Hello everyone!

My apologies for the very long hiatus..a lot had happened in my life the past couple of years, but I'm back now _

I had to re-read this story again to refresh my mind and to get the plot back in my mind...I also cringed at my own grammatical errors while reading them hahaha, sorry for that..At least I got the story across right? ;)

Well, here it goes..

Disclaimer - same old, same old

Chapter 10 - Crypt

'I miss you..Hermione...I'm tired...it's suffocating...'

Hermione again folded the piece of parchment she received just minutes ago. She must've read it ten times already but her longing for the sender can't be sufficed by just mere a letter - and a short one at that.

She leaned sideways on the wall as she sat on her bay window which overlooked their front garden, now in full spirit of spring. Birds can be heard chirping and hovering nearby trees, various flower fragrances can also be smelled from outside her room.

"What a lovely day..." She sighed, "...I wish you could see this beauty here with me. It would be nice to have a breather sometimes. Write to me soon again, okay?"

As she talked, her quick-quotes quill started scribbling on a piece of empty parchment on her study table. Then with a flick of her wand, the parchment folded on itself and flew to her along with the quill.

Hermione kissed the folded letter and took her northern pygmy owl from it's cage. "Keep safe, Athena." She whispered, "Send my love to Draco."

She opened the window of her room and Athena eagerly stretched her small wings to take flight.

By Merlin's beard did she really miss him so much. Hermione has not seen him for almost two weeks because of some petty argument Draco had with his father who still want him to follow through with his several shady businesses. Compromise is still not an option in the Malfoy family and this has continuously driven Draco to a corner.

A year has passed since Voldemort's demise, a lot has changed. People changed. Heck, even she thought she'd end up with Ron after Hogwarts. But here she is, with Draco Malfoy, heir to one of the wizarding world's pure blood families. Truly, opposites attract.

Thinking back on it again, maybe they were not very much opposites.

She's smart and so is he.

She's competitive and so is he.

She likes sophistication and so does Draco.

The list goes on and on in her mind which made her think why she fell in love with Ron first. However, maybe even before, Draco has already caught her eye. It's just that they were previously sworn enemies and he really did bullied them during their school years. He also made wrong decisions that was mostly controlled by his parents.

But for Hermione, that was all in the past. The present Draco is different. He's much, much more warm and open.

Her thoughts only made her longing for him worse by the second. The fact that their relationship is a secret added to this.

Hermione is not that kind of girl who gets scared by admonition. She's so headstrong that most people think that she's a stuck-up. Even her friends sometimes think the same even now. Only Draco admitted that he truthfully liked that part of her and it made him want to compete with her more which came out wrong when they were younger. He wasn't exactly taught how to act around other 'beings' below him, he said to her one time.

Keeping their relationship was Draco's decision, he wasn't ready yet. He explained to Hermione that he first wants to break free from his parents first before letting everyone know. Ridding of his past is difficult, but maybe people will see that he is a changed man when they see him making a name for himself. He wants to be responsible for his own decisions like everyone else. Staying in the Malfoy mansion makes him feel like a child, he says to her.

So lost in her own thoughts, Hermione failed to hear her mum call her until she banged loudly on her closed door.

"'Mione, are you there? Answer me please!" Her mum called aloud.

She shuffled quickly to the door and opened it, "Oh, I'm sorry mum, I spaced out..." she said, "What is it?"

"It's such a beautiful day out," Here mother started, "so your father and I was thinking, how 'bout we go for a vacation?"

It was only then that she realized that her mum was already in her outdoor clothes, "I don't suppose by going on a vacation, you mean...now?"
She replied.

Her mother smiled, "We- well...your father got this tent recently, and he really, really wanted to use it. You yourself has also holed yourself in your room for days now after coming back on that assignment of yours in the wizarding world," she said. "We missed you Hermione, we haven't had lot of time together lately, you're barely home and soon you might be moving out and getting married and-"

"Wait! Mum, stop!" Hermione interjected. Her mum was going on and on about a lot of stuff now which made her feel guilty realizing all that she said was true. "I get it...really, I'm sorry," she smiled weakly.

"Come down soon," her mum said.

"Sure, mum," was her reply as she closed the door and started packing for their impromptu vacation.

#################

The Granger family arrived in Chewton Glen Hotel by six in the evening after almost a three hour drive from London.

It's beautiful out here. Hermione thought as they pass by lush greenery to the hotel.

