The gravel crunched as she walked down the driveway, surrounded by charred hedges that were blanked with snow minutes before. Each step echoed through the courtyard, where there was no other sound other than her sharp breath being pulled in from her nostrils. None she could hear over her heart beating in her ears.

Pansy's ears.

Hermione shoved the door open to find the great hall was empty. The staircase that led to her and Malfoy's rooms was to the right. There was blood on the banister, dripping off the end to pool on the floor. That was all that littered the floor. Blood. The debris vanished automatically with elf magic, but the blood remained.

The heels of her shoes tapped sharply on the marble as she passed the ballroom. Guests were tending to one another, but not a sound escaped the threshold of the doors. Hermione continued to the drawing room. The click of the lock struck like a bolt of lightning against the deafening silence once she turned the handle. If the sound didn't happen to be a comfort for her, she would have run the other way.

"I thought you said the door was locked? Honestly Lucius, have you any control over your household?" Cyrus barked.

"Your father thought you fled, girl." A hiss came from the head of the table, and Hermione locked eyes with Voldemort for the first time.

"My apologies, my lord," She said, walking with as much confidence as she could muster and took Pansy's seat. "I saw someone setting fire to the forest along the driveway. But they were already at the apparation point."

"Lucius?" Voldemort inquired.

"That was him, my Lord. The Weasley boy was the last to exit the grounds." Lucius confirmed.

"Pathetic. Letting those maggots infiltrate the grounds and then-"

Draco was out of his seat, dragging Marcus Flint across that table and shoving him against the wall.

"Draco!" Lucius roared.

"They didn't get in on their own, did they Flint?!" He shouted, punching him across the face with his wand hand before setting it on his throat.

"It is not he, who proved incompetent of securing their own home, young Malfoy." Voldemort hissed.

Draco levitated in the air. Voldemort hardly stretched his fingers as he threw him into the opposing stone wall. Draco met her eyes from the ground in warning. There was no getting out of his punishment, she had observed enough of them in that very room to know that was a fact. There were too many burns and holes in his robes for him to not have been ambushed. Hermione looked around at the occupants of the table. Lucius had an angry burn on his face, and one of the elves was tending to Goyle Sr.'s head wound.

Volemort turned his hand and Draco was thrown and pinned to the wall right in front of where she sat. She silently casted the cushioning charm to the area behind his head. Invisible restraints constricted around him starting to crack his bones and crush his lungs. She listened to Voldemort's fingers drummed on the table, and when they stopped to reach for his wand, she kept her eyes locked on Draco as she performed another silent cast.

The room was silent, death eaters staring at Voldemort in wait of what he would do next. Hermione didn't need to look, she knew he couldn't figure out his next move through the haze of her confundus charm. His fingers never left the table, and Hermione pondered on whether she could make them drum against the wood. If she could wield Voldemort into nothing more than a puppet for all his followers to see.

Her breaths were loud through her nose, and when she watched Draco cough up blood, she decided it was time to watch Voldemort choke on his own.

Crucio-

Something at her side grabbed her attention and she snapped out of her trance, ending her cast, to see Neddy was topping her already filled goblet with wine. The dark magic dispensed and her eyes flickered to the head of the table. Voldemort was deadly still, like a serpent, reeled back and ready to strike. The hold on Draco loosened and she heard him gasp for breath.

"Who is missing?" Voldemort asked no one in particular, and time resumed in the drawing room once again. Hermione tried to hide her relief that his attention left Draco.

"Where are Zabini and Nott? Busy trying to help the others escape?" Cyrus accused.

"They are upstairs. Zabini got hit with a slicing hex and was bleeding out," she snapped at him before turning to Lucius. "One of the elves provided them with a blood replenishing potion. He was determined to heal and return to your defense."

"Fetch them, Mosby." Lucius commanded. The elf returned a moment later with the boys on either side of him. They took their seats, Cyrus staring intently at Blaise like he was not supposed to be there.

Pansy's father spoke up next. "If you call for the others sir, I am sure all will return."

