Innocent: Draco and Hermione

He really did it this time. When trying to destroy everything, he always starts with himself. In his crusade for pain, in the warpath he plots, the only person who bleeds is him.

He picked a side in the war. He allied himself with Potter and left his old life behind. But not before being forced to take the mark. Not before he had to do the unspeakable. Not before he let Hermione get tortured right in front of him.

He never particularly liked Granger. More than anything, he used to be annoyed that she had better marks than him. But it’s hard to truly hate someone so golden.

She isn’t the golden girl everyone pins her as, but she is the purest ore deposit the world has ever seen. And he let her get carved up in his home—that despicable word, branded on her forever because of him.

He pulls another glass from the cabinet in the kitchenette he shares with his indirect victim and throws it down. It shatters on the floor, and he slides down, his legs giving out as he gasps for air through his tears. It’s almost poetic, he thinks to himself. He had always been made of glass. And now the shards are literally and metaphorically broken on the ground.

It used to be easy. He had years of luxury and years of idolizing his father. He had everything, and he gave everything to try and win his father's approval. It was like an addiction, and he didn’t care who he hurt in order to get a fix. But his heart was held in the hands of a man who liked to break things.

And then there was his mother. The thought of her makes another shuddering sob rip through him. She was the only thing that made doing everything worth it. She was worth protecting, and he swore to always do so until he couldn’t protect her from himself.

He never told anyone about that night. He never thought about that night. The only thing he’d let himself think about was fireflies.

~

“Draco, come on! It’s almost sundown,” Narcissa yelled from the kitchen of their cottage in southern Italy. While it was a shack compared to the manor, it was by no means small, and she was beginning to wonder if she needed to ask Mippy to summon him.

The house-elf was currently packing them more food than necessary into a tiny lunchbox with an extension charm, humming quietly to herself. Lucius was in England, and he had no idea that Narcissa had freed Mippy 15 years ago to the day. If Lucius had found out, he would have been furious, so she mainly kept it in her quarters, but whenever it was just Narcissa and Draco around, she proudly wore the pink cashmere scarf.

Draco walked into the kitchen and tugged on Mippy’s scarf lovingly, and she swatted at him with a smile as she clasped the lunchbox closed and handed it to him.

“Isn’t carrying this supposed to be your job?” He asked Mippy after he helped her down from the stool she was standing on and didn’t take it back from him.

“Mippy is tiny and old. Draco is a growing boy. A growing boy who plays quidditch. Very good seeker, Mippy hears. You can carry it,” she replied, and with that, she trotted out of the room.

Narcissa laughed, and Draco raised his eyebrows, feigning surprise. Nothing Mippy did surprised him anymore. He would never admit it, but Mippy was the only true friend he ever had. Although maybe he considers her more like an aunt? Or older cousin? Either way, besides his mother, the house-elf was the only one who cared for him with no ulterior motives.

“Happy Birthday, darling,” Narcissa said, walking over to the counter her son leaned against. She brought Draco into a bone-crushing hug and went on her tiptoes to kiss his head. He was a few inches too tall, so he leaned down a bit and then hugged her back. While most of his peers would prefer to spend their actual birthday drinking themselves into oblivion, there was no place he would rather be. He could get drunk with them next weekend. Today was just for him, his mother, and Mippy.

The elf walked back into the room carrying a basket and a large blanket. Draco broke the hug with Narcissa and motions for Mippy to come to them. She sighed and dropped the items she was carrying, and walked into Draco’s waiting arms. He picked her up like she was nothing more than a toddler and kissed her cheek.

“Happy Freedom Anniversary, Mippy,” he said, and Narcissa wiped a tear from her eye. There was something different about today, and they all knew it.

“Okay, put Mippy down. We have to get going!” Narcissa said as she clapped her hands twice. She looked completely different than she usually did, but it suited her well. She had ditched her gowns, instead opting for a loose-fitting floral shirt and denims. Her hair was in a simple French braid, and most notably, there was a beaming smile on her makeup-free face. Draco didn't see that smile much anymore, but it was his favorite. That smile was the only thing that made him feel like he didn’t need to worry. That smile damned Atlas and freed her from carrying the weight of the world.

