Disclaimer: I do not own HP nor do I make any profit from this story. Sequel to How to Date a Slytherin. This story will be picking up about one year after Hermione and Draco have returned from studying abroad following Hogwarts. So three years have passed. (I will be writing a series of one-shots about their time abroad. I'm still in the planning phase of this right now but keep an eye for it). Chapters containing sensitive content (i.e. sexual material) will be marked at the beginning accordingly. Cover photo is not mine - no credit is taken.

Summary: After spending two years abroad studying in their separate fields, Draco and Hermione return to England. Their relationship has grown much deeper, and much stronger. Draco has every intention of asking Hermione to marry him, the only question is when does he ask? And how? Lucius has not changed his opinion of the muggle-born witch in the time that she and his son have been away. He is determined to do everything in his power to prevent a union, and the defilement of his family's pureblood line. Only, he doesn't realize that Draco and Hermione, along with help from Narcissa, are willing to go to any lengths they need to in order to achieve the one and only thing they want. Each other. They are forced to make a decision that will change their lives in a way that they are not ready for. Or are they?

Note: I like to title my chapters and include song lyrics. But right now the playlist for this story is, regrettably, short. None of the songs I have picked out go with this chapter, so when one comes along I will add it. That being said, Chapter titles will be generic until more of the story develops. Bear with me. Also, I update the progress of my stories on my Profile page, so if you want to know what is going on with each pop on over and take a look. I don't want to guarantee weekly or bi-weekly updates because there is no guarantee that my brain is going to work that fast. So again, please be patient, and I thank you all in advance. Chapter contains Sexual Content.

See you on the other side!

Chapter 1

Draco reached across Hermione's body to smack his hand down on the alarm clock that was so obnoxiously announcing the start of another day. The beeping stopped immediately, and with a groan he curled into his girlfriend's back, reaching his arm around her waist to pull her against his chest.

Hermione sighed, shifting against him. He'd spent enough hours sleeping beside her now that he recognized the noise as a conscious one. She was awake as well. Draco let his hand drift up her torso to cup her breast, barely concealed by the camisole she had chosen to wear last night.

A smile pulled at the corners of Hermione's lips as Draco's roaming fingers slipped beneath the cotton of her pajamas to touch skin to skin. She groaned and wriggled her backside into his crotch. This earned her a pinch to her nipple and she squeaked in both surprise and pleasure.

"You're evil, you know that?" Draco whispered in her ear.

"You're no better." Hermione responded, half turning over her shoulder to look at him. She rolled over, forcing Draco to drop his hand. He curled it around her waist instead, moving it slowly until his fingers were stroking her back. Hermione leaned in to kiss him, burying her hand in his hair, tugging gently.

"I really do not want to go home today." Draco groaned as they parted.

"We don't have to."

"Yes, we do."

"No, we don't, Draco." Hermione laughed. She had been telling him this for days.

"I promised Mother I would be home for my birthday. Yes, we do. Or she'll hex me into next century." Draco flipped over and sat up, tossing the blanket back as he set his feet on the floor. Hermione propped herself up on her elbow to enjoy the sight of his backside as he rose, even if it was concealed underneath a very well-fitting pair of black boxers.

"Because you missed two birthdays and two Christmases?" She asked.

"Exactly why." Draco groaned again, a little bit more dramatically than the last, as he yanked open the wardrobe to pull out some clothes.

"Stop whining. You sound like a spoiled brat."

"I thought I was." Draco quipped back as he flipped through his button downs, looking for something decent.

Hermione considered the remark. It was true. Sometimes.

With a quiet sigh, she slid out of bed and crossed the room to wrap her arms around Draco's torso from behind, laying her cheek against his back. Draco stopped rummaging in the wardrobe to cradle her arms against his body and enjoy the feel of her against him.

"I love you." Hermione whispered, pressing a kiss to his warm skin.

Draco turned and cupped her face in both hands, walking her backwards toward the bed. She was forced to sit when her knees hit the side of the mattress, but Draco didn't stop. He pushed her to her back, laying her across the bed as he bent over, continuing to snog her.

