Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

About Damn Time

"Can I kiss you?" he whispered and leaned in. He hovered just above her lips, a gentle tilt in any direction and their lips would have met. He watched as she blushed furiously and felt the hand that was over his heart clench at the fabric of his shirt. This was his test almost every time they had this conversation.

"That isn't fair," she growled at him. He shivered as the hot air she released ghosted over his lips. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Proves my point," he said grinning meeting her eyes with amusement. She took a step back but kept her grip on his shirt her other hand slid up to rest on his neck. He encircled her in his arms and sighed contently.

"Can you really wait forever Draco?" she asked sighing in defeat watching him intently as he nodded and pulled her head so that she was nestled into his neck.

"I won't get jealous anymore. You can flirt with whoever you want or date whoever," he said weakly.

"I want to date you," she sighed.

"It's settled then,"

"What is?"

"I'm going to the Burrow for Christmas," he squeezed her lightly against his chest loving the feeling of her warm body pressed against his.

He could tell she was happy with the news but at the same time a small frown pulled at her lips.

"What's wrong?"

"Aren't you worried?"

He could lie and say that he didn't care about the Weasley's reactions but in all honesty he was terrified. His father had made any relationship with this family nearly impossible. The exception being Ginny that is, but she hadn't trusted him right away either. He was worried, worried that they would destroy their relationship that they had with Hermione because he was showing up there with obvious affections for her. He knew they would yell and scream and even possibly threaten and he was worried, worried that he would destroy her relationship with the Wizarding family that she loved and saw as her own. He knew he couldn't lie to Hermione though; it would be something that would backfire on him and after having just made up with her he would rather avoid anything that would cause tension between them.

"Yes I am," he said smoothly proud that his voice came out calm and clear. He didn't have to tell her the exact reason why he was worried. He could let her think it was about himself that he was worried about.

She was eyeing him with what looked like admiration.

"You're an idiot," she whispered before she playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"I'm not an idiot," he glowered, "I'm merely taking precautionary measures."

"Precautionary measures?" she mocked. "And what would those be?"

"Making sure that git can't steal you away with his flattery and stupid words over Christmas break," he bit his words out harshly showing he was still smarting over the past few days. Although he had promised not to be jealous it was still hard to see her with Ron. Most likely because he was his biggest threat, someone that could take her away and she wouldn't even cast him a backwards glance.

"Draco…"

"I know I know, nothing to worry about," he flashed a smile hoping to disarm her while squeezing her hand. "I just don't know if I can compete with him," he laughed trying to keep his tone easy.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if he actually tried he'd have you whisked away before you could say Quidditch and you won't even spare me a backwards glance," he figured that was the truth of the matter. That was why his stomach had been in knots for the days that they hadn't been speaking to each other. The worst three days of his entire life had been to sit there and watch Hermione flirt with Ron unashamedly.

"Honestly Draco, you're an idiot," she hissed.

"What?"

"If that was the case I wouldn't be here right now," she snapped stomping her foot angrily on the ground. It was rather comical to see Hermione Granger stomp her foot like an angry toddler but at the same time it was rather intimidating.

"I know Herms. Just seeing you with him… you looked so happy and complete. I haven't seen you look like that since before the war," he said softly averting his gaze so that he wouldn't have to meet her gaze. "It makes me think that I should step to the side lines again," he wanted to laugh to ease the mood but this situation was not something that could be lightened no matter what was said or done. He was debating about giving up on pursuing her, it would be easier for her since she looked so happy with Ron.

"You're incredibly thick when you want to be. Honestly Draco I think you might even be as bad as Ron," even with the frustration in her voice it was clear that she was joking and surprisingly it did lighten the mood a little. He offered her a small smile.

"What can I say? I'm a guy."

Hermione didn't say anything for several minutes and for a moment Draco was worried that he had said something wrong. She bit her lip before her gaze locked with his a small blush creeping unto her face. He loved when she blushed when she was deep in thought, lost in her own world, it was adorable. He kept silent waiting for her to respond and suddenly he was aware of just how close she was. He was aware of a look in her eyes he had never seen before, and suddenly she was leaning forward and had her lips pressed against his.

