He was waiting, waiting and waiting. For the past 8 hrs, for her to wake up. She was unconscious, but the baby was safe, he had made sure of it.

Suddenly at midnight that day, she stirred. She groggily woke up to find Malfoy beside her sleeping with his head on the foot of her bed.

No, it was not her bed. She looked around, and in a shock realized she was somewhere new. The room was sparsely furnished with only a couch and very few paintings on the walls. One was surprisingly muggle-made.

Draco's place was beautiful in a less-obvious sort of way. There was coziness in the bedroom setting and the walls conveyed the strange and complex personality of the owner. She smiled softly. Draco's hair was messed up, he slept like a child, hands tightly holding the end of the blanket she was covered with.

In a flash, she remembered all the horrifying memories of the previous day. She covered her face with her hands. She could feel a single tear, but others quickly followed. Soon, she was sobbing quietly into her hand, shaking now and then.

Somehow this woke Draco up. His eyelids were still half-closed. He slowly got up and went up to her, touched her shoulders to let her know he is with her.

"Shh..Granger, calm down. We can do this. We can solve this. Come on, act like the Hermione Granger I know" he said softly.

"No Malfoy, you don't understand. This can't happen. This can.not.happen. I mean..I have never..I have not.."

"Granger..."

"How will I face my friends..Harry will leave me.. Everyone will mock me"

"Granger, let me talk"

She was sobbing hysterically now. "I can't go to school again. I won't be appointed into the ministry..I won't be continuing S.P.E.W..I can't go to the Hogwarts library anymore..I cant read anymore...I can't...I.."

"GRANGER! SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!"

May be it was his shouting or it was the shock, she obeyed. She sniffed a little and looked up to him with her big eyes.

"Do you trust me to keep this information secret"?

"Yes"

"Do you trust me to help you as a recognized healer from Hogwarts"?

"Yes"

"Do you want my help in deciding how to proceed with this"?

He waited. This was the important question. He will be glad to help her in anyway he can.

"Yes"

What. "What did you say? You need my help in deciding"?

"Yes, Malfoy. As it happens, Harry and Ron are busy in Auror training and I don't want them to get diverted. I can tell Ginny and Luna but I am afraid I can't control them to not share it with the boys. So yeah, I am 'fraternising with the enemy' as Ron would say" Her lips moved in a very slight smile.

"I thought I am not technically your enemy anymore" he sadly confessed.

"You were never my enemy, Malfoy."

"But..you said.."

"I said that is what Ron would say. It's just a funny way of remembering him. I miss them, you know. Anyway, you gave us loads of problems back in the day but you were never the enemy. You were just misunderstood, is all"

His eyes immediately watered. He never did expect her to see him in such a forgiving light, she almost said so. He couldn't believe it. He was grateful she was pregnant. No, he is being sick. But no, otherwise how will he have known she thought he was not her enemy?

He took her hand suddenly, jerking her and moved a bit closer to her so that he was standing with her head just near his waist. "There is a hot bath ready in the other room and food is on the table. Please freshen up and eat so that we can talk further. And remember I will help you in any way I can as your healer."

"Stop saying that"

"Stop saying what, Granger"?

"Stop your 'as a healer' nonsense. I thought you were more mature. Do you really think I hold a grudge against you after all these years? There is a lot going on now in my life to hold on to my past. Let's just say we forget the past till I get through this.." she gestured towards her stomach.

"Then may be we can have a hexing match for old times' sake, what do you say"?

He smiled genuinely. She had made his day. He couldn't ask for more.

"Sounds good. Off you go then, get your stinky self out of here, my place is precious"

"Ugh..stop it. You know as well as I do that this place is anything but that"

He clutched his heart in mock-hurt. "You hurt me, Granger. You don't know the effort I put in to set it up"

"Very funny. Drag a couch and hang some crappy paintings and it's done"

He was shocked. "Stop it, Missy. Those paintings on the living room walls alone cost a fortune. I didn't have to furnish the place because I rarely stay here. I am usually caught up at work in our school or in any of the patients' home for a house-visit. The couch is just for my mum and dad when they visit."

"What about the this painting"? She was pointing to an incomplete work sitting on the bedroom floor cupboard.

"I just started it a long time ago and haven't had the time to finish it" he looked away.

"Why don't we finish it today"? She said excitedly. He was looking at her with a hint of amusement.

"I mean..only if you want to ofcourse. The black in the painting intrigued me and I would like to know how you finish it, that's all." She finished, her cheeks pink.

The pink tinge didn't escape him. He smiled knowingly at her. "I would love for you to be there when I continue with it. I didn't feel like doing it till now. May be I will do it for my new fan now, eh"?He winked.

He winked at her. She started to sweat a little, there was a little fluttering of butterflies as they say in romance stories. "Don't get your hopes high, Mr.Malfoy. I am no fan of yours. "

"Your sparkling eyes and pink cheeks say otherwise" He was slowly moving his fingers in her flushed cheeks.

She instinctively closed her eyes.

"You look..what to say..different.. all flushed" he said more to himself than her.

She laughed silently. "Good different or bad different"? She asked, her eyes still closed, savouring his fingers on her face.

Before he could answer,however there was a faint pop sound and Winky, the eelf appeared.

They quickly disengaged. "Master, Madam Pomfrey sent me to inform you there is an unconscious woman just admitted to her care and she would need your help" winky bowed low.

"Er...yes Winky, thank you. I will leave." He turned to Hermione then. "I must leave, Granger. Make yourself comfortable. If anything, let me know. I will return as soon as I can. And hot water..."

She interrupted. "Is in the bathroom and food on the table. Thanks Malfoy, I will manage. Don't worry, I have no plans to fall unconscious again." She smiled to make the situation a little less uncomfortable.

He was about to say something but he left with a quick pop, leaving her skin cold wherever he had touched.