Sorry for the long wait. Hope you enjoy.

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Draco was sitting on one of the bar stools at the center island when Hermione reached the kitchen. She walked around to the other side and immediately caught sight of the deep scowl spread across his face. She set the two glasses down and poured the firewhiskey in each before setting one down in front of him.

"What is this for?"

"Drink first. Talk later."

She downed her drink and Draco eyed her cautiously. He grabbed his own glass and rolled the liquid contained inside before knocking back his as well. She promptly grabbed his glass and refilled it along with her own.

"What are you doing Granger?"

The agitation that had been plastered on her face for the past three days began to recede. She looked at him with a softer gaze releasing a sigh.

"I owe you an apology Malfoy."

He leaned back in his chair crossing his arms while he waited for her to continue.

"Look, I'm sorry for what I said in there. I was out of line."

He rolled his eyes. "Honestly Granger, do you really think I would be daft enough to do something like that?"

"I don't know you at all. I don't know what you're capable of."

"Your best friend has been telling you for years that I have changed."

"Think about our past Malfoy. Do you believe it would be that easy for me to just take somebody's word for it?"

"If it were anyone else no, but this is Potter we're talking about."

"Which is why I am standing here apologizing. You'll have to excuse me that I don't exactly trust ex death eaters Malfoy. I don't know you from the arse you were in high school."

"Well I'm still am arse." he flashed his smirk at her.

"Clearly."

The pair both drank more of their liquor in silence before Draco added to his previous statement.

"But I'm not a prejudice arse Granger. I don't hold a problem with you because of your blood. Haven't in a long time."

She threw back the rest of her drink. Having a conversation that could somehow resemble civility with him would only be accomplished by having a decent amount of alcohol in her system.

"Then tell me the truth. Why is it that you didn't want to be here? I already know you can't stand me, as I can't stand you. So what is the bigger reason?"

The scowl he previously held had come back. He rubbed his palm down his face and mirrored her action by downing the rest of his drink. He reached across the island and grabbed the bottle from her to pour himself some more, followed by refilling hers as well.

"Why do you care so much?"

She pulled out the stool and took a seat as she traced the rim of her glass with her finger.

"We have no idea how long you're going to be here for. Could be days, or it could be weeks if not longer. If you want to make it out of this without us bloody tearing out each others throat's, I need you to tell me."

He hesitated with his words as he contemplated whether or not to tell her. It had been hard enough to let go of his ego, his pride even to break down and release the information to Harry.

"It's nothing sinister Granger. Nothing against you at all. Can we just leave it at that?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. The alcohol had definitely begun to take it's hold on her senses.

"You're not in love with me are you?"

Draco's eyes widened enough to look as if they were going to bulge out of his head. He stared at her in astonishment before a wide smile crossed his face. He started with a small chuckle before launching into a hearty laugh. Hermione found herself chuckling along with him and realized she had never seen Draco Malfoy laugh, not like this anyhow. He clutched at his stomach with one hand as the other was firmly placed on the counter. His laughter began to die down and he caught his breath, letting out another chuckle every so often.

"No Granger, I am most certainly not in love with you. Sorry if that disappoints you though."

She clutched at her chest and feigned hurt. She eyed him as she took another sip of drink.

"C'mon Malfoy. Tell me what it is."

"You're not going to let this go are you?"

"Mmm, afraid not."

"So I'm still an arse, and you're still a pushy know it all. I guess some things never change."

"Are you going to answer me or not?"

His face changed back to a blank unreadable stare as he examined her. She had changed a lot since school. She was by no means a woman that he would call 'sexy' but she was fairly pretty, enough so that he was sure she probably had no shortage of men trying to date her, albeit boring ones that would offer her no sense of excitement. Then again, how much of that could she offer out herself?

"If I tell you, I want your word that we will never discuss this again. Especially not you trying to use it against me in one of those inevitable rows that we will get into. Can you agree to that?"

She gave him a skeptical glance. "What about now? Seeing as how dodgy you've been about the subject, if I have any questions, can I ask any?"

"Depends on the questions, but I assume so. Do we have a deal?"

She thought about it for only a moment. "Fine. Deal." she said with a nod.

He reached across the island and gestured for her to give him her arm.

"What are you-"

"Questions after Granger, just give me your arm. I'm not going to do anything to you."

She was hesitant but slowly rested her arm before him. He pinched the fabric of her shirt and began to slide it upwards. She made to move but he grabbed her hand. Not harsh, not anything to hurt or startle he, but enough to stop the movement. His eyes met with hers and as she searched the storm clouds within, something told her that despite her contempt for the man, she had no need for concern. Sensing that she understood he slowly resumed with the task, peeling the fabric back until it stopped at the top of her forearm.

