A/N - Forgot this on the first chapter - if you recognize it, I don't own it. JKR came up with the characters. References to locations are based on my US taught geography (I do like to read and learn so hopefully any mistakes are forgiven - to my UK readers I'm sorry if I foul up the whole UK, GB, England thing - I just don't understand).
Hopefully this one formats a little better. Trying to upload on my computer instead of tablet.
I'm not a huge angst fan (child of the 80s and teen of the 90s - had enough grunge/emo to last a lifetime). I enjoy a HEA.
The next couple of chapters give a little background in how we got to Draco and Hermione's friendship.
Hope you like getting to see inside the head of the blonde hero. Oh and he got a little lemony with me at the end. I know I said no real citrus until later, but he is a red blooded teenage male...sometimes they think about stuff.
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Draco got Hermione to the hospital wing and sat on the chair in the room as Poppy continued to test the witch for injuries.
"Well, other than a pair of bruised knees, she is fine. I'll go ahead and give her a potion to bring her around. Thank you for bringing her in Draco."
Poppy smiled at him as she turned to get the potion from the medicine cabinet in the other room. Draco's thoughts were still focused on what had happen in the hall. Those thoughts disappeared as he looked at the sleeping witch. He sighed and his mind drifted to less than pure ideas. 'I have a more enjoyable way for her knees to be bruised.' With a little sigh he tried to redirect his thoughts, again. His respect for the girl had only increased over the year or so and he wanted to be a better man. He'd like to think it was because of his friendship with her but somewhere deep he knew what he was feeling was more than a platonic friendship. 'You want to be a better for her. She needs a man who will support her and put his expectations above hers. You better get your arse in gear.' Sometimes his internal dialogue was quite spot on.
This wasn't the first time Hermione had passed out, it also wasn't the first time Draco was sitting in the medical wing waiting for his counterpart to wake. During these times he often found his mind wandering to other places and other times. Each of those places and time in his memories involved her. That should have been an indicator of his changing feelings. He had fought it because he believed she deserved someone better. This memory of Draco's was about when his feelings for Hermione Granger had changed.
He never truly hated the girl. He was jealous of her intelligence and obvious obsession with being the best. They were kindred souls in that regard. He had been raised to believe he was the best, deserved to be given the best and if the best wasn't given, then to do whatever it took to get it. Lucius hated the girl and everything for which she stood. Draco just wanted to get a better grade than her...just once. All these years later and that still hadn't happened but they had tied a few times. A small smile graced his handsome face thinking of the first tie and how she swore it wouldn't happen again. It had, but those were still rare events.
Draco's desires regarding the witch changed shortly after joining the Order. He started to have fantasies about the girl. If he was totally honest with himself he had fantasies about her before; he just hadn't realized that the brown haired angel in his dream had been Hermione. It wasn't until he was under her, well the Order's, protection the dream angel started to get a face.
During those tense times before the final battle, Hermione had been a comfort to Draco. Really his only comfort and she was the reason he stayed. Not that he had a place to go, but he was in a very dark place and life had little meaning to him then. No one completely believed he had switched sides. Draco doubted Hermione totally believed him either. She was willing to give him a chance; which was more than some of the other members of the Order. It wasn't until Hermione found him sitting in Mrs. Weasley's garden staring at the roses that he broke down and explained everything.
Narcissa Malfoy had sacrificed herself to give Draco a chance to escape. His father was about to kill him, on orders from the Dark Lord, when Narcissa burst into the room and threw herself in front of the killing spell. As she launched herself, she was able to throw Draco his wand. A moment before Narcissa was hit with the spell Draco was able to apparate away. He knew his mother was dead and his father did not care for either of them. A mother's love saved Draco and he was going to make certain her sacrifice would not be in vain.
Narcissa Malfoy's son will not be remembered as a coward. Draco remembered looking deeply into Hermione's eyes after he finished the story to see if she believed him. Instead of accusation or the anger he had always seen, those chocolate brown bottomless pits held tears; tears for him. At that point he didn't care if she pitied him; he pitied himself and what he had allowed to happen. She hugged him tightly and her whispered promises gave him hope that maybe he could come out of this place, this war and be able to make a new life for himself. If he could he would make his mother proud and turn the Malfoy name into something respectable again.
