HAMMOCK
She was crying, cold in the winter frost. The ring on her finger twisted painfully on her finger as she turned it round and round. Walking brusquely in front of the museum, Hermione found herself wishing there was something she could do, something different, something she could have changed in the past. There was nothing now, nothing for her to do but cope.
It was then that she heard it. It wasn't until now that she realized where she was, walking West by the park. They were foot-falls, running fast, coming up behind her. They were right behind her now, almost upon her. She threw herself against the iron fence beside her, watching as the speeding form passed her, disappearing into the night around the corner. It was strange, this feeling of familiarity that passed over her as she continued on her rampage through the city. It wasn't until hours later that she arrived at an apparition point. She barely registered it as she was ripped through time and space back to her home, the Manor.
He was running now, trying to find something, anything. It was terrifying, this feeling that overwhelmed him. It was something he hadn't felt in years. It was different than before, this fear, this terror. He didn't really know why he was running, but he knew that if he didn't stop running, he would live in fear forever.
He was running west by the park now, and he saw her walking in front of him. Draco knew he should stop, should talk to her before they lost everything, but he couldn't stop, couldn't slow his pace even as he came up behind her, almost upon her. She moved then, dashing to the side as he blew past her and around the corner. He didn't stop running, couldn't stop, wouldn't stop. He didn't know where he was going, but when he finally stopped, running into someone, he was frozen. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." The man he ran into mentioned that it was alright and continued on his way, leaving Draco panting on the sidewalk in the night. The winter evening howled at him, the frozen wind beating around him as he finally moved to an apparition point, the twist and pull of apparition dragging him home, to her.
Hermione was sitting in the parlor, glass of wine in one hand, thoughts of their argument running through her mind rampantly as she stared at the fire. It had been years since they'd fought like that, their anger boiling to the surface, dragging with it past grievances thought long gone. He hadn't spoken to her that way in years, many, many years, and it had hurt more than she'd cared to admit. Silently, tears ran down her face, dripping off her chin, leaving tearstains on her dress. The door opened and he stepped in, intruding on her quiet pain.
"Please leave. I would very much like to be alone Draco." Her voice trembled, the words tumbling off her tongue in choked out sobs, her breath shuddering in her throat as she spoke.
He could barely sketch her face in his mind as he made his way through the Manor. I couldn't remember what she looked like anymore, their anger so fierce in his mind, blocking out his memories of her face, of her beauty. He found himself on the terrace, howling at the moon for his stupidity, for his fear of losing her forever. Draco turned back into the Manor, searching for her, wanting nothing more than to apologize, to beg her to love him once more. He found her in the parlor, the fire crackling before her, the light dancing over her soft form.
"Please leave. I would very much like to be alone Draco." He almost turned to leave, but the sadness in her voice called him back. It was then he noticed her tears, her silent pleas for love, her quiet pain that dragged on his heart. He didn't leave. He moved further into the room, taking the wine from her hand, placing it on the table by the phonograph. He tapped it once with his wand, the soft waltz beginning to play as he moved back to his wife.
"Dance with me." He offered his hand, his silver eyes pleading for her, begging for a little time, a little ground. She turned her head at him, her eyes tearing anew. "Please, Hermione, dance with me."
His hand was so tempting now, so vulnerable and open. She barely noticed as she slipped her hand into his, allowing herself to be pulled from her chair and into his arms. He pulled her close, her cheek resting on his shoulder as they moved around the parlor, her tears spilling over his shirt, drying on her face as he whispered in her ear.
"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, please Hermione. I'm so very, very sorry." He kissed her neck then, his lips soft on her flesh, the memories of happiness flooding her mind. She turned her face upwards, leaning back to look him in the eye. He stopped their movement, tears threatening to tumble over his cheeks. She touched his cheek.
"Draco." Her lips graced his softly. "I'm sorry too." His kissed her then, unrelenting as his arms locked around her. Her hand drifted up his neck, winding in his hair, her body pressing wantonly against his. And then she was off the ground, lifted into his arms as he moved through the Manor; up the stairs, through the corridors, into their room, into their bedroom, into their bed.
He lay above her, lips dancing across hers, hands tracing the contours of her face. "Stay with my tonight. Stay with me forever." His voice was a ghost across her lips, breath fanning over her flesh as he spoke. She arched into him as her hands dragged him closer.
"Always." He was lost then, hands drawing over her dress, pulling it from her body, casting it away as her fingers worked deftly with the buttons of his shirt, the buckle of his belt, the zipper of his pants. They were flesh on flesh now, his body pulsing above hers, her lips pressed against his shoulder, hands working over his back as he moved within her. Their sweat intermingled, beads dripping onto his hands from her waist, her thighs, her stomach as they moved.
She tasted as she did long ago, like the collisions they played out in the dark all those years ago. It was so strange then. He remembered those summers they spent, running under the trees that grew out over the river on the edge of the Malfoy lands. They lived in those trees, their only true escape from the terror around them. It was then that he realized the truth, the reality of his life. It was under those trees, when they howled at the moon, when they laughed at their troubles, that he couldn't resolve the issues bubbling inside him. He wasn't into the night, the dark, the evil of his Dark Lord. I couldn't even see the point. It was then that he turned in her arms and told her he loved her, told her of his fear, told her of his hatred, told her of his cowardice. It was then that he fled, it was then that he ran.
Now, entwined in her arms once more, holding her close as she fell into sleep, he whispered in her ear, voice softly flickering through her senses. "I never had enough."
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Okay, so I know I'm supposed to be working on "Savior" right now, but I couldn't help myself. This little…thing…came to me while listening to the song "Hammock" by Howls from the Vampire Diaries Soundtrack. I know it doesn't really make sense, I don't fully understand what's going on in this story, but I thought I'd just get it out of my system before I lost it. I hope you enjoyed reading it, if you didn't, or you don't understand it, have no fear, I completely understand. I've read it over and over and over trying to find exactly what's going on here between Draco and Hermione, but I can't seem to find it. I know that they got into a fight, and they've been married for years, but I don't know exactly what's going through their heads at the end…This note probably isn't helping you understand anything…but really, in the end, all that matters is that they ended up together…right? Please review with thoughts and ideas about what's going on here. If you want me to continue the story, because as of now it's just a one-shot, please tell me and I'll see where it takes me. I'd love to make it more, but I just don't know really where to go from here. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated! Please review and tell me what you think, I love hearing from you all! :D
-The Crimson Sheath
