The two teens walked back to the Shrieking Shack, Hermione laughing as Draco joked, suddenly both of them more at ease. It was almost as if the night before had never happened, or more-so that it had brought them closer together.
"Well, how was I supposed to know that Crabbe didn't know the difference between Colloportus and Colloshoo?" He asks with a smile on his face. "You should have heard my father. The plan was to lock the door behind us but when my father fell on his face instead, it wasn't nearly as fun anymore. I don't think I had ever gotten scolded that bad in my life." He couldn't help but be relieved that at least there was someone besides Blaise that he could hold a regular conversation with, even if they would never speak after this.
"That's okay," Hermione laughs back, picturing Lucius falling on his face. "Ron couldn't figure out our entire third year how I was going to two sets of classes at once." She said with a laugh as Draco looked at her confused.
"How were you going to two sets of classes?" He asked in confusion, trying to figure it out himself.
"The time-turner of course." Hermione answered, as if it were obvious. "McGonagall gave it to me to use. Said she doesn't give it to just anyone but after my third year, I stopped using it. The extra homework just became too much."
"Makes sense," Draco answers, thinking about it before continuing with his strut back to the Shack. Hermione followed along until she stopped in her place at the sound of something rustling in the woods.
"Did you hear that?" She whispers softly, looking over at the bushes as they moved.
"It's probably nothing." Draco answers, "Are we going to get back so that we can finalize the plan or not?"
"No," She whispers, moving closer to the sound. "I heard something." Suddenly the something Hermione had heard jumps out at her, the fading sunlight of the evening making it difficult for her to see what exactly it was as she screamed out at the sight of the odd-shaped shell-less lobster with legs sticking out randomly tackled her, flames shooting from it's hindside, making it even more difficult for Hermione to see. It had to have been at least the length of her own body as Hermione's head hit the ground and the animal dragged her off by the leg.
"DRACO!" Hermione screams out as the lobster shaped creature grabs her, causing Draco to turn around quickly, running after her.
"HERMIONE!" He yells, sending hexes at the creature himself. He remembered what Hermione had taught him about the non-verbal spells, tossing them at the creature as they bounced off of it's shell with ease and Hermione continued to disappear, Draco barely being able to keep up at a full-force run.
Hermione screamed out in pain as she felt the animal latch onto her leg, what felt like a thousand tiny needles digging into her flesh all at once as the beast sucked blood from her leg in a frenzy as it continued to scurry backwards, dragging her through the rocky brush covering the forest floor. "It's a Blast-Ended Skrewt!" Hermione yelled, feeling the pain from the monster draining the blood from her leg. "Attack it's underside!"
Draco did as he was told, listening to Hermione's advice as he continued to try to hit the stomach of the animal, still trying to keep up with them. He knew if he lost sight of Hermione now, he would probably never see her again due to the female beast looking for a meal.
Suddenly, the Skrewt stood up, hissing at Draco as it's stinger on it's back aimed threateningly at him. Draco took his chance, seeing the creature's weak spot clearly. "DEPULSO!" He yells, aiming his wand at the Skrewt's underbelly, sending it flying off towards a tree as he ran over, grabbing Hermione under the arms and dragging her away from the Skrewt.
"Confringo!" He yells, causing the Skrewt to burst into flames as tears streamed down Hermione's face.
"Draco, it was just doing all it knows how to do." Hermione says, her stomach dropping in pity for the creature as she looked at the burnt bark on the tree, the bits of leaves and grass still in small piles of fire where the Skrewt had once been.
"It's a rough world." Draco answers coldly, "What was that about anyway?"
"One of Hagrid's experiments perhaps?" Hermione answers, trying to stand up before falling into Draco's arms. "I can't walk." She says, flinching in pain.
"I'll take you back." He answers, allowing her to put her weight onto him instead of her leg. "Just try and keep the weight off of it." He led her back to the Shrieking Shack, laying her softly on his own bed once they got up to the room. "Damn Hermione," He said, lifting up her pant leg and exposing the large, oval-shaped gash. "You let it do a number on your leg."
"Yea," Hermione answers, flinching as she sat up from the pain. "Wait! You called me Hermione?"
"Hmpf." Draco answers, shrugging his shoulders, "Guess I did." He answers, examining her leg a little bit more closely. It wasn't as bad as he had originally glanced at, more of a skin wound where the Skrewt had simply taken off the flesh and sucked directly on the muscle. Dittany would help with the open sore but wouldn't do much for the pain that came along with trying to walk on the leg. Their plan was put on a halt for now but Draco had to admit, he was thankful that nothing worse had happened to Hermione. "Didn't you say something earlier about there being Dittany that Dumbledore sent with us?" He asks as Hermione nodded her head. Quickly, he went over to the bag. "Accio Dittany." He said, causing the vial to jump into his hand before he walked back over to Hermione.
Opening the vial, he pours a few drops onto Hermione's wound, watching as the skin heals itself over as she flinches in pain, shoving the pillow into her face to keep from screaming out.
"Shhhhh!" He whispers, moving up beside her and cradling her face trying to comfort her in the pain. "It's okay," He whispers softly, unsure of what else to do. "You will be fine."
Hermione nods her head, biting her lip against the burning sensation. Her leg singed as she knew it was the Dittany healing the wound. Softly, she closed her eyes to the pain, giving in to the exhaustion caused by the pain as Draco did something he never saw himself doing, and couldn't explain why he was doing, and kissed her forehead.
"Close your eyes Hermione," He tells her, brushing the hair from her eyes. "Go to sleep and the pain will ease."
He watched as her breathing leveled out, sending her into a deepened sleep as Draco stared at her. He couldn't explain the emotions he was feeling. Maybe it was simply because he had shared something with her that he had never experienced with anyone else. Maybe it was the fact that she defied everything Draco's father had ever told him about muggle-borns. Either way, Draco couldn't help but hate himself for finding beauty in her sleeping form. He couldn't help but feel emotions for the girl, emotions he couldn't explain. He wanted to make sure she didn't get hurt again and, damned him, her name felt so right on his lips.
Draco came to a conclusion in that moment as he wrapped a bandage around Hermione's hurt leg. He had to keep her safe, safe from what he knew he had no choice but to become, and if that meant hurting himself to keep from hurting her in the end, that was what he was going to do.
Walking back over to the mattress on the floor that had been Hermione's bed up until now, Draco lit a fire in the fireplace before closing his eyes and drifting off into a sleep that would only remind him of why he had to protect her.