Hermione was leaving the library walking back to her room with book in hand when she heard the faint sound of a piano. With each step she took the music grew louder until she finally found the door that held behind it the source of the mystery music. She knew it was one of the many forbidden rooms in the mansion, but the music was just so soothing and enchanting she felt as if she were being drawn to it. Slowly, she turned the door knob until it made a soft, click, at which Hermione flinched a little. She stood frozen there for half a minute until she realized that the noise had not disrupted the music. She opened the door just a sliver, enough to peek inside, but still could not find the source of her enchantment. Shaking slightly, but feeling a little braver, she stuck her head in the door and looked around. The room was a bedroom; and seeing as how it was a forbidden room she figured it was probably Draco's. There was a gorgeous, big, round bed in the middle made of dark wood and decorated with a silk emerald green comforter and hangings. The floor and the rest of the furniture were of the same dark wood as the bed and there was one huge window that took up most of the wall letting the moon's hauntingly, beautiful light flood the room; which was a good thing considering the only light other than that of the moon was coming from a few candles and a fireplace on the opposite side of the room. And beside the fireplace was the piano….and her enchanter. Hermione stood there watching him play for what seemed like hours; falling into a drunken stupor from the blissful melody. He acted as if he hadn't noticed her, so she was going to enjoy it while she could.
"You're not supposed to be in here you know," said Draco still playing with his back to her….
So much for not noticing….
Caught off guard Hermione couldn't respond with one of her usual witty retorts. All she could respond with was, "I….I'm sorry….It's just that….It's just that it's so….beautiful," she finished in a whisper that was barely audible.
At this, Draco stopped playing and stared into the flame of the candle sitting on top of the solid, black piano with a pensive look for about a minute before he took a deep breath and turned to face Hermione.
His white mask and platinum blonde hair glowed even brighter in the moonlight than normal. When he looked at her straight in the eye the sight actually took her breath away. She didn't know why, but….the look in his eyes gave her all the answers to the questions she had been asking herself for the past six months. She didn't know why, but….the look in his eyes told her that, he wasn't that man hardened from the war, or even the spoiled bratty boy from Hogwarts. He was Draco….just, Draco. Even with his scars that distorted his once perfect face and his faithful mask to cover up his distortion.
Hermione gulped and she was starting to breathe heavier. Lost in his now dark grey eyes she didn't even register that she had dropped her book and moved until she was kneeling in front of Draco, who was still sitting on his piano bench, his eyes never moving from her form, and his face void of all emotion.
She reached out one hand and started caressing the unmasked side of his face and hair. Draco willed his eyes shut, grabbed her hand and gently kissed from the bottom of her palm to the tips of her fingers; reopening his stormy grey eyes to look into her deep honey ones when he reached the tips. Hermione was starting to feel a yearning deep within her stomach and her breathing was even shallower. She was staring at Draco's lips and tracing them with her thumb when she started to lean in closer. She was centimeters away from his face now. She started reaching for Draco's mask with her free hand, but she was too slow, he had grabbed her wrist before she had a chance.
"Granger, what are you doing?" he sighed. "Trying to seduce me just so you can see the scars? The deformation? Are you really that desperate to see it?" his tone was sad and had a hint of disappointment in it.
"I….I wasn't trying to….to….seduce you," she said flabbergasted as she realized what she had just done.
"Then what were you doing?" he asked darkly.
"I….I honestly….don't know…." She said with her eyes down looking at the floor in shame while her brain and breath caught back up with her.
Looking at her like that, knowing that she was berating herself for acting in such a way, Draco couldn't help but grin. He knew that what they had done was not considered "bad" at all….at least not really anyways. But he knew that she had never done anything like that at all and seeing her getting all worked up about it was….cute (possibly more than cute….sexy?) especially considering she claims to "loathe him with all her heart and power." I mean who wouldn't get a cheeky grin on their face? He decided he was going to have a little more fun with this. He took his index and middle finger and gently turned her face back to his.
"Why are you smiling?" she remarked with her brow furrowed and her eyes wide. "Have you gone completely mental?"
"If you wanted to see them that bad you could've just said something. Instead of coming in here uninvited and getting me all hot and bothered."
Her eyes got even bigger at that. "That is not what I was trying...I mean….That's not….I didn't…."
Draco clamped his hand over her mouth. "No. No sense denying it now. What's done is done. Although I do have to give you some credit; with the slight perspiration and heavy breathing on your part I was almost convinced," her eyes narrowed. "And I have to give a little more credit because….it worked"
Her eyes widened again and she removed his hand from her mouth. "Malfoy, honestly, that's not what I was trying to do. I was just…." She was looking a the floor again
"Just what Granger?"