A few months after arriving Draco had been given some surprising news. Hermione had been one to tell him. He saw her literally vibrating with excitement as she direct him into the library. This had become a safe sanctuary for Draco. In that small and comfortable room Draco was told the most unbelievable news possible; his mother had been found and most importantly she was alive. No one would explain to Draco how she lived. Draco knew what curse his failure of a father had sent in his direction. He suspected Hermione may have known but had been sworn to secrecy. She wasn't one to break an oath. It was another thing he respected about her. She had never divulged the hows and whys of Draco's defection. She had told him when he was comfortable to tell the others she would be there to support him. Harry seemed to think if Remus, Hermione and Severus all trusted Draco than Harry would take it on faith that Draco was truly on the side of the light. Weasley on the other hand never believed and always had a snide remark for Draco.
Hermione had been getting frustrated with Ron and his lack of faith in people. Draco suspected the foul attitude was more than just him changing sides. Draco started to notice more and more members of the pureblood families appearing at Order meetings. These new members were individuals who were frequently at Malfoy Manor to attend events. These were the people who seemed to be the most ardent supporters of the Dark Lord. Most of them were as surprised to see Draco as he was to see them. The Order started a rumor that Draco had been found dead and they suspected his death was the work of Death Eaters. According to Severus, as soon as the news was announced Lucius made sure to let Voldemort know he was responsible. He hadn't failed in following through with his orders. He happily included that Narcissa attempted to save the boy and that he had killed her as well. Severus noted that Voldemort seemed pleased Lucius was the last remaining Malfoy.
Ron's temperament went from bad to worse as each new pureblood member joined. Draco saw it as did Hermione. He wondered who else was observant.
Hermione was the only one to train with Draco and this was the time where they had started to grow close. When he arrived he had nothing but his wand and the clothes on his back. He had never felt so defeated. As a child he never had a material worry or want. His father made sure of that. His mother had taught him how to love. On his arrival he was without both and had he been able to articulate his feelings he would have explained his fear of being alone.
Hermione helped him realize life was more than the things his father provided. She reminded Draco life was about finding something you love and fighting for it. Even if it ended in your death. Hermione knew he understood, Narcissa showed him her love exceeded her own well being. Even after discovering she was alive, her sacrifice in helping him escape proved that he too deserved to be loved. Knowing his mother was safe was enough to get him through the difficult times. And spending time with Hermione made getting by possible.
One of the lessons Draco enjoyed the most was when Hermione taught him how to cook. It wasn't that she was an expert but she could make a few dishes and Draco found that he loved anything she made for him. He had never been allowed in the kitchens of the Manor and everything was new to him. The first skill he mastered was boiling water. Hermione hexed anyone who tried to make comments regarding his newly acquired skills. Each skill he learned helped him to regain a bit of his lost confidence and swagger. Hermione knew for him to survive the upcoming battle he was going to have to believe in himself and if sparring and cooking gave him his confidence back then she was going to make sure he knew everything she did.
Draco proved to be a quick study. He found cooking was very similar to potions and before long he was trying dishes that even Hermione hadn't the nerve to attempt. By this time Molly had taken over the training and loved having someone who was so focused on learning her tricks. Molly ended up showing Draco a number of her personal, family recipes. Draco swore that he would never tell anyone where he learned them. Molly chuckled knowing that as soon as Draco prepared them for Hermione she would know. But that was a secret for them to share. Molly had started to see something between Hermione and Draco. No one spoke of the future. No one knew if they would experience it. Molly had hoped Hermione would end up her daughter-in-law but that didn't seem to be what the fates had decided. All that Molly wanted was for Hermione to be happy. Hermione would always be an honorary Weasley; regardless of what Ron seemed to think was going to happen. Ron never put any effort into the relationship and Molly suspected it wouldn't take Hermione long to see the difference between Ron and Draco. Draco's surprisingly gentle nature with Hermione was in stark comparison to Ron's careless attitude.
