Standing in front of my bathroom mirror, I was shaking. As I looked over every curl, every freckle, every inch of my dress, I felt sick.

The stress of being in the department with Draco and Blaise was getting to me.

After I'd left Falmouth yesterday, I hadn't gone back to the Ministry. Between the therapy appointment from hell and the revelation that Draco and Astoria had been trying to get pregnant, I couldn't cope, so I reverted to old habits. I holed myself up in my house, blocking the Floo and anyone who tried to Apparate in, and drowned my sorrows in a bottle of cheap wine. I wrote to Draco, even though Penelope had told me not to.

I had to let out everything I couldn't say to him in person.

For the first time in a long time, I thought of the night he'd told me about Astoria's pregnancy, the way he'd pleaded and promised me it had only been that one night.

It was all bullshit.

Today, I had to go back to the office and actually pack. I had to prepare for the move to the Department of Mysteries, for the next chapter in this godforsaken saga I called a life.

I took a pain potion, hoping to clear the pounding inside my head. Until that stopped, I wouldn't be able to Occlude properly and I needed to bury my emotions. I was also certain that Harry would pounce on me the second I walked through the door.

Closing my eyes, I started shoving things down one by one.

Draco first. He was easiest; I'd been hiding him away for years at this point. There was a hole in my heart — or my soul — where he fit perfectly, and I forced him into it.

And then my newfound angst about the fertility potion and its implications.

And then the verbal lashing I was likely going to get from Harry.

And finally Blaise — the way he'd acted in Penelope's office, the way he'd doubted my abilities and tried to keep me from going to Falmouth.

When I looked at myself in the mirror again, my eyes were blank, making me look almost as dead as I had right after I'd Obliviated Draco. Again, I pushed the thought down; there was no point in dwelling on it. I just had to get through the day and keep myself afloat until I saw Penelope again.

Emotional armour in place, I slipped on my heels and headed for the Floo, stopping only to grab my handbag. However, my journal was sitting on the table beside it, and I hesitated. Today, of all days, I thought I might need the outlet. If something went wrong and I couldn't contain my emotions…

I picked it up and tucked it into my bag, knowing that I shouldn't let myself become reliant on writing to Draco.

But he was the one who always knew me — knew what I needed — and writing to him was comfortable. Familiar. Everything was changing and I needed a constant.

With a sigh, I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed to the Ministry.

A gentle knock landed on my office door about an hour after I'd arrived. Before the knob rattled, the person outside said, "Hermione?"

Once again, I made sure my face was blank.

When the door swung open, Harry entered and tossed me a nod in greeting.

"You locked your house down," he said, stating the obvious.

"I did."

Closing the door behind him, he stepped closer, pulling one of the chairs in front of my desk out so he could sit. "Why?"

"Because I needed time," I answered, not willing to give a further explanation.

He swallowed, his Adam's Apple bobbing with the motion. "Blaise came to Grimmauld last night. He was pretty upset—"

I held up a hand. "Don't." Harry looked at me questioningly, so I continued. "I know he's upset, but I am too."

"You have every right to be," he replied, shocking me. "He's been… different lately. And to an extent, I get it, but he told Pansy about Sara. We had no idea."

Heat bloomed in my cheeks at the thought of Blaise telling Harry and Pansy that he'd essentially made a fool of me. I'd believed his lies when he said they were only friends.

Harry must have been able to sense what I was thinking because he reached across the desk, grabbing my hand.

"What else has been going on?"

"It's—Really, I don't want to put you in the middle of it."

He squeezed my fingers. "I'm asking you to. Tell me what's been going on, Hermione."

"But Pansy and Blaise… They're friends. And you're friends with him."

As I struggled, my emotions rose closer and closer to the surface. My chest tightened, and the room felt like it was closing in on me. Or maybe it wasn't the room. Maybe the tangled web of lies — of intertwined lives — was twisting around me, threatening to cut off my air supply.

But Harry anchored me; his fingers laced through mine and pulled me out of my own head.

"I told you, Hermione, I'm not going to let you drift away again," he said firmly. "When this whole Obliviation mess started, I told you that I was going to be there for you."

"But you don't have to be. I don't want to come between—"

"I do. Stop trying to push me away or protect me or whatever it is you're trying to do."

Once again, he knew me well enough to understand what I was doing and why I was acting this way.

A few long seconds passed, but then I took a deep breath. "Can we see if Ron's available? For lunch? I… I need help, I think."

"This is serious, then?"

"I'm seeing Penelope and journaling again, but I need you two to help me," I admitted, my armour cracking and peeling away. "I need my friends—"

He immediately stood and walked around my desk, pulling me up from my chair. His arms engulfed me, nearly swallowing me whole.

"We'll be there," he assured me, his hand running up and down my back. "I'm sure Ron will come with us today."

"He… said some things to me when Draco came back to work, and I'm afraid to really open up to him—"

"I know," Harry said. "But you know he loves you. He's always loved you and he just wants the best for you."

Nodding, I replied, "It's just hard to hear. And he was right. You know how he can be."

With a laugh, he released me and took a step back. "Everyone knows how Ron is when an 'I told you so' is due."

"Can we just talk when we're all together? I don't really want to go through it all twice."

