And onward we move, voyagers.
***
A tall, graceful young woman collapsed into a chair at The Three Broomsticks, drawing the attention of the majority of the patrons. She propped her chin in her hands, staring out the window beside her without bothering to go to the bar for anything to drink first. A man, sitting just a few tables away, looked her over curiously, his green eyes glittering. He brushed back his messy black hair, looking her over. Something about her was familiar to him, and it was nagging at the back of mind. He had seen her, or someone that resembled her, before. He just couldnt place where.
When she turned suddenly, and locked her silvery-grey eyes onto his, he gasped. And he knew.
***
The first few weeks back to school, as always, passed in a blur for Hermione. Sleep, eat, go to class, eat, do homework, sleep. And then it would start all over again. Hermione was always pleased with the amount of homework given out to her, unlike Ron and Harry, but on top of that she had her prefect duties. Each night found her walking the halls at her allotted time, searching for wayward students. Stumbling across a snogging couple in a dark corridor was common, and she never did have the heart to remove points from their houses for this. In fact, she was quite jealous.
Ever since the train ride to school, she had thought of nothing else but Draco. Try as she might, she couldnt get him out of her head. Mealtimes found her staring into space, somewhere above the Slytherin table, poking at her food without really eating it. Harry and Ron, completely oblivious, didnt even notice she was steadily losing weight, and that her eyes had fairly dark circles under them from lack of sleep. Hermione, unaware of her appearance, did nothing to stem the flow, and instead spent all her free time reading trying to distract herself from thoughts of Draco.
Draco, on the other hand, was completely aware of how Hermione looked. Despite the constant struggle inside his head, telling him that he shouldnt be interested at all in the "mudblood", he couldnt keep his eyes off her. He watched as she sat in the Great Hall, toying with her food and gazing off towards to the wall somewhere above his head. He didnt understand, but he knew that she looked worse-for-wear nowadays. Her robes hung on her little shoulders, threatening to fall off, and she dragged her feet a little more when she walked. The smudges under her once-bright brown eyes looked like bruises, like someone had hit her. He knew she wasnt sleeping, because she spent her nights reading in the common room between them instead of in her own bed. He was worried, even though he didnt want to admit it. And he felt the need to question her about it.
Just before dinner one night, Draco managed to catch her as she left her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, strangely enough, by herself. Her sidekicks were still in the room, being reprimanded for some other calamity they had caused. Hermione didnt seem to care too much, she simply went about her business like a robot on auto-pilot. So when Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom, at first, she didnt fight him because she didnt seem to understand. But once she saw his white-blond hair in the light, she grew livid.
"What on earth are you doing, Draco? Let me go!" She yanked on her arm, trying to free her wrist from his much-larger hand. She pushed at him weakly, but he didnt let go.
"No", he said softly, causing her to glare up at him. "I want to know whats going on with you, Hermione. Look at you. Have you eaten ANYthing in the past few weeks? The past month? Even those stupid friends of yours have to have noticed this."
"Well, they havent!" she cried, finally pulling herself free of his grasp. "They notice nothing but their own desires!" She turned on her heel and tried to escape the room, but his hand shot over her head to hold the door shut. She pulled at it, and tears began to course down her cheeks in defeat.
"Draco, please, let me go," she whispered, her fingers pulling at his robes. His heart melted, then, as he looked down at her sad, tear-filled eyes, but he just couldnt bring himself to let her go. He lifted his free hand and gently pulled her towards him, until he could wrap his arms around her waist. She stiffened, surprised as he drew his other arm around her tiny shoulders. She let out a strangled sob, confused, and she squirmed a bit, but when he didnt let go, she hugged him back and her crying grew muffled by his robes. His eyes closed, and he fought anger. How could her so-called friends not notice how much she was hurting inside?
When her sobs finally quieted, and she was still in his arms, he picked her up easily and slid down the wall, holding her in his lap like a child. She didnt protest as he nudged her to lay her head on his shoulder. She snuggled into him, and his breath caught. Strange feelings, he would call them later, and then try to dismiss them in vain.
"Whats bothering you, 'Mione?" he asked softly, trying to distract both himself and her from what was happening here. The last thing he wanted was to scare her away now.
Soft mumbling came from her, and he couldnt understand a word. He gave her arm a little shake, chuckling quietly, and she lifted her head. He was dissapointed.
"I dont know," she whispered, rubbing at her eyes. "I dont feel hungry, so I dont eat. And when I do make myself eat, I feel uncomfortable and sick. I cant sleep, Im awake at all hours of the night, I just cant seem to keep my eyes closed. I dont know whats wrong with me."
