Never Say Never

Chapter 27 – The Escapade Part III

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot and Daniela and Marc Lestrange.

A/N: important notice – please leave your email in your reviews if you want me to send an email alert to you every time I update this story. Thanks! =)

Continued from last chapter…

Setting – Draco and Hermione are in the summerhouse dueling with Voldemort. Hermione has just cast the "Avada Kedavra" on Voldemort…

Voldemort had been trying to crawl towards His wand, and was hit by the speeding green light that was so familiar to Him. He fell instantly, glassy-eyed like Snape was, but there was a certainty about the way that He was lying that made Him really, and truly dead.

"You did it Hermione!" I exclaimed, moving across the room to sweep her into a warm embrace. But she looked back at me with a shocked expression, she had returned to her natural eye colour and it seemed as though it was a different person who had finally defeated Voldemort.

"Oh god…how did I…I don't know what came over me…I just felt so much hatred for Him that I wanted to kill Him so badly…" she stammered, going limp in my arms.

"Shh…it's alright. God I'm so proud of you…you defeated the Dark Lord, Hermione!" I tried to soothe her, but she just kept on crying.

"I…killed someone Draco. Even if it was Him. I killed someone with an Unforgivable curse…" she said emphatically. She looked completely mortified, shooting nervous glances at His dead body.

"Its not like the Ministry of Magic is going to make Dumbledore expel you. How could they?! You defeated the greatest enemy there is today, and even if it was with an Unforgivable curse, shouldn't they be thanking you instead?" I reasoned with her. She seemed to calm down as the logic of it sank in.

"You're right. I didn't do anything wrong…its just such a shock. How the hell did I do it?! I didn't even have a wand with me…why didn't you do anything, Draco? Why were you just standing there watching us?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I…I guess err…I was shocked too. I didn't want to interrupt your little staring contest thing." I answered quickly, a bit too fast for my liking, but Hermione seemed to accept it. I knew that Snape didn't want Hermione to know that she was The One yet.

"Should we wake up Snape?" she asked tentatively.

"I don't know…why not let the man who was trying to help us just lie there, Stunned?" I said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up Draco." Hermione replied looking a bit more cheerful than before.

She then took my hand and guided me towards Snape's body and she muttered "Enervate" under her breath. As we watched Snape's eyes come back into focus, and his body gain mobility again, I remarked to Hermione,

"You don't even need your wand anymore."

"Yeah…" she smiled, then her face fell as she remembered the fate of her wand.

"Don't worry. We'll get you a new one." I said, anticipating her mouth opening to grieve about it.

"But it won't be the same will it?" she said sadly. I was about to something in response to it, but the Professor's faint groan as he woke up interrupted us.

"What happened? Is He gone?" Snape asked frantically.

"He's gone forever, thanks to Hermione." I answered, pointing to where He lay, lifeless.

"Ahh…Miss Granger…I can not express in words the feeling that I have at the moment. Voldemort gone! At last there will be peace in the Wizarding world. I can scarcely believe it!" Snape was beginning to ramble, clutching Hermione's hand tightly. There were tears of joy in his eyes, and both of us were taken aback at this open display of emotion from our Potions Master.

"Professor…I…we….err…" Hermione was lost for words, looking at him with tears flowing freely down his cheeks. She moved away and took to standing a little away, sensing that he needed some space.

"I'm sorry about this. It's just that the sense of relief I feel is so overwhelming…and the joy in finally defeating Him." Snape said hoarsely.

"No worries, Professor." I assured him. But then Snape seemed to snap back to reality from wherever his euphoria had taken him.

"Draco. Exactly how did Hermione kill Him?" he asked urgently.

"Well…she used Avada Kedavra…" I replied slowly.

"She used what?!"

"Avada Kedavra. Does it matter?" I responded calmly.

"Yes it does. It is an Unforgivable curse! Don't you know that she could be taken to Azkaban for that?!" Snape said angrily.

"Professor, that's true, she could be, but she won't be because she killed Voldemort with it. As if the Ministry would arrest the person who killed their greatest fear." I reasoned.

