The Unity of Opposites
Chapter Twelve
Collision
Ron opened his eyes to see a door, he found familiar. He blinked twice trying to realize why he was not in his room at the Borrow.
His head felt heavy, on top of the metal table, he was sleeping, and he was feeling his arms cold. He frowned, trying to understand where he was.
He was sitting, that he could understand. He was feeling his back aching, and his legs starting to feel numb.
He started to feel anxious. Where was he? He could feel the coldness to his bones. He tried to raise his head and he felt a little dizzy.
He looked at the table to find some dirt. ''What the bloody hell?'' he said and his hand touch his head as he was hurting. Some dust fell off from his hair.
He looked around him to see the room he was in. Yes, that was familiar to him. Too familiar. He looked at the desk he was sleeping, and then at the enchanted wall in front of him.
His hands fell to his pockets, trying to see if he had his wand with him. When he didn't find it, he cursed under his uneasy breath.
He was in the interrogation section of the Ministry. Fear took him over. What the hell happened? He looked at himself – he was still wearing his sleep wear.
He put his hand on his head again, shaking the thick red hair of his, to get rid all the dust and dirt that was falling off his head whenever he was moving.
''Oi!'' he yelled and looked at the wall in front of him, knowing that it was a two way wall, and someone might have been watching him.
He looked around him trying to find something to use for his defend, but there was nothing. He wasn't even wearing shoes.
He stood up and walked to the door. ''Oi!'' he said, turning his hand into a fist and knocking at the door.
He waited impatiently for someone to open. When that didn't happen, he put his hand to the handle.
Terror took him over. He was locked. His head hit the door, making a loud whoop, and let himself to panic, as it was appropriate if someone had been locked in, at Level 11.
''At least let me be at the interrogation!'' Harry demanded, looking at Kingsley with no much patience left.
''Harry, you have to understand, there is not a say for you!'' Kingsley said losing his patience as well, and looking at the boy who lived.
He tightened his jaw, allowing this unfair feeling, warm up his body along with his anger and looked at the Minister.
''He is my friend!'' he yelled, pointing at the closed door.
He lost his patience at once - his anger started to paint his face with shades of red. Kingsley looked at him as well, guessing what was on his mind.
''I have to - ''
''Potter!'' he yelled again, making his lips shut and his eyes meeting the heavy carpet of his office.
He looked at him, feeling a bit guilty as his left hand started to shake in his attempt to hold on his temper, and his breathing fasten.
''You are far deep into that story, consider yourself lucky that I am not bringing this.. incident to your Headquarters!'' he said and looked at him furiously.
There was a knock at the door, that made Harry jump a little. He had forgotten where he was for a second, as his mind was filled with worries regrets and fear.
The strong voice of Kingsley echoed in the room, making Harry take a step back from his desk. He heard the door opening and he froze.
Her delicate figure was resting moveless next to a worried face Draco Malfoy. Her eyes locked with his and her lips fell apart as the picture of him in the middle of the Minister's office was not something she expected.
He opened his mouth more in an attempt to speak, but found no words that could form his thought into a whole sentence.
Her feet started to drive her to her best friend, but the surprised voice of Draco made her turn her attention to him.
''Potter.'' Draco said not believing that his eyes couldn't move from him.
''Hermione?'' Harry asked, confused looking at the way her eyes fell from his to her feet.
Draco took a step forward and stood in front of Hermione protecting her from the wild and full of confusion gaze of Harry.
His eyes met his for the first time and he frowned, not knowing why Draco Malfoy was looking at him with such a worried face.
He took some steps forward to reach her, as did Draco, who looked down at him dangerously this time questioning his intentions.
Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, putting small pressure on him, as if he wanted to send him his strength.
''Granger, what do you think you are doing here?'' Kingsley asked her, trying to hide his nervousness.
She walked to them, Draco eyes following her, and looked at them not knowing what to say to explain herself.
