Smirks, Books and, Dirty Looks

Not This Time.

Hermione felt his eyes on her. "Draco, its nothing. I'm fine." She felt like he was going to combust from the way he was watching her. As he began to walk to her she felt herself curl into a defensive ball. When he got close enough to touch her, without noticing what she was doing Hermione flinched. Hand still raised, he harshly whispered, "What happened?" After a few moments of silence, Draco felt himself begin to loose his cool as his jaw clenched, "How long?" Hermione looked at her hands not being able to meet his eyes, "Don't, please." He sighed heavily. Anger was flashing through him and all he could think of in that moment was walking over to the Weasel and hexing him into oblivion. "How could you let this happen? For Merlin's sakes Hermione you're so smart! This should not be happening to you!" Hermione's eyes were once again starting to fill. "I know, I have tried everything but it's my fault." Draco stared at her in disbelief. "I make him do this, I-I-" She started to cry.

Her words seemed foreign to herself. Draco walked closer to her and stretched out his arms. "Shh. It's okay." He hugged her and she leaned into him. "This is not you're fault Hermione, this is his fault. I'm so sorry this is happening to you, and I'm also sorry I questioned you. No one should go through this." She sobbed into his shirt as he patted her her head in a soothing manner. Pushing away from him she turned and looked at the wall. "You need to go Draco." He looked at her and thought about all the times he ran away from Pansy, from Astoria, from his own mother. He thought about how much they needed him to stay but told him to leave just so they could cry alone. He felt like running away now but his mind was made up. Suddenly his mind was filled with her lying on the floor of his manor, his aunt on top of her as she screamed while she carved into her arm. 

How cowardly had he been that time as well. Shaking the memory from his head he decided enough was enough, he was staying. "No." The word strong and loud. "I will not leave you. Not this time." She turned to look at him as the room went silent. Looking at the man in front of her she could see fear, anger, and sadness all in one. "Draco." She sighed not having the energy. "Hermione, I will not leave you and you are not making me leave. I don't care if you cry for hours or stay quiet. I will stay here and be by your side until you are ready to leave the office. This is my choice and you have no say in my choices." She watched him as he did her. Her face was filled with tear streaks, makeup a mess, and she had never been more beautiful to him. After a short while Hermione nodded to herself and softly answered, "Thank you." Together they stayed by each other sides for quite some time, before Hermione spoke.

"I have to go pick up Sabrina." Draco nodded and then the thought came to him. "Where will you stay tonight?" Hermione looked at him confused, "My home? Where else can I go?" He frowned, "No, you will not. Not with Weasley there. I won't allow that." She huffed exhausted, "Oh bugger off Draco, it's not a big deal. This happens and we survive. Just let it go." His frown deepened. "Listen to yourself. You are supposed to be the smartest witch of our time, and right now you aren't acting like that." She shrugged. "Okay, and where the hell am I supposed to go? The muggle world? Sabrina doesn't even know it exists! Where am I supposed to take my child? The Three Broomsticks, The Leaky Cauldron?" she practically screamed at him. " She needs a home not a hotel room."

 Draco thought about it. There seemed to be one plausible answer to her questions but she wasn't going to like it. "No, you're right. She does need a home." Hermione was nodding in agreement and started to get up when she heard him say, "That's why you're saying with me." Hermione was dumbfounded. "Merlin Draco. This is not a joke! How am I supposed to take my daughter there?" He flinched at the harshness of her words. "Don't say it like that." He said quietly as he began to approach her, Hermione was furious. "Your demented aunt almost killed me there! How could you even begin to think that I would take her there? I haven't even thought about your manor since the war ended." He nodded. "You're right, I'm sorry love. I just don't want you going back there so he can continue to abuse you further." She nodded trying to ignore the fact that he unconsciously called her love. "Face it Draco, I have to go back." Her shoulders slumped resigned and defeated. That's when it came into his mind.

"No, you don't. I know where we are going, and Sabrina will love it." He paced a bit and looked at the uncertain witch in front of him. "That's it, let's go get the little miss." He extended his hand towards her and she shakily took it. Together they walked out of the room. Hermione locked up and silently took his hand as she apparated them into the tall grass near The Burrow. "Stay here. I don't want to deal with more questions tonight." He nodded once watching her take out her wand and charm her appearance so that all the welts and bruises disappeared. "I'll be right back." She walked quickly to the entrance and disappeared inside the bustling house. After a while she emerged with the beautiful little witch in tow. "Mother, are you feeling better?" Hermione feigned a smile and said, "Yes my little witch, mother is just a tad bit tired." 

As they got near the spot where she had left Draco, Hermione stopped and got down to her daughters eye level and looked at her. "Sabrina, I want to let you know that I love you and respect you greatly. That is why I'm going to let you in on a secret mission we are about to do." Sabrina nodded and got excited. "Okay mother!" Hermione smiled and Draco did too from behind the tall grass surrounding him. "I have a friend here who you also happen to know. This friend is a man, and we are going to go with him tonight." He daughter looked a little puzzled. "What I mean by that is, we are not going home. We are having a sleepover somewhere tonight, and no one is to know about this. Okay?" Sabrina nodded and took out her pinky. "I promise mother." Hermione connected her pinky with her daughters.

"I mean it love, not even your father can know." Sabrina nodded again and turned to walk alongside her mom. He came out of the grass slowly as to not startle the little witch. "Draco?" Sabrina asked questionably. "Hello little miss." He nodded to her. "Mother is this your secret friend?" Hermione nodded slowly watching her reactions carefully. "Okay!" She smiled brightly at them both. Satisfied with her reaction she turned to face him, "Alright Draco, where are we going next?" Hermione asked. Chuckling he responded, "Somewhere we all can actually find some peace of mind for a while." He extended both hands to the beautiful pair of witches and Sabrina did not hesitate to hold on to it. Hermione looked at the tall blonde hold her daughters hand smiled slightly and grabbed the other one. Draco pulled them both nearer to him and wrapped both witches in his arms tightly. "Clear your minds." As he thought about the Zabini manor. With a whoosh they apparated at the foot of the fireplace inside the manor.