He watched her as she crawled back into bed with him. He kissed her deeply cupping her face in his hands before he let go for a moment to place his hands on her hips. " mmm I trust you. I'll just be counting the hours until you come back " he said kissing her once more. " I don't think he would react very well to the news. Of us. that there is an us." He said with a smirk. " can I ask you something? Did he ever hurt you? Did he ever put his hands on you?" He asked , he didn't exactly picture Ron the abusive type but he was sure everyone had a temper from time to time. Draco seen too much in his life and just needed to know if it ever escalated to that point. He knew couples fight and argue from time to time but he just wanted to make sure it was just verbal.
Hermione's heart warmed as Draco expressed his trust in her. She kissed him back passionately, feeling their connection strengthen with each touch. His question took her by surprise and she raised a brow. "If he hurt me?" her gaze locked with his she took a moment to think about it. "We did have our arguments, of course, like any couple. It was mostly just words, sometimes hurtful ones" Hermione paused and layed down on her back next to him. " Well... he grabbed me but never punched me or anything" She ran her fingers up and down his back in a soothing way.
Draco looked her up and down and rubbed her waist for a moment as she laid down " grabbed you where? Your arms?" He asked just making sure it wasn't anything serious. He was well aware of how many years she had been with Ron even if most of those years was in a friend capacity. It was still a long time to be with anyone. ( for storyline purposes say they are around 25 years old, of course time past since Hogwarts ) " I just want to make sure darling. I wanted to get an idea of his tendencies. " he told her honestly. Draco was just being protective over her. " I do remember you having One hell of a right hook " he teased her " I know you can take care of yourself. "
She enjoyed his touch when he rubbed her waist for a short moment. Hermione chuckled at Draco's comment about her right hook. "I am so sorry for that one, but you really made me mad... at least now i know that you are not a little cockroach. Evil? Maybe.. but not a cockroach" she said with a playful grin. "And to answer your question, it wasn't my arms. It was more like... my wrist." She flexed her wrist lightly, remembering how Ron had grabbed her in a heated argument. "But really, it wasn't a regular occurrence," she reassured him, her fingers softly tracing patterns on his back as she layed there and watched him . " I am sure everything will be fine. If they let me go"
He laughed " I know I pissed you off I deserved it. I'd settle for an evil snake " he grinned and leaned down taking her hand and bringing it to his lips as he kissed her wrist where Ron had grabbed her a little too tightly. As physical abuse went, a grabbed wrist was minimal. He wouldn't say it was nothing , probably shouldn't have happened but it was minimal. " seriously though I could never hurt you. I know we will argue. Maybe grab you just to get your attention but I could never .." he smiled a bit and wrapped his arms around her holding her close " yea .. if they let you go. Molly will probably try to convince you stay one more night. " he planned on getting her roses for when she came back. One rose for every hour she was gone. He rubbed her back up and down nice and slow tracing in the words I love you into her bare skin. He figured if he kept repeating these movements it would somehow get embedded into her skin.
As he held her close, she nestled into his embrace, feeling safe and loved. "Molly would probably keep me there if she could," she said with a chuckle. "But don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I can. And then I'll have a lot to tell you." She traced her fingers gently along his chest, looking up at him with affection in her eyes."The day was wonderfull" she whispered and tried to change the topic,Thinking of the next day made her feel sick. She leaned up to reach his lips, pressing hers against his. She kissed him lovingly, sighing into the kiss as she enjoyed his warmth
He smiled and chuckled " I know. You will have a lot to tell me. " he leaned in and kissed her lips " I'm glad you enjoyed today. There will be plenty more like it when you come home. "He smiled and rubbed her back " I love you" he said kissing her again wanting to tell her that every single day they were together, as much as possible until she was annoyed. " I'm not trying to rush you out of here but you do have a big day tomorrow.. you should get some rest. Just stay close to me darling"
she looked into his eyes and smiled as he kissed her lips again and listened to his words. "I love you too " she whispered, leaning in to kiss him back. His suggestion to rest made sense, and she realized that she had a lot to process before tomorrow's meeting with Ron. "You're right" she said softly, nestling closer. "I should get some rest. But i wish this night wouldn't end" Thinking about the fact that this would be the last night togethre for the next two days, maybe longer depending on what happens she couldnt be close enough. Hermione leaned up to kiss his cheek, her hand running up and down his arm for a moment then layed back down. Hermione grabbed his arm as she shifted her body to lay with her back to him. Putting his arm around herself.
