June 1997—Part 3

Legilimency lessons were more difficult than Hermione imagined and by the end of each one both she and Draco had the start of headaches—her from the extra effort on her magic and him because of someone trying to enter his mind. They persisted though and Hermione was finally successful in accessing a specific memory.

Sweat trickled down her temple as she concentrated.

"You got it. Now, imagine a box surrounding that memory and do the incantation," she heard Draco instruct, though his voice sounded far away and a little strained.

Hermione gave a nod, focused on the memory then she made a box within his mind, and put it in there. She muttered, "Verrouiller la mémoire. Crookshanks!"

She pulled out of Draco's mind and waited until he opened his eyes.

"Well?" she asked as she wiped the sweat from her brow. "Do you remember the numbers?"

They had resorted to writing random numbers on a slip of paper, using a different set each time they tried the charm.

Draco's brows furrowed as he thought. "Was it 6, 2, 4, 4, 2?"

Hermione gasped. "No….that was last time. Think about today's numbers."

Draco closed his eyes again as he concentrated and opened them again a moment later. "I can't remember," he said. A grin formed on his lips as he picked up Hermione by the waist and kissed her. "I don't remember!"

Hermione giggled as he spun her. "Okay, now let's see if the codeword works," she said and waited until he set her down. She looked him in the eyes and said, "Crookshanks."

He closed his eyes again and winced ever so slightly before saying, "3, 7, 2, 2, 6."

"Yes!" she squealed and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "We did it!"

"No," Draco said, smiling wide. "You did it." He crashed his lips to hers for a brief second then cupped her face. "My smart, intelligent, beautiful witch."

"I couldn't have done it without you though," she said, her cheeks flushed from the kiss and the praise.

He kissed her again. "Ready to do it again?"

She smiled wide. "Absolutely."

They tested more random numbers and eventually moved to phrases, then memories that happened the day before, then the week before, to finally a month before.

The spell worked every time.

Each time was easier for Hermione and she found she didn't have to work quite as hard to access the memories, which meant no more headaches.

The same couldn't be said for Draco though. It seemed as though the further away the memory occurred the bigger headache he had when they were unlocked again.

As he rubbed his temples, he waved off Hermione's apology. "I'd rather have a headache and know you'll be safe then not. It's nothing some pain potion can't remedy."

"I think we can stop testing now at least," Hermione said as she walked around his chair to massage his shoulders. He sagged and lulled his head forward as she worked on a particularly hard knot.

"Just make sure when it's time for you to unlock the memories that you have the largest vial of pain potion you can find."

Hermione bit her lip as she continued her ministrations. "Are you sure we have to do all the memories?"

He sat up and moved his neck side to side before turning around to look at her. "Yes," he said. He took her hand and tugged her onto his lap. "The more memories the better. And I'll help. I'll bring everything up front for you so all you'll have to do is lock them up."

Hermione rested her head on his shoulder. "How much longer do you think?"

He gave a sigh as his hand ran up and down her leg idly. "I'm not sure. I'm close though…very close."

Hermione swallowed thickly, forcing back the tears and fear that threatened to take hold, and buried her face in his neck. "I don't want to lose you," she admitted quietly.

His arms wrapped around her and held her tight. "When this is all over, you'll get me back, I swear it."

She looked up to meet his gaze and she found her vision was blurry with tears. "What about your parents? They'll never—"

He kissed her softly, just a faint brush of his lips against hers. "I don't care what they'll think. Let them disown me and burn me off the tapistry for all I care." He kissed her again, more firmly. "Or, they can just get over the fact that I'm in love with the smartest Muggle-born witch I've ever met." He gave a shrug. "Either way, when this is all over, I'm yours."

Hermione's breath hitched at his declaration—he said it so matter-of-factly that it caught her off-guard. She cupped his face and kissed him. "I love you, too." She shifted so she was straddling his lap and kissed him some more as she fisted his shirt in her hands. "I love you so much it hurts."

So much emotion was poured into their kiss that Hermione felt she couldn't breathe without it. His hands roamed up and down her back while hers ran through his hair, gripping the strands and tugged gently.

He growled against her mouth as he stood up and she continued to kiss him deeply as she wound her legs around his middle. He carried her over to the couch-turned-lounge chair once more where they both fell onto the soft cushions with him landing on top of her, their lips never once parting.

The weight of him on top of her only spurred her on as she reached for his shirt and began unbuttoning his oxford and he lifted up on his elbows to help her gain access. She froze when she saw his scars, the ones caused by Harry.

"Oh, Draco…" she said softly as she lightly ran her fingers along the longest one. His stomach clenched in reaction and she pulled her hand back quickly.
"It doesn't hurt," he clarified. "Just…sensitive."

