DUET 5: lrthunder and unseenlibrarian (pinch-hitter)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. All fics posted at this community were written entirely for fun, not for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Title: A Secret Affair
Author: LRThunder
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5296
Summary: During the Horcrux Hunt, Hermione sneaks away to spend time with Draco. Will subsequent events threaten to expose their relationship and put all of them in danger?
Warnings: Implied sex
Author's Note(s): I tried to include more details about their various encounters, but it ended up being a more general story about their affair and their efforts to hide it from their friends and family.
It was Hermione's turn to get some food. Even though she was angry that Ron had stormed out on them, she was secretly glad he was gone. It made things easier, although it was still difficult enough to leave Harry without making him suspicious. That's why she had volunteered to get food.
"Are you sure, Hermione? I should do my part," Harry said.
She smiled. "And you are doing your part, Harry, but let me do my part. It's the least I can do."
"If you need my help, Hermione…"
"I'll be sure to ask you. Besides, you need your rest, Harry."
"I'm fine."
Hermione shook her head. "You always say that, but you can't fool me. I'll be back in a little while."
"Hermione, be careful."
She kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry."
If Hermione was honest with herself, she was worried. She fingered the Galleon in her pocket. Even though she wasn't going to spend it on food, she didn't want to lose it. She only hoped he got the message. She also hoped he wouldn't be followed to their meeting place. If hiding this meeting from Harry was hard enough, hiding it from Death Eaters would be even more difficult.
She felt heat in her pocket. She pulled the Galleon and saw it was glowing. That meant Draco got the message and would be waiting for her in the small village near where they were camping. As she entered the village, she couldn't help feeling guilty. On the one hand, she wouldn't have to worry about any Muggles finding them since the Death Eaters had already chased them away or killed them. On the other hand, this wasn't exactly the way she wanted to get some privacy.
Hermione saw the ruins of houses as she entered the village. She gulped as she saw the charred remains of what looked like a girl's doll. The front door of a house nearby was destroyed. She saw the green glowing light of the Dark Mark, hovering above the center of town.
"Granger, are you there?"
Hermione jumped in shock. She saw Draco removing his Disillusionment Charm. "Draco," she whispered. She ran to him and flung her arms around him. "But this village…"
"Relax. I sent word to your Order that You Know Who ordered this village to be attacked next. Obviously, they didn't know who sent that tip, but they got every Muggle out in time," Draco said.
"So no one was killed?"
"Not this time. I managed to persuade the Dark Lord to send my mother and I to attack the village. She doesn't know about us, but I think she was glad she didn't have to kill anyone," he explained.
"And your father?"
"He's still without a wand. The Dark Lord hasn't seen fit for him to get a new one," Draco said, scowling. "But enough about me, what about…?"
"Draco, we agreed that you wouldn't ask about him. What if You Know Who finds out? Not only would Harry be killed, but so would you," Hermione said firmly. "In any case, we were almost killed at Christmas. You Know Who barely missed us."
"Do I want to know?"
Hermione shook her head. "You don't need the details. Now, are we going to get on with it or are we just going to talk here in the cold?"
"When you're right, you're right," he replied, taking her by the hand to the closest house.
* * * * * *
When Hermione returned to the tent a couple of hours later, she was relieved to see Harry was asleep. While she knew he should have stood guard, at least she wouldn't have to answer any awkward questions about her tardiness. Fortunately, she had managed to get enough food for them to last a couple of more days.
Harry started to stir. "Hermione, is that you?"
"It's me."
"What took you so long?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "The lines at the shops were long. I went from shop to shop, trying to find short lines, but I had to finally choose one," she said, hoping he wouldn't be able to detect the lie in her words.
He seemed to believe her. "At least we have some food now."
"Let's eat."
* * * * * *
They moved every couple of days. Hermione kept Draco up to date about their general place so they could meet. Sometimes, they had to steal moments behind a tree near the tent; other times, Hermione could sneak into a town for a quick shag.
After one such meeting, Draco was getting dressed. "Hermione, I don't know if we'll be able to meet again."
She put on her shirt. "Why?"
"I have to return to Hogwarts soon. I tried persuading the Dark Lord to let me stay in the field, as it were. He refused. He said that even though I had served him well during the holidays, I still needed my education," Draco replied.
Hermione snorted. "If only he showed that much concern about Muggle-borns. Does anyone suspect us?"
"I think Mother suspects that I'm seeing someone on the side, but fortunately, she doesn't know it's you. I have implied that I'm looking for some proper pure-blood witches to shag, even though she is trying to push me into a relationship with Daphne Greengrass."
"I'm surprised she doesn't think Pansy Parkinson is right for you."
Draco sneered. "I only put up with her to keep up appearances. Fortunately, I'm in love with a better...ouch!"
"What's wrong?" Hermione noticed he was clutching his left arm. "Is he summoning you?"
He nodded. "I have to go." He Disapparated, not even taking the time for one last kiss.
* * * * * *
Hermione missed Draco. By now the Christmas holidays were over, and she knew he was back at Hogwarts. She continued thinking about all the illicit meetings she had with him, being careful not to alert Harry to her thoughts. Matters worsened when Ron returned, so even if Draco wasn't in school, the chances of slipping away were remote.
Since her last meeting with Draco, Harry and Ron had found the Sword of Gryffindor and destroyed the locket Horcrux. They still didn't have any leads on the other Horcruxes, although their spirits were higher.
Well, Harry and Ron's spirits were higher, anyway. Hermione, however, was gloomier than ever. She could tell Ron still fancied her, but she didn't know how to tell him that her heart belonged to someone else. She couldn't bear the look on his face if he ever found out she loved Draco. He would leave and never come back if he knew. Worse, she feared he might attack her.
As they continued their journey, Hermione was careful to keep her thoughts to herself. Once or twice, she thought Harry was glancing at her curiously. Did he suspect? If he did, at least he wasn't going to bring up the subject. What she needed was a distraction, not only from Draco, but from Harry and Ron potentially asking the wrong question. She had it.
* * * * * *
The trip to the Lovegoods had been a disaster. Not only was it a waste of time, but Mr. Lovegood was planning to turn them over to the Death Eaters. As they set up their tent at the new site, Hermione checked her Galleon again, hoping to feel its warmth. However, it was cold as the drizzle that soaked them as they entered the tent.
What's worse was that Harry was beginning to obsess over the Deathly Hallows, leaving her to take charge with Ron. She hoped Ron would get over her or that he wouldn't figure out who she really loved. As they discussed their ideas, they weren't getting any closer to finding the next Horcrux. Harry had suggested Hogwarts, but they dismissed it.
One night, Hermione was standing watch when she felt the Galleon begin to heat up. She looked behind her and saw that Harry and Ron were asleep. She took the opportunity to leave the tent's entrance. She made sure she didn't exit the boundaries she had set up, but she needed some privacy. When she was certain she was alone, she looked at the Galleon: Tonight. Seven.
