16
Hermione arrived at spinners end at exactly 7 o'clock. The air was crisp and stung her face. The sound of bubbling cauldrons welcomed her as she walked into Severus's home.
The hooked nosed man was hunched over a steaming cauldron, his black robes swaying with the draft. "Miss Granger." He acknowledged.
She flashed a gentle smile despite her nerves. "Severus."
"I requested you here tonight to discuss the young Malfoy." Severus muttered while stirring the liquid counter clockwise.
She had suspected that much.
"Have you uncovered why he switched sides so suddenly?"
The truth was she hadn't. He hadn't opened up about that much yet. "Erm. No not quite." She said slowly.
Everything seemed to pause for a moment, yet the air remained filled with the hissing and bubbling from the brewing potions.
"What do you mean not quite? You were assigned to handle him and discover his intentions. We're you aware of his rank amongst the dark lord followers?" Severus's voice was slow and exasperated.
His dark, hooded eyes glared daggers at her. "The young Malfoy has nearly surpassed his father. The boy, when not with you, is head of slaughtering muggle borns and captured order members." his slender fingers slide parchment to her.
The daily prophet sit on the slab of stone. A masked figure slashed his wand, a jet of green light shot out from the tip, followed by the demise of a young family. She studied the moving photograph. She watched the masked man kill that family over and over again. It was unmistakably Draco Malfoy. She knew his dueling style inside and out by now, it was graceful and effortless, she envied how well he fought.
She had known what Malfoy was doing, it was inevitable, they were fighting a war. But seeing him murder innocent people for having dirty blood made her insides twist.
"I'm nearly there with him Severus, its taking time but i've nearly cracked him. He is so close to letting his guard slip. Please give me more time. Please." Hermione pleaded.
Severus studied her for several moments considering what she said. "Kingsley and Mad eye think you're..." he hesitated. "well, they believe youre a bit infatuated with him." Hermione's cheeks flushed. "He's handsome, he can seem charming. Hermione you're brilliant, but if you believe for one second that Draco is not manipulating and exploiting you than you are just as idiotic and oblivious as Harry Potter."
"How dare you Severus. You have no idea what Malfoy and I have going on. I'm using him. Not the other way around."
The greasy haired man laughed. "You dumb girl. He is using you, whether you choose to see it or not. He is not loyal to the dark lord nor the order. He cares about no one. Draco Malfoy is selfish, he does not do for other people without getting something in return, and by the sound of it you are not giving him much. The Malfoy men are selfish and possessive. You must figure out his intentions or he is dead in two months."
"You can not do that!" She shouts. "He has saved so many lives, the order needs him."
Severus moves around the stone slab towards Hermione, his cloak flying behind him. "Two weeks child." The he turns, the black fabric nearly hitting her face.
"What if he makes a vow." She says quietly. She was desperate, Malfoy had meant more to her then she cared to admit.
The man comes to a halt, his head turning over his shoulder to face her. "A vow?"
"Unbreakable."
She often thought about Draco's death. The thought of him dead made her physically sick. She pictures his lifeless body laying there. His facial features are so beautiful, and finally at peace. Maybe death would bring his face back to life, lately he had looked so tired and alone, almost ghostly. She wished the tired dark circles would leave his eyes and his cheeks would blush with color. The only thing about him that made her sure he was alive was his warmth. He had always been so warm, it gave her a feeling of being home.
Draco bloody Malfoy had made her feel warm and safe. He gave her company and he protected her by teaching her how to protect herself. He was risking his life daily for the order, for her. That wasn't selfish at all. Severus was a moody git anyway. Nobody cared about him, in fact most of the order hated him. And now part of her hated him. She had finally found something, even if she wasn't allowed to have him fully, she had part of Draco, and now Severus wanted to take him from her. Was she not allowed to be happy?
Everything was a blur, she couldn't think of anything. The only thought going through her mind was his safety. Draco stands staring at her, only feet away. His eyes are sunken and his face has been chiseled away by the stress of their lives, and all she can think about was his safety. She would keep him safe. She had to. If it meant giving every last part of her, she would do it. It was silly, but meant everything.
