I apologize for taking so long to finish this chapter, there is a lot going on and it took quite a while to get it all to fit. Which brings me to the most amazing Alpha/Beta/ FRIEND: SilverLioness you are amazing! You took what I wrote and made is fantastic! Thank you so much!

Thank you to all who have read, commented, added to your favorites list, bookmarked and left kudos without you guys I would not be attempting to write this massive story.

There are flashbacks from Harry and mentions of the torture and threatened rape Hermione endured at Malfoy Manor, you are properly warned! If you leave nasty comments because you were not aware of what was going to happen I will laugh because I DID tell you.

As always, I do NOT own Harry Potter or anything associated with Harry Potter I simply play in Ms. Rowlings playground.

Chapter 4: Broken Dreams

"Is this really necessary?" Harry whined as he adjusted the collar on the formal set of wizarding robes that Lucius insisted he wear to Gringotts.

"Yes, Lord Potter-Black it is, if you want to be able to assume the Lordship of both houses and effectively claim both seats on the Wizengamot you will need to dress the part. You will find soon enough being the Saviour of the Wizarding world only reaches as far as people desire to remember and only as long as the Daily Prophet keeps reminding them," Lucius stated blatantly knowing exactly how much Harry hated dressing up but it was a necessary evil, especially if the young heir wanted to be taken seriously.

"Are you ready yet, Mr Potter?" Severus said growing more impatient by the second; he had never been a patient man, especially with the spawn of James Potter and the inheritor of Sirius Black.

"Severus!" Hermione said disapprovingly,she did understand why Severus was impatient but the simple fact was Harry remained even more socially inept than Severus at times; he did not have twenty years of experience hiding his emotions to the point of absurdity and he had even less experience acting like a proper Pureblood heir. The fact Harry was now expected to take the Lordships of two of the more powerful Wizarding families gave Harry the desire to vomit and run away from Britain, (not necessarily in that order), Hermione watched her friend fidget in his robes. He had often joked in the past few weeks that he wished to live a life of solitude in the Swiss Alps with wooly goats and Crumpled-Horned Snorkacks, have a brood of children with a woman who had no idea who the hell he was and live as a muggle. For a boy used to being a nobody it was a very appealing idea indeed.

Severus threw up his hands and stalked back out of the room, he wanted to get this fiasco over with as soon as possible. He had never intended to claim the Lordship over the Prince family line, hell he hadn't intended to live past the war! He had and now all the stealth tactics Severus had employed over the years of ignoring letters to take on the Lordship had finally burst open like a squeezed pustule on the tip of the nose.He thoroughly despised this painfully necessary piece of bureaucracy to make sure he wouldn't be tied together for an eternity with the know-it-all and the blond fops.

Five years, he breathed heavily in through the nose and out the mouth to calm him down, he was certain he could endure five years but a hundred? No, he would assuredly murder all of them by then. He could probably plead insanity for it and earn himself a bed in -between the drooling Longbottoms. . Taking the Lordship also came with a new set of problems, Prince Manor being one of them, he had known his mother grew up in a wealthy Pureblood family. but the house that sat in Yorkshire had been empty for damn near thirty years. Even if he had the money to repair the house, well he would once he took the title, it would take a few years to make it livable.

Plenty of time to do that while I have to live here.

"Severus," Hermione enquired in a soft voice as she quietly stood close by him. He turned around to find her gazing up at him with a compassionate smile. She gently rubbed his upper arm. "May I have a word?"

"Just one, Miss Granger? I fear you are losing your touch."

