Author's Note: Hey guys! I HAVEN'T ABANDONED THIS STORY, I PROMISE! I'm so sorry I haven't been posting regularly (more like haven't posted for several months... eeek!), I have been so incredibly busy at school, no-one ever told me Form 6 was this hard. And the worst part? It only gets harder from here on out. -_- Anyway, away from depressing topics. HERE IT IS. FINALLY. It took me weeks and weeks of on-off writing, editing, and all-round general thinking up of words to fill out the skeleton (the plan. I have a plan for this one. WOOO) of my story, but here it is. I really hope you guys enjoy, the next chapter should be up relatively soonish (I probably said that about the last one, and although that was an unintentional lie, I'm actually serious about this particular claim. I've already written about a third of the third chapter, so, study permitting, it should be up within the next few weeks. Anyway, do enjoy!
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Dumbledore,
It has been over a quarter of a year now, and this charade is becoming tiresome. Why can't I tell Granger that I am on her side? We may not like each other, but her believing I have been exiled from the Death Eaters makes this living condition very difficult. She constantly believes she is superior to me, and she doesn't trust me. If I cannot tell her, at the very least, can you? Can somebody? I am getting frustrated, and lying on such a frequent basis is an incredible strain on me, health included. If I'm honest with you... I haven't been eating and I've been having trouble sleeping. I will have to tell her eventually, you and I both know that. We'll have to tell all of the Order. Am I not allowed to tell anyone because it would ruin your happy little elite team? Am I not good enough to be a full member yet? Everyone knows about Severus, why I am I any different? Help me understand, Dumbledore. I need to understand.
D.M.
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"You're looking..." Hermione watched Draco with a scrutinizing gaze. Haggard, tired, stressed... "Thin. Really thin."
"Oh... uh... really?" Draco said distractedly, turning a page of the Daily Prophet and accidentally knocking over his fresh cup of coffee. Hermione watched his hasty wand movements as he cleaned up the spill, his pale gray eyes darting to the darkened window.
"You've never done that before." said Hermione, absently thinking out loud.
"Done what-?"
"Knocked over your coffee. or just been clumsy in general. And I mean you weren't exactly a sumo wrestler before, but now... do you even eat anymore? I don't think I've seen you eat a full plate of food since the first night here, and your main diet consists of coffee and cornflakes on yoghurt. Not only is that... weird, but it's... not you, I guess. Or maybe it is? But you're always so... cool. Calm and collected. Nothing ruffles Mr. Draco Malfoy. But something is ruffling you now. You can tell me." His eyes met hers and their gazes locked; suddenly Hermione found it hard to breathe under his intense mercurial stare, couldn't stop her eyes darting quickly to his very slightly curved lips. "Is it because your silly Death Eaters kicked you out and you want to be with them again?" Something flashed in his eyes and was gone just as quickly, and Hermione saw Draco shake his head imperceptibly, his lips pressing into a hard line as his expression turned to stone.
The look on her face was so smug Draco felt his fists clench beneath the table and stood abruptly.
"I need to... go."
Before I do something I regret.
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Light bled from the street lamps into the sea, as if the darkened roads were supported only by thin yellow beams of light in the darkness. Draco stood alone at the edge of the sand, watching the waves roll off his boots and pale moonlight glint off the broken glass that was littered around the beach, crunching underfoot. He shoved his hands deeper into his dark trench coat pockets, frowning slightly at the nip of frost that was seeping into his bones.
He'd said he needed to go out; he needed to clear his head. But as he looked out across the vast ocean, he realised how impossible that was. And he laughed. A quiet chuckle, the laughter of one who is doomed by a terrible secret only they know. How could he possibly clear his head? He was so busy managing a double life he had no time to ponder such frivolous things. And Granger...
"Fucking Granger." he said to no-one in particular, angrily grinding his teeth and kicking a shell into a tangle of kelp. She was the spanner in the works, the one who was unravelling him like an old woollen jumper. She was ruining his careful equilibrium that he had worked so many years to craft and balance. Granger was too smart for her own good. Why Dumbledore had made them live together he had no clue: she was like a dog with a bone, and once she caught wind of something, she wouldn't let it go until she knew every last sordid detail. And he still couldn't tell her anything!
