Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Here is the next chapter as promised!
Chapter 17
Hermione made her way across the Hogwarts grounds on Sunday night, Harry's invisibility cloak draped over her as it was after hours. She felt guilty that she had stolen his cloak while he slept but she couldn't think of a reason to borrow it, especially now that classes were over.
As she approached the Black Lake, she pulled off the cloak, stuffing it into her bag. She immediately noticed the silver head of hair sitting half-hidden behind a large rock. His hair seemed to glow in the moonlight and Hermione felt butterflies erupt in her stomach when his silver eyes locked with her own. God, Draco Malfoy was made for the night. His pale skin and hair, silver eyes and aristocratic features shined beautifully under the mystic glow of the moon.
"You finally made it." Draco said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"I had to wait for Harry to go to sleep." she said quietly, glancing around the deserted grounds.
Draco reached out to take her hand before he led them off towards a rather large boulder just a few feet away from the lake on the outskirts of the forest. He pulled off his robe and waved his wand, transfiguring it into a large blanket which he laid out on the grass. She felt herself get giddy as she watched him. Was this a date? A real date?
The June air was warm and welcoming, the stars were twinkling brightly above them and they had a perfect set up for stargazing. She dropped her bag with a grin before moving to lay down on the blanket, patting the space next to her and gesturing for him to join her. He eyed the skirt of her dress which had ridden up when she had laid back before moving to join her.
They laid there, shoulders touching as they stared up at the stars. "Draco is a constellation, you know." she said matter-of-factly.
He let out a quiet snort. "You think I don't know the meaning behind my own name?"
She glanced over at him with a huff. "No… I was just saying. It must be a Black family thing." she said before she could stop herself.
Her eyes widened and she forced her gaze away, looking up at the stars. She didn't want to bring up anything that had to do with the Black family, especially since Sirius had died just the previous year. Ron and Harry didn't talk about Harry's late godfather much and she felt her stomach twist whenever she thought of the innocent man who had been framed for so many years of his life.
"Yes, it must be." he nodded his agreement, eyeing her suspiciously at her reaction. "Mother always said practically her entire family was named after different constellations. She wanted to continue that tradition with me."
"Did you know them all?" she asked tentatively. She had done thorough research on the Ancient House of Black during the summer after their third year when they had helped Sirius escape. "The Blacks… your relatives."
The muscle in his jaw twitched as he stared up at the stars above. "Not really. A good deal of the Blacks who are alive have been… cut off."
"Your mother's sister, Andromeda. Tonks. Sirius." She listed a few of the Blacks who had been shunned away. "What do you think about that? Your aunt married a muggle and her entire family shunned her away-"
"What do you want me to say, Granger?" he hissed, cutting her off. "She was a blood-traitor, she betrayed her family and left my mother to run off with some…"
She balled her hand into a fist, turning her head to glare at him. "Some what? Some mudblood?" she asked as he turned his head to glare at her back.
"I didn't say that," he said quietly.
"You didn't have to." she spat. "If that's what you think of your aunt, what do you think you are? You've been spending a lot of time with a mudblood yourself. We've had sex multiple times. Does that not make you a blood-traitor as well?" she said hotly.
"Shut the fuck up." he hissed, sitting up and glaring down at her.
"No, I won't shut up!" She sat up too so she could face him. "You speak so lowly of your aunt when you're no different from her! Am I just some mudblood too? If it came down to it and you had to choose between being branded as some blood-traitor to be with me or remain loyal to the Malfoy name and continue hating people like me, what would you do?" she asked the question she had been thinking for months now.
He eyed her with his stormy grey eyes, his lips pressing together tightly. She felt her heart beat rapidly in her chest when he didn't respond.
"I thought so." she muttered, shaking her head and moving to stand.
"Stop." he said finally, reaching out to grab her arm as she stood, pulling her back down so she fell back on her bum. She opened her mouth to tell him off, but he was too fast. "You don't understand. I don't have that… choice. I can't… I…" he trailed off, brows furrowed.
"Everyone has a choice, Draco." she said, looking away.
"I don't." he said sharply. "I know it's not what you want to hear but someday you'll understand." he said, reaching out to take her hand. "Just… for tonight. Be here. With me. You can hate me tomorrow but tonight I… I need you to be here."
Her breath hitched at his desperate tone. She certainly wasn't satisfied with his response but his pleading expression did not allow her to turn away from him. "I am. I'm here for you, Draco." she said softly, squeezing his hand. "I just… I think about the future and I don't know where this will go. We can't keep us a secret forever."
She watched as he clenched his jaw before laying back down, staring up at the stars again. "It won't be a secret forever. Soon enough everything will be out in the open." he muttered and Hermione had a feeling he was speaking more to himself than her.
