Dramione and the Half Blood Prince.

26. Nightmares

Katie woke with a start to Hermione screaming and writhing around in her sleep, she launched herself onto her friend to pin her to try and stop her from hurting herself or anyone but it barely made any difference to the wild thrashing movements and bone chilling hollers.

"HERMIONE, WAKE UP!" Katie cried, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to wake her friend from her destructive nightmare. "HERMIONE PLEASE!"

The whole room had woken up and Ginny sprinted through the doors, running over to their aid.

"HERMIONE" Katie was desperate for her to stop, Ginny tried to help by holding down her flailing limbs until she finally stopped – waking up with a start.

She panted, trying to catch her breath in a panic. "Hermione it's okay" Katie got off of her friend and laid down next to her, calming the crying girl "Shhh, shh, shh its over" she stroked her damp hair away from her face in an attempt to calm her down.

Hermione wasn't calming however, she looked like she could still see her nightmare unfolding before her – fear obvious in her eyes. "Stay there" Ginny whispered to Katie when she decided she couldn't take Hermione crying much more.

Ten or so minutes later Ginny re-appeared in the doorway with Pansy Parkinson. Hermione had never really spoken to her and whenever she did it had been receiving nasty comments, but Pansy just held out her hand to Hermione and beckoned her up.

Katie kissed Hermione's head and tapped her shoulder "They are right, it's the best thing for you my lovely".

Hermione took Pansy's hand hesitantly but, surprisingly to Hermione, Pansy was nothing but nice in her sleepy state "Come on" she smiled.

Before long they arrived at the Slytherin dormitory portrait in the dungeons "Mudblood" Pansy whispered and the door swung open. Hermione looked at her in shock but she simply said "We don't... have a choice in the passwords" her sentence started harsh but by the end she was almost whispering and looking at her feet nervously.

They walked through the black marble common room, it looked more like a dark medical theatre than a homely meeting place... Pansy let go of Hermione's hand slowly. "Straight up those stares, third door on the left. Blaise put an anti-gender detection charm on the stairs so you are safe." She smiled "Go on" she ushered Hermione up the stairs. Hermione obeyed as she wiped the tear drops that were still silently falling down her cheeks away.

When she entered the door she saw only two beds in one room, two bodies already occupied one and the perfect boy with white blond hair slept in the other. Hermione walked over to the bed and lifted the cover slightly to get in, Draco slowly stured awake.

As Hermione climbed in next to him Draco turned over so he was facing the body "Hermione?" he whispered, confusion evident in his voice "...Why are you crying?" Hermione berried her head into Draco's chest as he wrapped one arm securely around her back and placed the other one the back of her head, massaging it very softly.

"I- I had a nightmare" she whimpered slightly as she brought one hand up to his chest.

"'Mi your safe now" he whispered into her hair, kissing her head multiple times after.

"...I'm not when you're not here..." she whispered so quietly that it was almost inaudible.

Draco let his muscles relax as he felt her breath escape against his bare chest, he could feel his heart breaking at the sound of her voice and the words she was choosing. If it wasn't for him she would never be feeling such pain... if it wasn't for him and his family she would still be laid sound asleep in the Gryffindor common rooms, untroubled by anything. If it wasn't for him she would still send letters to her parents every fortnight and visit them every holiday. But it was for him. And because he was in her life she was laid in his bed crying, scared of sleeping. Because of him she was in more pain than any one person should ever have to take. Because of him... she couldn't even remember ever having parents.