He froze. Everything was frozen. His brain, his body, even his heart, everything was frozen. Moments ago he had asked to kiss her, and moments ago she had denied him. What the hell is going on? His mind screamed awaking him from his frozen state. His lips still refused to move but he felt his arms winding and twisting themselves along her back, trapping her to his body. Her lips brushed against his, again and again trying to entice a reaction from him. It felt like velvet was being caressed against his lips.

"Kiss me back," she demanded in between her relentless attack on his lips.

That was all it took for him to realize that this was actually happening, that Hermione was kissing him. She was kissing him all on her own, without any provocation from him. He felt a grin spread unto his face before he could stop it. He kissed her back tentatively, trying to gage her reaction. She kissed him back greedily taking what he offered and trying to deepen the kiss. His laughter was muffled against her lips as he continued to kiss her lightly not giving into her advances. Keeping the kiss light he moved so that her back was against the wall, and ever so slowly began to move his hand so that it was tugging gently on the fabric of her shirt. With a quick tug the fabric moved up slightly, he took advantage of the exposed skin and began to use the pad of his thumb to rub in a circle along her side. Her skin was just as soft as her lips and he found his mouth beginning to water. She whimpered against his lips.

"About damn time you two finally snogged. I swear all that tension between you two was driving me insane."

The couple disentangled themselves but Draco made sure to keep his arm wrapped around her. He watched amused as Hermione was blushing and stuttering over her words trying to explain.

"Right well… Harry… I have been meaning …"

Harry held up a hand silencing her. A wicked grin was spread along his face.

"Don't worry about it. Like I said about damn time," he turned and began striding down the hallway. "Breakfast will be over in a minute you guys want to go somewhere more private," he winked before disappearing down the hall way. Ginny's giggle could be heard echoing back to them.

"Right more privacy," he said for himself more than for her. He grabbed her hand and led her down to the main doors, throwing them open with ease. He didn't say a word as he continued to pull her down the slopes until finally they were at the lake's crest. He turned and faced her then.

"You lost," he grinned. After months and months of being teased he was glad that he could say that he hadn't given in to all those damn moments. She nodded her head in admittance, trying and failing to look bashful for her deed. They both knew they had waited long enough for this moment.

"Will you ask me out now?" she said. Her voice was deadly calm.

"Do I have to?" he joked, his voice groaning as if he dreaded it. She shot him a smirk before standing closer to him. Her chin tilted up so that her large brown eyes pierced him with their full affect. Pleading and gentle just wanting to get over this stage where they weren't sure where they stood they implored him without any further words. How could he say no to that? He scoffed and puffed out his chest dramatically, earning a small chuckle from her.

"Besides I thought you only kissed boys you were dating, ergo we're dating," he smiled but not unkindly watching as her eyes sparkled with amusement.

"So you wanted me to ask you out all along."

"You caught me."

That had indeed been his plan. That was how he knew she was ready. If she wouldn't kiss him then she wasn't over Ron yet, and that meant that they couldn't get involved. Not because that Draco cared about Ron's stupid feelings but because he didn't want to be second in her heart. He knew that the moment she kissed him that he would at least be at the same standing Ron was.

"I'm just surprised that you didn't figure it out sooner," he admitted to her. She shrugged her shoulders in indifference.

"I might've. Maybe I was just playing fairly," her nonchalance brought back heavy reminders from their fight. He felt himself taking a deep breath.

"We need to talk that out," he said quietly. He didn't like the fact that maybe she was just playing with him but he needed to know what was going on. He had thought he knew her, he was in love with her, but if she could be so careless with someone's emotions… he shuttered. He prayed to the founder's of this school that that wasn't the case. It couldn't be.

"I was using Ron to make you jealous," she admitted. "I need to apologize to him and set things straight."

"I know that much," he wanted to know if this went any further if she still had feelings for Ron and was leading him on. The fate of their Christmas vacation rested on this.

