Left Behind (A Dramione Romance)

Restless Sleep

She trembled at his touch, but didn't push him away.

After several moments she stopped being sick and pulled away from him leaning against the wall beside the toilet.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

The concern in his voice killed her as she thought of the dream.

This is nothing but a game for him. You were stupid to think otherwise.

She didn't answer him, just looked away.

She expected his wrath... Expected him to push her; to yell at her for hitting him. Instead, he stood and went to the sink filling the empty glass beside the faucet he brought it back to her and handed her the water.

She wanted to reject it, but the taste of bile in her mouth overrode the desire to push him away. She took the cup gingerly from his hands and drank down several gulps. the water was cool and crisp and refreshing on her raw throat. She hadn't realized just how thirsty she was.

Draco moved over to the mirror and washed his face. He examined his nose. It wasn't broken, just slightly bloody.

She watched as pulled out his wand and cast a quick spell and fixed his nose, then waved it again cleaning up the mess.

"Why don't you fix your eye?" asked Hermione.

She watched his posture stiffen and wondered what was going on.

"Dark Lords orders," he answered refusing to look at her.

"Why would he do that?" she asked.

"Why do you think?" he snapped, turning to face her. His voice had a strange quality to it.

"I don't know..."she managed.

"He wanted to fuck with me, to make a point and make sure that the wound, that my face scarred.. To make sure I never forget that I let Potter go and failed him." Draco sneered. "Bet you're happy about that. Happy to see a Malfoy hurt, scarred-in pain. Think I deserve it don't you?!" He was yelling and Hermione shivered.

"No..." she whispered. You don't.

"What?" He yelled. "Speak up Granger!"

"Yes!" she yelled back, refusing to repeat a truth that a part of her didn't feel like he deserved it. "Yes. I think you deserve it you selfish prat!" Her voice rose and she let her anger at her circumstance lash out at him. "You deserve it and so does your whole family. I hope you all rot in Azkaban for the rest of your lives!"

She didn't expect the spell. The silencio hit her hard sending her crashing back against the wall.

Her head connected with a sharp thwack against the wall and her eyes rolled.

When she looked back Draco was backing away in horror.

He didn't wait for her to say anything, just turned and left leaving her alone in the bathroom.

-

Draco couldn't believe what he had done.

He had hurt her.

You didn't mean to, it was just a silencio.

It doesn't matter.

He had hurt her, not for show, and not to protect her, but because he had lost his temper

Yes, it was only a silencio, it wasn't meant to hurt only silence her. Still, he had seen her head hit the wall.

He had hurt her, accident or not it was his doing.

He had proved her right.

He deserved whatever punishment came his way.

You hurt her...

He heard the soft steps of Granger coming back into his bedroom and dared to cast a glance her way.

She moved slowly towards the bed without raising her head. He was surprised when she climbed in carefully and lay down on her side of the pillows.

He wasn't surprised when she turned onto her side to face away from him.

He wanted to reach out to her and apologize.

He wanted to tell her he didn't mean it.

He wanted to hear her say she understood and that she forgave him.

Once again he couldn't do what he wanted, only this time it was because he couldn't find the words.

Draco took a deep breath and, with a dark feeling of resignation, crawled into bed beside her and fell into a brief and restless sleep.

AUTHORS NOTE: I want to make it very clear that Draco did not attack Hermione here. She has hit him several times and he has held back his temper. Directly after her giving him a bloody nose he is patient with her. It isn't until she is lashing out cruelly at him that he casts a spell which is not intended to harm her just to stop her from saying such hurtful things. My version of Draco is not perfect, but he is not abusive-it was genuinely an accident.