A/N: Here's chapter two! A bit more interaction between the two and mentions of trauma - I hope that I've done it justice. I really haven't included details of the torture Hermione experienced at the hand of Bellatrix - I'm kind of just assuming that anybody reading this has already read the books and/or watched the movies, so this doesn't really need describing.

Thanks so much for your reviews! You'll notice a bit more Draco snark in this chapter (I feel like he's still true to his character - but I do feel going through all he experienced in the war would mellow out his vibe a bit).

I do not own Harry Potter. xoxoxoxoxo

Their late night understanding didn't change their daytime interactions much. They operated quite independently of each other by day and only spent quiet evening hours studying in amicable silence in their shared common room.

Every once in a while one would venture to ask a question of the other about what they were reading or their progress on an assignment. Hermione found it refreshing - she could focus on her studies with someone who could actually keep up with her intellectually, and she didn't have to deal with the prying question that so often came from well-meaning friends. Draco was happy (as happy as he had ever known himself to be) being spoken to and actually acknowledged as an equal instead of spoken about as he walked about the halls - which was definitely the norm these days.

Her nightmares didn't happen every night anymore, but when they did, they were just as vivid and just as terrible. On more than one occasion, she would find herself being shaken awake by Malfoy - she no longer put up silencing charms, as promised. The first time it happened, when she looked in his eyes and started to cry - something inside him seemed to shift. Never in his life had he been one to offer comfort. He wasn't even one to seek it. But he held her and let her cry and stroked her hair - and when she reached for his hand and whispered, "Stay" just as he turned to leave...he couldn't not stay.

And that's what he did. Every. Time.

He would hold her, remind her she was safe, and sit with her until she calmed down and tuck her back in. She didn't fight his arms around her and she never teased him for tucking her in so sweetly. On those nights, she would actually sleep quite peacefully.

The day after a nightmare, Malfoy would treat her exactly the same. He knew she would talk about it if she wanted to, and sometimes she did, but he never brought it up. He secretly enjoyed being allowed into her life that way. As terrifying as it was to see her so frightened - a girl who could normally be so intimidating - he reveled in the fact that he was the only one she allowed to see her that way. His presence calmed her somehow - he didn't understand how that was possible, given their history - but he committed himself to be whatever she needed him to be. Often, after she was calm and resting again, he would sit on the floor outside her door and wait until he was near asleep himself before going back in to check on her one more time. Watching her sleeping peacefully gave him comfort.

It was only after she nearly tripped over him one morning, that they actually attempted to broach the subject of their new-found common ground.

He had performed what he silently referred to as his "Granger duty", and ended up falling asleep in the hall just outside her room. When she opened her door in the morning, her heart was in her throat. Had he really been sitting there all night? She smiled in spite of herself. He looked so peaceful and sweet - two things she was certain she had never before associated with this particular individual. Sensing her stare, his eyes fluttered open.

"Hey."

"'Hey' yourself. What are you doing out here?" She smiled at him as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stretched his legs out across the floor.

"I...umm...You'll laugh if I tell you."

"I'm already laughing, Malfoy, what are you doing here on the floor?"

"After I put you back to bed," they both blushed at his word choice, but he continued, "I like to sit out here until I'm sure you're okay. I usually just pop my head in to make sure you're sleeping." He looked up at her and her eyes were wide. "I must have...fallen asleep."

"You...do you...watch me sleep?" She really didn't mean for it to sound like an accusation, but the idea of him in her room while she was asleep was a bit odd.

Malfoy seemed to sense her surprise. "I promise, it's not as creepy as it sounds." He schooled his face into a good-and-proper smirk, but it melted as he continued. "It's just...after seeing you so upset after..." he left 'your horrible nightmares' unspoken but understood, "it makes me feel better to see you...resting and just...okay again." He looked down and muttered to his hands in his lap, "A bit selfish, really."

