Protection detail

Warnings: M-rating for language and lemony goodness. Also very small amounts of Harry and Ron bashing but mostly because they're doing the wrong thing for the right reason with regards to Hermione and their friends.

A fun four-part fic that I finished quite a while ago. It's a seventh year fic with bit of romance, a bit of fun, a bit (or a lot!) of teenage-drama all bundled up with some lemons. It was a complete blast to write.

I've written this fic in full and I will update every Thursday for the next four weeks.

AU premise: In this story the second wizarding war never happened, Voldemort died trying to end Harry in Godrics Hollow but our trio had still had their share of trials and fun times at Hogwarts and are, of course, best friends.

General info regarding the fic: There are two timelines which are divided by the lines throughout the fic, one is at the party and the other is following a longer dramione story: Hermione will be in first person, the rest is DM POV or third person. I hope it makes sense when you read it, otherwise please let me know.

And I hope youll like it!

HBSJ

Part 1

Because of who knows what, Harry and Ron had always been unduly protective of me. It really was rather annoying. They discouraged every single guy who asked them about me. Why, do you ask? I have absolutely no fucking idea. When I publicly found out about it due to a discussion regarding the Yule Ball and Neville talking a bit too freely during a seventh year inter-house party in the Room of Requirement, I completely lost it. Well, it was my public excuse to lose it. That we were at a large party didn't matter jot to me. Those two bellends definitely deserved it.

I marched over to where Harry and Ron were holding court to the five nameless bints around them. Oh of course, the boys could do whatever the hell they please but I have to be 'protected' from them. It clearly didn't matter to them that I was known throughout the wizarding world as the brightest witch of our age because apparently, I was unable to take care of myself when it came to romantic interest from boys. What utter bollocks!

I marched up to them angrily. "Are you two fucking kidding me?! Why in the name of Merlin's bleeding pants would I ever want all attention from boys diverted from me to other women?!"

"What?" Ron looked up gobsmacked.

"Uhm, I don't know…" Harry blushed scarlet.

I glowered at them both. They were standing almost in the centre of the room surrounded by a bunch of brainless bimbos who giggled all the time. How they could stand the noise I would never know. It irritated me to no end. They both stepped away from their doey-eyed fan club who were all looking at me furiously. Diverting the attention of the two boys they wanted to spend time with was apparently not popular with them. Well, they could go to hell for all I cared.

"I am not some helpless damsel in distress and it is not your jobs to save from the big bad bloody boys!"

"But 'Mione…" Ron tried to argue.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, so help me, I will hex you back to the middle ages!" She practically screamed at him.

Everyone around them were following the argument now, there were a lot of whispering and muttering between audience members. The argument was especially interesting to the many boys who had expressed an interest in the beautiful Gryffindor.

The sentiment regarding Hermione Granger had changed gradually over the years, in particular since the Yule ball in fourth year. Her two best friends were quite protective of her, they had told each other that it was because they didn't want her to get hurt, which had prompted her argument with Ron regarding Viktor Krum at the Yule ball. However, they also didn't want Hermione finding out about it. The boys in school had started noticing her at an alarming rate and in response to that, Harry and Ron had become even more protective of her. Again, without her knowledge. She just thought boys didn't invite her to Hogsmeade because they weren't interested in her, not because her supposedly best friends were actually discouraging them from inviting her.

She had come a long way from her too-large-front-teeth-and-bushy-hair-days. It wasn't that she had become a makeup-wearing-taking-an-hour-in-front-of-the-mirror kind of girl, she usually only accented her natural beauty with mascara and lip balm, but she also had a quiet confidence and she had finally been able to tame her bushy hair into luscious locks. Mostly thanks to a new fast working Sleakeasy's product that were much easier than the potion she'd used for the Yule ball. Her body was usually hidden under the voluminous school robes but when she wore muggle clothing on weekends it was much more on display in a t-shirt and jeans. Something the male population of Hogwarts had been quick to notice. In all, her beauty was understated and not in your face, you had to want to see it and they had certainly all seen it by now.

For one of the party's participants in particular, his sentiments regarding the witch had changed gradually ever since third year and he was now regarding the argument with barely veiled amusement. The magic around the fantastic witch was crackling with angry red sparks, her hair was flying and the tip of the wand in her pocket was glowing bright red, another sure sign of her fury. He wasn't really feeling all that sympathetic towards to two cowering men in the centre of the room, they definitely had it coming. He chuckled softly and the black-haired wizard beside him leaned over subtly.

"Do they know?"

"Nope" He said with evident enjoyment and his feeling of smugness towards the two lost causes increased.

