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The Unity of Opposites

Chapter Forty One

175

Part Two

He could hear voices - that scenery felt familiar - in great distance, like vibrations, or even echoes, the kind one hears at the end of a desperate effort. He forced his numb brain to concentrate on the most familiar, knowing it was Blaise. A small pressure around one of his fingers was troubling him - why he was with Blaise? The last thing he could remember was his loft, the board Hermione made, her spelled piece of paper he found in her office, his huge agony with the idea of her away from him. What happened? Where was he? Ron Weasley's face came to his mind - right, he found him at the Burrow, fine, alive and a bit hungry, but when wasn't he hungry? Granger?

His heartbeat fasten, feeling it with a pained ferocity - a continuous beeping matched it. He tried to open his eyes, but found it hard to concentrate on this very simple action. Someone was standing above him, a light shadow felt like a blast to his slowly watering eyes. ''Draco?'' Blaise called him, his voice was soft, maybe a bit tired too, almost reminding him the numerous times he heard him talk to his daughter after a day of hard work. Bright, blind-worthy light was covering every inch of the room he was. The continuous beeping made his head ache - he could almost feel it spinning. Blurry pictures popped into his mind and he shut his eyes, feeling them watery. ''Hey buddy.'' Blaise spoke with a very uncharacteristic tone and Draco opened his eyes to see blurry again. Did he lose his sight?

''Whose body.'' his low adjective voice made Blaise smirk. He forced his eyes to focus on his best mate, wondering why he looked this tired. The second voice asked something about his accident and he frowned, feeling a small bother. What accident? ''Blaise.'' he called his best friend and tried to raise a brow, feeling his skin stretch.

''Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr Malfoy.'' someone talked and he looked at the old man, his grey hair was only around his head, not even any sideburns to indicate greyness in his aged, wrinkled face. He was writing down his folder, ''How are you feeling?'' his high pitched voice made him frown, feeling his skin tightening again. What the hell happened? Some around his left hand bothered him, and why couldn't he take deep breaths? His whole face wrinkled when a pen-alike round accessory with brighter than this room's light fell into his eyes - something tickled his nose and he felt the need to sneeze.

''Stop it!'' he ordered him and closed his eyes, moving his head towards Blaise. ''Where is Granger?''

''You call your wife by her family's last name?'' the old man talked before Blaise, and Draco's mind snapped out of it at once, his eyes widened, his heart started to pound faster, making that stupid sound match it again.

''Who - who's wife?'' he asked in perfect horror, and screamed when he tried to move his arm but failed. His whole body started to ache, his breath caught up his chest and he finally took the smallest glance of his body. ''What - what happened to my arm? Blaise?'' he asked him and he tried to sit up, yelling from the pain.

''No, Mr Malfoy - ''

''Fuck!'' he shouted and Blaise rushed to whisper a pain killer spell. He fell back to the bed, taking big deep breaths. ''What - '' he exhaled again, letting out all the pain, noticing the bandages around his torso, his arm inside an awfully coloured sling made him grin, wondering who might be mentally ill enough and choice this colour. He moved his right fingers, feeling them sore - if that was even possible ''What happened, what is that - '' he rose his good arm, watching a clove-alike around his wrist - why was he wearing it?

''We thought your wrist was broken, but it's just a small twist - what are you doing?'' he asked in horror and looked at his young patient taking the cast off. ''No, sir - '' he tried to make him stop, finally seeing him moving his right hand's fingers, those he had already informed his wife he will not be able to move again.

''It's fine!'' he freed his hand, moving it around in circles and missing the disappointment in Blaise's eyes - the sound of his bone as it glued stronger with every move made him close his eyes in defeat. ''Where is she? Where is Granger?'' he asked and took another deep breath. Fuck, he thought and looked at his torso again. His hand rose to touch a plastic cable inside his nose - that was gross. Fuck, he cursed and took it out - the idea of what Hermione will say for this stage fastened his already fast beating heart - the continuous beeping sounded again as if it got jealous and wanted to match it. His eyes widened at the sight of a needle inside his flesh - panicking eyes stared at it for more than a second and he tried to take it off.

''No.'' Blaise warned him. He placed a healing potion in the IV the moment he left alone with Draco in his room - the only thing he never thought of were these fast results. His wrist had already healed, his ribs were slowly starting to glue together quicker than he might have wanted it, blaming the enchanted bandages around him, the ones Blaise spelled to heal his stitches, leaving at plain - Muggle healing - sight his ripped right arm and stitches across his collarbones. Now he only has to wait till they leave the Muggle hospital and return home to fully heal him.

