Chapter 10

"You complete ass!" Hermione hissed as she pushed her hands into Malfoy's chest.

He didn't move. Not an inch.

"For the last time, I barely touched him!" Malfoy sighed and rolled his eyes. "He must have fallen down some stairs or something."

Hermione crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Is that what you did to him? Push him down the stairs?"

"No!" Malfoy protested.

"So his hand just broke itself then," Hermione countered.

Malfoy dropped his gaze to the dark floor between them. "Shouldn't have touched you," He mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Hermione snapped. "Touched me? When did he touch me? And even if he did-"

Malfoy's eyes lifted back up to hers and burned like ash covered coals. "Oh he did. I saw you." He took a step closer to her. "In the hallway, before Runes."

"Before…" Hermione tried to think back. Cormac had stopped her in the hallway and asked if to go out with him on Valentine's and… he had held her hand for a moment. "You broke his hand because he touched mine? Are you insane?!"

Malfoy glowered down at her. "I must be," He snarled. "If I'm fucking a dirty Mudblood like you I must be out of my goddamn mind."

"Yeah, well, you're not anymore." Hermione retorted.

"Bullshit."

He grabbed her arms and shoved her back into the cold stone wall and his mouth found hers before she could utter a word of disagreement. She twisted against him, but Malfoy's hands were firm on her and his grip strong, digging in deeper the more she struggled.

Gradually she found herself kissing him back. Merlin, she hated herself for it, but couldn't stop from moving her lips to meet his and tilting her head back just a little farther so he could press down harder. Malfoy gave a small moan and his grip on her changed. One hand slid up over her neck and the other lower, pulling her hips forward to meet his.

"You were saying?" He murmured in her ear as his lips softly brushed against the shell of it.

"You're a complete ass." She managed, trying to gather up the scraps of her dignity.

"Well that must be a turn on for you because you're shaking, Granger."

He pulled back far enough that she could see that devilishly handsome smirk on his face.

"With rage." She glared at him.

Malfoy chuckled. "Well, whatever it is, I like it." He nipped at her lip and Hermione pulled her head back away from him. His hand moved down from her neck and over her breast. He grasped it roughly, pressing it up and squeezing it. "And you like this."

Hermione hadn't noticed that her brows had pulled together and her lips had parted as short breaths moved through them. She hadn't noticed that her hands had moved themselves to rest on Malfoy's chest, slowly curling his shirt in her fingers. All she had noticed was the way his hand felt on her as he massaged her breast through her shirt with increasing pressure.

"So since you're free this weekend, how about giving me a go on these?" Malfoy grinned down at her.

Hermione came to her senses and shoved him back again and this time managed to move him far back enough that she slipped out from between him and the wall.

"I'm not." She snipped. "Like I told Cormac and now telling you," She said as Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I've got things to do."

"Damn right you do." Malfoy smirked. "Now get over here and do them."

She scoffed and took a few steps back. "You can't just order me around!"

"I can't?" Malfoy took a long step forward. "Let's take another look at your ass and see what it has to say about that."

She wanted this fluttering to stop. "Stop it! Just… stop it," She said shaking her head. He was confusing her. He had hurt Cormac, he had done that and she knew it. He was rough with her and called her names. Why… why was she okay with this? Why did she… want this? Why did part of her want him to grab her and kiss her again?

"Granger…" His voice was low and had a tint of… was that concern in it?

"Just leave me alone." Hermione said softly and turned away from him. She didn't look back over her shoulder. She didn't need to in order to know that Malfoy's calculating eyes were watching her, the way her legs shook just a little with each quick step, her stiff shoulders thrown back as she tried her best to keep her head high, and her hands curled into fists at her sides. She could feel his gaze on her until she reached the end of the corridor and ducked around the corner before breaking out into a run.

Hermione spent Valentine's in the Library with Harry, pouring over books and scrolls. She couldn't sort through her feelings about Malfoy, but she could page through book after book meticulously looking for any scrap of information on Horcruxes. Harry had another lesson with Dumbledore and once he told her about it, both of them devoted themselves to research. Harry had even left the Prince's old potion book in his dormitory.

She read about curses, magical objects, enchanted artifacts, and all varieties of dark magic before she looked up to see the moon shining brightly through the window across from her. How long had they been in here? She tried to remember if they had even taken a break to eat. Her head was so full she couldn't even remember.

