Draco watched the snow fall. It was hypnotic, peaceful almost. He did a scan of his body, trying to isolate the parts of him that tingled with this new magic as he waited for Hermione. He felt guilty for inadvertently raising the issue of blood status yet again. It seemed to be the topic of the moment. Draco frowned, musing on how He Who Really Takes the Piss genuinely believed he could harness their power by sucking it out like some evolved Dementor and if that were really the case, that they could be capable of something pretty big. That, and they now had a giant target on their back.
It was also odd that they could exchange their magic to bind so freely. Perhaps He never saw it as a possibility, thinking he despised Granger. It seemed like an obvious loophole.
Itching with a new energy, Draco strode outside, savouring the feeling of crisp, cold air on his skin. He could see a faint shimmer of the protective wards around the perimeter of the cabin and wondered what would happen if he flew outside.
His stomach tightened as the pain started and he was rudely reminded of the fact that he could no longer do anything of the sort, not unless he wanted to drag a very reluctant Granger on the back of his firebolt. He sniggered at the thought. This was his new reality: hiding from a bunch of very angry Death Eaters and one psychotic overlord while co-habiting with his ex-nemesis.
He sensed Hermione's presence, an aura vibrating around her as she joined him in the cold. He didn't need to turn around to know that she was there.
"Ready to try some spells?" She mumbled, obviously nervous and maybe a little embarrassed.
"Sure."
"Ok." She coughed, straightening. "Let's try casting a charm first, something simple, maybe a lumos."
Draco tried to catch her eye, but she was avoiding him.
"Ready?"
He nodded, drawing his wand to be level with hers.
"Lumos." They muttered in unison.
The ends of their wands lit up and at first nothing happened. Then slowly, the light from each tip broke off, as if it were a bud falling from a tree, floating together to fuse in one mass of glowing essence.
Hermione looked at him amazed.
Draco experimentally moved closer to her, so the orb was between the two of them. It rose to be level with their eyes. They found themselves staring at the other through the golden haze. Hermione's eyes fluttered and the orb grew larger.
"Take my hand Granger." He reached towards her, instinct driving him.
She reluctantly slipped her hand into his – it was warm, despite the chill around them.
Again, the light expanded, this time building in intensity. It was almost blinding. Looking down, Draco noticed a current of gold underneath his skin, underneath his Dark Mark, flowing into her hand, up her wrist and forearm, back down to him. She followed his gaze and gasped.
"I- I can't." Granger abruptly dropped her hand, pacing backwards. The light snuffed out.
They stood in silence, their chests rising and falling. Draco's arm felt numb.
"I'm sorry, it's just-" Hermione's eyes started to well with tears.
He moved towards her, and she held up a hand to stop him.
"I can't think around you." She breathed, blinking away frustrated tears. "I just feel- I… I can't." She spluttered, rubbing her stomach with one hand.
"It's ok."
"No, it's not ok Malfoy. How am I meant to concentrate on our magic if I-" She shut her mouth abruptly.
"If what?"
"It doesn't matter."
He stared at her incredulously, his own irritation building.
"Maybe we should just take a break." She murmured.
"We barely even started. How the hell are we going to stop The Dark Lord with a lumos? I get The Order's penchant for symbolism, but kill him with light? Really?"
"I just need a minute."
"Oh, ok, well we'll stick to your schedule then shall we. I'll just wait until you're ready again."
"You don't have to such a prick about it."
"No, you don't get to have the high ground here. I'm risking everything right now, there is no plan B for me."
"I know that."
"No, Granger, I don't think you do. This isn't some problem we've been given for homework. Our lives depend on this. Shit, quite a few people's lives do, and you don't even want to try?"
"That's not fair."
"Fair? None of this is fair."
"I know! And I'm not saying I don't want to try, I just can't do this right now, ok?"
"No, it's not ok. We don't have time for this."
"Oh, fuck you Malfoy, you don't get it."
"Merlin, get what?!"
"How it feels!"
"How what feels?"
"This! All of it! It's just – it's just, it's too much." She started crying then in earnest.
He ran his fingers through his hair in despair. She was covering her face, trying to stop herself from hiccupping.
"Well, there's no need to cry about it." He tried to sound a little softer.
"Easy for y-you to say." She wiped her tears furiously, annoyed she was crying at all.
Draco approached her slowly until they were almost touching.
"Just tell me what you mean. What's the worst that could happen?"
She looked up and gave him a strange look. "It doesn't matter." She brushed past him, and he resisted the urge to grab her hand.
"Fuck." He breathed.
Hermione fell into an armchair by the fire. She missed Harry and Ron, she missed her parents, she missed Hogwarts, routine, things being easy. She wished that she'd never met this Draco Malfoy and that she could just go back to how things were.
She closed her eyes, trying to take deep breaths. She could feel him getting closer.
He sat down nearby, elbows on his knees, his hands clasped as if ready to solve a problem.
"I can just feel myself losing focus." Hermione mumbled.
Draco tilted his head, assessing the subtext of what she was saying. "You're afraid of losing control. It's obvious, you usually know the answers or consequences to something, but this is different… volatile, even."
