It was pouring outside, and Hermione was glad that she had her maroon umbrella in her hand as she walked briskly through an empty courtyard, late one night. The rain was beautiful, though, and she didn't want to go inside. Instead, she found herself standing, peacefully inhaling the smell. The drops fell all around her and splashed onto her toes, dampening her socks. She was tired of studying, which is why she had gone out in the first place. She just wanted to watch the stars without thinking about constellations and years that they were formed. She didn't want to get soaked, though, so she started back towards her dormitory.
There he was. The rain was heavy, so, at first all she saw was a spot of green. As she neared him, she became fully aware of what blonde, Slytherin was sitting in the rain. Her umbrella would be big enough for both of them...if they snuggled...no. Better not think those thoughts. She was determined to walk past, but when he whipped his face toward her and bore into her soul with those fierce eyes, she had to stop.
Why was he sitting here, all alone, in the pouring rain? He was making no move to go.
"What are you looking at?" he asked. It was a question, not a sneer, which caught Hermione off-guard.
"Aren't you cold? She asked. He stared back at her for a moment with a stiff expression.
"Naturally," he finally replied as he turned away from her.
She wanted to continue on her journey. He obviously didn't want her there. The thing that stopped her was that she knew "obvious" things usually were far more complicated, and this didn't seem like the callow boy she knew.
She sighed and sat down next to him. The moment in which her skirt met the ground, Draco got up and stood with this back towards her, his face held up towards the rain.
She sighed again, this time because her skirt was soaked and she felt stupid. She got up, stared at the strange sight, and then tore her eyes away. She had walked about five steps when she felt something that made her shiver violently. Draco Malfoy had come up behind her and grabbed her in a wet embrace from behind.
After the initial shock at the situation, she tore his hands off of her torso. He didn't fight. She turned around, preparing to insult or hex, whatever the case may be, but dropped her wand. The boy she saw was broken, scared, and reminding her far too much of an abused puppy. Her face softened, and she longed to hold him. When he saw her studying his face, he stiffened and turned away. She walked around him and pulled his chin towards her. Though he had tried to disguise it as rain, she now saw fresh tears pouring from his ducts.
"Draco..."
"Just go! Please...just go...I thought...I thought maybe you would listen, maybe even understand, but...I forgot that people are awful!" He was barely comprehensible, but she caught the gist of his outburst.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'm just fine, I can handle it, I've HAD to handle it for 16 years!"
She tried closing the distance he was creating between them, but he pushed her away.
"You know, Draco, I will listen to anything you need to tell me. I don't pretend to know everything about you. However, you must realize that you are the awful one. You push people away by insulting them and being generally a nuisance, so I can't say that I will be sympathetic."
He laughed, but it was almost a cry. "That's classic, Granger, that really is."
He knocked the umbrella she was still clutching out of her hands and grabbed her shoulders. His hands were surprisingly gentle, but they were so cold that she could feel them burning her skin beneath her clothing.
Their noses were almost touching and he whispered in her face, "You have no idea what it's like to be the son of Luscious Malfoy. Do you have any idea what the implications are? My life was set out before me the minute I came out of my mother - bless her heart," he sneered, "and into this God-forsaken world. I wouldn't expect you to understand. You probably have loving parents who don't even know what being a Death-Eater is...how I envy you."
"Envy? Do you know how hard I work to be more than just a "mudblood"? If you don't want to be a royal pain, then don't."
His laughter was mocking now. "You really think that it would be that easy? "Hey dad, screw you and your Death eaters! I'm going to marry a mudblood!" I wouldn't make it two feet alive."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat when he talked about marrying a mudblood, but she remained calm and hoped that her face wasn't flushed. He stared at his shoes for what seemed like an eternity, and after seeming to realize that he was still holding her, dropped his hands. He walked away as he absentmindedly scratched his left arm. Hermione remained very still as the burning from his handprints slowly left her upper arms.
"I should have just let you go on your way. Why don't you leave now." His face sounded strained. Hermione wondered if he was crying again.
"Why did you stop me?" His laugh was pitiful. He seemed to laugh a lot when he was in pain. She guessed he was clinging to the Prince he was supposed to be.
He wiped his face and turned towards her. "Look...I'm not like you. I don't have Harry, Ron, or some family back home. I have nothing but myself, and sometimes I just wish that I did have someone to talk to. That's crazy, of course, so I come out here and pretend that my life isn't so bloody hard. Watching you with Ron and Harry...well I wonder what they have that I don't. Why does no one ever look out for me or have my back? The only people who laugh at my jokes do so out of fear or hoping to get laid. Hermione, you're different. I guess I just thought that you might understand someone else who is different. That's why I stopped you. It was a moment of sheer weakness, and it won't happen again."
