Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Harry Potter Universe. It all belongs to the Queen, J.K.

Beta Love: Dreamingofstars85

A/N: Guys. I am SO excited for this. You've been so patient and wonderful. There is so much more to come still, but man! we've come a long way from the beginning! This is much longer than chapters have been recently, but I couldn't find a good place to split it, so… enjoy? I am SO excited to see your reactions to this one! I love you all!

Xoxo, L

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Don't Think

After briefly explaining their states of undress, and healing Hermione's arm—and changing her shirt again, since she bled all over the one she'd just thrown on—Draco, Hermione and Finn were all at the table, each with a tumbler of firewhisky, sitting in a mildly uncomfortable silence.

Finn abruptly downed the contents of his glass and pushed his chair from the table, standing. "Alright, well as fun as this shit is, I have some errands I have to take care of."

Hermione raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "You told me this morning that you didn't have anything today."

"Plans change, doll." He winked and turned to Draco. "I'm going to assume you haven't been by to check in yet?"

Draco shook his head confirming Finn's assumption.

"Alright, you come with me then, before you get us all in trouble."

"Maybe I should come with you too," Hermione said, standing to join the boys and wobbling a bit as she did.

"Not a good idea, doll. You wait here, he'll be back shortly. Just—just wait here." Finn said, shaking his head at her.

"I'll be right back." Draco finished his glass of firewhisky in one gulp and followed Finn out of the room, leaving her utterly alone.

Hermione stared at the closed door for several minutes, trying to collect herself and figure out what in Merlin's name just happened. When the silence became overwhelming she poured another glass of firewhisky—probably a little fuller than she should have—and headed into the bathroom. She may not be covered in blood anymore, but she definitely could still use a shower.

"Huh," she said, glass halfway to her lips. She had planned on finishing her drink and then stepping in, but apparently fancy expensive rich people showers came with nice little spots to set your glasses. So she undressed, turned the water on and walked into the shower, drink in hand.

xXxXxXx

The two men walked in silence for a few moments, the tension only building between them. When the anger that had been brimming since he'd walked in on one of his best friends and the girl he couldn't stop thinking about, both half naked, finally spilt over, Draco grabbed Finn's arm and turned him roughly so that they were facing each other.

"Are you really going to pretend like nothing happened?" he said, seething.

"I don't have to pretend, Draco. Nothing happened. We were training, we both got a little beat up, clothing had to be removed to properly heal wounds, and that's it."

"She didn't seem concerned about covering herself up until she remembered I was in the room. What, do you guys just walk about naked all the time then?" Draco raised his eyebrows challengingly.

"That's because she likes you, you twat! She's comfortable around me, for Salazar's sake, we live together! She literally spends ninety percent of her time with me, so yeah, she's pretty comfortable in my presence." He shook his head and turned to continue walking down the hall. "Plus, she's still learning how to hold her alcohol—she probably didn't even realise she wasn't wearing a shirt until I pointed it out," Finn said, chuckling slightly.

It was silent for a moment again, as Draco let that sink in. "So you're saying there's nothing between you two?"

"Nothing." Finn shook his head.

After a brief, contemplative pause, he mumbled, "Sorry I punched you."

"It's fine mate," Finn said, chuckling. "Let's get this check in over with and then we'll get you back to her. Why are you here, anyway?"

"Mother asked Snape for some very specific potions ingredients and books from the restricted section but was apparently unable to come to Hogwarts to pick them up."

Finn laughed loudly at that and Draco couldn't help but chuckle along with him.

"Your mum set you up for a booty call," Finn finally managed to get out, still laughing.

Draco swiftly punched Finn in the ribs, though the chuckle never left his throat. "Shut the bloody hell up, Rowle!"

xXxXxXx

When the door finally pushed open again, Hermione was on her feet walking toward it before she even saw who was coming through.

"Hi." Draco gently closed the door behind him and had the decency to look at least a little guilty.

"No yelling this time?" Hermione asked, stopping several feet from him and crossing her arms.

"Oh come on, Hermione, you can't blame me that for that reaction. Neither of you were even wearing clothes!"

"Shirts, neither of us were wearing shirts. And if you had taken even one moment to assess the situation, you would have seen blood-soaked clothes on the floor and the gaping wound on my arm, not to mention the dried blood and dirt on both of our bodies."

