THIRTY-SIX

Friday, 31 October 1944

To both of their disappointments, though Hermione hadn't been very hopeful to begin with, they were still stuck in the past. While the door had been unlocked, it led to nowhere. It was just a door frame in the middle of the room with nothing behind it. They had both stepped through the opening just to be sure, but all in all, the door was more like a prop for a stage than one of any real use. So they both resigned to the fact that they would try again in November and made their way back down to the dungeons for the night.

Since Friday was Halloween, all classes had been reduced to no more than half an hour and were redistributed to commence before lunch. After lunch, the Great Hall closed its doors and the staff began transforming it into the space they would be using for their celebration later that evening. Hermione was barely able to say goodbye to Draco before her roommates whisked her off to their dorm so the four of them could get ready for the night.

Hermione did her best to keep up with their chatting and the gossip, but more often than not, one of them would have to snap their fingers at her to pull her out of her thoughts of Draco and their night in the Room of Requirement. At that point, she would blush profusely and field off any questions they asked with vague answers.

What really saved her from having to divulge that secret was the fact that Agnes had just started dating a Hufflepuff named Darnell. With her and Draco being old news, the girls were more focused on the new stuff. And it was nice to actually talk to them when the conversation was centered on herself. She would definitely miss these girls if she and Draco ever made it back home.

She had elected to get ready last, so when her turn came about, she was more than ready to hurry so she could see Draco again. The realization that all she wanted to do was be by his side stole her breath away. Never in a million years did she ever think something like that would be possible. If anything, she had always thought the exact opposite.

Too caught up in the memories of his touch; the way his hands felt kneading her breasts, or gripping at her hips, the way he felt buried deep inside her body. The way he looked up at her with the firelight gleaming in his grey eyes and the fringe of his blond locks completely unkempt from having her fingers in it. The way his eyes burned a hole into heart so he could bury a part of him inside of that too.

No, there was no way she was going to be able to forget any of this when they made it back.

She would fight for him too.

Hermione came out of her thoughts when her roommates forced her to spin around towards the floating mirror so she could see the final look that night. She had never seen herself quite like this before. It reminded her of the way she had looked when they helped her get ready for her date with him nearly a month ago now. Only this time, everything was much more elegant and-

Pureblood.

She gulped at the sight of herself, unsure exactly how to feel. In another life, had she been born into the elite status of a prominent Pureblood family, this was how she would have looked all the time. With her hair perfectly tamed and swept loosely off to one side. Her dress was a deep royal blue, almost navy, with little draping sleeves that fell off the shoulder with a sweetheart neckline. Just under the bust was a cluster of silver that circled the whole dress and then shot down towards the skirt that fell mid-calf; like shooting stars.

They had kept her makeup simple, but even so, she barely recognized herself. She had definitely put on weight since traveling back in time so she was no longer gaunt and malnourished, but the way they had contoured her face made her look even more like a pixie with sharp, delicate features. Her eyes had just enough color on them to make them appear larger and played up the honey in the chocolate. Her lips were a soft red and painted in a way that shaped her mouth into a heart.

The final touches came from Gertrude who had a little silver headband that she placed at the crown of Hermione's head. It was bewitched to mimic shooting stars to match the ones on her dress and it made her hair shimmer with an ethereal glow.

"Should we place bets on how long before we can't find you two?" Kalista teased, giving her a nudge and a wink.

She blushed, grateful for the pink pigment already on her cheeks. "Give me some credit, will you?" she teased back. "I think I can control myself."

"I'm sure you can," Agnes said, her smile deceptively innocent. "But there's no way Draco can. I have half a mind to throw myself at you."

Hermione stared at her with wide eyes for a moment and then the four of them burst into laughter. The three of them separated to grab what they needed, giving Hermione one last look at herself in the mirror. Her stomach tightened as her eyes swept down her reflection. Draco would definitely appreciate this look, but she wasn't this person. She wasn't a Pureblood.

She could remember their time here all she wanted, but in the light of day, when they returned home, would he be able to handle the fact that they were of two different worlds? If Voldemort was destroyed in the end, would Purebloods put aside their hatred and accept her or was it just a false victory? Would anything really change?

She gripped her forearm tightly and closed her eyes before taking a deep breath and stepping away from the mirror.

As usual, the Great Hall was perfectly decked out for the holiday. Bats flew through the air, winding among the hundreds, if not thousands of candles floating above them. The ceiling was betwitched to look like the night sky; full of twinkling stars and constellations. There were buffet tables lining the perimeter along with drink stations and a few tables here and there to sit. Where the teachers normally ate there were instruments charmed to play themselves, filling the halls with haunting melodies; the center of the hall left open for dancing and mingling.

