Author's Note: loving the reviews guys, keep them coming! :) I still have more twists and surprises for this story, so buckle up. This is a super long chapter but covers some questions that have been asked and begins the descent into the darkness. Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, PMing me with ideas, favoriting and following! You guys are awesome!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or make money off of any of this, all rights and credit go to J.K Rowling and not my broke ass.
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"Was this a mistake?" She whispered, afraid to meet his eyes.
He sucked in a deep breath and she felt her head rise with his chest before sinking with his exhale. "I don't know," he admitted, sounding as conflicted as she felt.
"Corvus might kill us both if he finds out. And what about Pyxis?"
He shrugged. "To be honest, Granger, I don't give a shite what she thinks. She fucked me around this whole time, and I'm over it. When have you ever known me to take even one public humiliation in stride?"
She shrugged, sighing. "I know. I don't regret doing it - I'm just terrified of the consequences. I'm terrified that Corvus will hurt you like he did Krum, I'm terrified he'll hurt me, and I'm terrified of how things will be between you and I after this."
He chuckled. "Granger, Corvus is a powerful wizard, but I'm not too afraid of what he'll do to me. As good as I am at Occlumency, I'm also an excellent Legilimens. I can peer into his head any time I'd like. I'll see what's coming before it happens," at the mention of legilimency she lifted herself up on her elbows and looked at him with interest. "As far as him hurting you goes - I doubt it. He might be unstable but he isn't the type to hurt a woman, and I wouldn't allow it anyway." He lifted her chin with his finger so he could look into her eyes as he spoke.
"As far as thing between us go, why would anything change? We had a few... odd moments since you got to the castle, you've seen me in some of my most vulnerable moments, and let's not forget the nearly 7 years of sexual tension between us. This was bound to happen. You had a row with Corvus and you two broke up, Pyxis and I had a row the other night and she retaliated by humiliating me with another man again, we were both drinking and hurting and it just... happened. I can't say I didn't want it to."
"Draco... you had a competition going with Corvus to win me, and conceded after two days to pursue Pyxis. You were infatuated with her in no time, kissing her and doting on her in pubic, even got fake engaged to her to save her from unsavory Purebloods, and now you're in bed with me after taking my virginity. It doesn't make sense!" She was flustered, sitting up and bringing the sheet with her to cover herself. He kept his eyes on hers, respectfully, and accio'd her clothes to the bed so she could get dressed. He could tell she was feeling self conscious and had expected as much.
"It is possible for a man to be attracted to more than one woman at a time," he mused, smirking at her.
She looked angry at that, and he scrambled for something better to say. "You two are very, very different. Pyxis brings out the devil in me, and it excites me. She's gorgeous with a perfect physique, she's intelligent and skilled, she's a pureblood witch from two of the oldest families, she dresses well and carries herself well, and she's a great kisser. She also gets under my skin, makes me angrier than I've ever been, frustrates me and teases me to the point where I can hardly sleep at night. She makes me hate her and I'm quite certain she does it on purpose to torment me."
Hermione began to dress herself carefully, keeping the sheet covering her. Her cheeks had flushed and she looked upset. He sighed.
"Hermione... I wasn't done. Listen to me." She wouldn't meet his eyes, but he continued anyway. "You are beautiful, the brightest witch of our age, a war heroine, you've never been afraid to confront me or put me in my place, Hell - you even punched me in the face in third year." He smirked as that last part brought the smallest of smiles to her pretty little face. "You stood up for me against the Weasel - twice. You didn't give me any headaches when you first got here, you were cordial. It shocked me, but I appreciated it. 6 years of spats is enough for me."
"Remember the day you pulled me aside and compared our arms?" She nodded, looking sheepishly at him. He beckoned her back to the bed and she obeyed, settling herself down next to him. He turned so he could face her, clasping one of her hands in his and kissing the back of it. "It's because of you doing that that I haven't been ashamed of or embarrassed by my Mark. It's because of you that I wear short sleeves and I'm not afraid of the backlash and heckling I will receive for it. You helped me out of the goodness of your giant Gryffindor heart. You were there for me when I had that attack yesterday morning, and you never brought it up since. You know me well enough not to ask questions or try to bait me into telling you things. It's like you know what's going on inside my head. You bring out the good in me, Hermione Granger. You make me want to do better, to be better, and I find myself smiling more around you. I actually look forward to seeing you day to day." Her eyes widened and she looked at him like he had three heads. He laughed.
"Besides, i brought back the sinful fringe for you. Nobody else - you. As a matter of fact, that morning in the common room before we went to Diagon Alley, all I wanted was for you to notice me. I wore that short sleeved shirt and the fringe for you, trying to catch your eye. I couldn't have been more obvious, yet you didn't even realize what I was doing. You actually ignored me and put your Daily Prophet over your face to drive that point home."
They both chuckled and she relaxed a little.
"What are you trying to say, Malfoy?" She asked, giving him a serious look. He gave an exasperated sigh and threaded his fingers through her curls, taking a moment to study her pretty face. He brushed her hair out of her face with his fingertips and took in the gorgeous amber color of her eyes, her perfect eyebrows, her high cheek bones, her delicate facial structure, her long eyelashes, her thin, pink lips and the dusting of freckles across her cheeks and her nose. So beautiful, and she doesn't even know it.
"What I'm trying to say, Hermione, is that I fancy you as much as I fancy Pyxis. Maybe even more. I backed out of the competition with Corvus because I could see the wheels turning in his head and had a sneaking suspicion he was going to make his move that day in Diagon alley. When I conceded, he immediately began telling me I had his blessing to court Pyxis, and he was pushing me towards her. I'll be honest - it's not that I wanted to concede - you just seemed more interested in Corvus and I figured, after our volatile history and all of this being so new to the lot of us, that I didn't stand a chance with you. So when I was pushed towards another beautiful woman that I'm sure my mother would be over the moon about me seeing, I went for it. It's pathetic, but I was way more afraid of your rejection than Pyxis'. I can handle Pyxis rejecting me - she's done it constantly." She quirked her brow at him in disbelief and he smirked.
"I can handle it, Granger, panic attacks and moving back to the Manor without a word aside." He rolled his eyes, ignoring the smirk that spread across her face.
"But with all of us being civil and friendly, drinking together, playing games together, spending nights in the common room as a group - I didn't want to ruin that or make it awkward by trying to court you and having you tell me to sod off. I knew I'd never come back from that, and it would change the group dynamic and I'd just be 'that arrogant arsehole Malfoy' again. I figured if I could at least remain friendly with you, it was better than nothing."
She considered him as he finished his explanation, and he felt quite small under her burning gaze. It made him uncomfortable, but he wouldn't let it show. He waited patiently as she mulled all of this over, letting it all sink in.
She simply nodded, not knowing what to say. He laced their fingers together and carefully leaned over to kiss her forehead. She startled, but she let it happen.
"I like to think that if Corvus and Pyxis hadn't shown up, I would have eventually attempted to court you. After all, their first day here Pyxis shouted in front of Corvus, Blaise and Theo that 'I'm in love with Granger and probably wank to her six times a day.'" His tone was mocking and he scowled, remembering how embarrassed he had been at Pyxis' public declaration.
"Don't look at me like that," he scolded, noticing the amused expression plastered on her features. "I had a stupid crush on you since around third year. There was a reason I was always such a dick to you, blood prejudices aside. Hating you turned into lusting after you but you and I both know you never would have given me the time of day. You probably would've hexed my arse from here to Hogsmeade and back. Aside from that, we both also know that my father never would've allowed it and I couldn't risk my reputation that way. I was a shallow, ignorant, narcissistic prat and I was terrified of my father. My need to impress him and make him proud outweighed everything else. I wouldn't have dared to cross him back then. Now it's a different story. He's in Azkaban, and even if he wasn't - I still wouldn't fear him or his rejection. I am a grown man now, I won't be told what I can or cannot do, or who I can and cannot see."
Hermione's eyes bulged and he could practically see the lightbulb going off in her head. He groaned, flopping back against his pillows and covered his face with his hands.
"Granger..." he warned, but she said it anyway.
"You were in love with me?" She whispered, clutching at his arms with a wild look in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. He must be joking! That's not possible. This is all some sick joke, or a rouse, or...
"Get out of your head, Granger," He pried his hands from his face and gave her a weary look. "I wouldn't say I was in love with you. Infatuated? Perhaps. Interested? Yes. Did I imagine bending you over Snape's desk and fucking you so hard the desk moved across the room? Yes. Did I sneak glances at you during classes or as I passed you in the corridors and picture what those pretty little lips would taste like? Yes. Did I have dirty fantasies about you in the shower, and late at night in my bed once Blaise and Theo were asleep? Yes." He smirked at the blush that crept into her cheeks and the way she looked anywhere else but at him.
"I wasn't in love with you, Granger, I desired you. I was curious about you. I was interested. I still am. Especially now that this," he motioned to the rustled sheets, his naked body, and her disheveled appearance, "has happened. I have no regrets about this. I'd do it again, and again, and again." He leaned forward as he finished, cupping her face in his large hands and pressing his lips to hers in a soft, sweet kiss. To his surprise and delight, she responded to it, kissing him back eagerly and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pressing her body closer to his.
It was at this moment that a knock sounded at his bedroom door.
