Secret Smile. *Complete*

Party Prep

Between schoolwork, Head duties, keeping one eye on Ron and one eye on the cursed corridor, Hermione and Draco seemed to never stop. There was always work to be done. But it also had it's advantages. For one, they got to spend a lot of time together, getting to know one another more. 

Draco learnt of Hermione's passion for house elf rights, something he actually thought was quite important himself. He learnt more about the adventures she had during her first seven years in school, including making Polyjuice Potion to disguise Ron and Harry as Crabbe and Goyle. Something he would never even have guessed was possible. 

What he loved was finding out about her childhood, growing up as a muggle. This was a foreign concept to him as he was brought up to believe that muggles were stupid. The actual fact was that they were a lot more technologically advanced than wizards. Phones and televisions and cars all sounded fascinating. 

The biggest and most difficult concept to grasp was electricity. Something every muggle household had for hundreds of years which was a source of light, heat and used for cooking. Amazing. 

Hermione in turn learned about PureBlood traditions and the kind of household Draco would have grown up in. His schooling from an early age and what his childhood was like. Draco explained where his families beliefs came from and how his mother helped to ensure Blaise's safety when they were children. 

Draco was able to open up about the abuse that often came from his father and then the Death Eaters who took over his family home. What it was like to be forced to take the Dark Mark and the pain of getting his first task and finding out that he had to kill one of the most respected wizards of all time. 

Hermione knew he didn't have a choice but to actually hear the events from his point of view, broke her heart. Draco had such a lonely childhood and then had to grow up long before his time. He always had to do what was expected of him He wasn't allowed his own opinions, they were his family's passed down to him. 

They found that had a lot in common, from the books they liked to read to both knowing the pain of having the Cruitiacus Curse inflicted on them, more than once. Also, the pain of a cursed knife slicing their skin, living in constant fear, suffering from nightmares and thinking you were not going to live past your 17th birthday. 

Draco was loving, learning so much about his girlfriend. He knew she was an amazingly selfish person, but hearing about her adventures, the things she had to do as young as 11 years old just had him in awe of the beautiful woman that currently sat on his bed with him. 

"It's funny, how much of our lives changed from the war. I never knew happiness like this. I never thought I deserved happiness like this. But you have made me realise that everyone deserves to be loved."

"And you deserve all the happiness in the world, Draco Malfoy. You are truly an amazing person." She placed her hand on his chest and he placed his on top, keeping hers close. 

He leaned in and kissed her. They had been doing this for weeks and yet every time, felt like the first, with sparks flying between them and electric surges running through their bodies.

And yet they had never gone any further than kissing. Well they had but not fully further. They both agreed they didn't want to rush things. Draco wanted Hermione to feel special, and Hermione was still feeling insecure after Ron told her that she wasn't exactly skilled in that area.

But neither pressured the other. Both were perfectly happy with things as they were. Both Hermione and Draco were loving the bond they were forming and feeling closer to each other than anyone else. 

The sex would happen when they were both ready.

In the meantime, it was now October 17th and the Prefects and Heads needed to get sorted on the Halloween disco's for the years. They had already been in touch with Professor McGonagall to find out the details of each party.