AU. No Voldemort. Seventh year. The houses maintain rivalries because that's how it's always been, but they are all growing weary of it.
Hermione Granger was in the library, buried under a pile of books, furiously scribing on a parchment. Snape had offered a challenge to create an original potion in twenty-four hours. It could be simple, but it had to be effective. The winner gets an "O" on the final exam. She has to make sure hers is perfect. That git Malfoy is Snape's favorite, and she has to admit he is also very good at brewing. No way she will let him win. Malfoy, with his stupid friends, his constant smirk and his posse of girls always floating around him. Just because he's rich, smart, tall, handsome… she shook her head to stop the thought and went back to scribbling when a voice pulled her off her musings.
"You can't hoard all the books in the potions section, Granger. They are for everyone to use."
"Oh, like you need help. Doesn't Snape give you 'Os' just because you leave the bed?"
Dracos face went pink on the cheeks.
"I took the same oath for the challenge as you did Granger, to not plagiarize or receive help from anyone."
Hermione felt a pinch of remorse. They all took the oath to lose all their hair if they cheated or received any help.
"Just grab whatever you need, Malfoy. I'm going to win anyway," she said haughtily.
Draco felt anger run down his spine. Who does this mudblood think she is? Just because her grades are perfect and her crazy hair is now silky and smells like vanilla and coconut, and he wants to run his fingers… he shook his head and said:
"I'm going to win."
She looked up to meet his eyes.
"Wanna bet, Malfoy?"
He leaned close to her face to deliver a spiteful response.
"What can a mudblood like you offer in a bet? You have nothing I could ever want."
She fumed. Malfoy was the worst arsehole the world had ever produced. She would teach him a lesson. Just to see him squirm, she said:
"I was gonna bet that if you win, I will give you a blow job but since you don't want anything from me…"
She made a mocking "o well" gesture and went back to scribbling.
Draco stood there frozen. Despite all the rumors and the husband-hunting efforts of the Slytherin girls, he was still a virgin. And now out of the blue, there was a possibility, remote as it may be, that his eager teenager dick could get sucked. His cock decided at that moment to grow a voice and whispered:
"Cut the crap, Malfoy. Granger may be annoying but she is fucking hot. And I bet that pretty mouth of hers is warm and soft, and can you imagine how good it will feel when…"
"You got a deal," Draco said.
She looked up, heart beating fast. Shit. Is he for real? There's no way. Right? She doesn't even know why she said that she has zero sexual experience. And why in the world would she offer a sexual act to Malfoy of all people? Was her subconscious mind trying to tell her something? She noticed that the smirk on his face was gone, replaced by a soft expression that was almost supplicant. Dammit, the arsehole is very handsome, no way to deny it. Fuck. Why can't he be nasty and ugly? Why does he have to be nasty and pretty? It's not fair.
"I was kidding Malfoy; there is no way I would blow you," she said without any real conviction.
Draco's cock whispered again.
"Do something, mate! We're losing her! Do something dammit I want to get sucked please, please, please! Look how pretty she is! Look at those lips! Can you imagine how soft they must be?"
"You're just scared because you can't win," Draco challenged.
"What?" She curled her hands into fists, a mix of anger and arousal, making her blush.
"You know I can beat you, and you are scared. If you were certain that you could win, you would keep the bet knowing you wouldn't have to pay."
She answered through gritted teeth.
"You're on, Malfoy."
Draco hoped nobody noticed that his cock was throwing a party inside his pants. Then he realized he had to win before he could celebrate. He decided to take a seat across from Granger, after all, the books he needed were all on this table. It was not to look at her lips or her doe eyes or her beautiful neck. No, sir, that was not it. He was there for the books. They worked for hours, in the beginning, both of them pretending to be indifferent but stealing glances at the other. After a while, whenever their eyes met, they would hold each other's gaze for a few seconds before going back to work. Hermione realized that he was very methodical and organized. She was used to Harry and Ron treating books like dirty rags, but Malfoy seemed to have the same respect for them as she did. Draco admitted to himself that Granger was the best study partner anyone could wish for and felt a surge of jealousy when he remembered that Potter and Weasley had her at their disposal while he always had to work alone.
They left the table only to go to the dungeons to brew their potions. On the way there, Draco offered to carry her books, and she accepted with a small smile before lowering her eyes. They walked without rushing and a bit closer than necessary. They brewed in silence side by side, knowing that any attempt to cheat would end up in a bold head. When she was done, she packed her things and started to walk away when he called:
"Good night, Granger." No snarky remarks, no challenge. She looked at him. He seemed nervous and unsure.
"Good night, Malfoy."
That night they both got very little sleep. For the first time in her life, Hermione was not a hundred percent sure she wanted to win a challenge, but she had made an honest effort to brew to the best of her abilities. Also, she wanted her first experience to be with someone that liked her. She sighed and told herself the truth: she wanted to be desired by a boy as handsome as Draco Malfoy.
