hi everyone, here's the next chappy! thanks to everyone who reviewed, please please keep it up :) now on with the story... enjoy!

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''Mione, you coming to bed?'

'In a minute!'

It was a little past midnight and Hermione was in the kitchen feverishly whipping up a Reviving Potion for Malfoy - who, by the way, was still refusing to leave. Hermione had tried everything - insults, threats, pleading, tears (which were unfortunately real). But Malfoy wouldn't budge, and was still camping out in the lounge room.

Although he mysteriously refused to use his wand to heal his wounds, he had used it more than capably to put a powerful disillusionment charm upon himself, so that if by any chance Ron ventured into their rarely-used fancy lounge, he wouldn't be able to see him. Malfoy had also used his wand to summon food from the kitchen - a fact that made Hermione furious.

'What if Ron had seen food floating through the house?' she had hissed at him furiously after Ron had left the table to take up his favourite chair in their other lounge room.

'I'm starving!' Malfoy hissed back, stuffing bread into his mouth.

'Then go hide out in a supermarket!' Malfoy raised his eyebrows at her. He seemed to be feeling a lot better.

'I would have asked you to make me something, but I didn't want to try your patience.'

'Well…' Hermione stopped, having been about to reply with something rude. 'Thanks, I guess,' she finished awkwardly, staring at him curiously.

'I told you before, Hermione -'

'- Mrs Weasley!'

'- I'm not the man you think I am.'

Hermione rolled her eyes.

'Don't start on that again! I'm not interested!'

And she had left him on his own for the rest of the night, joining Ron in the lounge where the conversation, unfortunately, was about Malfoy. Just what she needed.

'I almost had him, Hermione!' Ron was saying, pouring over a large map of the country.

'I'm sure you did,' Hermione said in an off-hand way, hoping that Ron would change subjects.

'I wish you'd been there,'

'Me?'

'Well, not really. He would have ripped you to shreds,'

'Oh, really?' Hermione felt a surge of annoyance at her husband. He could still be so sexist. Nothing had changed. 'Now just remind me, who taught you how to stun in the first place?'

Ron ignored her and went on with his story.

'I had him, me and Harry, we cornered him down an alleyway. He had his wand in his hand, but he didn't even think of using it, the idiot! Then - Hermione, are you listening? Then, I used that spell I learnt off Moody, remember? The curse? That one. And he sort of fell to the ground yelling a bit. And then - Hermione? - then he cast some sort of jinx at us and by the time we could see again he was gone.'

'Hm…I wonder why he didn't use his wand when you cornered him?'

'Who knows, he was always a stupid ass.'

Hermione's annoyance was growing.

'Maybe he had a good reason not to use it.'

'Come on, Hermione!' Ron laughed, 'Who do you think he is? Fucking Merlin? He's no mastermind - what you see is what you get.'

'Right,' Hermione's jaw made a locking motion and she tuned out as Ron went on with his story.

Later, when Ron went up to bed, Hermione snuck back down to whip up a potion for Malfoy. It would give him back his energy and then he would have no excuse to stay here any longer. But as she was almost done Ron began calling to her from upstairs.

'Hermione, come on! I'm waiting for you!' she sighed.

'Just a minute, honey!' she called.

'Honey?' said a sickening voice from behind her. She turned to see Malfoy limping his way into the kitchen, holding onto his shoulder painfully. He pulled out a stool and sat down as Hermione cast him a dark glare, ignoring his comment.

'So, you and Weasley,' Malfoy continued casually. Hermione glanced up to the ceiling nervously, hoping his voice wasn't carrying.

'Yes, me and Ron,' she replied coolly, stirring the potion more jerkily. Her hand suddenly didn't want to stay still.

'When did that happen?'

'None of your business!' Hermione snapped, opening the cupboard above her head to search for the last ingredient - dark chocolate.

'I think it is my business,' Malfoy said quietly. He was watching her closely, his eyes unfathomable.

'Shit!' Hermione turned to look at him, looking furious about something, 'I haven't got any chocolate!'

'Calm down,' Malfoy raised his eyebrows at her. 'No need to have a heart attack over it.'

'I wanted you out by tonight!' crossly, Hermione tipped her potion down the sink - it was useless now.

'I promise I won't get in your way.'

'You're already in my way! I don't want you back in my life, Malfoy!'

Both of them suddenly froze as they realised how loud they had been talking. Listening closely, Hermione waited with baited breath to hear footsteps on the stairs. After almost a minute, she breathed out a sigh of relief.

'You're lucky Ron can fall asleep at the drop of a hatch!' she hissed angrily at Malfoy as she scrubbed at the pot she had been using for her potion. Ron would smell the ingredients in the morning otherwise and know she'd been brewing something.

