Disclaimer: Merely borrowing these lovely characters.
One Week
'Defigo,' Draco muttered.
Hermione glared at her captor furiously as she heard the lock on the door securing itself with a sound 'click'. With one hand still placed on her arm in a vice-like grip, Draco pointed his wand hand to her face. Her face, masked with fury, slowly contorted to betray the fear in her. Surely he could not think to hurt her on the Hogwarts Express, could he?
'Malfoy! What do you think you're…' The words were barely out of her mouth before he interrupted her with a 'silencio'.
It was the last week of school. Not just any last week, but the last one ever. Everyone was in the heartiest of moods. The joy derived from the approaching summer holidays was one that was highly contagious.
Despite being head girl, Hermione found herself marvelling at the fireworks produced by the Fiery Fantasies, a latest product of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, which had been illegally set off by some fourth years in the Great Hall. Even the teachers seemed to be in a light mood. They were seated at the staff table, pretending to ignore the commotion.
'Geniuses, really! Of course I would only admit it to them over my dead body,' Ron exclaimed beside Hermione.
Hermione felt the familiar prickling sensation. She was being watched once again. She raised her gaze from her spoon and trained it levelly at the blond sitting at the opposite end of the hall. Caught staring, Draco Malfoy's gaze did not falter. Instead, it seemed to fuel his intensity and his brows deepened into a frown.
While this staring match had once come as a shock to Hermione, it was no surprise by now. He had been doing this for over a month. It had started around the time he stopped calling her names. It puzzled Hermione, but she was not about to waste her last week in Hogwarts pondering over the actions of this particular pureblood.
She rolled her eyes at him and resumed eating, steadfastly ignoring his unwavering stare.
He was staring again. With five days left to the end of the term, she knew by now, even without looking.
That day, the Great Hall had been transformed into a convention hall. The four house tables were cast away to the side and in their places stood many small booths. A banner with the words 'Career Fair' was strung across the front of the hall and pamphlets of all shapes and sizes were whizzing about in the air.
Harry and Ron had eagerly approached the booth advocating Auror as a career, leaving Hermione at the entrance. The thought of becoming an Auror had undoubtedly crossed her mind, but her heart still lies in S.P.E.W. and she hoped to pursue a career that would allow her to delve into elfin welfare more wholeheartedly.
Today, she found Draco leaning casually against a pillar, his gaze fixed stubbornly on her, as usual. Too wealthy for careers. She thought bitterly as she approached the booth with the sign 'Non-Wizard Welfare Society'.
Three more days.
'Go ahead and save a seat for me! I'll be there as soon as I send this,' Hermione told her two best friends.
'Alright, be quick!' Ron called out in reply.
She walked in the direction of the owlery with the letter she had written to her parents in her hands. She felt guilty for not writing to them more often as she had been tied down with prefect duties and revision.
She read through the letter a final time before sealing it with a quick incantation. As she approached the owlery, she realised she had company. Draco Malfoy was leaving it and this time she swore the intensity of his gaze had doubled, tripled even. In fact, he was almost scowling.
His brows were furrowed to form a valley-like contour, his lips were pursed in – anger? She could not read his expression. It was a palette swirled with the colours of rage, frustration, confusion and temptation
What had she done wrong? She huffed in annoyance as they crossed each others' path.
It was the night before the end of the term.
Hermione and Ernie were making their rounds, ensuring that no student was out of their common rooms past curfew. They were walking in comfortable silence, having done this many times over the course of the year. It would be their last night patrolling the school grounds and Hermione was sure she would miss it.
The school was unusually quiet tonight but Hermione knew better than to be taken in by this false silence. Having undergone this six times in the past, she knew how raucous the common rooms would all be. Celebrations would run past midnight as goodbyes, which would be forsaken in the haste of the morning after, would be made.
They rounded a corner and Hermione jumped backwards into Ernie.
'Oof! Hermione, you okay?' Ernie asked while steadying Hermione.
'Malfoy! What're you doing out here? It's not your turn to patrol tonight!' Hermione exclaimed.
Draco flicked his gaze over to Ernie momentarily, and Hermione thought she saw a slight hint of annoyance flashed in his steely silver orbs, before returning his gaze to Hermione. He held his gaze for several seconds too long, as if contemplating his next move.
'It's my bad then, Granger,' he finally replied coolly and turned to walk away.
Was he waiting for her? As soon as this thought infiltrated her mind, Hermione chided herself. She was getting ahead of herself.
She cleared her head and sighed, 'Let's head back?'
Ernie stifled a yawn, 'sure!' He replied. They made their ways to their respective common rooms.
