Ass Backwards

by pumped.up.kicks86

It's the classic love story; boy meets girl, boy hates girl, girl hates boy, boy secretly loves girl, girl enters into relationship with another boy who likes fake tan, original boy grabs girl into a store cupboard to give her a birthday she'll never forget. A Festive one-shot with fluff and snuggles and a sassy AF best friend. I am amazing at summaries, you're welcome.

The First.

Hermione placed the final pin in her hair and looked in the mirror eyeing herself and then the room behind her, her bedroom's neatness was marred by the orange lump lying sprawled in the centre of her bed.

"Wake up Ron we're going to be late" she said for what felt like the millionth time.

"Who has a party at 4pm?" he groaned as he finally pushed his body into a sitting position.

"The school's reopening Ron, we wanted some of the new students and their families to attend… we're only a few weeks behind schedule." She straightened her dress and gnawed on her lip. She hated formal attire, but it was expected of her. She technically had no hand in the rebuilding of the school, her work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures did however allow her to ensure all the elves hired in her alma mater were paid to be there.

"I'm not going, it's my day off and…" he sighed dramatically "I don't care babe." He flopped back onto her white sheets, streaked with the self-tanner he'd taken to wearing now that he was a 'Quidditch Sensation'

"I care Ron! This is an important day for me." Her voice dripped with hurt, but this was nothing new for them. He was hurtful, perhaps unintentionally, but hurtful nonetheless.

"Babe you were hardly involved in this, let someone else take the glory." He rubbed his eyes sleepily, completely oblivious to the tears welling in hers.

"I'm not going there to bathe in glory, I'm going because it's expected of me, because I want to support my friends who put our school back together." Her hands were now tight balls of rage.

"Sure." His tone was less than convinced.

"I hate you" she hadn't meant to say it; it had slipped out of her mouth.

"What" he'd shot up; she hadn't said that since she'd been a little girl.

"I want you to leave, I want you to pack up your stinking fake tan, your opinions on a 'Witches place in the home', your ridiculous polo shirts…" he interrupted her, his orange arms flung into the air, the duvet thrown back all modesty gone, his flaccid penis on full display… the only real pale part of his body now.

"You said my polo shirts were 'cool'" he protested, she sighed… that's what he was taking from this argument?

"I lied, you look like a dick." She responded flatly, the tears that had filled her eyes now spilled over and streaked down her powdered cheek. "Ron, we've not been good… since school… hell not even then, you must've seen this coming? We do nothing but bicker, we have different hopes and dreams… and you're making me hate you and I hate that. Because you're my best friend, I don't want to hate you." She shuddered slightly but gave a resigned smile, his face didn't soften he looked furious like an Orangutan out for vengeance.

"I did not see this coming babe!" He threw his arms into the air "If I'd seen this coming I wouldn't have knocked back all the sexy women who've been throwing themselves at me" his face was spieful now, but that was typical of a 'Ron Fight', shock at being told off swiftly followed by a spiteful dig, it was his 1-2 punch.

"Well now you needn't bother, you can have all the sexy women you want… but you're gone by the time I'm back or I'm owling Harry." She grabbed her shawl from the back of her chair and stomped purposefully to the fireplace, there was no point engaging. Ron continued to gawk at her in disbelief.

"What's Harry going to do?" he spat.

"I don't know "BABE"" she hated doing bunny ears in conversation but it felt necessary "he just told me he had a plan for when it came to… this." She gestured at the whole room "Even he saw it coming." She threw the powder into the flames and took a step.

"I don't know where this is coming from?" Ron roared, running naked towards her as she lifted her second foot into the grate.

"Hermione Granger's office" she shouted and with a whoosh she was gone, her dedicated home-to-office floo was one of the perks of being the brains of the golden trio. Her office however, was truly hers, she had earned her spot in the department as she worked her way from intern at 17 to deputy departmental director at 20… nope... she was 21 now. She stepped out of her fireplace, her office warm and inviting. A single piece of mail lay on her desk, she reached and opened the white envelope. A small card with a pencil drawing of the refurbished Hogwarts fell out into her slightly trembling hands 'Ron and I are done now' she thought and felt sadness at the wave of relief that was crashing down on her. She unfolded the card 'Happy Birthday Granger' signed 'Malfoy' of course he's the only one that remembered her birthday… he probably did it just to spite her. She shook her head "That's ridiculous." She said it out loud as if to confirm, he couldn't know that Ron was an idiotic, insensitive dingle… on second thoughts he was always calling him an idiot. She shook her head as she swept the soot from the periwinkle blue, full skirted tea dress her mother had bought her on the internet. Hermione had magic, a thing that confounded her mother but Jean had the web… a thing of wonder Hermione only used for searching facts and watching cat videos.

She thought she looked rather pleasant, the dress synched her waist and the high neck still managed to show off her 'rack' nicely if a little more modestly than others. Ron hated it when she called them 'my rack' she liked it, it made her feel worldly and gave her a sense of ownership.

She could hear a band striking up and chatter from the main halls, she really was late. She tore from her office, his card still clutched in her hand, headed to the central chamber where the speeches would be given, followed by food and dance and drinking. "A free birthday party" is what she'd called it, Harry had been staring at Ginny's pregnant belly in terror, as was his way, and had only been half listening when she'd said this to him last week "that's nice" he'd replied, not taking his eyes from his wife.

She arrived in time for the minister's commencement and lingered at the back of the hall in the shadow of a pillar, careful not to draw the attention away from her commander and chief. Kingsley was a wonderful minister, forward thinking and always willing to listen. She grinned into the glass a house elf had placed into her hand when Kingsley announced to the hall that all staff at Hogwarts including the elves would be on a wage. There were a few gasps from the old guard but mainly resounding applause, Hermione was not mentioned and she'd rather keep it that way. The elf pay scheme wasn't a single handed effort, her superior Colin Greythorpe had been instrumental, but all too often the press credited the departments work to Hermione Granger 'Muggle born saviour'. Colin, to his credit didn't really seem to care all that much "we're getting more funding than ever Granger, if that means you have to smile and wave for the cameras while we all get anonymity and a pay rise I don't care." He'd said when she'd fretted over an article assuring readers that Hermione was essentially running the department singlehandedly after a week on the job… after a week on the job the only thing Hermione was running singlehandedly was the coffee pot and a small toilet stall where she went to cry.

Kingsley's speech ended and Minerva took his place limping slowly, she spoke briefly about the schools rebuilding, about those students who were unable to complete their education because they sacrificed themselves to a war. The four years of schooling since the war in their temporary homes, first to third years in Grimauld place and fourth to seventh years in a smaller castle located in the highlands… by all accounts it had been a struggle but a worthy one. Hermione had been offered a place to return and complete her education, but the ministry had called, very short staffed and she had run to help.

With the speeches over a small buffet had appeared and the band struck up again, she meandered through the groups of people until she found her own. Molly and Arthur stood side by side, Molly had been crying and Arthur looked stoic "Mr and Mrs Weasley would you like me to fetch you drinks?" she asked tentatively, reaching out her hand to Molly's arm in a bid to comfort.

"No you're alright dear, though it was kind to offer." Molly said taking a deep breath before yanking herself back from the depths of her grief and into the real world, a task she was used to now, a task she'd never shake… a mother never recovers from the death of their child. "You look lovely Hermione, where's our Ronald?" she said politely with as much warmth as she could muster.

"Mrs Weasley, this won't come as a shock…" Hermione didn't get to finish.

"Oh there he is, Hermione dear who is that girl he's with?" Molly's tone was bordering on scandalised so Hermione whipped her head around in the direction of Mrs Weasley's slack mouthed stare.

Ron was there alright, a bright orange polo shirt and black slacks under his black open fronted robe, he looked like a sexually deviant golfer. The sleaze he was projecting wasn't helped in any way by the girl hanging from his arm and his every word by the look on her face, she wasn't in traditional magical attire, it wasn't expected nor required. She wore a black tube dress that Hermione expected may have been a skirt at some point, a pair of towering spiked heels and a great deal of make-up… she could see why they got on.

"His new girlfriend I suspect, we broke up Mrs Weasley." Hermione didn't feel hurt because he'd brought a girl, she felt pained because she knew he was doing it to punish and humiliate her. Make everyone think he was dumping her.

"When?" Molly demanded.

"about an hour ago."

"Arthur Speak to your son! An hour? An hour? Who does he think he is?" Molly was exhibiting all the rage Hermione couldn't.

"Don't make a scene dear." Arthur said with a calming lilt that was completely lost on his wife who was now reeling.

"Arthur, you can see her coochy… this is a family event" she spat quietly, Arthur needed no more prompting as he removed his cloak and swept over to his youngest son and his new paramour.

"I'm really sorry it didn't work out Mrs Weasley, I hope we can still be friends." Hermione said softly, she respected Mrs Weasley but equally feared her.

"You are family Hermione, nothing changes that. We all saw this coming darling." Molly placed a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"Not him apparently" Hermione responded despondently.

"he was dropped a lot as a child."

Hermione did her best to avoid Ron's eye line, his date was now wearing his father's robe over her "Dress" and this seemed to vex him greatly. He stared daggers at her in that way that let her know 'I'm punishing you' she hated that look. When he realised that she wasn't going to come to him he decided to bring the fight her way, she sighed when she saw him making a B-line with his new 'woman' in tow. Hermione inched away from the crowds hoping to at least minimise the blast radius.

"You told me to go get the sexy women so I did Hermione, are you happy?" he snapped when they finally met a good 10ft from the crowd, tucked behind a black stone pillar.

"I'm happy if you're happy Ron. You're still my friend." She reached out a hand to the girl, it wasn't her fault Ron was a dick "Hi I'm Hermione it's nice to meet you."

"Hi… I'm Zara no H because… H's are ewe… no offence" The girl said in a vacant voice that made Hermione feel suddenly punchy.

"None taken, I'm going to head off, you two enjoy" Hermione gestured to the party with a smile.

"Meeting someone? Cheating on me eh? Is that what this is about?" Ron spat angrily.

"No Ron, there's nobody else. I just don't want you. Now I've paperwork to go over if you'll excuse me." She pushed past him and headed to the elevators, trying to hold back the tears which were threatening to spring again. Perhaps she'd pay a long overdue visit to her old crying cubicle.

"Oh by the way, Happy Birthday Hermione." It was Zara with no H, and she was smiling earnestly and waving, Ron's face was a picture of shock "They did a really nice piece about it in Witch weekly, you were on the cover!" Zara grinned excitedly.

"Thank you Zara that's really kind" she looked at Ron's face, an expression of dawning realisation spreading over it "No Ron it's not because you forgot my birthday, I bet your sister you would so you've won me 20 Galleons. let's call that your gift shall we? At least I'll get to buy myself a book this year." She turned once more and stalked to the lifts and her freedom from the crowds. She heard footsteps behind her, they were light and weren't punctuated by the panting of a man who spent too much time sitting on his broom eating pies so she knew it wasn't Ron. She ignored them, stepping into the elevator perhaps to be allowed a moment to grieve for her longest relationship. The doors started to close but before they could seal her in fully, an arm shot through, triggering the safety spell and forcing the doors back open, she finally saw who owned those light feet.

"Granger." He greeted her as he stepped in and pressed the same button as she had, perhaps he was headed to the central filing room.

"Malfoy" it was barely more than a whisper, she felt suddenly defeated. Her emotions were all over the place, but she feared she'd lost Ron entirely and that wasn't her intention, she needed her friends around her and now she'd Destabilized their family unit for her own selfish reasons, what if they all picked him and she was alone…

"Granger, are you ok?" his voice was surprisingly sober, different. When he addressed her it usually felt like he was mocking her. Like that card…

"You sent me a birthday card. What's that all about?" She reached into her purse and retrieved it.

"It's your birthday isn't it?"

"yes but…" She didn't know where she was going with this, no doubt she was transferring her rage from Ron to Draco who really wasn't doing anything wrong at all. "Never mind, it was kind of you, thank you." She just wanted to cry, she needed a release and crying would solve it. And then she'd go to her parents and spend her birthday with her family and forget about Ronald for a while.

"You finally dumped Weasley?" his tone was light but prying.

"How did you know I dumped him?"

"A man doesn't turn up to an event with a barely clothed girl and a face like thunder because he's comfortable with the way things ended, that right there was an act of desperation and besides… he's not going to do any better than you Granger." He looked like he was trying to smile but it was merely a bigger smirk than usual.

"Was that a compliment?"

"Not really, Weasley is essentially a garbage person. A pig wife would be a boon for him." His words were cruel but his tone wasn't, and his eyes weren't.

"You wound me, sir." She said clutching his card to her chest, a small smile lifting her sad eyes for a split second.

The elevator slid to a halt and the doors opened, she gave him a parting nod and stepped out and to the left towards her department. She expected to hear his footsteps fade in the opposite direction towards filing but they didn't, he was close behind her.

