Another Chance

By Cedar1

A/N Ok first off huge apologies for the massive amount of time that has passed since my last update, am tryin to think of an excuse but..........hmmm.

Thanx to all those who reviewed last time u guys make my day: Spaced out Space Cadet, mesmer, Thalion, HARRYPOTTER4LIFE, awaysheflew, Serpent du Feu, ellabelle1, RnB Diva Gurl, a

As always wud luv it u cud review at the end! Cheers!

Just to clear up a few things, I know this is a Hr/D fic and instead I've been mentioning Ron and Pansy quite a bit. But the way their relationship affects Ron and Pansy and vice versa is quite central to the story, so I thought I had to write something about their feelings too. Althou I promise Hermione and Draco will be more I can't say that Ron etc won't be making an appearance. So maybe if u want a solely Hr/D fic this isn't 4 u, just a warning. Thanx.

But enough of my babble on with the story which I hope u enjoy!

Disclaimer: am borrowing JK Rowling's characters for a while.

Chapter 10: Nothing lasts forever

Previously

Hard, cold silver had finally thawed, not to bubbling lust, but to the flowing, tranquil liquid of love. She didn't know what had provoked such a change. But she didn't doubt its sincerity. He had changed.

And it was 'gentleness' that best described their night. There were no hurried movements, or forceful caresses everything had stayed slow, with soft kisses and long moans punctuating the atmosphere. They wanted to take their time, to make up for all the seconds they had lost.

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"Parkinson will you swear to what you saw in court." He asked from behind her.

"Yes, and anymore information you might find useful."

She stepped out in the open air, glad for the fresh breeze that seemed to cleanse her dirty skin.

That night a sober Ron waited for Harry to tell him the news.

They were finally going to get his Hermione back.


Chapter 10: Nothing lasts forever

'Da dum'

'Da dum'

She listened to his heart beating beneath her. It never changed. The rhythm never altered; it remained constant, comforting her as she lay on his naked torso. It was so unlike the ups and downs of their relationship. But that was in the past. Last night marked a new beginning in their lives together.

"I love you"

"I love you"

The phrase kept repeating in her head over and over, making her giddy with ecstasy. It wasn't just the words it was the feelings behind it that made Hermione feel like she could fly. She was not a woman to be flattered with insincere thoughts but when he said it. It was a world above that. Malfoy's were not ones to share their emotions with anyone, hell they even kept them hidden from themselves.

Unconsciously she found herself spelling the words on his chest, her fingers moving on the pale skin lazily to form the letters. She was behaving like some love-sick schoolgirl…..

"Hermione if you don't stop that I may need to cut your hand off," said the lazy drawl she had come to love.

She lifted her head from his warm flesh. His eyes were still closed as they were in sleep but the rays of sunlight that had managed to slip through the crack of the curtains highlighted the tilt of the smirk that was playing on his lips.

"Stop staring its rude." Another smart remark.

"Like you don't like the attention."

Her quick comeback achieved a chuckle from the man before her. The throaty sound vibrated in the atmosphere around them, as well as making the chest beneath her rumble gently. She pushed herself harder against him, squeezing out any air that separated them. She wanted to remain like this forever. Flesh against flesh. Skin against skin. It was heaven.

"Keep doing that and I won't be able to breathe."

"Shut Up."

Yet the order came out more as a murmur as she moved up his body and let her lips settle upon his. Finding that was the only way to silence a Malfoy.

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Unknown to the lovers their happy situation was to be shattered by the group of aurors that were gathered at the foot of the grand staircase. There was a distinct buzz that surrounded the ten figures, a buzz that was brought on by the rush of adrenalin that was taking their senses by storm. They were on the verge of arresting one of the most illustrious and intelligent Death Eaters still alive and their fingers twitched to reach for their wands and blast him away, to make him pay for all the lives he had taken. It had been a lengthy process getting into the manor, breaking the various curses that protected their owners and hid their well kept secrets. They had been planning throughout the night and it was only this morning that Harry had announced that they were ready to attack.

Their leader giving the signal from the front they began their movement up the stairs. Each of them so highly trained, that any footfalls were silent. Their target would never know what was coming.

