Draco and Hermione: Lust or Love

..Nothing..

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Dictionary of this chapter is at the bottom of the page.

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Hermione closed her eyes and breathed in deep. Her dreams were terrifying. For the past two weeks she has been waking up in a cold sweat with her heart racing and her mind full. Her thoughts and dreams were all of Draco but he didn't know what was to come.

Draco was away with his father and with Lord Voldemort and Hermione never knew when he was coming back, or if he ever would. Even though she dreamed of him being hurt and in such agony, Hermione loved him. When she thought hard, she wanted to tell him that she forgave him for leaving her. But deep down, Hermione didn't know if she could.

She was now in a small cottage in a little wizard town. Some muggles lived there, too, so there were also secrets around the tiny town.

The town accepted her right away and she was under the wings of stranger who cared about her well being.

Hermione closed her eyes again and went over the dream again. Climbing out of bed, Hermione's back felt stiff but she got up anyways. She was seven moths pregnant and it was killing her.

She went to the small desk and sat on the hard wood chair. She took out her notebook and began to write.

July 20.

Draco sat down in the dark, his face bloodied and his body beaten so badly he couldn't get up. His ribs throbbed and he knew at least three of them were broken but there was nothing he could do.

Draco cringed as the deep metal door opened. He moaned and wished they would just go away.

"Draco?" A girl whispered.

"Jocelyn?"

"Yes, it's me. Let me help you." The red haired woman stepped closer and took out her wand. She placed her wand on his ribs and almost instantly, the pain was bearable.

"How long was I out?"

"About seven hours. These are getting longer, Draco. You must tell them where she is."

"No," Draco gasped as he placed her hand over his back.

"You must, Draco. You're live is in danger here. This is no game. Tell me where to find the girl and I'll make sure they let you go. I promise that to you."

"No."

"Draco, please-"

"I said no," Draco barked.

"Why must you take all this unnecessarily pain? This girl will not be harmed."

"Voldemort will kill her after he's done with her."

"But, Draco, you don't know that. Why is this such big deal? I know she was your lover but no woman, even myself, is worth this much pain. Just give me her name."

Draco moaned and his eyes started to close.

"Give her to me and when you awake you will be free."

Draco's head rolled back but the word, "baby," rolled off of his lips.

Hermione placed the pen down and made her way stiffly to the shower. She undresses and stepped under the warm mist, letting the water loosen her aching muscles.

Her dreams were always horrible and there was no telling how much worse things were going to get.

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Her world was fuzzy and the slight tingle in her lower abdomen was sore.

The tiny bundle was wrapped up in her arms, small and almost insignificant. The baby girl slept peacefully and Hermione finally felt relieved. The baby's name was Nadine Giselle Granger, meaning hopeful promise. Little did this baby know that she was named after her father.

Hermione ran her finger down the infant's tiny nose and smiled slowly. The nose was Draco's. As this thought came to Hermione, she wondered if Draco was ever going to see their perfect package of joy.

The thought of Draco never seeing this beautiful child broke her heart to bits.

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"Dini," Hermione scowled. "You know better than that!"

Fifteen-month-old Nadine sat in the high chair, crayons in her mouth. She instantly dropped them as her mother shot her a look.

"Good girl," Hermione turned back around and put her hands back into the soapy dishwater. She gave the small child a look and Nadine grabbed at the dark red crayon.

"Nadine," Hermione warned. The child giggled but dropped the crayon to the floor.

The child giggled again and said, "go bye bye."

Hermione smiled at her over her shoulder, "that's my girl." She finished the last of the dished and dried her hands. "Come here, sweetie." Hermione held out her hands to the child and Nadine held up her arms, her intentions to be picked up.

"Up-py," Nadine said, her eyes sparkling.

Hermione laughed as she swung Nadine in the air and blew her a kiss. The child did one back.

"Let's get you a drink then it's bed for you."

Nadine frowned. "No."

"Dini," Hermione warned.

Nadine didn't argue anymore but she stuck her bottom lip out and pouted.

"That's right, you go ahead and frown."

Hermione went to the fridge and took out a cup of juice. She handed it to Nadine and brought her up to her bedroom.

"Okay, go get your pj's."

Nadine did as she was told. She then sat on the floor in front of Hermione and held her hands up. Hermione peeled the shirt off and replaced it with her stars and moons pyjama shirt.