Harry closed the book in front of him and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes and pressing his fingers into them.

"I think we need to just admit it, Hermione," He sighed and slipped his glasses back on before looking over at her. "Hogwarts doesn't have any information on Horcruxes. If Voldemort couldn't find it all those years ago, I don't think we will be able to do much better."

"But we have to." Hermione answered, flipping another page and running her finger over a diagram there before she realized it was a carving of a flayed human being. Recoiling she slammed the book shut. "I just mean that we have to be better than him. If we're going to beat him."

She glanced over at her best friend and found his green eyes troubled. "Hermione, when it comes to it-"

"It's late." Hermione cut him off. She knew what he was going to say and didn't want to get into it right now. War was coming, whether they wanted it to or not and when it came to it… well, they both knew what that meant, deep down. "Let's put these back and call it a day."

"All right, Hermione," Harry sighed and started stacking up the large books before he carried them away.

They walked back slowly to the Gryffindor common room and Hermione barely noticed when Harry mumbled the password to the Fat Lady and the portrait hole swung open. They said their goodnights and Harry gave her a hug around the shoulders, thanking her for all her hard work. Hermione pushed open the door to her dormitory and fell onto her bed, fully clothed, and was asleep in seconds.

Malfoy thrust his fist into the air triumphantly. He'd done it. He'd been able to send an object, just an apple, but still, through the cabinet and have it returned. Thank fuck because he was about to lose his mind trying to get this blasted cabinet to work again and finally, finally, something good.

It only took, oh, almost six months or so, but when that apple showed up with a single bite out of it he felt something inside of him break free. He pulled a bottle of fire whisky out of his bag and pulled the cork out with his teeth before bringing it to his lips and tipping it back.

It burned on its way down but Draco drank deeply, swallowing mouthful after mouthful until he felt the pleasant buzz hit his head and smacked his lips together.

It was searing his throat and he pulled his lips back, wincing slightly at the sensation. His vision blurred for a moment and he felt his mouth pulling in a grin. It was working. Objects could pass through it. All his work had not been in vain. He was going to restore his family's honor. He was going to show the Dark Lord that the Malfoy name still meant something.

He was going to save his parents.

Draco sank down in a dusty old armchair, not even caring that he was dirtying his robes. Fuck, nothing mattered right now except for the fact that he, Draco Malfoy, had repaired the fucking Vanishing Cabinet and soon, it would be working well enough to-

Draco's face fell.

He knew what repairing this cabinet would ultimately mean. Could he do it? He looked down at his wand in his hand. Could he point this at someone and say the words? He had no problem beating the shit out of someone or hurting them. But killing them, ending them… That was something different.

He turned the bottle up again and let the warm whisky chase away the dark thoughts. He deserved this. Deserved to celebrate and not worry for one evening about his task, his orders. He did his best not to think about them and knew that his drinking, his rashness all stemmed from it.

After all, it wasn't exactly like he had a choice.

Draco stood up and took a second to balance himself on unsteady legs. Tonight he was going to get black out drunk and not think about anything but the fact that he had finally made progress with the cabinet. He had spent every free second of the last week and a half in here working on it much to Crabbe and Goyle's chagrin. But since Granger had run off and was now practically attached to Saint Potter he had to do something to occupy his mind from chasing her around in it night after night.

He was making his way through the skinny paths when he stumbled and caught himself on a table stacked high with odds and ends all covered with dust and cobwebs.

Draco glared around him. He fucking hated this room.

Granger. He fucking hated her too. She couldn't just… just leave him like that. She couldn't just act like all of that was nothing. She… She… She was… his. She was a task too and one he hadn't made as much progress with as he'd like. He wanted her. Wanted her to want him. Wanted her to give herself to him, her whole self because…

Draco took another swig as he saw the door appear a few yards ahead of him.

Because he wasn't done with her. Because he broke McLaggen's hand for her. Because he was breaking every rule and tradition he had ever known to have her. Because…

Draco coughed and his hand slipped on the handle.

The fantasies of bending her over a table in the Library and fucking her until she screamed were just that, fantasies. But being inside her, feeling her legs around him, her mouth saying his name… It was like nothing else he'd ever felt.

