Back again – surprised I've maintained weekly updates so far. I wasn't sure if my writing routine would work. Anyway, enough from me, I'll let you read on. Will be interesting to see your reactions to this one. As always, JKR created the characters, I just make them dance for my own amusement.

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Chapter Eleven

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Draco was packed with a small travel case ready to go, waiting with his things at the front door. In his hand he held an official letter from the ministry. He'd barely been able to let it out of his sight since it had arrived by owl a couple of days ago. It had now been three months since he'd married Hermione, and in that time she'd worked plenty of actual miracles.

But this one was truly astounding.

He hadn't realised it at the time, but his wife had been continuously petitioning Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, ever since his mother's release from prison. She'd been arguing Narcissa's case and why she should be given a reduced custodial sentence, bringing her period of incarceration to an end.

And she'd won.

Kingsley had argued her claim in front of the Wizengamot and they'd been successful. And he hadn't even known about it! Hermione had done everything herself. So now his mother was not beholden to him. She was able to roam freely in the wizarding world and her time as a prisoner and a criminal was over. The relief that he'd felt was intense – that sharp pain in his chest he'd carried with him for years had eased at last. He'd been agonising over his mother's situation for years and it was wonderful to know she was safe and would be able to finally enjoy her freedom.

If he hadn't been in love with his wife already, this would have definitely done the trick.

She's amazing, he thought, shaking his head in disbelief at this whole incredible turn of events.

To celebrate his mother's new freedom, Draco had organised a small weekend trip to the seaside for the whole family. He'd booked a couple of rooms for the night at a fancy bed and breakfast in Cornwall and had surprised everyone this morning, urging them to go pack their things and meet him down here in an hour. Sophie had been thrilled – he could still faintly hear her upstairs babbling excitedly about how she would collect seashells from the beach to decorate the kittens' box where they slept. He'd given her his firm assurances that the house elves would take extra good care of the little things in her absence, and she seemed happy enough with that. He couldn't wait to play with her on the beach building sand castles and chasing the waves.

Both his mother and Hermione had been terribly sick lately and he was sure that some fresh sea air would do them wonders. Hermione had eventually recovered from her bout of flu, although she still looked very pale and drawn. And once or twice he'd heard her vomiting in their shared en suite bathroom. She'd told him it was still some lingering bug from the flu making her nauseous, and so he was determined to see her get in some sunshine and warmth on her skin.

His mother had just smiled serenely and patted his cheek following his announcement, declaring that he was 'very sweet'. They'd never really gone on a holiday together, certainly not with Lucius when he was little, and he was hoping she could relax and heal from her recent experiences with a little space and a beautiful coastal view.

Draco glanced down at his watch impatiently, wondering where everyone was. Sophie was the first to arrive downstairs, a small box held very carefully in the palm her hand. As she approached he saw it was a suitcase that had been shrunk with a charm, and admired what was obviously Hermione's handiwork for a second before he spoke.

"Would you like me to take your luggage, Sophie?"

She looked up at him with those big brown eyes and nodded silently. He gently grasped the shrunken box and slipped it into the space available inside his own bag.

"Mummy said she's coming. She just can't decide which bathing suit to pack," the little girl leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I heard her say a naughty word when she was tossing things in and out of her drawers, and mummy never ever says naughty words."

Draco chuckled, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. It was endearing that Hermione was worried about what swimwear to pack. He wondered vainly if it was because she was generally self-conscious about her appearance, or if it's just because she would be with him. He flattered himself with the thought that she might be nervous to reveal so much skin around him. That she cared what he thought of her. Dismissing the thought as juvenile and pointless, Draco tugged gently on one of Sophie's ponytails.

"Have you fed Shadow and Chess?" he asked her and the little girl nodded vigorously.

"Yep! I gave them an extra big helping and a bowl of fresh milk."

"Rolly will take good care of them," he reassured her again, but she just smiled cheerfully.

"I know. He pinky promised me."

Draco smirked again at the thought of his knobbly old house elf engaging in a pinky promise with the jovial little girl.

