Got a new plot bunny leading me down yet another trail. Dont worry. I havent abandoned my other stories. Just been making like Peter Rabbit. Anyways, dont own blah blah blah. Rate and review. Tell me what you think!
Draco stumbled as he landed on the quiet street, barely managing to stay upright. He swayed, waiting for his head to stop spinning. When he was sure he wouldn't faint, he hurried down the street as fast as he could, favoring his busted right leg. Panic drove the pain from his mind. He had one goal: beat his father to his best friend's house.
He nearly sobbed with relief as he reached the small one story house. When he usually came, he would stop and admire the beautiful flowerbeds and the cozy cottage effect. He never gave it a glance as he stumbled up the steps. He banged as loud as he could on the door.
"Hermione! Open up! Please, merlin, open up! MIONE! MIONE!" He pitched forward as the door was yanked open and he landed in the arms of Hermione Granger, his best and only friend.
"Draco? What in the world?" she said as she helped him to his feet. He grabbed her arms tightly, making her gasp in pain as he yanked her down the hall into the living room where her parents sat.
"You've got to go, right now. Get your parents. Go anywhere. Go to the Burrow!"
"Draco, what is going on? You're not acting like yourself at all!" Irritated that she wasn't listening, he shook her, harder than he meant.
"Listen to me! My father found out. I don't know how but he's headed here and you have to get out!" A loud crash came from the front door. Jean Granger screamed. Draco pulled out a powder and threw it into the fireplace. Blue flames sparked to life.
"THE BURROW!" he screamed as he shoved first Daniel and then Jean into the flames. They were whisked away. He turned to Hermione.
"Go!" She grabbed him.
"Not without you! Come with me!" Draco shoved her towards the flames.
"I'll follow if I can! NOW GO! THE BURROW!" He turned towards the door leading to the hall. The last Hermione saw was a dark wolf-like creature leap at her best friend and he was sent flying. She landed with a loud crash in the Weasley kitchen. Hands reached to help her up as voices babbled around her. Her gaze latched onto the face of her boyfriend, Ron.
"Draco! We have to help him!"
"Draco? Mione, what is going on? Why did you and your parents just crash through our Floo?" He gently pulled her into a hug. She shivered against him, giving him a glimpse of her fear. She tried to explain how Draco had arrived to save them through her sobs.
"Who is Draco?" he asked again, praying it wasn't the blonde pompous git from school. Before she answer, the blue flames erupted from the Floo once more, depositing a bloody Draco Malfoy. Screams and shouts once again erupted from everyone crammed into the small kitchen. Hermione ignored all of them.
"Dray? Oh, Dray, please wake up." She cried as she gently turned him over, hugging his cold frame to her.
"Someone get Pomfrey! Hurry!" she said as she saw the torn flesh across his chest. Taking her sweatshirt, she pressed into the wounds, trying to staunch the bleeding. He moaned at the pressure. Grey eyes slowly opened meeting worried brown eyes. He attempted a smile.
"I'm so sorry, Mimi." Tears poured unheeded down her cheek.
"There's nothing to be sorry for. You'll be fine. I won't let you die." His chuckle quickly turned into a wracking cough, spraying blood on her blouse. Arthur quietly shooed his children from the room as his wife came bustling in carrying an armful of potions, towels, and bandages.
"I love you, Mimi." Hermione gave a frantic giggle.
"You are not dying, Draco Lucious Malfoy!" He gave a small wry grin before his eyes closed.
"Dray? DRACO?" She shook him, getting no response. She shoved Molly away, tearing away the rest of his shirt and started CPR. She thanked her parents for forcing her to take the class when she was younger.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
"Goddammit, Dray, you are not going to die on me. Not after all we have been through! Damn it, Draco!" She yelled as she pressed hard on his chest. Harry and Ron watched silently from the door, thoroughly confused and feeling totally helpless. She continued her administrations, her presses becoming harder until she was practically beating on his thin chest. Everyone present released a sigh of relief when the blonde suddenly took a deep breath.
The floo flared as Madam Pomfrey stepped out. Taking stock of the situation, she immediately took charge, shooing Hermione to the side. She nestled his head in her lap, pleading with him to open his eyes and look at her! Long moments passed before Pomfrey declared him safe to be moved to a bed.
"Shouldn't we take him to a hospital?" Molly asked. Pomfrey shook her head, her face unusually grim.
"I have him stable but only just. Any means of moving him further than the nearest bed could kill him. This boy has been through severe trauma. I will be going to replenish my stock and inform the Headmaster of what has happened. I will return." With a swish, she was gone. Molly turned from the fireplace and immediately shouted orders.
