Author's Note: Okay…amidst some strong (read: demanding) urging from our friends, The Golden Duo has decided to take on the November 2010 Twin Exchange Challenge – in one night. Now, we know that this has several problems, not the least of which is that it will be fairly unbeta'd. But we have every hope that all of you lovely and discerning readers will understand that we are both very busy individuals who love and respect you but don't have the time to sit and wait for a beta to read, edit, & send back something with a deadline.

We hope you understand.

And without further ado…another Golden Duo production!

Pretty Persuasion

"You have got to be joking!"

Draco Malfoy jumped slightly at the shrill, disapproving-bordering-on-livid sound of his girlfriend, Hermione Granger's, voice. Turning in his comfortable perch on the sofa, he arched an aristocratic eyebrow as the woman in question stalked toward him, hands on her hips in a pose that seemed entirely too familiar for his taste to a redheaded matriarch he tried to avoid.

"It's lovely to see you too, darling," he deadpanned, crossing a long leg and lounging back against the pillows as she stopped in front of him.

"Don't you 'darling' me!" she snapped. "Have you completely lost your senses?"

This comment was definitely too close for comfort to that of everyone's favourite mother hen, so he crossed his arms and stared at her with the cold, silver stare he had perfected since birth.

"Clearly you're angry at something I may or may not have done, so why don't you just tell me what it is so that we can yell at each other directly like civilized beings," he said.

She heaved a heavy sigh, and shifted her weight to one leg as she, too, crossed her arms.

"Draco, what is the date today?" she asked, her voice even but simmering with unspoken frustration.

"The 26th."

"And the day?"

"Friday," he replied.

"And what time is it?"

"Half past six."

"And did I or did I not say that we were expected somewhere at half past six on Friday the 26th of November?"

Draco frowned slightly. Having spent the past year and a half living with the woman now tapping her foot in front of him, he had perfected the art of when and how to tune out her sometimes-monotonous ramblings. He had always managed, however, to digest salient details. Unless...

"No," he said definitively, standing up for effect as he braced himself for the argument that was sure to come. "I already said there was no way I was going."

"No, this time you said you'd think about," she replied.

"Fine. I said I'd think about it. I thought about it, and there's no way I'm going."

"Draco, you say that about every single bloody party we get invited to! I was looking forward to going to this with you."

"Hermione, you know how I feel about these damned things, and more specifically, how I feel about your…friends."

"Oh do grow up," she said, her hazel eyes blazing. "I told you it wasn't a big to do, and I'm getting utterly sick of showing up without you. Harry's tried to be more than accommodating and everyone's gone out of their way to include you and you continue to act like an utter prat!"

Draco gave her a level look. This was an argument that they continued to have, though both of them were getting thoroughly tired of it. It revolved around Draco and his lack of interest in socializing with Hermione's friends.

That night was a surprise birthday – a few days early – for the eldest Weasley brother, Bill. Draco could think of few things that he would enjoy less than a Weasley party.

"Hermione, may I remind you of a certain pair of twins that find no limit of pleasure in pulling prank after prank every time I see them?" Draco said.

"Don't exaggerate. It's not every time…"

"The Guy Faukes bonfire?"

Hermione threw her hands in the air.

"The green hair wasn't permanent! And they apologized," she argued.

"And before that, with the newt in my soup?"

"An accident."

"And ton-tongue toffee at that tea for Mr. Weasley's promotion?"

"It wasn't meant for you..."

"And the time when they pushed me in a broom cupboard and told everyone I'd been run off by garden gnomes?"

"A harmless..."

"Hermione," he interrupted steadily. "I love you. I have been with you for two years. But I would not go to that damned party if...if...if you gave me the Drought of the Living Dead and dragged me there!"

"Don't tempt me!" she snapped back, but her eyes softened slightly and she gave another sigh, shaking her head. "I give up. If you don't want to go, that's fine. I was just hoping that maybe you'd change your mind."

