One Bite ✔️ (#Wattys2017)

Chapter 16...

The rainbow disappeared and the light and mist were gone. Draco and Hermione looked at each other, their eyes filled with fear and shock. Hermione's eyes glistened with tears and Draco wrapped his arms around her. She held on tightly to him, her face buried in his chest, her tears soaking into his tunic.

    "We'll be alright, we'll be alright," he whispered in her ear over and over again, rubbing her back soothingly, "We'll be alright," she continued to cry into his tunic. He looked up at the gods and goddesses gathered around, "Please leave us for a moment," all of them except Andromeda (Iris) bowed their head and left, understanding. Andromeda (Iris) looked at the pair in pity, "Yes, Andromeda," his voice was calm and he continued to hold Hermione in his arms.

    "I just wanted to wish you both luck and I know for certain that Astoria (Artemis) will be joining you soon," Andromeda smiled lightly, "She is making a few stops before coming down here."

    "Thank you, Andromeda," he paused, "For everything," he said if for everything and she understood. She nodded in response and she disappeared before them, leaving behind a rainbow which disappeared soon after.

    "Are we alone?" Hermione said between her tears and she hiccupped.

    Draco chuckled and looked down at her, cupping her chin so she looked up at him, "We are," his hand slid up to cup her neck, and she hiccupped again.

    "I'm sorry," she said, her cheeks blooming with blush and she looked down, "I don't like the sound I make," she hiccupped again, "When I hiccup."

    "It's okay," Draco commented, "I actually find it to be quite cute."

    Hermione laughed slightly and hiccupped again, "I'm not usually this emotional either."

    "Hey," Draco said, his hand running through her hair, "Hey, it's okay. Everyone is allowed to be emotional especially you, Hermione. Not everyone has a crazy person as a mother," he joked innocently and Hermione chuckled a little.

    "She is pretty crazy, isn't she?" and Hermione sighed, the laughter leaving her system quickly, "I never saw it, Draco. The signs were there and I never saw them," she looked at him, new tears in her eyes, "I'm such a little fool."

    "No, you're not," Draco said, his fingers drying the tears on her cheeks, "You are not a fool, Hermione. You are beautiful and intelligent and kind and I love you. I'll admit,  I do wish we had met differently than we did, but I am not sorry. You want to know why?" Hermione nodded, slightly confused at his words, "Because I got to meet you and got to have this love with you. It is the best thing that has ever happened to me. You are my soul mate, Hermione, and we will survive this war together."

    Hermione smiled brightly, her tears now flowing out of happiness, "I love you too, Draco," and she grabbed his neck, pulling him down to her level. She touched their lips together, molding once more perfectly to each other. Draco moaned, his hands latching onto her hips, bringing her closer to him. Hermione's hand traveled into his blonde hair, yanking at it softly. Their armor clanged together suddenly causing both of them to smile against each other.

    "Hmmmm," Draco murmured against her lips, "Hermione," he tried to speak, but she was persistent. Draco chuckled inside his mind, my how the tables have turned. Once upon a time, he had been the one all over her and now she couldn't keep her paws off him, "Hermione, my dear, I have a gift for you."

    "Hmmm, what?" she broke away from him for second before placing her lips back on his. She was so addicted to him now like those pomegranate seeds she had eaten; she couldn't stop herself from having him and tasting him on her tongue.

    "Hermione," Draco moaned, "No matter how," he paused, his hands traveling up to her back, his fingers lightly dancing on the bare skin between her armor and her arm, "much I want to keep doing this," Hermione's fingers tightened in his hair at his sudden gentle attack on her arms, "There is a war going on."

    Hermione sighed and let go of his lips, looking into his silver eyes with her soft chocolate brown ones, "What is this gift, you speak of?"

    Draco stepped away from her and to the thick oak table sitting against the wall. On top of it were several maps of the world, both immortal and mortal, and a cloth bundle. Draco picked up the bundle in his arms and walked back to her, a devilish smirk on his face, "I had the armory make this for you this morning and they just finished it," he opened the bundle open in his arms.

    Within it was a long, black bow. Engraved along the dark wood was silver vines and leaves and the string was strong hew. The bow lay on top of the sheath which was strong, black leather and mirrored the bow. The arrows that lay within were made of black wood also, but the feather ends were red, blood red. Her jaw dropped in shock at such a gift, "Draco," she reached for it, her fingers running along the smooth wood. She picked it up, the wood molded to her perfectly, and she smiled. She picked the sheath, the leather soft beneath her fingers. She looked back at the cloth and noticed that there were two daggers lying there still. They were quick silver like Draco's eyes and the handle was wrapped in black cloth again. Laying the bow and sheath on the ground at her feet, she took the daggers in her hands and placed them in the two strips of leather wrapped around her thigh. Draco looked down at her creamy thigh and resisted the urge to touch her. Hermione looked up at him, a knowing smirk on her face.

    Draco cleared his throat, "One more thing," he shifted the cloth in his arms and Hermione watched as it transformed into a cloak, "A Queen needs a cloak," Hermione took it from his arms and swung it around her body. The cloth was thin and the bottom dragged across the ground. On her shoulders was white fur and Hermione recognized its consistency.

    "Lion?" Hermione asked and turned to Draco. He nodded a loving smile on his face.

    "For my courageous soon-to-be wife," Draco responded and Hermione smiled up at him, love glowing in her eyes.

    "Thank you, my Draco," she said and stood up on her tiptoes, her lips touching his.