Anima

Okay, this was a long ass hiatus but I'm back now. So sorry. I'll be looking through all of my stories and either editing them or updating them. Hope you likes :)


Chapter 10

Draco glanced up at the clock as it chimed the hour, thinking to himself. Two days ago he’d earned a proper spanking from Hermione but what had surprised him the most had been the morning after. She’d actually healed him of all pain and injury without word or comment. It had surprised him to say the least since his father had made it a point to make sure his bruises lasted. Just one more example of how different his new mistress was. And how well she took care of him.

He played quietly with a lock of curly hair, stretched out on the sofa with Hermione nestled in his lap and reading from a book. He hadn’t felt like reading and had set aside his own novel some time ago. The question buzzed through his mind like an annoying pest until he couldn’t wait anymore, “What happened?”

Tilting her head back a little but not about to ask what he meant. She knew it and had been patiently waiting for him to breach the subject. She could practically hear him silently debating whether or not to ask for the last hour and had calmly waited for him, “In what sense, Draco? There’s a lot-...”

Not even attempting to temper his burning need to know the truth, ”To Severus. What happened to him? Why do you all flinch when he’s just mentioned?”

Hermione closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath, looking close to tears. She always hated thinking about that time. It always led straight to thoughts of her parents and even after all this time she still hadn’t come to terms with it. She swallowed hard several times before slowly nodding and speaking softly, closing her book and letting it fall into her lap,” Alright. It is a fair question but there’s a lot to tell.” He was prepared for that, wrapping his arms around her as she curled up against him. She reached out and interlaced their fingers together,” It’s not just him that we think about but his name brings up a lot of memories...”

“Of that year?”

Nodding slowly, “Yes. You know what happened during sixth year...” Draco licked his lips, eyes closed and looked away. Smiling gently and tilting his head back around with a finger to his chin, “Draco you did what you had to do to survive. I’m not angry with you about it.” She had forgiven him long ago, but she knew he still couldn’t forgive himself. He nodded a little, eyes still closed and she quietly continued, “Severus fled Hogwarts and the funeral was held. After sixth year, we all went home for the summer and I suppose sorted out our priorities. Voldemort started to get aggressive. His Death eaters would conduct raids on small providences and reduce them to ash...no survivors. No exceptions. Within two weeks I received an owl from Harry. He and Ron were heading off to find Horcruxes...somewhere.” Draco frowned in confusion,” A, uh, a horcrux is a truly evil creation. Voldemort created them to store parts of his soul inside. As long as they exist, so does he.”

Burying his face in her hair,” That thing had a soul?”

Nodding slowly,” Once.”

Puzzlement crossing his face,” How can you put parts of your soul...it doesn’t make any sense.”

Whispering softly,” The killing curse. Harry said that using it splits the soul-“

” And we all know how often HE used it.”

Nodding again,” Exactly.”

Draco closed his eyes, pulling her more tightly to him and burying his face in her hair. Whispering tightly, softly,” Go on. Where did Potty and Weasel go?”

Hermione felt a small smile tug at her lip, realizing the name calling was more than just an insult to Draco. It was insult and endearment all wrapped up together in one confusing mess of familiarity, “Harry didn’t tell me where, they were just gone. I was so mad at him for so long. I’d been there since the beginning and now that they needed me the most, they were going off to probably get killed.” Closing her eyes, a single tear sliding down her cheek,” Ron...in an ambush he...and Harry barely made it.” Draco silently stroked along her back. There was no love lost between himself and that particular Weasley but he knew she’d cared about him and for her he’d bite his tongue.

“I’m sorry, Hermione.”

Wiping at her face with the back of her hand, “I’ll never forgive either of them for it.”

Swallowing hard, “You loved him.”

She sighed softly and reached up to toy with his hair,” I’ve been his friend since the beginning. In the end we were the best of friends and...it might have been more but now it never will.” Draco didn’t want to hear about her love for him but he bit his tongue literally. She smiled sweetly, “Because I have you.”

Looking startled, “Me?”

Nodding slowly, “And you have me.” She stroked his cheek with her finger and he lightly clasped her hand, kissing the back and feeling so immeasurably grateful and humble for her generous spirit. His heart quickened with just the idea that maybe she considered them equals and maybe, just maybe, someday she might actually love him. Sighing softly and closing her eyes, “That was the worst summer of my life. It wasn’t the fighting or the murders, it was the waiting. Reading about the death in the streets and holding your breath, worried you were going to be next. I knew my family would be a target but they never came and I never knew why...until seventh year.” Taking in a shuddering breath,” The day that I left for Hogwarts. I hadn’t even gotten on the train and...my parents were slaughtered. I didn’t find out until I was at school. My second day and I received a parchment from the Ministry for their condolences of my loss.” Her eyes shined of tears and fury, “I felt like telling them to shove it sideways.” Draco gave her a small nod and brushed a finger along her cheek, “A second message arrived, this time by a large black crow and I thought nothing of it at the time. Not until I opened the letter.”

Draco pet through her hair gently, holding her and trying to silently reassure her,” It was from Severus. I actually think that crow was him but...he said that he was sorry for their deaths. There was no swaying Voldemort so he had delayed them. The most he could guarantee was protection through a blood ritual. So long as I lived in the house, no harm could come to them there. The seal was broken the second I went back to Hogwarts.” Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks but she pushed herself on,” I became obsessed with my studies...”

He leaned over her and shook his head, worry in his eyes as tears continued to fall. She looked so upset now, “Hermione. You don’t have-...”

She shook her head, “You deserve to know.”

Looking down in regret for having even brought it up, “I’ll ask someone else.”

Cupping his face, “I need to tell it and I want you to hear this from me. I know you cared about him a great deal.” It was true. Snape had taken him under his wing since his early childhood and taught him everything there was to know about potions. That’s why he’d always done so well, “Just hold me.” He obeyed her request, wrapping her tightly in his arms as if his body could shield her from the hurt of the past. Swallowing heavily,” I lost myself for a while but...” Breathing shakily,” I found my way back and by then the height of the war was upon all of us. The Death eaters were no danger to Hogwarts since the vanishing cabinet had been destroyed and the wards had been tightened so not even relatives of the students could enter. We watched in safety as Aurors and death eaters and innocents fell under Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix and every available Auror went in to Riddle Manor. They met the Death eaters head on and killed a fair amount of them. But Voldemort had a traitor in his midst. The spy that the Order had that had supposedly turned against us had been fighting for us all along. He destroyed the last Horcrux, I’m not sure what it was, but it killed him in the process...”

Draco swallowed hard,” Severus...”

Hermione nodded painfully,” Yes...he died to save all of us...”

Draco closed his eyes against the tears. He’d known, on some level, he just hadn’t known how. The warm body in his arms turned before wrapping him up in an embrace that was both needing and protecting and it thrust him into the reality that this lovely little witch was all he had left. Squeezing her tightly, “Please don’t ever send me away...please...”

Hermione jolted just a little in surprise but held him just as fiercely, “Never, Draco. All we have is each other now.” He sighed softly, snuggling against her and believing her completely.