"Where are you headed?" she asked, genuinely perplexed.

"I haven't given you your present." He sounded strange and she turned to look at him, he was gnawing his lip, a very uncharacteristic thing for a Malfoy.

"What?" she asked, confusion washing over her as he stepped towards her.

He was thinking, she knew that face; it was the one that almost made him endearing, a scrunched brow and his long fingers repeatedly combing his hair making it stand on end. Whatever it was he was pondering he seemed to make up his mind "come here" he said resolutely grabbing her arm with enough force that she could only stumble obligingly behind him into… the store cupboard? He flicked his wand sealing the door and casting a silencing charm, Hermione suddenly panicked. Was he a sleeper death eater who was finally activated and sent to kill her?

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice high betraying her fear to him.

"I'm not going to hurt you Granger." He sounded annoyed at her "I just want to give you something and if you don't like it you can bugger off and we'll never speak of it again." His tone evened as he took a step towards her forcing her to step back, the petticoats of her dress brushing the locked door. She could have made a run for it, found someone and told them about Draco's insane behaviour, dragging her into a cupboard and looking at her like… he was looking at her like he wanted to eat her or… "What is it Draco? This gift?" she asked taking another step back to match his one forward. The door made contact with her heels, the taffeta of her skirts cushioning her bum against it.

"Close your eyes and I'll give you it." He said softly, she could leave at any point, the charm he'd cast only locked the door to those outside it. One step and she'd have it open, two and she'd be out in the corridor, a few more and she'd be safe in her office. Only she didn't, whatever this was, it was helping her. The flutters of anticipation in her stomach were soothing the grief and anxiety which had consumed her only moments before and so against her better judgement she did as he bid and closed her eyes. Perhaps he did have a gift for her and this was all a misunderstanding, perhaps this was just his odd way. She felt his hand rest on her wrist and it made her start, his fingers crept up her arm and she inhaled sharply, he moved his digits over the sleeves of her dress until they found her exposed shoulder and her collarbone. They lingered for a second as he traced back and forth over that single bone, he let out a sigh and she was tempted to crack an eye to see if he looked like he might try and cut it out but something inside her knew he wasn't going to hurt her, not like that any way. It was strange to suddenly be so vulnerable with someone so… dangerous? she felt like she was sky diving.

The hand continued its voyage of discovery as it found her neck and then her hair, where it made its home cradling the back of her skull each finger lost in her pinned curls. She felt his breath on her cheek and knew he was closer still, 'he's going to kiss me…' was her last shocked thought before she felt his lips on hers. The word explosive might seem clichéd, but it was the only thing she could think of when she tried to dissect the whole thing later. He didn't lead with the tongue like Ron which was a nice surprise, but he did feel like he was consuming her. His lips were firm and commanding as they caressed hers over and over from each and every angle, she didn't stop him, she surrendered to the whole thing and allowed him to do as he pleased with her mouth and eventually she found herself kissing back demanding something more from him. He broke the kiss and moved his mouth down her neck and back to his treasured collarbone which he peppered with kisses.

"What… what brought this on?" Hermione asked suddenly, she was confused… they weren't friends by any stretch. He stopped his ministrations and brought himself back up to his full height, he placed a hand either side of her head and loomed over her staring at her puffed lips, he sighed.

"I don't know Granger, I'd had four drinks… three's usually my limit… and you were walking around in this dress with that blue" he swooped in and pecked her lips softly as though incapable of stopping himself "that blue you wore at the yule ball… and you looked so pissed off and then Ron came in with the bimbo and you looked furious and sexy" he kissed her again this time with a little more force and a nibble to her bottom lip " you and he ended it and I just wanted to make you feel better and it's your birthday… do you want me to stop?" he kissed her neck one more time, perhaps just in case she left, one last taste. She shook her head… and was a little shocked by her necks betrayal. She should leave, she barely knew him… he was the kid who bullied her in school and barely looked at her in work. But then again… Her heart was thudding and she felt alive. Perhaps a little bit of life was all she needed and it was her birthday.

"a birthday treat?" she asked, her fingers tracing the front of his dress robe.

"exactly"

"just a one-time thing?" one eyebrow was raised, her eyes narrowed… she didn't want to date him, hell she didn't even know if she liked him. Apart from occasional snide comments and courteous greetings in front of superiors they barely spoke, but he was forbidden and sexy and he'd dragged her into a cupboard to make out and that was incredibly hot… and he was kissing her neck something Ron hated.

"indeed… at least until next year." He responded, taking her questioning for permission as he lunged into her, pressing the length of his body into hers.

"Oh my god" she gasped, as her core thrummed suddenly making her legs feel gelatinous.

"You know despite the obvious personality flaws you're incredibly attractive Granger" he whispered into her ear as he ground his hips into hers.

"Ditto" she uttered back attempting to quell the intense heat already building in her. Sex for her was usually no more than five minutes with very little else than she and Ron slowly bumping into each other while repeating the word "yes" and meaning none of it, this was different. It was better. She wanted it to last.

He kissed across her clavicle and suddenly dropped from sight, when she finally looked down he was already lifting the hem of her tea dress and attempting to navigate through piles of netting she'd worn to achieve the puffed skirt she'd so desired.

"What are you doing?" she asked suddenly shocked his hand had found the centre of the storm of taffeta and was stroking her inner thigh.

"You know what I'm doing Granger, don't play coy… If I wasn't a gentleman I'd have ripped this bloody thing off by now" he stopped in this digging when he caught sight of her face, she was chewing her lip, straightening her hair. "you do know what my intentions are… down here right? I know you and Weasley have slept together"

"Of course we have we've just not… done this… sort of thing?" She swept her hand indicating his present kneeling position. Her voice high and questioning, she wasn't even sure if the thing he was talking about was what she was talking about.

"But you've done for him?" he probed further.

"Yes." Her answer was short; this had been another bone of contention in their very calcium rich relationship.

"what a bastard." Draco responded before making his final dive under her skirts, when she looked down all she could see were the backs of his legs and feet the rest was just periwinkle blue satin and white taffeta. He licked the length of her inner thigh before nibbling on the skin, his hair tickled her and she giggled "I can't believe I get the first taste of Granger, it seems we're both getting treats today." And with those final words his mouth found her small cotton pants, he kissed her once, twice three times and she felt herself shudder. She felt her underwear torn asunder and couldn't help the delighted squeal which escaped her lips, Malfoy reappeared with them clutched in his teeth.

"I'm sorry my darling, couldn't be helped" he said tucking them inside his jacket, she noted this with a devious grin

"A keepsake?"

"I'll be sure to replace them." He smirked then returned to the tent of her skirts, his tongue stroked her languidly at first, and at that point she realised that everything she'd thought she'd known about the female orgasm had been wrong, she'd merely read the prologue. Her legs began to tremble and he obliged by throwing them over his shoulders so that all her weight now rested on him and the door, if she was heavy he didn't let it show if anything her weight and closer proximity to his face seemed to spur him on.

She climaxed twice in quick succession, her breath was unsteady and her head span when he finally retreated from the tent of her skirt and looked up at her. When he was standing he leaned his forehead against hers and placed a long kiss on her lips, she could taste herself on him. She thought it'd be strange or somehow wrong, it wasn't. What should happen now? should she return the favour? Her hands moved from his shoulders to his stomach but were quickly caught up in his own paws "No, this wasn't a way of getting something from you Granger" he dropped a slow kiss on her mouth pulling her arms around his neck, snaking his own around her waist and pulling her onto tip toes "This was for you, for your birthday" their tongues tangled lazily and she fell back against the door pulling him with her, after several more minutes of kissing and moaning and rushing hormones she pulled away from him long enough to look him in the eyes

"It was a very thoughtful gift Malfoy" she said through a milky giggle, her eyelids drooping sleepily. She felt like every muscle in her body was suddenly at ease.

"Well it wasn't entirely altruistic, I did benefit greatly from the experience" he grabbed one of her hands and briefly pressed it into his hard, warm groin before returning it to his neck, he elicited another very un-Granger like giggle from her.

They stood for a few more minutes in each other's embrace, he was swaying her gently to the distant band, the notes flitting through the ventilation system and mail pipes into the small cupboard where the odd couple stood in an even odder embrace.

"I'm sleepy." Hermione said with a yawn as she rested her head on Draco's shoulder.

"I shall walk you to your floo to ensure none of these office perverts drag you into a cupboard and do awful things to you." He smiled and cradled her elbow gently, opening the door he cast a quick distraction spell onto the hall outside, ensuring their exit would go unnoticed by any passers-by. He guided her into her office and even threw the floo powder for her "Enjoy the rest of your Birthday Granger" he placed a final kiss on her cheek before urging her into the green flames… whoosh.

The Second

"what do you want for your birthday?" Harry asked as he bounced his first born son on his knee, the ten month old gnawed happily on his own fist and let out a joyful gurgle.

"Nothing" Hermione responded distractedly as she flipped through witch weekly.

"we were useless last year, and then there was the whole Ron thing, we want to make a fuss of you this year" Harry smiled kindly at his oldest and dearest friend sat in his kitchen

"Have you got to the page about Draco and Astoria?" Ginny entered with a bottle of red wine from the pantry and a bag of chips. Hermione schooled her face into an expression of disinterest but Ginny persevered "She's moved back with her parents, he got the minister to decree all pre-war marriage bonds 'unconstitutional'" Ginny popped the bag open and eyed her husband furiously when he attempted to grab a hand full.

"What? ladies' night spreads to the consumption of crisps too now?" he asked huffily.

"Yes… now shoo and take your son with you." Ginny smiled, kissed her husband and baby before turning back to Hermione, she waited for the door to shut and for the sound of Harry's feet on the staircase. "he's single now"

"so?" Hermione started pouring the red into large glasses desperate to escape from this conversation.

"he went down on you in a cupboard last year!" Ginny exclaimed throwing her hands in the air, they'd had this conversation a million times. Ginny was very much on team Draco, she for some reason liked the idea of Hermione and him... however unrealistic it had been until now.

"and he was a married man when he did that!" Hermione hissed back, she hadn't thought of Astoria until she'd floo'ed into her living room full of giddiness and trepidation and then it had hit her like a brick wall… he was married. She hadn't thought about it because she hadn't cared, they'd hardly known each other.

"Not really, and anyway it can't have been consummated." Ginny finished easily, dipping her crisp into her wine, a strange quirk nobody could really understand.

"What?" Hermione looked up, she'd never expressed her guilt to Ginny and Ginny in turn had tried avoiding mentioning his marital status, though it was hard given that it had been well documented that Draco had been forced into the union by a hoard of wizarding lawyers with a contract his father had signed before his incarceration. He had conceded the month before his and Hermione's cupboard interlude and married "the Greengrass girl" in a small ceremony with few guests.

"It says he was annulled, not divorced! You physically can't annul a wizarding bond if it's been consummated, old magic won't allow it. And now according to law it never happened" Ginny nodded reassuringly but stopped wide eyed "that's why he didn't actually pork you!"

"What?" Hermione always felt stupid when discussing old world traditions, the ways of the pure bloods weren't exactly transparent and she struggled to understand many of the customs because quite frankly nobody talked about them. The Weasley's were considered 'progressives' in the pureblood world and rarely spoke of the 'old ways', when they did it was often vague and mocking.

"Rich pure blood families have a clause in the bond, no extra marital affairs for the seed carrier until the first son is born, to protect their creepy lineage. And when I say clause… it can be brutal Hermione… spells that make their peens floppy for a year, spells that make their junk burn if they cheat… I was going to get Harry to sign one for a joke but even I thought it was cruel." She punctuated her point with a long swig.

"This is all obsolete Ginny; I've barely had contact with him since… the incident."

"Since the sexiest incident! Hermione! As your best friend… if he tries to pull you into another store cupboard, let him." Hermione made to interrupt but Ginny pushed on "You said six months ago and I quote "It was the single most erotic thing that ever happened to me and I'm scared I'll never feel that way again." He said "at least until next year", He's annulled his bond… HE HASN'T HAD SEX IN YEARS! This is happening and if I were you I'd let it." Ginny sighed with a strange despair and Hermione leaned over to take her hand.

"Do you want to have sex with Malfoy?" Hermione asked, only half joking.

"No! I just want to have sex… we haven't since before James was born, so perhaps I feel for Malfoy in a way." She sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Can Harry not…?" Hermione wasn't sure how to finish that sentence, she wasn't sure she wanted to know whether or not her best friend's penis was working.

"he's fine… it's me, James was so big, they stitched me up and salved and charmed me but it was so painful and then I was just so tired what with going back to training and then… I just feel like I've lost it. I'm worried I'm turning into mum." Ginny let out a sob.

