Authors Note: During the scenes where the music is playing the "haunting melody" the song is Moon Shines Red by Jamie McDell. It's what inspired me to write this, I had this chapter formed before the rest of the story. I always think the scenes unfold best in the imagination when you're listening to the song that was meant to play during it.
Thanks to xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, Frogster, and Grovek26 for reviewing. Thanks to srkw89, brittanyjanee, Snowtulip, ManyFacesOfGranger, , smyers92, Asuka Sakura-chan, CGinny, twilighter256, codevivi and wishful thinking bibliophile for following the story. Also thank you to and RavenOrozco for adding the story to your favorites.
I would really love to give a special thanks to xXMizz Alec Volturi, TheDarkLadyofSlytherin, and Grovek26 for continuously reviewing the chapters it really means the world to hear how you liked the chapter and how the story is progressing. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas and what you want to see more of. When this story is done I'll be taking requests so I'm really looking forward to seeing what the reviewers come up with!
Frogster I am so sorry I didn't answer your question sooner but no Draco is not a Veela in this fic. To be honest I'm not a huge fan of those ones but I can totally see how I wrote him that way in that chapter! As for Count the Saints it is totally bittersweet but I promise the tale does go on!
Warning: Lemon ahead. Or at least a very poorly written lemon. You've been warned.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything
Hermione wondered about the castle book in hand, accompanied by a thermos of hot chocolate, heading towards the main doors of the castle. Today Draco was having what she liked to call a 'Malfoy Meltdown', even though he got annoyed with her for naming it that, so she was spending the day alone catching up on some light reading.
She was bundled in a warm pea coat with matching scarf and earmuffs to keep her warm from the sting of the cold outside. She headed towards the black lake deciding that even though it was cold it was still a beautiful day to be outside. There would plenty of time to sit by the fire later.
Before the lake she had gone to the owlery to drop off some letters and gifts to Ginny, Ron, Harry and even one to Blaise. Even though Harry was still upset with her it didn't mean she had to stop being friendly towards him. She had been to Hogsmeade a few days earlier by herself to escape one of Draco's meltdowns. It had been the perfect opportunity to buy gifts for her friends but also had given her the chance to buy something for Draco as well. She wasn't sure what Draco considered them what with his mood swings and all but she decided that it wouldn't hurt to get him something small for Christmas, after all she did buy Blaise a gift.
Gifts for her friends had been easy, Blaise proved to be a little harder but she had settled on a collection of books based on extremely advanced potions that he had been talking about getting. Draco had been the hardest of all but as soon as she passed Spintwitches it had just clicked. Even though he wasn't playing on the team this year she knew that Draco still loved the game and felt free when he was on his broom. So she had purchased him a kit containing broom polish and other things for keeping his broom in top shape as well as some new Quidditch gloves.
She settled into a space against a giant tree on the banks of the lake after casting a warming charm on herself so she wouldn't get too cold sitting in the snow. She sat with her book in her lap overlooking the lake, briefly thinking back to her fourth year and how she was trapped under its surface for the better part of an hour. Even though it had been treacherous at the time she still thought it held a certain beauty.
Her thoughts drifted to Harry and how much longer he was going to stay mad at her. Eventually she figured he would come around and either see her reasoning or just let her do what she thought was right. She knew it would be hard for him to trust Draco, but Draco hadn't given her any reason to suspect he was a Death Eater. Innocent until proven guilty now had a whole new meaning to her.
Christmas Eve was the following night and Hermione had asked the House Elves to prepare her and Draco something special. She had planned on going to the Room of Requirement to decorate and make it look festive. She wasn't sure how Christmas had been spent at Malfoy Manor but she wanted to try and bring some sort of comfort and cheer to him since he had been feeling so down lately.
Although maybe feeling down wasn't even the best way to describe it. She knew he constantly struggled internally over their newfound connection. He may not have wanted to be like his father when he was older but he had been raised his entire life to hate everything that she was. She knew he didn't hate her, but there were days where he looked like he was going to be sick to his stomach when she approached him before she figured out what kind of day he was having. Times when she would absentmindedly reach for his hand when she was reading and they were lounging next to the fire, where he would snatch his hand from under hers like she had burned him. She was always quick to hide her look of hurt and would make some excuse to go back to her common room. Those days she felt like he was just the old Draco playing games with her, hurting her with his looks of disgust like she wasn't even good enough to be breathing the same air as he was.
