Chapter Text
The group collected the three portkeys, literal keys it seemed, and paired off. Theo and Neville, Harry and Ron, and Hermione and Draco.
“To activate the portkey, both members must be touching the item. They did this so no one was left behind. It will be the same going home.” Harry said, passing out the keys. He handed one to Neville, one to Hermione, and kept his own. “As I was told, it will place us in one of the adjoined rooms so we can drop off our things. What we do with the remainder of the night is up to us. But, as discussed, we will meet in the communal space tomorrow morning.” His eyes roamed over everyone. “Ready?”
Neville and Theo were the first to leave- Neville holding the larger end and Theo holding onto the smaller. Before Hermione could offer the key to Draco, however, he flipped her palm holding the key toward the sky and pressed his palm to it, lacing his fingers with hers.
Her eyes met his in surprise, a smirk on his face as the magic twisted and pulled them together before placing them in the room.
Hermione’s stomach rolled, always nauseous after using a portkey, but her eyes found his almost immediately regardless.
Concern crossed his features. “Are you okay?”
She swallowed, her hand still in his and her face growing warm. “I’m not the biggest fan of traveling like that.”
He nodded in understanding before looking around the room. “Shall we check the other room?”
“You go ahead. I’ll take the room you don’t want.”
He turned back to her, looking over her face, his thumb stroking the back of her hand slightly. She looked down at their linked hands, sure they would be on fire from how hot her own felt. “You can let go now, Malfoy.”
“And if I don’t want to?”
She sucked in a breath, heart beating quickly. But she quickly recovered. “We have to unpack.”
Letting out a breath, he released her hand and she almost- almost- regretted ever mentioning it. “As you wish.”
She didn’t say anything else as he quickly opened the door connecting the two rooms and turned back towards her. "This one is bigger. You have it.”
She knitted her brows together. “Don’t you want it?”
He smirked at her, something wicked in his eyes, but shook his head. “Only if you’re offering to share it with me.”
“Malfoy!”
Hermione jumped slightly, Ron’s fist booming against the door almost as loudly as he yelled. “Merlin..” She whispered.
Something dangerous crossed Draco’s face as he took one, two steps towards the door. Hermione softly placed her hand on his chest, halting his movements. “Don’t.”
Draco’s muscles relaxed, and his eyes roamed over her again. “Fine.”
Exhaling a relieved breath, she quickly made her way toward the door and flung it opened, showing a raging Ron and a annoyed and sheepish looking Harry.
“Sorry Hermione, he lost it after you both left.” Harry stated as Ron’s gaze bored into Draco’s.
“For what reason?”
“Why did he grab your hand?” Ron said, venom in his eyes as he looked at her.
Hermione cocked her eyebrow, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. “Seriously, Ron. The portkey needed to activate somehow.”
“He could have grabbed it like the rest of us.” His words came out clipped, his eyes bouncing between the two. “Don’t tell me that you two are shagging during your visits.”
“Ron!” Harry yelled, angry now.
Hermione didn’t speak for a moment. Then, “I don’t have the sort of visits you are used to.”
All the color and anger drained from his face then. “Hermione-“
“See you tomorrow, Harry.” She said, slamming the door in the pairs faces.
Sighing and taking in breaths, she turned to Draco with her eyes closed. “I am so-“
“Stop.”
She opened her eyes to find him there, mere inches from her. “Don’t apologize because of him. He isn’t worth taking up any breath from your lungs. And he certainly didn’t bother me.” His smirk returned and his head lowered towards hers. “The only part I don’t like about him thinking I’m fucking you is that I’m not.”
His words turned her blood into molten lava, flowing directly to her core. “You don’t mean that.”
“Oh, I do, Granger. I meant it when I told you that you were mine now. And once I get to bury myself in those beautiful thighs of yours, you’ll never be able to forget it.”
A small whimper escaped her throat, making his eyes darken. But he stepped back.
“I need to know what you meant when you told Weasley about the ‘visits.’”
Her head was spinning. He was back to this? Acting normal? After what he just said? She couldn’t even think straight. “Sorry?”
He chuckled, grabbing her hand, and pulling her towards the couch and ushering her to take a seat beside him. “I’m not your friends, Granger. I was right behind you in our year. Now, don’t treat me as if I’m dumb.”
She stared at him as she tried to steady her breathing, his hand back in hers and his words replaying in her head. “Tell me something first.”
Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “The Dark Lord-“
“Not about him. About you.”
His eyes widened slightly. “Granger-“
“I still have a duty to you. I am still going to free you, but I need to know you to do that.” Her eyes bored into his, and she would swear that his eyes changed color for the briefest moment.
Finally, he sighed. “When I took the mark, my father held me down at The Dark Lord’s feet so I couldn’t run. He knew I didn’t want it, but it was the Malfoy legacy. I received my first crucio afterwards.”
Hermione gasped softly. “Voldemort crucioed you for it?”
A sad smile crossed his lips. “My dad.”
Hermione’s heart broke in the silence that stretched and wrapped around them. Then, it was her turn.
“I caught Ron cheating on my birthday with Lavender Brown in my flat after he said he had a colleague coming over for a visit and would meet me at the restaurant.”
He placed his hands in her curls, pushing them from the side of her face to behind her shoulder. “Do you think the world would miss him? I don’t. I could kill him right now.”
She scoffed, “But your chances of being free would be shot.”
He looked at her with the most serious expression. “I could care less. No one gets to hurt you. Never again.”
Her cheeks warmed as she smiled softly, and she turned her head. But his index finger carefully brought her face back towards him. “Never hide your face from me, Granger."
After a beat of silence, her smile faltered. “This isn’t appropriate, Malfoy… We shouldn’t-“
His hands were caging her in then, gripping the back of the couch so tightly Hermione swore she heard it splinter. His face was closer again, their breathes mingling. “Don’t do this, Granger. Don’t take away the only thing that gives me meaning everyday- the knowledge that I can make you blush and get to touch you…” He closed his eyes, as if fighting for control. “If you take this away from me, there will be nothing for me outside of Azkaban.”
She wanted to speak, wanted to figure out all that was happening around her, but before she could even take her next breath, he released his hold on the couch and stood. Making his way to the adjoining room door, he slung it open, walked through it, and promptly shut it behind him; leaving her with her mind running wild and her knickers damp.