This went on until lastly came the socks. Hermione helped Nadine up and let her walk to her "big girl bed".

Nadine crawled in and grabbed her baby- her doll- and closed her eyes.

"Good night, sweet cakes."

Nadine yawned and kissed her mothers cheek. "Night night, mama."

"Sleep tight," Hermione whispered and then tucked the blankets fully around her sleeping daughter.

Hermione didn't move from her position beside the bed but stayed there and stroked Nadine's cheek. "Oh, how I wish Draco could see you. Does he ever wonder about that, Dini? Does he even care that you're alive?" Hermione thought out loud. "Or wonder what you look like?"

Swiftly, Hermione got up. No use getting worked up over something that would never happen. She left the room promptly and went to the door as the bell rang.

Hermione opened the door a smile on her lips. It soon fell as she seen the face behind the door.

"Hello, Hermione."

"Draco," Hermione squeaked out, her heart stopping and her body went dumb. "W-What're doing h-here?"

"I've come to say hi," Draco replied smoothly. He was clean and to Hermione's surprise, looked like a different person. He had his old nose, his old lips, and the same almost white hair. But his eyes, oh, his eyes. They weren't just grey; they were a chilling mix of grey and an icy blue. I tint of purple was also visible. They looked abyss and empty, so chilling that Hermione wanted to gasp.

But she couldn't. Hermione was even unable to breathe, her head started to spin and she started to see a whirl of colours spin around her. The rainbow of mist and clouds was so welcoming; Hermione had no problem going until it all went darker and darker. Soon there was nothing but black.

"Hermione!" Draco swayed under the weight of Hermione and gently eased them both down to the floor.

"Come on, Hermione, wake up," Draco muttered as he smartly patted her cheek. "Hermione? Come on, time to get up."

Slowly, but surely, Hermione's eyes opened. Her mouth once again popping open and she frowned at him.

Her hand came up and touched his cheek, to see if his image in front of her was real. "Draco?" she whispered. "Is that really you?"

He nodded and took her hand off of his cheek and held her palm to his lips. "It's real good to see you, Hermione."

Hermione wanted to cry. There was no emotion in Draco's eyes, no sentiment in his voice.

"Let's get you up so I can get going and leave you alone." Hermione was soon on her feet and the frown was placed upon her brow again.

"You're leaving already?"

Draco nodded, no feeling, no heart, and no soul. "I must go now, Hermione. I don't want to hurt you any farther." He turned to leave, his hand on the doorknob.

"Draco-!" Hermione said hurriedly. He stopped and turned around to face her. "Would you like to see my daughter?" Hermione asked

For the first time, a feeling came into Draco's eyes. It was fear. "What?"

Hermione almost repeated her sentence but then found it was wrong. "Would you like to see our daughter?" Nothing came out of Draco's mouth. "Draco?"

When Draco spoke, his voice was thick and rough. "Our daughter?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, our daughter. Don't you remember, Draco? I was pregnant back in Hogwarts."

Tears filled Draco's eyes and he swallowed. Hard. His Adam's apple bobbed up ad down. "They told me the baby died."

Hermione shook her head and felt her heart sink down to her stomach. "What? No, Draco, I had the baby. She's sleeping upstairs." Hermione waited for Draco to talk but he didn't. "Would you like to see her?"

As the words left Hermione's mouth, Draco shook his head vigorously. He was on the verge of bursting into sobs.

"Okay, okay, I wont make you. Um," a moment past and then Hermione remembered her manners. "Would you like something to drink?"

Slower this time, Draco shook his head.

"How about something to eat?"

He shook his head again.

"Would you like to lay down?"

Same thing as before. Hermione wondered if he just wanted back out of her life. So she asked the question that hurt her most.

"Do you want to leave?" To Hermione's surprise and joy, he shook his head again and stared down at his boots.

"Okay, then, let's get you inside." The thought shook Hermione to her very core but she was more worried about Draco than herself. Draco looked clean and neat, but inside he was a wreck. Hermione wanted to change that, needed to change that.

She knelt down to untie his boots and Draco didn't even notice when she lifted his feet one by one to take the boots off.

She undone his coat and stripped it off his broad shoulders and then stared up at him.

"Draco?" she called softly. No answer. She reached up to stroke his cheek and called to him again. "Draco?"

