CHAPTER 14: DAMAGED
Hermione could hear an assortment of muffled voices some distance away. At first it was near impossible for her to discern to whom those voices belonged. It was as if she were somehow submerged, listening to the indistinguishable noise of their distorted words from a great depth. She impelled herself, attempting to focus in on the noise, to discern each syllable from the next. Gradually the words began to grow clearer, as did the identity of those who spoke them.
"Has she yet to wake?" Queried Headmistress McGonagall.
"Not yet, no." Madame Pomfrey responded.
Madame Pomfrey? It dawned on Hermione that she must be in the hospital wing. But why would she be here of all places? She strained her mind, struggling to remember the events that lead to this moment. Grasping at the edges of a fleeting memory she began to recollect glimpses of a derelict corridor and a body crumpled upon the stone. Abruptly she recalled the sight of her attacker's manic smile and sharp silver blade. Hermione's eyes flew open and she threw herself bolt upright. The room spun wildly around her as nausea twisted her stomach. She felt herself immediately collapse under her own body weight. A pair of strong hands reached out, clutching onto her shoulders, steadily halting her descent. She called to mind the moments after the attack. Malfoy had cradled her in his arms, embracing her tenderly. She found herself eager to lay her eyes on the blonde wizard once more and turned to face him.
However her eyes fell not upon the striking blue she sought, but rather the bespectacled green of Harry Potter. A momentary sense of intense disappointment sank in her gut as her enthusiasm deflated.
"Careful 'Mione." Harry spoke gently as he slowly removed his hands from her, allowing her to support her own weight.
"What happened?" She queried.
Harry ruffled his hair nervously. "What do you remember?"
Hermione thought back over her fleeting segments of disjointed memory as she attempted to piece them back together into some semblance of order. "I heard a scream so I went to investigate. There was a girl on the ground... But it was a trap. She disarmed me and that Ravenclaw boy, he attacked me."
"Fawley, Elias Fawley. A Pureblood. His accomplice was his girlfriend, Lydia Oakley. Fawley has been expelled and arrested pending trial. The girl, she is claiming she did not know his true intent, she insists she believed they were only going to scare you. They have yet to decide her punishment." Harry informed her.
Hermione heard footsteps heading their way and her head snapped up to face the sound. A particularly grim looking Professor McGonagall marched towards her, a rugged looking wizard in her wake.
As she reached Hermione's bedside the Headmistress spoke. "Miss Granger, Mr Potter. This is Sigmus Dirk, he is the Auror the Department of Magical Law Enforcement has sent to conduct the investigation into this incident."
Harry reached out, briefly shaking the Auror's hand and offering a curt nod in greeting. Hermione wondered if Harry had any prior interactions with the man as she noted his taut posture.
Dirk pulled his hand from Harry's grasp promptly and spoke in a gruff tone, "Mr Potter. If you would kindly vacate the wing so I may commence my questioning of the witness."
Hermione could not help but feel unsettled by the Auror's phrasing. She was beginning to feel as if she were to be interrogated rather than simply questioned as the victim of an assault.
Harry stood to leave, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he departed. As she heard the hospital wing door close behind him Dirk unfurled a roll of parchment and brought the tip of his quill to his tongue, moistening its tip. "Do you know why you were attacked? Did you have any grievances with the pair? Any outstanding issues that may have provoked this."
She did not appreciate the implication that she had somehow brought this attack upon herself. She felt her brows knit together as she responded indignantly, "Until Harry told me a moment ago I did not even know their names. We have shared a few classes this year, but honestly I had not paid them too much attention before today."
The Auror grunted under his breath derisively as he scribbled down notes haphazardly on the parchment. Without lifting his eyes from the paper he spoke, "The boy, Elias, I know 'im. He's from a good family. I highly doubt he would attack ya unless ya gave 'im cause."
She felt the rage within her flare alight once more. McGonagall too appeared to be infuriated by the Auror's transparently biased statement, clearing her throat to speak. However Hermione interjected before the Headmistress had the chance to utter a single word, "I know why I was attacked."
He raised an eyebrow curiously, "And for what reason would that possibly be Miss Granger?"
She sucked in a deep breath through her clenched teeth, willing herself to remain somewhat controlled as she articulated her stance. "Because of my blood. He called me a Mudblood when he attacked me. I think he just wanted to make a statement."
Dirk let slip a sceptical humph as he jotted down a brief note. Without even bringing his eyes up to meet her own the Auror changed the subject. "We have been informed that you performed offensive wandless magic on young Elias Fawley."
McGonagall interceded swiftly, barely holding back her audible outrage. "Offensive? By all accounts Mr Fawley was atop Miss Granger wielding a weapon. Her use of magic, wandless or otherwise, was clearly defensive."