He would have to choose: loyalty or self-preservation.
He would have to choose soon, because the strain was tearing him apart.
Draco sighed heavily, heading over to a nearby bench and seating himself with a soft thud, putting his head in his hands. It was getting too much. The strain of constantly lying was getting to him. It had been three months now, and things were getting more dangerous than Draco could ever have imagined.
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"Now, my fellow Death Eaters," said a cold voice, echoing around the cavernous room. "Let us remember how Lucius Malfoy died. Let us remember how the Aurors killed him after his failed attempt at taking the Mudblood girl. Draco here," red eyes darted to Draco, who inclined his head solemnly. "Saw him before he died. What did he say, Draco?"
A deep breath. "He told me not to be a coward like he was."
Silence reverberated off the cold stone walls, making the next words even more piercing.
"And a better Death Eater you shall be."
"Excuse me mister? Sir? Can you move along please? Sir?"
Draco awoke with a start, bleary-eyed and stiff: he had fallen asleep on the bench. "Sorry." He mumbled, standing up with aching limbs and sweeping down his trenchcoat, brushing the sand from his dishevelled hair. "I just fell asleep." An involuntary shiver made him twitch slightly as details of his dream crept to the surface. The bobby looked him up and down, his careful, assessing gaze lingering over the pale blonde mess shadowing Draco's bloodshot eyes.
"Hmm. Just move along sonny, there's a good lad."
"Have a good day, sir." Draco said, distracting him with a polite incline of his head while slipping his wand out of his sleeve. "Obliviate."
He turned and walked away swiftly, head down, eyes averted. He couldn't have policemen sniffing around for some random albino man as well as having to balance the Death Eaters and the Aurors. There is way too much on my plate... His mood soured.
"Where were you?"
"Leave me a-fucking-lone, Granger." He pushed past her in the doorway, cracking his knuckles and storming to his room. He didn't look angry, but the air seemed to crackle with pent up frustration as he brushed past Hermione, slamming his door behind him. She shut the front door quietly, picking up an unopened letter from the shelf next to it, and tentatively walked over to his door. Hermione could hear zips sliding and papers being crumpled behind the thick wood. She knocked.
"Malfoy...?"
There was silence. "You're making me sound like a fucking teenager. I said go away. I thought you were a smart girl. Fuck off."
"Fine." she rolled her eyes impatiently, brushing his rudeness aside. "All I wanted to say was that an owl came while you were out last night. It was from Dumbledore. But I don't know what he would want with scum like you." she added as an afterthought, a sneer that Malfoy himself would be proud of adorning her face. "He's probably kicking you out or someth-"
The door flew open. "Did you say it was from Dumbledore, Granger?"
His hair was even messier than it was when he had walked in, and Hermione caught herself staring at it, admiring the effortlessness of the messy style. Then she realized what she was doing, and only just stopped herself from blushing furiously. Admiring Draco Malfoy? Not likely. She focused instead on the brightness that had returned to his wild gray eyes, and the genuinely hopeful expression on his drawn face.
"Yes, well, isn't that what I just said? Are your ears painted on, Malfoy?!"
"No, I- Dumbledore? When did it come?"
"Last night, like I said-"
A smile curved his lips. "Thank you, Hermione."
The door slammed shut again.
Hermione...? He called me Hermione...?
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Draco tore into the letter, his eyes darting back and forth across the page as he rapidly absorbed the words on the page. His face fell.
Draco,
Dumbledore told me of your plight, and I have to agree with him. One person (in our case three) can keep a secret. Many can keep a secret, but then it is no longer a secret. We must choose carefully who we tell, Draco, because if someone is ever captured and tortured for information and your name is spoken, your very life could be in perilous danger, as we both know. The Dark Lord is a very dangerous foe, and we must take extra precautions against him. I do not want you to endanger yourself. But, your life is already in danger due to stress and your insomnia. You need to eat and sleep; you need to be healthy. This will sound idiotic, but look after each other. Judging from the letter you sent to Dumbledore, I'm surprised you haven't already got anorexia or malnutrition or something like that. Let Granger look after you, look after each other, and let her see that you are not a bad person. You aren't a bad man, Draco, and I think it's high time you accepted that as truth. So, I agree with Dumbledore: no, you cannot tell her. Yet.