And she fucking felt it too. He knew she did. He knew it.

Draco spilled out into the hallway, crashing into Goyle's little girl body.

"Watch it!" Goyle growled and pushed Draco from him.

Draco pushed himself against the wall to stay upright.

"Have a drink, Goyle," Draco smiled and held out the bottle. Goyle eyed him, but took the bottle and drank. "You've earned yourself a few days off," Draco's words were slurred. "I've got… got other things to do."

The amber liquid sloshed in the bottle. "I thought you said this was the most important thing. There's something else?" The little girl's eyes doubled and swam in Draco's vision.

The smile dropped from his face as Draco grabbed the bottle back from Goyle. Once again he failed to comprehend even the simplest aspect.

"Yeah, there's someone else." Draco snapped.

"Huh?" Goyle's brow darkened over his eyes.

"Shut up you useless piece of shit." Draco rolled his eyes and pushed the little girl Goyle in the direction of the stairs. Goyle bristled but Draco ignored it and shoved the bottle at him again. "Have another drink. Let's go celebrate."

Hermione climbed into her cold bed and ducked down under the covers. She pulled Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms from under her pillow and propped it up on her chest. She had to admit she was relieved to be reading something other than a book on the dark arts and her eyes quickly began to dart across the page as her mind relaxed into the familiar subject.

She had gotten three chapters in when Lavender and Parvati finally made it up. She was used to ignoring them as they chatted while they brushed out their hair and rubbed lotion over their arms and legs. Honestly, they spent half their lives grooming themselves. Not that they needed it, they both were naturally pretty; Lavender with her clear skin and bright smile and Parvati with her dark hair and straight nose.

Not like her with her bushy hair and bitten down nails.

Hermione blinked and tried to focus on the passage on the difference between the Elder Futhark and Older Futhark runes.

"I thought you two were fighting again," Parvati said, sounding confused.

"We made up." Lavender replied happily, patting her comforter with her hands. "He even said the L word this time."

Parvati gasped and Hermione was glad for it because it covered the sound of her own sharp intake of breath.

"He actually said he loves you?" She asked in a hushed voice.

Hermione heard Lavender giggle and pulled her book down just far enough that she could see over the top of it. Lavender was sitting on the side of her bed with her fingers trying but failing to cover a large smile on her face.

"He apologized, like he always does," She smiled again, "And he was so nervous when he said it, his whole face went red and he just kind of mumbled it at first and I was like 'What's that?' like I didn't understand him but really I just wanted him to say it again and Parv, oh my gosh, it was so sweet."

Hermione didn't hear the rest. In fact, she might have gone deaf for a moment as her mind spun to process this information. Ron and Lavender… in love. She had always thought there would come a day when Ron and Lavender ended things and then, if it wasn't too late, they would have a chance to repair their friendship. But if Ron was in love with Lavender then… then that was it. She didn't know how they could come back from this.

"-his house over the summer-"

"He's asked you to come visit him?" Parvati asked, her dark eyes wide.

"Well, not yet, but I know he will," Lavender said with a smug smile. "I mean, he can't go two days without pawing at me like some kind of animal. There's no way he can go a whole summer without me."

Hermione felt sick. She hadn't even thought of this summer. Normally Ron would write to her a week after she got home, begging her to come and stay. It normally took another week or so to convince her parents, claiming that it was easier to study with a friend who could quiz her, and eventually they would hug her tightly and tell her to write before sending her off to the Burrow. She loved spending time there with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. But now, it would be Lavender he invited instead.

They talked for a few more minutes, but Hermione's thoughts were louder than their whispers and eventually Parvati blew out the candle in between them and they crawled into their beds. Hermione softly closed her book and slipped it under her pillow before blowing out her own candle.

She layed on her side, eyes wide open, and listened as Lavender's wistful sighs turned into deep breaths, but found no rest herself.

Draco had been so hung over the next day he had missed all of his classes. Snape stopped him in the Great Hall the following morning and told him to report to detention that evening. Draco glared at him, but held his tongue. One night of detention was bad enough and Snape seemed more than willing to dole out punishments to him these days. Git.

His Godfather did ask him if was feeling alright and Draco snarled as the older man looked over him appraisingly. He knew he looked like shit. Paler than usual with red, sunken eyes, but Draco just glared at him until his Head of House gave an annoyed sigh and ordered him to at least eat something before heading to detention.

