You Can't Own Me

by PnkWednesdays

In a post-war era where Voldemort wins, the muggleborn witches were ultimately able to serve a purpose after all. "The Lounge" was a buffet of forbidden fruits in masks, it was a place a wanton and abandon, a place for some to go to have a good time. For others, like Hermione who had been forced into servitude there it was a prison decorated to cater to pureblood whimsy.

9. Chapter 9

****A/N – hey guys so if you're feeling up to it go check out my new Tumblr page its got all sorts of goodies

**I do not own the rights to any Characters in this Fanfiction, those all solely belong to JK Rowling herself. I just claim the plunnie

Teeth

Some days, you're the only thing I know

Only thing that's burning when the nights grow cold

Can't look away, can't look away

Beg you to stay, beg you to stay, yeah

Sometimes, you're a stranger in my bed

Don't know if you love me or you want me dead

Push me away, push me away

Then beg me to stay, beg me to stay, yeah

Call me in the morning to apologize

Every little lie gives me butterflies

Something in the way you're looking through my eyes

Don't know if I'm gonna make it out alive

Fight so dirty, but you love so sweet

Talk so pretty, but your heart got teeth

Late night devil, put your hands on me

And never, never, never ever let go

Fight so dirty, but you love so sweet

Talk so pretty, but your heart got teeth

Late night devil, put your hands on me

And never, never, never ever let go – 5 Seconds of Sumer

Teeth

The early morning light slowly began filtering through the cracks in the heavily curtained windows, casting errant steaks of light on the deep green damask wallpaper of her new room. Hermione sat there perched on the edge of her bed, the smooth varnish of her wand gliding across her fingertips as she rolled the piece of wood in her hands repeatedly.

Light gradually continued to seep into the room as she sat there, lost in her own thoughts. Her feet dangled from the grotesque four poster. The exact position Draco had left her the night before. He had said he would come right back for her, that he would not leave her to her first night alone. But that had been hours ago.

Warmth from the sunlight tickled at her toes.

How had she gotten here?

Once again, for the hundredth time since getting mixed up with Draco Malfoy, did she question how her choices had effectively brought her to this conclusion.

Merely two days before she had been at the Lounge, sure that that was where she would be until they either succeeded in their mission…or they failed. Somehow this potential alternative ad skipped her mind entirely.

She stared up at the chandelier hanging from her ceiling, flashes from the days leading up to this filling her mind. Just like the little glints of light refracting in the crystals, they too were all fractured and moving. Time having been broken and segmented by her shock.

She had been in the office tweaking the spells different components, trying to find the most likely successful version to send them back further. Draco having been called away earlier that afternoon she had been determined to see if she could find a new version to run through with him by the time he returned. That was of course until Ginny and Pavarti realized he had left again.

The two witches had made a quick beeline up to Hermione's room the second word got out that he had vacated the premises as per usual. This was the time they used to update each other on the happenings on either end of the Lounge in complete privacy, away from prying eyes.

So far only Pavarti had come out with any impressive amount of success when it came to siphoning off bits of magic from her patron to boost her own. There were two other witches who had been able to come a little close as well, but nothing to be deemed useful just yet. But still it was something, a massive step in the right direction after years of standing still.

That was where they were when Hermione felt the wards shift, allowing Draco through. She had turned to both girls wide eyed, and body rigid. The girls and Draco had yet to cross paths, until then.

"Gin!" She whispered urgently, "Don't be alarmed but he's back."

Of course, in that moment she was too preoccupied with both of the witches sitting in front of her with panicked expressions stricken across their faces to question why he had returned so soon, after only having left hours before.

Three sets of wide eyes turned to watch her doorway as they heard the door to the front open and close, followed by Draco's heavy footfalls moving in a clipped back towards their direction.

A pale hand lifted at her door, as though he were going to knock, but once he realized it was already open with light on inside, he slowly pushed it open. His face sharing the startled expression that the other two witches wore before him, before he carefully schooled his features.

"Hey, I did not think you would be back so soon." She jumped up trying to fill the space and silence between them as the Draco and Ginny met each other's gazes by sheer determination alone.

"I had some news…" his words trailed off as his gaze finally turned to take her in. If possible, he grew even paler before her very eyes.

"Ginevra, Pavarti." He acknowledged the other girls stoically. His eyes flickering back towards them.

"Malfoy." Ginny greeted back in challenge. Pavarti simply nodded her head in like response.

He turned his gray eyes back to hers and she could practically see the war waging within their icy depths.

A slow knot of dread began to coil in her belly.

"What is it?"

He opened his mouth like he was going to reply before closing it again and glancing behind her, back at the other two women still sitting on her bed, and then looking back at her again unsurely. She had known then that whatever he had to say was bad.

