So, fun fact... actually accidentally deleted this entire chapter here thanks to doing a bad thing with good ol' copy and paste...which kinda sucked. So, I had to go back to a much earlier version of this chapter and start the re-writing from scratch...so yeah...if you like this chapter at all please leave some love because it took twice as much work as usually to get it out to you 😰 (It also kinda grew and got longer...)
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Draco's heart felt like it would pound through his chest. The feel of her hand over top of his chest was simultaneously innocent and intimate. Her fingers lay there gentle and still while ever fiber of his being quivered from the effort of keeping still in order to hold on to the moment as long as humanly possible.
What had gotten into her?
Don't look a fucking gift horse in the mouth Draco, he warned himself as if thinking about it alone could break whatever strange spell had her resting against him like this.
She's here in your arms because she wants to be, It was a strange idea to Draco-the concept of her wanting to be there. Did it really matter why? Did it matter if it was just for comfort or if it represented something more?
Stop overthinking and just enjoy it.
Something shifted inside Draco at that last thought.
Let go and enjoy it, he repeated quietly to himself.
Draco closed his eyes and his shoulders relaxed. Hermione let out a sigh and snuggled closer, her fingers flexing with approval against his chest which somehow made Draco feel as if everything in the world was... perfect.
I love you, he mentally whispered.
"Did you say something?" Hermione asked lifting up her head.
"No," Not out loud.
She offered him a smile, one that said she had not actually heard the words he had spoken in his mind but had sensed something different through the bind.
Her hand dropped away from its place over his heart and Draco felt its absence immediately.
Hermione sat up and picked up the book he had been reading plopping it in between them so that one half of the cover rested on his thigh while the other rested on hers.
"Now, what exactly are you trying to do?" she asked all business.
"I need to make a door that is also a secret passageway," Draco answered trying to focus on what she was saying.
"Okay, there's a spell for that right here," she pointed to the page he had stopped on.
"Yes," said Draco, "But I need to adapt it to connect to a wall that doesn't have a door."
"Hmmm, so the first door you would tap on would be the usual and the second would be just a wall-like the walking entrance to Diagon Alley?"
"Exactly," he smiled happy to have someone next to him who could put two and to together without him having to lay everything out in excruciating detail.
"Hmmm, okay. Give me a minute," she said scrunching up her face. "I want to read this," with that she shifted the book over so that it was sitting fully on her lap.
"Okay."
"Could you get me some water?" she asked without looking up, already intensely focused on the task in front of her.
"Sure," Draco stood and felt a total head rush which caught him entirely off guard.
He shot a hand out and caught himself from falling bracing against one arm on the couch. When he looked up he saw Fred watching them from the halfway open door to his room.
Draco stiffened. He had no doubt that the redhead had seen them sitting together, yet the look on his face was less one of fury and more...concern.
You don't have to worry about her, thought Draco, I won't hurt her.
Draco swallowed. the first step he took he nearly stumbled. His cheeks colored with embarrassment as went over to the door closing it softly without looking at Fred again.
He paused for a moment his hand on the door listening, a part of him waiting to hear Fred get up and try and bang on the door or cuss him out for putting his arm around Hermione. When silence was the only answer Draco let out a small breath of relief and made his way to the sink where poured Hermione a glass of water.
He brought it to her and she reached out to accept it from him without even looking up. He placed the glass in her hand and then went over to the secret compartment and tapped it pulling out a healing potion he downed it, steadying himself against the counter.
A strange and niggling worry had Draco flexing his calf. The motion burned.
"I'm going to pop outside for a moment," said Draco, careful to keep his voice even. "Promise you'll stay in here."
"Mmmhmm," Hermione nodded not looking up at him.
Her intensity overshadowed his worry and he stopped to just watch her reading.
Merlin she is so adorable in bookworm mode, he thought and smiled before going outside.
The sunshine felt warm on Draco's skin, which was good because he felt oddly cold.
With a wave of his wand the temperature outside spiked. When he tried to lift the pant leg the pressure made the wound ache so he stripped down to his boxers to examine it.
It looked worse.
Much worse.
"Shit," he said aloud and swallowed.
Hopefully the potion would help.
You should look in the library and see if you can figure out what the hell he hit you with, Draco thought to himself. Find the counter spell.
Usually a few healing charms and potions were enough...Not always.
It looked like something infected, the skin a little pink and swollen around that initial black mark.
Maybe that was all it was: some dirt or ruble caught in wound.
Salt helps with that, he thought and looked out at his miniature ocean. Clean it out.
It would feel good to dive in and stretch his muscles anyways so Draco stripped down to his boxers and dove deep into the water. The entry felt clean and refreshing, then salt hit the wound. It burned like all hell...like something was... hissing at him.
Draco swam for as long as he could before the fatigue from healing coupled with pain in his leg became too much and he climbed out and re-dressed.
