(Hermione)

'That's it. Eat it all and quickly, please, you two. I need to tend to young Master Malfoy, and you know what they say – too many house elves in the kitchen spoil the broth!' Harry snickered at the idiom but was quickly silenced by a jab in the ribs from Hermione. 'I can't work well with students crowding up my ward!' The end of Madame Pomfrey's attempt at a chipper speech faded into nothingness as her breath ran out. She folded her arms and glanced over at Draco, who was laid out like meat on a cutting board on one of the dozen or so grey hospital beds in the ward. The dank curtains it possessed were half drawn. As was customary, the bed covers had been pulled up to the level of Draco's chest and the corners of them were tucked under the mattress in a way so neat and crease free that magic must have had its way with them. A sinister looking bottle of blood replenishing potion and an empty glass stood on the nightstand next to the bed.

Hermione followed the woman's line of sight and winced – if Harry's descriptions of the nurse's many potions and tonics were anything to go by Draco would be in for an unpleasant night. She dutifully started to nibble at the oversized slab of chocolate she had been handed as the older woman turned her attention to the two Gryffindors whom she had sat on rickety chairs opposite Draco's bed. She clucked and fussed over the pair and muttered to nobody in particular 'Why is it that at the scene of nearly every serious injury in this castle is Potter or a Weasley?' Harry blushed slightly and wished very hard that he could be in either Blaise or Pansy's place at present; the Slytherin duo had made a quick exit whilst Madame Pomfrey's back was turned, hurriedly consuming their own portions of chocolate as they scarpered – no doubt so they could rush straight back to the Slytherin common room and make their housemates aware of Draco's predicament.

He swallowed the last bite of his chocolate – I wonder why it keeps shock at bay so well, he thought – rubbed his hands together, got up from the chair and tugged on Hermione's arm, eager to get away from the matron's watchful gaze and the hospital wing's ominous atmosphere; being in such close quarters with Malfoy made shivers shoot down his spine. However, Hermione did not reciprocate Harry's desire and was taking her time with her own portion of Honeyduke's finest, staring with a worried expression at Draco as she chewed thoughtfully. Harry coughed into his balled fist; his throat was dry. The noise didn't catch Hermione's attention. He had hoped it would.

'Hermione, can we leave here? I want to go down to the kitchens, I'm starving.' Harry placed a hand on one of his friend's slim shoulders.

She broke free from her trance and, still chewing on her chocolate, looked up at Harry with wide eyes. She swallowed and licked the corners of her chocolaty lips. 'I need to ask Madame Pomfrey about Pepper-Up potions, for the Potions project we're starting next week, but you go ahead… I'll join you later. I expect Ron is wondering where you are...' She slid her eyes back to look at Draco.

'Alright... Don't take too long, okay? I want to spend some time with you.' Harry bent down and hugged Hermione tightly. She returned it stiffly, still feeling a little delicate. Hermione did not bounce back from horrific situations as well as Harry did. He withdrew after a minute or so, smiling warmly. Out of politeness Hermione did the same, and told him what he wanted to hear – although it did not mirror what she really wanted to say.

'That'd be nice, Harry. Thank you.' Hermione's tone was free of emotion; mechanical almost.

He grinned again – Harry was not the best reader of emotions – his eyes full of mirth, turned on the spot and proceeded to stride care freely out of the vaulted room, his heels clattering on the stone floor with each step.

*

An insistent hand on her shoulder shook Hermione vigorously from a dream she could not quite remember back into consciousness. She opened sore eyes, rubbed them like a sleepy child with the back of her floppy hand – the tips of her fingers brushed against the hard mattress her head rested on – and was greeted by the rolling grey contours of a thin duvet. They appeared to be shooting skyward, but no – it was just Hermione's sideway perspective. Still not quite sure where she was, Hermione sat up quickly, groggy with sleep. A rickety chair swayed along with her, its legs threatening to break free of the constraints of their rusty screws. Her sight fled and was replaced as it so often was when she sat up too fast by pulsating patterns of tiny purple diamonds.

'Dear? Are you alright?' A warm, friendly voice enquired worriedly.

A dopey Hermione responded to the woman's query. The words in her head did not quite manage to leave her mouth in their intended form; her motor skills had been impaired by the nap. 'Yes, thank you… could I have a glass of water?' came out as 'Yush, tunk-yooh, coohd-ah haff a grass oph waher?' Exasperated, she tried again with marginally better results. Her words were coherent enough and the woman, now identifiable as Madame Pomfrey, bustled off to find a tap and a glass. She returned after a quick period of awkward waiting for Hermione with a chipped tumbler in her right hand.

'There you go, dear. Drink it up. Headache, is it?'

Hermione's small, square teeth bumped against the glass as she sipped and nodded in one unsuccessful motion. Water dribbled lazily down her chin and a droplet fell to her blouse, marking it with a small, perfect, opaque O. Taking in the water with greedy gulps she nodded again, finished the water off and wiped the snail-trail it had left on her upper lip with her jumper sleeve, sighing gratefully as the drum-beat in her head receded.

'What time is it? How long did I sleep?' She garbled, noticing now that the moon was high in the inky sky.

'It's half-past nine, Miss Granger. You've been asleep for no longer than an hour. I didn't want to wake you, but I doubted that you would want to spend the night on a chair next to Master Malfoy's bed.'

'N-no, of course not. It was nice of you to wake me, and spare me a sore neck.'

'Of course, Miss Granger, it was no trouble.' The conversation thinned. Madame Pomfrey adjusted the watch pinned to her apron and looked away, not quite sure what to say.

'Well, I'll be going, then… Thank you for the drink.' Hermione smiled thinly and she got up to leave. Madame Pomfrey stopped her before she could make it past the bed.

