In the Heart of the Storm

Chapter Eight: Twisted

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ron and Hermione were out of breath from laughing and running when they barged back into the kitchen. Ron was wiping the rain water from his eyes and Hermione was trying to get the thick mess of her hair out of her face. Luna practically flew over from the table and into Ron's arms. "Oh Ron! I was so worried something would happen to you out there! This storm is getting crazier by the minute instead of better and anything could have happened to you and Hermione."

Ron hugged his wife back and gave Hermione a sheepish grin over the top of her blond hair. Hermione smiled back and then her gaze fell upon Draco. He was leaning casually against the ice box with his arms crossed.

Harry cleared his throat. "I think that I'm going to serve the children's sandwiches in the playroom. That way, everyone has some time to talk and clean up or get dried off…" He smiled and levitated the plates of food out of the room.

Luna looked up into her husband's eyes. "Ron let's go and get you dried off shall we? Nargles are attracted to wet clothes…" With a silly, lopsided grin Ron took her hand and led her out of the room.

This left Hermione dripping by the door and having a stare down with her lover? She sighed and turned to check that the wards they placed were still holding. She set her hands flat on the wall and closed her eyes. After a minute of concentrating, she sighed in relief; the wards were still there. She could feel them buzzing through the walls.

"What are you doing?"

Hermione yelped and turned in surprise. "Oh! Draco you scared me half to death! Please don't sneak up on me…" She concentrated on the hardwood floor. There was a puddle forming around her feet. The rain was really coming down outside.

Draco nodded and mumbled, "Sorry…but I did say your name twice." Smirking, he tucked a strand of sopping wet hair behind Hermione's ear.

She took a step back and leaned against the wall for support. "I was just checking the wards… I guess I'll go and get changed now." She stepped around Draco and headed for the door, but just as she reached it she decided to stop. "Actually, no… My clothes can wait." She turned to face him and placed her hands on her hips. "Why are you so mad with me? I can tell by your stance, the way you talked to me earlier, and you've been avoiding me since after breakfast! What did I do? Are you upset that we didn't kiss in front of Harry? To be honest, I've never been one for public displays of affection. Not to mention, I had absolutely no idea how he would take us making out at his kitchen sink!" She was breathing heavily as she finished and hoping her voice didn't carry upstairs.

Draco slowly walked towards her but she held her ground. When he was right in front of her, she lifted her chin to glare into his face. "Are you going to answer me or what?"

Draco chuckled and shook his head lightly. "Look, you're incredibly sexy when you're being stubborn, not to mention, you're soaking wet. But here's the thing; yes, I was upset with you." He took a deep breath and continued, "You rejecting my kiss this morning brought on feelings that I hadn't felt in a while," he explained as he ran a hand through his hair. "Feelings I haven't experienced since Astoria and I were over."

Hermione frowned and put her hands on Draco's forearm. "Oh… Oh Draco, I'm so very sorry. I never meant to make you feel rejected. I felt embarrassed and scared…and unsure." She squeezed his arms. "We still haven't discussed what's going to happen between us. We need to, though." She looked into his icy eyes.

Draco nodded. "I completely agree. We need to talk about this, but I want to do it in private. I don't want the entire Weasley family in our business." He turned away from her out of her arms. "I'm sorry, Hermione. My temper is aggravated from this damn storm." He looked down at his hands and said, "I can feel my magic just buzzing through me and it's making me restless."

Hermione was unsure of what to say. She could clearly see how irritated he was; it was almost as if sparks were about to burst from his fingertips. Draco just kept looking at his hands as if he thought they might do just that. Hermione swayed from foot to foot listening to the dripping from her clothes hitting the floor. So many things were going through her mind. She watched Draco as if in slow motion, wondering exactly where they would end up.

