Chapter Eleven: First Date

It was a complete surprise when Draco showed up at Hermione's door a week later. He hadn't spoken to her very much and he certainly hadn't mentioned coming over. She didn't say anything, just let him in the door and watched as he walked in and sat down on her couch. She closed the door and went to sit near him.

"I guess you're wondering why I came over."

"I figure it's to see me, but I can't always be sure."

"I did come to see you." Draco smirked. "I wanted to apologize again for last week. If I had known that was where Blaise was planning to go I would have never- "

"Don't apologize. I've realized that last week was good for me." Hermione saw Draco's confused look, she continued. "What I mean is, I've always been so ... stiff and sort of prudish. I know you've thought that, as have most of the people I've encountered, so I don't deny it. I actually felt more free after last week, if you can believe that. I actually wore shorts and a bathing suit top yesterday while eating lunch on my balcony. Something I would have NEVER done before. I realize that most of the wizards in the pub were pissed, but their comments and such actually made me feel worth something. I mean, I only felt down because of Winson, but you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I guess I understand that." Draco chuckled along with Hermione. "But I also have another reason for coming over."

"Which is?"

Draco sighed and shifted in his seat. Hermione could tell he was a bit uncomfortable, but before she could say anything, he finally found his voice. "Uh, I wanted to invite you over for dinner. A date, I guess."

"A date? Sure. When?" Hermione asked, surprised that Draco was making such a straight forward move in their quick building relationship, which was still in the moderate friendship stage ... or so she thought.

"How about Friday night? It's a tomorrow night, so you can find whatever it is you want to wear and I can gather my ingredients and-"

"You're going to cook ... for us?!"

"Yes. I've learned a few things. Don't sound so surprised." Draco laughed at the look on Hermione's face. It was a cross between shock and disbelief. "Living on your own, and not having any house elves, will make you learn things you've never known before. My mom offered me a house elf, but she's so used to house elf service and we only have three left, I just decided to let her keep them."

"Well, that was ... sweet of you." Hermione said, sort of surprised still. A 'nice' Draco Malfoy was still something she had to get used to ... even after all this time. And she couldn't help wondering if this was all a game to him. Being nice until he got his prize.

"It sure was. I mean, have you ever washed your own dishes?"

Hermione nodded. "I've been doing it since I was eleven."

"Well, no one told me that you are supposed to wash them as quick as possible before the food dried on the dishes. After a few tries, I just started using a cleaning charm."

"Why didn't you use that from the start?"

"I was trying to do things on my own, without magic, you know." Draco sighed and looked down at his left wrist, which he noticed that Hermione's eyes went there as well. Both knew what was there. "After the Voldemort thing, I sort of wanted to know what a muggle goes through. Call it ... killer's remorse, I guess."

"Well, and I'm not knocking you for your past, but you shouldn't have joined. I mean, you knew after the ... accident at Hogwarts with the headmaster, you were not meant to be a death eater. Not a killer."

"Well, I've killed ... and so have you. So, maybe I was cut out, but just couldn't follow it through." Draco chuckled. "You know, there's something like a death eater training camp for young death eaters. I went, so did Blaise and pretty much everyone else I knew. If you didn't make it through ... you were beaten and left. If you died, oh well. If you lived, the death eaters kept close tabs on you to make sure you didn't say anything. That was enough encouragement for anyone to make it through. I remember Pansy-"

Hermione knew Draco stopped because Pansy had died during the war. Not from the light side, but her own. It turned out she was in love with someone on the light side and had given him a little information, to keep him safe, and was found out. Voldemort gave her over to some of the older men in the group. They raped and tortured her until she was almost unrecognizable. Draco had had a chance to see his girlfriend, for so many years, before they threw her somewhere. It had hurt him deeply, even though they weren't going out at the time, they were just friends, but it rocked him to the core.

"You remember how proper she used to be." Draco continued after a few moments. "It was so strange to see her running and ducking and dodging. I was surprised she made it through. I asked her how she got the strength. She said she wanted to live and if it meant acting completely different from usual, she'd do it. And the first time she killed ... I didn't think she'd be able to. She was near crying, I could see. Even though she hated muggles, she had never really thought much about killing them ... at least, not her killing them."

