Disclaimer: Forgot one for last chapter. Sorry.
When the lost find a name worth believing in And the falling get back onto their feet And the broken start to dream again And the sound of fun fills these streets You'll know it's here
Yes... the disclaimer is here. That means that, even though I am here, and have placed these words here, I own not one of the ideals, which have also been placed, by me, here. Just keep that in mind. I know half the time my disclaimers don't make any sense, but that's just fine with me.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE: Apprehensive Arousal
Draco lay awake with Hermione asleep on his chest, neither wearing more than bed sheets. He held his hand over her shoulder, rubbing gently with his thumb, his thoughts on nothing but her.
She had cried. Not like Selene, but ultimately, she had. Draco knew he hadn't hurt Hermione, but he couldn't help but be worried. What would she say when she woke up? Would she regret it? He couldn't say for sure if he did or not. Right now, he didn't; in the same situation, he would have done the same thing, but if Hermione regretted it... **I'll never forgive myself,** he thought, the worry churning in his stomach. He kissed her head lightly, wanting to make sure he knew what he had risked. Hermione's trust was handing by a thread, and all he could do was wait.
Hermione smiled as she felt the kiss. Unbeknownst to Draco, she had been awake for a few minutes, just taking in and enjoying the situation; she didn't know of the turmoil he was inflicting on himself. Hermione didn't regret last night, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She felt Draco take a semi-deep breath and let it out in a slow sigh. Hermione knew he was awake; she doubted if he had ever even gone to sleep. Taking a deep breath herself, Hermione alerted Draco of her state of being and shifted a little.
"Good morning, Hermione," he said with a smile. Hermione hadn't called him Ace once throughout their act, and in return he hadn't called her Mia. She smiled too, loving to just hear him talking, then pushed herself up a little to look at him.
"Hey," she said with a wide smile. Hermione noticed how happy Draco seemed, but also picked out a bit of unease in his eyes. A wave of panic washed over her; that was not something she wanted to see first thing this morning. Draco seemed to be ignoring the feeling and kept a large smile on his face.
"Alright?" he asked when she said nothing more and Hermione smiled, stretching her arm across his chest.
"I'm better than alright," she said and Draco seemed to relax a little. Hermione saw the unease that had scared her be overcome with pure and complete happiness. Her discomfort went away as well, glad he was just worried about how she felt.
Draco felt incredibly good as he heard Hermione's answer. Now that he knew that she didn't regret what they had done, everything seemed right. She smiled and pushed herself up to meet his lips, gently reassuring him that she was in no way disappointed.
"I love you," Hermione whispered when the kiss ended and Draco kissed her again, then moved the hand not on her shoulder to play with hair. Hermione smiled and laid her head back on his chest, squeezing him close.
"I love you too, Hermione," he reminded her and Hermione smiled.
"I'm sorry I cried," she said, closing her eyes and letting her lips brush against his bare chest. Draco was surprised at her apology, wondering why she would think it was needed. This wasn't the first time he suspected she may be able to read his mind.
"What?" he asked, letting his fingers slide over her hair.
"I saw the way you looked at me, I know what you were thinking," she told him, running her hand back over his chest. Draco kissed her head again, but otherwise made no notice of her comment. "I didn't mean it," she assured him. "Not like that..."
"I know, love. It's alright," he told her and kissed her hair once more. Hermione smiled and trailed her fingertips lightly over his skin. She kissed his chest again, not wanting to do anything but be with him. Draco smiled and closed his eyes for a moment.
"I can't believe we did that," Hermione said with a smile. "And you were surprised that I let you carry me."
"Do you regret it?" Draco asked, fairly sure that she didn't, but wanting to hear her say so.
"Hell no," she said and turned her head up to smile at him. Draco let out a breath and grinned as well.
"Good," he said and hugged her to him. Hermione pushed herself up for another quick kiss.
"You thought I would? Why would you think that... do you?" she asked, looking more sorrowful than anything else. Draco opened his mouth, not sure how to get smoothly through this.
"No, love, I just wanted to make sure. I haven't exactly had good luck with women in that department," he explained and Hermione smiled, then gave him another kiss. She settled her head back on his chest and Draco ran the hand which rested on her shoulder down her side and across her back. Hermione remained still and silent for a while, paying close attention to Draco's touch, periodically kissing his chest and sliding her fingertips over his skin. Draco was as happy with the position as she was and closed his eyes, loving the feeling of her small frame on top of him. Together they just rested, enjoying each other, for almost half an hour. Then Hermione took a deep sigh.
"I don't want to move," she complained, lifting herself up and holding the sheet against her chest.
"No one said you had to," Draco said, trying to pull her back to him. Hermione smiled and gave him a quick kiss.
"We can't stay like this forever, as much as I'd like to," Hermione told him and paused for a moment before sitting up, still holding the sheet over her. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed again before reaching for her wand on the bed table. Hermione dressed herself with a spell and got out of bed, much to Draco's disappointment.
"Why not?" he asked, a bit post-maturely, as Hermione rounded the bed. She smiled and sat on the edge beside him. Draco put an innocent hand on her thigh and smiled.
"Do you realize how much of a risk it was staying like that as long as we did? I mean, what if Pomfrey came to check on me and found us? She'd put me in the hospital wing until the start of term and you wouldn't be visiting," she pointed out, placing her hand on his chest and leaning in.
"You worry too much. She would've knocked," Draco retorted with a smirk and Hermione smiled.
"Not necessarily," she said.
"She did last time," Draco pointed out.
"She didn't know the password last time."
"And she does now?" he asked, a little surprised. Hermione nodded.
"She made me tell her, don't ask why... I think she found it amusing," Hermione confessed, trying to keep her smile. "And what about Snape?"
"What ABOUT Snape?" Draco asked, a little suspicious. Hermione smirked.
"If his alarms went off when you kissed me, imagine what they were doing last night," she explained and laughed at the horrified look on Draco's face. She leaned down and kissed him, turning his lips back into a smile.
"That's so revolting how he can just monitor somebody like that. I feel violated," Draco said, smiling at Hermione, only a few inches away.
