Chapter Four

Draco's POV

Draco noticed her failed attempt of trying not to shake, but this time it was from tears and not from the cold. "Granger, just sit down." He gritted his teeth as he sought to sooth her. The puzzle continued to get even more complicated.

She rubbed her arms and then covered her face, giving into a sob. Her silent cry was not laced with sorrow, but of anger. Granger pulled herself together and wiped her tears off with her sleeve. Wanting to stay focused on his own motives of bringing her aid, he scrolled through a list of responses to bring her back to her senses. Old habits were very hard to break. "Now what?" He was bugged that he even had to ask her.

"I need to leave, I can't stay here any longer." Hermione began to pace, but then took a deep breath, as if she was trying to concentrate. "Why can't I Apparate?!" She swung herself around and glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

Draco stood cautiously and held his hands up assuredly, "I had to put stronger wards over the Manor so nothing else could come in… the spell works both ways." He needed to find something that would appeal to her better nature; his ideas were slim. "Just sit." Draco tried his hardest to not sound commanding, but nothing came out the way he wanted it to. Granger started to storm out of the room, but Draco stood in her way. "Where are you going?"

"If I can't Apparate then I will have to walk, like a Muggle!" She threw the insult harshly, and Draco squinted hard at her and bit his cheek before a nasty retort slipped out. "Get out of the way." When he didn't move, she pushed her shoulder into him and stomped out of the room.

Draco was afraid if she really did leave, he would lose the chance of her help. On one hand, that's what he wanted – for his blood to stop boiling. If she left that would cease, if she left he would be able to live his life normally, if she left… the unrealistic hope would be completely that – unrealistic. He fought the urge to gag when he called out to her, "Granger, wait…please…" It was almost a whisper, but he saw her pause. It worked. It was shameful to resort to pleading, begging. It was disgusting. Pride grew into regret when she didn't turn, he stormed to the couch and flung himself down on it. He was defeated and lost which quickly turned into worry. Emotions whizzed through his body all leaving him, hopeless. Thinking he rubbed his eyes too hard, he saw a figure to his side. Expecting Loxley, and ready to bark at him, Draco swallowed his words when he saw it was Granger. Maybe hope wasn't completely out of his reach.

Very displeased, she gritted her teeth, "What do you bloody want?" The amount of anger pent up inside of her was astonishing. His cutthroat insults he manifested during their school years had sparked anger, but never fury or malice. During school, he had wanted to push her buttons, wanted a reaction, but her skin had always been as hard as steel; that in itself was more than admirable to Draco. It was easier to get a fuss out of The-Boy-Who-Lived. But tonight he began to wonder what had caused her to be fragile and bitter, and oddly enough that didn't settle well with him.

Curiosity uncontrollably spewed out of him, "Why are you so angry with me? Besides the obvious, I'm at a loss at why you're so upset. You're calloused with a hint of bitterness." Her expression stayed the same, and he immediately regretted asking. He didn't care to be curious about her personal vendetta against him - at least that's what he kept telling himself. He only wanted one thing; to solve his own problem. "Don't worry about it, forget I asked. You probably shouldn't go back anyways." Draco was stiff on the couch and intensely watched the fire. As he leaned forward, he lost sight of her. He wanted everything to go back to the way things were, uncomplicated and empty. It had been a very long time when the Malfoy Manor was filled with anybody new, and the amount of emotion Granger held made him completely content if nothing new ever came again. However, a twinge of acceptance with her being at the Manor had brought some sort of appeal to Draco.

"Here, your food." Loxley appeared and sat a silver platter on a small table that was next to the tree. Draco caught the hesitation in Granger's step, but the aroma of the fresh roast won her over. As she began to chow down, Loxley spoke up, "Anything else, sir?" Draco knew his house elf was unhappy with serving Granger, so he gave him his freedom for the night. Granger turned away from her food and stared at Draco quizzically.

She swallowed, "You gave him 'freedom'?" She took a bite out of her bread, "You've gone soft." She rolled her eyes and turned back towards her food, not waiting for his response.

"And you've gone sour."

"Looks better on me than it did on you…" she swished her drink around in her mouth.

