Charades

A Draco/Hermione Story

Summary: Its 7th year and Hermione has a dark secret. When love is the last thing she needs and the first gift she's given, what will happen when her secret is found out? Can his love save her from a life that wasn't meant for her? Or will she push everything aside to honor a debt? Post HBP, not DH compliant. OC characters involved.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling, Charades is owned by whoever the hell wrote the damn song, Blair is owned by me as well as Charade. That's it. Me poor, poor person.

Pairings: It's coming…one by one, the chips will fall…

Author's Note: Hmm. Great reviews. So no one hates me for the use of quotes? You might after this one, but I can't help it. I picked the ones that were perfect. So *sticks tongue out*. Review and tell me what you think.

This chapter is rated M for sexual content…you can thank me if you want to *wink*.

Last Chapter:

She glanced at him quickly before looking away again. "I know that." She stated. "I'm sorry." She got up and went for the door again. But this time she stopped, turned, looked at him, and held out a hand. "Are you coming?" She asked.

He smirked, confused, and walked over to her, taking her small hand in his. Someday, he would get the truth out of her, but until then, this was fine with him.

Chapter 4: I'm Drowning In You

"…The truth is—nothing can prepare you for what you may face out there. Real life is so very different from school. The world is a dangerous place and when you're faced with that danger, nothing and I mean, nothing, can prepare you for that. To loose a loved one, to watch the faces of your friends in agony—that is the toughest thing you'll ever see. Many of you have already witness such tragedy. You've all made it through this war alive. But look around you, at the empty desks, the friends that aren't here that should be, and try to think about how lucky you are, to be here, alive." Lupin said looking out at them all. His face sallow, his eyes sad, he knew better than a lot of them, the loss that the war brought. "I expect a 3 foot essay on Unforgivable Curses to be handed in next week. Extra credit will be given for personal examples, but I don't want anyone writing anything down that will cause emotional strain just for credit. If it's too difficult, don't bother with it. Alright, you're dismissed." Hermione put her things in her bag and stood, slinging it over her shoulder and walking up to Lupin. When the class was gone, he looked at her. "Is everything ok, Hermione?" He asked.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing, Remus." She said, placing a hand gently on his shoulder.

He smiled at her. "I'm fine." He stood up straighter. "I actually received an owl from your mum the other day."

"You did?" Hermione asked, smiling. When Tonks died, Lupin and her mother began talking, corresponding by owl or the occasional tea, as a kind of therapy for the both of them. Hermione's father had died just before she joined Charade from cancer, so she understood Lupin's pain as no one else did. As time passed, the two had been practically inseparable. "What did she say?"

"We're going to have tea in London tomorrow; she's going to bring Teddy." He said happily. "Jane really is a godsend, Hermione. I don't know what I would've done if she hadn't been able to take him." He gushed.

"Mum loves him, but then again, who wouldn't?" She said smiling up at him. "Well, I should hurry; I'll be late for Potions. Give Mum and Teddy a kiss for me tomorrow, please." She said, giving him a hug.

He hugged her back lightly. "I will, princess." He released her and she rushed from the Defense room to head down to the dungeons. She hoped that he had a good time with her mum tomorrow, they both deserved some happiness.

She arrived within minutes of the bell and sat down beside Draco. She pulled out her notebook and turned it to their current assignment, completing the Veritaserum potion. Once it was finished, the two team-members would be coming in separately to test the potion, to avoid unwanted knowledge from reaching the masses. Hermione and Draco had been teamed up on this potion, which wasn't really something that she wanted. She didn't want to spill her guts out to him; she had some secrets that shouldn't be told, and some that couldn't be revealed. He seemed just as anxious about it as she did, but they worked diligently, perfecting the potion, and setting an apt example for the rest of the class. They only had a few more ingredients to add and it would need to simmer for a few minutes, and then set for 24 hours.

