A/N: Wow, I can't believe it's almost a year since we updated. First of all, thank you very much. You are amazing. Thank you for the love you've given this story. I know the past year had been a difficult one for all of us and we are trying our best. I can only say the good times are just around the corner.
I had a great time writing this chapter and I hope you guys enjoy it too. The chapter was edited by White Bishop, thank you very much for your time and efforts. We tried our best and I think we've finally earned our M rating with this one. So, without further ado...
Of Matches and Malfoy
Work or Play
"And that's the last of it," Hermione said marking the header of the parchment for an extra good measure, before passing it to her boyfriend.
He rolled his eyes before scanning her work to verify that everything was in order; then placed it on top of the large stack of finished parchments. "You're sure? I'd hate to let my guard down only for you to bring out more work as soon as I close my eyes."
"Yes, I'm sure." She playfully stuck her tongue out at him and picked up the large stack that wobbled dangerously under its own weight. "For now, this should be enough."
"Thank Merlin!" Draco fell back into the collection of pillows perched near the headboard. "This has been one of the least pleasurable experiences I've ever had in bed. Your work-tousled hair and wrinkled blouse are alluring, but it doesn't feel worth it with my head feeling like it's about to split open."
They had initially started working in her office as they did last time but were pushed out for some reason by the maintenance staff. Had the Ministry staff not been house-elves hired by one of Granger's earlier employment efforts, Draco might have resisted the unexpected and somewhat forcible relocation. They then reconvened on Hermione's sofa and somehow eventually migrated to her bed; how they'd managed that with such an absurd stack of parchments in tow was anyone's guess.
Hermione chuckled as she arranged the finished paperwork neatly on top of her desk. "Oh, stop being a drama queen, Draco. We accomplished so much today. Those old fools won't stand a chance against this, mark my words."
"Careful there, Granger. With that kind of confidence, you might be mistaken for me." Draco smiled as he propped up his head on one hand. "Not that I mind, too much."
"Really? These chocolate curls of mine suggest otherwise, Draco." She joked seductively tousling her hair while grinning at her boyfriend. "Also, I'd look absolutely dreadful with platinum blond hair."
"Obviously," He smirked, "Still, I can't say I'm upset with you adopting some of my better qualities."
"Oh dear! Is that so?!" Hermione said with a mock horrified expression. "I'll have to correct that immediately then." With narrowed eyes she pounced at him, her smaller form trying to pin him down.
Unsurprisingly, Draco's quidditch-honed reflexes helped him react faster, his arms wrapping around her midsection and arms effectively trapping her before she could gain a true advantage over him. Draco marveled at the adorable huff of frustration his lioness let out realizing she'd been caught instead. With their chests pressed together and her arms held in place by his, Draco studied her face.
She truly was a beauty, the minor imperfections in her complexion accentuated her beauty in a way he'd never experienced. Astoria always hid her minor imperfections from him, not that she had many to hide. Yet his Gryffindor girlfriend allowed her imperfections to give her character enhancing her natural beauty while choosing to hide nothing behind a well-crafted mask. It was so unlike most of the witches Draco knew and he couldn't help but marvel that she had matured so much from being that fizzy-haired know-it-all with bad teeth.
Seeing a spark of mischief in her eyes; Draco raised an eyebrow to silently challenge her. I bet she thinks she can escape, interesting. Well my little bookworm, let's if you can. What he didn't realize was her hands were in exactly the right position to tickle him and she proceeded to do so, mercilessly.
Draco let out a squeak quickly trying to scoot away to escape her bony fingered assault. Unfortunately, that only made things worse. The farther he tried to get, the better view of his body she had; and with it, a better opportunity to attack his most ticklish parts, leaving him completely at her mercy.
"Gyah ha, f-fine, ha ha , fine." He yelled amidst his peals of laughter. "Ah, y-you win, Granger."
She looked at him with feigned innocence. "I suppose I did; maybe you'll be more careful next time, Draco." All the while, she kept her hands in place as a silent threat that she could start tickling him again at any moment. "Although, I don't understand how my victory is any reason to stop tickling you." she opined with a devious smirk.
"See, you're practically a Malfoy already. No Gryffindor could be so devious." He pulled her hands away from his vulnerable abdomen; then pulled her up so she could settle into the nook of his shoulder and neck. "You're beautiful, brilliant, cunning, and ambitious. Everything a Malfoy aspires to be and everything a Malfoy could want."
