A/N
Hi, guys, sorry it took me a while to update. I wish I could say I was busy, but to be fair I just didn't feel like writing much. Here it is, though, a somewhat longer chapter to make up for my laziness.
Chapter 7
"Honey, I'm home" Hermione mock-shouted when she stepped into the apartment to make sure he heard her.
It was the third afternoon in a row that she came home from college and found a tired-looking Draco sitting in the living room by himself, hunched over the table and seemingly absorbed in his papers yet again. All he'd been doing these past few days was sleeping five hours a night and studying.
"Hey" he shot back without sparing her a glance.
"Still working on that project?" she said, trying to start a conversation.
"Yeah."
"When do you present it?"
"Day after tomorrow.. why?"
'Oh, finally. He asked something back' Hermione thought, pleased.
"Well you've been functioning solely on coffee and I don't want to have to drag your ass to the hospital because you forgot to eat - " she put up a hand to stop his inevitable denying response "because you're unable to organize yourself properly and stop doing things so last minute." she went on unfazed, watching as he rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.
"I'm not hungry." was his answer as he tried to turn his attention back to his files but caught her glare in the corner of his eye and admitted defeat. "Nevermind, nevermind, I'll eat. What are we having, mom?"
"Ha, ha. You'd think you'd be more grateful towards the person trying to save you from certain starvation. And I'm feeling like pasta, so I picked up some tortellini on my way back. And... fried squid rings?"
"Sounds good. Do you need any help?"
Her first instinct was to say 'no' and smile somewhat apologetically, given how they were usually trying to impress each other with their respective cooking skills, but seeing him desperately in need of a distraction, she nodded. "Sure."
She then busied herself with finding a cooking pot, filling it up about half with water and measuring how much salt she should put in when she felt his proximate presence behind her and she froze when his breath hit her neck.
And then he reached up, putting his right hand over the top cabinet above her head, practically caging her in - causing her heart to now leap in her chest and her breath to be laboured.
"What are you doing?" she asked in a whisper, her voice gone, having every thought inside her mind screaming how good he was and how much she wanted this. Why deny herself?
But he didn't answer. He wouldn't. She should've seen it coming, he never did the things she wanted him to. Instead, he chuckled lightly against the sensitive skin on her neck, the bastard. And then he pressed a soft kiss on the one hickey he gave her, coaxing her into arching her back involuntarily, being met with the hardness of his body, his muscled and perfect form.
Momentarily gaining a moment of clarity, she turned around, but he didn't relent his control, one hand snaking around Hermione's hair and the other at the same level as her head, pushed against the glass, still keeping her a willing prisoner in his embrace.
She gulped.
Neither of them took their eyes off the other, their intense gazes meeting. It was quiet and she felt her eyes drop to his lips, briefly remembering just how soft they were and how she wanted nothing more than to taste them before flickering a glance back to his blue irises, watching how his lips turned up into his signature smirk.
"You wanted me to kiss you" - It wasn't a question.
But she answered anyway. "No."
Draco smirked again and let her go.
"The water's boiling." he broke the suspenseful silence, taking a step back to admire his work on the unsuspecting brunette - her cheeks flushed, uneven breath and the overall disheveled look he'd become so fond of on her.
"Are you this insufferable towards all the girls you're trying to persuade into having casual sex with you?"
"To be honest, you're the first, so yes." he answered after taking a second to properly consider the question - which in itself pissed her off to no end.
She snorted in disbelief.
"You've never had casual sex before?"
"I've never had to persuade." he retorted with an eye roll and she couldn't help the sparkly laugh that escaped her lips at his outraged image in front of the idea of having to convince someone to do what he wanted.
The rest of their time together was spent alternating between small talk about college life, assignments, frustrating teachers and the occasional flirtatious toll their conversations took - sometimes shut down by Hermione, sometimes initiated by her; she was keeping Draco on the edge of his seat in the most teasing way possible and he found himself wondering why he enjoyed their back-and-forth routine as much as he did.
After helping her with the dishes and everything else that required cleaning up, he returned to his workplace in the living room.
She left him alone for the most of it, short of her statement that she'd go and visit Harry and Ginny later, as she'd been busy and hadn't had time to catch up with them lately.
She rang the bell a couple of times before she was met with Ginny, clad in tights and an oversized sweater meant to fight the cold weather, a bright smile on her face.
"Hermione" she started, beaming at her friend. "I've missed you!" and moved to the side to make space for Hermione to step in.
"I've missed you too. I was so glad you told me you weren't busy with anything when I called."
"Busy? Please, I've had nothing to do for the past few days. Harry has practically locked himself in our bedroom to work on whatever project he needs to hand in later this week - I'm not sure if he even sleeps. He came out for food a few times and he looked exhausted." Ginny said in one breath. "By the way, coffee?"
Hermione smiled empathetically at her friend and nodded slightly before answering.
"Yes, please. And tell me about it, I'm positive I could say Draco is living at his work table and not have it be qualified as a wrong statement. Then again, that's what they get for not starting their assignment sooner. But enough of that - " she waved a hand in dismissal "I didn't come here to talk about them - what have you been doing these past weeks?"
