Chapter 13: Balivernes and Goodbyes
Hermione watched the clouds scurry across the full moon and fleetingly wondered how Professor Lupin was faring. Feeling restless she gently slipped out from under the arm of the sleeping boy beside her and padded into the bathroom. She stared hard at herself in the mirror, hardly believing that the girl before her had, mere hours ago, been lying on a bed making love to Draco Malfoy.
"What am I doing?" she muttered to herself holding her head. "I swore to stop this at the end of the summer. And yet here I am…I've barely been back four months! And the first guy to…you stupid, stupid girl."
She settled herself on the edge of the bath and peered at her watch by the dim light of the moon, which streamed in through an overhead window. Nearly five in the morning, but still the night was as black as pitch, and the moon had barely started it's trajectory across the dark sky. Nothing like the early hours of the morning for making one feel alone. Which was strange really, as there was one of the most handsome and sweetest guys in the school waiting for her next door. Come to think of it, he'd only been 'sweet' since school started which really wasn't that long ago, and they were breaking up in mere hours for the Christmas holidays… 'Time flies when you're having fun,' she thought sardonically.
Hermione could not shake off the thought that this could be an act to get past her defences. Yes he had changed so much, and they seemed so close, especially after…well…earlier, but what if he was just trying to weaken her for Zarina? She shook the tendrils of doubt from her mind. It was impossible. He'd laid his life on the line in protecting her from the soul splitter…shifter…whatever that thing was…
But he'd got away hadn't he? From something that was invincible? What do you make of that?
"I make nothing of that." She said angrily to herself.
"Of what?" a lazy, drawling voice from the doorway made her jump and fall backwards into the deep bath. Draco chuckled at her attempts to struggle back out, as she had wedged herself in very successfully, before he reached down and lifted her up as easily as if she weighed nothing. All former trepidations fled as Hermione felt the warmth from his body engulf her once more.
"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness…" Draco laughed at the expression on her face.
"Shh you. I was just thinking."
"And I'm not surprised…why?"
She swiped at him, an action sadly lost as she was still clutched to his bare chest.
"Well, I for one don't sleep with former enemies on a regular basis. Although, knowing you, you probably do…"
He acknowledged the hit and had the decency to look ashamed for a second, eyes sliding away from her face and glancing out the window at the incandescent moon, slowly moving past the window on her travels through the early morning sky. Looking back at the bushy haired girl pressed against him he suddenly smiled and, scooping her up in his arms, took her back into the bedroom and threw her unceremoniously on the bed with its rumpled sheets.
"Oh you fiend!" she cried. He chuckled as Hermione launched herself at Draco, dragging him down onto the bed with her. Having realised one of his weaknesses earlier on by accident, she began to tickle him mercilessly and soon had him pinned on his back, keeping him still by straddling across his slim body, which seemed to glow in the moonlight. His grin grew wider as Hermione's eyes grew dark and hazy with lust, tawny brown deepening to almost black. She let him up just enough for his head to reach up and kiss her. The heady sensations that were pulsing through her being relented just enough for her to be aware that he was enjoying this; the hardness pressing against her inner thigh was testimony to that. A question lingering in his half closed eyes was answered by a slight nod of her head, and he lifted her up to adjust himself before she lowered her body back down.
Draco's penetration of Hermione's most private place made her gasp, not only at the current sensation but at the recollection of what had happened earlier, when he lay on top of her kissing her so gently, breathing a million caresses into her neck, her breasts her stomach. He had been so tender, so slow, so…loving, and now it was almost the exact opposite, but equally as wonderful.
The couple gained speed, racing each other to the accumulation of the incomparable pleasure coursing through their bodies. Hermione's other senses shut down as she pitched forward and the ultimate ecstasy that was so close to pain that it almost hurt, washed through her body. She was aware of every molecule of her body, feeling the light breeze play across her back, Draco's fingertips lightly squeeze into her waist as he too peaked, slightly quieter that Hermione herself had been, the sheets bunched round her calves, his soft hair between her fingers.
They disentangled themselves from the sheets and each other, and lay together, Draco's arm draped lightly over her hip, watching the faint grey-green light that heralded the dawn tinge the sky with its colour.
'Maybe I was wrong.' Hermione thought, 'it couldn't feel like that if he were plotting. There's no way. I'd know.' She snuggled back into him, relishing the pure feeling of contentment that seemed to flow over them both.
It was some time before either of them even moved. Finally they stirred, long after the watery sunlight had crept into the room as if it were unwelcome, which, for the two lovers, it was.
"I have to go and pack lovely. As much as I'd like to stay here with you, I promised Mother I'd be home for Christmas, especially after my father…"
Hermione, wrapping herself in one of the sheets that were now strewn around on the floor, followed Draco into the main room to say goodbye.
"Don't worry. I know. We all lost someone last year in some way or another." she said, thinking of the many students who had lost their lives in the last battle. Neville, Luna, Cho, Hannah…the list went on. She herself had come close to losing both her mother and father when a Death Eater had attempted to destroy Hermione in her own home. Lucius had been locked up for that.
"Yeah. I think it's just difficult for her not having someone to constantly scream at. He helped me, oh so much, but I have to admit I can't help being relieved. I want to try and help Mother this Christmas. Try and set her free of it all." They embraced on the threshold of the portrait, not knowing if they'd see each other after Christmas. There was always the possibility of Zarina coming for her vengeance.
"I'll be fine Draco. Dumbledore told me he has ways of protecting me. I'll be fine." she reiterated. "I'm at home if you need to owl me. If you need me."
After a lingering kiss Draco slipped out of her rooms and made his way to Slytherin still in a state of unbelieveable happiness, unable to stop smiling at everyone he met on the way, which earned him some very odd looks. Turning into the Slytherin corridor he walked straight into Harry, who looked like he had been waiting there the whole night.
'Knowing him he probably has.' Draco thought, mentally cursing Harry in advance for ruining his good mood.
"What do you want now?" he said in a bored voice.
"To apologise."
"Good Gods. Are you ill Potter? Or just mad?"
"Don't make this difficult for me Malfoy." The Gryfindor snapped back. "I may not want to do this but its right. I'm sorry for accusing you of hurting Hermione, I can see now that I was wrong. I let my emotions get out of control" He continued dully.
"Damn right there. But ok. I'll accept it. For her." Draco not only pushed his luck, but shoved it as hard as it would go. "I'll let Hermione know that Potty apologized for his weak ways."
A brief look of pain flashed across Harry's face, but Draco was surprised at how well he covered up.
"Do that. Do that and tell her I never meant to cause her harm, that I lo…I don't love her. Tell her…I'm her friend if she needs me." Harry hung his head, an abject picture of misery so powerful that Draco could not help but pity the poor boy, who killed everyone he loved. Even now, with You-Know-Who gone, he could not give his heart to anyone without fearing for their safety. Draco reached out and awkwardly patted the boy on the shoulder.
"I'll do that." Harry nodded at the floor before turning around and heading back to the main body of the castle.
In a small cave, the witch Zarina smiled at the foolishness of teenage boys. The images arriving in her head from the minds of both Harry and Draco made the situation so much more exciting. The death of Hermione would hurt both boys beyond belief. Harry's denial would make it all the more worse and Draco…well after that little 'display' he needed to be reminded of where his values should lie, and what his disloyalty would bring him.