"Do you really think he's monitoring us?" she asked, sounding more curious than scared.
"There are charms that would work," Draco said with a shrug. Hermione shook her head.
"Now I feel violated, and it's an eerily familiar feeling," she told him with a slight frown, remembering Harry and Ron for the first time in what seemed like forever. Draco sat up and pulled her into a hug. She smiled and accepted it, not about to say no to getting closer to him.
Draco kissed her shoulder and held her, not wanting to be the one to pull away. Hermione seemed to know this and held him tight for a moment before pulling back. She was smiling and Draco was glad. He didn't want her unhappy, especially this morning.
Hermione stood from the bed and Draco rested his head on her hip. Hermione held it in place for a moment, running her fingers into his hair, then pulled herself away, moving toward the door. Draco smiled when she looked back; it seemed as if nothing had changed between them and Draco was grateful. That had been his biggest concern after hurting her; that her so- called love was just a near desperate desire to sleep with him, but Draco knew deep down that Hermione did love him and he hated himself for ever doubting her.
He flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes. Draco wanted her back, close again. He stayed there for an extended moment, then took a deep sigh and made to get out of bed, following Hermione's example and grabbing his wand from he bed table. He waited a moment and ran a hand through his mangled hair, then paused with a smirk. He dressed himself and walked calmly into the common room.
Surprisingly, Hermione hadn't intercepted the shower yet and was, in fact, back on the floor, sifting through her notes. Draco smiled.
"Look, love. I'm wearing shorts," he said and Hermione looked up with a smile.
"That doesn't count," she said, eying Draco, who was wearing a white t- shirt and black boxer shorts.
"Why not? You can see my knees," he pointed out and Hermione nodded slightly.
"That's very true," she said, then smiled. "And you said you had unattractive legs."
"No, I said they weren't as attractive as yours," he corrected her and walked farther into the common room. Hermione smiled as he walked closer, nearing the couch she leaned against.
"I dare say you'd look rather odd with my legs, Ace," she said smartly, a smirk on her face. Draco smiled and knelt down beside her.
"Not if they're wrapped around me," he whispered and Hermione laughed. She turned to face him and Draco kissed her. "Don't you want the shower, Mia?" he asked and Hermione smiled.
"No, you can have it. I don't want to wash all that away just yet," she said, a smile on her face. Draco kissed her again, a little longer this time. He waited a moment, then stood, continuing to look down at Hermione. She smiled, then turned back to her papers. Draco internally shrugged and decided that he might as well take up her offer; he certainly didn't want to go back to reading the Apparation information.
A cheerful sigh and Draco started to the bathroom, smiling back at Hermione, who had looked up to watch him leave. She fought back an urge as the door closed behind her leg-baring lover and waited for the water to be turned on before she jumped up and pelted for her room.
* * * * * * * * * *
Draco exited the bathroom and looked up to see an empty common room, complete with Hermione's pile of closed books and blank parchment. He felt a little prick of panic; it was unlike her to not have done any work at all. Draco was about to call out for her, but a memory stopped him. ** What, I can't even leave the room without permission? NOW you sound like Harry and Ron, Draco,** her voice repeated in his head. It hurt when she had said that, and he would do anything to stop her from even thinking it again.
Instead, Draco walked, almost quickly, to his room and slowly opened the door. He peaked in, hopes dashed at the sight of the empty room.
"Don't do this to me, Hermione..." he muttered to no one. Draco left his door open, not really noticing much; his thoughts were on Hermione alone. Draco stepped up to the door of Hermione's room and moved to once again open it. He hesitated before turning the knob, feeling unbelievably wrong about just entering her room. Draco took a deep breath, feeling torn.
He didn't want to knock and have her think he was still keeping tabs on her, but Draco couldn't just leave it to chance that she might not be in there. He placed his ear to the door, needing to just hear something. It wasn't long before Draco lurched forward, the door opened from underneath him. Hermione giggled when she saw this and Draco blushed a little. She kissed his cheek and smiled.
"Hey," she said, a little giggle incorporated with her words. "What are you doing?" Draco gulped a little, hoping an argument wasn't on the rise. As pretty as Hermione was when she was angry, Draco preferred her happy. He shrugged and tried to put on a convincing smile.
"I didn't want heaven to be the bathroom," he explained, glad for his gift of critical thinking. Hermione's smile brightened and she kissed him, quick and firm on the lips.
She stepped out of his arms, moving back to her pile of papers. Draco smiled; she wasn't angry. Good sign. Hermione looked up at him from her cross-legged position on the couch. She smirked. "Don't think I don't know what you were doing," she told him and Draco's smile fell a little, but it perked back up when he realized that she was smiling. Draco sighed and walked to sit beside Hermione on the couch, no more than a cushion between them.
"Sorry, I can't help it. Why were you in there, anyway? You hardly ever go in your room," he asked, relaxing his shoulders into a slouch, head bent in something like shame for his behavior.
"Oh, should I have left a note?" she asked and Draco looked to her, unable to tell from her voice if she was angry or not. Hermione was smiling and looking affectionately at him.
"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks," he said and smirked. Hermione shook her head and looked down at the closed packets in her lap, then back to Draco.
"Well, I see THAT lasted a long time," she said, smirking a little.
"What?"
"Your shorts, Mr. My-legs-aren't-as-attractive-as-yours." Draco smirked.
"Technically, I'm still wearing shorts. As a matter of fact, I'm always wearing them," he said and Hermione smiled.
"Good to know. If by some freak coincidence we end up in a high stakes game of strip-poker today, you're on my team," she concluded and Draco shook his head. Hermione shrugged and turned back to her packet, still closed on her lap.
"Do they even HAVE teams in poker?" he asked, rather absent mindedly, head on the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. Hermione smiled and let out a quiet giggle.
"No," she said and frowned as she ran her hand over the cover of her packet. Then she lifted the book off her lap and tossed it casually onto the floor. It made a muffled clunk as it hit the stone and Draco quickly looked up to see what the dis-peace was caused by. His eyes went first to the floor, then to Hermione, who was smiling at him, hand still held suspended over the edge of the couch.