"Sorry, I'm ready!" Hermione called, skipping down the stairs with her own beaded bag dangling from her wrist. This one wasn't just shrunk to be smaller, so he assumed it had an undetectable extension charm on it, which was rather impressive.

But although her magical skills were clearly on display, his attention was drawn to the rest of her. She was wearing a light summery blue dress with a wide-brimmed straw hat and sandals on her feet. And when his eyes lowered down the length of her body they widened as they followed the tantalising shape of her creamy legs.

Oh boy, I'm in trouble, he groaned to himself.

"What time is check-in?" she asked, a slight blush on her cheeks that made him wonder whether she'd caught him staring at her like an idiot. He half-heartedly checked to see there was no drool on his chin.

"Anytime after eleven."

Before either one of them could say anything else, Narcissa arrived, moving down the stairs gracefully with her expensive, custom made hand luggage. She was looking happy and carefree and it warmed Draco's heart.

"Granny!" Sophie called out, jumping up and down in excitement, "are you ready, Granny? Will you help me put on my sunscreen and go swimming in the rock pool with me?"

His mother smiled indulgently, wrapping her arm around Sophie's shoulders and giving a small squeeze.

"Of course. And we're going to eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner!" Narcissa told her with an affectionate grin. Draco shook his head in bemusement, still not used to this side of his mother. But Sophie looked up at her granny with awe.

"Ice cream for breakfast?" Sophie repeated in a hushed whisper, causing Hermione to chortle.

"Well, maybe after breakfast," she laughed, while Draco added his mother's suitcase to the collection inside his transfigured and shrunken bag.

"Alright, everybody ready?"

"Ready!" Sophie called out with a smart salute.

"Let's go! The B&B is called Honeysuckle Cliffs."

Together they took turns stepping into the fireplace and calling out the name, disappearing and reappearing one by one at their destination.

The accommodation was gorgeous. It was a magical establishment that had been recommended to him by Theo, who'd recently brought some girl here for a romantic rendezvous. The white washed building was decadently furnished inside, the towering four story structure an imposing landmark looming on the cliffs of Cornwall. And the surrounding gardens were beautiful, winding down around a stone path that led to a little natural swimming pool carved magically out of a rocky inlet along the coast below.

He'd booked two rooms for them to share. One for his mother and Sophie and the other one for him and Hermione. They were still keeping up the charade, after all, that they were married for real. His mother didn't know the truth and neither did Sophie and he'd prefer to keep it that way.

The room was airy and bright and everything he'd hoped for. Through the connecting door between the two rooms that was currently open he could hear Sophie's excited chatter as she explored the adjacent suite with her granny. There were huge double doors leading out onto a balcony that overlooked the sea. Almost as soon as they'd entered the room, Hermione had raced out onto the balcony, leaning on the railing and breathing the salty air deeply into her lungs. Walking up behind her, Draco placed his hands on her shoulders in a comforting gesture, waiting for her to speak.

"Do you know how long it's been since I saw the ocean like this? So vast you can't spot anything except endless horizon," Hermione crooned, her voice almost sounding far away as she closed her eyes and let the wind caress her skin. Draco just smiled, but he wasn't looking at the view. Standing behind her, he was fixated on the soft curve at the nape of her neck underneath the brim of her hat, where her curls were pushed to one side and her skin was sun-kissed and almost golden in this light.

Oh Merlin how he wished he could lean forwards and press his lips to that patch of skin at the base of her neck. He was distracted from this thought when Hermione spun around with a warm smile on her face and grasped his hands in hers.

"Thank you for bringing us here. This was a lovely surprise."

"This is my way of thanking you for what you did for my mother. I can never repay you for your kindness, but I can try to show my… appreciation, I hope."

Draco wished he had the guts to tell her that he didn't just want to show her his appreciation, but that he wanted to show her his love, his undying affection, his wonderment at the very sight of her here with him in this beautiful place. But he lacked the courage. So instead he just smiled and accepted the kiss that Hermione placed on his cheek, concealing the fluttering of nerves that erupted in his navel.

