Chapter 16

"I have to say," Ginny said, breaking the silence that had blanketed the room for the past 20 minutes, "this is the weirdest situation I've ever been in."

Hermione turned her head to glance at her friend, "You're just studying for Herbology, Ginny. I'm not sure what's so odd about that."

"Um, hello! We're studying in the Slytherin common room! This feels highly illegal," the redhead exclaimed while waving her arms for emphasis.

"You're lucky we allowed you access, witch." Blaise piped up from his dark corner of the room. "We usually try to keep redheads out. Oi! Watch it!" He ducked out of the way as an inkwell just narrowly missed his head.

Hermione chuckled at the two as she turned her eyes back to the book she had been reading before Ginny spoke. She glanced up from her place on Draco's lap to meet the blond's eyes. They shared a small smile as if they had the same thought, why did we invite them to study with us?

"Not to worry, Weasley," Draco said without breaking eye contact with Hermione. "Blaise is just feeling a touch testy as his date stood him up last night." Hermione smirked at him.

Finally Draco broke eye contact with her to glance in the direction of his appalled friend.

"Fuck you, Draco. I told you I wasn't feeling well last night," Blaise retorted.

Hermione snorted into her book.

"Fuck you too, Granger." With a huff of annoyance, Blaise stalked out of the room.

"What an absolute pansy," Ginny chuckled. "Maybe I can finally read in peace though. His humming was driving me up a wall."

Draco chuckled in response and leaned his head back on the sofa and closed his eyes, his fingers threading through Hermione's curls. For once in his life he finally felt at peace. His studies were going well, his life wasn't in danger, and he got to spend his free time with the most beautiful witch.

The first two weeks back from holiday, he had waited for the other shoe to drop, but it never fell. He had waited for an owl from his aunt with unfortunate news about his mother, but it never came. He had waited for the walls of the school to be blown in, but the rocks held strong. Was this what life at Hogwarts should have felt like since the beginning?

Students didn't cower or glare at him when they walked by. If anything they walked by with indifference, which suited him just fine. The teachers were actually praising him in class for the work he had done. He didn't even feel like ending it all once in the past month. Things were finally looking up for Draco Malfoy.

The door to the common room flew open and a stack of books walked through.

"This is getting ridiculous," the stack of books mumbled as the door swung shut behind it. "Don't those old bats realize that we have lives too?" The books tumbled to the ground revealing Theo behind them. "I cannot wait to be done with these damn tests. Move your feet, sweetheart," he patted Hermione's feet at the end of the sofa before getting impatient and just lifting them into his lap as he sat in their place.

"You know, Theo, you could have just stayed at home. No one made you come back to school," Draco mumbled to his friend, his eyes still shut.

"Oh I was not about to stay home with no one but the portraits to talk to. I would have simply just ceased to exist." He flung his arm dramatically over his eyes, refusing to address the pile of books he just deposited onto the floor.

"Nott, care to study for Herbology together? Those two are completely useless," Ginny asked, flinging her arm in the direction of Draco and Hermione.

"Hey!" Hermione pouted. "We are not useless! We would both be more than happy to help you."

"Speak for yourself," Draco grumbled under his breath, earning a smack on the arm from the witch in his lap.

Ginny turned an unconvinced eye toward the brunette, not hearing Draco's response, "You are too! Malfoy is sleeping and you're completely transfixed on whatever it is that you're reading."

"I was just resting my eyes," Draco mumbled, still not opening his eyes. Just then he was struck with a marvelous idea. Just as Hermione had opened her mouth to respond, he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Actually this might be a good idea. We leave them to study and we head into my room. To study"

Hermione turned her head and locked his gaze onto hers. Without turning away she replied to the Gryffindor, "Alright, Ginny. You're right, go ahead and study with Theo."

Theo threw in his own response to Ginny, "Yes, Weasley. We must study so those two can sneak off and snog somewhere." He left the sofa unbothered by his friend's intentions while Ginny pretended to gag on the other side of the room.

"Gross! Fine. I see your sex life is more important than my future!"