She eyed him hesitantly for a few seconds before she laid back too. "You look tired." she pointed out.
"I've been tired for a while now." he said dryly.
"What's keeping you up at night?" she pressed.
He turned his head to look at her. "What are you doing tomorrow night?" he asked suddenly.
She frowned. Tomorrow was their last full day at the school before they headed home for the summer. "I… I don't know. Packing?" she offered. "I was thinking maybe we could meet up one last time… in the Room of Requirement."
His eyes hardened and he shook his head. "No. Pack tomorrow night. In your dorm." he insisted and she felt herself grow angry again at his rejection. "I can't meet up tomorrow. I have… I have to meet with Professor Snape. I owe him some work." he explained quickly at her angry expression.
"What? This late in the semester?" she frowned.
"Yes. He's doing me a favour." he said quickly. "So I can't meet you. Just stay in your dorm tomorrow night. I'll… I'll find you on the train on Tuesday."
She eyed him suspiciously for a few seconds before nodding. She knew he had fallen behind on many of his classes this year so it did make sense…
"Okay…" she hesitantly agreed.
He must have noticed her hesitation because he reached out a hand to cup her cheek before he leaned over, capturing her lips in a kiss. She sighed, tilting her head up and returning the kiss as he slid his hands down to her hips, moving them so he was laying back and she was straddling his hips on top. His hands moved over her hips until he cupped her bum, pulling her center down onto him.
He groaned into her mouth at the friction and she placed her hands down on the blanket on either side of his head before rolling her hips against him again. She was rewarded with a groan coming from his lips as he let his head fall back, staring up at her in pleasure.
Feeling a rush of excitement rise within her at her sudden position of power she bit her lip as she sat up on him, lifting a hand to pull down the strap of her sundress. His silver eyes followed her hand and he gently rocked his hips against her when she did the same with the other strap, exposing her shoulders and cleavage. She leaned forward slightly, placing her hands on his chest and pushing her breasts together to offer more cleavage before she rolled her hips against his once more.
"Holy fuck," he hissed, hands sliding up her thighs and under her dress before squeezing her bum. "You're a little tease, witch." He used his hold on her bum to grind her core into him and he lifted his hips slightly to match.
Now it was her turn to moan as her most sensitive area ground down against his. He slid his hands up her body until his fingers reached her cleavage. He pulled the dress down the rest of the way until it was piled at her waist before he pinched at a hardened nipple. She gasped, grinding down on him as he pinched and pulled at her nipples.
She increased her pace in time with his fingers until he groaned, moving his hands to grip her tightly, stopping her. "You're gonna make me come. Not yet." he said and she blushed.
He reached up to pull the rest of her dress up over her head, leaving her in her knickers. He eyed them for a few seconds before reaching out to pinch her clit through the fabric. She jumped and he smirked, patting her pussy before pulling them down and off her legs. He quickly unzipped his own trousers before pulling them down to reveal his hardened cock.
"Ride me." he ordered and she bit her lip, wrapping her small hand around the base of his cock before she lifted herself slightly to line up with her entrance.
She gasped as she lowered herself onto him, feeling her walls stretch to accommodate him. His fingertips dug into her thighs and she bit her lip, only releasing it when she had taken him in fully. She leaned forward to rest her hands on his stomach before she moved back up and back down until she had developed a rhythm moving up and down his cock. She watched as the muscles of his chest and arms tightened under his shirt and she felt a wave of pleasure as she felt his stomach harden under her hands.
"D-Draco," she whimpered as she rode him, her breasts bouncing with her pace.
"You look so fucking job riding my dick," he muttered, raising a hand to cup her bouncing breast.
She moaned at his encouragement, balancing her weight on him as she quickened her pace. He squeezed her breast at that and she threw her head back as she felt herself grow closer to release. She rolled her hips again, moaning at the feeling of him so deep within her.
"That's a good girl," he praised, watching her as his other hand slid up to flick lazily at her clit. "Come all over my cock, Hermione."
She clenched her thighs on either side of him and came, losing her rhythm as she convulsed with pleasure. He let out a small groan as he watched her come undone on top of him before he placed his hands on her hips, lifting her slightly so he could thrust up into her. She gasped as he held her up, his cock disappearing in and out of her at a rapid pace.
She whimpered as he drove into her sensitive opening, moving her hands behind her to rest on his thighs as she leaned back, stretching herself out. He growled slightly as his eyes traveled up her flat stomach and to the mounds of her bouncing breasts.
With a final thrust, he emptied himself deep within her and she gasped as she felt his cock twitch inside of her. His hand slid up her stomach and he tightly gripped her breast as he came with a groan. He held her against him for a few seconds before his hands dropped limply onto the blanket under him.
