The Fallout by EveryThursday (reposted)

Twenty-Nine

Day: 1463; Hour: 16

Hermione finally sleeps -- it feels like one of those long nights of hard sleep where you dream nothing and wake up feeling awake rather than like you might pass back out if you stand. She couldn't have slept more than two hours after they had collapsed from the enthusiastic celebrations, but she still feels rested. Draco had taken his time claiming every bit of her body, and every sound she made, as part of his birthday present. If that's what she got on his birthday, she is honestly looking forward to her own for the first time in years.

She would have slept even longer had it not been for the knock at the door. There is a rustling of papers, taps against the floor, and then his hand brushes across her chest as he pulls the blanket up. Goosebumps are left in his wake before he walks away, and then the door creaks open, followed by whispers.

She opens her eyes, surprised to find twilight outside the window. She reaches up to rub the sleep from her eyes and looks toward the door when the whispering stops. Draco is looking back at her and she gives him a lazy smile. She feels content, sated, and just nice. Besides, it's his birthday and that calls for a little more than her typical morning moodiness.

His lips twitch and he looks distinctly like a satisfied male before turning back to the crack in the door. She can't deny him his role in her current mood, so she doesn't roll her eyes like she feels the need to do. He must have been up for awhile, already showered and dressed as he is. His-- The door opens wider and her mood and current line of thought quickly vanish as Harry is revealed on the other side. Draco abandons her as he slides past Harry, and then it's just the two of them as he steps in and shuts the door. She can't say she's looking forward to anything that's about to happen.

He stands there for a moment, unsure. "I would sit on the bed but... ew."

Her face flames and she rolls her head to look up at the ceiling. "Harry---"

"I can't say I ever wanted to hear you shagging someone, let alone... But thankfully, Ginny was there to distract me." She knew she had been too loud, she just had not cared at the time.

"T-M-I, Harry."

"Imagine how I felt!" He laughs, and it actually sounds genuine. Then, after a short wait, "You and Malfoy, huh?"

"You should know that with me... Well, it says a lot about who he has become."

"I... You know, I've grown up, Hermione. I worked with Malfoy a couple times before this, and I heard a lot of things, some... some rumors about this, and I knew he had grown up too. It took a lot for me to accept the change in him, to maybe... to maybe forgive him. But after I killed Voldemort, I just... I wanted, I needed to be done. With the past, and that hate I felt inside. Malfoy has proved himself... especially to you. And you, I trust, even if I really don't get it..." He trails off at her watery smile, but his eyes take on a hard look. "If he fucks that up at all, I'll--"

"I know."

"Good. Back to the trust thing... I have something I have to do tonight, so I was wondering if you would lead Ginny and the new Phoenix on the team. It's just for tonight."

Hermione blinks up at him. Did he know that they gave her the 'easy' missions for years, that Harry himself didn't get her for the 'final battle', that she had led a team perhaps five times, and it hadn't always gone right? Usually - because usually they didn't have three leaders in charge, only one - they were split into groups on a mission, but no one actually led that group. Now here he was, trusting her with Ginny's life.

"You're sure about this?"

He shrugs and sits down next to her on the bed despite his previous "ew". She holds the blanket tighter to herself to prevent it from slipping down until he gets settled. "I heard stories, you know. I mean, no details of the missions, of course. But I heard stories about you from people who came through the Recovery Team."