A/N: Thank you very much for all your kind words. We're very grateful for the love you graciously bestow upon our efforts, and we cherish each and every word.

This story wouldn't have existed if not for White Bishop, and most of the credits for this chapter go to White Bishop.

Chambers and Secrets

"I'll admit, when you asked me to stop in this afternoon, I naïvely presumed it was to remedy the fact that our dates, if you can even call them that, have either started or ended with one or both of us angry at the other," Draco said folding his hands. "I expected to be met with a daring negligee, or an assortment of your culinary exploits, or some semblance of romantic intent to fix that oversight. Instead, you've dragged me to the Wizengamot's chambers with an absurd stack of papers and you're openly asking me to criticize your efforts. Which I'd argue is counterproductive to both our personal and working relationships." Hermione narrowed her eyes at his words, but he continued to rant. "Really, a bit of romance wouldn't kill you."

After finding out that neither his mother nor his troublesome muggleborn had hexed each other during their shopping trip, Draco had become insanely curious about just what had transpired. Narcissa Malfoy was never one to spare a word of praise, and yet, she returned home from Selwyn's boutique saying that the girl needed to achieve her full potential to become a Malfoy. How had Granger managed to get any kind of approval from a former Black? Before the news of their ill-fated matching, Astoria tried for months to earn Narcissa's approval, with only meager success. Thus, Draco had foolishly jumped at Granger's unexpected invitation in search of answers only to find more trouble.

Seeing that her boyfriend's snark wasn't intended to hurt, and acknowledging he did have a bit of a point about their dates. Hermione mirrored his haughty tone. "And here I thought my company would be enough. My, aren't we greedy."

"I'm a Malfoy," Draco interjected gesturing to himself. "Besides, it's not 'greed' if you deserve it."

"I know, I know. It's in your blood," she sighed and pulled him towards one of the desks and sat him down. "Now be a good boy and pay attention. I need you to focus on my arguments and statements."

"Not your eyes, lips, chest, arse, or thighs?"

She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's playfulness. "You're to look for any faults, loopholes, or mistakes, in my arguments. Understood?" she said extracting a stack of neatly categorized folders from her trusted bag and fanning them in front of him. "As I remember, you used to enjoy doing that."

"Still do, Granger," he smirked. "And I'd like to think you're better for it."

The young witch rolled her eyes at him again. It was irritating but again his claim had some merit; however, that was only because she always proved him wrong in the end. Awful methods notwithstanding, Hermione could only hope her now-boyfriend had outgrown that brand of cruelty, and that asking for his help wasn't something she'd later regret.

Draco knew there was no swaying her when her mind was set on a task, and looking at her standing with determination, he knew participation was the best option. It would be a good opportunity to nurture some of her Slytherin traits by pointing out her weaknesses. While his girlfriend wanted to reassure herself that her arguments were strong enough to secure the success of their project, Draco wanted them to be foolproof. Slytherins rarely left things to chance. Granger was naturally brilliant, but those Gryffindor sensibilities of hers would lead to overlooked opportunities if left unchallenged.

He watched her walk to the middle of the room and shuffle her papers while looking out at the array of empty chairs. It didn't take long for him to understand that she was picturing each potential member of the Wizenagamot who might be in attendance. His sources and experience suggested that anything close to full attendance was highly unlikely. Even during the Death Eater trials, they only managed a little over seventy-five percent attendance on average. Unbeknownst to Hermione, Davis and Nott had been quietly trying to encourage the attendance of potentially sympathetic members, but even that would not assure success.

"Whenever you're ready?" she asked with a hand on her hip, disturbing his train of thought and prompting Draco to reach for his set of documents.

"No kiss for luck?" Draco asked gesturing her mildly confused.

"Nope, we'll save that luck for when it actually matters," Hermione said with a smile. "Besides, who says I'd be able to stop at just a kiss." Hermione laughed loudly as Draco's eyes widened. "Got you."

"Minx," Draco muttered, "What am I to do with you, Granger?"

"You'll figure out something, I'm sure," she added with a cheeky smile. "Enough banter, let's get to work."