She lifted herself up and gasped at the loss of his cock as it slipped from her opening. She moved to lay next to him, suddenly aware of her nakedness. She blushed, reaching out to pull her dress back over her head. He watched her and pulled her into his side when she laid back again.
"I'm sorry." he said suddenly and she frowned, trying to turn her head to look up at him but he held her tight against him, forcing her in place.
"For what?" she asked, toying with the buttons of his shirt. Why was he apologizing all of the sudden?
"Everything." he muttered and she felt his body tense under her. Was he talking about the years of bullying? The name calling? The argument they had just had?
"It's… okay." she said softly, unsure of what else to say. It was unusual enough for Draco to apologize, but on top of that he was apologizing so vaguely too.
They sat in silence for a few minutes and Hermione started to feel her body ache at his tight hold on her.
"I…" he began and she heard him swallow hard. "I… I love you." he said so quietly she almost hadn't heard him.
Her heart seemed to have stopped as he spoke the words. Had she misheard him? Had he really said it back? She knew just by the foreign way the three words slipped out of his mouth that he didn't say them often. She felt her whole body tingle and she was sure he could feel her chest beating hard against her chest.
She pulled back to look at him, and this time he let her. His icy eyes looked defensive, as if he were ready to take the words back at the slightest hint of rejection. "I love you too," she murmured, leaning forward to press her lips against his own.
He slowly returned the kiss and she smiled against his lips. This was it. Everything she had wanted. A boy who made her feel so alive; who loved her like she did him. Draco's family prejudice's and her friend's lack of friendliness towards Draco may pose a problem to her in the future, but in this moment nothing could burst Hermione Granger's bubble.
Draco wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers on Monday evening, his eyes glued to the Vanish Cabinet before him. Tonight was the night. Any minute now his Aunt Bellatrix and her fellow Death Eaters would climb out of the cabinet and into the castle.
He had successfully avoided Hermione all day, remaining hidden in the Room of Requirement since he had woken up. Last night, his final night with Hermione, was bittersweet. He had told her he loved her, finally. And he had done it because it was his last chance to do so. He had asked Blaise to slip her a potion to make her ill, ensuring she would stay in her dorm all night. He hoped she had taken it. He didn't know if he could go through with his task if she showed up in the middle of it.
This was it. There was no more beating around the bush, no more pretending. Tonight everything would go according to plan and by the end of the night Albus Dumbledore would be dead, Hogwarts would be left in shambles, and he would never see her again. And he couldn't let anything distract him from that.
He stood up straighter when he heard a commotion in the cabinet just before the door was pushed open and out stepped Bellatrix Lestrange. Her wide eyes looked around the room curiously before they landed on her nephew.
"Draco!" her face lit up in glee as she headed over to him, a bounce in her step. "You've done it. Well done, Draco. The Dark Lord will be pleased." she beamed at him manically and Draco averted his gaze from his deranged aunt as another figure stepped out of the cabinet
He watched as the Carrow twins, Yaxley, Rowle, Gibbon and Fenrir Greyback stepped into the room. His jaw twitched as he saw Greyback and he felt his stomach turn uncomfortably as he watched a grin spread over the sinister man's face. Why the fuck hadn't anyone told him Greyback was going to be there?
"Well, Draco?" Bellatrix said in her usual sing-song voice. "Aren't you going to show us around the place?" she pouted and the other Death Eaters chuckled lowly.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, placing his neutral mask over his face before he nodded. "Let's go." he muttered, wand gripped tight in his hand as he led the group out of the Room of Requirement.
He tried to tune out the gleeful cackles from his Aunt as she caused destruction along the way. The other Death Eaters followed suit and Draco clenched his fist. He was glad they hadn't crossed paths with any students or professors yet, but he knew it wouldn't be long before they did. As long as a certain curly haired Gryffindor wasn't one of them.
Hermione left the Hospital Wing, sighing as she pulled her curls up into a bun. She had had a small stomach bug and had shown up to see Madam Pomfrey for a potion to counter it. She walked down the corridor, frowning slightly when she heard the faint voices of people yelling up ahead. She sped up her steps, turning the corner and gasping when she bumped into Ginny.
"Hermione!" she cried, her wand raised in her hand. "Death Eaters! They're here! Hogwarts is under attack!" she explained quickly, grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her along as they ran down the corridor.
"What?" Hermione ran alongside her friend, a million questions in her head. How could that be? Hogwarts was the safest place, this wasn't possible!
