Author's Note: There was something different about Chapter 42. It wasn't exactly obvious or extremely important, I guess, but I'm sad that no one noticed! Then again, maybe the people who caught it didn't choose to review, or didn't think it worth mentioning in a review…

But anyway, I like this chapter (: I hope you guys do, too!

Chapter 43

I relax my grip on the edges of the basin, relieved.

I can't believe she left, just like that. Doesn't she know that I can't protect her if she rushes headlong into fights? Fuck! But of course, even if she does know, she probably doesn't care. She wouldn't want my protection anyway.

I have no idea where she is—I can't see anything in her surroundings other than people. She's with Blaise, Potter, and a few Weasleys. I see bodies levitated around them, probably placed on flat surfaces. I can tell that they must be in a safe place; otherwise, they wouldn't be speaking so calmly. And since I can't see anything that would give away their location, the place must be under the Fidelius Charm.

I wrap my fist around the charm again. I've already told her to come back once, but she hasn't responded. I did see her check the message I sent, so she's deliberately not choosing not to come back to me. But she doesn't even have a reason to come back. Why should I expect her to? She has no obligation to stay here.

All I want is for her to be safe. Is that too much to ask?

Maybe it's better if she doesn't come back. How was I supposed to know she was only pretending to be asleep? Fuck. I've been avoiding her for the past few days, knowing that if I spend enough time alone with her, she'll ask. I should have had more self-control. Touching her face is maybe excusable, but kissing her forehead? I'm so stupid.

Then there's a light pop behind me, and I quickly wave my hand over the basin, Vanishing the water inside.

"What is that?" she asks, walking around the couch.

"Nothing," I reply.

I get to my feet but avoid her eyes.

"Draco, I—"

"Wait just a minute, Granger. That's the second time tonight that you've called me by my first name. Why?"

She looks confused. "I didn't…" her voice fades.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"What do you mean? You asked me to come back."

I stare at her for a long minute.

"All right, so I have to ask a favor from you," she says. "And is it so horrible that I'm calling you Draco? I thought you said we should try to be friends."

I'm just not fucking used to it. Hearing my name coming out of her mouth… makes it seem as though we're a lot closer than we really are.

"What favor?" I ask.

"Can Harry, Ron, Blaise and Ginny come here, to stay?"

Aw, hell. "Why?"

"The Death Eaters took Grimmauld Place and two of our other safe houses tonight. We're really overcrowded at the moment, and—"

"And you want to make my place a new safe house." Fuck, no.

"Just for Blaise, Harry, Ron, Ginny and me. You won't have to let anyone else in."

I consider it. I can't exactly keep Blaise, Potter or the weasel out of my house—they've been inside already, and since I didn't place any extra wards on this cottage, they can return. I don't want to let them stay in my home. But something tells me that Granger won't stay here unless her friends are here as well, especially now that she's well enough to come and go as she pleases.

"I already took those three here before," I say. "They're technically able to come. I won't stop them. Why Ginny Weasley?"

"Because Harry won't come without her."

"And it'd be such a shame not to have the great Harry Potter living in my house."

She sighs. "Ginny's really hurt, and you said it yourself. You have extra resources, and we don't have any to spare. Could you just—"

"It's enough that I'm letting one weasel stay here. Why should I let both of them?"

"Please, Draco. She's one of my best friends."

"She can stay wherever she is now—she's safe there, isn't she?"

"I'm serious. Can she stay here? Please?"

"Oh, well since you asked so nicely," I say sarcastically.

She sighs.

Goddamn it! I can't fucking bear to see her upset. I try to stop myself, but the words come out anyway.

"Fine, I'll bring her here," I grumble.

Her face lights up, and she runs around the coffee table to give me a hug. Bloody fucking hell.

When her arms come around me, I struggle with myself for a moment. I want more than anything to wrap my arms around her and never let go.

No.

I push her away before I can lose control and move to the opposite end of the room. I glance up and see a look of disappointment on her face, but I pretend not to notice and turn away from her.

"Draco—"

Stop saying my name! Fuck!

"—before the others come," she continues, "we really need to talk."

I don't turn to face her. "About what?"

I hear her coming closer, but she doesn't reply. Then she walks around in front of me, and I start turning away again. I can't look at her face.

But she braces her hand on my shoulder. Her touch is light, but it's enough to stop me. She dips her head down, trying to make me look at her, but I keep my gaze on the ground.

"Draco, don't hide from me," she says quietly.

I steel myself and look into her eyes. My voice nearly fails me. She's so, so close to me.

"What do you want?" I manage to ask.

"I want you to be honest with me," she says. "I want you to tell me… what this is."

I know what she's asking, but how can I be honest? I'm fairly certain it'll change everything.

I grin at her. "It's a shoulder, Granger. Surely your knowledge of human anatomy hasn't regressed that much."

The hand that's barely resting on my shoulder leaves it for a second to punch me, and I chuckle.

"I'm being very serious, Draco," she says. "Everything that you've done for me… there has to be a reason. I'm sick of throwing the idea back and forth in my head, so please, just tell me. Do you…"

She pauses to take a deep breath before asking her question.