After gathering all the supplies they needed, the three of them walked up the hill in the backyard of the cottage, reaching the top to look over the vineyard.

“Mippy, can you help me, please?” Draco asked as he began unfolding the blanket they brought to sit on. Mippy nodded, and Narcissa gave a sad smile as she watched the two of them fumble around to set the blanket down. It had been getting harder and harder to see the inherent gentleness in Draco. He was so intense, and while she knew it was just teenage angst, it wouldn’t be long before he would be forced to grow up too soon. Then, intensity would be the only way he would survive.

The sun was just beginning to set as they all sat down, basking in the peace they knew would fade. There’s a reason Lucius did not come on this trip.

“Draco, have we ever told you the story of the day you were born?” Narcissa asked, ruffling through the lunchbox to find the bag of grapes Mippy packed.

“I only know the basics,” Draco replied, leaning back on his hands, soaking in the final rays of sun before it hit the momentum of its descent.

“So you know your grandparents arranged the marriage between your father and me when we were young, so we got married the month after graduation,” Narcissa said, popping a grape into her mouth.

“I wanted to wait to start a family because of the war, but your father was very adamant about me “fulfilling my duty as a pureblood wife.” Mippy rolled her eyes, but Narcissa continued.

“So I stopped taking the contraceptive tonic, and then I was pregnant with you two months into our marriage. But your father decided to leave and fight for the Dark lord about a week after I told him we had conceived. And you know how your father is. He didn't want me leaving the manor or having anyone over, but your grandparents left for France, so my only company was Mippy.”

“Mippy is good company; Cissy loves Mippy’s company,” Mippy chimed in, and Narcissa smiled at the elf as she handed her the grapes.

“Yes, Mippy and I had a wonderful time. But the pregnancy was very hard and very dangerous. So when I went into labor with you a month early, there was a very good chance we were both going to die. And to make matters worse, there was a mass raid on a death eater base, and every healer was desperately needed to save people who got injured in combat.”

“So wait, father wasn’t there?” Draco asked, raising his eyebrows. Narcissa began to answer, but Mippy interjected before she had the chance.

“No, your father wasn’t there. He was off killing people because that good-for-nothing ugly arse snake git told him to. Cissy was bleeding and dying, and it was Mippy who was there. Lucius was nowhere to be found”. Mippy spat his name like a curse, able to do so being the free elf that she was. Narcissa just smirked at her, and rolled her eyes, clearly feeling the same way about Lucius that the elf did.

“Okay, so yes, like Mippy said, I was bleeding. There were no healers, and I couldn’t heal myself, so I was going to die.” Narcissa explained.

“But Cissy let Mippy use her wand,” Mippy said, a tear falling from her large eyes. “She let Mippy save both of you. And it was hard, but Mippy did it. Mippy did it”.

Narcissa began crying and leaned over to hug her tightly, both of them shaking from their tears. Against all odds, the love and devotion of the elf had been enough to save them.

They broke the hug and wiped their eyes, but Mippy stayed sitting on Narcissa’s lap against her chest, and Narcissa rocked them back and forth.

“Until you Draco, Mippy was the best thing to ever happen to me. And I knew that keeping her forcefully bound to me and your father was hurting her. And you don't hurt the people you love”.

Draco was never one for tears, yet he couldn’t stop the few that fell from his eyes. To be honest, he didn’t know exactly why he was crying, but when Mippy noticed and walked to him, he didn’t hesitate to pull her to him tightly.

“I knew freeing her would have consequences, but I didn’t care. I summoned my favorite scarf from my drawer, and I gave it to her. And though she could have left, she stayed,” Narcissa continues.