"Whatever you have to say to her you can go ahead and say in front of us. We don't keep any secrets from each other." She heard Ginny interrupt from her place behind her making it known that now that they were all here, she had no intentions of going anywhere.

With a sigh Hermione closed her eyes and slowly nodded to Draco. It did not matter if they found out whatever it was he had to say, whether it be now or later. There was no keeping it from them now that they knew whatever it was existed.

Hardening his eyes again he glanced back up at Ginny once more before coming to the same conclusion that she most likely had as well.

Letting out a sigh of his own he spit the words out in a hurry. "Astoria's barren."

A loud whooshing sound pounded in Hermione's ears and she did her best to maintain her focus on Draco's face. Her own stomach dropped to the floor and she was suddenly finding it hard to breathe. She heard the voices around her, Ginny demanding more from Draco, Parvati's voice light and soothing coming closer to her side. Draco's gray eyes and ashen face, a mimic of her own now she was sure, trying desperately to regain her focus.

The edges of her vision began to blur, and the world started to feel off balance. She swayed tilting to the right then the left before catching herself again.

Astoria was barren.

Barren.

And Draco… was telling her because…

The pounding grew louder in her ears, her attempts at breathing had all but been forgotten. She felt her eyes flutter shut on her own accord right as strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her in close and lifting her feet from the ground right before it rushed up to meet her on its own accord.

"Princess, stay with me…"

"Draco, I… I…" she managed to stumble as she felt herself being carried across the penthouse.

"Shh, I know. I know…" he gently deposited her on the couch nearest to the fireplace in the living room. His thumbs brushing away the wetness from her cheeks.

Since when had she started crying?

"What are you going to do to fix this!" She could hear Ginny demanding from nearby.

Cool hands continued to brush over her face and hair in a soothing motion.

"I'm going to figure this out. I promise. Just stay with me and breathe Hermione. I need you here." His voice was laced with worry, as he answered Ginny's question but directed it solely towards her. Slowly the sound of his low tenor began to break through the loud thrumming in her ears. "Just breathe Princess… that's it, breathe."

She focused on her breaths, in and out. Slowly this time, in, out. Gradually the world around her began to shift back into focus, the center becoming less dim and slowly spreading it clarity from there. When she could finally see clearly once more, she was not surprised to find the faces of the two panicked witches and one horrified wizard staring right back at her.

Draco had been able to buy her a week. One week before she was to move to the manor and officially start the next chapter of her life as an offering. One week in which she panicked more than she could ever remember panicking in her life.

He had not been able, much to Ginny's fury, to get her completely out of it. All they knew for sure was that offerings did not return. The fact that Draco too seemed quite despondent about the entire thing had only made things worse. Gin had spent every waking moment that she could in the penthouse with Hermione, demanding Draco find some other option. But at the end of the day, she had found herself sitting there, alone, in an opulent bedroom on the west wing of Malfoy manor, Draco's wing.

Waiting all night for Draco to return for her, but he had not.

Brick by brick she placed her walls back in place. It had been an arduous process, one that had taken most of her focus and almost all of her magical stores, but she had almost completely placed back her mental shield that had been worn down over time post war without having her magic to maintain it.

She would need Draco to replenish her magic stores sooner rather than later… she continued to finger the rigid larch wood wand in her hand, the dragon heartstring core was powerful to say the least. The wand, though finicky at first had quickly adapted to Hermione's wild type of magic and the spells she could wield…

If only she were actually allowed to wield them. Draco had made a mad dash in those final days to ensure she had a wand before she moved to the manor. What he did not know was that she had begged and pleaded for Gin to take it, to leave it behind with the other witches to improve their odds without her. But her fiery friend would hear none of it.

"Draco is right. Merlin I never thought those words would come out of my mouth." The red headed witch had grimaced like she had a bad taste in her mouth. "You are more than likely going to need this, especially now that he can't ward anyone away for your protection."

She had then firmly placed the wand back in her hands, wrapping Hermione's fist around the base with her own hand. Tears blurred her vision, and she had discreetly tried to wipe them away.

Swiping away at the errant tear rolling down her face, Hermione sighed at the memory. That had been one of the last times she had seen her friend. The next thing she knew she was being ushered through the floo network with Draco by her side on the way to Malfoy Manor. To what horrors that awaited her there she had no idea, but by the strong set to Draco's jaw she could tell that had still been the last thing he had wanted to do.

When they had stepped through, they had been instantly greeted by the faces of his family. All three of them…

A chill ran down her spine at the memory of the look of pure malice in Astoria's eyes the moment she had laid eyes on Hermione. Lucius had looked on distantly with his usual air of distaste, and Narcissa seemed to be there simply for Astoria's familial support, neither caring about Hermione's presence one way or the other.

