A/N: We've arrived at the first date! I hope y'all enjoy!
Many thanks as always to BiscuitsForPotter and NuclearNik, who are just the bee's knees.
The Floo took Hermione and Draco into the crowded entryway of a beautiful restaurant. As they stepped out of the grate and brushed off their clothes, Hermione caught sight of Diagon Alley beyond the large front windows.
Draco's hand rested on the small of her back as he guided her towards the podium where a young witch in stylish black robes was waiting.
"Welcome to Le Papillon." The hostess greeted them with a bright smile.
"Hello," Draco replied, clearing his throat. "We have a reservation. Draco Malfoy." His hand twitched against her waist.
The hostess checked the book, her painted fingernail dragging down the list of names. After a moment, she pursed her lips, her brow furrowing. "I'm sorry, Mr Malfoy. Your reservation was for seven o'clock. We have a fifteen minute grace period, but unfortunately we had to give your table away."
Draco checked his watch and frowned. "It's just barely a quarter past. Surely there's something you can do."
Offering him a sympathetic look, the hostess shook her head, her light brown waves dancing around her shoulders. "No. I'm very sorry, but we're fully booked this evening. You're welcome to wait for a table to open up. If you're alright with a table on the patio I can probably seat you within…" She glanced at the list again. "... an hour."
Draco shook his head. "I don't want to wait for a table; that's why I made the reservation."
Hermione placed her hand gently on his forearm. "It's alright, Draco. We can go somewhere else."
He turned to her with a pained expression, the apples of his cheeks pink. He frowned, his eyes darting back and forth between hers. Head swiveling back to the hostess, he leaned in, speaking quickly in French.
The hostess's eyes flickered to Hermione briefly before she replied, also in French. Hermione's French was rusty, and they spoke so quickly that she couldn't keep up with the conversation. She maintained her hold on Draco's arm, applying gentle pressure in a way that she hoped would be calming for him. At last, Draco straightened up and ran a hand over his face.
"Are you sure you don't mind going somewhere else?" he asked her.
Hermione shook her head. "Not at all. I'm sure we can find a place without much of a wait."
Draco looked a bit skeptical but nodded at her.
"And perhaps we could come here another time," Hermione offered, tightening her hold on his arm and offering him a reassuring smile.
After a quick nod to the hostess, Draco snaked his arm around Hermione's waist and led her out the door and into Diagon Alley.
It was a warm evening, but clouds were gathering overhead and a blustery breeze whipped down the street. Hermione wasn't bothered by walking though. The sun was still peeking through the clouds, glistening off of shop windows and illuminating them in a warm glow.
Hermione looked up at Draco as they walked, and she couldn't help but grin as he smirked down at her.
"Where are we going now?" Hermione asked, revelling in the feeling of his fingers on her waist.
"Where would you like to go? Obviously, my plan didn't exactly work out."
Hermione looked around Diagon Alley. There were several restaurants that seemed promising. Ones she'd been dying to try. But they all had lines out the door or masses of people standing near the entrance, waiting for tables. Her heart sank. Perhaps their first date would have to wait for another day when they could make another reservation somewhere. She sighed. "Everything looks so full here."
Draco's brow furrowed as they passed a restaurant with what appeared to be just as many people outside as inside.
"Should we just pick something up and take it back to the flat?" Hermione suggested.
Draco stopped so abruptly that Hermione stumbled slightly in her heels. She turned to see him staring at her with a pained expression. "Is that what you want? To go home?"
She stepped back to stand in front of him. "No. I just… You don't seem like the kind of person who likes waiting for a table. Perhaps if we just…"
Draco's hands shot up to cup the nape of her neck gently. "I don't want to eat there. I don't want Pansy smirking at us all evening and trying to listen in. I don't want her walking in while I'm kissing you. I wanted a night out, where we could be alone and talk, because…" He trailed off, his lips pressing tightly together.
"Okay," Hermione breathed, resting her hands lightly on his arms. "We won't go back. I wanted a night out with you too. We'll find a place."
The feeling of eyes on her made her glance around. They had drawn the attention of several passers by. She was instantly reminded of how she'd felt after the war when her photo had appeared in the paper at least once a week and her name had become quite well known. And now she was standing in the middle of Diagon Alley with perhaps the most recognisable reformed Death Eater and very eligible Malfoy heir in what could only be described as an intimate embrace.
She cleared her throat, eyes dropping to the cobbled street. "I don't think a nice evening alone is in the cards for us here."
Draco pulled back slightly, glancing around at the curious onlookers. "We don't have to stay in Diagon," he said. "I don't know any restaurants in Muggle London, but I'm sure we could find somewhere to eat where we wouldn't be gawked at."
Hermione smiled up at him and nodded. Together, they made their way through the Leaky Cauldron and into the Muggle world.
Here, although they were quite dressed up, they didn't draw attention. No one knew them here, and so they could disappear into the hustle and bustle of Friday evening London foot traffic. They walked for quite some time, chatting happily as they passed several upscale restaurants with long lines before Hermione finally stopped them in front of a pub which looked like it might have some vacant tables. A sign over the door read The Golden Lion.
"How about here?"
Draco peered through the window at the dark pub. His nose wrinkled. "Here?"