She swatted at his chest, before resting her head. "Don't you mean to say, Slytherin? Calling me a Malfoy so much, it's almost as if you're madly in love with me, Draco." The mirth in her tone was unmistakable, "Also, it's too early for that. Merlin, we're only a few months into this. Can you image someone calling me Hermione Malfoy? It's absurd." she added closing her eyes as she breathed deep enjoying his scent.
Their mirth slowly faded away as she listened to the rhythm of his heart, while he absentmindedly played the curls that had long since escaped her messy bun. He hadn't realized he repeatedly said 'Malfoy' until she pointed it out. He'd meant to say Slytherin, while the names Malfoy and Slytherin were somewhat synonymous to a point, given that every Malfoy in history had been sorted into Salazar's house; however, had she not laughed it off, such a blunder could have been disastrous. Worse still, hearing her say the name Hermione Malfoy filled him with emotions he couldn't quite process, an odd mix of joy and terror. What is it about this witch that disarms me so, I know we're well-matched but it feels like it's getting worse.
"Lately, I've been hogging all of your time." She looked up at him with a guilty half-smile.
"Not all of it, Granger. Too much, but certainly not all of it." He said with a teasing smirk, watching as her lips pursed and expression shifted to one of mild annoyance. "Oh relax, Hermione." he chuckled, "It's been time well-spent, mostly. I'm invested in this project, it's only natural I'd also invest my time in it and in the person who makes it all possible. Also, I know that a dutiful girlfriend like you is sure to repay me for my generosity, somehow."
She narrowed her eyes and crept her way up to look him in the eye. "And I suppose you have a few suggestions in mind, hmm?"
"A few," he said reaching for her lips, relishing the softness with which she returned it. It didn't take long for them to deepen it as they fell into a rhythm of tugs and pulls. Kissing her had become one of his favorite activities, but things hadn't escalated much beyond that. A reality that had slowly started to frustrate the Malfoy heir, as he was getting tired of restraining his desires.
"Mmm." He let out an involuntary groan as her fingernails traced a path along the ridges and planes of his chest. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck to attack the sensitive skin behind her ear while breathing in the sweet scent of her hair.
"Draco," she breathed in his ear, her movements halting momentarily. "How long have you got before you have to get back to the lab?"
"Bollocks," He cursed softly, throwing back his head. "Not long enough, witch." He let his fingers linger at the edge of her trousers, caressing the soft skin of her stomach. He tried his best to calm himself but the witch in question was making it very difficult for him.
"Oh!" Hermione pulled herself up but stayed straddling him. "I knew you were busy, but didn't you say you had a few hours when you arrived at my office earlier today?"
"I did, and that was a few hours ago." He offered, turning his head towards her bedside clock.
"So it would seem." Her voice failing to hide her disappointment. "I guess I have been taking up too much of your time. I don't want whatever it is you're brewing to go to waste..." She trailed off, seemingly not wanting to let him go but knowing that she should.
Draco cursed himself for starting 'that' today. Why was it that every time they came close to taking the next step in their relationship, there was something or someone that interrupted? Was it fate punishing him because he continued to hide the truth or simply poor luck? Either way, the reality of his girlfriend straddling him wasn't going to give him any clarity of mind to figure things out.
"Yet you're still perched atop me. Bit of a mixed message, wouldn't you say Granger?" he said gently squeezing the skin he was caressing.
Hermione blushed and got off of him and offered her hand to him. Draco smirked at her, pressing a kiss to the offered hand, and rose to his feet. "This potion, is it something new or just temperamental?"
"Both, trying to mimic the properties of the Elixir of Life without a Philosopher's Stone isn't exactly easy, but that's not why you asked. Granger; I fully intend to keep my promise, but Rome wasn't built in a day. Be patient." he smirked at her gently pulling himself up to meet her lips with a kiss.
"I didn't mean to... I was just curious," she said taking a step back, but Draco could feel the curiosity radiating off her.
"Hermione..."
"Alright, time to get a move on. I won't have you blaming me if you're late." She gave a little swat on his arse and guided him towards her fireplace. "Now, shoo."
Taking a fistful of floo powder he looked at her. "Despite the looming Wizenagamot presentation, we'll need to find time for me to treat you to a nice dinner," he offered, brushing his thumb on the back of her hand. "It's long past time we had a proper date, wouldn't you agree?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I would, but a fancy restaurant seems almost mundane, doesn't it?"
"What stirs my Lioness' heart, then?" He nuzzled into her hair, unable to resist getting closer. "Would a night under the stars exploring the depths of earthly delights suffice?"