He was to clean out Filch's supply closets and organize them; without magic. Servant work. Draco's lip curled as he pulled open the door to the third closet of the evening and stepped inside. It smelled like a mix of old cat food and something terribly sour that he, shuddering, hoped was a bowl of milk left for Mrs. Norris.

He started pulling the buckets off the shelves when the door behind him opened.

"I'm working on it, okay?" Draco snapped. It was probably Snape checking up on him. Nosey bugger. "If you've come to gloat then-"

He stopped talking as he turned and saw Granger standing there in the doorway. She took a step closer to him and the door shut behind her with a click.

"Why did you get detention?" She asked.

Draco couldn't pull himself out of her big doe eyes and couldn't even summon a sneer in his current state of shock.

"Malfoy?" She asked and he realized that he had been staring.

"I was a bad boy," He smirked and threw the rag he was holding down on the shelf next to him.

"Aren't you always?" She asked and he was thrown off by the little tug at the corner of her mouth. Granger was… flirting with him.

"Been pretty good of late, actually," He leaned back against the shelves and crossed his arms. "Following… your rules, at least."

The corners pulled up a little higher and he felt his own lift with them. He liked this side of her. He liked that she was smiling. It made her cinnamon colored eyes sparkle.

"Have you?" She said and trailed her fingers along the edge of the shelf next to her. "Too bad, because I feel like breaking a new one of mine."

Fuck fuck fuck. His heart gave a large thump and pumped the blood right into his cock.

What the fuck was happening? Granger had hardly looked at him in two weeks. She had made sure that she stayed away from the lower levels of the castle and the seventh floor landing. He knew because he'd been looking for her. And the Library? Well she was never there without Saint Potter protecting her from the big bad Slytherin…

"Yeah?" Was all he could manage. Shit, that was stupid. Where was his head at? Gone. It had gone the moment that Granger walked in.

"It's wrong," She said, her little bottom lip pouting out and, fuck another thump followed by a throb. "And we shouldn't…" She shook her head and those twisting curls bounced a little. Oh, he could make them bounce. Hard.

"Everything is wrong to someone," Draco said, finally finding something in his brain other than the memory of Granger's face as she came. "Who's to say what's right or wrong?" She looked up at him and blinked those big brown eyes at him. "So you just do what feels good and try and make it to the next day."

"Is that how you live?" She breathed out. "Is that what it's like in your world?"

Draco's lips curved into a playful smirk. "Want to find out?"

"Yes."

He was hard. It happened so fast, it hurt and Draco growled against the twinge of pain in his groin.

He was exhausted but he wasn't about to let that stop him from having Granger again. Draco reached for her, but she pulled back quickly. His brow fell over his eyes in confusion for a moment. Was she teasing him?

Then Granger bit her lip and glanced down and then back up to him before she knelt before him.

"Oh fucking Hell."

Her lip escaped her teeth as she smiled sweetly at him and giggled a little. How could she still look so innocent, so… Pure.

"You'll need to tell me… how." She said in a soft voice.

His cock strained in his trousers, trying to get to her. Easy, boy.

He cupped her face and ran his thumb over her smooth cheek, slightly flushed with just a hint of red. Cherry red. Gryffindor red.

He ran his fingers into her curls and felt his chest rise and fall heavily.

"Take him out." Sweet Salazar he loved how she obeyed. Her hands raised up to the button on his trousers and pulled it open all while she kept her eyes on his. Such big, sweet eyes…

She was always a good student and had remembered his lesson in the Leaky Cauldron well as she ran her hand up and down his shaft.

"Open your mouth." His voice was hoarse and rough, his rain grey eyes locked onto her.

Granger's pink lips parted and she glanced down at his cock in front of her.

"Start with your tongue," Draco's heart was racing in his chest. Normally he could focus and control its beating and his breathing along with it, but right now he was too entranced by Granger's soft tongue slipping past her lips to do anything but tighten his hold in her messy curls and she let out a small gasp before she flicked her tongue against his tip.

"Again."

Another small swipe.

"More."

She licked his head with the length of her tongue.

"Put it in your mouth."

It was euphoric. Her lips were so soft as they closed around him and she gently pulled them back over his head and then repeated the action without being told to.