He blinked then focused on her face, making Hermione smile.

"Would you like to come in?"

He nodded, his lips set in a solemn line.

Hermione gingerly picked up his large callused hand and led him to the small kitchen. She pulled back a stool to the island and let him sit. She walked around to the other side and stood there.

Both said nothing, did nothing. They just started at each other.

"Are you sure you aren't hungry? I don't mind making anything."

Draco said naught, just sat in a daze and watched Hermione walk around the kitchen like a lost pup. She walked back and forth, making cookies because she didn't know what else to do with her hands.

Soon the smell was all over the house and it could make anyone drool but Draco didn't move or blink but Hermione thanked God that he was still breathing.

An hour past with nothing said, the cookies were done and the dishes washed but no words left anyone's mouth.

Finally, Draco asked in a diminutive voice, "can I see her?"

Hermione almost gasped with relief. Partly, that Draco actually talked but mostly because he wanted to see Nadine.

"Of course you can. Follow me. You must be quite though, she's sleeping."

Draco nodded and followed Hermione out of the kitchen.

Hermione pointed to the doors as she passed.

"This is the bathroom and the den. And here is an extra bedroom," Hermione started to talk not knowing what else to do.

At last, Hermione stopped at a pink door with three flowers randomly around the frame. Hermione opened the door and stepped inside.

Hermione watched as Draco took in the baby pink coloured room, the small dresser and princess desk with a mirror attached. Lastly, his gaze landed upon the small bed and to the little girl.

Draco moved closer to the bed until he looked down at the tiny sleeping form. Hermione knew he was too choked up to even utter an "oh".

The child sleep on her back, arms flung all over, her wild brown mane was spread out around her face.

Hermione looked down at Nadine and she could see parts of Draco. Her frown was Draco's, her nose and her lips that were now open in an O.

Suddenly, Draco turned from the child and rushed away from the room. Hermione found him in the bathroom, heaving and gasping over the toilet. His face was pale and his body shaking violently.

"Oh my God!" Hermione rushed to the sink and ran a facecloth under cold water.

Hermione impatiently waited until Draco was done puking his stomach out.

He collapsed against the toilet and tired to take in an even breath. His body still shook brutally and so Hermione went to him right away. She held the damp cloth to his forehead and muttered soothing words to him.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, as his breath became the natural rhythm.

Draco shook his head. "I have a daughter," he choked out. "I thought that s-she d-died."

Hermione knelt behind him and rubbed his back. "But she didn't Draco. She healthy and a great baby."

"I kn-know."

"Let's get you up, Draco. You can sleep in the extra bed for tonight, okay? We'll talk again tomorrow." Hermione stood up and gripped Draco under his rms. He made no move to help.

"Draco, help me here."

He did all he could. After a few struggling minutes, Draco was in the guest bedroom and was pushed down on the bed. He went willingly.

"Okay, Draco, let's get you into bed." Hermione started to undo the tiny buttons on his shirt when his hands forcefully clasped hers.

Startled, Hermione looked up and noticed the tears on his cheeks. "No, please," he whispered. "I c-can handle it form h-here. G-go to bed," he commanded softly.

"Draco!" Hermione scowled. "You're hands are shaking so bad that I doubt you could get this shirt off at all!" her tone was almost harsh and when she noticed Draco cringing, she lightened her tone. "Please Draco, just let me do this."

"No," he said steadily. "Hermione, go-"

Her fingers touched his mouth and he instantly stopped talking. Hermione bent her head and went on with her task at his shirt. When the shirt was undone, Hermione slipped his shirt off his broad shoulders and then gasped in incredulity.

"I told you not to."

Hermione flicked her gaze up to Draco's and stared in horror at his calm voice. His eyes still teary, his voice still thick but he said those words so naturally like the scars, bruises, burns, gashes and welts were nothing knew to him.

Impulsively, Hermione flung her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. Draco kept himself straight as a board, and held his breath, as this was his first sign of affection in over a year and nine months. He was already over flowing with emotion and he could hardly handle anymore.

Hermione scampered back as he growled. His face was cold and harsh, his eyes sparkling with something Hermione didn't even want to name.

"I'll see you t-tomorrow," she hastily stammered over her shoulder as she more or less ran to the door. She shut it tight behind her and sprinted to her own and shut the door tightly behind her.