"They should never have left!" Voldemort's robe snaked across the table, choking Pansy's father. Draco slid down the wall as Voldemort's magic finally released him and Hermione reduced his momentum as much as she could without raising suspicion. Voldemort returned to his chair and dragged a hand over his bald, clammy scalp as he reigned in his fury once more.

"Cyrus," He finally said. "I recall young mister Malfoy requesting to take post on entries to the manor?" He gestured his palm to where Draco was pushing himself up from the floor.

Cyrus cleared his throat. "Yes, my lord."

"And you refused him," he said flatly. "Quite insistently, I might add."

"The- the Order member was no guest of mine."

"Yet you let blood traitors' pervert the great sanctuary the dark lord has created for us here!" Draco yelled, holding himself up with the table and wiping the blood from his mouth.

"No! My nephew was imperiused you- you saw yourself, my lord!"

"Death to him!" Draco screamed out, pointing his wand at Cyrus. "And death to you!"

"Malfoy!" Theo warned Draco who looked nearly as enraged as Voldemort. Laughter from the head of the table drew everyone's attention.

"Death to him indeed, young Malfoy." Voldemort laughed. "Cyrus, you will do it yourself."

"My… my lord."

"Bring me those who were subdued by the curse," he instructed Lucius who instantly rose from his seat. "There is no place for weakness amongst our ranks."

Death eaters were walked into the drawing room, all younger members, or snatchers, and not a single pureblood amongst them. Hermione knew that wasn't a coincidence.

"What good are any of you if a simple curse renders you useless?" Voldemort said looking over the entering members with disgust.

"You may keep your life, Cyrus. I am… a merciful lord." Hermione held her breath, counting nearly twenty people that just walked in. "Take care of these quickly. Lucius, question the guests. The rest of you," Voldemort stood and walked towards the exit. "Your comrades that fled the scene tonight are no friends to you. Go. Find them. And bring them to Hogwarts to face their fate. Dolohov, bring what remains of your unit. Have Greyback tighten his perimeter of the Dark Forest. Those blood traitors will not step foot in my castle."

Draco coughed, wet with blood he was all but choking on, and his forehead was soaked with sweat. Hermione gripped her wand to heal his internal injuries as much as she could without anyone noticing. The death eaters fled to the exit, and Hermione followed with the crowd before Draco grabbed her by the arm and apparated them to their rooms the moment they were out of sight.

"Draco..."

"My home. My fucking home," Draco said ripping off his robes. "Those bastards!"

"Who cursed them?" Hermione asked.

Draco stormed over to where they kept some of their potions. He consumed a vial of blood replenishment and continued to search through their collection.

"What are you doing?" she said, rushing to his side and grabbing his hand.

"Do you have an antidote for the – fuck!" he exclaimed as he knocked a vial over. "I need to see you, I can't stand to have you like this-"

He grabbed her face, pressing their forehead together. Trembling hands ran down her hair a few times before he growled, frustratedly.

"Nox," she said, waving her hands to shut the curtains. "My voice is still mine, just listen to me, alright?"

"Why the fuck didn't you stay up here?! How am I supposed to focus my mind when he can kill you at any bloody moment?!"

"I'm sorry. I told Theo I would cover for them." She soothed him, running her hands down his arms. "Rather good I did, yeah? Blaise was under the Imperious curse."

She could feel him nod. He grabbed her and lowered them to the floor so she sat on his lap, and they held each other in total darkness. The healing charms she performed downstairs had minimal impact at best, so she grabbed her wand and started muttering quietly to heal the remaining injuries.

"This war- they can have anything else. But they are not taking-" he started to whisper before cutting himself off.

"George Weasley was here…" she whispered, hardly able to believe it herself. Draco stiffened under her, wrapping his arms around her tighter. They only had a few minutes before he would have to leave with the others.

"They can have anything else."

The attack on Malfoy manor had Draco, along with the majority of Voldemort's army, guarding Hogwarts from intruders. The only comfort he had was Neddy who would sometimes accompany him. Neither would speak of what was going on at the school when they made it back to the manor for a short visit, however. Not in any details that satisfied her at any rate.

