It took me forever to steel myself to sit and write this. I've had really intense writers block on this story, mostly because I'm trying to write myself out of a hole. I turned my 2nd main character into a Deatheater for Goddess' sake!
Sadly, for me, I had to go and get a root canal done, but lucky for you who have waited so patiently. I got inspired out of my writers block and now Draco and I are both in pain. YAY! I actually wrote most of this chapter on the back of my appointment slip under the influence of Novocain, which makes me a bit loopy… hehe.

Note: I forgot when I said this was taking place, I believe it was between 6th and 7th year. I don't keep the a/n's I write so if I'm wrong, I apologize. Also, Dumbledore is alive to help my plot…

This chapter is also really long…

Chapter 10: Back to the Dentist's office

I moved backwards on the bed, away from him.

"Hermione." His voice was pleading, he leaned forward. I reached over to my bedside table and grabbed my wand, pointing it into his face. He didn't even look at it, he stared at me.

"Hermione." He repeated. I was silent, bewildered, my wand hand shaking. He reached for my wrist, probably to pull it down slowly while trying to console me. I shook my head.

"No." I pulled my wrist away and stood up. My wand pointed steadily at him as my mind scrambled for sense. "You're a Deatheater." I said it simply. He winced.

"I wish I could explain." He said earnestly. He couldn't explain…?

"What is there to explain?" I said, my voice surprisingly calm.

"Bu-." He began but I cut across him.

"You are a pureblood Malfoy. Your entire family is obsessed with the Dark Arts. Your father is a Deatheater. So why wouldn't ickle Draco follow in his father's footsteps?" My voice dripped with venom as he stared at me.

"Hermione it's not like that." He said pleadingly.

"Get out." I whispered, my wand still pointed into his face.

"Hermi-."

"OUT!" I screamed. Red sparks flew from the end of my wand and he stood up, startled. He gave me one more anxious look before walking to the window and jumping down.
I followed to the window and watched him mount his broom and pull the invisibility cloak on. He looked up at me for a moment and pulled the hood over his head. The rush of air from his broom washed over me and I dropped my wand arm. I closed my window and locked it, then turned back to the room.

My body seemed to move on autopilot as I made myself walk back to the bed. I sat down slowly.

How could I have been so stupid? I got involved with a Deatheater's son. How can I have not seen that he would be like his father? I let him get close to me, way too close. I fell backwards onto the bed.

My mind traveled to two days ago. The willow. I'd slept with the ferret, given him my virginity. I curled up into a ball on my bed. Anger, pain and shame all came to swamp me and I fell into unconsciousness.

I woke up the next morning not knowing why I felt so miserable. When I remembered, I turned and slammed my fists into my pillow, imagining his face.

I wasn't afraid of him, on the contrary, I simply felt betrayed. I felt like I'd been given something great just to have it taken away.

I rolled back over in my bed and fell asleep again.

When I woke up next twilight was pouring through my window. I tried to remember why I had woken up when my mother spoke.

"Hermione, are you alright?" I looked up to find my mother sitting on the edge of my bed. I rubbed my eyes groggily.

"Yes." I lied. "I'm fine, just a headache." I didn't really know why I hadn't told her why I was upset. I could have told her that Draco and I had had a row and she would have comforted me and told me that all men were scum. Yet somehow, I couldn't bring myself to explain why I sent him away. I think trying to explain to my mother that the boy I'd been snogging had joined the ranks of muggle murderers would be a little much for her to handle.

"Do you want some Tylenol?" She asked in her perfect, motherly way. "Or some tea?"

I smiled at her. "No mom, I'm fine. I just need some sleep." She smiled, nodding and kissed me on my forehead before leaving the room.
Somehow, I knew that she knew that my melancholy attitude had something to do with Draco. I stared at my closed door for a moment before lying back down. In my mind's eye I pictured the look on his face when I had screamed at him. Even the thought of him made me tired. I punched my pillow once before falling asleep again.

I lay under Draco, both our bodies shining with sweat. I cried out in pleasure with each thrust. He gasped above me, his lips coming down with enough force to bruise my own.

"I love you." he said, and he broke from me leaving me both unconvinced and unfulfilled.

I rolled over and cried out as I hit the floor.

"Ouch." I sat up tenderly, rubbing a hand over my aching back. With a sigh I buried my head into my knees.

"Asshole." I muttered and stood up slowly. I glanced at my clock, it was almost noon. Somewhere, in the haze of depressed sleep, I had remembered my mom coming in to tell me that she and Dad were leaving for the office.