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"Fuck me," he seethed under his breath, planting a quick kiss on her lips before quietly standing and slipping his boxers and trousers back on as he made his way to the door. He put a finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet, and pressed his ear to the door to listen.
"Blaise, I don't think he's here," he heard Ginny say. His eyes bulged and he turned his head towards Granger, mouthing 'Ginny and Blaise' and her eyes widened. He could tell she was panicking. If she wasn't, he'd be shocked. His heart was slamming in his chest and he felt sick to his stomach.
"He's got to be. He's nowhere else in the castle, he's not at the Manor, and I told you he was here to find Hermione. He's missing, she's missing, and we both know they're probably in here. He's probably listening at the door, the prat." Blaise has an amused tone to his voice and Draco scowled. He looked back to Hermione and whispered to her that he was opening the door.
She paled, standing from the bed and came to stand behind him, to the side of the door so that when it opened they wouldn't see her.
He dropped the silencing charm and the muffliato he had put up and took a deep breath, letting his usual indifferent, haughty mask slide over his face before he opened the door.
Blaise and Ginny were standing in the doorway, both eyeing him with suspicion.
"How may I help you?" Draco drawled, casually leaning against the doorframe, careful to keep the door in a position to hide Hermione behind it.
Blaise smirked at him as Ginny continued to give him suspicious looks. "If Hermione would kindly step out from behind the door - yes, mate, I know she's here - we came to help her sneak out of here before Corvus comes looking. Theo and I were able to distract him and cover your arse at lunch, but his patience is running out and he's going to come looking for her. It's almost time for dinner, I guarantee he'll come to the dorms looking for her before he goes to the Hall."
Hermione cringed and stepped into view, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Blaise simply gave her a polite nod and a small smile. "Looks like I owe Theo 20 galleons." Draco quirked a brow at that and Blaise sighed.
"He bet 10 galleons that you would come find Granger, and another 10 that you two," he pointed at them, "would shag. Come off it, mate - it's written all over your faces -" he peered around Draco to Draco's bed and observed the rumpled sheets, "and your bed."
To Hermione's utter shock, Ginny giggled and took a few steps forward to give Hermione a high five. Hermione awkwardly accepted it, still red in the face and looking like a deer caught in headlights, but breathed a sigh of relief when Ginny hugged her.
"You know, 'Mione, I've been waiting for this to happen for ages. The sexual tension between you two has nearly put me in heat for the past few years. It's about bloody time, honestly. Your hateful glares had turned into lusty burning gazes sometime after third year and any time I was around the two of you, I was flustered." She was grinning devilishly at Hermione and Draco, highly amused by their shock and embarrassment.
"Ginevra Weasley!" Hermione chastised, her mouth falling open in shock.
Blaise and Ginny shrugged, shooting them both cocky smirks.
"You're around Blaise entirely too much, Gin. You've become a Slytherin." Hermione had dropped her gaze to the floor and sidled up to Draco's side. He smiled a little at her and put his arm around her.
"So you lot are here to help her sneak out of my room and then what? Deliver her to the guy that used an Unforgivable on Viktor Krum for touching Pyxis lightly on the elbow once? The guy who, from what I was told, you -" he pointed at Blaise, "and Theo had to physically restrain last night because he was about to pummel Oliver Wood with his bare hands for ruining his grand plans of Pyxis and I getting married by asking her to the bloody ball?"
Blaise shrugged and Ginny looked stunned.
"Oh, come off it, Weaselette. I'm Draco bloody Malfoy, the king of manipulation, the Prince of Slytherin, the most cunning and calculating prick to ever walk these corridors. You think I didn't know what Corvus was trying to do this whole time? That fake engagement idea was a little too convenient after he basically pushed me towards his sister mere hours before and gave me 'permission' to date her despite me never asking for it." He gave a half shrug, looking entirely unphased.
"I'm not mad at the bloke, in fact - I get it. If I had a sister I'd probably do the same. Try and set her up with the best of the lot, other than myself of course, to make sure she'd be left alone by degenerates and that she'd be well taken care of and supported in the future. Can't blame the bloke for wanting his sister to have the world at her feet, and he knew I could provide that for her. It was a power move. Salazar's genes run deep in that man. He's the perfect Slytherin."
Blaise nodded his agreement and Ginny looked downright scandalized, as did Hermione.
He chuckled and looked at Hermione. "I'm not doing it, however." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise and Ginny gave him a curious look. Blaise, not surprised, just folded his arms over his chest and let his mate continue his explanation.
"We talked about this, Granger. The woman does nothing but humiliate me every chance she gets, treats me like I'm the dirt beneath her feet until it's convenient for her to be affectionate and kind to me, is constantly rude and cruel towards me, and accepted Oliver's invitation as his date to the ball to spite me. That is not a proper wife for me, thanks very much. I'm not sticking my dick in that bucket of crazy, and I'm certainly never putting a ring on it again, either. I'm not thinking of marriage anyway, and as much as you Gryffindor lot adore Sirius - the bloke wants me nowhere near his daughter and I'm fine with that. Let some other poor sod deal with her unreasonable, infuriating arse."
Blaise chuckled and Hermione looked relieved, despite herself. She didn't want to be one of those girls that lost her virginity and went nutters over the guy who took it. She didn't want to be another Pansy, chasing after Draco and throwing herself at him, begging for his time and attention. Would she want to shag him again? Absolutely. Would she want to sneak around with him sometimes? Absolutely. Was she planning on falling in unrequited love with him just to be rejected? Absolutely not, but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous at the thought of him being with Pyxis again. It hadn't mattered before, but after what just happened between them and the things he just divulged to her, it did matter. Especially when Corvus turned out to be, well... a monster.
"What happens now?" Hermione sighed, wishing she could just disappear for a week and pretend nothing had ever happened - meeting Corvus and Pyxis, making nice with Draco, being friendly with Draco, the night in the Chamber of Secrets, her stupidly chasing Corvus down a corridor and accepting his offer to be with him and commit to him, telling Corvus she liked who she was when she was with him, finding out Corvus is cruel and evil and hurt a man that was once very kind and sweet to her and thought it was funny, and now giving up her virginity on a whim to Draco Malfoy.
"You go with Blaise and Ginny before Corvus finds you here, you go to dinner and carry on as usual. If he bothers you - you do what you must. You are a war heroine, Granger. Act like it. If you want to work things out with him - by all means, do so. If you don't, then don't, and don't let anyone convince you or bully you into doing it. It must be your choice. I will not tell anyone about this - and neither will Blaise and Ginny, right?" He gave both Blaise and Ginny a scathing glare and they simply nodded.
Hermione nodded and looked around the room to make sure she had all her things before she stepped out into the hall with Blaise and Ginny. She turned back to Draco, looking nervous and a little sad. "I'm fine, Granger. I'm going back to the Manor for awhile. Go on before the second coming of Voldemort starts stalking you like prey." He smirked at her and she glared at him.
"Too soon, Malfoy. Not funny!"
"My apologies, Granger. Off you go, then." He shooed her and Ginny away and put his hand on Blaise's shoulder to stop his retreat. "Blaise, wait a moment. I need you to do something for me."
"As you wish, Draco. I live to serve the Prince of Slytherin," he drawled, a mocking smirk on his face.
"Do shut up, Blaise."
Draco made his way to the desk in the room and pulled two pieces of parchment from a drawer. Blaise watched as Draco took out his wand and muttered a spell over both, then rolled one up and slipped it into his pocket, rolling up the other and dropping it on Blaise's lap.
"Two way parchments," Blaise mused, carefully slipping the rolled parchment into his pocket. "For Hermione, I assume?"
Draco nodded, a serious look sliding over his face before he responded. "Couldn't give it to her. I can't trust Corvus not to pull any clever tricks. We do not know how advanced his magic is, wandless or not, and I couldn't risk him finding the parchment on her. I would like you to slip it to her in the common room after dinner, or on the way back. Whenever you can do it without anyone's notice - especially Corvus'. I know I can trust you to get it done, Blaise."
Blaise nodded, tapping his chin in thought. "What's going on, Draco? Shagging Hermione, hiding away in your room with her all day, two way parchments, declarations that you will not be with Pyxis and be a part of Corvus' plan for you two... Shall I assume that I should prepare for a good old fashioned Slytherin war for dominance?" He gave Draco a hard look, making Draco well aware that he was not necessarily on board with being a part of a Slytherin war, or any war for that matter. He had purposely stayed out of the war that had just happened. Blaise Zabini did not enjoy being involved in others' affairs.
"We both know if Corvus finds out about this, he will come for you. You know Theo and I will look out for you, but we don't know what he's capable of. We all got along just fine until now. This will tear everything apart that we've all worked for up until now, we have this nice little truce going on and we're all cordial and friendly, if for no other reason than for the sake of peace while we're all stuck living and working together. Corvus and Pyxis are Slytherins, they'll still be here when term starts, and then what?"