He paused, watching as a stray curl fell into her eyes and she seemed unbothered by it. He lifted a hand, and pushed it back behind her ear, causing her to look at him curiously. He stared back into her chocolate eyes, transfixed. She was so close he could smell her hair, a faint scent of roses. He drew in a little breath as she shifted, brushing her long locks against his cheek. He made a small purring sound, the hand that had lain by her ear stroked down her cheek. Her eyes widened for a moment, surprised, before she leaned into his hand, rubbing her face on him like a cat. When her eyes closed in contentment, he drew himself up a little closer, and brushed his lips against hers.
Her eyes flew open, staring at him from inches away. He waited, despite how very badly he wanted to really kiss her, but he was not going to move until he knew she wanted it. They simply looked at each other for a few minutes, and he thought she was never going to make a move. He let out a soft sigh and started to move back, feeling let down. She suddenly grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him to her, their lips finally meeting in a kiss.
His eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise, and his arms moved to wrap around her tiny waist, pulling her closer. She let him, moving her body until she was facing him and deepened the kiss. His tongue flicked against her lower lip, begging access, which she granted. With a short sigh, he gladly explored her mouth, rubbing the tip against the roof and making her squirm as it tickled. When he finally pulled back for air, she was gasping, both for oxygen and desire. He slid his hands up her sides, fingertips dancing up to the zipper of her robes. She hesitated, and he froze. He knew he was pushing.
Suddenly, she was on her feet, his body feeling strangely cold without her there. "No, Draco...I cant, WE cant...I have to go!" She stumbled away, picking up her bag and throwing the door open to find Harry and Ron both standing there, glaring in at Draco. Ron pushed past her, oblivious as she nearly fell.
"What are you doing to her, you bastard?" he hissed, taking the few feet to Draco in one long stride. Before Draco could rise, or say a word, Ron sent a savage kick to his side, bringing Draco's breath out in gasp. Hermione let out a small scream, and Harry held her back as she tried to run to Draco. Ron didnt miss a beat - instead he continued kicking, punching, and cursing Draco. Realizing that Draco wasnt fighting back, and not understanding, Ron reached for his wand.
Hermione broke past Harry, and threw herself across Draco as Rons lips mumbled a curse Hermione had never heard. A thin line of blue, crackling with red, angry light, shot from his wand - and hit her across the chest. Her eyes widened, staring at Dracos bruised and bleeding face, and then she saw nothing.
***
Something was warm.
Draco was struggling to wake up, the edge of conscienceness seemingly far away. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed, feeling again that something warm was touching him. He had a sudden crazy sensation of being a child again, lying on his side by the fire with his fathers hunting dogs. He snuggled towards the warmth, and suddenly it was gone. There was movement, and with a sad groan he finally opened his eyes.
And met the slightly agitated glare of Madame Pomphrey. She let out a huff, and reached to fuss with his bedclothes.
"Finally, Mr. Malfoy, you awaken," she said, dragging him up a bit to adjust his pillows. He groaned at the sudden movement, his body feeling stiff and unused. She ignored this. "We were beginning to think you were never going to wake up, and were just taking a break from school."
Vaguely, he remembered coming to the hospital wing, and being helped to a bed by none other than Harry Potter. Draco, unable to think very clearly, let him, then he remembered nothing else after Madame Pomphrey gave him something bitter, and he fell asleep. Now, as he recalled these events, he remembered other things that had happened before that.
He had let Ron kick him, hurt him, trying to prove that he had not hurt Hermione. Harry had held her back, Rons shouting overpowering her screams and pleas to let Draco go. When she had thrown herself at him, covering his body from Rons brutal attack, Ron had cursed her with something Draco had never heard before, and Draco had watched as the life faded from her eyes and she fell limp. In a horrible rage, Draco had carefully untangled himself from Hermione and beaten Ron to within an inch of his life, Rons feeble attempts at defending himself doing nothing but making Draco more angry. He had shouted obscenities until Harry had swung his fist against the back of Dracos head, and knocked him unconscience. He had woken only enough to know that he was in the hospital wing, and Madame Pomphrey was doing her best for Hermione, who was still alive. And then he blacked out.
Now, he shook with repressed rage as his eyes scanned the room. He found only empty beds, and he tossed his covers off irritably. Madame Pomphrey looked pleased.
"Where is she?" he asked, voice quiet. Madame Pomphrey nodded towards the door, understanding. Ask no questions, yet she knew all the answers. She knew the reason for the fight had been Hermione.
"She left, two days ago, Mr Malfoy. She's fine." Draco relaxed visibly at these words, and began gathering up his clothes to get dressed. Pomphrey left him, and soon he was up and out the door with a mumbled thank you to the mediwitch.
Minutes later found him standing uncertainly before the Gryffindor common room portrait. He was begging, trying to bribe the Fat Lady into letting him. She refused him, time and again, until he grew frustrated and began yelling at her. His shouts found the attention of a little red-headed girl inside Gryffindor, and she opened the portrait. Draco found himself staring at Ginny Weasely, surprised, mouth still open. She simply smiled.
