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Chapter 8-
Hermione let a choked sob out as she heard the upstairs bedroom door slam. She had never felt so wretched in her life. She had never in the world wanted to hurt Ron. She loved him so much but her feelings had migrated from crush to more of a brotherly feeling. What the hell was wrong with her? Everything had felt so right before or had it just all been in her head from all the years of their devotion to Harry and the cause? She didn't know anymore and that scared her. She no longer felt like the same Hermione. Everything she thought she understood seemed like a flash of light she had only glimpsed at in a split second only leaving her more confused. She sniffed back her tears and sat up straight in her seat. She did what was right. She told him the truth and whether it had hurt or not, it had to be done. It wouldn't be fair to Ron for her to string him along for years because everyone expected them to be together. He deserved someone who would love him unconditionally and not just because they were expected to. He deserved better. She stood up trying to abate her tears and straightened her jacket. Best not to say goodbye, everyone would eventually understand her spontaneous departure. He needed time to mourn what he thought was a undying romantic relationship with her. She could only hope that someday he would be able to talk to her and be her friend again. She knew nothing would ever be the same but how could it be, she wasn't the same. War does that to people, seeing things in a different light does too.
Hermione quickly rushed out of the door before anyone noticed she was gone. She ran toward the tree where she hoped Draco still would be hiding. Draco...why on earth was she still involved with him? Why was she walking out on her "family" and a boy that was in love with her to a wretched, pathetic little bigot? She shook her head and kept her head low as she made her way across the yard. Most likely the little louse had run off back into the woods somewhere. Fine, good riddance. She wouldn't have to deal with him being nasty and calling her names. She could go about her life, prepare to go back to school, possibly make up with Ron…
"You took long enough." It was him. There he was still in the same hiding place she had left him, leaning up against the tree like he had all the time in the world. He was waiting for her. Hermione was startled by his presence.
"I...um…" She almost stumbled. She hadn't expected him to still be there.
"Did you think I was going to leave?" He asked slightly perplexed. He narrowed his gray eyes as she looked at him wide eyed, tears still evident on her ruddy cheeks. His eyes immediately fell onto the tearstains and he furrowed his brow.
"Um...I wasn't sure if you were going to leave or not." She muttered and made to turn her face as if she thought someone might see the two of them. She quickly wiped at her tears with her sleeve and refocused her attention on him. She hated when he would stare at her like that. If she didn't feel vulnerable before she certainly did now. She never thought that crying made you weak but in front of Draco Malfoy it was only an invitation for beratement. But nothing came out of the blonde, no biting comment, no venomous slur, just two piercing gray eyes following her tear tracks to her lips. She could feel her face flush slightly and she mentally slapped herself to snap out of it.
"You told me to stay...so I did." He answered, his eyes unwavering from their focus on her mouth. Why was he looking at her like that? It was like he was a starving wolf and her lips were a lame deer ready to be devoured. She tried to catch his gaze and he quickly began blinking rapidly as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have.
"Are you hungry?" She asked, hoping to break the silence.
"Hm...uh...what?" He stammered. He must not have been paying attention.
"I asked if you were hungry." She replied and waved her hand in front of his face.
"Oh...uh...yea." Now it was his turn to flush red. His lip slightly twitched as Hermione looked around cautiously and she made her way over toward Molly's garden. She found a few parsnips and a couple of potatoes in a bin and discreetly made her way back to Draco.
"We can roast these, Molly won't mind if I take them." She grinned and handed Draco a few of the earth worn root vegetables. Draco looked down at them in disgust as the dirt sullied his white hands.
"Granger…" He looked up at her as he balanced the food against his chest.
"Yes Malfoy?" Hermione responded as the two began walking away from the Burrow toward the woods.
"Are you alright?" Hermione didn't quite know how to respond. There it was again, that concern. It was so uncharacteristic for Draco that it always shocked her.
"I'm...well...I could be better." She grimaced and followed along behind him.
"You know he doesn't deserve you." Now Hermione really was shocked, so shocked that she dropped her potatoes and parsnips in a heap on the ground. She stood there stupefied, and not in the magical way. Draco quickly turned on his heel and glanced at the Weasley's window hoping no one had noticed the two of them. Hermione followed his eyes and quickly gathered up the forgotten vegetables and scurried off into the woods, Draco fast behind her.
What the two hadn't noticed was a set of eyes staring at them from the living room window of the Weasley home.
Draco and Hermione had finally made it off into the woods after walking about few yards. Hermione pulled her sweatshirt zipper down and placed the parsnips and potatoes inside like a makeshift bag.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked as he looked at her like she had gone mad.
"Well I certainly cannot hold all of this food and apparate at the same time. Now give me your hand." She replied and held her hand out toward him. Draco eyeballed her hand and then placed his rations into his right hand. He reached over and intertwined his pale fingers with hers. Hermione paused and looked down at their clasped palms. She felt tingles spread through her fingertips and into her palm as his pressed warmly against hers. Hermione flushed again and then apparated on the spot before she took the time to think about the small but intimate touch.
