A/N: There are more notes at the bottom, but I don't want to leave you guys hanging for too long! As a result, there will not be a chapter for Friday. Chapter 20 will be up on Monday and we can resume our regularly scheduled program.

NINETEEN

Monday, 4 April 2005

Draco's entire body seized as cold water splashed over the front of him. He choked on a few drops after inhaling them when he gasped and it took far longer than he cared to admit to recover from the coughing fit he had dissolved into. When he was reduced to wheezing and clutching at his chest to regain his breath, he looked around for the source of his rude awakening. His shock at seeing Granger had only lasted for a second before it gave way to the anger that propelled him to his feet.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he growled, his hands balling into fists at his side. He didn't even bother to use a drying spell as he was too enraged at the sight of her to think of anything other than the way she had pulled away from his rescue attempt.

"We need to talk."

His scoff turned into a small cough. "Then maybe you should go back home and talk to the monster you chose to save the other day." He saw her wince at the sneer he gave her next. "Wouldn't want your side of the bed to get too cold."

The only warning he got was the flash of fire in her eyes. The next thing he knew, he was being lifted into the air and turned, as if strung up by his ankles with an invisible rope. "Do have any idea what would have happened if you had failed? Did you not see what I went through in the beginning with him? I spent months being tortured while he tried to break me because we escaped back to the future that night!"

"I had you in my grasp!" he snapped back at her, his vision blurring as his blood rushed to his head. "We could have been out of there in record time and everyone would have been-"

"He would have found me!" she raged. Grimmauld Place began to tremble from the very foundation as her emotions began to spiral. He had only seen a handful of things her Grey magic could do and if this was what it was truly like, even in the beginning stages, it was truly terrifying. "He would have figured out it was the Resistance that was attacked. He already knows this is where you're staying and it would have been the first place he looked for me! He would have obliterated everything in his path to find me; including you!"

He dropped to the ground, landing hard on his shoulder with a grunt between the couch and the coffee table. He did a double take at the sight of her when he lifted his head. She had an arm banded around her middle and she was slightly bent forward, her other hand was stretched out behind her, searching for something to lean against as she stumbled back. All the while, portraits began to fall off the walls as her magic shook the building. Everything that wasn't fixed to its surface fell too. Distantly, he could hear things breaking in the rooms upstairs too.

"I told you at the gala…" she said, the words coming out through clenched teeth. "If he were to do that, then everything I've gone through will have been for nothing!"

"And I told you!" he started, shoving himself to his feet so he could approach her. "That I'm tired of you being the one to take all the risks. Let him turn his territory to ash! Let him come after you, Hermione." He pinned her against the wall before they both could fall when the ground shook, nearly knocking them off their feet. "I would gladly give my life knowing I tried to save you rather than watch him tear you to pieces from the shadows."

"Draco-"

Whatever words she had been about to hurl his way; whatever argument she was trying to start or point she was trying to prove was silenced as he slanted his mouth over hers. His hands cupped her face and slid back into her curls, pulling her close. She kissed him back, despite her rage, and they channeled their pent-up aggression into the most punishing kiss he had ever been a part of.

Tongues battled, teeth clashed, and lips nipped as their bodies molded together. His fingers wrapped around her hair and pressed tight to the back of her head, keeping her from moving away. In return, she grabbed hold of his hips and dug in. He couldn't tell if the tremble he felt from her was due to their kiss or her magic trying to bring the building down. But as he tore his lips from hers, dragging them down to her neck, nipping as he went, he found he didn't care.

She gasped as his teeth pressed tight against her flesh; not quite hard enough to puncture, but more than enough to leave a bruise. She moaned and shivered as his tongue darted out to taste her, soothing the marks he left. And when she went to push at him, he lowered reached down to grab her hands and brought them up, slamming them to the wall above her head. Her hips bucked against his as he claimed her lips again, switching so he could hold both her wrists up with one hand. The other trailed down the ladder of her ribs, making her shiver and bite at his lip.

It was then he realized what she was wearing. It was late; late enough that it was probably the early hours of a day different than the one he had fallen asleep in. He growled into her mouth as he curled his fingers around the hem of her nightgown through the slit of her robe. He gave a tug and she moaned into his mouth again. He continued to gather the material in his hand as he moved up, his fingers brushing against the inside of her thigh. They both groaned as he skimmed over the slit of her nether lips. The discovery of how wet she was not only made him harder, but flared his anger too.

She shuddered as he continued up; the material of her shift dropping back down over her thighs. He felt her stomach quiver as his hand slid over it, moving on until it climbed the valley between her breasts and then curled around the fabric that covered her breasts. Without warning, he released his hold on her hands and used both of his to cup her breasts. He pinched her nipples through the fabric twice and then grabbed hold of the flimsy silk and tugged.

