Chapter Nine
"Harry?" Ginny asked entering the room,
"Ginny, I couldn't fight it" Harry said his head in his hands,
"I know," she whispered, "Harry, what did you tell me after the war, when we where alone"
"I would never let anyone take away your happiness again" he whispered, Ginny let out a sigh and ran to her husband wrapping her arms around his neck
"when Seamus told me that you were under the Imperius Curse, I didn't want to believe it, but when he told me you had used the Cruciatus Curse, I knew you where not in control, I know you used them during the war…but I know how much it hurt you to do that to people" she said gently stroking his hair,
"How is Draco?" Harry asked the memory of the blond writhing in pain on the floor of his office,
"He's with Hermione at St. Mungo's" Ginny said, "He hasn't really spoken to anyone since she was transferred there." Ginny explained,
"I should go and apologise" Harry sighed,
"Not right now, you need rest…Then you need to find out what the fuck is wrong with Ronald" she said, "I know he can be an arse but this isn't him" she said, "He's not a monster"
"Gin, I've seen Ron at his worst…" he stopped as he looked at his wife's face, "But you are right, hurting Hermione this way…someone must have control of him. Did Hermione say anything?"
"Not to me, I think Dean and Seamus have been to see her and Draco but not being an Auror I don't know if she has spoken to them about the ordeal" Ginny sighed, "Come on, you need a good night's rest" she said, Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ginny placed a finger to his lips, "You where over worked and tired, that the only reason you didn't pick up on Ron's…Betrayal" she said, "So you are coming home, having a full nights sleep, then you can come here and catch up with the rest of your team before going to see Hermione." She smiled,
"Can you answer one thing?" Harry asked, Ginny nodded, "When did Draco start caring so much or my best friend" he asked, Ginny let out a chuckle,
"When you tried making him the middle man" Ginny smirked, "I shall call you the accidental cupid" she smiled before leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on his lips, "Now, lets go home"
"Mr Potter, Miss Granger has asked that no more Aurors, she needs rest and sleep…" the nurse said,
"Gladys," Draco's voice came as the room door opened, "It's ok she wants to see him" Draco nodded, the nurse nodded and walked away,
"Mal…" Harry began, "Draco, I owe you an apology, I wasn't in control…I would never…"
"Potter, it's fine. I worked out what was happening" Draco nodded. "Now I'm going to run back to Hogwarts to have a shower and get a change of clothes…Can I trust you to look after her while I'm gone?" Draco asked,
"I should be insulted by that" Harry let out a low chuckle, "But after the last couple of months…The word has inverted. Yes, I will look after her until you return" Draco stepped aside and allowed Harry to enter the room, were he laid eyes on Hermione,
She was propped up in bed by pillows, her hair now clean was still jutting out in weird direction and at different lengths, although the potions where slowly healing her body, she still had dark circles under her eyes, and a deep purple mark where a cut had been from her collarbone to her shoulder, mostly hidden by the hospital gown, and a nasty bite mark on her neck.
"I know I look awful" Hermione mumbled self-consciously,
"Hermione, you could be bald and wearing a trash bag and you would still be beautiful" Draco said, "Don't you agree Potter" Draco asked, daring him to say otherwise,
"He is correct, but if you feel up to it I think you deserve some tlc and pampering," he smiled, "That what Ginny told me…she wants to see you if you feel up to it" he smiled, moving to his friends side, "Can I hug you?" he asked, not sure what her boundaries were, considering what she had been through, she smiled weakly and nodded allowing him to wrap his arms around her, "Oh I'm so sorry Hermione" he whispered to her as tears began falling down her cheeks, "I should have seen there was something wrong with Ron"
"It's ok Harry" she whispered back, Draco watched a few moments more before leaving the ward.
The following day Hermione found herself sat in a hospital chair whilst Ginny painted her nails and Katie Bell worked on evening out Hermione's hair,
"How about a colour change" Katie asked,
"I…" Hermione began "Oh why not" she let out a laugh, Draco sat in the corner of the room watching the women and a smile graced his lips at the sound of her laugh, it was the first time he had heard that since she had woken.