"Let me get changed real quick and we can take Sophie down to the pool," she told him with an awkward little smile. Draco nodded as she moved into the bathroom for some privacy. He briefly went next door to check how his mother was coping, but Narcissa was in her element it seemed. She was helping Sophie apply sunscreen on her nose and cheeks, as they raced around getting ready for a swim too, both laughing and chatting away happily. He left them there with a smile and returned just in time to see Hermione emerge from the bathroom. She was wearing a one-piece navy blue swimming costume with a white breezy sarong wrapped around her waist. It was simple and elegant and so Hermione.

God she was incredible. As she turned around to fetch something from her bag, he saw that the costume dipped down so low in the back that he could see the entire flawless stretch of skin there. It was already driving him crazy, even though it was probably one of the more conservative pieces he'd seen. Swallowing, he took a step closer and tried to think of something clever or funny to say. But his voice was all choked up and all he could do was stare at her like a fool. How was he supposed to flirt with his wife if he kept getting tongue-tied?

"Draco? Are you okay?" she asked in concern, although there was a wry smile on her face as if she were teasing him. He blinked and smiled innocently.

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you ready?"

Hermione nodded and together they went next door and met up with Sophie and his mother. And as she conversed pleasantly with Narcissa, he shook his head a bit to pull himself together. Plastering a stiff smile on his face, he succumbed to Sophie's pleading smile, lifting the little girl into her arms and spinning around.

"You want to go have a splash around?" he asked brightly.

"Yes yes yes!" Sophie chanted excitedly.

"Let's go!"

Their little group made their way down the path that was hewn into the side of the cliff towards the rock pool below. It was gloriously isolated with not another person in sight. The glittering blue gems of the sea lay calm and breath taking before them in their private little cove, even as small bursts of white froth crashed against the cliffs beyond. Together they stretched their towels out on the sand and just lay there for a few moments, enjoying the sun and the view.

"This really is beautiful," Hermione sighed quietly next to him. Sophie had taken her Granny's hand and they were now walking down to the shoreline side by side, inspecting the sand for hidden shells.

"It sure is," he replied, his own eyes fixed on the brown-eyed witch as she observed the landscape before her. There was something almost… sad about the way she was gazing out into the distance, "Hermione?"

She glanced over at him, and he knew he wasn't imagining the slightly glassy sheen to her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, I'm fine!" she replied a little too quickly, forcing a smile that didn't quite have the same sincerity as usual.

"Then why do you look like you're at a funeral instead of on holiday?" he goaded lightly with an encouraging smile, trying not to sound too pushy. She paused for a moment and sighed, returning her gaze to the horizon.

"It really is nothing. I just… I forgot what it was like. The slow rise and fall of the swell. The taste of salt in the air. The feeling of the sun on my skin. I forgot."

Draco frowned, wondering at her suddenly maudlin tone.

"I'm sorry… you've not had an easy life these last few years," he murmured, knowing that she hadn't had many chances to just relax and enjoy herself since the death of Viktor Krum. In response her lips twisted into a sardonic smile.

"I've wasted so much time," she told him softly, although her eyes were staring at some distant spot beyond his shoulder. Draco hated seeing her so mournful and filled with regret. It gave him a savage sense of glee to know he'd finally rid her of that awful debt that had hung over her head for so long. Reaching down, Draco laid his hand over the top of Hermione's, grasping it gently and giving it a small squeeze. She blinked and looked down as he shifted so that their fingers were intimately entwined. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat as her big brown eyes lifted up to his. A jolt of something hot and electric rippled through him as they sat there, their faces hovering so close he could feel her breath on his cheek. Her eyes were so dark he couldn't tell where her pupils ended and the deep brown pool of her irises began.

What if I just moved in…a…little…closer…?

Draco tilted forwards, unable to stop himself. He noticed she had a small dusting of freckles on her face, so faint he'd almost missed them. The corner of her lip had a small indent near it, and there was a slight smudge of sunscreen on her jawline from where it hadn't been rubbed in properly.

Draco's heart pounded.

The tips of their noses brushed.

"Draaaco!"

Hermione jolted back and away from him, her face flushed crimson with embarrassment as she grabbed her straw hat and practically shoved it on her head, partially covering her face. Draco swallowed, looking up to see Sophie skipping back towards him in her bright yellow swimming costume, as happy as the sun.