Hermione was quite taken aback, but she longed to hear more. She wanted to know what was hidden behind those icy, blue eyes.
"You're jealous of Ron and Harry?"
"As pathetically disgusting as that is, I have to admit it. I would trade places with that sorry ginger in a second. As to Harry...well, let's face it. He's pretty much making a killing at life."
Draco's face darkened as he picked up a rock and threw it, making it disappear in the rain. He turned back to Hermione for a moment and then started making his way toward her very slowly. His face frightened her and she began to back up slowly, matching his pace.
"Let me tell you a little something about Potter," he spit the word. "That sorry piece of hide is so worshiped and praised that it makes me want to vomit. Everyone sees him as good, but he's just like his father was. A bully hidden by a bright face and good standing in society. For every time that I "hurt" Potter with insults, he is right there with comebacks and hexes. Somehow, no one sees that. AS to being brave, yes, sure, he is brave. I would probably be brave too if I had you, the headmaster, and everyone esle on the planet on my side. As is, I'm completely alone. My father sends me owls constantly telling me what a disappointment I am if he hasn't heard anything about what I've done to disgrace the Death Eater name. I may be a coward, and I know I am, but I don't' rely on anyone."
His anger was reaching its climax as he pushed Hermione against a wall she hadn't realized she was backing herself into.
"Hermione, please understand."
She reached out and stroked his cheek like she had been dreaming of doing all night. If she was honest with herself, like she had been dreaming of for years. He was too hard for tears at this point, but he looked completely worn down.
"There," he whispered as he closed his eyes to her touch. "Now you know. You may not understand, but you know."
She gulped at the overwhelming emotions. She couldn't believe that he was jealous...but that wasn't necessarily about her...he just wanted anyone to love him. She could understand that. She felt his pain reaching her heart. She couldn't deny what he had said about Harry. She drew back her hand before it got carried away and twisted her fingers into his damp locks. He looked unnervingly delightful when wet. She realized for the first time that she was soaked, her umbrella was gone, and her wand was somewhere on the ground. The strange part was, she didn't care.
Draco couldn't believe that he had revealed so much to this girl who constantly plagued his mind. What must she be thinking? He groaned as he felt her warm and welcomed touch leave his face. His eyes flew open and he tried to read her warm, chocolate ones. He didn't know what she saw in him...did she think he was someone to be feared? If she only knew...
The two of them let the moment linger, until neither of them could contain themselves any longer.
Hermione began, "Draco, I don't think that I can fully understand, but I think you need someone to care...and I am willing to be that person...whatever that looks like...if you will have me."
Draco looked into those eyes that were trying so hard to do the right thing, and he had to kiss her. His left hand grabbed her waist, and the right one was planted in the small of her back. When he took a shy glance at her expression, he found her looking up at him in horror. He was unsure of what to do...
Hermione could not believe that this was happening. Draco Malfoy had been in her imagination for years, but she never believed that they would ever actually come into play. Yet, here he was. Perhaps it was because he was so fragile right now...she really shouldn't exploit his obvious weakness. Yet she wanted his lips on her own more than any text book she had ever laid eyes on.
Her right hand snaked it's way to the top button of his soaked and now see-through shirt. She pulled at it as her left hand slid between his right arm and torso, then grabbed onto is shoulder. He let go of her back to slide his right hand down to grab onto her elbow. They stayed in this fashion for quite a while, but were hesitant to go further. However, that could only last for so long. Their hot breath was short, and they could each feel it in each other's mouths. They were so close. They tore their eyes from each other's and instead opted to look at each other's mouths. Then they met. Hermione moaned into their first kiss and Draco pressed their bodies harder against the brick of Hogwarts. The kiss lasted for an eternity, but at last they pulled away, searched each other's faces for any sign of abandonment, and found none. Hermione grabbed onto Draco's pale neck with both hands while he placed both hands around her body and onto the wall, pressing as hard as he could. He felt her leg snaking it's way around his torso, and he welcomed it by hooking one of hands around it and pulling it higher. He longed to feel the inside of her mouth, and she granted him passage. The heat from their tongues was mesmerizing. He couldn't take it anymore and threw his head back, welcoming the cold rain on his sweaty forehead. Hermione held onto Draco and kissed his neck. His breath was hard and heavy. She needed him, and pulled his green necktie towards her. He responded to his leash and encircled her body with his hands. He then pushed her away to take it off and then tear off the useless shirt. His body was glistening and white. Hermione was suddenly shy, but he took her hand and pulled her closer. He tied his tie around her waist and started pulling on it as he slowly went down onto the ground. She fell on top of him, tracing the panes of his chest. He played with her wet hair, and could not get enough of the tangles. Then he said something that he had neither said nor heard from any being in his life.
