{ 28 }

"I need to ask you a question."

Hermione is lying beside me in bed. It's either very late or very early in the morning, depending on how you look at it. Either way, the sun has not started to climb into the sky.

And yet, I have not gotten a single second of sleep. My mind has been replaying the events of yesterday on an endless loop.

The letter from my Father.

Dinner with Hermione by my side and the rest of Slytherin splitting into two sides.

Bragg confronting me in the common room.

And then the questions.

Has this been Hermione's goal all along?

I'd like to say it's farfetched, but I know her too well. Honestly, I wouldn't put it past her.

But if that's true…could I really have fallen in love with someone that was only using me?

"Mmkay." She muttered against my chest. She hasn't faired much better than me on sleep tonight. She has dozed a few times, but woke quickly from nightmares.

"The day we came back to Hogwarts," I ran my hand through her hair and closed my eyes. I can picture her so clearly, standing there, leaning against the railing. "When we were on the back of the train. Why did you talk to me instead of cursing me where I stood?"

After a few seconds, I thought she had fallen asleep. But then she sat up on her elbow and looked down at me. With a flick of her wrist, a candle on the bedside table lit.

"Because you were kind to me." Her eyes searched mine in the dim lighting. "You were kind when Harry and Ron had been cruel."

I swallowed hard. Could it be that simple? I was kind to her?

"Talk to me, Draco. What's going on inside that brain of yours?" She shifted to sit up against the headboard.

I released a deep sigh, then I moved to sit next to her. How do I even convey to her the thoughts swirling around my head?

"This is going to sound crazy." I ran my hand through my hair. "Do you remember, Theo thought you were up to something?"

"Right. He thought I was trying to get you thrown in Azkaban."

"That was one theory." I couldn't sit still any longer. I stood and walked to the glass balcony door and stared outside. "There were others. Some were entirely plausible. Others were incredibly ambitious and highly unlikely."

Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and watched me. Her brow was furrowed as she waited for me to continue.

"Alright," she said finally. "I'll bite. What overly ambitious agenda did I have in dating you?"

I cleared my throat. It is entirely possible that she will be highly offended when I tell her this.

"The downfall of the entire pureblood society, beginning with the Malfoy family."

Her eyes widened in shock, followed by a sharp bark of laughter.

"Well, that would be quite the trick, wouldn't it?" She laughed. Her shoulders relaxed and her lips tilted up in a smile. "How would I even pull that off?"

I didn't answer her. I could see her mind working, puzzling through the steps she would have to take.

I saw it the instant it happened. The smile fell from her face. Her eyes darted from side to side, as though she were reading something from a book.

Suddenly she stared right at me, her gaze locked on mine.

"No." She shook her head quickly and stood, moving to stand in front of me. "No, Draco, you have to believe me. I never planned anything. When we started seeing each other, it just kind of happened. I didn't…I wasn't trying to…to destroy your family."

Her hand rubbed at her chest. Her anxiety was clear in her voice.

It was such a raw reaction that I knew the thought had never crossed her mind. I was not surprised by that, but I was slightly relieved.

"I know that." I put my hands on her shoulders and pulled her into my arms. "I know. It was just a crazy theory. One that was highly unlikely to begin with. At the time I dismissed it altogether, because even if that was your plan, it didn't matter. I had already decided to walk away."

It took her a few minutes to get her anxiety under control. She paced back and forth across the bedroom several times and took deep, measured breaths before finally turning back to me.

"Okay, so you had this crazy theory months ago and you dismissed it. But why are you bringing it up now?" She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side.

I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. This is pure insanity.

"What if together, we could do just that? Bring down the pureblood society?"

"What?" She huffed a short laugh. "How, exactly, do you propose we accomplish that?"

I swallowed hard. This has got to be the craziest thing I have ever contemplated. And I've contemplated a lot of crazy shite over the years.

"We start a revolution."

She searched my eyes for a long moment.

"You know I was joking when I said that at dinner." She raised her brow and crossed her arms over her chest. Her hip popped out to one side. "About single handedly starting a revolution?"

I ran my hand through my hair and leaned back against the wall.

"I know."

She dropped her head back and sighed.

"Draco. All I want is to graduate from this Gods-forsaken school. Move into your abandoned castle. Get married someday. Maybe have a couple of kids. And live a nice, quiet life." She ran her hands through her hair and tugged on the ends. "I do not want to start a revolution, for God's sake! I'm still trying to cope with the war I barely survived. So are you!"

