CHAPTER 29
October 2nd 2001
Hermione Granger laid sideways upon her grandmother's bed, the burn of fire still heavy across her freshly carved back. She hadn't moved in several hours, watching the sun set just outside the window, as the pillow beneath her head grew damp from tears that had ricocheted over the afternoon.
A long time had passed since Malfoy had left for her to rest, but Hermione hadn't been able to close her eyes. Images of the drawing room fight demanded to be replayed in her mind. Around two hours ago she had started to think she would never be able to unhear the sound of Crawford's spit filled mouth, heaving the curse that had marked her.
It wasn't until her arms started to go numb from laying down so long, that someone tapped on her bedroom door to see if she was asleep.
"I'm a-awake." She groaned, keeping her eyes on the sunset.
A dip in her mattress hinted that Malfoy had sat down beside her. "I brought you some food."
Turning her head over her shoulder, Hermione was met with him holding a plate of sliced fruit, a cupcake and a glass of water. He had a soft smile mixed with overwhelming guilt painted across his face. His fringe was damp, which meant that he had washed off all the blood on his own skin.
She twisted under the blankets while Malfoy helped her sit up. Eating was the last thing she wanted to do, but something told her that if she refused he was going to force her to.
"How do you feel?" He asked, handing her the water.
She took a sip and set it on her nightstand. "I c-can still only move my toes. And my b-back... my back f-feels like it's being torn open by a Hippogriff o-on repeat."
Malfoy exhaled a breath he seemed to be holding. His eyes looked heavy, blood shot as a result of crying or perhaps exhaustion from having to heal her injuries.
"I suppose I should send a Patronus to Weasley. Let him know what happened." He suggested, handing her some apple.
"Please don't." She begged. "He w-would get a-angry and make things b-bigger than they need to be."
"Bigger than they need to be? Granger, you nearly died in my arms today."
"Telling R-Ron would only m-make him fret. And don't even g-get me started on Harry. W-we are better off t-taking a few days to heal and g-getting back to finding your father."
Malfoy huffed in disapproval.
Taking a few nibbles on her fruit, Hermione started to feel nauseous from the blood loss and potion mixtures. She held a hand to her mouth to prevent the motion of vomit coming up. Snatching her plate away, Malfoy grabbed a bowl from the ground onto her lap. She spat the sick out as he pulled her hair away, careful not to nudge her cut back.
Hermione groaned, feeling slightly humiliated that she was unwell in front of the Slytherin. Malfoy seemed to not care though. He took the bowl from her grip and cleaned it with a flick of his wand, followed by handing her the glass of water again.
"Should we talk about your stutter?" He asked, sitting back down on the mattress.
"I-I think it's the curse. I can feel it w-wrapped around my s-spine."
"That's probably why you can't feel your legs either."
As she stared into the grey eyes pitying her, Hermione was starting to feel a wave of tiredness hit her hard. Struggling to stay awake, her mind grew foggy.
"You put a draught in my drink, didn't you?" She started to slide down her sheets. Malfoy held her neck and rolled her onto her side to face the window once more.
The sun was almost completely hidden behind the green horizon now.
"You need to rest." He pulled her blanket up to her chest. "We'll figure the rest out tomorrow."
Just as the darkness started to take over, and before she fell into a deep sleep, the witch heard Malfoy whisper under his breath.
"I will kill them for doing this to you, Granger."
October 3rd 2001
Hermione was unsure what time it was when she woke from her slumber. Fluttering her eyes open, she squinted from the sun beaming in through the window.
"You're awake." Malfoy spoke from in the room.
She looked over her shoulder to see him sitting on a chair he must have dragged into the corner. A book sat in his hands, and by the looks of things, he hadn't changed clothes from when he checked up on her yesterday.
"H-have you been here the whole t-time?" Hermione rasped, wincing as she turned her body to face him. Her legs were still dead weight under the blankets.
"I needed to know you were okay. Do you want to try eating again?"
Hermione nodded as Malfoy stood from his seat and sat on her mattress once more, handing her a new plate of food. The cupcake remained the same though.
He watched her pick at the fruit with eagle eyes. This time, she was able to keep it down, and felt a little of her strength coming back.
