-Previously-

-Previously-

Hermione smiled slightly, hoping he believed her, praying that he realized that he was not to blame for this in any way. She glanced across the room to the clock hanging on the wall. "Well, we still have ten minutes left to talk. Anything else you want to ask me about?"

Harry nodded immediately, already knowing what his last question would be, something he'd been wondering for weeks. "Hermione… what the hell has been going on between you and Malfoy?" he demanded.

X X X

-Chapter Twenty-Seven-

Hermione's eyes widened at her best friend's question. She felt her mouth suddenly get dry, and was fighting the random urge to get up and leave. "What…what do you mean, Harry?"

Harry sighed. He knew this was going to be difficult. "I mean, why does he always know what's going on with you before anyone else? Why was he the first one to notice your eating disorder? Why have you bothered to shed tears over him? And, before you ask, Ginny told me about the crying, although she hadn't the slightest idea why. She's your best girlfriend for merlins sake!"

"Harry…" Hermione muttered.

"And I do not want some stupid excuse that you live together, so he knows everything first. It's more than that, Hermione. We both know it is. All I want to know is how much more."

"I…" she started, but realized she didn't really have an answer for him. There was nothing between her and Malfoy anymore, so was it really necessary for her to divulge information about their past? "I don't know what to tell you. There's nothing more to it anymore."

"What does anymore mean? Hermione, bloody hell, what is it going to take to get a straight answer from you?!" Harry asked, exasperated. "I saw you two in the hall one day. I know you held romantic interests in each other. What I want to know is: are you currently more than friends with Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione bit down on her lip harshly, almost taking comfort in the taste of blood in her mouth. "No, Harry, no. I am not currently more than friends with Malfoy."

Harry knew he heard the words, but still wasn't sure if he believe them. They sounded almost too good to be true. "Good," he sighed finally. "I've been worried about you, 'Mione. Being sick, and then on top of that, being Draco Malfoy's girlfriend? Or whatever it was you two considered yourselves, I don't even think I want to know. I do know, however, that I know I haven't been here for you enough, what with the war and everything, but you have to turn to me sometimes. All right Hermione? I. Am. Always. Here. To. Listen. I don't care if you have to tell Voldemort to shut up for a second during the final battle, I'll still be there. Okay?"

Hermione laughed, seeing just then how much she'd missed Harry. "Fine, fine. You don't need to worry about me. I'm back to the old me, you know, the one that takes care of you?" she playfully smacked him on the arm. "Just focus on what you need to do, Harry. I've got myself covered."

Just then, a loud bell went off, signaling the end of Visiting Hours. Harry shot his friend a shy smile, standing up and fixing the light jacket he wore. "I mean it Hermione. Open your mouth sometimes," he said, before giving her a quick hug and leaving the building.

X X X

"So, I guess our meetings are finally coming to a close," Hermione said happily.

It was a week later, and Hermione was seated across from Dr. Clark, her suitcase waiting expectantly by the door for the moment this session was over, and her mother would be waiting to bring her home, where she could Floo back to school.

"Finally? I feel that we haven't had nearly enough time together, Hermione."

"I suppose, that's too bad. You know how it is…"

"Yes, I'm afraid I do," said Dr. Clark. "Well, I have one final thing I want you to do for me. Something I think could help you greatly."

He had caught Hermione's attention. "Yes? And what's that?"

"I want you to write a letter." The older man was now pulling out a piece of plain lined paper, a pen, and an envelope from his desk.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, I want you to write a letter," he repeated.

"But why? Who will this letter be to?" Hermione demanded.

"The person who has hurt you most in your life," explained Dr. Clark simply, as if he were discussing the weather. "I believe it is necessary if you ever want to heal yourself completely. Many girls with suffering from the same problems you are suffering from often hold a lot of blame inside, which they never feel comfortable letting out. I want you to do that. I want you to tell the person who has hurt you the most just how much they've hurt you."

Hermione stared at the man for a second. What on earth was the point of this? She wasn't bottling up blame. "I don't think this is something that would benefit me, Dr. Clark."

"I am quite sure that it will, Hermione. I am also sure that after you write the letter you will share my opinion. This is not negotiable."

The brunettes eyes narrowed, and her mouth turned down into a frown. Who was he to tell her what to do? She glanced at the clock across the room; noon. Her mother was already here waiting for her session to be over.

Hermione sighed, the quicker she wrote this stupid letter, the quicker she could get back to Hogwarts, she reasoned. Feeling extremely annoyed, but also slightly motivated she grabbed the paper and pen and began to write, not even sure what words would appear on the paper.