Draco gave him a dangerous look, but Blaise was not buying it. ''She is signing some papers in the Administration - '' Blaise stopped him from taking off his pulse oximetry now. ''No, you git! That's its place!'' he strictly said to him.

''It hurts me!'' Draco protested like a child and he tried to move his arm only to yell again. ''Call Granger - Why you touch me?'' he asked offended and the old man's lip dropped.

''Your wrist was - '' his eyes finally blinked at the sight of his healed wrist. ''I saw the x-ray - '' he pointed at it, ''How - ''

''The Duke was always been fine with his bone structure, plus, too healthy since young age. Exercise is no joke to him.'' Blaise said with a nod and looked at Draco, who frowned, his eyes taken in every detail of the room, every non wizarding detail he should have noticed if his head was not hurting.

Now it was his turn to close his eyes in defeat, remembering Damien Nehone and their small weird interaction flooded his mind. ''Shit.'' he mumbled and exhaled. The last thing he could recall clearly was Granger, holding the Heather's Stone in her bare hand. He opened his eyes to see the horror in the old doctor's face. He felt the need to curse his own self, but he couldn't do this right now. ''Dr Edwards.'' a charismatic smile carved Draco's face, the kind he used to give at old people who he tried to impress when he was younger. His eyes scanned the white robes he was wearing, reading the hospital's name in sewed blue letters. ''I am Draco Malfoy.'' he offered a single nod, but he kept looking at him like an alien.

''Your wrist - ''

''Is fine!'' his voice sounded amused, but it was bothered. ''Thank you, what an amazing work you have done!'' he spoke with a fake encouragement, holding his arm upwards and towards him. ''Oh, right.'' he let it rest on his side, watching him make sure the needle was in its place. ''Now, where is Granger - ''

''Why you don't call your wife by her given name?'' he asked him and Draco cursed his luck, firstly because hearing someone call her his wife was not sounded strange when it should have been, and secondly - and most importantly - he could sense her worry and need to see him. His smugness could easily drown him as he realized it.

''I cannot pronounce it.'' he breathed, offering yet another charismatic smile, almost making the old doctor blush, ''It's one of the, not any other, flaws I have not.'' Draco's eyes hosted a noble shade, the kind his grandmother taught him to have upon meeting older people, wanting to hide his fear of Hermione Granger's ruth.

''Perhaps he hit his head with the fall, I will ask for an MRI - '' his lips sealed when Draco yelled what?

''You had a small accident in the house you and Hermione are renovating.'' Blaise informed him the lie they said and he nodded with a meaningful way, pictures of the house's magic falling down like a dome came to Draco's mind. ''You fell from the second floor to the basement - ''

''Right.'' he nodded and looked at Blaise, who had a grin on his face. ''I want to see her - '' his lips fell apart, the continuous beeping roared like a crazy person.

She felt her knees betraying her and her hand curled tighter around her knob of the door she just opened. She looked at him and her body shivered. Brown eyes rested unbothered inside grey, never considering who else might be there to watch them silently stare at each other. A warning order to blink popped into her mind, but she couldn't do it, fearing of him disappearing from her again. ''Hi.'' she greeted and her breathing started to come in and out hard.

''Hello.'' his lips curled a little and she smiled back, a weird sound escaped her mouth. ''Can we have a second please?'' he asked the two men, Blaise patted his knee two times before following the doctor outside and whisper something to her, knowing she was not listening. ''Don't cry.'' he calmly spoke and she rose her hand to find tears running down her cheeks.

''I thought I lost you.'' she confessed, finding it hard to breath.

''Come here.'' he looked at her crying face and his heart ached. ''Granger.'' he tried to move, yelling as the pain vibrated his whole torso. She rushed to go to him and help him lay down. Her shaken hand found a place on his face, gently caressing his now warm skin as it electrified her fingertips and let out a sob, never thinking of how important it would be for her to just touch him. He smiled at her, appreciating the way her eyes looked at him with love and she ran her thumb across his lips, never minding their dryness. Another sob sounded, ''I am right here.'' he wiped some tears off her cheek, ''I am not going anywhere.'' he promised and she sighed, appreciating his touch. ''You will not get rid of me, love.'' the cocky smirk on his face made her laugh and fix his messy hair.

