Two weeks had gone by since the incident in the woods with the confession and the Death Eaters. Draco had questioned relocation every single day since then, but Hermione had stood her ground, and told him that she trusted Harry, and she wanted to listen to him, and her instincts. Even though they had seen Death Eaters there, her instincts told her that they weren’t in any danger, so they were right where they needed to be. Draco told her that her instincts were crazy, and stormed out of the room. It was good to have the old Malfoy back.
She had sent an owl to Harry, and he had told her that the Auror office had already placed tracking spells on all of the Death Eaters, and that they knew that there were some in America. He also had told her that if anything had happened, the Auror Office and the Department of Magical Transportation had already approved International or Transatlantic Apparation and Portkeys, so they could be there within minutes.
Harry trusted Hermione to listen to him, and to stay put, and in turn, Hermione trusted Harry and all of the steps he had taken to ensure their safety.
Harry had also told her that he knew of Ron’s affair with the Veela girl, and currently wasn’t speaking to him. He also had become a bit of an outcast amongst the Weasleys, because they all knew how much it was going to hurt her for him to be with another woman, even if the feelings of love weren’t there. They knew that Ron no longer had Hermione’s trust, and that made them all upset, because Hermione was like another daughter to them.
“Hermione.” Draco said, entering the lounge, where Hermione was. She was looking out the window at the rain, and sipping a cup of hot chocolate she had made for herself earlier. “I want you to go to the study, and stay there until I say.”
He had a note of humor in his voice, and she laughed, turning around in her chair. “Whatever for, Mr. Malfoy?” she asked, amused.
“I am making you dinner tonight.” He said with a smile. “I already have three books of substantial length on the desk. They should keep you preoccupied for a few hours.”
“A few hours?” she said, laughing. “What exactly are you making?”
“Spaghetti.” He said, grinning. “I say a few hours, because I need to figure out how to work that cooker thing that makes the water bubble when it’s in a pot? I don’t know what the bloody thing is called.”
“A stove?”
“Yes. That.” He said, nodding. “We had the House Elves cook for us. I never learned how to use these things. But I promise, I am intelligent enough to not blow up the cottage.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so, now. To the study. I have also picked out a dress for you to wear. It’s a candlelight dinner you see.”
About two hours later, Hermione was seated at the kitchen table, which had been lined with a white table cloth, and had two candles placed in the center. The plates and silverware had been transfigured into fine china, and there was a lovely serving of spaghetti on her plate.
“This is delicious.” She said, smiling at Draco and taking a bite. “You should be a chef.”
“Not bad for my first time using that blasted thing.” He said. “I thought I was doing it the wrong way a fair few times, but then the water started to bubble, and I knew I was doing it right.” He grinned proudly.
“Of course.” She said, giggling and taking another bite of spaghetti. “Now, Mr. Malfoy, there must be a reason behind this dinner. You always have a reason for doing nice things for me.”
“You know me so well.” He said, smiling. “I wanted to impress you.”
“And why would that be?”
He was quiet for a moment, and then he looked her in the eyes.
“Because, I wanted to tell you, that I am still in love with you.” He said softly. “Hermione, I never stopped.”
She looked at her plate for a moment, breaking the intense gaze he had fixed on her, and then she looked back up into his eyes, realizing what she had known all along.
“I never stopped either.”
He stood up then, and walked to her chair, getting down on his knees in front of her. “Hermione Jean Granger, I swear to you, I am going to love you until the day I take my last breath, and if it’s possible to love wherever I end up afterwards, I am going to love you there too. I swear to you, Hermione. I meant what I said in the Final Battle, about marrying you, and having children with you. I want all of those things more than you can even imagine. With you.”
“I want those with you too.” She said softly. “I love you, Draco Abraxas Malfoy.”
He kissed her lips softly, and pulled her up out of her chair gently, making her stand up with him. Their kiss became more passionate, and he slid his tongue across her lips, begging her to let him in, and she did so with a soft moan, tangling her hands into his hair.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her up a little ways. Her dress wasn’t very long, or tight, so she was able to wrap her legs around him, keeping herself wrapped around him as he carried her to the bedroom, kissing up and down her neck and peppering her face with kisses softly. She pulled his hair, and brought his face back to hers, kissing his lips again softly and biting his lip.
He opened up his mouth and took in the sweet taste of her. He had missed it so much, and he never realized it until he actually had her again. It had been so long, so, so long, and he couldn’t stand it any longer.
They crashed down onto the bed, Draco catching his weight on his arms so he didn’t crush Hermione, and her fingers instantly went to the buttons on his shirt. He kissed up and down her neck softly, and Hermione felt like her skin had been set on fire.
His hands wandered, stroking her soft skin. His hands were warm, and strong and his fingertips danced up and down her arms and sides slowly, pulling her farther and farther into the feelings she had been denying for so long. The feelings that were finally coming to the surface.
He let his hands travel up her body once again, running them up her sides and pressing himself against her as she attacked his neck with kisses and bites. She pushed his shirt from his shoulders, her hands shaking, and she slid her hands down his warm back and around to the front of him, tracing over his belt buckle.
He groaned softly knowing what was going to come. He buried his face into her neck and bit the spot where it met her shoulder softly.
“I want to see you.” He said, biting a path up her neck slowly. “I want to feel you.”
She moaned at his words, completely surrendering as she felt his fingertips dance up her back to the zipper on her dress. He pulled the slide down slowly, and slid her dress down, dropping it onto the floor carelessly.
“You are so beautiful.” He said. His eyes wandered over her body, taking in every curve, every inch of pale skin, and every single freckle that was visible to him. He still knew where to touch her, and where to kiss her, but he loved rediscovering every spot that made her tremble beneath him, and every sound she made when he would kiss her on the sweet spot behind her ear.
Her body was flush with his, and he tangled his hands into her hair, tugging on it softly and kissing down her neck and across her collarbone. Her skin was hot beneath his touch, and it felt so perfect, so right, that he didn’t know how he had gone so long without touching her.
She finished undressing him with haste, and she tangled her hands into the strands of blonde that were calling her, and kissed his lips again, slowly this time, with more passion and emotion behind it. She knew that every word he had ever spoken to her was true, and that she would never be alone again.
“Draco…” she muttered against his lips, he slid her leg higher up his back and moaned. The heat between them was almost unbearable.
He nodded, knowing already, and when they became one, they both cried out, staying still for a moment, allowing themselves to enjoy and experience the feelings that were flooding through both of them. Heat and passion and pleasure and love. She kissed his shoulder, and he slid her leg even higher, kissing her lips.
He started out slowly, and gently, his hands were so warm and gentle on her skin, every touch filled with passion and curiosity. He was enjoying rediscovering her. He was whispering her name into her ear over and over and over, resting his forehead on hers and moaning quietly. His eyes were closed, and it seemed like time stood still.
His arms shook, and he felt her hands dig into his back, hard. Her body fit against his so perfectly, like they were carved out of the same piece of marble, and split down the middle. He felt himself surrender more and more to her, and she clung to him tightly, repeating his name over and over. He gave in to his feelings then and he buried his face into her neck, taking in her scent, his body shaking.
A few minutes passed, and he moved off of her, pulling blankets around them weakly. They were both completely spent, and their eyes were heavy. He kissed her lips softly, pulling her close to him. She rested her head on his chest, and he stroked her hair softly. They both drifted off to sleep in a comfortable silence, knowing that neither one were going to leave the other, and that they could be content together for a long time.
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