Draco began to think of Hermione as more than a friend; as someone who, possibly, in the future, they could have a life together. He thought she might have the same feelings. She would hold his hand. When he touched her she would blush and avert her eyes. They had fallen asleep multiple times reading on the couch only to awake in each other arms. Those were the mornings he cherished the most. On one occasion he heard her mumble his name in her sleep. His heart stood still when she then smiled and curled further into his chest. It took him a few weeks to put all his emotions in place and in the end he realized that he was falling in love with Hermione. He was going into battle with a reason to survive now. He needed to be there for Hermione and he swore to make sure she made it through the battle also. Just before the battle started, before all Hades broke loose, Draco had decided he was going to tell Hermione his feelings and that he wanted to be with her. When he found Hermione she was kissing Weasley. Draco was heartbroken. He made good on his promise; he made she that she was there to help Harry. He may not make it but his love, his heart, his reason for living would live. He found her dueling with his mother's sister. He stepped in and forced Hermione to leave. She had to get to Potter. He looked deeply into her eyes before pushing her in the direction of Harry and turning back to Bella. Battling Bella had been hard. She was one cold hearted bitch. He was thankful when Mrs. Weasley came up and finished Bella. He had thanked her as he ran to make Hermione was still ok. He didn't make it to her before the end of the battle.
Before Draco could get to Hermione, he had been whisked away by Kingsley and Mr. Weasley to a safe house without knowing who had or hadn't made it. He was reunited with his mother. They spent the summer in hiding while the surviving Death Eaters were rounded up. Draco learned that his mother was much more powerful than she ever let on. Lucius had not been fully aware of her power. Narcissa explained that her father and Lucius' father both wanted to ensure their children were married to someone as pure as they. The fathers knew of Narcissa's potential power but never thought it important enough to test. They also knew the potential alone would strengthen the Malfoy line. There was little negotiation needed between the fathers and Lucius never seemed to care enough to learn about his wife more than her name and that she was a pureblood. Draco was most surprised in learning that there was a way to block the killing curse and that his mother had provided the information to the light. It alone had saved dozens.
Narcissa, like Severus and others, was a spy; however she was so deep undercover that only Severus and Dumbledore knew the truth. When Draco arrived and told his Godfather what had happened at the Manor with Lucius, Severus was immediately called by Voldemort. Severus told Draco to remain strong, everything would work out and that he would be back as quickly as he could. At the time Draco didn't know that Narcissa used the attack as a way to break free and escape. She had information that could not wait. Voldemort was preparing his attack on the school; he thought he knew a way to destroy Harry and had set the date. Only Lucius and Voldemort knew of the plan. Neither realized that Narcissa had also heard. The only way out was her "death". Now that Draco was safe she could extricate herself from the increasingly deadly situation.
The summer was a stressful time for both Draco and Narcissa without anyone sending them information Draco was worried about his friends. The only communication that they had received was a letter from Hermione; it arrived about 6 weeks after the battle. She explained that this would the only letter she could send him as it had taken her almost a month to get Kingsley to allow it. There was still too much danger to allow lapses in security so she wrote everything she needed to tell Draco. The letter ended up being over 3 meters in length. Hermione had eventually explained to Kingsley that Draco would be worried and needed to know what he helped in accomplishing. She told Draco that she was so worried when she couldn't find him after the battle. She feared that he had been lost.
There was an obvious flaw to her writing. She wanted to write something else but didn't. Both Draco and Narcissa noticed but said nothing. Neither knew what she had desired to say. Hermione had taken to helping others with clearing the bodies. Each minute that passed without his returning, she knew the next body she lifted would be his and it wasn't until Mr. Weasley had returned to The Burrow before she knew Draco was safe. She told Draco she hadn't slept for two days while looking for him but upon hearing of his safety wept tears of relief. Harry seemed to understand and tried to help but the demands on his time were beginning and he had to go into hiding himself. The next part of the letter detailed who had been lost; Draco could see the dried tears on the parchment. His fingers brushed the marred paper wishing he had been there to wipe her tears.
Draco was surprised at the depth of his reaction to some of the names, especially his cousin. He knew his nephew, Teddy, would be cared for by his aunt and Harry but he would do something for the boy. He had grown close with Tonks and Remus. He wrote a letter, that would be sent once they were able to leave the safe house, granting Teddy what he should have received as member of the Black family. Narcissa agreed and also wrote a letter providing for her sister. Assuming she had also survived the battle. The last part of the letter consisted of a few new recipes; Draco was told to try them out and if they were good, he would have to prepare them for Hermione once they were in the same place again. She signed the note 'Yours, Hermione'. He knew that she really wasn't his.
