Shades of Grey

Chapter 14

Hermione awoke gently, her transition to consciousness like a gentle wave.

Opening bleary eyes, she blinked several times to clear her vision only to see bright silver staring back.

Her lips curled into a small smile, raising a hand to trace his face. Malfoy hummed appreciatively and closed his eyes while she caressed the pads of her fingertips over his pale eyebrows, down his pointed nose, and across the sharp cheekbones and angular edges of his jaw.

She kept his lips for last and upon her touch, his lips parted and his eyes opened once more.

"Hi," she whispered, voice low from sleep, nudging her nose against his.

The side of Malfoy's mouth quirked up while a hand reached for one of her curls that was spared from the nest no doubt resting on her head.

"Hi," he murmured, kissing her fingertips.

"What are your plans for the day?" she asked quietly, her fingertips now venturing to his chin down to his neck and collarbone.

She could feel the movement of him swallowing.

"I need to pick up Scorpius this afternoon... check in with Potter..."

Hermione hadn't been able to really explore him last night. Her palms felt the hard planes of his chest and abdomen, no doubt created from his strenuous occupation. 

Did Harry now have muscles like this too?

"I'd rather you didn't think of Potter while feeling me up."

Her eyes flashed up to his and saw the humor reflecting back. She scowled.

"I don't like you using legilimancy on me."

Malfoy sighed, turning onto his back and no longer looking at her. "I don't fancy using occlumency if I can help it, Granger. It's just a whisper I always hear. The more emotion behind the thought, the louder it becomes."

Her brows furrowed curiously, raising herself slightly to lean on an elbow while looking at him. "It doesn't shut off?"

Malfoy snorted humorlessly. "Unless they're actively occluding or I am, then no. I occluded most of my 6th and 7th year and doing so for that long it... it messes with you mentally. There's a numbness that takes over and you can't even tell when you're occluding anymore."

Hermione listened attentively, never hearing of such a case with the mind.

"Legilimancy came to me easily... too easy, if I'm honest. Perhaps a side effect from the years of occluding. I don't even need a wand anymore, just a bit of concentration."

She wasn't sure how she felt about the lack of privacy.

"And therein lies the problem," he said quietly. "I usually don't answer thoughts, letting people say what they want whether it's honest or not. However, it rather puts a damper on a relationship."

"It's something I'll have to think about more," she said honestly.

He nodded, still looking away. "When you decide, let me know but..."

Malfoy finally looked over at her, his eyes bright and serious. "I'm serious about courting you."

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip. "And that's different than dating, correct?"

He nodded, turning back on his side to face her, a hand resting on her waist. "Courtship is with one end goal in mind, Granger."

Marriage. Something she had been very against years ago with Ron. It was much too soon with Malfoy for this conversation, but she knew why they were based on what came next.