A/N: 'Sweater Weather' - The Neighborhood

Harry and Hermione sat in silence, the former not wanting to open his mouth and let the wrong thing slip out.

"You know, Hermione—" he finally began.

"You should really get back to the party, Harry." she interrupted.

"It's okay, I'm probably not missed."

"Are you joking, Harry? I'll bet Ginny is missing you." she winked, "Go celebrate! I think I want to go to the library anyway."

"Well, if you insist." he said, rising. "Are you going to be alright?"

She nodded and stood, her eyes now level with the green ones staring back at her.

"Thanks, Harry." she whispered as they parted ways. He headed back toward the common room, and she just wanted to be anywhere but there. She had told Harry she was going to the library but for once, she didn't think a book could comfort her. She said she was going to be alright. That wasn't a lie. She knew she was going to be okay; she just wasn't alright in this moment.

As Hermione paced the halls, she only grew more agitated over Ron. As her anger mounted, she reached a fiery new level of impulsiveness she did not yet know she had in her; even after kissing two Slytherins.

Ron was such a git. She was friends with Theo. Just friends. Her mistake of a kiss with him only proved that and they were stronger for it. Slytherin or not, she knew Theo would never humiliate her the way Ron had. Was it such a crime to have other friends?

Draco was another story. They weren't officially even friends but somehow they were much more. She couldn't place an event or a single moment in time when it happened but it did. Everything had changed. There was lightning that danced between them even at the lightest touch. Thinking of him made her forget about Ron. Thinking of him made her forget about everything.

She shook her head. When did this happen? How did they go from vile to sneaking touches at a quidditch match?

Was this all even real? She had to know for sure. She stopped in her tracks before ducking into a deserted classroom. Climbing gingerly, she perched herself atop one of the many vacant desks, crossing her legs beneath her.

With purpose, she buried her hand into her jumper. It reappeared only moments later from the woolen folds, clutching something attached to a delicate silver chain. She held a phial up into the cold castle air and into fresh moonlight being cast through a nearby window. "Now or never." she thought.

Across the castle, Theo and Draco had decided to quickly eat some dinner from the Great Hall. Neither wanted to be alone to have to discuss what McGonagall had said to them just yet.

Draco knew it wouldn't be much of a discussion and Theo didn't want to be the one to have to enforce it. Regardless of what they wanted, it was necessary. Professor McGonagall was correct. If Draco cared about Hermione in any way, he needed to let her go despite any hopes he held.

Theo knew he cared enough about Hermione to guarantee he would not give even the slightest chance up to fate anymore, but would Draco give in and make this easy for him? If he knew Draco, and let's face it, he did, the simple answer was "no".

The two piled Shepherd's Pie into their nervous stomachs wordlessly as they each stared quietly into nothingness. Their plates were soon empty and there was nothing keeping them from heading back to the Slytherin dormitories.

"You know, I actually have some work to get done to prevent my untimely death. You go on without me." Draco whispered.

"Are you sure, mate? I could help." offered Theo.

"No, I'll be alright. Why don't you go get started on the Slytherin afterparty." he winked as Theo grinned. Before anything could change Theo's mind, Draco was standing and strutting from the Great Hall.

He began the usual ascension to the seventh floor, pondering how his day had gone from a dream to such a sad nightmare. "Why can't I have just this one choice for my own?" he thought.

Draco finally reached the seventh floor, feeling rather winded from his absentminded haste. He slowed to a stroll as he headed down the left corridor, stopping to really stare at the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy across from the entrance to the Room of Requirement, teaching those bloody trolls to do the ballet. "What an idiot." he mused.

He shook his head and spun on his heel. Facing that dreaded place, he let out a sigh. Draco closed his eyes, focusing on the task at hand. He began pacing in front of the wall, crossing it twice before something interrupted him.

"AHH!" he shrieked, his pitch higher than he would have liked to admit. His eyes wrenched open as he looked around in panic. Malfoy's did not shriek. When Draco saw no one, his hand inched slowly toward the culprit behind the burning of the sensitive skin on his chest. His phial.

He wrapped his fingers gently around it in confusion and flourished it from his shirt. It was still warm to the touch. His brow scrunched together pensively as he drew his wand.

"Lumos!"

He rolled the phial in his hand. When it had rolled from his palm to the base of his fingers he noticed glowing writing etched into it's glass.

"BLACK LAKE" was all it said.

Draco stared at it dumbly for a few moments before realizing that this must be some sort of message from the future He and Theo. After all, they were the ones to give him the phial.

"They must be back!" he whispered, before making for the stairs as fast as he could.

He debated going to the common room and fetching Theo but chose not to, since the two words on the phial somehow conveyed urgency to him. Although, maybe he was just hoping the time-travelers came bearing some sort of good news.

