Draco
Severus was pacing, rattling off questions and insults with an anger that Draco hadn't been exposed to in years, at least not from his godfather.
"Motto." The older man demanded harshly.
"Purity will always conquer." Draco rattled off easily. Severus had been going for a while, he was now reverting to questions Draco had memorized when he was seven.
"In Latin." His tutor clarified.
"Sanctimonia Vincet Semper" Draco answered smoothly. The pronunciation was easy, Latin a well-practiced language on his tongue.
"Current politicians whose opinions we encourage?" Severus asked, and that, that was harder. There were literally dozens.
"Sage Bragnam, Bilius Finbok, Runcorn… and Bertha Jorkins." He recalled lazily, his energy for this waning quickly.
"Is that at all?" Severus asked slowly.
"I'm sure it's not but those are the easily manipulated and useful ones." Draco massaged the bridge of his nose, struggling for patience.
"Idiot. Every connection is worthwhile, only a fool would let them fall into disarray." Snape reprimanded.
"You're the one who's been telling me to focus on the important people my whole goddamn life!" Draco finally snapped.
"Did I ever say to focus on obvious people?" Severus demanded and Draco was shocked.
"'Some people matter and others don't.' You've been saying it for years." Draco repeated. It was one of Severus's most pointed and repeated lessons.
"Did I ever tell you that mattering was a societal distinction?" Severus asked. That made Draco pause.
"I have no idea what you are trying to say." He admitted, though not calmly. "People will surprise you if you allow them to. Don't. I'm afraid you may be missing important clues." Severus instructed. It wasn't like him to speak in gibberish and riddles.
"Are you all alright?" Draco asked, legitimately getting a little concerned now.
"That is not your business nor relevant to this discussion. Now, how do you plan to solve your issues with your fiancee?" Severus asked. Draco recoiled. This was not a normal question.
"Are you about to give me relationship advice?" Draco asked dismissively. There was a wand at his throat before he could blink.
"I will say whatever I please and you will listen attentively." Severus snarled, voice slow and angry.
"Yes, sir." Draco agreed slowly.
"Be kind to her. Treat her well. Lie. Act like you have a soul." His mentor scoffed. Draco flinched as Severus lowered his wand.
"Excuse me?" He snapped.
"Have you suddenly gone deaf and not bothered to notify anyone?" Severus accused.
"No, sir." Draco protested.
"Pretend to like the brain dead peace of blonde seaweed and save yourself from the disaster you're currently plunging into head first." Severus hissed. Draco started to protest. He knew exactly what he was doing and didn't appreciate the implication that anything else was the truth. "You're dismissed." Severus snapped and whirled out of the room, his cloak swishing behind him. Draco rose slowly, stunned at what had to be the strangest lesson that he had ever had.
…
Hermione
The laundry basket weighed heavily in her arms as she made her way across the castle. Hermione was a little giddy to say the least. Draco's marks on her skin tingled warmly as if charmed when she thought about them and she couldn't restrain her smile.
"Hey! Mione!" The voice echoed down the hallway. Hermione jumped as Harry came rushing down the hallway. He was still in his riding boots and breeches. It was a strange look in the middle of the manor and she hurried to pull him aside. The evening traffic was light but if they were seen they would most definitely reprimand him.
"What has gotten into you?" She hissed, hurriedly looking over her shoulder.
"Did you leave me a note?" He demanded, still out of breath. "What?" Hermione huffed with no idea what he could possibly be talking about.
"Mione! Did you leave a note in my room?" Harry repeated desperately.
"No! Why? What happened?" Hermione questioned, sincerely concerned by his behavior now.
"This was in my loft." He pulled the scroll out from the pocket of his trousers. It was a plain white stretch of parchment from the outside, sealed with red candle wax but without insignia to mark it.
"Well, open it!" She urged. He cracked the seal nervously, and Hermione found herself staring eagerly as Harry clumsily unrolled the parchment.
"It's, it's blank." He announced dizzily. Hermione tilted her head before gasping and eagerly suggesting a solution.
