Between the Fall

Chapter 1

Between the Fall
Rating: E
Pairings: [Hermione x Draco]
Summary: "Maybe it's not always true love or wedding nights ... Maybe it's the wrong boy, on a stormy night, in the backseat of an old car. Or atop the back table of an old library. Their story isn't new." Canon-compliant, HBP Dramione. Inspired by Allen Watts's 'Falling in love.'

Warnings: Underage sex (Draco's 16, Hermione's 17) with explicit smut. Loss of virginity. Recreational (potion) drug use. Swearing. Toxic relationship with an unredeemed Draco and very flawed Hermione (slightly OOC). Dramione ending, but not typical HEA. Caveman!Ron

So, I basically packed a 200k+ word slow-burn into a short story. It was supposed to be a one-shot, but it ran away from me, and well ... this is the result.
Canon-compliant. There's a direct excerpt from HBP, and other quotes used throughout. Unfortunately, canon means epilogue and Cursed Child, too ... meaning this is not a typical Dramione.

Inspired by the speech 'Falling in Love' by Allen Watts. Highly recommend the YT video "Alan Watts - Falling In Love / Life Lesson Motivation" by dawido. Each chapter loosely follows the quote starting it.

"Well now really when we go back then to falling in love. And say, it's crazy. Falling. You see? We don't say 'rising into love'. There is in it, the idea of the fall ... "

xXx

January 12th, 1997

Hermione silently swears beneath her breath.

"Oh, er –"

She wishes for anything else at that moment: some drunken fourth years, a secret meeting of Umbridge's fan-club, hell – walking in on Snape and Trelawney snogging might be less awkward.

"Sorry ... I didn't think anyone would be here," she stammers needlessly. As if many people spend Sunday nights hidden away in a bathroom.

It's a dreadful duet – picking up her jaw while simultaneously wiping away a tear. Swirling jealousy and images of Ron's lips on Lavender's neck quickly dissipate.

"Go away! SHOO! You aren't welcome here!"

Rather ironic that it's Moaning Myrtle who attacks Hermione with volatility and violence. The ghost scrunches her face; two transparent fists clench at either side as if they could actually cause damage.

Draco Malfoy stands near a sink, resembling something like an injured animal blinded by oncoming headlights. Tears decorate his face the same way they do hers.

"Piss off, Granger."

His words are half-hearted. Exhausted.

Hermione takes a step back.

"Right ... okay. Sorry," she repeats. "I'll just go – "

But something catches her eye. Dark and twisted flesh dominates his inner forearm like neon hoardings beside the smallest byway.

"Malfoy ..."

She can't look away as he tugs his sleeve down self-consciously.

"Stay the fuck back! Don't come any closer."

His wand flies up, pointing in her direction. Myrtle howls something in the background, and Hermione fights to ignore it.

"I already saw – "

"You think I give a shit?"

But the panic coating his face says 'yes.'

"I think we're both up at midnight ... alone and crying. Probably for two very different reasons."