"Draco," she said, dropping her hand to her lap. "What do YOU want to do today?" she asked; a sweet smile on her lips that toyed with Draco's mind.
"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her, not sure what she was hinting at.
"Exactly what I said. When was the last time you did something for yourself? I'm glad that you care about me and want me to be happy, but it's okay to be selfish once in a while. Don't be afraid to ask me for things, Draco, I want to be there for you like you are for me," Hermione explained, looking cheery and pretty as well as serious. Draco blinked in surprise.
"No one has ever really asked me that before," he said, shocked at the simple statement which turned his world view upside down. Hermione reached her hand across to his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Well, I'm asking you now. What do you want?" she asked, smiling. Draco looked almost shocked and didn't know what to say. He turned his head away, mouth slightly open and eyes looking thoughtfully.
Hermione smiled. This was probably going to take a little while and her staring at him couldn't be helping. She leaned over, deliberately putting pressure on his knee, and kissed Draco's cheek.
"Think about it," she whispered, followed by another slow and gentle peck. Hermione kept her hand on Draco's knee as she stood, then let it slide off as she turned away. Draco picked his head up to watch her go and Hermione smiled back at him before she entered the bathroom.
* * * * * * * * * *
Showered, dressed, and ready for just about anything, Hermione exited the bathroom feeling happy and excited. She had no way to determine what Draco might want to do, or was even sure he would answer her, but the ignorance was enticing. She found him on the couch, in almost the exact position, the classic look of shock still apparent on his face. Hermione giggled and walked back over to the couch, this time sitting much closer to him. He looked up at her when he felt her touch him and she smiled.
"Hey," she said and pecked his cheek again. "Are you alright?" Draco smiled at her question and made a slight nod before sweeping her into a sudden and deep kiss. Hermione was taken by surprise, but it didn't take her long to get into it, and she giggled as it ended. "I guess so," she said with a smile, opening her eyes to look at him. Hermione swung her legs over one of his, leaning against the couch and Draco moved his arm over her to lie on the back of the sofa. Hermione rested her head on his arm and smiled before closing her eyes and moving her hand to Draco's chest, happy just to be casually close to him.
Draco just watched her, looking as if he were surprised that she was even there.
"Why are you so good to me?" he asked, almost in a whisper. Hermione's smile dropped a little and she opened her eyes again. Draco was smiling and whatever worry Hermione held was diminished .
"I'm sorry," she said and closed her eyes, snuggling into him a little.
"Hermione... no one, never...not even my-" he started, but Hermione stopped him.
"Shh..." she whispered, lifting her head to meet eyes with him and touching her lips to his. "You're mine, you know that don't you?" Hermione asked, her lips still close enough to brush against his as she spoke.
"I know," he agreed, not about to deny something so obvious. Hermione smiled and kissed him again, this time longer.
"Good. I won't do wrong by you, Draco. I promise," she said, keeping her eyes closed and her lips close.
"Nor I, you, Hermione," Draco said, also under whatever passion inflicted trance Hermione was victim to. They shared another kiss, this one not as shallow. When they broke apart for the third time, Hermione pulled back a little, resting her head on his arm.
As before, Draco just watched her, happily cuddled to his chest, and was once again surprised with how incredibly light she was. He took a deep breath and pulled his arm around her shoulders. Hermione squirmed a little at his touch and smiled.
"Can I have you?" he asked, gently pulling her close. Hermione snuggled into him and turned her head up, lips close to his ear.
"I'll always be yours," she told him in a whisper. Draco smiled, feeling unbelievably warm and happy, her words like liquid immortality, making him feel as if nothing would ever go wrong as long as that statement held true.
"I love you, Hermione," he told her and she smiled, loving every time he said those words. "So much it hurts sometimes," he finished, kissing her head as she moved it down again.
"Everybody hurts sometimes."
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, Mia?" Draco asked, almost suddenly. Both he and Hermione were in the common room, a few hours since they had awoken. Hermione sat at one end of the couch, cross-legged and reading, while Draco sat at the other end, holding a book but finding himself unable to concentrate on it. Hermione lifted her head a little, but didn't take her eyes off the text.
"Hm?" she said in response, still scanning the page.
"Do you want to go flying with me?" Now Hermione smiled and her eyes stopped, but she still didn't look up.
"Sure," she said casually and Hermione could almost feel the happiness coming from Draco in waves. He smiled, excitedly, and Hermione looked over to him, closing her book. "That wasn't so hard, now, was it?" she asked, a sweet smirk playing on her lips. Draco seemed to think about it, then answered as if he were surprised himself.
"Actually, it was. Not asking, but... thinking of something. In case you didn't notice, it took hours," he pointed out and Hermione made a surprised laugh.
"You were thinking about that this whole time? I thought you'd forgotten, or were just too stubborn to tell me. You DO know that you're holding that book upside-down, right?" Hermione asked with a smirk. Draco looked as if he hadn't heard her and simply placed the book beside him on the couch.
"Yes, I was. That's incredibly pathetic. Hours of contemplation and flying was the best I could come up with," Draco decided, his smile dropping on one side.
"But Draco, you love flying," Hermione argued, placing a hand on Draco's knee again and he smiled.
"I do, but how did you know that, love?" he asked, but not accusingly. Hermione innocently shrugged one shoulder.
"I've seen you fly before, Ace. Never are you happier than when you're airborne," she said, then paused. "Well, maybe with the exception of last night. You know, there never used to be anything in your eyes but hatred and coldness. Except when you were flying. Then, something changed, and there was nothing in them, just emptiness. I'm not sure if that's better, really... but even then, they changed when you were flying. And now, almost suddenly, you let them bare everything. I know what you're feeling even when you're not paying attention. I can't imagine how flying will affect them," she explained and smiled widely, waiting for a reaction.
"Wow, you've paid pretty close attention, haven't you?" Draco said in surprise and Hermione giggled.
"Sort of, but it was rather obvious. So, are we going or not? We're losing daylight," she said and stood, dropping her book on the couch.
"Sure Mia, but there's still about eight hours of daylight; I don't think you have to worry," Draco pointed out and Hermione smiled, then bent down for a quick kiss.
