Chapter One: Malfoys Never Change
Draco Malfoy made sure no one was around when he made his choice. He made sure no one would find out, and made sure that it would stay that way. He couldn't afford for anyone to find out, or it could mean losing his life, and endangering others. Others he couldn't afford to lose.
Hermione Granger couldn't sleep, hadn't been able to for days. Something kept sleep at bay, when she'd never had insomnia in her life. Maybe it was the nightmares. Maybe it was because of the reason for her nightmares. Draco Malfoy. He seemed to be imprinted on her mind, and she hadn't the slightest reason why. And maybe it was because.she was obsessed with him. She didn't know why, and knew it was crazy, he being who he was, she being who she was. She decided tea was her best recourse, and made a pot of it. She was disturbed when an owl came to her window. It was Hedwig, and she carried three letters. One from Harry, one from Ron, and one from Draco Malfoy. How.how could that happen, when Hedwig was Harry Potter's owl? She opened the other letters, from her friends, and learned that Harry was to move in with Ron for the rest of the summer and stay with him until the both turned 19. Also, school was postponed for three months, due to an attack on the school having happened during the summer, one that Draco's own father, Lucius, had headed. Hermione wanted to read Draco's, but was afraid of what it might say, but decided to read it anyway.
Hermione-
Yes, I know. Don't ask. I-I want you to know that something is being planned, something that could kill us all, even famous Harry Potter. Then the Wizarding World would have no hope, even if they knew that Harry Potter couldn't solve this problem. He can't, you know. This time, it isn't Harry who has to decide. Just.be.be safe. Yes, that's it. Just be safe Hermione.
Draco
Hermione had never thought that Draco would.never. She crumpled the letter, but did nothing in the way of replying. She just went upstairs, not knowing or dreaming that she was his last hope.
Draco Malfoy wouldn't let him take away what was so dear to him. He wouldn't. Never mind the pain. It was always there.
" Did you write to the Granger girl?" he asked. Draco wouldn't answer, which got him a backhand.
" I won't answer you, or haven't you realised that?" Draco asked, and spat in his face.
" Impertinent." The man snarled, and took a whip to Draco, and soon, all he knew was pain.all he'd ever known.
His mother helped him escape that night, her last night alive, he learned later. She gave him her Portkey, and told him to run, run as far as he could. So he did.
" Granger House." He remembered saying, and he also remembered praying that Hermione would care for him.
Hermione had managed to battle her insomnia, and get to sleep. But something woke her. It was like someone falling from a great height, someone falling right in her backyard. She got up, and looked out her window. Nothing. Too dark. She drew in a breath. She didn't want to go investigate, but something about that noise. she grabbed her robe, and went quietly down the stairs. She didn't know why, as her parents weren't home, wouldn't be for two weeks.
Draco knew he'd landed somewhere, and that it had jarred one of his many wounds, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to know.he needed to know.was Hermione near? He heard someone approach, and saw a pink bathrobe, and a curly head. Hermione. He sighed when he felt her soft hand come to his forehead. Safety.
My God. It was all she could think. Was this.this bloodied and scarred young man.Malfoy? It couldn't be.yet it was. He laid half in and half out of conciseness, and he didn't move. She put her hand on his chest and drew it away. It was covered in blood. She tried to turn him, but he gasped and his eyes flew open.
" No." Was all he said, but it was ALL that needed to be said.
" What?" she asked. She tried again, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her from flipping him.
" Please don't." he said softly, his eyes begging her to understand.
" Alright." She said, smoothing his hair out of his eyes. His breathing was shallow, but his eyes were open, and watching her.
" I'm sorry." He said. Hermione was confused.
" Come now, we have to get you inside." Hermione said. He complied, and his larger hand came to rest in her small one. His grasp was full of trust. She pulled him up, and they limped inside, and she turned on lights as she went, and had she looked behind her, she would have seen the trail of blood that followed in their wake.
Hermione wrote to the one person-more like two PEOPLE-whom she knew would help. Sirius Black, and Severus Snape. She needed them, and she hoped they would come.
Sirius received a letter from Hermione Granger, flown with all haste, at midnight. He read the two lines, and his blood turned to ice.
Sirius-
I have someone here, and I fear that he is.never mind. Just COME!
Hermione
He'd go, but only because Hermione Granger never asked for anything.
Hermione laid Draco on her bed, only to gasp when she saw her pristine white sheets suddenly become crimson with blood. Hermione rushed to his side, and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to face her.