"Perhaps," she smiled coyly. "Sadly, a romantic moon-lit dinner isn't stimulating enough. Feeding just my stomach and libido isn't going to cut it. You'll have to find something to sate a mind that's always brewing with possibilities."
He grinned at her and tugged her closer. Was she making this intentionally easy? "Your wish is my command." When Hermione furrowed her brow, he added. "Come with me."
"Come with you?" She questioned, but Draco didn't miss the spark in her eyes.
"Yes. I'm not thick, Hermione. Why else would you have used the word 'brewing', when we both know the correct word is 'brimming'."
Hermione smiled brightly at him. "Figured me out, have you? It's just as well; I'm much more interested in this potion than I am some silly romantic dinner." Draco rolled his eyes at his absurd girlfriend; of course, she'd prefer a musty potion lab to a fine restaurant or a night out among nature. "And before you say anything snarky, about my being a bother." she continued, "I'll try my best to be quiet and completely non-distracting."
"I doubt it; we both know you're too meddlesome for your own good." As she narrowed her eyes at him, he pressed her into his chest and placed a kiss at her temple. "And so long as I have access to it, I might as well make use of that brilliant mind of yours." Hearing her laughter, he summoned her coat and whisked them away to his lair.
He noticed her sharp intake of breath as he checked the fire under a nearby cauldron. She was standing a few feet away from a bone cauldron while a mysterious looking potion churned and swirled within.
"It's not going to bite you, Granger," Draco smirked coming behind her to check on the contents of the bubbling cauldron.
"I still can't believe that cauldron was once a house-elf." When Draco sighed from behind her, she added. "What? I'm not freaking out, just sharing a fleeting thought." When Draco tugged a curl she quickly stepped aside. "So, what are we dealing with here?"
"An obviously skittish girlfriend." His remark was snarky but his tone held no malice. "Now, would you care to demonstrate those often lauded skills of yours? You claimed to score higher in potions than me, so dazzle me, Granger." He bumped her shoulder challenging her.
Hermione, her previous nerves lost, stepped closer to the cauldron with a curious gaze. "Okay, we're trying to restore Hattie's health so I assume you've started with some kind of invigoration draught as a base?" She bit her lip and looked at Draco.
"Go on."
She furrowed her brow. "Interesting. I don't smell any peppermint or Honeywater, which are its basic ingredients. So it's not an invigoration draught."
"Any third year from Hogwarts' could discern as much. I expected better, Granger."
Hermione huffed and pulled her wand out. Draco tensed looking at her stance. To his relief, she just cast a Lumos and starting studying the potion.
"Okay, I'm not going to lie; I was expecting traces of unicorn blood."
Draco's eyes narrowed. "That's quite the leap. First, you name a basic potion taught at Hogwarts and then a prohibited substance." He shook his head slightly. "So which is it Granger, am I a dullard or criminal?"
"Both?"
"Ouch," Draco smirked placing his hand on his heart, playing along with her joke. "I suppose that means you're only with me for my body then or is it just my wealth?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was just easing you into it. You're a Malfoy; it's not absurd to think you have controlled substances at home."
"So, what do you think you've found?" Draco didn't really want to discuss the legality of some of his family's possessions, knowing some of the artifacts still housed in the manor could likely result in his father's swift return to Azkaban.
"Well, there's no scent of iron which means unicorn blood is unlikely," she pursed her lips and stepped closer to the bubbling purple liquid. "I do detect a fruity scent which is curious, hmmm."
Draco wasn't able to hide his surprise, as she named the majority of ingredients one after the other without missing a beat.
"Is that red wine?" She tried to look at the edge of the cauldron and let out a squeal. "Hairy fungus?" Draco quickly masked his emotions when she looked at him for confirmation, putting on a stoic mask. "Fine. Don't tell me anything. If I can make out just one last thing, I can easily tell you what this is. Aha!"
Draco's shoulders slumped looking at the joy in her face. He knew that look, he'd seen it countless times during their time at Hogwarts; she figured something out and wanted to preen for praise.
"Caterpillars." She gave him a wink. "An aging potion, Draco? I would've never thought."
"How?"
"Because I'm more intelligent than you are?" She answered, before beckoning him to come closer. "Also, you left one unattended by the cauldron and it has started to pupate."
The pupa in question had been obscured from his view by the shadows cast by the cauldron's flame, prompting the Malfoy heir to let out a chuckle-like sigh the moment he saw it.
