Breaking Out, Breaking Down

A/N

This chapter has given me so much trouble lol. Thanks to angelOfmusic for pointing out that it was all jumbled up. reviews are amazing, ratings are always welcome, and all the hits (3000! wow I love you guys!) are so appreciated! till next chapter...
~ Draconis

Hermione and Draco apparated to his apartment. Hermione looked around at everything, from the black leather sectional couch, to the walls covered in books.

"Don't look so dumbstruck." Draco said to her as he walked past her, making his way to the kitchen.

"I just...I didn't expect you to have so many books." She said softly, walking over to one of the shelves and running her fingers along the worn spines. Her fingers stopped over one book that didn't have a name embossed on it and went to remove it from the shelf. Draco was suddenly behind her, stopping her hand from pulling the book from its place on the shelf.

"Some of these are private, and I'd prefer it if you didn't go snooping without permission." He whispered into her ear. "Besides, you need to eat." He held a sandwich in front of her face, an expectant look on his face. "I know it's not gourmet food but I didn't have much time to prepare. I hope you like salami and Swiss cheese."

She looked at the tall blonde man in front of her with a look of incredulity, wondering where the Draco Malfoy she had known had gone. She took the sandwich from his grasp and took a bite before she was forced into conversation.

Draco sat on the couch and ate his sandwich in what seemed like 3 bites, while Hermione still had half of hers to eat by the time he was done.

"At least you're finally eating." He said as he stood up to throw away the paper plate that he had served his sandwich on. "It would do you some good to do that more often and consistently."

She suddenly felt very self conscious. Granger knew all of her clothes were too big, since she had to cast charms to make her look healthier and transfigure her clothes to fit her still thin frame after the charms. She hadn't cast them earlier when she had went to the Burrow and she just realized that Ron and Harry had seen her without them. Along with feeling self conscious, she felt guilty. Hermione set the remainder of her sandwich down.

"Oh no you don't, Granger. You're going to eat all of it." He sat down next to her as she took a nibble of cheese. "What happened to you?" He asked, looking at her with a slightly saddened gaze

"Since when do you care?" She asked. He just let out a sigh and simply shook his head.

"You look like shit. You obviously don't eat much and you look as though you haven't slept in weeks. I don't know where you're getting this stupid idea that I don't-"

"Maybe it was between all the insults and taunts at school, or the fact that-" She interrupted, speaking with an acidic tone that wasn't natural, even for her when talking to Draco.

"Don't. Don't you dare bring that up, Granger." He spat back. "That's in the past and that's not who I am anymore. You don't know what went on in my personal life, and it's not any of your business. I'd rather just forget that it ever happened at all."

While he'd been talking, Hermione had taken another couple of bites from her sandwich.

"But it's perfectly fine for you to meddle in my business? I was perfectly content in my lifestyle until you found me at The Leaky Cauldron! Then I saw you on the street! Why are you so concerned with me, Malfoy? Am I a charity case to make you look better? The headline 'Malfoy Heir Saves Mudblood Savior' is too tempting for you to pass up, isn't it?"

He calmly stood up and opened the front door and abruptly exited, leaving a stunned Hermione in his wake. This was his flat, not hers. Why would he leave his own flat? Hermione ate the last piece of her sandwich, threw away the plate in the trash bin in the kitchen, and apparated back to her own flat.

She put up an anti-apparition spell so that he couldn't come over without having to knock on the door first. She paced around her apartment creating a pattern to her movements.

"He's a Slytherin. He only does something when it's of benefit to him. He was so cruel to me! But he's been so kind... What could his intentions possibly be?"

She thought out loud as she paced her living room. She stopped and realized something was different. Books were put away and organized neatly on the shelves, in alphabetical order. She walked into her kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was fully stocked. Milk, pudding in every flavor, 4 different kinds of sandwich meat, an assortment of cheeses, milk, even a 12 pack of coca cola. Fresh vegetables were packed into the bottom crispers. She whipped around and opened all of her cupboards to see them filled with food as well. Soup, canned vegetables, canned fruits, boxed dinners. Hermione wasn't sure what to think of the food that has appeared in her cupboards.

