Intertwining Souls
Hermione lay in Draco’s bed; the sun began to rise on the other side of the house leaving his room with a dull light by which he could only just see her. She lay on her front, facing him, arms wrapped around the pillow she slept on. They’d done nothing but kiss the night before, he felt like a teenager again. Breaching that line between what was allowed and what wasn’t, and Hermione had been forbidden fruit for such a long time, it was all he needed to be satisfied for now. Their hands had roamed the others body, in a desperate attempt to familiarise themselves with every dip and curve. Her skin was soft and supple, in a way he’d never experienced before, she felt brand new in his hands. And now here he lay, watching her sleep in the low light of this house she’d brought him to with her friends, and he wondered if this would be his life now. He’d have done anything to guarantee it, to have their legs entwined like this every morning.
“Hermione?” He whispered as he stroked a hand across her hair, checking that she was, in fact, still asleep. Satisfied that she was he continued. “You are the most amazing person I have ever denied myself the privilege of knowing. I could drape you in the finest jewels the Malfoy vaults have to offer, and it would never be enough to make up for it.. I am so glad you came back into my life once I became fully capable of appreciating everything you are. I know in my heart that I would have found you in any lifetime, in any timeline and I’d love you in all of them.” He stroked her face as he kissed her forehead, and only then did he notice the tear in the corner of her eye. “Hermione?”
She curled herself into him, releasing gentle sobs as he tried to console her.
“Hermione, what happened?” He pleaded. “Are you okay?”
“You happened you fucking idiot.” She cried as she looked up at him. “Everything you just said..”
“Admittedly, I wouldn’t have said it had I known you were awake..” He offered lightly, taking her face in his hands. “You weren’t meant to hear any of it.”
“Because you don’t mean it?” Her brows furrowed.
“Because I do mean it, I just would have waited.” He planted a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose.
“No one’s ever said anything like that to me before..” Her brows drooped as she watched a small smile unfurl on his lips.
“No one could ever feel the way I do about you, that’s why.” He began to look a little arrogant.
“Is that right?” She sassed as she slid her hand into his hair and pulled him closer. He hummed his agreement.
Their bodies pressed together as he pulled her in close, breathing heavily as their lips pressed together. Hermione could taste their shared breath and feel the thunder of her own heartbeat against his chest as she began pulling at the drawstring of his shorts, desperate to get inside of them. Draco slipped a finger along the edge of her underwear, delighted to find out she slept only in those and a t-shirt at night, his t-shirt that night. He broke away for a moment.
“I thought you wanted to take things slowly?” He asked, breathless and annoyed with himself for doing so. But he had to be sure that she was sure.
“I don’t want to stop, unless you do?” She murmured against his lips.
“Never.” He stopped holding back.
The moment Draco’s foot hit the bottom step later on that morning he was greeted by a round of wolf whistles. He told them to piss off with a wide grin on his face, meeting Theo’s request for a high five with a middle finger.
“Ahh don’t be like that mate, you finally got the girl!” He teased. Draco raised his eyebrows.
“She’s very much a woman, Theo. Of that I can assure you.” He blushed slightly at the implication, hoping they’d leave it be.
“Oh yeah? Anything you care to tell us about?” Blaise gave him a nudge.
“No. A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.” He began to gather the stuff for breakfast, since nobody else had started yet.
“But do they shag and shout?” Theo jeered as he realised what Draco was doing. “Do my eyes deceive me or is Draco Malfoy in the kitchen, cooking, of all things?” He placed a hand on Draco’s forehead. “She’s changed you she has..”
“I was due, if we’re being honest.” He chuckled as they all joined him in his endeavour.
Pansy was beside him helping with making waffles as the rest sorted out toppings. She delivered a swift but meaningful ‘fuck around and find out’ speech regarding her best friend’s heart. She made him swear he had good intentions before she dropped the pretence of helping and walked away. He shook his head as he watched her leave, wondering how his life had changed so much in the space of eight weeks.
Hermione walked through the door, fresh as a daisy and ready for the day just as he plated up her bacon and waffles. She grinned as he passed it to her, placed it down on the side and pulled him in for a gentle kiss. This time, he blushed completely as she pulled away.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that..” He whispered as she kissed him again. The guys in the room pretended to wretch, Draco flipped them off without breaking the kiss.
