Hermione was at the window. "They must have let everyone out of lessons, there's a crowd of students down there." She turned back to face into the room and was met with the sight of Draco, stripped to the waist, washing in the sink.

She had been close enough to Draco before to have a fair idea what was under his clothes but she hadn't realised that seeing him like this would make her have the reaction she was having. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she felt unable to move from the spot. Draco's back was facing her, his smooth, pale skin looked perfect. He moved to reach a towel and Hermione couldn't, for the life of her, drag her eyes from his lean, muscled chest. He was perfectly in proportion, his muscles not overly pronounced but defined, his skin smooth and blemish free, his shoulders wide, his waist narrower. Perfect! He was perfect! He looked up and caught her staring at him. His eyes held hers for a moment and she knew it was useless denying staring at him. She waited for his arrogant comment about her gazing at him but it didn't come. Instead he apologised.

"I need a wash. I feel horrible and cold. Thought it might warm me up. Sorry."

After all the tension and nerves of the last few hours, followed by the intense relief she now felt made her more reckless and brave than she would normally have dared to be.

"Believe me Draco, you have nothing at all to be sorry for." She said this suggestively and dared to look him up and down again. For the first time in his entire life, Draco blushed. He looked away and busied himself getting dressed again.

Not really sure what to say to him, Hermione went and sat on the sofa. The boys weren't the only ones who were exhausted, she'd been up all night pacing around. Draco came to sit by her, right up close, his arm and leg touching hers.

"Are you OK?" Hermione looked at him concerned. His eyes were cold, his face drawn and as she'd just seen his usual confidence was missing.

"I killed him."

"Draco, he was the most evil being that has ever lived, you can't possibly let yourself feel bad about that!" Hermione turned to him and grabbed his hand "Do you remember what you said to me that day? The day I said we had to stop meeting? You said that anything could happen! That we couldn't possibly know what was going to change. And look what you've done! You've made it change."

Draco stared into her eyes, his hand grasping hers.

"I know. I feel like a huge weight has gone, like I've finally done something good!" he paused "but Hermione, I cast a forbidden curse. I doesn't matter who it was on. It wasn't self defence. I attacked and cast it. I'm not sorry, it was completely the right thing to do but it's bothering me much more than I thought it would."

Hermione nodded at him. "Good. Because what sort of a person would you be if it didn't bother you?"

Draco shivered. "I'm so cold still. I just can't get warm."

Hermione jumped up and searched around in a cupboard for a blanket. She eventually found one and threw it over him. She then cast a spell on the fire which made the flames grow bigger. She looked at him concerned when there was a knock at the door and they both jumped a bit. Hermione went over and looked through the peep hole.

"It's Ginny."

She opened it and Ginny came in, the air around her buzzing because she had obviously been rushing around everywhere.

"Hey. They've got a message to Dumbledore, he'll be back soon." She walked over to Draco "You're a hero! It's buzzing all over the school! You'd better stay here till Dumbledore's back though..." she paused looking at Draco's pale face "Mmm, we thought you'd be like it too."

Hermione came over "Like what too?"

"Harry and Ron! They looked just like Draco does. All pale and cold. Madame Pomfrey reckons they got hit by a combination of spells as they escaped including the one that hit Harry's broom. It's making them sick so she's took them to the infirmary. It's only temporary but we might need to get Draco to the infirmary too."

Draco groaned "Great! What heroes we all are!"

Ginny went off again to check about Draco and appeared 10 minutes later with Madame Pomfrey. Hermione let them in, feeling strange about everyone coming into the Tower Room. Madame Pomfrey took Draco's temperature, looked into his eyes and said a few spells over him with her wand.

"Yes, it's the same. Nothing serious but you'll be off your feet for a few hours I'm afraid." She glanced round the room, not seeming the least bit bothered that she was in a room which no-one knew existed until a few hours ago. "No-where to sleep in here? Well, I think the best place is the infirmary but getting you there could be a problem, young man. Caused quite a stir, you have!" she bent down to Draco and patted his arm "Very well done, if I may say so. Very brave, all of you." She stood again reverting to her professional mode. "Well a sofa won't do so let's get you a bed." Impressively she performed a Transfiguration spell on one of the sofa's and helped Draco who was now shivering violently into the newly created, perfectly made bed.

"Who's staying with him?" she asked the two girls and Hermione waved her hand in the air. "Right. He does not get out of bed. Plenty to drink, regular but small amounts. I'll send another couple of blankets. He needs to swallow a cup full of this every two hours. And it's not like a fever, you understand. He needs to be kept very warm. Do you understand all that?" Hermione nodded. "Good, Miss Weasley will be our go between. If you need me send a message. Goodnight."

Hermione had not envisaged tonight being like this! Three of them ill and her still trapped in the Tower Room! It still hadn't quite sunk in that they had succeeded – Voldemort was dead! Dead! Being stuck in the Tower Room was giving everything a surreal quality and Hermione still didn't quite believe everything that had happened. She tiptoed past Draco to fill up a glass of water for him when his arm suddenly came out and grabbed hers.

"Ooh! Are you trying to scare me to death? I thought you were sleeping!" Hermione jumped out of her skin.

"Sorry. You need to be resting, Hermione." Draco's voice sounded rougher than normal but he wasn't shivering quite as much and his eyes still sparkled.

"I'm not ill. It's only Harry, Ron and you." She put his hand back under the cover and tucked the blanket back round him but he pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"I know that. I didn't mean you were ill but when is the last time you slept?"

"Err..." Hermione couldn't actually answer him as the hours had now all merged into one. Exactly when was the last time? Draco gave her a 'see what I mean?' look and was then hit by a sudden bout of shivering and had to lie back down.

"Are you OK? Do you need Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione bent over him, concerned.

"I definitely do not need Madame Pomfrey." He might have been sick but his reply was firm as was his grip as he reached up and grabbed her round the waist pulling her onto the bed.

"Draco!" Hermione exclaimed and tried to get off but he had his usual tight hold of her.

"As I was saying, I don't need Madame Pomfrey but I definitely need you. In here, with me." He pulled the covers over her and adeptly manoeuvred her to lying position.

"You're supposed to be ill!" Hermione said "Let me get out."

"No. I heard Madame Pomfrey say you had to look after me. Believe me, this is the very best way for you to do that." Draco shivered again.

"Draco, she also said you have to rest." Despite her words Hermione had stopped struggling. Reluctantly she had to admit it felt so nice in the bed. She was extraordinarily tired and it was so warm.

"And so do you! You can't look after me if you're ill. We both need sleep and I want you next to me." Draco pulled her close under the covers and Hermione finally gave into it. It just felt like heaven all warm and cosy. And right next to Draco, his whole body next to hers, his arms around her. That was the last thought she remembered before sleep hit her.

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