Hermione slid down the wall opposite him, their legs side by side on the floor. "It's not selfish at all." Their eyes met and he looked a bit shocked. "It's actually very sweet."

They sat a moment in comfortable silence before she spoke again. "Do you know what I dream about?"

"No. But I could venture a guess."

"It's about that day, in your home. Every time." He winced visibly and couldn't help but look down.

"Hermione...you don't have to…" He didn't realize he called her by her first name - he had never said it out loud before. But she noticed. She pressed on, trying to ignore the way it made her feel.

"No. It's okay. I haven't told anyone. It might help to let it out, you know?"

He nodded silently and she continued.

"So it's that day, in that place, but it's somehow different every time. Sometimes it's just me and her and she's carving my arm. And it's so strange, because in my dreams I can feel it. I feel her knife in my arm...like a hot poker." She swallowed hard and focused on a brick in the wall ahead of her as she soldiered on. "Sometimes the room is crowded with people - people I don't recognize - and they're...cheering. They're watching and it's like they're... entertained by what she's doing to me. And I can't make my body do anything. I can't get away."

Draco was crying silently. This was absolute agony for him to listen to, but he was not going to stop her.

"Sometimes I'm completely alone...on the floor...and it's totally dark. But I can...hear her voice...in my head. And I can feel the cruciatus...it's like it's in my bones, you know?" She looked at him and he nodded. He knew exactly what that felt like.

"And sometimes it's Greyback." Her tears finally fell silently as she looked down at her hands in her lap, her words barely above a whisper. "Those ones are the worst."

The air was heavy as they both sat there and cried - separately, but somehow together.

They stayed for several minutes in silence before Hermione stood and headed back to her door. Without words, she placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle squeeze. He reached up and held her hand in his. He had no words of comfort for her, but somehow that touch was enough.

"I'm going to go get ready and head down for breakfast. Why don't you freshen up and we'll head down together?"

"What are you implying, Granger?" Draco attempted playfulness as he wiped the tears from his face.

"I'm not implying anything, Malfoy" she smiled cheekily back at him. "I'm telling you that you stink."

Draco smiled as he stood. He felt somehow lighter already. "Alright, swot… I shall go make myself not stink so I'm fit to escort you to breakfast. Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?"

"I don't stink so I will be ready in ten." She spoke over her shoulder as she entered her room and closed the door.

Draco took the fastest shower known to man and was ready in their common room, smiling when she came down the stairs to meet him.

...

On one Friday evening, as the pair of them sat on either end of the couch working on a paper for Ancient Runes, Malfoy held his textbook out as he asked, "Hey, Granger…. What's this one?"

Without a thought, she leaned across the pillow between them holding his book with one hand, fingers overlapping his own , "It looks like nauthiz to me. That means…."

"Constraint" he finished, nodding with understanding. "It looks so much like the rune for partnership. But that didn't make sense in this passage."

"That's gebo. They do look quite similar - especially when they're written sloppily."

As Draco resumed his seat and settled himself again, he couldn't help but smirk and mutter, "Such a brilliant witch, you are…"

Although he spoke just barely loud enough for her to hear, she caught his comment and turned toward him, mouth agape, with a hand to her chest in a dramatic fashion as she gasped, "Why, Draco Malfoy...was that a compliment? Are you quite well?"

He couldn't help but chuckle at her sarcasm, "You know, now that you mention it, I am feeling a bit feverish." He turned fully to smile at her now. "All this time with the Golden Girl must be making me soft."

She scowled at him but the smile didn't leave her eyes. "Don't you dare call me that or I'll tell the whole school you said something nice to me." She threatened haughtily.

"Please don't do that, Granger," he laughed, "my reputation would never survive it."

"Well, who would even believe it, anyway?" She scoffed playfully.

"Not a soul."

They sat staring at each other with fading smiles in comfortable silence until it all of a sudden wasn't. Draco cleared his throat and turned back to his text and Hermione began gathering her things.