Severus Snape
He shook his head. "This is fucking bullshit!" he shouted, crumpling the letter in his fist and throwing it against the door. Draco ran a hand through his untidy hair, his eyes murderous. This wasn't from Dumbledore at all! Snape is fucking good, I'll give him that. He knew I wouldn't read it if it said it was from him... smart son of a bitch.
"Fucking hell! God fucking damn it!"
Hermione stood outside the door, listening to his cursing curiously. "Malfoy?"
"What?!" his pale blonde head out. His happy expression before had been replaced with an exasperated one.
"Wh... nevermind. Sorry. I shouldn't have bothered you, I know you want to be left alone." Hermione turned to walk away, but a long-fingered hand caught her shoulder. She turned to look at his unreadable expression.
"Look, I... I'm not used to sharing, being an only child and all, you know how that is." He stopped to consider. "Actually, maybe you don't, if you have siblings. Anyway, sharing isn't a strong point, especially... especially with someone who was my... well. Someone who I despised for a good chunk of my life." His mind drifted to the letter. I'm not going to get her to look after me or whatever. Fuck Snape. "It's... difficult, but I want to get over it. We can live together as equals, right? You've surely figured out by now that I'm not going to kill you in your sleep or cart you off to the Dark Lord. So..." He held out his hand.
It was the worst cover up Hermione had ever heard, but she decided not to push the issue further: he was making an effort. "You want to be friends?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.
Draco's eyebrow quirked. "I was thinking more along the lines of acquaintances."
"Oh. Um..." Her hand hovered over his awkwardly. "Acquaintances, then." She took his surprisingly warm hand and shook it.
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Hermione sat at the tiny table in the kitchen, watching Draco carefully arranging chicken on a crisp, green salad, adorning it with generous amounts of dressing and crispy noodles. She had to give it to him; he was a superb cook. Better than she'd previously given him credit for. Her gaze wandered from the food up his pale arms, lightly dusted with fair hair, to his rolled up black sleeves, then up to his lovely, pale gray eyes-
Their gazes locked, and for a split-second, both Draco and Hermione froze, unsure what to do. Then the lights went out. There was a strained silence, and then:
"Well, fuck." said Draco, fumbling for his wand. "Another bloody power-cut? This electricity business is shit! If only we could somehow rig this place up magically..." As he ranted, he lit up his wand and peered over at Hermione, who had lit hers too. "Are you all right?" he said, raising an eyebrow.
Hermione rolled her eyes and cast her gaze down. "I'm fine. I guess we'll have to eat by wand light until they get the power up and running again.
"Fabulous." Draco said sarcastically, putting a dish in front of her and setting a place opposite her as he sat down.
Dinner was an oddly intimate occasion. Sitting together like this reminded Hermione of happier times like this with Ron. Except it had been with vanilla candles, and rose petals and- before that had happened. With her. And it was right before this bloody War too! Didn't he have a brain? Or a heart? Or just-
Draco must've noticed a change in her mood because he set his fork down and started watching her face intently as she pushed her food around on her plate, suddenly not hungry.
"Granger? Hello? Earth to Granger?"
"What?" she said huffily, looking up at him with a scowl.
His amused smirk faded, and his eyebrows gathered together as he tried to puzzle her out. "Granger, why are you upset?"
"I'm not upset." Hermione said stiffly, standing up and picking up her uneaten salad. "Thanks for cooking, I-"
Draco shook his head and placed his hand on her forearm, leaning towards her. "Granger, just..." He seemed lost for words. "Stay. Talk to me about it." He cocked his head to the side at her expression, his lips twitching. "I'm not a bad listener. And it looks like you need someone to talk to." Woah-ho-ho, hold up! Since when was I offering to listen to Granger babble on about frivolous things in her life?! Since now, apparently. He mentally facepalmed.
"I..." Hermione was teetering on the edge of sitting back down again and spilling everything, he could see it in her eyes. But then she blinked, and the vulnerability was gone, replaced with a distrust so intense it stung Draco. He took his hand off her forearm as if it had burned him and moved away from her, his spine straightening. Before she could say any more, he escaped to the kitchen sink and pretended he was washing the dishes. He could've kicked himself. How could he have been so stupid?
