Hi friends :) Happy Sunday! Life is crazy. Work is insane, grad school is hard, and life is stressful. But enough of that... you don't want to hear my excuses for why I can't write as often as I'd like. Suffice to say, I wish I was spending more time with Draco and Hermione, and less time doing things I don't like. I hope you guys are still digging the story- as always reviews are very much appreciated, make me happier than you can possibly imagine, and let me know what I'm doing well, and not so well. I'm trying reallyyyyyy hard not to lose steam with this guy, because while I don't have the whole story written, I have scenes done here and there, and lemme tell you... there's some stuff coming up that you won't wanna miss ;) I gotta tell you guys about the best beta ever, tectonictigress... whatta pal, lemme tell ya! She's patient and thoughtful and unendingly helpful, even when I'm the worst. This fic would be a mess without her wonderful advice. Go read everything she's written, and then read it again. She's fantastic.
As a warning, no full on lemons, but there is a little citrus in this chapter. If you don't like that, don't read this.
And as always, nothing you recognize is mine. But I wish it was.
Ch. 21- On Visits to St. Mungos
Hermione felt capable of murder. She'd never used an Unforgivable before, but she felt like she could probably fire off a Crucio just then as she sat next to Draco's bed in his fourth floor room at St. Mungo's.
They had woken up that morning, a chilly Saturday at the end of November, in a warm blanket cocoon to hear the rain pattering against Hermione's window. It was all her fault, really- Draco had begged her to stay in bed with him all day, but she told him that she had wanted to go shopping for Christmas. Truthfully, that wasn't the whole reason; yes, she had wanted to get presents before the holiday, but she also had been hoping to speak with the shopkeeper at Flourish & Blotts about a few books she had learned about that she hoped would help her fend off, or possibly even catch, whoever was after muggleborns. The books weren't exactly easy to come by, and she was hoping that she'd have a better chance of persuading him if she requested them in person, as opposed to sending an owl. Despite Draco's numerous attempts to dissuade her, she was persistent, so he had agreed to accompany her to Diagon Alley. For the most part, the crowd had given them plenty of space- Draco had stopped to chat briefly with an antsy Theo Nott outside of Flourish & Blotts, and Hermione had waved at Dedalus Diggle when she saw him clumsily leaving Eeylops Owl Emporium, but otherwise they hadn't even recognized anyone. Despite the whispers that followed them, no one made comment about the former Death Eater or his Golden Girl girlfriend. Hermione had just persuaded Draco to come to Muggle London with her to look for something for Mr. Weasley when it happened.
"Death Eater scum!" they heard a passing witch hiss as her black eyes glittered with anger. "Go back to the hole you crawled out of, you worthless worm!"
Everything had happened in an instant. Hermione hadn't even been able to process the events until they were already in motion. A flash of red light had flown from one direction and Draco had deflected it, followed by a flash of gold from another direction that he'd only narrowly dodged. Then the alley had closed in on them as witches and wizards had descended from every direction, at least a dozen of them, shouting and cursing. Hermione had attempted to shout over the din, to reason with the group, but it was useless. In a moment of clarity, Hermione had sent a patronus to Harry and Ron, which cost her her focus and led to a large gash on her cheek. She ignored the stinging, and had continued to aid Draco in holding off the crowd, as she desperately tried to remember everything that she had brushed up on that summer while dueling with the boys at the Burrow. They'd thrown up shield charms and defensive spells, but finally a curse broke through the fray hitting Draco in the stomach. Hermione had watched in horror as he keeled over, groaning in pain.
Only moments later, Harry and Ron had arrived, along with Auror Windermere and another Auror that Hermione didn't know: a tall woman with golden hair. She had vaguely acknowledged Ron and the woman putting up an anti-apparition ward before she'd realized that Auror Windermere had his arm around Draco and Harry had latched on to her. In a moment, she had felt the familiar pull behind her navel, and then they were standing outside St. Mungos.
"Sorry about that, Hermione," Harry had explained, as they passed through the store window of Purge and Dowse, Ltd. and into the main lobby of St. Mungos, "but only Aurors can apparate through those wards, and we had to put them up to make sure none of your attackers were able to escape."
