Well how nice am I to you lot:D

Step XxXxX ;)


Chapter 36

Hermione and Harry were stood outside the entrance to the cave, nervously wondering what to do and how Malfoy's barrier would work. They had apparated home and quickly filled Ginny in on the developments of the last twenty minutes. She agreed to help Malfoy in any way she could and apparated home to collect a few potions that may help. She was hoping that she would be able to sneak into and out of her house without her mum and dad realising she had been there. Although she doubted this would be easy to do.

'Do you reckon we can just walk through it?' Harry asked Hermione.

They had lit their wands and the tips poked out from under the invisibility cloak, illuminating the space around them. They could only see a light sheen covering the entrance, not what was waiting for them inside the cave.

'There's only one way to find out I suppose. Come on; let's just walk through it.'

'Ok.'

Tentatively they stepped forwards and walked through the barely noticeable barrier. Hermione braced herself to feel a force or something, but she didn't feel a thing, and when she opened her eyes she saw the cave around her.

It took a while for her eyes to focus on the form of her once arch-enemy laying on the floor, shaking and whimpering almost silently, with blood dripping from slashes across his face, arms, legs and chest. He was led on his back but in a position that looked as though he had tried to get onto his side but had failed, because of the pain it caused. When she did realise this was what she was seeing, she dropped to the floor instantly, kneeling beside him.

Harry took off the cloak, which was now just covering him.

'Oh Merlin…Harry please tell me he's still alive.'

'He's still alive Hermione, look.'

He pointed at Malfoy's chest, which was rising and falling ever so slightly with his shallow and laboured breaths.

'I…didn't…know you…c…cared Granger!' Malfoy stammered, and promptly started to cough. Hermione noticed the blood that came up with his coughs.

'Can you stand?' Harry asked Malfoy in a very business like tone.

''Fraid not…Potter. This is as…b…best as I can do.'

'Fine, I'll carry you then. Hermione will you help me get him up?'

Harry knelt down on the other side of Malfoy and grabbed his arm to put around his neck.

'What do you th…think you're…doing Potter?' Malfoy asked, taking his arm out of Harry's grip.

'Well, I was trying to get your sorry arse out of here but if you'd rather we leave you here to die then that can be arranged!'

Malfoy scowled, 'fine, it's not as if I,' he grimaced, '…h…have any other…option…is it?'

'No you don't,' Harry replied, 'so just be grateful of my help for once.'

Malfoy didn't reply, but he tried to be helpful when Hermione and Harry picked him up off the floor into Harry's arms.

In a swish of a cloak they had apparated out of the cave and into Harry and Hermione's lounge.

Ginny stood up as they arrived and her eye's widened as she looked over Malfoy's weakened form. Harry carefully laid him down on the sofa, and noticed the wince that crossed Malfoy's face as he did so.

Ginny stepped into helping mode instantly, as much as she had only been learning to Heal for a few months, she had seen her mother patch up her brothers many times before, and had learnt from her more than anyone else. She knelt next to the three-seater and took out her wand ready.

'What was he hit with?' she asked Harry.

'I don't know, we just found him and brought him here, we haven't asked him anything yet.

'You know...I am here and capable of…s…speech, thank you,' Malfoy said. Apparently the fact that he was unable to move without causing himself a great deal of pain didn't stop him from being a proud wizard.

'Fine, what were you hit with?' she demanded of him.

'I thought it was sectumsempra, but it doesn't seem as bad…had the,' he coughed violently and Ginny automatically supported his head trying to keep it steady, 's…same…sort of effect though.'

A couple more drips of blood fell from the corner of his mouth onto the sofa.

'What else?' Ginny asked, a bit more politely than she had the last time.

'No other spells, but one of your A…Aurors decided to use me as a,' he closed his eyes and looked as though the words he was about to say would cause him more pain than his injuries, 'a human punch bag.'

'Fine, I should be able to help you, that is if you let me. Will you?'

He looked at her, and Ginny knew he didn't want to say yes.

But before he had chance to say anything his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his head fell forward.

'Malfoy?' Ginny said, panicking slightly.

'What is it?' Hermione said, her tone the same as Ginny's.

'He's passed out I think,' Ginny checked for a pulse in his neck, 'yes, he's still with us, just out cold.'

'Well that might make fixing him a bit easier!' Harry mumbled.

'Can you really help him Ginny?' Hermione asked.

'Yeah, you two should be able to help as well. The cuts aren't very deep but there are a lot of them and he's lost a lot of blood, probably why he fainted. Good thing I brought a blood-replenishing potion from home. Of course, while he's passed out we can't do much about that. I'm guessing from of the amount of pain he seems to be in that he's got a few broken bones too.'

