A/N: I'm glad you guys enjoyed their reunion :)

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TWENTY-TWO

True to her word, Hermione had not avoided Draco at the office on Monday. She had gone home and began to overthink everything, but it didn't last long. She had been able to calm herself down and woke up the next morning excited to see him. She had even left early so she could bring him coffee and surprise him at his office with it. Her visit had been a quick one with only time to say thank you and then she was off to start a very long day.

Near the end of the day, he had dropped by her office to see if she was busy after work. She had smiled apologetically and told him that she was staying late each day until she was caught up. Later that night, she had come home to find dinner waiting on her kitchen table under a stasis charm to keep it fresh. She smiled as she read the note he'd left for her and then dug in. She sent him a thank you note in return and then went to bed early.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday and gone about the same, but it was Thursday morning that Draco had had the time to come into her office. She smiled at him for the brief second that she looked up from her report only to frown when he was at her side, pulling her from her chair. "Draco-"

"It can wait," he murmured before cupping her face and kissing her soundly. She hesitated for only a moment before letting her hands settle on his hips and kissed him back with equal fervor. "I've been waiting all week to give you a proper snog."

"Sorry," she breathed as she settled back against her desk. "I told you I would be busy playing catch up with my department."

"Still," he muttered as his eyes flickered to her lips. "Think you can take a break for lunch with me?"

"Or you could get it and bring it here?"

He shook his head. "I have a meeting with Gringotts soon that will take me up to lunch. I was hoping you could meet me in Diagon to save some time." He shrugged. "And to get you away from any temptation to work as I would love some of your undivided attention."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but quickly pressed her lips into a thin line. His brow quirked up and he tipped his head to the side. She swallowed hard and dropped her gaze to the buttons of his shirt as her cheeks began to flush with warmth.

"I was under the impression we wanted a real relationship," he said, his voice low.

"We do," she replied, her gaze slowly lifting to meet his. "I do, Draco. I promise, but-"

"But what, Granger? Either you want this or you don't. If you do, that means everything a relationship entails." He took a step closer, causing her to straighten, and let his hands rest on her hips. "That means we can be seen together in public. That I get to hold your hand whenever I want." He took her hand to prove his point as his other hand slid back to grip the curve of her rear. "That I can come into your office and not have to make up an excuse to bend you over your desk."

She shivered under his touch. "Draco-"

"Besides, we'll be going on our first date soon anyway, Hermione. You might as well get used to the idea of being seen in public with me now." He grinned and slowly let go of her to step back again, his arms crossed over his chest. "So, lunch today…"

Her lips parted to answer him, but they were interrupted by the sound of a knock on her partially opened door. Both Hermione and Draco's attention snapped towards Harry as he entered her office. "Now's not a good time, Potter," Draco said, his voice tight.

"This is my office, Malfoy," she stated, stepping away to smile at Harry. "What can I do for you?"

Draco continued to stare at Hermione before running a hand through his hair and turning away. "Fine, but this discussion isn't over."

"Oh no you don't," Harry said, stepping in front of the door. "What I have to say concerns both of you."

"I have a meeting with Gringotts," he pressed.

"That meeting has been pushed back until two. You have time."

"I haven't received a memo, Potter. How would you-"

"It's my meeting," Harry said sternly. "So I'm pushing it back. Now sit before I put you both in a full body bind and call my wife to do this."

Hermione sank into her chair behind her desk as Draco simply leaned against it, his ankles and wrists crossed in front of him lazily. "What is it Harry?" she asked gently, although she was pretty sure she knew already. She had been waiting for this moment since the afternoon at the park.

Harry eyed them both wearily, using his Auror skills to analyze them on the spot. He then pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. "James said the damndest thing the other day when I tried putting him down for a nap."

Hermione bit her lip and forced her eyes to stay on Harry. "What did he say?"

"He told me that naps were a hard limit. That that meant he didn't have to take them anymore."

She could swear Draco's shoulders were shaking with the attempt to conceal his laughter.

"And when I asked him where on Earth he could have learned that term, he told me Aunt Minnie said it. That she had said it to the blond man who had stalked her."

Hermione wanted to phase through her chair, the floor; every layer of the earth until the burning hot core of the planet melted her to nothing.

"And when I asked James about the blond man, he said it was the one from work. I really wasn't considering that he meant you, Malfoy, but imagine my surprise when I come in here and see the two of you together."

Hermione let out a whine of embarrassment and put her head on her desk, her arms folding over her hoping that they could no longer see her.

