Hermione woke up and noticed Draco was all over her, again. He just clung to whatever was next to him in his sleep, which was usually her. She tried to shift out of the bed without waking him up, but he really was a light sleeper.

"Where are you going?" He muttered and pulled her back to him.

"I was going to my room so I can have a shower and change before getting back to Hogwarts," she muttered back, not really bothered. Hermione knew perfectly well when and where Draco's spoiled-Malfoy side kicked in.

"What's the point? I have a bathroom and your clothes are here." He nodded towards her uniform, neatly folded on an armchair near the closet, while his clothes were all over the floor, like he could ever deign of folding anything himself. Hermione had slept in one of his – she was sure – outrageously expensive dress shirts, one of the few things he had left home.

"Well, will you actually let me go shower or do you really want to run late?"

"We can sleep in and get there by the time class starts."

Hermione simply rolled her eyes at him and sat straighter, so that he was basically resting on her belly, and started playing with his hair. Draco Malfoy was not a morning person.

Eyeing the clock on his night-table she noticed it was actually pretty early and breakfast at Hogwarts wouldn't start for another hour and a half.

"Like that's going to get me out of bed," he chuckled in his morning voice and moved his left hand on her upper tight.

"I don't need you to get out of bed, I can just levitate you to the Floo and drop you into Snape's office so I can have my shower and you can go back to sleep."

He groaned at that and reluctantly let her go, shifting on his back.

Hermione left the bed laughing and walked into a bathroom that was three times the size of a normal large one. Malfoys. She set the shower jet to a medium warmth and stripped of Draco's shirt and her knickers.

The sheets were still warm when Draco heard a knock. He groaned and got up, heading to the bathroom, where he took off his boxers and wrapped a towel around his waist. Who came knocking on people's doors at six in the morning, seriously?

As the knocking became more insistent, he ran down the stairs that led to the ground floor of his bedroom, mostly consisting of a moderately large library and a sitting area with three couches arranged into a u-shape in front of a fireplace.

Finally opening the door, he found it was none other than Lucius Malfoy knocking at bloody five in the morning.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" Was the first thing he asked, but he figured it was more dictated by social convention rather than genuine concern, as he didn't look to even care whether he was awake or not.

"I was going to have a shower, actually. Couldn't sleep."

He could have been worried the shower jet would stop mid-conversation but he knew Hermione's morning showers took forever.

"Are you screwing the Mudblood girl?" Lucius asked, leaving Draco out of breath for a second. At least his mother had been subtle.

"What gave you that impression?"

Maybe Narcissa hadn't said anything yet.

"That's not a no, Draco." Lucius glared at him. He knew his father wanted clear yes-or-no answers.

"I'm not screwing her," he rectified. It wasn't technically a lie.

His father eyed him with a raised brow. Had his lying skills gone fuck themselves the moment he stepped into the Manor? Why did no one believe him when he said he wasn't sleeping with her?

"I could lie better when I was five," he said, instead of hexing him, like he expected him to. Just of out habit, that is. "Don't take me not punishing you for your poor taste in women as approval. I may not like it but, for reasons the Dark Lord can't expect me to understand, she's important now. I want you to get close to her, find out what she's hiding, get on her good side. This is an opportunity, Draco."

Lucius Malfoy looked thoroughly disgusted and dead serious at the same time. Great.

"Of course it is," he muttered under his breath but Lucius seemed to have heard him anyway.

"You may not have any ambition, Draco, but I do. You getting close to her while she's in this high of a position would be good for us, which is the only acceptable reason for a Pureblood to lower himself at such levels."

Draco narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out whether his father was serious or not. "What would she be hiding? She has nothing left, the Gryffindors hate her and I can assure you it's not one-sided."

"She must be hiding something. Everyone does. Find out what it is and we can use it against her. If we can on her good side, we can get back on the Dark Lord's good side again," Lucius muttered, and sounded as hopeful as delusional.

"Me being on her good side doesn't equal to you being on her good side. I hate breaking it to you, Father, but Granger pretty much hates you, not to mention your «Mudbloods don't deserve magic» policy. She has no reason to like you and whether she likes me or not, that wouldn't make a difference for you, or for Mother," Draco spelled out, and knew it was the truth. Hermione was a firm believer that respect had to be earned, not given in name of some kind of authority or rank or even blood. She hated Lucius with a passion, and being an obnoxious, racist Pureblood surely wasn't a bonus on his side.

"Then find a way to make it happen. It's about time you start doing something for your family, rather than for yourself," he said and left.

