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Hermione never thought that something like this could happened.
She looked around, and watched in awe her friends talking, and joking and laughing, remembering the time they used to hate each other's. She giggled with reality of things. It was nice, have everybody together in their final term.
It wasn’t simple at first.
The first part of the year was caothic. Most of those who chose to return to Hogwarts were traumatized and scared by the past events that had happened there. So, seeing them now, together and happy was really something.
The school— Minerva essentially— provided them mind healers to deal with their traumas. And it seemed to work, since there was a significant behavioral improvement between them as the months passed. Each of them coped with their pain and nightmares in their own way, in their own time. Each of them also received a journal, like a diary, to write about their feelings in case they didn’t have courage to speak. Express their emotions in any way, even only on paper, was important. And after months of therapy, they understood that the weight of war wasn’t theirs to carry, that their loses wasn’t their fault. And after that, most part of the eight-year group was, in way, healthier.
It was a gradual process, their friendship.
First, Theo and Luna started dating. Everybody was in shock when they entered the great hall holding hands, thinking that was a joke, but after weeks where they remained sickly in love, the group embraced their first Slytherin. In the following week, Neville was caught with his tongue within Pansy’s mouth during a round of the prefects. Hermione never had saw him so red than when the gossip spread through the Gryffindor’s table. Later that week, Hermione sat in front of a girl with black hair and red lips at lunch. No one seemed surprised with the addition, so she didn’t care, Neville looked happy, so she was too.
Next ones were Blaise and Daphne. Pansy invited them to a Gryffindor party— in that same place— one night and as everything went well, they started to show more often. Blaise was a master in wizard’s chess and Ron made his life’s goal to defeat him. Every week they challenged each other, and it was really fun to watch.
Daphne was a truly angel. She never took part in the war and never believed in the prejudiced ideals of those who followed Voldemort, so it was easy for her to blend in. She and Ginny were the only girls still playing Quidditch, so the two became friends in the blink of an eye.
By that time, only one Slytherin remained.
Draco’s situation was the worse. He often had to deal with people who hated him spitting nasty words at him. It took a while for him to realize that he was just a boy who was forced and manipulated to do bad things. The way he was raised and the home he was born into weren’t his fault.
He apologized to her.
He apologized with everyone.
Yet, he refused all Pansy’s invitations with some poor excuse. Deep inside him, Draco believed that he didn’t deserved consideration. He was starting to feel alone, but that was the result of his own actions, so he embraced solitude.
Hermione noticed, of course, she started to notice him a lot, wondering why was he self isolating.
One day in the library, after seeing a group annoying him, she made a quick decision and stood. Hermione slowly approached, even knowing that he preferred to be alone, his table and asked if they could share. He looked around before landed his eyes on her, and took a few more seconds to agree with a nod.
They didn’t talk again, she could feel though, him glancing at her. He made a few grimaces, furrowing his brow, as if wondering what she was doing there. And after that day, there appeared to be a tacit agreement between them, a comfortable silence that pleased Hermione more than she could admit. She was enjoying his company and people stopped of annoy him, what he was grateful for.
He brought her a box of sugar quill once. As a way to say thank you.
Eventually they started to talk, and it was even better. The conversations was mostly about books, but was nice to have someone to talk about it, she love her friends with all her heart, but they never had many interests in common and she always felt isolated by it, so it was good.
She never imagined to be friends with Draco Malfoy of all people, but she found out that he could be very kind and thoughtful. Day by day she discovered something new about him that was difficult to ignore. Enchanted her how similar they were. They became very attached with time, and after weeks trying, he finally accepted her request and appeared in one of their parties, and from that day on, he wasn’t alone anymore.
They stick together like glue. There was something in the way they always ended up close, always looking for each other’s presence between the crowd, as if looking for their safe place.
Hermione liked him, his company, his laughter, sometimes she caught herself looking too much at him too, but it was nothing, would never be anything, he was still a Malfoy, and that name came with great expectations to society. No matter how many times he repeated that he never cared, carrying his name was a big thing. So, she knew it was something merely platonic conjured in her head because of the time they spent together. She was only amazed by his brain and beauty now that she could see him for real.
He was also too kind to her. More than with the others, and this messed with her mind and heart in a way that she wasn’t expecting. Knowing that nothing good could come from that, she ignored and pretended never notice the touches and the way he looked at her because she didn’t want to lose him now that she had him.