He descended the stairs even faster than he had gone up them, stormed past the Great Hall, and out the castle doors, a cool air flooding his lungs. He walked swiftly but quietly toward the lake, a kick in his step that was lacking just twenty minutes ago and excitement taking over his brain.

He had almost made it to the water when he noticed a dark, bushy-haired figure sitting nervously beside the lake's edge. Draco instinctually ducked behind a nearby tree. He scanned the area around the lake. Nobody but Hermione.

He took a deep breath and was about to turn around and walk back to the castle. He couldn't do this. He shouldn't do this. It was in that moment though, that she turned her head and the moonlight leapt across her face. She was crying.

"I can't just leave her like this." his heart reasoned with his mind.

Before his mind could reason out of it, it seemed his feet sided with his emotions. He was walking toward her once more.

"Couldn't get enough, eh, Granger?" he announced with a smirk. Even in the darkness, he could still sense her blush. He sat beside her on the cold ground.

"You about burnt a hole through my chest, by the way. What was that?"

"Protean charm."

"What? How?" he asked, flabbergasted.

"When you were in the hospital wing pretending to nap." a sly smile growing on her lips, "I had a spare phial on me and figured I'd practice while you ignored me."

He smiled. "Fair enough. So what's going on?"

"Nothing really..."

"Well, you're crying." he stated.

"It's nothing. Just Ron."

"Ah! Weasel, of course. What level of waste did he reach with his oxygen consumption today?"

"Oh, a new one for sure." she said spitefully.

"Let's do something about this mood then!" he declared cheerfully, rising from the ground, putting his hand out to pull her up.

"Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?" she demanded, only half joking, but taking his hand nonetheless.

He pulled Hermione to stand and his grey eyes confidently met her amber ones, tension flickering in the air between them, as he set off toward the water.

"W-What are you doing?" she asked nervously.

"What does it look like, Granger? Is the brightest witch of our age bright enough to figure it out or do I need to leave a trail of clothes?"

"But it's cold!"

"The lake is always cold!" he dismissed, tossing his cloak to the ground and beginning to undress.

"We're not supposed to swim in it! It's not safe."

"I recall your boyfriend Krum swimming unscathed." he paused, "Do you trust me?"

She stared blankly after him as he lay his clothing neatly folded at the base of a tree, wearing nothing but silken emerald boxers. Her eyes swept from the ground up as her jaw slacked and she admired the body usually hidden by such brilliantly-tailored dark clothing. His pale skin was glowing in the moonlight.

He caught her staring and audibly cleared his throat. She blushed and turned away, remember he had asked her a question.

"Do you trust me?" he repeated, "I'm trusting you. You could easily run off with my clothing and leave me in quite the compromising position." With that, he ran into the water.

She stepped forward. "But I've hardly got the proper attire!"

"That's okay! If Hermione Granger is too scared, I understand." he said airily. "Although, I must say I thought you of all people braver than this." Then he dove under the water.

It seemed this had lit a fire because her lips twisted into a scowl and before he knew it, she was standing beneath the tree, tossing her own clothes down and barreling for the lake. Draco resurfaced just in time to see her reach the water in nothing but black lace knickers and a bralette, squealing from the cold.

"Damn, Granger." he muttered.

"You say something?" she asked, finally reaching him.

"Er, no...must have been the Giant Squid!" he lied.

"Right." she said knowingly, sending a splash of water at Draco's face.

"You'll regret that." he said devilishly.

"What, going to sick Crabbe and Goyle on me?"

"Oh definitely not." he said before disappearing beneath the water's surface yet again.

"Try me, Draco."

Suddenly she was pulled under, assuming it was Draco, but hoping it wasn't actually the Giant Squid.

Hermione opened her eyes in the dark water, only to see a glowing head of silvery hair swimming back up to the surface.

She followed, coming up behind him, gasping for air and smacking him on the back of the head.

"And what if I couldn't swim?"

"Are you daft? What are you doing right now?" he said incredulously, spinning around to face her.

Her eyes narrowed at him. Draco promptly realized how close they now were to each other. The only distance between their faces were two cold clouds of vapor dancing between their mouths. "It's now or never." he thought as he licked his lips.

"Hermione..."

"Yes?" her face softening to her name on his tongue.

He reached out and tucked a dripping piece of hair behind her left ear. His hand hesitated there for a moment. Her breathing hitched as she placed a hand on his face and snaked her other arm around his neck, pulling him closer as he crashed his lips into hers.

It was electric. Their bodies yearned to intertwine beneath the water like the roots of a strong old tree. As Draco directed them closer to the shore, the cold around them disappeared for the moment.