Is it wrong that the only sentence I focused on in her rambling was 'get married someday and maybe have a couple of kids'?

I should be worried about that.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Not really.

I scrubbed both hands down my face and released a deep sigh.

"I know, alright?" I crossed the room to stand in front of her. "The thing is, something is happening here. Something big. And we are at the epicenter. You saw it at dinner last night. I saw it later on, in the common room."

She wants to argue with me. I can see it all over her face. She can't, though. She knows I'm right.

"You were joking when you said it, but I think you were actually right." My hands circled her waist and I pulled her against my chest. "We've already started it, whether we intended to or not."

She sighed as she held on to me and laid her head against my chest.

"Damn it, Draco."

I held her a little tighter and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

For the first time all night, I felt a sense of calm flow through me. She has that effect on me. She calms my soul.

"Did you say you wanted to get married and have a couple of kids?" I asked after several silent moments.

She huffed a short laugh.

"Of course, that part, you listen to." She shook her head and stepped back. "Let's try to get some sleep before the sun comes up, Malfoy."

I stepped in, closing the distance she had just made between us. I cupped her face with my hands and stared into her eyes.

"Just so you know, I want that, too. Someday. With you."

Her lips tilted up in a smile. Then I was kissing her.

And once I started, I didn't want to stop.

[ - - - ]

{ Hermione POV }

Morning came much too soon. By the time I closed my eyes and went to sleep, dawn was already starting to break.

Now my head is pounding. I released a frustrated sigh as I opened my medication. Only two left.

Well, fuck. I was hoping to make it through until the holidays. Six more weeks on only two doses? I will never make it.

I slid the box back into my bag. I'll need to save those for when it gets much worse. For now, over the counter ibuprofen will have to do.

I have no desire to go downstairs for breakfast. I dressed in my uniform anyway. Fixed my hair. Put on makeup. Yes, I feel like utter shite. But I can't desert Draco to lead his revolution alone, now can I?

I rolled my eyes to myself. I don't know what the fuck that man is thinking.

I kept my hand wrapped around his as we walked downstairs.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly as we neared the Great Hall.

"Fine." I tried to smile, but it fell flat. He raised his eyebrow and waited. "I'm just tired."

"Do you need to go to Pomphrey?"

"No. I just need to eat something."

Lies.

I have no intention of eating. Absently, my hand settled over my rolling stomach.

"Are you sure? You look a little…green."

I sighed. He isn't going to let it go. I love him for that, but right now it isn't helping.

"Can we just…get through breakfast, alright? If I'm not feeling better, you can take me up to Pomphrey."

The pounding behind my eye is already morphing into a throbbing.

Oh, Gods!

I might not make it through breakfast. I should have taken that damn pill.

His eyes scanned me from top to bottom.

"Hermione?" His voice was laced with concern.

It took every bit of effort that I had to look him in the eye.

"Really. I will be fine." My hand pulsed quickly around his. "I have a migraine setting in. It isn't horrible yet, but it's getting there."

"Have you taken your medicine?"

I shook my head slightly. Just enough.

"I only have two left." I closed my eyes and took a breath. When I opened them again, I rolled my shoulders back. "I can do this, Draco. Trust me. Just, don't expect me to talk much. Okay?"

He studied me for a long moment. His eyes hardened. I can tell he isn't happy. But, if he is serious about what we talked about only a few short hours ago, then he knows as well as I do that we have to keep the momentum going. I can't skip breakfast.

"Alright," He relented. "Take your medicine first."

I wanted to argue with him. To tell him it would be wasted. That it makes me drowsy. But I'm just being stubborn.

In all honesty, it's best to take it now before it gets excruciating.

I stepped around the side of the stairs, opened my bag, and retrieved the nearly empty box.

"I'll have about thirty minutes before it kicks in. We need to be back upstairs by then." I made sure he agreed before I placed the pill on my tongue and took a drink of water.

"Ready?" He asked quietly.

"Let's do this." I took his hand.

As predicted, all eyes in the room followed us as we made our way to the Slytherin table. I was careful to hide any indication that I was in pain.

I hate to admit it, but it isn't the first time I've done it. It won't be the last, either. I've gotten rather good at hiding the pain.

Blaise and Theo were already at the table. They were sitting towards the end, where we sat last night. As we approached, they shifted to create enough room for us to sit between them again.