"It's okay, Draco. A lot of us had to do things we didn't want to during the war. If we didn't ... we probably wouldn't have made it out alive. I remember having to kill someone. Even though I held so much hate for what he was doing and how he thought, I couldn't help pity the person. He was young, younger than me, and I knew he'd been brainwashed into this. I wanted to let him go, but I could see that if I did, he'd turn around and kill me before he left. So, it was either him or me and I wanted to survive. I thought, why let him go? He'll kill me and then kill anyone else he saw. Maybe Ron or Harry or even my parents. I couldn't let him go, knowing that if I did, I could be responsible for my loved one's deaths."

Both sat still for awhile, thinking over the war. It was so long ago, but so fresh in their minds.

"Uh, I better go. I've got to go see someone.Oh, and here's the address." Draco said, after a few minutes of silence, handing her a slip of parchment.

"Yeah, I'll see you Friday?" Hermione asked, almost sad Draco was leaving. She liked knowing how he felt during the war. No one talked about it much anymore, but she still felt the need to talk about it ... sometimes, and to get a different view from the other side, was exciting. She didn't feel so alone, thinking she was the only one who still thought about it.

"Of course. And be ready for a good meal."

Hermione nodded, watching Draco let himself out. Something about him and his new honesty, kept pulling her in. She didn't want to have feelings for him, but she couldn't stop the ones that were developing.

Draco apparated into a small clearing. It was dark, as the place was surrounded by trees and hills. Yes, for Severus Snape, this was a paradise. His godfather had moved from the place he was before and now lived in a beautiful house in a lonely sort of clearing. No neighbours, or shops, for miles. The house was beautiful. Grand in architecture and moderate in size. It was perfect for the resident.

Draco walked over the path to get to the gate that stood around the place his godfather lived. He walked up the short walk, past the small garden of herds and plants for potions that stood in front of Severus' house. Draco touched a leaf of a plant and knocked on the door, making sure to do so loudly because Severus was almost always in his potion's room in the basement, absorbed in his work.

It took almost ten minutes for Severus to get to the door. Indeed, he had been working on a potion and had chosen to bottle his finished product before coming to get the door. He didn't bother looking out; if the person visiting could see the house, then it was someone he would let in. He looked surprised to see Draco as he hadn't seen him in weeks. He let his godson in.

"What a surprise. Has your life suddenly become so boring that you had to come see me?" Severus said in a sarcastic drawl. Draco knew he was joking, even if it didn't seem like it.

"My life is always boring, Severus. Plus, I'd visit you anyway." Draco said, taking a seat in the sparse living area. Just a few chairs and couch, a small television, a radio, a grand fireplace, and a few side tables.

"I'm surprised you would. Aren't you busy being 'Mr. Malfoy: The Star'? Severus chuckled deeply.

"So, I take it you've seen the show?"

"Once or twice. I usually only watch the shows, The Potion Studies and The Wizard Weekly News. But after I heard a aquaintence of mine speaking of a blonde fellow on televsion, I had to find out who it was and, lo and behold, it was you. I watched the second show and a show a few episodes after that." Severus said, walking into the kitchen with a limp to get him and his company some tea. "They do know that the witch playing Annie is expecting?"

"What?! How'd you know?" Draco sounded surprised. Vienna hadn't been showing that much and they tried to keep her stomach out of the shots as much as possible.

"I've treated many witches who thought they could keep their conditions hidden until they graduated Hogwarts. Of course, I never told, it wasn't my business, but, point is that serving Voldemort, you became quite observant and I'd just notice all these pregnant witches who couldn't seem to remember to use spells, charms, or potions in the heat of the moment."

"Anyone I know?"

"A few ... and one in particular. Pansy."

"Pansy?"

"Yes, she was with child, but her parents found out and ... used muggle means to get rid of it. It was the baby of the wizard she fell in love with."

Draco sighed. "But wasn't he a pureblood?"

"Yes, but on the wrong side, Draco. A blood-traitor."Severus said, entering back into the living room. He sat down two cups and a pot of tea. He served both of them, watching Draco's face. "I see this bothers you."

It could have been me, thought Draco, but kept that to himself. He responded with something else. "Well, it's true. Pansy's parents were completely ignorant."

"I seem to remember you had the same attitude. No muggles. No mudbloods. No blood-traitors. You have the mark to show that you thought that way ... and so do I."