Draco closed the door and leaned on it for a few seconds, sighing. Bloody great.

He eventually shook his head and climbed back the stairs leading to the upper level of his bedroom, confident Hermione's light mood would wipe away his bad one. Leaving his towel on the floor, he stepped into the shower and closed back the glass doors, wrapping his arms around his witch, who immediately turned around, clearly not expecting him to be there.

"What are you doing?" She almost hissed.

"Showering," he answered, like that wasn't obvious. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "My father stopped by. Asked me if I was, and I quote, screwing you."

"Well, what did you tell him?" She look slightly alarmed.

"Denied it, but he didn't believe me. He said it was only acceptable for a Pureblood if it's for the right reasons," he scoffed. Like her blood wasn't as red as his. He was growing rather sick of the prejudices Lucius brought him up with. He had seen more people than he cared to admit bleed, over the last year, and they all bled red.

"And what would those be?" She asked and took some soap, rubbing it on his chest.

"Apparently, I'm supposed to get on your good side, find out what you're hiding so he can use it against you so he can get on your good side as well so you can get him back on the Dark Lord's good side, in that order," he sighed and closed his eyes to better enjoy the feeling of her hands on him.

"Like I can manipulate the Dark Lord into liking him again after he screwed up," she snorted as her hands were now down to his abs.

"At least he won't bother us, as long he thinks I'm with you for his sick plan."

"A man can dream, right?" She chuckled and drew him in for a kiss that felt like the prelude to a rare Theo-less morning.

Draco bit Hermione's lower lip and nearly growled into the kiss as he felt one of her hands wrap itself around his already erected member.

"Hermione," he warned and lowered his own hands to cup her bum, lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

"Yes?" She murmured nonchalantly, her hand still going up and down on him.

"Are you sure?" He managed to get out in a reasonably controlled voice.

"What gives you the impression I'm not?"

"Is this your first time?" Draco asked and she shook her head with a smile. He smiled back, before his brain processed the information and told him that meant she had sex with at least another man before. "Who?" He growled.

Hermione raised a brow, as if she couldn't believe he had asked. "Do you really want to talk about this now?"

Draco considered it for a second. Did he really want to know, right then and there? He wasn't sure he could bear the thought of some other bloke touching her, not in that moment. So he did the smart thing anyone would do, shut up and kissed her, summoning his wand to cast a contraceptive spell.

One of his hands around her bottom snaked down her thigh and between her legs. His fingers trailed a line that went back and forth from her pulsing center to her opening, and his heart had yelped in his chest when he noticed how ready she was for him. He slipped a finger inside of her, growling into the kiss when he felt how tight she was, and then pushed in a second, barely managing to concentrate. All that mattered was her hands on him and the sexy sounds escaping her throat whenever he did something she particularly enjoyed.

When one of Hermione's hands started replicating on the tip of his penis the movements her tongue was doing while kissing him his knees almost failed to hold him, as his mind imagined her just there, in his shower, on her knees, that pretty little mouth of hers wrapped around him, taking her hands' place.

"You're a tease," he murmured as she broke the kiss to lower herself on him, his hands back on her bum to hold her.

"And what are you going to do about it?" She laughed, amused, holding only his tip against her entrance.

"I, my dear, am going to fuck you silly," he smiled and lowered her on him, as she held him against her. She felt like his personal hell, tight and hot and holding on to him like it was his last day on earth.

She inhaled a sharp breath, her eyes fell closed and her mouth opened in bliss. He couldn't say he felt much different. Hermione's hands ran up his chest and moved to his back, where she lightly scratched his skin.

"Do it again," he managed to murmur, lost in the feeling of her. She complied, this time the marks on his back being more visible and he was sure he was still going to have them on the next day. He didn't mind.

Draco muttered her name when she purposefully tightened her inner walls around him and lowered his lips to her neck, biting and sucking her skin. He was sure she was going to hex him for the marks he was leaving behind and the thought of her all hot and bothered because of him made him smile.

"Harder," she suddenly moaned and her hands moved to his hair, holding him against her.

Draco chuckled and softly kissed her lips but was happy to oblige as he grasped her hips and thrusted into her while she gasped his name. He found himself wanting to hear that sound for the rest of his life, every day. He wanted to be the reason why of those sounds, wanted her to keep saying his name like that forever.

Each time he felt her tighten around him, about to come, he would slow down, leaving her unsatisfied, and she would groan, biting his shoulder.

"Who's a tease now?"

Draco smirked and kissed her deeply, leaving her panting after he pulled away. "What are you going to do about it?"