"Unless it takes me sixteen times longer to prepare for flying than it did for our date," she reasoned before walking to her room. Draco smiled and watched her go, then summoned his necessities from his room.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Do you fly, Mia? I don't think I've ever seen you," Draco asked as they walked to the Quidditch pitch, holding hands as always. Hermione shrugged a little.
"Only when I have to. I'm not very good; I can go pretty fast, but not very high, and my crappy broom doesn't really help much," she said with a smile. Draco smirked a little and kissed her cheek for no reason other than that he wanted to.
"I guess I know what to get you for Christmas then, don't I?" he said and Hermione shook her head.
"No; don't. I'll never use it; I'm scared to death," she said, shuddering a little.
"You're scared and you still want to go with me?" Draco asked, sounding slightly suspicious as well as surprised. Hermione nodded and looked up at him, smiling. Draco kissed her ear and Hermione smiled.
"I don't think I'll be scared this time," she said, bringing her unoccupied hand to cover the other, which was still clasped in Draco's. He smiled and kissed her again behind the ear.
Draco opened the gate for her as they entered the Quidditch arena and Hermione ran a finger down his cheek as she walked past, smiling. Draco followed and took her hand again, leading her to the Slytherin broom shed.
"Hey, didn't you leave your broom in the forest when..." Hermione started, but trailed off before she could finish and Draco squeezed her hand in comfort.
"Yep," he said, letting her hand go and stepping up to the doors.
"Well, what are we going to do; steal one?" she asked, but Draco chuckled a little and shook his head.
"Gryffindor," he said and the shed doors in front of him swung open. "I have more than one, Hermione," he said without looking back to her. Draco walked into the shed as if he owned it and Hermione cautiously followed.
"The password is Gryffindor? I wouldn't have guessed that," she stated, walking up to Draco, who was kneeling in front of a large trunk with the letters DM embossed on the lid in silver. **This was a lot less fun the last time I was doing it,** Draco thought, remembering the night he had forgotten that broom in the forest.
"I think that was the point, love," he said and opened the trunk with ease, the many locks popping open at his touch. Inside were three layers of brooms. The bottom- school issued Clean Sweep and his various low class Nimbuses, the center- higher Nimbuses and other top speed brooms, and on the top, alone, laid one, blue tinted, Cirrus XP, by far the most expensive broom in the box. Hermione's mouth opened a bit at the sight, shocked at the numerous brooms which outranked hers by miles.
"Wow. Now, 'crappy' seems like an underexaggeration," she said and Draco smiled, standing and grabbing the Cirrus.
"I don't think underexaggeration is a word," he pointed out, but Hermione was concentrating on the broom in his hand.
"No, I can not ride that one; it's far too expensive," she stated, eyes on the broom. Draco looked down at it as well, then shrugged.
"Not really; only about a twenty-fifth of my inheritance," he said and pulled the broom completely from the chest. Hermione jumped as the lid automatically snapped closed with a loud bang and the locks clicked shut again.
"Oh, sorry Mia. I should have warned you; are you alright?" Draco asked, placing a hand on her arm.
"Fine," she peeped, her voice a little high, with a smile, hand on her chest. Draco smiled and kissed her before taking her hand and turning to leave. Hermione took one last look at the interior of the shed, taking in every thing from the dark green paint and stone floor to the rows of trunks and closets which lined the walls. Draco's was by far the best made broom receptacle. **And I'd guess the best made broom as well,** Hermione thought with a prick of unease. She really didn't want to ride that particular broom; she'd never heard of a faster model, and, knowing Draco, if it was the best he owned, there wasn't better one.
Although they hadn't been in the shed for more than ten minutes, it was substantially darker outside than it had been when the two had entered. Hermione smiled.
"See, I TOLD you we were losing daylight," she said smartly.
"I stand corrected," Draco admitted, sounding disappointed. Hermione turned to him, noticing immediately that he wasn't smiling.
"Hey, I thought you liked rain," she said, keeping her smile only to let him know that the weather change didn't bother her. Draco turned his head in her direction and donned a smile that matched her own.
"You still want to go?" he asked and Hermione nodded, causing Draco to practically radiate happiness again. Hermione kissed his cheek and started toward the open field, pulling him behind her.
A/N. I stopped here because here marks eleven pages, and I usually only have like ten, with some exceptions. Thanx for reading! How will this flying thing go? Will Snape catch them AGAIN? What next, love or war? We shall see, I do decree.
PRF: I wasn't going to post today, but there we so many wonderful reviews, I though you deserved a reward! Yippie! Funnily enough, almost all the reviews say nearly the same thing! But that's not bad! Thanx to:
Daisy, DracoLuver, Bitter Sanity, tf-chica-824, Sweet Sorrow, Nikki, JoeBob1379, Malfoy, Karly, Envision, Belle, and Hannah Grey.
Yes, I agree on the no-smut thing. Thanx for all the support!
Starry Skies: Yes, I thought so too... plus, I REALLY didn't want to even attempt to do that. Thanx! You're always so nice to me!
Iccess - America: I'm not exactly sure what your trying to tell me here, but I apologize if you are board with my story :o( it's not supposed to be boring! And what's this about snow? You find snow annoying? Oh, boy... :o(
Eliel Radragon: Thanx, and I don't know how I do it so fast... I think it has something to do with never paying attention in class, neglecting my homework, and staying up til at least 11, 2 or so on weekends, every night.... but it's all for the better! Lol. I take my notebook everywhere; it's like my bible or something, lol. And I like their nicknames too. I've gotten both positive and negative feedback on that, but I think the names suite them well, and I'm not changing them. Sorry to anyone that upsets. And I will always and forever keep updating. I hope to finish up this story soon, though, and start work on the sequel, which I keep getting ideas for, but won't allow myself to write until this is completed. Hehe... Oh, and just so you know, I'm a girl, lol. I'd have to say that I'd make one interesting male, though, hehe...
Lirawen: This is just stupid. All I have to say, is that I'm happy that a common hatred of my story and my backers has brought you a new friend. I hope you and j are very happy together.