The hotel itself is a masterpiece of its own. It's quaint and so peaceful which made Hermione like it even more. The interior of the hotel was a mixture of old and modern that was so harmoniously conceived.

"This feels so extravagant, honey," her mum said to her dad.

"Not at all, for my two beautiful ladies," he said. "It's been what? Seven years since our last holiday. I think we've saved enough to be able to afford this, huh, 'Mione?" Her father winked at hear.

Hermione shook her head and laughed, "Oh, dad...I missed you both so much!" She gave both her parents a hug and their cheeks.

"Why don't we grab a bite for dinner and walk through the woods then the beach?" Her mother edged them on and they started walking to the receptionist to check-in and drop their luggage to their rooms.

#################

Amongst the vast darkness and moss laden cave came a resounding evil laugh and a voice so deep and raspy that one might think it came straight from hell itself.

"Well, honey, how much have you remembered?"

Muffled sobs can be heard from outside the cave as the usurper kept on egging for answers.

"Tell me!" The raspy voice said, "Crucio!" Then a bright red light emerged from the dark cave.

"No!" A woman screamed, clearly in excruciating pain. "Please!"

"Crucio! Crucio! Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!" Successions of bright red light filled the cave and with it came cries of pain, so horrifying that it frightened the nearby creatures outside the cave.

"Stop! Please! I...I...I can't anymore!"

"It's not enough! Crucio!"

#################

"You've got sauce on your face." Draco laughed as she pointed to Hermione's face.

"What?" She asked out of embarrassment, "Where?"

She patted her left cheek with the table napkin. "It's not there," said Draco.

She furrowed her brows and stared him down, "Then where is it?" Hermione was beginning to feel shy and mad at the same time because it seems to her that her boyfriend is making fun of her.

Draco smiled and leaned across the table, "Stay still will you," he said. "It's over here."

As he moved closer, Hermione felt her heart starting to beat loud, her eyes wandered to the other people seated near their table then back to Draco. Merlin's beard...She thought. And as she did, she felt his soft warm lips over hers.

"You sir..." She mused, "are overly romantic."

By hearing that, Draco wasn't able to hide the wide grin forming on his lips. His grin was wicked as his left thumb traced the curve of his lips, "There's more from where that came from, love."

Hermione can't help but laugh. Who knew Draco Malfoy was a hopeless romantic. She looked at him again more intently like she was carving his face in her mind. Draco was pale as ever, but unlike before, he ditched his previously slick look let his platinum locks grow up to his shoulders and tied it just so it's resting there. Yes, this was more like him...She thought. The dark circles around his eyes were also gone and the shine from his deep grey eyes have found their new light. He looked perfect in her eyes.

Draco noticed her looking at him as he resumed to eat dinner and asked, "What? Are you contemplating for a revenge?"

She smiled and brushed him off, "No, of course not."

"Then what is it? Mad?"

She sighed and placed her fork down, "It's just- I want to thank you..." she trailed off.

"...for?" He continued.

"...for celebrating my birthday with me," Hermione said, "even with your busy schedule...and your parents at that."

Now Draco was the one to put down his fork. He moved his hands towards hers and took clasped it with his and kissed them, "I would do anything for you, remember that, Hermione," he said, "I truly love you, and soon, we'll be together, always...trust me...I-"

However, he was cut off by the loud ringing from Hermione's bag. She took out her phone from her bag and opened it to see who's calling her at this precious time.

With a confused look, she said, "I'm sorry, Draco. It's my mum, I have to answer this, but I'll be quick."

"Okay." He sighed as he watched her walk out to the restaurant's garden and out of his sight.

He put his hand in his jacket pocket and took out a small green velvet box.

Please return soon...He thought. But timed ticked away from five minutes, to ten, to half an hour, and she still isn't coming back.

Her bag is still here, where could've she gone? He asked himself.

Draco decided to wait another half hour to decide to just get the bill and follow her outside to see what's the hold-up about. After paying the bill, we grabbed her bag and placed the small box he was holding earlier in it, then he went outside to the garden.

Much to his surprise, Hermione was nowhere to be found.

#################

"Stop! Please!" Hermione begged. "I don't want this!"

"Oh please, honey," Rookwood sneered, "I like it when you beg," then he licked her left cheek dripping with blood.

Hermione sobbed as she writhe in pain, "Please, just kill me."

"Why are you such in a rush?" He said, "We'll get there."