"Ah, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy—beautiful potion. Tomorrow at noon, I want you both to come in to test the potion. I won't be listening, of course, but I'll ask you a few questions and then you two will be set to test its length. An hour is what we're looking for, with a 15 minute default. Any longer than that is bonus." said Professor Slughorn, handing them a written form. He then walked away and on to the next group. Hermione groaned, magically making a copy of the form and handing one to Draco.

She glanced at him. He wasn't smiling either, looking to be more in agony than anything else. This wasn't his first round with Veritaserum. The Order had given him some when Hermione had convinced them of his innocence, it had been agonizing to watch and afterwards he didn't look at her for nearly a week. She had been to blame for the whole ordeal, having failed in insisting that the potion was unnecessary. She had promised him that they wouldn't treat him like a criminal and she had lied. She didn't want him to hate her again, but she knew that when she went under the potion, he would know things about her that would drive him to it. She also didn't want to know what he would say—secrets between them were special and necessary.

They bottled their potions, labeled them and sat them on Slughorn's desk. Hermione didn't know what to do or say to make tomorrow any easier, but thankfully, the bell rang before she had the opportunity. They grabbed their bags and waited for Harry and Ron to catch up with them outside the classroom. Both were silent, grave, trying to avoid the other's eyes. Harry and Ron came out, both looking a little less than happy. "She is going to tear me apart!" Ron exclaimed as the two boys reached them. Ron's partner was Pansy Parkinson.

"Oh, Ronald, she's not going to be that bad!" Hermione said, smiling softly and shaking her head. She wasn't exactly lying, since she didn't know what Pansy was going to do. One group out of the den was allowed to have only one person test the potion, and Pansy had volunteered her and Ron before anyone else had the opportunity, and Slughorn had told Ron that he would be the test subject. It wasn't fair, but at least Pansy wouldn't be revealing their secret to Ron, he wouldn't let it go. Harry was paired up with Daphne Greengrass and in no danger of finding out about Charade. The pairing system was boy-girl, Slughorn's attempt at matchmaking, and Slytherin-Gryffindor, to promote inter-House unity (and dating). No one was lost on Slughorn's lame attempts, since they were all present for his disastrous love potion last term.

"She will so, I know Parkinson…she'll ask me embarrassing questions and use them to torment me later." He grumbled.

"She can't, Slughorn's put a spell on the Reveal Room that won't allow the teams to talk about anything after they leave it with anyone other than their partner, remember?" Draco said, looking at Ron with a very annoyed look.

"Exactly, she'll be able to nag me about it at any moment." Ron told him.

Hermione looked at him. "What are you afraid she'll find out, Ronald?" She asked.

Harry looked at him as well, equally interested. "Nothing, I'm just not ready to spill all my darkest secrets to Parkinson." Ron responded, his ears going red. Draco nudged Hermione and smirked. Hermione looked at him and smiled. If she was thinking what Draco was thinking, then Ron had a crush on Pansy. It would make sense, she was quite beautiful, since she got her pug nose fixed and grew up. She kind of reminded Hermione of a model out of one of the muggle magazines. She was leggy, tall, tan, all the things that boys drooled over. It was natural that Ron had taken an interest in her. She'd matured a lot since becoming a Charaden, no longer annoying and incessant. Ron and Harry left them at the entrance to the grounds, heading out to the pitch for practice, the next to last one before the big Slytherin-Gryffindor game next week, followed by the Halloween dance.

Hermione and Draco entered the common room, neither had much to say. She didn't want tomorrow to come, silently wishing that a Task would come up so she could skip it. She knew that she would be the last person called. She went into her room and put her bags down, grabbing only what she needed and removing her robes. She walked out in her uniform, bearing notebook, quill, ink, and books, and sat down on the couch. Draco was in the chair by the fireplace, already writing on his parchment, not looking up to acknowledge her presence or anything. This was a tradition between them, but he normally looked up and smiled or something. She felt sad, but shrugged it off, opening up her Defensive Magic book to the Unforgivables and began to write her essay.

