Infirmary

Draco stood in the common room for a moment after Harry, Ron, and Ginny left. He turned slowly and went to his room to take off his dress robes from the ball. He sat on the corner of his bed, contemplating whether he wanted to sleep or not. He was utterly exhausted, but a corner of his heart was tugging him to get up and go to her….

He sighed, having decided that he should just let her rest. It was nearing dawn after all.

Draco fell into a restless sleep the moment he dropped down onto his bed. He began to have nightmares of Lucius kidnapping her from her bed in the infirmary. Those dreams transformed into her infirmary bed being locked in a dungeon, with Death Eaters leering down at her. Lucius punished her with curse after curse and when Draco finally awoke, he was drenched in sweat.

He slid off of his bed and went into the restroom. He glanced at the time and saw that he hadn't been asleep for more than thirty minutes. After washing his face, he knew that sleep was not going to come easy. He needed to see her, needed to see for himself that she was safe, so he threw on his Slytherin cloak and his trainers and briskly walked out of the door towards the infirmary.

When he arrived, he slowly opened the doors as quietly as he could and stepped into the deserted wing. There, on the first available bed, lay Hermione in a deep sleep.

"Hermione," he whispered to himself as he went to her while sitting down on the edge of her bed. He let his hand rest on top of hers and he studied her. She had a large wound on her head, and her right arm was wrapped tightly with cloth which rested in a sling.

His gaze then fell apon the table beside her bed. There was a large bottle that read 'Dreamless Sleeping Draught.' Next to that, lay Hermione's dress.

It was a mess, and was barley even white anymore. It was drenched in blood and dirt, and had been bundled up and placed aside. Hermione was wearing a spare robe that was obviously too big for her body.

He stood and picked up the remains of her dress, his frown deepening as he walked over to a waste basket to throw it away. He didn't want that to be the first thing Hermione saw when she woke up.

"Excuse me," a voice suddenly said.

Draco looked up into the stern face of Madam Pomfrey.

"And what, may I ask, are you doing here at this time of night?"

Draco placed the gown behind his back. "I was here to check on my fellow Head student," he said quickly.

"Very well Mister Malfoy, but you need to say goodnight now," Madam Pomfrey said as she pointed to the door.

He turned to leave, but stopped to ask, "When will she be waking up?"

"I gave her a very potent sleeping draught to help with her concussion. I don't think she'll be awake until tomorrow evening at the earliest," the witch replied. "Now goodnight Mister Malfoy."

Draco nodded and concealed the gown from her view as he walked out the door, "Goodnight Madam Pomfrey."


There weren't many people at breakfast the next morning, as most of the school had stayed up late at the ball and had decided to have a lay in.

Draco hadn't been able to sleep at all the whole night, and he was one of the first people in the Great Hall. He lazily pushed some eggs around his plate as he nibbled on a piece of toast. He wasn't really hungry; he was still preoccupied with the previous night's event.

"Hello Draco," he heard a voice say behind him. He turned to face Potter and the Weasleys.

The few Slytherins that were sitting near Draco gave the Gryffindors cold stares, and Draco could tell that whatever they had to say, it should be in private.

Draco stood, tossing his half-eaten toast back onto his plate. "Lets go outside," he suggested.

The three of them followed him out of the hall, and out into the cold morning air.

"We just got back from the hospital wing," Ginny said as she wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck, "but Hermione isn't awake yet."

"I went to see her last night—or I guess it was this morning," Draco told them. "Pomfrey said she'd be awake by this evening."

"That's good, she needs the extra rest," Ron chipped in.

"Pomfrey also said she suffered a concussion," Draco said as he stopped walked and faced them. "Why didn't you all tell me that last night?"

"She didn't tell us that," Ginny replied. "I guess she didn't want to scare us anymore than we already were."

The four of them continued to walk in silence for a while, not sure what to say next.

"So, I think now would be a good time to go talk to Dumbledore," Harry finally said.

"Yes, I think you're right," Draco nodded, "the sooner the better." They turned around to head back to the castle, and discussed what they should tell the headmaster.

They hadn't made it far down the corridor before Pansy Parkinson swept out from an alcove.

"Well, well, looks like Malfoy has found him self some new bitches," she said vainly, avoiding Draco's piercing gaze.

