Hermione's head was pounding. She couldn't feel anything else but her brain, apparently trying to escape her skull by hammering on its front. She didn't dare open her eyes for she knew it would only make things worse. Maybe she was in hell. It definitely felt like hell.

Trying to focus on something else than the excruciating pain she felt, she discovered that her entire body felt like it'd been smashed under a gigantic wall made of rocks. Sharp rocks, with razor blades edges. Which were probably still crushing her. She heard a moan and felt her mouth move, to her utter ordeal, it hurt too.

Then she heard whispers, low voices speaking gibberish she couldn't understand, and then calloused finger wrapped around hers and her eyes snapped open.

She was in saint Mungo's for sure. She wasn't dead after all. Not in hell yet. Great? The drapes were half-closed, and considering what she could see from the window facing her, it was the middle of the night. Then, she remembered the fingers and slowly turned her face to her left. Arthur Weasley was smiling faintly at her, his whole posture the paint of sorrow and worry.

"Arth …" It hurt so bad that she cut herself even before he started talking.

"Shh. Don't speak dear." She gave him what she was sure to be an almost imperceptible questioning frown and he smiled the more. He sighed and finally said it whole, pausing at each sentence to make sure she followed.

"You were severely injured by a really nasty curse, almost bled to death, were burnt, almost asphyxiated, and presumably beaten. We didn't know if you'd wake up. We've been taking turns, but it's only been two day. The others are at the burrow. I'm going to call them, Georgie went to fetch Luna. They'll be back soon. Is it all right if I leave your side for a bit?"

She nodded.

"Rest dear." He said and let go of her hand to peck her forehead. She'd never been fonder of Arthur Weasley. Waking up to Harry or Ron, or maybe Lavender or Molly wouldn't have appeased her the same way. The elder Weasley patriarch had a calm and reassuring aura, even when his words and facial expressions betrayed all his worry, it gave her the comfort she needed. Her father had a very similar way of handling things, even if slightly more tinted with anger. But her father wouldn't come around. Her mother wouldn't either. They were a few steps away, maybe a few floors, and they were strangers. Tears prickled their way down her cheeks, adding to her physical pain, sorrow, grief and suddenly worry took her. Were all the others fine? Who had found her? Whoever it was, that person must be hurt, she'd been in the middle of a magical fire!

"Hello lovely!" George's cheer made her lift her head too fast, she winced in pain and he pulled a face full of apologies. Luna was at his foot and closed the door behind them. Hermione flinched, though only inwardly, at her radish earrings, sure those weren't sanitary. She came to her side as George took Arthur's seat, and gave her an airy smile.

"I'm going to give you a potion for the pain Hermione, but it will hurt to drink, and you'll be back to sleep right after, all right? I'm sorry, I know, but we'll answer all your questions in the morning when you've found your voice again."

Luna pushed a vial full of a nasty smelling greenish potion to her lips, and she'd been right. The cold liquid burnt her entire throat as if it'd been acid, and she felt another lot of tears streak her face.

The last thing she remembered after that, was drifting to sleep as George murmured something weirdly related to radishes.

The next day was all blurry images of red hair and glasses and attempts at hugging that had sent her right back to sleep after Luna's magical vial of whatever that acrid tasting potion was, all that after only a minute awake. The only thing she had a vivid memory of was Harry telling her that they'd caught the stone, and really, it was all that mattered.

When Hermione really woke up the next time and didn't feel like a total and utter pile of crap, it was early in the morning, and her room was full. She heard whispers even before opening her eyes and as her head was no longer pondering like hell, she opened them right away.

Harry, Ron, Molly, Andromeda and Lavender were there. Molly was right at her side, sitting on a chair and was the first to notice that Hermione was awake.

"Hermione dear how are you feeling?" Everyone turned to see her and she was assaulted by a full range of bright smiles and quiet cheers.

"All right I guess." Her voice was hoarse and broken but it worked nonetheless.

"Ronald go fetch that Luna girl will you?" Molly asked and Ron pouted, but went away after winking Hermione's way. Andromeda then addressed Harry with the exact same motherly way to order people around, so similar it felt like both the elder women were siblings:

"Harry dear, same with Ginny here, maybe she can come in with Teddy? Would that be all right Hermione?"

"Of course." Hermione smiled, and it didn't hurt as much as it just pinched her throat lightly. Harry nodded and obliged too.

