Full Summary: The war is over, the battlefield is now quite. Leaving Hermione with only her thoughts she flees to escape the images of her dead lover that continuously replay in her mind, over and over. Stumbling through the forest with no destination in mind she comes across a natural hot spring in the middle of the forest. Looking down into its crystal depths, she watches, trying desperately to forget the promises that were made to her. When heartbreak and mourning become all too consuming, sometimes the only way to move on is when you strip yourself bare and allow the healing waters of the past cleanse you.
Bare Promises
The sounds of the war had ceased. The battlefield littered with the bodies of her friends lay silent now. Harry had won, the prophecy had been true, Lord Voldemort was no more.
Ron stood huddled around his family; George was clutching his brother's lifeless body in his arms. The ghost of Fred's smile still visible on his face. Hermione didn't know what to say. There was nothing she could say that would ease the pain of losing one of their own. So she let him be.
Harry, meanwhile, resorted to isolating himself after the battle. After kissing Hermione on the cheek, and hugging Ron and the rest of the Weasleys, he excused himself to his room. He wanted to be alone; he was exhausted.
Flashes of a memory only a few months prior flickered in her mind's eye. She mourned for the dead, she mourned for the survivors, but she mourned most for herself. She had lost half of herself in this war when he left her. He had no choice, she knew that, but part of her resented him for it.
"You could stay here, you would be safe!" Hermione's voice rose in pitch, "You could stay here, with me…"
Shaking his head, he looked at her with sad eyes. "You know I can't, you know what he will do if he finds out and I can't…" clenching his fists, he averted his eyes. He couldn't look at her—out of fear she might win, that she might actually convince him to stay.
"But you can! Have you not been listening to a word I have said?" She cried out in desperation. Normally she would scoff at the showing of weakness, but she didn't care. She was desperate.
Sighing, he turned to her, a storm raging in his eyes, "I have been listening to you, and so far the only thing I have been hearing is wishful thinking and empty promises. There is nothing for me here, you know that."
The look of shock and hurt in her eyes killed him.
"What about me?" her voice came out in a whisper.
"What about you? You know the answer to that question, Hermione, don't make me say it."
"Why can't you say it? If this is the last time I am going to see you, why can't you just adm—"
"Why do you think this will be the last time?" This time, he was the one that sounded desperate. "This isn't the last time. I will come back. I will find you." The determination in his eyes burned bright, and she knew she shouldn't have believed him, but she did.
He waited for her to challenge him, waited to see that stubborn girl that wouldn't take no for an answer. He wanted her to change his mind.
Instead, she turned away from him, a single tear staining a trail down her cheek. Reaching out in a panic, he grabbed the back of her arm, yanking her back into his arms.
"Why do you want to hear me say it?" He looked to her, pleading.
Looking towards him wide-eyed, she hesitated.
"Do you enjoy breaking your own heart?" he asked.
In the quietest voice he had ever heard her use, she responded, "At least if you break my heart, I know that I still have one…"
He gulped, shocked at her response. "That's my line, I —"
"It's true," she cut him off. "I want to know that everything you have told me isn't a lie. I want to know that you meant every word you said. I want to know that this wasn't one-sided. I want to know that you—" this time she cut herself off.
"That I love you?" his voice was neutral, uncertain even.
Before she could answer, his lips were on hers. Gasping against his mouth, she pulled him closer, melding his body to hers. Closing her eyes, she relished the moment with him. He tasted like spearmint and smelled like rain, things she had grown fond of in their time together. Fisting the front of his shirt, she clung to him, intent on never letting him go again.
Her lover's calloused hands snaked his fingers into her hair, tugging on it playfully, in order to expose her neck. Pulling away from her lips, Hermione let out a whine. A low growl sounded in her ear as he placed his face below her jaw. The feel of his slender nose slowly trailing down her throat caused her heart to ache. It was so familiar, and yet she knew it would not last.
