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Chapter 38

Hermione

I cradled Draco's head for a good hour, listening in silence as he blubbered like a baby. Sobs wracked his entire body, sending shivers down my spine. I'd never seen him so… broken.

He had muttered a few incoherent words over the period of time, but I was still trying to decipher them. It didn't make any sense.

His crying had died down a bit, but he was still shaking with silent sobs. I continued to stroke his hair softly, trying to whisper words of comfort. He didn't seem to hear it.

I started to tune out, looking around the living room in awe. In my time there, I'd never really looked. I'd read books, and of course gone out quite a lot. But I didn't have a mental picture of what the room was like. Sometimes, a person's house could tell a lot about them.

His couch was in almost perfect condition, a pillow offset slightly. I assumed one of his guests had been sitting there. Another white couch sat across from the couch, turned slightly on an angle, facing the fireplace. The fireplace's mantle held one picture. One of a smiling Narcissa Malfoy. I scanned the room for one of his father, but there wasn't one. I assumed something had happened between fire was roaring earlier, but it had died down in the absence of keeping it going.

By the fireplace, there was a little pile of pale green powder. I smiled to myself. It was floo powder. Apparently, he wasn't a fan of apparation.

"Hermione?" a rough voice asked, the sound coming from my lap. I squealed, and jumped backwards, landing flat on my back, the head flying from my legs. I sat up, and saw Draco Malfoy, still curled up pitifully on the ground, but his head was turned towards me. Tears streaked his cheeks, and his blue grey eyes were abnormally dull. I smiled weakly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You scared me." I said, stating the obvious. I expected a warm chuckle, a smile, a smirk. Anything. But nothing crossed his downcast face.

He nodded weakly, before tears started to drip down his cheeks again. I reached out, and wiped one away with my thumb.

"Don't cry, Draco." I hushed, sliding forwards and wrapping my arms around him. "Please, don't cry."

His arms wrapped limply around mine, and his head rested in the crook of my neck. I rest my head against his. I felt cold tears drip down my neck, and felt my own tears pricking at my eyes. He was so vulnerable, so broken. So sad.

I didn't know how long we sat like that, him sitting in my arms, crying, me rocking side to side, trying to comfort him. I lost track of time. All that I knew was from what I saw through the front door window. The sky was beginning to fade into darkness.

Draco's cries had hushed once more, and his grip had tightened on me. He pulled back from me, sniffling.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered breathily. His throat sounded hoarse.

I nodded, smiling weakly. "It's fine, Draco." I said, attempting to sound comforting. "Do you need a glass of water?"

He nodded quickly, noticing that his throat was dry and parched. I smiled briefly, picking up my wand. Accio Cup. A cup came flying from the kitchen, shooting towards me. I caught it in my hand, and pointed my wand at it. Aguamente. The cup filled with water, and I handed it to Draco. He took it graciously, holding it to his lips and downing it in one gulp. Once he finished the water, he set it on the ground, and sat back, leaning on his hands.

"Do you… do you want to talk about it?" I asked, adjusting my sitting position. His eyes darkened more, and he looked up at the picture of his mother on the mantle.

"She never did anything wrong, you know?" he said absently, eyes fixed on the picture. "She was worth more. She should've lived a better life." He muttered, blinking. His eyes stayed closed. "The only bad decision she made was marrying my father." He opened his eyes, and they were looking at me intently, smoldering. I swallowed loudly.

"If she didn't marry him, you wouldn't be here." I finally replied, smiling as wide as I could manage. Draco closed his eyes, and shook his head.

"And I wouldn't be such a screw up, either." He hissed under his breath, running his hand through his hair.

I shook my head, and couldn't help reaching out and cupping his cheek in my hand. "You're not a screw up." I whispered, locking eyes with him.

He turned his head, and I pulled my hand away. "Yes I am, Hermione." He muttered. "I made fun of everybody in school. I thought I was such a fucking bad-ass… well I'm am, but I'm not bad. I'm just an arse, who can't do anything right." He mumbled, continuing. "I… I called you a Mudblood." He said, sniffing. "A Mudblood."

I blinked up at him. He was still taller than me, even on the ground. I shook my head. "That was in the past. You're different now." I said, looking down at my hands, that rest in my lap.

He shook his head, and looked at me. I looked back up, seeing pain and anger in his eyes. "If I changed so much, tell me why I got Astoria Greengrass pregnant… when I don't love her?" he asked, tears forming in his eyes once again. Ahh. I'd just found out why he'd been so upset.

"You… oh, Draco! I'm so sorry!" I said, leaning forwards and wrapping my arms around him. He hesitated at first, but then his arms enveloped me in a warm embrace, hugging me to his chest. "You don't deserve this…" I whispered in his ear, trying to comfort him. He was shaking again.

"Yes I do, Hermione. I'm a fucking bastard." He whispered, almost inaudible.

I shook my head against his chest. "No you're not." I said quickly. "You're one of the best people I know."

He laughed sadistically. "One of the best people? Please, don't lie to me. I'll listen to your… comforts. But I won't listen to you lie."

"You must have more confidence in yourself than that." I whispered. "I'm not lying."

"I… I don't. I used to think I was… amazing. I used to think I was above everybody else. But really, I'm not. I'm lower than them all… just because of the way I've acted my entire life. I take advantage of things." He said, shaking his head.

"No." I leaned back, keeping my arms on his shoulders. "Now listen to me, Draco Malfoy. You," I poked him in the chest. "Are a wonderful person, whether you think so or not. You are. And don't let anybody, or yourself, tell you otherwise." I said.

His eyes bore into mine, and I didn't even realize what was happening before his lips had brushed mine once more. It was the gentlest of touches, and lasted for only a second, but it made my stomach flutter. He rested his forehead against mine, and I closed my eyes.

"Draco…" I whispered quietly, not opening my eyes. "Who do you love?"

He didn't answer, but he wrapped me in a hug again.

He was shivering, and shaking with tears once more.