Chapter 7 – Heartaches

Draco was attentive and caring but of late, Hermione began to notice something was troubling him.  A few days earlier, he said he had to attend to family business in Paris. Since his return, he had become withdrawn and distant. For many nights, when he thought she was asleep, he would sit by the window and stare out into the night.  At times, she would wake up in the morning and find he had already gone.  This invisible distance threatened to rip apart their newfound happiness and Hermione was determined to find out what was going on. She attempted to talk to him but he flatly refused to discuss it.  

"Draco, what is bothering you? Maybe I can help," she suggested, unable to tolerate the silence any longer.

His gray eyes narrowed.  "What have you heard?"

Taken aback, she stammered, "Nothing! I just want whatever that is plaguing you to go away." She reached out to him but he flinched from her touch.

"Well, maybe this is the real me.  I don't need anybody's help," he snapped. "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP."

Hermione was shocked into silence – he had not raised his voice against her since they were married.  What had happened? What did she do wrong?

Instead of apologizing, he picked up his cloak and said, "I should go now." 

He left her flat without an explanation.  Running after him, she called out, "Wait! Come back."

But he was gone.

ooooo

Hermione was lost in her own thoughts as she made her way to the library.  He had no right to be angry at her last night… It bothered her that he couldn't even talk to her about it.  She was tempted to use a truth spell on him, make the pain go away. It would seem the easy way out, wouldn't it? 

She sighed sadly.  She had begun to miss him terribly.

"Mione?"

Harry's voice cut through her thoughts as she turned to him and smiled.  "Hi, Harry. How was class today?"

"Advanced Potions isn't exactly my cup of tea, if you know what I mean," he said with a sigh. She knew he badly wanted to take Potions as one of his Auror subjects but he and Snape weren't the best of friends. Harry told her he suspected Snape hadn't really forgiven him for stealing his pensieve all those years ago because he was always given difficult assignments.

"I'm going to the library to research my assignment for McGonagall.  Maybe I could help you with your problem," she offered as Harry's green eyes lit up eagerly.

Both of them studied in the library until Madam Pince told them the library was closing.  She was putting her books and notes into her bag when he mumbled, "Um, Mione…"

She looked up in surprise. "Huh?"

"Err, it's rather embarrassing … some of my experimental potion fell into Hedwig's food and it turned him into a rabbit. He doesn't like me very much now, not being able to fly.  Can you help me reverse the spell?" 

It was a simple enough procedure. "Sure," she said.

With a suspicious gleam in his eye, Harry led her to the Gryffindor common room.  When the door opened, Ron, Ginny and a bunch of familiar faces jumped up in unison. "Happy Birthday, Mione!"

She was touched by the kind gesture as she stared at the orange birthday cake with candles on top and the party streamers around the room.  Everyone took turns hugging her.  She really needed to boost her sagging spirits especially after her fight with Draco. She mumbled her heartfelt thanks and glared at Harry for tricking her.

"I'm sorry, Mione.  I didn't know how else to surprise you," Harry said with a smile.

Hermione laughed and slapped his arm. "And here I was thinking of poor Hedwig!"

Ron said to her, "Did you think we had forgotten about your birthday?"

"McGonagall said we could use the common room for a 'private' gathering so we aren't breaking any rules.  Go on, make a wish," Ginny urged.

Hermione smiled at her friends and closed her eyes. "I wish…"

I wish he were here.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, half expecting to see Draco standing in front of her. 

He would never show up.

She quickly hid her disappointment with a smile.  She was pleasantly surprised to see Lavendar, Parvati, Neville and Luna there too as they talked about things and events in the wizard world, making her forget her problems. It was almost midnight when they cleared up the common area after the party.

"I could send you back to your place," offered Harry. "Ron wouldn't mind if I borrowed his car for a while."

Hermione paused for a moment but decided the company would be appreciated. "Sure."

It was a cool night and the moon was shining brightly as they took a slow drive past the calm lake towards Hogsmeade.

"Mione, you seem awfully quiet.  Is something wrong?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Oh, it's nothing – just worried about my studies. I haven't been able to concentrate lately," she lied, averting his gaze.

"I want you to know that I'll be there for you as you have for me.  I doubt I would have made it without you… and Ron," said Harry.

She smiled gratefully and nodded.  Harry hadn't had strange and frightening dreams since the Dark Lord's crushing defeat in their final year.  Perhaps his only regret was not being able to banish Voldemort to his eternal hell.

