Hermione opened her eyes slowly, blinking at the sun shining through the bedroom window. She hadn't slept that well in as long as she could remember. She stretched her arms above her head and sat up slowly. She could smell something cooking and it smelled amazing. She climbed out of the far too big bed, and went to the bathroom to straighten up. Hermione brushed her teeth, combed her hair, added her concealment charms, and for good measure threw on a bra. She might have been friends with Draco, but they weren't the kind of friends yet where she would be okay with him seeing her nipples through her tank top, it was enough he would be seeing her legs as her silk Gryffindor red pyjama shorts were a bit on the short side coming to rest about seven inches above her knees. She checked herself over one more time for good measure and started walking towards the delicious smells coming from the kitchen.

"Whatever you're making it smells ama-" She stopped dead when he turned around to face her wearing nothing but a pair of low slung Slytherin green silk pyjama pants. She hadn't noticed the shape he was in with all of his clothes on. Her eyes lingered on the toned muscles of his arms, his chest, and his chiseled six pack abs. Who knew all of that was underneath…Hermione he is your FRIEND. Your MARRIED FRIEND…Yeah but his wife has someone else, it's an on paper marriage…HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER WEASLEY…Okay no weasley…Granger! Stop staring and thinking about the state of your FRIEND'S MARRIAGE! HE IS YOUR FRIENNNNND! She argued with herself in her head.

"Uh Hermione? Are you okay? You kind of stopped talking and now your mouth is hanging open and your face is turning the colour of your shorts." He was standing there smirking at her. The Draco Malfoy smirk she remembered from their Hogwarts days. She mentally shook herself.

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry uh…got distracted for a second" Her entire face was burning with embarrassment, she could even feel it in the tips of her ears.

"Embarrassment becomes you Granger." Draco winked leaning towards her across the island. "Come, sit, I made breakfast." He beckoned her to a bar stool and she sat down. "Would it make it easier for you to focus if I go put a shirt on?" He was teasing her now. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Who says my distraction had anything to do with you at all…Malfoy."

"Your eyes said it all my dear." He smiled sideways at her and started walking back towards his bedroom. "Go ahead, grab some I didn't make it all just for me." He called back to her. Hermione hopped off the bar stool and went over to the pans of food Draco had made. Scrambled eggs, french toast, home fries, and bacon. Her mouth was watering and she eagerly scooped some onto her plate and sat back down just as Draco walked back into the kitchen. "Hungry?" He said eyes wide as he looked at her heaping plate of breakfast.

"Starved." She smiled back up at him and shoved a big piece of bacon in her mouth. "Is that a problem?" She said swallowing.

"Not at all, I enjoy being around women who actually eat. You should see Pansy scarf a cheeseburger, it is possibly the most unattractive thing ever, but at least she isn't living on salad. Explains how you came upon the curves." He said eying her with a wink.

"Did you just…check me out?" She asked him mouth agape.

"I might have. Come on Hermione you come out here in the smallest little Gryffindor shorts I've ever seen, and a tiny tank top and expect me not to at least peek?" He was grinning ear to ear.

"I…didn't think…well you were out here with no shirt on!" She countered despite how ridiculous it sounded as an argument.

"True. And if I do recall you were checking me out too!"

"Yeah….well I haven't exactly woken up in places with half naked men cooking breakfast very often in my life!" Hermione said with her hands on her hips. She was losing this argument completely and if she was honest she didn't even mind. Draco laughed out loud.

"That is the thinnest argument in the world Granger, jeeze I thought you were good at the whole debating/arguing thing. If I go by your argument I could say it isn't very often I have a beautiful woman stroll into my kitchen wearing those little shorts and a little tank top that is showing off the slightest bit of what appears to be a very toned, tan, stomach. Oh and a push up bra too!" They were standing less than a foot apart now.

"This is not a push up bra! This is a normal bra!" She could feel the blush spreading down her chest and hear her voice rising. Draco's eyes widened.

"Seriously? That's all you? No help from Victoria and her secrets?" He said and his eyes lingered on her chest. She slapped his arm, mentally noting how tough and strong it felt.

