Draco caught his breath leaning on the wall behind their landing spot.
"Granger, where are we?"
Hermione frantically looked around- pulling up the bins that were behind the building.
"Granger, what are you doing?"
"Just shut up Malfoy!" Hermione reached under a loose brick and pulled out an empty bottle of wine.
"Oh great recycling"
Hermione rolled her eyes and held the bottle out by the neck, "hold the other end"
Draco looked at the bottle then at Hermione, "portkey?"
She just shook it at him and he sighed, grabbing hold of the end. Hermione muttered an incantation that Draco couldn't understand and seconds later they were whirled away.
The pair landed on the ground with an oof. Hermione stood wiping her skirt off before offering Draco a hand and pulling him up. They stood at the gate of a huge villa. A dirt driveway led them up to the house which was perched on a hill overlooking a large beautiful lake.
"Can I ask where we are now?" Draco said as Hermione opened the door.
Hermione held the door open and he followed her inside. The entrance was narrow with a small staircase, but Hermione turned into the room to the left. The ceilings were huge and the room windows which looked over a lake and the balcony.
Hermione pushed one of the windows open and crashed onto the sofa in front of it, "Lake Cuomo."
"You just have a casual portkey to Italy hidden in Hogsmeade?" Draco said as he began to drift around the room, taking it all in.
"Well I didn't have it made- Alex did. Him and whatever girl he was dating at the time would sneak here."
"This is where Blaise said you used to come as kids?" Draco asking pointing to a family photo where Blaise and Hermione had their arms around each other.
"Yep. This was my Fathers- now it just sits here."
"and what? you didn't want to take McLaggen?" Draco couldn't stop himself.
Hermione's head snapped, "What are you implying?"
"I'm just saying. you were both all over each other-"
"Like you and Cho weren't?" Hermione growled, "your hands were all over her the second you walked in!"
"Jealous, Granger?"
"Jealous of what? She can have my sloppy seconds. In fact, she's probably used to it by now! I'm just surprised, I didn't think even Cho's annoying ass would give you the time of day."
"Ouch" Draco said, feigning hurt, "and what McLaggen's rock brain is supposed to be a step up from me?"
"Hey! Cormac is more than…. more than he seems" she forced out.
"Oh Bullshit" Draco spat, "a guy like him can't keep your attention for five minutes!"
"Oh and you can? cause you're what? Draco fucking Malfoy?" she scoffed, holding tears back, "At least Cormac wouldn't be able to hide anything from me!"
Hermione turned her back to him and walked out onto the Balcony, leaning on the railing. She stared down at the empty lake- a few boats in the distance.
"Hermione" Draco called from the doorway.
She didn't turn to face him- she couldn't. He knew that so he came to her. Draco wrapped his arms around her and the two just stood there, her head against his chest- breathing in sync.
"Show me," Hermione finally said.
"Hermione I-"
"Show me." She repeated.
"Let's go inside."
Hermione followed Draco back to the couch. There he pulled off his jacket and hoodie. Taking a deep breath before he rolled up his sleeve, exposing the whole mark.
After staring at it in silence, Hermione looked away and Draco rolled down his sleeve.
"Why? why'd you have to take it?"
"Do you think I had a choice?" Draco snapped, and then he took a deep breath, "sorry I-"
"No you're right" Hermione said, "stupid question."
"Look, I can't control everything, but I can make decisions to ensure my family stays safe and this-" he gestures to his arm, "this is one of them."
Hermione nods, looking down at her lap.
Draco lifts her chin, "you're someone I care for, so I'm not going to tell you much because you can't get hurt okay?"
"Draco I can-"
"No" he cut her off sternly.
Hermione's hand cupped Draco's face, "I Protect the people I care about too, Draco."
He opened his mouth to protest but Hermione shut it with hers. The two finally relaxed for the 1st time since their last kiss. Draco decided then that he wasn't letting her go. His hands cupped her ass pulling her onto his lap.
"I want it on record" Draco paused, "I'm not deflecting this time"
"Shut up" Hermione did it for him.
The two debated staying there in Cuomo for the weekend, but knew neither of them should risk more attention than necessary. However, they'd avoid the crowd's and their friends when they snuck back into the castle through honeydukes- a way Harry had shown Hermione years back.
"You're really going to keep it blue?" Draco asked that night as they sat in the astronomy tower.
Hermione shrugged, tugging at a blue curl, "you don't like?"
Draco thought about how to say no nicely but Hermione just laughed, "you're a horrible liar."