"But the principle is the same. If you use the Unforgivable curse on any other human being, then you've broken the law." He argued,

"Dumbledore will not let the Ministry arrest her." I said firmly.

"I hope so." Snape muttered darkly. I gave him a strange look before asking him a vital question.

"How are we going to get back to Hogwarts?"

"Oh yes, of course…take these." Snape replied, handing me a bottle of crystal potion and a box of matches.

"What are they for?" I asked incredulously.

"The matches are all Portkeys back to Hogwarts, so you can take one each. But before you take the Portkey, please take a sip of the potion. It will take you an hour back in time so that you are able to inform Dumbledore of the situation before it actually happens so that he can make arrangements. Go, and be careful." Snape answered.

I nodded, and walked over to where Hermione was now standing. I held out the potion to her, and she looked at me questioningly.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's a potion that Snape made to take us an hour back in time. And these matches are Portkeys back to Hogwarts." I explained. She didn't question me further, and instead reached for the potion.

"I guess we take this first." Hermione said with a sigh. I nodded, and she took a sip of it, and disappeared without a sound.

I turned around and gave Snape one last look before swallowing the rest of the potion. I felt myself being sucked into a void, but it felt quite different from taking a Portkey. Colours rushed around me before I landed solidly on my feet in the exact spot I was standing an hour later.

Hermione smiled as I appeared, and we looked around at the dark summerhouse…what it was the hour before He was finally defeated.

Hermione caught my eye and she held my glance and as cliched as it seems, the world seemed to fade away as we gazed at each other. I felt myself moving closer to her and her eyes closed in anticipation as I leant in to kiss her.

Vaguely as I wondered why we were doing this here when we were back in time, the magic moment was ruined by the sound of footsteps coming from the passageway. I think we both groaned at the same time.

"Draco. The matches." Hermione whispered, regaining her wits. I opened the box, and we both took a match, and that familiar feeling of a hook behind my navel took over. Again there was that swirling sensation but only moments later we had landed on solid ground.

We were somewhere near Hagrid's Hut knowing now that we had little time to inform Dumbledore of what was going to happen in fifty-minutes, we hurried to the castle.

As I looked around at the peaceful grounds bathed in twilight and Hermione whose beautiful face was illuminated by the starlight, I couldn't help but smile.

It felt good to be back.

Hermione's POV

We were finally back at Hogwarts, god I didn't realize how much I had missed this place. I wondered how the rest of the school was, how Harry and Ron were doing…it seemed like forever since I had last saw them.

These thoughts kept my mind so occupied that I was a little shocked when we reached the entrance to the castle. The steps that I had once slapped Draco on…back in third year. [A/N I'm not too sure about that, my memory's a bit fuzzy]

I smiled at him as I thought about that, and he grinned back before pushing the heavy door open. The warm lights in the entrance hall greeted us, and I saw the confused looks on a few students faces as we continued on into the corridors.

"Hermione! You're back!" said a voice. I turned and realized that it was Neville.

"Oh Neville! I'm sorry but I can't talk at the moment. I have to get to Dumbledore…I'll see you later…and tell Harry and Ron that I'm back ok?" I shouted to him, and he beamed at me, nodding profusely.

"Don't think you should count on that clumsy idiot to pass that on to your friends." Draco said in a low voice, disdain for Neville clearly showing in his face.

"Oh come on Draco…give him a break." I retorted, giving him a mock glare, "We've just gotten back here, and you've already turned back into a prat."

"You think I'm a prat?!" he exclaimed loudly, causing a few girls to stare at us strangely. I rolled my eyes and chose to ignore him, and so we spent the last part of our trip to Dumbledore's office in silence.

When we got there the stone gargoyle was standing in front of the entrance, and refusing to budge even after I had shouted a long list of confectionery.

"Have you got any idea of the password?" I asked. He shook his head morosely. He seemed to have taken my silent treatment of him seriously.

"Hey, I don't really think that you're a prat." I said to him quietly, and he just smiled tiredly.

"I know."