Draco listened to the introduction and took note of how familiar he'd become with her manner of speaking. He could see the depths of her research, and how she constructed the presentation to rely on the foundation of that research. Supporting her insights, attaching value, and purpose to the seemingly insignificant creatures this project would help all to persuade her audience. Within just the introduction, she was making an impassioned plea to the importance of her cause and its value to the wizarding world. Her meticulousness gave her a great deal of self-confidence, which would help when addressing the project's more controversial details. Unfortunately, confidence and Gryffindor bravery wouldn't be enough; she'd need something more Slytherin to best those hard-headed fools.

"Yes, Lord Malfoy?" Hermione halted as Draco interjected with a hand sign.

Draco raised an eyebrow at the use of his formal title. "I see, we're being professional. Fair enough, Ms. Granger. While you're certainly making an elaborate argument, it's hardly a convincing one. I understand the burden placed upon you by your heritage; but if you expect your project to earn approval, best to not cling to it."

"Not this again," Hermione huffed at the implications of Draco's words. Wherever she went, she was being advised to change herself to become one of them. "I'm not going to abandon my Muggle heritage, Draco. Also, aren't you being a bit hypocritical by saying that?"

"I'm dating you, Granger," he replied calmly, trying to de-escalate the situation. "Yet, I haven't abandoned my ideals or heritage. I've adapted, clinging only to that which is most important. You're a witch living in a magical world, not a muggle one, and you need to be more mindful of that fact." He stood up from his place and strode towards her. "If you're expecting to be treated with respect or as an equal by the entire Wizengamot, you're mental. Even with Shaklebolt's reforms, the Wizengamot is still mostly full of purebloods who aren't fond of anything muggle."

"I-I can't believe..."

"Granger; the fact of the matter is, my criticism was mild compared to what you should expect. I didn't even use unparliamentary language," he interrupted. "Pig-headedness, and clinging to pointless muggle idealism, isn't going to save any elves. It's going to doom this project, and waste an absurd amount of Malfoy money."

Before he realized, he felt her wand tip poking at his ribs. "Choose your next words very carefully."

He nonchalantly pushed the wand away and smirked at her. "I'm a villain today, Hermione. By your request I might add, or did you not want an honest opinion?"

"So what? You think all this is an utter waste? Probably should have mentioned that before I wasted all your family's money," she clapped back, obviously frustrated.

Draco sighed, before suddenly picking her up and seating the muggleborn atop a nearby table, fixing their natural height disparity to look her in the eyes. "No, your opening statements were brilliant. It provided a sufficient overview of the project for those who won't bother to read your documents, illustrating the significance and value of house elf licensing. Unfortunately, as you kept going you started to give more and more reasons to ignore your every word."

"What are you talking about? Do you mean past examples and scenarios?! For your information, clear examples are one of the best persuasive strategies, and guarantee a positive result at almost seventy percent."

"If you tailor them to your audience, Granger," Draco supplied calmly. "Your methodology isn't the problem. Examples and scenarios can help convince someone, but only if you reflect 'their' core values not yours. Most of the examples you provide are centered on muggles."

"Yes, well that's because..."

"It doesn't matter," Draco cut in, earning himself a frown from the curly-haired witch. "With the exception of Minister of Magic, Potter's boss, and maybe one or two others, most of them will start ignoring you the moment you mention muggles. The war didn't change things as much as you might believe; particularly among the thick-headed fools, you'll be dealing with. Moderate views are the exception and a rare one at that. Using non-magical examples will be like explaining Arithmancy to Muggles."

"I would've enjoyed Arithmancy, even if I were a muggle," Hermione said raising her chin challenging him. "You might not know it, but there is a similar concept called Arithmetic which is an integral part of almost everyone's education."

"Now I appreciate why Snape called you an insufferable know-it-all," Draco said with a Snape-like drawl, only to earn a glare from her. "Unfortunately, not everyone sitting at these tables have brains like yours. Also save the heated emotions for our bedroom activities, Granger," he scooted closer to her and continued. "For now, you need to rethink that approach."

"Why? Every member of the Wizengamot has survived two wars because of one man's twisted ideals; I'd think they'd welcome a new approach. I don't think you're giving people enough credit, and I'm sure you'd be surprised to see just how much things have changed."

