Coveting Madness

Disclaimer: The things that I've changed are mine. Everything else belongs to J K.

A/N – I apologize for this taking so long. It's only the second lemon I've ever written, SRM being the first, and this one's a little more detailed then that one was. Smut is actually quite hard to write. Anyway, enjoy and please let me know what you think! :)

Chapter Two – The completion

He jerked her up on her toes and crushed his lips to hers.

Warning! - Contains adult content. Please do not read if you're not old enough.

Draco threw himself into the kiss, ignoring the escalating barrage of shocked whispers and mutters as he concentrated on the feel of Hermione's lips moving under his. The witch he was holding moaned softly, the sound going straight to both his head and his groin, making him feel like he'd drunk an ocean's worth of firewhiskey. She eagerly parted her lips and swept her tongue out to meet his, nipping at his mouth teasingly. Draco groaned as his blood roared, his lips leaving hers to latch onto her throat as his hands shot down to cup her arse and press her against him.

He shifted slightly, his cock swelling and honing in on home base, and it was all he could do not to whimper. Fuck, she felt good. So much better than she should. If he wasn't careful, he was going to…

Hermione let out a choked little whine, the sound full of need, and Draco groaned again. He bit down roughly on her skin, startling a gasp from her, and with a scowl, he very reluctantly stepped back. As much as he wanted to be inside her right this second, the last thing he wanted to do was humiliate himself by coming in his pants. And he really didn't think she'd appreciate him staking his claim in front of a room full of people.

He, himself, couldn't care less about the audience.

"Wha…?" Hermione murmured, blinking slowly, eyes blurred with want. Draco clenched both his teeth and his hands and took an even larger step back.

"Later, Granger," he hissed, groaning again when she licked her lips.

"Umm… right," she muttered. She took a deep breath – and no, he did not focus on the way the movement pushed her chest out – and seemed to suddenly become aware of the attention they were receiving. She looked around, eyes widening. The whispers and mutters had gotten louder, anger and disbelief the general tone.

"What? Have you lot never seen kissing before or something?" the Weasley chit spoke up loudly, glaring around the room. The same Gryffindor who Draco often had to defend himself against stepped forward, mouth pulled into a mutinous snarl.

"That fucking snake is-"

"Kissing his girlfriend," Potter said quietly, pushing his way through the crowd. Hermione turned to smile at him and Draco shot forward, grabbing her hand. He only just stopped himself from jerking her away from the prat.

He couldn't stop his glower, or the possessive way he stepped up behind her, his hand swallowing hers as his other arm circled her waist.

Hermione was his.

He'd made a mistake letting her go, one which he intended to correct as soon as humanly possible. The dick would just have to put up with that.

Granger looked over her shoulder and met his gaze, frowning slightly. Not liking the look in her eyes, he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"I don't care what your choice was. I don't care that you chose him over me. You're mine, Granger, and I'm never letting you go again. Deal with it."

"Chose him over you? What are you talking about?" she muttered back, searching his gaze. Draco scowled and opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Potty speaking again.

"Malfoy saved Hermione's life. They've been together for over a year and though he's far from the person I would choose for her-" he turned to smirk at Draco, who sneered back "-she loves and trusts him. Finding him here just proves that he's on our side, and we need all the wands we can get."

"He's only here because we're the only choice he has! He'll re-join the Death Eaters as soon as You-Know-Who crooks his finger!" a girl from somewhere in the back of the crowd called out scornfully.

"I suppose he was a Death Eater when he saved your life just last week, eh, Melanie?" Ginny snapped, eyes flashing. "He's helped heal a number of the people in this room, so you all get down of your bloody high horses and act like grownups for once!"

"This war cannot be won if we continue existing within this mind-set. The pimplewiggens are heavy in this room, so we must push through them and embrace and learn from friends and enemies alike. Only then can we evolve."