“Of course, Mippy stayed. Mippy loves Cissy and Mippy loves Draco. Even when he screamed all night and kept Mippy awake,” Mippy replied, fresh tears falling as she made eye contact with both of them and smiled.

“Well, thank you for staying. I love you too,” Draco said. To the world, he was cold, but on this hot June night, as twilight turned to dusk, he let the warmth radiate from him with the only two beings he let himself love without restraint.

Over the vineyard, what appears to be almost a string of lights glows in the distance. Draco’s heart dropped as he saw that the light's hue was green, but Narcissa’s features lit up when she saw them.

“I didn’t know Italy had fireflies! Mippy, can you please go get a jar and poke some holes on the top?” Narcissa said, beaming. Mippy nodded and jumped off of Draco, walking back down the hill.

“What’re fireflies?” Draco asked, at ease due to his mother’s excitement but still curious.

“They’re bugs that light up; we will catch some in a minute, but Draco. I need you to listen to me.” Narcissa said, her face turning solemn.

“You know why your father isn’t here. The rumors are true. The Dark Lord is back. It’s going to get messy, and I don’t know how to protect you”. Her face paled with this confession.

“Mother, it will be alright. This is a good thing, right? Mudbloods will be gone, yes?” Draco asked, and her face turned furious.

“Draco Lucius Malfoy, don't you EVER say anything bad about anyone of another blood status or species again. You just told Mippy you loved her. The cleverness and selfless love from her, a creature your father and the Dark Lord deemed worthless and filthy, is the reason both of us are alive.” Narcissa snapped before taking a deep breath.

“I can’t stop your father from doing or thinking evil things. But you are my son, and I will be damned if I continue to sit by and let that man brainwash you.”

Draco was visibly taken aback, his eyes wide and lips tightened. The realization that Mippy single-handedly disproved everything his father had ever said rocked him.

“I’m going to need you to do everything you can to stay safe from now on. Have you heard of Occlumency? Mippy and I are going to teach you. And I’ll teach you everything I know about defensive magic. Take advantage of school resources this year; I’ll talk to Severus.” Narcissa listed off, more to herself than to Draco.

“I’ll be fine. We will be fine. I’ll do what I can, and I’ll protect us,” Draco said.

“You shouldn’t have to. You’re too young, Draco; I’m so sorry. I was a coward. I should have left like Dromeda did after I had you, then you’d be safe,” she said.

“Mother, you were too young back then. You’re still young. You’re still growing up like me. We will do this together” Draco replied, wiping a tear falling from her face.

“Maybe you’re right. I look back and don’t know how I did it all back then. I was a kid. Look at my worry lines, I’m 32 with worry lines! That shouldn’t have happened.” Narcissa said, pointing to her forehead.

“Thank you for calling me young though, you know just how to boost my ego” Narcissa said with a smirk. Everyone thinks his trademark smirk was learned from his father, but his mother was the one he emulated that from.

Mippy apparated over the hill and walked in front of them, jar in hand.

“Mippy knows we said we were going to limit magic on Draco’s birthday because he can’t use his, but that is a big hill. Mippy didn’t want to do it again. Here is the jar!”

Narcissa just laughed as she stood up and took the jar, the weight from their previous conversation lightening. The fireflies were starting to come closer to them and the sun had almost completely disappeared over the horizon.

“Okay so fireflies are bugs that light up without magic. To catch them just lightly cup your hands around it. Don’t go fast cause you’ll scare them, and don’t crush them because then nargles will crawl into your bed tonight and bite your toes,” Narcissa said with a mischievous grin.

“You sound like Luna'' Draco mumbled under his breath as he stood up off the blanket. He joined his mother and Mippy in walking closer to where the majority of the lightning bugs were gathered.

“What was that, darling?” Narcissa asked, turning to her son.

“Nothing, Mother. I was just saying I love you. Now let’s catch some fireflies'' and with that, he scooped Mippy up and started sprinting deeper into the field. The three of them laughed wildly and believed, even if just for a moment, that life could be beautiful.

