Last Lesson in Love - (Sequel to Tutoring A Malfoy)

Chapter Ten - 'People change, Harry.'

‘Yes, Harry Potter,’ Hermione frowned, still looking at the cigarette lodged into the mud. Then she turned her eyes to Draco, ‘why?’

Draco frowned and looked down at the cigarette packet in his hands, turning the box over and over. Hermione watched him do this as though hypnotised, not caring that the sheets were half on the floor and that the cigarette was lodged in the mud as though it had head planted the earth there. Draco opened the packet and was about to take out a cigarette but Hermione covered his hand with hers.

‘Don’t... they kill you,’ Hermione muttered softly, looking into his eyes. She thought that Draco would obey her and close the cigarette packet but he just sighed, gently pushing her hand off of his.

‘We all die some day, Granger,’ Draco said as he took out the cigarette and held it in front of her, ‘with help or just over time.’

‘I really wish you-’ Hermione started but Draco shook his head again, looking at her.

‘Granger, I need your help,’ Draco muttered and after a second, he put the cigarette back into its packet. Hermione let him move over to sit in front of her and take her hands in his.

‘Draco...’ Hermione muttered softly, thinking about the way he had kissed her last night and how he had carried her to bed but hadn’t gone any further. He had tried to but, like a gentleman, had stopped when Hermione told him not to. They had kissed until they couldn’t breathe.

‘Don’t tell Potter I’m here?’ Draco asked, looking down at their hands for a second before looking up at her, ‘I... I’ve been running for so long and I don’t want to be caught by an Auror, especially Potter.’

‘Caught?’ Hermione asked, confused.

Draco rolled his eyes slightly and then gestured to his arm as though that would explain everything. Hermione sighed, taking his arm in her hands. She gently wound up his shirt to reveal his dark mark and traced her finger over it. She thought back to when Draco had given her a cream to make her ‘mudblood’ scar  that was imbedded into her skin disappear. It had disappeared.

‘I wish I could make this disappear,’ Hermione muttered without thinking. Draco watched her trail her eyes over his dark mark and he wondered briefly if it repulsed her.

‘I ran after the war because I knew that I would... I would be put into Azkaban,’ Draco muttered and moved his hand to her chin, forcing her to look at him, ‘and I’ve been running with Eva all that time. I can’t be caught now.’

‘Draco, you’ve done nothing wrong. I can make Harry understand and you’ll only have to be trialled... then you’re a free man,’ Hermione said, taking his face in her hands instead and looking at him, ‘you can go back home and live there instead of running all the time.’

Draco sighed angrily and moved away from her, standing up. He put the cigarette packet in his pocket and rolled his sleeve down as he muttered, ‘just don’t tell him I’m here.’

Hermione stood up too and nodded, ‘I won’t.’

She had no idea how she would keep this from Harry but... she needed to help Draco. Hermione started to fix the bed as she glanced briefly at Draco when he left the room. She wondered if he would leave without saying goodbye first or even kissing her... Hermione straightened up at that thought, her face flaming red. Last night was probably a one off for him like it should be for her.

‘Granger!’ Draco’s voice called from the living room and Hermione moved towards the door.

‘Mummy!’ Rose’s voice made Hermione stop mid walk.