Hermione chuckled at the sarcastic remark. She may be able to laugh at herself now but his caustic wit made her wince inwardly. The past week had been difficult for all of them, adjusting to each other was not a simple task and it made more tedious with the formalities. Severus was shocked his eyes were still in their sockets due to the amount of time he'd rolled them as Lucius and, to a lesser extent, Draco were adding fripperies to the upcoming nuptials, reclaiming Lordships and being initiated into the Wizengamot. Emotions and tempers had been fraying at the edges . It did not help that Draco was sulking in his room, brooding over the fact that he had to marry the witch that had made his life a living hell since she bumped into him on the train that first day. Instead of being imprisoned in Azkaban he had made a jail cell out of his own wing. Hermione did not know how she was going to get him to see reason or if it was best that she let things come to a boiling point and explode in righteous fury? However the issues between the fractious trio of men she was bonded to was going to be resolved it was a fact that her patience was wearing thin with all of them, especially Draco..

"I have some things I need to do this afternoon so I will not be going to Gringotts with you. Please, please Severus, I am begging you to be civil to Harry, he is just as nervous as you are." Severus let out an exasperated sigh, he really didn't know if he could hold his tongue that long when it came down to the Potter-Black hybrid, but for the sake of civility and the sheer fact both of them had worked their fingers to the bones to get him released from that hell-hole he had been in, he would do his damnedest to try.

"I know how awkward this must be for you, but I would be grateful to you forever if you can remain calm through all this hullabaloo we're finding ourselves in."

"I will...attempt to curb my tongue, Miss Granger." Hermione gave him a beaming smile and squeezed his forearm.

The simple gesture, while innocent in nature, almost made him lose what little resolve he had concerning her. The mere touch of her hand on his arm, even through the thick wool of his coat, sent fire racing through his veins. He wanted nothing more than trap her against the nearest surface and snog the daylights out of her! Damn and blast punctilious goblins and efficient blond wizards, he could not. As that lecherous thought flitted through his mind, he suddenly began to recall the years she had been his student, causing him to roughly jerk away from her touch. Hermione sighed, he knew she believed she revolted him, but he was not ready to admit his attraction to the witch, especially when his self deprecating thoughts were stuck on the fact she had, at one time, been his student.

But, everyone has been my student at one time at least in the last twenty years…

It was that thought that put him back on solid ground for a moment. He would be married to her in a month and he had less than a fortnight with which he had to seduce her. Yes, he would have to consummate the marriage bond, they all would. This was another harrowing fact he had been mulling over continuously, probably since the first time she had shown up at Azkaban and announced she was going to get them pardoned. He was not a patient man, he was even less accustomed to sharing, knowing he would have to watch her as Lucius and Draco also had to fulfill the requirements of the bond with her, did not sit well with him. The problem with Severus was that he was an obsessive pessimistic sarcastic bastard, of how many scenarios he had of the day he was going to be married this was his least favourite. Of all the wizards to share his bride with, it had to be with the effortlessly charming Lucius Malfoy and Draco, the whelp of the aforementioned wizard. Marriage was going to be difficult enough for him as it was due to the compromises a married couple would have to make effort to agree and adhere too. Sharing her was going to test his patience beyond his limited understanding of the word. Gods, nothing spoke old man as much as having a bride nineteen years younger than him, he also knew he would have to dismiss their previous history of professor and student for this to work. Truly, he sighed, he had to be Ghandi to make this work!

"Thank you," she sighed, defeat evident through her tone and lightless eyes.

He felt like a heel, as he witnessed her drawing herself to her full height as a new resolve flashed through her emotive gaze. Her determination to be bright and breezy despite his reaction to her touch, almost compelled him to compassionately take hold of her her hand. Was she determined to redirect the train of thought down to the lusty subconscious of his brain? Finally, after three hours of bitching and whining, the bane of his post-war existence announced himself ready to leave. Suddenly, Severus growled, disturbing Hermione from her own silent thoughts. Roughly grabbing her hand, which caused her to squeak in shock. Before she knew what was happening he had pulled her into the room recently vacated by his old friend and the bane of his life for the past twenty years:

"Severus. What are you…" He watched her eyes widen in surprise when he slammed the door shut.

"I think we need to clear the air a little," he said.

"O-o-okay," she said uncertainty in her tone and eyes.

"You do not repulse me, Hermione, quite the opposite in fact. I didn't jerk away from you because I did not want you to touch me, I jerked because I want you to touch me too much and not just a simple hand holding would do… unless your hand wishes to hold something substantial that is.."

