Chapter 7

A/N: Hello readers! Last night it was super windy and lightning-y. One of our trees was knocked over. Mr. Tree was nice enough to fall between the gazebo and my sister's car, not really damaging either one. He was a good tree. Anyway, I hope none of you guys got hit by the huge storm (though, statistically, a few of you probably did).

As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed and to irianaceleste for betaing!

~Frosty

Hermione spent a moment watching Draco sleep, just to make sure that he really was healed. His breathing was deep and unhindered and there was no blood on his leg. She touched a hand to his, just to make sure that he was back up to her temperature. He was actually warmer than her. A quick check of his pulse revealed that his heart rate was right where it should be as well.

Fully assured that he was going to be fine, she slapped his blanket covered chest hard enough to leave a mark. The red spot could remind him in the future not to be an idiot.

His eyes immediately shot open.

"What the hell, Granger?" He struggled against his restraints but quickly gave up on trying to free his arms. The faint bruises around his wrists told that he had already exhausted the route of attempting to tug himself free.

After running his eyes over her – he better have been checking to see that she was okay – Draco finally met her eyes. The anger in his expression faded when he saw how upset she was with him.

"You assaulted a Healer," she finally said, her voice shaking with anger. Hermione had known that she'd been upset about his horrible behaviour, but she hadn't realized how upset until she was faced with him.

It hurt her to see him bound to the bed because of his stupid actions. Draco was passion and unapologetic forwardness. To see him bound to a bed and droopy-eyed with sedatives made her angry – not at the Healers for doing what was necessary, but with Draco. He needed to learn to temper his passion or things like this would happen again and again until he broke or was put away permanently.

"Granger-"

"No," she interrupted, "You assaulted someone while they probably saved your life. Did you know that half of the staff here refuse to have anything to do with you? The only reason they allow you into the hospital at all is because of the large donations your mother gives them every year."

Draco tried to interject, but Hermione just bowled right over him.

"In our line of work it's just stupid of you to terrorize the people who patch you up after renegade magical creatures half kill you. One of these days, the few staff here brave enough to go near you are just going to decide it's not worth it and refuse to treat you. We'll have to take you to the magical doctor equivalent of a back alley abortionist in Knockturn Alley and you'll die of a completely preventable infection because the guy didn't bother to wash his hands before operating!"

It was Draco's horrified and slightly worried look that let her know she was crying. Hermione was so surprised she actually touched a finger to her cheek to double check that tears were dripping down her face. They really were. She was crying.

It wasn't such a strange occurrence, but she had been sure that she was angry and usually she noticed when she cried.

Now that she had noticed, her tears were not going to let her ignore them. She hiccupped a sob, and then was unable to speak because she was fully crying. Gasping breaths, hot tears, running nose, she had the whole works.

"Granger," Draco said slowly, clearly uncomfortable with her tears, "Did you hit your head or something?"

He watched her cry for a few beats, and then decided that it made him immensely uncomfortable to just sit there while she was so visibly upset. Despite the fact that he had no idea what the hell was up her arse to make her so teary all of a sudden, Draco knew that he wanted it to stop.

"Come here," he ordered gently. Draco was pretty sure he was supposed to reach for her and do the hugging thing that she'd seemed to like in the past. With his arms bound, this was impossible, but closeness would probably still help.

Hermione crossed the few steps between them and then climbed into the bed with him, continuing to sob, this time on his chest.

So great was his concern, Draco didn't even complain that she was getting him all wet with her tears and probably mucus. He tried not to think about it too much. The best way to handle the tears was to make them stop before worrying about drying himself.

"Granger, do I need to get a Healer in here?" All of those tears over something so small were out of character for her, and it was really starting to worry him. Maybe the cold had affected her more than she thought, she just felt fine but there was something seriously wrong. Her big brain had cooled too much and now it was malfunctioning.

Her sobs continued. Draco really wished that his hands were free.

"If I promise to make an attempt at treating hospital staff with less... blatant hostility and violence, will you stop crying?"