Hermione giggled as Draco placed his arms behind her back and under her knees, lifting her up and carrying her to his room. "No hard feelings, Weasley!" he shouted over his shoulder.

His and Hermione's relationship had transitioned throughout the past few weeks. The day after he walked her back to her dorm, she cornered him to address their status. He simply shrugged and kissed her again. Ever since then, they spent every evening studying together, every afternoon in the library or out by the lake. They were rarely seen apart, hands not able to be kept to themselves.

It was the happiest he had felt in a long time. He had the smartest witch in the school by his side and even though he often interrupted their study sessions with lustful distractions, she didn't seem too deterred by the fact and returned his affections in full.

Kicking his door shut behind him and laying Hermione down on his bed, Draco stepped back to look at her fully. She was leaned back in an ocean of grey and emerald, her hair falling in tendrils around her face, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"What?" she asked, her face scrunching up with curiosity.

"You're just so beautiful," he breathed. He had a hard time keeping his thoughts to himself when it came to her.

Her face lit up with joy as she smiled in response. Before he could stop himself, he was across the room and kissing her fiercely. Her arms snaked around his neck as she pulled him down fully onto herself, her body arching up to fill the gap between them. He nearly gasped for air when he felt her chest press up firmly against his.

Without much conscious thought he was pushing her back onto the pillows, his hands roaming over her body, his fingers dancing on the edge of her skirt. She moaned in response, threading her fingers through his hair. His fingers reached the edge of her knickers, the lace tickling his fingers. Hermione placed a hand between their bodies and began to make quick work of his oxford. Draco groaned and slowly placed a shaky hand over hers, halting her actions.

He wanted this. He did. The past few weeks had been leading up to this, but the gentleman in him wouldn't allow himself to defile the Gryffindor Princess in his Slytherin common room. Especially with the Weaslette and Theo in the other room. She deserved more than that. His hand moved from sitting on top of hers to wrap lightly around her wrists.

Clearing his throat before speaking he whispered, "Hermione, as much as I'd like to do this right now, I'd feel weird if our first time was with our friends right outside the room."

He could swear Hermione Goody-Two-Shoes Granger had pouted in response to that. "But," he continued slowly trying to think of a way to rectify the situation, "We could… do other things."

Hermione's lips lifted on the end and she continued to unbutton his shirt. "Good," she replied plainly.

Draco shot her a smirk of his own before returning his lips to her neck.

Once his shirt had made it to the floor, Hermione's hands stroked every surface of his chest, sucking in air as she felt the toned definition of his body.

Draco's hand made it to the back of her skirt, gripping her bottom with vigor. Hermione's chest arched up in response causing Draco to grasp her breast as it was thrust in his direction. He pushed her skirt above her waist, exposing her knickers to full view. He gave her one more kiss before he looped his fingers into the waistband of her knickers and pulled them completely off her body.

Sitting bare chested on the bed, he marveled at her. Her hair was disheveled, her lips slightly red from his affections, and her eyes lidded with lust. She had never looked more beautiful to him.

Suddenly she sat up, wand in hand. "Might want to take some precautions," she stated, her voice raspy. She threw a quick silencing charm on the door and then practically leapt into his arms, her wand clattering to the floor.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Draco lifted her into his lap while kissing her intensely, his fingers once again making their way under her skirt. Hermione squeaked in surprise when he reached the apex of her thighs. Draco pulled back to look in her eyes, allowing her time to tell him to stop. When she instead pressed her lips to his, he thrust a finger inside her. She threw her head back in pleasure, breaking their kiss.

Draco had been with plenty of women in his time at Hogwarts, but never had he felt truly connected with someone as he had felt in that moment with Hermione. Normally he would go for the main event and head out, but with Hermione, he truly wanted to make her feel good and make their time together special. He had realized months before that he was starting to have true, strong feelings for Hermione, but it was in this moment that he realized that he was in love with her.

Never had he been completely selfless in his physical actions with another person and it was enough to absolutely terrify him. He didn't deserve this kind of happiness, this unwavering trust from someone. He was the son of a Death Eater; a Death Eater himself. Hermione deserved much more in this life than what he could supply for her.