Within an hour, she'd completed her essay and her stomach was grumbling. She noticed Draco glance at his watch and he looked at her. "Time for dinner." He said, putting his books aside and standing up. He held out a hand for her and she took it. They walked out of the common room, hand in hand, and started down to the Great Hall. "Are you nervous, about tomorrow?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Moderately." She replied. Moderately? More like completely. "Are you?"

"Pretty much." He stopped them and looked at her. "Hermione, whatever is said tomorrow, swear to me that it won't matter? We'll always be friends?" He asked.

She looked at him, she hadn't expected this. "Of course. Nothing would ever change that, Draco." She said it confidently, but it was the furthest from the truth. She wouldn't judge him, but she was positive that he would hate her. "You might hear some things that you won't like." She told him in a whisper.

"I swear to you…nothing could ever change my opinion of you." He said, his eyes sparkling.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Draco." She left him and went to Gryffindor table. She hoped that he would keep his promise, but she didn't hold her breath. She sat down next to Harry and measured out some foods on to her plate. "How was practice?" She asked, trying to clear her head. She wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if she was nervous about tomorrow.

"Wonderful, I think we'll kick Slytherin's arse!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron! Language." She reprimanded.

He shrugged apologetically and she looked at Harry. "We'll win, 'Mione." He said smiling.

"I think Blair came to practice." Ginny stated.

Harry looked at her. "So?" He asked.

"So? She could use that to her advantage in the Ravenclaw game!" They all looked at Ginny. "Guys, I don't have an issue with her anymore. I would think the same thing if Draco had watched, you know that. I just don't like the idea of another captain spying." She said defensively.

"She isn't spying, Gin. We were talking after practice, that's all." Harry told her reassuringly. Hermione was curious, all of a sudden, about what Blair and Harry could possibly need to talk about that would require her presence at practice. She already had her suspicions about her two friends, which were all but confirmed, the fact remained that now Ginny trusted them, and they shouldn't be risking it all. She projected those thoughts in a look that only Harry saw.

He leaned over and kissed her temple brotherly, in gesture of reassurance. "We're just friends." He whispered in her ear. "I swear." She was getting tired of empty promises.

The next day arrived slowly, but surely. Hermione sat with Blair in her room, trying to prepare herself for noon's arrival. She was nervous. She paced the length of the room while Blair watched from the bed. Back and forth, back and forth, back and—"Hermione, please, stop. Worrying isn't going to make it go away." Blair reasoned from her bed. Hermione stopped and looked at her. "Worse case is that he finds out about you being a Charaden. I know him, he won't like it but he won't hate you." She told her.

"Blair, what if Harry found out? Do you think that it would be all fine and dandy then?" Hermione asked, her nerves getting the best of her.

"No, but Harry isn't going to find out." She said.

"No, he's not, because you got paired with Justin." Hermione looked out the window. "Justin already knows your deep dark secret and you know his. It's not just what I'll tell him, it's what he'll tell me." She said, leaning her head against the frame.

"Would it be so terrible to know how he really feels about you?" Blair asked, her voice was quiet but sounded like an amplifier in Hermione's ears.

"I don't need to know. In fact, its better that I don't." She told Blair. "And I don't want him to know my feelings either."

"What exactly are your feelings, Hermione?" Blair asked her.

Hermione shrugged and sighed. "I hardly know." She told the dark haired girl.

"I don't think that's true. I think you love him and that terrifies you." Blair said. Hermione turned around and looked her friend in her dark eyes. "If you tell him that you love him, then you can't take it back, not under Veritaserum. Then you can't hide behind your books, or your work, or even your non-relationship with Ron. You've pushed everyone away from you, everyone that has ever made an attempt to love you. You distance yourself, cut yourself off from everyone. And this isn't something new, Hermione; it's not some response to your dad or the war. You've always done it. With the kids you went to school with before Hogwarts, even with Harry and Ron. You're so incredibly smart and strong; it keeps you from touching anything that might matter. Before your dad died, you kept your parents in the dark about your life; reasoned that it was because the truth would scare them, but that wasn't it. Not really. You found a reasonable excuse to keep yourself away from them.