''You scared me.'' she confessed and he nodded, knowing it, feeling it. ''No more stupid things, okay?'' she looked him in the eyes, her fingers caressing every exposed skin she found, wanting to take his pain away. ''No more missions, no more cases, no more death wishes - ''

''Whatever you want, love - ''

''I want you not dead!'' she slightly yelled and closed her eyes, trying to forget his dead body in her arms. ''I want you alive and by my side, I want you!'' she sobbed, a smug smile on his face made his heart skip a beat, again. ''I only want you.'' she whispered as if it was the greatest secret in the entire world, and he looked at her that way. She caressed his face again, never wanting to stop, letting them run down his torso, watching the bandages curling him tight, the cut across his collarbones, the bruises, the stitches -

''Can I have a kiss?'' he asked, not wanting her to think the worse, and she rose her eyes from his wounded flesh. She let her hands rest on his chest. A fast heartbeat made her smile and remind herself that he was alright, he was there, with her, alive and well. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding - it was the greatest thing. The most amazing one - she promised to herself right that second, she will never, ever take anything for granted anymore. Nothing.

''I am - ''

''I am sorry.'' she said the thing he wanted and he frowned. ''I should have told you, Draco I should have, you - you are here, like this, because of me.'' she looked at his stitched eyebrow and she closed her eyes. ''I wouldn't know what to do if I lose you.'' she guilty confessed, and to her surprise, he laughed.

''Granger, you really have to realize, I would have followed you everywhere - '' her lips crushed his, finally feeling wholesome again. She kissed his cheeks, his forehead, his neck, feeling his giggles vibrating her lips.

Hermione laid on the bed next to him, curling under his good arm and placing a kiss on his torso. Her head found its precious place, hearing his heartbeat like the sweetest melody she ever heard. She smiled to herself. The spell Blaise cast had been working non stop - she could practically feel it under her fingertips. She sighed and his arms curled around her. A surprised sound escaped her lips and she took his ring off, There, she thought, gently placing it on his finger. That's its place. She kissed his hand and let herself relax next to him, feeling her eyes heavy. And that's hers. With him, happy and loved.

ΛVΛ

He shouldn't have come, he really shouldn't have - but Ginny ordered him to do it, and who was he to say no to Ginny Weasley, well Potter now. ''Harry.'' she called him and he turned around to see her coming his way. ''Hi.'' Hermione smiled, an actual smile, the kind he had to see on her face for a long, long time - even her walking was cheerful, her face was glowing, her eyes were not just happy because of the visit of her oldest friend.

''Hi.'' he quoted her and a grin appeared on his face. She curled her arms around him, breathing in the familiar scent. She held the two paper cups in her one hand, watching his blushed face.

''What are you doing here?'' she asked and pushed her hair back, feeling her neck sweaty, her bruises made his eyes rest there for a second. He cleared his throat and looked at his hands holding a perfectly wrapped ribbon around a heavy box.

''Here, for Malfoy.'' he offered and rushed to look somewhere on the floor, missing Hermione's smile widening more. The smell from the handmade cake made her guess it was Ginny's idea and not his. ''Kingsley told us what happened.'' he confessed with a low voice, never meeting her eyes, which he wanted to, but actually found himself unable to see her without the smallest shame for what had happened between them. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was for going behind her back, he wanted to ask everything about Nehone, God, he even wanted to ask how she felt holding the Heather's Stone. ''I am sorry - ''

''It's okay.'' a sigh escaped her lips and played with the ribbon. Secretly, she knew what this specific gaze in Harry's meant - she had seen it numerous times. ''Everything is fine now, the case closed, Draco is getting stronger - Kingsley told me Ron is fine.'' she smiled and nodded when Harry did the same. ''Does he remember anything?''

''No, the very last thing he recalls is his arrival to Spain.'' he flatly said and Hermione rose a brow, knowing what his next question will be, ''Did you have to do anything with his mind lost?'' she should have made a bet.

''No.'' she looked at him in the eye, ''Just helped him recover from the lull Nehone cast.'' a small disappointment filled her heart - Harry supposed to be her friend and he dared to ask her that? Her cheeks fired up. Maybe she was affected by the friendship of Draco with Adrian and Blaise - ''Thank you for the cake.'' she gave him a small smile and he rushed to look away. ''Do you want to see him?'' his eyes widened, knowing there is a battle inside of him to form the word no and not yes.

''Sure.'' Harry forced a smile at her and she offered him a real one.

''I must warn you.'' she talked in a whisper, making his curiosity raise. ''This morning he was in pain and,'' she laughed, turning her head to see him, ''They gave him morphine.'' she tried her best to keep herself from laughing more. Her lips pressed together and Harry smiled.

''He is high?'' he asked and Hermione looked at him funny, giggles were sounded from the room they stood outside.

''Just, prepare yourself, okay?'' she curled her hand around the knob, ''And please, don't take his words seriously, the past hour we were debating his love for pirates.'' she opened the door and looked at the surprised eyes of the people in the room.

''There she is - Potter.'' the smile gone from his face and he met Harry's eyes. ''Harry Potter.'' Draco seriously talked making everyone in the room to seal their lips. She nodded, not knowing it would simply need Harry to stop him from talking silly and found herself walking next to Stella, offering her one cup of coffee.