As she stood and stretched, Draco couldn't help but glance sideways at her in the firelight, with his heart hammering in his chest….why are my bloody palms sweating?

"Well, I'm off to bed." Hermione gathered her books and headed for the stairs.

"Alright then, Granger."

"Hey Malfoy?" she turned toward him from the other end of the room.

He stood facing her and spoke, apparently without thinking, because his response was, "Yes, love?" ohmygod ohmygod...what the FUCK did I just say?

His eyes went wide and they were both blushing, so rather than address his blunder, Hermione did her best to pretend it didn't happen. "Umm...I was just wondering if you're planning on Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

"Actually no…. I'm going to the Manor tomorrow. My mother has been begging me to visit."

"Oh." She paused, trying to not look disappointed. She'd been working up the courage to ask him to join her for days now. "Well, have a nice time." She smiled mischievously, "Give your mother my best."

He laughed at the thought of telling Narcissa Malfoy - pureblood aristocrat of the venerable house of Black - that muggleborn savior of the world, Hermione Granger, sends her warmest regards.

"I shall have to do that - if only to see her reaction." He looked down at his hands briefly before looking in her eyes. "But next time, then?"

"What?"

"Next time. In Hogsmeade."

"Yeah! I was just thinking that since we're kind of friends now, you might go with me to Hogsmeade."

"Brilliant." He couldn't help but smile. She thought they were friends...

"Alright, then. 'Night, Malfoy."

"Goodnight, Granger."

…..

When she closed her bedroom door that evening, Hermione couldn't help but wonder what had happened. They were studying together like always and then they were joking and possibly, dare she consider it, flirting. Was that even possible?

Draco, on the other hand, was still sitting in front of the fire downstairs ruminating.

After their breakthrough of sorts in the hall days before, it was as if his eyes were opened to how amazing Granger actually was. He always knew her to be smart, but he never realized she was so kind, and funny, and just so comforting to be around.

What is happening? You can't actually think something could happen with her, do you? You're a sodding mess! And you treated her like rubbish for years…. There's no way she could ever really forgive you for that...not to mention the whole reason she has nightmares is because of what you allowed to happen to her.

Pressing the heels of both hands over his eyes, he scrubbed them roughly and audibly sighed before standing. As dark as his current state of mind and his low opinion of himself personally, he was in no condition to be hopeful. But he was happy (still a strange word for him) with the way things were between them. He was satisfied just being in her presence - and even considered her friend - after all, that was more than he ever thought possible.

….

The silence was broken that night by a scream and a crash. Hermione woke with a start - both by the sound and startled by the fact that she had just actually been asleep. Malfoy hadn't had a nightmare - at least an audible one that she knew about - in well over a week, but she was certain she knew what was happening so she ran straight to his room and knocked, calling his name. When he didn't answer and she heard another crash, she pointed her wand at the door and it opened.

She took in the scene before her, holding her breath without knowing why. The heavy green curtains were drawn and the only light in the room came from the crack at the bottom of the bathroom door and the little bit that flooded in from the hall, so she lit her wand. The bedclothes were thrown practically off the bed and there were a few things strewn about the room that she couldn't make out in the darkness.

Turning to the bathroom, she knocked softly. "Malfoy? Are you alright?"

There was no answer, but she could hear the water running and another crash.

"Malfoy!" she called louder this time and could hear the worry permeating her own voice. "If you don't answer me, I'm coming in!"

She only waited a moment before shoving the door open. The steam from the shower was overpowering and she had to wave her hand in front of her face to see properly. Malfoy sat on the floor beside the steaming shower in nothing but a pair of pajama pants, curled in a ball with his head between his knees.

"Malfoy!" She hollered at him, shaking both of his bare shoulders roughly and noted that his skin was cold and clammy despite the heat of the room. He raised his head and her eyes met his but he seemed to be looking, unrecognizing, right through her. She stepped gingerly around him to shut off the water and turned back to assess him further. He had a rather large gash on his forehead and now that she watched him a moment she saw that he was breathing in short gasps.

