'I-I-I'm just going to run to the café'

'Hey wait are you-' but before she could get her sentence out, he was out the door. She looked down at Teddy

'Don't worry Aunty Mione' he said jumping off the bed and running after him.

'No Teddy wai-' Harry and Ginny looked apologetically at her before they also fled the room after their son.

What the hell was going on? What was up with Draco? Had it all become too much? Was he sick of her?

She tried to calm herself by taking a glass of water from her bedside table. He was probably just tired, thirsty or needed the toilet. With that thought she took a deep breath and lay back onto her pillows.

She quickly realised this was the first time she had been fully alone in weeks, probably since she'd– no she didn't want to think about that. It was weird, trying to get better, even though she wasn't so sure that she wanted to. Nobody could convince her yet that things wouldn't be easier if she had died. She wasn't in a place yet where she was ready to live for herself, and she knew that if she was sent home tomorrow it would only be a matter of time before she tried again. But for now it was enough, she thought, to do it for them, each of them. The ones that showed up for her every single day, the ones trying so hard to show her that life was worth living.

After all, how would they have explained it to little Teddy? If she had succeeded? How do you tell a three year old something like that? Hermione supposed that you didn't, you lied and waited until they were older to tell the truth.

She hadn't realised how much it had meant to Draco, those disturbed evenings drinking silently at the bar. She hadn't considered until now how much he might have needed it too. Alone, no family and friends, Draco's life was really just as tragic as hers had been as of late. Perhaps that's why he had been the one to see it. Perhaps misery recognised other misery. Perhaps he had known the pain she felt, perhaps that's how he had known to follow her, to break down the door. Perhaps that is where the "feeling" he had described had stemmed from.

She was interrupted from this thought by the odd sensation of being watched. Looking up she saw Healer Jenny leaning in the doorway. Hermione looked at her with surprise. Healer Jenny had never made an unannounced visit before, nor had she even leaned in her doorway like that. Their meetings were always consistent, timed and began with a swift knock on her door.

'Hello Miss Granger, may I come in?', Hermione was confused, Healer Jenny had never called her 'Miss Granger' before, they always operated on a first name basis. Maybe this was some sort of test? Unable to speak with her discomfort Hermione simply nodded and Healer Jenny entered the room. Instead of taking her usual seat on one of the vacated chairs, she opted to sit at the end of Hermione's bed.

Hermione found herself wishing her friends would come back soon. She had never felt this uncomfortable in Jenny's presence before, even at the beginning when Hermione hadn't trusted her, she had still found the healers soft smile and gentle ambiance to be soothing.

'This session I thought it would be good for me to make some notes, Miss Granger, so that we can review your progress. Why don't we begin with the incident between you and Vikor Krum, hmm? You don't mind a quick quotes quill do you?'

There was definitely something wrong. Healer Jenny never made notes, she was always totally focused on what Hermione had to say. She also never suggested topics of conversation, rather letting the discourse flow more naturally. There was something about the woman sitting in front of her that felt familiar in a sinister way. But the mention of her attack and her brain fog from her new medications meant she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Luckily at that moment, Ginny entered the room carrying a storming Teddy

'Mummy I want to go back! I was talking to Mister-oh! Who are you?'

'Teddy!' Admonished Ginny 'What a rude question to ask! I'm terribly sorry I don't believe we have met, I'm Hermione's friend Ginny Potter and this is my son Teddy, and you are?'

The entrance of Ginny and Teddy seemed to have unsettled Healer Jenny as she immediately stood up to leave.

'Oh I'm just leaving, Hermione and I were just reviewing her progress, I'll be off now'

In her haste, the healer tripped on the leg of a chair and a pair of bejewelled spectacles fell out of her pocket. Hermione recognised the glasses instantly.

'Rita?' Hermione gasped in shock. The woman looked up, clearly planning to argue but as she did her skin began to bubble, her hair turned blond and she seemed to be visibly shrinking. Teddy jumped behind his mother in fear as Ginny whipped out her wand. Standing in front of them, the effects of Polyjuice potion finally gone, was none other than Rita Skeeter.

Hermione froze in shock. What was she doing here? How did she know Hermione was here? What was she planning?

A smile grew over Skeeter's smug face. 'Uh-oh seems I've been caught. Never mind never mind, this means we can speak properly Miss Granger hmm? My readers are keen to hear your excuses, locking that poor strapping boy in prison, and for what? You've clearly lost your mind, nothing you say can be credible, sat here in a psychiatric ward. Nobody is ever going to believe you, and that poor boy, his whole career ahead of him. What do you have to say for yourself Miss Granger? Tell my avid readers what made you decide to besmirch that boy's good name. Did he find someone better? Try to leave you? Well it wouldn't surprise me. As I said when you two got together, what international quidditch heartthrob wants to end up with a-'

The next part of her sentence was lost as she dropped to the ground, Ginny's lowering her wand behind her.

'Mione? Are you- none of that was true Mione, you know that right? Mione say something?'

Ginny anxiously looked around for her husband and Draco, she needed to get Teddy out of here

'Mione?'

But Hermione wasn't answering, she was staring at where Rita lay on the floor, breathing heavy and heart thumping.

All of a sudden she began to scream, rocking back and forth in hysteria. As her vitals jumped her enchanted chart began to blare out in alarm. Healers ran into the room desperately trying to restain Hermione as she pulled at her bandages in desperation, screaming hysterically.

Ginny looked down at her son who was staring at his godmother in horror.

All of a sudden Draco and Harry came running into the room

'Ginny, take Teddy and get out of here' Ginny was surprised to hear the instructions coming out of Draco's mouth, but she followed them none the less.

Draco ran over to Hermione, climbing onto the bed to be right in her eyeline.

'Hermione? Hermione? She's gone. Hermione its ok. Hermione you are safe' but there was no reaching her, her eyes were blank. He tried to reason with her, to get through, but she continued to scream endlessly. Eventually another nurse entered with a large needle and she collapsed into her pillows as the sedative finally took effect. The silence rang out, louder than the scream ever had been.

Draco could only stare at her as the healer briefly spoke to Harry and then left the room. She had been making progress, she has been getting better. What was he going to do now?

He looked around at the sound of quiet crying, somewhere in the rush of healers leaving, Ginny had brought Teddy back into the room. As Draco turned to look at him, he ran over throwing himself into Draco's arms as he sobbed.

Looking at Ginny and Harry he had no idea what to do, what to say. What do you tell a child that has just witnessed something like that? So he didn't say anything, he just sat there, holding the little boy, staring at the woman he had come to admire so much.

They sat like that for what felt like hours until it was time for the Potter's to go. He transferred the fast asleep Teddy into Harry's arms and nodded goodbye to them. Rubbing his eyes and settling back into his uncomfortable chair Draco felt utterly lost. What were they going to do? She had just began to feel safe here, just began to trust the healing process.

Staring at the tiny figure in the bed, pondering the helplessness of the situation. Draco was struck by just how much he had begun to care for the witch. He couldn't think of a time where he had ever cared this much about a person, except for maybe his mother. How was he going to fix this? How could he protect her? The bubble that he and the Potters had been trying to preserve for so long had just been popped in the most cruel fashion.

He needed to keep her safe, he needed to keep her healthy; and with these thoughts an idea began to form in his mind.