"I have someone to drag in too then." Said Lavender, and Hermione suddenly felt trapped. Only Andromeda and Molly were left in the room and as a child about to get a lecture, Hermione could sense it was not a good thing.

"Hermione dear I've been so worried! How did this happen?" Molly asked, looking concerned, worried and angry all at once, as Andromeda started:

"The boys won't tell us anything, stating it is confidential …" Hermione had to stop the upcoming questioning and she had to do it now.

"It is. I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly what happened. And to be honest I wasn't conscious at the end … I need to speak with Harry and Ron."

"I see. This is useless Molly I told you."

"I'm sorry Meda …"

This painful conversation got interrupted though, as Harry came back in with Ginny, who carried a sleepy Teddy in her arms.

"He's grown so much!" Said Hermione which woke the little guy up.

The next hour was complete chaos. Teddy was running around in the room, ruining everyone's effort to calm him down by giggling his face off anytime someone tried. Ron had come back with Luna, whom had given Hermione a slightly better tasting potion, as far as a mix of rotten fish and seafood could be called better tasting, and stayed with them. Lavender had not returned yet, but Neville and Dean had come by and stayed in too. Arthur and George had arrived about twenty minutes after Ron's return and the room was now so crowded Hermione contemplated the wish to grab her wand and cast an extension charm the instant.

It was all a joyous hell, where Hermione had had to answer about twenty times the same question about her pain, where Harry had whispered that they needed to talk - in her ear and in one of the rare moments Molly had had her attention focused on something else - where Ron had made countless idiotic jokes that had triggered George's endless giggling, and where Neville had blushed ten times at Luna's odd statements.

Arthur became the saviour of the day, and possibly the only high enough authority to dislocate Molly's figure from the chair she'd settled in, when he gave Harry a knowing look and asked everyone to let Hermione talk with her friends and colleagues a bit, as she certainly had a million questions remaining unanswered. Of course she had, and even if she didn't really want any of them to leave, she needed answers more.

Saying goodbye took almost a half hour. As soon as the door closed on Molly, who of course had been the last to leave, Harry sat in the chair she'd occupied and lifted a finger to Hermione's face.

"Wait a second. We'll wait for Lavender." Neville, Dean and Ron occupied themselves with conjuring chairs to sit down too, but Hermione couldn't wait.

"Let me guess, she's in charge of the Slytherins?"

"The Slytherin actually." Corrected Neville. Hermione frowned but didn't get a chance to ask since the door opened and Lavender entered, followed by Zabini.

"Where's Malfoy?" Hermione hadn't expected him, nor Zabini for that matter, to come by while the room was filled with Weasleys but since this was apparently a team reunion, she wondered why he wasn't there. She snorted at her own idiocy, had she really expected him to come at her bedside? Why would he?

"Really happy to see you too Granger, you look good by the way, I wondered when those hair of yours would sprout out of your head again."

The troll burst out laughing at Hermione's horror. Touching her hair she realised the potions had worn off. She was probably still almost blond but her curls where again that thick and uncontrollable mess it had once been.

"Godric's sake as if being in here wasn't enough!" She cried out. Zabini's laughter doubled and he was soon joined by chuckles from everybody else in the room, Hermione included. But thoughts of the Malfoy heir kept her from closing her mouth.

"You didn't answer, where is he?" She asked again, this time looking at Harry. He had a brand new scar below his right ear.

"That's the thing, err, he's been next door until yesterday morning."

"What? Why?"

"Well, he's the one who found you." Said Harry with a small smile.

"Actually he was the only one to know that you were injured." Said Lavender, taking a few steps in, and perching herself next to Hermione's feet at the edge of the bed.

"How?"

"The parchment." She said. Oh, right, her piece of parchment had been in her left pocket, right next to her injury. It had probably been soaked in blood.

"Lee traced your piece for him and he went for you." Lavender added with a bright smile and an all too knowing gaze Hermione didn't like very much.

"Yeah all Gryffindor like attitude, bullshit in other words. He refused to follow protocol and made Jordan do it. You guys broke my friend." Pouted Zabini and Hermione chuckled but worry for the absent blond annoying git was strongly gripping her throat so she asked.

"How bad was he?" She just couldn't believe he'd come for her. And yet he wasn't there right now.

