True to his word the following three weeks were Narcissa-conflict free. They took most of their meals in either Draco's study or the library. If they weren't in either place they were in one of the two local villages. Draco always made sure to let the house elves know where they were going to be, just in case.
Mina had received a rather large package from her parents via Mrs. Figg. Inside was her new laptop computer and mobile phone. Draco enjoyed learning how she was able to communicate with her parents without alerting anyone in the magical world. When she showed him how she planned to use her computer to aid in her research he was hooked.
With additional information from Mina's parents, Draco decided he had to have his own laptop computer and mobile phone. The Grangers purchased a laptop and added Draco to their mobile phone contract. They used the same arrangement with Mrs. Figg to get Draco his new toys. In true fashion, Draco was able to arrange a way to pay for everything that wouldn't alert anyone who might have nefarious plans for Mina or her family.
They discovered the local villages together and loved them. One village was muggle and they discovered a lovely little internet cafe' where they could use their computers and Draco learned all the wonderful coffees muggles had invented. The other was magical and even though Draco had grown up in the magical village, by showing it to Mina he discovered it anew. Mina learned all the things on how to live in the magical world that she didn't learn at Hogwarts.
As angry as Draco was with his mother, he still made sure to spend time with her every day; afternoon tea was their preferred time. The first few days after Mina's arrival were tense between the Malfoys. It took those first few days for them to have a tacit agreement not to discuss Mina or anything regarding her research. Though it was strained, the ice slowly started to thaw between the family members. Narcissa did not approve of her son's association with that girl. She was smart enough to watch both of them from the shadows and was not happy with their growing closeness. She saw the way Draco and Mina watched each other when the other wasn't looking. After only a short time Narcissa decided that if she didn't intervene her son was likely to do something completely unacceptable like start an intimate relationship with that...muggle-born.
Not willing to risk alienating her son further she bided her time. Narcissa decided she would approach the young witch when Draco was absent and give her whatever she wanted to leave. If the muggle-born left on her own, Draco would have to accept it and he would never know what Narcissa had done to save him. She waited until Mina was alone in the library before confronting the younger witch. "A word Miss Granger."
Mina was startled and wary of the older witch, "Lady Malfoy, what can I do for you?"
"You can leave. Leave here and leave Draco. You aren't welcome here and you need to leave. This is my home and I have put up with Draco's little pet mud...you long enough. Name your price."
"Name my price...you want to pay me to leave. Is that correct?" Mina asked.
"Do not be obtuse, you understand me completely." Narcissa was coldly clipped with her response.
"And if I don't leave? What will you do then?"
"Do not underestimate me, child. I have lived with and survived far worse than you. I will not let you or Draco bring this family down any farther. I can make your stay here more unpleasant than you can possibly imagine."
Hermione sighed at the same time as her backbone stiffened, "More unpleasant than the last time I was your guest? Mrs. Malfoy, your sick bastard of a husband tormented me and my friends for the last however many years including giving my friend, who was only 11 years old at the time, a cursed book that very nearly killed her; murdering a child?! Your insane sister tortured me before she carved me up with a cursed blade," she pulled up her left sleeve to show the MUDBLOOD carved there. She made sure to make eye contact with the woman before her, "which will never heal, by the way, but that doesn't matter does it? I'm not a human being after all, am I? Draco, your son, bullied me for years. In fact, he's the one who taught me what this word really means. The psychopath that you followed put a kill on site order on me and my two best friends, again we were barely adults. Guess what, we are still here. He's not, he's dead. So your sad little myopic attempts to force me out of Draco's life aren't going to work. Compared to all that and everything else I've been through and had to survive due to people like you, all of which made me stronger, you are a pale imitation of what keeps me up at night."
Before Narcissa could respond, Mina continued, "what are you Lady of anyway since the aristocracy is a Muggle thing? If you truly are a Lady maybe your blood isn't as pure as you claim? Or are you another pretender like your dear Dead Lord, Riddle? Either way, it makes me wonder if masquerading as the Lady of County gives you some strange sense of solace; something on which to hold. Maybe you're trying to convince the people of the county...or this country or perhaps just yourself that all the choices you made didn't suck to the point of nearly killing your only child. But acting like everything is the same as it was before the war despite the plethora of evidence to the contrary is just ridiculous.
