SEVEN: Wet

Walking up the stairs, Hermione took the right staircase while Draco took the left. They both reached the landing at the same time. The hall was composed of a wall and the banister. The hallway floor was covered in the same pine green as the staircases. The wall was covered entirely in floor to ceiling mirrors that reflected the silver moonlight from the large window by the stairs and the chandelier-like display of candles floating by the ceiling. Looking over the banister, Hermione was once again struck by the subtle grandeur of it all.

Hermione turned her attention back to the mirrors. Her reflection gazed back. This was not even close to the Hall of Mirrors in the French château, Versailles, but it was very elegant. Midway along the wall was a small settee with no back. It looked like something Roman or Greek royalty would use to lounge around on. The feet were a dark cherry and the settee was a creamy ivory. On either side of the wall was a set of beige double doors edged with gold filigree that stretched up to the ceiling. Hermione headed for the ones' on her left, which were closest to her. She opened the door and walked in.

The room was huge! It had creamy white carpeting with dark Persian rugs on the floor. There was a gigantic four-poster mahogany bed that commanded attention. It had black velvet bed curtains that were tied back with silver cord ropes. The bed was covered with a black comforter that had been turned back to reveal black silky satin sheets. There were silver throw pillows scattered here and there along the foot of the bed. Unwittingly Hermione walked over to the bed and softly fingered the smooth satin of the sheets. Looking around, Hermione turned her attention to the rest of the furniture in the room. There was a nightstand on each side of the bed and a small bench at the foot of it. There was also a bureau and a bookcase that was covered with a panel of glass. Next to the bookcase was a small desk. There was also a dark mahogany wardrobe that had a black trunk... next to it.

"Draco had a black trunk. This must be his room!" Hermione said softly to herself. "And you touched his sheets!!" her risqué mind added.

"Oh, be quiet. You're going to get me into deep trouble one of these days!" Hermione retorted and promptly turned off the sex fiend part of her brain. It had definitely over-developed over the summer!

A soft gust of wind played across Hermione's cheek. She turned to look in the direction and saw a wall of windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. There was an armchair and a settee by the windows. Walking over she discovered that two of them were actually doors that opened up to a balcony! Sticking her head out, she looked down to the right and saw a ghost? No- it was just a curtain billowing out with the window that must mean that the balcony connected the two bedrooms. Interesting. Turning back into the room she noticed a door by the bookcase. Walking over to it she opened the door and entered the bathroom.

It was much like the prefects bath except everything was white marble and bronzed gold. The toilet was behind a free-standing wall that hid it from view. As was the shower. Noticing another door, Hermione opened it and waked right into a hard muscled chest!

"Oof!" Hermione stepped back rubbing her nose. "Ouch."

"Careful Granger." Draco drawled. "I believe this to be your room. I'm not exactly... that feminine."

"I'll say. You have a chest like a wall of bri-." Oh no! What are you saying? Shut up! Shut up!!

"Thanks." Draco said in a voice filled with laughter.

"Oh. No problem." Stepping around him Hermione entered the room. The room was almost exactly the same as Draco's, except everything was done in cream and gold.

"That's your room back there. I'm not that... dark." Hermione said the last bit with scorn. She walked over to the bed and sat down. Crossing her legs she leaned back on her elbows and sent a smoldering look at Malfoy.

"I'd like to be alone now." Hermione said. She saw something flash in his eyes before he turned around and left through the door she'd come in.

"That's right. Run along." Hermione thought, chuckling softly. Hearing his door shut smartly behind him she laughed out loud and fell back onto her bed. She loved it when she got under his skin.

Draco shut the door on her soft laugh. He forced himself not to slam it. He wasn't mad at her. He was mad at himself. When she had sat on the bed, crossing her legs and leaning back on her elbows, her robes had fallen open revealing her attire. The skirt had ridden up exposing her surprisingly very sexy and long looking legs. And her shirt had strained so tightly that only magic could be holding it together. She had looked so damn sexy that he had felt lust shoot through him like a bolt of lightning. How could he find her sexy? She was muggle-born! A mudblood! It was just wrong! He did slam the door to his room.

