AN: I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I had hoped to post this chapter a few days ago, but life happens. Still, two chapters in less than a week is some kind of record for me. : )
Also, I want to say thank you so much for all of the reviews. They are truly what keeps me going. The review count for this story has now surpassed that of Lost Souls. Please, keep them coming! I need about 500 more to pass up The Journal. LOL
So here you go…a bonus chapter for Christmas (a few days late). If I get ambitious enough, you may even get one more before the end of the year. ; )
{ 49 }
My arm continued to throb in pain and itch like crazy. The healer would not let me take the bandages off. Instead he gave me a potion that made me drowsy. I slept most of the day away. We both did, actually.
Every time I opened my eyes, we had different visitors in the room. Andromeda and Harry were there all the time, it seemed. Tristan was there at one point in time. The Weasley family showed up, too. They were there to see Hermione, obviously. Though, Arthur Weasley did glance my way more than once.
I got the feeling he wanted to say something to me, but he wasn't quite sure how or what to say.
I understand. The Malfoys and the Weasleys have been sworn enemies for generations. There is a lot of bad blood there.
Late into the night, Andromeda sat by my side.
"You can go home, you know. Get some rest. You look exhausted." My hand settled on her wrist for a brief moment. Just long enough for me to recognize it was the first time I had ever willingly touched her.
She glanced down at my hand and smiled.
"I don't think I can, Draco." She released a weary sigh and patted my hand. "Watching that green curse come so close to hitting you will haunt my dreams."
A cold shiver worked its way down my spine. How does she think I feel? I didn't even have time to think before I put myself between Hermione and that curse.
By all rights, I should be dead right now.
We sat in silence for a long while after that. The longer I lay there, the more restless I became. The potions they had given me were wearing off. The itching pain in my arm had returned.
I released a deep sigh and stood, pacing back and forth across the room. I want to be on a broom right now, pushing myself to fly as fast and as far as possible. My arm is uselessly hanging in a sling across my chest as new skin grows and heals. I can't fly like this anyway. Not the way I want to.
Another sigh passed through my lips. I ran my right hand through my hair and stared out the window at the lights of the city below.
"I do not believe I have properly thanked you, have I?" I know the answer to the rhetorical question. No, I have not thanked her at all, actually.
"For what would you be thanking me?" She sounded surprised.
Hermione stirred in her sleep. Andromeda noticed. She crossed the room and stood beside me at the window so we could speak without disturbing the sleeping witch.
"The help you have given me over the last three months. I knew before the war ended that I wanted out. I had no idea how to go about doing that." I released another sigh and leaned against the window frame, turning so I can see Hermione in her bed. "I thought I would have to lay low until my probation was over, then somehow disappear. Then Hermione happened."
I still don't understand it. Why in Merlin's name did she ever give me the time of day?
"If you hadn't helped me, if you hadn't pointed me in the right direction, if you hadn't given me a family that I never knew existed…I don't know that I would have had the courage to do what I did today." I inhaled deeply and pulled my eyes away from the sleeping witch that holds my heart. My gaze landed on Andromeda. Her eyes were wet with unscheduled tears. I cleared my throat and continued. "Thank you. I do not know how I will ever repay you."
She blinked quickly. Her breath caught in her throat and her hand rose to cover her chest.
"Oh, Draco." She dabbed at her eye. "You don't have to repay me. You have given me as much as I have given you."
Then she hugged me.
I wasn't prepared for it. Nor was I prepared for my reaction to it.
I didn't flinch or move away. Being careful with my injured arm, I lay my head against her shoulder and curled my good arm around her back.
I let her hug me. I hugged her in return. I took the comfort that she was offering.
Gods, had my own mother ever hugged me like this? Even when I was young?
No. Never.
The unfairness of it all hit me so hard that it took my breath away. Anxiety clawed at my chest. I couldn't breathe.
Yes, I am a grown wizard, of age and all. In that moment, though, I felt like a child that was feeling motherly love for the first time.
