You know what's annoying? A/N's. ;)
Everything was different because Hermione didn't have to wear the bracelet anymore, but of course, nobody knew that. They all acted as if every day were the same as before. They didn't know anything about the bet or the bracelet or the insane consequences stemming from this whole thing. All they knew was that she had been attacked during Hogsmeade weekend and yet again Draco Malfoy had been the one to extricate her. After that, as far as they were concerned, nothing had changed. Nobody really commented, seeing as they were getting used to the way of things, but for the first time Hermione noticed the glances and the subtle implications that even though they may not have believed the initial rumors Draco had spread, they thought there was something between them now.
It was preposterous, of course. Not to mention that it was none of anybody's business. The surprising thing, however, was the way everyone seemed to be… resigned. Even the Slytherins didn't bother to sneer at her anymore, but just ignored her existence. The funny thing was that nobody seemed to notice that even Draco kept his distance, ruining all their assumptions. But then again, Draco kept his distance from everyone. Zabini stayed near him, but Draco barely spoke to even him. He was looking tired and pale and Hermione imagined that she saw his hand shake when he tried to take some notes. He closed his eyes in frustration and Zabini bent over to say something to him. The rest of the day, only Zabini took notes while Draco stared at his empty parchment.
Looks like Malfoy is becoming ill.
At lunch he didn't really eat, in spite of Zabini obviously trying to be obnoxious just so he would. Draco, known for his temper and lashing out at people, just stared dully at his friend instead of reacting.
It would worry anyone who cared. Fortunately Hermione didn't care at all. Parkinson, however, was looking confused and worried and was repeatedly glancing at Zabini, who just shook his head. Malfoy didn't seem to notice his friends at all, he was too preoccupied with staring at nothing in particular. Hermione frowned irritably and turned her back on the Slytherins. She didn't care.
"Are you coming to dinner?"
"I'm not hungry."
"When was the last time you ate?"
"Last time I was hungry, obviously."
Blaise rarely intruded on Draco's privacy in his room, but today he made an exception. Draco knew that Blaise was just worried and he appreciated his friend's concern. He really did. He just wished that he would stop nagging him. Draco didn't need nagging; he just needed some peace and quiet. Some sleep would be nice too. He just needed to figure out how to not think so much. How to not want so much.
"You're not Crabbe. You don't have the bulk to starve yourself."
Ah, Crabbe. He would never have intruded and bothered Draco like this. Those were the days.
"I'll hardly starve, Blaise."
"Theo has been asking about you. He says you refuse to talk to him."
"Tell him I'm off to do You-Know-Who's bidding and to call on me in a few months' time when I'm back."
"That's not very funny, Draco. You're obviously ill and Theo is just concerned about you. You should go see Pomfrey about this. We'll think of something to tell her—it's worked so far."
Draco shook his head. "She can't help me and I don't want Theo's concern. He shouldn't be wasting time on me. He's got… better things to do." He looked away, trying very hard not to think about those things.
"What, you mean like being the head boy and knowledge-monger extraordinaire?"
"Something like that."
"Or do you mean like snogging Granger?"
Draco pursed his lips, grateful for the black hole that swallowed any reaction he might have had to that. "You'll miss dinner if you don't leave now."
"You can't just turn your back on him because she wants him more than you. It's not his fault. What if it had been the other way around? Don't let some girl ruin a friendship."
"You don't know everything, Blaise. I don't want to see him or talk to him. I don't want him to see me like this. I don't want him to hurt her more because he thinks that's the way to hurt me less. And I certainly don't need him to remind me that he won without a fight."
Blaise sneered, his dark eyes glinting with annoyance. "If he won without a fight, it's only because you never fought back. But fine. Pansy has been asking about you as well." He crossed his arms, looking as if he was daring Draco to respond.
"Pansy? Why?" Confusion didn't begin to describe how Draco felt. He hadn't spoken to Pansy for about two weeks, not since she'd tried to remove Hermione's bracelet three weeks into the bet and that was a conversation he'd rather forget.
Blaise rolled his eyes. "She's worried about you, you numpty."
"Why?"
"It's pretty obvious you're not well, mate. Pansy is not blind."
"That should make her happy after the way I treated her. Isn't she overdue for revenge?" In fact, come to think of it, the fact that he still had all his bits was nothing short of a miracle. Pansy wasn't known for accepting defeat gracefully.