Draco shook his head, mouth pulling in reluctant amusement. Luna stood in the middle of the group, eye dreamy and voice ethereal, her words still lingering in the air. But even though what she'd said didn't seem to make sense – pimplewiggens? What the fuck are pimplewiggens? – the room still seemed to be listening to her.

"Err, right," Potter said, sharing a look of confusion with his redheaded, dim-witted sidekick. "What she said. Just know that Draco's made his choice and he chose us. Right, Malfoy?"

Draco met the so-called Saviour's eyes coolly. "Choose you, Potter? Doubtful. However," he continued, his voice getting louder to combat the renewed uproar as Hermione threw him a startled, slightly panicked look. "Choose her? Always."

He wrapped his arms around his witch's middle and drew her back against him, holding Harry's gaze defiantly and smirking to himself when he heard a few soft, girly sighs amongst the mumbles from the crowd.

Potter rolled his eyes and the Weasel made an obnoxious gagging sound, but Draco was no longer paying attention to them. Hermione had just folded her hand over the arm wrapped around her and settled her head back against his shoulder. Her fingers were making patterns on his sleeve, sending tingles up his arm and straight down to his groin. He leaned down and brushed her hair back with his nose, dragging his lips gently along the skin under her ear. She shuddered, letting out a soft mew, and he pushed his hips forward, grinding against her.

"Draco… not here," she moaned quietly, pushing back. He hissed and pressed her against him tighter, using his knee to push her legs apart so he could hit just the right spot.

"You weren't saying that two minutes ago," he murmured in her ear, nipping at the lobe.

"Draco, stop, we need to… Merlin! Stop! Umm, p-privacy. We need… privacy."

"Fuck, yes," he growled, abruptly letting her go. He turned and grabbed her arm, dragging her along behind him as he pushed his way through the throng. He heard the Weasel call her name as they left, but ignored him as well as the rest of the buzzing, suddenly rushing crowd.

He pulled her inside the alcove the Room had provided for recovering patients. Thankfully there weren't any occupants at the moment, only a single fourth-year witch restocking the potions shelf. He hissed "Out!" at the girl, jerked the curtains shut once she'd scampered away and then drew his wand and cast locking and silencing spells on them.

"Draco, what did you mean-"

"Shut up," he murmured as he turned towards her, the word low and silky. Hermione scowled.

"That's the second time you've told me to shut up."

"And yet, you're still talking."

He took a step towards her, making her eyes widen. She took one back.

"Because we need to talk! You need to tell me what you meant by me choosing Harry over you."

"No, I don't," Draco purred, taking another step.

"Yes, you do!"

"No. I don't. The only thing I need to do right now, Hermione, is be inside of you."

Her beautiful brown eyes widened further and then glazed, lids fluttering shut as she shuddered. Draco took the last step and pressed his lips just under her jaw. She sighed and then gasped as he sucked lightly, bit down and then swept his tongue out over the hurt.

"No, no, we need… a-ah! Sweet Circe, do that again!"

"What, this?" Draco muttered, once again circling her nipple with his thumb. The bud peaked through her sweater and he smirked against her skin when she whimpered.

"Yes! I mean… no! Ah…"

"Yes or no, Granger?" he teased softly, making his way back to her mouth. He breathed against her lips as his other hand swept down to press the heel against her centre. She gasped and bucked against the pressure, her own hand shooting down to grasp his wrist and press him harder.

"O-oh, shit, sweet bloody fuck!"

"Merlin, I love it when you curse," Draco groaned, abruptly reaching the limit of his patience. He stepped back and reached for the bottom of her sweater, tugging it up frantically.

"Off, off, off, off, off!"

"Draco, we have to-"

"Yes, yes, but later! Now, I need you. So much. I need… I need to come home, Hermione." He looked up into her heavy-lidded eyes, needing desperately to get his point across. "Let me come home."

The lust cleared from her gaze from a moment, the expression in them softening to something warm and tender. She reached up and laid her hand against his cheek, brushing her thumb back and forth. Leaning in, she gently pressed her lips to his.

