Chp. 25- Most Important Thing In His Life
Thanks to my reviewers!
Last Time:
Draco wanted Hermione to be happy when she was with him the most though. He didn't want to disappoint her, and he didn't want her love to go unreturned. He knew she was already in love with him, and he actually liked this fact. His future wife already loved him, the way he was.
It warmed him to think about Hermione loving him. She was the most wonderful girl he had ever had the privilege to know, and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of their lives together. He learned something new about her every day, and he would never be happy with another woman even if he had the opportunity to be with someone else. Hermione was all he wanted from now on. She used to drive him insane with all her answers and raising her hand in every class, but now he just saw how intelligent she was. She was so smart, and wonderful, and he wouldn't change anything about her.
He loved her just the way she was...
Now:
Draco stood there, just watching Hermione for about a minute. He didn't want to scare her so he made sure he didn't make any sudden movements.
He smiled from ear to ear when she offered him her hand. He slowly reached out and took it, pulling her up from the couch. He let his eyes roam over her body again and tampered down his lust.
Sweet Merlin...She's so fucking beautiful Draco couldn't help but think.
And Hermione was...She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever had the privilege of knowing. Maybe that was sort of biased about him since he was going to marry her, but he didn't care.
Draco linked their fingers together and started walking with Hermione down to the Great Hall. He kept his pace even with hers' so he wasn't dragging her along. Hermione shivered beside him when they reached the second floor and he felt his blood boil.
If it wasn't for Hermione's hand in his, he would have really hurt someone at that very moment. All he could see was red at the moment. He wanted to kill Nott all over again for what he'd done to Hermione, when she didn't deserve any of this crap.
He had no idea how Nott could ever forgive himself for what he did to Hermione, because she was so innocent and perfect. She had done nothing wrong and all she had been doing was minding her own business when Nott pounced. He knew Hermione would never lead Theodore Nott on, because that's not who she was. He had just decided to have some fun at her expense, not caring if he hurt her or corrupted her for the rest of her life. If she hadn't defended herself, Draco had no doubt that Nott would have raped her. He wouldn't have cared if he broke Granger, in fact he probably would have enjoyed it.
Draco took deep calming breaths to control the intense anger he felt towards Nott. Hermione was safe and sound, more or less, and that's all that mattered at the moment. That's all he had to care about right now...The well being of his fiancée.
If he thought of what Nott had done, and tried to finish, he'd literally find the man and tear him from limb to limb. That's how much he despised Nott at this time. Before that man had been his friend when they were younger, but he'd turned corrupt after they'd attended Hogwarts. Draco had parted ways with him, developing an even stronger friendship with Pansy, and Blaise...Especially Blaise.
Blaise Zabini was his brother, blood or not. He'd always been there for Draco when they were growing up, and now he was there when they were adults. He never judged Draco unfairly for something he couldn't control. He was always willing to lend an ear when Draco had a problem or needed someone to talk to. Draco would have been lost in his teenage years without his best friend.
He had his life to thank Blaise for when they were only ten years old. He had almost died at his father's hands, and he would have bleed to death afterwards anyways if Blaise hadn't gone to get help as soon as the coast was clear. Their friendship had survived tests and challenges, and continued to grow stronger to this day.
They had become closer than ever on that day where Draco had almost died, but instead survived, because of his best friend.
Draco smiled softly as he thought about his best friend. Now he had a best mate, and a best girl...
Hermione was absolutely perfect, and he was glad that he was spending the rest of his life with her. As time passed, they would become closer and closer, and perhaps they would be best friends as well as lovers.
Draco couldn't wait for the day that Hermione could share everything with him, and that he could share everything with her. It would take some time for them to get to that place, but it would be wonderful when they did. Then Draco would have his wife who knew everything there was to know about him, and a best friend who knew the same information to boot.
He hoped that Blaise and Hermione would become friends, so that they could all be comfortable around each other. He didn't want his fiancée and best friend to hate each other, or be uncomfortable when they were in the same room. They were both important to him, and he wanted them to like one another. He loved them both dearly, and if they loved him too, they would be willing to spend time together so they could get to like each other.
Draco didn't think that would be asking too much of them, since both would be in his life till he died. It was better for all of them, so none of them were miserable through the years.
Draco held Hermione's hand tighter and lifted it to his lips to give the back of it a soft kiss. Hermione turned her head towards him, and smiled shyly, her cheeks flush with a light pink blush.
Draco found himself grinning all over again at her innocence. She was so clueless when it came to love, but then again, so was he. They were each other's first love, and for that, Draco was thankful.
It would tear him apart if he knew Hermione had loved someone other than him. Not that she knew that he loved her...He wasn't ready to tell her that fact quite yet. It was going to be hard for him to open up and share his feelings at first, but after time he would grow accustomed to it. He wanted to get to the point where every morning when he woke up, the first thing he said to his wife would be that he loved her. The same thing at night, except the last thing he would say before they fell asleep in each other's arms, he would tell her he loved her. He didn't want Hermione to suffer the heartache of not being loved.
She would have to wait till he was ready to open up his heart completely to her. His heart was already hers', but he still had to gain the courage to tell her. That was always going to be the hardest part.
