Hermione hesitated as she reached the entrance to the Astronomy Tower. She had hurried from the Gryffindor Common Room, giving Ginny the excuse of needing to get away from the noise if the boys asked. Not that they would. They were celebrating their win against Ravenclaw and would continue to do so for hours to come.
"Hello." Hermione stepped further into the Tower. Draco's silhouette was visible in the moonlight. He turned slightly at the sound of her voice, as if it had broken his reverie.
"You came." She detected slight disbelief in his voice. And perhaps a hint of pleasure. She moved closer to him. The moonlight flooded the space. All light and shadows.
"You asked me to." She replied simply. He looked at her now, his face unreadable.
"I know, but I never thought that -" he broke off and stared at her. She gave him a small wary smile. Hermione wasn't exactly sure why she came either.
"Wait here a second. There's something I want to do… with you."
Hermione nodded and turned to look at the view of the grounds. Snow covered almost every inch of green space, the lake frozen through. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself as if she could feel the chill. She felt rather than heard Draco come up behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders, as he placed a cloak on her.
"You're cold. I'm glad I thought to bring this." She turned back to face him as he reached out his hand. "Come with me." Hermione slipped her hand into his, and felt the familiar electricity that sizzled between them. It was as if their hands clicked into place, as if they fit. It took her a moment to see the broomstick. And then she froze.
"Oh, but I…but I can't." She stopped in her tracks and was tempted to pull her hand away from his. His eyes hardened and he let go.
"So you don't trust me. I knew it. I knew it was crazy to think –" He turned away from her, striding away from the balcony. Hermione wasn't about to let him go so easily.
"I do. I trust you." He turned around marginally at her words. "I'm just afraid of flying." She confessed, avoiding his eyes. She was ashamed to admit it, since her fear lacked the typical Gryffindor bravery.
He placed a finer gingerly under her chin and tilted her face up so that she was looking into his eyes.
"You trust me?" he asked, he words a gentle whisper, touched with disbelief. She stared into his guarded gray eyes.
"Yes Draco. I trust you." Surprisingly, she meant it. When she had come to trust Draco Malfoy, she didn't know exactly. But she knew, at least for tonight, that he had no intention of harming her. He pulled her close, and then took her back to the edge of the balcony.
"Then you don't have to be afraid. I promise I won't let anything happen to you." He gestured to the hovering broom. Taking his hand, Hermione gingerly mounted it.
When Draco stepped back, Hermione felt the beginnings of panic stir. She was on a broom. She was on a broom and soon would be in the air. She needed to get off. She needed to tell Draco she couldn't — her thoughts cut off as he mounted the broom behind her. His arms gathered her close to his chest and Hermione was suddenly very aware of the intimacy of their positions. It hadn't dawned on her at first that they'd be this close. Her breath caught. Every other time they had been this close together, they had… well she had wanted it to happen again after all.
"Hold on," he murmured the words in ear as he kicked off the ground. As Hermione felt the ground disappear from beneath her feet, even the proximity of Draco's body to her own couldn't entirely diminish her fear. Her irrational fear of flying which she hated to succumb to. It was hard to explain such a fear in the Wizarding World, where flying was such a natural part of life.
Draco felt Hermione stiffen the moment they took off. She had keened forward, away from him, as if trying to dismount midair. He gently used one arm to pull her back to him, keeping his other firmly trained on the broom. It was strange that she was scared. Somewhat reassuring, he hated to admit. For he had been scared for so long that he had forgotten that others could feel that way too. And for once, he was able to soothe. To help diminish those fears.
"I've got you. Just lean back into me. Close your eyes." Hermione's heart was thudding as she tried to listen to Draco's instructions. He had pulled her tightly against him, and she felt herself relax into his embrace. She leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes closed. She focused on her breathing and inhaled his scent. And soon her mind had something else to focus on. She felt the wind on her face, and even though her feet were dangling in midair, she felt safe. Draco wouldn't let her fall.
"I won't let go," his words tickled her ear. She smiled. For the moment, she felt safe. Surprising really, after everything they were in the middle of and who she was with, but she did feel that way. They flew around the grounds, getting farther and farther away from the castle. And as they flew, she felt a sense of freedom she had never experienced before. Maybe it was the flying, or maybe it was the distance from the prying eyes, but she felt good. It felt good to be here with him like this. Feeling more confident and secure than she ever had on a broom, she allowed her eyes to flutter open. She didn't look down, she wasn't going to tempt fate, but she stared into the sky, watching the stars zoom past. Soon the stars were obscured by tree branches. They were close to the ground now, hovering in the shadows, near the place where the lake met the edge of the forest.
"Are we stopping? Why are we stopping?" She turned to look at him. She didn't want to stop. She wanted to fly with him forever and forget about all the things that she should be thinking about. About all the reasons why she shouldn't be with him.
