CHAPTER 41
October 21st 2001
Draco Malfoy leant over the sink as he waited for the kettle to boil. The sun had yet to rise over the horizon but like clock work, his body was used to being awake so early. Funny the routines you fall into when you live a life of paranoia.
Despite the comfort of staying in bed and enjoying having Hermione curled into his embrace, he was grateful that he was given a slice of time to himself. It was the only opportunity he had to prepare for the emotional hell that today was going to confine. Pretending to still be with Astoria while watching Weasley's grubby hands all over his real witch.
Hell.
"Thinking about today?" The sound of a coarse darling spoke from behind.
Draco spun, faced with Hermione wearing one of his undershirts that managed to reach just above her knees. Frizzy curls classically untamed.
He gave a short smile. "Yeah."
"Anything I can do to make you feel better?"
"Find my father within the next 3 hours so I don't have to witness you and Weasley together again?"
Hermione sucked in a deep breath, sandering over to sit on the kitchen table in front of him. "Only if you find your father within the next 3 hours so I don't have to witness you and Astoria together again."
"Mmm." He hummed, pressing his hands on either side of her on the table. "Seems like we are both destined for doom."
"We have survived worse."
Perspective. Hermione always understood perspective. No matter the suffering that may come from the downfall of jealousy, it would never compare to the brutality of prejudice and blood comparison. Even if Draco felt like it was killing him.
"Once all of this is over, do you think you will keep working at the ministry?" She asked as if she had been thinking about it for a while.
"I don't see why I wouldn't. As dull and unimaginative the Magical Cooperation department is, I actually like my job. Will you return? Continue fighting for defenseless creatures?"
"I hope to."
He tilted his head. "You hope to?"
"You do realise we have been in hiding for almost a month, right? It would be a wonder if someone has not taken over our responsibilities, and Kingsley hasn't found our replacement."
"Please, Granger. You overthink too much. Kingsley praises you the second you sneeze."
"That is not true!" Her voice went up an octave. "What about you? What will you do?"
He shrugged, "I shall just ride on the back of your favours. Perks of sleeping with the golden girl, I guess."
Hermione punched him in the shoulder. Finding no humour in the reality that could be. Draco laughed anyway, thriving off her ability to be worked up so quickly. Their banter had always been the favourite part of his day.
"Go back to bed." He instructed bluntly. "I'll bring you a cup of tea."
Two well brewed teas with a dash of honey later, Draco was back in his safe haven. The view of Hemione, wearing nothing but his oversized shirt, wrapped up in the sheets with a book in her clutch was enough to make a good man evil.
She squinted, unsure why he was staring at her from the door frame. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to join me?"
"Give me a few more seconds. I've spent a lot of days in my office dreaming of mornings like this."
"Alright, do what you want. I'm going to finish my chapter."
He stood holding the cups in adoration for a few minutes longer before placing them on the singular bedside table. Hermione shut her book with a snap, sitting up to let him take a seat by her feet.
"I think I have something that may make you feel better about today." She sneered.
"Tell me."
"Do you remember my birthday that just passed?"
"Yes, I do. What about it?"
"Well," She pursed her lips. "That morning with Ron while I was indulging in a birthday tradition within the bedroom. The only thing that allowed me to… finish, was thinking about… you."
Draco raised his eyebrows, trying his best to hold back a smile. "Are you telling me, Granger? That Weasley couldn't get you off while eating you out? And the only thing that helped was picturing me?"
"I hardly doubt it was Ron's fault. I've heard that it is very difficult for women to.. You know."
"Hermione." He couldn't resist the laughter. "I am so sorry."
"Don't laugh! I said it to make you feel better about seeing me with Ron later!"
"Oh, it makes me feel better. You have done wonders to my ego. There are no words in the English language that can describe the amount of elation I feel. I knew it, I knew Weasley was shite in bed."
