February 4th, 2003
Draco's POV
Malfoy watches in irritation as Granger holds the hand of an unconscious Weasley from his corner in the drab hospital room at St. Mungos. The healers had cleared Weasley for visitors, but they were still making frequent trips in and out of the room, providing updates and running further tests. Granger seemed surprised to learn that Weasley still had her as an emergency contact and was therefore allowed to receive updates on his results and progress thus far.
Malfoy tries to ignore the slight twinge in his chest watching Granger hold the other wizard's hand so tightly. Logically he knew that Granger only saw Weasley as a friend, she'd moved on from the feelings she once held, but the other, more primal part of himself found he didn't much like the idea of her holding any other man's hand. Even if he had no right to stake any sort of claim over here. Their friendship was still in its fledgling stages, but he couldn't deny that his admiration for the curly-haired witch had grown over the years, just watching from a distance. After talking to her regularly, hearing her laugh, learning of her wicked sense of humor, her penchant for sweets, and cheesy muggle movies, he could easily see that admiration growing into something deeper given the opportunity.
A burly, dark-haired wizard wearing blue healer robes makes his way into the room, sending Hermione quickly to her feet.
"Ms. Granger. I'm healer Andrews. I wish I could say I was meeting you under better circumstances but here we are." He pauses to flip through his notebook. "Ah, here we are. We've run quite an extensive list of tests on Mr. Weasley and I'd like to discuss what we've found thus far." Hermione nods her head in encouragement to proceed. "You see, it's quite disturbing to say the least." With a circular wave of his wand, unfamiliar diagnostics began to shimmer above Weasley's body. Draco couldn't make heads or tails of what he was reading but Hermione seemed to be able to decipher something from it. "These are Mr. Weasley's most recent test results."
"This line here registers his magical core, correct?" Her voice quivered.
"Yes ma'am. At this time Mr. Weasley's magical core has been completely drained, to the point that there we are unable to detect a magical signature in his body. At this time, we are attempting different remedies to see what, if anything will affect his core positively. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be taking. There have been countless studies performed on magical persons who've depleted their magical cores and made full recoveries with rest and a prescribed potion regime." He pauses, choosing his next words carefully. "Mr. Weasley's case seems to be something else altogether. It's almost as if the essence of his core was ripped from his body by force. There are signs of intense trauma surrounding his core that support this theory."
"Thank you, healer Andrews. I appreciate all you and your team are doing. I also appreciate your honesty." Draco struggled again to contain his slight jealousy when an unwanted thought took hold. Maybe this traumatic experience changed things for her, she could be reconsidering her previous stance on her relationship with the redhead. The thought sent a pinching sensation right to Draco's chest.
Shaking off the intrusive thought, Draco approaches Granger from behind, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "Granger, I think you should get some rest. You've not left Weasley's side for two days now and exhausting yourself isn't going to help him right now. I'll stay and make sure someone is here in case he wakes up. Go home, take a shower, eat something that isn't flavorless cafeteria food, and get some sleep. I'll send a Patronus if he wakes." He squeezes her shoulder in reassurance, gray eyes warm.
"We both know the flavorless cafeteria food is a weak excuse to get me to leave Malfoy, you've kept me stocked up on delicious food since I've been here. But your other reasons are sound. I think I do need to get away for a bit. Ron won't be too happy to see you if he does wake but there isn't much he can do about it right now. Let me grab my things first. I'll be back by three o'clock. Does that work for you?" She asks while reaching for her bag.
"I couldn't have you eating the stuff they try to pass off as food here, now could I, I am a gentleman after all. But yes, Granger, three o'clock is fine."
"Bye Malfoy." She waves over her shoulder.
"Goodbye Granger." Taking his spot back in the stiff hospital chair, he settles in with a book he'd pilfered from Granger's bookshelf. Something called Outlander. Not something he'd normally read but he'd heard her mention it a few times on the telephone and in conversation with Ginerva. He had to satisfy his curiosity about what the women were so worked up about.
