Chapter 14

Hermione stood on the beach, toes digging into the sand, as she stared at the sea. She was pleased with the safe house Harry had procured. During their year on the run before the final battle, she had once mentioned her desire to live in a house by the sea, one similar to Shell Cottage. Harry had remembered, and she was grateful. There was peace in watching the waves roll in, crash along the shore, then retreat. It was dependable. It wouldn't change. Hermione liked that.

"Hey," Harry greeted her softly. "I'm taking off now, so I thought I'd say goodbye."

Hermione turned and offered him a small smile. "Thank you for this," she said. "If I have to be trapped anywhere, I'm glad it's someplace so beautiful."

"You feel trapped?" he asked. "Maybe there's hope yet."

The brunette scowled as she watched the water. "I know you're not happy about this, Harry, but you could pretend to be," she stated. "I won't allow you to make me feel guilty for loving Draco. It's my life, and I'll do with it as I wish."

Green eyes widened. "I didn't realize it had gotten so far," he commented. "You love Malfoy? And you're sure he feels the same way? I know I'm going to make you mad, but to hell with it. In all the time I've know him, he's never been a good guy, and I don't think he deserves you. I think this whole thing is just a case of the two of you being stuck in close quarters for too long. It's not love, it's necessity."

"I never questioned your feelings for Cho or Ginny or any other woman you've fancied," she said with a steely grit in her voice. "Don't question mine."

Harry watched as she walked away and entered the small, beach-side cottage. After warding the house, he left. Hermione watched from the front window, and breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone. Draco entered the sitting room and stood behind her. "Potter didn't stay?" he asked. Hermione shook her head. "Pity. I was about to offer to make breakfast. Oh well. More for us."

She turned to face him, her arms crossed over her chest. "I don't appreciate being second guessed," she stated.

Draco held up his hands in surrender, gray eyes brimming with confusion. "I would never," he vowed.

"Merlin, not you," she muttered before sharing with him her conversation with Harry. "I'm the brightest witch of our age, right? That's all I've heard since I entered this stupid world. But when it comes to a boy, oh no, I'm just a feeble-minded little woman who isn't smart enough or can't be trusted to make a good decision."

Before her rant could continue, Draco interrupted. "Do you know what I've always admired about you?" he asked her. "You don't care what other people think. Did you change your ways when I called you an annoying, big haired, bookworm know-it-all? Or did you prove that you were smarter than the rest of us? Yes, it's terribly self-serving of me to say that you should ignore Potter, but you should. I'd hate to see you kowtow to him because he doesn't approve of you doing something you want."

Her arms wound around his torso, and she finally smiled. "I love you," she murmured. Draco stiffened in her arms, and she feared that her words of passion had come too soon. "I'm sorry. You don't have to say it back. I just wanted you to know how I feel. I didn't mean to-"

"Stop talking," he replied. "I just...I needed a moment to process. No one ever said that to me before. My mother told other people that she loved me, but she never actually said those words to me. I just...I love you too."

Hermione believed him. With her whole heart, she trusted those words. Draco Malfoy loved her. Lips met in a passionate embrace as he held her close, lifting her up to carry her off to their bedroom. An hour later, they lay together in a tangle of limbs and bedsheets. Hermione breathed a heavy, contented sigh. "Let's stay here forever," she suggested.

"In this bed, or this house?" Draco wondered.

Rolling onto her stomach, Hermione smiled at him. "Both," she replied. "We could stay right here, in this bed, in this room, for the rest of our lives. I know I'd be happy."

"There's the store to think about," he reminded her. "How will you run it from here?"

Hermione frowned. "Why are you being realistic?" she inquired. "This isn't the time for that. Reality has no place in our lives at this moment."

With a soft laugh, he apologized. "Okay, fine. No rational thinking allowed in this bed," he agreed. "Just so I'm clear on the rules, am I allowed to leave it briefly to get a glass of water? I don't think life will be as much fun if we die of thirst."

Reluctantly, she admitted that she too could use a drink, and watched him pull on his pants before leaving the room. Alone, she turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Life seemed good, but too perfect to last. Try as she might to hold onto hope that things were turning around, Hermione Granger was, in fact, a realist. There was still the threat of Dolohov, the animosity between Harry and Draco, the fear that Lucius Malfoy may not entirely be on their side. It was always on her mind, and no amount of distractions could change that.

Several minutes had past without a sound from downstairs. There were no sounds of running water or footsteps coming towards the stairs. Fearful that Draco had run into trouble, she quickly dressed and grabbed her wand before cautiously making her way to the kitchen. What she saw stopped her in her tracks.

Lucius Malfoy and Antonin Dolohov trained their wands on Draco. If he knew she was there, he gave nothing away. "Father, this isn't necessary," he said, his voice calm and unfaltering.

"Give us the mudblood, and you won't get hurt," threatened Dolohov.

"What do you want with her?" Draco wondered exasperatedly. "You said it yourself - she's a mudblood. They're of no value. What use do they have besides a quick shag?"

Dolohov snickered. "Your boy's not as dumb as I thought," he remarked. "Now, why don't you give us the girl so we can get on with our day."

Draco stared at the wands pointed in his direction. "She's upstairs," he said. "Take a right. It's the first door you'll see."

Hermione now knew that he had seen her, and he set up the perfect opportunity to stop the pair. Cloaked by a Disillusionment charm, her wordless Stupefy caught Dolohov off guard. He fell with a heavy thud. She wore a satisfied grin as she flipped him over and bound him with rope. Draco was soon by her side as she sent her Patronus to Harry. "Is it over now?" she asked.

Arms wrapped around her in a protective, loving embrace. "Yes, love, it is," he replied. "I told you I'd never let anyone hurt you."

She breathed a sigh of relief until she heard footsteps behind them. "Well, you're right about one thing," Lucius stated. "This is over. Draco, say goodbye to the mudblood."