A/N: Hey guys! This is my first story I'm publishing on Fanfiction, so please be kind. I'm warning you now, I do get really busy quite often with school and everything, but I'm trying to publish ASAP. I really hope you like this fanfic! Thank you guys so much, and please favorite, follow, and review! Lots of lovely lovely love,

Mae :)

(P.S. This will most likely be a one-shot, but I may turn it into a whole story in the future. There is a poll on my profile page so you guys can leave your opinion. Thanks!)

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTIONS OF RAPE, BAD LANGUAGE, AND ADULT THEMES (RATED M FOR A REASON!)

Disclaimer: All Harry Potter themes, settings, and character belong to the great and magnificent J.K. Rowling. I own nothing...*sniffle*

XXX

Comfort, Or Something Like It

November 16, 1998

"Why would they do this to me? I thought they were my friends! How could they violate me like this?" I thought to myself as I sat weeping on the cold stone floor of the prefects' bathroom. Bruises littered the skin of my neck and collar bone area. My shirt was torn down the front and my tattered skirt barely covered the blood staining my thighs a deep red.

I continued to sob, gagging on my own breath as I came to terms with everything that had just happened. My throat was raw from screaming and crying and convulsed painfully. I could still feel Harry's painful grip on my wrists as he held me down while Ron yanked down my skirt and underwear. I could still feel the immense pain from the exact moment Ron broke through my virginal barrier, taking something that could never be returned. Their maniacal laughter rang in my ears even after they left me as a damaged wreck, taking my bra and panties as a memento. My body ached in places I hadn't even known existed and I couldn't find the will to move, let alone stand.

I couldn't even bring myself to care as the door swung open and someone's footsteps echoed on the tile. I could only pray it wasn't Harry or Ron back for a second round. The thought was painful enough.

"Shit, Granger! What the fuck happened to you?" Had me turn my head though. I was met with the all too familiar icy blue eyes of Draco Malfoy.

The smug smirk he'd worn immediately vanished as he thoroughly surveyed my condition. "Shit," he cursed, but as a whisper of disbelief this time. He took a few cautious steps towards me, and I automatically scooted away, causing me to wince as my lower regions ached severely.

"Hey, it's alright Granger. I'm not going to hurt you. I swear." His voice was surprisingly soft and I suddenly found it easier to breathe. I fought the urge to shy away from him as he crouched down in front of me and tucked a damp lock of hair behind my ear before brushing away my tears with the pads of his thumbs. "Granger, who did this to you?" He asked in a voice barely above a whisper. I just shook my head against his hands, which were now cradling my head, and he nodded in understanding. "Granger," he said, grabbing my attention. "I'm going to help you, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" He asked while gently stroking my cheeks. I don't known why, but I nuzzled against his palms and whimpered brokenly. He must've taken that as a yes, because the next thing I know, he's helping me stand.

I hold my shirt together with one hand and his shoulder with the other. I stumbled at first on my wobbly legs and fall against Draco's hard chest. He wraps his arms around me instantly and I can't help finding comfort in his embrace. I couldn't care less if he was meant to be my worst enemy. My body hurts like Hell and he's the only person I have right now. Besides, if Harry and Ron can go from being my best friends to my worst enemies, who's to say Draco can't go from being my worst enemy to my best friend? Wait- BEST FRIEND?! Pfft! He's probably only "helping" me so he can humiliate me later on.

With that thought, I tear myself from his warm body and instantly regret it. His fingertips brush mine for a split second, but it's already too late and he can't catch me in time, so I fall hard on my hip. Pain shoots through my body like lightning and I cry out in agony. The pain coming from my hip only renews the pain of my rape. Every time Ron or Harry thrust into me felt like being stabbed over and over again in the worst possible place. At this point, I was beyond overwhelmed and every sob that escaped my mouth turned into a harsh gasp until I was full on hyperventilating. I became vaguely aware of Draco's warm arms incasing my trembling body as he coaxed me into breathing somewhat normally.

