guide to dialects in HP. Any mistakes are my own.
Healer Grieves beamed at his guest.
"As you can see, here at St. Mungo's, we are successfully retraining afflicted wizards and witches for proper roles in society."
Madame Échapper, an imperious woman from Paris's wizard hospital, with sleek, tightly-bound brown hair, horned-rimmed glasses, and a small mole by her mouth, remained impassive. "I nevair would 'ave chosen ze word 'afflicted' for people in love."
Grieves frowned. "It fits when the so-called love is unnatural. These patients are here because of self-destructive affection for Mudbloods. We cure them."
"Oui, of course you are correct." The woman moved slowly up the hall, peering into every room through windows in the doors. She stopped outside room 418. "'Oo is zis?"
The Healer joined her at the window. Within, a blond man slept curled in the fetal position.
"Draco Malfoy…a disappointing case, I admit. He became involved with a particularly notorious Mudblood-Hermione Granger, close friend of Undesirable Number One-and turned traitor. Such a shame. His family used to be so well connected."
Against the window, her hand curled into a fist. "Ze patient is not responding to ze program?"
"Not as well as we'd like. He still loves her. He even insists they're married." The Healer's disgust was reflected in the glass. "Such a union is not recognized, of course; we now have laws against miscegenation. Nevertheless, he remains devoted."
Emotion gripped the woman, and Grieves laughed.
"I know. It would be romantic if it weren't so perverse." He shook his head. "Luckily, we've made our first breakthrough in his treatment."
"Breakthrough?"
"A Sleeping Draught to prevent dreams. Apparently, he often dreams of his Mudblood." Grieves examined Malfoy again, evidently pleased bywhat he saw. "When we told him this would no longer be tolerated, he cried."
Something like grief crossed her face.
"Feel no pity, Madame. It's a sign we're reaching him."
She abruptly opened the door with her wand and entered.
"Madame!" Grieves was rendered unconscious with one swish and flick. Wordlessly, she locked the door and darkened the window.
Moving swiftly, she poured a restorative potion down Draco's throat. "Wake up, love."
"Hermione?" Groggy, he touched the mole by her mouth.
"Yes. I'm in disguise." She helped him sit up. "We have to hurry; the extraction team leaves in six minutes."
Dreamlike, Draco traced her lips with his fingertip. "I tried to hold on, but they took you from me."
Swallowing a sob, she kissed him, relishing the feel of his mouth after months apart. "I've come for you, and we're getting out of here."
Hermione tugged hairs from Draco's scalp, and from Grieves's, and dropped them into tiny vials of Polyjuice Potion from her pocket. Pressing one into his hand, she forced the other between the Healer's jaws.
Slightly more alert, Draco looked from the vial in his palm to the floor where Grieves was turning into his twin. "You're real, aren't you?"
Hermione cupped his face with gentle hands. "I'm real, and I love you."
8
Title: Silence of End
Author: midnight_birth
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst. Character death. Mental instability.
Word Count: 364
St.Mungo’s was quiet at night. Her breathing was the only sound he could hear. He supposed the other patients were breathing too, some even snoring, but they didn’t exist to him. Not ever, but especially not tonight.
Her stone-like eyes followed him as he rocked above her, the pillow clutched tightly to his chest.
You’re not crazy, Draco. Not beyond help. You’ll get through this. We’ll get through this. We’ll get out of here soon. Soon, I promise.
Her words, from back when her tongue could still string them, floated in and out of his head. In the last four months her words were the only thing that overpowered the hundreds of others screaming at him constantly from inside his mind. Screaming, blaming, condemning. She could always make them all go away. But not anymore.
She was the only person who had ever told him that he wasn’t hopeless. That he wasn’t committed to the four white walls that kept closing in on him every time he blinked forever. And she wasn’t afraid to touch him or look at him without averting her eyes. Those eyes stared at him, empty. She looked just like everyone else in the ward now. Probably the same way that he looked to her when she looked at him, back when she was able to really see him.
In one fluid motion the pillow left his chest and was covering her face, his other hand running through her hair as she struggled weakly under him for air he wouldn’t allow her. Once she promised him they would leave here together, and when she did, unbeknownst to her, he promised her the same thing. Now the way was open, but he wouldn’t leave her behind. If she couldn’t leave with him, he would leave with her.
He left the pillow on her face. The lifeless body on the bed wasn’t Hermione. His Hermione was standing right in front of him, her eyes shining with happiness and peace. She outstretched her hand toward him, wiping away the renegade tear creeping down his face.
“Let’s go.”
He nodded, smiled, and tipped the pile of multi-coloured pills in his hand into his mouth.
9
Title: Sixth Sense
Author: floorcoaster
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word Count: 474
Note: THANKS go to M. You know why. The all caps was inspired by Death in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.
HELLO.
Draco yelped in surprise, jumping up from his chair and whirling around, plastic straw drawn and pointed at the intruder. It was Crabbe.
“Merlin, Vin, you nearly scared me to death!” He shakily resumed his seat and stowed the straw.
SORRY, DRACO. IT’S JUST TOO MUCH FUN TO STARTLE YOU THAT WAY.
“Well, I rather wish you wouldn’t.” Draco scowled. “You only come here to tell me bad news, isn’t that enough for you?”
I GUESS NOT.
“All right, then. Out with it.” Draco opened the day’s paper and began perusing the gossip column. “Who’s going to bite the dust today, hmm? Some sad bloke over in Bristol? Will a woman in Tiverton be sawn in half by a charmed kitchen knife?”
YOU’VE GOT SOME IMAGINATION, YOU KNOW THAT?
“I talk to dead people,” he replied with a shrug. “Seems only natural, really. Come now, let’s hear it. They’ll be bringing in the jello in a few minutes, and I’d like to enjoy it in peace.”
I’M AFRAID … IT’S BAD NEWS.
Draco rolled his eyes. “It’s always bad news, Vin. Always. You never come to talk about the weather, or Quidditch or some bird you saw the other day.”
IT’S … IT’S GRANGER.
He felt all the blood drain out of his face, and he felt suddenly very weak. “G-Granger? What’s going to happen?”
I DON’T KNOW THE PARTICULARS. BUT IT’LL BE TODAY. AROUND 2 THIS AFTERNOON.
Draco glanced at the clock and saw that he had less than half an hour to find Hermione and lock her in a broom closet where she couldn’t come to any harm.
I KNOW YOU FANCY HER, MATE. I’M SORRY.
“Do something!” he cried, rushing around his room and putting on his trousers. “At least tell me where-” Vin was gone.
Draco cursed his dead friend right back to the afterlife as he stepped into the silent hallway of St. Mungo’s. Think, Draco, think. Monday, quarter of two, where should she be? Her office, fifth floor.
He took off, running for the lift. When it didn’t immediately open for him, Draco cursed again and flung open the door for the stairs. He was halfway up when he saw Hermione at the top, flipping through a chart.
“Granger!” he cried, leaping up the steps two at a time, dread and panic suffusing his bones. “Stop! Don’t move!”
She stared at him, puzzled, and turned to face him. Her foot slipped, however, and she stumbled-right into his arms.
They stared at each other for a moment, then Hermione blushed and bit her lip. Draco smirked and set her on her feet.
“What just happened?” she asked breathily, her hand pressed to her heart.
“Call me crazy, but I think you just fell for me.”
Over her shoulder, Draco saw Crabbe chuckle and disappear-for good, he hoped.
10
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