Dragon vs. Maiden IIX
Previously
"Punishment... for what!" she sputtered, "And I didn't agree to return with you, My Lord!"
"Yes, my dear... but you forget you're my prisoner. A part of my treasure. And a Dragon never let's go of his treasure. You belong to me."
WARNING- This chapter has NSFW content. 18+ recommended.
...
Hermione sank gratefully into the tub of warm lavender scented water. Sighing as she handled the fine white soap that had been given to her by Draco's butler as he had been magically filling the large copper tub for her bath.
It was the finest, whitest soap she had ever seen, and it smelt lovely, like herbs and botanicals. It wasn't at all like the soap she would have used at home made of lye and animal fat, that soap was brown and stunk.
However, it was all she had to wash with, even her wooden tub which was considered a luxury item in village was nothing compared to the large shiny copper tub that had been levitated into her previous chamber once Draco had unceremoniously dumped her back in here.
She dunked her head under the water, holding her breath with delight. She had never been in a tub large enough to dunk her head and curly hair all the way under in.
They hadn't talked the entirety of their flight back to the Keep, partly because he was in his changeling form and partly because she could tell from the frown on his face that he was brooding. As she rubbed the rosemary scented soap into her thick curls she wondered if he was going to return to where Harold and Ron were.
He hadn't been convinced by her pleading, she had seen that on his face. Him stopping the conversation to bring her back to the Keep was merely a distraction. She nibbled her lips nervously.
It was less the fate of the two men in the forest worrying her now that she was back in the Keep and more her own. He had cryptically stated that some things were about to change before waving away the rest of her questions and leaving her with Dobby.
The elf was kind to her, explaining that his Lord would be back later to speak to her. He hadn't admonished her for escaping into the night like a thief much to her relief but the brief courage she had shown before climbing the Dragon's back was waning.
What if this was merely a last hurrah so to speak, warm her, feed her, dress her and then send her on her way with a 'thank you very much but you have too many problems tied to you.'
After all Draco had no obligation to keep her with him. Besides his damned sense of responsibility and the honour of his gentlemanly title.
She looked out the tower window to see that the sky was lightening. My... what a wild night. She had never expected to return to Glenmorgan Keep at the end of this night. In some silly part of her mind she had still believed that she could have returned to her little, warm cottage.
After rinsing herself she stretched out fully leaning the back of her neck against the soft padded cushion behind her. Curls of hot steam and her own breath wafted towards the high ceilings.
She was ever so tired. She yawned delicately. She couldn't fall asleep, he'd be back soon, and she had to be awake to speak to him.
She shuddered delicately when she remembered his anger, praying that the full force of it wouldn't be directed towards her admittedly foolish and impulsive actions.
Maybe I should kiss him so that he's nicer was her last laughing thought before she fell asleep in the tub; exhausted by the day's events.
...
Draco was in a foul mood, despite vowing to kill those men regardless of Hermione's feelings and misgivings he had ended up taking one of Dobby's potions.
It was meant to wipe out a whole day's events from the minds of non-magical folk.
The only satisfaction Draconis MacFoy was getting this night was the fact that he had beaten both men to a pulp.
After pouring the foul-smelling brew down the throats of both unconscious men he was now back at his Keep.
Now he thought with vicious satisfaction... now was his chance to confront the little traitor. This was what he had been waiting all night to do, today he would put the fear of the Dragon in the little chit and make sure she never defied him again.
He waved away the hovering Dobby impatiently once he walked through the Keep's doors and made his way directly to her room... HIS room... the room, the one she was merely using whilst he still had to keep her here.
Each step he took towards the tower seemed more urgent. Maybe he was just in a hurry to chastise her or maybe... the little voice at the back of his head said... just maybe he was in a hurry to see if she was in fact in one piece.
What had gone on in the night was galling to him; regardless of Astoria's affliction later in their marriage she would have never contemplated running away in just a nightgown and coat in the middle of the night. In fact, none of the ladies in his acquaintance would have ever dreamed of taking such bold action.
He did not know how to deal with such bold, unapologetic and wilful independence. For he had never encountered it before, to the women in his circle leaving the comforts of a warm bed to return to a hovel would have been unthinkable.
By the time he reached the secret door his heart was thumping hard in his chest; a mix of confusion, anger and longing swirled in his chest. Perhaps the military stratagem of making a battle plan first would not serve him well in this scenario. He would have to play it by ear.
His first knock went unanswered and so did his second. By the third he was raging. Did she think to ignore him by refusing to allow him admittance!? 'Twas his castle and by right he could enter the room!