" I promise we will make up for it when you come home " he promised her and kissed the top of her head. " get some sleep. You will feel better when it's all over. " he laid down with her and wrapping his arms around her holding her tight and loving. He was hoping she wouldn't be gone too long he didn't know how to deal with that if it was longer than two days. He planned for three days tops without her but he knew in his heart she would return. It just meant he had time to find some gifts of love and affection for her to surprise her with. Draco loved her with everything he had left and losing her would devastate him to no end. It took a while but he did fall asleep eventually. He nuzzled her neck and pulled her closer as he dozed off to sleep. He half expected her to be gone when he woke up.
As Draco held her close, Hermione felt a sense of comfort and security in his arms. She knew that the next day would be challenging, but having his unwavering support and love made all the difference. She listened to the rhythm of his breathing and the beat of his heart as they lay together, and it wasn't long before the soothing sensations led her into a peaceful slumber. The night passed, and when Hermione woke up the next morning, Draco was still there beside her, holding her just as tightly as before. She smiled softly, feeling grateful to have him in her life. She carefully untangled herself from his embrace and sat up. Sighing softly she looked back at him, she didn't want to wake him, and she also wasnt planing on leaving straight away but she couldnt resist and gently bend down to press a soft kiss on his lips while he was sleeping.
He stirred a little the second she left his arms , he felt her lips pressed against his and he kissed her back out of instinct. He didn't open his eyes though, he didn't want to watch her walk away. " five more minutes beautiful " he mumbled tugging her back to bed for a little bit longer. He knew she had to go eventually say everything she needed to to officially move on. He brought her back to bed laying her on her side and moved with her wrapping his arms around her tight spooning her and kissed her neck. " just five more minutes " he promised to let her go after that.
Hermione felt his arms pull her back into bed, and she couldn't help but smile at his sleepy protest. The way he talked and acted , she found it more than adorable. She settled back against him as he spooned her, his arms holding her close. The warmth of his body against hers was comforting, and she let out a contented sigh." Five more minutes, huh?" she whispered an teased softly, turning her head slightly to catch a glimpse of his face. She felt his lips on her neck, and a shiver ran down her spine. She snuggled back into his embrace, closing her eyes, feeling his steady breath against her skin. She wanted to spend as much time as she could before she would leave.
He kissed up and down her neck as he reached for her hand lacing his fingers with hers. He opened his eyes to look at her " just 5 minutes .. maybe ten " he grinned " I promise I'll let you go and get ready. But first .. " he said pulling back a little and went to the knight stand on his side and opened the top drawer for a key and handed her a house key with a serpent engraved at the top to get back in when she returned. It did symbolize that he wanted her to come and go as she pleased. He knew there would be times they would have to be apart but he wanted her to know this was her home too. If she wanted it to be. " where's my kiss?"
His grin was infectious, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly at his suggestion of extending their "five minutes." It was really tempting, to stay wrapped up in his arms a little longer. She looked behind her back and watched him reaching for the nightstand. As he handed her the house key, she took it and looked at it, feeling a swell of emotions. The serpent engraving spoke volumes, a silent promise of his trust and openness. "Even easier for me to just get back here" she chuckled. Draco's request for a kiss brought a smile to her lips. Her fingers gently brushed his cheek as she leaned more to him, capturing his lips in a soft, lingering kiss. softly sighing into the kiss.
He grinned " what? You thought I would let you out of here without a way to get back in ?" He chuckled a bit and kissed her lips " turn the key over …" he said , on the back of the gold key had a heart engraved with her initials in the middle HJG. He had it made for her. " security has always been tight around here. Don't worry I have you on the list of people that are allowed on the property. My mother is first of course but you are right behind her. "
she smiled as Draco explained the key's purpose, and her eyes widened when he prompted her to turn it over. The heart-shaped engraving with her initials in the middle took her breath away. It was such a thoughtful gesture, a tangible representation of their connection and the place she held in his life. She couldn't help but smirk as she looked back at him. "You really have thought of everything, haven't you?" she said, her voice soft and filled with gratitude. It was clear that Draco was committed to making her feel secure and valued, and she felt incredibly lucky to have found someone who cared for her in such a genuine and heartfelt way.
