Dear fellow Dramione shippers :)

I would love to get a little feedback so please just leave a simple smiley or an amazing, love it something like that would make my day ;)

Love Bea

Under the eagle's eyes

Draco closed his eyes and groaned. His head hurt and as he looked up he saw the grin of a bushy haired girl right over his eyes.

"Don't be a wimp, Malfoy!" she hissed and turned around. Slowly she walked in her heels across the room and spun around to face him as she reached the fireplace.

"I … am NOT … a wimp!" Draco yelled and got onto his feet. He faced the young woman and put up his wand. "Try me, Granger!"

The Gryffindor girl smiled at him and her wand made a fast movement before Draco could even react. Again he was blown of his feet and landed on his back.

"You're weak, Malfoy! That's what you are! I'll see you tomorrow, pureblood." She hissed and Draco could hear the clicking sound as she closed the door behind her.

He ran his fingers through his hair and groaned. Slowly he sat up; looking through the room he was sitting in. It was a high ceiled one with a Gothic window every three feet. The heart of the room was the huge fireplace right across from Draco. He got onto his feet and tried to flatten his clothes. The dark robe he was wearing had been a present of his mother when he had his 17th birthday half a year ago. A sigh escaped his lips as he slowly walked towards the wooden door. It didn't really fit into the picture but as Draco opened it he stood right at the second floor of the headquarters of the Order of Phoenix.

Draco couldn't believe what he was doing here. He was tortured by a mudblood and every evening he had to sit in his room, all by himself, practicing occlumentic so that no one would recognize what he was. That he was a spy for the man he should've killed a year ago. Since then he had changed.

He wasn't the same kid he had been. Though he still had the Dark Mark on his arm and used it every now and then to deliver false information to the Dark Lord he was Dumbledore's man. Dumbledore … the man who let him choose whether to kill him or not. The man who had given him a chance. Who let him a choice.

"Malfoy." Potter said as he passed by him.

"Potter." Malfoy greeted him and joined him. "What's up?"

It wasn't like they were friends. They were partners. He still didn't like the black haired guy who thought he was better than anybody else just because he had this stupid lightning scar on his forehead.

"A meeting. The Dark Lord has taken over the Dementors." Potter answered with a cold tone in his voice.

Malfoy knew about Potter's feelings towards those creatures and he couldn't help but shiver himself. Though Granger had taught him everything she knew so far there was one tiny bit she refused to show him because in her opinion he wasn't ready for it. A grin appeared on Malfoy's lips. Now he finally had a good reason for her to teach him the Patronus charm.

"Potter …"

Potter looked up and the green eyes Snape had fallen in love with stared at the young man curiously.

Draco knew about Snape's story. It was the main point of him being here. He made an unbreakable vow to the man to finish his work a few hours before he got killed by Nagini.

"What's wrong, Malfoy?" Potter stopped walking and faced him. He looked at the blonde haired guy with curiosity. He always wanted to know what he was up to. The reason for him being here and somehow he had the feeling that he would tell him soon.

"Do we have to be at the meeting?" Malfoy asked him.

Harry grinned and shook his head. He pushed the door behind him open, pulling Malfoy in. "What's on your mind, Draco?"

They didn't like each other but slowly they became something like close partners in a strange way. It wasn't like he would ever become friends with him but maybe partners. Good partners.

Draco frowned. "What's wrong with the Granger girl?"

He couldn't help but ask. Since he arrived she hated on him. She punished him when she taught him different spells and he got them wrong. She tortured him with silence when a spell of his hit her. She yelled at him when he wouldn't listen to her. She ignored him as soon as they got out of the room.

"Hermione? Nothing's wrong with her." Harry said and plopped onto the sofa in the middle of the room. With a wink of his wand the fire lit up and let the room shimmer in a dark shade of jade.

"She hates me." Draco murmured and sat down next the black haired guy.

"True …" Harry said and stared at the flames.

"Why is this?"

Harry burst into laughter and looked at the blonde haired guy with the greyish eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Malfoy. You called her a mudblood a thousand times. You made fun of her in school! It's no biggie that she hates you."

Draco frowned. He knew that Potter was right. He didn't treat her the way he should have. "Couldn't you tell her that I'm sorry?"