"Shh, Granger...Shh. Listen to me, Granger, take deep breaths. Breathe Granger. It's okay, shh...shh," he cooed softly while cradling my head to his chest.

"I-I'm s-sorry," I sob into his chest as I feel the air returning to my lungs. I could feel him tense behind me and then he pulled back abruptly. I was suddenly terrified he'd shove me away from him and call me a "mudblood" like the old Draco Malfoy, but then he reached out and with the softest fingers, wiped away the tear tracks staining my cheeks.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Hermione. Absolutely nothing." Then he's gently pulling me onto his lap and carefully standing up while holding me to his chest bridal style. I'm too shocked by his use of my given name to thank him, so I wrap my arms around his neck and nestle my head into his shoulder as he carries me over to the large bathtub.

His beautiful silver eyes are full of sympathy as he sets me down on the ledge of the pool-sized tub and I wince in pain from the cold, hard surface. I watch, as if in a trance, as Draco turns on the taps and the tub is filled with steamy water and vanilla scented bubbles. I catch him glance at my attire from the corner of his eye and then frown, but then he notices my obvious discomfort and attempts what I think was supposed to be a reassuring smile. It looked more like a grimace. An uncomfortable silence forms between us as the tub magically fills up. Suddenly he says, "I'll be right back." And he's walking towards the door. My brain doesn't process his words, all I know is that he's leaving. Panic sets in, but I try to act calm and cool.

"W-what-why? I mean, where are you going?" I ask hurriedly, but I can already feel my eyes sting and my vision go blurry from tears when his hand reaches the doorknob. He turns around and must've seen the poorly masked desperation on my face because his eyes widen and he walks back to press a soft kiss to my forehead. I can't hold in a small sigh of relief.

"I'm going to go get you some fresh clothes to wear and smuggle some pain potion from the hospital wing. I'll put up some quick protection wards so no one can get in except for me. I'll be back as soon as possible. I promise. Wait here," he said soothingly. Then he was gone and I was reacquainted with the feeling of emptiness and, strangely enough, longing.

I tried to distract myself by counting every crack in the tile and listening to the sound of the water filling up, but I failed miserably. With every passing minute, I felt more and more hopeless. Draco was probably never coming back. I was a lost cause after all. The thought of being left alone again made me extremely nauseous and I had to crawl to the nearest toilet to avoid retching all over the floor. I dry heaved until stomach acid burned my throat and I could only gag and cough uncontrollably.

It was only after I could stop my throat from convulsing that I became aware of the strong hand rubbing soothing circles on my back and the other hand holding up my hair. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and quickly turn around to hug my source of comfort- trying to ignore the immense amount of pain in my body.

"Told you I'd be right back, Granger," he whispered in my ear while softly stroking my hair. I only held him tighter. "Come on, let's get you all cleaned up." And then he's lifting me up with a surprising amount of strength and settling me on the ledge once more.

I could see the items he'd brought back were laid on the step below me. Draco began to show me everything he'd gotten. There were silk green pajama pants and a too big t-shirt for me to wear. He said he couldn't find anything else, but I told him they were more than I could ask for. I also think he's slightly amused that I had to wear Slytherin green pants. He'd snuck some pain potion and dreamless sleep, along with some much needed healing balm for my...wounds. Once the clothes were put aside, I realized he'd also brought a big fluffy towel and washcloth, which I was beyond thankful for.

The tub was now full and I blushed when Draco respectively turned away so I could undress. I carefully slid out of, what was left of, my shirt and skirt, heeled off my shoes and used my toes to remove my stockings. I cautiously lowered myself into the water and had to bite my lip, to hold in a hiss of pain, as the water met my nether regions.

"Okay," I said in a quiet voice once I was fully settled and the bubbles kept my modesty. He turned around and sat on the ledge I had previously occupied.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly. I liked this Draco. This Draco cares. This Draco makes me feel safe. This Draco I can trust.