Draco looked at her like his equal, that alone was more than anyone could comprehend. He wondered if she noticed he had her initials small enough to leave room for an upgrade when the time was right. " almost everything. The point is I just want you. I'm fully committed you my darling. " he said looking her in the eyes. He kissed her again a little deeper this time and pulled her in real close moaning against her soft lips.
She noticed that there was still some space left there, but she thought she might be imagining things. She was already thinking so much about the future that her mind might have been tricking her into imagining things that weren't really there. Hermione. Hermione's smiled at his words, her heart raced, and instinctively pressed herself more against him as she responded to the kiss with equal intensity. His warm chest against her back and his arm around her made her feel more than safe. Every moment they spent together deepened her feelings for him, and she knew she was falling for him more and more with each passing day. "I love you" she murmured and sighed against his lips, her voice soft but full of emotion. Her warm breath brushing his lips as she gently rubbed her nose against his. Her eyes closed
He kissed her passionately slowly sliding his tongue into her mouth placing his hand on her cheek. " I love you too. " he said softly against her lips and pressed his forehead against hers closing his eyes tilting his head down a bit take a deep breath. It killed him to say it but he had to let her go. " you should go .. get ready for your trip. " he was going to call it a trip just to ease his mind. He would have a nice day outing with his mother so he wasn't entirely alone , it would make it easier to pass the time. Draco hadn't seen Narcissa in a few weeks and it would be nice to spend time together.
Hermione felt his love and reluctance in every touch and word, and it only deepened the emotions she felt for him. She pressed her lips, and kissed him back just as passionately. Slightly parting her lips, letting his tongue slide in. She sighed as her tongue welcomed his. She shifted her body and turned around to face him. before pulling back slightly to look into his eyes. His words warmed her heart, and she nodded in agreement. She enjoyed his taste and gently bit his lip before he pulled back. Her forehead resting against his she kept her eyes close " I dont want to..." she whispered knowing that she had to. "just five more minutes..." a soft smirk appeared on her lips as she mimicked him from earlier "Maybe ten..." Hermione hummed a little and didnt even dare to open her eyes
He smirked hearing her mimic him about needing more time together. " five more minutes luv" he smiled and kissed her passionately as ever. It was dangerous at this point, the time he spent with her the more he wanted her and the more difficult it was to let her go. He closed his eyes and didn't say another word as he just focused on kissing her and savoring the moment for as long as he could placing kissed all over her.
Their kisses were intense, filled with a mixture of longing, desire, and a hint of sadness as they both knew that their time together was coming to an end, at least for now. Hermione reciprocated his passion, her fingers threading through his hair as their lips moved together in a dance that seemed to speak volumes of the love they shared. She wrapped her arms around his neck, only to pull herself closer, Her leg resting on his hip. Clinging onto him as if she would not allow any space between them.
He kissed her any place he could just wanting to leave her with a happy memory , something to hold her over the next couple days. He groaned feeling her leg wrap around his waist. He placed his hand on her thigh to hold her against him. He kept his body facing hers as he pulled her even closer as he deepened the kiss his tongue moving with hers. His heart was pounding for her.
Their passionate embrace was bittersweet, filled with a mixture of desire and the impending separation that weighed heavily on both their minds. Hermione let herself get lost in the intensity of the moment, savoring every touch, every kiss as if it could sustain her while they were apart. Her ingernails gently ran up and down his back. Pressing herself more against him when she felt his hand on her thigh. She knew she should leave but the moment made it more difficult for her to separate. Her breath became shallow as she bathed in his affection.
He wanted her right here , that would make it worse on him when she left. He would just let that desire build over the next couple days. Take her properly when she came home. He pulled back slowly caressing her back " I love you so much " he said softly kissing her once more as passionately as he could moving his hips up against her just for a moment. " you should go and get ready. Don't want to keep the Weasel clan waiting. " he said with a bit of a groan not wanting to let her go even if he had to.
