Draco Malfoy was sitting on Hermione Granger's bed with his shirt off. Which, under normal circumstances, would have had him red in the face and trying to get away from her. However Granger had insisted on looking at his back to see if there was any bruising from the fall he'd taken and she hadn't taken no for an answer, so there they were. She'd first gently rubbed a spot near his temple and applied the same paste she'd put on over the holiday. Draco didn't know much about the paste she was using but it was completely genius, he felt, because any mark from the fall would be gone within an hour. However after fretting over his face, she'd demanded to see his back and one thing had led to another and now... Her cool fingers were very gently going into that container with the paste and then rubbing small circles on the spots where he was sore. Madam Pomfrey had tried to get him to let her examine him, but Draco had firmly denied and walked out with Granger beside him.
Then there was the kiss in the corridor, something that left Draco feeling pleasant and satisfied with his day, even though his mind was mostly focusing on the portions of the letter he'd read the previous day. He should have known; he should have realized it would happen sooner rather than later. He flinched slightly as Granger touched his back again, for the first time wishing his skin wasn't so damn pale because it just let the bruises stand out. And Granger was determined to get every single one of them, something he was sure no one else would care about. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, pulling her hands away from him for a moment. He had curled up on himself slightly so he was folded almost in half, but he straightened up and turned his head to face her. "Draco?"
"Are you almost done?"
"You fell down the stairs, Draco. Your back looks horrible," she gave as an answer, shaking her head slightly and offering him a sad smile. "Am I hurting you?"
"No," he answered defensively; he was sore from the fall so it wasn't her that was hurting him, it was just an overall dull ache.
"Okay," Granger nodded and Draco turned back around, closing his eyes and allowing her to continue putting the paste on his back. Another few minutes passed with Draco's mind dwelling on the letter before Granger placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're upset about something," she said.
"I'm not,"
"Draco, I've been talking to you for the last five minutes and you haven't heard a word I've said,"
"You have?"
"I have,"
"Look, Granger, I don't really-"
"I'm not asking you to talk about it right now. I just hope that you'll be ready to talk about sometime soon. You know that I-"
"You care about me, Granger. You've mentioned," The words made him feel worse than he already did though, because if she really cared about him and the letter was true then... He didn't want to hurt her. But that wasn't an option, Draco was beginning to realize. So he had to choose: hurt her now or hurt her later. But the thought of hurting Granger after she'd spent the entire night sitting by his side and probably holding his hand made him feel sick to his stomach, and it made the room start to spin. He squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn't have to see that anymore; later was his choice. He wouldn't do anything to make her unhappy right now. Granger cared about him; she was the only person to ever show it so openly and Draco was starting to get too used to it. He didn't want to give that up when it had only just started.
She sighed and shook her head as he carefully put his shirt back on. It made him feel a little more comfortable, though sitting in her room wasn't helping much. "Well, I'm going to shower before my first class," she said, which Draco took as his cue to leave the room. He hurried off her bed and only paused when he got to the door.
"Granger?"
"Yes?"
"I... I appreciate what you did. Even though it wasn't necessary,"
She chuckled softly and nodded. "I'm glad you're okay,"
He slipped out of her room and closed the door gently before walking into his own. He slid down to the floor after pressing his back against the door. He'd shoved the letter in his pocket before walking into Granger's room in the hopes that she wouldn't ask about it and to his luck she didn't. She'd been too focused on trying to make sure he was okay to remember that he'd fallen off his bed to get it. Draco unfolded it and carefully tried to smooth the creases and crumples that were on it.
My Dearest Son,
I have only just received word from the Ministry. They plan to hold a trial for your crimes from the war after you get out of school at the end of June. I have come to accept that your father going to Azkaban may have been for the best. I am not willing to lose you to that awful place as well. I know very well that they will not go easy on you because of your age, as most would, because the people in charge of these trials want all people involved with the Death Eaters to spend the rest of their lives in Azkaban. It seems as if the only thing that can ease their minds are words from the major fighters who were with Harry Potter. I understand that you would rather do anything else, but I beg of you to inform Miss Hermione Granger of your situation. You may or may not admit it, as you've never mentioned to me your true feelings about the girl, but from what I saw at Platform Nine and Three Quarters I believe she would be happy to help as the two of you care greatly for each other. Perhaps you could ask Professor McGonagall to say something to the Wizengamot as well. She would not have put you in the Delegate program if she did not believe that you were a good person. Draco do not let your pride get in the way of asking for help with this. You are going to trial and they will judge you for the Dark Mark on your arm. I am sure the only thing that can prevent you from going to Azkaban is the help of those around you. Please try.