The two landed at shell cottage. She was lucky enough that Bill and Fleur were not there. After the war many magical families had fled their homes in search of lost relatives. Fleur must have been worried about her family and had probably convinced Bill to go in search of them once they knew the Weasley side were safe. Hermione had dropped her food rations on the ground as Draco did the same. The night air felt chilled as it came of the ocean waves. The salty smell would forever remind Hermione of their horrid ordeal and the small body that lay under the sand only a few yards from where her and Draco stood. Hermione plodded through the sand dunes toward the slight knoll that Dobby was buried. She sunk down in the sand and considered the small grave stone that Harry had etched himself. She traced the letters with her fingertips and felt another round of tears building behind her lashes. Draco's form stood over her silently.
"He died saving us from your aunt. He was a remarkable." Hermione said quietly, the emotion evident in her voice.
"He was a house elf Granger." Draco said matter of factly. Hermione shot her amber gaze up at the blonde.
"No, he wasn't just a house elf Malfoy. He was our friend. He's the reason why Ron, Harry and I survived that day at the manor. He...he was our rescuer and he never asked for anything in return." Draco didn't respond. He just watched as Hermione brushed a few errant granules of sand from the etching.
"Let's go inside." She suddenly announced and made to get up from her seat in front of the free elf's grave. Draco's hand appeared in front of her to help her up. Hermione glanced at his outstretched hand and then into his eyes. She looked down at the ground and then took it as he helped her to stand. She brushed off her pant legs and followed behind the tall blonde as he helped to gather their forgotten vegetables and headed inside the abandoned cottage.
After a small meal, Hermione justified that staying the night wouldn't hurt anything. She decided that she would take the sofa in case Bill and Fleur came home early.
"You should take one of the guest rooms. If you have to hide, it's much easier if you are up there where they can't find you. If you hear anything out of the ordinary just keep hidden." Hermione mentioned as she took her jean jacket off and unzipped her hooded shirt. Draco watched as the young woman began to undress.
"I think I should stay down here." Draco wasn't about to allow her to tell him what to do again. He was a slytherin after all. He had had enough cowtowing to her. Maybe it was his exhaustion or maybe it was his self imposed frustration at feeling something when he saw her with the redhead. He didn't know but he sensed himself becoming agitated again.
"Malfoy, just do as I ask." Hermione rolled her eyes as she lay down on the sofa.
"It didn't exactly sound like a request Granger, more like an order." Now Draco was just picking a fight. If she thought she was going to get a restful night's sleep she had another thing coming.
"I don't take orders from mu…"
"From MUDBLOODS! IS THAT IT?! FOR MERLIN'S SAKE MALFOY DID YOU NOT GET IT?!" Hermione screamed as she shot off of the sofa and stood in front of him, her chest pressed against his as her hair flew wildly around her face. Draco backed up, the closeness of her body causing something to stir inside him.
"I...I...I mean muggle...muggleborns." He didn't want that to sound as nervous as it came out. He shook his head to try and snap himself out of it.
"Oh so now you change your tone! Was it the dead elf that did it or Ron's brother?!" She yelled, her eyes becoming menacing and formidable. Draco just mirrored her expression.
"Move out of my way Granger, you don't know who you're dealing with." Draco spat out as he looked down at the petite young witch. Of course she wasn't going to move, she was going to be obstinate and stand her ground. Damn gryffindors!
"I will not! You are not going to keep talking to me like that Malfoy! You hear me!" She continued to yell, her hands waving madly.
"You move out of my way Granger or so help me…" Draco bit back, his teeth grinding together as he pushed himself to stand taller.
"So help you what?! You're a coward Malfoy and quite frankly you're too lazy to do anything to anyone, that's why you have to have bigger wizards do your dirty work for you." Hermione was seething now. She was obviously referring to all of the times Draco would sick Crabbe and Goyle on some unsuspecting first year. Draco snarled when he looked at her, his gray eyes becoming dangerous slits.
"Move or I'll move you myself." He now talked slowly and quietly as he leaned in closer to her, his face becoming harder.
"I dare you, you vile little ferret." Hermione wasn't going to back down, no matter how tired she was. She locked the blonde into a steadfast stare. Then without notice, Draco broke the gaze and turned his back on her.
"I didn't think so." Hermione said, an air of arrogance tingeing her voice as she turned to rearrange the sofa.
Before she knew what was happening, her body was being lifted into the air. Draco had pulled her from behind. He wrapped his pale but strong hands around her small waist and hoisted her over his shoulder like a petulant child. Too shocked for words, Hermione began kicking her legs and flailing her arms as the tall blonde held fast to her.
"You...you put me down THIS INSTANT!" She screamed. Draco ignored her protests as he easily maneuvered her and began carrying her up the stairs.
"DRACO!" She screeched, his shoulder digging into her stomach as her head bobbed back and forth with every step he took. She took to pounding on his back with her fists but nothing would deter him.
"You dared me Granger. I never back down from a dare." He said seriously as he held tighter to her legs. He reached the landing and opened to first door he could find. He made his way in, locking the door behind him and made it to the center of the room. Alarms began to go off in Hermione's head the moment she heard the lock click behind them. What had she just done? What was he going to do to her? Acid began to push up into her throat as her heart pounded in her chest.
"Go to sleep Granger!" Draco said fiercely and flung her onto a nearby bed like a rag doll. Hermione bounced on the mattress as she scrambled to right herself. She stared at the tall blonde as he walked over to her. He pulled a throw from off a chair and threw it at her.
"By the way...you talk in your sleep." He mumbled and pulled a pillow off of the bed and dropped it on the floor next to the bed. He then proceeded to lay down, his blonde mane pressing into the pillowcase.