Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

Healing

"BECAUSE I DON'T!"

Draco's words reverberated off of the tile of the bathroom leaving Hermione's stunned silence in their wake.

"What did you just say?" Hermione asked, he voice barely above a whisper.

He couldn't be serious.

How could the man who had saved her life not matter?

How could the man who had risked it all for her not matter?

How could someone who cared enough to nurse Fred back to health not matter?

How could he think for one second that he didn't matter?

"Forget it," said Draco shaking his head. "It doesn't matter."

"Oh yes it does," said Hermione finally catching her bearings from what Draco was saying. Hermione heard the unspoken 'I don't matter' which so clearly was what he was implying.

Hermione grabbed his arm and Draco hissed at the pressure because she had forgotten for a moment and grabbed him where he had been burned. Even though the skin was healed closed there was still damage left.

"Dammit," Draco yanked back with a a scowl, his other shoulder bumped against the white tile of the wall as he seemed to stumble and lean on it for support.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Draco I didn't mean-"

"Just go," he cut her off.

She couldn't.

Even though she knew what he wanted in that moment was just to be left alone she couldn't do it. She couldn't abandon him here and now with those thoughts thinking to himself that he had caused her nightmare. Thinking that she didn't care about him and that he didn't matter in general.

"No," she said firmly shaking her head. She had no idea where the stupid notions had come from but she wasn't about to stand idly by and watch them run rampant through his head.

"Fucking go!" Draco yelled towering over her and pointing to the door wile the other held the wall for support.

Hermione heard his voice crack just at the end reminding her that under the fury she saw in his face there was something worth risking his wrath for-The truth.

Draco deserved the truth.

Hermione stood looking up at him, stubbornly refusing to move.

"You said that you don't matter to me. That is not true."

"Yeah," he tolled his eyes. "I'm your ticket out and your a good person and I 'matter'" He made quotations in the air. "As a human being." he shook his head. "You're fine Granger, I'm not judging you for not liking me. I'm your captor remember. You shouldn't give a shit what I think and you sure as hell don't have to defend yourself."

"I'm not defending myself, I'm defending you, You idiot!" she shoved at his chest on the good side. "I care about you! You great pompous git!"

"Yeah," Draco rolled his eyes. "You care about me like you care about a god-damn stray dog."

"Bullshit!" Her voice went shrill as if some part of her vocal chords wanted to shatter whatever it was in his ears blocking him from being able to hear and believe her.

"Its true! " Draco pushed off the wall and walked towards her. "Otherwise-"

Draco wobbled and she watched him blink several times in rapid succession. 

For a moment it looked as if he would catch himself and then she saw his legs buckle. Hermione reached out automatically and caught Draco as his legs gave way.