Draco, on the other hand, was desperate to win. He tossed and turned, imagining the possibilities. If he won, he wanted her to want him. He wouldn't force her to comply, which would make for a lousy first sexual experience. He would wish for her to be willing and eager. If he won, he would seduce her, please her first. He had read about it in a boudoir book that circulated underground in the Slytherin dorms. He had to jerk off three times that night before finally dozing off.
The next day they put their potions on Snape's desk with a piece of parchment explaining what the potion was. Only the Patil sisters had also accepted the challenge and presented their brews. Snape gave them the assignment for the day and got to evaluate the challenge potions. Draco was a reck, unable to focus, his eyes dancing between Snape, whose face was unreadable, and Hermione, who caught him staring at least three times.
Hermione was working mechanically on the assignment, frequently looking toward the Slytherin table. Giddiness filled her body when she caught Malfoy's eyes on her over and over again. The third time she held his gaze and he mouthed
"Hi."
She blushed and mouthed back.
"Hi." Her heart thumped in her chest. She looked around to make sure none of her friends noticed. Shit. She wanted this. It was unexpected and reckless, but it somehow felt right. Something had shifted in the past twenty-four hours. If Malfoy wins, she will make him take an oath of silence to make sure no one would ever find out. Wait. If Malfoy wins? How would it be even an option? That was not possible. Right?
The class ran on forever. Then the moment finally came. Snape stood in front of his desk, impassive. His drawl filled the room.
"The winner is Miss Granger."
Draco felt his heart sink. The class offered polite applause. That was no surprise. Hermione felt pride, but also something else. Was this disappointment? She slowly collected her things, giving herself time to rearrange her thoughts. Her friends, of course, ran out of the classroom as fast as their legs would take them. Then a tall body wearing a Slytherin robe appeared in front of her. Draco was standing there, offering his hand.
"Good job Granger. I guess you get to claim your price then."
Wait, what? Hermione realized they never settled what would happen if she won except that she wouldn't have to blow Malfoy. She was about to mumble something about it when he quickly said:
"It's only fair that you get the same offer in return."
His cock gave him a thumbs up. Good job, mate. We may be able to pull this off. I bet she tastes delicious and you can jerk off as you do it. He waited for her to respond. After what felt like an eternity, she swallowed hard and said:
"Make the arrangements?"
Draco's face opened in a huge smile. She responded in kind. He said:
"I'll owl you." Then leaned in slowly, closer, closer, until his lips touched hers gingerly. She gasped but pecked him back. He gently pulled away, and they stare at each other until Snape's voice jolted them back to reality.
"Draco, do you need something?"
Draco kept his eyes on Hermione.
"No, professor. I was just congratulating Miss Granger on a task well done."
Hermione couldn't help the way her face shined with joy. Snape looked at them with a blank face and turned around to enter his office. Draco felt brave and reached with his fingers to caress a soft lock of hair. She felt goosebumps on her skin.
"Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade day. I will find the perfect place there. Wait for my message in the morning right before breakfast ends."
After a night of tossing a turning, Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table, tapping nervously. At the last minute, she had decided an oath of silence was not what she would ask from Draco. She had packed a small vial of veritaserum that was now burning a hole in her pocket. Her oblivious friends did not notice anything, and when they stood up to start walking to Hogsmeade, she lied and said she would stop by the library first. They didn't question her excuse. She waited for another ten minutes. Malfoy's magnificent eagle owl landed in front of her and offered a deep bow. She had never seen an owl show reverence. It must be a pureblood training thing. She took the pouch that the bird offered. She gasped. Inside was a key in a golden keychain that read The Wondrous Inn. She had heard of this place. It was a posh hotel that no one could find except that when reservations were made via owl, the hotel would send a key that was actually a portkey to the place. The back of the keychain said 10:30. She looked at her watch. It was already 10:20. Hermione stood up and made her way as fast as she could outside the Hogwarts grounds, just in time for the portkey to glow blue.
She landed softly, and her jaw dropped. The suite was magnificent. It had a beautiful fireplace and floor to ceiling windows overlooking snow-covered mountains.
"Do you like it?" Draco's voice startled her.
She turned around and saw him wearing a white, perfectly fitted button-down shirt and dark jeans. Merlin, he was handsome. She had made the right decision this morning when choosing her clothes. She unbuttoned her coat, and he rushed around to take it. She was wearing a black long sleeve, knee-length dress that fitted her body perfectly and knee-high boots. She had worn her coat to breakfast because she didn't want anyone to notice how dressed up she was. Draco hanged her coat and turned to stare at her.
"You are beautiful, Granger," he said, barely above a whisper.
She took a deep breath. It was time to find out the truth.
"There is a small vial in the pocket of my coat. Take it out, please?"
He obliged and saw the clear liquid inside.
"Veritaserum," he affirmed. He held the vial in his hand while thoughts raced in his head. What did he have to lose? Then before she would ask, he pulled the cork and drink it. Hermione was momentarily stunned but then composed herself and asked what she really wanted to know.
