With a swift slice of her sharp knife, Hermione cut out another crumbling and rugged piece of the enchanted bark from the huge tree and dipped it carefully into the sterile solution of a glass box in her hand. Her knife glittered in the silvery moonlight, as it bathed the magical forest and its whispering woods. This tree belonged to one of the rarest species in the wizarding world, its healing properties able to cure even the most cursed of diseases, damages, and scars. However, it would require extensive research, both magical and muggle, to achieve excellent values, and the major problem was - there only existed one tree of this kind. The 'Bois enchanté', an endangered species, grows once every thousand years and lives up to a hundred years if preserved.
She cast a glance towards Rolf Scamander, working silently beside her. He was completely engrossed in checking the quality and health of some medicinal herbs that grew all around the thick trunk. He was sitting on the cold and moist forest floor, eyebrows scrunched in concentration, brown hair falling in soft curls over his eyes and wand tucked between his pearly white teeth - caressing the leaves softly, rubbing them between his nimble fingers and bringing them up to his nose to smell. If she squinted her eyes hard enough, Hermione could imagine seeing the innumerable freckles on his face dancing and spiralling like the stars in a galaxy. Fireflies glowed in some nearby bushes and the crickets engaged in their song, chirping and echoing in the silence. After extracting a few more samples, Hermione would need to cast protective enchantments all around it, to prevent it from being discovered and misused. She encircled it once and then set back to work once again. Rolf and Hermione worked in the Magical Natural Vegetation and Creature Protection department of the Ministry. It was a department created by their joint initiative, in an attempt to preserve what was remaining of the natural vegetation in the wizarding world.
They kept on working for a few more hours and she only realised how late it was getting after seeing the moon, which had now drifted to a corner of the sky. The trees cast long shadows into the clearing, the vines, and secondary roots swinging in the chilly gusts of the night breeze. Hermione, swinging her bag onto her shoulder, was just about to break the silence and suggest they return home when the sharp snap of a twig caught both of their attention. At an instant, both of them looked at each other, and then in the direction the sound had come from. Her hand quickly reached into her pocket, where her wand was kept secure, and Rolf stood up abruptly, whipping his head from side to side in a failed attempt to search for the source. Hermione cast a quick disillusionment charm on both of them, moving so that her back touched the rough bark of the tree. She was here to protect it and would do so at any cost.
"Who's there?" A voice drifted from the shadows and her heart skipped a beat. She would recognise that voice anywhere.
Draco Malfoy. Actually, no. Auror Draco Malfoy.
His lean muscular frame came into view in the minimal light, which lit his already attractive features into an almost divine appearance. His glowing blue wand cast flickering shadows in his mercury-silver eyes and his lips parted slightly, whispering a simple spell. "Homonum Revelio" he muttered under his breath, and the quiet of the jungle carried his silky smooth tone up to her ears as if he was speaking right next to her. What was he doing here? His eyes widened in shock, as Rolf and Hermione came into view before him, his perfect brows shooting upwards. His eyes flit between the pair and Rolf cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away. However, she stared at Malfoy pointedly, her countenance set in firm resolution. Overcoming his shock, Malfoy moved closer to the duo, sturdy boots crunching on the dry leaves.
"What are you doing here?" He asked through gritted teeth, soft enough so that only she could hear him. Rolf had moved away to gather his things from the ground and had already started casting the protective enchantments. Malfoy glanced at him for a moment, then his intense gaze turned back to her.
"I could ask the same question to you." She looked up at him and retorted. He really was tall.
Malfoy and Hermione both worked at the Ministry. He joined the auror department along with Harry and Ron six years ago. It wasn't as if he needed the job. Keeping the sole Malfoy heir out of Azkaban hadn't even caused the slightest strain on their numerous vaults. He claimed to have joined the Ministry just because his friends had suggested he find a way to release all that pent-up rage. After joining, he had been forced to work alongside Harry and Ron. What had started as stiff competition and rivalry between the boys, had soon turned into a rather strange friendship. The three of them were the best in their department, their unusual partnership being the only reason. They had created the perfect balance and most of the achievements of the Ministry were because of them.