Hermione rolled her eyes at the swelling of his pride. Draco had no need to be reassured that he was better than Weasley when it came to sex, but hearing that she had to envision him while with another man. Merlin, that could keep him going forever.
"Just don't use it against Ron if you ever get into one of your silly fights with him. He would never speak to me ever again."
"And that's a bad thing?"
Her scowl spoke a thousand replies.
"Alright, alright." Draco surrendered. "I'll keep my cards close to my chest."
"Thank you. Anyway it is not like you have proven that you're any better at that than he is."
"Is that a challenge?"
Rising from his seat he slowly knelt at the bed's end, keeping direct eye contact with her as his knees hit the floor. With a lick of his lips he ripped the sheets away, pulling her legs down to meet him at the edge of the mattress.
"Draco…" She laughed nervously. "I was joking. You don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"Oh, I want to."
"Are you sure? It's not my birthday or anything special."
His jaw clicked. Irritated that Weasley made her think she had to earn this kind of thing, but also thoroughly empowered to show her what she did not know.
"Relax, Granger." Draco purred. "I'll make you feel good."
Hermione remained leaning on her forearms as he carefully spread her legs to a diamond shape. He kissed her inner thighs, working his way up until he reached where she was most sensitive. Goosebumps forming on her skin at the first touch. His tongue ran from the bottom to the top, laying down the foundations of what he was about to devour.
Her moan was music to his ears while he sucked on her clit. Hands gripping onto the strands of his hair to support her new found pleasure. Every third or so stroke he would dip his finger in just to see the arch in her back. It was at this moment that Draco declared this his new favourite pastime, vowing to be dedicated to it every morning he got.
The panting from her chest quickened as his tongue swirled in circular motions. He picked her legs up onto his shoulders and rose from the knelt position to dive in deeper. Arms twisted to keep her upright while hands clutched onto her thighs. Hermione squeezed her eyes and bit down on her lip, making Draco harder than he cared to admit.
Her body began to shake and her gasp came to pause. He grinned from cheek to cheek as he slowed down his speed to watch her climax. No experience with any other witch compared to this feeling he had right now. He wanted to rejoice in it for the remainder of his days.
Draco wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, crawling to lay down next to her on the mattress. Hermione covered her eyes with her arm while catching her breath. Legs still trembling.
"I told you that Weasley doesn't know shit."
"D-don't talk about him right now." She stuttered. "J-just don't."
The hours of solitude that played over the early morning came to an end before they knew it. Both dressed in work attire that Potter had dropped off from their homes yesterday. Draco didn't particularly like the combination of dress robes that was chosen for him, but he saved the bite of his sarcasm for a later date.
Hermione however, looked primed and primped for her grand return to the wizarding world. A navy blue skirt and blazer suiting her well.
"Nervous?" He asked, watching her try to tame her hair.
"Not entirely." She sighed. "Just exhausted, I suppose. It would be rather nice to live a normal life again one day."
Shame tickled the back of Draco's throat. "I'll do my best to give you that."
"It is not your role to provide me with an easy life."
"I took it away from you, it seems only fair to bring it back."
The clip in her hair broke, and she threw her head back in frustration. Draco slipped his arm around her waist, and kissed her exposed neck.
She hummed at the gesture. "I am not a saint that deserves to be worshipped. You and I have both done things we are not proud of. I hope you know that."
"I know." He nodded. "I just want to be able to provide for you in more ways than just money."
"So this is about not turning out like your father?"
"Probably. But we don't have time to unpack all of that. Your hair looks perfect as is so leave it. We have to get going."
The witch and wizard left their safehouse with heavy hearts. Potter managed to sneak them through to the Travel Department by use of an invisibility cloak, making it appear as if they had just travelled from America. Draco questioned to himself how long the Gryffindor had owned the cloak, wondering just how much he had gotten away with in his life from it.