He smirked. "For someone who professed a fear of flying, you seem to be eager to be back in the air as opposed to on the ground." Indignant, she was about to make a reply when he placed a finger to her lips.
"Come with me." He took her by the hand and began to lead her to the edge of the forest. They soon came upon a small clearing. The trees surrounding it glittered with icicles. The landscape shimmered in a glow of white and silver. It was a winter wonderland.
She graced him with a sincere smile as she turned to him.
"It's beautiful Draco. But why are we here?"
Draco smirked. "I thought it would be obvious Granger. I'll give you a minute to think on it." He walked into the clearing toting a small bag she hadn't noticed earlier due to her fear of the broom. That had captured most of her attention. The rest had been on the feel of him surrounding her.
Thanks to the beauty of magic, within minutes Draco had laid the most lovely winter picnic. What looked like a sheer silk blanket graced the ground. Champagne flutes, fancy silverware, and porcelain china floated delicately around him.
And finally Hermione clued in.
"Draco… is this a date?" At the question, Draco abandoned the set up and came to take her hands. He stared into those warm brown eyes and pulled her with him to the blanket.
"Well done Granger. They don't call you the brightest witch of our age for nothing." Hermione couldn't help but laugh at that. It all seemed too surreal at the moment. Unfortunately, their reality was crowding into her thoughts, and she couldn't supress her concerns.
"Draco, this is lovely, but -" Hermione broke off at the intent look in his eyes. They were alive, dancing sparks of silver. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen them like that. And all of a sudden she didn't want to think about all the reasons why this was a bad idea.
"We have talked for hours and kissed each other senseless. You've healed me and kept my secrets. I may not be able to take you to Madame Puddifoots" Hermione snorted at this and Draco grinned, "But I can do this. I can whisk you away for a night of pretend."
The unspoken fact that they needed to stay hidden away from prying eyes lingered under the surface of his words, but Hermione pushed away the thought. This night was theirs.
"Then I'm enjoying myself already." She sat down gingerly on the blanket. So this was how one was wooed by a Malfoy. Draco handed her a flute filled with pumpkin juice. She sipped it as she watched him fill her plate with bread, cheese, olives, plums, cherries, and little iced cakes. She nibbled a plum as he filled his own plate and then finally began to take in her surroundings. She suddenly noticed that the branches had been charmed to glimmer like twinkle lights. A good idea since the darkness would have definitely overcome them at this hour. And despite the frosty look of the trees, Hermione did not feel cold at all.
"You've done quite a bit of work here," Hermione gestured to the trees and her cloak.
"You're not the only one good with a wand Granger. I happen to know my fair share of enchantments." He settled in beside her, sprawled across the blanket, and popped an olive into his mouth. She smiled at his casual air and confidence. She hated to admit it, but she admired his magical abilities. Oh, she knew it had nothing to do with his blood. She knew of a number of purebloods who weren't nearly as skilled. And he had always been a match for her in classes. Except for this year of course. This year of his mysterious disappearances and preoccupations. Which she wasn't supposed to ask about or know about.
"Hey, hey," he leaned up and brushed her hair aside. "Don't fret. Not tonight. Forget about whatever it is that just put that frown on your face." He gave her a sexy grin and held a cherry to her lips.
"Open." She obeyed and took the cherry into her mouth, nipping his fingers with her lips. It was a dangerous game they were playing. This game of seduction wasn't something she was used to, but she found herself inexplicably drawn in.
He laughed at her playfulness and leant in closer. Taking the flute from her, he leant in towards her ear.
"Feeling playful, Hermione?" he murmured, then brushed his lips along her neck. She leaned into his kisses, closing her eyes, enjoying the moment, the electricity zipping through her. And then she lightly pushed him away. He tumbled back, and stared questioningly at her.
She gave him a cheeky grin "We're supposed to be on a date, remember? So that we do something other than kiss each other senseless." She laughed at his expression. "Your words, Draco, not mine."
He pouted, which somehow he still managed to pull off, but then settled himself a little away from her.
"You're right. So let's talk. What are your thoughts on last week's chapter of Quintessence? Personally, I've spent more of my time focusing on the actual elements and bending them to suit my purposes…" he drifted off at the surprised and somewhat skeptical look on her face.
"You want to discuss our Charm's reading?" Hermione didn't mind discussing her studies. In fact, she'd rather enjoy the opportunity to hash out and dig into what they'd learned that week. But she had a very hard time believing Draco had any interest in this type of discussion. And wasn't he supposed to be wooing her?
He sighed dramatically. "Well, Granger, I thought you'd be up some academic discussion. But if you don't feel that you can keep up…" she nudged him with her foot and he laughed.
"Honestly? I'm trying to keep our conversation on neutral, non-aggressive topics. That leaves out the last Quidditch game, which would bore you anyway, Potions, Defence, family anecdotes, and a number of other topics which probably have hidden dangers for the two of us. So it was either a mutually enjoyable course reading or discussing your favourite sweets to purchase at Honeydukes. Trying to keep it light, Granger." He looked so serious for a moment that she feared she had spoilt his pleasant mood. He had made a, rather unexpected really, effort and she kept letting the real world interfere with their night of pretend. So taking his lead, she delved into the topic of his choice.