Hermione refused the tears to come as she changed into her pyjamas. Her silk red lace-trimmed chemise was one of her favourites. She could afford a few luxuries and this was one of the few she had. It took her three months to buy this. She preferred some of the best and the sexy lingerie and it had cost her just over one hundred dollars. To Hermione's opinion, it was worth it.

Hermione's thoughts never left Draco as she changed. She felt her heart breaking but he had pushed her away. Did he really think that Nadine had died? Who had told him that?

Little did Hermione know that Draco was in the room down the hall sobbing. Hermione lie in bed thinking of his injured chest and didn't even want to think of the rest of his body. How did he get those marks? No wonder he was such an emotional wreck.

Unable to handle the pain of thought of Draco and so much agony, she got up from her bed and silently made her way to Draco's.

She opened the door and called his name.

He was beside the bed, his face in his hands, his body trembling with his hoarse sobs.

Hermione crossed over to him and knelt beside his large body. She ran her hand though his hair like she did to Nadine when she was worn-out and crying.

Her hands trailed down his back, over the scares and all the punctured skin. "Draco?" Hermione whispered. "Help me get you into the bed."

He made absolutely no move to get up.

"Draco, please."

Draco did all he could go get into the bed without Hermione's help but it was no use. His legs were like rubber underneath him and his head was spinning.

Hermione laid him down and covered him up. Unable to stop herself, Hermione climbed in after him. She slid her body up snug against Draco's back and held on to him tight. He shivered and sobbed and Hermione made no move to stop him. She let him cry because she knew that this was probably the first time he had cried since she had last seen him cry.

Hermione placed her lips on the curve of his neck and shoulder and whispered her reassuring words. She placed kisses on the parts of his back that she could get to without letting him go.

Finally, his body fell still and his heartbeat turned to the normal pace. As he slept, Hermione did not let go of him. She ran her fingers down his arms and over his shoulders. She comforted him even though he was asleep. There was nothing else she could do when her mind wouldn't stop worrying about Draco.

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"Hermione?"

Drowsily, Hermione opened an eye at the sound of her name. Draco's face appeared in her line of visions and Hermione snapped to like.

"Are you alright?"

Draco slowly nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Just tired and my head hurts. Just don't talk so loud."

"What time is it?" Hermione asked.

Draco's reply was quite, "six thirty." His eyes met hers and he ran a long finger down her cheek. "You look good."

Even though Hermione knew her hair was wild all over the place and that her eyes were probably ringed with fatigue, she still blushed.

It was a while that Hermione got a compliment that she actually considered letting go to her head.

"Nadine should be up soon." Hermione noticed that Draco's eyes fell downwards and refused to meet her own.

"She's beautiful, Hermione."

"I know. She got her looks from her daddy," Hermione replied and Draco was quick to deny it. Hermione stopped him though. "Don't bother. She has your nose," Hermione traced Draco's nose with her finger then his lips. "And she has your mouth." Hermione smiled up at him. "She even has your glare," she muttered with a laugh. She didn't even get a smile out of him.

"Do you know what her first word was?"

Draco shook his head but he took a guess. "Gimme," there was a bit of humour in his voice and so Hermione laughed.

"No." Draco stared at her, waiting for her to tell him Nadine's first word. "It was daddy."

Draco turned his face away from hers. He swallowed and Hermione almost felt the pain. His heartbeat sped up and his nose turned a tad pink.

"Draco," she started, her eyes on his throat. "What happened to you?"

Hermione watched as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down and then finally his mouth opened.

"I don't want to talk about it," his voice was slightly hoarse and he rolled to the side, the connection from Hermione broken.

"I won't force you, Draco. When you're ready, I'll be here to listen." Hermione placed a kiss on his shoulder and got up from the bed.

She made her way to the door, making her hips sway more than normal. She wanted Draco to feel another emotion. Want, desire, need. And from her sexy nightwear and her seductive sway, it had worked.

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Hey there everyone! I hope you liked the chapter. Please submit me a review and tell me what you thought. I know I have bad spelling but how is the story? Please enjoy and goodbye.

Chebetta

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. Abyss- bottomless

. Sentiment- emotion/feeling.

. Vigorously- strongly, forcefully.

. Diminutive- extremely small.

. Incredulity- disbelief.