Edited 9/13/2023 Minor Grammar/Spelling.

3/6 for today!

Monday, August 3, 1998

Very early morning, Hermione awoke wrapped around Theo to Draco stumbling in. She quickly stood and went to him, Scourgifying the blood from his robes and leading him to the bathroom. She helped him sink into the bathtub and quickly went to get Theo, who hadn't moved in his slumber. "Draco is here," she hissed, "he needs our help, come on."

Hermione was proud of how quickly he stood and moved to the bathroom with her. They both shed their clothing and joined Draco in the bath. "Talk to us, amor," Theo whispered into Draco's hair.

"It-" he stopped, his eyes going blank behind his Occlumency walls.

Draco was sitting between them, staring straight ahead with Theo's arm wrapped around his shoulders. Hermione was pressed against Draco's opposite side. Each of Draco's hands was being gripped tightly in one of theirs. "Come on, mon étoile," Hermione murmured, "you need to talk to us, let it out."

May of Sixth Year

Draco has been holding in all of his stress and is starting to crack at the seams. Theo and Hermione had both noticed it, but he was refusing to talk to them. He'd been forced to go home for Easter and although Theo had seen him at the Manor he'd refused to disclose anything.

Finally, Hermione cornered him in the library. He was sitting at a table in the back, looking hopelessly at a book. She quickly straddled him before he was able to walk away and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Granger," he hissed, "we're in public."

"Oh shut up," Hermione said nonchalantly. "You think I don't know how to cast some privacy wards."

He stood abruptly, causing Hermione to land on her bum and rushed away, leaving her shocked on the library floor. After a few minutes, she stood and brushed herself off, removing the wards. She made her way out of the library to a large ruckus occurring. She rushed towards the noises but was pulled into an alcove by Theo. "Draco's been hurt, Potter did it," he spat. "Severus is tending to him. Let's make our way to the Hospital Wing."

Hermione and Theo rushed to the hospital wing, casting a Disillusionment Charm on themselves and sat on the bed next to Draco's watching the proceedings. Snape was singing a chant over Draco who looked abnormally pale, while Madame Pomphrey was rubbing Dittany on his lesser wounds.

After what felt like hours, the two adults stepped back and collapsed onto other beds heavily. Eventually, Madam Pomphrey stood and made her way back to her office. Snape sat up and sighed, "You can come out now," he said quietly.

They lifted their Disillusionment charms and looked at the professor in shock. "Wh-What happened?" Theo stuttered.

"Potter somehow learned a spell I created when I was a foolish child and did this," he spat.

"Y-You're the Half-Blood Prince?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"How do you know that name?" Snape asked sharply.

"H-Harry found your potions book," she blinked at him.

Snape closed his eyes and groaned, "Fucking Potter!" he said under his breath. "Miss Granger, Draco will be fine for now, but you need to go manage your reckless Gryffindors."

"B-but-" she started.

"No," Snape said firmly, "we've come too far to ruin everything now. You cannot act differently."

"M-May I stay, Severus?" Theo whispered, squeezing Hermione's hand.

"Of course," he said, tiredly. "I need to get some rest, but I'll be back in a few hours to give him a round of potions." Hermione was still just staring at Draco on his pillow, "Miss Granger, you must go."

Hermione stood, with some prodding from Theo. She bent over Draco and kissed him lightly on the cheek, "I've been wanting to tell you that I love you, Draco," she whispered, "so you'd better wake up so I can tell you in person!"

Present Day (8/3/1998)

"I don't know how," Draco whispered brokenly. "So much blood…"

They waited patiently for him to begin, Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and stroked the back of his hand. Finally as the last of the lavender scented bubbles were dispersing, he began to speak in a monotone.

"When he called us to him, he looked weak," he whispered. "He spoke of how he had a grand celebration planned, he wanted to show how much greater we are than Harry Potter.

"He ranted for what seemed like ages about his grand plan and then sent us to Godric's Hollow to create havoc. I knew that the Order had a safehouse there, so I made sure that Regulus and I stormed that one. The inhabitants don't know who we are, but they were able to get out with the use of the Portkeys. Then," he got even quieter, "it began. Everywhere we looked there was screaming and burning. No one was safe. Finally everyone was in place in the Square and we forced them to watch. Mrs. Figg was there, but she was so…"

"She was a brave woman," Hermione murmured softly.

"She didn't even flinch, she held off so long, but her screams…" he continued, barely stopping for Hermione's comment. "When they were done with her, they took other prisoners and executed them in front of everyone. And that was only Friday."

Theo helped Draco stand and Hermione helped him dry while he continued talking. When he was clean, they led him to their bed, helping him settle into the fluffy pillows. "We barely got a chance to sleep, everyone was given an Invigoration Draught and then we were sent to the Abbott's farm. You didn't get out in time," he said, turning to look at Theo, his eyes were a dull grey. "You promised you'd keep her safe no matter what and you were still there… Why did you lie to me?" he asked in a broken voice.

"He didn't lie, mon étoile," Hermione murmured. "Gertie was there. We had to be seen after you all arrived or our 'neutral' cover would have been blown."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR COVER!" Draco roared, sitting up straight. "If the three of you were to die I'd b-burn the w-"

"Come here, amor," Theo said, pulling Draco back to him. "Gertie was protecting us, don't think we didn't see you catch Millie and push her towards us. We'd burn the world for you too," he finished brushing the hair from Draco's forehead.

"There wouldn't be much left after we were through," Hermione added quietly.

After a few moments, Draco continued in his monotonous voice, "Helen went down in a blaze of flames, it was Dolohov. The Abbott's set their own fields aflame and enacted the Curse on them. The Death Eaters went through the house and looted and burned everything…

"The Dark Lord called his Inner Circle to him on Sunday and sent the lower ranks out into the Muggle World. We were there with him for hours, the things we witnessed," Draco shuddered. "He'd had someone transfigure two Muggles to look like you and Harry," he whispered turning his dull eyes to Hermione, "they tortured and raped them for hours. Reg had to put a Sticking and Silencing Charm on me so that I wouldn't end it."

"I'm here, I'm safe," she murmured, pulling him to her breast.

"The things that I've seen, the things I've had to do… I don't know if I can take this anymore," he said quietly. Hermione could feel his final Occlumency Walls crumble and with a look at Theo, they opened their stream of Magic to him, letting him take what he needed from them.

That morning, Hermione woke to Theo shaking her lightly. "I have Polyjuice, I'm going to his Apprenticeship with Slughorn, please force him to rest," he whispered, "I've read up on his most recent work so I know what to expect."

Hermione nodded and kissed him soundly, "Good luck," she whispered.

A few hours later, she felt Draco sit up abruptly and try to race to his Apprenticeship, but Hermione cast a quick Petrificus Totalus on him and levitated him back into bed. "Theo has gone with a spot of Polyjuice. We're giving you a mini vacation," she purred, straddling him. "Now if I lift this spell, do you promise to stay still?" She felt an annoyed, but accepting wave of magic roll off him.

When she released the spell, he pulled her down on top of him and burrowed his face in her hair. "I'm so grateful to have you both," he whispered.

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think or if you have any thoughts about what might happen next!