"Draco, will you help me build a sand castle, please?" she asked him politely, jumping into his lap and looking up at him with a winning smile and guileless eyes that could probably persuade him to do anything.

"Of course," he smiled, hoisting her up onto her feet, "and I can tell you right now, it'll be the best bloody sand castle you've ever seen!"

"Yay!" she clapped and laughed, while he grabbed his wand from his bag and followed her to a relatively flat area of sand she'd picked. After they'd prepared the surface more and Sophie was on a mission to fetch water with her little bucket, he glanced back at Hermione. She was sitting beside his mother, the two of them reclining side by side on their towels, each with a book in hand. Looking closer he noticed that she was reading the book that he gave her a little over a week ago, the one from Flourish and Blotts. Her legs were stretched out before her and she was fiddling unconsciously with one of the curls spilling out from under her straw hat. Chewing on his bottom lip, Draco let out a low sigh. He was so sure that they had almost just kissed, and the very thought of it made him feel weak at the knees. It had been so long since he'd kissed someone, and he didn't think he'd ever wanted to so badly. He was astounded by the intensity of what he'd felt; such a focused yearning to just touch his lips to another's. He'd never appreciated a simple kiss before. It seemed like such a common thing, and yet the very thought of kissing Hermione burned in him like fiendfyre.

With a start, Draco realised that his mother was watching him with a sly smile over the top of her book. He blushed with embarrassment before realising he didn't need to be so jumpy. As far as his mother was concerned, he was just checking out his wife who he supposedly loved, right? Totally normal and acceptable. She didn't know he was feeling as antsy as a pre-teen around his first crush, that he had never even touched her or that she was driving him mad on a daily basis. So why was her expression so smug, as if she knew something he didn't?

Draco grimaced and turned back to the patch of sand that Sophie had begun excavating. That was definitely something to worry about later.

Because maybe it was possibly they hadn't acted as well as they thought they had. Maybe his mother was more discerning than he'd predicted.

Then again, maybe it was because he wasn't acting at all anymore.

And his mother knew it.

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It was dark when Hermione slipped out of the Bed and Breakfast, winding her way down the garden path, guided by the light of the moon. She came to a stop at an outcropping of the cliff where there was a bench placed strategically half way down the path. Hermione collapsed onto it with a sigh, looking out at the sea, the dark swell of the water tipped with glimmers of silver. The night was cool and refreshing and she tilted her head back just to listen to the sound of the water lapping against the rocks below.

It had been a truly wonderful day. After Sophie had built her magnificent sandcastle – aided by a little charms magic and Draco's unexpected architectural skill – they'd gone swimming. Sophie had splashed around playfully in the shallows before hopping onto Draco's back and letting him swim her out to where the water got a bit deeper. The trust the little girl placed in the wizard was surprising, given her usual stubbornness. But the two were completely enamoured with each other. She thought maybe her daughter had started to hero-worship Draco, since she looked at him like he was the very centre of her world. And the tender, affectionate expression on his face was no less endearing. He would probably do anything the little girl asked of him. The way his eyes lit up when he made Sophie laugh… it warmed the corners of her heart.

They'd enjoyed a walk around the rocks and a picnic lunch, before Narcissa had returned to her room for an afternoon nap while Draco had surprised her and Sophie with bicycles for them to take a ride along the coastal pathways. She'd been apprehensive at first, since Sophie didn't have a lot of experience riding a bike. But Draco had been so careful choosing one that was just the right size, and he was so attentive as he taught her how to tackle all the winding roads in the area. By the end of their ride, Sophie was giggling and riding with more confidence than she'd ever seen. Hermione hadn't been able to wipe the smile off her face. She'd thrown her head back and just let go of the brakes, basking in the happiness of the moment and relishing the way the wind whipped her hair around her face as she breathed in the fresh sea air and joined in her daughter's whoops of delight.

She'd forgotten how marvellous it was to just ride a bike and leave her troubles behind.