Unlike the men that followed them for Harry and Ron the sweat that brought a sheen to their faces was not from excitement but from fear. They had already searched the basement, the ground floor and still there was no Hermione. And the number of rooms that had not yet been explored was rapidly decreasing. Their hearts were trashing within them, beating against the bones of their ribs, threatening to splinter them to pieces with its force. Each step meant one closer to either happiness or complete and utter devastation.

What if they didn't find her?

What if it was too late and she was already dead?

The questions spun wildly in their heads making them sick with the mixture of anxiety and dread.

They were at the first door on the corridor now, ready to pounce. Harry lifted his gaze to the heavens, like he had done for all the other rooms, praying that finally this would be the one. He held his hand in front of him, his lips mouthing the words as his fingers counted down.

Three.

Two.

One.

"Alohamora?" screamed ten voices in unison.

The door swung open, hitting the adjacent wall with a loud bang, which in turn was followed by a pin-drop silence as they took in the scene in front of them.

Ironic really.

They had all presumed the surprise would be on Malfoy's part

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It's amazing how the heart can go from frantic beating to staying so still that his blood just seemed to remain static in his veins, the once steady flow grounding to a halt. Even his lungs had failed him, for he was neither breathing in nor out. He was frozen. Destined to relive this moment in time forever. It was the past coming back to haunt him. Slithers of mint green next to flashes of pale skin. The sickening mixture of pale and dark strands entwined around each other on the pillows. His vision was becoming blurry, tears obscuring the image that didn't seem to want to leave him alone. The muffled order of Harry's 'To get out' to the others, together with the whispers and footsteps that followed were only background noise to the nightmare that lay in front of him. He had caught the curve of her breast before it was quickly covered up by shaking fingers and a thin sheet. How could she do this? How could she give into him so quickly? He forced himself to look up, to tear his eyes away from her body to her eyes. The eyes that told him everything.

But she was avoiding his gaze. Her eyes firmly fixed on her lap. Her hair shielding most her face from his view. But the brown curls were not able to hide the red patches of sore skin that decorated the smooth curve of her neck, the marks that told their own story. His hands were curled up into tight fists by his side, his nails digging into the flesh of his sweaty palms. Why was he never good enough for her? It always came back to that. The problem that he could never solve, never overcome. The one thing that blocked him from what he had wanted more than anything in his life.

Her.

The one thing that belonged to him.

Malfoy.

His jealous eyes immediately flicked towards the fucking son of a bitch. And what he saw made him want to leap across the room and pound the fuckers face repeatedly, over and over again, never stopping until there was nothing left. Nothing to compete with him.

The bastard was smirking. His thin lips pulled up into the expression that Ron had seen a million times. Yet this moment was different. It was a level above childhood taunts and pathetic insults. It was the final nail that was hammered into the coffin where Ron's fragile heart lay, dead. He had won. He knew. The bastard knew it! After all he had done to her, Ron had noticed the bruises that marred her beautiful face, the ones that came from the hand of a man, and she would still run to him. To Malfoy and not to Ron. It was his final and greatest victory over him, and Malfoy was enjoying it to the fullest.

Harry's voice temporarily broke the two men's connection as he voiced his concern for Hermione.

"Did he rape you Hermione?"

Harry too had seen the bruises but his thinking had led him to a completely different conclusion and in all honesty Ron thought the wrong one. Yet Ron was still interested in what Hermione would say and his blue eyes returned back to her shaking body. Perhaps. Perhaps Harry was right whispered the voice of hope in his head. Ron shook his head at his sick thought. He wouldn't want Hermione to have to ever go through that, but then didn't that mean there was a chance she could still be his?

Ron was not the only one to be waiting for Hermione's response for Draco's silver eyes were too trained on his lover. And he watched in slow motion as she nodded her head, her curls bouncing in time with the movement. How could she do this to him? To them? Hadn't he given up so much for her by confessing his love? Had he not betrayed everything that he believed for her? It was in this state of speechlessness that he was struck down by a curse by Harry. The sight of Weasley wrapping his gangly arms around Hermione the last sight he saw before his eye lids gave way to the strength of the spell that saw him become unconsciousness on his own bed.