"You know what that does to me every time you say it, right?" He asked, finally pulling back.

Hermione responded by reaching down between them to slide her hand past the waistband of his boxers to touch the hot skin underneath, and wrapped her fingers loosely around his burgeoning erection. Draco let his head fall forward then tossed it back, moaning loudly, as she squeezed.

"I may have some idea." Hermione smirked at him.

After one round in bed, and then another in the shower, they finally managed to get dressed for the day and make it out into the kitchen. Even though it was his birthday, Draco refused to let Hermione cook for him. He had taken to it surprisingly well whenever they had had to camp in the tent.

They spent nearly two years abroad studying and researching in their chosen fields after Hogwarts. Draco had completed several apprenticeships under different Potions Masters, and studied with several practitioners of Ancient Runes in the various countries they visited. Hermione had learned all she could about house-elf rights no matter where they stopped and how specific creatures capable of human, or near-human intelligence were treated and regarded.

She maintained her position in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, working directly under the Heads of both the Beast and Being divisions. Her research had served her well in writing a second proposal for what she felt would be positive changes to the current laws and how they were applied. A little over a year into the job on English soil, and hundreds of hours of dedicated work, she had earned the position of a senior caseworker, and had put in motion several changes for house-elves which were just beginning to be implemented to encourage fair employment and fairer treatment.

Draco had contemplated applying for a Ministry position, but in the end decided against it and continued with his hobbies, working alongside Narcissa to maintain the family's collection of dark objects and his personal studies into alchemy. When Draco first admitted his interest in the field, Hermione had scoffed. But then they had spent an entire day in the Malfoy library (a day when Lucius had been absent from the manor) and he laid out all of the research he had already done, along with the dozens of texts, journals, and scrolls he had found. By the end of twenty-four hours Hermione was starting to share his enthusiasm, but she would never fully dedicate herself on Draco's level. He felt the same way about house-elf rights. He would always support Hermione in whatever it was she wanted to do, but that didn't mean he shared her passion about it.

While Draco prepared breakfast Hermione kept herself busy making tea. She watched Draco eye the carton of orange juice as she removed it from the fridge and poured him a glass. It had surprised her to find out he had never tasted the beverage growing up. But after his first sip, it seemed to be the only thing he wanted to drink now. Hermione set the glass down on the counter beside the stovetop for him and received a peck on the lips in thanks before he returned his attention to the eggs he was cooking for them.

Hermione set the table for two and sat down to skim through the latest edition of Witch Weekly. She still didn't understand why Draco had put in a subscription for it. Sure, he got a laugh out of it whenever they appeared in gossip articles, but Hermione was not always amused.

"Any good trash this week?" Draco asked as he removed the pan from the stove to plate the second omelet.

Almost as soon as they returned from abroad and returned to their flat in London, Draco had been featured nearly weekly in either the magazine or Daily Prophet. One of the few times Hermione had gotten a laugh out of it was when he was listed as the most eligible pure-blood Bachelor. But then photos of them together in public had been published. There was an entire spread in Witch Weekly featuring her and Draco out to dinner celebrating their third anniversary together. Not that the publication knew they had been dating for three years now, but there had certainly been a flurry of response to the snog Draco had given her outside the restaurant.

That had been nearly three months ago and there had not been a volume published since that they did not feature in in one way or another.

"Yes, here we go." Hermione flipped open the magazine to page ten. "It has been confirmed that Draco Malfoy, only son and heir to Lucius Malfoy, will be celebrating his twenty-second birthday this June fifth in Wiltshire with his parents and girlfriend Hermione Granger." Hermione threw the magazine down on the table. "They've never accused me of being your girlfriend before."

"Accused?" Draco gave her a look as he walked over with both plates and set one down in front of her. "You make it sound as though being attached to me is criminal."

"Not what I meant. How do they even know about the party tonight?" Hermione questioned as she scanned the rest of the article.

"I'll bet you five galleons it's Pansy. She's a gossip reporter for Witch Weekly now. Who wrote the article?"

