Chapter Ten

Confessions

The flames around his hands were growing and the two fireballs were getting bigger and bigger.

Hermione tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth.

He had said her given name. It was the first time.

"No one will die."

She looked around and saw her wand in the distance, right behind Draco.

"Accio!"

The wand flew into her hand and she spun around, pointing it at the two men.

"Incarcerous."

Ropes shot out from the tip of her wand, binding them hand and foot.

They both stared at Draco, their eyes filled with terror. There were several bleeding cuts on their faces and arms.

Claw marks.

Hermione gripped her wand tightly, turning her head to face Draco again. His silver eyes seemed to pierce her but he hadn't moved. He was still flapping his beautiful wings, hovering a few feet above her.

"Trust me. They're not worth going back to Azkaban for."

Draco growled, leaning forward and gliding until he was right next to her. He landed at her side and clenched his fists, the flames instantly disappearing.

"I need them to pay for what they've done."

"They haven't done anything to me. You got here in time."

"They have to pay, Granger. They touched you without your permission," he insisted, glaring at the men and baring his teeth.

Hermione noticed his fangs, longer and sharper than they should have been. She nodded, pointing at one of the men again.

"Obliviate."

A sort of green smoke rose from his head and her wand absorbed it.

Memories.

Once she was satisfied with the result, she pointed it at the other and did the same until they both stopped trying to escape and stared off into the distance.

"What have you done?" Draco asked in a whisper, frowning and leaning closer until their arms were touching.

"I was going to erase just the memory of seeing you so they wouldn't give you away... but I've erased everything. They don't remember being wizards or going to Hogwarts anymore."

Draco glanced at Hermione for a moment, then averted his gaze to the men. A crooked smile curved his lips.

"Perfect, Granger. That might be better than death."

She shrugged and wrinkled her nose, holding a hand to her neck.

It still hurt. That man had gripped her too tightly.

Draco frowned again and clicked his tongue.

"We'd better get out of here."

She stifled a scream as he bent down slightly, wrapping one of his arms around her legs and lifting her up. His other arm held her back and Hermione blushed when she had her head against his chest.

"Wait! Accio!" she shouted, pointing at everything that was scattered on the floor.

The bag full of food and her things floated to her lap and, without another word, Draco took flight and didn't stop going up until he was among the clouds.

Hermione closed her eyes in fear. He was going too fast, it was as terrifying as being on a broom.

His arms held her firmly and gently and his body heat enveloped her, protecting her from the cold. When she relaxed a little, she opened her eyes.

Everything was a blur around her, they were flying at full speed. She concentrated on his face, quite different from when he was in his human form.

The colour of his eyes was incredible, it scared and fascinated her at the same time. It was exactly the same as his wings, which flapped on his back and ripped the air as they glided. All his skin was white, though his lips had not lost their colour. The outline of his jaw had sharpened, making him look more fearsome.

Though Hermione had never felt in danger near him, quite the opposite. His presence was comforting and reassuring, she felt it on the very day of his second trial when he transformed in front of everyone.

"Draco."

He slowed down at the sound of her voice, looking into her eyes.

"How did you find me?"

Draco clenched his jaw, looking straight ahead again.

"We'll talk about it when you're okay."

"I'm fine," she replied, frowning.

He shook his head and flew off again very quickly, pulling her tighter against his body. Hermione closed her eyes, concentrating on her own breathing and his heartbeat to calm herself.

She felt them descending sooner than she expected and, after opening her eyes, saw that they were flying over the grounds of Malfoy Manor.

Draco entered through a broken window and carefully released her. She stood up, setting the bag on the floor and looking around.

"Reparo," she muttered, pointing at the window.

Each piece of glass fell back into place and, within seconds, it was as if it had never been broken.

"I was on my way to Grimmauld Place. I have to get back, Ginny will be worried," she commented as she turned.

Draco watched her wordlessly, clenching his fists and digging his own nails in.

"What is it?" she asked in confusion.

He pointed his chin at her neck.

"You... you've got bruises."

Hermione wrapped her hand around her throat and remembered everything that had happened.

She was still in shock and hadn't reacted, but the weight of the men's assault came crashing down on her. She gasped as tears welled up in her eyes.

"I... I feel filthy," she whispered, trying not to cry.

His eyes flashed and a growl sounded in his chest.

"You can use my bathroom. Wash up, I'll get some of my mother's clothes for you."

"Really, I should go," she insisted, thinking of Ginny and Harry.

"Potter knows what happened, and I have some potions here that will get those bruises off in no time. Once you're well enough, you can go," he replied, folding his wings behind his back and opening the door to his room.

Once alone, Hermione sighed. She took out her wand again and waved it, conjuring her Patronus. She gasped as she saw that the blue figure hovering around her was not her otter, but a huge eagle.

