DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of the following. I merely used the characters and some events expressed in the Harry Potter series.
SUMMARY: In war, there was no time for love. But what happens when one girl does find love…with the enemy?
RATED: M just to be sure.
!i!Amaya!i!
She stuck to the dense undergrowth as she silently made her way through the forest. The sounds of battle could still be heard even at this distance. She feared that she would never escape the screams.
She was sent to retrieve help, a final plea before the quarry fell, a victim of the killing curse. She had staggered away almost immediately, nodding mutely in agreement to the entreaty, as her once innocent eyes watched as a comrade died courageously in battle.
That was why she was here, scrambling through the dark forest in the middle of the night while the final battle was being waged only kilometres away from her current position. She was their hope, their chance for salvation, and she must not fail them.
Up ahead was a clearing, the faint light from the moon overhead illuminating the path. This was where she would have to make her decision: to stick to the woods and take more time by going around the clearing, or to go through the open clearing, save time, but risk exposure at the same time.
Swallowing numbly, she took a step and paused. He was there – her flaxen-haired angel bearing down on her in a whirl of black. His eyes met hers from behind the mask and she knew. He would not harm her…not yet.
She stood still and silent as his looming form strolled purposefully towards her, transfixed to her spot. She couldn't find the willpower to move, not even with the knowledge of whom he was and what would be her ultimate fate if she remained.
He finally reached her after a period which seemed like years, his tall form looming over her slightly petite one. His eyes, so cold they appeared to her then, stared down into her own, prying deep into her very soul.
"You do not run from me."
It was not a question, but a statement. She thought she detected something, some raw emotion that one of his position would hardly be expected to possess, hidden in his voice.
"No."
It was her turn to state the obvious, but she was determined not to back down from this particular battle of wills. She would fight to the death if need be.
"You are either incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid."
That voice, that soft silk purr that seemed to emit from the very depths of his soul, sent tingles all the way down her body and back up. She sensed the ease in his character at that moment as well as the amusement concerning what he considered her naivety.
"Who are we to judge?"
Simple question, was it not? But even as she asked it, she realized the deeper meaning behind it. Though she would never admit to ever being able to read someone's emotions, especially one like the man standing before her, she thought she saw a cloud of uncertainty and longing fill his eyes.
But he soon masked it and it was as if it was never there. He reached out one black clad arm and clutched hers tightly, his gaze never wavering.
"If you value your life, then you will surrender yourself to me."
Briefly she considered the very prospect. The mere hint of something more behind his voice sent chills of excitement down her spine. But she banished it away with every other wayward thought she had ever had about him.
"I will never surrender; you know that, not as long as there is still breath in my body. But I will not fight you, not yet. I know a loosing battle when faced with one."
There. Amusement sparkled in his eyes as he took another step closer to her, both arms now wrapped securely around her, his head bent towards hers slightly.
"Come, let us be gone from this place of death."
And as his arms tightened and she felt the familiar pull at her navel of apparation, she thought back to how this had all started two months prior…
Damn them, she thought snidely as she crumpled up the sixth and final letter from her 'wonderful' employers with the tedious details of her latest task. Why couldn't they be like normal employers and order her to go off and fight the bad guys instead of instructing her to fraternize with one of the enemies? They were insane.
She deftly chucked the wad at the bin, a slight smile gracing her features as she watched it hit her target. Now if only she could do that to her bosses…
She rose from her chair and slipped on her cloak in one fluid motion. She was putting off the inevitable by just sitting there; they would get their way one way or another. She didn't exactly want them bearing down on her.
As she walked down the corridor, she briefly wondered at the feeling of bitter dread now filling her. She feared that only bad things would come out of this. Little did she know how right she was…
He resembled an arch angel standing there before her in all his wicked glory. His eyes were cold as they gazed down at her in contempt, his form rigid. Obviously he had the same sentiments as she about this particular degrading task.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, he bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement, but only just so that she felt like he was merely appeasing her. His eyes never left hers, though, showcasing the fact that she was inferior to him.
"Miss Granger."
Two words. They rolled off his tongue with ease, his voice slightly dismissive like his eyes. Though he was welcoming into his private domain, she felt anything but.
