Chapter VII
One week later I was ready to get back to Malfoy Manor. I woke earlier than the normal, and got all my things. Hermione was still sleeping by the time I was finished, and I didn´t had anything to do. Breakfast would only be ready in half an hour, and so I began to think about what I could do when I got back.
The manor got pretty damaged, what with all the fights and Death Eaters. Mother told she didn`t wanted to go to another place – we have some houses other then the manor – and ordered a reconstruction.
If it was me, I would forget that place and get another house clean of bad memories. But I can`t let my mother stay there alone. Even if I got back to Hogwarts, I still don`t want her there all by herself. She`s the only family I have.
After my father died I thought that she would like to start again, but instead she locked herself in her room and didn`t talked to me at all. It was hard. When I passed for the corridor that led to her room, and stopped at her door to try and make she get out, I could always hear her sobs.
So I stopped trying after a month. I thought that she needed that time, and that after properly mourning his death, she would come back. It took more time than I expected, but she called me in the end, and I`m glad.
I think that in the future I will get a place for myself. Some house not too big to be lonely, but not too small. I like big houses, but the manor is huge enough for a family to live, and don`t see each other at all.
When I was beginning to think about how nice it would be to have a place for myself, I heard the sound of a door being opened, and the fluffy orange monster got out. A clumsy Hermione still in her night gown appeared just behind him, with a puzzled and worried face.
-Draco! What are you still doing here? Breakfast started twenty minutes ago. You could have woken me up by the way.
-Twenty minutes?! Merlin, sorry Hermione. I was thinking and got carried away.
-No problem, I think it`s beginning to become a habit of yours. Go get something to eat, I`ll just take a quick bath.
-I`m already late, I can wait for you. Just don`t take too much time. And Hermione?
She was almost at the bathroom door, then she turned to look at me. The beast jumped on the couch were I was lying and sat on my stomach.
-Hum?
-You should wear more clothes like that. It`s a nice view in the morning.
Just then she realized what she was wearing, and man it was a good piece. It was a lacy short blue gown. Her shoulders were bare, and I had a nice view of her cleavage. And I have to tell this again, she sure is beautiful. Her face began to change to a nice red color, and she tried to cover her top.
-You insufferable git! Get out of here pervert!
I laughed after she closed the door with a loud bang. I wonder how she would look like in green underwear. Hum...that`s a good image. My mind began to led me to interesting pictures, and when she got out of the bathroom, fully dressed to my disappointment, I realized that I couldn`t get to breakfast, not in my currently situation...
-You`re still here? Come on, let`s get down or we won`t find anything.
-Hum...You get going...I have to go to the bathroom...Er...I`m not feeling good.
-Really? It can be your fever, let me see if it`s back.
She began to move in my direction, and the blasted cat resolved to get out of me at that moment. So I sat up quickly and grabbed the closest cushion to put on my lap.
-No! It`s not that...You don`t really need to worry...I`ll just take a bath...Yeah that will be fine.
She made a suspicious look.
-Again? You sure you`re Ok?
-Positively.
-Fine.
And she went through the portrait hole and out of the common room. Merlin`s balls, I need a cold shower, a really good one. I got in the bathroom, and I could smell a faint jasmine essence, Hermione`s smell.
After undressing I put my ring on the sink and tried to relax and calm myself. That was a close one.
When I got to the Great Hall almost everyone was gone. I ate quickly and headed back to my place to get a few things. Hermione was just finishing with hers when I entered the common room.
-Are you feeling better?
-Ah, yes-fine.
We got our things and headed to the entrance of the castle, the carriages where already there. I found Blaise next to one, and the three of us got there together. That bastard Zabini keep giving me insinuating looks.
-Hey Granger.
-You can call me Hermione Blaise. It`s been a long time.
-Yes. So Hermione, how`re things with the two of you?
He smirked to me after saying her name.
-Good, we can be civil to each other after all.
-Oh that`s good, Draco was a little worried.