When the lost find a name worth believing in And the falling get back onto their feet And the broken start to dream again And the sound of fun fills these streets You'll know it's here
Yes... the disclaimer is here. That means that, even though I am here, and have placed these words here, I own not one of the ideals, which have also been placed, by me, here. Just keep that in mind. I know half the time my disclaimers don't make any sense, but that's just fine with me.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE: Apprehensive Arousal
Draco lay awake with Hermione asleep on his chest, neither wearing more than bed sheets. He held his hand over her shoulder, rubbing gently with his thumb, his thoughts on nothing but her.
She had cried. Not like Selene, but ultimately, she had. Draco knew he hadn't hurt Hermione, but he couldn't help but be worried. What would she say when she woke up? Would she regret it? He couldn't say for sure if he did or not. Right now, he didn't; in the same situation, he would have done the same thing, but if Hermione regretted it... **I'll never forgive myself,** he thought, the worry churning in his stomach. He kissed her head lightly, wanting to make sure he knew what he had risked. Hermione's trust was handing by a thread, and all he could do was wait.
Hermione smiled as she felt the kiss. Unbeknownst to Draco, she had been awake for a few minutes, just taking in and enjoying the situation; she didn't know of the turmoil he was inflicting on himself. Hermione didn't regret last night, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She felt Draco take a semi-deep breath and let it out in a slow sigh. Hermione knew he was awake; she doubted if he had ever even gone to sleep. Taking a deep breath herself, Hermione alerted Draco of her state of being and shifted a little.
"Good morning, Hermione," he said with a smile. Hermione hadn't called him Ace once throughout their act, and in return he hadn't called her Mia. She smiled too, loving to just hear him talking, then pushed herself up a little to look at him.
"Hey," she said with a wide smile. Hermione noticed how happy Draco seemed, but also picked out a bit of unease in his eyes. A wave of panic washed over her; that was not something she wanted to see first thing this morning. Draco seemed to be ignoring the feeling and kept a large smile on his face.
"Alright?" he asked when she said nothing more and Hermione smiled, stretching her arm across his chest.
"I'm better than alright," she said and Draco seemed to relax a little. Hermione saw the unease that had scared her be overcome with pure and complete happiness. Her discomfort went away as well, glad he was just worried about how she felt.
Draco felt incredibly good as he heard Hermione's answer. Now that he knew that she didn't regret what they had done, everything seemed right. She smiled and pushed herself up to meet his lips, gently reassuring him that she was in no way disappointed.
"I love you," Hermione whispered when the kiss ended and Draco kissed her again, then moved the hand not on her shoulder to play with hair. Hermione smiled and laid her head back on his chest, squeezing him close.
"I love you too, Hermione," he reminded her and Hermione smiled.
"I'm sorry I cried," she said, closing her eyes and letting her lips brush against his bare chest. Draco was surprised at her apology, wondering why she would think it was needed. This wasn't the first time he suspected she may be able to read his mind.
"What?" he asked, letting his fingers slide over her hair.
"I saw the way you looked at me, I know what you were thinking," she told him, running her hand back over his chest. Draco kissed her head again, but otherwise made no notice of her comment. "I didn't mean it," she assured him. "Not like that..."
"I know, love. It's alright," he told her and kissed her hair once more. Hermione smiled and trailed her fingertips lightly over his skin. She kissed his chest again, not wanting to do anything but be with him. Draco smiled and closed his eyes for a moment.
"I can't believe we did that," Hermione said with a smile. "And you were surprised that I let you carry me."
"Do you regret it?" Draco asked, fairly sure that she didn't, but wanting to hear her say so.
"Hell no," she said and turned her head up to smile at him. Draco let out a breath and grinned as well.
"Good," he said and hugged her to him. Hermione pushed herself up for another quick kiss.
"You thought I would? Why would you think that... do you?" she asked, looking more sorrowful than anything else. Draco opened his mouth, not sure how to get smoothly through this.
"No, love, I just wanted to make sure. I haven't exactly had good luck with women in that department," he explained and Hermione smiled, then gave him another kiss. She settled her head back on his chest and Draco ran the hand which rested on her shoulder down her side and across her back. Hermione remained still and silent for a while, paying close attention to Draco's touch, periodically kissing his chest and sliding her fingertips over his skin. Draco was as happy with the position as she was and closed his eyes, loving the feeling of her small frame on top of him. Together they just rested, enjoying each other, for almost half an hour. Then Hermione took a deep sigh.
"I don't want to move," she complained, lifting herself up and holding the sheet against her chest.
"No one said you had to," Draco said, trying to pull her back to him. Hermione smiled and gave him a quick kiss.
"We can't stay like this forever, as much as I'd like to," Hermione told him and paused for a moment before sitting up, still holding the sheet over her. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed again before reaching for her wand on the bed table. Hermione dressed herself with a spell and got out of bed, much to Draco's disappointment.
"Why not?" he asked, a bit post-maturely, as Hermione rounded the bed. She smiled and sat on the edge beside him. Draco put an innocent hand on her thigh and smiled.
"Do you realize how much of a risk it was staying like that as long as we did? I mean, what if Pomfrey came to check on me and found us? She'd put me in the hospital wing until the start of term and you wouldn't be visiting," she pointed out, placing her hand on his chest and leaning in.
"You worry too much. She would've knocked," Draco retorted with a smirk and Hermione smiled.
"Not necessarily," she said.
"She did last time," Draco pointed out.
"She didn't know the password last time."
"And she does now?" he asked, a little surprised. Hermione nodded.
"She made me tell her, don't ask why... I think she found it amusing," Hermione confessed, trying to keep her smile. "And what about Snape?"
"What ABOUT Snape?" Draco asked, a little suspicious. Hermione smirked.
"If his alarms went off when you kissed me, imagine what they were doing last night," she explained and laughed at the horrified look on Draco's face. She leaned down and kissed him, turning his lips back into a smile.
"That's so revolting how he can just monitor somebody like that. I feel violated," Draco said, smiling at Hermione, only a few inches away.
"Do you really think he's monitoring us?" she asked, sounding more curious than scared.
