Climbing The Walls

by jmalfoy

Hermione's depression after a failed relationship takes a drastic turn when Draco Malfoy decides to interfere. Short Story!

1. Chapter 1

Discalimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's characters. Plus, I don't own The Backstreet Boys' song lyrics "Climbing the Walls" located before and after the fic.

……………………………………

Climbing The Walls

……………………………………

Close Your Eyes, Make A Wish

That this could last forever

If only you could stay with me now

So tell me what it is

That keeps us from each other now

Yeah, it's coming to get me

You're under my skin

……………………………………

CRACK!

"What the fu—" Pale eyes flew open at the sharp sound of someone apparating into his flat.

"Did we wake you from your beauty sleep?" Ron Weasley asked with a smirk.

Gray eyes glared at the two intruders in his home who happened to be holding a very drunk witch between them, who looked as if she had passed out.

"Drunk again?" Draco snapped.

"Right on schedule," Harry Potter said tiredly. "Get off the couch will you, Malfoy? We need to put her down."

Draco scowled. "There are other couches here, in case you haven't noticed."

"Yeah, but this is the biggest one and you know how Hermione is. She'll probably roll off of a smaller one," replied Ron impatiently.

The ex-Slytherin sighed and moved off the couch, looking at the clock. Damn; he'd been asleep for two hours and it was barely midnight. "Where has she been?" he asked as Potter and the Weasel set her down gently.

Potter pushed back Hermione's hair from her face as she slept off the alcohol. "In a muggle pub near here. She was getting picked up by this bloke who oddly enough looked like Krum," Harry said.

"This is getting ridiculous; she needs to see a shrink!" Draco ranted. Harry and Ron looked at him with raised brows. "What?" Draco snapped. "I live with a muggle-born roommate; I pick up things from her and the TV."

Ron ignored his comment. "It's been a bloody year already, why isn't she over him?" he exasperated.

"Tomorrow is the 'anniversary' of you know what with you know who. Seeing the calendar was going to remind her that it's been a year since that sod broke her heart," Harry said darkly.

"I checked on her today in the morning and she told me that she was fine. She even looked okay, too," said Draco.

"Yeah, and she promised us that she wouldn't get drunk… I mean, I'd worry if she was an alcoholic who drank every day, but still, getting drunk on one specific day every single month is a tad creepier. It makes me wonder if Mione isn't off her rocker," Ron said as he sat down and ran a hand through his hair.

"We have to do something about this. We can't let her keep on this destructive path, because the more time that passes, the worse this will get, no matter what Hermione says," Harry said critically.

Draco sighed and mulled things over for a few minutes. A little more than two years ago, he and Hermione had moved into a shared flat. She had wanted to get her own independence in the wizarding world, and Draco had been disowned for turning away from his father's cause. Good old Lucius could rot with his own bloody money for all Draco cared. Though he did feel sorry for his mother, who had practically begged Lucius to take him back.

Besides, his grandparents on his mother's side had left him a hefty amount in a Gringott's vault that would last him two lifetimes; not nearly as much as his father's fortune, but enough that it didn't have to matter what job he got as long as he was happy with it.

Granger had been suspicious when he had asked her if she wanted to share his flat—he had overheard the Weasel and Potty talking about her looking for a place to stay that was near their own flat, but not with them—so he had had a long conversation with her, and she had agreed.

Their living arrangements were cozy and they only interacted with each other when they wanted to. Draco liked silence and solitude, and so did Hermione, though she insisted on inviting Potter and Weasley to have dinner with them once a week.

Two years ago, she had been seeing Krum again, and their relationship had made it to the engagement stage, but something had happened—and to this day, Draco didn't know what—and Hermione had broken it off with Krum just a few months shy of the wedding day.

He had seen her slowly walk the path of self-destruction. There were days darker than others for Hermione. On every monthly anniversary of her break-up with Krum, she would get pissed drunk, call her fuck buddy, wake up with a hangover, and then sink into a depression that lasted from a day to more than a week.

She worked a job in an apothecary because she refused to have anything to do with the Ministry of Magic. They had offered her the spot of Minister of Magic, and she had turned it down. Having a place like that in their society would've put too many burdens on her shoulders, and there was still the random family who believed that muggleborns had no place in their society. So she worked where she wanted, just like Draco did.

Putting aside all these thoughts, an idea was born in Draco's mind. "I have something in mind, but I can't execute it unless you two help me," he said patiently. He anticipated the Weasel's mistrust.

"It depends on what you want to do to Hermione," Ron said.

The other man nodded but offered no hindrance. "This better be good," Harry said, and judging by the look on Draco's face, he knew it would be. "What's on your mind?" he asked with interest.

………………………

Hermione groaned and kept her eyes closed, willing the pounding in her head to go away. Behind her lids, the light was bright enough to make her squint with a pained groan.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would sleep the day and night straight," said a familiar voice from nearby.

"Close the curtain, will you?" she asked softly, her throat was dry and she felt dehydrated.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," said Draco.

