Lost Image | dramione

42 | the reassuring light of day

It took roughly four hours for everything to be sorted out. The Aurors had to file separate incident reports for each Death Eater, and interviewed both her and Lucius about Every. Single. One.

Yugo showed them to several others around the house, including the blind and barely alive Nott in Draco's room. That was one story she did not give the full truth on, simply stating that the house elf protected its home the best way it knew how. She figured she might have to give more details later, if she got called in for his trial... but she was so exhausted, she didn't even want to think about it.

Harry and Ginny hugged her as they rushed to get the Aurors out of the house. She got an apologetic look from Harry as he did so. "Sorry about this- everyone's a little frustrated about the short sentence Lucius got in the first place."

"I think secretly they're mad-jealous that we managed to take down the criminals they'd been hunting down for the past year in one afternoon," Ginny said, and Hermione quietly agreed.

Lucius began dispelling the traps around the dining hall, and Hermione walked silently away from the man. He hadn't said a word to her, even after she had technically defended him, but she didn't expect anything else. "Yugo?" she asked, and the elf appeared instantly.

"Yes, mistress?"

"Where is Draco?"

"The young master is being in his bedroom."

"I... I thought I told Narcissa to use a guest room."

"Yes, but mistress asked me to move the garbage that was being in master Draco's room so he could sleeps more comfortably in his own bed." So Yugo had moved Nott before taking the Aurors to him. Still, Hermione wasn't exactly pleased... she didn't want to go back to that room just yet.

She sighed. She had to see Draco, so that's where she headed, walking swiftly though the halls. The sky had lightened up, the magical storm dissipated and the sun shining through the windows she passed. It was like the last few hours were just a nightmare, and the reassuring light of day had arrived to wash it all away.

Inside, she still felt very dark.

Narcissa was seated in a chair pulled close to the bed, watching her son sleep. She turned as Hermione entered the room. "I had an elf bring a blood replenishing potion already, so don't worry about it," she said, and Hermione nodded. She had completely forgotten amid all the commotion.

"How is he?"

Narcissa's eyes were hooded, her hands shaky in her lap. "He's been sleeping for awhile now- I gave him the draught an hour after, like you said." She watched Hermione carefully, considering. "You defended him and healed him. If our situations were different, I would say that you would make a great wife for my son."

"Our situations are exactly that," Hermione said quietly, conjuring her own chair. "You can think as little of my blood-status as you want- to Draco it no longer matters. And Draco's opinion is all I care about when it comes to our relationship."

Narcissa looked very tired, and suddenly she seemed about ten years older. She let out a little sigh, her head bobbing in a miniscule nod. "I know. And you should know that Lucius has enough tact to wait until things have settled down before he will bring up issue with it. You might not care about anyone else's opinions, but Lucius' is one opinion that will have a huge impact on your life, one way or another. Just... try not to be so snippy when you speak with him, okay?"

Hermione nodded. She could agree to try.

Narcissa stood up slowly, walking around the room. She stopped, and pulled something black from a drawer at a writing desk in the corner. They were the robes Hermione had been wearing that morning, torn up to shreds. "I found this on the floor- I hid it, in case my son were to wake up and start focusing on his surroundings."