Beginning at the End ⏃ Dramione

Chapter 18: Armor

As the morning sunlight streamed through the flap of the tent, Hermione awoke, turning to avoid the light she quickly noticed the ache of her body from the previous night's activities.

She shifted slightly to peek over at Draco, and finding him still asleep, she turned fully over to watch him. She had not expected this feeling of being a part of him. Curious, she wondered how last night had been compared to his first experience. He had said this was his first relationship and that he had done things that were new to both of them last night, and that made her feel more than significant.

Only a few days earlier, she had been nervous even to look at him or disturb his sleep, but today she did not hesitate. Sweeping his hair aside, she kissed his forehead. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed pink scratch marks across his pale shoulders, she gasped, recalling that they were from her. As she grazed her fingers across them it caused Draco to stir.

Looking up at her with sleepy eyes, he smiled, "Hey..."

Hermione fixed him with a concerned look and began to reach for her wand, "I can heal those-"

Draco quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. "Don't you dare-"

"What? Are you afraid I can't-"

"Granger..."

It took a second for realization to sink in. "Oh..."

He wants them there? She snuggled under the covers and he held her closer.

Draco hummed, "I enjoyed myself last night..."

Hermione grinned to herself, "Was it... everything?"

Looking at her quickly, he scrunched his nose. Before she knew it, he was tickling her side.

"Okay! Okay!" she yelped.

Satisfied, Draco let up before shifting to lay on his back. Staring at the ceiling of the tent, he warned, "Don't make me take it back..."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, "Nope, you can't take it back. That one's going in the pensive."

Draco broke his brooding with a hint of a smile and for a moment, they only gazed at one another.

Draco broke the silence, "Your legs?"

"So far..."

He nodded, turning back to the tent ceiling in deep in thought.

Sensing a change in him, she queried, "Are you worried to leave?"

He ran his hand through his hair, "If your legs last today, we leave tomorrow."

"What are your concerns?"

Draco turned to the curtains hanging above the bed, remembering how recently they had just been hers, though now they felt like theirs. But for how long?

He tilted his head to look back toward her, explaining, "The Order."

Hermione nodded, "You want them to see that you've changed and that you don't have to prove yourself to anyone, because you've been through enough."

Draco looked back up at her, he could tell she was not finished, so he watched as she made a decent attempt at seeing his perspective on the matter.

"You don't want everyone to see you as an arrogant, prejudiced, privileged child anymore. But Draco, you can't control how everyone sees you. You're just going to have to be who you want to be, and they'll come around eventually... and those who don't understand probably have their own issues that they can't- they won't let go of."