A/N: Hello lovely readers! Here is your warning that this chapter is rated M for Mature! If that's not your jam, then why are you reading a Mature fic? If it is your jam, then enjoy! And I hope I do it justice.

As they put up their protective enchantments and set up camp for the night, Hermione began to think about what had just happened at Grimmauld Place. Not about Yaxley nearly capturing them, though that was certainly on her mind, but about Draco.

There had been several moments when he had protected her. Actually protected her by physically putting himself between her and danger. She couldn't figure out why, and she knew she would drive herself crazy trying to figure it out.

Could it have been mere chivalry? A desire to keep her, a lady, safe from harm? Or was it possible it meant something more? Perhaps he was beginning to care for her. Perhaps he nearly considered her a friend. Perhaps more.

Hermione's stomach swooped at the thought of Draco having some sort of deeper feelings for her. It was a ridiculous notion. He was a pureblood, a Death Eater, no less. She didn't really think of him as a Death Eater, although he did have the mark. And she was a muggle born, and Harry Potter's best friend. Could it ever really be possible for him to hold feelings other than hatred for her? They were destined to be enemies from the start, from the day Hermione was born into a family of muggles, and Draco into a family of pureblood supremacists.

Then they had run away together, saved each other from danger more times than either could count. Did they still hate each other? Try as she might, Hermione couldn't tell herself that she hated him anymore. She didn't know quite what to make of her feelings. She definitely trusted him, or else she never would have told him about the horcruxes. She couldn't really call him her friend, at least not in the way that she considered Harry and Ron her friends; so why did her heart flutter annoyingly every time she thought about how Draco had protected her, held her hand, and saved her life?

She didn't know what to say to him, how to thank him for saving her yet again, how to ask why he had protected her so. They prepared the camp in silence, the unspoken words between them hanging like the dark clouds that were rolling over the sky above them.

Hermione set down an apple and a glass of water on their tiny table in front of Draco's usual spot. He walked over, and before she could talk herself out of it, she stood on tiptoe and placed a small kiss of gratitude on his cheek. She took her apple and water outside to sit watch, leaving Draco inside the tent, stunned.

She sat just outside the tent, trying not to think about Draco. These feelings had crept in so slowly, she hadn't noticed until they were practically clawing at her mind and pounding at the inside of her heart, screaming for release. She wiped a tear away in frustration. Things with Ron had just begun to pick up before Dumbledore's death, and now…well, she felt so distant from Ron that she could hardly think of him that way anymore. Distant not just geographically, but in her heart.

Ron. Kind, gentle, caring Ron. Loyal, albeit quite tactless and thoughtless at times. Hermione's heart ached with the thought of him.

Draco. Mysterious, guarded, occasionally very ill tempered Draco. They argued almost daily, but he seemed to care for her on some level. She thought of how he held her hand when they apparated, or how he would gently shake her awake some mornings, and her heart fluttered.

She sighed. They were so very different, Ron and Draco, and yet Hermione found herself inexplicably and amazingly attracted to both of them. Or at least, she had been attracted to Ron. She wasn't so sure anymore.

She heard the first drops of rain hit all around her and soon rain was pouring from the black sky overhead. Hermione stood and walked back into the tent, shaking the water from her hair. When she looked up she saw Draco standing near his bed, removing his shirt.

Heat rose to Hermione's cheeks immediately. This was not the first time she had seen him without a shirt. They'd been living together for months now. But this was the first time she got a really good look at him. He was slender and muscular. She watched his body move as he bent down to retrieve a new shirt from his bed, admiring the way his muscles moved beneath his creamy skin.

Wondering briefly what it might be like to run her hands along those muscles, Hermione felt a tight coil of desire settle in the pit of her stomach. Hermione went and sat on her bed, shaking her head in an attempt to get the image of Draco's sinewy muscles out of her head.

Draco lifted his hand to the place where Hermione's lips had just left him and turned to watch her retreating form as she exited the tent. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and flopped into his chair, hanging his head in his hands. Why was his heart hammering so wildly in his chest? It was Granger for Merlin's sake! They'd been enemies since the day they met! Yet after months of only seeing her, he couldn't deny that he'd begun to look at her differently. One might even say that he'd grown to admire her…perhaps more than admire.