The descent down the planes of her neck was agonizing. His hot breath warming her skin as he went. When he reached the middle of her throat, he paused, pressing a single open-mouthed kiss to the sensitive flesh. A quiet moan slipped past her lips as she clung to the fabric of his shirt even tighter; and then he released her. Hermione opened her eyes, the look on his face said it all. It was time to leave.
He watched her, his mind swimming with sadness and regret, the memory of moments before replaying over and over in his mind in a permanent loop. His own personal hell. Withdrawing a coin from his pocket, he rubbed the top of it with his thumb thrice over, whispering a silent enchantment.
He took this time to look at her, truly look at her. To memorize every hair, every expression, every reaction, everything. He wanted this moment to be forever ingrained in his mind, so he could never forget that she was the one who taught him he was capable of something more. So that he could never forget her.
"Here," he said, reaching for her hands now hidden beneath her jumper's sleeves. "Take this, don't lose it. Promise?" Slipping the coin from between his fingers, he placed it in her open palm.
The coin warmed her hand as she observed it. It wasn't a normal galleon; intricate markings adorned the surface, it was beautiful.
"What is it?"
Shaking his head, he opened his mouth, contemplating if he should tell her or not. The strain on his face must have been visible. Reaching her hand out, she softly traced the tips of fingers across his arm in an attempt to soothe him. Inhaling a deep intake of breath, he looked at her one last time.
Placing his hand at the back of her head, he pulled her towards him. The feel of his lips on her forehead burned, and they stood that way for several minutes. The burn only to be soothed by a few stray tears that escaped from his eyes. Nuzzling his nose in her hair, he inhaled once more.
"You smell like home," he whispered.
Choking back a sob, she watched as he relinquished his hold on her, stepping away from their embrace. His complexion paled, his eyes were red and wet; she didn't even want to think about what she must've looked like to him.
"You are so beautiful…" he murmured. He allowed himself one more glance. Looking at her from head to toe, he memorized how she looked in this moment: swollen eyes, puffy lips, frizzy hair standing up in all directions, her shirt untucked, skirt askew. She looked perfect, he thought.
Turning on his heels, he slid his wand from his inner pocket, ready to disapparate to the meet-up point the others had mentioned earlier.
"Please don't go," Hermione begged.
Sighing, her lover kept his back to her. Squeezing his eyes shut, he kept a tight grip on his wand, willing himself to follow through.
"Don't lose the coin, Hermione. Please,"
Before she could protest, Hermione heard the crack of disapparition. He was gone.
The slight burning sensation in her hand caused her to look down at the object that lay in it. The coin was blazing with a golden hue. Hermione stared at it in awe, the swirls of gold causing an almost hypnotizing effect. As the light began to intensify, she felt her mouth form an "O" as she looked at it with even more wonder than before. Thin lines began to etch itself across the surface of the coin. Once the scribbling had ceased, she couldn't stop herself from dropping the coin.
Clawing at her heart, she felt her chest constrict painfully as the tears began a steady flow down her face.
There, ingrained into the coin were his final words to her.
"I love you…"
Shaking herself out of the painful memory, Hermione took in her surroundings. Her boots stood atop the once stark green grass, now tainted with splatters of red and brown. Sucking in a shaky breath, she looked across the field. There were still many bodies that hadn't been moved, bodies that deserved to be within Hogwart's walls, not out here exposed to the elements. The thought of moving her friends' bodies caused her stomach to lurch.
The sight mixed with the smell of blood and charred wood sent her reeling. The feeling of nausea quickly rose from her stomach up to her throat. Covering her mouth with her hand, Hermione broke for the line of trees to her right, farthest away from the sight that was troubling her.
Leaning against one of the large trees that formed the canopy within the forest, she emptied the contents of her stomach behind it. The tears stinging her eyes made it nearly impossible to see in front of her. Clinging to the tree trunk for support, she calmed her breathing. Wiping away the stray tears, she straightened herself up and looked around.