I sat in the closest seat, which happened to be next to Theo.

"You are amazing. You know that, right?" Draco whispered in my ear when he sat beside me.

I smirked up at him.

"All part of my charm." I poured a cup of coffee and put a couple of pieces of toasted bread with raspberry jam on my plate.

"Is that all you're eating?" Theo asked.

His plate was piled high with meat, eggs and fruit.

"Not very hungry." Each word felt like a knife being stabbed into my brain through my eyesocket. I swear to Merlin, if I make it through this breakfast it will be a miracle. And Draco will owe me big time.

I could feel Theo's eyes on me. I'm not trying to be rude. Although truly, he is not my favorite person. I'm glad that Draco can count on him, but I still feel like he doesn't like me much.

Not that many people do, I suppose.

I picked at my toast.

"Have you talked to Luna lately?" His voice was so quiet that I barely heard him.

My eyes darted to the Ravenclaw table.

"Not since Sunday." When she let me sit with her at dinner. "Have you?"

He looked down at his plate.

"No. Not since the dance."

I ate a small piece of toast. On the other side of me Draco and Blaise were talking about something that happened in potions yesterday. His hand rested on my knee.

"Do you want to?" I am talking more than I want to, but I pushed through the pain anyway. This is important, and he was the one that brought it up.

"It's probably best if I don't." There was a touch of sadness in his voice.

I took another bite of toast and chewed slowly. Luna is my friend. Arguably, my best friend. The one person that has never doubted me. Never questioned me.

"I didn't ask you what is best, Nott." I took a sip of coffee. "I will say this. At the dance, she made the first move. Now it's your turn. If you want to."

Luna told me herself that she wasn't going to push it. If he is interested, and she doesn't think that he is, then he could come to her.

I held his gaze for a moment before turning back to my plate. I had managed to eat about half a piece of toast. I pushed my plate to the center of the table and it disappeared.

"I need to go." I leaned closer to Draco. The throbbing pain is getting worse instead of better. My eye is going to start watering any time now. I don't want to be sitting here when it does.

He finished off his pumpkin juice, then we both stood. As we left, he placed his hand on the small of my back. To some it would appear to be for show. In reality, it was to steady me and keep me from falling over.

I let my eyes roam down the table just long enough to notice that the split had gotten wider.

Fucking hell. Draco was right.

I concentrated on taking one step after another. At the top of the first flight of stairs, I had to stop. Every breath that I took hurt.

"Hermione?" Draco sounded like I was listening to him through water. Muffled. Distant. Even though he's right beside me.

I couldn't answer him.

The blood is pounding in my ears.

"Alright. I'm taking you to Pomphrey."

I didn't argue with him. I think I even nodded my head. Maybe.

He lifted me easily enough, one arm under my knees, the other under my arms. I rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes. He moved quickly, but was careful not to jostle me about any more than necessary.

I vaguely heard Pomphrey ask what happened. She gave me a potion and I curled into a ball on the bed. Then I counted heartbeats until I slipped into darkness.

[ - - - ]

{ Draco POV }

As soon as she agreed to go to the hospital wing I knew it was even worse than she had let on.

She couldn't even walk up the damn stairs, for fuck's sake. And yet, she sat through breakfast, even had a conversation with Theo, and never let anyone else know that something was terribly wrong.

I don't know if she's that strong, or just that fucking stubborn. It's a combination of both, I'm sure.

I intended to stay with her but when Pomphrey gave her a dose of dreamless sleep, I knew there was no point. She would sleep most of the day whether I am there or not.

I returned to the third floor and started trying to work on our project. I can't concentrate, though. Too many things going through my mind.

With a deep sigh, I scrubbed my hands over my face and closed the book I was reading. It was another dead end anyway.

Down the corridor I heard the telltale sound of stone scraping against stone. Moments later, footsteps echoed down the corridor. I can tell by the sound that it isn't Hermione. Whoever it was walked swiftly, with purpose, and wore shoes that clacked against the stone.

A moment later Professor Bones stepped into the lecture room. She scanned the room until she saw me sitting at the worktable by myself.

"Professor." I nodded towards the empty chair across from me.

"Mr. Malfoy." She sat down and skimmed over the books sitting on the table. "I see you have taken my advice. Have you had any luck?"

I raised my brow and huffed a short laugh.

"No. There isn't a single instruction in any of these books on how to break wards."