'Promise me yer write ter me, 'arry. And yeh too, the both of yeh! Best student 'ogwarts ever seen. Promise me won't yeh?' Hagrid said, dabbing his tear stained eyes with the back of his sleeves.
'Of course, Hagrid! You know we will write.' Harry assured his big friend, blinking back tears of his own that were threatening to spill. He sought comfort in the fact that he was finally of age and could live on his own instead of having to return to the Dursleys.
'And you could come by the Burrow anytime! Mom would be pleased.' Ron assured Hagrid.
'We will keep in touch, Hagrid!' Hermione squealed as Hagrid lifted the three of them up into a hug.
They clambered onto the Hogwarts Express as the final whistle blew, waving to Hagrid, their professors, and seven years of fond memories.
'Blimey, Neville! What're you doing on the ground?' Ron started as he opened a compartment's door.
'I'm looking for Trevor…' Neville answered miserably, to which the Golden Trio looked at each other bemusedly.
After an hour of futile searching, they realised that Neville had actually stuffed Trevor down the back pocket of his pants. His rear had emitted a loud 'croak!' when he sat down, earning a cacophony of laughter from his peers.
Hermione excused herself to go to the toilet while the others were engaged in a game of Exploding Snap. She strolled through the length of the Hogwarts Express, savouring her final journey on it.
She entered the toilet cubicle and gasped when she felt a wand pressed up against her back. At the same time, a hand gripped her firmly by the arm, preventing her from escaping. She turned around as the door snapped shut.
'Defigo,' Draco muttered.
Hermione glared at her captor furiously as she heard the lock on the door securing itself with a sound 'click'. With one hand still placed on her arm in a vice-like grip, Draco pointed his wand hand to her face. Her face, masked with fury, slowly contorted to betray the fear in her. Surely he could not think to hurt her on the Hogwarts Express, could he?
'Malfoy! What do you think you're…' The words were barely out of her mouth before he interrupted her with a 'silencio'.
He tucked his wand back into his robes and gripped both her arms in his hands, trying to stop her from struggling.
'Hermione…' He spoke her name, for the first time in seven years. It was barely a whisper, more like a groan, as if the name alone was a path out of insanity. His antidote, his drug, an oasis in a hot, sweltering desert.
Hermione stopped struggling at once, curiosity getting the better of her. Her mind was inundated with questions. She was confused, cautious, curious. She met his gaze questioningly. His stoic guise crumbled under her questioning look.
'Oh god, Granger,' his voice was shaky as he addressed her once more. He lifted one hand to cup the side of her head and traced patterns along her cheekbone with his thumb.
And then he kissed her.
The kiss spoke volumes. Months and months of pent up emotions, emotions he had brutally attempted, and failed, to shove down the deep recesses of his mind. He wanted to devour her in one go, yet he wanted to savour her slowly, taste her, test her. He wanted her so badly, the guttural moan that escaped from deep within was sheer evidence. His hands, which now cupped her cheeks so tenderly, were shaking. He needed her, he had waited far too long to do this and he could not, would not lose her now. His lips were bruising hers, caressing hers, scalding hers, soothing hers, breaking down her resistance. Hermione knew now. The answers to her questions, she knew them now. He felt her taut lips softening beneath his, caving in to his desire. Her lips, needing no introduction, parted, granting his tongue the access it had been patiently waiting for. His tongue dove into the warm cavern, exploring every inch of it. Hers, cautiously, carefully, trailing after his. He felt the slight tremble of her vocal chords as she released a moan of her own but no sound came out. He was pleased to note that her hands no longer fell limply at her sides. Instead, one was tugging at his hair, the other roving down south…
The train jerked to a sudden halt and they both fell apart. Hermione was slumped against the toilet seat, her breath laboured. Draco's jagged breath matched hers as he leant against the door but he was quicker to recover. He lifted the silencing charm but it seemed that Hermione Granger was for once, at a loss for words.
Hermione's cheeks were flushed. He thought that she looked simply divine. They eyed each other, neither speaking.
'I… I'm sorry,' Draco said finally, raising one hand up to tame his tousled hair. When Hermione did not reply, he extracted a necklace from his robes, knelt down and fastened it around her neck.
The pendent was made to look like a galleon but it was etched with alphabets where the serial number should have been. Hermione looked into his eyes, her eyes round with surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words seemed suitable enough to surface. She did not want to break the moment.
'Just in case –' he tucked a stray strand of curl behind her ear lobe and looked into her warm brown eyes. ' – you wish to find me.'
He placed his lips softly on her forehead, straightened up and walked out the door, leaving Hermione to stare after his retreating form.
The End.