Either the anger had given his strength a boost or the material of her shift was that flimsy, but the gown tore in a jagged pattern down the middle in one go. She arched into him as his hands dipped behind the torn fabric and roamed the curves of her flesh. He sucked hard on the spot at the curve of her shoulder; a place that still brought forth a slew of noises he longed to hear again and again. With a hand curved firmly under each breast, he brought one up and lowered his mouth to it, his lips sealing around her nipple.

"Oh gods…" she murmured as she clutched at him in the effort to remain upright.

He wasn't gentle with her and her response made it clear she didn't want it that way anyway. He divided equal attention between the two mounds; sucking, biting, and licking his way around them until she was on the verge of losing it. It might have been nearly seven years since they'd been in this situation, but he remembered her tells as if it were yesterday.

Desperate to be inside of her again, he lifted his head and reclaimed her lips. As his hands slid up to her shoulder in their quest to push the ruined garment from her shoulders, he found she was already bare. And his clothes were gone too. Something he discovered a moment later when she wrapped her fingers around his cock and began to pump. He hissed at the contact and thrust against her palm despite himself, knowing he was just as close as she was.

He reached down, his fingers digging into her thighs to lift her up. Her thighs tightened around his hips like a vice as she wound her arms around his shoulders and shoved one of her hands through his hair to anchor herself. His hands slid over her thighs towards her knees and gripped in the middle as he pushed forward with his hips, slotting himself inside of her without any guidance.

They both groaned loud enough to wake the dead as she took every last inch of him with no resistance whatsoever. They both tilted their heads back at the sensation, but both of them were far too close to enjoy the moment. Driven by anger and lust, Draco began to rock back and forth, slamming into her with a punishing force. She bounced off the wall with each thrust, the vibrations throwing off the pitch of her moans.

She dropped her hands; one going to squeeze the flesh of his backside, the other clawing repeatedly at his back as he dropped his head into the crook of her neck. She fluttered around him in a way that made his balls tighten and drove him deeper with each thrust. Despite the blood circulating his system, making him deaf, he heard her begging for him to let her come. Too lost in his need for release to manage the words, he doubled his efforts. His body protested. His muscles tightened to the point they were beginning to cramp.

But just when he thought he couldn't hold back any longer, she cried out his name and dug her nails into his flesh. Her body clutched at his as he buried himself deep and filled her with his release. He sagged forward, their bodies fusing together due to the sweat they had worked up, and panted against her skin.

He had intended to stay there for as long as humanly possible, but his calf began to ache and before he could do anything about it, they went tumbling to the ground. They landed in a heap on the floor; miraculously they hadn't injured a single part of themselves in process. He had broken her fall by drawing her over top of him. She had her knees on either side of his hips, but she was bent forward, her breasts pressed up against his chest.

Her hair formed a curtain around them and as he stared up at her, he felt the anger fade away from both of them. With the only sound in the room their panting for air, he reached up with one hand and brushed the hair from her face. He tucked the curls behind her ear and then cupped her face before drawing her lips down to his.

The difference in this kiss compared to the last few a moment ago was startling. Gone was the anger that had built between them. It had been replaced with sorrow, unspoken apologies, and something he never thought he would feel again. Her lips trembled against his, letting him know that she felt it too and that it scared her just as much. It was one thing to confess his feelings for her had never truly gone away, but it was another to realize they were as strong as ever.

Slowly, she pulled back until she was sitting up straight. She rose up on her knees and reached down to grasp his cock. With her gaze locked intensely on his, she lined him up to her entrance and began to sink down. He brought his hands up and she laced their fingers together, holding on tight as she took him slowly; inch by inch. He watched as she bit her lower lip; the sound of her stifled moan making his cock twitch inside of her.

When he was in as far as humanly possible, she began to move. Her head tilted back a fraction; not enough to break eye contact, but enough that her hair slid over her shoulders to cascade down her back. Her movements were slow, but he didn't care. The sight of her gyrating above him was something he had never dared to hope he'd see again. He was afraid to blink lest she disappear as he woke to find this was all a dream.

He could feel her clit dragging over his pelvic bone; heard the hitch in her breath as she started to crest again. He pulled his hands from hers; one going to her hip to help keep her steady, the other reaching up to palm at one of her breasts. She kept her eyes open and on him as she shattered around his cock again; moaning his name as she spasmed. For a moment, he was reminded of their first time in the Room of Requirement. He could almost see the flames in the hearth making her look like fire incarnate.

The moment she finished, he rolled, pinning her beneath him on the floor. Her legs wrapped around his waist as her hands curved around his shoulders; nails digging in for purchase. He lowered himself over her, their bodies sticking together as he captured her lips again. He kept one hand splayed over her thigh as he rocked his hips back and forth while his he braced himself on his other forearm near her head. As they both began to peak, he broke their kiss and slid his head to the side. With their cheeks pressed against one another, they both whispered, "I love you."

That was all it took.

