Draco was a contradiction.
On the one hand Hermione believed that he was, as she's always known him to be, deceitful and capable of getting whatever he wants. However, there are times when she couldn't reconcile the snide and cruel boy from her childhood with her Draco.
Her Draco.
In a way, he was. They were, for all intended purposes, a couple. They lived together, ate together and went out together. Moreover, the close quarters was an excellent breeding ground for familiarity and sexual tension.
After their first week together, they had a routine. Draco would go shadow his father as Malfoy Industries while Hermione spent the day at the Ministry, helping with the restoration. She didn't have an official title at the Ministry but she did have a pretty hefty salary that was official.
When they got home, they would get some take out, or one of them would cook something and have supper. Then, they would spend the evening talking, playing chess, or reading. Then inevitably they would end up on the couch.
These things weren't Hermione's worry. They knew each other's routine, it was logical. She had a routine with Harry and Ron. But with Draco it wasn't the same.
One morning, she got out of bed sleepily and headed downstairs for some breakfast and, more importantly, coffee. Draco was already there and making her a cup.
"You are a saint," she told him as she leaned in to take her cup.
"I know," he replied cockily. And as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Draco leaned down and kissed her. It was light and sweet.
But from that morning on, morning kisses were a thing. So were good night kisses.
Despite Hermione's best attempt to brush off the kiss, she could not deny that they were getting steamier and steamier.
As she sat down on the couch with Draco after getting her arse handed to her twice at chess, she decided to call it a night and watch some good old sci-fi show.
"Popcorn?" Draco asked her.
"Nah, you?"
"Not really," he mumbled honestly.
"You just want to play with the microwave don't you?" she teased.
"Hush woman," he told her with mock offense.
They watched the telly for a few minutes before Hermione felt herself dozing off.
"Well," she yawned. "I'm off to bed. I'm going to Diagon Alley tomorrow. Would you like to come?"
"Why not," he replied offhandedly. Then as per their routine, Draco leaned over to kiss her. He leaned over a little too far and toppled over her. He arms shot out and he braced himself against the couch arm her head was on.
Her little gasp of surprise seemed to only intensify his desire. Like a predator that's caught his prey, his pupils dilated but he remained immobile. He let out what sounded like a growl and crushed his lips against hers. The kiss was… well words could not describe how passionate and arousing the kiss was. IT was almost too much for Draco to handle.
Actually, it was too much for him to handle.
He pulled away, panting.
"Don't stop," Hermione begged him in her lustful daze.
"Fuck," he whispered. "I can't. Hermione, I want you to be ready. I want us to talk about it. I won't disrespect you like this. I won't use you."
"I want you to use me," she all but purred in his ear.
"No," he insisted. "I want you so much. Don't think I don't. I just don't want us to do something in the heat of the moment and regret it."
"You're right," she told him, coming to her senses.
He pushed himself up and racked his fingers through his blond hair in exasperation. She would be the bloody end of him.
"Good night, love" he bid her.
"Good night, Draco."
Hermione woke up with the most wonderful feeling. She had a dream, she couldn't quite remember it, but it was wonderful.
She skipped down the stairs, hoping to see Draco there, bright and early as always. Instead, he was nowhere to be found.
Maybe he was sleeping in.
She make a cup of coffee for herself and tea for Draco. He liked tea. She began to slice up some melon and make some light breakfast.
Just as she was about to finish baking the croissant, Draco came downstairs, looking like complete and utter shit.
"Good morning," she told him lightly but carefully.
"Morning," he state as a greeting.
"Didn't sleep well?" she asked worried.
"Yeah, I guess so," he mumbled and took the tea from her. Then he kissed her, as always. "Thanks for breakfast."
"My pleasure," she replied cheerily.
As they dug into their breakfast, Hermione watched him carefully. He looked worried. Something did not sit well with her. After two weeks of living together, she knew Draco a lot better.
"I can see the wheels turning in your head," Draco teased, his mood improved. "I'm fine. Just some stuff from work on my mind. I'll be grand after another cup of tea."
"Good to know," she conceded and went to grab him another cup. She pushed her worries away and focused on the itinerary for the day.
"So," she addressed Draco. "Before we head to Diagon Alley, I'd like to stop by Severus'. I usually do on Thursdays."
"Dear old uncle Sev won't mind if I tag along?" he asked her.
"Of course not, he loves you."
"Everyone does," he quipped.
"Go get dressed Draco," she told him as she waved the plates away.
"Magic!" Draco gasped. "You make me use these muggle devices. Use the Washy thing."
Hermione grinned at his childishness but complied and began to set the dishes into the rack.
Hermione wrapped some baked goods for Severus and allowed Draco to lead her out of the flat and to the nearest apparition point.
"I never understood why uncle Sev bought a house so far from the apparition point," Draco complained as they apparated into a nearby Telephone Booth.
"He wants privacy maybe," Hermione figured. "It's a nice day for a walk, don't complain."
"Bossy," he teased.
"Prat" she replied grinning.
"You wound me," he told her as he, in a very Shakespearian manner, grasped at his heart. This earned him another smile. Draco loved to make her smile and laugh, so he milked his dramatic act a little more. He wiped a fake tear away from his eyes and dropped to the ground in sorrow.
She laughed a hearty laugh. Then became self-conscious, much to Draco's regret. He rather liked the way her laugh echoed in the empty streets.
"Drama queen," she mumbled a little embarrassed at her outburst.
Before they even knocked on the door, Severus swung the door open.
"Do stop making a scene outside of my home," he chided the young lovebirds.
"Uncle," Draco tried to explain. "We were simply…"
"It was all Draco!" Hermione tattle tailed childishly.