" Thank you Hermione." He whispered, and with the last of his strength he tugged her hand to his lips for a soft kiss, and then he passed on.
Sirius arrived within five minutes of Hermione's summons, to find her dancing on her porch, obviously looking for him.
" Sirius!" she shouted, and he began to run. He got to her side, and she hugged him quickly.
" Hermione." He answered, and they ran inside the house. Up the stairs they went, and they found Draco Malfoy, looking all the world dead. Hermione ran to his side, her hands moving over his chest, and moving to take off his shirt. Sirius sucked in a horrified breath. The child was covered in whip marks, and knife marks, if he was certain. He bled profusely from three huge wounds, and Sirius knew the child had critical, if not fatal, wounds, and it might be all he could do just to make sure the child did not die in pain. He had brought out Muggle instruments, knowing this was what it would take, and he saw the boy's eyes open, and light on Hermione. She leaned closer to him when he began to speak, and she laid a small kiss on his forehead, and stroked his hair back from his blood- encrusted face. Sirius could tell he wanted to smile, but could not make it that far. Hermione had tears in her eyes, and Sirius wanted to save him, really, he did, but he doubted even his infamous skills would save this child. But someone's might.
Severus Snape hadn't planned on coming back to Hogwarts so soon, but had been made to by Albus Dumbledore. He picked up a missive labeled URGENT, and opened it. All the color drained from his face as he read the lines scrawled hastily on the paper. He grabbed his black bag, tossed potions and ingredients into it haphazardly, and Apparated as quickly as he could.
Sirius had managed to staunch the bleeding in the two larger wounds, but the third was still bleeding, and the boy had become delirious, and seemed to think that Sirius was trying to murder him. He would twist away from him, causing himself more pain, and he seemed to take comfort only in Hermione's voice, and she managed to make him see that Sirius was a friend, and wanted only to help. Draco was talking to himself, muttering things about Harry; about someone he called his angel, and someone no one could recognise. Severus Snape then Apparated into the room, and kneeled beside the boy. He yanked out potions, and forced them into the boy, who finally slept, and then stopped all bleeding, and they managed to clean off the worst of the dried blood and the dirt. Sirius wrapped all the wounds, and left Hermione with explicit instructions. Severus left her with two potions for Draco, Morgan's Hand and Grace of the Stars. Hermione was grateful for all they had done, and wondered what would happen if-when-Draco woke.
Draco didn't wake that day, but had a fever that escalated into the hundreds, and forced Hermione to bathe him in cold water just to keep him from overheating. He muttered nonsense, but took comfort whenever she touched him, and seemed to calm when she decided to speak with him, which was often. He once seemed to reach forth from the place he had gone to, he'd grabbed Hermione's hand with surprising strength, and seemed to be trying to open his eyes, but had not succeeded, and his grip slackened. Hermione was surprised when she saw a tear fall onto Draco's hand, even more surprised when she found out that that tear was her own.
Hermione didn't write to tell Harry or Ron that Draco Malfoy was in her care. She was too afraid of what they might say.or what they would do. He didn't LOOK like Draco Malfoy when he was ravaged with fever and pain like this. He seemed to her a mortal man, one that had faced pain, and seemed to be losing that monumental battle. Hermione wouldn't let him go. She realised this as she bathed his forehead for the ninth time in that hour. She wouldn't let him go, not without a fight. She'd seen him in a light that she had never expected to, had never dreamed of. He had nightmares in the dark of night, ones that had her rushing to his bedside to make sure he opened no wounds. Draco was something of a mystery now, one that she was having trouble solving.but, for once; it was something she didn't want solved.
Draco woke one day at five in the morning, with Hermione laid next to him, her small hand clutching a washcloth in the limp grip, the other hand on his chest, over his heart. He turned his head to look down at her hair, a cloud of soft curls. It curled against bare parts of his chest, and was like silk. Her breathing was deep, and from the dark circles contrasting sharply with her apricot skin, he knew she hadn't had this luxury in many days. He tried to twist one way, but pain so sharp he let out a sharp cry stopped him, and woke Hermione. Her tawny eyes blinked rapidly as she noticed his grey ones on her.
" Draco?" she asked, her hand coming up to touch his forehead with a cool touch on his still lightly fevered skin.
" Hullo Hermione." He managed weakly. She began a check on his wounds, and gently touched the whip marks that were fading rapidly.
