[sixty one]

When Hermione woke up a few hours past midnight, she wasn't surprised to find herself back in Hogwarts. What surprised her were the two other makeshift hospital beds next to hers, with Blaise and Harry sharing one.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Ron chimed from the couch.

"What happened to these two?" Hermione croaked, bringing Ginny to feet to get her some water.

"Your bloody fiancée happened." Ron muttered

"He's back?" Hermione whispered, eyes wide. She knew from the way her muscles hurt less that she'd been healed close enough to being okay again. Hermione leaped off the bed, hoping to run to their quarters to find Draco, only to have Blaise grab her arm, stopping her. "What?" She frowned

"You don't want to see him. Not like that." Blaise shook his head.

"What happened?" Hermione repeated

From her seat next to Ron, Pansy tossed Hermione a note "Fire message from Theodore."

Hermione's brows furrowed as she read through it "Draco came?"

"That's really all you got from that?" Celine frowned

" is back." Ron said, shrugging. Hermione turned to look at Blaise "The spell?"

"Why else do you think your bond would break?" Blaise sighed. They were all just waiting for dawn to break so they can head over to Hagrid's and figure out what the bloody hell to do next. If anyone asked him, he was exhausted.

"Right. The bond." Hermione whispered, finding herself back on the bed, a little weak. The Malfoy bond was broken and that could only mean one thing—

Draco no longer loved her.

"He wasn't himself, Hermione." Astoria shook her head, her hand squeezing Viktor's "It's the spell."

"We all know Dra—" Hermione interrupted Ginny with a shake of her head "Now's not the time." Hermione muttered, knowing full well that if they continued discussing whether Draco loved her or not, she'd end up in tears "When shall we go down to Hagrid's?"

"Give it a couple hours more, I think." Pansy glanced at the clock in the corner. "Great, because I need a nap." Blaise mumbled "Pans, c'mere."

"Shove off, Zabini. You don't need this bed. Go cuddle elsewhere." Harry pushed Blaise aside "Your cheek was healed hours ago."

"! I'm an man, Potter!" Zabini exclaimed dramatically as he was pushed over the side of the bed. Hermione shook her head at her antics before announcing that she ought to bathe. Maybe some time alone will help her clear her thoughts.

Walking didn't hurt as much as it did a couple hours ago, proving that Madame Pomfrey's healing capabilities were truly amazing. Hermione climbed the stairs slowly, careful not hurt herself, before entering the room she shared with Draco.

.

Hermione sighed, by the way Harry and Viktor looked earlier, their encounter with her fiancée was probably less than pleasant. She wasn't sure how she'd react to whatever version of him exists now. Knowing that he'd broken their bond...

Hermione sighed and ran the water in the tub.

She didn't notice her tears until they'd caught on her shirt as she stripped herself of her clothes. She'd been doing a lot of that lately—. She hated it.

Stepping into the bath, Hermione sank under the shallow water, taking another deep breath. How could her world have turned upside-down in just a matter of months? Even the war took years to brew, but this?

Draco had entered her life and flipped everything around. Now, he was going to leave it just like that?

"We'll get him back." She whispered to herself as she angrily swatted the tears away from her face "No more crying."

she thought. Hermione choked on a sob, pulling her knees to her chest. Everything hurt.

Everything fell apart so quickly, it was like trying to keep sand together. She didn't mind Theo's plan, in fact, she didn't mind being the pawn and bait at all. However, it didn't work. None of it did.

They'd just dug themselves a deeper grave— a very deep one she was sure they will struggle to get out of. Hermione found herself thinking about Regulus Black and how the consequences of playing double agent caused him his life.

How was Theo going to get out of this unscathed? How was he going to fool Rodolphus for that long, that well? How were they going to bring Draco back?

Was the bond even reparable?

Hermione heard the door to the bathroom open and close, and for a moment she wished it were just Draco coming to check on her for being in the bath too long.

But no, it was Ginny, with her worried eyes and careful expression "I just came to check on you." She pursed her lips "You've been in here for too long, you'll catch a cold."

Hermione just shook her head, choking on another sob. Her heart didn't know how to deal with the fact that Draco no longer loved her— that a spell was strong enough to remove every feeling he had for her. There was a hallow space in Hermione's chest where his emotions used to be— where the bond connected their hearts to each other.

"Oh, my love." Ginny sighed, unable to stop herself from tearing up as she kneeled down next to the bath "I know."

"It hurts, Gin." Hermione hiccuped "Everything hurts."

"I know." She repeated. Ginny knew she didn't mean the bruises or the cuts. Hermione didn't need to tell her either how much it hurt because the heart-wrenching sobs that came out of her chest could be heard from all the way down. Ginny could only imagine how horrible this must all feel. To allow yourself to be tortured, physically and mentally, over and over for the sake of a plan, thinking that it'll all be worth it because you'll be back home in the arms of the one you loved— only for everything to fall apart in shits.

Hermione went through all that for nothing. They still got Draco, and now they have no idea how to get them back.

"I'm okay." Hermione hiccuped, struggling to keep the tears at bay "I'm . Is it time to go?"

"Take your time. Nott and his fucked up plans can wait." Ginny whispered, brushing the wet strands away from her best friend's face "We'll do everything we can, Hermione. We always come out on top, somehow."

"Our luck can't be that good." Hermione laughed bitterly, angrily swatting at the tears as she rose from the bath. She didn't care if Ginny could see her naked, the Weasley girl would be the last to judge. Hermione wrapped herself in a towel, leaving tiny puddles of water as she walked away to find clothes.

"I have the salve for your back." Ginny said, standing up "I'll put it on whilst you choose your clothes."

"Thank you, Gin." Hermione said quietly

"You know I've got your back." Ginny raised the small bottle, offering Hermione a half-smile "."

Hermione allowed herself the tiniest of smiles before turning to find herself some decent clothes. Settling for an all-black ensemble for such a dreary day, she waited until Ginny was done swiping the ointment on her back before shrugging into her clothes.