"What? Why not?" Hermione snapped, regretting it immediately when the pounding intensified. She felt the tip of Draco's wand at her temple and an immense relief went though her as the headache lessened exponentially.

"If I close the curtain, then you won't enjoy the view, and I didn't bring you here so that you could spend the week sleeping off your hangover," Draco whispered. He knew from experience how brutal hangovers were.

"What view?" she grumbled, still not catching on to what Draco was saying, she was still focused on the rhythmic conga pounding in her head. If she concentrated enough, she could hear a dancing rhythm, but even thinking hurt her head. "You mean the ruddy old man that lives in the flat across ours? Believe me when I say that him flashing us is nothing I want to open my eyes to."

Draco chuckled softly and handed her a cup of coffee as she rubbed her eyes and sat up. She took the mug and sighed heavily before looking up. When she did, she nearly dropped the hot coffee in her lap.

"Where—where are we?" she asked as she stood on wobbly legs and slowly made it towards the sliding door.

"We are in Oahu, where we will be staying for the rest of the week, and if you'd like, we can stay for more than a week," said Draco with a shrug as he walked over to stand beside her. He slid the door open and let the cool sea breeze in.

"You mean we're near Hawaii?" Hermione asked with wide eyes. Draco nodded and smirked at the look on her face. They were inside a rented beach house that was located incredibly close to the crystalline waters of the ocean. The sandy shores seemed to stretch on and on, and from where she stood; Hermione could see a few couples walking down the beach.

The view was breathtaking. "As beautiful as this is, Draco, I can't stay. I have a job I'm supposed to be in right now and I'm so not feeling up to this," Hermione said as she shielded her eyes from the sun's flare off of the water's clear surface.

"So you think throwing yourself into your job and sulking over Krum at every spare moment is better than this?" he asked with an angry scowl on his face.

Hermione sighed and turned away from the view, walking deeper into the small, yet luxurious property. "It's all I have," she muttered to herself, thinking that Draco wouldn't hear her.

"Oh yes, and let's not forget having Snape riding your ass because of his precious apothecary, and not to mention your pity fuck with Zabini the day after you get drunk once a month," Draco snarled as he followed her.

Hermione's shoulders tensed in anger before she whirled around to face him. "I didn't ask for your damned opinion Draco! What I do or don't do with my life is none of your business!" she yelled, angry tears welling in her eyes. "If I want to fuck Zabini once a month then it's my problem, not yours! I didn't ask you to interfere!"

"Well somebody had to!" he yelled back. "Can't you see that you're destroying yourself! Get over him, this isn't you!"

Hermione's eyes went cold. "You don't know me enough to say that. You think that two years of living together entitles you to make decisions and demands of me? I don't think so. But don't you think, Draco Malfoy, that I have tried to get over this? He hurt me, and I have tried so many times to not let this get to me, but it has! I don't have the capacity to be strong anymore," she cried before the tears finally came.

Draco just kept quiet, not really knowing what to say. He had seen her angry, irritated, and had only seen her cry once. He wasn't good with crying women. But maybe this was what she needed. She couldn't keep her feelings bottled up inside anymore; it was making her hurt and was destroying her sanity.

She sat down in a chair made of bamboo that was hanging from the ceiling and began to sway there slowly. Draco stopped the seat and kneeled in front of her, noticing the broken look in her eyes. What the hell had Krum done to her to have forced such repercussions?

"Look, I don't want to tell you how to live your life or how to behave, but this is getting out of hand. Can't you see that you're not okay? Getting drunk and falling into these depressions is destroying you, and after two years of learning about you and the way you are, I believe that it's my duty to help you out of this. We are friends after all, aren't we?" he asked with a small smile.

Hermione shuddered slightly from her crying and then nodded with a hiccup. She leaned forward and almost hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. Draco sighed and gave her this; she needed the reassurance that he was there for her. A small sob wracked her slim form and Draco stood, pulling her out of the seat. He then sat down and pulled her onto his lap. He just hoped that the bloody swing type of seat would hold their weight.

"Why haven't you done this with Potter and Weasley?" Draco asked as he ran his hand down her back as the other clasped her own.

"Because they have their own lives, they don't need me putting more burdens on their shoulders," she said with a hiccup, hear head buried against his neck.

"And you think that them finding you drunk at a pub isn't a burden? They worry about you, Granger," he said impatiently, "we all do." Draco frowned when he felt a hot wetness on his shoulder from her fresh batch of tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly. "This isn't like me. I let him destroy me and I forgot that I have always been strong. I shouldn't have let myself become so vulnerable," she said as she sat straight and gazed into Draco's calm eyes. "Thank you," she said steadily.

"For what?" asked Draco in a soft, flat tone.

"For interfering. It's kind of like what families of a serious alcoholic do to the person in denial. I can admit that I have a problem," she said softly.

"You mean like an intervention," he said smartly.

Hermione smiled. "Now how would you know about interventions?"

"I keep up with that American muggle cartoon show, The Simpsons," he said with a grin.

This brought a laugh from Hermione before she leaned over and hugged Draco again. "I'm sorry if the whole hugging business is irritating to you, but I really need this," she said.