Before Harry could answer, there was another knock at my door, and my heart sped up again. I must have looked panicked because Harry moved to the door, cracked it open, and said, "We'll just be another minute."

When he shut it and turned back to me, he mouthed Malfoy.

Relief washed over me, and I wasn't entirely sure what that meant. I smoothed my hands over my skirt and then ran them through my hair, mentally preparing myself for whatever Draco had come to say.

"Do you want me to stay?" Harry asked.

I shook my head. "No, I'll be okay. I have to see him tonight anyway. He's probably just here to confirm."

"He's holding two coffee cups."

Again, I felt my heart thump, and caffeine suddenly seemed like a terrible idea.

"Well, either way, I'll be fine," I said, trying to convince both Harry and myself. "Go get some work done. I'm assuming we'll be taking a rather long lunch."

"Just come to my office if you need me." He stood in front of the door, not moving. When I raised an eyebrow, he added, "Promise me, Hermione."

Rolling my eyes, I swore that I'd come to him if I needed him.

With a smile, he opened the door and stepped out. A second later, Draco stood in the threshold, looking at me cautiously.

"Can I come in?"

I gestured to the chair in front of my desk. "You're not a vampire. You don't need an invitation."

He looked confused, so I put him out of his misery.

"Sorry, Muggle pop culture reference," I said.

He set a takeaway coffee cup down on my desk and sat across from me. I could tell he was nervous.

"That's for you," he stated, though it was completely unnecessary.

Glancing down at the cup, I saw the label — cinnamon latte — and my throat tightened. He'd remembered. This wasn't something I'd shown him, so it had to have been like the gifts, like what Pansy had suggested. "Thank you."

After an awkward couple of seconds, I retook my seat and reached for the cup, hoping he wasn't vindictive enough to add Veritaserum to it.

Draco took a sip from his own cup and then set it down. "Granger, I talked to Astoria, and I feel like I need to explain something to you."

"You don't," I said quickly. "You don't owe me any explanations."

"I do," he said, his voice adamant. "I think I pieced something together on my own, and if I'm right, you need to know."

"Can't this wait until tonight? Don't you have things to wrap up for Belby's case?"

Frustrated, he pushed his fringe back. "I need to get this out now. I don't want to fight about it later."

I spun the coffee cup between my palms, unable to look up at him. "Okay."

He huffed. "This isn't fucking easy for me, you know. I feel like I owe you an apology, and I shouldn't."

My stomach was squirming, my insides writhing and twisting themselves into knots.

"I'm not expecting anything from you."

"Will you please look at me while I say this?"

Sitting up straight, I met his eyes, and I saw sincerity and confusion.

"When Belby said Astoria couldn't conceive..." His voice trailed off, and he huffed again. "We weren't trying to, Granger. I swear to you. Or at least I wasn't trying to."

He was stumbling over his words, but I'd heard them all before. He'd told me that he hadn't meant to get her pregnant, that it had been an accident.

"I don't know how to say this in a proper way, but she manipulated me," he continued. "According to her, it happened our anniversary—"

"I'm well aware. You told me all this two years ago, Draco."

"I'm certain I didn't," he replied. "If you'd known — understood — you wouldn't have—"

"Don't romanticise whatever it is you're thinking," I interrupted. "Two years ago, you came to me and told me she was pregnant, that you'd had sex on your anniversary because you felt obligated. That you couldn't say no because she was your wife."

His face fell.

"That's what you were going to say, right?"

"Astoria told me she took the fertility potion to ensure it. We hadn't… been intimate in months."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "I didn't believe you two years ago, and I don't believe you now."

"Why would Astoria lie to me about that, Granger?" he asked, a tinge of anger colouring his voice. "And didn't you watch all my memories?"

"No. I didn't. When it came to Astoria, she told me to pull certain things forward, and I just removed them." Thinking back, I added, "There were a few she had me alter, but that wasn't one of them."

"It's in the trunk?"

I nodded. "If I took it, it's in the trunk."

"I want to see it tonight. I want you to see it tonight."

"Why?" I asked. "What difference does it make?"

His eyes widened in shock. "It makes all the fucking difference!"

"Do not start an argument here, Draco," I warned, my voice low. "I've had enough of that, both with you and with Blaise."

Clenching his jaw, he looked away, likely trying to collect himself. I took another sip of my latte, simply because I didn't know what else to do.

"I want to see it," he stated, his tone making me reluctant to flat out refuse.

They were his memories, after all.

"We'll get there. I was going to show you my birthday tonight. We went away."

"To Mykonos." When he looked up at me again, he saw my confusion. "I left you a note in one of the books I found."

"Have you found the ones in yours?"

"What?"

I bit my lip. I hadn't thought this through. "You said you read the books I gave you. There are notes — likely charmed to be invisible — in all of them."

"No, I had no idea."

While I couldn't be sure, I thought I saw a twinkle in his eye, as if he were excited to look for them now.

"Just cast a Revelio."

He nodded and cleared his throat. "Same time tonight?"

"That's fine with me," I replied. "I'm just going to be packing up in here today. I'm in the Department of Mysteries effective Monday."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be brilliant, Granger."

Smiling weakly, I thanked him and he stood to leave. Before he stepped out the door, he hesitated.

"Are you and Blaise…?"

I waited for him to finish his sentence, but he never did.

