A/N- You are all the bomb. So many wonderful reviews from you all and I loved them all. Sorry this chapter has been such a wait, but in the words of my six year old son, "It's been hotter than the devil's butthole." It's really hard to be motivated in the heat. Anyways, the new chapter is here even though nothing earth-shattering takes place. Just a nice normal chapter for those of you that don't like the drama.

Disclaimer: I don't own a durn thing. I wish the ideas were mine and that I made a fortune off of them, but no such luck. Maybe someday...

Chapter 29

March 1, 1999

Hermione felt guilty. Today was Ron's birthday and it was the first year since they were eleven that she hadn't bought him a gift. She refused to give in to her guilty feelings, however. He had broken their friendship once again and she would be damned if she was going to send him a gift. To be completely honest with herself, the Gryffindor wasn't sure she could forgive him again even after a heartfelt apology.

The situation had been getting out of hand since he had cheated on her. Ron didn't give two fucks about how anyone felt but himself, and he assumed that as long as he just continued to apologize, he would continually be forgiven. Back when she had no other friends, that may have happened. No longer though.

Hermione had come to the conclusion after the last fight with Draco over Daphne that she was tired of continually being the one who had to forgive her friends. Therefore, she had made the pact with herself that she was going to demand the respect that she knew she deserved.

Draco threaded his fingers through hers at the table using his other hand to push her porridge closer to her. Hermione turned up her nose as she shook her head. She didn't have much of an appetite that morning. What she really wanted was Tippy's porridge, but she couldn't make herself call her and ask for it special.

It was Friday, which meant Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration were their classes today. Bill had promised they would be working on something new, as had Professor Borrowman. Hermione wasn't sure what they were planning, but she hoped that it was challenging. She was happy she had come back to Hogwarts, but she could honestly say that she hadn't learned a thing that she didn't already know.

The conversation going on around her was the same as it always was. Arguments over quidditch and questions asked about homework were the commonplace discussion items. As usual, Hermione didn't participate in the quidditch talk. Theo Ginny, and Neville were currently discussing the merits of a stocky keeper versus those of a leaner one. Hermione had tuned them out almost immediately.

Draco was surprisingly quiet. True to his word, the day after she had accepted his apology, he had his barrister issue a draft for half a million galleons to the war orphanage on Diagon Alley. In addition to that, he had also had the older man set up a fund at Hogwarts for muggleborns who couldn't afford the tuition and supplies.

He had been much more solicitous of her in the days past. She knew he still felt guilty so she didn't say anything when he became overwhelming. He wasn't the only one either. Theo had taken their father's words to heart. When Draco wasn't with her, Theo was.

A nudge from Draco drew her out of her thoughts and made her realize that breakfast was over and the other students were starting to head for class. She smiled at him and allowed him to pull her out of her seat. They linked hands as they walked beside Theo and Neville, talking quietly as they made their way through the corridors. Neville asked the question she had been wondering about earlier.

"Wonder what Professor Weasley is going to teach us today? He said it was new." Hermione could see the excitement on his face and she couldn't help but think about just how far Neville had come. Gone was the shy, pudgy boy that took a month's worth of D.A. lessons to master the disarming spell. Before her now was a confident man, baby fat completely gone with a dangerous looking scar across his cheek, that was one of the best students in Defense. Harry would be prouder than she was. Draco shrugged beside her.

"Who knows? Honestly, I don't think it will be too new to any of us. There isn't much on the syllabus that we haven't been forced to learn." Neville tilted his head to the side and hmmphed.

"True enough. Guess we'll just have to wait and see." The foursome made their way into the classroom and took their usual seats at the front. Hermione knew that Theo, Draco, and Neville hated sitting at the front, but they did it to be with her because she refused to sit anywhere else. The rest of the eighth years filed in and took their seats, most waiting patiently for Bill to arrive.

It wasn't five minutes later that Bill came through the door and Hermione could hear the collective sigh of every female in the classroom. He was still the heart throb of Hogwarts and most of the girls were actively in love with him. Hermione could only roll her eyes at the adoration for someone she considered a brother. Bill wasted no time in starting their lesson.

"Today, we're going to begin our work on patronuses. I know some of you have experience with them, but I'm sure that there are some of you that need practice on them. Now who can tell me exactly what a patronus is?" There were several hands that went up so Hermione didn't bother to raise her hand.