"I-uh-I did some reading." Malfoy spoke shyly. "From a healing book you packed. It had a few chapters on dark curses."
"I hadn't r-read that one yet. I b-brought it just in c-case."
"Well, it is lucky you did. Although, you won't like how we are going to get that curse out."
"Y-you have to cut me open again d-don't you?" She exhaled, already knowing her fate.
"Yes." He croaked. "But not on the X that is already carved. The magic Crawford used is old, most common curses don't linger like this one has. There is a spell where I can locate remaining traces, and make small cuts to pull it out. I will need to do it over several days, in order to be sure."
Hermione bowed her head and clenched her back teeth together. On all her adventures throughout the years, nothing compared to the pain she was in now. As much as she wanted to give in and just go to St Mungos, Hermione knew that Lucius would track her down.
Her hero complex was being tested now more than ever.
"Say the word and I will take you to the hospital, Granger." Malfoy put his hand on her legs over the blanket. Hermione hated that she couldn't feel him.
She shook her head. "I am not letting him win."
Malfoy bit his inner cheek with anger and looked away. He was clearly frustrated and knew there was next to nothing that he could do to change their situation.
October 4th 2001
Over the last 48 hours, Hermione had spent most of her time sleeping. She would come in and out of consciousness, with her body fighting to stay awake. Everytime she woke, Malfoy would be in the same chair in the corner of the room, reading. Even in the middle of the night.
He had carried her into the bath a few times at this point, cleaning her wounds as she wore a towel, and then sat next to the tub while she did the rest.
On the second day, Hermione asked if she could wear one of his shirts instead of her night gown. It was more loose so the material didn't scratch. He willingly gifted her with one of his infamous black tees. It smelt like vanilla and cinnamon.
In the early evening, when Hermione woke from another elongated nap, Malfoy was not in the room. She sat up in a panic. The bedroom had gotten dark since the sun had set, and there was no other sound coming from the rest of the cottage.
"Malfoy?!" She cried out.
Nothing.
Hermione lifted her blankets off and pulled her legs over the side of the mattress.
"Malfoy?!"
Still nothing.
"Oh God." She muttered under her breath, as her heart rate rose rapidly.
Grabbing her wand off the nightstand, Hermione placed her feet on the ground. There was still little no feeling in her lower body, so she fell to the ground with a thud.
Not taking any chances, she started to army crawl out of her room and into the hallway, groaning at the skin on her back being stretched.
There was still no sound of anyone in the house, just a clock ticking in the far off kitchen. Hermione continued to drag herself, checking each room until she reached the living area. Still no sign of Malfoy.
The sound of the front door creaking open drew her frantic attention. Wand at the ready, the witch prepared herself for whoever was here for her capture.
Heart leaping with joy, Hermione caught the sight of Malfoy walking in with a grey paper bag in his hand. Spotting her on the ground with wide eyes, he dropped all that he was holding and ran over to where she lay.
"What are you doing, Granger?" He knelt in front of her face, lifting up her shoulders. "Are you insane?"
"Y-you weren't here!" She barked at him. "I t-thought Lucuis had g-got you!"
Malfoy flicked his worried eyes between hers before scooping her off the ground and tightening his embrace around her. Hermione didn't know why she was crying but the tears just kept coming. She was so terrified that something had happened to him.
"I just went and got some fish and chips." He explained, stroking her hair.
"W-What?" She looked up at him through her wet eyelashes.
"I just went and got some fish and chips. For our dinner. I thought you might want something that isn't fruit."
Hermione buried her head in his chest and sobbed some more. Her mind had been racing with possibilities of what had happened to him, but getting a takeaway was not in the selection. She felt even more humiliated now than when she had thrown up.
Malfoy carried her over to sit on the couch and placed her down gently. Hermione wiped the tears with her thumb as he grabbed the food off the ground and spread it on the coffee table. He walked away momentarily to grab her a pair of his boxers to sit in.
In all the panic, Hermione had forgotten that all she was wearing was his oversized shirt and a pair of underwear. He let her put the grey boxers on while he lit the fireplace with his wand.
"H-how did you know w-what to order?" She murmured, still a little embarrassed from her overreaction.