But then there were the good days. The days where he would act like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. Where they would walk around the grounds and talk about everything they possibly could. Where he would play with her hair while they read, or when he would lean over and kiss her out of nowhere. The look he would get in his eyes on those days stole her breath away and made her feel things that she had never felt before.
Then came the nights. The nights on the good days when his looks grew darker with passion and longing and they spent countless hours by the fire wrapped in each others arms. He was a very skilled kisser, which was all that they had done but she felt like maybe she was ready for more. The fact that he was so good worried her and for a brief thought she wondered if the rumors were true and if he really had been a playboy throughout the Slytherin house. He had confided in her that he had indeed slept with Pansy a few times the year before but that had been it.
She hadn't been with anyone at all. She had always thought that it would have been Ron that she would lose her virginity to. One of her best friends, she had always assumed it would be clumsy their first time but they would grow to learn each other bodies. Now she was certain it wouldn't be Ron but the blonde haired Slytherin who would steal her innocence.
Innocence. The thoughts she was having about Draco were anything but innocent. The way he made her feel when he was kissing her, his body moving over hers lips against her neck, one hand tangled in her hair and the other roaming over her body, were enough to set her on fire.
She flushed thinking about it. She was almost warm enough to remove her jacket. Guess she really didn't need that warming charm.
Draco watched her sitting underneath the tree from a safe distance away where he knew she wouldn't see him. He felt horrible leaving her to herself again when they only had so many days together before students started to return. He was having what she called a 'Malfoy Meltdown'. He pretended to be annoyed when she called it that but it actually made him smirk on the inside. How true it was.
He imagined his back and forth mood swings were going to eventually exhaust her and she would tire of what he knew she was assuming were games he was playing with her. However it was far from a game. He knew it was better to distance himself from her on the days where he woke up feeling overwhelmed by all that was happening.
He felt like the war between good and evil had stored itself inside of him. The feelings that were growing for Hermione were currently winning against the dark future that lay ahead. Once he had given in to just accepting that he very much had some sort of feelings for her it was like the sensation of wanting to be a good man for her, to prove that he was good enough for her, had erupted inside of him. There were days where he would give up everything just to be with her always.
Other days he would wake up and often be reminded of who he was and where he came from. Whether it be an article about his father in the Daily Prophet, or something just laying around the Slytherin common room. He knew the way his father had raised him was wrong, but you can't just change ideals that were beaten into you your entire life in one night. On those days sometimes he caught himself hating Hermione. Not for the reasons he had in their previous years at Hogwarts, but for other reasons such as how easily life seemed to go for her. She had a loving family, loving friends. Her best friend was Harry freaking Potter for Merlin's sake! Something he had tried to achieve on their first day at Hogwarts but had been shut down in front of their entire class. The teachers loved her, all except Professor Snape of course.
Sometimes they would be together and he would doze off thinking of these thing, then she would brush his hand with hers and he'd be awakened and reminded of where he was and who he was with and it took him a moment to realize that it was ok. That he didn't have to put up a front with her. But the damage was too quickly done. He saw the hurt in her eyes and she would always leave right after. So he distanced himself from her on the days when he couldn't help but feel apprehension towards her.
Then came the letters from his Mother. She urged him to finish his task of finishing the repairs on the cabinet. Her letters were coded and grew more panicked with each one she sent. Voldemort had apparently taken up residence in the manor. The new man of the house since his father was still locked away. So he had taken time over the break to work more in the Room of Requirement, until Hermione had found him there.
Hermione had followed him there one day, eager to see where he kept sneaking off to, although he knew she had been behind him. When he was sure she had gotten into the room he walked as far away from the cabinet as he could get to a little area that the room had created for him.
It held a fireplace that always had a warm fire going, a lounging chair next to the fireplace, and a grand bed. Grander than he had expected when he thought of needing a place to sleep but the room seemed to think he needed a king sized four poster bed dressed in black satin from the pillowcases to the sheets and accompanied by a large black blanket made of chinchilla fur. He had felt like it was much more than he deserved but the room made the same area every night he spent there. As soon as Hermione had discovered him, the room had conjured up a couch for them to lounge on in front of the fireplace.