However, Hermione couldn't help but feel left out. The three of them became inseperable. They spent so much time together, that it left Hermione wondering if their friendship was as strong as she imagined it would be. It hurt her to think that Harry and Ron replaced her so easily - with Malfoy no less! No doubt, the three of them were still best friends, but it wasn't like what it used to be. They didn't meet so often anymore. Whenever Ron and Harry weren't jumping across the globe to fulfil their duties, they were away in some pub, celebrating even their most minor of victories with Malfoy and his friends. All their golden moments soon turned to mere memories, lost in crisp yellowish pages of the album of her heart. Now she watches from a corner of her office, as the three of them run off to the far-fetched corners of the world, fighting battles and returning victorious. She couldn't help but feel jealous. Of course, she loved her job and she absolutely adored working with Rolf, but, oh! What she wouldn't give to zoom back to their early Hogwarts days!
In spite of all of this, Hermione and Malfoy, though not friends, were acquaintances. Every morning, they arrived at the Ministry at exactly the same time, rode the elevator to their respective floors in an atmosphere thick with tension, and nodded in acknowledgement as they left. This had become a regular habit for them. Then there was the, erm, other problem... Malfoy had really grown into his features since their school days. All that auror training and combat only enhanced his already perfect body. Over the course of the past six years, they had been attending charity galas and the occasional ministry event. He looked painfully bewitching in formal robes and suits.
A crowd of eager young witches (and sometimes wizards) was always surrounding him, as he drawled on about stories of his endless bravery or waltzed the night away with some pretty pureblood witch in his arms. Hermione simply stood in a corner, sipping champagne and watching him interact with literally every other female in the room except her.
Outside such events, they had met over many dinners, now that he was so close friends with Harry and Ron. She tried to avoid him, she really did! But her curious mind would always draw her towards him, wondering what it would feel like to open up to him, if only for once. It had been so long since she'd gone on a serious date. Every time some bloke tried to flirt with her, silver eyes swam in front of her, drowning and suffocating her until she gave up and excused herself to avoid causing a scene.
It wasn't only his looks she was attracted to, though. They had worked together on a case once when some disgusting group of wizards had tried to alter the chromosome number and structure of their cells in order to facilitate breeding with other magical species. His wit, passion, confidence, and courage had genuinely taken her by surprise and she found herself enjoying every moment of working with him. His sense of humour made her attraction towards him infuriatingly stronger. She found it was so much easier to lose herself around him. They engaged in conversation or silly banter from time to time, and Hermione finally realised that he wasn't the same prejudiced boy he used to be back at Hogwarts. Everyone had gone through the consequences of the war, and perhaps it had changed him the most.
She tried to decipher if he felt anything at all towards her. She experimented a few times by trying to make small talk in the Ministry elevators, but his responses were only short and clipped - almost distant. He hadn't been dating anyone in particular, she knew that. On weekends, he was often busy, complying with his parents' requests and meeting pureblood witches suitable for carrying on their legacy. Who was she kidding? She never stood a chance against those beautiful foreign women. She would always be the bushy-haired swot to him, with a wild spirit and poor manners. She had to clear her head before this silly infatuation grew into something uncontrollable. Merlin forbid that she be in -
Pale slender fingers snap in front of her eyes, breaking her train of thought. A blush crept up her neck, as she realised she had been gazing into his eyes all this time.
"Why are you out here, Granger?" He spat out again. "This is not exactly the right sort of place where daft witches can go for a walk in the moonlight with their boyfriends." He cast a quick glance at Rolf, who was quietly seated on the ground, leaning against the bark with his eyes closed and arms crossed. Then Malfoy's eyes were immediately on hers again, as if searching her face for answers.
Fury bubbled at the pit of her stomach, and she didn't even bother correcting him. "What I do is none of your business, Malfoy." She took a step closer to him and was immediately surrounded by his rich masculine fragrance. She struggled hard internally, as she tried not to let her eyes flutter shut and inhale a lungful of his scent.