"Oh, you know. Classes, basketball practice, homework, basketball practice, eating, basketball practice, sleeping, basketball practice. I think I've even gone out clubbing with Harry and Draco on a couple occasions - oh, and have I mentioned basketball practice?" she added sarcastically to emphasize on her point.
"At least the team is doing well, right?" Hermione said, encouragingly.
"I guess, but we could be better if not for all the locker room drama affecting our play." she received a quizzical look so she explained "Three of the girls are involved in some sort of fight over a guy - he isn't even all that interesting, if you ask me. He's handsome, sure, but he has this blank look on his face all the time and I swear his brain is empty of any and all possible thoughts." Ginny huffed causing Hermione to giggle at the straightforwardness of her redhead friend.
"There's no way you can quit though.. ?"
"Not unless I find a way to pay my tuition without my basketball scholarship. And yes - " she held a hand up to silence Hermione's upcoming words "I know I could ask either you or Harry for money and you'd be generous as always, but I don't want it. And I know you wouldn't see it like a charity case, but I can't help that that's how it would make me feel."
Hermione nodded in understanding.
"And on top of that, you know I love basketball. I'm positive I hate girls though. And people's preconceived notions, while I'm at it - all this bullshit about sports making people interact better and fair-play and whatever else there is; meanwhile, I can swear all I hear around me when I'm with the team are catfights and pathetic insults - if only they made it interesting, you know? But if I have to sit through Romilda calling Leanne a slut one more time I'll probably punch something. Preferably Romilda." she finished dramatically, a look of determination on her face.
"Ah, Gin, I love hearing about this stuff. Or rather, your take on this stuff." Hermione stated with a genuine smile.
"I know, I wouldn't bore you with it otherwise. So, how are you? Slept with Draco yet?" she asked with a wink and watched as Hermione averted her gaze and a blush reddened her cheeks, while she absentmindedly stirred her coffee.
"Hermione Jean Granger, you did not."
Hermione looked at her friend sheepishly and bit on her lip before answering. "I might've."
A full grin broke out on Ginny's face as she impatiently asked for details. "So?"
"So what?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Don't play dumb with me, 'Mione. How was it?"
"Good."
Ginny took a moment to study her expression before grilling her further.
"Just good?"
"Fine." Hermione relented. "It was un-fucking-believably good, Gin." she continued with a nostalgic smile as she relived the actions in question.
It was a contagious feeling and Ginny soon found herself sharing in the excitement.
"So, was it the start of a relationship or just the usual Draco-esque night?"
"Not sure. Definitely not a relationship, but he did say he'd be up for casual sex... And I'm tempted. And he's blonde, Ginny. Blonde. You know how I get around blondes."
"Well, if he's at least half as good as your expression lets on, I think you should go for it. And I know you're overanalyzing this in that big head of yours, but you know, there's an easy solution to that. If it looks like you're catching feelings, just end it."
"The problem with the moment it 'looks like I'm catching feelings' is that it means I've already caught feelings, Gin." she answered with a sigh.
Ginny took a sip of her coffee to give herself time and contemplate a satisfying response.
"Look, if you start falling in love and all that stuff and feel bummed about ending it, I promise I'll take you on a girls' night out and find you an amazing prospect for a rebound."
"Somehow, that idea doesn't make me feel better."
"We'll figure it out if need be. You know we always do, just... don't be afraid to live a little." the redhead said, a tone of finality in her voice.
The rest of her conversation with Ginny had been casual things that were to be expected - setting a date for them to go shopping together, trying to convince Hermione to come watch her next official basketball game, albeit without much success and, obviously, inappropriately segueing back to her infamous roommate and the intriguing dynamics between them; almost like a soap opera, she dared say.
As all of her talks with Ginny, it had been a blast and she was happier for it, but it also helped her decide what she wanted to do next regarding her relationship with Draco. Or whatever it was that it was between them.
And that's why, when she got home, she made her way to the couch and sat next to his unbothered person, trying to gather up her courage.
"Draco?" she started in a small voice.
"Mhm?" he mused without raising his gaze from his laptop.
"Draco." Hermione repeated more seriously, her tone causing him to stop typing and shift his attention to her.
She grabbed the laptop and set it on the table, before slowly moving to straddle him, causing his breath to catch in his throat - her hands guided his to her ass and he received the message loud and clear as he squeezed slightly, eliciting a silent whimper.
And then she kissed him.
A/N
1. Should I continue with the sex or just skip to the next scene?
2. Special thanks to the reviewers for the last chapter:
Ruthy4vrSmoaked - I know I've thanked you plenty of times, but one more time can't hurt. That being said, I'm so grateful for your constant encouragements!
pgoodrichboggs, Scorpia11 - Sorry, my lips are sealed when it comes to spoilers, but I do hope you enjoy the story. For now I'm just trying not to make it awkward between them or anything of the sort; they're both mature, after all, no need for the high school cringe.
3. Thank you all for reading - and I can't stress this enough, but it means a lot to me. (Also reviews mean a lot to me, so if you want my eternal love and gratitude, you know what to do!)