'I shouldn't, but I have to ask a favour of you, Miss Granger. I haven't yet informed young Master Malfoy's head of house of his condition and I really must… Do you mind keeping an eye on him and the other patients for half an hour? I'd ask nobody but you; I hate to leave the ward unattended… However you are, I feel, trustworthy and intelligent enough to leave the task to…' The older woman sighed, wrung her hands and looked at Hermione expectantly.

Of course, Hermione's ego was inflated by Madame Pomfrey's uncharacteristically kind words, but it was the way that her heart leapt at the chance to spend time alone with the quiet Draco she so dearly loved to spend time with that influenced her decision.

'Yes, of course I will,' she yawned. 'Don't take too long though, please… I fear I'll fall asleep if you do.'

The nurse left. Hermione sat back down on her creaking chair and bravely clutched Draco's lifeless hand to her own. She watched him intently for a while, smiling at the peaceful rise and fall of his chest and his serene expression – which was soon shattered by a groan that Hermione took to be caused by the blood replenishing potion doing its work. Anyone but those who had witnessed the incident on the third floor corridor would have wondered why he was taking up a bed in the ward. There were no visible injuries to his person; Madame Pomfrey had done her work well.

He soon woke from his slumber, irate and sullen. The illusion Hermione had been building up was shattered.

'Granger? What in the name of Merlin are you doing here? Let me guess. A bushy-haired guardian angel sent to watch over me, I suppose?' He glanced down. 'Let go of my hand.' His tone was biting and forceful.

Hermione blushed; she had been caught red handed. 'I-I'm sorry, Malfoy. I was keeping an eye on your pulse. There's a large vein in the left hand.'

Draco muttered something and rolled onto his side, facing her. He supported himself with his hand against his cheek.

'A likely story.' He smirked. 'You didn't answer my question, Mudblood.'

Hermione shot daggers at him. 'Don't call me that, Malfoy. And if you must know, Madame Pomfrey left to talk to Professor Snape. Attempting to kill yourself incurs consequences, you know.'

'What are you talking about, Granger? Kill myself? I think you've been dreaming.' He chuckled sinisterly.

Furious, Hermione grabbed his right arm.

'I'm talking about this, you insolent fool!' She prodded the long, thin, silvery scar snaking up his forearm. 'Don't even try and tell me you don't remember doing that to yourself.'

'You're lively, Granger. Been at the Firewhisky, have you?' Draco muttered. 'Well, there's an explanation for that.'

She opened her mouth, ready to verbally attack him.

'Hush. It doesn't involve the deep, murky depths of depression. There's no need to worry.'

'There is every need to worry! I think your brains have been addled by the experience, Malfoy. You're utter talking nonsense.' Hermione took on an authoritative, scalding tone.

'I'm not, Granger. Do you really want to know?'

'Enlighten me.'

'Well,' he began, taunting her.

'Malfoy, I've no time for games. Get on with it.'

'Patience is a virtue, Granger.' Draco raised his eyebrows.

'Would you like me to slap you again?' She warned.

'Keep your hands to yourself. You were avoiding me, and I could think of no other way to melt your icy little heart and get you to come running back to my side.'

Hermione was knocked off of her high horse. Stunned, her voice was lowered to a whisper. 'You thought trying to kill yourself was the only way to get back in my good books? An apology would have sufficed-'

'Oh, come on,' Draco sneered. 'I'm a Malfoy, Granger. We apologise to no man.'

'It's that kind of arrogance that made me want to keep my distance from you, Malfoy.'

'Keep your distance? Please. You couldn't stay away from me if you tried. You're terrible at masking your emotions, Granger. It's obvious you're obsessed with me.'

Hermione's anger boiled over. Fuming, she pulled back her hand, ready to strike hard and true. Before she could, however, Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. Their noses touched. The contact sent shockwaves through her. She gasped and her eyes rolled up into their sockets.

'Now, now.' Draco breathed headily. 'Violence solves nothing.'

Dizzied by the sweet scent of Draco's breath and the lusty glint in his eyes, Hermione nodded slowly. A rabbit caught in the headlights. Again. Hermione thought bitterly. How she loathed him.

'You're obsessed, Granger.' Hermione's legs weakened. There was nothing but him. 'Aren't you?' Transfixed, Hermione nodded. All restraint and reasoning left her. She was powerless to move.

He tilted his head, chuckled, – more hot, wet, achingly sweet breath spiralled up Hermione's nostrils –locked eyes with her and went in for the kill.

'As am I with you.'

Draco crushed her to him.

--

Bahhh! I haven't updated in over a week, I'm so, so sorry everyone! I forgot to say that my family and I were going on holiday D: Well, there was the update, anyway. My longest yet! Was it worth the wait? :D -nods-

I was absolutely overwhelmed by the incredible response for the last update! I've received over 50 reviews for it and a few other chapters. Can we do the same again? :D Please, please review if you read this chapter! It only takes a second or two!

As promised, special mentions for those who reviewed the last chapter, will do the same with the next one too!

F4LL3N-1NT0-0BL1V10N, Carrie, Yew Wand, Jamie, Natty, Ellia, ixamxsquee, Sergeant Scarlett (I love you! Your review made my day c:), purpleeyednekoyoukai, SaraSyco, Queen of Lunacy, Alicerosecullen, LukeyLover, hemery, DragonGirl323, AnnaOtaku, Edwardslover09, MissStud (I love you too!), mysteryssister (Thank you SO much for your many reviews! 3), Doni, rosebud23, ..moon.135, MidnightThief15, Scarlet-Passion and LostLoveIsDead!

Group hug!

Will update soon

Laura