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Trigger Warning * Rape and assault! Shorter chapter than I usually do. My apologies! muah! XOXO!
Draco woke up and didn't recognize his surroundings; a bright light filled the room. "He's awake! Kingsley, please get the Healer." Draco heard his mother's voice, "Draco? Oh, sweetheart! We were so worried!"
Draco looked around the room. St. Mungo's. "Where's Hermione? Did they catch that weasel?" Draco's thoughts were causing him to get dizzy so he laid his head back down.
"The Aurors are still searching. No word yet. I'm so sorry, sweetheart. A couple found you unconscious and bleeding. We almost lost you. The Headmistress showed the Aurors the threats from the Weasley boy. They have been searching for hours." His mother looked as distraught as he felt. He couldn't lose her. Hermione was the first person he'd ever truly loved.
The Healer came in to check Draco's vitals. Besides the continuing ache in his head, he felt fine. He needed to get out of there and find Hermione. "Mr. Malfoy? You seem to be okay. Concussed, but okay. Let's have you sit up now."
He sat up and got the okay to stand. Careful not to get up too fast, Draco finally got to his feet. Kingsley held Narcissa while they watched him. Draco looked into the man's eyes pleadingly, "Please...find her. Bring her back to me. Safe." Kingsley nodded, gave Narcissa a quick kiss, then Disapparated.
When Hermione came to, she was hurting all over. She knew what he had done. She felt the soreness between her legs. She looked around the abandoned cabin. Where was he? She was alone and wandless. Hermione was naked and felt dirty. How could Ron say he loved her, but then turn around and do the most deplorable thing he could do.
Hermione tried to move but she was stuck. A sticking charm perhaps? She could see her panties and dress in a heap on the floor. At least he had the decency to cover her up with a blanket. Suddenly she heard someone approaching the cabin door. She could hear someone muttering spells (probably Ron removing the wards, she thought to herself) and the door opened. He was back. She noticed he was to distracted to put the wards back up as well, but said nothing.
"You're awake. Good. I've brought breakfast." he said smiling as if he hadn't stunned her then raped her just the night before. "Let me just get this in a bowl, and I can get you fed. Gotta keep your energy up if we're going to have some more fun." She felt physically ill. He released the charm, allowing her to sit up, but then tied one hand to the bed rail.
He sat next to her, attempting to feed her when she lashed out, "You fucking bastard! You raped me!" Ron looked at her confused. "Raped? Is that the Muggle word for sex? I thought we had a good time." He was serious. He actually thought what he had done was perfectly fine. Hermione couldn't stop the tears. She broke and began to sob. Ron reached over, but as soon as he touched her she recoiled.
"Don't touch me! You did enough already. You might have killed Draco. You are not my boyfriend, Ron! Hell! Y-you're not even my friend anymore! Ronald Weasley, you're bloody crazy!" Then she flew back as he backhanded her.
"Fuck you! You, you whore!" Then he threw the bowl of oats against the wall, and she watched through blurry eyes as he began to take his pants off. "Looks like the last lesson I gave you didn't take. You need to know how good I can make you feel." She tried to move but her hand was tied tight. He overpowered her and started to nip at her neck, leaving marks. She laid there crying.
Just as he used his knee to force her legs open, the door to the cabin burst open and Kingsley Shacklebot stunned Ron, literally and figuratively! Harry came rushing in, covering Hermione by wrapping her in the blanket. Four more Aurors entered the cabin, taking an unconscious Ronald Weasley into custody. "Hermione! You're safe. I've got you." she heard Harry say. Kingsley untied her hand from the bed then picked her up. "I'll get her to St. Mungo's, Harry. You tell Robards." And with that he was gone.
Draco was getting dressed when he heard a lot of commotion coming from the hallway. Narcissa knocked quickly then opened the door, "They found her! Kingsley has just brought her in!" She barely got the words out before he ran passed her. He searched frantically before seeing Kingsley. He ran up to him. "Kingsley! Is she okay!?!?" He took Draco's arm and pulled him to a chair.
"Draco, she's alive. A bit beaten up. He looks to have forced himself onto her. He was about to do it again when we arrived. I stunned him, and he is in custody. The Healers are checking her for any other injuries, then they'll clean her up so you can see her, okay son?" The man's voice was steady and calming. Draco wanted to kill Ron Weasley.
Draco conjured a chair and sat at Hermione's bed side and took her hand. She look so small...so broken. He could see a bruise on her cheek, not completely healed. If that fucking Weasel ever got out of Azkaban, he wouldn't last long. He heard her whimpering in her sleep, her face contorted in pain.
"No...please... don't! Draco! You killed Draco. Don't touch me!" she screamed as she woke from her nightmare. Draco caressed her cheek, "You're safe, love. I'm here. Draco's here." He pulled her into his arms. She was crying into his shirt.
"I thought I'd lost you. I begged him to save you. Begged him to let me go. He was so cold. That wasn't the Ron I knew. Oh gods, he stunned me, and I didn't even get the chance fight him off. He...oh gods...he raped me, Draco. He raped me." She continued to sob as he held her, rubbing her back and assuring her she was safe.
"He'll never hurt you again. I can promise you that. Hermione, love? I overheard the Healers say they will need to check you in two weeks to make sure he didn't impregnate you. I'm so fucking sorry baby. So damn sorry I wasn't quick enough." He didn't even care that he was crying. His heart hurt for her. Seeing how scared she was.
"Did they say why? Did he admit to it?" Hermione asked. Just then there was a knock at the door and Harry popped his head in. He saw that she was awake and felt relief wash over him.