Draco was nearly fifteen chapters in when a knock caught his attention. Looking up, he saw Potter standing in the doorway.
"Any news?" He asks, lines of exhaustion marring his features causing Draco to wonder if Potter ever got any rest. He knew despite the more recent issues with Weasley, Potter still cared deeply for his childhood friend and Draco could see how hard this was for him.
"A healer stopped by earlier today to give Granger an update." Draco pauses." You know I don't mince words, Potter, so I'll tell you straight. It's not looking good. All signs point to his magical core being depleted by force and the chances that it can be healed are slim. Weasley may be living out the rest of his life like a muggle." Draco watched as Harry closed his eyes, head dropping into his hands. Many steadying breaths later, he ran his hands roughly over his reddened cheeks to clear his tears.
"Alright, Malfoy. I've gone over what little information we have to go off of. We were able to track down the cabby that dropped him off at Hermione's place. It looks like he picked Ron up just outside an industrial area in Muggle London. The best guess is Ron was able to make his way to a more populated area where he was able to grab the cab and make his way to Hermione's." Draco had to agree that it was a very likely scenario, but they couldn't know for sure until Weasley awoke.
"What can I do to help Potter?" Draco asks.
"Would you mind giving me some time alone with him? I'll stay until either you or Hermione come back."
"I'll need to pop by Granger's place to let her know I left Weasley in your care." He clapped Potter on the shoulder before heading for the community flu on the first floor.
Before heading to Granger's flat, Draco decides to pay Pansy a visit at her office in Diagon. Making his way into her office, he spots the raven-haired witch bent over a notepad at her desk.
"Hey Pans. Do you have a moment?" Draco asks.
"For my favorite former Slytherin Prince, of course." She pecks him on the cheek before taking her usual seat. "How is Weasley doing?"
"It isn't looking great at this point."
"Hmm and Hermione, how is she doing?"
Draco runs a calloused hand over his lips, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I was finally able to convince her to go home and rest for a while today. I'm not sure where she stands with Weasley at this point though." Pansy nods.
"Well, it would make sense if some of those old feelings made their way to the surface. It's been known to happen when something traumatic happens to someone we love." Pansy's expression is sympathetic.
"Weasley though? Granger can surely do better than him. I'm sure he's going to milk it for all he can when he wakes up."
"Probably. Hermione might even fall for it. She has a bleeding heart for the people she loves. She'd go to the ends of the earth for them." She adds non-committedly as she scribbles in her notebook. "Who knows, maybe she will want to give it another go."
Draco considers her words for a moment. Picturing the way Granger would probably internally cringe when Weasley tried to hold her or initiate any form of intimacy. The way he spoke to her was as if she was a thing to bend to his will instead of a person who deserved to be cherished. No, he wouldn't allow this to happen. "Thanks for listening, Pans. There's a witch I need to see."
Waving him away she whispers. "About damn time."
Hermione's POV
A heavy knocking wakes her from a restless sleep. Stumbling down the front hall she opens the front door to find Draco standing in her doorway.
"Malfoy? What are you doing here, did something happen to Ron? Let me get dressed and I'll head back to the hospital."
"Witch, will you stop talking for one minute? Weasley is fine, Potter is with him, and nothing has changed."
"Oh, well what is it then? Why are you here?" She asks in confusion.
"You can't take Weasley back. He isn't right for you, and I won't let it happen. I am sure you are experiencing many confusing emotions in light of what happened but that isn't a good enough reason to go back to living like that." Draco's tone brokered no room for argument, he must not have considered who he was dealing with before making such demands.
"Draco Lucious Malfoy, you think you can come into my home and make demands as to who I can and cannot date? What in Merlin gave you the idea that I was even considering taking Ron back and that you had any right to comment on it if I was?" She was practically screeching by the end of her tirade.
"I would think as your friend that I have some say in who you allow in your life."
