AN: SURPRISE! It's a surprise extra chapter! This is a short one, but one that i think you all have been waiting a long time for, so I decided to drop it early. Thank you all so much for your continued support and we all owe a double special thanks to my alpha: LaDeeDaa and beta: astrangefan because their hard work makes it so I can write faster! :)

The Astronomy Tower

Hermione swallowed. "I'm not sure…"

"I understand your reservations," Harry said with a nod. "But Ron does have a point. He'll need back up, and Nott knows these hideouts better than anyone. It makes sense that one of them goes, and between us - Ron and Malfoy do not trust each other enough to do anything together."

Hermione snorted at that. Ron and Malfoy exploring Scotland together was an absolute recipe for disaster. If they'd made friends early on as children at Hogwarts, Hermione considered they might be thick as thieves. They were both funny, sarcastic, and didn't suffer fools easily. But as it was, they detested each other - even if they did try to play nice for her benefit.

"What did Theo say? Does he even know proper defence? He wasn't in Dumbledore's Army - and you and I both know that we only got proper Defence Against the Dark Arts training outside of that for two years at most…"

"Theo is confident he's prepared," Harry said, shuffling papers around looking for the map under them. "Here," he said, indicating for Hermione to come closer. "They want to try the cave system in Perth, a few other safe houses, and then move to the manor."

"But what if the Rakovs are there?" Hermione asked. It was one thing to scout out locations, but it would be quite something else for Ron and Theo to find themselves dueling three deranged Death Eaters.

"Are you out of your bloody mind!" Draco cried from the other end of the room.

Uh oh.

"Suppose Nott's told him, then," Harry sighed. He seemed to do nothing but sigh lately. Hermione made a mental note to buy Harry all the drinks he wanted at their next outing when all of this was over.

Looking over to where Theo was trying to explain the plan to Draco, Hermione realised she'd have to mediate that situation. Draco's hackles were raised, and Theo had a tendency to back down when Draco started making demands. Whatever reservations she had about the plan, it was Theo, Ron, and Harry's decision at the end of the day. She wasn't going to let Draco bully Theo into staying back.

"Draco…" she cooed as she came to stand by Theo's side.

"If he goes, I'm going," Draco said, and he almost looked like he was going to stamp his foot like a child. Hermione stifled a laugh.

"Draco, you can't go. It's bad enough one of you is going," Hermione said. "Ron is perfectly capable of protecting Theo and…"

"Ronald Weasley, we are talking about," Draco sneered. "He's never been perfectly capable of anything but cleaning a plate."

Hermione huffed a frustrated sigh and glared at Draco. "Ron's saved my neck more times than I can count. I'd be dead if not for Ronald Weasley," she snapped. "He's not stupid and he's not incapable."

"Draco, I'm going," Theo said, his tone more forceful than he was prone to using with his best friend. "They need me, and I can be of actual use here. I received extensive training under my father…"

Draco scoffed, but Theo continued. "I can take care of myself. This isn't like before. There's no Dark Lord controlling me. My father is long dead. I want to be of help. Ron trusts me. Don't you have any idea what that means? A Weasley trusts me, and I'm not going to let him down."

Hermione immediately felt her heart melt. She hadn't even considered exactly how monumental it was that Ron even asked for Theo to accompany him in the first place.

She put her arm around Theo's back and pulled him close as she looked up at Draco. "Ron can be trusted, and he is capable. But you can't go. You'll increase the risk to them and…"

Draco's eyes hardened and he huffed before dramatically turning and walking way. If he'd had one of Snape's long black robes on, he would have looked just like his mentor.

Brat.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," Theo said, looking down at his shoes. "I didn't mean to start a row between you two."

"It's fine, Theo," Hermione said, waving off his concerns. Draco would get over it. "Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? You don't have to feel obligated because Ron asked. I promise it won't change anything between you if you say you'd rather not."

Theo shook his head. "No, he's right. I know exactly where these places are. It will make for quicker and safer work if I go with him. And we have to finish this."

Hermione nodded. She understood that. The need to finish was weighing on her, but she couldn't imagine how much it weighed on Draco and Theo.

