A/N: Another chapter for you all! I've had a few sparks of inspiration so i've been writing a ton lately.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Hermione said faintly as they popped onto her front porch. She shut her eyes tight during the apparition and had yet to open them.
Draco glanced at her and noted that she indeed looked pale with a tinge of green. With a gentle tug of his hand, he pulled her to the door, "Come on Granger, let's go inside so you don't get sick on your porch." He reached for the door and the knob shocked him briefly. He let out a curse and shook his hand, mumbling under his breath, "Damn Potter...how am I supposed to get in without a key?"
"Try under the doormat," Hermione suggested, her eyes still closed.
Draco knelt down and lifted the worn matt and found a key under it.
"Something you remembered?" he asked as he unlocked the door and opened it.
Hermione shook her head, "No, just figured that would be a logical place to put it."
Draco peered inside the house then cast Homenum Revelio. He relaxed when it come up empty. "Come on, let's get you seated."
"I'm starting to feel better," Hermione said, opening her eyes for the first time. She glanced around the room slowly, as if trying to place everything. She set her bag from the hospital on the couch and walked over to the fireplace, where the mantle was riddled with pictures. She picked up one up of her, Ron, and Harry, taken not too long ago. Her lip trembled slightly and then her stomach lurched, "I think I'm really going to be sick," she said, covering her mouth.
Draco conjured up a bucket and shoved it under her right as she started to vomit. He held it up for her, but looked away, not wanting to see the contents of her stomach. When she finally retched until she could retch no more, she looked up at him, her eyes watering, "Sorry…"
"No need to be sorry," he said, vanishing the bucket and steering her towards the couch. "Sit. I'll get you something to drink."
Hermione sat on the plush couch and closed her eyes as she leaned back.
Draco called from the kitchen, "It looks like you either cleaned out your fridge for your trip, or someone stole all your food."
"I probably cleared everything out," she said.
Draco returned to her side a few moments later, a glass of water in his hand and a plate of soda crackers, "Here, this is all you have. I can run to the market for you and get some staples so you're not without food if you want."
"That… that would be really kind of you, thanks," she said, taking a delicate sip of her water.
"Feeling better?" he asked after a moment had past.
Hermione nodded slightly, "Yes. I can probably go with you to the market-"
"Absolutely not."
"But-"
"Granger, don't argue. I won't be long. Go… take a bath, or something. Healers orders. I'll be back in an hour, tops."
Hermione let out a sigh, "Fine…"
As Draco left and locked the door, taking the spare house key with him, Hermione made her way up the old, creaky stairs to the master bedroom. She wished she could remember anything about this house that she supposedly grew up in, but everything looked odd and foreign. She went into the bathroom and was pleasantly surprised to find a clawfoot bathtub. She turned the taps of the faucet on and found the perfect temperature before sticking the stopper on the drain.
As the bath filled, she stripped off her clothes, tossing them into the hamper. She glanced up, her eye catching her naked body in the mirror. She turned to face to herself and assess her body, taking note that at least she didn't look defiled, when images of when she was kidnapped came flooding through: A mirror had been brought into the room she was in and she was forced to watch as one of the men, the Harry-look-alike, pounded her from behind and squeezed her breasts painfully hard at the same time. Tears were streaming down her face as she begged him to stop, while the Ron-look-alike, told her to shut up and take it like the whore she was. Hermione gasped at the memory and walked backwards, away from the mirror until her body hit the wall. Gasping for air, she slid her back down, until her bottom hit the floor and her knees were pulled up to her chest. As she caught her breath, she began to cry and buried her face into her knees, all while the water was starting to reach the brim of the tub.
When Draco arrived shortly later, levitating a few bags of groceries into her kitchen and set them to put away on their own, he walked over to the stairs and called up, "Granger? I'm back. I wasn't sure what all you wanted so I got a bit of everything."
When he didn't hear a response, he frowned and called up again, "Granger?"
He walked a few steps up the stairs and heard the faint sound of running water. Odd, he thought, she should have finished filling up her bath a while ago. He walked up the stairs and noted that the master bedroom door was ajar. He knocked lightly, calling out to her again. The door opened slightly and he stepped forward, only to be rewarded with a squelch sound coming from under his shoe. He looked down and saw that the carpet was soaked with water.
"Shit," he said, opening the door all the way and walking towards the bathroom. "Granger? Are you in there?"
He heard her sob something out over the water running and braced himself as he opened the door. Hermione, naked and shivering on the floor, looked up at him with her eyes red and swollen from crying. He glanced at the tub and walked over to it, turning off the taps and unplugging the drain, before grabbing a towel and walked over to Hermione, placing it around her shoulders.
"Th-th-thanks," she said between hiccups.
"Come on Granger, up you go," he said, taking her hand and helping her up to her feet. He made sure to not make eye contact with any visible parts of her naked body as he walked her towards the bedroom and pulled back the covers on the king size bed. "Come on, in you go," he said, turning his head slightly as she slipped into the bed, the towel still around her. She huddled into the covers and shivered slightly.
