Chapter 14:

"Stay…please. I don't want to be alone tonight." She heard him say in barely a whisper. Hermione watched as Malfoy raised his eyes to hers for the first time that night. All she could see was sadness. He looked as though he would crumble at any second. She silently approached the bed, still watching him. She climbed up kneeling in front of him. She paused for a moment, if only to seek his permission, and wrapped her arms around him. She held him as tight as she could. She didn't want him to be alone tonight.

She felt him instantly melt into her. He exhaled into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her frame. They held each other for a while. Hermione was starting to get tired, but dared not move. Draco needed her. He was comfortable with her. As though he had read her mind, he slowly released her and lied back, looking at the ceiling once more. She silently shifted to join him, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Better now. Go to sleep." he answered monotone as he threw the covers over the both of them and closed his eyes. His face was relaxed and angelic. His hair was slightly messy, but in an acceptable and proper way. He took a deep breath shifting closer to her and relaxed further. How could he be so calm? This was what frustrated her about Draco. He had just let her in, letting her comfort his pain, but then he shut off once more and went to bed. With her. She was in his bed!

It wasn't until then that Hermione grasped that Malfoy actually expected her to spend the night with him. Her senses seemed to heighten. The room was suddenly very dark. Draco was asleep. He was twitching and occasionally his leg would graze hers. His room smelled funny. Like the scent of man mixed with wet wood. Draco touched her again, this time putting his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. Her mind went into overdrive. He was touching her! Did she like this? What would she do? Should she leave?

"I can hear you thinking," he mumbled into her ear. She froze, "Stop." Her ear tickled from his warm whisper. His hand descended down to her bare stomach. Her shirt had ridden up! Her cheeks flushed red as she felt his thumb subtly stroke the soft skin under her belly button. Goosebumps erupted on every inch of her skin. Hermione tried to breathe. It proved difficult, but he was warm, inviting. With each breath she felt herself relax into Draco. Eventually, she closed her eyes and drifted to off to sleep.

oooooooooo

The man entered the empty Manor once more. The chair was right where he had left it. He sat down on it and looked around the room. He let the size of the room sink it first – it was enormous. He wondered what it would have been like before the Ministry had emptied the Manor. The faded emerald green colour of the wall would have been covered with elegant paintings of ancestors and of wealth. Small, ornate tables would stand on the outskirts of the room, showing off beautiful artefacts that only the Malfoy's could afford. He imagined people dancing in the large room. Narcissa Malfoy probably fussing about the catering or with guests. Even for him, Narcissa seemed to be the epitome of a good hostess. Young Draco would be sulking in corner, upset that his mother had dragged him to a boring ball. Lucius would most likely be in his study, away from the bustle, with his closest confidants, talking about conquests, prisoners, and their Lord.

With his thought the wispy man stood up off the chair and walked out of the room. He walked through the dark, barren halls into a smaller ballroom. This ballroom was much darker. The wallpaper had been seared and burned presumably because of curses that had once flown across the room. At the end of the room was a small alcove with stairs leading downwards. He stopped at the top of the stairs staring down to the barred doorway. There was no light down there, just darkness and a dank must.

This was where they kept her. She was there in the dark, sitting on the damp stone. His anger flared. This had ruined her. The Malfoys had ruined her. Before she was charming, bubbly. Now she was skittish and had pulled back into herself. Her once shining and happy face was now wrinkled with worry and sorrow. Her gleaming gold hair had faded and lost its shimmer. He stepped through the threshold and looked around the sombre room. Was there a part of her left down here? Something he could bring home to her when he returned? Something that would make her better or bring her back?

The empty room just stared back at him. There was nothing he could do. Luna would be gone forever. She would always be different; always scarred from the horrors of the Malfoy Manor. There was only one thing he could do to avenge Luna – he would kill Draco Malfoy and burn the Manor. Nothing would be left to remind Luna of her pain. She could begin to heal. Become a real person again. Her personality and livelihood would reappear. This dark period in her life would just be ashes. Burned away with Draco and his vile Manor. The fire blazed in his eyes. The time would come soon.

oooooooooo

Hermione was oddly warm as she was raised from unconsciousness. As she strained to open her eyes she realised just how warm she was, as though a radiator was pressed up against her back. Moving her hands to wipe the sleep from her eyes, she felt the pressure of a human arm on her waist. Her eyes shot open as she pulled herself from a still sleeping Draco's grasp. She had slept in his bed! She had let him put his arm around her! What had she done?

Draco stirred, clearly sensing her absence and pulled the blanket to himself. Hermione relaxed as he went back into a deep sleep. She shifted onto her back, staring at the ceiling in thought. She had just shared a bed with Draco Malfoy. The same Draco Malfoy who had tormented her all through Hogwarts. The same man sporting only boxers and loose white shirt, tangled in the sheets next to her. The events of the night past flooded into her head. His eyes. His sorrow. He had practically begged her to stay with him that night and she had obliged him.

Had she liked it? Well she had slept well, not realising that he was sleeping next to her until she had awoken. She was only doing this as his friend. He needed her. There was nothing else between them, was there? She exhaled loudly, she hoped not.