"Back off Parkinson," Draco said austerely. "I thought I'd made that clear last night."

Pansy ignored him, continuing with her taunting. "I hope you're prepared," she said specifically to Ginny. "Malfoy is awfully high maintenance, he might even dote apon you if the Mudblood gets tired of his daily romps," she said to Ginny, with a suggestive hand movement.

"You're a royal bitch, you know that Parkinson?" Ginny shot back, ignoring her comment completely. "Are you really that desperate? Honestly! Writing to Malfoy's father to help with Hermione's abduction! Just a little bit out of your league I'd say, isn't it Parkinson?"

"They don't call Slytherin cunning for nothing, Weaselbitch," Pansy snarled.

Ginny was laughing now, "Weaselbitch? Well that's new; did you just now make that up?"

"Ginny, just drop it," Harry said as he grabbed her arm to stop her from advancing on Pansy.

"No!" Ginny screeched, yanking her arm away from Harry and staring at Pansy. "I can't do that Harry! She cursed me! She is the reason all of this happened! She is the reason Hermione has a broken arm and a fucking concussion! Hermione could have been killed Harry! She almost died, or did you forget that she stopped breathing?"

Pansy was rolling her eyes through Ginny's tirade, "The Mudblood had it coming," she said.

"What!" Ginny yelled in her face. Ron then tried to pull her back, but she shook him off just as she did Harry, "Stop it!" she yelled at Ron. She swirled back around to face pansy, "What the hell is that supposed to mean!" Ginny repeated. The girls were now circling each other.

Draco, Harry, and Ron had given up on trying to stop the red head. Draco had a small smirk on his face, silently enjoying how Ginny was challenging the pathetic Slytherin.

"If she hadn't been screwing around with Draco in the first place I wouldn't have felt it necessary to punish her!"

"Yet you didn't punish her! You had Malfoy's father do the dirty work!" Ginny was now inches from her face. "And if anyone deserves punishment, it's you! Just because Draco shoved off your sorry arse and now fancies Hermione doesn't mean—"

"SHUT UP!" Pansy suddenly screamed, and she lunged for Ginny.

Ginny saw her assault coming and before Pansy could lay a finger on the red head, Ginny had swung her fist as hard as she could until it made contact with Pansy's face.

"OWWW!" Ginny screamed, as she clutched her hand in pain. Pansy had stumbled back against the wall, momentarily stunned.

Ginny shook her arm and walked back towards the boys. Pansy held her purpling eye with one hand and grabbed her wand with the other and was ready to curse Ginny from behind.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled, throwing Pansy backwards and sending her wand down the corridor.

Ginny was still shaking her hand out as they all turned to leave.

"Leave us alone," Draco said to Pansy before they left, "or there will be consequences."

Pansy spit a stream of curse words at him, but he walked away without a care in the world. Draco smiled to himself, for little did Pansy know, they were on their way to the Headmaster and he was pretty certain that her past actions would have her expelled before days end.


An hour or so had passed when the Gryffindors and Slytherin left the headmasters office.

They told him all about Hermione's abduction, and admitted that they had left the grounds to save her. To their dismay, Dumbledore had deducted house points for not telling any professors. He scolded them for their inability to ask for help, but was grateful that they were all okay.

Then, after they explained that is was Pansy who helped Death Eaters enter and abduct a student, Dumbledore told them he would have to look at expulsion as her punishment.

"I can't believe he took points away from us," Ginny complained as they left.

"Well, as Hermione would say, we did break school rules," Harry said with a smile.

"Who cares?" Ron said, grinning madly. "He's going to expel Parkinson! He can take away as many bloody house points as he needs if it means he'll expel a Slytherin!—er, no offense," he added, looking at Draco.

"None taken," Draco replied. "I'll be relieved to see the bitch leave," he muttered.

"I'll second that," Harry said quickly.

"By the way Weaselette," Draco said, turning to the girl, "nice punch."

Ginny laughed, as did Harry and Ron.

"Do you guys want to go to the infirmary to check on Hermione?" Ron suggested.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea Ronald," Ginny said with a grin.

They made their way to the infirmary, wondering if she might be awake.

"Hello," Madam Pomfrey said as they walked through the door.

"How is she?" Harry asked first.

"She is still sleeping, but she is doing much better today," the witch replied.

