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Reborn	By : BranowynIvy Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 8630 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Harry had to close his eyes, he had to look away. He could not watch this, even when he knew the truth, he still could not force his gaze to the grim scene below him. One of his best friends…dying. The trap had been set. Bellatrix and her cronies were watching from afar, their presence supposed to only be known by Draco and Draco? He was fighting with Hermione, to the death. At least it was believable. The way they screamed, the sounds of spells sizzling and screaming in the air and then, finally the potion Hermione had taken kicked in. Her mouth formed a shocked 'O' as her vision wavered, her legs suddenly weakening. Draco sent the correct forged spell flying towards her and it connected with a sickening thud. Harry shook his head angrily as she cried out. Pain, real pain. The Death Eaters would know the difference.

Hermione felt on fire, every limb, every nerve. She screamed again, the sound ripped from her throat as the burn spread, scalding every inch of skin. She fell to her knees and her eyes found Draco, his mouth twisted into a familiar sinister grin but when she met his gaze, just as the air left her heaving lungs she felt something. Something unexpected. His eyes had softened, the silvery depths filled with something other than malice and hate. She fell forward as her body gave out; crashing bodily to the ground and her last thought was lost in the darkness.

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She had died, her consciousness leaving her broken body like a mist, formless and weightless. She was free from the pain that seared her and from the fear that crippled her. Now she felt nothing. No anger, no joy, no fear, no hope. Emptiness. Silence. How long? Did it matter? Time held no meaning. She drifted across a starless night. Free.

"Granger?"

Her silence was broken, the sound deafening.

"Granger, wake up. "

The mist that was her body began to take form. Something solid touched her and it was violent.

"Damn it, wake up. Now!"

She knew that voice. She could feel again, hear again and a part of her regretted of her longed for the peaceful nothingness that she had been torn from. She tried to move her lips to speak. She tried to open her eyes to see. No avail.

"Granger, you cannot be dead. You have to wake up now. Can you hear me?"

She felt a sound gather in her throat and flow past her tongue and lips. It was moan, incoherent and low.

Draco took a deep breath, relief washing over him. He had promised the witch that she would live and a Malfoy always held his promises. "Open your eyes."

She shook her head and groaned again, her rigid arms moving to cover her face.

Draco caught them and held them to her sides, "Open them, say something."

She mumbled something obediently, her brow furrowing in frustration at her lack of brainpower.

"What?" He asked, concentrating on her answer.

She licked her lips and tried again. "Bloody annoying…"

He chuckled and released her gently, "Welcome back."

Grudgingly, Hermione opened her eyes, blinking at the sudden pain when the light hit them. "How long?"

"You died 26 hours ago."

She frowned at that, "I thought it was only supposed to last 24 at the most."

He shrugged. "Yeah, me too."

She squinted up at him. "I bet you wish I hadn't woken up."

He nodded thoughtfully, his smirk stealing over his mouth. "Well, you are much more agreeable when you are lifeless."

"I'm sure." Hermione huffed as she pulled herself up onto her elbows, rolling her head back and forth as life returned to her limbs.

"However, cold and gray skin is not something that looks good on you. You should try and avoid it in the future."

Hermione ignored him as her last few memories flooded back to her. "Did they buy it? Did it work?" She asked anxiously.

"Yes. The whole Wizarding World is mourning for you."

"And Bellatrix? Do they trust you?"

"More than ever."

She let her head fall back onto the pillow gratefully. "I hope this works."

"It will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because. It was my idea."

She was unable to hide her smile at that. Egotistical Draco Malfoy.

"Do I amuse you?"

She closed her eyes again, finding the effort to keep them open was too much. "Not usually." She rolled onto her side stiffly, "I am not in my right mind. You cannot hold it against me."

"Oh I can and I will."

"Prat."

Draco chuckled and leaned back onto his haunches as he watched her drift away again. At least her color had returned. She would live.

Hermione fell back asleep smiling and woke up a few hours later feeling much more rested and much less dead. She groaned as she stretched, feeling her muscles protest with every move. It felt wonderful. When she opened her eyes she was able to actually look around her this time. Her vision had returned to normal and she began to inspect her new room from where she lay in bed at the center.

It was everything she expected and more. Extravagant, elegant furnishings and it was warm when she had imagined it would be cold. The crackle and pop of a nearby fire caught her attention and she threw her heavy comforter away from her body as she sat up.

"Morning Muggle."

She jumped at the sudden intrusion in her silence. "Malfoy? What are you doing in here?"

