Wow, it's been a long time!

First of all, I am really sorry to everyone who was enjoying the story because I have let you down, and there is no excuse really. It's just been sat on the shelf, gathering dust, and I always intended to come back to it but I never did. Again, there is nothing I can really do about it but apologise profusely and provide you with another chapter, and hopefully many more in the future. Having re-read it to familiarise myself with what's happened so far, I now have some new ideas about the direction I want this story to go, and I can't wait to get started. I am so glad I (finally!) sat down and forced myself to update this, because my motivation has been fully restored, I promise!

To everyone who supported this story in the beginning, hopefully you have not lost faith in it just yet! All I can say is thank you because after looking back through the reviews I have to say the response is so overwhelming, and I forgot how much all the nice things people have said really meant to me. Argh! I can't believe I abandoned this for so long.

If you're willing to forgive me, please keep the reviews coming to prevent me from ever neglecting this ever again!

So this chapter leads directly on from the last, and I'm a little worried about it because I've never written anything like this before (you'll see what I mean). But I tried, and if it's terrible then I'm sorry, but please let me know what you think. If you spot any spelling mistakes don't hesitate to point them out (I was rushing this chapter a little bit to get it done as soon as possible).

Well... I have nothing else to say other than I hope you enjoy it, and- of course- happy Christmas!

13. Revelation

Hermione looked up desperately, hoping to spot him amongst the crowds of students lining the corridor who had all just been released from their lessons. She couldn't see him at first, but then she managed to spot a flash of white blonde in the far distance, disappearing around the end of the corridor. Gritting her teeth determinedly, Hermione took chase.

She realised that history was repeating itself: she was following Draco again, just like that first night when everything had changed. Although, this time, the circumstances were a little different, and she didn't care if he saw her. After feeling hurt and confused during class, she now realised that she was angry. No, she was more than that- she was furious. How dare Draco refuse to speak with her after his little performance earlier? How dare he act as though, somehow, she had done something wrong? She had done nothing wrong, and he was being unreasonably cruel.

Blind with rage, she stormed after his constantly retreating figure. Due to the path he was taking, Hermione deduced he was heading towards that tower he'd once shown her. The one he'd stole a key for. Hermione smiled grimly. Lucky for her, this particular way passed right by the Room of Requirement. She had almost caught up to him by the time they made it to the seventh floor left corridor.

'Draco,' she cried angrily, drawing her wand out. He would not be refusing her this time.

Draco whipped round at the sound of her voice, a glowering look on his face. He knew she had been following him; he'd just been ignoring her. 'Stop following me, Granger,' he hissed, 'and don't call me that.'

She pointed her wand at his face, stepping closer, ignoring the fact he was deliberately calling her by her surname. They were only metres apart now. 'Why not?' she demanded. 'What is wrong with you?'

'What is wrong with me?' Draco repeated. 'Nothing is wrong with me, Granger; I just want you to go away.' He began to turn but Hermione thrust her wand further forwards.

'Move an inch and you'll be sorry,' she threatened, eyes blazing.

Draco's eyes widened slightly as he glanced at her weapon, but he managed to keep the scowl plastered on his face as he replied in a cold voice. 'You wouldn't.'

'Oh I think I would,' Hermione said. As she spoke, she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. To her surprise, she watched as the door to the Room of Requirement materialised before them. She wondered for a moment why on earth it had opened, as she hadn't walked past it three times thinking about what she needed. Then she shook her head as if to shake herself free of her thoughts. She shouldn't be concerned: it was open, that was what mattered. She gestured with her head towards the door that was now set into the wall beside them. 'Go in,' she ordered.

Glaring at her, Draco hesitated slightly before complying, stepping into the room. Hermione followed, keeping her wand trained on his back. As soon as the door swung shut behind them Draco turned to face her again as she dropped her bag by the entrance. She looked once round the room quickly before he could speak. It was completely bare. 'What do you want me to say Hermione?' he snapped, also discarding his bag. Hermione couldn't be sure, but she thought he sounded rather nervous. He'd started fidgeting the moment they'd walked into the room. But again, she didn't care. It didn't matter. She was angry.

'I want you to tell me what's wrong,' she yelled, letting her emotions flow from her like a crashing wave breaking against a cliff. 'You know, like we agreed. I can't help you if you're holding back on me.'

'I can't,' Draco yelled back. 'And I don't want your help. I don't want it because it's not helping. So just leave me alone! And stop following me.' His face was hard, absolute.