"Nevermind. Forget I asked." His tone was cold and flat, devoid of any emotion. Stupid to do that, what the fuck was I thinking? Honestly, Draco, you've lost your mind!
"Malfoy, I just... don't want to talk about it. It's private."
He glanced back at her, a wry smile on his face as he saw the distrust still clearly painted over her face. "Uh-huh."
"War makes people stupid and idiotic and it makes them do things I'm sure they wouldn't do usually." Hermione huffed out, storming out of the kitchen.
A voice, so quiet that Hermione wasn't even sure he had spoken, drifted into the dining room, making her turn in suprprise.
"War makes monsters of men."
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The atmosphere in the house was frosty after that night, and Hermione decided she would avoid Draco some more and write Harry a letter. Seating herself in the sofa next to the crackling fire, she tucked her feet up under her and began to write.
Dear Harry,
How are you? I'm... fine. I think. I'm still trying to get over my parents' deaths, and that, I think, is the hardest part. Along with Ron. Is he happy? I hope he's fucking perfect- here, the parchment was covered in angry ink blotches- you can tell him that from me. The tone of the words changed. I'm just sad, Harry. Why did he do that? Why? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt him? I don't know. Anyway, how's the Horcrux hunting going? Have you even left Grimmauld Place yet? You know you can't plan forever, Harry. I wish I could help you, I really do. Anyway, I don't think this message can be too long: you know how it is. So I'll send you another letter soon. Good luck Harry. I miss you.
Love, Hermione
Draco watched Hermione from the doorway, leaning against the frame and folding his arms loosely over his chest. He wondered who she was writing the letter to; it had to be either Potter or her beloved Weasel. He felt a strange twinge of jealousy pass through him, but he brushed it aside as a residue of his feelings for her back at Hogwarts. You're over that now. Get a grip, Draco. Just because you haven't been laid for god knows how long, doesn't mean you have to jump the first woman who gets too close to you. But as he watched her curls ripple as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, he felt himself still drawn to her.
"Hey Granger. Who're you writing to?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin, and her ink flew everywhere as she sprung to her feet and twisted to face Draco. "You!" she shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Why did you do that?!"
"I was just curious, Granger."
"Well you didn't have to just suddenly speak like that, you know. You could've-"
"Calm down Granger, it's-"
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down-"
"Seriously, Granger, you need to stop getting so touchy-"
"I'M NOT TOUCHY!"
"Jeez, Granger, it's not like you found out I was cheating on you or something," he rolled his eyes. "Cool it." When he realised she wasn't going to cut him off again, Draco narrowed his eyes at her shrewdly. All of a sudden, something dawned upon him. "Oh." He said quietly, his eyes filling with knowledge. He felt slightly sick. "Oh I see. That's it, isn't it?"
"What's it?" Hermione said hastily, ready to deny anything and everything he threw at her.
"He cheated on you, didn't he Granger?" He said, his eyes meeting hers, a raised eyebrow daring her to disagree.
Hermione looked on slightly smugly. He hadn't quite hit the nail on the head, but he was close. Still, she wouldn't say yes to anything. "Nope."
"What? Really?" He looked disappointed and a little sad. "Hmm. Well something happened, I know it."
"Something happened with who?" she said acidly. "The milkman?"
"Well, that could've happened, you never know with some people." Draco said, a smirk stealing over his face. "But I reckon it was you, Weaselbee and..." His eyes narrowed in concentration. "Patil? No... hmm... Brown. I bet it was Brown." He watched Hermione carefully as the smugness dripped off her face like syrup. "Aha! I knew it! Care to share, Granger?"
"No." She said, fury stiffening her tone as she pressed her lips together primly. "That is my private business, Malfoy, between me, Ronald and Lavender, so get stuffed!"
"Aww, come on." He said, following her down the hallway as she leapt off the couch and stalked to her room. "I just want to talk, Gran-" The door was slammed in his face, but that didn't deter him. "I bet... you and Weasel were together- wait. He didn't cheat on you... hmmm... but that would only mean..." He gasped in mock surprise. "Granger, you were fucking a taken man! Scandalous!"
