Hermione wandered the corridors of the darkened hallways aimlessly. Her mind was occupied with a new form of brutality that could only be reserved for the infamous Draco Malfoy. The nerve of that bloody ferret! How dare he injure her boyfriend, Ron Weasley! How dare him!
Hermione knew she had lost all parts of rationality within her but she just couldn't bring herself to care. Draco had gone too far this time. Ron's arm was cold hard proof that something severely heavy, more than likely an anvil or an anchor had fallen on top of it, completely on purpose. Hermione cringed internally at the thought of something as intense as that falling atop her own arm, shattering the entire bone in a second without your brain even registering the fact.
She didn't understand the Slytherian heartthrob. Why was he acting so strangely lately? He had been actually complimenting her not three days ago; she thought that the ferocious hate between the two of them had gradually been building into a compromise, so that a friendship could wedge itself in the place of hate. But how could Hermione even begin to consider friendship with Draco if he was bound and determined to ruin her relationship with Ron?!
Her furiousness stalked her shadow with each corridor that she patrolled, searching for late night curfew breakers. She had already sent four intensely absorbed, snogging couples back to their common rooms, maybe in a manner that had been a bit too harsh. Yet Hermione couldn't bring herself to tame the searing rage that rang like a school bell inside her head. She just couldn't stop the loathing that she felt towards the Head Boy that she was forced to share a common room with. It took every fraction of self control for Hermione to think rationally for just a second, otherwise Professor Dumbledore would be looking at a very confused, yet extremely enraged Slytherian suspended from the ceiling of the Great Hall.
Finally she could retreat to her common room and tear the living daylights out of the boy who dared call himself a wizard.
Once she had reached the common room she found said Slytherian glaring at his Potions assignment while seated on the ottoman in their common room.
She slammed the portrait with such brute force that the wind it produced brushed Draco's hair slightly, pulling it ever so easily out of place. The boy never even blinked, much less looked up.
Hermione tried to calm her racing heart; though her hands tingled to strangle him. But she resisted.
"Draco," she began as pleasantly as she could muster. Of course, pleasant was the last emotion someone would classify her tone. She was speaking through gritted teeth and practically growling as she watched the boy ignore her as if she were nothing more than a portrait adorning the wall.
"Draco!" She finally shrieked. Forget pleasant, she thought irritably.
He sighed and glanced up with his gray eyes. He didn't appear mad, but seemingly amused and… some other emotion that Hermione couldn't place. Pain maybe? Hopelessness? She shook off her questions and began her tirade.
"How dare you hurt Ron! What reason did you think qualified you to crush his arm with… with…" Hermione trailed off; she didn't know what crushed Ron's arm.
Draco sighed and his signature smirk graced the line of his lips. "A concrete slab," he told her indifferently.
Hermione considered breaking his neck. She was absolutely positive her eyes were a sweltering hue of black… or red. She could barely hold onto the sliver of rationality that she had left. She needed to punch something, preferably that flawless, pale face of his. "WHY YOU BLOODY FERRET!!!! HOW DARE YOU EXECUTE SUCH A SEVERE, RECKLESS, VIOLENT—"
"Amazingly brilliant stunt?" he offered, accompanied with the slight shake of his head. He couldn't believe that, even in a blazing vortex of total rage, she could form coherent, complex sentences.
She glowered at him, a smoldering glare that made his skin crawl ever so slightly. He wouldn't back down from her glare, but he was also aware that she wouldn't back down either. This would be an extremely long, painful night.
He closed his Potions textbook and settled himself comfortably on the ottoman, preparing himself mentally for her next outburst. She would snap any minute now.
Instead she stared at him with a glint of annoyance and question, not rage, within the chocolate facets of her eyes. "What happened to you Draco?" she asked with a hint of pain in her voice.
He was caught off guard to say the least. "What do you mean?" his voice was guarded, suspicious of her prying. Of course he shouldn't be surprised; she was practically born for prying into another's business. She was good at it.
"I thought we were getting along better this year. I thought you would finally understand that I am not one for fighting. I thought we could finally be friends…" she shook her head and averted her gaze from his intense silver orbs. When she glanced back up her gaze was guarded. "I guess not.
"I'm going to take a shower. Don't bother me." That was all she said.
He was still in too much of a shock to realize that he should have reached out and grabbed her hands, in the process pulling her down to him and kissing her with as much love and fury that he could possibly assemble into one kiss. He should have told her that he loved her and that he was only jealous of the relationship that she shared with the Weasel; that was the only reason he crushed Ron's arm, and even then he didn't mean to. The dang red- headed monster provoked him; apparently the weasel knew of Draco's affections for Hermione.
Draco should have brought her to his chest, protecting her from the world, protecting her from even the evil within him. But he didn't.
He should have told her that she would always be in his heart, that she would always be the only person that he had ever loved, would ever love. He should have confessed these things to her with tears in his eyes to show her that this was the absolute, immensely accurate truth. He would never, could never hurt her.
But he didn't.
That seemed to be the only thing that he could come up with. He didn't ever do this or that. He didn't tell her his feelings towards her earlier and so she ended up with Weasley. He didn't bother to tell her that she was in danger and in danger still. He protected her as best he could but how long would that last?
She seemed to walk away from him forever when she sauntered towards the bathroom; seemingly right out of his life. When the door clicked shut, the sound echoed in his ears so much longer than it should have. Why did that sound like she had completely given up on him? That she would forever leave him within this unknown abyss that only she could save him from.
