Chapter 26
Hermione fell asleep after she heard Draco leave for his quidditch match, Hermione never understood that stupidly violent game; her sleep was disturbed when she heard someone banging frantically on her door calling her name, she swung the open to find Blaise out of breath "Blaise?" she questioned "What are you doing here?"
Blaise explained what happened as the both of them hurried through the school corridors "I swear, if this is some sort of sick joke to get me to talk to Malfoy, Blaise, it isn't funny" she warned, walking with haste behind Blaise "Does it look like I'm joking Hermione?" he asked in a harsh tone "He got hit by that bloody Bludger when he went after the snitch, I don't know which was worse, the hit or the fall that followed"
They fell into silence as they entered the hospital wing, Hermione's breath caught in her throat when her eyes fell on Draco; his uniform had been cut off to assess his injuries. His chest was turning purple from the bruising and he was taking alarmingly shallow breaths, Hermione could only imagine the extent of the rest of his injuries.
Hermione turned into Blaise's body and he wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulder. Blaise had always been fond of Hermione, he enjoyed her sarcasm and wit, he also revelled in the way she wasn't afraid to put Draco in his place and to see her in such a state was unnerving, he was also confused as to why Draco had asked him to get Hermione as opposed to someone else but those questions would have to wait "He's going to be okay" he reassured her, gently squeezing her shoulder "Madam Pompfrey will give him something for the pain and help him to repair the broken bones, he'll be his old arrogant self in no time" Blaise pointed out causing her to laugh.
"Granger?" a raspy voice called out, both Hermione and Blaise looked over to see Draco partially awake. Hermione rushed over to him and grabbed his hand and offered him a smile "You came" he stated in total awe that she came to him in his time of need "Of course I did" she replied, bringing his hand up to her mouth do she could place small, heated kisses on it. Blaise knew it was time to leave so he slowly retreated out of the room "Mr. Malfoy, for your bones to repair, you'll have to take this but I must warn you that this process will be completely agonising" Draco nodded and turned to Hermione "Stay with me?" he asked before taking the potion "Always" she replied.
Neither one of them slept that night, between Draco's screams and her worry, it was one long night. Draco's screams slowly died down and just before dawn the pair fell asleep for a few hours, Hermione woke up to Draco smoothing her hair with his free hand as he drew small circle with his thumb on her hand with the other "Hey you" she croaked out "How are you feeling?" he shrugged "sore I guess" they both chuckled, alerting madam pompfrey who promptly came over "Mr. Malfoy, so glad you're feeling somewhat better. To get straight to the point, I am willing to release you into the care of Miss. Granger as long as you rest for the remainder of the week. Dumbledore has informed all your professors that the both of you will be absent from classes all week" she informed the pair, after half an hour Hermione and Draco were back in their dorms and they both planned on sleeping for the rest of the day.
As they reached the top of the stairs Draco turned towards her "Granger, can I stay with you? In your room?" he asked "What's wrong with your bed?" she enquired but he ignored her question "please?" he begged, after the night he had just been through it was the least she could do. They both got under the quilt and lay next to each other "you touch me once inappropriately and I will detach whatever part of you did it from your body" she warned as she rolled over onto her side, Draco chuckled at her comment "I'm serious" she exasperated "I know you are" he agreed sarcastically "Just don't kill me for this" with that he also rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around Hermione's mid section "What are doing?" she asked, confused by his action "Getting comfy" he explain. Hermione was too tired to argue so she left him to it, not long after her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted to sleep, Draco soon followed.