Malfoy handed her a plate of chips. "I heard what you said when we went in together, and just hoped it was right. The muggle lady was nice, she showed me how many pounds to use."
Hermione let a small smile spread across her mouth. She wished she could have been there to see the 'oh so cool' Malfoy fumble around with muggle money and attempt to order fish and chips.
October 6th 2001It was the night where Hermione woke up screaming in burning pain that Malfoy decided it was time to cut her open again. The curse was starting to eat at her from the inside, and if they didn't act soon, she could very well die.
Malfoy had moved the bed around in the purple guest room while Hermione sat on her own mattress trying to control her breaths. No amount of time preparing was going to help the unavoidable hurt she was going to feel.
He picked her up with ease as he carried her to the guest room in silence. With every silent step, she could tell it was killing him to have to be the one to tear her open, especially since he himself knew what it was like to be at the end of slicing wand.
Hermione took her shirt off and laid face down on the bed covered in towels while Malfoy retrieved the healing book and potions. The only piece of clothing she wore were his boxers. She liked that he never commented on her being nearly completely naked, especially when in the bath. It was sort of comforting.
Handing her the wooden spoon to bite down on, Malfoy cleared his throat. "I am really sorry, Granger but the book says you have to stay awake while I do this."
A response lacked from the lips that were squeezed to fight back tears.
She felt the bed dip as he straddled her legs. His cold hand sent a shiver down her spine as he placed his palm at the bottom of her neck.
"Ready?"
Hermione nodded, bracing herself for the inevitable.
Not being able to see, she heard Malfoy cast a spell that helped him locate where the curse was hiding. The dark room glowed an evil green as he scanned the map of her back. She bit down on the spoon just waiting for him to begin.
The first cut was near her right shoulder. Hermione muffled her scream into the pillow as Malfoy's wand sliced through the skin. He apologised hysterically as he worked.
The next was on her left hip, then on one rib, followed by the other. The one that hurt the most was on the tip of her spine.
Her throat was burning from how hard she was yelling. There was so much going on that she could barely hear Malfoy actually cast any spells. But the smell of dark magic leaving her body was the sweetest aroma she'd ever known.
By the time he was finished cutting and was pouring the healing potions over her back, Hermione felt beyond exhausted. The witch just stared at the purple wall, fighting to stay awake.
Malfoy stayed quiet as he wiped her back with a cloth, washing away the blood and drying it with a towel. His hands shaking as they laced her skin with healing paste.
"Did you get it all?" She asked, her voice stripped to a mere breathy rasp.
"Almost." He whispered back.
The mattress moved again as Malfoy climbed off the bed. Hermione swallowed the lump on her throat trying not to groan at the motion. He grabbed a blanket off the chair and bent down to meet her focus level. His face was ridden with remorse as he met her gaze.
She really did love how striking his silver eyes were.
Tucking a curl behind her ear he asked, "Do you want to stay here or go into your own bed?"
Hermione felt her nose ache and lips quiver, struggling to keep her cries hidden. "I'm so tired, Malfoy."
Pressing his forehead against hers and he apologised quietly.
She winced as he placed the thick blanket down on her back and rolled her over. Making sure the fabric was covering her chest before scooping her up and carrying her back to her own bed.
The last thing Hermione remembered before closing her eyes was the smell of his vanilla and cinnamon body wash.
October 8th 2001
"What is this photograph story called again?" Malfoy asked, lowering himself onto the couch.
"They are called movies." Hermione laughed. "I believe this one is called Four Weddings and a Funeral. At least, that's what the television said."
Getting sick of lying in bed all week, she had asked Malfoy to carry her to the sitting room to watch some television to pass the time. An attempt to read was made on multiple occasions, but after a few minutes she would get a raging headache.
However, taking more fragments of the curse out of her back did give her more feeling in her legs, and took away the stutter.
"I am surprised you knew about muggle music, but failed to fall upon the world of film." Hermione teased, adjusting herself on the couch so her freshly applied bandages weren't so twisted.
"What a better time to educate myself than right now?" He grinned, turning his head to smile at her.
After a while they had gotten lost in the storyline of the movie, only to talk during the advertisement breaks. It was when the funeral scenes came on that Hermione found herself getting quite emotional.