"We're… I don't really know. It's complicated."

"Right. Complicated. I get that."

"And you and Astoria?" I asked, remembering that he'd gone to his — their — house on Sunday night.

Looking over his shoulder, he said, "Also complicated, but we're… I'm going to find a way to divorce her."

He'd said it so many times before and I wanted to throw it in his face. Every inch of me was bruised or scraped raw at the moment, and I wanted to lash out.

But I held back.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry it didn't work out. I really did want you to be happy. I wouldn't have — I suppose it doesn't matter."

"No, it really doesn't."

And, with that, he left my office.

Over lunch, I spilled my guts to Harry and Ron, relaying everything that had been going on with Blaise and Draco. They both listened, only interrupting or interjecting occasionally.

"I told you that another snake would be no good for you," Ron grumbled once I'd finished my story.

My cheeks were wet with tears and my eyes felt dry, prickling and burning.

"I don't really think it has anything to do with his school house." I dabbed at my face with a napkin. "I think it has more to do with the fact that I started a relationship with someone who was too close to the whole situation."

Ron narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, well, he lied to you for his own gain. You said he told you he didn't tell you about Sara because it would've made you skittish about a relationship with him and therefore harder for him to get into your knickers."

Throwing the napkin at him, I replied, "You're a pig. I'll have you know he didn't get all the way into my knickers for three whole months."

"Alright, enough about sex," Harry said. "Can we discuss what you're going to do with Blaise now?"

I sighed. "I don't know."

"I say give him the boot. Start over in the Department of Mysteries and forget that Malfoy and Zabini even exist," Ron stated, shaking his head. "They've done nothing but cause you trouble for years."

"But when things are good, we just… we fit. It works," I tried to explain. "If Draco hadn't come back—"

"But he did," Harry interrupted. "And now Blaise has shown his true colours. And he lied to you, even more than Malfoy did, I'd wager."

As hard as it was to hear, I knew Harry was right. Blaise had lied. And while he hadn't cheated, it felt like he had. He had told Sara my secrets, broken my trust, and his possessive behaviour was making me resent him.

"You don't think I should try to fix things?" I asked quietly.

Ron raised an eyebrow. "What, exactly, do you think you need to fix?"

"We haven't really talked things through, I suppose. Though it seems like Blaise is reluctant to do so, unless it's to point out how I've been different since Draco's returned."

Harry laid a hand over mine. "Hermione, you haven't been all that different. Yes, I'm sure you've been hiding some emotions, but you've been doing your job. If he's angry with you for helping Malfoy on a case, then that's just out of line."

"He didn't want me spending time with him." Turning my hand over, I entwined my fingers with Harry's. "But I can't really blame him for that, can I?"

"Honestly, I probably would've acted the same as Blaise, but that doesn't make it right," Ron answered. "He should've been checking in with you every day, Hermione, but not in a possessive way."

"What do you mean?"

Harry looked at Ron and nodded.

"Well, he should've been supportive, not jealous and judgmental," Ron continued. "He shouldn't have gotten angry with you or turned things into a one-sided pissing contest."

I was honestly shocked by Ron's honest candor.

"And you heard Luna. You guys were trying to get your auras to mesh. Whatever that means," he said with a smile. "They didn't just fit together."

"I wonder what she'd see if I was with Draco," I mused aloud.

Harry squeezed my hand. "Don't go there, Hermione. I'm begging you."

"I'm not planning on it, Harry. I still don't know what to do about Blaise." My head and my heart were both conflicted, and I kept talking it through. "I thought things could work with him, but now that I've seen this other side of him, I'm not so sure."

"Do you think he'll change? Or will he always throw Malfoy in your face?" Ron asked.

Pulling my hand away from Harry, I ran it through my hair. "I don't know. He's reminded me of how I was before a lot. But also… He was there when no one else was."

"That doesn't mean you have to marry the bloke, Hermione," Ron said. "For Godric's sake, based on what you've said today, I think he made sure he was there for you after the fact."

Deep in the recesses of my mind, I'd been thinking the same thing. He'd said that he'd waited a lot longer than I realised, and I was starting to wonder what that statement actually meant. Until I'd started sleeping with Draco, Blaise and I had been cordial. He'd occasionally say something flirtatious or sidle up to me at the Leaky, but overall, he and I weren't close.

But then he'd started being there for me. Since he was the only one who knew about the affair, I'd opened up to him and let him see me at my worst.

"Harry? Did you get the same feeling?"

Harry took his glasses off and set them on the table before pressing his fingertips against his eyes.

"I may have somehow missed that you and Malfoy had something going on," he began, his voice showing some of the strain he was likely feeling. "But I think Blaise has been interested in you as long as he's worked in the DMLE."

"That's not possible."

Picking his glasses up, he cleaned them with his t-shirt before slipping them back on. "I think it is. Maybe not the whole time, but I've noticed him watching you. At my wedding he spent most of the night sitting beside Malfoy and looking in your direction."

"That could have been because Draco was, though."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe. But there were other times, as well."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" I asked.

"Because you seemed like you were doing well when you were with him," he replied, looking me in the eyes. "You seemed happy again. And you told me that he had been a good friend to you. I was hoping that it would work out."

Swallowing my reservations, I said, "I'm still struggling with his relationship with Sara and the things he said on the morning of Draco's wedding."

