Snow Storm - D.M , H.G

14. Busted by the Greenhouses

Ever since Christmas night when he and Hermione shared a bed for the first time, things with the two of them had felt different. They were more comfortable together, even when they weren't shagging. When sitting on the couch reading, Hermione would put her feet in his lap. When the term started up again, they cross referenced each other's homework to be thorough. It was when he stretched his arm across the back of her chair during a Prefects' meeting one Friday evening that he realized that they were getting too comfortable. If it wasn't for a warning look from Ginny, he probably wouldn't have noticed what he'd done.

But even as comfortable as they'd come to be with one another, he still got the same thrill out of brutalizing Hermione at every opportunity. A couple weeks into January, Draco and Hermione had traded patrol routes with another pair, and were patrolling the path between the castle and the greenhouses. It was a three hour shift, and three hours of walking back and forth across the same quarter mile path was dull work. Thankfully, they'd brought a small stash with them. They took a break down by the greenhouse, in the trees, to give themselves a boost.

Draco held the small scoop up for Hermione. It was still cold and snowy, so there wasn't anywhere to sit and set up proper lines. "Here you go, love," he said to her. He stood in front of her, blocking her from the wind, which was particularly harsh tonight.

When Hermione had invited him into her bed, the thought had crossed her mind that it might change the dynamic of their relationship, and she had been right about that. She was so resistant to the idea of actually dating anyone this year that she thought that she wouldn't like it, but the truth was, it was nice. She enjoyed his company, it seemed both of them just enjoyed touching each other and being close to each other. She still told herself they weren't in love, it was silly to think that. They simply enjoyed each other on a new level now. That was it.

She told herself this alot, as if she was trying to convince herself of it. The incident at the prefects meeting had been a bit of an eye opener, and she realized just how comfortable he was getting. That couldn't happen, at least not around prying eyes. She was thankful for Ginny, who was looking out for them. After what had happened between her and Ron, Ginny had been more on her side than Ron's, seeing as the entire family had heard what he had done. As far as they knew, and as far as she knew, the baby was Ron's. She didn't know that Draco had had his own slip ups, and if she were to ask, she'd be giving herself away.

She was enjoying the patrol with Draco, as she enjoyed almost everything they did together these days, so when they stopped to get a bump, she smiled when he called her love. He had been doing that from time to time, and she kind of loved it. She leaned in, inhaling the powder he offered, and then took the little scoop to do the same for him. The wind threatened to blow away what they were trying to snort, and it was just easier with four hands. She did this for him twice, knowing that he always took twice as much as she did being bigger and all, and then she put it all in her pocket for safe keeping.

She leaned back against a tree, rubbing at her arms dramatically. "I'm a bit cold, think you could warm me up?" She asked him playfully.

Draco sniffed deeply, the cold weather making his nose want to run, especially after using. When Hermione mentioned that she was cold, he was in the process of lighting a cigarette. He knew she didn't love it when he smoked, but he was easily more addicted to the nicotine than he was the cocaine. He took a long hit from the cigarette and blew it out to the side before taking a step closer to the Head Girl, putting his arms around her small body. "What'd you have in mind?" he asked her. He didn't think she wanted him to simply stand there holding her. He took another hit.

She didn't love when he smoked, but at least he looked good doing it, so she never really gave him grief about it. She looked up at him, feigning innocence, "Well, you have one free hand..what can you manage with that?" She asked him, pushing her middle towards him, and guiding his hand that wasn't holding his cigarette toward the inside of her jeans.