"Few burns, really bad throat, a dislocated shoulder and a few bruises but nothing life threatening." Listed Harry. Right, at least he was okay, but why, since he'd bothered saving her life against protocol, wasn't he there too? How was she supposed to thank him?

"He'll come by later he's busy now." Said Neville, and everyone turned to him. Busy? On second sight it was true that they were all still in their auror's robes. Among the few almost healed bruises and under eye dark circles, she noticed they still all looked ready to go to sleep for a whole week.

"Busy? Wait, Harry, this is over right?"

"Yes, Kingsley's disposing of the stone as we speak. He'll state it's been destroyed in the fire, we didn't trust anyone else with it."

"Good." She nodded. "Don't want another lunatic to resuscitate a full bunch of nutjobs. Oh, what about Pansy?" Zabini and Lavender both chuckled.

"She'll be in trial too but Kingsley will bare witness, I think they'll be clement." Hermione nodded at Harry's response. Parkinson didn't deserve Azkaban. Her only crime had been her prejudice, and maybe her stupidity, right her prejudiced stupidity. According to Lavender, her nose was a crime in itself too but that was out of the subject.

Suddenly Hermione remembered what had made her stay in that damned ball room and gasped:

"Clarissa! How is Clarissa Flint?" Harry winced and everyone took a defeated expression. "What is it?"

"She died Hermione."

"What? How? But she went …"

"She had taken a vow Mione. She knew she couldn't talk but she still did, to Colin. And the vow killed her right after. It was her son Mione, the kid in there. They were beating him to force her to obey and make the money transactions." Explained Lavender.

"Oh Merlin." She felt tears drop from her lashes and swallowed before asking: "Who were the others?" Harry answered this time:

"Relatives to the death-eaters that had been resurrected before. That's how they did it. You were right as always, Rabastan had planned it all over from his cell, Parkinson executed the orders. They forced the relatives to resurrect the death-eaters. Once he got out he took care of Rodolphus and now they were planning on breaking in Azkaban to kill the kissed Bellatrix and resurrect her. She would have brought back Voldemort then."

Hermione had no idea how to respond to that. Clarissa Flint's little boy had been beaten and starved to death to force her mother to obey Lestrange. Hermione had saved to poor woman who had been so desperate after loosing her son, that she'd told Colin everything, at the price of her life. Hermione felt nauseous. Those monsters could burn in hell. Or on earth, they'd receive the kiss soon.

"And Marcus?"

"Son of a bitch died in the fire." Hissed Lavender. Hermione nodded, there was some sort of justice after all, then she lifted her face to her friends:

"I put that fire."

"No kidding, took a day to put off." Mocked Lavender, as Dean winked and gave her one his rare big grins.

They reviewed the mission's outcome in details for the next hour or so, and after Luna had come by again to give Hermione yet another disgusting potion, all, to Harry and Ron's exception, decided to let her rest. Lavender promised to come by the next day to fix her hair, and said she'd bring Ginny with her. Promised to be a cheerful and disgustingly gagging girly day. Hermione couldn't wait. Neville cheekily pecked her on the cheek in an affectionate gesture that left him a bit red around the nose, to Zabini's personal amusement, who chose this exact moment to comment:

"Am I smelling competition here? Longbottom beware! I'll win Granger's noble heart before you do! Let's fight!" Lavender burst out laughing and even Ron followed. Neville was particularly unmoved by Zabini's joke though, and Hermione couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"No need to loose a fight for me Zabini, Neville already won. Now get out before I decide to kick your arse from this very bed."

"Trust me, she will." Said Dean, patting Zabini's shoulder as he passed him.

"Getting kicked by a bushy-haired bookworm would be the worst thing to happen to a Slytherin, I surrender." He said, bowing.

"Smart move." Hermione smirked and the tall dark man antecedently harbouring a chivalrous faked expression now pulled out his tongue at her. She rolled her eyes but chuckled nonetheless and as soon as the door was closed asked:

"Is he drunk again?"

"Just trying to lift the mood I think."

"Yeah, he's been making a lot of jokes." Scowled Ron.

"Are you jealous?" Ron pouted but didn't answer. Hermione wondered how Zabini could keep cheering everyone up. Over the past weeks he'd lost his family, his home, and his best friend had been injured.

"Is he all right?"

"I don't know, it's hard to tell. His grand mother's funeral is in a week, we're all going."