Hermione went back to the beginning. Sure enough Pansy Parkinson was the author. "Didn't she get married?"

Draco nodded. "About three months ago. She's Parkinson-Nott now on parchment. I got an invitation, but I burned it. I guarantee we didn't miss much. What picture did she use?"

"Why did you burn it?" Hermione asked, more intrigued with this than his last question.

"Because it was addressed only to me, and when I sent back the response that you and I would both be attending I received a not-so-polite letter from Pansy that she would not tolerate a muggle-born at her wedding. Of course, she used different terminology."

"I'm sure."

"So, I burned the letter and the invitation and sent her back a note that I would not be attending and would also be advising my mother not to attend as well. She went anyway for appearances sake."

Hermione smiled across the few feet between her and Draco and dropped her eyes back to the article.

"Oh, I almost forgot." she exclaimed, looking up suddenly. Draco stopped mid cut with his knife and fork. "Don't eat yet." Draco set his utensils down and watched her dig in her pocket for a moment before she extracted a green and silver candle. She pulled his plate towards her and stuck the candle into his omelet, then took her wand out and flicked it. The wick sparked and caught flame. "Happy birthday." Hermione pushed his plate back with a smile.

"I like that candle." Draco smirked. He blew it out, his eyes on his girlfriend. "Thank you, Hermione." He pulled the candle out and placed it to the side for the time being. "I'm keeping that."

Hermione took a bite of her omelet. "I knew you would. Are you nervous about moving back home?"

Narcissa had been inquiring, i.e. pestering, Draco about when he would be returning to Wiltshire permanently. Not that she was nagging him to come home, but he would have to take up residency there as the Malfoy heir at some point. She understood his need for distance from his father, and encouraged him to keep it as long as possible, but as his relationship with Hermione grew more and more serious, Narcissa had been prying about when he would propose. As soon as he did, moving back into his childhood home was a certainty.

"I'm not worried about moving back home. I already told Mother I want to move into the North wing. I was supposed to have received those rooms when I turned seventeen. As a legal adult I have my right to privacy from my parents. But I wasn't concerned with it at that time."

Hermione could understand that. But she had been asking more specifically about his father. "What about Lucius?"

"He'll probably make me wait until I'm engaged before he grants me such privileges."

"I mean about me."

Draco set his fork down again. "The moment my father tries to start a fight or says anything abusive to or against you, I'll move back out. I don't have to live there. Not yet. Not until I'm married."

Hermione smiled softly from the across the table. Draco reached for her hand and squeezed it gently when she laid hers in his.

"I know we haven't talked about it much, Hermione, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I believe you, and I feel the same way. But I don't think your father is going to be agreeable with the idea of half-blood grandchildren."

"He'll have to get over it."

Somehow Hermione knew it would not be that simple.

~S~

Narcissa Malfoy stood in the entrance hall waiting for Draco and Hermione to arrive. They were due by noon and Narcissa expected them on time since she needed to discuss the evening's party with him before his guests began to arrive. She heard the distinctive 'pop' of apparition outside the door and sent Donegan forward to open it. The house-elf was dressed in a clean pillowcase with the Malfoy crest imprinted over the left shoulder, something new Narcissa had insisted on. She didn't believe in the same views as her son's girlfriend about equal rights for certain magical creatures, but she did agree that a little kindness did go a long way, and the new uniforms instilled pride in the Malfoy elves.

Draco had suggested freeing the elves, with the option to stay on if they so desired. But fearing that they would not come back, Narcissa could not bring herself to present the elves with clothes. She would leave this to Draco when he became patriarch and could make that decision. For now, she was satisfied, and so were the elves, with a more official, and very clean, uniform.

"Master Malfoy, Miss Granger." Donegan stated politely in his tiny voice as he opened the door.

"Afternoon, Donegan." Draco greeted him in return. "I see Mother finally got around to the new regalia she was threatening you all with."

"Donegan likes it, though." Hermione stated, following Draco inside. "He smiled when you mentioned it. You look very nice, Donegan."