''She had to see him don't you think?'' Draco defended her and met her eyes.
She didn't need him, she could speak for herself - but what could she say? What could she say to her best friend?
''I have to hear what he has to say Kingsley.'' she said with a calm voice and her eyes met Harry's
She looked at his angry face, waiting to blow up at any second. She wanted to tell him that it was normal to feel like that, but she knew he was not going to believe her.
She wanted to tell him that she was scared too, that she wanted to help him too. She met his eyes and sadness filled her whole body.
That was not good. She could feel his anger, his worry - but she couldn't do anything. She could only wish he would understand.
But watching his eyes that moment, his mind still in shock, trying to realize why she and Draco were together, she knew that he wouldn't.
Kingsley's hand fell from his shoulder, making Harry's brows frowned. Why was she with him? Him from all the people in the world.
''What's the matter Potter?'' his voice broke the silence in the room.
''You don't like the picture of us?'' Draco said, standing next to him and whispering in his ear. His eyes widened at once, and he turned his head to look at him.
''Malfoy.'' Kingsley's voice warned him, but Harry's mind snapped at once.
''Us?'' Harry was looking red when he realized what Malfoy said.
''Us?'' he yelled and looked at his friend's face. ''You've been gone for a month Hermione. A month! And then showing up with him?'' Harry yelled at her.
He was breathing fast, feeling the way his unwonted feeling of anger spreading in his mind like a breathing chemical that could choke him.
''I hope your excuse is better than your look!'' he said and looked at her pale, expressionless face.
''Can you stop shouting Harry please.'' she said, trying to calm him, but the look on his face made her feel a bit of pain growing inside of her.
''Where have you been Hermione?'' he asked, feeling his patience running thin and throwing his hand in the air.
''Everything falls apart, you were gone..'' he said, feeling his voice breaking at the end.
''..Ron is in that room, Merlin knows if he did something or not, and now this?'' he said, pointing with his hand at the proudly standing still body of Draco.
''You don't understand Harry that's - ''
''Why everyone is saying that?'' he snapped again looking everyone in the room, ''I don't care if I don't understand – I want to know! I want to know why you were gone, and then show up with him!'' he yelled and Hermione took a step back.
She had never seen him like this - like his entire world had fallen. She looked at her feet - she was the one to blame for his temper.
She was the one leaving, not caring about what he might be thinking, how he might be with it. She left him behind.
Faded memories of her ex boyfriend acting like so filled her troubled mind - how could she do it to him?
''Can you stop yelling at her?'' Draco said, raising his voice just enough to make even Kingsley look at him a little scared.
Hermione pressed her lips, not liking the second defend coming from Draco Malfoy and extended her hand to reach her friend's but he crossed his arms under his chest.
''Harry let me explain, please.'' she said once again calmly, after the furious gaze of Draco made her snapped out.
Harry's painful look made her heart heavy. She knew she needed to clear some things - fast. He tightened his jaw, he looked at the rest of the people in the room and he nodded after a while.
His face turned into a small, slightly visible pout. He might have thought what he said to her - who knows. She only looked at Draco wishing that he would leave them alone.
He rose a brow, seeing on the way her eyes could almost beg him to say no more and he only looked away not believing that he didn't want to leave her alone.
Then her eyes fell to Kingsley, asking him permission and privacy. She watched him nodding after a while, and then standing up and walking to the door.
Draco was standing in front of them now, fighting with himself, trying to assure himself that her calm eyes meant that she had it under control.
''Fifteen minutes Granger.'' he said and she nodded with a sigh.
He walked towards them, his furious eyes met Harry's. He left them alone, closing the door gently behind him.
''Fifteen minutes to what?'' Harry asked calmly this time.
''Until he comes back.'' she said and she looked at him with a concerned look.
''What the hell is going on Hermione? What is happening with you? Should I be worrying?'' he asked her, sitting on the sofa behind him, defeated.
