A/N: Wow, you guys really don't like cliffhangers do you? Enjoy this chapter ;)


"I can't believe you didn't kill the son of a bitch," a female voice murmured darkly.

Another masculine voice responded. "I saw who it was and told the Headmistress. The kid's in more trouble than he realizes. Besides, I had to get her up here before dealing with the little shit."

Footsteps entered the room, and stopped. "Well Mum is going apeshit in McGonagall's office right now. She keeps alternating between yelling at McGonagall about letting Hermione leave the grounds with Malfoy, and yelling at Theo about how foolish he was to trust Malfoy with Hermione."

Hermione groaned softly, and tried to raise her arm, which suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. She also became aware of someone holding her hand.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed.

Hermione opened her eyes, and quickly shut them, startled by the brightness. "What happened?" she muttered, noticing that her head was pounding.

"Turn the light lower," Pansy whispered. After a moment, "try opening your eyes now Granger."

Hermione opened her eyes slowly, and was relieved that the lights around her were dimmed significantly. She took in her surroundings. Pansy was standing at the foot of her bed, anger rolling off her in waves. Ginny was sitting on the arm of a chair, looking tired, and slightly annoyed, but relieved that Hermione was awake. And Draco was sitting right next to her in the armchair, looking as pale as he had in sixth year. "What happened?" She asked again, trying to sit up.

Draco was on his feet in an instant, helping her, and moving a pillow behind her to support her back, then sat back down and took her hand in his. "Some idiot sent a stunner at you."

Hermione closed her eyes, trying to remember. "Stunning spells don't normally hurt." She said quietly.

Draco rubbed the back of her hand gently with his thumb. "When you fell, you hit your head pretty hard on the ground. Pomfrey thinks you may have a concussion."

"Do you want me to ask for a pain potion Mione?" Ginny asked gently.

Hermione opened her eyes and nodded her head, lifting her free hand to feel around the back of her head for a bump, relieved when she felt nothing.

"I'll go." Pansy said, and left the little secluded area.

"Why is your mum here?" Hermione asked Ginny.

Ginny grinned. "Well when you end up in the hospital wing, they have to notify your parents or guardians. Especially when you are attacked by another student. Since yours are unreachable, McGonagall thought the next best person was mum. She might be regretting it a bit now."

Hermione winced at the thought of Molly's anger. "How bad is it up there?"

"Well even before Mum got there, Theo was going absolutely mental up there. I think if you weren't one of McGonagall's favorites, she might have given your darling brother detention."

Hermione frowned. "Molly shouldn't be telling off Theo."

Before Ginny could respond, Madam Pomfrey bustled in. "How are you feeling dear?" She asked.

"Her head hurts." Draco answered for her.

Hermione shot him a look. "I can answer myself."

Draco smiled apologetically.

Madame Pomfrey brushed Draco's hand away from Hermione's and moved between them, and then began waving her wand over her. After a moment, she clucked her tongue, and shook her head. "Definitely a concussion. You'll be staying here tonight."

As Hermione opened her mouth to protest, Madame Pomfrey wagged her finger in Hermione's face. "I won't hear it. You took a nasty fall, and I want to keep an eye on you."

Hermione shut her mouth, and frowned. Draco leaned around Madame Pomfrey and gave her a sympathetic smile. She stuck her tongue out at him. Madame Pomfrey took a vial out from her apron pocket, uncorked it, and handed it to Hermione. "Drink all of it. This should make your head feel better."

Hermione took the vial and swallowed the contents. Gagging slightly at the taste, she handed it back to Madame Pomfrey. Ginny jumped up and filled a glass with water from the pitcher that was on the table at the foot of her bed and handed to Hermione. Hermione took it gratefully and sipped it. "That stuff is vile." She muttered.

"It's not the most pleasant, but it's the most effective for head injuries." Madame Pomfrey said sympathetically. "I'm going to go alert the Headmistress that you're up," she said, and left Hermione with Draco and Ginny.