She had not known what was worse. Knowing how eagerly Astoria had wanted her there, within arm's reach, or the complete indifference with which the other Malfoys had treated her. A reminder that she was simply less than, an object to be used and discarded once its purpose was fulfilled.

The picturesque married couple, as sick as it made her to acknowledge, had then led her to her new room. Hermione followed in silence as Astoria went on about the list of things she was allowed and not allowed to do. The latter being much, much longer of course. Pretty much she was allowed in her room, the grounds, the kitchen, and thank Merlin it seemed a concession had been made that she was also allowed to explore the library…with permission of course.

The older Malfoy couple had followed dutifully behind Hermione, not saying a word, but she had felt their eyes boring into the back of her skull none the less. Picking away at what little dregs of memory were still out in the open.

By the end of Astoria's tirade, they had finally stopped in front of a set of doors Hermione presumed to be her own. Draco had opened the door, nodding for her to enter first, only to have herself cut off by Astoria.

The blonde gripped her arms and investigated her face excitedly. Hermione immediately felt her body go tense and saw Draco do the same over the witches' shoulder, his eyes never leaving the two of them as though he were ready to spring into action at moment's notice.

"You have no idea how relieved I am to have you here Hermione." The witch pulled her in close for a mock embrace. "I told you I would have him one way or the other." She whispered quietly enough so that only Hermione could hear and then pulled back away. "I just know this is going to be a splendid arrangement for all of us."

Releasing her grip on her arms the witch had then stepped out of the way allowing Hermione to finally enter her room. After a few hushed words outside her door Draco eventually followed suit closing the door behind him.

With a sigh he leaned against the shut door watching her through tired eyes as she took in her new surroundings. When she finally gave in and turned to face him, unable to hide the tears threatening to spill over her eyes he immediately pushed off the door to pull her body into a warm embrace.

"I am so sorry Princess." He placed a kiss on top of her head as she burrowed her face into his chest, breathing in something that was now comforting and familiar. "But we can still fix this. This isn't over."

"But Draco how?" She stuttered and stopped. "I don't see how there is any possible way out of this."

"We don't stop working Hermione." He met her eyes with a look of determination. "This only changes where we work, but not what we are doing. She has no control over my home office and there you are also free to come and go as you please."

Sniffling she nodded. It was true, if he was still willing to carry on then so would she. But…

"Draco, but what about…"

Outside of the lounge the contraceptive charms were no longer in place, and she knew without asking she was unexpected to be able to perform them.

His eyes darkened at the thought causing her to take a step back. He watched her predatorily.

"There is just going to have to be a lot of self-control involved."

She nodded again with a swallow. Already feeling herself react to his gaze alone and she felt her body begin to flush.

Draco took a measured step in her direction and she took an equally measured step back.

"Even though…" he murmured, "I'm sure Astoria hadn't considered exactly what it meant for me to have you here, at my fingertips."

Another step forward, followed by her responsive step back. This continued until he had her backed flush against the wall.

"Draco, she could be listening!" she breathily whispered. Her heart was racing, but in an entirely different way now. Draco always had that effect on her. Turning one type of situation to another entirely in a simple matter of moments.

His finger trailed along her jaw, fingering a curl as he followed it down to where her breasts were barely peeking out of her dress.

"That, Princess," he responded with a devilish smile, "is precisely the point."

He leaned in, trailing his lips along her collar bone, nibbling hard enough to elicit a whimper.

A rap sounded at the door.

He ignored it with a chuckle and continued his path up her neck and to her ear, licking and teasing the entire way. His hand snaking up her leg under her dress.

Another rap, harder and more insistent this time.

"Draco! Darling…" Astoria's voice sang through the door.

"Wait here for me. I promise I'll be back tonight." He had whispered in her ear before backing away from her with a lascivious grin.

Keeping the same look in place he opened the door to greet his wife, allowing it to swing wide enough that she would see Hermione flushed against the wall, her neck pocked from his love bites.

Astoria had not said a word. Her eyes only flashed that wicked gleam before her door magically slammed shut.

A soft knock rapped on her door, startling Hermione out of her own thoughts once again. The knob on her door turned without her response. The door slowly pushed open to reveal a particularly disappointing Malfoy on the other side.

Hermione took in his bedraggled appearance, pleased to not that at least he had the proper decency to look as miserable as she felt. He met her eyes with a tired expression as he closed the door behind him and crossed the space between them. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off, not in the mood to hear any of his usual vague excuses.

"Where were you?" her voice was flat and deadpan. Exactly how she felt inside, desolate and deserted.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here. I got… called away." He paused sitting beside her in the place she had not moved from for hours.

Refusing to look at him she asked again. "Where?"

Draco brought both hands up to cover his face, resting his elbows on his knees as he bent over taking slow and even breathes.