"Listen here, Granger, I am here on an extremely important duty, and I will not let a silly lovestruck couple ruin something that might affect the entirety of the wizarding population. I'm telling you once, and you'd better comply. Get the fuck away from here."
Hermione tried to maintain her stance. A lump formed at her throat and she gulped involuntarily. He possibly couldn't be talking about Bois Enchanté. It was a highly guarded secret. No one knew about it, except her and Rolf. They were careful not to even let a soul suspect what they might be up to. "What are you talking about?" She faltered.
"You don't bloody need to know. Go away before I force you to. And take your idiot with you." He forced out, venom laced with his words.
Hermione raised her wand, driving it deep into the skin of his throat. "I came here to take care of a major job today" She bit out. "And I'm not leaving until I finish it" Malfoy dared to smirk. What had gotten into him?
"I'm sure you can finish your job somewhere else." He gestured towards Rolf. Prat.
With a sharp push, he shoved Hermione aside, and she staggered on her feet to maintain her balance. He then gently raised his palm towards the woody bark. Just when his skin was about to make contact with the trunk of the Bois Enchanté, Rolf startled him by grasping his hand firmly and directing it away from the giant tree. "Don't touch the tree." He whispered soothingly.
"Yeah? And why should I listen to you?" Malfoy retorted, his eyes taking in his full appearance. Hermione giggled inwardly. Rolf was dressed in their work attire. Smartly cut robes, leather gloves (now discarded on the ground) and sturdy boots. He looked nothing like a bloke going on a date in the moonlight. Suddenly, something else seemed to capture his attention. Rolf slowly scrunched his eyebrows and moved towards the edge of the clearing. He bent down and started brushing his fingers over the grass - distracted again.
"Granger. You and your pathetic wizard are getting in the way of my job. I could take you in for that alone."
"It's a Friday night, Malfoy. Don't you have anywhere else to be? Perhaps at some bar, meeting up with Harry and Ron, seducing witches and taking them home?"
His eyes flashed like a stormy sky, sending lightning down her spine. "Unlike you, my personal life and romantic relations come after my Auror duties. I saw you leave the Ministry nearly five hours ago. Since then, you've been, what? Holding hands and stealing kisses under the night sky?"
He noticed when she left? She stood there stunned, unable to speak. Why?
Malfoy took her silence as his victory. That arrogant git. Ignoring Rolf's warning, he cracked his knuckles and finally touched the tree. Immediately Hermione's eyes widened in shock, her heart racing. That absolute idiot! Now she realised why Rolf had asked him not to touch the bark. As soon as his fingers brushed over the textured wood, Malfoy triggered one of the most complex protective enchantments they had placed around the tree. It was one of Rolf's own creations, crafted to perfection to protect this tree in particular.
With an unnatural tugging force, he was drawn towards the tree, as a small yelp released from his lips. Hermione clapped a hand to her mouth to suppress her own shriek that threatened to bubble out of her throat. His body stuck to the trunk, as his skin morphed into a texture resembling bark. Roots emerged from the ground, entwining with Malfoy's limbs as if claiming him for the enchanted tree.
"Granger! What's happening?" He gasped through a panicked voice.
"You've triggered our enchantments! You're turning into a part of the tree!" She exhaled in a shaky voice.
"What!? Granger, get me out! I -"
"Rolf!" She called out helplessly. Immediately, he was by her side.
"I think I told you not to touch the tree." He said, shaking his head in disbelief. He sounded astonished, but not afraid.
"You could have told me why!"
Rolling his eyes, Rolf walked away.
"No, wait! Rolf! We need to get him out!" Hermione pleaded. Hermione eyes stung with tears, but she blinked them back.
Rolf merely turned around and winked before walking away. He disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
She was confused. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't let Malfoy get trapped there forever. Hermione tried to pull at his robes but only managed to get them off. She let them fall in a heap on the ground. She grasped his expensive shirt tightly, and let the tears finally fall free.
"Malfoy, don't stop moving. Fight against the pull. You have to get out."