"It's fine, Harry, really. We just need to find someone to see him, now!" she had responded, running ahead of both Aurors who were propping her boyfriend between them. "Excuse me, ma'am?" she had called urgently to the welcome witch behind a desk.
"All patients must sign in," the witch had drawled in a bored voice, not even looking up from her copy of Witch Weekly.
"Excuse me," Harry had said forcefully as he'd gently pushed Hermione aside, "we'll be needing a Healer. Now." The witch had looked up, first at Harry's Auror badge, then at the scar on his forehead, before finally settling on the angry and determined look in his eyes. She had immediately scrambled to find someone. Several Healers had closed in on their little group before Hermione had even had a chance to thank Harry, whisking Draco off to another area of the hospital for examination.
"Thank you both so much for all of your help," she had distractedly told Harry and Windermere, "but I need to figure out where he went."
Harry had met her eyes to give her a long, concerned look. "I can stay, Hermione, if you need someone? I don't want to leave you here alone."
She shook her head. "You've done more than enough, and I'm sure you'll have your work cut out for you back at the Ministry with all of the arrests from our attack. Honestly, I'll be fine." She had attempted to give him a reassuring smile, but he had been able to see that she was clearly distracted, so he had given her a hug before heading off with Auror Windermere to assist Ron and the other Auror in dealing with the group back in Diagon Alley.
They still hadn't figured out what combination of spells he had been hit with, but they seemed to have staved off the worst of his side effects, and he was now resting. She watched the reassuring rise and fall of his chest, putting her at ease that he was still breathing and safe. She delicately slipped her hand into his much larger one, causing him to stir and awake.
"I must have the prettiest nurse there is," he croaked, attempting to smile over at her, though it came off as a grimace through his obvious pain.
She smiled at him with wet eyes. "I'm glad you're awake."
"I can't have been out that long," he guessed, attempting to sit up but immediately lying back down with a wail of pain. He lifted his shirt to inspect what he was certain was a rather sizable wound across his stomach, only to realize that there was nothing there. From what he could tell, he was completely unmarred, but the pain radiating from his abdomen told a different story.
"All the damage was done internally. It was some unknown, nasty curse... They've healed your injuries, but you're going to be sore for a few days," she told him, nervously eyeing his hands as they ran over his stomach feeling for any deformities.
"How long was I down for, then?" he asked her, attempting to shuffle again in his bed, trying his best to hide his pained expression from Hermione.
"It's been hours, Draco. You need to lie down," she told him sternly, standing up to fluff the pillow around his head. "It was difficult for them to assess what damage had been done while they were trying to get you stable. I'll just go retrieve a Healer and let someone know that you're awake…"
Draco grabbed her arm, stopping her as she made to leave. He looked up at her, attempting to give her a serene smile. "Hey, sit down for a minute," he cajoled. She looked down at him, apparently weighing the situation in her mind before ultimately deciding to acquiesce and sitting back down in her seat beside his bed. "What's the matter, love? Why have you been crying?" he asked, cradling her face in his left hand and using his thumb to wipe away the stale tears that clung to her cheek.
She let out a frustrated sob. "You could have died, Draco! I don't like seeing you here, groaning in pain and confined to a hospital bed."
"Well someone just had to go shopping today, didn't she?" he joked, but quickly realized his mistake when anguish crossed Hermione's features. She stood up and started pacing. "Hey," he called over to her, "I was just joking, Granger. This was bound to happen sooner or later, and this probably isn't the last time, either." He patted the bed next to him, indicating she should sit, but she was crying and pacing now and had worked herself into a right state.
"No, you were right. It's all my fault. You asked me to stay in today and I-"
"Hermione," he cut her off, speaking as sternly as he could through the pain. She looked over at him, and took in the determined set of his jaw and stern look in his eyes. "Today wasn't your fault. If anything, it's mine for all of my shit decisions in the past. Now," he attempted to sit up a little in his bed, letting out a low, painful grunt, but adjusting himself nonetheless, "who is it that has lectured me in the past about not wallowing over things we can't control?" He tapped his finger on his chin in mock pondering, smirking over at where his girlfriend was still standing in the corner of the room.
She rolled her eyes at his antics. "Draco…" she started, crossing the room to sit delicately on the bed next to him.
