Trick or Treat

- if you like this story go read my other fics - particulary PANDORA and FLAME!
warning : this chappie is beta-less because I wanted it up before the midnight hour on all Hallows Eve... what can I say I'm a dork? I hope you like this - Love Esme
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“How do I know he hasn’t bewitched you both?” Harry said cautiously. “Stop being ridiculous Harry, I want the ferret dead as much as you do right now… but I’m in his debt, you have to listen to reason!” Hermione pleaded.

Draco froze on the spot, his hands in the air, an expression of defeat across his aristocratic features. “didn’t mean to steal your show playing the hero Potter” Draco spat venomously. Harry’s fists clenched in anger and he was about to curse Draco before Hermione lunged and grabbed onto Harry’s arm.

Harry caught her before she plummeted to the floor and put her back into her hospital bed. “I’m fine! Just… listen, get Dumbeldore here, I’ll explain it all to him” Hermione said as she gripped her stomach. “He’ll cut and run before I get Dumbeldore here!” Harry hissed in exasperation. “He can’t get out of here, the Minister has this place under lock down as soon as we showed up, I think Dumbledore alerted him somehow”.

Before Harry could leave Hermione’s bedside Minerva McGonnogal walked through the hospital privacy curtains. Harry left to get Dumbledore as Hermione and Ginny explained what had happened that night. Hermione found herself growing nauseous when she explained that she was raped by three different men that night, not including her tryst with Draco in the mix.

Hermione would occasionally catch Draco’s eyes and could plainly see the look of intense shame on his face. She hated that side of her that felt such pity for him, how grossly misunderstood he really was. McGonnogal could not believe the news about Snape, but here was Hermione’s bruised body as living proof of his handiwork.

Draco settled back into his own bed and closed his eyes as he listened to Hermione re tell her story to Dumbledore and half the Order members that showed up minutes later after McGonnagal gave Draco an appraising, piercing gaze and decided she wouldn’t have his head. He awaited his fate, knowing he was probably going to get the worst and sent to Azkaban as soon as his wounds healed. He was more than surprised to find Dumbledore shaking his hand with that terribly annoying twinkle in his eye.

“It’s my fault Hermione came into the forest Professor, for that I am truly sorry… but I never thought they would do… what they did to her, I was a fool to underestimate how truly murderous and cruel Voldemort is. He’s a mad man, and my father said Voldemort would take it out on our family if I failed” Dumbledore silenced Draco with a waive of his hand before he could finish his thought. “Voldemort is gifted in deception and manipulation, it would be an easy trap to fall into Draco” Dumbeldore said softly.

Draco was taken aback, it was the first time the Headmaster ever addressed him by his first name, as if he was no longer just a student to him anymore. “Sir, they will murder me in Azkaban, the other Death Eaters won’t tolerate a traitor, but I await your decision” Draco said calmly. Dumbledore patted Draco’s shoulder paternally and smiled down at the blonde. “You will not be sent to Azkaban Draco, what you did tonight showed real courage and self sacrifice, you’ve saved Miss Granger and Miss Weasley from almost certain capture and demise, we will be able to keep you from the Death Eater’s hands”. Dumbledore said sagely.

Dumbeldore’s word was final and silenced all of Harry’s protests as well as any doubts in the Order of Draco’s innocence. As all the visitors petered out of the hospital room Draco found himself listening to Hermione’s shallow breathing in the darkness. He swore he could almost feel the heat of her body against his and he felt so close to her, it unnerved him, it made him feel disgusted with himself that he could think of being with her after what he had done.

“Hermione?” he asked into the darkness of the hospital room. He listened closely as she stirred from her shallow sleep. “Hmm?” she mumbled groggily. “What happened tonight? I can’t wrap my head around it all” he said softly. “I’m not sure what you mean Draco”. “I mean what did you do to me to make me… turn?” he said carefully.

“That was entirely up to you, I did nothing to ‘turn’ you as you say, I can’t explain everything that happened tonight but I have some ideas. It’s funny I was going to ask you the same question, why did you throw yourself in front of that curse anyways Draco?”

“All that was running through my mind at the time was that I couldn’t let that curse hit you, I couldn’t let anything else harm you” he explained. “Look, I’m not saying I’m not happy to be alive and that I’m not grateful to you, but let’s drop the melodramatic heroics here, we hate each other and we both know the real reason you switched sides” she said darkly.