Now able to stand in the depth around them, the couple's breathing grew as erratic as their touching. Hands tore at flesh and teeth grazed delicate skin. This wasn't simply electric, but explosive.

They worked as one, as Hermione's arms wrapped around Draco's neck. He clutched the back of her thighs, hoisting them up and guiding them to embrace his waist, before sliding his hands slowly up her legs to clutch her arse through the wet lace. From this position she could feel his growing anticipation between her thighs and it made her crave more, moaning his name through his teeth tugging at her bottom lip.

His heart skipped a beat. Draco never wanted to live another day not hearing this sweet sound. He had to have her, even if just for the night. He would leave her alone after tonight. But this was his decision. He held her even tighter still and kissed her from the corner of her mouth to behind her ear and down to her clavicle, sucking sweetly as he went.

They both quickly reached the frustrating conclusion that they just couldn't get their bodies close enough in the water and wordlessly Hermione led Draco for dry land. They were both trembling, whether with desire, the probable impending hypothermia, or a combination of both, it was unclear.

"So...c-cold..." Hermione chattered as they entered the cool air. Her hands wrapped around her body, rubbing to warm up.

"Don't worry, love. I can fix that." Draco replied with a shivering wink. He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him, kissing her once more. A throat cleared from behind the tree ahead of them that their clothes were folded under.

Hermione and Draco were both startled as they looked to see who had been watching them, when Blaise Zabini appeared.

"I didn't know you were on rounds tonight." he smirked knowingly, his gaze hovering over Hermione's wet, almost-nude figure.

This did not go unnoticed to Draco, who rushed for his cloak to cover her.

"Is there a reason you're down here, Zabini, or were you just interested in losing some teeth this evening?" he spat, wrapping Hermione in the billowing fabric of his cloak and rubbing her shoulders in an attempt to warm her.

"No need to be rude, Draco." Blaise goaded. "I was simply admiring the view. I'll leave you to it though. I'm late to meet Pansy anyway." He smiled before adding "What an...unlikely couple." then disappeared into the night.

Hermione's demeanor had changed drastically from this run-in. She had been so calm and free before and now she was nervous, tense and uncomfortable.

He approached her carefully and pulled his wand from a pocket in his cloak. With a silent flick he dried her hair, then his own, then the little clothing they were still wearing. With the cloak opened, he pulled her close so her body was once again pressed against his and enveloped them within it.

"You know, Zabini wouldn't dare say anything. He might prod at Theo but he hasn't the grapes to take on a Malfoy. He owes me."

Her nerves eased with his embrace and even more-so with each word spoken softly into her ear. She wasn't sure how he did this, but she could get used to it. She nodded her head slowly.

When he felt this, along with her body relax in his arms, he leaned back and stroked her chin with his forefinger, lifting it to reunite their lips. This kiss was tender. It wasn't innocent by any means but he was respectful. She could tell he was leaving what happened next in her hands. At this realization, her tongue slipped between his lips. She kissed him back with a hunger even she didn't know she was capable of.

Draco wrapped his arms around her hips and used her arse to pull her up and closer to him. She locked her feet around him, holding herself securely against his body. He planted feathery kisses across her cheek and down her neck. Hermione leaned her head back, allowing the moonlight to dance across her skin, showing off the beating of her pulse.

He walked them to the tree, keeping their lips together. He reached back into his cloak pocket for his wand and this time transfigured it into a blanket.

Finally parting their lips, Draco set Hermione down flat on her feet so he could lay the blanket out.

Hermione worried her lip frantically. Draco could tell that she was nervous, and he needed to calm her down. He dropped his wand next to his clothes and tugged her hand, pulling her back to him.

"You are so beautiful, you know that?" He nuzzled into her ear, kissing right beneath her lobe.

He slowly lowered them down to the blanket, and he moved his hand down between her legs, feeling the heat that was resonating.

"Oh. I see the feeling is mutual." He winked, and ground against her.

She blushed, "I...I've never done this before." She revealed suddenly, causing him to pause.

"Wh-I thought that maybe you and Krum?"

She only shook her head slightly, pulling in her bottom lip once more.

Draco nodded, "Wrap your arms around my neck." Hermione did as she was told. "It'll hurt at first, but I promise, after a few pushes and pulls, the pain will turn into pleasure."

Hermione nodded and licked her lips.

"If you need to bite me, bite me. Smack me, hit me, whatever helps you get your release, do it. Tear into me Hermione. It's just you and me."

At this she gulped and leaned up to kiss him.

But before her lips could reach his own, he stopped her, "We don't have to do this."

Her eyes hardened with concern, it wasn't that she didn't want to do this, she needed to do this. Her body ached for him.