In early August a second and final letter was received; in a couple weeks Narcissa would be moved and Draco would go to Hogwarts to complete his final year. All students who should have graduated the previous May were to be invited to return. This would give them the opportunity to take any classes they would need for the future or in order to qualify for their NEWTs. Draco was concerned with his mother being alone; however, he was told, she would be placed with her sister as the Order had the home protected. It also informed them that the Manor was under the control of the Ministry and once it had been cleared it would be returned to Draco's possession as the new head of the Malfoy family. At that point Narcissa could return to the home if she wished. There would be little reparations required of the Malfoy family due to the actions of both Narcissa and Draco. Lucius once captured, would be tried for his offenses and most likely receive the kiss as he had already been sent to prison a couple of times and continued to escape. Narcissa and Draco were pleased their actions had saved the family name, at least a little. The letter included articles and releases that acknowledged the actions of both and that without Narcissa's actions Harry Potter would not have survived to see the battle. Apparently the wizarding world was accepting of this and was not demanding their blood. Draco arrived at the school via the floo in McGonagall's office as there was a fear of him traveling by train. Lucius was still on the loose.
When he arrived he was amazed at how much of the school had already been repaired. He offered his services to assist in the rebuild since the rest of the students would not arrive for a week and sitting alone in the dorm did not sound appealing. Draco had never worked so hard and had never felt so much accomplishment. The school was ready a couple days before everyone arrived. In those few quiet days, Draco found himself reflecting on his life and choices. He felt there was much for which he needed atonement. Before fully berating himself he decided some time with his Godfather was needed. He was sitting in McGonagall's office speaking with Severus when the floo blazed to life and Hermione popped in. At first she was shocked to see him there but in the blink of an eye she had him in a hug.
"Draco! I didn't know you were already here. If I had I would have come back when Minerva first mentioned it. I hope the summer wasn't too boring." Her eyes were full of excitement and something else that Draco could not quite identify. Her eyes seemed to be reflecting some unknown light as she looked into Draco's eyes. Draco was at a loss for how to react, the pull he felt for the girl only increased as she held him. Luckily Hermione was far too excited about being back to notice his lack of response.
"Professors how are you both?" Hermione looked to the portraits with a little more remorse and sadness than was necessary. At least Draco thought. They may no longer be among the living but the portraits allowed them to be part of the world still. Snape looked at the Gryffindor and smirked. Dumbledore was beyond happy to see her back on the grounds.
"Hermione you should have come when Minerva contacted you. There was not a reason for you to have spent this much time alone. Please do not feel that you have to handle everything by yourself. We are here for you, always." Draco was confused. What did he mean she was alone? She was with Potter and Weasley. Hermione was looking at her shoes.
"Professor, I just thought...". There was an unexpected catch in her voice and a shuddering breath. "Can we not talk about this now? Please?"
Hermione was not one to plead or beg but yet she was. She was also shaking. Draco knew what she would want Potter or Weasley to do so he did it. He walked up and gave her hug. Instantly she pushed him away and looked at him with nothing but abject fear. She was slowly backing away while her eyes were darting across the room. Draco had the strong suspicion that she was looking for an escape. He knew that she didn't want him to touch her; this fact hurt him immensely. He quickly bid farewell and escaped the office.
Draco had been offered a quasi-teaching position with the school. He would be required to take the few classes he needed in order to sit for his NEWTS but the majority of his time would be spent teaching the 1st and 2nd year student's potion classes. He had always excelled in the course and regardless if Snape gave him preference he was one of the most knowledgeable wizards in the subject. In addition to his personal coursework and teaching he would be expected to work with the Head Boy and prefects. The majority of the responsibility would fall to the true 7th years but he would be there with experience and guidance. He wondered how he would be received but apparently McGonagall believed he could do this.
The castle, being senescent, had created a dorm for Draco. It was similar to what he expected the Head Dorms to be like. The common room was large and comfortable. There was a fireplace with a smallish seating area, two desks and book cases. The bathroom was larger than the prefect one and had both a large tub and shower. There were two sinks and mirrors. Draco realized that he would be sharing the space with someone else. He didn't know who it would be as the other room was still under the protection wards and he could not enter. Not that he cared as he intended to spend most of his time in the potions lab.