Did he truly have feelings for her? Or was he merely missing the touch of a woman? It had been so long since he had found himself under the warm, healing caress of a woman. But then, it must have been at least as long for Granger, if not longer. Heat rose to his cheeks as he thought of her in such a way and he pulled his fingers through his hair in frustration.

It wasn't just the fact that he longed for any woman. Certain things she did or said made his heart ache in a way he had never felt before. She trusted him, saw the good in him, and believed in him even when he couldn't do those things for himself. She saw beyond the Dark Mark to who he truly was. Or at least, who he wanted to be, who he could be.

So, what would happen if he succumbed to his new feelings for her? Rejection from her, possibly. But beyond that there weren't any other short-term consequences. There wasn't anyone else to approve of his feelings for her. He didn't have to face his family or his friends. What harm could it do to indulge just a bit?

Convinced that he was mental, he took a bite of his apple and walked over to his bunk to change into his nightclothes. As he pulled off his shirt, he heard a short intake of breath and realized that Hermione must have re-entered the tent. He reached for a new shirt and pulled it on before turning towards her. She was busying herself with tidying her already spotless bunk. "It's raining." She said abruptly and a bit too loudly, only turning slightly from her bunk to glance at him.

Draco smirked, fighting back a laugh at her obvious nervousness. "Yeah." He said lamely, taking another bite of his apple.

Hermione tucked her hair behind her ear, trying to fight away the flush in her cheeks. "Hey, I…" she started, turning to face him, her hair coming free from her ear again. She stopped abruptly however when she found him standing directly behind her. She let in a sharp breath as their eyes met. There was something different about them; the friendly eyes that had regarded her a moment ago were now filled with something else. Something much deeper. Uncertainty, admiration, and (could it be?) desire. The space between them seemed alive with energy, as if it were waiting to be closed and to encompass them.

"Why did you come back for me?" he asked slowly. "Back at the house, when Yaxley had me. I told you to run. Why didn't you just leave?"

She opened her mouth, but hesitated for a moment. "I didn't want to," she breathed honestly.

They suddenly seemed close, much too close, their noses mere inches apart. Draco reached up and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear, his hand settling on her cheek just below her ear. He seemed to be thinking deeply as he looked down at her. Hermione's heart was racing and she found it hard to breathe, as though a heavy weight sat on her chest.

"You could have been free of me," he remarked.

She could have pointed out to him that she could be free of him at any time. There was nothing obligating them to stay together. Either of them was free to leave at any time and take their chances alone. Instead, she took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet his. "I don't want to be free of you."

There it was, the truth that she was only just realizing herself. Shock registered on his face for a brief moment, but then a smile settled on his lips. Not a smirk, but a smile. "I don't want to be free of you either," he murmured gently.

And then he was leaning in towards her and, after a brief moment's hesitation, kissing her. His hand moved to the nape of her neck, drawing her closer to him. His lips were sticky and sweet with the residue of the apple he had just finished. Before she knew it, before she could think about what it meant, she was kissing him back.

He was gentle, surprisingly so, and she found it felt natural to be kissing him. She reached up and entangled her fingers in his hair as she deepened the kiss, opening her mouth up to him. Their tongues met, tentatively at first, testing, tasting; and then enthusiastically, desperately seeking closeness.

He pulled away abruptly, taking a small step back. Her eyes were a little wide, her lips slightly swollen from their kiss. He was waiting for her to slap him, yell at him, or laugh at him. He couldn't decide which of those outcomes would hurt him most.

Hermione took a deep breath, her heart racing. Throwing caution to the wind, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him again.

His hands travelled to her hips as his tongue trailed along her bottom lip. He pulled her closer by the hips so that her body was flush against his. She released a small moan and he gripped her hips harder in response. He broke away slightly, resting his forehead against hers. "It's been so long since I…" he trailed off to kiss along her jaw line and down her neck.

"I know," breathed Hermione, tilting her head to grant him access, "me too."

"Tell me to stop," he murmured into her hair.

Hermione felt her stomach swoop as his thumb hooked under the bottom of her shirt and slid along her stomach, making her shiver. "Don't stop," she sighed.

