Title: The Well 7/?
Author: eidheann
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~500
Summary: Where there is a wish...
Warnings: angst.
A/N: Thank you to everyone for your comments and support.
He stared in shock, feeling the blood rush first to then from his head, hearing nothing but the pounding of his heart as his vision started to darken at the edges. When he next opened his eyes, he was greeted with the disorienting sight of the underside of Granger's desk, and the woman herself crouched over him, hair haloing and quill sticking out making her look rather like a demented owl. "Merlin, Malfoy... Don't do that." He blinked again and recognized the shocked concern on her face. "You just fell over. I thought I was going to need to floo you to St. Mungo's."
"So sorry, Granger." He sat up, rubbing the back of his head where he felt the remains of an impact. "I shall endeavor to notify you in writing next time." Looking around, he frowned. "Where is my...?"
She glanced down guiltily to where she was still holding his robe, the photograph fallen from the pocket between them. She reached for it, but he was quicker, clasping it to his chest and hissing, "You had no right, Granger. No right." He glanced at the picture and felt the fight leeching from him. He was just so tired of this.
Heaving a sigh, she shook her head, pushing herself back to standing. "I didn't go through your pockets, Draco. The robe caught in the chair and the picture fell out before I even touched it." Her expression sobered, growing nearly as weary as he felt. "He... he is doing well. He... He came for the weekend just last week."
"Oh bloody brilliant, Granger." His laugh was thick with tears as he stared at the photograph, anything to avoid acknowledging he was really breaking down in front of her. "Brilliant. Just what I wanted to hear right now..." Curling his knees up, he focused on breathing. "Thank you. I... I do mean that. I'm glad one of us is..."
She looked uncomfortable again, but nodded. "Why are you marrying Pansy, Draco?" Her voice was quiet, and he startled at hearing his given name.
"I told you. She needs me." Her steady regard pulled the rest from him. "She's pregnant and alone. I can't let her face that. And it's not like I had any other pressing business." His shaky hand raised the photograph and he grimaced.
Granger's expression crumpled before she straightened and took a breath. "I'm going to need the memory, Draco. Please." She knelt down beside him once again, her voice dropping to a whisper. "This entire situation is... I don't like it. I think they're looking for an excuse to haul you in for questioning or to ship you off to Azkaban. Losing your father is a blow to the Department, one they don't want getting out."
He shook his head, brushing tears from his face. "And one Malfoy is as good as another, is that it?"
"Yes. I'm worried so."
He looked up at her in surprise, not expecting the candid response.
"I want to help you, Draco. You don't deserve this. No one has escaped Azkaban since the war. They're running scared. Your father must have had assistance. Prove that you were not it."
With a shaking head, he raised his wand to his temple, watching Granger's expression break to relief as she hurried to grab a vial.