Smirks, Books and, Dirty Looks

Safe Space pt. 2

Crisp fresh night air hit Draco all at once. Cooling his clammy skin, he was nervous and honestly just plain scared. Hermione sat on the squishy porch couch that Luna had placed there for moments like this. He stared at her figure in the night light, she looked radiant and suddenly Draco wasn't sure why he was afraid in the first place. He admired her features as she sat with legs crossed hunched over, and her face being supported by her hands. Hermione did deserve to be treated better of that he was completely sure of. Draco definitely wanted to be the one to clear her mind and love her more than anyone. Walking towards her she didn't even notice him as she was lost in thought. 

Draco sat down quietly so as to not disturb her. They sat there in silence, one contemplating her next move, and the other contemplating if this is what Blaise and Luna had meant by supporting her. After a while Draco felt her begin to sit back her shoulders looked like they were relaxing and that made him relax as well. He draped his arm over her side of the couch and laid his head back enjoying this moment. Hermione sighed and unconsciously eased herself into him. The moon was beginning to come up and the garden that Luna had planted was starting to glisten in the moonlight with blooming night flowers.  Hermione watched as every critter had a place and every flower seemed to have a certain glow to it. 

The scenery was beautiful and it made her heart hurt for some reason. She felt as tears flowed quietly down her face. How was it that she still had any left? Her life is more confusing now than it was ever. At least she wasn't alone, she had her daughter who she needed to be strong for. She had friends like Blaise and Luna who are willing to accept her in their home without circumstance. Last but not least she had Draco, who for some reason didn't leave her alone in that room. Hermione felt grateful, she felt loved in a strange way. The world felt quiet, almost peaceful in this moment and she felt safe for once. Swiping at some wayward tears she felt a hand drape over her shoulder. 

"This is nice isn't it?" She heard the husky voice as she turned to see his gorgeous face looking down on hers. She tried backing up a bit but he held her in place softly, "There is nothing for you to shy away from. We are just sitting here enjoying the night breeze." Hermione looked at her hands and then turned to face the garden. "You know, I never really noticed how beautiful your eyes are Draco." She shyly said which caught him off guard. "Not as beautiful as yours love." Hermione side eyed him, "That's twice already." He looked back at her puzzled. "I beg your pardon? I'm not following." She smiled. "You called me love." He blushed, "Well, I guess I did." He looked away embarrassed, Hermione chuckled. "I like it." 

She nuzzled more into his side and he held her close. "Are you alright, love?" He hated to ask but felt like it was now or never. She stayed quiet and he forced himself not to look at her. She shook her head no. "Do you want to talk about it?" Again she shook her head no. "Okay well, I am here to listen to you. Unconditionally. No judgement or comments. I'm just a sounding board." She rested her head on his chest and place her hand on his abdomen. "I know and I appreciate you, but I don't really want to feel anything. My life is in shambles and my mind feels like it is going to explode from frustration. I have no words to describe how or what I am truly feeling." She drew circles on his abdomen absentmindedly and it tickled him but he liked it. "If you just want to sit here in silence we can. I just want to offer you the help and understanding you need." He paused and looked at her intently.

"Life is hard and it is not always simple. As much as you think about it you really will never understand why this is happening to you. All I want you to know Hermione is he's one dumb bloke. You are perfect and beautiful and he definitely does not deserve you." She nodded. "Thank you." She paused and thought for a minute before she continued. "He wasn't always like this you know." Draco just hummed feeling like he should stay quiet. "He used to be excited about everything we did together. When we got together during the war, he was protective. Even when Crabbe set the room of requirement on fire using the fiendfyre curse, he mustered all this  braveness to protect me. I knew then for some odd reason that he would never once again be that brave." She took a breath and continued. 

"After that, well. He lost Fred and that changed his heart, as it should for anyone in that situation. When we won the war against the Deatheaters and Voldemort we decided that we would get married. Being so young we were happy and in love, it only seemed natural that was the next step." Draco looked out into the night he was filled with sadness that she felt just because they were young and in love it was natural to just decide to get married after so much trauma. "Molly was ecstatic and so was everyone else. We were just on a cloud of happiness that no one noticed when that cloud started to come down from so high up. As the wedding grew closer I got nervous. He was starting to show signs of PTSD like all of us were. I ignored it and continued to plan and go to school so I could complete the requirements to open up my practice."

Draco traced circles on her shoulder lost in her memories. "I thought if I could just finish, I could treat him before it got worse." She shook her head in disbelief. "Then he began to drink heavily here and there. I caught him once drinking with a bunch of Beauxbaton students who were 5th years at The Hogs Head Inn one night that he said he was working. I don't know why that didn't give him away. He pleaded to me that it was nothing and he was just treating his sister-in-laws alma mater to a drink. I forgave him and 2 months later we were married." She wiped at her face and Draco felt like an ass for just sitting there and not going to find the weasel to beat him bloody. "We had Sabrina a year later. During my labor he wasn't really present stating that he had work but something deep inside me thought something was horribly wrong. I gave birth and he was happy, but it was short lived. After Sabrina had turned 3 months, his drinking began getting more and more out of control." 

She quieted herself and took three deep breaths before whispering, "He hit me for the first time on my birthday and forced himself on me shortly after to make it better." She said bitterly at the end. "Everything else just got worse over time and I became distant from him every time it happened. It's just my new normal I thought and moved on." Draco closed his eyes in rage and felt his core tense. "Hermione, I am sorry you went through that. Thank you for sharing all that with me." He hugged her shaking body and placed his hand on her head in a comforting way. "This is not your fault. It never was, you tried your best and that's all that matters." He shushed her in a soothing low voice, as her body had began to be racketed by sobs. "Draco, I'm so frightened what am I going to do? Sabrina knows something is wrong and I hope I haven't damaged her." 

He held her and sighed. " There is no easy way about this unfortunately. You know what you have to do. I will be here if you need anything but until you are ready I think it is best you stay here. Just clear your mind and think about the next steps." They sat there in silence, occasional sobs and hics came out of Hermione but Draco was unfazed. He just picked her up and sat her over his lap and rocked her. Never once letting her go, he placed tender kisses on her head and some how Hermione managed to lift her head, there was something new in her eyes. A type of hunger Draco knew to well, she wanted him and he wanted her. Whether this was just a consolation type of hunger or real he didn't care she needed him and he was ready to give her every part of him no matter the consequences.

"Kiss me Draco, kiss me and make this all go away." She pleaded with him and he nodded and slowly placed a kiss on her tear stricken lips. They continued to kiss for who knows how long. The feel of her mouth on his was so erotic it made him mad with passion. He wanted to make everything disappear for her. Make her feel like she had an out in this kiss, it was all he could think of and he felt her want more. Hermione would ultimately move her body so that she was straddling him. Pressing her body into his, with each movement of their lips and every touch of her skin against his hands she felt like she was drowning. Her response to him was beginning to become erotic and he couldn't help but roam her body even more which she seemed to like and encourage.

 "Are you guys serious? I have neighbors you know." They both separated so quickly Hermione fell to the floor looking at the door where Blaise Zabini stood watching them very amused.