A/N: Alright guys, I feel obligated to tell you that this following scene was supposed to be a part of the last chapter, had it not been for my slight deviation in the beginning. However, I decided to make it its own chapter because there is a lot that I wanted to happen in this scene, and I don't want to make my chapters indecently long. I don't know about anybody else, but when chapters are too long, I have so much trouble reading through the entirety of them.
Anyway, enough of my rambling. I hope you all enjoy this chapter; it's going to be a sweet, yet integral part of their relationship. It will certainly strengthen it. So, here's Chapter 14!
Hermione awoke the Sunday following the Hogsmeade trip to Draco running into her room and plopping on top of her. She let out a shriek of protest and attempted to burrow her head under her pillow. For someone who claimed to not be a morning person, Draco was exceptionally excited.
"Hermione!" he grunted out, attempting to burrow underneath her pillow alongside her.
When he finally managed to infiltrate her fort, he gave her a grin that she had never expected to see coming from the likes of Draco Malfoy. His eyes were bright with excitement, like a child on Christmas morning, and his smile was so wide, she swore that it was lit up.
He looked positively handsome.
And he was all hers.
His grin was contagious, and she could not help the smile she gave him in return. Surrendering to the fact that she had no hope of going back to sleep, she arched her eyebrow at him in curiosity.
"Is there something I can help you with at—", Hermione paused to look at him, questioning the time, "whatever ungodly hour it is in the morning?"
Draco's smile, if possible, grew even wider and he answered excitedly, "I have a surprise for you today."
Hermione giggled and teased him, "And pray do tell, Draco Malfoy, could be so exciting that it trumps spending the day in bed?"
Draco smirked evilly at her and struck like a true snake. Within moments, Hermione was pinned underneath him, his thighs on either side of hers, and she was laughing so hard she could barely breath. Draco smirked down at her a moment longer, before he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"While spending the day in bed with you, mea lux, sounds absolutely tempting, and could absolutely be arranged should you so wish it, I promise you that you will enjoy what I have planned for us today," he whispered huskily.
Hermione's breath caught, and she was suddenly painfully aware of every plane of Draco's body pressing into her own. She could feel exactly how certain parts of his body felt about spending a day in bed together, and the complimentary parts on her own body were certainly agreeing aggressively.
She needed to put a stop to this before she could allow herself to do something that she wasn't sure she was ready for while simultaneously ruining Draco's plan. She was certainly glad that he was trying, and she wanted to enjoy whatever hairbrained scheme he had concocted that had him so excited.
Hermione cleared her throat, "Alright, love, we better get out of bed before we start something we can't finish," she reasoned, adding a smirk at the end of her suggestion so that she could sound surer of herself.
Draco's eyes brightened slightly and shone silver. Hermione thought that he might argue with her, but he nodded, his hands balling into fists on either side of her head as if he was trying to gain control. His eyes slowly returned to their normal shade, and he gave her a weak smile.
"Yes, I suppose you're right," he managed, his voice still several octaves deeper than normal. He rolled over, letting Hermione up so that she could get ready.
"I'll meet you in the common room in 20 minutes?" Hermione asked.
Draco's eyes were bright again, his excitement returning ten-fold.
"Okay!" he said happily, using his Seeker reflexes to hop out of her bed gracefully. He bounded towards the door, only to stop and look back at her to give her a breathtakingly handsome smile. Finally, he shut the door behind him.
Hermione smiled like an idiot at her closed door before turning around the begin her morning rituals.
When Hermione emerged from her room, Draco was exiting the bathroom. For the first time, she took in Draco's appearance. He was wearing casual clothing; a grey sweater, a casual pair of slacks, and a pair of black, sensible shoes, with a black, expensive looking pea coat to top off the look. It was nothing less than what she would expect from the Slytherin; black and grey were his favorite colors.
She stood on her tip toes to give him a soft kiss, tasting his familiar minty toothpaste still on his breath. She smiled at him and took his hand, urging him towards the portrait hole.
Once the left their common room, Hermione let Draco take the lead as he knew where they were going.
Hermione was completely content until they reached the main hall, and Draco pulled his broom out of his pocket and enlarged it to its original size. He turned to look at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes and leaned on the broom casually, likely so he could watch what he would think would be an overreaction.
Hermione narrowed her eyes.
"Draco, my sweet, if you think I am getting on that death trap, you must have been bitten by a murtlap and are suffering from an allergic reaction." Hermione growled at him, trying to feign affection and failing miserably.
