I'm sorry Mum, I was planning on coming to the manor today but I have to take care of my friend's kid. And the Weasleys are hosting a dinner party at the burrow soon, and I want to help out. They've done so much for me over the years and now I'll be able to pay them back. I promise I'll try to come back as soon as possible. I love you Mum
Hermione
Eleanor sighed, placing the letter down. "Who is it?" Blaise asked. They were having Lunch and Stem told them that 2 letters had arrived. "Hermione, she'll be staying with the Weasleys for a few more days" She told. "She's been gone for a week" Pansy said.
"I know" Eleanor mumbled. She put aside the letter and saw another one from Hermione. She flipped it over to open it when she saw it was directed to someone else.
To Draco
"Draco, she's sent a letter to you" Eleanor said, surprised. She handed it to him and saw he was equally as surprised, along with everyone else at their table. "Granger sent you a letter?"Tracey questioned.
"Why wouldn't she? They're friends"Pansy said instantly. Tracey glared at the letter and returned to her food. Draco didn't say anything as he opened the letter.
Since you're obsessed with knowing exactly what's happening and where I'm going, here;
I'm at the burrow, they're having a party in a few days with people from the order. I was going to share a room with Ginny but Fleur arrived a few days before so now they're together.
Me and Ron are sharing a room, we're not fighting anymore. I didn't realize how much I've missed hanging out with him. We've gone to Diagon alley a bit, double dates with Ginny and Harry. It's been nice.
His hugs are better than that Smith, mind you. I'm thinking of probably staying longer, some more time to talk with Ron. Anyway, thanks for not sending me letters every day, I don't want them to know I'm being 'babysat'. They'll never let me live it down.
Ron doesn't like that I'm sending you letters though, for obvious reasons. But I'll see you guys soon.
Hermione
Draco glared at the letter. It had been a week and she was still trying to rub it in. He knew she was lying when she tried to deny it. And now here he was, miserable while she and the weasel were having the times of their lives. They were sharing a room too.
"Draco what'd she say?"Theo asked. Draco stole a glance at him and saw him smirking, along with Blaise. "Same thing she told your mother, she'd be returning in a few days"Draco said bitterly, glaring at them.
"Doesn't seem like it"Pansy noted his tone. "Thank you for the meal Aunt Eleanor, but I think I'll go rest"Draco told, getting up from his seat. He fisted the letter as he walked out of the dining room.
He slapped the door of his room shut. "That fucking weasel"He snarled, throwing the letter across the room. He let them talk, and now they were sharing a room! And she dared to say she didn't like Weasley.
Draco paced his room, running his hand through his hair. He had been a fool, she had been there the entire week, of course she was spending it with him. And she had to rub it in!
'Ron doesn't like that I'm sending you letters though' like he had any right to speak after all he had done. After all he had done, she still loved him, she still forgave him and agreed to share a room with him. He cursed himself for ever thinking she'd stay around him after she mended her relationship with the Weasel.
He pulled at his hair, silencing the room before he let out a shout of anger.
~
"Draco calm down, she's fine she's in the other room!"
"Did you not see what he was doing, Pansy? Did you not see the fear in her eyes!" Draco snapped.
"I did Draco! I was there and I'm just as scared for her as you are!" Pansy said.
He shook his head, pacing around his room. "I should've been with her, if I had, he wouldn't have attacked her"
"Draco-"
"I SHOULD'VE BEEN WITH HER!" Draco roared, slamming his fist down on the table. "If I had- If I hadn't left her side, we wouldn't be having Aurors in our common room! If I hadn't left her side, she wouldn't be locked up in her room, terrified that he's going to get her!"
Pansy stepped forward cautiously. "It's just as much our fault as it is yours Draco. We should've helped" She said. Pansy handed him his glass of water, attempting to calm him down.
He took a sip before glaring at the cup in his hand. "He flew in... just to get to her..."He mumbled. The glass exploded in his hand, pieces flying everywhere.
"Draco!"Pansy gasped, staring at the large glass piece in his hand. She searched for her wand but couldn't find it. "I'm getting my wand, don't do anything"She told before racing out.
Draco magically locked the door behind her, glaring at the piece in his hand. "You fucking bastard"He snarled as he took the glass piece out. He threw it on the floor, and began pacing again, his hand dripping blood. "You could've stopped him!" He yelled as he punched the closest thing to him. Something broke. He heard it.
Hermione shot up from the floor instantly, out of breath. "Draco"She mumbled, her hand reaching to her mouth before the chains around her wrist grew hot. She froze, trying to sort out her thoughts. It seemed too real to be a dream. But if it was real, why was she seeing it? She had no magic, they'd proved that to her. She had no physical magical ability here.
