A/N: I'm back! Fair warning, not too much happens in this chapter, but it was necessary. Also, this chapter wouldn't come out write for some reason... I rewrote it quite a few times... I'll try and get the next one out quick as a sort of apology for the lack of action in this one... I want to thank those of you who left reviews, they mean the world to me... There's a disclaimer in the prologue... Happy reading!

Warning: There are mentions of suicide contemplation in this chapter...

About two hours had passed, and Draco was still asleep. Hermione hadn't moved from her chair. After she'd started crying, it had taken her a good twenty minutes to stop. Seeing the boy she loved bloodied and broken shocked her to her core. She had nearly jumped out of her skin when someone knocked on the door. It was Harry.

"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you, but I wanted to ask your opinion on something." She nodded.

"I'm not sure we should leave tonight. I think we should wait on Malfoy to wake up and be rested enough to answer questions before we charge head first into robbing one of the most secure places on the planet."

"I totally agree. I was going to suggest something similar." she replied.

"I figured you'd agree." Harry said with a smile. A glance at Draco saw that smile turn to a smirk. "But I'm sure our motivations were a bit different."

"Harry!" she exclaimed quietly, a small laugh mixing with her words. She reached over to Harry, who was now perched on the arm of her chair, and punched him lightly on the arm. She was so glad she had such good friends. She was even more glad that Harry was taking it so well, her fancying Draco. Harry teasing her over a boy just seemed like the most natural thing in the world. It was normal.

Harry was a constant in her life when nothing else could be. Ron, as much as she cared for her pseudo-brother, was just so unpredictable. Harry was too, to a certain extent, but Harry was good at putting himself in other people's shoes. As bad as he was at controlling his own emotions, he was good with other people's. She thought that may be part of his saving-people-thing, his large capacity for empathy.

"He looks peaceful." Harry observed. "You did a good job. He hasn't even got any scars." Hermione winced. Harry shot her an inquiring look.

"Bellatrix gave him the same treatment as me, but on his back. She carved 'Traitor' into his back." she whispered. Harry looked horrified. Suddenly, Draco started thrashing wildly.

"Mum," he said, the word lacking the slur that Harry's had when he talked in his sleep. "Mum! Mum, no, please wake up!" Draco was screaming now. Harry put a up a silencing ward with a flick of his wand. Hermione nodded gratefully as she moved to sit on the bed. She was trying to pin his arms and shoulders down so that he wouldn't hurt himself, when suddenly, he went limp. "It's my fault." he whimpered brokenly.

"You don't think-" Harry said quietly. Hermione nodded as a tear slid down her face.

"I do." If her suspicions were correct, Narcissa Malfoy was dead. Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her up off of the bed and into a hug. After a moment, he let go and returned downstairs, promising to check on her later. Hermione sighed quietly as she relaxed back into her chair. Lost in thought, she drifted off to sleep. She was awoken the next morning by someone whimpering. Opening her eyes, she realized it was Draco. She quickly cast a silencing charm, and was immediately glad she did.

"Bella! Bella no! Please, no, Mum wake up!" Draco screamed. Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and did what she did when Harry had a nightmare. She placed on hand on each of his shoulders and began to speak in soothing tones. She was vaguely aware that her mouth was centimeters away from his ear.

"Shhhh Draco, you're safe. Everything is okay," She was surprised to hear him reply.

"No it isn't, but thanks anyway." His voice was hoarse from disuse and his tone was kind. She sat up so that she could see his face. He was almost smiling, but not quite. His eyes were sparkling for some unknown reason. With her hand, which was still on his shoulder, near his neck, she could feel his pulse. His heart was pounding rapidly. She felt a flash of concern, but she dismissed it. His cheeks were flushed too, but she put that down to the fever he'd had the night before.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. He smiled at her and butterflies filled her stomach.

"I've been better." he confided. She nodded. "But I've also been worse." She couldn't help the small smile that played on her lips.

"You certainly have." she agreed. Hermione was a bit surprised at the ease with which they were talking. There was no tension, no awkwardness.

"What was the damage?" he asked.

