Minister Riddle Will See You Now
Chapter 8: Discussions and Deals
When Hermione woke, the first thought in her head was that she didn't know Tom had a roommate. She heard voices approaching from the hallway and turned to see Tom was still asleep beside her. She didn't take more than a second to admire the way the white sheet was barely covering his lower half, leaving his well toned chest on display for her perusal.
"Tom," she whispered.
A light sleeper, Tom's eyes snapped open. He took a moment to hear the voices and realize why she'd woken him.
"Shit," he said, leaping out of bed.
Hermione pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts as she sat up in bed.
Tom ripped open a drawer and yanked out a pair of his shorts and yanked them up his legs.
From the hallway the voice was getting louder and Hermione was able to determine some of what was being said.
"-but he's alway up by this time and I don't see why I can't check on him, Hop," a woman's voice was saying.
"Master will not want to be distrubed, Mistress," a house elf was saying, clearly distressed with trying to stop the person from entering Tom's bedroom.
Without really considering that Tom was capable of magic that could keep guests out of his room, Hermione panicked at being caught in the Minister's bed and violating her vow accidentally less than 24 hours after signing it. She started casting her eyes about the room in search of her bra before she realized that she'd have to transfigure it in order to put it on without assistance.
A wad of fabric landed on the bed in front of her. His shirt.
"Just put it on to cover up," he told her as he was slipping a pair of pants over his shorts. She stood from the bed and shoved her arms in his shirt from last night and buttoned the center buttons first to cover herself even though it barely covered her arse.
"Ready to meet Narcissa?" Tom asked with a grin.
She barely registered that "Narcissa" was Draco Malfoy's mother before Tom waved his hand and unlocked his door. Wishing she had knickers on, Hermione tugged the hem of his shirt down and reminded herself not to raise her arms up or bend over.
The door opened from the outside.
"See, Hop? He unlocked the door, your assistance is not needed after all."
Tom took a few steps toward the door to receive her and so it was Tom that Narcissa saw first.
"There you are, I was just telling Hop how unlike you it was to have a lie in. He didn't seem to think you needed to be checked on but I knew it was against character," Narcissa smiled at him.
Hermione was sure she'd never seen such a well-put together witch in her life. Everything about the woman was wealthy, healthy, and well-bred. She was wearing very fine robes that probably cost more than a whole month of Hermione's share of the rent at her new flat. Her ears were adorned with sparkling gems and around her neck shined a gold chain with a beautiful amethyst pendant dangling from it.
Her hair, not nearly as blonde as Draco's, was coiffed perfectly into a low chignon at the nape of her neck. Her posture was evidence of a lifetime of practice that Hermione would never be able to emulate.
She watched as Tom buffed a kiss against Narcissa's check, his lips not actually touching her skin. Narcissa's well-manicured hand pushed some hair back into place, Tom having not had time to look in a mirror to style it the way he normally did. In fact, Hermione was fairly certain from the look on Narcissa's face, she'd never seen Tom so disheveled before.
"I apologize for concerning you," Tom said smoothly as he stepped back out of her reach. "We had a late night."
She watched with trepidation as the blonde woman took in Tom's words and she turned to see Hermione standing there next to a very messy bed, wearing nothing but Tom's Oxford and probably looking even more bedraggled than Tom.
Narcissa cast a cursory glance over Hermione before turning back to Tom for an explanation as she apologized for her intrusion.
"Had I known," she continued, "I wouldn't have barged in. Clearly I was right, though, about something out of the ordinary occurring to keep you in bed so late."
A clock on the nightstand proclaimed it to be 8:31 in the morning and Hermione wanted to roll her eyes at the notion that sleeping past 8 am would be cause for concern after an event like last night.
"It's fine," Tom assured her with a smile that Hermione could tell was one he'd perfected for occasions like this. Occasions where he wanted to appear innocent and charming. "Have you met before? Narcissa Malfoy, this is Hermione Granger...my….girlfriend."
The way Tom said girlfriend made it sound like it was painful to let slip out of his mouth. Slowly, Narcissa bent her head at an unnatural angle and turned to stare at Tom. Her hand was stuck out towards Hermione as though to offer a handshake but she had frozen upon hearing Tom's utterance of the word "girlfriend."
In fact, Hermione herself was now staring at Tom. They had agreed to a night together with the promise of a discussion the next day. A further discussion now that Hermione had something to reference to what all Tom was asking of her. Tom had mentioned that they would appear to be boyfriend and girlfriend to other people for all intents and purposes but they had not agreed to anything yet nor had he mentioned he would be telling his family that she was his girlfriend. Labeling a relationship between them as one between boyfriend and girlfriend to friends and family complicated matters.
"Girlfriend?" Narcissa nearly stuttered as she remembered herself and stretched to meet Hermione halfway across the room to shake hands.
Returning her eyes to Narcissa, Hermione remembered the vow she'd signed and her manners. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy. It's nice to meet you. Yes, it's new. Very new," she said with a glance at Tom who simply smiled woodenly at them both.
A quick shake of hands and Hermione returned to tugging the hem of Tom's shirt down. She wished she could snag her wand without being rude so that she could lengthen the shirt to cover herself better but she knew to turn her back on Tom and Narcissa to reach for it would be bad manners. To summon it would be just as bad and it would draw attention to herself.
"Come," Tom said to Narcissa, his hand at her back. "Let's let Miss Granger put herself together a bit while we see if Hop will fix us some tea and brunch."
Narcissa allowed him to gently guide her out of his bedroom. Before disappearing through the door frame, Tom looked at Hermione over his shoulder. "Feel free to use the ensuite to freshen up and feel free to borrow whatever of mine that you need. I expect you in my dining room in no more than 20 minutes."
The door snicked shut behind him and Hermione nearly collapsed in relief. The two weeks of her life seemed to have occurred so fast that she still had yet to process any of it. From the interview to her NEWTs and then graduation, it seemed unreal that she had found time in between it all to have exchanged enough time meeting and communicating with a man to have ended up in his bedroom the day after completing her Hogwarts schooling. Truthfully, she hadn't spent enough time with said man to have ended up in his bed. Did it make her a whore to have slept with him on the first date? Oh hell, they hadn't technically even had a date yet. Not officially.
Rushing to the bathroom, Hermione spied a washcloth and proceeded to wash her face. She felt much better without all the makeup charms and residue. She reapplied the lash darkening charm but left the rest of her face alone, looking clean and freshly washed. She finger combed through her curls with wet fingers and was able to calm down some of the frizz in the back before she used a few sticking charms to wad it all up at the top of her head. It looked like a very messy bun that bordered on an unkempt updo but at least it wouldn't look like she'd spent all night being pressed into the mattress. Which she had. She used Tom's magical mouthwash to clean her teeth and tongue of bacteria and plaque before leaving the loo.
