CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

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"Maya?" Theo croaked, his voice full of emotion and Hermione's head span around to look at the door, her eyes wide.

She didn't get a chance to speak before Theo lunged toward her bed and threw himself beside her, tugging her desperately to him. His body was shaking and his breathing ragged as his hands touched her anywhere they could reach. Hermione choked out a sob and clutched the front of his shirt in her fists, pulling him as close to her as possible.

Theo pulled away and urgently pressed his lips to hers. He tried to talk, but his sentences were broken by kisses in his desperation.

"I though I lost you…fucking hell…so scared…please don't leave me…I never told you…how much I love you…"

Hermione allowed him this moment of relief, letting it run it's course until he was calm and laying next to her, his forehead against hers and their tears mixing together, dampening the pillow. Six weeks he had been alone and held him tightly, stroking her hands down his cheeks and through his beard, clearly left untrimmed for some time.

"Theo…" she whispered, "I'm so sorry. It was all my idea."

"No, Maya," he sighed, "My instincts told me something was wrong and I ignored them. I should have taken you home but I kept going."

"What happened to Malfoy?" She asked, stumbling over his name.

"Life in Azkaban. Cell next to his father." He told her and she snorted.

"I told him that would happen." She grinned and he nodded.

"I can believe that." He sighed, glancing down to her left arm, wincing and moaning when he caught sight of her new additions.

WORTHLESS

MUDBLOOD

BITCH

"It's not true." He choked, bringing her arm up and pressing kisses all over the horrific words that would forever be etched on her skin. "I love you, Maya."

Hermione sighed and he looked up into her eyes to see tears threatening to spill over. She was smiling softly at him and she threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him up to her, meeting his lips with hers.

"I love you too, Theo." She smiled when he pulled away.

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Her healer had informed her that she would have to remain in St Mungo's for another two weeks, due to the severity and number of her injuries, and she spent the days with Theo by her side, keeping her entertained. He brought her a new book every other day and they often spent hours playing Wizards Chess, which they were equally bad at, so the games were insanely long winded and usually ended before anyone actually won.

During the second week after she had woken up, Hermione began to go through physiotherapy to help build up her strength after being kept paralyzed for so long. Her body, it seemed, had forgotten some of its ability to keep her upright and her legs would occasionally give out from under her, leading the healers to recommend she use a cane for some time, something that she was not happy about. It reminded her far too much of Lucius Malfoy, but she would have to cope with it.

On the day before she was due to leave and go home to the Hall, Theo had gone home at lunchtime to prepare the house for her, making it easier to navigate and also to hire a private physiotherapist to help her build up her strength in the pool. It was just her luck that this was the day Harry would show up, gasping when he saw her awake and hobbling around her room, leaning heavily on her cane.

"Hello Harry," she said as he stood in the doorway, gawping at her, "What do you want?"

She heard him sigh as he invited himself into her room and collapsed onto one of the chairs near the bed. She slowly moved over the bed and gingerly shifted herself to rest her leg on top of the sheets. Turning to him, she raised her eyebrow when he looked sheepishly up at her.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." He blurted and then fell silent as she watched him.

"For what? What exactly are you apologising for?" She asked, in no mood to pander to his self pity.

"For not helping you after the funeral." He told her and she snorted.

"It's been three months since the funeral, Harry, and I've spent six weeks of that time laying comatose in here. Why are you here?" She snapped and Harry ran his hands through his hair.

"Because I miss you, in all honesty." He shrugged and she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You are such an idiot, do you know that?" She asked quietly and he nodded, "No you don't get it, Harry. You have a family who love you, even if they're not blood. My parents died, Ron killed himself, the Weasleys turned their backs on me, hell, even Crookshanks died! And for all the times I've been the only person who remained loyal to you, when even the Weasleys turned against you…. You go and abandon me."

"I'm sorry." He said and turned his gaze toward the floor, ashamed, "I acted like such a coward and it cost you everything."

"Maybe." She shrugged and he frowned up at her, "If all of that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have met Theo again. Somehow, he makes it all worthwhile."

She looked at her oldest friend and noticed for the first time how exhausted he looked. He had big black circles under his eyes and a couple of days worth of stubble covering his chin. She hoped Molly was taking good care of him.

"Do you think we could go back to being friends?" He asked hopefully and she couldn't help the soft smile she have him.

"I'd love to have my friend back, Harry. But you need to know that we will never be how we used to be. Too much has happened. And you need to make an effort with Theo. I love him." She told him seriously and he nodded, smiling.

"I think I can handle those conditions. And Theo's not all bad, he was willing to risk his life for you and that says a lot about the guy." He grinned and she nodded happily.