"Of course." A strange silence followed suit, as Harry started looking at his hands, and Ron at the window, Hermione tried to gather her thoughts. They'd done it. The stone was being destroyed by the most trustful wizard in the country, the Lestranges will receive the kiss before the end of the week, Parkinson senior was in Azkaban, where the security had been reinforced, and guards tested, thanks to veritaserum. There were still a few of their cronies on the loose but alone they wouldn't try anything, and they'd catch them anyway. If Hermione had been able to catch Nott on her own, sure a few frightened sympathisers that weren't even death eaters would be a piece of cake for the auror's team.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"It's really over?"

"It is. Well, not entirely over, but you know … things should start to get better from now on."

"Better as in, sleep in your bed at night?"

"Better like that yes." He said with a small smile.

"Are you both all right?"

"Course we are Mione, it's you we were worried about." Stressed Ron, grabbing her wrist.

"Then, Harry?"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"I quit."

"Thank Merlin!" Was his answer, followed by a heavy breath of relief, and even a lift of his eyes to the sky, well, the white ceiling in this case.

"Harry?" Queried Ron, looking suddenly all serious.

"Ron?"

"I quit too." The face Harry pulled was the most hilarious thing Hermione had seen in a very long time, she burst out laughing at the exact same time Ron did. Between heavy breath and uncontrollable giggles Ron managed to word to a scowling Harry:

"Kidding, wanted to see your face! Not disappointed!"

Wiping a tear of laughter from her face with the corner of the scratching white sheet she was under, Hermione remembered the last time she'd laughed like that. It wasn't so long ago, and it'd been with Malfoy. Where was he anyway? What could possibly keep him busy if the whole team had come here to see her? So what? Let's save the pathetic bookworm and then forget about her?

Right, maybe she was overreacting a bit. He was busy, all right. How was she supposed to thank him though? And no! It couldn't wait! To be honest, Hermione mostly wanted to check that he was indeed all right. If he'd hurt himself badly while saving her, she would never forgive herself.

Enough. She needed to shut her mind down. Thinking about him wouldn't bring him there, but something else might.

"Do you know if they kept my clothes from that night?" She asked Harry.

"They didn't Mione, everything was covered in blood."

"Oh." Had they throw away her parchment with it? Probably. To a third party the parchment just looked like a useless bit of paper. If they had, it was over, she'd never have the guts, nor a proper and decent excuse to make Malfoy charm another one for her. They'd never write again.

"Here, I kept that though." Harry rummaged through the pockets of his cloak, that had landed beside him on the armrest of his chair. He retrieved a few things and put them on her lap, atop the covers. Her golden coin, her compass, her beaded purse, and her parchment. He held the last piece between two fingers and smiled.

"Was that what you were worried about?" Hermione sighed, careful to avoid Ron's eyes, but there was no point in lying to them though.

"I want to thank him."

"Already did, quite a few times, and I said I'll take him for a shot of whatever he drinks." Said Ron, with a proud grin. Said grin deflated quickly after Hermione's next words though.

"So for you I'm only worth a drink?" His face discomposed slowly at her pretend glare, and redness crept up his neck.

"Err, of course not …"

"I'm just kidding Ron." She smirked.

"Ah ah. We broke Malfoy, they broke her Harry. We're doomed." Hermione chuckled.

"I'm not broken. Well, mentally I mean. Shut it Harry." She lifted a warning finger to the bespectacled man. "Thank you Ron, but I … I really want to thank him myself, he saved my life."

"I know."

They chatted a bit more, the subject drifting to lighter matters, such as Ginny's joy at seeing Harry home at night, or Ron's wishes to buy a new broom, and so on. It had been a really long day for Hermione though, it was, after all, the first she'd spent entirely awake, and she was exhausted. As she yawned, and now that they knew for sure that she'd be all right, Harry decided to let her rest. He had to grad Ron by the elbow but managed to take him out with him around six in the afternoon. A few painful hugs and smiles later and she was left alone in her bed.

She needed to sleep but had something more important to do. Grabbing her parchment and wand from the night stand, since she didn't have a quill, Hermione prepared herself to use magic to write on the piece of paper that had somehow saved her life too. She didn't know what to write.

What was she supposed to say? Thank you for saving my life Malfoy, hope you're okay? No. She wanted to see for herself if he was, and to thank him in person. The man had saved her life for Godric's sake. She would never have imagined Draco Lucius Malfoy putting his life at risks to save hers. And yet he'd done it. And then hadn't come with the others to see her. Maybe he was busy, maybe, maybe. But all she wanted was to see him. She tapped her wand to the parchment, which now read, in a neat and perfect writing that was too big to her liking:

- Where are you?