I stretched my neck, rolling it on my shoulders before making my way across the room to my door.

"I'm hungry." I paused rubbing my head slowly. "And I'm talking to myself. Great…" I sighed and kept walking, making my way to the kitchen.

In the silence of my empty house I made myself a sandwich and took it to the living room, pulling a book from the shelf as I did so.

Plopping myself into the armchair I looked at the book I had grabbed blindly.

The Feast of Roses. By Indu Sundaresan. I smiled, remembering the first book, The Twentieth Wife, about the romance of Mehrunissa with the Emperor Jahangir. Opening the book, I began to read.

xxx

The rest of the day was spent reading the book, getting almost halfway through before my parents came home. We ate dinner, me staying almost completely silent.
I was thinking about how Mehrunnissa had finally gotten her true love and trying not to think about Draco. Although I couldn't help thinking that of the two relationships Mehrunnissa had, at least one had worked out. I'd had Victor and Draco and neither had worked out. Albeit, I did not have the Emperor of Mughal India vying for my love.

I'd simply had a foreign celebrity who turned out afraid to kiss and commit and a blond ferret who'd turned into a Deatheater. Great odds so far!

In my irritation I stabbed a carrot violently. My dad looked up but my mom hushed him with a look. I gave my mom a grateful look and excused myself.

Back in the comfort of my room I took a long hot shower and fell into bed. Then I simply stared at my ceiling, concentrating on trying to keep my mind blank of all thought. It was supremely difficult, now I understand how Harry could have simply stopped trying.
Visions of the dark mark branded into Draco's skin plagued me until I slipped into sleep.

The next day passed almost the same as it had before, with me finishing the book and moving on to another. Of Mice and Men, which I had read several times before but had always enjoyed rereading. That evening during dinner the phone rang and my mom had answered it, coming back to the table looking ecstatic.

"What Mom?" She grinned at me.

"The board of Directors got me a seat at the Orthopedics convention tomorrow in London." I smiled, leave it to my mother to be excited about going to a dentistry seminar.

"That's great honey." My dad said, patting her hand. My mom turned to me.

"It's such late notice, do you think you could help your father tomorrow at the office? I don't think I'll be able to find anyone else." I smiled at her.

"Of course."

"It'll be easy, Hermione. We only have two patients tomorrow." I nodded and excused myself. Flopping onto my bed like I'd been doing for two days I stared at the ceiling again. At least with something to do I could keep my mind off a certain stupid, blond prat.

I woke up the next morning to my alarm clock, which I didn't remember setting. Sitting up and stretching sleepily I realized my mom must have. I silently thanked her and began to get ready. It seemed to take no time at all to get ready and leave for the office. Although, everything I did seemed to be dazed by sleep. You'd think with all the sleep I'd been getting that I would have been well rested but, at nine in the morning, I was still feeling like I needed a few more hours.

We reached the office and I spent two patient-free hours simply day dreaming in my mom's office. A patient finally came in about noon and I happily got up to fulfill my role as a dental assistant. I walked into the exam room to find Bobby Munk sitting on the chair occupying the center of the room. My dad had already given Bobby some anesthetic, and was looking at a tooth that needed to be filled. I simply had to hand him what he needed and use the suction wand. I sighed and took my seat.

It was immensely difficult to concentrate on little blond Bobby's mouth when my thoughts kept drifting to the other blond who had sat in this chair. I kept thinking about what he had looked like on that day. His baggy black pants, his black Ramones tee, and chucks. How his hair had fallen away from his face and his silver eyes had watched me…

"Umm…Honey." My dad touched my wrist gently. I looked up at him then down at Bobby.

"Oops." In my musing I hadn't noticed that I'd gotten the suction stuck to the inside of his cheek. I quickly pulled it away, resettling it. Bobby glared at me reproachfully.

For the rest of the procedure I tried my hardest to keep all thoughts of Draco from my mind, not the easiest of tasks.

Finally, the filling was done and my dad left me in the room to take Bobby back out front. I rubbed my face furiously before beginning to clean up.

"Hermione?" I turned to the door to see my dad. "You all right?" I smiled at him.

"Of course, just a little tired."

He nodded. "All right. We have one more patient, you okay to prep?" I nodded and he left the exam room again. As I began preparing the room for the next patient I heard the phone ring in my dad's office. After a moment's silence my Dad spoke.

"He's here? All right, send him back to Room A." I went to the other side of the room to throw away Bobby's bib and was just finishing washing my hands when I heard footsteps at the door. I forced a smile onto my face.

"Go ahead and have a seat." I spun and my smile faded instantly. "What the hell are you doing here?" Draco stared back at me with the same bewildered look.