She bent her head, determined not to give him any hint of the fear bubbling inside her, and said his name. It felt foreign on her tongue, a name for years she had not even been bothered to utter. And now, at the age of twenty, she was no better than a babysitter to this fallen angel in front of her.
He turned, then, only slightly but enough to tell her that he was dismissing her. However, she was never one to be put off and stuck to him like glue that day. She feared that she had been overdoing it just a bit, but she got her message across.
After that day, he didn't try to dismiss her anymore. In fact, he seemed to enjoy her company, if only for the sparring matches they participated in daily. From that day forward, they seemed to form a sort of friendly bond that would soon blossom into so much more…
"I am sorry to inform you, Miss Granger, but you are undoubtedly wrong."
His voice had taken on that superior tone once more. He was sitting straight up in his chair in his study, the book containing the information they were presently debating sat in his lap. His golden hair framed his face and she thought of him once more as her fallen angel, something she had taken to calling him in her head since that first day.
"Oh contraire, I am right. I know it and I suspect you know it as well, sir. You just want to argue with me and I refuse to."
There. She had just started a fight that was sure to go on for three hours at least, if he rose to her baiting that is.
Never one to back down, he slowly smirked, an expression that made her stomach flutter slightly. As his eyes connected to hers, she felt the beginning of something…some feeling…
"Not true, I merely like proving to you that I am right and you, Miss Granger, are very wrong indeed. You see, I am well versed in this particular subject and I know that I am right…in this matter."
His voice, so calm and collected yet stirring at the same time, sounded from his mouth like the arrogant voice of a man who knew he was worth something. As he spoke, one blond brow arched slightly, she felt her breath quicken slightly. She loved these little moments.
"Perhaps you would care to look it up, sir, and then maybe you would like to admit defeat. I know that I am right."
Challenge issued. Now she only had to wait to see whether he would rise to it. This was how they normally spent their days for the past four weeks – one issuing a challenge and the other rushing to meet it.
"Really, must you insist on arguing with me, Miss Granger? We both know that I am right and you're just being argumentative. Admit defeat."
She couldn't help it, not with his eyes sparkling at her daringly, one fine golden eyebrow arched with seductive ease. She couldn't stop her remark, her own personal challenge.
"I never admit defeat, nor do I surrender, Mr. Malfoy."
And so began their relationship…
Three weeks. They had been doing this for three weeks now and she still felt no urge to end it, or to analyse her feelings for the man currently lying beside of her on the large bed. His body was pressed right up against hers and she loved the feeling.
"Regrets, Hermione?"
His voice was flat but she could hear the emotion behind it. She knew he would never admit that he actually wanted her, but she could feel it in his every look, touch, and kiss.
"None whatsoever."
There was no hesitation behind her voice, no sense of some deeper regret. She fully enjoyed her sexual relationship with this man, her lover. She basked in the heights he could take her to.
"Mmm."
His muttered groan vibrated against the sensitive skin of her neck as he pressed soft kisses all the way down her throat and back up again, sucking lightly as he went. She lifted a hand to run her fingers through his silky hair.
"What are we going to do?"
Her words caused him to still momentarily. He pulled back just enough so that his eyes were gazing down into hers, his hair cascading around his face. He was so close that their noses were almost touching and his breath mingled with hers.
"What do you mean?"
He looked so innocent and tender at that moment that she almost forgot who he was. But the fact was there and that was what had made her stop him before they started…well, you know.
"You know exactly what I mean. We're supposed to be enemies, especially now. We're in the middle of a war. More importantly, we're on opposing sides in the war."
He looked over at her, his eyes, usually cold, now alight with desire and contemplation. He rose over top of her, his hand reaching out to brush some of her chestnut curls from her face, his thumb lightly brushing over her lower lip.
"I don't know."
His muttered answer was void of any untruthfulness. She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and knew that, for once, he really had no idea as to what to do. She leaned up, then, and pressed her lips to his, savouring the taste of him.
"I care about you, really I do, but I can't turn my back on my friends. They need me…"
His sharp laugh cut her off. She stared at him bizarrely as he continued to laugh, his eyes lighting up as his laugh lines became more apparent.
"Yes, they need you alright. They need your intelligence and your sharp mind. They need you to come up with different strategies so that they can win this war. Do you honestly think they would want you all that much if it wasn't for you intelligence, Hermione?"
