A/N: Thank you to my beta GaileaRua for their assistance. The only thing I own is the plot.

Written for the Death by Quill Comp for the Slytherin Cabal. The theme this round was temptation.

Warnings: Infidelity, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Angst, Temptation.

Lead Me Not Into Temptation

Hermione nibbled the end of her Sugar Quill, watching Adrian from her desk across the hall from him. Her office door was open, as was his, so she had a clear view of Adrian. A soft sigh escaped her lips before she mentally chided herself for pinning after Adrian in such a lovesick manner.

She was completely enthralled with Adrian. Everything about him drew her in. She wanted him more than she possibly should.

"Knock, knock," a voice said.

Hermione scowled at the person blocking her view. Her gaze softened slightly when she saw it was Draco, her boyfriend of three years. "Draco, hi," she greeted him.

"Want to get lunch?" Draco asked, coming towards her. He greeted her with a kiss.

"Sorry, love, Adrian and I have plans to grab lunch later," Hermione replied, frowning at Draco.

"I could join you two then?" Draco suggested.

Although Hermione wanted to say no, she knew that she didn't have a believable reason for saying so. Instead, she nodded, kissing Draco on the cheek as she promised to see him later in the day.

When Draco left, Hermione let out a sigh. She loved Draco, she really did, but there was something about Adrian that she couldn't resist. She wanted him desperately.

Her heart began to race as Adrian got up from his desk and crossed the hall towards her. She smiled warmly at him when he entered her office.

"Draco will be joining us for lunch," she told Adrian matter-of-factly.

Adrian arched a brow. "That's fine. Afterwards, I'd like you to come to my office to discuss the Lestrange case. It's fallen to me to figure out what to do with their fortune and estates, and I'd like your assistance."

"Of course," Hermione said with a nod. "I'd be more than happy to help." She crossed her arms and leant on the desk, knowing that the position made her breasts look larger. She smiled warmly at Adrian. "I'll see you then."

Adrian tore his gaze from her bust, meeting her eyes. "Yeah, I'll see you."

When he left, Hermione let out a hopeless sigh. The temptation was becoming too much… She needed to do something about it.

Lunch found Hermione awkwardly sitting with her boyfriend and the other wizard she wanted. Her hand was clasped tightly with Draco's as she listened to him tell about his latest adventure as a Hit Wizard. Hermione knew that he loved his job, and he was terribly good at it. She would never tire of listening to him talk about it.

"Dangerous job, though, isn't it?" Adrian asked, arching a brow at Draco. "I prefer the office life."

"No, I'd be tired of starting at four walls," Draco said with a shrug. He grinned. "Being out in the field is the best."

"My view isn't too bad," Adrian said nonchalantly, his gaze catching Hermione's.

She flushed, glancing down at her soup.

"What about you, Hermione?" Adrian asked. "Ever consider a field job?"

Hermione gave a small shrug. "I haven't considered it in some time, but I know I'd have an Auror position in a heartbeat if I asked Kingsley." She shared a smile with Draco. "Maybe someday."

Hermione felt torn between them both as they finished their lunch. Glancing at Draco, she knew that she loved him. She loved him more than anything in the world, but she couldn't quite shake the fact that she wanted Adrian. It was an obsession that she couldn't get rid of.

She wanted him the way the ocean wants the shore, constantly reaching and running back. She wanted him the way rain wants to fall, the way the sun wants to shine, the way words want to be read. She wanted him to infinity, to the millionth degree, no amount of rain could douse the fire she had in her for him.

However, Hermione knew that she was in lust, not love. Glancing at Draco, she knew that while her feelings were conflicted and somewhat twisted, she knew that Draco would always have her heart.

After bidding goodbye to Draco, Hermione and Adrian headed back to their offices. Hermione placed her coat on her coat rack and grabbed her notepad and pen to assist Adrian with the task that he had asked of her earlier.

Settling herself into his chair opposite his desk, she looked at him expectantly. "So, I think we should donate some of the Lestrange assets to charity." She blushed at his surprised glance.

"I don't really need your assistance with dividing up the assets," Adrian said, coming round the desk and stopping in front of her. He leant back, his hands braced on the edge of the desk as he glanced at her. "I asked you in here for another reason." Flicking his wand at the door, he warded it shut.

Hermione placed down her pen. "What do you mean?" Her heart hammered nervously in her chest.

"I mean… There's so much sexual tension between us," Adrian stated matter-of-factly. "We need to resolve this."

Hermione was shocked at how forward Adrian was being. While she too wanted to address the tension between them, she hadn't expected him to approach her so soon and so boldly too. She cleared her throat. "And just how do you suggest we do that?" she asked.

Adrian took her by surprise when he leant down, cupping her face as he pressed his lips to hers. When Hermione didn't pull away, he pulled her to her feet and turned them around so she was backed against his desk.

She kissed him back eagerly, a strange euphoria spreading throughout her body. She couldn't believe she was finally kissing him! Adrian's hand cupped her breast through her blouse and she felt her arousal spike.

"Do you want this?" Adrian asked, pulling away to ensure her consent.

Hermione nodded. "Yes," she whispered, willing herself not to think of what she was actually doing. They resumed kissing, and soon, they were pulling each other's clothes off. "Adrian," Hermione groaned as he helped her out of her skirt.

Bending her over the edge of his desk, Adrian wasted no time in entering her. He thrust into her fast and rough, edging them closer and closer to completion.

Within moments, Hermione let out a strangle cry as she came. Adrian grunted her name, spilling himself inside of her. "So hot," he moaned, giving her arse a light slap.