Draco chuckled lightly and looked at her with admiration and affection. Finally, he spoke.
"There's my fiery girl." He murmured, mirth dancing in his eyes.
Hermione had to fight the urge to stop her foot like a child. She was NOT getting on that broom.
She met Draco's eyes and refused to look away. She would not be the one to look away and lose their staring match. She would not budge or submit when it came to this.
It became clear after several moments that Draco had no intention of backing down either.
Hermione slowly began advancing on him, finger pointed at him in a scolding manner.
"Draco Malfoy, you KNOW I have a fear of heights. Make me live in the woods with two boys for months? Fine. Sneak into Gringotts using Polyjuice potion to pretend to be your deranged aunt? Okay. Make me face the evilest wizard in the world? Sure. Want to put me on a broom? Absolutely fucking not." She seethed.
Draco blinked at her. He stared at her with an unreadable expression for what seemed like several moments before he spoke.
"First, at some point, I need you to explain to me EXACTLY what you did regarding Gringotts and my aunt," he began, now advancing on her. Before Hermione knew what was happening, he had her backed up against the wall.
"Second," he purred, his voice getting lower, eyes glowing silver, "do you have any idea how bloody sexy you are when you allow curse words to fall from that pretty fucking mouth?"
Hermione's breath caught, and she studied his face. His expression was deadly serious, and if someone who didn't know him looked at him right now, they would miss the hint of amusement.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.
She was not going to let him distract her or seduce her onto his broomstick. Literally or figuratively.
"As sexy as you might find it," she said haughtily, "it does not change the fact that I am not getting on that contraption."
Draco's eye softened as they registered actual fear on the Golden Girl's face. She was truly terrified of flying. He grabbed her chin and tilted it up, so he could state earnestly into her eyes. He wanted her to understand what he was going to tell her and believe it without a doubt in her mind.
"Hermione," Draco murmured, trying to sound soothing, "do you honestly think I am going to let you get hurt?"
Fear was at the forefront of her expression when she answered, her bottom lip quivering, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's the broom I don't trust. I really don't like flying."
Draco stroked her chin with his thumb, and answered, "Hermione, I won't let you get hurt, and I am almost certain our Veela wouldn't allow it to happen regardless. I will go slow, and you can face me, so that you don't even have to look. I won't let you get hurt," he whispered fervently.
When her eyes met his, she bit her lip and looked at the broom still firmly in his grasp. She stiffened, and a look of determination crossed her features. There was his girl, his brave Gryffindor Princess.
"Okay," she said firmly, no trace of fear left in her expression. Her eyes met his, "I trust you, Draco."
Draco wondered if she understood just how much her words cut him to the quick and made him feel laid bare. How much it meant to hear her say that to him.
He wasn't sure his smile could get any wider.
Hermione felt appreciation and awe coming from Draco, and she knew that her words had meant more to him than he was going to be able to articulate. Instead she just placed her palm on his face and nodded as if to say, 'I know.'
Draco nodded at her and grabbed her hand, leading her out to the courtyard. He mounted his broom and turned to look at Hermione, who looked like she was weighing the benefits of simply bolting. His beautiful mate had her lip caught between her teeth, which made him want to growl.
Instead, he opted for acting like a normal wizard and held his hand out for her to take. Hermione looked unsure about how to proceed, so Draco tried to talk her through what to do.
"Okay, love, face me and swing your leg over. You can wrap your legs around my waist if it will make you feel more secure, just don't squeeze too tight."
Hermione followed his instructions to a T, and once she was situated on the broom, she promptly proceeded to bury her face in his collarbone, refusing to come out. Draco chuckled affectionately.
Hermione allowed herself to be comforted by the spicy and distinctly male scent that clung to Draco, while she felt the broom begin to raise into the air. She let out a soft whimper, but she considered it an accomplishment that that was the only noise that escaped her person while she was trying so hard not to lose the entire plot.
"Hermione, love," Draco murmured in her ear, "I know you don't like heights, but I want you to see this."
Hermione was reluctant, but she trusted her Veela, so she peaked out of corner of her eye.
What she saw was breathtaking.
Draco and herself were hovering in between the Quidditch pitch and the castle. The sight that Draco had wanted Hermione to take in was that of the castle, beautifully restored, and bathed in the morning sunlight. She knew Hogwarts to be beautiful, but she had never been allowed to enjoy the view from this angle before, and she secretly was glad that Draco had forced her to test her limits.
