The Shattered Dragon

Chapter 23: Bruise Paste

"No! How would I have known...Hermione, never!"

"Then what was so important for me to know? What did you need to..."

"I went to see my mother," he said, interrupting her. "Trevor tricked me, sent me an owl that looked like it was from my mother, telling me it was an emergency. I haven't seen her face in three years, Hermione. And out of nowhere I get this note that I have to see her...immediately. That she needs to talk to me. I was...I was terrified and I just...I went to her thinking that she..."

He was cut off by Hermione throwing her arms around him; holding him tight. She knew. She knew he couldn't have done that, that he wouldn't have left her knowing Trevor was going to be there. Every time she assumed the worst about Draco Malfoy, she was always proven wrong.

"I'm sorry Draco. I'm...I'm all messed up I just..." she pulled back to hold his face in her hands. "You saw your mother! I'm so happy for you. Are you OK, did you talk?"

He nodded, still frowning.

"We did. Not...for long because I felt you calling me. But as usual you were right, she was happy to see me. It felt good to see her, as much as I hate going back to that house."

"Take her to lunch," Hermione said, offering a smile. "Or meet her for a drink in London, somewhere you'll both feel good. Neutral."

He smiled then, shaking his head in disbelief. Here was Hermione, hours from being beaten, raped, humiliated and she was giving him family advice. Still, even as she spoke he could see the exhaustion in her eyes. Her hands were still shaking.

"Go back and get some rest. I'm going to have the elves bring you some tea. You need to take some time to..."

"Draco I'm..."

"No you're not." He ran his hand over her cheek, his touch gentle, tentative and she leaned into it, her eyes closed. "It's OK to not be fine. It's ok to admit you're hurt. You've always been so obsessed with everyone thinking you're strong, you're fine, you're happy. It's OK to fall apart, even in front of me. Especially in front of me."

Her chin trembled and he wiped a tear from her cheek as she nodded, unable to find the words, unable to speak for fear of sobbing.

"I just...I don't like to keep thinking about it," she whispered, looking at the floor.

"I know," he said, even though he couldn't possibly fathom the horrors that flashed behind her closed lids, the images and feelings she couldn't shake. "It will get better. Go lay down. I'll come check on you later if you want me to," he said.

"I want you to," she answered.

He kissed her forehead and left her to rest.

Blaise sat across from him in his office, his knee bobbing nervously as Draco poured himself a drink. He'd taken a couple of hours to shower and pull himself together before calling Zabini back in. He turned on his friend last night, but the truth was that if there was anyone he trusted with the girls when he wasn't there it was Blaise; and he knew that there was no way he would have let Trevor near Hermione voluntarily. They'd had their arguments in the past and he had something of an obsession with Felicia, but Zabini was a good man and he never lied.

After flopping down on the sofa, Draco let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck where he could feel a knot forming.

"I should let her go," he said, running his finger over the rim of the glass. "I brought her here on an evil impulse, a way to get back at Lucius, a way to get back at her, as if she hadn't suffered enough. If I hadn't brought her..."