That infuriating comment unexpectedly set him off. He broke the stare from the fire and bored his gaze into the back of her half dried head of frizz. The moment he needed to have the last word, his mind went blank. He tried to conjure an insult, but it was far too late to reply now. From insults to questions, Draco's mind racked around ideas that could have caused her attitude change. Granger always found it easy to find the smallest amount of happiness in any type of darkness, which he was still envious about – what made now any different? Throughout the halls of Hogwarts, he instantly picked her out of a crowd because of her distinct laugh, which he thought to be somewhat repulsive, nauseating. Now, standing behind her, wanting rage to fuel him, he could only feel his stomach churn; he hadn't heard her laugh in over three years, maybe even more. He rejected such thoughts and let his stomach church with the mere thought of wanting to hear that repulsive, nauseating laugh again. Nonetheless, the thought lingered.

"Malfoy." He broke from the memory and realized she had started to turn towards him. Granger was calculating the words that were about to come out. It took time, but she finally spat them out. "Why did you kidnap me?"

He looked around to make sure Loxley wasn't around and truthfully answered, "I didn't. Loxley took it upon himself to do what I couldn't, or wouldn't." Draco pushed his hair back from his eyes as he turned back to stare at the crackling fire. "I didn't know he did that, nor did I instruct him to do so." Embarrassment wasn't always visible, but he hid all he could in front of Granger.

"What do you expect from a house elf? They always try to do what's best, but always get in the way…" Draco found Granger staring off into the next room. There was more to the story behind her comment, but he didn't want to show any interest in the subject. "If he doesn't want me here, why did he bring me here in the first place?" Her voice had eased up from harshness and was slowly transitioned into a softer tone.

Draco loosened up and leaned back into the couch, and forced himself to look at anything else in the room that wasn't her. "I told him I went to your shop and found nothing, and I guess he took that the wrong way and brought you here. He acted as if he knew you or something, so I guess he thought you'd be helpful." Maybe this was the way to convince her to help.

She stood quickly and started to pace, "How could I be helpful or useful if he didn't tell me what it was you were trying to do? He was so persistent and forceful, he was acting more than a common house elf."

"Well, he is more than a common house elf." There was a splash of edginess to his tone that caught Granger off guard. "I owe him."

Stopping and standing behind him and the couch, Draco wished she would leave the room so he didn't have to explain himself anymore. He needed to control the conversation, but she was too quick. "You owe him? He's your servant, and that's all they should be, right? No connections, no ties, no anything." He couldn't help his neck from whipping around to gawk at the one who wanted to save all of the house elves during the final battle at Hogwarts. When he saw her stand causal but completely poignant, he flipped back around and couldn't help but snicker. She rushed over in front of him and gasped. "What? Why are you laughing at me?" Draco caused her cheeks to burn red.

"I mean, I would have never thought I would hear the 'great Hermione Granger' say such things. Times have changed haven't they?" Even though he completely agreed with what he said, he couldn't help but feel sad for her. "Loxley is only acting the way you acted towards him, and trust me… he holds grudges." Draco stood and stretched annoyingly close to Granger, knowing it would irritate her. "Listen, I'm tired because unlike you, I didn't get to sleep all day," she squinted and her cheeks stayed cherry red from anger, "so I am going up for the night. Tomorrow we can discuss what you should do next. Just don't do anything rash or stupid, you tend to do that when you get angry." He was starting to find the joy in picking on her again. Before she could fully register what he said, he slipped out of her reach too quickly for her to harm him again.

Hermione's POV

Hermione grumbled and fell onto the couch when she lost sight of Malfoy going up the stairs. Unanswered questions still rattled her mind, and oddly enough she felt strange when she thought about going back to her flat. It had just been broken into and she couldn't help but think that she was safer, here, in the Malfoy Manor than she would be in her own home. All she had done after the war had been completely low-key. As she pondered the possibilities of who could have broken into her place, she began to rub her collar bone. A slow falling tear had uncontrollably fallen down her cheek when she realized she had not been wearing her necklace.

The chain had thin gold links that held a small infinity loop and two petite ruby jewels on both sides of the loop. A faint, but happy memory flooded her thoughts when she thought of the time when Ron presented the necklace to her as an early Christmas gift. Happy to receive it, she was upset with herself for not having anything for him in return. His voice was still very clear in her mind when she remembered him comforting her and not to worry. Hermione was told that it was the first part of a gift and he had the second gift coming to her on Christmas day.

