A/N: Just a little something from me.
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it.
Beyond The Veil
She was absolutely ethereal when she appeared.
Beautiful and glorious in a flowing dress of pure pearl white with her hair falling down her back in waves of rich tawny curls, her skin was smooth kissed cream and her eyes were serene.
His Hermione, as perfect as ever.
But the look on her face was something he didn't like even though he'd been greeted by it the last few times he'd come here. It made him feel things he didn't like to feel, such as guilt, and he refused to feel any shame when it came to what he was doing.
"Oh, Draco," she exhaled, her voice as light and airy as a summer's wind, "you have to stop doing this."
Draco reached out and trailed his fingertips down the curve of her soft cheek, a thrill of longing shooting up his arm and piercing him in his heart as he watched her, his eyes bright with a deep ache.
"Is it a crime to want to see my wife?" he asked her below a whisper, his voice on the verge of cracking.
"No," she answered, her face split into a smile. It looked like the kind of smile they used to share but they both knew it was a lie. "You can't keep coming here."
He fell silent as moments ticked by, his mind lost in the feel of her there as he gathered her in his arms, but he knew she was waiting for a response.
"Yes, I can."
"No, Draco," she pushed out of his embrace and walked a few paces away, the air shimmering around her, "you don't belong here." Her words floated back to him, absent of accusation just the simple truth.
"Neither do you."
Hermione pivoted where she stood and studied his expression. He was being stubborn and proud and she knew he wouldn't listen to reason. From her or anyone else, especially on this subject.
"Where's Nicky?"
Draco shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, probably with his keeper."
"You don't know?" her voice was disbelieving and her mouth turned down in a disapproving frown. "He's eight years old now, Draco."
He sighed with impatience. "I'm well aware of how old he is."
"Don't you think it's time, past time really, for his father to start taking responsibility for him?" She pressed her hand softly against his chest, right over his heart and let the steady beat flow through her. "He's your son, Draco. Our son."
Draco looked down at his wife, his eyes impassive. "He's fine where he is."
She sighed. "You'll never change, will you?"
He pulled her back into his arms, his head falling forward until it rested against hers, their foreheads touching as he drew in the sweet intoxicating scent of the woman he loved.
"No."
"I won't answer if you come again."
His grip around her only tightened, not letting the fear that she might be serious this time take hold. "You don't mean that."
"You don't belong here, Draco," she repeated her earlier warning. "It's aging you beyond your years."
His fingers combed through her hair, the curls slipping across his skin like silk as he felt himself relaxing against her. "You know that doesn't matter."
He knew she wanted to scold him harshly for being so careless, always so selfish, but she knew as well as he that this time between them was precious. It would be months before he'd see her again.
Hermione contented herself with one simple question. "What's going to happen to Nicky when all these trips take their toll on you?"
Draco pressed his lips to hers before glancing earnestly in her eyes. "Everything's already been taken care of."
"That's not the problem, you know that," her voice was soft, scared.
He felt her start to pull away once more, but this time, he let her go. He could feel the dangerous, intricate spells keeping him here beginning to come undone.
"I know, Hermione. It's almost time," his tone was deep, pleading. The man gazed at his wife, gray orbs intense in desperation. "Will you let me stay this time? Please?"
"No, Draco," she was starting to fade back into the ether and he felt his anguish heighten. "You can't come back again." Her final words were soft in the air as he lost sight of her.
"I'm the one that's dead, not you."
The next thing Draco knew, he was back in his bedroom at Malfoy Manor covered with sweat and shaking uncontrollably.
It'd been eight years since he'd lost a wife and gained a son, seven years since he'd set out to find a way, anything, for him to see Hermione again, and four years since he'd discovered it.
It had taken him three years, carried him all across the world, and cost him nearly half of his inheritance, but he'd finally found a complex web of spells which would transport him to the between-place, the world that existed in-between life and death, and give him the power to summon his wife.
But he lost a year of his life every time he traveled there and it took him three months of preparation before every trip.
Draco knew it was worth it though. Every single last second of it was worth it just for the time when he could lay eyes on his wife once more.
The blond felt weariness wash over him as sleep began to taken him under, his body seeped of magic and strength from his journey. He relaxed into the bed and let his mind wander to tomorrow when he knew he would get up and begin preparing for his next trip.
No matter how many times Hermione tried to warn him otherwise, Draco knew he would keep going and she would keep answering his call until they could be together once more.
Fin
A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Please leave me a review if you would. Until next time. :)