Chapter Thirteen - Exploration
November dissolved into the past, and with December came snow and anticipation. For most of the students the anticipation surrounded the magic of Christmastime. Not the magic that they studied at Hogwarts, but rather the magic they found surrounded by friends and family. For Draco and Hermione the anticipation was much more foreboding. They feared what was coming this year. Not gifts, not friends, not family- or at least not a loving family. By the end of this month, Draco would return to Malfoy Manor to take his place as the Lord Malfoy and would be attempting to convince his mother and her followers that he was the commander they sought.
The pair had managed to find some solace in each other's arms, wrapped in warmth and relative safety. It was here, between abandoned classrooms and hidden alcoves that they found comfort amongst the chaos around them.
"Two weeks. Fourteen days," Draco said, gasping for air from their last kiss.
"Draco, don't- not now," Hermione rested her forehead against his.
"If not now, when?" Draco groaned. The two had resisted discussing the Lady Malfoy's plot outside the Headmistress's chambers.
"I have something for you, I- I thought you might want it, that you might need it," Hermione said in a small voice, barely a whisper. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a shining gold coin.
"A galleon? I think I've got enough-"
"I know how much money you have, prat," she laughed.
"Then what's-"
"Will you let me finish one thought, Draco?" Hermione admonished him. "Yes, it's a galleon. We used them during our training for Dumbledore's Army. It's charmed, paired to another," she produced a twin coin from her pocket, "When you squeeze yours, mine warms and glows, and vice versa. It's how we communicated the start of meetings since we couldn't well write it down or talk in the halls. From now on, you squeeze that coin and I'll come find you, if I can".
"This is brilliant, Hermione, thank you," he whispered, voice filled with gratitude.
"When you're away, if you're in trouble, I'll find you. And until then, if you… need me… I'll find you". Draco caught her lips in a searing kiss. He had promised her they would go at her pace, physically. This pace is what kept Draco's hands firmly at Hermione's waist, controlled only by his iron will. She hadn't made any indication to him that she was ready to take their relationship further. The coin, however promised something more.
"It's late, we should finish the rounds and head to bed. We can finish the poison antidote report tomorrow," Hermione stepped away from Draco reluctantly.
"Okay," he murmured letting his disciplined hands drop to his sides. He didn't refrain, however, from grabbing Hermione's hand as the two of them walked back to the third floor. When she quirked an eyebrow at him he shrugged, "what? We've literally just cleared the whole castle, no one is out here to see us".
"You're relentless," she smiled, tugging his arm as she continued up the stairs. "Goodnight, Draco," she said as they reached the arch.
"Goodnight, Hermione".
.oOo0oOo.
December 3, 1998
She's in every part of my mind… All day, every day.
I'm falling for her.
Fuck me.
.oOo0oOo.
Draco's head hit his pillow as he leaned back in exasperation, his journal open on his lap. He scolded himself for not being able to find the words for how he felt about Hermione. He knew she would know the perfect thing to say, but she wasn't here. She couldn't be here, he told himself lying in the boys' dormitory.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out the galleon Hermione had given him. Closing his eyes he turned it over in his hand, knowing it was impossible for Hermione to come to him, but he squeezed the token nonetheless. As he was dozing off minutes later, he felt a warmth in his hand. He bolted upright when he realized it was the coin creating heat. She had responded to him.
Hermione decided to stay in her pajamas, padding softly out of her room. She suspected a flock of pixies were attempting to start a riot in her stomach. Draco's lids were heavy when he heard a shuffle outside his bed curtains.
"Are you still awake?" Hermione murmured as she slid the curtain of his four-poster bed open.
"No," Draco replied, muffled by the pillow pressed against his cheek.
"I guess I'll be going then," she answered in mock disappointment, turning on her heel to head back to the girls' dormitory. Before she could take a step, however, the seeker's skilled reflexes had snatched her wrist as she turned. Hermione nearly squealed as she was pulled onto Draco's bed.
"Gotcha," he smirked, eyes still shut, cheek still pressed to the down pillow.
"150 points! Slytherin wins!" She giggled, before remembering he had nearly woken the whole dorm with his stunt and swatted him on the chest. "You really ought to be more careful, Draco," the girl reprimanded, casting muffilato around them effectively making their whispers undetectable to the other eighth years snoring quietly around them. Draco finally opened his eyes, feigning a look pain as he rubbed his bare chest where she had smacked him.
"Don't you start with those grey puppy dog eyes, Malfoy," Hermione said, wriggling out of his wrist-lock to slide under the silky emerald sheets. Draco eyed her for a moment, she was wearing an extra large Holyhead Harpies t-shirt over black sleep shorts.
"And that shirt belongs to…?" Draco asked, real pain creeping into his voice this time.
"Oh gods, no!" Hermione said, "No, this isn't some other guys. I mean yes, technically…" Draco shifted away from her on the small bed, nearly toppling off it to look directly into her big chocolate eyes. "I got it at a second hand shop in Diagon Alley!" Hermione blurted out quickly, trying desperately to remedy the situation before Draco kicked her out. "I bought it to sleep in. I didn't mean to scare you," her voice was quiet, she looked up through her lashes at him, terrified he wouldn't believe her. To her surprise, Draco burst out laughing at his own jealousy and the absurdity of the situation.
"Draco not so loud, you know that charm isn't perfect," Hermione admonished, glancing at the crack in the heavy curtains surrounding them.
"I'm sorry, it's just, with your history with Krum..." Draco started, returning to seriousness.
"Oh Draco…" Hermione said, scooting herself back into his arms so she was pressed against his collarbone. She looked up, stealing a quick kiss from the Slytherin Prince before adding, "you know you're mine now, right? Public or not, I'm not running around with other quidditch players, or anyone else for that matter". Draco sighed against her hair that was nestled under his chin. His hand moved to rest in the divot between her ribs and hip bones as she laid on her side.