"Your mom told me that you wouldn't be here." He said quietly. Anger and something else fizzed in my brain. My anger intensified when I glanced at his clothing.

"You must be hot in that shirt." I said scathingly. He ran his right hand over the long sleeve of his left.

"Hermione, I-." He began.

"Hello, Draco. Go ahead and have a seat." My dad swept into the room. "We missed you the other day."
Draco walked past me to the chair and took a seat.

"Yes. We had a family emergency, turned out to be a false alarm." He threw me a look that resembled pleading. My dad, not seeing this, pushed a button on the chair and leaned Draco back.

"Good. All right then, we have a root canal to do today." He flipped a page in the chart he held. "Hermione, could you get me some anesthetic?"

I let out a slow breath and turned to the cupboards. I had to do my job, no matter how much I loathed the patient. I grabbed a small box off of the shelf and set it on the table near my seat. I then sat stiffly on my stool and fastened a neon pink bib around Draco's neck.

"Open wide." He leaned in to look at the problem tooth.

"Anesthetic." he held out a hand and I placed the loaded needle in his palm. I looked down at Draco and remembered, with a twinge, what Draco's answer had been to what he was most afraid of, 'losing everything… and syringes'.

My anger caught up with me and all I could think of was, I hope that hurts, as my dad plunged in the needle.

My dad then left to let the Novocain run its course and I was left alone with the twitchy little ferret. We watched each other for several long minutes.

"Is that starting to work?" I asked stiffly. He reached up to feel his lips and shrugged.

"A little." He seemed disinclined to continue what he'd been trying to say when my dad had interrupted him. I didn't encourage him. The silence stretched on, then…

"Hermione." I looked down at him. A strange feeling filled my gut. Hope?

"What?" I asked, forcing ice into my voice.

"Umm…" He paused, his voice slurred softly. "Can I get some suction?"

"Oh." I pulled the suction wand from its place and put it gently in the back of his mouth. "Close your lips."

After a moment I softly reached down and touched his chin. He opened his lips and I pulled the wand away.

"Hermione." he said. "I-."

"That Novocain set in yet?" My dad walked briskly back into the room. "Hermione, check please." He turned away to get new gloves and I looked down at Draco.

I put my fingers to his chin.

"Can you feel this?"

"No." My fingers moved to his lips.

"This?"

"I wish." He said it so softly I barely heard him. I ignored this and pulled back his upper lip, not being so gentle. I pressed my fingers to my gums.

"Here?"

"No."

"He's ready, Dad." My dad turned back to the chair and took a seat. He grabbed his drill and I grabbed my suction wand.

"Open wide again." Draco did so and my Dad inserted a small rubber 'pillow' to keep his mouth open. "You ready?"

Draco nodded stiffly and the drill whirred to life. I placed the suction at the back of Draco's mouth.

For the next hour I helped my dad with Draco's root canal.
When I wasn't doing anything but suctioning I came to wonder what a Deatheater was doing in my parent's dental office.

I knew what he was yet I hadn't done anything but be rude to him. Although he was a Slytherin prat, he'd been so different here. I still couldn't get it into my mind that he was a Deatheater.

Yet he was, the dark mark was proof enough. Still… I adjusted the wand. Still, a seed of hope lingered, that maybe it was all some cruel joke.

That the boy who had such sweet lips, such a hot touch, could be innocent somehow.

My mind flickered back to the willow tree, his lips, his touch, his taste. The sheepish look he gave me when he told me he had no protection.

"Hermione." I jumped, pulling the wand away from Draco's tongue in the process.

"Sorry." I mumbled. My dad shook his head, amusement in his eyes. I looked back down at Draco. I had to focus on Draco. No. Not him. I had to focus on what I was doing to him. No, no. I mentally shook myself.

I stared down at the patient, not Draco, but the patient.

The patient with hypnotic gray eyes that seemed to pierce my soul whenever he looked at me. The patient whose dental assistant's lips burned to kiss his.

The patient who WAS A DEATHEATER! I reminded myself firmly.
I gripped the suction wand tighter and willed myself to concentrate.

"Rinse, please." I picked up the water sprayer and rinsed. I pulled the pillow from his mouth carefully.

"Bite down. Now side to side." My dad said. I watched as Draco did as he was bid. My dad nodded then sat up Draco's chair. Draco exercised his jaw and brought a hand to his chin.

"You'll have some post-surgery tenderness, it will pass. Don't eat until the Novocain wears off." Draco nodded, now poking his cheek softly.