Hermione nodded. "There's no line. And I've actually been here before a long time ago with Mum and Dad. They have great chips."
"Chips…" Draco parroted as if he couldn't imagine eating chips while wearing what was probably a two-thousand galleon suit.
"I know it's not what you had planned…" Hermione leaned into him and wrapped an arm around his waist. "But I'm starving. And I promise the food here is wonderful."
She could see the hesitation in Draco's features—his brow furrowed, his jaw set. At last, he nodded stiffly. "Yes. Alright."
He held the door open for her as they entered and looked around with skepticism as the loud music and smell of greasy food and cigarettes hit them.
A broad-shouldered bartender shouted at them from behind the bar. "Hi! Come on in and sit anywhere that's open."
Draco shuffled his feet awkwardly, obviously unaccustomed to eating anywhere that didn't employ a hostess. Hermione spotted an empty table near the back and took charge, guiding Draco there with a smile.
Before she could sit, Draco hurried to pull out her chair for her, a move much too formal for their current environment, but Hermione found herself blushing at his chivalry all the same.
A round-faced waitress walked over and asked for their drink orders, holding up a small pad of paper to write them down.
"Erm… Firewhisky, please," Draco said, distracted by the menu the waitress had just given him.
The round-faced girl frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "You mean Fireball?"
Draco looked up, his wide eyes flying to Hermione in his horror at having ordered a magical drink in a Muggle bar. "Oh… Er…"
Hermione rushed to correct the issue. "We'll each take a Guinness, please."
The waitress spared one more confused look at Draco before nodding and walking away.
"Muggles don't have Firewhisky, Draco," Hermione said once she was sure they wouldn't be overheard.
"What's that she offered me instead? A ball of fire?"
Hermione laughed. "Fireball. It's a cinnamon whisky… but it's not really whisky. I don't think you'd like it."
Draco's nose wrinkled. "And what did you order for us?"
"A stout beer. I think you'll like it. But if not we can have something else. I'll pay for it if you don't like it."
Draco's eyes bulged out. "Absolutely not. I'll be paying for everything, and I refuse to debate otherwise."
Hermione smiled, not at all surprised by his traditional view on first date etiquette. "Suit yourself. Do you have any Muggle money?"
Draco just winked. "A true gentleman always comes prepared."
He looked at the menu, his jaw twitching as he looked at the food offered. "You said you've been here before. What's good?"
Hermione hummed thoughtfully and peered down at the menu. "I think I'll get the burger this time. The fish and chips is good! That's what I got when I came with my parents."
Draco closed his menu. "Fish and chips it is then."
Once the waitress had taken their orders and brought their beers, Hermione sipped from hers happily, trying not to laugh as Draco peered at his with great skepticism. He picked up his glass, holding it close to his face and watching the bubbles rise through the dark liquid.
"You're supposed to drink it," Hermione quipped with a smirk.
"Why is it so dark?"
"It's a stout beer. They're dark. Would you like a detailed explanation of the science behind different types of beers?" Hermione teased with a smirk.
Draco rolled his eyes at her before lifting the glass to his lips. After a deep breath and a wary glance at her, he took a sip.
As he lowered his glass, he shrugged. "Not bad," he determined, a thin layer of foam clinging to his upper lip.
Hermione grinned, laughter bubbling up from deep within her at the sight of his foam mustache.
"What?" He frowned at her.
Leaning across the table, Hermione reached out and swept her thumb across his upper lip, catching the foam before bringing her thumb to her own lips and licking it off.
Pink bloomed on Draco's cheeks, and Hermione's heart sputtered in her chest.
She didn't think she had ever seen anything more adorable than Draco Malfoy sitting in a dingy Muggle pub in his fine Wizarding suit drinking beer with foam on his upper lip. He was so out of his element. He was always so confident and poised at the flat. But here, stripped of his comfort zone, Hermione found him even more charming. She couldn't help but grin broadly.
"What?" he said again, casting her a curious stare.
She shook her head and picked up her stout. "Nothing," she sang lightly before taking a sip.
It took a moment for Draco's suspicious eyes to return to their typical cool confidence. He took another drink, careful to lick his lip clean this time. "How's work?" he asked as he set his glass back down on the polished wood table top.
Hermione shrugged. "It's fine, I suppose. I no longer feel like I'm just getting coffee. The problem now is that the work never seems to stop. I had to work late yesterday to be sure that I could go home on time today. But at least I'm doing something valuable for the department. How's work for you?"
Draco tilted his head thoughtfully. "Our account with the Auror department has been keeping us busy, but I think it will be good for us as well as them. My development team has been working hard to try to create innovative protective gear. My meeting that ran long this evening was with Potter."
"Oh?" Hermione's eyebrows raised. Had Draco mentioned to Harry that they had a date tonight? Nerves fluttered in her stomach.
"He was… uncharacteristically cordial with me," Draco said, one of his eyebrows twitching up.
Hermione felt her cheeks flush.
"Would you have anything to do with that?" Draco's smirk made her stomach flip.
Hermione busied her hands by slowly turning her glass against the table. "Ginny probably said something to him even though I told her not to. She loves to gossip, that one."
The smirk on Draco's face faltered. "Oh, you… You didn't tell him?"