"Try 'Aparecium,' it's a revealing charm." She urged, certain that her magic wasn't strong enough to use it quite yet.
"Aparecium." He repeated uncertainly and then cleared his throat and tried again, "Aparecium." The page still stayed blank.
"I don't know Harry, it must be some sort of prank." She told him uneasily, disappointed herself, though she wasn't sure what she had been expecting.
"I guess… it's just, with everything…" Something seemed to dawn in the alpha's eyes. "I have to go." He announced suddenly with certainty.
"What?" She recoiled in surprise as he bolted away.
"I'm sorry, I'll explain later." He called over his shoulder careening through the hallway at top speed.
"That was weird." Hermione announced to the empty hallway, unfortunately it didn't stay that way for long. A servant appeared, rounding the corner immediately. He stopped short when he saw her alone.
"Everything all right?" Collin asked nervously. He was a short, blonde boy who had worked with the Greengrasses almost as long as she had. He was an excellent messenger, mostly because he seemed to know where everyone was at all times and had an uncanny ability to appear right where the person he needed was hiding.
"Yeah, Collin, I'm fine" she assured him uneasily.
"Okay…" He drew out the word, very clearly not believing her.
"What is it, Collin?" She sighed in exasperation.
"Note for you, from the young Lord Zabini." He presented the black envelope easily. Hermione worked hard to school her features to something like disengagement.
"He's the only Lord Zabini." She pointed out. Collin rolled his eyes.
"Right he is, note's still for you though." He pointed out holding out the envelope again. She took it, focusing on not letting her unease show through. Blaise didn't write her notes.
"Did Blaise give you this personally?" She asked slowly letting her thumb catch on the seal. Strange notes were abounding that day apparently.
"No, he usually doesn't just slid it under the door with your name on it when I came around for the usual mail." Collin shrugged as If that was perfectly normal.
"Alright then, he is an odd bloke. Thank you, Collin." She nodded at him and he shrugged and went on his way, undoubtedly searching out his next recipient. Hermione sighed and opened the envelope with a smile, certain of the author. Draco's fine script greeted her and she smiled happily as she read it.
"My sweet, lovely omega, it would be a great honor if you would come to my room tonight." It read. She grinned, tempted to do a little happy dance as she hurried away. She had a few things to do before she could escape for the night but if she hurried, she could be there within the hour.
...
Draco
Even though he had been expecting it, Draco still jumped when he heard the knock. He rose clumsily, having spent too much time wedged into the corner of the couch with a book for far too long. Hermione came in before he got to the door, eyes wild as her hair streamed behind her.
"Sorry, I got here as soon as I could." She huffed, still out of breath. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a kiss. She hesitated for only a beat before meeting him with equal vigor. Her nails scratched the back of his neck and he groaned, nipping her lower lip between his teeth. She whimpered and the scent of apricot flooded his senses. His hands skimmed down her back unlacing her corset with ease. She groaned and he kissed down her neck, just reaching the edge of the curve of his mark. He felt a flare of possessiveness shoot up within him. Tonight he needed something darker. She pulled away and took his hand, leading him into his bedroom. He discarded his jacket behind him as she slid out of her corset. She stepping into the room, grinning cheekily as she gestured for him to come in.
Hermione
He pressed her against the door she had just walked through and pinned her hands above her head. He got like that sometimes, generally after doing something unpleasant. It was like the lack of control outside made him desperate to control what happened here. She certainly didn't mind. His mouth was on her neck kissing and sucking and nipping. She hoped it left marks. Immediately, vivid pictures came to mind, her research coming back to her at a dizzying pace. She remembered a woman's wrist, turning in their frame to show wrists with red chaffing marks. She whimpered and squirmed, feeling his grip on her wrists tighten.
"I want…" She rasped. He stopped, lifting his head and studying her closely.
"Yes?" He asked, his voice was low. She looked down, suddenly nervous. It wasn't exactly an easy thing to say aloud. Some people might even say that it was shameful, and maybe she was trying to suggest it too early. He had held her wrists before and he had seemed into the idea, but now, maybe since it was here he would think she was bizarre for it. Weren't you supposed to make love before getting ropes involved?
