To the End of the Earth and Back [[Hr/D romance]]

Chapter Eighteen

Slughorn's party came and went in the following weeks. Both Harry and Hermione could not have been happier. Going with Cormac McLaggen received the reaction from Ron that Hermione had been looking for. No matter how terrible a time it was for Hermione, listening to Cormac brag about himself and his family, at least Ron was unhappy that she went with someone who wasn't him.

Harry and Luna had a fun time, from what she could gather. But Harry had overheard Draco and Snape having a heated discussion. Snape was asking Draco if he needed help with something. He had even said that he had made an Unbreakable Vow with Draco's mother that if Draco happened to fail, he would have to do it. But Draco shot him down, like a bird from the sky. He had said that he felt that Snape wanted all of the glory to himself.

Harry told Hermione about it immediately. He knew that she had felt as if something was fishy and now they finally knew why. That cabinet was part of some plan and Harry knew that it was linked to Lord Voldemort.

"Then what should I do?" Hermione asked, fighting off tears. Of course Draco was using her. He always made it seem like he was falling for her. Her heart felt as if it was breaking with the realization that Draco Malfoy did not care at all. He was using her to help him do something that she was completely and utterly against.

Harry ran a hand through his hair and shrugged his shoulders. "The only thought that seems reasonable is to have you keep working on it. Keep getting closer to him. See if you can get him to change his mind somehow."

Hermione shook her head and stared directly into the fire. She wiped at her eyes as the tears spilled without her consent. "So, basically, do exactly what he's doing to me back to him?"

Harry pulled his friend into a hug and held her tight as she tried to get her tears to stop. He didn't know exactly what she was going through. He had never fallen for a sworn enemy. He did know that she was breaking and that she was in enough pain to show Harry instead of hiding it. He was afraid that they were all going to see the return of the hollow Hermione from September.

Draco paced back and forth in the Slytherin Common Room. He had sent multiple messages to Hermione but had not heard any kind of reply. He was going home for the holidays and needed to know if she was going to stay here to work on that stupid box alone or if she was going somewhere for the holidays.

If she planned on staying to work on the cabinet and got it to work, would she try to go through it? If she did, he would lose the best thing that ever happened to him. He had already figured out what lie he was going to use when the plan pulled through. He was going to tell her that his father must have had someone move the other one. He was going to tell her that he just thought he was fixing something that he broke, not that his father had set him up.

He kept pacing. He needed to see her. Not just because he wanted to learn what she was doing but because he wasn't going to be able to see her for over a week. He had never felt such a strong connection with someone before.

"Oy, letter from a Juliet," Goyle called,  stopping his pacing. Draco dashed over and angrily took the letter from his friend.

'That clever girl,' Draco thought as he peeled open the letter.

My Dearest Romeo,

Meet me at our statue at midnight. I would like to see you before I go home tomorrow.

Love,

Your Juliet

Hermione stood by the statue waiting for him. She couldn't believe that she was going to keep going with this. Harry had talked her into it. Her heart was so broken that she did not ever want to see Draco Malfoy again. He had been playing her like a fiddle for months and she only just realized that. She felt so stupid.

And then she saw him walking over to her, up from out of the dungeons. She felt as if someone was twisting the knife that was stabbed through her heart. She would do anything to make her chest stop hurting.

"My Juliet," he whispered as he walked up to her. He cupped her face in his hand and leaned in, gently brushing his lips to her.

It was like a shot ran through her system. She felt as if she was on fire. He was a beautiful monster that was trying to pull her down into an eternal abyss. He was the drug that laced her veins. She needed him. She needed his touch, his voice, his kiss.

When Draco pulled away, he studied her closely. "What's wrong?" he asked. He could see it forming, the black hole inside of Hermione that was about to make her hollow. He had seen it earlier that year and was afraid to watch it happen again.

Hermione bit her lip, hard enough to keep from crying, and shrugged. "I guess I'm just a little nervous to go home for the holidays," she lied.

Draco took her hand in his and began to lead her down a familiar path. They were going to spend their last night together in that library.

As soon as they walked in, Hermione had him pinned to the closest wall. Their eyes held each others gaze just until Hermione got on her tippy-toes and crushed her lips against his. He was completely caught off guard. This Hermione was not the one from years before. This was so impulsive. He liked it.

Draco traced her bottom lip with his tongue before she granted him access. When their lips danced together, both of them felt the electricity that was flowing between them. It was enough to send sparks flying.

She brought her hands to his hair as he moved his hands all along her body. It was as if he was trying to memorize every inch of her. He moved them until she was the one pressed against the wall. Just like that night a few weeks ago, he picked her up. Her legs reflexively wrapped around his waist. With her body weight being held by his body and the wall, he was able to move one hand slowly up her thigh. He felt her shiver from his touch.

They both wanted everything that the other could give them.

[[A/N: Should I make a seperate story with "forbidden" chapters? Those of you who catch my drift, let me know. Send me a message or comment! As for everyone else, comment and vote, let me know what you think! I love you all!]]