"Thank you, Miss. It is very nice." Donegan responded with a slight bow, stepping to the side to allow Draco and Hermione into the entrance hall.

Narcissa studied the couple. She had not seen them since Christmas and was astonished with the state of her son's hair. He had grown it past his ears where it now curled at the tips.

"My goodness, Draco, what have you done?" She asked as he stepped forward to hug her in greeting. She touched the long tendrils of his blonde hair.

"Grown it out more. Hermione likes it long."

"Don't bring me into this." Hermione stated as she hugged Naricssa. "You made the decision to grow it out, I only agreed that it looks nice. I told him you wouldn't like it."

Narcissa reached out again to stroke her son's hair, but he stepped away. "I think it makes you look a bit…wild. I don't like it."

"Well, I'm not letting you cut it. Hermione can. That way she can keep it at a length she likes. You'll make it too short."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Naricssa sighed and dropped her hand to Draco's shoulder. "Fine. But please do it before the party tonight. I want you presentable."

Now Draco rolled his eyes, earning a sharp look from his mother. He grabbed Hermione's hand and started to pull her toward the massive staircase. "Draco." Narcissa called, making him stop. "We have details to discuss, dear."

"Damn, I was hoping to get out of that." Draco whispered to Hermione. "Hopefully this will not take too long." He kissed the tip of her nose and sent her on her way.

Hermione went up alone to Draco's room to unpack for their overnight stay, only to find it completely empty of his personal belongings. Apparently, the move to the North wing already occurred.

"All right then." Hermione said to herself. She went back down and took a right down the long hall that connected the North and South sides of the manor. Draco essentially had the entire third floor to himself on the North side. Privacy indeed. She stopped to look out several of the windows taking in the vast grounds beneath her.

If she and Draco married this was where she would live. And someday she would take Narcissa's place in running the house. It seemed like a huge responsibility now, but should that role become a fixed part of her future she had no doubt that Narcissa would groom her well for it.

Hermione stopped at another window that faced East and she saw in the distance the Quidditch pitch that Draco had practiced and played on as a child. She shook her head with a smile. No doubt he would try and get her down there and teach her to fly more competently in the coming weeks. She had done well enough with the short distances they sometimes had had to travel over land. But she still got shaky the longer she had to remain on the broom.

After her short exploration, Hermione finally tried one of the doors. It opened into a master bedroom. The space was painted ivory with light green and silver accents. It was a lovely color combination, but too Slytherin for her. She couldn't deny Draco his house pride, but Hermione was going to have to find a way to make the space her own as well if she was going to be sharing it with him. The room was dominated by a king-size, ebony, four-poster bed set against the same wall as the door. It was made up with black sheets and grey pillows. On either side were matching ebony nightstands each with a green lamp. Two wardrobes stood side by side on the far wall and a full vanity sat across from the left side of the bed.

The bathroom was large with both a deep tub and a glass enclosed shower. The toilet and sinks were in a recessed part of the room away from the bathing apparatuses. It had the same color palette as the bedroom, just a little more off-white.

The last door she had yet to open was opposite the study. She turned the knob and pushed the door in. The room on the other side left her feeling…confused. It was completely empty, painted in the same off-white. Hermione wondered what the purpose of an empty room would be as she shut the door again.

It was an impressive and enticing set of rooms. She should feel privileged and lucky. But in reality, she felt…isolated.

"I see you found it." Draco stated from the doorway of the bedroom. Hermione turned from the empty room.

"It's…" She trailed off as she turned and looked around at her surroundings. "I'll get used to it I suppose."

Draco pushed off the doorframe and crossed the room to her taking her upper arms in his hands. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

"I haven't even been here two hours and already I feel...secluded." She whispered, tears threatening to fall.

"I told you, we don't have to move in right away."

"I know that." Hermione sighed. She pulled out of his touch and walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge of the mattress. "I don't know what's come over me so suddenly."