She bit her lip. Was Draco planning to drop by? But he should still be at school, shouldn't he? She checked her watch. It was almost seven now. She knew what she had to do.
"Draco," she whispered.
Pop! Draco appeared in front of her and she was soon in his arms, kissing him desperately. "Draco, what are you doing here?"
"I've come to warn you," he said in between kisses.
"Warn me about what?"
"The Taboo. I mean, we set up my name as a Taboo, but have any of you…?"
Hermione shook her head. "Ron warned us about You Know Who's name as a Taboo."
Draco sneered. "At least Weasley is good for something. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't use the Dark Lord's name."
She kissed him again. "Don't worry, we won't."
He narrowed his eyes. "I know you and Weasley won't, but what about Potter? He doesn't have any sense in these matters."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry hasn't been saying the name for a while, so I don't think we have anything to worry about with him."
She knew Draco didn't believe her, but he didn't press the issue. "There's something else I need to warn you about: Greyback. You know who he is, don't you?"
Hermione paled. "He's a werewolf, isn't he? Are you saying he's marshalling the werewolves?"
"Worse. He's leading one of the Snatcher squads. I heard Mother telling Father that they had caught your scent."
She turned white. "Where?"
"The Forest of Dean."
Hermione cursed herself. "I could have sworn that we eliminated any traces of our presence there."
"Actually, I think it was his second-in-command, Scabior, who found the clue. Do you know who he is?" Hermione shook her head. "He's very clever, for a Snatcher. The Ministry has all sorts of information on you, and based on that, he was able to discover that you were there."
She couldn't understand how, but then she froze. "Wait a minute. I think I do remember him. At one of our earlier campsites, I saw some Snatchers taking a prisoner away. One of them stopped and almost detected me."
"How?"
Hermione blushed. "My perfume."
Draco didn't hesitate. "Stop wearing it. I think that was part of the information the Ministry has on you."
"My perfume?"
"The Dark Lord wants his followers to be very thorough," Draco warned.
"Okay, I'll stop wearing it. I'll warn Harry and Ron to be careful. Of course, Ron has never really been comfortable saying You Know Who's name," Hermione promised.
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Who knew that Weasley could be smart about something?"
Hermione sighed. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?"
"I guess all this time on the run has caused you to lose track of time. It's the Easter holidays," he said dryly.
"Already? Well, take care of yourself and be careful, Draco," she said, kissing him once more.
"Hermione? Where are you?"
Hermione cursed under her breath. "Draco, you'd better leave before they see you."
"Right. Be careful."
* * * * * *
Despite their precautions, disaster struck. Harry forgot about the Taboo, and suddenly they were surrounded by Snatchers. Hermione hoped it was the group of Snatchers that Ron had run into earlier. He said they were pretty dumb. Unfortunately, it was Greyback's group that had them. She winced as she felt his breath against her skin.
"Such a pretty little girl. I do love the taste of flesh," he rasped.
"Easy, Greyback," another Snatcher warned. She recognized him. It was the one who had smelled her perfume. It was Scabior. "Check the list. Maybe we have some truants here."
Hermione was relieved. Her Stinging Hex had worked. They didn't recognize Harry, although Ron had been foolish enough to tell them his real last name. So far, they believed her claim about being Penelope Clearwater.
"Wait a second. What's that on his forehead?" Scabior asked.
Hermione was frightened now. She struggled against Greyback's iron grip, and couldn't stop Scabior from approaching Harry. The Snatcher pushed some of Harry's hair out-of-the-way and examined the forehead closely. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here, Greyback?"
"What do you mean?"
"It means Dudley here has a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. We have Potter!"
Hermione cried out as Greyback gripped her arms even tighter. "Which means you're the Mudblood Granger. I think the Ministry will let me have a taste of you."
"I think we can do better than that. Let's take this lot to the Malfoys," Scabior suggested.
Hermione's terror increased as the other Snatchers cheered.
* * * * * *
To Hermione's relief, Draco refused to identify them. Even though she knew Harry and Ron didn't get along with Draco, she saw that Draco wasn't willing to cooperate with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy kept urging him to confirm the identity of the prisoners. Even when Mrs. Malfoy identified Hermione, Draco continued his act.
Hermione believed they might just escape the worst of it. She believed that until Bellatrix Lestrange entered the room. Her worst fears were realized when the Death Eater rolled up her sleeve to send for Voldemort. As the Malfoys and Lestrange argued, Draco moved as close to Hermione as possible.
"Just hang on there," he whispered. "If they have you locked up in the cellar, I'll sneak down there and free you."
"But what about your parents?" Hermione whispered. "What about Bellatrix?"
"She's the only one…."
"STOP! We'll die if we call the Dark Lord now!" Bellatrix shrieked.
Draco jumped as though he had received a shock. He hurried away so the others wouldn't suspect anything. Hermione listened as Bellatrix began interrogating the Snatchers. What they said only served to anger her. She viciously attacked them. She ordered Draco to leave them outside so she could finish them off later.
Hermione saw Draco kneel by one of the Snatchers and steal a wand from him. She watched him pocket it and then wink at her. It looked as though matters would improve.
"Take the prisoners down to the cellar," Mrs. Malfoy ordered.
Draco stood up. "I'll do it," he volunteered.
"Thank you, Draco."
"Wait. Take all of them, except for the Mudblood," Bellatrix said, with a malicious grin on her face.
Terror seized Hermione. No, no. This couldn't be happening. She didn't have a wand to defend herself and Bellatrix could only want her for one purpose.
"That's not necessary, Aunt Bellatrix," Draco said coolly. "I'll question her."
SMACK! Bellatrix had slapped Draco across the face. "Are you defying me, Draco?"
"Bella, how dare you strike my son!" Mrs. Malfoy snarled, pointing her wand at her sister.
"Mother, I can handle this," Draco said, positioning himself between Bellatrix and Hermione. "Aunt Bellatrix, you've always said I need to take a bigger role as a Death Eater, to prove myself in these matters. Here's my chance. Besides, I think I deserve to exact my revenge on Granger for assaulting me our third year."
Hermione saw Harry and Ron stiffen, but she knew Draco was only acting. The only question was if he could interrogate her away from the Death Eaters' presence. That would be their only chance to escape.
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "I've made the decision, Draco. I'll question the Mudblood," she said, brandishing her wand.
"But it's my house, Bellatrix," Lucius drawled. "Therefore it's my decision. If I decide you should question Granger, then you may do so. But if I think Draco should be the one, then he'll do it. Unless your talk about respecting your sister and your family was only talk."
Hermione could barely contain herself. If Draco's parents only knew how much they were helping her, they would definitely side with Bellatrix. She watched Bellatrix pace back and forth across the drawing room floor.
