I woke with a happy sigh. I had not felt this well rested in a long time, and the feel of the warm bed still wrapped around me, made me even happier as I rolled onto my side, hugging the pillow to my front.
Someone's fingers, pushed my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my hair. "Mourning, Hermione." I froze at that voice, my whole body tensing with those two words as the one man I did not want to see woke me up. "Sleep well?" He asked, as if he hadn't abandoned me in the middle of no where. I didn't respond, apart from sitting up and throwing my legs over the side of the bed "I've missed you." Harry said. I felt the bed shift behind me as he climbed to sit behind me, his legs coming either side of mine. His hands raped around my waist, pulling me back into him. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" He asked, placing light kisses on my neck.
"Why?" I whispered
"Why what?"
"Why did you leave me?" I asked, this time a but louder
"Hermione." Harry sighed as I ripped my way out of his arms
"NO! I want answers! Why did you leave me? In the middle of no where, with hardly any food, no money and no Idea where I was. You promised me you wouldn't leave me. You promised you wouldn't make any decisions without me. And you left. In the middle of the night like a criminal! You left!" I screamed, wiping around to face him "Why?"
"I had to. I didn't want to. But I had to. To protect you. They would have killed you on sight if I had brought you with me. I had to protect you."
"Protect me?" I spat at him "Protecting me would have been at least telling me where you are! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me? I left the burrow for you! And you left me? For what?"
"So we could have a life!"
"But what bout Teddy? Do you know how much you missed? How much he missed you?"
"Hermione, please." Harry begged. I stared at him, waiting for him to finish "I know I shouldnt have done it. But I had to, don't you see that I had to protect you? Protect Teddy? From my own father! But now you're here. And we can put it behind us, and move on. Us. Like it will always be."
"Us ended the moment you left." I hissed, hating the words coming out of my head, but knowing that I had to say them. He had to know that no matter what I felt about him, he could not mess me about.
"No. I will not allow that." Harry hissed at me, taking a step towards me.
"You do not get a choice. I am not one of your followers that you can order about Harry."
"I know you are not. But that does not mean that you can make a decision like that."
"I WHAT!" I screamed at him
"You heard me perfectly well Hermione." Harry's voice became dangerously low and I felt the air around me shift as he took a step towards me. I took a deep breathe, not wanting to make Harry angry
"Harry please. I've had a stressful few months. I need food, and more sleep, and my leg is killing me. Can we talk about this tomorrow?" I practically begged.
"No. We talk about this now." Harry ordered, taking another step to me, walking until he was right in front of me. "Hermione. I know what I did was wrong. But I love you. And I was doing it to protect you. I know you do not agree with this, but it is the truth. But my love is they only thing that is keeping you safe. Whether you like it or not, we are not over." During Harry's speech I had looked up into Harry's eyes, my breathe catching as I realised that his eyes turned red as he grew more angry. He grabbed my arms, and bent so we were eye level "Okay?" He asked, his vice harsh.
If you had asked me even half an hour later why I had done this, I would not have been able to answer you. Hell, ten minutes later and I would tell you that I had lost my mind. But I agreed with him, my eyes never leaving his. "Good." he breathed, dragging me into his arms.
I sagged into him, to tired to fight against him, my head still reeling from my easy agreement. I was never a push over, I always fought my corner for as long as necessary. I was Hermione Granger, I was never wrong. But this...this was new. I had simply given up. My whole body...heck even my unyielding mind was screaming at me to just let Harry take care of me, to not fight against him. Yeah I was angry at him, but I was so tired I had forgot all that he had done to me.
No. This was not me. I wouldn't do this. "Harry," I mumbled. Taking a step back, Harry's arms stayed around my waist "I know what you're saying." Merlin, even my voice sounded weak "And in public, I will not fight against it. I know what I have to do to keep the people I love safe. But, for now atleast, I can not love you like I used to."
"Why?"
"You left me Harry. No matter what the reasons you still did it. And it hurt me, hell it broke me."
"So, you'll be with me in public but not in real life?" Harry hissed, his voice scaring me, I nodded. "You better be a bloody good actress then." He hissed, before turning and leaving.
"Hermione?" I opened my eyes as a heavy weight was placed on my chest "You awake?" George asked. I looked down as teddy bounced on my chest
"I am now." I laughed, sitting up and pulling Teddy up with me. He giggled as I raised his top and blew a raspberry on his chest, his giggling increased. I eventually pulled back, smiling down at him as he wriggled around on my bed.
"Have you seen Harry?" George asked gently
"Yes. You?"
"Yes. You Okay?"
"I'll survive." That was all that was said on the matter. "had a good sleep?"
"Merlin yes. These beds are amazing." George said, flopping back onto my bed "You had a bath?"
"First thing I did. I swear the water was black when I got out." George laughed as I pulled Teddy into my arms "But you didn't bathe him?"
