Chapter Nine

Breathless

They got off on the eighth floor and Draco held her right hand as they crossed the Atrium, walking towards the cafeteria. As soon as they entered, Hermione noticed him tense up. Harry was there at one of the tables, eating with another Auror.

She squeezed his hand and Draco sighed.

"Is there any chance Potter didn't see us?"

He wrinkled his nose as Harry's green eyes met Hermione's, gesturing for them to sit at his table.

She moved closer to him and Draco went to order the food. The longer he could stay away from that idiot Potter, the better.

"Hermione, this is Sean. He finished Hogwarts three years before we arrived."

Hermione greeted the man, who looked to be in his late thirties, sitting down next to Harry.

"How's the job going? Do you still do raids from time to time?"

Sean coughed and Harry gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's all right, she's trustworthy and the Minister's secretary. Yes, this week we're paying a surprise visit to a group of former Voldemort followers we've tracked down. They are hiding in the north of Scotland and have attacked several Muggles."

Draco set the tray with two sandwiches on the table and sat down opposite Hermione, nodding to Sean and Harry.

"How are you, Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"I was fine two minutes ago."

Hermione kicked him under the table and Draco clenched his teeth.

"I'm joking, Potter. You know I love spending time with you," he added wryly, slurring his words.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry burst out laughing.

"You're Draco Malfoy, the Unspeakable?" Sean asked curiously.

"The one and only."

"What the hell are you all doing in there? I've always wondered."

Draco's lips curved upwards. Everyone asked him that question.

"I'm afraid we're not allowed to talk about that."

Hermione took a bite of her sandwich and Harry asked about the Quidditch Cup, deflecting the topic.

Draco tried his, grimacing as he found it as bland as ever. He'd rather eat out a thousand times over, even if it meant spending more money and having less time. Ministry food sucked.

Hermione looked sideways at him with a smirk on her face. Sometimes it was as if she could read his mind. Draco lowered his gaze to her mouth and squared his shoulders, trying to control the urge to devour her and let those dark lips roam all over his body.

She blushed at the sight of his lust-filled gaze. Draco cleared his throat and continued eating, trying to think of the last Muggle book he'd read to get his body to calm down. He was having the same reaction as when he first saw Hermione after the Battle of Hogwarts, and he was no longer a desperate eighteen year old teenager. No, he was now an adult and in a formal relationship with her. It wasn't okay to think about the hundred different ways he could take her on the table where they were sitting, with Potter and a stranger so close.

"So am I counting on you for the match on Saturday, Malfoy?"

Draco snapped out of that spiral of thoughts at the sound of Harry's voice. Sean had left and he hadn't even noticed, it was just the three of them at the table.

"Yes, I'm in as a seeker."

"Then we'll be rivals like we were at school, because I'm going to be a seeker too."

Draco grinned, raising his eyebrows.

"Perfect."

"Ron and George are coming. Roger Davies and some other Ravenclaws might join us too, we'll all be from Hogwarts."

"Where are you playing?" Hermione asked, glancing at Harry.

"At the stadium outside Liverpool. Will you come and watch us?"

"Of course she will, Potter. And she'll be cheering for me," Draco answered for her.

Hermione snorted and gave him a serious look, turning her attention back to Harry.

"I'll be there."

"You could come home for lunch after that," Harry added, shifting his gaze between the two of them.

Draco narrowed his eyes and Hermione grabbed Harry's arm across the table.

"Of course, Harry. I'm going to use the bathroom for a moment, I'll be right back" she said, standing up and giving Draco a warning look before walking towards the end of the cafeteria.

Harry leaned further across the table, looking at Draco with amused eyes.

"Seriously, you should just forget about what happened between Hermione and me."

"You kissed her, Potter. And it was just to spite me... who knows if you could do it again," Draco spat through his teeth.

"She's like a sister to me, and I've never seen her any other way."

Draco was quiet for a moment, taking a sip from his glass of water.

"Is that true?" he asked, glaring at him.

Harry laughed softly, nodding.

"Yes, and I know that I'm like the brother she never had, too. So stop getting defensive every time she's around me, I assure you I have no feelings for Hermione."

"You'd better. The Weasley girl would beat you up if you cheated on her."

"I know," Harry replied, laughing again.

Draco gave him a real smile for the first time.

"I like her."

"Ginny likes you too, Malfoy."

Hermione reappeared and sat down next to Harry again, placing three pieces of chocolate cake on the table.

"Let's see if the sugar helps you two get along better," she said in a teasing voice.