"Miss Granger." He called out in a calm voice, "Please be wary, I'm entering."
Hearing no reply, he pulled at the catch of the secret door and let himself in, feeling more confident with his ire than ever before. Oh yes, she would answer for putting him through the inconvenience of chasing after her in the dark. And the fear of finding her dead, reminded the little voice, don't forget that.
He marched up the stairs. Fuck, his leg throbbed, it was always like this after an adrenalin fuelled Change, he was still dressed in the dirty robes and breeches that he had worn to fetch her. Soot and dirt caked his hands and he couldn't find the leather tong that held his shoulder length hair back. His foul mood was merely aggravated by the fact that he had to keep pushing his hair back.
Indeed, he was spoiling for a fight.
But she was asleep...
Draco let out a short laugh as he saw his quarry and bane fast asleep, the water in her tub still warm.
Merlin, he thought... all the anger leeching out of him as he sat down heavily on her bed. She was so goddamn pretty. Clear pearly skin dotted by charming freckles, sweetly rounded curves courtesy of simple country living, softly arched eyebrows under which sat eyes so lively and warm that they reminded him of the first time he had ever drunk chocolate
(A/N For historical context- English aristocracy began to drink hot coco after it was introduced in the courts of France and Spain and it was known as chocolate."
He had best wake her, 'twas not a gentlemanly thing to stare at a young, unmarried woman without her consent. He would send Dobby, despite the fact that they had crossed all boundaries of impropriety in each other's presence he had to be careful now. In his selfishness he had not seen what the outcome would and could have been for Miss. Granger and today's incident was merely a preview to what would happen to any young lady with her reputation in question.
"Draco...?" came a soft, sleepy, female voice, "You're back? I hope you didn't hurt those two no-matter how much they may have deserved it."
"You're awake, love?" he said gentling his voice, "It'd be best if you got out of the tub and dressed before we talk."
"Dressed?" she whispered confused, "Ah..."
...
Hermione was embarrassed and, in her haste, to cover herself she stood in the tub. The water sluiced down her naked body giving the man in front of her a glimpse of charmingly rounded limbs and a curvy, feminine body.
"I know you're angry and I'll admit to being silly and impulsive with regard to my leaving your home, but you must understand that when you made the decision to take me in from the rain, you turned my well-ordered life upside down." she blurted out in a rush.
"I see I won't have to bother calling the elf then." he muttered under his breath before looking away hastily and handing her a towelling robe. "I'm not angry Miss. Granger." he sighed pinching the bridge of his nose in hopes of stopping the throbbing behind his temple and eye.
"It seems like you are." she whispered. She tightened the cotton sash that held the flimsy garment together while studying his handsome face.
"No, I'm not angry with you per-say, just this situation." He replied, sitting back down on the bed and undoing the velvet string that held the eyepatch in place. "You don't mind, do you? I understand that it's a rather unseemly sight."
"You know I've seen worse." She replied with a smile before silently asking if it was okay if she sat near him.
She took his grunt and nod as a seal of approval and sat down.
"Why did you leave?" he asked in his usual gruff voice.
Hermione knew he was used to people he perceived under him cowering to that tone of voice, yet she was aware of the precarious position she was currently in, so she had to modulate her tone of voice.
"It wasn't fair of you to cut me off like that. Not talking to anyone, not being allowed out of this room, being a true prisoner. I didn't ask for that." Hermione kept her eyes on her hands, watching as the veins stood out in stark relief as she clenched them.
"By Merlin." said Draco angrily, "Even my goddamn house-elf won't stop talking about how poorly I've treated you. I'm sorry were the books, parchment, warm food and new clothes not enough, my dear?" he asked sarcastically.
"You're being rather unfair." she said, "After all as a captive it is my right to use any means to escape to freedom."
"But you're not safe out there, Hermione." He said urgently, turning and grabbing her shoulders, "Surely you see that now."
"But I was." She countered, looking up at him, "I was safe before you kept me here for so long."
"And just what was I supposed to do, leave you out in the rain? To freeze? Or to allow you to return and tell everyone the Lord of Glenmorgan has returned. The newly minted Draconis MacFoy. Here to save their stupid, treacherous village, here to save people who might have betrayed my father to his greatest enemy."
"I wouldn't betray you." she whispered, aghast, "You knew that. You knew I would've kept your secret had you let me return but you don't trust me. You don't trust anyone, Draco."