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Apart from the fact that he was unconscious he didn't seem to be in that bad a state.

'Look if you two want to clean yourselves up a bit I can sort him out.'

Harry and Hermione looked at themselves and each other and saw Malfoy's blood smeared across their clothes and their hands.

'Thanks Gin, I'll be back in a minute.'

Harry left the room and went up the stairs to sort himself out.

Hermione stood still for a few seconds and looked at Malfoy. He was thin and pale, apart from the bloodstains across his skin. She felt sorry for the wizard, although there was something in her brain telling her this was the last thing she should be feeling. As long as he was alive and able to help them tomorrow then why should she care what state he was in? She did care though, and that worried her a bit.

When they were at school, she longed for nothing more than for someone to give Malfoy a good kicking for all the pain and hurt he caused not only herself and her friends, but also the other people he bullied on a regular basis. But seeing him now she felt different. It was true she didn't know what he had been doing or whether his behaviour had warranted the attack on him, but she had a feeling he hadn't been doing anything, and the Auror who did this to him was purely following orders and trying to bring him into the Ministry.

The truth was, if it had been a few weeks ago and she had watched the attack on the wizard led before her, she would have watched and not done a thing to stop it. Like every other person who had lost friends and family in the war she'd have felt he deserved everything he got. But things were different now, he'd changed, he'd proven that.

'Hermione, go and change will you? He's in safe hands and I've already taken his wand off him so I'll be fine too, now go!'

Hermione smiled and left the room. When she got to the top of the stairs she found Harry standing with his wand arm outstretched, his eyes closed and a look of deep concentration on his face. Not wanting to disturb him she waited until he had finished performing whatever piece of magic he was doing before she said anything.

'Anti-apparation wards per chance?' she said quietly.

'Yeah, don't get angry at me, I just think it's better that no one can get in or leave until tomorrow morning.'

'I'm not going to get angry, it's a good idea, this way we know where he is and that no one can get at him. It'll also make getting him to the hospital easier as well.'

'Yeah it does.'

'I never thanked you before Harry.'

'What for.'

'For not questioning helping him, and for suggesting bringing him back here. I know you hated the idea of him being here.'

'There's no need to thank me; I'm doing what I told you to do and looking at the bigger picture. We need Ron and Ron needs him. I've missed him a lot these last few days, I mean I've always missed him, but these last few days I've missed his stupid comments that make you smile no matter what's happened, and I've missed…I've just missed…him.'

He looked at the floor and sniffed, his gaze shifted to the ceiling and he willed the tears that were forming in his eyes to not fall.

Hermione walked up to Harry and turned him so he was facing her. He refused to look at her so she pulled on his fringe forcing his head downwards so he had to look at her. Eventually he did.

'Harry, we don't know what's going to happen, but something you said to me when I hid myself away in the attic stuck with me. You reminded me that there was still a chance that everything would go to plan and we would be able to wake Ron up. I've kept a tight hold onto that thought every time I think about the worst. So I'm asking you to do it too. As of five past eleven tomorrow he could be awake and talking to us and making us laugh with his stupid comments, just remember that Harry.'

Harry smiled, 'I will do.' He had somehow managed to keep his tears from falling. I wish I could do that! Hermione thought to herself.

'Now we'd better get clean, I'm not one to know about high fashion, but I think it's safe to say various blood smears is not a good look.'

Harry laughed, 'no I don't reckon so. I'll be downstairs in a couple of minutes, ok?'

'Ok.'

Hermione walked past Harry into her own room and she arrived in the lounge changed and cleaned up a few minutes later.

Ginny had managed to heal the cuts on Malfoy's face and was working on the ones on his arms. She had performed a spell on him that showed the one performing it which bones were broken in the body they were examining. Malfoy had four broken ribs, a broken ankle and a cracked bone in his right wrist.

'Is he still unconscious?' Hermione asked quietly.

'Yeah he is. It's making my job easier actually, he can't complain or insult me whilst I do it.'

'Thanks for doing this Gin.'

'It's for my brother, not for Malfoy.'

'I know, still…thanks.'

Ginny rolled up Malfoy's left sleeve to fix a particularly deep cut that was wrapped round his forearm. She stopped when she saw the trace of his Dark Mark on his arm.

'You know, I don't think I ever thought I'd be happy to see a Dark Mark this close up. Especially now it looks like that.'

Hermione moved and knelt next to Ginny on the floor.