She found her bra and her dress on the cushioned chair in Tom's room but her knickers seemed to have disappeared. She summoned them but nothing came. With a sigh, she reached into the chest of drawers and pulled out a pair of Tom's boxer briefs. She slipped them on and found them very comfortable, if she were honest with herself. She transfigured her bra back into the style it had been before she wore it yesterday and slipped it on, hooking it in the back then reaching back and unhooking it just to check that the charm was inactive. Satisfied, she rehooked it and slipped her dress over her head.
Making sure to grab her blood diamond, Hermione checked the room for any more of her possessions before closing the door behind her. The small splotch of blood on the white sheets was not something she wanted Narcissa to see and she hoped it wasn't too late. The last thing she wanted was for Narcissa Malfoy to know that not only had Hermione slept with Tom, the Minister of Magic, but that she'd done it being a virgin. It was bad enough that Narcissa would learn how little Tom and Hermione knew each other before sleeping together. It was bad enough for her to know that Hermione had just graduated school with her son only to turn around and spend the night with the most powerful figure in wizarding Britain. She really didn't need the shame of her virginity to be out there.
When she entered the living room, she heard Tom and Narcissa having a conversation in the dining room. She looked around to find her robe and shoes, hoping to find them and put them on without being seen but luck was not on her side. From the head of the table in the dining room, Tom could see her as she reached for where her dress robes were draped and he called out to her.
"We're in here, Hermione. You don't need to bother with your robes. Narcissa won't mind," he stated in a tone that warned her he would accept nothing else from her. She swiveled around and smiled as best she could.
In the dining room, Tom stood to welcome her to the table and she dropped into her seat as elegantly as possible. She winced at how sore she felt when she sat and turned her head to cough to cover it up. She knew Tom caught it but he gave nothing away, his face a polite and indifferent mask to her plight.
She looked up to see Narcissa holding the teapot poised to pour and looking straight at her. Hermione could not tell if she had noticed so pretended that she hadn't to avoid further embarrassment. She said her thank you and declined sugar.
"No?" the older witch questioned, setting the sugar back down.
A little uncomfortably, Hermione admitted, "My parents are both dentists. Sugar wasn't allowed in the house growing up."
A beat of silence.
"Dentists are healers that specialize in healing inside the mouth," Hermione explained, not really knowing if an explanation was needed but wanted to break the awkward silence.
A soft smile spread out on Narcissas's face. "Thank you, dear, I do know what dentists are. My silence was in surprise that you don't take sugar. I know very few people who don't take sugar. Draco practically drowns his tea in sugar," she explained politely.
"Oh," Hermione said, unsure of how to respond. She took a sip to cover her lapse.
"I've found Hermione to be full of surprises so far," Tom confided to Narcissa in a stage whisper that made them all laugh a little.
"Eat," Tom commanded her with a point of his chin to the food that was laid out on the table already.
Looking over at the food, Hermione could not see anything that she could actually stomach. She was far too nervous sitting here with Tom after all they'd done last night and Narcissa his… actually, she didn't know what Narcissa was to him. Mother figure? Friend? Sister? She couldn't be but 10 years older than Tom himself at most.
"-and then I thought that since it was canceled, we could host a little celebratory graduation dinner for Draco instead. I was hoping that you wouldn't be too buried with work that you'd be able to attend since it's for Draco, afterall," Narcissa was explaining as she stirred her tea between sips.
She could feel Tom eyeing her even though she kept her head down, trying not to look up as this conversation did not involve her and she did not wish to pry. In fact, had Tom not caught her gathering her robes and heels, she would have been tempted to go ahead and leave. It would have given her time to consider her thoughts and feelings before their conversation.
"Of course I can spare time tonight for dinner in Draco's honor," Tom reassured her. "Hermione, eat!"
This second reminder to eat was much sterner than the first. Hermione reluctantly took the serving spoon of whatever dish was nearest to her, eggs, and placed a small helping on her empty plate. She began nibbling and heard Tom sigh before he reached out and served her a pancake off of one dish and tipped a couple sausages from another platter onto her plate as well.
She felt her eyes growing wide at the food Tom was putting on her plate. She was sure to vomit if she had to eat this much right now. She already felt enough anxiety that she could probably force herself sick by just allowing herself to stress out further without employing her calming techniques.
Thankfully, Tom didn't put any more food on her plate but she saw Narcissa contemplating her silently over the rim of her tea cup. She glanced at Tom before returning her gaze to Hermione who dropped her eyes to her food and meekly tried to take a few bites to make it look like she was tucking in.
"Of course, I had no idea when I flooed over this morning that you had taken up a girlfriend," Narcissa scolded Tom and her intonation made Hermione think they'd already discussed this while she was gone.
"Again, I'm sorry about that but Hermione and I haven't been in a relationship long enough to tell anyone. I'm sure you can understand, Cissy. We wouldn't have shared this with anyone yet if you hadn't caught us," Tom admitted with an air of regret and hermione wasn't sure if he was actually upset he got caught with a freshly graduated Hogwarts Head Girl in his bed or if he was making it seem as though they needed to keep it quiet so that Narcissa wouldn't share this news with others, making their agreement easier to keep behind closed doors for a while.
Sniffing, the blonde straightened herself up properly and addressed Hermione directly. "We would be honored to have you attend with Tom tonight, dear. Lucius will be very cranky that I got to meet you and he did not."
It was apparent that she was not going to be keeping the news that Tom Riddle had taken a girlfriend to herself and Hermione tried not to gulp the bite in her mouth down hastily.
She looked to Tom for help on how to answer the question because they hadn't discussed anything and to attend would put the word out that Tom was seeing someone which would make it weird if they suddenly broke up. A break up is what it would have to be staged to look like if last night was the only night they decided to spend together. Tom himself had said as much himself.
Sensing she wasn't going to respond without his guidance, Tom answered for her. "Narcissa, I'm pleased to attend but I can't speak yet for Hermione. I know she had business with her new flat to take care of. We had planned to shop for furniture for her room after breakfast. Would an owl be sufficient? I'm sure you understand that you've put her on the spot."
Smiling as if she'd remembered something funny, Narcissa set her tea cup down and waved her hands in apology. "Certainly. I'm so sorry, Miss Granger. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You must understand though that this is the first opportunity we've had to do this."
Nodding, Hermione smiled back a little. "Of course, graduating Hogwarts is a big deal and you should celebrate all of Draco's accomplishments."
A musical laugh emitted from the elegant witch who threw her head back a bit in humor.
Hermione flushed in embarrassment, not really sure what she said that Narcissa Malfoy had found so funny.
"Sorry, I'm not laughing at you, dear," Narcissa said, still laughing a little still. "Yes, Draco is definitely something we wish to celebrate but I was referencing the fact that we've never been able to invite a date for Tom to a family dinner before. You can understand that Draco and Lucius will both want to have the honor of meeting you as well."
Squirming, Hermione said weakly, "Draco has met me before."
"Yes," Narcissa agreed, still smiling, "but not as his godfather's girlfriend."
She opened her mouth with an excuse about meeting her father for dinner since he couldn't attend Hogwarts graduation as a muggle but Tom beat her to it.