Maybe…"Tell me." He demanded, his voice rough as he pressed her hands harder into the oak paneling.
"I want you to tie me up." She admitted. Draco groaned, his head dropping onto her shoulder. "If you'd be okay with that?" She added timidly. He moved her hand easily, cupping her palm as he brought it to his straining cock. She could feel the shape of it easily in her palm, feel the heat of it.
"Do you think that I'm okay with it?" He teased; she squeezed him gently and he groaned again.
"How… where?" She trailed off not sure where to start. He stepped back and kissed her wrist gently before leading her to his bed. He sat her down and laid her hands in her lap. Her breath was shaky as he placed her hands next to each other.
"I want you to tell me if this is too tight." He instructed gently and waved his wand quickly before setting it aside. The wordless spell sent silky ropes coursing around her wrist. The pressure was firm and the rope was soft against her skin. Her breath caught in her throat.
"It's perfect." She admitted. He smirk and pushed on her shoulders until she laid flat on her back. He lifted her hands, placing them above her head. Her breath caught as she felt the slight pull on her shoulders.
"All you need to do to get out is just say finite." He informed her, on his hands and knees about her.
"No wand?" She check quickly.
"The charm was designed for it." He explained easily.
"Good." She breathed out nervously. She couldn't think much past the feeling of the ropes on her wrists and how purely she was at his mercy.
"It's not going to bother your wrist?" He checked once more before brushing his thumb along the scrapes she lived with every day.
"Nope." She assured him.
"Wonderful." He smirked and picked up his wand again. The cold air was a surprise as he vanished her gown and slip easily.
"I needed that." She sputtered in protest.
"Trust." He ordered, and waved his wand again, they appeared draped over the back of the arm chair in the corner. She shivered as she realized she was left in just her stockings and knickers. He ran his thumbs along the garters. She blushed as she realized how bland the garments were, nothing like what he was probably used to seeing on his lovers. She blushed as she watched his gaze linger on her breasts; she figured he probably wasn't that concerned about her undergarments, self-proclaimed kink be damned.
"Okay, here are the rules: you stay perfectly still and you don't make a noise. Can you follow those?" He asked firmly, his gaze serious even though he was smirking.
"Yes." She breathed, her voice failing her.
"If it gets too intense, you will say your word, do you understand?" He checked formally. "Yes." She agreed dizzily.
"Okay, and one more rule, for every sound you make and every muscle you move, you owe me one." He laid out, his eyes alight with desire.
"One what?" She asked quizzically.
"Oh my sweet omega, for every sound or movement you make from this point forward you owe me one orgasm." He explained. "Nod if you're okay with that." He ordered. She nodded fervently, not sure if she wanted to be completely silent or make all of the noise in the world. "Oh, and by the way, if you make it the whole time, I will reward you my wonderful girl." And that, that was tempting. His rewards had always been well worth it and now she was determined to succeed. Nothing could stop Hermione Granger once she set her mind on something.
Draco
That had done it. Hermione had that look. That look he had seen when she was deciphering a difficult rune or translating a challenging passage was firmly seated on her features. Granger was determine to win, the only problem was that she had no idea what she was in for. He kissed down her neck, sucking marks as he did. Her breath hitched as he stopped at the hollow of her throat but she stayed still and didn't make a sound. He grinned, proud of her as he did. He sat up and she watched him cautiously as he reached to open his drawer. Her eyebrows widened as he pulled out the palette. The paint was already doled out and blended how he wanted. He grabbed his softest brush first mixing it in the soft blue paint, a light celeste. Hermione's breathing caught on as she realized there was not paper. Tonight, she was his canvas. He brushed a thin layer of paint in the hollow of her throat. Hermione was very clearly trying incredibly hard to stay perfectly still as he swabbed a darker blue with swirls down to her collar bone. She had settled in, confident that she could take this, probably even relieve. She jumped with the stiff straw brush flicked across her nipples and almost groaned in defeat when she realized what she had done.