Harry laughed once more. "Do it yourself, Malfoy. It's not like she isn't waiting for you to do so." With that he left the Slytherin guy alone and closed the door behind him.

Draco stared into the orange and red flames. He didn't want to say sorry to Granger, never in his life would he say sorry to this mudblood.

Draco looked up as the door was being opened by Hermione. "Hey …"

"Get into position, Malfoy." Hermione said without even looking at him and put her hair back into a loosely bun.

He stood across the room just the same spot he stood every day since two weeks. He had told his parents that he was on a mission Snape had send him somewhere in Transylvania. It wasn't a lie after all. Snape had sent him on a mission just that it wasn't exactly what his parents imagined him to do. Fight against a mudblood and lose all the time. He couldn't taint the family's name like this.

"Wait." He finally brought out and Hermione looked up at him. "I need you to teach me the Patronus charm."

"And why is this?" she asked suspiciously and lowered her wand a bit.

"You know exactly why." He answered, lowering his wand with the feeling that she wouldn't attack him while he was talking with her.

"Are you afraid of the Dementors?" Hermione mocked and suddenly he felt himself pressed against the wall with a force that was unnatural strong even for Hermione.

Draco breathed heavily and tried to free himself but it was like he was tied on his hands and his feet to the wall behind him with an unbreakable rope.

Slowly Hermione walked up to him until their faces were just inches away from each other. "Are you, Malfoy?" she hissed and put her hands left and right from his head. A thin scar was on her left arm, reading mudblood if you turned the head a little bit. This was where his aunt had tortured her. This was where she had to feel the strength of the Dark Lord. This had been the moment when Draco decided to change something.

"I am." He confessed and with his words the spell loosened, so he was able to stand on his feet again.

Hermione stared at him. "That's good." She whispered and her hot breath crashed against his lips. He could smell her perfume, the fine hint of flowers around her. His own pale face was being reflected by her golden brown brimming orbs and Draco could drown in them. God, this wasn't healthy for him or his family. "But you're not ready, yet." She added and let off of him.

Draco stumbled after her and grabbed her by the arm, turning her around forcefully. "Who do you think you are? You let me come here every damned day again and again! And for what? So you can torture me? What do you have from me being psychically damaged after the lessons because I got beat up by a little mud…"

"Watch your mouth!" Hermione hissed and spun around. "Don't you dare call me this name in the house of Sirius Black!"

He wanted to say sorry but somehow it felt like he had something stuck in his throat. "I won't." He finally brought out.

"And to answer your question, I am here because they told me to. I don't do this because I think it's funny but because I think that you need to get faster and better at defence. If you don't want to be taught by me then go and look for someone else but I am telling you this just once … there will be no one in this god damned house who's going to treat you in an other way! You aren't the prince anymore, Malfoy! Get it into your head and if you want to stop, then fine! But don't come wincing after being beaten up by your Dark Lord … if you're even alive after that battle! Did you get me, Malfoy?" She breathed heavily after this speech and rushed past him, making the door crash as she slammed it close.

"I got it." He said disappointed. Draco walked across the room and sat down at one of the window sills, looking down at the place in front of the house. Since the battle at Hogwarts so much had changed for him. He changed the sides. He learned to be kind. He was taught to forgive people. He helped people and asked for nothing in return. He valued his life. He laughed about the jokes of Weasley. And probably the worst change in his life … he fell in love.

The door was being opened again and Hermione stepped into the room. "Let's go on." She said and ran her fingers through her hair, probably wiping away some tears as it glittered suspiciously on her cheeks.

Draco hated it to know that he made her cry, again. After all the things he did to her when they were younger he never bothered if he made her cry or not. The one time she hit him right into the face he could have slapped her probably but something stopped him and made him run away. Maybe the insight that she hated him with all her heart and the moment she wiped away those tears now he knew that it still was this way.

"Take your position." Hermione said and took her wand into her right hand, holding it tightly with her fists clenched.

Draco slowly walked towards his usual place and got out his wand. He stared at her and the thin line of her trembling lips made him drown off in daydreams.