''Malfoy.'' he nodded and stood awkwardly next to Hermione. ''I hope you're feeling better - ''

''You do not know how to properly dress and it is a disgrace for your status.'' Draco shook his head with disappointment and looked the cake Hermione show to Stella. ''What is that?'' he asked, smelling the chocolate like an actual addicted.

''Ginny baked you a cake - ''

''Me?'' he spoke with surprise, placing a hand on his chest and making a pained expression. ''Me?'' he smiled at the way Hermione told him no, as Blaise's words were clear till his full recovery - no drinking, no sweets, no too much salt. ''You hear that Blaise?'' he turned his attention to him after he winked at Hermione rather mischievously, ''Ginny Weasley - ''

''Potter - '' Harry spoke offended, but no one paid him attention.

''- baked me a cake!'' he winked at him, ''Me.'' he rose his brow, nodding too many times, making him blush and look at Potter over his shoulder.

''Oh my God!'' Harry almost laughed, ''You liked Ginny?'' he asked surprised and his mouth dropped at the realization.

''What?'' Stella looked at him amused and licked her lips in a way that made him lose control, but the slowly burning embarrassed feeling was not letting him appreciate it enough. He looked at his wife, trying to form an answer -

''And Granger!'' Draco informed both Harry and Stella.

''What?'' Harry slightly shouted and Hermione shushed him.

''That was centuries ago!'' he tried to explain to Harry, knowing his wife is too self-conscious - and utterly confident to bother about it - but that was not applied to Harry too, as his cheeks fired up. ''I am married!'' he pointed with a certain pride his wedding ring and Stella, ''I have a child - ''

''So take your claws off Granger - '' Draco spoke offended, his eyes never fully open without a hard effort.

''Stop enjoying it!'' Blaise threw an empty potion flask at Adrian, who couldn't take a single breath, but acted fast to save it from breaking.

''I want to have what he is having!'' he told Blaise who mouthed git and rose a brow, making him laugh more.

''And you!'' Draco grabbed Adrian from his shirt, his laughter gone at once as the tone in his voice was too familiar to miss. Panicking eyes looked at Blaise, who sat back in his chair and shrugged. ''I know who you are fucking, I have figured it out!'' he spoke with confidence and narrowed his eyes.

''Really?'' Adrian mocked him and pressed his nose to his, ''And who is it?''

''Daphne Greengrass!'' Draco's voice was filled with amused.

Adrian blinked two times, maybe three - ''What?'' Blaise yelled, almost standing up from his seat. Adrian laughed again. ''Are you fucking kidding me?'' he looked at him shocked and recalled all the times he saved him from her charm as he had quoted; she was too much of a ladylike for his tastes.

''No!'' Adrian took a deep breath, relaxing himself. ''You are wrong, you knobhead!'' he fixed Draco's hair, smirking when he looked bothered.

''I know your tastes, Pucey!'' Draco messed his hair again, feeling some locks around his face tickling him.

''And I thought we knew yours, but it only needed a Granger to higher your standards - ''

Draco gasped and dramatically put a hand on his chest, ''At least I am showing who I court - '' and everyone laughed, except Harry, who left to stare at him with a frown on his face. ''What?'' he asked offended, ''I took you on a date!'' he looked at her who ran her fingers to her cheeks, feeling them wet.

''Please, when that date becomes plural we can talk about courting.'' Hermione teased him and smirked when he pouted.

''She is mine.'' he dominantly looked at the two men around him, before point a finger to Harry, ''Tell lover-boy Won-Won, she is mine.'' he warned with his old, famous gaze, the one everyone knew so very well - it took them a good hot minute, but started to laugh again, making Draco stare at them one by one.

Adrian, his best friend who had helped him more than once, who had extended his own tired hand and grabbed him from the depths of his darkened, hell-jealous mind and help him stand to his feet, helping him with any difficulty, any problem and sorrow, any bad comment and worse attitude regarding his name and his abilities, now laughing with Granger and Stella about his possessiveness.

Stella, who could easily see right through him, who always had the best advises, the nicest thing to say, or the sassiest, the woman who taught him how little he knew about the whole world, now sitting next to Hermione, teasing her about his dominant thinking.

Blaise, his other best friend, who never left him alone even if Draco had tried to so many times, who had saved his life numerous occasions, who had stood by him from the moment he met him, defying his moody self, his low slides, his worst actions, now standing by him one more time, hearing his silly talking with a smile.