Back to the present, she smiled with the vision. At the end, they were all together. Their last night at Hogwarts. Tomorrow the train will going to leave with them for the last time as students, and the weight of this end made everyone want to get drunk. It was preferable than cry. That was why they were in the room of requirements, listening to music, dancing, drinking and especially enjoying each other’s company.
Hermione was sitting beside Daphne and Ginny, listening the conversations around, staring at the starry sky above her in the ceiling that she summoned, and thinking what her life would be from now on.
She had no idea of what to do. She has an empty house, a vault with a lot of money and her N.E.W.T.s, that allow her to work in whatever she wants.
But what the hell she wanted?
She wanted so many things and yet, none. Hermione used to be sure of her life when was younger. She would end school and work in an important position in the Ministry; she would date Ron and live in an apartment cross the diagonally. She would visit her parents weekly and marry at age twenty-three. Simple and easy. It had seemed a safe future.
But nothing was the same anymore. Everything changed.
She doesn’t have her parents anymore; she could start traveling to Sydney to see them. She misses the two so much, although not regret with what she did, knowing that it was the best, still hurts. She sometimes imagines the couple living their lives without having idea of her existence, that for eighteen years they had a daughter, that someone on the other side of the world has the same eyes, hair and blood as them.
She closed her eyes, and a lonely tear ran down her face. And no one seemed to notice, the noise around her remained constant, but she could feel.
His eyes always found hers, wherever they were, it was as if there was an invisible strength pulling them to each other unknowingly, it was always there. And she could feel it, like a whisper running her skin. Hermione thought it was strange, how her conscience was always sensible about him, and the same seemed to happen to him. Strange how sometimes they could predict each other’s needs, how quickly their friendship developed to a point where neither Harry nor Ron knew her so well. They were so similar. It was as if they were meant to be something, no matter what, as long as they were together.
That’s why she knew the moment she opened her eyes she would find his.
And she was right.
On the other side of the room, Draco was staring at her with a frown, a worry expression on his pretty face— it was difficult for her to get used to his beauty. Immediately comforts her, look at him. Draco’s eyes have become the place she seeks when she needs calm, and she always finds it. Harry was talking to him, but it seemed to have no effect, his eyes were intensely fixed on Hermione and the tear running down the corner of her cheek.
“Is everything okay?” he muttered, she read on his lips.
She nodded and gave him a soft smile. It didn’t seem to comfort him, though, his grimace did not improve, if anything only increased. She found cute how much he cared about her, she could see that he was about to leave Harry talking alone and go to her when Pansy spoke,
“I have the perfect idea to cheer up this party, let’s plaaaay...” she started, standing in the middle of their circle and lifting her bottle beer. “Seven minutes in heaven!”
The Slytherin’s boys whimpered while she smiled with a menace look. Draco squeezed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and shaking his head in denial, Theo rolled his, Blaise clapped hands, being the only one visibly excited, and Daphne laugh. The rest of the room looked at her with confusion on their faces, they had never heard about this game.
“What is this?” Harry asked first.
“Pans...” Neville said with a warning tone, but had no effect in her. Pansy was a natural force, she usually did whatever she wanted, and her boyfriend always let her because he was too much in love to denial her anything. It was cute.
“You don’t know?” she rolled her eyes and drank the rest of her beer “You Gryffindor’s are so boring, we play this all the time in Slytherin’s” she sat at Neville’s lap again without elaborate any further.
Hermione looked at Draco, who was already staring at her again, with a questioning look, but he just shrugged and smiled.
He was looking good tonight— but again, he always looked good. Leaning against the wall, his arms were crossed on chest, and a cup was rested on his hand. It was a sexy vision, her broken brain thought. He had always carried this attitude, like he owned the world— an unshakable calm in his gaze that used to be filled with arrogance, but now, it passed to Hermione a sense of safety for which she was grateful. His black trousers were his signature, Hermione couldn’t recall ever seeing him wear anything else. And the shoes? As polished as always. What truly impressed her, however, was the baby blue oxford shirt he wore. She was used to see him in white or black, sometimes a dark green, but nothing so... colorful. She remembers teasing him with that once, asking if he owned anything other than white or black in his closet. He looked at her, deadly serious, and asked, “There’s a problem with that?” She had only smiled, grabbed her wand and changed his shirt to that exact shade of blue that he was wearing, telling him it would “brighten his eyes”. And indeed, Draco’s eyes have never looked so clear, so vivid. Undeniably beautiful. Did he use it on purpose?