Hermione pressed her ear up to the exit door, listening out for when the Daily Prophet and every other hungry magazine was to arrive. If they were going to luer their enemy into their trap, they had to do it loudly.
"Stay here." She ordered. "I will go out first and try to leave before either of us have to face something we don't want to."
He kissed her cheek, "It's okay, Hermione. I can handle this."
"You may be able to, but I might not."
Her hands fiddled with the lining of his blazer, most likely stalling rather than seeing an error in his attire. Draco didn't mind, he wanted her to stall as well.
She sighed. "Alright, let's get this over with."
Hermione pulled her shoulders back, straightened her skirt and opened the door to the foyer. For a few seconds Draco got a glimpse into the chaos of Britain feeding off of her return. Bulbs flashing and photographers yelling as she waved to the adoring crowd.
The door shut before he could see her homecoming. Complete silence rang in his ears. He did not believe in a higher power, but at this moment Draco found a compulsive need to pray. To ask for his wrongs-doings to be forgiven, and that if given the chance he would give Hermione the life that she deserved.
Tranquility.
Hermione Granger was blinded by the flashes of cameras coming in each and every direction of the ministry foyer. She felt her palms getting sweaty as her eyes darted around the room to find a familiar face. It wasn't comfort that washed over her the moment she spotted Ron, it was guilt more so with a dash of unease.
Her steps wobbled across the tiled floor as she made her way over to him. The yelling of journalists asking questions on her opinion of Lucius' return did not help either, but she managed to stay in character. Ron however, looked more miserable than ever.
They hugged in greeting but his arms clung looser than hers did. Neither made the move to kiss, opting out to hold hands as a substitute. Hermione felt very awkward, but hoped that it couldn't be seen through papers.
"Should we just get out of here?" She kept a fake smile while speaking through her teeth.
"Yeah." Ron nodded. "Don't need to make a fuss in front of everyone."
It was in the second that they began to wave goodbye that all the cameras turned to face in another direction. Draco had emerged from the Travel Department doorway, his face cold as a stone. Clearly expecting them to be gone by now.
Hermione watched as swarms of journalists pushed their way through to grab Draco's attention, fighting to get the first quote over his father's resurrection. He refused to speak a word, clenching his jaw to avoid a physical outburst.
Right on queue, Astoria Greengrass galloped her way through the crowd, making heads turn at her arrival. Whether it was a jealous illusion or not, Hermione could have sworn that she looked more beautiful than ever before. Legs that stretched for days into black leather heels, hair as smooth as her skin and red lips that called out to be kissed. The perfect witch.
Ron tugged at Hermione's blouse, begging to get out there, but something unknown made her want to watch and see what happened.
Draco played his part well, embracing Astoria as if he truly missed her. They looked as if they were fit together, plucked out of a beauty magazine and slapped into the real world. It made Hermione want to vomit.
When Draco pulled away from their hug, Astoria threw her face onto his, snogging him for all of the photographers to see. It was not even a second before he pulled away frantically, but the vomit that swelled in Hermione's stomach suddenly turned to a raging fire.
Their eyes met across the foyer, both terrified to remove their masks at the risk of blowing their cover. Draco froze as the heat started to rise in Hermione's cheeks.
"Get me out of here. Please" She rumbled to Ron, who immediately started to pull her away from the scene.
Their pace quickened towards the floo networks, both avoiding looking back to whatever was unfolding behind them. Not a single journalist followed. It would seem that the golden couple of the wizarding world was no longer that interesting, and in their place now stood the son of an ill-famed pureblood criminal.
Hermione held her stomach as they were transported back to her London apartment, trying to get a grip over herself for being envious of something that wasn't even real. Ron just did his best not to piss her off any further.
Everything looked the way that she had left it a month ago. The kitchen freshly cleaned from a baking session, her couch covered in a blanket from reading a book, even the death threats neatly placed in the centre of the living room. Only now there was a layer of dust over everything that had built over time.