Her lip lifted up in a smirk as she leaned back in her chair.

"Well, of course there isn't." She studied me for a moment. "Keep looking. You'll find it."

My brow crinkled in confusion. What is that supposed to mean?

"Where is Miss Granger?" Her eyes darted around the room.

"She isn't feeling well. Madam Pomphrey is looking after her."

"Oh! I didn't realize. She looked fine at breakfast."

I huffed again.

"In case you haven't figured it out yet, Professor, Hermione detests showing weakness of any kind." I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair.

"That she does, Mr. Malfoy." She cleared her throat. "The two of you are causing quite the stir. But I imagine you already know that."

I lifted my brow. I have to wonder what she has heard.

"Is that why you are here? To gossip?" I never thought of her as that type.

"No." She tapped her hand against the table. "The Aurors agreed that the letter your father sent was a clear violation of the conditions of his house arrest."

I wanted to feel relieved at that. Except, it seemed she wasn't finished. I sat back and waited.

"However," she released a deep sigh.

She didn't have to finish. I already know what she's going to say.

"He's going to get away with it again." I pushed away from the table and stood. "Fucking perfect."

"Your Father is well within his rights to disinherit you. And the threat against Hermione, the Wizengamot felt was an idle threat. It was very vague, and with him unable to leave the Manor, and her safely behind the walls of Hogwarts…"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." I turned and glared at her. "Since when has she ever been safe here?"

"I understand your frustration. I have requested that all correspondence to and from Malfoy Manor be screened. They did, at least, agree to that."

I guess that is something.

"And how am I supposed to protect her when I can't be by her side twenty-four hours a day?"

She considered me for a long moment. I felt uncomfortable under her gaze, like she was analyzing everything that she knew about me and coming up with some kind of a conclusion.

"That is a concern that we all have for our loved ones, isn't it?" Her lips spread into a small smile.

Yes, I suppose it is. I inhaled deeply and blew it out slowly before returning to my chair opposite her.

"I spoke with your Aunt Andromeda while she was in the castle. She told me that you came to her at the beginning of the semester and asked for her help."

That isn't exactly how it happened, but sure. We'll go with that.

"She also told me that this castle of yours hasn't been used in over a century, and no one knows the state of repair it is in."

My eyes narrowed.

"I'm aware."

What is she up to?

She gave me a small smile that sent a cold chill down my spine.

"It could be pristine, or it could be a pile of rubble for all you know."

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my brow. My fingers tapped impatiently against my arm.

"Again, I am aware. Even a pile of rubble would be better than Malfoy Manor."

"As your probation Auror and guardian at Hogwarts, it is my duty to ensure you are safe. I cannot allow you to spend the holidays someplace that has not been swept for dark magic and inspected by Aurors."

"You can, actually." I relaxed my arms and dropped my hands to the table. "According to my file, I am permitted to go home for the holidays. And my home is Black Castle."

She tapped her hand against the table and studied me.

She has been a great supporter of mine over the past two months. Pushing back on this might not be the smartest move I've ever made. You have to pick your battles, after all.

When I see it for the first time, I want to see it as it is now. With Hermione.

It's our home, really. We should be the first ones to see what we have gotten ourselves into.

After a few long moments, she rolled her shoulders back.

"You realize I can revoke that privilege if I feel the need?"

She's bluffing. I'm sure of it.

"You can also send me to Azkaban if you so desire."

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Fine." She sighed in frustration. "At least let me accompany you the first time you go. For my peace of mind, if nothing else."

I considered her for a moment. She has been an ally to me and Hermione. She seems genuinely concerned about the living conditions at the castle.

"Alright." I relented. "You may accompany us to verify the place is not a pile of rubble."

She blinked two or three times, tilted her head to the side.

"Us? Will Miss Granger be joining you?" She sounded quite surprised. "I assumed she would spend the holidays with her family."

I felt every muscle in my body tense.

Fuck. She doesn't know.

I cleared my throat.

"We haven't actually discussed it yet."

That was a safe answer. And true. I haven't asked her about the holidays yet. I'm just assuming she will go with me.

Hell, maybe she has plans to visit her Aunt over the holiday. I honestly don't know.

Her sharp eyes stared straight through me. I get the distinct feeling that she knows I am not telling her something.

"I see. I assure you, I won't intrude. I only want to know that it is safe for you to stay there." She picked her words carefully, even though I know she has other questions.

