Unbroken

Monday, Week 1 (3)

Draco POV

Ginny's small hand in mine gives me some comfort as I beat back the sense of foreboding that creeps up on me. I told her that I wanted to speak to Granger personally and was all too happy to let her accompany me to her and the weasel's house. I know the prick gets jealous easily so it was a good idea to get my girlfriend to come and distract him.

I watch Ginny knock on the door before it opens to reveal Weaselbee. He's surprised at us but lets us in anyway. The home is cozy, nice, and...homey but I get the feeling that there's something tense hanging over it. My gift of perception has always been a double edged sword, a gift or a curse, no in between. I shake my thoughts free and wait for Granger to show up which she does with a bright smile on her face.

My perception immediately sees that she's much happier and content which could mean two things: she either visited Harry or the Weasel did something really nice. I'm leaning towards the former.

"So, what brings you guys here?" She asks us. Ginny responds with a fib that she misses her brother before taking his arm and leading him away from us, giving me and Granger some privacy.

"Some brother-sister thing." I ease into a conversation with her and she nods pleasantly. "I actually wanted to talk to you, though," I say with no wavering in my voice despite being a bit intimidated by her. Having been on the receiving end of her anger before, I know the woman is fierce. I also know that her guardian angel is none other than my boss.

"Oh really, what about?" Her voice is still pleasant, completely unaware and unprepared for what I'm about to say.

"You were being unfair to Harry. He goes through a lot for us and the last thing he needs is to be criticized by the people who supposedly care." The words tumble out of my mouth hurriedly and I gasp deeply, having said it all in one breath. Normally, none of this would be my business, but the case our team is on is sure to send Harry to a dark place and the only one that I know can get him out of there is Granger. I need to get her head on straight in preparation for that.

"Excuse me?" Oh boy, she's pissed. Her nostrils are flaring and her eyes are narrowed to slits. Defiantly, I sit up straighter to look back at her.

"You heard me." Ever since I've come to regard Harry and, to an extent, Granger as a friend, I've found that I can't always be the slick and confident boy I once was. Their ability to read people and intimidate them are perhaps second only to Voldemort.

"For your information, I've already apologized to him. I don't understand why you felt the need to come here. You don't know him as well as I do." I knew it, that's why she was so happy. She went to visit Harry. Her words lash against me, however, but I know they're truthful. Still, I remain defiant.

"That is true. I only know him as a friend and as my boss. You know him better than anyone else which is why it surprised me that you would say something like that to him," I retort.

That did the trick. She visibly recoiled in her seat and looked hurt. I almost felt bad. Almost.

"I was just worried about him. He always looks out for everyone and no one looks out for him. Usually that task would have fallen to me but we've been...distant."

I didn't miss the mournful pause she took when she said that last bit and offered her a comforting look. I was no good at this owing to the fact that I disliked them for nearly all of our school years but I tried anyway. Boss was fond of her, after all.

"He's just so...so amazingly self-sacrificing," she continued. Her lips tilted up fondly and I knew she was thinking of him. A part of me will always wonder why she chose Weasley. "I know it's because he feels like no one cares enough about him but I do, I really do."

"He knows you do," I tell her. It's the truth, he really does know she cares for him. I sometimes think that's the only reason he hasn't gone off the deep end or gotten himself killed yet. "Look, we're on a serious case right now. That is as much as I can say about it. I know how much you care about him, I just...I want you to show that to him."

She looks at me confusedly so I continue, "Boss has this tendency to, when something troubles him, to..."

"Drown everyone out and sink into The Dark Place," she finished for me.

"Wait, 'The Dark Place?" I question her with surprise gracing my features. I'm not at all shocked she knows about Boss' tendencies, no, what I'm shocked about is her referring to it as The Dark Place.

"Yeah, it's what I call it. I've seen him do it a million times before," she nonchalantly answers as if discussing the weather.

"And you've pulled him out of it before?" I feel myself asking even though I know the answer. After all, I wouldn't have come here to talk to her if she wasn't my best hope at keeping my boss' head on straight.

"Of course I have," she arrogantly says. She's positively preening herself at all the memories of her doing exactly that. I just know she's proud of her ability to save my boss from going off the deep end and, really, why shouldn't she be? She's the only one I know who can do that.

"Then I need you to be ready to do it again. Look," I wring my hands together, "I know you two haven't been close but Harry's no good to us if he's bloody dead." She flinches at those last words and I wince at how harsh I sound but resolve to continue, "he needs you. He needs us."

She is contemplative for a moment but I see her acquiesce before she voices it. I could tell, however, that she has a request of her own for me. I sit silently and await her word.

"You have my word but only if you promise to look out for him, Draco." She is now tearful and I cringe a bit because the only experience I have with crying women is with Ginny and she barely does that. I keep my mouth shut as she takes a calming breath before listening as she continues, "someone has to watch his back. Promise me that you'll do everything to keep him alive."

Without a single question, I accept her terms. She becomes instantly relieved. I was always going to agree because that was the easy part. The hard part would be to keep this a secret from the Boss.