Disclaimer – I do not own anything but the plot. J.K.R does.
Chapter four
The Truth Shall Set You Free.
Laying in the bath, with bubbles all around her, Hermione closed her eyes. What was it Draco said? "You are in danger as long as I stay here". What kind of danger? She wondered, and who from? Voldemort was long gone, but she supposed there would always be someone out there ready and willing to take his place. Maybe that's what it is, some Dark Lord wannabe? She thought rubbing her temples. There was only one way to find out. Hermione prided herself on her ability to gain knowledge on anything, however stubborn the source. Draco would talk.
Hermione awoke sometime later still in the bath. Bubbles gone and the water cold. She got out and dried herself vigorously trying to fight off the goose bumps that were claiming her body. Pulling on her bathrobe, she headed for the living room, pausing to listen at her bedroom door. Silence. Softly she opened the door to find that Draco was laid, fully clothed under the sheets, fast asleep. She tiptoed over and moved a strand of hair that had fallen over his face. He looked so innocent. Looking at her alarm clock she saw that it was 20 past 9. I've been in the bath for 2 hours, she thought in surprise. She picked up the clock and a change of clothes for the morning, and crept out of the room.
It was just after 1 the following afternoon when Draco's eyes shot open. His first thought, and biggest concern was to his whereabouts, and relaxed visibly as he remembered. He looked around for a clock but couldn't see one. He had had to sell his watch a long time ago for food. Swinging his legs off the bed he stood, smoothed down his T-shirt and walked through to the living room. There was no sign of Hermione. Looking around he found a note that had his name printed neatly at the top.
Carrying 2 mugs Draco followed the hallway and descended the stairs, emerging in the small office behind the shop. Walking through the beaded curtain he smiled as he saw Hermione, her back to him looking bored out of her mind. He cleared his throat to get her attention without frightening her and placed the mugs on the counter. "I thought you would like one", he said. "I'm afraid it probably isn't very good, I never did get the chance to make many cups of tea". "I'm sure it will be fine" Hermione replied picking up one of the mugs and blowing across the top. Taking a hesitant sip she looked at Draco out of the corner of her eye to see him smirking at her. "See", she said, "I'm drinking it. It's lovely". His smile widened at her obvious pleasure.
"Is there anything I can do?" he asked looking around. "Yes" Hermione replied, "you can tell me what's going on with you". "I can't do that. The less you know the better." "But I don't know anything" she wailed, "you haven't told me anything". "It's better that way" Draco said quietly "It means you wont get hurt". "By who? Who's after you Draco? You're not making any sense". "I can't tell you". "Why the hell not?" Draco spun round to face her. "Because if I do" he said breathing heavily "if I do he'll come after you too and I just can't do that. I wont. I've said too much already". "Draco please, let me help you." She pleaded. "I'm sorry," he said shaking his head, and he turned to go back upstairs. All Hermione could do was watch him leave.
The minute it turned 5 o'clock she locked the door and ran up the stairs. Reaching the living room she was relieved to find Draco laid on the sofa, his blanket clutched in his hands. "Draco?" Hermione said quietly as she approached him. "Draco?" He opened his eyes and propped himself up on one hand. Hermione sat down and lowered his head onto her lap. "I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't have pushed". There were a few moments of silence between them before Draco spoke. "My father." He said. "What?" Said Hermione. "It's my father. He's the one".
Suddenly Hermione thought back to something she had wondered before. Why hadn't his father helped him? Of course, she thought, his father couldn't help him because he's......
"Your father?" she asked him, "I don't understand". Draco pulled his knees up to his chest before speaking again. "It was just after graduation when The Dark Lord was brought down. I was glad. No one knew that and I intended to keep it that way. A few months later my father found out that I myself had played a part in his downfall. From that moment on all he cared about was ending my life. He saw me as traitor, and traitors must be destroyed. I've been hiding from him ever since". "But Draco, that's impossible, I don't understand". "It's all true I assure you".
"But Draco, your father died a year and a half ago".
To be continued.................
Chapter four
The Truth Shall Set You Free.
