A/N: So it's the middle of summer, and I have almost nothing to do. In fact, I have almost a lot of things to do too. I have photo shoots scheduled, I have a benefit to go to, I have a workout regimen to keep up with, and a diet to attempt, and college to get ready for. And yet, here I am, writing another chapter of this story because I know some people really like it. So thanks for the reviews I got, and thanks in advance for the reviews I SHOULD get. =)

Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish it was. But alas. …moving on.

Chapter two: Letters, Mittens, and Truces.

Hermione Granger had never been more tired in her entire life. All those days she had stayed up until dawn to study for her OWLS, and all those nights she stayed up late with Ron and Harry to research Horcruxes didn't even compare to how she felt right now. She was physically and emotionally parched. She needed sleep, stat. And yet, she couldn't stop staring at the sleeping boy in front of her.

She was afraid if she moved away from his bedside, or if she fell asleep, she would wake up and find Draco Malfoy dead in his bed. So she stayed vigilant by his side, only moving when she went to wet a washcloth to put on his brow.

She felt like a nurse, a mother, or a lovesick girlfriend, hovering over Malfoy like that. But she didn't want him to die, damn it! Maybe it was the fact that he was a fellow student, or maybe it was the fact that she knew he hadn't asked for this, or maybe it was the fact that someone who was supposed to be his comrade almost killed him, but whatever the reason, she was not going to leave his side until he was awake and griping again.

"Granger…?" Malfoy moaned, lifting his hand to remove the washcloth. "What are you doing here?" He tried to sit up, but Hermione pushed his shoulders down, feeling a lot like Madam Pomfrey.

"Keeping you alive, you git," she replied. "Now lie down." He stared at her with his eyebrows raised for a second, then obliged. She removed the washcloth from her forehead and pulled the sheets down off his torso.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Checking your wounds," she shot back, somewhat bitingly. "Would you like to see them?"

Malfoy fell silent as she lifted the shirt she had placed on him while he was unconscious. The stitches were bloody and disgusting, and he retched in spite of himself. He reached down to touch them, but Hermione slapped his hand away.

"If you're planning on vomiting, let me know, so I can get you a bucket," she said, sounding stronger than she felt. Seeing Malfoy's face pale made her heart go out to him, until she wrenched it back angrily. She took the washcloth from the bedside table and dabbed gently at the gashes, making sure to keep Malfoy's hands from touching them. He watched her work in silence, studying the soft curve of her jaw line, her unruly hair, her freckled peppered across the bridge of her nose.

Finally he spoke. "Why do I look like a rag doll? Why couldn't I be sewn up with magic?" he asked.

"You were attacked by a werewolf," Hermione said. "Their wounds are resistant to magical healing. You have to heal the Muggle way, though that might disgust you."

Malfoy fell silent. "At least I'm alive," he said softly.

"Just barely," said a voice from the doorway. Hermione whipped around to see Remus Lupin, looking rather weary, standing by the door. She ran and threw herself into his embrace, thrilled to see a face that would have news.

"How is everyone?" she asked hurriedly. "Harry, Ron, everyone. Are they ok?"

Lupin laughed. "Everyone is ok, a little bruised up, but alive. That's more than I can say for your side, Mr. Malfoy," he said, rather sternly.

"I would rather not know how much I'm going to be tortured for being injured, if that's ok with you," Malfoy said dismissively. Lupin nodded, and Hermione fell into the background, contemplating what Malfoy had said.

Did he really get tortured for other people's mistakes? How did she not know about this? It seemed that Lupin already knew, since he just shrugged it off. She wondered if there was any way she could stop the torturing from continuing. But how? Would she just run into the room Voldemort was in and offer herself up for torture instead of everyone else? No one deserved that. Not even Malfoy.

Lupin straightened up. "I'll come back in about a week to check on you again, Mr. Malfoy. I put defensive charms and the like around your bedchamber so no one will know that you're injured or that Miss Granger has been here attending to you. Are you ok with that?"

"How long as she been attending to me?" Malfoy asked, his eyes flicking in the direction where Hermione was standing.

"For the past few days, while you were asleep. And it is her doing that you're still alive," Lupin said, smiling grimly. "If she hadn't stalled the bleeding, and hadn't sent a Patronus for me, you would surely not be lying here looking at me."

Hermione blushed a little from her perch against the wall, and Lupin turned to her. "Make sure he bathes daily and keep the wounds clean. It would probably be better if he didn't wear a shirt. You might have to stay here a little while longer. Is that ok, Mr. Malfoy?" He asked, turning to Malfoy, who was poking his stitches experimentally.