Hermione shivered at the memory of their duel on the treacherous slopes of Ben Nevis as bolts of light flew from their wands. Even she could barely defeat the Death-eaters due to her inexperience when Ginny came to her rescue.  They hugged each other on the windy plateau as they watched in terror as Harry fought against the evil one.  Luckily, Dumbledore's powerful incantations strengthened Harry and had in some way, saved his life.  Though he managed to defeat Voldemort, many wizards were slain in battle.  The Dark Lord had gone but she knew Harry still worries of the day he has to face him again.

After Voldemort's defeat, the wizard world had elevated him to celebrity status – he was young, not bad-looking and a hero.  Everywhere he went the media and fans descended on him like bees to honey.  They wanted to know everything about Wonder Boy; what he wore, what he ate, which girl he was dating…

Harry has bigger problems to deal with, she thought. 

"Actually…there is something that needs to be done," she said, smiling mischievously.

Harry's thick eyebrows creased into a frown.  "Huh? What is that?"

"Well, a certain Gryffindor girl you know is hoping you might ask her out for a date," she declared.

"What!" Suddenly, Harry slammed on the brakes and the car screeched to a halt in front of her flat.

"Harry!" she shouted as her hands instinctively grabbed the dashboard. "What's the matter with you?"

She could tell Harry was embarrassed as he stammered, "I…I…didn't know you were interested in me in THAT way…"

Stunned by his gross misinterpretation, she burst into giggles.  Harry could be utterly clueless sometimes.  "Heavens, no!  You and I both know that lovers don't make the best of friends. You are my best friend, Harry. I mean the OTHER Gryffindor girl."

She recalled her less than amicable break up with Ron some years back.  He hadn't spoken to her for a while thereafter until Ginny and Harry decided to patch things between them. Now, he seemed to have gotten over their separation but sometimes there were those awkward moments.

Realization flashed on his face. "Oh."

"She has been waiting for you to notice her for a long time," Hermione said as she got out of the car. "Goodnight, Harry."

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of steely gray eyes watched the both of them from her bedroom window.

The sound of her door opening caught her by surprise.

"Draco…"

Draco's eyes moved from her to the picture hanging on the wall behind her, showing no expression.  She flew into his arms and said, "I didn't know you were here."

"Would you rather I didn't come?" his voice was cold and hard.

She pulled back and stared at him.  "No. I didn't say that."

"What was Scarhead doing with you?" he demanded.

"Nothing! He just offered to send me home," she replied in confusion.

He knew that they were friends. Did he expect that to change?

But Draco remained closed to her. 

"Fine."  She had had enough of his moods and was about to turn around and leave when a cold hand gripped her and pulled her back into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Let go!" she shouted at him.

"I knew it would come to this. You didn't waste time finding a 'replacement' to warm your bed," he said accusingly.

Hermione glared at him, angered by his scathing remark.  "What? What are you talking about?"

"Tell me you don't love him."

"I don't understand…"

Draco took a deep breath and said in a weary voice, "That you don't love Potter."

Hermione froze.

How dare he taunt me and ridicule my feelings! 

Sinking into a chair, she whispered, "I love you, Draco…I love you."

After a long silence, he knelt in front of her and said, "Hermione, we could leave England, go far away and visit the places we've never seen…"

Hermione stared at Draco, sort of puzzled by the desperate tone in his voice. What exactly was he trying to say? He smiled at her and she finally saw the wistful light in his grey eyes. Body language, the shifting tones in his voice, and the words he'd said earlier indicated that something was very wrong.

"Draco, you're frightening me," she begged softly.

He reached out and pulled his wife into his arms. "I'm sorry. Forget it. Come to bed."

Then sweeping Hermione off her feet, he carried her to their bedroom.  Slowly without a word, he undressed her and laid her on the bed.  Hermione studied his profile as he stripped off his clothes and stood naked in front of her, a beautiful Adonis.  She shuddered from the memory of the feel of his muscles toned from many years of quidditch training. 

He climbed into bed next to her and drew the covers up.  Finally back in his embrace after a long torturing absence, her heart rejoiced and all misunderstandings were forgotten.  Wrapping her hands around him, she whispered, "Draco, I missed you."

Exhaling a rough hiss, Draco claimed her mouth, tracing her lips with his tongue.  The kissing became ravenous as he pinned her down with his body.

Hermione guided his hands to her breasts and moaned when he began to fondle them.  His delicious mouth took over where his hands left off.  Heat had pooled between her legs and spread through her body.  Writhing in painful pleasure, she pressed his head into her bosom, craving more.

She was drowning in a whirlwind of sensations as Draco began exploring every inch of her as if imprinting her body into his mind.  He left a trail of hot kisses down her body until he reached between her legs. Instinctively, she parted them and whimpered as he dipped a finger into her. Hermione opened her eyes and saw a man hungry for her as he leaned forward and started to nuzzle her sex.

