This one finally has a little tiny bit of smuts. Nothing crazy. :) But the last/next chapter, I can only write at night because that's when smut comes so easily to my brain.

And yes, there's only one more chapter before this story is complete. And since I've given you 5 today, I'm going to wait to post it. There will be an epilogue, as well.

Again, I do not own Harry Potter and make no money from posting this.

When their world stopped spinning, and Hermione's queasiness fell away, the ragtag group of Slytherins and their dates were standing in front of an elegantly lit estate. Pansy's grounds seemed trivial in comparison; the sheer size of the building making Hermione's mouth gape slightly.

A rock-laden pathway outlined by elegantly trimmed hedges stretched for what seemed to be over 300 yards. The sounds of flowing water of fountains could be heard, but they weren't visible. A soft melody saturated the air, the music of a harp, as the group commenced their journey forward. The entire pathway felt warm, as though furnaces were pushing freshly heated air upon their faces.

The walkway was topped with vine shrouded archways as they roamed toward the oversized door. The arches shimmered with small, sparkling stars and were littered with flowers, which by all accounts should be dormant by this time of year.

And Hermione couldn't help but smile at the enchanting nature of it.

"This is ginormous. What necessitates this much house?" Hermione mused.

"This is nothing," Draco chuckled, his hand slipping to the middle of her back as they strolled alongside one another.

"Nothing? Draco, this is massive. An overindulgence."

"The Manor is bigger."

"Your home? Is bigger than this?" She breathed, flabbergasted.

"There are a multitude of reasons why I choose not to live there. Its sheer size being one of them."

"There they are!" A tall, brown-haired man resounded as he hauled open the door, greeting the group with a radiant smile.

It took a moment, but Hermione realized she actually recognized him. Not by name but by face. They had partnered together for school work on occasion, and the memories were floating to the top of her brain. A bit of happiness befell her at the monument of the moment. The first time she had remembered someone from her own memory.

"Theo!" Blaise greeted, releasing Luna's hand and clapping him on the back.

"You're late!"

"Non-sense, we are right on time," Pansy chortled, but she had a fraction of a heated sneer on her face.

"Be still my heart," Theo feigned a faint, dramatically thrusting his hand over his forehead. "Is that the Hermione Granger in my home?"

"Yes, it is nice to see you again."

"Again?" Draco questioned, an eyebrow elevated in inquiry.

"I actually remember Theo," Hermione offered with a quick smile.

"You hear that, men! She remembers me. Better luck next time, mate," Theo guffawed as he slapped Draco on the shoulder.

Theo offered his arm to Hermione then with a boisterous smile, and she accepted graciously. She wasn't confident what it was about Theo, but he was a pleasant breath of fresh air. He was loud, but everything about his was inviting. Happy. Carefree.

Draco huffed behind her as Theo tugged them away, the group following their lead as they paced through the embellished halls of his home. An opulent home, Hermione had to admit, even if it was an overindulgence.

"What's it about me, huh, Granger? Is it my rugged good looks? My charming personality?"

"I actually recall you a touch bluer," Hermione replied, and both Blaise and Draco laughed loudly behind them. Theo seemed to deflate lightly at the notion.

"Of course, it would be when those two fools put colorant in my wash."

Hermione laughed aloud then, with yet another bright smile. "Oh! I simply thought a potion had gone astray. That's even better!"

Blaise and Draco barked out more loud guffaws as the assembly came upon a wall line with multiple sets of French doorways. They were all open, sheer curtains billowing gently in the wind. Hermione could detect the unmistakable scent of burning wood wafting through in the breeze.

"As long as you remember me, I suppose. Friends, enjoy! I've host duties to attend. I shall find you all later," Theo offered, bowing to her before clapping both Draco and Blaise on their shoulders.

He seemed to linger near Pansy, chuckling as he eyed her date. She rolled her eyes, blatantly, as she seized her date's arm, hauling him through a door. Blaise and Luna followed suit, shortly after by Millie and Daphne, leaving only she and Draco somewhat alone in the sunroom.

"He's exuberant," Hermione tittered as Draco neared.

"That's a name for it," he said quietly. "You remember him then?"