"It's no use, Granger. The enchantments are too strong." He paused for a moment. "I take it you were here to hide the tree too? You've done an excellent job." He managed to say between sharp inhales.
Hermione took out her wand and muttered a series of spells, hoping it would slow down the process. Nothing helped. They didn't have a definite countercurse for the spell yet. It was getting out of hand.
His movements became slower and more deliberate, echoing the deliberate dance of the leaves overhead. Gradually, Malfoy's features contorted, adopting the intricate patterns of the surrounding foliage. A soft hum echoed through the clearing, resonating with the ancient magic at play. The enchantment wove him into the heart of the massive tree, the very essence of nature embracing him. His eyes reflected the wisdom of the forest, and a serene expression graced his face as the merging process continued.
"Granger, it's fine." His eyes sparkled with emotion. The wood had almost completely encased him. Only his face and the tips of his fingers remained in view. They were turning rigid too, and fast.
"I can't stand here and simply watch while you are well on your path to death!"
"I did." He said in a quiet whisper, his eyes hooded with guilt. No, no, Malfoy. Not now. I stood there and watched while my deranged aunt tortured you on my drawing room floor."
Hermione gasped. Her lips moved on their own accord, but not a sound came out.
"I watched while she carved those filthy words on your arm, cackling with glee. I listened to your screams as you begged for help. I listened while my father wondered out loud how to get the bloodstains out of the carpet. I completely deserve this. It's your turn now. Stand there and watch while I bear the consequences of my actions."
"No. Malfoy I can't. I -"
"And I'm so sorry. I wish I'd said this sooner, but now I have no time to offer you a proper apology. I've caused you nothing but pain. Throughout your life. I've never been the cause of any of your positive emotions. I need you to know, that I'm sorry for everything. For every filthy word I've called you. For hurting you and your friends, For doing my best to take away every opportunity of happiness from you."
"Malfoy, no! I've never held any of it against you. We were children! You didn't have a choice! None of us did!"
"Granger, please. I need to hear you call me by my name. For once." He pleaded. He sounded so broken and vulnerable that her heart shattered.
"I won't let - don't -" She faltered, helpless.
"Please."
"Dra-"
"Step aside, quick." An urgent voice captured their attention. She whipped her head and found Rolf extending a few leaves towards her. "Rub it on your palms and then pull him out. The essence of these leaves will help us save him."
She did not waste a moment on thinking. She took the leaves and rolled them between the skin of her palms. The friction bloomed warmth immediately on contact, and her skin glowed electrifying blue, coated with magic. The two of them reached out and grabbed Malfoy by his hands. He had almost transformed completely, so it took great effort on their behalf to draw him out.
They heaved and gasped, their foreheads glistening with beads of sweat. The once rigid branches now surrendered their disguise. From the gnarled embrace of the ancient tree, Malfoy emerged, his form unfolding like the petals of some night blossom. Bark and branches which had woven themselves into a living tapestry concealing his features, receded, revealing his unmistakable countenance in the dappled moonlight.
Finally, they managed to release him from the killer clutch of the tree. Malfoy fell to his knees, panting and catching his breath and he still shook from the horrifying experience.
"Alright there, mate?" Rolf kneeled beside him and placed a comforting hand on his back.
"It feels good to breathe." Malfoy emphasised his point by inhaling deeply.
"How did you know about the tree?" Hermione asked.
Malfoy looked up at her with a striking gaze, that had her insides short circuiting. "I was in the Manor library." He said, flushing. "An ancient tome started glowing in one of the shelves. The moment I took it out, a page about this tree fluttered opened on its own. All of the information lead me here."
Hermione picked up his robes from the ground, dusting it to remove dirt. Unexpectedly, a single photograph danced out from one of its inner pockets, floating to the ground. She had barely picked it up, when suddenly Malfoy's long fingers urgently tried to snatch it away from her grasp. Before he could take it away, Hermione had already seen the picture. Time around her seemed to stop and she could hear nothing but the blood rushing in her ears.
