Author's note

Polite reminder before you read on this story is 'M' rated-you have been warned!

Chapter 16-Blood Magic

Hermione moved aside throwing back the duvet to indicate that Draco should join her. Draco slipped under the covers next to her. In an echo of that night, before Weasley's death, she rested her head on his bare right shoulder. Before Draco could speak she had brought her hand up to trace the line of his collar bone.

"I need to know this is real," she told him, "that you are real. I need to know you're mine," she concluded pressing small kisses across the expanse of his chest. As she moved lower Draco's blood began to heat.

"I thought I'd lost you," he told her in a throaty whisper. Hermione continued lower past his navel, following the line of the darker blond hair that trailed into his groin. "Merlin, Hermione," he groaned, "there is only so much teasing a man can take." Draco took her shoulders and sought to pull her back towards his lips. She resisted, "Hermione," he groaned again feeling his restraint slipping as his blood rushed south along with her kisses.

"I wouldn't tease you Draco," she told him breathlessly.

"Marry me!" he suddenly blurted out, "I need you to be mine."

Hermione looked at him as if he were insane.

"You are barely 17," she burst out.

Draco stiffened, "I'm sorry, I didn't realise you didn't feel the same," he began rising to leaving his pride stinging. She caught his hand, a look of utter confusion on her face.

"Draco don't!" she said dropping her head as he pulled away.

It suddenly occurred to him that she didn't appreciate the significance of what they had clearly been about to do. Weasley was a pureblood had never told her? He wondered. Before he irrevocably spoiled things he decided to ask.

"Hermione do you understand that in pureblood society," he knew he was blushing as he sought to explain, he swallowed, his throat dry. Taking a shaky breath he began again, "in pure blood society a couple would never be intimate unless they were to be married. I would have thought Wea…Ron would have told you this."

"Oh," she said, "Oh, no! Ron and I never…I had nightmares, we shared a bed for comfort…you thought…oh!" It was Hermione's turn to be embarrassed now, there was an awkward silence. Draco was the first to speak,

"I know we are only young but how long will we have?" he asked, "we could wait but might never…" he trailed off voicing, for the first time, the reality of the war that they found themselves in the midst of.

"Draco, she interrupted him, in muggle society you wouldn't need to promise to marry me as long as we both consent, there would be no obligation."

Draco sighed, "I have broken so many traditions by even being with you, this was one I wanted to keep…" he seemed lost in thought for a moment before he continued, "if we are married I can protect you better, there are certain benefits from being a Malfoy bride, blood magic," he clarified at her look of concern, "old magic, not dark magic that would protect you."

"Draco there is…" he didn't allow her to finish;

"If we become intimate we become each other's weakness. Do you think there isn't anything I wouldn't do to save you, protect you, anything I would risk or say? Do you think that our enemies would not exploit this? The old magic is a protection to help against this weakness. To keep you safe." He dropped his head until his forehead rested against hers.

"Do you think there isn't anything I wouldn't do to save you too?" Hermione asked him quietly. He gave her a wane smile.

"The magic works both ways…" Draco began.

"Yes," Hermione interrupted him again, "If you are sure. I want you so much, if I should lose you again and never..." she couldn't finish as emotion choked her. Draco looked confused so she clarified.

"Yes, I will marry you if you still mean it."

Draco couldn't speak but he determined to show her how much he had meant it as he pushed her back against the covers. His first touch was gentle; reverent, he ran his hands across her shoulders pushing aside the thin cotton shirt she was still wearing from earlier. Her neck and shoulders now exposed he trailed his lips along her shoulders she dropped her head in response nuzzling behind his ear. She sighed deeply; Draco felt the muscles in his groin tighten in response.

Draco felt almost delirious, her hands were everywhere charging every nerve fibre with desire, she grasped fists full of his hair kissing him hard. So hard it seemed as if she wanted to melt into him. He ran his tongue across her lower lip, begging her to open for him. She did; the softness and the warmth of her mouth overwhelming him. It tasted so sweet, it felt so intimate. Draco shivered with a wave of desire as her hands caressed the long lines of his back, dipping below the waist band of his boxers, her finger fanned out to brush the taut, rounded muscles of his buttocks. Draco gasped as her nails dug in, seeking greater purchase to pull him closer.