"Take your tits out."

He needed a second. His blood was rushing through him and he swallowed, trying to regain a bit of his composure as she unbuttoned her shirt and reached behind her to undo her bra.

Why did he think having her tits out was going to help him calm down? Draco reached down and ran his hand over them, pushing it into her and feeling her nipple harden under his hand. Granger closed her eyes and let out a low breath. She was filthy; getting turned on by blowing him in a supply closet. Where had this girl been? Hiding away under frumpy sweaters and behind books... He'd never imagined Good Girl Granger was this… wild. Was there anything wrong with her?

Mudblood.

Draco pinched her nipple and released it quickly as her eyes shot back open and locked onto his. She was a Mudblood. Dirty. Nasty. Inferior. He had to remember that.

"You like this? On your knees… My cock in your face?" Draco grabbed her chin as she turned her head down, forcing her to look back up at him. "Suck, whore."

He applied just enough pressure to her cheeks to open her mouth again and shoved his dick in. Her eyes flashed with something for just a moment, but then she tightened her lips around him and took him into her mouth. He leaned back against the shelves behind him, letting her work herself on him because she was doing a hell of a job just on her own.

Why had he waited so long to do this? Why hadn't he gone after her the night of the Yule Ball when she came walking in looking like… Well like nothing he had ever seen before. Pretty little dress hugging her newly formed curves, hair pulled to the side so he could stare at her long neck, pink little lips pulled back and smiling… Draco breathed out a groan. Those same lips were sucking his cock right now.

He tightened his hold on her hair and pushed his hips forward, sliding more of him in her mouth.

Granger stilled for a moment before resuming her movements, incorporating the few extra inches he had given her.

"Oh Hell yes," Draco groaned and she looked up at him with those melted chocolate eyes and he thought he might just melt into her mouth right then.

He pulled her head back and she gasped as his cock popped out of her mouth.

"Lick it some."

Her tongue was at him again, bolder now as it ran up and down his length, her lips brushing lightly against him. She leaned forward eagerly and her tits jumped a little at the movement and ran her tongue down and back up his entire shaft then she sat back, mouth open and waited for him.

Holy shit.

Holy fucking shit.

She was perfect.

Draco pushed his cock back in her mouth and pulled her head down on him until he felt the back of her throat. Granger made a small noise and he held her there.

"Take a breath through your nose. Relax your throat. If you're going to puke, grab my ankle."

Granger's eyes widened and she gave him the smallest nod before he slid down her throat.

Her mouth was silky smooth and wonderfully warm around him and her throat squeezed him just a little tighter. He thrust against her a few times and realized he was almost grunting with every breath. Fuck, it was just too good. She was too good. Taking his cock like a pro while staring up at him with those big doe eyes.

Faster. He couldn't stop now. He was close, so close. His dick tightened and he felt her hand land on his knee. Silently he begged her to keep it there just a little while longer until he was done and not drop it to his ankle. The brim of her eyes had a line of water at them and she made a small noise, throat vibrating around him.

Please, please Granger… Just a little more… Please…

"Fucking take it," He growled. "Swallow me."

Her hand gripped his ankle tightly.

He could have roared like a Dragon in that moment. No! He was so close, so fucking close!

Draco's chest tightened in frustration and she pulled against his hand holding her in place.

"Shit!"

Draco pulled his dick from her mouth and Granger gasped loudly and gulped down air. He was still holding onto her head and forced it backwards roughly as he gripped himself with his other hand. In a few strokes he was spilling everything he had onto her chest, staring into her rich brown eyes and seeing the desire flickering deep in them. She was filthy. But only for him.

"Bloody Hell, Granger," Draco panted and finally let go of her hair, gripping one of the supports of the shelves and he watched the last drops fall from him onto her chest. "I've never come from a blowjob like that." He tucked himself back in his trousers and looked back down at her.

"Evanesco," She muttered and waved her wand over herself before shyly smiling up at him. "Thanks."

She was thanking him?! If she wasn't a Mudblood, he'd marry her.

Wait, no.

No.

Not Granger.

It was just post-orgasmic bliss that made him think that.

No.

Uh-uh.

Never Granger.

And she was a Mudblood.