Her gaze lingered. Noticing a few strands of hair had fallen over his forehead, barely brushing his eyes, and she felt an inexplicable urge to brush them away. His lips, pressed together, hid how drawn and inviting they were, but she knew them well. She had spent far too long staring that mouth to know each detail of it by heart.
She must have lost her the track of reality for a few seconds, because she jumped when Ron spoke. And by the smirk that Draco had on his lips, he noticed her observing him. Oh, great. Feeling her cheeks burning, Hermione looked away, bringing her attention back to the circle.
“Will you explain or not?” he asked.
“Oh, right, we spin the bottle,” she started but was cut by the ginger.
“Like true or dare?”
“Yes, Ronald, like true or dare, will you let me finish?”
He shrugged, “Go on.”
“Like I was saying, someone turns a bottle and the person it points to, goes with who spin to ‘heaven’,” she raised her hands and made air quotes.
“What is the point?” Ron asked again.
“What they do in heaven?” Harry questioned with a curious look.
“It’s not to make sense, it’s just to kiss or do blowjobs”
“Sorry?” Harry’s eyes went wide.
“I don’t know, is heaven, what is heaven for you? You can chat too but is soooo lame. You can embrace the opportunity and take your balls off your ass to confess to someone too,” she said, looking directly at Draco.
Hermione’s heart jumped with the implication of her words and look.
Was Draco in love with someone? How could she not notice this? Who was the girl? Why didn’t he tell her? She remembered him saying something about being engaged with Daphne, something that they parents signed of, but he didn’t tell her anything else about this. Was Daphne the girl?
Hermione glanced at Daphne, so beautiful, and polite, and above all... pureblood.
Hermione felt her heart shriveled inside her chest. Obviously, he would look for a pureblood girl from a traditional family. He was a Malfoy after all, his thoughts may have changed, but other things are more complicated to deal. When she looked at him again, his cheeks were red and his eyes on the ground, clearly ashamed.
“I liked it; we should try” Luna said excitedly as Theo kissed her cheek agreeing. Sometimes Hermione envies what they have. Even after months together, nothing had changed, Theo still looked at Luna as if she was the sun herself. One day he said to her that Luna saved him, that she was the light that kept him alive.
She cried, thinking if someday someone would love her as much as this.
“Hm... ok? But what if turned to me and Harry?” Ron spoke again. “I don’t want to kiss him, no offense, mate”
“What is the problem? Draco already kissed Theo,” Pansy said casually while everyone else turned their heads in shock to Draco and Theo opened a proud smile on his face.
“Merlin’s beard” Ginny asked aloud. “I thought you were straight,” she said, turning her attention to the blondie.
“What? A guy can’t kiss his pals, anymore? This is a free country,” Blaise protested, making everybody laugh.
“It was just once,” Draco answered rolling his eyes and scoffing, but Hermione could see her cheeks getting even redder. She smiled with his embarrassment. “Not a big deal.”
“You liked it, don’t lie, my kiss is very good,” Theo replied still with a drunkly smile on his lips.
“Don’t put words in my mouth”
“I could put another thing in your mouth”
Everybody screamed and laughed like they were in elementary school. Incredible how childishly they still can be. Hermione laughed even harder with how embarrassed Draco look like. He had his eyes squeezed and a hand over them.
Adorable.
“Fuck off, Theodore.” Draco spat, showing his middle finger at Theo, laughing.
“I was talking about the beer, not whatever crossed your dirty little mind.”
“Don’t wanna try again, Draco?”
“I’ll pass, thank you,” he answered, politely shaking his head with a grimace.
“What means there’s more for me,” Luna said next to Theo just before smiling and kissing his mouth with fervor.
A chorus of cheers and applause erupted, growing wilder as the kiss deepened and their hands started to run free, igniting the room with excitement.
“Too much to my eyes,” Ron closed his eyes.
“You’re so cheesy, Ron, honestly.” Daphne said with a tedious tone.
“Would you kiss some of your friends?”
“I already kissed your sister, a few times actually”
“WHAT?”
“I’m the only who never kissed anyone here?” Hermione asked, cutting off the show that everyone knows Ron was about to do.