The door was opened again and a loud thud echoed off the walls of the hall as a hand reached out and slapped Draco in the face. "Shut up!" Hermione yelled, her cheeks scarlet with rage. "Just shut up! I don't want to hear about it anymore!"
Draco seemed to realise he had crossed a line, because he attempted to apologise. "Look, Granger, I didn't mean to-"
"I don't want to hear it."
"Seriously, Granger, I'm sorry. I didn't realise-"
"Exactly. You didn't know anything. You don't know anything."
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When she woke, she found a stack of pancakes, bacon and eggs on a tray on the bedside table, accompanied by a note. Hermione picked it up curiously.
Granger,
I'm sorry about last night. I didn't want to... hurt you, I guess. Sorry. You're right, it's your business. Are we still acquaintances? I'll be out all day so break a leg. Enjoy.
D.M.
Draco himself, was once again at the Manor.
"How nice of you to visit again."
"My Lord." He inclined his head respectfully. "I have news on the whereabouts of Harry Potter." Thank Merlin Dumbledore knows and told me a good place to lead the Death Eaters off the trail. If they catch him, I'm as good as dead...
Red eyes stared coldly back at Draco, a flicker of approval sparking them. "Ah, do you? Where might he be?"
"My sources tell me he has been seen near the Forest of Dean."
"Then we shall go, and we shall see what magical traces he has left behind. Come, Draco. We will go now, and take Bellatrix with us."
Draco's aunt materialized suddenly from the shadows, a malicious smile on her face. "Hello, Draco darling," she cooed, walking a circle around him and trailing her fingers down his the side of his face, stopping next to Voldemort. "I heard about Lucius' death. What a shame." Her lips pouted, but her eyes were full of a maniacal glee. "He was a stupid man anyway; you are a much better version of him. You'll do better than he ever did, I am sure of it."
"Thank you, Aunt Bella." Another bow of his head.
"Let us leave, now." said Voldemort. They touched hands, twisted, and were gone.
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"Where-?"
"Bella can trace him, do not worry, Draco." Voldemort flicked his hands carelessly at Draco's aunt.
"Of course, my Lord." She waved her wand and muttered something while Draco watched on, chin raised and eyes darting from Voldemort to the air around them, always cautious, always watching.
"Aha! Here!" Bellatrix pointed to a spot of glowing red light on a fallen tree trunk. "He was here, my Lord! This is Harry Potter's trace, I am sure of it!"
"Well done, Bella." Voldemort said in a flat monotone. "We may be able to track him through this. I commend you, Draco. Your sources are very accurate. How do you do it?" Shrewd, calculating eyes watched him.
"I have my ways." Draco said without missing a beat, keeping his face expressionless. Twirling his wand between his fingers, he added quietly, "torturing isn't beyond my methods."
"Indeed."
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Hermione moped, which was very unlike her usual self. She felt lost and empty without Draco's presence; he always kept her on her toes, and she didn't like the way they had ended the previous night. She wandered around the empty house with no objective in mind, not wanting to think about the details of her and Draco's conversation. She didn't want to think about Lavender, to think about Ron, to think about anything. Hours went by as she took up residence on the sofa, too depressed even to light the fire. Night soon arrived on the edges of shadows shimmering with stars, and Hermione decided to cleanse herself by having a bath.
She undressed slowly, distracted by a book she had picked up from her room on the way. Settling into the hot water, Hermione put it down and closed her eyes, inhaling the rich scent of cinnamon and apples from the bubble bath as memories seeped to the front of her unguarded mind.
"Hermione?"
She looked up, smiling at her flame-haired fiance. "Yes, Ron?"
He arrived in the kitchen, putting his left arm in his coat as he kissed the top of her forehead. "I'm just going out, love. I'll be back soon. I love you, 'Mione."
Her smile was small, but radiant. "I love you too, sweetheart."
Later, when he had gone, Hermione decided to go out to one of the little cafes in Diagon Alley; there was also a lovely bookshop she'd seen but hadn't entered yet. Today would be the day she would explore it. Wrapping a scarf around her neck and pulling a cream-coloured beanie over her unruly curls, she stepped out of their house and twisted, leaving nothing but footprints to show where she'd been.