"You know, I can't help but agree, but it doesn't make her happy. She still cares about you."
"What a fool." The statement was calm, but he couldn't help but be a bit awed that she would still care about him after everything he'd said and done to her. He wasn't sure he deserved that kind of devotion.
The look Blaise shot him told him that in his opinion there was more than one fool around. "So you're going to shut her out too?"
"No…" Draco sighed. Of course he wouldn't. "I'll talk to her. Just not right now. I'm tired."
"Fine, but I'm telling her that you won't eat, so expect a visitor later tonight."
Draco groaned but Blaise had already left.
It was really eerie how normal the world had become again. Everything was exactly the same each day. Except Malfoy. Tuesday he looked even worse than he had Monday, and Wednesday he didn't even show up for classes. He was absent again Thursday. When he didn't show up Friday either, Hermione decided to corner Zabini and hear what was going on. To her knowledge, Draco hadn't gone to the hospital wing but was just… not in class and not at meals.
After Charms, she managed to follow Zabini until they were far enough away from everyone that they could talk.
"Zabini!"
"Ah, finally it speaks. I thought you were going to follow me all the way to the dungeons, Granger…"
Hermione flushed and scowled at the arrogant twat she was forced to talk to. "I want to know what's going on."
"Of course you do. Unfortunately, I'm not about to tell you."
"Why is he missing classes and meals?"
"Oh, you noticed that, did you? I'm sure he'll appreciate that." Zabini turned to leave.
"Zabini…" she meant to demand but to her great chagrin there was a slightly pleading quality to it.
He actually stopped. "Forget it, Granger. He doesn't want you to know."
She frowned. "Why not? Why would it matter?"
"Possibly because you're always interfering. He doesn't need your interference right now. He needs you to leave him alone."
"Is he ill?"
He hesitated. "It's nothing that won't pass. Don't concern yourself."
"Is it because of the bracelet? He said there'd be consequences."
"Enough with the questions! I can't tell you. Talk to him once it's done if you really want to know."
"But—"
"No, Granger. Stay out of this." He walked away, clearly not intending to say anything else.
Blast it. What now? There was nobody else she could talk to who would know anything. Or… maybe…
'Who knows everything that's going on and apparently can't keep his mouth shut when questioned by annoying Muggleborn witches?'
"Why do you think I would know?" Theo's eyes were shuttered and it was impossible to tell how he felt about being asked about Draco's state.
"You know almost everything!" Hermione insisted. "And he's your friend, isn't he?"
"He's not telling me anything."
"Nobody has to tell you anything for you to know. Please, just tell me what you do know."
"What I do know?" His lips quirked sardonically. "I know he hasn't left his room for days. I know he doesn't want to see Madam Pomfrey. I know he only allows Blaise and Pansy inside his room."
"Pansy?"
Nott slowly nodded. "Yes, Pansy. I know I had to lie to Slughorn to prevent him from coming down to check on his wayward charge. I know there are… sounds…"
"Sounds?"
"As if he's in great pain or at the very least having nightmares. Two nights he cried out so loudly that it woke both Blaise and myself. Fortunately, the other rooms are further away. I went to check on him, but was, again, barred from his room. The third night… yesterday…" Again he hesitated.
"What happened?" Hermione's eyes went wide as she was imagining all kinds of horrors.
"Nothing. That is… Pansy moved into Draco's room. It seemed to calm him."
Hermione's mouth fell open. This was something she hadn't anticipated.
"I know I probably shouldn't allow it, but it's a special case, don't you think? I doubt anything but nursing is going on in there. I'd appreciate it if you didn't go and report it."
"Of course," she muttered, feeling thoroughly confused. "Anything else?"
Theo shrugged. "Like I said, Pansy's presence seems to calm him, so maybe it's not that bad anymore. But if he isn't in class Monday, he might be in some real trouble. I think he's refusing to see Madam Pomfrey to protect you since he's likely to face expulsion himself either way, considering all the problems he's already having."
"So you also think this is all because of the bracelet?"
"I can't see any other explanation. His mind seems to have become dangerously addicted."
Hermione nodded at this. He'd said it was addictive. He'd talked about a void. She just hadn't thought he had meant it quite this literally. "I need to talk to Dumbledore."
"You can't. You might both get expelled. He won't want that."
"No, I can explain to him—"
"That you played with some very dangerous and highly illegal magical jewelry that turned you into a slave and Draco into an emotional addict? You won't be doing anyone any favors."