Obviously, I'd had attention from the males in our school, it was only the boys stupid enough to ask Harry and Ron for advice, who had been discouraged for real. I just hadn't known about it until it was pointed out to me recently. What my two best friends needed, was a lesson and a serious one at that. They were not to meddle in something that just might make me happy. Their misguided attempt to 'protect' me was not something I wanted or had in any way asked them for. Don't get me wrong, I love them dearly but that wouldn't stop me from hexing them from here to Sussex if necessary, because they definitely deserve it.

Harry raised both hands in front of him in a gesture of surrender, damn straight. "We were just looking out for you." He rushed through the words in case I decided to interrupt again.

"Explain. Now." My tone was clipped and deceptively calm and my arms were crossed in front of my chest. It didn't escape my notice that the eyesight several of the men in the room flew to my chest. Well, I was wearing a bottle green plunging halter neck party dress. But I didn't wear it for any of those I could see, I could almost feel his smirk though. I knew he loved it when I wore this dress. It reminded us both of stolen moments all around the school, particularly one night in the astronomy tower.

"Because we love you. We want you to be safe." Ron had now moved to stand beside Harry and was nodding his agreement frantically. Somehow, they both thought this was a valid explanation.

"Safe? Safe?!" I asked incredulous. "Really? You truly believe that attention from boys will compromise my safety?" My anger was barely under control.

Ron now seemed to think it was safe to enter the fray. "Well yes." He said it as though it was obvious.

"So,-" I tried to take a deep breath, trying to calm myself but the calming-part didn't work at all. "-I save both your asses repeatedly, I am considered the brightest witch of our age, I can hex circles around both of you and most of the people in this school without breaking a sweat, but still,-" My tone was scathing to say the least. "-you consider school boyscrushes a dangerous hazard to me?"

She was in the library studying, of course. Her tamed mane cascading down her back. He hesitated. They had a very tentative friendship based mostly on sharing insults and a mutual intellect but he wanted more, he craved more from her. So he approached her, flopping down in the chair opposite her without asking.

"Granger." He greeted her. "It would seem that you need assistance with your potions essay. Didn't Professor Snape almost flunk you last week?"

It was a Friday night at the end of October and the library was completely empty apart from the two of them. Everybody else had other things to do it seemed, she wanted to study and he wanted to study her. Now, all he had to do was distract her from those studies and direct her attention to him.

"Malfoy. And no, I do not need your help." She flipped her hair annoyed and returned to her parchment.

"Are you quite sure? You know I'm very good at potions." His smirked at her, plainly questioning her statement with his ingrained arrogance.

"You're just happy because you're besting me in one single subject and that's only because you are Snape's favourite."

"Yep, and I'm his godson too, don't forget that bit." His smirk widened and he put his feet up on the table she was working at.

"Whatever Malfoy, go away." She wafted at his feet, trying to get them down. He wasn't having that.

"No, I don't think so. See, you've made an error, right there." He pointed to the middle of her essay.

She read it over, it was clear she didn't think there was an error at all. "No there's not, I don't make errors."

"I guess there's a first time for everything, huh?" He winked at her.

Winked. He just fucking winked. The world must have gone mad but gods he wanted her attention. She stared at him, shook her head slightly, blinked and went back to her essay. Maybe he could rile her up. That was always entertaining. And endlessly stimulating.

"Speaking of first times, who was yours?" He leaned back and entwined his fingers behind his head.

"Excuse me?!" She looked just as flabbergasted as she sounded, that seemed like a conversation she did not want to have with him of all people. Oh well, she'd just have to have it anyway.

"Come on Granger, it's just you and me in here, I'll never tell anyone." His sing-song voice and smirk that rivalled the Cheshire Cat's obviously made her increasingly suspicious.

"You're up to something." She narrowed her eyes. "I don't want to talk to you, especially about that. Go away."

He leaned in and softened his expression, her pupils dilated and her breath hitched almost imperceptibly. Almost. Clearly she wasn't as impervious to him as she seemed. "No, I don't think so. Tell me, who was the first to get at you? Krum? Don't say the Weasel, please." He scoffed. "That would just be unsanitary." This definitely riled her up, her nostrils were flaring.

"That's none of your goddamn business Malfoy!" She yelled at him.

"Relax, relax, I'm just curious you know. Especially due to that protection detail of yours."

"Due to what?" She asked curtly and looked both annoyed and confused now. Perfect, that was precisely the plan. Though he would have liked an answer to his question.

"The Demented Duo are protecting you, you know. They are covering your every move regarding every male in the school. Well, at least everyone stupid enough to ask them for advice about you."

She snorted. "No, they're not, you're clearly wrong."

