The lightning spell soared past clipping Draco's ear with a burning pain as he landed feet first.
He was standing on the other side of his parents woods, at the top of the cliff just above where he had found her last time.
Granger had obviously chosen this place for a reason.
She had been waiting for him wand at the ready.
The wind caught Hermione hair and blew it outward. Standing there on the edge of the cliff looking like an angry goddess.
While Draco stood with his back to the woods he couldn't help admiring the strength he saw in front of him.
She looked magnificent, powerful, beautiful and... wildly out of control.
"Don't follow me!" Granger yelled to him, the order backed by a tone of authority.
She struck out again with perfect flick of the wrist.
Even if Draco had been ready for the attack he would have had trouble blocking it. The spell hit dead center of his chest and he flew backwards through the air.
Time slowed for Draco as he flew backward and he watched as Hermione swirled, a final spell flew from her wand just before she popped out of his view. And then Draco's body slammed into the tree behind him and her spell hit his chest directly after paralyzing him.
By the time Hermione's spell wore off the sun was lower in the horizon.
"Dammit Granger," he got up and reached a hand out to steady himself against the tree. Draco grabbed his pounding head. He had cracked it pretty hard against the tree, not quite hard enough to black out, but hard enough that it hurt like hell. He blinked and when he pulled his hand back he saw blood. "Bloody hell." Draco snarled and set his jaw.
That fucking hurts.
Thinking of Granger again he apparated again.
This time he found himself underground on a subway platform.
He looked around him through the crowd. Across the tracks he saw Granger.
Her eyes met him across the tracks hot and angry.
She turned and ran just as a train came flying through the station.
He watched her between passing cars as she vanished.
Draco glanced at the large sign saying the time and winced.
The red numbers's confirmed his worse fears: They had been gone too long.
The Dark lord would absolutely have noticed her absence by now.
Fuck.
"Sir are you alright?" a plain looking young woman with dark hair asked pointing at his forehead with concern.
"Not hardly," Draco answered then caught himself gentling his tone "I'll be fine," he said and turned on the charm. "Just a knock about. Could you point me in the direction of the loo?"
"It's just behind you," she said pointing to a sign.
"Thank you," he said with a smile and nod.
"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked reaching out and touching his arm.
Two weeks ago he would have yanked himself away.
Two weeks ago he would have told her to mind her own business.
Two weeks ago was before Granger... before her kindness.
"I'll be fine, really," he assured her and touched the woman's hand lightly. "It's okay, you don't have to worry about me."
Her shoulders seemed to relax believing him and she gave a small smile back before disappearing into the crowd.
As soon as the woman was out of view Draco hurried to the washroom. He made a bee-line to the sink and glanced in the mirror.
No wonder the woman had been concerned.
There was blood soaked through a good quarter of his white-blond hair and a little coming off a cut in his brow.
Draco shook his head, he gave a quick glance around and then waved his wand cleaning himself up.
Dammit Granger, he mentally snarled.
Draco turned and tucked himself into a stall where no one would see, held his breath and apparated.
The sun was setting through the trees of the forbidden forest by Hogwarts.
She had to pick here, Draco lamented mentally.
His skin crawled.
There was not a good memory to be had for him in this place and the fact that it was getting dark made everything worse. He wished he could delay the setting of the sun.
It was one thing to be in the forest at twilight it was another to be there after Dark.
Nothing good happened here after dark.
Draco felt Hermione before he heard her.
"I knew you would follow me," she said angrily.
Draco turned round to face her only to be greeted with a wand close enough to make him go cross eyed looking at it.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked shaking his head. "Point that thing somewhere else would you?"
"Not a chance," snapped Granger. "I told you not to follow me."
"You just said you knew I would."
"But I hoped you wouldn't."
Draco let out a breath through his nose.
"Why are you making me do this?" he asked.
"I'm not making you do anything," she answered.
"Yes you are!" he yelled. "Why couldn't you just stay! I could have tried to keep you off the radar. Instead when you get back the Crabbe's are going to want to see you suffer for what you did. You put a knife through Vincent's leg and broke his bloody nose."
"He put his hands on me Draco what did you want me to do? Just stand there are take it? Let him do whatever he wants to me?!" Hermione yelled.
Draco stiffened.
Put his hands on her...
"What did he do?" Draco's voice dropped low.
"He... It doesn't matter." Granger shook her head.
"Yes it does!" Draco shouted back.
I'll kill him, I'll fucking kill him.
"Well I don't want to talk to you about what someone else did to my body without my permission when I can't even trust that you haven't done the same."
"What?!" Draco's eyes widened and his temper bubbled to the surface.
How could she.... How dare she even think that?
He stalked forward.
"Say that again," he demanded.
Hermione kept the wand raised and pointed at Draco's face.
He didn't care.
Draco walked forward as if it wasn't there at all. He didn't bother to raise his own wand in response either, just backed her against the nearest tree and glared into her eyes.
"Say it again," he growled and then waited her answer.
He needed to hear her say it: accuse him of hurting her so he could deny it afresh or have her admit she knew the truth.
He needed to know she knew he would never hurt her like that.
Never.
-
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