She was on her feet and trying to fix her bra back when he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her up against him. Even if she was a Mudblood she had done a phenomenal job and therefore she deserved a reward.

Even his hounds got treats.

Draco spun her around and picked her up, pushing the dirty contents of the shelf onto the floor and sat her on it.

Her hands were on his shoulders and holding to him tightly. He liked it. He wished he could take off his shirt and feel her hands on his skin, but then she'd see the mark and if kicking Cormac's ass made her run off for two weeks he could only imagine what she would do if she saw the Dark Mark on his arm.

No, he'd have to settle for his hands on her instead.

Draco grabbed her tits and pushed them together, diving down on them with his lips, tongue, and teeth.

A strangled moan escaped her as Draco swirled his tongue around one of her pink little nipples before he caught it in his teeth, pulling on it until she let out another moan, this one louder and followed by a quick intake of breath. Draco groaned as he sucked on it, letting his mouth dispel the bit of pain he caused her.

After care was important.

If you cared about the girl.

Draco growled and her hand ran up his neck and into his hair.

All he cared about was keeping Granger coming back for more.

He kissed his way over to her other tit and bit it.

Hard.

"Malfoy!"

Kiss.

Soft.

She sighed.

He squeezed them together tightly, burying his face in them for a moment before he reached between her legs and…

"Fuck, Granger, no knickers?" Draco grinned widely.

She blushed. How the fuck was she blushing right now when she's the one who showed up with nothing under her skirt? Still so innocent. Only filthy for him.

"You're learning."

She giggled.

Her mouth was as almost as good as her cunt and his dick was jealous of his fingers as he slid them into her.

"Sucking my dick got you wet, kitten?" He whispered in her ear.

"Yes."

What a wonderful word.

"And I bet this little pussy was just quivering for me," He breathed in her sweet vanilla cinnamon scent and ran his nose along the edge of her ear.

"Yes." She breathed out and he felt the warmth of it in his hair.

"Did it miss me? Miss my fingers, my cock?"

"Yes…" Her voice raised an octave.

He bit down on her ear lobe softly. No pain this time and he felt her tighten.

"Which more?"

"What?" She gasped and he pulled back far enough to look at her.

In, out, in, out. Her face was pulling in want.

"My fingers or my cock? Which did you miss more?"

She stifled a moan.

Draco stopped moving.

"Which?" He asked in a deep voice and saw a flicker of frustration in her eyes.

"Your cock." She finally said, blushing that cherry red again.

"Slut."

She stared at him. Then smiled.

He grinned back. And shoved his fingers back inside her.

She cried out, clinging onto his shoulder and neck, her nails digging into the exposed skin on the back of his neck.

"I'm…" She gasped out. "I'm going to…"

"Ask."

Her eyes flew open.

"Ask me before you come."

Another flicker of frustration and she pursed her lip together tightly.

He rolled her nipple in between his fingers and leaned down, capturing the other with his lips. She breathed out. He slowed his fingers inside of her to a streeler's pace.

"No…" She moaned and pressed her hips forward a little.

Draco grazed his teeth over her nipple. "Ask me."

Granger threw her head back, swallowing down another moan as he played with her tits and slowly slid his fingers back in.

He bit the nipple softly, sucking on it before leaning to whisper in her ear, "Beg me."

She looked like she was near tears. He had never seen anything more beautiful.

He swiped his thumb over her swollen clit and she cried out, body shaking against him,

"Please! Oh, Draco, please!"

On Salazar's watery grave he had never heard anything better than that.

"Please what?" He teased, slamming his fingers in her and barely grazing her clit.

"Please make me come," She begged. "Make me come, Draco."

He growled from deep within and pumped his fingers into her, swirling his thumb over her clit again and again while he moved his hand up from her chest to wrap around the back of her neck, pulling her lips on his and she moaned loudly into it, body bucking as she rode out her orgasm.

Draco kept at it, until she started whimpering, falling against him and he slowed, letting her body twitch a few times with the last bit of her reward before pulling his fingers from her.

Finally he let her lips go.

Granger gasped for breath, cheeks and tits flushed, and looked up at him through half closed lids.

God, she was…

Where there words?

No.

Only…

Well… not feelings.

Granger sighed and slipped her hands down to his chest.

"Thank you."

Oh fuck. Maybe there were.