She tilted her head back, closing her eyes as her mind went back to November. The way he cared for her, the way he wouldn't let her out of his sight, and the way he kissed her. Oh the things she'd do just to have him back. Just to go back to their times in the common room alone. She was going over a specific memory, the last one before she was kidnapped. But then...
"Draco, you must speak to him. Dumbledore can help you"
"I'm not going to the same man I have to kill, Myrtle" Draco snapped.
"He knows, I'm telling you, he can help you because he knows! I hear him talking through the pipes, you'll be surprised by what he's said" Myrtle told.
It disappeared instantly. She was breathing heavily, what was happening? They weren't her memories, she was seeing them in 3rd person. She was seeing Draco and Moaning Myrtle talking in the prefects bathroom. But Moaning Myrtle was a muggle-born...
Why was Draco Malfoy, a known prejudice and muggle born hater at the time, having a one-on-one conversation with Myrtle?
She had realized at the beginning of the year that the word 'Mudblood' hadn't left his mouth. She thought it was the war that changed him, but if he was on good terms with Moaning Myrtle during 6th year... his prejudice feelings had to have changed before. Her curiosity seemed to spark something else.
She was now in a large bedroom. She heard crying and spun around. Her heart sank when she saw a boy curled up in the corner of the room, his mother beside him. "Draco, dear, I'm sorry"His mother said, running her hands through his hair as she wrapped her arm around him.
He let out a sob, raising his head to look at his mother and Hermione saw tears running down his face. "I can't do this anymore... I can't do this anymore mother" He told, shaking his head slowly.
"You know I'm trying to get you out of here Draco, I'm trying. You just need to hang on a little longer" His mother muttered, closing her eyes as she leaned her head against his. A tear slipped through her lashes, slowly sliding down her cheek.
"Mother- I just- I just watched someone I've known for years get tortured in front of me" He cried.
"She'll be alright Draco... don't you worry... I'll heal her myself if she gets worse" She promised.
"Mother, she looked at me! She looked at me like I could save her! Like I hadn't been the one to make her life hell for years!"
"You couldn't do anything Draco and you know that. Bella would've tortured you in Ms. Granger's place, and I refuse to have you put yourself in danger like that" His mother said sternly as she pulled away. She kissed the top of his head before muttering something.
A house elf appeared, a potion in its hand. "Take this Draco, you need to rest. Who knows what'll happen when the Dark Lord finds out" Narcissa Malfoy told.
The memory was broken when the door of the dungeons opened. "Well Well Well, look who's finally awake" Hermione knew the voice well by now. The one who had been torturing her for the past week, blaming her for every mishap that occurred.
Hermione shifted away from the bars of her cell, cornering herself. "It's been a day now you know, you're lucky I made you write extra letters to send. Your dear Weasley girl has been persistent on getting you to come to their trash bin. So has your mother, she wants you home" He told.
Hermione's eyes filled up with tears once more, none of them had yet noticed anything. The man always read out their letters, and she cursed herself for not making the clues more blunt.
"And since I'm nice, I decided to send Draco Malfoy your letter. Mostly because your mother offered to send the young Malfoy to get you from the trash of the Weasleys" He added.
She closed her eyes tightly, hoping Draco wasn't mad at her. Hoping he still had a bit of care for her. Hoping he didn't honestly believe that she had smelt Ron in that potion.
"I must admit, you get a lot of letters for someone with only a few friends. I was surprised the minister of Magic owled you, to check in"
Her eyes shot open, her eyes wide. "Yes Ms.Zabini, their leads are being proven wrong every single day. Their evidence is running thin. He wants to know no one has gotten to you. But we must tell the truth, shouldn't we? Assure the minister that you are safe and happy with your family in Zabini Manor" The man told.
He threw parchment at her, and a quill with a closed bottle of ink. One of her wrists were set free, and she let out another sob. "If you keep crying, we'll cut your water supply short. I don't want to keep cleaning your tears off the letters every time" He snarled.
They barely gave her food, except for when her 'parents' snuck in some.
She bit back a cry as she reached for the quill. "What- what do I say?"She mumbled, staring at the parchment. "That you are with your brother and mother at Zabini Manor. Mention that your mother is planning a Christmas party on Christmas Day. Invite him"The man told.
It was getting tiring. Having to pretend she was alright and happy to write the letters properly. To try and leave clues that'll go unnoticed by her captors. It was getting tiring. Hermione was getting tired.