Her only response was to press her face harder against his chest. Apparently not.

"At least free my hands and let me defend myself," he ordered. He was being assaulted by tears and a hysterical girlfriend and deserved a fair fight. Maybe if he could hug her or stroke her hair or something she'd stop with the tears. She either hadn't heard him or was ignoring him. The tears continued and she showed no inclination to free his hands.

Draco was starting to get desperate. Something was seriously wrong with his partner and he was unable to do anything to help her. Hysterical women were not his strength, and this hysterical woman in particular had the uncanny ability to upset him as well when she cried.

"Potter!" he finally shouted, regretting it almost instantly. The shout had the unfortunate and intended result of bringing Potter into the room.

Eager as ever to save that day and all that shite, the stupid and nosy portions of the Golden Trio rushed into the room. They entered the room looking ready for trouble, but didn't whip out their wands until they saw the state their friend was in.

"What did you do?" Harry demanded, rushing to Hermione's side. He tried to get her off of the blond, but she clung to Draco, still crying.

"Me?" Draco snarled, "I didn't do anything. It was clearly something you did, like hit her over the head with a blunt object." Realizing that they were off topic, Draco headed off their response by continuing. "Just release my hands."

"I'm not sure we should."

Of course it was the ginger one objecting. Draco had always thought the Weasel was useless, and now he was starting to think that he was suicidal as well. Clearly Weasley didn't understand that crying females needed to be handled with the utmost care or else they could easily turn into homicidal females. Draco wasn't sure they would survive Hermione Granger turned homicidal, and while that outcome wouldn't be horrible, Draco was worried for his own safety as well.

Potter must have been thinking along the same lines as Draco because he obeyed the blond. Smart Potter, it must have been those sharply honed survival instincts of his.

Hands free, Draco wrapped them around Granger's shaking form and did something he was loath to do, especially in front of Potter and the Weasel. He comforted her.

Draco hitched her up slightly so that her face was hidden in the hollow of his throat. He pressed a kiss on top of her head and made soft sounds, halfway between murmurings and a gentle shushing, as he stroked her back.

He resolutely ignored Potter and Weasley, even when they were oddly silent. Later, he could hex them within an inch of their lives or possibly alter their memories. Maybe he'd even get away with making them disappear. His mind drifted off into fantasies of destroying the pair of annoyances. It helped him handle the discomfort of his current situation.

Mercifully, Granger's sobs decreased. It was an immense relief to the clueless and near frantic males in the room, Draco especially.

"Hermione?" Potter ventured first, always looking for a way to martyr himself. "Are you okay?"

She pulled her face away from Draco's neck, aware that her eyes and nose were red and puffy. In fact, her whole face was puffy and it felt like. She probably looked horrible.

Because she knew her partner, Hermione was also aware that Draco was probably quite upset that he'd had to show affection and kindness in front of other people, especially her friends. He wasn't upset enough to release her though, and she greatly appreciated this fact even though he was probably only doing it out of fear that she'd start crying again.

More than anything else, she was horrified at herself for completely losing control of her emotions. Hermione wasn't really sure what had happened. She just knew that she'd thought of Draco dying and the floodgates had opened.

"You," she said, addressing Draco before anyone else, "Are not going to die."

He looked baffled and a little concerned that anything he answered could start her waterworks again. "I know, Granger. I'm only in here for a little blood loss and a touch of hypothermia. They said I could probably be released in an hour or two."

His hands started wandering, checking her over for injuries in a way his eyes hadn't been able to. "They wouldn't let me see you or tell me anything." His eyes narrowed at just the memory of his earlier helplessness. "You didn't really hit your head, did you?"

Harry, feeling uncomfortable about encroaching on the obviously private moment of his friend and Malfoy, cleared his throat. "As a fully licensed Ministry official, Hermione, you're now responsible for Malfoy. We need to get back to work anyway."

After assuring her friends that she was well and bidding them goodbye, all without removing herself from Draco, Hermione turned back to her partner.