"I—No. I was worried he'd tell Ron, you see."
Draco's head swiveled away from her. He stared at an elderly couple seated a few tables away, but his jaw was tight, and Hermione got the distinct impression that he wasn't actually interested in people watching. His fingers drummed lightly against the table, but his shoulders looked a bit stiff, and his eyebrows were knitted together.
She rushed to explain, unsure of how to tell him that she wasn't keeping him a secret. That she wasn't ashamed of him. That she was pleased that they were on a date.
"I just wanted to know what this was before telling Harry and Ron. They have a tendency to… overreact. You may recall."
There. A small joke at Harry and Ron's expense would probably put Draco in better humour. She watched Draco as his lips twitched. He didn't relax entirely, but the tension in his jaw seemed to ease slightly.
The waitress brought their food with a smile and then flitted away. Draco looked skeptically at his supper before taking an experimental bite of one chip. He chewed with furrowed brows before giving a definitive nod. Then he picked up his knife and fork and took the most formal bite of his fish Hermione had ever seen.
"Not bad," he mumbled.
Hermione grinned before taking a bite of her burger. It was delicious, but the food certainly wasn't her favourite thing about the evening so far. They ate and chatted happily about work, Hogwarts, and their childhoods.
"I'm ashamed to say that I don't know much about Muggle upbringings," he admitted, sipping his beer.
"Well, it seemed very ordinary to me. I went to primary school in London. I had a few friends there, but most of the kids didn't talk to me much. They thought I was odd."
Draco's brow furrowed. "Odd? Why?"
Hermione laughed. "Well, ignoring the fact that I was unknowingly a witch, I was quiet. I read a lot. While the other children played football or ran around on the playset after school, I sat and read books. Honestly, I doubt anyone really noticed when I didn't come back after I left for Hogwarts. My parents told anyone who asked that I went to boarding school, but I doubt anyone from my old school cared much at all."
Draco nodded. "I had a hard time making friends as a child too. I think it's easier for people with siblings. I knew several of my fellow Slytherins before starting at Hogwarts, but I could hardly call them friends. I think my father had a lot to do with that. He always told me people would be tripping over themselves to be my friend, but I didn't really see that much until I got to Hogwarts and met Crabbe and Goyle."
Hermione smiled. "I didn't truly have any friends at all until Harry and Ron. And even they couldn't stand me until two months of school had passed."
Draco opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the screech of feedback from a microphone. They both jumped, heads whipping around for the source of the unwelcome noise.
To Hermione's horror, she saw that a band was setting up in the corner of the pub. A wiry man was testing the microphone while three others set up instruments.
"Oh… dear," she breathed, bracing herself for the assault on her ears.
"What's going on?" Draco asked.
"It looks like they're going to have some live music tonight," Hermione explained.
"Well, that sounds nice." Draco's spine straightened as he turned his attention to the stage.
"No, Draco, it's—"
The band began to play, and it was immediately apparent that it would not, in fact, be nice.
The raucous sounds of drums and electric guitar filled the pub until Hermione could hear nothing but the heavy bass and rhythmic drums.
It was obvious that Draco had never been to a pub that hosted live music like this before. His grey eyes looked at her with shock, as if appalled that any establishment would subject their patrons to such spectacles.
He leaned closer, yelling. "—expected to—this racket—?"
"What?" Hermione shouted in response.
Draco raised his voice further. "How are we—have a conversation—so loud!"
Hermione huffed in frustration and moved her chair around the small, round table to be closer to him. "I can't hear you!" She leaned in close, hoping he would speak directly into her ear.
He leaned over, his arm coming to rest on the back of her chair. "I can barely hear myself think!"
Hermione laughed and nodded.
"Would you like to go somewhere else?" he asked loudly, his words, though they were shouted directly into her ear, barely audible over the cacophony of the band.
"We just got our food," she cried in reply, gesturing to their full plates. "Let's just finish eating, and then we can go."
Draco's brows knit together and he pointed to his ear.
Hermione quickly pointed to their plates and mimed taking a bite before pointing to the exit.
Grinning at her, Draco nodded. Hermione felt her cheeks blush at her ridiculous pantomime. With a smirk, Draco began eating again. Hermione pulled her plate towards her and tucked in as well. They ate side by side in silence, any words they'd hoped to share drowned out by the noise.
Several minutes passed, and each time Hermione looked at Draco, she couldn't help but notice the tightness in his jaw and the wrinkles between his brows. He ate with downcast eyes and sipped his beer with a frown.
Hermione chuckled as he picked up a chip and dipped it in some tomato sauce. As he brought it to his lips, a bright red drop fell from the chip and landed on his crisp white shirt. His eyes flew to her, widening as he noticed her laughing. He reached for his wand but froze, his head swivelling around the dozens of Muggles in the room.
Grabbing a napkin, Hermione gently dabbed at the tomato sauce. It would stain for now, but she knew that he would be able to vanish the mess as soon as they were alone or back in Diagon Alley. She smiled up at him as she pressed the napkin to his chest. His cheeks were red with embarrassment.
As he finished his meal, he didn't touch the tomato sauce again.
After dinner, Draco left far too many pounds on the table to cover their meal. Then he escorted Hermione from the pub with his hand around her waist.