"Alright, I'm an arse, I get it. Am I at least an arse who can be forgiven?"

Hermione looked up into his eyes for several seconds, making him sweat it out before she uncrossed her arms and nearly ran into his. He held her tightly and they stood like that, together, for several moments, each soaking in the presence of the other.

When Hermione finally released her grip and stepped back slightly, Draco loosened his arms but did not let her go, and she had to fight the smile trying to cross her face. "I've missed you," she said. "How long do you have?"

"Snape will open the Headmaster's Floo at nine tomorrow morning," he replied, pulling her in close again and placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. "I've been worried about you."

The feel of his lips on her again—even just her hair—sent an excited rush through her body that she tried to ignore. "You don't think I can hold my own?" she asked through a grin that was impossible to hide.

"In a house full of Death Eaters? Sorry, but no."

Hermione playfully swatted his chest and rolled her eyes. "I actually think I've been doing alright."

Draco put his hands on her shoulders and held her out at arm's length, levelling her with a serious expression. "According to Finn, you're barely floating along, Hermione."

Rolling her shoulders to shake his grasp, Hermione took a step back. "What? No, I'm doing training with Finn, lessons with your mother, I've had to have meals with Rodolphus, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to!" She was confused and a little taken aback to hear that Finn thought she was doing poorly. Why would Finn say that?

"Exactly. You're floating. You're still resisting this, and it's not going to end well if you keep that up. The Dark Lord doesn't trust you yet, and neither do any of the other Death Eaters. If you want any chance to make it out of this alive, Hermione you have to get it right!"

"I don't—"

"Finn told me about the spell you two are working on. I think you should do it."

"Draco, I don't even fully know what the spell is! That is crazy, what if it—"

"When you're undercover, you have to become your cover. You are still vacillating between Hermione Granger, Order member, and Hermione Lestrange, daughter of a Death Eater, supporter of the cause, blah blah blah," he said.

"I just don't know if it's a good idea to tamper around in my brain with a spell that does Merlin knows what, and could actually potentially blow my cover!" She was shouting now out of frustration. It was one thing for Draco to not see how hard she was trying—he was never here. But Finn? For Finn to tell him she wasn't good enough? That stung. And then having Draco march in like he knew everything that was going on and tell her what to do? Unbelievable.

"That's the thing though! Everyone here knows you are still an Order member! They know you don't want to be here, that you're a prisoner, that you are only doing what you have to do to survive! And that's what is going to eventually get you killed!" He took a deep breath, running his hands down his face. "Hermione, look, I know this is hard for you. I know this is about as far out of your comfort zone as you can possibly go. I understand that your morality is on the line, but if you don't get this right you will die. He will kill you and then it will all have been for nothing, and—" His voice broke off and he looked away from her, taking a deep breath.

Hermione frowned. "I just don't think it's a good idea," she said, crossing her arms.

"You've been locked in this fucking house as a prisoner for fucking weeks, you wouldn't know a good idea if it flew past you on a Nimbus," he growled.

"It hasn't exactly been my choice to be stuck here, you know! It's not like this is some jolly good time for me! I'm locked in a room twenty-four seven unless I'm allowed out to either have a horrible meal with my repulsive father, get tossed around and banged up duelling or prepare to be some Death Eaters child bearing wife with your mother! You act like I'm resistant to this spell because I'm just enjoying things so much as they are, but that's not it, Draco! I'm terrified of losing myself to it! Think about it, really think about it." She was shouting and breathing heavily. "This spell, even altered, will affect my mind in ways that we don't really know. Will I still know right from wrong? Will I still be a good person? What will I consent to if my morals are gone? If I just don't care? Don't you understand why I am hesitant to give my mind up? It's my only weapon here! It's the one thing that they can't take from me, yet you're asking me to give it up! With unknown consequences!" Hermione took a ragged breath in and watched as Draco processed what she said. She really hadn't meant to explode on him like that, but the fears and anxiety about the spell had been building for days now, and it all just seemed to come to a head when he brought it up.

"Look, I understand that—"

"You don't, though. How could you?" She said, sighing and heading straight for her drink on the table.

