Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

Leaning

"Draco?" Hermione's voice questioned.

"I'll be fine," he waved her off... and then his legs gave out.

Hermione caught him as he fell breaking part of the fall.

"You're still hurt," she said stating the obvious.

"I'm fine," he lied.

He was far from fine.

Even the gentle pressure of her arms around him was causing him pain. Still, he wasn't about to tell her to stop. She was holding him, even if it was just to stop him from falling over, it meant she didn't hate him enough to let him just go.

He was so tired...Draco's head dropped to her shoulder and he felt her stiffen for a moment.

You've pushed too far leaning on her.

His head felt heavy.

He moved to lift it and pull away from her and then stopped when he felt her relax and just let him be for a moment.

Merlin it felt nice to have someone to lean on.

He closed his eyes and savored the sensation.

"What do we do about...him?" Hermione's question hung in the air unfinished.

She wanted to know what they were going to do about the body next to them. Draco struggled to pull strength back into his limbs. She was right, they needed to deal with the body.

"I'll take care of it," answered Draco. "Just give me a moment," his voice was soft.

You need to take care of it sooner rather than later before someone comes in and finds you like this, he told himself.

Draco raised his head and, fighting the deep desire to just stay wrapped in the cocoon of her warm embrace he stood. Her arms were open ready to catch him if he fell again and that fact made his chest ache with a sentiment he didn't want to address.

Draco raised his wand and incinerated the body and all the traces. He look the man's wand and hesitated holding it in his hand. The wand was gnarled and black. It felt odd in Draco's hand: Cold.

Granger looked at him and he debated giving it to her. She had won the wand and its loyalty would likely have changed hands to her at the death of its master, but the wand was dark and twisted and even holding it Draco felt off. This wand had killed many.

"Destroy it," Granger said looking at him. "It needs to be destroyed."

"You're not going to ask me to let you keep it?"

She hesitated for a moment.

"No," she said shaking his head. "I could never carry a wand like that."

He could tell she meant it.

"Fine," he nodded and then snapped the wand in half before destroying it with his own. He looked at Granger.

"Will you come back to my room with me?" he asked his tone softened. "It's safer there."

"Is it?" she asked shaking her head. "If Crabbe could get in someone else could to."

"Crabbe was an idiot," Draco snapped. "I told him to stay away from you and he didn't listen he brought his fate upon himself."

"Is that what you are telling yourself?" she asked. Her words stabbed at Draco's heart. Draco hated Crabbe for what he had done, or tried to do to Granger, and yet he had been friends with the boy for years. He felt guilt at not feeling worse for having lost someone he had once thought of as friend. He was only mildly surprised that Granger wasn't happy about Crabbe's death.

She's too good for that.

Another thought dawned on him and Draco's mind went dark.

Maybe it was the pain or maybe it was the fact that he had just allowed himself to be vulnerable with her for a moment only to have it thrown back in his face that had him angry and biting.

"Would you rather the Dark Lord had killed me instead?" demanded Draco, the pain making him snap at her "I'm sure the dark lord would be all about keeping you safe once I am gone. Maybe he'll bind you to someone else? Hmmm? Someone like Greyback."

Granger lashed out at Draco forgetting that the knife was still in her hand.

She caught him across the collarbone blood staining his white shirt immediately.

Draco let out a yell as the blade sliced cleanly through fabric and flesh.

-

Poor Draco, he is so tired and hurt and worn thin. Poor Hermione. She has been through the ringer. :(  If you enjoyed reading please leave some love. Reviews make my day.