She waited for the words to disappear but they didn't right away. He was probably really busy. Maybe since she'd been asleep for days he didn't have his parchment with him. Perhaps he'd left it at … Grimmaud surely. Since the Manor was no longer an option. Where did he live anyway? Was he staying at Harry's? Right, he'd probably have gone back to his mother. The words faded. She waited impatiently for him to answer but he didn't for several minutes.

It was nerve wrecking. He was ignoring her. Why? She tapped her wand again.

- So what? You save my life to ignore me?

The words didn't fade right away either, and she decided to do as she'd always been doing on that parchment, so she added:

- Answer me you jackass. Or do I have to come boss your sorry arse around again? Worked well once, will work twice.

This time she finally got an answer.

- Your writing is odd. I thought it was someone else.

- I'm using my wand, I don't have a quill. And it's not possible until I'm dead. You charmed that thing, remember?

- I do. Never mind.

Never mind what? He was being odd. Hermione felt a twinge in her heart, something had changed.

- What's wrong?

- Nothing.

Well clearly something was.

- I said Jackass and didn't get any female equivalent. Your answers are too short. Malfoy, what's wrong? Are you all right?

He saw the message right away but only answered after a few minutes.

- I thought you were dead for a minute. And that someone else had your parchment.

- Oh. Well, I'm not. Thanks to you, which I hate having to say through this parchment. Why didn't you come today?

- I figured. I'm very busy at the moment, I'll come later.

Somehow she doubted it.

- Really?

- If I find enough time, I will.

He didn't want to come, he didn't want to see her.

- You don't have to, if you don't want to. I just wanted to thank you is all.

- There's nothing to thank me for Granger, I was just doing what was right for once.

- You saved my life, refusing to follow protocol. You didn't just do what was right, you put your like at risks to save mine. I owe you a life debt I'll never be able to repay.

- As everyone else would have done. You owe me nothing.

Yet, they hadn't. He had. He should be proud, and all pretentious again. What was wrong with him? Hermione didn't know how to make this right, the only thing she knew was that she was right, and he was wrong.

- Don't make me beg Malfoy, stop being so stubborn, I am right, I am always right, and you know it.

Then, she pushed her luck a bit, thinking that if he really didn't want to see her, then she wouldn't have any regrets, she would have tried.

- Now, bring your idiotic skeleton over here so I can thank you properly. Or you'll have to face my wrath. (once I can walk again that is).

Draco didn't like being bossed around. At all. But it was Hermione Granger bossing him around there. Again. The Hermione Granger he'd cried over like a baby in his hospital bed for two days, until Blaise had come with the news that she'd woken up. She was right, of course she was, maybe a minute more to bleed herself out and she'd have died in that awful ballroom. He'd saved her life.

He'd risked his, but hadn't really been able to think clearly from the moment he'd seen the blood on that parchment he was now keeping neatly flat on the table under his palm.

His life hadn't mattered back then. His life didn't matter when it came to hers. Finding her almost dead in that horrific ballroom had made him realise something he didn't dare think. All he allowed himself to think about was that he'd done the right thing. If someone deserved to live after all this mess, it was her. And she would.

She also wanted to see him. Exactly why she was bossing him around. She was shooting her last card. She wanted to thank him in person, and then what? It was over. They had no real reason to keep this parchment now, no real reason to keep writing, to keep in touch.

Potter had said he hoped she would go back to her old job now that the stone was being destroyed. He'd said, when visiting him in his hospital room, bearing a knowing look Draco hadn't appreciated that much, that she'd quit. So what? If he went to see her, it would be a goodbye. And Draco couldn't. He couldn't say goodbye now that he knew she was important. Did she even want him in her life? And if she did, could he bear her friendship? No, it would be too much. Or not enough. He didn't know.

His goodbyes were ready to be sent by check the following morning. This way he would have done everything in his power to make things right, to make her life right.

But apparently all she wanted was to see him since, when he kept thinking and wrecking his brain with unanswered questions, she wrote again.