He shook his head, still smirking. "No, it wasn't Draco." She laughed, and at that joyous sound, he continued, "I do believe that it was my beautiful girlfriend."
She snorted. "She sounds smart."
He leaned back against his pillows, pulling on Hermione's arm until she was nestled against his body, his left arm holding her to him. "Oh, she is. Very smart. A real know-it-all. A bit annoying, really."
"Is that so?" she asked in an amused tone, lightly tracing patterns on his chest with her fingertips.
"Oh yes. Quite the irritating, little swot. But I keep her around because she's got a nice arse and great tits," he explained, and she could hear the smile in his voice. She barked out a laugh, playfully swatting him on the chest, but he grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "Easy now, love. I'm convalescing, here. Wouldn't do well to go reinjuring me, now would it?" He looked down at her with his most pathetic puppy dog eyes.
"Prat! We'll just see when the next time is that you get to admire my tits and arse, Mr. Convalescing," she teased, settling herself into his side again and placing a kiss over his heart.
He nestled into the bed, drawing comfort from the warm body pressed against his, and laid his head atop her hair, breathing in the comforting smell of Hermione. She could calm him in a way that no medication, magical or Muggle, seemed to. They laid there for a few minutes, Draco inhaling Hermione's scent and holding her to him while she delicately traced words and shapes across his chest, content to just be near him and know that he was safe.
"Mr. Malfoy?" a voice called, and he looked over to see a Healer entering the room, a middle aged wizard in lime green robes. Hermione sat up and then hopped off the bed, and he instantly missed her at his side.
"Oh good, Healer Taylor! Draco, Healer Taylor is the one handling your case. He did a marvelous job getting you stable earlier," Hermione told him nervously, smiling guiltily over at the Healer as he fluttered around the room, checking things and writing them down.
"I thought you were going to get me when Mr. Malfoy woke up, Miss Granger?" he asked accusatorily, lifting an eyebrow at her. She blushed.
"It's my fault," Draco interjected, crossing his arms in irritation. She already feels guilty enough about this whole thing without that wanker making her feel worse! "I asked her to sit with me for a minute before coming to get you."
The Healer gave him a once over with an unimpressed look before turning back to Hermione. "Miss Granger," he said formally, "I'll need you to leave the room, please. I need to run some tests on Mr. Malfoy to determine the severity of his injuries. I'll let you know when you can come back and sit with him. It should be an hour or so." He turned around and began rifling through a cupboard, clearly dismissing her.
Hermione leaned down to kiss Draco on the cheek, but he caught her arm and met her eyes, trying to convey to her, again, that she shouldn't feel guilty. She gave him a half-hearted smile. "I'll see you in a bit," she whispered into his ear before pecking his cheek and leaving the room.
Hermione headed towards the waiting room, chastising herself for letting Draco distract her. The Healer told you that time is of the essence, you silly cow! she lectured, heading down the hall. She was so distracted that she didn't notice, at first glance, the familiar faces in the waiting room.
"Oh, my dear!" Hermione heard, and immediately felt herself being pulled into a warm, familiar hug. She looked up to see Mrs. Weasley with motherly concern painted across her face. "Ron came to tell us what happened, and I couldn't stand the thought of you waiting here by yourself!" She pushed the hair out of Hermione's face and cupped her cheeks with her soft hands. "How is he doing, then?" she asked.
"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said with a smile, registering that George and Bill were also sitting in the room. "He's doing okay. He woke up a few minutes ago- the Healer is running more tests now. You all didn't need to come down here!"
George snorted. "And miss a chance to see that pretty boy in a hospital bed? No way! I intend to get several photos of him looking less than his best for blackmail." Mrs. Weasley smacked him on the back of his head.
"You will do no such thing, George Weasley!" she scolded, but he just smiled up at her.
"Only joking, Mum!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up in innocence. Under his breath, he added, "In all seriousness, I figure if the git snuffs it, you'll need a shoulder to cry on which is phase one in my plans to woo you, Hermione." He winked at her, narrowly dodging another whack on the head from his mother as he retreated to the other side of the room, chuckling to himself.