-He was?
She looked at me inquisitively, and I glared at Blaise. That jerk had to go and ruin everything.
-It was about the Head Boy thing.
-Oh, I see.
-By the way, great punch. I would love to see it the next time, if you don`t mind.
-It`s not going to have a next time freak.
We got the train and Hermione headed to a compartment with Weaslette and some gryffindors. Blaise said he had to find some Ravenclaw, to snog her I suppose, and I was alone for the rest of the ride.
When the train stopped I got my things and got out with Blaise. He came back ten minutes before we stopped. My mother was on the station waiting, and I had the suddenly urge to hug her, but didn`t.
-Hello mother.
.
-Hi Draco. Blaise dear, your mother asked me to get you too. She couldn`t come.
-Probably trying to find Number 9.
-Sometimes I remember that you are the way you are because of that. With so many guys you couldn`t had come out like a normal person.
-Draco!
-Sorry mother, but it`s just the truth.
We dropped Blaise on the way, and headed to the manor. Whoever mother hired to clean the mess did a good job. After putting all my things back in my room, I got in the library with my mother.
We were silent for some time, and I didn`t know what to talk about. I was worried that I could say something that could make her remember my father, and then I would be alone for the rest of the holydays.
She was a little pale. Her eyes were tired, and she was thinner. Her hair was just in its normal fashion, and her dress was an elegant black. My mother was always beautiful, but at that moment all about her screamed sadness.
-Where`s your ring? After you got it I never saw you without it.
I looked at my hand and realized that indeed it wasn`t there. I was sure I had put it on after waking up.
-I haven`t noticed that it wasn`t there. I don`t really know, it can be in the dorm.
-Oh I almost forgot to ask, how`s being Head Boy?
-A little boring. We have meetings with the prefects twice a week, and the first years are a pain, and Hermione freaks every time I try not to do the patrols, she`s really infuriating sometimes.
-Hermione Granger?
-Yes.
-But can you two work together?
-As crazy as it may seem, she`s a really nice person. Still a know-it-all that loves to get her nose in other people´s business tough.
-She...didn`t hate you after all?
-Like I said, Hermione`s too gryffindor like. She said that I could change, and that she wanted to forgive me. She`s really too nice for her own good.
Mother was silent for the rest of the day. I knew that talking about anything related to the war would do this to her. So I spent the rest of the day flying. The Malfoy Manor has a pretty large open area.
Three days later mother began to talk again, and I was relived. I was just beginning to fear that she would go another month without talking to me. We got to the gardens that day. She told me that she was sorry for everything, and that she loved me more than anything.
It made me happy. I told her Hermione punched me on the face again, and talked about her monstrous cat. Mother smiled when I told her about my fight with the cursed beast. I missed being with her.
At the fifth day Blaise came, and I was in a deadlock, find good to have someone to talk to, or fear what he might be planning. When we were drinking tea with my mother I found out that it was the latter.
-So , Draco told you anything about his lovely Head Girl?
-As a matter of fact yes, he did. Why?
-Oh nothing in particular, I just think he might have a thing for gryffindors.
-Zabini I swear, if you don`t stop this nonsense I`ll-
-Draco dear, manners. Why would you think that Blaise?
-Mother don`t listen to him, there`s nothing to it.
-You see Mrs. Malfoy, Drake here-
He was interrupted by the arrival of an owl. A brown one, that I haven`t saw before. It landed right in front of me on the table. I grabbed the letter on her leg and petted her head. The moment I started reading my anger began to rise.
Hi Draco,
Sorry to ask you this, but can you get at the Weasley`s? I found your ring in my things, you might have left it on the sink in the bathroom and I accidentally got it. The problem is that I was a little curious and put it on. I`m really sorry for that. I don`t know if it is normal, but I can`t get it out, and it`s burning my finger, and I`m really sorry. Use the floo powder and call The Burrow.
I´m really sorry, Hermione.
