𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐄 [𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐢𝐱

This chapter contains a brief episode of self-harm, please read with caution.

—

HERMIONE dreaded meeting Malfoy's reaction after Zabini's visit.

She had the idea planted in her mind that he would say something to throw Malfoy off. Something to make him change his mind about his recovery, their friendship. All of it.

She waited with Avery in the staff room. Somehow she realized she was there but wasn't present, and so after an hour, she returned to Malfoy's room. He was alone, still seated in his chair, but alone.

Zabini had obviously left, only Hermione didn't know how long.

Malfoy didn't look at her, his gaze focused on the table, unmoving, almost in a daydream. Hermione's throat tightened as she watched him before she cleared her throat to catch his attention. As she had hoped, his head shot up to look at her, and he smiled.

"Hello." He said, unbothered.

Hermione's chest deflated, flashing her teeth as she felt the crinkles by her eyes show, as well as the dimples by her lips. "Hi. How did your visit with Zabini go?"

"Good, we made progress."

"Did it jog any memories?" She wondered, "Anything I need to file?"

"No, he didn't say much. He didn't even try at first, but after I said something, he agreed to help me, and then he left."

"What did you say?"

Malfoy stood and went a shoe away, reaching for his wand in his pocket. "His name."

Hermione was only half-listening to him nodded, her gaze following the direction his hand was moving, then she extended her own.

"You can't do spell work." Hermione clued him in. "Since you're only learning, you're not permitted to use any form of magic."

"Then permit me."

She laughed and shook her head. "It doesn't work like that. I don't make that decision, Healer Silverspoon does."

Malfoy spoke in an amused tone, a smirk tugging on his lips and a playful spark lingering in his eyes. "But he isn't here."

"I know." She sighed, "But he's still my boss and I have to take orders from him. I send him a report every week of how you're recovering, and he replies with my instructions."

"Come on, Granger." Malfoy enticed, stretching out the last syllable. "Just let me do one spell."

"Malfoy, no."

"One!"

"No!"

"Mudblood."

Her heart started pounding violently within the restrained cage of her chest. She felt herself pale, she was about to retch.

She knew his interaction with Zabini would turn out like this, she just knew it. However, she didn't want to believe it because she had hoped he had changed. Clearly, she was wrong.

"No, wait—Granger, I didn't mean it like that." His features morphed into a frown.

Tears began to well up in her eyes and her blood through her ears. Her lip began to quiver and her knees threatened to give out beneath her.

"Granger, I'm sorry." Malfoy tried pathetically, his eyes flitted between hers and her nose, searching for her forgiveness. It was a dead-end attempt, he would not find it, not then, not ever. She locked it away and kept out of his reach. The lock she attached was impenetrable, and the key unattainable. "Granger—"