"Draco-whatever your middle name is-Malfoy! Stop staring at my boobs! This is not appropriate FRIEND behaviour!" She emphasized the word friend for effect, and although she said it, a part of her felt like she might not have really meant it.

"It's Lucius." He said smirking. "Now you know, and who defines what is appropriate between friends anyway?"

"You know what, I am going to go make this easier on you." She smiled backing away from Draco and going to her bedroom and closed the door behind her, leaning her head against it. What was that! She thought to herself. Draco and I...flirting…and I liked it….I must be a terrible person. I literally just left Ron not even two days ago and he is married to Astoria. Whether he is happy or not, they took vows! They have a son! What am I doing? She shook her head and located her Gryffindor hooded sweater and a pair of jeans. She walked back out to the kitchen fully dressed. "Better?" She said to Draco as she walked back in and sat back down at her stool beside him to continue eating.

"Depends on how you define better I suppose." He said winking. "I didn't mind the way you were dressed before, although one could consider it to have been…distracting."

"Well now you should be distracted no longer." She said giving him a small smile. They finished the rest of their meal quietly just enjoying each other's company. They spent the rest of the day doing their own things, Hermione reading and Draco either watching quidditch or doing some of his work for the Minister. "Draco?" She said quietly peering up at him over the top of her book. He was sitting on the other end of the couch reviewing paperwork.

"Hmm?" He said shuffling the papers and looking at her.

"What…what was all of that earlier?" She knew he would understand what she meant.

"What? This morning?" Draco asked putting his papers aside. Hermione put her book down and sat up to look at him.

"Yes this morning. I…I thought we were just friends."

"Did I…upset you? If I did I didn't mean…" He looked worried. Hermione placed her hand on his leg gently.

"No. Come on Draco did I seem upset?"

"Well no but maybe I took things too far. I'm an asshole you just left your husband…"

"Draco stop. Please. You are not an asshole. If anything you're…" She paused. "You're one of the kindest people I've known as shocking to me as that was at first knowing your past. I'm just…I don't know…confused I guess."

"Why are you confused?" He placed his hand over hers.

"Because I just left Ron, but I haven't felt…Ron and I's marriage was a lot like yours and Astoria's in a way. I don't think I've truly loved him for many years. We had those few weeks when he was sober that were great but…I think I was trying to hold on to a feeling that just wasn't there anymore. I was trying to make myself love him. With everything he did to me in the last Merlin knows how long…Leaving him now doesn't feel like I just left, I think I've been already gone for years." She looked down at their hands and back up into Draco's eyes. "And despite the hell that my marriage became, and despite the fact that your marriage to Astoria is…for lack of a better term, a sham….I can't help but feel weird about flirting with another man, let alone a married man…" She trailed off. Draco squeezed her hand.

"Hermione, I didn't lure you here to try and get you into bed or anyth-"

"I never said you did! Oh Draco that's not-"

"Shh…" He said gently putting a finger to her lips. "Let me finish love." He said it so gently that she just nodded her head. He had used a term of endearment and though it was foreign to her, Hermione found she enjoyed it. "What I was going to say, is that I didn't bring you here to sleep with you. I brought you here so you could have a soft place to land after everything with Ron. I wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable, I was just paying you attention because I do think you're beautiful. I do think you're an amazing woman. I have a confession to make…" He paused. She locked her chocolate brown orbs on his grey ones. "At the risk of coming across like Potter…I liked you even in Hogwarts."

"You bullied me in Hogwarts! You called me a mudblood! What rubbish is this that you liked me in Hogwarts!" She interrupted him. "And no trust me that was a lot…more…shall we say…sweet than what Harry did…anyway let's not talk about him." She shook her head and Draco laughed.

"Okay have you not ever heard the old adage about boys pulling girls hair on the playground because they like them? I thought you were brilliant. I was stunned that a muggle-born witch could be more skilled than I was, a pureblood. You made me start to question all that garbage that was drilled in to me about muggle-borns being less than. Of course I could never tell you, and of course I could never act on it. My family would have killed me. So, I acted like I hated you, and believe it or not when you decked me in third year I just liked you more. You showed that you were passionate and a strong female not to be messed with." He smiled ear to ear. "It was kind of hot." He winked. Hermione blushed.