"Would either of you care to explain yourselves?" Harry asked.

"You caught us."

Hermione's head reared up so fast the room spun for a moment. She got to her feet and glared at Draco. This was not how she wanted to bring up their relationship to anyone, much less Harry. He smirked at her and gave a little shrug, putting a lovely shade of green on Harry's face as he watched the interaction.

"Hermione and I have been seeing each other for quite awhile now. I discovered she wasn't such a tight-ass and she realized my personality wasn't all crass. Lately, I've been pushing for more and when she blew me off to watch your child, I made a decision. I wanted to show her I meant it."

Hermione's lips twitched into a smile. It was a nice cover story considering she had absolutely no intention of telling anyone exactly how they had gotten together.

"How long?" Harry asked.

"Think, Potter. How long has it been since either of us have accepted an invitation for anything off the clock; especially weekends?"

Harry's eyes had gone wide as saucers as he looked from Draco to Hermione. "Is this true?"

She nodded absently, unable to tear her gaze from Draco. "Harry, can we talk about this later?"

"Hermione, I-"

"Potter, since you pushed our meeting back, I plan to use my newfound free time to bend Granger over her desk. It's best you leave, but if you want to watch, I'm sure-"

Harry had gone red as Ron's hair as he plugged his ears with his fingers. "Alright, I'm leaving!" he shouted, turning and running for the door. The moment it closed, they both grabbed for their wands to cast the necessary charms and then Hermione found herself on her desk with Draco wedged between her thighs.

Just as Hermione was clearing up that week's chaos from her desk, Harry and Ron were walking into her office. She could tell with one glance at Ron's face to know that Harry had told him she was seeing Draco. He cleared his throat and studied her as she directed her things to move back into their places.

"So it's true then," he said after a moment.

"Yes," she answered. She was not in the mood to play games. Draco was going to be coming to her office soon so they could have dinner at the flat and discuss their date the following day. "And thank you for not letting me break the news," she said to Harry.

"You wouldn't have told me if it weren't for…" his voice trailed off. She smiled as he reached behind him to rub at his neck. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Finished with her desk, she folded her arms over her chest and stared at the two of them. "Because I only just admitted I wanted something other than-"

"Oh please don't finish that sentence," Ron interrupted, his mouth contorting with distaste.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway. "Because we weren't ready to tell. We still aren't, but…" she shrugged. "Now you know."

Harry looked at Ron and then back at her. "You can come to us with this type of stuff, Hermione. I wish you had told us sooner. Even if it's Malfoy of all people. So long as you're happy." He nudged Ron with his elbow. "Right?"

"Right," Ron agreed, still in a daze. "Even if it's Malfoy."

"Why don't we go somewhere and get a drink?" Harry suggested. "You can tell us everything and we promise to keep the gags to a minimum."

Hermione's eyes flickered over their shoulders to Draco who was lounging in the doorway. He gave her a warm smile and inclined his head. "I think that's a great idea."

They turned towards Draco's voice and watched as he strode past them to stand by Hermione. She blushed as he dropped a kiss to her cheek and looped an arm around her waist. "We had plans, I thought?"

"We did, but these are your friends and I've taken up too many of your Friday nights as it is." Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as she smiled back at him. "Besides, it'll give me time to plan for tomorrow. I'll send you an owl in the morning. Potter, Weasley, she'll meet you in the lobby."

"But-"

"Come on, Ron," Harry said, shoving his friend toward the door. "Before he offers to put on a show."

"Gross," they heard as the pair slipped out of her office, causing both of them to snicker.

"Are you sure?" she asked, turning to Draco then, her arms winding around his neck.

"They're your friends, Granger. Now that we're official, I can have you by my side any day of the week. The last time you tried to have a night out with them, I ruined it."

"I wouldn't say ruined," she countered, a smirk taking hold of her lips. "But thank you, Draco. This means a lot."

He leaned in and slanted his lips over hers. He kept the kiss to a minimum despite her tongue swiping across his lips. "Besides, you can make it up to me tomorrow after our date."

"Who says I put out on the first date?"

She couldn't help but laugh at the pained expression on his face; one that he tried to hide, but failed. "I think I liked you better as a submissive."

"I think Hedone is more of a third date kind of thing," she said with another soft laugh. She pressed up on the tips of her toes to kiss him again and then withdrew from his embrace to gather her things. "Walk with me to the lobby?"

"Of course," he said, offering her his arm to take and escorting her down for an evening out with her friends.