Chapter 11

Hermione pulled Draco towards the bed. He led down, wincing. Hermione quickly pulled his cloak off. The slashes on his chest were still bleeding quite heavily. Hermione felt useless. What could she do to help with no medical equipment and painfully wandless.

Before Hermione could give it a second thought, it was out of her mouth. "Give me your wand," she demanded. He looked up at her with a questioning expression. He obviously saw what he needed to in her face. He obliged without saying a word.

Hermione hadn't really expected him to. She could run away now. She had his wand, and he was weak, her opportunity of escape was here now. She looked at him. He was paler than usual and he looked at her with pleading eyes. Who was she kidding? There was no way she could leave her Draco there, bleeding and in pain. Her Draco? There was no way she could deny her feelings for him.

Hermione grasped the wand firmly. It seemed unfamiliar and not entirely right in her hand. It would have to do. She set about casting healing charms over Draco. After a while some of the slashes began to heal and the blood stopped its free fall from his body. Colour began to return to his cheeks. After the last cut had sealed itself, Hermione climbed into bed alongside him. He rested his head on her chest and Hermione cradled him.

"What happened?" she whispered into his hair.

"I'm sorry," he replied in a whisper and silent tears began to slide down his cheeks.

"Shhhh," Hermione soothed. "It's okay."

"It's not," he choked.

"Tell me," she pleaded.

"It was meant to be a normal meeting today," he began.

"At the end, he asked me about you. Whether I was enjoying you. There was no use lying, he can tell. I told him you were black and blue, but that I hadn't done that to you yet." Hermione cringed.

"He was furious. He gave me two days. I'm sorry."

Hermione struggled to process the information.

"So he did this to you?" she asked, waving at where the lashed had been on his chest moments before.

"No," Malfoy sighed. "No, he only used the cruciatus on me." Only thought Hermione?

"Then who?" she questioned further.

"My father. I'd embarrassed him."

"The scars from before?"

"My father is frequently embarrassed by me."

"Oh Draco," she said squeezing him tightly. How could anybody hurt their own son? She knew Lucius Malfoy was a wicked man, but she'd never imagined he was capable of this.

"Two days?" she asked.

"Two days," he confirmed.

Hermione took a deep breath. She thought she had more time. Could she do this?

"What happens if we don't?"

"They'd give you to someone else. I don't know what they'd do to me."

She had to do this. She couldn't let anyone hurt Draco on her behalf again. She couldn't give herself to anyone else – the idea made her feel queasy. She thought of Ron. She was supposed to give it to him. She didn't want that anymore. She wanted Draco. The thought of him touching her, making love to her didn't seem quite as bad anymore. She could do this.

"Okay, I'll do it," said Hermione.

"Thank you" he whispered.

They held it each other tight for a while.

"Hermione, I hate to ask, but are you… you know…"

"A virgin," she asked blushing.

"Yes," he cringed.

"Yes. Why does it matter?" Hermione was feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

"He wanted proof I'd done the deed. He wants the bed sheets." How awful, she thought.

She had to get her head round this. In less than two days, Draco would've taken her virginity. Maybe that wasn't so bad.

"Draco, I'm glad my first time is going to be with you," she admitted.

"Me too," he whispered gently.

He kissed her lightly on the lips before they both fell into a deep sleep with sweet dreams of each other.