He ran his fingers through her bushy hair. Gently giving her a kiss on the forehead before his lips slowly travelled down the line on her neck until the reached her collarbone. He lifted up his head a little bit and touched her chin with his fingers to turn it towards him. Their lips were just inches away and their hot breathes mixed as …

"Stupefy." Hermione yelled and the charm hit him directly on the chest. As he crashed against the wall behind him he could hear her angry yelling again. "Were you dreaming, Malfoy? Stop it! You're here to learn something not to daydream!" She was furious and he couldn't help but groan. His whole back ached and burnt like fire.

"Could we take a break?" He asked and slowly sat up rubbing the back of his hand with his right hand while the left one searched his wand. He must have dropped it during flying. As he couldn't find it he looked up. "Have you seen my wand?" He asked Hermione.

There she stood with two wands in her hand. She must have disarmed him while he was getting onto his feet again. "I told you, Malfoy. And I am nothing compared to Bellatrix or your Lord."

"He isn't MY Lord." Draco said and walked towards her, extending his hand to claim for his wand.

Hermione hesitantly gave it to him. "Five minutes break." She whispered and sat down on the mantelshelf, her feet dangling above the marbled floor.

"Thank you." Draco said and wanted to sit next to her but her look made him decide otherwise. Wise fully he chose to sit on the window sill again, looking outside. The leaves were falling down the trees, landing silently on the concrete, making the world around him look like it slowly died.

He leaned his head against the cold glass of the window and closed his eyes, careful not to fall into a daydream about the Granger-girl again.

"Malfoy …" The sound of Hermione's voice made him look up and he searched her eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked and he could have slapped himself for the worried tone in his voice.

She jumped off the mantelshelf and walked over to him. As her heels clicked against the marble the sound echoed through the room until she stopped right in front of him.

Draco looked at the petite girl in front of him. Her long bushy hair cascading down her shoulders, the brimming golden orbs surrounded by thick lashes. The long lean legs hid in a dark stoned jeans with no pockets and her lose shirt made her look adorable. A single golden bracelet dangled against her thin wrist. At last he looked at her lips. They had the perfect shape to get kissed and since she used gloss they looked even more delicate.

"Do you think you can do this?" She asked him in a low whisper and looked into his greyish eyes.

Draco smiled and got down from the sill. "Do what?" he asked her innocently and stopped as his shoes touched her heels. It was a dangerously little distance between them and Draco had to force himself not to look at her lips instead of her eyes.

"Fight against him-who-should-not-be-named?"

The question hung in the air and Draco frowned. "I don't know." He answered absolutely honest with her. "Maybe … if I try hard enough and have learned enough. And besides, Potter has to kill him, hasn't he?"

Hermione shot him a glare but didn't back away like she used to. "Yes, he has. But a little help can't be that bad."

"What about Weasley?" He asked without thinking.

There was it again. The little glittering in her eyes as he said Weasley's name. "You know exactly that he won't fight no more. He isn't in the Order anymore since his brother died." She wiped away the tears and looked up at Draco. "Ready to fight, Malfoy?" She asked and tried to sound confident but there was still a slight hint of sadness in her voice.

Draco couldn't help but to extend his hand and touch the corner of her eye where the tears had been. "I am sorry; I made you cry … again." He added.

Hermione's eyes widened as the touch made her feel light headed. Her lips formed a perfect O and Draco had to constrain himself not to kiss them. He looked away quickly and closed his eyes tightly trying to get his thoughts right. This wasn't good for him. Never had been never was going to be.

"Let's go." Draco said and tried to make his voice sound steady.

They worked hard the next few days. They didn't show up to dinner or lunch because Draco insisted on training. Every now and then Harry would drop by, bringing them some food and fighting against Draco so Hermione could check if he did everything right. Draco had to admit that he got a lot better. This was the positive thing about his lessons with Hermione; the negative one was that his daydreams during their breaks got worse.

She would sit down next to him and talk to him, eventually touch his arm when he said something funny or slightly hit his arm whenever he insulted her in a way that wasn't mean. She would say good night and good morning whenever they'd start or end the lessons. She would laugh when he landed on his back again because he was too slow or caught up in marvelling her beauty.

"Stupefy!" Hermione yelled and the wink of her wand was quicker than Draco had thought.