"Please let me talk her into it in private and I'll send you an owl, Cissy, with her response," Tom told her in a polite tone that he must use all the time as Minster. It was a tone that said the matter was closed while sounding as kind as possible.
"Alright, if that's how it must be. Please reply by noon so I can have the elves prepare dinner accordingly," Narcissa sighed, wiping her mouth and standing.
Standing with her, Tom gave Hermione a look as he offered Narcissa his arm. He glared at her plate and then her face so that she got the message that he expected her to eat.
Hermione made to stand to say goodbye but Narcissa waved her off. "Don't get up on my account, dear. Go ahead and finish breakfast. I'm sure I'll be seeing you at dinner so it's not really goodbye for long, is it?"
And with that, Tom and Narcissa left the dining room. Hermione could hear them in the living room saying goodbye in a little more than hushed tones. Hermione focused on her plate and was contemplating vanishing some of the food when Tom stolled back in the room.
"Don't even think about it," he cautioned as he sat back down at the head of the table.
Hermione sighed and pushed the half of her pancake around her plate trying to convince her stomach to settle down enough to finish some more to avoid having Tom angry with her. He had to already be annoyed that he'd had to label her as his girlfriend to his family.
After a few minutes, Tom sighed. "Come, let's retire to the couch for this discussion. It's clear you aren't going to eat any more breakfast."
She meekly followed him to her position next to him on his couch. There was a moment of deja vu as he placed his arm behind her on the back of the couch.
"Well," Tom started, "it seems we have a vast variety of topics to discuss this morning. Let's start simple, how was last night for you?"
Last night had been a mind blowing experience for Hermione. After the blood diamond ritual, Tom had made love to her much slower and she was able to relax a bit more since she knew what was expected. She knew there was more to sex than simply "insert here and repeat" and Tom had felt she needed educated on the variety of positions that there were. No sooner than she recognized her body responding to a third orgasm in under an hour, Tom had pulled out and ordered her to her hands and knees on the bed.
Being taken from behind felt deeper. Tom had reached around and stroked her with his fingers as his pistoned in and out. That position was just as great as the one he'd used when he deflowered her but she missed having him close enough to kiss and touch. Given that he'd been a bit faster and harder that way, Hermione guessed it was his favorite.
They'd both fallen asleep for a while after that. She'd woken up sometime around 4 am with the urge to use the bathroom. She was glad Tom wasn't there to see her face when she stood from the bed and felt the gush of fluids down her thigh. She'd cleaned up in the bathroom and returned to find Tom awake and waiting for her. He'd kissed her and pressed her body into his. He had been ready to go. Again! This time he'd asked if she was sore and when she shook her head, Tom rolled to his back, bringing her to straddle his waist. With his hands for balance, Tom had helped her to ride him.
This position was good, Hermione decided, because she could control the pressure, the pace, and the angle. She'd felt clumsy at first, her movements stuttered and awkward with ignorance. Tom had advised her to simply roll her hips a bit at first and she learned how far up she needed to come before sinking back down. Tom had gripped her hips tightly (in fact there were a couple bruises there this morning from where his fingers had dug in) but he had restrained from using his hands to guide her pace. She learned she could practically lay on his body while moving up and down his erection and her clit would be stimulated on the down drag from the base of his penis. Or, she could choose to stay vertical and use her knees to bounce up and down on him. She couldn't tell which felt better to Tom but she noticed that he seemed unable to tear his eyes away from her breasts when she was bouncing on him.
Of course, she now knew what Tom meant by sore. She should have answered his question with a "yes" but she hadn't known what sexual soreness felt like until she was sunk down on him. She wasn't sure if her current pain was from the initial loss of virginity, overuse, or her clumsy movements the last round.
It was really hard to put that into words so Hermione murmured, "It was good. Really. How about for you?"
She bit her lip as she waited for his response. She hadn't known what she was doing so it would not surprise her for him to say that she'd been lousy.
He blew out a breath and gave her a side glance. "Last night for me was...magical."
Hermione laughed at the poor joke but his tight smile made her wonder if he was being truthful.
"Did you have a favorite part," he asked her, shifting so he could see her a bit better.
"Oh," Hermione considered what to say. She supposed he was looking for something other than 'the part where I orgasmed'. "I, ah, I guess I liked experiencing the varieties with you."
A grin crossed his face. "Any of them particularly strike your fancy?"
She shrugged. She rather felt like they all had a use. "I suppose it's like dessert. You don't always want the same dessert so it's good to have options."
Now Tom laughed heartily. "Yes, that's precisely why a relationship without kinks is called a "vanilla" relationship."
"I like vanilla," Hermione grinned back at him.
"Yes," Tom agreed, "but the question is really do you also like chocolate, and strawberry and pistachio and butter pecan et cetera? I like variety. I use a lot of it in my sexual relationships. It helps me feel in control so I am here again asking you if this is something you are willing to do?"
"But do I really have a choice? You've told Narcissa we're seeing each other and in a relationship," Hermione asked, gnawing on her lip.
A frown crossed his face. "No, Hermione, you are not trapped into anything. I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I was trying to manipulate you into accepting. I merely thought it would help keep Narcissa from gossiping about what she saw to the family. She knows better than to tell anyone outside of the family but I don't want even my family to think of you as anything less than a respectable young lady."
In other words, Hermione translated in her head, he was trying to keep Narcissa from telling Lucius and Draco and them all thinking she was a slut for sleeping with the Minister and then leaving. For sleeping with a man in power who might someday be her boss.
"Well, thank you, I suppose, for protecting my reputation. It's always the witch who a slut, isn't it?" Hermione commented.
Her chin was grasped lightly and turned to him. His eyes were serious and she saw his nostrils flare.
"You are not a slut and I won't ever have you think that of yourself. Sexuality is a part of humanity and as long as it is exercised in between two consenting parties and practised safely, there should be no stigma on it. That's what I believe and I will not think of you otherwise. I was in that bed, too. I don't think that way of you and you should be careful not to allow others to convince you of what you think of yourself."
Nodding, he released her chin only to tug her lip out from between her teeth. He placed a kiss on the corner of her mouth and then settled back again into the couch.
"Was there anything we did that you did not like?"
She shook her head. Truthfully, it was all pleasurable aside from the ache she felt now.
"What?"
"What what?" Hermione was confused. She hadn't said anything.
"You have a look on your face like maybe you're holding back an answer," Tom scolded her.
"Well, I'm a bit sore. Hurts a little. I assume it won't always feel like this?" she asked.
Tom held his hand out and summoned a potion that smacked into his hand quickly.
"Here, this is a pain reliever and after our discussion, depending on how it goes, I'll apply a salve that will reduce the inflammation for you. Regardless, I'll send some salve home with you. It's a private brew Severus makes for me so don't share it with anyone else, okay?"
She could feel her eyes bugging out of her head. "Professor Snape makes you sex relief potions?"
A smug smile crossed his face. "Of course. He brewed your contraceptive as well. He's the best. I only use potions Severus brews."