Hermione could feel tears threatening again, but they were tears of anger. She was so angry she felt as if she was Ron, trembling all over. 'No,' she said firmly. 'No, you don't get to do that. I know that's not the reason you're acting like you are- I know it's not as simple as that. So what is? Is it because I never came back to you after...' she trailed off, biting her lip. 'Is it Ron? Are you jealous of Ron?'

Draco's mouth gaped open as he stared at her, fumbling for the right words. 'What? Why would I be jealous of Weasley?'

'Because I saw your face in class,' she cried desperately, the hand that held her wand lowering slightly. Draco opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. He just stared at her in disbelief. Hermione barrelled on, unable to stop herself. 'Don't try to deny it. But...' she took a deep breath,' I know how you feel about me, Draco. And I think you know that I...' Her wand was by her side now. 'You know I can't just walk away and forget everything. It's too late for that.'

Draco took a step forwards, his eyes searching her face with a look of desperation that matched her own. 'Hermione, please don't do this. Please don't do this to me,' he begged fearfully, leaving Hermione slightly taken aback. 'Don't make this any harder than it already is. I want to keep seeing you, I really do, but I can't.'

Hermione was angry again. 'Why not?'

'Because,' Draco blurted, 'my father threatened to kill you.' He raked a hand through his hair wildly.

'What?'

'He threatened to kill you, Hermione... the night after you came to me. He told me that if I didn't stop seeing you, he would do something awful... He has spies here, in the castle, and they've been watching me. They saw us together,' Draco explained, his voice cracking. 'And I can't risk them seeing us together again.'

Hermione remained silent for a moment as she soaked up this new information. She realised that, shockingly, she was unsurprised. Of course Voldemort would have other spies inside Hogwarts, he always found a way in somehow. Making her decision, she threw her wand to one side and deliberately walked forwards until she was inches from Draco, taking his hands in her own. He looked down at them as she spoke. 'It's a risk I'm willing to take,' she said sincerely, her voice soft.

'No,' Draco moaned, still looking down, 'you can't.'

'Yes, I can,' Hermione said steadily. 'We can just meet in places less out in the open. We'll be more careful.'

'No,' Draco said again, a little louder this time. 'Don't you see? It's too dangerous. Hermione... if anything were to happen to you...' He lifted his head, looking deep into her eyes, 'I would never forgive myself.'

Hermione let out a long sigh. 'Nothing is going to happen to me, Draco. I can take care of myself.'

'Please...,' he murmured, an edge of hopelessness to his words. His blonde fringe, slightly waved again, flopped down over his forehead as he bowed his head once more, shielding his face.

'Hey,' Hermione said, pulling one of her hands from his so she could cup his chin, gently lifting his head. She brushed the hair out of his face to see Draco's eyes were shining with tears as she looked into them. 'I'm not going anywhere. I promise, just like all the other times I've promised you. Even if you don't want me to be here, I will be. I'm going to help you, Draco, no matter what, because I believe you don't need to be alone.'

Draco's shoulders slumped in defeat. 'It's too dangerous...' he said, almost mechanically. 'I'm too dangerous. This is on me, not you-'

'It's on me now too, remember?' Hermione said tenderly. 'I already know too much. And I'm not willing to give up.' She pulled her hands free from his. 'I know it's hard, but you shouldn't either. We'll stop this, together or not at all.' With that she turned to leave, but then Draco grabbed her hand, spinning her back to him.

Hermione found herself pressed right up against him. She could feel his chest rising and falling swiftly along with the hard thumping of his heart, beating in rhythm with hers. She looked at him for a second, a single second, and then her lips crushed against his. Hermione's eyes flickered shut as she slid her hand up his neck, drawing him down as she stood on her tiptoes, rising to meet him. At first it was painful as they forced themselves against one and other, not so much kissing as devouring each other. Draco's hands slid roughly down her back, tangling in her hair, fisting the loose fabric of her school uniform, his fingers like fire as they came in contact with her skin. His teeth grazed her bottom lip and she moaned, tilting her head to the side, opening her mouth to feel the rush of heat from his breath. Her hands gripped his hair so hard it must have hurt, but she didn't care.

Without thinking she began to shrug off her cloak, her mouth still glued to Draco's. He responded with a groan, his hands fumbling to help her remove the item of clothing. Once it was off she threw it to the side before helping Draco with his, kicking off her shoes in the process. They had to part briefly as they lifted off their jumpers and shirts, but as soon as the clothes were dumped Hermione's lips found his again, attacking them hungrily. Now only in a bra, a skirt and tights she felt shivers run up and down her body as Draco's hands ran down her bare skin, his touch like an electric shock.