"Then I will have reclaimed my place as Slytherin Prince and, Heirs of Slytherin or not, Pyxis and Corvus will not be ruling Slytherin with an iron fist anymore. We both know we cannot have the pair of them in a position of power in-house, he Imperiused Krum, Blaise. Granger is terrified, especially after watching the spectacle I missed out on last night. Stop looking at me like that, Blaise, I'm serious. I care about the witch. She's been there for me many times, without being asked or told to - as I told you earlier - and I owe her. I can't risk her being harmed, and I won't stand for them terrorizing the rest of our House. The war is over and I've been trying like hell to be a better man, a reformed man. It is of extreme importance that we get our housemates on board with inter-house unity and to drop their pureblood prejudices, bias, and hatred for all other houses. These are different times. You already know some of them are going to show up at the start of term and single me out either for my failure as a Death Eater or for my alliance with the Golden Trio. We have to get a handle on that shite immediately. If Corvus and Pyxis are running things, it will be a fucking train wreck. You know I'm right, Blaise."
Blaise nodded, motioning for Draco to continue. Draco ran his hands through his hair, not stopping the incessant pacing he'd begun doing at the start of his long-winded tirade.
"I do not trust Corvus, Blaise. I did at first, as much as one Slytherin would trust another - with caution - but not with our housemates and not with Granger. I assured her he'd never hurt her and I wouldn't let him anyway, but I can't promise that. She was scared. She thinks he's going to do something to her along the lines of what he did to Krum and what he was about to do to Oliver. I didn't know what to do other than assure her he's not the type of bloke to do that, but i can't be certain. If he did that with Krum and laughed about it, he's certainly done worse things. He just hasn't bragged about them yet."
Draco flopped down onto his bed with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose to try and ward off the headache creeping in, and hoped he wouldn't end up dead by the start of term. He knew how he was going to do this, but his plans would make him a target in Corvus' eyes and he'd have to look over his shoulder constantly again, making sure the bloke wasn't going to Avada him in an empty corridor one night. He knew that if he wanted to secure his place as Prince of Slytherin and redeem his reputation and regain control, he had to take Corvus out as competition and force him into fealty. There was too much at stake. His diminished reputation - thanks to his father, Voldemort and the bloody Dark Mark on his arm- his control of Slytherin House and the respect that comes with it, and his new, shaky alliances with the Golden Trio and the other Gryffindors.
No, he was not in love with Granger, but war heroine or not, he had a feeling Corvus would not take her rejection lightly. He knew dinner was going to be easy enough for her - there were too many witnesses for Corvus to act on his anger towards her for rejecting him last night and avoiding him all day - but once they all came back to the Common Room he'd do and say as he pleased knowing no one there would challenge him... which is why Draco lied about going back to the Manor for awhile. He'd be here, waiting and watching from the shadows and he'd strike at the right moment. This was going to be one hell of a night.
Blaise looked worriedly at Draco for a moment before slipping his nonchalant mask back on. "What's your plan, then?"
"How are your Occlumency skills?" Draco countered, sitting up to look at Blaise.
"Not as good as yours, but not terrible." He quirked a brow at Draco in question.
"Good enough... I will be here, but I need them all to think I'm still at the Manor. I'm leaving as soon as you go off to dinner to get my things from the Manor, and then I'll be back. I need you to make sure everyone is in the Great Hall for dinner so that I won't be seen leaving the castle and coming back. I just need an hour. Can you manage that?"
Blaise nodded. "I never thought I'd see the day that Draco Malfoy mingled and made alliances with half-bloods, muggle-borns, and Gryffindors and opposed pureblood prejudice." He quirked a brow at Draco and smirked at him from his chair, and Draco scowled at him in return.
"It's a new age, Blaise. We were fed lies and bullshite all our lives by parents that cared more about breeding to carry on pureblood lines than poisoning our minds. They caused a war because of it. Voldemort would never have gotten so far if our parents and the other snobby purebloods hadn't been sodelighted at the idea of mass fucking murder in an effort to wipe out everyone except for purebloods. People died here at Hogwarts to stop that. We must honor their sacrifices. That's all."
Blaise clapped Draco on the shoulder before taking his leave. Draco followed him from the room after casting a Disillusionment spell on himself to avoid any strays noticing him in the corridors or on the grounds as he made his way to the Apparition Point. He and Blaise matched each other's strides perfectly, assuring no one would hear Draco's footsteps, and Draco watched carefully as Blaise made his way into the Great Hall. Everyone was there, Corvus included - though he looked quite furious - and he spotted Hermione at the Gryffindor table sitting between Harry and Ginny. He released a quiet sigh of relief, knowing she'd be safe in the meantime, and made sure Blaise was in place at the Slytherin table, prepared to stall dinner and con Corvus into thinking he was still off at the Manor and not coming back.
Excellent, he thought. He carefully and quietly made his way to the main entrance and down the path to the Apparition Point, disapparating with a CRACK.
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Hermione did her best to ignore the holes that Corvus' glare were burning into the back of her skull as she sat between Harry and Ginny. She took a page from the Slytherin book and feigned indifference, doing her best to mimick their glacial expressions. She didn't want Corvus to know he was making her nervous, or that she even noticed he was glaring at her. She would not show fear. She would not be weak. Draco's words bounced around in her skull, giving her strength. 'You're a war heroine, Granger. Act like it.'
Damn right I am, she thought, straightening her spine as she felt a sense of pride surge through her. I'm a fucking war heroine. I took on Bellatrix Lestrange, I sent Fenton Greyback through a fucking window, I faced down Death Eaters when all I knew how to do was Stupefy them, I destroyed a Horcrux and survived being hunted by that fucking giant snake. I can do this, I can do ANYTHING.
Ginny winked at Hermione and gave her a thumbs-up and Hermione assumed it was a way of saying 'nice Slytherin face'. She smirked at Ginny and Ginny giggled a little. Ginny turned her head forward so Corvus could only see the back of it and whispered to Hermione so no one else, especially not Harry, would hear her.
"What are you going to do when we get back to the common room, or wherever he confronts you? He's been staring at you like a serial killer this whole time."
Hermione gave a minute nod, still very aware of Corvus' glare that was still glued to the back of her head. "I don't know, Gin and I'm nervous. I'm doing fine right now, but I think he might corner me either outside the Hall, in the corridors, or in the common room, and I don't want to be alone with him. I fucking compared him to Voldemort last night, he is pissed."
Ginny looked anxious for a moment, then put on a fake smile that would be pretty convincing to the untrained eye. "I will flank you from the hall. Well, Blaise and I. He won't think anything of that because you're my best friend and since you're so upset today," she winked at Hermione, "it wouldn't be unusual for you to cling to me all night. We won't leave you alone with him, I promise. Are you really that concerned that he's going to do something to you?" She kept the fake smile plastered on her face, but Hermione could tell her best friend was fighting off a frown.
"I don't know and that's the problem. Ginny - don't you remember when he told that story about Krum? He hadn't told us the whole truth, and he was bragging and laughing about it. It's disturbing. I know we all laughed about it that night - well, myself excluded - but I don't think anyone realized how serious the situation was." She glanced around the table, starting with Harry on her left, to make sure nobody was hearing her conversation. She held in her sigh of relief when she realized everyone was jubilant and cheery as usual, chatting loudly to each other. She turned her attention back to the windows across the hall, careful not to look at Ginny.
"Remember when you and Harry told him at dinner that he reminded you of Tom Riddle? You had said he's handsome, charming, and polite like Tom Riddle was. I've been thinking back to that night and how cool and controlled he seemed in the beginning. Now, I'm finding out he fucking Imperiused Krum to light his cauldron on fire and put it out with his hands to the point where he was in the hospital for a month. Does that not sound like Tom Riddle to you? What the fuck do I even do with that? I keep thinking about what he was trying to do to Oliver last night before Blaise and Theo grabbed him... it looked like he'd physically assault him, but we all know he and Pyxis are skilled with wandless magic. I can't help but keep thinking about that and wondering what he would've done if Blaise and Theo hadn't gotten to him in time. He's fucking unstable, Ginny."
Ginny nodded slightly, mulling all of the information over. Her fake smile was convincing but the fear in her eyes betrayed her. Hermione imagined her own eyes must be betraying her as well at this moment.
"We had all talked about this. Harry had mentioned the Gaunts and their seemingly hereditary violence and insanity - and as much as I love Sirius, Andromeda, Tonks and Teddy - they say the same thing about the Blacks... madness runs in the family. Look at Bellatrix!" Ginny shuddered at the name and Hermione shared the sentiment.
"Pyxis and Corvus are good at coming off as proper, well mannered, elegant, polite, perfect aristocrats but we've seen their darker sides. Pyxis is just... strange. The shite with her and Draco, keeping Pansy locked in a room for what, three days straight? Corvus yelling at her last night about her games and her spiteful and childish behavior... that was a red fucking flag. He had said he was 'sick to death of it', which means she's like that all the time. You and I both know she would've left Pansy in that room forever. She's unstable too."
Ginny didn't say anything or even move, her eyes displaying the terror she was feeling. Hermione wanted to reach out and hug her, to comfort not only Ginny but herself as well, but she knew Corvus was watching her every move and she knew she needed to be careful.
"What are you going to do about Draco?" Ginny whisperer, looking at Hermione from the corner of her pretty blue eyes.