''No, of course not.'' she said and she sat next to him. ''I wasn't in Italy Harry.''
''I know that.'' he said and looked at her disbelieving. ''Where were you?''
''I can not tell you that.'' she said after some time of staring at each other and he stood up, hands on his waist and ready to start yelling again.
''What's that suppose to mean Hermione? Since when you are not trusting me with something?'' he said and looked at her hurt.
''It doesn't mean I don't trust you - it means that I cannot tell you. I am trying to protect you for something bigger than me, than us.'' she said standing too and walking to his side.
''But not bigger than Malfoy?'' he said, narrowing his eyes to her.
''He just happened to be there when it all started. If it makes you feel better - ''
''Nothing will make me feel better Hermione.'' he said looking at her hurt. ''Ron is being considered a threat to the Ministry and you were no where to be found.'' he said looking at his feet. ''Nothing you would say can make me feel better.''
''I can try.'' she said with a shy smile and she looked at his eyes. He nodded rather unimpressed. ''Let's say that there is something like a secret, a well hidden one that happened to be revealed to Malfoy, two months ago.''
''So the rumours were true?'' he asked, surprised and Hermione looked at him frowned. ''All the cases he had, he temporarily stepped out of them.'' he said and Hermione felt her lips ready to curl up, in a small smile, but she bit her lip to stop it - she didn't know that.
He cared about her. He cared about her well being. He cared about her safety. Draco cared about her. Her heart felt ready to tear her chest apart. He was not lying last night.
''About that secret - ''
''No Harry.'' she said strictly ''Not this one.''
She shouldn't tell him anything, even if she wanted to. She wanted to tell him everything. Everything that was making her scared.
But she couldn't do that, he was about to become a father. The less he knew the better she would sleep at night.
''They believe that Ron had done something terrible, Harry. Something that made that secret much more dangerous than it already was.''
''I wanted to tell you when he warned me, but you were gone.'' he confessed to her and she only nodded. ''Where have you been?''
''A safe house.'' she said not wanting to tell him she was staying with Draco.
''Aren't you safe here?'' he asked and looked at the worried face of Harry.
She was about to start crying. Keeping so much from him didn't suit her. She wanted his advice, she wanted her friend back.
''Granger.'' she heard his voice and looked at the man she was spending her time the past weeks. ''It's time.'' he said and looked at her sad face and smile.
He frowned, not liking the way she was looking. What happened to her while he was gone? He could feel her pain only by looking at her.
She watched her hugging her friend and promising she will see him soon. She walked towards him and smiled at Harry as she closed the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Hermione looked at the enchanted wall that was separating her from Ron. It felt like she was watching a movie.
She had never visited the Auror interrogation section before. It was always a mystery to her. The whole Level 11 was a mystery to her.
Even when she was walking to go to the room that Ron was, she found that the small dark hallways made her feel shivering.
She had turned her head to see him that moment - his features were calm, his eyes steady, his aura warned her that he had done it before.
She had heard stories of the infamous interrogation room, but she had very thought she would live to see it.
The room she was watching was small. Smaller than the rest interrogation room she had visited over the years.
But then, when an ex Auror is being held under hearing, things are much stricter. So that room made sense to her.
There was nothing inside of it besides something like lamps, floating on the roof and the desk with the chair Ron was using.
They were made of metal, something that was telling Hermione it was a Muggle's idea. She frowned, thinking that she had never seen anything like it in any other interrogation room.
She turned around to see Draco, who was standing right behind her, making sure no one could touch her. He looked at her concerned. She sighed and looked at the room again.
Her eyes fell at the friend she came to know this time. That young, stupid boy who had her heart for a brief second after the war, but managed to lose it.
Hermione listened to Draco when he told her that Ron might have sold, the information of the Stone's whereabouts.
She knew that as Ron growing up, he came to appreciate more and more the power of the money, and what that can bring you.
They both had fought about it a lot, with that being only one of the problems they had as a couple. But now, seeing him like that, her heart ached.