"Hermione… I wasn't with Astoria if that is what you are thinking."

How could she not have jumped to that conclusion? When the last time she saw him, he was literally leaving her behind with his picture-perfect wife in tow.

The images of him with her in their marital bed in a room just a few doors over had plagued her all night. The burn of betrayal had started out as an ember when he'd walked out on her, leaving her alone in this horrid place to begin with, an had flamed to a white hot inferno by the time the sun had risen and she was still alone.

"Where were you then, Draco?" irritation began to seep into her tone and she finally looked over at his despondent form. He still sat there, cradling his head in his hands, an air of defeat surrounding him.

"I got called away for work." His voice may have been muffled but she was still able to pick up on the strain in his voice. The slightest of nuances, unnoticeable to most, but not for her.

The lie.

"Work?" back to emotionless, after all she had learned from the best. Never show how you truly feel, never show any of your cards unless you want them to be revealed. In fact, she was quite certain if she were able to be sorted again, she would more than likely end up in Slytherin herself by this point.

"Yes."

"The Lounge?"

Draco did not answer. They sat there, her staring back out the window and him with his head hiding in his hands. She knew the next to speak would be the loser of this conversation, and Hermione was so tired of losing ground. It felt like for every one step forward she made she was pulled back three. She knew Draco was hiding something, there was something more that he was involved in, all the times he would disappear and go out of town for business… none of it had a thing to do with the girls at the club, or the club itself.

After another long few minutes of stretched silence, he finally let out another defeated sigh, "No."

She nodded once, still waiting for further explanation. He owed her more this time, her life was directly on the line as a result of him and she would be damned if his one word, veiled answers would suffice.

"I was on an assignment…" another deep intake of breath as though he was steadying himself for the next words to come out of his mouth, "from the Dark Lord."

This time it was Hermione's turn to take a sharp inhale as her head spun immediately to look at him. She eyed the dark skull with the writhing snake protruding as its tongue that stood out in dark contrast on his arm. Almost purposefully on display with his rolled-up sleeves on his shirt.

A Deatheater he had always been… and yet somehow, she had let herself forget that simple, glaringly obvious fact.

She shut her eyes before she asked her next question, unsure if she even really wanted to voice it. "Do I need to ask what it was?" finally she allowed a bit of timidness to creep into her voice.

She felt him shift beside her before she heard his simple response.

"No."

Breathing a sigh of mixed grudging relief, she opened her eyes to find him sitting upright once again, his eyes holding a seriousness letting her know that she did not, in fact, want to know the specifics.

"Okay." She breathed her eyes still holding his as she felt much of her anger begin to dissipate, but only to be replaced with trepidation. She had finally been forced to acknowledge the unspoken proverbial elephant in the room. At the end of the day… he was officially on the wrong side.

His hand reached up to brush her face and she instinctively flinched, causing him to immediately drop his hand. The hurt and disappointment in his eyes tore at her heart, but there was so much that she did not know about him, about what he did when he went away. And to be quite frank, now she was not sure if she ever did want to know.

What horrors was he still committing all in the name of his master? She shuddered at the thought.

Schooling his features to a mask of calm indifference he stood. "Well, I think it's time you had a proper tour of the grounds. Get dressed and I will take you around personally myself. I know it does not make up for my absence overnight, but it is the least I can do now."

Nodding silently, she stood and made her way to the washroom, ready to get whatever surprises today held for her over and out of the way with.

Draco personally escorted her throughout the manor, first showing her his private room, which she was surprised to learn he did not share with his wife, and then to his office. Both of which were easily accessible to Hermione from her current rooms position. He also pointed out where Astoria's quarters were. They were not nearly as close to her as Draco was, she was actually located on a completely separate hall, although still in the same wing of the manor.

Hermione made sure to make a mental note to steer clear of that section of the wing as much as possible.

The rest of the manor was as she had expected, oversized, opulent, and lavishly excessive. He directed her to the east wing of the manor and informed her that that was where his parent quarters were housed, she would do well to stay away from there as well.

Draco began to get more enthusiastic as his tour went on, pointing out various no go zones, for her safety of course, and places that were safe for her to seek harbor in if need be. It was not until the neared a large set of glass doors allowing the days light to shine through that she paused, causing him to turn to her excitedly.

"When was the last time Hermione?"

"I… I don't remember." She squinted against the bright light as he reached for her hand and pulled her along, her feet staggering hesitantly behind him.

The last time she had been allowed outside, and not on a balcony outside, had been years ago. Probably during the transport from their holding facilities to the dollhouse. Had she known that would be her last time she might have taken more time to appreciate the earth beneath her shoes and the wind in her hair.

"Come on, there is something I want to show you."