She appeared in the cobbled street, watching her breath rise in puffs in front of her. Smiling, she saw the bookstore ahead and made a beeline for it, enjoying the sound of the soft crunch of snow beneath her feet. Once inside, the warmth of the nearby fire swept through her, making her smile widen.
It slipped a little when she realised she hadn't seen the flash of gold that matched hers on his left hand when he'd left that morning.
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Once her bag was full to bursting with heavy tomes, Hermione wended her way over to the tiny cafe, walking past the window of a fancy restaurant. A red-headed man was on one knee in front of a mousy-haired woman whose eyes were shining with delight and happiness. The ring was gold, interspersed with rubies and diamonds in the shape of flowers. It was ornate and delicate, and very beautiful. Cute, she thought, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she walked past. It reminded her of when Ron had proposed to her...
Hermione stopped dead. When Ron had proposed to her. In a fancy restaurant. Red hair. It's a co-incidence! Bile rising in her throat, she walked backwards past the large window again, closing her eyes and drawing in a deep breath.
Kneeling in front of Lavender Brown was her fiance. Her fiance. Ron. Hermione stumbled away, tears stinging her eyes as she felt her knees buckle. No no no no no no not Ron no!
Cool hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her to her feet. "Hermione? What are you doing here? I thought you were at home-"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She screamed, shoving Ron away and rubbing at her eyes frantically. "DON'T COME NEAR ME!" She could feel her heart tearing, ripping into shreds the longer he stood there. Hermione felt the hot tears cooling on her face as she said, "I don't want you to come near me! Stay out of my house! Stay away from me! Don't touch me with your filthy hands ever again, Ronald Weasley! Next time, I won't be responsible for my actions. I will-"
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"Hermione? Hermione!"
There was a loud crash and a moment later a pair of warm, strong hands pulled her up out of the depths of the stone cold bathtub, and Hermione's lungs burned for the air she'd been accidentally depriving them of.
Her head lolled to the side as the hands dragged her out of the water and onto the tiles, the deep voice calling her name becoming more and more desperate.
Hermione wanted to call out to the man, to say something, but she couldn't move any of her muscles, she didn't have the strength to scream.
"Don't you dare die on me!" The voice growled in her ear, as he began to pump his hands rhythmically on her chest. She could feel the darkness seeping into the edges of her hazy vision, leaving gaping black holes in place of the image of her saviour's face. It was pulling her under, he wouldn't be able to save her...
"Don't give up on me! Come on, you're so much stronger than this!" He roared, hands still compressing her chest. Then his soft lips came down on hers as he breathed air into her lungs like they were deflated balloons. "Please. Please!" His voice broke on the last word and she felt his breath tickle her cheek. He seemed to suddenly realise he was a wizard, because a minute later his hands came off her and there was the sound of wood against the tile floor as he dropped his wand. He picked it up and pointed it at her. "Renervate!" He had never been more fearful in his entire life, his heart racing in his chest.
The first breath Hermione took felt like the most precious one of her life. She coughed all the water out and inhaled deep lungfuls as her vision cleared and she found herself in the middle of the bathroom floor, a dripping Draco Malfoy breathing heavily through his nose as he sat with his back against the wall. Then she noticed the crimson smears littering the walls and floor and felt rising panic as she looked over and saw that Draco was covered in it. Blood dyed his fair hair a rusty shade in some places, and his torn white shirt clung to his lean, muscular body where it was wet with water and dark red stains.
"Draco?"
He looked up, seemingly startled by her speech. "I- yeah?"
"Why is there blood everywhere?"
