She was breathing hard as she fell back against the wall in the study. She had her wand in hand. She looked around the cleared-out room as Malfoy stood across the room from her holding his wand tightly. There were gauges in the wall and slices across the old wooden floor. She wiped her bottom lip as she pushed herself back from the wall and moved back into a defensive stance.
Malfoy smirked as he took a step toward her as he got ready to attack. She watched him closely and as soon as he lifted his wand. She flicked hers. "Expelliarmus." She screamed out. The force pulled the wand from his hand and shot it across the room. The wand clanked across the floor before it rolled. Hermione fell to her knees. It took her ten attempts just to get his wand knocked out of his hand. He didn't hold back when he attacked her. He was forcing her into difficult positions. He was trying to prepare her if she found herself needing to protect herself.
Malfoy moved quickly and grabbed his wand and as she took a breath, he quickly belted out another spell. "Impedimenta."
She felt a gust blow over and seemed to swallow her whole as she froze in place. She couldn't take another step towards him. She let out a growl as she screamed back out. "Stupefy!"
"Protego!" He screamed back before her spell could hit him. He shielded himself from her attack.
She felt herself fall to her knees once the spell he casted faded. He watched her for a moment before he lowered his wand. He watched her carefully as he knelt in front of her. "This time, you got one good lick in." He spoke as he grabbed her by her right arm and lifted her to her feet. "We need to keep practicing."
"I know, I just need a break." She whispered and took a step taking a seat in the chair against the wall. "I've been so tired lately."
"That's the best time to practice, whoever is not going to wait for you to be rested, they are going to attack you head-on just like last time." He growled out.
"Malfoy, it's been over a month and no one has come around. I just need to rest." Her breathing was heavy, a lot more than usual.
"Just because I've placed enchantments on this house, but they will only hold up for so long if someone attacks." He stated.
"You know I was learning how to do this at school, but you and your boys snitched to Professor Umbridge." She spoke coldly. She was in a lot of pain. This last training session Malfoy didn't hold back. He used curses and hexes to hurt her and then stopped after a short time to repair her wounds before they would duel again. He was relentless with her, but that was the best way to teach her, he couldn't be gentle on her, he needed to make sure that the world was no longer the same. The world was still filled with danger, even though her side won the second war it didn't mean that there wouldn't be a third war on the way led by him.
"I didn't have a choice." He growled. He was getting defensive towards her. She had brought up a sore spot for him. "It was my job."
"You always have a choice Malfoy, just like you do now." She stood and left the room. She was upset and angry. He could tell by how loud she was in the kitchen. Both of them had been fighting more than usual. Her behavior had changed greatly in the last week, she almost seemed to pick a fight with him every chance she had.
It wasn't anything bad, but it was enough to cause tension. He was worried every time he left her alone when he had to go home, so he forced her to fight and practice in Duels. He was pushing her to her limits. He needed to and she knew it too.
He was cautious when he entered the kitchen. The radio was on, a newscaster was discussing the local news and events. She was at the sink peeling the potatoes. "You need me to start something?"
She glanced over at him before she looked back to the potatoes she was peeling. "Heat the stove top and once it's warm, put butter and the pork chops on." She let the potato she skinned and cut into the pot of water near the stove. Both worked quietly in the kitchen.
Dinner was done and ready in no time between the two helping. Both sat in silence as they ate. It was growing colder as October was coming to an end. The days were growing shorter, he made sure he always walked her home. He wasn't going to leave it up to chance for another attack.
She was still at a loss for who attacked her, she didn't even know if she wanted to know. If she did, she might remember what happened to her. She took one last bite of her mashed potatoes. "Tomorrow, you go back home?"
Malfoy nodded. "Yes, I'll walk you home after potions, I'll make sure that the house is secured before I leave, once I'm done, I will be back home just like I have been."
Hermione nodded. "…. Do you think that maybe one weekend you don't have to go?"
"What do you mean?" He spoke as he stood taking his plate and glass to the sink to clean.
"I was thinking for the Holiday coming up in December, maybe we can go someplace? I know it's not for a couple of months, I just thought maybe we could travel someplace." She was calm now that she finally ate something solid after practicing with Malfoy for over an hour.