"Harry told me what you did to save Draco. Lying to Riddle was pretty gutsy so I know you love Draco very much but in the end, it's your choice to either continue to embrace those same bad choices the endangered him in the first place or to accept that some things have changed. Whichever you choose, leave me alone."
"If you have had such a wretched time due to my family why are you here? How can you be here with Draco?" Narcissa asked.
"I'm here because he asked me. We're friends because he has earned my respect and my forgiveness. Not because I choose to forget what happened but because I know I can't move past what happened to me without forgiving those who hurt me." Mina replied.
"I don't believe you. You're trying to hurt him by making him into filth like you! You're taking him away from his family, his traditions. You're plotting against us; trying to hurt us. I won't let you get away with whatever your twisted little mind has concocted. No matter what your vendetta is I won't stand idly by!" Narcissa had lost her cold facade though her voice never rose above a normal speaking volume.
Mina was going to respond but instead of words, a scream of pain emerged startling Narcissa. Mina grabbed her left arm and dropped to her knees. Blood started to pool in her hand and flow through her fingers as she continued to scream.
Narcissa had not noticed the blood due to the screaming coming from the younger woman. Narcissa's first reaction was to draw her wand and prepare for whatever might be coming at her. Before she could react in any other way Draco came barreling through the door and saw Mina on the floor, bleeding and screaming and his Mother standing over her, her wand drawn and deathly white while visibly shaking.
"Mother! What...What...Hermione!" Draco kneeled down and looked at Mina's arm. "Shite!" He saw that the 'mudblood' scar on her arm was the source of the bleeding and put his hand over the scar to stem the flow. Unfortunately, the blood just kept pumping out of her. Her screaming in his ear didn't help his panic. His only real thought was to control the bleeding and get her to St. Mungo's. Control bleeding. Control the flow of blood...that's it! He pulled his wand out and used the spell Mina used on him during his tattoo. With Mina calming down and the bleeding slowing down, he made her lay down and then questioned his mother. "Mother! What happened?" When he didn't get an answer he looked closely at her. She was paler than he had ever seen her and she was backing away. "Mother!" He left Mina for a moment and tried to get Narcissa's attention but to no avail. He started back to Mina only to feel his mother's hands grab him back.
"No Draco! Bella won't like it if you help her. She'll hurt you! It won't matter that your family. The Dark Lord is coming and we have to make sure you're not here when He arrives." She tried to pull him away. "Draco, come! You have to leave! Please! Leave before Bella comes back and the Dark Lord gets here!"
Draco stopped in his tracks and turned to her. "Mother! MUM! Bella's dead and so is Riddle!" He only received a confused look from his mother. "The Dark Lord, Mother, he's dead and so is Bella and they are NOT coming back. I promise you, they can't hurt us anymore. But Mina is hurt. What happened?"
Narcissa was coming back from her shock, "We were talking; just talking when she started screaming. I don't know what happened." Narcissa looked at Mina laying on the floor with blood pooled around her. "Oh, Merlin! Bella is going be so angry, so very angry if she doesn't tell her whatever she wants to know. She's so dangerous when she gets like this. Even when she was young….so angry all the time…" She tapered off and stepped back to lean against a bookcase, her eyes lost and far away as memories consumed her.
Draco made a quick decision. "Andis!" The small elf popped in. "I need a towel or something to wrap around Miss Granger's arm. Then take Mother to her room, see if you can get her to lay down. If not, please get her tea and make her comfortable. I've gotta get Mina to St. Mungo's."
Andis left with a pop but was back almost immediately with a bath towel. Draco took it and started to wrap Mina's arm up as Andis took an unresponsive Narcissa's hand and disappeared with her.
"No." Mina's weak voice was barely heard. "Nothing Mungo's can do. I need some blood replenisher."
"We don't have any."
"Accio beaded bag," she said. The bag that was sitting on a table not eight feet from her shuddered but didn't move.