"Oh, Draco," Hermione breathed in wonder, "it's beautiful."
She made eye contact with him, noting the softened expression he fixed her with.
She kissed him softly, "Thank you for showing me this."
Draco gave her one of the private grins he reserved only for her and chuckled lightly.
"Happy to be of service, Madam," he teased, waggling his eyebrows. Hermione let out a laugh and shook her head fondly at him.
Draco allowed them to hover there for a moment longer before he began flying in a direction that Hermione did not anticipate: away from the castle.
She reared back and fixed Draco with a look of confusion.
"Where are we going?" she questioned him.
Draco fixed her with a bemused smirk and answered her, amusement clear, "What, you didn't seriously think that was all I had planned, did you? I'm a Malfoy; we don't do anything without flare and over-the-top gestures," he finished, arrogance clear.
Hermione raised her eyebrow at him, and he let out a laugh full of mirth.
Hermione twisted around, trying to pinpoint where they were going, before her eyes found a familiar landmark.
"We're going to the Quidditch pitch?" she questioned, confusion evident.
Draco had a nostalgic look in his eye when he answered her, "Yes. I have a surprise waiting for you there, and I like being there. It was disappointing to learn that McGonagall was not going to allow retuning 7th years to join teams, but I still like to come down here to think or let off steam from time to time."
Draco landed them softly and allowed Hermione to dismount before he did. When she finally took in her surroundings, she found that Draco had truly put a lot of thought into their date.
Before her there lay a picnic blanket, with a large basket sitting on top. Her hands flew to her mouth as she let out a gasp. It was such a simple, yet sweet gesture, and she felt her feelings grow even deeper for the Slytherin.
She turned to see him studying her with a nervous look in his eye, like he was waiting for her to tell him it wasn't good enough. She ran over to him and threw her arms around him, kissing any trace of bare skin she could find.
Draco was laughing as she peppered his face with kisses. When she was finally done, she pulled back and looked at him with shining eyes.
"Draco, this is beautiful. I can't thank you enough for doing this for me."
Draco fingered a tendril of her flyaway hair and tucked it behind her ear.
"Anything for you, my darling, the sky is the limit."
Hermione grinned at his sappish, overdone romanticisms and dragged him over to the picnic blanket. She plopped down unceremoniously and looked at him expectantly, waiting to be doted on. Draco laughed at her ridiculous antics and began unpacking the basket he had the house elves prepare for them early this morning. He pulled out pumpkin juice in a thermos, muffins with jam, and chocolate covered strawberries. Hermione squealed at the last item. Draco smirked, knowing that chocolate covered strawberries were her favorite.
With the smell of freshly cut grass lingering in her nostrils, Hermione stuffed herself full of muffins and pumpkin juice, sure she would not be able to eat much more. Then, Draco began unboxing the strawberries, and she suddenly had more room in her stomach. However, when she reached for the strawberries, Draco held them just out of her reach. He had a look of purpose in his eyes.
"Come here," he said patting his lap.
She looked at him questioningly, but then laid her head in his lap. Draco look pleased and took a strawberry from the box, dangling it above her mouth, tempting her. However, when she tried to take a bite, he held it away.
"Draco," she whined, not at all amused by his teasing.
Draco smiled, before gaining a somber look. He studied her a minute, before seeming to come to a decision.
"I want to know more about you, Hermione. So, let's play a game, shall we? I ask you a question, you answer, you get a strawberry," Draco suggested, quirking an eyebrow.
Hermione laughed, wondering why he felt the need to use games to get information from her. She would willingly tell him anything he wanted to know. He was such a Slytherin.
Although, Hermione had to admit, they had both been avoiding talking about some of the heavy stuff. Superficially, she knew all the simple facts about him, like his favorite color, book, and food, but she knew nothing of his childhood, his happiest memory, or his family.
At least, nothing about the family that hadn't tortured her or held her captive in his home.
Understanding that they would need to have this talk eventually, Hermione nodded her assent.
"Okay, Malfoy, but for every question you ask me, you have to answer that same question in return. It's only fair that I get to know you as you are getting to know more about me."
That seemed to make Draco pause for a moment, but he eventually nodded, albeit cautiously. He settled himself and began with his first question.
"What was your childhood like, Hermione? I know nothing about the typical Muggle childhood."
There was a time that Hermione might have thought that he was trying to insult her, but there was a distinct air of curiosity about his question, so, with a smile, Hermione opened her mouth to talk to him about it.
