Lion with the Snake

Author's Note: After a long delay, my attention has returned to writing fan fiction including updating this story again. So here is chapter 2.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling. I merely play in her fantastic sandbox.

Chapter 2

"What's going on Hermione?" Ron asked at lunch. "You've been so distant and distracted lately."

"I've just been really busy studying. We have to take the NEWTS this year and I really want to be prepared." Hermione lied.

"I would understand if you were spending all your time in the library but no one ever sees you there anymore. You always have Heads meetings." He complained. "You barely have time for me anymore."

"I've just been so stressed. I only really go to the library to check out books to study in the Heads dorm. It's actually quieter there. How about tonight? I don't have a meeting so we can go to the room of requirement and study or whatever after dinner." She suggested.

"Sounds marvelous. I'll see you in class. I left my homework in the dorm." Ron swiftly brushed his lips across hers and left. Hermione watched him walk away. Perhaps my double life will be over sooner than I thought. Hermione grinned.

…

Across the Great Hall at the Slytherin table, Draco Malfoy sneered at his food as he watched Weasley kiss Hermione. He watched as a smile spread across her face suddenly making her the hottest girl in Hogwarts. He had many other memories of Hermione smiling. Remembering had a predictable reaction in a specific portion of his anatomy. Unfortunately Pansy who was sitting next to him noticed and misinterpreted it as being a reaction to something she had done. Not that Draco had even realized that she was trying to get his attention.

"Draco darling, it looks like you have a bit of a problem." Pansy purred setting her hand on his thigh. Draco slapped her hand away.

"Get off me."

"Ooh, Draco's problem is making him a bit testy. We'd better fix that." She cooed. Pansy took Draco's hand and led him away toward the Slytherin dungeons.

…

That night, Hermione sat at a table in the Room of Requirement. The Room was filled with bookshelves, the table and back behind one of the shelves was a bed. Ron came in and joined her at the table with his homework. The pair worked silently side by side for several minutes. Ron was the first to break the silence.

"Hermione, would you look over my essay?" Ron asked handing it over.

"Sure." Hermione read through Ron's essay making only a very few minor corrections in spelling and word choice. "Ron, this is a really good essay. You didn't even really need my help."

"Do I get a gold star?" He asked. Hermione smiled and leaned over to kiss him.

"I think we can come up with something better." Hermione took his hand and led him to the other side of the shelves. Hermione released his hand, shrugged out of her robes revealing her muggle clothing underneath and sat on the edge of the bed. She patted a spot on the bed next to her.

"Err…Are you sure?" Ron turned red.

"Ron, you're the one who's been holding our relationship back."

"I…Err…you never…I never…"

"Completed a sentence?" Hermione teased coming over to Ron.

"You never said anything. I thought you didn't want to … you know. I thought…" Ron never got to finish as Hermione kissed him. Words became unnecessary as the couple followed their passions. Clothes were strewn around the room as the pair discovered each other. Ron was initiated into the world of passion and Hermione learned the difference between sex and love.

…

It turns out that the speed of Ron and my relationship was a big misunderstanding. I thought that he wanted to move at the pace of a snail and he thought that I was reluctant to go further. And neither of us was willing to discuss the matter in fear of hurting the other. Well, we cleared that up quickly and very definitely.

Ron and I are fully intimate now. Someone once told me that any sex with the person you love is far better than the best sex with someone else. At the time I just laughed at the person but now I know the truth. To be honest, Draco is more experienced in the realm of pleasure but I derived more pleasure from my time with Ron. Making love is so much better than having sex. I can't wait to see Draco's face when I tell him that our deal is over.

…

At breakfast the next morning Hermione watched the Slytherin table closely. She had written Draco a letter and the owl would deliver it today. The hall was a flurry of activity as owls swooped down upon each of the tables delivering the day's post. Hermione watched as the school owl that she had selected glided down to Draco. She hoped he recognized the irony; she used the same owl to deliver her message to him that she had been prevented from using earlier that year.