"There's nothing here for me," she sighed.
The coin still lay in her pocket, right where she left it before the battle. Gone was the golden hue that emitted from it to let her know that her prince was okay, that he was still alive. She didn't want to be here, she couldn't be here. She knew his body had to be somewhere on that battlefield, and she couldn't handle it.
Turning away from the school and inevitably him, Hermione decided that wherever her feet took her would be better than here. Somewhere without the memories. The forest was even more devoid of sound than the field. Gone were the sounds of birds, and woodland creatures. In its place was the ringing in her ears that only soundless space could provide. She found herself walking aimlessly; her thoughts were her only company as she wandered aimlessly through the forest. Hermione didn't know how much time had passed: an hour? Two? The sound of twigs crunching under feet caused her to turn towards the direction the sound came from. With her wand in hand, Hermione cautiously made her way behind some trees and down a small slope towards the now slow steady beat of footsteps.
Sliding down another bank, she found the source of footsteps. There, in front of her, were the centaurs of the forest; their fallen comrades hanging limply off their backs as the others carefully transported them back to their camp. When Hermione made eye contact with each one that passed, they exchanged silent condolences. A mutual respect between them.
Once the centaurs had passed, Hermione followed down the opposite path they took. The air became cooler the further up she walked. A thin layer of fog blanketed the path and, after a few more minutes of walking, Hermione dropped her wand to the ground, in shock at the sight infront of her.
Large grey and black rocks formed a border around a natural emerald pool in the middle of the open space Hermione stumbled upon. Leaning down to pick up her wand, she slowly walked closer to the rocky border. Steam rose from the water, mixing with the cool air created an eerie, almost ethereal haze of mist around the forest's unoccupied spring.
Leaning against the largest boulder, Hermione gazed into the emerald depths; The heat rose from the water's surface and caressed her face, reminding her of the way his hands once did the same. The water beckoned her near, bubbling its wordless promise:
I can help you forget. Let me help you. I can cleanse you.
That was all it took. It was as if an invisible force took over. Standing in front of the water, she silently removed her boots; the friction from the laces causing unwanted memories to resurface. Instead of her hands, she felt his; that gorgeous smile and those eyes looking up at her as he removed her shoes. His lips trailed up her leg, eliciting a laugh from her.
No. Shaking away the memory, she allowed the invisible presence to take over once more. Let me help you. The jeans she was wearing were sticky with blood and grime. With shaking hands, her bruised and bloodied fingers grasped at the buttons. Popping them off one by one, Hermione lazily drew the zipper down. Wiggling her hips out of the constricting denim, she let her hands hang limply at her sides.
The tears no longer fell. All Hermione could bring herself to feel was numb.
Shrugging off her jacket, she tossed it over one of the rocks. Allowing herself for the first time since he left, to truly let go. She took a deep breath and began to tug her white camisole over her head. Inhaling a shaky breath, she stepped into the heated pool. Wincing at the heat on her skin, she stepped further into the water. Let me cleanse you. Scrubbing her arms raw in the bubbling water caused a different burning sensation within her- it was working. She was finally cleansed.
Leaning back against the solid wall of the pool, she heard it: a clink as her hand made contact with the wall. She knew what it was, but she still refused to acknowledge it. Swallowing the lump that now resided in her throat, she slowly looked down at her left hand. There, just below the water's surface, was the same coin he had given her, from the last time she would ever see him.
"It's time to let go of you…" Hermione whispered to the coin. Looking down at the last thing that connected her to him, she pressed the cool metal to her lips, seemingly unaffected by the heat. Pulling the coin back, she felt a new-found strength within her.
Shaking her head slowly, she held her hand out over the water, "I love you, I promise I always will."
Before she could second guess her decision, she dropped the coin in. As she watched the coin sink to the bottom, no longer in sight, she allowed herself to grieve one more time, for the final time.