Most Sincerely,
Mother
Draco groaned heavily and closed his eyes, rubbing his hands over his face as he thought over the words written on the parchment. He could tell how desperate his mother was because of the fact that she wanted him to talk to Granger and McGonagall. He hated to think that his mother was sitting at home, worry consuming her mind as she tried to find a way to ensure he wasn't sent to prison. And Draco knew that she was trying. She certainly had been angry with him after his father's trial but she seemed to have let that go and accepted that his father tended to be a horrible person who took pleasure in everything the Dark Lord had done. But she had always cared about him, so she wouldn't want him to get into trouble. But Draco thought it was really just a matter of time.
He wouldn't be telling Granger anything. She would run herself into the ground trying to find some way to make sure he wasn't going to get into trouble. He'd noticed her doing the same thing for that damn hippogriff in third year and he wouldn't add any more to her plate. She was already exhausted and she would stop sleeping completely, he was sure, to try and come up with a solution. Draco didn't need to see her like that; he took no pleasure in seeing her upset and that's what the news would do.
As to asking McGonagall, Draco had no intention of doing that either. He was unsure of her feelings involving him and while he knew she couldn't think too poorly of him to put him with the Delegates, that wasn't saying she liked him either. He refused to request her help because she would also inform Granger and that would only make Granger mad at him because he hadn't told her himself. Besides, it would probably come up in a meeting and then Boot and Abbott would go and then the rest of Hogwarts would find out and only laugh at him. Draco didn't want to be laughed at for what would happen to him.
With a sigh Draco stood, carefully tucking the letter into his trunk before pulling on fresh clothes. He waited a while for Granger to come out of the bathroom before he freshened up himself. As much as the news threatened to consume his mind he knew he couldn't let it. Granger was already suspicious and she wanted him to talk things through with him and he wouldn't allow her suspicions to grow. He had to act as normally as he could which Draco couldn't even do well because he was still sore from his fall. At the very least he was no longer dizzy and he didn't feel sick like he had the previous day, so he didn't have to feel very sick.
Granger was gone when he came back out into the common room because her class started before his, so Draco sat down in his chair for a few minutes before he grabbed his bag and went to his first class of the day.
After his afternoon classes were done Draco decided to avoid the common room, where Granger often chose to study, and took his books outside. Despite the fact that he was sure his life was over after the school year Draco knew that he wanted to receive the best marks possible on his N.E.W.T.S. Granger had started studying long ago and she sometimes pestered him about needing to start as well and Draco had finally decided to take her advice. There were still two months until the exams but the N.E.W.T.S were hard and there was a lot of material to cover. He settled himself by a rock by the Black Lake. Other students were settled all over the grounds and a few from the other houses had settled near him, but Draco was able to ignore them for the most part.
Draco focused solely on Transfiguration that afternoon, as that was the class he'd always felt the least comfortable with, and made a bit of progress on his notes. As the afternoon dragged on and the air became a bit warmer he was less able to focus on his studies. After a while he leaned his head back, his mother's letter momentarily drifting back into his mind before the words of some fourth years a few feet away met his ears. "I mean messing with the first years was fun," one boy said quietly, probably hoping that no one would hear. "But that was nothing like what we did yesterday,"
The sound of a girl's laughter came next. "I only wish that stupid traitor had been with him. It would have been more fun to freeze him and make him watch her take the tumble,"
"That would have been good, yeah," someone agreed. "But she's talented and smart so she would have seen us coming. He was too focused on himself to notice,"
"I doubt she would have. She spends too much time looking at him,"
"Whoever would have thought that would happen. Hermione Granger with that stupid Death Eater,"
Draco's attention had been slowly melting away, as he knew the fourth years were the ones who had messed with the first year Slytherins, but as soon as Granger's name came up in conversation he was all ears again. "We have to think of something else now," the girl said. "She needs to learn that to us, to those that lost people, traitors are just as bad as the Death Eaters themselves,"
"We could always figure out how to get the Dark Mark on her arm to show what we think of her,"
His mouth fell open at the suggestion. Didn't they know that Granger's arm was already marked? But the thought of the ugly tattoo on her arm angered him. "No, that's too serious. People would realize it was us because of what we did with those Death Eater's kids,"
"Yeah, you're right. Still it would be funny to see her freak out about it,"
"What else can we do?"