Draco scoffed quietly, mumbling a quiet "Like that would ever happen..." and moving back to sit again.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this," she continued, catching his attention once more as she started to walk toward the hall door. His eyes focused on the fact that she was unzipping the form-fitting, understatedly-sexy dress he had just realized she was wearing.

"Come to what?" Draco asked, his lips suddenly going dry as he caught a glimpse of a silvery lace teddy as she slowly lowered the zipper.

"Well...I was thinking of withholding sex from you until you agreed to come to one of our little get-togethers."

Draco's attention snapped from her back to her face, which was looking at his with a coy little grin that never ceased to get his heart pumping. One of the reasons he had fallen in love with her was her mildly-manipulative streak - a streak that usually manifested itself through sexual prowess and subtle seduction.

"Why punish yourself for my folly?" Draco responded, though from the way her lip twitched upward, he was unsure whether he felt nearly as confident with his self-control as he had been ten seconds prior.

"Oh, I don't know..." she said evasively, the strap of her partially-unzipped dress sliding down a smooth shoulder, "I'm quite capable of satisfying myself. No substitute for the real thing, but let's face it, if I really wanted it, I could ask Charlie. Or Sirius. Or Ron."

Draco glared at her at the mention of her ex-boyfriend.

"You wouldn't dare," he seethed, taking a step towards her. She turned, leaning her back against the door frame as she watched him.

"Wouldn't I?" she replied, arching an eyebrow as the cheeky little smile stayed upon her full, pink lips. "Well, maybe not with Ron. Gingers aren't my thing anymore. But Sirius..."

Draco was in front of her within seconds, pressing his lips and the length of his lithe body against her, swallowing her sigh of victory as he melted into her soft curves.

She pulled away slightly, looking up at him.

"Does this mean you're coming to the party?" she asked innocently, though her smile never dimmed.

He paused. His body seemed like one taut nerve-ending, and he cursed himself as he knew that she knew she had won. She wouldn't let him get any further unless he agreed to go with her that night, and he couldn't see himself going or doing anything without doing her first.

Resigning himself to the inevitable, he sighed.

"Yes."

Her unexpected squeal and the brute force of her petite body had him staggering back a step as she threw herself against him, initiating the kiss this time with her usual amount of vigour. When she made to pull back, obviously content with her victory, Draco had no choice but to pull her against him again.

"You didn't honestly expect it to be that easy, did you?" he asked, kissing the corner of her mouth, loving the small sigh that escaped her as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Nothing is ever easy with you, but it would be delightful if you made a little more effort to be accommodating," she replied, tilting her head for him, his lips ghosting down her long, exposed neck.

"I'm always accommodating," he whispered in her ear, thrusting his hips into hers with little subtlety.

"Mm," she moaned softly, "In that, yes, but that isn't what we're talking about."

"Why ever not?" he asked, pushing her against the wall, wedging his knee between her thighs.

"Because," she replied, winding her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a long, drawn out, passionate kiss.

"Because why?" he teased, pulling back, almost as breathless as she was. He enjoyed the fiery look she shot him and revelled in the feel of her nails make the slightest of marks in his shoulders as she found her spark.

"Because you are deliberately stalling, and we don't have time for this," she said, once again making to pull away from him.

His arm shot out as she took a step away, and in one movement he had her hooked at the waist and the two of them moving toward the couch.

"You mean," he said, sitting down abruptly, his witch falling with little grace into his lap, "That you expect me to make time for your friends, but you can't make time for me?"

His blink screamed innocence, but she clearly wasn't a fool, "Are you bribing me?"

"I wouldn't call it a bribe, per say," he drawled, marking the path from her neck down towards her cleavage. He smoothed his hands down her back, catching the loose fabric of her dress as he went.

"Draco," she sighed, but he was certain it was supposed to have been a harsher tone.

"Hermione?" he asked, smiling against her hot skin, feeling her muscles begin to melt into him as her resistance gave out. Flattening his palms into the sleek curve in her back, he guided her down to kiss him again.