"So that's why he has a vow of silence with you?"
"Partly," Tom told her secretly. He did not elaborate.
"Did he know it was for me? He didn't, did he?"
His smile was now more amused at her panic than it was smug in his having information that she did not have. "Well, he didn't know who I would give it to at the time I requested it but I would wager by now he has a correct assumption that you'll have need of the products that he's brewed for me."
She leaned forward and buried her face in her knees. She could probably fry an egg on her face. Tom's hands rubbed circles on her back as she tried to calm down and not die of embarrassment that he former potions professor had brewed products meant for her vagina.
"You Gryffindors sure are easy to embarrass," Tom commented.
She sat up straight and glared at him.
"Oh," he chuckled, "is it just you and not all Gryffindors?"
Thinking of her roommate, Hermione sighed, "Actually, it's probably just me. One of my roommates finds sex a delightful subject to discuss no matter the other person's feelings on the subject."
Tom pulled his hand away from her back and twined their hands together. "You know that you won't be able to tell her anything, correct?"
"Yes, I gathered that from reading the vow before I signed it. I wish I could ask her questions about sex now that I have them but I understand that questions about sex with you is violating the vow."
He didn't say anything for a moment. Instead he turned their hands around and admired their fingers.
Finally, he said, "You should be able to ask me anything you want about sex."
Squirming, Hermione told him, "I'm not fully comfortable enough to ask questions yet."
"If we continue a sexual relationship, it's purpose will be mutual pleasure. You get pleasure from my attention and from having me help ease your stress of being strong and independent all day. I get pleasure from exercising control. It's a perfect fit for both of us. What is making you hesitate?" he asked.
Licking her lips and looking away, Hermione asked, "What makes you think I'm hesitating?"
"Because you are."
She blinked.
"Hermione, talk to me."
"It's just...what if I agree and I get attached? You've already said you won't actually be dating me. All the boyfriend/girlfriend talk today for Narcissa...it's all talk. I don't see a way for me to come out of this anything less than devastated and I'm scared that I'll have given you all of me, my time, my body, my heart, and when it all goes up in flames, I'll have nothing to show for it. I'll not be able to talk about it and I'll be alone."
There was absolute silence in which Tom had froze while taking in her words. She sensed his eyes but didn't want to look. Her eyes were prickling and she really wanted Tom for pull her into his body so she could press her nose to his neck where he smelled like sandalwood. Was that urge a result of having sex with him? The bond he mentioned from her loss of virginity would fade in time if left alone. Was that why she wanted to curl up into him?
A movement made her turn back to him and she watched him card his hands through his hair. "Wow, that was a very honest and a thorough answer. Let me think as I answer you.
"First, you are right in that I said the boyfriend/girlfriend thing would be a label we tell people. You are probably right in that I can't expect you to tell people that and not allow you speak about any of it. It will seem suspicious. I'll need to adjust your vow."
Adjust her vow to allow her to talk about their…"relationship"? What did that even mean?
"Second, there is nothing to stop you from getting attached and that happens often between people in a relationship similar to this. When it's sex and no feelings, they often develop for one or both partners and it can create issues if they develop unevenly. If you feel you are getting too emotionally involved, we can end our agreement. It's as simple as that," Tom told her and she could see that he really believed that.
Her insides twisted in pain. She already wanted him to be her boyfriend. Well, boyfriend didn't seem the right label but she didn't think partner or spouse or lover fit the bill either. Not completely. They were all lacking an aspect of what she wanted. Boyfriend, while juvenile, was the closest term to being accurate.
But Tom wasn't finished. "And finally, you're not alone. You have me. You can talk to me and that is the whole point of this arrangement. I want to earn your trust. I want you to crave my approval and my commands. It shows me that I am in control and that's what I desire overall. The fact that you don't trust me completely enough to talk to me right now about some things just highlights the places that I want us to go. It's my job to earn those things from you and I do that by small acts over time."
She considered his words. "But, acting as your girlfriend… I think that's crossing the line. You've already put a label on it for your family and when word gets out, I'll be forced to see you acting a part with me that isn't real and won't ever be real. I don't think I can do that," Hermione admitted, a tear actually falling down her face.
Tom looked horrified. "What...I mean I…"
She wiped the tear with the back of her hand and breathed in deeply. Steeling herself. "I think I have to have more than just amazing sex, Tom. I don't think I'm the kind of girl who can just let you have your wicked way with me and then pretend to everyone else that I'm a happy girlfriend. I also don't think I can pretend that I'm not seeing someone. I just don't see a way for us to have what you want without it crushing me. I wouldn't be happy."
Right now her stomach felt twisted up and she really wanted to dry heave the breakfast Tom made her eat. She pressed both hands into her stomach before leaning her head to her knees again.
His hand was on her back again but he did not rub circles. She closed her eyes and focused on pushing down her nausea.
"Okay," she heard him say. She turned her head to lay her temple against her knee so she could see him.
"Okay?" she whispered.
"Okay. You're right. That's an unfair situation to put you in. You have an issue with acting as if we're nothing so let's be something. All or almost nothing? Let's be all. I have never tried it before and you should prepare for the idea that I've never been a boyfriend so I probably won't be a good one but yes. Let's actually be boyfriend and girlfriend. We'll have a great sex life like I described and I'll do my best to be a boyfriend to you."
She didn't think, she just flew into his arms. She tucked her face into his neck like she'd wanted to moments ago and breathed in deeply.
"Are you sure? I don't want to change you or make you do anything you don't want to do," Hermione asked, her voice muffled by his collar.
He snorted, his fingers finding the skin of her back where the dress didn't cover. "You couldn't make me do anything I don't want to do. Never fear, I am choosing to try this because the idea of you walking away after last night is the last thing I want."
They had hammered out a few more details after that and the facts were that they were now officially a couple who were dating. Call it what you will but they were boyfriend and girlfriend, lovers, and dating. They were going to try to be a couple and when it came time for sex, Tom would use it as a form of therapy in addition to helping Hermione discover how to use sex a form of therapy for herself. With effort from both of them, it could work.
Tom wished for her to attend dinner with him that evening as a test run for their attempt to be a couple. He had told her that had she not gone through with their agreement, that he would have evaded Narcissa's invitations for a while before saying they'd broken up. It gave her anxiety to think of attending Draco Malfoy's family graduation celebration as the girlfriend of the Minister of Magic but she knew that it was something a girlfriend would do so she agreed. Tom had promised to prepare her for it properly and that he would not just throw her to the grindylows, so to speak.
The other details were easier to agree on as they were minor in comparison. Yes she would tell her friends that she was dating the Minister of Magic and that yes, he would adjust her vow to allow her to speak of him so long as nothing she spoke of gave away that he used sexual agreements with witches to give him control over his life. She would also be restricted from giving away information that led to other people knowing his sexual habits, tastes, or preferences. She was only allowed to confirm that they had sex, it was good, he was good, and not much else.
