No secrets

10

After Hermione had waken up, she refused to stay in bed any longer, she needed to be her. Hermione needed to read, she needed to study, she needed to walk around the grounds again.

Everyone had been on edge about letting her do all these things, but were willing to let her, Draco had insisted on helping her with almost everything, Hermione didn't mind Dracos help. In fact she really enjoyed watching him being concerned for her, it made her feel like he really cared for her. He did.

Hermione had been in the library studying, she, much to no ones surprise, wanted to be prepared on the exams for the next two months.

Hermione mentally groaned when she heard Dracos voice trying to find her, she really did appreciate his concern, she just wanted to study.

"Mia!, Mia I know your here" Draco whisper yelled between the shelves.

Hermione held her breath, but had slipped up when one of her books fell "bollocks!" Hermione whispered.

"Ha! Found you, what're doing?"
Draco asked, sitting next to her on the floor.

"Studying" Hermione briefly replied.

"For what? We don't have any exams for the next week" Draco asked.

"I know, I mean the next weeks exams" Hermione shortly explained, returning her attention to her study's.

"Hermione-

"I know, I know, I study to much, I... just—never mind forget it" Hermione was about to pour her heart out but decided against it.

Hermione had nightmares, nightmares about the day she had come face to face with a dementor, she was scared out of her mind. This was the second most scariest thing Hermiones encountered, the first being in the manor with Bellatrix hovering over her. Hermione decided against telling anyone about her nightmares form the day with the dementor, she already had so many people worried for her, she couldn't take anymore of the looks people gave her in the halls.

Hermione didn't know how but almost everyone had known about what had happened to her.

The face Harry had when he came bursting threw the hospital wing that day had stuck with Hermione, she knew that image wasn't going away for a long time.

"What? What's the matter?" Draco asked, drawing her attention slowly.

"Nothing, it's—it's nothing" Hermione insisted. About to pick up the quill she hadn't noticed she dropped when Dracos hand caught her wrist.

Sparks is what she felt when his hand wrapped around her petite wrist in motion. Hermione slowly looked at him through her lashes, afraid to meet his gaze completely.

"Hermione" Draco started in a dark, serious tone "what's wrong" Draco asked once again, his arm still around her wrist.

Hermione pulled out of his grip to wipe her tears she hadn't remembering falling.

That's when Draco realized he had scared her.

That wasn't his intention, but he did. Draco Malfoy truly scared Hermione Granger.

Draco instantly drew his hand, regretting his tone completely. As Draco watched the tears slowly fall from her face, he felt like a complete idiot. He had scared her when all he wanted to do was make sure she was ok. Draco wanted to be sure she wasn't hiding anything from him.

"Mia I-

"Nightmares, that's what's wrong, nightmares of the dementor, feeling that feeling all over again, like all the happiness was being drained from me as the dementor slowly came closer and closer" Hermione slowly explained, feeling more tears loosely fall from her face. Hermione may have tears falling but she looked brave, the way she did after the war.

"Mia..." Draco wasn't sure what to say. Draco went over to her, wrapping his arms around her, letting her face fall into the crook of his neck as she sobbed softly. Breathing in her scent he recalled having nightmares about his father using the Cruciatus curse on him a couple times in the past.

"I got rid of the war nightmares... a-and n-now these nightmares.." Hermione trailed off assuming he understood.

He did.

Of course he did, he hates that he did, but he did nonetheless.

"I...I got them too, they've gone away, but yea, they were pretty awful" Draco slowly tried to reassure her that he understood. Rubbing soothing circles on her back.

When he stopped hearing her sobs, she pulled back carefully to look at him, wet lashes, puffy eyes. Dracos never seen Hermione so venerable, the only times he's ever seen her like this was at the Malfoy Manor and the day the dementor almost got her.

"Thank you, for being here" Hermione whispered. 

"Always"

"Hermione! There you are! Hey, are you ok?" Harry came around the book shelf, kneeling next to her.

Harry had suspected there was something going on between hermione and draco, but let it go seeing as his red headed girlfriend was already under investigation on finding out what's going on between them. Harry couldn't help but feel protective over Hermione, even before knowing he was her brother. In fact finding out he was her brother, he promised to himself to always keep her safe no matter what.

"Yea, Harry, seriously I'm fine, I just got caught up in my feelings a little bit, but thanks to draco, I'm ok" Hermione reassured her brother, grabbing his hand, giving it a light squeeze. Briefly glancing at draco, hermione packed up her stuff, walking out of the library.

"Malfoy I swear to Merlin-

"I didn't hurt her, I scared her a little bit trying to find out what's was wrong, but I didn't.....I wouldn't hurt her" Draco cut him off, knowing what he was going to lecture him about.

"What was wrong?" Harry asked curiously.

"I-I don't think I should tell, she'll say something when she's ready" Draco didn't want to give up the one thing him and Hermione truly connected through, nightmares. That and he didn't want to just tell her brother, making her loose all her trust she might have in him.

"Alright, thank you Malfoy" Harry thanked Draco, Harry didn't have to clarify what he was thankful for, it was pretty obvious.

Harry swiftly left the library, leaving draco to his thoughts. Draco could still smell the scent of Hermione lingering in the air.

Draco wasn't sure what he felt for Hermione, but he did know he cared for her, he also knew he hated to see her hurt. Seeing Hermione vulnerable mentally stabbed Dracos heart to see her in tears.

Draco knew what he thought he felt for her most likely wasn't mutual, but he sense she was safe around him.

She was.

She always will be.