They resumed their research, an unspoken agreement between them to avoid as much physical contact as possible for the rest of the afternoon.
"I think we're looking at it wrong." Malfoy broke the silence.
"Oh?"
"We've ben focusing too much on the binding, rather than the blood ritual itself."
"You're right." Hermione realised slowly. She brushed the dust off of herself, examining the shelves. "I know I've read about blood alchemy somewhere", her voice trailed off, searching for answers, "when we were in second year maybe?"
"Second year? Damn, you were what, twelve?"
"Yes", she gave him a look, "a twelve-year-old who was awfully curious about blood status given we were being hunted by a giant snake."
Draco grimaced, remembering how Hermione had looked after being petrified in the hospital. He'd snuck in to see her, expecting to laugh at her frozen body with her hand raised, as if she were trying to answer a question in class. Instead, he had fixated on her face, never seeing it this close before. He could only look at her eyes for a moment before bolting.
"I came across the outlines of an experiment somewhere… it was barely mentioned, but I'm sure there was a reference to it…" she started to sort through the books, plucking them out of the shelves, reading them swiftly and slotting them back in.
Her hands stilled over something.
He raised his eyebrows, excitement building.
"Aha!" She exclaimed, hurrying over to him.
Draco leant in as she opened what appeared to be a small book on ancient magic. If she would just let him focus on a page for more than five seconds. Her her smelt like…
"Malfoy. Focus."
"Right." He cleared his throat, smirking.
Hermione sighed, training her eyes to the page. Her skin tingled, impatient for contact, but not as intensely as before. She pushed away the thought that they might have to engage physically with one another to lessen the symptoms.
"There." Draco pointed to a small footnote on one page. "The Cruor were a small sect, known for their sacrificial rituals, where they believed that drinking the blood of a witch of wizard would increase their magic and even result in immortality."
"Gross." She whispered. Malfoy turned the page, finding an illustration of two sun-like spheres joined at the centre, encircled by some kind of ancient runes.
"In 1023," he continued, "Salazar Slytherin recorded his ideas on the Cruor people. He theorised that a witch or wizard may strengthen the ritual by first using a binding, mixing 'pure' with 'impure' blood to create a powerful magical combination." Draco looked down at her, letting the words hang in the air.
Hermione folded her arms, "you don't really think our bloods are actually different do you?"
"No" he snorted, "but it doesn't matter - The Dark Lord clearly got his hands on this experiment and we altered the spell by exchanging our magic."
"What if-" she stuttered, "Malfoy, what if we did something…"
"Different?" He scratched his neck, "it's possible."
She bit her lip for a minute, then got up suddenly, shaking Draco from his concentration. She summoned a pen and parchment. Leaning against the windowsill, she started to scratch a note together.
"What are you doing?"
"Informing Remus." She glanced up. "This is important. We might actually be onto something." She grinned.
Draco felt strangely defensive - she obviously wanted to be rid of this thing as much as he did, no, does. But he saw how they looked at her before they left. They were an unknown and unknowns very quickly became threats.
"Granger, wait. How much detail are you giving?"
"Just what we found, why? What is it?"
"I don't know if I can trust them."
She balked, "they saved your life Malfoy."
"Your life. I just happened to be connected."
"That's not true and you've more than proven yourself since then."
He rolled his eyes as he saw her obstinacy set in and knew there was no point pushing the subject. Secretly, he made sure to keep a close eye on this 'Order'. Self preservation, he reasoned with himself.
He watched from a distance as Hermione dropped the letter into the fire. It flashed purple before disappearing. After a little while Remus's head appeared in the embers. He mumbled something that made her smile and nod repeatedly, like some giddy first year. When he vanished she looked down and he felt a tinge of her sadness settle in his stomach.
The sun had set outside and it was quiet again.
Draco pushed off the balcony and strode into the bedroom. He looked at his makeshift bed next to hers, shaking the memories of her sprawled out on the floor beneath him from his mind. Merlin, he needed a shower.
He turned the taps so steam filled the room and leant his head against the marble wall, breathing in as the hot water trickled over him. His dark mark glared grimly, an awful contrast to his pearlescent skin. He smudged it, as if it might come off like ink.
Hermione hugged herself by the fire. There was nothing more they could do today, definitely no more of that. She practically shook the memories off her and resolved to go straight to bed. She would ignore him and get some much needed sleep. Then they would start it all again tomorrow, this time with greater purpose.
She opened the door to the bedroom slowly, peering to see where he was. She heard the sound of the shower and released a breath she was holding onto. Quickly, she transfigured into her pyjamas and slipped under the covers, screwing her eyes shut and willing sleep to come.
After a while, she heard the water stop and the rustle of his footsteps.
He settled next to her on his mattress, crossing his arms behind his head. "I know you're awake Granger."
Reluctantly, she rolled over to face him, propping the covers underneath her chin. Draco placed one arm underneath his head, looking up at her.
His eyes darted around her face.
"What do you think is happening to us?" She mumbled, shuffling closer.
He took a deep breath, "I think we feel compelled to… be close."
She tried to read his expression, "is that why you kissed me?"
"Is that why you kissed me?" He threw the question back at her.
"I- I'm not sure. Maybe." No she thought.
Draco nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"Do you want it to happen again?" She asked tentatively, her voice barely audible in the darkness.
He went very still and Hermione suddenly felt incredibly stupid for asking something so intimate.
"Truthfully Granger, it's… painful to be around you."
"Oh." She rolled over, hiding her disappointment. "Of course."
"Not like that." He replied quickly.
Hermione heard the blood pumping in her ears.
"I'm resisting," he took another breath, "these new impulses."
"What if you didn't have to?"
Malfoy propped himself up. "You don't have to do that Granger. I meant what I said when I thought we should take whatever this is slowly."
"Well, we could just try to act instinctively? It might strengthen our magic as well."
"So that's what this is about." He snapped.
"No, that's not-"
He sat up, his arms crossed over his knees.
"Malfoy-"
He threw back his covers, striding to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere."
"Wait." She called after him.
He stalled, one arm clenching the door frame.
"I'm sorry. This- it came out wrong. Please."
He looked down at her, so much hope on her face.
Hermione hesitated at her bed, bunching her hair into a bun, then letting it drop around her shoulders. "Would you stay with me?"
His head snapped around, his arms limp at his sides.
She crossed her arms, hugging herself slightly. "It's…hard for me too."
Hermione avoided his eyes, climbing into bed, making space for him. He hesitated at the door, then sighed, slipping under the covers, poised to carefully avoid touching her.
She brushed the back of her hand against his. His fingers twitched. She leant her head against his arm.
"Oh for Merlin's sake Granger" he groaned, pulling her into him, making her magic hum with satisfaction.
Draco lightly stroked her back, letting himself relax. Having her close felt like slipping into a warm bath and if his magic were any kind of creature, he was sure it was currently acting like some content house cat, all curled up and purring incessantly. He rolled his eyes. Whatever it was, it felt peaceful, something he was still adjusting to. He adjusted himself, pulling the covers around them both. It struck him how vulnerable she was in this moment - he could easily wrap his hands around her neck. Would she let him?
Hermione listened to his heart beat flutter.
He bent his head, smelling the top of her hair. Firewood and honey.
She wrapped her arm around his side and felt him tense. His body responded for him.
"Sorry."
"It's ok." She rolled away from him and tucked the cover under her arm, yawning. "We should probably get some rest."
"Yeah." He scraped his hair back from his face, shifting so he'd turned his back on her. "Goodnight Granger."
"Goodnight Malfoy." She smiled.