Draco was starting to rub off on her.
Severus smirked and motioned for them to sit down.
Hermione handed him the baked goods and Severus made tea for them.
"I was beginning to worry when you did not show last week," Severus told her frankly.
"Well, I was overwhelmed by certain events," she tried to be discreet.
Severus sighed. She was definitely a Gryffindor. Couldn't be discreet to save her life. It was a miracle Draco didn't know the truth yet.
"Regardless," he veered the conversation towards less touchy subjects and chatted with his two favorite people of the younger generation. Despite their friendly banter, Severus could see that there was something off about their relationship. But then again, what did he know about relationships.
As he bid them goodbye, Severus wished with all of his might that they would sort things out. He began to get the feeling that he was getting quite sentimental with old age. God forbid he became the new Albus Dumbledore.
"Well," Draco began a little petulantly. "He seems to like you."
"Draco," she gasped a little appalled. "You're not jealous of Severus are you?"
"So it's Severus now," he joked lightly.
"You had me going there," she replied with a nervous laugh.
"I'm a Slytherin," he stated proudly. "If I couldn't trick a simply little Gryffindor, I'd be a shame to my house."
"Simply?" she looked at him meaningfully, urging him to take it back.
"Yes," he says nonchalantly. "Simple. Simplette. Ma petite fillette simplette."
She pouted and gave him a little shove.
"Aww…" he sighed realizing he was taking it too far. "Sorry, love."
He kissed her nose and wrapped her in a warm hug.
"I'll buy you a book if you forget all about how much of a meanie I am," he offered.
"Only one?" she teased. "Is my ire so weak?"
Draco let out a deep chuckle and pulled her into the telephone booth and apparated them to Diagon Alley.
It took a few minutes, but Hermione slowly realized that Draco acted differently when there were people around. The haughty and stoic Draco appeared. He reminded her of the boy she knew. The only difference was that she knew better. This was all an act. His warm hand wrapped around hers told her so.
She realized that people were staring quite obviously. While she was used to the occasional stare due to her heroine status, nobody had actually stared so openly and so rudely. Draco rubbed circles on her hand with his thumb. Oddly enough, it reassured her.
Soon enough, people stared less and Hermione noticed them less and less. After the 3rd book and second box of chocolate Draco bought her, she forgot about the stares entirely.
They decided to cease the opportunity and enjoy a nice supper at a quirky little restaurant in Diagon Alley. The food was odd and Hermione wondered briefly if she would die from the oddly purple-ish good they served, but it tasted delicious. She shared a crème brulé with Draco and decided that this was possibly the most fun she's had in Diagon Alley since the end of the war.
As they readied to Apparate home, a woman stalked towards them.
Draco did not notice her until she had her wand out and started shouting at him.
"MURDERER!" she shouted. "DEATH EATER SCUM!"
"Madam," Hermione tried to speak with her. But Draco quickly spun her around and pushed her behind him.
Instead of drawing out his wand Draco looked absolutely broken. He stared at the old woman, not registering what she was saying, but her pain was tangible.
When she paused her shouting to take a few deep breath Draco approached the woman palms up, indicating his intentions.
"I apologize for any harm I may have caused you," he spoke hoarsely, throat tight with emotions.
"Well, an apology isn't going to bring my sister back!" she told him angrily, but without as much intensity as she began with.
"I understand that," he replied. "I do not know what I can offer you to ease your pain. But if hexing me will give you some sense of poetic justice, then very well."
The woman seemed to not have expected this and her plan was suddenly derailed.
Her eyes turned sad and she simply stalked away.
Draco heaved a sigh and his shoulders slumped visible. Hermione came up from behind him and hugged him around the waist tightly.
"Let's go home," he told her numbly.
"Let's,"
As she apparated them home, she led him to the couch.
"Talk to me," she told him.
"What's there to say? My past is coming to haunt me," he told her quite sadly.
"Don't say it like it's nothing," Hermione admonished. "I was there. You were very kind and understanding to the woman."
"Perhaps it is all a Slytherin trick," he spat out. "Maybe I did it on purpose to throw her off. Maybe I didn't mean any of it."
His tone made her heart wretch.
"Please don't," she begged him. She didn't want to lose her Draco to this.
He remained silent.
"I'm going to bed," she announced. She didn't really know if Draco was paying her any attention.
She headed upstairs and prepared to bed. When she was in her pajamas and her hair was pinned up, the nagging feeling at the back of her mind told her to go check up on Draco.
He was still on the couch, sitting in the same position she had left him.
"Draco… love," she urged him to look at her. When he did, she took his hands in hers and pulled lightly. "Come to bed."
"Bed…" he mumbled and nodded.
As they headed upstairs Hermione decided quickly that maybe she should keep an eye on Draco tonight. He was already very troubled to begin with. Who knew what the woman had done to his psyche.
"Over here," she led him into her room. "Come on"
She began to help him out of his robes.
"I care very much for you," she told him. "Please don't forget that."
"I know, love," he replied sedately.
"Then for me," she begged. "Please take care of yourself."
He nodded.
She smiled sadly and ushered him into her bed. He tried to resist and looked at her a little confused.
"Just to sleep," she told him. "I think we could both use the company."
With another nod, Draco crawled into bed with Hermione and stared blankly into the dark.
His mind was pulling him in millions of different directions at a time. It hurt so much that he was numb.
It was only when Hermione linked her fingers in his that he began to calm down enough. And soon, sleep carried him away to blissful nothingness.
A/N- Thank you to all the lovely people who have decided to follow, favourite and reviewed this story. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Sorry about the bleak end to the chapter. Things do have to get worse before the get better. Right?