"Protego!" He yelled and the spell shielded the one Hermione had cast at him. "Rictusempra!" Draco sent the charm into Hermione's direction and the moment it hit her she started giggling.

"Stop it! Draco! Please!" She breathed heavily between her laughs.

Draco took back the spell and walked over to her. He offered her his hand and she took it thankfully, letting him help her up. "I won." He said with a proud smile plastered onto his face.

"I know." Hermione said and smiled at him, making his stomach turn around twice. "But using the Tickling Charm against the one-who-shouldn't-be-named is not the wisest decision."

Draco laughed. "I loved to see him being tickled."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up and Draco turned quiet immediately. "Sorry." Draco looked at her and tried to make her believe his words. To his surprise she did in an instant. Turning around she walked towards the chimney. "You wanted to learn the Patronus." She stated.

Draco nodded immediately and beamed. He couldn't believe she would finally teach him how to shield himself against the Dementors. But the thing he was most excited about was how his Patronus would look like. He knew that Potter's was a stag and Hermione owned an otter.

"Okay … put down your wand, Draco." She introduced him. "And now search for a happy memory. Something that fills you with joy."

Draco thought but he couldn't think of anything. His life hadn't been that joyful till now. As he shrugged Hermione came closer to him.

"Close your eyes." Draco obeyed and shut his eyes tightly. "Relax." How should he relax if her breath crashed right into his neck? "And now … try it again."

He still couldn't think of a memory so happy that he could use it as a Patronus. Suddenly a picture popped up in his mind. "I got one." He said with a smile plastered on his lips.

"Okay … keep your eyes shut and say 'Expecto Patronum'." Hermione whispered her lips right next to his ear.

"Expecto Patronum." Draco said with a steady voice and opened his eyes as he could hear the rush coming out of his wands. A white eagle has spread out of his wand and flew around the room. His huge wings spread widely and he got higher and higher towards the ceiling.

Hermione looked at it.

"I did it." Draco whispered.

"Yes, you did." Hermione said and turned around to face him.

"Thank you." Draco didn't trust his voice to speak up. They were so close and yet she seemed so far away for him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his Patronus fade away as his happy thoughts around the girl in front of him slowly disappeared from his mind. "I think I'm ready."

"You probably are." Hermione said and Draco wasn't sure if he could trust her sad tone.

"Thank you." Draco said once more.

Hermione closed her eyes for mere seconds before she opened them again. "You're repeating yourself." She stated with a smile on her lips. Those pink, full, plumb lips he wanted to kiss since he recognized that he had feelings for the fragile girl in front of him.

"I know." He whispered and slowly leaned in, closing his eyes. He didn't know if she did the same but he hoped so. It would be the worst experience ever if she wouldn't want to kiss him, too.

"Draco … don't …" The words weren't more than a faint whisper but they hurt more than anything else she had said to him so far. Draco stopped and he opened his eyes staring into her golden ones. They were filled with tears and a single one ran over her cheek. "I'm sorry." Her breath crashed against his lips and he shook his head.

"I am sorry." He murmured and put his hands into the pockets of his jeans. They were clenched into tight fists and he had to refuse himself of crashing anything in reach of him. "It … it was a stupid idea." Draco placed his wand in his robe before taking a step back. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that he turned around and left the room. He didn't look back at her. He just wanted to get into his room and stay there all by himself.

Draco had closed the door behind him. He locked the door by casting a quiet spell and let himself drop onto the bed in the corner. The room wasn't like the one he was used to from the Manor but it left him enough space to breath and right now the little chamber was exactly the thing he needed. He stared at the dark ceiling until he finally fell into a fitful sleep.

It was his last day at the order before he would go back to the Manor again. Draco felt uneasy about leaving. Since the evening he had tried to kiss Hermione Potter had taught him everything he knew about the connection of their wands, the mind working of the Dark Lord and simply everything Draco needed to know to successfully keep up his role. He knew about the places he "visited" in Transylvania and how the weather had been.