"It was happy. Both of my parents were loving, doting, and supportive of me. They were there for every school event, every important event in my life. But most importantly, they were very much in love. They tried to show me in every way possible that true love existed and that I deserved it. They modeled for me what I wanted for my future. Because of them, I never wanted to settle for less. And I have yet to," Hermione finished, giving Draco a sly smile.
Draco chuckled and gave her a strawberry. Hermione moaned in pleasure when the chocolate melted on her tongue. When she looked up at Draco, his eyes were bright. She cleared her throat.
"Okay, your turn, what was your childhood like, Malfoy?"
Draco's eyes lost the light they had previously held when the question left her lips. He looked down and swallowed hard. It was several moments before he answered her.
"Most people think my childhood was awful. My father was abusive, a Death Eater in the inner circle, and always pushed a Pureblood marriage on me since I could remember. All of it is true, of course," he assented, fidgeting with his hands. Hermione grabbed his hand, urging him to continue. He smiled at her gratefully.
"But, there were happy times that I can remember. Like the day my father first taught me to ride a broom. There were no beatings, no expectations. Just he and I, laughing and rolling around in the grass."
Hermione giggled, trying to imagine the refined Lucius Malfoy rolling around in grass. Draco smiled at her, guessing her thoughts.
"Yes, it is not an image that most people could reconcile. But there was a time," Draco said wistfully.
"Now, my mother, she was my saving grace. The only person who kept me sane in my later years dealing with my father. She used to read to me every night, and there were times she would take me out on the balcony in my room and point out constellations to me, mostly the ones our family members were named after," Draco continued fondly, unable to stop. His face then turned hard, all of the sudden, and the next sentence he uttered was growled, "But my father eventually put an end to our adventures, saying it was time I become a man, and men didn't need to spend time with their mothers. It was right around the same time that he believed that men took permanent marks and served a crazed lunatic," Draco finished bitterly.
Hermione put her palm on his face and tried to convey comfort to him. Draco smiled at her weakly and cleared his throat.
"I believe it is my turn to ask a question," he said expectantly. Hermione nodded and gestured for him to go on.
Draco began fidgeting with his hands again, alerting Hermione that the next question was one he suspected would upset her.
"I noticed," he began nervously, "that you talk about your parents in past tense."
Hermione stiffened, shutting her eyes to ward off the tears that immediately sprang to her eyes. Draco continued, far more cautiously.
"And a while back, you said you had lost them… and I guess I was just wondering what happened," he finished softly, watching her face for signs of the distress that he could already feel coming from her.
It was several moments before Hermione began speaking.
"When things started getting bad," she swallowed hard, "I knew that Harry, Ron, and I would have to leave. I knew we had a job to finish."
Draco nodded at her, urging her to go on.
"The newspapers continued to bring bad news every day. Muggle families being killed, muggleborns going missing, and parents of muggleborns being tortured. I knew I didn't have much time left," Hermione's voice broke slightly.
Draco tried to convey comforting thoughts to her and smiled at her, urging her to continue. She gave him a weak smile back and looked past his face to the sky, pausing for a moment before continuing.
"When it came time for us to leave, I-I had to make sure my parents were safe," tears were leaking out of Hermione's eyes as she laid herself bare for Draco Malfoy to see.
Draco winced and wrapped his arms tighter around her, trying to comfort her.
"I obliviated them," Hermione whispered brokenly, letting a sob escape her throat against his shoulder as he cradled her with care.
Draco stiffened, drew back, and looked at her in wonder.
"You what?" he asked in disbelief.
"I obliviated them," she answered, "I had to. I sent them to Australia, devoid of any memories of me, so that they wouldn't be in danger. I knew that because I was "Harry Potter's Mudblood", everyone around me was in danger," she finished bitterly.
Draco stared at her for a second longer, before he gathered her in his arms tighter than before and whispered softly in her ear.
"I am so sorry, mea lux, I am so sorry," Draco said, agonized by his own part that he played in her feeling like she needed to do this.
Hermione laughed in the middle of a sob and looked at him.
"Draco, it is not your fault. I don't blame you, I know you were trying to protect the people you love. I was doing the same thing."
Draco nodded, unable to help the guilt he felt. He got lost in thought, so much so that he barely registered Hermione continuing to speak.
"When the war was over, I planned to go to Australia to retrieve them. I had researched memory spells, and while it had never been done before, I was confident that I would be able to fix it."