'Do you think it disappeared as soon as he died? I know it's still there, I mean, it looks like the scars that evil quill left on Harry's hand, but do you think it lost it's colour instantly?'

'I have no idea; it would make sense if it did. Apparently all the Death Eaters who were still fighting pretty much disappeared at the same time, so they might have felt it burn or something.'

'Yeah I suppose.'

Ginny waved her wand over the cut and the skin started to slowly come together. Malfoy stirred but didn't open his eyes.

'I'll start on his ankle, do you want to do his wrist? One of the bones is cracked.'

Ginny got up and moved around Hermione. She sat on the end of the sofa and took Malfoy's boot off. She straightened his ankle out, causing him to stir again, but he didn't wake up, and she pointed her wand at the bone and said 'Episkey'.

Hermione did the same with his wrist.

'Why do you think he's coughing up blood?' Hermione asked, not really wanting to find out the answer.

'It could be a number of things, it could be as simple as he's bitten his tongue or his cheek and it's bleeding inside his mouth, or his broken ribs might have punctured his lung.'

'How do you fix that?' Hermione asked barely able to keep the panic out of her voice.

'Carefully,' Ginny replied.

Hermione tried to smile but didn't quite pull it off; she looked like she was in pain.

'I'll fix it Hermione, don't worry.'

'Before tomorrow?' Hermione asked.

'Yes, but it's up to Malfoy whether he feels strong enough to be able to go to the hospital tomorrow.'

'Yeah…yeah I suppose.'

This is why you don't get your hopes up for something Hermione, anything could happen, she said to herself, getting angry for letting herself think that tomorrow could be the end of it all.

'Don't worry your…bushy little head Granger; I'll be able to help the…Weasel. Oww!'

'Oops! Sorry Malfoy, my hand slipped!'

When Malfoy had said the word 'Weasel' Ginny had twisted his newly mended ankle as she put his boot back on, causing the pain that made Malfoy cry out.

He scowled at her but held his tongue realising insulting anyone Ginny cared for, or Ginny herself, would not be in his best interests.

Hermione had chosen to ignore the slight altercation between Ginny and Malfoy.

'Are you sure you'll be all right to do it Malfoy? I mean, you're not exactly in a good way are you? It might make you worse if you have to perform magic.'

'Malfoy smirked, 'well thank you for your concern Granger…but I'll be fine.'

'I hate to remind you Malfoy,' Ginny said, 'but Hermione is more concerned that you won't be able to perform the magic needed to revive my brother properly, and not about your welfare.'

Malfoy looked at Ginny and then Hermione, as if wondering whether to be offended, but after a second he smirked.

'Then you still needn't worry, I'm perfectly able to perform magic.'

'Properly?' Hermione demanded.

'Yes Granger, properly!' He coughed at the end of his answer, although this time he didn't cough up any blood.

'You need to take this,' Ginny said picking up one of the potion bottles and holding out for Malfoy to take.

'What is it?' he mumbled.

'It's a blood-replenishing potion, you've lost too much for you to have any strength so I suggest you take it.'

'How can I be sure it's not poisoned?'

Hermione sighed, Ginny however, smirked.

'Believe me Malfoy, the thought of finishing you off or handing you into the Ministry did cross my mind, as the ten thousand galleon reward was very tempting. However, fortunately for you, getting my brother back to the land of living is more important to me than any reward. So take the bloody potion and be thankful for it!'

'Fine,' Malfoy said, 'give me the bottle.'

'Please!' Ginny said, holding it just out of Malfoy's reach.

Malfoy sighed loudly, 'Merlin above! Please!'

Ginny handed him the bottle and he drank it in one go.

Hermione realised Harry hadn't returned to the lounge as he said he would.

'Gin, will you go and find Harry please, I think he's in his room.'

Ginny stood up and looked at Hermione, puzzled.

'He er…I think he's a bit upset,' she said quietly so Malfoy couldn't hear. 'Just make sure he's all right will you?'

Ginny nodded her head and left the lounge, leaving Hermione and Malfoy alone.

'Of all the things I've been through, I think this has to be the worst,' Malfoy said.

'Does it still hurt?' Hermione asked him.

Malfoy laughed, but stopped when the pain hit him.

'I'm not talking about this,' he waved his hand over himself, indicating the numerous injuries he had acquired, 'I'm talking about this, being in Potter's living room, and in need of help from him, you and the Weasel's baby sister.'

Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

'Well, I can see you're feeling better already, seeing as though you are, we can discuss tomorrow and what we're going to do. Ok?'

It was a rhetorical question, and Malfoy knew it.

'Fine, what do you want me to do?'