"Huh?"

"Is it ok if Hermione stays here a little while longer to look after you?" Lupin asked gently.

Hermione looked at the floor, her ears straining to hear anything that might be said.

"Well, I can't take care of this myself, can I?" Malfoy asked.

"I would advice against it."

"And I can barely get out of bed, right?"

"I would actually think you shouldn't be getting out of bed too much."

"And she saved my life?"

"Indeed."

"I guess."

Lupin nodded. He turned to Hermione. "All that I ask is that you write Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. They're quite worried about you."

Hermione nodded, and Lupin walked out the door. Vaguely wondering how on earth Lupin was going to manage to get out of the house, she didn't realize Malfoy was calling her.

"Granger?!"

She jumped. "What?"

"Do you hate me?" he asked.

She was taken aback. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Well, for starters, you saved my life. Second, you've stayed here, tending to me for days. Third, you're wasting valuable time you could have with your friends to make sure I'm safe. I'm pretty sure I'm not your favorite person right now."

She smiled a little. "You're never my favorite person, Malfoy," she said lightly so he would know she was joking.

He just stared at her, beyond serious.

"Look Malfoy, I know you didn't ask to be injured, and I know you really didn't ask to be attacked by someone on your own side. So seriously, it doesn't matter if I hate you or not. This is about fairness, and you were unjustly hurt. That makes it my business. I'm not just going to stand around and let people get hurt just because of past prejudices. If I can put it behind me, I hope you can too."

Malfoy continued to stare. Hermione stared back, waiting for him to speak. When he didn't she huffed angrily.

"Come here," Malfoy said.

"What?"

"You hear me," he shot back. "Come here."

She walked to his bedside, where he reached out and touched her face. Hermione was shocked. Was Malfoy flirting with her? Why didn't she pull away? Why didn't she slap him?

"You had an eyelash on your face," he said, holding it up to her nose. She swatted his hand away and laughed.

"So?" she said. "Truce or what?"

Malfoy held out his hand. "It's the least I can do." They shook briefly, and Hermione pulled away first.

"You need to shower," she said.

"Do I smell or what?" Malfoy asked, sniffing himself.

"No, but Lupin said you need to shower, so you can stay clean and keep your stitches from getting infected."

Malfoy attempted to sit up. "So how are we going to accomplish this, Granger?" he frowned. "Unless this is a ploy so you can see me naked."

She punched him lightly. "Shut up."

"I have a few house elves that are loyal to me alone, that can help me shower," he said thoughtfully. "Unless, of course, you want to volunteer."

"Call your house elves."

Malfoy smirked. "Mittens," he said quietly. Hermione started laughing.

"What?" he asked, offended.

"Mittens?" she snorted.

"I was like two when I named her, ok?" Malfoy clarified, looking wounded. "I think it's pretty ingenious.

"Whatever you say, Genius Malfoy."

A loud crack signified the elf's appearance. Hermione gaped, however, that Mittens' outfit was the usual house elf attire, but she had small gloves covering her hands.

"What happened to her hands?" she asked, horrified.

"She was burned when she was young, when her other master's house burned down," Malfoy said. "Hence the name."

"How may I serve you, young master Malfoy?" Mittens asked, bowing low.

"I need help getting to the shower, Mittens," Malfoy said, rather kindly. "And could you please not tell Mother and Father that this young lady is here?" he asked.

Mittens turned to Hermione, and nodded, her ears flapping. "Hello Miss. I am Mittens," she said.

"I am Hermione Granger," she replied.

"Yeah yeah, it's a pleasure to meet everyone. Zonko!" he called.

Another house elf, this one looking generally less friendly, appeared.

"We need food." Malfoy said simply. "And not a word to anyone about anything here, understand?"

"But of course, Master."

Hermione watched as Mittens helped Malfoy up and followed him into the bathroom, where his pants turned into swimmers. When the door closed behind him, she turned to the desk in the far corner and took out a quill, ink, and parchment and wrote a quick letter to Ron and Harry.

Dear boys,

I'm tending to a few of the wounded from the skirmish a few days prior. I hear everyone is alive and battle worn, and if anything of dire importance comes up, just tell me where to go. Until then, I will be here, tending to the sick. There's one person that I'm helping that almost died from blood loss! You would think that a simple Killing curse would suffice, but no. He was covered in gashes, all over his chest and stomach. It was disgusting! So I'm taking care of him right now. Wish me luck.

Yours,

Hermione.

A/N: So this isn't a really long chapter, and for that I apologize. I would love to write more, but I have a workout session with my personal trainer in about ten minutes so…Review!