Personally, she had struggled with the patronus spell when Harry had taught them in fifth year. She never struggled with spells and the fact that she had to actively work to get this one to work in the beginning had frustrated her. It had taken her three meetings before she had finally produced her adorable little otter.

She remembered casting the spell during the long hours she would spend on watch while they had been on the run just so her otter would appear and keep her company. However, she hadn't cast the spell since the Final Battle and she could honestly say that she was looking forward to it.

Bill lectured on the charm for an hour and she and her friends all took dutiful notes to study later down the road for their N.E.W.T.s. He split the class into pairs and bid them to practice. Bill never paired her with Draco or Theo in his class since he considered himself a good enough professor to keep her safe while paired with others.

Today, Theo was paired with Padma Patil, Draco with Parvati Patil, Neville with Ernie McMillan, Seamus with Adrian Pucey, Dean with Greg Goyle, and Hermione with Marcus Flint. Hermione still stood next to Draco in her line but faced Marcus. She watched as pairs down the line started to cast their patronuses.

Padma's parakeet fluttered around Theo's head, reminding Hermione of Ron's owl Pig. Theo produced a perfect grizzly bear that veered over and tried to attack Seamus. The whole class laughed when Seamus started waving his wand and trying to back away from the spectral animal.

Draco's dragon swooped through the air before landing in front of Hermione and nuzzling her leg. Parvati waved her wand and nothing happened. Her face scrunched together and she cast the spell again, her peacock flowing out of her wand to strut around the room.

Neville's lion, Ernie's boar, and Seamus' monkey all appeared as their turns came. When it came to Pucey, he waved his wand and a hyena appeared and ran at Hermione, eyes wild and teeth bared. She no longer thought it was funny when Seamus had backed away from Theo's grizzly. She knew that the hyena couldn't hurt her, and she didn't run, but there was no denying the rush of fear that went through her at the sight. The hyena appeared to be chewing on her leg when he finally disappeared.

The room was silent as Draco stepped closer to Hermione and Pucey just sent her a smirk. If he had been trying to unnerve her Hermione hated to admit that it worked.

Dean's gazelle appeared and attempted to graze on the stone floor of the castle. Goyle cast the spell a handful of times, producing a silver mist, before his last spell took and a huge gorillia came out of his wand. Hermione wondered if anyone else realized the irony in the least intelligent person she knew producing a patronus of one of the most intelligent animals on the planet.

It was her and Marcus' turn, and Hermione motioned for the Slytherin to go first. His wand waved through the air and a fox appeared before him, only to cross over to Hermione and delicately sniff her leg before disappearing. It still made her nervous, but not in the same way the outright attack of Pucey's hyena on her person.

When it was Hermione's turn, she waved her wand as the rest of them had and watched as her otter emerged from her wand tip and gambled around the room before racing around Draco and Theo, playfully flipping in the air like it was doing flips in the water. When the lovable creature disappeared, Bill came forward, hands on his hips.

"Every single one of you produced a patronus. Have you all done this charm before?" Dean nodded and spoke.

"Harry taught all but the Slytherins in the D.A. fifth year." Bill chuckled.

"I remember one of the twins saying something about the D.A. Anyone want to actually explain what it was?" Neville is the one who chuckled now.

"Well, it was Hermione's idea. Umbridge wasn't teaching us anything so we all met secretly and had Harry teach us defense. We called it the D.A. Stood for Dumbledore's Army." Now Bill laughed outright.

"Why am I not surprised that Miss Nott was behind something that involved learning?" Hermione felt herself color slightly at his words. She knew that he didn't mean his words in a bad way, but it still embarrassed her that he was pointing out her swotty ways. If only she could get away with telling the whole class that he was just as big of a nerd as she was.

Since the class needed no practice and there was nothing else left on the lesson plan, Bill let them go early, making them promise to stay out of trouble. Hermione wasn't entirely sure if the other students would abide by his words, but she planned to go by the library to check out the supplemental reading that she would need for the next week in potions. After they had gathered their belongings and headed out of the classroom, Hermione tugged on Draco's arm with a smile, dragging him up the staircase the came out closest to the library. She heard his faint groan, but she just smiled to herself and continued on.

