Left Behind 2: Illusions (A Dramione Romance)

Stay

I love this chapter...I hope you do too.

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"Please..."

It hurt to beg, it hurt to ask, and yet she needed to. She needed him.

Her 'please; seemed to do something to Draco and he shifted. Hermione relaxed slightly as Draco let out a shuddering breath and closed his eyes and let a little of his weight go on her seeming to give in.

Hope bloomed.

He turned his face towards her shoulder speaking half into her pillow.

"Alright," he said, his voice muffled.

"Thank you," said Hermione and squeezed him tight. It meant more to her than she was willing to admit to have him agree to stay.

And why does it mean so much? Her inner voice asked. She dismissed the question, needing to not think about anything else other than the fact that she was here and so was Draco and he had agreed to stay.

Her nightmare still clung around her, all the feelings from it sticking to her skin. He had left her there and here...here he said he would stay.

He promised you he would stay in your life, she reminded herself and yet it didn't feel like it...it felt like she was going to loose him and that really did terrify her. In all this chaos he had become a fellow in the storm instead of a rock to be dashed against. He was holding her up above the stormy seas without a lifejacket and a part of Hermione worried he would drown in the process if she couldn't keep herself afloat.

A moment passed the fear from her dream- would leave-dissipated leaving behind something else in it's wake. 

Hermione became aware of Draco and the fact that he was there with her physically. She felt his heartbeat against her skin and realized it was fast.

Why is his heartbeat so fast?

You probably scared him with your nightmare and how upset you were.

He cares, her heart squeezed in her chest and she absently stroked a hand down his back. He stiffened for a moment and she wondered if she had done something wrong...overstepped.. but then he relaxed again.

As a few more moments passed she felt as his heartbeat slowed.

It felt nice to just lay like that.

With anyone else it might have been awkward. She knew she would have been all in her head about what was going to happen next, but with Draco... it just felt right.

He felt right in her arms.

Don't do that, she told herself, he already said he doesn't want you like that.

 As if sensing her thoughts Draco took a deep breath in and shifted.

"Come on," he said and got up.

"Where are we going?" she asked, surprised at the sudden movement.

"To my bed, this pallet wasn't designed for two," he held out his hand to her and Hermione accepted it pulling herself up.

Draco climbed into his bed and lifted the covers for Hermione to join. She hesitated for the briefest of moments and Draco sighed and got out of bed.

"Get in," he said.

"What are you doing?"

"Just get in bed would you Granger?" said Draco tilting his head back slightly. "If that's what you want."

"It is, it's just..." she didn't know what to say.

He was there looking gorgeous and perfect and she wanted to hold him and be held...but holding and being held took on a totally different connotation when a bed was involved. Especially a bed like Draco's with its large wooded posts and massive frame.

"You don't want anything physical from me," Draco interrupted. "I know, its fine. I won't take advantage and we can put some sheets and a pillow between us."

"You're okay with all this?"

"It's what you need isn't it?" he said stepping around her question and running a hand back through his hair.

"That wasn't a yes," she pointed out.

"It wasn't a no either," he said and looked at her and all of his features gentled. "Come rest," he said gently. "Feel better. I'll stay with you. You're safe with me."

You're safe with me.

The words rattled around inside Hermione's head for a moment before settling down inside her in a calming way.

No one else was around it was just her and Draco and she was safe with him.

Hermione climbed into the bed and wrapped her blanket from the pallet around her. Draco climbed back into the bed and placed a pillow between the lower half of their bodies then with one strong arm and smooth movement pulled her in tight against his chest.