Laying in the bath, with bubbles all around her, Hermione closed her eyes. What was it Draco said? "You are in danger as long as I stay here". What kind of danger? She wondered, and who from? Voldemort was long gone, but she supposed there would always be someone out there ready and willing to take his place. Maybe that's what it is, some Dark Lord wannabe? She thought rubbing her temples. There was only one way to find out. Hermione prided herself on her ability to gain knowledge on anything, however stubborn the source. Draco would talk.
Hermione awoke sometime later still in the bath. Bubbles gone and the water cold. She got out and dried herself vigorously trying to fight off the goose bumps that were claiming her body. Pulling on her bathrobe, she headed for the living room, pausing to listen at her bedroom door. Silence. Softly she opened the door to find that Draco was laid, fully clothed under the sheets, fast asleep. She tiptoed over and moved a strand of hair that had fallen over his face. He looked so innocent. Looking at her alarm clock she saw that it was 20 past 9. I've been in the bath for 2 hours, she thought in surprise. She picked up the clock and a change of clothes for the morning, and crept out of the room.
It was just after 1 the following afternoon when Draco's eyes shot open. His first thought, and biggest concern was to his whereabouts, and relaxed visibly as he remembered. He looked around for a clock but couldn't see one. He had had to sell his watch a long time ago for food. Swinging his legs off the bed he stood, smoothed down his T-shirt and walked through to the living room. There was no sign of Hermione. Looking around he found a note that had his name printed neatly at the top.
Draco,
Hope you slept okay. Help yourself to some breakfast. I'm down in the shop. Just follow the stairs at the end of the hall and you will find me.
See you soon.
Hermione xx
Draco smiled. Taking the note with him he went into the kitchen. Dropping some bread into the toaster and flicking the kettle on he leant against the counter and re-read the note. Breakfast? He chuckled, more like lunch. She really did have beautiful handwriting, she always did. The toast popped up startling him and he laughed at himself. He buttered 4 slices and ate them while he waited for the tea to brew.Carrying 2 mugs Draco followed the hallway and descended the stairs, emerging in the small office behind the shop. Walking through the beaded curtain he smiled as he saw Hermione, her back to him looking bored out of her mind. He cleared his throat to get her attention without frightening her and placed the mugs on the counter. "I thought you would like one", he said. "I'm afraid it probably isn't very good, I never did get the chance to make many cups of tea". "I'm sure it will be fine" Hermione replied picking up one of the mugs and blowing across the top. Taking a hesitant sip she looked at Draco out of the corner of her eye to see him smirking at her. "See", she said, "I'm drinking it. It's lovely". His smile widened at her obvious pleasure.
"Is there anything I can do?" he asked looking around. "Yes" Hermione replied, "you can tell me what's going on with you". "I can't do that. The less you know the better." "But I don't know anything" she wailed, "you haven't told me anything". "It's better that way" Draco said quietly "It means you wont get hurt". "By who? Who's after you Draco? You're not making any sense". "I can't tell you". "Why the hell not?" Draco spun round to face her. "Because if I do" he said breathing heavily "if I do he'll come after you too and I just can't do that. I wont. I've said too much already". "Draco please, let me help you." She pleaded. "I'm sorry," he said shaking his head, and he turned to go back upstairs. All Hermione could do was watch him leave.
The minute it turned 5 o'clock she locked the door and ran up the stairs. Reaching the living room she was relieved to find Draco laid on the sofa, his blanket clutched in his hands. "Draco?" Hermione said quietly as she approached him. "Draco?" He opened his eyes and propped himself up on one hand. Hermione sat down and lowered his head onto her lap. "I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't have pushed". There were a few moments of silence between them before Draco spoke. "My father." He said. "What?" Said Hermione. "It's my father. He's the one".
Suddenly Hermione thought back to something she had wondered before. Why hadn't his father helped him? Of course, she thought, his father couldn't help him because he's......
"Your father?" she asked him, "I don't understand". Draco pulled his knees up to his chest before speaking again. "It was just after graduation when The Dark Lord was brought down. I was glad. No one knew that and I intended to keep it that way. A few months later my father found out that I myself had played a part in his downfall. From that moment on all he cared about was ending my life. He saw me as traitor, and traitors must be destroyed. I've been hiding from him ever since". "But Draco, that's impossible, I don't understand". "It's all true I assure you".
"But Draco, your father died a year and a half ago".
To be continued.................