Plugging her nose with a shaky hand, she ducked her head below the water. Letting herself go completely,she found herself floating in a space that was neither here nor there. She only hoped that wherever she was, he would be there to greet her with open arms.
A figure dressed in black watched Hermione from afar, she looked broken. He watched as she struggled to strip herself bare, his heart ached at the sight of her. She was covered in blood, whether it was hers or the blood of others was unknown to him. She had been crying again, the angry red that rimmed her eyes betrayed any front she tried to put up, but he knew she had given up. That much was certain.
The image of her slowly stripping off her clothing made him stop. She was much thinner than the last time he had seen her,
He contemplated what he should do, "Should I make myself known?" he thought. No, that would only scare her off. "Should I continue to watch her? But keep my distance?" Definitely not. His chest tightened at the thought of being so close yet not being able to touch her. As he began to turn away and go in search of his family, something caught his eye. A glint from within the mist. There it was. A promise kept.
Just as quickly as the feeling of hope had bloomed in his chest, he felt his heart plummet. The boy watched on as Hermione dropped the coin, his coin, into the water below. Clawing his nails against the tree's trunk he hid behind he continued to watch her, he watched until she was hidden beneath the water. Stepping out of his hiding place, he walked through the fog that had begun to thicken until he was at the edge of the hot spring. Stripping out of his pants and cloak, he hastily tore away the shirt he had underneath.
Stealthily sliding into the water, he watched on as she made her way to the surface again. Her eyes were shut, that much he could tell.
"I miss you, you idiot…" Hermione's voice sounded pained. Her back rose and fell as she tried to calm herself.
That was all he needed to hear. Searching deep within himself he plucked what little courage he had remaining and waded over to her. Her body quaked, racked with silent sobs as she bent over trying to force herself to breathe.
When she was only a hairsbreadth away, he finally reached out and touched her. Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist he pulled her back towards him. Nuzzling his face into Hermione's neck, he inhaled the scent of her skin. Fuck. He thought. I missed this. I missed you. He could feel her tense, she didn't know it was him.
Before she could scream, he tilted his head towards her ear and whispered, "I missed you too. So fucking much."
Time seemed to stop. As the words that had just been spoken began to sink in, she tried to turn, to catch a glimpse of the boy she thought she lost.
Tightening his grip, he stopped her from turning. "Please…" the sound of his voice again caused her to freeze. As she stilled, a smell that she remembered from another life filled her nostrils, mint and rain.
She nodded. "Okay," she murmured.
The feel of her slick skin beneath his fingers nearly ended him, he was here, he was alive, but more importantly, he was with her. He couldn't wait any longer. He needed her.
Brushing her hair away from her shoulders, the boy left a trail of tender kisses down her neck. Grazing his teeth against her throat, he felt her shiver. Smirking against her skin, he parted his lips, softly sucking on the sensitive flesh.
The feel of his mouth on her neck caused her to see stars. The sensation of his tongue tracing patterns mixed with the warmth of his breath caused her knees to buckle. Biting her lip, she couldn't help the moan that escaped, "Draco…"
The sound of his name falling from her lips so carelessly caused a jolt from within him. Unclasping his left arm from around her waist he teasingly ran his fingertips down the valley of her breasts. Splaying his hand across her chest, he gently circled her areola, letting only his palm slightly brush against her hardening nipples.
"I promised you I would find you," Draco spoke.
"Am I dead?" Hermione asked, pressing her back into his chest.
"I am afraid not, looks as though you are stuck with me…" leaning forward, Draco bit playfully at her ear. Cupping her breast with his left hand, he began his agonizingly slow descent with his right, down her stomach. The feel of her shivering beneath his hands caused an unexpected groan to come from him. Wedging his legs between hers, he slowly pushed her knees apart.
Running his nose down the side of her neck, images of the last time they were together, flashed in his mind. The look of fear in her eyes, her tears as he said good bye, caused him to jerk away. Turning his back on her, he snapped his eyes shut, contemplating an escape. Where could he go?