Hermione closed her eyes, the night air wrapping around her like a blanket of pure silk. As she sat on that little bench, she wracked her brains trying to think of a time in her life when she'd been this happy. But she couldn't. Today was probably the happiest day of her life. For a few blissful hours she'd really just lived, blocking out all those other terrible thoughts and fears that had plagued her lately.

Now Sophie was asleep, her Granny having coaxed her into bed with remarkable ease a while ago with a smile and a story after plaiting her brown wavy hair. Hermione had been pleasantly surprised by Narcissa's easy affinity when it came to dealing with her surrogate granddaughter, as the little girl had already been all snuggled up under the covers when she'd come in to give Sophie their usual kiss goodnight.

Say hello to the stars for me.

And you say hello to the moon…

Those parting words from her daughter made her smile, although there was a sad tinge to it now. She looked up at the moon and thought how lonely and far away it appeared. One day in the future Sophie would look up at the same moon and wonder if her mother was up there, her soul scattered among the stars. Hermione had no religious affiliations or pretensions of immortality, but ever since their fifth year, she did sometimes ponder over the unknown power of the human soul. The veil in the Department of Mysteries had whispered to her, the voices of those who'd moved beyond calling to her…

"Here you are!"

Hermione jumped and swivelled around as Draco approached her bench, strolling down the path behind her. He had a cheerful look on his face but his hands were shoved into his pockets in a gesture of nervousness as he sauntered closer.

"Hi," she greeted in a quiet voice, smiling gently up at him, "I was just enjoying the solitude of this place at night. It's breath-taking."

"I can go if you want to be alone-" he offered, standing awkwardly behind her for a moment and gesturing back up at the building above them. She shook her head and patted the bench next to her in a welcoming gesture.

"No, I'd much rather you stay," she murmured, her smile turning a bit shaky as she observed him. In the light of the moon his blond hair looked almost silvery white, and his skin was so pale as to appear ethereal. He really was very handsome, she thought. Draco took a deep breath and eased himself onto the seat beside her. It wasn't very wide so there were only a few centimetres separating them. His body was warm and he smelled of shampoo and some kind of expensive aftershave.

"I…er…" he started to speak, although his voice came out stammering at first, "My mother… my mother and Sophie are both asleep now."

It almost sounded as if he was going to say something different and had changed his mind at the last minute.

"Narcissa is so fantastic with her," she commented and Draco snorted.

"I know. I'm not sure where all this maternal instinct came from."

Hermione cocked her head to the side curiously.

"Does it bother you?"

He contemplated her question tentatively for a moment, a slight frown on his face.

"You mean does it bother me that she wasn't this affectionate when I was a child? No… not really," Draco shrugged and gave her a wry smile, "things were different back then. We were both under Lucius's control. And she always showed me her love in other ways when it truly mattered."

"I'm sure she did," Hermione agreed with a comforting smile.

"And anyway, I think having Sophie around has really helped mother to… heal, so to speak. She was never allowed to be demonstrative or show her feelings in the past, but Sophie is special. Her energy and her lively spirit are infectious."

Hermione chuckled, staring down at her hands and thinking fondly of her daughter's unique charm.

"She has that effect on people, yes."

"And thanks to you, mother's health is improving every day. That physical therapist has worked wonders, and she's more stable and relaxed than I've ever seen her."

"Poor Narcissa," Hermione mumbled, "she's been through so much. You both have."

She saw Draco swallow and look down at his interlocked hands.

"Unlike my mother, though, I actually deserved what I went through," he told her quietly, his voice coloured by shame and self-loathing. A sharp sting of compassion and love struck her with painful force.

"Don't say that," she told him a bit more harshly than she'd intended. She turned her body slightly so that she was facing him, grasping one of his hands in both of hers. He tried to withdraw it but she held on tightly.

"It's true, Hermione. I earned every bit of my own torment, from years of spite and selfish pride."

Hermione shook her head, her eyes pricking as she thought of the wonderful things he'd done for her, both knowingly and unknowingly over the last three months. Of how he'd given her more money than she'd asked for because he wanted to make sure she was properly taken care of. How hard he'd fought to win Sophie's affections. How he'd nursed her back to health so tenderly when she fell ill. This beautiful place he'd brought them to.