"Granger? What's going on?" Draco asks shakily. His eyes scanning her body frantically.
"I need something from you." She replies still not fully back from her blur.
"Anything for you, Granger." His face was serious and certain.
She meets his eyes and tears welled. She blinked them back.
"I need you to make an unbreakable vow."
It took a moment for him to do something. He stared at her in a look of slight shock. Then, he nodded.
"Can I hug you?" She asks feeling like a small child who had just scraped their knee.
A slight smirk broke across his face. "If you must." and the next thing she knew she was wrapped in his tree trunk arms. His warmth welcomed her. She felt at home once again.
They sat for several moments while she cried onto his chest. Not once did he say something snarky about her always crying, but he held her. The sound of his heart beating peacefully in his chest, feeling the rise and fall as his lungs filled with life and exhaled it brought her a greater comfort than anyone would ever know.
After what felt like an eternity of being in his arms, she pulled herself free wiping the tears from her cheeks. A soft chuckle escapes her lips. "Sorry. I know how much that annoys you."
He reaches out and lightly strokes her red cheeks with his thumb "There's no need to apologize Granger. Now can you tell me what the ruddy hell i'm sweating my life away for?"
She snorts. "Severus had a meeting with me yesterday. Apparently Moody and Kingsley and Sev think that I am too emotionally invested in our arrangement and..." She looks down at her squirming hands. The heat of Malfoys eyes drilling into her. "You."
He watches her for several moments. "And, are you?" He asks slowly.
"That's the thing, I don't- I don't know Malfoy."
He drew closer to her and lifts her chin so that their eyes meet. "I'm just as confused as you are." he whispers against her face, then his lips are pressed against hers. She was startled at first, but then parts her lips to invite him in.
Malfoy kissed her. And she had been aching for it. He kissed her hard. It was not soft and sweet. His kiss was full of anger and frustration and she was here for it. She was as just as frustrated as he was.
His hands slid to the crane of her neck, grasping a fistful of her hair. He pulls her head back, exposing her neck. His warm lips plant sloppy kisses along the sweetest spots on her neck. Occasionally she finds a slight moan escape from her mouth, which only causes him to continue more fiercely. It's like throwing gasoline on a fire.
The warmth from his hard is pressed against her, and the aching pit between her legs grows with each kiss and slight thrust of his body on her.
One of his hands slide up her shirt. His palm rests on her breast, squeezing lightly.
She nips at his lip and instantly tastes blood, he lets out a grunt.
His fingers pinch her nipples and her back arches slightly.
He pulls away for a moment and watches her. "Do you want to?"
Everything in her wanted to. Hermione wanted to share this with him more than anything, but she was scared.
Hermione nods her head yes and lay on the floor of the shack, her heart pounding rapidly, and her mind racing. She watches as Draco unbuttons his shirt revealing his scarred torso. He looked as scared as she did.
He kneels between her legs and unbuckles her jeans. His eyes meet hers. "Are you sure?"
"Yes Draco." Hermione says sincerely. The use of his first name caught him off guard and she watched something switch in his eyes. He stared down at her with a sense of intensity and possession.
Malfoy nods.
She wasn't sure if she was doing this because it might be one of the last times she would see him. She wasn't sure if this is goodbye, or if this would be his breaking point. But she had wanted it with him either way.
The way he kissed her with passion and fire made her wonder if he knew something was wrong.
He had known from the start that she would chose the order, that she would betray him. He expected it. He knew he would die for this. But here he was despite it all. He wasn't selfish.
She didn't understand any of it, and she wondered if she ever would. He had trained her to defend herself. He had given the order information to keep them alive. He knew he was going to die but he kept going.
His body fit perfectly against her. She had known every dip and curve of his body.
He inserted himself and she gasp. He thrust hard and fast. He wasn't gentle. This was a goodbye, they both knew it. They were doomed from the start. She was willing to sacrifice him to save everything, and he was sacrificing everything to save her. They were stubborn and opposite forces stuck in the collateral damage of this damned world.
He kissed her forehead gently.
