CHAPTER XII: Loyalties & Love-bites
"Let me see. You were dumped. Then you were picked-up; all in the same day. Then the one who dumped you proposed and the one who picked you up dumped you; also, all in the same day."
"That about sums it up."
"Wow." Picture Hermione looked out at her true-life image. "Wow. The thing that gets me is the timing. How is a girl supposed to think?"
"No idea," Hermione told her little self. "I'm not doing this. It just keeps happening to me. I hate that. Like I have no control. And, the secrets." She sighed loudly. " I don't want to lie, but what could I have said. Draco and I were never officially anything."
"But you were starting to care for him."
"Well, yeah, Hermione," Hermione said. "If anybody would take the time to look, there's a lot to care about."
"You took the time."
Both Hermione's jumped.
Draco was standing in her doorway.
To call him beautiful would have been to lessen the attraction. He transcended the word; He transcended the world. Leaning against her doorframe, emanating confidence and arrogance, majesty and mystery; he came from a distant galaxy. He shamed the gods. He was much more beautiful than merely, beautiful. His true description remained wordless, as there were no words to adequately compare.
If Hermione had realized she was holding her breath, she still would not have released it. It was a breathless moment, watching him, watching her. Watching him come to her, stalking, anticipating her movement; stopping it before it began. And then, he was there; pulling her to her feet, intentionally invading her space; drawing her close enough to breather her in, to kiss her. But, he did not.
He held her to him as if he would kiss her, but he did not. She trembled, nervous with emotion; nervous with anticipation.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. Piercing-gray eyes held her in place. Dropping his voice an octave lower, he said, "When I feel threatened, I respond by striking hard; striking first. I cannot promise that it will not happen again, but I do not mean to see you hurt. I'll try not to do that to you."
Standing there, in his arms; his power vibrated through her, shaking her to the core. She inhaled his sent; his masculinity made her mouth water. But, it was his candor that touched her. She raised a slightly trembling hand to his cheek. He leaned into her caress.
She lightly brushed his lips with hers. "I'm over it." She was.
She felt his relief and then a resurge of his power as he took possession of her mouth; possession of her. His kiss wasn't light. It was demanding. It was delicious. He kissed her again, thoroughly. And once more, softly, savoring the lingering taste of her.
"It's late. How did you get in here?" Hermione didn't really care how, as long as he was there.
"I put a silencing charm on your system." Into her giggle, he said, "It's not like I don't know how it works.
"How could you know? I created some of those spells."
"It's not like I haven't been in your head."
She laughed again, not at all offended. "You'll have to teach me that."
"I intend to. And, on that note, there are a few things we need to discuss." Draco hadn't released her and he didn't mean to any time soon.
"What should we discuss?" Draco Malfoy is in your bedroom. You are wrapped around him like you were his skin. If ever there was a topic for discussion; that would be it.
"You changed everything, Hermione. We are different people now."
"I didn't do anything." She wanted to stiffen, but he held her too tight, too close.
"You did." He took a deep breath; he took her breath. As far as he was concerned, her breaths belonged to him. "My parents trained me. My elves serve me. My friends idolize me, are influenced by me or imitate me. My enemies hide from me. The world needs me. The ministry wants to fix me. The wizarding community wants me to go away…But you, you accepted me. You are the only one who accepts me just as I am. The good. The bad. You've seen it all, and you accept me. You know my past. You can guess, how I'm going to turn out. Now, you've changed everything."
Every phrase was a sword of honesty, stabbing her with jolts of compassion, excitement. She didn't remember winding her arms around his waist, but they were there, luxuriating in the feel of the iron that was hidden beneath his shirt. "How are we changed?"
His answer was a grunt.
She noticed that he had gotten closer. How could he have gotten closer? There is no closer.
"It's real, now. We're real now." One more deep breath that started out as hers but ended up his. "I need to hold you tonight. Don't turn me away. Please, don't turn me away."
Hermione wasn't sure about this side of Draco. His intensity seemed to be focused completely on her; channeled completely into her. "Let me stay. Let me talk… I promise to give you every answer you're looking for. I promise that from this moment on, I will put my extensive abilities to use, making you happy."
"Draco, what are you saying?"
"If you really have accepted me, Hermione, don't turn me away."
Hermione didn't know what he was thinking. He was talking dangerously. Obviously, he needed her (something she knew Draco would never admit). Turning him away wasn't an option. It wasn't even a consideration. "I'll never turn you away." As soon as she said it, she knew it was the truth.
She didn't see his wand, but felt the slight rustle of movement. Instead of looking at him, she studied their reflections in her mirror. A pair of emerald-green silk pajama pants rested against Draco's hips; silver boxers peeked from just above the waistband; just beneath her fingers. That was all. That was it. His feet were bare, as was his entire upper body. SHE was wearing his pajama top. That and her knickers; and nothing else. His shirt hung to her knees; the sleeves covered her hands; her hair bushy and wild. She wouldn't have felt any sexier if she had been wearing hand-made lingerie. Her heart rate increased tenfold and somewhere in the recess of her mind, her logical self realized that her knickers were the knickers. Bloody hell.