What started as Cyrus Greengrass trying to become second in command had turned into a rivalry between the Greengrass and Malfoy family. Unfortunately for him, Hermione heard his whispers when he thought no one was listening. Draco insisted that he would handle it, but wasn't forthcoming with details as always.

The first time Anthony had been in attendance Hermione approached him, instantly requesting to meet. There were still so many questions she needed answers to that the death eaters couldn't give her.

"How are you?" She asked, her voice muffled in his shoulder when he hugged her longer than usual. Anthony took a step back once he finally released her.

"Ready to die at any moment." Anthony said, his sarcasm not enough to camouflage the truth in his statement. "Lestrange killed Parker yesterday because he lost his mask during a mission."

Hermione blinked slowly. Parker was a half-blood and an arsehole if she'd ever met one, but he also had a sharp wit and an embarrassing crush on a Hufflepuff the year below him.

"We shouldn't linger…" Hermione said, handing him three galleons of transfigured notes.

His reply had an edge that caught her off-guard. "It would be one of the lesser stupid things you've done recently."

"I saw George."

"I know."

"Why was he here? How was he here?" She rushed out.

"You know the answer to both of those questions, Hermione." He said and she just met him with a stare. She had her suspicions, but she didn't want to give voice to her thoughts. "Greengrass had been planning the confrontation for some time. I wouldn't have even known if it wasn't for…"

"Daphne." Hermione said definitively and Anthony got a look of horror on his face.

"I am not the only one behaving stupidly. And at least I have the common sense to put up privacy charms."

Anthony laughed at her chiding and Hermione let go of some tension and smiled too. He looked so relieved. She was happy to be the person he could confide in, just like he was for her.

"Right. So, Daph pulled me aside the night before to-"

"I know, I know-"

"Warn me!" He insisted, though he smiled fully. "Her father was going to charm a few of the lower ranks to attack the guests. Make the Malfoy's look bad so the Dark Lord would execute them. Ron and I agreed, it was an opportunity we couldn't pass up."

"How?"

Anthony shrugged. "Greengrass was going to imperious death eaters. What was one more on the bloke that guards the door? Cyrus gave his nephew the list and all George had to do was get it from him."

"Why was he sneaking in?" She asked again, her voice weaker than the first time.

"You," he said, confirming her suspicions. "I told him to wait in the hidden alcove by the cellar, and that you would approach him when you saw him. But the fight broke out and… Well, George is never one to sit out of a fight. The dementors releasing was something we didn't consider."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"There was no time. From when I told Ron about Cyrus' plan I hadn't seen you." He explained. "And I certainly didn't think that you would be brazen enough to attend the party as Pansy. What if Zabini had noticed something was off?"

Hermione remained silent. Not wanting to reveal that the other Slytherin boys were already in on her plan. "And the attack at Hogwarts?"

"That was always the plan. Nearly everyone was going there the night of the ball to try and free the students while most of the death eaters were gone. Molly wouldn't let Ron out of his sight once they found out he planned to sneak into the manor, so he asked George to go in his place."

There was no reason for this information to make her feel guilty, but she had no other way of explaining the pit in her stomach.

"We nearly did it, didn't we? If only he found you sooner?"

"Anthony, I barely got him out in time, if we were just a moment later, he would have been trapped in here."

"Worth the risk."

"No!" Hermione let out a frustrated huff. "I'm not in danger here. Not to mention all the information I've been able to pass along. You don't need to worry about me, Draco will handle getting me out."

Anthony's jaw clenched, and she could tell he was debating with himself.

"What is it?" She snapped.

"Ginny- well, all the Weasley's really, think getting you out needs to be our top priority." He said flatly.

"Why?"

"We- well, they think you're possibly being… exploited," he said, shuffling on his feet.

Now she was angry. "What did you say to them?!"

"Nothing! Honestly, Hermione, I haven't told them anything."

"I'm not being exploited by Draco any more than you are by Daphne!" she snapped back. "And at least he doesn't believe I'm a death eater." She said, gesturing to his arm.

"Don't bring Daphne into this. Her and Astoria had no say in what their parents dragged them into!" He yelled back at her.

"Then don't twist the nature of Draco and I's relationship. He didn't choose his family either!"

"I didn't!"