"What you saw in the memories?" Ron questioned.

I nodded.

Harry looked concerned. "And do you think you'll see more of him in the memories you're planning to show Malfoy?"

Thinking back, I replied, "Definitely. The further I get into things with Draco, the more he'll be around. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a bit of him in every memory."

"If you're not sure what you want to do, look for him," Ron suggested, though his tone clearly showed he no longer cared for Blaise. "You need to look at how he behaved in a new light, I think."

"But then won't I just be looking for trouble?"

He shrugged. "I just think it'll drive you mental if you don't figure out exactly when this all started for him."

"You're probably right," I replied.

Smiling at me, Ron said, "Always the tone of surprise."

The simple phrase brought me back to when things were easier, when I thought I knew exactly how my life would turn out. Even if there was a war going on, I thought Ron and I would end up together at the end.

And we had, for a little while.

Harry laughed. "Well, it's not often that you're right, so it is surprising."

"Fuck off," Ron said good-naturedly. Turning to me, he continued, "When are you meeting Malfoy again?"

"Tonight. He's coming to mine around six."

They exchanged a look. "Should we plan to see you after?"

Shaking my head, I said, "No, it's fine. The memories… They don't really bother me. I've been living with them the whole time. It's just this thing with Blaise and being stuck between them every single day."

"Well, you should call if you need us," Harry said. "I know you say it doesn't bother you, but it can't be easy, either."

"I promise that I will Floo directly to yours if I'm upset," I placated, even though I had no intentions of doing that. They both narrowed their eyes at me, making me laugh. "Seriously, I will. Now, why don't you both catch me up on the kids?"

Later that evening, I was sitting at my table, the Pensieve in front of me. I thought back to Mykonos, to the best birthday I'd ever had, and tried to figure out exactly which scenes I was going to show Draco.

Looking at the clock, I knew I had half an hour or so before he arrived, so I rifled through the letters he'd written me, looking for the one he'd left on my pillow when we got back from Mykonos. Even though they were all over two years old at this point, it looked like he had just written them yesterday; I'd cast a charm on them to preserve every word long before I'd known they would be some of the only ties I had to him.

As I read his words, I could feel the tears pricking my eyes and my throat tightening around a suppressed sob. I had cried the first time I read this one, as well.

Every girl dreams of receiving love letters, of having someone so in love with her that they can't resist spilling their feelings out across the parchment. I was different, though; I wanted it more than most. Words meant the world to me, and just about everyone knew that. I wanted the big confessions of love, the sweet notes hidden away for me to find, and Draco had given them to me.

What I hadn't imagined, though, was that those words would come from a man who was married to another woman. I hadn't ever anticipated doubting the words of the man who loved me because I had to share him with someone else.

I banded the remaining letters together, keeping the Mykonos one out of the stack in case he wanted to see it.

As I imagined the villa and the sea, the details started coming back to me, one by one. Draco had stayed out of the sun — of course he had — and I had soaked it up every bit of it. We'd only gone out to get a couple of meals, preferring to spend our weekend away alone in the villa he'd rented for an ungodly sum of money.

Even when we'd been in the Muggle world and were free to be ourselves, we'd chosen to hide away and just enjoy each other's company, just like at home.

And then I remembered the sex, and I could feel my blood already starting to heat.

I had to calm myself before we actually watched the memories together.

My anxiety grew with each passing minute. For whatever reason, I'd put on one of the rings I'd kept from my mother's collection that morning, and I caught myself spinning it, twisting it around my finger, as I imagined what Draco's response to this weekend trip to Mykonos would be. I knew what happened at the end — and it was something significant. I had to show him. I couldn't choose not to.

All of the worst case scenarios were flooding my mind, each more unlikely than the rest, but I couldn't stop them.

By the time the Floo activated, I was sure I'd chewed a hole in my cheek and my hair probably looked like I'd been slaving over a cauldron. I'd touched it so many times, twisting it and likely agitating my curls.

Draco stepped through and his eyes scrutinised me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, though it seemed more reflexive than planned.

I cleared my throat, pushing down the feelings and the nerves, and all my doubts. I could do this. This — telling him the truth and showing him the past — had to be easier than keeping the secret.

"Yes, I'm fine."

The lie tumbled from my lips easily.

Stepping closer, he said, "You don't really look fine, Granger. Did something happen today?"

"No, I'm fine," I repeated. "I'm just — I was thinking about what to show you. And I found a letter you wrote me that goes with this memory, too."

Draco sighed. "That bad?"

"The memories aren't easy. We hurt each other. A lot."

"Alright," he conceded. "You said we're going to see your birthday in Mykonos?"

I nodded. "Yes. September 2004." Gesturing towards the letter, I asked, "Do you want to read that after?"

"Fine with me. You're in charge, Granger."

"Okay. I don't think you need any background for this. Obviously we kept at it after I tried to break things off."

Holding my wand to my temple, I thought of Mykonos — of the Saturday we'd spent devouring each other, of the Sunday night before we left — and pulled the memories loose, setting them in the Pensieve. I looked down and saw the villa through the silver swirls.

My eyes shifted back to Draco. He was watching me closely, likely deducing that I really wasn't okay, but he didn't question me again.

"Ready when you are," I said, my voice quieter than normal.