" I'm happy you are alive." Hermione said lamely. Draco caught her hand, and tugged her down to face him.
" Thank you, for all that you have done. I-When I came here, I was afraid you would turn me away, for what I had done before. I now know that I was wrong to have doubted you, because of your pure heart." Draco said, and Hermione looked into his eyes, and saw that he was telling the truth.
" I couldn't let you die." Hermione answered.
" And for that, I owe you my life." Draco replied, and placed her hand on his cheek. It felt different, his cheek so soft against her palm. He pulled it away, placed a soft kiss in the palm, and placed her hand on her hip. He then fell into a peaceful sleep, his first in days.
Hermione wrote both Severus and Sirius to tell them that Draco had awoken, his fever was broken, and that she wanted them to come and appraise her on what she now must do for him. She had no clue as to care for Draco, for all she knew, he could be in worse shape than he seemed to be. She wanted to be sure, so.so she could know. Because.because she CARED damn it! She didn't know why she cared, but she did, and it was unnerving, after she knew what he was capable of, in the way of making people fear him so much. Yet, she knew that now, she'd never fear him again, as she knew a side of him she knew he'd tried to keep carefully hidden at Hogwarts. Yet, a change had occurred, a small one, yet one that changed the entire world as Hermione Natalie Granger knew it, and it would always be so. So.why was she so excited?
Hermione took a shower, and yanked on a pair of grey pants and a pink collared shirt. She just left her hair to dry in her natural curls, and went to see if Draco was awake, and if not, to wake him. She opened the door to her room, and looked in to see Draco wide-awake, and reading a book from the stack she had lying on her bedside table.
" Draco?" Hermione asked. He looked up, and bestowed on her a brilliant smile, one she had never seen before. It lit up his entire face.
" Hermione! I was wondering where you were." He said.
" I've come to check on your wounds, and give you some of those potions." Hermione said.
" If you must." Draco said, making a face, and she laughed. She looked at the wounds, pleased that the ones that had not been made with the knife were healing wonderfully, and that he seemed to be able to move with very little difficulty, although she would not allow him that freedom just yet. Yet, time was beginning to draw to a close, and it was the time coming that had Hermione worrying. When Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley found out who was taking shelter in her home.there would be hell to pay.
Draco Malfoy made sure no one was around when he made his choice. He made sure no one would find out, and made sure that it would stay that way. He couldn't afford for anyone to find out, or it could mean losing his life, and endangering others. Others he couldn't afford to lose.
Hermione Granger couldn't sleep, hadn't been able to for days. Something kept sleep at bay, when she'd never had insomnia in her life. Maybe it was the nightmares. Maybe it was because of the reason for her nightmares. Draco Malfoy. He seemed to be imprinted on her mind, and she hadn't the slightest reason why. And maybe it was because.she was obsessed with him. She didn't know why, and knew it was crazy, he being who he was, she being who she was. She decided tea was her best recourse, and made a pot of it. She was disturbed when an owl came to her window. It was Hedwig, and she carried three letters. One from Harry, one from Ron, and one from Draco Malfoy. How.how could that happen, when Hedwig was Harry Potter's owl? She opened the other letters, from her friends, and learned that Harry was to move in with Ron for the rest of the summer and stay with him until the both turned 19. Also, school was postponed for three months, due to an attack on the school having happened during the summer, one that Draco's own father, Lucius, had headed. Hermione wanted to read Draco's, but was afraid of what it might say, but decided to read it anyway.
Hermione-
Yes, I know. Don't ask. I-I want you to know that something is being planned, something that could kill us all, even famous Harry Potter. Then the Wizarding World would have no hope, even if they knew that Harry Potter couldn't solve this problem. He can't, you know. This time, it isn't Harry who has to decide. Just.be.be safe. Yes, that's it. Just be safe Hermione.
Draco
Hermione had never thought that Draco would.never. She crumpled the letter, but did nothing in the way of replying. She just went upstairs, not knowing or dreaming that she was his last hope.
Draco Malfoy wouldn't let him take away what was so dear to him. He wouldn't. Never mind the pain. It was always there.
" Did you write to the Granger girl?" he asked. Draco wouldn't answer, which got him a backhand.
" I won't answer you, or haven't you realised that?" Draco asked, and spat in his face.
" Impertinent." The man snarled, and took a whip to Draco, and soon, all he knew was pain.all he'd ever known.