Hermione was still dressed, unfair, some feral part of him thought. Raising his hand to slip the straps of her bra from her shoulders, tentatively Draco brushed the underside of her breast through the delicate white lace that covered them. He felt her shudder in reaction to his touch. Hermione lifted her hand to cup his own large one encouraging his touch, showing him through her actions what she needed. Emboldened by her encouragement Draco slipped the hooks at her back allowing her deliciously rounded bust to fall free. Her eyes rolled back as he ran delicate circles over her dusky pink nipples, that were now tight and erect from his attentions. He had to taste them. Draco dropped his mouth drawing in her sweet soft skin. Hermione's back ached towards him her hands stroking his jaw as his mouth massaged her right nipple. His other hand went to her left gently tugging and twisting the delicious pink skin.

"Draco," the way she sighed his name almost had him undone. He had felt that twitch of desire immediately she had touched his bare skin but now he was hard and erect and hoped desperately that he could hold himself back enough to attend to her pleasure. He knew she was feeling it too, her skin was warm and flushed pink and she had begun, consciously or not, to rub against his hardened member. It was driving him wild.

Hermione was now naked above the waist but she wanted more. She wanted to feel every ounce of her flesh pressed against Draco's. She felt an ache between her thighs that was increasingly insistent; despite her inexperience she knew what it was; it was the ache to feel him inside her. She had no doubts, Draco was the one, he would be her first and there would be no regrets even if he decided not to marry her tomorrow. She knew she wanted this and that if she didn't make love to him she would regret it.

Easing herself out of her jeans she pulled him back over her. She could feel the hard steel of his length pressed against her thigh and she wanted to touch him. Not really knowing what she was doing but led by instinct she slipped her hand between them running her index finger along the waist band of his boxers. Reaching the front her finger tips brushed the silken tip of his head. It felt so warm and soft and she instinctively ran her fingers around his tip, gently caressing the softness. Draco's head fell back and he growled in feral pleasure, as she closed her palm circling his length he shuddered.

"Hermione," he moaned.

That ache for him was more insistent now; she could feel her desire soaking the gusset of her briefs. Rolling Draco onto his back she straddled his hips, rubbing her cloth covered entrance against his swollen head.

"Please Draco," she moaned.

Draco needed no further encouragement, his pulse was hammering, he had bitten the inside of his mouth until it bleed in an attempt to hold himself back but he knew he couldn't rush this. Gently; teasing aside the hem of her briefs Draco ran a finger along her wet pulsing lips finding that knot of nerves that he knew could drive her wild. Slowly he caressed and rubbed her clit until she audibly gasped-instinctively he knew she was near, his sensitive finger tips could feel her pulse and tense as he slipped a finger into her. She rode his hand grinding down,

"More," she breathed, he added another finger working them in and out to stretch her open for him.

"Draco," she forced out writhing below him, "please."

He was quick to move, he knew his own inexperience would not allow him to hold back for long, positioning himself at her entrance he pushed forward his hips moving like a piston.

Hermione whimpered, her nails digging deep into his shoulders Draco stilled, he knew that it would hurt her at first, that she would need to adjust to the feel of him, he waited holding his breath.

Hermione felt the sting of pain as Draco pushed into her, she had expected it but still it had taken her by surprise. Draco had stilled as if he were afraid to move. She stroked the long lines of his back as she felt herself adapt and adjust to the feel of him inside her. He felt magnificent.

"Are you ok?" he asked his face coloured with desperate concern.

She didn't answer; she kissed him hard, clasped his buttocks and tilted her hips to invite him deeper. He kissed her back intensely as he began to establish an easy rhythm.

Draco thanked all the deities he could name when she shuddered below him letting go her passion at his riotous pace. It was too much, he couldn't hold back any longer and he burst forth, his vision blacking at the force of his ejaculation.

Hermione, barely conscious of anything but her own pleasure, watched his face as he came apart inside her and she knew that as she took her last breath upon this Earth his would be the face she would see.