"Do you remember on Halloween when I confessed you were my best friend and that I couldn't live without you?" he nodded in reply keeping his peace until she got to her point. "And then later that night I told you I loved you even though you told me not to. I was serious then," she paused and took a deep breath. "I know that you have your doubts because you were the one to help me get over Ron, but you aren't a rebound Draco. On Halloween when we just danced under the moon, I felt… complete. And that is something I haven't felt with anyone else, and when I confessed you were my best friend I wanted to say more but I was worried, plus I had Dean waiting. I was going to tell you after my date that I love you and I just want to be with you. And then you disappeared and when I found you, you looked like a ghost, and your eyes… You seemed to have an epiphany and I didn't want to take that away from you… and then you told me you loved me… Draco I've never been happier than I was on Halloween night," she smiled and paused her eyes going over the lake as if she was remembering that night.

"And all this teasing has been driving me crazy. Remember that one time after Potions?" she laughed and they both paused remembering the moment.

()()()()()()()

"Hormone Amplifier. For couples whose sex lives have fizzled out," Draco read the label carefully and laughed before handing the bottle to Hermione to inspect.

"What do you think Slughorn has been up to?"

They both laughed loudly at the thought.

"Don't be a perv Draco, this is for learning purposes I'm sure," Hermione said matter-of-factly placing the bottle back where it belonged on the dungeon shelf. Her shirt slid up revealing part of her toned stomach to Draco. He let his eyes bore into her and her neck flushed as if it could feel his gaze.

"Then maybe we should use it for some 'learning purposes,'" he purred and took a step closer to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her so that she was fitted to his chest. He smirked down at her shocked expression before he moved his head so that it was merely an inch from her.

"Can I kiss you?" he breathed moving his head so that his breath grazed along her exposed neck. He was delighted to see goose bumps rise along her skin. He remembered Halloween and how she had kissed him everywhere but his lips and smirked to himself. He lowered his head to allow his tongue to trace patterns on her skin, taking a nip at skin here and there.

"Mmmm," was all Hermione was able to get out. This is it, he thought to himself, Hermione's going to crack.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, I believe I have dismissed class," came a curt reply from back in the storage room. Both teens jumped apart and blushed furiously before hurriedly exiting the room.

()()()()()()()()

"I thought for sure you would have caved then," he laughed at the memory. It had only been a few short weeks ago.

"I almost did," she said quietly a blush staining her face, the blush that was always staining her face and was one of her most adorable assets. "That is besides my point though," she took a deep breath as if bracing herself.

"I am in love with you. I'm happy with you. I don't want to date other people. I can't really even look at Ron as an Ex-Boyfriend any more I just see him as Ron a friend, not even a guy. Those days we were fighting… I couldn't eat or sleep. I couldn't even think straight," her eyes began to water slightly. Draco cursed himself under his breath, how could he have caused her so much distress and think she was enjoying the time she spent with Ron. "I'm not trying to play you," she finished lamely letting a few tears escape her hold as she lowered her eyes.

"Herms stop crying right this instant," he growled and pulled her into a hug. That was the nice thing about hugs, they were like boomerangs, once you gave one you were sure to get one back. He took a deep breath preparing himself to confess his feelings once again.

"Look Draco I know you are crazy about me," she smiled up at him and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. "You don't have to rant again."

He appreciated the offer but one thing he knew about Hermione was that some things that even if she knew she liked to hear anyways.

"I love you," he said kissing her again. Once he had this taste of her he wasn't sure if he'd be able to stop. Her lips were like a magnet and he couldn't force himself to stop, not that he wanted to…

"Will you go out with me?" he whispered against her lips as they pulled apart for air. Even if they both knew that her kissing him was what he officially granted as dating he knew that she wanted him to ask her still.

"Yes," she said grinning widely. Her stomach growled loudly at the two of them. He was reminded that they had just made up and she probably hadn't eaten in a few days. He frowned before kissing her again leading her to Hagrid's cabin.

