CHAPTER ELEVEN

A few days later Draco was released from the Hospital. He couldn't wait to get out and go back to class. I couldn't wait to pretend that everything was back to normal. He went about his class avoiding Harry at all costs. That was the hardest part of his day. It would all get better as soon as he saw her again.

Right after class, he headed for the library. They ran into each other on the way there. It seemed like neither of them could wait to see each other. They sat down and got to work. Hermione has been thinking about his situation with the Dark Lord and wanted him to not go through with it.

"Have you put any thought into what you're going to do about Dumbledore?" She had to whisper so nobody would know that she knew about the plan.

"What I'm going to do? Hermione, I already told you what I have to do." He was screaming in a whisper.

"You can't be serious. If you go through with this, I don't think we can be together." Her heart was breaking.

"Do you have any idea what he will do to me if I don't do it? If he finds out why I didn't do it? Do you think you're the only one who's afraid?" she waited for him to answer his questions. "They'll kill me and they'll kill you too." His words were cold. She knew he was serious. "So if you don't want to be murdered, then I guess we can't be together. It never would've worked out anyway." his own words broke him. If he didn't have to, he would be with her but he knew that wasn't an option.

"We will talk about this later." She left before she let herself cry. She almost started running down the hallway before she saw Professor Dumbledore enter the hallway. She tried her best to avoid eye contact with him. She felt guilty about what she knew was going to happen to him.

"Hello Miss Granger, why are we in such a hurry?"

"Sorry sir, I've got to go to the loo.'' It was the first excuse she could think of. As she walked past him she noticed his hand was all black. She knew immediately that it was some kind of curse. Was Draco already killing him? She would research it later but as of right now she just wanted to be in bed.

***

Draco felt horrible about last night. Why did she have to bring it up? He thought of ways to distract her so he could get her alone one last time before he had to perform his task. One more night alone to tell her he loved her. What happened after that would be obvious.

He came up with a great idea. Before he was released from the hospital he had stolen something from the potion cabinet. He was going to use it for himself as he had a lot more free time since his tests in the room of requirement were done but he supposed he could share.

Hermione had done her research about the condition of Dumbledore's hand. She had figured out what would happen whether Draco would go through with murdering him or not. At this point, there was no convincing him otherwise. She drug herself to potions class feeling overwhelmed with what she had just learned. She went to her cauldron and picked up her book. When she opened it a little piece of paper fell out.

Meet me at the Black Lake tonight. We can talk then

- D

She turned around to find him after she read the note. He gave her a quick smile and went back to his potion. After what she found out she desperately needed to talk to him. She was glad he came through first.

***

Once the sun had set, Hermione sneaked out. She went to Black Lake and saw Draco was already there. He was eating something. She sat down next to him. She was freezing but she pretended that she was warm.

"What are those?"

"Here try one." she only trusted him because he was eating them too. She took one. It looked like a mushroom of some sort. She popped it in her mouth and started to eat it. It was chewy and bitter. Draco was eating them as if they were crisps.

"Yuck!" she spit it out on the grass.

"You're supposed to swallow them or they won't work." Draco laughed at her.

"What are those?" she wiped her chin and made a disgusted face.

"They're magic mushrooms." he wiggled his fingers playfully in an attempt to spook her. "Hallucinaginins. If you eat enough of them you start to see cool things. Patterns and whatnot."

"You want me to take psychedelics with you?" Hermione has never done drugs before but something about the way he was looking at her made her want to.

"It'll be fun. It's a perfect night." he was always convincing.

She reached into the bag and grabbed a couple not knowing the right dosage. She choked them down while he ate them without making a face. Once they were all gone they just sat there.

"How long before they take effect?"

"A couple of minutes." they sat in silence staring at the water together. They watched the water rise and fade back down for a while. Hermione's thoughts overwhelmed her when she remembered there was something they needed to talk about.

"Draco, I have to" she looked up at his face which was slightly distorted and moving on its own. His eyes were especially pretty to her. They hypnotized her as she lost her train of thought. He smiled, creeping her out a bit.

"Starting to feel it?" His voice sounded funny to her. Extremely funny. She busted out laughing and so did he. They laughed uncontrollably for a good five minutes before they finally calmed down.

She looked around. The lake was more beautiful than it had ever been before. The moon mirrored off of it making it glow. The grass was so soft she felt like if she lay down she would fall right through it.

"This is pretty cool." she was unfamiliar with her voice as she spoke. She felt so relaxed and happy. She couldn't get enough of what she was seeing. She was so focused on the lake she didn't even feel Draco touch her hand. He didn't feel it either. As soon as he touched her their skin melted together. He looked at her while she looked at the lake. She was so mesmerized by the whole experience.