Hermione's heart raced as Draco's words washed over her, his touch and his kiss igniting a fire within her that she knew she had to temporarily suppress. She nodded, her eyes locked onto his as she tried to convey the depth of her feelings without saying a word. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to stay, to lose herself in his arms for as long as possible. she kissed him back deeply, feeling him moving his hips she couldn't hold back a little moan against his lips. It was a soft quiet moan of desire. pressing her lips on his one last time she slowly pulled away. their breaths mingling in the air, Hermione looked up into his eyes with a mixture of adoration and sadness. "I have to go" she whispered "I'll be back as soon as I can" she slowly moved his arm aside so she could get up, she went to get dressed.
Draco kissed her one last time pulling away reaching for her hand " I know .. it's okay. Hurry back to me. But .. do have fun with your friends " he told her sincerely knowing this wasn't just about Ron. He didn't want to be that controlling with her and knew she had to see her friends from time to time. " I love you " he said wanting that to be the last thing he said to her not wanting to say good bye even though it was more of a see you later. It would be difficult to sleep with her and painful to wake up without her. They both needed this though because there would be times they couldn't be together.
when he reached for her hand, she held onto his hand tightly as if trying to imprint his touch on her skin. His words were reassuring, but the thought of being apart from him still tugged at her. "I love you too," she whispered, her voice soft but filled with sincerity. With one last squeeze of his hand, she reluctantly pulled away to get ready. When she finally was all dressed and fresh she came back from the bathroom , walked up to the bed where he was still laying. Hermione leaned down one last time kissing him deeply before letting him once more know that she loves him. Hermione's heart ached as she looked at Draco one last time. As she walked down the hallway, she couldn't shake the feeling of his touch, his kisses, his presence lingering on her skin. She held onto the key he had given her tightly, and when she left the building she did store the key in her magical bag. Standing infront of the Manor she took a deep breath from the air before apparating away.
He stayed in bed lost in his own thoughts while she got ready for her trip. He categorized it as a business trip just to make it easier. He smiled when she came back to him for one more kiss. He leaned in and kissed her lips and took her hand making sure she had the key with her and kissed her hand. " I love you" he said one more time wanting that to be the last thing she heard from him. He watched her leave the bedroom and heard her go down the stairs and out the front door. His whole body ached without her. Already she was too far away and he knew when she left the grounds completely.
He caught his breathe and managed to get up from bed to get his own day started. He took a shower and got dressed. He contacted his mother and wanted to know her plans for the day and offered to take her out this afternoon and spend the day together. He told her they would meet around 1 that afternoon and go to lunch and go into town he had something to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything about Hermione. In general he wanted a woman's opinion on a few things and wanted his mothers input on a few ideas he had in regards to a surprise or two for Hermione.
Hermione felt a mix of emotions as she prepared to meet Ron. Her heart ached a little, knowing this was a necessary step in moving forward. She had to have this conversation with him, and although Draco's love and support made her feel stronger, there was still a lingering sense of apprehension. As she made her way to the Weasley's place, Hermione couldn't help but reflect on the journey she had been on. Upon arriving at the Weasley's, Hermione took a deep breath and reminded herself that this conversation was necessary for closure. She had to be honest with Ron about her feelings and the direction her heart had taken. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was determined to face it head on, with courage and honesty.
It was still relatively early in the morning, and Hermione had just arrived as everyone was slowly waking up and heading to the small kitchen for breakfast. She knocked on the door, her body tense. "Hermione, my dear, where were you? Are you alright?" a loud voice sounded as Molly opened the door and found her. She made way for her and gestured for her to come in. "You've arrived just in time for breakfast!" she said as she moved ahead. Hermione paused briefly at the entrance, taking a deep breath.
She briefly looked around as she entered the Burrow and suddenly noticed how chaotic everything was. The time spent at Draco's estate had left not only physical and emotional traces. Everything suddenly seemed so small. She sat down at the table and chatted with Molly while they both waited for the others to join. Arthur gently patted her shoulder and smiled, "We were wondering where you were, Ron was beside himself." Hermione remained silent and simply observed him as he sat down at the table, reading a Muggle newspaper. She sighed a little and closed her eyes for a short moment, she still remembered Draco's scent and she felt her heart ache.