"Then why would they think that?!"

"I. Don't. Know. But you have been here for eight months, and you can't blame them for worrying about you."

"Are you?" He gave her a questioning look. "Worried I mean?"

Anthony thought for a moment and then shook his head. "It's different from in here, isn't it? It's easy to see death eaters are monsters when you don't really know them."

There was rustling outside the alcove and Hermione put her invisibility back on. They had pushed the extent of their meeting too far already.

"Yes." He said, looking down as he feet right before she ended the privacy charms. "I am very worried for us both."

Hermione smiled against her pillow, listening to the piano as it drifted in from the study. Christmas was usually held at the Burrow, or with her parents, but if this was going to be the only year she got to spend it with Draco, she was going to appreciate every moment.

She walked to him and placed a kiss on his cheek, letting her lips linger. He kept playing, but lent into her as he let his hands perform something beautiful instead of condemning. She straddled his lap, arms hugging his middle and she placed soft kisses up his neck to his jaw.

Once his buttons were undone, she slid her hands up his chest as she let her lips travel across his newly revealed skin. It was colder than normal. That, or her skin was still heated from the comfort of their bed. She removed her jumper, hopeful that the warmth of her skin could remedy the chill in his. His arms neglected to hold her as he kept playing, bumping against her as he reached for the further keys. There was no doubt in her mind that she could distract him from the prison of his thoughts. But his playing was so lovely, and the song was nearly over. So she let herself enjoy his sound while he leaned into her touch and they silently agreed to let the war fade away, if for only a little while.

The last few notes faded out, and Draco's hands found their way to her hair and her back as they kissed. Pushing the bench back, he stood and walked them the familiar path to their bedroom. When he laid her down, she finally saw his eyes, and the guilt plaguing them made her vision blur.

"I don't deserve you," he choked.

Hermione kissed him again. "You don't have to earn me, Draco. I'm not a prize." He huffed at her statement, and she kissed him harder. "I don't want anyone else."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew…"

"I will never want anyone else," she pushed his hand near her ribs down to where her panties hug her hips, and he obediently grabbed them and tugged them off her. "And not just like this."

He groaned, capturing her lips again and devouring her mouth. They knew each other so well. When to be playful, affectionate, hungry. The most apparent were times like these. When their coupling filled a distinct emptiness inside them. Evil had been taking more of Draco lately, and Hermione wasn't sure she was the one to fill the void. But she was the only thing that could, and she wanted so desperately to see him whole.

"Come here," he said, pulling her onto his lap as he sat up.

He aligned them and she lowered onto him. Hair curtained his face as she kissed him, and he did nothing to stop from getting lost in it. Draco revered in the moments she would take what she desired from him. When she would make him feel desired in a way that was good, and required something from him that he wanted to give.

The bones in his shoulders had become more prominent, and Hermione trailed kisses along the ridges. He was still broad and strong, but he was noticeably not maintaining his weight. Though having hardly an appetite during her days alone, she was beginning to wither away herself.

She buried her face into his neck as she moved to keep pressure in all the right places as she found her release. His sigh sounded so pleased, and he lifted her in his arms before turning her to lay on her stomach. The scars from her attack were now so faint, she wouldn't be able to identify them at all if she didn't know they existed.

"I can't believe I almost lost you," He muttered, almost to himself as he licked and kissed their path on her back. He pulled at her hips, shifting them up slightly so that he could slide his cock home between her legs.

"You'll never lose me," she promised. Her words hitched once he was all the way inside her; his chest against her back and she fit so perfectly beneath him.

"Stay with me forever?" he whispered with a smile in her ear, gathering her hair in one hand and pulling back so he could reach her mouth.

She felt so close to him this way, and she came again with him after only a few more minutes. He collapsed on top of her, his head sharing her pillow, shifting to the side just enough to not crush her and she peppered kisses on his lips. When he finally rolled onto his back, she reached for his wand to clean up and he grabbed her wrist.

"Don't." He pulled her to lie on his chest. "Just for a little while."