Draco, stood up, and sat next to her on the bed, and put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him, resting her head on his chest, and closed her eyes. She felt the bed shift down by her feet, and knew that Ginny had sat next to them. "You scared me half to death Granger." Draco whispered, twirling a curl around his finger.

Hermione hummed. "I've had worse injuries."

"Don't remind me," Draco said darkly.

Hermione opened her eyes, and lifted her head off his chest to look at him. "I'm fine. I promise. I'm just tired now," she reassured him, putting her head back on his chest, closing her eyes again. She stayed like that for a few minutes, Ginny and Draco talking softly over her about some quidditch match that had happened earlier that month, when all of sudden the door to the hospital wing banged open.

Hermione's eyes flew open, and Draco wrapped his arms around her tighter. Ginny jumped off the bed, her wand in her hand, seemingly out of nowhere. "Get your hands off her!" Molly said angrily, rounding the corner of the curtains of Hermione's little area.

Draco eyed Mrs. Weasley wearily, but didn't move an inch from Hermione, especially since she had gripped his sweater tightly in her fist. Ginny rolled her eyes. "Mum!"

Mrs. Weasley gave Ginny a look that made Ginny sit down, a frown on her face, and arms crossed. "They're dating you know."

Theo entered slowly behind Mrs. Weasley, glowering. "Oi!" He yelled, seeing Draco next to Hermione. "Take your hands off her!"

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut. The pain potion was helping, but it hadn't taken the pain away completely. "Stop shouting." She groaned, burying her face in Draco's chest, ignoring the fact that her brother was watching, clearly pissed off, and that Molly was not in the best of moods.

Draco gently pulled his arms off her. "I don't really feel like having Theo kill me today," he whispered in her ear. "You can fall asleep on me later." He looked up at Theo and Mrs. Weasley.

Hermione opened her eyes, and glared at him, but nodded, and let him leave her on the bed. "Madame Pomfrey gave her a pain potion, but those need sleep to work all the way," he explained as he sat down in the armchair next to her again. When Theo gave him an odd look, he shrugged, and just said "Quidditch injuries," as way of an explanation.

Molly rushed in, and began looking Hermione over. "What on earth were you thinking?" She fussed. "Surely even you knew that being with him would only lead to you getting hurt."

Hermione pulled the blankets up to her chin, and scowled. "Draco didn't hurt me. Another student thought it would be smart to stun me, and I hit my head when I fell."

Ginny snorted. "Fell for him?" She asked jokingly.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Ginny. Theo went to the other side of her bed, and brushed her hair away from her face. "How are you feeling?" He asked, a pained expression on his face.

Hermione sighed. "I'm fine."

Draco snorted. "Liar."

Hermione turned and shot him a look. She pulled her hand out from under the blanket and just pointed her finger at Draco threateningly. Instead of looking scared, he just smiled, and leaned forward and kissed her finger.

Theo glared at him, then turned back to Hermione, softening when he looked at her. "How are you really feeling?" his voice soft.

Hermione looked up at him, and rolled her eyes. "My head hurts, I'm tired, and I just want everyone to stop speaking so loudly and to just play nice today."

Molly ushered Ginny off the bed where she was sitting, and had Hermione sit up. She put the pillow down. "Why don't you get some rest dear. We can discuss all of this later." She said soothingly.

Hermione looked over at Draco. "Hold me?" She asked. Theo threw his hands up, and Molly pursed her lips, clearly unapproving. "Oh get over it." She said to the both of them. "I like him, and he's warm."

Draco sniggered, and lifted the blanket up so he could climb in with her.

"Don't even think about getting under that blanket." Theo threatened, a murderous look on his face. Draco rolled his eyes, but put the blanket back down, and sat on top of it, pulling Hermione back on top of him, her eyes fluttering shut.

"So you don't approve of this?" Molly asked Theo, pointing at Draco holding Hermione.

Theo shook his head stiffly. "He's not good enough for her."

"I can still hear you," Hermione grumbled not opening her eyes. Ginny eyed her mother and Theo suspiciously.