"You can't hide from me, Hermione. I know you. I know how you live, how you think. Whether you like it or not." Blair concluded. Hermione looked away. She was right, Blair always was.

"I can't be with him." Hermione told her, surely she knew that?

"That's not what I asked." Blair said in a calm voice. "Do you love him?"

The alarm on her watch rang out. She had fifteen minutes to get to the dungeons. "Well, I guess we're going to find out." She said, looking at Blair. She grabbed a red wool pea coat and put it on, then headed out of the common room and down to the dungeons.

Breathe, remember, breathe. Hermione concentrated on that rather than the growing ball of dread building in her stomach as she entered the Potions classroom. I can't do this, I can't do this, I can't—she walked into the Reveal Room and looked at Slughorn, refusing to look at the Slytherin Prince, who stood at the other end of the room, lounging gracefully against the wall, eyes betraying no emotion. "Well, here is your portion, Miss Granger." Slughorn said, handing her a small vial. "If you would both, please, drop three drops onto your tongues with the droppers." They did. They waited thirty seconds. Slughorn looked at Hermione. "What is your full name?"

"Hermione Jean Granger."

"Age?"

"17."

"Where do you attend school?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"What House are you in?"

"Gryffindor."

Slughorn wrote down the satisfactory remarks. "Very well then…have you ever lied to a teacher?"

Great. "Yes."

"Have you ever broken school rules?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever stolen something?"

"Yes." This wasn't fun.

"Do you know anyone famous?"

Duh. "Yes." She replied mechanically.

"Who?"

"Harry Potter, Viktor Krum, Oliver Wood,—"

The professor interrupted. "Thank you, Miss Granger." Slughorn then repeated the questions for Draco. She sat back, already knowing all of his answers. She'd watched him nick stuff before; she knew he'd broken nearly as many rules as she had, lying had always been a talent of his, and he knew the same people she did. She waited patiently, sitting in a chair provided, waiting for the dreadful time to come. When it did, Slughorn merely left the room and closed the door. Draco sat on the opposite side of the room and didn't move. "Are you ok?" He asked.

"No." She answered. Hermione took in a deep breath. She was suppressing the need to tell him everything, to spill her secrets. The silence was deafening.

"This is hard." He said, some of his control slipping.

"I know." She replied. He was fighting, she could tell, but he stood anyway. "What's going on?"

"Something's happening to me." He said. "I can't—" He stopped himself, but his hard won control was failing. "I can't stop thinking about you." He said, giving up. He walked up to her.

"Don't—just don't." She begged, fighting with all her might.

"I can't help it." He told her. She looked away. He was standing there, patiently. "Hermione, I lo-"

"Don't, don't say it." She put a hand over his mouth and stood. She released it and walked away.

"I love you." He said to her turned back.

She sucked in a breath. "Oh my god." She whispered, inaudibly. She had more to hide than he did. She had to fight harder. She fought the impulse to turn to him.

"No, look at me!" He said, pleading. When she didn't, he walked over to her and turned her around. "I…love you. You're all I bloody think about. Dream about. You're in my gut…my throat…I'm drowning in you, Granger, I'm drowning in you." He said, his silver grey eyes showing pain.

She couldn't breath. "I—I—I can't!" She screamed walking away from him fast; sucking in air, wishing with all her might that she hadn't made such a damn good potion.

"You can't?" He asked. "You can't what? You can't tell me that there isn't anything between you and me." He said.

"You don't know what you're saying, Draco." She meant it to sound harsh; it came out in a sob. "You couldn't possibly begin to love a girl like me!" There it went…all the control. The flood gates were open and she couldn't find the strength to close them again.