- I know I'll sound desperate, but I just wanted to see you. Check for myself that you are okay. I realise it must be too much to ask, since you've done so much already. I don't want to force it out of you, so I won't insist. My words will never express to what extent I am grateful but I hope you realise how much. I'll never forget what you did for me. Thank you Draco. Hope I'll see you around some day. Hermione.

Shit he was an idiot. She'd interpreted his silence or short answers, just the way she was supposed to. She'd said goodbye. And she'd called him Draco. She hadn't even realised she still had a card under her sleeve, and she'd just shot it at him, unknowing.

Draco wanted to see her, actually he wanted it so badly it was the reason why he hadn't. He still hadn't sorted through his feelings and he was afraid that seeing her would wake that something he didn't want to think about.

Inevitably she'd reject him, and he'd end up not seeing her anyway. So the real question was did he want to see her one last time? Check for himself that she was okay, exactly as she wished too?

Yes, he did.

How was he supposed to put it without looking like a complete wanker, now that she'd said all those things that had wrecked havoc in his mind? Maybe by being himself, as she'd done. As they'd always done.

- Don't write me a goodbye letter just yet Granger, I'll come by tomorrow.

She didn't answer right away, she was probably swearing at what he'd made her write by staying silent. Yes, probably calling him a prat or a …

- You're a wanker. Come in the morning I have a "girl" stupidity in the afternoon.

Close enough.

- A wanker you're so desperate to see. Nine am ?

Risky joke there.

- Perfect. Yes, I am.

Shit he hadn't expected that. Surely she was playing with him.

- Oh really? Never thought you'd be all over me Granger, thought of you more as a Longbottom kind of girl.

- Again, as handsome as Neville is, I am not interested. As far as you're concerned, I am just glad you recovered from you little snap in stubborn idiocy and, I never thought I would say that, ever, but also to have back the pretentious and irritating Malfoy I've always known. Doesn't mean I'll ever be all over you, that is just disgusting, actually, it made me swallow back a bit of vomit.

She was glad? That he couldn't process. She was glad to have him back? What the hell did that mean? No, he would not overthink that. Yes, he would just ignore it.

- Oh so I'm back to Malfoy now? No more Draco? No more pouring your feelings on the paper like a bloody fountain?

- Well, Draco was only to get you to do what I wanted. It worked so now you're back to Malfoy. As far as my feelings go, I would say actions speak a lot more than words …

Oh fuck. Too much.

- Touché. Touché. And you're a manipulative cow. See you tomorrow.

- Yes, tomorrow Malfoy. ( I won.)

One conversation. A single conversation and he was even more confused that he'd already been until then. Draco decided to shut his brain for the night. Right, and to do so, he needed a drink.

Hermione hadn't called him Draco to manipulate him of course, she'd done so in hope he would understand how grateful she was. She'd never thought it would change his mind. Bit it had, and it made her feel too nervous to sleep. He'd come in the morning but now that she'd poured her feelings on paper like a bloody fountain, what was she supposed to say to him?

It was when she needed her brain the most that it seemed to fail her, now it was just blank.

She spent the night drifting off and on a sleeping haze, dreaming of the past few days, Malfoy's upcoming visit, and a few other things she had no wish to remember.

At seven in the morning Luna came to check on her. She did a lot of checking spells, made her drink two disgusting potions and redid her bandages. It was nasty. The wound was healing really slowly, and according to Luna, she'd have to stay a week more at least.

"You'll have to stay bedridden a few more days, and then we'll try to make you walk. As soon as you can walk steadily I'll send you home I promise."

Hermione snorted. Home. Her flat had a gigantic hole between the baths and the bedroom, thanks to the stupid absent ferret, and had only been a quiet space to sleep when she wasn't working, which hadn't happened so much lately. Now that she wasn't an auror any more, she didn't know if she'd ever want to set foot in that hole again. Maybe she could stay at the burrow for a little while? Molly would be thrilled, and it wouldn't be long until she was back on her feet. As far as a job, Hermione didn't know what to do. She'd lost all hope to heal her parents, and saw no reason to go back to healer's training. Especially since it would be training, she'd been through too many of these already. She'd have to think of something soon.

She scowled for Luna but the mediwitch didn't really seem to notice, even if her gaze was steady on Hermione's face.

"Are you feeling all right Hermione?"

"I guess so. Why?"

"Good. We'll have a chat soon then." And then she jogged off the room, the door clicking behind her. Odd. But again, everything had always been off with Luna.

