All He Could Do: DM/HG [1/2]
Title: All He Could Do
Author: Royalty25
Pairing: Draco/Hermione
Prompt: #15 Comfort [9/50] for
lions_serpents
Word Count: 498
Rating: PG
Summary: Hermione learns to say no to herself.
Disclaimer: These characters are never mine.
Notes: Dedicated to
dirtyxemoxkid
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.
Rabbi Abraham Heschel
She shook her head effortlessly. Hermione Granger never needed anyone's help. She wasn't going to start accepting people's offers now. As she thought about it more, not that many people offered to help her in the past. What had changed? Did people perceive her differently? Did she now seem like a young woman who couldn't take care of herself? She leered at the blonde Slytherin who had offered his help.
"What's in it for you?" she asked him suspiciously.
"The satisfaction of knowing I was there for you," he replied simply.
"That's not good enough," she couldn't stop herself from saying.
He looked hurt, but she knew he was faking it. He was a wonderful actor. He truly was. In her eyes every word that came out of his mouth could easily be linked to something deceitful. She had taken the time to observe him ever since he declared his allegiance to the Order. He replied promptly, "I thought we've already established my changed ways. You don't believe I changed?"
She crossed her arms and huffed, "You haven't proven anything."
His eyes widened. "Did I not turn myself in? Did I not tell the Order about secret death eater locations? Am I not risking my life to help the Order? Am I not worthy of forgiveness after the horrid acts I've committed?"
"You should've saved him! Helped him somehow!"
"I didn't know he was being held captive. I knew about Weaselette. I helped her, but I didn't know about Weasel."
She fought back tears. This was always a touchy subject for her. She didn't know why she even brought it up. Especially in front of Draco after offering his help. She looked away. He placed his hand on her shoulder and slowly started to pull her towards him. At first she stood her ground not letting his pull affect her, but after a few minutes she couldn't take it anymore. She was now seeing the comfort he had offered her in an entirely different light. She was starting to understand the beauty of saying no to oneself. She let him pull her into a hug and she silently cried into his chest. He gently patted her wild curls.
"He shouldn't have died. It's all your fault! You killed him," she shrieked.
Draco stood quiet. He knew it wasn't his fault, but he knew that by letting her blame him he was offering a certain kind of comfort no one else could provide. She firmly believed that he was personally responsible for Ronald Weasley's death. He wasn't, but he wasn't going to kill that illusion for her. He didn't know how long he would let her blame him. He didn't know how long his heart could take such accusations. Especially after everything he had done for the Order. Things that Hermione still knew nothing about. For now he would hug her and comfort her, knowing that's all he could do.