There was a nervous tension at Voldemort's house on the morning that an attempt to wake Hermione was due to be performed. After weeks of tireless work and research, followed by days of triple checking their facts, Lucius, Severus and Voldemort were confident they were ready to try and wake Hermione. Not that it was going to be easy, and it was going to take several hours, a lot of dark magic and potions, and all the skill they possessed as wizards.
As hard as it was for Voldemort to admit it, he'd finally confessed that with Hermione's life on the line he didn't feel it would be in his daughter's best interests if he was to try and help awaken her. He wanted nothing more than to be there and help Lucius and Severus work their magic, but he knew he was far too emotionally attached and he wasn't sure he could keep his nerve if anything started to go wrong. So while sitting outside waiting for news wasn't exactly what he would have chosen to do, it was what he did do for Hermione's sake. He wanted his daughter back, and he knew Lucius and Severus working together was the best chance of that happening.
While Lucius and Severus were the ones performing the spells and rituals to wake Hermione, a couple of the private healers that had been hired to look after Hermione were present in her room in case of an emergency. As for everyone else, all they could do was wait in a nearby room. Aside from Voldemort, the other people waiting for news of Hermione were her mother, Draco and Narcissa. Hermione's other friends had wanted to be there, but Draco had promised to let them know how Hermione was when she was awake. Besides, Draco honestly didn't think Voldemort would want anyone else to see him looking so fragile, as the wizard pacing the floor in front of him may have been one of the darkest wizards their world had ever known, but right now he was a terrified father and the only thing on his mind was the life of his precious daughter.
"What's taking them so long?" Voldemort muttered as he continued to pace the floor in the library where they were waiting for some news.
"It hasn't even been an hour yet," Leah gently pointed out. "This is going to take time, you know that. Come and sit down."
"I don't know what we're going to do if this doesn't work," Voldemort confessed as he sat down next to Leah and let her take hold of his hand. "I swear, if Hermione doesn't wake up I'll tear the entire Parkinson family limb from limb with my bare hands."
"Hermione will wake up," Leah stated positively. "Although it still might be tempting to rip the Parkinsons to shreds. I can't believe that little cow has done this to our daughter."
While Voldemort and Leah discussed the Parkinsons, Draco silently fumed. He'd been horrified when his father had told him that they'd tracked down and the culprit and it was Pansy. At first he hadn't wanted to believe it, but the longer he thought about it, the more sense he made. Pansy had been against Hermione from the beginning, and then suddenly she'd had a change of heart and two near fatal accidents had then befallen his girlfriend. He knew Pansy was pushing the blame on the poisoning onto Potter and Weasley, but he would bet his life savings that Pansy herself had her hand in it somewhere along the line. Like Voldemort, he could quite happily tear Pansy in two, and he was just hoping when Hermione woke up she was feeling bloodthirsty and would sanction a painful punishment for the girl who'd tried to kill her.
Draco's thoughts of revenge on Pansy didn't distract him for long, and he was soon back to worrying about Hermione. Unfortunately, worrying about Hermione wasn't getting him anywhere and all it was doing was making the long wait seem even longer. Not that he could stop worrying about Hermione as he was terrified that he was going to lose her when he'd only just found her. They were only just beginning on their journey together, and Draco honestly didn't know what he was going to do if the worst happened and his father and Severus failed to wake Hermione.
Painfully the hours ticked by, until nearly five hours after they'd settled in the library, the door opened and Lucius appeared. Voldemort, Leah and Draco were all on their feet within seconds of Lucius making an appearance and they crowded the blond wizard, demanding to know answers.
"We think it's working," Lucius said.
"Think?" Voldemort snapped. "Why do you only think its working?"
"Her vitals are getting stronger and she's beginning to stir. But as of yet, she hasn't woken up like we expected," Lucius explained. "Severus and I think she's close to waking up, but we think a trigger might help things along."
"What sort of a trigger?" Leah asked.
"The voice of someone she cares about," Lucius replied. "Severus and I are focused on the rituals and chanting, and she doesn't know the healers. We think having someone she knows talk to her might bring her round quicker. Severus and I would both swear she's hovering on the brink on returning to us. We just need to pull her completely out of her coma."
"I'll come and talk to her," Leah said immediately. "Don't argue," she said, shaking her head as Voldemort opened his mouth to protest. "I know you love her, and she would recognise your voice, but I've been with her throughout her entire life. Let me do this. I can bring our daughter back to us, I know I can."
Accepting Leah's logic, Voldemort nodded his head and giving her a kiss, he let her go off with Lucius to see if she could help hurry things along. Not that a speedy resolution was on the cards as it was over ninety minutes later before the library door opened again, only this time it was Severus entering the room.
"She's awake," he declared without any delay.
"Thank Merlin," Voldemort swore, lowering his head and taking a moment to get his emotions in check before he looked back up at Severus. "How is she?"
"The healers are checking her over," Severus replied. "Lucius and I can take a look once they've finished, just to be sure the curse is entirely out of her system."
"Thank you, Severus," Voldemort said quietly, grasping the younger wizard's hand and shaking it. "Draco, I know you want to see Hermione, but for now, I think it's best if you stay here."
"Of course, My Lord," Draco replied, accepting that he would have to wait his turn to see Hermione even though he was dying to be reunited with his girlfriend.
Leaving the library, Voldemort passed Lucius in the hallway and thanked his loyal follower for his help. He then carried on to Hermione's room, where he found his daughter lying in bed with the two healers checking her over. Just the sight of Hermione with her eyes open and conscious made his heart soar, and he embraced a tearful Leah as they stood at the bottom of their daughter's bed.
"Hello, princess," Voldemort whispered, his voice choked with emotion as he smiled at his daughter.