Both boys smiled, accepting the dessert.

That night, Draco's mouth went dry when he got home and saw Hermione.

She was waiting for him, lying on the white sofa, wearing a rather revealing black nightgown and resting her head on one of the cushions. Her curls were falling around her face in a messy way and the whole room smelt of tropical fruits, a sign that she had just washed her hair. She had one of those purple feathers in one hand and her lips were dark again, as they had been at noon.

"Fuck," he whispered, dropping his robe to the floor and scanning her body with his eyes.

Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at the fireplace, blocking it from unwanted visitors. The only thing he needed was for Potter or Weasley to show up at that moment.

Hermione smiled, her cheeks flushing slightly. She nibbled on the quill one last time and set it down on the sofa, getting to her feet.

Draco gasped and took two large steps towards her, trapping her in his arms. He held her throat with one hand, tilting her head back and attacking her lips with a hungry kiss, letting out all the anxiety he had inside.

Hermione wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him back with the same intensity. The image of his grey eyes darkening as he looked at her had been haunting her mind all afternoon, and she had decided to surprise him.

Draco walked her backwards, until her back bumped against something.

"I warned you I'd put you up against a wall, Granger," he murmured, his voice low against her lips.

She smiled and he lowered his head, breathing into her neck. Hermione shivered and his fingers dug into the thin lace fabric, pulling her tighter against his body.

His lips and teeth trailed across her skin, from ear to shoulder, leaving a trail of wet kisses. Hermione slipped her hands under his shirt, lifting it up and caressing his back. She moved her fingers down to his belt and unbuckled it, hearing a small growl from Draco near her ear.

The trousers fell to the floor and he pushed them aside with one foot, leaving a bite in the hollow of her neck. She gasped and started to unbutton his shirt with trembling fingers. Her skin was crawling and her heart was pounding. Hermione finally finished with the damn buttons and slid the black shirt down his arms, letting it fall to the floor. She rested her hands on his chest and felt his heartbeat quicken.

Draco lifted his head again, looking into her eyes.

"Today I remembered the first time you took my breath away, that September first when you walked into my compartment unintentionally... I imagined myself doing something like this to you," he whispered, grabbing her nightgown with both hands and pulling until the fabric ripped.

Her mouth dropped open as Draco continued to tear at her clothes, until two large black pieces fell to the floor, leaving her in her underwear.

"It was new, Draco," she protested, unable to be angry when he was so passionate.

"I've always wanted to rip your clothes off," he admitted softly, seeking her lips again.

Hermione let out a giggle and caught his lower lip with her teeth. His tongue invaded her mouth and she tilted her head to the side, inhaling the citrus scent of his cologne. Draco kissed his way down to her bra, one hand tracing the hem of her knickers. She moaned at the feel of his fingers near her core and his teeth biting her flesh. Hermione buried her left hand in his blond hair, tousling it, and she stroked the inside of his boxers with the other.

Draco bit her neck harder, marking her, and Hermione let out a small moan. Two of his fingers entered her as his thumb traced circles on her weakest spot. She opened her eyes and held her breath as Draco closed his fist over her curls, tugging gently on her hair to force her chin up.

He continued kissing and biting from her collarbone to her chest, enjoying the sounds that came from her throat because of him. Draco groaned as her fingers closed around him and he felt her shudder violently. He looked up and saw her biting her bottom lip too hard, trying not to scream. Draco grinned and kissed her skin, working his way up to her neck. She moaned one last time and blinked several times, searching his gaze. He stared at those dark lips and cursed under his breath. He had never wanted her so badly.

"Where is your wand?" Draco asked in a whisper. He had been left his in the pocket of his robes by the fireplace, and he didn't want to leave her side at that moment to look for it.

Hermione shook her head and held his hands, pulling them away from her body. Draco frowned as she spun them around until his back was against the wall.

"We won't need it today," Hermione murmured, leaving a very intense kiss on his lips.

His eyes widened as she pulled away and he watched her slowly move down his neck, kissing and biting every inch of his skin.

Her hands ran down his torso as she continued to move down, very slowly, teasing him more and more. Draco clenched his fists and leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes as Hermione removed his only remaining article of clothing and got down on her knees in front of him.

"Fuck... if you do this to me today... I don't think I can take it."

"Shush, don't talk."

Draco hissed, biting his lower lip as he felt her breath on his crotch. He looked down and saw those lips that were driving him crazy gently brushing against him as her brown eyes bore into his.