"Fine. Draco, you may question the Mudblood. I want to know how she got this sword out of my vault," Bellatrix snapped.
"Don't worry," Draco said. He turned and pointed his wand at the prisoners. "Move!" he ordered.
Hermione saw Harry and Ron glare at Draco, but she knew things were improving. Once they were out of sight, she was sure Draco would release them and help them escape. But how would he do that without incurring the others' wrath?
They arrived at the cellar. Draco untied them and before Harry and Ron could say anything, thrust a wand into Harry's hand. "Now, wait a few minutes before trying to escape, Potter."
"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Ron demanded.
"What does it look like, Weasley? I'm helping you escape, but you need to listen to me very carefully." Draco turned to Hermione. "Granger, that means you also need to do what I say. When I tell you, scream loudly like you're being tortured?"
She widened her eyes. "Why?"
"I heard your acting job with Umbridge was excellent, so I'm sure you can be convincing. If I'm going to get you out of here, you will need to be convincing," he said coolly. He leaned in and whispered, "I'm serious, Hermione. Do you trust me?"
She whispered. "I trust you."
Draco straightened up and shouted, "TELL THE TRUTH, MUDBLOOD! HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT VAULT?"
"We didn't…"
"Louder!" Draco hissed.
"WE DIDN'T! WE DIDN'T STEAL ANYTHING!"
"Now a scream for good measure."
Hermione screamed, but Draco shook his head. "Bellatrix needs to be convinced. Scream louder." She screamed louder and Draco was satisfied. "Now, we can make our move."
He turned to Harry and Ron, giving Ron the wand he took from the Snatcher. "Now, Potter, make it look good. I'm going to put up a fight and you'll need to steal my wand."
Harry looked at him skeptically. "And then what?"
"You use me as a shield to get out of my house. Unfortunately, you will need to exit the grounds before you can Disapparate since our grounds have anti-Apparition wards," Draco said.
Harry and Ron frowned and turned to Hermione. "Do as he says," she told him.
"Hermione, how can we be sure he won't betray us?" Ron snapped.
"If you don't do as I say, Weasley, the others will come down to investigate and then we'll be in trouble, myself included," Draco retorted.
"But your parents and Bellatrix…"
"Mother won't hurt me, but I don't know about Father. He's desperate to get back within the Dark Lord's graces, so he might be willing to hurt me. Aunt Bellatrix, however, won't hesitate. Using me as a shield is the only way to protect my parents from the Dark Lord's wrath. If I flee with you willingly, they'll die!"
Harry looked like he was willing to listen to Draco, but Ron still refused. "Ron, Draco is giving us a chance to…"
Ron looked at her strangely. "Draco? Since when is he Draco and not Malfoy?"
Draco snarled. "It's my name, Weasley, or maybe you need some persuasion. I'm sorry, Granger, but if this is what it takes to get your friends to act." He stepped away and turned towards the stairs. "MOTHER! FATHER! AUNT BELLATRI…"
Ron slammed Draco against the wall. "You git! Harry, help me."
Harry hurried over and seized Draco's wand. Hermione understood what Draco was trying to do. Now, they had no choice but to follow his plan: use him as a shield. "Hurry, they'll be down here any moment."
They heard footsteps and they knew their time was up. Mrs. Malfoy appeared, followed by Bellatrix. The witches raised their wands, but Harry bellowed, "STUPEFY!" The Stunning Spell hit Mrs. Malfoy, but missed Bellatrix. She retaliated with a curse that almost hit Hermione.
"Let my nephew go, you filthy half-blood. I knew Draco wasn't up to…"
"Shut up!" Harry ordered. "Let us leave or Malfoy gets it."
Bellatrix sneered as Mr. Malfoy joined them. "You haven't the nerve or the ability, Potter, or have you forgotten about the Ministry?"
"Ask Mr. Malfoy what I did to his son last year," Harry said coldly, "and that wasn't an Unforgivable. Now, let us go."
Bellatrix was about to respond, when Mr. Malfoy put a hand on her arm. "Let them go. He's my son, Bellatrix."
"Lucius…"
"I said let them go. We can't stop them," Mr. Malfoy said coolly.
Hermione knew the Malfoys were planning something, judging by Mr. Malfoy's tone of voice. "We'd better go before they can set their trap."
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"Ron, have you ever known Hermione to be wrong?" Harry asked. "Don't answer that, since we don't have the time." He turned to Bellatrix and Mr. Malfoy. "If anything happens to us, remember that we have Draco as a hostage."
"Of course," Mr. Malfoy said coldly.
Harry forced Draco to lead them upstairs, bypassing the Death Eaters. Ron walked backwards, stumbling a bit, but keeping Mr. Malfoy and Bellatrix where he could see them. "Keep an eye out for any other Death Eaters."
"Or worse," Draco said.
"Quiet, Malfoy," Ron snapped.
"Weasley, either my father or Aunt Bellatrix can send for the Dark Lord, although I don't think that's what father has in mind," Draco retorted.
"What do you mean?" Harry demanded, keeping the wand pressed against Draco's neck.
"Let's just say my family has a way of keeping intruders out and prisoners in."
"In other words, watch out for any traps," Hermione added.
"Right."
They were approaching the front door when Harry released Draco. As they were about to open the door, Draco pushed Harry away from it. An armored figure with an ax had sprung to life. It wielded the ax, trying to bring it down on top of Harry. Despite Draco's presence, it ignored him. Hermione guessed it was charmed to ignore any members of the Malfoy family.
Harry, Ron and Hermione cast some spells, but the magic bounced off the armor. "It's magically protected!" Draco said. "We'll have to run for it."
For once, Harry and Ron didn't argue. While the armor's ax was lethal, it wasn't very fast. They were able to run around it, but were almost crushed to death by a pillar that had toppled over. But they finally made it to the front door and were dashing to the gate.
"Why can't we Apparate now?" Ron demanded.
"Because we're still on my family grounds, Weasley. We'll need to get past that gate, and only I will be able to open it from the inside," Draco explained.
"Just don't do anything stupid," Ron warned.
Draco marched up to the gate, rolled up his left sleeve and held his arm to the gate, but nothing happened. He muttered something, then tried again. The gate still wouldn't open. "Something's wrong. The gate won't open."
Before Ron could snarl his displeasure, they heard a loud, shrieking laughter. They turned and saw Bellatrix and the Malfoys running toward them, their wands drawn. "It's as I suspected, Draco, you've turned traitor. Lucius, Cissy, see what your son has become? He couldn't kill a helpless Dumbledore. Now, he's helping Potter escape. Do your duty, Cissy!"
Mrs. Malfoy turned on her sister. "I'm not going to kill my son, and neither will Lucius."
"Cissy, you don't have a choice!"
Draco stepped forward. "Actually, my parents do. They can come with us."
"Don't be silly, Draco."
