Disclaimer; I still own nothing!

A/N Hello, sorry I have not updated 'The Deal' but I am still mulling over the next chapter. I will try my best to post next week. I do have one comment though, I love all my reviwers but if you are going to criticize my writing for this or that at least sign in so I can respond to your comments or leave your email address. I am considering not allowing anon. reviews any longer because of this. In case some of you don't know I am not allowed to respond to individual reviews any longer in Authors notes so I have to use the review response button. If you don't sign in, or leave your email address I can't give you reasons why I wrote what I did. So please take a moment to sign in from now on, because if this continues I will no longer accept anon. reviews. Happy reading and don't forget to review!

Thanks again,

Jennifer

The night before

Draco tossed and turned all night, his mind racing from the dream he had. He very much wanted to return to that dream. To feel her lips on his again would be the sweetest thing in the world in his mind. He had long forgotten how it felt to be loved, and yet he knew it was just a dream. He sat up in bed and looked out the window into the starry sky. The moon was full and round in the sky and the light shone bright on his pale face. Sighing heavily he stood up and stretched as best he could. He could hear Hermione's steady breathing coming from her bed. Draco walked slowly and knelt next to the bed. He ran his hand slowly over her hair, brushing loose curls from her forehead.

"Thank you." he whispered. "Thank you for saving my life." He thought long and hard about the last year of his life. There were so many times where he wanted to give up, let himself be captured, be tortured, and die. Fate had brought him into that little bar in South America. Hermione saving his life had turned everything around. He leaned over her sleeping body and kissed her forehead, letting his pink lips just barely brush over her skin. She stirred slightly, readjusting her body into a new position. He smiled down on her before walking back to his own bed and sitting. He knew he could not sleep. In two days time the four of them plus Lupin and Tonks would be returning to his house to look for that mirror. He hoped beyond hope that it would be there. Once Voldemort was gone he could live a normal life once again. And since his mother's death it was all he had ever wanted. He sat there for hours just staring out the window until the slightest bit of sunlight peaked in the eastern sky.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open an hour later. She saw Draco sitting on his bed looking out the window at the sunrise.

"Morning." she said in a hoarse voice. He turned around to look at her. The morning sun caught her hair streaking it with gold and red streaks.

"Morning." he said back smiling.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked him.

"Not really." he replied.

"Did I snore?" she said shyly.

"No. I just have a lot on my mind." he answered.

"Oh. Want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No." he said blocking her attempt to get into his mind.

"Alright, well I am going to get breakfast ready." she said standing up to stretch. He nodded and returned his gaze back out of the window. Hermione was slightly unnerved by Draco's distant attitude today. It seemed to her that he had been staring unnaturally out the window for a long time. She dressed quickly in the bathroom and headed downstairs into the quiet kitchen. Minutes later as she was trying once again to cook the muggle way Ginny walked into the room and waved her wand. A huge breakfast appeared and Hermione rolled her eyes and scowled.

"I don't know why you bother cooking the other way." Ginny said grinning.

"Just used to it." Hermione admitted.

"So how is it bunking with the incredible bouncing ferret?" Ginny asked holding her stomach as she laughed.

"Shhhh…don't let him hear you say that!" Hermione scolded.

"Why?" Ginny asked in an annoyed fashion.

"Because, he is on our side now. And he saved at least my life at the manor so try and be on your best behavior just like your brother."

"Ron? On his best behavior? Don't make me laugh." she giggled.

"No, he's really trying. Everyone is. I think Drac…I mean Malfoy knows more than he thinks."

"Draco?" Ginny giggled. "Since when do you…never mind. I don't want to know."

"It's not like that!" Hermione protested but Ginny smiled knowingly.

"Okay Hermione." she said aloud. "One thinks the lady doth protest too much." Ginny said in a sing-song voice carrying the breakfast tray into the dining room. Hermione followed with the second tray. Ron, Harry, Lupin and Tonks were waiting for breakfast and chatting about the next trip to the manor.

"Where's Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Haven't seen him. You bunk with him, maybe he is still sleeping." Ron said before helping himself to eggs and pancakes.

