Burn With You

"Hermione? Where are you going?" Ron called out as Hermione began to stand up. It was the next morning and about halfway through breakfast. She finished her food as quickly as possible, not realising she had no excuse to be leaving so soon. Maybe the truth wouldn't hurt.

"I'm going to see Pansy Parkinson." She admitted, raising her chin in a Draco-like manner

Both Ron and Harry's eyes grew wide, but only Ron said anything about it. "What?! You mean that Slytherin girl who's friends with Malfoy? He's, like, a Death Eater who believes in pureblood supremacy, you do know that right?"

"Well, I happen to think otherwise. War changes people, you know?" Hermione explained, but Ron wasn't having any of it. Harry, however, nodded his head very slightly in agreement with her.

"She's gone mental!" Ron proclaimed dramatically.

"Just be careful, alright?" Harry said, giving Hermione a smile before she walked out of the hall and headed for the dungeons. She felt for the wand in her pocket, just in case it was necessary. Slytherins were known for their cunning nature, after all.

It turned out that Pansy really was standing outside the entrance to her dorms, holding the door open, waiting for Hermione's arrival but with no wand of her own in sight.

"Hey," she said casually, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "Do you have your wand? I expected you to bring it to be honest, I know you can't exactly trust me yet. Mind casting a Muffliato? Most people are probably still at breakfast, but just in case."

Hermione cast the spell, feeling a bit embarrassed at having being read so easily. But really, any sane person would be wary of this new interaction, right?

Pansy walked through the door into the Slytherin common room, motioning for Hermione to follow after her. "What? You want me to go in there?" Hermione asked, bewildered.

"Oh, come on, it'll be fine. Nobody's in here. And if someone's secretly watching or whatever, they won't hear us anyway. A lot of us changed after the war ended, you know, not many still care about blood purity or whatever."

Hermione reluctantly stepped into the room for the first ever time. The floors were patterned in beautiful emerald shades of green, the walls decorated with old paintings and fancy decor. It was spacious, but still somehow cosy, and both girls settled onto a rather large armchair near the unlit fireplace.

"Okay, listen up," Pansy began. "Draco has been talking to me about what Bellatrix had been planning to make him do for a few days now, since the moment she escaped. Apparently she wanted you dead as well as that other boy Ron Weasley, just to spite Harry and make him pay for everything. Draco was really the only one available who had not been locked up after the war.

"But- well, I'm not sure how much Draco would want me to say, so I'll keep it simple. Bella has done awful things to him, that girl is insane. He told me over and over again that he didn't want to kill you, or Weasley for that matter, but he couldn't defy his aunt because he was scared. So he conjured up a plan to turn Bella's necklace into a portkey; the best he could do.

"All he had to do was avoid her from touching it herself. But if she did, that's why the destination was the Room of Requirement, so it would be easy to trap her and she wouldn't be near any students. I'm assuming the plan worked. I just wanted to reassure you that Draco never wanted to do it, really. That boy is a lot of things, but a killer is not one of them."

Hermione felt as though she had been stunned into silence. She wasn't exactly sure what to say. Draco really planned to save her right from the beginning? It was a huge risk, taking her necklace and making it into a portkey, and an unexpected warmth of affection spread through Hermione.

But there was one thing that Pansy didn't mention, and Hermione decided she had to ask about it. Not a killer, huh? She leaned in closer even though they had a spell over them, and whispered, "You know Draco killed her, right?"

Now Pansy was the one stricken into silence. Nope, she definitely did not know. Maybe that wasn't even part of the plan.

"Fucking hell. You're serious?" Pansy asked, her voice going up in pitch ever so slightly. "I didn't think he would. I don't even know what to say. That's probably why he hasn't talked to anyone for days. He's been hiding down in Severus' old chambers, you see."

Hermione felt a tinge of guilt at the mention of Severus, but forced herself to brush past it, directing her concern to Draco instead. She didn't know that he would be this stricken up over murdering someone; it was no easy task, but he was a Death Eater after all. 

Maybe she was wrong about him being like his father.

"Salazar, I can't believe he really did it." Pansy sounded increasingly concerned. "I'm going to try to speak to him. I'll give you the Slytherin password and if you ever need me or feel unsafe, I'll be here, alright? None of this childish fighting anymore."

"Oh, Pansy, it really means a lot to me." Hermione said, not being able to hide her smile at her comforting words despite the situation. She was about to walk away, when Hermione had an idea. "Wait. Hogsmeade is this weekend, you wouldn't mind going with me for a little while, would you?"

"Not at all," Pansy smiled briefly before returning to her panicked state and ran off after telling Hermione the password.

She felt horrible for Draco, of course. But she had a new friend, and that mattered a hell of a lot, especially right now.

--

"I'll meet up with you later, I promise!" Hermione shouted to Ron and Harry as she walked off in the opposite direction. They looked confused, but recovered soon enough and headed towards a shop for Quidditch supplies.

Hermione found Pansy lingering near Scrivenshaft's, browsing through the window. She didn't look ashamed to be around Hermione in public as she feared she might be. In fact, Pansy walked over to her and gave her a brief, friendly hug. 