The slap was all Hermione needed to realise that she had made a mistake. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. As she came down from her orgasmic high, she was horrified with herself. How could she have done such a thing? She loved Draco… How could she betray him?

"What's wrong?" Adrian asked as he dressed himself. He buckled his trousers, arching a brow at Hermione's quiet demeanor.

"That can't happen again," Hermione said quickly, unable to look Adrian in the eye. What had seemed like a fun fantasy in her head had quickly taken a turn for the worse. She rushed to put her clothes back on.

"You liked it," Adrian stated.

"That doesn't make it right," Hermione answered quietly. "Have a good evening, Adrian." She quickly gathered her things and headed back to her own office.

A few days passed, and Hermione did the best she could to put the incident from her mind. The guilt seemed to follow her every move. She still couldn't believe she had done such a thing. Did she really care so little for Draco?

Burying her face in her hands, she let out a frustrated groan. Merlin, she was such an idiot.

There was a knock on her office door, causing her gaze to snap upwards. "Adrian," she acknowledged as he stood in her doorway. "What can I do for you?"

Adrian stepped inside, closing the door to her office.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Open the door, Adrian." Her voice was firm, leaving no room for debate. She did not want that door closed.

"We need to talk," Adrian said, his voice light and smooth. He smiled softly at her.

Standing from her desk, wand gripped tightly in her hand, she walked around her desk to the door. She had her hand on the knob when Adrian took her by surprise, turning her around and pressing her against the door. He kissed her hard, his hands cupping her face tightly.

Eyes widened in shock and anger, Hermione reacted quickly, bringing her knee up into Adrian's groin. He let out a moan of pain and Hermione quickly brought her wand up, casting a Stinging Hex at him.

"Get out, Adrian," Hermione said, voice cool as she pointed her wand at him. "You will not touch me again, understand? Or I will hex you." She knew that he wouldn't take her threat lightly.

"Whatever you say, Hermione," Adrian said, his own wand now in his hand. He walked past her, bumping her shoulder roughly as he did.

As the anger slowly dissipated, Hermione knew that she couldn't keep it to herself any longer. Tears brimming in her eyes, she quickly made her way through the Ministry to the Auror department.

She burst into Harry and Draco's joint office before evening pausing to knock. "Draco!" she cried.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, eyes wide as he saw the tears pouring down her face. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He was by her side in an instant, pulling her into his arms. Harry approached, standing close to the pair.

"Draco, I'm so sorry," Hermione whimpered, looking at him with red eyes. "I made a mistake."

Draco looked at her with concern. "Hermione, you can tell me anything. Please, you know that you can trust me. Harry's right here too if you want to tell him."

Hermione was inconsolable. "I don't deserve your trust." Her lower lip wobbled. "I've broken it," she admitted, wishing that she had never been interested in Adrian in the first place.

"Tell me what happened," Draco said softly, but firmly after sharing a glance with Harry. "I won't be mad, Hermione, just please, talk to me."

"I had sex with Adrian!" Hermione blurted out, unable to keep it to herself any longer. Her legs gave out and she would have fallen if not for Draco's strong grip on her. He slowly lowered her to the floor, continuing to hold her as she cried. "I'm so sorry, Draco." She hated herself more than she possibly could have imagined in that very moment.

Draco held her tightly, his face schooled into a mask of indifference. "Do you love him?" he asked curtly.

"Merlin, no!" Hermione said immediately. "I wanted him in the bluntest way… not because I had feelings for him. I love you, Draco, I do! If I could take it back, I would, trust me." She sniffed, reaching up and trying to brush some of the tears from her face. "I feel like such a horrible person for doing this, Draco. I… I've made a mess of things."

"How many times?"

"Just the one time…" Hermione bit her lower lip to keep from sobbing loudly. "Immediately after it was over, I told him that it would never happen again. I knew I had made a mistake." She tried to catch her breath, gasping loudly. Her hands trembled as she tried to grip the front of Draco's robes. "He came into my office just now… I told him not to close the door, but he did. When I went to open the door, he took me by surprise and kissed me."

"Did you want him to?"

"No!" Hermione cried. "I kneed and hexed him moments later. Draco, please, I'm so sorry." She continued to cry onto his shoulder, unable to meet his gaze.

After a few moments, Hermione turned to glance at Harry. "I want to switch my position," she said quietly. "I'd like to do field work."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked.

"I can't be around Adrian," Hermione answered truthfully. "I'm… afraid," she admitted in a quiet voice.

Draco's grip suddenly tightened on her. Surprised, Hermione turned and faced him. "Draco?" she whispered.

"He will not touch you again," Draco said, his voice low and possessive. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, Hermione. Harry, take her home. I'll be there shortly." He helped her to her feet. Gripping his wand, he set out to talk to the wizard who had assaulted his witch.

Adrian was unsurprised when his office door flew open to reveal an angry Draco. "Draco, what can I do for you?"

"You can stay the fuck away from Hermione," Draco growled, his eyes harsh as he glared at Adrian. "Don't you ever fucking look at her again."

Adrian scoffed. "I'm not intimidated by you, Draco. Besides, your witch wanted it." He watched as Draco's grip on his wand tightened. Adrian smirked. "You should have heard her."

"You won't touch her."

"If you want to believe that, go ahead, but we both know she wants me." Adrian leant back in his chair.

"I won't let you," Draco said. He turned, storming out of Adrian's office.

Adrian smirked, shaking his head. "Oh, Draco, you won't always be there to protect her now, will you?" Glancing at the paperwork dealing with the Lestrange assets, he made sure to remove Draco's name from everything. He wouldn't be seeing a Knut of his family's money.

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