Chapter 9

„Hermione, don't move."

Malfoy was staring at his parents. His father's eyes were yellow and Draco had a feeling that his own eyes had the same colour. He tried to come up with a plan to get Hermione to safety, but his brain didn't seem to work. The only thing that was going through his mind was to protect Hermione. Protect, protect, protect. That was all that he could think off.

Suddenly his mother stepped forward. His father let out a cry, but his mother didn't hesitate.

„Come here my dear." She reached for Hermione and he couldn't help but growl at his mother. „Let these two idiots be. Maybe they will come to their senses in a bit and if not, then they can kill themselves while we have a cup of tea."

Hermione took Narcissa's hand and the two women left the room. Draco waited until they had left and then he looked at his father. He held his hands in front of him and showed his empty hands to his father.

„I am no threat. McGonagall sent us and we had no choice, but to come here."

„I know Draco." His father looked at him. „I think I am in control now, I am sorry son, but it was just a little bit of a surprise when you two arrived. Your professor had warned us, but I didn't think you would be arrive here this fast."

The two looked at each other and they both started to relax. Draco then started to look around and realized that they weren't at the manor.

„Were are we? Why aren't we at the manor?" He looked at his father and he sighed.

„The manor is not safe. The others would be able to just waltz in there and no wards can keep them out of the manor, thanks to you know who. When we started using the manor as a head quarter, we had everyone drop some blood on the floor, so that the manor recognized them as inhabitants, but now that is of course a too great risk. We are at a little cottage in Scotland, your mother and I stayed here when you weren't born yet."

„So what are we supposed to do here? Just hide?" Draco looked at his father and you could here the frustration in his voice.

„Well, I think your professor will arrange your schoolwork to be sent here, so you and Miss Granger will be able to continue your studies and yes, apart from that, we are supposed to hide. As frustrating as it is, we need to trust the ministry to catch the escaped death eaters and then we can return to our normal lives."

„Bloody fantastic. Just what I wanted."

„Well, this is a good opportunity for you to get closer to Miss Granger, after all you'll be sharing a bedroom." Draco snorted and his father looked at him, puzzled.

„She won't be sleeping in a bed with me and I don't think she is interested in getting to know me better, but oh well, lets see." Draco went and walked to the kitchen were his mother was having tea with Hermione. His mother having tea with Hermione, this was just too bizarre.

Meanwhile in the kitchen

Hermione looked around the little kitchen while Narcissa poured them both a tea. The two women sat down at the table and Hermione felt very uncomfortable. She didn't want to stare at the other woman, so he just looked at her finger nails. Oh god, she really needed to clean them.

„This little cottage was my sanctuary when the dark lord stayed at the manor." Hermione looked up. Narcissa's hands were shaking. She looked down on her hands and Hermione reached for her. She didn't like her, but she still felt sorry for her.

Narcissa looked up and Hermione could see that she was scared.

„I am sure we will be fine." Hermione assured her. „The ministry isn't as incompetent as they were, so they will catch them soon. And you still have two werewolves to protect you, that must count for something right?" Hermione laughed and Narcissa joined her.

„They sure as hell are super protective, I am sure you are right. It is just a little much. I thought these days are over and know I am back in hiding."

Hermione looked at the other women sympathetically and squeezed her hands.

„We're going to be alright, I promise you."

That was the moment when Draco and his father came into the kitchen. Hermione let go of Narcissa's hands and the women went to her mate. He took her into his arms and mumbled assuring words into her ear.

Draco looked at Hermione, eyebrows raised, but she just shook her head.

„I think we should go back to bed and try to get some more sleep." Lucius Malfoy led his wife out of the kitchen.

„Yes, sleep sounds like a really good idea. Could you show me my bedroom Draco?"

Hermione yawned and looked at Draco. The latter one cringed.

„About that.."

„Yes?"

„Well.." Draco looked at his mate and tried to come up with words that wouldn't sent his mate running for the door. „There is only one more bedroom, so we kind of need to share a bed."

Hermione looked at him and counted to ten. She then let out a sigh and made a step forward.

„Alright then, where is the bedroom? I really want to get some sleep right now."

Draco looked at his mate and couldn't believe his luck. She hadn't tried to hex his balls off. He thought they were still fighting?