Just like that, the tempo changed. Gone was the need to talk and tease. They kissed each other like they were drowning, drinking from each other's lips, drawing each other in. Draco groaned softly as her tongue moved over his, the scent of her making his head swim. They devoured each other, wrapped so close they were all but one, and soon it just wasn't enough.

Draco ran his hands down her sides and gripped her thighs, hitching her up so that her legs were wrapped around his waist. He toed his shoes off and then turned and stumbled blindly over to a cot, shuddering as Hermione latched her lips onto his neck. She sucked and the pull shot straight down to his groin, making him curse roughly and then gasp as his legs jellied and gave way under him. They tumbled down onto the thin blanket, hitting the hard mattress with a heavy "oomph!" Draco groaned again as his elbow connected with the solid metal railing.

"Fuck, woman, are you trying to kill us?"

"Shut the hell up, Malfoy, and kiss me."

He smirked. "If you insist."

Once again their mouths met. Draco pressed himself into her as he ate at her lips, blood roaring through his veins. She moaned and lifted her hips, pressing back. Draco gasped, ground down and then tore his mouth from hers and sat up, tugging her up as well. She blinked at him, eyes dazed and cheeks flushed.

"What…?"

"Clothes, clothes off," he panted, reaching for her shoes and then pulling at her sweater. He heard her breath hitch and then she was lifting her arms above her head. Draco frantically jerked the material up and off, throwing it onto the floor. He did the same with her t-shirt, reached with shaking hands for the hook of her bra, and suddenly froze.

Her stomach and ribs were covered in large, purplish bruises. They stuck out in stark contrast to the paleness of her skin, skin that was far too pallid a colour to be healthy. To make matters worse, he could count the ribs under the bruises and there were wounds that looked a lot like scorch marks dotted across her flesh. Draco stared mutely at the signs of war marring her skin, horror choking him.

Why hadn't he been there to stop it?

"I'm sorry," he whispered, too low for her to hear. "I'm so sorry."

"Draco? What's wrong?"

He reached out and brushed the tips of his fingers against a mark running across her navel. She shivered under his touch and he looked up, meeting the mixture of curiosity and confusion in her eyes.

"It doesn't hurt."

"Doesn't mean it didn't," he muttered, looking back down. He scowled at the mark and then swooped down and pressed his lips to it in an open-mouth kiss.

Hermione jumped slightly and giggled, the end of the sound trailing off into a sigh as Draco pressed his lips firmer and brushed over the mark with his tongue. He then moved on to the next one and the next one, moving up her torso until his mouth reached her breast. He blew a breath over the cloth-covered nipple and Hermione jumped again, her hands going to his head to tangle in his hair. She gasped and shifted anxiously, hands tightening when he tongue circled the hard bud through the cotton.

"Draco…" she moaned, trying to pull him closer. One of her hands fell from his hair and she clutched at his shoulders before dragging her nails down his chest, stopping just short of the tent in his trousers. Draco growled, blood burning, and shoved her back onto the cot, reaching around her to unclasp her bra and then tugging the cup down with his teeth. She whimpered when his lips met skin and quickly ridding her of the rest of the offending garment, he threw it onto the floor and eagerly drew a nipple into his mouth.

"Oh, Merlin, Draco!"

The hand on his lower stomach convulsed, fingertips just brushing his erection. Draco jerked and moaned, the sound vibrating over the witch's nipple, making her cry out again. He suckled lightly and then bit down.

"A-aah!"

Mine, Draco growled in his head, satisfaction breaking through the fog of lust and coating his thoughts as he tortured the witch with his tongue. Moving over to the other neglected breast, he performed the same torture on its peak until she was withering beneath him, mindlessly moaning his name.

Mine.

His erection throbbed painfully as he released her breast and moved down her torso, pressing kisses to her scars and marks as he went. He reached the top of her jeans and made quick work of undoing them and tugging them off. He blew another breath over the sodden material of her knickers and she nearly shot up off the mattress, gasping loudly. The reaction made him chuckle and Hermione turned her head to glare down at him, desire turning her eyes deep, dark and endless.

