Chapter eleven
The next night Draco awoke to hear sniffling from Hermione. Groggily he sat up in his cot.
"Hermione?" He whispered quietly.
"I'm sorry did I wake you?" Hermione asked.
"No just couldn't sleep" Murmured Draco sleepily.
He got off his cot and made his way over to her bed. She didn't protest as he slid in next to her and cradled her in his arms. Just as she had held him in the castle as he cried for his parents, he held Hermione in his arms as she cried for hers. Draco awoke in the early morning to find Hermione's head on his chest his arm wrapped protectively around her. He smiled as he watched her sleep, feeling totally at peace and content for the first time in a while. Hermione murmured his name in her sleep as she had when they were in the infirmary. Draco smiled and began to stroke her hair soothingly as he drifted back to sleep.
When Hermione woke it was mid-morning and she had her head on Draco's chest. More importantly she liked having her head on his chest, his arm around her. We're just friends she told herself, friends comfort each other. She tried to imagine falling asleep with Harry like this. She couldn't. Do I like Draco? She asked herself. What does this sleeping together mean? Does he like me? How could we like each other half the time we're arguing? Her thoughts started running a thousand miles a minute. She slowly got out of bed. Draco stirred stretched and then opened his eyes sleepily.
"Morning" He said.
Hermione self-consciously pulled a hand through her wild hair.
"Morning" she replied before escaping to her bathroom to pull herself together.
Draco lazed around in bed for a minute or two then got out. He pulled off his shirt and started getting dressed. Meanwhile in the bathroom Hermione brushed her hair and her teeth, applied minimal make up and some perfume. She exited the bathroom and stood in shock as she took in Draco shirtless and wearing just his boxers. "Sorry!" Hermione squealed throwing a hand over her eyes and turning around. Draco hastily pulled on his black jeans.
"Come on Hermione we both know that was on purpose" Draco teased her.
"I don't blame you I am pretty sexy" He joked.
"You are so arrogant." Hermione snapped turning around.
However she couldn't disagree with him. As he stood there shirtless Hermione had trouble keeping her eyes off his well-muscled chest, abs and arms.
"Draco throw on a shirt! No one wants to see you!" Hermione continued.
Draco just grinned devilishly, "Why does it bother you?" He asked taking a few steps closer to her.
Hermione rolled her eyes and started rummaging through her drawers to find something to wear.
"Don't be ridiculous Malfoy!" Hermione sneered as she grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to change.
Draco grinned after her, he loved pushing her buttons.
That afternoon, Draco saw Hedwig with a letter from Harry tied to her leg. Quickly He untied it and opened it up.
It was blank, confused he handed it to Hermione. The words began to appear at her touch though Draco couldn't read them from where he stood.
Hermione sunk down to the couch. Draco saw her pale expression and rushed over to her.
"What is it?" He asked urgently.
"We are leaving tonight." Hermione whispered.
Draco understood why this news caused Hermione so much grief. That meant tonight she would have to oblivate her parents memories. Draco placed his arm around her in support knowing there was nothing he could say. Hermione's head rested against his shoulder as she tried to hold back tears.
That night Draco made himself scarce staying in Hermione's room. He thought he would let Hermione have her last hours with her parents alone. At 7:50 Draco sat and waited sitting on his trunk, Hermione's beside his, knowing that it would be any minute now. At 7:57 he heard Hermione cast the spell. She quickly came up stairs, her face looked empty. She pulled out her wand and placed their things in a very tiny handbag than wordlessly she grabbed Draco's hand and the two of them apparated to Harry's house.
Once they were outside, they found themselves in the company of Remus, Tonks, Fred, George, Fleur, Bill and other members of the order. They entered Harry's house and Mad eye explained to Harry what the plan was. Harry disagreed of course, but he didn't really have a choice. Mad eye sent his flask around and those meant to change into Harry took a drink. When the flask reached Hermione, Draco snatched it from her.
"No, Hermione, it's too dangerous." He said seriously.
"Draco, this is the plan and we're sticking to it" Hermione replied sternly.
"I know, but not you. I'll drink it instead." Draco said.
"Will one of you drink it already? We need to get the bloody hell out of here!" Made eye snapped.
Draco downed the poly juice potion. He and Hermione would be traveling together by hippogriff.
"Head for the burrows, we rendezvous there!" Mad eye explained.
The two of them got on and took off into the night. The skies were stormy and they were under attack almost immediately.
"Bloody hell" Draco muttered.
Hermione gripped tightly to Draco's back with one arm and was shooting off curses from her wand with the other. Deatheaters we're everywhere. Draco could feel Hermione's heart beating hard and fast through her shirt. He was struggling to steer the frightened hippogriff and fight at the same time. Draco caught a glimpse of his deranged aunt Bellatrix, she had her wand raised and he watched in horror as a green light extended from her wand towards Hermione. Using his free arm he pulled her off of the hippogriff and out of the way of the killing curse. She was dangling in the sky nothing keeping her from falling but Draco's one handed grip on her. She was screaming. Bellatrix raised her wand again, about to curse Draco. He let go of Hermione. She began to descend to the ground. Draco directed the hippogriff with his one hand to swoop down under her and catch her. Meanwhile with his under he sent a nasty curse in the direction of his aunt. Hermione landed back on the hippogriff roughly, her stomach smacking down against its back hard. She let out a cry of pain. Draco helped her correct herself. He looked around for Bellatrix but she was gone. They were alone, for the remainder of ride to the burrow. By the time they arrived home the polyjuice potion had worn off. Draco helped Hermione off the hippogriff. She let out a small whimper.
"I think I broke some ribs." She confessed.
"We'll fix you, once we're inside." Draco murmured as he gingerly helped her into the house.
Once inside Remus fixed Hermione's ribs with a simple spell. Hermione gripped Draco's shoulder feeling as though her heart was breaking as she saw George on the couch with Fred at his side, the two of them still joking as usual. And then came the news the mad eye had died.
The whole house was quiet with grief and fear, because this was just the beginning.