Coloring outside the Lines (Dramione)

Chapter 19: The Owl

It had been three weeks since Professor McGonagall had dropped Hermione and Draco at their safe house in the muggle world. They were growing restless by the fact that they had not seen their friends in weeks and that there was still no sign that Lucius and Thomas had been captured. 

After their close call with the Death Eaters, the pair had not left the apartment again. They were cooped up and going crazy. They felt as if they were in a quarantine due to an awful disease. Yes, they were together, but they were running out of things to do around the tiny apartment. 

Hermione looked up from her book and saw that it was still raining. Draco had fallen asleep on the couch and Hermione had placed a blanket over him. Hermione sighed to herself, got up from her chair and walked to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. 

"Can I have a cup of tea too, my love?" Draco grumbled, opening his eyes from his afternoon nap. 

Hermione smiled and said "Yes, of course." 

As she was pouring the tea into a mug, an earth shattering scream came from the other room. Surprised, from the sudden and deafening sound that had erupted from Draco's mouth, Hermione dropped the mug on the floor, causing it to shatter and causing scalding hot water to splash onto her skin. Cursing under her breath, Hermione rushed into the other room to see what could have possibly gotten into Draco. 

When she entered the room she saw Draco whimpering, tears streaked his cheeks. He had his jaw clenched and he was cradling his arm gingerly. 

"Draco, what happened?" Hermione asked, rushing to his side. 

"M-my m-mark... i-it BURNS" Draco cried, rubbing at his arm. 

Hermione took his arm and pulled up his sleeve, revealing his dark mark. The black ink writhed on Draco's skin as the snake coming from the skull's mouth seemed to wrap itself around his arm. The skin around his arm was turning red and blistery as if it was actually being burned. 

Hermione and Draco stared in disbelief at what was happening. 

"It's... It's never done this before. Hermione, I'm scared." Draco whispered before screaming again as the snake seemed to constrict itself around his arm. Suddenly, the veins in his arm started to turn black. Draco closed his eyes as more tears fell from the corners. 

Hermione grabbed his arm, placing her hand on the mark in an attempt to drag him up so she could apparate them to St. Mungo's to see if the healers could do anything. 

Suddenly, Draco's body relaxed and exhaling, he opened his eyes. 

"What did you do?" He asked. 

"I just grabbed your arm, Draco. I'm taking us to St. Mungo's to get you healed." Hermione said. 

"But, it doesn't hurt anymore." Draco said in an amazed tone. 

Hermione looked down at her hand on his arm and watched as the blackness in his veins vanished and the snake moved back into it's original position in the skull. His red and blistered skin immediately vanished, revealing his normal, pale skin. 

"How... how did I" Hermione started, but Draco cut her off. 

"I don't know, Hermione, but it doesn't hurt anymore so you can let go now." He said. 

Hermione did as she was told and released her grip on his arm. As soon as her hand was gone, Draco screamed again as the skin started to blister again. 

Quickly, Hermione grabbed his arm again and watched as everything disappeared. 

Hermione sighed and said "Draco, I can't keep holding your arm forever and-" but she stopped mid sentence because what happened next was more amazing than either of them could imagine.