He held a somewhat thoughtful look on his face as he gazed about the room. Anywhere but her. The tips of his ears were pink, and his lips were slightly pursed. The scar on his nose slightly wrinkled as he seemed to sulk.

"Just flashes of his face."

"Do you remember anything... of us?"

"I... no. Not yet."

"One day, hopefully," he said, and she thought she could hear a hint of envy in his voice.

"Are you jealous, Draco?"

He sputtered then, the bones of his cheeks reddening to match the tips of his ears as he glimpsed about.

"Of Theo? Of course not," he scoffed.

"Well, good. Maybe I can ask him for dinner then. He's quite attractive."

"What?" He cried, whipping his sights to her quickly. And he jeered at the jovial face she held as pearls of laughter left her lips.

"You shouldn't be jealous, Draco. There's no other person I'd rather be here with."

A soft smile graced his lips then, his face reddening a bit more as he dropped his hand to her lower back anew, escorting her outside.

Complete astonishment invaded her as her eyes befell the grounds. A massive fire blazed in the middle of the garden, which was littered with people. Some were wrapped in full costumes, others gowns, and some, well... they weren't wearing much at all.

A shimmering pool sat to their left, the water shifting hues as patrons swam within. Hermione imagined it must be heated, like the air about them, to challenge the late-night October cold.

Guests assembled around more modest fires scattered throughout the grounds, loud laughter saturating the air above the different tones of music she could overhear. Trees and bushes and shrubbery gleamed with magic as their branches and leaves changed colors gradually, lighting the walkways throughout the garden.

Hermione remarked figures hopping about, some spitting flames and others twirling swords. As if they were jesters at a feast.

A waiter walked up and bowed, smoothly offering them a tray of drinks. Draco made to dismiss him, but Hermione quickly plucked two glasses of champagne with a sly smile.

"I thought you seemed... relaxed," Draco grinned.

"I was cleared to drink this morning. And work and apparate. But I can't do either of those here, so..." Hermione shrugged, taking a modest sip of her spirit as she handed him the second.

Draco extended a bent elbow to her, and she happily slid her hand about it. The pair wandered into the grounds then, and she felt as though she was gliding. She glanced down and noticed her steps weren't truly thumping the ground. The soles of her heels were gleaming somewhat on small clouds of light. And she remarked all the women's shoes were.

"So we don't sink," she whispered as the ingenuity of the charm produced a bright smile.

"What?" Draco questioned.

"My heels aren't touching the grass. So I won't sink."

"Oh," he laughed joyously. "Pansy reemed Theo when she destroyed a new pair of feels at one of his parties. Put that spell in place for her."

"Well, that was nice of him."

"He's whipped but refuses to admit it. I'll wager you dinner tomorrow night that he's at your home tomorrow morning," Draco laughed.

"You're on. Pansy seemed taken with uh... well, I didn't get his name."

"And you won't. He'll be gone before eleven."

Hermione and Draco roamed the grounds for some time, talking of nothing and sipping what seemed like endless drinks. She spoke of the Ministry officials she met that night. He told her of a critical acquisition he had finalized in Germany. The primary reason he had been late was the overflow of firewhiskey his new partners had wanted to drink.

As they strolled, Draco released her arm. She wanted to bemoan the loss of contact, but it took mere moments for his hand to gently wrap about hers as he laced their fingers. He didn't glance down at her, but a smile spanned his face as she softly squeezed his hand.

"I'm glad to see you tonight, Granger," Draco drawled.

"And I, you. Pansy said I should have visited you sooner."

"I wouldn't have complained," he chuckled softly, and the sound reverberated in her ears.

"Why didn't you invite me?"

"I did."

"I read all of your letters multiple times. You did not," Hermione replied resolutely.

"Multiple times?" Draco inquired, turning his head somewhat with a wanton grin. His eyes slightly heavy with what she imagined was a measure of drunkenness.

"Well... yes. But you never invited me. Pansy assumed you were too shy."

"I invited you the second night you entered my home. When I said you could visit the library whenever you liked, I meant it."

"Well, that's your library, not you."

"One in the same," Draco chortled again.

"And that was before... everything. I was worried you wouldn't want to see me."

"All I've wanted since that night is to see you," he said softly, finally meeting her gaze with a sober stare that made her heart thump faster.