Draco started to walk away when her hand grabbed his tightly, "Please don't leave."
"I'm just going to clean up the bathroom. You don't want mold or water damage do you?" he asked, quirking a brow and giving her a small smile.
She shook her head, loosening her grip on his hand so he could pull away.
Once the water was vanished, the bathroom floor and carpet dried, he return to Hermione's side, sitting on the edge of the bed. He couldn't help but move a strand of hair that was over her face and placed it behind her ear. "What happened Granger?" he asked quietly.
Her lip trembled and she shut her eyes tightly as she retold him of the flashback. His jaw tightened and fists clenched, hard enough for his fingernails to leave tiny moon-shaped indents in the palms of his hands as she told the memory, but when she was done and opened her eyes, he looked calm and collected.
"I'm sorry" he said, and continued at her confused look, "for… everything you went through and now having to relive through memories. You should probably rest. I'll go fix up some sandwiches to eat."
Hermione nodded and snuggled her head into her pillow, breathing in a faintly familiar scent.
When Draco came back upstairs, two plates of sandwiches levitated in front of him, he wasn't surprised to find Hermione sound asleep. He placed one of the plates on the nightstand, turned off the little lamp by the bed, and quietly left the room.
A few hours later, Hermione shuffled her way down the stairs, fully clothed, and an empty plate in her hand. Draco was sitting on the couch, reading a book and turned to look at her when he heard her descend the stairs.
"Thank you.. for the sandwich," she said, as she reached the bottom step.
Draco gave a nod before returning to the book, "You're welcome."
"And… Thank you, for… everything after my panic attack," she said, looking embarrassed.
Draco shrugged, closing the book he was reading and placing it on the coffee table in front of him. "I've gone through a fair share of panic attacks myself. I know how it feels and how uncontrollable they are."
Hermione nodded, looking down at the plate she was holding, "I, um, was wondering...do you want to stay for dinner later? I can look and see what's in the kitchen and make something simple."
Draco nodded, "Sure. I got some noodles and sauce, along with a loaf of bread if that works for you."
Hermione gave him a small smile, "Sounds perfect."
Dinner was finished and the table was cleared. Hermione took her time washing the dishes by hand while Draco used his wand to dry and put them away.
"I should really head home-"
"Can you please stay, just one night?-"
They had spoke at the same time and Hermione blushed while he looked away uneasily.
"Granger, I really don't think I should," he said, drumming his fingers on the counter.
"Why?"
"Because…. Because it's not healthy for you to be so hung up on me all the time, that's why," he said irritably, not meeting her eye.
Hermione faltered, unsure of what to say. She bit her lip and looked out her window, noting that the skyline was now a dark purple-blueish color. She nodded absently, "Alright. I'll… I'll be fine."
He glanced at her as he stuck his hands in his pockets, "Thank you for dinner."
She nodded again, still staring out the window, "Sure."
"I put my number on the fridge next to Potter's… in case… well, just in case," he said with a shrug.
She turned her head and looked at him, "I'll be fine."
"Right. Goodnight, Granger," he said, turning to make his way to the front door.
"Night Malfoy," she said to his back, then turned and continued to stare out the window, her arms now across her chest, as if she was physically trying to hold herself together.
When she heard the door close she closed her eyes and willed the tears that were starting to form not to shed. She took a few deep breaths, and looked around her empty house. "I'll be fine… I'll be fine," she said, muttering to herself as she made her way to the living room.
She flipped on the switch to the lights and sat on the couch before finally succumbing to the tears and sobbed into her hands.
A knock on the door made her jolt. She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt as she made her way slowly towards the door.
"Who… who is it?" she called out, not daring to open it just yet.
"Malfoy," came the voice.
Confusion and relief poured through her at the same time as she opened the door. He glanced up and noticed her red-rimmed eyes. "One night," he said.
She blinked twice, "What?"
"I'll stay one night. On the couch," he clarified.
Hermione smiled and couldn't help but launch herself to him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug.
Draco froze at the contact but eventually lifted a hand to pat her back awkwardly, "Alright, that's enough. I'm... not much of a hugger."
"Oh!" said Hermione, letting him go, her cheeks flushed, "Sorry, I… don't know what came over me. Come on in, I'll get some blankets for you."
She turned to head towards the stairs but stopped and turned back to face him. She took a step closer, placed a gentle hand to his cheek, and kissed the other softly, "Thank you."
When she finally went up the stairs, Draco let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. He touched the spot she had kissed and cursed under his breath, for he knew he was starting to actually care for the witch.
A/N: So, some development. Not a ton, but some. And before anyone asks, no, Hermione is not pregnant.
Let me know what you think in your review! Thanks! ~HufflepuffMommy
PS. I haven' said it lately, so here's a shout out to Sweet Little Bullet for beta-ing for me!