"That description of what would happen to me if I was refused at St. Mungo's was oddly specific," Draco commented.

Having cried herself out, Hermione didn't feel inclined to once more burst into tears at his comment. She also didn't feel inclined to answer.

"You have hickeys from where the octopus wrapped a tentacle around your neck. It looks like you have a collar of spots."

Truthfully, she had been putting thought into what would happen to Draco if he kept making enemies of medical staff, the people who made his food, basically everyone around him.

She traced a fingertip over the marks. They really did look like someone had left a trail of love bites across his pale skin. Maybe later she'd leave one of her own. Draco could pretend that it was just another mark from the octopus and no one would think anything of it.

"Don't call them that. I was injured in the line of duty."

"They're hickeys, I'd hardly call that an injury."

"Nope, they're definitely an injury." He smirked up at her. "You're going to have to kiss them better."

She was unable to suppress a little smile, just as Draco had intended. "You've been injured much worse than that and didn't insist on kisses."

"That was before we were together. As my official girlfriend, get well kisses are now your responsibility."

Finally giving in, Hermione was leaning down to kiss his octopus hickeys when someone cleared their throat in the doorway.

"I'm here to discharge Mr. Malfoy," said a terrified looking Healer. He refused to look at Draco, directing his attention to Hermione only.

The glare Draco directed towards the Healer was dark and very annoyed. It was probably a good thing that he was still magically exhausted, or the Healer may have burst into flame.

Hermione pinched her partner and gave him a pointed look.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused," Draco grumbled. Normally, he wouldn't have caved to her demands so quickly, but he had just got her smiling again and really didn't want to see a return of the tears.

For some reason, the apology seemed to frighten the Healer even worse than the glare had. He thrust a clipboard towards Hermione and then fled the room.

"I tried," Draco said with a shrug.

"Draco, block the door!" Hermione yelled. Her partner glared at her irritably but did as she asked.

The tiny, furry projectile launched itself at Draco's head. Prepared for this move, Draco managed to jump up and grab it just as it tried to fly over him. With his fingers spread, Draco pinned its wings to its body, making sure that his fingers were out of the way of the thing's teeth.

Hermione sighed gratefully, glad that their wild goose chase all over Malfoy Manor was finally at a close.

"Sylvester," she scolded the little horse, "I told you that you're going to like the safe house much better than the Manor."

"He'll have someone other than the House Elves to terrorize," Draco muttered.

As they were leaving the hospital, Hermione had thought up the wonderful idea of bringing Sylvester to comfort Cassy. What little girl wouldn't like a small flying horse?

This plan severed a double purpose. In addition to comforting Casey, Sylvester would be out of Draco's empty house. They were both a little worried that the House Elves would go on strike and let the horse trash the place if they were left at Sylvester's mercy for too long.

Sylvester had a nasty habit of getting under people's skin. Hermione wasn't sure if it was an intentional effort on Sylvester's part or if it was just some kind of natural talent. If there was some way to bother someone, Sylvester seemed able to find it. His fondness for eating Narcissa's prized rosebushes was just one example in a long list of them.

Of course, Draco had tried to object to the idea. However, even he hadn't been able to disagree once Hermione had reminded him that Sylvester would be essentially free to chew on whatever priceless antique he wanted without anyone present at the Manor to stop him. This might be okay for a single night, but both Hermione and Draco knew that it would be foolishly optimistic of them to think that they'd be back to the Manor within a week. Their case had virtually no leads; it would probably be a long time before they had the whole mess sorted – if they managed it at all.

Sylvester tried to nip at Hermione as she bent to his level and scolded him, but Draco pulled him away and shook him a little, earning himself a reproachful look from his partner that he completely ignored.

"You'll like where we're going," Hermione promised the horse once more.

"And if he doesn't, I can try turning him into a harmless teacup again."

"Again?" Hermione screeched.

