Working for Malfoy

Chapter 6: Answers and Plans

While Granger was cleaning up, I went down to the kitchen and grabbed a green apple to eat.

I wandered around my room absentmindedly.

"Draco, your father and I are going out. We will be back tonight around 10:15." My mother poked her head in my room.

"Ok. Have fun." I replied.

"See you later." She then closed my door and left.

A few minutes later there was a knock at my door. Walking into my bathroom, I threw away the apple core and then answered the door. As I suspected, Granger was standing there.

I stepped out of the way and allowed her to come in. After closing the door again, I turned back to the brunette in my room. Just looking at her from my place by the door she looked pretty banged up.

She had the start of a bruise on her collarbone, arms, and face. Although the shirt she was wearing was too big for her, I could tell she was much to small for a person her age. Overall, she just looked purely terrified.

"When did you get that bruise on your collarbone Granger. It wasn't there before Weasley got here." I stated the obvious right off. "Don't try and lie to me either."

Her eyes flicked up to mine for a split second before going back to the floor. "He beat me."

She said it so quietly I wasn't sure I heard her right.

"Speak up Granger." I snapped making her flinch.

"He beat me." She said again just a little bit louder.

I walked to her and pulled the collar of the shirt down a little bit to reveal more of the bruise.

I walked out of the room and down to Pansy's room when she's here. I opened the top drawer to her dresser and pulled out a sports bra.

Walking back upstairs and into my room, I noticed that Granger hasn't moved since she got in here.

"Go into my bathroom, put this on, then come back out here without the shirt." I told her. At this last statement her eyes widened but she didn't argue. "I'm not going to do anything if that's what you're worried about."

She nodded stiffly before walking into my bathroom and closing the door.

She must have been beaten badly because I know for a fact it doesn't take two minutes to put on a bra.

A few moments later, she opened the door and hugged the shirt around her body. It was a sad sight to be honest. Back in school, if she were to put on one of my shirts then it would fit her like an oversized jumper. Now, she was small enough that even with it off, it fit around her like a dress.

I walked up to her and grabbed the shirt. "Granger drop the shirt."

She slowly loosened her grip on the shirt. Not that it was very tight, but when she did the shirt slipped out right from under her crossed arms and into my hand. The sight almost made me want to throw up.

The bruises on her torso were way to dark. He must have hit her hard. There were small cuts here and there that were beaded with blood.

"Drop your arms." Once again she did as she was told without arguing. Her arms weren't quite as dark as her torso, but it still wasn't pretty.

Her left forearm caught my attention almost immediately. The word that I hated to speak most was now carved into her arm. A scar that she will have forever.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked her.

She took a deep breath. It was obvious she was trying to keep from crying. "Ever since I got there."

With that simple sentence, she broke down. Tears started streaming down her face.

"How long has that been?"

"Three months." She wrapped her arms around her stomach self consciously.

I set the shirt on my bed and grabbed my wand. She stared at me wide eyed and terrified.

"I'm not going to hurt you Granger. I am going to heal you. Move your arms." She did so reluctantly.

I knelt down until I was even with her stomach. It wasn't hard because I just had to kneel down on my knee. After muttering various healing spells and waving my wand over her stomach, arms, and back I stood up and took a deep breath before saying the sentence I wasn't going to like very much.

"I am going to have to heal your... umm." I motioned towards her chest and looked away slightly.

She squeezed her eyes shut before moving the bra around just enough to where it wasn't showing anything but enough to where I can see what I needed to in order to heal the rest of the bruises.

When I finished, I stepped away from her and grabbed the shirt. "You can go take that off and put this back on of you want." I held the shirt out towards her. She took it and slowly turned towards my bathroom door and walking in.

Two minutes later she walked out and stood back where she was before.

"Come sit down." I said. She looked at me, then at the bed, then back at me. "I'm not going to do anything."

She slowly walked over and sat on the bed beside me. Her hands folded in her lap and she looked down at them.

We sat in silence for a while before she spoke. It was like last time. I couldn't hear what she said but I know she said something.

"What?" I asked.

"I said that it happened every day. The beatings. They would touch me too. Everywhere. Then one day, Bellatrix walked into my cell. She crucioed me before she started yelling at me. Then she hit me over and over again. When I was to weak to fight back she shoved me to the ground and carved this into my arm." She pointed to her left forearm that said mudblood.

Before I knew it, she was crying again. Her whole body was shaking.

"When was the last time you've eaten?" I asked desperately trying to change the subject.

"A month ago. They would give us a few little bits every once in a while and a cup of water everyday.

"I'll be right back." I got up and left my room. Once I was in the kitchen, I froze.

How could they do something so cruel to someone that wouldn't hurt another human even if her life depended on it? The sweetest girl in school. The smartest witch of our age. What did she do to deserve this?

I have looked up to her since first year. She was smart, independent, strong, and fearless. No, that was the old Granger. The new Granger is so insecure and scared of everything. She can hardly stand to hear me talk to her.

This isn't the Hermione Granger I know. The one I have grown so used to seeing everyday wouldn't break down and cry when she talked about something that hurt her.

They hurt one of the strongest witches in the world. Broke her down until she believed that she was nothing. But a silly little girl.

That was not the Hermione Granger I knew and I don't care if she did punch me in the face back in 3rd year. That was the girl I knew and I am going to bring her back. I don't care if I am tortured for it, but nothing is going to change my mind.

I am bringing the old Hermione back and that is final.

But, how am I going to do it?

___________

I am sorry for the late update, but here it is.

I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Comments and votes are welcome.