If it was possible for Draco to pale even more, he did so. All the blood ran from his face, but as he stared at Hermione, it began to rush somewhere else, a heated flush creeping up his whole body. His mind kept conjuring up images of them together, doing something much more fun than what they were doing now. He tried unsuccessfully to block them out because it was distracting having images of her body flashing through his head. "Before I explain, I- uh, here." He thrust her a towel, his eyes averted. Hermione snatched it up, swaddling herself in the decadent fluffiness, watching him all the while. "Sorry I forgot to get you a towel, I was-"
"Too busy trying to save my life." Hermione was in shock, not only from nearly dying and then waking to see blood everywhere, but because Draco Malfoy, of all people, had saved her life. He had saved her life! This was such a feat to comprehend Hermione nearly passed out with the strain. "I guess... well... thank you. Thank you so much for saving me. How did you even know I was in here? I thought you said you'd be out-"
"I did, but I arrived back here and called out. You weren't anywhere. So I knocked on the bathroom door, and when you didn't reply I..." His eyes darted to the splintered door hanging off its hinges, then back to his hands, which were folded in his lap. "Well. Yeah." He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the enticing images that seeing her body had elicited. Soon his thoughts would be very obvious, and Draco shifted subconsciously to bring his knees to his chest, covering his interest in her. He could still hear her moaning in ecstasy in the back of his mind, and it was bringing him to the limits his self control. Stop it Draco. This is getting fucking ridiculous. She almost died for Merlin's sake!
There was silence as Draco tried to avert his eyes from the way the towel fitted to every curve of her luscious body and Hermione tried to comprehend the compassion and honour the man before her seemed to have. She gazed up at him from under her lashes. "Thank you, Draco, from the bottom of my heart."
Draco felt the clichéd fuzzy feeling inside him when she said his name. Her voice caressed every syllable, and he felt intense heat course through him, leaving him aching with a dizzyingly powerful need. He wanted her to say it more, to scream it, even, as he-
"I, uh, yeah. No problem." Draco said, tearing his mind away from those delicious scenes and returning to the now. He brushed a hand through his hair and winced: he had forgotten about the wounds from the battle he had recently escaped from. He was covered in deep cuts and welts everywhere, including his scalp, which burned from the soap he'd managed to splash into his hair. "You wanted to know about the blood... well... it's mine. I um, got in a bit of a pickle between the Order and the Death Eaters-" he bit his tongue, aware that he'd definitely let slip too much information.
"Order...? How do you-"
"It's raining outside," Draco said desperately, hoping to draw her attention away from the slip of his tongue. "Raining, ha ha. Isn't it always in London? Ha ha ha!" He laughed. And then his laughter stopped abruptly. "I can't do this anymore. I can't." He stood stiffly and left, leaving Hermione alone in the bloodstained bathroom.
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Draco avoided Hermione for the next week. He left her notes about when he was going out, and he made her meals. But she never saw him, and he made damn sure he never saw her. He was confused. Draco no longer hated Muggle-borns or Muggles with the blind passion that had possessed him in his school years. He had hated Granger for her blood, but had always envied Weasel for his ability to charm the brightest and most beautiful witch in their year with only his stupidity and disgusting slovenliness. Hell, if Draco had been able to charm women with only that, he would've had all of them swinging off his arms with his class and intelligence. But of course, there was no respect for Slytherins in this world except in the Darkness.
And now? Now, he was lusting after Granger. Again.
He'd always secretly adored her at Hogwarts: he'd watched the swish of her bushy mane as her slender hand reached for the ceiling when she answered a question in class; the way her eyes sparked with anger whenever he'd mercilessly teased her and her friends; the way she had slapped him across the face in their third year. He was a sucker for girls with fire, smarts, and determination. Girls who were comfortable with themselves, and who showed loyalty beyond measure. Hermione had undone him at school, and now that they lived together, the pull towards her was even stronger. That's what's making it so damn difficult! I like her. Merlin's saggy left y-fronts I like Hermione fucking Granger. Draco groaned and put his head in his hands. I was fine with the whole 'being an Order member and a Death Eater at the same time' thing until... until I began living with her. He sighed, opening his eyes and staring blankly at the kitchen wall. I don't want to lie to her. I hate it. But I have to think about her too, I mean... are she and Weasel...? I... this...
"This isn't going to end well." He said, finishing his thoughts aloud.
"What isn't a going to end well?" Hermione was behind him, he could feel the tendrils of her apple and cinnamon scent wrapping around him, trapping him in his seat. Draco didn't like being trapped one bit. He stood up, still facing the wall.
"Nothing."