"I, much more innocently, came to offer my services," Bill explained as Hermione came over to sit beside him. "I figured if there were any complex curses that the Healers weren't sure of, it would be good to have an expert on hand. Fortunately, it wasn't necessary for me to be here. It sounds like they have everything under control?" he asked, sounding every bit like the big brother that he was.
Hermione smiled over at him. "They do, but thank you for coming. It means a lot to me."
Bill took her hand and squeezed it. "You're family, Hermione. We'd do anything for you. I hope you know that." He gave her a long, meaningful look, but it was interrupted when Blaise and Ginny burst through the door.
"My best mate gets sent to the hospital and no one thinks to tell me for hours!" Blaise huffed, storming over to Hermione.
"Oi, settle down!" Ginny called, chasing after him. "I'm sure Hermione has a lot on her mind and sending out a bunch of owls wasn't her top priority."
"Well it should have been!" Blaise yelled in frustration. "I'm damn near the only family he has with his parents locked up!"
Hermione sighed. "You're right, Blaise. I should have sent word. I've just been worried and I wasn't thinking clearly." Her eyes started to fill with tears- it had been an emotional day and her feelings of guilt were welling up again.
Blaise studied her as silent tears ran down her face and she quickly brushed them away with the back of her hand. "I shouldn't have yelled," he told her, "I'm sorry, Granger."
Hermione quickly gathered Blaise into a hug, catching him off guard as the Slytherins still didn't seem quite comfortable with the easy way that Gryffindors gave physical affection. She felt him relax into the hug after a moment, returning it with equal fervor. She leaned back, meeting his eyes and giving him a reassuring smile despite the tears on her face.
"He's going to be okay," she told Blaise, watching as he seemed to relax a bit in relief. "The Healer is in there doing more tests now, but he woke up earlier and I spoke with him. He's still the same snarky Draco. Healer Taylor said it would be an hour, but then we can go back in to see him."
Blaise and Ginny accompanied Hermione to the tearoom on the fifth floor where they all obtained sustenance and brought something back for Mrs. Weasley as well. Bill and George had left shortly after Blaise and Ginny arrived, but not before they both assured Hermione that they would be there the second she needed them. Given the recent attacks, as well as the cryptic warnings they had received from Harry and Ron about Hermione's safety, the whole family was on alert.
Hermione, Ginny, and Blaise returned with Mrs. Weasley's tea, and somehow Blaise had found himself immersed in a conversation with Mrs. Weasley about Celestina Warbeck (a singer that Blaise, surprisingly, really enjoyed) while Ginny and Hermione perused a copy of Transformation Today that they had picked up in the hospital shop. Soon after, Healer Taylor entered the waiting room, informing everyone that Draco was doing quite well and should only need to stay at the hospital for a few more hours under observation as long as he continued to remain stable. He admitted Hermione to enter his room first as Draco had explicitly asked for her, but explained that once she had seen him they were all welcome to visit.
Hermione tentatively pushed open the door to Draco's room, finding him sitting up in bed, his arms crossed in a distinct pout. "The Healer said it was all good news, Draco! Why don't you look happy?"
He looked over at where she entered the room, and his expression softened, silver eyes glowing at the site of her. "These ridiculous Healers. I assured them that I feel absolutely fine, but they insist upon keeping me here for a few more hours," he groused, arms still crossed. He looked like a petulant child, and Hermione couldn't help but giggle.
"You're acting like a baby. Do you understand how much worse it could be?" she asked him in reprimand, gazing down at him incredulously.
"I'm not being a baby, Granger," he continued to pout, scrunching up his aristocratic nose.
"Yes, you are, you git!" she lightly admonished, sitting on the edge of his bed. "I get to take you home tonight. And in one piece! The Healers just want to watch you a bit longer to make sure you're alright. Stop acting like it's the end of the world," she told him bluntly, smirking and letting him know that she very clearly wouldn't be tolerating any more of his nonsense. Draco tried a different tactic, grabbing her arm to gently pull her closer to him.
"If I stop complaining, will you be my nurse when we get home this evening?" he purred into her ear, smirking as he watched the goosebumps rise on her arms. She shivered a little.
"I don't know," she cooed back, seductively, "you don't seem to be a very cooperative patient. Give me one good reason why I should."