~

Draco doesn’t believe that anymore. Better yet, Draco knows for a fact that it isn’t true. He is shaking so much he might be seizing, and the glass cuts into him with every tremor. He can’t stand up, he can’t stop, nothing ever stops the monsters always catch up it never stops it doesn’t fucking stop.

His sobbing turns to screaming. Life isn’t beautiful he had made sure of that he ruined it all he should have known he should have stopped he should have known.

Hermione was oblivious to his internal massacre physically manifesting in their kitchen until she woke up in the middle of the night deciding she wanted a glass of water. The second the door opens, the muffliato charm he put over the dorm breaks, and she runs towards the kitchen when she registers that the sounds of utter agony are coming from Draco.

“Shit” she hisses as she steps in broken glass. If he registers that she is in the room he makes no indication to show that he’s done so. He just sits shirtless on the floor screaming through his clenched teeth as he cries, eyes shut, and pulling his hair. He just wants it all to stop but it never fucking does it doesn’t fucking stop.

Hermione nonverbally makes the glass vanish and then she rushes towards him, dropping to her knees in front of her roommate.

“Draco what’s wrong?” she asks urgently, scanning him for any wounds. Other than a few cuts on his arms and chest as a product of the ricocheted glass, he appears to be unharmed. Although if he keeps pulling his hair like that, he very well might rip it out.

“Draco, what happened?” She asks, more insistently putting a hand on his knee. His navy blue pajama pants and wool socks kept his lower extremities protected from the glass, but as he shifted from her hand a piece lodged in his lower abdominal muscles cut deeper.

“Stop make it stop please I’m so sorry just stop I don’t want it please” he screams through clenched teeth.

“Draco I need you to breathe for me, come on deep breath I got you it’s going to be okay just breathe with me” Hermione says, sitting with crossed legs in front of him.

“I’m so sorry fuck I’m sorry I’m sorry fuck HE MADE ME!” Draco yells and with closed eyes and dripping cheeks, he leans forward and vomits all over the both of them.

~

“You have to mean it for fucks sake, grow some balls and torture the damn thing” Lucius said, gensturing to a gasping Mippy. Narcissa sat at the small table by the window, drinking tea and watching Draco fail repeatedly at effectively casting the cruciatus curse.

~

Narcissa’s face was unreadable as she watched her whole world break while she couldn’t do anything to stop it. The only sign of her terror were her hands clutching her tea cup so hard that if she wasn’t careful it would break.

Draco couldn’t do it. He could see the pleading in Mippy’s eyes to just get it over with, the reassurance that it was okay, that she loved him no matter what. But he couldn’t. No amount of Occlumency could make him dissociate enough to try to want to hurt her. Because you don’t hurt the people you love.

“She’s too small. She reminds me of a child. I can’t torture a child. Go get me a prisoner or something to practice on” Draco said coldly to his father.

Lucius narrowed his eyes but smiled as he stalked over to his son and slapped him across the face. Narcissa tensed, her control taking a beating as she watched Draco stumble.

“I gave you an order, boy. Torture it yourself, or I’ll make you do it” Lucius said, his tone calm and inviting despite the threat of his words.

Draco took a deep breath, made eye contact with his father, and continued burning him with his gaze at him as he fired the curse at Mippy. The elf let out a piercing scream and he tried to block it out as he imagined it was his Lucius feeling the pain he was just forced to inflict.

“Good. Again.” Lucius said, knowing exactly what was running through Draco’s mind. So Draco did it again. And again. And again.

“Lucius I think he has demonstrated that he can do it,” Narcissa said, remaining stoic while Mippy did her best to recover.

Draco took this moment to finally look over to Mippy, and he almost fell to his knees when he saw her still shaking on the floor, looking at him with tears in her understanding eyes. She understood. She still loved him. Even though he tortured her, she would always love him.

“Shut the fuck up and stay out of this” Lucius snapped at Narcissa, and she glared at him as he turned around. She was toeing the line of the tightrope, getting bolder than she should.