"Really?" Hermione stalked towards him, walking around him in a tight circle, watching him stiffen at her nearness. She was wearing a neat, light blue button-up blouse that was tucked into the top of a floaty skirt. She hadn't done all the buttons up, and from his vantage point (Draco thanked Merlin he had been granted the gift of being tall), he could see her bountiful cleavage. Heat surged into his groin area and he suppressed a shudder with great difficulty.
"Nothing at all." His face was expressionless, unreadable. Don't do it Granger, you'll regret my next actions if you keep doing this...
"I don't believe you." Hermione said, stopping right in front of Draco, her honey coloured stare triumphant and challenging. She hadn't been able to quit thinking about him all week: his scent, his strong arms, his warm hands, his eyes, the feel of his lips, silky against hers...
"Well you should. Seriously Granger, just forget it."
"Why?"
Because I work for the Order! I'm on your side! I really like you and want to do you so hard you- "Because it's not worth bothering about. You... it won't matter to you. It doesn't matter to you."
Her gaze turned contemplative. "Try me. I'm a good listener. You can trust me."
Draco snorted, backing away and leaning against the wall and fixing her with a darkly disbelieving look. "Uh-huh."
"No, really, I am." She insisted, coming closer. "I always listen to Harry, and-"
"You should learn to talk sometimes." Draco said quietly, his expression empty. "You want me to trust you, to tell you things I'm not even allowed to speak of in my own mind, when you wouldn't trust me earlier?" He realised how bitter he sounded, but that was beside the point. "I think that's a little bit of a double standard there, Granger." Anger. Anger is good. If I keep being angry I can stop thinking about her.
Hermione looked flustered. "Well that was private-"
"And mine isn't?" Draco interjected, meeting her gaze coolly.
"Well... I supposed you're right."
"I am right."
"Well... look, I'm sorry I didn't 'spill my secrets' before, it's just so... fresh." Draco just made a noise of dismissal. Hermione pressed on, the words tumbling out of her mouth in a gush. "Look, I was engaged to Ronald and then I walked past a fancy restaurant-" Always, I will always remember that it was a fucking fancy restaurant. "- and saw him on his knee with a much flashier and expensive ring than my own. In front of Lavender Brown." There were tears that gathered in her eyes as she spoke, and wiped them angrily away with her fists. "Not that I really care about expensive rings, but I obviously meant nothing to him compared to Lavender. He'd said we didn't have a lot of money to buy a ring, and I was okay with that. I was happy, even, with just a simple gold band because I would be marrying the man I loved. What a joke." Hermione said, laughing scornfully. "There, are you happy now?" The tears kept coming and she looked away from Draco, embarrassed by her little rant. She backed away, but he followed, and soon her back was against the wall, barely an inch between their noses.
"Happy?" She felt his fingers under her chin, drawing her gaze to his. A thumb gently wiped the tears from her left cheek. "No... no I'm not happy." He was furious. Absolutely seething with rage at the stupid Weasel. He had her! She was his and he just blew it! I can't believe he let her slip away like that, the imbecile! When I get my hands on him... "I'm... sorry, Granger."
"Don't be." She said bitterly, trying to twist her head away. Draco's hand held her in place and she got impatient. "Let me go-"
"No. Weasley was a fool giving you up for that skank Lavender Brown." He said quietly, his eyes locked onto hers. "He had you from day one; he had stolen your heart without even realising it all this time! Think of all the clichés you can about being unique and special; they all apply to you. You are the diamond in the rough, the one in a million. You deserve better and so much more than that piece of filth."
Goosebumps rose on Hermione's skin at his words. "Ha ha, Draco." She'd said his name again, and he felt a ripple of pleasure flicker through him. "Like who?"
He realised how right Snape was in that moment. He was a good guy. He deserved good things in life.
And he was going to take them.
"Like me." Draco said, and his lips closed over hers.
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Author's Note: Woo! Second chapter: COMPLETE. I hope you guys enjoyed, finally some Dramione action goin' oowwwwnnnnn! :) (Sorry if there are heaps of mistakes in this or if it doesn't make sense, I was editing it late at night after work, which was probably a terrible idea.) So if you did enjoy, feel free to leave a review for me, and to follow and favourite if you want more! Also, from the next chapter onwards, I will probably be using a Beta, so yeah. EXCITING STUFF. Cool, so thanks for reading!
~Chongy