It was comforting yet unfamiliar, perhaps because hugs from Ron and Harry felt so much rougher; not that she hated those hugs. But Pansy's was lighter and somehow more airy, and Hermione felt suddenly grateful for having another friend who was a girl too.

"Okay. This might sound a bit silly, but I wanted to get some flowers, or a little gift for Draco to thank him for saving me." Hermione explained, feeling a heat creep into her cheeks as she said it and hoping they were not turning an embarrassing pink colour.

"Lucky for you, I know exactly what flowers he likes. I'm sure he'd appreciate that, you're lovely Hermione. Shame we didn't become friends sooner."

The confirmation that they were really friends now sent a spark of warmth through Hermione, a comfort that she never knew she needed, just like the hug. 

They reached the flower shop and Pansy was quick to point out a white bunch of flowers. "Heliotropium peruvianum, I know he'll love these," Pansy said, then adding "Symbolises eternal love and devotion."

This time, Hermione was certain that her cheeks were becoming a bright shade of red. She didn't understand these feelings just yet, but the action of Draco protecting her and becoming a better person than could ever be expected of him considering his family's views really made her feel something at least.

"Okay. I'll get these," Hermione agreed. Pansy gave her a knowing look, and she pretended to be clueless.

--

Hermione finished the rest of her Hogsmeade trip shopping with Ron and Harry, which was always a pleasure to do. Later on, Hermione met back up with Pansy and they walked down to the old chambers of Severus Snape.

As they descended down various sets of stairs, the air seemed to grow colder and colder. Hermione tried not to think about the fact that this was once their Potions professor's chambers who died saving Harry, instead focusing on the task at hand with Draco. 

Pansy nodded towards the door. With the flowers tucked carefully under her left arm, she knocked the door a few times as lightly as possible to not startle him. "Draco? It's Hermione. I understand if you need some space, but I brought you something..."

The door creaked open ever so slightly. Pansy took that as her sign to leave, giving a quick nod before making her way back upstairs.

Hermione entered the room, where a large bed lay in the corner, looking slightly out of place as if conjured especially for the sake of Draco. He was sitting on it with his legs under the covers, wand in hand which he had probably used to open the door with. He looked pretty much glued to the bed, and also extremely worn-out.

"I just wanted to thank you. You know, for saving my life and everything," Hermione explained, unsure if the explanation was necessary but her mouth couldn't seem to stop rambling as she pulled the white flowers out from under her arm.

"Flowers. Seriously?" Draco scoffed, mean at first but softening his tone right after. "And why do you believe I deserve these?"

Did he really believe that he didn't deserve them?

"Because you saved me, Draco. Not only me, but my friends, too. You could've been badly hurt taking that necklace from your aunt, and you could've gotten killed if that spell backfired." Hermione wasn't sure if bringing up the killing was a particularly good idea, but there was no taking it back now.

"Granger. I'm a Death Eater. I may have saved you this once, but I'm dangerous. You're smart, you of all people should know that. Being around someone like me? I'll just drag you down. I'm sort of like a dragon who spits fire on anyone who comes near me," Draco blathered.

"Okay. Then set me on fire, Draco. It would be a pleasure to burn with you," Hermione replied, trying for a soft smile. Draco didn't say anything back.

Hermione cautiously walked over to the bed where Draco was sitting, handing him the flowers. He took them, still not saying anything but smelling the flowers and hugging them to his chest. She supposed that had to be a good thing.

No words were exchanged for a while, and Hermione sat on the edge of the bed. She threw off her shoes, assuming that was the polite thing to do on such a seemingly expensive duvet, and shuffled over to sit next to Draco. Their knees touched, but neither made an attempt to move away.

Draco looked straight forward at the opposite wall, not daring to make eye contact with Hermione. His face kept scrunching up like he was trying to stop himself from crying, but he could only be the strong, proud one for so long. It was inevitable that he was going to break eventually. Hermione just never expected it to be in front of her;

"Aunt Bella, she hit me all the time- she hurt me badly if I didn't do what she wanted- I didn't mean to kill her, I didn't, but I had no other choice- Salazar, what have I done, Hermione, what have I done-" Draco began to ramble on through his tears. He rested his head against Hermione's shoulder as he did so.

"Shh, it's okay. Oh Draco, you weren't the bad person, you know that right? She abused you. Of course you wanted her gone, that doesn't make you an awful killer. That mark on your arm doesn't define you, I promise. You are not one of them. Not ever. I've always been wrong about you." 

Hermione reached up and started to run her fingers gently through his platinum blonde hair. Draco relaxed into the touch, allowing a part of himself to be seen that nobody ever expected to be shown.

"Stay here with me tonight." Draco stated; it was supposed to be a question, although it sounded very much like the answer had already been decided for Hermione. She nodded against his hair, and Draco slid an arm around her waist gently, cuddling up to her like she was his personal teddy bear. The flowers lay on the duvet beside them.

"Nobody is going to hurt you now. From now on, I won't let them, and neither will Pansy or any of your friends. I'm sorry that I never understood you before, Draco," Hermione said as comfortingly as possible.

"I've never noticed before how beautiful you are." Draco mumbled against her shoulder, before falling asleep in her arms.