It was overwhelming. A different kind of warmth started to creep through my veins.
Andromeda didn't say a word. She held me like she would her own child.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, something clicked into place.
She said I had given her as much as she gave me. She lost her child. Her daughter was taken from her. As was her husband.
I took several deep breaths. With each one, a sense of peace settled in my chest. Eventually my hold on her loosened. When I finally stepped back, I felt as though a weight had been lifted from me.
This woman, whom I didn't know until a few short months ago, she is my family. And I am hers.
[ - - - ]
Thursday morning the healer released us from the hospital. However, he did not recommend Hermione to either apparate nor use the floo network for at least another forty eight to seventy two hours.
Muggle transportation, he said. Or brooms. Except, my arm is still healing. It is pressed against my chest in a sling, completely useless.
Andromeda and Bones discussed the possibilities amongst themselves whilst we got dressed.
Hermione dressed in faded blue jeans and a loose fitting white sweater. Her hair hung in soft waves past her shoulders.
She is being quiet. Subdued.
I finished combing my hair down as I watched her through the mirror.
She moved to stand in front of the window, staring out into the bright blue sky. Sunlight filtered in through the glass, shining a spotlight on the most beautiful, unassuming witch I have ever known.
"Alright?" I asked as I stepped up behind her. She leaned back against me and sighed.
"As long as I don't think about how close that was."
I swallowed hard. My hand tightened into a fist, the new skin on my arm screamed in protest. A reminder of exactly how close it was.
"We are both alive." I cleared my throat. "That is all that matters. We are here, and he will never get close enough to hurt either one of us ever again."
She turned around and buried her face in my chest. Her hands gripped the back of my shirt.
I took a deep breath, inhaling her strawberry aroma. I felt myself relax with each breath that I took.
It was true. My Father will never again be a free man. He cannot hurt her.
Others may still be able to, of course, but that particular threat is gone.
I huffed out a short laugh. Then another.
"What in Merlin's name is so funny?" Hermione leaned back just far enough to look up at me. She had one eyebrow lifted and the corner of her mouth was tilted up in amusement or bewilderment. Maybe both.
"Not funny, per se." I leaned my forehead against hers and smiled. My eyes drifted closed and I took a deep breath. "I am free."
My words came out as a whisper. When I opened my eyes, she was smiling back at me.
Without hesitation, my lips met hers in a heated kiss. For several long moments, my tongue warred with hers for dominance. I tasted her, savored her, until the sound of Andromeda clearing her throat behind us reminded me that we most certainly are not alone.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Potter groaned.
Hermione stepped back and bit her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing.
"I suppose your rude interruption means that we are ready to go?" I drawled sarcastically.
"Yes." Andromeda answered. "Your carriage awaits."
I raised one brow as I wondered what she meant by that.
Hermione collected her bag and her cloak. She followed Andromeda out into the hallway. I started to follow but hesitated at the door.
I released a short sigh and turned around, facing Harry.
"You saved my life." Obviously. I held my hand out to him. "Thank you."
He looked at my hand for a moment. Then he clasped my hand in his.
"We look out for each other, right?" He squeezed harder. "Besides, he was aiming for Hermione. You saved her life. Thank you."
My eyes locked on his for a long moment. I nodded once in understanding, released his hand, and followed Hermione out of the hospital room.
[ - - - ]
"You have got to be fucking kidding me."
On top of the roof of St. Mungo's, a literal carriage sat waiting for us. Harnessed to the carriage was Buckbeak.
Hagrid stood beside the carriage, waiting for us.
"I think it's brilliant." Hermione smiled up at me. My heart skipped a beat. That's all it takes. One smile.
I sighed dramatically and rolled my eyes in a playful manner. She tried to suppress her grin, but it broke through anyway.
Hagrid opened the door to the carriage as we approached. As soon as he saw Hermione, he wiped his eyes and sniffled.