I nodded to acknowledge that I understood. Almost reluctantly, she pushed back from the table and stood.

"Professor? Were you able to find out anything else about this project of ours?"

She paused. Her eyes settled on the book beneath the glass case. She shook her head and ran her hands up and down her arms. It was like a cold shiver had worked its way down her spine.

"Not yet. I have to say, though, I'm surprised you can get anything done with that thing in here. Even with the glass around it, the wards make my skin crawl." She gave me a final nod, then left the room as quickly as she could.

Odd. I don't feel anything coming from the book. I made a mental note to ask Hermione. Maybe I'll ask Theo and Blaise as well. See if I can get a few more opinions on the matter.

[ - - - ]

Lunch in the Great Hall is more informal than the other meals. Each year eats at a different time as their class schedules allow.

More often than not, Hermione skips lunch altogether. She keeps food in her duffle bag of supplies and will eat if she gets hungry, but she avoids the hall when she can.

That said, it would not seem unusual for me to go to lunch without her. I sat confidently at the table next to Theo.

"Granger couldn't pull herself away from the library to eat today?" He chuckled.

"Something like that." Not really. She was still sleeping when I checked in on her. "What were you two talking about this morning?"

His eyes flicked over to the Ravenclaw table.

Lovegood. Of course.

"Nothing."

"Right." I huffed a short laugh. "Did she convince you to pull your head out of your arse and go talk to her?"

His cheeks tinged red but he didn't answer me.

Blaise sat across from me. The rest of the students in our year were at the far end of the table. There were a few seventh years scattered in between.

"I need to ask you both something." I looked from Theo to Blaise and back again. "Yesterday, when we were in the lecture room. Did you feel a vibe off of that book?"

Theo clenched his hand and relaxed it.

"Felt like pure evil to me." Blaise visibly shuddered.

"Exactly what I thought, too." Theo agreed with him. "I'm glad it's you stuck with that thing and not me."

Interesting.

I finished eating quickly. Instead of going to the third floor, I returned to the hospital wing.

"Mr. Malfoy. You know she won't be up for visitors for quite some time."

"I know. Is she awake?"

She pursed her lips together and glared at me.

She is.

"I won't stay. I just need to ask her a quick question." I smiled at her in an attempt to be charming.

She rolled her eyes and stepped aside.

"Two minutes, Mr. Malfoy." She motioned me towards the bed Hermione was in.

There were heavy black curtains hanging all the way around the bed, shielding her from view. More importantly, shielding her from the sunlight streaming through the windows.

I pushed the curtain just far enough apart that I could slip through and stepped into the darkness.

She was lying completely still on her back. Her hands were folded over her stomach. Her skin was pale, clammy. She looked like death.

A shiver wormed its way down my spine.

Her eyes fluttered open. It took her a few moments to focus on me.

"Draco?" Her voice was quiet. Barely more than a whisper.

"Just checking to see how you are feeling." I sat in the chair by her bed and covered her hands with mine.

"Fantastic." She muttered. "Never better."

"You are an excellent actress, Granger. But a terrible liar."

She blinked slowly.

"I feel like my brain is trying to claw its way out of my skull through my eyeball. Is that better?"

I cringed.

"I'll let you get some rest." I leaned down and brushed my lips gently across her forehead.

"What did you need?" She covered her head and one eye with her hand.

"I just have a question about Ravenclaw's book."

She blinked again and waited.

"Do you get any kind of a vibe off of it?"

"No, Draco. I've never taken it out from under the glass." She blinked again and focused on me. "Why? Did you…?"

"No. Of course not. I was just wondering." Gently, I pushed her damp hair back from her eyes. "Get some more rest."

I kissed her gently. As I turned to walk away, her hand tightened around mine.

"I don't know if I'll make it to dinner tonight." A slow tear rolled from her eye down the side of her face.

"If you don't, you don't." I lifted my shoulder and let it drop. My lip tilted up in a smirk. "Our revolution can wait until tomorrow."

She blinked her eyes faster then pulled herself up to sit while pulling me down to sit on the bed beside her. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and rested her head against my chest in a tight hug.

"I love you, Draco."

I held her close to me. I wish I could take away her pain. The best I can do is comfort her, and assure her that her health is more important than some crazy scheme on my part.

"Your two minutes are up, Mr. Malfoy." Madam Pomphrey cleared her throat. "Miss Granger, I have some soup for you."