He was looking tired, sad and hurt? His temple had a small bruise, something that he shouldn't have in the first place.
''Have you been hurting him?'' she asked Draco with an angry tone.
He frowned with her comment. ''Only with my words.'' he said and raised a brow, making her roll her eyes.
''I am going back.'' he announced to her and she turned around, looking at him and gave him a small nod, followed by a small smile.
Her eyes followed him leaving the room they were in, not knowing why. She was with Kingsley now, who had his hands crossed under his chest.
''I do not like it Hermione.'' he said with a small voice as if he was afraid of the man in the room might hear it.
When she looked back at the wall, she saw Ron's eyes looking straight into hers, sending shivers down her spine.
Yes, she didn't like it either. He had the look of a crazy person making her wonder if that man she was seeing was the boy she grew up with.
Draco thanked the Auror who opened the door for him, and told him that he would knock if he needed anything.
He walked in the room, holding two cups of tea, and two folders. He left them on the desk and looked at the man sitting in the chair.
''As I promised.'' he said and gave him one cup.
He walked to the empty chair, opposite to Ron, unbuttoning his blazer and sitting down watching his eyes never leaving his.
He looked at him too, raising a brow and they both looked at this cup, as if none of them believed what just happened.
He didn't say a word – he promised himself to behave for her sake. He opened the top folder he had with him, and an enchanted quill appeared at once.
The quill's feathers were white and shiny. At the base of the quill, there were two lines of red and black colour, running boring circles.
The parchments on the folder had a rare shade of yellow – something that Ron had never seen in his life, but he knew what kind of magic he was witnessing.
He narrowed his eyes to the sight of it. As an ex Auror, he knew what this was, even if he had never used it. He felt a small shiver going up and down his spine.
Draco watched him eyeing it and smirked a bit, wishing to Merlin he wouldn't be smart enough to pass his psychology test.
Ron looked at him too, mimicking his smirk. They heard the quill making a small pop and the circles started to run faster.
A formal document of truth - was that all about? Ron thought and looked at the quill that was enchanted to detect lies and changing its ink to red, every time there was one.
Draco put that folder next to him, waiting for the quill to start writing the date of the interrogation and the names of the people in the room as he was announcing them.
He looked at the man he knew all his young life, the man that he was fighting with his friends. The man that he hated.
''I never would have thought that I will be thanking you Malfoy.'' he said, pointing at the tea and taking a big sip loving the feeling of the hot beverage running down his throat.
He watched him nodding once, not even taking his eyes away from the second folder, which he opened wide in front of him.
Why on Merlin's name he was nice to him? What's his fucking goal? he thought and he looked at his tea. A crazy idea of putting something in his tea crossed his mind, but Level 11 would never allow it.
''Life is full of surprises Weasley.'' he said at last, taking his eyes away from the second folder.
''That said, from a place of experience?'' Ron asked, challenging him with his eyes.
''Where were we?'' Draco asked, trying to not accept his challenge.
''To the point you were telling me why the bloody hell I was here.''
''Right.'' Draco said and he looked at the papers in front of him.
He looked at the quill that was writing with black ink on the parchment. He took a picture out of the folder and put it in front of Ron.
''I believe you know that this was stolen.'' he said and he looked at the expressionless face of Ron.
He only raised his shoulders, not looking at him. The quill stopped writing and stood still in the air, pointing at Ron.
''I would like to know who stole it.''
''What makes you say I had something to do with it?'' Ron asked and took his time admiring at Draco's harden features.
''I think you have something to do with the stealing Weasley, and I wish you tell me.''
''And I wish to be freed.'' he said looking at him dangerously.
''You are not in position to wish things, and surely I am not here to put charges on your name. I am here to make sure you are telling us the truth.'' he said pointing to his head the quill.
Ron made a grin and tighten his jaw. This was what he was afraid the most.
