Flames

Chapter 8 - Draco's POV

I sat on the coffee table and waited for her to explain what was wrong. She looked nervous and her hands were covered in blood.

"Granger you need to tell me what's wrong so I can help you" I said, trying to coax her into talking.

She looked about ready to cry.

"If I tell you, you'll just judge me Malfoy" She said, her voice thick with emotion.

"No, no, no! No I won't. Come on Hermione. Tell me what's wrong. We can fix it" I told her while shaking my head.

I watched as her tears spilled when I called her by her first name. She began sobbing and reaching for my wand.

"I-I need your wand so I can show you. Mine is in my room" She said in between sobs. I handed her my wand and watched as she waved it over the vines on her arms. The vines disappeared and all that was left were bloodied sleeves. I watched her wave my wand once more and make the sleeves disappear. What was left were brutal cuts and scars lining her arms up and down. Her right arm was bleeding and the cuts there looked newer than the rest.

I felt my stomach turn as I looked at her arms and saw the 'mudblood' scar my own aunt had left her, it was almost invisible under everything she had done. I took my wand gently from her hands and waved it over the newest cuts, watching as they closed up and stopped bleeding. I accioed some wound cleaner and gauze and got to cleaning her arms gently, ridding them of all the blood.

She was crying silently and I could see her tears staining her pretty costume even more. When I finished cleaning her arms, I got up to wash my hands and throw everything away. I walked back to the couch she was sitting on and sat next to her. I pulled her towards me and laid her head in my lap and stroked her hair as she let it all out.

After a while, her breathing calmed down and she fell asleep. I accioed the blanket from the other sofa and placed it on her. As I watched her sleep, I thought back to all the times I had seen her unconsciously pull at her sleeves. How she'd always wear things that hid her arms and the time there was blood in the Astronomy Tower. The signs that there was something wrong were there. She was always alone. None of her Gryffindor group was left over and even Looney Lovegood was busy with other things.

I wondered if maybe my group would be willing to accept her. I knew Blaise would get a kick out of debating with her seeing as he loved to argue and had the highest marks under me. Theo would probably follow Blaise's lead and the three of them would argue about different topics, but for the most part they'd probably get along really good. Pansy on the other hand would be difficult. She was very jealous of sharing her boys with other women. She hadn't even introduced us to her girlfriend for fear we would like her more.

I would have to talk to the guys about meeting her and maybe including her in our group activities. Now that she was in my life as a friend, I needed to protect her. It was as our Slytherin motto said, 'family forever.' Well they were my family, and now, so was she.

Sometime during the night, I must have fallen asleep because suddenly I felt someone shaking me.

"Malfoy, wake up. Malfoy, come on" I heard a far away sounding voice telling me.

I felt someone pull me to my feet and practically drag me away. I was briefly aware of my head touching my pillow before starting my decent back into slumber.

Before I could really pass out I called her back to the side of the bed, "Hermione wait. I don't want you to sleep alone. Can you sleep here?" I mumbled half asleep. I felt her climb into bed so I rolled to the other side and pulled her towards me, falling deeply asleep while holding her tightly.

When I awoke several hours later I felt a soft body wrapped around mine and looked down. The scent of strawberries filled my nose. She looked so peaceful while she slept. I carefully grabbed my wand and waved it so breakfast would start itself.

Almost an hour later I felt her begin to stir and carefully untangled myself from her arms so I could change. Before I walked into my bathroom, I left some sweats and a shirt on the bed that she could change into while I showered.

After showering, I walked back into the room and noticed she was sitting in the middle of my bed. She had changed into the clothes I had left for her. I waved my wand so the food could appear. We ate in silence. While we ate I thought about how I should bring up the subject of last night.

Before I could even say anything, she beat me to it, "I know what you're thinking Malfoy. You think I'm pathetic and weak. I already know all that. You don't have to say anything, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about last night. This is just simply how I deal with-"

"You're wrong Hermione. I don't think any of that. I was actually thinking about the fact that I'm a fucking idiot for not figuring it out sooner! The signs were there. You never show any skin, you're always alone. The day I ran into you in the Astrology Tower, there was blood where you were sitting. All the signs were there and I was too much of a fucking idiot to notice. I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner, but I know now and I'll help you with whatever it is you need. You don't have to go through this alone love. Just promise you won't do it anymore, please" I interrupted.

She looked at me in shock.

"You're my friend love. Believe it or not, you're my friend, and I don't want anything to happen…" I told her.

She nodded quietly, tears forming in her eyes.

"You want to tell me how it started?" I asked carefully.

She finished her food before finally talking again, "After the war ended, I tried everything to get rid of this… darkness that was swallowing me up. I tried drinking and smoking myself almost to death and it didn't work. One day I was getting dinner ready and accidentally cut myself. I felt… normal again. After Ron left me it just became routine. Sometimes I do it to calm myself down, like the day we moved in here and the day you asked me to the ball. I needed to know it was real and the pain tells me it is. Being friends with you has helped keep a lot of bad days away though because I don't feel so alone. I miss my friends, well, except Ron. After yesterday, I never want to see him again. I don't even want to imagine what would've happened if you hadn't shown up in time. Thank you for that, and for taking care of me when we got back. I really appreciate it"

"Hermione you can't keep cutting yourself love. This needs to end, starting now. From now on if you have a bad day or a nightmare, you come talk to me, please" I told her gently.

She nodded silently.

"As for… the weasel, I do know what would've happened, and if I ever see him near you again I'll kill him" I told her, my mood souring slightly.