Draco drowned in his thoughts of the only girl that had ever been able to unlock the scared little boy within his soul.
What was it about her that Draco adored? What was it about her that caused him to forget about his ebony future, much darker than a normal person's? His life was an endless cycle of pain and suffering; and Draco had accepted that it would always be like that… until he had considered Hermione in a different light. She wasn't the same girl that he had consistently teased all through the years of his Hogwarts schooling when he had met her when they boarded the train this year. He had been falling for her ever since then, falling into a pit so far that he couldn't even hope to dig himself out. Not that he wanted to though, no, because this pit was also the only light in his world; seeming to be the staircase that lead right up to happiness and contentment. Hermione unknowingly provided him with the hope and desire and the drive that he had forgotten long ago. She was the only one who could occupy his brains for hours; she was the only one whose smile would make his heart beats throb in his ears, the only one whose presence made his blood course faster in his veins.
The water shut off. Draco's heart leapt. He didn't know what he would say but he wasn't going to allow her to fall through his fingers anymore. He loved her too much.
When the door was pulled open, a radiant girl with dark, dripping hair and confused eyes stared back at him. She was already dressed in her flannel pajamas; a polka- dot tank top and blue shorts.
His breathing accelerated as he stood. She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest but she didn't yell at him when she opened her mouth. "I thought you'd already be in bed." She stated; she was still angry with him.
He stared at her and shook his head. His eyes pricked; he had finally realized that the unearthly angel before him could never fall for the devil's spawn. All the threads of the universe were yelling that at him now, when only seconds before they had been coaxing him to confess his feelings to her; to confide his fears in her.
She looked at him with puzzlement. She took a hesitant step towards him. "Draco…" she began uncertainly. "Are you okay?"
He smiled ruefully and shook his head in finality, lowering himself to the ottoman again. He placed his head in his hands and sighed raggedly.
He felt her sit beside him. "Hey," she said softly, pulling his arms away so that she could look in his eyes. He drowned in her chocolate depths, relishing the security and warmth that radiated throughout him as he surrendered himself completely in her gaze.
"Draco…" she whispered. "What's wrong?"
He smiled a small smile and looked away, back down to his rapidly shaking palms. "I have always been taught that love was a worthless desire. It couldn't ever fulfill one with the power that was required for the survival of life. That's all I've done my ever done my entire life, kill and taunt and ruin lives piece by piece; it was supposedly the only way to achieve happiness in this universe…" he trailed off, recalling how he had tried to ruin her life, and was still expected to ruin it… completely.
"Go on," she persuaded softly as she rubbed his back soothingly. He marveled at her tender touch.
He finally looked up, back into her eyes. It was now or never. He took a shaky breath. "I have tainted many lives with my presence, Hermione, but I have never felt the power my father declares comes from the victory. Every time I hurt someone I feel like I'm forced deeper and deeper into a world of depression and pain and torture that I can never resurface from. The only time that I have felt so incredibly happy and victorious was the rare times that I caught your smile directed at me. The only time that I have felt powerful was when I would catch your eye or listen to you talk."
She stared at him in a shock- filled silence. Time to earn that slap on the cheek. "I love you Hermione. Entirely and irreversibly." His silver eyes bore into her brown ones. She had more than likely not bargained for this type of confession.
He sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry," he muttered, though he didn't regret telling her how he felt.
He began to rise to his feet so that he could freshen up and head to his room for a nightmarish sleep when Hermione's hand grabbed his arm. He looked back instantly. He froze.
In her eyes was the most unmistakable, beautiful, hopeful look he had ever seen. Love.
"I love you too Draco," she whispered. "I can't believe that I didn't admit it to myself until now."
He smiled through the haze of tears that veiled her from him. But that didn't stop him. He reached out and sheathed her small form within his strong arms, caressing her gently.
That night they lay on the couch together, just getting to know the other, the person that completed them entirely; their soul- mate.
They shared their stories, their feelings… their mistakes. They laughed and cried and smiled at the other; it was as though they were meeting each other for the first time.
The two new lovers knew that this wasn't another fling; they understood that the powers of a superior god had chosen the other with careful precision. The fates had carefully fabricated this unity with unimaginable clarity. They understood that the other was their perfect equal, balancing their strengths and weaknesses. Perfecting them to the closet perfection on earth could get.
When Draco awoke the next morning, he admired the goddess that was snuggled lovingly into his chest. He stroked her back and a slight smile appeared on his face.
This was the dawn of a new day. The future had never appeared brighter and it was all thanks to the two people laid upon a velvet ottoman, clinging to the other for survival. So innocent, so new.
Hermione awoke to find Draco gazing at her with distinctive love within his silver irises.
"I love you Draco Malfoy," she whispered. He smiled. "I love you too Hermione Granger."
He lowered his lips to hers, igniting spectacular fireworks within the two of them, drawing them closer and closer like the poles of a magnet.
Yes. Never before had such a promising future begun and all through the power of two lovers' bond.
The angel tamed the devil's spawn. He plagued her thoughts. She plagued his. The fates collide. The two unite. The world can finally live in peace.
Neither of the people lying upon that couch thought about the future in that moment, even though the future was being rewritten at the same time. They only thought about each other and that perfect moment that they were able to share before chaos would erupt once again. The sun had shown a tiny bit brighter that day and, in truth, that was all Draco had ever asked for; however, he received so much more.