"I say we make her fall too. I mean that was harmless enough, wasn't it?"
"But what fun is that? We've already seen that with Malfoy,"
"So we get him there when it happens. That way they both freak out. I don't know, I hope Granger gets hurt worse than he did. Malfoy's bad enough because he fought with the Death Eaters but Granger's a traitor. She pretended to be good just to get in Harry Potter's favor and she pretended to fight with everyone good at the battle but she's a Death Eater sympathizer. What do you want to bet she secretly helped Death Eaters at the battle? It would explain why she's so close with Malfoy,"
"I hope she gets hurt too," the girl said. "I always thought she was nice when she went to school with us but it turns out she's a bitch and she-"
Draco stood up, his stuff forgotten as he walked toward the talking students. He pulled his wand out of his pocket, his hands trembling as his anger began to be the thing that took over his mind. Soon enough he stood in front of the fourth years who were looking up at him in surprise. "What do you think you're-"
"I believe you were talking about Granger," he growled. Maybe that wasn't the only thing that was making him so angry; he was surely angry about the letter he'd received and a bunch of other things, but hearing about what they wanted for Granger had sent him over the edge. He had said once that he would lose it if he heard people talking badly about Granger, and that seemed to be holding true.
"What? No, why would we be-"
"I heard you talking about her,"
"Look, we were just letting off some steam," one of the boys tried.
"You were talking about hurting her,"
"It was a joke, seriously-"
"That was some joke," he said angrily, his wand clenched tightly in his hand. "You know what's really sad and pathetic?"
"You," the girl muttered under her breath, as if he wouldn't be able to hear her.
"That was the same answer I was going to give," he stated, his eyes narrowing. "You say she's a traitor but she's the only one trying for forgiveness which is what, may I say, Dumbledore and Potter would want. And you five idiots seem to think that attacking Harry Potter's best friend is going to make him pleased with you and it will make up for those that died in the battle. Granger's not a traitor; the traitor is those that go against the girl that's only trying to make the world better,"
"If she wasn't a traitor she wouldn't hang around you!"
Draco rolled his eyes as some of his anger faded. The kids were just idiots; they could never outsmart Granger and she would be able to take care of herself. She didn't need him doing anything stupid to prevent their plans. At the same time Draco didn't give a damn about what Granger did and did not need. They were threatening her and Draco wouldn't tolerate that. "She could never be a traitor," he said angrily. "If you're too stupid to realize that then I feel sorry for you,"
"You're only saying that because you-"
"Granger deserves to rot in Azkaban for what she's doing," one of the boys said defiantly, his eyes blazing. "My older brother was killed by your kind and Granger's making it seem like it was worth absolutely nothing by hanging around you,"
His anger sparked again and Draco grabbed the collar of the boy, pulling him off the ground. "She's been through hell," he whispered, his voice dangerous. "She's been through hell and back because of what happened in that war. She mourns every single person that died in that war, your brother included," He actually didn't know if that was true because Draco didn't even know who the kid was so he didn't know his brother, but Draco had his suspicions. Granger would have felt bad for everyone that died, especially if they fought alongside her. "You have no idea what it's like to be her and see what she's seen and go through what she went through. Granger could never be a traitor; if you know what Death Eaters are capable of then you know that's the truth. If you knew what she went through in that war then there's not a chance in the damn world you would be saying any of this,"
"She faked everything," the boy said angrily, though Draco was sure he saw fear flicker in the younger student's eyes. "She tricked Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and was off undermining the effort the entire time. I'm sure of it,"
"She was out there trying to make sure none of you had to die! She was being tortured and nearly killed and not once did she stop because she's-"
"Malfoy!"
The sound of Potter's voice startled him and he released the kid's collar, whipping around and frowning. "What?" he asked irritably.
"Care to explain why you look like you're about to kill these kids?" he asked, a grim expression on his face. Potter also looked angry and Draco was sure it was because of him.