''Am I considered a threat?'' Ron asked and looked at the eyes of the man he spent his younger years fighting with.
Draco noticed that it was the first time he had actually looked at him in the eyes. He was looking older than he was, and he had that look in his eyes – that experienced look, that had noticed to Steele too.
''If you are willing to let your ego down and be true to me, Merlin be my witness, I can help you. But if you lie to me, or if you keep a prospect of the events for yourself, I do not know what the consequences of your actions will might be.''
Draco gave his most sincere answer, but he could see on his face that he didn't like it – and why would he. They were enemies long before he could even remember.
''You think I would be able to do something like that?'' he said, pushing the picture of the Heather's Stone in front of Draco and looking at him dangerously.
''I don't know Weasley, are you?'' he pushed the picture back at him.
He watched Ron pulling his body closer to the table and putting his hands on the surface.
He took a sip of his tea, never leaving Draco's eyes, who was looking at him with his old famous gaze.
''I talked to my brother. The night that Kingsley gave me the assignment, I followed my brother to the holy land of Spain, and I told him everything.''
''You tell me your brother had something to do with the stealing Weasley?'' he asked not bothered by his annoyed face.
''Leave my brother out of it, you ferret.'' he said having a good amount of hate in his voice.
''Then why did you make him take the Unbreakable Vow?'' he asked him and heard Ron laughing.
''Kingsley made me do it. My brother talked to a friend of his, Albert Pharris. Kingsley didn't fond the idea of too many people knowing what I was doing - he didn't even want to hear of who I talked to and why.''
''I found that logical Weasley. The Stones are something powerful, into the wrong hands might cause damage.'' Draco said to him and he narrowed his eyes.
''That was the reason why I talked to Pharris. He was the one that told me how to act around the stone and how to bring it back here.'' he said, crossing his hands under his chest and looking dangerously at Draco.
''And that's why I am here I suppose – because I was thinking about my protection?''
''You are not here because you talked about safe transfer Weasley. You are here because you talked to Potter about the stealing before anyone in the Ministry knew.'' Ron's jaw tightened.
''So you do assuming I had something to do with it.''
''I am assuming that you talked to someone, exchanging the information about the location of the Stones with something that you might want.''
''And what if I did, there is nothing wrong with wanting something, is it.''
''No there isn't – but there is wrong if you put millions of lives at risk.''
''I made my own brother take the Vow, Malfoy, you think I would talk to someone else too?''
''And how the stealing happened Weasley? You were there – you were at the sealing of the Golden Gates of Gringotts.'' Draco yelled at him, losing his patience, and Ron's lips curled into a small smile, as he noticed it.
''I wasn't alone there, was I. There is a partnership contract, I am sure you have found it.''
''Are you honestly trying to put the blame on the Minister? That is low Weasley, even for you.''
Ron didn't even blink at him. He was looking rather furious at the Malfoy heir, and trying to make him feel his anger too.
''Look, I don't want to be the bad - ''
''I know you are bad Malfoy. Dark even.'' he said challenging and Draco felt his blood boiling.
With a sudden move he pushed away the folder he had in front of him, stood up and grabbed him hard by his collar. He was done playing nice to him.
Ron was standing too, one hand on the table trying to keep his balance, and the other on top of Draco's left hand, trying to be free from his hold.
Draco made him, look him in the eyes, and let his anger take control of his actions – something that he would regret after, as he was sure of it.
''Listen you little git. I am done trying to fix whatever fucked up situation you cause because your greedy arse wanted more!'' he said and he pushed him closer to his face, looking him in the eyes.
''I have proof to lock you in Azkaban for at least a decade and believe me when I say I don't give a fuck about what will happen to you when I leave this room – because me leaving means you done!'' he tightened his hold around his collar more and Ron felt his breath come in and out harder.
Draco warned him, but he felt his temper growing as the wizard, he was holding, looked at him with the most arrogant look. His anger was making him think rationally.