He pulled her into a breathtaking kiss, passionate and heady. Grabbing her face with his right hand, he wrapped his left arm around her waist, laying back and pulling her on top of him so he could roll his hips into hers, making her aware of his very prominent hardness. She let out a little "Oh!" of surprise, and he took advantage of the opportunity to plunge into her mouth, caressing her tongue with his in a wonderful dance the two were getting quite good at. He kissed across her cheek and up her jaw, taking her ear lobe in his mouth and tugging on it with his teeth.
"Is that enough incentive, or do you need further convincing, Healer Granger?" he growled into her ear, relishing in the wanton, little moan that she let out as he kissed down her neck. He meant to continue his ministrations when a knock interrupted, what he thought had been, his excellent plans for the witch on top of him. She immediately leapt off of him and the bed, and began straightening out her appearance.
"Goodness, Draco!" she lectured, attempting to de-fluff her wild hair. "There are other people who want to see you, and we're carrying on like that… we're in a public hospital for Merlin's sake!" He chuckled, shifting slightly to mask the obvious erection he was now sporting but otherwise looking quite content with his choices. She moved to open his door, and he was delighted to see his other visitors.
"Draco dear, are you quite all right?" Mrs. Weasley asked, coming to sit a plate of homemade fudge on the table next to his bed.
He smiled up at her. "I'm feeling perfectly fine, considering I was ambushed today. Thank you for coming, Mrs. Weasley."
She smoothed down his hair in a maternal way and patted his cheek. "I thought about your mother. I know if it were one of my children… well, I would want someone to come and check on them." She smiled down on him and fluffed his pillows behind his head. "Now then, I know you've got a good group here, so I'll be going. I just wanted to check in. Please write if you need anything at all, alright? I'll expect to see you for the holiday!" She gave him a kiss on his temple and smoothed down the blankets near his feet before turning and heading out of the room, waving goodbye to the other three.
"What are you two doing here?" he called over to Blaise and Ginny with a smile. They were sharing a chair on one side of the room, Ginny in Blaise's lap, and he noticed that Blaise was looking anywhere but at him.
Ginny stood up, heading over to the bed. "We just wanted to make sure you were doing okay, ferret boy," she explained, ruffling his hair. He half-heartedly scowled up at her and she laughed.
"How are you even allowed to be here, Red? Special permission doesn't extend to seventh years." He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her an interested look.
She winked at him. "No, but special permission does extend to McGonagall's favorites."
He barked out a laugh. "Too right." He turned to Blaise who was still firmly planted in the chair. "Hey, mate! Are you going to stay over there permanently, or what?"
Blaise looked over at Draco, then, and neither Hermione nor Ginny could pretend that they didn't see the anxiety in his eyes as he studied his best friend in a hospital bed.
"Gin," Hermione said abruptly, standing up from where she had perched on Draco's bed. "Want to go back to the shop with me? I'm going to grab some gillywater." Ginny followed, taking the hint, and the two girls left their boyfriends to their awkward, male expression of feelings.
"Well that seemed… intense," Ginny remarked, giggling.
"You know how boys are about their feelings. Draco's been threatened before… but no one has ever attacked him like that. I'm sure Blaise is just a little worried," Hermione explained. Then, turning the corner and casting a quick Muffliato to make sure no one eavesdropped, she continued, "Speaking of intense, I need to talk to you about what happened with Draco before you lot came in!"
Draco watched as Ginny and Hermione left the room, very obviously giving him and Blaise some space. Draco shifted in bed to look expectantly towards the chair his best friend still sat in.
"You're a fucking idiot," Blaise grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, still keeping his dark eyes firmly affixed on the door his girlfriend had just walked out of.
"Come again?" Draco asked, hackles rising.
"Someone sends a very blatant threat to you about you and Granger, so naturally the two of you go wandering around in public. Real smart, Draco," Blaise chastised, getting up from his seat and crossing the room to rest near the counter on the other side of Draco's bed, keeping his back to his best friend.
"You try telling Granger no! Imagine Ginny wanted to go out shopping around town. Would you let her go alone, given the circumstances? No, of course you wouldn't! You'd go with her!" Draco retorted, his tone undercut by his inability to raise his voice without being in pain.