When she saw its outstretched wings, it reminded her of the silver wings of...

Hermione shook her head, staring at the eagle.

"Harry, I'm okay. Draco found me and I'll be home soon. Don't worry about me."

The eagle circled her one more time, flying through the window pane and out into the darkness of the night. Hermione stared at it for a few seconds, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her Patronus had changed. When did it happen?

Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had used it but she was sure it had been before the Battle of Hogwarts.

Snorting, she took a few steps towards the door Draco had pointed out and opened it.

A big white marble bathroom awaited her behind it. The lights turned on by themselves as soon as she entered.

Hermione let out a shaky breath and closed the door, removing her clothes. A few tears streamed down her face as she ignored the giant bathtub and stepped into the shower, turning on the tap.

The hot water relaxed her muscles and she closed her eyes, using the soap to scrub her skin too hard.

She felt dirty, marked. Those men had touched her and they could have done anything to her if Draco hadn't shown up. She'd probably even be dead, and all because of a stupid mistake.

She looked down and saw that she also had red marks on her waist, where one of them had held her. She stuck her head under the shower, letting the water squish her curls and wash away some of her anxiety.

Hermione heard a 'pop', and turned, startled. Several perfectly folded pieces of clothing had just appeared on the sink, most likely Rinny's doing. She closed her eyes again and washed her entire body for the third time.

She couldn't get the unpleasant feeling off her skin.

As soon as he was out of his room, Draco heard heels clacking down the corridor.

"Draco!"

His mother appeared, running to him with panicked blue eyes. Draco took a few steps towards her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she reached him.

"I'm fine, Mother. We're fine," he corrected, thinking of Granger.

She pulled away slightly, holding his face in her hands.

"What happened? You can't leave this place by yourself, if the Ministry finds out..."

"They won't find out. No one saw me," he replied with a frown.

Narcissa lowered her gaze, scanning his bare chest with her eyes and glancing at his wings.

"Rinny."

The little elf appeared instantly beside her.

"Master Draco has returned," he greeted, bowing slightly.

"Stop calling me Master," Draco snarled, crossing his arms and walking over to one of the windows to distract himself.

He frowned as he saw an eagle made of blue smoke flying over the willow tree in a southerly direction.

Whose Patronus was it? And what was it doing there?

"I need you to bring two of my shirts and both of my skirts from when I was young, and leave everything in Draco's bathroom. But don't let her see you do it, it's better not to disturb her now."

The elf nodded, disappearing with a crack.

"How do you know...?" Draco began, but his mother interrupted him.

"I was in the hall, waiting for news from Harry or you, and I saw you fly in. She's taking a shower, isn't she?"

Draco nodded, looking away again.

"What happened?"

"If I talk about it, I'll never calm down," Draco confessed quietly, clenching his fists again.

Narcissa moved closer, placing a hand on his chest right where his heart was.

"Breathe, Draco. You've found her in time and we'll sort this... little mess out."

Draco snorted, looking his mother in the eye.

"I need some of my potions. She... she has... I need them."

"The ones you created yourself?"

"Yes."

Narcissa sighed, pulling away.

"Go get them. We'll talk when Hermione's gone, I'll be waiting for you."

After a last glance, Draco started down the corridor towards the main floor, where his Potions studio was located.

Since fourth year he had used it to experiment and practice everything he learnt at Hogwarts. He was the best in that class, only Granger managed to match him sometimes and he liked to brew the potions they were going to do in the next year to try and outdo her.

Draco shook his head, trying not to think about those memories.

It was so clear... he'd had his mate right under his nose all these years, there had always been something about her that made him notice her. Even if he thought it was simply because he hated her for being a Mudblood, deep down he had suspected there was something more to it.

The other Muggleborns didn't bother him as much as she did, nor did he watch their every move as he had done with her since he first saw her in that Potions class with Snape.

'Go back. Go back and kill them. Both of them.'

Draco clenched his jaw and ignored the voice of his conscience, still demanding revenge.

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red from crying and Narcissa's clothes were far too sophisticated for her.

She wasn't used to wearing anything so fancy, though the skirt and shirt fitted perfectly.

She opened the bathroom door and saw Draco leaning against the fireplace, two vials in his hand. He was human again and had changed his clothes, putting on one of his black suits.

Hermione blushed. That was his room and he had dressed there while she was inside the bathroom.

As soon as their gazes met, she felt tears well up in her eyes again. Sobbing, she ran to him and rested her head on his chest, clutching his shirt with both hands.

"Thank you, Draco. You saved me."

He said nothing. He was perfectly still, his eyes fixed on her.

"You can't leave your house if you're alone, and you used a wand. I know they can't trace it because you broke it, but... You've risked going to Azkaban!" she added, lifting her head and punching him softly in the chest with a fist. "If anyone had seen you, or if those two had told someone what happened, I wouldn't have been able to get you out of there again."