Being surrounded by Christmas decorations had sparked rich and painful memories even though she forced herself not to let it consume her, again. The Christmas after the accident - the year of Ron's funeral - the Burrow was trying their best to celebrate the holiday as much as they could. Losing a son in the war took a toll on the Weasley family, and then unexpectedly losing another shortly after almost tore them apart. Hermione joined their Christmas holiday in hopes of healing, but it was quite the opposite. Fake smiles and short stories filled the living room, but it clearly strained everyone more than expected. Shortly after the new year, the Weasley's decided to make major changes. This year was the first Christmas she was going to be completely alone, and the first Christmas she decided to not celebrate – until she got dragged into the worst place in the country where she couldn't be alone and had to celebrate it.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to retire to her room even though she was wide awake. Being secluded in her room and away from 'Christmas' was what she needed to "not be rash" according to Malfoy. Before she reached her room, Hermione heard rustling and running water from the room opposite of hers. There was a simple black door that had an inscription of a 'D' on it. Her curiosity climbed and she put her ear to the door trying to figure out what the noise could be. The running water was so sporadic and didn't have any type of rhythm to it, but before she could figure it out, the noise stopped.

"What kind of spell is he working on?" She tried to amuse herself thinking of first year charms he hadn't mastered yet, but being too concerned with trying to degrade him, she didn't hear footsteps getting closer to the door.

Hermione lost her footing when the door flew open, causing her to fall right on top of Malfoy. She pulled back as fast as she could but when she realized he was covered in a light mist of hot water and only had sweatpants on, she fumbled even more. Malfoy tried to help her catch her footing, but she kept trying to be independent and ignored his helpful hands. She finally got to her feet and stood up straight, trying to find words – any words. When Malfoy started to chuckle and force eye contact with her, she almost fell again in pure humiliation.

"Well, Granger," He leaned against the door frame with arms crossed, "Why are you always trying to spy on me?" Expecting an insult, she saw in his expression when it came out completely the opposite. His eyes glanced to her loose strands of curls looking as if he was trying to fight an urge.

Distracted and unsure of the situation, Hermione had taken a rather long moment to try and collect words and form a coherent sentence. Hermione couldn't help but notice the very defined figure Malfoy had kept from his Quidditch years. She always pictured him frail and weak, but the definition she fell on screamed a difference. Hermione straightened up her shirt and pulled her hair back, "I was trying to…" a lie wasn't coming up, "find you…"

"You found me," his curled smile didn't help Hermione. Could his smile be less charming and more devilish?

"No, I mean…" Embarrassment radiated heat from her core throughout her entire body; that's when she thought of the fire, "the fire is still lit… I didn't want it to stay lit," she continued, being fidgety, "overnight." She turned on her heel and hurried across the hall before he could read through the lie - if he hadn't already. She forcefully closed the door behind her and pushed her back to it. She whispered to herself harshly, "Why must I always let curiosity win?" She jumped when there was a soft knock at the door. She cleared her throat, "Yes?"

"I have something for you." Hermione could still feel the wetness on her that was transferred from Malfoy's body. She quickly tried to rub dry when she cracked the door open and only used half of her body to look out into the hallway. Malfoy stood, now wearing a shirt, holding something. "Here." He raised up his blanket towards the open crack. She looked down and saw the complete tattoo of the Death Mark, and flashes of it appearing in the night sky took hold of her memory. "Do you not want it?"

Hermione blinked back towards the blanket, "Oh, yes…please." She felt as if she couldn't deny it after what just happened. She felt him push the door wider and fully push the blanket through, but when Hermione grabbed it to bring it to her possession, he didn't let go. "Uh, thank you?" He snapped back from his daze and released the blanket.

Malfoy rubbed his face and then the back of his head. "Yeah… sure." The awkwardness started to settle between them.

Draco's POV

Draco stood as stiff as a board after Granger had closed the door. He heard her soft footsteps grow weaker as she moved away from the door and him. He face palmed in foolishness, "Stupid!" he cursed under his breath as he went back to his room. He flung the door closed behind him and started to pace the length of his room, yelling at himself, "What an idiot! It's Granger! Nobody Granger! What is wrong with me? I was only trying to get under her skin, nothing more." He stomped to his bed and fell hard on his back. "I hesitated on giving her the blanket, as if I wanted to say something to her! What do I need to say? Goodnight?" Then he realized that was exactly what he wanted to say to her. That was something he has wanted to say to her for a very long time. "Get over it, Malfoy!"

He fought with himself for half the night. In between thoughts, he filled his mind with practicing spells or straightening up his bedroom with said spells. Sleep was not on his mind, and for the first time in a long time, it wasn't because of a Dementor.

A cry from across the hall had hurried him over without any hesitation. Draco flung Hermione's door wide open and casted light to stand in all corners of the room to find the cause of all the ruckus. The unexplained rustling and cries came from a sleeping Granger who was tossing and turning while whimpering as if she was in pain. "Please… no, I don't know… please!" He rushed to her side and saw she was drenched in sweat. Draco wasn't sure how to wake her, but then immediately grabbed her shoulders and started to shake her out of it. "No! Stop!" Another cry pierced through Draco's chest.