Draco chuckled and smiled at Hermione's words. "You're being awfully naïve. Publicly, they all adore you; you're a war heroine. The witch who stood alongside Potter to rid this world of great evil. That earns you quite a bit of respect."

"I'm sensing a 'but' coming," Hermione said pursing her lips.

"Of course there is a 'but', there's always a 'but'. Now, you're trying to legislate something that many believe is their birthright. You're questioning an age-old practice that's been carried down from generation to generation. You're taking away the freedom to own and abuse elf labor."

"Because it's horrific!" Hermione shouted out into the empty room, causing Draco wince and take a step back.

Yet, the Malfoy heir waited, allowing his fiery Gryffindor to hear her own words echo back in the silence of the room. To take in the reality of the silence that followed, and understand what it meant to have a heartfelt plea fall on deaf ears. While he did think her proposal alone could succeed on merit, the possibility of failure couldn't be ignored. This meant she needed to understand why her methods needed to be changed. Ironically, this experience wasn't all that different to his realization regarding their matching. Adaptation was necessary for survival. Granger couldn't keep allowing herself to be defined by her muggleborn heritage. She need not abandon it but grow beyond it.

"So why aren't you being smarter about this? I know there's more to you than muggle facts, so stop relying on them. They'll be disregarded or willfully misinterpreted."

"Not if I have proof to back it up," Hermione said pointing to her sheets. "Proven facts are much better at persuading people."

"Really?" Draco challenged raising an eyebrow. "Is the muggle world some utopia where 'everyone' shares the 'exact' same values or are they just as flawed as the rest of us?" Taking note of the young witch's defeated look Draco once again approached her. "Bludgeoning them with proven facts might work but it's not going to change minds, you need to be clever."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "So basically, you're telling me to act like a Slytherin. I'm not a snake, Draco."

The young wizard smirked at his companion. "No, you're a lioness, who's as stubborn as a goat. So why not simply embrace your chimeric self."

"Of course," Hermione laughed heartily, "because who doesn't want a literal snake on their arse."

Draco smiled at her mockery of the mythical beast and her double entendre, glad that she understood that he was trying his best not to be malicious as he picked apart her arguments.

After the brief moment of lightheartedness faded, Hermione continued. "It pains me to admit it, but you're not entirely wrong. My defense needs to be impregnable, and I'm too dependant on some of my examples." Her eyes suddenly gleamed when something clicked in her mind. "I need to close in on them from all sides as I did with the Parkinsons. Then show them that our plan is the best possible solution to a problem they've ignored."

Looking at the gleam in his girlfriend's eyes, Draco cheekily added. "Yes, well; don't hesitate to let me know when you might want a snake on your arse as I'm available. You're already courageous and stubborn, but I think a bit more Slytherin cunning would do you and this project some good."

"Ha. Ha." She deadpanned, pulling him closer by his coat. Kissing him softly on his lips, she murmured against them. "Don't come to that conclusion so quickly, Draco. I'm quite the cunning witch, but I suppose you'll have to wait and see; on both counts." Quickly reverting to her earlier state of professionalism, Hermione slipped off the table, took a seat in front of her papers and got to work making edits.

After what seemed like only a few minutes, but was, in fact, a few hours, a loud gurgling sound echoed in the mostly silent room catching Hermione's attention. "Oh my, it's already past dinner. Draco, why didn't you tell me it's been so long?"

"You were busy and I was reading," Draco said gesturing to the book in his hand. "Also, you told me to make sure Tinky didn't disturb us."

If not for his traitorous stomach, it was likely they'd still be immersed in their own world. After so much time spent in each other's company, it wasn't surprising how well he and Granger worked together, but actually experiencing it like this felt entirely different. She was an independent witch, so she only asked for his help when she thought he might have useful insight or needed his opinion. Neither was too dependant on the other, but the union of their efforts seemed to bring about much better results. If not for her blood, Hermione Granger was already more than qualified to be considered a superior Malfoy bride, and now it seemed that their magical compatibility applied to more than simply offspring. Draco began to ponder what wonders they could create in his potions lab, before remembering that a few of his tools and cauldrons might upset her.

"It's quite a shame," Draco said with a wry laugh. "I'd wanted to take you out for the finest Italian cuisine, but given the late hour even my considerable influence isn't likely to get us a table."

