Later that night, a crying Hermione walked into the RoR. She was terrified for Harry, and knew he had to do something about it. She just didn't know what she could do.
"Draco, what do I do?"
"Mya. Hermione, look at me." He grabbed her face in his hands and turned it up to his. "There is a lot you can do. But you need to find it for yourself. What do you want to do, right now. Tell me something we can learn, and we will. We will find a way to do it if there isn't one."
"I want to protect Harry. But how?"
"Let's break it down. You're under a lot of stress right now, so let's figure this out together. What do you want to protect him from?"
"The dementors."
"Okay. I can work with that. We will look into something that will make them leave, alright? We can do it. We will help him."
"Also, Dray, there's something I should tell you. Professor Lupin. Professor Remus Lupin." She broke off of her small speech to giggle hysterically, as if in disbelief. "I don't know how I didn't see it before. Dray, he's a werewolf. It's so ironic. Remus is in the Greek myths, a boy raised by literal wolves. And Lupin is really close to the Latin word for wolf. God, Dray, it's so ironic." She started giggling again.
Something was wrong with her. She was never like this. She seemed to be at her breaking point. It was definitely off. He wondered who he could safely bring her to, and remembered Fred and George Weasley. But how to get their attention?
He went out of the RoR, hoping that those boys were watching the map. He started pacing in front of the doorway, where Hermione was breaking inside.
Ten minutes later, the twins showed up. "What's going on? Why are you pacing in a big 'W'?"
"Hermione." It was all he said, and the twins usually smiling faces hardened, becoming determined and serious.
"Show us."
He paced in front of the door three times, and when the door formed, the twins didn't say anything. Hermione was passed out in front of the couch that was in there. The Twins rushed to her side, they really did see her as a sister. Draco stood helplessly to the side while they picked her up and took her to the hospital wing, leaving behind the map to Draco could check their progress. He took it gratefully, and noticed it was already activated. He nodded to them, and they quickly left. Draco paced in the room, face practically touching the map, looking out for his girlfriend from afar. Professor McGonagall showed up in the hospital wing as well, and Potter started moving, near to Hermione. It was the middle of the night, but what could you expect from him, he was hard to keep down. Draco was worried for her.
.
The map was left in his possession for the rest of the weekend, before the twins showed up in front of the RoR again with Hermione on Monday. Draco was happy to see her, and Fred and George happily grabbed their map and left again. Draco had hardly stopped looking at it, and Hermione was glad he had looked after her.
"What happened Mya?"
"I'm just nor getting enough sleep, Draco. I'm going to do better now."
"No, Mya. Tell me what's wrong. Tell me the truth. What's really wrong?"
"I'm just exhausted. It's truly all it is."
"Let me see your schedule." She grudgingly handed it over, knowing he would go through her bag if she didn't, and he looked it over. "Merlin, Mya, you have classes at the same times! How are you getting to them all? And why are you taking all of the electives?" At least the Divination lessons were blacked out. It seems she had dropped those.
"I - I don't know. Draco, I want to drop them, but it's for too late. I quit Divination, but I can't quit anything else. I don't know what to do anymore." She paused before adding, "Help," in a small voice.
He grabbed her and pulled her into his lap, clutching her like a child before rubbing her back. Even though they were nearly the same size, it worked out great."But how are you getting to them all?"
She paused, totally still in his arms for a moment, before answering. "A Time Turner. Professor McGonagall gave it to me at the beginning of the year. I'm not supposed to tell you, Dray, but I'm done. I need a break." She started sobbing and shaking. "I need a break," She repeated in a smaller voice.
It was still a few weeks from the winter holidays, and she would be able to rest then. Draco started planning out how he would do this.
He would not be signing the list to stay at school, but he also wouldn't be going to his home. No, he thought going with Hermione was the best bet. Just to make sure she didn't overwork herself. Yes, he was going to finally spend Christmas with his girlfriend. It would be beneficial to them all.
.
The next few weeks passed in a blur. Hermione had received permission from her parents to have Draco over for the holidays, and his father thought he was staying at a friend's house. Well, he was, but not the friend his father thought it was. Draco's father thought he was staying at Pansy's place, and even got Pansy to cover for him.
Instead, he was at Mya's place, and the traditions and activities he was included in made it really feel like Christmas. They stayed up until midnight and then opened one present each on early Christmas morning, before going to bed. Draco had opened Mya's gift to him, which was a muggle book of fairy tales. He was slightly confused, fairies don't have tails, and then read the second word more carefully. Tales, as in stories. Some of the ones he read in the following days were actually pretty gruesome. I mean, who cut out their tongue to have legs, and then their sisters gave up their hair to get a knife to kill her love? What was the Little Mermaid thinking? And cutting off your toes so they might fit in the slipper so they could become the bride of the prince, really?
Luckily, those tales were all fake, all made up. Draco was glad for that.
