Chapter 3: wake ups and confessions

Draco woke up the next morning and for the first time since he could remember, he felt warm, safe and comfortable in his own bed. He looked down at the brown haired girl in his arms and smiled. Hermione. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Hermione murmured something in her sleep and snuggled closer.

Draco smiled down at her, and once more let sleep over come him.

My Hermione.

Hermione woke up later on and felt someone's arms around her. She stiffened and her eyes snapped open. She wasn't in her bed, let alone her room. Her still sleeping mind tried desperately to find out where they were and what had happened the night before. She looked up sharply at the guys face, and relief swept through her as she recognized Draco.

She smiled and reached up and softly pushed his hair off his face.

Draco stirred, and opened his eyes.

"Good morning," he said, grey-blue eyes meeting brown.

"Good morning, sleepy head," she said, her hand resting on Draco's cheek. "How are you feeling?"

Draco's eyes clouded over and darkened to a dark blue, as Hermione watched the emotions swirling through them. "As fine as I can be right now. I feel so guilty. I never told. She's been hurt so much, and I couldn't stop him." Anger edged into his voice. "I thought he had stopped beating her, but he didn't. How could I be so blind, Hermione?"

"He fooled all of us, Draco. But now he's gone. He can never hurt you two again."

Draco smiled a little. "I guess I have you, Potter, and Weasley to thank for that, huh?"

"Yup," Hermione said smiling smugly, "you do." She smiled at him.

Draco laughed. "I wondered if all you did was study. You do have a funny side to you, don't you?"

"I have many sides you don't know about."

"So I noticed. But I plan to see every side you have." He promised.

"Oh, really, Mr. Malfoy?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

"Like this." Draco said. He tilted Hermione's face up, and kissed her gently. He began to pull away, but Hermione laced her fingers into his hair and pulled him back. Draco smiled into the kiss, as his tongue asked for entrance. She obliged and the began to explore each others mouths.

After a few minutes someone knocked on the door, and Hermione and Draco sprung apart. Draco sat up and called out entrance, thinking it was a house-elf with food.

The door opened and Dumbledore stepped into the room.

His eyes twinkled merrily as Draco's mouth dropped open and he hurriedly threw some covers over the other side of the bed, which yelped in response.

"Mr. Malfoy, I know Miss Granger is on the other side of the bed." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "But I do hope, however, that she is decently dressed."

Hermione bolted up, throwing the covers over Draco, and starred wide eyed at her professor.

"Professor, you have one of the dirtiest mind I have ever met!!!!"

Draco pushed the covers off him and starred at Hermione, his mouth hanging even farther open. He couldn't believe Hermione Granger had just said something to that nature to their Headmaster, let alone a professor. Dumbledore chuckled. Hermione looked between the two, and suddenly realized what she had said. She blushed a deep red, mumbled something like "sorry", grabbed the covers, lay back down and threw them over her again.

Draco looked between the lump next to him and his headmaster, who, like him, was trying not to laugh. Draco couldn't help it anymore and burst out laughing, soon followed by Professor Dumbledore. Hermione's hand snaked out of the covers after a few seconds and smacked Draco soundly on the back of the head.

"Bloody hell Hermione, that hurt!" Draco said, rubbing the back of his head.

"You deserved it," came the muffled reply.

Draco looked at his professor and raised his hands into the air, silently asking him what he had done to deserve that.

Dumbledore chuckled. "My first bit of advice, Mr. Malfoy, is never try to figure out what's going on inside a women's mind."

Draco nodded, storing the advice in his mind. "What is it you needed, professor?"

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, your mother will be coming out of the healing sleep in a little more than an hour. Your presence is wanted when she does."

Draco nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore smiled, "it is my pleasure, Mr. Malfoy. I'll send in Martin with some food in a little while." Dumbledore smiled one last time and left.

Draco looked down at the lump next to him. He leaned down and whispered, "You'll pay for that Miss Granger. No one hits Draco Malfoy without him getting revenge." And with that he threw the covers off her, and began tickling her senseless.

After a few minutes they were yet again interrupted by a knock on the door.

Draco let out a loud sigh, and let go of Hermione, and called out entrance.

The door opened and four house-elves walked in, carrying two plates piled high with food and two goblets of pumpkin juice. They set it down on the table near the fire, bowed to the two in bed and walked back out.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something about S.P.E.W. but Draco was already bolting out of bed, headed straight for the food.

Hermione sighed. Having two males as best friends, she knew full well what a sixteen-year-old boys appetite was like, and she knew that Draco would eat her plate of food also if she didn't get to it first. She muttered something like "boys and their endless stomachs and got out of bed to get some food.

After they finished, the mediwitch came in to tell Draco that his mother would be waking up momentarily.

Draco stood, his eyes clouded over once more. He looked down at Hermione. "Go home, and get changed and do all the other stuff girls do in the morning. I'll come get you once I'm done.

Hermione nodded, stood, and walked over to the fireplace.

"Hermione." Draco called.

She looked back

"I...I love you. I think I always have. But I know I always will.

Hermione nodded and threw some floo powder into the fire.

She stepped in, turned, looked Draco in the eyes and whispered, "I love you too, Draco. I know I always have, and I forever will." Then she said "Granger Household" and the last glimpse of Draco she had was him smiling from ear to ear.

She closed her eyes, and when she felt herself slow down she threw her arms out, and stepped into her living room, her eyes still closed.

Her eyes snapped open when a voice said sarcastically, "well, so nice of you to show up."

"Yea, how was the play Hermione?" said another just as sarcastic.

"Did you and the Malfoy's have fun?" asked the first.

A very mad Harry and Ron stood in front of Hermione, there arms crossed in front of them.