"Granger, I can hear you thinking again," Draco mumbled groggily. Hermione was startled by his movement towards her. She wasn't quite sure how to react. "Mmmm…you're warm," he said nestling like a child against her and closing his eyes again.

"Ugh…Sorry, I mean, thank you." She had become so uncomfortable with him pressed up against her. This was so foreign. Ron had never done things like this. She had never cuddled before. She watched as he sat up, sensing her discomfort.

"Did you at least sleep well?" he asked with a smirk on his face knowing that she was overanalysing every second of their encounter.

"Mhmm" Hermione answered, propping herself on her elbows, inclining herself toward him, "How did you sleep?"

"All things considered, I think I slept quite well," he let himself plop down next to her and looked at the ceiling for a moment then turned his gaze toward her, smirking, "Granger, did you know that you snore?"

"I do not snore!" she retorted sending a pillow flying his way. She laughed out loud with it hit him square in the face. They sat there laughing together for a few minutes. Hermione laughed because she had hit him with a pillow, but also because she had just spent the night with Draco Malfoy. If she could only see Harry and Ron's reactions.

Their day progressed slowly. Hermione had cooked them both breakfast and had returned to working. She spent most of the day scribbling about Draco's reaction to his father's death and what she had seen in his eyes last night. A light blush crept across her cheeks as she noted that Draco Malfoy had asked her to spend the night with him. Clearly this showed a lapse in his judgement; the power his father and family had over him. Last night was definitely a one-time thing, she concluded to herself. It was not Malfoy's type to beg for comfort and warmth. He was cold and independent. He didn't need anyone but himself. But she still felt his warmth against her back. She still felt his thumb brush the patch of skin underneath her bellybutton. His warm breath whispering in her ear. She sighed and shook her head. Work was driving her crazy.

She got up and checked the clock – seven o'clock. Malfoy would be hungry soon. She walked into the kitchen to see a mop of shining blonde hair on the table. He was seated at the table, face down, resting his head on his elbow. He didn't even shift as she magically starting heating a pot of water on the stove.

"Are you alright?" she questioned. His lack of movement was kind of starting to scare her. He cleared his throat and quickly sat up. His eyes were bloodshot. The reality hit Hermione like a ton of bricks – he was drunk, "Draco, are you drunk?"

"I just don't know what to do right now!" he started in a tone that was a little too loud, "I've tried everything, Hermione! I just can't stop thinking about it. He's really gone." He sounded so exasperated, so desperate. She had to proceed with caution. This was his most volatile state.

"Draco, then why are you drinking?" her tone was soft and kind. She didn't want to anger him.

"It's what you do! When you were sad, or angry, or confused you drank. Like that one time after Weasley left. I'm sad, angry, and confused!" he was yelling. His face was growing redder and redder. He suddenly slammed his head back down to where it had been before, in the crook of his elbow.

Hermione let him sit for some minutes. She focused on making him pasta, hopefully getting some food into his stomach before she took him up to bed. "Here," she started quietly placing a glass of water and a bowl of steaming pasta in front of him, "are you hungry?" She watched, eating her pasta simultaneously, as he devoured his meal.

"That was tasty," he slurred looking at her, "Your food is always so tasty." It was time for bed she concluded.

"Draco, let's go to bed." She stood in front of him and walked toward the stairwell. He just stared at her, "What is it? I think you should go to bed, Draco."

"But I want you to hold my hand…" he mumbled. If she could only record this for him to see tomorrow, she thought to herself, he would surely smack himself in the face. He attempted to give her his version of puppy dog eyes. She gave in an approached him again and extended her hand. He eventually stood and took it, walking in front of her up the stairs towards his room. He opened the door without a care and took off his clothes. She felt slightly uncomfortable with how easily he could disrobe in front of her. It would definitely be the contrary in her case. He got into bed, sliding under the covers, and looked at her, "Aren't you coming?" he asked patting the spot next to him on the bed. The same spot she had slept in the night before.

"I don't think so Draco," she responded politely, "I still have a lot of work to do."

"But I want you to," he murmured giving her a sad look.

"I'm sorry! I'll see you tomorrow." She watched as he nodded turning away from her and lying still. She crept out his room and back down to her books and notes with a strange feeling in her stomach. Maybe it wasn't the work that was driving her crazy.

oooooooooo

The Slytherin Common Room was darker than normal. Draco moved off the couch and peered out the windows. The water of the Black Lake outside of the Common Room windows were not the dark blue they usually were, but rather a pitch black. A few bubbles crept across his few. Being underwater was something that Draco loved about the Slytherin Common Room. It was a house secret that most other Hogwarts students didn't know. It made him feel special, dangerous even. He remembered the first time he saw the Giant Squid creep past the tall windowpanes. But today was different. Something was off.

He moved even closer to glass to inspect what could possibly be different. But he was immediately blinded by a flash of light. Draco strained to see through the white light, but he couldn't. All he could see were three forms floating past the frame. Finally covering his sore eyes, he took a step back. He opened them, but the water was dark once more. He retreated and sat back down, but something still bothered him. He knew this strategy, he had seen it somewhere before.