"There are charms that would work," Draco said with a shrug. Hermione shook her head.
"Now I feel violated, and it's an eerily familiar feeling," she told him with a slight frown, remembering Harry and Ron for the first time in what seemed like forever. Draco sat up and pulled her into a hug. She smiled and accepted it, not about to say no to getting closer to him.
Draco kissed her shoulder and held her, not wanting to be the one to pull away. Hermione seemed to know this and held him tight for a moment before pulling back. She was smiling and Draco was glad. He didn't want her unhappy, especially this morning.
Hermione stood from the bed and Draco rested his head on her hip. Hermione held it in place for a moment, running her fingers into his hair, then pulled herself away, moving toward the door. Draco smiled when she looked back; it seemed as if nothing had changed between them and Draco was grateful. That had been his biggest concern after hurting her; that her so- called love was just a near desperate desire to sleep with him, but Draco knew deep down that Hermione did love him and he hated himself for ever doubting her.
He flopped back on the bed and closed his eyes. Draco wanted her back, close again. He stayed there for an extended moment, then took a deep sigh and made to get out of bed, following Hermione's example and grabbing his wand from he bed table. He waited a moment and ran a hand through his mangled hair, then paused with a smirk. He dressed himself and walked calmly into the common room.
Surprisingly, Hermione hadn't intercepted the shower yet and was, in fact, back on the floor, sifting through her notes. Draco smiled.
"Look, love. I'm wearing shorts," he said and Hermione looked up with a smile.
"That doesn't count," she said, eying Draco, who was wearing a white t- shirt and black boxer shorts.
"Why not? You can see my knees," he pointed out and Hermione nodded slightly.
"That's very true," she said, then smiled. "And you said you had unattractive legs."
"No, I said they weren't as attractive as yours," he corrected her and walked farther into the common room. Hermione smiled as he walked closer, nearing the couch she leaned against.
"I dare say you'd look rather odd with my legs, Ace," she said smartly, a smirk on her face. Draco smiled and knelt down beside her.
"Not if they're wrapped around me," he whispered and Hermione laughed. She turned to face him and Draco kissed her. "Don't you want the shower, Mia?" he asked and Hermione smiled.
"No, you can have it. I don't want to wash all that away just yet," she said, a smile on her face. Draco kissed her again, a little longer this time. He waited a moment, then stood, continuing to look down at Hermione. She smiled, then turned back to her papers. Draco internally shrugged and decided that he might as well take up her offer; he certainly didn't want to go back to reading the Apparation information.
A cheerful sigh and Draco started to the bathroom, smiling back at Hermione, who had looked up to watch him leave. She fought back an urge as the door closed behind her leg-baring lover and waited for the water to be turned on before she jumped up and pelted for her room.
* * * * * * * * * *
Draco exited the bathroom and looked up to see an empty common room, complete with Hermione's pile of closed books and blank parchment. He felt a little prick of panic; it was unlike her to not have done any work at all. Draco was about to call out for her, but a memory stopped him. ** What, I can't even leave the room without permission? NOW you sound like Harry and Ron, Draco,** her voice repeated in his head. It hurt when she had said that, and he would do anything to stop her from even thinking it again.
Instead, Draco walked, almost quickly, to his room and slowly opened the door. He peaked in, hopes dashed at the sight of the empty room.
"Don't do this to me, Hermione..." he muttered to no one. Draco left his door open, not really noticing much; his thoughts were on Hermione alone. Draco stepped up to the door of Hermione's room and moved to once again open it. He hesitated before turning the knob, feeling unbelievably wrong about just entering her room. Draco took a deep breath, feeling torn.
He didn't want to knock and have her think he was still keeping tabs on her, but Draco couldn't just leave it to chance that she might not be in there. He placed his ear to the door, needing to just hear something. It wasn't long before Draco lurched forward, the door opened from underneath him. Hermione giggled when she saw this and Draco blushed a little. She kissed his cheek and smiled.
"Hey," she said, a little giggle incorporated with her words. "What are you doing?" Draco gulped a little, hoping an argument wasn't on the rise. As pretty as Hermione was when she was angry, Draco preferred her happy. He shrugged and tried to put on a convincing smile.
"I didn't want heaven to be the bathroom," he explained, glad for his gift of critical thinking. Hermione's smile brightened and she kissed him, quick and firm on the lips.
She stepped out of his arms, moving back to her pile of papers. Draco smiled; she wasn't angry. Good sign. Hermione looked up at him from her cross-legged position on the couch. She smirked. "Don't think I don't know what you were doing," she told him and Draco's smile fell a little, but it perked back up when he realized that she was smiling. Draco sighed and walked to sit beside Hermione on the couch, no more than a cushion between them.
"Sorry, I can't help it. Why were you in there, anyway? You hardly ever go in your room," he asked, relaxing his shoulders into a slouch, head bent in something like shame for his behavior.
"Oh, should I have left a note?" she asked and Draco looked to her, unable to tell from her voice if she was angry or not. Hermione was smiling and looking affectionately at him.
"Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks," he said and smirked. Hermione shook her head and looked down at the closed packets in her lap, then back to Draco.
"Well, I see THAT lasted a long time," she said, smirking a little.
"What?"
"Your shorts, Mr. My-legs-aren't-as-attractive-as-yours." Draco smirked.
"Technically, I'm still wearing shorts. As a matter of fact, I'm always wearing them," he said and Hermione smiled.
"Good to know. If by some freak coincidence we end up in a high stakes game of strip-poker today, you're on my team," she concluded and Draco shook his head. Hermione shrugged and turned back to her packet, still closed on her lap.
"Do they even HAVE teams in poker?" he asked, rather absent mindedly, head on the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. Hermione smiled and let out a quiet giggle.
"No," she said and frowned as she ran her hand over the cover of her packet. Then she lifted the book off her lap and tossed it casually onto the floor. It made a muffled clunk as it hit the stone and Draco quickly looked up to see what the dis-peace was caused by. His eyes went first to the floor, then to Hermione, who was smiling at him, hand still held suspended over the edge of the couch.