He was right, she knew, in a way. The Order had relied on her tremendously since she had graduated from Hogwarts nearly three years ago. But were they using her solely for her intelligence? She didn't know…
"I can't betray them…"
He cupped her chin gently in his hand, raising her eyes up to meet his. His other hand went down to rest on her hip, pressing his lower half to hers.
"Stay with me, Hermione. Stay with me tonight and tomorrow we'll go our separate ways, go back to our sides. But let us have this night and the memories we have made."
She stared up at him, her eyes full of desire as his hand moved up to caress her cheek tenderly. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. Slowly her eyes opened up to meet his again, nodding her head.
As his mouth descended to hers, she let her mind drift briefly to the future, their future. She knew what was right and that she should do what was right, but that didn't mean it made her feel any better. She wanted a future with this man who was currently kissing his way over her stomach.
A feral moan escaped both of their lips as he entered her in one fluid motion. She arched her body up to meet him, thrust for thrust, as he took them both to incredible heights. She never looked away as they both tumbled over into bliss, their orgasms hitting them one after the other.
In the aftermath, she laid curled up in his arms, sweat gleaming on their skin, both trying to regain their breath. He pushed a bit of sweaty hair away from her temple and pressed a kiss there.
"I'll never forget you, Hermione."
His whispered confession made her eyes fog up with crystal tears. She dared not to look at him as he rose from the bed and began to dress, not pausing until she was completely covered.
"I shall miss you as well and I shall never forget you. For a brief time, we were lovers and now we must return to being enemies. Goodbye, my love."
She kissed him thoroughly one last time before rising and walking out of the door, not looking back as she shut the door on their relationship.
Only later as she laid in her bed did she realize she had made a very grave mistake, indeed. She had fallen in love with the enemy…
A week had passed since their last fateful time together and she literally had to refrain herself from seeking him out. She missed him terribly – she missed his touch, his gentle voice, and most certainly his kiss. She ached for just one more moment in time with him.
The war was about to begin, all hell was about to break loose. The Order had been growing frantic these last few days, fully aware that the time for preparations grew short.
Finally, the day of the war arrived. Voldemort had attacked late in the evening as soon as the sun went down. The darkness was his ally.
She remembered the deafening screams – the way they had started softly, only a few crying out, before they began to grow shriller, more people beginning to howl with pain. She had covered her ears briefly, trying to block out the noise, but had been forced to draw her wand when a Death Eater had rushed up to meet her in battle.
Only when she had watched as two of her old classmates died did she realize that this war would take many lives before it ended. She felt the salty tears fill her eyes but she fought them back. She would not cry, not here, and certainly not in front of Voldemort's minions. She fought on, casting spell after spell.
She had turned just in time to see Charlie Weasley get struck down by a curse from a bulky Death Eater. His blue eyes turned to her then, pleadingly, as he stretched out a hand to her.
"We need help, Hermione. Go get help!"
She had nodded mutely and backed away quickly, dodging the small skirmishes taking place. She ducked into the nearby forest, successfully (or foolishly) thinking that she just may be able to get out unharmed and be able to get help.
But then he had shown up and taken her within his grasp, of course she had not been unwilling, and apparated her away. When she opened her eyes, it was to find herself in his bedroom, standing directly beside the bed.
"Stay here. You will not be able to leave this house without me and no one, save me, is able to enter. I will return when the battle is over."
And just like that he was gone. She stood there for a moment or two before slowly taking a seat on the bed. She ran a hand over the soft silk, remembering the nights she had spent in this bed – both above and below the sheets.
She could only wait for his return and silently pray for the Order's victory and for his survival….
It would be five in the morning before he would return, his body bloodied and bruised as he stood before her. His gold hair was matted almost cruelly and drenched in the dark red liquid that sustained life.
She rose instantly and rushed over to him, laying her hand on his chest. She looked up into his eyes for a moment, slightly hesitating, before wrapping her arms around him tightly.
"How dare you leave me here while you went out to play with death? How dare you! You could've been killed!"
He chuckled softly, his chin resting on top of her head. She felt one of his hands run softly over her hair, his other hand resting on the small of her back.
"Concerned, Hermione? Why, I didn't know you cared."