I got up the moment I finished reading. I can`t believe, why the bloody hell it had to get on her things? And she had to go and put the blasted thing! Now Weasley and Potter are going to think that I was plotting to get her killed, or something like that. Why she had to be so gryffindorish and meddle on everything? I was livid.
-Draco? Draco where are you going?
-Mother I have to take care of something important right now. It won`t be long. See you later Blaise.
-Bye mate.
I almost ran to the library. On my way to the fireplace I got a potion that`ll be good in this case, and next thing I knew I was at Weasley`s house.
The little red head was waiting for me, and fortunately I didn`t saw Potty and Weasel anywhere. The place was surprisingly empty.
-Where is she?
-In my room, upstairs. Come with me.
When I got there my anger dissipated. Hermione was lying on a bed, sweating profusely and with a pained expression. She was pale, and seemed thinner too. Her cheekbones were more visible and even her hair seemed to be less bushy,
-What happened with you?
My voice was soft, more than I intended to. She rolled in her bed and her face was the paint of regret.
-Draco I`m so sorry. I didn`t wanted to steal it, I swear. It was with my bathroom things, and I was just curious, I`m so so sor-
-Stop it will you? Of course I know you wouldn`t steal it Hermione, you`re a bloody Gryffindor. Now stop apologizing, give me your hand.
From under her cover came a bundle of bloody scarves. Then she began to remove all the bandages, and I could see the damage. Her whole hand was covered in blood, and she was shaking.
-What the hell?! For how long have you been with the ring?
-Four days.
-FOUR DAYS! Are you mad or what? Why didn`t you called me sooner?!
-Calm dawn Malfoy, she is really weak.
-And you, why haven`t YOU called me? I know you hate my guts but she is your friend.
-It`s not Ginny`s fault. She didn`t knew till yesterday, when it began to bleed. I was waiting for the boys to get out before calling you.
Man, it has been some time since I was this angry. I tried to calm down and sat next to her on her bed.
-Ginger, grab me a knife.
-I`m not giving you something deathly dangerous.
-For fuck sake, go get the blasted thing! If I wanted to hurt her I wouldn`t have come.
She hesitated for a moment before disappearing. Hermione was looking at her hand, which didn`t stop bleeding.
-I`m sorry Draco.
-Stop apologizing, it`s freaking me out more than I already am. It`s not entirely your fault, I shouldn`t had left this were you could see.
-Hey, I`m not a child!
-But you behave like one sometimes. This ring is jinxed. If someone other than a Malfoy wear it, it`s going to torture the person. It was something my blasted father invented, just to punish thieves. And I know you weren`t going to keep it, don`t worry.
Red came back and gave me the knife. I put Hermione`s hand on my lap. Weasley got on my left and stared at what I was doing.
-What is that for?
Before answering her I cut my right hand and grabbed Hermione`s. Then I started to close my fist and drops of blood felled on the ring. I did it until the silver thing was covered, and then began to push it out.
-It`ll hurt a little Hermione.
-Just get it out.
And I did. She screamed, and memories of the war flashed in my mind. She began to cry, and rested her forehead on my shoulder. It took me a moment, until I started to stroke her hair. I really hate when people cry.
-Shh….it`s Ok now.
After ten minutes of her sobbing I gave her the potion and she fell asleep. She looked exhausted. Why she had to think about everyone before her? It`s fucking infuriating. A normal person would have called me when it began to burn, but no, she had to be the bloody caring, idiot Gryffingor, that she is, and think about me before.
-This`ll heal the burn and relieve the pain. Make sure she eats something when she wakes up.
Weasley seemed to be unease, and she wasn`t looking at me. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I got the feeling that she was trying to say something nice, but the fact that she hates me was keeping her quiet. It sure would be good to hear an apology from her, but let`s not torture the kid too much. I think I`m going soft.
-Hum….Malfoy….Er, I just-
-You don`t have to say it.
I was back in the manor before mother had finished dinner.