Actually, it wasn't all that unpleasant, Draco mused. He hadn't exactly been born into a family of lovey-dovey and hugging type of people. Having Hermione's sweet smelling and warm body pressed up against his wasn't a bad thing. So he didn't reply to her comment, instead he just held her for as long as she needed it.

"What time is it?" she finally asked a long while later.

Draco looked at the wall clock and his eyes widened. "It's twelve in the afternoon," he said. "You need to get something to eat because we have somewhere to be in an hour."

Hermione moved off of him and stood, allowing him to do the same. "We do? Where?"

"Ever heard of the phrase 'curiosity killed the cat?'" he asked with a meaningful smirk.

She just gave him a cool look. "There's no need to be so rude about it… But you know, I'm not really hungry. My stomach is still suffering from yesterday's stupidity," she said with a frown.

"Take some fruit then, but we have to get ready to go," said Draco as he walked into his own bedroom, which was across from hers.

"I didn't bring any clothes!" Hermione said as she followed him.

"There are some things in your closet that I got you from the store in the nearest hotel, if you'd like, we can buy new things after our little trip," Draco replied before shutting the door.

Hermione sighed and walked into her room, shutting the door and walking to the closet to see what it was that Draco had brought along for her. She scowled lightly when she found a pair of white short shorts, a tropical themed halter-top and some sandals. He was lucky that he had put her into a good mood, especially after a hangover of that magnitude, or else she would've chewed his head off about the amount of skin the shirt was showing off.

She showered quickly, dressed and fixed the wild curls of her long hair. She had cut it once, because Viktor had told her that he liked it short, but after their break-up, she had grown it long and hadn't cut it once in the past year, save only for the tips. Now the curls reached the small of her back. Draco had once commented that he liked her hair long, and that memory brought a smile to her face. It was ironic that the man who had made so much fun of her as children and teens for her frizzy hair, had said that he liked it long.

Her hair wasn't the same ball of frizz from her youth, but it was still rebellious sometimes. She looked herself in the mirror and smiled. Not too shabby. Though she wasn't a bombshell of a woman, she was pretty in a simple kind of way. She pulled her hair into a low side-ways ponytail and put on the sandals. There was a knock at her door and she opened it to reveal a very handsome and serene looking wizard in muggle clothing.

Draco was wearing a pair of white cotton slacks and a matching white shirt that looked breezy and cool for the climate. His hair wasn't all that longer than it had been in school, but the only difference was that it was no longer slicked back and greasy. He was eyeing her appreciatively as she stepped out.

"Who chose these clothes for me?" she asked him, eyes narrowed slightly.

"I asked the lady at the shop to help me pick out something fresh for a friend of mine," he replied as he motioned if they could leave.

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Are we walking?" she asked.

"Yes, because the place is near here," he said as he guided her out through the sliding door of the living room and down towards the beach.

"This is beautiful," she commented as she took off her sandals so that she could walk through the warm water. "What did you tell Snape when you told him that I was abandoning the apothecary for about two weeks?" she asked with a grin.

"Nothing. I just sent him an owl, telling him that you and I were on a business trip. Nothing more, nothing less," Draco said as they walked a moderate distance until they made it to a huge hotel and a port where there were boats and people waiting.

"Where are we going?" she asked again, seeing that the people were filing to get into one of the medium sized boats.

"We're going to take a tour around the historical places located here. More importantly, Pearl Harbor," Draco said with a grin as her eyes widened. He knew Hermione more than she thought, and he had learned that she loved history.

"Oh my sweet Merlin, are you serious?" Hermione asked excitedly. "I can't believe it! You're really serious?" she asked again.

"Very. Now come on, before they leave us," he said as he pulled out their tickets and they boarded the boat. Draco realized it then and couldn't deny it.

He would give anything to keep that ecstatic smile on her face. If he ever saw Krum again, the fool would rue the day he screwed with Hermione Granger.

…………………………………

Draco's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched their tour guide stare at Hermione openly. He was a native young man, around their age and Draco could tell by the look on Hermione's face that she had noticed him watching her.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her attention from the exhibit that the man had just finished explaining. After the Pearl Harbor tour, Draco had taken Hermione out to lunch and they were now enjoying the arts of the Contemporary Museum.

"Have you enjoyed our trip so far?" Draco asked Hermione as they began to separate from the crowd.

Hermione eyed the long fingered hand on her waist and then looked at him. "I've loved everything so far," she said with a smile. "Are we going anywhere next?"

Draco shrugged. "We can either go back to the beach house and then go out tonight, or we can do more sightseeing. It's up to you, though you have to remember that we have the rest of the week. We can also go down to the beach and relax for a bit until evening comes."

She nodded and wrapped her arm around Draco's waist when a young tourist girl stood next to them and eyed Draco instead of the exhibit. Hermione rolled her eyes and looked at the girl darkly. Not taking her eyes off her she said, "Yes, let's go back to the beach house and spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach."

Draco smiled slowly and looked down at Hermione as they walked out of the museum, arms wrapped around each other. "I didn't know you were the jealous type, Granger."