Hermione was gobsmacked, that was exactly what she had been thinking, the fact that he was that observant was both a relief and disconcerting. Hermione stared at him for a moment before placing her hand on his chest, standing on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"I want you too, Severus." She replied quietly before exiting the room in a rush. "I look forward to holding that substantial something in my hand, someday soon."

Severus stood there for a moment trying his best to control his heart rate before he died of a heart attack. She had kissed him, not the kind of kiss he had entertained not long before, but she had kissed him.

She wants me as well...what does that mean?

Things to ponder later when he had the chance to process this new development.

Severus, Lucius, Harry, Minister Shacklebolt and Bill Weasley were standing in front of the gilded counter staring silently at the disbelieving goblin. The light refracting from the midday sun cast a harsh light on the already open-mouthed creature. It wasn't everyday the Minister of Magic, a curse breaker, the Savior of the Wizarding world, a Potions Master and Lord Malfoy were all standing in the same place asking about Lordship rights.

Bill spoke to the Goblin in Gobbledygook, the native tongue of all goblins, as Harry stood fidgeting with the stiff neck of the formal wizarding robes. He was extremely uncomfortable, just the walk from the apparition point to Gringotts left him green at the gills. The rising nausea did not help as the disparate group walked up to the bank, the gawking passersby bumped into carts, small children, tripped over shop cats, leaving a trail of bruised magifolk in their wake. Harry had been told to not make his appearance known, but how was he supposed to manage that in these stifling robes? His messy black hair, glasses and green-eyes spoke of his presence when nothing else could. The notoriety has and more than likely will always make him ill at ease. To be flanked alongside four other extremely powerful men with scandalous pasts and dangerous reputations had the people traversing Diagon Alley in an uproar.

Lucius had walked the cobbled streets as if he were royalty, daring anyone to say an ill word toward him. Severus had copied his older 'brother' stance, except his reputation had placed the fear of Salazar into their hearts as the scowling man walked past. In stark contrast, Kingsley had been all smiles, waving and shaking hands as he walked by, kissing offered babies and hugging witches who were on the Muggleborn Registration program during the war and were now wary of anyone from the sacred 28. Harry walked with a slope in the shoulders, he allowed a few witches to touch him and even kissed the odd baby or two but his smile was a tightly controlled grimace. He desperately wanted to wrap himself inside his invisibility cloak and disappear. He always maintained that someone was watching him, none of the trio had yet to break from their habit of looking twice over each shoulder and Hermione was known to scream at loud bangs. Glumly he looked at the only other man who would understand how ridiculous this all is, all he got was an arched eyebrow as they were ushered into a small room. All the tools and parchments and items were set out, it appeared it was magically enhanced and designed to complete the blood bond that was required to assume Lordship over a Magical line.

Severus went first, slicing the palm of his hand and laying it flat against the book that would grant him the title. He lifted his hand but there was no cut, just a simple thin silver scar that lay against his palm, his name had been added in blood as the next successor of Prince Hall, a hunting lodge in Chechnya, a sizeable villa in France, and twenty-two house elves and three Gringotts vaults. The main vault was formed from several generations of members of the Prince line, the second largest was his grandmother's and the third was meant to have been his mothers had she not been disowned when she married Tobias Snape.

Harry's initiation was slightly more complicated as he had to slice both palms and take Lordship of both houses. In addition to 12 Grimmauld Place, Harry inherited his father and mother's home in Godric's Hollow, Potter Hall in the outskirts of the Kilns, a laboratory in Melbourne where his grandfather invented Sleekeazy's hair potion along with fifty-six patents for various unmarketed potions, and a house in the Canary islands that belonged to the Black family, Le Manoir Magie Manor in Berkshire that sits not very far from Windsor palace, a hunting lodge on the Isle of Skye plus thirty-five house elves and five additional Gringott vaults. Harry was completely overwhelmed he would never be able to spend all this money.

