They found each other in the Great Hall, neither quite surprised to see the other. Somehow, it just seemed right to meet like that. They sat on the floor, too tired physically and emotionally to stand anymore. All around them lay the dead, dying, and injured. Healers and lower year students walked through the bodies, trying to find those alive so they could be taken care of.

Hermione Granger leaned into Draco Malfoy without a second thought, not caring that he was supposed to be her enemy. He leaned into her as well, closing his eyes. No one bothered them, too exhausted by the battle to care about two lone students, no matter who they were.

For how long they stayed there, neither could be sure. As the sunset faded and the lights of Hogwarts came on, she stood up, taking his hand. "Come on," she said wearily.

He followed her lead, limbs seeming to weigh more then normal. He really didn't care where she took him, as long as it ended with a bed or cot or somewhere he could sleep and try to forget.

Hermione knew that all the classrooms had been converted to makeshift bedrooms so opened the door to the nearest one. Finding it occupied, she growled in annoyance and closed the door again. All the rooms on that floor were the same. So she decided to be smart and, no matter how tired she was, chose to pick a room on the fourth floor, hoping that they wouldn't be occupied.

Draco was annoyed that she had to make him climb so many bloody stairs, but the rational part of his brain pointed out the logic in her decision. So he stayed quiet and it was with great relief that they finally came to an empty room.

Neither of them cared about what they were going to do. It didn't matter to them that they were enemies and about to share the one bed that was in the room. It didn't matter that they were filthy and covered with grime and dried sweat. They had bonded after the battle, were friends and companions; they eased each other's loneliness. They didn't think, only felt. And it felt right, as they collapsed onto the bed. That was all that mattered.

Draco woke first, startled out of a nightmare that left him shivering and pale. He looked around in the darkness, and was suddenly glad that he wasn't alone. He didn't think he would make it through the night by himself. With that note, he looked over at the girl sleeping fitfully beside him. Her eyelids moved rapidly, her breathing became increasingly uneven and shallow. Her hands clutched jerkily, lips moving in silent speech.

Not knowing what else to do, he laid back down and gathered her close, part of him wondering why he would bother. He was rewarded when she calmed down and fell further into sleep. He looked at her face in the darkness, memorizing every line and shadow, every inch of the soft skin. He breathed in her scent, and absorbed her presence. Slowly, he fell back into sleep.

The bell woke them both. They jerked from sleep, hands grabbing wands, trying to find what had caused the noise. When the familiarity of the sound sank in, they both relaxed. And looked at the other.

Neither quite understood why they trusted the other so much, but it was the truth. Maybe it was the grim reality of so many lives lost in the war. Maybe it was because House rivalries seemed stupid and petty in light of the big picture. Maybe it was because the trust was always there, hidden, only choosing now to make its appearance.

Draco broke the silence. "Well, I don't know about you, but I feel like I could sleep for years." And with that he lay back down and closed his eyes.

Hermione smiled a small smile. Feeling stupid for jumping at the bell, she joined him, pillowing her head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer to his body. And they fell asleep again.

She slept restlessly. Her dreams were filled with blood, the screams of the dying and those in pain, and the sight of the dead. Sometimes they were nameless comrades, those she hadn't known, but still fought by her side. Other times they were her friends, Luna, Ron, Harry, Neville, Fred, George, Mrs. Weasley, and many more. And then sometimes it was Draco.

For each body she would shed tears, for her friends she would sob, disbelief flooding her system along with shock and pain, but for Draco, she would scream and feel like she was dying with him.

She woke often, face wet with tears, screams she didn't dare release tearing at her throat. Each time she tried to hold off sleep, knowing that the cycle wouldn't end soon enough. But her body demanded it, and she fell into a pattern.

Until Draco woke with her, once. She sat up, curled in a ball, holding her knees to her chest, body shaking with silent sobs. He offered his comfort by wrapping her in his arms, holding her until her sobs quieted.

