Chapter 7. Fractured

POV Draco

Five weeks. Five weeks since the night of the Yule ball. Five weeks since he had first kissed Hermione. Five weeks since…

"How is she this morning?" McGonagall's voice broke his trance, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"No change. Madame Pomfrey came by about an hour ago and said she hopes within the next couple of days the pressure in her brain will finally be down low enough that she can close up the gap in her skull and begin waking her up."

He rubbed his face with his hands and stood up. He wasn't sleeping, mostly living on invigorating potions and coffee. Madame Pomfrey had threatened to dose him with Dreamless Sleep, but they came to an agreement that he would attempt to sleep if she would transfigure his chair so he could sleep in it.

"Have you slept today, Mr. Malfoy?"

"About an hour when Pomfrey was here doing her cleansing charms and administering the potions."

"What about the last time you ate?" Her hand was still on his shoulder. Whether it was for his comfort or her own, he didn't know.

When did I eat last? Was it when Theo brought him toast?

He honestly couldn't remember. He hadn't had an appetite since this all started.

"Go get some breakfast. I'll sit here with her until you return."

"I'm not really hungry."

"Be that as it may, Mr. Malfoy, you need to be taking care of yourself. How can you expect to be there for her when she wakes up if you put yourself into a state?"

She was right. He ran his hands through his hair, sighed and stood up. He turned towards his headmistress, and she gave him a sympathetic look.

"Have you felt any more change to your tether?"

"It's steady but weak."

For the past couple of weeks, McGonagall had been working with Draco to see if they could use the tether to try and help Hermione's healing. The only progress they made was reestablishing a constant connection, but it wasn't strong.

"I would like for you to get some good sleep tonight, and tomorrow we can try the legillimancy idea you mentioned last week. Mr. Nott has already agreed to sit in your stead, but you must go up to your dorm and sleep in an actual bed. I will not allow you to do any poking around Hermione's head unless you have a full night's rest. Poppy agrees and she has a dose of Dreamless Sleep for you, when you're ready."

He nodded his head and leaned down to place a kiss to the top of Hermione's head. As he walked passed McGonagall she reached out and squeezed his arm.

"Justice will be served Draco, I promise." He nodded his head in understanding, turning to walk away.

As he walked to the Great Hall, his mind wandered, images of Hermione lifeless on the floor flashed in his mind. His heart pounded and his chest tightened. He stuck his arm out to catch himself against the wall as he tried to steady his breathing.

She's safe. She's alive.

He repeated the mantra in his head over and over, but his breathing refused to slow..

"She's alive."

He was frozen in place as he watched Theo, Pomfrey, and McGonagall circle Hermione; each of them simultaneously casting healing charms. His eyes were glued to her chest, watching it raggedly rise and fall. He heard a distant voice through the ringing in his ears.

"DRACO!" He jumped snapping his head up. "Dittany. 2 bottles. Back of the top shelf."

He raced to the potion cabinet behind Pomfrey's desk. Grabbing the bottles, he rushed back to Hermione's bedside.

"4 droppers full onto the fracture at the back of her skull, 2 on her orbital, and then we will need to pour the rest of that bottle down her throat."

Draco followed their orders and watched as slowly but surely the red flashing diagnostic bubble that floated above Hermione's bed changed to a deep amber.

"Fantastic job Mr. Malfoy. We can take it from here. If you would, I'd appreciate it if you and Mr. Nott would go wait out in the hall for the Aurors to arrive. They will likely want your statements first."

"I'm not leaving her." Draco said, unwilling to take his eyes off Hermione for fear she would take a turn for the worse.

"I will not let anyone near her Mr. Malfoy, and while I understand your desire to protect her, Madame Pomfrey and I are going to have to examine her in a more intimate way that I'm sure she would not be ready for you to be a part of yet."

"Drake. Come on. She's safe. She's alive. Let them do their job."

"Drake!" Theo's hand on his shoulder jolted him from the memory.

