Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/n: This story has been stuck in my head for awhile so I thought I would post it.

"Bloody, Granger." Draco Malfoy seethed.

As he mentally prepared himself for what was about to happen next.

"Granger," He greeted her when he walked into the room. "You have gone from Brightest Witch of Our Age to the Dumbest."

It was so easy to insult her. Especially since he was fed up with constantly seeing her like this. He endured enough of her suffering during their school years together. The war ended three years ago and he didn't think they would keep seeing each other… at least not like this.

She was laying down on the bed, her head tilted up staring at the ceiling. Her frizzy bushy hair was so big, you couldn't tell there was a white pillow underneath her head. She looked awful. Her clothes were ripped and there was blood on them, but her skin was a lot worse. It was badly bruised and there was a new scar on her right arm.

"Ferret is that anyway to greet your patient?" She shot back not taking her eyes off the ceiling.

She knew what he would say next, because she has heard it a hundred times before. She hated him always seeing her like this. He was nothing but awful to her when they went to school. But now he is different and so is she.

"It is Healer Malfoy to you," He spat as he walked up to her bedside. "Now sit up and let me assess you."

Hermione finally made eye contact with the blond haired man. She slowly pulled herself in a sitting position and faced his direction. His grey eyes were fixated on her right arm. She knew deep down he didn't care how many scars graced her skin now. She will always be a mud-blood in his eyes, worthless of his respect.

"Granger," He spoke softly as his right index finger traced over her new scar. She used to shiver at his touch, but it was only because his hands are always so cold. She is used to his touch now. "This has to end. I am a healer and a damn good one-"

"I wouldn't say that." Hermione knocked him down a peg or two. He had a big enough ego already so she wouldn't tell him the truth. The truth is, he is the best Healer in London.

"Hermione, I can't let you go home." Her name sounded weird on his tongue.

She was always Granger to him, and he was always Ferret to her. Even though she knew he thought she lost her marbles. She also knew one day he would break. All the other Healers from day one wanted her to stay longer in their care. Malfoy was the only one who allowed her to go home.

"Draco, please don't do this." She begged him to change his mind.

"I can't keep doing this every week," He sighed heavily as he muttered a spell to heal her bruises. "I am bloody tired of seeing you so broken. I can't do this anymore, Hermione."

"Stop calling me that," She hissed at him. She felt the rage boiling inside of her. He always knew how to get under her skin. "It's Granger to you. Now discharge me so I can go home…I promise I won't come back."

Her big brown eyes pleaded for him to given into her request. Draco knew she was stubborn, but he couldn't let her go again. He had allowed this to go on for too long, and it needs to end. "No," His definitive answer had pushed her over the edge.

Her fists began to pound on his muscular chest, but after a few minutes she gave up. She was too weak to fight him. She cried into his chest. He was always supposed to hate her enough to let her go home. After a few minutes Draco had removed himself from the room. He didn't say another word to her before he left. She was used to his stoic demeanor.

Hermione remembered the first time she had the displeasure of being in his care.

"Merlin's Beard…is that you, Granger?" Draco Malfoy gasped appalled. It was extremely unprofessional but he didn't care. "The Weasel has a mean streak?"

Hermione Granger laid on the hospital bed with bruises all over her body, and scars on her arm. If it wasn't for her bushy hair, Draco wouldn't have been able to recognize her. Draco has always suspected The Weasel to have a mean streak, but he also expected Granger to the type of woman not to put up with it. After-all she is a war Heroine and loved by everyone in London. After she punched him in third year, he pitied anyone who got on her bad side. However looking at her now it seemed like the tough girl he knew in school was long gone.

Today was one of the few times since they had seen each other since the war. Other than the occasional run in; they managed to stay out of each other's way.

Hermione remembered hearing a rumor about Malfoy becoming a Healer, but she thought it was hogwash. "Malfoy, is that anyway to greet your patient?" Hermione snapped. He always had a tendency of getting under her skin.

"Suppose not," He smirked at her. "But it's only you, Granger."

Malfoy walked over to her bedside, and she knew the drill. As she sat up and faced him; she took in the man before her. He was no longer a scrawny young boy, instead he was a fit young man. Any witch in their right mind would find him attractive, but not her. She knew him and beauty only runs skin deep with the Malfoy's. Hopefully he would be quick and she could get out of his hare.

"Granger if Weasel did this," Draco spoke gently. "Then you need to get away from him."

