Signum Vitalis (a dramione story)

About last night...

Once they entered the Professor's office, Hermione and Draco sat next to each other, their knees just brushing. Draco left his hand palm up on his knee and, when he glanced towards her with his eyebrows ever so slightly up, Hermione slipped her hand into his. His long blunt fingers pressed into her hand and the pressure helped ease some of the tenseness that had started to build in her shoulders. She smiled at him and his mouth turned up just a little.

The Professor cleared his throat. "Last night at least one spell was detected at the magical preserve observation station." He shifted in his seat and gave them both a good long stare.

Hermione had forgotten about last night with everything else that had happened. She glanced worriedly towards Draco, but he didn't look back.

The Professor continued, "You were the only ones there at the time."

Hermione squeezed Draco's hand, unsure what to say. He, on the other hand, sat up straight and said flatly, "It was me."

She opened her mouth to argue but Draco's grip crushed her hand.

The Professor's eyebrows slid up. "You are aware that you agreed to abide by their rules in order to use that facility which included no magic beyond potion making?"

"Yes, sir," Draco said.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably, suddenly hot under the Professor's stare. She pushed her sleeve up and then glanced down to see a very obvious hand print now exposed on her wrist. She quickly shoved down her jacket but, when she looked up, the Professor was staring at her wrist.

"What, exactly," he asked, looking between them and pausing at Draco's black eye, "happened last night?"

"Erm..." Hermione hedged.

"I attacked her," Draco said blandly.

"Draco!" Hermione hissed.

His mouth was pulled into a thin line when he looked at her. "I was asleep but I still attacked you." He turned back towards the Professor. "I nearly strangled her and then insisted that I fix it despite the rules."

The Professor looked at Hermione and asked, "Is this true?"

"Yes," she said. "However, I-"

Draco's foot stomped on her toes- so hard that it hurt even through her boots. She didn't look at him but did pause to swallow a yelp. Then her ring grew hot and she glanced down to see the words: Need only one culprit.

"However?" Professor Spinder prompted.

Hermione sighed, sure Draco would probably be offended by her bleeding Gryffindor heart's impulse to jump in and take the blame with him. She had done something like what he had just done in her first year for Harry and Ron and would have been insulted if they hadn't taken it. "I don't want people to hear this and assume he hasn't changed," Hermione finished lamely. Still, she couldn't help saying, "Can't I take the blame and-"

"No," Draco growled and Professor Spinder cleared his throat.

"No, that won't be necessary," the Professor said calmly. "As long as your other classmates are willing to allow Draco to work on the project without being on the preserve, we will not need to inform anyone else of what happened. On that topic, Draco would you stay just a little longer to talk about your prospects at this school? Hermione, you may leave."

Draco's face shut down.

"Draco?" she asked. Hesitantly, she scooted towards the edge of her seat and then checked his face for any sign of what he was thinking.