"That's one." He told her firmly. It's a good thing he hadn't planned a reward. He smirked as her coated the brush with red paint, starting below her breast and painting a large swirl that finished in a tight curl around her straining bud. He went back to the other end and lingered on her breast bone before starting another spiral which curved around the top of the mound. He finished the swirl, the stiff bristles dragging across the sensitive peak. She stayed remarkably quiet. Ah yes, now she was going for damage control. It was cute. He grabbed a sponge now, dipping it in a purple paint as he did, dabbing clumsy spirals to cover the gap. The sponge was deliberately soft, the most difficult part of this section was the temperature of the paint, which was a little cool. She stayed stoic. Good girl.
"I'm going to spread your legs, that won't count against you." He told her while gently moving her legs apart and turning her legs flat against her sheets. He started at her knees, splattering silver from a stiff brush on her skin. The color hit the sheets but he wasn't bothered. Clean up was going to be extensive as it was. He dipped the same brush in gold and painted streaks in curves around her thighs, loosely tracing the outlines of the muscles just beneath the surface. She gasped as he got close to her hips and then cursed.
"That's two and three." He told her firmly. He took another swab of the gold, starting at the top of her knickers tracing swirls up to her stomach. He imagined this tickled, especially since the paint pulled at her skin as it dried. He let it fade and then grabbed another soft brush, swirling it in the bronze. He drew swirls on her skin again, circling over her ribs. He let the final swirls run up against the red beneath her breasts. She kept her breathing steady and he carefully moved back.
"Stay still or you'll smudge it." He instructed easily. She blinked twice in succession. He chuckled to himself at her attempt at signal. "You did a wonderful job, I am so proud of you." He praised before waving his wand and undoing her binds. "And my challenge is over, you can speak now my lovely."
"Thank you." She sighed in relief, smiling as she looked at her red wrist with a giddy fondness.
"You look wonderful." He told her sincerely. She blushed.
"Can I see it?" She asked eagerly. He laughed.
"You're going to want to wait a couple minutes or you'll end up with a strange colored blob but sure." He acquiesced.
"How do you do it?" She asked curiously, pillowing her hands beneath her head.
"Hmm?" He mused, twirling his wand between his fingers, already planning his next move.
"You're an artist, clearly, but no one knows about it. How do you keep it from everyone?" She asked, searching for answers even when mostly naked and covered in paint. Oh god, how he admired her.
"An overabundance of caution and constant vigilance." He laughed even though he knew she wouldn't get the joke.
"Don't you have a drying charm?" She asked, squirming a little with impatience.
"Haven't you ever heard that the waiting is part of the fun?" He teased her.
"Heard it? Yes. Agreed with it? Never." She argued. He laughed.
"Fine, fine, I'll hurry it up." He agreed lazily, flicked his wand. She gasped as the paint tightened suddenly over her skin.
"How do you plan on getting this off of me?" She asked curiously as she sat up cautiously. He held out his hand and lead her to his mirror. He placed her in front of him, letting her see her body in the mirror. Her lithe frame was covered in designs, the colors varied but blended wherever they met. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide as she took in her body. He gave her a moment to appreciate it before moving. They didn't have all night, after all.
"We can do it quickly or slowly." He proposed.
"What would that entail?" She asked as he traced over the slashes on her hips.
"Nope: quickly or slowly?" He pushed. She paused, thinking about it. "Quickly." She answered. He grabbed his wand.
"Tergeo." He breathed, flicking away the paint with ease. It was gone quickly, her skin shiny and pink where the paint had sat.
"How are you going to collect?" She asked him, her eyes trained on him in the mirror, not herself now. He let his hands linger on her hips, his thumbs drawing circles on her skin.