They came upon a smaller fire some while later, where their friends were lingering. When he left her to get them another round of drinks, she simply observed the scene.

Blaise and Luna were cuddled together on a blanket. She noted he appeared much more content than she had previously seen him. Millie and Daphne were dancing around barefoot, each with a bottle of champagne in one hand, gleeful laughs and bright smiles on their faces.

Pansy was poking Theo in the chest with a heated glare, her "date" noticeably absent. Theo was eyeing her as if he yearned to pull her in. Devour her right there. And it made Hermione blush a touch.

"Here," Draco drawled as he stepped up behind her, handing another flute of champagne around her shoulder.

Hermione knew she probably shouldn't drink it, her head was already swimming. But as she plucked the flute from his hand, it slipped to her hip, and she needed another sip to calm herself. He gripped her form firmly, drawing her back into his body, and her face crimsoned.

His grip left only a fleeting flash to shift her hair to one side before it settled back on her hip. He bent closer to her ear then, and she quivered slightly as his sigh caressed her neck.

"Are you having a good time?" He asked breathlessly, and her face flushed further.

"Very much so," she replied, sinking back into him, his warmth, his strength, his essence. The sultry laugh that passed his lips danced across her flesh. He slid his arm further about her waist, grazing her stomach, and her soul vibrated.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Hermione," Draco murmured against the surface behind her ear, his lips brushing her skin delicately.

Hermione's legs trembled slightly as his words washed over her. She tilted her head back against his shoulder, exposing the lines of her neck, and he groaned, his hand tightening in the fabric of her tulle dress.

"Thank you," she whispered.

The two stood for a while, his arm encompassing her, her heart rattling against her ribs, his sighs titillating her nape as he swayed them to the faint music echoing throughout the grounds. Pair by pair, their friends departed as the party grew more reticent. Only Blaise and Luna were left beside their fire when Hermione yawned softly.

"Are you ready to leave?" Draco proposed.

She made to tell him no, that she desired to linger with him longer, but another yawn overtook her words.

"Let's go," he chuckled, moving apart from her. "You can floo home from my house."

As the colder air traveled her spine, a sadness marched with it from the loss of connection. But as Draco vanished their libations, he held out his hand, and she accepted it with a delicate smile.

A moment later, her world spun again, and they settled on plush gray carpeting. Hermione wasn't positive of what overtook her, but in mere seconds she thrust her heels off and playfully bounced into his library, frisky giggles splitting her lips. The sultry laugh she overheard from the doorway swept across her skin, making her giggle anew.

"You are tired, Granger. The floo is out here."

"I can't get over this library!" She stated, disregarding his remark as she gazed about, bewildered. Hermione's hands were grasping the back of the sofa softly, her shoulders pressed up somewhat as she rocked backward and forward on the souls of her feet.

She smelled sandalwood before his hands slipped to her sides. Her body trembled under Draco's feather-light caresses as he hummed a refined laugh. His hold tightened further, and she gasped a jagged breath, relaxing her shoulders and falling to the souls of her feet.

"The offer still stands. You may come whenever you please."

Niamh leaped onto the back of the couch then, startling Hermione as she pressed back into Draco's chest. He wrapped his arms further about her as the cat perched in front of them, yowling loudly.

She yawned anew, and he attempted to push her toward the door. But Hermione stumblingly slipped from his arms with a twirl and skipped toward her enchanting tent, squirming in. She splayed over the pillows, immersing into the softness that surrounded her with a sigh.

Niamh vaulted across the room then, neglecting Draco in her wake as she curled onto Hermione's stomach. Purring vigorously as Hermione stroked her.

"Bloody animal," Draco muttered as he crept into the tent on his knees. "What if I wish to be pet?"

The feline flicked her tail fast as Hermione fractured into subdued laughter. When Draco forced the cat aside, running a slow hand up her side as he pressed his body half on hers, his head relaxing on her chest, she forgot to breathe.

He dragged her fingers to his hair, running them lightly throughout it, prodding her. She made no move to continue as he pulled his hand away, and he nudged it gently with his head. Hermione could only chuckle as she washed her fingers through his tresses.