"Draco," she said, dropping her hand to her lap. "What do YOU want to do today?" she asked; a sweet smile on her lips that toyed with Draco's mind.
"What do you mean?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her, not sure what she was hinting at.
"Exactly what I said. When was the last time you did something for yourself? I'm glad that you care about me and want me to be happy, but it's okay to be selfish once in a while. Don't be afraid to ask me for things, Draco, I want to be there for you like you are for me," Hermione explained, looking cheery and pretty as well as serious. Draco blinked in surprise.
"No one has ever really asked me that before," he said, shocked at the simple statement which turned his world view upside down. Hermione reached her hand across to his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Well, I'm asking you now. What do you want?" she asked, smiling. Draco looked almost shocked and didn't know what to say. He turned his head away, mouth slightly open and eyes looking thoughtfully.
Hermione smiled. This was probably going to take a little while and her staring at him couldn't be helping. She leaned over, deliberately putting pressure on his knee, and kissed Draco's cheek.
"Think about it," she whispered, followed by another slow and gentle peck. Hermione kept her hand on Draco's knee as she stood, then let it slide off as she turned away. Draco picked his head up to watch her go and Hermione smiled back at him before she entered the bathroom.
* * * * * * * * * *
Showered, dressed, and ready for just about anything, Hermione exited the bathroom feeling happy and excited. She had no way to determine what Draco might want to do, or was even sure he would answer her, but the ignorance was enticing. She found him on the couch, in almost the exact position, the classic look of shock still apparent on his face. Hermione giggled and walked back over to the couch, this time sitting much closer to him. He looked up at her when he felt her touch him and she smiled.
"Hey," she said and pecked his cheek again. "Are you alright?" Draco smiled at her question and made a slight nod before sweeping her into a sudden and deep kiss. Hermione was taken by surprise, but it didn't take her long to get into it, and she giggled as it ended. "I guess so," she said with a smile, opening her eyes to look at him. Hermione swung her legs over one of his, leaning against the couch and Draco moved his arm over her to lie on the back of the sofa. Hermione rested her head on his arm and smiled before closing her eyes and moving her hand to Draco's chest, happy just to be casually close to him.
Draco just watched her, looking as if he were surprised that she was even there.
"Why are you so good to me?" he asked, almost in a whisper. Hermione's smile dropped a little and she opened her eyes again. Draco was smiling and whatever worry Hermione held was diminished .
"I'm sorry," she said and closed her eyes, snuggling into him a little.
"Hermione... no one, never...not even my-" he started, but Hermione stopped him.
"Shh..." she whispered, lifting her head to meet eyes with him and touching her lips to his. "You're mine, you know that don't you?" Hermione asked, her lips still close enough to brush against his as she spoke.
"I know," he agreed, not about to deny something so obvious. Hermione smiled and kissed him again, this time longer.
"Good. I won't do wrong by you, Draco. I promise," she said, keeping her eyes closed and her lips close.
"Nor I, you, Hermione," Draco said, also under whatever passion inflicted trance Hermione was victim to. They shared another kiss, this one not as shallow. When they broke apart for the third time, Hermione pulled back a little, resting her head on his arm.
As before, Draco just watched her, happily cuddled to his chest, and was once again surprised with how incredibly light she was. He took a deep breath and pulled his arm around her shoulders. Hermione squirmed a little at his touch and smiled.
"Can I have you?" he asked, gently pulling her close. Hermione snuggled into him and turned her head up, lips close to his ear.
"I'll always be yours," she told him in a whisper. Draco smiled, feeling unbelievably warm and happy, her words like liquid immortality, making him feel as if nothing would ever go wrong as long as that statement held true.
"I love you, Hermione," he told her and she smiled, loving every time he said those words. "So much it hurts sometimes," he finished, kissing her head as she moved it down again.
"Everybody hurts sometimes."
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hey, Mia?" Draco asked, almost suddenly. Both he and Hermione were in the common room, a few hours since they had awoken. Hermione sat at one end of the couch, cross-legged and reading, while Draco sat at the other end, holding a book but finding himself unable to concentrate on it. Hermione lifted her head a little, but didn't take her eyes off the text.
"Hm?" she said in response, still scanning the page.
"Do you want to go flying with me?" Now Hermione smiled and her eyes stopped, but she still didn't look up.
"Sure," she said casually and Hermione could almost feel the happiness coming from Draco in waves. He smiled, excitedly, and Hermione looked over to him, closing her book. "That wasn't so hard, now, was it?" she asked, a sweet smirk playing on her lips. Draco seemed to think about it, then answered as if he were surprised himself.
"Actually, it was. Not asking, but... thinking of something. In case you didn't notice, it took hours," he pointed out and Hermione made a surprised laugh.
"You were thinking about that this whole time? I thought you'd forgotten, or were just too stubborn to tell me. You DO know that you're holding that book upside-down, right?" Hermione asked with a smirk. Draco looked as if he hadn't heard her and simply placed the book beside him on the couch.
"Yes, I was. That's incredibly pathetic. Hours of contemplation and flying was the best I could come up with," Draco decided, his smile dropping on one side.
"But Draco, you love flying," Hermione argued, placing a hand on Draco's knee again and he smiled.
"I do, but how did you know that, love?" he asked, but not accusingly. Hermione innocently shrugged one shoulder.
"I've seen you fly before, Ace. Never are you happier than when you're airborne," she said, then paused. "Well, maybe with the exception of last night. You know, there never used to be anything in your eyes but hatred and coldness. Except when you were flying. Then, something changed, and there was nothing in them, just emptiness. I'm not sure if that's better, really... but even then, they changed when you were flying. And now, almost suddenly, you let them bare everything. I know what you're feeling even when you're not paying attention. I can't imagine how flying will affect them," she explained and smiled widely, waiting for a reaction.
"Wow, you've paid pretty close attention, haven't you?" Draco said in surprise and Hermione giggled.
"Sort of, but it was rather obvious. So, are we going or not? We're losing daylight," she said and stood, dropping her book on the couch.
"Sure Mia, but there's still about eight hours of daylight; I don't think you have to worry," Draco pointed out and Hermione smiled, then bent down for a quick kiss.