Hermione sighed, quietly. "I don't know. I don't even know what the hell happened there. He surprised me in the common room as I was writing him a letter, and we got to bantering, and then we we agreed to ask each other one question at a time and to give one answer each, and then the next thing I know he was kissing me and I liked it. I really liked it. Then... well, things escalated and we thought we heard someone coming into the common room so he picked me up and brought me to his room," Hermione's cheeks were flushed and she used her napkin to hide it until it calmed down, pretending she was wiping her mouth. Ginny giggled a little.
"So you lost your virginity on a whim to Draco Malfoy. You heathen!" Ginny whispered, amusement dancing in her eyes. Hermione shushed her, but she had a little smile on her face.
"Well, there were a few glasses of firewhiskey involved... and after the first round, I kind of... pounced on him." Hermione was blushing again and quickly tried to calm herself. She didn't want anyone noticing.
Ginny gasped and Hermione shushed her again, glaring at her. "Don't draw attention, Gin!" She hissed.
"Twice?" Ginny whispered.
Hermione gave a small nod and a smirk.
"Really? You have to tell me everything! But first, are you okay? Are you in pain? Are you upset, or are you glad you did it? I have so many questions!" Ginny looked extremely excited and Hermione chuckled at her.
"Later," she whispered, noticing everyone was finishing up and getting ready to head to the Common Room. Her stomach began doing flips, her heart started to race, she felt clammy and her blood ran cold.
Ginny noticed Hermione's face paling and smiled over at Blaise as she linked her arm with Hermione's.
Blaise, ever the gentleman and dutiful boyfriend, took the hint and wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulder, and eyed Hermione. He didn't say a word or bring any attention to Hermione, knowing Ginny wanted him to help her keep Hermione out of Corvus' grasp, and escorted them to the Common Room behind Theo, Daphne and Astoria.
———————————————————————-
Unsurprisingly, Corvus had hung around after everyone made their way out to try and catch Hermione - and obviously failing - so he was behind them as they walked. The hair on the back of Blaise's neck stood up as he felt Corvus glaring at them and he knew that things were going to get very bad when they got to the Common Room. It had been well over an hour which meant Draco should be back by now, and Blaise silently hoped that Draco was either hidden in the Common Room or in the hall somewhere, ready to tag in when Corvus lost his temper.
Not if Corvus lost his temper. When.
As nervous and alert as Blaise was, it didn't show on his face. He was one of Slytherin's finest - he had perfected his masks years ago, he never showed fear, and he did not wear his heart on his sleeve. Blaise prided himself on the fact that no one, not even his own Housemates, could ever tell what he was thinking or feeling - unless he allowed them to. The only people that really knew Blaise - the real Blaise - were Draco and Theo. He supposed he could put Ginny in that category now, since they were an item and he showered her with affection, smiles, and genuine words and emotions.
He adored Ginny. She was beautiful, innocent, funny, kind, and strong-willed. She fought valiantly in the war, despite her mother trying to keep her away from it and forbidding her to help. She was brave, and she didn't take any shite from anyone. Sure, she seemed as harmless as a Pygmy puff, but she had a bite to her and Blaise knew it. She was unassuming. Honestly, she really would've done well in Slytherin. Her smirk was perfect, her wit was on par with his, she was excellent at putting up facades and making people think she was sweet and timid and harmless when really - underneath it all- she was as vicious as a dragon when it came to her family and her friends and anyone who dared to hurt them.
Of course there was the fact that she's a pureblood, but Blaise didn't care about that. That didn't matter. Pureblood, half-blood, muggle-born... none of that mattered. Blaise always believed it was what was inside that mattered. Not blood, either. No, Blaise looked for the purity in the hearts and souls of people. Ginny was both pure of heart and soul, and he adored that about her. She made him feel good, and happy. Blaise never had that before. Sure, he bedded a lot of women - a lot of women - but he always yearned for the day he'd meet one that could stimulate him with her mind and not her open legs.
He hadn't bedded Ginny yet. He knew she was a Virgin and he was a patient man - he would wait until she was ready, if he was meant to be the man lucky enough to earn that opportunity. In the meantime, he enjoyed cuddling with her, holding her hand, kissing her, the way she smiled at him and sat in his lap to be close to him, the way she smelled like oranges and vanilla, her laugh and her voice, watching her interact with her friends and all their dorm mates, and was satisfied with just being in her company most of the time. Of course he was aware that the night in the Chamber had been disastrous for some - Pyxis, Corvus, Hermione and Draco - but it was pretty damn life changing for him. He wouldn't have pursued Ginny if that hadn't happened.
He had watched her for years, probably since fifth year when she really started growing into herself, but she was always fawning over another guy. Dean Thomas and Harry fucking Potter. How was he supposed to compete with Harry Potter, anyway? The bloke survived The Killing Curse! TWICE.
He was snapped out of his thoughts as they neared the portrait and he had Hermione and Ginny enter before him, playing the part of a gentleman as always, but also in hopes that they'd take off for their shared room and lock themselves in it before Corvus did whatever he had been planning to since Hermione was missing at breakfast. Draco's words played over and over in Blaise's mind. Yes, at first he thought Draco was being paranoid and ridiculous, but after witnessing the way Corvus carved holes into Hermione's skull with his eyes throughout the entirety of dinner - not even eating a single thing, and the way he glared at them as they walked to the common room - he knew the bloke was every single bit as unstable as Draco had said.
Please, please, PLEASE be in your room, girls. Blaise motioned politely for Corvus to enter the room before him and prayed the girls were in their room and not in the common room. He stepped into the Common Room and he felt his blood run cold and he was sure his heart had stopped. Hermione was stupidly sitting on a couch, with Ginny next to her, sipping at a glass of brandy as Corvus stalked up to her, fire in his eyes. Oh, for fuck's sake! Of all the stupid things to do.
He walked nonchalantly over to the couch and sat beside Ginny, draping an arm around her shoulders as he usually would and leaned back, pulling off a calm and unaware expression that bled into his body language. And now it begins...
"Would you like to tell me where you've been all bloody day?" Corvus' voice was cool, but his body language screamed 'homicidal maniac'. His eyes were flashing with rage, his arms were crossed over his chest, and his posture was incredibly rigid. Blaise and Theo pretended they didn't notice, all a part of their act. They'd rather strike when he least expected it, and they could only do so if Corvus was convinced they were neutral.
That's what made Theo a good mate, he had given Blaise looks at dinner that signaled he was aware of the change in Blaise's demeanor and knew it was something to do with Corvus. Blaise knew right then and there that he didn't have to say or explain anything to Theo, Theo would go with whatever Blaise did and said, and he'd do it effortlessly.
Sure, Theo was a clown most of the time, but he wasn't stupid and he was not one to be trifled with. Theo was the unassuming court jester that cracked jokes and made everyone laugh until he snapped and took someone out in a rage. So many housemates of theirs had underestimated Theo, even going as far as to try and bully him, and they had all learned the hard way never to fuck with Theodore Nott. The guy's father was an original Death Eater, for fuck's sake. Blaise never understood why anyone ever assumed Theo was soft. He had a dark side just like the rest of them, he just hid his a lot better. That's what made him more dangerous than Blaise or Draco - you never saw Theo coming.
"Around," Hermione countered, her voice clipped and her demeanor one of nonchalance. Blaise almost allowed a smirk to crack his mask but controlled it. He was proud of the little witch - she seemed fearless despite the fact that he knew her heart must be pounding in her ears.
Corvus seethed, and at this point the Gryffindors seemed to bristle, but they waited to see what would happen. Blaise had almost forgotten how many Gryffindors Hermione was surrounded with here. They might be dolts, but they'd protect her just as fiercely as he and Theo would. He watched the scene unfold with interest, feeling a little relieved with the knowledge that Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Ginny were in the room to keep this shite show under control - and from the looks on their faces, they weren't going anywhere until they knew Hermione was safe.
"Around?" Corvus spat, mocking her. Blaise could tell that in the man's rage, he was entirely unaware of the lot surrounding them. He definitely had tunnel vision at this point, all he could see and focus on was the object of his rage - Hermione Granger.
Hermione nodded and took another sip of her brandy, examining her nails with feigned interest.
"That's all you have to say to me, then? 'Around'? Around where? You weren't in your room, you weren't at breakfast or lunch, you weren't at any of the work sites around the castle, you weren't in the library, you weren't in the Chamber, you were a ghost today. I expected to see you and speak with you today regarding our little conversation from last night. Imagine my surprise when you're fucking missing all day!" He was shouting, but Hermione didn't flinch.
... She laughed.
"Last I checked Corvus, I am not a dog - nor do I wear a collar, harness, or leash. I am also not your property, I do not belong to you, and I don't care what you expected. If I don't want to be at breakfast or lunch, I don't have to be. If I want to be gone from the castle for the majority of the day, I will be. If I don't want to tell you where I've been, I don't need to. What I will tell you is to bugger off, and to mind your business."
Blaise thought he was going to have a fucking aneurysm. Theo was fighting very hard to keep a straight, neutral face in his seat and to maintain his indifferent demeanor. Harry's eyebrows shot up to his hairline, Ron gave a low whistle, and Ginny's mouth dropped in shock. Seamus and Dean chuckled, and Seamus excitedly shouted "you tell him, 'Mione! Us Gryffindors don't take shite from Slytherins!"
... and then Corvus went ballistic.