Draco could feel the heartache and loss radiating from his mate, and his breath caught. Draco desperately hoped that she wouldn't say what he thought was going to come out of her mouth.
His wish went ungranted.
"But, when I finally found them, it was in a cemetery," Hermione sobbed, tears now flowing freely down her face, "I did everything I could, and I still couldn't save them."
She was sobbing now, tears staining his sweater, and all he could do was hold on to her and try to give her as much comfort as he could. Draco felt guilt trying to drown him, but he held it back, knowing that his mate needed him, and he couldn't let her down. Her needs had to come first.
When her sobs finally subdued, she wiped her eyes and looked up at him.
"I'm so sorry to lay all of this on you, Draco," Hermione whispered, pulling away from him.
Draco held her fast and fixed her with a stern look.
"Granger," he said firmly, "do NOT feel bad laying this on me. I'm your mate, your partner, your rock. You're supposed to share your burdens with me, that's how this works."
Hermione smiled at him through her tears and gave him a sweet kiss. Draco returned her affection with equal fervency and tried to down his guilt with the sensation. Hermione's small hands came up to cup his mouth as she deepened the kiss, and Draco felt himself moaning at the sensation of her tongue tentatively entering his mouth. His Veela was jumping up and down in happiness.
However, Draco knew that now was not the time to start this. She was not ready. Draco knew that Hermione understood that they could not make love until they were ready to start the mating process; sex was not just going to be sex with her. It would be their eternal bonding, and it must be handled with care. Draco wanted her to be absolutely sure. He wanted her to want him.
He wanted her to love him unconditionally, as he was starting to do her.
Because, once she made that decision, there was nothing that could stop it from happening. There would be nothing that could tear them apart.
There would be no going back.
Draco refused to tie her to him until she was certain.
Reluctantly, Draco pulled back from her attention and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks. He smiled at her soft and whisper.
"Oh, my sweet mate, your heart is so pure and so giving. I could not be more lucky to be fated to someone with a more pure spirit," Draco purred, feeling his Veela slightly influence the amount of romance he put in his words.
His Veela was SUCH a sap.
Hermione giggle nestled into Draco's lap, enjoying the warmth his body was giving her. They sat there for a while in complete silence, disgusting what they had learned about one another. Hermione knew that she had given Draco a huge piece of her today; she rarely told anyone about her parents. She felt that he understood the significance of her telling him, and that he appreciated the trust she instilled in him. She could feel the wonder and gratitude radiating from him.
Hermione briefly wondered if she would always feel his emotions this intensely.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Draco cleared his throat.
"Darling, as much as I love spending time with you, I am starting to get numb from the cold. We should probably head back to the castle."
Hermione nodded and stood, holding out her hand to pull Draco up alongside her. She stood back up on her tiptoes to give him another sweet kiss, before she helped his pack up the remainder of their lunch.
Finally, she turned to him and said reproachfully, "While I enjoyed our little ride more than I thought I would, could we possibly stay on the ground on the way back?"
Hermione truly looked so terrified, so Draco simply chuckled and nodded.
"Okay, but don't think I won't get you back on my broomstick eventually, Miss Granger," he joked, waggling his eyebrows to make the double entendre clear.
Hermione threw her head back and laughed. She shook her head at him and teased him back.
"Oh, but Mr. Malfoy, you would have to catch me first!" she yelled and began sprinting towards the castle.
Draco smiled so big it almost hurt. She looked so beautiful in the morning sun, her curls glistening, eyes full of laughter. His heart swelled.
Without wasting too much time but giving Hermione enough time to get a head start, Draco shrunk his broom and the basket to fit into his pocket and took off towards the castle after his mate.
A/N: Awww, aren't these two just the cutest?
Okay, first I just want to tell you that the murtlap comment was inspired by the fact that I rewatched Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them recently.
Secondly, I am looking for someone to make fanart for this fanfiction. It would be absolutely fantastic, and I would definitely give you all the credit.
Thirdly, this chapter really ran away from me and got super long. This is exactly why I wanted to make it its own chapter. There was so much emotion, and it really just needed to be on its own. It would not have fit well with the previous chapter. So, you all get a longer chapter than you're used to!
Finally, don't forget that I am taking requests for one-shots and short stories, as well as full length fanfics. Please don't hesitate to message me or comment ideas!
I am going to try to have the next chapter out as soon as possible. I have started a new job at the hospital, and I am not sure how busy it will be. I will always try to have a few chapters written out ahead of time in case I have a busy week coming up.