Meet Me In The Broom Cupboard

Chapter Twelve: Seventh Year, The Battle of Hogwarts (pt. 2)

Hermione could barely keep it together as they all gathered in the Great Hall and tended to the wounded and counted the dead. Harry had disappeared after Voldemort's request and she feared he had done something incredibly stupid.

Silent tears had been streaming down her cheeks ever since she had seen George Weasley hunched over the lifeless body of his twin, Fred, and only flowed quicker the more she realised what had been lost.

It had been an hour since she'd seen Draco and she couldn't shake the feeling that he was among the fallen. When she saw the Death Eaters walking across the courtyard, and a lifeless body in Hagrid's arms, she let out her first sob. Ron held it together for the both of them as the crowd formed and they listened to Voldemort shout about Harry's death.

She was momentarily relieved when she heard Voldemort say Draco's name, realising he was alive, and stretched her neck to find him in the crowd. He was near the back, eyes wide and his hands shaking, when he caught her gaze. He took a deep breath and pushed his way towards her, bowing his head and whispering something to her before he crossed over to the Dark Lord's side.

'Trust me.' He had said.

As it always does, the next ten minutes passed in a blur. The final fight. Harry wasn't dead, Draco saved his life by throwing Harry a wand, and Voldemort was finally gone for good.

Without knowing why, Hermione found herself walking along the corridor to a familiar broom cupboard and laughed to herself when she realised she had actually come back here like she promised. She'd left the Great Hall when it became too much, the emotions overwhelming her, and she slipped out to get some fresh air but her feet had carried her here.

As she wandered down to the end of the corridor, which was filled with rubble after part of the roof had been destroyed, she found the broom cupboard with the door detached and lying a few feet away. She found a relatively clean spot to sit facing the open cupboard, and calmed her mind for a while.

'Fancy seeing you here, Granger.' A voice drawled over her left shoulder. She whipped her head round to see Draco limping towards her over the rubble.

'I once made someone a promise about a broom cupboard.' She said with a smile.

'Looks to me like we'll have to retire this spot, it's not very private anymore.' Draco replied, sitting next to her with a wince and pointing to the discarded door.

'Are you hurt?' She asked as he clutched his side and winced some more.

'It's nothing.' He said, trying to take a deep breath over the pain and letting out a yell.

'It's not nothing!' She exclaimed as she turned to face him, pulling her wand out. 'Tell me what happened.'

'My father.' He said through gritted teeth as she undid his buttons and opened his shirt to reveal the bruises.

'Shit.' She mumbled as she traced his ribs with her fingertips. 'I think they're broken.'

'That's what it felt like when he gave me a good kicking for "defying the Dark Lord".' He mocked with a laugh, which hurt like a bitch.

'Do you trust me?' Hermione said quietly, looking into his eyes. He nodded and she helped him lay down so that she could heal him. 'This is probably going to hurt.'

'Can't hurt anymore than it does right now.' He mumbled, but he took her free hand in one of his and gripped it tightly.

'Brackium Emendo.' She said with a wave of her wand. They both heard a harsh snap as Draco held a scream behind gritted teeth.

'Merlin, Granger...' he mumbled as he caught his breath. 'You're trying to kill me.'

'Do you feel better? Did it work?' Hermione asked, running her hand across his ribs once more. He didn't flinch this time, only let out a sigh and grabbed the hand that was on his chest to hold against his skin.