Without hesitation, he plunged his hand into my thoughts and I followed his lead.

When we fell into the Pensieve, we landed in the middle of a DMLE conference room. Harry was leading a meeting and looking exhausted.

Meanwhile, memory Hermione and memory Draco were seated opposite each other, occasionally stealing glances. My eyes jumped to Blaise, seated beside memory Draco, and I realised his eyes kept flicking up to memory Hermione, watching her closely.

Present Draco zeroed in on the same thing. "You never noticed the way he looked at you, Granger?"

I gestured to memory Hermione. "Does it look like she's paying attention to anyone but you?"

Shrugging, he turned back to the scene around us.

"I think that's all," Harry said, his eyes scanning everyone seated at the table. "Blaise, come see me and we'll talk about that case in Kent in further detail."

At Harry's dismissal, most people stood from the table, stretching and heading for the exit. Memory Hermione stayed seated, shuffling papers around and letting everyone else leave.

"Granger," memory Draco called, drawing her full attention. And Blaise's. "Do you have a few minutes? I need someone to double check the figures on the report from last week."

She nodded. "Of course. Do you want to go over it here or in my office?"

"Your office is fine."

As I watched Blaise, I noticed the way his fists tightened at his side. When memory Draco made it to the door, Blaise grabbed his arm, trying to tug him along

"Malfoy," he said, his voice harsh. "Didn't you hear? We need to go to Potter's office."

Pulling away, memory Draco replied, "Potter asked for you. I'll catch up after Granger and I go over these—"

"Figures, " Blaise interrupted with a roll of his eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure they're extremely urgent."

A blush burned memory Hermione's cheeks. She stood, tugging at the hem of her skirt self-consciously. Blaise exited the conference room and she slapped memory Draco's arm.

"For the love of Godric," she hissed. "He knows what's going on, Draco. Do you really need to make flimsy excuses? Wouldn't it be easier to just knock on my door?"

"Jealous wanker," present Draco mumbled. "Trying to cockblock."

I glared at present Draco, silencing him.

With a smirk, memory Draco said, "But now we have a reason to spend some time in your office with the door shut. I've been trying to figure out what kind of knickers you're wearing under that tight skirt."

"Malfoy, we're not going there in the office today."

While memory Draco looked disappointed, he simply shrugged. "Let me grab that report from my desk. I have a new book for you, as well."

Present Draco and I were forced to follow memory Hermione into her office. With a coy smirk she closed the door behind her and hiked her skirt up, sliding a pair of lacy blue knickers down her legs and tucking them into her pocket. She straightened herself out before memory Draco came through the door.

Much to my surprise, present Draco laughed. "Who knew you'd go around the office bare?"

"I did a lot of things I wouldn't normally do when it came to you," l answered, keeping my eyes on the memory. "You changed me a lot."

"Here," memory Draco said, setting a delicate old book on the desk.

Memory Hermione was already in her chair and reached for it.

"'There's a note on the front cover," he stared, drawing a scandalized look from her.

"Draco, you did NOT write in a book this old—"

Leaning over the desk, he silenced her with a kiss.

"I did. Luckily, we have magic and can make anything invisible," memory Draco teased. "Go on. Open it, Granger."

Opening the cover, memory Hermione's eyes quickly skimmed his words, widening.

"Mykonos?" she breathed. "For the whole weekend?"

Memory Draco nodded. "The whole weekend. Just you and me, clothing entirely optional."

I watched as her face morphed from excited to confused. "But how? An afternoon or single night is one thing—"

Again, he kissed her into silence before pulling back and grinning. "It's your birthday. I've been getting this set up for weeks."

"No flowers this year?" It clicked into place. "You're the one who's been sending the flowers every year?"

"Haven't I told you?" memory Draco began. "I've always wanted this. Of course I'm the one who's been sending flowers. I love seeing your face light up when you get them."

Present Draco shifted uncomfortably beside me; his own words making him squirm.

"But we shouldn't," memory Hermione said. "Really, we shouldn't even think about doing this."

Memory Draco met her eyes. "I know that, but I want to anyway. I want to every day."

"Well, every day isn't exactly an option," she responded. "But I suppose it would be okay just this once.

"Definitely. Just this once. One weekend away together for your birthday," memory Draco answered. "It'll be fun."

"I guess I'd better go shopping after work," she said, her voice dropping into a purr. "I've got some swimwear to buy."

With a groan, memory Draco headed for the door. "Two more days and then you're all mine."

"Wait," memory Hermione called. "I have something for you, too."

She stood and walked around the desk, meeting him in front of the closed door. Looking down at her, memory Draco said, "Well? What is it, Granger?"

Smirking, she reached into her skirt pocket, retrieving the knickers. "No need to think about it anymore," she teased. "You can have these, and now you'll know I'm not wearing any."

Beside me, I heard present Draco shifting and clearing his throat. He was reacting more strongly than he had before, and we weren't even watching anything sexual yet. My body was in tune with his, even though we hadn't had sex in years.

"You're going to kill me," memory Draco said, taking the scrap of blue lace from her hand. "I'm going to be doing depraved things with these tonight while I'm imagining you wearing them."

"Well, I hope you have fun," she said, pulling away and opening the door before he could start anything. "I'll have those figures back to you before the end of the day on Friday."