She heard the sarcasm in his voice and her anger instantly snapped. She pulled back, her brown eyes flashing with rage, and punched his chest with all the strength she could muster.
"You know damn well that I care for you, Mr. Malfoy, though I'm not entirely sure why I waste my emotions on the likes of you. You are an infuriating man who, I am sure, will lead me to my ultimate death."
His cold eyes flashed when she had called him 'Mr. Malfoy', something she only did when she was really mad at him, and suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm in a painful grasp. He pulled her roughly towards him and she had to throw her hands against his chest to steady herself.
"You should know by now, Hermione, that I will not hurt you intentionally. As for your feelings, well, I'll be the first to admit that maybe I don't deserve them. However, as I have them, I fully intend to keep them."
Her eyes narrowed on him. He had always been an arrogant git and she doubted he would ever change. But he was her arrogant git and she wasn't about to let him slip away…not again.
"The war?"
He sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He pressed his face into her neck, breathing in her scent. She rubbed her cheek lightly against his chest, not caring that she was getting blood on her.
"They're dead, both Potter and the Dark Lord. They killed each other just a little while ago. There are a lot of deaths, on both sides. I managed to slip away unnoticed but only after hearing them say that they think we're both dead."
She allowed her tears to flow from her eyes as he held onto her. Harry was dead… probably Ron, too. Who knows how many others were dead, how many of her friends.
"Where do we go from here, then?"
She heard his sharp intake of breath and waited for his answer. There was no way that they would be allowed to stay together if they remained here; their relationship would be simply unacceptable.
She felt him take a hold of her shoulders and push her back slightly, just enough so that he was able to peer down into her eyes. She could see a plan beginning to take shape in them, but also a degree of uncertainty lingering there as well.
"Hermione…are you willing to go away? To give up your life here?"
She looked at him, confused. Was he suggesting…?
"You mean, go away? With you? But how would we live? How would we make a living? How?"
He laughed, damn him. He always seemed to be laughing at her for some reason or another. Infuriating man…
"My, you are an inquisitive one, aren't you? Don't worry, my dear Hermione, I am always prepared as you will find. I drew out all of my money last week and bought a house very far from here for you in case I had died. We'll go there and live out our days happily. I have more than enough money to get us by for some time."
She smiled, a slow and enchanting smile that soon had him smiling back at her. She cupped his face in her hands and peered into his eyes.
"You do realize that, for a little extra money, we might have to get jobs? Maybe even in, dare I say it, the muggle world? Do you think you could survive something as horrendous as that?"
That damn arrogant smirk, she thought with an amused mental sigh. She guessed she would just have to get used to it; there was no changing him now.
"I think, Miss Granger, that your impertinence may very well get you into trouble one day. You are a rather troublesome chit, my dear Miss Gryffindor Know-It-All."
She laughed suddenly and hit his chest playfully. He had changed. Two months ago he would never have dreamed of teasing her like that. But here he was, doing just that.
"Mr. Malfoy, may I remind you of your previous ill conceived notions that you were my superior just because of blood and now you are proposing that we go live amongst muggles. What has happened to you to change you so?"
His lips lightly touched hers, slowly and torturously teasing her lips apart as his hands found their way to her waist. She could taste the faint hint of blood but ignored it. She would clean him up later.
"Love."
It came out as no more than a whisper and yet she had heart it, loud and clear. His eyes, once so cold, now sparkled with love – love for her. Her stomach was doing somersaults.
"Do you mean that? Would you honestly give up everything you have here for us? For me?"
He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. He smiled down at her, sincerely and lovingly.
"I have recently learnt, my dear Hermione, that a life without you is no life at all. You have brought light back into my life and I plan on keeping you around. Yeah, we might have our bad days, knowing our very different natures we will, but we can work through them. Besides, think how good you'll look when I introduce you as my wife."
Never in her life had she suspected that such a love could exist, especially with the enemy. She was glad that she had taken up the position of Death Eater babysitter and was especially glad that she had embarked on a relationship with the man standing in front of her.
Taking his hands in hers, she knew that everything was going to be alright. She loved him and he loved her, they would make it work.
As they walked out of the Malfoy manor, ready to embark on the long journey ahead of them, her soft whisper was the only thing that lingered in the air.
"I love you, Lucius Malfoy."
Finis
