Hermione had an extra wand in handy, for she learned that sometimes, breaking a wand happened to the best of them. Draco mended Hermione and Rory.
Rory looked paler than usual, and stay quiet and she sipped the coffee in her cup. Tristan was trying to comfort her, but it seemed hopeless.
Draco looked at Hermione and sighed.
"I can just erase her memory you know…"
Rory spoke up.
"No…"
Tristan looked concerned and reached for her hand.
"But Rory…"
"No. I know this was a horrible experience and I will probably have nightmares about it, but I don't want to forget. I want to use this every time I think life is bad or anything. This experience may alter my future, and if hadn't had happened, I would have never know how precious my freedom and life is. And I also would have never known Tristan was like this. I would much rather remember this incident rather than forget it and forget everything I learned."
Draco breathed in slowly.
"I can take the pain in your head away. Within a few days, you will go insane."
Hermione lifted an eyebrow.
"I've heard of no such spell."
"It's because it's dark magic. Death-eaters use it every time Voldermort punished them."
"You can't use dark magic on a muggle! Especially on my cousin!"
"Hermione, think about it. Would you risk your cousin's sanity because you refuse to accept the fact that maybe dark magic can be helpful?"
"Rory, what do you think about this."
Rory sighed and put her head down. Within a few seconds, she cried out in pain. Tristan pulled her in for an embrace and combed her hair with his hand. She meekly opened her eyes and softly whispered.
"Yes."
Draco went into the cabinet and took out a small flask.
"I still have this ration left over from the war. Lucius taught it to me a long time ago. Rory, drink it, and go right to bed. You need the rest. After you wake up, you need to eat a lot of chocolate to regain your strength. Ok?"
She received the flask from Draco and drank it very silently. Her eyes shut and she fell. Tristan caught her before she fell on the floor and carried her to the bed.
Hermione faced Draco and hugged him, kissing him on his left cheek. Draco smirked and looked at her.
"What's that for?"
"I never properly got to thank. Thanks Draco, for risking you life and everything."
"But it was my fault that you were in that situation in the first place. I should be apologizing to you, for putting you and your cousin through that torture."
"Don't think too much about it. I mean, look what this did. In some ways, it helped out. It brought you and me closer. And look."
She pointed into the bedroom, where Tristan was sitting on the bed, brushing her face, placing small kisses on her forehead.
"This brought them together. Maybe it was just the way it was planned to be."
"But I hope you know that the worst isn't over. We still have a angry Lucius to take care of."
"Think about who you are talking to?! I took care of 5 death-eaters during my 6th year!"
"But Hermione, this is LUCIUS."
"Look Draco, I know full well Lucius is a conniving little twit which is why I think we should get back-up."
"Back-up? You can't mean Potter and Weasley?!"
"Who else is going to help us battle personal battles? Crabbe? Goyle? I don't think so."
"But they won't understand the…"
"Look Draco, it's either you accept this or go on trying to fight Lucius alone. Admit it, you need help."
"I need no such thing!"
"Stop being so stubborn! A clean slate, a new perspective in life, remember?!"
Draco sighed.
"I don't like any of this."
"It's for the best."
"F….F….Fine."
"Finally. You stay here and make sure the both of them are safe. Remember that Tristan's dad has still got revenge in mind. I will go get them both."
Hermione gave Draco a reassuring hug and with a pop, she was gone. Draco smiled for a slight moment as he went to talk to Tristan.
*~*~*~*
"How is she holding up?"
Tristan looked up.
"She seems really relaxed right now."
"She will be up and kicking in a few hours."
"I can't believe that crap she went through. I can't believe your father would go so far."
"Yeah, well that why he is so feared in the wizarding world. What do you think you father will do to us?"
"Don't you know? My father gave that job to you. I know my dad, and he doesn't like getting into a lot of scandal or whatever. The worst he could do was taking my money away, and that isn't possible. The other thing is threatening me and letting someone else deal with it. That's why he called on Lucius."
"He thought this thoroughly then."
"No, it was as simple as, 'whoever wants to job, do it.' Lucius was just at convenience."
"So we only have one psychopath to worry about. Damn, I wish it were your dad. Then I could have just used a memory charm on him, and he would have forgotten everything."
"Yeah, well life's a bitch huh?"
Draco looked down at the battered and weary Rory.
"Yeah, life's a bitch."
*~*~*
A/N: I am losing a lot of direction in this fanfic, and help is really appreciated. Please IM me at LoOkEn4CoFfEeGoD or e-mail me at jellybellyrulz@yahoo.com Thank you, and please R/R