"He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong."
Just as she was wiping a tear away from her cheek, Malfoy snickered beside her.
"What?!" She squeaked, shoving his knee.
That only made him laugh even more. "Are you honestly crying right now?"
"It's sad! Imagine buring the love of your life and just being introduced as their 'friend' at their funeral. That is truly heartbreaking!" Her voice cracked at the final word.
Malfoy's face dropped ever so slightly as he absorbed what she said. Hermione felt like she may have struck a nerve.
Silence and the low hum of the television filled the void between them.
"Promise me one thing, Granger?"
"Depends."
"Let me do the speech for Weasley's funeral. I feel like that would be a great time to just unleash all the built up hidden resent I have for the man."
Hermione couldn't help but laugh.
"I don't think it is very hidden." She chuckled.
"Come on. It'll be a good laugh. I'm sure that brother George will join in on the fun."
"Fine. But only if I get to do yours." She pointed at him. "I'll tell the hundreds of people that come just how heroic you are. So brave and atrociously robbed of being sorted in Gryffindor in first year."
He rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "Granger, please. At my funeral there will not be a very high demand for attendance. I truly doubt there will be many people standing around a plot, dug at the back of Malfoy Manor, grieving the loss of a narcissistic pureblood. You are better off humiliating me in another way."
"I will grieve." She replied instantly. A little aggression on her tongue. "Even if I am the only person there. You can count on me standing over your grave with tears in my eyes and a rose in my hands."
Malfoy lifted one side of his mouth. A small smile of gratitude for her future sorrow.
October 9th 2001
The witch and wizard had started to get into a routine over the last few days. In the morning they would sit on the back porch and drink tea, followed by physical exercise, trying to get Hermione's movement back in her legs. After lunch, Malfoy would go into town and buy anything they needed, usually food or medication wise. It was in the afternoon that they'd watch television or he would read, until dinner when they'd sit in the living room and talk until the fire went out.
It was nice. For a rehab safehouse cottage.
Every second day or so, Malfoy would have to cut her back open again and clean out any traces of the curse still stuck in there. It was those days that she dreaded the most.
"That's it, Granger." Malfoy encouraged with his arms open. "Just a few more steps."
Hermione's legs were aching as her feet shuffled across the floor. Today she was trying to walk from her bed to the door.
"I can't." She groaned, struggling to keep herself up right.
"Yes you can. Push through."
It took everything in her, but she made the last final steps to the passage with a painful roar. Collapsing into Malfoy's arms the moment she passed the barrier.
Her chest heaved as he picked her up under her legs and carried her to sit on the bed.
"You did good. That was the most you've walked so far."
Hermione scoffed. "A whole three metres, Malfoy. I should be better than this. I should be practically running by now."
"You know you don't have to be the best at everything right, Granger? It is okay to take time."
"I can't take time!" She yelled, her bottled up frustration starting to boil over. "The longer I take to heal, the longer Lucius is out there getting away with his schemes. Who knows if he is hurting our friends or our family!"
Malfoy bent down to lower himself in front of her mattress. "You know Weasley and Potter are safe. Their letters are coded so only we can read them."
Hermione grunted, pissed off with how behind they were with this mission.
"Granger." He rubbed her arms. "My father is a coward, and a snake. He will hide until he is found."
"How can you be sure? What if he gets sick of trying to find us, and hurts someone to get our attention?"
"Because I was raised by my father. And as much as I hate it, a little part of him is still in me. We are one in the same. I know him."
The witch looked up at the wizard with heavy eyes.
"You are not like your father." She protested.
"No, I guess you are right." Malfoy stood back up and sat by her. "Lucius would never spend his days watching muggle television while eating fish and chips for dinner."
She leant her head against his shoulder. "You know, two weeks ago I was planning a wedding. And know... I don't even know if I'll be able to walk down the aisle."
Hermione had meant that she physically wouldn't be able to walk, but a part of her also doubted if a marriage with Ron was even on the cards nowadays. Especially after their last fight.
"You'll be frollocking down that aisle, Granger." Malfoy put his arm around her neck. "I'll make sure of it."