Chapter 14: present day
The hell of Petrificus Totalis is that you are fully aware of what is going on, even if you can't move to respond to it. And so it was that Draco's temper built degree by degree, humiliation taking over every fiber of his being, as Hermione floated him nearly a mile back to her house. Of course, the situation was almost as amusing as it was maddening. Hermione didn't miss a beat as she navigated the terrain, muttering angrily to herself the whole way. Draco smirked inwardly. He remembered she used to be like this…when she was upset or planning or trying to figure out a big problem. It was never wise to interrupt her when she was at this stage of her think-process and so he conceded that he was lucky – sort of…for at the moment he was anything but patient.
The minutes dragged by like hours as he stared at nothing but the treetops or the bright sunshine. Finally, Draco felt the physical relief from the summer heat as Hermione floated him into her house. Then, he felt the mental relief from immobility as Hermione reversed her spell – after magically binding him to a chair of course. Draco watched as Hermione dropped onto the couch opposite him with her head in her hands. "Now what am I going to do?" he heard her utter. "Others are sure to come before long. I can't stay here. I can't kill him. But I can't take him with me. Where am I going to go?" Draco watched as she paused in her raving finally to raise her head. "How did you find me, Malfoy?" she asked incredulously.
"Dumbledore," he replied simply.
"You lie!" Hermione narrowed her eyes as her voice turned to venom. "Dumbledore would never betray me. And Merlin knows he would never trust you again. Not after everything you did!"
"Hermione," Draco said gently, despite his ire at being incapacitated. "I know that you hate me for everything that has happened. But I need you to believe me when I tell you that I truly am here on Dumbledore's behalf…that my father isn't coming for you or waiting for me to return. I would never put you in danger intentionally." Furiously she leapt to her feet but Draco's powerful voice silenced her. "I know you don't want to listen to me but I need you to swear to me right now that you will let me talk until I have finished what I need to say." Hermione raised her brow in suspicion. "I'm serious 'Mione," he said as he fought to win her assent. "Not one word and no more spells until you've heard the whole truth."
She snorted in a very unlady-like manner at his request. "Would that be the whole truth, Malfoy, or the whole truth according to your twisted little brain?" When he didn't answer she shrugged and sat again. "And how do I know you aren't just stalling so I'll feel sorry for you and let my guard down? You're not very bright if you think I'm just going to let you try to kill me again."
Draco's voice dropped to the pitch of a tolling bell. "I swear to you on my mother's memory that I am not here to kill you," he said. Hermione listened as he carefully spoke each word as if it were its own sentence. Deep in her heart she knew it pained him to speak of his mother. And to swear on her memory could only mean that he was in earnest – or a total scum. She didn't know why, but she was willing to bet it was the former rather than the latter. And so she decided to give him a chance. She nodded and sat back to get comfortable – all the while keeping his wand tucked firmly away with her own wand in her hand just in case. "Talk, then!" she commanded, her voice none too friendly. "And by the way," she added before allowing him to begin. "Don't call me 'Mione again."