“What are you talking about? Don’t you and Ron kissed each other in the chambers?” Harry spoke with a frown.
Draco’s body seemed tense for a second, and the smile on his face disappeared.
His features hardened, and he cleared his throat before taking another sip of the beer in his hand, his gaze darker than she had seen all night. She wondered why.
“Oh god, that’s right! I had forgot”
“How memorable you are, huh, Weasel?”
“Fuck you, ferret.”
Draco only laughed. Seeming much more relaxed again.
“Argh, come on,” Pansy groaned. “It’s our last day on this fucking school; we have to live a little”
“Fine, but I won’t kiss Harry,” Ron said lifting from the chair and sitting on the floor.
“Afraid of liking?” Harry asked, laughing and accompanying him, sitting next to the redhead.
“Oh hell, no, and I won’t kiss my sister either”
“What the hell, Ron? Gross” Ginny yelled, grimacing on her face and coming off the couch along with Daphne.
One by one, they begin to sit on the floor next to each other, laughing and drinking a little more as if it was not enough.
It was good, the sense of belonging that each one of them brought. Not long ago, they were complete strangers to each other; just a year ago, they had all been separated, fighting on opposite sides of a war that was never theirs.
And now, here they were— laughing, loving, kissing, and above all, simply being happy. Hermione had often wondered if they would ever make it this far, if they would ever cross that line. She feared the future would be nothing but darkness, that one day they would fall asleep and never wake up again, but there they were, safe and sound.
Happy.
It was a good image to keep.
She smiled, looking at each member of the group and tucking the memory of that moment. Until her eyes landed on Draco.
The blonde was laughing at some nonsense that Ron said and her world stopped for a second, as if it had entered in slow motion to enjoy. Back then, she doesn’t remember ever seeing him smile like that, it was always something full of scorn and malice that always made her angry.
Looking at him now, she can see how genuine his smile is, and given the increasing of her heartbeat, she realized how much she’s in love with him.
The reality of her feelings sank like a stone in still water, the thought of not seeing him every day felt like a punch against her stomach.
Then, he looked at her.
Grey in brown.
And, for a second, she wished all entities to be the girl he loved. To be the one he will return to every day, to be the one who will win all his kisses, be the one who will earn all his love.
But okay, I was going to pass.
“So,” Theo’s voice echoed over the conversation. “Who goes first?”
“I go, I want to get rid of it” Ron raised his hand and leaned into the circle, spinning the bottle in the middle of it.
Everyone started shouting excitedly as the bottle spun. It was pretty obvious they were all more than a little drunk, and that none of it would last much longer before someone passed out.
The bottle stopped with the tip straight to Daphne.
Hermione looked at Draco, waiting for his reaction, but he seemed the same, smiling softly, as if nothing in the world could bother him.
That was odd.
There was the girl you love, about to kiss your friend and you remain neutral?
“Thank’s Merlin” Ron whispered, closing his eyes with his hands together as Daphne rolled hers and stood up.
“Come on, redhead, let’s see if you’re as good as your sister,” said the blonde with a dirty smile and a raised eyebrow.
“Fuck.”
The two followed to the closet that magically appeared in the corner of the wall and locked themselves. Ron with a face as red as his hair and Daph laughing even more of his shame.
When they went out, Ron had red stains on his mouth and a silly smile on his face.
“I liked this game.”
“I already proved better.”
“Fuck off, Daph.”
The game continued, and the next ones were Harry and Theo, who came out just as satisfied as they went in. Harry confirming “He is a good kisser, indeed”.
And then it was Draco's turn. And Hermione swore she saw the bottle being magically pushed to land on her.
Everyone screamed and Pansy, with a huge smile on her face, pulled her up to her feet. Draco, otherwise, looked serious, his forehead slightly frown, biting the inside of his cheek as he always did when he was nervous.
Why was he nervous about having to kiss her? It was just a kiss, it wouldn’t kill.
One second she was standing, in the next she was falling against Draco’s hard chest inside the closet. His firm hands held her standing by the arms, thumbs lightly stroking her skin as he always did.
“Sorry,” she said softly.
“No problem,” he let go and took a step back. Or tried to, there was not much where to go.
The silence between them seemed odd. The conversation between the two always flowed naturally, but now it was impossible, the air was heavy with something she couldn’t name, a nervousness hovered over her body and her mouth was dry.
She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, unable to meet his eyes but feeling his gaze burning on her face.