Severus had been difficult and scary for most students but the reason was apparent; potions were dangerous and the students needed to be focused. Draco could be fierce; however, he wanted the students to be able to come to him if they needed help. Severus had always been available to him. He was going to do whatever he could to honor the name and memory of his godfather.
After the scene with Hermione and Draco's heart being ripped from his chest; he had quickly made his way to the dorm and sat in his room sulking. He decided the best option would be to avoid Hermione Granger. He knew now, for him, personally, the year would be long and lonely. Very few of his former associates would be welcomed and those that were may not actually come back to school. Given their experiences since the war it wouldn't surprise him.
At dinner that night McGonagall informed both Draco and Hermione that they had both been offered the same type quasi-faculty position and it would be announced at the Welcoming Dinner. Hermione would teach 1st and 2nd year Transfiguration while Draco had Potions. They would be sharing one of the unused head student dorms as they were still students the use of faculty rooms was prohibited. They were also expected to get along. Both were aware of their individual appointments; however, they did not know of the other. Avoiding Hermione just became astronomically more difficult.
The next day he had avoided the common room and her. He roamed the corridors until he had walked them all. He then went to the potion's lab and started to prepare for his first class. He needed to make sure everything he needed was stocked. It was well after midnight when he headed back to his dorm; he assumed she would be asleep. He woke before dawn. At lunch he hoped that she would be in the Great Hall eating thus allowing him to get to his room and nap before dinner. However, fate had it in for Draco this day; he found her studying in decidedly non-traditional clothes. She was sitting in the common room in a pair of shorts and a tank top. What was more fantastic and horrible for Draco was how the shorts barely covered her bottom and the tank top showed the tops of her perfect breasts. Draco stood frozen to his spot and couldn't take his eyes off of her.
She had not noticed his arrival and seemed to be having difficulty with whatever she was reading. He remembered this look and knew soon she would start to gnaw on her lower lip. This was not going to end well for him. He began to feel stirrings that would make escaping difficult and decidedly painful. His brain was telling him to slip back out of the portrait and into the hall for another session of roaming. His physical reaction was unstoppable and by the time his brain decided they should leave, his growing erection would not allow him to walk more than a few paces without severe pain. The body and brain did agreed he needed to get to his room. They each had a different plan on how to send the time alone however.
His feet, at least, started to listen to his brain and agreed to move. Unfortunately they refused to be graceful or quiet and kicked the coffee table. The pain in his foot and shin had him on the floor. Hermione heard the kick and the sound of a body falling to the floor. She looked up and immediately ran to see if he was ok. Draco had to keep his eyes shut, she was leaning over him and if he opened his eyes he would have a clear shot down her shirt. He could not be responsible for his actions if he looked.
"Draco, are you ok? Gods open your eyes!" Hermione was pulling on Draco thinking he had passed out. Draco responded while keeping his eyes shut.
"I'm fine. Just go back to your studying and I'll go to my room." Draco's internal fight to maintain his self- control was worse than anything he had experienced during his childhood. He had been taught to never show his emotions; never to admit your weaknesses. Having her so close and so, almost, naked was killing him. All he wanted to do was grab her and not let go. He could feel the heat radiating from her body as she leaned into him.
"Draco what is wrong? Why haven't you spoken to me?" Her voice was getting softer and started to break as she questioned him. He could feel that she was no longer hovering over him but sitting next to him. He could open his eyes now, right? Draco opened his eyes to see Hermione crying again. After her earlier response he did not know how to react. He sat up and moved away to give her space.
"Hermione please don't cry. I promise I won't touch you again. I'm sorry about that. I'm trying to keep my distance – maybe McGonagall can get me a room somewhere else. Maybe I can take Snape's old room...you won't have to see me then." Hermione was stunned. She hadn't realized her reaction to him the day before was the reason he was avoiding her. She needed to fix it and fix it now. She decided it was best to be honest. Well as honest as she needed to be. She still wasn't ready to have that conversation yet. She was still having a hard time accepting it.
"I miss having you in my life Draco." This stunned the blonde. 'She missed me?'
