Thank you all once again. Enjoy Chapter 9.

She sat back down and gently ran her fingers over his arm. Carved into his arm was the word "traitor" over where the dark mark had been. It was exactly how the word mudblood was written into her skin.

"Draco,"

"It was exactly like what you went through." He weakly lifted his shaky arm to where his hand was holding her neck and his thumb was busy wiping away tears. "Please tell me it wasn't all for nothing."

Her eyes met his and she hung her body over his to kiss him. She rested her forehead on his. "It wasn't all for nothing."

He laughed. They kissed again. Hermione felt whole again. Like a void in her heart was filled and she could finally smile again.

Draco felt so relieved. He was glad to know he hadn't almost died for nothing. He was glad that the one person he cared for cared back.

They heard someone clear their throat. Hermione turned and saw Harry.

"Sorry to interrupt," Harry was clearly embarrassed that he had intruded on an intimate moment between the two, "but uh can I speak with Mal-Draco?"

"No." Hermione was quick to answer. There was no way she was leaving the two alone in a room together especially when Draco was so weak.

"I promise we won't even touch each other." Harry held up his hands as though surrendering.

Hermione glared at Draco as if to ask if it was okay and got a confirmation when he mouthed the word "go." She kissed him on the forehead and walked out of the room without shutting the door.

Harry had noticed she left the door open on purpose but he wasn't that thick. He walked over to the door and closed it quietly, murmuring the word, "Muffliato." He turned to Draco. "How are you doing?"

Hating being weak and vulnerable in front of Harry, Draco simply answered, "Tired."

Harry smirked as he walked over to the window and looked outside. "She hasn't slept since the funeral but that's mainly because she can't stop having nightmares about the night she was tortured in your home." Draco looked disgusted. "I'm sorry. I didn't come in here to make you feel guilty. I just…she trusts you more than she trusts me some days and I'm just trying to figure out why."

"Have you ever asked her that question?"

Harry shook his head no. "Every time someone would even bring up your name she left the room." He paused and looked Draco in the eye. "Same thing she does whenever someone mentions Ron."

Draco broke eye contact. "I need to ask you something." Harry gave him a face that told him to continue. "Did anything ever happen between them?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Not in front of me. I know that's not a straight answer but it's all I can give you." Harry looked out the window again. "She's been terrible. She wouldn't leave your bedside. She hasn't eaten or slept since the funeral. I know she's been upset about your condition and Ron of course but there's something else that I'm missing."

Draco answered quickly, "She almost killed herself." Harry sharply turned around. Draco wasn't sure that he should have said anything but continued anyways. "Bet she never mentioned that. After I saw you come back into the Great Hall without her I knew something was wrong so I went looking for her. When I found her she was on the edge of the bridge, one foot dangling over and the other about to move. Then she just left me." He continued to tell Harry about how Bellatrix had found him and then brought him here. He showed him his arm. When he was done he coughed, took a large swig of water, and automatically fell asleep during a long pause of their conversation.

Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Hermione that he knew about her almost killing herself for when he went downstairs, she was in the kitchen eating some soup and then the strangest thing happened. She looked up at him and she smiled. He, of course, smiled back. "He's only just fallen asleep."

"What did you guys talk about?"

Harry sat down at the table, having made a decision. He felt to guilty to not say anything. "He told me about how he found you on the bridge after I left you."

She dropped her spoon and soup splattered. "Harry,"

"Why would you do try and do something like that? How? And why didn't you say anything?" Harry had leaned over, purely concerned for his best friend and feeling even more guilty about the situation.

"You had just told me I disgraced our dead best friend! And that the one person who has managed to fill that hole in me is a complete and utter git! I couldn't handle it Harry." She calmed herself down. "I didn't tell you about it because I was ashamed."

They both stood and he took her in a hug. "I'm sorry I said those things to you and please don't be ashamed. You've been through loads and it's understandable that you felt like you couldn't handle it, but I am here for you," he paused thinking about what he was going to say next, "and so is Draco."

She smiled at him again, "Thank you Harry."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The days seemed to pass slowly. No one really knew what to do or how to act since the war had finished. Draco had recovered within a week or so. He still had had trouble walking for long periods of time for he hadn't done it in weeks. But with the help of Hermione and the rest of the Weasley family, he was just glad to be alive.

As Draco came out of the bathroom and into the bedroom only wearing a towel, Hermione enter the bedroom from outside the hall. She shut the door and turned around, surprised and embarrassed to find a half-naked Draco.

She fumbled for words, "So sorry. I-I'll just be leaving now." She turned around for the door but he stopped her.

"Oh come on Granger, like you've never seen me shirtless before."

"No I mean you were shirtless the night you came into my room but that was different."

He looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean the night I came into your room?"

Realizing that he didn't remember the night he stumbled into her room and kissed her away from her nightmares, she tried to blow it off. "Oh um nothing." She waved a hand trying to be smooth about it. "I'm gonna let you get dressed." She headed for door again but he grabbed her wrist.

"Please tell me."

She couldn't resist those eyes. "You really don't remember?" He lifted an eyebrow and shook his head no. They sat on the bench at the end of the bed and she continued. "Well," She looked him over and scoffed, "Can you please put some pants on before I tell you?"

He smirked. "Do I make you uncomfortable with my amazing physique?"

She rolled her eyes, "Draco Malfoy, cocky, arrogant git. I knew you were still in there somewhere."

He stood straddling her with his arms and kissed her. Rolling his eyes at her red cheeks, he groaned, "Fine." He went to the dresser, grabbed some boxers, a pair of jeans, and a plain black t-shirt that had been placed there neatly by Hermione. He didn't know whose clothes they were but at the same time he didn't want to know. He came out of the bathroom looking just as good dressed as he did undressed. He sat back down.

"Thank you."

He twitched his head towards her, "Please, continue."

"It was the night the war had ended. You had shown up in the doorway hours before barely alive," she stopped at the mere thought.

"Hey hey," he threw an arm around her shoulders, "I'm fine okay? I promise everything is fine."

She smiled up at him then continued to tell him how she was dreaming of the worst moment of her life and evidently they were all trying to wake her up but then he came in and was the only one who managed to wake her up from her worst nightmare by kissing her. "And by the time I looked back towards you, you were back to unconsciousness."

"But you haven't done that since I woke up, right?" He didn't care that he somehow was able to wake from his coma and walk. He was only concerned for her.

She looked down, embarrassed yet again, "Every time I close my eyes, it's like I'm back in that place."

He gulped knowing that "that place" was his home or what used to be his home rather. "When was the last time you slept, Hermione?" He stroked her hair.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I can sleep for an hour or so at a time,"

Before she could continue he stopped her. "Hermione, you're safe now. You need to sleep because honestly you're starting to look like a rag doll."

They laughed. "Gee thanks."

"I'm sorry. You know I think you're the most beautiful person there is, no matter what."

She smiled up at him as he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

So to those of you who guessed his arm was going to say "traitor" you were obviously correct and I'm giving you a virtual high five. If I don't post another update on time it's because I'm moving away for college tomorrow! But I'm going to try my best to update on schedule. Thanks for reading.