Anyone But Me

Chapter Fifty

Hermione sat there, still as a statue, while she watched Draco try to tempt her with a better look at the necklace she had wanted to see only moments ago. Ensnared in what amounted to a one-sided battle of wills that they both knew she would inevitably lose. He had much more patience than she could ever hope to possess.

"Come here." He coaxed, reaching forward in a gesture for her to take his hand.

She stared at his hand before rolling her eyes at herself and giving in. After placing her hand in his she let him help her slide across the blanket. Moving with the intent to cuddle up to his side, she was surprised when his other hand came up to grasp her hip and pulled her between his legs. He guided her so that she sat with her back to his chest.

Encircled by his long legs and arms, the feeling of being secure and guarded came over her. The same feeling that allowed her to sleep so soundly on the nights she was lucky enough to be able to stay with him. She could not help the sigh of contentment that escaped and willed herself not to blush over the show of placidity.

He pulled her curls back off of her shoulder which allowed her to look over and see him staring down at her. "Better?"

"Much." She admitted, there was no use in trying to deny it when her body had just turned to jelly against him. The smile that flashed across his face was worth any possible embarrassment she may have inwardly felt.

"Good." Draco reached over, grabbed the box and opened it once again before placing it in her lap.

The unmistakable tingle of eyes on her warned that he was watching but she could not muster up the effort to care. Her jaw fell open as she took in the antique gold locket. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry she had ever seen in person. The intricate design of a flower laid upon the dark teal face and tiny diamonds helped define each petal, instead of pushing it over the top they only added to the understated elegance.

For a second she allowed herself to touch the detailed knots of gem and metal. She shook her head and looked back at him. "I can't take this."

"And why the hell not?" He asked, clearly insulted by her second rebuke of the night.

"That is worth more than my entire tuition this year, Draco. It's... It's way too much." She argued, staring down at the decorative front to the locket.

When she went to close the box he wrapped his fingers around her wrist before leaning down and asking. "Who said I spent a single knut?"

"Oh, so you resorted to thievery then?" Hermione questioned.

"Is it thievery when it comes from your own family's vault?"

The moral quandary pulled her up short for only an instant and she replied. "If you did not have permission, yes, it still constitutes stealing!"

"Good thing I had permission then, no?" Cockiness rang in his tone and she peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. His smug smirk sat comfortably on his lips as if he did not have a care in the world.

"You really expect me to believe your mother consented to you giving anything, much less a Malfoy heirloom, to a muggleborn?" She shook her head again. This time at the absurdity of the words that had come from her own mouth. There was no universe in which Narcissa Malfoy, wife to Lucius Malfoy- known Death Eater, would ever condone her son's flirtation with a "contaminated" bloodline. Hell... She was way past contaminated, she was one of the reservoirs of infection as far as the other woman was concerned.

"Well, I didn't say that." Draco said evasively. "I might not have given her any more specific details than she needed, but I assure you she was quite indulgent when she found out I was interested in gifting it to a particular girl."