"Do you have feelings for me?"

The moment's here. Fuck. I've thought a lot about what to say to her, but I've never actually come up with anything that sounded satisfactory.

I hold her gaze and say in a soft voice, "Do you want me to have feelings for you?"

She stares up at me. I've surprised her with my answer. Is that good or bad? She opens her mouth just slightly, as though she's about to speak, but no sound comes out.

My eyes fall on her small, pink lips, and I can't help but recall the distinct flavor of her mouth and the feelings that our first kiss created in me. I wet my lips.

This is a terrible, terrible idea.

I bend my head down and press my lips to hers, shutting my eyes. She immediately stiffens, and regret fills me. I start to step back, but in the same moment, she melts into me, and it becomes impossible for me to let her go.

Sparks fly through my body as she takes a step forward, lifting herself up on her toes so that I don't have to bend down as far. Her hands circle around to grip the back of my neck, anchoring us together, and I draw her in closer, slipping my tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth. She tastes even better than I'd remembered.

Too soon, my brain turns back on, and I start to pull my head back. She catches my lower lip between her teeth and tugs. I can't hold back the desperate growl that rips out of my throat in response.

Fuuuck.

She releases my lip, and I lean my forehead against hers, eyes closed, chest heaving.

I tell myself I should let go of her, but my arms continue to clutch her to my chest, selfishly refusing to give her up.

It's quiet for a long moment, silent except for our heavy breathing.

"Did that answer your question?" I finally ask.

When she doesn't respond, I crack an eye open and see that hers are still shut.

A small pop alerts us to someone's arrival, and we spring apart. I immediately run a hand through my hair, messing it up some more to make it less obvious that she was just twisting her fingers in it. I feel extremely incomplete, as though Granger stole a piece of me when we separated.

Weasley's standing on the other side of the room, looking at us suspiciously.

Fuck. I hope he didn't see anything.

"What's taking so long?" he asks.

Then Potter appears. "Ron, I told you that I would come," he says.

"Well, since you're both here, stay. If you want your darling Ginny to stay here, I'll have to bring her myself," I say.

I risk a glance at Granger and see that her lips look slightly swollen. But maybe I'm only imagining it because I know what we just did. It can't be that obvious to Potter and Weasley, can it? Fuck.

"But… we can't tell you where she is," Potter says.

"Then that's your problem, isn't it?"

"We can take her to a different place that's safe, just for a moment, so Dr—Malfoy can go pick her up," Granger suggests.

"Spinner's End, Snape's old home," I say. "You know where it is. Bring her there in a few minutes. I can meet you—one of you."

"How do you know there won't be Death Eaters waiting there?" Potter asks.

"It's my property—I'm his godson. He left it to me in his will. If anyone's there without my permission, I'll know as soon as they've crossed the wards," I explain.

Potter nods. "I'll go back and tell Blaise to come, and then I'll meet you there."

"Harry, you shouldn't risk it," Granger says. "I'll take Ginny."

"But you only just recovered—" Potter begins to protest.

"If there really is someone waiting at Spinner's End, we can't afford to lose you. I'm going," Granger reasons.

Weasley speaks up. "Hermione, I could—"

"I don't trust you where Malfoy is concerned," Granger says.

"I agree," Potter says before Weasley can argue. "You two shouldn't be left alone."

"Hey, I'm on my best behavior," I say, smirking. "If we have a problem, it won't come from me."

Weasley glares at me but doesn't respond. Either he's finally learned that it's better to hold his temper around me, or he's too thick to come up with a snarky rejoinder. I'm inclined to think it's the latter.

"The less time we spend out in the open, the better," Granger says, interrupting my musings. "I'll send Blaise here, and that'll be your cue to go to Spinner's End."

I nod. "See you there."

"Bye."

Granger Disapparates, leaving me with the two golden boys.

I glance sideways at Weasley, but he's not paying attention. I wonder if he saw us. Most likely, he didn't see a thing—I'm almost positive that he would have overreacted hugely if he did. But honestly, I don't know that much about the guy, and who knows? Maybe he has finally grown a few brain cells and learned to keep calm.

"There's only one bedroom here, isn't there?" Potter asks.

"Yeah, how are we going to fit?" Weasley asks.

I shake my head. "Are you two wizards or not?"

I lift my wand and perform an Undetectable Extension Charm on the living room, drawing it out until it looks about right. Then I throw up a wall to cut off the empty space and fashion a door in the new wall.

"I trust you two can handle your own furniture?" I say.

Potter and Weasley exchange glances before heading into the new guest room.

I pace back and forth in front of the coffee table for a minute, unable to stop thinking about the kiss. My lips are still tingling, and her taste still lingers on my tongue.

Finally, Blaise appears.

"Go ahead and get set up in the room over there," I say, pointing to the new door. "I'll be right back."

He nods and exits the living room—Granger must have explained to him why I have to go as soon as he arrives.

I lift my wand and Disapparate.