Pretty to pretend

I've been gone for a little while, sorry i haven't updated in like years, but I'm glad some are still reading. i want to thank my reviewers, you really prompted me to update, I've had a little trouble with this chapter, but hopefully you all like it. please let me know.---oh and no smut yet. sorry.---
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The room was very hot. The heat and the darkness pushing against her long, fluttering, eyelashes. Moments passed as she struggled to clear the swollen fog laying thick over her senses, breaking free and throwing it off like a heavy blanket. Dark eyes looked up in to the canopy of the bed. Dark eyes that could not fathom where they could be, where they were resting. Attempting to move her head was a mistake, to look to the side, the muscles tensing in her neck, dragging a low moan from her throat. That was the only noise she was capable of making, her voice was gone completely, it felt as if she had been screaming for hours, this made her breath catch in her throat, catch in more than pain. Memories flooded her mind, memories like shocks all though out her body reminding her of what she had blissfully forgotten for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. She attempted to bring her hands to her face, to fend off the images assaulting her senses, the unforgettable pain blaring through her body, throbbing through her veins, ripping forth through her once again, she cried out this time, the raspy sob painful and pitiful as it tore from her mouth.

Draco was at her side in just a moment, staring down at her in awe. He had seen the after affects of people that had suffered the Cruciatus before, but never one that had awoken only hours after the fact, the recovery was a day at best in record. Her eyes were staring strait above her, at the canopy of her bed, but they were unseeing of anything but her memories. She was still trying to pull her hands up to her face, but her muscles had gone in to a seizure and would not move of her own accord. She was no longer moaning, but whimpering now, her breath coming out in shallow hitches, tears streaming down the sides of her face, pooling in her hair.

Summoning his vast knowledge of the forbidden curses he sprung in to action, knowing the only way to pull her out of this was a shock to the system, he needed to distract her from the horror of living through her own death, because she had realized that she was alive, and very well had not been, there for a little while.

He put his hand against her forehead and felt how fiery her flesh was, she had an astounding fever and was burning up from the inside. Looking behind him to the closed door of their connected bathroom he leaned down and scooped his hand underneath of her body, pulling her close to him he lifted her up, her head lolling on to his shoulder and she continued to whimper against his neck, her breath warm and moist against his flesh. She was only a foot shorter then him and the leverage was off, he had to shimmy her weight more up in his arms, in to the traditional bridal carry, bending her body almost double, he held her very close to him, feeling her sweat now begin to seep through his thin white shirt, he was uncomfortable in his now damp clothing. He walked easily over to the bathroom door.

Kicking the bathroom door open he flicked the lights on with a slight wave of his hand and was astounded by what he saw. This was his first time seeing the bathroom that they shared between the two of them and it was huge. All long white marble lines the bathroom was in the center of the room, sunken low in to the floor, he had only a moment to gaze at the breathtaking sight before lowering Hermione next to the steps and faucets to the tub. He turned them all on, there were five in all, different scents and colors gushing out of each one in turn, the tub quickly filled in a kaleidoscope of colors, a rainbow shimmering across the surface as he began to quickly disrobe down to his boxers. Looking down at Hermione’s frozen form on the white tiles he noticed she was no longer staring blankly at the ceiling but her eyes were closed and she was panting now, the sweat beading on her forehead, lips parted and dry. He stooped next to her and began to shimmy her cotton skirt down her wide hips, he didn’t realize what position this put him in until he looked down and noticed her legs were bare and her pink panties were the same as he had seen before, just earlier the day. That seemed like years ago to him. He scooped her up in to his arms again and stepped down in to the pool like tub, at the end of the steps he was up to his waist and Hermione was still untouched by the cool water, wading in further he looked at her closely, at the shirt she was still wearing, at how dirty it was from rolling around on the ground and the fact that one strap had been singed away. Had he done that to her in the woods while he had been chasing her with every one else, stunned to see her standing there alone, with only longbottom to assist her?

Staring down at her face, only inches from his own he contemplated what they were doing. What he was doing. Should he save her? Should he lay her on the side of the tub and leave her behind? Just turn out the lights and let her die, yet again? Was the first time the only time she should have had? Why was he here? And why the fuck did he care? Sure she was a pureblood, but what the fuck did that mean to him? They were cousins. But he hadn’t known that for the last 6 years he had known her, indeed he had hated her guts and she had hated his. Would he be doing this if she was still a Mudblood?

“Gods, please… I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.” he closed his eyes and pushed his thoughts away and listened to his god father, he had said to keep her safe to keep her alive, to not let her perish. Opening his eyes he looked down at the girl, helpless and dying in his arms, forgetting who she was he was going to save her. He would do his best and he was the best there was, after serverus Snape.

Lowering her feet slowly down in to the water he held her tight with one hand while the other now empty hand trailed water across her face, rubbing his fingertips over her purple eyelids, across her long eyelashes. Dipping his hand back in to the waters surface he lowered both him self and Hermione further in to the tub. Cupping water over her head he let it drop on to her hair and ran his fingers through the gnarled mess.

He was on his knees in the water now, her head slumped against his bare chest, her face in his neck, only her chin above the water, her hair swirling about in the pink water around her. Draco was thinking that it looked like a mermaids locks when she began to stir. She rubbed her face into his neck, her nose tickling him just below his ear, she took in a deep breath and Draco mover her away, just enough to see her face clearly, one hand moving some of her hair back from her face. Her head was lolling to the side as she tried to open her eyes and regain consciousness, she pulled her head up and it tipped back as she looked upon Draco for the first time. Her eyes growing large and dark her lips parting. Her eyelashes were clumped together and her face was regaining pink touches on her cheeks, just beneath her eyes. She stared at Draco as she brought her hand up to slowly touch his cheek, then the corner of his lips. Her other hand slipping up his arm and around his neck to touch his hair. Leaning closer to his face, her fingers running over his now parted lips she smiled a sad smile.

“I did die didn’t I? You must be an angel than.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, her arms holding on for dear life.


********************phew.so ya there you go. what the hell? so hermione thinks she did die huh? well i guess shes right, right? hmm. ne ways i want to let you all know that while writing this chapter i listeded to Kanye West's new song amazin' over and over again, some how the beat just fit perfectly. try it. thanks for reading. review please