"Thanks, Granger," memory Draco replied. "I'm glad I won't be taking up your whole weekend."

With that, he quickly slid his hand under the hem of her skirt and groped her bare arse on his way out.

When the scene resumed, we found ourselves at a seaside villa, the blue of the Mediteranean Sea forming a beautiful background.

Memory Hermione was on the pool deck, laying facedown on a sun lounger wearing nothing but a very tiny string bikini bottom that left nothing to the imagination.

''Fuck, Granger," present Draco said. "Why didn't you warn me?"

I shrugged. "It's not like you haven't seen me naked in the other memories."

"You're going to get a sunburn and then sex will be very uncomfortable," memory Draco said, walking out of the villa carrying two flutes of champagne. He was shirtless and retreated to the shade as soon as he'd handed one to her.

"I'm not a pale person," she replied. "I get tan, not burnt."

"Whatever you say," memory Draco said. "Are you planning on swimming at all?

Memory Hermione leaned up on her elbows. "If l do, are you going to join me?"

"I'm going in, with or without you. That"—he gestured to the infinity pool that looked like it merged with the sea—"is the reason I chose this place. I thought you and I could put it to good use."

As he cast a sunblocking charm over himself, he smirked at her. She watched him hungrily as he pulled his swim trunks off before walking to the edge of the pool and into the water.

When he was submerged to the waist, he paused and looked over at her. "Well? Are you going to join me?"

She rose, raising her arms above her head and stretching

Both memory and present Draco drank her in, breasts on full display. I looked away, honestly surprised that I'd been so bold, open, and free. Before moving forward, she slowly untied her bikini bottoms and let them fall to the ground.

"Morgana," present Draco breathed. "No wonder I couldn't stay away from you."

I felt very exposed and self-conscious, even though I'd clearly had no issue being naked in front of him before and he'd seen it since — in the other memories.

"You're a goddess," memory Draco said, his eyes locked on memory Hermione as she walked. "Fuck, get over here so I can worship you properly.

He met her at the edge and wrapped his hands around her calves. Memory Hermione lifted one of her feet and dipped her toes in the water, prompting him to release her and step back.

As gracefully as possible, she wandlessly summoned a towel, spread it out, and lowered herself to sit on the ledge.

"Don't fucking move," memory Draco said. And then he reconsidered and started pressing his hands against her inner thighs. "Actually, I take that back. Spread your legs for me."

My breath hitched and my heart sped up, remembering how intense this was about to get.

Licking his lips, memory Draco watched as memory Hermione parted her thighs, putting herself on display for him. She met his gaze, his challenge, and didn't move.

But he did.

Lowering himself, he brought his face level with her knee and pressed his lips against her inner thigh. Memory Hermione looked down, watching him work his way up, biting and sucking on her skin. She tangled her fingers in his hair, soaking up his attention.

Before he reached her centre, he stopped and switched to the opposite side, making her whine in dissatisfaction.

"Patience, goddess," memory Draco murmured between kisses, his tongue flicking out against her skin. "Good things come to those who wait."

He dipped one of his hands in the water and then trailed it up her abdomen, eventually reaching her breast. His fingers lightly pinched her nipple, rolling and teasing, as his mouth slowly sucked a bruise into her thigh.

Memory Hermione's breathing started to accelerate, her inhales growing sharper and shorter. She tugged at his hair, trying to draw his mouth over to her cunt.

"Are you getting wet for me?"

I saw memory Draco tug on her nipple, and she moaned.

"You know I am." Her hips shifted closer to the edge of the pool, drawing a smile from him. "I need you."

"Can we stop for a minute?" present Draco asked, red in the face. "This feels… different than the others."

"It kind of is," I replied, pausing the scene around us just as memory Draco had pulled memory Hermione's legs over his shoulders. "It's not a hurried tryst or jealousy-filled. This is when things really started to get out of control. It was light and fun, and then… Well, this weekend changed things."

"How?" he asked. "Why is this different?"

"It's more than a single night, and we talk. A lot. Would you prefer to see the conversations instead?"

Swallowing hard, he shook his head. "No, this — I want to see this particular scene play out."

"I think this one is… It's important," I ineloquently explained.

"Okay," present Draco said. "Well, let's keep going."

Waving my hand, I let the memory resume.

"Lie back, Granger," memory Draco said, pressing on her chest and summoning a pillow from one of the loungers. She reached for the pillow and he shook his head. "Get another if you want it for your head."

Showing off, she conjured one from thin air and reclined, tucking it under her head. Memory Draco maneuvered the pillow under her hips, raising her legs even higher. Without warning, he lowered his mouth down and sucked hard, drawing her swollen clit into his mouth.

"Oh my god," memory Hermione screamed, her hands moving back to his hair, holding him in place as she started to move against his mouth.

"Greedy," memory Draco scolded, drawing back for a moment. "What did I say?"

"I don't want to wait," she whined. "Fuck, Malfoy, your tongue—"

We watched as he let go of one of her thighs and moved his fingers to her cunt, teasing her entrance with one fingertip and then two.

"It seems like you might want more than my tongue," he taunted, slipping his index finger in and crooking it, eliciting another cry from memory Hermione. "How's that, goddess?"

Now, her hips were moving in time with his hand.

