Sorry for the short short chapter! I'm so busy right now :(

A family member passed away and I will be out of town for the funeral for the rest of the week and weekend. I'm not taking my computer with me. It's difficult enough to travel across the country with a one and a half year old, I'm not going to put myself through the worry of bringing my laptop along as well. So unfortunately there will be no updates for almost a week. I will be brainstorming the entire time though! And who knows, maybe inspiration will hit me and I'll update a chapter or two off of my Aunt's computer or something while I'm staying with her.

Sorry I'll be keeping you guys waiting, but I'm sure you understand. Until next week, then!

She approached the bedroom, opening the door slowly, and looking around for any sign of Draco—there was none. She could hear the shower running though, so she removed her jacket and laid it on the bed before entering the bathroom.

"Draco?"

"What?" came a rather terse answer.

Hermione sighed as she leaned her head back, looking up at the ceiling. "Harry removed the trace from your house," she told him. "We cleaned up and fixed the damage from Monday."

She was stalling.

Draco hesitated. "…Thank you," he finally said.

She leaned against the marble counters and folded her arms. "Are you ever going to come out of there and talk with me?"

No response.

"Fine," she said, and she began removing her clothes. We'll see how long he can manage to pout like this if I'm naked, she thought smugly. She peeled off her jeans and lifted her shirt over her head. Her socks came off, she unhooked her bra, and stepped out of her panties before throwing open the rather large shower curtain.

Draco turned to stare at her with raised eyebrows.

She stepped into the shower and closed the shower curtain behind her. Steam swirled around them and she stepped under the massive shower spray. She unbraided her hair and leaned her head back, feeling the water soak her shoulders and back. She turned and let the water run over her face and front.

Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her right shoulder before resting his chin on it. She smiled to herself—how well she knew him already!

"I'm sorry, Granger," he said quietly.

She nodded. "I know you are. At this point, I'm more angry you didn't tell me than anything."

"I really was going to tell you."

"I just wish you'd done it before Harry showed up." She put her hands over his, which were wrapped around her waist.

He let out a humorless chuckle. "That probably would have been helpful. You have every right to be pissed at me."

"I know I do," she said with a smile.

He laughed—a real laugh this time—before turning her around and kissing her. "So what's my punishment going to be?" he asked, his tone full of suggestion.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I'll think of something."

"I can think of a few things…"

She laughed until he pulled her flush against him and began kissing her neck. Her laugh morphed into a moan as his fingers wandered between her legs. "Wait, Draco…. Draco, wait! We…we need to finish discussing a few things before you just…seduce me."

"No reason we can't do both," he breathed into her ear.

"I'm going back to London tomorrow."

He froze, pulling away slowly. He looked at her with a carefully calm expression and guarded eyes. "I thought you said you didn't want to go back? That you liked being here?"

She nodded. "I do, and it's not permanent. I just have to go to the ministry to prove that I'm alive. And I should probably make my apology to the Weasleys in person…" She shook her head. "But I am coming back to France afterwards. Come with me," she said suddenly.

He frowned. "What?"

"Come with me. Harry said that once the Shacklebolt sees I'm alive he could possibly pardon you—lift your sentence early. You could get your wand and magic back."

Draco blinked. "What?" he repeated.

She nodded. "Harry said he's going to speak to Shacklebolt on your behalf."

His face darkened. "Why is he always doing that?"

Hermione smiled wrly. "Because it's important that he does the right thing. And defending you is the right thing."

He scoffed at that.

"Will you come with me?"

He stared at her, long and hard. "I don't know if that's a good idea. I have a meeting in Paris this weekend, as well."

Hermione deflated and nodded dejectedly.

"I could come up after that, though. If it's…important to you."

She smiled once more. "It is," she confirmed. "You are."

He offered her a half smile. "So you forgive me then?"

"As long as you don't go behind my back like that ever again. You can't do that to people, Draco. And don't give me some excuse about being a Slytherin," she added when he opened his mouth to speak. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. You don't do things like that to the people you love." Her eyes widened at what she'd said. "I mean…you know…people you care about. People you're in relationships with…I mean…"

Draco laughed and kissed her. "I do, you know," he told her. "You…you know that I…that I…"

"Love me?" she suggested humorously. He was floundering nervously, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't find it amusing.