"I just like it brown better," Draco said, holding his hands up in defense.
"Okay Mom" she rolled her eyes.
"That's your royal highness to you" Draco teased.
The two sat in silence for a minute before Hermione broke it, "what do we do now, Draco?"
"Well it's almost time for bed if you wanna go up?"
"I'm serious" she glared at him,
Draco leaned forward grabbing Hermione's hand, "we have each other's back and don't go on dates with the Chang's and McLaggen's of the world."
Hermione smiled at him and held out her pinky. He looked at it and made a face at her.
"Pinky promise. It's a muggle thing." She grabbed his hand with her free one locking their pinkies together. Hermione kissed her hand and Draco did the same.
Over the next few weeks, Hermione and Draco were in a routine. Almost back to normal, but more into each other than before if that was even possible. She changed her hair back to brown for him- although she wouldn't admit that was why/ SHe stuck with it being important to her brand as HRH. The pair spent almost all their time together except when Draco had quidditch or when he would work on his task.
However, Hermione didn't know about the ladder. Draco would tell Hermione he was working out with Blaise or something he promised Pansy, but she knew it was a lie. Hermione kept a journal, coded of course. She'd document how long he was gone for, or how heavy his dark circles were (which seemed to get darker by the week).
He knew she'd notice the change, but was grateful she didn't bring it up.
The two excelled in their studies together, despite Draco being obviously distracted. He knew he wouldn't be doing this well without her.
"Merlin, if I have to sit through one more study session with Brown I'll jump into the lake and drown myself" Pansy said one morning at breakfast.
"Well we have a month left then we all switch" Theo said pointedly.
"Do we have to switch?" Draco asked.
"Yes Draco you have to give up your little girlfriend" Pansy said to which Draco groaned.
"I'm sorry we're not all so lucky to get matched with our girlfriend" Blaise said.
"Who's a Princess," Theo added.
"Good point Nott. I'll be happy if I get paired with anyone who can hold a longer conversation with me than Longbottom" Blaise said.
"Hey my partner benefitted you too" Draco nodded to Ginny across the room.
"Yeah but I think she's been keeping me a secret."
"Yeah- Luna doesn't like you" Draco said biting his apple.
"What?"
"I mean most of the group doesn't like us" Draco said to cover his tracks.
"True, but Luna doesn't hate anyone" Pansy said.
"Except waxspurts" Theo said, snatching a copy of the prophet that just landed on the table.
Mail rained down around them and a thick white envelope plopped in front of Draco, just missing his plate.
Blaise snatched it before Draco could pick it up, "Mommy dearest trying to reach out again?" Blaise paused looking at the seal, "Mhmm would you look at that, from the Royal household of Grimaldi."
"What?" Draco said, snatching the envelope out of Blaise's hands. Ripping it open, Draco revealed an ornate invitation.
HRH
Maria R. Grimaldi
Formally invites
Mr. Draco Malfoy
to her annual holiday ball
Donations of toys for the children of Monaco will be accepted at the door
"Oh my God" Pansy says, snatching the letter from his hands, "this is amazing- do you get a plus one?"
The three boys just stared at her for a few seconds.
"Oh. Right." Pansy said, tossing the invitation back, "Well you're going to go right?"
"Possibly"
"Possibly? Draco this is a BALL at a CASTLE with tons of famous muggles!!" Pansy sighed, "and you'll get to wear a nice tux to match Hermione's gown."
Draco didn't realize that his eyes lit up and the sheer mention of her.
"Clearly there's only one person in attendance he cares about" Blaise said, standing up, "Now come on lover boy we'll be late for class."
Draco slid into his chair next to Hermione in Transfiguration.
"You're late" she tutted.
"Barely, plus McGonagall isn't here yet" Draco said, "which is strange, I was preparing for an earful."
"I can give you that," Hermione smirked.
Draco laughed at her before reaching into his bag for the invitation and slid it in front of her.
"What is this? oh" she said realizing.
"Oh as in I should decline the invitation?"
"No no" she rushed to say, " I just thought I'd get to ask you first."
"Hermione, It's next weekend" Draco eyed her suspiciously.
"I know I just… I didn't know if you'd be interested!" Hermione said, getting louder, shocking Draco. Before he could answer, someone else did.
"Well unless it's something the rest of the class would be interested in, Miss Granger '' the couple was startled by the sudden presence of Professor McGonagall, "you and Mr. Malfoy should wrap up this conversation."
Hermione and Draco turned to pay attention immediately, while the rest of the class snickered at how beat read the two were.