Hermione placed her hands on her hips and smiled. "Oh? So it's my fault." He raised an eyebrow, but she continued her tone playful. "It takes two to tango, Malfoy. You seemed quite chuffed to just spend the entire evening helping me and reading your book."

"True, but I did also propose an alternate course of action for this evening that was much more pleasurable," he suggested with a cheeky smile.

"Draco, I'm not about to let you anywhere near my arse when we're in the Wizengamot's chambers. Merlin, all and sundry could just stumble in, and I'd lose my job!"

"But the Library at Hogwarts was fine?" Draco cut in.

"Point taken," she blushed. Hermione moved the parchments on the table to a side, marking her place and spelling them to pack themselves away. She then got up from her chair and walked around the table only to perch on the armrest of his chair. "So what shall we do about that hunger of yours?" she pressed her lips to him, wrapping an arm around his neck. She chuckled against his lips, as he pulled her into his lap. She took her ministrations a step further nuzzling against his neck and feeling her breast rub against the hard planes of his chest.

"Bloody Temptress," he muttered, "You're going to get me thrown in Azkaban for defiling the sacred chambers of the Wizengamot." He caressed the length of her neck with his lips, gently scraping his teeth at her pulse point.

"I meant dinner, you prat. Come on, I can't have you fainting on me," she hopped down from his lap laughing as he narrowed his eyes.

"Granger," he growled, keeping his hands on her hips. "I'd rather get a good taste of you than any of the substandard food on offer at this late hour."

She playfully brushed his hair and skipped out of his grip. "Nice try, but dessert comes after a good meal, and I'm famished. Besides, you'd need all your stamina to keep up with me. Come on, let's go grab a bite so I don't have to feel guilty about making you miss dinner."

Draco sighed, knowing that no cunning trick would be enough to persuade his lioness into more pleasurable activities, at least until they'd both been fed. "Keep in mind, Granger. If my stomach wasn't as empty as it is right now, which is your fault. I wouldn't be letting you win."

Hermione chuckled and pulled him out of the chair. "Thank you for such generosity, Lord Malfoy," she added with playful sarcasm, "but we both know, be it in the classroom, the bedroom, or even the chambers of the Wizengamot, you'll never best me... And I'm warning you; don't even think about calling Tinky." Draco smirked as she read his mind without even bothering to use magic. "Honestly, if today hadn't been such an enjoyable experience I'd hex you for even thinking about bothering that sweet elf. There's a little place just outside the visitor's entrance that makes the most delicious crepes 24/7. We'll head over there, and you can try to convince me to take you home with me afterwards."

Draco rolled his eyes at his thoughtful muggleborn as she led them to the lifts. The curly-haired witch had taken care to show that his advances had been welcomed but careful to not promise anything. That sense of chivalry was an endemic flaw of Godric's house, and no Slytherin would let this kind of chance slip by. It had been months since he'd shared a bed with a willing witch, so this was not an opportunity he could let slip away.

"It looks like we're the last ones here," he said as the doors closed on them and the lift took off with a gentle shudder. "So I should ask, just how daring are you, Granger?"

"Gryffindors are known to be daring," she chuckled as he surrounded her with his arms, encasing her. "Unfortunately, this lift will carry us to the atrium too quickly for you to find out."

"We have Magic, witch," he said kissing her soundly, taking advantage of the solitude the hour offered. "With a flick of my wand I can just stop the lift right here and with another, I can have you moaning in ecstasy." Chuckling loudly at the blush that colored her cheeks, he pulled her closer to the doors as the lift announced their arrival at the atrium.

"Prat. For a minute, I thought you were really going to do something reckless," Hermione rolled her eyes, letting her boyfriend escort her outside.

"Reckless? That's your area, my dear. I plan my actions very carefully so that I wouldn't have to deal with any unforeseen consequences."

"Consequences, eh?"

"Of course," he offered nonchalantly. "You're dangerous enough, not to mention you've got a horde of overprotective Gryffindors ready to tear out my throat at the slightest transgression. I'd rather not deal with the wrath of Mrs. Potter, or one of the ginger brood, Thanks."