Harry Potter - his eyes were burning holes in Blaise's head, and Draco smirked - he knew he didn't want to be here, but he was and that meant only one thing - he was not minding him dating his best friend, even though he should have been. What an asshole he was when they were kids, but now he is here, even wished him fast recovery - could that realization speak levels about what kind of a person Harry is, or how high Draco is?

And then Granger - his Granger, his Hermione Granger. Somehow the colours around her were blurred out, only pointing it at her, inside the sunniest halo he had ever seen. Look at her, he thought and felt his breathing calm down, how beautiful, how amazing and smart she is, how stubborn and insufferable. He didn't know, but he was smiling at her. Her laughter was the only thing he could hear, her eyes the only thing he can dare to see.

She looked at him and smiled. ''What is it?'' she asked, marking the very first time she had seen him so very peaceful.

He didn't say, but he truly was peaceful - there were questions about his family that had been answered, there were stories left to be told in future generations. He had seen his father, and even if it was a dream - wasn't it? - he had put a period to the itchingly past and now looked towards his future.

''Let's have a Quiddtich match - ''

''No!'' they all said in one voice and he sighed, maybe today was not his day.

''You don't let me do anything - '' he started to complain, watching Blaise standing up to change his enchanted IV with a new one.

''For your own good - ''

''We saw what you did when we let you!'' Adrian fist-bumped Blaise and he looked at them offended.

''Hey, you git I am wounded man!'' he broke their hands and they laughed on top of him.

''When it suits you!'' Adrian reached the glass with water and gave it to him, ''Here.'' he said in an almost fatherly voice and Draco emptied it, feeling his throat dry.

''Blaise!'' he thew the straw from his mouth and looked at him with excitement, ''Let's go buy a car, like the one I like.'' he spoke with amusement, grabbing Adrian again and pushing him towards him. He shushed him when he told him to watch for the cashmere, and lowering his voice he called Blaise. ''We can drive.'' he looked at him with promising eyes and they both snorted.

''I thought you don't like cars.'' Blaise laughed and Draco shushed them again.

''I like that one, the black one, the fast one - ''

''The Lamborgini?'' he laughed again and looked at Adrian's eyes disappearing as he smiled. ''Alright mate.'' he patted his shoulder two times, ''We can go and buy one - ''

''Yes, let's go buy one, and Adrian will buy one and we can drive them - ''

''No.'' Hermione said and he pouted again. He let go of Adrian and let his head rest against the awfully hard pillow the bed came with, no one taking his words seriously and his needs for a softer one.

''Wife said no - '' Adrian teased only to hear Harry gasping.

''You got married?'' Harry asked in pure shock and notice the ring on her finger. She shushed him, watching some nurses passing by, their eyes scanning the crowded room.

''Don't yell!'' she put a hand on his mouth, ''We had to lie to let them see him.'' she confessed in a whisper and he grabbed her hand to point at the ring. ''That's not - it is not an engagement ring.'' she closed her eyes and sighed. Harry frowned, looking the similar ring on Draco's finger. ''It's a long story - ''

''Is your friend alright?'' Draco's voice demanding attention and he narrowed his eyes at her hand holding.

''Yeah, he is fine.'' Harry nodded and left Hermione's hand free.

''I don't care - ''

''Draco!'' she spoke his name in a dangerously familiar way, making him smirk.

''We can all play Quiddtich if you promise me not to help him.'' he offered again, but Harry had already prepared an excuse to leave.

''Next time.'' Harry promised and looked at the closed door. ''I have to go back home, Ginny is alone.'' he turned his eyes to see each person in the room before looking at Draco Malfoy last, his arm inside the sling made him frown for a second. He gave him a sympathetic smile and curled his hand around the knob, ''Hermione will you - ''

''Yes, yes, of course.'' she followed him outside, closing the door behind her - the weird expression on his face made her stomach hurt. They walked eight, maybe nine steps away from the room when he turned around to see her.

''Is there, between you two, like - '' he held his breath, taking his eyes away from her ring finger. ''Is there a relationship?'' he carefully asked and she smiled.

''Shouldn't there be one?'' she crossed her arms under her chest and shrugged. ''I mean - '' she sighed, finding the words that came to her lips strange but yet so familiar. ''Harry, I love him.'' a single nod made his face fell for a second. ''I do. I really, really do.'' she smiled to herself, knowing she never said those three words for anyone else and Harry never heard her speaking them. ''If you don't like it - ''

''No, I never said I don't like it - like you two together.'' he looked at her and took a big breath. ''I like you have someone to feel that way, I just don't want to see you getting hurt.'' he confessed in a shaking, untrusting voice, making Hermione smile. ''You are my friend Mione.'' he took her hand and squeezed it two times. He hugged her goodbye and turned around to leave only to hear her calling him.

