The Power of Pain

Chapter 33

Both men left Hermione to her thoughts, moving to the kitchen to possibly discuss what would be best for dinner. It left her feeling unbelievably cold. Despite the warm fire that burned in the fire place she felt so desolate. Like a small singular flower growing in a vast desert.

Her eyes were red but her tears had finally stopped, small sniffles disrupted her breathing from time to time but nothing overwhelming. Her eyes were apathetic as she stared into the flames. She could hear his screams echoing through her inner space but they too, slowly started to lose their effect. She was growing comfortably numb to the tortures that tempted her. Her shoulders sagged with resignation as she watched the dance of flames over the wood. Her heart was locking itself away, burrowing deeply inside of her to avoid the painful stabs of something she couldn't fully identify.

"You sure it's okay to leave her like that?" Draco asked bravely, starting to feel a bit guilty. He leaned on the counter watching the human wall of indifference move about collecting ingredients for dinner.

"What do you mean?" He sounded bored as he leaned into the ice box pulling out a cold roasted beef.

Draco looked uncomfortable, "I mean she nearly ripped me apart when she woke..." His eyes followed Snape looking for anything, anything at all, "She was really upset..."

"And...?"

"I don't know..." He drawled trying to sound bored but his tone was laced with concern he didn't even know he possessed about the situation. "Do you think she needed a hug or... something?"

"Did you miss her pawing?" He kept his face turned away as he started cutting. "She got what she wanted."

Draco winced his voice dropping, obviously, the man wasn't getting what he was trying to say. "I don't think she got what she needed."

Severus set down the knife heavily on the cutting board. The boy had known him long enough. He wasn't a coddler. But you have supported her through this. His own mind betrayed causing him to grind his teeth.

"If you're so worried why don't you go Molly coddle her." He flicked his hand at him sharply, picking up the knife again he cut harshly into the roast obviously upset.

Draco sighed heavily, "She doesn't want me and you know it. " It was a low jab and he knew it. He jerked from the look that was thrown at him. There it was, he thought to himself, that was what had gotten the man wound tighter than a drum. He raised his hands in surrender, side stepping to the door without another word.

Draco ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. He pulled a random book from the shelf in an offer of peace and moved towards the open chair near the fireplace. He had been expecting her to still be crying, curled up defensively against the world. The sight that greeted him roiled his stomach coldly.

It was the same look his mother had had in her last days. A cold listless look staring into something beyond. She had her back slouched against the chair, her hands in her lap neither folded or clasped. They laid as they fell. He almost would have thought her unconscious if her eyes wouldn't have moved to his approach. Her legs were bent in the seat in front of her, relaxed but looking uncomfortable from the angle. Draco swallowed as he pulled the other chair parallel with hers so he could watch her but still be far outside her personal space.

Hermione watched him dispassionately settle into the chair before pulling her eyes back towards the fire. She didn't even jump when his voice started reading. She suspected he was doing it for her benefit but found she couldn't have cared less. Even still, she allowed the words to fill the silence that had swept through her thoughts allowing them to take her into the world trapped inside the pages.