"I suppose you're looking for Hermione," she said, causing him to nod numbly. Why wasnt she mad at him like everyone else?
"She's in the library, like usual," Ginny continued, pointing back behind him. He flashed her a smile. "Thank you." She blushed a little, and nodded back, letting the door swing shut. Draco took off at a run.
He carefully pushed the door open and peered inside. He had never been in the library in all his years at Hogwarts, and he wasnt entirely sure where to go once he stepped inside. His eyes scanned the bit of the room he could see, which wasnt much, since the tall shelves blocked his view of everything, including the cieling. He walked slowly past the first row, and then the second, and by the time he realized he was lost, he was so far in that he didnt know which way he had come from. He let out an irritated growl and crossed his arms. A faint giggle met his ears at this.
He spun, and caught a little glimpse of chestnut hair. He smiled and began following the sound of those girlish little laughs, his smile growing as he chased her around the aisles. He watched as a little bit of her head showed above the books in one row, and turned around so he could meet her at the end when she wasnt expecting it. She came running around the corner, and he caught her around the waist, causing her to squeal in surprise.
Hermione gasped and then began laughing, letting her body go limp in his arms. Startled at her sudden dead weight, he scooped her up, still laughing. She prodded at his shoulder, trying to tell him to let her down through her giggles, but it was impossible to get a word out. Draco was still laughing along with her, her tinkling little giggles contagious, and he steadily got weaker as the breath left his body. Stumbling a few steps away from the rows of books, he collapsed into a chair with her still in his arms.
She waited until her laughter had calmed before she asked, "What are you doing in here, Draco?"
He smiled at her, feeling much better now that he knew she was alright, and healthy judging by the look of her. She had filled out some, and her robes fit her like they should now. He was fairly certain Madame Pomphrey and forced her to eat, and he was pleased.
"I came looking for you, of course," he said, smiling wider when he saw her cheeks redden. "I was wondering if you were alright, and judging by how energetic you are, you must be just fine."
She nodded, her chocolate eyes twinkling. "Oh yes, I felt so much better suddenly once Madame Pomphrey woke me. I was worried, and I wanted to stay until you woke up, but she refused to let me miss classes." She brightened suddenly, thinking. "How are you feeling, by the way? You were out for three days. I was worried." Her eyebrows knit together, and her lower lip pouted out. He was enchanted.
He touched a finger to her lip and gently poked it back in. "I feel fine. I didnt know I was out for so long. That Potter, he has quite a bit of force behind him to have knocked me out for three days." He frowned then, looking up a bit at her. "What happened to Weasely?"
She scowled, and he realized how very angry she was with Ron when she spoke. "I dont know. He can rot away in his bed for all I care. It was completely stupid what he did to you, and unforgiveable what he did to me, even though Im still not completely sure what it was that he did."
He gave a vague nod, thinking about the words Ron had said as he cursed Hermione. He couldnt really recall all of it...it had sounded like nothing but gibberish to him due to the fact that he had never heard it before. He began wondering, where on earth Ron had heard such a thing.
Hermione, noticing his thoughtful expression, knew he was thinking exactly what she was. Where HAD Ron learned that spell, and what was it? Try as she might, she had not been able to find anything in the library about that curse. It was like it was something Ron had just made up on a whim. Had it been a more powerful wizard, Hermione supposed it could have been made-up. But this was Ron. He couldnt even stay awake in class, much less make a feather float as it was supposed to. She just didnt know.
Noting the silence between them, Draco decided he needed to lighten things up and get her mind of that horrible curse. His hands which had been resting on her back and her knee, began to work their way along to her side. Too distracted to notice, Hermione was about two seconds too late to stop the tickle attack that Draco began. She let out a small shriek as he tickled her ribs, and began giggling and squirming like mad in his lap. He let out a sharp breath, amazed at the sensations from her wriggling, and didnt stop. Instead he pulled her even closer to him, holding her tightly as his fingertips danced across her belly. She giggled madly and struggled to get away from him.
"Draco! Draco stop!" she cried, laughing, and finally his hands grew still. She kept laughing, trying to catch her breath as she rubbed her sides, her skin crawling as though he were still touching her. When she finally grew still, she became aware of something else touching her, and her eyes widened. She shifted slightly, and again she felt it nudging into the back of her thigh. She turned suddenly curious eyes towards him, and he stared back at her calmly. When she didnt make any move to leave his lap, even though he knew she felt it, he lay one hand on her thigh, just above the knee on that one pare bit of skin. His touch was hesitant, waiting to see her reaction.
She turned and looked at his hand for a moment, thinking. His slender fingers were warm, and he gave her leg a small squeeze and she let out a sigh. She shifted, squirming her body around in his lap and smiling as he gasped. She moved until her back lay against his chest, her head tipped back to rest on his shoulder. She reached for his hands, and brought them to lay lightly on her thighs, only the material of her skirt between the two of them. She heard him chuckle softly.
