Chapter 2: That "asshole" saved my bloody life

"We need help over here!" Draco called out into the tall, empty space as they collapsed into one of the long house tabled that still resided there. Only seconds later did the orange haired git come charging into the Great Hall.

"Hermione, is that you! Are you all right?" he yelled before even looking at the figured on the ground.

"It's her, you bloody idiot. Get her to your healer now before she's gone." Draco said immediately, pulling the Gryffindor up with him and pushing her into Ron's arms. Without even questioning his enemies presence at the Order, he rushed his friend out the doors and up to the infirmary. Draco took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair in exhaustion. What have I done?

After taking a short breath in the Great Hall to collect himself, he jogged up to the Hospital Wing, following the line of blood to the bed in the far side of the room.

"I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here after what you did to her you bloody asshole!" Ron Weasley exclaimed, turning away from his best friends bedside to advance on the blonde.

Before Draco had time to defend himself, or shoot a silencing spell from his wand, a gentle voice filled the room. Both men turned towards it to find Hermione Granger sitting up in bed with a clean bandage on her arm and a stern look in her eyes.

"Well, Ronald." she said, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders as a shiver shot through her body. "That bloody asshole saved my life." she spoke firmly at her friend before turning towards Draco, a shy smile across her lips as the dark chocolate color returned to her eyes

And then he did something he never thought he would do.

Draco Malfoy smiled back at her.

"You must have really hit your head, Hermione." Harry said, now coming into the room and jogging to her bedside. "Because it sounded like you said this nitwit saved your life."

"Well, I think that is my cue to get out of here. It was a pleasure to see you all. Truly." he drawled sarcastically, backing away from the trio toe to heel.

"Don't go." she piped up immediately, throwing her legs over the side of the bed as if she were about to stand. Like she had forgotten how badly she was hurt and that her body couldn't possibly let her walk safely yet.

"Whoa, whoa." he took two quick steps towards her as she bolted up, catching her against his chest as her legs gave out beneath her. "I know you're the smart one in the group, Granger, but I guess I'll spell it out for you. You have to rest to get better. You can't just go standing up so bloody quick when you were almost drained of all your blood." he walked her carefully back a step until her knees hit the bed and he pushed her down gently. She leaned back against a stack of pillows, grabbing his wrist before he could step away.

Her best friends watched with mouths gaping, not knowing what to say at this moment.

"You were going to leave." her eyes actually looked like they might have specks of fear in them. Fear that I am leaving? That's impossible. Her blood was regenerating and surely her senses were returning. She couldn't possibly still want to "save him."

"As well I should." he replied, slowly wiggling out of her grasp, taking his wrist away from her, causing a hurt expression to cross her face as she flinched back. "You are out of the manor and I told them all it wasn't you. Your secret is safe and as of now, you three are too." he said, shooting the two boys a quick sneer.

"What about you?" she asked him as he continued to back towards the door.

"Who cares about him, Hermione?" Ronald screamed at her, causing her to sink back against the bed, intimidated by his loud voice as he stomped over to her bedside. Malfoy stopped his steps.

"He's a fucking death eater, or have you forgotten?" he screamed against, throwing his hands up, Hermione flinching back as if he might strike her down with one of them. Before Harry had a chance to scowled his friend, the blonde Slytherin jumped in.

"Do not yell at her, Weasel." he spat, shaking his head slowly as a warning. He took a few long strides over to stand in front of the red head, towering over him by more then a few inches. "Not after everything she's been through tonight. And most definitely not in front of me. Are we clear, Gryffindor?" he threatened, taking his wand from his robes and pointing it to his throat.

"Whatever, Malfoy. Just go. No one wants you here." he said, cowardly stepping away from his drawn wand.

"Maybe she wants him here, Ron." Harry stepped in, standing in front of Malfoy before he could up and leave. Hermione sat up in bed, waiting for a break in conversation to tell him not to go. "And if she wants him here, then so do I. You saw her arm Ron." Now lowering his voice to a whisper as if she couldn't hear them. She rolled her eyes. "I love her and I want my friend to get better. And if she wants Malfoy to stay, he is staying." Harry said firmly, extending his hand straight at Draco. He stared at it for a moment, studying the implications before shaking it firmly.

"I don't want to lead them back to you all. I should really just get as far away as possible. I just stayed to make sure the girl was ok." he said, trying not to sound to attached to the dark haired Gryffindor.

"You don't have to act like that anymore." Harry whispered so only Draco could hear

Before he could question what he meant, he continued.

"Like she doesn't mean anything."

"You don't have to go back, Malfoy." Hermione finally spoke. "You don't belong there. You belong on our side. You're good, I saw it."

"Please, Hermione. You've always "seen it." Ron snapped, using air quotes as he mocked her.

"Not now, Ron." Harry snapped back, walking over to his friend and pulling him out of the hospital wing.

"Get some rest, Hermione." Harry said. "We will be back to check on you in the morning."

"Thank you." she smiled, waving goodbye.

"What did he mean? You've always seen what?" Draco asked, sitting on the edge of her bed near her waist.

"He's just mad for all the years I used to defend you. It was nothing." she brushed it off with a roll of her eyes.

"You punched me in third year. How is that defending me?" he laughed, leaning back on his arm that he had put over her covered legs.

"The guys always use to say how horrible you were. Call you names and insult you and your family. Ron use to get mad that I wouldn't." she said, looking down as she played with a piece of her dark curls.

"Oh, come on." he said lightly, tapping her on the leg. "Not even once."

"Not even once. Why would I? Sure, you use to call me some nasty things and mock my appearance, but you were raised to hate me." she explained, pulling the bandage off of her arm, tracing the marks lightly with her fingertips.

"I'm no better then who did this to you, Granger." he said, pulling her hand away and grabbing her injured arm gently. "I called you this every day. " he said, now using his own fingers to trace the red marks.

"I don't think it's the same. I would forgive you, Malfoy. If you wanted me to, I could. I could look past it all. Because I know who you really are." she whispered, removing her arm from his grasp so that she could press her palm against his cheek. "Please don't go."

"You really want me here? To fight with you ? To play this part of your life with you? That's not who I am."

"I just want to be around you."

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