“Time to kill it” Lucius said to Draco who was still looking at Mippy, her eyes now filling with fear.

“No” Draco whispered as a traitorous tear fell, his silver eyes tarnished beyond repair. He had done evil before, but he wouldn’t do this. Not to Mippy.

From the beginning it was him and Mippy. When he was little and couldn’t reach something, she’d use magic to bring it down to him. When he was little and had a nightmare, he wouldn’t go to his parents room for comfort. Instead he’d walk all the way to the servant’s quarters and lay with Mippy until he fell back asleep. He would not kill her. He refused to betray her like that. He refused to lose her like that.

“Do it Draco” Lucius yelled and Narcissa, now fully on that tightrope, began to lose her balance.

“No. He’s not going to do it. And don’t talk to my son like that.” She said as she slowly stood up.

“You might have pushed him out bitch, but he is my son. And he will do what I say”.

“Where were you when I pushed him out? Where were you almost his entire childhood?” Narcissa said as she began walking forward and raising her voice. Draco’s breath hitched and he went to interrupt but she just kept talking.

“Because last I checked you were gone. Last I checked it was Mippy that saved my life and MY son’s life. Mippy and I raised Draco. I freed her the day he was born, but she STAYED, unlike you who would rather spend all his time devoted to resurrecting an evil fucking psychopath than with his own kid! So no, Draco is NOT going to kill her and you are going to get the fuck away from him!” Narcissa screamed. And that’s how she fell.

Lucius stunned her, Draco trying to run to her before being stunned also. Lucius sighed and came up close to Narcissa who was frozen, unable to move.

“You think he won’t kill her? You think he won’t do what I say?” He whispered loudly into her ear, making sure Draco could hear him. “Watch him. Imperio”

Draco immediately went slack. He was unable to move his head or limbs, but his eyes moved freely and they widened when he looked to his mother. She was now tied up and suspended from the ceiling a gag in her mouth and her magic suppressed.

“Go ahead Draco, show your dearest mother that you are loyal to me. Show her how little you care about her and that fucking rat of a creature. Go on” Lucius said, looking at Narcissa the whole time. She screamed but it was useless.

Mippy had tried to flee but it was futile. The four cruciatus curses fired back to back to back to back had left her incapable of movement.

“Mippy loves Draco and Mippy loves Cissy” the elf said before shutting her eyes tight.

“Avada Kedavra” Draco said through his tears, and with a wave of his wand and a flash of green light, Mippy was dead.

Lucius was laughing while Narcissa screamed and thrashed on the ropes, trying to get to Mippy’s corpse, alone on the marble floor of the drawing room.

“Now for the fun part! You think Draco is loyal to you hmm? That he would disobey me? Well surely a son who loves his mother as much as you say he does wouldn’t kill her right?”

Both Draco and Narcissa’s hearts stopped. Lucius beamed as the realization came over both of them and time slowed as Draco fought. He tried so hard to fight and he sobbed trying to convey to his mother how much he loved her. But there was nothing he could do to stop himself as he met her terrified eyes and cast the killing curse.

~

“It’s okay, I got you” Hermione says, soothingly rubbing Draco’s back as she shifts to his side. He continues to heave and she would get him the trash can, but his hand is now gripped tightly to her thigh, using it as leverage so he doesn’t fall face first into his dinner.

They stay like this for long minutes until he finally has nothing left in his stomach. He wipes his mouth on the back of his hand and he slowly lifts his gaze to her.

“He made me” he whispers as more tears fall. Her heart breaks as she pulls him to her, and he buries his head into her chest and shakes as she holds him.

Working as head boy and head girl the last few weeks had them talking frequently, but only in very polite and formal conversations. She didn’t know if she would call him a friend per se. That is, until tonight.

Cradling someone who is shirtless and cut up through a panic attack while you are both covered in their puke definitely makes said person your friend.

