"Okay, now that Potter's been quelled -" Hermione started in, letting her guise drop.
"Temporarily..." Malfoy chimed in, letting the word lie.
"You and I talked of many thins, over the summer," Hermione said firmly.
"We did," Draco Malfoy said, fighting to sound natural with the sudden dryness of his throat.
"Our masks are off now, let's try again." Hermione said firmly, and Draco - with a start - dropped his own guise, resuming his silver-eyed, platinum haired countenance.
"I escaped." Draco Malfoy said, "Fled may be the better term, really." He paused, frowning a bit, "I didn't know what I was fleeing from - still don't know the whole of it, really." Hermione, though her eyes swirled with questions, simply sat and listened. Draco found himself liking that facts first approach. "My parents risked everything to shield me from the Dark Lord." Draco paused, and then said, "They weren't the only ones."
"I wasn't there, I can't tell you if I'd have been a hostage, or merely a victim." Draco Malfoy said, tilting his head up, "But, somehow, my parents knew they couldn't afford to keep me there."
"If your parents are bound to do as He says, why would a hostage matter?" Hermione Granger asked.
"All sorts of reasons, Granger," Draco said mildly, "I could be punished for my father's failings, or just used as leverage in negotiations below the level of the Dark Lord himself."
Hermione nodded grimly, "you should be glad that you weren't forced into the company of Bellatrix Lestrange, formerly Black."
Draco nodded, quietly relieved that Hermione was listening it had been ridiculous to think that she wouldn't, really, she'd listen and then stick in her heels if she needed to, but still...