"I know. I don't even know why I let them do it. I mean, I wanted to just pull away and run when Voldemort came up to me and lifted my sleeve. But I stayed because I thought it was what I wanted and I was proud, and it would make my father happy, and I was ... confused out of my mind. I kept thinking back to what the headmaster said. I wasn't a killer and I didn't have to do it ... become a death eater ... I could hide along with my parents. But I knew I had to do it. I couldn't just let my everyone think I was weak, dying by the hand of an old man. I was stupid , so stupid then. I should have accepted the offer, but I didn't. And I became a killer ... with a little practice and a lot ... of tears and guilt." Draco said, his eyes starting to get a little red, but he certainly wasn't going to cry. No, crying was weakness.

"A lot of us death eaters felt that way, but as you know, we got over it. Mostly because you're afraid for your life and your own family's life. Voldemort was always so sweet, well, as sweet as he could be, up until you had joined and you started having doubts or you showed weakness. He'd threaten and punish you until he was sure you were too afraid to leave him or even think of betraying him." Severus said, seeing the tears starting in Draco's eyes, but he knew they wouldn't fall. Lucius had made sure that Draco knew all signs of weakness and that he rarely, if ever, was to show them. Plus, serving Voldemort made you less emotional. You became a stone wall ... and very few death eaters who had been redeeemed could get back to how they were before.

"And to think I looked up to him all those years ... only to be, I guess ... let down. He was so fucking obsessed with Potter. If he would have stayed true to his first purpose, he might have won the war. You saw how so many of his servants left because they were tired of Voldemort's obsession with a little teenage boy and the fact that he wasn't pureblood, I don't think I've ever seen people leave so fast."

"And most of those people aren't living today, though. Voldemort, if it's in his power, will not let a person leave his service without, at least, a good warning round of torture. And we've both had our share. You especially. I never knew why Voldemort had such designs on you. He seemed to treat you so strangely."

"What do you mean?" Draco said, knowing exactly what Severus was talking about. Voldemort had discovered Draco's feelings for Hermione, as small as they were at the time, and Voldemort had tortured him a few times to make sure Draco got the message that, even though he thought of the mudblood, he certainly couldn't act. Not only was it just disgraceful, it could ruin their chances of winning the war. The accident with Pansy had already happened and Voldemort didn't want a repeat. So, of course, Voldemort made sure to keep an eye on Draco and had many private meetings with him. Usually just giving him a speech about how wrong it was to lust after someone like Hermione and then would end the meeting with a hex or two, to make sure the message got through.

"You and Voldemort spent a lot of time together after a certain point. And he kept the most watchful eye on you. Anything you wish to tell me, now that you have the freedom?"

Draco knew that his godfather didn't love Hermione, but he did respect her. She was smart and Severus couldn't deny that. She had been the key in many of the battles her side had won. "It was nothing, really."

"Draco, please. I'm old and I've seen more life than you, even with your death eater past. I know it wasn't 'nothing'."

"Okay, so I liked someone. It was sort of a 'Pansy' situation."

Severus turned to him sharply. "Who is she ... or was she?"

"She's, um, Granger."

Severus didn't say anything for the longest time and Draco wondered if he should have kept that to himself. Then, as rare as it is, Severus smiled a bit, then laughed.

"Sure. Hermione Granger. The Know-It-All."

"I'm serious, Severus."

Severus stopped his sneering smile that had been gracing his lips. "Granger, huh? Well, she isn't so ... bad, I guess."

Hermione was still in shock at Draco's proposal of a date. She smiled, though, at his efforts. She wasn't completely sure if they would be fruitful as he hopes they'll be, but she was certainly liking it. No other man, wizard or muggle, had ever cooked for her. Of course, Ron had offered once, but never actually did it.

She got up from her couch and went into her closet. She fancied Draco, sure, but wasn't sure if she was in the stage to show that yet. She hadn't noticed him with any witches lately, but that didn't mean he didn't have one somewhere. That's how it usually went. Only after he was finished with a witch did the relationship or fling come to the surface. Hermione didn't want to put her heart into anyone to have it broken by finding out she was just a ... fling.

Hermione looked into her closet, which had changed a little since her outing with Draco and his friends. She'd found one of those tuxedo-type jackets that were cut to hug a woman's curves. It had taken a few weeks, but she'd found it at a muggle store. She had bought a few skirts that were above the knee and not so conservative. She even went as far as to buy a pair of those stiletto heels all the witches were wearing. Of course, walking in them would be a whole other thing.