„Right this way." Malfoy left the kitchen and went to the room next to it. It was a cozy little room with a big bed in the middle of it. Malfoy stood in front it for a second, clearly still not sure that Hermione wouldn't harm him. But she was clearly only thinking of sleep right now. She didn't even hesitate, but just got into bed. Draco looked at her and then followed her lead. He was after all pretty tired himself. Only a second later and the two of them had dozed off.

The next morning

Hermione woke up and went to the washroom. While she washed her hands she started to think about everything that had happened. She was still angry with Draco. That hadn't changed. Just because they were forced to live together now, didn't mean she would forgive him everything he had done. The very least she deserved was an apology.

She went back to bed. She turned around so she was facing away from Draco and was just about to fall asleep again, when Draco's arm snaked around her waist and pulled her against his chest.

„Draco." No reaction. „Draco." Hermione spoke a little louder this time, but still no reaction from him. He must still be asleep. She didn't have the heart to wake him up and to be honest, she was still to tired to fight with him, so Hermione decided to just accept it for now and deal with him in the morning.

Right before she fell asleep, she could feel Draco pulling her even closer. A smile appeared on her lips and she could feel a tingly sensation in her stomach. She could get used to it.

Draco was awake. He hadn't answered Hermione, because he had thought that she wouldn't want to wake him up and rightly so. He pulled Hermione closer and inhaled her scent. Her hair smelled divine and he could just lay like this forever. She fit perfectly in his arms and her smell was like a drug.

He couldn't fall asleep now. Being this close to her was not putting him to sleep, quite the contrary to be honest. He started to put his hand beneath her little shirt and lay it on her stomach.

He needed to come up with an explanation and a good excuse or Hermione might never forgive him.

„Draco? You are awake right?" Hermione wiggled out of his hold and turned around. Draco looked at her and then pulled her close.

„No Draco, we need to talk, not cuddle." Draco could hear the smile in her voice, but he still released her.

„Hermione, I dont know where to start.." Draco looked at her and Hermione could see that he was genuinely scared.

„I am so sorry for what happened. It was a stupid idea to begin with.. I wanted to make you jealous and" Draco stopped because Hermione was laughing.

„Thats the reason why you hooked up with Pansy?" Hermione asked while she kept on laughing.

„Uhm yes.." Draco stared at Hermione. He had thought of a lot of reactions, but this hadn't been one of them.

„Men! As if something like this would ever work!"

„Well I am sorry.." Draco looked at Hermione and she stopped laughing.

„Just don't repeat that. I mean not that it was super successful, but just dont." They exchanged a long look and then Draco pulled Hermione close. She snuggled to his chest and he put his hand beneath her shirt. They just lay there and Draco drew circles on her back when suddenly he went to a spot and Hermione squirmed.

„Are you ticklish?"

Hermione mumbled something that sounded like a no, but Draco went back to the same spot and Hermione squirmed again. Draco smirked, oh this was going to be fun.

He pulled Hermione on top of him, so that she was laying on him. He now had better access to her back and started to draw the same circles. He regularly touched the spot where it tickled her and Hermione always squirmed. Every time she did, she moved her hips and that motion had a certain effect on Draco. Their breathing grew more and more heavy and Draco's fingers drew a pattern. His fingers also started to venture more and more.

Suddenly he touched the side of her breast. Both of them halted. Neither said anything, the only thing that could be heard was their heavy breathing.

His fingertips started to move again and Hermione squirmed.

Hermione was feeling like her body was on fire. Draco's fingertips were like little ants walking over her skin. His touch was featherlight and she felt him everywhere. She couldn't control her body when he tickled her and her hips would move.

She felt so sensitive and she was quite enjoying this. Nobody liked being tickled, but this was more caressing then tickling. As soon as he had touched her breast she had stiffened, but he wasn't turning it into foreplay, or at least it didn't feel like it was to Hermione. He kept on touching her, but she felt as if he only wanted to touch her and enjoy their bodies reacting.

She felt so good. She didn't want this to end.

Their hips were moving faster and faster, Draco had started to match her rhythm and Hermione imagined that this must be pretty close to sex, well without the actual joining.

Suddenly they both stop. Hermione completely relaxed and she just lay there on top of Draco. He drew lazy circles on her back. If Hermione could have, she would have never wanted this moment to end.