"Okay. But I'm going to insist that you and Ron work on some practice defensive spells in the Room of Requirement before you go. I know you've been trained, but you've also been without magic for five years."

"That's reasonable," Theo agreed. "Thanks, Hermione."

Hermione hugged him again before heading back to Harry at the tables. "I made him promise that he and Ron would practise spells before they go," she said.

"I'd already considered it," Harry said with a nod. "Malfoy went that way," he said pointing toward the portrait hole, knowing exactly what she was about to ask.

"Don't have the Marauder's Map with you, do you?" she asked hopefully. To her surprise, Harry smirked.

"Of course," he said. "I never come to Hogwarts without it." He put up a finger to indicate to wait a moment and jogged over to his bed and rifled around his bag before producing the aged parchment.

"Here," he said, handing it to her.

"Thanks, Harry."

First, she slipped on her shoes where they'd been discarded by Draco's bed then she opened the map, tapping it with her wand. "I solemnly swear, I am up to no good," she said.

It always amazed her when the map came to life. She wished she'd picked Remus' brain about how they managed such a complicated and impressive enchantment - and the fact that it still worked perfectly even after the death of the last marauder…

Don't think about that.

Shaking the thought from her head, she looked for Draco's name.

Ah ha!

He was on the move. Taking the map with her, she made her way out of the Common room and down the corridor to the trick steps that descended to the sixth floor. She watched the little footsteps with 'Draco Malfoy' written above them move toward the centre of the building and then ascend the staircase to the Astronomy Tower.

She folded up the map and stuck it in the back pocket of her jeans. There was really only one place he could be going. With hurried steps she made her way down and then back up several flights of stairs as she pursued him to the one place in the castle she was surprised he'd want to see again.

By the time she got to the last set of stairs she was winded. She'd exerted herself a bit more than she'd meant to, but she would never let Draco know that. Taking a moment, she caught her breath, let her heart slow and then made her way up the last spiral staircase to the wide-open astronomy tower.

It was a beautiful day outside, at the very least. Spring had arrived, and with it a warm breeze and beautiful, fluffy white clouds. Draco was standing straight as pin at the edge of the balcony overlooking the grounds, his grey tee shirt and Muggle jeans looked odd against the mediaeval gothic architecture, but she supposed she looked equally out of place in her own jeans and shirt.

"How did you find me?" he asked without looking back at her. His hands were laced behind him.

"Marauder's Map," she said, knowing he had no idea what that was. He turned with a look of confusion. She held up the parchment. "Harry's dad and his friends made this back in the seventies," she said walking toward him to show him the map.

Draco grabbed it from her, and his eyes went wide as he realised what it was. "Potter had this when we went to school didn't he?" She nodded with a smirk.

"No wonder that annoying bastard always knew where I was," he replied in a tired tone before handing the map back to her.

"Mischief Managed" she whispered before putting the parchment back in her back pocket.

"I know you are here to reason with me," Draco finally said after a beat. "Logically, I understand why Theo has to go. And, certainly, I don't begrudge him his opportunity to make things right – or even to just do something. I know the feeling."

"It's hard for me too," Hermione admitted, moving up to stand next to him, resting her head against his arm. "I don't want him to go. I feel the queasy fear in the pit of my stomach. But we are on the brink of war again - even if only a handful of people realise it. And you know as well as I do that war means sacrifices. It means not everyone can stay safe all the time."

"I know," he said softly. His hand reached down and held hers. "Theo, my mum, you…that's all I have now. And it's enough. I don't want for more. But I can't lose what I have."

Hermione turned around and leaned against the railing of the Astronomy tower. Her hand immediately went up to cup Draco's face. "Until this is over, we have to be brave," she said. "All of us."

"I wish I could go instead," Draco admitted. "I feel better knowing I have control…"

"I know," Hermione said, with a smirk. "I'm familiar with the need to control." He snorted in response. "But you and I both know almost nothing is actually in our control when it comes to war. Besides, if you did go, you and Ron would kill each other."

"He wishes," Draco muttered. But after a beat he nodded. "I'll talk to Theo."

Hermione smiled. "Good. Because he does care deeply about what you think."