Both of them lost their trains of thought, forgetting about the time, the party and that they were already running late. His mouth slanted over hers, again and again, tasting her familiar essence and revelling in the small sounds she made.

His palms travelled further down, finding every pleasure spot down her spine, until her dress lay pooled between them, her thin teddy the only thing keeping him from enjoying her visually, as well as physically.

"Indulge me, and I'll indulge you," he whispered heavily in her ear, moving her heavy mop of hair to the side to nibble on her neck.

Hermione practically purred with delight at the contact, but her response told him she hadn't completely forgotten what had gotten them into this situation in the first place, "I thought it was me trying to manipulate you?"

"I learnt from the best," Draco replied, moaning when her hands travelled down his chest between them, gripping the edge of his shirt and deftly pulling it over his head. She swooped down on his bare chest even before the expensive fabric hit the floor, her mouth following a familiar path that had his breath turning ragged.

"Indeed you did," she grinned, reaching down between them, her fingers deftly undoing his belt.

He watched as she stood, her understated dress falling to her feet. She gave a brassy wink as she ran her hands up her thighs, giving an exaggerated sigh, before removing her underwear. He licked his lips as she moved to straddle him again, this time she wasn't surprised when he pulled her to him straight away.

Draco kissed her none too gently, his lips crushing into hers with brutal force, as he grew tired of her teasing. Hermione didn't seem to mind however, giving back everything she received, and then some.

Hands roamed freely, removing clothing until they were skin to skin. He ground into her core, sending shivers down both of their spines as he let her know just how much she affected him.

"Draco," she cried out, reaching between them to guide him closer.

Nudging her thighs wider apart with his, he surged up into her body, their moans echoing around the room. Hermione flicked her hair back, her eyes closing shut as she sank down onto his body with a look of pure pleasure blushing her features.

Draco leant forward, his lips closing around one taut nipple encased in the silk teddy he would never get enough of. Using her body as leverage, he pumped into her again and again, alternating between soft and hard strokes, listening to her moans and cries and wondering how he ever got so lucky.

Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled herself into him, rocking back and forth to their self-made rhythm. She hunched over his slouched body, finding his lips once more as she kissed him with every ounce of emotion she possessed.

He locked his arms around her lower back, his thrusts becoming shallower and faster as they both sought release. He felt Hermione's body begin to tense around him, her hot breath washing over his cheek as she concentrated on that pivotal point of pleasure they had created between them.

"That's it," he whispered in her ear, as he thrust up hard, fighting off his own release just so he could experience hers.

She gave a sharp cry, her body bucking hard against his as her inner walls clutched around him, the sensation so blinding that he lost what little control he held onto and tumbled head first into orgasm with her. He held her close, head buried in her neck as he groaned, releasing himself deep within his witch.

They held each other for a moment before she pulled back, her hair a halo of frazzled curls and her eyes warm with both physical satisfaction and personal triumph.

"We're going to be late, you know," she whispered, and he reluctantly released her as she stood, wobbling slightly as she took in what he only assumed to be the deliciously sore throb he arrogantly knew he left her with every time they made love.

"Well, nothing to be done now. Best we not go," he said, though he gave her a smile that showed that, regardless of his lack of interest in socializing with her friends, he was a man of honour and would keep his word if she still wanted to go.

She chuckled, shaking her head.

"Get dressed, Draco. And if you behave yourself tonight…" She let the sentence hang unfinished, but the wink she threw him as she dressed made him swallow hard.

"Such pretty persuasion," he said softly, pulling his trousers up.

"Hmm…glad to know it works," she replied, fixing her hair in the mirror that sat over the fireplace. "Though, honestly, I probably would have fucked you even if you hadn't said 'yes.'"

He looked up midway through buttoning his shirt, and she smirked.

"But since you did…" she added, sauntering over to him. "I know to be more discerning in when and how I let you have your way with me."

Draco's nostrils flared and he pulled her to him, looking into her eyes.

"Just wait until we get home," he breathed.

She grinned.

"I don't know, Draco…I might need to be persuaded."

With a final smirk, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house.

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!