"I didn't know you were either," Hermione replied aloofly.

"Jealous and possessive," Draco murmured his fingers caressing her hip. "Two of my best qualities." His eyes ran down the front of her in and assessing manner.

Hermione released him abruptly and flushed, a brilliant pink stinging her cheeks. "Let's go," she muttered, hoping against hope that she was wrong and Draco Malfoy had not just made a pass at her.

………………………………………………

"Oh, look at that!" Hermione exclaimed. Night had fallen and she and Draco had just arrived at a Luau.

Draco's eyes were a tad wide as he looked around at the native festivities. There were women dancing in straw skirts, and men with face paint covering their faces in odd designs. There were three long tables, reminiscent of their Hogwarts years, and tons of food being served for the guests. It was a bit overwhelming for a pureblooded wizard who had had very little contact with the muggle world from the moment he had been born. Even worse after all the things his father had drilled into his head about their supremacy over muggles and muggle-born magic folk.

Hermione saw the look on his face and smiled. "You told me that it was up to me where we were going to have dinner. This is absolutely spectacular, and the pictures I saw on the brochure were very alluring," she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along towards the very edge of the first table where there were some empty seats.

A beautiful native woman in a coconut bra and a straw skirt approached them and placed a necklace of fresh island flowers around her neck and Draco's. "Welcome to our Luau. We hope you enjoy your time here, would you like anything to drink?"

"I'll have a soda," Hermione said, she didn't want to ruin the good time she was having with Draco. She noticed the look on his face and smiled. "No alcohol," she muttered.

Draco nodded and smiled, an honest smile. "Then I'll have the same," he said to the woman.

"I'll be right back," the "waitress" said before moving on to get other people's drink orders.

"Newlyweds?" asked a woman who was sitting with a man to their left.

Draco and Hermione looked at each other and then at the woman and her husband. Hermione started to shake her head, but Draco grabbed her hand and smiled smugly as he replied, "Yes, we are."

"Draco," Hermione hissed softly.

"Now darling, don't blush. You have to get used to the fact that we're married," he said, his eyes glittering merrily.

It wasn't often that Hermione saw that look of being young and carefree on his face so she decided to play along. She smiled when the woman gushed. "Oh, young love!" she sighed. "I'm Alice, and this is my husband Adar. We're on our second honeymoon, away from our kids."

Hermione grinned. "How many kids do you have?" she asked, slowly withdrawing her hand from Draco's. This little game could get fun. The lady returned with their drinks and she popped a straw into her and Draco's drink.

"We have four. The youngest is four, then a ten year old, a fourteen year old, and the oldest is eighteen. I love them to death, but sometimes they destroy my nerves, so Adar and I decided we needed a breather… Are you two planning on having kids?"

"No," Draco said flatly.

"Yes," said Hermione at the same time. They looked at each other and the other couple smiled. "Now Draco sweetie," Hermione started silkily, "I told you that your fear of being a father is completely irrational," she said with a smirk, taking a sip of her soda. "I'm sure you'll be a wonderful daddy."

"Well, in that case why don't we have five?" Draco asked maliciously.

Hermione choked on her drink, a coughing fit overtaking her as she tried to get in some air. Draco hit her back gently to help. "Five?" she muttered. Draco smiled evilly and nodded.

"Oh, your kids will be beautiful!" Alice said with a wide smile. "With his hair and your eyes!"

Hermione choked, but this time on a giggle at the expression on Draco's face. "I still think that we're too young for children. We're barely twenty-one."

"A tad young, aren't you?" asked Adar. "How did you two meet?"

Hermione gave Draco a cool look and smiled. "We met in boarding school," she said.

"Childhood sweethearts?" Alice asked.

The brown-haired witch laughed and shook her head. "God, no! We absolutely hated each other! He was a bully and I was a brainiac. He was just jealous that my grades were better than his, so he took it out on me with jeers and taunts. More than often, insults too."

"You know, most people would say that he bothered you because he liked you," Adar said as he took a drink from a coconut.

"Believe me, I did not. Though I could tell that she had some underlying feeling for me by the way she stared at me during class," said Draco smugly. "She just always hid it behind a sneer and her books."

Hermione scoffed but laughed along with the other couple. "You wish, baby. You were the most obnoxious little sod I had ever met!"

"You can feel the passion and tension emanating in waves," Alice stage-whispered to her husband, who only nodded in agreement.

"I think not," Hermione said with a blush, taking another, more careful, sip of her soda.

"You see love, they agree that there is something between us," Draco whispered against her ear, delighting in the way she shivered against him.

Hermione just sighed and continued to sip from her drink, hoping that she wouldn't make a fool of herself and choke on the soda again. Their attention was called towards the stage that was at the head of all the tables and a ceremony began. It was part of the Island's tradition, to make a ceremony before they unearthed their main course.

The performers danced a beautiful native dance with a lot of fire and gymnastics that Hermione had never seen in her life. But it was wonderful and it was something she would remember for the rest of her life.