"Malfoy." He held his hand out to me. "You did what ya said you'd do, didn't ya? I can't thank ya enough fer takin care of Hermione now. Saved her life, ya did."
He grabbed my hand and pulled me into a crushing hug. My heart stopped. Oddly enough, the only danger I felt was the very real danger of being suffocated in the half-giant's grasp.
"Hagrid," Hermione scolded him. "He can't breathe."
I can hear Harry laughing behind me.
A moment later the grip around me lessened and I inhaled a deep breath as I stepped back.
"Yes, well," I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet in an uncomfortable manner. "Potter and Bones cast the shield charms. If it weren't for that, Hermione and I could both be dead right now."
A cold shiver worked its way down my spine. The truth of those words was sobering at best.
Hagrid stepped up and wrapped his arms around Harry, hugging him in the same manner that he had hugged me.
My lip tilted up in a smirk. Hermione pinched her nose and sighed.
"As touching as this is, can we get going now?" Bones tapped her foot impatiently.
I wanted to point out that there was no need for anyone to go besides Hermione and myself. We do not need an entire entourage.
I get the feeling that Andromeda and Harry have no plans to leave our sides after what happened in that courtroom. I can't say that I blame them.
And Bones had told me weeks ago that she would not sign off on me staying at Black Castle until she had a chance to verify it is still intact and not a pile of rubble.
I stepped forward and held Hermione's hand, helping her up the steps into the carriage. I did the same for Bones and Andromeda. Potter could help himself.
Hermione sat on my right, between myself and Harry. She leaned her head against my shoulder and closed her eyes as the carriage, pulled by Buckbeak, lifted off the roof and into the clouds.
[ - - - ]
It took just over an hour to reach our destination. The carriage descended into a thickly wooded forest and settled in a small clearing amongst the trees.
"I suppose it is time to see if our new home is nothing but a pile of rubble." I smirked down at Hermione as she laughed.
Bones did not look nearly so amused.
I could feel the pulse of the wards as soon as I stepped out of the carriage. They are strong, and intact, which gives me hope for the structure itself.
"This way." I held on to Hermione's hand and led the small group through an opening in the trees. It was a short walk before a rusty iron gate appeared in front of us. It was supported on both sides by dark stone pillars that were covered in moss and vines.
"Draco," Andromeda set her hand on my shoulder for a moment. "If this does not work out, you are welcome to stay with me. I have a room ready for you."
"Thank you for the offer." It won't be necessary, though. The castle will be fine. I am sure of it.
I walked up to the gate. The wards pulsed around me in a warm, welcoming manner. They recognize the Black blood in my veins.
My hand wrapped around the handle for the gate. A cold wind blew through the trees, knocking snow and ice from the limbs above. The gate itself began to transform in front of my eyes. Starting from where my gloved hand was holding the latch, the rust on the metal dissolved. It spread across the entire gate. When it was finished, the gate looked brand new, in dark iron with the Black family crest in the middle. The pillars to the side were free of all vegetation, standing tall in dark, smooth stone amongst the snow covered backdrop.
One push and the gate swung open. As I stepped through, the wards washed over me. I turned with a grin on my face to the rest of the group. They had not followed me through the gate, and were now staring through me as though I wasn't even there.
"You do realize you will need to help us through the wards, right?" Hermione tapped her foot on the ground. She had her hip popped out to one side and her arms crossed over her chest.
Merlin and Salazar, she is beautiful.
I held my hand out to her. All she would be able to see is my hand and part of my arm. Still, she grasped my hand and stepped through the gate. As soon as she was through, I pulled her in and kissed her.
It was not a long kiss. I know the rest of our group is on the other side of the gate waiting to be let in.
One by one, I pulled each one of them through. All except for Hagrid. He chose to stay with Buckbeak.
From the gate, there was a path between two rows of elm trees. The snow had not permeated the tree branches above. The dark stone path is clear of snow, but littered with leaves and fallen branches.
The path opened into a circular courtyard with a large fountain in the middle. And beyond the fountain stood Black Castle.
