Stay With Me

"Mione come back to bed" he whispered from within the dark room. It had been 6 months since the war. A few students had returned to Hogwarts to retake their final and amongst these was the brightest third of the golden trio and the Slytherin prince. Both individuals found it hard to trust or rely on anyone that had returned alongside them. For Hermione, she felt betrayed and left behind as Ron and Harry accepted their roles in the Ministry of Magic after promising to return back to Hogwarts by her side. For Draco, it was a different story, he was alone. His mother had died shortly after the battle ended and his Father had received the Dementor's kiss for all the help he gave Voldemort. They were both alone, both scared and both looking to forget.

"Draco, you know I can't…we can't" Her voice halted mid-sentence as she spoke. She turned around to face him and saw how rigid and stiff his body looked under the covers.

/

The chair across the desk scratched against the wooden floor of the library causing Hermione to cringe inwardly. She lifted her head up shocked as her brown orbs landed on a pair of grey ones.

"Malfoy?" Her voice barely left her throat as her tongue pushed out his name.

"Sorry, everywhere is full" He mumbled out breaking their eye contact and looking down at the open book he held in his hands. They sat there for the rest of the day. No words were exchanged, the only sound heard was the pages turning. This repeated day after day, week after week until it had been almost two months. So it surprised Hermione when one day she entered the library and the chair across from hers was vacant. She shrugged it off and sat down as usual. After spending the rest of night studying she wondered to the restricted section to find a light read. What she didn't expect was to find Malfoy crouched in the corner. His muscles twitching from the tension and tears pouring down his face.

"Malfoy?" She whispered quietly, the second word she had said to him that year. His sobs stopped and his shoulders tensed up as he heard her sweet voice reaching his ears. He turned around as he felt a hand curl around his wrist. Looking up at her face his tear filled eyes studied her. He noticed how her nose wrinkled slightly and twitched, he noticed the light freckles that framed her face, he noticed the rosy tint that her cheeks naturally had, but what really caught his attention was how dark her eyes were. He found himself lost in them unable to look away.

"Are you okay?"

"Hermione"

"Yes?"

"I'm alone, everyone's gone" He let go of the envelope that he had been holding, Hermione sat in front of him cross legged and read

Mr Malfoy,

I regret to be the one to inform you but your mother has passed away. The healers said she did not suffer at all and is now resting peacefully. If there is anything you need or anything I can do for you then please let me know.

Yours Faithfully,

Arthur Weasley – Minister of Magic

"Oh Draco" She sobbed out. Hearing her say his first name caused a shiver to run down his spine and as he met her eyes once more he saw that she was also crying. He placed his on her cheeks and wiped away her tears. His other hand took hold of the other side of her face and pulled her closer to him.

"Hermione" He whispered before his lips collided with hers in a bruising kiss.

/

"You said that last time and the time before that and the time before that" Draco pushed himself off the bed and walked towards her. Grabbing her face like he had done the first time they kissed her placed his mouth over hers so they brushed lightly. Hermione held back a moan and shut her eyes tightly. His hands lowered onto her neck as the kiss deepened. She was defeated as her hands wrapped around his neck on their own accord. She felt herself being picked up and just as gently being laid down on the bed she had vacated just a few moments before.

"Malfoy-"

"Mione don't, this isn't love, and this doesn't mean you're mine. All I know is you help me forget, you help me be okay" At those words she nodded before giving in to him.

/

"Hermione, wait!" Draco ran after her as she left the great hall. All the students who had returned to retake their 7th year shared their own sleeping quarters in a new part of the castle which was created after the war.

"Draco I don't really feel like talking right now" She shrugged and started walking away. He stopped her by stepping in front of her and holding on to her shoulders.

"No we need to talk Granger" She scoffed at him as he said those words.

"Oh so now it's Granger? It was 'Hermione' when you kissed me before you ran off but now it's Granger. Look Malfoy, if I disgust you that much just go aw-" His lips crashed on hers again.

/

He rolled over so she was cradled on top of him. His hands rubbing small circles on her bare lower back. Hermione bit his lower lip which caused him groan into the kiss. His hands slowly travelled up her bare back to the clasp of her bra and with a skilled hand it was undone. Hurriedly she was on her back with him pouncing on top of her, his hands working their ways up her body until the left was kneading her breast with his mouth on the other.

/

"Harry! Ron!" She would never mistake that head of red hair or the unruly raven hair that belonged to her best friends. Dropping all her books she ran through the halls to catch up with the two. "Wait up guys! I've missed you so much" She finally caught up with them and stood in front of the pair so they couldn't walk away.

"I'm sorry Hermione but we're on official Ministry business. The minister sent us personally" Ron spoke trying to walk past her without even giving her a second glance.

"Since when do you call me by my full name? And the 'minister' is your father Ronald!" She sounded quite confused and lost by the way they were behaving.

"Sorry Mione we're busy right now, can't really talk" Emphasising her nickname Harry pushed past her quickly followed by Ron. She turned around and watched their cloaks blow through the hair as they disappeared from sight. A tear ran down her cheek before she could stop it. Hurt and not thinking straight she made her way to the library holding her breath until she saw the strands of blonde hair she was looking for. Finally letting out the breath she had been holding Hermione stormed up at to him and nested herself in his lap. He gave her a questioning look but before he could say anything her mouth was working around his. That was the first time she had sought him out.

/

Hermione arched her body into him as he continued to alternate between the use of his hands and mouth. As he felt her body rise and their skin make contact he held his breath and pulled away to admire the woman laying underneath him.

/

The chatty blonde that hung on his arm had begun to give him a headache and they had yet to reach the doors of the great hall for the winter ball. He hadn't wanted to ask her, she asked him even and he couldn't say no. She looked so timid and shy, he had hurt enough people in the past without having to add to it by crushing the girl's hopes. To be truthful he hadn't wanted to come in the first place but did so to bring satisfaction and happiness to the friends he had made that year. Being one of a handful of Slytherins which had returned to complete their education they had no choice but to branch out and meet the other students especially since they all shared sleeping facilities.

Draco looked around the room trying to catch the eye of someone that could distract his date for him to get a few seconds of peace but no one was around. His brows creased in confusion when he realised that his date was quite, looking towards her eye line he saw what had made her speechless. Draco couldn't help it as a small subtle smile traced his features. Standing there at the bottom of the stairs was Hermione, dressed in a gown that in his opinion must have been made by goddesses. Her dark chestnut hair was curled in neat loose curls and hung down her back until they reached her lower back. Her face immaculate even without any hint of make-up present. 'She's beautiful' he thought.

/

"You're so beautiful" He whispered quietly as he entered her. She took in a sharp breath and he filled her just like he had done so many times before. Just as he had that night after she found him crying and after he had confronted him in corridor and after she sought him in the library and after the winter ball. Their movements were in sync right from the beginning as both of them knew exactly what the other one wanted, exactly what the other needed. She cried out his name as his sped up causing her to tighten around him. Once she had found her release he allowed himself to finish inside of her and collapsed beside her on the bed. He lay there a couple of moments trying to regain and steady his breath. Hermione thought about the other times she had shared with him. When she was with him she forgot everything that hurt, she forgot her heartaches, she forgot her parents, she forgot her friends and wished she could lie there for the rest of her existence. Having the label of 'Brightest Witch of their Age' wasn't a light position though and she knew that this wasn't right. She knew this wasn't love. As the reality settled upon her she stiffened and began to pull the covers off her body. As soon she sat up an arm encircled her waist making her lay back down.

"No Hermione" He almost pleaded. "Stay with me"

So she stayed.