"A girl like you?" He asked. "An amazing witch, a heroine with intelligence beyond her years? The girl who had the strength to kick my ass ten different ways and a reason to do it, but chose to rescue me from myself? You're the reason I wake up every morning, Hermione. The last thing I think about before I go to bed. You think I like having you in here?" He asked, holding his hand over his chest. "I'm not supposed to love you. I'm not supposed to live my life wishing you were there. I'm not supposed to wonder where you are or what you do…I'm sorry. I can't help my self. I'm in love you, Hermione."

She turned around. "I don't want you to love me!" She shouted. "Do you think that this is easy for me?" She asked him. Fight, fight, don't say it—"I'm a Charaden, Draco. I can't be that girl, because she's dead! She died the moment I signed the doted line." He was staring at her, no expression except pure, unadulterated shock. "I've killed people, slept with them, brought down several people of power and I did it all for money! Monetary goods! Am I still worth loving? A whore? A murderer?" She asked.

"I swore that my opinion of you wouldn't change and it won't." He replied.

"Don't say that—you can't possibly know what you mean."

He put his hands on her upper arms, forcing her to face him. "I'm telling the truth here, Granger. Potion, remember? And I'm telling you that I don't care." He said. "I know you, and you wouldn't join Charade without a good reason—what did they offer you, Hermione?"

***

Draco was watching her. He hadn't wanted to spill his guts out to her, but he thought it was better to come out now, during the Veritaserum so that she'd never doubt him. But she still found a way to do it, and when her own secret came out; he couldn't find a fiber of his being that cared. "…what did they offer you, Hermione?"

She looked up at him, her intense honey gaze meeting his eyes. "Truth. They gave me the keys to finding out the outcome of the war." She said, her voice finally coming down from its rage. "I learned everything first hand and I tried to fix it. We didn't fail, but too many people died." She walked away from him. "It isn't an excuse, though. How can you look at me? Knowing what I am? What I do?" She asked, without looking at him.

He stared at the back of her honey head and sighed. "You saved the world, Hermione. You saved me. Who cares how you got there?" He asked. "I'm not thrilled about the idea, but it doesn't matter. Nothing matters except you. Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you—I had no control over that. It just happened and you may not love me today, tomorrow, or ever, but I will love you until it kills me, and, even then, you'll be in my heart." He told her, before grasping the latch of the door and opening it. He walked out, to be greeted by Professor Slughorn.

The professor was smiling, but looked at him confused. "I tested your potion myself, Mr. Malfoy. It only lasted an hour and fifteen minutes." He said.

"How long were we in there?" Draco asked.

"Nearly two hours." The professor replied.

"Could you do me a favor, sir?" Draco requested.

Slughorn nodded. "Certainly." He replied.

"Please don't tell Hermione how long it lasted in the test. Just let her think that it lasted the whole time." He begged. Slughorn nodded and Draco walked out of the Potions classroom.

To say that he was depressed was an understatement. Hermione hadn't denied that she loved him; she merely avoided any response in reciprocating his feelings for her. He wouldn't have guessed in a million years that Hermione Granger was a Charaden. He knew of the company, certainly, every pureblood and half-blood child did. It was an Unmentionable, but there were exceptions. The knowledge that the company existed was passed on to every generation. He knew that she was what they strived for among their ranks; beauty, brains, and a thirst for knowledge. He understood her reasons for joining, they were admirable. He also knew now how the bond between the woman who stole his heart and his cousin had formed. If Hermione was one, then so was Blair. It would be too hard for Hermione to conceal her secret from someone that she lived with, that was why she moved out of her childhood home. If she lived with another Charaden, then there would be no need for secrecy. Deduction was a skill for Draco.