"Why does it all look untouched?" She asked Ron, who stood shyly near the fireplace.
"Because it is… I don't think any of those guys tried to kind you here, 'Mione. Reckon they probably knew you'd go hide at Malfoys after you figured out what the codes meant."
It was an assumption that did not seem so far from the truth. Maybe her reliance on Draco had been more obvious than she had supposed. Only question was why it took her so long to figure that out.
"Harry took your wards down yesterday. So if anyone tries to get in, it won't be that hard. You'll be okay by yourself tonight?"
Hermione bit the inside of her lip, analysing whether or not it was appropriate to share with her ex-fiance the recent update on her love life. In a way, her silence spoke for her.
"Ahhh," Ron crossed his arms. "I take it you figured out your feelings for Malfoy then?"
"You make it seem like everyone else knew but me."
"Not… everyone."
The tension was thick between the newly demoted friends, forced to be faced with one another sooner than they would have liked. Regardless of being separated for several weeks, and only being together for two days, it felt like they still needed more time. Space to heal open wounds.
Clearing her throat, Hermione tried a peace offering. "I-I uh apologise for running over your wand at the cottage, and well, for-for running away in general. It was wrong of me to leave you stranded like that."
"This is my third wand, you know that?" He joked, holding up his new wand.
"I will pay you back for whatever damage I have caused." She meant galleon wise, but on another level they both knew it was about something bigger than broken wands.
"It's alright." He looked to the ground. "Reckon I've caused more harm than I realise too."
"Maybe... I apologise but I'm not sorry, Ron. And I don't think you are either."
He kept to the floor, and arms clutched close to his chest in defence. "Yeah I reckon that too."
It hadn't even been half an hour since she returned and Hermione was already begging for someone to try and kill her. Fighting someone in a duel was always more fun than trying to make uncomfortable conversation.
Her mind started to play the memory of Astoria kissing Draco back at the ministry. Pondering thoughts on what they would be talking about back at his house, and feeding off of worst case scenarios.
One thing was keeping her sane. She trusted Draco. She trusted he wouldn't push an unnecessary boundary.
"There's probably something you should know before anyone else tells you." Ron broke her daze. "Amelia is pregnant."
"Who is Amelia?"
"The girl I slept with the night you and Malfoy ran away."
"Oh." Hermione kept her mouth in an oval shape, unsure of how to respond.
She imagined that hearing news of the woman your ex-fiance cheated on you with is with child would sting a little more. Only, it didn't. In fact, it was rather relieving.
"You don't have to say anything." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I just figured that you'd wanna know, right?"
"Right…"
There was no pre thought behind why Hermione did what she did next, all she knew was that it felt necessary. Her arms wrapped around Ron's neck, hugging him as a sign of respect for his future happiness. He was hesitant to return the gesture at first, but the way his hands rubbed up and down her back was soothing.
They pulled away silently, breaking the ice that had frozen over their friendship.
"I am happy for you, Ron. Truly. You will make a great father."
"Thank you, 'Mione. And for what it's worth, I'm happy for you too. Jus-just don't tell Malfoy I said that, alright?"
She chuckled. "You got it."
Green flames erupting from the fireplace made them both jump. Draco stood with irritation painted all over his face, soaking in the scene before him. Hermione held back from running into his arms and waited for him to approach her.
He stood in between her and Ron with his hands in his pockets, silent to show his dominance. Ron held out his hand, holding it still until Draco grasped it firmly.
"Malfoy." He puffed his chest.
"Weasley."
It must have been a male thing because Hermione had no idea what was going on but got the impression that with the use of only two words everything needed was being said.
Ron gave Hermione a nod before climbing back into the floo. She mouthed the words 'Thank you' seconds before he threw the powder onto the ground and disappeared.
"Anything I need to know?" Draco stood tall, towering over her in security.
Hermione blew raspberries with her mouth and shook her head.
"I need a cup of tea."