"I love you. I honestly love you." There was no remorse, no uncertainty, and certainly no joking in either his tone or expression. If anything, he looked shy.
Hermione had never realized that a person could mean so much. All of those years seemed so wasted...they had never been together. She noticed that he was bashfully waiting for a response.
"Draco...I think I may love you too."
He smiled and rolled over onto her, deciding to kiss every inch of her body. As she lay there, feeling his sweet, wet kisses cover her, she knew that things would be different from now on. She knew they would have to keep their relationship a secret, if only for a little while. It would be hard, but if she could have him in this way, nightly and in secret, it would be enough.
When he had accomplished his goal, they rolled onto their sides, facing each other, and took their situation in. They didn't need words to express how insane their plight was, nor how important it would be to them. They searched each other's faces with cold hands.
Draco sat up suddenly, and pulled a sleepy Hermione to her feet as well. The rain had stopped, and the sun was only just coming up. The sky was rich and warm. He pulled her close and began to sing very softly in her ear - a talent he had never exploited before. She smiled and sank into his grip. He didn't mind. He held her up as he danced around with her in the dawning sunlight to his own song. She fell asleep there on his shoulder, and woke with her head on his chest, curled up against him holding her on the ground. She nudged him awake, their short nap had to be ended before classes began.
Together, they found her wand, umbrella, and Draco's torn shirt. He rolled it up into a ball and shoved it into his pocket, then untied his green tie from Hermione's waist. Draco cupped her chin in his hand before he had to leave her. Hermione threw her arms around his neck and then threw herself into their goodbye kiss. As she drew her hands through his messy head of hair, she knew that anything they would go through would be worth it for this newfound love. He looked her face over one last time, committed her smiles that were just for him to memory, and left her.
"It's time," an anxious Draco said in a hushed tone at Hermione's window.
"Draco, the war has JUST ended...there's so much to be done!" she argued.
He climbed into the room she was sharing with Ron.
"We need to leave now if we want to avoid being separated. They want to throw me in Azkaban. Come with me now."
Hermione looked towards the sleeping Ron.
Draco gave her a look of disgust, "Mione...no...you didn't?"
Hermione looked at the floor in shame. "We...kissed...Draco, you have to understand..."
"Hermione, I am giving you one chance to get one my broom and go with me."
She looked hurt. He hated that look, and turned to the wall, hiding his face in his arm.
"I'm sorry, I get that you guys have...something...but don't we have infinitely more?"
She sobbed quietly, and he quickly took her in his arms.
"Hermione, come with me. Run away with me. Let's go to places we never dreamed, live a quiet life for once, and never look back. Can you do that for me?"
Her bright eyes stared into his imploring ones and she knew she had to consent. It was the only way they could be together, and risking everything was worth it. So she would. She couldn't look at Ron, but climbed onto the window ledge. Draco was relieved that after all this time, she really did love him still. He did look back at Ron, and saw that he was sitting up, fully awake, and with a mutely horrified expression. Draco had to chuckle, and then he and Hermione jumped onto his broom and out of the lives of everyone they had ever known.
Over a year of secret smiles, short whispers, and fingers brushing in busy hallways had built the tension of their forbidden romance. They had spent almost every night together, but they usually did little more than study. The worst days were the ones where everything went wrong and they had no way of telling each other what was on their minds. They wanted to share every thought, every small victory, every heartache. Finally, they would have an unhindered life, an unhindered romance, and an unhindered physical relationship. After flying for what felt like a lifetime, Draco landed with his runaway Lover at their abode. He had found a small patch of glorious mountain that no one dared climb, and there he had built a house for them. They had a library, a music room, and every manor of potion. Hermione fell in love all over again, and that night, they bedded in their very own room. The pleasure and release they both felt was more than either of them could have imagined, and they experienced every bit of heartache caused by the recent battle together. The joy that overtook them when they became one erased everything, and made it all new again. They could do whatever they wanted to do with the rest of their lives, and they didn't care what they did as long as they did it together.