"You're not! you're a working mother, a famous seeker, you've got a perfect body…"

"I don't feel like I do, I feel like an old jumper all loose and bent out of shape." Ginny huffed "And of course the golden boy is being all patient and accepting and not pushing it. But I wish he would, I wish he'd just grab me into a broom closet and…" a noise, a gurgle.

"Sorry James was thirsty" Harry looked like a deer caught in headlamps as he stood in the doorway. James for his part was laughing, wrapped in his father's arms his legs kicking joyfully.

"How long have you been there?" Ginny asked through gritted teeth

"Just a second I didn't hear any of the girl chat" he clearly had. "good… so back to the television…" he hiked James who laughed again and he pulled a straight lipped smile "Darling" he leaned over Ginny "You know I don't like it when you call me Golden boy" and with that he pecked her on the cheek and strode from the room with a little more spring in his step.

"message received apparently, if I were you I'd throw some cushions in your broom closet just in case." Hermione grinned at her friend who had turned beet red.

"I'm mortified." She groaned "but you" she pointed at Hermione "you should initiate it this time, I know you, you're probably all in your head worrying that you're letting him have too much control." Ginny wasn't wrong, Hermione had been caught for the past month in a swing of emotion veering from excitement to shame. She wanted him, there was no denying it but she hated the idea of him thinking he was 'taking' her somehow… he was still Malfoy. But she would be subtle, she'd do it her own way.

---

Hermione had walked from her office to the filing room three times already and the hour was growing late. She'd informed her friends and family that she'd be home for her party at 8pm and she hadn't seen hide nor hair of him, she groaned and slumped into her chair, most of her day had been wasted with fretting over him and now people were going home and she was sitting in her office in a stupid periwinkle blue blouse with confused emotions which made her feel idiotic

Her door opened "I'm off Miss Granger, enjoy the rest of your birthday, don't work too hard and all that"

"Night Colin" she said despondently, the door closed again. A knock "alright Colin, I won't work too hard" she called back.

"We all know that's a lie"

Her eyes shot up, it was him, she tried to keep her face impassive but he was out of breath and looked rather dishevelled which piqued her curiosity and pushed her eyebrows up. He closed the door and pulled off his coat, it looked wet, he hung it over the chair and turned to fully look at her. He was grinning, not a sneer or a smirk or even a smug smile "I'm sorry I'm late, I tried to get away about a million times Granger but there was one thing after another." He removed his suit jacket so he was stood in his tight white shirt, pants and tie "Happy birthday" he walked around to stand beside her and placed a small card on her desk, a pencil drawing of the great lake she opened it "Happy Birthday Granger" signed "Malfoy X" there was a kiss this time she smiled a little pushing her chair back and standing too "thank you" she turned to him and kissed him on the cheek softly 'I'm in charge' she told herself but as she made to pull away she felt his arm snake firmly around her waist pulling her flush against his side.

"I like your blouse Granger" he whispered into her hair. 'I'm in charge' she turned her face to his and before he could say anything more her lips were attacking his, it was competitive and furious and he seemed fully committed to the sport. It was all he could do to pull back and cast the necessary charms to ensure they went undisturbed.

"I missed you." He groaned against her lips as his hands rambled frantically over her chest.

"Good" her fingers meandered down his waist, she knew she wanted this but she hadn't realised how much so until he was stood in front of her his body pressed into hers but he stopped her again his breathing laboured. "What?" she almost whined.

"It's your birthday" he reasoned.

"Yea and I want…" she wasn't a dirty talker "I want you inside me" but minor exceptions could be made.

He moaned and rested his forehead on hers "Granger" it sounded almost warning "I…" He frowned as he searched for words, he looked torn and something clicked in her, a sudden realisation, she pulled away from him and smiled a know it all's smile as her nimble fingers found the knot of his tie. She started to loosen it slowly "I know it's been a while for you, the pure blood bonds and clauses and what have you." She always thought there was something sexy about a woman undressing a man.

"How do you know about that" his voice cracked a little which made her grin widen.

"I know everything" she slid the piece of fabric from his neck "I just don't want you to feel pressure to perform" her fingers moved to his shirt buttons as she continued to talk soothingly to him "You're already in my top percentile" she grinned reassuringly. He took this as a cue swivelling her so her back was to the desk he lifted her onto it before retrieving his wand once more and using It to clear the counter, her belongings, paper work and stationary flew neatly onto an empty shelf on the bookcase "no point making a mess" he said with another genuine grin.

"That desk clear is quite possibly the sexiest thing you've done yet." She laughed and he joined her, when they quieted again he lowered his head to hers and kissed her ever so softly "Granger" he whispered her name against her lips and it made her spine tingle he kissed her again, his fingers spidering up her front, defeating each button they encountered expertly. Before she knew it her blouse was discarded and he had wrestled himself free of his shirt, she pulled back, she wanted to look at him and she wanted him to look at her. He was lean, hints of muscles, pale and perfect her own tanned arms looked almost olive by comparison she looked up to his face and noted with delight that he was staring at her body his lower lip trapped in his teeth, his eyes narrowed and famished. Hermione liked her body, she had scars and a few small rolls but she liked it, it was her. She thought that perhaps being so close to death so often left one with an unbridled gratefulness for the body one had.

His finger hooked around her periwinkle blue bra strap and he smirked wordlessly as he slid it down her shoulder, he knew she'd been expecting him, he knew it was for him. Perhaps a clearer headed Hermione would have worried that this meant a shift in the power of their strange annual congress, but the Hermione sat half dressed in her office was muggy with lust and could do nothing more than breathe heavily with anticipation. She reached behind herself, unclasping the garment allowing him to slowly drag it down her arms and over her fingers.

"exceptional." He uttered before diving forward and kissing her chest, pushing her back onto her desk. Her head lolled over the edge as he nibbled and caressed the delicate flesh of her breasts, his hand found her thighs, she felt the fabric of her pencil skirt pushed up and she shivered a delighted response as she knew what he'd find.

"nothing." He breathed.

She pushed herself onto her elbows, his eyes were closed as his fingers stilled on her uppermost thigh "You ripped them last time, I was promised a replacement… a promise you've yet to uphold might I add" it was her turn to smirk. "would you rather I was wearing something?"

"no" the answer was short and firm his fingers walked over her pelvic bone and she bucked involuntarily. "this is perfect, nothing like I imagined but perfect nonetheless"

"Imagined?" she licked her smiling lips and shuffled her bum forward hooking her legs around his, he'd imagined this, thought about her and it made her insides flip.

"Oh yes Granger" he kissed her hard as he ground into her.

The idea of him imagining this, thinking about this moment was more of an aphrodisiac than any potion or charm George Weasley could manufacture. His fingers stroked making her breath quicken and her eyelids flutter, she fought against his ministrations putting her weight on one arm she found his belt buckle and undid it.

"Are you sure?" he was like a horse jostling in his box, once released unstoppable.

"mmm" she nodded unable to form full words let alone sentences as his fly slid open, and suddenly he was inside her, her legs acted on instinct and gripped him with vice like strength, holding him tight in her and she sighed, her insides were already constricting with the sudden presence of him almost tipping her over the edge. He wasn't much better, a sweat had broken across his forehead "Granger" her name again falling from his lips, his voice strained. He thrust and she gasped throwing her head back, Intense red heat like a slow moving atomic implosion built up inside her, she shuddered a little as heat spread from her belly to the hairs on the top of her head.

"Oh my god." She breathed, her blood continuing to boil.

He thrust again, groaning with restraint another prayer fell from her lips "Oh my god" this was new, it felt like something inside her was awakening something she had never even known was there, and then it was all consuming and he was shuddering above her and it was done, barely a minute before it had started.

His breathing was laboured and broken, she reached up a hand, the other still propping her up and stroked his hair from his eyes, she didn't try to push him off of her, there was something comforting about the maintained connection. "Are you alright."

"I'm sorry Granger… I…" He started, brows furrowed an expression of shame she'd only seen once or twice before and it pained her. She cupped his face and sat up, her legs still gripping him inside of her and reached for her wand, wordlessly her tote was flying towards them and she pulled a small paper parcel out with a smile. He had gone from shame to curiosity, her silent task entrancing him. With a small sigh she untangled her legs from his waist allowing him to step back "sit" she patted the desk beside her and he wordlessly adhered, pulling his pants back up. "here" she handed him the sandwich "eat" he smiled at her, topless with her skirt hiked up and acquiesced ramming the bread into his mouth.

"what is this?" he asked wondrously, eyes wide and pointing at the sandwich in question like he'd just seen the colour blue for the first time.

"Peanut butter and jam" she smiled back "it's full of protein"

"It's fucking delicious is what it is!" he rammed another mouthful in before looking wildly around

"Milk?" she asked maternally.

He nodded his response eagerly, his mouth too full to talk, she reached into her bag and to his delight retrieved a small carton of milk and a glass, she poured it and handed it to him and he gulped it down. They sat there, shoulder to shoulder as he quietly ate "here" he offered her half and she accepted "that's a big deal for me, I was in love with that sandwich" he said, she chuckled and ripped the triangle in half giving him a piece back. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of true love" she sighed.

"I am sorry about… that was…" neither one looked at the other as he spoke

"Don't… It was great… It's kind of hard to vocalise but what it lacked in…" she chose her words carefully… 'don't say length' "duration it made up for it tenfold in impact." He chuckled slightly and nudged her a playful 'thanks' with his shoulder.

He chewed thoughtfully for another minute "I must say, I am rather touched at your effort for my part, the blue blouse the undergarment and lack thereof… the magical sandwich. You knew I'd be back." He shot her a look, and she worried he'd see the blush creeping up her face

"you said you would" she said lightly "I trust you" she shot him a brief glance back

"good" he cleared his throat a little uncomfortably.

"And I made an effort because well, last year you said you wanted to make me feel better and I thought after the year you've had…" he interrupted her again

"Try four years, this has been ongoing since before father's incarceration." He sounded weary.

"Jesus… well anyway I just thought I'd return the favour and make you feel a little better. But four years" Hermione hadn't intended on a deep conversation with him, she'd intended to use his body and nothing else, but the part of Hermione that was so very much her flared up… "Four years of people trying to make you do things you didn't want to… and merlin even before that with your dad."

"I have spent my entire life bending however unwillingly to the will of arseholes" he sighed and seemed to slump beside her, this whole sexual encounter was going off the rails and Hermione was doing nothing to stop it … it was nice to see him humanized. She turned her whole body to him, drawing her legs under her, Hermione could see he was struggling not to stare at her bare chest, she covered it briefly with her arms if only so that he would listen.

"You may have bent but at least you didn't break, you fought, you fought your father, you fought Voldemort… If you hadn't we wouldn't be sitting here… half naked and all sweaty" he chuckled at her words as his hand reached across to cup her hip "You fought the Greengrass's and for the first time in your life Draco Malfoy, you are a free man." It was almost like a rally cry, he pulled her down and kissed her hard…

"yes I am" he grinned, their faces close together.

"What are you going to do then?" she asked playfully.

"you." He pulled her in again and she took the opportunity to climb on top of him, Ron had never let her do this 'it makes me feel like the girl' he'd whined. Malfoy seemed to like it, he grabbed her by the hips and pushed her down onto his groin. He was ready to go again, Hermione grinned, the sandwich had worked. "help me pull this stupid skirt over my head." She grunted, the damn thing was now nearly a belt and she felt restricted. He laughed at her as she tried to find the zip but his laugh turned into an almost pained moan when she rolled her hips vindictively "help."

His fingers found the zip in question and she knelt up so that he could loosen the garment, her chest was level with his face and he took the opportunity to kiss her breasts again as he slid the fastener down. he lifted the skirt slowly over her chest, taking his time letting his knuckles graze every inch they could, she raised her arms and when it was finally pulled over her finger tips he threw it to the side and quickly wrapped his arms back around Hermione's waist pulling her into him, they sat like that nose to nose for seconds or minutes… Hermione couldn't tell. The mood had shifted from jovial and flirtatious to intense and breathless in a blink of an eye, she reached her hand down the tight space between them and watched as he bit his lip and blinked furiously.

"do you mind if we talk … I just need the distraction" he said with a groan as she positioned him at her entrance and lowered herself down, she shuddered.

"Ok, are you going to stay the department of education?" she asked breathily as she slid herself up him.

"no" he hissed and stilled her hips "slower" he used his hands to guide her back down.

"why aren't you staying?" she asked as she rocked against him gently, trying a different tact.

"The school's rebuilt, I'm no longer needed… they barely tolerated me" he kept her pinned to him, she rocked again and took the opportunity to kiss him.

"did you pay for the rebuild?" she asked, it was a rumour she'd often wondered about.

"some of it" one of his hands wandered to her chest, he squeezed and she hummed pleasantly in response. "I felt guilty" even Hermione recognized that this level of vulnerability and exposure was unusual for Malfoy, she noted his eyes momentarily widen as he himself realised how candid he'd been.