Hermione squealed when he suddenly gripped her by her waist and hoisted her onto an adjacent work table. "As I predicted, you are too meddlesome."
"You asked me to dazzle you." She fired back.
"And you didn't hesitate even for a moment. Proving my earlier point." When she stuck her tongue out at him in a gesture of playful defiance, he couldn't resist adding. "So mature, Granger. Now put your tongue away unless you want me to bite it."
"Maybe later," She whispered in a sultry tone, gently stroking his jaw which now hung open. "We can play later, Draco. First, let's finish the potion. So, a modified aging potion to de-age a house-elf, huh? I never would've imagined you would be concocting such a complex potion without the use of dark magic. I was sure I would be finding unicorn blood or traces of snake venom and here you are using an aging potion. I am impressed."
Draco opened his mouth to answer but a sharp ringing sound from a small clock on his counter interrupted him. He quickly pointed his wand at the purple bubbling liquid and added five anticlockwise stirs and ended with one clockwise stir. The bubbling liquid slowed down to a simmer emitting an unnatural sheen.
"Marvelous." She said trying to hop off the table to get a good look at it, but Draco gestured her to wait, as he also took a step back. A small bubble surfaced, swirled around, and popped releasing a cloud of acrid smoke.
"Evanesco," Draco whispered vanishing the mist. "You're welcome to peruse now."
"So, that was normal and expected?" She gingerly stepped towards the cauldron.
"Yes." Draco approached her offering his hand. "The fumes are quite unpleasant and I didn't want this evening ruined by having you gagging and coughing on smoke." He encircled her with his arms and placed his chin on her shoulder, as she observed the potion as it swirled around. Suddenly remembering her previous inquiries he prodded. "You mentioned Unicorn blood and snake venom?" She nodded in confusion. "Why those two?"
"Well, I thought you might be using an altered version of the Regeneration potion or something like a Rudimentary body potion since they can both be used to extend life by either restoring the body or creating a new one. Unicorn blood and snake venom are the ingredients Dark wizards tend to use to make potions like that."
A somber silence fell upon the room in the wake of her revelations. They both refused to meet each others' gaze. Looking at their relationship which had blossomed in recent months, the reminder of the dark past that existed between them hit harder than expected. Quickly recovering from his thoughts, he guided both of them towards the next steps.
"Impressive as ever, but never dismiss an idea too soon. Like it or not, we are defying nature, how did Professor Snape put it? To put a stopper in death. You need to be clever when bending the fundamental laws of magic to avoid major consequences. In some ways, I am Dark Wizard, just not an evil one. While this may look like a harmless modified aging potion, some of its ingredients are quite dark."
"Wow," Hermione exclaimed with unbridled curiosity in her eyes.
Draco chuckled looking at her child-like expression. "Hermione Granger excited to see dark magic in action. What's happening to this world?"
"Shut it, will you? I've seen the Dark Arts used for evil enough in my life, plenty in fact. This isn't that; you're using it for good! You might want to call yourself a Dark wizard, but I know you've witnessed the horrors of Dark magic and I know you won't walk down that path. At worst, you'll be a Slytherin; cleverly pushing the boundaries relying on your sense of self-preservation to keep you in line and maybe even on me to be your conscience when your own fails you."
The certainty in her voice struck the young Malfoy; never had he felt so understood. She acknowledged the darkness of his past and the danger of his insatiable ambition. She saw him as the devious, and clever opportunist that he was and seemed to take no issue in assuming the role of his conscience if need be. Magical Matching or not, it seemed that the merits of making this witch his bride continued to multiply.
"Also," She continued, "This might be my only chance to see something like this in action. So, what's next?" She asked looking at her boyfriend.
He smiled as he pulled out three small vials from a tiny chest lying innocently on the table. "Well, You did get one thing right, Granger. This potion is in fact a unique variation of the Regeneration potion. It should give that elf a few years by binding her to a new master. In this case, Theodore Nott."
"Okay," Hermione furrowed her brow wondering why there was a need to bind Hattie to a new master, especially when her bond with Tracey was one of the few things keeping the old elf's magic stable. Binding the elf to Theo even though Tracey was going to become a Nott by marriage didn't seem to make sense.