"I'm glad you understand, Draco. Still, I wouldn't trouble them; as you said, I'm dangerous enough."

The atrium was empty and the lighting had been dimmed, while remnant embers faded in one of the fireplaces. Draco draped an arm over her shoulder pulling her closer while keeping his other hand on his wand. Oblivious to his shift in demeanor, his girlfriend continued on with her cheerful mood. As they approached the entrance, he tilted her face towards him and whispered, "It's quite cold out there; are you sure I can't persuade you to join me in my bedroom?" he slowly trailed his hand along her arm, "It might not have the delicious crepes you're wanting, but the service is orgasmic."

"Hermione? Isn't this a pleasant surprise! I knew people would be waiting to be charmed by my adventures, but I didn't expect you'd be the one to welcome me back."

The voice caused Hermione to wince and suddenly tense up, while Draco whipped his head around to take a look at the sudden intruder who had emerged from one of the fireplaces. "What kind of graceless pig shouts across a bloody atrium at this hour," the blond pureblood grumbled. "Better still, who is he to call out to you so presumptuously?"

Hermione extracted herself from Draco's arms and spoke politely narrowing her eyes at Draco, silently warning him to behave. "Cormac. You're back from your mission? I'd heard you were sent out of the country."

Cormac McLaggen continued to stare with a look of disbelief, before shaking his head and walking over towards Hermione. Greeting her with a disgustingly self-satisfied smirk. "Yes, it was a very dangerous mission, of course," he preened, much to Draco's disgust. "But they sent the best, so it's really not surprising that I successfully and singlehandedly accomplished the mission."

"Weren't you assigned to security for Celestina Warbeck?" Hermione asked with a quirked brow. "Harry said she'd been grumbling about odd clattering dustbins and you volunteered to work security for her tour."

A sinister smile crept up Draco's lips, watching confusion and anger flash across the Auror's face as he stammered to justify his boasting. It was almost unfair, the young Malfoy's girlfriend had the braggart gaping like a fish and struggling to think up an excuse. The fool made even Weasel seem sensible and well-mannered by comparison.

"Yeah. She's a famous entertainer, a national treasure you could say. It was obvious that the best in the department should be protecting her." Cormac continued with too much pride, but it was clear he was feeling uneasy dealing with the formidable pair. "My missions have always been very successful, but there's no point in bringing that up because you expect it with my talent," he dismissed and took a step closer to Hermione. "I know you worry about me. Potter must have told you I'd be back tonight, why else you would be here. I don't have a girl at the moment; so why don't we go get something to eat, and I can tell you all about my adventures." His eyes turned towards Draco and scowled. "You can go away, Malfoy. Don't know why you're here in the first place," he muttered. "Wait, was he bothering you, Hermione? I can have him thrown in a holding cell for a few days, maybe even Azkaban. Should be easy if we check his wand. His lot are always just an owl away from that place anyway."

Fuming with unbridled rage, Draco took a step closer to this miserable excuse of a wizard, only to be stopped by his girlfriend's arm.

"His lot?" Her voice was dangerously low and McLaggen took a hesitant step back at the intensity with which she spoke. "Aurors are supposed to be impartial officers of the law. Draco was cleared of all charges, and his criminal record is pristine. Baselessly accusing law-abiding citizens like that is enough to get you a severe reprimand or even cost you your job!"

His righteous Gryffindor witch's reprimand was rather scathing, yet Draco couldn't understand why the fool stood there sporting a stupid smile. "Worried about my job, eh? Still, I shouldn't get in too much trouble. A few words from Uncle Tiberius should fix it. Doesn't matter anyway. Now that I'm back, I'll take care of everything." Completely ignoring Hermione's irritated mood, he continued boastfully. "After I deal with Malfoy, I'll even have a word with my uncle about your silly spew thing. Don't care much for house-elves myself but…" His pompous talk stopped abruptly as he struggled to open his mouth.

Hermione's brow furrowed at the sudden turn of events. "I believe it's your turn to speak again, Granger," Draco said casually inspecting his hawthorn wand.