"Alright, you're right. I don't understand, but I can at least see where you're coming from. I know this is scary for you but is it scarier than dying? Is it worse than being given to Bellatrix?"

At that Hermione shuddered and finished her glass. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears. She cried so much now and she hated it. These weren't tears of fear, though, they were tears of defeat. She knew he was right. If she was going to make this work, what difference did it make if her actions were consciously chosen or 'helped' with a spell? Maybe it would be easier, in the end, if she could tell herself she had been under the influence of a spell when she did the horrible things she knew she would have to do.

Pouring another glass, Hermione sank into the chair, taking a long sip. "Alright," she finally said.

Draco sighed and took the seat next to her. "Alright," he repeated quietly. "Alright."

They sat in silence for several minutes, letting the weight of her agreement settle around them.

Hermione frowned. Her mind has been playing out all sorts of possibilities in the silence, and it was doing nothing to ease her hesitation about the whole plan. "You really think it's a good idea to do the spell? Even not knowing exactly how it's going to affect me? Or, better, even knowing that it's going to encourage me to make-" she paused, crinkling her face. "To make bad decisions?"

"I think it's your only choice. And I don't think a decision for survival is a bad decision, Hermione."

She sighed deeply and tossed back the remaining amber liquid in her glass, standing and unsteadily walking to the bed where she plopped down and then dramatically flung herself backwards into the fluff. "I'm going to need more books," she said.

"Now if that isn't the most Granger-ish thing you've ever said, I'll sell my house elf." Draco laughed and walked to the bed to join her, sitting himself on the edge and pulling one leg up, crossing it.

Hermione pushed herself onto her elbows and scoffed. "Fucking you can cross your legs at the knee," she said under her breath as she rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you haven't already done the spell?" Draco asked, laughing again. At her look of confusion, he clarified. "You drink firewhisky like it's water and you seem to have lost your distaste of foul language."

"You can thank Finn for those," she said. The alcohol was coursing warm through her veins and she couldn't pull back the smile that was spreading across her face. Draco was finally here and she was not in a cell, beaten bloody, or unconscious. And they were alone.

Hermione's mind was racing as she fought to override her nerves and lean in to kiss him, when the door to the room suddenly burst open and Finn walked through.

He had a grimace on his face that Hermione didn't like one bit.

"Up, up you go," he said to her, motioning with his hands.

She complied and stood from the bed only to wobble to the side and have to catch herself to keep from falling over. Apparently, she had been a little heavy handed with her firewhisky.

"Really, Hermione? Today?" He shook his head and quickly went to his dresser where he pulled a phial out filled with what she recognised as Sober-up potion.

"What's going on, Finn?" Draco asked.

"Macnair and Yaxley just got back from their reconnaissance mission. They found an Order house and we're leaving tonight to take it down."

Finn handed Hermione the potion which she drank down without hesitation. Her head was already clearing by the time Finn had set the bottle on the table.

"What does that mean?" Hermione asked, a slight panic in her voice. "What's going to happen?"

"I'm not sure yet. It's an all-hands op, the Dark Lord wants this taken care of. There's a good chance that Shacklebolt will still be at the residence and the Dark Lord wants him captured." Finn was yanking open his drawers and pulling out several articles of clothing, all black, Hermione noticed.

She watched as Finn quickly changed and then went for his cloak by the door. The one he never wore. His Death Eater cloak. It finally clicked for her, and Hermione gasped. "Finn, you aren't going?!"

"I am a Death Eater, doll," he said, fastening the last clasp of the cloak. He looked at Draco as he opened the door. "You will be staying here until I return, Dark Lord's orders. I suggest you two use this time to do more than snog. It was mentioned in the meeting that we aren't making enough progress, Hermione. The other Death Eaters aren't buying it at all and want you ready to be out on missions, and soon, or…" He trailed off, making a slight face.

"Or what?" Hermione demanded.

"You know what happens if you don't make this work, Hermione." Finn looked at her with a stern expression before turning to Draco again. "Train her," he said, and then he was gone. The thud of the door shutting echoed around the room while Hermione and Draco both stared after it as if they were waiting for him to return.

The clock ticked, the seconds went by, and still, they stood. Neither sure what to make of what had just happened.

