AN: Thank you to my loyal readers, it means a lot to me that people are still reading this, and I want to thank Guest for reviewing. I love reviews and knowing what people are thinking about when they read my fanfics, so thank you.
So, this is the first chapter of Tension I have written since I took it offline two years ago, so the writing style may have changed, though I did try to keep to the original tone where possible. I hope it fits and you all enjoy this chapter.
Read and Review Please!
Song Suggestion: Unconditionally, Katy Perry.
Chapter Forty One: To Have and To Hold.
Draco and Hermione stood facing one another for a long moment, tentatively watching one another's emotions play across each other's faces, as the pain in their abdomens faded and seeped deeper into something more pleasant. Hermione could feel her nervousness mixing with anticipation in her stomach, creating an uneasy knot, as she stared into her Veela's silver eyes. His pupils were dilating and she could see the tension in his jaw as he tried to control his Veela urges. She looked down at the crystal bowl she still held, looking at the blood in it as it seemed to swirl and turn a brighter red as she watched curiously, as if the mating blood changed something physiological within them.
"Hermione?" Draco murmured in concern, his hands moving to take the bowl and dagger from her shaky grip.
"I'm okay." She whispered in reply and watched him clean the implements with his wand and set them aside.
"We don't need to do this tonight. We can still wait until you're ready?" He assured her, keeping a careful distance between them.
Hermione looked up again to see his face. She could see desire in his eyes, but also restraint; she knew if she said to delay the final stage of the Veela mating ritual, he would. It would strain him and take all of his willpower to fight that side of him, but she knew he loved her enough to do that for her, and she loved him for that. Despite his insatiable need for her, he was willing to put her first, even deprive himself for her.
Which is why she slipped her small hands into his, grasping them tightly together. Slowly, she raised their joined hands to her mouth and pressed her lips tenderly against his knuckles. She could see him force a hard swallow as she made eye contact with him and she smiled gently at him. Stepping closer to him, she moved his hands to wrap around her waist, before placing hers on either side of his neck.
"I am ready, Draco, I want you." A pretty blush spread across her cheeks as she admitted her feelings so openly, as a warm sensation spread from the centre of her body, filling her with passion and desire, "I love you."
"I love you too." Draco smiled down at her before ducking closer to kiss her tenderly on the lips. Once, twice, three times he pressed their lips together chastely and Hermione could feel how tightly coiled his restraint was. In his hesitant actions, she could feel his desire to ensure her comfort and ease. He wasn't going to push her into this; he wanted her to make the first move as reassurance that this was truly what she wanted too.
So, as he drew back from the third kiss, she slipped her hands around his head and held him in place, kissing him back with more passion than she would have ever dared to do so before. She wanted him to know she wanted him as much as he did her. Holding him closer, she lost herself in their kiss, allowing her hands to caress his body and his to touch her reverently. They kissed for long moments, forgetting all time and place, and simply enjoyed these moments of gentle emotions and soft embraces.
But soon it wasn't enough. Hermione's back was pressed against the bedpost and Draco's hands moved hungrily up and down her body. His lips ventured to her jaw, down her neck, and down further, as her hands curled in his hair and her heart hammered in her chest. She pulled him back to standing and kissed him hard, arching so every curve of her body pressed against the hard lines of his body.
Clothes were steadily shed and eyes gazed in awe, as they felt their very souls be exposed. They moved as one onto the wide bed, barely moving inches from one another as they slid up the mattress. Their bodies strained to be closer together, to complete the bond, as they explored every inch of one another's skin. Until, finally, they were connected in the most intimate way and they both cried out in ecstasy at the emotions swelling in their hearts and the spread of liquid heat throughout their bodies.
When Hermione lay in the glorious aftermath, she recollected the small moments. How his lips pressing to her heart, feeling the breath catch in her lungs. The undeniable lust that flooded her body whenever they pressed their torsos together; the tattoos revealing a more pleasurable purpose than simply marking their intentions. When he caressed his mark on her neck and her eyes closed as her senses were overwhelmed. As she recollected the emotions, their embraces, their binding, she felt secure. It assured her that what they had done was right and exactly how her life should have been planned.
Curled into Draco's arms, she felt at peace; as if there was nowhere else in the world she would rather be. He was her home now. But it was not only what physical pleasure he would give her that made her feel whole. It was his tenderness towards her emotions; his respect for her. The way he could read her better than anyone and wanted to be there for those moments, low and high. How he acknowledged his crueller, previous self, and how he wanted to atone for every harsh remark and action.
While he held her close, she realised her love for him was true, and not simply dictated by the bond they now shared. She wanted to make him happy and watch him flourish into a man. In the future, she saw them together with beautiful, brilliant babies, and craved it to be sooner. She wanted to care for him, to never see him hurt, and share every moment with him. In these moments, she realised something much stronger that would power her life and give her strength, something she had taken for granted in the past, but recognised only now she truly knew the emotion.
Hermione pressed her hand against Draco's heart and smiled up at him with an open heart. She loved him, as he loved her, and she told him just so as they lay together, just as they would for the rest of their lives.
AN: So, after that emotional scene, here's another…This story is finished. I have taken the decision to complete this fanfiction at this scene. While it was a hard decision to make, I decided to do so as I feel it was a good chapter to close on and I feel I couldn't do the story justice if I continued. This fanfiction was originally planned to be longer, however, that was five years ago, and since then I have made my peace with the fact this story would be better to end here. Everything within this story has been leading up until this moment and it feels like the right time for closure. It's been a long journey to get here and I appreciate all of those who have made it with me through my first fanfiction; I hope you all loved it nearly as much as I did. Thank you for reading and reviewing. Love y'all – Rivqah.