"Making sure you wake up." He stood up from the chair he had been occupying on and off all evening and moved a few steps closer to her.

"Well I am awake! You can go now."

"I thought you might like a tour when you could find the strength to stand. Seeing as how the Manor is a big place and you don't know your way around. Maybe I was wrong."

He started to turn when Hermione made herself call out to him. It was difficult. "Wait."

Draco's brows rose in expectation.

"That was kind of you. I think-" She frowned at her mostly unresponsive legs and wiggled her toes experimentally. "I think I can stand."

Draco's protest was a split second too late and suddenly he was darting across the room to catch a tumbling Hermione. "Damn it, don't rush." He whispered roughly as he tightened his arms around her waist and hoisted her to a standing position.

"I- I'm sorry." She stumbled on the word, so foreign to her tongue when conversing with Malfoy.

He grunted his acknowledgement and took a step, one arm still on her hip to keep her steady. "Try again."

Hermione nodded and pushed one of her traitorous feet forward and then another, beaming at the small progress. Soon he was able to let go entirely and she was walking on her own, albeit not as gracefully as usual.

When he was satisfied that she would not fall on her face he motioned for the door,"Shall we?"

Hermione nodded and turned to follow his lead. He took her through the Manor slowly and with patience. Touching on each of the rooms unless they were obvious. There were no house elves employed at the Manor, their eyes and ears too much of a security for the presumably deceased Hermione Granger. Eventually the tour was at its end and the two were on their way back to her room so that she could rest.

Hermione notice that her companion was opening his mouth as though to say something and then closing it with a snap as though deciding against it. He did this several times before she called him on it. "Is there something you want to say?"

He cast her a wayward glance, "No."

"Are you sure?"

He pursed his lips, "I just-"He looked at her again. "I just wanted to ask if…did it hurt? I mean, it seemed- You looked…"

"I felt like I had been set on fire. Like my skin was melting away from my body." She felt a shiver course through her as she relived the moment.

"I am sorry."

She gave him a small, controlled smile. "It should not have happened. I should have controlled myself and not gone after you that night."

"Yes well, I shouldn't have baited you."

"You do know all the right buttons to push, don't you?"

He chuckled lightheartedly, "I should, I have been studying since first year."

She stopped in mid-step and Draco followed suit, turning to face her in confusion. "I am really glad." Her fingers reached for him and before she knew what she was doing her hand had found what it sought and now rested on his forearm. "I am glad that you are with us. I mean, I wasn't sure but now…"

"Proved myself have I?"

She nodded. He smiled. "It wasn't easy you know. In order to be here, standing in front of you like this, right now, I had to go against everything that I was ever taught. It might have something to do with my less than cheery disposition."

Hermione laughed, "Well that is a good excuse, what is mine?"

Draco glanced down at her hand, "You have a million reasons to hate me. I do not pretend otherwise."

"I gave as good as I got."

"Right."

Suddenly, Hermione realized that she was touching Draco. And suddenly, his skin seemed very, very warm. She pulled her arm back, laughing nervously as her opposite hand began tugging at her hair.

Draco tilted his head to the side, "Everything okay?"

She rocked on her heels and cleared her throat. "Mm? Yes. Maybe we should head back."

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Several days passed much the same as they had since Hermione arrived at Malfoy Manor. She read by firelight in the morning and night and roamed the halls in the afternoon. There was so much history waiting to be discovered in those halls. Sometimes Draco would visit, bringing food and news and well received bouts of company. She found a rhythm that suited her for the time being. A routine that allowed her to retain her sanity while being locked away from the light of day and the prying eyes that would be her downfall.

This night was different somehow. She didn't know why but with each crack of thunder, goose bumps would rise on her arms and the hair on the back of her neck would stiffen. The storm outside was ferocious, rain and hail, bright lightening and foundation shaking thunder. Hermione had curled up in front of the fireplace reading and re-reading the same paragraph in her book over and over again as her unease built in her gut.

Something was wrong.

A loud, whistling gust of wind washed over the manor and Hermione put her book down. It was only after the wind died down that she heard something. It was faint, as though it was far away. She stood from her chair and made her way to the door where she stopped and listened. Her ears straining to pick up the sound again.

A few moments later and she had come to the conclusion that she was no longer alone in the Manor. She stepped out of her room and made her way down the hall in silence as the noises that she now concluded were coming from the study got louder. She pulled her wand from her pocket, braced herself and pushed the door open.

"Hermione-"

"Malfoy what are you-"Her eyes widened in shock. Something was very, very wrong.
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Reborn