"you shouldn't" she retorted and rolled again, his breath hitched. "you might like to act the villain but I've seen your files boy… you're one of the goodies" her lips latched onto his and she picked up the rhythm.

"I think I'm going to go work for Kingsley, he's offered me a position in his staff" he panted, eyes screwed tight.

"That'll… that'll be good for you" she responded through gritted teeth, the climax was building in her again.

Their measured rocking motion soon turned to writhing the only constant was the tight grip he held, pinning their bodies together his head nestled in her neck. He pulled back to look at her "are you almost…" he didn't get to finish his question as her head jacked back and she let out a mewl of delight as her whole body trembled in his arms, he bucked up one more time before letting out his own cry of completion and returning his head to the crook of her neck.

"you should know that whenever I look at you from now on I'll be thinking about this." He breathed into her hair "I'll be thinking about how this feels" he ran his fingers down the small of her back, more unbridled candidness from Malfoy. She wanted to ask him what the hell they were doing, but she was too scared she'd lose whatever it was, this feeling. She was addicted. Her eye's suddenly flew to the clock on the wall "Oh shit oh fuck… everyone's going to be worried." She pushed herself away from him.

"You're late?" he asked as he pulled his trousers back to his waist and reached for his shirt, she tried to read his face as she pulled her discarded skirt back on. He looked flat and expressionless.

"My birthday party… would…" should she invite him? Turn up late, hair mussed with a tousled Draco Malfoy in tow. Ron would lose his shit, Harry too probably… he might have turned his back on his evil family but he was still snarky and irritating when he wanted to be… and sometimes cruel. But not on her birthday it seemed.

"I should be heading back to the manor, mother needs me", a semblance of a smile had returned to his face, it seemed forced. She stood, her skirt and shoes back on but her chest bare and walked towards him, she pressed a kiss against his lips but they remained tight and unyielding, she tried again pushing him harder forcing him to relent against her, she shoved her chest into him and he finally relinquished control of his mouth wrapping her into another tight embrace.

She grinned against him as he slid her blouse back on over her shoulders, having managed to retrieve it without breaking their lips.

"What about my bra?" she asked as he buttoned her front.

"I'm keeping it" he stated plainly.

"Fine but… don't like sell it in Knockturn Alley or something weird" she sniggered as she shoved paperwork into her bag and turned to see him pull his overcoat on. She thought he looked sad, but also thought her brain was capable of seeing what it wanted in the post coital deluge of hormones and chemicals she was traversing.

"No I shall just put it on the life size doll I've had made of you Granger." She laughed at this, an honest to god laugh and he joined her.

"You know there's muggles who do that?" she pulled her own coat on and headed towards him for one final goodbye.

"and you wonder why we don't like your kind." He dropped a kiss on her forehead, his hands cupped her face contrary to his statement.

"Again… It was a very thoughtful gift." She sighed and kissed his cheek before turning to the fireplace and no doubt a panicked party who'd want to know why her floo was blocked.

"My birthday's in June." He called suddenly as she stepped into the hearth.

"That's too long a wait." She didn't know why she'd said it out loud, she'd just meant to think it but the words were out and a smirk had erupted on his smug face. 'Blech' she thought before she found herself whooshing through the network and finally tumbling into her living room.

"there you are darling, Ginny said you'd be late" Molly smiled and grabbed her into a tight hug "happy birthday my sweet pea. Oh that's a new scent my love, musky! Was it a gift?" she said, Hermione looked over her shoulder to see Ginny in her kitchen fist pumping a smirk not unlike Malfoy's plastered on her freckled face.

The Third

"They're offering you deputy at education Hermione you have to take it." Colin was wearing reindeer antlers and a red nose, neither of which reflected his dead pan personality.

"I'm deputy here, I said I wanted to dedicate my life to this!" she argued back, rereading the scroll from Kingsley, Colin had brought her from the office Christmas mixer to discuss it.

"ah and there's the problem Hermione you 'said you wanted to' but now you don't and that's fine…We're not supposed to stick to the plans we made when we were 17" she started to interrupt but he raised a finger to silence her "I'm not going to lie, having a media darling has been great. We've got more done because people want to win favour with the 'brains'… but it would be selfish of me not to guide you, as your mentor… towards the right path for you." He moved his arm as if to pat her hand before suddenly thinking better of it. "you made your decision to work here as a child, priorities change Miss Granger and the fact that the minister is taking a personal hand in this means you should go." He smiled a flat lipped smile, it was his best and she knew it.

"but why education?" she wondered aloud.

"It'll be education for a while and then probably international, muggle relations and then a stint in the department of mysteries." Colin listed off. "It's the leadership fast track."

"Oh" was all Hermione could say.

"Pack up your things Granger, you'll start under Hepburn in the new year… and he's excited, he's been trying to poach you for ages." He finally did pat her hand, and it was as awkward as she'd thought it would be the first time he looked like he would make an attempt.

---

"This is a big deal" Ginny cried happily, her second baby bump already showing. "You're moving departments babe!" Ginny squealed.

"She gets really excited about stuff now." Harry interjected as he walked James into the room, who was holding his finger and proudly parading his new stride to the house guest.

"It's the hormones." Ginny waved off the comment breezily. "what are you doing for Christmas?" she squeaked shoving a sugar cookie into her mouth.

"didn't the last pregnancy make you mean? This one's making you all sweet… it's off putting." Hermione avoided the Christmas question, Harry always went full hog… literally… he roasted a hog.

"We think this one might be evil, Christmas?" Harry prodded further. The whole extended patchwork family gathered, the Weasleys, and Dudley, singletons without families of their own… Hermione knew it was Harry's way of making up for all the shit holidays he'd spent under the stairs but Hermione just couldn't. She came from a group of resolute atheists who liked to spend their dentist money on holidays to Spain or France with few gifts and little pomp, she wasn't 'from Christmas people'.

"Harry go walk James, I want to talk to Hermione." Ginny said, her voice no longer cheery… her face said 'I see behind your façade Granger'.

"He's not a dog" Harry said as he pecked her cheek, but obliged anyway guiding the waddling toddler from the room.

"What are you doing for Christmas Hermione?" Ginny asked more sternly.

"Probably going to Spain to see mum and dad." Hermione lied quickly, she had no intention of travel, she instead had a cunning plan which involved her with muggle takeaway in her parent's empty house watching Netflix (her mother had introduced her).

"not planning a visit to see your seasonal sex partner?" Ginny questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No." Hermione wasn't lying this time, she had no plans of the sort… she'd thought about turning up at his door but what if he was with someone, what if he thought her desperate… no… she'd wait.

"and he's said nothing since the sex on the desk?" Ginny loved nought more than picking over the 'clues' of Hermione's bizarre relationship.

"nothing." It was true he'd said nothing… with actual words. But he'd looked at her… a lot. She'd be meeting with the minister and he'd be stood behind him and he'd gnaw his lip for a split second his eyes drilling into her and she'd know what he'd been thinking about. Blushes became so commonplace she had to find a charm to mask them, and then there was the letter he'd written her after one particularly long meeting with the heads and deputies. He'd stood at Kingsley's shoulder passing him notes and figures, the meeting had gone on for hours and occasionally she'd catch him looking at her, that hungry look in his eyes. She'd finally arrived home after a debriefing with her team and dinner with the Potters to find an owl waiting for her at her door, the scroll it held was long and it detailed everything he'd imagined doing to her… it smelled of fire whiskey and him, she'd read it twice in the bath. She didn't respond because she didn't know where to begin and so with a giggle and the courage of a bottle of wine, she wrapped a pair of periwinkle blue knickers she'd bought with him in mind in some parchment and tied it to the owl, sending him back to his owner.

"nothing." She repeated to Ginny who'd cleared her throat dramatically when Hermione's mind wandered to the knickers again. He'd winked at her the next day and her knees had trembled.

"Right well I know you're lying… I can tell by the fact you've been staring into space for the past minute having some sort of a meaningful flashback" Ginny took a swig of milk and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand "You two clearly have chemistry… dad mentioned it." Hermione gasped.

"What did he say?"

"He said and I quote "the Malfoy boy stares at our Hermione… and I'll tell you something for nothing she doesn't seem to mind it." Ginny even did her dads voice for effect.

"Oh my god did other people notice? Did you tell?"

"No of course not." Ginny shot back, affronted Hermione thought her a snitch. "and I asked dad that, because I knew you'd ask… because I'm an amazing best friend, the kind that doesn't tell her family about her BFF's weird birthday sex and finds any information to fill plot holes, now say you're sorry" Ginny crossed her arms firmly over her chest and Hermione knew what had to do.

"I'm sorry, I panicked and I said the first thing that came into my head. You're no snitch."

"Thank you" Ginny smiled smugly "Nah, dad said he only noticed because he keeps an extra eye on you at the ministry. He said nobody else has mentioned it. I told him then it must just be his imagination because if Lucius Malfoy's son was sweet on Hermione 'The golden brain'…"

"That's not my nickname"

"The golden brain Granger the whole ministry would be abuzz." Ginny finished and looked longingly at the cider in Hermione's hands.

"Thank you Gin." Hermione let out a frustrated sigh.

"You should go to him; you should date him… you should marry him!" Ginny squeaked, her hormone drizzled brain swinging back to overly excited and sweet, when she noted Hermione's sullen expression her tone shifted to soothing and motherly "you know if you really wanted to, nobody would care. He's not an enemy of the state, He's the ministers right hand man."

"His family held me prisoner in their house, I was tortured in front of him." Hermione rubbed her face furiously, fears and stresses she'd never found the courage to vocalise suddenly pouring from her "He's so sweet to me Gin, so nice…. Well those two times… but even before that he was just catty at best but what if it's a ruse? People still hate him!"

"You're not people Hermione! When have you ever been people?" Ginny shot back with a knowing expression.

"What if he hurts me? What if he's just using me? What if this is all some long game con to make himself look better?"

"Okay, I'll be the sensible one for once… If he's pretending to fancy you and this is all some twisted ruse, why is he only coming to you once a year? If this was all some plot to humiliate you wouldn't he just do it whenever and wouldn't he have exposed his deeds by now? Do you think he's waiting till your wedding day?" Hermione still wasn't convinced "Ok next… he might hurt you Hermione, but so could anyone you have a relationship with… Ron's your best friend and he hurt you! If it turns out It's just a sex thing, then boohoo no harm no foul! I'm not telling you to go confess your undying love, I'm just saying maybe have sex with him on a day that's not your birthday and see how that feels" Hermione's best friend grinned… "And Hermione if he wanted to look better… He could just leak the fact he paid for Hogwarts… also I don't think a man who's not had sex for years picks a girl he hates to rip the band aid off!" Hermione remained silent

"I think he's put the ball in your court, I think he's the son of a death eater, a social pariah and he likes you… the easiest way to prove it to you was physically, if he'd just said it you'd have laughed at him or assumed he was tricking you. Actions speak louder than words babe" Ginny drained the last of her milk.

"After the new year, I'll… I dunno I'll ask him to coffee or something." Hermione was already dreading the prospect

"That's my girl, and if you don't I'll talk to him."

"No Ginny don't!" Hermione almost screeched

"I can't make any promises, I'm all crazy brained what with the baby inside me! Now promise you'll come to Christmas. Ron is bringing his new girlfriend and he really wants your approval." Ginny asked again.

"No Gin, I don't like it, Harry gets pissy if he catches you yawning or not looking happy enough… I'll do boxing day! The Hog's always better the next day anyway." Hermione smiled "and I'm glad you're my best friend Gin."

"Ditto… You know Harry will just make Boxing Day a big deal for your benefit?" Ginny tilted her head pleadingly. "Stop being a stick in the mud and come to Christmas"

"Ginny… as much as I like to invoke his name I don't believe Jesus was the son of god, I don't believe his birthday is December 25th… My parents told me from birth that Santa was a fallacy created by adults in order to modify children's behaviour… Christmas is not my thing." Hermione sighed, why wizards even celebrated It was beyond her.

"Babe, I'm a pure born witch, we did Christmas in the olden days so the muggles wouldn't try and burn us or cast us out for devil worship… and from what we know of Jesus most in the magical community are pretty sure that he was just a really kind muggle born wizard who wanted to make the world a bit better… what any of this has to do with Christmas I don't know cause the main thing is we're all together and alive with a dead hog!" she grinned, Hermione was unconvinced "I'll make a deal with you then, if you stop round at Malfoy's with a Christmas card.. that's all… I'll excuse you from Christmas, but you still have to do boxing day if you're not shagged out!" Ginny giggled.

"I can't just pop round on a holiday!" Hermione screeched.

"au contraire mon ami, pure blood girl to the rescue once again!" Ginny pumped her fist in the air dramatically.

"What?"