"Listen to me, Draco," she told him, and the seriousness and urgency of her tone left no room for disagreement or denial. She caught his gaze and held it, brown eyes locked with grey ones so intently she had to remind herself to breathe, "you were just a child back then, one who only wanted his father's love and approval. Lucius's crimes are not yours by association. We were all innocent in that war. None of us deserved what happened, you included."

She saw a muscle twitch in his jaw and suddenly his fingers were tightening on hers too as she powered on.

"The man I know today… my husband… is good and kind and he takes care of his family. And even if it's all just a sham and this marriage isn't real, I'm so grateful. Because if I had to do this with anyone, I'm glad it was you. You reminded me how to be happy again."

By the end of her speech, Hermione could feel a couple of tears dropping delicately from her lashes but she didn't move to wipe them away. If she was going to leave him alone in this world, then she wanted to leave him knowing he was good and that she appreciated him. Draco looked like he'd been petrified, the stunned expression on his face fading and transforming until he just seemed aggravated by something, as though there was a hot pool of anguish bubbling up inside him. For a minute Hermione wondered if she'd said something wrong. But then his gaze dropped lower and his grip on her hands tightened and she knew without a doubt what was now going through his mind.

"God help me," he muttered in a fit of agitation, before his hands broke free from hers and he lifted them up to grasp her face, tugging her towards him. Then he kissed her.

Hermione froze, her eyes falling shut instinctively as his lips pressed urgently against hers.

Oh Merlin… her brain shut off in several key places as her stomach tightened with shock and something else. He kissed her in the way that she thought only existed in tawdry romance novels, hard and passionate and with more desperation than she could wrap her head around.

You should…stop him… her mind whispered warningly, but for the life of her she couldn't remember why this was a bad idea. She could barely even remember her own name. All she felt was a tingling sensation in every inch of her body, the pounding of her heart, the sudden thrumming in her core. With a whimper, Hermione allowed her lips to part, deepening the kiss as she felt the vibration of Draco's frantic groan reverberating through her. His lips were cool and soft and unlike anything she'd felt before. Both Ron and Viktor's kisses had made her feel warm and pleasant, but Draco's kiss twisted her up into knots. It made her feel so on edge she didn't know what to do with her body or how to rid herself of the longing ache that stretched from her navel right out and down to her fingertips.

After some unknown amount of time, they separated with a gasp, gulping down the cool night air as if they were both winded. Hermione jerked backwards a short distance to look into his eyes.

Draco's gaze was unfocused but sharp at the same time. He looked like he'd just been hit by a freight train or something. As if some profound realisation had crashed over him. He blinked, staring at her in amazement.

Hermione's stomach plummeted, knowing that this was it. This was the moment when she would have to gently let him down. When she would have to pull away and tell him in no uncertain terms that they couldn't cross this line. Because how could she enter into a romance with this wonderful man when it would all fall apart and hurt him in the end?

There was a long pause, and Hermione felt like her chest was being compressed under a terrible weight.

"Hermione," Draco whispered almost reverently as his hands slid further, from her cheeks across her jaw and into her hair until he was cradling her head. He drew her forwards and kissed her again once more, deliberately, on her bottom lip, lingering for a long time as they both panted breathlessly.

"I…we should stop…" she began, steeling herself for what she had to do next. But before she could continue, they were both jolted back to awareness by a few drops of rain falling on their skin, clouds looming from seemingly out of nowhere in the night sky above them.

The air smelled like a summer storm, wet and musty and marvellous. A few drops became many, and then with the typical unpredictability of a summer downpour, soon they were being drenched. Draco looked up wryly, chuckling at the sudden turn of events, while Hermione squealed, her curls soaking through until they fell limp around her face. Their eyes met again and the intensity she saw in Draco's gaze took her breath away. She struggled to remember what she was supposed to say to him, or the fact that this whole hopelessly romantic idea was doomed from the start.

"Come on," Draco murmured huskily in her ear, linking their fingers together and pulling her to her feet. Hermione followed compliantly, the rain pouring down around them as they raced hand-in-hand up the path towards the B&B. They climbed up a small spiral staircase onto the balcony of their room, slipping hurriedly inside the double doors and sealing them shut with a bang. Hermione's light summery dress was saturated and she shivered, though she wasn't entirely certain that it was from the sudden cold. The two of them stood there for a minute laughing carelessly and looking down at their ruined clothes.