-O-

Draco really didn't want to go to the library, but he followed his girlfriend good-naturedly. There was no way he was going to let her out of his sight if he could help it.

He watched her hips sway in front of him and he couldn't keep his cock from twitching. His mind went to just two nights before.

*Flashback*

Draco climbed into the bed behind Hermione, instantly enveloped in her warmth. She had gone to bed an hour earlier and he had wanted to finish his Arithmancy essay. He had pulled himself up against her only for her backside to grind against him, nestling his cock right between her cheeks. He sighed heavily and buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, taking in the peaches and cherry blossom smell of her hair. Her voice was scratchy when she spoke.

"Mmm, you feel good." She was wearing a tank top and a simple pair of pink lace panties. He traced his hand down her belly so his fingers could slide inside her knickers and find her clit. His fingers rubbed insistent circles around her pleasure pearl, the arousal coating his fingers. Her arse ground into his cock harder as she rode his hand, her breathy sighs and quiet moans making him even harder.

Draco slipped two fingers inside her, rubbing the spongy spot inside her that always made her moan. It was minutes later that pleasure overcame her, her pussy tightening around his fingers, trying to draw them in further. Her moans were music to his ears.

He finally stilled his hand when she went lax and quiet beside him. She turned in his arms and gave him a small grin before she reached down and into his silk boxers to wrap her tiny hand around his cock. Draco couldn't help the inward gasp as she began to stroke him.

Her motions were no longer hesitant. She had learned over the months what he enjoyed and that he loved her hands on him. Her hand continued it's pumping motion for only minutes before Draco felt himself stiffen further before spilling himself all over her hand.

This was the last thing he had expected when he came to bed, but he wasn't about to complain about an impromptu sexual encounter with the woman he loved. When his breathing had slowed and his wand had cleared away the mess, Hermione snuggled into his side and wrapped her arm around his chest before falling back asleep. Draco smiled into her hair before kissing her forehead and letting sleep take him under.

*End of Flashback*

The pair entered the library together and Draco let her lead him to the potions section. His mind wandered to their Defense class while she browsed for whatever book she needed.

He wondered if he should worry about how Pucey's hyena had reacted to Hermione. Your patronus was guided by your emotions unless you had a specific message to send to someone. His had nuzzled Hermione because he loved her more than anything. Theo's had went after Seamus because he couldn't stand the Irish git because he gave his sister a hard time. The fact that Pucey's patronus wanted to harm Hermiome was worrying. In his opinion, it was a sure indictator that Pucey wanted to do Hermione harm.

Hermione pulled him out of his thoughts when she turned back to him with a smile on her face.

"I've got the book I needed. Are you ready for lunch?" He smiled at her and nodded, holding his arm out for her to walk into. She happily went into his embrace and leaned into him for the warmth he could only assume.

The pair quickly checked out the book she wanted and started down the corridor for the staircase so they could make their way to the Great Hall. Hermione hummed softly to herself as they walked and he rejoiced that she was so happy in his presence.

They took their usual seats in the Great Hall where Theo and Neville were giving the details of their defense class to Ginny and Luna. Everyone seemed a little worried when they waxed on about Pucey's hyena, but Draco was determined to not contribute and worry Hermione anymore. He knew that she was already wary of Pucey. There was no need to make it worse.

After the group of friends had had their fill of the soup and sandwiches offered for lunch, the four of them headed towards Transfiguration while Ginny and Luna headed for Care of Magical Creatures. Once again, the group of friends headed to the front of the class and took their usual seats. Draco hated sitting in the front because it only drew more attention to him and made him feel like an insufferable swot, but he did it because he knew Hermione would sit there regardless.

Professor Borrowman swept in, robes billowing somewhat reminiscent of Professor Snape, but not quite. He made his way to the chalkboard and gave the class a pleasant smile as he started speaking.

"Today's lesson is over human self-transfiguration. You will all be attempting to turn yourselves into an animal. This is very advanced magic that requires all your concentration and focus." The Transfiguration professor lectured for an hour and a half on all the ways that they could injure themselves and how they would need the help of another to return to their original forms.