All-in-all the process ran smoothly. The mountain of paperwork required to sign took longer than the actual bond required to assume Lordship.

Just when he thought he may be able to get through this with no problems whatsoever his scar started to hurt (it has not done that in a while) and was gasping for air when a scene played out in his head of what happened during the war. Sweat beaded his brow and his tongue felt like sandpaper. He could recall to the minutest detail what had happened - versus - what could have happened. In Harry's experience the second option was always the worst of the two.

Flashback

" Thieves! Thieves!"

"Stupify!" He bellowed and Ron and Hermione joined in.

The tethered dragon let out a roar and a gush of flame flew over the goblins…

"Relashio!"

The cuffs broke open with loud bangs.

"This way!" Harry yelled, and still shooting Stunning Spells at the advancing goblins, he sprinted towards the blind dragon.

"Harry-Harry what are you doing?" cried Hermione.

"Get up, climb up, come on-"

"We'll never get out it's too big!" Hermione screamed.

End flashback

The nauseating trip to look at each vault took less time but they were all in the lower part of Gringotts and Harry couldn't repress the shudder that ran through him just remembering what had transpired the last time he had been in the lower vaults. He was still amazed they even made it out alive.

Another memory overtook his mind; this one a simple innocent one:

Flashback:

"I always get this confused,"

"Wha'," said a green looking giant.

"What is the difference between Stalactites and Stalagmites?"

"Ones got an M in it now shut up before I am sick!"

Harry had never realised the irony of a big person hating heights but, Hagrid did!

End Flashback

Severus looked at the pale man clutching the sides of the cart and wondered what he was remembering. He looked as if he had seen a particularly malevolent ghost.

"Mr Potter…" Severus began.

"We almost didn't make it out of here alive," Harry whispered. "We damn near died down here and the quicker we leave here the better."

Severus knew of the trio's efforts to break into Gringotts; although he did not know the exact details, but from the way Harry was acting it was clearly no walk in the park.

"What do you know of Horcruxes, sir?" Severus was horrified, he knew a lot about the foul dark magic.

"More than I would like too." Harry nodded in agreement.

"He made seven of them. One of them was inside the Lestrange vault guarded by an abused and blind Welsh Green Dragon and an extremely powerful Gemino curse. We had to use Polyjuice potion to turn Hermione into Bellatrix since we had her wand from being captured and sent to Malfoy Manor. We had to promise Griphook the Sword of Gryffindor just to get inside. That happened the same day that we arrived at Hogwarts…"

"S-Seven Horcruxes!?" Severus stuttered, he was horrified that anyone would consider one, that maniac had made seven!

"Yes."

"What were the other six?" Severus asked, still reeling from this bit of information.

"Tom Riddle's diary that I destroyed in my second year in the Chamber of Secrets, The Gaunt Ring that cursed Dumbledore, Slytherin's locket...that thing was horrible I will tell you about it sometime, consequently you brought us the Sword of Gryffindor to destroy that nasty piece of work. Helga Hufflepuffs golden badger cup, that is the one that was in the Lestrange vault destroyed by the remains of the Basilisk. Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, that was destroyed in the Fiendfyre that destroyed the Room of Requirement. Nagini, Neville cut its head off with the Sword and…" Harry swallowed hard

"And?" Severus asked.

"Me…" Harry admitted and Severus paled.

"I think it is long overdue that you and I had a proper conversation, Mr...Harry."

"Agreed," Harry said as they came to a stop in front of the Black family vault.

He had genuinely underestimated the young wizard before him. He was a Horcrux. No wonder he was emotionally strained and could not grasp Occlumency. Now the Dark Wizard was out of the young teen, Severus was more inclined to get to know the real Harry. The one he had ignored for the best part of 19 years.

