Molly bustled around the kitchen the next morning. Fred kept Hermione entertained, small toys from the shop sending her into a fit of giggles. Molly frowned, Hermione reminded of her children as toddlers. Harry had spent a great deal of time with the young Malfoy the day before, he only reported that Hermione was still there, and that she would need someone with her through the night. Molly herself had taken on the task. Many order members had been in and out of the house yesterday to check for themselves that Hermione still lived.
George had not yet returned with Ron. Ron and Harry had been searching for the last horcrux when Harry had popped in to update Molly. The boys had promised to check in with her regularly after they thought Hermione had died. During his update Harry had opened the door to find his best friend still alive; he hadn't left the house since. A house elf appeared in the kitchen; Molly glanced over to see the elf that had come with Hermione.
Hermione's laughter stopped. Molly turned to find her staring hard at the elf. "Where is Draco?"
Molly's gaze sharpened on the girl, this was the first time she had spoken since arriving. Hermione searched the room, glancing between Fred's face and Molly's. When neither answered her question, Hermione burst into tears. Burying her head in her hands she let out a piercing wail of grief.
"I killed him! I said I would protect him and I killed him!"
She stopped abruptly, stood, and with tears running down her face she calmly walked from the room. Molly and Fred shared a look before racing after her. They followed her to the porch, the distant look on her face warning them that they would not find her responsive right now.
Harry spent two days with Hermione on the porch, staring at the sea, as she mourned. She thought Malfoy was dead. Harry had not felt inclined to inform her that he was only down the hall. He hadn't known what to make of Malfoy. The snarky boy that had greeted him in the robe shop had morphed into a quiet man with sorrowful eyes. At least with Hermione he knew the reason for the change.
Molly stuck a head through the back door. "Breakfast is ready in the kitchen. Our guest has been fed. It will only be you and Fred with Hermione today, everyone else has things to attend to today. Do try your best to get her to eat today."
Harry felt a frown mar his face; no one else had told Hermione that Malfoy wasn't dead, all taking their cue from Harry as her best friend. Harry coaxed Hermione up off the stoop, she had only responded to Trissa's pleas yesterday to eat. She rose and followed without comment. After Harry settled her down at the table with a plate of toast he started to work on his own plate. The kitchen door opened and Harry left his plate as Ron appeared in the doorway, George right behind him.
Harry nodded to George, "Fred is still asleep upstairs."
Fred pushed open the door that had shut behind his brothers, rubbing his eyes. "I am still asleep but not upstairs."
Harry snagged Ron as he began to rush forward towards Hermione. "She isn't the same Ron, something happened to her and we haven't been able to reach her yet. One more thing, don't mention Malfoy, he has been caring for her since we escaped Malfoy Manor and currently she thinks he is dead."
"Our luck would never be as good as for Malfoy to keel over dead mate," Ron responded, eyes trained on Hermione who picked at her toast.
Harry released his arm and he moved forward quickly. Ron sat in the chair next to her, hand resting on her arm.
"Hermione, are you okay?"
Hermione looked up at him, eyes blank, no recognition in her eyes or smile on her lips. She turned back to picking at her toast.
Ron turned to him, "What happened to her?"
"Best we could piece together, she is suffering from something called a combining sickness. We had a nurse from St. Mungo's out here to check her out." He lowered his voice, "Malfoy and I had a chat after they arrived, and he has cared for her since it happened. He said she is still in there. We just need to find what can trigger her return."
Ron nearly shouted, "He is still here? Why haven't you gotten rid of Malfoy yet? Bloody hell!"
Fred, George, and Harry began to respond when an intense wave of magic swept the room. Hermione rose, all eyes turning to her. An audible crack rent the air. The boys all jumped back.
"Draco isn't dead?" The quiet words warred with the heat in her gaze.
"Bastard deserves to be."
Harry winced as the words slid from Ron's mouth. Harry backed up, Fred and George pushing the door open. The three tumbled from the kitchen as a loud crash echoed. They shared a look before all darting different directions. Harry burst through the door housing Malfoy.
Malfoy lounged against the wall, legs crossed at the ankle, reading a book. He looked up at Harry, customary eyebrow raised.