"Back in the old wizarding Britain, I'm talking a hundred years or so ago, only the very wealthiest wizards and witches could afford to live with their own, there were magical communities but they existed within Muggle towns and cities… and Muggles still believed in magic, a bit… there were stories which were just truths about the days when Wizards didn't hide. Anyway, like I said most wizards adopted Christmas so the Christians wouldn't try and drive them out… The old wizarding tradition is that you take a decoration to a fellow wizard's home on Christmas day, to check on your friends and to help them stay hidden and that just turned into a real celebration. So, it would be completely normal for you to visit the homes of your work friends with a small bauble and perhaps a gift?" Ginny wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I'll think about it." Hermione stated angrily, though why she was angry made no sense.

"I just think it'd be a good way to gauge his reaction, you don't even have to go in… just say Merry Christmas give him the card and a decoration, he'll know you're just following wizarding custom and assume it's your attempt to learn something new."

"Or he'll think I'm horny!" Hermione shot back.

"Who'll think you're horny?" Harry had re-entered unnoticed again, James clutching his finger and teetering at his side.

"'orny!" James shouted suddenly, causing the tableau of confused and blushing faces to all turn to him. "'ORNY!" and again now that he realised he had an audience.

"That's not his first word, is it?" Hermione gasped apologetically.

"No… he says dada." Ginny was trying not to laugh.

"Dada 'Orny!" James shrieked as he stamped his feet happily, a new word learned.

"Jesus." Hermione invoked the name of the man she didn't quite understand once more as she buried her face in her hands.

---

"What am I doing?" she asked herself for the millionth time, she lifted the glass bauble she'd made and looked into it, a perfect replica of Hogwarts floating in the centre… was it too much? Ginny didn't think so but Ginny was in her bad books today after she sent Hermione a howler that just screamed "DO IT" at her for four and a half minutes. She eyed the gates to Malfoy Manor one last time, preparing to apparate in defeat to Harry Potter's Christmas extravaganza 'you are such a pussy' Ginny's voice whispered somewhere deep in her psyche, she roared and kicked the large wrought iron gate, it swung open with an ominous squeak 'now you have to go in, you've probably triggered some alarm' Ginny's voice which was clearly her own subconscious, piped up again.

She stepped forward through the large gate and onto the driveway, the dark and looming spires of Malfoy Manor made a little bile rise in her throat, she forced her feet forward. She had a plan, if he was having a party (oh the embarrassment) she'd hand the card and gift to the nearest elf and bolt, if he had company of any sort she'd drop off the gift and bolt… also if it all went horribly wrong she could emigrate, that was always an option… Canada seemed delightful.

Before she knew it, Hermione Granger was standing at the door to the Manor of her nightmares with a Christmas bauble and a small card in her hands, a warm woollen coat wrapped around her body and a festive hat perched on her head. She knocked and instantly regretted it, the door opened instantly to reveal a very well kempt woman in her 50's, blonde hair cascading over one shoulder, her emerald silk dress reminded Hermione of Hollywood and a golden era of cinema.

"How strange." The woman said with a tight but not unkind smile "did you just knock on the door?"

"yes." Hermione was almost breathless with fear; she hadn't thought about his mother answering.

"my goodness I can't remember the last time someone knocked the front door, how very civilised" she smiled almost nostalgically, there was a pop and an elf appeared next to Narcissa.

"My lady the wards…" he started but noticed Hermione "Oh… Hello?" The elf to Hermione's astonishment was dressed in full butler attire and didn't appear to speak like any elf she'd encountered yet.

"hello." She said back dumbly, before shaking her head, they were both looking at her for some sort of an explanation "I'm Hermione Granger"

"Oh of course you are my dear, I didn't recognise you with your beautiful hair all covered up, please do come in!" Narcissa seemed genuinely pleased, her tight smile had loosened and her arms widened in a welcoming gesture, Hermione did the only polite thing she could and stepped into the belly of the beast. "she has such wonderful curls, when I was much younger I wanted nothing more than a head of curls… but that is the curse of womanhood, we never appreciate what we have." She was talking to the elf who seemed genuinely interested, how odd.

Hermione realised she still hadn't actually explained herself "Mrs Malfoy" she said softly, stealing the woman's attention from her elf "I shan't bother you long I…"

"My dear please call me Narcissa, and you aren't a bother at all what can we do for you?" It shocked Hermione how pleasant the woman before her was, her memories of her… they painted the picture of a strangely cold yet fiercely loyal woman who seemed to lack a personality of her own, merely a projection of her husband's wishes and beliefs. The woman standing in front of Hermione now, almost glowed, she put Hermione at ease and at the same time radiated power. It was just so peculiar.

"Well" Hermione raised her hands clutching the bauble and card "I'm trying to learn more about Wizarding Christmas as muggle Christmas wasn't something I ever connected with, and my friend told me it was tradition to visit the homes of friends with a small decoration and a card." She smiled shyly at the very intimidating woman standing before her.

"Oh my goodness" Narcissa clapped her hands to her chest she beamed a full toothed smile at Hermione "I haven't done this since I was a girl, my sisters and I would pop from house to house with a basket of trinkets. We'd hang one on each tree and visit with all our friends. Oh my darling girl this has brought back some wonderful memories." She raised the bauble to her eye and marvelled at the miniaturized castled suspended in the glass orb "Did you make this my dear?"

"Yes Mrs… Sorry Narcissa."

"It's marvellous, please take Miss Granger's coat and hat Solomon." She nodded to the elf and before Hermione could protest she added "It is also traditional for the visitor to receive food and drink to repay their kind gesture." Her eyes reminded Hermione of Ginny's, they said 'do as I tell you'. Hermione obliged, pulling off her hat and coat and handing them to the elf with a 'thank you'

"Please inform my son we have company."

"I really don't want to intrude on your Christmas or keep you from anything." Hermione's manners kicked in to full throttle when faced with the opulence of Malfoy Manor as Narcissa led her from the large entrance hall to what appeared to be the drawing room.

"Hermione, I can call you that?"

"Of course"

"Hermione, as my first visitor in weeks I can safely say you are neither intruding nor keeping me from anything... apart from perhaps cataloguing my library but Solomon and I do that every day so this is a pleasant distraction, now please sit." Hermione did as bid and plopped herself down onto a small sofa, she was glad she'd opted to wear an almost formal black, short sleeved swing dress. The kind of dress her mother deemed "Office to Out-and-about".

"You have a beautiful home." Hermione said looking around the large room, noting the deliriously tall Christmas tree in the corner, the sunny wallpaper covered in small birds and intertwined branches, the light oak side board and delicate upholstery. It was nothing like she remembered.

"I've been redecorating a room at a time, this was the first one I did… I filled it with everything Lucius hated. It's a little chintzy for my tastes but this was his study and it pleases me to know that he'd despise it" Narcissa smiled at this, a little private smile that Hermione felt she deserved. "I really shouldn't be talking like this in front of you but I've already had an eggnog and my goodness I've missed the company of intelligent women." Narcissa grinned again, Hermione couldn't help but mirror it.

"I have an aunt whose husband cheated on her, she set fire to most of his possessions. Vengeful redecorating seems like a very restrained form of punishment in my opinion." Hermione said with a grin.

"Oh I burned his clothes too" she smiled another conspirator smile, Hermione felt like she was being brought into the fold which was disconcerting. She had to remind herself that not only was this Narcissa Malfoy, but her sole purpose in coming here had been to see if her son wanted to do more than have sex once a year, that sudden shock of truth to the system set her back to nauseous anxiety, what the hell was he going to think when he walked in and saw his casual sex partner sitting across from his mother in his father's old study? She didn't have to wait long to find out.

Draco barrelled into the room, his face a picture of confusion, Solomon was hot on his heels, both appeared out of breath. When his eyes landed on Hermione his face went from confused and slightly worried to a toothy grin that rivalled his mother's "When Solomon said Hermione Granger was visiting us I thought you must be an imposter, but it's you." He was clutching his gut, apparently winded from the sprint through the expansive manor.

"It's me." She repeated with a small shy smile, she widened her eyes and attempted to wordlessly convey to him that she hadn't meant for any of this, he didn't notice or didn't care he was grinning like an idiot and it made Hermione's insides flip nervously again. She'd expected refusal, she'd expected awkwardness, a "What are you doing here?" followed by nervous glances to ensure nobody saw her… she had not expected to be sat in his house with him and his mother grinning at her.

"Hermione brought us a gift Draco." Narcissa lifted the decoration into the air so that Draco could see.

"I heard it was traditional to bring something to ward off the muggles." Hermione grinned playfully, Narcissa actually laughed.

"Draco my sweet please help Miss Hermione to hang her gift on our tree." Narcissa smiled angelically handing Draco the decoration and nodding to Hermione who stood. Draco took her by the elbow and led her the ten feet or so to the large pine which was already covered in gold beads, balls and floating candles.

"Wont it look out of place?" Hermione asked as he turned to look at her.

"that's what makes it all the more beautiful." Narcissa called from her seat before turning to Solomon.

"I don't know what I'm doing here." Hermione whispered to Draco while his mother was otherwise occupied.

"I don't care why, I'm just happy that you are." And he seemed sincere.

"really?" he didn't answer straight away he just looked at her, with his brow scrunched again in that way that made him so endearingly cute.

"Yes really Granger." He gave her a small nudge "Now hang the bauble" he pointed to a bare branch in the very centre of the tree and she obliged hanging her creation "beautiful" he said, but he wasn't looking at the tree, his eyes where fixed on her, his lip between his teeth. She was scared, she didn't know what this was any more, come to think about it she'd never really known what this was had she?

"Drinks are served" Narcissa called, breaking the spell and forcing Hermione back into the real world, he guided her wordlessly back to the seating area and his mother, she fell mutely back onto the love seat and was more than a little shocked when he opted to sit by her as opposed to his mother. He picked a small glass of eggnog from the table and placed It in her hands, he'd returned to grinning and she felt high, her brain fuzzed as it attempted to compute the actual value of Draco Malfoy, what was his rank in her brain. A stranger she'd slept with, an enemy, a lover, a friend? Where he fit in her life was becoming more and more unsure.

"Draco tells me you've been put on the ministry fast track; your parents must be very proud." Narcissa said with a smile as she noted the way her son attended to Hermione.

"They are, they were a little disappointed that I didn't finish my education… they worried I'd get trapped in a mid-level position. So, they're pleased to see me progress." Hermione smiled placidly.

"Surely they'd have known you'd go far, you're the darling of the wizarding world Hermione." Narcissa almost laughed, Hermione thought it was quite laughable how little her parents knew about her.

"I don't really share that side of magic with them, they think I'm just a normal girl and I like that. When they returned from Australia I found I had an opportunity to shield them from that exposure and I took it." She shrugged, she did sometimes wish her parents knew how very well she'd done. Knew of all her heroics and not the few pieces of information she'd stitched together to make the whole thing seem less horrifying. After the war, she'd moved from them and hidden the post-traumatic stress she'd suffered from them. She always assumed she'd tell them one day.

"I think you've underestimated your parents my dear, they'd be exceedingly proud. All parents want an exceptional child, like my Draco." She smiled softly at her son and Hermione had to fight the smirk that sprung to her lips.

"If you ever wondered where I got my ego from." He muttered beside her and she chuckled.

"Will you be seeing your family today?" Narcissa continued the flow of conversation as a good host should

"no, my parents are in France I think, they've decided to back-pack through Europe. Part of their retirement plan." Hermione smiled at the thought, she had fairly odd parents, they loved her though they were never ones for showing too much emotion. Pragmatists to a fault but with a strange whimsy that was all their own.

"How wonderful, oh you know I've been thinking about travel of late. We have a beautiful home in Prague that I would very much like to spend the summer in. I have cousins over there you see and it would be nice to get away from London and those bloody Greengrass' lunatics." Narcissa sounded off as she drank what Hermione assumed was her second glass of nog that day.

"mother, that's all done with now." He said soothingly.

"please excuse my outburst." Narcissa straightened her dress carefully.

"Mrs Malfoy, Narcissa… trust me, my best friends are emotional fireworks, that was no outburst." Hermione liked Narcissa more and more, despite their dark history. The Malfoy woman was sharp as much as she liked to play the pleasant house wife, she knew that Hermione must be anxious to have returned to the manor, she was a calculating woman, perhaps her 'outburst' and over sharing weren't as accidental as she intended them to appear. Hermione suspected Narcissa wanted her to like her, which was disconcerting to say the least.

"If you have no plan to see your family, you're more than welcome to sup with us." Malfoy's mother smiled sweetly, Hermione's instinct to self-preserve snaked into her subconscious and told her to leave, and the part of her that wanted to stay… she wasn't sure what that was.

"I really couldn't intrude; you've been so gracious allowing me to experience this wizarding tradition" Narcissa studied her for a second.