"Hermione, I need an x-ray. Would you mind?" I shrugged and stood up leaving the exam room. Draco followed me silently to the x-ray booth.

I ushered him into the small room and followed. I grabbed the lead vest from the wall and thrust it at him then pointed mutely to the chin rest on the machine. He donned the vest in the same silence and settled his chin on the padded bar.

I left the room and closed the door, then flipped a switch on the wall. The machine whirred to life.

After several seconds it turned off and I reentered the room. Draco took his chin off the rest and pulled off the vest, handing it to me. I turned away from him to put away the vest where it belonged and heard the door click closed behind me. I turned, thinking he'd left, to find him standing barely a foot from me.

"Excuse me." I said stiffly.

"No, Hermione, Listen." A shiver of fear ran through me before I noticed the pleading look in his eyes. "Please listen to me."

I nodded, before taking a step away from him automatically.

"I knew you wouldn't trust me by myself, so I recruited some help." He grinned apologetically while I furrowed my brow and stared at him. "Here."

He reached into his pocket, I flinched, and he pulled out a folded piece of parchment. He held it out to me. I stared at it like it would attack.

"It won't bite." He said, smiling slightly. I reached out and grabbed it tentatively. Unfolding it, I found it was blank.

"Umm…"

"Oh, I forgot. Press your lips to it." I hesitated for a moment then softly pressed my lips against the parchment. Immediately, words wrote themselves upon the page.

It was written in slanted script writing that I immediately recognize as Dumbledore's.

I glanced up at Draco in bemusement. He grinned back sheepishly. I turned my attention back to the letter.

Dear Ms. Granger,

Your friend, Mr. Malfoy, contacted me about the misunderstanding the other day. He told me that he was not given the chance to explain himself. My fault, I assure you. Take it as a mistake from an old man who has not had to deal with romantic relationships in quite some time.

I blushed and continued reading.

I had made it so that Mr. Malfoy could not tell anyone of our plans. Not thinking that someone connected to him would find the mark and take it the wrong way.

The truth is, after our confrontation on the tower (from which you heard about from Mr. Potter), Mr. Malfoy came to me in the hopes that he could join the order's cause.

He has not, in fact, become a Deatheater. You may test this by pressing your lips to the mark, it will disappear for a moment. You may also compare this with another Deatheater's mark if you wish, though I discourage this.

Therefore, I hope you can take an old man's apology.

Best wishes to you and your Mr. Malfoy,

Albus Dumbledore

p.s. I apologize, but it was necessary to place certain enchantments upon this letter and you will not be able to speak of its contents.

I stared at the parchment before looking up to find a sheepish Draco watching me.

"Did he explain everything?" I frowned and he grinned. "I can't read it. It's spelled so that only you can read it.

"Dislibrevisio charm." I muttered. He looked confused but shrugged.

"Whatever you say." he said.

I stared back at the parchment to hide that fact that my brain was buzzing with though. How did I feel? Relieved? No. Confused… It was too simple.

Although… that would explain why Harry hadn't freaked out when he'd found Draco.

Wait… I glanced back at the paragraph that told me to kiss the mark.

"Give me your arm." He frowned and extended his right arm.

"Your left." he switched.

I pushed up his sleeve to reveal the ugly red mark. I glanced at Draco, who stared at me in confusement, then leaned over.

Hesitating an inch over the mark, I took a deep breath and kissed it. Draco immediately gasped in what sounded like pain and I looked down.

The mark was gone.

"What did you do?" He asked, breathless.

"What Dumbledore told me to do." I said, my breathing shallow for some reason. "Did it hurt?"

He shook his head.

"No, it was just…" He frowned. "It was strange. Like being doused in cold water and-"His sentence was cut off when he hissed in pain. The mark had reappeared. "Now, that hurt."

"Sorry." I muttered.

"Not your fault." he replied softly. "Oh, I almost forgot." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a smaller piece of blank parchment.

As soon as I touched it, words appeared. This time unfamiliar.

Hermione,

I wish I could have explained. At least Dumbledore says he'll explain. I hope you understand, I never meant to hurt you. Dumbledore has protected you from any of the Dark Lord's followers getting to you or you family through me. You are safe from my influence. I only hope you'll accept my humble apologies.

I'm yours, even if you won't take me back.
Hoping you will,

Draco

p.s. I love you

I stared at the paper. This was too much. He hadn't betrayed me. He wasn't a Deatheater. He… I stared at the last three words. He… He loved me?

"Is this true?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"Which part?" He asked, a smirk on his face.

"The last part." I felt my face burning as I held up the paper.

