This is a non-canon story. Different couples, different situations, etc. I am changing a lot from the book and doing it my own way. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it. If you do like it, then please, leave me some reviews because I love reading about what people think of my stories.

Disclaimer – I own nothing except my own ideas. Everything else belongs to Rowling.

Chapter 8

The nightmares seemed to be getting worse with every passing night. Her fourth year at Hogwarts had ended tragically, and the vision of Cedric Diggory's lifeless body and dead eyes had been haunting her ever since. She hadn't had a good night's sleep since that fateful day, and it was starting to affect her functionality during the day.

It was now her summer vacation and she had thought that with a change of scenery, and being back at home, the nightmares would have stopped, but she was wrong. Every time she closed her eyes, her subconscious returned to that night. Tonight wasn't any exception. She felt herself slowly drifting back towards that night and she couldn't wake herself up. She felt her body beginning to toss and turn in her bed as her heart rate spiked, and still, she couldn't wake herself up. She clutched her sheets as the face of Cedric Diggory floated before her closed eyelids. She felt her mouth open and she heard the shrilling sound erupt from her throat, but still, she couldn't wake herself up.

Cold, smooth and strong arms wrapped around her shoulders as she felt her body being pulled against a hard but warm chest. Her screaming instantly ceased as a soothing voice washed over.

"I'm here." Draco whispered into her ear. "It's ok. I'm here."

Hermione's breathing began to return to normal as her eyes fluttered open. She stared up into Draco's concerned face and clung to him tightly. Draco sighed and pressed her head against his chest as he rested his chin against her head and rocked her back and forth gently.

"What am I going to do?" Hermione murmured softly. "I can't focus anymore during the day because I'm so tired all the time. How am I going to manage once fifth year begins?"

"I think I have a solution." Draco said softly as he cleared his throat. "Professor Snape...he knows about us...and he wants to help."

"Professor Snape!?" Hermione pulled away and stared into his stormy pools with a shocked expression on her face. "But, he doesn't like me...or anyone!"

"Wrong." Draco chuckled. "Severus likes you. You are the brightest student he's seen since...well...himself. And as for me, well he IS my Godfather."

"How did he find out?" Hermione wondered.

"He sort of figured it out after following us for a while." Draco smirked. "He is a spy after all."

"Spy?" Hermione sat up, fully awake now and turned to face him completely.

"He works...undercover...for Dumbledore...as a Death Eater for Voldemort." Draco revealed.

"But, oh god...but what if Voldemort finds out about...his true loyalties!?" Hermione shrieked.

"Severus always has a backup plan in case that happens." Draco looked away. "Please, don't worry too much. He can take care of himself. He's very very powerful."

"I suppose I can't tell Harry and Ron about this?" she smiled.

"Well, I suspect that Ron probably already knows since his family is part of the Order." Draco shrugged.

"How do you know about the Order?!" Hermione wondered. "I only found out last week in a letter from Dumbledore."

"I told you, Severus is my Godfather...he tells me everything." Draco reached up and twirled one of her bouncy curls. "We do need to talk…"

"I know." Hermione stared deeply into his eyes. "Things will be harder now…"

"Yes." Draco sighed. "I know that you were requested to go to the order's safe house as some point this summer."

"How did you...Draco! You read my letter?!" Hermione frowned.

"Yes." he raised an eyebrow at her. "I am a Slytherin you know. Anyway, that is beside the point right now. You need to know that what Dumbledore is doing...by ostracizing Harry...is wrong. He, of all people, needs to know what the hell is going on around him."

"But Dumbledore -" she began.

"Is an old fool!" Draco snapped. "He is powerful beyond comparison, but he is still old. Harry needs to be kept updated. He's going to feel hurt from you and Ron hiding things from him. Please, for Harry's sake, tell him what's going on. He needs reassurance right now that his friends can be trusted. His life, more than anyone else's life, is in danger."

"I'll think about it." Hermione responded honestly. "I don't know how I feel about betraying Dumbledore's trust, but I have to agree with you. The last thing Harry needs to feel is being ignored."

"Also...I will have to...get closer to my dad." Draco watched as her eyes darkened in anger.

She jumped off the bed and began pacing back and forth angrily.

"Why?!" she yelled. "Why do you have to get closer to your dad?"

"Because I need to do my part in helping Severus, and by extension...you." Draco explained. "If this escalates, like we both know it's going to, then I will need to go undercover like Severus."

"No!" Hermione shouted. "No, no, no!"

"Hermione, stop." Draco stepped off the bed and tried to move closer towards her.

"No!" she screamed. "You could get killed...or be turned into a real Death Eater."

Draco stopped moving instantly as she said her last statement. He stared at her, conveying all the hurt that what she had just said caused.

"After everything we've been through, you still think I would succumb to being one of...them!?" Draco's voice slowly rose with each word he spoke. "How could you think so little of me?!"

"Draco, no!" Hermione moved over towards him. "That's not what I meant at all!"

"Oh really?" he snapped. "Because it damn well sounded like it!"

