Disclaimer: If everybody owned the characters of J K Rowling then there would be no need for Fanfiction!
Four weeks…four torturous, mind numbing, threat filled weeks. Her mother seemed to have taken up a life of drunkenness, yelling curses at Hermione for looking like her father. The women was becoming unbearable, Hermione had rung her father on some occasions asking to spend a night or two at his small flat. He had been a bit hesitant at first, cautious to what her mother would say but had given up in the end. Hermione found herself between houses, spending time at her mothers when she was out of her drunken slump and at her fathers when she was in.
She still worked for the Malfoy's, Lucius was still dealing out harmful threats and Draco was still making her do pointless, hard jobs. He had slackened off a bit, telling her that she was no use to him half dead with exhaustion. The only person she had hardly seen was Narcissa! She always seemed to be out or in another part of the house to her, Hermione would catch glances of her as she swept round corners or strolled through the garden but that was it. She was like some mournful ghost.
Hermione straightened out her already pristine clothing, checking herself once over before stepping into the Manor. Lucius had previously commented on her clothing, his face going a shade of red if there was a large crease or dirt stain on it. Had she been allowed to use magic she would be able to tidy herself up! But Lucius had given her a long lecture about how magic can not substitute a physically well groomed outfit…or house on that matter. What would he know? Hermione thought bitterly he's always had others to tidy his house.
With a sigh Hermione opened the large doors and stepped in, making her way up to Draco's room to report in, having been made a rule after the first week. She was at the beginning of the hallway when she heard raised voices, to very angry male voices by the sound of it. Hermione had heard the odd bicker between the two male Malfoy's, one that was often easily solved but this sounded much worse, had they been muggles and this a normal house the police surely would have been called. Hermione paused where she was, deciding whether to wait here till either one left the room or to draw closer, acting like nothing was happening. Hermione decided it was best to get closer, perhaps to catch a word or two about the reason of the fight.
The words were muffled by the thick walls and doors that made up the Manor, Hermione drew closer still, trying to hear a proper word being said. She was directly at the door when she heard something hit it, most probably a curse seeing at she doubt a male Malfoy to throw something at another. What ever it was hit the door hard, Hermione jumped back in fright as the door shook and splintered. More words were exchanged, less intense, guessing them to be hissed dangerously as apposed to being shouted, followed by a dull thud and a stomach turning silence.
Hermione was rooted on the spot, unable to move as the abused door opened slowly, revealing a very tousled looking Lucius, his face still red with anger. He seemed a little surprised to see Hermione standing there, the expression turning to a vicious sneer before he fixed up his robe and left. No threats, no 'mud blood' callings it was surprising, she guessed he had already release his anger out for today. Hermione waited until he disappeared from the hallway before stepping toward the room, a hand pushing the slightly opened door opened more.
"oh my gosh" Hermione gasped, eyes drinking in the state of the room. It looked like a herd of elephants had rampaged through it, everything was over turned and scattered, items broken and ripped. It was the remains of a domestic battle field but where was the wounded soldier? With quick steps Hermione crossed the room, craning her neck over the side of the bed, seeing the black of Draco's clothes.
"Draco? Are you alright?" she paused, waiting for a response. "Draco!"
When there was still no reply she drew closer, still a little cautious that he may mistake her for his father, but pressed on none the less. The cloth of his robe was covering his head from her sight, so she was unable to tell if he had any serious head wounds. Kneeling beside him Hermione reached out and clasped the black cloth, easing it away from his head. It appeared Draco still had some consciousness because the next thing she knew she was lying on the ground, some feet away, her side throbbing with pain after connecting with the floor.
Draco was arched over, a hand clutched and pressed against his side while the other held his body weight up. His blond hair hung over his face, again blocking her view, but from what she could see he had a split lip and another cut on his eyebrow. His breath was coming out in hard breaths, whether it be from pain or to easy down his rage. For some time Hermione watched Draco who watched the floor. It was Draco who finally made eye contact, his dark eyes slowly traveling up her body, seeing if she had been harmed when he had thrown her, thinking her to be his father.
"You ok?" he asked quietly.
"Doing better then you"
Draco let out a breath of a laugh, Hermione got to her feet and moved over to him. Draco placed a hand on his bed, clutching at the sheets as he struggled to get off the floor, eyes closed in concentration and pain. With a grunt he tried to pull himself up, Hermione rushed forward to help him up only to be pushed backwards by the pained blond.
"Please Draco I'm trying to help"
"I. don't. need. help" He gritted out, closing his eyes, feeling bile rise in his throat.
"You do Draco so stop being a baby and let me help you."
"Get away from me mudblood…I said get" Draco tried to push the stubborn girl away from him, letting go of his grip on the bed to do it and thus losing his balance, collapsing onto the ground. Hermione once again rushed forward, taking the cursing male into her arms and lifting him up onto the bed, this time with no objections from Draco. Once he was seated on the bed Hermione took his chin between her fingers and tilted his head upwards, flicking his hair back to get a good view of the cuts, they were shallow and would simply need cleaning.
"I'll be right back."
Draco said nothing, simply tilted his head back down once she released his chin. Hermione walked into his bathroom and got a small bowl, filling it with water and fetched a wash cloth. She returned to see Draco had not moved, giving her no acknowledgement when she placed the bowl down on bed side table. The cloth was wet with the water, his head tilted up once again, she pressed the cloth gently on the cut and wiped it.
"Ouch Granger that hurts!"
"Oh don't be such a baby, take it like a man."
"That's easy for you to say, you don't have someone digging a cloth into your wound!"