"So many lives lost…" she whispered. "I keep seeing them, in my dreams, the ones who died, the ones who didn't… it doesn't matter. Make them stop, Draco. I can't stand it!!" She turned in his arms, tears streaming down her face.

He didn't know what came over him then. It was the look in her eyes, the utter dependency on him, the trust and demand written on her face. She knew that whatever he would do wouldn't be to hurt her, and she was right.

He kissed her roughly, with urgency and passion. She kissed back, just as hard, just as urgent. Their lips moved together, against each other, without any gentleness. It was what they both wanted. He pushed her down onto the bed so he was over her, nipping on her bottom lip until she opened her mouth. The kiss was fire, burning the both of them. They were willingly playing with fire, hoping to get burned.

His hands dragged up her body, shaping her beneath him. She pulled away for air, panting and squirming. His hands drew lines of fire on her skin, creating sensations she had never felt. Her hands drew up his shirt, needing to feel him, just as he needed to feel her.

Their clothes soon disappeared, forgotten in their haste to forget everything else. Hands touched, mouths sucked, teeth bit, and the world was forgotten.

Draco latched onto her breasts, suckling and kneading, feeling her become a quivering mass under him. He smirked and his free hand began a downward journey towards the place he was sure no man had ever touched. Sure enough, she tensed when she realized his destination, but it didn't faze him. He coaxed her into opening up for him, and then the flames were fanned to greater height and heat.

She felt it coming, felt herself going closer to the edge, and as he placed a finger into her opening, her back arched off the bed as she cried out in pleasure.

He took in the sight, sure it was the most sexy and arousing thing he had ever seen. He removed his fingers as she rode the waves of her orgasm, kissing down her quivering body.

She was more relaxed than she had been in years. She felt him moving down her body, kissing and licking her slightly sweaty skin. She knew that she shouldn't feel pleasure from his touch, that they shouldn't be doing anything close to what they were doing, but she didn't care. He made her feel something other than pain and regret and sadness. She felt alive after a period of years of nothingness. And that was all that mattered.

So when he entered her again, with two fingers, pumping in and out of her, eventually adding a third finger, she didn't try to stop herself from bucking her hips against his hand.

She whimpered as he pulled out of her, crying in frustration as he licked his fingers. Granted, it was the most erotic sight she'd ever seen, but it didn't help to calm her down at all. "Draco… I-I need you…now…"

He just smirked up at her. "Relax, love. We have all the time in the world. Make this last."

She dragged his head up, not wanting to wait. She took his mouth in an open-mouthed, hungry kiss that boiled their blood. And then there was no more waiting.

He settled himself in between her thighs, looking into her eyes once more to make sure that it was what she really wanted. When he received a nod as answer to his silent question, he filled her.

He was slow and gentle, letting her adjust to his size and length, letting her get used to the feeling of having him inside of her. It paid off when she started moving, telling him that she felt no pain, telling him she wanted to feel more.

He began a pace that fit both of them, one that was frenzied and intense without being painful or harsh. She moaned, gasped, panted, and cried his name as she moved with him, wanting to feel more, to stretch the moments out indefinitely.

He panted and groaned her name, his thrusts increasing in power when her legs wrapped around his waist, giving him total control over them both.

They both felt it coming, the edge that they would fall off into oblivion, and wanted it more than anything. He reached down between their bodies, searching for her clit. Finding it, he flicked and teased until she came.

Her orgasm rocked them both, sending him crashing down after her, seed spilling into her. Their bodies tensed and relaxed as they rode the waves of pleasure together.

They woke up still intimately connected, neither regretting anything. They knew that they couldn't just walk away from each other again, couldn't pass anything off as a mindless act of tension. It didn't matter that they would be seen as traitors from both sides. It was worth it.

So, that didn't end up how I thought it would…

But I think it's a good story, all the same.

Please tell me if you want me to continue this fic, cause I can think of where it could go if you want to read more.

Meako