Under the Moon
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A.N: I know you guys probably don't even know the last time I wrote something. I am so sorry that my hiatus took forever. I probably have lost quite a few readers, which is understandable. I also want to apologise for all the inboxes I never replied too, I was in a weird place but I'm not anymore. I am back. I'll properly be back in June but until then I hope you enjoy this one shot and I would love reviews.
Take Care guys
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There he stood. My knight. For years I had dreamt about him, for years I had craved to see his face again. For years, I had wanted him. With every bone in my body, with all my heart I needed him. Now there he was. Within my reach. All I had to do was call out, he would turn. He would see me again. I would see him again.
"Lazarus," I whispered. I knew he'd hear me. In the silence of these woods, you could hear you're own heartbeat. He turned ever so slowly. As if shocked someone knew his name. Someone knew his name in this forest.
I could not stop the gasp escaping my lips, it was him. I had not been mistaken. My knight was here. The smile that rose could not be fought. His dark grey eyes bored into me. His face. Oh his face. His round, manly face, hard as stone, turned to me. His full red pouted lips, invited me in. His blonde hair flew with the wind.
"Little J," he whispered, barely audible. The man who had saved my life as a child, was standing here. In front of me. Not aged a day, not changed a speck. He was here. He was here.
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Hermione sighed. She placed the book down. Love in books was different to love in real life. Little J, was a twenty first century girl, Lazarus was a fallen angel. Hermione sighed again, she wanted a fallen angel. She wanted to feel that love. She had headed into the forest to read, to feel the story. To feel the love in the novel. She desired it more than anything. Love was complicated. Love was weird. Love was right and love was wrong. How could something be such a paradox.
Loosening her robe, she lay down on the grass. The moon was almost rising. She had snuck out. She knew as a prefect she shouldn't sneak out but she had to. She had to. Ron had annoyed her already today. The stupid Lavender fiasco. She had no idea why she was so angry. Was it because she was in love with him? Was it because she wanted to have with Ron what Little J had with Lazurus? A doomed love? She smiled, no not doomed. But something real. Something amazing. Something that would be remembered forever. The truest of loves.
"I could deduct points for this," a snarling voice interrupted her thoughts.
Hermione sat up speedily. Malfoy. The evil spawn of Satan. Or almost. "You're breaking the rules too Malfoy."
He grinned, the know it all was always right, "True."
"What are you doing out here?" she demanded.
"Fresh air, is that a crime?" Malfoy stood towering over her.
"It is if it's in the forbidden forest!" Hermione retaliated, not wanting to move from her sanctuary.
"Not like we're in the deep part of the forest, that would be a crime," he replied smoothly. His hair was moving with the wind, almost shining under the starlight. His eyes seemed amused at the prospect of finding Hermione Granger, in the forest, after curfew. "What are you doing here Granger?"
To his surprise, the Gryffindor princess blushed, "Fresh air." Her hands were trying to brush the book behind her, without him noticing.
"Accio Granger's book," Malfoy's wand was out before he knew it.
"OI!" Hermione shouted as the book went flying past her.
Malfoy smirked, "Manners mudblood." He turned the book around and smirked at the cover, "The Fallen Angel. How interesting." He turned the book over to the blurb.
"Give it back Malfoy," Hermione sighed, getting up.
"A tale of two lovers, separated by time," he read. "Doomed to roam the Earth alone, Lazarus must save as many human lives from the demon they call Hades. The spawn of hell himself will torture and throw this world into devastation. One man will rise against him. Lazarus. One fruitful night, Lazarus does the unthinkable. Testing fate, he saves a young girl during a natural disaster. A disaster that should have taken her life. Having no idea why, Lazurus saved her, he continues on his mission. Unable to remove her face from his mind, he returns to the forest, ten years later, starting an impeccable love story that may end both their lives."
Hermione blushed, frozen in her spot.
"Lazarus wasn't an angel," Malfoy rolled his eyes, "How do angels die? Surely he will not die at the end of the book. This is the crap you read Granger."
Hermione blushing like a tomato muttered incoherently.
"Why?" he asked, moving towards the tree trunk, and sitting down facing her half standing figure.
Hermione tilted her head, he was asking her a genuine question, not mocking her. Hesitantly, she sat back in her seat, a few feet from him. "Because… it's interesting."
"More interesting than Ancient Runes, the Ins and Outs or Transfigure your Lover? Or any numerous books about magic?" he was perplexed, "Fallen angels aren't even real. Runes, transfiguration, potions, dementors, werewolves, vampires, those things are real, why don't you read about facts? Why fiction?"
"I do read facts!" Hermione argued, "But sometimes you need… a release."
"A release?" he smirked, "There are alternative 'releases'."
She blushed again, "I….i mean like, hope."
It was his turn to frown at her, "Hope? In a book?"
"Hope Malfoy," she whispered. "Everywhere we turn there's darkness. In that book there is darkness. But there's hope too. In the love between Little J and Lazurus. There's light you know?" She didn't know why she was telling him, Harry was under the impression he was a death eater so why was he here? Why was he not trying to kill her? Why wasn't she?
"Love," he repeated. "You read this crap to believe in love?"
She sighed, "I wouldn't expect you to understand."
"What's there to understand?" he replied. "Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Girl likes boy. Then they fall in love. Girl hurts boy or boy hurts girl, and it ends. Love gone. They move on. Girl meets new guy, boy meets new girl. The chain continues, until you get bored and settle for someone. Calling that someone the love of your life."