Draco dozed off after a few minutes and Hermione had just finished washing her hair when he joined her in the shower. He took her again against the cold tiles. More playful that time, sucking water off her skin in the way that tickled and made her laugh and whispering filthy things that made her blush. Her cheeks were still flushed when she exited their bedroom to find Neddy had set them up with Christmas breakfast, and the elf offered to show her again how to adjust the water if it was too hot.

"Happy Christmas, Neddy," Draco said as he walked into the study with a roguish smile.

"Happy Christmas, sir," Neddy sang back.

Draco walked past Hermione, dropping a gift in her lap.

"We agreed," she reminded him. Hermione insisted he not get her anything since she had no way to return the gesture.

"You wouldn't want to rob me of joy during Christmas time, would you?" he countered. "Not when Neddy and I spent so much time selecting your gift."

Hermione smiled in defeat, looping in Neddy was as dirty a move as it was effective. Hermione looked at her, who was nodding towards the box excitedly as she unwrapped.

"You told me you were removed from all of your muggle pictures when you left home. We thought you may want new ones," Draco explained as her eyes started to water with all of the memories of herself she had to erase. "And before you get on, muggle contraptions are ridiculously inexpensive. I've spent more on a glass of elf wine." The camera likely cost thousands, yet Hermione didn't doubt it.

"Say cheese!" She said snapping a picture of the two, the flash brightening up the room. Neddy smiled awkwardly, troubling her hands where she stood next to Draco. The corner of his mouth turned up, even as he attempted to look unamused and she hoped it translated to the film.

"Give me that!" he said as he snatched the camera. She had her hand outstretched to grab it back when the flash went off. "A shame the photos won't move, it's an honor to see that pout in action."

She laughed, and Draco took another photo. "That's mine!" she shouted and summoned it back to her. "It's fantastic. Thank you both so much."

She shared a smile with Draco before her brain caught up and her face fell flat. "There's more isn't there."

A devilish grin. "Only one." Draco moved his wand and a smaller box levitated into Hermione's lap.

"How many galleons did this cost?" She asked nervously.

"None," he said, rolling his eyes, and Hermione tilted her head knowingly. "Well technically… it's priceless."

"Draco!"

"Just open it, Granger." He dropped next to her on the couch.

After removing the wrapping, she recognized the box as the one Draco took from his room months ago before leaving the manor with Lucius. Inside was a necklace with a dainty white gold chain and a diamond the size of pea set in the middle. It was so light, but Hermione could feel the magic in it. Not dark magic, but bright. Like the glimmering diamond was home to a small star.

"It's from the Black family vaults," he said, picking it up while she pulled back her hair. "Most generations couldn't perform a patronus, so they used this. It will protect you against dementors, even if you are unconscious or without a wand." The dementors now guard all the dark lord's areas of interest, including the grounds of the manor. Hermione met his eyes, finally understanding.

"Voldemort wouldn't let Narcissa keep it?" There was only one reason why Draco didn't give the necklace to his mother to help protect against the dementors in Azkaban. A small nod in confirmation was the only answer she received.

"Thank you. It's beautiful." The diamond against her skin sparkled with joy, and Draco leaned down to press a kiss over where it rested on her collarbone.

"I'd rather be here to protect you myself…"

"Neddy is happy to serve, mistress." She offered cheerfully from her chair.

Another box was summoned from the bench of the piano. It was flat and didn't seem heavy, but Draco held it like it was lead. He took another deep breath before outstretching it across the table.

"No…" Neddy said, scooting into the back of the chair. "Neddy doesn't want a gift!"

"Take it. Please," he choked out.

"N- Neddy needs to do her chores, sir-"

"I am giving you an order, Neddy." Draco says, still looking down. "Take it."

Neddy outstretched her hand, levitating the box to her. She opened it to find a knitted jumper with an "N" woven into the middle. Hermione gasped, both at the resemblance the garment had to ones she'd received in the past, and knowing what it meant.

"Sir… Malfoy Manor is Neddy's home," she croaked, tears welling in the large eyes.

"It always will be," he looked at her while she sobbed, drying her tears with her jumper. "But you need to have a choice. If someone gives you an order, or threatens you, you need to be able to refuse. Or leave."