Gasping and collapsing to the floor, Draco covered his face in his hands. Acting quickly, Theo pulled a vial of Calming Draught from his satchel. He handed it to Draco, but he shook his head

"Pomfrey and McGonagall are forcing me to take Dreamless Sleep tonight so we can try that legilimancy theory tomorrow, can't mix the two."

"Do you think its going to work?" Theo asked cautiously, leaning back against the wall beside him.

"I don't know. They think that she will wake up on her own anyway, but McGonagall and I are both worried about what might happen to the tether if her mind is fractured." He said rubbing his eyes, "If I can get in through the tether using legilimancy techniques I might be able to guide her through it and bring her out more safely." Theo nodded his head in understanding.

"Well, come on Drake, let's get you some nutrients and get you to bed. You've got a big day tomorrow." He stood and offered his hand out to Draco.

He was sitting next to Hermione's bed, holding her hand in his own. The diagnostic bubble still floating above her head had turned a steady yellow. Thousands of thoughts floated through his mind. He had tried occluding, but whenever he attempted it, his tether would shudder like it wanted to snap in half. It made him fearful that if he succeeded it would break his bond to her, and so he was forced to face them head- on.

"Mr. Malfoy, you really need to get some rest. You can't help her right now."

McGonagall's motherly aura was not something he had really appreciated before now. He always saw her as someone who looked down on him, judged him for his choices, the true embodiment of what Gryffindor stood for. He knew now that he had been wrong, that it was he who had judged her.

"I am not tired, headmistress." He hadn't let his eyes leave Hermione.

"I know you are afraid. I know what it means if she dies, but she isn't dead Mr. Malfoy, remember that. She is alive, and healing, all thanks to you. You did your duty to her, now let us do ours."

She said nothing else, squeezing his shoulder before walking out the door. He understood her, but it did nothing to ease his guilt. If he had just been faster, or followed her from the very beginning, maybe she wouldn't be in here now, unconscious. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her hand, pleading the universe for forgiveness, pleading for her to wake.

"Granger, I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to wake up. Please. I've only just found you; I can't lose you, not now, not ever. Please." He reached a hand up to run through her wild locks. Tears burned his eyes, threatening to escape.

He crawled up in bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. Maybe if he got the tethers closer together they would help her heal.

Vulnerable. That's what I need to be. That's how it happened before.

He pulled her in closer, buried his face into her curls, and began to sing.

"If I ever were to lose you, I'd surely lose myself," he started barely above a whisper, "Everything I have found, dear, I've not found by myself. Try and sometimes you'll succeed, to make this man of me. All my stolen missing parts; I've no need for anymore." Tears were flowing from his eyes, as he tried to pour all his heart and soul through the tether. "I believe; and I believe, 'cause I can see, our future days; days of you and me."

He felt a soft pluck in his chest. It was light, but he was sure he felt it. He pressed a kiss to her head and continued singing. "Back when I was feeling broken, I focused on a prayer. You came deep as any ocean, did something out there hear? All the complexities and games; no one wins, but somehow they're still played. All the missing crooked hearts, they may die, but in us they live on."

The feeling was growing, he scooted down, turning to face her. He ran a finger across her jaw and pressed his forehead to hers. He paused for a moment just taking her in.

Come on Hermione, I'm right here.

The feeling was fading away, so he kept singing. "All the promises at sundown, I've met them like the rest. All the demons used to come round, I'm grateful now they've left. So persistent in my ways. Hey, angel, I am here to stay. No resistance, no alarms; please, this is just too good to be gone. And I believe; and I believe, 'cause I can see, our future days; days of you and me. You and me. It's just you… and me."

He jolted from his sleep, the tether thrumming strong in his chest. Draco jumped out of bed and bolted out the door to his dorm. Fast as his feet would carry him, he ran, desperate to get to the hospital wing. When he burst through the door moments later, he saw a horde of people surrounding Hermione's bed.

McGonagall turned first and smiled. She gestured for him to come forth, but his feet were suddenly glued to the floor. When the rest of the group parted, he was greeted with the weak, but very much awake face of Hermione. She looked at him curiously before offering a gentle smile.

"Hello Draco."