(•_•)...6...(•_•)

                                    

                                          
Hermione's POV
                          
"Draco, it's from Harry."
                          
He looked up at me from his, rubbish, waffles and a confused look spread across his face.
                          
"Well, are you going to open it?"
                          
I didn't answer. I just stared at the unopened letter with my mouth slightly open. As if I were going to say something, but words never came.
                          
So I opened it and read it to myself. Three times.
                          
Hermione,
                          
Where have you been? Ron and I are worried sick! We haven't seen or heard from you since the bridge and it's been three months!! I do hope you're alright and that this message gets to you. Please respond ASAP to let us know you're ok and also let us know where the hell you've been!
                          
Harry
                          
What do I do? What do I tell them? I must've been staring at the parchment for a long time if Draco felt the need to say my name four times. I snapped out of my daze and looked at him.
                          
He asked me what was wrong. I only shook my head. What was I to say?
                          
"Harry's asking where I've been," I stated simply. "I don't... what am I supposed to say?"
                          
So we worked out a plan. I would say I went off to help a boy in my year find the rest of his family. The story was that the boys parents were death eaters under the imperius curse. I found them and they took my back to their home. I stayed there. The boys name was Taviyis. Avi for short. Good. That was good I suppose. Lying was going to be hard.
                          
I didn't feel good about it. But what else were my options?
                          
***
                          
"Draco, what's wrong?"
                          
He sat on his bed reading James and the Giant Peach when a worried look spread across his face.
                          
"I can't go back."
                          
I asked him what he meant but he only stayed silent. I made my way to sit next to him on the bed. He was staring at the bookshelf, oblivious to my advancement onto the bed. I waved a careful hand a few inches in front of his face. He shook out of his daze, looked at me, then looked down.
                          
"I can't show my face. No one will believe I've changed. I imagine their faces and their looks. Disgust. And fear. And betrayal. And just... everything. I don't think I can do it. So I think I'll go to Auror training. I'm qualified and that way no one has to be around me. I'm sorry Hermione," he didn't even look at me.
                          
Selfish bastard! I need him to be at school with me! Anger boiled inside me. He called me "Hermione." He hasn't called me that since the incident. He looked up at me and I saw tears threatening to fall. He looked a little surprised at the anger shown on my face. I stood up off the bed and started pacing as I began to shout.
                          
"You selfish bastard! I don't care if you don't think you can handle it! I need you there with me! How the hell am I supposed to be okay when you're not at school with me? Sure. I'm the selfish one now. I think I'm entitled to be selfish right now! But I need you to understand that you can't just up and leave me! I chose to stay for you! Now you have to stay for me!"
                          
At this I collapsed onto the ground and started shaking uncontrollably. I didn't mean to shout. I really didn't. I wrapped my arms around my knees, trying to stop the shaking. I heard him get off the bed and come sit on the floor with me.
                          
Draco's POV
                          
I got off my bed and sat next to her, pulling her into my arms. I felt her shake under my chin and I closed my eyes.