Living Proof

Chapter 20

Hermione was silent for only a few more minutes.

"Could you at least tell me how I was captured. I don't have much recollection of that night." She asked him.

Draco waited several long seconds, contemplating telling her anything. He decided it wouldn't affect anything if she knew. She was right, fate was practically sealed.

"Cursed letters. We intercepted the Weasley's mother's owl and sent a cursed letter with it for the girl. A form of imperio curse through skin contact. I created the curse." Draco said plainly. He heard Hermione's feet stop walking behind him. He turned to face her. She stared at the ground with thin lips.

"It was Ginny. I've had vague memories of seeing her that night, but after what happened with- but my memory was extremely foggy." Hermione said as she looked at the ground.

She looked up to him and he could see the look in her eyes that he had seen far too many times for his liking. "And Ron? I'm assuming you cursed him too. To do that?" She asked with a cracked voice.

Draco shook his head slightly, he wasn't completely sure of the events that took place with the Weasley boy, he just knew they had nothing to do with it. "No. We didn't curse him." He said plainly.

Hermione exhaled slowly through her nose. Draco looked in front of them up towards the navigation ball. "Come on." He said as he began walking again. Hermione held herself closer as they walked.

They walked quietly for a few more minutes. Hermione's anxiety was eating her alive, unsure of what awaited her at the Manor. Her regard for her life was at an all time high. She noticed a large fallen branch coming across their path and she had an idea. Anything to stall.

She watched Malfoy's head tediously to insure he wouldn't turn to see her. She fake tripped over the branch and fell to the ground hard, she wasn't supposed to fall as hard as she did. Her commitment to the fake fall was too strong and she actually felt her shoulder burn and her arm go numb when she slammed into the ground. Draco turned to see her rolling over and holding her shoulder.

"Granger. Come on." Draco was growing irritated because he knew Hermione wasn't a clumsy girl.

He knew she premeditated every step. He highly doubted she actually tripped and fell.

Hermione's entire left side had gone numb except for the top of her arm, it burned severely. She got to her knees as Draco approached her. He rolled his eyes and used her other arm to heave her up to her feet. Once she was standing, her injured arm fell limp by her side. Draco looked at it curiously before realizing something was actually wrong. He touched her shoulder gently and she winced with pain.

Hermione felt absolutely stupid. She was never intending to become this injured.

"Good job Miss Granger, you've dislocated your shoulder." Draco said, seeming slightly pissed. He poked the shoulder again for good measure. Hermione winced and shot him a stinging look.

Draco bit his bottom lip and gently rolled the sleeve up to reveal her shoulder. The arm hung loosely from the joint, a clear space between. Draco rolled his eyes to think.

"I don't know many healing spells." He said as he continued to look at the shoulder.

"Of course, you're quite used to the opposite." Hermione bit at him. Draco shushed her.

"Okay just hold still." He said as he took his wand out.

"No. No. Do not even try to do anything. I do not want to be permanently mangled." Hermione held her other hand up to motion for him to stop.