He nodded, leaning forward to kiss her once more.

"And one more thing," she said, breaking away from his kiss.

He sighed, hanging his head on her shoulder. "Yes, Granger?"

"You need to get a handle on your drinking."

He looked up at her with wide panicked eyes, before looking down and nodding slightly. "I'll work on that."

"Not for me," she clarified. "For you."

He straightened, assuming that haughty expression he so often wore. "I know."

She smiled at his demeanor before pushing him against the shower wall.

He hissed through his teeth and arched his back away from the wall. "That's cold, Granger!"

She grinned cheekily as she used one hand to press him flat against the cold tile once more. "I know it is." She trailed her fingers down his chest, towards his stomach.

"Then why are you—" His sentence briefly dropped off his lips and he made an incoherent sound and moaned as she took his hard erection in her hand. His eyes closed and his mouth went slack.

She smiled to herself and lowered herself to her knees in front of him, taking him in her mouth without warning.

He let out a strangled cry, his hands coming to rest on her head as he bucked against her.

"I thought I was…I thought I…was…being punished…" he said as she worked him in her mouth. "Not that I'm… complaining…" he moaned. "Because I certainly am…not complaining… Oh gods, Hermione," he groaned as she slid her lips all the way down his length, taking him as far back in her throat as she could.

Hermione looked up at him before rising to her feet and pressing her naked body against his. He watched her through feverish eyes, pulling her close with desperate hands.

"I thought I'd give you a chance to make it up to me first," she said.

He smirked, his eyes practically smoldering as he eyed her hungrily, his chest rising and falling heavily. "I think I can do that," he breathed.

"I think you can, too," she agreed, her brown eyes glinting with mischief.

They were lying in bed an hour later, both completely spent. The silence in the house was heavy, now that it was no longer filled with the sounds of their moans and cries. Draco pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her damp head.

"Promise me you're not leaving for good tomorrow," he said softly.

She sat up in alarm, looking at him with wide brown eyes. "What?" she exclaimed.

His eyes shifted away from hers, and he clenched his teeth.

"Draco, of course I'm not leaving for good. I'm not…" she sighed. "I'm not leaving you."

He gave a small huff and a shrug. "You could have your old life back again. Maybe… maybe once you're back you'll decide you want something different. It would surprise me if you decided not to go back to working as a healer, honestly. You should do that. You were good at it—I've heard about how quickly you made it through training."

"Draco, do you know what I told Harry tonight?"

He rolled his eyes. "Can't even imagine," he drawled, sounding far more casual than he looked.

"I told him you were a permanent fixture in my life now, and that he needed to accept it."

Draco was watching her with a certain reluctance about him, like he almost didn't believe her.

"And…better yet, he said that he would accept that."

Draco snorted.

"He did! I mean, he acknowledged that it wouldn't be easy, and he said you two probably wouldn't get along—"

"That's for sure—"

"Please, Draco," she complained. "But he said he would try. And that's…that's really all I want for him to do. And you too—I want you to try to get along with him."

"Granger!"

"He's my best friend, Draco! You can't be with me and not at least treat my closest friends with civility. I don't think that's an absurd request, do you?"

He bit the inside of his cheeks before shaking his head. "Alright," he agreed.

She smiled and settled back down on his shoulder.

"I could try to be civil with Potter—and Potterette."

Hermione chuckled at Ginny's nickname.

"But Weasley—I'm calling it now, that is a lost cause. There is no way in hell that he will ever accept this."

She sighed heavily at this, her fears of the upcoming confrontation with Ron returning. "I hope it's not, but I fear you may be right."

"And I know that won't be easy for you," he said.

She looked up at him. "They won't change my mind, though. You know that, right? I don't care what or who tries to stand in our way. You're worth fighting for."

He tightened his hold on her, looking down at her and smiling. His gray eyes warmed and radiated affection.

"I'd fight for you any day, Granger."