His mother helped him escape that night, her last night alive, he learned later. She gave him her Portkey, and told him to run, run as far as he could. So he did.
" Granger House." He remembered saying, and he also remembered praying that Hermione would care for him.
Hermione had managed to battle her insomnia, and get to sleep. But something woke her. It was like someone falling from a great height, someone falling right in her backyard. She got up, and looked out her window. Nothing. Too dark. She drew in a breath. She didn't want to go investigate, but something about that noise. she grabbed her robe, and went quietly down the stairs. She didn't know why, as her parents weren't home, wouldn't be for two weeks.
Draco knew he'd landed somewhere, and that it had jarred one of his many wounds, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to know.he needed to know.was Hermione near? He heard someone approach, and saw a pink bathrobe, and a curly head. Hermione. He sighed when he felt her soft hand come to his forehead. Safety.
My God. It was all she could think. Was this.this bloodied and scarred young man.Malfoy? It couldn't be.yet it was. He laid half in and half out of conciseness, and he didn't move. She put her hand on his chest and drew it away. It was covered in blood. She tried to turn him, but he gasped and his eyes flew open.
" No." Was all he said, but it was ALL that needed to be said.
" What?" she asked. She tried again, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her from flipping him.
" Please don't." he said softly, his eyes begging her to understand.
" Alright." She said, smoothing his hair out of his eyes. His breathing was shallow, but his eyes were open, and watching her.
" I'm sorry." He said. Hermione was confused.
" Come now, we have to get you inside." Hermione said. He complied, and his larger hand came to rest in her small one. His grasp was full of trust. She pulled him up, and they limped inside, and she turned on lights as she went, and had she looked behind her, she would have seen the trail of blood that followed in their wake.
Hermione wrote to the one person-more like two PEOPLE-whom she knew would help. Sirius Black, and Severus Snape. She needed them, and she hoped they would come.
Sirius received a letter from Hermione Granger, flown with all haste, at midnight. He read the two lines, and his blood turned to ice.
Sirius-
I have someone here, and I fear that he is.never mind. Just COME!
Hermione
He'd go, but only because Hermione Granger never asked for anything.
Hermione laid Draco on her bed, only to gasp when she saw her pristine white sheets suddenly become crimson with blood. Hermione rushed to his side, and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to face her.
" Thank you Hermione." He whispered, and with the last of his strength he tugged her hand to his lips for a soft kiss, and then he passed on.
Sirius arrived within five minutes of Hermione's summons, to find her dancing on her porch, obviously looking for him.
" Sirius!" she shouted, and he began to run. He got to her side, and she hugged him quickly.
" Hermione." He answered, and they ran inside the house. Up the stairs they went, and they found Draco Malfoy, looking all the world dead. Hermione ran to his side, her hands moving over his chest, and moving to take off his shirt. Sirius sucked in a horrified breath. The child was covered in whip marks, and knife marks, if he was certain. He bled profusely from three huge wounds, and Sirius knew the child had critical, if not fatal, wounds, and it might be all he could do just to make sure the child did not die in pain. He had brought out Muggle instruments, knowing this was what it would take, and he saw the boy's eyes open, and light on Hermione. She leaned closer to him when he began to speak, and she laid a small kiss on his forehead, and stroked his hair back from his blood- encrusted face. Sirius could tell he wanted to smile, but could not make it that far. Hermione had tears in her eyes, and Sirius wanted to save him, really, he did, but he doubted even his infamous skills would save this child. But someone's might.
Severus Snape hadn't planned on coming back to Hogwarts so soon, but had been made to by Albus Dumbledore. He picked up a missive labeled URGENT, and opened it. All the color drained from his face as he read the lines scrawled hastily on the paper. He grabbed his black bag, tossed potions and ingredients into it haphazardly, and Apparated as quickly as he could.
Sirius had managed to staunch the bleeding in the two larger wounds, but the third was still bleeding, and the boy had become delirious, and seemed to think that Sirius was trying to murder him. He would twist away from him, causing himself more pain, and he seemed to take comfort only in Hermione's voice, and she managed to make him see that Sirius was a friend, and wanted only to help. Draco was talking to himself, muttering things about Harry; about someone he called his angel, and someone no one could recognise. Severus Snape then Apparated into the room, and kneeled beside the boy. He yanked out potions, and forced them into the boy, who finally slept, and then stopped all bleeding, and they managed to clean off the worst of the dried blood and the dirt. Sirius wrapped all the wounds, and left Hermione with explicit instructions. Severus left her with two potions for Draco, Morgan's Hand and Grace of the Stars. Hermione was grateful for all they had done, and wondered what would happen if-when-Draco woke.