"Hah! As my friend, for a very short amount of time, I might add, you are allowed to express your opinion, but you will never have a say in the choices I make. That is my decision to make and mine alone Malfoy. Furthermore, I have no plans to take Ron back so even though you are acting like a right prick, you can rest easy knowing that I have plans to eternally be a spinster!"
"Let's drop the dramatics, Granger. A spinster forever? Really?" Draco's serious expression lapsed into one of humor.
"That's what you took from what I said?" She entertained the thought of sending a stinging hex at the arrogant prat.
"The entirety of the male population would weep tears of sorrow if Hermione Granger decided to live a life of solidarity. You aren't so heartless that you would let down all those single wizards, now would you Granger?"
"Malfoy, can we please stay on topic? Whatever gave you the idea that I wanted to rekindle my relationship with Ron?" She asks, steering the subject back on track.
"I don't think it's an entirely unfounded assumption, Granger. It's not that far-fetched for a traumatic incident like this to bring couples back together. From what I've seen the last few days, you've been deeply affected by Weasley's condition, perhaps as more than a friend would be."
She gives him a considering look, wading through Malfoy's words she decides he isn't being entirely forthright with his feelings. "Malfoy, I have quite a few close friends, Pansy, Theo, Harry, Ginny, and quite a few more that I love and trust. However, you are the only person coming to me with assumptions about my relationship with Ronald. Why is that?" She asks curiously.
Malfoy seems to struggle with his words for a moment. "Look Granger, I may have come on too strong and I probably did make assumptions that are unfounded, but I am coming to you as a friend who wants to help a friend in a time of need."
"Hmm, a friend in a time of need. Is that what is happening right now? Because I think I call bullshite on that Malfoy. So, I ask again, why are you the only one coming to me with these concerns?" She presses.
She could see the tension in Draco's expression, hands clenching and unclenching, a slight flex of his jaw giving away the internal struggle he was battling. "Have you ever felt such a deep admiration for another person that it leaves you questioning your place in life, Granger?" Gray eyes meet hers, so full of emotion that if she weren't sitting, she was certain she'd fall into the storm and lose herself forever. She found herself sinking into the parts of Draco that captivated her most since their friendship began.
In such a short amount of time she found she loved the sound of his full laughter, but she cherished the small laughs, almost like he was keeping it just for himself and she was getting a small private glimpse into a moment of joy meant only for him. She was learning to read the stories being told in the various shades of Gray of Malfoy's eyes. A softer gray told stories of importance to Draco, something he cherished. Like when he spoke of his mother. Hard flat gray usually meant he was occluding, which often happened when speaking of his father and his time as a death eater.
Right now, his eyes shone with her favorite color by far, liquid silver with slivers of icy blue shining like a kaleidoscope. She hadn't quite figured out what story was being told when he looked at her like that, but she was determined to figure it out, like most things in her life. She couldn't stand a puzzle being left unsolved.
"I can say that there have been many people in my life who have done things I am in awe of. I can't say that those things necessarily left me questioning my own place in life though. Is that something you have felt Malfoy?"
"I can count on one hand the amount of people that inspire me, Granger. I find, especially in my line of work, that most people have no regard for others around them and it can be taxing to see that every day. But then, some people stand out amongst the rest, they have a certain glow about them." Malfoy reaches forward and takes one of her smaller hands into his own. She can feel the callouses on his hands, rough dancing against smooth. She found she rather liked the sensation. "Theo, my mother, and Pansy are three people in my life who inspire me to do better. They all came from a background that offered them little choice, but they rose from the ashes of their former lives and rebuilt themselves into something that they can individually be proud of."
His tongue darts out to wet his lips before continuing. "When I found you that day, something broke inside of me, something that needed to break, I think. Since then, I have watched every selfless thing you have done, I've witnessed the kindness you show my friends, and people who were ostracized after the battle, the care you put into helping those that are treated as less than in our society, how you always put others before yourself, no matter the cost which if I am being honest is just as beautiful as it is frustrating. These are just a few of the things that have mended this divide in me, Hermione. You inspired me to take a boy that was broken down to nothing and make him into a man that could be proud of himself." Hermione was enraptured by Draco's speech. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze in encouragement to continue, with a soft squeeze in return, he presses on.