"Hey Hermione," Ginny said as she sat down on the girls bed. She began to play with her hair, "So she'll be awake later this evening?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded, "The Draught lasts a little less than 18 hours."

"And when she wakes up, will she be allowed to leave?" Draco asked.

"Well—" the witch began.

"Because she is Head Girl, and I'd be able to check on her since we share quarters. I'm sure she'd have a better recovery if she were in her own room," Draco said.

"We will have to see how she is doing Mister Malfoy. She has made good progress so far; it'll be up to her whether she wants to stay or not."

"Like any one would i want /i to stay her with the old bird," Ron muttered to Harry.

Madam Pomfrey gave them a nod and then went off to tend to another student.

The four of them sat down around her for a while talking quietly.

Draco was surprised at how well he got along with the three Gryffindors. He had never assumed that they would be so easy-going. It was a new concept to Draco…the whole friendship thing, for in Slytherin, it seemed like every single "friend" he had also had an agenda. They were friends for association, or because they wanted something from him. Slytherins were all so cold and self-absorbed that Draco wondered why he'd wasted so much of his life away from pleasant company.

Hours seemed to pass, and Harry, Ron, and Ginny had decided to go down to the Great Hall for an early supper as they had all skipped lunch.

"I'm going to stay here," Draco said, "I don't have much of an appetite." This was half true, but if Dumbledore had already confronted Pansy, he was almost certain that he wouldn't be welcome at the Slytherin table anymore if Pansy had mouthed off.

"Okay then," Harry said, and they left the wing with a last look at Hermione.

Draco turned back to Hermione, and was suddenly very tired. He scooted his chair back so that he could comfortably rest his head against her bed. His hand was still clutching hers, and he childishly rested his cheek against her palm. In moments, he had drifted off, something that had not come so easily the past night.


Hermione slowly opened her eyes.

She took a deep breath before she blinked to glance at her surrounding. "The hospital wing," she said, relieved that she wasn't still in a cage.

Hermione was taken aback to find Draco resting his head on her hand, and she smiled at how sweet he looked while he was sleeping.

"Draco," she said, as she wiggled her fingers. "Wake up, Draco."

Draco lifted his head, her fingers' movement having stirred his slumber. He sat up, taking her left hand with him. "Hi," he greeted her.

She smiled at him and used her left hand to touch his cheek. There was a red mark on his cheek from resting it on her hand.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better than I was," she said as she lifted her right arm slightly.

He smiled and pressed a kiss against the back of her left hand. He gave her a serious look that diminished her smile.

"I'm so sorry," he said, his warm breath sweeping over her hand as it was still close to his mouth. "I'm so sorry that my father did this to you," he repeated.

"Don't be sorry, none of this was your fault."

He closed his eyes, pressing his lips against her hand again.

"I need to tell you something," she said.

"What?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

"I need you to look at me first."

He opened his eyes instantly, and her heart fluttered in her stomach. Should she tell him? Should she let him know that she heard him confess his love for her? "Perhaps now isn't the time," shedecided.

"What is it?" Draco asked when she didn't say anything.

She smiled warmly, "Never mind."

"No, tell me," he insisted.

She shook her head, "Not now, I'll tell you another time."

"Fine," he said as he lay her hand back down on the bed. "Can I get you anything?"

"Some water would be nice," she said as he helped her to sit up.

With a wave of his wand, a goblet full of ice cold water appeared.

"Thank you," she said hoarsely. She gulped it down, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. He was watching every move she made with an unfamiliar look in his eyes. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

He glanced away from her, "I'm just so relieved that you're alright," he said honestly.

Her heart fluttered as his voice fluttered through her head…I love you. She had no idea how to tell him that she felt the same way.

For now, she'd just have to show him, so she pulled him towards her and kissed him.

It was soft and gentle, and neither moved their lips, just breathed onto each other's mouths with the weakest hint of pressure.

She closed her eyes and kissed him with more pressure, and he responded by moving his lips against hers.

Draco pulled away when she released his bottom lip, "What was that for?" he asked her with a pleased look in his eyes.

"That was for saving me," she whispered. "And this is for loving me," she thought to herself as she used her left hand to pull his head down for an urgent open-mouthed kiss.

Draco couldn't stop the low moan that escaped from his throat when her tongue entered his mouth and began lapping at his. He sat on her bed now to move even closer to her and let his hand gently roam over her back.

