Chapter 5 - The Morning After and Declarations

Hermione woke up in the morning and as her eyes opened she struggled to get her bearings. She wasn't in her room, and she wasn't alone. There were two arms wrapped around her and she was curled into someone's chest.

She moved her head slightly and saw Draco's face. He looked peaceful and content.

The memory of last night returned, and she remembered sitting on the balcony, she must have fallen asleep cause she remembers Draco carrying her into his room. And then she remembered asking him to stay.

Oh my God she thought as her face flushed, I asked him to stay. What's he going to think? Why did he stay?

Her mind was going a mile a minute, when she heard Draco stir. She gently laid her head back down and played dead.

Draco opened his eyes and saw a bushy head of hair lying on his chest. He took a deep breath, and remembered the night before when he had fallen asleep with Hermione in his arms, and she was still there.

Draco didn't move, he didn't want to wake Hermione. He liked being this close to her, and he'd had the best night's sleep he could ever remember and he was sure it was because she was in his arms.

Hermione realised that Draco wasn't moving, so using some of her Griffidor courage Hermione moved her head to look up at him. She saw that he was staring down at her.

"Morning" he said with a smile.

"Morning" she replied a little hesitantly.

Draco could sense that Hermione was nervous.

"How about I make breakfast", he suggested

Hermione smiled as she moved herself slightly away from him.

Draco got out of bed, and left the room, heading for the kitchen.

As soon as he left Hermione pulled the covers over her head and groaned. What was she doing? She had asked him to stay and obviously spend the night asleep in his arms. How did she end up in his arms? Why didn't she move? Why didn't he move?

Her mind was racing and the one thing that she kept coming back to was how safe and secure she felt in his arms. During the time she had played dead she had realised she didn't feel uncomfortable like she thought she should. But then they were friends now, this wasn't Draco her enemy, so why should she feel uncomfortable?

Friends. That was the word Hermione always came back to. Friends. It's what they were, and that fact in itself was a miracle.

"Are you ever getting up"

The voice made her jump, and she pulled the covers down from over her face to see Draco leaning against the door frame looking at her with a smile on his face, and a cup of coffee in his hand.

He walked over and placed the coffee on the nightstand next to the bed, before walking to the chest of draws and pulling out a t-shirt, which he threw on the bed next to her.

"In case you want to get changed" he said matter of factly, before heading back to the door, "oh and breakfast will be ready in a few minutes" he said as he exited.

Hermione looked at the shirt, and then down at herself. She was still in her top from last night. Grabbing her jeans and Draco's t-shirt she headed into the bathroom.

After freshening up and shrinking his t-shirt to fit her Hermione picked up her coffee and headed for the kitchen. She was amazed to see breakfast set out on the balcony, where they had been last night. There was juice, toast, fruit, and coffee.

Draco smiled as he saw her coming.

"Dig in, I'll just freshen up" he said, before heading into the room she had just left.

Hermione walked out onto the balcony, sat down and helped herself to a piece of toast. She looked out at the view and smiled. It was a beautiful day and the beach was already packed with surfers and families.

Draco appeared in a t-shirt and shorts, and joined her on the balcony. They ate in silence, stealing glances at one another, each wondering what the other was thinking, and what to say about the night before.

After they had finished eating, Draco broke the silence

"Hermione, about last night" he started

"Um, don't worry about it, I'm sorry" she said, interrupting him

"Why are you sorry?" Draco asked, unsure of why she felt she had to apologise

"Well I shouldn't have stayed so long, and been in a fit enough state to go home, and well I took over your bed, and if I overstepped any boundaries I'm sorry for that too. I know we're only friends."

It took Draco a second to comprehend what she was saying. She was apologising for spending the night in his bed, and for letting him hold her while he slept. He looked at her and he could see the tiniest glimpse of fear in her eyes. She was expecting him to tell her that they were just friends, that it was just a one off that he did not want to happen again.

Draco got up from his seat and walked over to Hermione and took her hands in his and pulled her up. He walked her to the edge of the balcony and turned her to look out at the view and the beach below. He stood behind her, with his arms wrapped around her, still holding her hands.

Hermione's heart had started beating the minute he had taken her hands. She was scared and unsure about being so close to him, she didn't want to admit how she felt when he touched her.

"See that family down there" he whispered in her ear, close enough for her to feel his breath, as he raised a hand to point to a family playing on the beach, "I want that, and I want it with you".

Hermione froze, he wanted her. She turned in his arms and looked at him. He was staring at her with complete and utter adoration. He raised his hands to cup her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb, before moving one hand to her hair and the other to her waist.

"But.." she started as Draco leaned in and kissed her.

The kiss started slow and gentle, and after a few seconds Hermione kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck.

Breaking the kiss when the need for air became too much, Draco looked at Hermione and said "I want you to be mine. I love you."

Hermione heard the words, and she didn't know what to do. Did she feel them too? She had to admit that last night in his arms and that kiss left her feeling things she had never felt before. Could she let him love her? Did he mean those words?

Draco lent in and kissed her again. He could see that she was analysing everything and for once he wanted her to just stop thinking and feel something.

Again breaking for air, Draco took Hermione's hand and led her back into the apartment.

They kissed again, this time with more passion, and using their hands to explore each other's bodies. Draco kissed Hermione's neck and pulled her hair out of its ponytail, before gently pushing her backwards onto the sofa.

"God you're beautiful" he said "How did I not notice you sooner?" he asked before leaning into kiss her neck and collarbone again.

Hermione froze when she heard those words. Why didn't he notice her sooner? Why now? All of a sudden her self doubt was back. He didn't notice her earlier because she was bookworm Granger. She wasn't beautiful, not to someone like him.

Draco was kissing his way back to her mouth, when Hermione moved, causing him to stop. He looked at her and could see the conflict in her eyes.

"Talk to me" he said softly "I don't want to push you, I just..."

"I'm sorry" she said, before pushing him up, jumping up and apparating away, leaving Draco sitting on his sofa completely confused.

AN: Ok so it's probably not the ending you wanted, but I wanted there to be more too it and for everyone to hear Hermione's side of the story, which is coming next chapter.

Pls review :)