Serpent in the Lion's Den

35. Raise a Glass

{Love this chapter's name... there's a couple Hamilton references I apologise I'm a huge Harry Potter, Marvel and Musicals fan!}

The room imploded.

Ron's fist collided with Draco's jaw as the other hand bundled the Slytherin up against the wall and laid into him. Hermione screamed out, shouting at Ron as tears rolled down her cheeks, her pain preventing her from being able to move out of the bed let alone reach out to the wand five inches from her.

Harry was torn between comforting his best friend and stopping Ron from killing Draco. Draco, who was simply standing there, allowing Ron to pummel into him. Harry ran over just as Bill Weasley flung the door open again and raised his wand at Ron,

"Stupefy!" he shouted as Ron fell backwards onto the floor and Harry rushed forward to catch Draco before he too fell to the floor. His nose was clearly broken and blood was spurting from a cut lip, as Harry helped him into the chair next to Hermione's bed, he thanked Bill who was dragging a semi-conscious Ron from the room.

"I'll be crucified for leaving you too alone," Harry said apologetically as he sat down on the edge of his friend's bed, "Mione it's okay, you're safe."

Hermione kept crying and flicked her eyesight between her bestfriend and her love,

"No, I'm okay, but I can't... I can't move," she sobbed, as Harry shot Draco a worried glance,

"It took all of my strength just for Ron to lift me into a sitting position," The witch continued as Draco plucked some tissues off the bedside table and groaned as he leant forward to clean her face.

"It's normal after the amount of curses Bellatrix used, you might not be able to move properly for a couple days" Draco explained as he placed a hand on her face and softly kissed her cheek. Hermione's eyes flicked nervously to Harry at the gesture but his face simply flushed as Draco peered at his witch's face smirking, "it's okay Love, seems Gryffindor's like to prey on the memories of the unconscious and Potter here had a spare pensieve."

Hermione stayed watching Harry, "How do you feel about this? I know Ron will never understand but I thought"

"Mione, I said the same to Malfoy and I'll say the same to you. It's too early for me to understand this and I'm not sure I will, but I love you and I will never reject or judge you or your choices." Harry cut her off, flicking his glance to Draco, "I may judge the people within your choices, but not your choices. I can't say the same for Ron, but he's no idiot and he realises that Malfoy saved all our lives back there and that counts for something."

"Awh Potter, I love you too" Draco smirked as Hermione's eyes filled with fresh tears as she mouthed a 'thank you' in Harry's direction before switching her glaze to Draco,

"What happened? After Dobby broke the chandelier?" she questioned.

"The elf... Dobby apparated us here and I provided a counter-curse for your arm and I sucked all the poison out of your system before passing out... my Aunt threw a dagger at Dobby as we apparated and I got in the way. I woke up earlier and Potter bought me here and well, you saw the rest" Draco explained as he shifted uncomfortably in the seat, smiling as he watched Hermione yawn and her eyes begin to flutter close. He kissed her forehead again and whispered to her before motioning to Harry to help him get up to let her rest.

Once they were outside Harry cleared his throat,

"Malfoy, why did you just stand there and let Ron knock ten bells out of you?"

"I deserved it" Draco put simply, shrugging, "I had a silencing spell on me but that wouldn't have stopped me from jumping in front of her to take the curse. Seventeen times my bitch of an Aunt cursed her and what did I do Potter? I stood there."

Harry noticed Draco's clenched fists and jaw, noticed his eyes beginning to glaze over and knew that Draco needed time alone. The Gryffindor simply nodded and flicked his wand, healing Draco's cuts and bruises,

"Get some rest Malfoy."

XXX

Harry slipped into his and Ron's room, noticing Bill still sitting in front of Ron's bed,

"How is he?" Harry questioned, walking over to the bed.

"He is fine." Ron mumbled from somewhere underneath the sheet; the wizard rolled to face his childhood bestfriend. "Is he still in there with her? Did you leave him in that room with her?" he said darkly.

Harry sighed, raked a hand through his hair and sat on the edge of Ron's bed, "No, he's back in his own room. Mione fell back asleep, she can't move properly from the amount of curses Bellatrix used on her but Malfoy said that would wear off after a few days."

"Do you hear yourself Harry?" Ron spat, sitting up in bed, "that's our bestfriend you're talking about yet you're speaking like you're reading off a damn spreadsheet! And don't say his name or his surname I don't want to hear it until Mione is well enough to tell us what she remembers, which is everything! I'll kill him and then there's something for you to read off your spreadsheet!"

"Don't." Harry said, cutting off Ron as he looked up from his lap, "do not try to tell me that I don't care, you know full well I do Ron. Until Mione can confirm or deny... his memories then nothing will be done. We all agreed on that so stick to it. And I hope for all our sakes that their stories line up."

Harry's blunt attitude towards the subject caught Ron off guard,

"Oh yeah, those memories you won't talk about, and everyone but me agreed." He grumbled and crossed his arms like a difficult child as Bill laughed at his brother's stubbornness and Harry's asperity and raised the empty glass on Ron's bedside table,

"Potter for Minister."