Severus and Harry both required a large glass of Ogden's Finest to soothe their frazzled nerves once they finally left the Goblin run bank. The eclectic party left for the Leaky Cauldron to finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. Now Severus and Harry could indulge in that long conversation about their unpleasant experiences at Hogwarts. Severus was shocked at how little they had eaten whilst they were on the run, had he known, he would have ordered the house elf loyal to Potter to make sure he has a three course meal day in and day out along with Hermione. Even now she had yet to gain the normal average weight for a girl her age and height. The sight of her bruised, swollen and emaciated frame had dug a spike in Severus' heart. If only he had not been unkind to Lily then… When Harry realised he had lost his audience he went to the barman to ask for another drink.

Draco sat staring into a cold stone fireplace, his thoughts were scattered. Memories both good and bad flooded him even as he drank the last of the Fire Whiskey he had been nursing for the last hour or so just to forget them. Merlin, did he want to forget them. Too many nights he had sat in Azkaban resigning himself to his fate, too many days he had sat in that cold, dingy prison remembering every day of the last years of the war but one memory still set his nerves on edge. The night Hermione was tortured in the very house they both now sat in, made him feel like a damned coward. He had never felt more powerless than he had at that moment. Too many lives had been in danger, to much sorrow just too much… just… too much of everything.

He had already been front-runner in the line of Voldemort's wrath. Constantly battling his own inner demons from dragging along his mother and father with him. An equilibrium was reached for a while at the point that Draco had thought he'd never set eyes on the so-called Golden Trio. Then it was that fateful day in March that proved to be the kicker. All it took was one stifling moment in time, when he could get his revenge on them all for treating him as a nobody. So, how come, when he knew exactly who was being brought before him to identify, he seemed lost, Within that moment he alone could make or break the war and if the butterfly's wing flapped in on another wind. Even he could not bring it within himself to kill the trio - and if he was being honest within himself he knew that as long as he and the witch survived then not all hope would seem lost. Bile rose thickly into his throat at the thought of betraying three people who, when all was said and done, had not hurt him deliberately - except that time in the bathroom but Malfoy understood that Potter was battling for his life. He was going to crucio Potter so, he supposed, bleeding on the floor of the girls toilet was fitting. A second was all it took to make known that Draco desired no part in the cruel games his foul aunt subjected her victims too. Even if he had identified Potter or Weasley - there was no way on the honour of a Malfoy was he going to watch a person he loved being tortured before his eyes, There was nothing more wretched than that feeling of utter powerlessness to stop her screams, the thrashing on the floor, the vomit, pee and blood spilling on the carpet. Draco sighed, yes, he could now admit he was in love with Hermione the moment she knocked him down on the floor and blushed as she stammered apologies before scampering away looking for some moron's toad.

How do you explain to someone like Hermione Granger that you have been in love with them for years when all you have ever done was project hatred? There is no way to verbally apologize for being a colossal arse for as long as you have known them, not when that person has wormed their way inside of you. When they have invaded so much, even the very recesses of your soul, knowing where the darkness is held and effectively quashing it down until it is nothing but a shimmer of grey indecision.

He couldn't help her then, Draco couldn't save her from that pain. There is no one who wasn't inside that room who knew exactly what transpired but Draco did. Her screams alone still made him break out in sweats at night even reliving them in his darkest dreams could not compare to the live show. The metallic smell of blood and ammonia, still invaded his nose each and every meal, it was an aroma he'd hoped he would not have to get used to. He had been a coward, a yellow bellied, lily livered worm who had let the girl he wanted most in the world get carved and almost raped on the floor of the drawing room in his own fancy house! The cursed blade and bouts of the Cruciatus curse was bad enough but to watch Greyback lay his filthy hands on her...the sound of her screams...God there had been so much blood.