When he was having a good day, as Hermione called it, they always ended up in the room in front of the fireplace. Most of the days Hermione had gone to the kitchens to get food for them, which the house elves were all too happy to prepare for her. Then when they were finished with dinner and the conversation had slowed down there had been plenty of snogging.
He knew she was inexperienced so he kept things slow and steady, but the way she made him feel when her body was trapped under his, he didn't want to keep things slow for much longer. He was aching to have her. To make her his, fully and undeniably his.
A small part of him wondered what would happen if she let it get to that point. If she gave him the most intimate part of her what would become of them? As much as he didn't want to admit it, there was a part of him that was scared that once she gave herself to him the rest of him wouldn't want her anymore. That maybe he was battling a different inner version of himself, a version that continued to hate her and brand her as a mudblood, when this version wanted to be happy with her in the time that they had left before his role in the war would come to light and she would never want to see him again.
A dark vision clouded his view of her and he refocused on the eagle owl that was flapping in front of him carrying a small box. He untied the parcel and fished a treat from his pocket for his pet before it flew off.
He had made it into Hogsmeade on one of the days he had spent alone. He had picked up a few things to send to Blaise and Pansy for Christmas and had also met up with the owner of Twilfitt and Tattings to finalize the dress robes he had ordered for his Mother some weeks ago. The owner was all too pleased to meet up with 'the young Mister Malfoy' and continue business as they had for many years with the Malfoy's, even though they had to make the trip to Hogsmeade for him. He had tipped them generously on top of what he owed for the robes and made arrangements for them to be sent to his Mother on Christmas.
He had then headed straight to the Post Office to send out his order request for Hermione's gift to the family jeweler. Examining the small but delicate black rectangle box with small gold intricate carvings he opened it to inspect the gift. A smile found its way onto his face and any doubts or bad feelings he had went away immediately. He put the box in his pocket and took one last look towards Hermione as he turned and made his way back into the castle. For the first time ever Draco was actually looking forward to Christmas.
Hermione approached the Room of Requirement with Draco's gift in her hands. She had been in the room multiple times over the years but the magic of it still awed her. Sensing what day it was the room had cleared out all of the junk that always seemed to be there when Draco was, and had left only their area with the fireplace. It had added a small but beautiful tree already decorated with red, gold and silver. She gently admired one of the tree's ornaments examining how well their respective house's colors went together.
She placed his gift underneath the tree and rose to go to the couch however something caught her eye that was laying between the branches of the tree. She reached out and picked up the small rectangular box. It had a gold bow on it with a tag that read 'for my lioness' in Draco's elegant handwriting.
Her heart started racing. A box that size usually meant jewelry. The thought of Draco buying her anything let alone jewelry was nerve wracking. She placed the box back in the branches and went to the couch eyeing the bed as went.
She knew that there had been times when Draco had stayed the night in the room. She had always thought he just needed to distance himself from his fellow classmates and she had always wondered why the Room of Requirement. But the room had been kind to Draco so maybe that was what had him coming back to it all the time. The bed was grand dressed in satin and fur. She had laughed when she first saw it. Of course Draco would sleep in satin and fur. He had gotten defensive and reminded her that the room had gifted him the bed, he hadn't chose it.
She heard a noise behind her but before she could turn she felt a pair of hands cover her eyes from behind. She smiled and reached up to put her hands over them.
"Hey." She said softly.
She felt Draco kiss her neck before moving to stand in front of her.
"I have a surprise for you." He said excitingly. He rushed out of the little area for a minute and came back with what looked like an old muggle record player.
"Is that-" Hermione started but he cut her off.
"A record player yes. I charmed it to play anything I wanted it to play."
Hermione smiled. "Where did you find it?" She asked.
"Amidst all the other junk in here." He answered.
Hermione got up to inspect it. It was old and dusty but beautiful at the same time. It still looked to be in great shape. She went to touch it when it sprang to life and started playing music. She looked over to Draco who just smiled at her in return.
They ate dinner by the fire and talked about various things like they normally did. Hermione was pleased to see that Draco was in a good mood tonight. After the table had been magicked away he held out his hand to her. She took it and he swept her into a dance. She listened closely to the music while she studied the smirk on his face. All of a sudden she realized just what they were listening to.
"The Nutcracker?" She questioned.
"This is my favorite part. Where the Mouse King comes back to get his revenge on the Prince of the dolls."