Then they sobered, and there was a tense moment during which Draco and Hermione stared at each other, chests heaving as they struggled to catch their breath. Draco's grey eyes were alight with something frantic that made her pulse race. His eyes passed down the length of her body and then back up to her face.

Returning his stare, Hermione felt on edge, like there was something hot and anxious crawling under her skin. She distantly heard Draco groan and it was met by an answering throb between her legs.

The next thing she knew he was striding forwards and kissing her all over again like his life depended on it. He tangled his hands in her sodden hair once more and walked her backwards until her spine was pressed flush against the wall. Hermione's head was spinning as her fingers gripped the front of his shirt. His lips fell from hers with a whimper, running down over her cheek and jaw until he was nibbling at her neck, drinking the raindrops from her skin.

Hermione was gone. Any thought of stopping him disappeared from her head as her body called out for him in the most primitive of ways.

"Shit, oh god…" he murmured almost angrily, returning to her lips as both their control snapped. Together they stumbled towards the bed and now Hermione was an active, enthusiastic participant. They paused next to the bed, tugging at each other's clothes in frustration. Draco managed to drag her drenched dress from her body, his lips worshipping her breasts with a satisfied groan. Hermione had never been so aroused in her life. She felt like she was right on the precipice, her whole body thrumming and so close to falling, even though he hadn't even touched her there.

She finally managed to snake a hand in between them, and the sound of his zipper sliding open underneath her fingers was loud in the dark, quiet room. Their mouths parted, both looking a little bit stunned as they worked together to rid him of his pants while she shucked off her bra. Now there were only his black briefs and her pale cotton underwear in their way.

"I can't believe this is happening," Draco muttered, almost incoherent with need, "I've wanted this, wanted you… so long…"

His ramblings were cut short when he decided he had to kiss her again, both of them toppling onto the bed as their limbs entwined.

Merlin, it was certainly never like this with Viktor. He'd been passionate, but almost controlled, like every move was planned and executed with precision. But this was a wonderful, beautiful mess. Draco pushed at her legs impatiently, dropping clumsily to lie between them as if he couldn't wait a moment longer, and she arched her back with a cry of surprise as she felt his hard length pressing into her centre through the material of their undergarments.

"Off… off-" he demanded, tugging his own briefs down and throwing them to the side. Hermione followed his lead and removed her own underwear, and then there was nothing between them.

I guess foreplay is overrated… she thought, her head swimming with one thought and one thought only. And by god, she would actually kill him if he stopped now and decided to return to just touches and caresses. She felt like she was on fire. They'd come too far now and she needed this so bad.

"Are you… can I…" he stammered, freezing above her in sudden uncertainty. But even though his hips had stopped right where she wanted him, his hands were still roaming everywhere, carding through her hair and running up and down her whole body like he wanted to touch everywhere at once but couldn't slow down enough to decide where to start.

"Yes… yes, please," she nodded vigorously, leaning up and sealing their lips together. They both gasped as Draco pressed inside her, becoming almost completely immobile and clenching his eyes shut as he did. She'd grown so wet while they'd fumbled around, and it wasn't long before he was able to move again, and he slid home with ease, stretching her walls with delicious, sharp strokes until he was fully seated within her.

"Oh fuck… Hermione…" he cursed in her ear, trembling with some great effort, while she was just floating high above it all.

It felt so right. It was like they were connected across every inch of their bodies. Hermione could feel every pinprick of pleasure so acutely, erupting outwards from her navel and also from her chest where her heart was pounding.

She'd never felt more alive.

This was it for her, Hermione realised vaguely, her thoughts a bit numb even though her body was practically humming with feeling. Her life was culminating in this one moment of passion, a bright burst of light right at the end of all things. Soon that light would fade into death and nothingness, but not yet. Not in this moment. So she gripped onto it with all her might, wrapping her legs around Draco's waist and rocking up against him, seeking more of that bliss that brought a glimpse of life back into her heart.