She strokes his hair and puts effort into making her breath even. Inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts. Over and over.

His head is over her heart and the beat and rise and fall of her chest eventually has his breath synchronizing with hers.

“C’mon let’s get cleaned up” Hermione says softly, tapping his shoulder and beginning to stand up. She pulls him with her, and he looks absolutely wrecked, but at least he can stand.

Hand and hand they walk to the large bathroom they share.

“Here, take your pants off and put this around you while I rinse off” she says, handing him a towel. His skin is mostly clean because he was wearing pants, but Hermione’s legs weren’t because she was wearing bed shorts. He just nods and she gives him a sad smile before stepping in the shower. He feels like he could sleep for a week, but tonight he will refuse. He can sleep when he’s dead. He wishes he was dead.

She strips and throws the clothes outside of the curtain and turns the shower on. The sound breaks Draco from his haze and he takes his pants off and wraps the towel around his waist. Despite his numbness, he uses the little energy he has to pick up both of their soiled clothes, put them in the sink, and turn the faucet on briefly. He can’t find it in himself to be embarrassed, so he goes and sits down on the closed toilet seat and puts his face in his hands. It all just hurts.

It could have been a minute or it could have been an hour before Hermione reached to the hook beside the shower and pulled a towel off.

“I’m going to put some clothes on and grab my wand really quick, I’ll be back” she says. He just nods. He has no concept of time right now. It all just hurts.

When she walks back in, she summons a chair from the other room to land in front of Draco and she starts the water of the clawfoot tub.

“Any objections to lavender?” She asks as she rummages through their first aid kit for tweezers.

“No lavender please.” He says , his voice hoarse.

The numbness in his chest is replaced by a sharp pain. His mother’s perfume was lavender. It reminded her of their garden in France. Another tear falls before he clears his throat.

“Of course, is chamomile fine?” she asks and he nods so she flicks her wand and suddenly sweet smelling bubbles join the water in the bath.

She finds the tweezers and comes to sit on the chair in front of him surveying his arms and chest for pieces of glass. She locks her eyes to his in silent question, and he nods before she puts her hand on his arm and begins to work.

He hisses as she gets the first piece out, the sting painful but not unwelcome. It’s not like he doesn’t deserve it.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s uncomfortable,” Hermione says, already working on the next piece. She bites her lip in concentration as she removes it and drops into the trash can at their feet.

“I should be the one apologizing” he mumbles. It all just hurts.

“It’s seriously fine, it’s not the first time I’ve been thrown up on” she says, smiling reassuringly but focusing on the glass.

“Not just for all of this, but for everything. I’m sorry Hermione.” More tears. He’s sorry. For everything with her, for everything with his mother, for everything with Mippy, he’s just so fucking sorry.

“I know. I forgave you a long time ago.” She looks up to him and wipes his cheek. He’s too tired to reject the affection. He’s too lonely to push away any comfort she is willing to offer.

She moves to his chest and begins working on a piece lodged above his pectoral muscle

“I was never planning on telling you this, but last Tuesday night, I broke all of those glasses in a very similar manner,” she says as she pulls the shard out with a steady hand.

“September is just a really hard month for me,” she says softly as she moves down his chest. He’s always been lean, but it’s obvious he hasn’t been eating much as she studies his abdominal muscles, looking for any more glass.

“Me too, Granger. Me too.” Draco adds. They’ve officially been gone a year. People always say anniversaries are the hardest, but he didn’t believe it would be true. He didn’t think anything could be as hard as leaving the drawing-room, but he was wrong.

She puts the tweezers down as she gets out the last piece in his lower abs and casts a quick healing charm so his cuts won’t sting.

“You get in; I’m going to make you some tea. Three teaspoons of honey, right?” Hermione asks as she stands up and moves the chair. He just nods.

She walks out and shuts the door, and he drops the towel before walking to the tub. He eases into the water and suds and puts his head under the tap, rinsing his hair and his face. He doesn’t even question why Granger knows how he likes his tea. All he knows is that’s how Mippy made it and anything Mippy did he loved. One year since she had last told him she loved him.