He probably even knew why Blair joined. Voldemort had slaughtered his aunt and uncle, and she had wanted revenge. She was like Hermione, everything that Charade would want. He didn't like that the two women that he cared the most for in the world were Witches for Hire, but it wasn't his place to judge them and he refused to do so. Love was unconditional; his mother had taught him that. They weren't evil.

He entered the Heads' dormitory and sat down on the couch, putting his head in his hands. His elbows rested on his knees as he was hunched over. He hadn't expected to have such a heated discussion with her. He had played the possible reactions in his mind over and over again in his dreams and imagination. He never would've expected this.

A gentle hand grazed his back and he looked up, meeting honey brown eyes that had tears in them. One trickled down her cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him tightly. She was holding onto him desperately, as though she was falling and he was all that kept her from the edge. She was crying; he felt the cold, wet tears soaking through his shirt. All he could do is rub her head, her back, and whisper to her. "I'm here." He said over and over to her. "I'm not leaving, luv." He promised.

The weekend passed swiftly on. Neither Draco nor Hermione brought up the discussion they had in the Reveal Room. None of the seventh years seemed to keen to talk about the experiences they had under the Veritaserum. Draco and Hermione were determined to keep their promise to always be friends, to not allow what was said to affect them. It was harder than it seemed. Draco couldn't stop thinking about her, couldn't stop dreaming and loving her, but he wasn't going to push her into something she was determined against. To say that he was peachy with the whole thing was far from the truth. He was slipping further and further into a state that he never wanted to be in. He had to endure watching Hermione and Weasley fall back easily into their boyfriend/girlfriend routine, holding hands and kissing. It was nearly enough to make him heave.

He also had to endure watching the longing glances that Potter kept giving to his cousin over the head of his fiancée and hers in return. He doubted that they even realized they were doing it. It sickened him to the core. Love was all around, and none were claiming it.

By Thursday, everything was back to how it was before the Veritaserum, nearly. Draco was looking forward to the Quidditch game and dance on Saturday, hoping that the two Heads would be able to let everything go between them and just enjoy their time together, like they did before. He knew that it was a far wish, something not likely, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to take it all back, but at the same time, he was glad that she knew. That someone loved her. That someone was there. The Head Boy and Girl were going together, which was just fine with him. He could show her that nothing had changed. He knew that Weasley had found a date, but he didn't know who it was. Hermione didn't seem too upset by it; she actually seemed happy and intrigued. He knew that she couldn't possibly love Ron, even if she didn't love him. "Who could it be?" She said in frustration while they sat in the common room Thursday night. He'd returned from practice and dinner, to find her trying to decipher who would possibly go to a dance with Ron Weasley.

"I thought you didn't care?" Draco asked, his eyes lifting from his book he was reading (Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky) and looking at the curious witch.

"I don't!" She protested. "I'm just curious, aren't you?"

He shrugged. "Not particularly." He said, looking back down at his book.

She sat down beside him and huffed. He glanced at her and had to suppress a laugh. She had her arms crossed under her bust and had a pout firmly planted on her perfect features. He smiled and looked back at his book. "Why won't he tell us?" She asked.

"He probably doesn't want us to take the mickey out of him we do." Draco said disinterested. He thought it was adorable when she was completely disheveled by an unsolvable problem. God, he was turning into such a—bitch. "Just wait until Saturday, like the rest of us." He told her, lounging back against the couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. He turned the page of the novel and she let out a groan.

"Ugh. I'm going to bed." She grumbled and got up. Draco put his book down and caught her hand. Hermione turned and looked at him. "What?" She asked her eyes soft.

"Are you sure that you're not jealous?" He asked.

She sat down again, taking his book, placing the marker in and setting it on the table. "I'm not, Draco. I just want to know who's lucky enough to have Ron's favor, that's all." She said, her eyes trying to tell him something, something just beyond his reach.

"He's your boyfriend, Granger. It'd be perfectly fine if you were." He reasoned.