Grass crunched beneath her feet for the first time in what felt like forever and Hermione was overcome with emotion as tears prickled at her eyes. The stone patio steps entered into a magnificent garden full of flowers magically in bloom and she stopped to take it all in. She closed her eyes and let the suns rays warm her face. She listened to the birds chirping around her singing a song just for her. Welcoming her back to life. Breathing in the fresh air surrounding her she smelled the sweet scents of gardenia and roses. If there was a silver lining to be found for this entire situation this was it right here. She just wanted to go find a spot in the open grass and lay there for the rest of the day, making up for all the time she had missed.

A gentle breeze blew around her, lifting her curls and carrying them in the wind.

"Magnificent."

She peeped her eyes open to find Draco watching her intently, marveling in her reaction to this newfound slice of marvelous freedom.

Maybe, just maybe… this would not be all bad. Afterall she had more freedom here than she realized, more than what would have been even conceivable at the Lounge.

Magnificent indeed.

He held his hand out to her, the sun glinting through his platinum blonde hair in a way that Hermione had never had the luxury of seeing. He gave her his trademark grin as he waited for her to decide what to do. She eyed the proffered arm, and the black ink swirling just beneath the surface.

Nothing had changed. Not between them.

She confidently placed her hand in his, ignoring his obvious traitorous mark and all and his grin grew to a genuine smile bringing his entire face alight just like the sun filtering through the leaves around them.

She had realized Draco was still Draco. He was still an arrogant and entitled ass at times, but down beneath she could still see the lost soul that had sought her out in the very beginning. He was still the Draco who was willing to stand by her side and find a way to unravel this entire world.

He had always been a Deatheater.

The fact that he finally told her that he still worked for that vile wizard only confirmed what she had already known.

She smiled back at him almost apologetically. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as his only acknowledgement, instantly putting her back at ease.

Nothing had changed.

She tugged him back towards her and rested both of her hands against his chest. Lifting onto her toes she brought her mouth mere centimeters from his, their breath mingled in the narrow space between them as their eyes met and held. Unspoken words passed between them, more bits of mutual understanding as she sweetly ghosted her lips across his.

His hand wrapped around her waist holding her more firmly against him. He let out a sigh of relief at the feel of her in his arms. Pressing his lips more firmly into her pillow soft ones he turned her ghost of a kiss into one full of solid promises.

Draco Malfoy thoroughly and completely had sunk his teeth don to her very being. A simple truth proven by the fact the she would practically forgive him of anything.

She breathed him in like air. So desperate to feel grounded once again that she actually let out a whimper when he pulled away slowly backing up with her hands in tow, leading her deeper into the garden.

"Come on, there is still something I want to show you."

He led her through the main garden, leisurely letting her take it all in and get her bearings. She already could see that she would be spending as much time out here as she could. Her eyes could not settle on a single one thing as each part of the garden was just as brilliant as the last. He pulled her along into a hedge maze and began to navigate its twists and turns just as easily as she could navigate Hogwarts.

"You spent much of your childhood out here didn't you?" she questioned as he completed turn after turn with the complete confidence that he knew exactly where he was and where he was going.

"Much is an understatement." He replied looking back at her with his devilish grin and a wink causing the butterflies in her stomach to take flight.

He continued past the mazes exit and led her around a few more corners before stopping in an area that looked slightly more overgrown than the rest of the hedges surrounding it. She watched with fascination as he pushed his hand into the wall of foliage only to have the branches part before him. Once the whole had grown large enough for them to squeeze through Draco led the way in first.

When Hermione stepped in after her mouth dropped open at the scene before her.

"What is this place?" She wandered the ledges of the little hidden glade and ran her fingers along the trees that seemed to emit a soft iridescent glow.

"This," Draco sat against the trunk of her tree idly watching her as she surveyed her surroundings, "is my own secret escape. This is the one place I can come to here at the Manor and be completely alone."

The magic practically shimmered in the air around her. A small brook coming from somewhere within the maze trickled through the hedges to feed a small crystal-clear pool. She quickly realized that the tree was not the only thing surrounding them that appeared to glow, all of the surrounding flowers and shrubs also let off their own soft iridescence. A twinkling fast moving light caught her eye and she followed a little trail of illumination into a dark crevice between two bushes. Parting the leaves, she let out a breathless gasp.

"Draco there are fairies!" she attempted to whisper to not disturb the delicate little winged creature.

He patted the patch of earth beside him, gesturing for her to take a seat beside him. "There are, and if we sit nice and peacefully, they will usually come out to play."

Hermione almost squealed with excitement as she sidled next to Draco and allowed him to wrap his arm around her shoulder. As she sat there quietly waiting and also just absorbing the peace of the moment, she found herself idly wondering back to what Ginny and the girls were up to. What were they thinking now that she was away?

"Draco?"