"Arthur, move the poor boy into the Twin's room so Pomfrey can have a bed near him. Fred, George you will sleep in Charlie's room. And absolutely none of your antics! This boy needs rest! Ginny, start a broth and some tea. We will need to get something in him. Hermione will bunk with you. Percy, show Mr. and Mrs. Granger to the guest room, please." She turned a glare on the frozen populace.
"MOVE!" She shrieked and everyone sped into action, Hermione following anxiously after Arthur.
It was later, closer to midnight she was surprised to note, when she made her way wearily into the kitchen to make some tea. She was shocked to see everyone sitting in the living room. Molly and Arthur were nestled in the matchingly mismatched armchair close to the fire. Her parents were seated on the love seat while Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Percy were spread throughout. She paused in the doorway, taking in the sight of all the people she loved most in the world. They quieted when she was spotted. Her mom slid over and motioned her to join them on the loveseat. She nestled between her parents. Molly was the first to speak up.
"Darling," she said gently, not wanting to upset Hermione, "May I ask how… you know young Malfoy?"
"His name's Draco!" She snapped. Her mother placed a reassuring hand on her arm, and she blushed, feeling sheepish. "I'm sorry. It's just that he hates being called by his last name."
"And how in the hell do you know that? Have you been sneaking behind our backs?" Ron growled. Hermione glared at him than her glare turned to confusion than she startled everyone by throwing back her head and laughing. It was a hysterical laughter that set their teeth on edge. The laughter quickly turned to sobs of exhaustion and pain.
She buried her face in her dad's chest, relishing the feel of his strong arms comforting her. Even as the feel comforted and soothed, it cut deeply knowing that Draco had never felt that same comfort and probably never one. She sobbed into her dad's chest, the tears washing away her fears, her sorrows, and her worries. The group waited patiently for her cries to subside. Ron had received a slap to the head from the twins along with contemptuous looks from the others. He blushed. He hadn't meant to upset her. It was just such a surprise that his girlfriend was friends (or was it more?) with his worst enemy.
When her tears subsided, she kept her face buried. Her ears burned from the embarrassment she felt. Her dad eased her back, smiled gently, and pecked her on the forehead. She sighed and snuggled up to him. She gripped her mom's hand in hers. Took a calming breath.
"I will tell you as much as I am able but please understand some secrets are not mine to share." She started. She waited to see if they understood before plunging into her story.
"I met Draco when we were seven. I didn't know than that he was a wizard and he never said. He knew that I was a witch but he never said. His father" she spat the word out as if it was a poison, "would ship him off to Professor Snape's house during the summer. I was shocked to find out our cranky potions professor was the same loving uncle that gave me cookies. Anyways, we met at the park. He was lonely. So was I and we just sort of clicked. He would come over to my house, so amazed at all the 'fancy weird gadgets' we had." She gave a low laugh.
"I remember thinking then that he was so poor he'd never seen a TV. He was so…" she trailed off, trying to find the words to describe young Draco.
"Skittish." Jean supplied, also thinking of the young blonde haired youth she considered a son.
"Shy and polite." Daniel said. He had been quite impressed with the manners and deportment of the young boy though he had harbored a sadness that such a young child acted so old.
"Oh, Danny, we should have done something all those years ago." Jean said. Daniel reached out the arm encasing his daughter to stroke his wife's hair.
"There was nothing we could do, honey." Silence reigned as the Grangers sat lost in thought. They were pulled from their reveries by Harry's quiet cough.
"It wasn't until we got our letters that he explained everything about being a wizard. All he had ever told me was that his father was a very powerful and rich man that never suffered mistakes. Especially not in his son. He explained about muggles and pureblood beliefs. I remember when he told me that he could no longer be friends with me, I slapped and told him he was a coward. Remember that mom?" She gave a watery chuckle as her mom nodded, "I wouldn't speak to him for three days. I just didn't understand. It was all so confusing and new. It wasn't until I got to Hogwarts that it made sense. So we made a pact. We would stay friends but we would keep it secret until the day he could be free. At school, we never spoke but we have these journals that when you write in one, your message will appear in the other. Their password protected and spelled so only we could read them.
On the occasion when he had to taunt me, he would always write these beautiful letters of how sorry he was. If I had never seen proof, I would have been able to believe him a great liar. If calling me a stupid name kept him safe than I didn't care. I could take it but I could see how it was killing him year after year. So many times… Honestly, if this hadn't happened, I don't know how much longer Draco could have continued hiding his real self." She shook her head, unable to continue.
"I think it's time we went to bed. Come along children. Goodnight, Daniel, Jean." Molly said as she hustled everyone from the room. Harry sat frozen to the floor, hidden in the corner. Part of him rejected what she said but a smaller part knew she told the truth. He couldn't lie to himself. He had watched the small blonde from across the Great Hall. He had seen the signs but like everyone else had ignored them and chosen to believe him the spoiled rich kid.