His eyes went glassy and his fists balled at his sides before he lunged for Seamus, being intercepted by Harry, Ron and Dean. Seamus, ever the proud Gryffindor, shot up from his seat and tried to force his way past his three housemates to get his hands on Corvus, shouting that Corvus was a tosser, and Hermione and Ginny looked panicked. Blaise and Theo shared a small nod before drawing their wands, but before they could utter a hex, a "Petrificus Totalus!" came from the hall and Corvus dropped.
During the entire exchange, start to finish, Pyxis had stayed out of the way and quiet, simply watching. The other Slytherin girls had done much of the same. However, when Draco emerged from the hallway after petrifying Corvus, she stood abruptly and made her way to him, trying to grab him by the arm to get his attention. Draco shot her a glare, shook her arm off of him as if repulsed by her touch, and settled himself next to Hermione on the couch.
"Miss me?" He asked, with his signature cocky smirk in place. Ginny giggled and Hermione shot back a smirk of her own. Blaise and Theo gave him a nod and the rest of the room muttered polite greetings. Harry looked like he was entirely confused, which honestly wasn't any different from his usual expression, so no one really worried about it.
It was when Draco kissed Hermione's temple that a commotion broke out, and Pyxis' shouting was louder than everyone else's.
"What the bloody hell is that about, Draco?!" She looked furious. Blaise fought the urge to chuckle at the woman who strung his friend along for weeks, humiliating him every chance she got, and still expected him to be at her beck and call. Silly chit.
"Pyxis, that scowl you're sporting is quite off-putting. Maybe Oliver can fix that for you. Where is Oliver, anyway? Anyone seen him since Corvus tried to attack him last night?"
"He's in his room. Didn't much feel like company after last night's unfortunate events." Ginny answered the question, shrugging. Draco nodded at her before he stood up from his seat next to Hermione and crouched over Corvus' petrified form.
"This looks oddly familiar," Harry was scowling and Draco bit back a laugh.
"Sorry about that, Potter," he winced, giving Harry a half shrug before turning back to Corvus.
"It seems this is the safer way to have a discussion with you, Corvus. I can't have you attacking any more of our roommates, not after what you did to Krum... naughty, naughty." He tsk'ed at Corvus' still form and glanced at Pyxis who was glaring at him from the seat she had retaken.
"Behave, Pyxis, or you will befall the same fate as your brother. Understand?" Her face turned bright red and she twitched. Before her silent, wandless curse could land, Hermione had thrown up a protego around Draco.
She knew the twins wouldn't play fair in a fight and had expected as much. It was a risk, she could've been too slow, but she had studied the twins and the way they acted when they were angry - and both of them had an interesting habit of twitching before they were about to do something reckless.
Draco thanked Hermione quickly with a small smile before turning back to Corvus.
"I will say this once, and only once, so listen carefully. If you ever, ever speak to or approach Granger that way again, I will put you in a body cast, and when the Headmistress comes asking questions, I'll have a solid alibi and a prior incantatum will find nothing. What you did to Krum will pale in comparison to the torture I will unleash upon you, and do not assume I would not do the same to your sister if she steps out of line. I am taking back control of Slytherin House, and I pity anyone who challenges me - including you. You will mind your tongue and your temper," he flashed a glare in Pyxis' direction so she understood he was speaking to her as well.
"And you will keep your bloody hands off of our mates. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin... I don't care. You will not engage in fisticuffs like a common peasant. I figured you out, Corvus. What Hermione said to you last night was accurate... you are acting just like him. Clean your shite up, and don't make me have this discussion with you again. In the meantime," he grinned wickedly and nodded at Blaise and Theo. "You've earned yourself a nice little time-out."
They both came over and levitated Corvus with their magic, bringing his petrified body down the hall in the boys' dorms.
"Lock him up nicely, would you? Make sure you've got his wand off him. I left anti-magic shackles in there... use them." Draco called after them.
He turned his wicked grin on Pyxis next. "Well, let's go. I don't have all night." He motioned for her to move towards the hall and when she stubbornly refused, as he expected, he glanced back at Pansy.
"Fair is fair, right Parkinson? Would you like to do the honors?" Pansy looked absolutely giddy as Pyxis snapped her head around to shoot a death glare at the girl.
"I'd be honored," Pansy hissed, pulling her wand and hitting Pyxis with her own petrificus totalis.
She and Draco levitated Pyxis to the same room at the end of the hall in the girls' dorms that she had locked Pansy in, where another pair of anti-magic shackles were waiting.
Pansy did the honors of putting the shackles on Pyxis' petrified wrists and sneered down at her before cackling and leaving the room. Draco smirked down at Pyxis, who they'd decided to leave on the floor like she had Pansy, and whispered "you can't be trusted. This will give you some time to reflect on your regrettable behavior. Don't worry, I'll make sure to tell Oliver you will not be attending the ball. Oh, and your father will be hearing about this."
When he got back to the common room, everyone was staring at him with curious eyes.
"I assume you all want an explanation?" He sat back down next to Hermione and draped his arm around her again. To his surprise, she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. Harry, Ron, Seamus and Dean's eyes were as wide as saucers and Ginny laughed.
"Relax, guys. It's fine. Really. Draco's the decent bloke in this fucked up fairy tale, and Corvus is the monster hiding under the bed."
"What the fuck is going on?" Harry shouted, throwing his arms up in frustration.
"Right, well... after Corvus tried to attack Oliver Wood last night, the poor bloke, he came to our room -" Hermione pointed at Ginny to emphasize, "- to talk to me. So we came out here, and we had a row. He knew I was cross with him, and I asked him what really happened to Viktor Krum. When he told me I went mad. Harry, he used the Imperius Curse on Krum to force him into sabotaging his own cauldron and to put his hands on the blasted thing until he was so badly burned he was hospitalized for a month. That is the full, true story, and it fucking sickened me because he sat right here in this common room and laughed and bragged about it." Harry's expression went from confusion to rage at that, and Ron looked pale next to him.
"I recall the words 'the last part of my story will cheer you up' leaving his mouth, actually." Hermione shuddered, and Draco rubbed her arm to try and comfort her as she went on. She shot him a look, confused at his affectionate behavior, and he simply shrugged.
"Well, after he told me that, he asked what he could do or say to fix things and I literally told him he could start by not acting like Tom bloody Riddle. He didn't take very kindly to that, and as always, I twisted the knife. I told him this is the kind of shite Tom Riddle had been doing before he became 'Lord Voldemort' and he snapped at me about using his bloodline against him. Then we went our separate ways. That's really the gist of it, honestly. I've been afraid all day, thinking he was going to do something to me. He glared at the back of my head the whole time we were at dinner and as Blaise and Ginny escorted me here afterward, and you just saw for yourself how he acted in here."
Harry ran his hands over his face and then ruffled his hair in his frustration. "Shite, Hermione. We need to talk to Sirius. He needs to know. He can put a stop to it, right? They'll listen to him, won't they?" He sounded as though he was trying harder to convince himself than he was trying to convince the rest of the rooms' occupants.
"Harry... you said it yourself. The Gaunts all have a history of violence and insanity, and we all know the Blacks have a history of madness. If they've literally inherited those genes from their ancestors, there will be no stopping them. Maybe they could learn and exercise self-control, but I doubt it. Don't you remember when they first got here and Corvus was so polite, charming, cordial and calm? Remember when you and Ginny compared him to young Tom Riddle from the Chamber? What if he's just like him, Harry?"
Hermione curled into Draco's side and Ginny rubbed her back, eyeing Harry with concern.
"Scarhead, if that bloody thunderbolt on your skull starts burning or something, you better tell us." Draco tried to muster up as much sarcasm as he could, but he failed. He sounded as nervous as he felt.
"Well what do we do with them now? They're quite popular here, the professors will ask questions, Sirius will ask questions, the Headmistress will ask questions... we can't just keep them shackled in separate rooms forever. Once they're not at breakfast tomorrow morning, you know Sirius will be suspicious," Hermione had a point, and Harry was trying to think.
"We can't let them out," Harry was serious, he had his 'do not argue with me' face on that Ron and Hermione were so familiar with. "We will need to pull Sirius aside and speak with him. We can't keep them locked up here forever, and even if Sirius was on board with the anti-magic shackles and kept them locked up in Grimmauld Place, we all know they could just order Kreacher to release them... and he would."
The lot of them nodded, all looking quite grim.
"My first thought was to talk to Sirius, but he's not my biggest fan after Corvus opened his big fucking mouth about the false engagement, the prick." Draco ran his hands through his platinum locks and looked down at Hermione. "You'll have to protect me from your pal." She waved him off with a small smile before looking back at Harry who was looking quite concentrated and concerned.
"I'll be the one to say it, I guess," Theo piped up out of nowhere and it made Seamus jump. "We might have another dark wizard on our hands." He looked around the room, taking in everyone's solemn and anxious expressions and decided to break the tension.
"Well Potter, if you had dreams of being anything but an Auror, perish the thought! This is 'Generation Fuck Shit Up and Eradicate Dark Wizard Scumbags'. It seems none of us will have the time to pursue normal careers or lives. Buckle up, folks! The shite never ends!" He chuckled at his own shitty joke and it worked to break the tension. It wasn't really funny, but Theo's laughter had a knack for making other people laugh.