"No. Dumbledore already knows something about a bond that is now broken. We had to come up with an explanation during… the other incidences. But he doesn't know about the ring and bracelet."
"You can't lie to Dumbledore, Hermione."
"Of course I can."
"No, you can't. He knows when he's lied to."
She shook her head. "No. I know his methods. The trick is to stay close enough to the truth for it not to matter."
Theo looked exasperated with her. "If he's well enough to attend classes on Monday, then they'll probably let it slide and none will be the wiser. Why jeopardize that?"
"Do you really think he'll be well enough by Monday?" she softly asked.
He didn't reply and that in itself spoke volumes. Hermione nodded and went off to see if Dumbledore could see her.
Draco broke the surface with a gasp, trying to shake the darkness and the pain. It wasn't easy, it tried to pull him back down. "No…" he moaned. "No, leave me alone."
"Shh," someone cooed. "It's ok, you're safe."
The bed moved as someone laid down next to him, holding him and petting him. Hermione. No, he knew it wasn't her. Countless times it hadn't been her. Still, he wanted to pretend and pulled her closer, imagining curls instead of silky straight hair, and kissed her. She didn't resist but just offered him comfort. She always offered him comfort. He broke the kiss and she gently kissed his forehead, holding him as if he were a child.
"Hermione?"
"Everything is ok. She's ok. Just go back to sleep," Pansy whispered.
He hurt her by calling for Hermione instead, he knew it. He wished he could explain. "I miss her."
He shuddered, suddenly feeling cold, and she held him closer. "I know you do, love. But you don't want her to see you like this, remember?"
He remembered. She probably wouldn't want to come anyway. He felt his chest tighten and his eyes burn at the reminder. "I just miss her," he whispered.
"I know." She gently kissed his cheek and brushed away the lock of hair falling into his eyes.
"Don't leave me."
"I won't."
Slowly he relaxed and allowed the darkness to claim him again.
Hermione felt restless and edgy and had finally sought refuge at the library. Malfoy was still missing classes and meals and nobody was telling her anything. She had done what she could, as had Theo, the rest were up to those that Malfoy would actually allow to help him.
Like Pansy Parkinson.
She forced herself to ignore that part. Fine, she didn't like Pansy—putting it mildly—but if she helped Malfoy get over his stupid self-inflicted addiction, who was Hermione to interfere?
It was all so very frustrating. To top it off, no matter what she had told Theo, no matter the little – very little, to be honest – Occlumency she knew, no matter that she hadn't told an outright lie, she wasn't entirely sure how her meeting with Dumbledore had gone over. She had to remind herself that the old wizard was only human and thus fallible. Still, he had been so formidable and those eyes had seemed to see too much.
But Draco would be permitted the time to recover, she had at least gotten that. And then he would be asked to explain himself. She just hoped she could talk to him first, give him the necessary tools, and make sure he knew what to say. She had considered using her status to just march down there to his room and demand to be let in, but in the end she didn't have quite the nerve for it. Besides, if he really was that sick, he wouldn't be able to pay attention to her instructions.
She just hoped that if they ended up in worse trouble, it would drag out so the NEWTs would be over before it was fully resolved. If they had their NEWTs, nobody could undo them, could they? The very idea made Hermione's blood chill. She needed her NEWTs. She needed her straight O average. She needed the qualifications. She couldn't afford an expulsion because she allowed Malfoy to goad her into wearing a piece of stupid, illegal jewelry.
Typical Malfoy. He was the trouble that just kept on expanding.
Ok, that might be a bit unfair. He would by far face the worst of it. She wasn't really likely to get expelled, after all. Her record was much too pristine for that. Draco, on the other hand, had actually let Death Eaters into the school last year, which only by sheer luck—or rather luck potion—hadn't killed anyone. If that wasn't bad enough, he had then recently witnessed his father attack a student and let him go without calling for assistance, and now… add him deliberately enslaving a fellow student. Also, he was horribly behind on schoolwork and was already struggling to keep up without adding absences like this.
If she cared, she would be very worried about him at this point. Really worried. It was good she didn't care.
Pansy looked away and chose not to address that. "Theo kept Slughorn off your back."
"That's nice, but Slughorn won't be the one expelling me."
"Granger kept Dumbledore off your back."
Draco opened his mouth to reply and then realized he had nothing to say. He blinked. "What?"