"Which part? I forget." I hesitated against the intended bait, and then matched his smirk.

"You love me?" I asked. He smiled widely.

"Well, if not being able to think about anything else or wanting you in my arms constantly isn't love, then…" He'd stepped up to me without me noticing. I looked up at him, the smirk on my lips but my eyes betraying me.

He leaned down so that his breath whispered against my lips.

"I love you." he breathed before kissing me like he never had before. My body melted as he wrapped his arms around me. I lifted my arms to his neck, my fingers tangling themselves in his platinum locks.

His kiss was tender, forceful, pleading. It was everything and it seemed to melt the last few days and their doubts into oblivion. There was nothing, nothing except him, his lips on mine.

We broke apart after what seemed like years. We were both panting like we'd run a mile.

I stared into his silver eyes and understood what Shakespeare and all those poets had meant.

"I love you too." I said, my mind reeling. His grin seemed to brighten the small room.

"Hermione?" I hear my dad's voice coming from the hall. I spun quickly, pulling the lead vest from the wall and placing it against Draco's chest. As my dad came to the glass door I was taking the vest away and turning to return it to its place again. He opened the door.

"What's taking so long?" He asked. I turned with an innocent smile on my face.

"Sorry. It took me a while to get the machine to work."

"Strange, I swore I heard the machine a few minutes ago." I shrugged. He shook his head.

"All right, well, if you're done we can close up."

"Okay. Dad, do you mind if Draco comes over for dinner." My dad shrugged.

"Its fine with me, just call your mother and see if she cares."

"All right." My dad turned to go and Draco and I followed. I fell into step beside Draco, my hand brushing his. I felt oddly at peace with the world, after the last few days.

My dad turned into his office and closed the door. We walked on, Draco grabbing my hand as we reached the door to the waiting room. I entered, dragging him behind.

Julie had gone home, leaving the lobby empty. I walked over to the desk and picked up the phone, dialing my mother.

"Dr. Granger speaking."

"Hey mom."

"Oh, Hi sweetie. Is everything all right?"

"Yes. I just wanted to know if Draco could come over for Dinner."

"Of course. Tell your father I'll be home in an hour. I'm picking up takeout. Is that all right?"

"Yeah. Have a safe drive."

"O.k. Hon, see you soon."

"Bye mom." I hung up the phone with a smile. Turning back to the room I found my dad ready to go.

"All set?" I nodded.

"Mom will be home in an hour." He nodded and ushered us through the door.

Draco and I climbed into the backseat. My dad got in to drive us home.

Once home Draco and I excused ourselves to the orchard. My dad gave us a suspicious look before sending us on our way.

We made our way slowly through the gardens to the orchards, keeping a considerable distance between us to throw off my dad.

"Why don't you just tell your dad that I'm your boyfriend?" Draco asked, climbing into the tree first.

"Because my dad is very old fashioned and if he knew that I was snogging you, he'd freak out." He helped me up. "Thank you." I moved to lean against the trunk.

"You're welcome." He came to sit on the branch in front of me.

"Oh." Draco said brightly. He reached up and plucked 3 apples from the branch above him and proceeded to juggle them. He did this for a moment then stopped by catching them all in his shirt.

I laughed and he bowed, letting the apples fall to the ground.

"Bravo."

"I practiced." he said, so childishly that I had to laugh.

He grinned. "Let's play a game."

"All right. How about 'Would you rather'?"

"How do you play?"

"Simple, let's see. Would you rather…. eat Bubotuber pus or something Filch cooked?"

"The pus." I laughed.

"Are you kidding? That man is terrifying." He grinned.

"Your turn."

"Okay. Would you rather fall from the tree or kiss me?"

"Tough decision. It's not that far from the ground, I could probably make it without breaking anyth-." He put a hand over my mouth, his palm tickling my lips. His other arm pulled me closer to him. He released my lips.

"I though I had a choice." I said breathlessly.

"Shut up and kiss me." I happily did as I was told.

I tried to keep the uber-fluff to a minimum but its still there. Oh, Dislibrevisio basically means 'not words see'. So, you can't see the words… This is what you get when you put me in honors language classes. hehe…

Only one more chapter, which is really the epilogue. tear Thank you to all who stuck with me and didn't run away when I got writer's block. I lurve my reviewers!! See you soon guys! (I should be posting them together.)

Dibs and virtual cookies to those of you who knew that the song was "Get Stoned" by Hinder.

Interesting Fact: The name of the Hermione/Draco shipper universe is Leather and Libraries. Think about that one for a moment… XD