He heard Blaise let out a long, strained sigh and watched as he slowly turned toward Draco's bed. "You could have died, Draco," he said in a low, slow voice, and Draco could see the sorrow and anxiety in his best friend's eyes.
"But I didn't," he explained, pushing his blond fringe out of his eyes and bringing his hand around to scratch the back of his neck.
"But you could have." Draco noticed Blaise's hands, both clenched into fists at his sides. The Italian shook his head. "I don't want to sound poncy, or whatever… but I love you, mate. You can't die. You're my brother. Who the hell would I have left if you're gone?"
Draco chuckled. "We've been spending too much time with the Gryffindors."
Blaise groaned in irritation. "I'm serious, Draco- quit laughing at me like this is some fucking joke. Who would tell your mother that you died, hmm? Going to leave that delightful task to Granger?" He met Draco's eyes, glaring in his direction. When Draco began to slowly shake his head, Blaise continued. "Of course you wouldn't. That would fall to me. Potter sent McGonagall to tell me you'd been attacked in Diagon Alley and he didn't know your status and all I could think was, 'How the fuck do I tell Narcissa?' You were reckless. I know Granger doesn't believe in danger because she's a bloody Gryffindor, but I expect you to have a brain and some self-preservational instinct to keep you both out of trouble! For the love of Salazar, Draco!" Draco watched as angry tears slipped down his friend's face, and Blaise quickly brushed them away with the back of his hand.
He sighed, clenching his hands around the sheet on his bed and then unclenching again. "You're right," he conceded, shaking his head and letting it hang in shame. "We didn't think it through. I figured that we were safe from the person threatening us, surrounded by all the people in Diagon Alley… but I forgot to take into account that all those people hate me. We won't go out again alone until all of this has blown over."
Blaise came over to stand beside Draco's bed, thinking back to the War. They'd spent so much time together, constantly in fear that one or both of them were going to die. After coming out of that alive, he thought he'd never deal with that brand of fear again, until McGonagall had come to him today with Potter's message. "I… we… fuck Draco, I was worried about you, mate. Don't scare me like that."
"I really didn't think anything bad would have a chance to happen. We were in such a public place, I didn't think anyone would come after us. You know what it's like, mate. I wanted to stay in bed, but then Granger bats those eyelashes of hers and I'm like putty in her hands."
Blaise laughed. "I'd say there's something about lions, but I'm not nearly as pathetic as you are!"
"Oh, I don't know about that," Ginny called, re-entering the room with Hermione behind her, smirking over at her boyfriend. She took in the sad, vulnerable expression on his face, and the exhausted droop of his shoulders, and felt her heart swell with fondness. She stepped protectively in front of him, and grabbed his arms, wrapping them around her waist.
Blaise sighed and pressed a kiss to the back of Ginny's head. "Whatever you say, love."
"Blaise, if you'll just help Draco to the couch, we should be fine," Hermione called, clearing a path. Blaise had one arm slung around a bemoaning blond who was emphatically declining any assistance.
"Granger, honestly!" Draco called to his girlfriend. "I'm fine! I can walk by myself. You heard the Healer- I'm good as new!" Blaise chuckled as he released Draco onto the couch.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "That's not at all what the Healer said. He told me that your medication will make you think you're as good as new but that you should still take it easy. No flying for a week and no heavy lifting." Draco crossed his arms over his chest, and Hermione turned to thank their friends and to escort them out the portrait hole. "Thank you both so much," Draco heard her call as they made their way to the exit. "We'll get together, the four of us, after Ginny's Quidditch match next Saturday!"
Hermione then shuffled to the kitchen, clanking around and running water. Draco listening to her noise making for a moment before grabbing a book off the table and laying down across the couch, settling in to read. Moments later, she brought him a cuppa.
"I made you some tea," she told him, looking down at him expectantly as he lounged.
"Thanks, love. You can sit it on the table," he told her, returning to his book.
"Draco," she started in what Draco could tell was going to be a lecture about his well-being. She sat the cup down and put her hands on her hips in that bossy way that he found so attractive. "You need to drink it. It'll-"
"Granger, you know what it does to me when you stand there bossing me around like that," he interjected, wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.