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She sat on the chair. Her fingers lay pale, cold and shaking on her lap. The skin on her face was stained with blotchy red patches, where she had rubbed her tears fiercely with the scratchy material of her robe. Her eyes were trained on him; she was unable to take her gaze off him, the guilt racking her mind keeping them tied to him. He had fought his demons for her, yet she could not do the same for him when the time had called for it. She had been so overwhelmed. The power to form coherent words had left her in a cloud of shock when they had come crashing through the doors. She couldn't help but be ashamed when she saw the faces of her best friends as they looked upon her dishevelled appearance, her nakedness protected by only a thin sheet. She didn't know what to say, she had merely wrapped the sheet tighter around her form, hoping desperately that she could disappear and leave a puddle of green silk where she lay.

But then she had glanced at Draco and instead of sharing her expression of stunned silence he had had a smug smirk plastered on his face, his grey eyes focussed solely on Ron, who seemed to grow redder and redder as the seconds passed with maddening slowness. It was at that point that Hermione had wanted to leap across the bed and wipe that smirk of his face with one hard swipe of her hand.

How could he be so cruel?

Wasn't it enough that he had her?

Did he have to rub Ron's face in it?

She dropped on the chair that was placed conveniently behind her, the weight of the emotions that rested within her no longer allowing her to stand on her own two feet. Why was everything so difficult? Why was her life the path that twisted round numerable corners, the one lined with the stony obstacles whose sole aim was to trip you up and send you crashing to the unforgiving ground? This morning she had finally thought she had everything that she could ever want, everything her heart had desired. The man that she loved next to her, loving her as much as she did him. But then the part of him that she thought was gone forever. The part that she had hated violently for more than half her life, resurfaced, hurting her and her friends with such deadly accuracy. More efficiently than it had ever done so in the past.

He brought one of his hands to his messy hair. Long fingers running through the kinks and bumps, smoothing the haphazardly positioned strands to their usual perfection. Each one receiving painstaking attention, just like her skin had this morning. The memory of his silky touches was enough to bring tingles of pleasure to life along the length of her arms, her legs, her stomach and other areas that would make her blush if she said them out loud. She lifted her legs onto the chair, wrapped her arms around them, and squeezed her limbs to her chest as much as she could. Anything to stop those prickles of bliss.

But it was fruitless. Her mind was working against her, replaying the images of their night and morning together. She began to cry again. Tears of frustration and pent-up emotion soaking her heavy robes.

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She was slow to realise the entrance of two more people into the small observation room. Ron and Harry shared a look of confusion, neither knowing what to do. Ron turned to glare at Malfoy, his lips twisting to an ugly look of hatred and satisfaction, leaving Harry to comfort their best friend alone. He approached her cautiously, his arm rising and then dropping uselessly by his side, unsure of the best way to act.

"Hermione?"

It was phrased like a question. It was almost like he couldn't believe that the crumpled figure in front of him was once his stubborn, strong minded friend.

"Hermione."

He called again after she failed to respond the first time round, his voice a notch louder. She looked up at him, acknowledging his concern, before once more placing her head on her knees.

He looked back at Ron, a silent plea for help. But his red-headed partner was still preoccupied in his aim to kill Malfoy with looks alone, or maybe he was just deliberately ignoring the call for aid. Sighing Harry crouched by her side, his right hand running through the mass of curls. She didn't say anything but she had flinched as soon as he had touched her scalp. The action had been enough of an indication to show that that hadn't been the right move, it probably reminded her of Malfoy.

Malfoy.

The bastard!

How could he be so calm when Hermione was practically trying to cry the life out of her?

"Hermione it's alright. We understand how painful it is for you. He's been arrested, he'll be trialled. He will get what he deserved," he whispered to her.

"What he deserved."

He was just able to catch the muffled monotone words through the layers of wool and hair. However he was not given any time to analyse her short statement as she raised her head and looked at him square in the eyes.

"He didn't rape me Harry." A ghost of a smile formed on her lips.

"He didn't do anything I didn't want." Her eyes clouded briefly in remembrance meaning she did not catch the way Ron's body had stiffened, his muscles tensing to the maximum.

"Trial him?" A glimmer of amusement in her question.