It hurt. She could feel herself tearing at his size and force. Perhaps if he was going slowly it wouldn't hurt as bad. But some part of herself wondered if she deserved the pain. Here she was, giving herself up for the war. She was selling herself to keep her friends alive. What did that make her? A whore? She didn't know.
She was a terrible person. She was manipulating him when he was vulnerable.
Malfoy was so much bigger than her. He met her eyes as he thrust deeply in her. She watched as the muscle in his jaw flexed and his eyes watched her with a look that made her realize-
Malfoys facade had fallen. He belonged to her, completely.
She moved her hips up to match his movement. This must have been a lot for him as his head falls into the crevice of her neck. The pain had began to subside and changed to an intense feeling of heat. Tension began building until it was nearly unbearable. She gasped as she clenched around him.
He stilled inside her. He faces her, his lip slightly bruised and bloody from her teeth. Both of his hands cradle her face and he kisses her. The kiss was everything. It lit a fire in her as she kissed him back just as ardently.
After several more deep strokes Draco's body clenched, his mouth let out a deep moan against her neck. They're body's lay pressed against each other, the only sound was their heavy panting hitting each other's skin.
He kissed her neck and pulled away, pulling his pants back on. He turned to face her and his face paled. He looked ill.
The adam's apple in his throat moved as he swallowed hard. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he was trying to calm down.
"Granger?"
"I'm sorry. Did I do something wrong?"
"You've never had sex before?" He asks quietly.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Erm. No. I've just been busy working and everyone already has someone. I haven't had a chance to have a relationship."
She looked down at her bare thighs, the insides were smeared with crimson blood. Oh.
"You could have told me."
She snorts and banishes the blood with a flick of her wand.
"It doesn't matter. We did what we did."
"I'm sorry." He says softly. "For hurting you."
"Don't be."
Hermione starts dress herself. It was stupid. She was manipulating him, using him, but now it seemed ridiculous.
She had seduced him in hopes that maybe she could save his life. She laughed slightly.
Draco belonged to her now. She had what she needed from him. Next she needed to figure out how to use that.
"Happy are you?" He said in a resentful voice.
"Excuse me?"
"You know what Granger. You're pleased with yourself. Knowing you've got me now. Knowing that now I would do anything. You're happy you have locked me into place as your puppet."
She rests her head against her knees. "Draco."
she whispers. "I'm sorry. You know what I had to do. You've known from the beginning. But I do care about you."
"You know Granger. I don't know what it is about you. I hated you. You repulsed me." He said emptily. He looked sad, and small
"Malfoy you don't have-"
"I switched to save my mother. They've done terrible things to her. If it continued." He stoped. "I was going to kill them. All. and then I would have died and it would be for nothing. You guys were losing. You still are but you have more of a chance now. I hoped aiding the order would help me get her out."
His face was angry and hard.
"Draco. I'm- I'm so sorry." Hermione stepped closer.
"I couldn't tell them why when they asked why I switched. Then I remembered you. And I demanded you. You were so low risk, never in skirmishes, you were always somewhere safe." He said. "I figured they would make you figure out my reason. I thought it would be funny to watch you. You hated me. And I hated you. I never thought-" His voice catches. "I guess I assumed you wouldn't succeed, or make me feel like this."
"You won Hermione."
Hermione wasn't sure of what was happening. What was he playing at? Was this a set up?
"I want to save her. She's the only thing I have, other than you. They hurt her Hermione. They- they rape her." His voice cracks. "I didn't choose this Hermione. I didn't choose to be a death eater. I was forced. They would have killed her. I took this god damned mark to save her. I had to play the role. I couldn't fail or she would have died and they would torture me more."
She stared at him in disbelief. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She saw tears in his eyes.
"Don't. I don't want you to pretend to care. You said it yourself. You had a job to do."
"I'm not pretending Draco. I care. Why do you think you're making an unbreakable vow. They were going to kill you. I'm doing everything to save you!"
"Hermione- I can't love someone. I can't watch you get hurt like they hurt her." He buries his head into her neck. She feels his body shutter as he sobs.
She felt selfish for being happy. She found her way in, she knew the real him. And she would use that. To save herself, and him.