"Let's see if I can whip up something edible for you,"

"I'm sure whatever you make will be better than what Hagrid makes," she said with a laugh.

"Let's hope so," he laughed with her feeling better than he had in days.

When they reached the cabin he sat her down on the bed and began to whisk around the cabin pulling out random ingredients. With a flick of his wand the fireplace roared to life, and he placed the pot over it.

"What are you making?"

"Dobby soup," he smiled. He saw her eyes widen in shock but she didn't question him. He learned to make this soup just before Harry had freed him. He had loved that house elf, he had been one of the few that he had actually liked at the Malfoy manner. But he knew that the elf was better off not living at his place, it was too dreary for a happy elf like that. Not that he would ever admit this out loud. This was something that he would probably always keep to himself just because it was the only thing that him and Dobby knew. It would forever be just their secret and it was something to hold on to him by.

He poured her a steaming bowl and sat back watching eagerly as she took a sip.

"This… is… bloody awful," she laughed but greedily drank the rest of it anyways. He laughed not letting her insult get the best of him because she was obviously enjoying it. He smiled when just a tiny smidge rested on her lips.

"Can I have a taste?" he asked licking his lips hungrily.

"It's all gone?" she said confused.

He leaned forward and stole a kiss, running his tongue along her mouth to taste the last of the soup. It tasted fine to him.

"'Bout damn time," they jumped as Hagrid strode into the room beaming. The half giant grinned and patted Draco on the back in congratulations in a friendly gesture but Draco felt his very bones rattling.

The three of them chatted in the cabin happily as Fang went back and forth between them. The sun was beginning to get low when Hermione's stomach growled loudly again.

"I'm going to take Herms back to the castle to get some food," Draco said easily dismissing Hagrid's rock cakes with a gentle smile.

"Treat her right ferret," Hagrid growled but he winked and his eyes twinkled with admiration.

The walk to the castle was slow because every few feet Draco found himself stealing a kiss from Hermione. When they finally made it to the castle Hermione's face was thoroughly flushed and Draco's eyes were glazed over. They ate together at the Gryffindor table, hands unashamedly entangled.

"About time Malfoy," Dean said clapping him on the back as he walked by. Others were nodding in approval. Still there were the select few that were whispering behind covered hands, and staring pointedly at them but at the moment he could care less. Hermione was officially going out with him. That's all that mattered.

Bellies full and both enjoying their being made up they took a long route to the Gryffindor tower. They even went as far as stopping at the library before being kicked out for talking too loudly.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day you'd get kicked out of a library," he laughed as they strode down the hall.

"Yes well I'm just so happy right now I couldn't shut up," the smile that hadn't left her lips from this afternoon grew if at all possible larger.

The day had moved impossibly fast as he heard the bell strike 11. Curfew was over.

He sighed as they stopped outside the Gryffindor's Portrait.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked. He knew it was obvious but at the same time he just wanted to stall a moment longer.

She kissed him in reply and he found himself sighing and leaning into her. His arms wrapped around her side in what was now its customary resting place. He pressed forward until…

"Stop snogging and get in here," Ginny said laughing as she grabbed Hermione and pulled her threw the portrait before the new couple had time to say goodbye.

"Yeah yeah, you'll miss her until the sun rises and you can see her again. Get lost Draco," the fiery teen winked before moving to close the portrait. "Oh and don't forget to pack for the Burrow," she reminded him. Like he needed reminding he still had two weeks. He was about to retort when the portrait swing to a full close leaving only the fat lady glaring at him.

"You know not everyone appreciates P.D.A," she snapped.

"Don't get your knicker's in a twist just because you haven't gotten laid in who-knows-how-long," he growled before stalking off. That wasn't the way he wanted to leave Hermione but at the same time… it was about damn time they finally kissed.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I am loving writing this story it's so much fun. I am debating on making Ron do something extremely rash. He has been pretty mellow and low key in this story. It's not that I don't like him. I just don't see him as being very important. Either way the poll is up on my page. Vote please and let me know what you think.