In Love with the Enemy

Blinking slowly Draco opened his eyes to the early morning light. Something felt different to him and he was unsure what. Heat radiated from a body next to his and he sighed inwardly. Pansy. But as the room came into focus he knew it wasn't his room. Where the hell were they?

Then the night before flashed before his eyes and a smile spread to his lips. Turning on his side he looked at the mass of curls that littered the pillow next to his. It was obviously not Pansy, her hair was much too short and never curled. Without thinking he gently pushed a few curls from the woman's forehead and watched her sleep.

This was a new experience for him. Never in their four year relationship had he ever seen Hermione sleep. She looked perfect to him as she slowly drew in breath. He could see her chest moving up and down in a peaceful manner. A burst of jealously broke into him and he shook his head wishing it away.

What was he jealous of? Well the answer was easy. For the first time ever he was jealous of the Weasel. Never had it occurred to him that the Weasel got to see a side of Hermione that he didn't. But watching her now showed him that the other man did. Draco never watched Hermione sleep; he'd never seen her cook or eat a meal. He had never seen her at all outside of lessons or the bedroom. Ron Weasley got to see that side of her.

The smallest trace of a smirk came to his lips. Yeah the Weasel had seen all that but he was also about to lose it, and he had no idea. He didn't realise what a good thing he had. Draco had been forced to watch Pansy during these hours. The way she snored and smacked her lips with her tongue while sleeping. The way she ordered the House Elves around for meals, and how she always got gravy down her top. Draco couldn't picture Hermione doing that.

He tried to imagine her in a kitchen making some sort of spaghetti meal. The tiniest laugh came to his mouth as he pictured her turning around and hitting his hand with a spoon as he tried to taste the sauce before she had finished it. The look on her face from across a candlelight dinner. These were the things that he wished that he got to see. Why couldn't he though? Who said that he wasn't allowed to see that side of her?

The answer was obvious. He had never allowed himself to see her that way. That would have complicated things even more than they were. He had been careful to keep withdrawn. She was married and so was he. Their agreement was in the bedroom not out of it. But she was leaving.

That thought sent his heart pounding. He looked at the woman once more. Her lips were slightly parted as she slept on unaware of his attention. How could he not want to see her like this more often? How could he not want to be with her full stop?

Without any hint she turned and rolled closer to him. He felt his fingers brush into her hair as her cheek came to rest on his forearm. The soft weight caused him to look around the room. Why had she done that? He had never seen anyone roll into an embrace while asleep. Pansy never moved. She slept on her back and even an earthquake would likely be hard put to move her from that position.

This suddenly began to feel real. This was a relationship thing. This was more than just sex. She had spent the entire night with him. She had never allowed herself to wake up with him, never even allowed herself to fall asleep near him. And now she was sleeping on him. And strangely he liked it.

But what did that mean? Yes he had admitted that he loved her and he was more sure of that now than ever before. Watching her sleep he knew that he felt love and not lust for the woman. But surely things weren't going to change. But he knew that they had to. She was leaving her husband and although she could and would claim it was for herself he was sure that a part of the reason was him.

Then there was the baby. He was going to be a father so that was bound to change things between them. No more of these hotel sneak away nights that they had so long clung too. It would be impossible. What would they do with the baby? Put it in the corner while they get it on. It was outrageous to think that.

Another smile came to his face. One good thing about this change was that the Weasel would never play daddy to his child. He hated the idea of that so much. Why should he get the chance to play father when it was going to be Draco's child. He was really chuffed that Hermione was leaving Ron on that level. But there was a more sinister side to think about.

Would she now expect him to leave Pansy? Sure he'd love to. That was a marriage of convenience and not of love. His mother had always taught him that family came first but his father had to his last drummed it into Draco that status was the most important thing. Sure Draco had changed from the days when he thought it was all about purity but status was something he still cared about.

With Hermione he would lose a standing among certain ranks. Alright maybe not in all cases. She was a well respected woman in her own right. It was after all known about her part in the downfall of the Dark Lord and she had helped to reshape the wizarding world. She was well liked for her views on Elfish and Goblin relations. She had helped bridge the gap with the centaurs and had even written and published the most popular book of their times. Of course that had been easy for her since it had been the truth about the second war, covering aspects from the forming of Dumbledore's Army and the re-forming of the Order of the Phoenix down to the deaths of the key figures in the war to the defeat of the Dark Lord himself.

Those things brought her success and wealth. Draco was aware that she was well off because of the things she had done. He had always seen her at the fancy dinner parties with the Weasel and Potty and his wife. But although the wizarding world accepted her as one of the Trio, as someone making a difference in his circles she was still a Mudblood. The world may have changed on the outside but the problems, the prejudices were still about, and that would cost him.

Pansy brought him acceptance in that prejudice world. Yes it was known that he had fallen from favour with the Dark Lord. That he hadn't been able to perform his tasks. Hell thanks to Hermione the world knew that Potty had saved his life on two occasions. But as long as he was with Pansy they thought that he was still like them. They believed that he was still a Noble Malfoy. He would loose all that. Could he put himself through that?

Looking at Hermione he didn't know. Part of him wanted to so much. He wanted to be able to do this everyday. To just lie in bed and watch her sleep. But that would mean giving up his world once more. The world that he had striven so hard to preserve after the Dark Lords defeat. Could he do that again? Could he start over?

Maybe leaving Pansy would allow him to move in that other circle. For those who had fought against the Dark Lord to accept him. Hermione would bring him that. Pansy couldn't. But their affair would come out in the open. Potty would choose Weasel over him. Potty would choose the Weasel over Hermione if it came down to it. Potty after all had married his own Weasel. So choosing Hermione would spoil things for both of them. She would be better off on her own, with him staying with Pansy.

But there was one thing he was certain of. He would provide for his child. Sure she had enough money to do it herself, but this was his heir. His first child. If Hermione was about to leave the Weasel for good well then he would find her a house. He would be the one to set the pair up in a decent place. He would provide everything that they would ever need. Everything except a father to the child…


I know this took a really long time didn't it. Once I started writing it though I couldn't stop. Which I suppose is a good thing. But here's the bad thing. This is still all I have written. I shall try to write a little more on Friday after I finish work but no promises.

This leads to the next thing that has to be mentioned. On the 1st September I fly to New Zealand. I have slaved away at University, at work and now as a treat for all that hard work I'm taking a well deserved holiday (on the other side of the world!).

While this is a great thing for me (and the lovely Floss who is the person I'm going there with!) it's not so good for you. You see this story is staying in Wales while I head away. That means that from the 31st August through to the 24th September I will have no computer. I will have no access to this story.

So what this means to all of you is… if I don't get another chapter up by next Thursday (August 30th) you won't get another post until September 25th maybe even a little later (depending on what my work load is going to be and how jet lagged I am!)

The reason I'm telling you this is to explain my three week (practically a month) absence. Nobody will get any post for any story. So I hope you will all wait patiently and that when I return you will all still be here waiting for the next instalment.

Thanks

Kris xx