Chapter 22

Blaise's eyes were throbbing from staring at these documents. He just could not look them over anymore. So, he poured himself a stiff drink and put the rest of his paperwork away. He was going to just kick back a relax because he had earned a little peace and quiet.

"STOP FOLLOWING ME Draco! I want to talk to Blaise WITHOUT YOU! Merlin knows you've been talking with him about my life without me enough. GO AWAY!" Hermione's outraged shriek shattered Blaise's hope for a moment of peace.

"Hey, I need to talk with him too. This isn't just about you!" Draco shot back.

"Actually, most of this has to do with me seeing as how you decided to do all of this to protect me. You can worry about how to get out of your terrible loveless marriage later. Right now, I need to make sure that you aren't making more decisions for my life. You lost all rights to do that." Hermione pointed out as she open Blaise's study door.

"Ah I see you two have talked." Blaise commented nonchalantly as he started to pour more drinks.

"Blaise I want to see the contract you're drawing up. I want to be in the loop about all of this. It's my life and you two have no right to make any decisions that would impact it without my knowledge." Hermione stated glaring at the two men.

"Alright take a breath my dear bookworm. Draco did what he did because he, stupidly I admit, thought it was the only way to protect you. As for what I am doing its actually more geared towards covering both of your asses rather than one over than the other. Lucius is a very formidable enemy and I don't want to go in as anything less than fully prepared with back up plans for our back up plans." Blaise turned and grabbed the contract he had started.

"I am not discussing Draco's misplaced martyr complex right now. I am here to make sure nothing gets left out. And in order to do that we need all the cards on the table. I want a guarantee of complete honesty from both of you. I will not be left in the dark again. Whether the knowledge puts my life in danger or not I get to make those choice for my family. Not you." She glares at Draco explicitly as she stated the last part.

A sharp stab of pain streaked through Draco's heart at the emphasis Hermione put on 'my family' and the sharp reminder that he wasn't a part of his kids lives but he just forces on pushing forward rather than focusing on the things he can't change.

Hermione skimmed over the contract searching for any missed information and the three of them spend the next few hours revising it and bickering back and forth over the wording and implications. Blaise finally had enough of the bickering duo and announced he was going for a walk and that they should figure some way of going forward between the two of them. After Blaise left Draco turned to Hermione.

"Alright you know what would really fix everything?" Draco demanded glaring at Hermione after they had reached her and her children's protection.

"What Draco? What perfect answer do you have for me?" Hermione snapped back holding his fire gaze.

"Just marry me! Then you get all the protections of being a Malfoy and we could cover everything simply by stating my father can bring no harm on any Malfoys." Draco stated promptly almost business like in his proposal.

Hermione opened and closed her mouth as she shook her head trying to respond to his ridiculous statement.

"Draco for someone who seems intelligent you truly are the stupidest man alive. Marry you! You aren't even divorced yet. And if that isn't reason enough we are over. What we had, what we were to each other is gone. Whatever you think you feel for me is simply an echo from the past. If we were to do this asinine idea of yours you wouldn't have to worry about your father, I would put you in the grave before I would let any Malfoy control me again." Hermione replied in a slow dangerous tone.

She knew that she still loved the Draco she used to know. Draco was her first love and knowing how everything went down and why he left her hurt a lot, but it also gave her perspective over all of their relationship. Draco had always 'protected' her. In every aspect of their lives together he decided where they lived, who they let know about things and when and had amassed this wealth of control over her life without her knowledge. All she had wanted was him and that wasn't going to happen again. She was more than some love-struck teenager locked in a forbidden romance. She was a mother, a survivor and a strong independent woman. She had the right to make choices for her and her family's lives, and no one would ever take that from her again. Even if it felt like a red-hot knife carving up her heart she would not waiver.

Draco just gazed at her with pain darkening his eyes, but he sets his jaw and takes a deep breath.

"Everything I felt for you…Everything I FEEL for you is not some echo. It's an ocean Hermione. All encompassing turbulent cascade that consumes my every waking thought. I will never regret anything in my life as much as letting you go. I am not some kid who's trying to lure you in with pretty words. I love you Hermione! I always have. You are the only woman in this world I will ever truly love. You can't tell me you don't feel this." He strode over to her and pulled her against him. "This isn't some childhood romance. It isn't easy or comfortable its an inferno that eats you up from the inside out. It pounds against what ever cage you try to contain it in. Writhing and clawing until it demolishes any defenses you have. I messed up. I royally messed up and I cannot apologize enough for that but just don't lie to me. Don't lie to yourself about what this is between us."

"Let go of me. Draco, god, do you even hear yourself? You left me. What did you expect that I would spend the rest of my life pining after you? Wondering if one day you would wake up and want me again? You really think that highly of yourself?! I am done being your damsel in distress. I am not yours. Hell, I am not anyone's. I AM MY OWN! Whatever you feel for me I can't give you. Someone ruined that connection a long time ago. I am not the person you loved anymore, and you aren't the one I loved. Yes, our lives will always be intertwined through our children but don't push for something I can't give you." Hermione struggled against Draco's hold trying to stand firm and hold back the angry tears that burned her eyes.

"Can't or won't?" Draco asked turning her face towards his.

Their gaze met and Hermione couldn't tear her gaze away. It was like she was mesmerized by his gaze. His face moved closer to hers, his mouth inching closer and closer. She could feel his hot breath against her suddenly parched lips. Her mind was screaming warnings at her but her stupid body refused to respond. Just as his lips grazed hers a loud clack of a beak on glass shattered the spell. Hermione jumped away from him and raced to the window.

A barn owl hooted impatiently as she struggled to open the window. Suddenly warm hands brush hers out of the way and open it with ease and took the letter.

"Looked like you could use some help." Draco murmured in her ear his breath caressing the skin.

Hermione struggled to gain her bearings and remember that this can't happen between them. She turned and shoved him away from her.

"Stop it! You need to just stop this. What does the letter say?" She stated trying to ease her rapid heart and seem collected. Her insides felt like mush and she was struggling not to collapse into a puddle.

"I don't give a damn what this letter says. But if you want it so bad come and get it." Draco smirked holding the letter above his head.

Hermione glared at him but let out a sigh. She walked up to him and gazed at him through her lashes.

"Please give me the letter Draco. It could be important," She kept her voice soft and pleading.

"What's in it for me, love?" Draco asked his gaze frozen on her lips.

Carefully Hermione licks her lips slowly drawing a low groan from Draco and then slammed her foot down on his instep.

"FUCK!" Draco cursed as he bent down to rub his foot.

Hermione snatched the letter from his hand and sauntered away with plea of laughter. The laughter suddenly ended when she opened the letter. Her face paled and her heart started to race for a whole new reason.

"I can't believe you would do that. That was downright dirty Hermione." Draco cursed as he approached her side but when he saw her face he froze. "Hermione? What is it?"

Hermione started to shake, and tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

"Hey, look at me! Hermione what's wrong!" Draco demanded shaking her slightly.

"Gemini…..she's in the hospital wing...and she won't wake up." Hermione whispered.