"He fell asleep and wouldn't wake." I laughed
"Give me a hand to the bathroom, and I'll do it now." George nodded and helped me of the bed and into the bathroom, where he ran the bath, while I striped a struggling Teddy.
"Where's Draco and Blaise?" George asked, lifting Teddy into the water as I sat on the steps
"Dont know. I feel asleep with them last night, but woke up with Harry."
"Wierd boy." George muttered, shaking his head as Teddy played with the bubbles
"Ermie?" He asked, holding some bubbles in his small hands
"Bubbles, Teddy. Bubbles." I said, slowly for him to understand, before blowing them lightly towards him.
"ubles." he tried, clapping his hands
"bubbles." I laughed, putting my hands in the water, and splashing some water at him.
"Ubbles!" He squealed, reaching for more
"Ubbles it is." I laughed, enjoying the natural innocence that surrounded us. For another ten minutes we laughed together in my bathroom, Teddy providing our entertainment for us.
"Out you get, mister." George said, lifting a wet Teddy out of the water, I was waiting for him with a towel, which I instantly wrapped around him, holding him tight to me as George passed him to me.
"What's the time?" I questioned George as we walked out my room "And where's his room?"
"I'd say around fivish, and Teddy's the door opposite yours."
"Where's your room then?"
"Left when you get to the stairs."
"Why you all the way down their?"
"Draco showed me to it last night." George shrugged, as we entered Teddy's room.
Teddy's room was every boys dream. It was blue with quidditch players flying around the walls, and filled to the brim with every toy he could possible want. To the side of the room was a bed with a cut out of a broomstick around the edge.
He didn't have a closest, he just had a set of draws, which I grabbed some clothes out of for him
Getting the clothes onto Teddy was a completely different story, he turned and twisted out of my grip, desperate to stay out of them. George was no help either, laughing at my attempts to dress him and encouraging Teddy to move.
When I eventually got him dress I let him go, watching with a smile as he started playing with some of his toys, George playing right along with him. With a sigh I wandered into my room, grabbing a book and going to sit in Teddy's room with the boys.
"So, this is where your hiding?" Blaise said, wandering into the room, about half an hour later. I looked over at him, closing the book I was reading. Blaise came and sat next to me on Teddy's bed. Teddy and George were still playing together.
"Whats up?"
"Just though id come and see you. Draco's in some meeting." He shrugged "you upset Potter."
"How'd you know?"
"The house has been shaking since he walked out your room earlier. Didn't take much to work out."
"Yeah well, he shouldn't be so...so..."
"Like he has to be to keep you safe and keep his father happy at the same time?" I glared at him "As much as you might hate it, you know its the truth."
"Your really no help." I muttered, standing up and walking out the room, Blaise following behind me.
"Hermione, I know that it's not what you want to hear, and I know that you're upset with him, and you have every right to be. But he does what he has to do to keep you safe." I placed the book back on the shelf, turning to face Blaise with my hands on my hips "You just have to give him a chance sorella."
"I dont have to do anything."
"Then do it for Teddy, for his safety." Before I could reply, Theodore Nott appeared at the door.
"Granger, Blaise. Long time no see."
"Bastard." I muttered, my anger at Blaise turning into anger at Nott in that single second.
"How have you been?"
"Oh, you know, leaving in the middle of a forest, no food, no water. We've been peachy. You?" I asked back, sarcasm practically dripping off of my words.
"look, I know your mad at me, but Blaise, man you understand."
"No, Theo. I dont. Nor does Draco." Blaise said with a shake of his head
"I couldnt let her pollute us!"
"What?" I asked confused, looking between the two.
"You going to tell her?" Blaise asked, staring at his best mate. Theo just stood their "Guess I will then. He didn't tell Potter we had found you."
"He...dint tell him?" I asked, slumping back against the shelf's of books behind me slightly. "Why?" I asked, my gaze flickering between Nott and Blaise
"I had to protect him, and what we all believe in." Nott said, after a dark look at Blaise
"I dont understand." I admitted
"You are a mudblood." Nott spat, stepping into the room "Potter was in love with you, and because of that we were having to change all that we believed and fought for because of Potter and his bloody love. So if I told Potter that we were unsuccessful to find you-"
"Tell her exactly what you told Potter." Blaise spat. Nott laughed, a manic laugh that sent chills down my spine
"I told Potter that you had managed to over through us all, and had killed Malfoy and Zibini, and then run. Leaving no traces, apart from me as I had managed to run."
"Thats...Horrid!" I cried, standing straighter, "You dispicable...Raving LUNATIC!" I Screamed, charging at Nott. The attack, especially without a wand, must have shocked Nott so much that he didn't defend himself. Instead letting me barrel into him and taking us both to the ground. I sat on his chest, hitting every piece of him that I could reach, shouting random words that made hardly any sense in my anger.