''Your stupid attempt to make you look like a man, that you definitely are not, put a person I care about in danger!'' he yelled at him, pulling him closer and even him at his height. ''And you do not wish to see what I do to people who threaten what's mine!''
And then he felt it. A small hand on his back, making his fast heartbeat go back to normal. Suddenly his anger gone and he couldn't feel his blood boiling.
He turned around to see her worried face. She was bothered, he could tell – but he calmed completely when he saw her.
His hands let go of Ron, who fell down to his chair and he started to cough, as he had turned pink while Draco was tightening his hold.
''It's fine.'' she said and looked at his eyes. ''Go clear your mind.'' she gave him a small nod, like she was saying I got this. He stormed out, leaving them alone.
''Hermione?'' he spoke her name and she turned to see Ron, trying to find his breath.
She knelt to gather all the papers Draco tossed moments ago. She found the folder under the table and took that too, standing up.
She sat at the chair Draco was sitting before her, and looked at the paper he had on his folder. A paper with Ron's academics and his photo were on top.
''Did you see what that ferret did to me Mione?'' he told her when he found himself able to breathe normal again, but she didn't even flinched.
A small testimony with the name of Harry was the next thing she found, as well as some papers with his visits at the Gringotts.
Some pictures of all the Stones, and more testimonies too. He really wanted to scare him did he, she thought and she closed the folder. She didn't need that to make him talk.
''Who you talked to Ron?'' she asked, putting her hands together and his brows frowned.
''I haven't spoken to anyone!'' he yelled to her and the quill's ink turned to red, but Hermione didn't need to see that, either did Ron.
''Who you talked to?'' she asked with a strict tone sending shivers down his spine.
''No one!'' he said and his eyes fell to the quill, as the red ink was now visible.
''I don't need a quill to tell me when are you lying Ronald.'' she said, closing the folder with nerve and the quill disappeared. ''Who you talk to?'' she demanded and Ron closed his eyes in defeat.
He could feel her annoyance breaking every bone of his body - her wild eyes, pushing him to his edge. His face fell to his hands.
He could not even afford to see her. At once his heart beats fasten like it did the first time he ever kissed her.
Trying to protect her from whatever bullshit he had done, he let out a sigh and looked at her - her unblemished skin almost shining in his eyes.
''I left Gringotts after the sealing and went to Oz, to have a drink. I had a portkey at six in the morning and I thought to drink my night away.''
''To the point Ron.''
''A man approached me. I don't know his last name, he introduced me as Theophile. I thought that was a stupid name. He asked me why I was drinking alone, and found interest in my job. I don't know how he did it, but he made me trust him. I told him about the Stones.'' he confessed to her and she looked at him coldly. ''He made me an offer too tempting to say no.''
''Galleons?'' she asked and he nodded. ''You did that for money? Do you have the slightest idea of what you have done?''
''No, I have not! I was drunk and he gave me the money to start my life again. For us.'' he said and he extended his hand to hold hers, but she didn't let him.
''Us?'' she asked, laughing and putting every paper that was on the table back in the folder. ''There is no us Ronald – and there will never be again.'' she said and she looked at him hurt.
''No Hermione please!'' he spoke and stood up, grabbing her hand, but her gaze made him leave it.
''I wish I had never met you!'' she snapped and knocked the door once too many times.
The Auror opened the door, and she fell to the hard chest of Draco, who was about to walk in the room and see why she was yelling.
She looked up at him, his face turned from worry to anger in nanoseconds, and then his eyes met Ron's who was looking at them with confussion, not liking the picture of them.
Draco took Hermione face in his hands and made her look at him. She was in so much pain, he could feel like it was his own. She was about to cry.
''Did he hurt you?'' he asked, his jaw still tightened, his feet ready to lead him back inside and finished what he started.
She only needed to hear his voice, to see his stormy grey eyes searching an answer, to let her guards down and started to cry.
