Title: I Believe In You
Author: YummySushiToo (sushi3579@yahoo.com)
Summary: In which Hermione receives a terrible shock, and Draco is put back together again. Includes shrieking, blushing, dancing, and lame joke telling.
Disclaimer: Not mine, kids. I ain't playin'.
Chapter FourWith a minimum of struggling, but much blushing and averting of eyes, Hermione managed to strip Draco and get him into the steaming bathwater. "Now. Do you think you can wash yourself?" she asked.
No answer.
Hermione mentally whined, Why me? and knelt next to the bathtub. "We'll do this in stages," she explained, desperately needing to hear someone, anyone, talking. "First we'll wash you, then your hair."
Gently, Hermione scrubbed three months worth of Merlin-knew-what off Draco. Not once did he move of his own accord, and he never made a sound. She washed his hair four times with her lavender vanilla shampoo, eventually getting it clean to her satisfaction. "We don't want you having Professor Snape hair, do we?" she joked lamely.
Silence.
Finally, she shaved his face. He was beginning to look like his old self again, save for the haunted look in his eyes.
"All right, stand up. You've soaked in your own filth long enough," she said conversationally. "You know, that's the thing I can't stand about baths. I mean, do we really get clean, sitting in dirty water? Nope. Give me a nice clean shower any day."
Draco said nothing, which made Hermione wonder why she made any effort. Still, she was probably the only human contact he'd had in months. So something, even if it was her dumb theory about baths, was better than nothing.
Hermione helped Draco to stand on the bathmat, and she dried him off. Again, much blushing and averting of eyes. She felt even more mortified as she knelt in front of him in order to dry his legs. Right there, right at bloody eye level, was his – er – naughty bits. Her eyes would. Not. Look. Away.
So. You're going to be clinical about this, hmm? Treat him like any other patient? Do you stare at some random patient's meat-and-two-veg?
Oh, you just shut your trap, she told herself, standing up quickly.
Patiently, she got Draco dressed, then combed his hair, and even helped him brush his teeth. "There," she began, as she stood in front of the mirror beside him, "now don't you feel better? Squeaky clean!" Hermione rubbed his shoulder and made an eek-eek! sound, like her Dad used to do when he would give her a bath.
Not a word.
Hermione's smile faltered, and she sighed and turned away. "I'll give you a haircut tomorrow, Draco. For now, why don't you eat something and go to sleep?"
She had to practically bribe Draco to eat, but he gave in and ate half a sandwich and drank a cup of tea. After, she led him to the spare bedroom.
"This is your room, all right? Nice warm bed, clean and comfy. See?" Hermione sat on the bed and gave an experimental bounce. "You'll love it, I promise." She turned down the covers, and he crawled into the bed.
"My room is right down the hall," she told him as she covered him up. "I'll leave your door open a bit. If you need anything, just call." Hermione turned out the light and stepped toward the door. "I'm so glad I found you, Draco. I'm so glad you're safe and sound."
On a whim, she turned to look at him. Then before she could think twice, she bent and kissed him on the forehead. "I believe in you, Draco Malfoy," she whispered, then left the room.
Hermione walked out into her kitchen and stood there, eyes wide. Suddenly, she grabbed a towel and ran to the bathroom. She turned on the tap and sat on the floor. Her breath hitched, and she began to cry. She couldn't even catch her breath.
Draco, who had always been so proud, so in control, was now so very helpless. His eyes had been so haunted and sad. Pain and anguish had radiated off him in waves. If Hermione cried forever, she still didn't think that would be enough tears for Draco. Her heart broke for him; broke into a thousand pieces.
She hoped the towel would muffle her sobs and not disturb Draco. She did not want to make him upset by showing her sadness. Hermione decided then and there that she would only show a smiling face and say pleasant things in order to help him get well. If he was able to get well. The thought made her cry harder.
In the spare bedroom, Draco turned onto his right side and faced the open door. He could hear the water running in the bathroom, and underneath that, the sound of crying. Hermione was crying. Tears slipped down his cheeks as his eyes fluttered closed. "Oh, Hermione," he whispered.