"What are you doing, 'Mione?" he asked, his voice deep and low with something she couldnt quite identify. She smiled and tipped her head to look at him. She gently nudged his hands down until they lay on the soft skin just below her skirt before she answered him.
"what do you think Im doing, Draco?" His fingers began stroking against her legs, marvelling at how incredibly soft her skin was. He ran his hands along the hemline of her skirt, never moving up, or down, until she began sighing with impatience. He smiled and gently ran his hands upward, pushing her skirt up along with them until he found the junction of her thighs. She stiffened slightly, and he pulled her skirt down over his hands so she couldnt truly see what he was doing - she could only feel.
With deliberate slowness, just to make her crazy, he traced the very tip of his forefinger along the inside of her thighs, just short of where she wanted him to touch her the most. She let out a very tiny moan, and his breath came out in a sigh. He repeated this motion several times until she began to writhe, and then he touched the same finger down the very center of her panties, rewarded as she arched her back and moaned again. He rubbed against her gently, teasing her through that last, thin layer of fabric until she groaned, slightly louder this time. Very slowly, his fingers found the top of her panties, and he eased his hand underneath. She went stiff, her breath held as his fingers crept closer to the very place she had wanted him to touch all along. He hovered his hand over her until she made a small sound of irritation, and then he lowered just one finger and slid it through her wetness.
Her breath all came out in one loud moan, her back arching, eyes closed. His other fingers soon came to join the first, stroking up and down against her, exploring. She squirmed, hands gripping the material of his robes, her legs spreading wider in invitation. He found that tiny nub, and paid it close attention for just a moment, his fingers rubbing on and around it in ever-widening circles. When he brushed against her opening, he hesitated, then carefully began to slip a finger inside. When she didnt protest, he worked until he couldnt reach any furthur, and began to gently slide in and out of her body. When she began to moan softly, and her squirming resumed, he carefully nudged a second finger against her, asking permission. She turned to look at him, and she stared into his face as he gently worked his middle finger alongside his fore. She stiffened as she felt pain, her body stretching to accomodate him. She squirmed, her legs moving against his as he made his way as gently as he could. When he was completely inside her, he stopped, letting her body adjust. After a moment or two, when she had calmed, he began to gently slide his fingers in and out of her, very slowly. His other hand, which had been resting on her thigh, now made it way to meet the first, and his fingers quickly found that wet little nub to stroke it. She gasped and drew her knees up suddenly, spreading herself wide as both of his hands worked against her. Her breath came in fast, sharp little pants, her face eyes closed and mouth open. He stared at her, fascinated and throttled by every sound from her lips, every little shake of her body as she neared completion. He sped up his movements only slightly, and was rewarded.
She let out a cry and stiffened, and her body began to shake as she moaned, one after another. He never slowed down, his fingers continuing to work their magic on her body until her moans grew quiet, and her body relaxed. He gently moved his hands from between her legs to wrap his arms around her waist, hugging her to him. She was still and limp in his arms, only her labored breathing sign of what had just happened. He cuddled her against him, waiting until she said the first word.
Hermione didnt say anything for a long time, her eyes closed as her body came down from that incredible high. She turned and looked at him, her chocolate eyes calm as she stared into his stormy grey ones. He simply looked at her, wishing he knew what she was thinking. Her little fingers found his, and entwined with his much larger ones, still looking quietly at him. Finally he had to speak.
"Is silence after so much noise, a good sign?" She blushed at the mention of her moans, embarassed she had been that...free, with herself, and with him. She had not intended on having him seduce her, but she knew that if she was honest, it was her that did the seducing. She shifted slightly, feeling him underneath her, still hard and ready, and became uncertain.
"I would say that now, silence is a very good sign," she answered, and began trying to untangle herself from him. He let her, watching as she rose to stand unsteadily in front of him. She gave her watch a glance, and sighed. "I have to get to class...you can walk with me, if you want to go to classes today."
He smiled, glad she was willing to let him be seen in public with her after Rons little display of manliness. He stood, and adjusted his robes, glad for once that they were baggy. She gave him a smirk, knowing full well that he was trying to hide himself from anyone's prying eyes. She bent to pick up her bag, and unable to stop himself, gave her bum a little swat. She squealed and jumped upwards in surprise. He laughed, and pulled her towards him, pressing himself into her belly so he knew exactly how much he had enjoyed their time together. She blushed, and moved back from him, suddenly shy.
"Follow me, Draco, and Ill lead you out of this...maze, you were so lost in." She laughed at his surprised look. He hadnt known she was following him when he first came in, and she had stifled her laughter at the confused look he had after each turn. She had known all along that he was lost.
"Well then, miss know-it-all, lead the way," he mumbled, and she laughed as she guided him out through the rows rather quickly, and then out the doors.
***
Hope this was good enough for all you reviewers out there! Please keep reviewing, Im already working on chapter3!