"Hey, how you feeling, sis?" Harry asked as he sat in the chair formerly occupied by Draco Malfoy, who was now sitting in Hermione's hospital bed with her curled to his chest.
"Still weak, sore. Have you spoken to him?" She didn't even want to say his name. Harry sighed, "I have. He's not in his right mind. I don't know what the fuck he was thinking. I don't even know him anymore and don't want to." Harry's face was red with anger.
"He admitted to attacking Malfoy, then he admitted to your assault. He says he didn't use a contraceptive spell on you so you would get pregnant and have his child, Hermione. The Healers say it's too early to tell. I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry looked at his best friend, so broken because of somebody they thought they knew. Someone they both loved at one point.
Draco tensed and Hermione felt sick. "Why? Why would he do this? How could you even want to touch me anymore!" She cried out, clutching onto Draco's shirt even tighter. He combed his fingers through her curls. She calmed almost instantly at his touch. He kissed the top of her head.
"Hermione, I love you. I will be here for you no matter what. Please know this. I am not going anywhere, love." He held her tighter, still stroking her hair and whispering reassurances.
Two weeks later at St. Mungo's...
Draco held Hermione's hand as they walked into Healer Montgomery's office. He'd been assigned to her since they first brought her in from the rescue. Narcissa insisted on coming. She hadn't left Hermione's side since she was released. They stayed in the guest house in the gardens on the Malfoy's Estate.
"Miss Granger, so good to see you again. I see you've brought company. Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Ms. Black, always a pleasure." After exchanging pleasantries, Hermione was eager to get this appointment over with. "Okay, I'll get right to it then. I am going to give you a dose of this potion, then a quick charm and we'll know."
The potion was sweet, like a butterscotch toffee in flavor. Draco stood next to his mother, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. Narcissa was more optimistic. She felt it in her soul that the disgusting Weasley boy hadn't succeeded in his goal of impregnating the poor girl. After all she had done during the Second Wizarding War, there was no way fate would ruin her with the burden of an unwanted child.
Hermione began to cry uncontrollably as Healer Montgomery began the charm, so he stopped. "Do you need a minute, Miss Granger." he asked out of concern.
She nodded her head, "Draco, please." He was instantly at her side. "Can he stay with me? Hold my hand?" she asked the Healer who said that it was perfectly fine. "Okay, then... I'm ready." He started the charm again with intricate hand movements while he said an incantation. Nothing happened.
"Ahh, great news then, Miss Granger! You are not pregnant." Healer Montgomery said cheerfully. The relief they all felt was clear. Ron hadn't succeeded. Thank Merlin!
They went back to the Malfoy's Estate after the appointment and celebrated, even Kingsley and Harry came. Draco had been more open to friendship with him much to Hermione's satisfaction. Draco spoke to Harry on the patio out of Hermione's hearing. "Have you spoken to the Weasel? Any word on his trial? I don't know if I want Hermione to be anywhere near that. What do you think?"
Harry knew how protective Draco was of Hermione, Hell, he was too. He also knew that Hermione was the toughest, bravest, brightest with he knew. "I think that's her call, Malfoy. I haven't spoken directly to Ron, not since the day he was caught. Any information I have is from his file. Robards is handling everything, and he's going for the maximum sentence of 20 years for rape, assault, and kidnapping, but then there's another 10 years for attempted murder. But..." he trailed off.
"But what, Potter?" The look Harry gave him told him it wasn't good news.
"Ron's pleading temporary insanity brought on by a jealous rage and stress from Auror training. If he succeeds then he will get 5 years in St. Mungo's psychiatric ward then be free to live his life in the end. According to the reports, he may actually succeed."
Draco felt sick to his stomach. "If that's the case then we will just need a permanent Restraining order against him. He will never touch her again!" Draco's magic crackled around him in his fury.
"It's already in the works no matter what. Robards filed the paperwork yesterday for approval of the Wizengamot. I don't see any reason why it would be denied. Robards didn't want to assume, but he did tell me he added a stipulation." Harry waited for a reaction from Draco. When he saw his eyebrow raised waiting, he continued. "He added that the same protection be added to any children you and Hermione may have."
"It's no assumption really. I'm sure that when we are ready, we may have a child or two. Potter, I don't know if you realize it, but she's it for me. I would marry her today if she said yes. I know you are still wary of me and my intentions, so let me be perfectly clear. I don't just love her, but I am in love with her, her everything. Her soul and my soul are meant to be together, I feel it deep in my bones. We are going to finished school, buy a house, marry, and maybe have children. For Salazar's sake, I hope they're just like her." Harry smiled at his new friend, his best friend's love.
"I already know that, Malfoy. I see it in your eyes when she enters a room, when she smiles, when she takes your hand, when you hold her and reassure her that everything's going to be okay. If anyone out there thinks any different, they're fucking blind. And, I can't believe I am actually saying this, but I hope at least one of your children are just like you, Malfoy. You are loyal, caring, and, Merlin, you actually turned into a decent human being once you got all of that forced prejudice out of you head." Harry held his hand out, Draco took it and they shook, not knowing Hermione heard both of their confessions with adoration in her eyes along with some unshed tears.
*Next chapter will be an extremely long one. It will deal with a time jump of three months to Ron's trial at the Wizengamot, some Hogwarts moments, more Pansy/Seamus, Luna/Neville, and a heated moment between a fiery red head and a certain Italian Slytherin! Still getting everything written. Hope you are enjoying this story! Smooches!