Author's note - I am so very thankful for everyone who has been reading this story. It was very spur of the moment to write and I was able to finish three chapters in the span of my weekend from work. I posted those and was super nervous but remembered that as long as I love my piece of work that is all that truly mattered. I hope everyone who has read the first three chapters comes back to read this one and enjoy it. Please Review so I can read your thoughts. Happy Reading.


Nightmares was an often occurrence for Draco and even sharing a bed with Hermione didn't fight them away. She woke up first to his stirring, his arm twitching wildly as his breathing quickened. Once she recognized that it was indeed a nightmare she decided to grab his hand slowly but firmly squeezed to try and wake him gently.

Draco's eyes shot open and his breathing quickened further before Hermione was there to reassure him that it was just a dream and slowly he began to calm down. Knowing better than to ask what the nightmare was about. She laid down to rest her head on his chest. His arm wrapped around her a little tighter and his fingers rubbed her upper arm.

"Thank you" Draco whispered and kissed her forehead gently. Anxiety still ran through his body, but with her next to him, he finally felt like he could handle it. Soon he closed his eyes again and drifted back to sleep.

Sunlight was gleaming through the window which cause Hermione to wake up and suddenly she felt cold and realized that Draco had already left the coziness of his bed. She sat up and stretched. Hermione was still wearing her clothes from the night before and she knew she must look like a wreck from smudged makeup and her clothes wrinkled.

Draco's room was a little different he had cleaned up and had put up a bookshelf that surprisingly had a couple books on it written by Muggle writers. There was a picture on his nightstand and she reached for it. It was the picture the teachers took that year at Hogwarts. Her smiling face reflected back her. It was Draco in the picture that caught her attention shortly after. She watched as he smiled for the picture and then looked over at her. How had she not noticed that earlier in her own copy of the photo.

The door opened and Draco walked in with a platter of food. It was simple breakfast food and he smiled sheepishly at her and came over to sit on the bed.

"I figured we could eat breakfast together before you went home. I didn't want to wake you." Draco stated and Hermione returned his smile.

"No, this is perfect." Hermione grasped the plate that was closer to her before digging in.

The next couple of moments passed in silence and Hermione looked at Draco thinking he was looking away but their eyes met.

"I managed to snag a copy of that photo. They took a couple, but that one is my favorite." Draco mumbled. Hermione bites her lip, thinking that even back at the beginning of the school year he thought of her differently.

"Why do you like me?" Hermione asked outright and looked at him.

"You're a brilliant witch, I've liked you for quite a while actually, but could only be hostile to you. Even when I truly believed in blood purity or at least thought I did, I couldn't help but think of you." Draco admitted. "I remember every moment I was able to spend with you even if they were bad. I feel like that is why I don't believe I deserve you now."

"How you were raised is not your fault." Hermione assured and looked at her plate. "I don't hold anything against you. I just wanted to help you and you proved yourself all on your own."

"So what are we going to do?" Draco asked and Hermione looked at him quickly. "I want to be with you. I want this." That revelation caused Hermione to smile and she quickly leaned in to kiss him.

"I want this too." Hermione finally agreed when they pulled away from each other.


Summer flew by as Hermione and Draco settled on spending it together and getting the Malfoy Manor changed over to something more inviting and there were even days that Harry and Ginny came to help. Ron disapproved of their relationship and it hurt since Hermione still sometimes yearned for their friendship.

Hermione and Draco both decided to stay slow in their relationship, but there were many nights that simple goodnight kisses escalated to something a little heavier but Draco always stopped them. The hardest nights were the ones when she stayed over. He experienced her nightmares soon and often held her till her crying ceased. It was hard to think she was still so broken from the war when she appeared so put together.

Draco's parents were in many conversations as Harry informed them that they were being considered for release. Hermione had no idea what that would mean for their relationship, Draco also applied for an Auror position so they might be going in a separate direction of employment as well. Draco was trying to convince her to apply for a ministry position, but she was still too hesitant.

"Just apply! You're brilliant. You can't think you will be rejected?!" Draco exclaimed, and Hermione glared at him.

"It's hard. I'm never guaranteed a job." Hermione started with bitterness in her tone. "All I have is Hogwarts on my resume. That's hardly anything."

"You can out charm everyone working there. Knowing ever law known to the wizards and Muggles. Always fighting for what you believe in. Why do you want to continue teaching at Hogwarts when you can do so much more?"

"Because I'm scared!" Hermione cried and Draco looked at her with surprise. "It's all I have ever known. What would I be without it?"

Draco went over to her and pulled her in for a hug. "You will be Hermione. Nothing can ever change that. The woman I adore and love" Draco whispered and it took a moment for the words to register before Hermione looked at him gasping.

"Did you just say love?" Draco just gave her a small smile and Hermione smiled back before responding. "I love you too."

Kissing ensued and this time it was different. They were not people who were rushing or stealing kisses, but two lovers with all the time in the world. Hermione had not even noticed they were making their way to his bed till the backs of her knees hit the mattress. She pulled away and reached to pull her shirt up over her head. Draco watched her and mimicked her. He was shirtless completely and nodded to her bra.