A small argument was had over his statement that he was serious about taking her furniture shopping. She'd said that he didn't need to follow through on it and he'd pointed out that without his bed last night, she'd have slept on the floor on a hastily transfigured pallet or as an animal. Hermione had tried to tell him that while that may be true, he didn't need to feel like it was his job to solve all her problems. Tom had sneered that it was exactly what it meant. He'd even gone as far as to tell her that to deny him this was to deny him his control. He would worry about her having no furniture, no job, and no money to afford bills and rent. She relented when he said that she could either come with him to choose it herself or he would have the most expensive suit he could find delivered to her flat himself.
The only other thing to agree on was how to get through the rest of the day. Tom suggested a bath, and then visiting her flat together to pack her a bag. She'd argued that she needed to stay in her flat after the big dinner and Tom had asked her to stay one more night before he relinquished her. Hermione had countered that her roommates would expect her and Tom had said that they would understand her absence after hearing that she had a new boyfriend to spend time with. She relented because he'd kissed her neck while telling her how much he liked her company and how much better he felt with her here in his house.
Her mental tally marks were leaning in Tom's favor now 5 to 2.
That was how she found herself in Tom's very large bathtub, soaking in a mixture of bathwater that was scented like him and some sort of a muscle relaxer. Tom had gone to owl Narcissa that he would indeed be flooing in with Hermione for the family dinner that night.
When he'd sent the owl, Tom had joined her in the tub. He ran the wash cloth over her body, taking over washing her and caring for her before he turned the tables.
"Wash me," he told her.
She took the flannel cloth and soaped it properly before washing him. She started with his neck and arms before his torso. She skipped his genitals, which was hard again, and washed his legs. She was debating on whether to wash it like the rest of his body or whether to ask if it had special instructions when she caught sight of his devious grin.
"You don't need the cloth. Just use your hands and water," Tom instructed.
That was as good as permission to touch him so Hermione eagerly reached forward and wrapped a hand around it gently. It was like the softest and thinnest layer of velvet wrapped around steel. The skin was warm, flushed with blood all gathered in one place. She was surprised at how much elasticity the skin had. Tom wrapped his hand around hers and showed her the grip he liked and how to pump him.
"Yessss," Tom hissed when he released her hand and allowed her to touch him on her own.
As fascinated as she was by the sight of her erection, Hermione looked up to watch his face as he closed his eyes and enjoyed her attention.
Abruptly, he opened his eyes, darkened by lust, and commanded, "Suck me."
A flood of wetness pooled between her thighs even in the water, at the desire and need she saw in his face. She knew no one else was able to see him look like this and she eagerly bent forward to where he was jutting out of the water. Even as she leaned forward, having kneeled in the tub between his legs, the water lowered so that all of his package was clear of the water.
Unsure of what she was doing, Hermione started with just opening her mouth and taking the tip in. He hissed between his teeth and she tried to move her tongue against him. His hip flexed at her attempt so she did it again.
"That's sso good, Hermione, keep going," he said.
When he was in the throes of passion, his 'S' sounds were more pronounced, she'd noticed.
She used her tongue in different places and gauged what he liked by when he started talking, what he said, or by his body language. She had just learned that there was a spot on the head that he really liked for her to stroke her tongue against before he pulled her off of him.
Her face must have shown her disappointment because he gave a small laugh.
"Another time, we'll revisit that particular lesson. I promised to apply salve to you and I don't want to wait for another opportunity."
He drained the water and told her to summon a towel from the linen closet which was on the other side of the bathroom. When she did, the towel zoomed to her so fast that it smacked her in the head.
"Must be the power boost," Tom muttered to her as he hustled her out of the bathroom and onto his bed again.
"Lay out for me so I can apply this to you," he ordered.
Still feeling self-conscious about Tom staring directly at her private area in full daylight, she climbed up but kept her legs together.
Tom opened the jar of salve and scooped out a healthy amount and set the rest aside on the side table.
To her shock, he did not reach for her. Instead, he slathered the substance on his erection. She watched as he coated himself with it but did not rub it in.
Seeing her face, he grinned evilly. "Why apply by hand what I can apply with a far more suitable part of my anatomy?"
He hovered over her and pushed in. She winced in discomfort but after he was in, the soreness was gone.
"Shall I rub it in?" he asked rhetorically?
That was how she found herself orgasming for the 5th time in less than 12 hours.
She redressed in for the second time that morning and Tom took his time to put on something fit to wear in public. She had asked if he intended to be seen in public and he had simply shrugged and told her he liked to be prepared for everything.
When she side alonged them to the alley nearby her flat, she could tell Tom was less than impressed about the area. It was a part of muggle London that they had picked based on its affordability and there was a reason the rent was cheap enough for the three of them to afford a bedroom each to themselves. Tom said nothing though. He simply walked her up to the second floor and allowed her to put her key in the lock.
"You'd best find a system of wards to agree on with your flatmates in addition to that lock. A muggle can pick that in less than 5 minutes," he informed her.
She didn't get an opportunity to ask how he knew that before they were spotted by Ginny who had been sitting at the tiny two person table that Luna had procured for them.
"You're back! A-and you've brought company. Minister Riddle, it's nice to see you!"
Hermione was aware that Ginny was trying to catch her eye but she avoided it.
"Tom, Ginny. Ginny, Tom," Hermione introduced.
"Ginerva, Hermione has told me so much about you," Tom said as he shook her hand.
Ginny blushed. "It's Ginny. Only Mum calls me Ginerva, Minister."
"Well, when I'm here in the capacity as the boyfriend, you must call me Tom, then," he told her smoothly with a sly smile.
Ginny squealed and Hermione tried to kick her without Tom seeing. Ginny's quidditch reflexes were no match and she darted out of the room to the hallway.
"Luna, Harry, come out! Hermione is home and she has company!"
"I'm so sorry," Hermione gushed out as soon as she heard her friend hollering for everyone else in the flat to come see what was happening, as if Hermione bringing home a boyfriend was a sideshow in the carnival.
A glance at Tom showed that his face was a mask, suppressing his emotions in front of others. It struck her how blessed she had been last night that he hadn't hidden as much from her when they were alone. This mask was something Hermione couldn't read, though.
Footsteps drew her attention. Ginny returned, pulling Harry by the hand.
"Mi!" Harry greeted her. He stopped mid-step when he saw Tom standing beside her, hands in his pockets casually watching the interaction.
"Oh, er, hello, sir," Harry awkwardly offered, looking like a fish out of water.
"Mr. Potter, it's nice to meet you officially," Tom directed at Harry, hand extended.
Moving forward, Harry accepted and shook his hand. "Likewise."
Luna was next to arrive in the dining room but in true Luna fashion, Tom's presence did not phase her. "Hello, Minister Riddle! It's nice to see you again. Hermione, I brought a few things from my dad's house that I thought you could use. I set them in your room."
"Thanks, Luna. I appreciate it," Hermione said, thankful for the normal conversation that Luna offered. "I'm about to get a bed for my room so I'm sure wherever you've loaned me is helpful."
