The Lion and The Serpent

Draco

My body feels weak and my head is pounding. I shift my eyes back and forth before my eyelids feel light enough to open. I have to blink a few times so everything around me can come in to focus. I look around the room to the complete disaster I had caused last night. Memories flood back to me. My head bumps into something soft on my right. I shift so I can look up and see Hermione. Why is she here and why am I laying on her lap? I shift and sit up and a searing pain goes up my left arm. It hurts as badly as when I got the dark mark. I look down to see the bandage around it soaked in dark blood, but the bleeding has slowed. She took care of me. Why? She slept on the floor just so she could make sure I'm okay, she's incredible. I can't believe her. What did I do to her to have her help me. I really don't want to have to explain myself. I force myself off the floor wincing at every movement. I stumble at first on my feet. Once I regain my balance, I make my way to my room. I stare around the room for a second just orienting myself. I change out of my ripped bloody cloths and throw them away. I don't need a reminder of last night. Once my uniform is on, and I look presentable enough to go to class, I go to the bathroom trying to find the first aid kit. I rewrap my arm with what's left of the bandage. I make sure my arm is covered. I don't need any questions or any more looks than I already have. I grab my wand and books and stuff them into my bag. I step out into the common room and still see Hermione on the floor asleep. This is the first time I'm seeing it, she's wearing my quidditch sweater. I didn't think she would stay in it when she woke up in the infirmary. She actually looks so peaceful right now. I think this is the first night I haven't woken up to her screaming. When she wakes up, she's going to be reminded of everything I did last night and then of everything I've done before. I can't take the thought of her seeing me as a monster more than she already does. We had made little progress but it was better than when the term started. I'm pretty sure I've just ruined whatever chance I had at a mended relationship last night. I place a blanket around her then hurry to the door so I can get out before she wakes. I can avoid her most of the day, the only issue is transfiguration and bed checks. I head to the Great Hall for breakfast. It's just started so I have plenty of time. I'll deal with the mess in the room when I get back after classes.

I barely touch anything I put on my plate. Everyone around me is chatting away but I can barely keep myself out of my own head long enough to hear what anyone is saying let alone join in the conversation. I just push my food around with my fork as I replay last night's events. Classes are about to start when Blaise shakes me out of my head.

"Dude, Draco, what's up mate? You have been so out of it all breakfast." Blaise looks at me slightly worried.

I stare at him for a second before responding. "Something happened last night. It was bad." I don't know if he can see the emotion in my eyes but my walls are about to crumble and my resolve is nearly shattered.

I look around to see if anyone is paying attention to me or my conversation. Down the table, Pansy is with her friends but her eyes are studying me. Thankfully she can't hear me so I don't give her another thought.

I go ahead and tell Blaise everything on our way to transfiguration. Blaise is clearly shocked at what I'm telling him. I'm going to try to keep my head down in class and avoid Hermione. It's only an hour. Once I've finished explaining to Blaise everything that happened last night, he's quiet for a moment.

"Draco..." He is clearly at a loss for words. Thankfully for him we arrived at class. I stop in the doorway and see Hermione already at our seat talking to She-Weasley. I look at her for a moment. Her hair is a little all over the place, more so than normal. Their conversation is clearly an important one and I'm almost certain she's explaining what went down last night.

"Draco, you have to face her eventually. She helped you last night immensely, for no reason." Blaise coaxed me to my seat with a slight shove to the shoulders.