Her skin sparkled and the color of her flesh was Draco's new favorite color. He soon changed it to the color of her hair. Next, it was the color of her robes that she wore so well. Then, he quickly changed it to her eyes as soon as she looked at him. He never knew he would like the color brown so much. They were magnetic. The dusky tone looked like fresh coffee in the morning after you put in the cream but before you stirred it. The longer he looked the more he realized they weren't just brown. There was gold in there too, and green, and red, and amber. He didn't know there were so many colors in there.

She wanted to finish the sentence she tried to start but knew now wasn't the time. What she wanted to do was kiss him. She felt his stare for quite some time and when she turned to look at him it intensified. It was as if she was a lab rat and he was studying her every move.

His eyes were mysterious. They were dark gray around the edges and got lighter the closer she got to his pupil. It was more blue than gray. The ring around him reminded her of the color of the lake she had just been admiring. The inner part looked like freshly fallen snow on cobblestone. They looked as cold as he always felt. When she looked into his deep black pupils she felt as if she had been hexed and she couldn't look away. He just stared back.

She thought his eyes were getting bigger but then realized he was just getting closer. He closed her eyes. As soon as their lips met she felt as if they were one. They exchanged energies back and forth and she felt every single spark. She felt as if they weren't humans anymore. Like they didn't have bodies. It was just their souls connecting. They let go and she felt the bond break.

"You're so beautiful." he started to lay her down on the grass. She was still scared she would sink but she didn't. He looked deep into her eyes. "This is the end of the world and you and I should spend it together in love."

She paid no mind to the other words. "Love?" they both sat up. He hoped she wouldn't question him about this.

"Yeah, and so what if I love you? It's not like it will matter. in a couple of months, we will all be gone." she didn't know what he meant by that last part.

"I'm sorry, I just never thought you would say that."

"Don't act so surprised. I practically plan my days just so I can run into you in the hallway." she knew he meant it but she didn't say it back. Instead, she just kissed him. Harder than she ever had before. It had felt as if she had just won a medal. He broke it off and pulled out his wand. He shot it to the sky and brought down five balls of light and made them dance above them.

"I hope you like the stars I stole for you." he knew he was in love with her for a long time and it felt good to finally tell her. To show her.

He kissed her again and they laid down once more. She was in complete awe of him. She couldn't wait to feel their souls connect again. He pulled off his shirt revealing his chiseled abs and a few scars he had gotten from Harry. The moon painted his body blue and he bent back down to kiss her more.

He helped her with her shirt and did what he had done before. He kissed from her lips to her neck down to her chest. His breath was warm on her cold breasts. He nuzzled his face back into her neck as he spread her legs with his hips. His face was cold on her but she didn't mind. She liked it when he couldn't keep warm.

He didn't bother with her skirt and took her underwear off. He quickly unbuckled his pants and slid himself into her. She felt so nice. So warm and wet. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to last this time. Then he felt it. The same feeling she got when they kissed. He felt the connection as if their two souls were one. The sensation was overwhelming and he couldn't contain himself anymore. He jerked himself out before he could come.

"What's wrong? She sat up to comfort him.

"Nothing. That was great. I just need a little break." he spread her legs again but didn't go back in. instead he went down. He kissed her from her lips to the bottom of her stomach. He pulled up her skirt and wrapped his arms around her legs. He spread open her up with his tongue. She tasted like sex but it was sweet. He licked her up and down and she moaned. She gave in to the pleasure and didn't try to be quiet at all. He then slid two ice-cold fingers into her and began penetrating. She spasmed as she was about to peak. Her legs were shaking as she finally released herself.

He didn't let her catch her breath before thrusting himself into her again. She wanted to scream but nothing came out. He watched her eyes roll into the back of her head. That was enough for him to climax inside of her. he laid there panting on her not bothering to get up. It wasn't until he felt her goosebumps that he collected himself and their clothing. He gave her shirt to her and put his back on.

"I don't think I can do it." He talked to her while they got dressed. "If I'm going to lose you cant go through with it. You're far more important."

"If you care about me you will do it." he was surprised to hear her say that.

"What?"

"You told me that if you don't do it then he will kill you. I can't let that happen." she finished buttoning her shirt and sat on the grass. He sat next to her. "I need to tell you something," Hermione told him about what she found out about Dumbledore's hand.

"It will happen whether you're the one to kill him or not. If you don't want to die, I suggest you do it." he didn't know if she was telling the truth or not. Was she just trying to protect them?

"And what if I chicken out. What if I can't kill him." she didn't want to answer that. She knew she would be too much of a distraction for him so she came up with a plan.

"I can obliviate you." she offered. "If I do that then you won't have to think about me when you do it."

"Obliviate me? Are you mad? Do you want to erase every memory we have shared? How could you even think to do that?" he was furious with her proposal. "Without you, there is no me."

"It's the best I can do Draco. I don't want you to die." tears welled up in her eyes. "It's not like I want to.

"What if I can't forget you?" she didn't respond. She stood up and helped him up from the ground. They walked back to the castle holding hands until they reached the doors.