"Why don't you go home Mum?" She finally said. "Let Hermione get some sleep. I'll floo tomorrow with an update."

Molly pursed her lips, and was about to ask Hermione if she was okay with her leaving, when Hermione let out a soft snore. She kissed her daughter on the forehead, and left the room quietly. Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Will you stay here and make sure he doesn't do anything?" He asked, Ginny exhaustion evident in his voice. She nodded, and he left as well.

Ginny turned and looked at Draco. "What the fuck was that? I mean her reaction to you was one thing, but Theo? He hasn't done anything to us. And she said not to trust him a month ago too."

Draco shrugged. "No idea."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "You're lying ferret."

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look, I have an idea, but I don't know for sure, and if I'm right, it really isn't my place to say anything."

Ginny stared at him for a long moment, then stood up. "Right, I'm going upstairs."

"You aren't going to stay and babysit me with her?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Do I have to worry about you doing something to her while she's asleep?" Seeing his offended look, she smiled. "Exactly. Honestly, besides Neville, Harry, and Theo, you are the only person I'm not worried about leaving her alone with like this."

Draco bowed his head to her. "Thanks."

Ginny started leaving Hermione's little area, then stopped and turned around. "Just keep making her happy." She said. "When she comes back after being with you, she's always smiling, and looks a lot lighter." She turned back around and left the little area. Draco looked down at the small, curly haired witch in his arms, and smiled. He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter, and she sighed in her sleep.


When Hermione woke up the next morning, the first thing she realized was that she wasn't in her own bed. The second thing she realized, was that she wasn't alone in the bed. She lifted her head slightly, and smiled when she saw Draco lying on the bed next to her. At some point in the night, she had kicked the covers off of herself, but now she was feeling cold. She looked at the arms that were around her, and was trying to figure out how to get the blankets back up over them, when, "You could just use magic Granger."

Draco's eyes were still closed, but he had a small smile on his face. Hermione sat up and reached down to grab the blankets. "Did you stay here all night?"

Draco opened his eyes when she laid back down next to him, and moved an arm up, so that it was right under her head, and started playing with the mass of curls on her head, draping his other arm over her waist. "Is it morning?"

She lightly slapped his chest, but laughed. "When did everyone leave?" She asked.

Draco turned on his side to face her. "Right after you fell asleep. Ginny was supposed to stay and babysit me, but she left a few minutes after everyone else did."

"Who gave that instruction, Theo or Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked, annoyed.

Draco chuckled. "Theo."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I may need to have a word with him."

"You can do that later." Theo said, standing by the opening in the curtains. "I thought I told you to stay above the blanket." He said, glowering at Draco.

Hermione pouted, but didn't move from her position in his arms. "I was cold."

Theo sat in the armchair that was still by her bed. "So cover yourself."

Draco raised his head. "I was cold too, Theo." He said, in an innocent voice.

Theo rolled his eyes. "Then freeze you fucker."

Draco laughed. "Nice to know you care."

Theo gave Draco a rude hand gesture, then looked at Hermione. "How are you feeling this morning?"

Hermione turned so that she was lying on her back, and Draco propped himself up on his side. "Better."

Theo nodded. "Good."

Draco looked over Hermione at Theo. "Did they get the idiot that hexed her?"

Theo nodded. "McGonagall was livid. He's got detention every weekend until the end of the year, is banned from any and all future Hogsmeade weekends, and she gave a very passionate speech at dinner about inter-house unity and the war, and how blind hatred needs to end. She also said that any future incidents would mean immediate expulsion."

Draco looked satisfied. He was about to say something to Theo, when Madame Pomfrey bustled in. "Right, both of you out." She ordered. "I need to examine her."

Draco leaned down and kissed Hermione on the cheek, then got out of the bed. He helped her sit up, and fluffed the pillow behind her. When both he and Theo were on the other side of the curtains, the hospital matron shut them behind her. Draco gestured down the hospital wing with his head, and led the way down away from Hermione's hearing.

"Ginny noticed that there was something odd between you and her mother last night." Draco said in a low voice.

