Re: checkmate, part 3arsenicjadeJune 9 2006, 04:23:44 UTC
The elves leave coffee for them in the morning. It is charmed to stay warm. Severus makes a move as if to get some, but Draco presses him down next to Hermione--who is still pretending to be asleep, knowing that occasionally Draco will be chivalrous--and goes to get the tray. It's actually easier to carry it than magic it, as he has only found out from trial and error.
Draco takes a sip and nudges Hermione. She takes his cup from him and finishes it off without opening her eyes. Then she kisses him, which is always the magic formula for rousing her. She says, "Mm, tastes like coffee," and hands Draco her cup.
Draco snorts and takes another sip. On her other side, Severus is sipping his own coffee slowly, his eyes wary.
Hermione kisses him too. "Also like coffee. Good morning."
Severus scowls and takes refuge in his heated beverage. Hermione looks at Draco, her eyes calm and yet searching. He smiles at her slightly, to let her know she has done well. She pecks his cheek and says, "Shower."
He grabs her hand and holds on until she slips past the length of his arm.
Severus says, "I should be going."
Draco wishes Hermione would have stayed. For all that he knows Severus better, she often can handle him more efficiently. "I think it's a bit past the time for shoulds, yes?"
Severus flinches a bit at that. Says, "Your wife drugged me."
"I brewed it."
"Well, she certainly couldn't have. Did you know?"
Draco thinks about lying. "No."
Some of the fight seems to leave Severus at that. "She's. . .frightening, in her loyalty."
"Terrifying," Draco agrees, a smile tugging at his lips.
"She undoubtedly means for you to join her," Severus says, looking off at the door Hermione used.
"I rather think she meant for us to join her."
"I hardly-"
"She would have waited to see you off otherwise." Draco knows his wife, even in situations he's never conceived of, he knows her. She has a knack for giving him things he never thought he'd have.
"Draco, I can't-"
But Draco shakes his head. Hermione is often the one who knows how to implement something, but Draco is the one who can make things last. It was he who sat by Hermione's hospital bed all those weeks, he who made her see that he was serious about wanting what he wanted, he who didn’t laugh when he said the words, "marry me" and heard her giggle.
And Hermione does not put plans into action that aren’t meant to have lasting effects. She does not even like flowers as gifts (given or received)--the short span of their lives upsets her.
Draco says, "Walk out. You can't walk out. We'll find you. You know we will. Even you're not that good. Not up against her. Not up against us."
Severus snarls, bares his teeth at Draco, but after a minute the expression subsides. "What if I validly don't want this?"
Draco just looks at him for a moment. "Ninth variation, Severus."
"Nothing but physical-"
"Bollocks."
Severus, who originally taught Draco every single one of the thirteen known variations does not say anything. Draco nods, and makes for the shower. If nothing else, he will still have Hermione. He will always have Hermione.
*
It turns out to be a good thing that their shower is large enough to comfortably hold three.
Draco takes a sip and nudges Hermione. She takes his cup from him and finishes it off without opening her eyes. Then she kisses him, which is always the magic formula for rousing her. She says, "Mm, tastes like coffee," and hands Draco her cup.
Draco snorts and takes another sip. On her other side, Severus is sipping his own coffee slowly, his eyes wary.
Hermione kisses him too. "Also like coffee. Good morning."
Severus scowls and takes refuge in his heated beverage. Hermione looks at Draco, her eyes calm and yet searching. He smiles at her slightly, to let her know she has done well. She pecks his cheek and says, "Shower."
He grabs her hand and holds on until she slips past the length of his arm.
Severus says, "I should be going."
Draco wishes Hermione would have stayed. For all that he knows Severus better, she often can handle him more efficiently. "I think it's a bit past the time for shoulds, yes?"
Severus flinches a bit at that. Says, "Your wife drugged me."
"I brewed it."
"Well, she certainly couldn't have. Did you know?"
Draco thinks about lying. "No."
Some of the fight seems to leave Severus at that. "She's. . .frightening, in her loyalty."
"Terrifying," Draco agrees, a smile tugging at his lips.
"She undoubtedly means for you to join her," Severus says, looking off at the door Hermione used.
"I rather think she meant for us to join her."
"I hardly-"
"She would have waited to see you off otherwise." Draco knows his wife, even in situations he's never conceived of, he knows her. She has a knack for giving him things he never thought he'd have.
"Draco, I can't-"
But Draco shakes his head. Hermione is often the one who knows how to implement something, but Draco is the one who can make things last. It was he who sat by Hermione's hospital bed all those weeks, he who made her see that he was serious about wanting what he wanted, he who didn’t laugh when he said the words, "marry me" and heard her giggle.
And Hermione does not put plans into action that aren’t meant to have lasting effects. She does not even like flowers as gifts (given or received)--the short span of their lives upsets her.
Draco says, "Walk out. You can't walk out. We'll find you. You know we will. Even you're not that good. Not up against her. Not up against us."
Severus snarls, bares his teeth at Draco, but after a minute the expression subsides. "What if I validly don't want this?"
Draco just looks at him for a moment. "Ninth variation, Severus."
"Nothing but physical-"
"Bollocks."
Severus, who originally taught Draco every single one of the thirteen known variations does not say anything. Draco nods, and makes for the shower. If nothing else, he will still have Hermione. He will always have Hermione.
*
It turns out to be a good thing that their shower is large enough to comfortably hold three.
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