He could feel her hands at his sides, grabbing his black shirt tight, as warm tears falling down her cheeks, burning his thumbs and making his heart aching.
''Take me home, please take me home.'' she said not taking breaks between sobs.
Draco gave a single gaze to the man that dared to make her cry, as his eyes widened at the way he was holding her and then he nodded at her.
''You are done.'' Draco said coldly narrowing his eyes to his surprised face.
He gently put his hand around her waist, pulling her closer to his body and apparated them to his house, leaving a rather furious Ron screaming to not dare to touch her.
Draco opened his eyes when he heard her sighing in her sleep. He was afraid that she might waken up, but she hadn't.
He couldn't find himself relaxing, he was just sitting here, next to her, as she let herself fall asleep after her eyes turned red from crying.
He thanked Merlin for not waking up, and looked at her sleeping form, in the sofa. She had cried herself to sleep, making him unable to move away from her.
How can it be possible for that small body to cry for hours and still produce new tears? He thought and he sighed too.
He slightly rubbed his eyes, as he was feeling tired. He couldn't sleep knowing that she was there, next to him, sad.
They were home for the last four hours, which she used three of them to cry. She wasn't saying anything to Draco, but every time he was looking at her, her sobs only got worse.
He didn't know what to think about that. He wasn't that good at comforting crying woman, yet alone Hermione, who has a fucking good reason to be upset.
He looked at her sad face and he ran his thumb to her frowned forehead. She felt his touch and looked much calmer than before but he could still feel her pain.
He cursed Ron Weasley under his breath and wished to Merlin for a second chance with him into that room – he would give him a piece of his mind.
But the thought of Weasley has gone, when he noticed that she might have heard him when he said she was his.
A panic grew inside of him, making him realize that she knew how possessive he could get.
He looked at her sleeping body, her chest rising and falling slowly. If she was hating him before, now she will hate him more.
A light pop made his head turn around and his thoughts broke. He saw his elf with food in his hand. Great, he was hungry. He was so anxious his morning that he couldn't eat much.
And looking her, first thing in the morning in her bed, looking like a teenage girl who had made a mischief, only made the knot in his stomach bigger.
''Master Draco?'' he heard his elf whispering and he nodded to the elf, appreciating the amount of food.
And the elf was gone, and they were alone again. Draco wanted to wake her up, and to feed her, not wanting to let her continue her sleep on an empty stomach.
His eagle owl flew in the room, making her jump from the sound and wake up. Fear took her over and her eyes scanned the room to see when he was.
He sensed that. and he put his hand on her knee making her turn to his way. He watched her relaxing at his sight.
His owl put a letter to his lap and left the room hurried. Draco looked at her and she was still looking at him sadly.
''Come one sleepyhead, you should eat.'' he told her and stood up encouraging her to follow him, trying to hide his worry about the letter.
Hermione ate her dinner in silence, with Draco reading her some interesting articles in the Daily Prophet.
Hermione was secretly in love with the way his voice was being shaped around the words he was reading. She found that rather calming.
He didn't know if she was listening to him, or even if her mind was there at the moment, but this silence was making him remember bad memories of his childhood.
Every now and then he was looking at her, making sure she was eating, which she was doing, slowly.
''Was the letter from Kingsley?'' she asked him, interrupting him from his reading.
''Yes.'' he said not feeling like lying to her would make her any better.
''Can you please read it to me?'' she asked him, eyes red and cheeks a pure shade of pink.
He wanted to say no to her. He wanted to protect her from whatever that letter was saying. But her eyes made him realize that she needed to know what Kingsley wanted to inform them with.
He took the letter and opened it. His eyes scanned it, and then looked at her, fighting with himself by saying what was written in it.
''He says, he hopes you feeling better, and that he has to bring Weasley's case to the Wizengamot. He says he gave a full hearing after we left.'' Draco said and he put the letter aside.
He looked at her nodding and letting her body relax. Did she need to hear that? Would that mean closer to her?