As if hearing her thoughts, Draco answered. "Her magical bond with Davis has become unbalanced over time, and unfortunately that frail old elf can't survive without it. Normally, this isn't an issue because bonded elves tend to outlive us by a century or two. This is why we'll be binding her life to The House of Nott or more accurately Theo's bloodline. The Regeneration potion will be the medium that will allow that elf to survive being bonded to a new master. It will restore her body and the new bond will stabilize her magic. Afterwards, she'll likely live long enough to see Nott and Davis' firstborn leave for Hogwarts. Trying to extend her life more than that would be too great a risk."
Hermione nodded in understanding, but her curious gaze turned to the vials in his hand.
He brought the vials closer to the now simmering cauldron and opened the first one. "Bone of the kin, unknowingly given, you shall preserve a life."
He tipped the open vial and a few grains of pearly white dust dropped into the cauldron, turning the potion pale blue. Draco took notice of her sharp intake of breath and horrified expression. "Kin?"
"Courtesy of Walburga's wall of heads and taken with Kreacher's express permission, of course." He said raising his hands in a placating manner. "Don't look at me like that, Granger. It was dumb luck that Walbruga had owned one of Hattie's relatives. If she hadn't this potion wouldn't have been possible." When Hermione sighed in resignation, he proceeded to uncork the second vial and continue the incantation, "Flesh of the fallen, willingly sacrificed, you shall strengthen the bond" The potion turned brown-ish red as a small unidentifiable piece was dropped into the cauldron. "Kreacher provide this ingredient; please don't ask me what it is. I chose to remain ignorant."
"I wasn't going to." Based on the incantation Hermione had a suspicion but didn't want to acknowledge it. If her theory was correct, her boyfriend's aversion to knowing made sense. The words 'fallen' and 'sacrificed' were loaded words to those who survived the war and she couldn't begrudge him his ignorance. "If anything, I'm more curious about the last one." Hermione's eyes were now on the third and final vial. "Blood... of the new master?"
"Precisely," Draco smirked tipping the contents into the cauldron and turning the potion pitch black. "Blood of the pure, forcibly taken, you will anoint your servant." As soon as his incantation ended along with his wand movement, the roiling potion stilled completely and turned from black to ashen grey.
"The wording of these incantations is a bit archaic, isn't it?" Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Wait a minute, forcibly taken! That means... you took... his. What did you do to him?!"
"He'll live; a little involuntary bloodletting is no reason to get your knickers in a twist." Draco shrugged his shoulders only to wince when Hermione's fingernails dug into his arm. "Gah! Stop it, witch."
"What. Did. You. Do." Her grip tightened with each word.
"Nothing," He said, trying to loosen her vise grip on his arm. "I simply let a practice duel get out of hand, and collected what I needed afterwards." At the time, Draco had been quite proud of himself. After the Goyle incident at the Manor, it had been easy to persuade the ever-paranoid Theo into practicing; a single well-placed stunner later and he was able to take as much blood from the Nott heir as he needed with any dizziness afterwards to be blamed on the stunner. "You know Davis would skin me alive if I put a scratch on her future husband, right?" He winked at her. "Theo's fine and provided this potion works as intended, Hattie will be too."
Suddenly, the still potion began to emit a few sparks and release wisps of smoke. Draco pulled them back, keeping one cautionary eye on the cauldron.
"Everything okay?" Hermione asked catching his worried expression. "Did something go wrong?"
Draco sighed and shook his head. "Bugger, I was afraid of this. We'll need to act quickly..."
"Tell me."
Draco looked at her with a serious expression. "We have to make love in front of the cauldron and channel the combined carnal magical energy into the potion to stabilize it."
Hermione looked at him with confusion. Her gaze wandered between the cauldron and her boyfriend, and for a moment, Draco thought she was considering it as he watched her fingers grip the bottom of her blouse. He idly wondered if she might've initiated something if not for his treacherous face revealing the truth.
"A-Ah! Y-you're incorrigible. For a moment, I thought …" she trailed off, reaching to swat at his arm.
He caught her fingers and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. "Apologies, my Lioness. As my penance, I'll let you do the honors of finishing the potion."
It truly was adorable how she tried to keep up appearances as she looked at him with a frustrated pout, yet her eyes revealed only excitement. "I suppose, that's acceptable."
He tilted his head towards the cauldron and said. "One clockwise stir, that's all."
Hermione tentatively approached the bone cauldron and looked at the potion. She looked at him one more time and smiled, so happy that a life might be saved by their actions.
