A/N: Part 2 to my oneshot, Destiny's Task.
Hope you guys like it!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling
Hermione Granger whispered the spell as she waved her wand in circles to create the barrier. She concealed their secret camp which allowed them to see out, but intruders to keep from seeing within. With each word, another orb of mist came out of her wand and added on to the dome-like shield.
This was their routine every night. Ron and Harry would sleep in the tent, and Hermione kept the barrier up. It was tricky to completely conceal everything from an intruder's sight, but they couldn't risk it. Finding Hrocruxes in the middle of nowhere while the rest of the Wizarding World was looking for you, that was risky.
As the barrier quickly became stable, she placed her hands at her sides and allowed the shield to disappear, making it completely invisible.
She looked out into the wilderness, no sign of life, only the faint breeze that caused the fallen leaves to move. They managed to set up their camp near a stream, but the forest on the opposite side was dark, and she was barely able to see anything within.
Suddenly, the leaves that once blown to the right made crunching noises as a group of 5 to 6 men came into sight.
Hermione held her breath, not wanting anything to draw their attention. Clearly they hadn't noticed her, and she was able to take in their appearance. They appeared to be a group of Snatchers, and possibly a few Deatheaters. The largest man had slung two lifeless bodies over his shoulders and trekked along after the group. She shuddered at the thought of those poor souls being tortured by those men.
She took a small step back, but accidentally snapping a twig in the process. Damn, Hermione thought, I didn't place a silencing spell.
The man in front, most likely the leader, heard this and stopped in his tracks.
"What was that?" the man behind him said sharply.
The leader ignored him, but took a step towards Hermione. Although he couldn't see her, it was clear he heard her movements and was able to pinpoint where the sound had come from. He continued walking towards her, but Hermione remained still. The man was about a foot away from her, as she was able to look him in the face.
His face was slightly bruised on his temple, and the small amount of stuble on his chin told her it had to be a snatcher. His robes were torn and his boots had holes in them. He continued listening for anymore noises, but did not hear a thing.
"Probably just the wind," he finally said, turning around to join the rest of the men. They continued on and Hermione was able to let out a small but quiet breath of relief.
As she did, however, the man that walked behind the largest halted. That little breath was unrelated to the wind, and contained a subtle tone of voice. He wore a dark black hood along his cloak and did not appear to look like the rest of the men. As he turned towards her, she could see his white mask of a Deatheater.
Oh no, she thought, attempting to hold her breath once more.
He walked towards her, only this time, he appeared to be much closer to her face and slightly shorter than the first man. She tried to look anywhere but his gaze because he appeared to look right at her. If she moved even the slightest, he might be able to detect her prescence.
Without warning, he took his hand out of his pocket and moved towards his mask. He removed the white mask and revealed the face of a man she had once known a long time ago.
Draco Malfoy.
She could detect those platinum eyes anywhere, that recognizable white-blond hair, and his pale, ghost-like skin. She knew his face, those eyes, and everything about him, because of that one day she could never forget. The one day that she considered the best day of her life.
Draco could have sworn he heard...something. He wasn't quite sure what exactly, but it was obviously not the wind. It almost sounded like a faint puff of air that came out of one's mouth. He could also detect something he could have sworn he remembered. It must have been a very long time ago, but it was definitely something worth rememebering.
Suddenly, a gust of wind flew through the barrier and directly into Draco's face. Hermione's hair flew towards the shield, but barely touched the surface. From her point of view, it looked like it touched his skin ever so lightly. Completely petrified with torn emotions, she continued standing still and locked eyes with him.
As soon as the wind hit his face, something inside of him clicked. The wind smelt like strawberries and another familiar smell he couldn't put his finger on. As he looked out, all he saw was more trees and a stream on the far side.
It's not possible, he thought.
Hermione could see the gears working inside his head as he was able to smell her perfume and detect the small sound of her voice. It was all too familiar for him and she feared he would be the one to discover the truth. With him being so close, she was also able to smell his intoxicating colon that made her swoon.
He reached out a few inches until he felt something stop his fingers. What?, he thought.
He applied pressure to his hand and found that it could not move forward.
All of a sudden, something shot out at him and grabbed his robes, pulling him into the barrier. Hermione was able to latch onto his robes and pull him in, causing him to fall forward.
She immeaditely pointed her wand towards his hood, and said a quiet yet demanding voice, "Don't move."