He pulled away from her neck, grinning slightly at the quiet noise of protest she made. Slowly, as if waiting for her to stop him, he lifted her shirt over her head.

She blushed as his eyes wandered her body. He pulled her in and caught her lips again, this time much more ferociously. The passion of his kiss made Hermione whimper. She collapsed to sit onto her bed, pulling him along with her. She reached for his shirt as well. His hand ran from her neck down her shoulder, pushing her bra strap down before reaching around her for the hooks. She leaned back on the bed, grabbing his hand and pulling him down on top of her, his body forcing the air from her lungs in a soft sigh.

His hands began to explore her body. He didn't need to ask her again if she wanted to stop or if she was sure. At that moment their minds were one, and they needed this. He could feel her heart pounding wildly in her breast. Every breath she took seemed to resonate within him as well. He moved slowly, savoring the feel of her skin, the sight of her pale flesh bathed in the firelight, the curve of her neck. He ran one hand from her neck down her centerline.

She took the opportunity to explore his torso with her hands and eyes. He was thin. Thinner, perhaps, than he had been at Hogwarts due to their shortage of food. But he was muscular still, and Hermione's eyes feasted on the way his body looked and moved. She wanted to get lost in this moment with him; lost in his touch; forget about the war and the danger they were in.

Her hands travelled south, tugging at his belt buckle and pushing his jeans down over his hips. He broke away from his fiery assault on her neck and looked at her as if he had only just realized how far this was about to go. The blazing, determined look in her eye was all he needed. He quickly kicked his trousers off before pushing her jeans down her legs.

Impatience overtook Hermione as she reached out and pulled his boxers down, blushing not only at his excitement before her, but also at her own boldness. He tugged her panties off as well, unembarrassed by his own nakedness.

His mouth returned to hers as his hand travelled down her body to the part of her that ached for him. She gasped out as his fingers brushed against her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, releasing a little moan into his mouth. Her back arched as she raked her fingernails across the back of his neck. She was sure she had never felt passion like this. She couldn't control her gasps and moans and her heart was pounding so loudly that she was certain that anyone who might pass by would hear it despite their protective spells.

She could wait no longer. "Please." She breathed, raising her hips to meet his.

Draco let out a low groan in response to her plea. He needed her as badly as she needed him, so he wasted no more time. He kissed her deeply once more and gently slid home. She let out a low moan and ran her fingers down his back as they slowly began to rock together. Their hands and mouths still exploring as they gradually built up speed and ferocity. He was attentive, reading her body's signals and duplicating things that made her gasp or smile. She returned the favor, getting a particular rush when a swivel of her hips elicited a sudden groan from Draco.

The passion became too much for Hermione first and Draco watched, enthralled as she arched her back and came undone with a gasp, a quiver, and then a smile. He soon followed her over that blissful edge with a grunt.

He rested his forehead against hers, both of them shaking as they slowly came down from their high. He caught her lips for one final kiss before rolling off her, still cradling her in his arms.

Hermione smiled contently and nestled into him, resting her head next to his, their noses almost touching as they looked at each other anew.

Draco gently brushed her hair away from her face, his hands still gently roaming over her neck, shoulders and back and he held her in his arms. He watched as her eyelids began to flutter and she was soon asleep. And he soon followed, the warmth of her arms and the sound of the rain lulling him to sleep.

Hermione woke up several hours later with the memories of the previous evening playing through her mind. Her stomach fluttered and she rolled over with a smile. She reached out her arm for Draco but found only empty sheets. She opened her eyes, noticing that it was still quite dark out. She looked around the tent to find Draco sitting at the dining table with his head in his hands. A candle was lit and a book sat open in front of him, but he didn't seem to be reading.

"Hey," she mumbled, sitting up and pulling the sheet around her naked form.

He looked up at her and she saw a range of emotions flash across his face. Happiness, confusion, and, she hoped she was wrong, but regret too. "Hey, are you alright?" He wouldn't make eye contact with her, but he stood from the table to walk back over to her, blowing out the candle as he did. He sat on the edge of the bed. He looked extremely conflicted, torn somewhere between kissing her and flogging himself.

"Fine, thanks. How are you?" She asked hesitantly.

He nodded and shrugged. "I'm alright."