"Another dark fucking wizard," Harry muttered under his breath. He looked up at Draco and smirked. "Snape just had to go and kill Dumbledore, so I'm the wizarding world's only hope. Good thing you're nice to me these days and we're all on the same team, yeah?"
Draco snorted and rolled his eyes at Harry. "Oh please, Potter. I have more talent in my finger than you do in your entire body, Boy-Who-Got-Lucky. Also, Dumbledore was dying anyway. I guess it all trickles down to me, then. I'll be the savior of the next war and my father will die from the shock and horror at his son doing anything good. Maybe I'll finally get my angel wings."
There was genuine laughter in the room at that, and the drinks started pouring.
"You lot reckon we drink too much?" Theo asked aloud, lifting his full glass of firewhiskey and eyeing it curiously.
"All things considered, Theo, I don't think we're drinking enough," Hermione sighed as she took a long drink from her own glass, ignoring the bewildered stares Ron and Harry were giving her.
———————————————————————-
Everyone had cleared out of the Common Room to head to bed after drinking and doing everything they could to ignore the elephant in the room. It had been just a little over a month since the war ended, and here they were - dorming with a possible dark wizard that was related to Voldemort and Sirius Black's long-lost son.
Hermione was about to head off towards the girls' dorms when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back gently. She spun around, wand in hand, ready to hex whoever grabbed her and relaxed when Draco put his hands up in mock-surrender. "Well that answers my question, then." He chuckled, backing up from her a little to give her space.
She blushed a little, embarrassed by her hyper-vigilance and pocketed her wand. "Sorry," she muttered, meeting his eyes.
He waved off her apology. "Hyper-vigilance, paranoia... I get it. I figured it'd be risky grabbing you after you've been on edge all day. I just wanted to see if you were alright."
She tilted her head at him in curiosity, trying to figure out his motives. Sure, they had sex today, and they had been friendly before that - but he was being so different today it was alarming. The affectionate displays, the concern for her feelings and well-being, risking a hex to check up on her, calling her by her first name and divulging his secrets to her in his bedroom earlier... It was so out of character for him that she wouldn't have been surprised if it was someone masquerading as him using Polyjuice Potion.
She still hadn't said anything and he felt a little awkward standing there. She was just... staring.
"Uh... Granger?"
"Oh, yes. Sorry. I was just thinking. I'm fine, Draco. Really. I'll see you in the morning?" her voice was so nonchalant it blew his mind. Did they not have sex and share secrets today?
"Yes... you will," He said it slowly, studying her as he did. No panic in her eyes, no fear, no hostility, no anger, no curiosity... nothing. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the rolled up two way parchment he had snagged back from Blaise earlier in the night after the Corvus incident.
Her eyes followed his hand and when he pulled out the rolled up parchment she quirked an eyebrow at him. He handed it to her and watched as she unrolled it, her brows furrowing when she realized it was black.
"Two-way parchment. I didn't know what to expect with Corvus tonight, and I didn't think it would go the way it did, but I was worried regardless. I was originally going to have Blaise give it to you in case Corvus was stalking you around - which he was."
She shuddered at that, remembering the awful way Corvus had stared at her for what seemed like hours and all the places he mentioned she wasn't in today. That meant he had stalked the castle today, searching for her, and he could've caught her alone if she wasn't with Draco. Apparently losing her virginity today was a life-saver. What a strange concept.
"Blaise is ridiculously sly, he would've been able to slip that to you without anyone seeing. I wanted you to have a way to contact me in case Corvus came into your room or kidnapped you or some crazy shite."
She gave him a small smile and a hug and he chuckled, holding her close to him. "Your cologne is so nice," she whispered into his shirt.
"Glad you like it, Granger," he said coolly, pulling away from her. "Well, goodnight then." He winked at her and turned to walk towards the boys' dorms.
She mumbled a goodnight to his back, but didn't call out to him or stop him. He was a little disappointed - a part of him was hoping she would. He wouldn't lie, he wanted a repeat of earlier today, and even if they didn't - he liked being in her company. He especially liked her in his bed.
"Ouch," Blaise muttered as Draco moved past him in the hall.
"What are you, some female third year? Last I checked, those were the type to stalk me, Blaise. Are you trying to tell me you fancy me, mate?" Draco was smirking, back to his usually cocky self, but Blaise wasn't fooled. He stepped in front of Draco, cutting off his path to his room.
"You should have just asked her if she wanted to come back to your room, you daft prat. The two of you are unbelievable. I could tell she wanted you to say it as badly as you wanted to." He leveled Draco with a stern look. "You two can have sex, but you can't communicate?"
"Bugger off, Blaise," Draco muttered, pushing past him again and slipping into his room.
He eyed the two way parchment on his desk and wanted so badly to write to her, but that would be absolutely desperate and pathetic, so he flopped backwards onto his bed and sighed, staring at the ceiling.
Today was... weird. He could barely even believe that he and Hermione had sex, let alone that she let him take her virginity. Sullying the Gryffindor Princess had certainly been one of his fantasies since around third year, the same as every other male Slytherin he knew, but he never thought it would actually happen. On top of that, even more haunting was the fact that he really enjoyed it. Not because he was sullying Gryffindor's Princess, no. It was because it was genuinely phenomenal sex. She felt amazing, had a gorgeous little body, and the sounds and faces she made during sex where mesmerizing. He hadn't even kicked her out of bed. No, he had tucked her in and cuddled with her.
"Bloody fucking hell, I've lost it. I've gone completely soft," he muttered.
He was actually concerned about her feelings, her well-being, her safety... he wanted to be there for her tonight if Corvus tried to pull something, and he was glad that he had been there, even if Corvus' attack was aimed at Seamus and not Hermione. He remembered kissing her temple on the couch and rubbing her arm. He was attempting to comfort her, something way out of his comfort zone, but hadn't she done the same for him? She had seen him cry. He had actually curled into her and cried into her shirt, and she didn't tease him or laugh - she had comforted him and promised to be there for him and had never brought it up again.
Maybe it was just aftershocks of the war. It was still fresh and raw for all of them, and it had changed all of them, but could a war be responsible for him trusting and caring about Hermione Granger? He told her things today, some of his deepest, darkest secrets. Old Draco would've panicked about that and proceeded to threaten her into keeping her mouth shut, maybe shook her up a little. But now? He knew she'd never say a word to anyone else. Apparently it didn't matter, since the Weaselette had said what she did about the looks she noticed between them all those years. Leave it to the bloody Weaselette to blast that all over the place...
He sat up when he thought he heard a scratching noise in his room. "If that fucking Kneazle is in my room, I swear to Merlin..." He followed the scratching sound to his desk and damn near stumbled in shock when he saw a message on his two way parchment. He scrambled to seat himself in his desk chair and grabbed the parchment, reading the message carefully. Her writing is like bloody chicken scratch.
"Just wanted to say thank you."
Thank you? For what? His face scrunched up in confusion. He opened his ink well, dipped his quill in it, and tried to think of something clever to reply with.
"For being devilishly handsome, for my 'sinful' fringe, for my incomparable wit and cleverness, for my perfect physique, or for my luscious locks?"
He smirked as he waited for her response. Knowing Granger, it would be something snarky. He was looking forward to it.
"You're an egotistical prat and I loathe you.I'm thanking you for... well, for being kind to me today."
He barked a laugh and shook his head.
"You loathe me? My rumpled sheets disagree, Granger. As far as being nice goes - well, fair is fair, isn't it?"
He looked back at his still-rumpled sheets and muttered a quick scourgify to clean them and used his wand to make the bed back up. He was sad to see the evidence go, but cleanliness was important.
"You're such a prat. You'll never let me live that down, will you? 15 years from now our children will bump into each other as they're doing their school shopping and I can imagine your equally prattish, platinum blonde son eyeing my child with disdain and saying 'my dad shagged your mum, you know. He says to give her his regards.'"
He really laughed at that one, shaking his head. He remembered that awful day at Flourish Blotts when they were kids - when his father had put Tom Riddle's diary in Ginny's cauldron. Merlin, I was such a fucking prick back then. And then there was my dad, with his ridiculously long hair, intimidating children. No wonder I'm so fucked up.
"Say that to my face, Granger."
"You just want to shag me again, Draco. I'm not stupid."
"I know."
"No way. Just wanted to say thank you for today... especially for being patient with me earlier when... you know. Goodnight, Draco."
"Get. Your. Delicious. Firm. Tight. Little. Arse. Over. Here. Now."
"Go to bed, you horny sod."
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"Because it's cold in the dungeons, in case you haven't noticed, and I may die of hypothermia. I need your body heat."
"You're ridiculous."
"You love it."
"Oh, someone's feeling quite confident today - using such dangerous words."
"I'll show you dangerous."
"Who says I want to see?"
"I do... and so do the claw marks you left on my back."
"Wanker."
"I will be if you keep refusing to see me."
"Clever, clever. What if I'm already in bed about to fall asleep?"
"We both know you aren't."
"I could be."
"What are you wearing?"
"Malfoy! What the fuck."
"Back to my surname again? I like this game. I like getting you all flustered and angry."
"I'm going to bed."
"Fine, Granger. Your loss. I'll be over here - naked.
You'll be over there, damp between your thighs, thinking of me as you attempt to sleep.
I wish you luck, gorgeous.