Hermione was becoming dizzy, and while she wanted to keep kissing Draco, she knew that it was a bad dizzy that was taking over her head. She pulled away with a furrowed brow, and inhaled deeply.

Draco pulled away, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she said uncertainly.

"That didn't sound very convincing."

"I'm just dizzy all of the sudden."

"We can stop then," Draco said as he stood to resume his place in the chair next to her bed.

"No," she called to him. "Stay here."

"I'm not leaving you."

"No, I mean stay in the bed with me," she said as she used her good hand to scoot her bum over so that he could lean against the head board next to her.

"I have a better idea," he said as he got up from his chair.

"Where are you going?" she asked, but she didn't get an answer because Madam Pomfrey had come up before Draco could leave.

"Oh good, you're awake!" the witch exclaimed. "And how are we feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine Madam Pomfrey," Hermione said.

"That's good," the mediwitch said as she came around to check on the girl.

After a few minutes of checking her over, Madam Pomfrey gave Hermione the option to stay or to go back to her own room.

"I'd like to go back to my room," Hermione said without hesitation.

"I'll help her," Draco offered.

"Very well," the mediwitch said. She gave Draco a few bottles of potion and told him to give them to her at certain times for the rest of the night. "Can you handle that?"

"Of course I can," he assured her.

Hermione got out of the bed and used Draco as a crutch to get back to their common room. He helped her into her dorm, then went to their bathroom and placed all of the potions on the counter. He returned when he heard Hermione calling for help.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I—I can't get out of this robe," she said quietly, "I can't undo the buttons with one hand."

"Okay," he said, "What do you want to change into?" he asked as he began to go through her trunk.

"That one," she said as he held up a pink night gown. "That one's fine," she said as she pulled against the robe she had on. Her eyes followed him as he sat the night gown on her bed and he walked back over to her.

It then occurred to her that she had nothing else on besides the robe…she hadn't worn any knickers or a bra because she had been wearing her dress for the ball. He had already come over and had started to undo the top buttons, but she stopped him.

"Wait—uh, I umm," she muttered, as she pushed his hands away. "I don't um," she started as her face turned red with embarrassment.

"What is it?"

"I don't have anything on underneath this."

Neither said anything, or moved an inch for that matter, and Hermione bit her lip in anticipation.

"Well—" Draco started but broke off to clear the huskiness form his voice, "don't worry, I—I'll close my eyes."

Hermione's heart was running around her chest, and she felt her cheeks become flushed. "You promise?" she asked him, locking eyes with him.

He nodded. First he helped her out of the sling, but it was caught in the robe. "I have to take the robe off first," he said, and she saw that it was caught in the sleeve.

"Okay," she said. "Eyes closed?"

"Eyes closed."

He began to undo the upper buttons, while laying the sling over her shoulder as not to lose the end, but stopped half way through. "Uh, Hermione?"

"Yea?"

"This is going to take forever if I can't look," he said. "Not at you, but I can't see how to maneuver the robe away from your sling," he explained.

Hermione could tell that it would be pretty much impossible for him if he couldn't see so she reluctantly agreed to let him open his eyes. Hermione looked into his face to see him in deep concentration as he finally finished with the buttons. He pulled on the sling, and then re-adjusted it for her.

Now, not only was her face red, but the flush was traveling all over her body. His hands kept brushing across her skin…whether it was on purpose or not, she couldn't tell.

Draco's heart was beating faster than he ever remembered it beating. He watched the robe fall to the ground and when his eyes swept over her lower areas he felt the heat of his body grow even hotter.

He could feel Hermione's fast breath against him, and he brought his eyes up to rest on hers. She had brought her hands up to cover herself, and he stepped closer to her.

Her mouth was opened, and she looked deeply into his eyes. His hands rested on her shoulders and he slowly let them drop lower…lower….

Hermione's breath was now ragged. She had never been so exposed before in front of a boy—a man and it was thrilling and terrifying her. A huge feeling of self-consciousness hit her like a ton of bricks and her body began to tremble.

"Draco," she finally said, uncertainty lacing her voice as she didn't know what he was going to do next. His hands now rested on her lower back.

"You're beautiful," he whispered into her ear, "One day I'm going to kiss you all over…."