The blonde wizard began to trace lazy lines up and down her side, allowing the baggy t-shirt to ride up ever so slightly, exposing a strip of skin just above her shorts. She shivered slightly as he continued his ministrations on her bare skin. Slowly, she lifted her hand and placed it flat against his marbled chest. He was very firm, she noticed, yet silky smooth. Her hand began to draw circles around his chest, fingertips barely kissing the skin below. The only thing interrupting her path were the raised marks where Harry's sectumsempra curse had hit him sixth year.
Draco cautiously placed more pressure on Hermione, turning his gentle strokes into a firm grip on her side as his lips drifted towards hers. For her part, Hermione leaned over him lying flat on his back, kissing him more intently. Her soft brown curls curtained them as they kissed, Draco's tongue finding Hermione's earning him a gasp and a mewl. She responded in kind, nipping at Draco's lower lip and he nearly growled, placing both hands firmly on her waist. Feeling bold, Hermione swung a leg over Draco's body, straddling him as she pushed the kiss further. She paused suddenly, feeling Draco's hard length between her legs.
"Hermione, I-" Draco began to apologize. Hermione silenced him with a searing kiss, and slowly ground her hips down on his. Draco groaned, breaking the kiss to throw his head back against the pillows.
"Touch me, Draco," Hermione whispered.
"What?" Draco was sure his brain was malfunctioning. Hermione slowed her hips to a stop and grasped Draco's right hand from her waist and brought it up to her chest.
"Fuck, Hermione," Draco breathed. Without conscious thought, Draco began to grind his hips up against Hermione's core. He was massaging her breasts with both hands now. Hermione leaned down and kissed his right arm… then his left. He stopped cold. Her lips were still on his left arm, on his Dark Mark.
"Hermione…"
"I want all of you, Draco. Your past doesn't define you. You've changed and anyone who gives a fuck to see that will see that. Anyone who doesn't give a fuck isn't worth your time".
"Hermione," he sat up, wrapped his arms tightly around her, and kissed her like she was the last thing on Earth. "Say it again, say you're mine," he begged.
"You're mine, and I am yours," she whispered against his lips. Draco cracked a grin and flipped her over, laying her flat against the bed.
"I wanna fuck you into the mattress," Draco growled, rolling his hips again and reaching under her cotton shirt to fondle her breasts. She sat up a bit and wrenched the shirt over her head, revealing she had nothing on underneath. "Minx," Draco said.
"I was about to sleep when you called me here. Didn't see a point in putting a bra on after that," she winked.
Draco bent down and brought one of her taut nipples to his mouth, laving over it, rolling the hard bud in his mouth. Hermione let out a loud moan.
"Shhh," Draco chided, "remember the spell isn't perfect, dear".
"Fuck the spell," she gasped. "Draco, I- I'm not ready to, you know, fully-"
"Hermione, it's okay," Draco said against her chest, "there are plenty of things I can do to you without fucking you into the mattress". Draco began to kiss his way from Hermione's breast, down her ribcage, to her bellybutton. When he reached the apex of her thighs, Hermione screamed.
Draco took immense care in worshiping Hermione's clit, licking long firm strokes from the base of her slit up to her clitoris, where he would suck briefly and then start the pattern over again. By the time she was shaking, his tongue was aching but he refused to stop until she had come undone under him. She thought briefly that he would certainly leave bruises on her thighs as he held them open for his attack. He inserted one, then two fingers inside her aching body, the wet heat encapsulating his fingers.
"Draco! Draco, oh I'm coming! I'm-" Draco clamped a hand over her mouth as her body convulsed under him, her pussy squeezing his fingers so hard he thought they might fall off.
Hermione lay there panting for a moment, attempting to regain her composure as Draco's eyes feasted upon her body.
"Lay back," she told Draco.
"You don't have to-"
"I want to. It's your turn". Hermione copied Draco, kissing him firmly, then dappling kisses down his chest, his abs, until she reached his hard length. This wasn't anything like his time with Astoria. That was rushed and desperate and unemotional. This was so much more, he thought, until Hermione took him into her mouth and he lost all capacity to think. Hermione was dragging her tongue up and down him, alternating with taking all of him into his mouth and swirling her tongue around the tip. Her hands stroked him while she tasted him, reaching down to cup his balls.
"Fuck, oh my gods, Hermione". She increased the speed of her actions, loving the sounds he was making. She moaned and sucked harder on his length.
"Hermione- oh fuck- I'm going to-" Draco barely got the words out when Hermione took the rest of him in her mouth, sucking down the entirety of him as he spurted into her mouth.
"I'm sorry, I should've warned you sooner," Draco said, blushing. He had come so quickly, like a horny teenager. Hermione just looked at him and swallowed, wiping the back of her hands across her lips, smiling. Draco sat up and kissed her, pulling her into his arms, not caring where her mouth had just been.
"That was incredible. I can't even begin to tell you…"
"I think I know exactly what you mean," Hermione said, cuddling into his warm body. Draco just sighed and nuzzled into her hair. "I should go though, it's getting late, or maybe early".
"No, stay".
"As much as I want to, it's not smart, not now". Hermione moved to gather her clothes, she stood up and pulled the shorts onto her legs, turning around to grab her t-shirt.
"What're you staring at?" She smirked.
"You, mostly," Draco replied, grinning, one hand behind his head, the other draped lazily across his bare stomach.
"Right back at you," she smiled, throwing the Quidditch shirt over her head. She leaned down and brushed a kiss across his lips, then peaked out the bed curtains.
Before he knew it, she was gone and Draco was left basking in his own afterglow of the night. He really loved her, he thought, then stopped breathing. Fuck, he loved her.