Smirks, Books and, Dirty Looks

Bittersweet Aftertaste

The kiss was soft delicate almost forbidden. Both froze up the moment their lips connected almost to frightened to continue, it wasn't until Hermione began to kiss him back. There was so much fear and awe mixed with confusion it tasted bittersweet. He smelled like freshly mown grass and something she couldn't really put her finger on, he smelled like smoke? Draco was slowly reaching up to touch her face making sure to burn the moment into his brain. The way her lips felt against his, her soft smooth cheek, everything about her. 

A few seconds had passed and Hermione didn't want it to end, but then images of Ron blasted into her brain. She wished they would just go away, not wanting this moment to be tainted by him. She started to pull away resigned to the fact that she was still married and indeed she was not free to act like this. That's when he bit her lip softly enough to keep her there, unexpectedly moaning into his mouth. Draco opened his eyes and viewed her face, he noticed the laugh lines around her eyes looked like she had laughed enough for a lifetime. They were beautiful even when closed. Hermione slowly continued to kiss Draco, Ron long forgotten in her mind as the desperate need to fill a void appeared. 

As Draco continued to watch her face become alive in this moment he noticed a faint blueish hue on the left side of her eye. It looked like it was almost gone but it was still apparent that it was not a natural part of her delicate features. He made a note to ask her about it later and continued to bask in the now intensified kiss. She had moved closer to him her hands shakily on his face while one of his hands was on her neck and the other had slowly traveled to the small of her back. He smirked into the kiss and he felt her lips turn up with him. Slowly and as naturally as they could they started to let go. Each one clearly not ready to stop as they pecked each others lips slowly leaving each others airspace. 

Hermione sighed and shyly looked away. Draco sat down by her feet coming to terms with what just happened. "Draco?" He hummed. "Why did you do that?" He looked at her and blushed rubbing the back of his neck, "Honestly, I have been wanting to do that since the first boat ride to Hogwarts." Hermione was looking at him evenly. "Why?" Draco felt uncomfortable. "I don't really know. I remember seeing this girl staring me down with the most warm chocolate brown eyes I had ever seen. She looked magnificent in the dark sky. All I can say is that she took my breath away in that instant." Hermione blushed and whispered to herself, "You really were staring back at me then." 

Draco looked at her and nodded. "Are you okay?" Hermione was caught off guard. "Why do you ask that?" Draco rubbed the back of his head again and looked at her almost study like gauging her response. "Your eye." Hermione looked confused. "Hermione, your eye, I noticed it was bruised." Her face changed dramatically as she looked away from him, "Draco, don't. Please." He wanted to know more but felt that if he pushed more he would ruin this moment forever and for once he actually shut up and followed his instinct. But Draco couldn't get over the defeated look in her face when he mentioned the bruised eye, it pained him to see her look like that. "I'm sorry." Hermione looked at him not saying a word. 

Moments passed and there hung a dead silence in the room all you could hear was their breathing that had now returned to normal. She could no longer continue to keep quiet and remembered the way he had smelled. "Why do you smell like smoke?" Draco looked up at the ceiling, "Why do you think? You're a muggle aren't you." She sneered at him, "Do you really smoke?" He looked back at her and nodded, "Occasionally, it helps me calm down. It relaxes me." She nodded. "Okay, as long as it's not all the time, I can understand that. Not that it's okay but I get it. Before I became a therapist, I actually smoked here and there. It does clear your mind but it's a nasty habit." He looked that the witch and nodded making a note of what she just said.

"Would you prefer that I don't?" She hummed in thought, "That's not really up to me. You are free to do with yourself what you see fit." She shrugged. "Honestly I've never been able to change someone's mind let alone their unhealthy habits--apart from trauma obviously." They both stayed quiet for a while. The clock was ticking so loudly. He was the first to break the silence. "Hermione?" Looking at him she responded too quickly. "Yes?" He got closer to her, "Your lips are really soft." Hermione felt herself come closer to him as well and smiled, "How soft?" He smirked at her and thought about how to answer that. "Softer than when I dream about kissing you." She giggled like a school girl.

"You dream about me do you?" He was directly in front of her, "Every night and every time I close my eyes." Her lips twitched upwards. "Well, well, well. Does your mother know you dream about a muggle?" He chuckled, "If she doesn't know, she will one day." He closed in and licked her lips as she felt her legs tremble. "Draco, what are we doing?" She whispered. "Everything and anything you want us to do Hermione." She just laughed and closed the gap kissing him. A couple of seconds had passed when there was a knock on the door. They quickly spilt apart and fixed themselves tucking any loose strand and tousled clothing article back into place. 

After checking to see if Draco looked presentable, he nodded back at her as if to assure her they both were okay, sitting apart form each other Hermione spoke as calm as she could. "Come in." Lavender walked in, "Sorry to bother you Hermione, Draco." She looked at one then the other and back to the door she had closed took a small breath and looked back at Hermione. "Ron is here. He wants to speak with you." Hermione could tell that Lavander was uncomfortable which could only mean one thing. Ron was probably intoxicated and he was here looking for a possible fight. Sighing she tried to compose herself and looked at Draco who was watching her. 

"Thank you Lavender, please tell my husband to wait for me in the other room." She nodded and walked out. "Draco." He looked away and nodded. "Go. I knew what I was doing, and I'll still be here when you come back." Hermione looked at him apologetically. "Go, Hermione." She stood and walked to him softly reaching over to grab his jaw which had begun to tense willing him to look at her and said, "I'm sorry." She pecked his lips and walked away. Draco looked at the place where she had stood just moments before she walked out the door and his heart felt empty once again.