The Baby Project

Picking Up the Pieces

Draco sat with Harry and Ginny outside of the Hospital wing for what felt like an eternity. Finally, all the light subsided, and McGonagall came out. Her hair was drizzled, and she looked more worn out than she ever had before. Draco was so startled by her appearance that he only thought the worst about Hermione. He was trying to keep his anger in when he heard a familiar voice. 

"Malfoy?" It was a small voice from inside the wall. Hermione was barely speaking. 

"You can go in, Mr. Malfoy, but I want you to know she is going to be tired and weak." McGonagall nodded to the other two students and started walking back towards her office. 

"Headmistress, can we do anything for you?" Ginny asked pleasantly. 

"I think I am just going to go to bed. I suggest you either both go in there and sit with your friend or do the same." 

Draco sat at the end of Hermione's bed. She seemed smaller than before. He looked at every inch of her he could see. He didn't know what to do, what to say, or how to make her feel better. He did notice her shallow breathing and the fact that her arm was still bandaged.  

"She is going to be fine; we were successful. She will still have her scar, but the dark magic is gone. She is just going to need some time to recover. She is a fighter, though, let me tell you." Madam Pomfrey walked to the bed and undid the bandage on Hermione's arm. Changing it quickly with magic after it had been taken off. In the midst of everything she was doing, he saw that her arm just looked like a scar now. A terrible scar, but it wasn't bleeding, and it didn't look like a fresh wound either. 

"Malfoy, I think we are going to visit in the morning." Harry interrupted Draco's thoughts. All he did was nod and turn back towards Hermione. 

Ginny had been right; he had liked her for a long time; he just wanted his father to like him more. He had been too much of a coward to do anything about it. How could he stand up and be the man she needed now when he had been so horrible to her for so long. 

"Draco?" Her voice was still faint like before.

"I am here." He wasn't sure what to say still.

"Thank you." She whispered before falling back asleep. His heart swelled, and he felt everything in his protective nature to do anything he could for the women laying by him. He wanted to tell her everything, but they had only spent so little time together. 

He thought that maybe saying it to her while she was sleeping would help him gain the courage to do it while she was awake. Someday.

"Hermione, I...I know you are sleeping, and I know we aren't really together, just partners, but I want to be when you're ready because I am ready. I want you to know that I'll be patient, and I will protect you. You are all I have left." Draco was quiet; he just watched her sleep. It felt good to say it out loud. He had thought much of it since they were little. 

"Draco, how could you say that we are not together." Hermione's voice rang in his ears, and he was frozen. He really didn't know what to say now. 

"You...You heard that?" 

"Yes. It was very sweet, and I am glad you are willing to do so much for me, though I figured that already. You have saved me or got me to safety twice now." 

"I..." Draco stopped because Hermione started talking again. 

"Why did you say we weren't a couple?" She opened her eyes. They looked almost disappointed.

"I didn't want to assume. We haven't talked about anything like that."

"Well, we can talk about it now if you want. I am going to be here for a few days." She sat up slightly but winced as she moved. Everything in her body is sore.

"I don't want you to hurt any worse, are you not supposed to be resting?" Draco didn't want to avoid the topic, but he really wanted her to get better.

"Well, what am I supposed to do when no one is here? I will rest then. I want to talk now." She seemed sure, so Draco went along with it.

"Did you hear everything I said?" He asked nervously, he wasn't sure what the outcome of this conversation would be, but he figured he had the most to lose. 

"Yes. I did. I thought it was very sweet. I am just unsure how you came to that conclusion so quickly. I mean, just last year, you acted as though I was the scum of the Earth." Hermione looked down at her hands and twisted them together. She didn't want to think about them anymore. 

"Hermione. The truth is I have liked you. I don't know if I should say always, because I am not sure. I just wanted my father to like me, and be proud of me, that I did everything he did. Forced me to be everything he was. It was confusing, especially as a child." He took a breath; he had never said that to anyone before.

"Do you miss him?" She looked at Draco nervously. If they were going to be together forever, she figured they should start asking the hard questions now.

"I do as a son. I want my father to guide me through a time like this. To give me advice on how to be a good husband and father, but like me, I don't. I know he could never do that. He has hurt me too many times in life for me to miss him." 

"Why were you so excited about this law. You seemed more inclined to be on board with it than other students. I would have expected the opposite." Hermione forgot all about the topic they started on because this had been on her mind since the beginning.

"I...I never wanted to marry anyone my mother would have wanted. This gave me a chance to do not have to do that, and it also helped me get a fresh start. I may have liked you for a long time, but I would have never approached you about that. Not unless we were paired up like this. It would have been too much of a risk even for me to take." 

"I know what you mean." Hermione sighed. 

"You do?" 

"As much as I wanted to find my parents, I didn't know how I was going to tell them that I was with Ron. He is the only man ever to make me cry as he does. I have told them a little about you, but it will be easier to explain, and I think that it is already easier to explain to them without the law." She wasn't even sure what she meant by that, but they both smiled, and Hermione slid back down slightly. She was feeling tired and decided that getting rest probably was a good choice. 

"I guess I have one more question. Or maybe two?" Draco said before Hermione could shut her eyes all the way. 

"Yes?" 

"One, are we going to call one another by our first names all the time now because it seems strange going back and forth." 

"I think it nice when you call me Hermione, and I don't hate calling you Draco as much I thought I was going to that first night, but you will always be Malfoy to me." Hermione giggled at her own words and smiled. 

"Well, you are always going to be Granger to me. However, I think I will only say it occasionally because I do enjoy finally calling you Hermione."

"What is your second question?"

"Are we going to be a couple now?" Draco touched Hermione's hand with his thumb and started to rub it. It seemed unnatural to both of them, but neither said anything. Hermione hadn't found it this easy to talk to anyone, not even Ginny.

"I think so," Hermione answered. She yawned right after and laid her head down. She needed sleep. 

Draco did as well, but he just watched her for the longest time. Until finally, he felt himself drift off as well. His body was going to be sore in the morning because he didn't move. He sat at the end of the bed, with his feet on the floor and holding Hermione's hand in his.