Hey :) I know this is a quick update but I'm putting it up for InsaneChickGoneMad as she was super speedy to review my story and I loved her for it :) THANK U! hehe so I've put the next chapter up just because you seemed so enthusiastic about my last one :) VaM xx
Hermione sighed as she headed down the path that led towards the black lake. She knew it went against all the school rules to be out this late especially clad only in a short red nightie but she just couldn't sleep! She had a grey hoddy pulled over her body and she was barefoot which for some reason made her smile.
She stopped as she turned the corner and saw a white figure swimming in the lake. No one swam in the lake, without even mentioning the things that lived in there it was just too damn cold. She picked up the pace a little and walked down to the pile of clothes that were left at the water's edge. She looked down at them and raised an eyebrow as she realised it was a Slytherin's school uniform. The figure did a sharp, graceful and very quick turn before swimming at an alarming rate over to where she stood.
They hauled themselves out the water without realising that she stood only a foot away. Hermione gasped loudly as she saw the sate his body was in.
His head snapped up in alarm and he dropped back into the water so only his head was visible.
"Granger! What are you doing here?" Draco snapped his eyes alight with panic. Hermione couldn't reply, she didn't think she could speak; she was too horrified by the gaping wounds that littered his otherwise perfect skin. She paled and simply shook her head her eyes wide with concern. Finally Draco gave up and pulled himself out of the water so he was stood before her in nothing but his dark green boxers.
Hermione gasped again one hand going to her mouth as the other reached towards him slightly but stopped in mid air. She was in shock; she'd never seen anyone hurt so badly her eyes were drawn to the worst of his injuries, the horrific wound on his shoulder.
Finally she found what voice she could and managed to push out one word.
"How?"
Draco frowned and grabbed his robes pulling them on without anything else so he was hidden away from her gaze. Hermione's eyes flickered to his face and she stared up at him.
"Draco" She whispered and his eyes widened at the use of his first name.
"Please... don't tell anyone" He mumbled and she frowned taking a step towards him.
"I... I won't." She whispered back her eyes still trained on his "but Draco... how?" She repeated and he visibly shook tears pooling in the corner of his eyes as he shook his head. Slowly she reached out and took one of his hands in hers gently turning it over. "How?" She asked as she ran her fingers over the scars on his palm.
"I burnt myself on the stove" He whispered his eyes hardening but she shook her head gently caressing his hand with her finger tips.
"Tell me" She urged and eventually he sighed, his shoulders sagging.
"I was naughty when I was about 4, I wouldn't give my father his coat so he... he... he held my hands against the stove for two minutes telling me that... if I screamed I had to stay there all day" He whispered and Hermione gasped in shock. Slowly as if caught in time she brought the hand to her lips and kissed the scars lightly. He stared at her for a long moment before letting his eyes show how much that simple gesture meant to him.
Slowly she pushed the sleeve of his robes up to his elbow and turned his arm over her brow furrowing in concern as the large bruise was visible once again.
"This?" She asked looking deep into his shockingly blue eyes.
"I told him that I... I didn't want the... mark. He tied both my arms up and hit this one with his walking stick for an hour" He replied looking her straight into the eye. She gasped and brought her lips down to the bruised skin lightly trailing a kiss up the length of the wound.
He gasped at the simple action and brought his other hand up to lightly touch her cheek.
"You're shaking" She whispered but he didn't reply "You need to get inside, come on" She picked up his clothes and laced her fingers with his tugging him up towards the castle.
He followed her willingly his heart thudding at how much she cared for his wellbeing.
They reached the Great Hall but instead of turning towards the dungeons she swung to the right and tugged him up the stairs. He was about to comment then saw the determined look on her face and decided better of it.
She stopped in front of the portrait guarding the Gryffindor common room which made Draco raise an eyebrow in interest. The woman in the painting was fast asleep and Hermione cleared her throat trying to wake her up. The woman just continued to sleep even as Hermione muttered and cursed loudly.
"Wake up!" She snapped and the woman jolted from her sleep her eyes wide.
"Miss Granger!" She shrieked in alarm but Hermione ignored her.
"Sherbet lemons" She sighed and the woman rolled her eyes but swung open none the less. Draco was then tugged through the doorway and into the red and gold common room. She turned to look at him and smiled as they stood in front of the still burning fire place.
"What am I doing here?" He whispered and she just sighed.
"I'm not leaving you alone with injuries like that" She announced and took out her wand Draco just shook his head.
"It won't work, they've been enchanted so I can't heal them with any kind of magic" He sighed and Hermione frowned, what a horrible thing to do.
"Fine then we'll have to do this the hard way, sit on the sofa and take off your robe" She instructed and Draco did what she said finding no reason to quarrel. Hermione muttered something and bandages, dressing, creams, sponges and hot water appeared at her feet. She looked at the wound on Draco's shoulder before setting about her work.
"How did you get this?" She whispered as she carefully wiped the warm sponge over his wound. Draco shuddered at the memory and looked up into her eyes pleading. "It's ok you don't have to tell me" She whispered as she picked up some cream. Draco grabbed her hand in his and held it gently.
"My father" He whispered and she nodded as he released her wrist allowing her to begin bandaging his wound. "I... I told him... I wouldn't be a... a... death eater" He whispered and Hermione gasped her hands stilling for a moment.
"You don't want to be?" She asked and Draco shook his head.
"Of course not but... he didn't take it well... he came at me with... a kitchen knife but I..." He trailed off unable to finish but Hermione just kissed the now bandaged wound and sat down next to him taking one of his hands in hers.
"It's ok" She murmured and he sighed lightly brushing some of her hair out of her face. Her eyes were drawn to a long white line that stretched from his hip all the way up his side. She lifted her other hand and trailed her fingertip up it making him shiver at the contact.
"This?" She asked not meaning to pry but desperately wanting to know.
"I was 9 and I came home after playing with some of the other children. I told my dad I'd made friends with a new boy, Gregory Harold" Draco began but Hermione gasped at the name, Greg was in Ravenclaw she knew him quite well.
"But Greg's a Muggle-born" She hissed and Draco raised an eyebrow making her go quite.
"Exactly, my father knew this and was furious. He told me never to befriend anyone like that ever again and then just flicked his wand. A huge deep gash ran from my hip to under my arm it wouldn't stop bleeding for a day" He shook at that and Hermione frowned shuffling a bit closer.
Her eyes strayed over his body and she put her hand against a circular shaped scar on his abdomen.
"This?"
He sighed and began his story.
Hope you liked it :) I'm working on the next chapter now :) xx