Dear Draco,

Well, it's my last day here at the Renfrew Center, so I guess in some ways that should mean I'm better, right? I guess in some ways I am. Others, I'm not so sure. I know that I will never be okay with sitting down and eating a full meal again- me and food will always have our issues, they're not something that are just going to go away. But, I think I now understand that what I was doing to my body was wrong, that I have so many things going for me and so many doors open…

Oh hell, who am I kidding? Three pointless weeks in this place didn't do anything. They just wasted my time, and my insurance company's money. Yes, I've gained weight back- not that I know how much, considering they weigh us while we face the other way- but what's to stop me from losing it all when I get home? This entire trip was for nothing. I'm not going to change, so everyone needs to stop trying to make me.

I'm supposed to be writing a letter to the person in my life who has hurt me the most, which is where you come in, as you were probably wondering. I doubt you'll even read this once you get it. Hell, I doubt I'll even send it; but supposedly it's necessary for me to heal myself completely. Whatever that's supposed to mean.

I know you're sitting here reading this thinking 'what is this psycho mudblood rambling about now?' Well Draco, one thing being here has helped me realize is that you are what started me on this track. Do you remember the last week of school last year? The one where you called me fat?

Oh, I know what you're thinking now, 'is she really so sensitive that my one comment could effect her this badly?' Yes, I guess I am. What you said didn't hurt at first, not really. I mean, you were Draco Malfoy, that's what you did- tried as hard as you could to hurt people. But that one comment hit home so hard that that's all I could think about throughout the summer. I mean, let's be honest, you're gorgeous. You of all people would be able to tell if a girl was fat. So I dwelled on that comment, probably for a bit longer than I should have, but I still did. So I guess that's where this all started. Right there in that library.

And somehow I ended up here. So, I guess technically you are the one person who hurt me the most. I'm not saying you did this with the intent for me to wind up in some Muggle hospital with an eating disorder; we both know you didn't mean for me to take it so seriously, but I did. So- not that you care- but, Draco Malfoy, you are the one person in my life who has hurt me the most.

Regards,
Hermione Granger.

Hermione quickly capped her Muggle pen, folded her letter into thirds, and shoved it in the envelope that was placed in front of her. "Done," she announced.

Dr. Clark smiled at her. "Do you feel better, Hermione?"

Hermione considered this for a moment. After a few minutes, she realized that she did feel a bit better; kind of like a small weight was lifted off her chest. "I think I do."

"Great!" the doctor exclaimed, his face lighting up. "Well, I must say it's been a pleasure knowing you, Hermione Granger. I sincerely hope that we don't meet again in the future."

Hermione granted the older man a light laugh. "You and me both," she said as she got up and shook his hand.

Hermione strolled to the door, grabbing her suitcase as she opened it. "Have a nice life, Dr. Clark," she said before exiting, happy to realize that she did wish this man nothing but the best.

X X X

Hermione and her mother drifted to Jane's car, suitcases in tow. Hermione was still riding the high that writing Draco an honest letter had given her, wondering how far she could stretch it. Would it last until she got home? Until she got to school? Until she actually saw the blonde boy?

She climbed in the car, tuning her mother out and still considering the letter. It was apparent that Dr. Clark hadn't really meant for it to be sent, but what if she did send it? If she was honest with someone for once in her life would it explode in her face, or would it work out in the end? Would it make her feel the same way she felt now; like she had finally done something about her life?

"Mum?" Hermione asked, not even realizing she had completely interrupted the older woman. "Is Tup at home?"

Her mother looked surprised. "Yes, dear, he's in your room in his cage."

Hermione nodded, drifting back to her original thoughts as they pulled into the Granger's driveway. Jane got out of the car and took one of Hermione's suitcases inside, leaving the other for her daughter.

Hermione dragged the oversized bag up the front steps and into the house, deserting it in the front hallway and continuing up to her room alone.

"Here, Tup," she cooed gently as she opened her owl's cage door. She fished the letter to Draco out of her pocket and tied it to Tup's leg with trembling fingers. Was she doing something incredibly stupid?

"Take this to Hogwarts, Tup," Hermione instructed her owl. "To Draco's room personally. Don't drop it with the other mail in the morning."

The owl clicked its beak in understanding, before taking flight out the open window across the room from Hermione, leaving his owner to think alone.

X X X

"I do not bloody care when the Troll Union decided to take action against the Wizards because of the Weapon Handling law!" Draco exclaimed, slamming shut his History of Magic book in frustration. "If Binns doesn't even have an interest in what he's teaching, why should any of us?"