"If you don't believe me, ask almost all guys in your house. They've dealt with the cock-blocks that are your best friends since the Yule ball."

She looked absolutely appalled and he couldn't do anything but smirk widely at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's your angle Malfoy? Why are you telling me this?"

"Mostly I'm just looking forward to seeing you hexing their balls off really. Especially since it would seem that you didn't know about it until now." He gave her a pointed look.

He was goading her on purpose. She was glorious when she got all riled up, magic crackling and hair flying. Seeing that had been a favourite pastime of his for a few years now but at some point, he wasn't sure when really, it had changed from annoyance and youthful bullying to fascination and intrigue. She was magnificent this powerful witch and it was definitely lucky for him that the Tasteless Twats had safeguarded her for so long, otherwise he'd have to compete with half the school for her attention. They had no idea of course, he was certain that they didn't even know that he was interested in her. Instead they thought they were 'keeping her safe' from their version of unwanted attention.

Comical really, he was sure they would consider him firmly lodged into that exact category. But in reality, he really wanted to claim her as his. She didn't know it yet and neither did her friends but she was definitely his. He'd been covertly watching her for quite some time now and by the time he stopped seeing her as a mudblood, he'd developed other feelings for her. One of them he could pinpoint very well, Granger was fit as fuck and it was a joy to watch her move. His other feelings for her were harder to identify but he was working on it.

The challenge was to ease her into seeing him differently, it had to be done slowly. He had been changing his way of acting towards her for the past year or so. At first it wasn't a conscious decision, he just didn't feel like being malicious anymore but that only applied to her. The Idiot Twins certainly weren't safe from his always witty remarks. Well, he found them very witty at least.

"Shut up and go away. I'm busy." It would seem that she would have none of his banter this fine evening.

"Shame really." He changed tactics at the speed of light, a trait that could come in very handy. "You know, you need another book Granger, that one will only answer half that potions question."

Her hand slammed the table. "Why won't you leave?! Don't you have some crazy pureblood witch, with a side-plate consisting of expectance of excess, you need to court?"

"The optimal word right there is crazy Granger, they all think of marriage any time I merely look in their direction. Ugh." He shuddered for comic effect and it worked, she gave him a small tentative smile but her expression hardened only a second later.

"Leave anyway."

"No, I don't think so. You're clearly not on top of your potions essay, a lot of your questions are only halfway answered, see the fifth paragraph? That's only a part of the answer."

"But… Are you reading my essay? It's upside down." She looked both angry, confused and a little bit impressed.

He ignored her question. "Do you want my help or not?" No bullshit, she could appreciate that.

"Fine. Which book do I need?" She seemed resigned.

"I'll show you."

He stood up abruptly and started walking away from her. "You coming?" He didn't even turn around but he could hear her scrambling to keep up with his long strides. He turned down one of the aisles.

"Malfoy, why are we here? This isn't the main potions aisle."

He had a plan and for that he needed an aisle away from the main library, just in case someone was around, so he led her into the restricted section. Right at the bottom of the shelf in the back regarding dark potions was the relevant book. It was a small volume consisting of only about a hundred pages. He pulled it out and gave it to her.

"The Darkeste of Potions by Phineas Bourne II. What? Are you sure? Didn't he write Moste Potente Potions? I thought he'd only written that one book."

"I'm certain. This was written by his son, it contains some of the specifics we need to answer the essay Snape had set us."

"Why are you helping me? I would have never found this." She frowned at him.

"Why should there be anything in it for me?" He schooled his features to look as innocent as possible, it looked like she believed him, just barely, as she stated browsing through the book, her side turned to him.

After a few moments she was completely absorbed by the book, so he decided that there was no time like now. He moved to stand right behind her. "So,-" He breathed quietly at her ear and she trembled at the sound and his sudden proximity. "-it would seem that I am up to something."

He was very close now, standing behind her while she tried and failed to read the book in her hands. He moved very slowly until their bodies were flush up against each other. She didn't move away, or hit him. He took that as a good sign. He lifted one hand and dragged her hair over one shoulder so her neck was exposed to him. Her scent was maddening but he had to stay in control for now. He moved his head so his nose travelled up and down her neck, barely touching her. She shivered delicately.

"Wha… What are you doing?" She squeaked. He could hear her shallow breaths and feel the shivers running up and down her body.

He nibbled her earlobe softly and her breath hitched. He smiled to himself, she smelled absolutely intoxicating. With that, he moved away from her and strode out of the library leaving her astounded and staring after him. "See you around Granger."

Please let me know what you think about the beginning of this new fic of mine!

HBSJ