"You thought it was hot that I punched you in the face? That's a little kinky Draco." She laughed teasing him. Now it was his turn to blush.

"I didn't mean it like that!" He said with his eyes wide. He was fairly surprised to hear that word come out of her mouth.

"I didn't say I minded." She winked at him making his eyes widen further and his mouth hang open. She reached over and jokingly closed it for him. "Come on Draco you know I'm just teasing you…" She paused putting on a more serious face and made eye contact once more. "So we've established there's definitely a mutual attraction happening here. What do we do about it?"

"That depends on you Hermione. I don't want to do anything that you are uncomfortable with. I wanted to be honest with you about my feelings, but I don't want to push you."

"You aren't pushing me Draco. I think I'm only unsure because it came on so quickly. One minute I was married to Ron the next I'm living here with you, flirting with you in the kitchen. It's…surprising that's all."

"Is it really that surprising? Okay maybe the leaving Ron and now being here part I guess…but we have been friends now for what, going on three months since the first time I waltzed into your office and thought your eyes would burn a hole through my face?" He laughed. "It's okay if this is a bit confusing for you. I've known how I've felt about you much longer than you have." He grabbed her hand with both of his. "What do you want? I will accept whatever answer you give. If one of your concerns is Astoria, like I said we don't really have a marriage. We co-parent Scorpious and we live our actual lives separately."

"I don't…I mean…I know I'm attracted to you. Like…really attracted to you. But I don't know if I'm ready to jump in to something with both feet…at least…not yet…"

"We don't have to label anything. We don't even have to tell anyone. I won't even tell Pansy, as hard as that will be because she has an uncanny ability to sense when I'm not telling her something but I won't tell her. We can go slow. I'm not trying to force your decision, I just…I want to give this a chance."

"There's this huge part of me that is saying to give this a chance, just go with how I feel…but a small part of me is terrified…I've only ever been with Ron, I'm not sure I even know where to begin."

"Let's just take things as they come. Do what feels natural to both of us. It's between you and I no one else needs to be a part of it until we are ready to have them know."

"I suppose it would be worth trying. I know I want to. You can tell Pansy if you want to, she's your best friend I don't expect you to hide your life and what's happening in it from her. Just…no one else okay?"

"Okay." Draco smiled and squeezed her hand tight. "So…you're really okay with this?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I am." Draco pulled her toward him so she was half in his lap, facing him. Hermione could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She stared into his eyes and slowly inched her face towards him. He met her lips with his and she closed her eyes. His lips were soft and gentle. She gently parted hers to allow him to deepen their kiss. She felt him slide his tongue into her mouth while he wrapped his arms around her. She straddled his lap and deepened the kiss, her own tongue battling his. She felt like electricity was coursing through her veins, she had never felt this way from just kissing. Hermione very reluctantly pulled away and sat back looking at Draco.

"Wow…" He breathed in deeply. "I wasn't expecting that but…it was better than I ever imagined."

"Yeah…me too." She felt shaky, like if she were to try and stand she would fall over. Draco brushed the hair out of her face.

"You still sure?" He asked, nuzzling his face in her hair.

"More than ever." She said closing her eyes and settling herself more comfortably in his lap so she was tucked with his right arm around her and her legs were over his lap. "We should figure something out for dinner." She said looking up at him.

"You're right. Order takeaway junk food and watch a movie?"

"Sounds good to me. Pizza?"

"Pizza sounds amazing. I'll call and order it." Draco reached over to the side table, grabbed the cordless phone that was sitting there and called in a pizza order with Hermione still in his lap. "So, what do you want to watch? I actually have quite the impressive muggle movie collection, hang on I'll go get it." He lifted her up easily and placed her back down on the couch like it was as difficult as lifting a feather. He came back moments later holding about 10 boxes the size of ring boxes.

"That is your epic muggle movie collection? Awfully tiny." She teased. "Shrinking spell?"

"Much easier to hide, that way I can avoid the teasing if Blaise and Theo ever come over. They only just bought TVs in the last few months, and only to get the quidditch channel."

"Ah, purebloods." She teased.