"Easily. Come." Her knees buckled and she collapsed into him as the pleasure crashed over her. It was sudden, jolting and unexpected but her body couldn't resist the command. She whimpered as he scooped her up with an arm behind her knees. He laid her on his bed, kissing over her breasts and stomach as she came down. Her skin was flushed red and her breathing labored. Her eyes dragged open slowly, utterly shocked.
"That, that was unexpected." She gasped, as she laid heavily on his sheets.
"You okay?" He asked gently, they had done this before, but this was a little different, if she wanted out now it would be completely expected.
"And amazing. Unexpected and Amazing." She continued, smiling. He smirked, crawling over her limp body.
"Good because you owe me two more." He reminded her. She groaned.
"I'm not sure I could…" She trailed off as he flicked her nipple with his tongue. She gasped as he took the delicate pink bud between his teeth and pulled. He released it quickly before turning to the other side and giving it the same treatment. She was truly squirming now as he kissed down her stomach. She spread her legs easily and he eased her knickers down gently. She kept her hair neatly trimmed parted her outer lips with two fingers, her sweet essence shining against his skin. He flicked his tongue over that most sensitive bud and she twitched, her hip thrusting towards him. He groaned, holding her down with on hand as he continued manipulating her clit with his thumb. He slid one digit inside of her and she gasped. He curled it against that spongy wall inside of her and whispered the command into her hip.
"Come." He ordered. She gasped, shattering as she clenched around his finger. He stroked that spot again, causing aftershock after aftershock until she stilled and whimpered in what sounded like pain instead.
"One more." He reminded her firmly.
"I… I can't." She gasped, her eyes were watering, her hair was damp with sweat on her forehead.
"You can. Do you remember your word?" He asked her again. Recognition dawned in her eyes and then steely resolve.
"Yes." She told him firmly.
"Are you using it?" He clarified.
"No." She told him, smiling softly before flopping backwards.
"Do your worst." She challenged, and he grinned. He slid two fingers inside of her and she groaned. He curled them firmly, over and over again on that wall. She squirmed and he scissored his fingers inside of her, stretching her gently. She was warm and soft and oh so wet. He leaned forward and flicked his tongue against her clit. She resisted, not quite there, but she was taught like a bow string. He kissed her bud softly before sucking hard as he curled his fingers against that spot inside of her. She cried out as she came, orgasming hard around his fingers again and entirely naturally. He smirked in triumph as she collapsed. Her arm falling over her eyes.
"That was..." She sighed. He crawled up to her side, falling beside her. He was hard, uncomfortably so but not desperately so.
"Lay it on me, the praise, the adoration..." He trailed off, smirking happily.
"Do you need me to take care of that?" She asked, way too smug for someone who just came three times in a row.
"Can you even move?" He teased, kissing her temple. She groaned.
"In five minutes I'll be able to, I'm sure." She vowed. He laughed.
"In five minutes you'll be asleep Granger." He predicted. She scowled like a kitten having it's favorite yarn ball taken away.
"Then can I watch while you take care of it with the next five minutes?" She suggested, smirking and turning just her head.
"Works for me." He smirked, pulling his cock free from his pants. It was already leaking profusely and the moment he got his hand on it he groaned. This was not going to take long. He moved his hand quickly squeezing firmly around his shaft. It was barely three strokes before he was coming all over his stomach, pleasure crashing gently. He sighed, reaching for his wand but Granger beat him to it.
"Scourgify." She murmured, flicking her wand easily. His jizz was gone in an instance.
"That was an advanced spell." He observed cautiously, eyeing the gold band he tried to ignore as often as possible.
"Oh, don't you know? I'm just an extraordinary witch." She told him cheekily, pulling the blankets over the both of him and snuggling into his side. He sighed happily. She wasn't wrong.
A/N: Hello all, this chapter got very out of hand on me again. I had so many things that I should have been doing instead of writing and I did this instead. This isn't perfectly polished but I really wanted to get you the next chapter soon so, here you go. So I'll just get right into it.
What's going on with Severus?
Is there any merit to his advice?
Who sent the scroll?
What did it mean?
What was with Harry's strange departure?
Did you expect Draco's little game? The bondage? The paint?