…

Draco recognized the owl that delivered his last piece of mail. It was unusual that a school owl had something for him. He was surprised when he recognized the handwriting on the outside as Hermione's. What? Is Granger sending me love notes now? He smirked as he broke the seal. The smirk died as he read the single sentence; 'Our arrangement is over'. The silver eyes narrowed as they turned towards the Gryffindor table.

Draco excused himself from the Slytherin table on 'Heads Business'. He strode to the Gryffindor table with an assurance he didn't feel.

"Granger, we need to talk." He snapped.

"Malfoy don't you have somewhere else that you could poison with your presence? I'm trying to eat and so is my girlfriend." Ron said scornfully.

"My presence is a blessing upon this bunch of filthy mud bloods and blood traitors. Anyway I'm here on Head's Business. For no other reason would I venture to this Merlin-forsaken table."

"You bloody bastard. Let go of me." The last bit was directed to Harry and Seamus who were restraining Ron.

"Forget it Ron. He's not worth the detention Snape will give you." Hermione said calmly folding her napkin and stepping away from the table. She walked with Draco until they were a little ways off from the other students. "Can't this wait? I was eating."

"Urgent Head Business. We should discuss this outside of the Hall." Draco took Hermione's arm firmly and led her out of the Great Hall before she could protest.

"What was so bloody important that you had to interrupt my breakfast?" Hermione turned to look him in the eyes.

"What do you mean 'our arrangement is off'?" Draco asked.

"Is that the urgent Head Business? I'm going back to breakfast. We'll discuss this later." Hermione tried to push past him. Draco thwarted her attempt and trapped her against the wall of the corridor.

"We'll discuss this now."

"Fine." She glared at him. "What part don't you understand? I thought it was very clear. We're done. No more sneaking around. No more sex. No more nothing. We are back to our perfectly normal hateful relationship where we are forced to work together as Head Students. Nothing more. Is that clear enough?"

"Crystal clear. But are you completely certain?" Draco said smoothly as he moved his hands over her body. Hermione swatted his hands away.

"I don't need you. Any of you!" She said pointedly.

"Has your conscience been bothering you? Have you decided to be a good little witch and suffer through being celibate?" He breathed in her ear returning his hands to her body. "You don't have to, you know."

"That's right, I don't." She removed his hands again. "If you must know, your sexual services are very much no longer necessary. My boyfriend, who has absolutely no problem with my heritage, has taken over for you and he has a big advantage over you." Hermione pushed him away and walked back to the Great Hall.

Draco stood there shocked for a moment, his mind racing. The Gryffindor finally got over his nobly inspired prudish tendencies. That is a surprise. Ah well. I don't need the Mudblood bitch of a whore. She was just convenient. Never mind that Pansy was even more convenient and worshipped him. Hermione was just another way to score on that blood traitor, Weasley, even if the prat had no clue. She'll probably get bored with him and come back begging for my superior skill before too long. Draco strode back to his breakfast as if nothing had happened.

…

Hermione returned to the Gryffindor table and gave Ron a kiss before settling back down to eat her breakfast.

"What did Malfoy want?" Harry asked between bites of food.

"To be annoying." Hermione answered. "Nothing that he wanted to discuss couldn't wait until our meeting in a few days."

"Bloody bastard." Ron muttered.

"I agree." Dean attempted to say through a mouthful of eggs.

…

I am happier than I've ever been. Any tension that was ever in Ron and my relationship is completely gone. I no longer have to sneak around or lie about where I've been or where I'm going. I spend almost all of my time with Ron. The times between classes that I used to sneak around to meet Malfoy are now spent with Ron doing about the same thing without any of the hate. I love the way my life is going. Ron and I have been talking some about life after Hogwarts. I think that he is going to ask me to marry him soon! I am deliriously happy. So why do I feel like I'm committing this to paper to convince myself of this fact?