"I do insist you're not intruding Hermione, like I said it's a pleasure to have you in our home… When I am invited to a function most of the girls your age I interact with are halfwits, much like Astoria. If you'd like after dinner Draco could show you my library. I have a section, recently catalogued might I add, all about ancient wizarding tradition." Hermione's eye's widened involuntarily, she was on the hook, Narcissa continued "I can trace my family all the way back to the roman empire, we celebrated Saturnalia in December. A day of role reversals… you could read all about it." Narcissa dangled the juicy carrot of knowledge in front of Hermione, she smirked, she knew what she was doing.

She turned to Draco eyes wide, questioning, it was all very well his mother wanting her to stay but it was his opinion she really wanted. "You'll love the library" was all he added with a grin.

Narcissa did not wait for Hermione's response, "It's settled then, oh how wonderful is this Draco? We have a guest for Christmas dinner." She grinned that dazzling smile at Hermione, the shields left over in Hermione Granger from years of fighting kicked up a notch. Mrs Malfoy had said it herself, Hermione was a darling of the magical world, was this all some plan for Narcissa to self-promote and fall into good graces. She smiled a tightly wound smile but acquiesced, she really didn't want to offend anyone and she guessed if she read about this in the rags she'd get her answer… also the call of all those ancient books was almost overwhelming.

"Draco be a dove and tell Solomon and the kitchen that we've got a guest, have a think though about what Miss Granger might like." He nodded with a smile and stood from his seat, bowing to his mother and Hermione before leaving.

"Are you and Draco friends?" Mrs Malfoy asked as soon as the door was closed.

"Yes." Hermione lied quickly.

"Do your friends know… that he is also your friend?" She sounded a touch defensive, Hermione's heart raced.

"My best friend Ginny does." Hermione told the truth

"Oh." This seemed to shock Mrs Malfoy "And what does Ginny think about you and he's friendship?"

"She's very much pro Malfoy on this count" Hermione smiled reassuringly, was the mother just attempting to protect her son?

"Oh!" she really was shocked now, she looked at her hands then back up at Hermione, her expression calculating.

"Did he tell you that we were… friends?" Hermione wondered, Narcissa seemed to know about her, did he talk about her? Did he tell his mother about their… strange relationship?

"No, he mentions you a lot though. Whenever you were in the papers he'd read to me what they were saying about you. He'd get sorely vexed when stories popped up about the Weasley boy mistreating you." Narcissa seemed to ponder her next move "And then when he started at the ministry he would tell me how you were progressing, I would ask of course, I've followed your career with great interest as a fellow 'book worm'… well I don't want to give too much away but I think Draco wanted to be your friend and just didn't quite know how to go about it. I suggested he give you a birthday card to break the ice."

"He did" Hermione said with a shy smile, hoping the blush which threatened to creep up her neck stayed at bay.

"Oh how wonderful, the past few years my son has had, well I'm sure he's told you…" they'd had one conversation, one proper conversation and her boobs had been out... but he had, he had told her. "I'm just glad he's got someone to turn to."

Hermione was having an internal struggle, she liked Narcissa Malfoy and by any other name she'd be comfortable with that choice. But she had been married to Lucius Malfoy, her sister had killed her friends, she'd stood by while Hermione was tortured and so had he… but what choice did the really have. Hermione concluded that the worst feeling of all was the hope, deep down she hoped that this was more, ridiculous as it sounded…a small part of her hoped that he could maybe be the love of her life, that this wasn't all some plot to redeem their name or worse destroy her. But despite her demons attempting to shout down her better angels she trusted Malfoy, she'd shared her most intimate self with him. She trusted him in spite of herself and by proxy his mother.

"I'd also like to add, and please don't take offence to this, but there's something rather magical about having the muggle born girl who destroyed Voldemort's regime here in my house" Hermione was taken aback, most of the old guard still called him the dark lord or at least 'he who should not be named' and the fact he was even being mentioned made her nervous "I don't mean to scare you, I just mean… When it ended, it wasn't just your kind who were liberated Hermione. I too was freed. I was betrothed to Lucius at birth, he was already ten. I married him when I was 14 and he 24, I was brought to the dark lord at 16 and pregnant at 17. I had no choice. my sister Andromeda, she ran when she saw what happened to me. It makes me very happy to have the choice to invite you into my home and share my food with you, especially knowing that when I write about how pleasant it was to my husband it will drive him insane." She beamed, Hermione's eyes were wide. She'd known about the death brides, girls bred by rich families to serve as spouses to Voldemort's soldiers, girls bred to breed pure bloods. Girls who were traded like stocks and bonds, in return for favours and gold. It was at times like these Hermione was grateful for every freedom allowed to her by her parent's "You can be anything you want to be" they'd told her this every day.

"I hope that's not too forward?" Mrs Malfoy asked, almost looking unsure of herself for a split second

Hermione shook her head and attempted to smile reassuringly, she wasn't quite sure how to respond to this.

"And might I take this opportunity to apologise. Profusely might I add, for any harm that befell you in this house… I wish I had been braver like my son." Narcissa cleared her throat, she was definitely uncomfortable.

"I…" what could she do, she couldn't dismiss her actions, all she could do was forgive "thank you." She wasn't sure if that was protocol when someone apologised for that kind of thing but it seemed they were both on new territory. They sat in a comfortable silence for a minute, both contemplating the words passed between them.

"lunch is served." Draco said popping his head around the door, he looked disconcerted to find silence but Hermione smiled at him reassuringly… what was she doing? She was spending Christmas with his family in his home.

"Already?" she asked, shocked, also lunch was a broad term given that it was 3pm, but festive meal times always confused her.

"It's a magical kitchen Granger, and the elf staff are excited you're here so prepare to be stuffed." He chuckled helping his mother from the sofa.

"Escort miss Granger to the dining room my sweet, Solomon shall escort me." He appeared at the sound of his name

"Milady" he reached up and cradled her elbow, his free hand clutching his lapel looking every inch the gentleman, Mrs Malfoy and her elf left the room first Draco and Hermione lingered behind a bit.

"Your mother asked me if we were friends, I said yes." Hermione whispered quickly, catching him up on her lie.

"are we?" he asked, he held her elbow gently and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I… I don't know. I came here to find out if you…" she started but she didn't want to show all her cards, she didn't want to seem desperate.

"to find out what?" he asked as he drew her towards the door.

"I don't know…" she answered, not entirely untruthfully but not honest either.

"That's alright, and thank you for saying that to mother. She worries about me." He placed a swift kiss on her cheek before pushing the door open to the exquisite dining room. Hermione had been a fan of the sound of music as a child, there had been that golden room, with painted panels and warm yellow light, the Malfoy dining room was as close to that as one could get in real life. The whole room glowed, the sea of floating candles on the ceiling probably helped, but the gold leaf wood reflected all the warm light making everything radiant. A long table was set in the middle, Mrs Malfoy was already seated in the centre as opposed to the far end, two empty chairs sat across from her so that they could all sit close together. The table was decorated with evergreens and berries, while garlands of holly hung like bunting along the walls, it was very beautiful and very elegant. Hermione smiled as Draco pulled a chair out for her, a stream of elves entered, dome covered plates in their hands. All of them were dressed in fine white jackets and black pants, Solomon seemed to be orchestrating the whole thing as he walked around the table filling each glass with wine. The plates were placed on the table, as each one was uncovered the elf holding it announced the contents;
"poached salmon", "Turkey crown", "Macaroni cheese" a tiny elf piped up.

"That's my favourite." Hermione smiled happily.

"Master Draco thought you might enjoy it." Solomon said indicating the elves should continue their display.

"Roast potatoes" "and Mashed" the ceremony went on, each steaming plate presented and placed on the table to either side of the three, Hermione noted the elves who had presented stayed in the room. When It was finally done, Hermione marvelled at the food before her, she wasn't even sure how she was going to get to most of it. Her concerns were answered however when the elf at her side gently cleared her throat "What would Miss like to start with?" she asked shyly.

"Macaroni please, and perhaps some mash and turkey?" it seemed like an odd combination, but she liked this buffet style, she could nibble at whatever she fancied. Mrs Malfoy and Draco were talking to their respective elves and suddenly perfect portions of food were flying through the air and landing delicately on the plates before them "When Miss would like more please just ask" Hermione knew better than to tell an elf no, as much as it pained her to admit it they lived to serve and when you told them you could do something yourself it hurt them, they took great offence, so she nodded and the small elf took a step back.

She popped a forkful of the cheesy pasta into her mouth and hummed happily "This is delicious" she turned to address the kitchen staff who beamed proudly at their impromptu and speedy feast.

"Thank you Miss Granger, we're happy to serve." Solomon spoke and the staff bowed.

"Yes very good show chaps!" Narcissa raised her glass to them and the staff seemed to beam happily, Solomon gave a nod and the majority of the kitchen staff popped away, leaving only himself and the three servers.

"we don't usually eat like this; elf service is only reserved for large parties but they were all eager to see you." Draco said by way of explanation.

"me?" she asked

"You freed half of them, in your sock hiding days." He smirked at the memory.

"Oh." Again, Hermione found herself at a loss for words, she worried for a second that they'd think less of her then worried further that she was worried in the first place. "What kind of books do you enjoy Narcissa?" she asked attempting to behave like a normal human being.

"Oh all sorts, history, fiction, science… sonnets." Narcissa smiled as she gazed at her fork pondering her literary choices "Korean mage sonnets are beautiful; I have several volumes of translations from 1600… but then there's the collection aspect. I like to find early prints, first editions if I can. I enjoy the thrill of chasing a book down."

"I have a small collection too" Hermione added as she moved mashed potatoes around her plate, careful not to talk with her mouth full "I have third edition Hogwarts a History, I'd like to find a first one day." Draco caught her eye at this and smirked happily. Hermione managed to make it through the rest of dinner making pleasant small talk, about her work, her books, what rooms Narcissa would redecorate next, Draco remained quiet. Watching his mother and Hermione talk, only contributing when asked to. He seemed at ease though, as if he was enjoying listening. With a serious dent made in the table of food, and Hermione stuffed after tasting everything, the elves cleared the plates with a click of their fingers.

"I hope you've saved room for dessert Granger?" Malfoy teased, Narcissa's eyes shot up.

"Draco, Hermione is a young lady not some chum you play quidditch with on the weekend call her by her given name."

"Sorry Hermione." It was the first time she'd heard her name from his mouth, the thrill it sent down her spine irritated her, he filled her glass with a new wine and she realised for the first time that she was slightly tipsy. As if on cue a cup of black coffee appeared at her elbow, along with a dish filled with what looked like Eaton mess. Strawberries, meringue and clotted cream all mixed together she smiled and looked up at him.

"Again, my favourite."

"Every time we're organising an official dinner you suggest it, I made an educated guess."

"thank you" she didn't know what compelled her to do what she did next, perhaps it was the wine and the eggnog and the mounds of starch she'd consumed but she shifted her hand from her lap and gave his knee a small squeeze, as soon as she's done it she worried and made to pull her hand back but he grasped it in his own holding it to his thigh. She blushed and raised her spoon with her free hand.

"This has all been so lovely, thank you again…" she said, unsure of what else to say. Narcissa nodded in response her mouth currently full of cream and berry, when she'd swallowed she took a drink to clear her mouth.

"and thank you for reminding us of our wonderful traditions Hermione, it was such a pleasant surprise and I know Draco is exceedingly happy given how fond he is of you." She smiled a knowing smile, tipsy Narcissa was sassy. Draco choked a little but kept a firm grasp of her digits.

She ate as much as she could, without feeling too over indulged but made sure to drink her coffee if only to clear her currently fuzzy head. The hand he'd taken prisoner was warm, trapped beneath his own, he gently stroked the backs of her fingers with the tips of his, feeling so warm and content she got the sudden urge to lean on him and rest her head a little but she fought it. What would his mother think?

Narcissa clunked her spoon down with a satisfied hum and stretched back in her chair "It's so good to not have to watch my figure, that was superb Solomon" she stretched and yawned "I think I'll take a nap, my darling Hermione if I do not see you before you leave please know that you are welcome back whenever you wish." The older woman stood and walked around the massive table to stand beside Hermione, Hermione obliged by standing too Draco did the same. "Now you make sure my son shows you every inch of that library and if you see something that pique's your interest please do let Draco know, if it's one of the older tomes it has to stay on the grounds but we can arrange times for you to come and read undisturbed." She placed a kiss on Hermione's cheek before moving to Draco "Merry Christmas my beautiful boy" she placed a kiss on his cheek before yawning, Solomon was at her elbow in seconds guiding her from the room and through the vast manor to wherever it was she napped. Hermione wondered if a woman of such means had a room just for napping, she smiled at the idea.

"Shall we?" his hand was on the small of her back guiding her through another door back into the main entrance and across the marble floors to a set of large oak doors. "Were you very uncomfortable?" he asked suddenly, stopping his hand on the large handle.

