Disclaimer: I do not own any of the HP Characters. But I do own Eric, Aurora, Jason, Carmen, Rielly and Tori.

Chapter 9

Draco and Hermione ran to the ruins, marching through about a foot of snow. It had stopped snowing, making it a little easier to run.

Neither Draco nor Hermione talked to each other. Draco constantly looked behind him to see if someone was following them. Hermione was silent the whole time.

They finally reached the ruins. It seemed like it was a huge Manor, even bigger than Draco's, that had been smashed down.
Draco searched around for an entrance and finally found one. "Hermione over here!" he called. She slowly walked over to him and together they walked into the gap that created an entrance.

It was very dark in the ruins, with only a little light shining through the pieces of rubble and wood. "I hope this is safe." Draco said looking up the ceiling that looked like it was going to collasp any minute, but more than likely, it was beening held up by magic.Hermione said nothing. She was sitting on a giant rock.

Draco watched her sit there. She had a hurt expression on her face. He figured that it was because of him.

"Hermione?" she didn't answer back.

He walked slowly over to wear she was sitting and took a seat next to her. She quickly moved away. "Hermione I-I'm sorry for what I did. I should have never shoved you like that. I wasn't thinking." He waited for Hermione to reply. Because she never answered him, Draco got up and walked away.

It had been a half a hour when Draco said something. "I'm going to go explore this place a bit. Make sure that you don't go out of this ruin and if you see a death eater, I want you to hide anywhere. Okay?" Draco said not in a demanding voice and in the softest voice he could. Hermione didn't say anything. She felt really cold because of the temperature and they didn't have enough time to get Hermione's cloak. She had put on as much clothes as possible but it wasn't helping. She put her hands on her arms and she shivered.

"This place is so cold!" she thought to herself.

Draco watch Hermione shiver and desperately try to keep herself warm. Draco felt very sorry for her. He walked closer to her and finally was in the back of her. Either she didn't hear him behind her or she was ignoring him, but Draco cared little. He took off the huge cloak that protected him from the cold and gently put it on Hermione so that it wouldn't drag her down. He then walked to what looked like stairs and went up them. She was shocked and startled when the cloak was put on her. She could tell it was Draco's. When she turned around, he was gone. Hermione stroked the fur inside the cloak and gave a little smile.

Draco searched through the ruins trying to find anything that would help them. He figured that Rielly or Tori would look for them when the time was right and that would probably take a while. "But if they don't come, it's more than likely the death eaters will."

While he was walking, Draco stumbled over what looked like a bedroom. He went in it and looked for things. He didn't find anything except a large quilted blanket. It was very dirty and had a few cobwebs on them. "Oh well. It's better than nothing." Draco said to himself. He folded the blanket up and headed back downstairs to Hermione.
She was in the same spot when he had left. He didn't say a word to her. He put the blanket down next to Hermione and walked next to the entrance. "We have to do something about this gap. If the death eaters see us, we're gonna be in big trouble."

"Yes but what if Tori or Rielly try to find us and can't get in?" Draco turned around. Hermione had actually talked to him. He snapped out of his amazement and answered the question. "I'm sure Rielly might try to contact us or they'll give us a signal or something." Hermione didn't say anything after that.

Hours had past and there was still no sign of anyone, not even death eaters. "Something isn't right." Draco thought to himself. "Someone should've found us by now." He quickly got that out of his mind and started searching the ruin again. He came across of what looked like a kitchen. It had pots and pans and other things. He then thought of something. They didn't have any food at all but they could get water! Draco took two pots and a pasta drainer.

Hermione watched him come and go as he walked outside, looked aroundand thenkneeled to the ground. Curiosity got the best of her. "What are you doing?" But it quickly hit her what he was doing. He stood up again; his pot filled with snow and came back into the ruins. He then sat the pot of snow down. "Now all we have to do is wait for the snow to melt." He looked at the entrance. "I'm gonna finds some rocks or something to block that entrance. Let's just hope there are no other ones we don't know about."
Hermione watched him go again. She felt a little ashamed that Draco was doing all the work, while she sat there being a baby. She had to do something.