"Just….caught up in the moment," she said sheepishly, still looking anywhere but at him.
The grin was gone now and he surveyed her thoughtfully. "So.…you really did….want me….ALL of me…" She shrugged still looking away. He surveyed her a little longer and then turned back to the piano, his back facing her again. He looked at the keys as if begging them for an answer. After a moment of self arguing he finally came to a decision. He looked up, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. He turned back around and gently grabbed her hand again. She slowly turned her head back around and met his gaze. He then placed her hand beneath the edge of his mask. She gulped and had a worried look on her face and whispered, "Are you sure?"
He just smiled a small reassuring smile and nodded. Draco was watching her reaction as closely as he could. She slowly pulled the mask off of his face. She gave a sharp intake of breath and her eyes went from fear to sympathy in a matter of seconds. There were four long gashes going down the side of his face, and down his neck. They had long since healed but have distorted his face completely. The outside corner of his eye was turned downward slightly, permanently. She had seen marks like this before however, but these weren't as bad. "Werewolf," she whispered.
"How did you know?"
"Ron's brother, Bill. He was attacked too. The night that….never mind," she finished lamely.
Draco looked away. He knew what night she was talking about and suddenly felt ashamed. It was Hermione's turn to pull his face back to hers. He was surprised to see that her eyes were full of forgiveness. She was now running her fingers along the scars and leaning in closer. On instinct Draco closed his eyes. She started lightly kissing his face, using one of his scars as a guideline.
When she was near his temple she whispered, "Did it hurt?"
Between her hot breathe on that sensitive part of his skin, and the fact that she actually sounded worried Draco's mind was completely fogged over. He quickly recovered and tried to cover up his reaction with sarcasm, "No, Granger, it didn't hurt, a werewolf just mangled my face."
Hermione ignored his sarcasm and just continued down the scar stopping at his ear. She innocently kissed his earlobe and asked into it, "Who was it?"
Now Draco was so lost in his mind and what her mouth was doing that he didn't even think about his answers before he gave them. "Fenrir Greyback."
Hermione quickly came back to Earth at that. She stiffened and her eyes widened and narrowed. She thought fast though. She didn't want him to notice anything different, so she started kissing on his neck and casually said, "Greyback is very ferocious, I'm surprised he only scratched you and didn't bite you."
With Draco still distracted he automatically answered, "Oh trust me, he wanted to. The Dark Lord stopped him, however. He said it was warning and if I messed up this time then I would be a werewolf faster then I could say the word." His eyes opened back up wide after he realized what he had said. Hermione had pulled away from him now and was looking at him with narrowed eyes and an angry grimace. He quickly wiped off the worried look he had and replaced it with a grimace to match hers.
They were locked in a staring contest now, neither willing to break. While they were staring, however, they never noticed the thunderstorm brewing outside the huge window. A blinding strike of lighting accompanied by a resounding clap of thunder filled the room and broke the trance, both looking away simultaneously breathing hard again, except this time out of anger. They sat there refusing to look at each other and listening to the huge drops of rain pelting against the windows. Hermione was the one to move first, handing him his mask back, locking glances once more with the thunder and lightning battling in the background.
"I knew it," she whispered vehemently. "I knew you couldn't be trusted."
"Obviously you forget, you're here because you have a deadly disease that only I am able to help you with," he added smugly
"Oh no I haven't forgotten," she spat sarcastically. "I also haven't forgotten that I didn't contract the disease until you showed up at headquarters. How convenient that you just happened to be the only one who could cure me right?"
Draco said nothing; he just kept staring at her with that same angry look on his face. She got up and walked to the door. Her hand was on the knob when he finally spoke in a taunting voice, "What's the matter Granger?" And before she knew it he was behind her whispering menacingly and seductively in her ear with his hand on her waist, "You're not scared….are you?"
"Maybe," she whispered back breathless.
"Well that's too bad." His nose was under her ear lobe and his hot breath on her neck was sending chills and spasms throughout her entire body. "Because we were just beginning to have fun." After he said the last word he started nibbling on her neck and running his hand up and down her spine.
For that brief minute they were both completely lost in their own world; where only Draco and Hermione existed. Hermione had now completely lost control of her senses and had Draco pinned up against the door with a ready look in her eye. Between the surprised look on his face and another flooding strike of lightning and roaring clap of thunder from the storm, she was brought back to reality….and fast. Her expression now matched Draco's. She reached for the door knob avoiding Draco's fearful gaze and he shakily stepped out of her way.
She was halfway out the door before she stopped to say, "Yes Draco, you do scare me. You scare the hell out of me." With that she shut the door.
Staring disbelievingly at the door, he realized the double meaning behind her words and muttered, "Peas in a pod Granger. Peas in a pod."