When Luna simply smiled back serenely, Ginny took the conversation hostage again. "Hermione, you brought your boyfriend with you this morning but you're still wearing last night's dress. Need help?"
His reply was smooth and as sly as his smile. "Why, no thank you, Ginny. I was able to take care of that myself but I thank you for the opportunity," Tom purred at her.
It was amusing to see Ginny Weasley's face turn red because other than anger, there wasn't much that embarrassed Ginny.
Harry looked between them all trying to figure out the joke he was missing, looking a bit green at the implications of Hermione still wearing last night's clothing.
Of course, then Luna piped up, "Are we talking about the charm I put on her bra?"
Hermione literally slapped her head with her hand out of embarrassment for not only the topic of her underwear being talked about among her friends and her new lover but also for Luna's brashness.
Tom chuckled a little in a charming way and agreed, "Yes, we were. Thank you for that charm, Miss Lovegood. I found it very useful. Feel free to apply them to all her clothing if you feel so inclined."
"I'm going to my room to change clothes," Hermione announced and fled the room.
She heard Tom laugh more heartily and call out, "Not very Gryffindor behavior!"
She ignored him but heard Ginny laughing as she told him, "She's brave about anything but her own feelings. Have you asked her about S.P.E.W. yet?"
Slamming the door and casting a ward against it to keep herself in, Hermione set about locating something in her trunk to wear that would be appropriate for being seen in the muggle world with Tom. If she were lucky, she'd have something that would transition seamlessly into dinner at the Malfoy's. None of her dresses seemed like they would work for both. She had a few sundresses but she was willing to bet all her money in Gringotts that a graduation celebration for Draco Malfoy would be a full dress robes occasion.
Using her transfiguration skills, she removed her dress robes and changed the color of them from black to a smokey grey that had a bit of a metallic sheen. She adjusted the color to more of a gunmetal shade and altered the sleeves a bit so that it wouldn't look like the exact same robe.
As for the dress to wear under it, Hermione was going to have to borrow something. Hermione slid her bra off but left Tom's shorts on. She threw her dress and bra in the laundry basket that Luna had left in her room, already thankful for her friend sharing what she could.
One of her sundresses was a halter top that ties around her neck and left her upper back exposed. She pulled that on without a bra but cast a cushioning charm to keep her nipples from showing should she get cold. There was a round floor mirror in the corner, Hermione saw. Another Luna-share and she turned around to see that the dress looked good. The color was a pale yellow and Tom's black shorts were visible underneath it so she charmed the dress a navy blue. She fished out a pair of pearl earrings and a pearl bracelet that her mother had sent her from Australia. These would look a little fancy with her sundress but for dinner tonight they would be perfect.
The last thing she did was change out the clothes she'd packed in her satchel. She had forgotten until after she had put on Tom's shorts that morning that she had thought to bring extra clothes with her. They had been in her satchel, which had been shrunk and in the pocket of her robes which had been left in Tom's living room. She hadn't wanted to summon it and she also didn't want to display her forethought to sleeping over at Tom's in front of Narcissa. She didn't know what would appear worse.
Now, though, she knew that she would need her clothing and products and she would be sure to leave her things in Tom's room rather than the living room.
A last look in the mirror and Hermione, unwarded her door. She stepped out to see Harry and Ginny and Luna sitting around the tiny two person table with Tom, two of them were sitting on chairs that looked transfigured from an old Daily Prophet and she figured it must have been Harry's wand work. Ginny was good enough to keep the newprint off the wood grain.
Casting her eyes about, Hermione selected a toothpick from the box in the kitchen that must have come from The Burrow. She waved her wand and transfigured her own chair. There was a loud thud as a very solid and heavy wooden chair dropped to the floor from where the toothpick had lain in her hand. It was a very nice chair and much more ornate than necessary. She hadn't even been thinking that hard when she did the spell.
The room was quiet as her friends gaped at her. She blushed and shrugged before scooting the chair up to the circle that was around the table. Tom was looking at her cautiously. She started to ask what was wrong before he smiled softly and then continued to ask Ginny a question about her new position on the Holyhead Harpies.
When Tom and Hermione left the flat to furniture shop, she had assured Ginny she would be back in a bit to drop off her new bed. Ginny had grinned at her and then glanced at Tom. Hermione shook her head to indicate that she was not going to talk about it there by the door with Tom listening. She'd asked Ginny if she could borrow a dress when she returned and Ginny had promised to leave a few options in her room.
Now she and Tom were in the alley again and she was waiting for Tom to indicate their next move.
"You won't need her dress. I've already written to Twilfit and Tattings to ask for proper clothing to be delivered to my house while we're away. I took the privilege because I know what Narcissa expects her guests to wear and I thought you might not have anything yet that would suit."
On one hand, it made Hermione feel a little ashamed to know that it was obvious that she had so few nice robes. On the other hand, she was grateful that Tom wasn't going to let her walk into a dinner dressed inferiorly.
A kiss on her lips had her leaning into him and he laughed in her ear. "We don't have time for that right now but if we get our errands done in time, we might have some room in our schedule before dinner tonight," he promised, a glint of mischief in his eye.
With no sound, they apparated to a different alley. Very few people were able to apparate silently and Hermione made herself a promise to look into how to achieve it.
Holding her hand, Tom led her to the street where they walked a bit before Tom ushered her into a furniture store. What followed was a gruesome hour and a half of furniture shopping. Tom wanted Hermione to have the best and she argued that allowing him to buy her a bed did not mean that it needed to be expensive. She thought he should simply pay for what she would have picked out for herself if she were the one purchasing it. Tom thought him paying meant he got more say in the choice. In the end, they agreed on a double size bed with a solid iron wrought headboard and footboard in a dark bronze metal. Of course, that wasn't enough for Tom. He told the salesman to include a matching dresser and nightstand before she could even protest.
She had thought they could be done but Tom dragged her to the mattress section and forced her to choose a box spring and mattress. She had laid down on three at the insistence of Tom and the salesman before selecting one.
After that, she thought they were done but Tom had made her choose bedding. He helped her select two sets of sheets, plenty of pillows and a big fluffy duvet and cover. When he had paid the bill, carefully not letting her hear or see the amount, Tom assured her that this was in his best interest as he did not like to sleep on the floor. She was stunned into silence by the thought that Tom might sleepover at her flat from time to time. She wasn't sure how that equated into him having control over her. Surely he would want her to always come to his house so he would be in control of the situation.
While waiting around the back of the shop for her furniture to be brought to the truck they didn't have (Tom had informed her it was not illegal for him to confound the workers into thinking that they had loaded the furniture into a truck rather than seeing Tom shrink it all and put it in his pocket) Tom had answered her question on his control.
According to Tom, control was about making Hermione want him in all aspects. He craved control but control didn't always manifest in the ways that she imagined. He explained that having her sleep in her bed and thinking of him was a form of control. He smirked at her as he whispered in her ear that he got off on having the power to make her desire him even from hundreds of miles away. She flushed but said nothing as she watched her new furniture being shrunk and the workers returned to their jobs dazed.
