Just Neighbors

Chapter 25

Hermione finally looked up at Draco towering over her, wrapped in his black suit. Taking note that while he had fixed the wrinkles she couldn't help but smirk as she noted his hair remained delightfully unkempt, the fringe falling forward to brush his eyebrows.

"Yes, that's fine. We have a lot to talk about, don't we?" She asked him, lifting an eyebrow towards him. She didn't forget he had said he would tell her about his scars.

His eyes flashed briefly at her; obviously he had not forgotten that either.

Harry watched their exchange, entirely too observant.

He chair scraped across the floor as he pushed it back and stood up, "welllll, this is entirely too awkward for me. I'm out."

"Bye, Harry," Hermione said as she gave him a slight wave, Draco's eyes still trained on her face. He didn't acknowledge the other leaving the table. He took Harry's seat across from her, his long legs stretched out in front him and crossed at the ankle.

"So what did you figure out?" He asked her.

"First, you need to tell me about your scars."

He didn't moved save for folding his hands carefully in front of him. There was a tense moment, but his eyes were fully occluded when he finally met her gaze again.

"I don't think this is the place for that," Draco said quietly, but Hermione simply pulled her chair closer to him, "Fine." His jaw tensed slightly, "Bellatrix really enjoyed... torture. Her preferred method besides the crucio was her blade."

Silence fell between them. Hermione waited for him to elaborate, but a part of her knew he wouldn't. Not now. He was looking down at his hands with expressionless eyes, as if lost in the memories. She recognized that look because she had seen it on her own face when she looked in the mirror when she had the nightmares.

"Theo told me he thought she was going to kill you," Hermione finally said in a quiet voice.

His eyes finally lifted to meet hers and for just a split second she caught a glimpse of pain in his eyes before he masked it.

"I probably should have," he responded with a tone of regret.

Hermione felt a slight hesitation before reaching out to take his hand in hers, squeezing his fingers. She didn't want for him to close off to her again.

"For what it's worth, Draco," she rose to her feet and closed the distance between them, his fingers gripping hers, "I'm glad you didn't."

At her words, his carefully erected shields seemed to crack, his grey eyes boring into hers. She gently reached a hand down to cradle his cheek. The suffering, pain, damage he had been feeling was just beneath the surface, his eyes flashing with disbelief as she leaned down to press a kiss to his lips.

Because in that moment she had eyes only for him and the rest of the world fell away.

Draco never wanted to be vulnerable; he had spent his entire life living behind the walls in his mind. But for just a brief moment, he had let her in, let her see.

Hermione didn't care that she was kissing him- Draco Malfoy, ex-Death Eater- in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic on a busy afternoon. She didn't care who would see them.

She only cared about him.

That she wanted to be with him.

She felt his fingers squeeze hers as his other hand came up to her cheek, the tips of his fingers just stroking along her skin in a gentle caress.

"Hermione..." Draco said in a broken voice.

She pulled back slightly to look down at him, his fingers seeming to cling to hers like a lifeline, "It's ok, Draco." She wouldn't push him with more questions, not today. Once more she leaned down to give him a kiss, sighing against his lips. "Let's go talk about what I've found so far, okay?"

Draco nodded his head and she moved back from him as he rose to his feet. Hermione turned to the table and gathered her things in one arm, turning back to him as he pushed their chairs in.

"You think Harry will want to hear about it?" Hermione asked as she reached for Draco's hand. A thrill of delight went through her as he accepted it, their fingers lacing together. She could feel the cool metal of his rings pressing into her skin.

"I'm not sure, is he over being traumatized?" Draco responded wryly as he glanced at her.

Hermione smiled up at him, "Well let's go ask him, shall we?" They started towards the lifts together, oblivious to the stares around them.

The Golden Girl and Ex-Death Eater, holding hands.

There was no way that Rita Skeeter wouldn't be leaping to gossip about that in the next paper.

As the grilles slid shut, Hermione was grateful no one else had boarded the lift with them as Draco pulled her to his chest and bent his head, kissing her senseless until they reached the second level.