Sitting in front of the fire in the head boy and girls common room, Hermione tried to make sense of what she had found out. Draco watched her intently as she chewed her bottom lip, staring into the flames.

"What I can't work out if why here, why this timeline?" she murmured.

"I think it has something to do with Snape" Draco told her, averting her eyes as she whipped her head round to face him.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, furrowing her brow with confusion.

"Because of the way he feels about Lily"

Hermione screwed up her face. "But what has that got to do with us?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

Draco sighed, still refusing to meet her gaze. "The spell says we are to become lovers. He was in love with her"

Hermione shook her head "But that's ridiculous, you aren't in love with me"

He let out a low chuckle, a smirk forming on his lips "Are you really that oblivious, I thought you were the 'Brightest Witch of Our Age'?" he muttered sarcastically.

Hermione's eyes widened "I…..don't…..what?"

Turning to face her, his hand coming up to her chin, she suddenly realised how close they were sitting on the floor.

"But any time we touch you flinch" she whispered.

"Any time we touch I feel tingling course through my veins. You make me feel weak and vulnerable and on fire, Granger" he whispered, pulling her chin until her lips were a hair's breadth from his own. His confession hung in the air between them.

She leant into him, her lips grazing his and she let out a little sigh. His hands came into her hair as he deepened the kiss and she moaned into his mouth. Losing her senses they were soon divested of their clothes, a tangle of limbs, sighing and groaning in the light of the fire. Her body felt on fire as he plunged into her molten core, drinking him in. He surged forward, encouraged by her keening cries until with a flash of white behind his eyes he found his release.

Something passed between them as they looked into each other's eyes and his whole world shifted. He knew then what he had to do. For her sake he would turn himself into the Order and not carry out the deed the Dark Lord had ordered him to perform. He knew the window of opportunity would be limited but Granger would fight for him as fiercely as she had fought for her friends. She cupped his cheek and he took hold of her wrist, kissing the inside. They lay curled together before drifting off to sleep.

White light burned until he opened his eyes and he reached instinctively for Hermione. Opening his eyes he found himself alone on the floor. He called out for her and received no answer. Panicked now he pulled on his clothes, searching the room before stepping out into the corridor. Recognising passing faces, he stumbled back, shocked, realisation dawning.

Returning to the room, he searched for a sign and found none save the diary, open on the floor, six words written across the page, causing his heart to flutter in his chest:

Trust Hermione, she will save you.

He knew no matter what, there would be no turning back. He would find her, he would tell her and she would save him.

FIN