Draco let the thought linger between them for a moment before he forced himself to say, "Lets get you dressed." He picked up her night gown from the bed, and helped her into it.

Hermione could feel tingles radiate up and down her spine from his comment, and for a moment, she thought she might give into his suggestion. She had to restrain herself from pouncing on him and kissing him all over.

Hermione sighed when she was adequately dressed, and she sat down on the bed behind her. She looked up at Draco from above her eyelashes and cocked her head.

"That was…" she couldn't complete her thought.

"That my girl," he whispered as he sat down beside her, "is the start to an experience I hope to share with you someday in the future."

Her eye widened considerably at what he was suggesting. Then she smiled, "Your girl? Is that what I am to you?"

"You're my girlfriend, remember?"

She nodded sweetly.

"Then yes, you are my girl."

"I like the sound of that," she smiled as she leaned in for a kiss.

"Hermione?" they heard a voice call from the common room. The door to her room opened moments later.

"Oi, there you are Hermione!" Ron said as he walked in behind Harry and Ginny.

Ginny ran to her and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad that you're okay!"

"We went to the hospital wing and Pomfrey said that Draco had already taken you back here," Harry said as he also leaned down to give Hermione a hug.

Hermione hugged her friends, and they all ended up sitting on her bed and talking. They told her all about how they'd rescued her, and then about going to Dumbledore.

Hermione was elated to hear that Pansy Parkinson might be expelled.

"The Great hall was buzzing tonight, I bet Dumbledore already told her," Ron said as he cracked his knuckles.

"I hope I never have to see her again," Hermione admitted. Everyone nodded their heads along with her.

"Oh Hermione, before I forget," Ginny began as she rummaged through her bag, "this is yours," she said as she handed Hermione a flower.

The boys exchanged a bewildered look until Ginny said a simple, "Finite Incantatem," to restore Hermione's wand.

"Thanks Gin," Hermione smiled as she sat her wand on her bed side table.

After an hour of so of talking together, Harry, Ron, and Ginny decided to head back to Gryffindor tower. Draco helped Hermione get ready for bed, and poured up her potions for the night.

"Thank you," Hermione said to him as he helped her climb back into her bed.

"Some Valentine's day, huh?"

Her face fell suddenly as she remembered, "My dress," she whispered. She had completely forgotten about it. "I guess Madam Pomfrey threw it away, it wasn't much to look at after…."

"Don't worry about that, all you need right now is some rest," Draco said. "Goodnight," he leaned down and kissed her softly on the mouth. When he tried to pull away, she whimpered.

"Don't go," Hermione whispered, "stay here with me."

Draco hesitated.

"Please?"

"Anything for my girl," he whispered back. He kicked off his shoes, and took off his shirt.

Hermione watched him, and had to swallow to moisten her suddenly dry throat when he took his shirt off.

Draco walked around to the other side of the bed, pulled up the covers, and slid in behind her. He lay on his side so that he could look at her. She let her left hand reach under the blankets to seek his hand, and she intertwined her fingers with his.

"Goodnight Hermione," she heard him whisper.

"Now is the time," she thought to herself. "I need to tell him that I know…and that I feel the same way..."

"Draco?"

"Hmmm?"

"I love you too," she whispered bravely before she lost her nerve.

Draco opened his eyes immediately.

Hermione could see his eyes from the moonlight.

"Y—you do?"

She nodded.

"You heard me, didn't you?" Draco asked as he licked his lips.

She nodded again. "I wanted to tell you earlier, but I didn't think it was the right time. Oh Draco, I do love you," she admitted as she couldn't help the tear that slid down her cheek.

Draco couldn't help the smile that came across his face, and he closed the remaining gap between them and kissed her soundly on the mouth. Her tears leaked onto his face, and his hand flew to twist themselves in her wild hair.

"I love you Hermione," Draco whispered between kisses.

Hermione was surprised to find that she was crying in relief, and her heart was soaring to new heights.

"I can't believe this is happening," Hermione whispered against his mouth as it was pressing against hers over and over.

"Me either," he said as he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

She laughed quietly, "I can't believe we've fallen in love, after everything that's happened," she whispered.

They talked well into the morning, and Hermione finally dosed off, feeling happier than she could ever remember. Draco's arms stayed around her, and after watching her sleep for hours, he too, fell into a dreamless sleep.