"It's only fair." Draco mumbled and Hermione reached for the front clasp and undid it and let the garment drop to the ground. Draco made a low growl sound as he took in the sight of her tanned skin and then her dark rosy nipples. "You're so beautiful" He then pushed her down onto the bed and kissed her belly. She stopped him for a second and reached for her wand in her pocket.

She pointed it at her belly and whispered a spell that he knew to be a contraceptive to ward against pregnancy.

"Does that means?" Draco asked and Hermione nodded. His hands went to her jeans and unbuttoned them and then unzipped to begin pulling them off of her. He left her panties in place so he could rid himself of his own pants.

Draco hovered over her and began kissing her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Hermione felt his arousal like she has several times now, but this time it made her nervous. She was reminded how long it has been since she last laid with a man. His fingers danced their way to in between her thighs and she moaned softly as he searched for her clit. He kissed her neck to listen to her moans a lot better. He worked his fingers and her breathing changed slowly, which helped him find the spot over the thin piece of fabric.

Hermione ground her hips slowly and her eyes closed to embrace the feeling. Right before she fully let go, however his fingers went missing and she protested shortly before her panties were off and his finger quickly found her opening and pushed in slowly. She cried out in relief and shifted lower. He hooked his finger up to tap and rub slowly and watched her face. After she started digging in her fingernails, he entered another finger to help her along.

Sweat formed on her as her breathing switched to pants and her moans became more high pitched and soon he felt her clamping down on his fingers.

Hermione laid there as Draco withdrew his fingers and kiss her slowly to distract her for a moment. In that moment he placed one of his hands at her waist and the other grasped himself to rub against her before entering. She cried out against his lips and her back curved.

Draco moaned himself and stilled to let her adjust, but she pushed her hips up the rest of the way to accept him.

They stayed still for a second while they both took a second to catch their breath and Draco rested his head against her collarbone.

"You feel so good" Draco admitted right before he moved. He did a small thrust and Hermione moaned. Her body super sensitive from her first orgasm and from feeling full. She wrapped her legs around his waist to lock him in and Draco propped himself up on the bed with his forearms before he began at a steady pace.

Hermione looked at him and their eyes met and Draco looked all over to remember the way her body responded to his touch. Her eyes half mast as her mouth were open to let little sounds come out. One of her hands were grasped at his back while the other was grabbing the bed.

Draco knew he wouldn't last long and he closed his eyes to focus on their lovemaking. Soon he was at the edge and he kissed her neck to try and bring her with him. Hermione cried out and her fingernails dug in as he let go. He allowed her own body to milk his during their highs.

It took both of them a while before they separated and just curled up next to each other. Draco ran his fingers up and down her spine as she closed her eyes. He mumbled to her that it was alright if she fell asleep.


Hermione held the envelope in her hand. It was from the Ministry of Magic. She had decided to apply for a position for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Usually she was never this nervous, but she put the envelope in her bag and decided to apparate to Draco's.

She knocked on the door and frowned when several moments passed without an answer. She unlocked the door with a wave of her wand and entered the foyer. Something seemed a little off and soon she heard angry whispers. Walking down to the main study the door was propped open and she could see Draco was talking angrily before someone walked closer to him. It was Narcissa. Hermione was shocked, there was nothing released in the paper or on the news about her release.

"I'm not leaving with you guys" Draco hissed and Hermione stepped back and her ankle ended up rolling to the side causing her to trip backwards and drop her bag. She cursed under her breath and scurried off toward the front entrance and left quickly.

Draco looked away from his mom and went to the door and looked out before seeing an envelope on the ground. He picked it up and noticed it was addressed to Hermione.

"Who made that sound?" Narcissa asked and Draco turned to her. He was surprised when he heard someone coming in the house earlier that day and it ended up being his mom. She barely said a word to him until she called him in the study to tell him that he would go with her and Lucius to Greece to go into hiding. Apparently wanting to distance themselves from the Wizarding community here and create a new status elsewhere. They had been fighting about it all morning and Narcissa did not understand why he was not agreeing.

"It is not your business. You are leaving and I'm staying, so what happens here in this house is my business now." Draco finally stated and Narcissa frowned.

"How can you stay here? Knowing all that people think about you. You are a broken child-"

"I am not a child anymore!" Draco cut her off. Anger is dripping from his words. "I am not my past mistakes. Both of you made me be that way. I understand you care for me and maybe in your bitter hearts, even have love for me, but I have been a pawn for you and I am done. I'm not moving to Greece to marry some pureblood witch and start a new line of Malfoys who believe in blood purity. If I raise kids one day I want them to know without a doubt that I love them and that I love them for who they are and not what their blood status is."

Narcissa was taken back by his words, but she nodded before crossing her arms.

"So do we get to meet her?"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked and Narcissa smirked.

"The witch who stole your heart." Draco looked at his mom and his eyes narrowed before his final words.

"You already met her. Hermione Granger"