"You don't need to explain loneliness to me, Hermione. I know the feeling better than most." Draco stated as he sat beside her. Because he knew, despite that he was right there next to her, she felt completely alone in his parents' house.

He knew because he had grown up here feeling exactly the same.

~S~

"Try not to move." Hermione asked as she moved in with the shears. Draco straightened his shoulders, jostling the small towel draped over them. He pulled it back into place and waited to hear the first snip.

"You're sure you want me to do this?" Hermione's voice asked hesitantly behind him.

"My mother will hex us both if you don't."

"Do you really care?"

"No. But I love her enough to indulge her."

"How nice." Hermione drawled, impersonating his voice from earlier that morning. She let out a breath and raised the scissors. "Ok, here I go."

Draco closed his eyes and heard the slide of the blades against each other. He felt a tug on a small piece of hair and then it fell away. He kept his eyes shut, listening to Hermione's quiet breaths and the intermittent sound of the scissors cutting away his blonde locks.

"Done."

Draco opened his eyes as Hermione lifted the towel from his shoulders. He reached up to feel the length. She had left the sides long and the back just barely kissed his hairline along his neck.

"Do you want to see, or just feel?" Hermione laughed, handing him a mirror. She stood behind Draco with another mirror so he could see the reflection.

"That's not so bad."

"I didn't butcher it. I do like the length." Hermione reached out and ran her fingers through his blonde hair, pulling gently. "More to grab on to."

Draco moaned at the feel of her tugging on his hair and her nails scratching his scalp. He did love it when she was rough. "Keep doing that and you may find yourself on your back." He threatened.

Hermione felt a smile form. She leaned down and put her lips against his ear. "Do you promise?" She whispered, running her fingers through Draco's hair again.

Draco was out of the chair and had her on the bed so fast Hermione thought they had apparated. With a flick of his wand she heard the door lock. Draco reached up and stashed his wand under a pillow then proceeded with trailing kisses up and down her neck until she was writhing beneath him. Hermione bucked her hips in a desperate attempt for friction against Draco's erection where he rubbed it at the apex of her thighs.

"Don't tease me, Draco, please."

"I can make it feel unbearable." Draco whispered, pushing his dick between her legs. Hermione cried out, clutching at his back.

"Please, don't. Just get on with it. I need you."

Draco pulled back from his assault on her skin to smile at her. "I need you, too, love."

Hermione brushed his bangs from his forehead. "Show me."

They undressed each other quickly, clothes going in all directions. Lips and hands covered skin as they shifted and rolled around for several minutes before Hermione found herself on her back once more, Draco propped above her. He pulled her legs around his waist, leaning down as his hips pushed forward. Hermione clutched at him again throwing her head back as he slid just the head of his erection into her. Draco watched her reaction with deep satisfaction. But he wanted her begging for it. He pulled back and her nails scraped down his back in frustration.

"Fuck," He muttered, feeling his eyes flutter closed. He resisted the urge to snap his hips forward, but they did shift and an inch or two slipped back inside.

Hermione actually whined when he pulled back out again and began a teasing rhythm of shallow thrusts.

"Please, Draco."

While she loved the feel of him sliding against her sensitized skin, the drag back and forth without any actual depth was driving her mad.

"Desperate yet?" Draco whispered in her ear, still keeping up with his shallow thrusts.

"Gods Draco. Just shut up and move." Hermione tightened her legs around him, digging her heels into his back to force him deeper.

"Fuck!" Draco swore as he bottomed out inside her, his head falling to her shoulder. He grunted, shifting unexpectedly as Hermione dug her heels into his back again pushing him deeper still.

Hermione smiled at him and leaned up pressing her mouth to his neck. She sucked and nipped at his pulse causing Draco to buck his hips. He held still inside her, needing to feel the depth of her body as she squeezed around his erection.

"Move damn it." Hermione muttered against his neck.

Draco pulled back, withdrawing almost entirely from her before pushing back in completely. He repeated the motion a few times before their natural rhythm took over. Give and take as they moved together, slow at first and then faster as the race toward release built between them. Draco lost all sense of decorum pushing up onto his knees to change the angle so he could drive deeper.