Draco for his part kept half of his attention on the show, and the other half on Hermione. She looked beautiful with the fire's light reflecting on her face. There was just something about her that made his stomach flutter with butterflies. It was such a girly notion, that he wanted to gag. But he was glad that she was happy and that not once today had she mentioned Krum or thought about getting drunk again. Today was after all, the one-year anniversary of their break-up.

There was a smile on her face and she hadn't thought of drinking an ounce of alcohol. He would never admit it to her or to anyone but himself, but he had enjoyed the way she had played along their relationship with those strangers. He would give anything to make it come true. He had no doubt that Hermione would make a wonderful wife and mother. Especially if she was his wife and the mother of his children.

Unconsciously, her hand drifted over to lay over his and her fingers closed around his gently as she continued to watch the show. He wasn't exactly sure how long ago these feelings had started, but they hadn't been there for too long.

She was right, he had hated her with a passion during their years at Hogwarts, the way she out did him in everything pertaining to their studies, how she would ignore his insults and act as if he were nothing more than a nasty little cockroach. But he outgrew his immature phase, especially after his father had been sent to prison.

Those months while his father was gone, and he had been able to breathe in peace, he had realized that he didn't want to follow his father's path. He wanted to think for himself.

"……… go hula dancing?"

Draco blinked. "What?" he asked, having heard only part of her question.

"I was asking if you would dare to go hula dancing up there, on the stage," Hermione said with a grin.

Draco gave her a dry look. "Do I look like Weasley? Do I look as if I want to act like an idiot?"

Hermione slapped his shoulder. "Ron is not an idiot, Malfoy," she snapped quietly.

"Now, now, love. I think we have gone past the whole calling each other by our last names bit. Remember, we're married now," he said with a chuckle. Hermione merely sighed with a roll of her eyes and began to eat their food.

The feast was delicious and they had a good time with the show and the variety of food. Draco for his part spent the night just watching Hermione eat and continue to speak with Alice in a hushed tone, blushing now and then.

The night had gotten darker and more torches had been lit around them, and most of the guests were leaving. "We should go," Draco said as he placed his napkin on the table and stood.

Hermione didn't argue, she was stuffed and wanted nothing more than to go back to her room and lazy around. She said her goodbyes to her new friends. "We hope you two are happy. I can tell that what is between you will last," Alice said with a grin.

Hermione nodded and shifted uncomfortably when she saw the look on Draco's face. He didn't look bothered in the least about the woman's comment. "It was nice meeting you. We hope you have a great second honeymoon," she said before walking away with Draco.

They walked on the shore in companionable silence for a long while, enjoying the cool breeze and Hermione the warm water. "It wasn't too bad, being married to each other, was it?" she asked softly.

Draco chuckled and nodded. "I bet that was one fantasy you will be crossing off of your list: Things To Do Before I turn 30."

Hermione snorted. "What? You think being fake married to you for an hour is something I have wanted to do?" she asked snarkily. "You wish, baby." She kicked water at him and laughed when he jumped away as if she had kicked a boiling cauldron at him.

"Hey, watch the hair!" he said darkly. Hermione laughed and picked up a glob of wet sand. "Don't you dare, Granger!"

Hermione's eyes narrowed slightly, an impish smile on her face. She then hauled back and threw the stuff at Draco, watching sadistically as it smacked him on the jaw and neck before trailing down into his shirt. Then she took off running, not wanting to know what Draco's retaliation would be.

"You'll pay for that, Hermione Granger!" Draco yelled before taking off after her.

She looked back and shrieked with laughter, trying to speed up and not trip, as he closed in on her. They ran down the length of the beach, though Hermione's advantage was that she was slimmer and smaller than Draco, giving her more mobility. But Draco had longer legs, and was in better shape for a run because he kept up with his Quidditch training.

He reached out and his fingers brushed her elbow, but she slipped from his grip and bolted down the shore, deeper in the water. "Come and get me Drakie-poo," she said in a baby voice. Draco scowled as she snorted with laughter over Pansy's childhood pet name for him. "But that would entail you getting your 'perfect' feet wet with this filthy ocean water," she mocked playfully.

Then there was the sound of an explosion, but of fireworks, about a mile away. The spectacularly loud show was enough to divert Hermione's attention so that Draco could pounce. He took them both down into the water just as a wave fell on them, and they both came up sputtering and completely soaked.

"Draco!" she yelled, her long hair plastered to her face.

"Hermione!" he yelled back, mimicking her, but a grin was sliding over his lips. She laughed and splashed water at him as the fireworks continued off to their left. When she turned back to look at him, she noticed how close they actually were sitting to each other in the water.

Draco watched her as she bit her bottom lip nervously, and before he could get his brain to respond, his body was already leaning towards her, closing the small distance. Her eyes were wide as she watched him, but then they slid closed at the touch of his lips, her own parting under his touch.

He reached around her and pressed her head harder to him, making the kiss deeper and a tad forceful, but he had waited so long for this, and he wanted it with near desperation. Though he wouldn't admit that to anyone. She responded in kind, after getting over her shock, but she wrapped her arm around his neck and forced him back to lie on the sand as she took over. Draco wouldn't have that though.

