On the Nature of Daylight

Chapter 17

Warning- this chapter contains a panic attack and self harm in the first Draco POV section. If you aren't in the right headspace or don't want to read about something like that, that's perfectly acceptable. If you decide to skip it, I can give you a recap without the triggers so that way you don't feel like you've missed out. Take care of yourself first. You and your health are important.

Chapter 17

Hermione Granger had feelings for Draco Malfoy. This was an irrefutable fact that she could no longer ignore or pretend that she didn't feel. Not after the Library and definitely not after the Forest. She wasn't exactly sure when they had started, but they were here now and she had to face them. And at some point, she would have to face Malfoy himself.

She was even having trouble focusing in classes, which was very unlike herself, because her eyes kept drifting to the windows, looking at the dark stretch of trees and imagining sneaking off into them again. The patches of daylight had lit up the darkened Forest he had flown her into and Hermione still felt the warmth over every inch of her he had kissed and marked.

She couldn't stop thinking about it. Being with Draco, yes Draco, had been amazing. He had been nothing like the boy who she had known for years and for the first time she had felt like a girl just being able to spend time with the boy she liked. And who maybe liked her? He had been drunk and had only said that he didn't dislike her. But coming from Draco that was probably as good as it was going to get. Still... when he was looking down at her his smoky eyes had shown her a glimpse into his depths. Depths she was both apprehensive and eager to explore.

Draco had been... wow. That whole day had been wow. From him touching her while they soared through the sky to what he had done with his mouth... just wow. Hermione had been in a daze all Sunday evening, not even listening to Ginny as she talked about how the Weird Sisters cancelled their tour because of the increased number of incidents and attacks. Even though his mouth had been her 'reward' for agreeing to fly with him, it felt like he had almost planned that whole day to be for her.

She knew it wasn't really true but still, that's what it felt like. He had been amicable, playful, and mischievous; even answering her questions about his past sexual history. She had felt a little strange asking about it, but wasn't able to stop her curiosity from getting the better of her. She had braved the risk of him getting angry with her for the chance to get to know him a little better. After all, she had lost her virginity to him and barely knew anything about him. He had said he didn't like talking about himself and it had proved true, even so, she was starting to get to know him. Maybe not facts about him, but... ideas about the kind of person he really was. Or at least, could be, when he wanted.

"Ginny, can I ask you something personal?" Hermione interrupted her.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, her tone changing from annoyed to interested.

Hermione looked around and then leaned in a little. "Have you and Dean ever... you know?"

Ginny blushed up to her ears. "We've done... stuff. But not that."

"Oh." Hermione wasn't entirely sure why she was asking, but maybe if she could talk about it with someone else she could figure out if these feelings were caused by the physical acts or something more.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just... just wondering."

"Did Ron tell you to ask?"

"What?" Hermione gasped. "No!"

"Harry?" Her voice softened.

"No one told me to ask."