I promised that I would not give up on this story. I am planning on keeping that promise. I am very sorry for the wait. I do not have the ability to guarantee quick updates, but I can guarantee a completion. Someday.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

"Have you considered that maybe it's, I don't know, not in one of these books?"

"A library has never failed me once, Malfoy, so I think you should can it."

He was looking over her shoulder, as he had been doing for the past week. Since they both were not allowed to leave the house, albeit for different reasons, they were shut in the library. Hermione was researching the mark on her arm. Draco was researching her.

"I just mean," he said, reaching over and flipping another page of the 13th century manuscript she was sifting through. "You've barely left this room since you got grounded. Have you gotten even a smidge closer to cracking the case?"

"Well Malfoy," she said, scanning over the words. "Until I can explain why I have a new tattoo and an undeniable increase in power supply, I've got no other choice."

He sighed and walked to where he had previously been sitting. He picked up another volume from their pile on the table. "Can't we take a break? I feel like my eyes are about to fall out from reading about magical symbolism. This is why I stopped taking History of Magic."

She glanced up at him from her book, cocking an eyebrow. "What do you suggest we do then?"

He shrugged. "We could chat."

"Chat?"

"Chat."

He could've sworn she started chuckling, but her face remained stony. "Have you forgotten that we are in the middle of a war?"

"Oh, my bad. I thought we were blind dating."

Hermione rolled her eyes, and looked back at the manuscript. "I wouldn't take a blind date to a library, Malfoy."

"That is the most dishonest thing you have ever said to me, Granger. I thought we were past that."

She couldn't stop the chuckle this time. It burst forth, quickly turning into a full out guffaw. She turned to look up at him over her shoulder. "I would do that, wouldn't I?"

He smirked before standing back up. He walked over to his original position right behind her chair. He leant close to her ear. "At least you're self-aware," he whispered, looking down at the hollow of her neck for a moment.

An odd sensation ran through her.

She turned quickly, hitting Malfoy in the face with her braid. "We should keep researching."

He sighed and let his head fall onto her shoulder in exasperation. He made the move before he realized what he was doing, causing them both to stiffen momentarily. However, resting his forehead on her shoulder sent shimmers over his skin. Gentle shimmers.

"What in the fuck," he whispered, barely aware of anything but the feeling of his skin touching hers.

"Jesus," she let slip through her barely open mouth. Slowly, her eyes fell closed, letting Draco know that whatever what setting him on edge was affecting her as well.

Neither of them moved.

The sensation pulsated softly across his skin. From their contact point, it spread down his body, until he could feel the princess everywhere. She was like water droplets; running down his skin and cooling everywhere she touched.

He fell into the sensation helplessly, eyes closing slowly. He moved his head forward until his lips were resting on her shoulder.

She didn't say anything. He felt her give a very small nod against his jawline.

He pressed his lips onto her skin, kissing her shoulder gently. The action sent sparks from their contact point, causing a very small gasp from her mouth. He lifted his hand to grasp the side of her arm, holding her a little closer to him, with her back pressed to his chest.

Heaven almighty.

His lips started trailing towards the hollow of her neck which he had eyed early, kissing her with a tenderness neither of them suspected possible of him. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move, she couldn't think about anything but the lips marking her and shocking her with every touch.

Slowly, she lifted her trembling hand to reach back and curled her fingers in his hair, pulling him tighter against her body. She felt like she was grabbing at a lifeline.

"Merlin, Hermione," he whispered, his voice dancing across her skin.

It felt like ecstasy.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, causing the two of them to jump apart. The shock from the separation set her off balance, nearly tumbling off her chair. For a moment, she wasn't able to discern anything but the overwhelming emptiness that stamped out every other emotion.

Simultaneously, the library opened to reveal Lupin, who strode in quickly.

"Oh perfect, you're both here," her old Professor said, unaware of anything that had just happened. Normally, the energy in the room would have been an immediate giveaway. However, Lupin's eyes were dancing rapidly around. The man wasn't noticing anything but whatever was happening in his head.

"Is everything alright, Remus?" Hermione asked, trying to pull herself together. She could sense Malfoy behind her, trying to do the same. At the very least, she thankful that her voice sounded natural.

"One of our scouts tracking the Lestranges discovered that the Death Eaters are moving massive amounts of supplies into their manor on the South Shore," Lupin stated, jumping right into it and putting his hands on the table. "Supplies that includes the missing wands from Ollivanders, and some of the potions lost after the raid of Knockturn two years back."

"Are you serious?" Hermione said, sitting up very straight with huge eyes, all thoughts of Malfoy lost with this new information. "Getting those wands, and especially some of those potions would be incredibly vital. We're losing more supplies with every mission."

"I know," he nodded with exasperation. "This is huge. We haven't had this big an opportunity to win back an advantage since the botched Ollivander rescue."