Hermione and I paused as we stepped out into the courtyard, and simply took in the building in front of us.
It is built of black polished stone. A classic castle design, with square turrets on both ends and a keep in the middle. Battlements along the roof line and the Noble and Ancient House of Black coat of arms carved into the stone above the large wooden doors.
It is dark and imposing. I glanced down at Hermione, curious to see what her reaction would be. I'm not entirely sure it screams 'home'.
"What do you think?"
She is smiling.
"I think it is absolutely perfect." She looked up at me. Her eyes met mine and her smile grew wider.
This time, she kissed me. I heard Potter groan behind me, but that didn't stop me from kissing her in return.
He isn't even supposed to be here. How rude would it be if I asked them all to leave now? They have seen that the castle is not a pile of rubble. We will be perfectly safe staying here. We don't need chaperones from here on out.
It turns out, I didn't have to say a word.
"It seems your home is still intact." Professor Bones stated. "I have fulfilled my obligation and ensured that you have somewhere safe to stay. Unless you would like me to check the structure for dark magic, I believe I will leave the two of you to explore on your own."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"That won't be necessary, Professor." Hermione answered. "Thank you for the offer."
Bones nodded her head and stepped back. Andromeda and Harry glanced at each other.
"We should go as well." Andromeda sighed.
"Right." Harry agreed. "You'll be alright?"
"Of course." Hermione smiled and stepped forward to hug him. "Draco will send a patronus if we need anything."
I could see the hesitation in his eyes. He is still worried about her. I can't say that I blame him. Less than twenty four hours ago he barely stopped a killing curse aimed right at her.
Reluctantly, the three of them turned around and followed the path back to the gate.
Finally alone, Hermione and I approached the castle together.
[ - - - ]
The door creaked as it swung open. I stepped through first and held the door open for Hermione to follow.
The air was musty. Sunlight filtered in through high windows, giving us just enough light to see. We entered a large foyer. Our footsteps echoed across the stone floor. Thick dust covered every surface.
Directly in front of us there was a large staircase. It ended on a landing, then continued up to both the left and the right.
Hermione took several slow steps into the foyer before she stopped and turned in a circle. Her eyes were taking in everything, from the sconces on the walls to the stained glass in the skylight. Her shoulders are relaxed. A hint of a smile graces her lips.
I let my eyes wander. It will take a minute to get the place cleaned up. Otherwise it is perfect. Despite the formidable exterior, the inside of the castle is quite inviting.
You belong here.
I felt myself smiling at that thought. This place is mine. There is no taint from my parents. I feel no dark magic emanating from within.
This is home.
"Draco. Look." Hermione pointed up at the stained glass skylight above. I followed her and looked to see what she was seeing.
My heart skipped a beat. The image depicted is that of a Phoenix.
I don't need any other proof than that. She belongs here, as well.
"Welcome home, Hermione." I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her in for a deep, passionate kiss.
We are finally alone. No one around to interrupt us. I took my time kissing her. Still, I pulled back before we could get out of hand.
She is looking up at me through her lashes. Her bottom lip is pulled between her teeth. She knows I can't resist when she looks at me like that.
"We should at least get a fire going first." I explained with a short laugh. "It is freezing in here."
A shiver ran down her spine as though she hadn't realized how cold it was until I mentioned it.
"Fair point." She released a short laugh of her own. "Should we explore first? Or clean as we go?"
I imagine we could go either way.
"Explore first." My eyes are already searching the doorways to either side of us. "Let's see what we have here, then we can determine what needs to be cleaned first."
"Alright then." She had a small smile on her lips before she turned around. "Let's get some heat in here."
That task was easier said than done. The fireplace in the sitting room had been cleaned and sealed. As had the one in the receiving room and the dining room. There was no wood stored anywhere on the ground floor of the abandoned castle.
"How long has it been since anyone lived here?" Hermione asked as we returned to the entryway.
