Hermione bathed after dinner. Viktor's towels were softer than any she had owned and she was glad that he had left her a toothbrush to use, forgetting her own. She changed into her pyjamas and crawled into the bed. Before she knew it, she was out like a light and descended into deep sleep.
Viktor had never stayed in the master bedroom before. As a child he had always shared bunk beds with his brother in the spare room, that his Grandmother later used and Hermione used now. Viktor's grandparents had not divorced, his Grandmother merely slept in a different room when his Grandfather's snoring would become so loud she could not sleep. However, when he had a quiet night, they would sleep in the master bedroom. The carpet was a deep chocolate brown, the curtains were cream and the bed was a deep mahogany. Viktor felt a little mischievous entering the room. It had always been forbidden when he was a child, so the fact that it was his now seemed very strange.
Hermione was deep in sleep when she was awoken by the small beak of an owl pecking at her window. She sighed loudly and awoke to allow the owl in. He dropped the letter on the floor and left promptly. Hermione looked down at the letter and wondered who knew where her new address was and would need her so urgently. She opened the letter carefully and sat on the edge of the bed.
Dear Miss Granger,
You do not know me, but we share a mutual friend. Draco said that you would be the best to contact in this most awful of times. I am afraid that he has wounded himself most dreadfully, attempting to do the worst. I beg of you to come quickly. My parents say they can not keep him much longer in the state he is in and I do not know who else to turn to.
Please, come quick.
There was no name left and Hermione had no idea who this person was. But she was so shocked by what she had read that she knew she had to do something. She dressed quickly and looked at the address that was left inside the envelope. She was sure she could apparate there, even at this time of night. She combed out her hair and sighed, looking at the clock. It was four in the morning and she wanted nothing less than to be apparating to Manchester. But it had to be done.
She knew she could not wake Viktor. He had been travelling for a long time and he would have to get up to work out in the morning. So, she wrote him a note and slid it beneath the door of his bedroom.
The Manchester night was cold. But there were street lights that helped Hermione massively. She looked down at the piece of paper and then looked up at the house in front of her and was shocked to find that she had apparated perfectly, right outside of the house.
Cormac had written to Hermione because Draco had given him no other option. The McLaggen family had taken Draco in at Christmas, seeing it as an act of charity. Cormac had expected them to accept Malfoy again in the summer. However, when they arrived it seemed that this was not the case. Malfoy was asked to make other arrangements and leave in the morning. Draco had no one to turn to. So whilst they all slept, he crept to the cellar and took every potion he could find. It seemed "making arrangements" meant something very different to Malfoy than it did to the McLaggen family.
Hermione gasped when Cormac opened the door. He silently invited her in, leading her through a grand house, through to the guest bedroom. Hermione placed a hand over her mouth, to hold back a cry, when she saw Draco. He was pale, paler than usual and his skin shon with a sheen of sweat.
"How bad was it?" She whispered to Cormac.
"They took a while to bring him round. But he should be okay." Hermione nodded, still in disbelief as to what had happened.
"Listen. My parents still want him gone by tomorrow lunch time. I don't know what to do. I don't know who to ask." Hermione had to suspend her disdain for the McLaggen family for a moment to think. Who would take Draco in this state? If Ron and Hermione were still on talking terms, she was sure that Molly would take him. But no doubt that Molly had Harry as well as all of her children at the Burrow, Hermione could not ask her to take on another, especially with Draco in this state. She could perhaps ask Neville and his Grandmother, but she was sure that Neville's Grandmother would hold the same views as the McLaggen family.
Hermione sat beside Draco and wondered what she could do, who she could ask to do this massive favour for her. She could maybe ask Seamus, but she knew that his family were just feeding themselves, let alone another mouth. She was sure that they would take him, but she could not put that burden on them. She knew that Cormac expected her to take him, but that was just not possible. It was not her home, it was Viktor's. She could not just bring another man into his home, to look after him, without asking Viktor. And she had to admit that she wanted to be alone for her summer with Viktor. She knew that their time together would be ruined if Draco was bunking with them.
She had no one else to turn to, this was her last resort. She apparated to McGonagall's house at seven in the morning, in hopes that she would be awake. Hermione knocked at the old door, hoping that she would receive an answer. She sighed in relief when Professor McGonagall answered the door, in her dressing gown and slippers.
"Professor McGonagall, I am sorry to wake you and I know I shouldn't be here out of term time, or at all. But something terrible has happened." Hermione could not stop the tears now. She had remained strong in Draco's presence, not that he was awake, but she could not stay strong any longer.
McGonagall could not have imagined how terrible Hermione's news could be.
"So they are kicking him out by noon today? What terrible people." Minerva shook her head, judging Cormac's parents.
"I have no one else to turn to, no one else I can ask." Hermione pleaded and Minerva nodded strongly.
"Of course. I can not have that poor boy roaming the streets of Manchester. I shall keep him here with me." She stated and then left Hermione, to go and dress.
Viktor awoke early to work out. He loved running through the streets of Sofia, the part that muggles never knew existed. He could watch people beginning their day, shops opening their doors to customers and milkmen riding along, delivering their goods. However, this morning did not go how he had planned. He awoke to find a note at his door.
Viktor,
Something terrible has happened.
I am going to Manchester to help a friend.
I didn't want to wake you.
I shall be back tomorrow.
Please forgive me.
Hermione.
Viktor looked down at the note and noticed how scribbled her handwriting was and how worried she must have been and how awful the event must have been to make her flee in the middle of the night. Viktor wished she had just woken him and told him what was wrong. Because now he had dozens of unanswered questions and only a note to go on. He was worried, but he trusted Hermione.
It turned out that Viktor's run still helped him. It allowed him to forget about his worry for a moment and allowed him to focus on the task at hand. However, once he got to the chocolate shop that has always been his favourite as a child, he felt his heart yearn for Hermione. What was happening? Who was she helping? Why was it always she who had to sacrifice? He felt his bottom lip quiver and decided that he should bring her down to the shop, when she got back, after taking her to his favourite tavern.
Cormac was shocked to see McGonagall at his door, with Hermione. She looked down at him with judgment in her eyes, this disdain grew when she noticed his parents stood behind him.
"I am going to take the boy. He shall be in better hands." She stated, looking at the parents' obviously offended expressions.
"It is this way, Professor." Cormac led Minerva up the stairs, to Draco's room. He was awake now. But sweat still dripped down his forehead and stuck his hair to his skin.
"Oh my goodness." She gasped when she saw the boy.
"Hermione, pack his things. To think of kicking a boy out in such a state! It is unthinkable." She shook her head. Cormac turned a deep shade of burgundy and hid his face from Minerva.
Hermione packed away Draco's things, glad that McGonagall was being so proactive. She had lifted Draco up and changed his clothes, with Hermione's help.
"Professor McGonagall?" Draco whispered, testing out his voice.
"Yes Draco, you are going to be staying with me for the summer, okay?" He nodded and Minerva was pleased with this.
"I am going to get someone to pick us up, there is no way I can apparate with him in this state." Minerva announced. She looked over to Hermione, who was understandably exhausted.
"Go home, my child. You have done well by this boy." She reassured her and Hermione smiled.
"Come and see him in a few days time, I will ensure he is in better shape." And with that, Hermione used the energy she had left to apparate back to Sofia.