Saved by Malfoy*

Chapter 2

Draco's P.O.V.

“Hermione, what did they do to make you want to die?” I asked her.

She stopped eating and looked up at me, probably because I heard what she said.

“Nothing, I'm fi - ”

“Don't even finish that sentence,” I snapped, making her flinch. “What did they do?”

“They - Ron - he - ”

Her hands shot to her face and her eyes squeezed shut. She failed to hold in a whimper.

“Granger?”

“Ron he - he r - ” she cut herself off with a loud cry of pain.

I instantly recognized the curse. It was used so she couldn't tell anyone what happened without extreme torture. I myself had one for my d - well... I can't say.

“Granger stop!”

She stopped trying to tell me, she just held her head and started panting. I muttered a few healing charms to help her head. I unconsciously put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away.

I knew she was tortured, but something told me something else happened when she was with them.

“Can I see the wounds?” I asked.

“You can kinda see them already,” she replied, pointing to her torn clothing and blushing.

She covered herself with her arms self-consciously. I noted that she needed new clothes.

“I mean, stomach and back,” I clarified.

She bit her lip. She stared at me, as if begging me to change my mind.

“Granger, please let me see,” I pleaded.

She closed her eyes and, with shaking hands, lifted her shirt, just enough to see her stomach.

There were deep scars covering the flesh. She had tons of healing wounds and some of the bruises were odd colors, guaranteeing internal bleeding. Some marks made it obvious she's been burned.

“Alright, can I see your back?”

She turned around and did the same thing. Her back wasn't much worse, other than the scared white tissue, where they branded her and the marks that showed she'd been whipped.

“I'm going to get some potions to try and help, alright?” I asked.

She nodded, so I left to get some potions. I went to the potions cupboard and grabbed at least two of ten different potions. I rushed back upstairs and to my room. I put a silencing charm and lock on the room.

She didn't look at me when I came in. I sat next to her. She kept her head down, not making eye contact.

“Do you want to do your back or stomach first?” I asked her, setting the potions on the bed.

“My back, please,” she whispered.

“Alright, lay down on your stomach,” I ordered.

She did and pulled up her shirt, so I could heal her. She was trembling, probably thinking I'm going to hurt her.

I started with the first potion. Her back smoked as it healed. She whimpered quietly, but didn't make any other noise.

It was a very long time before I finished healing her. Her stomach, back, arms, and legs were healed. She was asleep now because I made to take an internal bleeding potion.

She looked scared, even asleep. She slept so one hand was over her neck and the other protected her side.

I laid on the other side of the bed, careful not to get too close, and closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I passed out.

Hermione's P.O.V  (two hours later)

I woke warm and comfy. Two strong arms were around my waist, startling me. I almost screamed before I realized I was fully dressed. I looked up at the man.

Malfoy.

Honestly, it's been two years since I felt the touch of a man, when it didn't bring pain with it. This was the first time in ages I was this close to someone.

I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Draco’s P.O.V (four hours later)

I woke with sunlight in my eyes. I opened them and noticed Hermione. I had my arms around her waist and she had my shirt fisted in her hand.

She looked relaxed, no trace of fear, no trace of the horrors she had to have witnessed. I started to wonder when she was this close to another human that didn't hurt her. I tightened my arms around her thin frame protectively.

She shifted a bit and her eyes fluttered open. Brown met silver. She instantly looked away, slightly flinching. She moved out of my grasp quickly.

“Good morning,” I muttered, stretching a bit.

She flinched.

“Uhh… g - good morning?” she stuttered.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked her.

“Yeah, I slept good."

She had some hair in her face, so I brought my hand to brush it away. She flinched out of my reach.

“Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you,” I said forcefully, making her flinch.

I scared her by pulling her into a hug. She gasped in surprise and started trembling.

“I won't hurt you,” I stated.

The most she did to tell me she heard was rest her chin on my shoulder. Her breathing was heavy and her trembling increased.

I slowly released her.

“You need a bath now,” I stated.

She looked about to start crying again.

“Can I - can I do it by myself?” She asked in a strangled tone.

“Can you get up?”

She slowly got to her feet and nodded.

“Go ahead,” I replied, my mind going back to yesterday, when I tried to help her.

She slowly made her way into the bathroom.

I went to my chest of drawers and pulled out a t-shirt, boxers, and sweatpants. I figured she'd need clothes.

It was about thirty minutes before she came out of the bathroom. Her entire body was shaking and she tightly clutched the towel around her body.

“M - may I - may I have c - clothes, S - Sir?" She asked quietly.

I handed her the outfit I pulled out.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully, rushing back into the bathroom.