Draco nodded again before pulling her into him, turning her so she was facing the grounds again and he was right behind her, his arms around her waist. "I used to love it here. Then I hated it…"

"I was surprised to see you come up here, after…"

"Despite what happened that night – what I did -this was, at one time, the only place I felt safe for a very short period of time," Draco admitted. "When I was tasked with killing Dumbledore, everything about Sixth Year was a poorly executed act. I was supposed to keep Potter and his allies from discovering I was a Death Eater. Fail. I was to keep my Housemates from realising how fucking terrified I was. Fail. I was to be honoured to kill the most powerful wizard in generations. Fail."

He rested his head on top of hers and continued. "I'd come up here to let down the wall. I didn't have to be Draco the Death Eater, or Draco the Malfoy, or Draco the student. I would look out at the endless sky and think about what I could do - where I could be - if things were different."

Hermione leaned back against him and let him speak. "That night that I let in the other Death Eaters, I hated that it happened here. I ruined something about it. I just thought I'd come back and see if it still had the same calming effect it did before that."

"And did it?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I did calm, but my last memories of this place are still here, and the shame I feel…"

Hermione turned in Draco's arms and leaned up to kiss him softly on the lips. He accepted her kiss gratefully before pulling her tight and bending his head to breathe her in. "You being here doesn't hurt," he said with a chuckle. She smiled in return.

"We can always try to make new memories here," she said, her voice wavering ever so slightly as she pulled back to look him in the eyes. She hoped he understood exactly what she was suggesting. She felt so close to him in that moment she couldn't bear being rebuffed again.

His eyes searched hers and she knew he did understand what she'd intended. But instead of telling her 'no' or that he didn't deserve her, or any of the other excuses he'd made to that point, he surged forward and captured her lips in his, his tongue instantly sweeping into her mouth to taste her fully.

He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, his grey eyes looking straight into her soul. "Are you sure?" he asked, breathlessly. "Because I can't let you go if we…if…"

She kissed him again, cutting him off. "Draco, I'm in love with you. I don't know how it happened so fast. I don't know what it means, or where it will to go, but I know that I am in love with you."

His fingers gripped her hips so tight she was sure he'd leave bruises, but she didn't care. There was a war going on in his head - she could see it in his eyes - but whichever side wanted her won, and she soon found herself being walked backward against the cold stone wall to the side of the Astronomy tower opening.

Lifting her ever so slightly, she jumped into his arms and let him anchor her against the stone again, her legs wrapped tight around his waist. It was a testament to how much strength he'd gained since she'd taken him home that first day that he easily lifted her, his hands gripping her arse as he plundered her mouth.

His mouth moved down to her neck where he nipped at her overheated skin, biting down particularly hard where her neck met her shoulder. Her pussy clinched and her moan echoed off the walls of the cavernous tower.

He groaned at her responsiveness and twirled them both around, his hand supporting her bum as he fumbled in his pocket for his new wand. "Molliare," he breathed against her throat, his breath scorching as he aimed the wand at the floor of the tower.

Hermione shook her head as she placed hot, open mouth kisses along his jaw. "Accio blanket," she moaned. Draco set her down on her feet, taking her face in his hands as he kissed her again, over and over until she could barely breathe.

"Hmph," he grunted as he was hit in the back with a massive blanket he recognized from the bed they shared in Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione stepped away and giggled. "As nice as the cushioning charm is, I'm not having sex on this dirty floor," she explained, taking the blanket in hand and spreading it out just over the spot Draco had already made nice and soft.

"Fair enough," Draco replied. "I must admit that my mind was elsewhere."

Hermione laughed and pulled him by the nape of the neck back to her, kissing him soundly on the lips before pulling him with her as she descended to the blanket on the floor where they nipped and kissed each other on their knees in the middle of the astronomy tower, the beautiful sun streaming down upon them.

They made quick work of their shirts, both hurriedly discarding the offended garments - and Hermione her bra - and tossing them in opposite directions between fevered, hungry kisses. Hermione had never felt need like this. She'd slept with a handful of men and enjoyed herself with each one, but the primal hunger she felt as she placed open mouth kisses down Draco's exposed chest nearly knocked her over.

