A/N: ShainaCobra - Merci! Je suis d'accord, Ron est impulsif et colérique, mais ne mérite pas qu'on lui marche dessus. II n'est qu'un aspect, mais je m'efforcerai également de lui offrir un avenir heureux. J'espère que vous êtes en mesure de comprendre cela- je n'apprends toujours que le François. : ) 3
Here we go!
Hermione opened her eyes and squinted at the open curtains, cursing herself for forgetting to close them before going to sleep last night. Rolling over, she groaned and reluctantly got out of bed, seeing Ginnys red hair spilling out from the top of the comforter.
She showered and changed quickly, wanting to warn Malfoy of her friends arrival- and their knowledge of him, as well. The little voice in the back of her head chuckled darkly, because if she were completely honest with herself, she just wanted to see him, as well. Her bag was still on the table in the common room, and so she darted downstairs only to stop when she discovered that there was someone on the couch already.
"Ron?" She said softly, rounding the furniture and sitting in an adjacent chair. She was sad that he was upset, but knew in her heart that she couldn't do anything to cheer him. His eyes were red, and he was biting down on his lower lip. "Ron, I'm so sorry."
"Hermione…I know. It's okay. I'll be fine, really. I just want some time alone, okay? Just please go, I promise I won't make trouble. I just need time."
She hesitated for just a moment, then stood and slung her bag over one shoulder, leaving the common room and walking quickly towards the library. When she arrived, she could tell that he wasn't there yet and pulled out the map. Malfoys dot was leaving the dungeons, so she replaced it into her bag and sat at the command center, going over her to-do list and flipping through the large tome she had been pursuing for the last month.
"Granger." He greeted, going around to the other side and placing his bag on the tabletop, "I heard your friends are here."
She groaned, dropping her head, "How? I didn't even know until I went to my room. We didn't even leave Gryffindor tower!"
His chuckle had her looking up at him, her brows furrowed together as she tried to understand, "You aren't upset?"
"Good Godric, Granger."
He climbed up and sat atop the table, leaning over to grasp her chin in one hand. For a moment he simply looked at her, then sighed and shifted so that his legs were on either side of her. She could smell him, all parchment and musk and apples.
"I know who your friends are, and while I am not chomping at the bit to spend time with them, I know that they are important to you. With that thought in mind, I can't be upset with you about it. It's just a part of life. But speaking of the scarhead and Weasley, why aren't you with them now?" He spoke softly, grey eyes capturing her brown ones.
Hermione for a moment, had the thought that she should be uncomfortable about the way he was sitting so intimately with her, but the following thought was that she was very okay with it. It felt strange, but like home at the same time.
"I wanted to tell you they were here. I…didn't want you to feel…ambushed or anything." She said with a small smile, "but also that…well, they know. Everything. Well, uh….at least, the bullet points…maybe some under bullet points."
His face fell slightly, and she felt guilty until-
"Well, you're here, so I suppose they aren't around the corner waiting to curse me." His wry remark was accompanied by his natural smirk, and she nearly laughed at the thought of her friends peeking around the doorjam waiting for him to leave.
"No, actually. I mean, Ron was pretty heated, but he surprisingly is letting it go. I would be shocked at his maturity, but from what Ginny said, it's more likely that he grew up with this knowledge and accepts it on a base level. Harry is a typical brother figure, concerned about me but of course, he trust Gin and if she says this is….it…then he will support me. Ginny was your biggest fan…she encouraged me to give the situation a chance…"
Hermione paused, looking intently at his face for any sign of what he was thinking, but it was still placid, just watching her carefully. So she took a deep breath and continued, "She actually knew a lot about all this…and explained some of it to me. I guess the same stuff you grew up knowing as well, but…Well, she mostly just made me aware of the significance this has on our lives. The significance that….this relationship has….on everyone, apparently."
"Everyone."
Her face must have betrayed her confusion, because he leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. Instantly the library melted and she was laying on a bed, looking up at-
Narcissa sitting on the edge of a bed, looking down and speaking, "Lucius. We cannot allow him near the dark lord. He is not in control of himself, not around her. This will not be concealed for long. He must not know. We cannot let it happen."
He was giving her another memory.
