To Her

Alone

Hermione,

I talked to the healing Aurors at St. Mungo's, currently they're only allowing family to visit with Malfoy for the next 2-3 weeks. I'm not sure what came up, but I apologize for the inconvenience. Hope you're well. Owl if you need anything else.

Harry

Hedwig had come the following Monday. Though she expected this answer, it still disappointed her all the same.

Hermione sat at her work desk with the end of her pen at her lip, reading over more of Malfoy's notes.

Why was she so affected by these letters? Discovering someone had taken a liking to her in her younger years when she barely saw herself in that kind of light, it was flattering. And not just someone, it was Malfoy, a boy who had made her question her magical abilities and belongingness within the Wizarding World.

She didn't even know what she would have said if she could visit Malfoy, anyway. Asking him if he'd written them when his name was signed at the bottom of the last one, if he still felt the same as he did before. It would've changed nothing. She was with Ron. It would be foolish to ask if nothing could come out of it. Even if she wished something would, there's still a chance he or his mother could have notions of keeping the bloodline pure.

She's with Ron.

As of late, she doesn't understand why she has to keep reminding herself that she is. Spending time with a significant other, growing alongside them through adulthood, learning more about each other as both change and grow; Hermione felt that that played a vital role in a healthy relationship.

Perhaps Ron and herself grew out of each other. Or they just needed to spend more time with each other. This is what scared Hermione, she didn't know which one they required.

Taura walked in around around Hermione's desk with her afternoon tea and leaned up against it. "You alright?"

A sigh left Hermione's lungs before she could inhale to reply, "As good as I'll be for now." She pushed back her work and leaned back into her chair.

"What was the verdict on Malfoy?"

"He's at St. Mungo's, in the psychiatric ward. Harry managed to get him there safely. He says Malfoy's well taken care of; safe and recovering."

"That's a relief. I'm glad he's okay."

Hermione nodded while biting the inside of her lip.

"You're still worried." Taura inspected her body language and her tone of voice, which she always seemed to do fairly well.

With a shrug of her shoulders and a downward curl to her mouth, Hermione replied, "He was seconds away from killing himself, how could I not be. He's severely depressed and suffers from extreme PTSD. His own mind belittles him and tears him down. I just hope he realizes how good of a person he really is."

"You care for him." Merlin, Taura could see through her like a ghost.

"Course I do. I can tell he's changed, no longer the small little git he once was. He's grown out of old habits, I suppose I don't only care for him because I feel sorry for him, either. He's bright and intelligent. He made a great acquaintance, a great colleague."

"No, there's something deeper. I can sense it."

Hermione's cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "I.. I don't know."

Taura gave her a soft smile and nodded, seeming to understand that she needed to figure out her own feelings before she could speak of them. She left her alone for the rest of the day to read Malfoy's notes, and she made notes of her own off of them.