"Yeah yeah…"He rolled his eyes. "Now, what are you in the mood for?"

"I'm not sure, how about you pick?"

"Do you have a favourite actor or anything?"

"I like Johnny Depp." She shrugged. Draco expanded the box marked comedy.

"I think I know just the movie." He reached in the box and pulled out Benny and Joon. "Have you ever seen this?" He asked showing her the case.

"Actually no. I've heard of it, but never actually seen it."

"Great. I'll get it set up." He went over to his very expensive looking entertainment system and popped the DVD in. The phone rang for the pizza just as the title menu popped up.

Hermione and Draco snuggled up on the couch with their pizza and had just started the movie when Draco's phone rang. He paused the movie, apologizing to Hermione and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" He answered. "Oh hi Kingsley, hang on just a second." He held the phone against his chest and whispered to Hermione that he would be right back, kissed her on the forehead and wandered his way down the hall to his bedroom. She sat on the couch chewing her pizza, wondering what that could have been about. Five minutes later Draco came back and sat down. "Uh Hermione?" She set her pizza down on the table. His voice sounded serious.

"What is it Draco?" She was nervous now. Was Kingsley upset that she was taking time off? That didn't seem like him. Maybe it was something else.

"So that was Kingsley on the phone. He uh…he had news about Weasley." He reached out and held her hand. "They're holding him in a cell at the ministry for now, but they bumped up his hearing date. He's being tried tomorrow morning." He searched her face for an indication of her reaction. It was completely blank.

"So, they're formally charging him with uttering threats against a Ministry official then?" Her voice was quiet but completely still. Draco found it a little unnerving.

"Yeah. Kingsley said he has a very strong feeling that he's going to be convicted and sent to Azkaban. It's just a matter of how long the Wizengamot feels he should be in there."

"Hmm. Well…I guess we will know tomorrow then right?" She sounded oddly cool, even to her own ears. This was her husband of twelve years and it felt strange to her that she didn't really feel anything at all. Draco quirked an eyebrow at her, he clearly was expecting a much bigger reaction than she was giving.

"Uh yeah…tomorrow…are you okay?"

"Actually, yes. I am. Hey Draco?"

"Yes?"

"As far as I'm aware, there is a law that states if someone is convicted of a crime against their spouse, they can file for an uncontested divorce without requiring the convicted party's signature. Do you think, if he is in fact convicted tomorrow, you could ask Kingsley to owl over the forms?" As soon as she said it, she knew it was exactly what she wanted. She realized she wanted nothing more to do with her former life. She finally felt at peace, and like she might be able to find some semblance of happiness. She didn't want to bring her Ron baggage into that.

"A-are you…sure?" Draco asked her, clearly shocked that she wanted to do that so quickly.

"Actually yes. I want to put my life with Ron behind me. I've been miserable for a decade and I don't want to be miserable any longer. If he is convicted, it is my way out of having to fight with him about divorce. Do you think you could help me with one more thing?"

"Sure. Anything." He was still very surprised at how well Hermione was handling everything.

"Ron and I's flat. Technically, if he is in Azkaban he will have no claim to it and it will default into solely my name. I would like to sell it."

"Hermione…that was your home…you're sure you want to sell it?"

"There are no good memories for me in that place. I would rather live somewhere that doesn't make me think of Ron. I have more than enough for a downpayment on another place. There's no need to keep the flat." She felt this indescribable feeling of complete freedom taking over her.

"If that's what you want to do, of course I'll help you. As for buying a new place…you don't want to stay here?" Draco's face fell a little though he was clearly trying hard to hide it.

"Well…no….I do….but…I thought…I didn't think you wanted us to live together permanently at least not yet. We only just decided we were going to…do whatever it is we're doing…I just didn't want you to feel pressured. Especially since there is still the fact that you're married to Astoria. I just figured at some point you would want me to get my own place." Draco stroked the side of her face and held her chin in his hand.