She hadn't noticed that she was crying until she put her hands to her face in amazement and felt tears. Had he done this while she was in her room earlier that evening? She noticed her bedroom door was knocked off of the hinges with a hole in the front. She repaired it with a quick flick of her wand. She also fixed the hole that Draco had punched into the wall. She smiled to herself as she could just about imagine it.

Hermione changed into her flannel pyjamas and laid down on her bed. As she lay there, she thought about the kiss they had shared earlier that evening. That was the last thought on her mind before she drifted off to a restless sleep.

/Bellatrix's laughter rang through the room as Hermione tried to catch her breath from the last round of the Cruciatus curse. She looked off to the side to see Draco standing there with his mouth parted slightly and his eyes wide, completely boggled by what was going on in front of him.

Hermione felt something heavy on her body and felt her sleeve being pulled up.

"Malfoy, please. Draco...help me." She whispered. She didn't have the strength to speak any louder than a whisper. The pain was so deep she was sure that her very soul hurt.

Hermione let out another blood curdling scream as she felt something sharp pressing into her arm, puncturing the skin and dragging through it. As she thrashed her arm was being held still.

"You're a fighter, mudblood!" Bellatrix hissed in her ear. She was obviously having trouble holding just her arm down. Hermione continued to scream as the woman continued carving her skin./

She awoke with a start and a scream, drenched in sweat. She took a moment to realize where she was.

"It was just a dream, Hermione." She mumbled to herself. "You're ok. You're not there anymore. You're-"

Bang, bang, bang!

Someone was knocking, no, pounding on her front door. She grabbed her wand tightly and cautiously got out of bed. She held out her wand, trying to stay herself as she approached the door. She looked through the peep hole and all she saw was a tuft of blonde hair.

"Granger, I know you're there! Open up!" She heard his shout through the door. She unlocked the door and opened it. In stormed an angry Draco Malfoy, wand at the ready. "You were screaming. Why so?"

She sighed and shut the door. She went into the kitchen and poured both of them a glass of firewhiskey on the rocks. She handed a glass to him and he took it, taking a small drink. She downed hers in one go, poured herself another glass and looked him in the eyes.

"Nightmares." She answered his question.

He looked at her with a disheartened look in his eyes. He knew what she was referring to. He reached for her hand and she pulled away.

"I don't need your sympathy." She looked right into his grey eyes as she spoke. He grabbed her hand with a little more speed before she could pull away.

"Look at it, Granger." She tried to pull away from him but he just tightened his grip. "I said look at it! Look at your arm!"

She turned her head and looked at the ugly scar on her arm. All she saw was puckered skin, and a branding that marked her forever.

"That is not who you are. That is not what you are. You are the most talented, kind hearted, smart, and wonderful witch I have ever known. Do not let some dead, psychotic woman control your life." His grip loosened on her hand. "Either I can stay here or you can come to my place. I'd let you sleep in my room and I'd have the couch."

"Malfoy I-" She was interrupted by a finger on her lips.

"I'm not giving you a choice. You're shaken, reliving the hardest time of your life and you don't need to be alone." He smiled at her. "So, Granger. Your place or mine?" His smile was replaced with a smirk.

She let out a sigh and transfigured her empty dresser into a small mattress and moved it into the living room. She got him a sheet, a pillow, and a knit blanket. She walked off into her room and laid down on her bed.

"Good night, Hermione." He called in a sarcastically sweet tone, along with a chuckle.

"Good night, you prat." She said just loud enough for him to hear.

The same dream plagued her again when she fell asleep. She woke this time to someone next to her, holding her hand, stroking her hair and telling her it was just a dream. Hermione looked over to see Draco next to her bed. She started to cry.

"Oh don't do that. I hate tears." He mumbled. She could tell that he hadn't been there very long since he wasn't quite awake. His hand left hers and he gently rubbed her head to try to calm her down. "Hey. It'll be ok. It was just a dream. I'm here." He put his forehead to hers. "You'll be fine. I'll be right out in the living room." He stood up and she sat up quickly and looked at him.

"Don't go. Stay with me here. Please."