As the sound of the band was muffled and the sweet relief of relative peace and quiet met their ears, Draco let out a groan. "Do Muggles actually like that?"
"What, music?"
"Being forced to listen to music so loudly that your eardrums burst?"
Hermione shrugged. "Some do, I suppose, or else they wouldn't do that."
"Ghastly," Draco tutted, pressing a finger into his ear. "I think I'll hear ringing for a week."
"I am sorry. I didn't know they would be doing that. At least the food was good, right?"
Draco just grumbled. "My chips could have been singing Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love for all I know."
Hermione laughed. "I think that pub would be far more famous if they had singing chips."
She looped her arm through his and leaned into his side with a smile.
"What else did you have planned for us?" Hermione asked.
"I thought we might go for a walk. Hyde Park isn't far from here, right? Fancy a stroll?"
Hermione beamed at him. "Sounds perfect."
They made their way down the bustling streets of Muggle London. Hermione enjoyed the feeling of anonymity here. No one gawked at them or stopped her to talk about her contributions to the war or ask her questions about Harry. They were just two unknown people on a first date.
"So, before we had our ears assaulted by the most atrocious excuse for music I've ever heard," Draco began, "I believe we were talking about your childhood."
"Yes, I think so."
"Would you tell me something about it? Something most people don't know about you."
Hermione bit her lip while she thought. As her eyes flicked to the side she saw Draco watching her, his gaze darting between her chest and her lips.
Pansy's words floated through her mind.
Draco loves tits.
She fought the blush that rose hot on her face and refocused on the question. Childhood. Had she had a childhood? All she could think about at the moment was his eyes on her skin.
"Erm… When I was young, before I got my Hogwarts letter, before I knew what I was, I wanted to be a ballerina."
Draco's eyebrows jumped in surprise. "A ballerina? Really?"
They crossed the street and entered Hyde Park, strolling along the wide, shaded pathways in the evening sun. "Yeah. I even took lessons until I started at Hogwarts."
"I figured you'd want to be some kind of scholar or a writer."
Hermione shrugged. "I've always loved books, but I was three the first time my mum took me to see the Royal Ballet perform Sleeping Beauty. It just seemed so… magical. The way they moved… I just fell in love with it. It was a childhood dream."
"Shame you had to give it up."
Hermione laughed. "Not really. I was dreadful. My mum pulled out some old home videos of me last year at Christmas. I was woefully uncoordinated. I just loved it."
Draco grinned. "Videos are those moving Muggle pictures, yes?"
Hermione nodded. "Essentially."
"I'd love to see those some time."
"They're quite embarrassing," she admitted with a chuckle.
"I knew I should have taken you dancing instead. That would have been hilarious."
Hermione jabbed him in the ribs with a scowl, though she laughed in spite of herself.
"Ah, it's just as well," he continued, "you'd have probably stepped on my toes all night."
Before Hermione could reply, Draco tripped, stumbling forward several feet as an impressive string of expletives left his mouth.
"Buggering shit, fucking hell!"
A woman passing by with two small children cast Draco a withering glare as he righted himself. His face turned scarlet as he mumbled apologies to the woman.
Hermione couldn't help the laughter bursting from her mouth as she approached Draco and took his arm again. He scowled at her, but it did nothing to dampen her spirits.
"Oh yeah, very funny," he grumbled.
"Merlin, must you always try to be so perfect?" Hermione teased, leaning into him and continuing their walk. "Didn't you ever learn to laugh at yourself?"
Draco just frowned and kept his gaze straight ahead. Hermione wasn't sure what his problem was. It didn't seem like such a big deal to her to trip. Was Draco so proud that he couldn't handle being the tiniest bit embarrassed? Then, Pansy's words from earlier ran through her mind.
Everything tonight is going to be about courting you properly. He probably has the whole date planned out to the minute.
Her heart fluttered in her chest. Perhaps it wasn't that he didn't like being embarrassed; maybe he just didn't want to be embarrassed in front of her. Especially here, now, on their first date.
She opened her mouth to try to reassure him but was interrupted by a loud crack of thunder.
They both jumped, casting their faces to the sky just as it opened up and rain poured down upon them.
Draco cursed, his hand twitching towards his wand before he eyed the Muggles nearby, opening up umbrellas or pulling their jackets over their heads and hurrying to shelter.
It rained hard, soaking the curls Pansy had worked so hard to tame and making Hermione's dress cling to her skin. She looked up at Draco, whose wet hair was already slicked to his forehead as he gaped down at her.
She glanced around, looking for anywhere they could get out of the rain or get out of sight enough to Apparate. But they were in the middle of the park, and save for a few trees, there was nothing nearby.
The laugh bubbled up from her belly, shaking her shoulders before escaping her mouth. She cast her face to the sky, closing her eyes and letting the rain soak her through. She lifted her arms, palms skyward, and embraced the warm summer storm.
"What are you doing?" Draco shouted over the sound of water falling all around them. "You're getting wet."
Hermione opened her eyes. Draco had pulled his coat up and was holding it over his head, though it did little to stop the rain from falling upon him. "So are you," she pointed out with a laugh. "Might as well enjoy it."
Draco looked at her as if she had sprouted wings—confusion and awe painted across his features. "You're mental."