Draco really enjoyed searching around the ruins and finding new things. He was surprised that he could actually defend himself on his own. He smirked at the thought of himself so weak and defenseless. Well unless you count dueling, which was really the only thing he was go at, that and flying. He never thought in a million years that he could be doing this and he felt really proud of himself.

Draco found some large pieces of rubble that would be perfect for blocking the gap. He couldn't pick them up and if he tried to carry them one by one, he would never finish until tomorrow because the sun was setting very quickly and he was losing the only light he had. He decided to use his wand to float the rubble back to the front.

With the flick of his wand the rubble slowly floated off the ground and stood in mid air. Draco started walking and the rubble followed. That was another thing that Draco liked about his new self. He is always thinking before he takes action and doesn't rush into anything anymore. He seemed to have gotten smarter the past year. "Maybe I'm even smarter than Hermione." Draco said to himself but then started laughing. Although he may never admit it, he would never be as smart as her.

Draco can back and he didn't see Hermione. He looked outside the ruins, but still no Hermione. "Hermione?" he called but there was no answer. "Hermione!" he called even louder. No answer.

"Oh no!" he cried. "I'm such an idiot. I should have never left her by herself."

"Draco?" Draco spun around. Hermione was standing behind him holding a large platter that was covered in one had and two glasses in another. "You were calling me?" Hermione asked.

"Bloody hell, Hermione. You scared me. I thought death eaters took you." he looked down at the things she was carrying. "What's all this?" he asked.

Hermione smiled for the first time in a while. "I made us something to eat." she said proudly. Draco raised an eyebrow. "With what?" Hermione sat the objects down the rubble they made a seat. "My wand." was her only replied.

Draco looked at the pots that he took out. The snow was completely melted. There were also more pots that held water in them. "These couldn't have melted that fast and some of these pots I didn't take out."

"Guilty again." she said.

"How?" he asked.

"Well, I remembered this spell in a book I was reading and it showed how to conjure up a meal. The only down fall is that it can't be a food that is heated. So, I conjured up some sandwiches. I used your idea for melting snow into water but I knew it would take forever for it to melt so I use a conflagration spell on the pot to melt the snow. I went and got more pots and melted snow in them so that we would have a good amount. I used the drainer to help flitter the water." Hermione said, her voice showing much pride.Draco smirked.

"What?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Oh nothing. Just thinking about something I said earlier and you just proved my point. Don't worry it nothing bad I promise." he added looking at the face Hermione was giving him. "I wouldn't want you not talking to me again."

"And who said I was talking to you again?"

Draco smirked. "Well are you?" Hermione put her index finger on her cheek and looked up as if she were thinking.

"I'll think about. I'm not to sure." and she smiled. Draco shook his head but couldn't help but grin. He turned around to see the rubble still floating behind him. "I just need to close up this gap." he took out his wand and pointed it at the entrance. All of a sudden, the rubble started clutching to the gap, closing it. Within a few minutes the gap was closed except a small opening. "This is to help us see who it is." he told her and she nodded.

Hermione took off the cover and picked up a sandwich. "Here you go." and gave it to Draco.

"Thanks." he said and started eating it. It was really good. Hermione unfolded the blanket and set it down on the ground and took a seat on it. Draco sat next to her.

For a long time they talked to each other, ate sandwiches and drink water. When it got too dark, Draco used his wand and conjured the lumos spell so that they would have light and they kept on talking.
It seemed that no matter how many sandwiches they ate, more came on the platter. Soon they where full.
Draco looked at his watch. "It's already 11 o'clock." He yawned. "I think I did all I could for today. I'm going to bed." He got up. "Oh here. You can take the blanket tonight." Hermione said getting up but Draco shook his head.

"No it's ok. I'm not cold at all." which was a big lie.

Hermione didn't look like she believed him, but she left him alone. He found a spot in the corner and leaned his back against it. Although it wasn't comfortable, he didn't care. He was that tired. Soon, he was fast asleep.

Hermione was in another corner with the blanket and the cloak. She couldn't sleep at all and couldn't help but feel sorry for Draco. She took out her wand. "Lumos!" she whispered and the tip came to life with light. She got up, the blanket in her hand and the cloak around her and she walked over to Draco.