"Hermione...Hermione calm." Blaise said, dragging me of off Notts bleeding form
"You are the lunatic, you estranged mudblood." Nott said, rising to his feet before running from me.
"Let me go!" I screamed at Blaise
"Calm down." Blaise said, backing into the room, and shutting the door with his foot
"NO! Blaise, he lied!" I screamed, kicking and struggling in Blaise's grip.
"Hermione, you need to calm down." Blaise said, pining me onto the bed
"NO!" I screamed, still struggling
"What is going on in here!"
"She just found out that Nott never told Potter."
"So that's why Nott was all cut up." Draco said as he came towards us. I was still struggling under Blaise's grip, as Draco came into view on they other side, coming to rest over me so that he could look me straight in they eye "Hermione Granger, you will listen to me." He ordered "I know what Nott did was wrong, and as soon as Potter finds out he will pay for this mistake. But now you need to think. About Harry. You know why he was not with you for those months now, now you need to choice what to do with this information."
"Beat up Nott?" I hissed, although my struggling had stopped
"Apart from that. Now promise me you will stop struggling?" Blaise asked, as he gripped my wrists
"I promise." I muttered, closing my eyes. Blaise let me go, his weight shifting on the bed so it was besides me.
After a few minutes of silence Draco asked "Have you decided what to do yet?"
"I should probably speak to Harry." I muttered, sitting up
"That would be a wise decision." Blaise sad, with a smile
"What did he want?" I asked, turning to Draco, he raised a questioning eye brow "Harry? What did he want?"
"To talk."
"About?"
"You."
"ME?"
"He came in when we were sleeping." Blaise admitted, looking down
"So?" Draco laughed
"He wasn't exactly happy to see the girl he loves in they arms of other men." I nodded, understanding hitting me
"But you'll come back tonight right? I'm not ready to sleep alone." I admitted, feeling my blush rise
"For as long as you need us." Blaise said, before getting up "I'm going to go check on George and Teddy."
"We'll see you at dinner." Draco said before Blaise disappeared out my room. "Are you Okay?" Draco asked, turning me towards him
"Been better, but I'm holding up." I admitted, straightening my leg out in front of me.
"Does it still hurt?"
"yes." I replied "But the potions should help." Draco nodded, eyeing my leg
"Looks painful." He commented "But you should really be getting up."
"Why? The days almost over."
"Dinner?" Draco asked me
"Cant I have it delivered to the room?" I asked, burying myself down into the bed
"Nope. You need to get up and get dressed."
"What if I skip?" I asked, pulling the cover up to my chin
"Then you will go hungry until tomorrow." As if it was trying to betray me, my stomach made an extremely loud noise, alerting everyone to the fact that I was actually very hungry. "Which I doubt you would be able to." Draco laughed, pulling the cover away from my grip
"COLD!" I moaned curling into a ball "DRACO!"
"If you got up and dressed you wouldn't be cold."
"But I'm not getting up." I felt his hands wrap around my ankle, before I was moving down the bed, Draco pulling me as I tried to grab onto something to keep me on the bed.
"NO!" I Screamed, as I felt the bed disappear from under me, and the ground make a very abrupt first meeting with my chest "ow." I moaned quietly, pulling myself out of Draco's grip and pushing myself up. Draco was bent over in half with laughter as I went to the bathroom, muttering under my breathe at him.
"Do you wont me to choice you some clothes?" Draco asked,
"Something comfy." I replied in way of a yes, before closing the door behind me.
"I thought I said comfy!" I practically screeched at Draco as I wandered back into my bedroom
"That is." Draco replied, his eyebrows coming together in confusion
"You and I obviously have very different perceptions of comfy." I told him, holding up the dress he had got out for me. It was a short black dress with a scoop neck...that scooped very low and a pair of black heels. "You try and walk around in them all night and be comfy, as well as making sure that you don't show everyone your breakfast."
"While dinner starts in five minutes, so hurry up." Draco ordered, stepping out the room as I got changed. Chucking my hair into a pony tail I didn't bother with make up of making sure that my hair looked decent, instead I followed Draco out the room, meeting up with George and Teddy before starting to head down to the dining hall.
"Hermi." Teddy said, reaching his hands out to me, clenching his hands into fists before UN-clenching them and repeating it before I took him from George.
"And hows my little man?" I questioned, bumping him on my hip as he clenched my dress in his hands.
"'oys!" He cried happily
"Toys?" I asked laughing at him as we reached the stair case. I grabbed the banister, making sure to concentrate on where I was going before I fell arse over tit.
"Well, its food time now." I told him, reaching the bottom of the stairs
"'ood?" He asked, his hair turning green
"Food." I corrected him, following Draco into the room on our left.
