𝐄𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐀

☾ Chapter 51

☾

He was healing her wounds with his wand in the apartment when she awoke.

"Draco?" She murmured sleepily, feeling quite fresh for being in such a diminished state.

"Granger," he answered, wand lightly trailing up her thigh, tickling her skin, "How do you feel?"

"Surprisingly... Incredible, considering the fact that I'm only in a bra and underwear."

He smirked, eyes temporarily set on her breasts before returning to his silent spells, "Your clothes were filthy with dirt. Besides, your muscles were so tense from the pressure you were immobile."

Hermione disregarded him. She didn't need to know she'd been temporarily paralyzed.

"Do you have it?" She glanced over to his backpack on the floor, sighing as she saw the silver handle embedded with rubies slightly poking out of its unzipped largest pocket.

He nodded, following her line of sight before glancing at her face, dewy from a calming draught. He noticed the fire in her eyes, a hard stare, and shook his head.

"You need rest, Granger."

"This needs to be over," she pleaded, sitting up with a slight wince, "As much as it is terrifying, we need to end this. Or nobody's safe."

He took a step away from the bed where she now sat on the edge. Despite being together for months with an inseparable desperate bond, it was still so difficult to communicate. She would say something, and he was too compliant to oppose her.

"Let me heal you twice over until you're as strong as a quidditch league player," he crouched down in front of her, placing a hand on her knee, "And then we can finish this. Yes?"

She nodded whilst trying to hide a slight eye roll, but before she could mumble a complaint his lips were on hers, soft and loving.

What should have been twenty minutes of healing he made two and a half hours, and when he was sure she could walk, sprint, jump and do a cartwheel with no issues, he allowed her to shimmy on a new set of clothes, pick up her bag and take the floo powder out of her pocket.

There was visible hesitation in her movements.

"If we go now, you need to promise me one thing," she spoke suddenly, holding his hand quite tightly as they stood in front of the dark wooden fireplace.

"Anything," his response was immediate. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her.

"Promise me you won't use your last apparation."

"Granger-"

"Promise me," she spoke, choking up as her throat constricted with tears, "Or I swear to Salazar I'll slap you when I meet you in hell."

He chuckled, squeezing her palm before facing her completely with a small smile.

"Why're you smiling? I'm being serious."

Draco wiped a tear from her cheek, reminiscing in their past before allowing his hands to drift down her neck, and along her collarbones.

"You said swear to Salazar," he mumbled, toying with the moonstone before trailing down to adjust the sleeves of her sweater, "I've really rubbed off on you, haven't I."

"Draco-"

"I promise, Granger."

He felt relief pulse through the moonstone with an underlying sense of doubt, it's magic still running through her blood.