"Mental or not, we're both getting wet." She was grinning like a loon, she knew. But she couldn't stop herself from stepping into him and pushing his arms until he dropped the coat.
He brought up one hand and rested it against the side of her face, his thumb trailing along her cheekbone. "Completely mental," he murmured, leaning in.
His kiss was light—far more tender than anything they had shared before, and Hermione melted into him, moulding her body against his as her hands trailed up his arms to circle his neck.
Another clap of thunder shook them apart, and Draco cast a wary glance at the sky. "Come on. Let's get somewhere safe before we're struck by lightning."
Hermione nodded and took his hand. They hurried through the park and to the nearest exit. They wove down streets until they found a secluded alley out of sight of any Muggles. From there, they Apparated back to Hermione's flat.
She was pleased to find, as they landed in the entryway, that Pansy and Luna were not in the common areas. Some privacy with Draco was all she truly wanted, especially after that kiss in the park.
Draco raised his wand, casting drying spells over both of them. "Well," he began, shuffling his feet, "it certainly was an interesting evening, wasn't it?"
Hermione smiled and set down her bag on the coffee table. "I've had a lovely time." She crossed the living room and into the kitchen, heart fluttering at the sight of the roses in a vase on the kitchen island. "Would you like a glass of wine?"
"Erm… actually I was just going to…" He stood in the archway to the kitchen, shifting his weight between his feet, his hands shoved in his pockets.
Hermione's heart sank. He was leaving. Why? She checked the clock. It was just past nine—still too early to call it a night. "Oh… Have I done something wrong?"
Draco shook his head. "No, of course not. But you must admit, this date was a bit of a disaster. I understand if it's our last."
Hermione's throat tightened. Disaster? She thought back on the events of the evening. Sure, the band at the pub had been loud, and they'd gotten caught in the rain, but that hadn't been enough to ruin the date… at least in her mind. "Do you want it to be our last?"
A muscle in his jaw ticked. "Not at all, I just thought—"
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. "What about this date was a disaster to you?"
He frowned at her. "I mucked it all up, Granger, and you know it. I was late. We missed our reservation and ended up in that pub with the awful music. I dropped tomato sauce on my shirt and had to walk around all evening with the stain. I embarrassed you in front of that Muggle woman and her children. I couldn't even conjure an umbrella for you in the rain."
Incredulous, Hermione gawked at him. "And you think that any of that matters to me?"
Draco didn't reply, instead keeping his eyes trained on a spot on the counter next to her.
She stepped closer, reaching out to place her hand on his chest. "Draco, I don't give a Hippogriff's arse about fancy restaurants, or magical flowers, or loud pubs, or stained shirts, or introducing children to some colourful new words, or having to walk home in the rain. I had a lovely time tonight because I was with you."
Draco's lips twitched. "You don't like the flowers?"
Hermione laughed. "No, I love them. But you don't need to court me like I'm some Victorian damsel. Those sorts of things don't matter to me. I just… I like you, Draco. And I agreed to the date because I wanted to see if we had a connection beyond me just wanting to snog you senseless."
Draco's chest rumbled with laughter. "And?" he prompted, his eyebrows lifting.
Hermione smirked and stepped into him. "Well… I still want to snog you senseless," she admitted. "But I think there's a deeper connection too."
His lips curled up in a smile.
"Do you think so?" she asked, heart hammering anxiously in her chest.
His forehead came down to rest against hers and he nodded. "I do… I really do, Granger."
"Then I see no reason why we should end the date so early, do you?" she breathed.
He shook his head.
"Good," she chirped, stepping away from him and grabbing a bottle of wine and two glasses. "So I don't want to hear any more about how this date was a disaster. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," he agreed with a chuckle.
She poured the wine and held out a glass for him, feeling her cheeks redden with the question on her tongue. "Erm… would you… would you like to come to my bedroom?"
Draco's brows shot up, surprise painting his features for a moment before he schooled his expression. "Definitely."
Draco followed her through the living room and down the corridor to her door. As soon as she opened it, Crookshanks darted through it with a soft meow. Hermione ushered Draco inside and shut the door behind them.
Perhaps this was a mistake. The only places to sit down in the room were the bed and her desk chair. Was it too forward of her to invite him to sit with her on her bed?
Don't chicken out now, Hermione, she thought. No use being coy. You already invited him in.
Setting the bottle of wine on the bedside table, Hermione sank onto the edge of the bed, sipping from her glass demurely.
Draco looked around her room for a moment, his eyes dancing over the titles of the books on her shelves. He lingered by her desk, looking at the tidy surface from her precisely placed quills to her open planner calendar.
She sat quite still as he looked around, careful to appear comfortable though her heart was pounding in her chest.
Draco Malfoy was in her room. And she'd invited him in.
And she fully intended to ravage him before the night was out.
"How many books do you have?" Draco asked, turning away from her shelves.
Hermione shrugged. "A few hundred. I'm not exactly sure. I've got more in my closet too, and on the shelves in the living room… and some at my parents' house."
Draco smirked at her. "And how many have you read?"
Cheeks flushing, Hermione took a bracing swig of wine. "At least half. Probably more."
He sat down on the bed beside her, tapping his fingers on his knee anxiously. "You should see the library at the Manor. I think you'd have a heart attack."