"Daddy," Hermione croaked, sounding weak and sleepy.
"How is she?" Voldemort demanded of the two healers.
"As well as can be expected," the more experienced healer answered. "She will be weak for several weeks and will need plenty of rest. To help aid her recovery, I suggest her not using magic for at least three days and then slowly building back up her magical use. Until she is physically back to her peak, using her magic will drain her."
"But once she's fit again, she'll have no problems with her magic?" Leah checked.
"She shouldn't have," the healer replied. "But I believe your friends will be of more use in that department. We can help get Hermione back to peak physical fitness, and I'm sure as you're aware, physical health can play an important part in magical ability."
"Indeed it can," Voldemort agreed with a nod. Of all people, he knew just how important physical health was to harnessing your full magical potential.
"I'd like your daughter to remain in bed for the next couple of days so she can start to rebuild her strength," the healer said. "We can then discuss ways to help get her back to her usual self. I'm confident that as long as the curse has fully left her system that your daughter will be back on her feet and raring to go by the time she's due to head back to school."
"That's something to aim for, isn't it Hermione?" Voldemort chuckled, knowing how important Hermione found school and her education.
"Yes, I've missed enough school," Hermione said softly.
"You'll be able to catch up just fine," Leah reassured her daughter as the healers finished their examinations.
Ten minutes later the two healers left the bedroom, having left behind various potions that would help Hermione in her recovery. Shortly after they'd left, Severus and Lucius returned and conducted their own tests that proved that they'd managed to expel all traces of the curse Hermione had been struck down by.
"So she won't have issues with her magic?" Voldemort checked.
"I wouldn't have thought so," Lucius replied, looking to Severus for a second opinion.
"I can't see any reason for her to struggle with magic," Severus agreed. "The curse is completely gone, and we all know how strong Hermione's magic is. With some rest, I'm sure she'll be just fine."
"And rest is what she'll get," Leah said.
"Not yet," Hermione protested. "I want to see Draco. He is here, isn't he?"
"He is," Voldemort confirmed with a nod. "He's been at your side since school ended. He can come and see you for a few minutes."
"Then you need to rest," Leah ordered.
"Yes Mum," Hermione muttered, not having the energy to argue with her mother. Although to be fair she was feeling rather exhausted, and the only thing keeping her awake was her desire to see Draco.
A couple of minutes later, Draco entered the bedroom, his face lighting up when he saw Hermione was awake and aware of what was going on around her. Rushing to her bedside, he only just managed to stop himself from pulling her into his arms in delight. Instead he controlled himself and gently stroked Hermione's face as he took in how pale and tired she looked.
"Hi," he whispered.
"Hi," Hermione returned with a small smile. "I've missed you."
"Not as much as I've missed you," Draco replied. "I've been so worried about you."
"It'll take more than a dark curse to get rid of me," Hermione said with a weak sounding chuckle. "Although I would like to know what exactly happened," she said, looking up at her father and mother. "The last thing I remember is receiving a bracelet in the mail."
"It was cursed," Voldemort snarled. "Thanks to the quick thinking of Draco, he removed the bracelet and gave it to me to track down who sent it."
"Did you?" Hermione asked, her mind instantly turning to Harry and Ron.
"I did," Voldemort confirmed with a nod. "It was sent by Pansy Parkinson."
"Pansy?" Hermione was blown away by the revelation and her first thought was that her father was wrong and that somehow the Order had framed her.
"She's admitted it," Draco said quietly, sensing that Hermione didn't believe Pansy was responsible for what had happened.
"What have you done to her?" Hermione asked her father, still trying to wrap her head around the fact she'd been cursed by someone she was starting to consider a friend.
"Nothing yet," Voldemort admitted. "She and her parents are guests of mine at a small property they can't escape from. I thought you might like the pleasure of coming up with a punishment for Pansy."
"I'd like that," Hermione replied as she stifled a yawn.
"Not right now," Leah admonished. "Right now, you need to rest. We can worry about the Parkinsons later."
"Okay, but can Draco stay?" Hermione asked. "I promise to go to sleep, but I want him to stay with me."
"He can stay," Voldemort agreed, giving his daughter an indulgent smile. "But stay on top of the covers, Draco. You're not to get into bed with my daughter, is that understood?"
"Yes, My Lord," Draco replied solemnly.
Leah made Draco promise to leave once Hermione was settled and asleep, before she left the room with Voldemort. Once they were alone, Draco kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed with Hermione. Together the pair settled down on the bed, Hermione resting on Draco as she quietly took in all that happened over the last few weeks.
"I was so scared," Draco confessed in a whisper. "I thought I'd lost you."
"I thought I was going to lose you too," Hermione replied quietly. "The last real thing I can remember is the bracelet, but then after that it was as though I was in this small dark place that I couldn't get out of. I couldn't see, hear or feel anything. It was as though I was trapped somewhere that my mind worked, but my body didn't. I kept thinking of all the people I loved, and how much I wanted to see them again. I thought about you, Draco. You kept me strong, even at my lowest moments when I thought I was dead and I was experiencing the afterlife. I never want to go through that again."
"You won't," Draco promised, lifting Hermione's head so he could press a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I won't let anything like this happen to you again."
"You're going to be my protector?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"I am," Draco replied with a nod. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life protecting you."
"Why?" Hermione whispered.
"Because I love you," Draco answered sincerely. "I thought I was never going to be able to tell you, but now I can. I love you, Hermione."
Hermione smiled softly at the confession, her heart soaring at the prospect of Draco loving her and wanting to spend the rest of his life protecting her.
"I love you too," she returned.
It had never occurred to her to analyse her feelings for Draco before now, but she knew as she said the words that she meant them. She was in love with Draco, and likely had been for a long time.