"No...I want to." she said earnestly.

She removed one hand from his neck and snaked it in between them, grabbing onto his cock from the fold of his boxers and pulling it out. She stroked it and this allowed him to grind into her more.

He reached down with her hand, and moved her knickers to the side, and he took her fingers and moved it to her sensitive area, circling their fingers, applying pressure upon it. Hermione's body pushed from the ground, begging for Draco to enter her.

He crashed his lips back into hers, pushing his tongue in between them. Their teeth were grinding together. It was messy, wet and pure.

Draco took his kisses down her chest and to her stomach, to the hem of her knickers, and grabbed them in between his teeth, pulling them down her legs.

Once they were off, he trailed kisses from her right ankle up, biting her soft skin all the way up, pressing his tongue at the apex of her thighs, causing her to squirm.

"Plea-" Hermione begged, once his tongue had entered inside of her. Her fingers then twirling his hair, pulling and pushing his face further into her. As he did this he entered two fingers inside of her and his other hand moved up to her chest, feeling her breasts heaving from the need.

Draco suddenly slipped his fingers out and eased his tip to her opening.

Hermione nodded, letting him know that it was okay. As he entered they both gasped. The intensity was fulfilling, electric, passionate.

Draco pulled away, to thrust again, he felt this hunger from himself and suddenly her tightening around him was all the better.

Her fingers prodded into his skin, and his thrusts deepened.

Hermione sucked on his shoulder and up his neck, tasting the saltiness as Draco licked across the curves of her breast, pulling one from the cup of her brazier. Licking reverently over her hardened nipple and biting lightly.

Hermione moaned out with pleasure, biting him back on the nape of his neck.

The thrusts unintentionally became more brutal. Draco grabbed onto Hermione's hips leaving invisible bruises, only to have her hands grabbing his arse letting him know to continue.

The heat was building more and more between them, and their bodies were soaked with sweat, and saliva.

Hermione curled her toes into his back as her head fell to the ground, and her body began to convulse with a heat allowing her them both to know she was about to come.

Draco fondled her once more, and with this her back arched and her legs began to tremble, as her mouth shaped into a soft 'O' Draco felt himself release. He groaned louder than he had intended as he fell against her, placing lazy kisses all over her face.

"Gods...Hermione," he said in between breaths, "that was..."

"That was phenomenal." she finished for him.

Later, Draco sauntered happily back to the Slytherin common room. He could not even dwell for a moment on the fact that this evening couldn't happen again because he was too busy thinking of how amazing it had been just to be with her. Oh how he wished she could be his. In his heart she always would be, but he wanted it to be real.

He whispered to the wall before him and it opened to reveal his familiar home, the dark water reflecting around the room already reminding him of how he had spent his evening. He stepped through, intending on finding Theo for a drink when he was tackled and shoved angrily into the wall that had only just sealed behind him.

"What the...THEO?! What the bloody fuck do you think you're doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" he shouted, fury burning in his eyes.

"What is that supposed to mean, Nott?"

Theo's knuckles suddenly met Draco's cheek with surprising force. "You know exactly why I'm angry, you careless son of a bitch!"

Draco said nothing while rubbing his face. How could he know anything?

"Ran into Zabini earlier. He told me an interesting story about something he had seen at the lake" Theo sneered.

Shit. Draco stood in silence.

"Have you nothing to say for yourself?

His lips parted but nothing came out.

"You've done some real shit things in life, Draco, but this tops the list."

"It's not like that! After tonight it's done. I'm not going to push anymore. I just needed to be with her."

"So you shagged her didn't you?" Theo asked with a disbelieving laugh.

Draco nodded slowly.

"You do realize that she was probably a virgin, right? I don't think she meant this to be a one-time run. She's going to be fucking heartbroken."

At this thought Draco's heart stopped. Theo was right. He hadn't thought once about what it all meant for her. He had been so selfish he hadn't even considered any of this.

"I guess that's one way to make her hate you though! Just treat her like some worthless slag!" Theo said, balling his fists in anger.

"But she's not!" Draco whispered.

"I'm going to make this real clear." he said slowly, "If you get near her again in any way that isn't filled with loathing, I will beat your arse to a pulp. Do we have an understanding?"

Draco nodded once more. Theo opened his mouth as if he was going to add something to their agreement, but only a hoarse cough escaped his lips. He quickly covered it, before staring down at his hand worriedly. Draco noticed this.

"Theo, are you okay?" his eyes finally focused on what his friend was staring at in the dim light. "I-Is that blood?"

Theo hardened his scared expression and aimed his gaze at Draco.

"Oh, sod off!" he spat, before storming away, leaving Draco standing alone and confused, the lake water taunting him through the glass.