Draco stilled looking at the emotion in her eyes. The joy reflected in those dark amber orbs made his heart clench. The purity of her heart left him feeling inadequate as phantoms of guilt gnawed at him, but he quickly pushed those thoughts away. Crafting this potion hadn't been easy, he'd had to read tomes filled with horrific spells to understand how the Regeneration potion worked, modifying the incantation, the ingredients, everything until it worked. Dark magic like this always held consequences and even if using elf bone tools could reduce them, brewing this potion wasn't without considerable risk; not just to Hattie, but to Draco's relationship with Hermione and even Theo. If this failed and that old elf died, Draco would lose not only the relationship he'd spent months building with the former Gryffindor but risk damaging the life long friendship with the Nott heir.
Even without Granger's influence, Draco had considered using his skills as a potioneer to help Davis' elf. Theo was a friend and saving that elf would be quite an effective wedding gift for the Notts, but in the end, he knew Draco was doing this for Hermione. He needed to show her he was worthy of her; that despite his sins against her, he would take accept all the risks associated with brewing this potion; if for no other reason than because she asked it of him.
She added a tentative swirl to the potion and met his eyes "That's all? Are we done?" Her eyes on the potion, watching the ripples on its surface kissing the edges of the cauldron.
"Mostly. The potion will need to rest quite a while before it can be transferred, but the brewing is finished at least." He said extinguishing the flames under the cauldron with a flick of his wand.
"Shouldn't we test it?" Her inquisition continued undaunted, "Maybe on the pupa?"
"And bond that little worm to Nott's bloodline?" He chuckled, "As amusing as that would be; it wouldn't work, Granger. This potion was tailor-made for Davis' elf, meaning the only way to 'test it' is to use it on its intended target."
"Isn't that dangerous? What if it doesn't work, or worse what if it harms Hattie?!" Hermione's tone revealed that she hadn't fully considered the risks; she'd been so focused on the reward that she presumed traditional brewing rules would apply. After all most potions were designed to be universally testable with the only limitation being the availability of ingredients and a potioneer's skill. The harsh reality that this wasn't true for Dark potions seemed to cause the Muggleborn unexpected anxiety.
"Hermione, calm down." He tried to make his voice sound as reassuring as possible as he took her face into his hands. "Do you trust me?"
"Yes"
"Well, you shouldn't." he replied, "However, what you can trust is my skill. Slughorn doesn't want me to replace him for no reason. I take great pride in my brewing skills and that should be enough. If it isn't, I'll remind you that Theodore Nott, is perhaps the only true friend I have in this world, and should that elf come to harm, he would never forgive me. Also; there is you, should I bugger this up I know I'll lose you and you're far too important to me to let that happen. Understand?"
Hermione nodded, as a warm feeling filled her heart. He was right; if nothing else she trusted his skill and his ambition. He wouldn't risk Theo's friendship or Tracey's wrath unless he knew the potion would work. The former Gryffindor smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Draco, you forgot about Tracey. She'd absolutely murder you."
"Us," he amended, "she'd murder us, Granger. This whole potion venture was your idea, remember? If Davis came for me, I'd take you down as well." He winked and teased her with a butterfly kiss on her nose. She drew back and raised an eyebrow. "Luckily, neither of us need worry about that. After all, you're dating a potioneer of exceptional skill."
"Such a braggart," Hermione said stepping out of his grip. "Regardless, I'm very proud of you, Draco. I never thought I would see a day that Draco Malfoy would decide to brew a potion to save a house-elf just to impress his Muggleborn girlfriend."
"Neither did I," he took a step closer and draped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. "Would you say you're suitably impressed?" The curly-haired witch in his arms chose not to reply with words, but with actions instead.
As the moments ticked by their lips never parted from one another's. Their hands wandered, exploring and mapping the other's body. Draco's fingertips and thumbs traced the contours of her body, as he attempted to memorize each and every response his touch elicited. He felt them both slipping into uncharted waters and knew that what came next could change things between them forever.
Gasping Hermione pulled back from their kiss, while Draco merely shifted his ministrations to her neck as his hands slipped further south. She threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him back into another kiss. "It's unfair... that you've... been in my bedroom... but I haven't been to yours," her voice was breathy with a lustful edge as she spoke between their heated kisses.
The implication of her words was clear, but Draco still pulled back to verify it. His eyes were met with the vision of a witch in the throes of lust, dilated pupils that made her brown eyes darker, and kiss-bruised lips pursed in such a way as if to suggest they were silently demanding more attention. As if that wasn't enough confirmation, his lioness nodded before diving back towards his lips in search of more kisses.
