Draco looked at her.
She looked so beautiful lying there, so innocent and perfect. He wanted her to stay like that forever. He wished he could wrap her up in bubble wrap and take her to a safe place.
He touched her rosy cheek; she looked so peaceful. Why couldn't he save her? He wondered, why couldn't he just pick her up and run out of the door?
Draco shook his head, it was hopeless, they needed her and he knew they would stop at nothing to get her back even if he did try to save her. He would be completely defenceless against them, there was no point trying to disobey them.
An icy breeze flew through the room and Hermione snuggled closer to him in her sleep. Draco lifted his arm to hold her and kissed her head gently sighing as she nuzzled closer in to his chest. He got the duvet and wrapped it tight around her to keep her warm.
He knew that as soon as she woke up he would have to go back to pretending not to care, at least for now, he could pretend she was still his.
'Albus!' McGonagle screeched, storming in to his office, 'I just received this' she said jerkily holing out a piece of parchment in her shaking hand.
Dumbledoor took the parchment and raised his eyebrows as he read it, 'I don't believe a word of it Albus, not a word' Minerva half sobbed, 'something's happened I can feel it. Oh the poor girl.'
'Sit down Minerva' Dumbledoor gestured to the chair opposite and smiled calmly at the distraught woman. He got up out of his seat to get her a drink. On his desk lay the parchment…
Dear Professor McGonaggleI am so sorry that I took off so quickly without telling anybody.
The truth is, I had to get away. I'm in love with Draco Malfoy; I couldn't stand thinking about the grief we would get from our peers for being together and how disappointed my friends would be.
We have ventured out to start a new life, where no one knows either of us. Please tell my family and friends that I am happy and in good health.
May I also ask you not to come looking for me, it will only upset me and disrupt my new life.
Thank you, for all you have done for Draco, and me I will very much miss our Care Of Magical Creatures lessons with you.
All the best
Hermiony Grainger.
'Ok' Dumbledoor sat back down after handing McGonagle her drink, 'so we can pretty much assume that that letter was by no means sent by Hermione, due to the miss spelling of her name, your name and the fact whoever wrote this has no idea what subject you teach.'
'Albus what are we going to do?'
He sat back in his chair and looked hopelessly at the wall.
Hermione woke up to feel Draco's arms around her, she turned around to see him fast asleep with his head snuggled up in her hair. She felt he heart twist in confusion.
The way he looked reminded her of when she fell in love with him, she still couldn't find it in her heart to hate him. Sje was hoping he would come back, she wanted all the stony looks and the smirks to just be a stupid defence mechanism, she wanted to be able to see him again, for him to stop hiding. Hermione managed to wriggle out of his arms and moved silently to the shower.
She returned to see Draco talking to a familiar man. He had the same light blond hair, sturdy build and piercing blue eyes as Draco. Hermione remembered him to be Draco's father.
'Ah, good morning mudblood' He said venomously 'sleep well I trust? You're probably not used to such luxuries'. Hermione didn't reply she just gazed silently at the floor.
'Look at me when I'm speaking to you girl!' Hermione jumped slightly at the bitterness in his tone, she readjusted her gaze to the window.
'You disgust me' Hermione said more boldly than she felt.
'Don't you ever talk to me like that again Granger' Lucius said dangerously
'Or what?' Hermione replied looking at him now 'you can't kill me, not yet anyway'
'No,' Lucius stared at her, Hermione didn't like the look in his eyes, 'not kill you, but I can teach you some discipline'
Draco's heart thudded against his chest; he stared at his father, silently begging him not to hurt her.
Without him having to say a word, two other men arrived, Goyle and Periom. Lucius smirked at them and then at Hermione. They seemed to understand and moved towards her.
Draco's body froze as the men approached Hermione, inside he was screaming at them to back off but he knew he couldn't say a word.
Hermione tried not to look afraid as the men towered over her, she didn't have to try for long because after a second one of the men had punched her hard in the stomach.
Draco opened his mouth but it made no sound.
Hermione cried in pain as she was thrown against a wall and slapped repeatedly.