"You're right of course. I hadn't given much thought to the energy surrounding us before reading this text. But over the summer, I discovered another book which suggests…" and they were off. They talked in depth about Charms class, which naturally lead to discussion of other courses (except a few significantly charged ones of course) and then onto books they'd read outside the classroom. The Malfoys, it turned out, had quite the extensive library. Draco lightly breezed past the family reference to focus her attention on her one true love – books. And Hermione found herself totally absorbed in their conversation. She barely noticed as he moved in closer to her and was pleasantly startled when he brushed away an errant crumb on her cheek.
"You know, when you are interested in something, truly interested mind you, you are a fascinating sight Granger. Your eyes light up, you're filled with such energy. It's rather charming." He slowly tucked a curl behind her ear, his eyes focused on her mouth. It was already red from the fruit juices, and Draco found he couldn't look away. In fact, he hadn't been able to look away from her for quite some time. His gaze had been drawn to her repeatedly since that first night in the Tower. She was different from the girls he knew. Passionate, intelligent, compassionate, and realistic. She didn't hide from the reality of what was happening around them. He found that rather admirable. Most people were quite disillusioned about the entire situation. Yet when he was with her, reality was the last thing on his mind. He could forget, if only for a moment, the seriousness of his predicament. He found himself instead wondering if she would taste like the cherries and plums they had eaten, and decided to find out.
He leaned in and captured her surprised mouth with his own. This time, Hermione didn't resist. She wound her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Draco couldn't help but smirk against her lips. Finally. He wondered if she would ever kiss him back without hesitation. It had niggled at him for some time.
He gently eased her back onto the blanket, covering her body with his own. Her fingers tangled in his hair as their bodies touched. Fingers played, explored, brushing against clothed parts. Hermione sighed, lost in the moment as he trailed kisses along her neck and down her collarbone. He wanted to kiss her into oblivion. He wanted her to take him with her. For when he was with her, nothing else seemed to exist. But the more rational side of him had been prepared for this possibility. The twinkle lights began to flicker, the timely reminder he had set himself, the reminder of reality. He eased away from her, and grinned softly at her dazed expression. How he enjoyed that. Miss Hermione Granger appeared just as swept away as he was. Satisfaction bloomed. He had wanted that. He had wanted to impress her. To charm her, court her. As if there wasn't any reason why they couldn't be together.
"What's wrong?" she asked, reaching up to brush his hair back.
"Time's up, I'm afraid." He rose to his feet and offered her a hand. She took it and graciously got up.
"Oh, pumpkin time is it?" she brushed herself off and almost missed his confused expression. "Sorry, muggle reference."
He smiled and Hermione felt it in her chest. "You'll have to explain it to me sometime." The feeling intensified.
A murmured spell had everything around them vanishing back into the bag. Hermione felt a sense of disappointment as it all disappeared. It was as if this evening had never even happened.
They were both quiet as they mounted the broom for their return to the castle. Draco had affectionately kissed her forehead and then covered her head with the hood of the cloak. To keep her face from prying eyes, she knew. But it still made her stomach clench and her heart ache. They returned without issue. This time, Hermione knew, the churning in her stomach didn't have anything to do with her fear of heights. When Draco flew into the Astronomy Tower, he waited a moment, simply hovering with Hermione in his arms. This was bad, Hermione knew. Because before tonight, she could only imagine what a night with him would be like. Now she knew.
He dismounted and helped her remove the cloak. A perfect little gentleman. It made her grin. He was so proper sometimes, it was quite amusing. And, Merlin help her, he was charming. As if not wanting to end on a tense note, he turned back to her.
"Traditionally, I'd walk you to your dorm. But we're not quite traditional, are we?" He took her hand and brushed a tantalizing kiss on her palm. "Good night Hermione. Thank you for tonight." He left her standing there, her heart furiously pounding in her chest, her hand tingling from his kiss, and her mind whirring with the events of the evening.
Oh this was a dangerous game they were playing. She knew he could seduce her physically. Her reactions every time they kissed made that evident enough. But this. All of this. This evening of magic. He was ensnaring her heart as well. Each kiss was sweeter. Every touch was hotter. Somehow, this night made everything so much more. What was she going to do?
A.N.: Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, and added In the Shadows to your various lists! I truly appreciate all the lovely reviews. This chapter may seem a little different from the rest, but it was intended as a step away from the "reality" of this fic. I hope you enjoyed it!
Flamelm, if you see this, I wanted to answer the question you left for me in Morning, since I can't message you privately. At this time, I don't have anything published outside of fanfiction, but should that change, I will happily include the info in my profile! Thanks for the interest!