"I am hardly 'digging' it in." there was a long pause, Hermione focusing on his cuts and Draco focusing on anything but Hermione. "Why did he do this?"
"Does he need a reason?"
"Draco I don't feel like fighting right now, just tell me."
"It would be best if you didn't know" He said quietly, Hermione stopped mid-wash and looked him in the eye, Draco only held it for a second before his eyes dropped. Hermione had a good idea about what or more who he was talking about, never being the one to back out of gathering information she pressed him on.
"Its about You-know-who isn't it" He didn't answer "Isn't it Draco!"
"Take the day off Granger, take tomorrow off as well" He brushed her hand away and stood up, his side hurt but it had dulled some what. Hermione took a step back, the cloth, now slightly red, still in her hand. Had this been another situation she would have jumped for joy at being allowed two days off, but she hardly felt joyous with Draco hurt and Lucius most likely stewing in his rage.
"Draco"
"I said GO granger, do you not understand! Leave, depart, disappear, would you like me too say in some other language for you to under stand." His voice had slowly rose in volume, to the point he was almost yelling at her. Hermione was ashamed to feel water rimming her eyes, she placed the cloth in the water and walked out of the room, down the stairs, out the door and apparated home. Leaving the shaking teen to his own devices.
- Granger Household, Next Day-
It was dark, it was cold, it was miserable and it was wet. A typical day of delightful English weather, raining and cold. Hermione found her self in a mood that matched the weather, she had hardly any sleep last night because she worried about Draco. She had tried to convince herself she was not worried about him but about what would happen to her job if something did happen, he was her enemy! She should be worried about him being in pain, she should be rejoicing but she had seen a side of him she had never seen before. Defeated.
Hermione looked up to the clock, seeing it was almost 2 o'clock, it was strange she was not hungry, having not eaten at all today. Most of the day had been spent sitting on the couch, watching what ever pointless shows were on the television. Her mother was at work and would be till at least 7 o'clock, so she had a lot of free time on her hands. With a sigh she pushed herself into a sitting position on the couch, deciding it best to eat something, even if she wasn't hungry. Hermione was getting off the couch when there was a soft knock at the door, so soft she was sure she hadn't heard it, but then it came again, louder this time.
Who could it be? she thought, walking towards the door. They never got guests while her mother was working, it could possibly be one of her fathers friends but she doubted they would come here. The lights in the hallway flickered and a loud crack of thunder sounded, making it all to like a horror movie for Hermione's likings, perhaps some axe wielding maniac was standing behind the door? But why would they knock! Your being stupid Hermione she scolded herself, turning the knob of the door and opening it.
"Draco!" There stood a very tousled and wet Draco, he seemed surprised to see her or perhaps surprised he had been standing on her door. This confused her greatly, why would Draco knock on her door if he did not expect for her to answer?
"Stupid" he muttered to himself, Hermione had to strain to catch the words, shaking his head he turned around and began to walk away. It was all to strange, Draco coming to her house, knocking on the door, muttering 'stupid' then walking away. He was almost to the street when Hermione snapped from her thoughts, she rushed down the path, the rain soaking her in a few moments, and grab Draco's arm.
"Draco what are you doing here?"
"Blaise….left…….Grangers house" He mumbled, as if trying to make sense but only resulted in confusing both him and Hermione.
"Draco come inside, your going to catch pneumonia if you stay out here." Hermione pulled him into the house, he followed obediently, it was so out of character for him to be this 'easy'. Once she got him inside she took his large cloak off and dumped it in the laundry sink, getting a few towels she returned to Draco, who still stood in the hallway. She wrapped the towels around him and brought him into the lounge room, placing him on a chair in front of the electric heater, allowing him to warm up.
"Now what's wrong." she spoke slowly, he seemed a little dazed by it all.
"Mother and father are at the Opera, I left, like that I just left! I went to Blaise's house but his mother didn't want Lucius to come barging in because his son left." he paused and looked over to Hermione, who stood close to the heater, trying to warm her wet clothes while she listen to him. "I couldn't think of anywhere else, so I just walked and I ended up here."
"How did you know where I lived?"
"When I gave you the job I found out where you lived, thought it best to know incase something happened….if things started going missing."
"I would never steal from you!"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Whatever Draco, I've never stolen and I don't plan to start now."
Draco made no comment, just drew the towels closer to his body and shuffled closer to the heater. Hermione let out a sigh, as if life wasn't complicated enough she now had a run-away Malfoy in her house.
"You know you can't hide forever, especially not here. You father hates me enough, if he knows him hiding his son it may just be the frosting on his temper cake." he gave a snort, he knew all too well. "Look you can stay here for as long as you want but the longer you stay here the angrier he is going to get."
"Thanks, at least there is someone I can count on."
"No problem, Oh I hope you like pink" Draco raised an eye at the bushy haired witch.
"Why?"
"Because you'll be sleeping in it while you're here. Along with a purple stuffed elephant and Mr Snuggles, they will keep you company during the night amongst all the fluff and lace." Hermione tried her hardest not to laugh at the thought of Draco laying in a pink, lacy bed with her stuff animals.
"Have you been reading my fantasies Granger"
Both teens looked at one another for a moment before breaking into fits of laughter, the threat of Lucius and the damp and grizzly weather could not break the moment of easy laughter that was in the house. Across the town, in a large empty Manor sat Lucius. The ever present smirk on his face was magnified by the firelight, dark eyes shinning with a sense of pride for himself.
"My..my that plan worked perfectly."
A/N: School is starting up tomorrow and its my last year, saying that I apologise in advance if there are late updates...I have tried to plan the time out to hopefully update every week but life does get in the way..please take this in mind
thankyou