"Eh! Wake up, Granger! You're having a –," a punch to the nose stopped him from finishing his sentence. Granger flung forward wide awake panting for breath. "Ah, man!" He stumbled back and stood by the bed holding his nose up.

She searched and grabbed her wand and flicked it at Draco's nose which immediately stopped bleeding and went back into place. "Malfoy! What? What are you doing?" Her voice trembled. "She's here, isn't she?" Granger began to rustle in the sheets and pushed herself back towards the headboard pulling the blankets to her face.

Wiggling his nose and wiping the sticky blood off of his face with his sleeve, he sat at her feet trying to calm her down, "Granger, no one else is here. You were having a nightmare." He was trying to be comforting, but he wasn't sure how. He reached for her, but pulled back when she flinched at his arm. He wasn't sure why he kept wanting to touch her.

"No! Your death mark moved and flashed up into the sky, calling out to her. She came," Hermione pointed towards the window, "and then she carved…" she again tried to catch her breath and pulled her arm out from under the covers, "she carved this into my arm again, and again…" The word 'mudblood' was just as it had been healed and scarred for the past three years. "It was so real, it was a new one… I thought I was over them…" She pulled her legs up and buried her face between her knees which were now held by her arms.

Draco sat, stunned. It was the first time he had fully seen the marking on her arm since it happened. He turned his head in shame, and tried to make light out of it. "Well, the only real thing that did happen was you punching me in the face. It was a lot better than the punch from our third year." There was silence for only a moment, and then he jerked his head up when he heard her chuckle. He bit his lip when a smile of happiness tried to grow across his face when he heard her. "Have you been practicing?"

"I did punch you, didn't I? I disliked you very much." Draco couldn't contain the tug at his lips to smile, as she began to lighten up.

"Who didn't want to punch me?" he rubbed his nose feeling the phantom pain from her punch.

Granger leaned her head back on the headboard, "Don't get me wrong, I still dislike you." He caught the blush she was trying to hide. Seriousness was then pushed out towards Draco, "Sorry I woke you because of a silly dream…" She wiped her forehead that was now caked with dried sweat. "This house and your," he caught her taking a quick glance at his marked arm, "mark gives me terrible memories."

Draco picked up his wand and pointed it at his mark, and then hesitated. He was conflicted, but he wanted her help later on and he needed her trust to stay. The only way this would work is if he showed Granger who he wished he wasn't forced to be. Without asking, he used a reveal charm where his mark rested on his arm. Granger's stare almost burned holes into his arm along with the spell. A red spray lightly puffed out of his wand and wisped over the mark revealing many scars that had been slashed all over it. Some scars went deeper than others and some looked freshly made whereas some looked aged.

When Granger spoke, he couldn't bear to make eye contact, "Oh, Malfoy. How?" She stopped, trying to search for the right question. "Why?" Draco heard the confusion in her voice, and concern came out clearer than shame. "Times have changed haven't they?" They sat there in silence for a couple of moments. Strangely enough it wasn't awkwardness that filled the empty air, but comfort; neither one of them acknowledged it.

Draco rose from the bed and flicked his wand at his arm in the opposite direction from before. The scars disappeared as Draco sighed. He saw Granger analyzing what to say as he started to leave. "Malfoy, uh…" He turned towards her, holding the door open, waiting for her soft voice to soothe him, even a little bit, "sorry to wake you…" Draco saw how she scrunched her face fighting what she really wanted to say.

Before he completely closed the door, he stuck his head through the opening, and gave a tiny smirk, "It's ok, Granger, I still dislike you too." He closed the door before the pillow she threw hit him in the face.

Getting back to his room, he thought he would be able to sleep, but instead he found himself waking up to any noise making sure it wasn't Granger having another nightmare. His thoughts forced him to stay awake. "Having company isn't half bad, but Granger? She is definitely the last person I would have ever dreamt of having here. I wanted her chuckle to irritate me, but it… didn't. I remember it being more annoying, or at least too perfect." The wind howling outside didn't faze Draco's mind. "But this house, my very existence makes her uneasy…that isn't fair to her. Maybe I should let her choose where to stay; where she would feel more comfortable. But she might not come back; do I really need her?" Thoughts see-sawed in his mind as he started to doze off.

Once again, thank you so much for following along and being a part of this story! Y'all are great.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or anything, just the plot. I'm not that good!