A/N: I know, I know, I'm late again. Not even going to make excuses about finals and sickness because chances are, the readers are too eager for the chapter and are mad enough to peg me with rotten food anyways. xP Enjoy!

Thanks to my reviewers: LDeetz, ynowofalltimes, Emily, Miss Taxidermy, and pottergurl1289. Reviews make authors smile. ^.^

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is still not mine.

When she woke up everything felt wrong. Her eyelids were heavy and refused to lift, and her body wouldn't move. In a daze, she pressed backwards through her memory trying to recall what had happened and where she could be. A flash of Ron towering over her, raining blow after blow upon her shone brightly in her mind. Oh. She'd been knocked unconscious again. So she was probably on the floor.

'I wonder what I did to deserve it this time. I must've been positively awful to earn such a beating. I hope I can still earn his forgiveness.'

Slowly she began to register that there were voices around her and she eagerly trained her hearing on trying to understand what they were saying. Strange that there would be people in her home…

"How are you holding up, mate? I can't believe we let you return home alone and find her like this, I'm so sorry."

"You didn't know. It's okay." That voice. 'Ron! And that was Harry… Just what is going on here? Harry knows about my injuries?'

"We'll figure out who has been hurting her. Must be a co-worker or friend if they knew how to find her at home. Don't worry, we'll keep her safe."

"You think she's been bringing her co-workers home? Reassuring, mate." Ron's voice was cold and sarcastic. 'He wants Harry to think I'm cheating on him – oh, Harry, don't believe him…'

"You know you're the only man in her life, don't make this any harder on her than it has been. You don't know what she's been forced into or how she's been hurt. As her husband, you need to support her and help her through this." 'Or as my husband he can be responsible for my punishment and keeping me in line… he only hurts me because I disobey after all. If Ginny disobeyed, I'm sure Harry would keep her in line too.'

Even as she reassured herself, she knew the words were all wrong. Harry would never hurt Ginny. Hermione was in a completely illogical and terrifying situation, and there was no way out. She was relieved when she heard Harry offer to buy Ron a firewhiskey and their footsteps slowly faded into the distance.

Now it was time to work on getting more information. Where was she? How badly was she injured? Gathering her energy, she began focusing on opening her eyes. Being able to see was a vital first step. Slowly her eyelids fluttered and then gradually slid open under her insistence.

No – she couldn't really be in St. Mungo's… He'd never gone this far before. As reality slowly hit her, desperation consumed her and tears slipped down her cheeks. If he kept this up, he'd kill her. Did she really deserve death?

In the lobby, Draco Malfoy was leaning casually over the nurse's desk. He was here for his routine visit to his mother in the permanent ward, yet he often stopped to charm the nurse for any new gossip of patients. Smirking, he rested on one elbow and ran his hands through his white-blonde hair. Resting his gaze directly upon her, he watched as her face flushed with pleasure. Too easy.

"Got anything for me, Helen?" She giggled and flipped through the charts, glancing obviously around her to see if anyone could hear her. She was not the brightest girl around, but if she was, she'd never cave and give him the gossip. He could be patient, he supposed. Putting on his best interested face, he leaned closer to her and whispered to her.

"I see you have something good for me this week. Do tell." That was all the push she needed and she eagerly burst with information.

"Remember that war hero, Hermione Granger? The girl who was friends with Harry Potter and married his best friend Ron Weasley? She's hear receiving extensive care from some sort of mysterious attack… it's all very hush hush and all of Mungo's is in a tizzy about her. Apparently she barely survived!"

He carefully kept his expression calm and unaffected, but inside his mind was reeling. Impossible. This definitely warranted further investigation. It was preposterous that the golden girl could be hurt so severely and no one have any explanation. Why hadn't she been protected? Time to continue charming.

"Well now, that is news. I bet someone as reliable as you knows which room she's in as well. I'd like to check in on her, we attended school together."

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, that'd be inappropriate, she can't have visitors yet except her husband or Harry Potter…" He seethed silently. No visitors, yet Potter was allowed. No surprise there.

"Helen, just between you and me… Hermione and I were close at school, secretly…" His tone of voice was suggestive and his statement entirely false, but from the way Helen's mouth dropped he knew it had worked. If anything would work on a ditzy witch, it's an unfinished love affair. He quickly got the rest of the information from her and parted with a smirk and sauntered away.

Arriving at the doorway, he paused for a moment before entering. He'd switched sides before the end of the war under the council of his godfather, Severus. Yet no one had known until after Severus was killed and it was revealed within his memories that Draco had been spying as well, working on turning the other Slytherins against the cause. After all he'd done, Hermione had been the only one to fully accept him.

The wizarding world had forgiven him, of course, but only she had truly accepted him. They'd even had coffee a few times. What had he missed? He had barely seen her or spoken to her since her marriage, something he wasn't surprised or offended by… much. She was just busy obviously. Yet now, he finds out she was a target. What if he would've been able to prevent the attack just by remaining a part of her life? Obviously the weasel didn't protect her. Squaring his shoulders, he stepped forward into the room.

He quickly reminded himself to breathe as the sight of her hit him full force. He didn't understand. Someone as strong as her couldn't be hurt this way. Yet there she was, curled in St. Mungo's, nearly unconscious. How had this happened? He would make them pay. Her slender form lay motionless on the bed, her skin glowing in the light from the window. As he stepped closer he noticed her cheeks were streaked with tears and he frowned slightly.

Reaching a hand out slowly, he wiped away the wetness from her cheek. Immediately, her eyes snapped open and fixed on his, gluing him to the spot. She was terrified and he couldn't look away or move his hand. More tears slipped from her eyes and as one hit his finger, he twitched and moved his hand to cup her cheek, soothing her. In as gentle a voice as he could manage, he softly spoke.

"Hermione? It's all right. You're safe."

Safe. The word echoed in her brain as she registered what was happening. The man touching her was not Ron, and this man was not here to hurt her. As the fear receded and her vision cleared, she began to comprehend his identity. Draco. Draco Malfoy was here. She really was safe. With a small gasp, she blinked rapidly to confirm that he was there and began to cry once more.

'Draco…'

A/N: I promise to try and not take so long to update next time. At least Draco is here now! More to come about their brief friendship and such. Please review!