He grunted as he rolled them over so that he was on top, but Hermione wasn't about to let him have the control again. Draco's hands moved away from her back and settled on the exposed, wet skin of her waist as she rolled them again and straddled him, using the sand to dig her hands and knees into it for leverage before she pulled away. From his position down in the sand, he could see the moon's light reflecting the flush on her wet skin.

"What was that about?" she asked softly, pushing her hair away from her face.

Draco just looked at her for a long moment. "Something we both needed."

"I've seen you date countless of women these past two years, but you've never been with one more than twice. None of them were special to you? Is there no one that you want?" she asked softly.

Draco smoothed his hands up and down her waist gently. "I think I've found someone, but I don't know if she's realized what I feel," he replied, just as softly. The waves continued to lap at them as Hermione sat dumbfounded. No, she was sure that she wasn't imagining things anymore. Draco Malfoy was hitting on her.

"Draco… I don't know what to say," she said as she moved off of him and sat to his left.

"You don't need to say anything. I understand all you have been through. But remember, Hermione, I'm not Krum. Though I can't promise that you will never hurt again, I can promise that I will do my damned best to make you happy," he said before standing and offering her a hand.

Hermione hesitated, but then took it. She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "You're already making me happy," she murmured.

Draco offered her a small smile and took her hand. He looked around to see if the coast was clear, and then apparated them back to the beach house. Hermione then noticed the withdrawn look on his face and frowned, placing a hand on his arm.

"Draco—"

"You don't have to say anything. I know it's too soon for you," he said flatly.

Hermione parted her lips as she shook her head, but Draco touched her cheek, and shook his own head before walking away, leaving Hermione rooted to the spot, wondering what had just happened.

She felt helplessness invade her again and felt like crying. But no. She was tired of being helpless, of hurting and hurting herself by doing stupid things. Viktor was probably happy with someone else, and here she was, a year later and still moping and grieving over their failed relationship.

She hadn't gone on a single date since then and had turned down every single suitor who had asked her to dinner, or lunch, or a drink. Draco had been there with her through it all. He had taken care of her hangovers when she got drunk, was always quiet when he saw her owl Blaise. Sometimes he said nothing, other times he exploded and nagged her until she wondered if he had learned from her father.

He was the only person who understood what she was going through and had tried to really bring her out of it. Ron and Harry had tried, but they just hadn't known how to approach the subject with her. She had seen them try and fail so many times that it was amusing. But Draco, he had been there so much that he did have a right to pry.

She just wasn't going to tell him that. Merlin knew that Draco's ego didn't need anymore inflating. She wondered how much of his pride it had cost him to say those words to her after their kiss. Draco was a man of pride, one who had never taken rejection well, mostly because he didn't get rejected often in his pureblooded life.

And that was how Hermione found herself standing in front of Draco's door. She knocked twice and waited for him to answer. For a moment she wondered if he would ignore her, but then the door opened to reveal Draco in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

There were droplets of water on his chest and his hair was pasty with shampoo. He gave her an annoyed look and made a motion with his hand when she just stood there staring.

"Um… I… er… You left without allowing me to say something," she said finally, forcing her eyes to stay on his and not wander over all the exposed, pale and smooth flesh laid out before her eyes.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

Hermione noted that he smelled faintly of fruit and clean water. While she smelled like the ocean and she had sand in very uncomfortable places. Though they were as different as seawater and fresh water, they also had many things in common. Sometimes bad things, but at least they were somewhat compatible.

They were both headstrong, explosive, refused to give up, always wanted to be right, smart, egotistical, and sarcastic. He was everything she was. Everything a man needed to be to put up with her. Maybe that would be enough.

Hermione worked up her courage and took a deep breath. She then closed the distance between them and pulled him down for a kiss. She tasted his mouth thoroughly and pulled away before Draco even had a chance to react.

"I'm going to consider what you said, Draco. Just give me some time to think. Goodnight," she said, before turning and walking into her room, shutting her door and leaving a very dumbfounded Draco behind.

Once he jump-started his brain again, he realized that he would need a cold shower now, and that he wouldn't be able to sleep the entire night, thanks to her words and her kiss.

…………………………

A Few Days Later……

"It's been a good week," Hermione mused as she walked hand in hand with Draco through the shops located inside one of the major hotels on the island of Oahu. It was a shopping center on its own.

"It has," Draco agreed with a grin. He couldn't have been happier. The day after his confession to her, Hermione had agreed to date him, so as long as they took things slow. That was fine by him. She had accepted him and that was what counted.

"I wish we could make this trip longer," she said as she pulled him into a souvenir store so that they could look at the jewelry made of shells from the ocean and the little things that one usually bought for loved ones. "I want to get something for Ron and Harry."

Draco rolled his eyes but let go of her hand so that she could look around at her own perusal. He was content. He was on cloud nine. Draco's eyes narrowed as he wondered where all the girly thoughts were coming from. No good would come from watching Desperate House Wives and Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Hermione liked to make fun of him whenever she caught him watching those shows, but she always sat down with him to watch Desperate House Wives.