To Draco's relief, her confusion turned into an expression of mirth. The muggleborn marched towards Cormac, who was struggling to pry his lips apart, completely forgetting the wand in his pockets. "I'll have you know my project doesn't need any help from someone like you, McLaggen. Thanks to 'his lot' as you put it; house-elves all over Britain will have a brighter future." She then proceeded to poke the muted Auror in the chest with such ferocity that he winced in pain. "Also, if you disrespect my boyfriend ever again; I'll point out to Robards just how under-qualified you are for your job. You've only kept it this long because Nevile and Ron leaving left your office short-handed." She whipped her head towards Draco, grabbed his sleeve, and tried to tug her pureblood boyfriend towards the visitor's entrance. "Come on, Draco."

The Malfoy heir hadn't expected her clear proclamation regarding the nature of their relationship and realized that the miserable excuse of a man in front of him had been too shocked to even keep trying to escape his sticky situation. He'd been reckless in silencing the Auror but reasoned that it was justifiable. Perhaps, bouts of protective recklessness would be another consequence of dating this lioness. Merlin, he hoped not.

"McLaggen," Draco said resisting his girlfriend's sleeve-tugging. "If you plan on ever using your wand like an actual wizard, avoid unsticking spells. Well, unless you want your lips to come off." Cormac's eyes widened as he pulled his hands away from his mouth. Meanwhile, Draco tucked his hands in his pockets, and let Hermione drag them both toward the exit. "I couldn't be bothered to care either way." He added with a sneer, leaving an angry and red-faced Cormac McLaggen in their wake.

The former Slytherin's eyes were cautious as they tried to gauge his muggleborn's emotions as they traveled squeezed together in the tiny telephone booth. Though the forced proximity was rather pleasant, her expression was undecipherable which irritated Draco. Deciding against using his usual snark to get answers, he took advantage of the situation and pulled her closer to him.

"You know, you're quite irresistible when your wrath isn't directed at me," Draco said snaking his arms around her waist as they emerged out of the visitor's entrance into a seemingly empty road. "Threatening an Auror, even one as pathetic as McLaggen makes me want to forget all about dinner and claim you right here."

Hermione chuckled slightly tilting her head, as he pressed his lips to her neck. She felt a sudden surge of confidence after that day's events. They'd made good progress on the presentation and the row with Cormac had gotten her a bit keyed up and excited. For whatever reason, she ignored the nagging doubts that always pushed her to resist Malfoy's advances. Feeling bold after effectively and literally shutting McLaggen up, she spoke in a low voice matching his lustful cadence. "Why don't we try my bed first?"

"Bold, Granger," he urged giving her earlobe a gentle nip. "Try not to splinch us."

Hermione; suppressing a moan and losing rational thought to his tender assault, whispered. "Sod it; I think I've got some leftovers at my place."

As soon as they landed in her home, things began to escalate very quickly. Draco bade goodbye to all thought, embracing his animalistic side as they tugged at each other's clothes. Her fervor matched his own, and his primal instincts roared in triumph. Prying his lips from hers, he descended down exploring the expanse of her throat, earning an approving moan as she threaded her fingers in his hair.

An audible sound interrupted their amorous activity and Hermione burst out laughing. Once again, Draco's traitorous stomach growled reminding them that a different hunger was not so easily ignored.

Pressing a kiss to his nose, she clambered off of him. Letting her unbuttoned blouse slip off her shoulders. "Seems I'm going to need to sate both of your appetites tonight," she mussed his hair playfully before hopping off towards the fridge with Draco sluggishly following her.

He hugged her from behind, as she started extracting something from her fridge. "Despite the sounds of protests, my stomach can wait, Granger." He moved his hands upwards, palming her breasts, his thumbs rubbing over her nipples. "If anything, I'd rather get a taste of you first."

"Sounds tempting," Hermione chuckled but didn't make any effort to dislodge him. "But, we'll both have more energy for that after we e-eat," she breathed as Draco's fingers started to explore her breasts. As they inched under her brassiere, she knew she wouldn't be able to say no if they reached their destination. She quickly spun them both around and pushed him against the counter. "You're distracting me, Draco. Now stay like a good boy and let me finish. In fact, why don't you make yourself useful and warm up the food."