"Then what's eating you? We're finally back at Hogwarts…what could possibly be troubling you?" I asked curiously.

"It's…nothing." He replied shortly.

"I have a right to know, Draco. We've been through so much together. And we're…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say about him and me. Were we lovers? Or were we just two people thrown together through destiny, the keys of a prophecy?

"We're what? Are we back to being enemies?" he shot back mockingly.

"Oh god, you know we aren't! How could we be? How could you even think that?!" I burst out indignantly. Draco sighed before he answered softly.

"Well its just that…I just had a thought that now that we're back at Hogwarts, you'll go back to hating me and being with Potty and the Weasel."

I was a little shocked that I wasn't able to reply straight away, and Draco continued to speak.

"I'm assuming that I'm right, since you cant answer me. You know what? I don't care that I'm right…I should've known anyway. What would you see in me? It was all about survival wasn't it? If we didn't stick together against Voldemort, then we would've had no hope…it had nothing to do with feelings." He said bitterly, turning away from me.

"Draco! What the hell is wrong with you?! You're being completely unreasonable! Nothing's the same anymore! I can't hate you even if I tried…" I exclaimed clutching his arm. He turned, his grey eyes flashing, but he didn't get a chance to reply before another voice interrupted him.

"Ah, it is good to see that the both of you are back, Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger."

We turned in the direction from which the voice came from and smiles instantly graced both of our faces when we saw Dumbledore's beaming one.

"Professor Dumbledore! We need to tell you about something…we were trying to get into your office, but we didn't know the password." I explained, letting go of Draco's arm.

"Yes, I deduced that much from your situation. Come into my office, and we shall talk more. The password is strawberries and cream." He said with a wink, and the gargoyles moved, revealing the entrance.

We followed him up the spiraling staircase, both taking in the beautiful interior of his office [well actually I don't know about Draco…he was probably still sulking about our argument]. Then we entered his study and took our seats on the other side of the grand oak desk from him.

"We have much to discuss, but firstly there is something that you wish to warn me about?" Said Dumbledore seriously. I was impressed by the fact that he knew that we had a warning.

"Well, we escaped from the Lestrange estate after taking a potion from Snape that took us an hour back in time. Then we took a Portkey here…and the thing that we have to warn you about is –" I was rudely cut off by Draco who said sullenly,

"What she means to say is that she defeated Voldemort using Avada Kedavra. We were sent back by Snape to give you a warning about it so that you can make arrangements etc."

"Oh I see…Miss Granger I must congratulate you on this amazing feat. You defeated Voldemort single-handedly and you have rid the Wizarding world of our greatest threat at the moment. I believe that the Ministry will be absolutely relieved to hear of this!" he said merrily, eyes twinkling at me. Then he clapped his hands together and continued,

"Now I suppose the both of you are incredibly tired at the moment, so I insist that you go back to the common room from which Voldemort first took you and spend the night there. You have my permission to use magic within that room. Do not worry, I have already set up Wards to protect you from Death Eaters."

I nodded, but I felt an odd constriction in my throat at the thought of spending a night with a very sulky Draco. He had already left the office, and I had no choice but to thank Dumbledore and hurry after him. We walked in silence once again until we had reached that fateful corridor and Draco had found the entrance to the common room and we had entered.

"Draco."

"What."

"Listen I'm sorry about whatever I did wrong. Can't we just forget about this stupid argument?"

"We could…but the fact still remains. You're not doing anything wrong if we become enemies again. We've been enemies for the past five years."

"Did you hear anything that I've said?! I don't want to be your enemy anymore. Why do you keep thinking that I do?!"

"I don't know. I suppose I still don't know what we are…are we friends? More than friends or something else altogether? It's making me really insecure…like I could lose you at any moment. And I don't want that to happen…honestly."

His eyes were downcast, and he had already taken a seat in one of those armchairs. I went to where he was sitting and made him look into my eyes.

"Just relax about it, Draco. It won't happen. I promise."

Then suddenly without warning he pulled me closer to him and I felt myself melt into his lean frame as he kissed me fiercely. God, I didn't even realize how long it had been since we had last done that, but all those forgotten feelings came rushing back to the surface with that kiss.