Hermione had no worries, Draco assumed. The girl was without a doubt the most talented witch he had ever seen and it wouldn't surprise him if she managed a complete transfiguration on her first try. When Professor Borrowman called for a volunteer to go first, Neville half raised his hand with a smile on his face

"Hermione will go first. She likes to show us how to do it right." Draco knew that the Gryffindor wasn't trying to embarrass his friend. He truly just wanted to see her perform the spell first. Everyone knew that Transfiguration was Hermione's best subject.

Hermione stood next to Professor Borrowman and swished her wand at herself, eyes open and a slight smirk on her face. Before his eyes, he watched his girlfriend shrink down into a lean and muscled lioness. She prowled the classroom while most of the students applauded her. When she had made it back up the front, she changed back into herself. The professor had a grin on his face a mile wide.

"Miss Nott, that was truly excellent. Was that your first time with the spell?" Her eyes lowered and that's when Draco knew that it was indeed not her first time. When she spoke, her voice was sheepish.

"No, Professor. I taught myself over the holidays." His eyes widened at her words.

"You taught yourself? How many times did you have to have someone fix yourself?" Hermione cracked an embarrassed grin.

"Just once but the person who had to help me will never let me live it down." The older man blinked comically before he spoke.

"Just once is quite the feat, Miss Nott. It took me five times before my first successful transformation." Hermione shrugged a little before she headed back to her seat. Draco patted her thigh when she retook her seat.

Personally, Draco struggled with Transfiguration so he didn't think that he would be able to master the spell. Hermione had to fix Theo seven times and Draco ten before they finally managed to turn themselves into snakes. It had taken Hermione explaining how to direct their focus to get them to successfully transform.

Neville wasn't able to transform, as was the rest of the class. By the time the class was over, the expressions on the class was grim and discouraged. Draco watched as Hermione patted Neville on the arm.

"Don't worry, Nev, I'll work with you. You'll have it down by next week." He nodded glumly and Draco knew how he felt. He felt so stupid in Transfiguration every single class. The only reason he had completed the transformation today was because of Hermione.

The foursome made their way to the Great Hall and took their seats at the end of the Gryffindor table. Fish and chips appeared before them and Draco watched Hermione dig in with gusto. She still didn't eat near enough to gain any weight, but she did manage to keep what she had on.

The conversation turned to the Transfiguration class they had just left. Ginny and Luna had already had the class and both had failed miserably at it. Hermione shared her way of focusing and everyone vowed to get together over the weekend and practice together in the Room of Requirement.

After dinner, Draco led Hermione back to their common room so they could relax for the night. Hermione had started to sniffle at dinner and she had said that she wanted to get plenty of rest so she didn't get sick.

Each Head student made their way to their own rooms so they could change into their pajamas. Draco didn't bother with a shirt anymore now that he knew the Dark Mark didn't bother Hermione. He slipped into silk pajama pants that rode low on his hips. It was no surprise that he had beat Hermione and was waiting patiently for her when she emerged in a camisole and shorts that were almost nonexistent.

The couple sat together on the couch for two hours, both silently doing their own reading, until Draco finally broke the silence with what he was sure would be a controversial question.

"When are you going to tell me about the war?" Hermione glanced up and him and set her book aside before crawling into his lap.

"I know it isn't fair of me to ask you since you've already shared so much, but can I have just a little longer? I need to tell Harry I'm going to tell you. I owe him that much at least." Draco had expected the answer to be far worst so he was thrilled with her answer.

"That's just fine, Princess." She gave him a wide smile before she kissed him soundly.

The pair read for another hour before Hermione sneezed and declared that she needed to get some rest. Draco followed her to bed, long past the pretense of going to his own bed. He pulled Hermione to him, her back to his chest, and wrapped his arm possessively around her waist, his hand curling around her breast. Hermione shifted against him a couple times in order to get comfortable before she finally heaved a sigh and whispered to him in the dark.

"I love you, Drake." He kissed the back of her head and squeezed her breast just once.

"Love you too, Princess." It didn't take long for her to drop off and Draco was happy to say that he wasn't far behind her.

A/N- Short chapter, nothing exciting, and you waited forever. So sorry! I promise to try to do better! Leave me your thoughts, they do keep me motivated even though the long wait isn't very much proof. Next up, long awaited war talk and some sexy time!

Love,

A