Draco tried to make himself numb to the pain she was in but ever hit she received hurt him just as much as it did her.
He wanted to stop them but every bone in his body had stiffened, he just stood rigid with his eyes wide open in shock.
Hermione looked up at him through blurry eyes, begging him to help. Draco just stood there and watched helplessly as Periom took out a knife and slashed her across her chest from her neck to her navel.
'Enough,' Lucius said after what seemed like years for both of them, 'we don't want her dead. Not just yet' He added this with a small smile full of malice.
The three men left the room leaving Hermione and Draco alone. Hermione was still curled up in agony on the floor and Draco still stuck at the other side of the room, his body not allowing him to move.
'Enjoy that?' Hermione asked sadly
Draco felt a huge lump in his throat and felt his eyes well up. He simply shook his head staring at the floor.
'Must have been such a treat for you' She continued, 'I was surprised you didn't want to join in yourself'
Draco couldn't take it, he risked a glance at her. Her pyjamas were ruined and soaked with blood, her skin was covered in red stains and her eyes were still watering. She looked like a broken little doll.
He slowly walked over to her and was surprised that Hermione didn't even flinch. Carefully he wrapped his arms around her and carried her to the bathroom.
Hermione kept perfectly still and silent while he removed her pyjama bottoms, slipping them off her blood soaked legs, he gently touched the skin around a cut on her leg. Draco tried to keep the tears away but they overcame him and he lowered his head so she couldn't see.
Hermione gazed down at her bloody legs then at Draco. He was looking away so she couldn't see his face. She felt let down, some part of her had wished that when something like that were to happen Draco would storm in and save her, tell her he was sorry and that he loved her. But he had just stood there. Still. As she looked at his torn face, his shining eyes, the shaking of his hand she felt a glimmer of hope.
Draco looked back at her, God himself wouldn't have been able to read Draco's face so she stood no chance. He looked away again and leaned over her to turn the taps of the bath and put some bubble bath in.
It was then that Hermione realised she was half naked she wriggled self-consciously for a moment but stopped as soon as Draco turned back to look at her. He reached for her top and she let him pull it off. She didn't know why but she didn't care that she was completely naked in front of the person that had betrayed her in the worst possible way, she didn't even notice when she shivered from the cold.
Draco put a hand on her arm and rubbed it gently, and then with his other hand he moved the hair away from her eyes.
They both froze in that moment, not looking away, lost in each other's gaze.
How could I do this to her? Look at her!
Draco broke. His shoulders collapsed in to uncontrollable shakes and tears fell down his cheeks. He looked down at her and shook his head. He wanted to speak – to tell her how sorry he was but he couldn't.
Hermione looked at his distraught face, his regretting eyes.
There he is…They still hadn't spoken a word to each other, Draco wiped his eyes and looked at Hermione again, she smiled softly. He reached for her, she thought he was going to kiss her but he didn't he just lifted her up and placed her in the warm bath water.
Neither said a word as Draco kissed her forehead and caressed her healing wounds.
'Albus?' McGonagle said sharply, trying to wake the headmaster from his daze.
'Voldemort' McGonagle flinched as the name was said and trembled at what it implied
'What are we going to do?'
'Wait' The old man said simply, 'we wont find her until he tells us where they are'
'Who?' McGonagle was lost.
'Draco Malfoy'
'How do you know he is even with the child? How can you be so sure he will contact us? How can you risk Voldemort coming back?' Her voice was shrill and her hands were trembling.
'I can assure you Minerva' He said calmly, 'We will hear from him soon.'
Later on, when Hermione was out of the bath and the pair were tucked up in the bed Draco spoke to her for the first time that day. When he knew she was fast asleep he whispered in to her ear.
'I'm so sorry Hermione' His breath on her cheek made her stir slightly 'I'm going to save you, I swear'
Hmmm so the future is looking a bit brighter no? but don't get too excited I mean anything could go wrong here. Ha ha. well im sooo terribly sorry for the latness of this one – it took me forever. Hope you like it please review x x x