Draco followed her eye line and saw the bag sitting on the table. He reached over and just grabbed it off the table. He didn't wait for permission but opened the bag and reached inside expecting to only fit his hand in the bag. When his arm was in the bag up to his shoulder and he still hadn't felt the bottom, he pulled his arm out and used his wand, "Accio blood replenishing potion." Three vials of the potion were quickly in his hand. He uncorked one vial and helped Mina to drink it. He knew to wait for that one to take effect before allowing her to sit up and take another one. The amount of blood she had lost scared him. He really thought she should go to Mungo's but he had to convince her of that.
It took ten minutes and the second vial of potion before she was feeling well enough to respond to her very concerned friend. "Honestly Draco, this is what happens when this dumb thing starts to bleed."
Draco looked at her like she was crazy. "This was more than it just bleeding a lot. You were spewing blood like a fountain and screaming in pain. Mother was holding her wand but was in shock for lack of a better word. What happened?"
Mina sighed as she looked at her arm, "What did she say happened?"
"Just that you two were talking then you started screaming. I found you on the floor so I'm assuming you fell."
"Well, we were talking and then I felt this amazingly painful ripping go through my arm. I will trust you that I was screaming. I don't really remember screaming but since my throat is sore and it hurts to talk I'll take your word for it."
"You were. Louder than…*deep breath*...louder than when she carved you up. I remember those screams well and this time there is a lot more blood."
"Draco, why doesn't this hurt?"
"I used your spell on it. The one you used for my tattoo." He looked at her arm and it was still seeping blood but at least it wasn't pouring out of her. "You were just talking? With my mother? What were you talking about?"
"She offered me money to leave. She said I was turning you into filth like me. Claimed I was doing it as some sort of vendetta against the Malfoy family."
"A vendetta?" As he ended the word, the screaming started again and the blood began to freely flow from her arm. "SHITE!" Whatever caused this had started up again. He canceled the original spell on her arm and tried again. It worked but not quite as well as it had the first time. "What in Merlin's name…" He quickly uncorked the third and last blood replenishing potion and helped her drink it. "Mina, that is your last one. You need to go to Mungo's."
"No. There is nothing they can do. They've tried. If you want, you can contact Healer Peter Arbuckle. He's a curse wound specialist that has been trying to help me. Can I get some water? And maybe a pain potion for my throat?"
"Tondly!" A large elf as far as elf size is concerned, appeared. "Tondly, Miss Granger needs a pain potion and some water. Please have them in her room when we get there." The elf bowed and popped away. "Come on, let's get you settled in your room. Then I'll floo call the healer. He's at Mungo's?" She nodded her head as he helped her stand. He supported her as they walked to her room.
When they arrived they saw the pain potion and a pitcher of water with a glass sitting on the table next to the bed. He led her over to the bed and helped her get comfortable. Then gave her some water followed by the pain potion. "I'll be right back. Try and sleep or at least rest." With a little help, she was laying down and closing her eyes before he left the room.
He quietly closed the door and leaned against it. He took a couple of deep steadying breaths, why do people do these deep breaths? It never works for me, he thought. He pushed away from the door, "Andis." The elf arrived. "Is mother settled?"
"Yes, Master. She is been having tea and is laying downs now."
"Thank you Andis." He kneeled down to be on eye level with her, "I need to ask you to look after both of them, Andis. I'm sorry. I know you have so much to do already but looking after Mother and Miss Granger is going to be your priority for the next couple of hours. If you need me, I'll be in the study making some floo calls." Andis nodded and disappeared. Draco made his way to the study.
After an unsuccessful floo call to 's in which he was only able to leave a message for the Healer, he sat and debated calling Mina's parents to let them know she was injured.
It didn't take long before he received a return call from the healer. "Mr. Malfoy, Healer Arbuckle. I received your message but I am confused. What happened? Exactly."
"Healer, thank you for calling back so quickly. Miss Granger said she and my mother were just talking when she felt a ripping pain in her arm."
Peter interrupted, "Ripping?"
"That's how she described it but when I arrived she was on the floor, screaming, while blood poured from her arm. I don't think Mother did anything to her because Mother was white as a Hogwarts' ghost and babbling. Mina said there was nothing to be done except keep taking blood replenishing potions and wait for it to stop."
"She's correct. Everything we've tried has failed to stop the bleeding. I still haven't figured out why it doesn't heal but I keep trying. Just keep giving her the blood potions. May I come through and examine her?"
