Chapter 11: Promises

Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry took their seats at the Gryffindor table for the Christmas feast. Only about half of the students stayed behind, but it was enough to have to use the four long house tables. But Hermione was only focused on the almost empty Slytherin table…Draco being one of those who went home. Hermione was worried about Draco, but didn't know why. He explained that his parents just wanted to celebrate Christmas with him there and she shouldn't be worried about anything. But she was still worried all the same. She spent the whole time at dinner just thinking of him and didn't even touch her food. She excused herself without dessert and went up to her room to think about him more.

Admit it, Hermione…you love him! a little voice in her head said.

I do not love him! He's Draco Malfoy! she told the voice in a disgusted tone. But even to herself, she sounded like she was trying to assure herself more than anybody else. She flopped, face down, on the bed and began to cry.

"Oh God . . .I do love him!" she groaned through her tears.

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Draco purposefully did not tell Hermione that Lucius had plans to continue training. He didn't want to see her worry about him…he would just miss her even more. He imagined that if he had told her, she'd immediately start going into, what he called her "Mother Gryffindor" mode. She'd put on this concerned look and start telling him not to go home, all the while holding back her tears of worry. Then he'd have to explain to her why he couldn't stay because it would make his father suspicious. He'd send spies and use his correspondents to figure out what was going on. And he'd have to tell her that he couldn't risk her getting hurt. But that would be revealing that he might actually care about her more than he's letting on. And right now, he wasn't sure he was ready to let her know. He was still having tough time admitting it to himself.

Draco finally left his house a day after New Year's to go back to Hogwarts…and Hermione. He had butterflies in his stomach the whole train ride back, but he hid his anxiety well. The whole trip, all he could think about was the promise he had made to himself. If he survived the "training," he'd have to tell Hermione he was in love with her. He thought about those two gruesome weeks of training, all the injuries that could not be hidden even by magic, hidden well under his winter cloak. He was lucky it was so cold or else she would notice. He still did not want to tell her about what he was doing the past two weeks. The injuries from last night's training session were still fresh and his whole body ached. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep, but his anxious mind would not let him.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the train slowed and they pulled into Hogsmeade Station. Draco practically bolted out the train and up to the school, just wanting to see her and hold her. He ran up the marble staircase, taking them two or three at a time. When he got to the portrait of Uric the Oddball, he was so out of breath that he had to stop and wait until his breathing was normal again. He stated the password and pushed open the portrait hole slowly, so not to seem to eager. He stepped into the common room and the first think he saw was Hermione sitting in a chair by the fire, tears rolling down her flushed cheeks and looking as if she had not slept for days.

"Hermione?" he called out softly. She slowly turned and held his eyes with her own. Then she suddenly burst into tears and ran into his outstretched arms.

"Oh Draco," she cried into his shoulder. "I missed you so much." He rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Hey, don't cry now. I'm here," he whispered. He pulled away from her and looked deep into her eyes.

"Hermione Granger, I love you," he said, cupping her face in his hands. Her eyes grew wide.

"Wh-what?" she stammered. "Draco, do you really mean that?" He frowned. That was not the kind of response he was expecting. He kept looking into her eyes, trying to assure her that he was really, truly in love with her. He took up her hands into his.

"Yes, Hermione. I love you with all my heart." He brought her hands up to his chest. "I have for a while. I told myself that I shouldn't try to ignore it anymore and tell you once I got back to you. I'm not asking you to feel the same way, but I needed to tell you. I just had to let you know." He was still looking deeply into her eyes, trying to pour his every emotion into her. Finally, Hermione smiled and a new wave of tears started to fall. She threw her arms around Draco's neck and whispered those words he had been longing to hear and she had been longing to say: "I love you, too, Draco Malfoy!"

He returned her embrace, so relieved and happy that they had finally come out and said it. He, once again, held her face in his hands and kissed her tears away, tasting the salt of her tears of joy on his lips. Then he kissed her forehead, then her nose, and finally he bent his head to kiss the lips he had been dreaming of kissing for the past two months. He started off slow and gently. But when Hermione brought her hand around his neck, pulling him closer, he took it as a consent to try and deepen the kiss.