Regards,
The Sexiest Prat in Slytherin - and all of Hogwarts, really."
He huffed and stood from his desk, almost regretting the two-way parchment. He was trying to entice and frustrate Granger, not himself! He looked down at the erection straining against his boxers and sighed. "Fuck," he muttered, sliding off his boxers and climbing into his bed. He knew if he didn't get rid of this erection, he'd have blue balls until the bloody cows came home, but he was so tired of wanking. He had gone so long without sex and it was damn near killing him. Today with Granger had been a blessing. He knew today was a lucky fluke, and she probably wouldn't shag him ever again, but a man could dream.
Thinking of her was probably the worst thing he could do in his current... predicament. He looked down at his straining cock and rubbed his hands down his face before he gave in, defeated, and reached down to grip it in his right hand, slowly stroking it from the head to the base of his shaft before wrapping his hand around it and squeezing. He brushed the pad of his thumb over the head, collecting the beads of fluid already leaking from it, and coated himself with them for some lubrication. He had begun pumping his hand up and down his shaft, his eyes screwed shut and his head back on his pillows, when a knock sounded on his door.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," he growled, pulling on his boxers and his trousers from earlier today, carefully tucking his erection under his waistband in an effort to hide it. If he was the kind of man to do so, he would've screamed. He made his way to the door, rage written all over his face, until he opened it and saw who stood there.
"Merlin," he breathed, taking in the sight of Granger in just a lacy red bra and a pair of matching knickers. He looked to the floor and saw her red robe pooled around her feet and trailed his gaze slowly back up her form, finally reaching her eyes.
"What..."
She smirked at him and sauntered into his room, carrying her robe with her. She moved slowly and draped her robe neatly over his desk chair, then settled herself down on his bed, staring at him expectantly.
"Well? Weren't you the one that demanded I get my arse over here?" As she challenged him, he suddenly understood what she meant that day by 'sinful'. Sinful was Hermione Granger in a red, lacy bra and knickers, laying on his bed and challenging him to come and get her.
"Look who's feeling confident now," he drawled, slowly making his way over to her. "Fuck, Granger. What are you doing?" He trailed his fingertips from her cheek down to the curves of her breasts, over them and down her flat, toned tummy until he reached the waistline of her knickers. He sucked in a breath and leaned down, trailing his tongue from the dip in her cleavage to the spot between her jaw and her ear. He bit down lightly and she moaned.
He quickly took his trousers and boxers off,
carefully climbing on top of her. He didn't move to take her bra and knickers off yet, as impatient and horny as he was a moment ago - he wanted to drag this out. He wanted to memorize her curves and her freckles, her rosy cheeks, her curls splayed across his pillows, the way her long, smooth legs wrapped around him.
"Seducing you. Centuries-old tradition of muggle women and witches alike," she answered matter-of-factly, and he rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Granger."
He held himself up over her with his elbows on either side of her, delighting in the feel of her delicate body pressed against his. He looked into her amber eyes and saw the desire in them and it made his cock twitch against her. She responded with another moan, bucking her hips and grinding herself against him. He closed his eyes, willing himself to control his urges for a while longer. She threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling his face closer to hers until their lips connected. He cradled the back of her head with one hand and slid the other around her to rest against her lower back, careful not to crush her with his weight. He slipped his tongue past her parted lips and tasted her, groaning as he did. He lavished her tongue with his own before he pulled away, biting her lightly on her lower lip and looking back into her eyes.
"Are you certain, Granger? This morning was very... spontaneous. If you're doing this because you feel obligated, or because of the whiskey, I won't do it. I might be a prat but I'm not a monster." His voice was soft, and it made her shiver a little. She really liked this side of Draco. She liked what he did to her body even better, though.
She giggled and nodded, trying to pull his head back down with her hands but he stopped her. He grabbed her by her wrists and pulled her up to kneel in front of him. "I need you to be absolutely certain, Granger. This does not mean we are an item, or that we will be. It doesn't mean this will ever go public, or that I'll remain exclusive to you. I don't want you to do this if you believe it is the start of something more. I can't promise or guarantee you that." He felt like a real prick as soon as the words left his mouth, but he had to tell her the truth. He had way too much shite on his plate right now - they all did - to focus on her, on a relationship with her, or to commit to her.
He saw the flash of hurt in her eyes and wanted to kick himself. He got up, quickly slipped his boxers back on, and sat himself at his desk with his head in his hands.
She was already up, viciously tugging her robe from the chair he was sitting on, knocking him forward as she did so. He grabbed her wrist to stop her and she whipped around, glaring at him. "Let go," she whispered, her voice dangerously low and laced with venom.
He ignored her demand and pulled her into his lap, holding her firmly against him as she wriggled and struggled to get free. After a few minutes of this, he lost his patience. "Enough!" he barked, and she stopped.
"Listen to me. I meant what I said earlier today. Look at me, Granger," She was stubbornly staring anywhere but at him with her head turned. He put his two fingers under her chin and gently turned her head towards him so he could look at her as he spoke... and wished he hadn't. "Why are you crying, Granger?"
"What do you care, Malfoy?" She spat. This time, the surname wasn't entertaining. It was cold, and he didn't like it.
"I do, Granger." He was whispering, hating himself for the vulnerability he was going to be displaying... again.
She scoffed and looked away from him and he felt a few drops of wetness on his arms. He sighed.
"You can take my virginity - you can shag me TWICE - demand I come to your room for this, and then you give me that rubbish? What am I to you, Draco, a bloody joke? I knew it was all a bloody act this morning and again in the Common Room. The affectionate bullshite and your stories. Probably just for Pyxis' benefit, I bet!" She was seething and he flinched at her words, hating that she was misreading everything, but he understood. He didn't necessarily give her a reason to believe or think otherwise.
"Hermione. You're not a joke. This morning wasn't bullshite. The common room wasn't bullshite. All of it wasn't for anyone but you. That's the point I'm trying to make. What happened tonight wasn't too serious, but it could be one day. Petrifying the twins and locking them up, especially for as long as I plan to, is going to have dangerous consequences. We already know Corvus was stalking through the castle trying to literally hunt you down today. I'm trying to keep you safe, Hermione. It doesn't mean I don't want you. When the twins get loose, they're coming for me. Corvus is already livid with you. I can't protect you if I make you a proper bullseye for both of them. Are you understanding what I'm trying to tell you?" He ran a hand through his hair, comfortable with releasing her from his death-grip since she had stopped struggling against him.
"I don't need anyone to protect me, Draco. You said it yourself, I'm a war heroine. I went up against much worse than the twins. Fenrir Greyback, for instance, is much more fucking frightening." Her tone was like ice as she eyed him with a fierceness he hadn't seen since the war. Good, he thought. They will not get the upper hand on her, they won't scare her. She's ready for whatever comes of this.
He gave her a small smile and stroked her cheek with his thumb, wiping her tears away. "None of us have gone up against a set of twins with abilities like theirs - and they're very well versed with dark magic. We can't be cocky with them, and we can't be too careful. We don't know if Corvus is the next Voldemort or not, but we need to be careful. If I go around with you, publicly, and I get too attached to you - they will use you against me, and you'll get hurt. I don't want that for you." He leaned up to kiss her but she put her fingers to his mouth and stopped him. He frowned, but he backed off.
"What you really mean is you don't want to risk getting hurt yourself." She said, glaring at him. "You wouldn't want to get attached to me because you are afraid of being hurt. You and I both know that worrying about me versus Corvus and/or Pyxis is silly. I may not be as advanced with wandless and nonverbal magic, but I'm experienced with dark magic and with shady, dark, evil fucking wizards. I'm not too concerned. Was I not the one that shielded you from her attack tonight? I knew it was coming. You Slytherins claim you're so cunning and smart, but you all missed her telltale sign - they both twitch before they attack, whether physically or with their magic. Her right hand had twitched and I knew she was about to pull something shady."
He nodded, storing that little tip in the back of his mind for future reference, and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Granger, why the hell would you want anything to do with me anyway?" He leaned back in the chair and she turned herself around to face him - effectively straddling him. He pictured Snape in his mind to stop the blood that was currently rushing to his cock in response to her current position and took a deep breath to calm himself.
"I don't know, Draco. I'm not in love with you either, you know," she teased him, giving him a small smirk that he returned. "I'm lonely, for one thing. I'm sad. I don't know where I'll go or what I'll do for the holidays, summers, or when we graduate. It's not like I can go back to my parents' house. It's more like a mausoleum than a bloody home these days, anyway..." She fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes and sniffled before pressing on. "I know that all sounds terrible, but there's more. You're handsome, you're intelligent, you're witty, clever, and funny. You've been making me laugh these past few weeks when deep down inside I feel like dying every day. We're both marked on our left arms from the war," she gave a watery laugh as she tugged up the sleeve of her robe and brandished her MUDBLOOD scar. He reached his left arm out and put it next to hers, mimicking what she did that day in the corridor that meant so much, and changed everything. He leaned down and kissed each letter on her scar, frowning at how pronounced it still was.
He looked back up to her and didn't say anything, knowing she needed to get some shite off of her chest now. After all, she had done the same for him this morning.