"I do not have long before I am summoned. Do not speak in riddles. Tell me plain." Lucius was out of sight, but his voice was distinctive enough for her to identify.
"Lucius, your son is a Veela." Snape. Of course.
"I know that."
"He is also soulmated."
There was silence. "What? Whom?"
Hermione felt a heartbeat echo, and realized that it was Dracos, pounding in her ears as she was immersed in the memory. Was this-
"Miss Granger." Snape said simply, then after a pause which must have been the older two men exchanging a look, "the mudblood, Lucius."
A strangled sound came, then, "What?!"
"Lucius!" Narcissa again, "don't….you should have seen it…the way he…just…his eyes….I had to…Oh!"
Sobs were the only sound for a moment, then Professor Snape spoke again in his slow methodical way, "Yes, Lucius. Last night, when- they- were brought in, Draco's Veela was activated to protect his mate. I do not believe that he knew about the girl, Lucius. He was quite panicked when he was ordered to identify them, and had to be imperioused twice in order to keep his composure. Now, he is in a deep sleep, thanks to a potion I was able to obtain. He will not live without her, you need to understand this, Lucius. She must not be killed. If you hope to save your son, you must prepare for the dark lord to lose. Otherwise, they will both die. This is the reality, for they undermine all our lord stands for. He will kill them both. Are you prepared to sacrifice your only son and heir?"
"But- the mudblood-"
"The-the- that girl was made for him!" Narcissa flew up and spun to face her husband, "She was MADE for him! Destined! There is no other thing in our world that is as pure as this. You know this as I do. I don't care about her blood status- magic ITSELF designed her for him! Our very existence will hinge on her -the both of them! She is his SOULMATE, and you will have to adjust to that idea, because I will not lose my son, and I will not go against Magick itself."
Silence filled the room again, and Hermione felt the emotions- fear, anger, disbelief. She also felt how he felt in that moment.
Relief. Love. For her.
Suddenly, she was back in the library again, and Malfoy was heaving breaths as he stared at her.
"My mother has always been a quiet, obedient wife. She has never, in memory, raised her voice to him. But that night, she made him listen to her. And he did, he kept me away from…him. He never let him know about us. Severus kept me under the sleeping potion until the battle at Hogwarts, told….him that I was quite ill and must be kept under lock and key."
Hermione stayed silent, though tears for his pain began to well and slip down her face.
"In between sleeping droughts, Snape and my mother spoke with me at length. Serverus was fascinated that there had been this magical happening right under his nose and never realized it. They wanted to know every time we interacted, every word exchanged." He smirked wryly, "My mother nearly lashed me in disgrace for my 'ungentlemanly' behavior toward you, and told me that I would spend the rest of my life regretting my actions."
"Do you?" Hermione whispered, terrified but desperate to know. She was shaken by his experience, to be trapped in that home with a vile man and a dozen followers, knowing that because of her, he could be killed any moment.
He sighed, dropping his eyes down to her lips before licking his own, "Every moment echos in my mind every day, taunting me with my own cruelty. It makes me sick…because, well…I…have many regrets, but the biggest is that I wasted all that time pushing you away when I…should have been pulling you in. I should have spent every moment…"
His tone was soft but tormented, and she raised one hand to his face, cupping his cheek against her palm. The pure pleasure that rippled through her body was unexpected, and they both gasped at the sensation. Their foreheads were still touching, pressed together, and for a moment….
The damn clock was still ticking away in a hidden corner, the moments counted- his legs on either side of her, strong thighs inches from her chest - her hands, one resting on his face, the other hovering in the air, unsure of where to go - his eyes, dark and filled with meaning. She felt a tremor run through her and she felt frightened by its intensity. The little voice begged for relief.
"Draco?" Her voice sounded almost foreign to her own ears, having never said his name in that way. His given name had rushed out of her, coasting over her tongue like hot chocolate and expelling from her lips with a breath.
Grey eyes flashed at her, and he swiveled around, hands to his head as he bent over. She could barely hear him when he spoke next, only just making out his words:
"Go, now, please. I can't…"
Hermione grabbed her bag and rushed out of the room, glancing back only once. It seemed like he was in pain, and she almost stayed, but was overwhelmed with emotion. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted to give up control and fall into him. There was so much tension sometimes, it seemed like an explosion was imminent.