A few additional deep, but stuttered thrusts and he was emptying himself inside of her for a second time. She cried out softly as she caved to the wave of pleasure her release brought. He continued to slide in and out of her, drawing the moment out for both of them until he collapsed on top of her. She continued to cling to him, her own body trembling as she played with his hair. In return, he peppered her skin with kisses as he buried his head into the curve of her shoulder.

They remained like that until he softened and slipped out of her. Only then did he slide off of her and lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. It only took the span of one heartbeat before she was there, curling around his side and placing a hand over his racing heart. He responded by wrapping his arms around her and holding her close; afraid of the moment he would have to let her go again.

"I wanted to come with you."

Her voice, while quiet, was still deafening in the otherwise silence of the room.

"He was down," he replied, his voice hoarse from the exertion. "You could have just let him bleed out."

She shook her head against him and reached up for one of his hands. Slowly, she brought it to her chest where the necklace he'd purchased for her ages ago was clasped around her neck. She curled his fingers around the pendant and wrapped hers on top of his. "He would have come back."

He went still for a moment before asking, "Has he created more?"

"Just one."

Reluctantly, he dropped his arm from around her as she sat up. The necklace slipped out from his grasp, but she was there, holding it in her own as she stared at him with eyes turning to glass. He let his gaze drop to her hand and then narrowed it as he brought it back up to hers. "I thought that was yours?" he questioned, recalling the memory she had shown him from long ago.

"It's ours," she whispered.

Her eyes closed, but it didn't stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks as she clutched the pendant harder. Draco pushed himself up to sit next to her and reached for her on instinct, pulling her close.

"We were connected that night," she said, her voice trembling as much as the rest of her. "Every part of us; including our souls. When I… When Kerus…" She swallowed hard and he squeezed her tight to reassure her as best he could. "My soul wasn't the only one that split. I put both pieces in the necklace."

"Does he know?"

She shook her head and pulled away from him long enough to look him in the eye. He reached out to brush the tears away from her cheeks. The corners of his lips twitched at the sight of hers doing the same.

"Why haven't you destroyed it?"

She swallowed hard and leaned into his touch when he cupped her face. "Riddle's had been created with Dark magic while mine was made with Grey. I don't know enough about it to say if the same methods for destruction would apply." She shrugged and gave a small sigh. "And if they did, it's not like I have them lying about. I couldn't risk trying something without knowing for certain."

"What was used before?"

"Basilisk fangs, Fiendfyre, and the Sword of Gryffindor," she answered almost immediately. "There's a chance Riddle had the remains of the Basilisk at Hogwarts disposed of and I haven't heard anything about the sword since Neville used it on Nagini."

He saw that look in her eyes just before she parted her lips to tell him off, but he was faster. He laid his thumb over her lips and spoke evenly; with conviction. "I'll see what I can do to find them. Though Fiendfyre destroys all magic."

"Grey magic is different," she mumbled around his thumb.

He couldn't help the snort that slipped out. "Clearly." He traced her lips and then leaned in to lay his across hers for a brief moment. "Let me see what I can do. If I can track those things down, we can try all three methods in one go."

"Draco-"

"Please," he whispered, his voice more like a croaking plea than he would have liked. "Let me do something, Hermione. I was serious about not sitting back and watching you go through this alone. We need to end this and the last thing either of us needs is a lifeline for him to cling to."

Tears began to slide down her cheeks again as she surged forward. Before he knew it, she was straddling his lap again; pressing herself close with her arms wrapped around his shoulders and face buried in the crook of his neck. He banded his arms around her back and held her close as he could; almost to the point of cutting off her air supply.

Like a mantra, she whispered, "I'm sorry," over and over again. The words nearly broke his heart and he held her even tighter.

"I love you," he assured her; every time she apologized, that was his chosen response. "We can do this, Hermione," he added. "I can do this. I can set you free."

When she calmed down, she sat back enough to rest her forehead against his and brought a hand up to cup the side of his neck; her thumb pressing lightly against his jaw. "Nothing without a solid plan," she said. "Promise me."

He nodded and tilted his face up enough to kiss her. "I promise," he whispered against her lips. "I love you."

"I love you," she returned before kissing him in full. When she pulled away, she sighed heavily. "I can't stay."

"I know," he replied; the disappointment in his voice made them both wince.

"I'll come back as soon as I can."

"I know," he repeated; a light smile gracing both their lips. His eyes closed as she slid off his lap. He refused to say goodbye or watch her go. Even when she pressed her lips to his once more. A second after she pulled away, the familiar crack resonating off the walls made his heart sink into his stomach.

As much as he wanted to lay there and relive the encounter until he fell into a blissful slumber, he had work to do. With a deep sigh, he got to his feet and made his way upstairs for a shower. Once clean and dressed, he could start his mission; one he couldn't afford to fail.

A/N: I hope this chapter cleared a few things up for you.

Anyway, the announcement I mentioned has been postponed for a bit. If you want to know what it is, I have already announced it in my FB group: madrose_writing

You're welcome to come on over and join to get it sooner. If not, I will put it up before the end of the month! Love you all!