"Unless it takes me sixteen times longer to prepare for flying than it did for our date," she reasoned before walking to her room. Draco smiled and watched her go, then summoned his necessities from his room.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Do you fly, Mia? I don't think I've ever seen you," Draco asked as they walked to the Quidditch pitch, holding hands as always. Hermione shrugged a little.
"Only when I have to. I'm not very good; I can go pretty fast, but not very high, and my crappy broom doesn't really help much," she said with a smile. Draco smirked a little and kissed her cheek for no reason other than that he wanted to.
"I guess I know what to get you for Christmas then, don't I?" he said and Hermione shook her head.
"No; don't. I'll never use it; I'm scared to death," she said, shuddering a little.
"You're scared and you still want to go with me?" Draco asked, sounding slightly suspicious as well as surprised. Hermione nodded and looked up at him, smiling. Draco kissed her ear and Hermione smiled.
"I don't think I'll be scared this time," she said, bringing her unoccupied hand to cover the other, which was still clasped in Draco's. He smiled and kissed her again behind the ear.
Draco opened the gate for her as they entered the Quidditch arena and Hermione ran a finger down his cheek as she walked past, smiling. Draco followed and took her hand again, leading her to the Slytherin broom shed.
"Hey, didn't you leave your broom in the forest when..." Hermione started, but trailed off before she could finish and Draco squeezed her hand in comfort.
"Yep," he said, letting her hand go and stepping up to the doors.
"Well, what are we going to do; steal one?" she asked, but Draco chuckled a little and shook his head.
"Gryffindor," he said and the shed doors in front of him swung open. "I have more than one, Hermione," he said without looking back to her. Draco walked into the shed as if he owned it and Hermione cautiously followed.
"The password is Gryffindor? I wouldn't have guessed that," she stated, walking up to Draco, who was kneeling in front of a large trunk with the letters DM embossed on the lid in silver. **This was a lot less fun the last time I was doing it,** Draco thought, remembering the night he had forgotten that broom in the forest.
"I think that was the point, love," he said and opened the trunk with ease, the many locks popping open at his touch. Inside were three layers of brooms. The bottom- school issued Clean Sweep and his various low class Nimbuses, the center- higher Nimbuses and other top speed brooms, and on the top, alone, laid one, blue tinted, Cirrus XP, by far the most expensive broom in the box. Hermione's mouth opened a bit at the sight, shocked at the numerous brooms which outranked hers by miles.
"Wow. Now, 'crappy' seems like an underexaggeration," she said and Draco smiled, standing and grabbing the Cirrus.
"I don't think underexaggeration is a word," he pointed out, but Hermione was concentrating on the broom in his hand.
"No, I can not ride that one; it's far too expensive," she stated, eyes on the broom. Draco looked down at it as well, then shrugged.
"Not really; only about a twenty-fifth of my inheritance," he said and pulled the broom completely from the chest. Hermione jumped as the lid automatically snapped closed with a loud bang and the locks clicked shut again.
"Oh, sorry Mia. I should have warned you; are you alright?" Draco asked, placing a hand on her arm.
"Fine," she peeped, her voice a little high, with a smile, hand on her chest. Draco smiled and kissed her before taking her hand and turning to leave. Hermione took one last look at the interior of the shed, taking in every thing from the dark green paint and stone floor to the rows of trunks and closets which lined the walls. Draco's was by far the best made broom receptacle. **And I'd guess the best made broom as well,** Hermione thought with a prick of unease. She really didn't want to ride that particular broom; she'd never heard of a faster model, and, knowing Draco, if it was the best he owned, there wasn't better one.
Although they hadn't been in the shed for more than ten minutes, it was substantially darker outside than it had been when the two had entered. Hermione smiled.
"See, I TOLD you we were losing daylight," she said smartly.
"I stand corrected," Draco admitted, sounding disappointed. Hermione turned to him, noticing immediately that he wasn't smiling.
"Hey, I thought you liked rain," she said, keeping her smile only to let him know that the weather change didn't bother her. Draco turned his head in her direction and donned a smile that matched her own.
"You still want to go?" he asked and Hermione nodded, causing Draco to practically radiate happiness again. Hermione kissed his cheek and started toward the open field, pulling him behind her.
A/N. I stopped here because here marks eleven pages, and I usually only have like ten, with some exceptions. Thanx for reading! How will this flying thing go? Will Snape catch them AGAIN? What next, love or war? We shall see, I do decree.
PRF: I wasn't going to post today, but there we so many wonderful reviews, I though you deserved a reward! Yippie! Funnily enough, almost all the reviews say nearly the same thing! But that's not bad! Thanx to:
Daisy, DracoLuver, Bitter Sanity, tf-chica-824, Sweet Sorrow, Nikki, JoeBob1379, Malfoy, Karly, Envision, Belle, and Hannah Grey.
Yes, I agree on the no-smut thing. Thanx for all the support!
Starry Skies: Yes, I thought so too... plus, I REALLY didn't want to even attempt to do that. Thanx! You're always so nice to me!
Iccess - America: I'm not exactly sure what your trying to tell me here, but I apologize if you are board with my story :o( it's not supposed to be boring! And what's this about snow? You find snow annoying? Oh, boy... :o(
Eliel Radragon: Thanx, and I don't know how I do it so fast... I think it has something to do with never paying attention in class, neglecting my homework, and staying up til at least 11, 2 or so on weekends, every night.... but it's all for the better! Lol. I take my notebook everywhere; it's like my bible or something, lol. And I like their nicknames too. I've gotten both positive and negative feedback on that, but I think the names suite them well, and I'm not changing them. Sorry to anyone that upsets. And I will always and forever keep updating. I hope to finish up this story soon, though, and start work on the sequel, which I keep getting ideas for, but won't allow myself to write until this is completed. Hehe... Oh, and just so you know, I'm a girl, lol. I'd have to say that I'd make one interesting male, though, hehe...
Lirawen: This is just stupid. All I have to say, is that I'm happy that a common hatred of my story and my backers has brought you a new friend. I hope you and j are very happy together.