She placed her small hand on his cheek. "I'm not." She said. She kissed his other cheek lightly. "Good night." And he just watched, in stunned silence as she walked up to her room and closed the door. Whoa! What just happened? Did he doze off and dream again? He shook his head and decided it was time to go to bed. Some of his fantasies were starting to attack him in the waking world and he just needed to not be going mad right now. He went into his room and shut the door, then began to take his clothes off.

Once in his boxers, he got into his bed and lied down. He shut his eyes, trying for once not to think of her, not to concentrate on the honey goddess sleeping just a few feet away from him. Unfortunately, just as he felt sleep overcome him, he heard the door of his room click open and he was instantly awake. He reached over to his nightstand and gripped the handle of his wand. Then he sat up and pointed it at the source. It was the bathroom door that was opened and a figure stood there. "Lumos!" He whispered and the figure stepped into the light. "Hermione?" He asked and stood up, leaving his bed and walking up to the vision in white in his doorway. She grabbed his hand and pulled him closer, wrapping it around her satin clad waist. "Wha-" His questioned was cut off by her small hand strongly pulling him down to her lips, crashing them onto her own in a display of fiery passion. She opened his mouth and deepened their kiss, bringing it to levels that he'd never even dreamed of. He could hardly be blamed for crushing that body closer to his, holding onto her for dear life, or the reaction that his body had to the whole ordeal.

Before he knew what was happening, they were at the bed. He hadn't remembered moving, but her hands were at his waist. Don't let this be a dream, please don't let this be a dream, his mind begged as her small hands pulled the boxers away and they fell to the floor. He pulled away from her and looked into her honey orbs, their kiss broken and his eyes confused. Her hands crossed over her chest, one hand going to each of the thin straps holding her nightgown on to her. The dress fell, gathering at her feet, and he was presented with every inch of naked flesh that she possessed. "Kiss me." She told him. He did as ordered and pulled her to him with a gentle, but firm hand on the back of her neck. He kissed her gently, but passionately, letting their tongues dance together in gentle messages. He felt her grasp him and gasped into that kiss. Her hand was cold against his sensitive skins and her grip was firm. Draco wasn't able to concentrate when she began to stroke and he pulled away from her lips. She released him and jumped up onto the bed. He was breathing heavily.

"Hermione—what is this?" He asked. He walked over to her and she ran her hand through his blond locks lovingly. She kissed him again.

"Please, Draco. Please." She begged. He crawled onto the bed; she lied down against the spread. He was above her, his strong arms on either side of her small body as he hovered, but he made no move to kiss her.

"Why?" He asked, desperately wishing that he could just accept this, but he couldn't.

She looked at him, her eyes filled with desperation. "I need you." She said pleading.

"Why me?" He questioned completely serious.

She reached her hands to his shoulders and stroked the muscles. "Tell me you love me." She requested.

"I love you, you know I do." He complied honestly.

"Tell me you want me." She begged.

He kissed her, lightly but it was far from chaste. "I always want you." He whispered against her lips. "Tell me why." He requested. She let her right hand fall from his shoulder and reached down to grip him. He sucked in air. "That's cheating." He growled in pleasure.

"Do this for me. I'll explain later, but please, just please make love to me." He couldn't resist when he saw the tears forming in her eyes. She was afraid that he was going to reject her. He reached down to her hand and griped her against him firmly, before pulling her hand away and touching her gently. She gasped and he slid his finger in. She was tight, tight but wet. He messaged her gently, pushing his finger into her depths while his thumb rubbed circles on her sensitive folds. Her eyes were closed, small gasps of pleasure erupting from that heavenly mouth at his ministrations. He slipped in another finger, widening her depths and bringing new pleasure on her. When the first orgasm hit her, she was so quiet, scratching his arms lightly, a small smile of pleasure on her lips. He was ready, she was ready, and he reached for his wand, casting a Contraceptive Charm.