"Harry went somewhere with Dumbledore and… and he warned us, gave us liquid luck. You were in the Hospital Wing but he told us to tell you too. I was on the way down to come and get you when I saw the mark." Ginny explained. "Hermione, they cast a Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower!" she cried and Hermione squeezed Ginny's hand.
How could this have happened? Voldemort had never dared to attempt to invade Hogwarts, especially with Dumbledore around. But Dumbeldore wasn't around… he had been out with Harry.
She gasped as they heard an explosion up ahead, and Hermione raised her wand, ready to fight. "Expelliarmus!" she cried out as a dark robed man stood ahead of them.
He deflected the spell, wand raised to cast his own. "Reducto!" Ginny cried and the pillar next to the man exploded.
The man let out an angry roar and the girls dashed past him as the man was buried beneath the rubble of the pillar. They ran down the corridor, headed for the Astronomy Tower. They passed several Order members, Neville, Luna, Ron and the professors who were duelling their own Death Eaters.
Ginny stopped, joining Tonks in a duel and Hermione moved to join the girls and the three witches fought off a Carrow sibling while Professor McGonagall took on the other. Hermione cried out as a rogue spell caught her leg, deeply slicing the skin of her thigh. She fell to her knees, gasping in pain as she clutched at the bleeding wound.
She gritted her teeth and made to get up when she saw Harry, who was frantically pushing past people duelling. He shot out brightly coloured spells aimed at the Death Eaters as he ran. She watched as he headed towards the marble staircase leading to the Main Entrance. Pushing herself up and back onto her feet, she followed after him. Wherever Harry was going, she would be there to help. She knew he wasn't running aimlessly.
"Harry!" she called as she dashed down the staircase after him.
She slipped through the main doors after Harry, squinting in the darkness to make out who he was running after. "Harry, where are you going?" she cried as she caught up with him.
They heard an explosion behind them and Hermione glanced over her shoulder, throwing a few stunning spells at the Death Eaters behind them.
"Snape! He killed him!" Harry yelled as they ran. "Malfoy got them into the castle! Malfoy!" he called out, and Hermione felt her stomach lurch at the name.
"W-what?" she asked, though Harry sped up past her.
She watched him run, frozen in shock. Malfoy? What did Draco have to do with this? Surely he meant Lucius Malfoy, right? He was probably one of the Death Eaters who had invaded the castle. She swallowed hard before following after Harry again. She was finally able to make out two figures running up ahead and she forced herself not to freeze again when she spotted the head of silver hair being pulled along by the dark greasy haired Severus Snape.
Harry shot out a spell aimed at Snape, though it missed and whizzed past him. "Run, Draco!" she heard Snape instruct as her Professor turned to face them while Draco continued, never having looked back.
Harry dashed towards Snape and Hermione faltered before she ran past the pair towards Draco.
No, no, no. She thought miserably as she ran, dread rising up within her. It couldn't be. Draco couldn't have been a part of this… she had seen him just last night!
"It'll be our last night together." She remembered his words on Saturday night and she felt tears prick her eyes as she thought back to their last encounters.
The guilty stares, the comments about how little time they had together, the vagueness about their future together. The fact that he had finally said 'I love you' just last night. His sudden apology. She had been such a fool! He had been giving her the signs all along, she had just been refusing to acknowledge them.
How much of it had been fake? Had he been using her all along? From the very night she had found him crying in the boy's bathroom? Had it all been a lie?
No. She shook her head. It couldn't have been…
"Draco!" she cried out as she drew closer to him. She was suddenly aware of the sharp pain in her side as a result of her non-stop running and she began to slow.
She watched as he froze, slowly turning to face her. She slowed to a stop just a few feet away from him and she desperately searched his face for some sort of answers. He stared at her in shock, his eyes lingering on the deep cut on her leg.
"Tell me this isn't true…" she begged, tears falling freely from her eyes. "Tell me there's an explanation for this. You didn't have anything to do with this." she held back a choked sob as he stared at her, wand held loosely in his hand.
He didn't respond, his eyes flickering to the castle behind her. She took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them. Without a word, she reached out for his left arm, pulling the sleeve of his shirt up.
She gasped in shock, dropping his arm as if she had been burned as she exposed the Dark Mark on his forearm. It was true. He was a Death Eater… Harry had been right all along. She heard her breath come out in short gasps as she processed his betrayal and her stupidity.
She couldn't breathe. The air she was trying to breathe in was suffocating, she was choking on it. Her hand reached up to clutch her chest as her heart hammered against it.
It couldn't be true. But it was. Draco Malfoy had played her for a fool. And she had been all too easy to play.
A/N: Whew! The time has finally come! I skipped over some parts because I didn't wan to repeat too much from canon (Dumbledore's death) but I hope you guys enjoyed. Review, review, review!