''Did you start working?'' she asked and he frowned.

''Yes, last week.'' he smiled with pride. ''Four hours till the end of June.'' he pointed at his wand and Auror ring. ''Why?''

She shook her head, ''Good luck.'' she smiled and watched him leaving, wanting nothing more than to do the very same.

ΛVΛ

Steele found the empty seat next to his bed to be rather uncomfortable. Draco's wounds made his heart ache, wishing he could take his pain away. He was still asleep and there was a childish pinkness on his cheeks. A smile decorated his lips and he found himself pushing back some of his hair, not wanting for anything to disturb his sleep - and after making sure he was still asleep, by waving his hand in front of his face, he left a gentle, fatherly kiss on top of his head. He had laughed too hard when Blaise told him what he said under the morphine influence and he found himself jealous for not being here to witness it.

He grabbed the book she was reading to him and looked at it with a raised brow, the gold page pointer with the roaring lions from her precious house now waking up as he opened the book. Parallel Words of Old and New; The Tales of Both by Cerdicus Zurmen, he snorted and extended his legs, crossing his feet as he started to read it, reminding how much he used to read that old git when he was at Draco's age.

The paper cup with steaming coffee was left on top of a stand next to him, with untouched lunch and a red dessert, the kind his grandmother use to eat when her teeth fell. Shivers covered his body when he remembered her toothless smile. He rose a brow at the written tale of Norte-Dame de Paris and wondered who could have ever given him this much information about Muggle architecture -

''Do you remember our deal?'' Draco asked him and he rose his eyes to see him staring at him. The cut under his brow had long healed now, but Blaise was keeping it visible until the discharge note this Saturday. ''We made a deal when I took over the Nehone case - ''

''When you didn't tell me you took over the Nehone case.'' he corrected him, the end of his lips turned upwards.

''I own you a thousand galleons.'' Draco rose his scarred brow and Steele snorted.

''You sure you have that kind of money kid?'' he closed the book, letting the page pointer on top of it, forgetting that not anyone has his photographic memory. He took his coffee in his hands and Draco's eyes followed his moves as he brought it to his lips. ''No whiskey.'' he said offended, bringing the cup closer to his nose to smell it. ''I promised our dear lioness to keep an eye on you and I'll keep my promise, because frankly, she scares me.'' he mocked and Draco laughed again. ''How you feelin'?''

''Sore.'' he nodded, pointing at the pillow with his eyes.

''Sore is good.'' he nodded and looked at it too, knowing he needs a softer one. ''No, Zabini said it's for your broken ribs.'' he watched the tight bandages and his heart ached even more.

''That is ridiculous, I am fine - ''

''No, you are not.'' a fatherly tone had coloured Steele's voice, making Draco offer his whole attention. ''You died Draco.'' he informed him and tightened his jaw, the words shook his mind, his heart, his whole perception ''I don't think you fully understand it, either is she - ''

''Where is Granger?'' he asked and looked at the closed door.

''I threatened her to go home.'' a smirk appeared on his hurt face only to disappear after a second. ''She didn't tell you, did she.'' he snorted and shook his head, knowing how overprotected she might be now that she tasted the forbidden fruit of the sudden death. ''Police was coming.'' he started telling him what had happened and he swallowed hard, ''Your spell revealed the house in the middle of the forest in Dovedale and the magic drove attention.'' his eyes lost in the dark coffee, watching the way it was licking the round brim. ''We found you chained. Bleeding to death.'' the words came hard to his lips. ''Hermione was dehydrated, weak, starved.'' Draco's lips pressed together. ''What were you thinking going there alone? Have I taught you nothing the past years?'' he angrily asked Draco, who took his ashamed eyes away from him.

''I wanted to find her - ''

''What would happen if you died?'' he brutally asked him and Draco looked the sling around his arm. ''What would she do, what your mother do? The rest of us - ''

''I am sorry Steele.'' he whispered and looked at him. ''I just wanted to help her, to be with her - ''

Steele grabbed his knee and squeezed it hard. He wanted to tell him how much he loved him, how he feels him like a son, how much he scared him and how helpless he felt when he saw him dying live - but he was never good with words, never good with expressing his feelings. ''You are a good lad.'' he told him when their eyes met. He rushed to look away though, catching himself producing tears.

''Why you have a gun?'' Draco asked and Steele frowned. He had seen it too many times, but he had never commented on it. ''I remember the gunshot.'' he confessed and heard him snort.

