Stillness

Chapter 15

When Hermione woke up, things felt different. For the first time in what had to be years she didn't feel heavy, wasn't weighed down with expectations. They knew. Her friends knew her and Draco were, well, something. She still didn't know what, but definitely more than friendly. Nothing bad had happened, no one was angry. Ron was a little confused and Harry wanted to know how it had happened but they were still there. They hadn't shamed her, or yelled at her, they had simply been curious, at least while they were buzzed from Malfoy's flask. Hermione kicked at Ginny's bed to wake her up as Parvati started digging her clothes out of her trunk. Ginny groaned loudly while rolling over.

"Hermione Granger is the devil." Ginny mumbled, pulling her blanket over her head as Hermione kicked her bed again.

"Ginevra Weasley is late." Hermione said, zipping her skirt and laughing as Ginny threw herself out of bed.

Five minutes later they were rushing down the dormitory stairs, Ginny still buttoning up her shirt. She pulled a tie from her robe pocket and wrapped it around her neck, fumbling a bit. Harry knocked her hands out of the way and did it up for her.

"We almost left without you." Ron said.

"Someone had a lie in." Hermione told them and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"We were up late last night." Ginny tried to argue.

"We were in bed at 11." Hermione said.

"Felt later." Ginny grumbled.

"That's what happens when you start drinking directly after class." Harry said.

"That's what happens when teachers don't listen. Bloody boggarts." Ron said.

As they entered The Great Hall Hermione noticed people turning to look at them. That had happened a lot when they first returned but it had died down since people began getting used to their presence. Hermione wondered what had stirred it back up. When they sat down Hermione looked over and saw Draco sulking at the Slytherin table, Pansy, Theo, and Blaise looking anxious beside him.

"Somethings going on." She said looking over at Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

As she said it a small first year approached her and tapped her shoulder. Hermione smiled at the girl but the smile fell off her face when she asked her question.

"Is it true Draco Malfoy saved you from Bellatrix Lestrange?" She asked.

"What?" Ginny said, loudly, making the girl jump.

"Um.." Hermione hummed out, trying to think of how to answer.

"Move." A quiet voice said.

The girl looked up at Draco, her eyes going wide before she turned and ran back to her friends.

"Learn that from Snape, did you?" Ron asked as Draco sat down.

"Have you heard what people are talking about?" Draco asked, ignoring Ron.

"She asked if you saved me from Bellatrix?" Hermione told him.

"Yeah, people seem to have gotten their wands crossed. Someone talked about the boggart lesson and now the latest gossip is I helped you escape the manor and tried to duel Bella when she.." Draco trailed off, gesturing at her arm.

"Is that really so bad though? It's kind of romantic." Ginny said.

"It's not what happened." Draco snapped.

Not for the first time Hermione wondered how Draco had felt as Bellatrix tortured her. She knew, even then, that he wasn't a willing participant. Remembered how sick he had looked as he looked down on her, bleeding on his drawing room floor. Hermione reached out and placed her hand on his arm, making him flinch. His gray eyes turned to her. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something but closed it as he changed his mind. He pushed his arm into the edge of the table, balling his hand into a fist.