She set the tray down and jogged back up the stairs to her room. Draco was still sitting on the bed looking out into the morning horizon.
"Breakfast is ready. Are you going to come down and eat?" she asked.

"I guess." he replied.

"Is something wrong? I know we aren't the best of friends but you can tell me if something I have done is making you act so distant." she said sitting on the bed near but not too near to Draco. He turned to look at her.

"It is nothing you have done." he replied. The incoming sun shone on the back of his head giving his white blond hair a halo effect. It took Hermione's breath away.

"You…uh, um…" she stuttered at a loss for words. He tilted his head slightly to the side, silver eyes blazing towards her.

"Look, I just…I don't know. This has all been more that I expected to have to deal with I guess." he said.

"I don't know what you mean." she replied slightly confused.

"I thought I would be dead before now. And to think in a short amount of time I could be free. If Potter can pull this off…well the world will be my oyster." he grinned. "I am Lucius' only heir. And I will be hunted no more. There is nothing I can't do then."

Hermione reached over and patted his hand.

"It will be wonderful." she smiled thinking of herself going on to being a healer and maybe even having a family. "Come down and have some breakfast." she said grabbing his hand and pulling him off the bed. His foot caught on the rug and he stumbled forward falling towards Hermione and knocking her to the floor. He fell nearly flat on top of her.

"Uh…sorry." he began to mumble as he looked down at her. Her breaths were labored from being knocked down. Her pupils were wide taking in every feature of his face. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He closed his eyes as he did, hoping that he would not wake up this time. He felt her chest rise and fall and he reopened his eyes. Hermione's eyes were wide open looking into his. Draco slowly pushed off of her and stood up. Hermione however remained on the floor as if too startled to move. He held out his hand and pulled her up muttering sorry under his breath. She stood up and stared at him.

"Why did you do that?" she asked finally after a moment of silence.

"I don't know!" he near shouted. "I have not been this confused since…just never mind."

"I wasn't yelling!" she said. "I am just as confused as you are!"

"Well what are we going to do then?" he shouted.

"I don't know but why are we yelling?"

"I don't know!' he yelled back before laughing hysterically. Hermione joined in the laughter.

"Let's go have some breakfast." she said taking his hand in hers again and holding it as they walked down the steps. Draco thought she would drop it when they got to the dining room but she did not. No one even looked up from their food and/or paperwork as she led him to a chair and sat him down. The rest of the day and the following day was spent going over papers, plans, theories and tactics until the seven of them were exhausted. The night before the second trip to Malfoy manor they were all ready for bed earlier than usual. Harry and Lupin wanted everyone fully rested for the following day. They bid everyone goodnight at about 7pm. Ginny, Tonks and Ron followed. Just Hermione and Draco remained downstairs. She was cleaning up from dinner and he was helping.

"Thanks." she said as he handed her the last of the dinner plates. She magically cleaned them and then put them back up in the cupboard.

"Well I suppose we should get some rest as well." she said hands on her hips.

"Yeah, but who can sleep?' he replied with a worried look on his face.

"Yeah." she said looking down at the floor quickly. Little moments like this had been happening the past two days. Awkward and embarrassing. She walked up the stairs towards their shared bedroom and he followed. Draco sat on the bed and took off his t-shirt. The room was warm until he opened his window letting a cool summer breeze in. Hermione changed in the bathroom and when she returned the room had cooled down immensely.

"That's better." she smiled as the breeze blew across her face. It was not quite dark yet, the sun was just reaching the horizon. Draco was already sitting on the bed, staring out the window as always.

"Thinking about tomorrow?" she asked sitting down and looking outside with him.

"Yeah." he replied. "I was actually thinking about that mirror." Hermione looked surprised.

"The mirror? Why?"

"Well, you said it shows you things right?"

Hermione nodded.

"Your deepest desire?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Well, do you think Potter would let me look into it before he smashes it or whatever?"

"I guess you could ask. I don't think he would mind."

Draco remained silent as he looked out the window.

"Can I ask why?" she prodded.

"Uh…just something I want to see." he responded.