"Draco, I'm a little wary after everything this summer and when you hugged me, I was, well, surprised and I didn't react well. I'm so sorry. I wasn't pulling away from you, I swear. I could never push you away; I was having a flashback of sorts and I didn't see you. It was...well...it was someone else I saw. Please don't be mad at me. I'm not sure I can lose you too." Hermione threw herself into his arms. He was really stunned now. His grip on her tightened; he had forgotten how warm and soft she was. He could feel her tears dripping onto his neck as she pulled herself closer to him. Her breath tickled his skin.
"It's ok. Please don't cry. I won't go anywhere. I'm here for you. Just like Potter and Weasley." At this her tears increased as did her sobs. "What's wrong? What did I do wrong Hermione? I hate being the one that causes you to cry." Draco was having a difficult time understanding what was happening. He never handled crying witches well.
"Draco please don't worry, it will all be ok. I just needed to get some tears out. None of this was your fault. I promise you that. One day...one day I will be able to explain it all. Just not today, please." Hermione pulled up as she spoke. Draco nodded and they looked into each other's eyes. He had missed her deeply. There was something new flickering in their eyes. Neither truly understood but they saw it and hugged the other all the more tightly.
Hermione tried to stifle her tears with little success and Draco just kept holding her but decided to not say anything else for fear of causing another bout of tears. They stayed on the floor until they heard the arrival of the other students. Hermione stood, took a deep breath and suddenly her sadness was gone. Draco could see her emotion, it still raged in her eyes, but she had learned to bury them in her facial expressions. They nodded to each other and went to their rooms to change before heading to the Great Hall for dinner. Both were told they could wear their old robes; however, as professors and not the heads of their houses they should think if it would be something they thought would be proper. In the end they both decided that while they were loyal to their houses they needed to distance themselves from the house rivalry, if only for their students.
While changing into his uniform and robes, Draco decided that something happened to Hermione and it must involve Scarhead and Weasel-King. He didn't know what, but it was something bad considering how she reacted when he mentioned their names. He watched as the Gryffindors walked into the Hall to meet their friend. The youngest Weasley ran to Hermione and hugged her tightly. Draco couldn't hear everything she said but it had sounded like how much Hermione was missed.
'She had only been gone for a couple days. Wait what was it Dumbledore's portrait had said. Wasn't it something about being alone so long?'
Draco was going to have to talk to Snape about it. Potter came in next and hugged her tightly. She responded much as she had to the Weaslette. Hermione looked to see the Weasel next and she stiffened. She quickly grabbed Potter's hand and pulled them to the table she sat herself between Weaselette and Potter. She hadn't acknowledged Weasley in the slightest. So he did something to make her cry. Draco was going to enjoy destroying him for hurting what was his. That was the first moment Draco suspected something was wrong. He just didn't realize how wrong things had become in those few short months since the war had ended.
Draco's memories ended quickly as Poppy re-entered the room. He was no longer thinking about how to make Weasley pay or the changes that had happened over the last 7 months; what Draco was thinking about as he watched Poppy open Hermione's perfect lips and pour the wake up potion into Hermione's mouth, was Hermione between his legs and her perfect red lips wrapped around his cock. She was looking at him with eyes full of desire. His fingers were tangled in her hair. He started to wrap her ever frizzy locks around his hands.
Her normal chocolate brown eye color had darkened with lust. She was continuing to bob up and down on his shaft taking him fully into her hot, wet mouth. She was caressing his balls with a gentle yet firm hand. In his mind he was getting close, he could feel a tightening in his groin. He was thrusting into her perfect mouth and his hands buried themselves in her hair.
As she descended she took him deep into her throat. She gave a little swallow. In his mind he groaned as she started to slide back toward his now super sensitive head. She gave a little suck before licking the head like a lollipop. He could feel her breath on his overheated skin as she started each upstroke. "Merlin, please don't stop." She was not able to respond and hummed something to him. The vibration went straight from cock to the pit of his stomach and then to his balls. He had started biting his tongue to stop his groan as his imagination continued the best blow job he had ever had.
A smirk slowly made its way across his lips as he neared the finish of his fantasy; this was when Hermione started to stir. Her movements pushed his fantasies from his mind; however they did nothing for the erection that was now straining the fabric of his pants. He had put a disillusionment spell so that it was not so obvious what was really on his mind.
Brown eyes met stormy grey.