"Sore," was my mumbled response.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Do you need any help?" He asks as I reach for the soap to scrub my body raw, but drop my arms in agony. I closed my eyes and nodded. All I could think of was how useless I must seem to him. My eyes snap open when I feel him settle himself next to me. My cheeks flamed.

"W-what are you-" I stammered. The only thing he wore were his pants. When had that happened? "I won't look. I promise. I'm just helping you out, okay?" He asked with that soft voice I was growing quite accustomed to. Why was he being so kind? I could only nod dumbly as he reached for the soap. I blushed even further as I felt his hand encase mine while he gently scrubbed my arms with the damp washcloth. He began to wash my neck and I subconsciously squeezed his hand and bit my lip, hard, when he touched a particularly sore spot.

"I'm sorry," he muttered when he felt me tense up in pain. I simply nodded in reassurance and he continued to wash me as if he'd done this every day of his life. Seriously, why in the name of Merlin, is he helping me?

"Draco?" My voice is quiet and raspy from crying and vomiting. He meets my eyes immediately and pauses his actions.

"Yes?" He asks and absentmindedly strokes my hand with his thumb.

"Why are you helping me? I thought you only thought of me as a lowly mud-" but before I can finish he gently covers my mouth with his hand, effectively shutting me up. There's a strange look in his eye. It can't be hurt. Can it? Did I hurt his feelings?

"Please, please don't call yourself that. Ever. I mean it Hermione. You're so much more than that. I regret everything I've ever said or done to hurt you in any way. You're beautiful, smart, exceedingly clever, and your magic puts many purebloods to shame. I'm truly sorry for everything I've done to you in the past. I hope we can start over this year and maybe, who knows? We'll become friends?" He says nervously. Now the tears are flowing freely and hitting Draco's hand where it covers my mouth. Realizing this, he removes his hand and wipes away my tears with concern etched on his face.

"I'd like to be friends with you Draco. Thank you." I half-whisper, my voice cracking a bit. He smiles and a realize I love his smile. It's contagious. I actually giggle when he reaches to hug me and then blushes a bit and kisses the back of my hand instead. Then I'm reminded of my predicament and sober up immediately. He must've noticed my sudden mood change because then he's shifting to wash my back. I sit as comfortably as possible with my back to his chest as he uses his free hand to softly trace unintelligible patterns between my shoulder blades, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Once he's finished washing the visible parts of my body, he hands me the washcloth so that I can cleanse my more...intimate areas. I hesitantly take the cloth and dip my hand beneath the water to carefully wash away the grime sure to cause infection. I look up at him curiously as Draco stands up and moves to sit on the edge of the tub. Smart move, I wouldn't want to be near me at this time either. I can tell he's trying not to look at me, so I try and wash myself as quickly as possible. Stupid move. I instinctively grab anything to dig my fingers into as a scrub a VERY tender spot a bit TOO quickly and have to nearly impale my bottom lip to not scream. That anything just happens to be Draco's knee. Draco, sensing my pain, kneels back down beside me in the water and shifts his body so that I once again sit with my back against his chest. He'd gently removed my hand from his knee and I was worried I'd cut off his circulation as I squeeze his hand with vigor.

"Shh...breathe Granger. I've got you. Just breathe. Shh...shh," he shushes me gently. I then become acutely aware that I had been panting like a mad man this entire time. The pain really was unbearable and it still burns like dragon fire. I try and steady my breaths and loosen my grip on his hand just slightly. "I didn't want to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable, but I'll help you if you'd like," he whispered while still holding my hand.

I shook my head. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable either. You really don't want to," I whispered with my eyes still shut tight.

He rests his chin on my shoulder and I feel his warm breath ghost across my cheek as he speaks softly in my ear, "I'll admit I'm not particularly fond of this task, but it's not because I'm disgusted by you. I'm disgusted by whoever did this too you, Hermione. I don't care what I have to touch or how dirty I get, I WANT to help you. I'm not uncomfortable with you as long as you're not uncomfortable with me. Do you want me to help you?" I nod and shiver as he presses a soft kiss to my shoulder. I hear his other hand submerge beneath the water and the washcloth rest against my stomach, along with his wrist.