A little while after, a healer brought her breakfast, but she didn't eat much. Her brain was blank again as she tried to push the job matter on front. All that came to mind was that Malfoy was soon coming to see her. Maybe he wouldn't. After all he hadn't really been too keen on doing so to start with.

A soft knock interrupted her incoherent thoughts at eight fifty five. Punctuality had always been on Malfoy's book, as it had hers, so she knew who was knocking.

"Come in." She suddenly felt so nervous that she had to cross her fingers and set her joined hands on her lap to avoid fidgeting. The door opened slowly, and an apprehensive looking Draco Malfoy took a single step inside the room. His eyes were lowered to the hand still gripping the doorknob, and he turned his back to her while closing it quietly. Then he had no choice but to face her again. The first thing Hermione saw was a thin scar that rose from the collar of his shirt, and crept to the back of his neck. She was certain he didn't have it before. She'd been right, he'd really hurt himself. Apparently not sensing her sudden worry, that had thankfully pushed aside her nervousness, he stayed at the door and awkwardly shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Hi." He managed trying for a smile.

"Are you all right?" She asked. His shock was visible from her bed. "What?" He rolled his eyes and took another step in, still staying safely close to the door.

"Are you all right Granger?" He finally asked. She chuckled.

"You first."

"I'm perfectly fine. How's your leg?"

"Not fine, yet, but it's healing."

"Good."

She was a hopeless case, Draco thought. Asking about his well-being, while half laying in a hospital bed. And now that it'd been answered, he didn't know what to do or say. The moment was awkward exactly as he'd predicted. It took him quite some time to finally look at her face, but when he lifted his eyes she was smirking. Something was different but the uncomfortable feeling incapacitated him to pin-point what, as his gaze kept drifting off her face to the pillow behind it.

"I should feel like a Hufflepuff right now. Not you." She stated which finally steadied his gaze on her. She had that mischievous smile playing on her lips and at the corner of her eyes. He couldn't repress a smile of his own. Those sodding freckles had made another appearance but they didn't stood out as much as usual. Something was odd, she looked different, more like herself than he'd ever seen her actually. She was so … No, he had to find what was odd. He frowned, but didn't answer.

"Are you mute?" Here, he knew.

"Your hair. What happened to your wig?" She rolled her eyes and her smirk vanished, replaced with annoyance. She took one of the too many strands of hair in her hand, and started toying with it.

"The potion's worn off." She looked at the frizzy curl and frowned. "It's not even light any more. It was yesterday. It seems that I'm back to bushy-hair book-worm." He chuckled, she didn't look like she really cared, only annoyed that he'd noticed.

"Back to yourself then."

"Not for long, Lavender and Ginny are coming to fix it this afternoon."

"Why?" The question had left his lips on its own. As she lifted an eyebrow, apparently considering his question seriously, he thought about it himself. Her hair wasn't really bushy, it was more incredibly curly, and frizzy at the ends. Back at school it'd been clearly visible that she didn't take care of it whatsoever, and the nickname had just been an idiotic way to get at her feelings. Now it seemed exaggerated and unthoughtful. Right, her hair looked out of control, but it was not ugly. It gave her that typical fierce Granger look, that the almost blond curly wig had never been able to hint properly. It also fit well with those annoying freckles of hers.

"I don't know. I guess I have no reason to change it now that this is over. Except for the ugliness." She grimaced at the end, releasing the strand.

"It's not ugly." Apparently he disagreed. Thankfully, she didn't seem to see that as the compliment Draco had blurted against his will.

"Yeah right, but it's not pretty either, and quite heavy to be honest. I have no idea what I'm doing anyway, I'll see with the girls."

"Right, better let the girls take care of that." He smirked. For a second her mouth fell agape at his comment and she seemed upset. For one second only. Then she stole his smirk and jolted, imitating with unknown accuracy a very young Pansy Parkinson:

"Oh yes! You're right! Come on then gazelle! Could you braid my hair for me? I know you'd love too! Blaise told me so!" He tried to look irritated but only managed to chuckle.

"I'm not gay Granger." He finally said, a very persistent smile, that didn't want to go away, glued to his face.

"Good, 'cause Zabini's made it clear he only wants me. Well, that's what he pretends to hide the fact he's playing touchy-touchy with Lavender."

"Oh so you think they're on?"

"Well she picked him up to come here, and he didn't look at her once, the whole hour they stayed with me."