He spent the rest of the day in a haze. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her whenever she was around, he was mesmerised by the sight of her, remembering the sounds she made that morning. He wanted this holiday to last forever, fearing that returning to the real world would change things.
She made no secret of watching him back now, his face lit up whenever he caught her looking at him in a way that made her chest ache. She knew he was in love with her, he didn’t need to say it. But she wondered whether he should have actually tried looking around before immediately choosing her. She wondered whether it was just the proximity that had made him become so enthralled with her so fast. Not daring to accept that maybe it’s just because they have a natural rhythm with each other, and a mutual understanding of one another. Something that she’d seldom shared with anyone. She wondered whether this had always meant to happen for them as she watched him where he sat now, by the pool side, reading the last book she had written for the muggle world about the wizarding war.
He’d read them without encouragement or pleading, which had gotten her nowhere with the others. With every page he turned he looked over to make sure she was still in the general vicinity, if ever she wasn’t, he would go and find her. Excuses on his lips as to why he had, he needed a drink or to use the loo. She’d smile and shake her head before indulging him with a kiss, a cuddle and some light petting if he was lucky. He’d always leave her side with a grin on his face.
“He’s like a dog with a bone..” Luna whispered as they moved back out to the patio.
“I think it’s sweet.” Romilda giggled.
“It’s your fucking fault!” Theo nudged her with his elbow before dive bombing back into the pool.
“You’ll have to tell me what he said to you one day.” Hermione stated, smiling at Romilda, feeling grateful.
“Ugh, honestly it’d make you sick.” She rolled her eyes with a laugh.
Draco received a letter on the last day of the holiday, a summons from his mother. He grimaced at the sight of her wax seal, he’d ignored her for the last few weeks, unable to bring himself to forgive the things she’d suggested about Hermione. But as he looked over at her, with that concerned look on her beautiful face, he knew there was nothing his mother could say now to take his heart away from her. He was gone, hook, line and sinker. He felt utterly pathetic as he felt his chest begin to ache at the idea of being away from her, and wondered whether this was how everyone felt when they liked someone a lot. He sighed and rubbed his face as she slipped out of the pool, leaving the terrible game of volleyball the women were playing, to check on him. The fact that she did it without hesitation made his heart swell, he rolled his own eyes at himself.
“What’s that for?” She asked, a feint smirk dancing on her lips.
“Ugh, just.. Me. You. It’s nothing.” He smiled as he passed her the letter. “She wants to see me though. Can you take me?”
“Sure, short notice though, she wants you to be there tomorrow.” She looked at him, puzzled and a little concerned. “Will you be okay? I can come with you if you need me to..”
He took a moment to pause and look her over and wondered what he had done to deserve everything she’d brought into his life. He knew Mr Moreau would tell him he didn’t need to earn it, but Draco would respectfully disagree, believing he should spend every day for the rest of his time with her earning it. She tipped her sunglasses up to look at him properly whilst in the shade of the awning.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” She frowned. He smiled softly.
“I’ve never been better.” He huffed a laugh under his breath at the sight of her blushing. “If you could take me, that would be great, but I need to speak with her privately.” He looked down at his hands before he continued. “Things might get a little heated after last time, I don’t want you to worry about it.”
She went back to playing volleyball and he went off to the snooker table, they had dinner as a group, watched a scary movie together and then, just like that, the holiday was over.
Draco stepped into the safe house knowing his mother was already there. He’d seen her spying through the window as he bid Hermione goodbye, he’d also seen the look on her face. It wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation, that much was clear before Hermione had even taken his hand to apparate, but it didn’t make it any easier to approach her.
“Good morning mother, you’re looking well.” He said curtly, with a tight smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” She remained standing by the window.
“You have a tan.” She observed, he agreed. “That’s not like you.” She looked back outside.
“Well, no, considering I’ve spent the last seven years inside of a cell in Azkaban I wouldn’t quite expect it.” He knew what she was insinuating, and he didn’t appreciate it.
“What has she had you doing?” She sneered.
“She took me on holiday.” She looked over at him sharply.
“The perfect place to fall in love.”
“I didn’t say that I was in love with her..” He scoffed; she raised an eyebrow. “And even if I was, there’s no shame in that.”
“No shame? Draco, she’s muggleborn. This is a phase; you’ll move past it once you come back to live at the manor.” She stood with her back straight.
“I’m not going back there.” His tone was razor sharp.
“You will not choose her over the duty you have to your family, Draco.” She snapped.