“What exactly are you accusing me off? Spit it out now Granger” he growled. “You didn’t suddenly wake up and develop feelings for me, you did all this to save your own skin, you knew the Light would win and Dumbledore must know your motives too”.

He buried his head in his hands in defeat. “I’ll never be like your St. Potter that’s true, but I’ve never hated you and never will. You changed me, I could feel something churning inside me after you apparated me back here, if you really hate me than why didn’t you leave me for dead?” he spat. He could feel the electricity between them, the tension made the air almost crackle.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you, just be glad your not going to Azkaban” she said as she crossed her arms. “That’s not good enough for me! It’s not fair! I know it’s my fault you were raped and almost killed, I know you’ve hated me since the day you laid eyes on me, but in light of all that you still saved me and vouched for me, I need to know why, I deserve the truth!” he pleaded.

She glared at him through the semi darkness of the curtained hospital room, she could see the dim light reflecting off his stormy grey eyes. “I vouched for you because I know where your loyalties now lie, it would best serve you to join the light to avoid being destroyed by Voldemort or sent to Azkaban. I saved you because you saved me, and you could be useful to the Light” she explained coolly.

He reached out and pulled her bed closer to his, the clink of the metal beds was deafening within the sterile and desolate room. He loomed over her, his face within inches of hers. “Bollox” he said in a low growl. “You can’t intimidate me…” her words were cut short by Draco’s urgent mouth on hers. She was ashamed to feel herself swoon and tore her lips from his, panting she pulled her hand back to slap him, but he caught her wrist.

“Why didn’t you tell them I raped you too?” he said in a hoarse whisper. “Your a monster” she hissed. “Why didn’t you leave me to die if you won’t let me have you?” he said viciously. “B-because you didn’t rape me… I wanted it… I’ve wanted you as long as you’ve wanted me, I secretly hoped and prayed those letters were from you.. I fell in love with you through those letters. It wasn’t just the roses or the lust potion, they only peaked my interest more, I wanted you to make me a real woman, is that what you want to hear?!” she hissed.

She felt a cold shiver of fear give way to a searing heat runnng through her core at the slightly mad look in his eyes. It was the look of a predator going in for the kill. His lips crashed onto hers and her nails dug painfully into his shoulders. Their tongues lapping at one another hungrily as he cupped her face in his hands.

“Believe me when I tell you I love you, I never meant for any of this to happen” he whispered against her lips. She stroked his sleek platinum hair and regained her breath. “I love you too Draco”.

Draco and Hermione became inseparable over the following days as they recovered in St. Mungo’s together. Their relationship was greeted with disbelief and animosity from Harry and Ron, but it hardly phased Hermione. Draco took up a room with Hermione in Grimmauld Place and they knew a few days peace together as they worked together for the Order. Hermione had suffered only minor soreness and injuries from what the Death Eaters did to her, and Draco took her body to new heights as he worshiped her body in their room at headquarters.

After a particularly exhausting night of love making Hermione woke up later the next morning to find herself the only occupant in her and Draco’s bed. She noticed the familiar rose colored envelope filling the void on Draco’s now vacant pillow. She carefully pried the envelope open and poured over the letter.

My Love,
With a heavy heart I write this letter to you, now you know my true identity and my true feelings. I hope you will someday forgive me for my actions, but please keep in mind I am doing this for us. I have spoken with Dumbledore on many matters and have given him all the information on Voldemort and his Death Eaters that I could offer. He has provided me with some protection but we both agree that it would be best if I didn’t compromise your safety and the safety of the other Order members. The infernal mark on my arm provides Voldemort with access to me at any time, he could easily use me to pry into the Order and destroy everything we’ve worked for. If there was some other way around this I would have taken that route, but there is no other way. I must leave you, my heart, and live in the shadows of this life. Do not try to contact me, please forgive me and move on, I only want your happiness.
You’ve given me a reason to live, and a reason to die. You make my circle complete and you are the only happiness I’ve known in my life. I will never forget how you’ve saved my life, my soul, my heart.

Love always, DM.

And so dear reader, this is where our story ends. Draco came to the Light and found love, though short and sweet, but as time has taught us, it is always better to have loved and lost than to never of loved at all. Though this is the end for us, it is only the beginning for the life growing inside of Hermione, and so our character carry on the long and uncertain journey that is life…

-The End -