Draco was pacing already around his bedroom. Where was she? Was she okay? Did she already tell Ron ? What happened after that? His mind was just racing. He had to calm himself down she had only been gone an hour. Longest hour of his life. His thoughts then wandered to what if Hermione liked it there better and everything Draco was trying to offer her didn't seem like enough any more. Would she choose to stay with Ron. " shouldn't have let her go" he said. He thought about going over there but that would break her trust if it seemed like he was spying on her. He took a deep breath and poured himself a drink wayy too early in the morning and downed it in one sip letting it burn his throat.
He had about 3 drinks of bourbon before he realized it was nearly time to meet his mother for lunch. He quickly tried to freshen up and get rid of the smell of alcohol this early in the day. He took another shower for good measure then mouth wash to hide the alcohol smell and got dressed again. He picked up his mother like promised and the two went to a nice lunch downtown. He was nervous and antsy and Narcissa could tell immediately something was different about her son. " what's wrong my love you're fidgeting" Narcissa said with concern in her voice and pure observation, she had never seen her son like this. Draco shook his hand and had his mother link her arm with his as they walked to the restaurant getting a table. " nothing mum I'm fine. " he lied " have you been drinking? At this hour " Narcissa asked smelling a hint of bourbon on his breath " just a little " he admitted " I screwed up and let her go. I shouldn't have " he told her and looked at his mother and sighed knowing he needed to tell her a little more. " I met someone. Fell in love. She's amazing. Beautiful. Always up for a challenge and you know I love a challenge. " he grinned calming down a bit being able to talk about Hermione finally. " I met her in school. Remember who I always talked about every summer with you ?" He asked " Hermione Granger " Narcissa said with a nod remembering it all too well , she did smile at the Acknowledgement. " I always wondered when you two would figure it out. " she smiled a bit more reaching for his hand with encouragement " it's okay to talk about it and feel like this Draco. Don't do what your father and I did. You know better. " Draco was a little surprised at how easy this was to talk to his mother about this. " I can't get her out of my head. We spent the last few days together and it was just perfect. How do I make her stay? How do I make her chose me?" He asked
They both paused a bit as the waiter asked them for drink orders to get started. " tea please " Draco said trying to sober up a bit around his mother. Narcissa asked for tea as well. Once the waitor was gone Narcissa leaned forward " what's going on? Where is she now?" His fist clenched a little at the thought " she's away for a couple days. With .. old friends. I know it's not a big deal. Tie up loose ends. But what if she doesn't come back?" He asked looking up at his mother. Narcissa could tell this was real and her son was serious about this. This wasn't a crush. " how long will she be gone exactly?" " two .. maybe three days. I'm not sure yet. It's only been a few hours. Everything hurts. " he admitted " okay listen .. one rose for every hour she's gone. A dozen roses is too little .. a hundred could overwhelm her. Minimum of 48 red roses should do. To make your point. Maybe some jewelry. Start simple. " she told her son. Draco nodded " 48 roses" he repeated " I can do that. Yea .. forty eight sounds good " he nodded about the jewelry calming down a little " sure .. necklace.. earrings?" He asked. Narcissa grinned and chuckled at her son's nervousness. " darling boy .. go with diamonds. Always go with diamonds. If you need me I'll help you pick something out " Draco smiled at the suggestion and offer of help to have a woman's opinion sounded good. " sounds great. "
Hermione stared at the wooden table in front of her while Molly was cooking. She was lost in her thoughts, feeling quite uncomfortable about the situation. Everything around her seemed to get louder while she couldn't suppress thoughts of Draco. The ticking of an old clock on the wall, the slurping sounds whenever Arthur Weasley took a sip of his coffee, everything seemed to be getting louder. Her heart raced at the thought of what Draco might be doing at that moment. He was good at hiding it, but she could tell he wasn't pleased. The moment by the lake kept replaying in her mind when he momentarily lost control and briefly lunged at her.
Her eyes studied the fibers of the wood, and her hands gripped the fabric of her skirt tightly under the table as her body tensed up more and more. "Where's Ron?" burst out of her. Arthur looked up from his newspaper, and Molly turned towards her. "I hadn't planned on having breakfast, I need to talk to him." Before they could say anything, Ron sauntered down the stairs, stopping immediately when he saw her. As Hermione caught sight of him, she quickly stood up. "You wanted to talk, here I am."