The Malfoy heir apparated them mid-snog, relishing the tingling sensation that came with it. As soon as they landed in his room, he guided her to the bed, their lips parting only a hair's breadth to breathe before rejoining.
"What do you think?" he asked placing butterfly kisses over the expanse of her neck.
"Hmm?" She moaned, as his lips continued their assault on the sensitive skin around her collarbone.
"The room, Granger." He supplied, before redoubling his effort. Almost like he wanted to be even more of a menace to her coherent thoughts in the wake of his question.
"Oh, it's..." Hermione's eyes scanned the bedroom, noticing that all his furniture seemed to be made of ebony wood and that the black silk sheets of his bed upon which she now sat, had dark green almost runic embroidery, "Fitting, I suppo... Oh!" The young witch's reply was cut short by her own moan. She narrowed her eyes at her cheeky pureblood boyfriend's antics, but let it slide since it had been too long since someone had given her this kind of pleasure.
Draco lifted his head up to gaze into her eyes once more. "There'll be no going back after this, you know." Until now their relationship had been like a game, both playing and pushing boundaries, but the reality of what lies ahead for their relationship was too important to not address. This was a big step and Draco knew if he played this wrong she might never forgive him.
Tilting her head to a side, she gave him unbridled access as her lips moved closer to his ear. "Well, it just so happens I'm quite tired of dwelling in the past. Let's see what the future holds, shall we?" Hermione let her open-ended question linger for only a brief moment, before playfully nipping at her boyfriend's ear with her teeth. She felt him tense at her words, his brash confidence melting away. In truth, she was quite nervous about all this as well, but right now, at this moment, the only choice was to continue to bravely explore what the future held for them. Hermione pulled back but kept her arms around his neck with wrists locked behind his head; silently willing this to continue.
Soothing his nerves, Draco reached for the buttons of her shirt, desperate to get the garment off of her. With unsteady hands, he revealed more of her body and pressed open-mouthed kisses to each inch of her flesh that appeared. While his lips wandered over the tops of her breasts, now pouring out of her bra, he struggled to unfasten a few stubborn buttons that still kept the shirt together. He didn't know what came over him, as he ripped the shirt open with a growl.
While the young Malfoy silently appraised the newly revealed and beautiful form of his girlfriend, she raised an eyebrow. "Just so you know, that blouse was a designer piece." Before Draco realized what was happening, she was pushing him down and taking her place atop him.
He smirked confidently as she reached for his chest. "Have at it, Hermione. Turnabout is fair play." She reached for the first button with gusto but didn't go through with his request. Instead, she gently unfastened each button one after the other while smiling defiantly. He winced slightly as she followed up by raking her fingernails down his newly exposed chest leaving a mark behind – her mark, one unlike the faded scar that still marred his chest. He had called her a lioness on a few occasions so why not embrace it.
The dominance of her actions stirred the animal he was trying to keep at bay and he couldn't wait any longer. His hands that were caressing her breasts moved to the clasp to free them. "This is in the way, let's get rid of it shall we?" His lioness moaned as his lips found her still clothed breast and he carried out a relentless attack on the peak hidden beneath.
She dug her teeth into her lower lip, as he unclasped her bra. He kept his eyes on hers while pulling the straps down along the goosebumps that appeared as more of her flesh was revealed. The garment had fallen down and his gaze was drawn to the delectable parts he had just unveiled. As soon as his hands reached out her own fingers caught his and placed them on her chest.
"Magnificent," he breathed finally being able to take in the exquisite form of her now uncovered beauty. The dragon pendant that danced in the valley of her breasts made his heart swell with pride, its glimmering silver form contrasting against her skin drawing his eyes not just to her magnificent breasts, but to the heart underneath. A heart filled with love, forgiveness, and beauty unlike any he'd experienced before.
Draco pulled her closer to him, reaching to kiss one of her dusk-tipped peaks. She threw her head back and moaned, as he tugged it with his teeth and suckled it relishing the sweet tang of her skin. Laving it with his tongue, he soothed the ache he caused with his vigor, never allowing his ministrations to be felt like anything but a sweet tingle.
He equally traded affections between her twins, eliciting a range of delectable verbal encouragements, but it wasn't enough. He rolled them over, pinning his lover beneath him, this new position giving him a better physical advantage. He caught hold of her hands and placed them near her head. "Stay, and be a good girl for me," he whispered as he trailed down her flat stomach, licking and sucking each and every inch of her skin.
For once, she didn't disobey him and allowed him to be the architect of her pleasure. He realized that she greatly enjoyed it when he focused on the sensitive skin at the dip of her waist and moved to take advantage.