Luckily, Draco was trained in dealing with situations like these and placed his hands to the sides of his head on the ground. He didn't move a single muscle but was able to hear the same voice whispering a silencing spell on the barrier that he was pulled into.
"Alright," he heard the female voice say, "Stand up."
When he didn't move, she kicked him in the side roughly, which caused him to stand up slowly. His back was turned to her, but his hood fell away from his head. Hermione knew this boy far too well as her heart pounded in her chest., She usually didn't have to deal with situations like these, considering Harry and Ron normally handled intruders.
"Turn around," she said, still holding her wand up.
With his hands up and hood off, he turned around carefully and expected to see nothing but another witch in hiding. What he didn't expect was to see the face of a girl he honestly thought he would never see again.
Hermione Granger.
He stood shocked for a moment, remebering that day that was far too long ago.
Hermione waltzed into the room and headed into the loo, Draco sitting down on the one bed. Never had he felt this way about one girl, even if he did have feelings for her prior to their exchange in the alley. This clearly wasn't Granger, something was wrong, but was it really worth finding out and ruining everything?
Breaking his thoughts, she reentered the room, her hips swaying towards him in a seductive motion. Her arms circled around his neck as she sat into his lap. She leaned in and planted a kiss on her enemy. Her hips wiggled with delight at the sudden spark when their lips touched.
Her lips were soft and tender and made slight movements down his neck as he began discarding her clothes.
With the clothes withdrawn and their naked bodies under the covers, she blew out the candle and proceeded.
All the events of that day-including that particular night-proved to be the most memorable. He made a promise to himself that he would wait for destiny to bring them together once more. Of course, that was a long time ago, and so much has changed since then.
Although, she did look rather sexy.
Hermione thought about that moment as well. He was the one person in her life that could bring someone so much pain through words, but can completely take her breath away all in one day.
"Granger," was all he could mutter.
"Malfoy," she replied, still stunned.
Her thoughts were still jumbled, allowing him the opprotunity to feel around in his robes for his wand. As soon as he pulled it out, she was quick to say,
"Expelliarmus!" as his wand flew out of his hand and into hers.
"Impressive, Granger," he said with a smirk forming on his face, "Now I suppose you're going to call Potter and Weasley, aren't you?"
"I-I don't need their help! I can defend myself!" she said, her arms shaking in his prescence.
"Granger, just give me my wand," he said, his eyes looking directly at his wand in her hand, "You're outmatched."
"And why would I do that? You're just going to summon your fellow Deatheaters, why should I trust you?"
"Oh please, I'm not going to call them, just give me my wand," he said, taking a step forward as she stepped back.
"I know the spell, Draco, it's on the tip of my tongue and I'm not afraid to use it."
"Oh, it's Draco now, isn't it? At least, that's what you were screaming that nigh-" he tried to say but was stopped by Hermione's wand backing him up into a tree, her wand touching the skin on his neck.
He knew he had to stay strong, she would just want him to beg.
"Don't talk. Don't forget the one who is arme-" she said but was interrupted by another voice.
"Hermione!" Harry's voice called out to her from the tent. She looked back at him and then back at Draco, who appeared to be completely stricken by grief.
Draco could easily deal with Hermione, but Potter was the one he should be concerned about.
"Don't move," she whispered to him and placed his wand into her pocket. She lowered her wand and made her way over to Harry.
"Hermione, what are you doing out here? What was that noise?" Harry asked.
"Oh nothing," she said, "Just talking to myself."
Harry looked at her slightly perplexed but continued, "Are you sure you don't want to come inside? It's getting quite dark."
"I'm fine, I'll be there in a minute."
He nodded and proceeded back into the tent. As the tent closed, her wand sprung back up to the man who stood against the tree.
"I'm surprised you didn't run along after your friends," she said.
"And I'm surprised you didn't notice this," he said as he withdrew his wand from her pocket and snapped it up towards her and yelled,
"Expelliarmus!"
Her wand flew out of her hand and now into his. She was completely stunned by this action, not many people could easily fool Hermione Granger.
"I guess the odds aren't exactly in your favor, Granger."
She held her breath as he approached her, his wand raised high as he backed her into the tree. His breath blew into her face as she could sense the faint scent of mint. He breathed in the smell of her perfume and that familiar smell he always thought back to.
She whimpered slightly as the wand continued down her neckline until it reached the collar of her shirt. The memories of that night fogged his mind as he remembered every single moment. He was the first girl he thought he could ever love, and being this close to her was all too tempting.