"I'll be gentle, I promise. Hold my hand and try to relax. Squeeze when it hurts," he says soothingly. I only hesitantly nod and give him the go ahead. The cloth touches my oh-so-sensitive bud and I squeeze his hand instinctively. "Shh...relax, Hermione. I'm not going to hurt you," he cooes softly and leans back for a more comfortable position. I know he's lying; it's gonna hurt a hell of a lot, but his voice soothes me into submission and I loosen my grip on his hand and lean back against his chest. He moves his hand lower and lightly dabs at my slit. I immediately hiss and I almost double over in pain if he hadn't moved our conjoined hands to hold my hips down. I'm whimpering and tears are pouring down my cheeks, but he's whispering praises in my ear and stroking the back of my hand with his thumb that has probably gone numb. "Shh...I'm sorry, love. Just a bit longer. You're doing great Hermione. Just breath. Shh...almost done," he whispers while continuing to cleanse me.

"D-distract me, p-please," I hear myself sob out in my delirious state. What had I just done? I hear him hum in thought and then he whispers for me to lean back. I lean back against his chest and rest my head on his shoulder. Our conjoined hands rest between my ribs on my tummy. He momentarily stopped his previous actions to help me get situated. I can feel his hard abs on my back as he presses me against him.

A soft gasp escapes my parted lips when I first feel his lips brush my neck. "Are you okay, angel? I can stop," he says somewhat huskily. I shake my head against his shoulder and he briefly releases my hand to move my damp hair to one shoulder. I crane my neck to give him better access and he reclaims my hand. He presses feather light kisses to my neck and the sensation still manages to give me butterflies even given my current condition. I feel his lips falter and then I remember. The bruises. He's definitely disgusted now. I feel him release my hand and I try to scoot away from him, but he holds me firm.

"Hey, it's okay Hermione. It's not that. I don't want to take advantage of you is all. You're beautiful and I could easily get carried away." He notices his less than poor choice of words a bit too late. "Shit, I-", but it's too late. His grip had loosened when he noticed his mistake and I hurriedly rip myself from his arms and move to the opposite side of the bathtub.

"Hermione, sweetheart, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it that way. Please come back and I'll get you out of here. You're clean enough for now, right? Let's dry you off, love," he says in that velvety soft voice of his. I only nod and with a final sniffle, I shuffle back towards him. He meets me half way and strokes my cheek. "Are we still friends?" He asks somewhat teasingly, but I can hear the sincerity in his voice. I nod immediately and cross my arms over my breasts before leaning against his chest and yawning. He chuckles and the noise sends warmth through my body. "It's going to be a bit difficult to get you out when you're asleep, angel," he whispers, but wraps his arms around me anyway. "Tell you what, let's get you dressed, rub some healing balm on those, and then we can cuddle, okay?" I nod against his chest and I feel him gently withdraw from my body. My eyes immediately snap open when I hear him get out of the water.

"It's okay. I'm just getting your towel," he reassures before drawing his wand and casting a drying spell on himself. He slips his shirt back on and then grabs my towel and holds it out in front of us, so that he can't see me. I carefully hoist myself up and sit on the ledge, so that my feet and legs are now visible. Noticing this he says, "Arms up, or as high as you can get them." I lift my arms and his face becomes visible again as he wraps the big, fluffy towel around my body. I snuggle into it and he smiles warmly at me. "We'll try thoroughly cleaning you later once the pain potion has kicked in, but for now let's just get you all fixed up, okay?" He asks while checking to make sure the towel is secure and then lifting me up into his arms. I nod and he sits down on the bottom step with me on his lap and then he reaches for the jar of healing balm and unscrews the cap.

I notice what's left of my old uniform on the floor and Draco, noticing me noticing this, asks what to do with them. "Burn them," was my immediate response and with a flick of his wand they turned to ash. "Thank you," I whisper, turning in his arms to wrap my arms around his neck. I hear the soft clink of the jar as he sets it back on the step, and then the feel of his strong arms gently wrapping around my waist and his thumbs stroking my back.