Slowly, gently, he entered her and she squirmed under him. He kissed her as he drove himself deep inside of her, giving his own sighs of pleasure at the feel of her hips bucking up to match him. He pulled out and pushed in, bringing new sounds from her. Soon, they were at a steady pace, slow but deep, working together to get the maximum pleasure from the experience. He kissed along her collarbone finding her pulse and biting it gently. She gasped in his ear and kissed his neck. He quickened the pace, desperation rolling over him. She matched him easily and left trails of kisses along his neck and shoulders. She kissed him, scratched him, as he brought her over and over again over that beautiful edge. She was so beautiful and the feel of her beneath him was the greatest gift. He was close and she knew it. She kissed him, passionately, as he lost his fight to keep this going.

She wrapped her strong legs around him and rolled him over onto his back. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped when she did, he hadn't expected it. She was grinning at him mischievously and began to kiss down his body, using tongue and teeth as she trailed down his body. He was up again in no time, which seemed to be her goal as she looked into his blue eyes with her brown and positioned herself on top of him. She slid down his shaft easily, he gasped from the pleasure, the feel of her. She rocked back and forth, gliding her nails down his pectorals and abdomen. He gripped her hips, driving himself deeper into her, rocking her harder. She had control, almost all the control, but she didn't protest. She leaned down against him, kissing him as her hips rolled against him, then lifted him, her spin arching in pleasure. He ran his hands down her front, trying not to close his eyes, trying to memorize every moment.

Soon, they came together and she collapsed on top of him. He held her with strong arms, feeling her small hands on his chest. "I love you." He whispered into her hair. She looked at him and kissed him lightly. She pulled his limp form out of her deep cave, gasping again, and cuddled against him. He pulled the covers that had managed to gather at the foot of the bed over them and they fell asleep, both deeply satisfied.

The next morning, he woke up alone. Hermione wasn't anywhere to be seen. He thought wildly for a moment that it had all been a dream, but he hadn't gone to bed naked and his boxers were next to the bed on the bathroom side. Her nightgown wasn't. He got up and went into the bathroom, crossing the room to her door. He opened it and saw her bed made, then he closed it again. He took a shower, replaying the night in his head, and he couldn't help but smile. It was real. It meant something. It changed things.

After his shower, he went into his room and dressed for the day, feeling oddly euphoric. He couldn't wait to see her again. When he entered the common room, he saw a piece of paper on the coffee table. Thinking it was either his or Hermione's homework, Draco picked it up and began to read it.

My dearest Draco,

I'm sorry. It isn't fair to tell you this in a letter, but it's all I can do.

Charade sent for me, last night I received their letter, requesting me in London this morning. Dumbledore has told everyone that my grandmother fell deathly ill and I was needed at home. Yes, he knows, but who could really hid anything from him? I'll be gone for awhile, I don't know exactly how long. He'll be sending me my assignments.

Thank you for last night, Draco. I needed to feel something real, I needed you.

Nothing's changed, though. I'm still a Charaden and I can't be with you, Draco. It isn't right, what I did, and I hope that someday you'll forgive me.

Promise me you'll never forget me, because if I thought you would I'd never leave.

Sincerely,

Hermione

P.S.—You'll have to burn this letter. I'm sorry.

He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire.

Attention: Ok. So, since the last one was kind of overly Blair/Harry, I thought that I'd make this one completely Dramione. The next one will have the latest installment into that little love story, but I won't leave you high and dry on the Dramione front, because more to come. What did you think of the love scene? Either of them? I was a little iffy on it, because this story is like way too relaxed and I don't know if it conveyed the right amount of passion.

Evil Buffy quotes, mwah-ha-ha! I had to, sorry. The lines that I'm *cough* ripping off *cough* are my favorites from the show(s) and I can't help but integrate it. More will come, so I don't really care if no one likes them. Some of the quotes weren't Buffy though. A few of them were unknown that I got online and the "Promise me" line in the letter was a quote by Winnie the Pooh.

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