Tom had taken her to lunch in the muggle world and they both enjoyed eating some low-brow: pizza. She had been pleasantly surprised that Tom enjoyed pizza and that he'd brought her to an upscale pizzeria. He'd ordered them both a beer and a pizza that they shared as they discussed their favorite parts of the muggle world. Hermione remembered from her research that Tom had grown up in one of the last orphanages to exist in London. His knowledge of the muggle world far exceeded most of the people she knew from the wizarding world.
It was 3 in the afternoon when Tom and Hermione returned to her flat. It was quiet in the flat but Ginny's door was closed so Hermione simply waved Tom to her room where they resized her new furniture and arranged it all. Tom turned out to be very helpful in unpacking her things from her trunk. He sent her clothing flying across the room and into drawers which he placed spells on to keep dust and bugs out so her clothes would stay fresh.
While dressing her bed, Hermione was embarrassed to hear the sounds of Harry and Ginny having sex coming from her room. She muttered about silencing charms but Tom had just shook his head at her, unaffected.
They had put her bed on the wall that would have the best view of what Tom called a dirty disgusting alley so that she could wake with the rising sun as she requested. Her trunk was positioned under the window and Tom complained that she hadn't let him buy her curtains or a desk.
She laughed and pointed out that he already had to buy new curtains on her account and that he should worry about his own before he tried to buy her some. That comment had his eyes darkening in lust. The bed they had just made didn't say made for long as Tom pushed her down onto it and fished something out of his pocket. He held up a black scarf.
"Do you trust me?"
Nodding wordlessly, she was curious about his intentions. Tom grasped her wrist and brought it up over her head.
His lips touching the shell of her ear, he murmured, "If you decide you don't like it, what is your safe word?"
She nuzzled the side of her face into his as he scooped up her other wrist and added it to his hold high above her head.
"Quaffle."
"Quaffle?" he scoffed.
"Not something I'm likely to blurt out accidentally," she confessed as he tied her hands to the new headboard with his black silk scarf.
"Hmmm," he breathed as he untied the neck ties of her sundress. "I love this dress on you," he confessed.
She could not move her arms away from where they were tied above her head so she tried to arch her body up into his.
"Oh no," he shook his head. "We are going to play a game. You are going to answer questions for me and I will reward you for the answers I like. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
"Your response in these situations should be 'yes, sir.' Understand?"
"Yes, sir!" she gasped as she lay there with her breasts exposed to him.
All she could do was watch as Tom took a seat on her trunk across the room from her.
"Who is in control of your orgasms, Hermione?"
The answer was an obvious one. "You, sir."
He smiled predatorily. "Very good answer. You are a very smart witch."
Standing, he moved a few paces closer to her bed. He stopped and crossed his arms across his chest.
"If I want to buy you something, will I?"
"Y-yes," she answered, pulling herself up the bed a little to lessen the stretch of her arms.
"Another perfect answer," Tom congratulated as he unbuttoned the cuffs on his shirt and took another step closer to her.
She licked her lips but was disappointed to see he was not going to unbutton any more of his shirt.
"And," Tom was asking, "if I tell you we're going to a party or a family dinner, do you trust me not to be leading you into a situation that will be bad for either of us?"
This was harder to answer. She did trust him not to take her to a place where they would be exposed but it was her she doubted.
"Yes."
"That didn't sound as confident as it could have been. Explain," Tom demanded taking a step back.
"I trust you. I don't trust myself. Even with the vow I'm afraid I'll say something stupid or I won't measure up," she admited.
He froze for a second and he undid the button at the top of his shirt. "You don't trust my judgement then. You think that I would put you in a position to fail? You don't think I am able to properly decide if you'll do okay tonight?"
Despairing, Hermione tried not to whine. "How could you? You barely know me?"
Tom unbuttoned one more button in response and stopped. "Hermione, I know you a little better than you think. I've been paying attention to you for years."
This news was shocking. "W-what?"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "When you had that run in with Dolohov, it piqued my interest. How did a Hogwarts 5th year manage to hold her own in a fight against a notorious gang member twice her age? Not only did you resist his attempt to kidnap you, you survived a very dark curse and are the reason we were able to imprison him. You came out of that situation with a curse scar and a much smaller amount of trauma than you should have had. Then, you went and invented a potion to eradicate curse scars and released the patent."
She swallowed nervously at the mention of her accident. She didn't like to think about that day in Diagon Alley. The Death Eaters had all attempted to kidnap a muggleborn. Dolohov had found her that day and she fought to avoid capture. Most of the victims had been found or saved. There was one death that day, a boy a year younger than her, Colin Creevy. Hermione had been able to hold Dolohov off until the aurors arrived. She'd silenced him when his attention was distracted and it was for that reason that when he did curse her, she was able to hang on until the healers could save her. She'd hated the scar ever since then as it stood for the hatred that still existed in the wizarding world against muggleborns.
"How do you know how much trauma I went through?" Hermione asked, having keyed in to that one detail of what he said.
Shrugging, Tom said baldly, "I made sure to ask for regular reports from Saint Mungos, Madame Pomfrey, and your teachers. Severus was able to tell me quite a bit and Minerva McGonagall was willing to speak to me a couple times when I met with her."
Snorting, Hermione snarked, "Is there anyone who is immune to your charm?"
His mouth quirked a little. "I can be very persuasive when I want to be."
Shaking her head and pulling her arms on the binding. "So you've stalked me?"
Rolling his eyes, Tom undid another button. She could see some of his chest hair now. She strained her head up to see it better and the bastard smirked at her arrogantly.
"I wouldn't say I stalked you. I didn't physically skulk around your house at night. I kept tabs on your health and well-being for a while. Then when I was sure you'd recovered, I kept my ears perked anytime someone spoke of you. Everytime I asked Severus about his classes and he would comment on his students, I listened. I didn't go out of my way to seek information about you but over the last two years I've learned enough about you to make some decent guesses about your tendencies. Yes, Miss Granger, I knew who you were when you arrived to interview me and it was a wonderful surprise that it was you who came to interview me instead of Luna Lovegood."
"I didn't appreciate it at the time but now I'm glad it was me," she acknowledged, her eyes following his hands as they pushed buttons through button holes.
His dark green eyes flashed and he pushed his shirt off. She licked her lips.
He stepped one foot closer and froze. "Do you trust my judgement when I say that I trust you enough to behave perfectly tonight?"
She bit her lip and nodded slowly. She'd not known Tom to make a mistake so far and if he was hungry for power and control, surely he would have considered all aspects of what he was doing when he told Narcissa he would bring her along.
The mattress dipped as Tom placed a knee next to her. She watched as he reached up under her dress and tugged his shorts off her body.
"As much as I love seeing you in my underwear, I much prefer you without them," he drawled.
"And I prefer you not wearing yours," she countered, feeling cheated that he had barely touched her when removing them.