"Hmm…"

"How is it that you are the only one who knows about this place? It just seems that after having a home passed down throughout the generations such as the Malfoy estate that someone else surely would have found this by now."

He simply shrugged. "It beats me Princess. All I know is that I was playing in the maze as a child, attempting to uncover a new path through when I happened along this area and the branches opened allowing me in. I had asked mother about it once, but she dismissed the notion entirely, sure that I was making up my own little fantasy on some childish whimsy. That is when I realized that I may be the only Malfoy still alive who now knew of its existence." He knew for certain that if his father were aware of this place then he most definitely would have shared it with his mother, just as he was sharing it with Hermione now.

He picked up an errant clover blossom and tossed it her. She quickly batted it away before gracing him with a look of mock irritation.

"So why did you share this with me? If this is your only private place?"

He picked up her hand and began tracing patterns across the top with the tips of his fingers. "Because it can now be our private place." He paused in thought, looking around before adding, "Also, this is probably a perfect place to continue our time travel experiments. I figure the last thing you want to do is get stuck in sometime in the past within the Manor walls itself. This way if we manage to go back further, we may actually get a chance to wander out and explore a little bit."

She watched him incredulously as he gave a small shrug of his shoulders. He had really put a lot of thought into bringing her here and for that she was profoundly grateful. His ideas were bloody brilliant. Taking another look around to little glen she realized it would be just about the perfect size to continue their work with the ancient mandala. And he was right, if they traveled back in time while outdoors it would be far easier for them to sneak out into the world undetected.

"When?" her anticipation began to grow as she realized the potential possibilities of yet another gift of freedom, he was granting her.

"As soon as we get the chance Princess."

She pounced then, instantly closing the distance between them and taking him to the ground beneath her. Her lips found his in a passionate fervor. Everyday while it seemed that nothing was going right, he seemed to always do and say just the right things.

"Hermione…" he whispered against her lips.

"Yes?" she refused to remove her mouth from his intent on devouring his lovely broken soul. She could already feel her magical core reaching out searching for his in the abyss.

"Open your eyes."

As she did so she froze. All around them were little iridescent winged fairies, some perched nearby curiously while others, more daring chose to flutter closer to inspect the new inhabitants. Slowly she sat up, staying cradled between Draco's legs. He gently cupped her arm in his and held it aloft, until much like a butterfly, one of the curious creatures landed in the palm of her hand.

Too scared to say anything Hermione did her best not to move as she was finally able to take in the tiny being. They were nothing like the fairies out her old storybooks from when she was growing up. These did not appear as miniscule dolls with wings, but rather had sharp elven features and long spindly fingers and toes. The one in her hand could easily be mistaken for a fallen leaf if it so chose. Sensibly so she supposed. She eyed a few of the others fluttering nearby to note that each of them could easily pass for either some sort of flower or leaf, even a few brown and gray ones she assumed were meant to blend with the very trees themselves.

"What brought them here I wonder?" she idly murmured partially to herself and partially to the wizard with his arms and legs encasing her. His chin rested on her shoulder as he watched the fairy in her palm with a calm serenity that told her he was very accustomed to their presence.

"I read once in 'Fantastic beasts and Where to Find Them' that fairies are particularly drawn to places of strong magic."

"You would have read that somewhere wouldn't you?" he nipped her shoulder playfully causing her to elicit a small squeak in surprise, but it was enough to cause the fairy to take flight and rejoin its friends in the air around them.

He pulled her back against his chest and they sat there peacefully, allowing the magic of the place to wash over them, almost as though it were attempting to fill in all their broken cracks and missing pieces. It was not long before she felt her eyes grow heavy and she allowed herself to drift off in the protective space that Draco's arms had come to offer. The sleepless night before finally catching up with her.

Usually when Hermione dreamed these days they were full of blood and screams. But this time she saw a world so very different from her own, a world where Voldemort hadn't won and Harry was still alive, Ron was still alive. A world exactly as she and Draco envisioned and fully intended to get back.

Hermione was the first to awake from her nap, finding the wizard also passed out against the tree behind her. She supposed whatever he had been up to the night before had taken quite a toll out on him as well.

Standing, she allowed herself to stretch as high as her limbs would carry her before she wandered over to the crystal waters of the pool. She dipped her hand in, wading it around the water. Her thirst now hitting her in full force but she knew better than to tamper with unknown magical resources.

"Don't worry." She could hear Draco waking and stretching behind her, "It is safe to drink. Besides," he glanced at his watch, "we are going to be late for our last stop on this tour of ours."

The sun had already traveled to the other side of the sky while they had lain hidden in their little corner of the world. She took a deep sigh, looking around the glen one more time longingly before she followed Draco back out of the path through the hedge.

