Chapter 7 - Through Me

Draco stood in the door frame, his eyes meeting Hermione's with his name being spoken. On his face, his lips formed a soft smile only she could make out, but the rest of the room found his expression to be blank and almost in his known nastiness.

"Draco?" Hermione repeated softly, losing his eyes to focus upon the others.

Harry may have been courageous and daring, but it was forgotten in these moments when he, of all people, could not stand to speak against one of the persons he most hated. The room flooded with true silence, but stares were deafening.

Luna stood first to speak, "Hello, Draco Malfoy."

Draco had leaned onto the woodwork, nodding his head to the thin, blonde girl.

Ginny decided to stand - applying her self between Hermione and Luna - the three women standing together, the Gryffindor boys continuing to secretly stare at the platinum blonde man. Ginny decided not to open her mouth, instead, she also nodded.

Harry's eyes fell to the floor, taking a deep breath in, "Malfoy."

Draco's gaze also fell, smiling at the frame he propped himself up with. "Harry Potter has decided to actually greet me? I think the world has turned upside-down."

The boy-who-lived shot his eyes back to the man, showing obvious anger, "I'm only trying to be nice, Malfoy!" His voice grew small decibels louder. "Who knows why you are here! Who knows if you are really just an ear for Voldemort and your friends!" He had attracted Draco's hateful expression once more.

"Have a problem, Potter?" his gray eyes seeming to carry flames, "I am not here to fight with you." He looked at Hermione, his expression loosening, "I am here to help the Order, as deceased as it may be already." He kept his voice low, not raising it like Harry's.

Harry shot onto his legs, his posture showing just as much anger, "the ORDER is doing just bloody fine WITHOUT you, ferret boy!" He drew his wand from his pocket, aiming it directly at Draco.

"Harry! No!"

Harry realized his best friend had jumped to his target in a flash, his eyes calming quickly.

"Hermione. Don't."

She felt a hand gently placed on her shoulder, her breath hitching and holding within her chest.

"Yes, Hermione, listen to the death eater! Don't protect-"

"Shut. Up." Harry nearly dropped his wand when he heard his own girlfriend say those two words. "Shut up, Harry James Potter!" Her eyes snapped to him now, "leave her and Draco alone. They are not doing anything to hurt you, and yet you are sending bombs of words straight at them! Grow up!" Ginny definitely stood to face her long-time crush and now - boyfriend.

Harry could obviously not say anything, instead, he shoved his wand into his pocket angrily and turned away to stare at the fire upon the aluminum tray.

Ron continued to sit against the wall, not saying one word. He did not even seem to be in the same reality as everyone in the room.

Draco's hand slid from Hermione's shoulder, slowly down her back and to her hand secretly. He stepped backward, pulling her hand ever-so-gently into the hallway and walking to their previous room. He closed the door.

"Well, that was fun."

Hermione held her temple, walking to the bed and allowing herself to immediately flop onto it, legs dangling to the floor. Draco sat next to her, finally looking at a very weak woman he had seen for years.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, not moving.

"Don't apologize, Hermione." He placed his closest hand on her belly, caressing slightly with his thumb over her silted shirt. "Just because he has been your friend for years doesn't mean you have to take responsibility for all his disgusting words."

She allowed her hand to drop onto the bed, becoming as defenseless as possible. "It's not that I take their blame, it's more like I blame myself for the way they are."

He laid on his side, next to her so he could stare into her eyes and face, "they are not your fault, your problem, or your children. You have always been the smartest of the 'Golden Trio', and you will always be smarter than them." He grabbed her hand, holding it to his chest, "you will always be BETTER than them. You are smart, talented, courageous, strong," her eyes finally met his, tears being noticed, "you are also very-" his face lowered to hers as he approached the last word, "beautiful."

As he seemed to control their oral embracing, she gently lifted her weakened arms and snaked them around his neck. Rather than pulling away, he did just the opposite, nearly falling onto her. A small, light moan escaped her throat, but neither of them wanted to pull away from what was there now. And as it deepened, all she could think was how much she wanted him... and what exactly he was thinking. His hands had found their way underneath her backside, cradling her upper body and head so he could sit them both up but continue their current re-discovery. When his hands found her bare back, she did pull away slightly, just enough so she could breathe and speak.

"Draco," she looked into each eye, back and forth, "I can't let you touch me yet, I need to shower and-"

He smiled his entrancing lips, almost making her want to stop breathing and falling into him. Standing, he took her hand and led her into the hallway to the bathroom.

Closing the door behind him, he turned to find Hermione with an unusual face, especially for her. Her expression showed curiosity, some nervousness, and severe want. She could not find the words or the strength to say anything.