"'Mione!" Harry came around a far corner and waved an arm towards her, Ginny following behind him, "We were just looking for you! Breakfast!"
Hermione immediately opened her mouth to refuse, but remembered that Malfoy needed space, so she wouldn't work in the library for at least a few hours.
With a sigh, she fell into step with them, making their way down to the great hall. Harry rubbed his eyes with one hand and had the other wrapped around Ginny's waist.
"You okay?" Ginny asked her friend, knowing she had been in the library, knowing she was with Malfoy.
"Uh, I don't know." She answered honestly, "something happened but I don't know what I did."
"You didn't do anything, 'mione." Harry said, shrugging, "maybe Malfoy is just a jerk."
The redhead glared at her boyfriend, "Stop. Hermione, what happened?"
The older girl sighed and debated how much to share, she didn't want to feel like she was gossiping. Then again, Ginny wouldn't say anything to anyone, nor Harry.
"I went to tell him about last night, because, uh…I didn't want him to be surprised or anything, and he shared a memory….I guess the day after we escaped the manor, his parents and Professor Snape were there, and they were discussing….well, me." Hermione kept her voice low as they strolled down the hall, "His mother was quite upset and worried about her son, and yelled at Lucius that, well, basically that I was going to be family and he better adjust. We talked for a few minutes, but…we were so close…he was so regretful about before, and I felt sad for him, so…er, I put my hand on his face and he seemed to get agitated. Then he asked me to leave. Well, practically ordered me to leave."
Harry grunted and opened his mouth only to close it when Ginny elbowed him. She glared at him before smiling at her friend.
"Don't feel bad, 'mione," Ginny said cheerfully, "You probably encouraged his Veela, and he is fighting it. He's not upset with you, he's probably just trying to give you space."
"Encouraged his Veela?!" Harry choked out.
Ginnys head tipped back with a laugh, "Oh yes, he wanted to lay her out on the table and-"
"Harry! Ginny!"
Both Harry and Hermione were grateful for Neville's interruption, though their red cheeks nearly betrayed any effort at casual.
As Harry and Neville greeted each other and chatted, the foursome made their way into the great hall and over to a table. As it was officially a break, the room was void of house colors and assigned tables. Instead, professors and volunteers of the rebuilding efforts were scattered between two long tables.
"Listen, don't be scared or embarrassed about Malfoy. Honestly, he is displaying incredible control right now, and you should be grateful for that." Ginny whispered as the girls sat at the bench, "Veelas are not known for their control, so he is probably just using every ounce of energy to fight himself and give you the space you need. Just don't make him wait too long.."
Hermione couldn't keep her cheeks from heating up, and her eyes widened with this aspect she had thus far avoided- sex. So much information had come her way so far, and she had been pulled this way and that…..she was still adjusting to the idea of being with…Draco.
"So how is Malfoy doing in the library?" Neville asked innocently, causing Hermione to choke on her juice.
Ginny patted her on the back and smiled, "Hermione says he is proving quite useful. Hopefully the library will be back to rights before term. Are you going to be coming back?"
"I've been thinking about it. Professor Sprout promised to take me on for training, so I might just stay to have that opportunity." He said, filling his plate.
Feeling as though she was being watched, Hermione looked around the room. Sure enough, Headmistress McGonagall was perched at the end of the other table, speaking to some other staff. Her eyes were on Hermione, and there was a knowing look that followed her for the rest of breakfast.
They went to the courtyard to enjoy the sun, and soon enough Harry and Ginny were gathering others for a pick-up game of Quidditch.
"Okay Gin, we have Team 1 - you, Emily, and Kira as chasers, I'm in as seeker, Ron will be our keeper, and we have the Mcdevon twins for beaters. Team 2 - Eddie, Neville, and Tom for chasers, Angelina will play keeper, John and Matt as beaters. We just need a seeker."
The redhead grinned mischievously, "How about the ferret?"
Harry groaned, but stood and disappeared through the doors, presumably heading for the library. The others followed, darting off to their rooms to gather brooms and change. Ginny and Hermione sat in the courtyard, silent except for the birds.