"You're safe." He seemed to be reading her mind.
"I doubt that."
He buried his head into her neck, deciding she needed a hickie.
She tilted her head back, deciding he was right; she did need a hickie.
He licked and nibbled, branding her his. "I'm not interested in sex. Well, I am, but that's not my focus."
"I don't care what your focus is. I'm not safe."
"You're safe while we talk. After that, you'd better hope I fall asleep." With an unexpected sweep of his arm, Draco pulled them down across the bed. He hauled her against him, yanked the covers up and concentrated on eating her shoulder.
She snuggled against the chiseled wall of his chest, her butt rubbing his groin. "I am sooo not safe."
"No, you're not. Quit wiggling."
Hermione laughed and wiggled some more. "What are we doing, 'cause it's certainly not talking."
"We're trying to keep my dick attached. Quit wiggling."
"I don't think this is the most effective way to accomplish that." She laughed harder. "I thought we were nuts when we were in America. You'd better talk to me. This is a death wish." She couldn't keep still. She was in Draco Malfoy's arms and he was in her bed. They were so guilty. They hadn't done anything and they were still so guilty.
"Mmmm." Draco gave his current love-bite, one last lick. "Speaking of death wishes; you got nine hours to decline Weasel's proposal."
"What?"
"Nine hours."
She had forgotten about Ron. She had forgotten about everything and she really didn't feel like remembering. "Ron. Oh. Yeah. Ron. That." Thinking about Ron while Draco's erection pressed into her back was just wrong. "Why nine hours?"
"Because if you don't, in ten hours, he's going to turn up missing."
That struck Hermione as funny. "Oh, that's nice." She said sarcastically
"No. But I am giving you fair warning. Nine hours."
"Suppose I decide not to decline?"
"Then you'll be responsible for riding the world of one useless redhead. Nine hours." He buried his nose in her hair.
"For your information, I already talked to Ron ohhh…"
Faster that thought, Draco flipped her over. He pressed into her, kissing her deeply. "I knew I could count on you."
Being in Draco's arms, put Hermione in a happy, teasing mood, among other things. "Who said, I turned him down?"
"Hermione Granger, shame on you." He slid his hands under her shirt/his shirt. "You're engaged and you are in bed with me."
"Who says I'm engaged?" Her own hands raced across his chest, eager to touch everywhere.
"I do."
"You do?" Hermione had become far more interested in his hands then his conversation.
"That will be my decision." Just as fast as before, he flipped her back over. "Behave."
"Hey, I'm not a pancake you know."
Draco wasn't listening, he had buried his face in a fresh spot on her shoulder.
PAGEBREAK
"What are you doing?"
Photograph Hermione jumped, startled again, this time by photograph Ginny. "Oh. Gin. You scared the life out of me."
"How did I accomplish that? Seeing as A. You are a picture. And B. You are an alarm system. Why didn't you know I was coming?"
"Because there's a charm blockin Um Ginny, what are you going here?"
"Ginny's with Harry. I got bored. WHO IS THAT?" Without waiting for an answer, Ginny pressed her nose to the glass, trying to get a better look at Hermione's bed. "She's in bed with somebody. OH. MY. GOD." Ginny conjured a chair to stand on, hoping that would help her angle. "That's not Ron."
"Now, now, Gin. Don't get all worked up" Hermione gently tugged on her arm.
"Worked up? Are you kidding me? This is the most exciting thing that's happened since Neville and Luna got drunk last New Years. Who is it? Did they do anything? Why didn't you call me?"
"We're not voyeurs, Gin."
"Speak for yourself. What else is there to do?"
"Ginny, get down. We need to talk. This is a big problem."
After one last attempt to see what was going on, Ginny gave up. Is this THE GUY? The one she's been sneaking around with? The one she won't tell anyone about?"
"Yeah, it's him," Hermione said. "If what I heard tonight is any indication, it's pretty serious."
"You sound positively distraught."
"You have no idea."
"Hi."
Luna and Neville entered the frame. "Hey, what's going on?" Neville glanced from one girl to the other.
"Neville. Luna." Hermione squealed, nervously. "Look, Ginny. It's Neville. And Luna."
"I know, Hermione. What are you two up to?"
"Neville is going to help me get rid of Porlocks. We came to see if Hermione had figured out a way to get me some netting. Whenever I conjure my own, it doesn't stay."
"Luna doesn't quite get that nothing we conjure stays," Neville explained." I've tried to tell her that only those things that were apart of the original pictures remain."