Hermione felt his tongue flicking faster and faster on her sensitive nub until vibrations rippled through her.  Draco was ruthless in his pursuit of pleasure and he showed no mercy as he kept his pace offering constant stimulation. A guttural cry of approval escaped her lips as wave after wave of orgasm washed over her, each stronger than the one before. She was shaking so hard that Draco had to hold her. He reached up and kissed her gently this time.

Hermione clutched the sheets; her body tensed again responding to his kisses.  She had expected him to take her but he seemed to have a different agenda. Bidding his time, he said hoarsely, "No, wait. I want to see your face by moonlight."

Grabbing her arms, he pulled her up from the bed and let her legs straddle his body.  He carried her to the window.  Hermione didn't realize how beautiful she was to him, her body bathed with the light of the moon as she leaned back and held the window's edge.  With his hands on her hips, he lowered her unto his bobbing manhood. She gasped, as she was not accustomed to making love on the windowsill.  He grunted as she began to move, creating sweet friction as she set the rhythm. She too was losing it as her legs tightened around his hips, burying him deep inside her as fingers dug into his back.  He watched her with desire-drugged eyes and with an anguished cry he thrust upward and spilled into her. 

ooooo

Draco lay quietly in bed with Hermione wrapped up in his arms.  He didn't envision they would come to this.  He never thought their separation could hurt so much.  How could he tell her the horrible news that beset him just a few weeks back? Closing his eyes, he could remember the day vividly.  He was on his way to London when he received an owl from his mother. It simply read -

Come home.

Two words -- that could only mean that something was wrong.  Normally, Narcissa would wait until he got back to the Mansion in the morning before telling him the news. He stepped into the Mansion and was quickly ushered into the study by the house elf.  In the dimly lit study, he saw his mother sitting calmly in the chair.

"Mother," he greeted her.

Narcissa turned and stood up. "Draco, your father's here."

Father?

Draco's brows furrowed in confusion. When was he released from Azkaban?

"Draco," a familiar voice called from a dark corner of the room. Lucius Malfoy emerged from the shadows with a sinister smile.

"Father."

"I suppose you are wondering how I got out – it's amazing what Polyjuice Potion can do.  The Dark Lord has summoned me to his side so I won't stay long," Lucius said. Then, pulling a gold chest out of the drawer, he took out a ring bearing the Malfoy coat of arms.  "Before I go, I want you to wear this, Draco.  It's time you took over the Malfoy household."

Draco stared at the ring his father gave him. Without a word, Lucius slipped it on his finger.

"That's my son.  I hear you're spending a lot of time in Hogsmeade," Lucius said. 

He looked up sharply at his father as panic rose in his heart.  He must not find out about Hermione. 

"Draco, why are you so quiet? Have you nothing to say to your father?"

"I'm pleased you are out of prison, Father. I've been keeping up appearances with the wizard world," he said with a wavering voice.   

"I'm pleased to hear that.  We need the support of pureblood families once the Dark Lord returns.  Speaking of which, how's the wedding arrangements with Ms. Parkinson?" Lucius asked.

"It's being taken care of," Narcissa quickly replied, shooting a warning look at her son.

Lucius seemed satisfied with the answer. Then, turning to his son, he said, "Don't let your mother and me down. Your initiation to become one of us will be arranged."

Draco watched from his bedroom window as Lucius departed for the Dark Lord's lair with his faithful followers in the pouring rain. He sank to the floor and covered his face in despair.  He was used to doing things his way.  Now with his father rescued from Azkaban, his entire world had changed. He knew he could not be with Hermione any more.  He could never sacrifice her life for a few precious moments together.  His father had many spies and sooner or later, he would find out about them.  Lucius would rather have her killed than let his son take a muggle wife and tarnish the Malfoy name.

That night, he had come to her flat wondering why he needed to see her.  The time for his initiation would be soon.  Perhaps he owed her that much or more importantly, he needed her forgiveness and understanding but the sight of Scarhead riled him.  It was a bitter pill to watch them together – bitter that he could not share her future and happiness the way Scarhead could.

Having her for the few precious months made him realize more than ever how much she meant to him -- she had been his angel, his heaven.  This life she had built in Hogwarts was all she knew and loved.  To take that away would be to condemn her to a life of fear and unhappiness.  He didn't want to be the one to wield the knife, he couldn't.  He loved her too much and he poured out his heart and soul to her that night in an act of desperation for he knew he would be gone tomorrow.

TBC