She felt even more wondrous as she let her hands roam over his chest, the hard, flat planes of his stomach and the arched bone of his hip. She could feel their skin sizzling together as the heat of their passion grew even more intense. Hermione's fingers were now at the waistband of his trousers, circling the rim with a touch as light as a feather. Draco gave a low groan against her mouth in response; his hands finding hers and urging her on, assisting her pull them down and off. Then Hermione's skirt and tights were gone too, and they were both standing in their underwear, still pressed up against each other.

Draco moved his head down to her neck, placing butterfly kisses all the way down to the hollow of her throat, causing Hermione's heart to flutter every time. She tipped her head back in delight, when something caught her eye. 'Draco...' she murmured in a low voice.

He looked up at her, his stormy grey eyes so dark they looked black, his lips swollen. Silently he followed her gaze to the large bed that had appeared behind them. It was quite plain and simple, with a wooden frame and creamy silken sheets, but Hermione knew why it was there. She turned back to Draco, and their eyes locked in silent agreement. There was no stopping now- and even if she wanted too, she couldn't have. She needed this, her body was screaming for it.

'Draco,' she whispered again, clinging to him as he lifted her. She wrapped her legs tightly around him and dug her nails into his shoulders as he carried her over to the bed, practically throwing her onto it. He had seemed so gentle, so fragile when they had been together in the hospital wing. But now he was better, stronger, and he certainly wasn't holding back. Hermione was glad. The animal inside of her didn't want him to be gentle.

As she lay there, breathing hard, he scrambled on top of her so his whole body was covering hers. Her response was immediate and instinctive. Her body arched to meet his as she pulled on his shoulders, gasping. Their lips- like magnets- found each other again, and soon they were kissing, their tongues dancing in unison, their breaths mixing together as they melted against one and other.

Hermione moaned again as Draco moved lower, leaving her aching lips behind. He placed another trail of kisses over her body, this time down her chest, and on each jutting hip bone, and just below her belly button... Her heart thundered as he teased her, his teeth grazing against the elastic of her underwear. Then he came back up to meet her as she squirmed impatiently beneath him, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. As soon as his mouth was on hers again, Hermione shoved him sideways, climbing over to straddle his waist. She leaned down to nip Draco's lips playfully as they searched for hers. She moved her own lips to graze across his jaw, nuzzling against his cheek, her hair falling to tickle his shoulder.

'Hermione...' he whined, shivering in intimacy, drawing her down to meet him with a sharp tug, kissing her once more. She swallowed down the gasps he made against her mouth, twisting round him until they were no longer two separate people but a tangle of limbs, entwined together as one.

'I don't know how I'm going explain it this time,' Hermione said. 'Last time I actually arrived back in my dorm, but this time if I don't return at all, then...' she trailed off with a sigh, leaning back against Draco's shoulder. The two were lying in the bed in the Room of Requirement, the silky covers drawn up around them. Draco had one arm around Hermione's shoulders, hugging her too him, his free hand tracing shapes on her bare shoulder in contentment. Hermione had one hand pressed against his chest, spread over the space where she could feel the steady thumping of his heart. All their clothes and bags were strewn about the floor surrounding them; Hermione's wand flung somewhere over in the corner. It was early evening, but she had no intention of returning to her usual bed that night.

'Yeah, well, I've got to come up with a good excuse too,' Draco smiled, giving Hermione a gentle squeeze. 'But right now, I'm not worried.'

'Easy for you to say,' Hermione said, snuggling closer to him. 'I worry about everything.'

'And you think I don't?' Draco laughed softly. 'I also worry about everything, ever since...well, you know.'

'Yeah, I know,' Hermione breathed, turning her head, searching. Draco's lips met hers tenderly, kissing her softly. Her lips hurt after their extremely passionate endeavours, but she was well beyond caring. She didn't know if she'd ever been this happy. Right now she was glowing, lost in the moment, and she knew Draco was too. Right now, nothing else mattered.

She giggled, and a small crease appeared between Draco's eyebrows as he frowned. 'What?'

'Nothing,' Hermione said. 'It's just funny... I've never been this happy in so long.' She felt Draco smile against her hair before kissing the top of her head lightly.

'I'm glad you're happy, because I certainly am.' He paused. 'Hermione?'

'Yeah?'

'Can we just... forget about the rest of the world for the moment? I don't want to be worried or anything. I just want to enjoy every second of this.'

Hermione smiled again. Not only was her mouth sore, she now found the corners of them were throbbing from smiling so much. Unfortunately, this happened to make her smile even wider at the concept. She couldn't contain the joy that was radiating out of her as she lay in Draco's arms, the rest of the world forgotten. 'Deal,' she said.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. And don't worry, next chapter is already in the works, and will be up in around a weeks time. One last time, I am sorry about the wait. I hope it was worth it? :)