Chapter 16: Draco's Point of View

The wolves are only the beginning.

It has been about a day since the attack from the wolves, and Draco has only started healing from his wounds. They've been walking throughout the forest non-stop, not taking a rest in between different times. Hermione had kept going and going, until she had stumbled upon something very interesting on the ground, and she is investigating it.

"What is it? If it's another giant flobberworm again-" Draco says irritably. The last time they had had an encounter with a creature it was a gigantic earthworm trying to cut Draco's head off.

"I don't know. Remember what I'd said back at the cabin? Silver and cracewood. Look what I found."

She gets up with something glinting in her hands. It is a long plate of pure silver, dented at the sides. "You don't think someone's trying to destroy all the living cracewood?" He asks.

Hermione shakes her head. "I think they're trying to find it. Cracewood attracts Silver, but it is also very harmful to it. Someone has been trying to locate it with Silver. It makes sense."

"Yeah, well, who could that be? There's no other students from the castle, we've already checked that-"

"No. There are ways to reverse protection charms. And ways to detect humans. We haven't found anyone, but who knows how powerful the witch or wizard could be?"

Draco looks away. There is one possibility-

No. His father isn't that stupid-He wouldn't go into a forest just for a herb, who would?

Then again, Draco did. There isn't much of a difference.

"Come on. I've got a feeling we're near a cave." Hermione beckons him after her. She pushes away a couple of vines and gasps. Draco turns his gaze to what she is looking at, and he gasps himself.

There, is a waterfall, with sparkling blue water and crystal clear waves. It is beautiful. And then, he sees the cave.

"You were right, Hermione," he breathes.

Hermione smiles faintly. "Always the tone of surprise."

With that, he pulls her to him, and she gives a small noise of surprise as his arms wrap around her. He buries his face in her hair, which smells like vanilla and lavender-

"Thank you, Draco," she mumbles into his shoulder.

Draco pulls away to study her. "What for?"

"For believing in me. And yourself."

Draco laughs weakly. "Thank you, Hermione. For showing me a way of hope and having faith in me."

Hermione looks up and smiles at him. "Shall we go?"

"Not just yet," he says, locking her in his circle of arms again. The corners of her mouth curl and she looks down at her feet. "What is it?"

"Kiss me."

"What? Why?" She sputters.

"Because I asked you to," he leans in, and he can feel her breathing on his face. Her eyes sparkle, golden brown shining like chips of gold.

"I have never heard of a man asking a woman to kiss him. It is merely the opposite."

"Oh? Well now you've heard of it. Just once?"

Hermione snorts. "Don't give me those puppy eyes. It doesn't make it better."

"Hasn't it always been better?" He asks shyly, trying to hide his grin.

"Dear, Draco, are you flirting with me?"

"Oh, no, this is just an expression of affection," he says, trying to suppress a laugh.

Hermione tilts her head and looks at him. Up close he can see the tiny little freckles across her nose, and the curve and angle of her pink cheeks, her hair shaping her tiny face.

"Fine."

Draco snaps himself out of his reverie. "Really?" Because I'd never expected you to say yes, I mean, after the fight we had last night, and how I'd yelled at you-"

Hermione grabs the collar of his shirt and yanks his face closer to her own. "I forgave you for all that. A long time ago. Honestly, I don't think I can stay longer than a day not talking or looking at you. Pretty hard."

Draco smirks. "And that I'm the only attractive thing there is for you to look at."

Hermione smiles. "Yes, and that as well."

"Well, actually it depends on how attractive you think I am," he says.

"How attractive do you think I think you are?"
He blinks stupidly. "You confuse me."

"It was obviously meant to confuse you."

"Don't 'obvious' me. I'm all about obvious."

Hermione puts a palm to his cheek. "We're both obvious," she whispers, a tiny playful smile dancing across her lips. And with that, she leans closer, their faces only centimeters away. He can just randomly grab her and kiss her, but he wants it to be her this time. He wants to feel her lips on his own, not his against hers.

She closes her eyes and presses her lips against his.

Her mouth is just as he had remembered it from the Room of Requirement; soft, gentle, thorough. He slides his fingers into her hair and stay there. Her arms wind themselves around his neck as he uses more pressure against her, and he can feel her shaking.

She pulls away reluctantly. "Happy?"

"I'm delighted," Draco says as she drops her arms awkwardly by her sides. "Shall we continue now?"

"Of course."

"Okay. I was thinking you might want some more-"

Hermione shoves him away. "Come on. We don't have much time."

Draco laughs and Hermione shoots him a glare and it transforms into clearing his throat. "Right. We're here."