Back to the point though, there was something off. He could still feel Hermione's apprehension at letting him in, of trusting him. She was scared and no amount of words were going to rush her into trusting him fully.

Something small and plain caught his eye near the cash register and he walked over for a closer look.

…

Hermione smiled as she looked at the t-shirts. She knew Ron would love one of ones with the funny looking caricatures, especially to use for bed. She would get him a size bigger than his. As for Harry, she didn't know what else to get him. He had always been a hard person to shop for. Maybe he would like one of those fancy lighters that were engraved with the name of their destination.

Harry was a smoker. Had been since before the war. She didn't like his habit on bit, but she couldn't throw stones when she had been drinking and getting into trouble at muggle pubs herself. And this being after the war. Those times seemed like a distant memory, even though the last time she had gotten wasted had happened only a few days ago.

Draco was helping her, as he always did, but it was somewhat different now. He wasn't helping her as a friend. He was helping as her significant other. She liked how that thought made her feel. They had gone out to dinner the past few nights, on dates.

Afterwards, they always ended up snogging the heck out of each other, but it never went past heavy petting and groping. He hadn't made the move for more and Hermione didn't try to make it more either. She liked how things were going now. Nice and slow.

She noticed Draco at the counter, buying something, but then she was intercepted by two dark haired girls who were squealing her name excitedly. Hermione's eyes widened when her eyes focused on Parvati and Padma Patil.

"Oh my goodness, Hermione!" Parvati yelled, pulling her out of the store so as not to disturb the business inside. "How have you been?"

"Who are you here with?" Padma asked as she spotted Draco's platinum hued hair. "Is that Draco Malfoy?"

"Draco Malfoy?" Parvati asked, peering into the store.

Hermione was a bit overwhelmed. Dear god, this was so not happening. "Er… hi Padma, Parvati," she said uncomfortably.

"We had heard from Harry that you were out of town, but we never suspected that this is where you were and with who!" Parvati said.

"I, uh…… what are you two doing here?" Hermione asked, bypassing the questions the twins were throwing at her.

"We're here covering an article on Hawaii's Minister of Magic's wife," said Padma.

"Really?" Hermione asked as she felt rather than saw, Draco at her back. "And they're staying here?"

Padma nodded, but her eyes were all for the tall man behind Hermione. "Hello, Draco," she said, a note of reprimand in her tone.

Hermione looked at her curiously and looked down when she felt Draco's fingers interlacing with hers. "Is there something wrong?" she asked inquisitively.

Parvati sighed in irritation and interrupted the terse silence. "Padma dated Draco about a year ago, but then he backed away and broke her heart."

"Parvati!" Padma gasped in mortification.

"Well it's the truth," Parvati said implacably. "Be careful Hermione, you don't know what to expect from a man like him."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "You have it all wrong," he said darkly, but before he could continue, a familiar couple approached them.

"Hermione! Draco!"

"Alice!" Hermione exclaimed with a smile. "It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you again, too," Alice said as she gave Hermione a friendly hug.

"You know the Minister of Magic's wife?" Parvati whispered loudly.

"Minister of Magic and his wife?" Hermione whispered, eyeing Alice and her husband. "No! I had absolutely no idea who they really were!"

"So you're magic folk," Adar said with a smile, shaking hands with them again. "It's nice to meet you again. I didn't catch your last name when last we saw each other."

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"And I'm Draco Malfoy."

"Malfoy and Granger. Yes, those are two last names that I am very familiar with. You, Hermione, turned down the position as Minister of Magic for the England wizarding government. And you Mister Malfoy have cut all ties with a fearsome father who got away from the ministry."

Parvati and Padma were staring at the two with awe. No one had really been privy to any of this information until now. Those tidbits would make great news for their magazine.

Alice smiled. "You would be Hermione Malfoy now, wouldn't you?"

"What!" Parvati interrupted.

"You're married?" Padma asked softly.

Draco pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes, Hermione is my wife."

"Let's see the ring, then," Padma demanded, her eyes glassy.

Hermione looked at Draco in apprehension, but he merely took her hand and raised it to them. Even Hermione stared. There was a ring on her left hand in her ring finger. A ring she had absolutely no idea where it had come from. It was a gold band with diamonds embedded into the gold.

"Would you like to see our license too?" he bit out.

"Draco," Hermione admonished. "Remember we are in public and making a scene in front of the Minister and his wife."

"Do not worry, our timing was off. How about we have dinner tomorrow night?" Alice asked gently.

Hermione nodded. "I apologize for Draco's behavior. We will contact you later today, if you don't mind. I'm so sorry for this bad episode."

Alice smiled and took her hand. "We're staying in this hotel. In the honeymoon suite, just ask for Alice and Adar. We'll be awaiting your call."

"Have a good day," Adar said.

"Thank you, sir," Draco nodded. Then he turned back to the twins and Hermione. "If there's nothing else, Hermione and I would like to return to our beach house."

"Yes, I think we have a lot to talk about," Hermione said as she eyed the ring on her hand and then Draco's annoyed, gray eyes.