He was sound asleep. "He's so cute when he's sleeping." Hermione thought to herself. She didn't know what came over her but she touched his face. She quickly pulled her hand back. "He's ice cold!" She had to do something or he would freeze to death. Without thinking, she bent down and slid under his arm so that she was leaning on him then she covered them both with the blanket. "Nox!" she whispered and the light at the tip of her wand disappeared.
They where in that position for a while before sleepiness overwhelmed her. Before Hermione could get up, she fell asleep in Draco's arms.


Hermione woke up the next morning, the very little sunlight hitting her face. Hermione closed her eyes again, but suddenly realized where she was sleeping. The two teenagers were in each other's arms; Draco holding her tightly with one arm and Hermione's arm and head was on his chest. Hermione slowly pulled away from him, hoping not to wake him, but it was too late. Draco was up before she was.

Draco smirked, feeling Hermione move away. "G'morning." Draco said. Hermione jumped. "How long have you been up?" she asked. "Longer than you were."

Hermione sat up. "Then how come you didn't move me?" she asked. Draco shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I didn't want to wake you. You looked so comfortable on me I figure that I should let you cherish it for as long as you can. It not very often a girl fall asleep in my arms and I let them. You should feel honored." He said in a joking way.

Hermione rolled her eyes but then started smiling and decided to play along. "Oh yes I should honored. I must be very special." Hermione said and started laughing.

"You're most definitely are." Draco thought to himself.

Hermione laid back down on Draco's chest, which startled him. He gently took a lock of Hermione's hair and put his fingers through it. She moaned slightly in response.

"Hey Hermione?"

"Hmm?" she said telling Draco that she was paying attention.

"When we had our little... err... argument, did you really mean what you said?" Hermione sat up and looked at Draco.

"What do you mean?"

"When you said that you really liked me?"

"Oh that." Hermione laughed nervously. Draco raised an eyebrow, amused by Hermione.

Hermione looked as if she was thinking. "Well... I... w-was... you see... i-it was just in the heat of the mom-" but she was interrupted when Draco gentle grabbed her chin. They stared at each other for a while. Then Draco lifted her chin to his face and he pressed his lips against hers. They separated and Draco smirked. Hermione had her eyes closed and when she opened them, she smiled.

"Was I really suppose to believe that?" Hermione said, mocking what he said before. Draco laughed.

"I just figured that I own you back. I never did return that kiss," he said. Hermione nodded and then smirked. "Well why don't we try it again and this time, we both participate." Hermione said. Draco came closer. "It's only fair." he replied and they started kissing again, this time they both returned the kiss.

At first the kiss was light, but then they started pushing their lips harder on each other. Hermione felt Draco's tongue on her lips, asking to enter and she answered by gladly opening her mouth for his entry.
Hermione felt amazing as Draco's tongue searched every corner of her mouth. He wrapped his arms around her, adding more force to the kiss. Hermione felt her whole body tremble. It was a good thing that they were already on the ground. If they were not Hermione would have more than likely fell. "Aurora was right. He is a good kisser." Hermione thought to herself.

At first Draco was doing all the work, but hen Hermione got use to it and started using her own tongue. "Hmmm." Draco moaned. Hermione couldn't help but smile. She got on top of him, now getting the hang of it.
Draco slowly drove his hand in Hermione shirt in feeling for the strap of her bra to take it off. These made her smile go away. Something was telling her not to do it. She moved her lips away from his.

"Draco I can't." she said. "Why not?" he asked he sat up some and looked at her straight in the eye. She could tell that he was disappointed and he wasn't hiding it at all. "Something just doesn't feel right to me. I dunno maybe it's because you're so experienced and I'm not. I think we should just hold out for a while."

"But Hermione, I-" but he stop talking. "What?" Hermione asked.

In a blink of an eye, Hermione was at the bottom of Draco. "What are y-" but she was cut off she heard a voice yell out a spell. She shrieked when a stunning spell hit Draco and he fell to the side of her, using all his might not to fall on top of her.
Hermione sat up so that she could see who had done it. Her eyes set Lucius who was looking at her in disgust. "Stupefy!" he yelled.

Before Hermione could pull out her wand, Lucius's spell head already hit her, knocking her out.