She looked down timidly. Here it was. The fall out. Everything she had feared since the first time her heart had fluttered because of him. Rejection because of her blood status. "You regret last night, don't you?"

"No!" Draco insisted at once. He reached out and took her hand that wasn't holding the sheet up. "I don't, honestly."

"It just looks like something is bothering you," she commented carefully.

"I'm just a little freaked out that I don't regret it, to be honest." He looked down at their joined hands. "You're very confusing, you know."

"Confusing?" Hermione repeated, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded, the slightest hint of a smirk playing at his lips. "And a little infuriating."

Hermione frowned, finally understanding his conflict. "I'm the same person I've always been, Draco," she insisted firmly.

"I know that," Draco intoned. "It just isn't who I thought you were."

"I'm sorry," began Hermione sharply, pulling her hand from his, "are you upset because I'm not living up to all of the insane stereotypes you were taught about muggleborns?"

"No," Draco grumbled, but Hermione looked at him skeptically and he turned slightly pink. "I'm mad because I now know those things were never true to begin with."

Hermione just blinked. She was torn between yelling at him for being so stupid as to believe those things in the first place, and being pleased that he had finally seen the light.

"I've been told all these things all my life, Granger. I always knew that you weren't stupid or weak, but I guess I still felt superior to you…though I can't imagine now why I once felt that way. You are… wonderful. I feel like a fool for taking so long to notice."

Hermione smiled slightly, "you are a fool." Draco looked at her in shock and she grinned at him. "But then again, I've always known that."

He smiled, but she could see him begin to recoil. She reached out and grabbed his hand. "But I was rather blind as well to not see the softer sides of you."

"That's because I refused to show my softer sides. I couldn't," he said.

"I know that. But they're there. You're kind and brave and surprisingly chivalrous for a boy who once made my front teeth grow past my knees."

Draco laughed, "I forgot about that." He reached for her face, running his thumb gently across her bottom lip, examining her teeth as she grinned at him. "Sorry."

Hermione just shrugged. "It worked out for the best. I actually had Madame Pomfrey make them a little smaller than they had been when she shrank them back."

"Ah, then you're welcome." Draco smirked.

Hermione laughed and pushed him away playfully. He laughed with her and leaned in slightly. "I'm going to kiss you now, Granger."

Hermione's stomach swooped as he leaned in and captured her lips with his. She kissed him back earnestly, thoughts of his past prejudices far from her mind. He lay back down with her, his hands sneaking underneath the sheet to explore her body. She quickly pushed his pants down over his hips. He chuckled at her eagerness and kicked his pants off before joining her under the covers.

He kissed her slower than he had the previous night, taking his time to draw her close to him and hold her body against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his hair.

"Watch the hair," he mumbled against her lips with a smirk.

Hermione just laughed and tousled his hair even more. Draco laughed and pulled her hands away, pinning them over her head. "Minx," he chuckled, dragging his lips down her neck. She moaned and arched her back.

He climbed over her and parted her legs with his knee. He released her wrists to cup her face. She shivered at his tenderness as he captured her lips in a searing kiss. He reached down and pulled her leg up around his waist before gently pushing into her. She purred and rolled her hips against him. He groaned and bucked forward, eliciting a gasp from Hermione.

He buried his face in her curls and cursed softly. "A man could get used to this, Granger."

Hermione kissed him deeply before giving him a stern look. "Malfoy, I swear I'll shave your head if you don't get on with it."

With a growl, Draco thrust into her hard. She cried out in pleasure and dug her fingernails into his back. He kept a steady rhythm and she met him each time. He felt her tense up and saw her brow furrow in blissful concentration and he knew she was nearly there. He reached between them to make little circles on her. She gasped out and arched her back, quivering as she came undone around him. With a groan, he followed her over the edge.

"Fuck, you're perfect," he murmured into her neck.

A thrill ran through Hermione, though she knew not to place too much stock in what was said immediately after sex. It was hard to think rationally though, when he was still trailing kisses over her neck and face.

He rolled off of her and settled behind her, pulling her against him. Hermione smiled at the feeling of fitting so nicely against his body. Her heart was fluttering in a way that she suspected had little to do with their physical exertions.

A/N: YAY! Slow burn over! (And it wasn't even that slow) I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are EVERYTHING!