The room felt like it was spinning and she found herself sitting down on one of the chairs. What the heck had her life come to? She was a single witch who had worked her way up in the Ministry, grew bored with her desk job, gone to Healing school, and then moved right on up the chain there as well! And somewhere along the line, she lost her first love, lost her mind over it, and then fell for her childhood enemy. She seriously must be mental or something…

Looking back up, she found Draco downing a glass of water. Her head was pounding; she was tired, hungry, and frustrated. "Draco?" he turned to look at her over his shoulder, "I think I'm going to go change or shower, or something…then take a nap." She stood back up. "Hopefully when I wake up, this storm is over and I can go home and actually enjoy my time off from work!" She stalked towards the door but turned back, once again, to speak to Draco, "And then after my time off from work ends, I'm going to quit my job, pack up my apartment, and go to visit my parents in Australia for a while. I'm SICK and TIRED of living the life I live and never knowing what's going to happen next…"

She tried to drag her hands through her wet mess of hair and failed. "Obviously, I'm wasting my time here with you! Here I am just trying to talk to you and after all this time you still compare that bitch Astoria to ME! I'm Hermione Granger!" She stormed back over towards him glaring into his stunned face and jabbed her finger into his chest, "I have been your best friend since you divorced her and have done everything for you! Then, we just happen to have sex once and all of a sudden you get weird!" She took a deep breath and got right into his face. "Well, guess what Draco Malfoy, this storm is making me act like a completely crazy person and I think I am in LOVE with you!"

She stood there in absolute shock at how she just freaked out and tried to get her erratic breathing under control. Draco was looking down at her; his icy blue eyes boring into hers with so many emotions roaring through them she could hardly keep up. Her head felt like it was spinning again. Draco opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but instead he closed it, grabbed her under the shoulders, and promptly turned and slammed her into the wall.

Hermione opened her mouth to protest but suddenly Draco's mouth was crashing down onto her own. Her eyes widened but at the feel of Draco grinding his hips into hers, she closed it and moaned into his mouth, letting her hands snake into his hair.

Draco allowed his hands to roam down her body until he found her hips. Grabbing her bottom, he lifted her so that her legs were wrapped around his hips. He broke the kiss to mumble against her earlobe, "Upstairs…now." Hermione looked him in the eyes, still panting, and nodded. That was all the answer he needed. Holding onto her back, he hurried them upstairs and into the room they had shared the night before.

He set her down on her feet and turned to lock the door, but the instant that was done he turned and pushed her down onto the bed. Hermione grabbed his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. She was totally and utterly lost in the feel of his body on top of hers. He was running his hands down the length of her body and then on the way back up his right hand slid up the inside of her thigh. Hermione bucked and moaned, "Oh please Draco…just take me now."

Draco's laugh vibrated against the side of her throat. "All in good time, Hermione." He continued the kiss and lick the side of her neck while he removed her wet trousers.

Hermione couldn't take it anymore. Her blood was buzzing and so was her magic and hormones. She pushed him off with all her might to sweep her soaking shirt off her head and throw her bra across the room. She smiled at Draco as she pulled his shirt over his head. "Trousers. Off. Now," she commanded through clenched teeth.

Draco smirked and slid his jeans off in a most deliciously slow manner. When he was finished, Hermione held out her hand. Draco took it and joined her on the bed. He cradled her face in his palm and gently kissed her mouth. "I know we still have things to talk about, but right now all I want is to be with you." He kissed her again. "There will be time later."

Hermione nodded and pulled him down on top of her. His hands slid down her body again but this time he slid her knickers off as well. Hermione was shivering in anticipation. She needed this. She needed him right now. Draco kissed the tip of her nose and slowly entered her. Hermione threw her head back with a groan and thrust her hips up to meet his. Draco grabbed her left leg and instructed her to wrap her legs around him.

Hermione did just that and soon their pace was back to frantic and frenzied. The room felt like it was spinning so Hermione closed her eyes and let her body take over. Whenever she felt the need to cry out she either bit Draco's shoulder or took his mouth in a sensuous kiss.