Ron raised his eyebrows, approached her, took her hand, and led her into the garden. There, they could talk alone, as he shared a room and everyone was still asleep. "Where were you, I missed you! Hermione, please... I'm really sorry," he said and sighed. He walked towards her and pulled her into a hug. "Ron! No..." Hermione pushed him back by the shoulders. Immediately, Ron noticed the unfamiliar scent, a hint of expensive perfume and green apple. "Where were you?" he asked, staring at her while holding onto her wrist. Hermione jerked her hand out of his grip abruptly and ran her fingers over her wrist. "It doesn't matter."
Draco and his mother had a nice time together talking about everything that's happened in the last few weeks for them both. Trying to keep himself distracted as much as possible but his thoughts kept going back to the lake. He wasn't trying to hurt her. He was upset for just a moment and moved too quick. Probably confused her and gave her the wrong idea. Not the best idea on his part. An hour went by and they finished their meal and carried on about their day.
Hours past and a jewelry shop got his attention , shiny objects usually did. He was looking for a a nice bracelet or a necklace. He had Hermione on his mind all day and knew he could find something amazing for her. Just to show her how much she meant to him. It just had to be bigger than a ring. He didn't want to get her hopes up just to be disappointed. It was too soon for a ring. They didn't even talk about it yet. He would start simple get her reaction and go from there. " what if she says no.." Draco said softly staring at the jewelry cases in the store window. Narcissa smiled a bit taking her sons hand and gave a gentle squeeze. " everything you said about her today .. if it's true. She won't hesitate when the time is right. Do you love her?" Draco nodded and looked at his mother " I really do. I shouldn't have let her go. Or go alone .." he sighed a bit and walked into the jewelry store just to look around.
Ron looked at her with confusion, slightly wrinkling his nose. He had known Hermione long enough to recognize that this wasn't her usual scent. It was quiet, and he just stared at her in disbelief. "Ron, I can't, can't you understand?" she said, attempting to break the silence. "This wasn't what I imagined." Her eyes grew slightly teary as she thought about their entire history. Their friendship meant so much to her, and now it seemed like everything was falling apart. Ron took a few steps closer to her and opened his arms slightly. "I'm really sorry, just give me a chance to prove you wrong. I love you, Hermione! I always have... all these years." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him. "Hermione... please." Desperation was evident in Ron's voice, and he remained standing close to her. Once again, he reached for her wrists and tried to meet her gaze.
The discussion continued until it became very heated. The family noticed, and Molly sent the twins out to fetch Ron back inside. Ginny was also sent to calm Hermione down. They avoided each other all day. Hermione spent most of her time with Ginny by a lake. They talked about various things. Hermione's gaze remained fixed on the lake as she played with her own fingers, her thoughts solely on Draco. She didn't know if she could talk to Ginny about him. The Weasleys and Malfoys had never really gotten along well.
""I just realized there's someone who treats me better," she said, looking down at her fingers. "I never thought it would be that person, but I think it's fate." Ginny kept asking about whom she was talking. Hermione just smiled slightly as she looked at her. Maybe she would find out someday. After a lot of persuasion from the twins, they managed to convince Hermione to stay just to spend time with them the next day. The day quickly came to an end. Hermione layed on a mattress in the attic, staring at the ceiling. She missed Draco and would much rather be there than here. She wondered what he was doing and if he thought about her just like she thought about him.. her heart ached.
He wandered the jewelry store not talking much as he browsed the cases for the perfect gift. He did find a bracelet he thought she would like. Silver and small diamonds , he knew her enough to know to go with something simple yet elegant. He asked for his mothers opinion just to make sure he was making the right choice in a purchase. " did father do this for you ? Buy you jewelry as a gift in the early stages ?" He asked curiously. " at first yes he would surprise me with jewelry. After we married the jewelry only showed up as an apology " Narcissa said honestly. Draco took a deep breath and knew he had to do better than this and break the cycle. " I'm so sorry mum. That should never be a reason to gift jewelry of any kind. " he said looking at her with sadness in his blue eyes. He wanted to do everything differently and do better by Hermione. She was the world to him and the cycle broke now. He went a little over board as usual , found a nice bracelet and matching necklace for her. He looked at rings just to look but knew it was too soon to purchase anything. He almost didn't want to find the perfect ring yet. He wanted more time to pass before they even had that conversation.