"I realize this is probably a lot to take in and not at all what you were expecting but I have to get this out at least once. I am proud of the fact that I am an auror and I get to help people every single day, I get to use the twisted knowledge that was beaten into me most of my life and use it for a good purpose. I am proud of the effort I have put into therapy so I can heal from my past and make better choices in the future. I am not a perfect man, as I have proven today, but I can say that I am a man who values the things I have in my life, and I value you immensely Hermione. That is why I have acted like a complete git. I value you as a person and I can't stand the thought of you returning to him to live a half-life, because you deserve so much more than that."
Hermione sat in stunned silence. Attempting to absorb everything Draco had just laid out before her. "Draco, I- I don't know what to say." She swallows thickly. "I can tell you that I feel a profound sense of awe. I am in awe of you Draco. Not many people can completely flay themselves open and utterly expose what truly lies inside of themselves. I know I have struggled with that myself. To be truly honest with oneself can be daunting." Hermione pauses to take a sip of her tea.
"I don't know that I have done anything so profound that I deserve such grand words of flattery but all the same, I am humbled that anything I have done in my life has impacted you positively Draco. You should be proud of the man you are today; I know I am. I forgave the boy you were a long time ago and I have greatly enjoyed getting to know the man you are today. I can promise you that I am not going back to Ron. I know that I deserve more than that life." She gives him a little smirk before adding, "And I don't plan on living as a spinster for the rest of my days, so you may spread the word. Hermione Granger lives as a spinster no longer! I am going to put myself out there, and start dating again."
Draco audibly clears his throat before tousling his blonde hair. "Well, actually I'm glad you brought that up. You see, I wanted to ask you- "At that precise moment Harry's stag Patronus leaps into the room. "Hermione! Ron is awake! Come to St. Mungo's immediately." His anxious tone fades away along with the silvery wisps of the stag.
"Ron is awake! I'm sorry Draco but can we finish this conversation later?" Draco's expression falls but he nods his head in acceptance.
"Of course, let's head back to Mungo's. I'm anxious to figure out how exactly the great git of the Golden Trio landed himself in this position." Draco teases light-heartedly, earning himself a glare from Hermione before she steps through the fireplace.
As Hermione walks down the hall to Ron's room, she feels the irritatingly familiar tingling sensation crawl up her spine. She turns on her heel to inspect the room around her, only finding witches and wizards with various ailments, waiting to be seen by a healer.
"Granger? What's the matter?" Draco asks a few paces ahead of her now.
"It's the oddest thing. Maybe I'm paranoid but I have been getting this feeling as of late that I'm being watched." Draco's form instantly stood alert, assessing the space around them for any threats.
"Why have you not said anything to Potter or me about this? Especially with everything that has been going on as of late." She could hear the edge in his voice, gone was playful Draco, and in his place stood Auror Malfoy.
"Well, I tend to be a little paranoid after the war, and I figured most of it was in my head. I didn't think it was something to bother either of you with." Seeing the concern in Draco's face leads her to believe there is more going on here than she realizes.
"Granger, after we check on Weasley, we will be having a little chat with Potter." Draco pulls her into his side protectively before moving down the hall.
They make their way into Ron's room where they find him visiting with Harry and Ginny from his spot on the bed.
Three sets of eyes take in Draco's hand resting firmly at the small of Hermione's back. Ron attempts to swing his legs over the side of the bed before Harry rushes to push him back down. "What is this wanker doing here Harry? For all we know he's the one who did this to me! Take your filthy death eater hands off of Hermione." Ron's face had taken on the color of a tomato and his chest was rising and falling rapidly.
"Ron, you need to calm down. Malfoy is here in an auror capacity, right Malfoy?" Harry asks while his tone implies Draco needs to play along.