Draco picked Hermione up, never breaking the contact between their mouths, and brought her to sit at the sofa. When they finally came up for air, Hermione snuggled into Draco's chest and he put his arms around her. Soon she fell asleep and Draco was forced to think about his father. If Lucius ever found out about what had happened between him and Hermione . . .well, he didn't want to think about it.

As sleep began to overtake him and his eyelids began to droop, he decided that now was a good a good time to take a nap. He lifted Hermione into his arms with ease and climbed the staircase up to her room and set her down on the bed. He removed her shoes and cloak before bringing the covers up around her and kissing her sweetly on the head. He turned to leave, but she reached out and grabbed his arm. He turned to look at her questioningly.

"Stay with me, Draco. Please?" she asked, almost pleadingly. He smiled and took off his shoes and cloak, just as he had done with Hermione, before climbing into the bed as well. They lay back to chest and he wrapped a toned and muscled arm around her thin waist. She smiled before falling back to sleep almost immediately. Draco, on the other hand, did not find sleep as easily. He lay awake for a little while longer, thinking about what would happen if Lucius ever found out. Finally, he fell into an uneasy sleep.

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Hermione awoke the next day, Sunday, with Draco's arms still wrapped around her. She smiled upon recalling his memorable return and how he had finally told her that he loved her. She turned to look upon the face of her love, only to see that his face was contorted in worry, fear and anxiety. She wondered what his dreams were about that could possibly bring his perfect face to twist into such not-so-flattering expression. She leaned down to kiss him and was surprised when he sat bolt upright in bed as if he had been electrocuted.

"Draco, what's the matter?" Hermione asked, suddenly panicked. Draco looked into her honey brown eyes, so full of worry and conviction. He could never lie to her…not anymore.

"Hermione, I never want to lose you," he said slowly. Hermione's eyes sparked with fear and confusion.

"Draco, what are you talking about? You're not going to lose me," she said soothingly, trying to calm him. He pulled her close as if any minute, Lucius would burst through the door and take her away.

"Draco, I want to help you, but how can I if you won't tell me what's going on?" Hermione said, frustrated that he was hiding things from her. For the past two months, he had told her almost everything. And now, suddenly he didn't want to talk. Draco's hold tightened around her and she could feel his muscles tense. He remained silent for a while. When he finally did say something, his tone was tired and dull.

"I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to get mad or hate me," he said. Hermione lifted her head and looked into his eyes, fear increasing.

"Draco, I don't think I'll ever be able to hate you again. Now out with it!" Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Father has been continuing my Death Easter training for the past two weeks." Hermione's eyes grew wide.

"But…but Draco…the last time you had a training session …" she trailed off, not wanting to remember that night more than two months ago. She closed her eyes, blinking back tears, as she took his arm up to look at it closely. She rolled up his sleeve and saw new scars, which found their way into his skin. Tears began to fall freely down her cheeks. Knowing that Draco's arms wouldn't be the only part of his body that was scarred, Hermione slowly unbuttoned his shirt with shaking hands. He withheld a gasp as her fingers came into contact with his bare skin. A sob escaped her throat when she saw that the scars ruined his once perfect skin. He held her close again as she cried into his now bare chest.

"Why?" she managed to ask through all her sobs.

"Why what?" he asked back, while rubbing small circles on her back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

"I didn't want you to worry about me," he replied, somewhat lamely. She looked u at him, eyes flashing with anger and tears still falling down her face.

"Oh, and I wouldn't worry if Lucius killed you?" she said sarcastically, but spitting out each word with a dangerous tone. Draco sighed and hung his head.

"I'm sorry, ok? I just couldn't tell you because I didn't want that to be my last memory of you before the holiday. I didn't want to have to remember that look of worry on your face all through my sessions." He brushed his hand against her cheek. "I would have just made me miss you more." He wiped her tears away with his thumb and cupped her face in his hands. She finally smiled slightly.

"You missed me?" she teased. He smiled genuinely.

"Every minute of every day," he said sincerely. Hermione felt like she wanted to start crying all over again. "Didn't you miss me?" She pretended to think about it.

