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

Chapter Twelve - 'One way or another.'

‘Mm, sexy,’ Draco joked weakly and Hermione gave him a weak smile before taking the water from him gratefully.

Draco watched as she sipped the water and looked down at the glass for a second, looking thoughtful and so beautiful in Draco’s eyes. Draco’s eyes stayed on her face as they sit there without moving until eventually Hermione drank the water again and then placed the glass on the table.

‘Draco...’ Hermione started, closing her eyes, ‘I’ve ruined everything...’

Draco’s eyebrows furrowed together in a brief frown before he moved closer to her. He took her hand in his, entwining their fingers and looking down at the them, thinking they fit like a jigsaw puzzle: a very complicated, intricate, jigsaw puzzle.

‘Tell me what happened,’ Draco muttered, watching her face as she kept her eyes closed.

Hermione took a deep breath, gathering all of her thoughts. She held him in a prolonged pause before starting to tell him how Michael had acted when she told him she didn’t want to be with him, how she was so nervous so she had started shouting... how he had threatened her. Hermione shook her head, opening his eyes and looking at him.

‘At first I felt sorry for him, thinking he didn’t deserve this at all, but then he... he started shouting and I didn’t know what to do. Draco, what am I going to do? He helps me with paying my bills and with Rose... I can’t work and take Rose to school and pay bills all by myself,’ Hermione said all of this in one huge breath and then closed her eyes, ‘I can’t do this, Draco! I’m a horrible mother who can’t provide for my child!’

‘Hey,’ Draco frowned, taking her face in his hands until she opened her eyes to look into his as though searching for comfort, ‘everything’s going to be fine. You have me. I’ll take care of you and I’ll help with Rose. Don’t worry, okay?’

‘Draco, you don’t have a job,’ Hermione reminded him and leaned forwards to hug him, leaning her head on his chest, ‘how will you help me with my bills? I’ll end up chucking both of us out onto the streets and-’

‘Do you trust me?’ Draco asked, rubbing her back soothingly.

There was a pause, a long one. Draco closed his eyes, saying the question over and over again in his mind. Did she trust him? What had he done to gain her trust? He had been nothing but sarcastic and annoying to her. He truly loved her and wanted to care for her but that would only happen if Hermione wanted it to. She could turn all of this into dust at any second with just one word.

Do you trust me?

No.

‘Yes,’ Hermione whispered into his chest. She placed a soft kiss on his chest and then pulled back to look into those stormy grey eyes, ‘I trust you with my life.’

‘If you truly trust me... I’ll think of something to make all of this right. I’ll take Rose to school tomorrow and then I’ll come and see you at work. I’ll pick her up from school too, okay?’ Draco asked, playing with a strand of her hair.

‘You are so great,’ Hermione whispered, looking into his eyes, ‘why weren’t you like this before?’

Draco raised his eyebrows and chuckled slightly, ‘oh, Granger, I’ve always been head over heels for you.’

‘Even when I blew my nose so sexily?’ Hermione asked, chuckling slightly as a faint blush appeared in her cheeks.

‘No, that was quite disgusting,’ Draco said, joking, and then chuckled and leaned forwards to kiss her.

Hermione smiled weakly against his lips before kissing him back, feeling the softness and smoothness of his lips moving against hers. Her hand gripped his top lightly as Draco rested his hand on her cheek. He wondered why they hadn’t kissed like this before. He just felt as though they had lost a lot of time due to being away from each other... long enough for both of them to move on but neither of them wanted to as much as they wanted to be with each other.