"Hey Draco, did you want your nails done" Ginny smirked,
"I think I'll give that a miss" he sneered, sounding much like his godfather, but in good fun, he lifted the book that he had been attempting to read all morning
"Do you truest me?" Katie asked, Hermione swallowed and looked at Ginny, who smiled at her,
"Yes" Hermione said finally.
Her hair had been a mess and Katie had to cut it into a pixy cut, and had lightened the colour to a soft honey blond colour with the tips dyed Bubble-gum pink,
"Wow" she mouthed in shock, Ginny had done her make-up, a little concealer to hide the dark circles, a little eyeliner and a blush pink lip gloss. "I though I'd end up bald" she said, "Thank you, Katie, I love it" she smiled pulling the woman into a hug, "And you" Hermione said as she let go of Katie and pulled Ginny in for a hug, "the makeup is perfect and my nails" she said holding her hand out to view the art that Ginny had produced on her fingertips; a mixture of Gold and silvers, with a splash of green and red glittering through. "They are beautiful" she said,
"Now" Ginny said, "there is one more thing" Ginny smiled,
"What?" Hermione looked to her friend in confusion,
"Well, it's not from us" Ginny smirked, "But since you are being discharged, a certain someone" Ginny winked "Asked us to make you feel like a princess and the only thing left is to get you dressed"
"I'll wait outside" Draco said getting to his feet.
Hermione sat at a loss for words as Ginny and Katie held up two dresses,
Ginny held, an ancle length, off the shoulder, royal purple dress
Katie held a knee length, halter neck, black cocktail dress,
"They are both nice, but I'm just going back to the school…" she asked,
"Seriously…" Ginny asked raising an eyebrow, "Draco is not taking you to the school until we find out who is pulling the strings. You are going to a safehouse…somewhere hot and Sunny…" Ginny winked,
"What…but I've already missed so much work" Hermione began,
"Professor McGonagall, has taken your classes for the rest of the year, and Professor Slughorn has returned to cover for Draco, so the two of you are going somewhere safe and sunny and you are both going to heal" she said, "So, you're taking both dresses, but which one are you wearing now" Katie smiled,
"I don't get a choice here, do I?" Hermione asked,
"Duh. You have the most important choice The Purple or the Black" Ginny laughed, Hermione let out a sigh before pointing at the purple dress, her body wasn't healed enough to have the cocktail dress on.
Draco looked up as the door to her room opened,
"May I present your princess" Ginny smirked stepping aside to reveal Hermione to Draco,
"Absolutely perfect" he mouthed finding his voice had evaded him,
"Now, you know who your secret keeper is," Ginny nodded. Harry had sorted out the location that the two would reside, he had sent documents to three trusted allies, which only one contained the information regarding the secret keeper and even Harry didn't know who it was so that whomever it was, remained anonymous to everyone but themselves, Hermione and Draco.
"Yes" Draco nodded,
"You look after her Malfoy, otherwise you'll find out how good my Bat-Bogey Hex is" she warned before hugging Hermione, "Harry will solve this and when he does…I'm going to miss you" Ginny whispered,
"I'll miss you too" Hermione sighed hugging her friend back.
Hermione allowed Draco to wrap an arm around her waist, Draco tried not to feel rejected when her body shuddered at his touch, he knew it was the first time she had let any man touch her, since her ordeal.
"Ready, love?" Draco asked, Hermione nodded and with a pop the two apparated to the safe house.
"I'll kill you, she's mine" Ron screamed at the two-way mirror where he knew people would be watching.
"Has anyone come to see him?" Harry asked,
"No and I'll kill you, is pretty much the only thing we have gotten out of him" Seamus sighed pinching the bridge of his nose fighting off the on-coming migraine.
"Right," Harry sighed removing his wand from his cloak and placing it in the desk, "And he has the Magic blockers?" Harry asked, Seamus nodded, "Ok, wish me luck" Harry sighed throwing his cloak on the table and picking up the bag of food before entering the Lions den.