They went about their day and Draco asked his mother to come over for dinner on Friday so she could meet Hermione officially. This way would give him more alone time with his girl. He picked out roses forty eight of them to be delivered the day she came home just a few hours before. The cards that came with flowers never had enough room to leave a personal note. He settled for the standard I love you but wanted to give her something personal as well and he would write that at home. Draco couldn't stop thinking about her while she was gone. He needed to write and let it out. Everything he felt.
Hermione almost couldn't close her eyes that night. She kept tossing and turning on the mattress, trying to find a comfortable position to fall asleep, but it was nearly impossible. With a pillow clutched to her chest, she closed her eyes and reminisced about the time she spent with Draco. The next day, the twins wanted to take her to a Quidditch match. Hermione had to promise to go with them, as otherwise, they would have been disappointed. Throughout the entire game, she still couldn't think of anything else but Draco. As her eyes followed the Seeker chasing the Snitch, images flooded her mind, images of Draco trying to win for his house a few years ago.
The twins also noticed how absent she was. They kept teasing her, trying to question her and cheer her up, but Hermione remained silent. How she wished she could say that she was by Draco's side, but that would only be a bigger blow to Ron. Sooner or later, he would find out anyway. After the game, they went to a pub and had some butterbeer while everyone continued to chat about old second evening arrived quickly, and she would have stayed for another night. Ron had asked her to talk with him again. Both of them were sitting in his room.
Sitting across from Ron in his room, the air was charged with emotion. Their conversation delved into their past, their mistakes, and the lingering regrets. Even in these moments, thoughts of Draco hovered in the back of Hermione's mind. She had to consciously ground herself in the present, focusing on the difficult conversation with Ron. His genuine apologies and willingness to discuss his feelings touched her, reminding her of the bond they once shared.
He couldn't sleep much without her. Hermione's side of the bed remained cold each night she was gone. He could barely sleep in his own bed without her. How did he get so addicted so quickly. He thought about her constantly. Where was she ? What she was doing ? Who was she with right now? Did she already tell Ron what was going on and who she had been with. He almost sent an elf to go looking for Hermione but stay hidden and report back just so he knew she was okay and safe. He couldn't do that either somehow he knew Hermione would spot the elf and knew he was spying on her. He stayed up all night and wrote her a nice and sweet love note to go with the flowers and jewelry.
The next day the flowers had arrived , beautiful as every and 48 long stem roses were placed on the kitchen counter waiting for Hermione when she returned home. He placed his hand written letter next to the flowers and the gift boxes for the bracelet and matching necklace. He was proud of himself for the romantic set up he designed for her. He hoped she would be home soon and she could tell him about her trip.
The conversation went on for a long time. Ron kept trying to persuade her. When Hermione looked out of the small, dirty window, she noticed that it was already dark. She had wanted to return for a while now and was sure that Draco was probably wondering why she hadn't arrived yet. But Ron didn't give up. After a while, he stood up and walked towards her to sit beside her. He gently stroked her back. "Look, I'll give you some space, and then we can start fresh, okay? I know I can be a real failure..." Hermione's hands became sweaty. All this time, she had tried not to say anything, but it was very uncomfortable for her when he got so close. "I've fallen in love with someone else!" she blurted out quickly, leaning slightly away from him. Ron was initially speechless, but then smiled a bit, not believing her. "Nice try. I know you're just saying that." He reached for her arm and pulled her gently closer, just like he used to do when they were friends. "Draco..." escaped her lips. She had no choice but to tell the painful truth now. Ron let go of her arm and furrowed his brow. "Why are you bringing up Draco now?!" he asked and starred at her. Hermione stood up and turned around to look at him, Her heart racing "I fell in love .." she didnt dare to say the name again but Ron wanted to hear it
Draco was pacing the house a while going over everything in his head. Did he already screw up and didn't realize it. He didn't think so. He had one brief moment but he stopped himself before it went too far. He sighed a little rubbing his fingers through his hair. He figured he did everything right, he must have. They parted on good terms. She will be back soon he knew it. He had to trust that. He thought about lighting some candles for her to set a romantic atmosphere but waited to know she was on the property again and draw her up a nice hot bath to relax in when she got home.
