Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters but I do own
this story and any characters I add to it.
Chapter 8
It was late that night when Draco finally woke. Madame Pomphrey's magic had worked well. Whatever concussion and so forth that he'd had were long gone. He felt something against his side, and when he looked, there she was. She slept with her head laying on her arms resting beside him on the bed. Draco gently threaded his fingers through her silky hair and caressed her cheek softly with his fingertips. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up into his. Draco felt his lips curve in a warm smile. When had he started smiling so much?
"You're awake," she stated obviously. "Are you ok? Does anything hurt?"
"I'm fine," he promised as she moved her chair closer to the top of the bed. "How long have you been here?"
"The whole time," she drew his hand back to her face and pressed it against her cheek,
Draco was touched by this. She was hurting, he could feel it, and she sought comfort in his touch. Houw could he have doubted her? He stroked her cheek with his thumb and whatched her close her eyes against the tears. Her lips parted to take in a shaky breath.
"Tell me you love me," she breathed. "Please, Draco, lie to me if you have to. I fell like such a fool, a simpering, love-struck idiot giving my entire world away for something I can never have. Tell me you still want what's left, because it's only me," the tears escaped and made slow paths down her cheeks.
He regarded her closely wondering if he should be hurt or amused at her fears. But then Draco saw the desperation in her sapphire eyes as the lids came up to reveal there. She'd given away her entire world? Weasley. The git had been upset with her for weeks now. He must've finally said something, and Hermione had said the wrong thing back. Now she was alone because wtih Weasley no doubt went Potter and the little slut, especially if the argument had anything to do with himself. She was alone and vulnerable, and that was something he knew everything about but she knew absolutely nothing. Hermione Granger had all the answers to every question, she had the great Harry Potter at her side in every battle, she was admired, if not secretly, by all. Now she'd finally come to something she couldn't understand, and she was facing it alone. Well, almost alone.
"I wouldn't be lying," he sat all the way up leaning close to her. "I love you, Hermione Granger, with all my black Slytherin heart."
"You're not like the other Slytherins," she wiped her eyes.
Draco pulled her up onto the bed beside him, drawing her very close. Hermione looked up at him shyly, and he pointedly ignored their surroundings and stubbornly forgot that they sat on a bed together with only one candle alight beside them. He kissed her softly. On his lips Hermione tasted his promise, the one he was not yet ready to voice. The one that assured her love and safety for the rest of her life, because she had to be with him or life wasn't worth it. His tongue whispered of a forever together that she hungered for. Draco cradled her, supported her lovingly as she sank comfortably in his arms, in his promise. Even after the ksis ended they sat that way in considerate silence for a long while.
"Before the bludger hit you," Hermione said, quietly timid. "What was wrong?"
"Nothing that matters now," he assured her bending his head to nuzzle her jaw. "What did Weasley say?"
"Everything to destroy my world," she looked up at him. "But not my life."
Draco kissed her again, loving her even more. He wouldn't let her hurt, he'd fix it. He didn't know how, but he would. Hermioned sighed in his arms and he felt her weariness as she melted against him. He sent her to bed after another long kiss. She lef thim reluctantly, but inside her hope flared. Maybe it was worth it. Maybe she was strong enough.
Chapter 8
It was late that night when Draco finally woke. Madame Pomphrey's magic had worked well. Whatever concussion and so forth that he'd had were long gone. He felt something against his side, and when he looked, there she was. She slept with her head laying on her arms resting beside him on the bed. Draco gently threaded his fingers through her silky hair and caressed her cheek softly with his fingertips. Her eyes fluttered open and looked up into his. Draco felt his lips curve in a warm smile. When had he started smiling so much?
"You're awake," she stated obviously. "Are you ok? Does anything hurt?"
"I'm fine," he promised as she moved her chair closer to the top of the bed. "How long have you been here?"
"The whole time," she drew his hand back to her face and pressed it against her cheek,
Draco was touched by this. She was hurting, he could feel it, and she sought comfort in his touch. Houw could he have doubted her? He stroked her cheek with his thumb and whatched her close her eyes against the tears. Her lips parted to take in a shaky breath.
"Tell me you love me," she breathed. "Please, Draco, lie to me if you have to. I fell like such a fool, a simpering, love-struck idiot giving my entire world away for something I can never have. Tell me you still want what's left, because it's only me," the tears escaped and made slow paths down her cheeks.
He regarded her closely wondering if he should be hurt or amused at her fears. But then Draco saw the desperation in her sapphire eyes as the lids came up to reveal there. She'd given away her entire world? Weasley. The git had been upset with her for weeks now. He must've finally said something, and Hermione had said the wrong thing back. Now she was alone because wtih Weasley no doubt went Potter and the little slut, especially if the argument had anything to do with himself. She was alone and vulnerable, and that was something he knew everything about but she knew absolutely nothing. Hermione Granger had all the answers to every question, she had the great Harry Potter at her side in every battle, she was admired, if not secretly, by all. Now she'd finally come to something she couldn't understand, and she was facing it alone. Well, almost alone.
"I wouldn't be lying," he sat all the way up leaning close to her. "I love you, Hermione Granger, with all my black Slytherin heart."
"You're not like the other Slytherins," she wiped her eyes.
Draco pulled her up onto the bed beside him, drawing her very close. Hermione looked up at him shyly, and he pointedly ignored their surroundings and stubbornly forgot that they sat on a bed together with only one candle alight beside them. He kissed her softly. On his lips Hermione tasted his promise, the one he was not yet ready to voice. The one that assured her love and safety for the rest of her life, because she had to be with him or life wasn't worth it. His tongue whispered of a forever together that she hungered for. Draco cradled her, supported her lovingly as she sank comfortably in his arms, in his promise. Even after the ksis ended they sat that way in considerate silence for a long while.
"Before the bludger hit you," Hermione said, quietly timid. "What was wrong?"
"Nothing that matters now," he assured her bending his head to nuzzle her jaw. "What did Weasley say?"
"Everything to destroy my world," she looked up at him. "But not my life."
Draco kissed her again, loving her even more. He wouldn't let her hurt, he'd fix it. He didn't know how, but he would. Hermioned sighed in his arms and he felt her weariness as she melted against him. He sent her to bed after another long kiss. She lef thim reluctantly, but inside her hope flared. Maybe it was worth it. Maybe she was strong enough.