"What's the matter, Granger?" He asked, taking that last step to meet his chest to hers, his feet on the outside of hers. "Hm?" His hand found it's way quickly to the side of her face over the jawbone, forcing her body to respond to his touch by closing her eyes and shivering.

"I-" She breathed, "What are you doing?"

Her eyes opened half-way, noticeably dazed. She still noticed his smile while caressing her cheek, "Getting closer to you."

Hermione shivered again at his touch, nearly losing her balance and falling backwards before his hands caught her upper arms. She opened her mouth, not revealing anything for so many moments, but finally she said almost silently, "I don't think there is a way to get any closer, Draco." Her arms found his waist, clinging to his clothing in fistfuls. "You've already got me so locked I can't breathe, I can't concentrate with your touch, I can't even think about anything but-"

She was cut off with his mouth on hers; she felt his hands slipping underneath her shirt and gently lifting, her breath quickening as it did days before. His lips left hers, the rolled bottom of her shirt now being held beneath her breast-line. "Are you scared, Hermione?" Her face seemed more relaxed than moments before, "please tell me the truth."

"No," she whispered, her hands covering his and following as he pulled it over her head, hair flopping back into place.

Next he slipped her skirt to the floor, helping her to step over the remains and revealing a matching set of black laced underwear. His eyes triggered her face to fill with pink, her arms trying to cover whatever they could before he caught her wrists, "don't hide, Hermione. There is no need to, I will not hurt you."

He pulled her arms around his neck once more, unbuttoning his own pants and leaving them next to her discarded clothing. Lowering her hands to top button of his shirt, she immediately understood and begin to unbutton the line of satin circles downward. When his chest was in the open, he leaned to the faucet and turned the bar to a warm-enough temperature, returning to his stance and realizing her hands softly falling down his chest.

As she continued to, his head fell slowly to her neck, trailing kisses starting from the crook of her neck downward to her collar bone and valley between her breasts, but stopping at the black barrier.

"Merlin, 'Mione..." he whispered into her hair, pulling away slowly but his hands traveling to her mid-back.

Hermione met his eyes with hers, "What did you just call me?"

"'Mione?"

She immediately smiles, meeting her hands with his face and locking lips with him once more, more energetic this time. He snapped her bra, allowing it to loosen in her front and fall down her arms, causing her to pull away and nearly slam her the side of her head into his chest.

"Don't be scared," his hands traced her back, "you said you weren't."

She continued to cling to him, "it''s not you... it's just..."

"Just what?"

"I've just never done anything like this... with anyone... except you for the past few days..." She clung tighter for seconds, "but this is farther."

"I'm not breaking you today, Hermione, so don't worry about it," he slid his long fingers through her full hair.

"Even if that does not happen today, you still haven't seen me without-"

He looked at her questioningly, "no, but I've felt you a little, and you've seen me bare."

Hermione lifted her head and found his face, "I know, but it's different to be seen..."

Draco kissed her forehead, and returned his eyes to her, "do you trust me, Hermione Granger?"

Only taking a few moments, she nodded and gently replied, "of course."

And with that, he allowed a small space between them, quickly pulling the rest of the top undergarment away, and gently tugging the most personal small clothing to her knees. Trying to hint to her that no help was needed, he lowered himself by sinking down to his knees, becoming level with her most precious area, but not looking to it and pulling the black lace to the floor.

Hermione could no longer stand alone, so she fell backward meeting the tiled wall. With this, she felt lips slightly plant a kiss on the mount above her entrance, causing her to gasp quite loudly as he stood back up again.

Her eyes were now filled with almost only want and need; he smiled, "you seem to be concentrating on something," he lowered his mouth to her ear, "but if you need something, you have to tell me what it is... can't read minds, Hermione."

She looked at him quickly, "you most certainly do know what I-"

He bit her lower lip and pulled away, "nope, no idea!"

"But-"

"Say it, 'Mione."

It took her moments to build up the courage, but finally another slow whisper erupted, "I want you," he hand found his cheek, "so badly."

He kissed her forehead once again, "that wasn't that hard, was it?"

She shot him a slightly agitated gaze, causing him to laugh.

He lowered her hands to his last undergarment, signaling her to discard of them, "I want you, too, but we can't do it here. This is not the place for that kind of memory." As her hand continues to stay in the same place around his elastic seam to the boxers, his laid atop of hers to slide them slowly, allowing his private areas to roam free, also.

And as the men's underwear was thrown into the pile of clothing, Draco re-found her hand and pulled her gently into the shower, water falling over the two with soapy bubbles.