"She's awake and on a war path." Harry spun from the room, trusting Malfoy would follow.
They thundered down the stairs, Fred and George only raised an eyebrow at Malfoy's appearance before passing two extendable ears to Harry. Harry eyed Malfoy before passing an ear to him. Without a word between them they inserted the ears to their own and listened to screaming.
"How dare you say that Ronald! Do you remember what you did when you got scared? You RAN! Instead of staying to help you ventured off on your own. You have no right to throw stones at Draco for staying. If anything, you owe him an apology and a thank you. Without him I would have been dead twenty times over. He protected me at great cost to himself. Can you even comprehend how much he has lost by saving me?" A pause, "No, I doubt you would understand."
The scraping of a hard against the floor then, "Hermione..." A quiet plea.
"Get out of my sight Ron, if you try and talk to me anymore right now I might give into this violent urge I am feeling."
The men pulled the extendable ears out of sight just in time for Ron to pass brusquely into the depths of the house. Hermione sat at the head of the table, her eyes passed over the doorway, stopping on Harry before she spoke his name. Harry gulped at this chill in her voice.
Draco felt his heart leap to his throat as he caught his first sight of her. No fog clung to her now, only a simmering rage that cracked like fire. A flicker of pain shot through his gut when she did not spare him a glance, though he was glad when he felt a chill settle over him when she called Harry into the kitchen. The door shut behind him, Draco shared a look with the twins before listening to the conversation.
Two beats of silence, then she spoke. "Why did you lie to me Harry?"
"I didn't lie Hermione."
"Yes, you did. You lied to me when you let me mourn for days over a man who gave up everything to save me. I am disappointed in you Harry. I never thought you would let your childish hatred for Draco blind you to the possibility of change in him."
"He hasn't changed Hermione, he can't of. You know he nearly killed Dumbledore," Harry protested.
"Are you the same boy who crawled out of a cupboard," She shot back.
Draco swallowed hard, she wasn't pulling any punches.
"No," Harry replied curtly.
"Neither is Draco the man his father tried to shape him to be. A man who had grown to love the pain and suffering of others would not weep when he had to hurt another being." She stood up, "Think about it Harry, neither one of you was given a fair shake at life, the least you can do is not make it harder for each other."
Draco ripped the extendable ear from his head as he heard Hermione's footsteps head towards the door, he tossed it to the twins as she opened the kitchen door. Draco caught the sight of Potter, leaning forward over the table. Hermione turned to the twins, an eyebrow raised.
"Can I help you two?"
"Nope," they replied in unison.
Fred spoke first. "We just wanted to say we missed you," he laid as kiss across one cheek.
George spoke next. "We missed having you to call our baby brother and the chosen one on their issues," he laid a kiss across her other check.
With that they turned and disappeared further into the house. Hermione reached back and without turning gripped Draco's hand tight. She pulled him behind her as she maneuvered through the house, until she found a small book room. Draco looked around, a small couch nestled between bursting bookshelves. Hermione sat down, her hand still holding his tight.
Draco stood, confusion and uncertainty making him wary. Hermione stared at the carpet, her voice cracking as she spoke, "I wanted to say thank you, for saving me."
He scoffed, "I didn't save you. I doomed you to a worse fate. I wouldn't be surprised if you hate me."
Her fingers gripped tighter, "I also wanted to say thank you for caring for me for so long, for keeping me safe, and for even being kind to me. You didn't have to do that, I ruined your life."
Draco sat down hard, shocked at her words. "You remember that?"
"I remember some of it." A tinge of pink dusted her cheeks. "I am sorry about the sleeping arrangements though, that wasn't fair to you."
Draco felt his own cheeks heat slightly. "I found it easier to get a full night of sleep that way."
She laughed, "I bet you did."
They sat in silence, fingers still intertwined. Draco had nearly fallen asleep when he heard her sniffling. Without thinking he pulled her close, running a hand down her hair as he whispered to her.
"Shh, you're fine, just breathe."
It wasn't until she started to speak that he realized they weren't at the safe house any more, that she knew what was happening. He stiffened.
"No matter what anyone else says Draco, I think you are the bravest person I know."
The simple compliment thawed his frozen muscles, and he held her as he had a hundred times before.