"I'll think about it, I'm sure there will be a few that will want to spend time with their families, I will be with my mum on Christmas. I'm sure you'll be with your family." He placed his rinsed dishes in the strainer.
She paused for a moment. "Yeah, I'll be with my family." She stood taking her dishes to the sink to clean up as well. "Which bed are we sleeping in tonight?"
"Mine, I just got the bedding cleaned." He spoke as he leaned against the counter. They hadn't done anything since he brought her back from Malfoy Manor. He didn't ask, he didn't pressure her, but he didn't let her sleep alone unless he had to leave, but even then, he hurried back as soon as he could to her.
It took her a few weeks before she felt comfortable enough with herself. She didn't sleep well when he was away, but she would eventually find herself nodding off to the small radio she kept in her room. He always brought her back a new book for her to read along with a few treats that smelled and tasted like spearmint. It wasn't going to change what happened to her, but it was enough to show that he knew what she liked and he cared enough to make sure it made her smile.
Both of them headed upstairs shortly after turning the radio off in the kitchen. She went to her room to change before she headed back into his room and crawled under his fluffy black duvet. Even though his bedding had been changed earlier it still felt nice and warm. He turned the lights off, crawled in beside, and settled in for the night. Every night she slept in his room she would count objects. The desk, the chair, his dresser, the coat rack, and the two large bookshelves. It was calming for her to go through the routine. By the time she finished, he would wrap his arm around her and would pull her against his chest. She would listen to his breathing, her eyes would grow heavy, and she would fall asleep.
She was getting her voice back in class, she was starting to answer a lot quicker than Malfoy. In the classes that she shared with Ginny, she would make sure to cut her off before she could answer. Ginny still refused to talk to Hermione and even when they crossed paths Ginny would walk away. Hermione was okay with that. It was Ginny's choice to side with her brother and it was Hermione's choice not to fight to be friends with her.
Hermione started to open up a little bit to Luna and Neville while they worked on potions in class. The four usually kept to themselves, Malfoy kept more to himself and only talked to Neville when they were following the recipe. Hermione felt Malfoy only tolerated Neville for her, but also, he knew his plants when it came to potions, so it didn't truly piss him off to be working with him. The four of them stayed behind after class to finish their lesson. They wanted to make sure they practiced before they would have to perform it on an exam.
Luna tilted her head to the side as she watched Hermione gather a few things from the wooden hutch, she placed the items on the black tabletop near the cauldron. Luna turned the burner on under their cauldron. She brushed her hair back behind her ears as she gave a faint hum.
Hermione placed a mortar and pestle next to the plant she had gathered. She stopped for a brief moment before she appeared to cover her nose. Something smelled pungent to her. She wondered if maybe one of the plants she took had gone bad or maybe there was mold growing on something that she couldn't see.
"I think that I should crush the ingredients," Luna spoke as she took the mortar and pestle.
Malfoy glanced back for a moment when he heard Luna. He was used to Hermione always making sure everything was measured out correctly. "Why? Did you want to try to be the one to crush the ingredients? I don't mind if you want to try to do half, but the Professor said that she was going to have us perform this on an Exam."
"No, but I think in your condition it's better if I do it and you take notes," Luna spoke softly as she took one of the juniper plants on the table.
Hermione looked at her confused. "Condition?" She blinked. "Luna, I don't have a condition."
Luna looked back up to her. "You're pregnant though." Her voice was soft as she spoke giving a faint smile.
Hermione froze as she heard a glass vial hit and shatter on the floor behind her. Malfoy looked at Neville who had dropped the vile. Neville froze when he realized Malfoy was looking at him. The look that Malfoy gave him made him swallow hard. Neville knew that look and he didn't dare to say a word.
"Luna, I think you are wrong." Hermione tried to chuckle and pass off what she said. "I'm on birth control. There is no way I can be pregnant."
"You can't sense it?" She asked.
Hermione frowned as she looked down at the cauldron. There was no way she could be, she always took her pill on time, she never missed a pill, her and Malfoy hadn't even been active for the last month. "Luna, this isn't funny. You shouldn't joke like that."
