CHAPTER TEN

It was well after Christmas break and all of the students had returned to Hogwarts. Draco found himself in the room of requirement again trying out another test on the cabinet. Every time he did he realized he was getting closer to the day when it would have to happen. He felt as if he had been watched so he left for the Great Hall. It was almost time for dinner.

When he arrived he noticed that Harry was talking to Katie Bell. The girl he had accidentally hexed as an attempt to get to Dumbledore. Harry knew he knew it was him. He ran out of the room hoping Harry wouldn't follow him. Sure enough, he was. Draco ran faster. He ran into the bathroom and tried not to have a panic attack. The amount of stress he was under was finally getting to him.

He just started to cry when Harry walked through the door. He told him he knew it was him who hexed Katie Bell. Draco knew they fought that night but everything was a blur. He hardly remembered anything as he woke up in the hospital wing. He had been injured pretty badly by him.

***

Hermione made her way to the library. She was excited to see Draco. He was all she thought about over the break. As she walked up to their table, she quickly noticed he wasn't there. It wasn't like him to be late. She asked Madam Pince if she knew where he was. She had known for the past several months she had been tutoring him so she wasn't surprised Hermione was asking.

"I heard he was in the Hospital Wing. It sounds like he got into a disagreement with another student."

Hermione knew it was Harry who had done it; she just didn't know how bad it was.

"Thanks," she said and left the library. She debated whether or not to go see him. She didn't want to risk being seen with him anywhere else but the library. She decided she would go later that night.

Draco laid in his hospital bed. They must have given him something to ease the pain because he felt completely numb. He couldn't feel his body and barely any emotion. He was grateful. He wanted to figure out what they gave him so he could take it every day.

As the potion started wearing off he started to think. Why did Potter have to spoil everything? He thought about his mission and with Harry intervening he lost faith that he could go through with it. He wanted to sleep but his thoughts kept him up. He heard the door open and hoped it would be Madam Pomfrey there to give him more of that medicine.

By the sound of the footsteps, he knew it wasn't. As much as he wanted to see her, he didn't want her to see him like this. He didn't want her to think he was as pathetic as he felt. She walked up to his bed. He pretended to be asleep. Maybe she would just leave and not want to bother him.

"I know you're awake Draco." He cursed her for finding out. He wasn't in the mood to talk to her right now. "How are you feeling?" She looked worried. She was worried. Never in her life had she thought she would care about Draco so much.

"I'm feeling better now that you're here." He couldn't resist flirting with her. She made him feel safe. She smiled at him and held his hand. "I don't remember what happened." They stared at each other in silence. He would never get tired of looking into her eyes. She looked so inviting and he didn't know why he said it.

"I need to tell you something." He wanted to take back his words but he was too late. He didn't want to tell her, but if he didn't she would find out on her own.

"What is it?" She wanted it to be good news but from the look on his face, it wasn't. He didn't say anything else. He just reached for his shirt sleeve and started rolling it up. He revealed his Death Eater mark for a second then quickly rolled his sleeve back down.

Hermione's eyes began to flood with tears. Harry was right about everything and she chose not to believe it. She knew why she didn't. She thought Draco and her had a good thing and she didn't want to let anything ruin it. Draco watched the tears stream down her face. He felt terrible but didn't want to tell her anything but the truth.

"I didn't choose this Hermione, he chose me." He felt the need to tell her everything but he couldn't. He told her it was him who hexed Katie Bell. He told her about Dumbledore but he didn't tell her about the cabinet. He didn't want her to know that the main reason for this was to kill her best friend and he was helping.

"No, you can't!" She was furious with him. With herself for getting too close to him. "Don't you understand how serious this is?" He understood more than she knew. He understood why he had to do it. Draco started to sob. Hermione had never seen him like this. Perhaps she would attempt to talk him out of it later but as of right now she wanted him to stop crying.

She crawled into his bed with him and cradled him in her arms. She didn't have to shush him for long until he had calmed down. She had that effect on him. She somehow could feel at home when he was in a living hell. She wiped the tears from his face and looked down on him. She lifted his chin with her fingertips and kissed him. his lips tasted salty but she didn't know if it was from his tears or hers. He grabbed the back of her head nearly pulling out her hair and kissed her harder. He now knew what Hermione meant when she talked about passion that day in the library. Except it wasn't about books, it was about her.

He took control and rolled her over so he was on top. He was still in pain but he didn't mind. He was finally getting what he wanted all year. She was finally his. He caressed her waist and lifted it so he could get between her legs. He went from kissing her lips to her neck. She practically melted in his arms. He was almost biting her collarbone as he pushed himself onto her. She could feel the hardness of him on her thigh.

She held on tightly to him. She often thought about this moment but her imagination couldn't live up to this. He felt good on top of her. Their bodies fit perfectly together. His hands went up to her shirt and he started to feel her breast. They were just like he had imagined them to be. They were firm but soft and squishy to the touch. They were also warm. Really warm. A warmness he hadn't felt in his life.

She flinched as his cold hand went under her bra. "Is this okay?" Of course, it was, she couldn't think of anything she wanted more though she was flattered that he had checked in. She took off her shirt giving him more access and he did the same. He went back to grinding on her and she wrapped her legs around him feeling his full-length rub against her. Their chests were pressed together and he was appreciating the way her body warms him up. He unhooked her bra revealing her full chest. He stopped to admire it before he went down to kiss and squeeze them. He had enough foreplay. It was agonizing to wait to be inside of her. He pulled off her skirt and pulled down his pants. He wanted to take her right then but he couldn't stop but stare at her body. The moonlight seeping through the window made her body illuminate.

"You are so fucking sexy. I've wanted this for a long time." Hermione giggled feeling slightly embarrassed of her exposed body. "And if that doesn't turn you on, I'll keep talking until something does."

"Shut up and take me Malfoy." She didn't want to waste another second. She was just as eager as he was.

He felt like a kid on Christmas opening a present as he slid off her underwear. She shivered as a cold breeze hit her there. Draco took off his own and spread her legs. She was quite shocked at the size of him. This made her even more excited. He slowly guided himself into her which caught her off guard. She didn't expect him to be so gentle. He pushed himself into her until he couldn't anymore. Then, he started going in and out picking up the pace.

Hermione's face flushed as she grabbed him and brought him closer. Her heart rate increased as he hit the right spot every time he went back in. a force of pleasure came over her as she climaxed. Shortly after he finished as well. He stopped to catch his breath before he took it out of her.

He laid down beside her naked body. He was holding her like she was gold. He felt as if the future would be nothing without her and he knew that's exactly the way it was going to be in the end. Without her.

He dozed off as she got up. He knew she couldn't stay and he was okay with that. Soon he would feel all better and he would get her back. She got dressed and kissed his forehead before she left the room. He never felt happier than he did at that moment.