"Broken ribs and arm, cuts, scrapes bruises, damage to your tongue and lip, a concussion, a fever, a black eye, nerve damage, and a punctured lung." Hermione rattled off. She'd gone over the list in her head for hours. Draco had gone very still when she'd mentioned his broken arm.

"I need to talk to you. Potter, and Weasley." Draco told her. She didn't think he was in any state to talk to anyone about anything serious at the moment. He was thinner and paler than normal. He had dark circles under his eyes despite the eight hours of sleep. She almost said no, but she knew all too well that the war wouldn't stop because he was hurt.

"After you eat." she told him firmly.

"This is important Hermione."

"So is you eating, Draco." She leveled him with a hard glare. They locked eyes for a moment before he looked away. Hermione stood with a triumphant smirk. She left the room and went to the kitchen. Knowing he wouldn't be able to eat anything too substantial, she made him a bowl of porridge. The brunette darted back up the stairs and stopped outside of the door to collect herself before going in. Her emotions were all over the place. Draco had managed to push himself into a sitting position. She handed him the bowl.

"Thank you." he said sincerely.

"You're welcome. Are you in pain?" she asked. He nodded reluctantly. "Accio Pain Reliever," The bottle flew from her purple bag. He took it with a grateful look. They sat in silence as he ate his breakfast. When he was done, he gave her a look that she interpreted to mean, there, happy? With a smile she picked up his bowl.

"I'll be back with Harry, Ron, and tea." Draco nodded. She made her way back down to the kitchen, where she found Harry making tea.

"Good morning." Hermione greeted.

"Morning 'Mione." he replied. "Want some tea?" he asked.

"Could you put that on a tray and take it up to Draco's room while I grab Ron?" Harry nodded. Ten minutes later, they were all in Draco's room and Harry was looking at the blonde boy expectantly.

"Well," Draco started uncertainty. "Potter, what-" He hesitated. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Malfoy, you've spent six years offending Harry. I highly doubt one more will make a difference." Harry nodded.

"How did you survive the killing curse?" Harry looked surprised at the question.

"My mother," he explained. "She died for me and her sacrifice left magical traces. Why?"

"Because Scarhead," Draco rolled up his sleeve and gestured to his arm, where the break had been. He had taken off the splint she'd put there. "We match." And there on Draco's arm, sat a lightning bolt scar. It was less visible than Harry's though. Where Harry's looked more like a half-healed cut, Draco's was simply a lightning bolt of skin a shade lighter than the rest. That explained why she didn't see it when she was healing him.

"Oh Draco," she murmured softly. This meant that his mother was in fact dead. He shot her a sad little smile. In that moment she paused to consider why they were acting so strangely. They weren't simply being civil, he was being kind to her. It was unusual but not unpleasant.

"I'm er- sorry for your loss Malfoy," Ron murmured awkwardly. Harry was still staring at the scar on Draco's arm.

"Is Bellatrix- was it her?" Harry asked. Draco nodded. "Is she-" Another nod. A look of grim satisfaction crossed Harry's face but he stifled it. Hermione was glad. The crazy woman had been Draco's aunt after all. She gave him a sad smile. Ron swore and Hermione looked sharply at him.

"Polyjuice doesn't work for dead people." he said by way of an explanation.

"Oh no," she murmured.

"Anyone going to clue me in?" Draco asked snarkily.

"We need to get into Bellatrix's Gringotts vault. We were going to use Polyjuice but now," Draco started laughing.

"What?" Hermione asked. He sobered a bit but he was still grinning.

"Potter, what is your title?" Hermione was confused but Harry answered.

"Heir Potter,"

"And what was Sirius Black?"

"Lord Black,"

"And who did he leave that to?"

"Me," Harry looked very confused.

"And what family is Bella from?"

"The Black's," Comprehension sparked in Harry's eyes. "So I can annul her marriage, claim her vault, and take what I want from it." Draco nodded.

"That's genius," Hermione told him appreciatively. To her surprise, he flushed lightly.

"Thanks," Draco muttered. "I can't believe you were going to break into Gringotts."

"It wasn't our best idea." Harry admitted sheepishly. The four sat in silence for a moment.

"Wait," Harry said suddenly. "If Malfoy's been er, incapacitated, for two weeks, he can't be the spy!"