"So, you aren't going to chicken out when the time comes, right?" Ginny asked, crossing her legs. She had kept one eye on her friend and knew she was probably nervous about being a virgin.
"I hope not." Hermione was truthful, eyebrows stitched together, "What if I'm not good? What if he doesn't like me?"
Ginny laughed, near tipping off the bench.
"Trust me. None of that will happen. Besides, Veelas are well known for taking care of their mate. You just have to relax."
Hermione still didn't quite know how she would navigate this whole new situation. Her twisted expression had Ginny sighing as she patted her friends knee.
"Do you think he's attractive?" The redhead's smile was nearly imperceptible, but widened when Hermione nodded without thinking.
"Do you believe he cares for you?"
Hermione thought about who he had been the last few days. He had always put her needs before his own, made sure she ate and was always handing her water.
"Do you believe he's changed from who he was?"
Ginny's voice was less confident, hoping for an answer but unsure if it would be the one she wanted. All of her knowledge assured her that he must have changed, but it was ultimately Hermione who would make that decision.
Before she could answer, Harry was the first back, and gave Ginny a thumbs up. The girls stood and made their way down to the pitch, the redhead twirling her shrunken broom in one hand with her fingers.
"Yes." She whispered to Ginny, "I really think he has…"
As Hermione settled on a team bench and watched as everyone arrived, some getting on their brooms to fly and warm up, some sitting on the grass. Malfoy was one of the first to arrive, and she tried not to be obvious as she watched him toss his shrunken broom up in the air, jumping at the right moment to land as it enlarged. He took off, shooting high before turning and speeding back down towards the ground, pulling up at the last second to coast along the field. Steel-grey eyes met hers as he surfed the length of the field. Recognizing the move as one of Harry's from the first Quidditch game, Hermione bit her lip to avoid laughing. He must have practiced so much.
She had pulled out her current novel- Atlas Shrugged - and settled in, though she found it hard to get into the story. Malfoy had changed into shorts and a t-shirt for this, and Hermione found it difficult to keep from staring. Ginny was right, he did look….good. For a moment, under her lashes, she watched him fly, a little part of her wondering how this was all happening now.
The game, as most, lasted an hour and a half when inevitably there was an argument and the players dropped to the ground, shouting at one another for a few minutes. Harry, Ginny, and Ron all began walking towards her, the redheads scowling at each other.
"-don't agree and you can't make me!" Ginny nodded at Hermione but stormed off towards the castle. The boys stood near the bench, looking dumbfounded.
"So, should one of us go after her?" Harry asked, eyes pleading with his friends for help. Hermione laughed, which caused Ron to chuckle. The three of them were in stitches within three minutes, and didn't hear Malfoy when he swooped around on his broom to hover near them.
"Do I even want to know?" He drawled, and the trio startled before Hermione burst into laughter once more at the haughty tone she hadn't heard in years.
"Oi, Malfoy, don't you have anything better to do than hang around us lot?" Ron sneered, earning dirty looks from both brunettes.
Draco glanced around, sniffed, and looked directly at Hermione when he spoke, "No."
She nearly lost it. Their eyes were locked together, and she was both nervous and calm at the same time. Harry and Ron both had startled looks, not expecting that response from him. It was as little as he possibly said all these years, and conveyed so much meaning. The two boys looked at each other for a moment before Ron shrugged and Harry said, "Hogsmeade? We're going to grab some drinks and get Hermione her birthday gifts."
"Birthday?" Malfoy directed his question to Hermione, but Ron answered, his voice bitter but plain, "With our schedules and stuff, we don't know when we'll be back, so we're going to let her pick something out."
"It's September 19." Harry added, feeling like Malfoy should know it. Hermione felt her stomach flip, eyes locked with his, hearing his words almost before they were spoken.
"I know." The blond spoke carefully, landing on the ground and finally shifting his attention to the boys, "Sure, Hogsmeade sounds fun. What time?"
"Now." Ron's voice was still laced with emotion, but he controlled it "we're just going to change. Ginny will meet us in the entrance hall."
"Okay. Granger, would you want to walk with me down to the dungeons? We can discuss how Rands characters are mostly black and white with little substance, only obsession." Malfoy shrank his broom, storing it in a pocket.