Eventually, Hermione turned, walked to Finn's Dresser and pulled out appropriate duelling clothes. She then rummaged through her own drawers to find another duelling appropriate outfit for herself, since the one she had been wearing was now in tatters on the floor from today's earlier practise.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, meeting her at the dresser.

"You heard what Finn said. Practice." She handed over the stack of Finn's clothes with a shrug. "I'm assuming you don't want to ruin your fancy clothes," she said, smirking.

"You think I'd ruin my clothes in a duel?" he scoffed.

"I think you might be surprised." She laughed and took her own clothes into the washroom, shutting the door behind her.

"You do realise this is my home, right Granger? I have my own clothes here," he shouted through the door.

"This is quicker," she replied. Not that the five minutes it would take him would be that detrimental to their practice time, but Hermione's nerves were on overdrive after what Finn said. She knew he meant they were talking about marrying her off sooner rather than later. She had to get this down and she had to get it down fast.

Several minutes later they were both walking down the hall of an eerily quiet manor. Not that it was often bustling with life, but with so many people living and working here, it often had a certain hum of activity. Hermione made her way to the duelling room in silence, trying not to worry about Finn or the Order members that were now in danger. This was so messed up. She quickened her pace, hearing Draco do the same just behind her.

When they got to the room, Draco slipped in front and pushed the door, holding it open for her. Hermione smiled at him and entered the training room. She heard the door click shut and Draco whistle behind her. "You two sure did a number on this room," he said looking around at the destroyed crates and furniture.

Hermione watched him walk around the room for a moment silently before he turned back to face her. His expression made her uneasy.

"What?" she asked. "What are you planning?"

"Why do you think I'm planning something?"

"Draco, don't play around. What?" She absently pulled the stone at her neck from under her blouse and fingered it—a nervous habit she'd picked up with the Galleon.

"I was just thinking, about the spell you were talking about."

"And?" Hermione pushed.

"And it sounds a lot like a very modified Imperious," he said.

Hermione stared at him.

He held up his hands, obviously trying to calm her before she overreacted.

"So I was thinking, you're so worried about how you will react to this spell, what if we just tried an Imperious, here, right now? Just enough that you would be more willing to work with the Dark magic. Not making you use it, but making you want to use it."

"Draco, I don't think—"

"Good, don't think. Just try it out. Listen, Hermione, you want to know how that spell will affect you? This is your best bet in getting a taste of it. Finn is treating you with kid gloves. You need to figure this shit out, and you need to figure it out fast!"

"Fine. Fine! Do the stupid spell, Draco. Let's see how much of my mind I will be able to keep while I do whatever it is Death Eaters do! While I pretend to try and kill my friends, while I no doubt torture and kill innocent muggles, muggle-borns and blood-traitors! Let's find out how much of my mind I will keep while I get their blood on my hands!" Hermione was breathing heavily and she could feel the blood rising to her skin in her anger. He was right about it being a good like-type spell and he was right that it was a good idea to test out the effects before performing the actual spell, but it just felt like she was losing something. Like she was turning her head on morality and that was scary.

"I realise this isn't fucking ideal, Hermione! You don't think I realise that? Obviously, this whole situation is fucked up and if I could change it, I would, but I can't! You are stuck with this for now, so you had better make the best of what you've got and fucking figure it out before it's your life on the line!"

"It already is mylife on the line, Draco! Don't you understand that!? What kind of life do you think I can live after this? Even if I do make it out, which honestly, chances are looking more and more bleak each day—but even if I did, do you think I would just be welcomed back with open arms? How much blood will I have on my hands by then? And whose? Whose life will I have ended? Is their life really less important than mine? How can I decide something like that?" Hermione was shouting and stalking toward Draco. She was inches from his face, breathing heavily. "My life is already on the line, every day that I'm here. Every fucking day! If it isn't the Dark Lord, it's Bellatrix, or probably any number of other Death Eaters who don't approve of my being here. Eventually, it will be my own friends, Draco. They won't have any choice but to aim their wands my way, because I won't have any choice but to aim mine theirs! How fucked up is that, huh?"