Draco threw the empty crystal container at the fireplace watching as shards of glass scattered in sharp shards of bright and brilliant rainbow hues staining his mahogany floors with an array of eclectic charm. A small amount of liquid rained down on his hands but he didn't spare it a single thought. His mind was a maelstrom, his emotions raw. Severus had been right, of course, he should not treat her sacrifice this way. He should be groveling at her feet that he was still alive...that she had survived and got them out of Azkaban. He knew he was being selfish. He didn't know if he even had the right to be selfish? All he knew at this moment in time was that he had desired her as he never had before. He wanted her. ALL OF HER! Like most Slytherins, he despised sharing. Due to this unattractive trait, Draco sulked and baulked at the fact that she was not, nor would she likely to be… all His! The humiliation he felt at having to share her with Lover Lucius and Surly Severus was burning at his gut, the unfairness of it all, having to share his favourite Witch in the whole world was going to be a bust because how could she equally divide her time for a career, three men and when children come along - he'd be the one to suffer! Ugh, this kind of bond was watertight. That meant nothing could fit through the loop cracks.

A month before the actual marriage and a fortnight after to make it permanent, that was all the time he had to think of something; anything to stop this weird marriage from occuring, or at least come to terms with the fact he would be sharing his wife with two other men.

Maybe I could convince her to…

He lost his train of thought when he heard voices coming from the hallway. He could hear his father talking to someone, he assumed it was Severus until Harry bloody Potter answered him back. Draco gripped the edge of the chair he was sitting in, willing himself to stay put, his father's dealings with Harry Potter were of no concern to him.

"I have some things I need to do this afternoon so I will not be going to Gringotts with you. Please, please , Severus, I am begging you to be civil to Harry, he is just as nervous as you are." This made Draco sit up in his chair a little straighter. He was going to be alone in this house with Hermione?

"I will...attempt to curb my tongue, Miss Granger." Draco could hear the seductive undertones dripping from Severus'mouth. It was precisely that reason his self-flagellating thoughts turned to anger. He gripped the chair tighter until he heard the voices move farther down the hallway. He knew he had to speak to her at some point, today would be the perfect opportunity to do so while everyone else had left the house for a while.

He had no idea how long he sat there trying to talk himself out of seeking her out until he finally stood and stormed out of his room for the first time in three days to shower and seek her out.

Hermione sat in the library researching the precedents set by previous attempts at a Marriage Law. Even though she accepted the odd marriage for what it was she was still trying to find a loophole with which to exploit against the Wizengamot to make the five year trail, less if she could get away with it. She did not hear the door open or Draco padding across the floor until he stood directly behind her with his arms crossed scowling at the back of her head.

"I should have known the Gryffindor swot would be holed up in the library," Draco drawled, his tone indicating he was itching for a fight. Hermione did not want to fight but his brooding was becoming quite irritating.

"Resident swot, know-it-all, mudblood whore take your pick Malfoy I have heard it all." She muttered still reading the bylaws as she spoke.

Draco growled and slammed his hands on the back of the chair,

"You shouldn't be here!"

"Yet here I am." Hermione said blandly as she slowly turned the page then she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Look at me!" Draco growled again.

"No." Hermione stated calmly, still reading the book. She made a note on the parchment next to the book and turned the page again not acknowledging he was even standing there.

"Bloody Hell, Granger, look at me!"

"No." Hermione went to turn the page when Draco slammed his hand across the book.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing, you arsehole!? You think just because you have been holed up in your chambers for three days and no one else is here you get to boss me around!? Leave me alone!" Hermione screeched loudly spinning sideways in her chair to stare daggers at him.

"I asked you to look at me!" Draco retorted angrily.

"No, you actually didn't, Malfoy you told me to look at you and I do not take commands from anyone, especially you!"

Draco bit back a stronger growl, grit his teeth and whispered close to her ear, " Hermione. Will you please look at me."

The feel of his breath in her ear sent shivers throughout her body, immediate desire flooding her system and caused her to cross her legs in order to ease the discomfort slamming into her core. As she was already staring at him the whispered question was a moot point but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of a full-scale fight.

