Chapter 6
Hermione awoke in a dark room hung with green and silver drapes and banners. She sat up quickly and the warm weight on the bed at her right hand side also awoke and jumped with a start out of the seat in which he had drifted off on.
"Shh" Draco whispered urgently, "Come on." Leading Hermione out of the Slytherin common rooms and into a nearby bathroom to wash. He sat on the edge of a sink while Hermione used the shower area.
"Why do you do it?" she heard his soft concerned voice float through the wall.
"I don't know, it makes me feel better, It calms me down," She stepped out of the shower and started towelling herself dry.
"Are you decent? Can I come in?" Hermione pulled her tights on.
"Yes, come in."
Draco stepped round the corner with his shirt in one hand. Hermione was only wearing her tights but he didn't lose his focus. He walked right up to her and offered his left forearm out to her. She took in gently and looked down at hundreds of little scars littering the underside of his forearm. She looked up at him startled
"Why?" Her single question.
"Lets go for a walk," Draco suggested, leading the rapidly dressed Hermione out in to the grounds.
Walking through the crisp morning air made both of their cheeks go pink, Their feet crunching on the dewy grass.
"So." Hermione broke the silence. "Why?"
"I did something really bad when I was younger."
"What did you do?"
"No it's your turn," he stated. "Why do you do it?"
"It helps me forget how alone I am?"
"You're not alone" he offered "You have me!"
"I am," she countered "I have not family, no friends."
"You have me" he repeated "I can be your friend."
"Thank you"
"Where is your family?"
"It's your turn," she pointed out. "What did you do?"
" We were always told never to touch nother or fathers wands but we didn't listen."
"Who's we?"
"My brother and I."
"You have a brother?"
"Your turn."
"My parents died 4 years ago."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, I've lived with my uncle since then. He owns a shop in London. I work with him there to earn my keep."
"What sort of shop?"
"A picture framing shop."
"Wow, that's awesome."
"Yeah," she confirmed, unsurely. "Did you touch your parents wands?"
"What?"
"Your parents wands, did you and your brother touch the?"
"Yes," Draco nodded solemnly. "We used to fight all the time with them, pretending to duel, then one day, I had my fathers wand, as I waved it and poked it at Scorps it flashed, a bright green light and the next thing I knew he was there lying on the floor, not moving. I screamed and screamed and eventually mother and father burst into the room, but it was too late. He was dead. I killed my brother." Draco concluded, tears escaping from his full brimming eyes.
"Draco" Hermione gasped. "I'm so sorry."
"Like you said, it's not your fault is it. I never touch fathers wand again after that, or mothers. I learnt my lesson." He turned from Hermione and lifted his shirt. All down his back were a number of thick snake likr scars.
"Oh Draco" Hermione gasped again, her own eyes tearing up as she pulled him into an embrace.
"That's my punishment." He explained, although there seemed no reason too, it was all ther on his back, clear as day. "Whenever I do something wrong out comes father cane."