"Hermione, I am serious about you. I didn't make this decision to try with you lightly. I want you to stay, forever if you so decided. As for Astoria, I wanted to wait to do anything about that until you were sure what you wanted to do. I don't want to stay married to her and be with you, I don't. I just want to make sure you and I are serious before I leave Scorpious' mother permanently. I know that she won't care, but my son doesn't know anything about our lack of a relationship. He is the only reason I've stayed in this façade this long." Draco kissed her lips gently. Hermione responded back by deepening their kiss and pushing him down onto the couch, her legs on either side of him. She caught Draco by surprise and it took him a moment to realize what had just happened. He gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her into a sitting position. "Love, we don't have to rush things. I am more than happy to just sit here close to you watching a movie." Hermione raised her eyebrow and smirked at him.

"Did I seem unsure?"

"Well….no….actually you seemed very confident but…" She held her hand up to stop him.

"I am a woman who knows what I want Draco. Sometimes it may seem like I've just made a sudden decision, but really behind the scenes there is a thought process that led me there. When you told me about Ron, I realized that it was over long ago and there was no grieving process needed. I want to move forward. I want to be happy." She paused. "I want you. All of you. I thought I wanted to take it slow. I thought I was too…broken…to dive in…but I'm not. Something just…clicked. Draco Lucius Malfoy, I want to jump with you headfirst into this. I am putting my trust in you that you are genuine, and I need you to trust that I am ready for this." He leaned forward to kiss her but she stopped him once more. "One more thing. Tell people when you are ready to. I don't want to rush you into leaving Astoria and potentially hurting Scorpious. He's your son, and you do whatever you need to where he is concerned, okay?"

"Can I kiss you now?" Draco asked grinning from ear to ear.

"Is that your way of acknowledging everything I just said?" She winked and Draco nodded leaning in. The kiss was heated right from the beginning, their tongues battling for dominance while Draco leaned back pulling Hermione down on top of him. He buried his face in her neck and nibbled and sucked, trailing his fingers along her spine. He could feel her shiver every time he nipped the soft flesh where her neck met her collar bone and could tell that everything she had said was true. She had made up her mind, she was ready. Draco slowly moved into a sitting position with Hermione straddling him and looked her right in the eyes. Her eyes were darker than usual, full of lust and desire. She slipped her soft hands under the hem of his shirt and gently stroked the muscles of his stomach. At his sharp inhale at the feel of her touch Hermione sucked her bottom lip into her mouth biting it while still keeping the eye contact. Draco had never seen something so sexy in all his life. He slid his hands down her body and cupped her backside in his hands, claiming her lips with his own, and lifted her off the couch. Hermione tightened her legs around his hips and slung her arms around his neck while he carried her down the hallway to the entrance of his bedroom.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Draco asked. He was fairly certain he knew the answer, but wanted to hear her say it. He wanted to hear what she sounded like with desire in her voice, telling him she was ready to be claimed by him.