"It was not intentional." Hermione declared honestly. It would not do to bring to light her issues with magical control at this point so she hastily amended, "I do not know how it happened, it is not something I have ever done before today."
"I believe you have obtained sufficient information at this point Mr Dirk. We must let Miss Granger rest now. Please follow me and I shall escort you from the premises." McGonagall stated, turning to stride from the hospital wing without so much as a moment's hesitation.
Caught off guard by the Headmistress' sudden dismissal and departure the Auror clumsily stuffed his scroll and quill into his rucksack and fumbled after her.
Hermione allowed herself to fall backwards, collapsing into the pillows with a sigh. They had fought a war, they had won, and yet still such deep seeded prejudices remained. She rubbed at her temples, attempting to drive out the tension the unpleasant interaction had brought. As she lay there massaging the sides of her face she heard new footfalls approaching. She opened her eyes and propped herself up onto her elbows for support.
Madame Pomfrey approached her, her features stern and unwavering as always. "Mr Malfoy wishes to see you, in fact despite my insistence he has refused to leave all afternoon. Do you wish to see him?"
A multitude of questions raced through her mind. It was the afternoon now? Just how long had she been unconscious? Malfoy wished to see her? He had refused to leave? Her stomach did a strange foreign flutter at the thought of the blonde wizard and she realised abruptly that she could think of no one else she wished to see more than he in this moment. She met Madame Pomfrey's eyes and smiled coyly. "Yes, I do wish to see him. Please let him in."
Without a word Pomfrey turned and marched towards the hospital wings entrance. From her sick bed she could not see to where the witch retreated. A few moments passed, her anxiety increasing with every one, until at last the tall Slytherin wizard entered the room. He made his way towards her in long elegant strides, concern etched into every feature of his lean, toned body.
Malfoy sat down on the very edge of the chair by her hospital bed and leaned in towards her. "I saw Sigmus Dirk with McGonagall. Did they really choose that scumbag to conduct the investigation? He is a purist, he was on my father's payroll for years." Malfoy ranted.
Hermione pulled herself into an upright position and lifted her chin assuredly. "I am confident McGonagall will ensure the matter is dealt with accordingly."
"Fuck Granger, your neck!" He reached out and swept away her locks of wild hair, his finger tip gently grazing against her collarbone as he did so. Hermione inhaled a sharp breath as his touch sent an electric shock down her spine. Malfoy, mistaking her reaction as pain, recoiled from her and balled his hand into a fist.
"I swear to Merlin, I am going to fucking end that witch." He growled through clenched teeth.
Hermione tilted her head as a sense of confusion washed over her. "It was Fawley who attacked me, not the girl."
Malfoy lifted his eyes to hers once more, the blue hue of his irises darkened by his temper. "Neither of them would have ever thought to touch you if it hadn't been for Parkinson."
Now he had pointed it out it was blatantly apparent that the attack was orchestrated by Parkinson's hand. Hermione could not comprehend how that fact had alluded her till now.
Malfoy sunk his head down into his hands and ran his fingers through his hair, his entire form practically vibrating with suppressed rage.
"I am so sorry." He said lifting his head to look her directly in the eye.
Her brows pulled together in confusion. "For what? You didn't do this to me Malfoy."
Abruptly he slammed his balled fist aggressively down a top his knee. "She... that fucking banshee, she did this to send a message to me. I know you saw us fighting this morning in the Hall. It was about you."
Her eyebrow's shot up her forehead in surprise, her mouth falling slack. "Me?"
Dropping his gaze from her to the polished floor, his words slipped forth with scarcely concealed fury. "She told me I had had enough fun slumming in the mud. That it was time to remember who I was. I told her to go hex herself and that the person she thought she knew, that person was never my truly me. She just kept insinuating that she knew my true self, even if I had forgotten. She insisted she would find a way to remind me of that. I assumed she would come after me, maybe even try to pathetically seduce me as she had in the past. It never even occurred to me that she would actually try to hurt me through you. I am so sorry Granger."
"This isn't your fault", she reached out and placed her hand atop his balled fist. To her surprised Malfoy relaxed his hand, twisting it palm up and taking her hand in his. She did not know what to make of this gesture but she had not the slightest inclination to fight it.
In part to distract herself from their current situation, but also from a place of genuine concerned, Hermione queried, "So… my neck. How bad is it?"
The faintest of smirks briefly graced his lips as he reached his free hand forth to tenderly caress her blemished flesh. "Nothing a bruise slave won't remedy, it may take a few days though."
Malfoy promptly pulled his hand from hers as he coughed awkwardly. "I should probably let you get some rest. Besides, I think Madame Pomfrey might actually murder me if she is forced to tolerate my presence any longer."