She looked at him incredulously. Her surprise aside, it was actually her favorite song in the ballet. The way the harp played as Clara danced with the Prince in the land of the dolls had always been so beautifully calming to her.
"What? Did you think Tchaikovsky was a muggle? Come on now Hermione you're smarter than that." Draco laughed.
His mother had taken him to see the ballet when he was younger and his dad had been away on business. He would never tell his friends that but since the composer spent a good deal of his life acting as a muggle he knew Hermione would appreciate the gesture.
"My parents took me to see the ballet when I was younger." Hermione exclaimed as he twirled her around.
"I always imagined if I ever had a daughter I would name her Clara." Draco said. He didn't know what had possessed him to tell her that secret. Hermione smiled warmly at him as he drew her closer.
"Do you think you'll get married one day? Have children?" She asked him softly. His smile faltered and his eyes darkened.
"I don't know what my future has planned for me." He replied honestly. They had stopped dancing and were just standing in each others embrace in front of the fire.
Hermione looked up at him sadly. The music from The Nutcracker ended and a haunting melody started playing softly.
"Draco…your future can be what you make it." She said softly.
"I don't want to talk about it." He said leaving her embrace. He walked over to the tree and plucked the small box out from the branches.
"Come here." He beckoned, sitting on the couch. She grinned and went to the tree to grab his gift.
"You open yours first!" She handed him the box that she had wrapped in emerald green wrappings with a silver bow.
"Hermione you didn't have to get me anything." He exclaimed as he tore into the wrappings of the large package.
Hermione laughed as his eyes lit up when he went through the box to uncover all the new things she had gotten him for his broom. When he picked up the Quidditch gloves he looked, to Hermione, like the eleven year old boy she had started her Hogwarts journey with; so happy and carefree.
"Thank you so much." He said, leaning over and kissing her. He placed his stuff back in the box then picked up the small box and held it out to her.
"I wanted to get you something that would make you remember me, no matter what happens." He said solemnly.
She took the box and undid the small gold ribbon on it. When she opened it her eyes widened and she gasped bringing a hand up to cover her mouth.
"Draco it's absolutely breathtaking!" She exclaimed.
He took the box from her and lifted out a necklace. The chain was dainty and was gold melting into silver and alternating all the way through. The pendant was a snake and a lion wrapped around each other forming a heart. The lion was made of gold and the snake of silver. A single ruby and emerald made up the eyes of the pair respectively.
Hermione reached out and gently touched the pendant and the snake sprang to life slithering its way around the lion playfully before settling back into their intertwined heart shape. Tears formed in her eyes.
"I love it!" She exclaimed answering the silent question in his eyes. She pulled her hair up and turned around so that he could fasten it around her neck.
His hands lingered on her shoulders and he leaned forward to plant a chaste kiss on her neck. She moved her neck more to the side welcoming his touch. He reached around and pulled her face to his own capturing her lips with his. She moved on the couch so that she was straddling his lap as their kiss deepened.
Hermione moaned into his mouth when she felt his arousal pressing into her lap. Draco broke off the kiss suddenly and pushed himself back into the couch and away from her.
"Hermione we don't have to do this." He said softly. She seemed to contemplate it for the briefest of moments.
"I want to." She whispered. She leaned forward and capture his lips with her own again as he lifted her off the couch and brought her over to the bed.
The satin of the sheets felt cool against her skin and the fur of the blanket was soft and inviting. Draco peeled his shirt off before claiming her lips again and moving her up to the head of the bed. He pulled her crimson blouse off of her while kissing her neck.
She ran her hands up his back and entangled them in his hair. Her lower abdomen tightened sending shivers up her body with every kiss he planted on her neck. He trailed kisses down to her breasts and looked up at her waiting for approval to continue. She nodded and he unhooked her nude lacy bra freeing her ample breasts. He seemed to appraise them before cupping each breast in his hands.
"Merlin you're so fucking beautiful." He breathed against her torso. He took a breast in his mouth and gently sucked running his tongue around her nipple. She arched her back upwards.
"Draco." She moaned in pleasure. He smirked against her breasts. He loved that it was him making her feel this way. That he was the first to make her feel like this, and he would be damn sure she never forgot it.
