She remembered it clearly now. She had gone back into the Room of Requirement, against even her own better judgment. The battle was raging on all around her. People she loved deeply were engaged in a desperate fight for their lives but all she could think of was one thing. Her beaded bag. She had dropped it when the fire had been blazing around her.
She had not remembered it until she found herself running past down the corridor on her way to the Great Hall. Once she realized that it was just beyond the wall, she convinced herself it would only take a moment to gather it again. There was too much in the bag, to many thing she had needed, to many thing she cared about to let it be lost to her forever.
In a flash, she was back in the room, wrinkling her nose at the overwhelming smell the fire left behind. A moment later she spotted the bag, still in decent condition on the floor a few feet ahead. In a dash she leapt forward, grabbed it and ran straight through the door again. There was no time to lose.
She was just beyond the threshold when she realized she was faced with a large black hooded Death Eater, slowly approaching her direction. There was no where to hide, no time to walk past the room three more times so she could disappear back into I'ts safety.
"Stupefy" she shouted, throwing the curse his way, but he was too quick, defecting her spell with a quick "Protego".
The hallways echoed with his deep sinister laugh and for a moment, she was frozen on the spot. Then she heard it.
"Avada Kedavra"
And the hallway glowed green.
She couldn't remember how long she had been out, but she had woken on the floor, filled with an overwhelming dread, a deep sorrow. Suddenly the yelling and crashing of spells that had been reverberating from the Great Hall had stopped, filling the school with complete silence. Fear pricked through her.
Had Voldemort done it?
Had he killed Harry?"
Frantically she got to her feet and ran through the halls, tears streaming down her face, all the while thinking "No no no no no!", until she found herself taking in the scene before her. Voldemort and Harry stood in the center of the room, wands pointed at each other in an exchange of taunts. Harry stood fearless, brave, and confident. Ice ran through her at the sight. It could be over in a second, she could lose him in any moment. It would be more than she could bear.
She wanted to call out loud. Make it all stop, but then it happened. They both called out the killing curse and Voldemort crumbled to the ground.
There was a screaming silence in the hall before it erupted in cheers.
From across the room, she could see Harry's shoulders drop in relief and that is when the feeling hit her again. A deep despair and the need to leave right away. She couldn't face him. Letting out a deep sob, she looked one more time at Harry as he was engulfed in the celebration, before she ran.
"In the corridor…" Draco urged at her silence.
The feeling of despair from her memory overwhelmed her again. Jumping to her feet, she quickly removed the wards and ran down the beach. She needed to get a way, needed to out run the heavy feeling pressing down on her.
"Will you just stop?" Draco yelled as he grabbed her arm before she could get very far.
Slowly she fell to the ground despite his hold on her, letting the pain seep from her.
"Come on. We have to get those wards back up. I can't even begin to imagine how many muggles saw us both just appear out of no where. We are making quite the scene." He whispered.
But she couldn't move, couldn't command her legs to hold her weight.
Firmly, Draco wrapped his arms around her back and under her legs lifting her easily then walked her back past their blanket and straight into the tent.
Setting her down on the nearest chair, he leveled his eyes with hers and ran a hand over her hair gently.
"I'll be right back. Don't apparate anywhere... don't leave me" he whispered. There was fear in his eyes, concern.
Slowly she nodded, falling back onto the chair.
Nodding back, he turned and was out of the tent, only to return a few moments later, wiping his hands on his shorts.
"Well, I don't think they're as good as your work, so I think you are going to have to go out there and firm them up, but they will do for the time being. Are you alright?" he asked quietly, crouching to the floor before her.
"I don't understand." She choked.
"What don't you understand love?"
"I was there, I should have died. A Death Eater…"she trailed before the tears choked her throat again.
"Shhh. It's ok. They're not here now. You can tell me" he urged.
"I was so scared Draco. I couldn't get away and he was laughing"
She paused and took a deep breath. Wiping away her tears she sat up tall again.
"I think it was the first time I passed out. Maybe that is why it missed me. Maybe that is why he let me be. Probably thought I was dead." Yes that made sense now. She fell to the ground a moment before the curse reached her.
"What do you mean, the first time you passed out?"
"I passed out when I first got here. Well I assume I did. I woke up on the beach in the water. Then again once I set the tent up, and then again" she exaggerated, rolling her eyes, "sometime before you appeared. I had just woken up when I spotted you." She admitted.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I didn't think of it, honestly. I was to busy trying to figure out why you were here, wasn't I?" she spat in defense. "Besides, it hasn't happened since. I think I was just …over tired."
He looked at her suspiciously.
"Well, I will have to keep a close eye on you Granger" he teased,
He was staring at her, piercing her with his steel grey eyes, and suddenly a new feeling overwhelmed her. Heat rushed through her along with the desire to lose herself completely in his gaze.
There was no thought in it. No moment of hesitation, or doubt, just instinct or reaction to the urge that was raging through her.
Reaching forward, she wrapped a hand around his neck and pulled him fiercely to her, smashing her lips into his. Fire burned deep inside, as her tongue slid over his, tangling, dancing. All other emotion, all the pain had left her completely, replaced with a deep wanting.
His fingers gripped her hips, yanking her to him. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pressed her center into him, gasping at his hardness, the feel of it against her. There was an intense ache deep inside that grew as she rubbed against him. He groaned into her mouth as she moved, before he abruptly broke their kiss.
"Not like this" he gasped.
Suddenly embarrassed, she flushed and looked away to hide the threatening tears.
"Am I doing it wrong?"
"Why would you think that?"
"I've never… done that before"
"Never?" he asked, astonished.
"No, Mr. Experience! I've never kissed anyone before!"
"Never kissed? I thought.. never mind what I thought.."
" Just forget it Malfoy" she snapped pushing away from him. The urge to run filled her again. She was completely mortified. He was making fun of her!
"I finally get to
kiss you, and you think I am going to forget it?"
Gently he
took her by the wrist and pulled her back to him. Lifting her hand
up, he took his free hand and slowly laced his fingers through hers,
then brought the back of hers to his lips, brushing a quick kiss
against it.
"You misunderstood me love. I meant that you were so upset only moments before. I want you when your mind is clear and you want me too."
"But I do…want you."
"Not like this." He whispered again. "You cannot imagine how hard it is for me to stop right now, not take you into that room right this moment, but it's not right. You don't trust me yet, don't…love me yet."
"But.."
"No, Hermione." He insisted. "I don't want you to wake up in the morning and regret what you have done. I couldn't bare that. Please don't put me through that."
He was right of course. She was trying to drown out all the confusing pain. Yes she was attracted to him, but she was still very confused about the new feelings she was having toward him. Feelings that were only intensified over the amazing chivalry he was displaying at the moment. Her heart was melting. She could feel the fuzzy warmth of affection spreading through her as he continued to gaze into her eyes.
"Fine. Then why don't we do this properly. Maybe you can take me out to dinner tonight."
"I would be honored to my love. We can discuss what you remembered, in the corridor, try to figure out why it makes you react.."
'No!" she shouted. "I don't want to remember. That's why I'm here. Don't you understand?"
"Actually, I do. You're hiding from something, just as I am. Fine. Dinner only. I'm taking you to the finest restaurant on the island at 6. If I can't have you as I want to, I can at least imagine ravaging you while we are having dinner. Dress accordingly." He winked.