"Fuck you, Malfoy," she growled breathlessly.

"Oh, no, Granger, that's exactly what I intend to do to you."

With that, he yanked her knickers off, chucking them onto the floor with the rest of her clothes, spread her legs and buried his face between her thighs.

Hermione screeched the instant his lips touched her. Her hands speared into his hair again and she spread her legs as wide as she could, bending her knees up. Throwing her head back, she groaned loud and long as Draco lapped hungrily at her soaked flesh, concentrating on the little bundle of nerves that brought them both so much joy. He drew it into his mouth and sucked hard, making the witch cry out a relentless keening note of pleasure. Her back arched and her fingers dug into his scalp, the little pin pricks of pain from her nails making him growl and suck harder. Fuck, she was… he needed to…

"D-Draco! On, fuck, Draco! Oh, oh, oh, oh… Merlin, I need, I need… Malfoy!"

Continuing to draw on her clit, he dipped a finger inside of her, groaning as her walls clutched at the digit. She was so fucking tight! Just the thought of that blazing hot honey closing around his cock almost made him finish right there and then. He pushed in a second finger and angled them up; searching for the allusive stop that never failed to send her careening over the edge. He could feel her tightening around him, she only needed a little bit more…

There!

He drew hard on the engorged bundle, fingers pressing inside her at the same time, and Hermione screamed, head flying back as her body bowed up off the mattress. Her walls spasmed around his fingers and Draco swore viciously, the vibrations making her moan as he licked at her, slowly bringing her down. She whimpered and then collapsed, lying limp and sighing as he hurriedly pulled away. Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her slack mouth and then sat back, frantically tugging at his own clothes.

"You're still dressed," Hermione murmured faintly, watching him through heavy, contented eyes, the colour almost black behind their half-mast lids.

"Not for long," Draco muttered through clenched teeth, fumbling with his shirt. He wrenched it off, scattering buttons, pulled off his undershirt, and then scrambled for his trousers, hissing when he accidently brushed his achingly hard cock. He tugged at the belt, fighting with it and growling under his breath. Why would it bloody hell wouldn't it come undone?

Why the fuck were his hands shaking so much?

A pair of pale, long-fingered hands reached out to cover his own, stilling his frantic movements. He looked over to find Hermione sitting up in the cot, focusing intently on undoing his belt. Her curls were a wild, dirty tangle around her head, her shoulder blades and collarbone stuck out at sharp angles and the scar from her run-in at the Department of Mysteries was very visible as it ran the length of her ribcage, even in the low light.

Sweet Morgana, she's beautiful.

She succeeded in getting his belt undone, whipping it off as Draco sat there and choked on the words that seemed to show up out of nowhere. He'd known it for months, it had been pretty much confirmed by how much her leaving him had fucking hurt, but now, as she worked on the button of his trousers, naked as the day she was born and covered in dirt, half-healed wounds, dried blood and Merlin knew what else, it bloomed unequivocally inside his chest. Flaring up searingly hot and expanding so fast he couldn't breathe.

She'd always been his, but this… words weren't strong enough.

Not even the three most important ones.

Hermione flicked open the button, drew the zipper down and looked up, grinning at him, and Draco felt his patience run out with an almost audible snap. He bared his teeth is a silent snarl and launched himself at her so quickly, she fell back with a squeak of surprise. She laughed as his hands ran over her urgently, the sound dropping off into a ragged moan. She tried to speak again but Draco cut her off, kissing her feverishly, his hands clutching and stroking with enough force to bruise as he steadily brought her up once again.

She was panting under him by the time he deemed her ready. Draco sat up briefly and pushed his trousers and pants down and off, hands trembling once more. He hissed as the cool air hit his erection, and then hissed louder, choking slightly when heated hands replaced the coolness.

Fuuuuuuck.