Depending on how she wanted tomorrow night to go, she could wear anything. If she wore something uptight, Draco would definitely get the message that there would be no bedroom activities going on. If she wore something casual, but classy, he'd think he had a small chance, but that he'd really have to turn on the charm if anything was going to happen. If she wore something flirty and sexy, well, he'd think that she wanted something to happen and she was dressed and ready for it. She sat there, staring at her clothing, really thinking about how she wanted the night to end.

"Damn! Why didn't I bring that list with me?"

Draco was currently holding a few food items in his hands, wondering what else he'd need. He knew he needed milk, but there was something else he needed from that aisle that he couldn't remember. It had slipped his mind completely, even though he had checked his shopping list a few times before heading out of the door. He really didn't feel like going back home to get it and his arms were too full at the moment to use his wand to use a summoning spell, and he certainly wasn't going to buy this stuff, then come back to buy one item he'd forgotten.

"Can I help you?" A strong, yet youthful voice broke Draco out of his musings.

Draco turned around and almost dropped his things when he saw her. She was sweet-looking, but in a way that was sinfully sexy. And the little shorts and halter she had on didn't leave much to the imagination. Not that Draco needed much help in that department. He'd seen enough girls to imagine what was under her clothing. And that smile, it was sensual, yet warm and fun. Draco needed to get away.

"No. I don't need any help." Draco said, trying not to sound rude. As a side note he added, "I'm just making dinner for a girl I'm dating and I forgot the last ingredient I need."

"That's romantic. I wish I had a wizard who'd do things like that for me." The girl, who was obviously flirting even though he'd mentioned he was dating someone, said, batting her eyes and bringing her hand to his arm, slightly rubbing it.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find a bloke like that. It's not that hard."

"I guess it's not." The witch said, rubbing down his leg and touching his bits, which made his eye widen. It wasn't something uncommon to him, but he was trying to start a relationship AND stay in it. This was not helping, at all.

"Can you please stop touching me? I'm dating someone." Draco said, moving so that his body turned from her and he started walking off.

"I never thought that Draco Malfoy would turn down a girl. Are you gay or something?" The girl said, sounding as rude as she could.

"No, and even if I was, and you were a man, I still wouldn't like you. You have a fucked up attitude. Don't you have any respect for other people and their relationships? What if I had told you I was married? Would you still be coming onto me like you were?" Draco paused, but didn't let the girl say anything. "That was a stupid question. Of course you would."

"Sod off, ass."

"Ricotta cheese!" Draco said, smiling suddenly.

"What?!"

"Go away. I just remembered what I needed."

Hermione arrived at the appointed time on Friday evening. She was nervous and that was really an understatement. She hated dates, mainly because she seemed to mess them all up. Other than Ron, she'd only actually dated three other men. One, she wasn't as into as he was her, and she accidentally let that slip on their second date, and that was over. The second one was really into his family, but Hermione thought he was strange, and he had over heard her telling Ginny that right before they were supposed to leave for a date. The last one, the one who loved skin, was the worst one. She had worn a nice dress that ended right over her knees. The guy liked skin, but was jealous, which Hermione thought was a little mad. If you're dating a girl who shows skin, other guys are going to be interested, even if only just to look. They broke up when the guy thought she was flirting with the waiter, when she wasn't. She was trying to pull her dress down, but her date thought she was trying to feel up the waiter's leg. Oddly, that didn't stop their relationship, they just stopped going on formal dates, but eventually he left her anyway.

Hermione took a deep breath. Running her hands over her clothing, she exhaled and knocked. It seemed to take forever for Draco to come to the door. But when he did, Hermione felt very under-dressed. Draco was in black dress robes, white trim. Very shiny black shoes and a tie. Topped off with his hair in a black, satin bow. She stood there, gawking at him and thinking about her causal attire. She had only a red skirt, white tank top, white heels, and a messy ponytail.

"Um, should I go home and get dressed again?" Was all she could think to say.

"Nope. I should have said something. I kind of just thought you'd get dressed up. In fact, I was trying to avoid being under-dressed. Guess I should have just put on what I was going to put on at first, but you're here, now." Draco said, motioning for her to come into his flat.

Hermione was finally getting a good look around. She'd been sort of in a hurry the last time she was here and they spent most of their time in the bedroom, talking and drinking coffee and tea. She never thought black walls would look as good as they did in Draco's flat. Usually they darkened a room considerably, but he used many dark colors countered with lighter shades, it actually made the room sort of bright. She also wondered if he'd done it himself. She'd seen designs like this in magazines, but never in an actual place she was in.

