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Chapter Eighteen Fever

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Draco tramped through the house, but found no Hermione. The entire place was a filthy mess, and it smelled disgusting. He could hardly believe Hermione had grown up in such a pigsty… or that anyone could be raised up out of such dirt. He poked his head into the kitchen and was about to leave when he heard a scratching noise. What now? He followed the noise to a door in the kitchen, to the right of the fridge. Pantry? He listened for a few seconds more. Yes, there was a definite scratching noise… but what could it be?

TBC

He undid the old fashioned sliding lock on the door and opened it. The creature that fell at his feet was such a shadow of a human being that he went completely numb in horror. Later he faintly remembered picking up the thing, carrying it out to the car with an inexplicable sense of urgency. Grabbing a mini-trunk from where it lay toppled in the porch. Driving away as another car screeched clumsily into the driveway of the Granger home. The hollow brown eyes of the creature looking at him for moment with a glint of realization, before going dead once again, staring blankly into nothing, and eventually closing. The sound of his name so soft on those cut, pale lips would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Draco…"

He sat in the shadow, his head buried in his hands. He was freezing, but he didn't do anything to warm himself up. The thought of the dried blood on Hermione's inner thighs sent a shudder through him. The bruises, and cuts all over her body…

She belonged with him. He thanked the gods that he had gone to retrieve her. Draco sat back in his chair, grimacing. He was frightened. Because he had feelings for Hermione. When he had seen her hurt like that, he had wanted to do horrible things in his rage and sorrow. He wanted to murder Don, and every person who had ever hurt her, and her parents for being blind, and bystanders on the street… he had never felt so out of control in his life.

Draco was a very controlled person. And all of a sudden it seemed clear to him that the only person who ever made him lose that control was Hermione. He wanted her, of course, but that seemed unimportant compared to his other feelings towards her. Yes she was infuriating, and that just made him love to argue. Yes she was emotional, that made him want to comfort her. Yes she was frightened, and that made him want to gain her trust.

He had done a lot of terrible things to her in the past. All the bickering, the name-calling, the practical jokes… that was the least. He had been manipulative, scaring her on purpose, going on power trips, even becoming violent with her… he had used her, confused her, bought her…

God, he was a prick.

And he still remembered his aim… to get to know Hermione. That was all he wanted, surely, and then he could let her go. He wanted to help her too. And he saw very clearly in retrospect that he had been doing exactly this opposite.

But from now on, things were going to be different.

Don woke up with a splitting headache, a painful reminder that he had been drinking too much last night. And then all of a sudden he remembered. He had come home and Hermione had been gone. His hostage, his lover, his Hermione. Gone, just like that. He knew she couldn't have escaped on her own; she had been so weak when he had left her. The door had been locked from outside and there were no signs of her breaking out. Someone had let her out. He had better keep a low profile… if this got to police, he could be in big trouble. He sighed and turned over in his messy, dirty bed.

He missed her already.

"I'm sorry Master Draco, I think it best for you not to see her right now. She is delicate and feverish. It seems she may be delirious. She was very close to death you know. The starvation has led to deterioration of her cardiac muscle that will never be repaired. Her heart is very weak. She is well enough hydrated, but we have to increase her amounts of food slowly, otherwise her body could go into shock. She has also lost a lot of blood. Her wounds do not seem very serious, a few broken ribs, a broken wrist, and cuts and lashes on her body and back. It seems she was whipped… perhaps with a belt. No Master Draco you cannot see her. No. I'm sorry. Our gravest concern right now is the fever. We have to find a way to reach her. The bones have been healed of course, and most of her wounds are doing very well. But the fever and the hallucinations… Master Draco no! You must not go in… you must…"

She looked very small amidst the green and silver pillows piled on either side of her. At the moment she seemed to be reposing peacefully, her lashes long and dark on her pale cheeks. She was dressed in a pale pink nightgown of his mother's, which the family physician, Dr. Anna Wink, had deemed appropriate. The disgusting skimpy black and red lace and leather thing he had found her in was in the garbage and hopefully long gone now. Hermione stirred, and Draco sat down on the bed next to her, watching her hopefully. Her eyes opened blearily.