He watched her playing with her food. No, that was definitely not meant closer to her.
''Would you like desert?'' he said, pointing at the apple pie on the counter.
She looked at him sarcastically and let a breath she didn't know she was holding.
''I would like a bath.'' she said and she stood up, walking to her room.
Draco waited to hear her door closing to curse himself for not knowing how to act properly around a hurting woman.
He couldn't hear her, but he knew she was there. She was still in the bathroom, doing only Merlin knows what.
He felt his heart heavy when he thought that she might want to cry alone, but he wasn't any help after all.
She was sad about a man that was her friend and an ex lover – which that he didn't lik at all.
The clock on his nightstand point at ten. He wanted to wait her, maybe she would want someone to talk to - but giving her time was the only thing that he thought it was right at the moment.
He yawned and lay down on his bed. In the morning he had his schedule full. Looking at it now, he only wanted to stay here, with her.
But he had to see the Parkinson's first thing in the morning and then his mother for lunch, which he was sure it will consume all of his energy.
Plus, Draco knew that she would appreciate that, making herself comfortable with the idea of her friend in Wizengamot, would be something to consume her energy.
He yawned and felt his eyes heavy. It was a hard day. Harden than he wanted it to be. He made himself comfortable in the king size bed.
He closed his eyes, and let his body relax. Sleep came easily after that.
He was feeling someone shaking his shoulder. He thought he was dreaming, but the shaking continued.
He opened his eyes to see her sleepy, sad face. She gave him a small, sadder smile perfectly visible in the dark.
''Granger, what's wrong?'' he said upholding his body on his elbow. He felt her eyes scanning his naked chest, but done nothing to cover it.
''I can't sleep, can I..'' she said, looking at the empty side of the bed next to him and then him.
It took him a while to understand what she was saying, but that was from the sleep. He watched her eyes, still puffy from the crying.
He didn't know where this was coming from, but who was he to say no to the Gryffindor Princess.
''Sure.'' he said after a while of thinking about it.
She walked to the other side of the bed and lay down, making herself comfortable by turning on her side, and looking at him.
He mimicked her moves, but he left some space between them, not trusting himself of what he could do to her, if she let him.
He watched her, breathing in and out, trying to calm herself of what she had just done and looked him in the eyes.
He looked at her as well, her porcelain face resting on his pillow. She was tired and sad, and the only thing that he wanted was to hold her in his arms and never let her leave.
''I am sorry Draco.'' she said to him and took him off guard.
He had forgotten how good was hearing his given name coming out of that beautiful well shaped lips of hers.
That lips that were challenging him to lose control and kiss them for the past couple of days. He cleared his throat not wanting to believe that he had that kind of thoughts.
He just looked at her, her eyes looking at his, trying to guess what he might be thinking about Ron.
''I am sorry for not hearing what you had to say about Ron.'' she added after a while.
He looked at her, his hand remorseless reached out to caress her warm cheek a little, which she gladly appreciated it.
''You believe in him, there is no wrong believing in people.'' he said and he took his hand back trying to ignore his heart as it was beating faster than before. ''And for your honourable defence, I hardly gave you a say on it.''
He watched her lips turning into a smile, but gone quickly. ''I am afraid I lost my believe in him today.'' she said and watched as his face fell.
''Close your eyes Granger and sleep. You can squeeze your brain out tomorrow.'' he said, pulling the covers on her small body not liking the idea of her being cold.
She smiled at him, and without even knowing why, she pushed back her hair, away from her neck, revealing her white skin to his eyes.
He cleared his throat not liking the ideas that were now on his head, and cursed under his tongue the vulnerable situation she was in.
He wanted her, he wanted to have her, all to himself, but he was a gentleman, he wasn't going to take advantage of her because she was sad.
He watched her falling asleep, and then he found himself relaxing next to her. He closed his eyes and before he fell asleep made a promise to himself.
One of these days, Granger, one of these days.