Draco walked up behind her and helped take off her shrug and took her little clutch bag. He took them over to his closet and hung both on a very expensive-looking hanger. He walked back over to her and Hermione was offered a seat. She sat down in the smallest couch, not thinking Draco would join her. It was strange, their bodies being so close after so long. On one hand, Hermione's body yearned to get close to his, on the other hand, she didn't want to bring up anything she wasn't absolutely sure she wanted.

"You look great tonight, Hermione." Draco said, looking down her body and back to her face. "I forgot to say so earlier."

"Oh, well, thank you. You certainly look delici - great tonight, too." Hermione laughed and blushed a bit. Draco didn't need to know what she was really thinking. Not yet, at least.

"Thank you, I knew already, but it's so nice to hear it again." Draco said, laughing at how suddenly Hermione's face went from embarrassed to annoyed so quickly, but then she laughed, too. Draco wondered if Hermione secretly enjoyed his sarcasticness and arrogance. "So, dinner is almost ready. I hope you like Italian."

"I love Italy ... and it's food."

"Really?! I loved when I went. They call Paris the 'city of love', but Italy, that is the 'country of love'. So many couples. And most twice my age, looking as young as me because they were in love." Draco said, a dreamy look coming over his face.

"Um, I've never actually been. I've only ... um ... read about it."

"Oh, well, that's good, too. Nothing wrong with reading up on it."

Hermione could feel a little jealousy coming on, even though she didn't think she should. "So, did you take someone to Italy or did someone take you?"

"Actually my mom took me. It was the first place we went after the war. It was our own little celebration." Draco looked a little uncomfortable. "My dad never took my mom there, even though she really wanted to go. So, that's why we went and it was really fun there."

"I'm sure your mother enjoyed it." Hermione shifted a bit, not sure if she should say this. "Um, don't take offense, but I just can't imagine you doing all this. I mean, you used to be so ... annoying and horrible, and now, you're ... nice. What brought on this change?"

"I guess, really, love." Draco didn't mention that Hermione included in this. "People always say love doesn't exist, but it does. When you find the right person, that is. And, of course, there is love between parent and child. That, we know, exists, so why it is so far-fetched that the other exists as well, is beyond me."

"Well, so many people have been hurt-"

"But not by someone who really loves them. And sometimes, people are hurt for their own well-being, but it hurts just the same. I know."

"When did you become so wise about love?" Hermione asked, sort of shocked by the words leaving her date's mouth.

"When you've been in love a long time, you often think about it and about why you feel that way. About other people who are in love and what they've done for each other. That sort of thing, I suppose."

Hermione was about to say something else, but a small buzzing noise sounded and Draco excused himself from the room. She watched him walk into the kitchen, wondering who he could be so in love with and why he messed around so much if he loved someone. Unless, that person didn't love him back.

"Dinner's finished. Come to the dining room and we can start our meal." Draco said, poking his head back into the living room.

Hermione walked through the kitchen, where Draco was plating something, but wouldn't let her see. She took a seat at the small dining table. It was only big enough to seat four people. Draco must not have many people over for meals, Hermione thought to herself. She sat down at the place setting decorating the table. She gathered up her napkin and put it in her lap.

Draco entered the dining room a few moments later. He sat down two plates with generous portions of lasagna. Hermione's favorite Italian dish. How he knew, she'd never know. No one knew about that except her parents, for she had forced both to learn how to cook it when she was twelve, so she could eat it when she wanted. Her parents hardly ever denied her anything, except candy. So, she shouldn't say forced, she really just asked, a few hundred times.

"I hope you like it. It's one of the dishes I had while in Italy and I swear I gained ten pounds from eating so much of it. My mom actually got the man to give up his recipe. So, the house elves used to cook it." Draco paused for a moment. "And I'm so sorry I just mentioned house elves."

"Don't be. I realize that you can't change the way you grew up and that's something you grew up with."

"Well, thanks for being so understanding."

The couple sat down and ate with an endless fervor. They talked and laughed while eating, which was something Draco now loved. He used to think that only silence was acceptable while eating because it was the way his father preferred it. But after his father's death, a few months after, his mother asked him a question during dinner and so started the new activity. Draco and his mom seemed to never have enough time to talk during dinner.