"Spy?" Draco interjected.

"Who could it be, if not Malfoy?" Ron asked. Hermione had another sad smile on her face, she seemed to be wearing those a lot lately. Her boys had grown up so much in the last six years.

"Well," Hermione said. "Could it have been Mrs. Malfoy?" Draco shook his head.

"She wouldn't have. It would have put the family in danger. Mother wouldn't do that." Hermione nodded. Who could it be?

"Any other ideas Malfoy?" Ron asked.

"No, but what are you talking about? What spy?"

"A Death Eater has turned spy and been helping the Order." Harry told him.

"I see." he replied.

"We thought it was you, but it couldn't have been." Ron said.

"It wasn't." Draco confirmed unnecessarily.

"Harry, Ron!" Bill called from downstairs. "I could use a hand down here."

"We'll be back," Harry said over his shoulder as the two left. The door shut and silence fell over the room.

"Why did you save us?" The words tumbled from Hermione's mouth unbidden. That had been nagging at her for weeks. He hesitated and she didn't expect an answer.

"I- I don't want to be a Death Eater. I sold my soul when I was sixteen. I'm only eighteen now, but it's my biggest regret. I can't keep living the way I've been living. You have no idea how many times I sat on my bed, wand to my temple, thinking about how two words could end it. Two little words, and it would all be over for me. I could finally be at peace. No more killing, torture, betrayal. I couldn't do that to mother though, so I suffered on. I- Potter has to win, he has to, and I'll do anything to see it happen. I'm just, I'm so sorry Hermione, for everything." Hermione felt tears in her eyes. Draco looked so broken, defeated. It was a far cry from his usual arrogance and it broke her heart.

"I forgive you. Harry and Ron do too." she murmured.

"It's more than I'll ever deserve." Draco muttered. Hermione didn't think that she was meant to hear it. Hermione was realizing slowly that Draco Malfoy was not at all what she thought he was, or rather, he was less like what she'd thought he was, and more like what she'd hoped he could be. She'd expected an arrogant, snarky, rude Death Eater who regretted saving them and hated her. Instead, she'd been shown this scared, broken, remorseful boy who was not so different from her.

What he'd said though, it scared her. If he'd followed through, she'd have been devastated. He was one of five reasons she fought. Her family, her friends, freedom, equality, and Draco Malfoy. He wasn't her friend or family, so she'd given him a space all for himself on her list. The thought made her smile.

"What're you smiling about?" he asked. He sounded curious.

"I was just thinking about a time when we could all be free."

"I'll never be free." he said, slipping his sleeve up to reveal the Dark Mark. She'd already seen it when she'd healed him, but she hadn't stopped to look. It had seemed like an invasion of privacy. He was studying her, as though he expected her to recoil at the sight of it. Reaching out, she pushed his sleeve back down.

"One day, you will be, I promise." she murmured. He smiled softly at her. She found herself staring into his stormy eyes. She thought he might be leaning closer. She didn't realize that she was too. She felt his breath on her face.

"Hermione!" Ron called from downstairs. Flustered, she hopped off of the bed, blushing furiously. He was blushing too.

"I should-"

"Go ahead." Irritation wormed its way into her as she looked for Ron. Everyone in the house besides her and Draco were in the kitchen it seemed.

"Yes Ronald?" she huffed. Harry was smirking at her, and she shot him a death glare.

"Dinner's ready. I didn't know if Malfoy was well enough to come down." he told her sheepishly. She counted slowly to ten in her mind and took a deep breath.

"No. He'll take his dinner up there. Harry, could you take it to him?" Hermione asked sharply.

"Sure." The smirk was gone. Evidently he could tell what kind of mood she was in.

"Thank you. Tell him I'll be up to check on him after dinner." He nodded and carried the newly made plate upstairs. Glancing around the table, she noticed that Remus was still there and offered him a smile. When Harry came back, dinner was served and they ate and made light conversation. Hermione listened more than she talked. An hour later, as promised, she went upstairs to check on Draco.

A/N #2: So like I said, not much, but I hope you like it... Leave a review and let me know what you think. Please?