"Calm down, Granger. The spell clearly didn't work." Draco waited until she was walking further ahead to bring the horse closer to his mouth. "That doesn't mean the spell won't work a second time, pest."

Sylvester seemed completely unimpressed with the threat.

Just as they had predicted, Auror Smith was not pleased that they had left him alone with Cassy, and judging from the enthusiasm with which Cassy greeted them, she hadn't been all that fond of the arrangement either. She was in one piece though, so at least Auror Smith hadn't been completely lax in her care.

"Hermione, what's that?" Cassy asked with all the enthusiasm of a young girl suddenly presented with a pony, even if the pony was a small, winged one.

"That," Draco said, answering for his partner since he was the one holding the bloody squirming nuisance, "Is one of the most annoying creatures you will ever meet."

Excitedly, Cassy reached out her hands for the creature. Draco glanced at Hermione, shrugged, and then released Sylvester. Seeming to appreciate finally being wanted, Sylvester allowed Cassy to wrap her arms around him and squeeze him affectionately. He didn't even object when the affectionate squeeze got a little too tight.

"His name's Sylvester," Hermione called after the girl as she ran off with the small horse. Cassy made a sound of acknowledgement, already halfway towards her room.

"She bounces back fast," Draco observed, remembering the shaking little waif that had first clung to his leg in the cave.

They probably would have continued to contemplate Cassy's mental stability had Auror Smith not grabbed Draco by the front of his robes and slammed him against the wall.

"I told you that I'm not a babysitter, yet I spent the day watching the small one!" Auror Smith snarled. Draco's face immediately morphed into a snarl in response.

Hermione hovered behind them, debating whether or not she should intervene, but Draco caught her eye and shook his head slightly. Apparently he had the situation well in hand – or at least he thought he did. She respected his wishes and stepped back a few paces, allowing them some space should it come to an actual fight. Hermione just hoped that Draco remembered assaulting an Auror was a whole lot worse than assaulting a normal person in the eyes of the law.

With surprising calmness, Draco hooked a leg behind the Auror's and shoved enough to bring the other man to the floor. Smith didn't release his hold on Draco's robes, so he ended up bringing the blond down on top of him where they proceeded to roll around, throwing punches. In Hermione's eyes, it was really more of a wrestling type thing. Having spent entirely too much time around adolescent boys, Hermione was confident that they would tire themselves out and then be – if not friends, then at least not so antagonistic of each other.

While they did their punching thing, Hermione went off in search of Cassy.

It had only been minutes since she'd last seen the girl and the miniature horse, yet when she found them, Sylvester had already acquired a bonnet.

Hermione gently knocked on the open door frame. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Cassy said without looking away from Sylvester.

As Hermione entered the room and perched on the bed, Cassy tried to coax Sylvester into a doll's dress that didn't look like it would fit him. Sylvester was not pleased with this turn of events.

"My mum used to sit on the bed and watch me like that when there was something she didn't want to tell me," Cassy said, still without turning her head.

Shocked, Hermione looked at her, wondering how in the world the little girl was so perceptive, especially since she seemed so absorbed in dressing Sylvester.

"Nothing to tell you," Hermione finally said. "I just wanted to let you know that if you ever need anything, I'm here."

Cassy watched Hermione out of the corner of her eyes, understandably distrustful after the ordeal she had suffered. She started to say something a few times, but kept seeming to think better of it.

"I don't like Auror Smith," she eventually said. "He's not very nice."

"I know. He's necessary though. He's here to keep you safe."

Cassy didn't look convinced and Hermione didn't blame her. The man didn't exactly inspire feelings of safety.

There was a loud bang downstairs. "If you're all right up here, I'm going to make sure they don't break anything."

Cassy didn't answer. She had finally managed to get Sylvester's head in the dress. The fabric squished his wings against his body, the large flowers on the fabric making him look completely ridiculous. Still, he wasn't trying to flee, and Hermione knew from experience that he was more than capable of taking care of himself when necessary.

"Don't give him scrambled eggs," Hermione cautioned as she left the room.