"It's going to be okay, Hermione. You won't have to worry about whoever did this to you ever again. I'll protect you," he whispers. I nod my head against its place on his shoulder and he gently pulls me away from him and dips his fingers into the balm which he then proceeds to massage into my marred skin and watch as the bruises lightened in color. Every time I'd wince, Draco would praise me for being so strong and that he'd be done soon.

Finished with healing my neck, he kisses my forehead and carefully lifts me off his lap so that he could wash his hands. I watch his muscles move deliciously as he walks to one of the sinks with his shirt still untucked...and unbuttoned.

Draco sure has changed since the war. He's taller, at least a head taller than me and he's got a few inches on Ron. Stop, Forget Ron. He had developed more than well-defined muscles from all the quidditch he'd been involved in. Seeker training was kind to him. Forget kind, a bloody Saint. He was still thin, but not sickly so like in 6th year. He had just enough muscle on him to be impressively strong, but not Victor Krum buff. He was still pale, but his skin was flawless aside from the sectumsempra scars on his chest and the dark mark on his arm, which was mostly faded by now. He no longer slicked his hair back with cement, but his hair fell in tousled platinum blond locks, with fringe that fell right above his eyes. Oh Godric Gryffindor, his EYES. They were like a silver-y blue with a steel gray ring. I was mesmerized by the beautiful color. His piercing orbs met mine as he dried his hands and he smiled. Oh, and his smile. I'd never noticed that Draco Malfoy had the hottest dimples I'd ever seen. Ever. Probably because I'd never seen him smile. I loved his smile. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside whenever he'd flash his perfect pearly-white teeth between full pink lips. I blushed as his smile turned into a knowing smirk that only a Malfoy could get away with. He walked towards me and gracefully picked up the clothes he'd brought me, put them in my lap, and turned around. I smiled to myself as I removed the towel and slipped on the extremely large t-shirt and pants. The pants were actually so baggy that they stretched a good six or seven inches from my waist.

"Draco, can you help me stand?" I ask quietly and he immediately turns around and slips his arm underneath mine to help me stand. Once I've got my balance under control, I hold the pants up with one hand and look from the pants to him before arching a playful eyebrow, causing his smirk to grow. He moves my hand away and holds the pants up himself, causing my breath to hitch considering I have nothing on underneath. Like, nothing. He uses his other hand to hold up my shirt, and then maneuvers his hands to slowly, deliberately, pull the drawstrings to tighten the waistband of my pants.

"Come on, Granger. Time for your pain potion," he says as if nothing had happened. Nothing HAD happened, I guess. Had it? He lifts the vial to my lips and I down it without a second thought. He vanishes the empty vial, along with the healing balm, towel, washcloth, and the pile of ash on the floor. He tames my damp curls with a quick spell and then wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my cheek. I return the embrace and daringly stroke his hair, earning me a contented hum.

"Draco?" I whisper, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Mhmm?" He hums back.

"W-what now? I can't go to my dorm. I-I don't want to be alone. Please don't leave me alone again," I softly cry on his shoulder and hold his closer.

"Hey, hey, I'm not leaving you, sweetheart. Don't worry, I said I'd protect you, remember? I know where we can go. You'll be safe. Come on," he says and lifts me up into his arms. He bends over and I pick up the vial of dreamless sleep since he has no free hands. I hold it to my chest and close my eyes when I here him open the bathroom door by whispering a spell.

When I open my eyes a few minutes later, we're standing in front of the door to the Room of Requirement. He opens the door and I watch over his shoulder as we enter the room and the door immediately disappears. I turn my head and take on the lovely scene. There's a lit stone fireplace with a comfortable love seat in front of it and a couple arm chairs. There's a small table with a plate of sweets and, looking around, there's bookshelves lining every wall. In the corner, I find a large 4-poster bed with soft blue bedding. I see a door which must lead to a bathroom. "It's perfect," I breathe out and I feel tears well up in my eyes as he gently sets me on the couch and kicks off his shoes by the fireplace before walking over to the bed and pulling back the covers. No one had ever done anything so kind. He waltzes back over to me and takes the vial of dreamless sleep from my hands and sets it on the small table of sweets.

