Chapter 14 - Kiss and Tell
Draco ran in to the kitchen at his Mother's screams, "what is going on?"
Hermione rushed to Draco to block him from going to his Mother, "Draco, I need you to stay in the living room. I'm sorry. We have just given her Skele-Gro which you know is painful. It will be over soon."
Draco looked in to Hermione's eyes and saw nothing but truth, she wasn't trying to decieve him. He nodded at her and walked back the way he came.
Blaise stood up, "How is she, Dray?"
Draco sat down in an armchair as he heard his Mother let out another scream, he rubbed his forehead as if he had a migraine, "they're giving her Skele-Gro. I need some air."
Blaise got up with Draco, "let's go outside mate."
The boys walked outside in to the crisp night air and Draco sat down on a hill just on the edge of the meadow, Blaise followed. "They're looking after her Draco, she'll be fine."
"I can't even imagine what kind of torture she has been subject to, why didn't he just kill her?" Draco let a few tears escape as he hid his face in his hands.
"I think they did this purely for this reason, they wanted you to blame yourself..." Blaise stated.
"Do you think my Father had a hand in this?" Draco looked green.
"Your Mother will tell us when she wakes." Blaise said simply. "Let's talk about something else."
"I kissed Hermione."
"We could literally talk about anything but that," Blaise groaned.
Hermione stood in front of the Burrow door, calling out to both of the boys "you can see her now."
Draco stood on shaky legs and let out a pained sigh. Hermione ran forward and placed his arm around her shoulder giving him the support he needed, she rubbed his back soothingly, "she's okay Draco, she's talking, she wants to see you."
Draco looked in to Hermione's eyes and saw her assurance there, all she cared for at this moment was him, he kissed her forehead chastely and let her guide him to his Mother.
"Your Mother has been moved to the living room, we transfigured a bed for her, she's comfortable but weak. She will make a full recovery." Hermione spoke softly to him.
Draco walked in to the living room and took in the scene before him. Mrs Zabini was stroking his Mother's hair as if she were a child, she was wrapped in a fluffy blanket but he could still see just how tiny she now was, her eyes didn't hold the light that they used to, they were now sunken in to her face making her look rather gaunt. She looked up at Draco's entrance and reached a skeletal hand out to him whilst giving him a slight motherly smile.
"Mother," Draco croaked out as he grasped his Mother's hand and sat in a chair beside her. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." Tears were falling freely down his cheeks.
"It is not your fault, my darling boy," Mrs Malfoy took a breath after every word still feeling weak, "I knew what the consequences could be for getting you out of that mad mans clutches."
"I shouldn't have left." Draco buried his head in the blanket by his Mother's shoulder.
"You had no choice." Mrs Malfoy raised a hand shakily to stroke Draco's hair. "I made this decision for you."
"I'm glad you're safe now. I'm so sorry that you went through all of this for me." Draco mumbled through the blanket.
"I'd do it one hundred times more if it meant keeping you safe."
Draco gulped, he opened and shut his eyes a few times before asking, "did Father do any of this to you?"
Mrs Malfoy closed her eyes, "I need to sleep."
"She really does need her rest. It's almost midnight, you five best get back to school." Mrs Zabini spoke to the room.
"Please, Mother, I need to know." Draco said even though he was sure of the answer, his Mother wouldn't ignore him unless she felt that she was trying to protect him.
"Y-yes." Mrs Malfoy said shakily."Go back to school now Draco, my love. I need rest."
At Draco's look of protest, Mrs Weasley came forward and patted his back, "we will take care of her. Arthur will take you back and he can ask Dumbledore if you can come back tomorrow to see her."
"Thank you," Draco nodded his head at her before leaning down to give his Mother a kiss. "I love you," he whispered to the resting form of Mrs Malfoy.
XXX
It was nearing Christmas so Draco and Blaise were in Hogsmeade finding Christmas gifts for their family and friends. Draco was looking at a silver and quartz hair slide for his Mother. Since they had rescued her, she had healed completely and was growing rather fond of living at the Burrow however she missed certain aspects of her old life; expensive clothing and jewellery being one of the main ones. Draco knew he wanted to get her something that she would be proud to wear but couldn't find the perfect item just yet.
Blaise had only one gift left to buy which was for Hermione. He was struggling with what to get her because really he hadn't known her too long and he wanted to get her something special as this would be their first Christmas they'd be celebrating together as a family. Of course, they'd be at the Burrow but it still felt meaningful to Blaise. He didn't want to get her any old book or something she wouldn't use.
"What have you got Hermione for Christmas?" Blaise asked Draco.
"Uh... just a necklace." Draco said vaguely.
"I don't know what to get her..." Blaise said.
"Why don't you get her a book? She loves reading," Draco suggested.
"No, that won't do," Blaise shook his head irritated, "I want to get her something meaningful."
"You'll come up with something mate." Draco shrugged. "There's still a week before we leave for the Burrow."
"True. Want to go get a butterbeer?"
"Sure." Draco led the way to the Three Broomsticks.
XXX
"C'mon it's freezing!" Hermione chattered to Harry and Ron who were dawdling behind her towards the Three Broomsticks.
Hermione ordered them each a butterbeer and looked around the busy pub for a place to sit. Blaise waved his arms to her from the back of the room. The trio made their way to Blaise and Draco. Ron sat on a comfy one-man armchair, Harry sat on the two-seater sofa alongside Blaise so Hermione was left with sitting beside Draco on the love-seat sofa as her only option. It was the kind of sofa that totally disregards personal space, she was wedged in to the cushions with the left side of her body flush with Draco. Draco placed his right-arm over the head of the sofa trying to give Hermione some more space.
"What did you get up to today?" Draco asked her.
"I finished all of my Christmas shopping." With a twinkle in her eye she said, "I found something perfect for you."
"What might that be?" Draco smiled at her eager eyes.
"You'll find out on Christmas!"
"Fine. I'm not telling you what I've got you then."
"That's kind of how Christmas gifts work, Draco." Hermione smiled up to him and then snuggled a bit closer to Draco's warmth.
"What in the name of Merlin is going on with you two?" Ron shook his head at the duo in front of him.
"They've been kissing behind our backs... ech," Blaise confided in Harry and Ron. "Best to leave them to it and hope it blows over, if you ask me."
"That's disgusting Hermione! You don't know where Malfoy has been!" Ron looked green.
"Shove off Ron," Hermione giggled.
"Yeah Weasley, shove off!" Draco smirked.
"Please don't do all of that lovey-dovey stuff in front of me," Harry shook his head, "I'd like to pretend that my best friend isn't kissing my former enemy for the rest of my life, thank you."
"Well, I think that could have gone worse." Draco announced to the group, "don't you? I mean, I was expecting a duel of some sort, me against you two... of course I would win but still, this isn't the kind of reaction I would have bet on." Draco smirked at Harry and Ron.
"There might have been a duel if Hermione weren't here because let's face it, if you started a duel right in front of her she'd stop it as fast as it would've begun and you three would be up in Pomfrey's care as quick as you can say the word 'jinxed'." Hermione giggled at her brother's weirdly worded praise.
The three boys nodded in agreement at Blaise's conclusion on the matter.
"So are you two together then? Like boyfriend-girlfriend?" Harry asked.
Hermione and Draco looked at each other, both pink in the face, Hermione turned around to Harry and said "we haven't actually spoken about that."
The fivesome spent the afternoon in the Three Broomsticks chatting about anything besides the looming war, horcruxes, Voldemort or the tension between Hermione and Draco. They spent their time laughing and enjoying themselves for once. Little did they know what was awaiting them at the castle.