Hey, guys! Here you go! DQWeek day 3 and 4: First times and Caught. I know it's a little late. I was only planning to write day 5 but this plotbunny refused to go away. Hope Regina and Mal are not too OOC. Happy reading!

If someone had told Maleficent a few weeks ago that a young Queen would come to rescue her from the depths of her despair, she would have incinerated them on the spot. Alas, here she was, sitting under a tree on the edge of a cliff, looking down at a certain young brunette who was busy studying the various plants on the meadow below. The said Queen, being the naïve and stubborn girl that she was, had wormed herself into the life of the Dragon Sorceress. She had helped Maleficent to enact her revenge and gain her fire back. Something that the Dragon would eternally be thankful for.

Ever since the day she cursed Aurora, Maleficent had found that she enjoyed Regina's company a lot. Under the pretense reason of paying back the young Queen, the sorceress had offered to teach her magic. The student-teacher relationship had quickly blossomed into friendship, which explains their current predicament. Regina had insisted that Maleficent wasn't getting enough fresh air inside her castle and had took it upon herself to get the blonde outside more.

As she sat, the Dragon Sorceress studied the features of the young Queen intently. "She's very beautiful under the sun," Maleficent mused. "Her face seemed to glow with happiness and freedom."

Suddenly, the Dragon found herself summoning a piece of parchment and her graphite drawing tool. "It's not a proper painting by any means, but a sketch will have to do," she thought to herself as she started to draw Regina's portrait.

Drawing and paintings had been a favorite pastime of hers since she was a child. Even during her time with Briar Rose, they often spend their time together with Maleficent painting and Briar Rose sewing. However, since the whole fiasco with King Stefan, the Dragon Sorceress had lost her desires to indulge in such activities. She had only started painting again a few weeks ago, finding the urges stronger during the nights of Regina's absence.

Maleficent was deeply immersed in her sketch when she suddenly heard the young Queen's voice.

"I didn't know you could draw."

Startled, the Dragon moved her hands quickly to cover her work and cursed mentally. Getting busted by her student was not something that she had planned on.

"When did she learn to move so quietly anyway?" she wonders. "Not that it's any of your business, but I have been drawing since a long time ago," the Dragon scoffed.

"I think it is very much my business since it is my face you are drawing," the Queen retorted mischievously. "There is no need to cover it, you know. I've watched you worked for quite a while."

Maleficent sighed loudly at the comment. "Well, if you must know, I haven't drawn anything since Briar Rose. I've only started again 3 weeks ago."

Aware of the history between the Dragon and the princess, realization dawned Regina's face as she spoke quietly," You mean when I couldn't visit you for 4 days due to Snow's stupid trip?"

"Yes.."

"Is that why the West Wing had been off-limits since that time?"

"Damn this girl and her bright mind," said Maleficent inwardly as she sighed once more.

"May I see it? I would love to see you other works. I can judge from this sketch that you must be very talented," Regina asked eagerly.

The Dragon Sorceress weighed her options for a while. She could deny the girl's request, knowing all too well that Regina will still sneak in to the room anyway. Or she could show it to her in person, risking exposing her true feelings and dealing with the possibilities of embarrassing herself.

Maleficent was many things but she was not a coward. If the young Queen does not return her feelings and ended up leaving as Briar Rose did, she would rather it happen sooner than later.

A few minutes had passed when the Dragon finally spoke," Very well. But if you want to leave after you've seen it, I must ask you not to breathe a word of this to anyone else. Ever."

"Why would I want to-"

Before Regina could finish her sentence, Maleficent engulfed both of them in thick black smoke and transported them back to the West Wing.

The room was gorgeous, to put it modestly. It has high ceiling decorated with several chandeliers, numerous tall bookcases encircles the room, leaving a round tapestry in the middle of the space, which currently has been transformed into a small art studio. On top of the intricate details of the carpet, stood a painting easel hosting a finished work, a stool, and a table nearby with several sketches on top.

As her brain registers the subject of the paintings and sketches, Regina's hand flew to her mouth to cover a surprised gasp that threatens to escape.

The painting showed the young Queen herself with her hair down and her travelling cloak, picking apples from the garden with her body facing the tree and her head turned towards the painter. She was sporting the happiest smile, so very care-free, and at ease.

Regina's eyes traveled to the rest of the sketches. All of them were of herself with the exception of one. She moved to pick up the black and white drawing. It shows a cliff over-looking the starry night sky, illuminated by the full-moon. Perched on the edge were two shadowy figures, a young girl with braided long hair and a magnificent dragon sitting side-by-side facing the sky above.

Regina struggled to find her words as she turned to face the silent Dragon.

"Mal.."

"Don't say another word. You may leave should you wish to," Maleficent said harshly while refusing to meet Regina's eyes.

Regina quickly rushed to Maleficent's side and in one swift movement, she pulled the Dragon Sorceress into a heated kiss.

Maleficent's brain shuts down for a moment before she finally kissed back with equal fervor. Bottled emotions burst outwards as the poured all the unsaid feelings into the kiss.

They continued for a while until the need for air became too much as Maleficent pulled back from the embrace. "Why didn't I told you sooner? If I had known you lips taste like honeyed apples, I would have claimed you the moment you step into my castle," she said seductively as her brows shot upward.

Regina blushed furiously at the comment and turned her gaze down to her boots.

"I'm sorry. I-… I shouldn't have. I didn't know what came over me."

Maleficent took the young girl's chin with her hand and tilted it upwards. She gazed deeply into those warm chocolate eyes as she spoke," Never say you're sorry for showing your feelings. Especially not to me."

The Dragon leans forward to capture those soft lips once more. This time with a series of sweet and tender kisses as they melt into each other's embrace.

"The reality doesn't change," Maleficent thought bitterly. "I am still a broken Dragon Witch and she is still a young Queen, trapped in a loveless marriage."

"But maybe, just maybe, things are headed for the right direction for once," as she smiled and kissed Regina deeper.

Hey! I hope you enjoy this one as well. I didn't really plan to add a little angst in the end but you know Mal. She's not the most optimistic person around. So there you have it! As always, reviews are welcomed and appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT or any of the characters. If I did, there would definitely be so much more Dragon Queen scenes.