"I'm not being silly, Father. What do you think the Dark Lord will do when he hears what I did? If we escape, but you stay behind, who do you think he'll punish?" Draco asked.
Mrs. Malfoy paled, but Bellatrix laughed. "Don't let him scare you, Cissy. The Dark Lord will know you tried to stop him, and won't punish you."
Harry laughed. "Then you don't know your own master that well, do you, Lestrange?"
The Malfoys seemed to understand. Mrs. Malfoy lowered her wand and started moving towards the group with her husband. "Cissy, you can't actually listen to that filthy half-blood, can you?" Bellatrix demanded.
"Actually, we can, Bella. If Draco's right, then perhaps you had better leave as well," Mrs. Malfoy said as her husband marched up to the gate. This time, the gate opened. Mrs. Malfoy turned her wand on her sister, allowing the others to leave the Malfoy property. Hermione feared that Bellatrix would try to stop them, but even she knew they outnumbered her.
"You think you've won. You're a disgrace, nephew. And Cissy, you're no sister of mine! You're no better than that thing who married that Mudblood!" Bellatrix shrieked. Before anyone could respond, she rolled up her sleeve and touched the Dark Mark.
Hermione watched as Harry put a hand on his scar. "We need to leave. He's going to be here any minute!" Harry said.
"Where are we going to go?" Hermione asked.
"Let's just Disapparate. We can find another place to hide later," Draco said. "Everyone hold on."
Ron looked like he wanted to refuse, but changed his mind at Harry's urging. As the group held hands, they Disapparated, leaving a stunned Bellatrix in their wake.
* * * * * *
They arrived in a small meadow, stopping only long enough to check each other for injuries. Hermione saw the Malfoys glaring at Harry and Ron. She knew that Harry and Ron were doing the same thing. She sighed. She saw Draco arguing with his parents. She resisted the urge to intervene. Now wasn't the time to reveal their relationship.
"I don't understand why we have to drag those gits along. I say we dump them in the ocean," Ron muttered.
"I don't think Malfoy would agree with that," Harry said dryly.
"Who says we have to ask him. I was also talking about him."
"Ron, he helped save us from Bellatrix and You Know Who. He was very reluctant to identify us," Hermione said patiently.
"That doesn't stop him from being a git."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Draco walked over to them, and she saw his parents continuing to glare at them. "Granger, we need to talk." Harry and Ron moved to join them, but Draco narrowed his eyes. "In private."
"You're not going anywhere alone with her, Malfoy," Ron said heatedly.
If only you knew, Ron. "Ron, I'll be fine. If the ferret tries anything, well, he knows I can do things with my hands," Hermione assured them.
Draco blushed, and she guessed he was remembering more than just the slap in third year. Ron looked like he wanted to object, but Harry restrained him. As she walked away from the group, Hermione could feel Mr. Malfoy's eyes on her. "Hermione, where are we going now?"
"I don't know. We can't exactly go to Ron's parents' house, assuming your parents would like that," she replied.
"I think it's safe to assume they wouldn't want to go there," Draco said.
"But would any of your fellow Death Eaters track you here?"
He shook his head. "No, not even the Dark Lord. As long as we don't say his name, they won't be able to follow us. Still, we shouldn't stand out here in the open."
"So, where should we go?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "The Death Eaters know about my parents' house. We can't go to the Dursleys' either. Maybe Harry's new place, but it's possible they can go there. I think the only place we can go is Bill's house."
"I told you that my parents don't want to go to the Weasleys' house," Draco insisted.
"It's not Ron's parents, but Bill's place. Mr. Weasley was the only real Muggle enthusiast of the family, and I think even your parents can appreciate what Bill does for a living," Hermione replied.
"That's assuming Weasley will let us go there."
Hermione smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. I can get him to agree to anything."
"You are definitely a wicked witch, Granger," Draco smirked.
"That's why you like shagging me, isn't it?"
* * * * * *
After a brief and barely civilized argument, Ron agreed that the Malfoys could go with them to Shell Cottage. Hermione was relieved. Even though Bill was annoyed about the Malfoys' presence, convincing Ron had been the hardest part. Now, the only problem to solve was sleeping arrangements.
Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy would obviously sleep together. Ron suggested that Draco sleep in the same room as them, but Hermione was hesitant to support that. Even though she knew Draco's parents would agree with that, she wanted some time alone with him. But that was going to be difficult to arrange.
Fortunately, Bill and Fleur came up with a different plan. Despite his approval of the Malfoys as guests, Bill still didn't trust them. He suggested that Hermione, Fleur and Mrs. Malfoy share a room, while Bill and Ron would share a room with Draco, leaving Harry and Mr. Malfoy as roommates.
Hermione saw Harry and Mr. Malfoy throw venomous glances at each other during dinner, but she knew neither of them would do anything stupid. Fortunately, Mrs. Malfoy wasn't as opposed to the sleeping arrangements as the others. Still, it was not going to be easy to sneak away for a quick snog with Draco.
Mrs. Malfoy and Fleur seemed to get along amicably. Maybe it had something to do with Fleur's background. Even though she wasn't completely human, there was something about Fleur that Draco's mother respected. Even Hermione was able to have cordial conversations with Mrs. Malfoy, despite her Muggleborn status in the Malfoy family's eyes.
As Hermione got ready for bed, she kept trading glances with Draco, but couldn't do anything more. She didn't know if anyone suspected their relationship, but she wasn't willing to take the chance. The wrong move could cause everything to go wrong.
* * * * * *
Shell Cottage was quiet as Hermione sat up. She could barely hear her roommates sleeping. She hoped they wouldn't awaken as she left the room. If anyone saw her, she would claim that she was thirsty.
Draco seemed to have the same idea. He was waiting in the kitchen when she entered. She opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger to his lips. He jerked his head, indicating that they should go outside. Hermione cast a nervous glance behind her, but nodded. She accepted his hand and let him lead her outside.
When they were far enough away from the house, they finally embraced. They kissed passionately and their hands roamed each other's bodies. Hermione moaned as Draco kissed her neck. "Granger, you have no idea how hard this has been for me."
"I can imagine," she replied, moaning as she felt his hands on her covered arse.
"I'm not talking about recent events, but that we couldn't shag again until now."
"Still sensitive, I see," Hermione muttered.
He smirked. "I can show you how sensitive I am."
* * * * * *
They made love until the first light of dawn began to appear over the horizon. They dressed and went back inside the house. Fortunately, everyone was still asleep as they made their way to the respective rooms. As Hermione returned to the room she was sharing with the other women, she thought she saw Fleur give her a knowing look.
She wondered if Fleur had spotted them during the night? Hermione hoped she wouldn't tell anyone, at least not yet. Even though the others knew the Malfoys couldn't go back to the other side now, they were still not trusted completely. Hermione knew the time would come when she and Draco would have to come clean about their relationship.
Now, she had to focus on finding and destroying the rest of the Horcruxes.