Hermione walks in carrying the teacup and she brings the chair behind his head. She hands it to him and then grabs shampoo and conditioner from the shower before sitting down.

“Rinse your hair again for me” she says as she puts some shampoo in her palm. He does so without hesitation. He has no energy to even think about fighting. It all just hurts.

“I had my first birthday without my parents last week” she says quietly as she pulls him back and begins to lather the shampoo into his scalp.

“I told everyone I obliviated them but I lied” she takes a deep breath. “When I went home to do it, they were screaming on the floor with a note. Someone put a curse on them where they were dissolving from the inside out, and if they were moved, if I left, or if someone other than me entered the house while they were alive we would all blow up. So I had a choice. I could either watch my parents painfully disintegrate to death for hours in front of me or kill them myself. So I killed them.” Her voice was steady, but a tear dropped onto Draco’s head from her.

“A year ago today my father put me under the imperius curse and made me kill my mother and Mippy” he says. She pauses and looks down at him, face blotchy.

“By any chance was Mippy a house elf?” she asks.

“Yes and I loved her” he replies, new tears falling. It’s a miracle he wasn’t overly dehydrated by now.

“She loved you too. She came to my SPEW meetings and helped with my donate a sock campaign. She told me she was free but she stayed for her best friend and her little boy and that her little boy went to Hogwarts with me but she couldn’t tell me who he was. That’s you isn’t it” she says and he nods, more tears sliding down his face. She turns the faucet on again so he can rinse his hair out, and he obliges.

“She’s why I stopped saying the slur I used to call you. Blood purity and species mean nothing, that elf raised me and she is the best being I know.” He doesn’t correct himself to say “knew” instead. He knows her. She’s not gone until he is.

“At the start of 5th year the first thing she told me was she was so proud of her little boy for not believing everything his manipulative evil arse git of a father said anymore” Hermione says as she cries silently and they start laughing as Draco leans back again.

“She hated my father. She would always tell me today is never too late to be brand new, except for Lucius, he’s a lost cause” he explains as she begins conditioning his hair.

“She was a very smart elf that Mippy,” Hermione says. That she was. He didn’t deserve her. He killed her.

“Draco, who you are is not what you did” she whispers to him.

They sit in silence for a moment before she turns on the tap again and then she stands up to get him a fresh towel.

“I know tonight’s going to be hard, so sleep with me. My bed, your bed, the couches, the floor I don’t care. Unless you want to be alone. I just know for me it’s easier if I’m not alone.”

He knows she’s right. It’s easier if you have someone. And Hermione Granger might be the only person on the planet who also knows what it’s like to be forced to kill the two most influential people in your life.

“Your bed sounds nice,” he says softly and she nods and smiles.

“Okay meet me in there after you change” and with that, she leaves the bathroom and goes to her room.

If someone had told her a month ago she would be platonically sleeping with Draco Malfoy, she wouldn’t have believed them. Heck, if you told her yesterday she wouldn’t have believed them. But like her mother always said, lives change like the weather. One moment can make old enemies new confidants.

He knocks on her open door and walks in and she smiles at him. He looks so tired. She’s never seen Draco Malfoy look so fucking empty and tired. He crawls into her bed and lays his arm out across her side of the bed, gesturing for her to come to him.

She immediately does and he wraps his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. He is crying again but she holds him through it, nestling into his grey jumper right over his heart.

“I’ve lost control of everything in my life Granger” Draco whispers into her hair. He’s scared. It all just hurts.

“It’s never too late to get it back Draco. We are so young. We might have fought and killed in a war, but I like to think we’re still innocent. I got you. Today’s a new day we got this,” murmurs Hermione into his side as she squeezes him.

“Today is never too late to be brand new,” Draco whispers, and with one final tear, he closes his eyes, squeezes Hermione, and drifts off to sleep.