Draco stopped once they were outside the Great Hall, and he stood there, staring down at Hermione. She stared up at him with her doe eyes, looking as cute and naive as ever.
That was the bad thing about his marrying Hermione. He was going to be the one to corrupt her innocence. When she was married to a Malfoy, she would be anything but innocent. She wouldn't be naive anymore, but knowledge in so many things she wouldn't want to know. He would try and protect her from that side of his ancestors and family, but he could only do so much. It broke his heart that she couldn't stay this free, innocent, and naive. This Hermione knew nothing about heartaches or matters that could break her heart in several places.
She was so completely clueless to everything hard in the world...Especially the Dark side of their world. She had absolutely no clue...
"Draco?"
It was a question...She wasn't sure if he was still there anymore or not. He'd been staring off into space for a few minutes now, and had a regretful look upon his face. For what, she had absolutely no idea.
This probably had something to do with Nott...
The disgusting slime ball that had almost destroyed everything she had ever believed. Everything she had worked for...Everything she had come to know. If he had finished what he had meant to, she wouldn't be able to be around Draco or any other man for that matter. He would have traumatized her beyond repair...
He had meant to break the Muggleborn into a million pieces so she hadn't been able to be put back together again. It's what Nott had wanted, and it's what she had prevented him from doing.
Sure she was shook up after the whole ordeal, but she'd survive because nothing serious had happened. She was safe now, and she knew that Draco was going to be watching over her every second from now on.
She looked up at Draco with a curious and scared look but he gave her a reassuring smile that took away everything away from her heart and mind except her love for him. All it took was his smile to calm her down, and make her forget the bad.
"You ready?"
Hermione nodded softly and followed his lead. He shielded her from prying eyes, wondering exactly what was going on with the Head Girl. Rumors had started to spread about the disappearance of a certain student, leading back to the Head Girl.
They could all see how protective Draco was being with his future wife, and quickly went back to their previous tasks before they infuriated the intimidating Slytherin. Only five people remained looking at the Head Boy and Girl.
Ginny and Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Pansy Parkinson, and Blaise Zabini weren't easily scared. Their friends had been hurt, and the person responsible was going to pay. Pansy and Blaise had heard all the rumors floating around about their missing Slytherin housemate, and instantly they'd badgered everyone for all the information they'd known.
They'd heard what had happened to Hermione, and had felt for their friend. He was protecting his fiancée with everything he had, and if they knew him like they knew they did, then he was going to exact revenge.
He wasn't going to allow someone to hurt the person he loved. Of course they knew Draco loved Hermione, even if they didn't know why. They'd known Draco their entire lives, so how could they not read the signs he showed. He was smitten with the intelligent witch beyond anything they'd ever seen in their entire lives. Their parents had all had arranged marriages to strengthen bloodlines. None of them had ever seen love up close, except for now.
Both Blaise and Pansy wanted love more than anything now that they saw Draco giving his heart away. If he was willing to sacrifice the one piece of himself he'd always kept hidden, then surely they could do it too when they found the right person.
They were going to be there for their friend, because they loved him. Sure it was a sibling's love, but it was still something. Neither of them had ever experienced honest to Merlin love...
Draco escorted Hermione to her seat and made sure she was fine before heading over to his reserved spot between Pansy and Blaise. He gave them a meaningful look, and they both nodded in agreement.
Draco watched Hermione the entire time they were eating, his eyes never leaving her for one single moment. She was picking at her food, hardly eating anything. She looked uneasily around at all the men, even her fellow Gryffindors. He felt his heart squeeze painfully at this realization.
She was terrified of men...Was she afraid of him?
He hoped not, but she was still uneasy, even around him. He'd have to prove himself to her again, and he felt his anger towards Nott build even more. That bastard was going to pay...
It was like they were starting their relationship all over again practically. Sure they knew each other, but she was too scared to be anything other than just friendly with him. He didn't blame her...Just Nott.
If he would have lost Hermione because of Nott, he really would have killed him without any hesitation. That's how much Hermione meant to him...
She was the most important thing in his life, and he wanted her to be able to feel safe around him, not scared. He'd have to be cautious around her, not making any sudden movements or letting his lust get out of control.
There'd be no sleeping together for quite awhile probably, so he'd just have to resort to stroking himself, or taking cold showers often. He was willing to do whatever it took to get Hermione back to her normal, happy self.
If it killed him to get her back to the way she had been, then so be it. Hermione was more important than his well being at this point in time. He cared more about his fiancée than he did about himself. She was the most important thing in his life...
Hermione turned her head around, locking eyes with him, pleading him to get her the heck out of here. He nodded and stood, quickly striding over to where she was sitting. He helped her out of her seat, and took her hand, leading her away from spying eyes and prying minds.
Draco received a thankful smile from Hermione, and he felt himself get warm all over. All it took was one smile, and he was gone.
So what's everyone thinking of this chapter? It's a bit different than others, and changes from Draco and Hermione's POVs...I can't wait to read everyone's reviews, to see what they thought of the chapter. I think her birthday should be coming up soon, maybe in the next couple chapters. We'll have to wait and see though. Please leave me a review!!