It was so fiery and I felt myself respond just as passionately after I got over the shock. My arms went around his neck and his went around my back and the kiss was getting more urgent as I felt his tongue entwine with mine…

And again the effect was ruined as we overbalanced on the armchair and slipped to the ground, a mess of tangled limbs wrapped all over each other. We stared at each other in pure shock before bursting out laughing.

"It's alright, I needed to take a breath of air anyway." Draco said with a straight face, pulling me closer to him again. I giggled and began to trace circles on his chest.

"Well do you think that we should conjure the bed now?" I asked.

"The bed?" Draco asked with a sly look on his face.

"Yes. One bed only." I answered cheekily, pulling him to it after I had conjured a four-poster.

He pushed me down onto the bed impatiently and our lips met in another hot kiss, as his hands ran up and down my sides. My arms went around him again, and I hurriedly undid his ragged robe, and then pulled off his shirt underneath.

I was reminded instantly of one of our fateful meetings in the Prefect's bathroom…it seemed so long ago that those had happened…the first time I had seen him in only a towel…

Draco saw the slight smirk on my face, and he paused undoing my blouse to whisper huskily in my ear,

"A Knut for your thoughts?"

"Nothing…just thinking back to the incidents in the Prefect's bathroom…"

"Ah…I remember. I told you that you have a great figure didn't I?"

I blushed. He laughed gently, and placed butterfly kisses all along my neck, making me arch up in pleasure.

"And I still think you have a great figure…" He grinned, and kissed me fervently again. I groaned as he touched me in several sensitive spots…and I pressed myself closer to him in response.

He got bolder in his touch, and I suppose I did too as the innocence of it all began to fade away, and just before he made the final move, our eyes met. He understood that I was still pure and I knew at that moment that he was not, but with his experience…he made my first time perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Hey guys,

So sorry once again for the delay. I had bad writers block and lots of exams… =( Originally I had wanted to make this chapter and the last chapter all in one, but it would've been like 16 pages long so I decided to stuff that idea and make it into another chapter.

I'm also sorry about the scene at the end…I wanted to be more graphic but I couldn't as this is a PG 13 story…and I didn't want to change it incase there were readers who would object to it so yeah…

Oh and just a note that I had the beginning of this written like as soon as the last chapter was posted, but the rest of it took me AGES to write…and it probably isn't too good and not consistent…its more of a filler chapter than an action chapter.

Well, I hoped that you just enjoyed it anyway, and I will try and make the next chapter a faster update.

Now for the reviewers who reviewed Chapter 26 and Chapter 27 –

Psykotik – [thanks for your compliment about my writing…im very flattered =) do you write fics too?]

Eternal Sailor Earth – [thanks for your review, hoped you enjoyed the updates, and I read your Harry Potter and the Stranger of Sorrow, keep up the good work!]

Meg – [thanks for your reviews on chapter 26 and 27, hoped that you liked them both…and yeah Hermione's cool isn't she? GIRL POWER hahaha =) Oh, and about a sequel…I dun think I will write one…im sorry…but I am writing a new HP story atm, also Draco and Hermione so you could try that when I post it k? =)]

Brandi – [yeah I suppose it was a bit harsh of Hermione to do that…but yeah her parents were pretty slack. Thanks for your review! Hope you like this chapter =)]

Little Witch – [did you like chapter 27? And do you like chapter 28? Lol, anyways thanks for your review of chapter 26]

Quello Bello – [yeah, of course they make it out ok! Its Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger! Thanks for your review!]

RonDsFreak – [hope you liked the update! Thanks for your review!]

Jinxy3 – [I put a bit of romance into this chapter…hope that kinda satisfied you. Thanks for the reviews =)]

Daggairune – [Thanks for your compliments…I'm very honoured. Hope you liked this update!]

Ashley – [ooh…thanks for your compliment too…greatest story you've read for a long time eh? =)]

Jstarz1329 – [glad you enjoyed the story, and thanks for your review!]

Happy reading,

Psychohart