Author's Note: After a small hiatus with this fic, I am back with chapter 12. In the initial brainstorming of this fic I had only anticipated 10 chapters, go figure! But since then things have greatly expanded and I predict this will end up being a two part series.

Chapter 12

Still unable to return to her home since it was considered an active crime scene, Hermione continued to remain a guest at Draco's apartment. As part of their ongoing plan, he continued about his day-to-day business with Compton Enterprises as their representative with the foundation. Likewise, Harry went back to Department of Magical Law Enforcement in search of what he could uncover from his sources. Ginny, they all agreed (once Draco had been informed of her pregnancy), would offer moral support but keep out of any actual involvement.

As for Hermione? She was on a leave of absence from work, an action no one in the office faulted her for given the circumstances. But what they did not know was that she was pooling her time and energy in uncovering who murdered both her boss and her friend.

In order to do so, she knew what she needed to do. Hermione waited until Draco had left for the afternoon before retrieving an empty Pensieve she had bought earlier. Peering into the swirling mass she placed the tip of her wand to the side of her forehead and watched a trail of white smoky ether trail behind the path of her wand as she dipped it into the Pensieve.

Hermione closed her eyes, exhaling hard as she was suddenly whisked into the memories of the previous evening.

She quickly lost confidence in her idea as the scene played out before her; it felt like some sort of Shakespearean tragedy mixed with the sensation of a lucid dream. She knew what was going to happen but it didn't make it hurt any less.

Focus, Hermione commanded silently as she followed behind the memory of herself and Draco moving towards the kitchen. She forced herself to avoid looking at Sanguini and instead observed the details of the scene she had seen but paid no attention to the other evening.

Two bottles of blood were on the table and suddenly Hermione realized who ever had killed Sanguini had been someone he knew. He had invited the person in, hence why there was no struggle at the door. But even more glaring of a detail: he had offered the person a drink. Had they sat at the table together and chatted? Hermione began to wonder: Did the person wait until her friend was reaching for something in the fridge before killing him when his back was turned?

She was ripped from her thoughts by the sound of her own anguished cries as the memory played out. Hermione couldn't help but look and shuddered to see the sight all over again. Like being jerked out of a dream, she pulled away from the Pensieve abruptly. Despite her conviction that she was capable of revisiting the memory, Hermione could not hold back the tears. The witch was not sure how much time had passed as she wept until the sound of Draco coming home alerted her.

"Hey Granger," He greeted but his expression fell when he saw the Pensieve. Hermione put on a stony mask of resolve, determined for Draco not to see her tears but the swollen state of her eyes said it all.

"I had to see the other night again," she said in explanation. Draco moved to where she sat and kneeled down. He wasn't accustomed to seeing a vulnerable side of Hermione Granger, the witch he knew to be fierce and above all capable in every situation. But seeing her struggle nudged something inside Draco. Without thinking he pulled her close in a hug.

"You didn't have to revisit it alone, you know." He said quietly as he pulled away, "You don't ever have to do any of this alone."

"Why are you doing this, Draco?" Hermione asked, looking at him searchingly. "Please don't take it the wrong way, I am so grateful for all you have done. But why? Why are you putting yourself at risk for me?"

"Do I really have to say?" He asked.

They were back at the same place as before, dancing around the issue. He had devised the idea that his involvement was simply an act of redemption, that helping Hermione meant proving he could shed some of the darkness wrought by his former transgressions. And yet Draco knew the truth. That the guilt and reality of his past would never truly leave him. His draw to Hermione Granger was therefore something else entirely.

There was a brief moment in which Draco's face was inches from her own. Hermione was at once lost in his icy blue eyes. She saw his concern but more then anything, she saw a refuge. She saw comfort. And suddenly Hermione closed the gap between them, her lips on his in a tender kiss. Draco didn't pull away but rather moved his hands to her hair, parting her lips with his own.

When Draco and Hermione finally pulled away they were both out of breath but otherwise silent, unsure of what words to say that wouldn't break the dazed spell they were both under. Instead, Hermione murmured something and abruptly retreated to her bedroom leaving Draco to merely stare in her wake, dumbfounded.

The late afternoon had waned into the early evening before Draco knocked on the Hermione's bedroom door.

"There is somewhere I want to take you," he said, making no mention of their previous encounter even though the discussion was going to be inevitable at some point. From a quick glance, Draco noticed that on her nightstand was a small mountain of books from his library she had managed to pilfer. He smiled inwardly.

When she looked at him skeptically, he feigned exasperation. "Of course only if you would like Miss Granger."

She smirked as he extended his hand in invitation. Hermione didn't hesitate to take the outstretched hand and with the soft pop of Apparition they disappeared. When they reappeared, Hermione nearly lost her balance. Draco steadied her but she waved off his protective gesture.

"I am fine, thank you very much," she said.

"Clearly," he retorted.

They both laughed, Hermione glancing around their new surroundings inquisitively. "Where are we?"

"I thought you could use some fresh change of scenery," he said walking towards the cliff's edge. "I used to come here a lot when I was younger. There was something about the salt air that calmed my nerves. Even after all this time it still does."

The grassy cliff side overlooked tall jutting rock formations and massive waves. Even in the darkness of night one could still see the swirl of the sea foam as the tides raced hypnotically back and forth.

"It's breath-taking," Hermione said in admiration. Draco merely smiled, his gaze focused on the witch's delight more so than the ocean scene below them. "I can't even remember the last time I saw the ocean."

Which was the truth. Hermione had spent the better part of the last several years inside ministry courtrooms and behind the four walls of her office. When was the last time she had been outside the city at all? She wondered to herself.

Once again, Hermione felt at peace in the quiet company of her unlikely partner. Under the moonlight, Hermione couldn't help but admire Draco's sharp features and the silver glow of his blond hair. She knew she had to say something about the kiss they had shared earlier but Hermione also felt that saying the words aloud might break the spell of the moment. She didn't know what they had, but she did know whatever it was she didn't want to jeopardize either.

"Draco, I…about what happened earlier…" Hermione's words faltered.

And whether by grace of his legillimency or merely intuition, Draco interrupted her gently: "A conversation for another time?"

Hermione nodded and without another word she took his hand. He was surprised by the gesture but said nothing as they stood side by side, hand in hand as the waves below them crashed violently.