Draco spluttered at the feeling of her grinding up against him. He clutched at the sheets beneath them and whimpered. A sensation like an electric shock passed through her at his reaction, as though she were teetering on the edge of a cliff.

"Stop… Hermione…I'm sorry, I can't, I'm going to cum… it's too much-"

Hermione leaned up and kissed him hard and slow.

"Me too," she murmured against his lips, "me too, Draco, I'm so close."

"Really?" he asked hoarsely, almost in disbelief.

But Hermione just nodded, coaxing him again to move. She wasn't sure if it was the desperation swirling around in her thoughts that was propelling her to the edge so quickly, or the fact that this was Draco moving inside her. Either way, she was right on the verge of ecstasy with almost no warning. It was a heady combination of lust, fear, mortality, hunger and agony. It was almost too much.

Draco let go of the last vestiges of his control with a long groan. He began moving purposefully inside her, rough and uneven in his rhythm but so…so good. Hermione sunk her fingernails into his shoulder blades, and the sting of pain seemed to push Draco too far.

"I'm…I'm…oh shit-" he gasped, their faces pressed close together. Hermione's body soared, the sight of Draco's expression scrunched up in total bliss sending her hurtling over the edge and into a glorious free-fall of pleasure.

This… this is life…

It was all over in a matter of seconds. It would have been amusing how fast they'd both finished, if she weren't feeling so wrung out and boneless. The walls spun around them and all she could hear was the rushing of blood in her eardrums and their heavy breaths in the silence of the room in the wake of the rainstorm. Slowly her eyelids fluttered open. Draco had collapsed half on top of her, his head resting on her shoulder as he shuddered. She looked up past him towards the ceiling, catching her breath.

As her body started to wind down from its high, Hermione became aware of tears pricking at her eyes. When Draco propped himself up on his elbows he blearily noticed one tear threatening to escape her lashes. Instantly his drowsy smile disappeared and he frowned, brushing it away with a shaking finger.

"Hey… what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Hermione chuckled wetly, shaking her head.

"No… of course not. You were wonderful."

She raised her hands, stroking the skin of his cheeks tenderly, soothing him as she forcibly calmed herself. He really was beautiful. Draco looked dubious at first, but her smile must have reassured him because he leaned down and kissed her gently before lying down beside her, eyelids drooping. Carefully, Draco wrapped one arm around her waist, tugging her into a spooning position with her back pressed against his front. He scattered lazy kisses across the top of her exposed shoulder as he tugged the sheet up to cover them. They were silent for many minutes, both processing what had happened and basking in the afterglow. Either that, or neither of them had any clue what to say. Behind her she could feel Draco relaxing as he started to drift off, the arm that was curled around her becoming heavy and slack.

She almost opened her mouth to speak. But the thought of saying something as asinine as 'thank you' or 'goodnight' made her cringe. Then, to her absolute shock, it was Draco who eventually broke the silence. She heard him mumbling sleepily in her ear.

"Mmm…Hmmione…I love you..."

Her breath caught in her throat and her chest tightened painfully at his declaration. The words were slightly slurred as if he were far away. After a long, panicked pause, she slowly became aware of another sensation besides the pounding of her heart. His breaths were falling heavy and slow against the nape of her neck. When she tilted her head to look back at him, she saw that he'd fallen asleep.

Hermione clenched her eyes shut as a weak mewl escaped her lips.

The pain that gripped her in that moment was in stark contrast to the pleasure she'd just experienced. It was so intense she pressed her hands to her stomach and whimpered.

Because Draco had just taken her to the stars and back. And now he'd told her he loved her, and regardless of his sleepy state she could feel his sincerity in the earnest tone of his voice and knew it was true.

He loves me. Draco loves me.

And yet it hurt so bad, because it was all for nothing.

Oh god, what have you done, she screamed inwardly to herself, cursing herself for being so stupid, so completely selfish.

She'd made a terrible mistake.

She'd given Draco hope.

But that hope was going to ruin him.

…

…

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Well there you go. Please review – I'm sure there will be strong opinions haha. Bring it on :)