A/N: Hellooooo! I'm back, a bit later than usual but with quite a long chapter! This one has been one of the hardest but also best to write, so I hope you enjoy it!
JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, and these two wonderful characters.

Last Chapter:

"I still don't know if there's anyone good enough." Hermione agreed contemplatively.

"It seems you are."

I was listening to this song as I wrote this chapter - it gave me a bit of inspiration so I thought I'd show you some of the lyrics, just to get you in the mood!

I breathe in slow to compose myself
But the bleeding heart I left on the shelf
Started speeding round, beating half to death
Cause you're here and you're all mine

So I press my lips down into your neck
And I stay there and I reconnect
Bravery I've been trying to be perfect
It can wait for a while

Scared of hope in my head it's been making me sweat but it turns out
You're here with your head on my chest
I should've guessed

The world will turn and we'll grow, we'll learn how to be
To be incomplete

Incomplete - James Bay

"Hey." Looking up, Draco saw Hermione peering around the edge of the door into his room.

"You can come in." he said. She entered, dressed in a large black t-shirt, the biggest that Draco could find, which came down to her knees.

"Thanks for lending me this. I've almost forgiven you for basically forcing me to stay here." she pursed her lips and smirked playfully.

"I never knew why annoying you was so much fun until now," Draco said, approaching her. "But you're really cute when you try to be angry." he smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead. She pouted when he drew back, but couldn't resist smiling brilliantly after a moment. She perched herself on the edge of his bed as he tidied the room hurriedly.

"You did hate me though, didn't you?" Hermione queried curiously.

"Yeah, I hated you as soon as I met you. You were everything I had told myself was wrong, and the fact you were so happy to be that way killed me." he admitted openly. "You were well-liked, but happy to only have two best friends. You were smart, and unafraid to show it no matter what anyone said. You were so much more than pretty, yet you were never vain or self-absorbed. Everything about you was frustratingly proper." Hermione smiled slightly but said nothing, knowing that he needed the chance to talk.

"Worse than all that, though, was your ability to understand me. You could interpret my mood better than Blaise, and understand my intention whenever I acted. Imagine playing a game of chess when the other person already knows your next move. I couldn't win. The fact you were capable of taking down every wall I had ever put up scared me so much that I turned to hating you. It was a way of distancing myself more than anything, because you intrigued me and I couldn't afford to get close to you – at least that's what I told myself." he reasoned apologetically.

"That explains a lot. I always thought I'd done something to annoy you." Hermione replied, relieved. There was silence briefly, until Draco sighed resolutely.

"I guess I should tell you, shouldn't I?" he mused. He sat down on the bed also, with his back to Hermione. She didn't speak, but leant up against him, waiting.

"You may have noticed the lack of a father in this house." he said bitterly. "That's because he cheated on my mother when I was twelve. The other woman was young and beautiful, I imagine, but probably didn't care for him, only his money. My mother was, and still is, I think, besotted with him, and what he did broke her heart. One day, when she finally confronted him, he lied to her. She told him to leave, of course, but when he did eventually go, he took a part of her with him. I lost both my parents that day, and I'm only just getting bits of my mother back." Draco's hands trembled very slightly and he swallowed, his throat dry. It was a simple thing, talking, but the fear it induced sickened him, despite immediately feeling lighter and happier.

"I'm so sorry, Draco. I - I don't know what to say." the small voice surprised Draco. For a moment he had forgotten Hermione was there, as if he had been talking to the wall in front of him; the pressure of her body on his had begun to feel natural. Now he treasured it, every part of him in contact with her tingling of its own accord. Slowly and cautiously, he reached behind him and edged his hand closer to hers. His little finger brushed across her palm and her hand unclasped, the two sets of fingers interweaving and the palms meeting, like two intricate components of a puzzle, locking together naturally.

"You don't have to say anything, I just need you here." he whispered. She felt him turn behind her, never letting go of her hand, and she twisted her head around towards him. She was met by an embrace, his arms snaking over her shoulders protectively, head buried in her shoulder. She felt him kiss the exposed skin at the base of her neck and shivered involuntarily. He smiled into her shoulder at the reaction and she blushed nervously, looking away. The next moment, her head was moved back towards him by a gentle, warm hand.

Draco's eyes met the chocolatey brown of the girl's, and he smiled. Their copper hue, so close to his face, revealed the warmth behind her returning smile. Her cheeks were still tinted pink as she leant in to him, eyes darting from his lips back to his eyes and finally closing, his eyelids dropping in the same way seconds later. He felt the first tentative touch of her mouth on his, and couldn't help but reciprocate the movement they gave. His hand found itself on her face, the thumb on her cheek and the fingers capturing strands of her hair, while hers, smooth and caring, caressed his neck and rested on his shoulders.

Rapidly, the kiss became more passionate - all inhibitions had vanished, and they were left with a raw hunger for each other. Draco's tongue teased at the girl's lips carefully, never forgetting how special the recipient of the affection was. It was permitted entry soon enough – Hermione couldn't resist humouring him – and their tongues collided. They continued desperately, expending all their breath to stay attached to each other. When they finally broke apart they were breathing deeply, foreheads still touching, small smiles on their faces. Hermione's hand remained on Draco's neck as he dipped down to kiss her again, lovingly and briefly.

"Goodnight Hermione." he backed off the bed, leaving Hermione sunken into the mattress on one side. He was at the light switch in no time, eyes resting on her before he plunged the room into darkness. She shuffled under the covers, yearning for his warmth rather than the warmth that the silky material gave her. She heard him retire to the sofa by the wall, which had been turned into a makeshift bed.

"Goodnight Draco." she whispered into the darkness.

Hermione woke in purer darkness than she had fallen asleep in. She had to wait for the hazy stupidity usually caused by an untimely arousal to pass before she realised what had awoken her. The loud thump a few seconds earlier had broken her out of a blissful slumber, and she looked around (though pointless in the dark) to find the culprit.

"Ow." a male voice moaned groggily.

"Draco? Did – did you just fall out of bed?" Hermione whispered stifling a laugh.

"Oh, it's alright for you, because I, extremely graciously, let you have my bed!" he replied. "I could always make you sleep on the sofa!"

"Tell you what," Hermione yawned. "This is a double bed, we can both fit." she suggested.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable – I was only joking about the sofa, you know." Draco murmured, slightly nervously.

"It's fine Draco. If you're comfortable with it then I am too." she insisted. He slipped in next to her and instantly felt cosier with her heat warming the whole bed. He relaxed and closed his eyes. The breathing next to him had returned to a steady pattern, announcing Hermione's return to dreamland. As Draco himself was slipping away he was barely aware of the cumbersome movement beside him, only realising what was happening when a weight placed itself on his chest. He just managed to lift his arm and wrap it around Hermione without waking her, as she had taken up a rather delicate position over him. One of her arms clasped his t-shirt and her head was situated between his collar bones. He fell asleep contently, sensible of the fact she trusted him fully, and that he had finally trusted her.

Hope you enjoyed that! I'd like to say hello and welcome to the ton of new followers I got last chapter! Please review your thoughts, I really appreciate any comments. Thanks to my regular reviewer 'daswhoiam' for all the lovely feedback and for reviewing on every chapter so far - thank you :) See you all next time x