Draco sighed, appearing to melt into her as nails scratched in his hair, massaging his scalp. She'd tug every now and then, and he'd groan, sending tiny ripples of pleasure throughout her body into her toes. When she started to knead his neckline, his arms encircled her and crushed her impossibly closer to his form.

His essence surrounded her, sandalwood wafting from his locks as the sweetness of his whiskey coated breath caressed her skin. They laid noiseless for a time, her heart hammering against his ear as her hand swept slowly, sensually, within his hair. When he lifted slightly, his heated gaze and parted lips piercing her orbs, her core slickened.

He gazed over her features, eyes searching each iota of her face. Hermione felt her tongue dart out and wet her lower lip as she drew it between her teeth, and he groaned.

She watched his pupils swell as he shifted suddenly, her legs falling open of their own accord as he skated his body upon hers. Their middles met as she inhaled a shuddered breath. He was hovering over her, his muscular arms on either side, as he smirked.

And it carried fire straight to her womanhood.

"Draco..."

"May I kiss you?" He whispered, laced with lust.

All Hermione could muster was a nod.

He drifted in slowly, intentionally, slipping to one forearm as one hand cupped her neck. Draco hesitated only a second before he pressed their lips together, and passion roared within her.

It was sweet at first, his soft lips matching hers again and again in gentle, delicate kisses. Just enough that Hermione could feel his smooth lips on hers before he drew back and kissed her over.

Her fingers twined in the fabric of his shirt as her body reverberated with need. She tried to tug him closer, and he grinned a carnal smirk, leaning in to kiss her longer. Slower. More passionately.

His hand tightened on her neck somewhat, and he swallowed the delicate moan that tumbled from her lips, seeming to lose all faculties. His tongue danced across her lips then, and as she opened her mouth, he thrust it within. His chest pressed into hers as their tongues mingled, his free hand leaving her neck and slowly traveling down her body deliberately. Intentionally lingering and grasping at her most sensitive areas, making her sex throb.

Draco gripped her thigh tightly as their kisses deepened, and she whimpered anew. She caught his groan as he raised her knee, forcing her legs slightly further apart. As his hard manhood pressed against her center, her body burned with desire, and her hips bucked shakily.

He gradually slipped the hem of her dress higher, and his fingers teased her thigh's sensitive skin arousing her soul with a quiver. Hermione's hips lifted again as instinct overtook amid a lusty moan. Her center met his, and his hand tightened on her leg as his rumbling growl pervaded her ears.

Draco's lips lingered on hers only moments more before trailing fervent kisses to her jaw, working his way down her throat. Her hands clenched in his shirt as his tongue licked up to her ear, nipping her lobe when they met. His hips pressed into her middle, rocking slowly back and forth, and the pure pleasure that coursed throughout her aroused wanton wails to slip past her lips.

And a cat's loud yowl next to their head surprised them both.

Draco jumped up, shocked, thumping his head against Hermione's tent, and a small fairy light dropped, smacking her forehead.

He looked utterly embarrassed, and she couldn't hold the intense laughter that rumbled from her lips. His boisterous merriment joined hers as he sank down beside her, covering his face with his hands.

"I'm sorry... I took that too far," Draco said as their giggling vanished, Hermione's sides pained from the joy.

"I don't think so," she said shyly.

When he turned his head and met her sights, she could see a mixture of happiness and anxiety in his gaze.

"I suppose I should go," she spoke softly. "I'm sorry I didn't simply floo home..."

"I'm glad you didn't," Draco said as he sat, exiting the tent. His hand shifted back through the open flaps, and she accepted as he tugged her to her feet.

"Eight tomorrow night?" He asked as they paused in front of his hearth, their one hand still joined as his other fiddled with a curl.

"You're that confident you'll win?"

"Oh, I've already won."

"Assumption!"

"It's a proven fact."

"If he is there tomorrow, I'll see you at eight."

"At eight," he whispered, closing the distance between their lips once more with a delicate kiss that made her knees weak.

She floo'd home that night, and Pansy wasn't in her bed. It felt odd to sleep alone, but Hermione was glad to have her own space to process the night's events.

And when Theo was perching on the sofa the next morning sipping a steaming up of coffee, reading a paper featuring she and Draco's photo, Hermione couldn't stop the smile and flutter of excitement that flooded her.