A/N: Sorry it's taken so long. I was super busy during the holidays and then I got sick and have been drugged up on cold medicine. Now I'm slowly recovering and attempting to awaken my muse so here is my attempt. I'm sorry if it seems pathetic.
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The sunlight broke through the tiniest crack in the curtains and shined on Hermione's face. She avoided opening her eyes right away as she stretched her arms to the sides. As her left arm reached out she felt it lightly brush a hard lump next to her. Suddenly, the happenings of the previous evening flashed through her mind and she was very suddenly ready to open her eyes. As she did she noticed the dark green comforter laying neatly across her body with the familiar Slytherin crest embroidered into it. She turned her head slightly to her left and saw Draco's sleeping form next to her. She watched in awe for a moment as his chest moved up and down at a slow pace. She couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a smile on his lips. Either way, she thought this would feel awkward but amazingly, it didn't. She liked waking up to his face.
Hermione hesitated for a moment, not sure if it was okay to wake him up. She had never had to wake up a sleeping boyfriend before and she knew that men were crabby when they didn't get enough to eat or enough sleep. Still, she wanted to see those beautiful silver-blue eyes. She lightly rolled onto her side, supporting her head with her hand. As she moved, the mattress moved and awoke her sleeping lover. She watched as his eyes fluttered open and a sweet smile spread across his face.
"Morning," he said through a yawn as he stretched his limbs.
"Good morning," she said with a smile. "How did you sleep?"
"Great, actually. How about you?" He asked as he finished mirroring Hermione's position.
"Very well, thank you. Although, I was rather surprised at my whereabouts when I woke up," she teased lightly.
Draco instantly remembered the previous evening. "I'm sorry. You just looked so peaceful. I didn't want to wake you," he said as he moved a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.
Hermione's pulse quickened at his soft touch. Her heart began to beat against her chest wildly as they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Hermione took her free hand and placed it on her chest, over her heart. "Do you think my heart will ever stop doing that every time you touch me?" she joked.
Draco squeezed his hand underneath hers to feel her beating heart. "I don't know but I sure hope not," he smiled sweetly and leaned in to press his soft lips to hers. Again, her heart began to beat wildly. Draco broke the kiss and began to chuckle slightly.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up with her legs hanging from the side. "We should probably get ready for breakfast." Just as she was about to hop off the bed, Draco reached and put his arms around her waist pulling her back into his embrace.
"Not just yet," he said as he sighed into her hair. "I want to enjoy this moment with you."
Hermione sighed in return and closed her eyes. Draco's fingers lightly traced lines up her arm before settling his hand on her head, intertwined with her hair. After a few moments, Hermione opened her eyes and Draco smiled. "All right," he said, "Now you can go."
Hermione smiled and made her exit towards her room. She crossed the cold tile floor of the bathroom to her bedroom. As she walked into her bedroom the air seemed cold and stiff like the room had just been built. It was strange how after one night of the room being unoccupied it seemed no one lived there. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and made her way to the vanity across the room.
She instantly regretted not pulling her hair back the previous night, for it resembled the same bee-hive she was used to back home. Oh, I look dreadful, she thought with a frown spreading across her face. Quickly she scooped up her brush and began to tame her hair as best she could. After pulling it into a pony tail and wiping her face with a cotton ball damped down with astringent she grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt of her favorite band, The Weird Sisters, and threw them on. Making her way back into the closet she slipped into a pair of black flats and made her way back into Draco's room.
She knocked first to avoid any embarrassing moments of nudity. She didn't think she was ready for that quite yet. Draco's words seemed muffled and broken on the other side; like he had been crying.
"C…Come in," he called.
Hermione lightly pushed the door open to find Draco, still in his pajamas, standing next to his desk with a letter in his hand. "What's that?" Hermione asked with a strange mixture of curiosity and worry in her tone. She walked up to his side as he handed over the letter. Slowly, she grabbed the fresh piece of parchment and read the neat, but quickly written, scrawl.
My Dearest Son,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. I'm sure you are entirely confused as to how I am writing this letter from Azkaban and all I can reveal is that I'm not. I have sent this letter via one-way owl. Unfortunately, I do not write bearing good news.
You see, I don't know if you quite understand the influence I have on people, especially to those at your school. I have eyes and ears at that school, Draco, so I know what you have been up to. It's such a disgrace. Socializing with mudbloods is a disaster in itself but falling in love with one! That is pure tragedy and I won't have it! It is best for you to end your relationship with Miss Granger or you will find that her death will come sooner than you think.
With that said, I hope you are enjoying your classes and I hope you will pass along to your mother that I love her and miss her terribly. Our family will be reunited again and I fully intend on fulfilling what the Dark Lord started years ago.
Sincerely,
Lucius Malfoy
Hermione didn't even realize she was crying until looked down at her shirt after she read his signature. It didn't happen often, but Hermione was truly speechless. Something felt lodged in her throat and she had the strong urge to double over and throw up. She placed the letter on the desk, used her hand to hold up her weight and wrapped her other arm across her waist. Her breathing quickened and she could feel an anxiety attack on the way. Immediately, Draco rushed back to her side, wiped away the fresh tears on her face and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I swear, Hermione. I swear I will not let him hurt you," he promised.
She could hear the confidence in his words and couldn't help but relax a little. She loved him. There was no turning back. Hermione could hear the sense of protection in his tone which lead her to believe that maybe he loved her back. It was a long shot but it comforted her in a way. He was willing to risk his life to save her just so he could be with her. You must love me, she thought.
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Okay. Now you have the start of the danger that lies ahead. I'm really sorry it took so long to post something. Like I said above, the holidays came and went, then I got sick and I've been recovering, I got a speeding ticket so I've had to work extra to get money to pay that off so I could still pay my other bills and so on and so forth. Hope you all enjoy the chapter! If you bothered to read please review! The feedback really helps feed my now starving muse.
This Chapters Song "TiK ToK" by Ke$ha