It was about midnight when he finally finished packing. At last he placed his wand on his night stand so that if someone would attack him while he was sleeping he would have it in a second. He knew that there still were members of the order who didn't trust him and he understood that. If Hermione would have changed sides no one would have trusted her as well, apart from wanting to kill her as she was nothing worth in their eyes. Draco sighed thinking about the girl made him crazy. Even if they would have kissed back then it would have led no where. He couldn't tell his parents that he was in love with a muggle born. Maybe his mother would understand but his father … never could Draco imagine his father accepting someone like Hermione in his family.

Draco got under his sheets still thinking about the girl. Since this incident he hadn't talked to her and he hadn't seen her. She never appeared at any meetings just like she probably stayed in her room for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Draco didn't take it personal. If he could've done the same at the beginning of his stay – at the beginning of his feelings- he would've done so. As he asked Potter one night where Hermione was Potter just shrugged, mumbling something about she won't talk to him either just to the Weasley girl. As he turned the lights off the shrieking of his door made him jump. Immediately he longed for his wand and pointed towards the door.

"Draco?" Her voice made his heart sped up immediately. "I didn't think you were asleep already …"

"I am not." He answered hastily and turned the lights on quickly, pushing the sheets away while he was at it.

"I shouldn't have come here …" She started but Draco interrupted her quickly. "No, I am glad you're here." He whispered and the slight noise was enough to make her drop the last part of the sentence. They stood in the middle of the room and an uncomfortable silence spread. Draco eyed the slim figure of the girl in front of him. She was wearing a white shirt and dark trousers like she most of the time did but she was barefoot and her bushy hair fell loosely over her shoulders. He himself was barefoot as well and in his boxers and a white shirt with the name of a Quidditch team written on it.

"I just wanted to say good bye." She finally broke the silence and for the first time looked him straight into the eyes. Those brown orbs brimming like they always did. Draco swallowed down hard and refused to step closer. It would end just like the first time and he had no intention to relive this moment. "And I wanted to apologize for avoiding you the past week. I …"

"It's my fault. I just overacted." Draco assured her and she bit her lower lip while staring at her feet. Without coordinating his feet he moved a step closer so he could reach out to her. "Thanks for coming." He murmured and Hermione looked up. And as those golden eyes reflected his silver ones he couldn't help but get even closer until he could feel her hot breath again. He wasn't sure if she would allow him to kiss her this time but he had nothing to lose. Tomorrow he would go back into hell and the chances of getting caught were extremely high. So if he shouldn't return he wanted this one kiss at least. This time his eyes stayed open and to his surprise Hermione didn't back away. Instead her eyes closed and those perfect lips parted slightly.

As their lips touched Draco forget that he had to leave for a moment. His eyelids fluttered shut and he put his arms around Hermione's slim waist. Her lips were soft just like he imagined them to be but the taste of them reminded him of the perfume Hermione wore sometimes. As they wouldn't separate Draco got braver and pulled her closer so that their bodies touched. Her hands sneaked around his neck and Draco deepened the kiss. He didn't think what would happen when they broke apart. He didn't think about tomorrow all he thought about was that he wanted to enjoy the kiss as long as it lasted.

After a wonderful eternity Hermione breathlessly pulled away from Draco. "Can I stay here tonight?" She asked and her voice cracked at the last word. Draco smiled and nodded immediately.

Hermione had fallen asleep at Draco's shoulder. She remembered smelling his cologne shortly before she passed away into the land of dreams. His hand had rested on her shoulders and her stomach just like hers rested on his chest, right above his heart. She had felt every breath of him and as he had whispered "I love you" she hadn't dared to answer because she was afraid what it would make out of the two of them. Nothing had happen between them apart from the kiss and Hermione still couldn't believe that she slept through.

As she opened her eyes she felt herself lost in the dark chamber. There was no body next to her and the two trunks that had been standing in the middle of the room the night before were gone. He had left, left without saying goodbye. The only abnormal thing in the room was the silvery light coming from behind her. Hermione turned around and saw a Patronus sitting on the edge of the bed. He spread his wings and his eyes stared into Hermione's intensely. They had exactly the same colour like Draco's. Slowly the eagle faded away but the warmth inside Hermione's heart stayed.

As she looked at the desk she saw a small note lying there. In Draco's neat handwriting four words were written on the blank paper.

I'll see you soon.