Draco was doing his best not to break the bed, but it was quite difficult with all the emotions and magic running through his body. He kept his face in the crook of her neck smelling her sweet scent and so that he could kiss her whenever she grabbed his face.

Hermione could feel herself nearing the edge of oblivion. She groaned out, "Draco? Draco I'm close…" He nodded against her neck and quickened the pace. He sure hoped to Merlin that no one could hear the noise they were making. Suddenly, he felt her walls clenching around him and he quickly captured her mouth. He found it extremely erotic to feel her pulsing around him and that sent him barreling over the edge as well.

When they had both calmed, Draco rolled over and brought Hermione with him. She had herself draped casually over him as their breathing returned to normal. He kept rubbing soft circles over the back of her shoulders and he had to smile when he heard her sigh contentedly. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

Hermione eased her head up from his chest. "Yeah…I feel quite…satisfied." She said with a demure smile. In all honesty, she had never been with someone so aggressive, yet so romantic. Her body was still zinging, but now it was now in satisfaction. She leaned down and gave him a slow kiss on the mouth.

"Yes," Draco remarked after the kiss, "satisfied is definitely the right way to word this. I no longer feel like I want to hex the hell out of someone."

Hermione swatted him playfully before a yawn escaped her. Sitting upright, she asked, "Do you think it's still storming? We should get cleaned up and head back down. I'm sure Luna will need help figuring out what to do for dinner."

Draco laughed as he pulled on his jeans. "Are you kidding me? I'm pretty sure Luna and Ron were up to the same exact thing we were… Nothing is sexier than sex after a good rain." He smirked at the look of shock on her face. "But Harry is bound to be going nuts with the children and his newborn and wife."

Hermione nodded as she slid on a pair of jeans, an old sweatshirt, and clean socks. "I can't believe I ran across the yard without shoes… Those socks are most certainly ruined. Pass me my wet clothes so I can pack them in my bag." Draco handed her the clothes and also a brush. She took it and began the tedious task of getting the rain and sex-formed knots out of her thick hair.

Draco was just pulling on his shirt when he heard yelling in the hallway and the loud thumping of someone running down the stairs. He stuck his head out the door to see what the commotion was. Harry was standing at the top of the steps and yelling for his children and Gabriel to get down to the living room. The kids were running as quick as they could. Looking around, he noticed Ron and Luna's heads peeking out of their bedroom too. Harry, spotting everyone shouted, "You lot, a tornado is coming! Get downstairs so we can get into the cellar. Draco, will you take Jean so I can help Ginny downstairs?"

Draco was out the door and up the steps in a flash shouting, "No problem," as he went. He took the baby and ran back down to the room. He reached in and grabbed Hermione's hand. "Let's go. There a tornado coming!" Hermione's face paled but she followed after him as he led them downstairs.

The kids were in a sort of panic, not sure exactly what was happening. Hermione swallowed and went into action. "Alright kiddos, we're all going to stick together and head down into the cellar. Everyone hold onto someone else's hand. I'll take James, James take Albus, Albus take Lily. Lily take Gabriel, and Gabriel…you take Draco's hand okay?" All the kids grabbed hold and then Hermione led them into the kitchen and down into the cellar. It was dark and slightly damp, but there were benches and a picnic table, plus plenty of blankets.

Draco and Hermione had everyone settled when Ron and Ginny came flying down the steps, closely followed by Harry gently aiding Ginny down. "Is everyone alright?" asked Harry as he settled his wife in one of the more comfortable chairs. Once everyone was settled Ron made sure the cellar door was shut tight and then the group settled in to wait out the storm.

Within a few minutes it sounded like a freight train was barreling through the yard. Hermione and the other adults helped the children crouch on the floor and cover their heads just in case something fell on top of them. Harry and Ginny covered Jean and sat in the corner under a table. Everyone was eerily calm as the storm twisted above them.