There it was, that ugly vile word that had been carved into her by that wretched woman. She hated the unsightly scar that she knew would be there the remainder of her life. She had visited some of the top healers and potion masters in the world. All of whom attempted to remove the marking had failed. Bellatrix had achieved her goal of branding the young witch for life. 'Mudblood'.

It was an angry shade of red, yet Hermione was surprised at his reaction. He didn't flinch or recoil away as most did. The only action he gave was his finger smoothing over the mark before he looked at her.

"This should never have been done to you."

She swallowed hard at the lump that had begun to rise in her throat.

"That night. I wanted to stop her Granger. I wanted to intervene. I may have disliked you. Couldn't stand the whole lot of you. But I didn't want any of you to have to endure that. Something snapped in me that night as I watched her torture you. I tried to lie when they first brought you to the manor. I knew if I could get them to toss the three of you in the dungeon it would buy you enough time to escape. Then she found that fucking sword. When she ordered them to leave you my heart sank. I had seen first hand what types of pain she was capable of inflicting upon muggleborns. I should have done something else, something more to help you. I wasn't afraid, but I had no idea what I could do to get you out of it. My father had his wand pressed to my back and would've hexed me before I could even move a foot. I've never gotten over that night. I had begun to question blood purity well before then but after watching what she did to you, I didn't need to question it anymore. I knew then that it was all bullshit. I let go of it all that night."

Tears had begun to sting her eyes. That night haunted so many of her dreams. Tortured her on stormy nights. It was the reason that the war was still so fresh in her mind. Draco was still clutching her hand and she used her free hand to swat away the single tear that had managed to escape.

"You hated me though. You always hated me."

"You need to understand how pureblooded families like mine work. Families like us, the Parkinson's, the Goyle's, even Zabini. We were taught from the time we were born that muggleborns weren't just beneath us, but that they were only a step above animals. We were told that they were bottom feeders who would seek to steal everything our families had worked to achieve for centuries. We didn't go to primary school like you did. As children we were never around anything aside from wizards and witches. It wasn't until we reached Hogwarts that we were exposed to those of non magical descent. After our first year at school I had questioned the subject with my father and he used it as a platform to explain how that was exactly how it started. It's why I was so cruel to you second year. I was going into that year after an entire summer of lectures being told not to give muggleborns any chance to latch on to me. I still had my doubts though. You specifically made me question everything. I kept with my taunts on you because of my father's irrational voice in my head. I never hated you. I hated that you made me question my beliefs, but I never hated you. My dislike for you came from who your friends were, your house, and you fucking beating me for top of class every bloody year."

She gave a soft chuckle at the last part. "I'm sorry for judging you so harshly the past few years, I had no idea."

He released her arm and took a swig of his firewhiskey. "I don't exactly broadcast my thoughts on it. I've only told Potter, and even that I only offered to him when he suggested I stay here."

"Why though? I mean why would that make you not want to come here?"

He rubbed at the back of his neck before answering. "Look Granger. I couldn't save you that night, I couldn't stop those things from happening to you. My coming here puts you in direct danger. I feel some strange sense of responsibility for your safety. I don't want to be the reason if you're hurt again."

"And you told Harry this?"

"I did."

"And he still wanted you here? Why?"

"He said that you would be in danger either way. That Lucius would be after the three of you anyway. He wanted to keep you safe. Being that I would have to go into hiding, Harry wasn't going to be able to keep as watchful an eye on you as he liked. He needed someone to look out for you."

"Doesn't it seem a bit counterintuitive though? Putting us both in one place?"

"That's what I said."

"So then why did he still bring you here?"

"You know he considers you to be his sister right? You're the closest thing to family he's got. He said that I was the only one he trusted to protect you."

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours. The wounds of that fateful night freshly opened. Hermione felt as if her head was spinning, not sure if it was the copious amount of alcohol in her system, or the new information causing it.

"Thank you, for telling me all of this."

He nodded in acknowledgement. "Just remember our deal."

She nodded before rising, moving to leave and retreat to bed. When she reached the doorway she looked at him over her shoulder. "I never blamed you for that night just so you know. You did what you could for us. I'm sure Harry has told you already, but we would all be dead if it wasn't for the lie you told. I've never said it to you, but I'm grateful for what you did...and now, for what you wished you could of done."

She didn't wait for a response, though she suspected he wouldn't offer one. She retreated to her room leaving Draco to his thoughts. He lingered in kitchen for the better part of the evening downing glass after glass of the amber liquid. A routine that was all too familiar for him on the nights he knew the nightmares were bound to come.

Even with the numbing from the alcohol, he knew he wouldn't be escaping them this evening.

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