Theo's eyes widened slightly. "Did you say anything?"

Draco shook his head. "I said that I didn't know anything."

"Did she believe you?" Theo asked.

"No." He said. "I ended up just saying that I didn't know for sure, but I had suspicions, but that if she wanted to know, she should ask you."

Theo nodded. "She won't like it."

Draco tilted his head to the side slightly. "How sure are you-"

"That that woman abandoned my mother, and ignored all her letters? Pretty damn positive. She wouldn't even come to the funeral." Theo said darkly.

Draco put his hand on Theo's shoulder. "Are you going to tell Hermione?"

Theo sighed and leaned his head back, eyes closed. "Hermione adores her. Thinks of her as a second mother." He put his back down and opened his eyes. "How do I tell her that Molly Weasley is our only living relative, and she left my mum in hell."

Draco stayed silent for a moment. "She should hear it from you, not someone else."

"Who should hear what from you?" Both boys jumped a mile in the air. Ginny had come up behind them, and had her arms folded over her chest, and was eyeing both boys suspiciously. "What are you two hiding?"

Theo exchanged a glance with Draco. "It's not important." He finally answered.

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Mum would it?"

Draco gave Theo a look that clearly meant this is your problem, not mine, so don't drag me into this.

Theo sighed, and was about to explain, when the curtain hiding Hermione opened. "She's allowed to leave." Madame Pomfrey declared. "Just watch your activity levels, and take it easy this week. You are still healing."

Ginny rushed forward, and grabbed a change of clothes out of her bag for Hermione, and pulled the curtain back shut so she could change in peace. "So what's going on?" She asked, walking back over to the two boys.

Theo rubbed his forehead. "How much do you know about your mum's family?" He asked her quietly.

Ginny shrugged. "They all died in the first war. Why?"

Theo exchanged a glance with Draco. "That's not entirely true."

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Theo pulled a chair over from one of the empty beds, and motioned for her to sit down. When she didn't, he sighed, and continued. "My mum's maiden name is Prewitt."

Ginny's eyes widened, and she sank into the chair. "How closely related?" she asked after a minute.

Theo sat at the foot of one of the empty beds. "They were cousins. Dad and a group of his cronies attacked the Prewitt house during my mum's Hogwarts graduation party. Killed all of them for being blood-traitors and refusing to help the Dark Lord. For his own twisted reasons, dad spared mum, and instead kidnapped her."

Ginny gasped. "Where was mum in all this?"

Theo shook his head. "Apparently she'd just had your older brothers, the twins, a couple months earlier, and couldn't come. Mum wrote to your mother several times, but she never got a response."

Ginny shook her head. "Look mum can hold a grudge, but not helping her own family? That doesn't sound right."

Theo shrugged. "She didn't even come to Mum's funeral."

Ginny was silent for a moment. "So you don't like mum because of your mum."

"It's a bit more complicated than that." Theo explained. "It's more because Mum was almost completely alone in that house with me and Dad. Mum was sad and lonely for my entire life. The only times she was slightly happy were when we were allowed to leave the house and she could run into muggle London."

The curtain opened, and Hermione stepped out. "Please let me figure out how to tell Hermione all this, alright?" He asked Ginny quietly, and she nodded, frowning.

"Everything alright?" Hermione asked when she reached the group.

Draco wrapped his arm around her. "Just fine. Are you hungry?" he smoothly answered, guiding her out of the hospital wing.

Theo and Ginny followed behind slowly. "You're going to have to tell her soon, you know." Ginny said quietly to him.

Theo nodded. "I know, but I'm just trying to work out how to say it to her. She really loves your family. I don't want to take that from her."

Ginny smiled sympathetically. "Just so you know, I'm going to talk to mum about all this over the break. I'd never heard any of this before, so I want to hear mum's side."

Theo nodded, then did a doubletake when he saw where Draco's hand was. "Oi! Arsehole! Take your hand off her butt!" He yelled at Draco, whose hand had slipped into the back pocket of Hermione's jean, as Ginny sniggered.