He shook his head and closed his eyes again. He wasn't going to last a minute if he saw her like this. Besides, He'd never gone all the way like that with anyone before.

Draco clenched his jaw as he sensed he was close. He'd been waiting to do that with... with his future wife? Yes, it was something he'd wanted to do just with her, but Hermione was probably going to end up being the one... wasn't she? So there was no harm in getting carried away either.

He buried the fingers of one hand in her hair, what he always did to warn her that she had to stop. Hermione didn't stop and Draco opened his eyes as he felt his orgasm, groaning and holding Hermione tighter.

She pulled away and he released her curls. Hermione moved back up, kissing his chest until she reached his cheek.

"You should have stopped," Draco said softly.

She shook her head.

"I wanted to try this."

"Me too."

"Is this the first time anyone's ever done it to you?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes, I... I've never trusted anyone that much before."

Hermione smiled and leaned closer to kiss him, but hesitated. Draco raised an eyebrow, cupping her face in his hands.

"Never hesitate to kiss me," he whispered, pressing their lips together.

He caught her tongue and kissed Hermione slowly, leaning closer to her. Draco pulled away shortly after, bringing their foreheads together and staring into her eyes.

"You still taste like blackberries."

She laughed and ran a hand through his blond hair, trying to comb it out. Draco arched his eyebrows and his lips twisted into a wicked grin.

"You should worry about your own hair, Hermione."

He turned away and walked up the stairs at a brisk pace. Hermione frowned and followed him, entering the bathroom in the corridor and approaching the mirror.

She covered her mouth with her hand in shock. Her curls were completely tangled.

Draco appeared behind her, wearing pyjamas and chuckling softly. Hermione gave him a hateful look through the mirror and he shrugged, holding out a hand where he had her purple pyjamas.

"I couldn't help it, you know I like your curls."

Hermione cursed through her teeth and pulled on her clothes, still glaring at him. Draco gave her a crooked smile and raised his wand, whispering words as he ran it through her long brown hair. The knots unravelled a little.

"Fixed... well, sort of," he said in an amused voice.

Hermione snorted and pulled her hair back into a ponytail as best she could, heading back downstairs with Draco to the kitchen.

Bloody Draco Malfoy and the obsession he had with her hair... Every time he kissed her or they had sex, he would tangle her curls with his hands, pulling and intertwining his fingers in between them. Hermione always ended up with a bird's nest on her head, and it was much worse if she'd just washed it and the fruity smell was more intense. Then Draco would go completely mad... and her curls would pay for it.

Hermione and Arthur were walking down Downing Street, dressed as Muggles. Two guards allowed them through the gate as they identified themselves, and another man opened the door to number ten.

"He is waiting for you in his office, down the corridor."

Arthur nodded and entered the building, followed by Hermione. After knocking on the door, they heard the British Prime Minister's voice saying they could come in.

As they entered, Tony Blair was standing at a window, very pale and sweaty. Hermione closed the door and, taking out her wand, silenced the room.

"What happened now?" the Muggle asked with concern.

Arthur held up his hands, trying to reassure him.

"We bring no bad news. You can sit down and we'll explain."

The Minister narrowed his eyes but complied, sitting down in his office chair. Hermione and Arthur did the same, taking seats in the two chairs on the other side of the table.

"The last time we met was when I came to introduce myself, after the war. That day, I told the Minister that the magical war was over and that the Mug... non-magical people would never be attacked again," Mr. Weasley explained, glancing sideways at Hermione.

She nodded and the Prime Minister looked at her.

"And who is she?"

"My secretary. We're here because there's going to be a tournament next year and a lot of wizards from all over the world will be visiting the country, so we need to talk to you about how to keep non-magical people from finding out about it."

Tony Blair swallowed, glancing between the two of them.

"What if I don't want any more freaks coming to the country?"

"I'm afraid that's not your decision," Arthur replied in a hard voice.

The minister sighed, resting his hands on the table.

"All right, let's get this over with. I'm not going to stand for election again, I can't wait to get out of here and forget everything you've told me over the years."

Hermione and Arthur exchanged a glance. They knew that, as soon as he was no longer a Minister, an Obliviator would make sure he didn't remember anything about the magical world.

She cleared her throat and placed an orange filing cabinet on the table, opening it and pushing it towards the Minister. He gasped as he saw that there were over sixty pages in there, waiting to be read.

Hermione glanced sideways at Mr. Weasley, who nodded.

"Well, we're going to be here for a while. Listen to me carefully, Prime Minister," she said, sighing.