"Draco!" she said in light tones, smiling.

"Hermione, I'm so glad you…" He was cut off by Hermione.

"I watched you at quidditch and you were great. I can't believe you and Harry have finally made up, if only Ron would come round…" Hermione babbled on happily as Draco realized she was not looking at him, she was looking through him. Then all of a sudden she screamed.

"Don I… ahhh… I didn't mean anything. Please Uncle…. A drop of water, you're choking me… no no no no no no no… NO!

"He's coming to live with us? But mom, I like our family the way it is now! Uncle Don is.. I know he's having a hard time. Just for a few months?

"I can't open my eyes, I can't see, I can't see, let me out! Let me out!!!! Where are you? He's gone! Oh God.. the dark.. I hate the dark… help… help….

"I know, I'm so clumsy. Don't be stupid Ginny, I fell down. YES and hit my cheek! Just drop it okay?!

"I just need to get these chains off, I just need to get these chains off… thank you Uncle Don. Can I come upstairs? Where are you going? Come back!

"Draco hurts me, Don hurts me… he's hurting me, oww. I wish I could get away. Stop Draco Stop… he's so beautiful… please stop hurting me…

"I can hear it scurrying… I know you're down here. GO AWAY! Go away go away! I want you to leave! I don't like rats… AHH! It touched me.. UNCLE DON!

"Harry? Ron? Where are you? Walk me to the table… I know but.. but please?!

"It's not in my head! They keep watching me… let me out. Just for a few minutes can I come upstairs? Please? They're under my skin! Ooohhhhhhh take them off me please they are all creepy and crawly… they're eating me…

"I shouldn't feel like this! It's wrong, it's sinful. Why am I so evil… God help me. I must belong to the devil. I wish the priests could save me, but even they fall under my curse. I shouldn't feel like this. I like him so much… he…

"He came to me while you were gone! The devil! He was on fire and he made me on fire too! But he can't get me upstairs. Let me out… don't go… take me with you… I'll be good I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'M A GOOD GIRL!!!"

"WAKE UP HERMIONE!" Draco couldn't bear anymore of the terror and desperation that Hermione was remembering in her fever. He shook her wildly, but she simply laughed. Her eyes began to droop. "Granger! Granger?" He spoke hopelessly as she fell back into a seemingly peaceful sleep. He laid his head next to hers, astonished to find a tear leaking from his eye… he never cried. Her hand was grasped tightly in his. Why couldn't he help her? He sat up with a start at the sound of the movement in the room. He turned to face Dr. Wink, looking at him sympathetically.

"I'm sorry Master Draco. She's very ill. I know it's hard."

"You don't understand! What's wrong with you? Why can't you help her? We're not Muggles are we? Wake her up! You don't understand…" Draco gestured towards the sleeping girl helplessly. Dr. Wink frowned.

"The fever is very strong, but we must let it run its course. As horrible as her delusions seem to be, she will have to suffer for now. If we rouse her, especially using magic, it could cause her to be… to suffer from this affliction for the rest of her life… even after the fever has left. Do you understand what…"

"Of course I can understand what you mean, I'm not stupid!" Draco struck the bedpost angrily.

"Healing with magic is very delicate. We must not overwhelm the body. There can't be too much magic in the body, it has to remain attached to the physical world.

"But isn't there anything you can do to relieve her?" Draco asked weakly.

"Right now she has her broken bones healed, her cuts are healing, and she does not feel any pain. This is the best we can do right now." Dr. Wink nodded to him and left the room before he could question her anymore. Draco fell helplessly back on the bed. He watched her sleep until he had lulled himself into a similar state.

TBC