Dragon's Flame- Chapter Ten
Feelings
By darthelwig
I do not own these characters or this world. J.K.Rowling does. I make absolutely no money off this story.
Its PG-13 time again!
I needed to write a bit of fluff, for my own sanity, so here it is!
He wished he had a camera.
It had been two weeks now since he and Hermione had worked things out in the library and life was looking pretty good, he had to admit. Nothing had seriously gone wrong, if you didn't take into account the reactions of his fellow Slytherin students to their admittedly odd relationship. Crabbe and Goyle had been simply confused, but as usual they went along with whatever Draco wanted. Pansy and the others had been a bit more betrayed. After countless arguments, a few attempts to beat the sense into him and one seriously messed up shot at hypnotizing him, they had finally given up. He was free now, at school anyway. He knew Pansy, at least, had sent notes to his parents, but he wasn't going to worry about them right now. They seemed very far away at the moment, and Hermione was all too near.
Students of the other houses, he reflected, had assimilated this new happening rather well after it proved not to be a hoax of some kind. A few of them had tried to talk some sense into Hermione, but she would not be swayed. And since Potter and Weasley were letting things go as they were, why shouldn't the other students? If anyone should have a problem with this new development, it should be those two. Draco was glad he had decided to handle them first, since the other students (especially the Gryffindors) followed their lead.
And now here he was, sitting on the grass near the lake, an old tree propping up his back and Hermione Granger in his arms. Her head was resting on his shoulder as she took a little nap, safely nestled in the cradle of his arms. He wished he had a camera to capture the peace of this moment forever. They came all too rarely.
His free hand came up to brush a strand of hair off her sweet face, and he marveled at the position he now found himself in; Potter and Weasley's friend, Hermione Granger's boyfriend…when had the world gone mad? He hoped it would never end.
A loud splash from the lake drew his attention, and he watched as the giant octopus played in the water, it huge tentacles splashing unwary students. A soft chuckle escaped him as he found himself enjoying the creature's game much more than the students close to the water's edge.
He felt Hermione wake up, her body stiffening as she stretched slightly. He looked down at her, a smile still on his face, and she greeted him with one of her own.
"How long have I been sleeping?" she asked, brushing her hair back off her shoulders. She sat up and yawned, reminding Draco of a very happy, very replete little kitten.
"Not long," he said, his arm wrapping around her waist to pull her close. She giggled and cuddled up next to him, enjoying his warmth. Draco planted a light kiss on her forehead, his aversion to such public displays of affection temporarily disabled.
"I love holding you, kitten," he sighed into her hair.
"Kitten?" she asked, curious. He'd never called her anything but Hermione since they had started dating. She liked hearing him say her name, but 'kitten' was kind of nice as well, she supposed.
"That's my new nickname for you," Draco explained. "You remind me of a very happy little kitten, all fuzz and eyes."
She laughed at his gentle tease about her hair. His indulgent smile never failed to melt her and she had given up days ago on pretending like she was offended. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his in a slow, sweet kiss that spread warmth from her head to her toes. When their lips parted, Draco was grinning at her.
"I win again," he said, and she playfully slapped his arm as he pretended to duck.
"Are you ever going to be serious?" she asked, not really minding at all.
"I am very serious," Draco said solemnly. "I am seriously falling in love with you."
That was the first time he had mentioned love to her, and it left her speechless. She couldn't believe he had just said that, and neither could he. What in the hell had prompted him to say such a thing?
"Do you mean that?" she asked, her voice quiet and hopeful. When she spoke like that, he had no choice but to tell her the truth of what lay in his heart. He could never lie to her about that.
"Yeah, I mean it. I love you, Hermione. You made me care when I thought I would never care like this about anyone." He lowered his eyes, unable to meet her gaze any longer, but she brought his eyes back to hers with a finger under his chin.
"I love you too, Draco. You don't ever have to be ashamed of yourself with me. I will always be here for you." Her voice was gentle and soft, washing over him like a soothing caress. The flame was still there in her eyes and he felt himself drawn towards it. Their faces came together and their lips met in a molten kiss full with the promise of forever.
He was lost in her and he didn't mind at all.