"Well, you know the spell as well. Just do it, already," she dared.
He breathed in deeply. But as he breathed in, something in his eyes transformed. It came from a menacing glare, to a look of innocence and gloom. He lowered his wand and placed it back in his robes. He then took her hand and allowed her own wand to roll onto her fingertips and into the palm of her hand.
"Thank you, for not telling Potter," was all he could say.
He walked back towards the barrier, but for some odd reason, he just couldn't bring himself to leave her just like that. There was so much more he needed to say, but there was no way of putting it into words. He rested his hand on the trunk of a tree and leaned over, considering his options. Should he leave her there and not tell anybody where they were hiding? Or could he finally tell her his true feelings?
Hermione didn't know what to say either. Not just because he didn't kill her, but because she also had mixed feelings for her enemy.
"I haven't forgotten that day, you know," she managed to say.
In one moment, his heart stopped beating. It was as if his world was suddenly whole again and this war was suddenly worth fighting for. He turned around slowly to face her. This is exactly where they left off a few years before. How their eyes were able to speak the words they never knew they could say.
There was so much more to the story than a spontaneous meeting in Hogsmeade. So much more than dancing on the roof of a building while gazing at the sunset. Now he knew, destiny truly had plans for them, and they were never meant to end.
And as fate would have it, his lips were on hers.
He took the few steps he needed to seal what has been proclaimed. That their love for each other could truly work.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him in closer as he backed them up against the tree. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held onto his hair as he kissed his way down her neck.
Their tongues danced in a passionate lock, only to be stopped when they finally came up for air. He looked deep into her eyes, those chocolate orbs staring deep into his platinum. Never had two people been so connected by just a glance, or a gaze.
He broke their eye contact by placing his head in the crook of her neck, breathing in her delicious scent.
"I've missed you," he said.
"I've missed you, too," she replied.
He lowered her feet to the ground and allowed her to stand.
"Hermione, so much has changed, and far too fast. And I think my time spent with you...well that was the only reason that kept me going. It was the hope that I would get to see you again."
"Draco, I must admit something to you."
"And what's that?" he asked, caressing her cheek.
"That day, that we spent together. I was under the effects of a...calming drought."
"Well, I knew something was different, I just couldn't tell."
"Yes, but, I also want you to know that what I felt...that was all real. And I knew that someday I would be able to find you. And I guess, that is what kept me going as well."
He smiled and placed a small kiss on her lips. Those words were more than enough encouragement to keep the battle going until the dark side had fallen.
"But, Draco, you have to promise me something."
"And what's that?"
"I want you to stay safe. I don't want you on his side. I don't want to lose you."
He embraced her small form as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
"You already have me," he said, placing kisses on her fallen tears.
If only reality had stopped at that given moment, if only it allowed them to spend an eternity in each other's arms. But a simple call from the wilderness could completely shatter that reverie.
"Oy, look, I know he was right behind us. Just keep looking," one of the Snatchers had called out to the rest of his men. They had come back, and surely they were looking for Draco.
Draco turned and saw them searching the grounds near the stream. They were becoming increasingly close to the barrier, and just enough to penetrate it.
"They're looking for me," Draco said, "if they come any closer, they will penetrate the barrier. They'll find you."
Draco got away from Hermione's grasp and approached the shield, about to step out. Hermione stepped towards him and brought him back into her arms, more tears rolling down her face.
"Draco, don't leave me. Please." she said, grasping at his robes.
She continued to whimper but he brought her head closer to his, and connecting them with another kiss. He held her head within his hands and allowed their foreheads to touch.
"I need to keep you safe, and as much as I want to stay, it is not doing any good for you," he whispered.
"I know, but-"
"No, Hermione. You know what you have to do. And once this is all over, and we meet again, we could be together."
"Do you promise?" she said under her shaky breath.
Draco breathed in deeply and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Just close your eyes, Hermione. Just close them."
She did as she was told, but found that his prescence was no longer there. She couldn't feel his warmth or his soft kisses and reassurances. It was as if he were the leaves being whisked away by the wind. She felt like her eyes had been closed for eternity, an eternity without him there. She opened her eyes and found him completely gone, along with the rest of the men.
She bent forward and sobbed. Sobbed for the one she lost, knowing that he hadn't sealed that promise. They knew it was too soon to tell if they could survive this war, but they knew it would all be worth it just to see their significant other one last time.