Neddy sniffled, hope flooding her eyes as tears escaped, and she calmed her heaving at the realization she wasn't being thrown away.

"That is, if you want to. As of a few seconds ago, I can't command you to do anything." He offered Neddy a small smile until Hermione's hiccup drew his attention. She wasn't sure when she started crying, but Draco let go of some of his own sorrow to chuckle at her.

"You should try it on," Hermione said to Neddy, wiping her eyes.

Neddy pulled the jumper of her head, the collar stretching and then shrinking to hug around her narrow neck. The three enjoyed the rest of their Christmas breakfast, listening to stories of how Neddy used to have to hide Draco's treats from him by the end of the day, and how Hermione used to sing Christmas carols off key to her neighbors.

…

"We come bearing gifts!" Theo chimed. Goyle agreed to trade missions with Blaise and as a result, was stuck patrolling the outskirts of the Hogwarts grounds.

"When have we ever exchanged gifts?" Draco asked, still lying lazily on the couch where Hermione left him to open the door.

"A communal gift. Swiped it off a lad in muggle London," Blaise explained.

Hermione sat back down next to Draco and Theo fell on the couch next to her, pulling something out of his robe pocket.

"It's like fairy dust." Theo dropped the small bag in Hermione's lap. He growled when she turned his face and looked better at his eyes, pupils blown so wide they looked black. Her jaw dropped and she gasped so loudly Draco flinched behind her.

"THEODORE NOTT!" She shot off her seat and went to Blaise, grabbing him and confirming his pupils were enlarged as well.

"Easy Granger, he prefers a delicate touch," Theo joked, sending a wink to his partner who was fidgeting in his seat and avoiding eye contact.

"What is it?" asked Draco, holding up the bag of white powder with a frown.

"Try it, Malfoy." Theo laughed pointing to his nose. "You look tired, it'll wake you up. Like fifty cups of tea all at once."

Draco pulled a thoughtful frown, looking at the bag as Hermione snatched it and threw it in the fireplace.

"Oi! That was our muggle dust!" Blaise said. Hermione turned and charged towards him until he reached the couch and fell halfway into Theo's lap.

"Don't hurt us!" Theo laughed, wrapping his arms around Blaise's middle and shifting him to sit next to him. Hermione clenched her fists, wanting to smack the smirks off their faces. They kept laughing until she grabbed the extra thick Christmas edition of the Daily Prophet, still wrapped in a bundle, and held it up. Blaise and Theo froze, eyes wide, while Draco poked his tongue in his cheek trying not to laugh.

"You are never to do drugs again!" She yelled at them, and they sank further into the couch. "Marijuana is one thing. But drugs like these- or worse- are highly addictive and will do nothing but ruin your lives. Are we clear?!"

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy." Blaise said, laced with sarcasm.

Draco started laughing, and Hermione smacked him lightly on the head. "Ouch! What did I do?"

"This is not funny!" She said, trying to maintain her composure, but Draco looked so cute and amused. She tossed the Daily Prophet on the coffee table. "Go get the detox potions."

Draco stood up and Hermione was still shaking her head at her two high friends when she felt a smack on her bum.

"Hey!" She yelled out.

"Please." Draco exaggerated as he walked to their bedroom, paper still in hand. "Get the potions, please. Honestly, Granger, who is responsible for your poor manners?"

She crossed her arms and faced the two smirking boys again.

"What are the chances of Neddy fetching us some of our muggle plants?"

Hermione conceded on the alcohol and pot. It was Christmas after all. Even if the holiday was being celebrated in their new normal, yet bizarre way.

"Hark! The herald angels sing- No! Draco, you're playing it wrong. It has to be higher like…" Hermione tried to hum out the note for him to find on the piano. "Something, something- newborn King!" She spoke so much about Christmas carols, that the boys, and the whiskey, and the muggle plants, finally persuaded her to perform one for them.

"Riveting."

"Bet Potter fancied this song about him," Blaise jabbed, taking a long drag of the blunt they were sharing.

"In no world would anyone other than Weasel consider Scarhead a king." Draco snorted and Hermione narrowed her eyes. "May he rest in peace, of course."