"Well, congratulations on your marriage," Parvati said, eyeing her sister silently.

"Yes," Padma said mechanically.

"Thank you," Draco said before kissing Hermione's temple, his eyes on Padma.

"Well, it was nice seeing you," Hermione said before pulling Draco with her towards the exit.

"Padma," Parvati murmured gently.

"Don't." Her twin warned, trying mightily to stop the tears from falling. "She has had all I ever wanted. Grades, Ron, Harry, recognition. Draco. Now he's her husband. I feel like the ground is about to open up and swallow me whole. And why did you have to tell Hermione that it was his fault that we broke up?"

"I'm sorry to say it Padma, but this is all your fault. You let him go, but I said what I said just to take a jab at him. Now Hermione will probably wring his neck and force him to tell her about you two. I'll bet anything that she doesn't know."

"Parvati," Padma said in exasperation. "It'll make me seem petty, even though it was you who said it. Come one, lets go, we have some interesting articles to write and one big exclusive for tomorrow's Sunday edition."

………………………………

Hermione eyed the ring on her finger and pulled it off, placing it on the glass nook table. She turned her eyes to Draco and let out a heavy sigh. "You want to tell me what that was all about, now?" she asked.

Draco just glanced at the ring and shrugged. "It's a transfigured souvenir ring. It's worth two muggle dollars," he said simply.

Hermione glared at him. It had been so long since Draco had gotten her angry that she had almost forgotten what it felt like. "You know what I mean! What was the deal with Padma?"

Draco looked uncomfortable and Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that she didn't want to hear about his involvement with Padma Patil. But Draco being Draco, was completely blunt with his explanation.

"Padma and I had a brief yet meaningful relationship two years ago. I asked her to marry me, but she said no. I broke it off immediately and completely and haven't been serious about anyone since," he said dryly.

Hermione looked at him incredulously and ran a hand through the long curls of her hair in exasperation. "So that little show you put on with me was only to make her jealous!"

"No, no!" he said quickly, sensing that everything was about to go all to hell. "I just wanted them all to see that I have moved on to someone so much better. I wasn't using you," he said, adding a pleading lilt to his tone.

Hermione eyed him angrily. "I don't think I believe you," she spat before marching towards the sliding door and towards the beach.

"Hermione!" Draco yelled in frustration, but she ignored him and kept walking towards the water. "That wasn't what it looked like. Do you want to know why I didn't keep on pursuing Padma? Because you came along!" he called.

That made Hermione stop in her tracks, but she was already waist-deep in water. She turned around to look at him and gave him a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?"

Draco sighed heavily. "I'm talking about you being the only person I have cared for these past two years. It's not love, don't take me wrong, but it's something close to it. You have no idea what it was to see you getting close to Krum and then seeing you hurt. I tried to help as much as I could, but it was hard."

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and felt her eyes sting with hot tears. "Wh—why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you were too into Krum. You didn't have eyes for anyone else. What good would it have been to tell you how I felt and not be reciprocated?"

She just stared but then forced herself to start moving. She walked out of the water and stood in front of Draco as he closed the distance. "You fancied me?" she asked softly.

He just nodded once. "First I didn't tell you because you were with someone else. Then, your feelings and your emotions were a complete mess thanks to that wanker. How was I going to tell you something of the sort?"

"Maybe it would've helped me out of the grave I was digging for myself!" she said impatiently.

"Maybe," he replied before stealing a kiss from her lips. Hermione didn't even try to pull away when he moved towards her again and kissed her deeply. "It's too late for the what ifs now."

Hermione nodded in agreement and was about to say something when she heard a horrifyingly familiar voice say her name.

"Hermi-own-niny?"

Hermione and Draco both turned to look at the intruder, and Draco felt his blood run cold when Hermione stiffened against him. "Viktor," she said in a whisper. Then she looked at his companion and her eyes drifted lower. Viktor was standing with a pretty girl with hair the color of gold, her belly swollen.

Viktor let go of Gabrielle Delacour's hand and took a step towards Hermione, but Draco forced him back, growling softly like a dangerous animal. "Stay away from her," he warned dangerously.

Hermione sighed softly. "Well Draco, I guess it's time for you to know why Viktor and I broke up. You are my husband, after all," she said with a small smile.

Draco indulged her and smiled back. It was about time he had a perfect reason to beat the daylights out of Krum. And he'd be sharing Hermione's pain. It was her ultimate act of trust.

He was more convinced than ever that she was the woman he needed in his life.

…

No I can't let you go

You're a part of me now

Caught by the taste of your kiss

And I don't wanna know the reason why

I can't stay forever like this

Now I'm climbing the walls 'cause I miss you

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What did you guys think of my new work? This is a short story, I haven't settled yet if it will be a two part or three part fic, but it is going to be short. There may be some vague ideas, but they will probably be cleared in the next chapter. Let me know what you thought, I'll love to read your opinions.

I'm working as quickly as possible on my other fics and will soon have them out, I promise!

Byebye

!Joey!

P.S. I opened a forum for a discussion on Draco/Mione fics or anything having to do with them, feel free to post what you'd like there!