''Family heirloom.'' a brow rose high, never wanting to say who used that gun before him. He took a big sip from his coffee and looked at him again. ''You have to thank your girl, capisce?'' his eyes had much more fear than his voice, and Draco remember what he heard him saying to Kingsley back in the Ministry. ''So, police was coming.'' Steele continued his storytime and found himself swallowing hard. ''We had to Imperio them, then obliviate them - just don't say I told you so.'' he looked bothered and Draco shook his head, ''Zabini drove a police car to the city, called the nearest hospital and here you are.''

''With Nehone?'' Draco's voice sounded confident but it wasn't. Steele noticed it and nodded.

''Bastard's dead.'' he fixed the covers of his bed and looked at him, ''That asshole had a room turned into a tomb! His dead aunt was there, whatever it left from her anyway.'' he sighed, knowing how much in trouble he will be for telling him.

Draco understood it, ''Granger doesn't talk about it - ''

''That's because she doesn't know. Kingsley asked me to say nothing.'' he emptied his coffee and patted his leather jacket's pocket two times finding a Snickers bar. He gave it to him and looked at the empty cup. ''She might need some time to understand what happened in the house, what happened to you.'' he advised and Draco nodded, deep down knowing it. ''Eat.'' he ordered standing up, ''I am going to refill this, and then you are going to tell me who is the most single nurse here.'' he smirked and Draco did the same, ''Don't go anywhere.''

''Can't promise it.'' he looked at the cables hugging his whole body. ''Nestor.'' he called him and he turned around to see him. ''Thank you for always take care of me.'' Draco looked at him like he would have seen a family member, with respect, with love, with care - everything Steele needed to catch himself from crying was in his gaze.

''That's my job son.''

ΛVΛ

Her watch pointed at midnight. This day was a bit longer than they both have wanted it - they took some of his stitches off, doctors and nurses now only looking suspiciously of his fast healing. It hardly mattered, if she wanted to be honest. Blaise's skills were much more appreciated at her than her beloved Muggle science. She passed by some nurses who looked at her with envy and opened the door to his room.

Looking at him now she didn't want to wake him, but her heart was beating too fast too hard not to do it. She walked inside his room and closed the door gently, not wanting to wake him just yet. A smile carved her face and looked at what her hand was caring. She sat next to him and placed a hand on top of his face, caressing his skin. He smiled, feeling her next to him and she acted fast to cast a fire spell. ''Draco.'' she called him in a whisper and he opened his eyes to see her sitting next to him, a green apple in her hands with a small green candle on top of it.

He tried to sit up, her face was perfectly shown off under the glowing light. He rubbed his eyes, focusing on the green apple and he laughed, groaning a little as his ribs hurted him. ''What,'' he cleared his throat, ''what is that?'' he asked and she sweetly smiled, leaning towards his rested body and kissing him.

''Happy birthday.'' she wished against his lips and he smiled at her with a frown.

''It's my birthday today?'' there was a surprise in his voice and found herself laughing out loud. ''Shhh, you will wake everyone.'' he grinned and she hid her face in his chest, letting out some more giggles before kissing his bare healed skin across his collarbones and looked at him.

''Make a wish, it's a small candle.'' she forced herself to seriously speak, making him laugh now.

''I can see that.'' he whispered, and licked his lips, watching her there, next to him, her eyes holding the most longing shade of love, her smiling lips and telling him everything he needed to know, every small secret, every desire, every lust and need. He felt lucky, not only to be alive, but to be with her - looking back at the way their story started he could never thought their relationship would have reached that level - and he was happy it did, because watching Hermione right now, he knew the same it was applied to her as well.

''Draco!'' she called him by his given name and he rolled his eyes. He should have told her long ago how little he believed at the celebration of birthdays, only to find himself filled with anticipation at the sight of her holding a common green apple with a candle in it, maybe, just maybe he could learn to love it as much as he loved her. ''I am not going to let you eat chocolate cake.'' she giggled and he placed his hand on her thigh, squeezing it tight.

He licked his lips again and blew it, never taking his eyes off her, as his wish was as simple as them being together next year, to celebrate his birthday again, but not in a Muggle hospital. She made a low celebration sound and found his lips, placing a gentle kiss, ''Happy birthday Draco.'' she pushed back, not wanting to build up any type of excitement.

''Thanks love.'' he reached her lips again, knowing she should have protested, but actually feeling her starved body aching for his touch. Her natural scent along with her favourite vanilla based aroma made him relax against the hard pillow. ''You know what this means,'' he spoke between kisses, ''now, get naked.'' he ordered and she looked at him surprised.

''What?'' she mumbled and he put his hand under her blouse, his touch shivered her whole body. She let out a breath, feeling him sit up to find her lips, caring little about the pain on his left side.

''I want my present.'' he kissed her neck and stern, hearing her giggles vibrating his hungry lips.