"That doesn't make sense," Luna argued. "The Clabberts weren't a part of the original pictures. They're here. What about the wrackspurts and the jobberknolls? And how about that infestation of blutherhumdingers? I'm really concerned about these Porlocks. They could mess up everything."
Ginny coughed.
Neville smiled at Luna indulgently. Anything she chose to think was alright with him.
Hermione wrung her hands, agitated. She was concerned too, but not about Porlocks.
Suddenly, Luna was serious. "Neville, would you mind excusing us. I need to speak with Ginny and Hermione, privately."
"Luna?"
"Maybe you could see what Harry and Ron are up to."
"Yeah, I'll do that." Neville wasn't happy to be dismissed, but he honored her request.
The second he was gone, Ginny said, "I wasn't laughing at you, Luna."
"I know that, Ginny. I hadn't said anything funny."
"What's wrong? What did you want to talk to us about?"
"I didn't think was an appropriate time for Neville to be here. I have a question." Four raised eyebrows prompted her to ask, "Why is Hermione in bed with Draco Malfoy?"
In unison, three heads turned. They watched, transfixed, as Draco kissed Hermione. The entangled couple exchanged a few whispered words before he rolled off her, flipped her over and buried his head in her shoulder.
"With all of his money, you would think he could afford to buy a bed of his own." Luna rolled her eyes.
The girls were still watching, transfixed as Draco silently got out of bed. Casting a weary eye on his sleeping beauty, he didn't get dressed, but disapparated.
"What do you think that was about?" Ginny, having heard Hermione's tale, was no longer excited.
"I don't know, but it's probably a good thing he's gone," Hermione said. "I hate to think what would happen if the boys were here.
"That would be a bit awkward, I think," Luna mused.
"They're gonna kill you, Hermione," Ginny said.
"It's not her fault. It's not even her," Luna defended. "Well, actually it is, but it's her in the future; her in the picture has nothing to do with it."
"That won't make a damned bit of difference to those knuckle-heads."
"Maybe you shouldn't be here, Hermione. You can hide at my house. My picture is empty at the moment, and I'm sure I'm asleep. Well, maybe not. Neville and I went out with Ron and Hannah. Who knows what we got into."
"Thanks Luna, but I don't need to hide. I haven't done anything wrong"
"You sure about that?" Ginny pointed to the sleeping Hermione.
"I haven't done anything wrong. Neither of me has. The boys will just have to"
Draco returned. He settled himself back into Hermione's bed as if he belonged there.
"Are you guys done yet," Harry walked into the frame. "Neville said you were tal" Three streams of light hit him. He was frozen in time.
"He is going to be pissed when he comes out of that." Ginny inspected their handy work. "If you weren't in trouble, you are now. Both of you."
"You froze him to," Hermione accused.
"Yeah, but I can assure you, I'll be forgiven. Luna, you watch for the other two. Hermione, keep an eye on the blond demon. I'll take care of Harry." Ginny turned her popsicle-man so that his back was to Hermione's bedroom. She counted down from thirty, timing his release.
"What the hell was that about?"
"Harry, calm down. You're in Hermione's bedroom. You know there are some things you can't see."
"If any of those things were visible, one of you could have sent out a warning; as there are three of you here and that is what you do."
"The system is down. It will be until further notice"
"What's up"
A flash of light greeted Ron. Neville, who was standing behind him, ducked and grabbed Luna's wand hand before she could aim again.
Ginny aimed for Neville, but Harry snatched her wand out of her hand." Are you mental?"
Both girls looked to Hermione.
"Umm…ummm…Luna, you and Neville take Ron back to his house. Tie him up if you have to. Just, get him out of here.
Neville didn't move.
"Luna can explain it to you, Neville. Just keep him away from here. It's for his own good."
That statement and her pleading tone, prompted him to move. Luna followed Neville as he floated Ron out of the picture.
Ginny held out her hand for Harry to return her wand. Grudgingly, he released it. His eyes scanned Hermione's bedroom. Whatever they were hiding, was in there.
Fortunately, there wasn't any light to see by nor, was there any movement to see.
"Harry," Hermione began. "Now, just stay calm. Alright. Be reasonable."
"Hermione, what are you on about? Obviously, it's something big. And, judging by your behavior it's something bad; so just out with it."
Hermione nodded. She wrung her hands, desperately working her brain, trying to think of the best way to explain the situation.
"Hermione's got company," Ginny said, matter-of-factly.
Harry stilled. He looked at Ginny. He looked At Hermione. An embarrassed, goofy-grin split his face. "Ron and Hermione are shagging? Ohh…Bad mental picture…You guys are freaks."
"It's not Ron." Ginny erased his grin.
"Harry," Hermione said, "I'm with Draco Malfoy."
A/N: thank you so much to every one, you guys are the best. And thank you for all the wonderful reviews I've received they really make my day.
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