"At least a hundred years, according to my Aunt."
It is still daylight outside, and the overgrowth on the property afforded plenty of wood that was perfect for burning. Between the two of us, and plenty of help from magic, we were able to stock enough wood to last several days in just a short amount of time.
By mid-afternoon, fires were burning in all three hearths. It took at least another hour for the chill to start to leave the castle. As the fires burned, we explored the ground level.
The entryway foyer and staircase took up most of the central part of the castle. To the left of the door was the receiving room and sitting room. To the right there was a large formal dining room.
Beyond the staircase there were two wide pane glass doors that opened into a courtyard. I don't think I realized how large the castle truly is until I stepped out into that courtyard.
What we had already seen was only the ground floor of the front section. The castle continues around the courtyard, completely enclosing it, and rises three stories above the ground floor. Balconies on each level look out over the courtyard. Glass encompasses the ceiling, allowing sunlight in but keeping the weather out.
A fountain stands in the center, surrounded by benches on all four sides. Empty flower beds adorn each corner, and a stone path leads from each wall of the castle to the fountain in the center. The fountain is shaped like a compass, with the directions, "N", "S", "E" and "W" marked on the corresponding stone path. The front section of the castle was on the path marked as "N".
"I have dreamt of this place." Hermione ran her fingers over the stone of the fountain. I'm not surprised by that revelation.
"Of course you have." I smirked at her. "Which way do we go next?"
"I don't know." She lifted her shoulder and huffed a short laugh. "It's only the fountain that I recognize."
She walked to the left, clockwise around the compass to the Eastern path.
"The East Wing it is, then." I followed her, took her hand in mine and led her down the short path to the next set of double doors.
The door opened easily and we stepped through to a room that could only be described as Heaven, for Hermione anyway. A library that stretched the full three floors of the castle. Shelves after shelves lined three walls. The wall towards the courtyard was nearly solid windows. Spiral staircases twisted their way to the second and third floors in each corner of the library. Four solid work tables with heavy wooden chairs were set up on the ground floor. A large fireplace covered half of the back wall.
"Good Godric." Hermione whispered to herself as she stood in the center of the room and spun around in a slow circle.
From what I can see, the shelves are all empty, long ago cleared of the knowledge they once contained.
"The East Wing will henceforth be referred to as Hermione's Paradise." I chuckled at the smile that covered her face.
"Shut up." She laughed. But she didn't contradict me.
There were doors on either end of the library. One led to a hallway that went back to the formal sitting room and a lavatory. The other led towards the rear of the castle. The South Wing.
Settled in the Southeastern corner of the castle was a full sized indoor swimming pool, two bathrooms complete with showers and dressing rooms, and a lounge area.
The pool itself has been drained and covered.
"Do you have a bathing suit packed in that bag of yours?" I lifted my eyebrows suggestively.
She laughed. The sound echoed off the tile flooring.
"I don't think I do." She shrugged her shoulder and smirked. "I suppose I will need to get one for this summer."
Adjacent to the natatorium there was a large foyer. A staircase to the second floor took up half of the space. Doors to the right led into the central courtyard, whilst doors to the left led outside to a sprawling garden that was enclosed by tall stone walls that extended from the castle.
Hermione stood in front of those doors, looking out at the garden below. She had a slight smile on her face. I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her back against my chest. I inhaled deeply and let her scent wash over me.
I don't know if I have ever felt as content as I do in that moment.
The sun is starting to fade in the distance. A soft pink glow settles over the snow on the ground outside.
"We should keep going."
She inhaled deeply and blew it out slowly. When she turned to look into my eyes, I swore I saw moisture there.
"Alright?" I asked quietly.
"Never better." She smiled up at me.
My lips brushed against hers gently, slowly. Her hand slid along my neck and tangled in my hair as I kissed her.
I could stand there and kiss her all night. But I would prefer to sleep in a bed tonight. And my stomach is telling me to eat.