When Hermione was finally able to tear her eyes away from the décor, her gaze fell upon Draco staring at her with awe from across the room. She smiled at him and swallowed hard as his eyes dropped to the floor and slowly dragged their way back up to her. The heat of his gaze was tangible, even from this distance.

And all her worry from a moment ago disappeared as he crossed the space between them, his eyes darkening in hunger.

There was no hesitation when one of his hands cupped the back of her head, the other on her waist; pulling her close. His lips sought hers without pretense. His kiss was full of unspoken promises. Of apologies and future declarations. It was akin to the one they had shared when their bodies joined as one.

She broke the kiss when she felt heat coiling through her. She cleared her throat and thanked her lucky stars her roommates had charmed her makeup to stay in place and not smear. He stepped back and smiled sheepishly at her, his eyes alight with mischief. "You look…"

"Cat got your tongue?" she asked when his voice trailed off.

His smile was devilish. "More like a lion."

She canted her head. "Still a cat."

He chuckled and brushed his lips over hers again. "You look beautiful, Hermione."

Her skin prickled with gooseflesh and she shivered. She would never get used to hearing him say things like that. Especially beautiful. She would always equate that word with the first time he said it; the day she had shown him the scars on her chest. She cleared her throat and then swallowed hard. "You look quite dashing as well."

She was so used to seeing him in black and white that he looked almost foreign in the shade of blue that matched her dress. He even had a few shooting stars here and there on his blazer. She quite liked him in blue.

"Drink?" he asked.

"Please," she replied and his let his hand still on her waist dip lower to the small of her back as he led her to the refreshments.

"It's probably spiked, so be careful, yeah?" he said as he filled a cup of punch for her and then one for himself.

They stood off to the side, watching as more and more people arrived. By the time they had mostly finished their drinks, Hermione wondered if his eyes had even strayed from her at all. "You're staring."

"Yes."

She laughed at his response. "That's rude, you know."

"I like what I see."

She rolled her eyes and finished the last of her punch.

"I'll like it even more once that dress goes."

Hermione nearly choked on her punch and smacked her hand on Draco's arm. Her eyes darted around the room and then fixed him with a warning stare. "Just for that, I think the dress might stay on all night," she teased.

He canted his head to the side, a wistful look on his face. "Actually, it might-"

"Draco!" she hissed.

He laughed with her and reached for her free hand with his. "But really, Hermione. I wasn't able to look at you much at the Yule Ball, nor was I able to tell you how beautiful you were back then, so excuse me if I make up for it now."

Her heart stopped beating and her lungs burned from the sudden loss of air. "I'm surprised you even noticed me."

"How could I not notice you?" he asked. "Everyone in that damned room noticed you. Granted, that might have been because you managed to get that nest on your head you call hair under control," he said and threw up his hands when she moved to hit him.

"I didn't really notice you though," she said, deflated.

"Why would you have? You were so engrossed in Krum and honestly, I'm glad you didn't. I was an absolute git and didn't deserve even a fleeting glance from you."

"That's true," she said without missing a beat and he glared at her for a moment, making her smile. "Your words, not mine," she reminded him.

"Come on," he said, plucking her cup from her hand and tossing it into the bin with his. "Let's eat before all the good stuff runs out." She reached for his hand and let him guide her towards the food so they could load their plates with all of their favorites.

When they had eaten more than their fair of food, mostly sweets, she led them towards her roommates. They lost themselves in conversation for a long while before Kalista let out a shriek at the beginning of a new song and pulled her onto the dance floor despite her plethora of protests. By the end of the song, she had managed to let loose a little and only left the floor long enough to pull Draco back onto it with her.

When there was a lull in the music to recharm the instruments, the group left the dance floor in favor of refreshments. They had even been joined by Riddle's followers, but not Riddle himself. Hermione was having too much fun to really care where he was and put all of her attention into Draco who was clearly doing the same with her.

That was how they spent most of the night, going back and forth between dancing and then hanging out with their classmates off to the side. At one point, Kalista had pulled Hermione aside to ask if she could dance with Draco. She had babbled incessantly as she tried to assure her that she wasn't going to try anything; she just needed a break from her date and a chance to get to know him better. Hermione had laughed and when the song changed, watched as Draco shot her a confused look over his shoulder as Kalista dragged him out to the center of the room.

Hermione smiled as she watched the two of them interact. They were awkward at first, but whatever Kalista had said made Draco bellow with laughter and then they seemed relaxed after that. So much so, that when the next song started, Kalista held up a finger in askance and Hermione nodded, waving at them to continue.

And even as the next song was mellow in nature and Draco took Kalista into his arms, Hermione inhaled sharply with the realization of just how much she trusted him.