"Of course, Healer. Come through when you can but we are out of blood potions. We used two the first time and the last one when it started up again."
"It happened twice?" The healer asked.
"Yes."
"I'm coming now. There will be two of us." The healer closed the floo call and only a minute later he and an assistant healer, carrying a large bag, stepped out of the fireplace. He stuck out his hand, "Healer Peter Arbuckle. Pleasure to meet you. Call me Peter."
"Peter? Draco. Nice to meet you."
"This is my best assistant, Assistant Healer Penelope Clearwater." Draco and the assistant exchanged nods of acknowledgment.
"This way, Peter." Draco started to lead the way out of the study. Draco led them through the house and up to Mina's room.
When they arrived at MIna's room, Draco gave a soft knock and slowly opened the door. He saw Mina was sound asleep on her bed. A new towel had been wrapped around her arm but it was already soaking through and would need changing. Draco stepped into the room followed by the other two. "Mina?" He walked up and placed his hand on her head. "She's warm and moist." Draco looked at the healers.
They came farther into the room and started their diagnosis spells. "She's running a fever, Healer. 102.4°. Her blood pressure is also low." Without being asked Assistant Healer Clearwater took two potions out of the bag she was carrying. She uncorked them and helped Mina drink them.
"Hermione? Hermione, can you hear me?" Healer Arbuckle questioned.
Mina's eyes opened just enough to try and focus on the voice, "Peter?"
"Yep, it's me, Hermione. Clearwater just gave you two more blood potions. Got yourself into something of a pickle, didn't you, you naughty girl. Can you tell me what happened?"
Mina turned her head and saw the assistant, "Hi Pen."
"Hi Sweetie, can't stay away can you?" Penelope smiled as she bathed the younger witch's forehead with a cool cloth.
"Seems not. Peter, have you met Draco? He's my friend."
The healers exchanged a look and Peter focused on his patient. "Hermione, can you tell me what happened?" Peter was slowly unwrapping the bloody towel. When he saw the condition of the wound he frowned. Mina hadn't answered him and looked at her, she was unconscious again. "This doesn't look as bad as I was expecting."
Draco answered him, "This is the second towel that I know about but there's a spell on her arm. It slows the blood flow or something. She invented it so I...I don't know all the details but it's numbing the pain and slowing the blood loss. Unfortunately, I have to take it off soon. She said it wasn't good to leave it on longer than 70 to 90 minutes at a time."
"How long has it been on?" Peter asked.
"About 35 minutes, I'd guess," Draco answered.
"I am more than a little concerned. The last time, she didn't have a fever, she wasn't unconscious and three blood potions was enough. Something else is going on." He thought for a minute, "Clearwater, get another three vials of blood potion in her, then Draco, take the spell off. I need to see what we're dealing with here."
Clearwater, after years of administering potions to unconscious patients, had the potions in Mina very quickly. When she indicated the last potion was in, the healer had Draco remove the spell.
The pain wrenched a scream from Mina as she was brought back to consciousness. Blood quickly soaked her arm and the everything around her. Through her screams of pain Healer Arbuckle used every idea his training had ever given him to try and stop the bleeding. After five minutes, Arbuckle shook his head and told Draco to place the spell back on Mina.
Draco quickly put the spell back on his friend, quieting her screams and slowing the blood loss as Clearwater administered another vial of blood potion. "Healer, she's had the maximum recommended number of blood potions," Clearwater said.
"Thank you, Clearwater." Healer Arbuckle was clearly stumped and had no problem admitting it, "I honestly don't know what to do right now. The spell is the only thing that is keeping her from bleeding out. She can't take any more blood replenishing potions for the next 24 hours but she can't keep the spell on for more than 90 minutes but if you take it off, she'll bleed and will need more blood potions."
In the following silence, a weak voice was heard, "Draco." He walked to her and sat on the bed. "Call Mum and Dad." He looked puzzled. "There is no magical way but there might be a muggle way. Mr. Weasley had stitches after Nagini attacked him. He had the same problem. Magical means didn't work, this might."
"Ok. I'll have to go to the village to call though but I don't want to leave you."