Draco didn't wake that day, but had a fever that escalated into the hundreds, and forced Hermione to bathe him in cold water just to keep him from overheating. He muttered nonsense, but took comfort whenever she touched him, and seemed to calm when she decided to speak with him, which was often. He once seemed to reach forth from the place he had gone to, he'd grabbed Hermione's hand with surprising strength, and seemed to be trying to open his eyes, but had not succeeded, and his grip slackened. Hermione was surprised when she saw a tear fall onto Draco's hand, even more surprised when she found out that that tear was her own.
Hermione didn't write to tell Harry or Ron that Draco Malfoy was in her care. She was too afraid of what they might say.or what they would do. He didn't LOOK like Draco Malfoy when he was ravaged with fever and pain like this. He seemed to her a mortal man, one that had faced pain, and seemed to be losing that monumental battle. Hermione wouldn't let him go. She realised this as she bathed his forehead for the ninth time in that hour. She wouldn't let him go, not without a fight. She'd seen him in a light that she had never expected to, had never dreamed of. He had nightmares in the dark of night, ones that had her rushing to his bedside to make sure he opened no wounds. Draco was something of a mystery now, one that she was having trouble solving.but, for once; it was something she didn't want solved.
Draco woke one day at five in the morning, with Hermione laid next to him, her small hand clutching a washcloth in the limp grip, the other hand on his chest, over his heart. He turned his head to look down at her hair, a cloud of soft curls. It curled against bare parts of his chest, and was like silk. Her breathing was deep, and from the dark circles contrasting sharply with her apricot skin, he knew she hadn't had this luxury in many days. He tried to twist one way, but pain so sharp he let out a sharp cry stopped him, and woke Hermione. Her tawny eyes blinked rapidly as she noticed his grey ones on her.
" Draco?" she asked, her hand coming up to touch his forehead with a cool touch on his still lightly fevered skin.
" Hullo Hermione." He managed weakly. She began a check on his wounds, and gently touched the whip marks that were fading rapidly.
" I'm happy you are alive." Hermione said lamely. Draco caught her hand, and tugged her down to face him.
" Thank you, for all that you have done. I-When I came here, I was afraid you would turn me away, for what I had done before. I now know that I was wrong to have doubted you, because of your pure heart." Draco said, and Hermione looked into his eyes, and saw that he was telling the truth.
" I couldn't let you die." Hermione answered.
" And for that, I owe you my life." Draco replied, and placed her hand on his cheek. It felt different, his cheek so soft against her palm. He pulled it away, placed a soft kiss in the palm, and placed her hand on her hip. He then fell into a peaceful sleep, his first in days.
Hermione wrote both Severus and Sirius to tell them that Draco had awoken, his fever was broken, and that she wanted them to come and appraise her on what she now must do for him. She had no clue as to care for Draco, for all she knew, he could be in worse shape than he seemed to be. She wanted to be sure, so.so she could know. Because.because she CARED damn it! She didn't know why she cared, but she did, and it was unnerving, after she knew what he was capable of, in the way of making people fear him so much. Yet, she knew that now, she'd never fear him again, as she knew a side of him she knew he'd tried to keep carefully hidden at Hogwarts. Yet, a change had occurred, a small one, yet one that changed the entire world as Hermione Natalie Granger knew it, and it would always be so. So.why was she so excited?
Hermione took a shower, and yanked on a pair of grey pants and a pink collared shirt. She just left her hair to dry in her natural curls, and went to see if Draco was awake, and if not, to wake him. She opened the door to her room, and looked in to see Draco wide-awake, and reading a book from the stack she had lying on her bedside table.
" Draco?" Hermione asked. He looked up, and bestowed on her a brilliant smile, one she had never seen before. It lit up his entire face.
" Hermione! I was wondering where you were." He said.
" I've come to check on your wounds, and give you some of those potions." Hermione said.
" If you must." Draco said, making a face, and she laughed. She looked at the wounds, pleased that the ones that had not been made with the knife were healing wonderfully, and that he seemed to be able to move with very little difficulty, although she would not allow him that freedom just yet. Yet, time was beginning to draw to a close, and it was the time coming that had Hermione worrying. When Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley found out who was taking shelter in her home.there would be hell to pay.