Hermione was a little taken back, where did that come from. "You think love is settling?"
"I wouldn't expect you to understand," he looked straight into her eyes, almost challenging her.
Her temper was flaring, "I understand."
His smirk vanished.
"I understand that you're afraid to love, so you sit there and talk about it as if it does not exist. As if love isn't real but it is real. You'll realise that one day."
The smirk returned, "Oh yes. I'm so afraid of love. So afraid. You nailed it Granger. I believe now. I believe I will one day meet her, and marry her, have fifteen little Malfoys running around and age gracefully."
Hermione, against her better judgement burst out laughing.
Malfoy just stared at her. She couldn't stop she was in giggles.
"What part of my future ambition do you find so amusing?" he asked.
She was struggling to stop, "….Fifteen….Malfoys. Horror." She continued to laugh like crazy.
"Wow you are a banshee aren't you?" Malfoy smirked. That got her to stop. "Works every time."
She scowled at him, "That's mean, I was amused."
"Of fifteen Malfoys? You love the idea really."
She smiled, "Yes what more could I want, then fifteen Malfoys."
He smirked, "Knew it."
She sighed, "Malfoy?"
"What?"
"You really don't believe in love?"
Malfoy rolled his eyes, "No Granger, I don't believe."
"Why?" she asked quietly. The wind slowly making her skin redden. She hugged herself slowly.
"Because we're in a world full of darkness. If true love exists where is it?" His eyes penetrated hers, as if he really wanted an honest answer.
She didn't quite understand him, "It's everywhere."
He looked at her, "Like Weaselbee and Brownnose?"
Hermione's heart felt as if she was stabbed, that was cold. "Maybe." She tried to keep a brave face on.
"Are you telling me, you Hermione Granger who probably loves Weaselface, is saying it's okay for him to love another? Is that what true love is?" Malfoy questioned.
"Being with someone doesn't mean it is love," she snapped, turning her head from him.
Malfoy grinned at her, "So being with someone and not being in love is okay with you? As long as there are benefits?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, facing him, "I'm saying people make mistakes."
"Brown's a mistake." He was stating it. He wasn't asking her.
"Or I made one," she shrugged. She moved backwards, so she too was leaning against a tree trunk. She did not want to lie down with Malfoy here.
"Interesting," Malfoy remarked.
"What is?"
"Your concept of love mudblood," he answered. "Love makes us fools, that really works for you."
Hermione didn't answer.
"He is using your love. He knows how you feel but he wants to be with someone right now, can't you see that? It's pure lust, and in the process he is hurting you. That can't be love." He ran his hand through his hair and stared up at the sky, as if he was talking to an unknown being.
Hermione sighed, again, "You can say what you like but when two people are meant to be together, they find a way."
"What if you end up with the wrong person?" Malfoy asked.
"You don't."
"Then what are divorces about?"
Hermione didn't answer, "But after the divorce you find the right person."
Malfoy rolled his eyes, "Do you ever not have an answer?"
"I...no I don't think I...no…" She trailed off.
There was silence between the two. In the distance they could hear the wolves. Yet it did not frighten either. The night was cooling. The dark had taken over but there was still no sight of the moon yet. Hermione looked up and smiled at the stars. The moon was odd, sometimes it came out when the sun wasn't even down, sometimes it waited till the darkest moment of the night before revealing itself.
"You were bought up to believe in love, I wasn't," Malfoy said after a while.
Hermione looked at him.
"I don't believe."
"Malfoy," Hermione said softly, "We all believe in what we want. We are not destined to follow our parents plans for us . We do not have to believe what they believe, because we have our own minds. Our destiny is purely our own."
"You live in a very happy world Granger," he said, almost sadly.
"No, we both live in the same world," she replied, seeing his face harden.
"No, we don't," he whispered softly.
Above them the crescent moon was showing itself. Only barely.
"Look at the moon. See Malfoy, in all the darkness there is always a light." Hermione said staring at the moon.
He shrugged, following her gaze, "Maybe."
After sitting in silence for fifteen minutes she got up, "I better go."
He looked at her and nodded.
"Don't stay out too late," Hermione warned, walking away.
Malfoy smirked at her back, "Hey Granger, Do you want your book back?" He was standing with it in his hand.
Hermione turned back, almost forgetting the book. She walked up to him, the book he was holding out for her. She reached for it, touched it before he pulled the book and Hermione into him. She was frozen, millimeters from his face. She could feel his cool breathe on her. He could smell her perfume, he smiled ever so slightly. Hermione looked at him, her mouth forming a little 'o'. They stood under the moonlight, on a windy night staring at the other. Way too close for comfort, but not close enough. A howl in the woods caused Hermione to jump back, without the book.
She blushed and turned. What was that?
"You're forgetting the book again Granger," came Malfoy's voice as she walked away.
She was walking away but she turned, "Keep it. You might learn something."
He smirked, "This does not change anything Granger. I still can't stand you."
"And I can't stand you," she said turning around and walking back to the castle.
He watched her walk across the fields before she was out of his eye-line. He looked down at the book and smiled. He placed it in his bag before walking back himself.
Tomorrow everything would be back to normal. He would do his job and she would...well she'd go back to being a know it all prefect. No one would know of this night, or this conversation. Who would it anyway? Hermione Granger, the mudblood and Draco Malfoy, the pureblood, having a conversation. Never. No one would believe it.
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Let me know what you guys think :) xXx