Startled by the sudden lack of contact, Hermione willed herself to turn around, to prove to herself that it was real, that he was real.
"Draco?" Turning towards him she withheld a gasp. He had welts down the entirety of his back, some old, some new. Placing her hand against them she felt him flinch, he must have thought she would reject him, her hands carefully examined the wounds. It seemed no one had touched him that tenderly in months.
"I'm sorry that I— " Draco began, but his apology died on his lips.
Hermione's small hands gripped his shoulders, slowly turning him towards her.
"Tell me what you need…" She knew what he needed. She needed it too.
His silver eyes searched her brown ones for any sign that he may be misunderstanding, he found none. Twirling his fingers around a wet curl, he finally spoke what had been on his mind for the past Six months, 12 days, and 17 hours.
"You," his voice croaked. "I need you."
The smile that stretched across her face nearly caused Draco's heart to explode. Pushing his back against the pool's edge, she sat him down on a slab of rock that jutted out. Climbing into his lap, she pushed away the wet strands of hair that hung in his face, obstructing her view.
"I need you too." Entwining her fingers in his hair, Hermione pulled his lips to her. Draco's arms snaked around Hermione's waist once more pulling her closer to him as he deepened the kiss. The feel of his tongue prodding at her mouth, begging for entrance, caused her to grind into him, desperate to be as close to him as she could.
Gripping her waist tighter he carefully slid his cock between her folds, groaning at the new found friction between them. Slipping his arm from around her waist Draco let his hand drift lazily down between them, pressing his index finger against her clit, rubbing the protruding bud softly.
"Do you want this?" Draco asked, his voice husky with lust.
"I want you," was Hermione's only response.
Draco didn't need any further convincing, lifting Hermione up slightly by her waist he thrust into her, sheathing himself inside her. The look on her face as Draco buried himself inside her was almost sinful. She had never looked more beautiful, Draco thought.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Hermione reveled in the feel of him. Using her thighs to push herself up she slowly rode him. Pressing her lips to his again, she nibbled on his lower lip, biting on it teasingly.
Growling against her mouth, Draco repositioned her, forcing his cock in deeper as he continued to tease her nub.
Arching her back in ecstasy at the new angle he had her at, she found it hard to breathe. Pulling his other hand to her back she wordlessly pleaded for him to do what he always used to when they were together. A new look crossed his face, not the look of lust that was plastered there moments before, but something entirely different.
His fingers ran up and down her spine, the feeling of his hands on her back caused a shiver to run throughout her body. Pushing down on his shoulders, a delicious gasp escaped her lips as she slowly slid Draco's length out of her, leaving only the head in before impaling herself on him once more.
Squeezing his eyes shut Draco hissed, tugging on the back of Hermione's hair, "Look at what you do to me, witch!"
Snapping her head back Hermione felt like she was floating, the sounds of water splashing and Draco's heavy pants caused a lustful haze to cloud her vision.
Draco nearly roared as he felt her cunt tighten around him, kissing down her neck towards her breasts his whole body trembled. Bucking his hips he fought against the water, trying desperately to plunge faster and deeper into her pussy.
The aching tension between them built, both of their breaths coming out in loud pants. The approach of her orgasm was building quickly, the familiar tightening alerting her. Tugging his head back Hermione softly kissed him, forcing him to slow down so she could savor the moment. As their tongues connected she felt her pussy spasm, both of the lovers groaned into each others mouth as they climaxed together.
As Draco came inside her, Hermione had the realization that she had never felt this whole, this complete, in all her life. Leaning back, she looked at him, his eyes were still closed. As he slowly opened his eyes her breath caught. He looked like he was glowing.
"Will you say it?" she asked.
He feigned ignorance, a mischievous glint in his eye, "Say what, exactly?"
Huffing in annoyance she smacked his chest, "Draco, I am serious."