The blonde's eyebrows were knit together in annoyance as he sat at his messy desk alone after dinner. He was just about to get up and grab his broom for a fly, when he heard a pestering tapping on his window, darkening his temper.

He crossed the room quickly to let in whatever annoying owl had such an urgent message for him that it couldn't wait until the morning's post, knowing it was most likely from his father. But, to his surprise, when he opened the window he was not greeted by the midnight black owl of his father, but a small chestnut brown, who hopped merrily into his room, already content here.

Wondering who this owl belonged to, Draco untied the letter from it's leg. After being relieved of its burden, the owl took off out the window without any further notice. Draco's name was written clearly across the envelope in a loopy script he'd know anywhere, causing panic to begin to build in the pit of his stomach. Why was she writing him? Was she trying to make this harder than it already was?

After momentarily considering tossing the letter straight into the fire, Draco ripped it open, his hungry eyes flying across the page as he read.

X X X

Hermione contentedly hung the last shirt from her suitcases up in her closet; finally back where she belonged- at Hogwarts. Ginny had already come and gone, after making Hermione promise she would come and visit her in Gryffindor Tower later on that day. Harry and Ron had stopped by quickly, on their way to meet Lupin in the Room of Requirement. Although Ron's strange behavior had been a bit distracting, overall it was nice.

Finally, the only person that really mattered anymore to Hermione had been locked in his room since she got there and hour before, not even bothering to show his handsome face; causing Hermione to wonder if Tup had even delivered her letter. Did he really have no reaction?

Wondering if she'd ever know what he thought about it, Hermione changed into a comfortable cotton nightdress her mother had picked up for her while she was at the Renfrew Center. After, she padded slowly into her bathroom, shutting the door connecting the two rooms as she brushed her teeth and washed her face.

Hermione grabbed the small towel that hung on the rack next to the sink and patted her face dry as she returned to her bedroom, not expecting what was to meet her there.

She looked up suddenly and gasped out of shock. "Draco…" she muttered. "Gods, you scared me."

He was staring at her flatly, no expression written on his face at all. His posture was clearly tense, arms crossed, standing straight up. This would have been enough to frighten Hermione, maybe make her turn around and lock herself in her bathroom, if it had not been for the fact that his eyes were the ones she knew and loved. They bore no resemblance at all to Lucius' eyes, they were all Draco. It was enough to make her hold her ground.

"Er…" she muttered awkwardly, not sure what to say to the boy, now that he was right across from her.

"What is wrong with you Hermione?" he burst out suddenly. "What on earth were you thinking?"

So it was going to be anger. "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about, Draco. If you've just come here to fight, then I will have to ask you to leave me room," Hermione said coolly, strolling over to the door and opening it for him.

That was all it took. The moment where Draco Malfoy snapped. He walked swiftly across the room until he was standing less than a foot away from Hermione.

Draco grabbed the upper arms of the girl in front of him, shaking her slightly. "Granger, you don't just write a guy that he's the cause of everything horrible in your life and then ignore it! That isn't fair to me! I may have done some pretty shitty things in my life, and I have no doubt that I will continue to do so, but I do not see how anything that I have done could have affected you getting sick!"

"Malfoy, let go of me," Hermione growled through her teeth.

"No! Not until you explain to me what you meant! Was that stupid letter just made up of lies to get my attention? Because believe me, Granger, you have it. Now speak! For once in your life, tell me what you're feeling! Let me in, if only for a second!"

Hermione stared at him, watched him lose himself in his emotion and wondered how after everything he could still do that. After what had happened lately, how could he still be this straight with her? She hated that he could always manage to spit out what he was feeling, but she had to struggle with the simplest of statements.

"You hurt me," Hermione snarled at him, wrenching her arms free of him. "You did this to me! You are the reason I'm like this! It's funny isn't it," Hermione laughed humorlessly, "all this time you've been trying to 'help' me, when really you're the cause of it."

Draco stared at her for a long moment, his expression never softening or altering in any way. "You're lying. You don't blame me for this, Hermione. I can tell by your face," he finally said, each word filled with malice. "You blame yourself, you just don't want to admit it. The great Hermione Granger doesn't want to admit she did something wrong. You're right, I did try to help you. But I can't anymore, Granger. You won't fucking let me. Well, when your ready to admit that this is your own doing, you come find me. Until then, I don't want to see your face."

Draco sidestepped around Hermione to get to the door, pausing slightly in the doorway, but not turning around to face her. "I realize that I may have had my role in this, and I will never be able to take what I did back, so there's no use in groveling to you about how sorry I am. But ultimately, Hermione, this was all you."

X X X

A/N- Did you hate it? Did you love it? Review, let me know. I honestly love reading them.