It took everything Draco had not to explode and ends things as Hermione stroked slowly, deliberately running her thumb over the swollen head of his cock. His brain began to short-circuit and he clenched his jaw, unable to stop himself from thrusting manically into her hands, whimpers and moans hissing out from between his teeth. Hermione murmured something and leaned forward, kissing him as those long, pale fingers drove him utterly insane. He kissed her back, gasping into her mouth, and then with a growl, jerked himself away from her. Hermione frowned slightly, confusion mixing with the want. He leaned forward again and bit gently on her earlobe.

"When I come, I want it to be inside of you."

Hermione's breath hitched and Draco captured her lips again, pushing her back down onto the cot and leaning over her. He ran his hand down her body, and when he found wet heat, he spread her legs wide. He leaned down to kiss her again and then pulled back slightly, meeting her gaze. She lifted her hand to cup his cheek and smiled at him.

"Come home, Draco."

They groaned simultaneously when, with one eager lunge, he made them one.

He rested his forehead against hers for a second, basking in the feeling of being inside her again. She felt… indescribable. Her walls hugged him, burning along his length, and when she whimpered under him and thrust up, begging for the friction they both desperately needed, he pulled back, took her mouth in another drugging kiss and began to move.

It was slow at first, long, deep lunges that drove them both mad, but soon that wasn't enough and the pace picked up until Draco was driving forcibly into her, hips flexing at a blurring speed. Hermione withered and begged, back arching and head thrashing on the mattress as her fingernails dug into his shoulders, leaving sharp little grooves in his skin that only drove him on. He gritted his teeth and hitched her legs up higher, angling until he was dragging across that spot inside her with every thrust, the reward for his attention a husky shout of his name. A tightening started in his belly and balls, a burning and coiling that had him cursing viciously once more, her name like a mantra in his head.

Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine...

Close. He was so fucking close. But she needed to go first, so he reached down and thrummed his thumb along her clit, making her eyes fly open and her panting breath catch. He met that gorgeous, hazy gaze and leaned down, breathing in her ear as he pressed hard against her.

"Come for me, Granger."

Her answering shriek was music to his ears, her walls clutching and milking him as her back bowed again and her body shook. It was too much for Draco. His movements became sloppy and desperate and after a couple of frantic thrusts, her name echoed through the alcove in a guttural shout as he emptied himself inside of her, lights flashing behind his eyes, the pleasure intense and outrageous. After a moment, he huffed out a satisfied breath and collapsed on top of her, happy, finally relaxed and utterly spent.

~0~

"Well, that certainly wasn't the welcome home I was expecting."

Hermione's fingers trailed up and down his back as she murmured in his ear, her voice breathy and jumping with suppressed amusement. Draco didn't open his eyes or answer. He clutched her to him, his face buried in the crook her neck and his hold tightening almost convulsively as his afterglow faded, something darker and more desperate taking its place. Her skin felt hot against his and his breathing hitched and caught in his throat, his emotions going haywire as he held what was most precious to him. What he'd just remembered he'd almost lost. He gritted his teeth once more, trying his best not to let the weakness get the better of him.

It didn't work.

"Draco?"

He shot back to meet a concerned brown gaze.

"If you ever leave me again, I'll hunt you down and chain you to the fucking bed."

Hermione's eyes widened. She pushed at his shoulders gently and then a little harder when he didn't move. Reluctantly, Draco sat up, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Draco, I-"

"I mean it, Hermione. Never again, understand? You're mine and that's that."

Irritation flashed through her eyes and her lips folded into a very familiar hard line. Draco didn't care. She had to understand. He had to make her see.

"I think you're forgetting something, Malfoy. You're the one who broke up with me."

The Slytherin blinked. "I did not. You ended our relationship the moment you chose Potter over me."

"I didn't- Merlin, I can't have this conversation naked. Where are my clothes?"

Draco got off the cot and grabbed her jeans and t-shirt, handing them to her silently. He didn't reach for his own clothes. He was quite comfortable naked and she needed to see what she'd been missing. His witch dressed quickly and then looked back at him, flushing as her gaze ran over his skin.