She glanced at his scars again before she leaned up and brushed her lips against one, then used her tongue to lightly trail along another. When she went to push his oxford off his arms, Draco sat up. "Close your eyes and count to five," he instructed.

She did, and when she opened them again, his oxford was on the floor while a bandage was around his left forearm.

She glanced at him and smirked. "Sneaky." She pulled him back down to her again and kissed him hard. "And brilliant."

He deepened the kiss and they broke apart just long enough for him to tug her jumper off before their lips were attached once more.

His hands were on her chest, tweaking and squeezing her breasts before he reached around and undid the clasp of her bra and tossed it aside.

He kissed down her neck, his lips making their familiar way down her body until his teeth grazed her nipple before sucking gently. She sucked in a breath at the sensation, wanting more as wetness pooled between her legs. Her hand went to tug and play with her other breast but Draco smacked it away playfully and took over.

"Mine," he stated and moved his tongue over her sensitive, pert nipple then did the same to the other side. Hermione squirmed beneath him, her whole body humming in need of more. She lifted her hips to rub her heat against his and was pleased to find him already hard.

Boldened by this fact, she reached for his trousers and began undoing the button and zipper before tugging them down his hips.

Draco stood as he rid himself of his trousers and pants while Hermione worked in undoing her jeans. As soon as her zipper was undone, Draco tugged them, along with her knickers, off her body, leaving her bare before him.

His eyes roved over her naked form as she did the same with him.

She wasn't shy being nude anymore; she was embolden.

She was ready.

The heat of his gaze seared through her and Hermione knew without a doubt that she wanted to give herself to him fully.

Heat pooled at her belly in anticipation and her cheeks flushed at the thought.

He crawled back onto the lounge and slowly made his way up her body, his eyes never leaving hers. She reached up to cupped his face with one hand and leaned up on her other elbow to kiss him.

"Draco, before we go any further, I need to tell you something," she said as he started kissing her along her neck.

"Hm?" he asked, his lips never leaving her skin.

"I've never... that is to say…if this is going where I hope it is, that this would be my first time."

His lips made his way back to hers as he braced his arms on either side of her head. "That's alright, love. We don't have to do anything you're not ready for—"

"I want to," she said, one hand snaking behind his neck and pulling him for a deeper kiss, while her other hand reached for his length. "I want to. With you."

He hissed out his pleasure at her touch and closed his eyes for a second before looking at her. "If we're in the realm of being honest, I need to confess something."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't need to know who you've been with—"

"I haven't been with anyone. Not like this."

Her hand stilled as she gapped slightly at him. "You've never… this would be your first time as well?"

He kissed her softly. "Yes. Purebloods are actually really cautious when it comes to this sort of stuff—don't need illegitimate children and all that—but I want to do this. With you."

She bit her lip. "Are you sure?"

As an answer, his hand slipped between her legs and into her heat. His thumb circled her clit as two fingers entered and stroked inside of her, the pace rhythmic and slow.

She reciprocated in kind by stroking him in the same pace and had to remember to loosen her grip as her orgasm built. Her thumb swiped the precum on the tip of his head and she brought it up to her mouth to licked it off. The action had Draco rubbing her sensitive bud harder and faster.

Light burst behind her eyelids as her orgasm crested and spilled and when she finally opened them again she saw Draco licking his fingers clean.

"You taste divine," he said.

She sat up and kissed him, tasting herself on his lips. "On your back, please," she whispered in his ear.

When he was flat on his back, she straddled his waist and his hands came up to fondle her breasts. Hermione rocked against him, his hardness on her pelvis as she readied herself.

Lifting up on her knees, she positioned herself over him and with his help, guided his cock towards her entrance. Her body clenched in anticipation.

Draco's hands went to her waist and rubbed small, soothing circles. "Hey, look at me," he said softly.

When she did, he gave a reassuring nod. "We'll go slow and I won't move until you tell me to."

Hermione nodded, took a breath, then slowly began lowering herself onto his length.

She gasped at the fullness she felt the further he entered her and when she felt the light pinch of pain she stilled her movements and took a deep, bracing breath.

His fingers on her hips squeezed softly. "Are you okay, love?"

Hermione nodded and let her breath, "Yeah, I'm good." She lowered herself more, until he was fully sheathed inside of her.

"You feel so good," he murmured, his hands squeezing her hips as if to keep her in place. "So fucking good."

Hermione shifted slightly, the uncomfortableness starting to make way for something else, and she began to rock her hips slightly.

Draco closed his eyes as he also moved along with her. She braced her hands on his chest as she, too, closed her eyes and just let her body feel.

When she leaned forward, her clit rubbed against him just so and her already sensitive bud started to build up another orgasm.

She rocked faster, seeking relief as Draco used his hands on her hips to help her move back and forth against him.