A second chime sounded as Draco was toweling his hair letting him know that they should be getting back. His mother would be coming to check on them soon for lunch and he couldn't draw any more attention to them. His mother was too astute for that.
Ducking inside Draco found Hermione browsing his book shelves. She turned to face him when he entered.
"This place is yours isn't it?" she asked.
Draco nodded.
"I thought so," she said turning back to the shelves. "I recognized the taste in books. Though these ones feel more personal," she caressed a leather spine gently.
Draco stomach reflexively at the sight of her so calm and casual. She looked completely at home in his most intimate space. She was beautiful, standing there fingers dancing adorably over his books.
She caught him looking at her.
"Did you make any progress with the spell?" he asked quickly, before she could question why he was looking at her the way he was.
"Yeah," she answered. "I think I figured it out. You'll have to try the spell yourself to be sure, but I wrote it down," she said gesturing to the small table.
Draco walked over to the book, which was open to a different page much further on in the book. Had he really been swimming that long, or was she just that brilliant? An otherwise blank piece of parchment held her scrawling and notes. At the bottom was a solution.A solution which Draco was not at all surprised at the fact that It looked right.
Of course it looks right, she's brilliant she could fix anything.
When he looked up from the parchment she was standing directly in front of him.
The angle made him want to toss the paper aside and drag her into his arms.
And if that's not what she wants? his mind questioned. You'll loose her. She'll pull away and you'll never get another moment like what you shared.
"We should get back," said Draco stepping back slightly. "My mother will bring up lunch soon and I don't want her to panic."
"Right, of course," said Hermione and she closed her eyes without hesitation and held out her hand expectantly.
She trusts you, he thought.
"Wait just a moment," he said and went over to the door on the wall that he had created. He cast first half of the incantation she had written down, then came back to Hermione and took her hand. If felt warm and soft and...right in his.
Draco led her back into his room without stopping to admire the sight of her in his oasis.
When he closed the door behind them back in his bedroom Hermione opened her eyes and looked at Draco. Her gaze was so intense, and her eyes so dark.
She reached up and touched the side of his face.
"You look pale," she said and he heard the concern in her voice. No one else was around, he couldn't lie.
"I've been worse," he said and he gave her a half smile. He covered her hand with his own.
He loved it when she touched his face like this. At first he had hated it-seen it as a sign that she was getting to close, now he loved this motion she did, her own particular way of reaching out to him.
Her palm against his cheek was a perpetual balm for his soul.
Her dark eyes met his and they locked gazes.
He wanted to kiss her.
Everything inside him screamed to kiss her.
He felt the pull to lean forward and see what she would do; see if she would meet him halfway.
The door opened and Draco stepped back from Hermione as his mother came in effectively killing the moment.
"Good, you are up and standing. Feeling better then my darling?"
"Yes, thank you." said Draco.
"I brought lunch," she smiled at Draco and then she turned to Hermione. "You have two choices, you can sit silently and eat with us or you can sit in the corner with no food and silencio holding your tongue."
"I will be quiet," said Hermione quickly and respectfully. She bowed her head slightly.
Draco prickled at his mothers tone, unyielding and unwavering. It seemed like an insult and yet her action were completely at odds with his expectations. His mother would never let a mudblood eat with them. It was utterly unheard of.
It made Draco feel uneasy.
What was she playing at?
Maybe she is just being kind, his mind offered hopefully.
Draco frowned inwardly.
Too much, too fast. There had to be another motive.
Did she know?
Narcissa created another with an easy flick of her wand then the three of them sat at the table and ate lunch.
Narcissa chatted about the politics and how things were going, careful not to let any intimate details of plans go while Hermione was there. In fact she acted as if Hermione was not even at the table. Not so much as a sidelong glance.
Only the lack of depth and openness to the conversation gave any indication that anything was any different than any other day that she had sat him down for lunch to catch up. It would have been an almost pleasant distraction for Draco if he didn't feel completely horrible for likewise ignoring Hermione. It was necessary, for show, still he hated it.
Halfway through lunch Draco nudged his plate away, not wanting to take another bite.
"Are you alright?" Narcissa asked concerned.
"Fine," answered Draco, though it was anything but true. His stomach was rolling. "I just finished the breakfast not long ago. I will eat the rest of this, this afternoon is that is alright with you mother. I think I'll lay down again for a while."
Narcissa reached out and felt his forehead.
"You're still warm."
"I did get set on fire," said Draco.
"Don't joke like that," she scolded, then her tone softened. "I'll come back later this evening to check on you."
"Thank you," said Draco.
"Thank you for lunch," said Hermione.
Narcissa turned towards the curly haired girl acknowledging her for the first time. Her gaze was steady. Cool. Calculated.
With an easy grace Narcissa stood and looked down at Hermione.
"Miss Granger," said Narcissa. "Its time you and I spoke...alone."
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And there you have it. Hope you enjoyed your weekend and this update. Leave some love if you did.