It was disconcerting to be the center of his attention like that, so close and alone, they had been alone before, yet surrounded by people, not like this. Never like this.
A shiver ran down her spine as his warm breath brushed against her lips.
She closed her eyes, thinking maybe this was her last and only chance to kiss him without having to confess or explain anything. It was all part of the game— she would get what she wanted, and he would never have to know how she felt.
It was perfect.
She took a deep breath and looked at him. His dark eyes, lit only by the sliver of light from the door, were just as intense as always when they were on her.
She felt an urge to run. Seven minutes felt like an eternity now.
“So…” she started. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, I understand that you would rather be with another person” she saw him frown a little with her words, but she was too much nervous to care. “But it’s just a kiss, right? People kiss all the time.”
“They do?” his voice came out low and hoarse.
“Y-Yeah,” she glanced at his mouth for a moment— so red and inviting, it was glowing to her. “People do it all the time, like you did with Theo, it’s not a big deal, right?”
“Right, not a big deal,” he repeated, his gaze still fixed on her. With every word, her nerves tightened, her heartbeat was racing faster than a cheetah.
She hated him sometimes for not show anything to her, for hide himself behind his enigmatic mask of indifference, she could see though, his body tense. Why was he so tense?
“We’ll go back to being friends like we’ve always been, and this will have just been a moment of fun and we will laugh and joke about it.”
“A moment of fun… right,” for anyone else, it could have been a normal response, but Hermione caught a trace of sarcasm in his voice.
Why was he acting like this?
“Please stop repeating what I say,” she whispered, lowering her eyes to the floor, unable to hold his gaze any longer.
“What do you want me to say?” he whispered back.
“I don’t know, anything,” she looked at him again. “Or just kiss me and get it over with.”
He didn’t answer, but his eyes remained on hers as his hand held her waist and pulled her close, while the other went up to her neck, the thumb caressing her cheek, lifting her head as he leaned forward, making the world outside disappear.
All that remained was her and Draco inside the closet, his hands on her waist, and his lips just about to meet hers. She had caught herself glancing at his mouth wondering what it would feel like to kiss him— if his lips were as soft as they looked, if he would taste like his favorite peppermint candy. His gaze was disarming, slowly stripping her bare, filled with want and something else— it was like a flame running hot over her skin without burning. Draco looked at her mouth, and she had never seen such hunger in someone’s eyes before.
And looking at him now, she realized that wouldn’t pass.
She had buried her feelings so deep inside her that didn’t even notice it grew up. Her heart chose him, and would probably choose over and over again, and from now on she will had to deal with that, with the feeling, the love, the need of him. Because there wouldn’t be any chance for them.
But she would always have that moment. Those seven minutes with him.
Hermione felt, like a breeze, his lips brushing hers— so light, barely nothing— yet she felt it. And that alone sparked a desperate need for him that started in her stomach and spread all over her, one she had never known before. She had always kept her emotions tightly in check, never letting herself get swept away by something that could never be real. But in that moment, everything felt achingly real. And Merlin, she was ready to fall.
When she closed her eyes, waiting for him to close the distance, she felt him speak against her lips,
“I can’t do this”
Both his hands fell from her body and Hermione instantly felt cold.
And very ashamed, but she asked anyway,
“Why not? It’s just a kiss; it will not harm you” she scoffed.
“Wasn’t supposed to be this way,” he replied, with a sad smile, shaking his head. Outside, their friends started to yell, counting down the seconds that left to them, muffling his next words to her.
“It wasn’t like this that I dreamed of. No, I can’t spoil this,” he whispered so low that she could only hear the end. The denial aching in her heart.
“Spoil what? What are you...”
“Alright lovebirds, time’s out” Pansy sang the words outside.
Draco looked at her one last time before running out the closet through the room and slamming the door shut behind him.
She flinched at the sound, closing her eyes. She wanted to cry, feeling her emotions being crushed by a bus— she knew she should’ve never let them reach the surface. They were meant to stay buried, like they always had.
She was feeling so stupid. But she couldn’t cry. Not in front of everyone.
So, she took a deep breath, swallowed down the lump in her throat and wiped the tears that threatened to fall, and stepped out a moment later— timid, her cheeks burning with the shame of rejection. If the tension between them hadn’t been enough, the way he left made everything clear to their friends.
She never felt so small in life as she went out to meet the sad looks of her friends.