Their next stop, it turned out, ended up being the one thing Hermione though he should have started with first. But, by all means if he had, she was sure they would not have made it anywhere else the rest of the day. Th Malfoy Manor library was and exquisite site to behold. Its multiple stories filled floor to ceiling full of books of every kind she could possibly imagine. A raging fire roared to life at their entrance in the gigantic fireplace at the head of the room. The only library that she had seen even come close to touching the sheer size and volume of the Malfoy's was perhaps the one at Hogwarts. And to be fair she had practically lived there as well.

As soon as they entered, she found herself once again full of shock and wonder. But unlike in the garden where Draco had taken the lead, this time he followed casually behind Hermione as she trailed through stack after stack of ancient tombs and spells.

"Draco this is… this is glorious. I can't believe you grew up with this." She trailed her fingers down the spines of the books as she tried to categorize the layout as best as she could. Her hair bounced around her shoulders with every step. "Look at this! Do you realize this is a first edition of 'Hogwarts: A history?'"

"Mmm." Was all she could hear behind her as he dutifully trailed along. Every now and then she thought she could feel the softest of brushes of fingers against the ends of her hair, each time tingles spread from the tip of her scalp to her toes.

She had finally made her way to the second level when Draco made his move. She was hovering over a section of titles that she had only ever seen referenced before in the back of textbooks and had never dreamed of being I the presence of the originals when she felt his body begin to brush up behind hers.

"Draco what are you doing?" she whispered urgently, spinning around to face him on the spot. "This a library…"

"Exactly, Hermione, this is a library." His eyes darkened as he continued to back her into the shelf of books behind her. "My library to be precise."

Her heart thundered in her chest at his proximity. "Tell me Hermione, after all those years spent studying at Hogwarts that you never had any… thoughts about what you would like to do," his hand began to trail up her leg lifting her skirt along the way, "have done to you among the stacks in said library?"

Her eyes widened, her thoughts instantly going back to her many childhood fantasies about what it would be like to be taken in such a place as sacred as her library.

But now they were in his. With only his rules to follow.

He leaned forward to whisper in her ear right as his fingers found her slick heat and he applied pressure to that tight little bundle of nerves. "Tell me Princess," he dipped one finger into her knickers to touch her directly. "What was it that you thought about?"

She opened her mouth and closed it again, startled eyes growing even wider at the thought of confessing her deepest teenage fantasies to the man before her. She gaped at him like a fish as he began slow and torturous brushes against her clit.

His mouth quirked up in that childhood smirk and she felt her knees go weak. "Tell me who it was Princess." He demanded whilst pressing a demanding kiss unto her, commanding entrance into her mouth as he ravished her.

"Draco… we can't. What if we are caught?"

"Mmm, doesn't really matter. Now tell me Granger." He reverted back to the name he'd called her all throughout childhood instantly shooting a jolt straight to her core. "Who did you dream about taking you in the stacks in the back of Hogwarts?" he dipped a second finger in and this time he slid both deep into her entrance, causing her to clutch at his shoulders as she let out a gasp.

"Admit it Granger. You watched me in the library just as much as I watched you. Tell me you didn't want this back then and I'll stop right here and now."

Letting out a shaky breath she admitted her own dark secret from the past. Yes, she had noticed him watching her from a few tables down, why else would she be so sure to always have a sugar quill to suck on while she studied. She made quick note of the way his eyes had always been drawn to her lips and would lazily raze over the rest of her anytime he though no one else was looking. But she had always been watching, hoping. She had imagined the day many a time when Draco would get up from his table and drag her off to a hidden corner of the school's library and had his way with her. Of course, those musings, being as naïve as they were had been fairly innocent back then. But that did not mean there weren't plenty of nights when she had returned from the library only to head straight to her room to handle to situation herself.

She felt him slide her knickers off her hips and to the floor. Leaving her feeling bare and exposed out in the open. He returned to pumping his fingers in and out of her as he watched her with hooded eyes, toying with her while he waited for his answer. The answer he already knew the question to.

"You Draco. It was always you who pulled me into the stacks."

Pleased he gave her a rewarding press against the bundle of nerves that craved his attention, and her hips rocked against his hand of their own accord.

"And what did I do to you there, Granger? Was it just this?" And he ground his palm against her clit as he curled his fingers deep inside of her.

She shook her head back carelessly from side to side. "No," her voice cracked everything he was doing to her was too much and not enough all at the same time.

"Show me Princess. Show me what you want." His own voice came out husky and raw. She knew he was battling control. Just as she knew what she was going to do next was going to push them both over the edge.

She cupped both sides of his face and delved her tongue to meet his, mimicking the rhythm he was creating with his hand. Once she had thoroughly kissed him breathless, she slid her hands to the top of his head and slowly pushed him down to his knees. With one last wicked grin Draco hiked one knee over his shoulder and plunged into her slick folds with the heat of his tongue. He gave one long slow lick up her center causing her to arch her back off the shelf and Draco's other hand immediately came up to hold her in place.

