Hermione. it was a pretty name and not one that Draco had come across often. It seemed to match her calm demeanour, something that was actually beginning to concern him. For someone who had been in a pretty traumatic situation less than twenty minutes ago she seemed to have her shit together remarkably well.
As they moved through the wide hallway and down to the kitchen area, Draco was praying that he did in fact own that bag of peas he had mentioned earlier. It was pretty hit and miss knowing what food was lying around this place, Theo could really pack it away. He rummaged through the freezer as Hermione took a seat on the white couch in the living area. After what felt like forever Draco found the peas and decided to pour her a glass of water just in case she was thirsty.
When he sat down on the couch a couple meters from her she seemed glad to see him. She thanked him for the drink, skulling it before he even had the chance to tell her she was welcome. He handed her the frozen peas and watched as she held them up to her face.
'Did you want me to call anyone and let them know you where you are?' he asked her. She looked away, seeming to think his question over.
'Honestly, there isn't anybody to call,' she responded. He found that hard to believe. Surely there was someone who would be wondering what had a happened to her, a family member, a friend, a boyfriend? He found himself cringing as he thought about the latter option, but he wasn't sure why.
'I only just moved to London a couple of days ago. I don't really know anyone and I was just out on a walk exploring the city when you… well you know,' she stopped her train of thought, clearly having a flash back to when Draco had found her.
'Oh,' he found himself saying, mouth slightly agape. 'So you didn't know that guy at all?' She looked back towards Draco, fear evident in her eyes.
'No. I had asked him for directions back towards the hotel where I am staying, and he somehow took that as an invite to grab me and pull me down that alleyway. Maybe moving here was a bad idea if that is the kind of help people give around here,' she chuckled, but it didn't sound genuine. Draco could tell she was just trying to lighten the mood a bit, but he could still hear the sadness in her voice.
'Well I know you don't know me, but on behalf of London I apologise and will vouch that most of us are not complete and utter twats like that monster,' he tried to reassure her, but he felt himself getting angry at the thought of that man attacking her like that. He then had a worrying thought.
'Wait did you say that you asked him for directions back to your hotel?' Draco questioned.
He was sure he had heard her right, but the thought that this man knew where she was living made the blood drain from his face a bit. He hadn't seemed like the kind of guy that took no for an answer, so he wouldn't put it past him to try find Hermione somehow and finish what he had started. He looked up at her and noticed that she too had realised what this could mean. It was then that her panic started to set in.
'Oh my gosh, I am so stupid. He knows where I live. What if he is there waiting for me… What am I going to do?' she stood up and started to pace around the room. Draco wasn't sure what to do. He instincts were to wrap his arms around her and tell her that she would be fine and nothing would happen to her, but the fact that she didn't know him from Adam wasn't lost on him. He had one solution to her problem, but he didn't want to seem creepy or put her in an uncomfortable position. That being said, he could see her clearly heading towards a mental breakdown right in front of him.
'You could stay here,' he blurted out, standing up as he did.
She stopped in dead her tracks and looked him straight in the eyes. Oh no, that sounded so wrong and she probably thought he was just as bad as that other guy. He doesn't even know her and he has asked her to spend the night with him. He needed to fix this now.
'Sorry that came out wrong. I meant if you are worried then you are welcome to stay here for the night. I can sleep on the couch. You can clear your head and get some sleep, then head back to your room tomorrow. Surely he wouldn't hang around there all night. But you obviously don't have to, I just wanted to give you an option because you seemed panicked and honestly the thought of you heading back there if he is going to be there definitely panics me a little…,' he could hear himself talking way to much but he couldn't seem to stop himself from trying to justify his suggestion.
He had been avoiding her gaze whilst speaking so it took him by surprise when he felt a hand touch his arm. He looked up and Hermione was now stood right in front of him, her eyes a little glossy. Oh shit, he had made her cry with his creepy terrible suggestion. Then he saw her smile and the pit in his stomach settled, relief washing over him. She wasn't upset at him, she seemed touched by his offer.
'That would be great actually,' she whispered, sincerity laced in her words. 'I really appreciate everything you have done tonight Draco. I honestly don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there.'
'Oh, okay,' he said, once again loosing the ability to focus on actually forming a sentence. Her hand on his arm was actually quite the distraction. It felt like there was electricity running through her fingers onto his forearm where their bare skin was touching. He shook his head and tried to turn his attention back to the situation at hand.
'I will be right back,' he said, needing to get away from the strange thoughts that were clouding his mind.
She looked confused but let go of his arm. Draco quickly made his way into his room and grabbed anything he thought might be useful. A large t-shirt and some sweatpants that would definitely drawn her frame. A spare toothbrush that he had managed to locate somehow and makeup wipes he had found in Caspar's room. They belonged to his girlfriend Ambar, but he knew she wouldn't mind him taking them.
By the time he made it to the living room his efforts were in vain, as Hermione was sound asleep on the couch. She looked much more at peace this way, which made him feel much better. He placed the pile of stuff on the coffee table, somewhere she would see them if she woke up, before covering her with a spare blanket from the laundry cupboard and placing the frozen peas back in the freezer. He quietly mad his way back to his room, not realising how tired he actually was until his head hit the pillow.