Hermione jumped up before pausing, glancing at her friends as if to get permission. Harry waved his hands, "We'll meet you two in the entrance hall in about twenty minutes, yeah?"
"Yes!" She said, walking off the pitch to engage in a literary discussion, her entire body nearly bouncing up and down. Malfoy seemed almost as animated, gesturing with his hands.
Ron shook his head, then looked at Harry. After a few moments, he sighed, "Well, I can't compete with that, can I?"
"Mate," Harry said, clapping one hand on his friends shoulder, "you believe what Ginny said last night?"
"Yes…it's not a fable, Harry, it's history. It's real life."
"Well then, there is no competition. You didn't lose her, Ron, you just kept your best friend."
The two boys went back to the castle, each deep in thought about what this would mean for their group.
It hadn't taken long for Malfoy to change, while Hermione had a conversation with a portrait of a knight riding a horse outside the Slytherin common room. They were climbing the stairs when he stopped, turning to look at her.
"Do I…scare you?"
Hermione frowned before giggling, "What?"
"This is….alot to take in." He said, taking a breath, "and, well, I know there's been a few moments when, uh-"
"I'm not scared of you, exactly. I'm scared of…well, all of this. It's very…unexpected. But I'm not afraid of you." Hermione interrupted, feeling like she had to assure him. His words had struck her deeply, and she was ashamed that he thought she was scared of HIM.
He stepped down a step, closer to where she had leaned against the stone. His eye roamed her face, and one hand reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, leaving a trail of heat on her skin where his fingers brushed. A breath rushed out of her, and he leaned even closer, his face inches from her own. He inhaled slowly, taking in her jasmine scent laced with old parchment, then pressed his cheek to hers.
Hermione was still, knowing without reason that if she moved, he would not touch her again; the little voice in her head and the heat in her belly wanted him to touch her.
For a moment, they stood there on the steps, his cheek against hers, the intimacy causing her body to warm with a pleasant fuzzy feeling. One hand braced himself on the wall behind her, the other hovering beside her other cheek.
"You should be." His voice was low and sad, "because I am a monster. You need to tell me to leave you alone."
Suddenly Hermione was angry, and she raised her arms to shove him away- her palms flattened against his chest but she was no match for the athletic Veela. He stepped back and she moved forward, smacking his chest as she did.
"You-you- you insufferable prat. I think I'm finally grasping all this, accepting my 'fate' - and you have to- be a bloody fool, saying that. Just- if you can't accept it, then go away!"
"Granger…." She spun on him at her name, eyes narrowed in annoyance. He continued, "I love you. I always will love you. But- good godric, I was a death eater! I made it my goal in school to make you…and now, I-I-I feel like I'm trapping you, tricking you somehow…when all I want to do is be near you, hold you, kiss you-"
"Maybe you should trust that I know what's best for me, and-"
In a breath, Draco had rushed at her, carefully pushing her to the wall and pressing his body to hers. His face buried into her neck, his hands were roaming her hips, her arms, the side of her ribcage; he seemed intent on being as close to her as humanly possible. She tipped her head up as his lips touched the base of her neck, her hands coming to grasp his hair, Hermione was shaken at the intensity which her body demanded his.
"I don't want to hurt you." He whispered into her neck, "I don't want this-my problem- to affect you. I…I can't stop, I need to be near you. All the time. If I'm not with you, I am consumed by thoughts of you. I dream of you every night, saying my name as you did earlier, in my bed, the library, the great hall. You are all I ever need or want, Hermione."
She couldn't remember a time he had used her given name, and as he said it now, she felt-
"Oi! Ya coming?"
Harry's voice echoed down the stairwell, and the two young adults sprang apart, each breathing heavily, working quickly to calm themselves.
As voices drifted down the stone corridor, Hermione turned on one heel and started climbing again, "I'm not scared of you. I'm scared of myself and all of these feelings that I have because….I've never…felt like this before."
She quickly went up the stairs, hearing Malfoys footsteps behind her, and waved to her friends waiting at the top.
A/N: I had to cut this day in half because there was a lot. Let me know what you think of it!
