Chapter Twenty-One
Harry looked around the tent, blushing slightly as he saw the unmade bed with its twisted sheets a startling reminder of exactly what had been happening in the room. Hermione saw where his gaze had fallen briefly and hurried forward to straighten the sheets out, her cheeks flaming. It wasn't that she was embarrassed about what she and Draco had been doing but…Harry and Ron were like her brothers!
Draco slumped in an armchair, fiddling with his wand, not wanting to look up at the two boys that had managed to catch him in such a vulnerable position. Sparks shot out of the end of his wand and he looked up to see Hermione sitting cross-legged on the bed, looking exceedingly anxious as she chewed on her lower lip.
Draco felt his heart almost expand in his chest as he looked at her. Even as he stood up to do it, a thousand reasons not to shot through his head : unnecessary aggravation of Potter and Weasley, maybe make Hermione more uncomfortable…
Without thinking anymore, he sat on the bed next to her and slid an arm around her shoulders. He squeezed her slim shoulder gently, and felt her wriggle almost imperceptibly into him. Draco whispered in her ear – ''It's going to be ok. Don't worry.''
Ron's eyes narrowed. ''Do you have to do that in front of us?''
''I didn't do anything Weasley.'' Draco stared at him coldly. ''I was merely reassuring my girlfriend.''
''She's our friend, and she was our friend first! Don't think you can steal her away you smug bastard!''
''I harbour absolutely no intention of 'stealing' Hermione. As far as I'm concerned, she can be a friend to whoever she wants. Although it would be nice if they could reassure her rather than wasting time shouting at me.'' Draco's trademark drawl was firmly back in place.
''I wouldn't be shouting at you if you weren't putting on disgusting public displays of affection!''
''Oh for Merlin's sake…'' Draco swore silently under his breath and then grabbed Hermione's chin, pulled her lips to his mouth and kissed her as passionately as though there had been no one there. She froze momentarily but then kissed him back, unable to resist the sensation of their lips meeting. Releasing her, Draco gave her a smile that made her melt all over again. ''There, now you've got something proper to bitch about Weasley.''
''You…you…'' Ron struggled for words as Draco slid sinuously off the bed and back into his chair. Hermione seized her chance.
''I'm sorry I didn't tell you straight away.''
Her two friends looked back at her, Draco forgotten. ''Why didn't you tell us?''
''Harry, come on! You weren't exactly understanding! You barged in here and began shouting and dragging Draco outside to interrogate him – can you blame me for being slightly reticent?''
''Don't turn the blame back onto us Hermione!''
Hermione took a deep breath in and her shoulders slumped slightly. ''No. I know it's my fault. But I'm sure you can understand the fact that I was afraid of what your reaction was going to be.''
''Why him?'' Ron looked at her, his eyes incredulous as he jerked a thumb at Draco.
Hermione looked over at Draco and her features noticeably softened. ''I didn't meant to. But, he didn't act like the kind of idiot that we've hated for six years. He was so different – he is so different! He's sweet, and smart, and funny, and…'' Hermione cut herself off before she began talking about his sex appal. ''I just fell for him, and I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know how.''
''Pretty simple to say 'I'm going out with Malfoy', I would have thought.'' Harry looked at her with raised eyebrows.
''No, it isn't Harry! How am I meant to reconcile the feelings that I have for Draco with the feelings I have for you? Because they aren't incompatible, but I know that you aren't going to be able to see past who he was straight away!'' Hermione looked hopelessly at her two oldest friends, standing uncomfortably in the middle of the tent. ''This is pointless isn't it? You're never going to be able to look past the fact that this is Draco Malfoy.''
''Why would I want to look past that point Hermione? He's branded with the mark of the man that killed my parents, my friends, countless other people – and you want me to snuggle up next to him like we're best friends?'' Harry's cheeks were flushed with anger.
''Because this is me, Harry. I'm your friend, both of you! Please trust me on this.'' Tears filled Hermione's eyes, threatening to spill over onto her cheeks.
''I believe you.'' Ron's voice spoke up grudgingly from behind Harry, and he shrugged as they all turned incredulous looks on him. ''Come on Harry, when is she ever wrong. Malfoy must have something going for him. Doesn't mean we have to like him.''
