Thanks again to all who are still following. Enjoy Chapter 22.
Harry banged on the large wooden door that held a held a plaque reading "DRACO MALFOY –Owner."
Draco opened the door and immediately scrunched his brows, "Potter, what are you doing here?" The two had never been on good terms and both knew they never would be so it was curious as to why Harry was at his office. Draco then noticed something about his fiancé's best friend. His eyes were red and wet like he'd been crying and he wouldn't look him in the eye. For the first time, Draco thought he looked weak. Then his heart started to race at the thoughts that ran through his head. "What's wrong?"
It seemed as though Harry couldn't even speak but he did manage to choke out one word. "Hermione." He then lifted his arm out for Draco to grab and within an instant they were back at Grimmauld Place.
However, when they arrived no one was around. Where before, Fleur and Mrs. Weasley were examining Hermione, there was now only an empty couch. Then they heard crying from upstairs and they both raced after the noise.
They stopped abruptly in the doorway of the nursery where they saw Ginny in a rocking chair holding young Draco.
"Ginny-" Harry started.
"St. Mungo's." She quickly replied, knowing what they both were asking.
Before Harry could even turn around, Draco was gone and so he followed suit.
"Oh Harry, Draco, thank god you made it." Mrs. Weasley came rushing up to them as soon as they appeared in the hospital waiting room. "She, she was jjust so, well we couldn't, we didn't know, so we brought her here."
"Where is she?" Draco immediately asked. "What happened? Is she okay?" He noted that again, Harry wouldn't look at him. "Someone please tell me what's going on?" He cried desperately.
Mrs. Weasley spoke up, "She appeared in the foyer of Grimmauld Place. Ginny said she seemed lifeless." He gazed at her wanting her to continue so she did. "She was tortured." Draco whipped around throwing his hands to his face and rubbing it in frustration. He let out a muffled scream into his hands. "There's more." Mrs. Weasley said shyly, not wanting to bring more pain to him. "Her ribs, somehow they broke, all of them and," he wished her speaking would stop, "Ginny noticed her engagement ring is gone. Whoever did this was obviously against her marriage to you."
Draco's face had now twisted and he was failing at holding back his tears. "Where is she?"
Mrs. Weasley sighed, "The healers are examining and helping her as we speak."
"So she was hurt so bad that neither of you could help her?" He concluded. Mrs. Weasley nodded. Draco noticed Harry had sat down in a chair and was staring straight ahead. Without looking directly at him, Draco called for him, "Potter." As if by demand Harry hurriedly stood and walked to Draco who whispered, "What are you not telling me?"
"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Harry said painfully.
"You won't look at me. I know you aren't telling me something."
Harry opened his mouth to speak but someone interrupted him.
"Granger, Hermione?" A healer asked.
Draco quickly walked over to the woman, wanting answers. "Is she okay? She's my fiancée."
The healer took a deep breath and exhaled. "She's, well to be honest we aren't sure yet. It's going to take some time. Clearly whoever is responsible for this did not intend for her to live."
"When can I see her?" He asked as he wiped his face dry and then crossed his arms. Everyone else has huddled around him, wanting to know the same thing.
The healer sighed again, "She doesn't look well. I don't think it's a good idea for any of you to see her in this condition. She's not conscious and it's going to be awhile before she wakes up again."
"Just tell me what room she's in so I can see her!" He began yelling, angrily. Harry grabbed his arm to keep him from pouncing on the healer for information.
The healer reluctantly answered, "134."
"Thank you." Draco said before running off in that direction, only Harry following him. He literally skidded to a stop in the doorway and at the sight of her he dropped to the floor in sobs.
Harry placed his hand on Draco's shoulder, an act he would never do in any other situation for Harry despised Draco.
"Marriage? He asked you to marry him? And you said yes?" Harry sat in the living room of his home next to his wife and across from his best friend who had just told him her plans to marry Draco Malfoy.
"Well yes. See here's my ring. Actually it's my grandmother's. My mother gave it to Draco to give to me when he went and asked my father for my hand." Hermione flittered her left hand. Harry rolled his eyes and stood but Ginny however gasped.
"Bloody hell it's huge."
"Harry?" Hermione pleaded.
"You know how I feel about him, Hermione."
"And you know how I feel about him, Harry. Why can't you just be happy for me?"
"I'm thrilled for you Hermione. I'm so glad that you are happy and found someone you love. I just don't trust him you know that. I never will after what he did to you." Harry said lightly.
"I know, but I'm not asking you too. I'm only asking that you walk me down the aisle." She smirked at his reaction.
"Really? You want me to-to walk you down the aisle?"
"Yes of course. I mean if my father was here it would be him but he's not so you're the next in line."
"I'd love to, Hermione." He gave her a big hug, however he couldn't get the thought of how much he despised Draco Malfoy out of his head.
"Come on. Maybe your presence will help." Harry stated as he offered his hand to Draco who took it graciously.