"C'mon sleepy head. Time to sleep. We'll sort everything out tomorrow. Right now your body needs to recover," he says with an amused smirk as I fall back against the cushions with a yawn. I nod and find myself swaying forward. Draco catches me with a soft chuckle and lifts me into his arms. Next thing I know, I'm laying on a cloud of fluffy blue and gray pillows, silky sheets, and soft blankets.

"Mm...goodnight Mr. Cloud," I mumble incoherently, causing Draco to chuckle again while tucking me underneath the duvet. I'm vaguely aware of him tipping my head back and the familiar taste of Dreamless Sleep potion sliding down my throat. I hear him walk away and I catch him about to lay down on the couch when I shoot my head up and ask, "What about the cuddling part? You said we could cuddle after you fix me up," I say in a childish tone of voice. I see him smile at my own delusional state and then walk back towards the bed, slip under the covers, and wrap me in his strong arms as I snuggle against his side and use his bicep as a pillow. I inhale his subtle scent of fresh parchment, sweet mint, and vanilla before falling into a peaceful, very much welcomed, darkness.

A/N: I really hope you guys enjoyed! As I said before, there's a poll up on my profile page so that you guys can vote on this remaining a one-shot, or a full story. Thanks so much for your amazing support so far! I love you all so much! Thank you a bazillion times over, and as always, please favorite, follow, and review!

Also, please check out my other stories: Unconditionally Unconventional (A Draco & OC WIP) and Bright Side (A Dramione WIP)

Lots of lovely lovely love,

Mae :)

Update as of March 7, 2017

Hey guys! I'm happy to let you all know that this is now a WIP! Thanks to all your amazing support, I've decided to turn this into a multi-chapter fic! *please hold your applause*

Seriously though, you guys have no idea how much your reviews and everything mean to me. I love all of you, even the viewers who don't fav and follow...JK ;)

I can't thank you all enough. I plan on publishing chapter two sometime next week or maybe sooner. I'm going to keep this a "complete" story even though technically it's not.

As for the next chapter, uhh...some of you may think Draco and Hermione are moving a little fast, and I completely understand what it's like to be annoyed by that. I'm just a huge Dramione fan and I specialize in fluff and smut. Therefore, I apologize in advance and I will try to keep my fan girl side on the down low for the first few chapters so that the plot can actually develop. Not that every chapter won't be full of loads of fluffy goodness...

Before you read this, I'd like to mention that the following is a request and NOT a demand. I'm not going to trap you into reviewing if you want to read the next chapter.

I'd like to very politely ask to make it to 50 favorites, 30 follows, and 15 reviews before I publish chapter two. Again, this is just a personal goal, but I will still be publishing regardless of the number of reviews I get. (But it would still mean the world to me if you reviewed :)

Thank you again so much and I will be doing specific shoutouts next chapter, so please review if you want to be a part of that.

Also, let me know what you think of the first person POV. I was a bit hesitant to write in 1st person, as I know many are hesitant to READ 1st person POV, but I think it's worked out okay so far. How 'bout you?

Please be sure to check out my other fanfic, Unconditionally Unconventional (I know, stupid title, I'll change it later probably). It's a Draco + Original Character WIP fic written in 3rd person limited (mostly) POV with Draco as the POV. Hermione will be featured in the next chapter which will be posted very soon as well. Please check it out. I promise you it's worth your time! LOTS of fluff! It's kind of like COSLI.

Anyway, I'll be sure to publish chapter two ASAP and also, I've been trying to edit this chapter, work out all the kinks (grammar & spelling mistakes). You know how it is, so let me know if you see any and be sure to PM me anytime or review if you have any questions.

As always, LOTS of love,

Mae 3

(Is it immature of me to think that "heart" looks like a butt?)