Draco blinked several times, furrowing his brow. Hermione leaned her forehead against his chest again and wrapped her arms around him.

"But I'm grateful you broke the rules. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

"Are you bipolar, Granger?" he asked in a mocking voice.

She laughed softly, punching his chest again. She took a couple of breaths before taking two steps back, smiling at him.

His eyes lowered to her neck and his face darkened. Hermione swallowed and glanced sideways at her dirty clothes, which she was holding in her hand.

He moved closer and when she looked back up she saw that his eyes were changing colour, turning silver.

"Don't transform again, Draco," she whispered, not knowing what to do to calm him.

Draco shook his head and grabbed her clothes, stepping back and raising his arm. His right hand burst into flames and Hermione gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Within seconds, the clothes were gone and only a small trail of ashes remained at his feet.

"Can you use your powers without being in your Veela form?"

"It seems so. I had no idea... there's a lot of things I've discovered today," Draco admitted, taking a few steps closer to her and showing her the two vials he had in his other hand. "This one will help you relax and the red one should be poured on your wounds. They will heal instantly."

Hermione nodded, walking over to the sofa by the balcony and sitting down on it with the two potions in her hands.

She had so many questions but decided to leave them for another time. After taking the cap off the blue one, she downed it in one gulp. When she glanced at Draco, he had an unreadable expression on his face.

"You drink it without knowing what it is?"

"I trust you," she replied, shrugging.

His lips curved into a small smile and he took a few steps, crouching down in front of her.

"Let me help you with this," he asked quietly, picking up the red-coloured potion that seemed to be a bit pasty.

Hermione sighed and pushed her still-wet curls away from her neck. Draco poured some drops of the potion onto his fingers and lifted them, touching the area where the red marks were.

It felt weird as if it burned her skin a little, but not in a painful way. Hermione said nothing as he spread the red paste down her throat.

"It will take effect as soon as your skin absorbs it."

Hermione nodded, looking down and lifting the right side of her shirt.

"I've got some here too," she whispered, showing him the bruises on her waist.

She heard him growl but he didn't speak as he applied some more of the potion to the area.

"Any more wounds?" he asked, looking up.

Hermione shook her head, smiling as she felt the pain fading.

"Thanks."

He nodded, sealing the vial and putting it back in one of his pockets. She tried to remember if she'd read about that potion in any book.

"What's its name?"

"It doesn't have a name. I created it myself a couple of years ago."

Her eyes went wide and Draco hurried to explain.

"I've tried it many times. It's not dangerous."

"It's not that, I've told you I trust you. Do you make your own potions?"

"Summers here were boring," he replied, shrugging as he got to his feet.

Hermione looked away from the white bag, where the Indian food she was supposed to be eating with Ginny was.

It seemed so far away... but it hadn't even been an hour since she'd bought it.

She glanced at Draco again, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and that his hands were shaking, even if he tried to hide it by clenching his fists.

"You're weak again, aren't you?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

Draco clicked his tongue, averting his gaze to the fireplace.

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters, Draco. You should have told me if an hour a day isn't enough. You could come to Grimmauld Place for a few days, I don't think Harry would mind and there are a lot of spare rooms. That way you'll be near me for longer and we can continue researching together how to break the bond. We're friends and I want to help you, I..."

"That's enough," he grunted, taking a few steps back and shaking his head vigorously.

Hermione blinked in confusion.

"What's the matter? Don't you want me to help you?"

"Friends, Granger? That's all I can be to you, right? There's no way to break the bond, stop talking about that."

Hermione blanched, squeezing Narcissa's skirt between her fingers.

"Why didn't you tell me? I've read over thirty books trying to find a solution... and now you say it doesn't exist? What have we been doing all these weeks? Wasting our time?" she asked, standing up and scowling at him.

Draco sighed, shaking his head and grabbing her arm.

"I can't do this, Granger. Not anymore," he murmured as he forced her to move, stepping out into the corridor.

The moonlight illuminated the portraits of his ancestors, who watched them curiously as they passed by.

"It's impossible, and I'd rather spend the time I have left with my mother," Draco added, pausing in front of the fireplace in the hallway.

"But then... are you going to die?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Draco passed her the bag full of food. Hermione had cast a spell on it on the way out of the restaurant and it was still warm.

"I accepted my death many months ago," he muttered, shrugging.

He took a few steps back, turning and looking down the main corridor of the manor.

"Thank you, for everything. I hope the Wizengamot passes your law, they should listen to you."

He walked away and Hermione felt the rage burning her veins.

"You haven't even tried!"

His footsteps paused.

"Try what?"

"I... I..." Hermione stuttered, wincing.

Draco moved closer again until their faces were only inches apart.

"Try what, Granger?" he repeated, narrowing his eyes as he stared down at her.