Minutes went by, and he lost focus on the window, eventually flipping through the Quidditch magazine he had been reading. There was a slight patter. Like water dripping on the ground. Draco ignored it; when your Common Room is underwater, sometimes water manages to seep in. The pattering grew louder, sort of like a tap. It was becoming distracting, annoying even. He looked up from his magazine now, towards the window. It was black once more, and not surprisingly, there was water running down the edge. The tap sounded again, this time only louder, and Draco's blood ran cold as he saw a pale finger hit the dark window.

The blinding light hit his retinas again, but this time Draco was expecting it. He stepped towards the window and squinted his eyes. The same three forms were there. No there were four! Finally, Draco's eyes adjusted and he was able to see the atrocities before him.

Voldemort stood in the centre weightless with a wicked smile on his face. He seemed to breathing fine, no Gillyweed, no Bubble Charm. His mother was closest to him, she was suspended under Voldemort, clearly dead. Draco swallowed, to the Dark Lord's left was his father. Lucius' eyes were wide looking straight through the window at his son, and hands bound behind his back. He had a Bubble Charm around his mouth and nose. Voldemort grinned as he looked to his right. He was holding the wrist of Hermione Granger, also with a Bubble Charm around her mouth and nose. She looked frantic: screaming and kicking against the water around her.

A wicked grin appeared on his pallid face. He looked to his left first and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. Lucius did not seem to notice. He just looked straight ahead of him, eyes glancing back and forth from Narcissa lying dead on the floor to Draco beyond the window. Voldemort shifted his glance to the thrashing Hermione on his right. He did not extend an arm out to her or even attempt at subduing her. He just watched her. His gaze returned to Draco's and he smiled wider.

Draco closed his eyes tight – he was dreaming. This wasn't real. Voldemort was dead. Potter had killed him months ago! Opening his eyes once again, he came to terms with the fact that this was all a fabrication of his mind; it was all a dream. But Voldemort's high-pitched slither took over his brain.

"You must chose, Draco" and the Bubble Charms around Hermione's and his father's faces disappeared.

ooooooooooo

Hermione awoke to Draco's yelling in the room next door. He just kept saying no. She assumed he was having a nightmare and let her eyes drift closed once more. This was normal she thought to herself. She had had nightmares for almost two months after the war. It was only normal that Draco was struggling with the murder of his father. It would surely haunt him for the nights to come. She dozed off again listening to her thoughts, not hearing the shuffling around the room next door.

She sat straight up in her bed when she heard her door open. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the light flooding her room, but she knew exactly who it was. There he stood, in his shorts. He was breathing heavy and beads of sweat covered his body. His platinum blonde hair was going in every direction. He looked as though he had just ran a marathon in the rain. He burst into the room without waiting for her approval – something he had never done. He sat on the edge of her bed and let his head fall in his lap. She just sat there in her bed, shuffling back so she could rest her back against the headboard. He simply sat at the end of her bent, head in his hands, trying to steady his laboured breathes.

"Bad dream." He managed to get out. His voice was hoarse and ragged. She shifted left in her bed, and pulled back the covers. She would get him asleep then reassess the situation later. This wasn't typical Draco Malfoy. He had come to her. He needed her. He didn't need anyone.

At her cue, he shuffled back laid next to her. His breath was still heavy and laboured. His eyes were closed. His face was red and sweaty. Taking his head in her lap, she did what she had done countless times with Harry and Ron to calm and relax them. She stroked his hair and kept her breath calm and slow. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked in a quiet voice, hand still in his hair. He shuffled closer to her enjoying her touch and shook his head no. Of course he didn't – he was Draco Malfoy. His breathing eventually slowed and he managed to close his eyes. She shifted away from him slightly, letting him put his head on the pillow.

Still stroking his hair, she watched him sleep. He was troubled – clearly afraid to go back to sleep. He was afraid of the dreams that were waiting for him. Hermione wanted to comfort him, to get closer to him than she already was. She felt the thoughts begin to flood in. She wanted to overanalyse her feelings, to get swept away in her fantasies as she always did. But she remembered what Draco had said to her the night before – how she needed to stop thinking. And she did just that. She bent down and kissed his hair and leaned back, nestling into his chest.

She fit here. He was warm, wrapping his strong arms around her. She liked this. She wanted this. She remembered this feeling. The one she got when she looked at Ron her fifth and sixth year. She liked Draco – and more than just a friend. She never thought it would actually happen, but it was. Letting her eyes close for the last time that night, she told herself that she would act on her feelings to next morning. There was a reason she was in Gryffindor!

A/N: Another Chapter up! What do you guys think about how dependent Draco has become on Hermione? Do you think Hermione will follow through with telling Draco how she really feels about him? Could this be the beginning of their relationship? What about the charges on Draco? The plot thickens….and only I know what happens muhahahahaha

Hope you liked it! Read and Review! Love you all!