Draco sighed and made himself comfortable on the counter, warming the food with a wave of his wand as he watched her hunt for her discarded shirt. "I vanished it, Hermione. I'd rather neither of us forgets why we're here and your breasts on display are a good reminder." She raised an eyebrow at his claim, before wordlessly accio-ing and putting on a t-shirt summoned from her bedroom. "You know you're just giving me more of your clothes to vanish, right?" He added, causing Hermione to roll her eyes as she took out some plates. "Hadn't seen that bloke in years, can't believe they made him an Auror. Didn't he even knock Potter off his broom in a match against Hufflepuff?" Draco asked about Cormac.

Hermione joined him on the counter and tapped him on the shoulder. "True, but we still won the Quidditch cup that year, despite everything. Thankfully, Ron was our regular Keeper not him." She smiled to herself, remembering how she'd intervened to undermine McLaggen's efforts back then.

Seeing a smug smile creeping up on her lips, Draco nudged her with his shoulder. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, that wasn't deserved," she said haughtily. Hermione's expression softened as Draco picked up a spoonful of food offering it to her. She turned the spoon back towards him and asked, "Shouldn't you be feeding yourself first given you're the one who's hungry?"

"Maybe, but we'll both needed to quite a bit of energy for what I have in mind."

He laughed loudly as her cheeks shone red in the dimly lit room. As they continued sharing food and stealing a few kisses, Draco's curiosity got the better of him and he started probing into his muggleborn history with the braggart Auror.

"McLaggen, wasn't he also part of Slughorn's little Slug Club?"

"Uggh." She put down the plate with a scrunched up nose. "Why do you know about that?"

"I've spent a few years working with Slughorn, Granger. He's a boastful old sod, but I've only heard him bring up McLaggen once, that I can recall," Draco said chewing on a particularly hard piece of meat. Evidently, the warming charm didn't do its job properly. Were Draco in any other situation, he wouldn't have hesitated to just vanish it away, but at the moment, he couldn't be bothered to care about the food. "Something about a Christmas Party, I think your name came up, Lovegood's too," he mused. "My point is, the bloke seemed to think you were interested in him, and I'm wondering if he's going to be a thorn in my side or not." The incident at the ministry was a clear indication regarding his girlfriend's emotions when it came to McLaggen, but that didn't mean the former reserve Keeper wasn't going to be trouble.

"Well, you did spell his mouth shut," she offered. "And while Cormac certainly deserved it, he's hardly the worst," the muggleborn's defense of her former housemate caused Draco to raise an eyebrow. "He's a rude braggart, who's arrogant and ill-mannered, but he's also a trustworthy Gryffindor who fought with us during the final battle." Draco stopped mid-bite when she mentioned the Battle of Hogwarts. "I told him I wasn't interested after Ron and I ended it, but he didn't seem to have gotten the message. Now that I've made it clear that we're dating, he should back off." she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, continuing with her food.

Draco grit his teeth but said nothing. Unlike his kind-hearted and self-righteous muggleborn, Draco knew McLaggen was a potential problem that would need to be dealt with. If he was as arrogant, self-righteous and foolhardy as most Gryffindors; there was no way Cormac would allow the goddess of Gryffindor to date a Slytherin. The biggest question now was just how influential was this Uncle Tiberius? If somehow Lucius' less than legal procurement of Granger's magical core compatibility was found out everything would be ruined. He needed to talk to Nott and Davis. They were much better informed about the politics within the Ministry and would know just how bad things were.

The room suddenly felt constricting. The sword of Damocles that had always hung over his relationship with Granger suddenly felt more deadly than ever before. Draco had unknowingly become very possessive of the muggleborn witch just as he was for everything that was dear to him. She was beautiful, brilliant, and would be the ideal mother of his heir, but that was only if he could hold on to her. Realizing she was now looking at him with a quirked brow, he abruptly supplied. "I'm in trouble."

Hermione looked at him with confusion. "What happened?"

Draco reached for his coat and quickly folded it on his arm, deliberately avoiding her gaze. "I have to go see Nott. There's a matter regarding my father that needs to be handled tonight."

"Okay," she said pressing a kiss to his lips but looking saddened by his sudden departure. "We're going to finish what we started tonight next time Draco."

Draco returned her gesture and pressed another kiss to her cheek "I hope so," he muttered softly, apparating away before the anxiety consumed him.