"It's ok. I have Pete and Pen here," she gave the healers a small smile. "Tell'em everything then you're going to have to go get them." Mina was weakening and her voice was thready.
When she had passed out again, Draco turned to the healers. "Her parents are muggle healers. She said they might have a way to help. I have to contact them and then bring one of them here. I don't know how long all this will take. Can you stay with her? I can show you the spell. If I'm not back in an hour, take the spell off for 5 - 10 minutes then put it back on. Be prepared, as you saw it bleeds nonstop."
The healers agreed and Draco taught them the spell. When he was sure they had the spell perfect, he apparated to an alley behind their favorite coffee shop in the nearby muggle village. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed her father. It took more than one attempt for the call to be answered and when it was it was abrupt. "WHAT?!"
"Mr. Granger...it's Draco. There been an accident. Mina's alive but not doing well."
There was a deadly silence for a moment before, "Tell me what happened," her father choked out the order.
"I don't really have much time but that scar on her arm has started to bleed and it won't stop. The healers have tried everything they know and nothing is working. Mina said you might be able to help her. Something about stitching. But she also has a fever and is in a lot of pain. Sir, she asked me to call you and then come get you."
Dr. Granger, who was a dentist, not an emergency doctor was in shock but his wife had woken up and asked what was happening. Her voice, so like Mina's, brought him quickly back to himself. He turned to his wife, "Mina's hurt. They need our help. Nothing magical is working." As Michelle gasped, Robert's attention was shifted back to the telephone, "Yes, I'll come. Meet me in the office. I'll be there in 30 minutes."
"Sir, we don't have 30 minutes. I'll be in your lounge in moments after we hang up." Draco disconnected the call and apparated directly into the lounge. Fortunately, he had access through the wards. He grabbed his phone and called again.
"Draco?"
"I'm in the lounge. Please hurry."
Both Doctors Granger came racing down the stairs. "We have to go to the office. That's where all the supplies are." He was still in his sleep clothes but Draco grabbed his arm.
"Do you trust me?" Draco asked.
Just as Michelle yelled, "Call me!" the older man nodded and Draco apparated Robert to their dental office. They landed and Robert promptly leaned over a rubbish bin and emptied his stomach. Out of politeness, Draco vanished the mess as Robert took a couple of deep breaths. "Please give me warning next time."
Draco nodded and Robert saw the embarrassment climbing the young man's face. Robert grabbed the office keys and tore down the hall to the surgery suite. Unlocking the door, he grabbed a plastic bag and handed it to Draco, "Follow me." He unlocked many cabinets and started to grab all kinds of items that Draco had no clue what they were and stuffing them into the bag. When the bag was getting full and there was no sign that Robert was stopping in his frantic grabbing, Draco took up a second bag and they kept going. Just before leaving the surgery, Robert grabbed several boxes of disposable gloves and stuffed them Draco hands. Robert raced back to the front desk and left a quick note to the staff about what was happening and to cancel the next few days appointments. When he was done with that he nodded he was ready and Draco took his arm. Moments later they were back in Mina's room.
Robert swallowed down his nausea from the apparition but was almost brought to his knees upon seeing his daughter laying in bed. She was pale, sweating, and bleeding. He stuffed the things he was carrying to Draco's hands and rushed to her side. "Baby? Can you hear me?" When he didn't get a response he put some steel behind his voice, "Hermione Jean, you answer me!"
"Daddy?"
"There she is. Hi baby. What happened?"
"I don't feel good, Daddy."
"I can tell. But I'm here, baby. We'll figure this out. I love you, baby girl. I'm going to go talk to the doctor and see what I can find out ok? You rest." She nodded her head. He kissed her forehead and turned to speak to with the other people in the room. "You are?" He inquired of the man who appeared to be the doctor in charge.
"Healer Peter Arbuckle, call me Peter." He put his hand out to be shaken in greeting. "I understand you are a healer as well."
"Robert Wil...Granger. Hermione's father. I'm a dentist."
"A dentist...dent..dental...a healer for teeth, correct?"
"Yes, what can you tell me about what's happening to my daughter?"
Peter explained everything they knew at this point with Robert interrupting for clarification. A plan was decided upon and then one healer, one assistant healer, and one dentist got to work trying to control the bleeding.