***
A tall, graceful young woman collapsed into a chair at The Three Broomsticks, drawing the attention of the majority of the patrons. She propped her chin in her hands, staring out the window beside her without bothering to go to the bar for anything to drink first. A man, sitting just a few tables away, looked her over curiously, his green eyes glittering. He brushed back his messy black hair, looking her over. Something about her was familiar to him, and it was nagging at the back of mind. He had seen her, or someone that resembled her, before. He just couldnt place where.
When she turned suddenly, and locked her silvery-grey eyes onto his, he gasped. And he knew.
***
The first few weeks back to school, as always, passed in a blur for Hermione. Sleep, eat, go to class, eat, do homework, sleep. And then it would start all over again. Hermione was always pleased with the amount of homework given out to her, unlike Ron and Harry, but on top of that she had her prefect duties. Each night found her walking the halls at her allotted time, searching for wayward students. Stumbling across a snogging couple in a dark corridor was common, and she never did have the heart to remove points from their houses for this. In fact, she was quite jealous.
Ever since the train ride to school, she had thought of nothing else but Draco. Try as she might, she couldnt get him out of her head. Mealtimes found her staring into space, somewhere above the Slytherin table, poking at her food without really eating it. Harry and Ron, completely oblivious, didnt even notice she was steadily losing weight, and that her eyes had fairly dark circles under them from lack of sleep. Hermione, unaware of her appearance, did nothing to stem the flow, and instead spent all her free time reading trying to distract herself from thoughts of Draco.
Draco, on the other hand, was completely aware of how Hermione looked. Despite the constant struggle inside his head, telling him that he shouldnt be interested at all in the "mudblood", he couldnt keep his eyes off her. He watched as she sat in the Great Hall, toying with her food and gazing off towards to the wall somewhere above his head. He didnt understand, but he knew that she looked worse-for-wear nowadays. Her robes hung on her little shoulders, threatening to fall off, and she dragged her feet a little more when she walked. The smudges under her once-bright brown eyes looked like bruises, like someone had hit her. He knew she wasnt sleeping, because she spent her nights reading in the common room between them instead of in her own bed. He was worried, even though he didnt want to admit it. And he felt the need to question her about it.
Just before dinner one night, Draco managed to catch her as she left her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, strangely enough, by herself. Her sidekicks were still in the room, being reprimanded for some other calamity they had caused. Hermione didnt seem to care too much, she simply went about her business like a robot on auto-pilot. So when Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty classroom, at first, she didnt fight him because she didnt seem to understand. But once she saw his white-blond hair in the light, she grew livid.
"What on earth are you doing, Draco? Let me go!" She yanked on her arm, trying to free her wrist from his much-larger hand. She pushed at him weakly, but he didnt let go.
"No", he said softly, causing her to glare up at him. "I want to know whats going on with you, Hermione. Look at you. Have you eaten ANYthing in the past few weeks? The past month? Even those stupid friends of yours have to have noticed this."
"Well, they havent!" she cried, finally pulling herself free of his grasp. "They notice nothing but their own desires!" She turned on her heel and tried to escape the room, but his hand shot over her head to hold the door shut. She pulled at it, and tears began to course down her cheeks in defeat.
"Draco, please, let me go," she whispered, her fingers pulling at his robes. His heart melted, then, as he looked down at her sad, tear-filled eyes, but he just couldnt bring himself to let her go. He lifted his free hand and gently pulled her towards him, until he could wrap his arms around her waist. She stiffened, surprised as he drew his other arm around her tiny shoulders. She let out a strangled sob, confused, and she squirmed a bit, but when he didnt let go, she hugged him back and her crying grew muffled by his robes. His eyes closed, and he fought anger. How could her so-called friends not notice how much she was hurting inside?
When her sobs finally quieted, and she was still in his arms, he picked her up easily and slid down the wall, holding her in his lap like a child. She didnt protest as he nudged her to lay her head on his shoulder. She snuggled into him, and his breath caught. Strange feelings, he would call them later, and then try to dismiss them in vain.
"Whats bothering you, 'Mione?" he asked softly, trying to distract both himself and her from what was happening here. The last thing he wanted was to scare her away now.
Soft mumbling came from her, and he couldnt understand a word. He gave her arm a little shake, chuckling quietly, and she lifted her head. He was dissapointed.
"I dont know," she whispered, rubbing at her eyes. "I dont feel hungry, so I dont eat. And when I do make myself eat, I feel uncomfortable and sick. I cant sleep, Im awake at all hours of the night, I just cant seem to keep my eyes closed. I dont know whats wrong with me."
