Falling For You ✘ Draco & Hermione *COMPLETED*

#23 Hidden

Draco checked his watch for what seemed like the hundredth time in a minute. It was 9'o clock; precisely one hour to get out of the building before curfew.

As he looked around at the familiar stone walls of the castle, he was surprised to find that he felt nothing. No sorrow, no doubt, just emptiness. Maybe it was because no happy memories were really attached to the place; none that didn't involve Hermione anyway.

"Are you ready?" came a voice from behind him.

The boy turned his head, meeting Hermione's struggling gaze. She was stood in the doorway, lugging two large bags behind her. Draco's furrowed brow softened, and he gave the girl a small smile. "Are you sure you can carry all that?" he chucked. "If you need some help-"

Hermione stuck her chin in the air defiantly. "I'm fine, thank you very much." the girl interrupted. "We don't have time to faff around."

She shuffled away from him slightly, but Draco simply shook his head and took one from her grasp.

"Here." he grinned as she rolled her eyes grumpily. "Allow me."

Hermione sighed in defeat, but instead glanced out the window quickly. It was getting late, and soon it would be practically impossible to navigate their way around outside.

"We best get going." Draco said, watching over her shoulder as a pinkish hue swallowed the sky of daylight. "It'll be dark soon."

Hermione swallowed slightly, turning on her heal to face the boy once more.
"Do you still think this is a good idea?"
she asked in a small voice. "I mean, it was all a bit in the moment, and I haven't really thought that far ahead..."

Draco sighed, shrugging.

"It's the only one we've got."

Hermione smiled up at him weakly, before making her way down the long corridor towards the exit. They passed a few groups students of students on their way, who glanced suspiciously at their bags, but didn't say anything.

"I feel awful," Hermione muttered under her breath, avoiding eye contact with the passing students. "We were chosen out of everyone to be head boy and girl, and look at us now!"

"It's either this, or a one way ticket back to Malfoy Manor." Draco replied quietly, shuddering at the thought. "I'm not about to spend the rest of my life locked away from civilisation."

When they finally reached the huge, looming doorway, Hermione took one last look at the hallway behind her. Though, as much as she told herself this was the last time she'd been seeing it, the girl wasn't so sure if that was the case.

"Let's get out of here." she murmured, turning her back on it once more, before venturing onwards.

It was a rather windy evening, which Hermione soon found out as he stepped outside the door. Hand in hand, Draco and Hermione made their way up the winding pathway to Hogsmede station, keeping as close together as possible to preserve heat.

It had only been 10 minutes since they'd left the castle, and Hermione was already regretting it.

"It's freezing!" she groaned, her teeth chattering viciously. "We should've just left in the morning..."

Draco could feel the girl shivering into his shoulder, her brown hair brushing against his cheek as she buried her face into his side. The boy glanced at her for a second, and as he did so, he stopped her in her tracks.