"I know, Hermione, I do, but—"

Those two words had done it for her. He didn't know. He didn't know what this was like for her. He may be here against his will but at least everyone he cared about was here, too! He wasn't going to be forced to aim his Avadas at his own people, at his friends. He wasn't in her shoes. He wasn't even here! He'd been at Hogwarts, for Merlin's sake.

Hermione took two calculated steps back and raised her wand. She waited for a moment, as Draco raised his own, clearly understanding her intention, and taking several steps back as well. She gave him a count of five.

"Confringo!" she shouted, aiming at the stack of crates behind Draco.

He threw up a shield just in time to miss getting showered by falling rubble. Hermione used that to her advantage, throwing a slashing spell, which hit him in the arm. She waited a moment too long though, and he landed the same spell on her thigh. Hermione hissed in pain.

"Flippendo!" she screamed, not waiting this time to see the effect. Hermione ran for cover behind a large overturned table that was further into the room. She heard Draco hit something and grunt, but she didn't wait. Crawling to the other end of the table, Hermione used a distraction, sending a footsteps spell to her left. She saw a bright blue light shoot in the direction she'd sent the sound and quickly made her way across the room to where she spotted three stacked crates she could duck behind.

She was quick enough to make it to the crates, but not quick enough that she wasn't seen. She hardly had time to throw herself to the right as the crates she had taken cover behind were blown to pieces. She heard Draco walking across the floor toward her.

"You aren't going to impress anyone by hiding, Hermione. You have to fight!" he shouted. His voice was followed by a red burst of light that caused something to her left to be thrown violently back several feet.

She raised her wand over her head and threw an Impedimenta at where she thought Draco would be. She heard him laugh.

"Impedimenta, Hermione? Really? Are you trying to let me win?"

Hermione felt her skin begin to warm, and then suddenly the air around her was roasting as if fire were surrounding her. She dove away from her hiding spot and as soon as she landed simultaneously jumped to her feet while creating a shield around herself. Just in time, as she watched three successive blue lights pummel it. Her breathing was heavy and her blood pulsed loudly in her ears.

"There you are," Draco said, and she could hear a smile in his voice. He was bloody enjoying this. It only made her angrier.

She threw several consecutive stinging hexes his way, watching as he dodged or misdirected each one.

"You think the Dark Lord is going to let you stick around if all you can do is a simple stinging hex? Come on, Hermione, this is child's play."

She watched him send several unknown spells her way, only just avoiding the last one. He was using an entirely non-verbal arsenal now, the bastard.

Two can play that game, Hermione thought, as she sent several jets of light toward him, all of which he dodged again.

Hermione felt a sharp pain on her upper left arm and looked down to see it begin to bleed. She quickly sent another, stronger, stinging hex his way.

Nothing was landing!

Hermione shot spell after spell at Draco, each one he either dodged or deflected and then sent right back her way. She wasn't sure how much more of this she could take, her breath was already burning in her lungs. They continued their use of non-verbal spells, trying to catch the other by surprise. The two continued sending curses across the room at each other, and Hermione found she was breathing heavily, just trying to hold her ground.

The next spell hit her directly in the middle and sent her flying backwards into the wall. She hit hard and the breath was knocked out of her.

"You can do better than this, Hermione! Come on!" he shouted.

Hermione stood up, determined. She aimed her wand and fired back with everything she had, watching as curse after curse missed. She would not lose this one, though. Her adrenaline was pumping, her fear for Finn and for the Order members he was off to fight was nearly bubbling over, and all she could do was this. The only thing she had control over was this moment. So she kept it up, her wand sending red, blue, purple and white jets of light at Draco. He continued to fire back, mostly missing as she dodged spell after spell. She was surprised when she was sure a spell had hit her but didn't seem to have any negative effect, so she kept shooting back at him. The spells she used were the same, but suddenly something seemed to click for her. She felt like her core was expanding inside of her, blooming her magic outward until she was sure it was seeping out her fingers and toes. It felt good. As if she'd been breathing on top of a mountain all her life and was now experiencing oxygen at sea level. As if she was finally using everything she had. It was a power she had not experienced before. She felt stronger—a renewed energy spiked inside of her body. Hermione aimed her wand, sending another spell directly at her opponent, watching as it shot straight toward him.

And hit.

Draco was blasted backwards, his shield breaking and his body slamming into the crates behind him.

