He studied her. “You'll never forgive yourself.”
Her jaw trembled. “No. I won't—” her voice broke. “But — it wouldn't be the first unforgivable thing I've done. I'm already a whore.” His hand resting against her flinched. “Becoming a murderer will just be an extra line in the history books.”
“If you did, what would you do then?”
“I'm sure you can imagine.” She wanted to turn her head away, but, without her bones, her muscles couldn't function.
His hand withdrew. Its sudden absence tugged at something inside of her. She struggled not to sob.
She hated this war.
She had thought she could do anything. She thought there would be no limits to what she would be willing to do to save Harry — to save everyone. That she would be able to bear with the consequences for long enough to reach the end.
Apparently Draco had become her limit.
She didn't know how to endure the war on her own anymore. The thought of watching the light fade from his eyes...
A ragged wail tore itself from her throat.
Suddenly Draco was over her, holding her in as much of an embrace as he could without injuring her. His face only a breath away from hers.
“Just live, Hermione.” His voice was shaking. “That's all I am asking you to do for me.”
Hermione gave a low sob. “I cannot promise that. You know I cannot promise that. And I cannot risk what you would do if I died.”
He kissed her. His hands caressed her face, and his fingers tangled in her hair. She sobbed against his lips.
“I'm sorry...” she kept saying again and again as she kissed him. “I'm sorry I did this to you.”
His lips were still against hers when he suddenly stiffened and hissed.
He wrenched himself away, gripping his left forearm until the knuckles of his right hand were white. “Fuck.”
He stood up and stared down at her. “I'm being summoned.”
She could see the calculation in his eyes. His jaw clenched, and he seemed to be wavering. An expression of despairing resignation flickered in his eyes.
“I can't delay. I have to go. Topsy!”
A house-elf popped into the room. Hermione started slightly and glanced around, realising that she was not in a hotel room.
“Am I — in Malfoy Manor?” Her voice shook with disbelief.
Draco gave a short nod, his expression brittle. “I had to bring you here. I can't summon healers to Muggle London.” Draco grabbed a pile of robes. Hermione recognized them as his Death Eater uniform. He pulled them on rapidly. “I didn't expect to leave you here alone.”
He leaned towards her, and his fingers ghosted along her wrist. “I swear, the wards won't let anyone onto the estate. You'll be safe. I'll come back.”
His pupils were dilated as he stared down at her. She recognised the terror in his eyes.
“I'll come back. No one can come here. You'll be safe until I get back,” he said again. “Topsy, take care of Granger.”
Draco pulled his mask on and looked down at her for a split-second longer before he vanished from the room.
Hermione stared at the spot he'd disappeared from, trying to absorb the fact that she was lying paralysed, alone, in Malfoy Manor.
Hermione looked up at the ceiling and heard the house-elf, Topsy, fidget beside her. Hermione pressed her lips together for several seconds, trying to decide where to begin.
“Does Kreacher come here often?” Hermione finally asked, turning her eyes to look at Topsy.
Topsy stared back at Hermione with her enormous eyes and nodded. “Kreacher is coming most months to see the master. Kreacher serves the Noble House of Black. The master is being the last Black left.”
“I see.” Hermione was seething internally. “What does Kreacher do when he comes to see Draco?”
“He is telling the master about Granger and the Order of the Phoenix. And Kreacher is maintaining Mistress Malfoy and Mistress Lestrange's grave sites. That is how the master was finding that Kreacher serves the House of Black still.”
Hermione looked back up that ceiling and licked her lips. “How long has Draco known that?'
“Topsy is not knowing, Topsy is thinking it was maybe for a year.”
Hermione pressed her lips together as she reviewed the timeline of her interactions with Draco. “What kinds of things does Kreacher tell Draco about me and the Order of the Phoenix?”
Topsy shifted and her eyes dropped to the floor. “Topsy is not knowing. Master is mostly talking to Kreacher alone.”
Hermione rolled her jaw. “How often does Draco come here?”
“He is not coming here so much. Topsy and the elves is doing their best, but he is not liking to be here. He is only coming to meet Death Eaters and visit Mistress Malfoy's grave.”
There was a silence as Hermione struggled to decide what to ask next.
“Do — do you know what happened to the healers Draco brought here to heal me?”
Topsy was silent.
“Did he kill them?” Hermione's voice rose sharply.
“Topsy is not knowing.”
Hermione let out a quick gasp and fell silent for several minutes.
“Is the Miss Granger wanting anything?” Topsy stepped closer and stared at Hermione. “Topsy can be bringing food, or tea, or broths, or whatever the miss is needing.”