It was her. A picture of her in his pocket! She could have sworn she'd seen that picture at Harry's home. She looked at Malfoy, who was blushing so furiously, that he couldn't turn more pink even if he tried. He was holding the picture with both of his hands, while Rolf moved his head, trying to catch a glimpse of it.
It wasn't the best of her pictures. It had been taken by Ron during one of their trips to Paris. She was leaning against a beautiful lamp post, and the soft light illuminated her features but also cast horrible shadows all across her face. When the photo had been clicked, Harry had been just beside Ron, trying his best to converse with a gentleman in French. His poor attempts had left the gentleman confused, and Hermione was trying hard to suppress her laughter. Unfortunately, for various such reasons, the picture hadn't come out all that pretty.
"I was just going to, erm -" Malfoy stuttered.
"This is so beautiful." Rolf cooed beside him after finally having seen the picture. "My grandfather always keeps a picture of my grandmother in his creature case. He kept it even before they were married." He smiled softly.
"It's not what you think-" Malfoy started.
Hermione's cheeks burnt at Rolf's implication. It wasn't like that. It simply couldn't be! Somehow the picture happened to be in his pocket, it obviously didn't mean anything!
"It's so sweet." Rolf sighed dreamily. "I keep a picture of Luna in my pocket too."
Immediately, Malfoy startled. "Luna?" He said, brows knitting together in confusion. "You're with Lovegood?" He then gestured between them. "You two aren't -"
"Merlin, Malfoy, no!" Hermione blurted out.
He stood up immediately, stepping into her space.
"I'm not with anyone." She clarified in a shaky voice. Her tongue flit out to moisten her dry lips and immediately his eyes were on her mouth. Hermione swallowed hard.
How could I? She thought. I'm in love with you.
His eyebrows shot up. His eyes went wide and his breath hitched. Oh gods! Did I just say that out loud?
Before she could ignite herself out of embarrassment right that minute, she felt Malfoy's hand hastily grasp her shirt as he yanked her hard towards him. Hermione didn't have time to process the situation before his soft, warm lips crashed forcefully on hers.
Hermione eyes immediately rolled back and fluttered shut, as her knees threatened to give away. Their kiss was a collision of fire and ice, a tempest of conflicting emotions. His hands fiercely grasped Hermione's waist, pulling her closer with a hunger that defied reason. Their lips clashed in a battle of desire, tongues intertwining with a fervor that left no room for hesitation. Each touch was charged with raw intensity, a palpable tension that ignited sparks in the air. Hermione couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat, and Malfoy groaned in return.
"Draco." She said, her voice breathy and his name rolling off her tongue.
"Hermione." He almost croaked, voice laced with intense need.
She nipped at his bottom lip gently with her teeth. Their kiss intensified, tongues dancing in a heated desire. Draco's mouth claimed Hermione's with an unbridled hunger, exploring every inch with a fervent urgency. The taste of rebellion and longing mingled. Their tongues tangled and teased, and the connection spoke volumes about years of suppressed emotions. In that moment, nothing else mattered; it was a reckless plunge into a sea of unrestrained sensations, leaving them both breathless and yearning for more.
"Merlin, witch. You're killing me."
"Shut up and kiss me, you git."
She could feel him smirk against her lips.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted this." He murmured.
Hermione pushed themselves closer, her breast plush against his chest and her fingers intertwined in his platinum blond locks.
The she pulled back. "Then why did you go on all those dates with those pureblood witches?"
"Because I knew I never stood a chance with you. You went on quite a few dates too. Don't think I didn't notice."
She blushed. "They didn't mean anything."
"Neither did mine."
They both stood there in the silence for a long moment, simply gazing at each other.
"Would it be too forward to ask if you want to come home with me tonight?" He whispered.
"Depends. Are you going to show me that glowing tome you were talking about earlier?"
"I'll show you anything you fucking want." He leaned into her ear and breathed, smirking.
"Then maybe I'll let you take me home." Barely had the words escaped from her lips when the familiar pull of apparition tugged her away.