Their hands went to each other's waist at the same time causing a bit of a traffic jam. Draco chuckled, and the smile on his face destroyed her in the best possible way. He looked young, free, and happy. Godrick, he looked genuinely, uncomplicatedly happy.

It sent shivers of desire through her body and, as she looked into his molten grey eyes, she whimpered, "I want you."

Whatever he'd been holding back was gone as he surged forward and ripped her jeans down her legs before kicking his own off. Finally, skin to skin, she wanted every part of him on her, in her. She wanted to feel all of him all at once. It was overwhelming and magical, and she felt lightheaded.

Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes again. He was vulnerable, nervous, but just as hungry as she. She decided to take control of the situation.

Gently she pushed at his shoulders inviting him to be the one to lie back on the soft, plush blanket. He pulled her with him, and they descended into a tangle of limbs, each trying to touch as much of the other as possible.

Hermione could feel a literal ache inside at not having him inside her and she knew she couldn't handle much more. Swinging one leg over his hips she settled herself on him, and he literally flinched at the feeling of her wetness against his bare skin.

He felt like velvet steel against her, and she rocked her hips against his thick erection - her own head feeling light again just from the friction. She felt she could explode just from the feel of him against her. "Take pity on me, Granger," Draco bit out in a strangled voice.

She smiled down at him before taking him in her hands and positioning him at her opening. Slowly, agonisingly slowly, she took every inch of him inside and her heart raced as he filled her. "Fuuuuuuck," he moaned long and low and Hermione decided that it was the absolute best sound she'd ever heard.

Placing her hands on his chest for leverage she raised herself up and down feeling him move inside her.

His hands were in her hair again, pulling her down flush with him as her hips moved against his. His fingers wound their way around her curls, and he arched his back to thrust deeper inside her. Every time she thought she couldn't take anymore, the sweet pain and pleasure of him filling her made her cry out and beg for more.

He muttered a string of hot nonsense against her skin as she rode his dick, and she felt herself clench with every word. She knew she was close, and she told him so. Gripping her hips in his strong hands, he allowed her to sit up again, setting the pace and she rode him until her entire body coiled into a tight ball.

The tension rose higher and higher and then snapped, her silky walls clenching down around him as she rode out her orgasm, whispering his name over and over again like a prayer.

He immediately used his grip on her hips to flip them over so she was on her back and he above her, thrusting in and out. He started slowly at first, then as she came down from her orgasm induced high, he thrust faster and harder.

'Hermione…' he nearly whined against her, and she knew he was close too. His fingers bit into her skin and she loved it - wanted more of it.

She hitched her leg around his hip and met him thrust for thrust until he was tumbling, tumbling into his own abyss of ecstasy. She felt his come as it filled her, and her heat clenched again, riding out what seemed like a never ending cycle of mini orgasms.

Draco, who had been holding himself up with shaky arms, let himself go and he rested against her panting breast, his own breath uneven. She could feel his heartbeat against hers and she ran her fingers through his hair as he lay there.

"I do too, you know…" he finally said.

"Huh?" Hermione's sex-addled brain was barely forming sentences.

"I love you too, Hermione. I know I shouldn't. I still don't know what kind of confundus you are under to waste your time with me…"

"Shush it," she warned, slapping him lightly on the back. But she smiled against him.

"I'll do anything for you," Draco said, his voice breaking. "Just don't destroy me, please."

Hermione didn't know what to say to that. It was intense, and alarming that he still believed she would - or that she could - destroy him. Or as if he didn't have the ability to destroy her as well. She ran her fingers through his hair and said nothing, but she made a promise to herself in that moment that Draco would learn, one day, what it was to not fear love.

They lay on the floor for a long while, cuddled into the blanket and grateful that Harry didn't have the Marauder's Map to check on them. Draco, gentleman he was, asked if she needed him to perform the contraception charm, and she informed him that she'd been on the potion since Sixth Year.

Finally, when the sun moved into a particularly irritating section of the sky from where they were lying, they decided it was time to go. Though, not before a stop at the prefect's bathroom where they took their time exploring each other before bathing and returning to the Common Room.

Padma's smirk said everything. Theo gave them an awkward thumbs up. Ron and Harry decided the map they were looking at was far too interesting to drag their eyes from. Hermione just shook her head and smiled.

Boys.