"I had told Corvus I wanted to be with him because I liked who I was when I was with him," she whispered, her cheeks flushing. "I was wrong. I thought Corvus was the reason for my smiles, my laughter, my confidence... but it was you. The day that I did this," she motioned to their marred arms with her fingers, "was just as healing for me as it was for you. I noticed that I was only ever at peace around you. I can see now why I thought it was Corvus - he was always around, sure. That day in the corridor when I compared our marks, it was just me and you, and I had been calmer at that moment than I had been in ages. Since before the war, and before the Horcrux hunt. I realized today that when I was in that empty corridor with Corvus and had rejected him the first time, I wasn't happy there with him. I was panicking. I walked down that corridor and all of a sudden I was back in the war - everyone was screaming and dying again, spells and curses were flying over my head, and I was watching it. I realized that I only chased him after he walked away because I was scared to be alone at that moment. Did I get giddy when he looked at me, touched me, flirted with me and kissed me? Sure. He's a good looking guy, who wouldn't? As you said that night about the Yule Ball... men don't notice me." Draco opened his mouth to interject and she shook her head, silencing him.
"Don't, Draco. It's the truth, and it's okay." He looked absolutely miserable, but he stayed quiet. "I felt safe with you today. So safe. I was terrified when I was at the Great Hall, when Blaise and Ginny walked me back to the common room, and then in the Common Room before you showed up. Even though Harry and Ron were there, I knew they didn't understand the situation and what was happening, and the only thing that got me through it with a straight face and a straight spine were your words reverberating in my head. I'm not at war anymore when I'm around you. I'm just Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of our age, the war heroine that says 'fuck' a lot and drinks like a pirate and doesn't give a shite what anyone says or thinks." They both chuckled at that, and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Before I came back here, I was having panic attacks like you did yesterday morning all the time. I had alienated myself from everyone, smashed everything in my empty childhood home and spent my nights crying there, I was lonely and angry and I couldn't understand why I got to live when so many others didn't. I was off running around and chasing Horcruxes with Harry and Ron, more safe doing that than the students stuck here with the Carrows were. While everyone else was out in the open in this castle and on its grounds - fighting Giants, Dementors, Death Eaters, creatures of all kinds, and Fenrir Greyback was ripping Lavender Brown's throat out -" she sobbed and crumpled in his lap, and he frowned as he felt her tears soaking into his skin. "- I was running around in the Chamber of Secrets and the bloody Room of Requirement, away from most of it."
"Granger... None of that is your fault. Fenrir Greyback was always a rabid animal who would have done those things whether Voldemort existed or not. You, Scarhead, and the Weasel did the most important parts! If you hadn't destroyed those Horcruxes, everyone would be dead. All of us. And that sick, ugly fucking twat would just keep coming back and keep eradicating people until there was no magical blood left. You did not kill all those innocent people. Voldemort and his piece of shite little cultists did, my bastard of a father included." He wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
Typical Granger, the bleeding heart of Gryffindor, holding all of this inside and letting it fester - not wanting to burden anyone with her pain. He never understood why she did these things over and over again. Sure, Weaselbee was daft, rude and selfish - he could understand why she'd never confide in him. Scarhead was always off on suicidal missions trying to take down Voldemort and save the world, so he could understand that too. Those weren't the only friends she had. All the students in her house loved her, or at least respected her. She had Ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Luna, and so many other people that cared about her, yet she let her emotions fester and eat her alive.
"What I'm trying to say is," she sniffled into his shoulder and didn't lift her head. "It's all better when I'm around you. I know you aren't doing it intentionally, but the friendly banter helps. The weird flirting helps. Your distractions help, whether it's you strutting into the common room and asking who missed you," she laughed, "Or talking over everyone in the room because you have to be the center of attention, or shooting me winks and smirks across the room, or wearing a t-shirt because you aren't afraid to show your Mark anymore, or your fucking fringe... you make it better."
He scoffed. "Pardon me, I believe the term was 'sinful'. Apologize, Granger. You've deeply wounded my pride." He was smirking at her when she lifted her tear-stained face to his and he wiped her tears away, carefully, and kissed her forehead. "You're right. My apologies," She teased, sticking her tongue out.
"Now tell me it's sinful."
"Yes, Draco, your fringe is sinful."
"Right. Glad we've got that settled. Continue," He was back to his usual arrogant, pratty self and she found it strangely comforting.
"I like you, Draco, because I feel a connection towards you. We're both permanently, physically maimed from our traumas. We understand each other without having to speak. I knew why you had that panic attack yesterday morning, and I knew it had nothing to do with Pyxis and everything to do with Teddy. I know that because I felt it too. We're both damaged, and we both seek each other out for comfort - intentionally or not. We're both fucked up in similar ways and we are both the type to never, ever voice our emotions and to just burden ourselves until we explode. And..." she frowned, her voice softening. "We're both afraid we're too fucking damaged to ever, ever love or be loved again. Every single day is lonely, and we yearn for the company of another, but we're both afraid we're too tainted with trauma to be deserving of anyone's company, so we put on our brave faces and act like nothing's wrong and suffer alone while everyone else is asleep at night."
Her words hit him like a throat punch and his mouth went dry. It's as if she had read his mind. Almost as if she tapped her wand against his skull and used Legilimens. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. He always figured he was the only person battling feelings of unworthiness and loneliness, scared he'd die alone because no one would ever want him after the fucking failure he turned out to be. He supposed that may be part of the reason he backed out of the competition for Granger and went for Pyxis. Pyxis, as far as he was concerned, was a sure companion whether she liked it or not - because Corvus would make it so. Hermione... well. She was part of the Golden Trio, The Brightest Witch of Their Age, a war heroine - so loved and well respected. She would never, ever give him the time of day. He'd never be good enough for someone like her.
Yet here she was, in his lap, crying and telling him she has... feelings? Could he even call it that? What would this be considered as? He didn't want to get his hopes up, didn't want to allow himself to believe that not only was his company craved by someone, but that someone was Hermione Granger. He couldn't allow himself to believe that she, of all people, would harbor feelings for him. It just wasn't possible. This must just be anxiety and depression pent up from the war. This just wasn't something that would ever happen in his life. That would be too good, and things hadn't been good for Draco in a long time.
"Say it," he whispered, his own mouth betraying his mind.
She furrowed her brows and studied his face, trying to piece together what he was asking of her.
"Say it, Hermione." His eyes were pleading, and he pulled her closer to him, tugging her robe off of her shoulder so he could press soft kisses to her neck and along her shoulder. She sighed, tilting her head back and let him do as he pleased - she loved the way his mouth felt on her. She couldn't be more thankful she hadn't done anything besides kissing with Corvus. She'd rather not have evil taint her more than it already had, anyway.
"What do you want me to say, Draco?" she breathed.
"The very sentence that is suffocating us both," he muttered, gripping onto her robe as if she'd disappear if he let go.
"But, Draco... you said -"
"FUCK what I said, Hermione!" He hissed, wrapping a hand behind her neck. "I need you to say it."
She opened her eyes and leaned forward, too afraid to look into his eyes. "I can't," she whispered.
He grabbed her by the wrists and crashed his lips into hers, giving her a passionate and fiery kiss that stole her very breath from her. His hands tangled themselves in her curls and she had her hands clasped behind his neck, pressing herself as close as she could to him. He carefully stood from his desk chair, gripping her tight by her arse to hold her up as he walked them across the room, not once breaking their kiss, and gently pressed her down into his mattress. He broke off their kiss to catch his breath and looked down at her. Even with her swollen, red rimmed eyes, tear stained cheeks, and her lips bruised from his kisses, she was still absolutely gorgeous to him. He looked her in the eye as he loomed over her and whispered it once more, "say it."
She buried her fingers in his hair, pulling his head down next to hers so her mouth was next to his ear, and she whispered, "I need you."
He pulled his head up and flipped them over so he was on his back and she was on top of him. He pulled her face down to his and kissed her again, groaning into her mouth when he felt her slip her robe off, and fisted his hands in her hair. She pulled away from him and took a moment to drink him in, just as he had done to her earlier. "I need you," he murmured. She smiled at him, and tapped his nose with her finger. "Don't tell me shite about protecting me, Draco. We are going to be an item, we're going to be exclusive, it's going to be public, and I don't want to hear a damn word about it," She crossed her arms and he chuckled.
"So you'll be my date to the ball, then? I'd love to get you in something... green."
"I'll go to the ball with you, but I'm not wearing bloody Green. I've spent more than enough time in the snake pit with all of you snakes, I'm wearing red. Deal with it."
"Silver."
"Gold."
"Black."
"Rainbow."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"I guess you'll just have to wait and see for yourself."
"On the contrary, love, Blaise made me aware of his cute little plan to pay for yours' and Ginny's shopping. I'll just have to meet with him tomorrow and discuss where he and I will be taking you both shopping. Not only do I get a hand in picking out your dress, but I get to watch you try on several different ones - all for my entertainment. I will tell you a thousand times I don't like whatever you show me, just to see you come out in another."
"You're such a prat, Malfoy."
"Mmm, say that again. The nostalgia is a bloody aphrodisiac."
"Shut up, you foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach."
He grinned at that and pulled her down to him, ridding them of the rest of their clothes as he devoured her mouth with his, making a mental note to do this as much as possible while he had the chance - before Corvus killed him, of course.