“Do you mean the family that showed no duty to me?” He scoffed. “The family that failed me over and over again?” His expression displayed utter contempt. “The family that left me to rot for seven years in a prison cell and never once visited me?” He took a step back; Hermione had stirred up wonderful emotions inside of him, but she’d also unlocked an ocean of pain in doing so. “She came for me, when no one else would. She took me from that place, and she fed me from her table, when we’d never once given her a seat at ours. She put her life on the line to protect a world that did nothing to protect her and still she stays. I could live a thousand lifetimes and never deserve that woman. But she’s held me in her arms late at night for the last three days and I’ve never felt more at home. So don’t ask me to choose between family and her, because there’s no competition.”
“The first woman that shows you some kindness has you ready to throw away everything your father and I built for you?” She marched toward him.
“You didn’t build shit.” He flinched, he hadn’t meant to say it and had expected a sharp slap for it, but she halted in her tracks. “You were given everything from your parents just like my children will be given everything from me. Because that’s how blood right laws work in this country, mother. So don’t threaten me.”
“You’re not thinking clearly..” She began.
“You’re not listening to me!” He flexed his hands, trying to ease some of the anxiety about this conversation. “I can understand why everyone else in our insidious social circles wouldn’t want to see me happy, least of all with her, but how can you wish to deprive me of this?” Her shoulders sagged as she looked away defeated and sighed.
“I don’t wish to deprive you, Draco.” She sighed again as she sat on the long sofa. “I suppose I should have expected it.” She swallowed before looking up at him. “You’re quite sure of this?”
He sat on the other end of the sofa and ran a hand through his hair, before holding his head in his hands, elbows propped upon his knees.
“It’s only just beginning, but if it were up to me, she’d never leave my side.” He sighed loudly. “I didn’t mean to fall in love with her, she just crept up on me. I read the books about her life and watched her dance to the worst music I’ve ever heard; she made me the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received, and she made me feel worth something again. She’s kind and she’s funny and she glows like the sun whenever she looks at me. I’ll spend every day atoning for my sins if it means that I get to hold her in my arms every night.”
“You are in love with her then?” Narcissa leaned forward slightly.
“Did I say that?” He glanced at her.
“You did.”
Draco sat back and threw his hands up in the air with an exasperated laugh.
“Then yeah, I’m hopelessly and completely in love with her.” He dropped his arms back onto his chest and crossed them. “And it only took fifty-six days.”
“Yes well, now you just have to figure out how to keep her.” She smiled as he looked over at her. “I’m sorry Draco, please know that you deserve every ounce of love you find in this world.” She sighed. “I’m sorry that I let my pride get the better of me. I do want this for you, I just..”
“I know, mother.” Draco said as he reached over and took her hand in his. “I know.”
And he did, he knew she’d struggle with the idea of it. He knew that despite the best efforts of the wizarding world, the pure blood families would always struggle to accept those they deemed less worthy. He knew that because it had taken him almost four years of intense therapy to break down those beliefs within himself. He was young enough to accept that change had come to their world, but people like his mother would deem themselves too old and set in their ways to work on the changes they’d been expected to make.
But he knew that she loved him, in her own convoluted way, and that she’d rather have him in her life with Hermione than be without him. At the end of the day, he’d learned to live without the acceptance and affections of his mother, but he’d had to learn to accept the possibility of Hermione’s acceptance and affections. Things like that always have a way of coming back around, if you waited for long enough. And even if his mother had had the power to cut off his inheritance and trust funds, he’d have let her. He’d have worked in that pub down the road from Hermione’s house and sold his story alongside her book series to generate an income. He’d have begged on the street like a pauper if he'd had to, because he’d rather be poor in wealth and rich in love than the other way around.
His mother gave him the opportunity to open up about all the things he’d learned about Hermione since he’d moved in, and it felt good to open up about her again. He’d told Romilda a lot about how he felt, but he was able to tell his mother specifically about her, her achievements, her idiosyncrasies, her likes and dislikes. He’d have spoken about her shoe collection if it would have given him a reason to have her name on his tongue.
And two days later, Hermione practically landed on top of Draco as she apparated in to collect him. Narcissa had waved a polite greeting and displayed the perfect smile as they readied themselves to leave. Hermione had done the same. The only difference was, Narcissa went back inside to collect her things with a scowl across her face. And Hermione left with big smile and a full heart.