"Oh." she said, voice trailing off. And just like that he grabbed her pulling her into his arms. Her head rested on his bare shoulder and she inhaled his clean scent. Her heart was doing acrobatics inside of her chest. She wanted to kiss him, to touch him, maybe even more. She lifted her head slightly and looked into his eyes. Those molten pools of steel that could be so warm and tender, or so full of hate. Right now they were full of something else. Desire. He tilted his head slightly and just before his lips touched hers he whispered;

"Hermione, I don't know where I would be without your help." he swallowed before continuing. "Please stay safe tomorrow. If something were to happen…I would never forgive myself." She silently nodded before his lips came crashing down on hers. This time however her hands went instinctively to his hair, running her nimble fingers through his baby fine locks. She pulled his head closer to hers, letting her tongue slip into his waiting mouth. Draco's mind exploded with wants and needs. He drew her into his embrace, into his kiss until there was nothing in the world but his mouth on hers. Draco slowly unbuttoned the front of Hermione's nightgown exposing her creamy white skin. He reached behind her stroking her back, his fingertips savoring the warmth of her skin, coaxing her with a tender urging. Asking her for permission, not demanding. The heat overwhelmed her, driving her into the abyss of want and need that she could not possibly climb out of.

"I have never…" she told him.

"Let me show you." he replied between kisses. He pulled her onto the bed so that he was lying next to her, bodies pressed tightly together. The soft fabric of the night gown caressed his bare chest. He reached down and pulled it over her head leaving only some thin white panties. Her chest rose and fell with her labored breathing. He cupped her breast tenderly relishing in the delight of feeling her rapid heartbeat underneath. He knew she was nervous, but he also knew it was right somehow. His hand trailed down her smooth stomach towards her most sensitive area. He reached inside of her underwear and she gasped as he touched her expertly. His thumb made slow circles on her clit and he kissed her neck and ear, whispering reassurance to her. She kept her hands on the back of his head waiting for what was going to happen. She had heard about it, and though she was nearly 19 she had still never experienced it. Being involved with Harry and Ron searching for clues had ended any romantic ideas in her mind. She had simply concentrated on the search and put everything else off. But now she was in the arms of her former enemy. And now it felt right. Suddenly her body felt light like she was flying high. It was such an intense feeling that her back arched into his hand.

"Ohh…" she cried.

"Are you alright?" he asked breathlessly.

"Better than alright." she smiled.

"I don't want to pressure you…I understand if you want to stop…" he said looking away.

"No. This is what I want." she said easing his body so it was on top of hers. She felt something hard rub against her thigh. Her body tensed up waiting for him. He kissed her lips gently as he pulled off his shorts and her panties. As if not of her own will her legs parted and she felt pressure right before a sharp pain as he entered her. She inhaled deep and tried to relax. His right hand caressed her hair easing her tension.

"Are you alright?' he whispered. Hermione nodded urging him to continue. He began his slow rhythmic motions, going slowly, allowing her to become accustomed to his presence. At that moment there were no thoughts of tomorrow. No thoughts of impending doom. No Horcruxes, no mirror. At that moment there was only now. Only them. Only the rhythm of his body moving deep within hers. Lifting her soul until she was soaring, flying higher and higher. Higher through a storm of ecstasy that left her breathless.

He had never felt so close to another human being in his whole life. Her body seemed a perfect fit to his. Her head in the crook of his neck fit like a puzzle piece. He didn't know how long he could hold on for. It had been years since he had done this. Years since he felt like he could trust someone so explicitly. His hands roamed up and down her quivering body. There were no words that could describe how he felt right then. Then he felt it and could hold on no longer. His thrusts quickened and she cried out his name before he finished. His body was shaking and his hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, as was hers. She pulled his head to her chest and he heard her rapid heartbeat slowing down. It calmed him. They laid there like that for what seemed like forever.

"That was…" she started.

"Incredible." he finished. She smiled and nodded. "Will you lay here with me tonight?" he asked.

"Yes." she said. "But I had better lock the door." she stood up grabbing the sheet and taking it with her to cover her nakedness. Hermione took her wand and locked the door before lying back down next to him. The sheet draped over both of their naked bodies. She lay in front of him, letting him spoon her and wrap his arms around her. Neither one of them knew what to think of what had happened, but both had a sense of impending doom as they drifted to sleep.