Another update. Hope you all enjoy!

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A low rumble of thunder woke him from his sleep. He was still disoriented from his abrubt waking, but as the memories from the previous night came back to him he relaxed. He turned his head to find her still peacefully asleep. Gently rolling to his side, as not to wake her, he watched as the curves of her body rose and fell as she breathed in and out. He took this stolen moment to admire her. He thought to himself that it would be hard to find another witch to compare to her beauty. Not that it mattered. He didn't need to, all he needed was laying in front of him.

The room held barely any light, as the sun had been hidden by clouds that morning. The rain lightly tapped against the window and he realized something in that instance. He was falling for her, hard. Another rumble of thunder caused her to stir, but she remained fast asleep. He pushed a stray curl away from her face before placing a delicate kiss on her forehead.

This woman, the beautiful witch laying in his arms. Had he been asked years before if this would be a reality he surely wouldn't have thought it possible. Yet here he was. He had spent time wondering how different things could have been between them had he never been filled with the prejudice he once was. As he watched her in her slumber he understood. Their past was what made them what they were. In some way it made their connection stronger, adding a sort of complexity that made it what it was.

He carefully removed his arm that was under her pillow, and slipped out of bed as quietly as he could. Retrieving his trousers from the floor, he removed his wand from the pocket before transfiguring them into a pair of cotton plaid pajama pants. He stole another look at her before moving to the living room. He found his shirt, changing it to a loose grey t and slipped it on. He made quick work of a pot of coffee. Leaning against the counter, he took in a deep breath to smell the aroma of the hot beverage. Just as he brought it to his lips, the fire place came to life, and he found himself staring eye to eye with Potter, not the raven haired man, but his redheaded wife. She smirked as if his presence wasn't a surprise at all.

"Morning Malfoy, fancy meeting you here." she said with amusement.

"Ginny, morning to you."

"Where's Hermione?"

"Sleeping."

She looked down the hall to the closed bedroom door before meeting his gaze.

"Sit." she said in a very Molly tone.

He arched an eyebrow at her but did as she ordered.

She took a seat opposite him. They sat in silence until she decided to speak.

"You make her happy. I haven't seen her like this in a long time."

"I'm sure thats not true."

She shook her head.

"The war changed her. It ripped something away from her. I couldn't tell you what, she doesn't talk about it. Ever since she hasn't quite been the same. She tries. Bloody hell she tries. But it's been like something was missing. She's done nothing but try to find it. She won't say it, but she doesn't need to."

"And how do I play into this?"

She smiled at him. "Because for the first time since the war ended, I don't see her searching anymore. Ever since you came into her shop that night she's been different. I don't fully understand it, but you're good for her."

He gave her a slight scowl.

"Don't look at me like that. Honestly. Go back a few years, hell, a few months even. Did you see this coming?"

He let out a sigh as he swept his hand through his hair. "No. I wouldn't have expected her to ever want this."

She furrowed her brows at the statement. "You wanted her before that night...didn't you?"

He didn't answer, not verbally anyway, he gave her a look that could easily be discerned as admittance.

"That's why you were in her shop so much isn't it?"

"How did you-"

"You think she didn't notice you? Believe me she did. I'm pretty sure her interest with you started a lot sooner than you think."

"What makes you think that?" he tried to sound indifferent.

"She didn't ever mention it, but there were times I was there helping out that she seemed distracted. I didn't know what it was at first since it's not easy to pull her away from something. I figured out that it only happened when you were there."

"I'm sure it was just coincidence." he shrugged.

"Maybe. Let's put it this way. I wasn't all that surprised when she showed an interest in you. I guess I should have been, but I wasn't. To be honest Harry wasn't either."

"I find that highly unlikely."

"He said it made sense. Hermione is the most intelligent person we know. You're right up there at her level. Not to mention you're complete opposites in ways. She needs someone who is different from her to some length."

"I'm not going to hurt her if that's where you're going with this. I know you and her are close."