"Wow, really making me feel better." She looked down.
"Look, I don't know the limits of whatever this is, but even I can see that running away from things isn't going to help."
"That's incredibly Gryffindor of you." Hermione chuckled, chancing a glance.
Draco snorted, "please, I'm purely pragmatic."
"Why are you being so nice?" She knew she sounded immature, but it was what she wanted to know.
"Don't be obtuse Granger." His voice reverberated softly around her, making her skin hum.
She watched him as he looked at her. His expression gave nothing away, except for the slight line between his eyebrows.
He rose, stepping towards her.
"What are you doing?"
"Testing something." He planted his arms tentatively on the armrests of her chair, leaning over her.
Hermione's heart thumped. Draco Malfoy's form filled her vision. He was quite beautiful in his own way – severe, but beautiful. His hair slipped from where he'd brushed it back, falling across his forehead. He looked intently over her, his eyes flicking from one side of her face to the other. She had never felt so exposed.
"What do you feel?" He probed.
"Sorry?" She managed to splutter.
"You're the one who brought feelings into the room. What do you feel now." He enunciated, as if irritated by her slowness.
She paused, feeling her heart pick up the pace. Inside, she was squirming, alive, internally vibrating with repressed energy.
"I- I feel anxious."
"Obviously. And?"
"And- like you're invading my personal space."
"But you're not trying to get away?" Draco noted calmly.
"No." She breathed.
"I feel like my limbs are on fire." He muttered, as if it infuriated and confused him.
"I- I'd say it feels more like there's latent energy wanting to get out."
"How rational." Draco smirked, still looking between her eyes as if searching for confirmation of something. His eyes paused at her mouth for a moment before he sighed, pushing himself off the armchair.
He walked over to the fire and sat in front of it.
Hermione joined him, hugging her knees to her chest. They both watched the flames.
"Let's try again." He suggested, swivelling around so he was sat cross-legged. He removed his jumper, leaving his arms bare, more comfortably flexing his wand.
Hermione wasn't going to let him be the brave one, so she mirrored his movements, tying her hair back for concentration. The fire crackled.
"On three?"
She nodded back.
"Lumos."
Their wands lit up and instinctively, they moved them, so they pointed together in the centre of their laps. A ball of light formed once more. It floated, levelling at their chests.
"Now, don't freak out."
She looked up at him like she might punch him in the face.
Draco cocked an eyebrow, "take my hands and this time and don't let go." He turned his palms upwards, like they were meditating.
Hermione placed hers on top of his, closing her eyes momentarily as she felt a jolt of energy. Draco remained still; his eyes fixed determinedly on the light.
The ball expanded, growing brighter and brighter until it burst into a forcefield around them.
Draco's mouth formed an 'o' in surprise, the light shimmering on his skin in ripples as if they were underwater. Hermione's hair seemed to stand on end, and she laughed in unselfconscious joy.
The veins on their forearms glowed underneath their skin. Draco rubbed his thumb across Hermione's palm. She snapped her eyes to him, but he looked up at the light around them.
She suddenly felt braver, gently lifting her hand without breaking contact. She traced her fingers over his dark mark, noting the surges of gold shining through the inky darkness.
Malfoy closed his eyes, inhaling as she trailed her fingers across his veins. His body was taught, the muscles in his arm twitching. Under his skin, a faint pulsing seemed to beat in time with her. Everything about touching him was calming and electric all in one. It was like she could drink him in, his magic, their magic, it was as if they fit like this.
He grabbed her wrist, and she jumped in fright. The light dissolved into the air. She remembered the fire beside them.
"Y-you can let go now Malfoy."
Draco drew her wrist towards his face and Hermione leant forward. He moved it closer and kissed her at the base of her hand.
"Malfoy, what-"
He pulled her into him, his lips brushing hers, gently, as if looking for her permission. She felt her breath catch in her throat and pulled back, looking at him quizzically. He tucked a hair behind her ear, staring into her. Maybe this was just the magic playing with them, but Hermione felt intoxicated. She shoved logic aside and kissed him back, her lips softening to his, tasting sweet and somehow not close enough.
Malfoy lay her down, all the while not breaking eye contact. Her hair was spread magnificently on the floor and her mouth was swollen and pink. He kissed her neck, running his mouth along her collar bone. She bit her hand, stopping herself from moaning and could feel him smirk against her. His mouth continued, breathing over her breasts. She arched her back, wanting more.
He nudged her legs apart, melting into her. She pulled his head down to kiss her again, grinding her hips against his.
Malfoy stilled and drew back. His face was flushed, and his shirt caught halfway up his torso.
"Did I do something wrong?" Hermione asked.
"Merlin, no Granger." He reassured her, "I just, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe we shouldn't rush into anything."
Hermione knew he was right, but she felt self-conscious. She sat up, gathering herself. "That was…"
"Unexpected."
She looked at him, worrying he would retract and go back into himself.
"No regrets." He tucked her hair away. "At least, not for now."
"Not for now." She echoed, knowing full well that something irreversible had occurred.