It wasn't until he had thoroughly exhausted her into sleep from his ministrations that his mind began to drift to a much darker place. And it wasn't until a small tapping on the window did the other shoe drop.

….

Draco didn't sleep that night. Not after the letter from his father's lawyer, Oscar Clarke and Associates, was delivered by a raggedy looking owl late in the night.

Oscar Clarke stated that a month after finishing at Hogwarts, Draco was contractually obligated to take over his father's company. The entire company and all of its assets will be transferred into Draco's name. His father had also insisted in a little footnote that he find a nice pureblood wife to wed by his twenty-first birthday, or he would be denied his inheritance and control of the family company.

Years ago, hell even a year ago, Draco would have gotten married the second he stepped foot out of Hogwarts if it meant he wouldn't lose his inheritance. He'd have even married the first witch he came across that very day. Today, however, he couldn't care less. He could get a job and work for a living like most wizards did out of school. He didn't care if he never got to live in the Manor again and had to live in a much smaller home.

What he did care about was his mother. If he were to lose his inheritance, how would his mother's bills be paid? Where would his mother live? She was unfit to work and, as most pureblood wives never worked, had no experience to even get a job. As his father's will stated, only the males in the Malfoy family inherit the fortune, so his mother would be left with nothing. He had to take over the company and marry some bubble headed pureblood witch for the sake of his mother; he loved her too much to allow any more suffering in her life.

In the wee hours of the night, Draco Malfoy's fate was sealed.

He was going to enjoy the time he had left with Hermione before the school year ended and he had to begin the miserable life he was destined to live as the Malfoy heir.

The sun began to filter in through the windows, lighting the face of the curly headed witch snuggled up to his side. She let out a small sigh and scrunched her nose in distaste. "Why does the sun have to be so bright and annoying?" she grumbled into his chest.

He chuckled and pressed a light kiss to her nose. "I thought you enjoyed mornings."

"I do when the sun isn't interrupting a good dream," she sighed again, heavier this time. She stretched her arms above her head before sitting up, leaning her back against the headboard, her hair sticking up on the side her head had been laying on.

"Well I'm glad to see you slept well then," Draco acknowledged, twirling a curl around his finger.

Hermione turned her head, giving him a small smile as she replied, "Who wouldn't sleep well after such a wonderful night?"

Draco's grin faltered and his fingers began to shake in her hair. Maybe he had less time with her than he hoped. If she were beginning to have true feelings for him, deeper feelings than he thought, then he would have to end this sooner rather than later.

Unaware of the change in Draco's mood, Hermione placed a quick peck on his lips before hopping out of bed and collecting her things from the floor. "I promised Ginny I'd help her study today for Transfiguration, so I'll see you later!" She gave him a quick wave before breezing out of the door.

Draco threw his head back onto his pillows and groaned. This was about to be an absolutely retched day.

…

Draco's mood had not improved throughout the day. He had brooded during the impromptu Quidditch game. He had sulked through lunch. And now he was glaring at everyone that walked by their table in the library. Theo was positively sick of it.

"If you don't stop moping around, Draco, I swear I will hex you right here and now," Theo spat across the table.

Draco just simply turned his head, narrowed his eyes at his friend, before turning his unfocused eyes back to the wall across from him.

"Okay, this is ridiculous," Theo announced. "I figured maybe you would get over this pity party you seem to be throwing yourself after breakfast. Then I thought maybe you didn't want to talk about it in front of everyone. Then when you didn't say anything to Blaise, I assumed you would rather share with me, but I guess I'm just chopped liver to you! So whatever is bothering you, either share or get over it, because I am absolutely sick of it."

Draco had a few moments of internal struggle before finally sighing and sliding a piece of parchment across the table to Theo's hands. Theo snatched it up and skimmed the page. He scanned it again just to make sure he read everything correctly.

After he finished reading the page, Theo lowered it onto the table and looked at his dejected friend. "Fuck," was all he got out.

"Yeah," Draco rasped before going back to staring at the wall.

After a few hours of ignoring Theo's ill proposed plans, Draco finally dragged himself out of the library to head back to the Slytherin common room. He hadn't seen Hermione all day, and he was perfectly content with putting off the inevitable.

