Isolation - a Dramione Fanfiction

14: Scars

Two days past. Their secret meetings in the Room of Requirements continued everyday for hours on end. But both had been too nervous to get more than a few inches of each other after the first night. But they would sit, talk about their childhoods or times in the war. Random hobbies and things they liked or didn't like at all. Hermione told him about the Muggle world, which he found fascinating.

"It's called a Microwave you plonker!" Hermione laughed.

"Ouch! Hurtful!" Draco said mockingly, putting a hand over his heart.

"Draco, you called it a Mickwafer!" She continued to giggle at the funny way he pronounced the word that was so familiar to her.

"Oh shut it, you!"

Draco would tell her about his magical childhood, back when it was enjoyable.

"Well when I was five or so, my father bought me my first broom. It was a training broom, mind you. But ugh, it was the best! And he taught me how to fly on Christmas in the middle of a blizzard! My mum kept yelling to come in, but I was just too excited. My father just didn't care, he was so proud that I was a natural." Draco smiled brightly at the bushy haired girl next to her.

"Of course you were a natural." She said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Says you! You can barely fly!" Draco poked at her.

"Rude!" Hermione pouted.

But this particular day, exactly one week into Holiday break, they sat and read together. Hermione had made a fuss about not studying enough since spending time with the Slytherin. Draco refused to study, but did agree that she could, as long as it was with him. It was Christmas Time after all, no one should be alone.

So he decided to read a book so he wouldn't disturb her. On the giant window seat behind the couch they sat by the window, reading their respective books in a content silence. Just enjoying each other's company.

Draco let out a small sound of something that resembled a scoff or small chuckle. He smirked at the line in his book, finding it quite humorous. "Hermione you gotta' hear this," He looked over to the girl, only to find her sleeping. A loving smile formed on his lips as he saw Hermione, peacefully dozing.

He moved over to her and carefully took the book out of her hands, placing it on the other side of both of them. She had a large sweater on, with the sleeves rolled up and her head leaning back against the wall behind her. He looked at her hand, debating whether or not to hold it. They hadn't touched since the night they kissed, but he missed her warm skin against his.

He noticed she had gotten her color back and her skin was no longer icy from the dementors. But Draco felt as though the breath was sucked out of him as he looked at her hand, resting on the seat she sat on, palm up.

On her wrist, were the scarred over letters. Mudblood. Draco felt sick to his stomach remembering the night when that horrid word was carved into her arm. He nervously moved closer to her, reluctantly moving his hand towards her arm. His hand hovered over the scar before hesitantly letting his thumb run over the letters gently.

She stirred a bit, but he felt as though he was in a trace. As his thumb rested on the letters 'B' and 'L', Draco felt as though he was reliving every painful moment of the night she received the scar. Hermione's eyes slowly opened and she smiled groggily, "Did I fall aslee-" she began to ask but stopped immediately as she realized what he was looking at. She quickly pulled her arm away, putting her sleeve down, snapping Draco out of his trance.

"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to... I just.." He stuttered over his words, not knowing how to explain what had happened.

"No, it's okay." She was silent only for a moment. "Sorry you had to see it." She spoke quietly, pulling her knees up to her chest.

He furrowed his eyebrows, "What? No." He scooted closer to her. "It doesn't bother me... Well other than the fact that it happened in the first place." He just prayed it didn't sound bad as he worried it would. "Ugh, I'm sorry I'm horrible at this stuff." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"No no, Draco, I understand." She gave him a small smile, putting her hand on his shoulder tenderly, causing him to withdraw hand from his hair and turn to look at her. "It's okay, don't worry." Hermione put her knees down and moved closer to the boy. She rolled up her sleeve and showed him the vulgar, careless writing on her arm.

Draco sighed deeply and held her arm is his lap, putting his hand over the marks. "I'm so sorry I didn't do anything," he sighed, bowing his head in shame. "I ran out only a few moments in, I couldn't take hearing you in pain. It was horrible... I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay, you would have been killed Draco..." Hermione reassured him, she understood why he didn't stop his aunt. He and his family would have been killed on the spot.

"None of this would have ever happened if I hadn't accepted this stupid thing!" Draco exclaimed angrily, pulling up his sleeve to reveal his faded dark mark. Though it wasn't pitch black against his skin, it was still predominate enough to make Hermione understand why he only wears long sleeves.

"Oh Draco..." She sighed, meeting his eyes. Hermione felt like she should have been scared or fearful. But she wasn't. She still somehow felt totally safe with the boy. She carefully ran her fingertips over his forearm. Draco flinched slightly. He had never been shown such a loving action towards his Dark Mark.

"It's ugly, I know. I wish I had never let them force me into it." He muttered venomously.

"Again, you would have been killed Draco." Hermione tried to assure him.

"Why are you being so understanding on this?" He quirked a brow at her.

"Why are you so understanding about this?" She gestured to her arm.

"Hermione, love," her heart skipped a beat as he called her that for the first time. "There's nothing about that I wouldn't understand."

"Well, I trust you, Draco. I know you didn't really have a choice. Yes, it may bother me slightly, but its all in the past. You've changed. That's what matters now." Hermione leaned forward, pulling him into a hug. Draco melted into her embrace, hugging her back tightly. He breathed in her scent, like an old book and the air, right before it rains, mixed with something floral... maybe lilies? He wondered. Hermione felt protected in his arms. She sighed in content and felt Draco's arms tighten around her at that.

They pulled away from their embrace after a while. Draco looked down at her with a loving look. He raised his hand, placing it on her cheek. "You're amazing, do you know that?" Draco spoke his mind, shocking them both. Hermione smiled at him, her heart felt like it was going a mile a minute. His hand slowly slid to the back of her neck, causing chills to go down her spine.

Draco hesitantly leaned forward, lowering his head slightly, to meet her level, pausing a few inches from her face. Hermione's smile faded slowly as Draco closed the distance between them, pulling her towards him. Her heart fluttered. Pure bliss, she thought.

They kissed deeply, their lips moving against each other as if it was a dance. Her hands moved up his chest and shoulders to the back of his neck. Their eyes shut they didn't even notice the shadowy cloaked figured outside the large window behind them.

Draco broke the kiss for air. They both looked at each other with goofy grins. Hermione pulled her legs up on the seat and put her head on his chest, leaning into him. Draco was shocked by the action but happily obliged, carefully placing his arm around her.

"Draco... are you cold?" She asked nervously.

"A bit, why?" He looked down at her.

But she didn't even have time to speak before they heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from outside.