The kiss ended as slowly as it had begun. Without another word, she took my hand and continued leading me in a circle around the ground floor of the castle.
Next, in the Southwest corner, we found an informal dining room, a cozy sitting room and a second receiving room with a more casual feel that was obviously intended for family use.
Beyond that, continuing on the West side of the castle, there was a large kitchen and pantry.
Between the kitchen and the formal dining room at the front of the castle was a ballroom that took up the bulk of the West Wing. Like the library, there were large windows and double doors that opened into the courtyard. Unlike the library, the ballroom only accounted for two of the three floors of the castle.
Our footsteps echoed on the hardwood flooring as we crossed the empty space. I can picture the two of us in formal wear, dancing across the floor whilst our friends watch from the sides.
We came full circle, passing through the formal dining room and ended up back at the main entryway. The fire we had started in the sitting room was warm and inviting. The sun had nearly set.
With a flick of her wrist, torches around the room and in a chandelier above lit, bathing the room in a soft orange glow. My eyes caught on her for a moment. It struck me how exhausted she looks.
I cringed internally. She is supposed to be resting for two more days. Without a word, though, she set in cleaning the sitting room. Banishing the dust. Polishing the metal sconces. I removed the thick sheets from the loveseat and revealed beautiful antique brocade.
This room is intended for guests, style over comfort. That did not stop Hermione from settling in on the loveseat in front of the fire as soon as we had finished cleaning.
"Okay. I am exhausted." She released a deep sigh.
"I am starving." I sat beside her. "Please tell me you still have food squirreled away in that bag of yours."
She huffed at me and rolled her eyes.
"Of course." She summoned the bag and settled it on the floor in front of me. "I restocked before we left Hogwarts."
Of course she did. I smirked to myself as I opened the bag and found the drawer within labeled 'Food'. I took out two sandwiches, apples and bottles of water.
Not the fanciest of dinners by any means, but it would suffice. We ate right there in front of the fire, then Hermione lay her head against my shoulder and quickly fell asleep.
Her steady breathing relaxed me. Hell, her very presence relaxes me. I don't want to think about the fact that I nearly lost her yesterday. Or that she nearly lost me.
I threw myself in front of a killing curse for this witch.
I held her a little tighter and let my eyes drift shut. Just for a moment.
[ - - - ]
Laughter rang through the air. It was a light, joyful sound that warmed my heart. It seemed to echo through the castle.
I went in search of the source. Hermione, naturally. I would know her laughter anywhere. My footsteps echoed on the stone floor as I took the hallway from the formal sitting room towards the library.
She is there, in the middle of the room, sitting on one of the tables. She has a smile on her face. Her shoulders are relaxed. Her natural brown curls are beautiful and soft. Her hazel eyes are sparkling. She is wearing a gray sweater dress and black boots. One leg is casually crossed over the other.
"What, pray tell, is so funny?" I ask as I stalk closer to her, taking in her beauty with what I know is a hungry look in my eyes.
She smirked up at me. If I am not mistaken, her eyes are just as hungry as my own.
"What fun would it be if I told you?" She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me through her lashes.
My hands settled on her waist. I pulled her closer to the edge of the table. Closer to me. I stared into her eyes for several heartbeats. Then I was kissing her.
Her hands tangled in my hair. She groaned into my mouth.
"Gods, I love you, Draco Black."
My eyes snapped open and darted around the room. It took several long seconds for me to remember where I am.
My heart is beating rapidly in my chest. I can still taste Hermione's lips against mine. I scrubbed my hand over my face.
Fuck, that dream had felt so real.
To be honest, I am disappointed to find that it was not real at all.
Hermione stirred beside me. I felt her inhale deeply before she sat up and stretched her arms over her head.
"What time is it?" She mumbled, still more than half asleep.
"Late." Or it could have been very early, depending on how you looked at it.
I let my eyes drift across the witch that has captured my heart. Black and red tendrils of curls frame her face in a wild, twisted pattern. In my dream, her hair was long and natural brown.