"Malfoy, what do you really think about me?"
He put the empty vial back in her coat pocket and walked toward her.
"I think you are magnificent. I think you are beautiful, smart, powerful and will be Minister of Magic by the time you are thirty. And I am an arsehole that doesn't deserve to be in the same room as you.
Hermione gaped. After a minute of silence she asked:
"Do you hate me?"
He took a deep breath. "I hated you from first year until fourth. I hated you because you were better than me. Because even though you were muggleborn and I was raised with all the privileges the magical world can offer, I still wouldn't hold a candle to you. Then fourth year came, and you fixed your teeth and learned to do your hair, and suddenly you were not only brilliant but gorgeous, and I was never gonna be able to have you, so I didn't hate you anymore but was resentful of the world that had made us who we were."
She reached to take his hand.
"Do you think you can do better? Change your ways?"
He shrugged. "I am selfish and entitled. I will only change my ways if I get what I want in return."
"What do you want?"
"You."
Hermione cupped his face and leaned forward. Draco captured her lips and kissed her deeply. When their tongues touched a trace of veritaserum that was still there passed on to her, and Hermione felt any remaining walls in her mind fall apart.
"Draco Malfoy, you are the most handsome boy in school."
He pulled apart and looked her in the eyes, surprised. Comprehension dawned on him.
"The veritaserum. What was left on my mouth is now in you. You have to tell the truth! You like me, Granger!" He laughed, feeling cocky and exhilarated.
"Shut up, Malfoy!" she said, going in for the kiss again.
"I can't," he said between kisses, "you gave me veritaserum, remember? Now we are both vulnerable and exposed. Tell me everything," he said, kissing her again. The exchange kept going between kisses, nibbles, and frantic caresses.
"When I saw you for the first time at the Hogwarts Express, I thought you were the most beautiful boy in the world. Your turn."
"When I saw you entering the Great Hall with Viktor Krum, I wanted to beat him to a pulp."
"Every time I see Parkinson fix your tie or brush lint off your robes makes me gag."
"I've been jerking off every hour on the hour since we made the bet."
She tried to jump and wrap her legs around him, but her tight dress held her back. Draco lifted her and carried her to the bed. They plopped on it, and she rolled on top saying:
"I have no sexual experience at all. I have no idea what I'm doing. But I've read a lot of erotica books."
"Where have you got the books? Can I borrow them?"
"Yes, you can have them all. And I'm nervous and excited, and I think I'm even hornier because you are the forbidden fruit."
"I'm desperate to see you naked. I want to unzip this sexy dress off you."
She scrambled off the bed and stood with her back to him, moving her hair to the side so he could pull down the long zipper all the way to her arse. He sat on the edge, working on it patiently.
"Fuck, Granger, you are a goddess," he said, kissing every inch of exposed skin as he pulled down the dress to the floor. She turned around to wrap her arms around his neck. They looked at each other and smiled.
"I have never felt so giddy," she confessed."
"Me neither. I think this is the best moment of my life."
"You're wearing too many clothes."
"Then help me out of them."
Hermione helped him undress. He tried to keep his boxers on, but she teased the waistband with a smirk on her face, and he obliged."
"Not fair, Granger, you still have yours still on."
She took a deep breath, unhooked her bra, and slipped off her arms. Her breasts were a vision. She pulled down her panties and stood in front of him. Draco swallowed hard.
"You like?" she asked softly.
"Very much, he answered, reaching out to help her straddle him. They kissed some more, and he moved them to lie down, this time him on top.
"Time to claim your price, Miss Granger. For being the best Potioneer Hogwarts has seen in a long time."
He made his way down very slowly, making an extended stop on her breasts, feasting on them. Then he peppered a trail of kisses down her belly, finding his way to the small slice of heaven that awaited between her legs. She was everything he had imagined. Soft, wet, sweet, tangy, sensitive, as honest with her pleasure as she was with everything else in her life. When his ministrations brought her to climax, he felt like the king of the world. He made his way back up, and before he could ask, she reached for his manhood and guided him to her entrance.
"Be gentle, please?"
Draco nodded enthralled. He was about to lose his virginity to Hermione Granger, and she to him. He took his time and was rewarded with the most beautiful moment of his life.
After they were done, they lay in each other's arms. Hermione hoped that he would still tell the truth, now that the veritaserum wore off.
"What happens now, Draco?"
He looked at her and smiled.
"Did you just called me by my given name?"
"Answer the question, please," she said, rolling her eyes.
He thought for a minute, fingers running through her curls.
"We spend the night here and go back tomorrow, even though we would get detention for it. Worth every vase we will have to scrub."
"And our friends?"
He turned his body to face her.
"Tonight we sent owls to let them know we are ok. And tomorrow we walk in together, heads held high. Consequences be dammed."
She smiled. Whatever happened to land them here and whatever may come after, it was totally worth it.