"There were saying that Granger was-"
"Thought that was it," he said, his angry eyes turning to the fourth years. "Hermione's better than all five of you," he said coldly, a voice Draco didn't know Potter was capable of.
"But she-"
"She's the only one that truly understands what the word needs. Acceptance. Forgiveness. Unity. This thing you're doing, it's the kind of thing that starts more wars. And I'd rather not fight in another war. And somehow I doubt any of you would step up,"
"But we were only just-"
"Threatening my best friend? And honestly, doing within earshot of Malfoy and myself was completely idiotic. As if we wouldn't try to protect her,"
"But he's only protecting her because-" the girl began, earnestly gesturing to Malfoy.
"He's protecting her for a reason that I don't know and that's definitely none of your business or mine. Now, I would advise you to stop this stupidity before I go to Professor McGonagall and explain to her your plans. I don't think any of your parents would like the letter saying that you've been expelled for violence, now would they?" The stunned kids only shock their heads and blushed a deep red color. Draco himself was surprised to find that he was working alongside Potter for something, though he fought hard not to show it. "Great. Now I don't expect any more of my afternoons to be ruined by hearing your plans. Got it?"
"And don't even think about touching her," Draco added before Potter grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the fourth years.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he hissed angrily when he was sure the fourth years couldn't hear them. "Seriously, Malfoy, getting in trouble for attacking fourth years would only upset Hermione,"
"They were threatening her, Potter," he spat, yanking his arm out of his grip. "They were joking about finding a way to brand her with the Dark Mark and I wasn't going to sit there and listen to it,"
"Then you come get someone who's not already on thin ice,"
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked, feeling dread settle in his stomach. Potter said thin ice for a reason and Draco hated to think about what that reason was.
"Kingsley sent me a letter about what's going to happen to you after school. Asked me what I thought of you this year. I told him you were actually decent and weren't being a prejudiced ass like you were in the past. But attacking fourth years would send you to Azkaban,"
"Why do you care where I get sent?"
"Because I see the way you two are around each other. I see you holding hands in class and I see the way she looks at you. She used to look at Ron like that, back before he ruined everything with her. I don't mention it and I don't plan on mentioning it because it's her life and as long as you don't hurt her I'm fine with it, but you being sent to prison is going to tear her apart. Haven't you seen how she is lately? Don't you know what happened to her parents? Can't you tell how that's affecting her?"
"I knew it was something, Potter, but she didn't let me in on that little secret until yesterday morning. And that's not the only thing affecting her; I've known about everything else for months. But she's not fragile; she'll be fine,"
"What else is-"
"It's not my place to tell you," Draco said, furious with his slip up. "Though now McGonagall knows too so I'm sure you will soon,"
"Malfoy-"
"And it's not your place to tell her what you know, Potter. It's messed up enough that Kingsley told you but I don't need her finding out too,"
"You're-You're not going to tell her?"
"Not yet. And I don't want you meddling,"
"Malfoy-"
"Don't you dare start telling me what to do, Potter. Granger does that enough for the both of you,"
To his surprise Potter let out a short laugh. "She does do that a lot, doesn't she?" Draco nodded slightly, unsure of what he was supposed to say. For a few more minutes Potter spoke to him, trying to make sure that things were okay with him and Granger and that if he wasn't going to tell her about the trial then, he at least make sure she was happy. Draco had rolled his eyes but agreed. He didn't want Granger unhappy so it would be stupid to try and upset her. "I never expected you two to be friends, you know?"
"I didn't either," Draco admitted quietly, his head beginning to ache as it was so full of thoughts.
"Maybe you get along so well because you're so similar,"
"We're not-"
"Or maybe I'm wrong and you're incredibly different but you balance each other. It could be that. She makes you care more about people and not be so harsh all the time. You make her think of the best thing for her instead of for others. You know that actually seems more likely,"
"Potter do you want to shut up any time soon?"
He shrugged and surprised Draco again by offering him a smile. "I should find Ginny; I came out here to get some fresh air. You should go get an early dinner. You're looking a bit peaky and I didn't see you at lunch,"
"Why were you even looking?"
"Hermione was worried,"
"Of course she was," Draco muttered. Potter shrugged slightly before walking up toward the castle. Draco turned and walked back to his things, collecting them before going back to the castle himself. He would have glared at the fourth years on his way past them but they were long gone. At least he was sure they wouldn't be going near Granger any time soon.