''Do you understand how drugged you are?'' she put her hands on his face, making him see her.

He laughed dramatically, pointing at his wounded body with certain pridefulness, a smug grin was never leaving his face. ''I never fail to perform.''

''Should I ask one of your friends about that - ''

''Want to split the apple in half?'' he laid down and she giggled again, ''Shhhh, you will get us kicked out.'' he caressed her bare skin again, ''And they love me here!'' she laughed again, taking her shoes off. His hand never left from her exposed sides as she curled next to him, leaving a small kiss on his chest.

''I am sorry, oh my God - '' she rushed to take her arm off him as she had extended it across his torso and he let out a small groan.

''No, it's fine.'' he tried to put her arm back, but his was still inside the fucking sling. ''Fuck.'' he sighed and she rested her upper weight on her elbow. A small smile decorated her face and he met her eyes, letting out a deep breath.

''Two more days and we will be home.'' she promised and caressed his face, running boring circles on his chin, making him smirk because of his facial hair. ''What is it?'' she asked when he blushed.

''Just to be certain and not fall into a misunderstanding,'' he placed more if that was even possible and she frowned finding it extremely cute. ''Like, I mean - '' he cleared his throat, his adam's apple raised high only to fall again, ''Do you consider the loft as a home?'' he carefully asked and she looked at him blankly for a second, not believing he was thinking like that way.

''What do you mean by that?'' she actually asked, never - herself- thinking about it before. If she wanted to be perfectly honest with herself, she already considered it to be her home, but only if Draco was with her. It sounded so girly, so vanilla, but what was wrong with that?

''You know.'' he asked and his cheeks burned more. He looked at her - innocently coloured brown eyes were searching his to find an answer to his rather weirdly put in words request. He rolled his eyes, ''Are you going to play dumb - '' she laughed, ''Granger.'' he demanded her attention and she pleaded with her head of how to handle it - maybe she could ask him to say her name in return? The way his blushed face was looking at her made her regret that thought - he will call her by her given name in his own time.

''Are you allergic to words?'' she finally asked and looked at him with meaningful eyes, full of desire to make him feel a bit more uncomfortable than he already felt.

''I mean, you already live there,'' he took his eyes away from her and his jaw clenched once, ''at the loft..'' to his surprise, she laughed.

''Wow, you really struggled there, didn't you.'' she felt his hand slipping down her waist and in her jeans, gripping her ass tight enough to make her complain.

''Don't mock me - '' she sealed his lips with a kiss, feeling him smirking as his tongue licked her bottom lip and found entrance in her mouth. She felt the need to touch him more than the simple, gentle grip on his neck and as if her body was on autopilot, she opened her eyes to find herself on her knees, his hand was trying to take her shirt off. She pushed back and watched him smirk - was he doing it on purpose? ''Is that a yes?'' he asked her and she narrowed her eyes.

''You are danger.'' she accused him with a pointing finger and let out a deep breath, wanting to relax herself from the desire to have him, ''And there wasn't a question.'' there was a longing in her voice, feeling her insides burning for him. She cleared her throat, taking breaths that should relax her more, but he put his hand under her shirt again, his thumb caressing her skin.

''Fine!'' he gave up and licked his lips, her gaze followed his move. He smirked, ''I will only say this once, alright?'' he warned and she even held her breath.

''Yes, Mr Malfoy.'' she teased with a submissive voice, biting her bottom lip - now was his turn to look longingly at her. His grip on her waist tightened, but she let out no protest.

''I want you to live with me at the loft.'' he said with blushing hard cheeks and she rolled her eyes. He looked at her shocked.

''That wasn't a question, that was a statement - alright, alright!'' she laughed when he slapped her ass again, this time a bit harder, making her reach out to find his lips, letting her tongue enter his mouth faster than before, only to suck his. ''I will.'' she spoke in a playful way and kissed him again, sitting back.

''You are so fucking lucky I am like this - ''

''Or what Malfoy?'' she whispered in his ear, marking them even for just some seconds ago, ''What would you do?'' her tongue tranced his ear, all the way down to the base of his neck. She left to stare at him with a lust he had seen too many times before, ''That's what I thought.'' she laid on her stomach, never taking her eyes off him, and slowly, seductively even, she put her bottom lip in her mouth, letting it out, and having a smirk on her lips, the kind he taught her of. ''Are you plotting?'' she asked with a low voice, her body roared in hunger for him.

He put his hand on her face, putting the right amount of pressure and ran his thumb against her lips, ''You have no idea.'' he smirked in a way that should have alarmed her, but actually made her held her breath for what's to come. She kissed him good night and slept next to him, never wanting to forget how whole she was feeling with him.