"Yes, official auror business. Potter is too close to the case, and it would be entirely unprofessional of him to take part in this investigation." Hermione covers her giggle with a cough.
"Why's he got his hands on 'Mione then?" Ron's tone overflowing with jealousy despite his weakened state.
"Just keeping her warm, Weasley." Hermione let out a frustrated groan before shoving Draco into the hallway, slamming the door, and casting a quick locking spell.
"Are you still on a death eater kick 'Mione or is it the gold that keeps you around?" Ron's tone leaking acid.
Hermione's feet eat up the space to Ron's bed before she reaches out to take his chin in a firm grip. "Listen closely Ron because this is the very last time, I will be repeating myself. You and I are DONE. If you make one more disrespectful comment about who I choose to spend my time with, I will walk away from nearly seventeen years of friendship, and I won't be looking back. I am beyond fed up with the jealous ex act, so you need to drop it. Are we clear?" Their faces mere inches apart, she can see the internal struggle being waged beyond those blue eyes.
"We're clear." His tone is slightly muffled by the fact that Hermione is still gripping his chin. Letting go, she nods before turning to greet Harry and Ginny.
"Well, that is one way to make an entrance." Ginny's eyes meet Hermione's in a silent question.
"Hi Ginny, Harry." She gives them each a peck on the cheek before taking a seat next to Harry.
"Have the healers come by with any new information?"
"Nothing new to report. Ron's vitals are improved since he's been awake. Everything remains the same with his magical core though." Harry answers her question, but she struggles to take her eyes off of Ron. His expression fell and the slight rosiness in his cheeks fades away. She could only imagine what he was feeling right now.
Realistically his magic may never be restored, and it was something he was going to have to come to terms with. Growing up in a household full of wizards, with little knowledge of how muggles truly lived, it was going to be a life-changing adjustment for Ron and her heart ached for her old friend.
"I am here for you Ron. I hope the healers can find a cure but if they can't, I'll help you in any way that I can as far as adjusting to muggle life." Ron didn't seem to be thrilled at the offer but gave her a small smile all the same.
"Do you think I can bring Draco in without the two of you tearing each other down?" She asks.
"As long as the ferret keeps his thoughts and hands to himself." Hermione rolls her eyes at the less-than-stellar attempt at even politeness.
She waves her wand at the locked door, watching as Draco stomps into the small space. "Granger, if you do something like that again, I swear to Merlin that I will put you over my knee faster than you can say Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration!" Draco growls in frustration.
"Be careful Malfoy, your kink is showing." Ginny's laugh is mischievous as she ribs Malfoy.
Malfoy smacks his forehead in feigned idiocy. "What would I do without you Ginerva, I thought I'd left it at home in the box with my other kinks." Ginny guffaws louder when Malfoy gives as good as he gets.
"Can we please stop talking about Malfoy's kinks!" Harry demands face reddened.
Hermione was attempting to banish all thoughts of Malfoy having a spanking kink but found herself unsuccessful as she recalled how those calloused hands felt against her own fingers. She wonders for a moment what they might feel like as they caressed the silky skin of her backside before colliding with a sensitive cheek.
Malfoy must have noticed her silence as he gave her a cheeky grin before whispering in her ear, "Does that excite you, Granger, the thought of me having a spanking kink?"
Her cheeks instantly reddened at being caught having an entirely inappropriate fantasy. "Uh hum. Before we continue, I need to know that you can play nice with Ron so we can figure out what happened to him. Do you think you can handle that Draco?" She practically purrs the question.
"Oh, I can handle it, Granger." He purrs back.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Harry and Ron mutter at the same time while Ginny is cackling from her seat.
"Whatever this is that is happening right now, can you please do it away from my presence?" Harry's tone panicked.
Hermione feels her cheeks heat further. Questioning what exactly was happening in her brain. Why was she flirting so outrageously with Draco, and even more so, why was she doing it in front of her friends? After mentally giving herself a strong talking-to, she turns back to Draco. "I'll behave now, will you begin the questioning?"