And just as he let out a breath of relief that he hadn't run into her, fate seemed to have other plans.

"There you are," a bright, bubbly voice spoke from the darkness.

Draco closed his eyes and internally groaned.

"Finally finish studying with Theo?" Hermione said cheerfully.

"Yes," he grumbled. Maybe if he didn't engage with her too willingly, she'd get the hint and go back to her dormitory.

Oblivious to his mood, she carried on. "Oh good! I have been studying with Ginny all day and I can't wait to spend some quality time with you." She emphasized this by sliding her hands up his arms. "I missed you today."

As if she had shocked him, Draco flinched and stepped back from her grasp.

Hermione frowned and cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Is there something the matter, Draco?" She took another step toward him, her hand reaching out to him.

He held up a shaking hand to stop her. "I… I can't do this anymore."

That stopped her in her tracks. "Do what?"

Draco took a deep breath to steady himself. He really hadn't planned on ending things with her that day, but it was better to end things before he led her on any further. "We need to end this."

Her brown eyes began to fill with tears, however, she looked more confused than sad. "Why? Has something happened, Draco? You look upset."

Sliding on his mask of indifference, Draco directed cold eyes in her direction. "We had agreed to end things before Christmas. We knew this would end eventually. We both achieved what we set out for, so I think it's time we went our separate ways." He figured it would be best for the both of them if they no longer had contact with each other. Maybe he could still convince her this was all still part of her original plan.

Hermione took a step back, tears in her eyes. "I thought we had moved passed the stupid deal we made and were actually what we told people we were."

He had to do this. He had to lie to hurt her. He had to make her hate him so it would be easier for her to move on with her life. She deserved more than to pine over some pathetic ex-Death Eater. "Well you thought wrong then." His voice was cold, emanating the foul boy he was years ago.

She flinched as if he had slapped her. "Were you just doing this for your own gain then?"

"Nonsense, Granger. We both had our own benefits behind this fake relationship," he drawled out, trying to keep the tremor from his voice.

Hermione, on the other hand, didn't try to hide her emotions. A few tears slipped past and slid down her rosy cheeks. "Why are you doing this?" She breathed.

Draco closed his eyes for a brief moment, drawling up all the courage in his pathetic body to not let her reaction affect him. He opened his eyes to meet her gaze, her face distorted in anguish. "It's better this way. It would never work out between us. I have certain… expectations to uphold and you wouldn't be happy in my world." This was right. This is what needed to happen. And he was right, no matter what he had to take over the family company, and Hermione would never be happy living in the pureblood lifestyle. She had go on her own and change the world like he knew she would be capable of doing.

Hermione looked around desperately, almost as if she expected someone to pop out and save her from this destructive conversation. When no one appeared, she reached for Draco again, before catching herself and dropping her hand to her side.

"It's just the way it's needs to be, Granger," Draco shrugged, trying not to look her directly in the eye. It killed him to see her in pain, especially when he was the one causing it.

"What… what about the fact that… that I love you? Does that mean anything to you?" She cried, her voice cracking in grief.

Draco closed his eyes again and drew in a ragged breath. That was the last thing he needed to know. That was the one thing he was afraid of; the one thing he knew would have happened if he dragged her on any further, but it seemed to have happened regardless. He knew he was about to hurt her even more now that he knew her actual feelings toward him. A small part of him was ecstatic to hear that she loved him too, but a much larger part of him was horrified that he knew her feelings and was going to hurt her even more because of it.

"Did last night mean anything to you?" she whispered.

Keeping his eyes squeezed shut, Draco replied, "no."

Hermione sucked in air in shock and looked at him with horror in her eyes. "You used me. You spent time with me just to get what you wanted."

He opened his eyes and stared at her with sadness, allowing his mask to slip for only a moment before he realized his mistake and looked back at her in disinterest.

Hermione's pain and heartache quickly turned to anger at his cold look. "Fuck you, Malfoy," she spat before turning on her heel and fleeing down the hallway.

Draco slowly slid to the cold ground, his back scraping the hard stone as he watched the best thing to happen to him walk out of his life.