Chapter 21

Draco's point of view

She was lying under the bed covers and the bed covers were stained with blood. Her blood. I screamed for help but no one came. I ran into Madam Pomfrey's office but she had been stunned. I pushed down the feeling of helplessness and picked up Hermione in my arms. The covers slipped off of her revealing her naked body. Blood was everywhere. I placed her back down on the bed and wrapped her in a fresh sheet. Panicking I picked her back up and ran out of the hospital wing to Dumbledore's office. As I ran through the halls I got odd looks. Of course they did. I was holding the Gryffindor Princess, who was unconscious and the sheets she was wrapped in were slowly turning red. Her face was shockingly pale and that made me run all the much more faster.

"Draco Malfoy what are you doing with Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall stopped me. Her face widened with shock as she took in her state and the crimson that was slowly spreading onto my clothes.

"Please help me Professor." Her face turned, if possible, more serious.

"Come on Mr Malfoy, lets get her to Professor Dumbledore." We walked very quickly to his office and the steps began to move. I ran up them before McGonagall could protest and burst into his office.

"What is the meaning of this? Oh Mr Malfoy...Oh." He cleared his desk and I felt Hermione lift out of my hands and watched as she was placed on the table.

"Sir, can you help her?"

"What happened Draco." I was shocked at the use of my first name, "Draco?"

"Sorry, um I saw Potter leaning over Hermione with a knife and I stunned him. Then when I approached Hermione she was bleeding and...naked."

"Okay. Mr Malfoy I'm going to ask you to leave me and Miss Granger, I will send news on what happens as soon as Miss Granger's condition becomes stable." He nodded to Professor McGonagall who was behind me. Her hand was on my shoulder leading me out of the room, just before the door closed I looked back and saw Professor Dumbledore leaning over Hermione's still form muttering spells under his breath.

Xxxx

Days passed and there still was no news from Dumbledore. 'Harry' had been taken to Azkaban and receive the kiss as he was actually Fenir Greyback. The classes passed in a blur and all the teachers gave me sympathetic looks. The news on Hermione had spread like wildfire. Of course it had, anything was meant to be kept secret never stayed secret for long.

But on the golden day that was Sunday, Professor McGonagall said that Professor Dumbledore would like to see me and that I shouldn't worry as it was good news. My heart hammered in my chest as I ran, the fastest I had ever ran, to his office. I said the password and was in his office and looking down at...an empty table. And then a frizzy head barrelled towards me. Hermione.

"Are you all right? Please tell me you are."

"Yes I'm all right Draco. Stop stressing." I pulled her closer to my chest and inhaled the scent of her- fresh parchment and strawberries. She flinched and pulled away.

"You sure?"

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger has suffered a great deal. I'm sure she will entrust the information to you when she is ready. Please take her to your rooms and do not leave until we find the other Death Eater who has infiltrated Hogwarts."

"Thank you for your help Professor." Hermione darted out of the office almost immediately. Just before I left Professor Dumbledore stopped me.

"Do not push her Draco. Fenir Greyback has hurt Miss Granger physically and mentally, please respect that."

"I will." Of course I would, I do not want to jeopardize my relationship with Hermione. It was only beginning to take off. As I headed back to our rooms I considered what Dumbledore had said. I would not push Hermione, she had been through a lot and I would be respectful of that.

Xxxx

Hermione was crying in the middle of our common room as I passed through the surface of the doorway. Immediately, I ran to her and I remembered what had happened when I had hugged her previously so I sat down on the worn sofa next to her.

"I don't want you to walk round on egg shells around me, it's just..."

"Hermione, it's okay. You don't have to tell me what happened not until you are ready." I wanted her to trust me like I trusted her with my life. She was the girl I had watched from afar and had always been jealous of. I wanted her to know I would never hurt her unless I had to, to keep her safe.

"Thank you Draco."

"It's okay." I watched as she scooted over the sofa closer to me.

"Draco..."

"Yes?"

"Hug me." I did. She relaxed into it and I felt something blossom within me- the desire to kiss her. But that thought must have already been in her head as she kissed me. A slow kiss that spoke of all the pain she had gone through, but a kiss that also spoke of a future- for us.

Hermione's point of view

Just feeling his arms around me made me forget how broken I actually was. Just looking at his face made me realise how much I actually depended on him. The only way I could show how much I cared about him was to kiss him. So I did.

He broke away first. The past day rushed back to me and I decided that I couldn't let it get to me because if everyone let the little things in life get to them then...well there would be a lot of arguments and wars. In this case it was a big thing but if I let it get to me, then it would control my decisions and eventually I would push Draco away as I wouldn't- as I don't want him to see how broken I am.

"Are you okay?"

"Perfect now that you are here." And I kissed him again.

A/N: Hope you like this chapter. Please review.