He was muttering explicits under his breath which only spurred Hermione on more. She reached for her clit and rubbed circles, hard and quickly, until she was nearly undone.

"I'm close, I'm close," she panted.

"Fuck," he moaned. "That's it, just like that, Granger. I'm close too, so close…" His hands reached for her breasts again and the overwhelming sensation sent her over the edge. Her eyes locked with his as her mouth made a small O and she gasped small, short breaths, panting her orgasm out.

Draco rocked against her until he finally stilled and she could feel warmth spread within her.

Still seated on top of him, his cock still buried inside of her, she collapsed on top of his chest, exhausted.

His arms wrapped around her and held her close as he, too, caught his breath.

"I need to do the contraception charm," he murmured sleepily.

Hermione shifted slightly, her hand feeling around the floor until she found his wand and handed it to him.

She felt another wave of warmth as the charm washed over her. When he pulled out of her center, he did a quick cleansing spell over the pair of them before dropping his wand to the floor once more.

She shifted to his side and he tucked her head under his chin while his hand played idly with her curls.

"You alright?" he asked softly.

"More than," she said.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She shook her head. "No. There was some slight uncomfortableness and a pinch of pain, but after that it felt good…. real good. And I think," she lifted up so her face hovered over his and kissed him softly, "The more we do it, the better at it we'll be."

He gave her a cheshire grin as his hand slipped between her legs once more. "I like the sound of that."

Later, when they were finally spent and exhausted, they dressed back into their clothes and started getting ready to head back to their respective dorms, though it seemed as if both were biding their time on leaving.

"How about a cuppa before we head out?" Draco suggested.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, please." She yawned into the back of her hand. "I'm just going to close my eyes for a second until it's done."

She woke up an hour later, covered in a thick, green and gray blanket that smelled like Draco, and a cuppa on the side table, still hot from a stasis spell.

Hermione couldn't help the smile that spread across her face and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered even more.

On the last day of June, Harry pushed the map in Hermione's hand, instructing her to keep an eye on Malfoy while he went with Dumbledore on one last mission. She tried to argue, plead with him even, but Harry wasn't having it.

When he left, Hermione and Ron stared at the items in their hands—her the map and him the vial of Felix Felicis.

"What do you reckon' we should do?" Ron asked as he inspected the vial.

Hermione thought quickly, knowing she needed to get to Draco fast. "I'll… I'll keep an eye on Malfoy. Maybe even spy on the Room of Requirements. You stay here and if something happens, I'll send a message through the coin and you start distributing the potion to everyone, alright?"

Ron nodded. "I need to get it first, it's in my trunk. Should I… do you think I should warn them that something might happen?" he asked quietly, motioning to others in the common room.

Hermione bit her lip as she nodded. "Yes, I think that would be best. Try and get everyone around and await my message."

Ron nodded as he got up to run to his dorm and as Hermione left out of the portrait hole, the other coin in her pocket warmed.

Need you. Hurry!

Hermione rushed along the corridor, ignoring the calls of greeting and questions from fellow classmates along the way until she reached the 7th floor corridor.

The door was already there but when Hermione walked in, it wasn't their usual room that was created, but the Room of Hidden things.

"Draco?" she called out.

"Over here!" she heard him say from within the maze that were lost items.

She followed the path where she thought she heard him and was even more puzzled when she found him pacing wildly back and forth in a small section, surrounded by an old, worn out sofa, a broken cabinet, and books stacked up high.

"Draco?" she said again as she walked over to him slowly. "Is everything alright?"
His eyes lifted to meet hers and she noted that he looked relieved to see her. "I did it," he said as he walked over to her and pulled her against his chest.

She wrapped her arms around him as he held on tight, his body shaking—from relief or fear, she wasn't sure.

"I did it," he murmured again softly into her hair.

Hermione squeezed her eyes tight. "How long?"

"Don't know. A few hours, maybe?"

She tightened her grip around him. "So this is it then"

The chin that rested on her head nodded. "Yeah."

She pulled back slightly and looked up at him through her lashes. "I love you."

He cupped her chin as he brushed his lips against hers. "I love you, too."

Her arms wrapped around his neck as she deepened the kiss. Desperation, love, and fear poured through her veins as tears streamed down her face while she kissed him. His hands roamed all over her body, touching every part of her until he pulled her flush against him again.

"I need you… one last time… I need you," he begged.

She nodded in agreement and the two stumbled over to the couch, fumbling with their clothes, trying to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

She fell onto the couch first with him landing on top of her.

There was no soft caresses or teases–there was no time, only urgency and need.

As soon as her jeans were off and his cock was free, he lifted one of her legs to rest on his hip, aligned himself with her entrance, and slammed into her.

She saw stars. Beautiful, bright stars.