He paused, watching as a stray curl fell into her eyes and she seemed unbothered by it. He lifted a hand, and pushed it back behind her ear, causing her to look at him curiously. He stared back into her chocolate eyes, transfixed. She was so close he could smell her hair, a faint scent of roses. He drew in a little breath as she shifted, brushing her long locks against his cheek. He made a small purring sound, the hand that had lain by her ear stroked down her cheek. Her eyes widened for a moment, surprised, before she leaned into his hand, rubbing her face on him like a cat. When her eyes closed in contentment, he drew himself up a little closer, and brushed his lips against hers.
Her eyes flew open, staring at him from inches away. He waited, despite how very badly he wanted to really kiss her, but he was not going to move until he knew she wanted it. They simply looked at each other for a few minutes, and he thought she was never going to make a move. He let out a soft sigh and started to move back, feeling let down. She suddenly grabbed the front of his robes and pulled him to her, their lips finally meeting in a kiss.
His eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise, and his arms moved to wrap around her tiny waist, pulling her closer. She let him, moving her body until she was facing him and deepened the kiss. His tongue flicked against her lower lip, begging access, which she granted. With a short sigh, he gladly explored her mouth, rubbing the tip against the roof and making her squirm as it tickled. When he finally pulled back for air, she was gasping, both for oxygen and desire. He slid his hands up her sides, fingertips dancing up to the zipper of her robes. She hesitated, and he froze. He knew he was pushing.
Suddenly, she was on her feet, his body feeling strangely cold without her there. "No, Draco...I cant, WE cant...I have to go!" She stumbled away, picking up her bag and throwing the door open to find Harry and Ron both standing there, glaring in at Draco. Ron pushed past her, oblivious as she nearly fell.
"What are you doing to her, you bastard?" he hissed, taking the few feet to Draco in one long stride. Before Draco could rise, or say a word, Ron sent a savage kick to his side, bringing Draco's breath out in gasp. Hermione let out a small scream, and Harry held her back as she tried to run to Draco. Ron didnt miss a beat - instead he continued kicking, punching, and cursing Draco. Realizing that Draco wasnt fighting back, and not understanding, Ron reached for his wand.
Hermione broke past Harry, and threw herself across Draco as Rons lips mumbled a curse Hermione had never heard. A thin line of blue, crackling with red, angry light, shot from his wand - and hit her across the chest. Her eyes widened, staring at Dracos bruised and bleeding face, and then she saw nothing.
***
Something was warm.
Draco was struggling to wake up, the edge of conscienceness seemingly far away. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed, feeling again that something warm was touching him. He had a sudden crazy sensation of being a child again, lying on his side by the fire with his fathers hunting dogs. He snuggled towards the warmth, and suddenly it was gone. There was movement, and with a sad groan he finally opened his eyes.
And met the slightly agitated glare of Madame Pomphrey. She let out a huff, and reached to fuss with his bedclothes.
"Finally, Mr. Malfoy, you awaken," she said, dragging him up a bit to adjust his pillows. He groaned at the sudden movement, his body feeling stiff and unused. She ignored this. "We were beginning to think you were never going to wake up, and were just taking a break from school."
Vaguely, he remembered coming to the hospital wing, and being helped to a bed by none other than Harry Potter. Draco, unable to think very clearly, let him, then he remembered nothing else after Madame Pomphrey gave him something bitter, and he fell asleep. Now, as he recalled these events, he remembered other things that had happened before that.
He had let Ron kick him, hurt him, trying to prove that he had not hurt Hermione. Harry had held her back, Rons shouting overpowering her screams and pleas to let Draco go. When she had thrown herself at him, covering his body from Rons brutal attack, Ron had cursed her with something Draco had never heard before, and Draco had watched as the life faded from her eyes and she fell limp. In a horrible rage, Draco had carefully untangled himself from Hermione and beaten Ron to within an inch of his life, Rons feeble attempts at defending himself doing nothing but making Draco more angry. He had shouted obscenities until Harry had swung his fist against the back of Dracos head, and knocked him unconscience. He had woken only enough to know that he was in the hospital wing, and Madame Pomphrey was doing her best for Hermione, who was still alive. And then he blacked out.
Now, he shook with repressed rage as his eyes scanned the room. He found only empty beds, and he tossed his covers off irritably. Madame Pomphrey looked pleased.
"Where is she?" he asked, voice quiet. Madame Pomphrey nodded towards the door, understanding. Ask no questions, yet she knew all the answers. She knew the reason for the fight had been Hermione.
"She left, two days ago, Mr Malfoy. She's fine." Draco relaxed visibly at these words, and began gathering up his clothes to get dressed. Pomphrey left him, and soon he was up and out the door with a mumbled thank you to the mediwitch.
Minutes later found him standing uncertainly before the Gryffindor common room portrait. He was begging, trying to bribe the Fat Lady into letting him. She refused him, time and again, until he grew frustrated and began yelling at her. His shouts found the attention of a little red-headed girl inside Gryffindor, and she opened the portrait. Draco found himself staring at Ginny Weasely, surprised, mouth still open. She simply smiled.
