Stillness

Chapter 10

The boys and Ginny played until night fell around them, Pansy and Hermione huddled up in the stands. Hermione watched as both Harry and Draco seemed to take a collective breath as they pushed off the ground for the first time, soaring around the stands. Draco winked at Pansy and Hermione as he flew by and Pansy flipped him off. After Harry caught the snitch the first time, Draco reached out and nudged his shoulder. Harry laughed as they circled each other before diving and racing up the lawn. Blaise and Ginny fought for control of the quaffle, Blaise trying his best to keep it away from Ginny because Theo hadn't managed to block her from scoring once. Ron swerved over and just managed to block Blaise from scoring as Harry released the snitch again.

Hermione and Pansy stood as Harry and Draco dove at the same time. Hermione's eyes scanned the ground but she couldn't see what the boys did. She knew neither could be feinting since they both had sped off at the same time.

"Let's go, Draco!" Pansy screamed, as Hermione clutched the railing.

Both boys pulled up just before they hit the ground, the snitch in Draco's hand. He shot straight back up, throwing the snitch at Hermione. She flinched back but the golden ball veered off before it touched her. Draco laughed as he fell away from the stands, him and Harry back to searching for it.

Finally it was too dark for any of them to see properly and Hermione and Pansy made their way down to meet the players where they had all gathered on the field. Blaise and Ron shook hands and Ginny teased Theo about possibly borrowing Harry's glasses next time so he could actually see the quaffle. The feeling that she was dreaming fell over Hermione again as she watched Harry and Draco lift the chest of balls back into its spot.

Theo threw his arm around Pansy and called out a quick goodbye as they left the stadium. Blaise and Draco whispered to each other for a moment before Blaise left as well. Draco nodded at them all and Hermione gave him a small smile as they left. She wondered if he was going to go out to the lake before heading inside but when she glanced back he was already gone.

They were halfway back to the castle when Hermione realized she had left her bag. She told the others to go ahead as she jogged back to the stadium. Just before she entered, someone grabbed her and had her pinned against the wall. Her wand had flown out as the person turned her and now jabbed into Draco's jaw. His face was covered in the shadows but Hermione could see a smile decorating his lips. He seemed completely un-phased by her wand at his throat. His hands rested on either side of her head and his body was a hair from being pressed against her. His eyes looked down at her, the same thing lurking in them that had been there this morning, making her unable to calm her rapid heart.

"Do it." He breathed out, leaning into her wand, his voice torn between being playful and serious.

Hermione, truly, didn't know how it happened. If she was ever asked, aside from completely denying the whole situation, she would swear he leaned in first. One moment she held Draco at wand point then suddenly his lips were on hers, her wand on the ground just behind him, discarded so she could lace her fingers through his already wind blown hair. His arms circled her waist as he pushed his body flush against hers.

Hermione's mind was screaming at her that she should stop him as he pushed his tongue through her lips. Instead she opened her mouth to him, focusing on the feeling of it sliding against her own. Her fingers curled into his hair, tugging a bit on the strands and he pulled back, studying her face for a moment. He must have found what he was looking for in her gaze because a breath later his lips were on hers again.

He pulled one of her legs up to wrap around his waist and pushed in closer, her back digging into the rough wood of the wall behind them. His hand gripped her thigh hard and Hermione couldn't help but think that she preferred this rough touch to the gentle teasing he had done that morning. Hermione gasped as his lips left her mouth, only to close on the skin of her neck. His hips pushed into hers and she let out a quiet moan as electricity shot through her when she felt his hardness press into her through their clothes.

The noise seemed to spark something in Draco as his attentions got rougher. He pushed her sweater away from her shoulder and bit down on the skin there. His hands hitched her sweater up so he could run them across her bare stomach. Hermione gasped as his fingers ran across her hip bones and she began to shake slightly when he started toying with the button on her jeans.

She desperately wanted him to touch her, but at the same time wanted to push his hands away. As if sensing her conflicting emotions, Draco abandoned the waist of her pants and slid his hand around her stomach to wrap across her back. His lips returned to hers, gentler than before and he let her leg fall from his waist. His hand came up to cup her cheek instead, his thumb softly stroking her cheek. He pulled back but Hermione leaned after him. After a couple lingering pecks, Draco's hands fell away from her.

"What's got you wandering around in the dark, Granger?" He asked softly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

"I.. um.. I forgot my bag." Hermione stuttered out, trying to regain her balance.

Draco bent down and picked up her wand, turning it over in his hands. Hermione tensed up and his eyes flew to her. He twirled her wand between his fingers before holding it out to her.

"Have a good night, Granger." He said once it was back in her hand.

"You said you would never touch me." She said as he turned away.

"7 years and you've learned nothing." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I lie, darling. All the time."

His face held a flash of sadness before it melted into a blank slate. He started to leave again but Hermione stopped him.

"Can you wait?" She asked. "I don't like the dark."

"Yeah." He said with a low chuckle. "I know you don't.