It was a mandatory requirement for Healers to say this to "abuse" victims; Hermione would know because she was studying to become one. Until her life fell apart. She knew Draco was not concerned about her well-being, because in his eyes she would be nothing more than a filthy mud-blood.

"If only you knew…" She whispered, because the truth was a lot worse than the rumors.

"You are good to go," He said after he was done healing her injuries. "Now Granger, take care of yourself so I don't have to lose my appetite before my lunch break again."

She laughed as he disappeared out of the door. She hasn't laughed like this in so long and it felt amazing to be able to laugh again. It didn't last long, it almost never does. Happiness was washed over with sadness and regret.

Their second meeting was two weeks after the first. They would always exchange the same banter and Draco would always tell her to be healthy so he didn't have to see her again. After the third visit, they both knew she wouldn't be staying out of his care. Draco had honestly tried so hard to help her. Merlin sometimes she wanted to shake the Ferret so badly, because he didn't see the obvious. He kept thinking Ron was abusing her and kept telling her over and over again to leave The Weasel.

She didn't know which exact visit it was, when Malfoy had finally figured out Ron wasn't the problem. Hermione had grown used to Harry constantly rushing her St. Mungo's every week. He was the only one keeping her alive…well a part from Malfoy. Hermione had also grown accustomed to blood stained clothes and messy hair. She was also used to her bed at St. Mungo's and the plain white walls. The white ceiling tiles which she has counted over and over again. Everything she was used to will now be ripped away from her. In her brilliant yet messed up mind; she knew she had gone too far.

Outside of her hospital room, she could hear loud voices arguing over her care. It felt like she was a child of two divorced parents, being fought over and having no choice in the matter. The voices drew her over to the metal door. She sat down on the dirty cold floor with her back rested against the door.

"Send her home," Harry shouted at whom she presumed to be Draco Malfoy. "So I can take care of her. She can't stay here."

"Potter," Malfoy's voice wasn't as loud as Harry's voice was, but he did sound frustrated. "I gave you so many chances, but you failed. Granger is only getting worse. She needs professional help."

"Harry," Ginny's voice came through calm and softly. "I hate to admit it, but Malfoy is right. We can't keeping living our lives like this. I love Hermione but I also want to start having babies…and we can't do that while always being worried about Hermione."

It was quiet for a few minutes. Hermione felt her tears as they burned against her cheeks. She never wanted to be a burden to anybody. She used to be tough and strong then everything changed. Now she is seated on the floor of a hospital room waiting on what happens next. Who will suffer next because she can't fix herself. If only Harry and Ginny knew how much she tried to fix herself then maybe they would still want to help her. Hermione tried getting her life back together after the incident but slowly a dark cloud hovered over her and soon it consumed her life. She was never the same again.

"She can't stay here though," Harry's voice seemed a little more calm although still loud. "If the Press ever finds out…Hermione won't ever be fixed."

"I agree Potter," Draco said and she heard Ginny gasp. "I have a plan…now follow me this way,"

Their voices grew quieter and once Hermione was sure they were gone, she threw herself back onto the bed. All the visits before and not once did she had to spend the night in her hospital room. Draco had always let her go after he healed her, and Harry argued with the other Healers before Malfoy to let her go home. Now they have given up on her, and she didn't blame them. She gave up on herself two years ago.

"Sorry about the wait," Draco said as he walked back into her room. "My shift was longer than I expected it to be-"

"What time is it?" Hermione yawned.

She had fallen asleep after Harry and Ginny had left. They came to check on her and brought her some food, but she didn't eat it. It was a short visit, because the couple had errands to run. They had a life to get back to; one of which didn't include her anymore.

"It's 9pm," Draco yawned, because he was bloody exhausted. "Now come on, Granger…I would like to go home now-"

"You're letting me go home?" She jumped out of bed overjoyed. She wished he would change his mind.

"No," He stated. "You are not going home, but you can't stay here either. So I am the unlucky lad who is now stuck taking care of you."

"I don't understand," Hermione was confused. Why of all people would he being taking care of her?

"Merlin," Draco cussed. "Granger-come here so I can apparate us to my flat. I would like to get some sleep before my shift tomorrow." Hermione walked cautiously towards him. She was still confused to why he took her under his wing, but she was afraid to ask him another question. When she reached him; she had hesitated before putting her arms around him. Holding onto Draco for those few brief moments felt oddly relaxing. As if she belonged in his arms, but Hermione knew she didn't.