"I love it," she said breathily, tilting herself up so she could watch him. "Fuck, keep your finger right there!"

With a smirk, he replied, "Your mouth is positively filthy today. I love it."

And then his mouth — his talented, filthy, fucking obnoxious mouth — descended again, his lips sucking and tongue teasing her nerves, making them fire and sing until memory Hermione was flushed and shaking, her eyes locked on the platinum head between her legs.

Once she'd stilled and laid back, memory Draco's ministrations slowed, and I could see the way he brought her down, his finger slowly sliding out and his tongue replacing it, making sure he tasted every last bit of her.

"Come back to me," he teased, pinching her arse. "Or did I find a way to finally short-circuit your brain?"

Memory Hermione grabbed the pillow under her hips and tugged it free, smacking him over the head with it.

"Fuck off."

Laughing, memory Draco positioned her thighs around his torso and grabbed her waist, gently pulling her up. When she looked down at him, she smiled and looped her arms around his neck, letting him pull her down into the pool.

As she slid down his body, the heat reignited, his hands dropping to her arse and holding her centre level with his cock. Their eyes locked as he walked her down into deeper water.

"Thanks for this," memory Hermione said quietly. "I've never—I never imagined getting to go somewhere… Nevermind."

"Happy Birthday," he replied, pressing her against the smooth wall of the pool. "I'll take you anywhere you want to go, Granger."

Based on her reaction, memory Draco's cock had slipped inside of her. His hands weaved into her curls and he kissed her like he'd never kissed her before. It was desperate and filled with need.

With love.

Her arms were around his neck, holding him close, and their movements were synchronised. As their pace sped up, memory Hermione broke the kiss and let out a sigh of pleasure.

Memory Draco's lips travelled across her jaw to the delicate skin of her neck, his tongue playing at her pulsepoint.

"I can still smell your perfume," he groaned. "Fuck, everything about you makes me crazy. Every single one of my senses—"

"Harder," she begged. "I need more."

Knowing the limitations of the water, memory Draco gripped her tighter and Apparated back to the shaded area of the pool deck, shocking her and making her laugh before sitting her atop the outdoor dining table.

"No," memory Hermione said when he started to move. "I think it's your turn to lie back."

Slipping out of her, he moved to a lounger and raised an eyebrow when she didn't follow. Her eyes were roaming his body, taking in the way his abs and legs looked while wet and glistening in the Mykonos afternoon sun.

She bit her lip and slid off the table, walking over and kneeling between his thighs on the lounge chair.

Leaning forward, she placed a trail of kisses on his stomach, moving slowly towards the swollen head of his cock. When she reached it, she teased him with her tongue and he involuntarily jerked up.

"Fuck, sorry," he hissed.

With a laugh, she said, "Good things come to those who wait."

"Are you—Is she going to…" present Draco trailed off.

Feeling my cheeks heating, I nodded, unable to answer him.

I watched as memory Hermione gently teased the length of memory Draco's cock, placing wet, open-mouth kisses along his shaft. When she took his head all the way into her mouth, he hissed. Her lips slid down, engulfing nearly half of him before sliding back up slowly and swirling her tongue around.

He moaned as she quickly took him deeper, his head hitting the back of her throat. I could hear her hums of pleasure when he started to move his hips, helping her to set a rhythm, and I knew present Draco could, too.

Wrapping her hand around the base of his cock, she moved it in tandem with her mouth, his shallow, panting breaths spurring her on. Memory Draco pulled her curls back from her face so he could watch her, and the hungry look in his eyes made me squeeze my thighs together.

I couldn't even imagine what it was doing to present Draco.

Right now, I could remember how this moment had made me feel. I was focused on pleasing him, but my body was winding tighter and tighter, wanting to be filled by him again, getting more and more desperate to come. His hands in my hair, the scent of his skin, the sounds he made… Every bit of his attention was focused on me, what I was doing to him, how I was making him feel. The way he treated me — like I was the only woman in the world — had given me confidence over the past three months. His desire lit mine, made me burn for him in a way I'd never felt before.

"So good. Fuck, Granger, you've been holding back," memory Draco praised.

She laughed and sputtered.

"I can't exactly take my time most days," memory Hermione said, wiping her mouth. "Do you want me to continue—"

Memory Draco grabbed her arm and tugged her so she was sitting astride him, his free hand quickly snaking between her legs to test her.

"You're fucking soaked," he groaned.

Flushing slightly, she said, "I like giving—"

Silencing her with a kiss, memory Draco guided himself into her body, snapping his hips to make sure he filled her all the way.

Memory Hermione ground against him, keeping her movements slow and steady, her slit in contact with his pubic bone at this angle.

"Already?" memory Draco asked. She nodded, one of her hands moving to her breast and squeezing. "Let me help you."

Leaning forward, he sucked her nipple into his mouth and she started riding him harder, bouncing more than she had been.

I glanced over at present Draco. His eyes were locked on the scene and his face was red, his fists clenching at his sides.

Memory Draco's hands were squeezing bruises into memory Hermione's hips, her skin blanching from the pressure he was putting on it. When she screamed, he released her nipple and watched her face as she came, slowly rocking her against his body, prolonging her pleasure.

"Fucking goddess," he praised. "You're perfection. I want you to come for me like that over and over."