"I suppose you're looking for Hermione," she said, causing him to nod numbly. Why wasnt she mad at him like everyone else?
"She's in the library, like usual," Ginny continued, pointing back behind him. He flashed her a smile. "Thank you." She blushed a little, and nodded back, letting the door swing shut. Draco took off at a run.
He carefully pushed the door open and peered inside. He had never been in the library in all his years at Hogwarts, and he wasnt entirely sure where to go once he stepped inside. His eyes scanned the bit of the room he could see, which wasnt much, since the tall shelves blocked his view of everything, including the cieling. He walked slowly past the first row, and then the second, and by the time he realized he was lost, he was so far in that he didnt know which way he had come from. He let out an irritated growl and crossed his arms. A faint giggle met his ears at this.
He spun, and caught a little glimpse of chestnut hair. He smiled and began following the sound of those girlish little laughs, his smile growing as he chased her around the aisles. He watched as a little bit of her head showed above the books in one row, and turned around so he could meet her at the end when she wasnt expecting it. She came running around the corner, and he caught her around the waist, causing her to squeal in surprise.
Hermione gasped and then began laughing, letting her body go limp in his arms. Startled at her sudden dead weight, he scooped her up, still laughing. She prodded at his shoulder, trying to tell him to let her down through her giggles, but it was impossible to get a word out. Draco was still laughing along with her, her tinkling little giggles contagious, and he steadily got weaker as the breath left his body. Stumbling a few steps away from the rows of books, he collapsed into a chair with her still in his arms.
She waited until her laughter had calmed before she asked, "What are you doing in here, Draco?"
He smiled at her, feeling much better now that he knew she was alright, and healthy judging by the look of her. She had filled out some, and her robes fit her like they should now. He was fairly certain Madame Pomphrey and forced her to eat, and he was pleased.
"I came looking for you, of course," he said, smiling wider when he saw her cheeks redden. "I was wondering if you were alright, and judging by how energetic you are, you must be just fine."
She nodded, her chocolate eyes twinkling. "Oh yes, I felt so much better suddenly once Madame Pomphrey woke me. I was worried, and I wanted to stay until you woke up, but she refused to let me miss classes." She brightened suddenly, thinking. "How are you feeling, by the way? You were out for three days. I was worried." Her eyebrows knit together, and her lower lip pouted out. He was enchanted.
He touched a finger to her lip and gently poked it back in. "I feel fine. I didnt know I was out for so long. That Potter, he has quite a bit of force behind him to have knocked me out for three days." He frowned then, looking up a bit at her. "What happened to Weasely?"
She scowled, and he realized how very angry she was with Ron when she spoke. "I dont know. He can rot away in his bed for all I care. It was completely stupid what he did to you, and unforgiveable what he did to me, even though Im still not completely sure what it was that he did."
He gave a vague nod, thinking about the words Ron had said as he cursed Hermione. He couldnt really recall all of it...it had sounded like nothing but gibberish to him due to the fact that he had never heard it before. He began wondering, where on earth Ron had heard such a thing.
Hermione, noticing his thoughtful expression, knew he was thinking exactly what she was. Where HAD Ron learned that spell, and what was it? Try as she might, she had not been able to find anything in the library about that curse. It was like it was something Ron had just made up on a whim. Had it been a more powerful wizard, Hermione supposed it could have been made-up. But this was Ron. He couldnt even stay awake in class, much less make a feather float as it was supposed to. She just didnt know.
Noting the silence between them, Draco decided he needed to lighten things up and get her mind of that horrible curse. His hands which had been resting on her back and her knee, began to work their way along to her side. Too distracted to notice, Hermione was about two seconds too late to stop the tickle attack that Draco began. She let out a small shriek as he tickled her ribs, and began giggling and squirming like mad in his lap. He let out a sharp breath, amazed at the sensations from her wriggling, and didnt stop. Instead he pulled her even closer to him, holding her tightly as his fingertips danced across her belly. She giggled madly and struggled to get away from him.
"Draco! Draco stop!" she cried, laughing, and finally his hands grew still. She kept laughing, trying to catch her breath as she rubbed her sides, her skin crawling as though he were still touching her. When she finally grew still, she became aware of something else touching her, and her eyes widened. She shifted slightly, and again she felt it nudging into the back of her thigh. She turned suddenly curious eyes towards him, and he stared back at her calmly. When she didnt make any move to leave his lap, even though he knew she felt it, he lay one hand on her thigh, just above the knee on that one pare bit of skin. His touch was hesitant, waiting to see her reaction.
She turned and looked at his hand for a moment, thinking. His slender fingers were warm, and he gave her leg a small squeeze and she let out a sigh. She shifted, squirming her body around in his lap and smiling as he gasped. She moved until her back lay against his chest, her head tipped back to rest on his shoulder. She reached for his hands, and brought them to lay lightly on her thighs, only the material of her skirt between the two of them. She heard him chuckle softly.
