Draco and Hermione - Between the living and the grave

5. The Pain

She sat on the couch with a blanket around her petite frame, shakingly sipping away on a hot cocoa as Draco, Lucius and Narcissa stood in the door way of the kitchen and lounge looking at the clearly frightened and scared girl sitting on their couch.

"Is she going to be ok father?' Draco asked as Lucius studied her for a moment before shrugging.

"I dont know Draco, she has been through a terrible ordeal and whilst I am not at all happy she is here, she will need somewhere to sleep before going back to hogwarts tomorrow with you,' Lucius told his son as Narcissa stroked her husbands hair gently.

"Why dont you go and talk to her Draco dear,' Narcissa whispered to her son as Draco looked at her, finally nodding. "Your father and I will be in the kitchen if you need us and I will get one of the house elves to make up one of the spare bedrooms for Miss Granger,'

Draco nodded and slowly walked back over to Hermione, taking a seat next to her before pushing a piece of hair away from her face, not before she flinched.

"How are your hands?' he asked as she looked at him, no expression on her face before looking down at her hands.

"Ummm, can't... really feel them,' she whispered as she kept her head lowered. "I had to dig myself out of my own grave, there was... no air to breathe and... it was... so dark and... I think I was in heaven. I was in heaven and they ripped me out of there, I was happy and now I'm... I'm back in hell,' tears were rolling down her delicate, dirt covered cheeks as she finally looked back up at Draco.

The pain he saw in her eyes, how much she hated whoever bought her back, the very fact that she was in heaven and was happy and then ripped out of there after seeing so much. Draco could never comprehend what she was feeling.

"So what are you going to do, because you realise it was probably Potter, Weasley and Weasley Jr that bought you back, are you going to tell them that they pulled you out of heaven?' Draco ask as Hermione shrugged and let the tears fall gently down her cheeks.

"No... they can never know, ever,' she said as she looked back down at her bleeding hands. "I should get these cleaned up,' she whispered as Draco watched her place the now empty cup on the coffee table in front of her before standing as a rush of dizziness overcame her and she went tumbling back down as Draco caught her.

"Ok... ok Granger lets get you cleaned up so you can rest,' Draco said, standing up and gently holding her around the waist so she wouldn't tumble over again as she nodded, letting him lead her upstairs and down the long hall where the bathroom was located.

"Towels are in the cupboard, ummm there's a variety of shampoo and conditioner you can pick from, herbal is mother's and black sabboth is father's and well, the other is mine and soaps, well you just ask for what soap you want and it will appear,' Draco explained as Hermione looked over the beautiful setting layed out in front of her.

Her eyes were still blurred but from what she could see, the Malfoy's took pride in taking care of keeping things clean. "Thanks,' she whispered. "Ummm, do you have first aid?' she asked as Draco nodded, walking over to the sink and tapping a tile as it faded away and he pulled out a first aid kit, walking back to Hermione as the tile re-appeared.

"Thanks,' she said again as he handed it to her.

"No problems Granger, father has sent an owl to the ministry to collect your belongings for school tomorrow,' he said as Hermione nodded. Draco didn't really know what was going through her mind. "So I'll leave you to it,'

Hermione waited until he had closed the door before turning away from the door as the tears began trickling fiercly down her cheeks, choking back a few sobs before she dropped to the floor, letting the first aid kit down beside her as she covered her face with her bloodied hands and began crying uncontrollably.

"We have owled her parents, letting them know what has happened and they sent a letter back for her to read, they also thanked us for taking her in until tomorrow when she will return to Hogwarts. I have also contacted Minerva McGonagall and am awaiting a reply from her,' Lucius spoke as Draco, Narcissa listened as they sat around the table.

"The ministry of magic has also been contacted that dark magic was used to bring the mudblood back...'

"Father...' Draco spat as Lucius looked at his son, shocked that Draco had raised his voice. "Just for one night, one... MERLINS NIGHT... you could refrain from saying that whilst she is here?'

Lucius raised an eye brow, and stared at his son, expecting Draco to bow down before him and apologize, but Draco did not.

"Fine... my son, just this once I will keep my opinions to myself,' Lucius angered his son, very dis-pleased with him. "But for now, I must return to my cell before the death eaters do their round and find me gone,' and with that, Lucius was gone.

The sun shon through the window early that morning as Hermione awoke, rubbing her eyes with her bandaged hands and looking around the beautiful room before her. She was lying in a four poster bed with curtain's around the whole bed, it was queen sized and of course the curtains were slytherin colors.

Pulling the curtain back, Hermione was shocked, she had never seen a house so clean in her life. The room was nicely decorated with old antique wardrobes, dressers, mirros and even a rocking chair. There were large picture frames on the walls, and in each picture was a male or female, the latest, Sirius Black.

Pushing the silk covers and sheets back, Hermione climbed out of bed and walked over to the full length antique mirror which was sitting next to the beautiful (but ancient) dressing table which had all sorts of make up, ear rings, bracelets, necklaces, rings and hair clips.

Hermione looked at herself, her hair wasn't so bushy anymore and had actually grown into nice, wavy curls. Lifting one hand, she pulled her hair back into a half pony tail and turned to the side, craning her head to look at her very skinny frame.

She sighed and let her arm drop as her hair flew back down before she accidentally hit her hand on the pointed edge of the dresser. Cursing loudly as tears stung her eyes, she took in some deep breath's before clasping her hand she had just hit with her other hand.

A gentle tap at the door made her look up and wipe the tears from her eyes. "Come in,' she signalled as the door handle opened and Narcissa Malfoy entered the room, popping her head around the door.

"Breakfast is ready downstairs dear, we will be leaving in an hour to make the train in time, your Hogwarts stuff is here and new robes and school stuff has been sent to you, I'll see you down stairs in 5 minutes,'

"Ok...' Hermione replied back as Narcissa nodded, with a half-hearted smile before exiting the room, leaving Hermione once again to gather her thoughts.

Finally, she took two deep breath's before proceeding over to a trunk which was full of clothes that were brand new and finding something to wear for her first (official) day back in the world, again!