She wasn't able to dwell on anything for long as Riddle stepped into her line of vision. He held out his hand and tipped his head to the side, the look in his eye informing her it wasn't really a request that she accept. Not wanting to cause a scene or risk the punishment should she decline; she placed her hand in his and followed him to the dance floor.

Once they were tucked away in the crowd, he dropped his right hand to her left hip; slightly lower than it should be, but still high up enough a passing glance wouldn't notice. His other hand reached for hers and laced their fingers together, holding them up between them as they moved to the music. She was glad that no one was doing formal dances; that they were all just swaying with their partners accordingly.

He said nothing to her for what felt like an eternity. She kept her gaze level with his, not sure what to what to expect. It was all she could do not to start tapping her fingers with nervous energy where her hands rested on his right shoulder. When she was sure he wasn't going to say anything, he went and proved her wrong. "How is your Legilimency?" he asked.

"Non-existent," she replied almost immediately.

"Have you ever tried it?"

She shook her head. "I only just started learning Occlumency from Draco when we arrived here," she told him. "I've read about the mechanics, but I've never tried it. Aside from you, Draco's the only other one that's used it on me."

She tried to discern the reason he would ask her about the ability, but came up short.

"I will teach you."

"On who?" she asked, worried he might force her to try on Draco and then make him forget he was part of the lesson.

"Myself."

That wasn't what she had been prepared to hear. She gave a slow nod. "May I ask why?"

"The best way to gain knowledge of your chosen topic is to see one being created. As school is in session, it would not be possible to do so. That leaves memories of their creation. Which, as you know, I happen to have."

Her lips parted slightly and she blinked at him in awe and a little fear. She knew Legilimency was an intimate affair; something she experienced first hand every time she felt his presence in her mind. And she wouldn't just be seeing him create horcruxes; she would be witnessing murders. "Why not a Pensieve? There's one in the Headmaster's office."

Logic told her it would be better that way. The way Harry described it, using the device was like watching a movie. You could feel the emotions and it felt immersive, but it wasn't as in depth as two minds melding into one. She wondered if he hadn't offered using the device because he didn't know it was there.

"Once the memories are extracted, they cannot be put back. I will not risk having those out in the open for someone to discover."

"Oh," she replied. She made a mental note to research that more. "Have you ever had someone in your mind before?" she asked.

"No."

Something flickered in his eyes and she felt his hand on her waist dip a fraction lower. Her eyes slid past his shoulder and she stiffened at the sight of Draco. He was watching them with a clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. When their gazes met, his eyes softened with concern and she smiled as best she could, nodding her head in a way that she hoped conveyed that she was fine. If he got the message, she wasn't sure because another couple waltzed between them, severing their eye contact.

"When?" she asked, meeting Riddle's eyes once more.

"This week," he replied, the song coming to an end.

Her throat went dry, making it hard to swallow, but she nodded as the last few notes sounded through the Great Hall. Couples started to break apart around them.

"This week," she repeated, her mind spinning.

He was reluctant to let her go; she could tell by the way he held onto her until the next song began to play. The moment she was free of his touch, she found herself being wrapped up in Draco as he slung an arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. "Thank you for the dance, Miss Granger," Riddle said, inclining his head to her before taking his leave, not sparing a single glance at Draco.

"Ready to get out of here?" Hermione asked, watching as Draco's eyes followed Riddle until he was out of sight. Draco only nodded and then grabbed for her hand before pulling her through the crowd and out of the Great Hall.

She had expected him to lead her towards the main stairs in the middle of the castle so they could go to the Room of Requirement, but he surprised her by heading to the dungeons and subsequently into the Slytherin common room. And he didn't stop there either, instead, cast the necessary charms on the corridor leading towards his dorm and continued towards it.

Once he had pulled her inside his room, he pinned her between himself and the door, his lips landing on hers roughly as if devouring her here would mark his territory. For a brief moment, her anger flared as she realized that was his intent. Her anger gave way to worry as she thought of Riddle returning to the room and she was still there. Would he lash out at either of them?

She shouldn't care about Riddle. She shouldn't be worried about what he would think of her sleeping with her boyfriend. She shouldn't be wondering what would happen if he returned to his room to find her and Draco in the throes of passion.

But she did.

She just wasn't sure how she felt knowing that she did.

As Draco's lips scorched a trail of fire down her throat, she switched her brain off and reached out to pull him closer to her. They were a flurry of movement as they rid each other of their clothes on the way to his bed. Once beneath him on the mattress, he pulled the canopy securely around them, but if he cast any other wards or silencing charms, she never knew.

And as he buried himself deep into her body over and over again throughout the night, she found that she didn't care at all.