THE END
Title: A Secret Affair
Author: LRThunder
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5296
Summary: During the Horcrux Hunt, Hermione sneaks away to spend time with Draco. Will subsequent events threaten to expose their relationship and put all of them in danger?
Warnings: Implied sex
Author's Note(s): I tried to include more details about their various encounters, but it ended up being a more general story about their affair and their efforts to hide it from their friends and family.
It was Hermione's turn to get some food. Even though she was angry that Ron had stormed out on them, she was secretly glad he was gone. It made things easier, although it was still difficult enough to leave Harry without making him suspicious. That's why she had volunteered to get food.
"Are you sure, Hermione? I should do my part," Harry said.
She smiled. "And you are doing your part, Harry, but let me do my part. It's the least I can do."
"If you need my help, Hermione…"
"I'll be sure to ask you. Besides, you need your rest, Harry."
"I'm fine."
Hermione shook her head. "You always say that, but you can't fool me. I'll be back in a little while."
"Hermione, be careful."
She kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry."
If Hermione was honest with herself, she was worried. She fingered the Galleon in her pocket. Even though she wasn't going to spend it on food, she didn't want to lose it. She only hoped he got the message. She also hoped he wouldn't be followed to their meeting place. If hiding this meeting from Harry was hard enough, hiding it from Death Eaters would be even more difficult.
She felt heat in her pocket. She pulled the Galleon and saw it was glowing. That meant Draco got the message and would be waiting for her in the small village near where they were camping. As she entered the village, she couldn't help feeling guilty. On the one hand, she wouldn't have to worry about any Muggles finding them since the Death Eaters had already chased them away or killed them. On the other hand, this wasn't exactly the way she wanted to get some privacy.
Hermione saw the ruins of houses as she entered the village. She gulped as she saw the charred remains of what looked like a girl's doll. The front door of a house nearby was destroyed. She saw the green glowing light of the Dark Mark, hovering above the center of town.
"Granger, are you there?"
Hermione jumped in shock. She saw Draco removing his Disillusionment Charm. "Draco," she whispered. She ran to him and flung her arms around him. "But this village…"
"Relax. I sent word to your Order that You Know Who ordered this village to be attacked next. Obviously, they didn't know who sent that tip, but they got every Muggle out in time," Draco said.
"So no one was killed?"
"Not this time. I managed to persuade the Dark Lord to send my mother and I to attack the village. She doesn't know about us, but I think she was glad she didn't have to kill anyone," he explained.
"And your father?"
"He's still without a wand. The Dark Lord hasn't seen fit for him to get a new one," Draco said, scowling. "But enough about me, what about…?"
"Draco, we agreed that you wouldn't ask about him. What if You Know Who finds out? Not only would Harry be killed, but so would you," Hermione said firmly. "In any case, we were almost killed at Christmas. You Know Who barely missed us."
"Do I want to know?"
Hermione shook her head. "You don't need the details. Now, are we going to get on with it or are we just going to talk here in the cold?"
"When you're right, you're right," he replied, taking her by the hand to the closest house.
* * * * * *
When Hermione returned to the tent a couple of hours later, she was relieved to see Harry was asleep. While she knew he should have stood guard, at least she wouldn't have to answer any awkward questions about her tardiness. Fortunately, she had managed to get enough food for them to last a couple of more days.
Harry started to stir. "Hermione, is that you?"
"It's me."
"What took you so long?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "The lines at the shops were long. I went from shop to shop, trying to find short lines, but I had to finally choose one," she said, hoping he wouldn't be able to detect the lie in her words.
He seemed to believe her. "At least we have some food now."
"Let's eat."
* * * * * *
They moved every couple of days. Hermione kept Draco up to date about their general place so they could meet. Sometimes, they had to steal moments behind a tree near the tent; other times, Hermione could sneak into a town for a quick shag.
After one such meeting, Draco was getting dressed. "Hermione, I don't know if we'll be able to meet again."
She put on her shirt. "Why?"
"I have to return to Hogwarts soon. I tried persuading the Dark Lord to let me stay in the field, as it were. He refused. He said that even though I had served him well during the holidays, I still needed my education," Draco replied.
Hermione snorted. "If only he showed that much concern about Muggle-borns. Does anyone suspect us?"
"I think Mother suspects that I'm seeing someone on the side, but fortunately, she doesn't know it's you. I have implied that I'm looking for some proper pure-blood witches to shag, even though she is trying to push me into a relationship with Daphne Greengrass."
"I'm surprised she doesn't think Pansy Parkinson is right for you."
Draco sneered. "I only put up with her to keep up appearances. Fortunately, I'm in love with a better...ouch!"
"What's wrong?" Hermione noticed he was clutching his left arm. "Is he summoning you?"
He nodded. "I have to go." He Disapparated, not even taking the time for one last kiss.
* * * * * *
Hermione missed Draco. By now the Christmas holidays were over, and she knew he was back at Hogwarts. She continued thinking about all the illicit meetings she had with him, being careful not to alert Harry to her thoughts. Matters worsened when Ron returned, so even if Draco wasn't in school, the chances of slipping away were remote.
Since her last meeting with Draco, Harry and Ron had found the Sword of Gryffindor and destroyed the locket Horcrux. They still didn't have any leads on the other Horcruxes, although their spirits were higher.
Well, Harry and Ron's spirits were higher, anyway. Hermione, however, was gloomier than ever. She could tell Ron still fancied her, but she didn't know how to tell him that her heart belonged to someone else. She couldn't bear the look on his face if he ever found out she loved Draco. He would leave and never come back if he knew. Worse, she feared he might attack her.
As they continued their journey, Hermione was careful to keep her thoughts to herself. Once or twice, she thought Harry was glancing at her curiously. Did he suspect? If he did, at least he wasn't going to bring up the subject. What she needed was a distraction, not only from Draco, but from Harry and Ron potentially asking the wrong question. She had it.
* * * * * *
The trip to the Lovegoods had been a disaster. Not only was it a waste of time, but Mr. Lovegood was planning to turn them over to the Death Eaters. As they set up their tent at the new site, Hermione checked her Galleon again, hoping to feel its warmth. However, it was cold as the drizzle that soaked them as they entered the tent.
What's worse was that Harry was beginning to obsess over the Deathly Hallows, leaving her to take charge with Ron. She hoped Ron would get over her or that he wouldn't figure out who she really loved. As they discussed their ideas, they weren't getting any closer to finding the next Horcrux. Harry had suggested Hogwarts, but they dismissed it.
One night, Hermione was standing watch when she felt the Galleon begin to heat up. She looked behind her and saw that Harry and Ron were asleep. She took the opportunity to leave the tent's entrance. She made sure she didn't exit the boundaries she had set up, but she needed some privacy. When she was certain she was alone, she looked at the Galleon: Tonight. Seven.