She put her hand up to signal him to stop. "You will Malfoy, that's inevitable." He went to interject but she stopped him. "Let me finish. All couples hurt eachother, it happens. I'm not saying it'll be major because I don't believe you'd do anything seriously wrong. My point is, when that time comes, don't assume that means you don't deserve her. Don't run away because your afraid to cause her any pain. When it happens, you need to remember she chose you for a reason. Do you understand?"

He nodded, accepting her words but deciding not to add to it.

"Well I'll be off then." she said as she rose from her seat.

"You don't have to. I can go if you two had plans." he offered.

"We can reschedule. Besides, I don't think she would be too pleased at you leaving before she woke up."

He smirked at her.

She reached the fireplace, as she grabbed a handful of powder Draco added to their conversation.

"I'll try my best you know...not to hurt her."

She offered him a quick smile "I know"

With a flash of green flames, she disappeared, leaving him alone to his thoughts. After a few moments he moved back to the bedroom. He carefully opened the door so that he wouldn't disturb her, but was greated by a pair of brown eyes.

She was still laying in bed, the covers loosely draped around her small frame. Curls splayed across the pillow, and a smile to melt even the coldest of hearts.

"Morning" she said barely above a whisper.

"Morning." He responded, lingering in the doorway as if he were waiting for an invitation to join her.

"Come back to bed."

He smiled as he crossed the floor, taking his spot on the bed. She immediately curled up in his arms. He placed a kiss atop her head.

"She didn't threaten you did she?"

"What?"

"Ginny. I know that voice anywhere."

He chuckled into her hair. "No, she didn't."

"Good." She lifted her head off of his chest to look at him. "She was right you know."

"About?"

"I was interested before that night."

He cocked his head to the side waiting for her to go further.

"I noticed you coming in a lot. You just looked so different. More at ease, not arrogant. I was intrigued."

"You were?"

"Mmm." she hummed. "I mean once your wipe that scowl of your face, you're fairly attractive."

"And here I thought it added to it." he joked.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Well it's nice to see your arrogance hasn't totally left you."

"Never."

They laid in silence with only the sound of the the rain beating against the windows, the rolling of thunder every so often. She absentmindedly drew patterns on his chest with her finger as he lightly stroked her hair.

"I meant what I said last night you know." she said.

"Which part?" he murmured as his lips grazed the top of her head.

"That this is real for me." After the words left her mouth, she craned her neck to look at him. His grey eyes were cool and calming, fitting as if they matched the clouds that had rolled in that morning. He pulled her close and kissed her, running his hands up and down her back.

"It's real for me too."

She lifted herself up so that she was propped up onto her elbow, meeting her eyes with his once more.

"I mean it Draco. You wouldn't be here if I didn't want you to be."

"I know." he furrowed his brows. "Ginny said I'll hurt you, that it's inevitable."

She gave a crooked smile. "Well you will at some point. It is inevitable. If this is real, it will happen. At some point you'll do something that's going to hurt my feelings, or make me angry. But you know what? I will too. Relationships aren't perfect, we're going to fight, they'll be days we won't always like each other, but that's normal."

"So you're not concerned or bothered by that?"

"Bothered by what? Something real? I'm not worried about it. I think between the two of us we will be able to navigate through it just fine."

He nodded as he considered her words. "If I ever do something that hurts you in anyway, I want you to tell me."

"Believe me I will." she winked at him.

His lips curled into a small smile. "One other thing." His face turned serious. "I heard what you said to him last night. I won't ever try to change you, or undermine your views. I definitely won't attempt to strip you of anything that is yours."

"I already know that." She brought her hand to his cheek and rubbed it with the pad of her thumb a few times before leaning into another chaste kiss.

"As much as I am enjoying the sight of you." He kissed along her chest and neck. "Put something on and meet me in the kitchen."

"Why may I ask?"

"I've cooked dinner for you already, now I'm going to make you breakfast."

He removed himself from her and left the room. She realized after she was alone that this was the first time since before the war that she felt truly safe. That's how he made her feel. Safe. She could not ignore the other feeling that she was having. Was it love? She doubted it. She was still learning about him. She couldn't be sure, all she knew was that the void she had been feeling for so long didn't seem to be there anymore.

-x-

I'm begging now. Begging people! Please review!