Draco once again wiped his face clean and then slowly made his way to her bedside. It was hard to look at her. She was pale, very pale. She once again, looked lifeless. For a second, Draco wondered if she was even still alive. Her chest was barely moving up and down and she had dark circles under her eyes. She looked so weak, so fragile that Draco didn't even want to touch her, but when he finally gained up enough courage to hold her hand, he gasped for it was ice cold.
Harry felt so useless sitting there watching Draco. He wanted to tell Draco that it was his Death Eater father that did this to her so that they could go kill him but something told him that when Hermione confided that it was in fact Lucius Malfoy who tortured her, she didn't want anyone else to be told this information. His stomach was in knots looking at his best friend. He wondered how such bad things could happen to such a good person.
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Draco woke up to giggles. It had been hard to for him to smile within this last month but something about that little boy could always do the trick.
"Juice." The small boy stated.
Draco placed him on the floor and let him walk towards the kitchen in front of him. He reached into the cupboard and pulled out a small cup and a lid. He then poured some yellow liquid into the cup and handed it to Draco, patting his fire red hair and squatting in front of him.
"How about we eat some breakfast, get dressed, and go see Mummy? Would you like that?" The small child nodded. "Me too, buddy."
Draco proceeded to make them something to eat and afterwards he dressed both himself and Draco and very quickly they were off to St. Mungo's.
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It had been a month since Hermione was placed in the hospital and it seemed as though she was making zero progress.
"Is this what it felt like for her?" Draco asked Harry, who was confused. "Was she like this when I came to the Burrow after being tortured by Bellatrix?" Draco was holding Hermione's hand tightly and Harry was sitting in a chair on the other side of her. Ginny had come shortly after Draco and Draco Jr. and had offered to take the boy for a while in order to give Draco some time with Hermione. Neither Harry nor Draco had slept much within the past month.
Harry sighed, "She was strong. Always has been."
Draco shut his eyes tightly. "I know I've apologized to her for what I've done but I guess I never explained anything to you." It was taking him a lot of courage to speak to Harry this way.
"You don't need to explain anything to me." Harry answered simply.
"I know you don't trust me with her."
"You're right I don't. But for some reason she trusts you and I guess that's all that really matters, right?" Harry sipped his drink.
"I'm trying to make peace with you, Potter."
"Why? We've hated each other for our entire lives now. Why stop now? What has changed?"
"I've changed." Draco answered immediately. "For her. We can stop for her."
"You will never change, Draco." Harry smirked as did Draco for they both knew in all the time they've known each other, they had never referred to each other by first names. It was, in fact, like a peace offering.
Draco chuckled, "Thank you," he paused, "Harry."
Harry nodded in response.
"It's about bloody time." They heard a scratchy voice say and Draco felt a tightening sensation around his hand.
He let out of sigh of relief that he felt like he'd been holding in for a month now. "Don't ever do that to me again you hear?" Draco said before kissing her and burying his face in her hair.
Harry handed her a glass of water which she took thankfully.
"I couldn't sleep with all the bickering you two had going on." Hermione smiled weakly, shutting her eyes.
"Well you won't have to worry about that anymore." Harry smiled at her. He leaned down and kissed her temple, brushing her hair out of her face as he said, "Welcome back."
"Do you remember what happened?" Draco asked, curious.
Hermione threw a glance at Harry who shook his head just enough for her too see, telling her that he hadn't said anything.
"Not a thing." She smiled a tired grin.
"Good." Draco laughed. "Let me go get the healer."
She nodded her head in agreement and immediately turned to Harry once Draco was out of the room.
"Are you going to tell him?" Harry asked, sitting beside her on the bed.
Her head fell to the side for she had no strength to hold it up. "Wasn't planning on it."
"Hermione," Harry started.
"I know what you're going to say. It's just he's finally on good terms with his parents again and I don't think I can ruin that."
"Hermione, the man tortured you! To near death. He deserves to be back in Azkaban. I know Draco cares more about you and your safety than his relationship with his bloody death eater father. Lucius Malfoy deserves to be killed for what he did to you."
At that moment they heard glass shatter and they both looked towards the door. Draco had dropped at glass of water at what he heard.
"Draco," Hermione whispered.
"My father did this to you?" He looked at her in bewilderment. "And you didn't say anything to me?" He directed his question at Harry.
"I didn't want your relationship with him to ruined." Hermione whispered.
He scoffed and shook his head. "I'll kill him." And then he was gone.
Hermione turned to Harry with wide eyes.
Harry tried to soothe her, "He's not going to kill anyone. You need to rest."
Hermione closed her eyes. "Where's Draco?"
Harry knew that by Draco she meant his nephew and as if on cue, Ginny walked in carrying James in her arms and holding Draco's hand with her other.
Ginny gasped when she walked into the room. "You're awake."
Hermione smiled dimly, "Barely."
"Draco, Mummy's awake."
Young Draco waddled over to Harry and Harry picked up his nephew and laid him on the bed next to Hermione, who kissed her son's forehead.
"Hey baby. How's my boy been?"
"Mummy!" Draco said as he innocently stared at Hermione, who shut her eyes, falling back into another deep sleep.
Thanks for reading.