She bit her lip. Was Draco planning to drop by? But he should still be at school, shouldn't he? She checked her watch. It was almost seven now. She knew what she had to do.
"Draco," she whispered.
Pop! Draco appeared in front of her and she was soon in his arms, kissing him desperately. "Draco, what are you doing here?"
"I've come to warn you," he said in between kisses.
"Warn me about what?"
"The Taboo. I mean, we set up my name as a Taboo, but have any of you…?"
Hermione shook her head. "Ron warned us about You Know Who's name as a Taboo."
Draco sneered. "At least Weasley is good for something. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't use the Dark Lord's name."
She kissed him again. "Don't worry, we won't."
He narrowed his eyes. "I know you and Weasley won't, but what about Potter? He doesn't have any sense in these matters."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry hasn't been saying the name for a while, so I don't think we have anything to worry about with him."
She knew Draco didn't believe her, but he didn't press the issue. "There's something else I need to warn you about: Greyback. You know who he is, don't you?"
Hermione paled. "He's a werewolf, isn't he? Are you saying he's marshalling the werewolves?"
"Worse. He's leading one of the Snatcher squads. I heard Mother telling Father that they had caught your scent."
She turned white. "Where?"
"The Forest of Dean."
Hermione cursed herself. "I could have sworn that we eliminated any traces of our presence there."
"Actually, I think it was his second-in-command, Scabior, who found the clue. Do you know who he is?" Hermione shook her head. "He's very clever, for a Snatcher. The Ministry has all sorts of information on you, and based on that, he was able to discover that you were there."
She couldn't understand how, but then she froze. "Wait a minute. I think I do remember him. At one of our earlier campsites, I saw some Snatchers taking a prisoner away. One of them stopped and almost detected me."
"How?"
Hermione blushed. "My perfume."
Draco didn't hesitate. "Stop wearing it. I think that was part of the information the Ministry has on you."
"My perfume?"
"The Dark Lord wants his followers to be very thorough," Draco warned.
"Okay, I'll stop wearing it. I'll warn Harry and Ron to be careful. Of course, Ron has never really been comfortable saying You Know Who's name," Hermione promised.
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Who knew that Weasley could be smart about something?"
Hermione sighed. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?"
"I guess all this time on the run has caused you to lose track of time. It's the Easter holidays," he said dryly.
"Already? Well, take care of yourself and be careful, Draco," she said, kissing him once more.
"Hermione? Where are you?"
Hermione cursed under her breath. "Draco, you'd better leave before they see you."
"Right. Be careful."
* * * * * *
Despite their precautions, disaster struck. Harry forgot about the Taboo, and suddenly they were surrounded by Snatchers. Hermione hoped it was the group of Snatchers that Ron had run into earlier. He said they were pretty dumb. Unfortunately, it was Greyback's group that had them. She winced as she felt his breath against her skin.
"Such a pretty little girl. I do love the taste of flesh," he rasped.
"Easy, Greyback," another Snatcher warned. She recognized him. It was the one who had smelled her perfume. It was Scabior. "Check the list. Maybe we have some truants here."
Hermione was relieved. Her Stinging Hex had worked. They didn't recognize Harry, although Ron had been foolish enough to tell them his real last name. So far, they believed her claim about being Penelope Clearwater.
"Wait a second. What's that on his forehead?" Scabior asked.
Hermione was frightened now. She struggled against Greyback's iron grip, and couldn't stop Scabior from approaching Harry. The Snatcher pushed some of Harry's hair out-of-the-way and examined the forehead closely. "Well, well, well. Look who we have here, Greyback?"
"What do you mean?"
"It means Dudley here has a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt. We have Potter!"
Hermione cried out as Greyback gripped her arms even tighter. "Which means you're the Mudblood Granger. I think the Ministry will let me have a taste of you."
"I think we can do better than that. Let's take this lot to the Malfoys," Scabior suggested.
Hermione's terror increased as the other Snatchers cheered.
* * * * * *
To Hermione's relief, Draco refused to identify them. Even though she knew Harry and Ron didn't get along with Draco, she saw that Draco wasn't willing to cooperate with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy kept urging him to confirm the identity of the prisoners. Even when Mrs. Malfoy identified Hermione, Draco continued his act.
Hermione believed they might just escape the worst of it. She believed that until Bellatrix Lestrange entered the room. Her worst fears were realized when the Death Eater rolled up her sleeve to send for Voldemort. As the Malfoys and Lestrange argued, Draco moved as close to Hermione as possible.
"Just hang on there," he whispered. "If they have you locked up in the cellar, I'll sneak down there and free you."
"But what about your parents?" Hermione whispered. "What about Bellatrix?"
"She's the only one…."
"STOP! We'll die if we call the Dark Lord now!" Bellatrix shrieked.
Draco jumped as though he had received a shock. He hurried away so the others wouldn't suspect anything. Hermione listened as Bellatrix began interrogating the Snatchers. What they said only served to anger her. She viciously attacked them. She ordered Draco to leave them outside so she could finish them off later.
Hermione saw Draco kneel by one of the Snatchers and steal a wand from him. She watched him pocket it and then wink at her. It looked as though matters would improve.
"Take the prisoners down to the cellar," Mrs. Malfoy ordered.
Draco stood up. "I'll do it," he volunteered.
"Thank you, Draco."
"Wait. Take all of them, except for the Mudblood," Bellatrix said, with a malicious grin on her face.
Terror seized Hermione. No, no. This couldn't be happening. She didn't have a wand to defend herself and Bellatrix could only want her for one purpose.
"That's not necessary, Aunt Bellatrix," Draco said coolly. "I'll question her."
SMACK! Bellatrix had slapped Draco across the face. "Are you defying me, Draco?"
"Bella, how dare you strike my son!" Mrs. Malfoy snarled, pointing her wand at her sister.
"Mother, I can handle this," Draco said, positioning himself between Bellatrix and Hermione. "Aunt Bellatrix, you've always said I need to take a bigger role as a Death Eater, to prove myself in these matters. Here's my chance. Besides, I think I deserve to exact my revenge on Granger for assaulting me our third year."
Hermione saw Harry and Ron stiffen, but she knew Draco was only acting. The only question was if he could interrogate her away from the Death Eaters' presence. That would be their only chance to escape.
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "I've made the decision, Draco. I'll question the Mudblood," she said, brandishing her wand.
"But it's my house, Bellatrix," Lucius drawled. "Therefore it's my decision. If I decide you should question Granger, then you may do so. But if I think Draco should be the one, then he'll do it. Unless your talk about respecting your sister and your family was only talk."
Hermione could barely contain herself. If Draco's parents only knew how much they were helping her, they would definitely side with Bellatrix. She watched Bellatrix pace back and forth across the drawing room floor.
"Fine. Draco, you may question the Mudblood. I want to know how she got this sword out of my vault," Bellatrix snapped.