She blushed and removed her hands from her hips, but continued, undeterred, "I'm serious, Draco. You need to start thinking about your health. You didn't listen to a single recommendation from the Healer!"
He smiled seductively up at her, setting his book back on the table. "Why in Merlin's name would I need to do that when my swotty, little nurse was listening to everything he said?" He slowly got up, slinking over to where she stood like a predator sneaking up on its prey. "As I recall, Healer Granger," he continued, bending to tuck a stray hair and whisper into her ear, "you left me in the middle of a treatment, earlier." He placed a string of soft kisses down her neck before taking her earlobe into his mouth and sucking on it. He uttered a slow "tsk, tsk, tsk" and she felt shivers run down her spine. "That's hardly professional…" he added, nuzzling his nose into her neck and placing a line of kisses across her shoulder.
He looked down at her. Her hands were on her hips again, but all pretense of authority was lost at the glazed-over, lust-filled look in her eyes. She shook her head a little. "Draco, I don't think this is a good idea. The Healer said you should relax."
He chuckled lowly. "I'm never as relaxed as when we're in bed."
She looked up at him and pushed the fringe out of his eyes. The lust in those mercurial orbs left her weak in the knees. Something caught her, though. Not just lust… it's pure adoration. She realized, in that moment, just how much he cared for her, and a warmth spread throughout her body that had nothing to do with his suggestive words and sultry behavior of moments before. Against her better judgment, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to snog her fiercely.
"All right, Mr. Malfoy," she said, grabbing his hand and leading him toward her bedroom door, "let's continue with your treatment plan."
He smiled widely down at her before pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it aside as she continued leading him to her door. He pulled her in close, snogging her passionately and walking her backward to her bedroom, her hands in his hair and his cupping her arse. She broke their kiss to discard her own shirt before turning the doorknob and pulling him into her room, shoving him in the direction of the bed.
She climbed on top of him, sucking on the pulse point in his neck, making him let out a long, low moan as he unhooked her bra. They'd done this many times in the past few weeks; so much so, that she knew exactly what he'd do and wasn't at all surprised when he grabbed handfuls of her chest. He pulled back to bury his face between her breasts, humming contentedly and smiling like the cat that got the canary. Hermione ground down on him, feeling his hardness through the fabric of both of their trousers as he took her right nipple into his mouth, sucking while he rolled the left between his fingers. With Draco still distracted by her breasts, and with a boldness she didn't know she possessed, she trailed her hands down his toned stomach and began working on unfastening the buttons of his denims.
"Hermione, whoa whoa whoa," Draco groaned as she ran her hand down his hardened length over his clothing. "What are you doing, love?"
"Relaxing you," she replied with what she hoped was a sultry smirk, finally drawing down his zipper and pulling his trousers off of his body, leaving him lying there, rather enticingly, in only his pants and socks.
"Sweetheart, no," he stammered, shaking his head in stark contrast to what his body was clearly telling her, "that's not what I meant. We don't have to-"
She cut him off bossily. "I know it's not what you meant, but it's what I want. Unless…" she trailed off, suddenly self-conscious, "you don't want to? You don't feel up to it after today?"
He frantically shook his head. "Merlin, no! That's not what I meant at all. I want to do everything with you. I just… we'll go at your pace, okay? Whatever you want- whatever you're ready for."
She smiled down at him. "Right, then. This is what I want."
She climbed back on top of him, kissing him slowly at first, and then intensifying it as his hands slipped into her hair, holding her face to his. She snaked her hand down his pants and felt his body tense as she tentatively wrapped her hand around his member. He let out a hiss against her lips as she experimentally ran her fist up his length. She released him, removing her own trousers, leaving her in just her knickers, before grabbing hold of Draco's pants and shimmying them down his legs.
She took a minute to admire him, all of him, for the first time. She'd never seen a naked man before, but she had a feeling that no one else would ever compare. She took in the corded muscles in his arms, the pink scars adorning his chest, and the trail of golden hair that led from his belly button to the thatch above his member. Her eyes followed that blond trail from his stomach to his pelvis before settling on his weeping cock, hard and standing at attention. It's rather lovely, isn't it? She let her eyes trail back up his body, roaming over his flat stomach, his bobbing Adam's apple, the love bite that was already purpling on his snowy skin, and the sweet dimples in his cheeks. She took in the lone freckle on the bridge of his nose, his lovely high cheekbones, and his perfect corn silk hair that was in complete disarray from its treatment by her own fingers before finally settling on his eyes. Those gorgeous pools of silver that were shining with lust and excitement and, dare she say, the faintest murmur of something akin to love. He's marvelous, she thought to herself, and he's mine.
