Drifts of consciousness...

"Will she be all right?"
"Calm yourself. Yes, she will."
"But she's been asleep so long..."
A light appeared, bright and silvery. What was it they said in all those books? The light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe this was what dying was. A hand taking a light grip on her's pulled her back to the world of the living. The light shifted from a heaven-like radiance into a halo of spun silver framing a sharp pale face. Was it a dream or reality? Her head felt light like it was filled with helium, yet heavy like it was still below water. Water...wait. Didn't she...or did she?
A vague memory of being enveloped by liquid darkness...
*
She awoke in a room filled with the cloying scent of musk and cinnamon. Feeling secure and safe, her fingers felt thick blankets wrapping her in their warmth. Candles flickered and shadows danced on the walls. A voice beyond the glow of the candles...
"Did you sleep well princess?" A voice warm and rich, like molasses, soothing like a summer breeze. Such a change from its usual bitter frostiness.
Hermione gently rubbed her sore eyes and looked up at him. This was real, no longer a dream. A few blinks and the image cleared up, and everything changed from blurred edges into smooth shapes.
"Get away from me Malfoy."
Draco was shocked at her sudden behaviour. She glared at him.
"Are you some kind of unbalanced psychotic pervert? Watching me sleep...how could you be so sick?! I mean, I know you're Malfoy and you're sick, but HOW COULD YOU SINK SO LOW!?"
His hand lashed out and slapped her, causing her to cry out at the sudden sharp pain across her cheek. Her hand reached up and soothed the stinging, her eyes filling with hot tears.
"I saved your life you ungrateful little..." The sentence remained unfinished. Ashamed of his sudden violent behaviour, he gently stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry Hermione."
A further shock. She didn't pull away from him, and instead fixed her eyes on his own stone blue ones. He continued, not moving his hand away.
"Why did you do it? Is it because you're unhappy?"
"Ten points to the idiot for that answer." She whispered. "Of course I'm not unhappy. I'm as happy as can be. I just love being here. Dear diary, I love my life as an obedient yes-girl to Draco Malfoy. My life resembles that of a pet dog but it's all good. Now, what do you think?" She tilted her head and looked up towards him, eyes filled with a dozen emotions.
He removed his hand and turned away, though he didn't answer her question.
"You've been asleep, almost half-dead, for over a week. Snape...he uh, he helped me keep you alive."
"And weren't you glad I was half way there? Saved you your trouble...saved everyone's. Why did you..." Her voice was soft, like liquid gold. "Why did you even bother to save me?"
"Because I can not live without you." His voice cracked with emotion as he turned back to face her. "I can not live without my soul." A single crystal tear slid down his cheek. "Even though I don't deserve you."