She watched Hermione closely as she placed her hand on hers. "Hermione, I wouldn't lie to you."
Malfoy turned and faced Hermione who looked at him a little unsure of what Luna was actually saying. If she was, how far along was she, and when did her birth control fail her? She looked away, she couldn't even look Malfoy in the eyes right now. "Luna, I think it's best this stays between us four." She whispered out. "If I am I don't need people finding out. It wouldn't be good."
Luna nodded and Neville frowned his heart sank, he knew something that Luna didn't. Neville and Luna seemed to be the only ones who talked to Hermione, they didn't ask for her story, but they knew something happened to her and wouldn't listen to what others had to say. Ginny was too open and bold about her words when Hermione wouldn't even speak up. Luna and Neville reached out to her when they noticed that she was absent from school for a few days along with Malfoy last month.
They didn't ask her why she was gone, they knew something had happened though. They started reaching out to her more. Neville had even talked to Hermione about the plants she had decided to grow in the greenhouse for the winter. Even about her plants that weren't thriving, he gave her suggestions to help her.
At this point they were the only four in the classroom, they were the only ones who heard what Luna had said about Hermione.
Hermione eventually looked up at Malfoy, she felt sick now. His dark grey eyes were filled with anger as he looked at her. She wasn't sure if that meant he was upset with her, that she failed him, or maybe he thought she had tricked him. "I-I took my pill on time. I didn't forget." She finally spoke up.
"Something happened, this is a discussion for home." He spoke as he turned away and started to cut some of the juniper berries.
Hermione looked at Luna. "Can you go with me to the store after class?"
Luna nodded. "You sure you don't want to go now?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, all four of us need to finish this. One more hour isn't going to change the outcome."
"Do you need me to go with you both?" Neville asked.
"No, but I'm sure Malfoy wouldn't mind the company at home while you wait for us there," Luna spoke calmly. She knew what Hermione wanted to get and thought it would be best if it was only the two of them that went.
Malfoy was already back to working on the potion, he placed some of the sliced berries to the side. "Hermione, we won't say anything to anyone," Neville spoke as he lit the cauldron. "That is between you and the other person." Luna and Neville knew that Malfoy and Hermione had gotten close, but now Neville wondered if that meant they had gotten much closer in other ways. Luna and Neville lived across the way in one of the other dorms. Neville knew there was much more. Luna might have a sense about her, but he knew what had happened to Hermione over a month ago.
Malfoy had forced Neville's hand, Malfoy told him what had happened to Hermione and that he needed Neville to watch over the house while he was away. That if he didn't protect her, that he would perform the same spell on him that sent his parents into madness during the first war. Of course, Hermione had no idea that the two had this interaction. Hermione didn't know that Malfoy had told Neville who attacked her.
Malfoy was trying to make sure Hermione was protected. He wasn't going to leave that to chance. He knew Neville's alliance would be with Hermione. He knew with how kind she was to Neville when they were going to school together, she almost seemed protective of him at some points when others would pick on him or Trevor would go missing. She tried to ensure that he had someone. If it wasn't for Hermione, Neville would have never talked to Luna. He would have never asked her out and even now they probably wouldn't be living together if it wasn't for her encouraging them to go back with her to finish school.
Hermione could barely focus on the potion that she and Luna had started. She was trying to go over everything. She hadn't missed a pill, she didn't even notice a change in her body. She knew she had missed her period, but she thought the stress of the attack might have caused her period to completely stop. She was worried now though, what was Malfoy going to do if she was pregnant. She assured him that she wouldn't. But now she was faced with a problem she couldn't run from. She didn't know how far along she was.
She was starting to feel back to normal, but now she felt like the rug had been pulled out from under her feet. She couldn't waver now. Now that she could be pregnant. She was probably going to do this alone. She wouldn't force Malfoy to help her or even admit that the child was his, but she froze pulling the stir stick from the cauldron. The attack though. She looked up briefly and looked at Malfoy who had his back to her. She couldn't ask him to stay, not if the child wasn't his. This was on her and maybe it was best once she found out to move out of the dorm she shared with him. She didn't want him to resent her, she didn't want to hinder him when she reassured him that she was taking her pills.