"Malfoy!" she shouted at him again. "Look at me! What happened to your head? What were you doing?" She tried to ignore the hot tears that were pricking the corners of her eyes and calm herself down. She needed to help him.

"Draco, look at me. You need to breathe." This time she held his face in both her hands and forced him to meet her eyes as she knelt on the damp tile floor in front of him.

He blinked at her a moment and recognition flashed in his eyes as his breathing got quicker. "Granger...you were... I'm sorry….I saw you…." he panted, unable to form a complete thought, but Hermione was able to piece it together quickly.

"I'm okay, Draco! Look…" she grasped both his hands with her own and put them on her face, forcing herself to smile. "See! I'm right here. I'm just fine." Her tears were starting to come despite her best efforts. "We're not there anymore, Draco. We're safe now."

She took exaggerated deep breaths, clasping both of his hands in her own and holding them to her chest. "Breathe. That's it. Breathe, Draco…."

He closed his eyes as his breathing finally came easier. She sat on the floor next to him, looping her hands around his right arm and rested her head on his shoulder. She had never really touched him like this, but in this moment, she felt like she had to and he didn't seem to mind.

"Every time it happens, it's the same." He spoke quietly, eyes clamped shut as if he could see it all behind his eyelids even now. Hermione waited silently for him to continue.

"It's that day...and I'm just...watching." His voice trembled and he didn't care to hide it. "I'm just watching...except in my head I'm screaming...I'm trying to do something. I want to make her stop...but I can't move. I just...stand there." He swallowed, looking down at his hands, clenched in tight fists in his lap. "And all I can feel is my father's hand...like an iron weight on my shoulder...holding me there...making me watch."

Hermione shed silent tears on his bare shoulder. She reached for his hand and held it in both of her own.

"Granger, I …" he shook his head. "I'm so sorry. For everything."

She couldn't think of anything to say, so she just squeezed his hand in acknowledgment.

"I'm sorry for treating you so terribly. I'm sorry for ever making you feel like you're inferior." He turned to face her and she looked up into his eyes that were swirling with regret and sorrow. "And I'm so sorry that I didn't do anything to help you."

He blamed himself. That was his nightmare.

"Let me be perfectly clear, Malfoy." She attempted to keep her tone even, but couldn't stop a soft sob from escaping. "I will allow you to apologize for being a prat, but that day…. what happened that day was not your fault."

"But I should have…"

"But you didn't." She looked at him sternly. "You didn't. You were scared. That's ok. I don't blame you for that, so you don't get to blame yourself. End of story."

There was a finality in her voice that he couldn't bring himself to contradict. He just looked in her eyes as they softened and she gave him a tiny smile. He reached up to wipe a stray tear from her cheek and he couldn't help the ache in his chest at the thought that he had made her cry. Again.

"I'm sorry." He whispered and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she leaned on his shoulder again. "I'm sorry I woke you. Again." He couldn't help but chuckle - the witch had found him falling apart in the middle of the night for the second time in only a few weeks.

" And I was actually sleeping this time." She sighed dramatically and smiled.

Malfoy shifted to get up and held both her hands to help her to stand as well. She reached up tentatively to brush his hair off the cut on his forehead, trying to stifle the butterflies she felt as she did so. He continued to stare at her silently as she raised her wand, uttering an incantation to heal him.

"Thanks. Again."

She smiled. "Anytime."

They both turned to leave the bathroom, Draco motioning for her to walk in front of him. Walking toward the hall, he grasped her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips before he could second-guess himself. She looked at him with wide eyes and a soft smile as a fierce blush rose up her cheeks.

"Goodnight, Draco."

"Sweet dreams, Granger."

A bit of fluff and a bit of darkness... I hope you're enjoying this story! I really like that he slipped up and called her 'love' and they both chose to pretend it didn't happen. I'll post Chapter 3 in the next couple days. Comments/reviews welcome and appreciated!