"Get over here."
Her obedience lasted less than a minute as she tugged him by his hair to meet his lips. His bare chest rubbed against hers, and the sensation of skin against skin caused him to groan into her mouth. She breathed deeply and it caused her breasts to press into his chest. Oh Merlin! He wanted to taste them again. She deepened their kiss and moved her lithe hands between them and started undoing his trousers. Encouraged by her signals, he too reached for her trousers, slipped his fingers underneath the waistband, and pulled them down, all the while trying to get his own trousers out of the way.
As they lay there as naked as the day they were born, Draco looked into Hermione's eyes. She looked ethereal, with her wild mane of chocolate curls, her warm brown eyes, and knowing smile. To be devoured by this beautiful lioness would be a pleasure. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips and caressed her cheek. "You're beautiful, Hermione."
"You're not so bad yourself, Draco." She teasingly rubbed her thigh against his hardness.
He ran his hands down her body trying to remember each and every curve until he reached the juncture between her thighs. Tracing the crease where her thigh met her hip, he reached the pinnacle of his journey and slipped a finger inside, earning a moan from her. His Lioness, who didn't want to be bested at any game, reached for him between their bodies and Draco groaned at the sudden warmth surrounding him. If her palm was this amazing, he wondered what warmth and majesty awaited him when she finally welcomed him inside her.
"Mm, Granger," he groaned trying to stop himself from thrusting into her hand.
"Good boy," she softly encouraged, guiding him towards her depths. "That's enough fussing about. Take me, Draco."
Her boyfriend, now surrendering to his lustful desires needn't be told again. She drew a sharp breath as he entered her and slowly began pushing himself deeper. Concerned by her pinched brow, he brought one of his hands to her cheek and brushed it with his thumb. "You're beautiful, stunning, and brilliant." His words of praise a mantra, to ease her discomfort as she acclimated to him.
"And you talk too much," The young witch joked meeting his gaze with a salacious smirk. She winced and dug her nails into his back as he pushed all the way in. Despite his selfish animalistic desire to start thrusting into her with wild abandon, Draco stilled and pressed a kiss to her lips. While his girlfriend may have tired of him 'fussing about' as she had put it, the Malfoy heir didn't want to rush things; he'd waited far too long to feel the warmth of a woman again and he was going to savor this moment.
As she relaxed into him, Draco let his hands wander her body once again, thumbs and fingers massaging away tension as he set a slow and steady pace. Moving through her heat, the pureblood prince was taken aback at the unbelievable grip she had on him. He wouldn't last long like this and his hopes of prolonging this to savor his lioness' caress seemed to disappear.
Her head rolled back as he hit a sweet spot. Soon, she was moaning deeply and Draco knew he couldn't hold back any longer. He hastened his pace and brought his fingers between their bodies and started massaging trying to drive his witch to the height of ecstasy. As the first wave crashed down, Hermione's body clung to his as her nails dug deep into the skin of his back and her teeth sunk into his shoulder to stifle the sounds of her pleasure.
"Draco," she whispered somewhat deliriously, as he continued his ministrations. Not soon after, she came undone again screaming, his name on her lips with a wild lustful, and loving look in her eyes. This was all Draco needed to find his own release. He'd pushed himself beyond his limits to last this long and with a few more thrusts, he was done. He buried his face into her neck and breathed her name, falling heavily onto her.
They lay there for a few more moments, kissing any inch of the skin they could find until their labored breathing abated. As silence fell upon them, Draco reluctantly tried to roll over, pulling himself out.
"J-just stay, please." Hermione tightened her arms around him.
"Minx," The young Malfoy whispered in her ear, before using his seeker-honed muscles to flip them both over so that Hermione's body lay on top of his. "I expect an 'O' when grading my performance, Miss Granger," he said pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
Hermione chuckled at her boyfriend's post-coital silliness, "I'm afraid it's an 'E', Draco." She looked at him with droopy eyes and stifled a yawn. "But, you're more than welcome to try again as many times as you like." She murmured her eyelids fluttering closed on their own, as she struggled to stay awake.
"I'll hold you to that, love." He whispered.
As exhaustion overtook him as well, with a bit of wandless magic Draco conjured a blanket over them and silently warded his bedroom against entry. The Malfoy heir's final thoughts as he succumbed to sleep was that he would do anything to keep this perfect witch in his life and that securing her love was the only thing that mattered, magical matching or not.