She kissed him sweetly, capturing his bottom lip between hers and tugging on it as she pulled back. "I can't possibly. My legs are already shaky."

"Do you want to move to the bedroom? More space to move around in that bed."

Memory Draco was still holding her tightly, not allowing her to move, his eyes roaming over her rumpled hair and sunkissed skin.

"Yeah," memory Hermione replied breathily as he rocked her a bit harder. "Fuck, yes, let's keep going."

He grinned. "Hang on."

Again, he Apparated them, somehow managing to land on the bed, and we were there with them. They both laughed and she slapped at his chest.

"One of these days, you're going to splinch us, Malfoy."

Laying back and settling his head against the pillowcase, he rolled his hips up, driving deeper.

"Never," memory Draco said, his hands roaming her body. "I could never forget a single centimetre of you."

Memory Hermione's head tipped back on a moan and his hand slid down her stomach, finding its way to her clit and rubbing. She started moving faster, chasing her release, and memory Draco's eyes were glued to her. I saw the strain in his jaw and knew he was close to coming, holding back to wait for her.

"Come on, Granger." His words came through gritted teeth. "I can feel your cunt tightening. Let go for me."

She leaned back further, one hand bracing on his thigh and the other in her hair.

"You're killing me," he continued. "You have no fucking idea how you look right now. I could stare at you like this forever. Move a little faster for me."

She sped up, making her tits bounce a bit more, her muscles flex more rapidly.

Even I could admit that I had looked fucking amazing on top of him like that.

Memory Draco's fingers pressed harder and, finally, memory Hermione cried out, her movements becoming less fluid and more jerky as her climax surged through her.

"Thank the gods," he groaned, thrusting up twice more before spilling into her.

He pulled her against his chest and held her as their breathing steadied, his hands smoothing over her back and her curls, her lips kissing along his throat. I started to drown, remembering what it felt like to be where memory Hermione was — to feel the warmth of Draco's skin pressed against mine, the tingles of happiness and magic coursing through us, somehow shared.

I could remember how it felt when he murmured against my ear, his warm breath ghosting over my skin as he praised me and told me how much he loved being with me. In my mind, I could hear him telling me that he loved me — even if he hadn't at this point.

"Granger?" present Draco began, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked over at him and his eyes were filled with fire. "Why the fuck would you give that up?"

My stomach dropped, the flutters of arousal I'd been feeling instantly stilling and the warmth inside my chest cooling significantly. I could feel my mouth gaping, but no words came out.

"Do you — Is it like that for you with everyone?" present Draco asked. "Is that kind of connection just normal?"

"No!"

It came out as a squeak — a terrified, abrupt little sound.

"Then why?"

One of my hands settled at the base of my throat. I was choking up and I could feel tears threatening.

"Can we just finish this? You're going to be even more upset, and I just… I can't fight with you. Not after just watching that," I managed, hoping he didn't ask for further explanation.

"Fine," he snapped in frustration. "Can't wait to go through more of this torture."

I felt my jaw clench. I wanted to remind him that I'd warned him that these memories weren't easy to live with, but I held back.

Eventually, memory Hermione rolled off of memory Draco, saying she needed a shower, and the scene changed again. We were brought back to the pool deck, and the sun was setting over the sea.

She was standing there in a white dress, looking out at the boats sailing away, and memory Draco was watching her from the entrance to the house. Her curls were cascading down her back and, when she turned, he could see her face. There was a rosy glow to her cheeks and she was smiling brightly.

I glanced over at present Draco, and he was watching her too.

Memory Draco walked over and joined her, caging her between the patio railing and his arms. Her back was to his chest and they were mostly silent.

However, after a few minutes, he broke the silence.

"You know I'm in love with you, right?"

I saw memory Hermione stiffen, and present Draco said, "Fuck."

"This can't go on forever, Draco," memory Hermione replied, not unkindly. "We can't just pretend you're not married."

He wrapped his arms around her waist. "But I mean it. I am in love with you. I thought I was before, but now… I know for sure."

Trying to squirm away, memory Hermione said, "Eventually, Astoria will pick up on things and she'll want you to be around more. Someday, you're going to leave. I'm not — This can't be anything real. Not for me."

"But it's already real," memory Draco insisted, holding her tighter. "I can feel it. I can see it in the way you look at me."

Memory Hermione had tears in her eyes, though he couldn't see them. "It's not. It's a secret and a few nights spent away."

"Do you know what I thought when I saw you standing here?"

She shook her head because she was too choked up to speak.

"I felt my heart stop, just for a second, and I thought, 'Wow, I never even dreamed this would happen. Things are getting good now. A job and a woman I love… This moment was worth every bit of pain.' So let me say it, Hermione. I'm in love with you. I don't care that you don't feel the same. I need you to know that this is more than just some physical thing or act of rebellion for me."

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw present Draco's hands move to his face, covering his eyes. I felt goosebumps break out over my skin, my body reacting to his pain and dreading the argument that would soon explode.

"Okay," memory Hermione breathed, leaning back against him and letting him hold her. "I know — I think I knew before you told me."

"Good," he said, squeezing her and resting his chin on her head. "That's all that matters to me. It doesn't matter how it ends — I just needed you to know what you mean to me."

And the memory ended, throwing us back into my house.