"You alright?" he asked as he started to rock slowly against her.

"Yes, perfect. Go faster, please?"

Draco complied as he pumped faster in and out of her. Hermione wrapped her other leg around him and lifted up slightly, the new angle hitting her just right.

"Faster, faster, I'm close, Draco," she panted beneath him.

His fingers found her clit as he began to rub circles, bringing her closer to the edge.

Her legs tightened around him and her toes curled as he brought her to climax. When she was spent, he lifted her up and pressed his forehead to hers as he came inside of her, holding her close.

They panted together, their breaths mingling as they calmed down from their frantic coupling.

His nose rubbed against her own. "You need to do it now," he said shakily.

She shook her head. "I can't," she said and let out a sob.

He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her fiercely. "You have to. You're… you're my best kept secret and if someone were to find out, I don't know what I'd do if I knew you were hurt because of me." He kissed her again and again. "Please, Hermione," he pleaded softly.

Sniffling, she nodded. "You're my best kept secret too." She took a shaky breath and met his eyes. "When this is over, I'll find you, I swear it," she promised fiercely.

"That's my girl," he said, his thumb wiping away the last of her tears.

When they were dressed and their clothes righted, she stood before him.

"Ready?" she asked.

He gave a nod. "Ready."

With a shaky hand, she lifted her wand. "Legilimens."

With Draco's help, Hermione gathered all of the memories of herself from the school-year—from working on their project together to their current point—and put them in a box. They had talked endlessly about what phrase to use when it came time for this, and Draco suggested something in French, making it even more difficult to unlock if someone were to try.

When all the memories were stored, Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath to gather her courage. "I love you….Verrouiller la mémoire." The box closed and pulsed with a bright light and Hermione spoke the phrase she had been practicing for nearly a week. "Rappelez-vous ce qui est caché."

She pulled out of Draco's mind, his eyes glazed over as the charm took hold. She left before he returned to the present, sobbing quietly as she made her way back to the door. She turned, one last time as she slipped through. "Good bye, Draco," she whispered, and went back to Gryffindor tower.

When she arrived, a group of Gryffindors were huddled together.

"Hermione!" Ron called out and waved her over. "We got the younger ones to their dorms and told them not to leave. Did you see Malfoy?"

"I—no, I didn't," she lied. "I can't find him on the map so I think he may already be in there. I realized I forgot my coin so I decided to come back to get it."

"It's alright, Neville used his coin." Ron said and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Here, let me take the map. Me, Ginny, and Neville will go back and keep an eye on the Room of Requirements. Luna said on the coin that she'll meet us by The Fat Lady. Why don't you go with her and watch Snape's office? Make sure he isn't up to anything?"

Hermione nodded. "Alright." Ron handed her the Felix Felicis and she took a sip.

"Be careful, everyone," she said quietly.

Ron hugged her. "You too, 'Mione."

Hermione hugged him back then exited through the portrait hole again to find Luna waiting for her. The two snuck down to Snape's office to keep watch and await the storm that was about to come.

Later that night, Hermione sat on the shower-stall floor, and quietly sobbed uncontrollably as the hot water washed over her.

Guilt, grief, and fear raked through her body.

She cried for Dumbledore, who was dead at the hands of someone he had trusted.

She cried for Draco, who disappeared with Professor Snape, and probably feeling just as guilty as well as alone, thinking no one cared about him now.

She cried for Bill, who was lying in the hospital wing, his face disfigured beyond recognition though thankfully should make a full recovery–even if side effects are unknown.

Finally, she cried for what was to come. There was talk of the school closing, students being pulled early, and what will happen now that Dumbledore, the only person Voldemort was afraid of, is dead.

She knows Harry won't return next year, even if he hadn't said so yet. She knows she'll join him, and Ron, in whatever quest Harry needs to do to defeat Voldemort.

Then there were her parents—her parents who, up until this point, have been blissfully unaware of what had been happening in her Magical world. She felt guilt over that too, not telling them everything so they wouldn't try and keep her home. Now it seems she doesn't have a choice—she'll need to let them know and figure out how to keep them safe.

When she could cry no more, Hermione got out of the shower and charmed herself dry, not caring what state of disarray her hair was in.

As she crawled under the covers of her bed, she ran through her last moments she had of Draco, trying to hold onto those memories of him.

It was then she realized she had the perfect plan for saving her parents—the same she had done for Draco just hours before.

The only problem now was how to convince them.

A/N: Sorry for the late night update! My family and I were at Worlds of Fun today! Hopefully this nice, long chapter was worth the wait! We're nearing the end of the flashbacks (still a few more to go) before we're finally back in the present with our favorite couple and their daughter.
Have a great week everyone and I'll update again next Sunday! xoxoHufflepuffMommy