Leaning forward, Draco scooped her up in his arms and lifted her out of the hot spring. Cradling her in his arms he conjured a blanket and wrapped it around her. "Hermione Jean Granger… I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, do solemnly swear that I will always love you. I promise to tell you every morning we wake up and every night when we go to bed. I promise to fight for you, no matter what, but most importantly," He stopped, turning towards the pool. "Accio, lover's coin," the once lifeless coin rose from the water and landed in Draco's hand. Turning towards her he placed it in her palm, just like before. "I promise to always find you…" As he spoke those words the golden hue returned to it, encasing the coin in light.
Looking down at the coin, those once final words began to write itself out again,
I love you.
Tears began to spring from her eyes again, pecking his lips in a quick kiss she pressed the coin to her chest. "How do we get past this?" The images of the war creeping back into her mind as she looked absently towards the treeline.
"We take it one day at a time. You will have me and I will have you, that's a promise I fully intend to keep," Pressing his lips to her temple, he sighed. Tugging his cloak back on he gathered their clothes and handed Hermione her wand. "Are you ready to go?" he asked.
"Go where?" Hermione asked, eyebrows raised questioningly.
"Home," He whispered in her ear, his voice filled with something she hadn't heard or felt in a long time. Hope.
"You are my home, Draco." Hermione could feel her cheeks redden as the blush made its way down her neck.
The look he gave her was one of pride and love, something she would never tire of seeing.
"Well Granger, that was quite a compliment," he shot her a wink, still refusing to put her down. "I would be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way about you…" he cleared his throat as he looked at her, "But wait until you see our home, you might prefer it to me," he chuckled.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Draco stopped her with a kiss. Grinning against her mouth he looked down into her flustered face. "Just wait until you see it." The crack of disapparition surprised her. Looking around, she was in an unfamiliar place.
Setting her feet down upon the wooden floors of the home Hermione looked around in awe.
"Is there a —"
"Library? Yes, I took the liberty of stocking it with your favourites, and then some," she could hear the smile on his face as he spoke. Turning towards him she looked at him, wondering if what she was about to do was appropriate. Before she could talk herself out of it, she launched herself into Draco's arms. Wrapping her legs around his waist she clung to him, willing herself to believe it was all real.
Another low chuckle greeted her ears, "I think it's time we both got some sleep, don't you think?"
Nodding against his chest she allowed him to carry her to his room, their room.
Gently placing her down on the bed he tucked her in before sliding in behind her, spooning her. The feel of his warm breath against the back of her neck sent flashes of the hot spring through her mind. Smiling into her hand she bit down on her finger, trying to conceal her internal squeal.
"I love you, Hermione," Draco mumbled against her hair, his smile still evident in his laugh.
"You promise?" Hermione quietly laughed, tracing I love you on the back of his hand before entwining her fingers with his.
It was Draco's turn to laugh, it sounded so light and carefree. He didn't respond for several minutes. Hermione didn't mind, she knew the answer.
Just as she was about to fall asleep she heard the faintest of whispers,
"I promise."
∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞ ∞. ∞ ∞ ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞. ∞ ∞. ∞ ∞
A/N: Hi guys! So... like I said in the last update of TOWH... I was signed up for movie fest and Dramione Duets. What I didn't anticipate to happen during this time was to be struggling with some things in both my personal life AND school life as well as losing my dog. :( All of this stuff was happening at the same time and I just felt too emotionally drained to do anything else about it. So while this version is the one I entered for Duets, I wrote this during a time of mourning and therefore, isn't the best that it can be. I do plan on coming back to this eventually and polishing it up/adding a few more scenes to make it better/flow more. Nevertheless, I hope that what I do have may satisfy any Dramione hunger you have been having from me. xx I just thought I would post this to let you know I am still here and that I have in fact been doing writing while I have been away. The next TOWH update will be next week! So look out for that. :) As always, reviews are appreciated and I hope you all have a fantastic day/love! All my love -LittleMissEighty-Sixed