A Bellamort Tale

Part 32

He knocked firmly on the door to his bathroom and asked with a cheerful tone.

"Granger, how are you progressing?"

The answer was a grunt and an angry sounding.

"By far not as much as I wished I was. I hate to admit it, but I need help. I made it into the shower and I also managed to rinse off the upper layer of dirt, but I can hardly move to see where I still need to clean myself. And your soap stings like hell in open wounds!"

"I know!" He whispered to himself, then said loudly to her.

"I'm sorry. Maybe just try to only use water and a washcloth to rub it off? Or better, try the gauze. It's cleaner and there won't be any lint coming off and getting stuck in the wounds. Believe me, that's annoying and hurts to get it out once it's halfway grown into the new skin."

The young woman exclaimed back.

"I still can't believe that I'm saying this, but would you please get in here and help me? I'm dripping wet from head to toe, partly covered with soap and I am too scared to rinse it off because I already had some of it stinging in the cuts. I need someone in here who at least makes me want to be tough and not show that I'm hurting!"

"I'm coming in. But only because you asked me to and with my eyes shut."

"Sure! Great!" She blurted out, her tone soaked in sarcasm. "But maybe you could open them and look at what you're doing otherwise you will not only hurt me but also step into the... Well, I tried to warn you."

Eventually the flustered wizard opened his eyes and looked down, seeing his feet standing in a puddle of water, his shoes and socks, as well as the first few inches of his trousers soaked. He sighed.

"Father told me he'd have this fixed until our Easter vacation. But as soon as I let more than a certain amount of water down that drain it gets clogged and the water keeps rising until I call an elf to fix it." Malfoy informed her.

"Hand me my wand please." He did, his eyes still facing away from her. She used a spell they had learned in their early years in Hogwarts to transfigure it into a plunger and placed it over the drain, making it magically push some air through the old clotted pipe until suddenly the water began to vanish. She shook the plunger to which it immediately changed back to its original form, then placed it on a small rack on the inner shower wall.

"Voila!" She enthused, making the boy eventually turn around and look at her.

His face colour changed to a crimson red, when he saw her right before him, completely naked and even more beautiful and appealing than he had imagined. Hermione noticed him staring and tried to cover herself with her arms.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Beside having no reason to feel self conscious about any part of your body, I'll try to not stare at you any longer." The blond teenager had already lowered his gaze and looked at the tiled floor instead. "Can you turn around so I can look at your back? I assume that's where you need the most help due to the many cuts and bruises and the very inconvenient places."

The, from the cold shaking, woman slowly became annoyed.

"Malfoy, I am freezing, I am hurting, and I am still kinda scared to death due to the whole situation. Would you please stop acting like an embarrassed teenager and try to be an adult wizard for the next hour? Once we're done here, you can blush and stutter and react however you think appropriate. But right now for the sake of all the magical world, get over it and help me to feel better at some point!" She scolded him.

He couldn't help it but laughed at her outburst.

"I love how you even in a situation like this sound as if you had written it all down and rehearsed before. But you're right. Let's get all awkward and weird afterwards." He snickered.

"Funny, really fu-hu... ouch, would you please be a little more careful? You just brought soap into the open cut."

"Sorry. I'll do my best to get it all off and clean the wounds without hurting you more than I have to. Better?" He asked after placing a kiss right next to the again bleeding scratch.

"Hm!" Was all she said. Yet it sounded positive.

"Was that a yes, Granger? I need a little more resonance from you so I know if I'm doing it right."

"You're going to do well. I certainly hope you won't place a kiss next to each bruise. I'm really cold, remember?" She groaned.

"Yeah, I remember. A pity though."

"Are you really sure that you haven't been tortured into a state similar to the Longbottom's? Because I still can't get over how sweet you can be!"

"Better get used to it because that's the way I'll be from now on. Maybe even a little...well... you'll see. But for now, I am almost done with getting sand and all sorts of forest soil off. The bad news is that there is still the alcohol waiting. Is there anything else you need?"

Hermione nodded hesitantly. Then she mumbled.

"Could you help me with my hair? I can't get the shampoo in and I am sure I need a little support to rinse it afterwards. Sorry for giving you so much trouble."

"Just shut your mouth, Granger. Let's see. Shampoo in my hand, is that enough? Yeah, good. And now eyes closed please. Good girl." He hadn't even thought about it, but he had just praised her for her good behaviour and from the way she blushed she seemed to like that. Making a mental note, Draco focused on her hair, skillfully rubbing the shampoo into her hair, his fingertips massaging her scalp.