I kissed her gently one more time, promised to return before dinner, and left her in Pomphrey's capable hands.

I returned to the lecture room. I stood in front of the round table and studied the book through the glass case.

What are they sensing that you don't?

I released a deep sigh. I have no idea.

The lecture room is quiet without Hermione here. I let my mind drift to Saturday night, after the dance when we were here alone, dancing together with no one else watching.

I turned away from the book and my eyes scanned the empty lecture hall. My mind drifted back further, to the first night that we got stranded here.

We had barely even talked to each other before then. A conversation on the train. Another in the corridor. And then we found ourselves stuck here overnight, together.

We stood right here in the darkened room, lit only by sporadic torches.

"We were so stupid back then. Children, playing adult games, with no concept of the possible consequences."

Her words from that night as she stared at the door on the far side of the room. The door we have not opened since.

I stared at the door in question for several long heartbeats. What lies behind it?

Hermione assured me the three headed dog was no longer there.

I found myself walking towards the door before I even made the decision to do so. The iron latch lifted easily and the door swung open with a creak.

The room I stepped into was bare, save for a thick black carpet on the floor. A single high window let in light to show just how empty the room was. It must have been a storage room or supply closet when the classroom was in use.

I don't know what I had expected to find. I must say, I was disappointed by the lack of anything substantial.

I stood in the middle of the room and turned in a slow circle. I knew from Hermione that a trap door lay beneath my feet. Perhaps there were other secrets hiding in the bare room as well.

I skimmed the walls but found nothing out of the ordinary. Until I was ready to walk out the door. That's when it caught my eye.

A portrait, hanging on the wall a meter above the door.

It depicted a phoenix, which looked remarkably like Hermione's tattoo, with a snake coiled around it, ready to strike.

I stared at the image for a while. It seemed so familiar to me, though I couldn't place it. After a few minutes I released a deep sigh, glanced around the room one more time and left, closing the door behind me.

[ - - - ]

The Great Hall was already packed by the time I made my way in the door. Even without me there, the Slytherin table was split. Pureblood elitists on one end. Everyone else on the other.

I sat between Theo and Blaise. They looked at me in question, but didn't ask.

"Where is Hermione?" Tristan was the one that asked. He searched the Gryffindor table before sitting in front of me.

"She isn't feeling well." I didn't see any point in lying. I had checked on her before I came downstairs. She was sleeping. Still. Or again. "She is resting."

Theo paused with his fork halfway to his mouth.

"Did something happen?" He asked quietly. His eyes flicked to the other end of the table and back.

"No. Nothing like that." I filled my plate. "She'll be back tomorrow."

I hope.

Conversation around the table turned to the latest gossip, which I summarily ignored. I finished eating quickly and excused myself.

"Malfoy!"

I made it halfway up the stairs before I heard my name being called from behind me. I released a deep sigh before I turned around.

Potter and Weasley were already walking up the stairs towards me.

"We need to talk." Potter said as they caught up to me.

"Where is Mione?" Ron asked at the same time.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Perfect. The last thing I want to do is deal with these two morons.

"She isn't feeling well today. She's in the hospital wing." I opted to respond to Weasley and ignore Potter.

"That means you have plenty of time to talk."

He wasn't going to let it drop.

I rolled my eyes, turned and continued up the stairs. They followed me to the third floor.

Once we were inside the lecture room, I turned and folded my arms over my chest. I didn't sit down. I don't want to encourage them to sit and stay awhile.

"Alright, Potter. Talk."

He rolled his shoulders back and pushed his hand through his hair.

"Hermione dropped a lot on us Sunday." He leaned against the archway. Weasley mirrored my stance, standing with his feet shoulder width apart and his arms crossed over his chest.

Understatement of the year.

"She did." I had to agree with him.

"What didn't she tell us?"

I raised one brow and lifted my lip on one side. Almost a sneer, but not quite.

"You would have to ask her." I lifted one shoulder and let it drop. "I don't know what secrets she has kept from you and what she hasn't."

Not a lie. Half of what she told them the other day I thought they already knew.

"For all I know, she's keeping secrets from me too." Also not a lie. I'd like to think she isn't keeping anything from me, but most likely she is.

I know I haven't told her most of the shite I've been through.

"Who was it? When did it happen? Where?" Potter asked question after question. "What do you know, Malfoy?"

"And why did you know before we did?" Weasley narrowed his eyes and glared at me.