"Is it big?"
Draco's lips twitched with amusement as he lifted his glass to his lips. Hermione felt her cheeks heat as she realised the double entendre.
"It's huge."
Hermione hid her blush behind her wine glass and drained the liquid.
Draco chuckled. "Seriously though, it's the largest privately owned magical library in Britain. I believe only Hogwarts houses more books in the whole country."
"Well, I'd love to see it some time."
She reached out to set her empty glass on the bedside table, her trembling hand making the base rattle against the wood for a moment.
"Are you nervous?" Draco's gaze was on the floor, his fingers still dancing on his knee.
"No," Hermione answered at once. But then she tuned into her body—the rhythmic puttering of her heart, the shakiness of her hands and voice. "Well, perhaps a bit."
Draco ran a hand over his face. "We don't have to rush into anything physical, Granger. I don't want you to think that I expect anything just because you've invited me in. We can… take it slow."
Disappointment bloomed in her stomach. "Is that what you want?"
His lips twitched and he cast her a smirk. "Not at all. Not with you wearing that dress. Not with how we've been dancing around each other for weeks."
"Good." She pulled his glass from his hand and set it next to her own. Draco's eyes were wide as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips.
His hands were on her waist in an instant, curling around her and pulling her in. "I thought you were nervous," he mumbled against her lips.
"I am." Her fingers snaked over his shoulders and onto his chest, and she pulled his tie loose. "But it's an excited nervousness. The same feeling I had on the Hogwarts Express my first year. The feeling I get when I know something wonderful is beginning."
Suddenly, Draco's hands were on the nape of her neck, and he was kissing her with renewed fervor. He pushed her back, twisting them until her back hit the bed and he leaned over her.
It had been so long—months—since Hermione had felt the weight of a man over her. Her blood hummed through her veins at the feeling of being held. She held the back of his neck, fingers threading through his fine, soft hair.
One of his hands was at her hip, pressing her into the mattress as he kissed her hard. The other was buried almost reverently in her curls.
The heat of him was dizzying. As she opened her mouth to gasp in air, his tongue darted forward to tease hers. A low moan escaped him as her hips shifted, and she could feel the hardening bulge of his cock against her thigh.
He broke away briefly, his grey eyes connecting with hers, his pupils blown wide. For one horrifying moment, she thought he might pull back and leave her so unsatisfied, but then his knuckles brushed her cheek gently as his eyes darted over every inch of her face. He opened his mouth as if to say something but then bent low again to capture her lips.
His large hands ran over her body, gripping her breasts and stoking a fire within her.
She dragged her hands over his shoulders and tugged at his tie, pulling it loose and tossing it away before moving on to his jacket. She pushed it over his shoulders and down his arms until he was forced to sit up to discard it properly. With a flick of his hand and a flurry of wandless magic, he sent it soaring across the room to drape over the back of her desk chair.
Immediately, Hermione pulled him back in, setting to work on his shirt buttons with trembling fingers. He looked down at her as she worked.
Dammit, she was nervous. She tried to recall if she'd been like this her first time with Ron. Surely she had been to some extent, but they had both been fumbling, and it had made the entire experience endearing. But now, she felt woefully inexperienced in Draco's confident touch.
His hands covered hers, and he pulled back, stoically unbuttoning his own shirt while she blushed.
A sleeping lion roared to life within her. She was not going to fumble through her first time with Draco like some blushing virgin. She had to do something to shake these nerves away, to show him that she was a sexy and confident woman in her own right.
She stood up from the bed abruptly. Draco looked at her with wide eyes as if afraid she was going to ask him to leave. Instead, she just reached behind her back to drag the zipper of her dress down.
Draco's mouth fell open as she pulled the dress down her arms and wiggled it over her hips to let it pool on the floor at her feet. She straightened up and stepped out of the dress, left in nothing but her red knickers and heels.
Draco gawked at her, and Hermione resisted the urge to cover herself with her arms. His gaze settled on her chest as his cheeks turned pink.
Knowing that she would lose her nerve if she stood there much longer, she stepped forward until her thighs were between his knees. Her hands slid up his arms to his neck as she bent her head to kiss him.
His fingertips brushed up her thighs, drifting around her to grip her arse. He pulled her in until she climbed onto his lap, straddling him and never breaking their kiss.
Gripping her harder, his mouth became more heated against hers. She set back to work on his buttons, finishing the last few before pushing it over his shoulders and tossing it aside. It would be wrinkled in the morning, but Hermione found that she wanted everyone he encountered when he left this room to know where he'd been and what he'd been doing. She hoped he wouldn't charm it smooth.
She allowed her fingers to explore his chest and shoulders. With little else to compare him to, her mind drifted briefly to Ron, who'd been thin and wiry. Draco was different. While still thin, he was far broader than Ron had been. His lean muscles were well defined under her fingertips, and she found herself moaning at the feel of his biceps and abs.
Her hips moved of their own accord, canting forward against him until he groaned into her mouth. They broke apart, eyes meeting as they panted, breath mingling.
"I'll silence the room," he breathed.
Hermione nodded and climbed off his lap, kicking off her shoes in the process. While Draco reached into his trousers pocket to draw his wand, she summoned her own and cast a quick contraceptive charm.