She caught me staring at her. She lifted her brow and one side of her mouth.
"What?" She asked with a short huff of a laugh.
"Nothing." I smirked at her and leaned in close enough that I could whisper in her ear. "I am the luckiest wizard alive."
She looked up at me through her lashes. That was all it took. One look. One moment in time. All dregs of sleep left my body, only to be replaced by pure lust.
There was a time when I would have resisted. Back when we were just getting to know one another. Before I knew how important she is.
I am done resisting her. She is my everything. My very reason for living. She knows it. I know it.
"Should we try to find a bedroom?" She muttered. Her voice is rough. And she hasn't made any move away from me.
"No." I don't want to move any further away from her than I am right now. In fact, she is already too far away.
The sexual tension in the air between us, surrounding us is pulsating. We have been patient all day. First in the hospital, then here, as we explored the ground floor of the castle. Of our home.
Our home.
My lips crashed into hers in a searing kiss. Finally…finally I am able to show her how happy I am that she is okay. How relieved I am that my father did not succeed in his last mission.
I feel the same from her as well. This snogging session is about far more than raging hormones. Thirty six hours ago we both came within a hair's breadth of death. Again.
Our kisses started fast and frantic, but then morphed into slow and sensual. We have all night. There is no need to rush.
The loveseat was transfigured into a bed. Piece by piece, clothing was removed until we were both nearly naked.
Soft moans and gasps of pleasure filled the room. My hand roamed across her body, sliding easily over her bare skin. Exploring. Testing.
She gasps when I run my thumb across her nipples. Louder when I use my tongue.
She moans when I grip her arsecheek. Louder when I pull her closer and grind against her wet core.
In my explorations, my hand slid across the front of her lace panties. My fingertips barely brushing the juncture. Just enough that I felt moisture there.
A loud gasp and her entire body froze.
I quickly moved my hand away. I have never touched her there before. Strictly off limits. One of those lines I don't cross.
Slowly, she relaxed. Her hand slid through my hair and guided my lips back to hers.
"Do it again." She whispered harshly.
"Hermione…" I don't want to push boundaries tonight.
"Draco." Her hand is guiding mine back to her center. "Please. Touch me."
What am I supposed to do? Deny her? I don't fucking think so.
My fingers slid over wet lace.
"Fuck!" Her head fell back. Her hips snapped forward, grinding against my hand.
Merlin and fucking Salazar!
I pressed against her. Just a little. Just enough.
She cried out in ecstasy as she came undone. I followed her over the edge only moments later.
[ - - - ]
We cleaned ourselves with cleansing charms. Hermione retrieved a blanket and pillows from her bag. We curled up together under the blanket in front of the fire.
I thought back to my dream that had felt so real. I know what it meant.
"I am going to change my name." I skimmed my hand up and down her arm.
She turned her head toward me and lifted her brow.
"I am quite fond of Draco." She lifted one side of her mouth in a soft smile.
"Of course you are." I laughed. "I am the head of House Black. I am going to live in Black Castle. I have denounced the Malfoy name and inheritance, quite publicly, I might add."
She turned fully toward me and lifted herself up on one elbow. Her hand settled on my chest.
"Draco Lucius Black?" She asked with a slight frown. "I can still call you Malfoy when you annoy me, right?"
"You can call me whatever you want, Love." She does make a fair point, though. "I do not want to carry his name."
"Draco Malfoy Black, then." As soon as she said it, a small piece of my soul settled, if that makes any sense at all.
"Brilliant." I smiled and leaned in for a lingering kiss.
Hermione Granger Black has a nice ring to it, as well.
[ - - - ]
AN: I love that Draco and Andromeda are able to fill the voids in their families with each other. Because no matter how old you are, sometimes you still need a mom hug…even if your mom isn't with you anymore.
If you have a minute, please leave me a review and let me know your thoughts.
In case I don't get the next chapter up before then - have a Happy and Safe New Year!
Until next time,
-mezy