1912 Present meet Past *UNDER CONSTRUCTION*

Chapter 31- Even in the Darkest of Times

This is a Draco only POV

Monday, April 8th, 2001 01:08pm

The Greengrass's arrival to the Manor was anything but happy. They were most likely even more upset that no one in the study to greet them. Draco's father had quickly rushed back to the study once he realized what time it was. His mother and Ginny had taken Hermione to one of the guest bathrooms on the same floor to freshen up, so Draco pulled Harry aside while the rest of the group made their way to his childhood bedroom to wait until the meeting was over.

"Potter?" Draco began as he stopped Harry from leaving the room.

"Hey Malfoy. What's up? Harry asked with a weak smile as he turned around to face him.

"Thank you, you know, for coming. I...I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Don't sweat it mate. It's not the first time this has happened." Harry shrugged.

"What do you mean it's not the first time?" Draco questioned with a raised brow.

"Well, after the war, Hermione used to get awful nightmares about this room. Ron couldn't do anything to console her so he always called me. I tried everything from holding her, to warm milk to help her sleep, to using a dreamless drought to knock her out. After about a week, I realized she needed something different than the usual comfort strategies and none of us wanted to keep drugging her. Her nightmares became a regular thing that happened almost every day, until the method that you just witnessed, finally slowed down to once a week, then to once a month. Ron still couldn't get it under control though, no matter how hard he tried. To be honest, between his own nightmares, helping George, and dealing with Fred's death; adding Hermione's problems on top of it all is what most likely helped drive him away from her."

"He left her because he couldn't deal with her pain? That is so fuc-"

"That is not what I mean Malfoy." Harry cut in "I mean he had a lot to deal with. The war was just as hard on him and his family, if not harder. He lost a brother and almost lost another due to suicide."

"Suicide? George? Hermione never told me that part." Draco's face fell in concern.

"She couldn't have...she doesn't know and we want to keep it that way." Harry sighed while putting his hands in his pockets. "We didn't want to tell her that that was the main reason Ron moved into the shop with George. We didn't want to give her another reason to wake up screaming at night. She was doing so well. Once she moved in with Ginny and I, it became easier to help her since I was only down the hall. After I finally calmed her down, which sometimes was a few minutes and other times it was a few hours, we would stay up all night and just...talk. I think it helped her a lot. She hasn't had a nightmare in a few months."

"But...this wasn't a nightmare. She was fully awake. I knew I shouldn't have let her walk into this room!" He cursed himself aloud.

"This isn't your fault Malfoy. She suffers from PTSD. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; breakdowns can happen at any time of the day, awake or asleep. Besides, we both know her; she would have found a way to get in this room with or without you. I am just glad you and your mother were with her. If she was alone?" He paused to pinch the bridge of his nose and let out another deep sigh. "Anyway, no one could have predicted that any of us would ever be in this house again, let alone this very room, but I think this is a good thing. She faced her fears head on and in a way, so did you."

"Me?" he asked somewhat shocked.

"Yes you. Hermione told me about your nightmares. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. She only told me because I know how to deal with them. I know you are also suffering from PTSD; you just haven't had someone to help you recover. I mean, be honest Malfoy; when was the last you were ever actually in this room other than today?"