''Really Ron?''
''Hermione, I've known you for seven years, and to be honest, we've had enough arguments. You stay with Malfoy if it means so much to you.''
''Ron…'' Hermione jumped off the bed and ran over to him to hug him. ''Thank you, thank you so much.''
''Doesn't mean I'm staying around.'' Ron hugged her back briefly and then moved away. ''I hate that bastard. He and his family have been trying to make family feel bad for ages, and as much as I love you, there is no way in hell that I'm staying with him for longer than I need to.''
''You're just going?'' Hermione looked up at him, frowning sadly. ''There's no way you can stay? Please, I haven't seen you for so long.''
''I really can't Mione. I'm sorry.'' Ron hugged her again. ''The longer I stay here, the higher the risk of me starting a fight, and I don't want that.''
Hermione nodded sadly. ''Ok. Harry, are you going too?''
''Yeah. I don't understand this Hermione, I really don't.''
''I'm sorry.'' Hermione hugged him tightly.
''It's fine. Don't worry.''
''I miss you guys so much, you know that don't you?''
''We miss you too. But you aren't losing us, you really aren't. We're just not going to be around when he is.'' Harry held her tighter for a brief second and then released her. ''You know where you can go if you need help?''
Hermione nodded. ''I'll be there if I ever really, really need you.''
And with that, Harry and Ron walked out of the tent, bowing their heads in the rain. Hermione turned to Draco.
''That went better than I expected.''
''You don't mind that much?'' Draco stood up and went over to her, only wanting her in his arms.
''Of course I mind, I just…'' But before Hermione could finish what she was going to say, a red flare lit up the canvas walls and a shout of 'Stupefy', from an unfamiliar voice, echoed through the quiet woods.
Hermione tore herself away from Draco, dashing for the exit of the tent. She couldn't even call for her friends, overwhelmed as she was by the icy feeling of dread. But by the time she had gotten out of the tent, all that was left was a mass of muddy footprints, already being obliterated by the rain.
Hermione turned to Draco who was following her out of the tent, his face creased with concern. ''Oh my God,' she whispered, her face a mask of pain. ''He's got them, they've got Harry and Ron.''
Her knees gave way beneath her and she collapsed, kneeling in the mud with tears etching rivers of pain into her cheeks. ''Draco, oh my god, what am I going to do?'' She buried her face in her hands, unable to think at all.
''You aren't going to have to do anything on your own.'' Draco knelt down next to her, his hair already slick against his head from the rain. ''I'm going to come with you.''
''But you…you hate Harry and Ron.'' Hermione looked at him, and Draco felt his heart twist with agony as he looked at the anguish on her face. He stood up and pulled her to her feet, his face fierce.
''I would do anything for you, and if that means I get your friends back for you, I'll do it. Have you got your wand?''
Hermione nodded mutely, and Draco smiled at her. ''Everything is going to be ok. Remember, we look after each other?'' He reached out a hand and dried the hot tears off her face, running his finger under her eyes. ''Come on, they'll be at Malfoy Manor.''
He clutched Hermione to him, not willing to risk even a temporary separation, as he turned on the spot and pushed them into a suffocating blackness. All he was aware of was Hermione against him, and all the hopes that they had placed on each other.
AN: hello my lovelies, I'm getting quicker with the updates lol! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, things really are beginning to draw to a close now, and I'm beginning to map out the ending in my mind. So I just hope you'll all stay with me till the end because I really appreciate all the support I'm getting (even from you naughty people who add this story to your favourites list and then don't leave me a review!). So my amazing reviewers for chapter 20 were: dracoshott28, writerchick13, keske, Fnicks-Gurlz, Silent-Mousie, Tennessee Sweetheart, riotgirllina, iluv2dance, pApAw, ILOVERWHPDM, bananna15, The Accountant's Daughter, HarryPGinnyW4eva, breezie, Cali'sOwnCaliGrown Dracrashed and year1989 rocks – thank you so so so so so much guys (and if you're new to this story, please please please leave me a review, I love reading them). Incidentally, I'm trying to go through all your profiles and read any stories you might have, but if there's one that you think I should definitely read, let me know! Anyway, much love to all of you…Petitesorciere xxx,