Just a typical Hermione/Draco bit. Can you guys keep a secret? I've hit a block, inside my head. And it won't move. Maybe this will help. Anywho. Enjoy.

Fading in the Past

I stepped in the shower without almost no memory of how I had got there. The hot water usually helped my muscles relax, unclench from the day of school. But tonight I felt strangely loose, like all my joints had unhinged. It wasn't a bad feeling…just weird. At any rate, the water helped gain some of my sense back.

As I pulled my wet hair back from my face to shampoo it, I thought hard, nibbling on my bottom lip. As I did so, I noticed that I tasted blood. A finger reached up to wipe my lip and I looked to see droplets of red, already fading into the past with the water swirling down the drain.

Guess bad habits really can be harmful. I thought to myself and rinsed my hair.

I stepped out and wrapped a towel around myself, thinking hard and avoiding my lip. Where had the day flown away to?

I wiped away the fog on the mirror and stared at my face. This was my 'me time' as I liked to call it. I suppose a better word would have been vain time, but you get the idea.

I noticed a bruise at the place where my shoulder and collarbone meet and moved closer to the mirror for a better inspection.

What an odd place to get a bruise.

The skin was purple and blue, and when I ran a finger over it, the skin was raised. I had a sudden fit of dizziness as I realized what it was. I had seen third and fourth years, showing their friends when they thought nobody was looking.

"I swear, it felt really good!" They would tell each other, and then giggle, delighted with their love bites.

I didn't have any of those. Let me rephrase that—I didn't remember getting any love bites.

A memory hit me, and I staggered back against the wall.

Shy, hesitant kisses were being exchanged in a dark classroom.

"You and I are enemies," he whispered in my ear.

"I know. I should be throwing you across the room and hexing you right now." I was amazed at how calm I felt.

He didn't say anything, just pressed another kiss softly against my lips.

My hands reached up to entangle themselves in his hair, and I heard his breath catch.

"You don't want this." It wasn't an accusation, or a question even. It was a statement.

"I do," I insisted, kissing his neck.

"No. I'm dangerous. You know what I've been chosen to do—"

"I don't care. We'll worry about it when the time comes. Right now, it's me and you. And that's all I care about. For the first time, I'm getting what I want. You."

"How long has it been like this?" He murmured, and softly pulled my hands out of his hair and put them back at my side.

I breathed a long shuddering breath and expelled it all at once. I'd gone crazy. Bit myself, created the bruise and made up a wild fantasy to go with my secret one…Draco Malfoy.

Feeling faintly dizzy, I sat down and put my head between my knees.

Get a grip. I told myself, and stood up.

I towelled off and put on a clean pair of knickers and a tank top.

I looked for my red ensemble that my mother had bought me for my 17th birthday, wanting me to "feel pretty." I would put it with my other dirty laundry while I was thinking about it. I couldn't find it.

My skirt was hiked up to my hips now, and his hands were playing gently with me. My eyes rolled back in my head as his thumb ran ever so lightly back and forth.

"You sure you want this?" He whispered again in my ear, and I had to concentrate to answer.

"Yes."

In a quick movement, he picked me up and I locked my legs around his waist automatically. His breathing was rougher, less controlled, as he carried me over to a bench and laid me down. As I looked up into his steel gray eyes, I saw all that I wanted in this moment. Passion. Lust. That was all I wanted. Passion.

He had my shirt off in one second and my bra unhooked in the next. His fingers moved nimbly, making my nipples erect and a deep slow smouldering feeling start in the pit of my stomach.

This wasn't happening. I was on the floor against my bed, hyperventilating. It wasn't real.

Whispering sweet nothings in my ear he slid my red lacy thong down my thighs and, in too much of a hurry, I spread my legs and they ripped.

A trademark smirk made its appearance briefly but then it was gone, and he made quick work of what was left of the underwear.

"I hope you didn't like those," He laughed gently in my ear and the sound was breathless, exhilarated, adrenaline filled.

My answering breathless laugh was all I could manage as he looked in my eyes, searching until he found the reassurance he neededto convince himself that this would be okay.

And then he slid in, making me feel whole, complete, and in a world that was somewhere a little above earth.

I...I…No. Oh. Oh…oh. Gasping for breath, eyes watering,

I crawled back into the bathroom and propped myself against the sink, looking at the purple and blue bruise again. Oh. Oh. My breath hitched, and I coughed. Suddenly, I was having a coughing fit, and gagging. I tried to breath, dragging in shallow rattling breaths I coughed one more time and then as quickly as I had started, I stopped.

My red lingerie…oh. Oh.

I dragged myself to bed, and climbed in. Eventually, I went to sleep, but not before feeling that smouldering in my stomach again, anticipation heightening my senses. Not before feeling him again. Not before remembering the rest of my bliss.

Draco lay in bed, remembering one last time. He could already feel the past fading from his memory, and didn't try to hold on. Soon enough, he would make himself let go.

For her. For himself. For them.

Voldemort would try that much harder if he knew they were involved…it was the worst part of his night. Erasing her mind, watching hate feel her features as she realized who was standing in front of her. It was a small consolation to know how she truly felt, to know that her fury was an act. That she really loved him.

For her. For himself. For them.

The past would always fade.

Yes? No? So-so? Let me know. As always: love from-writerchick13