Always and Forever.

Recovery.

"Help! Healer Joseph!." was the first thing that Draco said when he reached to St. Mungo's lobby. He had carried Estella out of the Manor, who had been unconscious all along. After a minute or two, Harry apparated with Hermione in his arms, who had a minor slit on her neck, but was unconscious like Estella. Just then, the healers came and took the girls in the OT. They stood in the hallway of the wards, Draco infront of Estella's room and Harry infront of Hermione's room, and silence fell on the floor.
For half an hour, no one came in and out of the rooms. Malfoys along with Sirius came around the corner and went straight to Draco. "How's she?." Narcissa asked, but Draco just shook his head, looking at the floor, "Don't know." Same reply was heard from Harry also. "It's been half an hour, that they are still in there." Harry told them all. "They will be fine. They are both strong." Narcissa said to ease the tension between the groups but Draco shook his head again. "No, this is all my fault. I failed her. I promised her that I won't let anything happen to her, but still, I failed her." "It's not just your fault. It's mine too. I am also responsible for every single thing that happened." Harry added, to which there were a series of disagreement. Then the door to Harry's left opened and out stepped the Healer incharge. "Mr. Potter. Miss Granger is stable, but asleep. She was subjected to Cruciatus Curse, 5 to 6 times, some injuries from knifes. But no sign of any sexual assault neither physical assault on her body, other than the gash on her leg. She will need time to recover, but then again we have to check her for any lingering curse damage." patting on his shoulder, he excused himself and left them. A relieved sigh escaped from Harry, and Weasleys visibly relaxed. The group forgetting altogether about Estella, and entered the room.

It took the Healers another half an hour to give any news about Estella. Healer Joseph, had taken it upon himself, to take care of Estella. When he was done, he opened the door of the room, and silently called them in. Malfoys and Sirius Black, entered the room, they saw Estella bounded with tubes and wires around her body. Draco went to her side and gently held her hand. "What did they do to her?." Sirius asked the Healer, and he took a deep breath, and told them what had happened. At the end, Draco, who was silently holding his emotions, sighed in relief. Nodding a thankyou at the Healer, he went back looking at Estella, who was looking peaceful in her sleep. "Healer Joseph, please, if it's possible, don't disclose this matter with anyone else." Lucius requested him, to which he smiled and said, "I was going to suggest you the same. I'll make sure no one knows about her condition till you allow it. This all will not go out of this room. You have my word." And he left them.
Draco caressed her cheeks lightly with his fingers, and kissed her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Draco kept repeating himself, much to the dismay of the adults in the room. "You don't have to blame yourself, Draco. You should be thankful that she is safe now, with us.' Sirius told him, with a gentle tone. 'I should check on Hermione now." recieving a nod from all of them, he left.
When he entered Hermione's room, he saw that Harry was sitting at one side and on other side was Ron seated. They all looked at him, and nodding at Hermione Sirius asked, "How's she?." "She's fine but don't you think you should have been here soon." Molly said with slight edge in her tone. They all snapped their head towards her. "What's wrong Molly?. You never reacted like this before." Arthur asked his wife. It was a shock for all of them to see this side of Molly Weasley, who was always ready to shower them with love. But this time it was all the hatred, one could see in her face. "Wrong with me?. Nothing is wrong with me. I just can see why this all is happening. It's because of that girl Estella. She is responsible for everything that's happening. First, it was my daughter and now Hermione. So who's next. One of my other children?." Silently standing near Hermione, Harry placed her hand on the bed and stood up. "Mrs. Weasley, do you even hear yourself?. Ginny's death has nothing to do with Estella, nor is the condition of Hermione her fault.' he said with a firm voice, then turned to his Godfather, and asked, 'How's she?." Sirius opened his mouth only to shut it back, as he remembered about the promise made with Malfoys, and just shook his head, and left the room.

After 5 hours Hermione started to gain consciousness, and groaned in pain, alerting the Weasleys and Harry. "Mia?." Harry gently called her name, but Hermione fluttered her eyes and at once opened it, but then again blinked back at the bright light of the room. Looking up, she saw the white ceiling, and then she felt a squeeze on her hand. She turned her head, but her vision was blurred, and saw a person on her side. Blinking back to them, finally her vision cleared after few more trys', she saw Harry looking at her her concern look. "Harry." It came out very low but he heard her, and kissed her forehead. "Yes Mia. I'm here." That was all she needed to hear, as she began to cry. She tried to lift her other hand but felt a pressure on it and turned to other side, to see Ron, her best friend. "Welcome back Mione." Relieved that she was with her family, she squeezed his hand and leaned into Harry's touch, who had wiped her tears. She suddenly turned to Harry, tears in her eyes, and asked, "Estella?. How's she?." Harry placed a hand on her head, and with other squeezed her hand, closing his eyes, he shook his head. She gasped at the reply, and looked at the others' in the room. She saw them with grim faces, and neither Sirius was their nor were the Malfoys. "You..Y-you saw her?." She asked Harry again, with hoarse voice. Harry shook his head and said, "Molly was very upset with Sirius. He first was with Estella, then came here. She lashed out at him. I haven't had time to go meet them." Hermione looked at him in shock. "What are you saying Harry. She's your sister. And you were here, with me, you didn't even spared her a glance?." Her words hit him, and he bowed his head. "In last few days I have made the worst choices of my life. I know, but not only Malfoys are angry at me, Sirius is also disappointed in me." Harry told her. When she looked at him in confusion, he explained, "Malfoy was the one who came to the conclusion of us having a spy in the group, he was the one who had a strange dream about Estella, telling him to look where it all started, then he was the one to conclude that you can be in that Manor, before we received your patronus, but when we had the Order meeting for rescue mission, they all thought that Estella was not there with you, so it came down to you only, and then here again, it was your Healer who came out first to tell us about your condition. I have been here since then." "Harry how could you?. She was the one who was abducted before me. She was our priority, you.." she faltered after that not knowing what to say that will make everything better.

The day after Hermione woke up, elder Malfoys came to see her, Andromeda was also there with Sirius at the back. "How are you feeling Hermione?." Narcissa asked gently, and brushed her hand on her forehead. "I'm fine. But how's Estella?." She asked them, but they held a grim faces. Hermione pursed her lips together and averted her eyes from them. "Hermione, you should worry for yourself, Draco is with her. She will be fine." Andromeda tried to ease out the tension but to no avail. "She was badly affected by all this. How can you tell me to care for myself when she has clearly not shown any response." Hermione counteract them. Sirius sighed in frustration and left the room, Harry nodded at Hermione, and went after him.

Sirius went to the balcony of the floor and slammed the door behind him. Running his hand through his hair, he kicked the wall and then, stood by the same wall for support. Not knowing what to do, he slid down, and kept his head in his hand. Harry saw everything, and carefully went to his side, and sat there quietly. "Where did I went wrong Sirius?." Harry asked him after sometime. Sirius didn't answered to him, just stood up and went to the railing. After a long pause, he replied, "You didn't went wrong Harry, you just made your choice. Hermione was your choice, never Estella." Sirius looked back at Harry, who went pale at his words, and Sirius sighed, "Estella was like a sister to you. But still your fiance care a lot deal about her, whereas you and the Weasleys, apart from the elder 3 brothers', you all don't give a damn about her. Funny, if the roles were reversed, she would have literally done anything for you all." and he scoffed at the last sentence. "Sirius.." Harry started but Sirius held his hand out, and said, "Don't give explanation to me Harry, I may not be perfect, I may have abandoned my family, but family is everything that matters. She is the only to thing left of Regulus, and I adore her. Don't make me choose." with that he left Harry alone on the balcony.