Cruel and Beautiful World

Chapter 24: Helter Skelter

"Hold still, will you?" ordered Hermione as Draco fidgeted on the bed. She was trying to rub the last of the blue paste he had purchased for her that first day on his bruises, but he was being difficult.

"You shouldn't waste that stuff on me, love. It's supposed to be for when you leave."

The faint hint of a smile crept onto her face. "I'll send Bronson to buy me more." She grabbed his arm and held it still while rubbing the paste on it. This time, he gave in and let her. "So is that what you're going to call me now?"

Draco smirked. "Maybe. Why, do you not like it? I can always call you Granger. The owl I got this morning did say the taboo was only on your first name."

"Whatever you want, Draco. I'm not exactly in a position to complain."

"I suppose I can always mix it up every now and then like your pretend boyfriend. Would you like that, sugar lips?"

Hermione chuckled. " 'Love' or 'Granger' will work just fine."

Draco watched closely as Hermione began rubbing the blue paste on his chest. He could not help but smile. "It seems we have come in full circle, haven't we?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, her hands never stopping as she glanced up at his face.

"First you gave me a cupcake, and now you're taking care of me while I'm hurt. Just add a bath to this, love, and it's like we've gone back in time."

Hermione smirked. "Well, I was considering giving you one to clean off all of this dry blood." She scraped a bit of it off of his chest, trying hard not to rub the gash it had come from.

"Really?" said Draco, raising his eyebrows. "And will you be naked too?"

"Not if you want to complete the circle. You were very respectful that first night."

"Yes, well, I was a little afraid to get a full view of the damage. Just seeing you with your clothes on was horrid enough."

Hermione sighed. "Still," she said. "I know I didn't say it then, but what you did for me that first night. It ... it meant a lot."

"It wasn't creepy?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "No, Draco, you're not creepy. I was referring to the situation. I mean, what inspired you to buy me a cupcake anyway?"

Draco attempted to shrug, but Hermione grabbed his shoulders and held them still. Then she rubbed the paste on them. "I don't know. I just passed this woman in the Black Market selling them and I thought, 'Oh, right! It's her birthday,' so I bought one. I didn't realize it was going to be this big thing that you all would never let go."

Hermione's smile grew wider as she moved her hands down to his legs. Suddenly, Draco gulped, so she looked up at him again.

"So, you ... you saw Ron yesterday."

"I did," she said casually as she went back to her task.

"And ...?"

"And what?" she asked.

Draco said nothing.

Hermione frowned. "If you, for some reason, believe that there was some magical moment of clarity where I realized that he's the one I'm supposed to be with then you'd be wrong, Draco. I made my choice and I'm standing by it."

He could not help but smile.

"But that doesn't mean I felt nothing when I saw him," she added quickly before he could get too smug about it. "Sometimes I forget how much I miss him and Harry, but seeing him ... it was a bit of a reality check, I suppose."