"Ah, trying to hide too much. I'll tell him you're smarter than that."

"Of course I am." She confirmed with a small smile. The conversation again faltered but before it began to feel awkward she asked:

"Are you planning to stay at the door the entire time or just preparing to run away?" Shortcut for awkward.

"Err. A bit of both." He said, being honest. She smiled and pointed at the chair next to the bed with her nose.

"I figured. Come sit." The precedent amusement in her smile was replaced by a sudden nervousness, her frown accentuated, and since he didn't move right away she swallowed. He hadn't planned on making her feel bad so, gathering the very faint amount of courage he possessed, he obliged. She cleared her throat awkwardly and shuffled in the bed to face him.

"It's easier to write than to say apparently." Oh no, Draco didn't need that.

"Then don't. You don't have to Granger really. Plus, as you just said, you already wrote it, there's no need to …"

"No, you don't get it. I have to. Look Draco, don't comment please," she added at his surprised face, "what you did … I have to at least …"

"No you don't. You really don't. Come on this is just …" Again she cut him, by grabbing his hand this time. Her tiny skinny hand gripped three of his fingers, too small to get a hold of his entire hand.

"Yes, I do. Draco you saved my life. I can't just ignore it because you feel uncomfortable." Draco didn't answer, his eyes frozen on her thin fingers. He didn't dare move, for he realised he suddenly didn't want her to let go, ever.

"Draco?" He lifted his face to her slowly, keeping his hand very still. "I'm so grateful for what you did, I can't put it into words. I'm serious, I owe you my life." Her eyes were set in a serious frown, her lips worried in a small and nervous smile. And her freckles were still there, he could count them from this close. His response was instinctive, he closed his hand around hers, and squeezed it gently.

"It's all right." Apparently it wasn't so he added quickly: "You're welcome Granger." She finally smiled and let go of a breath she'd apparently been holding. Draco suddenly worried she would let go of his hand, but she didn't. A few seconds passed, and wanting to be sure, he finally asked:

"Did you quit yet?"

"Yes, I did." He nodded, Potter hadn't lied, he wouldn't see her again. He felt his inside protest and unwillingly tightened his hold of her hand. He hoped she wouldn't notice but she squeezed it back.

"I … hem, I'll keep seeing the others of course but … don't force yourself or anything but I wondered if you … I mean, once I'm back on my feet again that is, literally …" Draco didn't dare hope she was about to say what his guts desperately wanted to hear. He couldn't speak, his voice stuck at the back of his throat, so he just tried to give her a questioning gaze.

"I wondered if you'd … Shit, will I see you around?" She had a hopeful and nervous smile on her lips that didn't help Draco find his voice back. He didn't know what to say anyway. Did he want to just see her around? Could he even bear her friendship for it would be all he'd get? Her smile deflated significantly at his lack of answer and she withdrew her hand suddenly.

"I get it, it's all right. I kinda knew that with everything going on it was just …" Shit.

"I didn't …"

"No, it's all right Malfoy, don't force yourself. You've done a lot already I shouldn't have expected you to …" There, he was back to Malfoy. He watched her pinch the bridge of her nose with the fingers that had just let go of his hand. He'd almost hoped for a second but he'd been right, she would never even consider … what would she give anyway? He'd saved her life, but that had barely repaid his debt to her. What had she wanted to offer?

"To what?"

"I … I don't know. Never mind." Right, a friendly encounter over coffee with the rest of the team probably. An attempt at friendship that wouldn't last. A shallow try at conversation, that would become awkward. Not enough, or too much for him to bear anyway.

"I should probably let you rest." He said, standing from the chair. She kept her gaze resolutely on her hands, and he turned his back to her, his feet reluctant to leave and let things end like that. But he'd just finally confessed to himself that he wanted more from her that she would ever offer, and letting go was the best thing he could do. She'd never even consider more than a, probably awkward, conversation and Draco knew it would never be enough. He would get hurt, and surely end up hurting her too, which he had no wish to do. Ending things now, was the right thing to do.

As he reached the door he said, grabbing the handle firmly:

"Take care of yourself, Granger." The words sounded strangled, as he realised it was the last he would ever say to her, the feeling of being a total waste of space quite strongly gripping his throat and eyes.

"You too Draco." Her voice was like a whisper at his back and deep down he knew she was crying too. But he still opened the door and walked away.