After Draco's silencing charm had been cast, he stood from the bed and quickly removed his trousers. Hermione watched him from the bed, eyeing the sizable bulge in his pants. She reached for him, and he climbed back onto the bed to once again cover her body with his own.
He kissed her hard as his hands traversed hot paths over her body. His thumb brushed over the lace covering her breast, and her nipple hardened in anticipation. One of his knees slipped between her thighs, and he parted them enough to settle his hips against hers, rutting against her center while his lips left a blazing trail down her neck.
"Draco," she whimpered, hips jumping, chasing his touch.
"Do you want to stop?" he rasped out, his lips continuing across her collarbones.
"God, no!" She arched her back, desperately seeking more from his eager hands and greedy mouth.
One of his hands snaked behind her to release the clasp on her bra. He pulled it away from her body, and his eyes took in her bare breasts for the first time.
"Perfect," he murmured, dropping his head to close his lips around one of her nipples.
A jolt shot through Hermione as he lavished her breasts with attention from his hands and mouth. Heat pooled at her centre, and she wantonly rolled her hips against him.
One of his hands dragged down her stomach to tease along the top of her knickers briefly. Though she desperately wanted him to touch her directly, he left his hand on the outside of the lace, drifting his fingers over the wet fabric covering her. A gasp tore from her throat as his fingers brushed over her clit. She felt his cock twitch against her thigh.
He lifted his head from her breasts and locked eyes with her as he slowly rolled her knickers down her legs. She shifted her hips and legs to allow him to pull them free. After tossing them aside, he gently pushed her knees, encouraging her to open herself for him.
Flushing with embarrassment, Hermione averted her eyes to the ceiling as Draco teasingly ran his hands along her inner thighs. The air was cool on her wet folds, contrasted greatly by his scorching hands tickling over her skin, dancing closer and closer to the part of her that ached for him but never touching it.
Her hips twisted, seeking his touch. "Please," she moaned as his fingers slid towards her knees once more.
A low chuckle escaped his throat, and Hermione felt her cheeks burn even hotter.
Suddenly, his mouth was on her, hot and wet. A strangled cry left her lips as his tongue flicked against her clit with incredible skill. His hands curved around the backs of her thighs as he settled between her legs, laving at her.
Her eyes returned to him, and she found him gazing up at her with his mouth open wide, his tongue against her with broad strokes. A twitch of his eyebrow and a quick smirk and then he returned his attention to his ministrations.
Reaching down, she threaded her fingers into his fine hair, clutching at it as he slid two fingers into her dripping cunt. Her mouth fell open, and the sound that left it was one she was sure she'd never made before. It started as a gasp, but morphed quickly into a whine and then a guttural moan. Surely Draco Malfoy was an artist with his tongue.
His lips closed around her nub, and he sucked as his fingers twisted to press against her top wall. Hermione saw stars and bucked against his mouth, tangling her hands deeper into his hair. The coil was tightening within her now, taking her gradually to that highest peak.
"Don't stop," she pleaded as he returned to moving his tongue quickly over her in a dizzying pattern. "Yes." A jolt of pleasure ran through her, and she recognised the signs of her impending release. "Oh!"
With a cry, she came undone, her legs quivering on either side of his head as he continued to lick and finger her. After several seconds of shaking and moaning, she collapsed on the bed with a sigh. Only then did Draco pull back, a wicked grin on his glistening lips.
He crawled up her body and kissed her hard. She could taste herself on his tongue as it swept between her lips. A moan escaped her, and Draco pulled back with a smirk. "I told you you were delicious."
Hermione laughed and clapped her hands over her face in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed.
Draco chuckled and pulled her hands away, pinning them to the bed next to her head and bending low to kiss her slowly. "Don't be embarrassed."
Hermione's heart swelled as he settled his weight on top of her and kissed her deeply. Her fingers flexed against his hold, and her hips rolled against his.
He kissed her for several minutes, their bodies canting against each other and hands roaming freely as he released her wrists. Finally, he pulled away and rolled off of her to lay flat on his back. He cast one final questioning glance in her direction before hooking his thumbs into his boxer shorts and pulling them down.
His cock sprang free: long, thick, and hard. Hermione gawked at it. He was larger than Ron had been, certainly in girth if not also in length. And she'd never had any complaints about Ron's size.
A thought crossed Hermione's mind—one which caused her heart to seize in her chest. He'd just put his mouth on her… Did he expect her to return the favour? It wasn't something she had particularly enjoyed in the past. She didn't hate it, but there was just something about it… Some remnant of her conservative upbringing combined with her staunch feminist beliefs that caused a niggling voice of displeasure every time she'd tried in the past. It was something she'd tried to overcome for the sake of being a more modern and sexually adventurous woman, but every now and then that little voice whispered in her ear.
As such, she didn't feel particularly skilled at the art of fellatio. And after Draco's incredible performance with his mouth, she knew she'd only embarrass herself if she tried to reciprocate.
She must have stared and worried for a bit too long, because Draco leaned over and kissed her gently, his hand delving into her hair at the nape of her neck. "You don't have to, Granger," he mumbled against her lips.
