Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Scars	By : LadyFreak Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 17581 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor to I make any money from this story. These characters are JKR's, I just play with them.

Chapter List
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When morning dawned, Hermione was shocked. How did I get in my bed? I slept all night?

She pulled her covers off and remembered her short sleeve shirt. Oh crap… he saw… he’s going to tell. They’re going to send me away for sure. I’ll be even lower than muggle born. Gods… what will I do? Okay, hold off… wait to see if he says anything.

Hermione showered and dressed in her school robes and headed to the common room. Her books from the night before were still on the table, so she organized it all and waited for Draco. She was fidgeting with her sleeves, looking at the floor when she heard the room to his door open. “Morning” he said.

“Er.. Good morning” she said awkwardly. “Umm.. thanks… for you know… yesterday… scones and … and all.”

“No problem. That couch really is not very comfortable to sleep on.” she nodded “I left your papers because I didn’t know if you had them organized or not.”

“That’s ok, they were and I’ve got them packed up now.” He started stepping down the stairs. She could see he wanted to say something to her. Hermione was not one with the ability to hide her feelings. Right now she was scared. Scared he knew her secret... and what he would do with it.

But what he had to say made her smile nervously and let out a sigh of relief. “Want to get some breakfast?” Draco read her nervousness. There was no way he would confront her now.

“Yeah, sure.”

But before they moved, he shuffled his feet awkwardly. “Granger… I really am sorry about what I said.”

“It’s ok now. Let’s go eat I’m famished!” and the two heads walked down.

No one seemed to notice that she was gone all day yesterday. Well, other than being ambushed by the little Weasley. Ginny was worried about her friend. She tried to get her to eat more and find out where she was the day prior. Hermione told her, and anyone in hearing range, that she had some 24-hour stomach bug and had woken up sick. When asked why she didn’t go to Madam Pomfrey, she told them that she was too busy enjoying the cool bathroom floor. By time the Head Boy had come back, she was feeling better and decided to sleep it off. Hermione repeated this story when approached by the Headmistress and the professors of the classes she had missed. Everyone believed her.

Well, everyone but a grey eyed boy across the Great Hall.

Draco heard her tell her story in each class. In the first class he was shocked when she mentioned his name, but looking into her pleading eyes he agreed with her story. He noticed her picking at the food on her plate meal after meal. She had to be starving.

After dinner, well for Hermione a roll, they sat in their common room doing homework for the day’s classes; Hermione cross-legged on the loveseat, Draco on an armchair nearby. He didn’t stare at her, but kept glancing her way. She finally got fed up and was in a playful sort of mood.

“Dracoooo please stop!” She whined, the corners of her mouth twitching. He looked at her straight on this time. “Sorry” he mumbled

But he went back to it 5 minutes later. Fed up with the stares, Hermione put her parchment and quill on the table and stared at him. The next time he glanced up, he was looking into her brown eyes. “er…” was all he could come up with.

“Really? ‘Er’? What is it Malfoy? Spit it out? I know I had short sleeves on when you carried me to my room. You’re not a stupid boy and you’re very observant- too much so in actuality. So what? What’s the problem?”

“Scars” was all he said, looking down into his lap before looking up again. Hermione nodded and waved her hand at him to continue. “I saw the scars from Bellatrix. I thought they would have healed over. I never thought… I didn’t know you had a reminder.” He looked up to her with pain in his eyes. “I. Am. So. Sorry.” He took a shuddering breath. “I am so sorry for what you had to go through in my home. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more. I’m so sorry I was too weak to for anything but follow my father and a mad man. I’m so sorry.”

Hermione could see the raw pain and pleading in his eyes. He was sorry, of that she was sure. “But it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything.” As soon as the words left her mouth she knew it was the wrong thing to say. Draco looked to his clenched hands with slumped shoulders.

“That’s the point, though, isn’t it?” he asked with a sneer, more to himself than anything else

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Hermione stood from the couch and walked over to Draco, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I forgive you Draco.” She felt him shudder beneath her hand. “I want you to know that you are not to blame. I don’t blame you in any way. The past is the past. The war is gone. Let’s move forward, not backwards.” She stood by him holding his shoulder until she could feel his shaking stop. She moved back to her spot on the loveseat.

Hermione pulled her papers back towards her and returned to writing her charms essay. She let him have his solitude, leaving him to peace to pull himself together. After about 5 minutes, he cleared his throat and asked the question she was dreading. “The others?”

“The other what?” She asked feigning ignorance. He just smirked at her, knowing full well there was nothing ignorant about the woman sitting in front of him. “Fine, fine.” He looked at her expectantly. “No I didn’t mean fine I would tell you, I mean fine as in I knew what you were referring too.”

“Hermione…”

“No. Today is only the second day of classes Draco. That is very personal information that I’m not comfortable sharing with you…” she watched as his face fell. “We’re not there yet Draco, we may never be. I promise you though, when I need to talk about it, I’ll come to you. Okay?” He nodded in assent. “But I need you to promise me something Draco.” He looked at her again. “Don’t tell a soul what you’ve seen. You cannot tell anyone about any of it. Nothing you saw and nothing that I may tell you in the future about what you saw. Can you do that?”

“Of course” he said with a determined look.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. She glanced a Look at the clock. “Oh gods” she said as she yawned and stretched. “It’s already 11. We’ve got patrols tomorrow, so I’m going to get as much sleep as I can tonight. Good night, Draco.”

“Night, Hermione”

Draco felt like his head was going to explode. Not from the essay that sat before him half finished, but from everything Hermione had said to him. I don’t blame you in any way... The past is the past... The war is gone... Let’s move forward, not backwards. Her words were like a mantra floating through his mind. He felt the pressure that had been around his heart since that fateful day in the manor, lift a bit.

Then there was the rest of the conversation. She couldn’t tell him, but maybe later. She also promised if she needed to talk about it, she would talk to him. It’s better than nothing, he thought. It’s better than her thinking she has no one.

And with that, Draco headed to his own bed.
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Scars