He had finally come out of his room, freshly showered. The smell of his soap invaded her nostrils and she inhaled deeply; and sighed as the heady scent of vanilla mixed with hints of lavender and cumin hit her nostrils causing her to sniff him in, had he always smelled this good? His hair was still damp and hung loosely around his face, little drops of water still clung to the ends Hermione was fighting the desperate urge to run her fingers through the beautiful platinum locks. His breath smelled faintly of Whiskey and spearmint toothpaste, it made her nose wrinkle slightly the closer he leaned into her. His breath was warm against her face as he stared at her through long lashes, his pale blue eyes holding a myriad of emotions Hermione couldn't quite place but still held her captivated, he was not one for showing his feelings normally.

He was dressed in a loose fitting white button up shirt with the top two buttons undone and untucked from a pair of black trousers slung low over his thin hips. He was barefoot, a sight Hermione had never seen before; he looked utterly debauched and entirely too sinfully delicious.

"What are you doing?" He asked still staring into her whiskey colored eyes.

"Researching loopholes in the marriage law." She said quietly still staring at him.

"Hmm, you wouldn't have to if you had not gotten us released."

"Are you complaining about being set free, ferret? I can ask them to send you back if you feel you can't live without being locked up."

"Fuck you, Mudblood."

" No thanks, I would rather not catch something I can't cure."

"You won't be saying that a month from now."

"Obligation and desire are entirely separate issues, Malfoy."

Draco turned slightly to the right of Hermione's chair and placed his hands on either side of her, palms down on the table top, effectively pinning her in.

"Desire you say, I would say there has always been a fair amount between us," Draco whispered again in her ear.

"Move, Draco," she replied shakeily.

"Not until you kiss me, Granger." he moved closer to her and breathed into her ear.

"I said move!" Hermione said shoving him slightly away from her.

"And I said I want you to kiss me."

"No," she said flatly.

"I could make you."

"I am going to hex your lips off if you don't move," Hermione said through gritted teeth. "I have no desire to kiss you, especially not when you are drunk and being a controlling arse!"

"I have always wanted to kiss you, even when you punched me in the nose, probably more so since then. " Hermione did not know how to respond to that declaration, she had thought about it as well, she couldn't deny it. Truth be told she had harbored a slight crush on all three men at least once over the years. Her eyes drifted to his perfectly shaped lips, all of the fantasies she had ever entertained about the blonde git started with a kiss so magnificent her legs went weak and left her breathless with desire.

"Draco…"

"Hermione..." Perhaps it was the fact he used her name, or perhaps he was standing so close and he had already made her usually controlled brain become nothing more than scrambled eggs, from his presence and smell. Hermione was overwhelmed by her urge to lick his full, pouting lips before pulling the lower half into her own welcoming mouth, this then would lead to the most heated and erotic kisses the world had ever know, but reality came crashing down on her. Her fingers turned white with how tightly she was gripping onto the arms of her chair. .

Draco stared at Hermione, he could see the effect he was having on her. Her breathing had already sped up, her pupils blown wide, she was crossing and uncrossing her legs to ease the discomfort of the heat and desire racing through her blood. He lifted his hand and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. Hermione gasped at the intimate contact.

He lowered his head slightly and kissed her forehead, he wasn't going to push her but he still wanted to taste her skin on his lips. He didn't stop as he then proceeded to kiss her left cheek, the bridge of her small button nose, the right side of her jaw, where her ear connected to her neck and everywhere he could reach except her lips. And then he stopped, stood up and walked out of the room.

Hermione sat in her chair panting, shocked at the effect he had on her, what was that about? She frowned in thought, her lips pulsing with desire to be thoroughly ravaged to the point of no return! She hadn't wanted him to stop! Oh no, she could feast on his lips till the day she died but she had made it clear that she had not welcomed any type of intimacy, especially when there was so much that still had to be said and worked out between them. Her momentary desire had flared up and became ashes in her stomach just as quickly; passionate lust was now replaced with indignation and disgust. How dare he!

He had conveniently glossed over the fact he had called her a Mudblood only moments before telling her he wanted her to kiss him! Then proceeded to kiss her everywhere except where she wanted to be kissed. Hermione stood abruptly knocking over her chair in her haste, unholstering her wand so that it would be in hand, she then stormed after Draco. He was not going to get away with trying to coerce her into bending to his will. She stormed through the massive doorway into the hallway leading to the main staircase. She could still smell his soap, he left a trail of it leading back toward his room. Not really thinking of the consequences of entering into his domain. Hermione stormed towards the open door. Wand drawn, a hex already forming on her lips, she stepped through and her mouth went dry.