"What are you doing, 'Mione?" he asked, his voice deep and low with something she couldnt quite identify. She smiled and tipped her head to look at him. She gently nudged his hands down until they lay on the soft skin just below her skirt before she answered him.
"what do you think Im doing, Draco?" His fingers began stroking against her legs, marvelling at how incredibly soft her skin was. He ran his hands along the hemline of her skirt, never moving up, or down, until she began sighing with impatience. He smiled and gently ran his hands upward, pushing her skirt up along with them until he found the junction of her thighs. She stiffened slightly, and he pulled her skirt down over his hands so she couldnt truly see what he was doing - she could only feel.
With deliberate slowness, just to make her crazy, he traced the very tip of his forefinger along the inside of her thighs, just short of where she wanted him to touch her the most. She let out a very tiny moan, and his breath came out in a sigh. He repeated this motion several times until she began to writhe, and then he touched the same finger down the very center of her panties, rewarded as she arched her back and moaned again. He rubbed against her gently, teasing her through that last, thin layer of fabric until she groaned, slightly louder this time. Very slowly, his fingers found the top of her panties, and he eased his hand underneath. She went stiff, her breath held as his fingers crept closer to the very place she had wanted him to touch all along. He hovered his hand over her until she made a small sound of irritation, and then he lowered just one finger and slid it through her wetness.
Her breath all came out in one loud moan, her back arching, eyes closed. His other fingers soon came to join the first, stroking up and down against her, exploring. She squirmed, hands gripping the material of his robes, her legs spreading wider in invitation. He found that tiny nub, and paid it close attention for just a moment, his fingers rubbing on and around it in ever-widening circles. When he brushed against her opening, he hesitated, then carefully began to slip a finger inside. When she didnt protest, he worked until he couldnt reach any furthur, and began to gently slide in and out of her body. When she began to moan softly, and her squirming resumed, he carefully nudged a second finger against her, asking permission. She turned to look at him, and she stared into his face as he gently worked his middle finger alongside his fore. She stiffened as she felt pain, her body stretching to accomodate him. She squirmed, her legs moving against his as he made his way as gently as he could. When he was completely inside her, he stopped, letting her body adjust. After a moment or two, when she had calmed, he began to gently slide his fingers in and out of her, very slowly. His other hand, which had been resting on her thigh, now made it way to meet the first, and his fingers quickly found that wet little nub to stroke it. She gasped and drew her knees up suddenly, spreading herself wide as both of his hands worked against her. Her breath came in fast, sharp little pants, her face eyes closed and mouth open. He stared at her, fascinated and throttled by every sound from her lips, every little shake of her body as she neared completion. He sped up his movements only slightly, and was rewarded.
She let out a cry and stiffened, and her body began to shake as she moaned, one after another. He never slowed down, his fingers continuing to work their magic on her body until her moans grew quiet, and her body relaxed. He gently moved his hands from between her legs to wrap his arms around her waist, hugging her to him. She was still and limp in his arms, only her labored breathing sign of what had just happened. He cuddled her against him, waiting until she said the first word.
Hermione didnt say anything for a long time, her eyes closed as her body came down from that incredible high. She turned and looked at him, her chocolate eyes calm as she stared into his stormy grey ones. He simply looked at her, wishing he knew what she was thinking. Her little fingers found his, and entwined with his much larger ones, still looking quietly at him. Finally he had to speak.
"Is silence after so much noise, a good sign?" She blushed at the mention of her moans, embarassed she had been that...free, with herself, and with him. She had not intended on having him seduce her, but she knew that if she was honest, it was her that did the seducing. She shifted slightly, feeling him underneath her, still hard and ready, and became uncertain.
"I would say that now, silence is a very good sign," she answered, and began trying to untangle herself from him. He let her, watching as she rose to stand unsteadily in front of him. She gave her watch a glance, and sighed. "I have to get to class...you can walk with me, if you want to go to classes today."
He smiled, glad she was willing to let him be seen in public with her after Rons little display of manliness. He stood, and adjusted his robes, glad for once that they were baggy. She gave him a smirk, knowing full well that he was trying to hide himself from anyone's prying eyes. She bent to pick up her bag, and unable to stop himself, gave her bum a little swat. She squealed and jumped upwards in surprise. He laughed, and pulled her towards him, pressing himself into her belly so he knew exactly how much he had enjoyed their time together. She blushed, and moved back from him, suddenly shy.
"Follow me, Draco, and Ill lead you out of this...maze, you were so lost in." She laughed at his surprised look. He hadnt known she was following him when he first came in, and she had stifled her laughter at the confused look he had after each turn. She had known all along that he was lost.
"Well then, miss know-it-all, lead the way," he mumbled, and she laughed as she guided him out through the rows rather quickly, and then out the doors.
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Hope this was good enough for all you reviewers out there! Please keep reviewing, Im already working on chapter3!