"Pardon?" she asked not fully understanding his query

"Coming here, it can't have been easy Hermione" his continued use of her given name continued to send shivers through her body, she wanted to stamp with frustration "I know you don't know why you came but… well I just think the fact you did and were so gracious to sit and spend time with my mother it was very kind."

"Your mother is nice, I like her"

"she likes you too." He brushed the hair from his eyes and looked down at her again. "Why did you come here?" he asked again, his eyes searching hers but she wasn't sure what for. She shrugged, she was nervous and so very scared, the small ball of hope had blossomed. If this all was just sex, if there was nothing more, what if he laughed… she was a woman she knew men like that, men who were sweet and kind until they got what they wanted, once they were satisfied they turned cold and mean she'd fallen in love with a man like that once before, she couldn't do it again. And she knew with Draco it'd be different, because when he touched her it was fire and so very dangerous. She felt ashamed that she wanted more, that she was pursuing him.

"Can I see the library please?" She said finally, unable to answer him.

He looked disappointed but complied and pushed the large wooden door open, her anxious expression vanished as the room before her came into view. Books, books and more books, it was almost like the Hogwarts Library, rows of shelves, nooks and crannies, every square foot being utilized.

"Holy shit!" she gasped as she took a few running steps into the library, from her new view point it was even bigger than she realised, rows meandered into darkness the shelves two stories high with rolling ladders. "How many books are in here?" she gasped as she spun around attempting to take it all in.

"last count three hundred thousand"

"What?" she almost yelled, there was an echo, she shook her head in wonder. "How? Well I know magic but… wow!" she beamed up at him, and any disappointment he'd displayed earlier vanished, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into one of the darkened rows of books, he lifted her and placed her on the first wrung of one of the ladders so he could look into her eyes without bending down.

"what are you doing?" she gasped idiotically as he trapped her between the ladder and his body.

"I'm going to kiss you, I've been waiting hours, months really." He said leaning in to brush his lips against hers, she didn't relax, she remained stiff with her eyes open, she wanted to ask him why, to ask him what he wanted from her but the desire to kiss him was stronger. She needed her fix, her eyes closed and she kissed him with more force than she'd intending lunging forward causing him to stumble back. He held her firm lifting her from the ladder, she wrapped her legs around his abdomen and kissed him with a furiousness she wasn't really sure she had been capable of. She felt the rungs of the ladders hard on her back and let out a pained mewl, his face was full of concern

"I'm sorry" he cooed as he stroked her back where the steps had dug in, he seemed to think briefly before making up his mind and spinning on the spot, they were in his room the tug from the side-along hurt her gut a little and the room lurched but soon everything fell into focus. His bed was huge and required a step to reach it, there was a roaring fire, a closet and desk and a large bookshelf, bottle green with copper accents made the room warm and inviting.

"Hermione Granger in my room, this is the best." He planted a loud kiss on her lips "Christmas" and another "ever" he hiked her and ran for his bed vaulting them both on to it, he rolled so she was cradled on his chest, she squealed delightfully before covering her mouth suddenly

"Your mother" she panicked

"Is in a completely separate wing, and my room is off limits… to everyone… except you." He ran his fingers down the length of her body searching for her dress hem. Her hand caught his, stopping it in its tracks.

"are you alright?" he asked, concern flooding her eyes.

What happened to Hermione next was equal parts horrifying and cathartic, she just felt so overwhelmed, the whole day had built in her this feeling of hopefulness… a feeling she hadn't truly felt since the war ended. She felt for the first time that something wonderful could be happening and the scariest thing was that this precious jewel, this delicate bauble of expectation she'd grown and cultivated… it lay in the hands of Draco Malfoy. With one word, he could dash it, one derisive smirk and it would shatter perhaps never to grow again, the land blighted. She tried to breathe, everything seemed too much… which was ridiculous because she'd been held at wand point and hadn't felt this scared.

"Hermione… breathe" he was leaning over her, cupping her face his eyes full of concern, her own were filling with tears, tears she might not be able to explain. She inhaled which seemed to start a sob in her throat, she looked at him in horror and made to sit up, to leap from the room and run through this bastard manor all over again but as she pushed herself up he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her onto his lap holding her close to his chest. She sobbed, her breath hitching, it was proper ugly crying, the kind of tears she hadn't shed since her first year at the ministry. The kind of tears that made her father very uncomfortable.

"shh" he soothed rubbing small circles on her back.

"Oh my god… I'm so sorry… this is so embarrassing." She managed to squeak out in between involuntary shudders of breath and rhythmic sobs.

"It's my fault, I leapt on you I'm sorry." His voice was apologetic, he sounded upset "I'm sorry" he repeated continuing to stroke her back.

"No… It's not that" she was calming, the sobs were lessening, the flow of tears stemming.

"Is it being here?" He continued soothingly.

"No… It's… It's you." His hand stilled and she sniffled slightly he'd gone rigid beneath her.

"What did I do?" His voice was toneless, defeated. She pushed back from him and looked up to see his face, she knew her own must be red and wet. She wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve as she took note of his pale complexion, his eyes looking away from her and his mouth fixed in a rigid line.

"You've not done anything, I just don't know what it is you want? I don't work well without clear goals… I've never been someone's sometimes sex partner" her breath was still a little erratic and her heart pounded but the ringing in her ears had died down, she knew what that had been. It had been a panic attack and as much as she was on the other side of it, the cause still lay untreated. Enough was enough. "What do you want from me Malfoy?" her voice was stronger 'enough' she repeated in her head.

"I want whatever you'll give me." He said beseechingly, finally turning to look her in the eye. His arms still loosely draped around her. It wasn't enough, the answer wasn't enough she needed more information, more knowledge. She never made uneducated guesses, perhaps this was the stem of her anxiety. On the subject of Draco Malfoy, she was entirely uneducated.

"But what do you want?" she asked again, she wanted him to explain what this game which had lasted over a year was.

"I want…" he seemed as ineloquent has her his eyes searching frantically for the words "I want to go back to 11-year-old me and change everything" she hadn't expected this "I want to live in a universe where I could have been your friend, maybe danced with you at the yule ball… a world where if I asked you out for coffee or dinner it wouldn't be met with suspicion and fear." He swallowed hard and attempted to clear his throat "I thought if I showed you… I'm sorry, I've been ridiculous… I wanted what I couldn't have."

"Why?" her heart was aching, he looked so sad and it was physically affecting her.

"Why did I want you? Because you're you… and you're what I want." He sounded like the mad hatter, had the situation not been so weighty she might have laughed.

"No… Why couldn't you?" they had drifted apart, she was now sitting on the bed in front of him. She turned to face him fully, resting on her knees her hands nestled in-between them, mainly to stop her from reaching out and touching him.

"If I'd asked you to come to dinner with me, you'd have said no, Granger and then half the ministry would have known!" he sounded so frustrated, she smiled, she had no idea why she was smiling. She surmised that perhaps it was the fact that he was just as neurotic about whatever it was they had as she was.

"You could ask me now." She pulled her hands from between her knees and used her fingers to turn his chin to face her, forcing him to fully look at her again. "ask me." A small smirk, or smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "If you like me, if you really like me and you're not just doing this to sleep with me or as some plot to redeem yourself ask me out" for some reason she wasn't scared anymore at all, he'd shared his fear of rejection so there seemed no reason to hold hers back now.

"did you think I was using you?" he sounded a little incredulous, this was his fear mind you.

"I didn't know, I was scared to ask… I don't know if you've gathered from the sudden crying but I'm not… completely emotionally sturdy… I've had a few knocks. I was scared but I'm asking now." She made to take her hands away from his face and pull them back to her lap but he grabbed them in his own.

"typical Gryffindor. I'm sorry, I'm probably not exactly as "well rounded" as I make out either." She laughed at this he ignored and continued squeezing her hands and looking intently at her, attempting to convey how very sincere his words were "I wasn't using you… I'd never use you. I've had feelings, thoughts… let's call it an 'attachment' for the sake of my dignity, to you for a while. I expected my feelings to be unrequited, whenever we did interact I would often panic and say something ridiculous…" she made to interrupt but he stopped her "Please, let me say my piece Granger" he sighed, he seemed exhausted but Hermione noted with some mistrust that it was only six pm. "On your birthday, mother suggested I give you a card. That had been the extent of my plan that day, and then I overheard you and Weasley and you looked so sad, I just wanted to cheer you up on the elevator, just tell you that he couldn't do better… I was going to pretend to take something from filing… but I followed you and then when I kissed you and I thought that would be it but you didn't stop me. And I had not anticipated that." She grinned "That was the longest year." He groaned and she couldn't stop herself from kneeling up and placing a kiss on his lips.

"Sorry." She said pulling back bashfully his hands still clutching hers.

"I…" he stopped and looked at her "What would you tell your friends?" he asked a little sadly, he'd resigned himself to secret trysts for as long as he could get them.

"if you actually ask me to go out with you?" she asked with an eyebrow quirked "I'd tell them 'I'm going on a date with Draco Malfoy' and Ginny'd be happy so Harry would have to be too, Ron can't say anything because I know the girl he's presenting tonight at Harry's Christmas party is your old pal Pansy… his mum wrote to warn me. Mr Weasley already knows you fancy me, he caught you staring so Molly'll know too… and everyone else won't really care? But the point is moot because you haven't actually asked me… you went about this arse backwards." Her heart wasn't racing any more, she felt like she needed a post cry nap but knew better than to fall asleep in a bed where she wasn't quite sure where she stood, or lay…his jaw had fallen a little slack and his brow had gone into its adorable furrow.

"I'm… Ginny Potter knows?" he sounded shocked and a little delighted.

"Of course she does, I told her like fifteen minutes after you groped me in the closet." She was grinning now, the wave of anxiety she felt had cried out of her. She was such a girl sometimes.

"and she'd be happy?"

"She made me come here, she sent me a howler… so Ask me." Her voice sobered. "I won't request it again Malfoy, I won't beg." Her face was set in a mask of seriousness, she'd had enough of games. If he liked her and she liked him they'd have enough to contend with in the big bad world without self-sabotage.

"Go out with me." He said quickly.

She looked up for a moment, as though she was thinking it over, he yanked her towards him holding her close to him. "Let me take you on dates and buy you dinners and kiss you at work in closets… go out with me." He whispered against her mouth.

"okay" she whispered back.

"And stay" he said quickly. "We don't have to have to do anything I just want you to stay… please." He kissed her hard his brow scrunched.

"What will your mother think?" she gasped as his lips found her neck.

"You don't need to leave this room; I'll lower the wards and you can apparate from here… but she wouldn't care." His fingers searched for her thighs again but he stopped himself careful not to spook her.

She gnawed her lip for a second, thinking "I'm not… I'm not the best person to sleep beside. I'm fitful" Ron had grown so frustrated with her night terrors and flailing he'd bound her with a spell one night, forgetting to unbind her when she woke up. She thought for a whole hour that she'd had a stroke and developed Locked in syndrome… it had been terrifying.

"I'll hold you." He said into her ear before kissing her jaw.

"I don't have any overnight stuff." Her protests were just obligatory nonsense now; her mind was made up.

"said the 'brightest witch of her age'" he kissed her jaw again

"What's your favourite colour?" she asked suddenly pulling back from him and looking him in the eye, a strange smile on her quirked face.

"What?"

"I hardly know you Malfoy, what's your favourite colour?" she asked again, pulling herself from his grip and turning to face him crossed legged in-between his own splayed legs.

"Racing green." He said resolutely.

"racing green? Have you even been in a car?" she laughed at him, his lip stuck out.

"no… but I bought my arm chair in a muggle shop… the man said it was racing green I like it." He shuffled back so that he could lean against the headboard then bent forward grabbing her ankles and sliding her up the sheets towards him, pulling her legs open and over his own. She placed her hand in her lap pushing the material of her dress down to cover her modesty.

"I'm trying to have a conversation Malfoy." She was trying to stay bossy and in charge, but she couldn't help the smile that crept over her face.

"Converse away my darling, I just need you close." He drew small circles on the backs of her knees, it tickled and she squirmed.

"Do you know what my favourite colour is?" she asked as she tried to pull her legs back.

"commonly misquoted as red your favourite colour or shade more accurately is burgundy, closely followed by periwinkle." He smirked playfully "am I right?"

"yes."

"one point to me." He said, clutching her knees and dragging her closer to him still. She giggled, playfully slapping at his hand.

"It's not a competition."

"If it was I'd win." He leaned forward stealing a kiss pulling away sooner than she'd like "next question miss Granger."

"what's your favourite book?" she'd always wanted to know, a person's favourite book said a lot about them.

"same as yours, Hogwarts a History." His fingers had returned to drawing slow circles on her legs, he clutched and shifted her closer still. Her shoed toes were now flat against the head board her knees higher, her bottom almost in his lap.