"No, not really." She laughed at his hurt expression.

"Draco! I'm kidding! Of course I missed you, too." Then she grew serious. "I thought about you every single day that you were gone. And as for you not wanting to worry me…well you failed miserably. You did worry me. I love you, Draco, and I would not be able to live if I lost you." Draco felt his heart swell at her words.

"You'll never lose me. I'll always be right here." Hermione smiled and pulled his head down so she could kiss him gently on the lips.

"Is that a promise, Malfoy?" she whispered, pressing her forehead against his. He nodded.

"Yes, Hermione. It's a promise coming straight from my heart." She smiled and kissed him again before getting up.

"You still have to open your presents!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Presents? As in more than one?" he asked in a suspicious tome. She looked at him teasingly.

"Well…you got quite a few from that Pansy Parkinson girl." Draco grimaced.

"That little chit…she just doesn't get it." Hermione laughed and tugged at his arm.

"Come on! I want to see what you got!" Draco finally gave in and let Hermione lead him into the common room. The Christmas tree had been taken down, but Draco's presents were still there. He bent down to pick up the present from him to Hermione.

"I want to see you open yours first." Hermione took the small rectangular box and carefully unwrapped it. She gasped once the lid was off.

"Draco…it's beautiful." Inside the box was a silver bracelet with rubies and emeralds set into it. Draco helped her put it on and it looked perfect against her creamy skin.

"It looks even more beautiful on you," he said softly. She blushed, then handed him her present for him.

"It's not much. It's very difficult to shop for the boy who has everything." Draco smiled.

"Anything from you is perfect." He ripped into the wrapping paper and half expected a book. But instead, he found an old-fashioned key and an Invisibility cloak. He held the silvery cloak in his hands, amazed.

"Hermione, where did you get this? Invisibility cloaks are supposed to be really rare." Draco still held the cloak like it was very precious, which, in fact, it was he had to remind himself. Hermione smiled.

"I found it with that key. I was in the library one day when I noticed something in between some loose stones near the bottom of one of the bookshelves. I lifted it up and found with old wooden box with your last name on it. I opened it and found these. I still have the box if you want it." Draco looked up, his eyes sparkling.

"May I see it?" Hermione led him back up to her room where she pulled out the box from under her bed. He opened it and found something engraved in the lid.

MAXIMUS MALFOY

Use this cloak and this key

To unlock the room of mystery.

Only he with my blood will find

The room to please his desires in mind.

And only one other my enter, if he would allow:

One with whom he made a vow

To love and cherish with all his heart

And with whom he shall never part.

Now, say these words and I shall reveal

A map so you will find what my room conceals.

"I AM A MALFOY OF PUREBLOOD

WITH ONLY A HEART THAT WISHES TO DO GOOD."

As soon as Draco finished reading the last two lines out loud, a piece of old parchment materialized in the empty box. He looked at Hermione who urged him to take the parchment. Draco reached into the box and pulled it out, unrolling it, to find a map mush like Harry's Marauder's Map. He looked up once more at Hermione, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"So, you want to find out what's so mysterious about this room of mystery?" he asked, waving the parchment in her face. He could just see the twinkle in her eye as an adventure was presented to her. But she shook her head.

"I'm not allowed. Only you are, see?" She pointed back at the engraving.

"Hermione, it says that I can bring one other person. One with who that I made a vow to love and cherish with all my heart," he quoted. "And that's you." Hermione beamed and picked up the map before jumping to her feet.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Draco laughed at her eagerness and followed her out of her room.

"Hermione, we can't go yet!" Draco called after her. She spun around to face him.

"Why not?" she asked, looking as if Christmas had been cancelled. His eyes, once again, glinted with mischief.

"Don't you know that in order to have a proper adventure, you must sneak out at night, when the rest of the castle is sleeping?" Hermione laughed.

"Well, all right. We'll wait until later tonight. How about we get some dinner? It's about to be served anyway," she suggested. Draco put his arm around her shoulders.

"Good suggestion, Hermione, my love," he said, giving her a peck on the cheek.