And she fought against Voldemort.
“Hermione...”
“It’s okay, we just...” she didn’t know what to say. “I think I’m going back to my room.” She faked a smile.
“I’m going to kill him” Pansy hissed through gritted teeth.
“No, there’s no need to kill anyone,” she said, trying smile, but failing. “Good night, I see you guys tomorrow”
With a last smile, she walked through the door as fast as he did.
When she reached the hallway, the tears she had been holding back finally began to fall. It hurt. It wasn’t supposed to hurt this much— but it did. She had never expected to fall for Draco like this, until tonight, she hadn’t realized the depth of her feelings for him.
What once seemed platonic was now breaking her heart.
The cold air of the hallway hit her bare skin, and she shivered. Slowly, she started walking toward her room, wiping away the tears and taking deep breaths.
The castle was dark, the corridors were lit only by moonlight, and it was so wonderful, the moon, the night was beautiful, the starry sky shone on the horizon of the castle over the forest, and for a second her disappointment was replaced by the feeling of peace. She would not let a bad moment spoil her memory of her last day between those walls, so she decided to stay and admire the view of what had been her home for so long.
She felt before seeing. A presence in the other side of the pillar. She didn’t startle.
Hermione knew who was.
She didn’t say anything, though. Just waited.
“Why were you crying?” he asked lowly, as if they were sharing a secret, as if, by being too loud, they might wake the castle and all he wanted was the two of them alone.
She didn’t know how to answer. I just realize that I’m deeply in love with you and you reject me in front of all our friends, that’s why. She couldn’t say that just to be reject again, one time was enough. So, she ignored his question and said in the same tone, “I’ll miss this place.”
“Why were you crying?” he insisted.
She let out a sigh, her gaze still fixed on the lake. Hermione wanted to ask why he cared when he made his thoughts about her very clear. She wanted to be mad with him, but she couldn’t force anyone to want her. Tears threatened again as the memory of what happened minutes ago came back to her. The way she felt embarrassed. It broke a piece of her heart. The way he ran from her. It hurt. He must know, right? He must know his abrupt escape made her feel small and stupid.
Yet, none of this came out of her mouth.
“The walls, and the lake, the astronomy tower... the view from there is so beautiful and harmonious, like a perfect painting shifting day and night but remaining always steady”
She could see through the corner of her eye his movements. That he had come out from the other side of the pillar, disappearing from her peripheral vision, and she had to bite her lips to stay in place and not search for him. One beat latter, Hermione felt Draco behind her, and tried very hard ignored the flutter in her stomach as he approached more and more, as a way to pretend not to notice how close they were.
And this time, when he asked again, his breath blew against her ear, “Why were you crying?”
Suddenly, she felt his arms wrapping her waist, and it was as if the sun came out, breaking the night, and embraced her. His body was warm in every place that met hers. It looked like a cozy morning and the same time that felt like a volcano erupting. His fingers instantly began to caress her exposed skin of her belly and the shiver she felt running her spine has nothing to do with the cold of the night.
Hermione became very, very, still as his cold lips pressed a light kiss on the crock of her neck.
Her heart was beating like a drum, fast and loud, without rhythm, just a bunch of noise, almost coming out her chest. Hermione had pretty sure that if she glanced down, she would be able to see the beat moving the surface of her skin. He never touched her like this, so intimate, they were very touchy with each other, but that? Those light touches and kiss never happened.
She had no idea what was going on but wouldn’t do anything to stop. It felt nice. It felt welcome. It felt home. Like she belongs there, within his arms.
When his lips brushing her skin again, she closed her eyes let the sensation sink in. In that moment, all the bad feelings about him vanished in a thought, and her mind was taken by Draco. And nothing had never felt like this.
“I’m going to miss you,” she confessed in a breath, without think too much in the consequences
Draco movements stopped. As well as her world.
She didn’t breathe again until he turned her in place, making her face him. Even then, she didn’t look at him. The heigh difference forced her to look directly to his throat, where she could see his pulse as fast as hers.
Hermione could feel her cheeks burning with the confession, the fear of being reject again filling her eyes with tears. She closed them again, not ready to whatever was coming next.
She gasped when felt his warm hand on her jaw, his thumb caressing her cheek, slowly lifting her head and waiting for her.
