,,Have you come here to gloat?” Draco Malfoy asked in smoldering fury, looking away from Hermione, as if her image alone would make him sick.

After deciding to accept Narcissa’s offer, Hermione thought whether it would be better to write her a letter or tell her in person. Hermione knew Harry would keep his promise to Narcissa and inform her of Hermione’s decision, but she felt it was too…impersonal. She would be staying in the woman’s house after all so wouldn’t it be rude not to communicate directly? Thus, after pondering for some time, Hermione decided to go to the hospital and talk to Narcissa herself.

That is why she was now finding herself standing in the doorway of Draco’s hospital room, starting to think that this might not have been a good idea after all.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she took a step inside the room.

,,No” she answered, stopping two steps away from Draco’s hospital bed.

,,Then why are you here?” he asked again, in the same disdainful tone.

,,I came to speak to your mother” Hermione replied calmly.

,,She’s not here, as you can clearly see, therefore you can have no business in this room” he threw at her, still looking away.

Hermione took another deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. She decided she wouldn’t be afraid or let herself be intimidated by his nasty attitude. She made the decision to come here for a reason and so she will fulfil her mission and then go. Nothing will dissuade her, not even the barely masked fury in Draco’s voice or his avoiding to look at her. She knew him well and she was used to it.

,,Then I will wait for her.” Hermione said, making her way towards the only chair in the room.

,,Leave!”

Draco’s voice and tone made Hermione freeze. She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around slowly to look at Draco. He was finally looking at her, but his gaze was filled with anger and loath to such a degree that she instantly wished he would look away again.

,,I am not leaving until your mother comes back” she said firmly, supporting Draco’s gaze without blinking.

,,I told you to leave” he growled at her.

,,And I told you I will wait here” she retorted stubbornly.

At this Draco had enough. He leaped from his bed, closing the distance between him and Hermione in a second. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her into the wall. Emotions battled inside him and that made it impossible for him to think clearly.

After everything that had happened he felt so angry, disappointed and empty, his thoughts and feelings were swirling fast inside his mind and he wanted to lash out. He was sure that would at least ease the tension and anxiety a little bit. That and the fact that he loathed the woman in front of him, made him act without a second thought. She made him so angry, ever since he knew her she had made him feel angry and frustrated, like he was never working hard enough or study hard enough.

,,Why are you really here, you… mudblood?” he threw the last word in her face like a slap.

Draco felt satisfied with the result of his insult, but only lasted for a short moment. Upon hearing his words, Hermione flinched but recovered quickly, placing a mask of firmness on her face and looking Draco in the eye.

,,I told you, I came here to talk to Narcissa” Hermione replied in an icy tone.

,,Stop lying!” Draco yelled, tightening his grip on her shoulders, pressing his fingers into her muscles.

The fact that Hermione wasn’t intimidated by him, drove Draco mad. By this time, he was boiling with anger and remembering his last encounter with her in the hospital a couple of weeks ago didn’t help either. A new feeling of shame crept inside his mind and he didn’t like it one bit.

,,What would someone like you have to say to my mother?” he continued, barring his teeth like a rabid wolf. ,,You people shouldn’t even be allowed to look at her, let alone speak to her.”

,,Then I won’t look at her, but I WILL speak to her” Hermione answered, a tint more ice in her tone.

Her mask was starting to slip away but she was still surprisingly calm, she thought, considering the circumstance she found herself in. Draco was acting like a madman, like he wanted to break her in pieces. She scoffed to herself at the silly idea. Little did he know that all those years of war and fighting had changed her, helped her bear with situations like this and even worse.

Hermione was forced out of her thoughts by Draco’s voice, followed by another brutal shove into the wall. This one hurt more, and she felt her shoulders protest under his grip.

,,You miserable…” he was saying, seething with fury. ,,You dare talk to me like that? I think you ought to be thought a lesson.”

,,Perhaps, but I assure you that YOU won’t be the one to give it to me. Least of all now. Not unless you want to brawl like a muggle” she said mockingly.

,,I think you feel too confident for your own good.” Draco said, pressing his fingers even more into her shoulders.

,,And I think you should calm down a notch and let me go. Now.” Hermione retorted narrowing her eyes.

Hermione was starting to feel she had enough of his brutality. Her shoulders were hurting, and the pain was making her upset. In a desperate attempt to maintain the last bit of composure she had, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes and remaining perfectly still. Years back, Harry had taught her a breathing exercise for situations like this.

,,It involves counting to ten and hoping whatever is attacking you misses its target. It actually worked for me a couple of times.” Harry had said.

She smiled to herself at the memory. It was a stretch, but she thought she might as well try it now.

,,Was that a threat?”

Draco’s voice brought her back to reality. She sighed. She couldn’t even reach 5.

,,That was a warning, Malfoy.” she said, opening her eyes and looking at him.

He was frowning and glaring down at her, his eyes narrowed into two barely visible grey slits.

,,I don’t need a wand to finish you off, Granger” he said menacingly.

As soon as he finished the sentence, Draco moved his hands from her shoulders to the base of her neck. Her skin felt warm and he flinched slightly. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. Hurt her? Kill her? Would he even be capable of that? No, he wouldn’t. But he still wanted to hurt her, for all those years of frustration, of not being good enough no matter how hard he tried.

Meanwhile, Hermione felt herself lightheaded, her vision blurred and her eyes started to water. Her instincts took over. In a split second her hand was clutching the wand inside her pocket and a curse was already on her lips.

,,Let her go, Draco.”

A voice behind Draco startled them both, making Hermione hold back the curse and Draco slightly loosen his grip. That allowed Hermione to take a shaky breath and clear her head.

Draco turned his head slowly and opened his eyes in surprise. Hermione couldn’t see who it was, but his expression made her think Narcissa would be the best bet.

,,Mother?” came Draco’s stunned confirmation.

,,Yes, Draco, without a doubt. Now that we’ve established that, let her go.” Narcissa told him again, slowly advancing into the room.

,,B-but…” Draco stammered.

,,But nothing. You’re hurting her.” Narcissa cut him off, a slight firmness in her tone.

,,But” he tried again, turning to look at Hermione.

Her face was slightly red, but her eyes looked back at him with suppressed fury. Her hand itched to raise the wand and curse him into oblivion, but she knew doing that in front of Narcissa would probably not be the best idea. Especially after she accepted the offer to help her son.

,,I suggest you let her go, Draco, before you anger her more and my presence here won’t be enough to stop what she was about to do when I came in.” Narcissa finished, her eyes darting at Hermione’s hand.

,,Mother, she threatened me” Draco said chocking with anger, looking from Hermione to his mother. ,,Knowing who I am and what I am capable of… she… a… mudblood.”

Narcissa frowned and opened her mouth to reply to her son but she didn’t get a chance to say a word. Hermione really had enough this time. One offense could be tolerated considering the situation, but two… impossible. She knew even Harry would understand.

Therefore, she took a loud breath and raised her wand. A moment later Draco was thrown into his mother’s arms, almost toppling her to the ground, while Hermione took a few steps away from them.

,,I am very well aware of who you are and what you are capable of, Draco Malfoy” Hermione said, with venom in her voice, ,,and I am telling you in hopes that it enters your thick skull: I am not afraid of a coward prat like you, who only picks on those weaker than him.”

She took another deep breath and turned to Narcissa, pocketing her wand.

,,I accept your offer, Narcissa. I’ll be expecting your owl containing the details.”

And with that she left the room without giving them another look.