"Don't be foolish, Hermione." He said coldly, "It's a village, they would have burned the truth out of your pretty lips the moment they knew you had set foot back in their land."
"So, where do we go from here?" she asked, worrying the skin of her bottom lip whilst looking at him.
...
She was so lovely.
Merlin, he was a stupid man. He should have stuck to his original plan of leaving even after she had woken up. Her pale skin was pink from the warm bath and her long curly hair around her shoulders. She wasn't beautiful in the way Astoria was. His late wife had been the kind of beauty that men stopped in awed silence to stare at. Much to his abject fury.
But Hermione was... she was like the last sunflower before the beginning of autumn. A warmth that beckoned one to come closer and bask within.
One kiss, he reasoned... surely one kiss wouldn't matter. He'd deal with Astoria's ghost on the morrow.
For now, he wanted to kiss this infuriating woman... this lovely, warm, maddening woman who had led him on a chase and didn't even have the self-preservation to cow under the voice he used when his soldiers had committed only the gravest of infractions.
"Does it hurt very much?" her voice was shy and her eyes questioning.
"Nothing one of your healing massages won't fix." He teased gently.
Hermione helped ease his back against the headboard of the bed, she leant over his lap like the last time to put her fingers to his temple.
"You never did answer, Draco?" she asked again, "I'm worried about what's to happen."
He pulled her down to his chest before answering gruffly, "You needn't worry. You are to stay here for now and those men will have forgotten everything that went on in the last day. They are alive and you are safe now but my dear I would suggest putting the idea of leaving out of your head."
"For good." she whispered, propping up her chin on his chest, "What will become of me?"
But instead of answering he simply leaned down and kissed her. Hermione gasped, allowing him an opportunity to plunder the sweet depths of her mouth.
"Draco." she whispered once he let her breath, "You said..."
"Forget what I said. I thought you had died, Hermione. Even if it's just for my sake, let me kiss you, please?"
"Well if we're going to be kissing, it has to be for both of our sakes, My Lord." She whispered into his ear playfully before nipping down gently. "So, kiss me harder, Draco."
Lord MacFoy offered a fervent prayer to whichever Saint or deity had made this possible and complied with his lady's command to kiss her harder.
"Promise me you won't regret this in the morning." Hermione said all of a sudden, grasping his face in her hands and looking into his eyes.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that, love?" Draco replied amused.
"No listen, I'm 25. On the shelf. There's no great love affair for me out there, Draco. But you and your Astoria." She said, shaking her head, "It's only natural you still grieve her. So, I just hope that whatever happens between us tonight... that you don't feel regret in the morning."
Draco was stunned by the compassion in her eyes. Here she was, this mortal woman, one who could potentially be hurt far more than him by their association showing him understanding and compassion during this moment.
He was humbled and astonished by her grace.
So, he just kissed her again, promising against her mouth, "No regrets."
Her smile after his promise captivated him, she stretched her arms up and circled them around his neck. Her playful nip on his lower lip spurning him into action.
...
Hermione gasped in wonder. God was this what it was like to be ravished? Draco's tongue thrust between her lips in a blatantly carnal fashion and in between the folds of her thin robe she felt his thick muscular leg thrust between her own.
She adored this intimacy he forced upon her. There was nothing but her and Draco, his smoky scent and his possessive silver eyes. She felt consumed by his large body and forceful presence.
Draco's kisses became hotter and wetter as he encouraged Hermione to stretch her fingers against the taut flesh of his chest. She gasped as the warm, tensile muscle shifted and bunched under her fingers. His crisp golden hair wiry and strange to her exploring fingers.
He ran his warm mouth against her chin and down her throat. For her who had never been touched this way it was a revelation.
Every place he touched her was alive with sensation and she wriggled under his firm, possessive hold.
She wanted to rub her body against his and suddenly it was imperative that she remove his clothes.
With his lips still in the sensitive crook of her neck and shoulder he helped her remove his linin shirt and her robe. Hermione shivered in surprise and delight when her breasts came into contact with his warm chest.
Draco tensed as she tentatively rubbed her nipples against his chest.
"Was that bad?" she whispered, nervously, "Should I not have done that?"
He gathered her closer and pressed a hard kiss on to her mouth, "No, love. Anything and everything we do together is beautiful. 'Tis just that it's your first time and I'm trying to be gentle with you."
"I trust you." She whispered to him, "You won't hurt me."
He growled under his breath and moved his large hands down to her breasts, gently pulling on her nipples until she moaned loudly and began to move restlessly.
"You're loud, love." He laughed quietly, "You're a moaner."