"Don't worry," Draco said. He turned and pointed his wand at the prisoners. "Move!" he ordered.
Hermione saw Harry and Ron glare at Draco, but she knew things were improving. Once they were out of sight, she was sure Draco would release them and help them escape. But how would he do that without incurring the others' wrath?
They arrived at the cellar. Draco untied them and before Harry and Ron could say anything, thrust a wand into Harry's hand. "Now, wait a few minutes before trying to escape, Potter."
"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Ron demanded.
"What does it look like, Weasley? I'm helping you escape, but you need to listen to me very carefully." Draco turned to Hermione. "Granger, that means you also need to do what I say. When I tell you, scream loudly like you're being tortured?"
She widened her eyes. "Why?"
"I heard your acting job with Umbridge was excellent, so I'm sure you can be convincing. If I'm going to get you out of here, you will need to be convincing," he said coolly. He leaned in and whispered, "I'm serious, Hermione. Do you trust me?"
She whispered. "I trust you."
Draco straightened up and shouted, "TELL THE TRUTH, MUDBLOOD! HOW DID YOU GET INTO THAT VAULT?"
"We didn't…"
"Louder!" Draco hissed.
"WE DIDN'T! WE DIDN'T STEAL ANYTHING!"
"Now a scream for good measure."
Hermione screamed, but Draco shook his head. "Bellatrix needs to be convinced. Scream louder." She screamed louder and Draco was satisfied. "Now, we can make our move."
He turned to Harry and Ron, giving Ron the wand he took from the Snatcher. "Now, Potter, make it look good. I'm going to put up a fight and you'll need to steal my wand."
Harry looked at him skeptically. "And then what?"
"You use me as a shield to get out of my house. Unfortunately, you will need to exit the grounds before you can Disapparate since our grounds have anti-Apparition wards," Draco said.
Harry and Ron frowned and turned to Hermione. "Do as he says," she told him.
"Hermione, how can we be sure he won't betray us?" Ron snapped.
"If you don't do as I say, Weasley, the others will come down to investigate and then we'll be in trouble, myself included," Draco retorted.
"But your parents and Bellatrix…"
"Mother won't hurt me, but I don't know about Father. He's desperate to get back within the Dark Lord's graces, so he might be willing to hurt me. Aunt Bellatrix, however, won't hesitate. Using me as a shield is the only way to protect my parents from the Dark Lord's wrath. If I flee with you willingly, they'll die!"
Harry looked like he was willing to listen to Draco, but Ron still refused. "Ron, Draco is giving us a chance to…"
Ron looked at her strangely. "Draco? Since when is he Draco and not Malfoy?"
Draco snarled. "It's my name, Weasley, or maybe you need some persuasion. I'm sorry, Granger, but if this is what it takes to get your friends to act." He stepped away and turned towards the stairs. "MOTHER! FATHER! AUNT BELLATRI…"
Ron slammed Draco against the wall. "You git! Harry, help me."
Harry hurried over and seized Draco's wand. Hermione understood what Draco was trying to do. Now, they had no choice but to follow his plan: use him as a shield. "Hurry, they'll be down here any moment."
They heard footsteps and they knew their time was up. Mrs. Malfoy appeared, followed by Bellatrix. The witches raised their wands, but Harry bellowed, "STUPEFY!" The Stunning Spell hit Mrs. Malfoy, but missed Bellatrix. She retaliated with a curse that almost hit Hermione.
"Let my nephew go, you filthy half-blood. I knew Draco wasn't up to…"
"Shut up!" Harry ordered. "Let us leave or Malfoy gets it."
Bellatrix sneered as Mr. Malfoy joined them. "You haven't the nerve or the ability, Potter, or have you forgotten about the Ministry?"
"Ask Mr. Malfoy what I did to his son last year," Harry said coldly, "and that wasn't an Unforgivable. Now, let us go."
Bellatrix was about to respond, when Mr. Malfoy put a hand on her arm. "Let them go. He's my son, Bellatrix."
"Lucius…"
"I said let them go. We can't stop them," Mr. Malfoy said coolly.
Hermione knew the Malfoys were planning something, judging by Mr. Malfoy's tone of voice. "We'd better go before they can set their trap."
"What do you mean?" Ron asked.
"Ron, have you ever known Hermione to be wrong?" Harry asked. "Don't answer that, since we don't have the time." He turned to Bellatrix and Mr. Malfoy. "If anything happens to us, remember that we have Draco as a hostage."
"Of course," Mr. Malfoy said coldly.
Harry forced Draco to lead them upstairs, bypassing the Death Eaters. Ron walked backwards, stumbling a bit, but keeping Mr. Malfoy and Bellatrix where he could see them. "Keep an eye out for any other Death Eaters."
"Or worse," Draco said.
"Quiet, Malfoy," Ron snapped.
"Weasley, either my father or Aunt Bellatrix can send for the Dark Lord, although I don't think that's what father has in mind," Draco retorted.
"What do you mean?" Harry demanded, keeping the wand pressed against Draco's neck.
"Let's just say my family has a way of keeping intruders out and prisoners in."
"In other words, watch out for any traps," Hermione added.
"Right."
They were approaching the front door when Harry released Draco. As they were about to open the door, Draco pushed Harry away from it. An armored figure with an ax had sprung to life. It wielded the ax, trying to bring it down on top of Harry. Despite Draco's presence, it ignored him. Hermione guessed it was charmed to ignore any members of the Malfoy family.
Harry, Ron and Hermione cast some spells, but the magic bounced off the armor. "It's magically protected!" Draco said. "We'll have to run for it."
For once, Harry and Ron didn't argue. While the armor's ax was lethal, it wasn't very fast. They were able to run around it, but were almost crushed to death by a pillar that had toppled over. But they finally made it to the front door and were dashing to the gate.
"Why can't we Apparate now?" Ron demanded.
"Because we're still on my family grounds, Weasley. We'll need to get past that gate, and only I will be able to open it from the inside," Draco explained.
"Just don't do anything stupid," Ron warned.
Draco marched up to the gate, rolled up his left sleeve and held his arm to the gate, but nothing happened. He muttered something, then tried again. The gate still wouldn't open. "Something's wrong. The gate won't open."
Before Ron could snarl his displeasure, they heard a loud, shrieking laughter. They turned and saw Bellatrix and the Malfoys running toward them, their wands drawn. "It's as I suspected, Draco, you've turned traitor. Lucius, Cissy, see what your son has become? He couldn't kill a helpless Dumbledore. Now, he's helping Potter escape. Do your duty, Cissy!"
Mrs. Malfoy turned on her sister. "I'm not going to kill my son, and neither will Lucius."
"Cissy, you don't have a choice!"
Draco stepped forward. "Actually, my parents do. They can come with us."
"Don't be silly, Draco."
"I'm not being silly, Father. What do you think the Dark Lord will do when he hears what I did? If we escape, but you stay behind, who do you think he'll punish?" Draco asked.