Hermione, on the other hand, had been talking at dinner ever since she could talk. Her family talked about everything at the dinner table. Especially after Hermione started Hogwarts. Summer dinners were filled with what her friends had said or done. How floored she was at some of the spells people were able to do. How the Slytherins were always so nasty to her, Harry, and Ron.

After dinner was finished and Draco served wine glasses full of custard and a delicious caramel sauce, the couple moved back to the living room. By now, Draco had taken off his tie and shoes. Hermione had taken her shoes off and took her hair out of the ponytail it was in. They were sitting quite close, drinking a very old bottle of wine Draco had brought over from the manor. If anyone had been spying on them, they'd think they were a newly married couple spending their first few days together after their honeymoon.

Draco's arms found their way around her waist and at the back of her neck. Hermione was sitting with her body slightly turned towards his. Her right hand lying on his knee and the other holding up a picture.

"Where'd you even get this picture?" Hermione asked, holding the picture up. A picture of her, sitting in the library, chewing her bottom lip and looking up every so often at a noise.

"I got Colin to take it. I wanted pictures of certain people before school finished. I wasn't allowed out of my dorm after I came back to Hogwarts and he agreed to take the pictures if I got him a date with someone in Slytherin."

"I can't believe you have all these pictures." Hermione picked up a small pile of pictures. One, Draco riding his broom. Two, Pansy waving at the camera. Three, Harry and Ginny fighting. Four, Snape telling off two students. Five, Hermione talking to the group of prefects who had just gotten in trouble for a prank they'd played. "I wish I'd gotten more pictures. I only have a few. Mainly of Harry, Ron, and myself."

"All those have twins. Take any you want." Draco said, taking his arm from around her neck and taking a sip of wine.

"Great. I want these and these." Hermione pointed to the small piles she'd made, of pictures she wished she'd have gotten a chance to get.

"Hermione, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you really think I'm that bad?"

Hermione looked Draco in the eyes. "Of course, I don't. Like I said, it's the way you act. Earlier, you said you loved someone for a long time, maybe sleeping around and being an ass made them turn away."

"Would it have made you turn away?" Draco asked, searching Hermione's eyes. She still didn't understand.

"Yes. I mean, if a man really loves me, he should say it and see how I respond. Not sleep around and wallow in the fact that I haven't taken notice of him soon enough. I'm not a mind reader. If he doesn't say how he feels, I'm not always going to figure it out myself."

A moment of silence passed between the two, Draco broke it.

"Hermione, I love you and I have for a long time."

"What?!"

"I love you."

"You l-love m-me? Hermione repeated. She'd never had a man tell her that and have the look that Draco had in his eyes right now. It was almost as if his heart was bleeding out to her. For a chance to be loved in return. And strangely, she could feel her heart doing the same.

Before Hermione could respond again, she felt lips on hers. Warm and soft. Almost like rose petals that had been warmed under the sun. It surprised her, at first, but she fell into the kiss, letting her passion takes over. Their lips moved together as if they'd been meant to all their lives. Soon, Draco's fingers were running through Hermione's hair and Hermione's hands were gripping at Draco's back. Kissing had always been sort of strange to Hermione, but right now, it felt perfectly normal.

The couple broke apart after what seemed like days, but was actually only a few minutes. Hermione's lips were red and swollen, from being nipped and sucked gently. Dracos' lips mirrored hers and he couldn't stop himself from reaching out and running his fingers over his lips. It was almost as if the kiss was a dream and he wasn't sure if the dream had ended or if this was reality.

Hermione shook for a moment, afraid of getting in too deep. If she gave her heart to Draco, would he treat it like his own or would he cherish it for a moment and then step on it. The thoughts couldn't win against each other, so Hermione said the only thing she wanted right now.

"Draco, make love to me."

Draco didn't have to be told twice. He got up and helped Hermione to her feet. He picked her up and walked the short distance to his bedroom. He fumbled to open the door, walked over the threshold and kicked the door closed behind him. He deposited her onto the bed, more gently than he laid his own body down every night before his slumber. He looked into Hermione's eyes. Not exactly sure what he saw, but he could tell there was lust, if nothing else. Draco slowly rid her of any clothing she had and his hands went to work, touching every inch of her.