She began to giggled but was stopped when his warm and wet mouth settled on her nipples, replacing his fingers which had travelled further south and were stroking her belly gently.
Hermione dug her fingers into his glorious hair, holding his mouth to her breasts. The sensations of making love to Draco were otherworldly, almost mystical. Her body ached for something she didn't even know about yet.
Insistent, his fingers moved downwards.
Oh, it was unfamiliar, this sensation of having a man's hands on her body! She closed her legs instinctually.
He murmured softly into her ear, urging her to open up to him.
"Give me your fire, sweet." His fingers pierced the secret place between her legs, bringing with them the first pinches of pain.
"Draco?" she cried out questioningly, her eyes jerking open.
"Merlin, you're tight. Worry not love, everything will be fine." He soothed, kissing her lips in the way that made her forget everything else. Instead he brushed his fingers over the small nub at the top of her sex, making her flood with moisture.
The restless feeling was back, she wanted something... anything. She had to reach that pinnacle that her body promised but wouldn't allow her to achieve.
She bucked under his big body, urging him with her movements.
"Christ, should receive a medal for this." Draco murmured under his breath, "Easy now love, I have you."
"Draco..." she moaned, "Do something!"
"So, demanding." He laughed, "I adore a forceful woman."
He gripped her hips in both hands before smiling his wicked pirates smile and kissing down the front of her torso.
"Wha... What are you doing?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Just watch, Miss Granger. This is something they don't teach you in your anatomy books."
"No Draco... not there!" she cried out, feeling his soft, teasing kisses reach the soft insides of her thighs.
"Remember, everything we do together is right."
"But..."
"You trust me, no?"
"Aye, I suppose so. You promise to stop if I hate it, yes?"
"Aye I promise."
She leaned back against the headboard and bit down on her bottom lip. His first searching kisses were merely up and down her legs... now very sensitive.
...
Draco delighted in this game. Hermione's nervous little glances down merely made him want to prolong the torture a little further, but her soft, pink quim was calling him.
She was truly lovely everywhere, 'twas a privilege to be the first man to view such a pretty pussy. Crowned with a thatch of golden-brown curls, soft to the touch rather than wiry. Her intoxicating fragrance called him, Merlin... how long had it been since he had been in between the thighs of a beautiful woman last.
He had to savour her, his first gentle lick sent her into a frenzy of giggles.
"Feels strange." She whispered to him, "No offence."
"None taken." He laughed with her, "Just lay back now." he urged.
His slow licks fast rendered her speechless as the same feeling of reaching for something glorious began in her womb. It made her belly clench in delight.
Draco revelled in her moans asking for mercy and her soft sighs when he touched her clit.
From the cries coming above him he knew she was close, her small hands clutched his head desperately as she rode out wave after wave of sensation.
He gently sucked her little button one last time before biting down on it and sending her into a screaming climax.
Draco wanted to laugh as her soft thighs contracted around his head and her long moan, more than a little undisciplined, rang out.
He lifted his head and placed a kiss on her navel before grinning into eyes slitted in pleasure.
"I hope that exceeded your expectations, madam." He said primly, smiling at her negligible mumble.
"I didn't know people could make love like that." she whispered a little wonderingly.
"Yes, well there are a great deal of things you don't yet know about even at your grand old age of 25. Now go to sleep."
"What about you." she blurted out, looking at his tented breeches shyly.
"I wouldn't worry about that." He laughed, getting up off the bed and taking his shirt out of her hands, "He goes away by himself unprompted most of the time."
"Um... Draco?"
"Yes Hermione?"
"What about... where I'm supposed to go?"
Coward! That wasn't what she had meant to ask him
"We'll talk about that tomorrow. I think you should go to bed now, it's been a trying night."
"Aye, I see... well, goodnight... I mean good morn then. Will I see you later?"
"Mayhap." He muttered vaguely, already heading towards the door.
"Remember what you promised My Lord. No regrets."
"Aye..." he muttered looking away, "No regrets."
...
Hermione gazed up at the fresco on the ceiling and wondered what it would be like to make love without all those cumbersome human feelings. For the physical part she had thoroughly enjoyed but the aftermath wasn't feeling equally exceptional.
She wished she could be just like the Satyrs in her fresco.
Because she was sure that despite Draco's assurance to the contrary, he regretted what had taken place between them.
It had been a foolish decision to allow him to continue past the first kiss, she chided herself.
The man was still in love with a ghost.
TBC
A/N- Leave a review they're free! Also check out some of the other stories I'm working on!