"and you really like me?" she asked, almost involuntarily.

"My darling and dearest Granger, I think it's safe to say that I probably love you" she gasped at this, it had taken Ron two years to say it and even then, it was prefixed with a 'don't expect this all the time but…' He looked mortified, like she'd walked in on him touching himself mortified. "I'm sorry… that wasn't what I… I know you don't feel that way but, I've had the 'attachment' for a lot longer and…" he cleared his throat to stop the rambling and looked at her squarely in the eyes, "If you can't say it at Christmas when can you say it?" she smiled in response, a small act which seemed to make him melt with relief.

"thank you." She wasn't going to say it; she barely knew him. What she did know was that she had hopes that she would, he made her feel like she was capable of a level of feeling she hadn't thought possible before. She'd thought she was a cold fish, it's what she'd been told, but he made her feel like fire. "I'm glad you didn't keep it to yourself." She pulled at his shirt collar and pressed a hot and wet kiss on his lips. He didn't seem to push the issue, content with the fact that she was still here in his bed.

---

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, it was 8:45am and she'd hardly slept. They'd made love in his bed, that's what it had been… it hadn't been sex. He'd slowly removed her clothing before meticulously kissing every inch of her body grunting with annoyance when she tried to move or 'help' "stay still Granger" he'd huffed, she'd offered him whatever he wanted. He'd chosen to worship her for hours, stroking, licking and nipping, taking a survey of her land in a bid to know everything about her. She'd felt self-conscious at first, lying there completely naked as he kissed her hip but everything he'd uttered had been so reassuring and so 'loving' that she couldn't help but feel like the woman he saw.

It had been almost midnight before he was on top of her, his clothes finally removed, it had been so slow at first, him rocking against her, his mouth glued to hers but franticness had followed and a struggle for power as they rolled over taking advantage of every square inch of his bed. She blushed as she remembered how feral she'd been as she'd rode him, his thumbs digging into her thighs holding her to him as she'd writhed breathlessly on top of him. He'd said he loved her at least five times during, she hadn't minded at all. When she had woken, she was sore and bruised but warm and safe, she was wrapped tightly in his arms as he'd promised. "I have to go." She whispered "I promised Ginny I'd come over at 9 for breakfast." He'd groaned and held her tighter "you can come with me if you want?" his eyes had shot open in terror at this prospect. "I didn't think so".

"When can I see you again?" he'd asked like a little boy, as he'd rubbed his eyes and watched her naked form intently.

"when you take me on this date, we're doing it right from now on" she knelt beside him on the bed and dropped a kiss on his lips.

"are you going to tell your friends?"

"yes" she had dropped a longer kiss this time, allowing him to snake his arms around her pulling her back on top of him.

"don't leave… stay in bed with me forever." He muttered against her temple.

"I can't" she sighed, although the idea didn't seem entirely awful

"Are you going to tell them I'm your boyfriend?" he couldn't help the chuckle that followed this question, even he knew he sounded ridiculous.

"Do you want me to? Are you staking some kind of claim?" she responded, his words of love protecting the hope she'd cultivated.

"yes and hell yes. You're mine now Granger." It would have sounded domineering and predatory in any other tone, from any other mouth. But he'd waited for her, he'd hoped for far longer, she'd allow him it and he knew it.

When she finally arrived at the Potter home she'd had to cast several charms to cover the signs of last night, the bags under her eyes, the marks on her neck she grinned waiting for Harry to answer the door.
"Hello Grinch!" he said as he finally pulled open the door, a ridiculous Christmas jumper adorning his broad chest.
"Hello Bestie" she said falling into his open arms and giving him a tight hug.

"You look different." He said, holding her at arm's length and eyeing her suspiciously.

"I didn't have a good sleep, vanity spells." She said nonchalantly "I've probably buggered them up."

"I didn't say bad, just different." He pulled her into the hall shoving the door closed and dragging her to the dining room "come along, everyone's waiting for the new annual Boxing day breakfast to begin." She groaned, Ginny hadn't been wrong, he'd made a fuss on her account anyway.

"Happy Boxing Day!" a room full of Weasley's cheered as she entered "everyone just stayed over!" he said as if to explain the pyjama party before her eyes "we'll do it like this every year, means the cousins get to play and the grownups can drink themselves silly!" there was another cheer and the Weasley's toasted their probably alcohol laced orange juices and the smaller children wandered around happily.

"Hermione!" Ginny squealed, bounding towards her in a pink onesie "you look…" Hermione interrupted her

"Shagged out?" Ginny squealed with delight at this causing everyone to look around, Hermione shrugged and took the seat between Ginny and Harry. Ron was sitting at the far end with a nervous looking Pansy, they both observed her expectantly, she smiled and waved and they seemed to exhale in unison.

"Presents!" Ginny said.

"Didn't you do them already?" Hermione pulled some leftover hog and egg onto her plate.

"Not yours" Ginny handed her a box which she pulled open with a wry smile, Ginny's presents were always out of left field.

"It's a dress." Hermione said, pleasantly surprised

"For if you have any dates… or anything like that." She said surreptitiously eyeing Hermione.

Mr Weasley passed her a small package "for you sweetling." He said grinning, it was a new magical organiser, she'd asked for one and was pleased.

"This arrived fifteen minutes before you." Harry said passing her a large box.

"Who's it from?" she asked.

"No idea, open it." He responded "maybe your mum and dad found an owl service." He said hopefully.

She unwrapped the brown paper to reveal a large wooden box, she undid the latch and let out an audible sigh

"Flipping heck." Mr Weasley said as he leaned across the table to take a better look at the contents.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, unwilling to lean given her bump

"A first edition Hogwarts a History." Hermione uttered quietly. There was a mutter around the table, she ignored it as she lifted the card and read it to herself

'My Darling Hermione, this book is from mother, she has two more so please don't fret she woke me and insisted I send it to you at once, you really made her Christmas, and mine. I want to see you tonight, I know I'm impatient but please think of all my patience up to this point as you roll your eyes' she chuckled, she had rolled her eyes 'Enjoy breakfast with your friends, owl me when your home then nap. You'll need your energy my Love. Your boyfriend Draco.' She rolled her eyes again 'p.s don't roll your eyes when I use my correct title'

"Who's it from?" Ginny said straining to look into the box where the card was clasped in Hermione's hand, by the look on Harry's face he'd read it over her shoulder and was feeling a mix of guilt and confusion.

"My boyfriend." Hermione hated saying that word, like she was seventeen… but that's what he wanted to be and strangely when applied to him, it didn't feel so clawing. The room fell into silence, the Weasleys stared at her, all with the same slack jawed expression, Ginny was wriggling frantically in the seat beside her a very light and high pitched 'Squee' building at the back of her throat.

"I didn't know you were seeing anyone sweetie?" Molly broke the silence, she looked at Harry warily, his mouth opened and closed like he had something to say but wasn't entirely sure how to talk.

"It wasn't really defined… until last night." She said carefully.

"Do we know him?" Ron asked, he was trying to smile bless him, Pansy looked anxious and maybe a little sad.

"It's Draco Malfoy." Well no point pussy footing around, best to rip it off as her mother would say. Everyone's reactions happened at once, and she saw it in almost slow motion. Ron's expression had dropped and instantly flamed red, his face acting as an early warning system, Pansy by contrast had widened her eyes happily, her cattish mouth breaking into a massive grin "good on Draco!" she called to no one in particular… Harry was breathing heavily through his nose and staring at his hands, Mr Weasley was waggling his finger in his wife's face chanting "I told you so", George and his wife seemed to be laughing, Ginny's "Squee" had found its full pitch and volume, neighbourhood dogs were responding with howls and she clapped her hands arrhythmically, the most disconcerting part was that she didn't appear to have taken a breath yet. Everyone else just stared at Hermione as though she'd grown a testicle on her chin "We're going out tonight. I really like him." She added with a grin, she was excited and she wanted them to see it.

"Was it him who groped you in the cupboard last year then?" Harry asked suddenly, pointing an accusing finger at her. She turned abruptly to Ginny who looked as shocked as she did.

"I eaves drop on girl's night… it's not fair Ginny, she was my best friend and you stole her!" Harry accused pettily.

"How much have you had to drink?" Hermione asked, attempting to stifle a laugh.

"Not as much as I'd like." He took a sip as though she'd reminded him and seemed to think for a moment "I don't get it." He shook his head, Hermione made to speak to explain but she felt an arm across her chest pinning her back, Ginny shot across whippet fast, pushing her face very close to her husbands "I cannot believe you Harry Potter, when you and Ron go out and let girls buy you butterbeer, because fire whiskey burns your tongue, do I tag along and ruin your fun?" she asked prodding her finger at him.

"no." he said in a small voice, the room had fallen quiet Fleur appeared to have taken the children from the area anticipating a verbal spat.

"I give you children and you won't share your best friend with me? All I ask is to spend some private time with her once a month and you begrudge me that? You are a child Harry Potter." She poked him in the chest "You wanted a big family, I allowed you to use my body as a bloody incubator for your dreams and you behave like this?" she was so like her mother when she was chastising, and Hermione noted with a small snigger that Molly looked rather proud while Arthur seemed to wither as a reflex "And as for Hermione's new relationship, you will be happy for her! If she is your best friend like you proclaim you will support her, she's always doing stuff for us." Her tone softened and she gripped the arm of Hermione's chair for support "She's always stood up for us, always helped out… the reason she's all our best friend is because she's the best best friend you could ask for." Hermione felt embarrassed, she wasn't that great, she'd skipped out on Christmas for sex. But Ginny was hormonal and Harry had pissed her off by catching her out, so Hermione allowed her to continue uninterrupted

"Here here" George said from somewhere to her left, Ginny was blocking most of her vision.

"and don't pretend Draco Malfoy is still your nemesis Harry Potter, I know for a fact you've got drunk with him at three ministry functions. You said, and I quote 'That Malfoy's an alright chap' oh and by the way when you get drunk you say 'chap' and it makes you look like a tosser." Ginny pushed back and returned to her chair turning to face her whole family "I think he really likes her, and I think she deserves that." She concluded with a nod.

"He really does." Pansy chimed in suddenly, she was grinning broadly, Ron was staring at her dumbfoundedly.

"He's a Malfoy!" Ron said pleadingly, as if the whole table had gone insane.

"I like him." Hermione stated firmly "And that should be enough Ron."

"he's a very handsome young man Hermione!" Molly interjected, her opinion was worth a hundred of Ron's "as long as he treats you well and makes you happy then we are happy" the matriarch spoke on behalf of the whole family

"thanks" Hermione grinned, closing the book box and clutching it to her chest.

Epilogue

"Help me" she groaned as she stood in front of the long mirror.

"no." he stated plainly from his seat on the bed.

"I'm stuck Malfoy, I'm fat and I'm stuck… help me." The black robe she'd been trying to pull on was wrapped round her neck, the only visible part of her face was pink and damp with sweat.

"fine woman, I shall come and rescue you once again but let me remind you of the conversation we had in this room on our special day not a year ago, that despite 'wizarding conventions' you would remain an independent woman." He carefully unravelled the swathes of black fabric and helped pull them down over her swollen belly.

"I am carrying your devil spawn Malfoy, be kinder to me or I'll ensure she grows up to be a muggle bank manager." She straightened her hair in the mirror, shooting a smile at him in the reflective glass. He stood behind her, watching their image intently.

"He will be England's first draft seeker and he'll win the world cup, won't you Scorpius?" he wrapped her in his arms from behind cradling her stomach "and you're not fat my love, never fat" he pressed a long kiss into her thick hair.

"She will be the first witch in space, won't you Hermione Granger-Malfoy Jr?" she chuckled as she rested her hands on-top of his.

"My wife, the youngest person to be sworn into the Wizengamot" he said dreamily as they made eye contact in the mirror.

"My husband the next deputy minister." She turned her head to plant a kiss on his lips.

"It's not been confirmed, and it's only because you turned him down."

"Not true" she said, wiping the residual lipstick from his mouth with her thumb.

"It is true but I appreciate the lie non-the less" he turned her in his arms "I wish I could be there, but no spectators allowed I'm afraid. The baby will be there though, I'm glad." He paused as he mulled over the notion that a part of him would be with her "Mother has a ball arranged in your honour, your parents will be there along with the entire Weasley clan and half the wizarding world. It's supposed to be a surprise but I don't want you birthing our son prematurely with fright."

"Your daughter and I appreciate the heads up." She stood on tip toes to kiss his nose. "Now help your fat wife waddle to the floo"

"I shall aid my radiant wife to promenade, certainly." He extended his arm, allowing her to hook her elbow to his. He threw the powder into the flames and held her hand to help her step over the grate.

"I love you." She said softly not moving from his side.

"and I you."

"I'll see you tonight." She stood on tip toes once more to place a kiss on her husband's cheek.

"happy birthday Granger."