Manacled (dramione)

Chapter 53: Flashback 28

March 2003

Draco cradled her face in his hands as he returned her kiss, carefully pulling her closer without hurting her left arm. She was half-crying as she kissed him.

She traced her fingers along his neck and pulled at the curve of his jaw to draw him closer. Trying to memorise every detail of him: the scent of the forest and papyrus scrolls, his pulse under her fingertips, his lips pressed against hers, the taste of him.

She had earned this. She pressed her cheek against his hand as his lips caressed hers.

After several minutes, she wrenched herself away.

"I have to go," she said.

He didn't try to stop her, but he reached for her again before catching himself. He stared at her and drew a sharp breath through his teeth.

"Come back. Come back to me-if you ever need anything," he finally said, pulling his hand back.

Hermione stared at him and wanted to say she would. She forced herself to swallow the words.

"I have to go," she repeated, forcing herself to step away.

He stood, watching her leave.

She took a steadying breath and apparated back to the Tonks house.

She knocked quickly on the door. It swung open. Fred stood in the doorway, staring suspiciously down at her.

"What are your parents' names?" he asked.

"Wendell and Monica Wilkins, they live in Australia," she answered, meeting his eyes steadily.

He slumped with relief and dragged her into his arms. She was crushed against his chest as he pulled her inside.

"Good Merlin, we thought we lost you. You weren't there when we woke up."

"I-I was hemorrhaging. I couldn't wait. I had to find someone who could fix it," she said by way of vague explanation.

Fred shook his head, his expression bewildered. "I don't understand; one minute we were fighting, and then suddenly we woke up, thrown all the way past the wards. My whole body feels like I was crushed by an erumpant. All the Death Eaters were dead. You were gone. Harry and Ron freaked and wanted to start a search."

"Someone must have tried to use some dark curse that backfired," Hermione said, pulling out her kit and handing Fred a restorative and a vial of pain relief.

"That's our best guess," Fred said, knocking back the potions with a grimace. "Freakishly lucky. I can't believe how many of 'em there were. Ron's been chewing out Harry nonstop since we got here."

He looked seriously at Hermione,

"His shoulder's pretty bad."

Hermione nodded grimly. "I saw it happen."

He gave her a long look. "That was your curse that saved him, wasn't it?"

She gave a short nod. "This close to a full moon, there weren't many options."

"Well. You won't hear any complaints from me. After what happened to George, I say we kill the bastards. Harry's a bit freaked over it. But he was a right arse to ask you to walk into something like that your first time back into the field. I'm glad you weren't killed;I don't care what it took for you to manage it." He rested a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded. "I've been advocating for lethal curses for years. If anyone was surprised that I used them, they haven't been paying attention."

"Ron's in there. I'm knackered." Fred swung a door open.