"Please at least put some pants on."

Draco rolled his eyes and scooped up his pants, pulling them on. She was so prudish at times, a marked contrast to the way she was in bed.

He smirked to himself as he climbed back on the cot. To the way he made her in bed.

"Now, what gave you the idea that I chose Harry over you?"

"You did," Draco said coolly, picking at his nails.

"I didn't! Harry needed help with something and I couldn't not help him!"

Draco's head snapped up. "Pothead is the fucking Boy-Who-Lived, Granger. He's one of the most powerful wizards in the world. I'm sure he could have managed without you tagging along behind him."

Nearly getting yourself killed, he thought, mouth twisting as her torture flashed through his head.

"Harry's my friend, one of the first friends I've ever had! I had to help him! Why can't you see that?"

"Why can't you see how much it destroyed me to see you turn around and walk away?"

He stared down at the bed as that sentence popped out against his will. Fuck, where was his resolve not to let her know how much she had hurt him? He was a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake! Malfoy's didn't deal in bloody useless emotions!

He jerked when his face was suddenly framed by a pair of rough hands.

"Draco, please listen to me. I didn't walk away from you. I didn't," she insisted when he opened his mouth to protest. "This war… I've been involved in it since I was twelve. Right from the very start, Malfoy, and though it's something that, if I had a choice, I would have been as far away from as possible, I didn't get that choice."

"Yes, you did," Draco muttered, staring into her eyes. Hermione sighed.

"No. No, I didn't. Harry is my best friend and I would do anything for him. I love you, Draco, so much that it's frightening at times, but Harry gave me that one thing that I've always wanted but never had."

"A friend," the Slytherin murmured, something slowly circling and trying to click in his mind.

"Yeah. I'm not sure if you know what it's like, as you were raised completely different from me, but I was a horribly lonely kid. My parents loved me, sure, but that wasn't enough. Coming to Hogwarts and meeting Harry, and by extension, Ron-"

"Bloody simpleton."

Hermione chuckled. "He's not, actually. But we won't go into that. It was something I'd never experienced before, at least not at that level. Him and Ron and Ginny and the rest, they're all my family. Add in wanting to finish something that I've been involved in since the beginning, and I really couldn't not go with him. See? No choice."

Family. Draco scowled as his mind whirled. When she put it that way… hadn't he tried everything to get his mother away from the man who had helped conceive him? Loyalty was a big thing to him, he was loyal to his mother and the woman in front of him, couldn't imagine not doing everything in his power to make sure they were okay…

He had done everything in his power to help his mother, until Hermione had had to come first.

Bloody fucking Merlin.

"He's just a friend?" he muttered, still not looking up.

"Yes, you silly prat. That's all he ever was and even before you, all he ever would've been. Getting together with you only emphasized that. You're not the only one who's staked a claim, you know. You belong to me as much as I belong to you."

Once again, Draco's head snapped up and the words bubbled in his throat. It was just so hard. His family had never been demonstrative and he'd never actually heard them before Hermione had said them to him that first time. He swallowed hard as he stared at her and something in his eyes must have let her know his struggle, because her gaze softened. She reached over to lay her hand against his cheek, leaning in to kiss him softly.

"I love you too, Draco. More than you can ever imagine. Now, can I have to pleasure of calling you my boyfriend again?"

I was never anything but yours.

The Slytherin swallowed again and nodded, his heart bursting as his witch laughed and threw her arms around him. He held her tightly, burying his face into her hair and breathing deeply, feeling for the first time since she'd left him – no, since I stupidly assumed something that wasn't at all right – that his lungs were finally free of constrictions.

He was complete again.

Hermione pulled back and smiled at him, taking his hand and holding it tight. "We better go. The battle will be starting soon, if it hasn't already. Are you going to fight?"