Her heart hammered in her chest, and she was frantic to reassure him in some way. "It's not that I don't want to, I just—I—I…" She was trembling again, her nerves returning in full force.
He silenced her with a kiss, his fingers rubbing soothing circles into the back of her neck. "It's alright, Granger. You don't owe me anything."
Her Gryffindor courage roared to life again. The same courage that had propelled her hand into the air to answer Snape's questions even as he scowled at her scornfully. The same courage that had assembled a group of students in the Hog's Head to defy Umbridge at fifteen. She may not be ready for everything with him, but she had to prove to him—prove to herself—that she was ready to move on. Move on from Ron, from her loneliness, from her uncertainty.
She pushed him gently by the shoulders until he was flat on his back again, then she swung one leg over his hips. Kissing him deeply, her curls fell around their faces like a thick curtain. Only thin slivers of light peeked through as she pulled back just enough to give him a blazing look—one he returned, his grey eyes full of fire.
She reached between them, closing her hand around his stiff cock. His head fell back and his eyes fell closed as she stroked him experimentally a few times. As she ran her thumb over the weeping head, he twitched in her hand.
"Fuck, Granger."
The head of his cock brushed against her folds as she guided it to her entrance, and her breath hitched. Draco's eyes flew open to meet hers and his lips parted.
Slowly, she sank down onto him, gasping at the feeling of being so deliciously stretched. Draco's hands came to rest on her hips as she took him inch by inch.
He groaned as his eyes drifted closed once more.
At last, he was sheathed entirely within her. Humming her delight, Hermione leaned in and kissed him, sweeping her tongue through his mouth for a moment. Then, she sat up, bracing her hands on his chest as she pushed herself back up and sank down again, pulling another curse from Draco as she did.
His fingers dug into her flesh as she rode him—slowly at first, and then gradually building up a steady pace. He moved his hands with her, gently guiding her motions. "That's it," he praised as she rolled her hips a new way.
Encouraged, she rolled them again, and again when he rewarded her with a guttural moan.
One of his hands slid up, cupping her breast as she bounced on him. He squeezed her, rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.
Her hand shot up, covering his and squeezing as she moved even faster. She lowered her body down towards his, rolling her hips in a way that made her clit brush against him each time.
The coil was tightening within her again—jolts of pleasure shooting through her body as Draco's hips jumped up to meet her. She let her mouth fall open, uncaring that it made her gasps and moans dance freely around the room, losing herself to the ecstasy coursing through her veins.
Draco's head lifted up, and he closed his lips around her breast. His tongue flicked against her nipple before he dragged his mouth up slightly, sucking hard on the fleshy mound of her breast as his hands gripped the globes of her arse.
With a cry, another orgasm took over her. Her hands came down on either side of his head as her body quaked around him. He pulled her face to his, swallowing her moans with a kiss.
Before her orgasm had subsided, Draco had flipped her onto her back and began to drive into her with abandon. He held her close, their sweat slick bodies sliding together as he fucked her hard and fast. His laboured breath was hot on her ear. It was all she could do to cling fast to his shoulders, still reeling from her release, until he stilled with a grunt.
His cock twitched within her as he came, panting hard against her neck. Her heart was pounding, and she felt so thoroughly spent that she could barely hold her arms up to run her fingers over his neck and shoulders.
He shivered with her touch and pressed a kiss against her neck. Lifting his head, he brushed his lips languidly against hers before he pulled away, his cock slipping from inside of her.
As he settled next to her with a sigh, Hermione felt his release dripping out of her. She rolled onto her side, feeling the come between her thighs as she rested her hand on his heaving chest.
It felt so deliciously wanton, to be so completely fucked, to feel his seed dripping from within her, to bear the love bites she would surely have tomorrow from his greedy mouth.
His head lolled to the side, and he grinned at her before pulling her in until her head rested on his chest. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then let out a heavy sigh. "Granger," he began with a cheeky grin, "you really are a genius."
Hermione laughed, feeling her cheeks flush.
They lay together for several minutes as their heart rates returned to normal.
"Do you think you'll ever call me Hermione?" she asked after a while, lifting her head so that her chin rested on his chest.
Draco opened his eyes, looking at her with curiosity, as if he'd never considered calling her by her given name. "I don't know. I can. Would you like me to?" He tucked a wayward curl behind her ear.
Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully. He had always called her Granger. To imagine him calling her by her given name seemed odd to her for some reason. Sure, when she was younger, she'd hated that he always referred to her by her surname—although it was far from the worst thing he'd called her—but since they'd grown up and become closer, she'd come to like the way he purred her name. It didn't feel derogatory anymore. On the contrary, it almost felt like a term of endearment.
Besides, she thought, everyone called her Hermione. It might be special to have him call her something else.
She smiled and nestled into his side. "I quite like being your Granger."
A slow grin overtook Draco's face. "Granger it is then."
She tilted her face to kiss him slowly, her heart soaring in her chest. "Will you stay the night?" she murmured.
"If you'd like. I could always go across the corridor to Pansy's office if—"
"Don't you dare," she cut him off, draping one leg over him and clutching tightly to his arm.
Draco laughed and embraced her, turning in her arms until they were chest to chest. "I wouldn't dream of it, Granger."
A/N: Let me know what you think! We've got about 3 chapters left.
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