He cocked his head as he considered her. He sent a locking spell at the door and set his wand down on her new nightstand. He unbuckled his belt slowly as he watched her trying to get closer to him while being tied to the headboard.
"How do you feel being tied to the headboard?"
Breathlessly, she said, "Helpless," very shortly.
The fly of his trousers were undone and she could see the tenting of his shorts underneath them.
"And," he continued as he hooked his thumbs in the sides of his pants, "do you feel like I am about to do something to you that you won't like?"
"No."
"Really?" he asked curiously. The trousers slid down his legs and pooled at his feet.
"I know that I can say my safe word and you'll stop," she replied, biting her lip as she watched his movements.
"Good girl," Tom breathed as he leaned over her and kissed her.
She hummed happily in his mouth as he was finally kissing her only to be disappointed as he pulled away again. He chuckled softly, toeing off his socks.
"After this, are you going to allow me to present you with a gown to wear to dinner? Are you going to be a good sport and refer to my judgement tonight on how to behave?"
"Yes," she whined, straining to reach him.
"Perfect," he hissed, shucking his shorts off and climbing over her.
He flipped her dress skirt up a bit and rubbed the tip of his erection over her folds and hissed again.
"Oh, love, you're so ready for me!"
She didn't get a chance to prepare herself. He plunged right in and Hermione was embarrassed to say that she let out a loud gasp of, "Tom!" She had heard Ron and Lavender going at it once at Hogwarts and she had vowed since then to never be a screamer.
"Yess," Tom kissed her neck. He held her thighs to him tightly and pulled a free pillow to push under her hips. He was kneeling between her legs, balls deep inside her but not moving as he adjusted the angle. Hermione tried to flex her legs to help him move but he gripped her tighter.
"Not yet," he warned her. "First you're going to answer some more questions."
This was sexual torture, Hermione decided as she felt sweat starting to bead up on her temples.
"I think I most want to know what feels best to you. My fingers, my tongue, or my cock," Tom asked as he licked his lips and pressed lightly against her clit with his thumb. At the same time he flexed his hips and pushed into her a little bit deeper.
"Uh," was the articulate response Hermione gave.
"I need an answer here. Should I go back to sitting on the trunk?"
She shook her head violently causing him to smile a little.
"You have to learn to communicate with me, Hermione. Sex is amazing but if you can't or won't tell me what you want, what you need...well, then how can I trust you?"
Gathering her courage, Hermione gasped out, "Your c-cock. Gods, I love your cock in me!"
Tom didn't wait, he began fucking her fiercly after hearing her say it. She couldn't help the moan that left her mouth and she could only pray that she didn't sound as annoying and fake as Lavender Brown had.
"Tell. Me. You're. Mine," Tom ground out as he pistoned in and out. He paused with just the head of his cock in between her lips as he waited for her answer.
She wanted him back in her so badly, she cried out, "Merlin, I'm yours!" and he began pumping again.
She was getting close and she could see that he knew it but she didn't know how he knew it. She pulled at her wrists but the scarves were tight and not budging.
"Now ask me to make you come and I shall," Tom commanded.
"Make me come!"
"Say please."
"Please."
Say it together," he panted.
"Please make me come," she pleaded.
"Sir," he reminded.
"Please make me come, sir!"
"Louder!"
"Please make me come,sir!"
He swept his thumb over her clit and she shattered. He groaned softly and emptied himself in her with a few more pumps and then he stilled.
The sounds of their breathing was all she could hear. When Tom pulled out of her, he lifted his head to look at her and grinned.
She smiled back but his grin seemed mischievous. She was confused.
"I may have forgotten the silencing charm when I locked the door," Tom told her.
She strained to sit up but her hands were still tied.
"What?"
"Do you trust me?"
She searched his eyes and didn't answer. What was he talking about?
He sighed and leaned up to untie her and said, "Your roommate knew we were home before they engaged in sex. I have a decent ear and I could hear the hurried footsteps to her room and the door after we returned. I don't know what they were doing before we arrived but I assume they were naked and in a public area hence the hasty retreat. She knew we someone was home and still forgot the silencing charm."
Okay, but how did that translate to him doing the same thing? She'd never really felt like "an eye for an eye" was a good policy and she told him so.
Her wrists were released and Tom pulled them into his lap where he sat beside her to rub some circulation back into them.
"She doesn't respect you very much or she wanted to embarrass you. Either way, we've repaid her in kind now. Perhaps having heard another couple shagging in the apartment will convince her that if she doesn't want to hear it, she should remember her own silencing charms."
Chewing her lip, she contemplated the embarrassment she would feel facing Ginny and Harry next. Tom rubbed her wrist delicately and patted it before switching to the other. "Don't worry about it. I'll help you face them. It was like feeding two thestrals with one carcass, though. You do need to learn to communicate and she did need a taste of her own medicine."
Hermione was thinking that a simple conversation would have worked to solve the problem but then again, she had spoken to Ginny before about how she and Harry often didn't respect her boundaries in the Head Girl dorm and it hadn't done much.
They redressed and Tom waved his wand to straighten the bed. When Hermione had her satchel, they left the room and Tom waved his wand over her door. He grabbed Hermione's hand and pushed her palm flat to the wood of the door. He chanted something again and she felt magic settle into the door frame.
"What was that?" she asked curiously.
"Warding to keep out anyone while you're gone. It will end when you pass through the doors again," Tom explained.
She didn't think it was necessary because Ginny might have wanted to borrow something of hers while she was gone and the ward would prevent her. She brought up this point and Tom shrugged.
"It's a bad neighborhood, Hermione. If a muggle broke in, your room would not be burglarized."
Ginny and Harry were sitting on a shabby couch that had appeared while Hermione and Tom were out shopping. Harry's face was red and he was pointedly not looking in Hermione's direction. Ginny however was smiling at her like the cat who got the cream.
"Hello, again. Sounds like Hermione has a bed in her room now?"
Harry coughed on his sip of water.
"Of course," Tom replied innocently. "It works, too."
Her redheaded friend threw her head back and laughed. "I'd say!"
A look at Tom and Hermione noted he wasn't smiling but he didn't seem angry and it puzzled Hermione. Did he not like Ginny?
Finding her voice, Hermione wanted to apologize to Harry, at least, but she knew that would undermine the message Tom was sending and she didn't want to send the message that she didn't trust him. "Ginny, I found something to wear so I don't need to borrow a dress. Sorry if I made you unpack to dig something out for me."
"You found something to wear? To the Malfoy Manor?"
"Yes," Hermione insisted with a tone that she hoped told Ginny that it was not up for discussion in front of present company.
Thankfully, Ginny let it go. "Okay, then, it was no trouble. I needed to unpack anyway."
They said goodbye and Ginny called out to Hermione, "Curfews at 11!" to which Tom announced over his shoulder, "I wouldn't expect her back until tomorrow evening, Miss Weasley!"
He shut the door and guided her to the alley to apparate back to his house to prepare for dinner at the Malfoys.