"Draco please, let me rephrase." she pleaded.

"No." he pushed her away slightly. "This was one of the reasons for you not to want to be with me now, and it's clearly something that is always going to worry you...I need to go."

He stormed past her and walked down the hallway towards the staircase. He could feel Hermione following him as he picked up his pace. He threw open the kitchen door and walked swiftly out into the cool summer night.

Rain had begun to fall, but it didn't stop him from walking through the Granger's front garden and out onto the street. He thought that Hermione trusted him enough by now, but he was clearly mistaken. It hurt him to know that the one true friend...and essentially the love of his life...didn't have that much faith in him.

"Draco, please!" Hermione's voice penetrated his mind.

He looked around and realised that he had walked to the community playground and he was drenched completely from head to toe. He turned to look back at Hermione, who was shivering slightly as she stared at him with tears running down her cheeks.

"Don't leave me...please!" she pleaded as her body shook. "I love you too much to see anything happen to you! I'm just so scared for us right now. For you, for Harry, for Ron, for my parents, for all of us! I'm terrified of what they will do to you, or worse, what your father would force you to do! I'm sorry! I'm just scared!"

Silence followed her small speech. The only sound being heard was the sound of the heavy raindrops falling atop the sidewalk and playground equipment.

"What...what did you just say?" Draco asked.

"I said...I'm sorry." Hermione's body was shivering uncontrollably now.

"No...before that." he said softly as he slowly walked over to her.

"Oh…" Hermione's eyes widened in recognition of what she had admitted. "Fine! I...I love you...I love you, Draco Malfoy, you idiot!"

Draco quickened his pace and reached out to grab her cotton pajama top, pulling her roughly against his soaked chest as he slammed his lips down over hers. Hermione gasped in surprise before releasing a soft moan against his lips. He pushed her back into the nearest lamppost, being careful not to hurt her head with his aggressiveness as he deepened the kiss, teasing her lips with his tongue. Hermione willingly parted her lips for him, reaching out nervously with her tongue to slide it against his as she moaned louder. Draco sucked hungrily on her tongue as his lips easily and naturally moved over hers. He entangled his fingers with her dripping wet curls as he tugged her head slightly, causing her to lean up higher to reach him.

Her shivering caught his attention fully and caused him to reluctantly pull away from her succulent lips. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers as he listened to her breath in and out heavily in rhythm with the rising and falling of her chest. He gently pressed his lips against her cold forehead as the grip he had on her hair softened a bit.

"I love you so damn much, Hermione. It kills me that I can't show you all the time." he whispered against her forehead.

"You can show me." she blurted out without thinking first.

"No." he sighed and shook his head. "Neither one of us can think about that right now. Too many things are happening between us as it is."

"I know." Hermione agreed. "I just...I wish sometimes that things were just...easier."

"I think everyone wishes that." Draco chuckled as he lowered his hand to entwine them with hers. "Come on, it's pouring rain and we can't afford to get you sick with the lack of sleep you've been having."

Hermione just nodded her head and followed him back to her house. Once they were indoors, Hermione moved around the kitchen to make them some hot chocolate while Draco disappeared upstairs to get them some fresh clothes. A strange feeling began to eat at Hermione as she grabbed the Shakespeare themed mugs that Draco had given her for Christmas during her third year.

"Hermione…" Draco's dead tone caused the stabbing in her heart to deepen. "These came for us."

He placed a sealed letter atop the kitchen counter that was addressed to her, while he clutched angrily at the open letter in his other hand. Hermione frowned and glanced down at the letter, noticing Dumbledore's seal immediately before ripping the letter open and reading through it.

"He needs me to go to the safe house...for the rest of summer as soon as possible." Hermione sighed and dropped the letter. "He wants to get me and Ron settled there before he brings Harry."

"And my father is demanding my presence." Draco growled as he threw his letter down on the counter.

Hermione snatched it up and read through it quickly as her pale face turned even whiter.

"The Dark Lord is...staying at your house!?" Hermione gasped. She dropped the letter as if it was poisoned and moved around the counter to wrap her arms around his waist.

Draco pulled her closer as he nodded his head.

"Ok, I don't know how you're going to write to me if he's there." she murmured.

"I'll find a way." Draco whispered softly.

"I trust you, Draco." Hermione looked up into his eyes. "I believe in you. I trust you."

"Thank you." he reached down and stroked her cheek gently. "I promise...I won't let them change me. I have too much to fight for now."

"Draco - " Hermione opened her mouth to say something else.

"No." he cut her off. "Let's have our hot chocolate. Memories like this is what I need right now."

"Ok." Hermione nodded reluctantly and moved away towards the electric kettle.

Draco watched her movements as his mind tried to subside the building fear he was feeling. He needed to do whatever he had to to protect her. She was his light at the end of the tunnel. He could only hope that she would stick with him through it all, because if she didn't, the darkness might win him over and everything that was good in his life would be lost forever.

A/N

Thank you to everyone for reviewing and liking my chapters! I hope I can keep you all enjoying this story! Till next time! :)