Chapter 7: Swallow, Choke, and Die

Draco woke up to find Hermione sleeping peacefully beside him. He couldn't help but think about how hard last night would have been if she hadn't been there. She had comforted him. She had done something that no one but his own mother had ever done. He closed his eyes sitting on the edge of the bed thinking about the last time he had seen her alive. She had told him to meet him in the room of requirement so that none of the Death Eaters could track the conversation. She was sitting there crying once Draco had arrived he sat down on the couch she had been sitting on and tried to comfort her.

"Mom," he had said, "I'll do it. I promise. I won't make it so that he kills me. He can't kill me if I do the job."

"You're my baby, Draco," she sobbed. "I loose you, I loose it all."

"What makes you so sure that I'm going to die?" he asked wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"I don't think you are going to die. I'm worried about what your reaction is going to be when I'm dead."

"What? I would never let him kill you. If he does, I'll kill him! Besides he has no reason to kill you."

"I'm running away, Draco. I can't take this life anymore."

"No!" Draco exclaimed horror struck. "You can't, I won't let him hunt you down like a dog!"

"I'm doing this to ensure your safety. If I drop out the other side might be willing to take you in. If you're safe, I don't care whether I live or die."

"Don't say that mom."

"Just promise me that if they offer you help and safety, you take it."

"I promise mom, I would do anything for you."

Draco opened his eyes and felt tears forming again. That was merely three days before Snape took him away from the job and dragged him back to the Dark Lord, back to hell.

He got dressed and was careful not to disturb Hermione as she slept. He really did care about her. How could he ever had have been so mean to someone who could show that much love to someone that they called an enemy? It made all sense and no sense at all. He heard Hermione stir behind him and looked to see her rubbing her eyes to waken herself.

"Morning," she said.

"Morning to you too," he responded. "Thanks for being there for me, Granger."

"It's no problem, really," she told him sitting up off the bed to look outside. It was raining.

"I mean, you're not half bad for a mudblood," he stated. Hermione looked at him in disbelief of how he could say anything like that after what she had done for him.

"Thanks a bunch, Malfoy!" she said running out of the room.

"Shit," Draco muttered before following her. "Hermione!" he called running after her. She had run straight out of the castle to the quiditch pitch. She finally stopped when she had to catch her breath.

"Look, Granger, I'm sorry about what I said back there. I'm just….just…" he started to say but he couldn't finish. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair.

"You're just what?" she asked as calmly as possible.

"I'm just fucked up!" he yelled. "There is something between us and if you can't feel it, then you're not as smart as everyone gives you credit for. I'm just scared of that feeling. I've bed more girls than you can probably count and half of those I don't even remember their names. The other half I barley even remember if they were in my house. None of those girls have ever done what you have done for me."

"Which is?"

"Made me feel at home. I've been a jack ass to you all year because I just wanted to get into your pants, but now, I really care about you."

Hermione looked at the ground before speaking.

"Look, I do feel something for you. Something more than just a sexual attraction. It's something deeper than that. I trusted you with secrets last night that no one else knows. Everybody thinks that I live in lovey-dovey land back in the muggle world, but I don't. My life is so messed up right now I don't have the courage to tell anyone else."

Draco stood there and only then realized just how cold it was standing there in the rain.

"Let's try just to be friends," he finally said.

"Yes," she said extending a hand. Hermione shivered slightly at the cold running up her body from the rain soaking her cloths.

"This is the official treaty," he said shaking her hand. He then pulled her into him. This time, she didn't object.

"I guess this is the real treaty, Malfoy," she whispered looking up at him. He stroked her cheek slightly.

"I like it better when you call me Draco, Hermione," he whispered back. He lightly pressed his lips to hers. He pulled back and gave her look as though asking if this was alright.

"Yes," slipped from her lips. He took her mouth with his once more tasting the rain on them. He slid him tongue across her bottom lips and she let it slip in. She wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss still. Hermione shivered once again, but it wasn't from the rain, it was from how Draco was making her feel. She felt butterflies in her stomach. Draco began to leave kisses down her neck which caused her to hold him closer. Suddenly, Draco pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this," he said before walking off and leaving her in the rain to figure out what had happened.