Draco sat in the same chair he had vacated earlier and was now sobbing with his head cradled in his hands. All the anger from before fled Hermione. Like with Severus earlier, she cautiously crept up to him as she holstered her wand. When she was in front of him, she tenderly stroked through his hair then she knelt down and weakly offered a conciliatory smile up at him. .

"Draco?" she whispered.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry, Hermione. I am sorry I couldn't help you. I am sorry I couldn't…Then just now...I-I was being just as bad!" Hermione had heard enough, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on the side of his own head.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Draco. You couldn't have prevented what happened even if you had tried." Hermione stated clearly sensing the turmoil inside of him.

"Well that's the problem, I didn't try."

"I am glad you didn't, we would have all been killed and you know it!"

Draco pulled his arms away from his face, his blotchy red eyes boring into hers. In one fell swoop he grabbed her around the waist, sat her on his lap and laid his head against her breast. It was very intimate but in no way sexual. He simply wanted her to ease the torment inside his own head, the demons of his past that had burst forth.

Hermione put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, she really didn't know what else to do to help him. Besides, sometimes just knowing through touch can comfort a person. She decided she would stay there for as long as it took for his pain to ease..She knew what was tormenting him now, it was still something she'd unfortunately dealt with on a daily basis.

"We could sit here for an eternity and dwell on the 'what if's' or we can move forward with the rest of our lives and make sure that what happened during the war never happens again. I prefer to move on and I would love it if you moved on with me, Draco."

"How? How do you forget all of the shite we went through and move on?" Draco asked.

"You don't forget about it, you learn from it and thank the gods you survived it. Thus allowing us to gain the opportunity to prevent it from happening again. You make the best life you can make from what you have been given and prove, not only to everyone else, but to yourself; that you are better now than you have ever been. You're a stronger person. You hold your head up high and say: I made it but not without scars. Some cultures view scars as a mark of a warrior. How does one move forward? By not walking the path you've been on backwards. You move forward by cresting over the top of the hill and look around at all the endless opportunities that awaits you. Draco," she gazed deepling into his oceanic eyes. "You now have the choice not just to survive but to live and love .Guard that pain, hone it, and make it into the best weapon to attack when another idiot decides to be a Dark Lord, carve yourself into becoming the best person you can be, because in the end that is all we can do." Hermione said stroking the top of Draco's hair.

"Please stay in here with me for a little while," Draco pleaded.

"As long as you need me too."

"Is forever to long to ask you to sit here?" Hermione laughed and kissed the top of his head.

"Yes, but an hour isn't, eventually your legs will fall asleep and you will be pushing me to the floor."

Draco chuckled at that statement.

"Not likely. I would probably just pick you up and cuddle with you on my bed like a teddy bear."

"You calling me a hairy beast, Draco Malfoy?" Hermione said threw bouts of laughter.

"Nope, I am calling you cuddly and hairy but definitely not a beast."

Hermione swatted his shoulder. Draco caught her wrist and kissed the inside of it. Hermione breathed out a shaky breath, all her laughter dying at the intimate gesture.

"Ask me again, Draco." Draco looked puzzled for a moment before he broke out into a brilliant smile.

"Will you please kiss me, Hermione?"

Her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. Some of the butterflies flew up, entangling themselves in her emotional pollen. She leaned down slightly tilting her head just so. The moment their equally soft lips met, she melted into Draco's tightening embrace. Their tongues battling out a more loquacious argument than the ones they'd had previously shared.

Without knowing why: She had the song Once Upon A Dream in her head.

If anyone had witnessed this from the tabloids it would be labelled as THE KISS OF AGES. Her earlier assumption was correct, she could kiss those lips for a lifetime.