Hermione stalked toward him, breathless but victorious. She could feel the magic pulsing beneath her skin.

Draco was on his feet, sending another curse her way, but she was prepared for that and easily shielded herself, the spell rebounding somewhere to her left. The two continued their heated duel, only now it was different. Hermione felt different. The curses were coming easier—as if she'd been reading from a book earlier but now they were memorised. She knew without a doubt that they were coming out stronger, as well. The fight seemed even now, neither had the upper hand.

She aimed her wand and fired again and again. Hermione sent several successive spells his way, one right after the other, and when Draco suddenly moved his hands to cover his ears, she realised she'd finally hit her target. He was unprepared for her advance and Hermione knew she had won.

"Levicorpus," she said, releasing the prior spell and hanging a finally defeated Draco by his feet. Hermione felt high. She could hear the blood pumping through her body, her heart pounding. The victory was absolutely intoxicating. She was still breathing heavily when she saw Draco slowly let a victorious smile spread across his face.

"Explain," she said, panting. He was still upside down so she tilted her head slightly. "I won, why are you smiling?"

"You did it," he said, smirking.

That damn smirk was going to be the death of her. The triumph she felt quickly transformed into butterflies and something more as she watched him.

"Won? Obviously," she replied smugly, letting him down and watching as he righted himself, trying not to let her mind wander. This was neither the time nor the place to be thinking about that kiss they had almost had earlier. Damn Finn for interrupting.

"No, you let the Dark magic take over," he clarified.

"What?" She was pulled from her increasingly inappropriate thoughts. "What are you… talking… Oh," she said, realising that must have been what she'd felt right before she finally started landing the spells on Draco. Confused she looked at him, watching as he walked toward her, still smirking. He stopped only a foot from her and Hermione noticed his breathing was also heavier than usual, even considering the duel. His eyes moved to her lips and she told herself to stay focused.

Her body was apparently not listening to her mind at the present moment, however.

Before she had a chance to think about it, Hermione leant forward and captured Draco's lips with her own. He eagerly kissed her back, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her into him. Hermione kissed him deeply, aggressively. She felt him push her slightly and let him, walking backwards until she hit the wall. Draco kept one hand at her waist, the other snaking up her body to cup her face.

Hermione pulled away slightly. "You were taunting me," she accused breathlessly.

Draco smirked. "I was," he said with a smug grin before hungrily capturing her lips once more, this time pulling the bottom one through his teeth.

Hermione moaned, bringing her hands up to grab his shirt, pulling him closer. It wasn't enough and she felt a sense of loss when he pulled away from her to speak again.

"It worked," he said, grinning.

"Shut up." Hermione pulled him back to her forcefully and kissed him again. It hadn't felt like this before. Not with Draco, not with anybody. Last time they had kissed it had been passionate but it had also been sad. It had been a goodbye—they both knew he was leaving and Hermione's fate had still been up in the air.

This time, though? This time it was like they were two halves of a whole, just trying to reconnect—trying to join the pieces of their body back together by pure force. Hermione knew Draco must have felt it too. How could he not?

Draco slid his hand from her face down her body, ghosting over her shoulders, the sides of her breasts, down her waist, over her hips and finally stopped once he was gripping the backs of her thighs. He pulled first one leg up, and then the other so that she was wrapping them around his waist and he was supporting her weight with the wall behind her. Hermione leant her head back giving him access to her neck. He immediately trailed kisses down her jaw and to her throat, sucking and laving the skin there, giving her chills as he did so.

When Draco's hand tangled in her curls and pulled her face back to his own, Hermione moaned his name before their lips met again. She gripped his shirt, roughly pulling him even closer, wanting more. Needing more.

He continued to kiss her hotly, snogging her almost to the point of oblivion. She could think of nothing but what he was doing to her; how he was making her feel. With their bodies pressed tightly together Hermione could feel his straining erection against her core. She moved her hips slightly and they both groaned at the new sensation. Draco moved his hand to grip her leg again, and Hermione held tightly around his neck as he quickly moved them from the wall, never breaking their kiss.

She didn't even open her eyes.