"Full team, then?" Hermione asked, her face going white.

Lupin nodded.

Draco watched the two exchange an exceptionally serious look. Still trying to calm his pounding heart, he asked. "Sorry there?"

"The entire order is going," Hermione answered briskly, not turning to look back at him. The emptiness Hermione had felt descended on Draco as he realized her snub.

"Not the entire order," Lupin responded, dropping his eyes and still unaware of anything odd in the room.

There was a moment of silence as Lupin's statement made its full impact on Hermione.

She knew this was coming, she had to have. However, the reality of it struck her like a battering ram.

It was one thing to be on house arrest during a lull in missions when no one was out and everyone was together. It was another to know that her entire side was entering into a potentially game changing battle, and she was benched. Some of them might die, and she was stuck in a library with Malfoy.

For a moment, her situation seemed like a remedy.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Lupin muttered. "But we can't risk it, not with this mark still such clear question mark."

She took a deep breath, trying to shake the odd feeling that had arisen in her after realizing the nature of her current situation. "Please, just please send a patronus if it…if it doesn't work out."

Lupin understood what she meant immediately and nodded solemnly.

"When are you all leaving?" Draco asked, leaning back on one of the bookcases.

"Now," Lupin replied, standing up straight. "I just sent out the mass patronus. Anyone who is not at headquarters is going to meet us there."

"Estimated time period?" Hermione asked, struggling to use mission language.

"Three days if we're lucky. Longer if we can't break the wards."

She looked up. "Will you be able to break the wards?"

Lupin nodded. "With enough time and manpower, it shouldn't be an issue."

There was another pause.

"Take care of yourself," Hermione said, eyes downcast.

Remus nodded solemnly before turning and exiting the room. Right before he closed the door, he turned back.

"If…if I know I'm not going to make it out, the last thing I'll do is send you my patronus."

Hermione took a shaking breath. "Thank you, Remus."

He nodded once more, and disappeared from the room. The two remaining occupants sat in blanketed silence as they heard doors open and close all throughout the house, following running footsteps for a few moments. After that, several pops in succession, and then complete silence.

"Granger?" Draco asked after a few moments, timidly breaking the quiet spell. "Are you alright?"

She didn't turn to look at him, unsure of what she was going to see.

"It's okay if you're not," he said, approaching her from behind. He reached up to place a hand on her shoulder.

The contact set them both alight with pulsating flames once again.

Hermione jerked forward, away from the hand reaching out to her. "Why does that keep happening?" she spat out, wrapping her arms around herself protectively, but turning to face him at last.

She wouldn't meet his eye, but he could tell she was panting.

Draco looked down at his own hand. "That was less erotic than last time."

A blush crept up her features. It struck him as beautiful. "We don't need to talk about that," she muttered.

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and taking a step towards her. "With us being alone in this house for three days, we should probably discuss our apparent inability to touch each other without moaning."

"We won't be alone," she shot back, ignoring the last part of his comment. "Blaise will be here as well."

He shook his head. "Blaise was just promoted to full Order member yesterday. Do you not pay attention to gossip?"

"I've been in here, remember?" she nearly snarled back.

"It's slightly depressing that the pariah of the house is more in the loop than you."

"Shut up, Malfoy," she snapped, causing him to smile at the normalcy of her comment.

"There," he said. "That's my girl."

The words escaped his mouth before he could stop them. It was as if they became tangible, living things upon entering the air. He could see them spin towards Hermione, before hitting her full force, causing the princess to stumble back a few steps.

"Excuse me?" she whispered angrily, tightening her arms around her chest. "Your what?"

"That came out wrong," he floundered, trying himself to comprehend the incomprehensible moniker that had escaped from the deepest part of his subconscious. "I just meant…it was…familiar… you insulting me reminded…reminded me of the girl I used to know." He stammered his explanation out quickly, trying to ignore his pounding heart screaming his own dishonesty back at him.

"I am anything but the girl you used to know, Malfoy," she spat, leaning against the table directly opposite to him.

Her sharpness set him on edge. "Figured," he replied, shrugging. "The girl I used to know would never have moaned if I kissed her neck."

The blush crept back up her features.

He raised his eyebrow. "Got an explanation for that, princess?"

She looked down for a moment, before her green eyes shot up to meet his grey ones at last .

The only word he had for the connection was magnetic.

"The only thing I'm wondering," he said, finding himself starting to take a couple steps towards the frozen girl. He couldn't fight off the magnetism. "If I have the power to make you moan by kissing your neck, what could I make you do by kissing other parts of your body?" He lets his gaze trail over her form.

Gods, she was beautiful.

"What do you know about my body, Malfoy?" she shivered, her voice softer than she initially anticipated. She was fighting to keep her breathing in check, but her heart was hammering out of her chest. Merlin help her.