Draco gives her another devilish grin before turning to Ron. "Alright Weasley. Tell us what you remember from the day you were abducted until you showed up at Granger's house." Draco removes a shrunken muggle recording device from his pocket, quickly enlarging it before pressing the record button. He continued to surprise Hermione in moments like this.
"After I left the shop, I remember going to see Harry, we had a row, but he convinced me not to press charges against your ferretness, from there I went back to my flat, I got ready for quidditch practice, we are getting ready for the upcoming season, so practices have been more intense than usual. After practice was done, I remember making my way to the locker room. I wanted to shower when I got home so I threw on my clothes from earlier and then everything went black.
There are things here and there that I remember. It was dark wherever they kept me, I could hear voices occasionally, but I think I was the only one being held captive. I do remember when they'd take me out of the space they kept me, they cast a charm I'm not familiar with to take my sight away."
Hermione watched as Ron's expression turned fearful. It was one she recognized well within herself. "I couldn't see what they were doing to me, but it felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out. I think I know now that they were taking my magic. I think it would be like having your very bones ripped from your body, but you're left alive with the knowledge that you'll never be whole again." Hermione felt twin tears falling down her cheeks to match Ron's. She squeezed his hand firmly between her own.
"I don't know much of what happened after the pain. I woke up in an unfamiliar area of London and stumbled down a few streets until I was able to stop one of those cabs Hermione taught me about. I gave the muggle Hermione's address, it's the only one I could think of that was in muggle London. The rest you guys know already." Lines of exhaustion colored Ron's face.
"Just a few more questions and we can let you get some rest." Hermione's heart softened at the genuine sympathy in Draco's voice.
"Is there anything at all that you can recall after you left the shop? Anything that stands out as different than usual, even the smallest thing could mean something." Draco encouraged. She watched his eyes take on her least favorite color, flat gray. He must be occluding she thinks.
"Nothing really stands out Malfoy. I left the shop, I was extra pissed because a bee stung me right after getting into a fight with you, and then everything is as I told you." Draco nodded in acceptance before moving to press stop on the recorder.
"Wait." Hermione reaches for Draco's hand to halt his movement. "Did you see what stung you?' She asks, feeling something cold stirring in her chest.
"Uhm no, I figured it flew away. Does it matter?"
"Where did you feel it sting you, Ron?" She pushes.
"It wasn't a big deal 'Mione. I think it stung my neck. Why are you so interested?"
"Is healer Andrews on duty right now?" She asks shakily.
"Hermione, you need to tell me what you're on about." She takes in Ron's concerned and Draco's calculating gaze before sending her Patronus to healer Andrew, requesting his immediate attention.
"Granger, I never thought I'd see the day, but I agree with the Weasel but, you need to tell us what's going on." Draco insists.
"I need to test something first. Just trust me, okay?" Her eyes meet Draco's for a moment before he nods in agreement.
"Ms. Granger, what can I do for you?" Healer Andrew asks as he makes his way into the room.
"Can you run a diagnostic on Ron to see if any minor spells may have been cast on him before he was abducted?"
"Of course, we've mainly focused on healing Mr. Weasley, but we did run a diagnostic from the evening he was taken to the day he arrived. Unfortunately, we weren't able to ascertain what spells were used on him. I'll run a new test right now." They watched as the healer's wand hovered over Ron's prone body. After multiple, complicated wand movements, a green light shimmered near the base of Ron's neck.
"Is that a tracking spell that was performed on him?" Hermione can feel her heart rate rising as Draco asks the healer.
"Yes, it appears Mr. Weasley had been jinxed earlier in the day."
"Healer Andrews." Hermione can hear how emotionless she sounds. "Will you please run a diagnostic on me to see if I have been jinxed by the same spell?"
She takes in Andrew's shocked expression before shifting her eyes to meet Draco's. Her eyes don't leave him as the healer casts the diagnostic. A soft green glow shimmers against her own neck, quickly followed by a sharp "What the fuck!"