But otherwise, he really enjoyed all of the stories, and the book was even disguised as a magical book to those who he didn't want to know what he was reading.
Hans Christain Andersen and the Brothers Grimm were honestly amazing authors. They brought the stories to life.
Hermione had opened the gift from her parents, receiving a pile of books, all on learning Latin. It was the language that most of the spells were in, and she wanted to learn so she could create her own spells. It would be a handy gift.
Christmas was a fun experience, and Draco finally found out what it was like to have a family on Christmas. He ate whenever he felt like it, and ate off of any of the many dishes that were there. One of his favorites was definitely the fudges. There were a lot of different types and Draco liked the rocky road fudge the best.
They sat in front of the telly and watched a lot of funny movies. Draco hoped he would be able to come back someday. This was, by far, the best holiday season he had ever had.
.
Back at school, Hermione immediately sent a broom Harry had received for Christmas to McGonagall. It was lucky no one had taken it out yet, because the broom was most likely sent by Black, who was out for Potter.
A few weeks after everyone had come back from the holidays, Hermione stormed into the RoR. Her hair was practically flying around her, and her face was not happy. She angrily sat down on the couch, flopping with as little grace as ever. Draco wrapped his arms around her, tugging her to him, and she relaxed into him. She sighed, and turned to him, kissing him gently. He shook his head when she pulled away. "What's up with you?"
"Well, you want me to go through my list of problems? One, I have way too many classes. I got caught up over the holidays, but I'm falling behind again. Two, Ron. Scabbers disappeared, and he's blaming Crookshanks, and by extension, me. 'If you could just control that cat, Scabbers would still be here.'" She did a horrible impression of Ron, obviously making fun of him. "And three, I haven't seen you in a while. I missed you."
"Well, love, I'm here. And I missed you too."
"I love you."
"Love you too."
Mya sighed contentedly before leaning into him again, pressing her lips to his. When they finally pulled away, Draco's hands were tangled in her hair, and she was panting.
"Well, that's problem three fixed. Maybe we can fix number one? I'll help you."
She nodded and moved away, pulling her bag to her and grabbing the work for Muggle Studies. It was one she was probably going to drop at the end of the year, but it would still be good to try her hardest while she was here. It was also to Draco's benefit, he could learn about muggles from the teacher (kind of) without being there. His father would never approve. Once they finished the essay on how basic electricity worked, 'Mione stood up and packed her bags, saying she needed to go. Harry would think she had calmed down enough, and start checking the map in his worry for her safety. Fred and George had gifted the thing to him, and it made his and Mya's alone time harder to get to. Draco still didn't know how to activate it.
.
He was ready for the stupid Quiddich match. He had a plan, and Potter wasn't going to like it. He was going to dress as a dementor with Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint to try and give Potter a scare. He didn't want to do it at all, but what was life? It was all a part.
Although, the detentions and point loss was definitely helpful in the act that the Slytherin house left them alone for a while. Draco would be able to slip out to Mya a bit easier.
.
The next Hogsmeade visit was on a Saturday. Draco went out to the wizarding town with Crabbe and Goyle. Seeing Ron out by the Shrieking Shack, He started talking loudly, knowing the two of them were close to Buckbeak. Draco had done everything he could to get his father off of the animal's back, and even done research of his own to save the creature. Of course, only Mya knew that. She was there with him when it was happening. "I should be getting a letter from my father soon, about the results of the monster's hearing. He's there, you see, and he's telling them all about how I couldn't use my arm for three and a half months." He paused, knowing that Crabbe and Goyle would know to laugh. "I really wish I was there myself, to see the moron trying to defend the thing. 'There's nothing harmful about him!' That hippogriff is as good as dead, you know."
Acting like he had just seen Weasley, he smiled hugley. "And whatever are you doing here, Weasley? Suppose you want to live here, wouldn't you? Must be nice, to dream of having your own bedroom." He saw the back of his robes get grabbed, so Potter must be here too, then.
Draco kept talking, knowing something was going to happen. He was right when a large handful of sludge hit him in the back of the head. The half melted snow and mud slid down his neck. It was one of the worst feelings he had ever experienced, besides the Cruciatus curse, of course. Luckily, the number of times it had been used had tapered off a bit as he aged.
He pointed to a spot a few feet away from where the stuff had come from (yes, even though he was facing the opposite direction, he knew where it had come from) and told Crabbe and Goyle to get Potter. Not that they knew it was him.
Harry's head was visible, for whatever reason, and Draco stood there in shock for a moment before screaming, pointing, and running. He ran most of the way back to the school, and slowed down, grabbing his side as he got closer. Crabbe and Goyle had fallen back a while ago, and Draco also wanted to give Potter a chance to get back to the school. However he was doing that.
Now, Draco could have kept running, he didn't really have a pain in his side. He was just being a good friend. And he still had to find a professor.