Mrs. Malfoy paled, but Bellatrix laughed. "Don't let him scare you, Cissy. The Dark Lord will know you tried to stop him, and won't punish you."
Harry laughed. "Then you don't know your own master that well, do you, Lestrange?"
The Malfoys seemed to understand. Mrs. Malfoy lowered her wand and started moving towards the group with her husband. "Cissy, you can't actually listen to that filthy half-blood, can you?" Bellatrix demanded.
"Actually, we can, Bella. If Draco's right, then perhaps you had better leave as well," Mrs. Malfoy said as her husband marched up to the gate. This time, the gate opened. Mrs. Malfoy turned her wand on her sister, allowing the others to leave the Malfoy property. Hermione feared that Bellatrix would try to stop them, but even she knew they outnumbered her.
"You think you've won. You're a disgrace, nephew. And Cissy, you're no sister of mine! You're no better than that thing who married that Mudblood!" Bellatrix shrieked. Before anyone could respond, she rolled up her sleeve and touched the Dark Mark.
Hermione watched as Harry put a hand on his scar. "We need to leave. He's going to be here any minute!" Harry said.
"Where are we going to go?" Hermione asked.
"Let's just Disapparate. We can find another place to hide later," Draco said. "Everyone hold on."
Ron looked like he wanted to refuse, but changed his mind at Harry's urging. As the group held hands, they Disapparated, leaving a stunned Bellatrix in their wake.
* * * * * *
They arrived in a small meadow, stopping only long enough to check each other for injuries. Hermione saw the Malfoys glaring at Harry and Ron. She knew that Harry and Ron were doing the same thing. She sighed. She saw Draco arguing with his parents. She resisted the urge to intervene. Now wasn't the time to reveal their relationship.
"I don't understand why we have to drag those gits along. I say we dump them in the ocean," Ron muttered.
"I don't think Malfoy would agree with that," Harry said dryly.
"Who says we have to ask him. I was also talking about him."
"Ron, he helped save us from Bellatrix and You Know Who. He was very reluctant to identify us," Hermione said patiently.
"That doesn't stop him from being a git."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Draco walked over to them, and she saw his parents continuing to glare at them. "Granger, we need to talk." Harry and Ron moved to join them, but Draco narrowed his eyes. "In private."
"You're not going anywhere alone with her, Malfoy," Ron said heatedly.
If only you knew, Ron. "Ron, I'll be fine. If the ferret tries anything, well, he knows I can do things with my hands," Hermione assured them.
Draco blushed, and she guessed he was remembering more than just the slap in third year. Ron looked like he wanted to object, but Harry restrained him. As she walked away from the group, Hermione could feel Mr. Malfoy's eyes on her. "Hermione, where are we going now?"
"I don't know. We can't exactly go to Ron's parents' house, assuming your parents would like that," she replied.
"I think it's safe to assume they wouldn't want to go there," Draco said.
"But would any of your fellow Death Eaters track you here?"
He shook his head. "No, not even the Dark Lord. As long as we don't say his name, they won't be able to follow us. Still, we shouldn't stand out here in the open."
"So, where should we go?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "The Death Eaters know about my parents' house. We can't go to the Dursleys' either. Maybe Harry's new place, but it's possible they can go there. I think the only place we can go is Bill's house."
"I told you that my parents don't want to go to the Weasleys' house," Draco insisted.
"It's not Ron's parents, but Bill's place. Mr. Weasley was the only real Muggle enthusiast of the family, and I think even your parents can appreciate what Bill does for a living," Hermione replied.
"That's assuming Weasley will let us go there."
Hermione smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. I can get him to agree to anything."
"You are definitely a wicked witch, Granger," Draco smirked.
"That's why you like shagging me, isn't it?"
* * * * * *
After a brief and barely civilized argument, Ron agreed that the Malfoys could go with them to Shell Cottage. Hermione was relieved. Even though Bill was annoyed about the Malfoys' presence, convincing Ron had been the hardest part. Now, the only problem to solve was sleeping arrangements.
Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy would obviously sleep together. Ron suggested that Draco sleep in the same room as them, but Hermione was hesitant to support that. Even though she knew Draco's parents would agree with that, she wanted some time alone with him. But that was going to be difficult to arrange.
Fortunately, Bill and Fleur came up with a different plan. Despite his approval of the Malfoys as guests, Bill still didn't trust them. He suggested that Hermione, Fleur and Mrs. Malfoy share a room, while Bill and Ron would share a room with Draco, leaving Harry and Mr. Malfoy as roommates.
Hermione saw Harry and Mr. Malfoy throw venomous glances at each other during dinner, but she knew neither of them would do anything stupid. Fortunately, Mrs. Malfoy wasn't as opposed to the sleeping arrangements as the others. Still, it was not going to be easy to sneak away for a quick snog with Draco.
Mrs. Malfoy and Fleur seemed to get along amicably. Maybe it had something to do with Fleur's background. Even though she wasn't completely human, there was something about Fleur that Draco's mother respected. Even Hermione was able to have cordial conversations with Mrs. Malfoy, despite her Muggleborn status in the Malfoy family's eyes.
As Hermione got ready for bed, she kept trading glances with Draco, but couldn't do anything more. She didn't know if anyone suspected their relationship, but she wasn't willing to take the chance. The wrong move could cause everything to go wrong.
* * * * * *
Shell Cottage was quiet as Hermione sat up. She could barely hear her roommates sleeping. She hoped they wouldn't awaken as she left the room. If anyone saw her, she would claim that she was thirsty.
Draco seemed to have the same idea. He was waiting in the kitchen when she entered. She opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger to his lips. He jerked his head, indicating that they should go outside. Hermione cast a nervous glance behind her, but nodded. She accepted his hand and let him lead her outside.
When they were far enough away from the house, they finally embraced. They kissed passionately and their hands roamed each other's bodies. Hermione moaned as Draco kissed her neck. "Granger, you have no idea how hard this has been for me."
"I can imagine," she replied, moaning as she felt his hands on her covered arse.
"I'm not talking about recent events, but that we couldn't shag again until now."
"Still sensitive, I see," Hermione muttered.
He smirked. "I can show you how sensitive I am."
* * * * * *
They made love until the first light of dawn began to appear over the horizon. They dressed and went back inside the house. Fortunately, everyone was still asleep as they made their way to the respective rooms. As Hermione returned to the room she was sharing with the other women, she thought she saw Fleur give her a knowing look.
She wondered if Fleur had spotted them during the night? Hermione hoped she wouldn't tell anyone, at least not yet. Even though the others knew the Malfoys couldn't go back to the other side now, they were still not trusted completely. Hermione knew the time would come when she and Draco would have to come clean about their relationship.
Now, she had to focus on finding and destroying the rest of the Horcruxes.
THE END