Hermione couldn't stop herself from withering under his touch. It was like fire. The kisses flowing down her stomach and around her thighs, were making her hotter every second. Draco lifted himself off her for a minute, trying to take in every inch of her. Now he understood why he thought she was the best thing in the world. She was smart and funny. Brilliant and cunning. She was beautiful, yet modest. She was everything a man could want. He looked up at her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open in the most wonton fashion. Draco almost lost his mind.

He kneeled back and brought her up with him, Hermione's eyes opening in surprise. He held her close to him, wanting to memorize every curve of her skin. He could feel her warmth near his arousal. It was calling out to him, in a way no other woman's had. He laid her back down, and Hermione smiled at how tender he was being, even though she wished he would get on with it. She was a witch who hadn't had sex in almost a year and she was needy.

She grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss. A kiss that sent fire through both, ending at their centers, making their need even more evident. Hermione moaned as she felt Draco's hardness rub against her moist slit. He was teasing her. This was more like the Draco she knew, she thought. She let go of him as she felt him rise up onto his arms. It was time. Neither could hold out much longer.

Draco pushed her legs further apart with his knee and plunged in. Both let out a series of moans and groans. Draco felt delicious inside her and Hermione felt tight around him. Draco started thrusting slowly, Hermione relished in it, meeting him for each thrust and rubbing her hands up and down his strong back. Draco watched her face. Her eyes were open and looking right back at him, though she couldn't help but close them every now and then.

They watched each other as the pleasure built. Both moving on a wave, it seemed, they moved so perfectly together. Hermione moaned and whimpered and it fed Draco's ego as well as his stamina. Every beautiful noise from her made him move faster and deeper, wanting to hear more. Hermione felt in heaven as she felt him move inside her. No one had ever made love to her. Not since the 'forest incident', but even then, that wasn't really love making. It was hungry and feverish. More of a fuck than love making. And that's what they had needed at the time.

Hermione could feel herself climaxing. Her muscles clenching around Draco tightly. It seemed as if Draco's manhood had grown in size, and made pleasure come even more. And on his end, Hermione felt tighter and he felt as if he'd explode, but he held off, waiting for her. He wanted to see her come undone. And his wish was granted not a moment later. Hermione's bottom lip was sucked into her mouth and her breathing had become more shallow than before. Her face turned a sinful shade of red, and the color traveled down her chest. Her eyes looked as if they held fire and then they started to flutter. A sexy whimper/ moan left her mouth. Hermione was completely still for a few seconds as her orgasm ripped through her, and ended with her curling her toes against Draco's calves.

All this made Draco come undone almost a few seconds after Hermione's display started. Hermione, even though she was sort of weak, lifted her head a bit to watch Draco. His face, which she usually saw as pale as possible, suddenly got a pink hue to it. His eyes closed and she heard a few throaty growls leave his being. He was still, over her and she felt his gush of warmth fill her. Then he fell, softly, onto her body. Hermione wrapped her arms around his waist and held him to her. She'd never felt so complete in her life.

And just before they fell asleep, Draco heard Hermione mumble something about 'best date ever'.

A/N: Okay, don't kill me. I know it took me awhile to finish this chapter, but I've been babysitting and something just isn't right about writing a sex scene when your three year old niece is asking you questions about what you're writing and your six year old nephew is reading the screen over your shoulders. So, I waited until they left and it just happened to be on V-Day.
Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!
Especially to my readers and reviewers.

A (very special) little something:

Draco: Hermione, I think we should exchange Valentine's gifts now.
Hermione: Okay. I'll go first.
Hermione goes and gets her gift from behind the couch.
Hermione: Here you go.
Draco: Okay, I hope it's good.
Hermione: Just open it.
Draco opens the box to reveal a box of coupons. Each redeemable for a special erotic activity.
Draco: Very good, Hermione.
Hermione: I knew you'd like it.
Draco hands Hermione her gift and Hermione shakes it.
Hermione: Sounds like a book.
Draco smirks and Hermione opens the box to reveal a medium-sized picture of Draco, in his underwear.
Hermione: What is this for?
Draco: For those lonely nights when I'm away.
Hermione frowns.
Hermione: Why would I want that when I can have the real thing?
Hermione grabs Draco's hand and leads him to their bedroom. A wide range of sounds can be heard and I'm sure Draco's redeeming some of those coupons right now.
Unfortunately, they've made me sign a contract, so I'm not able to say what happened.
Author: Stupid Characters. Now, they're concerned with privacy.