She was expecting a smirk, but the look on Malfoy's face was almost desperate. Begging. Hopeless. Wanting.

"I know what it feels like," he whispered, stepping still forward. "I know what it feels like to have you pulsing through my blood. To feel your power and magic in my veins. I know what it feels like to feel you with every heartbeat. Your magic, princess, it's indescribable."

He rested his hands on her hips, pulling her right up to his chest. The shock surprised neither of them, but she sucked in a shocked breath regardless.

"That's not my body, Malfoy," she whispered.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "It's everything you are."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Why is this happening?" she asked again, without trying to move from her place in his arms. "How did we get here?"

"I think I know," he murmured, after a few seconds, tightening his grip on her hips. "It has to be because of the transfer. We're connected, Granger. And that connection is causing us to nearly disintegrate every time we touch. Think about it, princess. We hadn't touched since the transfer, since everything changed."

He was right. He had to be. She remembered what Fred had said about magic transfers. The most primal, natural part of her was her magic. And she had shared it with Malfoy.

No wonder the reaction was, well, primal.

"Not everything's changed, Malfoy," she said as her only response.

He gave her a disdaining look before pulling her flat against his chest. "What did I say," he murmured. "About dishonesty?"

The stars she saw in his eyes would've blinded Venus.

"You're right," she whispered, in a willing defeat.

He smirked. "I often am." With those words, he lowered his lips back to her neck.

"I…," she stammered, trying desperately to focus, but being unable to think about anything but this beautiful man kissing her neck. "I…I'm spoken for, Malfoy."

He chuckled against her skin. "We both know that's a massive exaggeration. Pretty boy didn't even come say goodbye before leaving for this mission, did he?"

Malfoy was right. Seamus hadn't come say goodbye.

"What are you trying to do, Malfoy?" she shot back, before sitting up on the desk. Malfoy slipped his hips between her legs but didn't stop kissing her neck.

"I'm not sure," he answered, letting his tongue caress her skin. "I'm not thinking a lot right now. I'm just doing what feels good, princess. And you can't deny that this feels amazing."

Unconsciously, she tilted her head back, letting him continue to kiss her. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Hmm?" he murmured.

"Princess," she nearly moaned it, giving up any form of resistant and wrapping her legs around his waist. Merlin, her entire body was shaking.

He steadied her, wrapping one arm around the small of her back.

"I don't know, princess," he muttered, trying to not say too much as to not give anything away. "You've always been the Gryffindor princess, the princess of the resistance, princess of a lot of things."

"Merlin, Malfoy," she gasped, suddenly grasping his shirt in her fist. "What is happening?"

"I have no idea, princess," he whispered, his own heart hammering. "But I don't want it to stop."

"What is it?" she whispered, eyes closed, only focusing on Malfoy's trailing lips. "You kissing my neck?"

He pulled back from her for a moment. "I can kiss any part you asked me to."

She shook her head. "We can't do this."

"Why not?" he murmured, getting a little closer to her. "We're alone for three days, you can't deny that this feeling," he pulled her against him once more. "Is extraordinary."

"Seamus," she gasped out, trying to focus.

"You know you don't give a damn."

"It's the two of us," she tried again.

"The stars have declared otherwise."

She gained enough autonomy over herself to shove him a bit away. "Draco," she whispered.

Her name on his lips in this position was like nothing he had ever experience before.

"If just our skin touching causes this reaction, this sensation," she continued. "Anything more will destroy us. It's too much power. It's too much magic."

"Are you sure about that, princess?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Last I heard, you enjoyed magic and intimacy."

She blushed, recalling that Draco had overheard her and Seamus.

"Well," she started. "This wouldn't be intimate."

He blinked. "What are you talking about?"

She blinked. "Sex. Us having sex. What are you talking about?"

His heart nearly exploded at the possibility. "Same, I just don't get what you mean. How would that not be intimate?"

She sighed. "Because it's us. If the two of us were to shag, it would be for ten minutes because we needed a shag and also we're in the middle of a war. Not what I would call intimate."

He blinked at her, stunned into shock for a few seconds. Before he really knew what he was doing, he had reached down and grabbed her arm. Slowly, not breaking their eye contact for a moment, he raised her willow tree mark up to his lips, and kissed it softly.

It was as if she had never felt anything before in her life. It was as if she had never been touched, never been made love to, never cried, never cheered, and never cared about anything. Everything before that moment was a patch of monotonous grey, broken finally by this beautiful man, with his veins full of her power, kissing her arm with a tenderness she had never dared dream for.

"Draco," she gasped, his name escaped her lips. He stared at her with an intensity befitting the gods.

"Now," he murmured, smirking slightly. "How's that for intimate?"

For once, in a very long while, she had absolutely nothing to say in response.

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