'Wasn't he waiting for you?'

'Huh?' Hermione was barely listening to him, still furious that he wouldn't be leaving yet.

'Wasn't he waiting for you to come to bed?' Hermione turned to look at him in confusion.

'What the hell are you talking about?'

'He was waiting for you,' Malfoy said slowly, as if she was dim, 'And now he's asleep?'

'So?' Hermione's eyes narrowed.

'So, not a great husband, is he?' Hermione started as if he'd slapped her and marched forwards, leaning across the table towards him.

'How dare you, Malfoy! You don't know a thing about him -'

'No, and I don't want to either,' Malfoy grimaced, as if the thought of befriending Ron made him want to throw up. Hermione was glaring at him, her heart hammering against her chest.

'You don't know a thing about me either,' she went on as if he hadn't interrupted.

'Yes I do,' Malfoy said quietly, suddenly looking serious.

'You don't,' Hermione replied just as quietly, her words barely more than a whisper.

'I know that you can't go to sleep without saying goodnight, for one. Does he know that?'

Hermione couldn't think of a thing to say, partly because she was still angry that he was there and partly because she missed the sound of his voice.

'I know that you can't go to bed until you've cleaned every dish in the kitchen - exhibit A,' Malfoy motioned towards the pot in the sink behind her and the washcloth that she still held in her hand. Hermione put it down in a hurry.

'I know that you would rather eat frog spawn than be late to anything,' Hermione found that she couldn't move. She was rooted to the spot, staring into those grey eyes that she hadn't seen in so long.

'And I know that as much as you pretend otherwise…' Malfoy's hand slid towards hers across the table, 'You're glad I'm here.'

'Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy,' Hermione tried to laugh, but the sound wouldn't come. She watched his hand creeping towards hers and suddenly her fingers felt like lead - they wouldn't move. As Malfoy's fingers found hers, he squeezed her hand gently. His skin was warm but rough, and Hermione suddenly realised that her own hands were freezing.

'Hermione…' Malfoy began. But Hermione snatched her hand away suddenly and moved away from the table.

'I'll have the potion for you in the morning,' she said briskly, turning back to the pot in the sink, her voice shaking slightly. When Malfoy said nothing she glanced at him over her shoulder.

Under the impression that she wasn't watching him, Malfoy was grimacing in pain as he got to his feet. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and at that moment Hermione could see the defeat written all over his body. She turned back to him, studying him closely.

'What happened to you, Malfoy?' she whispered, unconscious of her mouth even opening.

'You wouldn't believe me if I told you,' he replied, unable to look at her. Slowly he began to turn and limp back towards the lounge. Hermione couldn't help herself - she followed him. Despite her anger, she wanted answers.

She watched from the doorway as he settled down on the couch, trying not to care as dry blood stained it in an instant. Watching him struggle with his own body, Hermione felt sorry for him.

'I'll get you some clean clothes in the morning.'

'Thank you.' For a moment Malfoy made a gesture as if to invite her to sit down next to him, but thought better of it. Hermione noticed he was shivering and went to the cupboard.

'Here -' she handed him a blanket, which he threw over himself clumsily. Hermione almost started forwards to tuck him in but stopped herself just in time.

'Well…goodnight,' she said awkwardly.

She didn't know why she was being so nice to him. Maybe it was the fact that she'd always had a soft spot for wounded animals - and his helplessness reminded her of an animal. Maybe it was her need to help people - she had, after all, been a healer at St Mungo's before she'd been offered her position at the Ministry. Maybe it was the fact that he still had his wand grasped tightly in his hand, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

Or maybe…maybe, it was because when he'd touched her hand back there in the kitchen, she'd felt something. Something awakening inside her, after being dead for so long.

As she started back into the kitchen, Malfoy's voice called softly after her.

'Does he treat your right?' he asked. Hermione stopped with her back to him. She didn't need to ask who he meant.

'Yes,' she answered firmly. Malfoy was silent for a moment as the air was filled with tension.

'Better than I did?' he asked finally. Still with her back to him, Hermione answered so quietly he barely heard her.

'He never left me, did he?'

And with that she left, not giving him the chance to reply. Malfoy lay back on the couch and tried to block out the pain from his shoulder. Despite Hermione's healing, it was steadily getting worse and he wouldn't last much longer without this potion she had promised to make for him.

But more than the pain, he tried to block out her voice. But it was ringing in his ears, over and over again.

He never left me.

He never left me.

HE NEVER LEFT ME.

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aww, i love this draco! he seems sweet but deadly...yummy :)

so what are you thinking of the story so far? i wonder if anyone can guess yet how rons going to get out of the picture... hehe