Hermione opened her eyes to see the most beautiful grey-blue eyes that she had ever seen shining at her. The way he was enlightened by the moonlight made him seem surreal. His pale and sharp features looking shining like marble, she was enchanted by him.
And then he smiled, softly and tenderly, and calmy said,
“I’ve waited longing for this moment long enough to ruin it by taking the wrong way. I wanted you to know... I needed you to know that the moment I kissed you... it was real. Not because of a foolish game or any kind of pressure, but because at that moment it was my deepest desire. I needed you to know that kissing you was my choice, and I chose it willingly.”
Hermione felt her heart puff up like an air ballon ready to explode. She felt tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. It was not the time. Not yet, she needed to hear Draco saying with all the words what she thought he was saying. To be sure, to not make fool of herself again, to not presume anything or have any doubt.
So, she managed a way to spoke again and asked, “What are you saying?”
“That I’m in love with you, Hermione Granger” he pressed his forehead into hers and she felt she was going to die when he continued, “that you lighted my grim soul and made me see there’s life out there. A beautiful and happy way to live in this world without the need to hide. You showed me that I can be good, that I’m good, because nothing in this world could make me a better human than loving you.”
She let them out freely now. The tears. And as he kissed the salty water from her skin, Hermione felt the most beloved person in the whole world.
As a way to reciprocate his words, to let him know how she felt— that she felt the same— Hermione closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against his, sheepishly and insecure, afraid that he might not liking— she hadn’t done much of that in her life. So started slowly, just a pressure, then he licked her bottom lip and she the cold air was nothing compared to the heat that inflamed inside her, and she thought that was the end. But then, his tongue touched hers and she knew that it wasn’t, she couldn’t imagine that something would ever be. Not with him.
He had much more to give, and she would openly receive.
So, he gave.
Draco kissed her like the world was ending and that was their last moment. It’s a little messy but Hermione thought that feels good. Too good. Caring a lot of desire, love and hope. He groaned when he sensed her hand running through his hair, her nails stroking softly his scalp and she smiled in the kiss, and he kissed her further. Pressing her against the pillar, Draco ate her mouth open. His right hand gripping her waist, pulled her even closer, almost as if he wanted merge their bodies in one. And she could feel every inch of him. His muscles, his warmth and hardness. His scent blended with the cold air and something old was intoxicating her.
She found out, after all, that he really tasted like peppermint candy.
Hermione wanted it never to end, that she could kiss him endlessly, forever, every day, every minute.
It was seven minutes in heaven indeed.
But they had to breathe. They separated— her hands remained around his neck and his remained grazing her cheek— breathing heavy and hard, their forehead pressing together and the only thing she could see was his mouth— red and swollen from their kiss— and she felt proud for it.
“This is what I dreamed of”
She giggled, lifting her head to look at him.
“You dreamed with me, Mr. Malfoy?” she teased, with a twinkle in her eyes as she smiled.
Draco stayed silence for a few seconds, just looking at her, his hands cuddling her face, as if he couldn’t believe that she was real, that she was there. Then kissed her forehead and pulled her face against his chest, wrapping her into his arms and sighed.
“Every day since I meet you” he said lowly.
“You have known me for years,” she whispered quietly, hearing his constantly heartbeat.
“But I never saw you until months ago”
She nodded and tightened her embrace.
He didn’t need to elaborate, she knew what he was talking about. She never saw him too, all she knew about Draco Malfoy was that he was mean, bigoted and rich, she never saw the boy who is kind and caring, loyal with people he loves, funny, even though shy. She had never notice how polite he is, and not only smart, but clever too, and he may be not too much open to others, but he is generous with his care with whom he chose to be important to him.
Hermione could see now because she is one of those. She is part of the select group of people he chose to love.
She kissed his chest, right upon his heart.
“I wish we had found the courage sooner, that we could’ve had more time together.”
The thought of keeping away from him was already hurting her. Now? The feeling was much worst; she got used with him sticking around, messing with her and sharing thoughts, or just spending time together enjoying the silence and company. Who would make her a perfect tea? No one was like him. No one was him.
Draco broke all her thoughts promising, “I plan to keep you close, Hermione.”
“Yeah?” she lifted her head to stared at him, a knowing smile in her lips that made Draco lean and kiss her again.
“How close?” she whispered against his lips.
He didn’t reply, he just gazed at her and smiled. A wicked smile that combined with his eyes full of the night promised her everything, and a little more.