Hermione felt him place her on a hard surface—a desk, she assumed—and his lips finally left hers, moving along her jawline, and down her neck where he continued to kiss and nip her over sensitive skin. She let her head fall back as his hands, no longer needing to hold her up, roamed freely down her body, caressing and exploring every inch of her they could reach.

Sliding her own hands down to his chest she began pulling the buttons through the holes in his shirt until she was able to peel it off his body completely, pushing it down his arms and letting it fall to the floor. She finally opened her eyes as she spread her palms over his bare chest, marvelling at the muscle hidden there. They were both breathing heavily as she explored the expanse of bare skin. Her senses felt both dulled and heightened at the same time; her blood was buzzing with a need for him. Draco leant forward, pressing his forehead against hers as he tried to catch his breath. They made eye contact for a brief moment, which only seemed to bring them both over the edge again—Draco kissed her with a renewed passion, only breaking briefly to pull her shirt over her head. He captured her lips and brought his hands up to cup her breasts, roughly stroking her nipples through the fabric of her bra.

Hermione was unable to hold back her cries when he pulled aside one of the cups and pinched her nipple between his fingers. She wrapped her legs around his torso again, pulling him closer to her still, feeling his hardness against her once more. She felt him press himself into her and eagerly met his movements with her own, delighting in the sensation. Hermione heard herself breathlessly moan, "Please Draco," as if she weren't the one saying it, and ground herself into him again, raking her nails up the bare skin of his back.

He groaned and squeezed her breast, eliciting another, louder moan from her. He wasn't being gentle at all but Hermione found it only made her want him all the more. "Draco," she said again, as he brought his head down, taking one of her nipples in his mouth. Hermione had her hands in his hair, tugging, as he licked and sucked her expertly, pulling her nipple through his teeth before giving the same attention to the other. She threw her head back and let the feelings overtake her. Everything felt so good, so right. She pulled his face back to meet her own and continued kissing him, their teeth and tongues clashing in their desperation.

Hermione felt Draco slide his hands down her sides and across her middle until he was rubbing her centre over her clothes. It was too much and not enough at the same time.

"Draco, yes," she said, moving her own hands to find his hardness through his trousers. It was only a minute before Draco was unhooking her legs from around his middle, sliding her pants and knickers under her arse and throwing them to the floor. Hermione eagerly unbuttoned his trousers and pushed them down as well. She wrapped her hand around his length and began stroking him just moments before she felt a finger slip into her. She gasped, slowing her motions only momentarily. He was sliding a second finger in when she began rubbing his cock again.

"You're so wet," he whispered.

Lost in the feeling, she barely heard him say her name. When she looked up into his eyes, his lids were hooded and his expression so full of lust that Hermione mewled, needing more. He said her name again and she knew he was asking her permission. She nodded her head fervently and lined him up with her soaking centre before moving her hands to cup his neck. He held eye contact with her another second longer, and then she was gasping as he pushed his length into her.

He didn't wait before he started roughly moving against her, sliding in and out in a frenzy of movement. Hermione eagerly met him thrust for thrust as best she could from her position, losing herself in the moment. She clawed his back again and smiled in satisfaction when she heard him groan. He kissed her urgently, trailing his lips across her jaw and to her ear, where he nibbled at her lobe, causing her to shudder. All the while he kept one hand at her breast, twisting and pinching her nipple, the other hand holding her arse steady on the desk.

"Draco, please!" Hermione whimpered when she knew she was close. "More!"

He began thrusting even harder into her, and she could hear the desk banging against the wall loudly, but she did not care. All she could focus on in that moment was the feel of him inside of her, the fullness she felt when he thrust into her and the loss when he pulled back, his hand on her breast, the bruising kiss that felt like it was giving her life for the first time in a long time.

Hermione came hard as he continued to pound into her, screaming his name as she did. Her body shuddered as she climaxed and she felt Draco thrust twice more before joining her in the oblivion.

As his movements slowed and finally stopped, Hermione found herself panting for air, her whole body shaking as she slowly came down from the high. Draco leant in again and kissed her much more gently than he had before, bringing both hands up to cup her face. They remained like that for several moments, neither speaking or moving as they caught their breath.

It wasn't until Draco pulled his face slightly away to look at her that Hermione realised how far they'd really gone.

She'd just had sex with Draco Malfoy.