Hermione let her feet drag as she made her way to the study. Her words hung in her head. She hadn't meant to be so harsh. She was just so...lost.
She paused in the doorway, not certain if she wanted to face him.
Her eyes wandered the room. One desk was untouched; papers stacked neatly against a top corner, quills in a holder, an ink well on the adjoining shelf. Beside the bottle was a little purple vase with a single flower, long ago wilted, and a picture of Crookshanks. It made her smile. She missed that orange fuzzball.
Her gaze trailed over the window sill, following it towards the other side of the room.
He was bent over, his back hiding the parchment and books laid about his desk. She watched his hair fall forward, his quill scratching at his page.
"Its rude to stare." He murmured, not looking up.
She stepped into the room.
"I wasn't."
Hermione moved behind him, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever he wanted to show her.
As she dared a peek, picture on his shelf caught her eye. In it, she and Draco danced, her white gown flowing out behind her as they spun around, the light catching his hair.
"That wasn't there before."
The words slipped out before she realized. Her hand flew to her mouth.
Draco froze, his back still to her.
"What?"
She lowered her hand and squared her shoulders, hoping to look more sure than she felt.
"The picture. It was in the kitchen before...Beside the stove?"
Her voice gave way at the end, uncertainty seeping in as he slowly turned around.
"I don't know where that came from," she admitted.
He shook his head.
"It does not matter. It's right."
Hermione's brows furrowed. She fell back into the other chair, suddenly disoriented. Her head swam. She bent over, her hands combing through her hair to pull it away from her face. She felt like she would be sick.
"Hang on."
Draco slid the waste basket under her and summoned a glass from the kitchen. A quick aguamenti and he handed it to her.
"Sip on this."
She did. Slowly, the world stood still again. A deep breath. Another sip. The air around her cooled.
Draco knelt down beside her, his face inches from her's.
"Better?"
She stared at him, her eyes wide, her mind still unfocused.
Her gaze fell to his lips.
So soft.
Her thoughts flew to the picture. She could feel his arms wrapped around her. Hear his laughter swirl in the air.
"I do so promise..."
A kiss.
Suddenly, her lips were on his.
He did not move.
She pressed harder. Something in her screamed for more.
His hands cupped her head, his fingers tangling in her hair.
She slipped out of the chair, falling easily into his lap, a leg on either side. The empty waste basket fell, knocked over by a foot, unnoticed.
Her hands gripped the front of his shirt, her hips pressing into him as she leaned in. His fingers curled in her hair, pulling her closer. He deepened the kiss.
She moaned, the sound escaping through parted lips. He seized the opportunity. His tongue darted out, running along her bottom lip.
Hermione jumped up, knocking Draco to the floor.
"Draco, I'm sorry! I-"
She turned to leave, her mind flooded with emotions and fragments of memory she could not hold on to.
"No!"
Draco lunged, catching her wrist midturn. They fell.
Amidst the rug and door frame, they laid. Her back pressed into the floorboards. His chest weighed her down. He lifted slightly, taking some of the pressure off, only to bury his face into her neck.
"Don't leave me again."
The words were whispered against her skin, his breath making her shiver. He trembled.
She found her arms wrapping around him.
A moment passed. They stayed, pressed together, her hand moving to stroke the back of his neck.
"Okay..." She whispered. "I'll stay."
He pulled away, stormy eyes searching her face before capturing her lips again.
His research laid on his desk, all but forgotten.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hi, guys! So, this chapter did not go as planned. Lol. I was going to take a different path with it, but something messed uo along the way. Oh, well. I like it better this way and, hopefully, you do too! Please let me know!
Also, I hope this chapter reads well. I've got a little cold so my head is a bit fuzzy. If there are any mistakes, I am sorry.
Author's Note:
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter series. Those rights belong to JK Rowling. I am only borrowing her beautiful creations.