From Wiltshire, With Love

Chapter 46

May 1998

The rain outside quickly morphed into a violent thunderstorm. Hermione stared out the window of her parents' guest bedroom at the lightning. The cracks of thunder were too loud and woke her up. She turned around to see Draco sleeping soundly next to her. How he continued to sleep like the dead through all this noise was beyond her.

She watched as the bright flashes of light played across his facial features, his bare chest, and the contours of his neck, shoulders and arms. The sheet was drawn up just over his bum, covering his privates. Hermione was immediately concerned by the bruises he had shown up with, leftover from what he hadn't been able to heal completely. She worried that someone was abusing him in some way. But he brushed off her worry, explaining that they were a result of more intensive combat training, and that he was better for it.

Hermione smiled at Draco's face, content in his slumber.

Looking back, sometimes she still couldn't believe all that had transpired between them. It was ten months ago that she had given him the Galleon. Spiteful and bound on the floor of the Muggle-borns he was tasked with bringing in, now he was risking himself for the Order. And they had fallen in love.

Her gaze stayed on Draco's sleeping form. His hair was forever falling in front of his eyes. She tenderly brushed it back, tucking the soft locks behind his ear where it was long enough to stay in place. He murmured something unintelligible but didn't wake.

Hermione closed her eyes again but still couldn't fall asleep. The occasional crack of thunder kept her awake. She sat up and gazed out the window, listening to the rain pounding on the windowpane. She hadn't showered after combat training today and still had dried fluids between her legs from their lovemaking. A hot shower would help her relax so she could return to sleep.

She left the bed and entered the bathroom, tying her hair back in a bun so it wouldn't get wet. Upon turning on the light switch, the bulb flickered and burned out, so she opened the blinds to allow the dim light from outside into the bathroom. After letting the water run for a few seconds to warm up, she stepped in the shower and soaped her body in the dark, clearing off the dried sweat.

Eager to get back to bed, she shut off the water, drying off while looking at the dark shadows across her body in the mirror. She bent over to wipe her legs and toes and stood up again to see Draco's reflection behind her.

Not having heard him enter the bathroom, she yelped at his unexpected presence. His posture was tense and arms at his sides, fingers curled like claws. Lightning illuminated his body with angular flashes and a crack of thunder made her jump again. She whirled around to face him and was immediately wary. He was agitated and his eyes were different. Much darker than she had ever seen before.

Had something happened?

"Are you alright?" she asked, studying the changed shade of his eyes curiously.

"Fine," Draco answered softly. His arms circled around her and cradled her to his chest, seemingly having calmed down. "I thought you left."

She tilted her head up again, his eyes were the stormy grey she was used to, but the poor lighting in the loo made it seem as if they had a dangerous gleam.

"I wouldn't leave you like that," she replied. "I just had trouble sleeping."

He bent down to kiss her and paused before his mouth met hers.

"Do you need me to tire you out?"

Hermione smiled and raised herself up on her tiptoes to press her lips against his, but he turned her away from him to face the mirror. She twisted her neck to try and capture a kiss, but he leaned back out of her reach with a smirk and motioned towards the mirror. Suddenly nervous at the prospect of watching herself, she gazed at his reflection standing behind her.