"Draco, shit!" Hermione cursed out loud as he basically stabbed her, feeling the head of his cock bump against her cervix. "Easy." She dropped her voice to a low, soothing timbre, loosened her legs around his waist and started to stroke his back. "Easy, you're hurting me a little."

"Sorry," Draco panted as he slowed his motions. He dropped back down, resting on his elbows. He kissed her gently, apologetically.

"Slow down a little." Hermione whispered when they parted. Draco wrapped her legs around him again then began kissing her deep and slow as he moved out with long pulls and pushed back in bottoming out each time before withdrawing once more. "Yes, that's it." Hermione hissed, pulling on his hair.

"Fuck, you feel so good."

They worked back up to a steady pace until the need to come had them both moving frantically. Draco reached up to brace one hand on the headboard as his hips snapped against Hermione's. He felt his balls draw up and then the rest of him exploded. He cried out, throwing his head back as his orgasm pulsed out of him. Hermione watched him, feeling his body still inside her and then the jerk of his erection followed by the familiar wet surge. It was enough to trigger her own orgasm as Draco's pelvis dragged against her clit one last time with delicious friction that sparked the fire between her legs and she screamed his name.

Draco pulled out slowly then promptly collapsed beside her on the still made bed.

"Fuck," He panted, lying on his back with an arm thrown over his eyes. Hermione caught her breath somewhat and rolled to her side to watch him. Two years abroad had done wonderful things for his body. He had put on a significant amount of muscle from the climbing and hiking they had done in order to reach certain caves to study sets of runes. Whenever they camped near a shore both made an effort to swim so long as the water temperature allowed for it.

He had also gotten a fair share of sun when they were outside. His skin took on a golden hue, that he managed to maintain for some months. But Hermione knew it wouldn't last. Not in the perpetual overcast of England. She was sad to see it go when his light tan faded completely about four months after they returned. But at least he still possessed the carved-out muscles that had developed. She reached out and ran her hand down his abs, loving the ridges under her fingers. Her favorites were his thighs and his biceps. His back was nice to look at, too. But his thighs were just bloody gorgeous now.

She let her hand trail all the way down to his knee and back up. His quad was hard under her fingers with a little give around the sides. She stroked her hand over the downy, blonde hair of his upper leg smiling to herself as she did so.

"Enjoying yourself?" Draco asked, arm still over his eyes.

"Very much so, yes."

"You could move your hand a little higher so I could enjoy myself as well." Draco grinned.

Hermione obliged him, running her hand first over his still rigid length, and then down to stroke and cup his balls. Draco sighed deeply, spreading his legs to give her more access. He kept his arm over his eyes still, trying to appear unaffected by her attention. But the hisses coming from him were a giveaway that he was completely affected. That and his dick swelled substantially at her touch.

Hermione shifted on the bed getting into a better position. She looked at Draco once more before proceeding.

The moment he felt her lips wrap around the head of his cock, his arm flew off his eyes and he gazed down the length of his body. "Fucking hell, Hermione. Give a guy some warning next time."

"You're complaining?" She asked, letting his dick go.

"Not at all. You just…took me by surprise."

Hermione smirked at him. "That was the point." She bowed her head and engulfed the head of his erection in her mouth once more.

"Yes," Draco hissed the word, watching her brunette head move between his thighs for a minute before letting his own fall back against the pillow. He threaded one hand into her hair to guide her, pushing her down a few inches because he wanted to feel her teeth against his skin. "So good," He moaned as she scraped gently.

Hermione pulled his hand off after that and focused on just the head. She sucked until it began to leak against her tongue. Draco gave a few tugs on her hair, telling her to stop. Hermione pulled back and shifted again so she was straddling his waist.

"Ride me hard, witch." Draco told her as he took her waist in his hands. He lifted her up and brought her down until he was buried deep inside her once more.

"As if I would do this any other way." Hermione responded, already rolling her hips against his.

I already have Chapter 2 started, but no ETA yet. Let me know what you think!