My own eyes narrowed. Do they really think I'm going to divulge any further information?

Not bloody likely.

"She told you what you need to know."

Besides, I don't know much more than they do. I know the who and the when. Nothing else.

I don't need, nor want, the details.

"She didn't tell us anything!" Potter stepped away from the wall and took two steps closer to me. "We don't even know if that arsehole is still around! Is he still a threat?"

He makes a fair point. I hadn't thought about that. Then again, I know his fate already.

"He's in Azkaban for the rest of his life. He isn't a threat." I can at least give them that much.

"Right. Because Death Eaters have never broken out of Azkaban, have they?" Weasley scoffed.

A cold shiver worked its way down my spine. Another fair point. One that I don't ever want to contemplate.

"Let's all hope that never happens." Time to change the subject. "In the meantime, you should be more worried about my Father. He has threatened to finish what Bellatrix started if I don't break off my relationship with her."

"Sounds like the perfect time for the two of you to break up, then. Yeah?" Weasley's lip tilted up in a smirk.

Wait. Is he actually fucking joking with me?

"Yeah, right." My shoulders relaxed and I rolled my eyes. "That's not going to happen."

Potter ran his hand through his hair and sighed in frustration.

"I still don't get it." He took another step closer. "Why would she tell you about this and not us?"

And we're back to this again. What, exactly, is he accusing me of?

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" I looked back and forth between the two of them. "It's rather obvious, really."

"Why don't you enlighten us, then?" Weasley raised his brow and waited.

"She didn't want you to know." It sounded simple enough, but it was actually more complicated than that.

The room was silent for a long moment while that sank in. Slowly, I could see understanding dawn on Potter's face first. Then on Weasley's.

An understanding that she wouldn't want them to worry about her. She wouldn't want them to think less of her. To look at her differently. To see her as weak. Defenseless. Or for them to see her as she saw herself…as a failure.

"But why did she want you to know?" Weasley walked around me and sat down in one of the chairs at the closest table.

Damn it. I guess they are staying after all. Potter joined him at the table and they both stared at me, waiting for an answer.

"She didn't want anyone to know." I rolled my eyes. Then I cringed to myself. That was too much information. "Alright, my turn. How the hell did you not know about her arm?"

They both sighed. Potter shook his head. Weasley dropped his eyes to the table in front of him and traced the pattern of the wood with his fingertip.

"We never saw it." Weasley answered first. "After we escaped…she stayed in her room alone for nearly a week. She just sat there. Staring out the window."

"She wouldn't eat. Wouldn't sleep." Potter dropped his head into his hands. "She didn't talk to anyone. At all. If anyone went in her room, she had her wand ready. She would curse first, ask questions after."

I can picture it in my mind so clearly. I can only imagine the depths of her depression after that.

"She was right." Weasley scrubbed his hand over his face. "We never asked her questions. Because once she snapped out of it, we didn't want her to have to relive that nightmare just to tell us what happened."

I still can't stand either one of them. I understand, though. Why they didn't ask.

I get it.

It was quiet in the lecture hall. I have no doubt that all three of us are thinking of the same witch. Of everything she went through. Everything she survived to get to where she is today.

[ - - - ]

The hospital wing was still quiet when I entered. Madam Pomphrey was not around. I did find Hermione awake, though.

"You still look like hell." I pushed her hair back as I sat on the bed beside her.

"Thanks." Her lip tilted up in what could almost be a wry smile. "Is that an upgrade from looking like death?"

"Barely." I brushed a kiss across her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"The worst of it is over." She was still talking quietly, but at least she was talking. "Tomorrow will be better."

"Good. I missed you today."

Merlin and Salazar, was that ever the truth.

I stayed with her for the next hour or so. I filled her in on everything she had missed while she was resting.

Almost everything.

News of my Father and the odd feeling others are getting from the book - those can wait.

I left before curfew. I fell asleep in my own bed for the first time in days, without her by my side. And I woke to nightmares alone, with no one to help me fight off the darkness but myself.

AN: Hello again, lovely readers! A nice, long chapter this time around. Hermione has to deal with a bad migraine. I feel for her. I had one myself last week that knocked me on my ass for nearly three days. So Draco is on his own, having conversations with Bones and with Hermione's friends. They are reluctantly moving forward with their 'revolution', trying to change the world.

I love reading your thoughts. Reviews make me smile. Please keep them coming!

: )

Until next time.

-mezy