He stood and turned to depart without uttering so much as a farewell. Before he could even take his second step, the words tumbled from Hermione's lips without thought. "Thank you."
He swivelled to face her, his apparent bewilderment written plainly across his features. "For what?"
She wanted desperately to tell him thank you for holding me in your arms this morning, for making me feel safe, protected. The words that left her mouth however were quite different, "for coming to see I was alright."
"Anytime Granger." He smirked.
As he retreated behind the hospital wing door Madame Pomfrey promptly appeared at her bedside, brandishing a tray of various potions and slaves. "You need more rest my dear. Please take these and get some sleep."
Hermione deftly applied her salves to her injured skin and guzzled down both her pain and dreamless sleep potions eagerly. She slummed back into her plush cushion and embracing her fatigue, allowed her heavy eyelids to fall closed.
Hermione stood in the large drawing room of Malfoy Manor, her hands bound along with Ron and Harry. Narcissa Malfoy turned to the werewolf currently holding them hostage, "Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."
"Wait," interjected Bellatrix sharply. "All except... except for the Mudblood."
To this Greyback gave a grunt of pleasure.
"NO!" Shouted Ron. "You can have me, keep me!"
Bellatrix lashed out, striking Ron across the face, "If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next. Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my books. Take them downstairs, Greyback, and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them - yet."
Hermione watched as she tossed the werewolf back his wand and pulled a short silver knife from her robes. She reached down and cut Hermione free from Ron and Harry. Bellatrix grabbed Hermione by the hair and dragged her into the centre on the room. She could see from the corner of her eye the boys being forced out of the room by Greyback.
Bellatrix, her hand still firmly in Hermione's hair, forced her to her knees. Bellatrix stepped back raising her wand at the young witch in front of her. With a crazed smirk she shouted, "Crucio!"
Hermione's eyes snapped open and she launched herself off the bed wildly. Her surroundings were dark, scarcely illuminated by the faint flicker of sporadic candlelight. She fumbled around in the darkness as she searched desperately for her wand. As she began to realise her search was in vain her sense of panic deepened. Each breath she took more rapid and shallow than the last. The anxious pressure that had built in her chest raced down her limbs. The now all too familiar crackle of magic danced across her skin, causing her fine body hair to stand on end in its wake.
From the corner of her eye Hermione could have sworn she saw movement. She spun on her heal to face the perceived threat, throwing her hand out before her instinctively. From her fingertips burst forth an array of brilliant sparkling light. The tray that had been placed on her bedside table flew away from her with great force, abruptly colliding with the wall. The resounding crash of metal on stone echoed through the silence.
"Miss Granger!" Madame Pomfrey hissed as she shuffled her way forward hastily, dressed in her woollen night gown. Her wand light irradiated her wrinkled skin, only further enhancing her enraged appearance.
At the sight of Madame Pomfrey Hermione instantly recalled her whereabouts and released a relieved sigh.
"You will wake my other patients with this commotion!" Pomfrey continued as she reached where Hermione stood.
"I... I'm sorry. I woke and for a moment I did not know where I was. Would it be alright if I could gather my belongings and return to my quarters Madame Pomfrey?"
Pomfrey inhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose before expelling a long, exasperated breath. "At this hour I would normally forbid any student from leaving my care. But I suppose given your position as an Eighth year I guess I could make an exception this once. Please wait just a moment and I will fetch your things."
With her wand and belongings returned to her Hermione set out for the Astronomy Tower. She moved swiftly, wand clutched tightly before her as she made her way along the seemingly deserted corridors. She could not help but flinch each time the occupant of a portrait stirred from their slumber, alerted to her passing. As she passed through the threshold of the Eight year common room her anxiety had yet to abate, the crackle of magical tension across her skin having never fully dissipated. She crossed the circular expanse hastily and entered her room. She closed the door behind her, locking and warding the entry before leaning back against the solid timber for support. She drew is deep wavering breaths and at last the tension began to diminish.
She was surprised to find herself once again exhausted, her ordeal proving more taxing than first anticipated. Deciding she ought to rest some more, she made her way to her nightstand. Opening the drawer she withdrew her vial of violet liquid, uncorked the potion and swallowed her nightly allocation. She threw herself down atop her covers, her face buried in a swathe of wild curls. Closing her eyes she welcomed slumber, fully clothed and wand still firmly in her grasp.
A/N: Up until now I haven't really left an author's note, but that has mostly been due to my own anxieties. So I have decided to put my big girl panties on and strive to interact with all my lovely reader's a little more.
I hope you enjoyed this new chapter, we finally have some Dramione interactions! I have warned you though, this is a slow-burn, so prepare yourself for the onslaught of mutual pining that is to come.
Please read and review.
Love LilithShade x