She did her best to stifle her cries as Draco mercilessly tormented her with his tongue. The smell of old leather and parchment filling her senses kicking her newly fulfilled fantasy into overdrive. She tangled her fingers in the feather soft lock of his hair both pushing him away and pulling him closer at the same time. It would take Draco no time at all to have her calling out his name in sanctitude of the library, both she knew it and he did as well.

She heard the doors to the library open followed by two sets of footsteps making their way into the grand room. She could hear urgent whispering, one a man and the other clearly a woman, and Draco paused in his attentions on her for a moment giving the new arrivals a cursory listen before his eyes roved back up her heated and flushed form, admiring their current physical listening carefully before rolling his shoulders as if to dismiss the newcomers all together.

Hermione could feel her heart pounding anxiously in her chest, a mix of adrenaline, pleasure, and fear of getting caught. She tried to move her leg off of his shoulder, but Draco would have none of it. His heated eyes met hers and what she saw there made her whimper. The sheer ferocity of his intentions was painted there clearly for her to see.

"Draco…" she whispered urgently right before he pushed past her feeble attempts to push him away and renewed his attentions on her with a fervent intensity.

She nearly cried out loud, stopping herself just in time by clamping one hand over her mouth as the wizard on his knees before her continued to devour her with a fierceness that had her arching into his lips, mouth, and tongue. He sucked her sensitive bud between his teeth and she knew she was lost. Both of her hand returned to his head to hold him precisely where he was as she felt the tingles spreading from her toes and up her spine. Her mewls growing louder by the moment as the whispered conversation continued below them somehow oblivious to what was taking place in the very same room.

Draco snaked one hand up her body to clamp in firmly over her mouth while he used his other two push two long digits inside of her weeping channel. She writhed on his face and bit into the hand over her mouth as the waves of pleasure continued to build inside her. He let out a groan, his face still pressed against her, as he gave one last strong pull on her clit sending her careening over the edge. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she arched onto his face while her walls contracted around his fingers. Her teeth biting into the flesh of his hand so hard she was surprised she did not break skin.

He slowly brought her down with long strokes of his tongue against her over sensitive flesh, tasting and cleaning every drop of her orgasm from her before he gently placed her foot back on the ground beside the other. He stood creating a caging her in against the shelf with his arms, eyes wild and still starving before he brought his mouth down upon hers making her taste herself upon him all the while pressing his erection into her abdomen.

"That was almost as good as I'd always imagined Princess. Too bad it never happened sooner." He confessed as he gently pulled away, leaving the taste of herself on her own lips.

"Mmm…" was the only slightly coherent sound she could manage as she stood there still trying to relearn how to breathe in the walls of his arms in the aftermath of the unspeakable act they had just committed among the ancient tombs surrounding them.

The conversation of the two others in the library stopped the moment they spotted Draco leading Hermione back down the steps. Both Lucius's and Narcissa's eyes narrowed in on her disheveled state and Draco's exceedingly smug grin that he had yet to wipe off his face.

"Mother, father…" Draco's eyes went from warm to cool the moment he shifted between the two. "I do hope we aren't intruding on anything important."

"Not at all, but I dare say I feel that we may be the intruders in the situation at hand." Lucius's voice cut across the room as Draco continued to lead her toward the grand library doors.

She felt her face flame and the doors offering her escape into the corridor could not be reached soon enough. She heard Draco give a dry chuckle beside her.

"Not at all father, by all means choose to waltz into whatever room you wish. You know as well as I, that I have permitted you practically free roam over the manor."

Lucius's eyes narrowed into slits and Narcissa grasped at his arm beside him, desperately trying to maintain some type of rein on the senior Malfoy.

"My apologies General." He spat out the title like it left a rotten taste in his mouth. "I simply presumed one as essential to the cause as yourself would have much more important tasks at hand than to be gallivanting around all day with the mudblood." Lucius's eyes roved over her, darkening with a mix of disgust and desire. "No matter how particularly wanton yours may be..."

Her skin immediately began to crawl under the elder Malfoy's lascivious glare. Her eyes rapidly darting back between the three Malfoys as she attempted to digest and decipher their words. She had known at some point during the war that Luscious had fallen in standing, but she had not known what that exactly had meant for Draco…

She could feel Draco stiffen beside her at the veiled threat as he continued to usher her out of the room without another word.

With one last look behind her before the doors closed Hermione locked gazes with a curious pair of striking blue eyes belonging to Narcissa. It appeared Hermione was not the only one who was still trying to adjust to the ongoing changes within life at the Manor.

A/N: Sorry it's a little late!