Looking around he liked what he saw. It was lavish and luxurious without looking cheesy, and black was his favorite color. He walked over to the wardrobe and opened it to find his clothes already unpacked. Deciding to take a bath and go downstairs to see if there were any books that might help him with his Animagus form. He grabbed a towel and went back to the bathroom.

After the shower yes- shower-note important plot point ;), Draco headed downstairs to the common room. He headed straight for the bookshelves hoping to find a book that would help him. Seeing one that looked a bit helpful, he pulled it off the shelf and went over to one of the armchairs. Settling himself he opened the book and glanced at the fire, which had sprung to life when he had entered. Gazing at the flames, his thoughts turned to Hermione.

FLASHBACK

She had wanted to take a bath, he, as well. They compromised, with him getting the shower. Both wanted to at the same time and neither would back down. So he turns his back when she gets in, and she closes her eyes while he disrobes. When he stepped out of the shower, his eyes had immediately flown to the bathtub. She was completely covered in bubbles. Her hair was piled in a mess knot on the top of her head with a few stray, damp tendrils that were stuck to her forehead. Her eyes were closed and she had a soft smile on her face through which she took small gentle breaths. Wrapping a towel around his waist he went over to her. Thinking she had fallen asleep, he reached over and lifted off one of the curls.

Suddenly her hand grabbed his wrist and pulled down while she shot up to a standing position. Losing his balance, he fell in. Coming up spluttering, he came face to... chest. Hermione's wet, soapy, naked chest.

"Oh." She gasped softly and quickly sank down to her neck in bubbles

"You startled me." She crooked her head to the side and looked at him curiously.

"What were you doing?" she asked. Draco panicked.

"Now what?! How're you going to explain this one away!" his mind taunted him. But his body had a different reaction. The image of a half naked Hermione glistening with water and soap bubbles was burned unto his head.

"I felt like a bath, after all." He heard himself say. "It looked very... inviting." He raised an eyebrow and looked at her suggestively.

"Oh really?" she asked and moved closer to him in the water. He stood up, hoping to trick her into standing up again, andwaited.

SWITCH TO HERMIONE'S POV

"Oh my! What a chest!" Hermione stared at the wet form of Draco standing in front of her like some Greek god. He was so fit.

"That cannot be all Quidditch."

"No, that's all Draco! Mmm-mm!"

"He's just teasing you."

"Well, I can tease!"

"Really? Hah. I have got to see this! Go on!"

"All right. Watch and learn Draco!" Hermione ended her mental argument and made her move.

She slowly swam even closer to him until they were only a few inches apart. Putting her hands on his rippled abdomen, she slowly slid them upwards, following the same path with her body. She was sure he could feel every inch of her body. She looked up into his eyes. Seeing surprise mingled with something else, Hermione let out a soft, throaty chuckle,

"Exactly how inviting did you think?" she continued to look him in the eyes.

"If he looks down, I'm out of here." She thought. "But if he doesn't..." Hermione was not willing to follow through with that thought. Suddenly his eyes flicked down and back really quickly.

"Sorry. You just lost your invitation." She grabbed his towel and yanked. Wrapping it around her own body she stepped out of the bathtub. She turned around and looked him up and down, at least what was visible. Then looking him straight in the eye she murmured softly before leaving,

"What a shame."

END FLASHBACK - BACK TO DRACO POV

What did she mean by 'what a shame'? Did it mean she was hot for him? Probably. He saw the look in her eyes when he had stood up in the water. Pure lust. But how had he lost his 'invitation'? He didn't understand her. One minute she's all over him and the next she's gone. But - man! She had really grown up. Her figure was definitely straight out of his lustiest wet dreams. Feeling himself get hard, Draco groaned.

"Great! I can't concentrated like this." He stood up and re-shelved the unread book. He headed up to his bedchamber; it was going to be a long, long night.