Ron stood up as well and asked her again who she had fallen in love with. Hermione looked past him but remained standing, her arms crossed over her chest. "I've fallen in love with Draco... you heard right," she said calmly. Ron stood there with his mouth open. He needed a moment before he could speak. "You're falling in love with an arrogant, blood-obsessed git?" his voice grew slightly louder. Hermione's expression darkened, and she looked back into his eyes. "He didn't know any better! That wasn't him!" Ron ran his hands through his hair and stopped in front of her. "He called you a Mudblood! He sees you as a disgrace to the wizarding society! Even we are blood traitors in their eyes!" The argument escalated again. Eventually, it became too much for her, and she quickly walked past him. Without a word, she left the house. The Weasleys who were sitting at the table downstairs watched her in shock. The twins ran after her, but Hermione had already disappeared.
Just to pass the time he went out to the stables and let Macy out of her stall " hey girl .." he said petting her sides " wanna go look for Hermione for me? Bring her home?" He asked with a smirk and gave the horse a kiss just to touch something Hermione touched recently. He took Dawson too of course just for a quick ride around the property to clear his head and ended up back on the trail near the lake. Macy left the property happily trotting along to find her favorite witch and bring her back where she belonged. Draco was worried about her she should have been back by now. He hoped by the time he came back to the house with Dawson that Hermione would be inside the manor looking for him too. He just couldn't sit there much longer wondering where she was.
Thanks to Apparition, she quickly vanished from that place and appeared in Draco's home. It was night, and it was starting to rain slightly. As she slowly came to her senses and looked around, she realized she was in Wiltshire. With her hands on her arms to keep warm, she walked through the narrow streets. She made her way out of the small town towards the mountain where the estate was located. She quickly reached the small forest that surrounded the Malfoy property. Suddenly, as she heard footsteps that sounded like hooves, she looked around quickly. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. "Macy?" Her lips formed a wide smile, briefly overshadowing her sadness. "Hey, angel, what are you doing here?" She cautiously approached her and stroked over her mane. She embraced Macy and took a deep breath. "I'm so glad you're here," she whispered. "I'm so glad to be back here..." Hermione sighed and climbed onto Macy's back. "Do you want to take me home?" she asked, leaning slightly forward to stroke her side. Macy set off straightaway. She stopped at the stable, and Hermione quickly noticed that Dawson wasn't there. "He's out? At this time?" She was a bit surprised because it was already late.
Macy did a happy dance neighing hoping Draco could hear her as she nuzzled Hermione giving her kisses. He did hear Macy give a loud neigh " already? That was fast…" he said and tugged on Dawsons reigns leading him back to the house to find out what was going on.
Macy sat still long enough to let Hermione mount her as she neighed again to get Draco's attention as she turned around to take Hermione back and closer to the house so she didn't have to walk so far in the rain. Macy was happy to see Hermione too and brought her back safely and waited for praise and a treat.
Draco chuckled a bit seeing Macy standing in the back lawn near the stables " atta girl" he said bringing Dawson closer and hopped off keeping his eyes on Hermione. He let Dawson go and he trotted back to the stables. " hi beautiful " he said walking over to her a little faster and helped her down off of Macy taking her into his arms and held her tight and kissed her cheek then her lips.
She was slightly surprised by Macy's behavior; it felt as if the horse wanted to convey something. As they stood by the stable, Hermione looked around. It didn't take long before she heard another horse approaching. She knew that had to be Dawson, and where Dawson was, Draco would be too. Her heart skipped a beat, and when she heard his voice, she looked in his direction. Her eyes lit up, and her lips formed an immediate wide smile. She let herself be helped down from the horse, her arms tightly around his neck. "I'm back!" She couldn't stop smiling and nestled closely against him. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She relished his scent and warmth. Hermione then eased away slightly, her hands on his chest. She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him passionately