"Yes Draco, I have never been more ready in my life." Her voice was deeper than usual but airy and he could hear her deep breathing as she spoke. His name coming out of her mouth sounding that way, made him wonder what she would sound like moaning it. He moved into the bedroom kicking the door shut behind him and placed her down, standing, at the side of his bed in front of him. He fisted her hair in his hands and kissed her mouth hard, eliciting a small moan from Hermione's throat. She grabbed the hemline of his shirt and pulled it over his head, breaking their kiss. She couldn't help but stop and stare at the man in front of her, tracing the outline of his muscles with her fingertips. She noticed Draco was quivering slightly at her touch and pulled her hands away. She was chewing on her lip again, looking into his steel grey eyes as they watched her every move. She slid her hands down to the bottom of her hoodie and slowly pulled it over her head. She had no shirt on underneath, just a bra, and she could hear Draco's breath hitch at the view. Keeping her eyes on him she trailed her fingers down her own body until she reached the button of her jeans. Draco felt himself getting harder as he watched her movements. Hermione slowly undid the button and slid her jeans down her legs, revealing bikini style cotton underwear and Draco was surprised that he was more turned on by the sight of Hermione in a black cotton bra and matching underwear than he had ever been with women decked out in expensive lace and thongs. She kicked her feet out of the jeans and pressed herself against his bare chest and Draco's pulse quickened as he felt her hands caressing his skin working their way down to his belt. She hopped up onto the edge of the bed and pulled him between her legs. She could see the bulge straining against the denim and felt her own arousal pooling in anticipation. She leaned forward and rained kisses across Draco's chest as she undid his pants and allowed them to fall at his feet. She slid herself back further onto the bed and climbed up towards the pillows, Draco following her in nothing but his tight black boxer briefs. Hermione took note that they did not leave anything to the imagination, and apparently he was quite large, nine inches if she had to make a guess. She let her eyes close and her head tip back on the pillows as she felt Draco's warm mouth suckling the soft spot of her ankle, his hands slowly working their way up until they were almost where she was dying to feel him. She was panting now and little moans were falling from her lips as Draco continued his ministrations. He had lifted her leg above his shoulder and was swirling his tongue in the little crevice behind her knee while trailing his fingertips along her inner thighs. By the time Draco moved his way up her body to kiss her lips, Hermione was coated in a thin layer of sweat, her chest heaving up and down, and her moans getting increasingly louder. She was digging her nails in his back and wrapping her legs around him, her hips bucking upwards. Draco slid one of his hands down her tight stomach and played with the waistband of her underwear, while dipping his tongue into the cups of her bra and swirling it around her nipples. She felt him slip his free hand under her back and undo the clasp, she grabbed it and threw it somewhere across the room. Draco grinned to himself at her eagerness to be exposed to him. Agonizingly slowly he slipped his hand beneath the fabric of her underwear, and swiped across the most sensitive part of her. Her back arched forcing her taut nipple further into Draco's mouth, "Merlin!" She cried out before whimpering when he moved his hand away. "Draco! Please! I…I…need you." She moaned out between deep breaths. He thought he might cum right there at the sound of not only his name, but her begging him to touch her.

"All in good time love." He responded while nipping her nipple with his teeth. She was writhing and squirming beneath him now, trying to hook his boxers with her feet to pull them off of him. He couldn't handle it anymore, he needed to feel her. Using both hands he tore her underwear right off and slipped out of his own. He pressed himself against her and moaned as he felt the wetness there. He slid himself up and down between her folds causing Hermione's legs to shake and quiver, her nails to dig holes in his back and her hips to buck wildly beneath him.

"Merlin, Draco! I want you! Please!" She cried out. She heard him murmur what sounded like a contraception charm, and then he was inside her.

"Mmm Hermione!" Draco moaned as she tightened around him. He had never been with a woman that felt this good in his entire life. She was like soft warm velvet surrounding him, and she was tight. Deliciously tight. He tried to go slowly at first but Hermione wanted no part of it. She threw one leg over his shoulder and wrapped the other around his waist pulling him deeper. He quickened his pace, pumping into her over and over again as she eagerly lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. It didn't take Hermione long before her muscles began clenching around him, her orgasm washing over her in waves.

"OH DRACO!" She cried arching her back, her toes curling as she came. Her entire body was shaking and twitching as Draco continued moving inside her, watching her intently. The visual of her body naked and covered in a sheen of sweat, her chest heaving, neck tilted all the way back, fingers clutching the sheets and her screaming his name, was more than he could take.

"Hermione! He cried out as he buried himself deep inside her, his orgasm more intense than any he had had before it. Draco collapsed on top of her, careful not to crush her with his weight. He rested his head on her chest listening to the pounding of her heart, while Hermione played with his hair.

"Draco…that was…" Her eyes were still closed, basking in the afterglow of their love making.

"Mmhmm…" Draco wasn't sure that he would be able to speak if he tried. Hermione had thought that Ron was fantastic in bed, but then again she realized she had had nothing to compare it to. Now that she did, she couldn't help but realize Ron was average, maybe a tad better than average on a good night, but nothing at all compared to Draco. "You are one hell of a woman Hermione." He said once he could finally form words again and gently lifted himself off of her to lay beside her. Hermione moved so that her head was on his chest.

"I've never…felt…like that before." She said raising her eyes to look at him. Draco smiled back at her.

"Neither have I. I feel like I'm in a dream. If someone had told me a week ago that I would be lying in bed, having just made love to Hermione Granger, I would have told them they were insane. There was no way someone like you could ever want to be with me. Yet, here we are." He kissed her forehead.

"Here we are." She smiled.