He reached down and undid the belt on his trousers. She seemed to catch on and helped him push them down before she pulled them the rest of the way off with her foot. She arched her body upwards while he moved back up to her lips, helping him pull her skirt off her.
Just their underwear was all that separated their lower bodies. Draco leaned on his forearms above her and touched his forehead to hers.
"Last chance to stop. I don't think I'll be able to stop if we go any further." He said to her.
She ran her hands down his torso and slipped one underneath his underwear grabbing his length. He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes.
"Hermione." He warned. She replied by pumping her hand up and down his shaft slowly.
"I don't want to stop Draco." She breathed. She sat up and moved to pull his underwear off, rolling him onto his back. Then she slid off the bed and stood beside it smiling down at him. Slowly she slipped her matching nude lacy cheekies down and stepped out of them. His eyes roamed over her naked body and he reached out for her.
"Come here." He said.
She knelt back on the bed and into his embrace. He laid her on her side with him just barely above her. He ran his hand down the side of her body as he kissed her, bringing his hand between her legs and running his thumb over her clit rubbing her most sensitive spot. It was her turn to suck in a breath. She moved her hips into his hand and laid back into the pillows sinking into their softness while he moved his hand lower, stroking her softly.
"You're so wet." He whispered as he ran a finger up her opening. She moaned and bucked her hips up begging him for more. He leaned down and captured her lips again as he plunged two fingers inside her. She moaned against his mouth and grabbed at his back trying to bring their bodies as close as she could. He pumped his fingers in and out of her while stroking her clit with his thumb at the same time. She could feel how hard he was against her leg and she reached down to grab him.
"I want to feel you inside of me." She whispered in his ear while guiding him to her entrance. Draco didn't have to be told twice.
"It's going to hurt for a second. Let me know when it's ok to keep going." He said gently. She nodded in response feeling grateful with how gentle he was being with her.
Draco slid himself up and down her entrance before pushing himself fully inside her. Her breath caught in her throat and she froze.
"Are you ok?" He asked stroking her cheek. She waited a few seconds but finally nodded giving him the ok to keep going.
He moved slowly out of her so that just his tip was nestled inside her, before pushing himself back in all the way. She was so tight and he had a feeling he wasn't going to last long.
With every thrust her body adjusted to his. Finally a warming sensation took over the small sting of pain. She started to match his thrusts as he picked up the pace. Every time she bucked her hips against his she pushed herself into the pillows. He had never seen a more beautiful sight than that of her lost in ecstasy underneath him.
"Merlin Draco." She moaned. She could feel her muscles tightening against him with every thrust. She looked up at him and smiled reaching for his face. He brought his lips down to hers and he adjusted his body so that he had a deeper angle and he was touching places inside of her she didn't even know existed.
Feeling confident she took Draco by surprise and pushed him over onto his back, never breaking the contact between their bodies, so that she was straddling him.
"Fuck Hermione." He groaned as he tossed his head back. She started moving her hips back and forth leaning back so that he was buried so deep inside of her. The new angle brought him dangerously close.
"Hermione I'm not going to last much longer if you keep doing that." He groaned.
She smirked down at him. "I'm close too Draco." She breathed. She grabbed his hands and ran them up her body to grab her breasts. She threw her head back, her curls bouncing around her face, the light from the fire dancing across her features.
The warm sensation started growing more intense as she rode him, rubbing her clit against the base of him while he was buried so deep inside of her. She started moving faster and his hands found her hips to help her stay on rhythm with his thrusts.
"Draco I'm going to cum." She said breathlessly. As soon as the words left her mouth he felt her muscles tighten over him squeezing his climax out of him. They came together then her body fell forward over his. He moved them so that they were on their sides facing each other.
"You are fucking amazing." He said to her. She smiled and moved to hide her face in the pillows.
"That was amazing. You were amazing. Thank you for being gentle." She said. He drew the blanket up around them and wrapped his arms around her bringing her close to him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and soon her breathing slowed signaling she had fallen asleep. He watched her for what seemed like forever before he fell asleep as well, both wrapped in each other just like her necklace.
Authors Note: Whoo! That was a lot harder than I ever possibly thought it would be. I wrote the lemon scene five times over. It was either too tame or too crude and I didn't want it to be crude and harsh but I wanted it to be not so tame. I hope I didn't disappoint to badly. Please review! I feel like they are definitely dropping off for the amount of views the story is getting :(