She slowly made her way back to him, noting how his dilated pupils intently studied her breasts as they bounced with her every movement. She gave him a shy smile, resting herself between his bent legs and making eye contact with him through her dark lashes as she ran her fingers up his thighs. She leaned forward, settling herself on top of him and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. Reaching down between them, she grabbed his throbbing member, running the flat of her palm over the head and delightedly watching him shudder, smiling as he let out a low moan.
"I don't know what to do, Draco," she confided, stroking her hand back up and down his cock.
"Sweetheart, you're really doing an incredible job, beginner or not," he panted. He pulled her in for a long, sweet kiss. "Here," he continued, reaching down to cover her small hand with his own, "I'll show you what I like. But please, feel free to improvise."
He guided her hand up and down, twisting and alternating speeds before releasing her hand to grab her face and pull her closer to him. Their snogging intensified, as did her rhythm on his cock, and sooner than he would have liked, Draco came, exploding all over Hermione's hand and both of their stomachs.
"I'm so sorry, baby," he said, sheepishly running a hand through his hair. "I should have warned you before I came all over you. I've never had someone else do that to me…"
He stopped, watching as Hermione studied her fingers, coated in his seed. She brought her hand up to her mouth, her dainty tongue slipping out and running up her pointer finger. He swallowed heavily, transfixed as she slowly cleaned her hand of his cum. When she had finished, she reached for her wand, murmuring a cleaning charm, first on her stomach and then on his. She set her wand back, turning to him with a smile, only to see that he still had a stupid, stupefied look on his face.
"What?" she asked, utterly confused, settling down beside him in bed.
"Your little show there," he answered, gesticulating at her hand.
"What are you on about?" she inquired, still flummoxed.
"Licking… me off of your hand," he answered, flipping on his side to look down on her as she laid.
She chuckled. "I didn't realize that was a show!"
"Gods," he groaned, leaning down to kiss across her collarbone, "you have absolutely no idea how sexy you are."
He kissed across her clavicle and down her sternum, moving to press kisses across her breasts. His hand snaked down her stomach, caressing every inch of her skin he could reach. Hermione felt his fingers tuck into the side of her blue lace knickers, and her breath hitched.
"Draco, stop," she commanded, pulling away from him.
"I'm sorry! I should have asked first," he apologized, looking guilty and ashamed. She reached up to cradle his face between her hands, pulling him down to place a sweet kiss on the tip of his nose.
"I just… need a little more time, okay?" she told him, peering up at him with big, innocent eyes.
"Of course! I shouldn't have done that. I feel like an arse. We'll wait. As long as you want," he stated, getting up to retrieve his boxers. He slipped them back on and then settled beside her in bed.
"But I don't mind moving forward with you!" she explained, smiling over at him and running her hand up his arm.
He shook his head. "As much as I enjoyed that, love, I'd feel more comfortable waiting to do that again until you're ready. It makes me feel guilty."
A moment passed, and then, "You really scared me today, Draco…"
He sighed. "I know, sweetheart. And I'm sorry. We both need to be more careful from here on out, okay?"
"No one attacked me," she argued, but he met her eyes and gave her a stern look.
"Granger, someone is out there attacking Muggle-borns. Until Potter and Weasley get a handle on this whole thing, I need you to be safe. No more Gryffindor recklessness. Please? For me?"
She sighed but nodded. He placed his head on her chest, nuzzling his face between her breasts as she ran her hands through his silky hair. He hummed as she scratched his scalp lightly with her nails, and before she knew it, he was asleep.
She settled into the bed, kissing the top of Draco's head and smiling as he tightened his hold on her waist. Before she knew it, she was following him into sleep, dreaming of a castle, a princess with a head of unruly curls, and a pale dragon with beautiful eyes who magically transformed into a handsome, blonde prince.