If anyone else had asked that question, the continuation of it, for which side, would have hung in the air and turned everything to shit. Hermione didn't even begin to indicate that. She'd always left that choice up to him, never pressuring him to take her side, though she should have known that he was always on her side, no matter what. Well, when he wasn't riddled with jealousy, he was. It was only recently that he'd started seeing other reasons to support the Light side. He nodded again and they got off the cot, Draco getting dressed and Hermione pulling on her underwear. He smirked when she made him turn around.

"I know what you're like, Malfoy, and the minute you see me take off my t-shirt, you'll be on me. While I certainly wouldn't complain, we do need to go."

They finished dressing quickly. Draco unlocked the curtains, taking down the silencing charm and both of them stepped out of find an empty room.

Empty all but for a blond girl who was sitting on a desk close to the curtains, her legs swinging as she smiled at them. Draco knew her well enough to pick out the knowing smirk hiding behind her airy expression.

"Luna. Have you been there the entire time?" Hermione asked, tone mortified.

"Yes," the Ravenclaw answered simply. "Don't worry, your silencing charm worked effectively."

Draco smirked and shook his head as his witch blushed a deep red and Luna went on to explain to them what had happened while they were 'busy,' as well as what was happening now. He knew he liked the girl for a reason.

~0~

The battle was insane. Draco stuck to Hermione like glue, not letting her out of his sight for an instant. He'd seen what could happen to her with only Golden Boy and Weasel for protection. He wasn't ever going to let that happen again.

They searched for a tiara of all things, in the Room of Hidden Things, just barely escaping with their lives. Draco watched with little remorse as Crabbe conjured Fiendfyre and then perished within it. His friendship – no, it wasn't even that, his acquaintanceship – went right out the window the first time the fucker tried to kill Hermione. Once they got out of the Room, Draco frowned as the tiara emitted a thin scream and then fell apart in Potter's hand.

Two Weasleys suddenly appeared out of the smoke and the battle continued, one of them duelling the Minister of Magic. Suddenly, an explosion rocked the castle and Draco found his arms full of his witch again, as she and the others in the group realized one of the redheads was dead. One of the twins by the looks of it. Draco held her tightly, regret running through him. He hadn't known him well, he'd been a Gryffindor after all, but even he had appreciated the genius behind his and his twin's pranks.

The death of Snape threw him completely off his game. The man had been a friend of sorts, had protected him when he could, and he found himself mourning harder then he thought he would as he crouched down beside the Headmaster at Potter's side. Hermione had to drag him away in the end. Then she was the one holding him as he grieved.

They regrouped in the Great Hall and the Dark Lord's voice made the castle shake again as he gave Potter an hour to surrender, or he'd kill everyone held dear to him. Draco ignored this as he began to help with the many wounded patients, using his newly-learned healing skills to heal as many as he could. Or at least stop them from bleeding to death. He was labouring over a severely wounded boy, the injuries drawing him through the Veil despite Draco attempts, when another wand joined his. He looked up to see Hannah Abbott combining her spell with his. He looked down again without saying anything and together, they brought the boy back from the brink. Hannah stood up when they'd finished and looked at him.

"I don't think I ever thanked you for saving my life," she said quietly, and when he went to say that he didn't need a thank you, she shook her head.

"No. I know that you're trying to make everyone believe that you're only on our side because you're in love with Hermione and you're doing it for her, but I know it's more than that."

"You know?" Draco queried, head cocked curiously. Hannah nodded.

"If it was only for her, you wouldn't have stopped that Carrow bitch from torturing me, as well as saving many others and helping heal us later on. You're a good man, Draco Malfoy, just a victim of circumstance and upbringing. Thank you for making your choice."

Draco swallowed, more than a little shocked. "Y-you're welcome."

Hannah smiled at him then moved to the next patient, while Draco sat back, staring blindly at the sleeping boy.

"She's right, you know. You're a Gryffindor at heart."

He looked up and gaped at the She-Weasel.

"Are you trying to insult me?"

Ginny's lips twitched. "Maybe. I meant that you're braver then you think you are. Love tends to do that to people."

