Bound by Fate

Chapter 31: The Place of Comfort

The moment they Disapparated, the world around them reformed in a rush of cool air and silence. Hermione blinked, her vision adjusting to the dim light of their new surroundings. She had no idea where Draco had taken her, but as her eyes began to focus, she realized they were standing in a familiar place—the one place she had always felt safe.

The cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth.

Hermione's heart tightened. This was where she, Harry, and Ron had spent weeks hiding during the war. It was a place filled with memories—both painful and comforting—and Draco had known this would be where she would want to go. He had brought her somewhere she felt safe.

But safety wasn't what Hermione was feeling right now.

She pulled away from Draco's grasp, her emotions a swirling storm of confusion, anger, and relief. The weight of everything he had just done—abandoning his wedding, leaving Astoria, defying the Unbreakable Vow—crashed over her like a tidal wave.

"What were you thinking?" she demanded, her voice trembling with anger as she turned to face him. "You should have gone through with it! You can't just—"

Draco's eyes flashed with intensity as he stepped closer to her, cutting her off. "I couldn't," he said, his voice low but fierce. "I couldn't marry her, Hermione. Not when I'm in love with you."

His words hung in the air between them, and for a moment, Hermione's anger faltered. She had wanted him to go through with the wedding, to fulfill his obligations for the sake of his family. But hearing him say it—hearing the raw emotion in his voice—made her heart twist painfully.

"I didn't ask for this," she whispered, her voice breaking as tears welled up in her eyes. "I didn't ask you to choose me."

Draco reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands, his touch warm and comforting. "I didn't choose you," he murmured, his forehead resting against hers. "I just couldn't choose anyone else."

Hermione's resolve crumbled. She let out a soft sob, burying her face in his chest as the emotions she had been holding back for so long finally spilled over. The weight of everything—the pull, the wedding, their love—came crashing down around them.

And then, she hugged him.

It wasn't just a hug. It was a release—a surrender to everything they had been fighting. The tension, the pain, the desire—it all melted away as they held each other, their hearts beating in sync. For the first time, Hermione let herself fully accept the pull between them, the deep, undeniable bond that had been growing since the moment they first kissed.

Draco held her tightly, his arms wrapping around her as if he were afraid she might slip away. His heart was racing, but for the first time, it wasn't from fear or uncertainty. It was from the overwhelming love he felt for the woman in his arms.

"I love you," he whispered against her hair, his voice trembling with emotion. "I've loved you for so long."

Hermione pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face lifting to meet his gaze. "I love you too," she whispered, her voice raw and full of truth.

They stared at each other for a long moment, the air between them crackling with the intensity of their emotions. And then, without another word, Draco bent down and kissed her—softly at first, but with a growing hunger that neither of them could resist.

The kiss deepened, their hands roaming over each other's bodies with a desperate need for connection. The pull between them had become too strong to ignore, and now, in this moment, they were finally giving in to it completely.