"Does that make you the angel, Granger?" Theo added.

"I am quite literally a witch, Nott," she said, he passed her the blunt where she sat cross legged on the piano.

"How are they different from muggleborns?" Theo asked.

"Angels aren't human. They get their powers and abilities from their god," she clarified. "Muggleborns are humans with magic. Just like any other witch or wizard."

"Question. The muggle phrase, 'oh my god'. What does that mean exactly?" His smirk was evident, and Hermione was trying to figure out his play before she committed to an answer. "You say it often."

Blaise hummed, "I've hardly heard her use it?"

"Hmm, no. You wouldn't." Draco countered, now smiling smugly and heat pooled in Hermione's cheeks.

"Fuck's sake. Leave us out of your foreplay, you bastard," Theo laughed.

"How I miss the days Malfoy would cringe anytime we asked about his snogging progress. I can picture it now." Blaise said, making Theo chuckle.

"Oh!" Hermione yelped, jumping off the piano and running to get her camera out of her room. "Theo stand over there, I want to get a photo of all of you."

"Let me," Draco said, reaching for it and Hermione took a step back, snapping a photo on accident.

"I don't need pictures of myself. It's all of you I want to remember."

"Going somewhere, pet?" Theo asked, throwing an arm around Draco and Blaise and smiling largely. Hermione took the picture and laughed. Draco tried to fix his hair and Blaise adjusted his shirt while she lifted the camera to take another.

When they finally retired for the evening, Hermione grabbed Draco by both hands in an attempt to pull him from the couch. He and Blaise had insisted on going shot for shot with each other despite Hermione and Theo's objections.

"No detox, potions!" Theo yelled as he helped Blaise lay down where Draco just vacated. "They'll never learn if they don't have to deal with the consequences."

They stumbled into the bedroom, Draco leaning on Hermione with most of his weight as she tried to steer them in the general direction of the bed.

"Where did you come from, Granger." He mumbled. "You are too good for me."

"I think the entirety of the wizarding world these days would disagree with you, Draco Malfoy." She quipped. He fell awkwardly onto the bed and Hermione tried to pack pillows around him to make him somewhat comfortable.

Draco scoffed. "Malfoy. Purebloods. We are all the same. Planned, orchestrated, executed. You- you were a miracle." Hermione crawled over him to try and pull him higher on the bed. "Merlin himself gave you magic."

"Hmm, yes. My magic was a bit of a surprise." She humored him.

"You know what I think? I think that makes you an angel."

"Oh god."

"Exactly." He said with a chuckle.

Hermione laughed lightly. "I am sorry to remind you that I am simply a witch."

All playfulness left his eyes as he stared at her while she fixed the pillows behind his head. "You're my angel."

"Okay," she muttered, trying not to laugh.

She went to the bathroom before Draco revealed something that he shouldn't in his drunken state. Hermione took a detox potion before getting back into bed. Even though she understood Theo's request, she brought one for Draco too.

Draco groaned as the effects took place, and Hermione watched as awareness came back into his eyes. He would have to report to Hogwarts again in the morning, unsure of when he would be able to come home. A part of her was disappointed they were only going to sleep. It just seemed like such a waste in case it was the last time.

"Draco?" whispered Hermione.

His chest bounced slightly as he chuckled. Then, he was turning on his side and scooting down so they could see eye to eye.

"Yeah?" He mimicked her line in their late night game with amusement. This was the first time she would be the one sharing her secrets, and she wondered if Draco's heart would beat as fast as hers was then.

When she didn't continue, he asked again, "what is it?"

"Shh!" she sounded to him, and he licked his lips with a smile and nuzzled his head closer to hers. They laid there in silence. Draco's eyes closed as he used the back of his fingers to caress down her cheek.

"I love you."

His eyes sprung open, but Hermione grabbed his face and brought their lips together before he could speak.

"No talking," she reminded him of his rules with a shaky voice. "I just wanted you to know."

She brought their lips together again, her body trembling with fear, and excitement, and magic as she finally called what they had by its name. After she pulled away, his breath on her face told her he was still close. She was leaning into his kiss again when he spoke.

"I love you, Hermione."