"Have you spoken to him?" he asked as the redhead's gaze searched the room, eyes distant and sad. He felt surprisingly sorry for the chit. Ginny looked back at him and shrugged.

"Not really. I will, though," she said as her eyes hardened in determination. "He's not getting away from me again."

I know the feeling, Draco thought, his own gaze seeking out his witch. As if feeling his gaze, she looked up from her patient and smiled at him warmly.

It was then that the Dark Lord spoke again.

Draco didn't believe it for a second when they all piled out the doors to see Potter dead. He clutched Hermione's hand as she began to shake, his own shock and disbelief nearly overwhelming him. The Golden Boy couldn't be dead. For the love of Salazar, he was the Boy-Who-Lived, The Chosen One, Harry fucking Potter! He couldn't die! It was a trick, it had to be.

When it did indeed, turn out to be a trick, the battle began again.

It ended in the Great Hall, Draco only leaving Hermione's side once, to make sure his mother got out of the castle alive. He ended up having to duel his father to do so. When he brought the miserable bastard down with a well-placed Sectumsempra, he expected to feel joyous.

It shocked him that he didn't.

He held his victim as Lucius died in his arms, feeling nothing at all. He was now Head of the House of Malfoy and after his mother had apparated away and his father took his final breath, he walked away without a backward glance.

He'd seek his mother out and make sure she was okay later, when everything had died down. Right now, he had a woman to protect.

He ran back into the Hall just in time to hear the Weasley mother shout, "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Fury ripped through him and he joined the duel without thinking, wanting nothing more than to take apart the woman who had caused his Hermione so much pain. Neither was sure who cast the Killing Curse in the end, but Bellatrix Lestrange ended up dead anyway and that was all that mattered.

He ran for Hermione after that. He pulled her back against him, his back hitting the stone wall and his wand held out in front of them, the Gryffindor's soon joining his. They stood and watched along with everyone else as Potter and the Dark Lord circled and taunted each other. Draco felt vindication run through him as he learnt that Snape really had been the spy he'd thought he was all along.

His jaw dropped when Harry announced to the room that Draco had been the true master of the Elder Wand, everyone shifting to glance at him as Hermione let out a shocked little giggle and brought his hand up to kiss the back of it. He was floored. He knew of the Elder Wand, of course, who didn't, but to know that it actually exists and that he'd been its master for a time, was rather shocking.

Wait a minute, Potter disarmed me, that means…

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

The two spells collided and it was over in a heartbeat. The Dark Lord fell back dead, the Killing Curse rebounding back on him as The Elder Wand refused to kill its master. There was dead silence for a moment or two and then the Hall exploded with roaring cheers.

Hermione turned in his hold and grasped the back of his head, jerking it down to capture his mouth in a wild, almost hysterical kiss. Draco kissed her back, feeling a little numb under the disbelief and desire.

It's over. It's really over.

She pulled back and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. Draco laid his cheek on the top of her head and watched the cheering, hugging, shouting, crying and some pretty public snogging. People were touching each other constantly, happiness shining from almost every gaze, and families were coming together, weeping with sorrow over the dead and joy over the ones they found alive. Luna was kissing a tall, shapely girl, the two of them lost in each other as they snogged frantically.

It was a kaleidoscope of emotion, and as Draco stared, he found the words bubbling up again.

This time, they weren't hard to say at all.

"I love you, Hermione."

The witch in his arms froze for a long moment at his whispered declaration; so long, Draco began to worry. Finally, she stepped back, her beautiful brown eyes wide and startled and so incredibly jubilant. She licked her lips and swiped at her wet cheeks with the heels of her hands.

"As I love you, D-Draco. So, so much."

Draco grinned and leaned down, kissing her with everything in his heart. They stayed locked in each other's arm for a long time, obviously to everything else them as the Hall continued to celebrate loudly around them.

They'd join the celebrations later. They wouldn't have a choice.

Right now, though, they were more than content with just each other.