It was then that Ron finally decided to make his presence known. The anger he felt for her and Malfoy no longer able to be contained.

"What do you want us to do? Let him go!"

He was screaming now. The words bouncing off the walls, sending vibrations through them with the force of his rage. She had simply ignored him, her head turned so she was no longer looking at him. But he was determined she listened to what he had to say for once. He had tried to warn her about Malfoy before, but he was just pushed aside like he always was. Well he wasn't going to be ignored this time. He stormed up to her, pushing Harry out of his way. He grabbed hold of her chin forcefully, making her look at him.

"He kidnapped you! Beat you! Does that mean nothing to you?"

She closed her eyes, hiding her feelings from him.

"He's killed Hermione. Are you that selfish that you'll let him off just because you like fucking him?"

Her eyelids flicked open revealing two burning orbs of deep brown.

"Me selfish. Don't tell me sentencing him to death won't please that pathetic school boy in you. You've always hated him. You've never given him a chance."

"He doesn't deserve a fucking chance! He deserves a life in hell!" He released his grip, vehemently pushing her face away from him. Her everlasting denial and blindness in all things concerning Malfoy successfully pushed him over the edge. He didn't know whether he could stay in the room any longer without wanting to hit her into the realm of common sense.

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Harry was shoved aside as Ron stormed past him, the door slamming in his wake. His gaze flicked from the exit to Hermione who had gone back to her previous position, curled up on the chair. He hated being in the middle of things, not being able to do anything but watch as their friendship split at the seams, again. And it was because of the same reason that tore them apart in 7th year. Malfoy. Harry moved his head so his was once again facing the blonde. He wasn't doing anything, just staring into space. His eyes hard and unreadable. Was Hermione right? Had he changed? His friend had always been so wise, so certain in her beliefs. Truthfully the 'Golden Trio' would have been nothing without her. They had used her for her intelligence for her quick reasoning. But then they all had roles to play and they were all to keen to play them. Nothing had changed, and so perhaps she was right. Malfoy was ...good. God that sounded strange, even just in his head. If it was true..... Harry couldn't help but think of the possibilities. There could be no arguing that a Malfoy on their side was easier to cope with than one against them and with one of their elite gone would the Death Eater resistance continue? Could it? And the story itself would if anything help to raise the dwindling moral of the wizarding public, for what could be better than a tale of love and redemption between a Death Eater and an Auror to give hope to the people.

"Do you believe that?" Harry asked.

Hermione raise her head wearily from her knees. "Believe what?"

"That he's," Harry inclined his head to the prisoner, "changed. That he won't hurt again."

Hermione suddenly looked more alert, her eyes widened in surprise at his enquiry and her answer came out strong and clear. "Yes."

Of course he had. Did he not kiss away all her pain yesterday? But then a voice within her reminded her who had caused her all that pain in the first place. Who had hit her so hard that she had marks that would not fade with simple wizard charms? It was that voice that uttered the shaky word that was next uttered from her lips.

"No."

She could feel Harry looking at her. His face confused at her contradicting answers. He wanted a definite reply. They always did. But she couldn't give one this time...

"I don't know. Just go Harry."

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He could feel her staring at him through the wall that allowed her to look in but not him to look out. He could feel the guilt and pain that radiated from her. Part of him wanted to break the door down, grab hold of her and never let go – anything to stop her crying. The other part – the Malfoy part – wanted her to suffer. Wanted the red eyes and broken heart. For wasn't it her friends that brought this on them, her inability to admit to their love. Her friends, her insecurities, her fault. The Malfoy way of thinking was never that complex.

But instead he did neither, he didn't cry for her, he didn't rejoice, he simply stared blankly at the cracks in the grey stone in front of him; reflecting on the simple fact that all their hopes and desires in the morning had been a fool's folly.

Why?

Because nothing can last forever.


If u've read till here pleaseeeeeeeeee review and let me know what u think

Am really not sure on this chapter, too fluffy in the beginning, and then Draco turned mean at the end but I thought that he couldn't keep being so nice... Argh so many things so please review.

A/N a couple more chapters to go till it all will be wrapped up in a parcel of misery or happiness. Still not sure on the ultimate ending, keep changing my mind. so if u guys have any preferences let me know in ure reviews....