A little bit shorter this time but hopefully still ok, Please let me know what you think, I'm not above begging people!
Once again, big thanks to my Beta AlexisRose.
She released his hand as they entered their wing, moving to settle on one of the three low, worn sofas in front of the glowing embers of the dying fire. Worrying her lower lip with her teeth, she turned to Draco as he sat beside her.
Deciding that there was no point in delaying any further, she continued her tale.
"After I did what I did, we returned to the safe house so as to tend to our injuries. As you said yourself, I was treated by you. I couldn't look you in the face knowing that I had just murdered your father so as soon as you were done, I left. I waited for the boys so that we could complete our task and we did it, Draco, we destroyed all bar one of that Bastard's damn Horcruxes."
He had moved closer when she mentioned his father, placing an arm around her shoulders to lend support to her. She pushed forward with her story, and when she paused again, he gently squeezed her shoulder, offering her strength to persevere.
"When we couldn't figure out what object contained the final soul piece, we returned to the Order and prepared for the final battle. I'm sure you know the general version of what occurred. Voldemort was tricked into believing Harry was dead. Neville killed the snake, Nagini, who turned out to be the final Horcrux, and he was defeated. We…I thought everything would return to normal; that we would carry on as the Gryffindor trio. I would complete my studies with the best N.E.W.T. scores in decades and we would move on, but that's not what happened."
She was openly crying now, for her losses: her friends, her family and her future. Draco pulled her onto his lap, murmuring comforting words and sounds while stroking her hair as she finally cracked the seal on her emotions and let them flow.
"Hermione, I know it's hard, but you've got to finish. If you want to move past this and get on with your life, you have to tell me everything that bought you to this point. Please Hermione, do it for yourself."
He shifted so that he reclined on the couch with her tucked in the nook of his shoulder, her head on his chest. Using the steady thrum of his heartbeat to centre herself, she pushed on with the tale of her journey.
"As soon as victory was assured, they left me. They couldn't even bring themselves to look at me or say goodbye, Draco, they just…they just walked away and left me there in the Great Hall. I went back to headquarters to clean myself up and regroup with everyone, but it was evident that they didn't want me there. No one would look at me, and those that actually spoke to me kept it to 'Congratulations' or asking about the boys. No one mentioned what I had done, what I sacrificed to bring about the end. I know I sound self-righteous, but I can honestly say that without me, the War would have been lost. Those two would never have made it out of the woods that first night, the Death Eaters would have finished them and we would be living under his rule at this very moment."
She realised that her volume had been increasing along with her indignation as her anger fuelled her speech, so she took a moment to calm herself, taking deep breaths and using Draco's heartbeat once again as a guide to slow her own racing pulse.
"I went home to my parents. I didn't do any magic for two months, convinced them that I'd graduated and they took my word at face value. Who wouldn't? I'm Hermione Granger, I never broke the rules that they knew of and the fact that over the last few years, the excuses of extra study and invitations from the Weasleys had cemented my cover story of staying away from them. I told them that things weren't done the same in the wizarding world. There wouldn't be a ceremony and there was no such thing as University, I had to wait for imaginary 'offers' of jobs or apprenticeships that I knew would never come. I had it all mapped out in my head. I would convince them that Muggle-borns weren't liked or respected enough to gather good positions."
She stopped there, glancing up at him from the pillow of his chest to give him a wry smile. "Guess who gave me that bright idea, Draco?" His only answer was the patented Malfoy smirk, so she continued.
"So, I decided I'd get a normal Muggle job, which would keep my parents happy while we waited for the non-existent offers and keep me busy enough to not think about what I had done. I would stay in the Muggle world and not have to use magic. No one knew what I'd done, so I could pretend it had never happened. Only my plan didn't turn out as I expected it to. I got the owl from Professor McGonagall offering me a place here to complete my studies. I managed to keep them from directly seeing the letter, but as it was only the second owl I had received since my return, they were eager to find out what it had contained. I kept them guessing for a week, using the time to decide whether I could really give up such a big part of my life. In the end, I decided that magic was so integral to me that I couldn't turn my back on it, so I made up a story about an Advanced Eighth Year Program that only top students were eligible for. Made them think it was jumping off point for top apprenticeships in our world. I even gave myself an 'out'; I told them that it was so intensive I would not be able to return home for the holidays. That way, I could pursue my studies here, or if I decided I couldn't face these walls again, I could run. I could avoid anything or anyone, everything and everyone.
"So there you go. That's my story Draco, that's how I got to be here."
She settled her head more comfortably on his chest and wrapped an arm around his waist, amazed at how comfortable and light she felt.
"You're not finished yet, Hermione," he said it softly, as if speaking to a cornered animal. He wasn't afraid she would bite, but knew that a more aggressive approach would scare her.
"I don't understand? I told you how I came to be back at Hogwarts, if you want a day to day rundown, I assure you it won't be that interesting." She laughed gently and went to move herself from the cushions, but he pulled her back to the curve of his body and spoke again.
"You've told me how you came to be here, but not all of the reasons. You said you only had one other owl when you were with your parents. Am I right to assume it was from Potter or Weasley? Whatever they said to you must have pulled a lot of the weight behind your decisions. They were part of you for seven years, Hermione, you can't tell me in all honesty that they no longer influence your life?"
His sceptical expression told her that she would not be getting out of this the easy way. She had thought that she'd gotten away with the almost complete telling of her months back in the Muggle world. They were all full truths, but a lie of omission was still a lie.