Hermione stared at him for a few seconds, then licked a drop of water from his lower lip. "Fuck you silly."

"You're very welcome to fuck me silly anytime you want," he smirked and gave her a deep thrust.

This time, when he felt her tighten, he pushed her further into the wall for support and lowered a hand to rub circles on her clit, as she came undone. Draco groaned at the feeling of her walls milking him and followed her into bliss a few pumps later.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, her head on his chest and his head buried into her neck with him still buried deep inside of her. "Can you walk?" He muttered.

"Not sure," she chuckled in response, and Draco merely closed the shower jet and kissed her, before walking them both to his bed, where she settled between his legs with her back leaning on his chest.

"Who was it?" He eventually asked, minutes later, in spite of himself. He could hear Hermione rolling her eyes, still cooling down. Though, Draco had to admit, having her all naked and wet pressed against him was doing the opposite of cooling him down.

"It's quite obvious, really," she laughed and started playing with his fingers.

Draco felt his stomach flinch and groaned, disgusted at the thought. "Please, tell me it's not the Weasel."

Hermione elbowed him and he rolled his eyes.

"No, it's not him. And I'm surprised you would think that. I mean, you saw how Viktor acts around me."

Draco Malfoy stopped breathing.

Viktor Krum.

She had lost her virginity to bloody Viktor Krum.

She had lost her virginity to bloody Viktor Krum and she was still friends with him, monthly owls and all.

She had lost her virginity to bloody Viktor Krum, who had invited her to spend the summer in Bulgaria and gave her tickets to his matches whenever he was in England.

Viktor Krum!

And she demanded he played nice with him! And that he accompanied her to his sodding match. And she denied he still wanted her whenever he would bring it up. The nerve!

"You're not going to his match," he stated and tightened his arms around her.

"Of course I'm going," she snorted instead and turned her head, since his grip made it almost impossible to actually turn around. "Plus, he wants me to be there," she added.

"I don't give a rat's ass where Viktor Krum wants you to be. And he's too old for you." Draco refused to even look at her, out of sheer pettiness, of course.

"Look, it was a poor choice, ok? I was young and stupid and not in a good place. Viktor was the first boy I liked that actually noticed I'm even a girl. And I really liked Ron at the time, while he was a jerk and wanted me to feel guilty about going to the Yule with Viktor, who, by the way, was and still is really nice to me." She placed a hand on his chest and managed to turn around to face him, now his grip had softened, straddling him. "And he's not old, he's only three years older than us," she remembered.

If Draco hadn't been so annoyed he would have noticed the twitch in his lower region at the feeling of Hermione on top of him.

"So you regret it?" He asked expectantly.

Hermione looked like she was about to punch him. "No, Draco, I do not regret having sex with Viktor. What I regret is having sex with him out of anger for Ron when I wasn't even ready for that kind of commitment."

He winced at the words and sighed. "Have you ever told him?"

She looked away. "No."

Draco broke into a smile. "That's not how getting back at someone works, you know."

"I know. I was stupid and immature."

He wanted to agree but he was worried he would get punched.

"And who was your first anyway, since you're so perfect?"

Draco looked away again and grimaced. "Pansy.

"And you're lecturing me about bad choices?" Hermione scoffed.

Well, he was willing to admit perhaps that hadn't been his best decision, but it was beyond the point. Pansy Parkinson was not Viktor Krum, international Quidditch star.

Hermione cupped his face and made him look at her. "You have nothing to worry about. I don't care about him like that anymore."

"I'm not worried," he snorted. Like he could ever be jealous of Viktor Krum.

"Then what's the problem?" Hermione lightly punched his chest. "That was more than two years ago and it's you now I'm in bed with, naked, and you're trying to make me feel guilty for what? Not waiting for you? I hate to remind you, Draco, but four months ago you despised me."

She looked hurt and Draco hated to know he was responsible.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "And not just for being an ass to you for years."

"I know. It's fine." She smiled sadly and kissed him, but he couldn't enjoy it fully.

"It's not fine," he sighed angrily. Letting Lucius control his life and his believes was not fine. Being brainwashed into being a racist prat was not fine.

"We're lucky you grew up, then," she smiled and lowered her hands to his chest.

"Right," he murmured absently and he heard Hermione sigh.

"What's the matter?"

Draco just shook his head and kissed her. She had always been his best distraction, even when he loathed her for being what she was.

Hermione and Draco Flooed back to Snape's office a few minutes before breakfast, where they parted ways. Hermione was admittedly still a bit sore from their shower, but felt good – no, she felt great.

She wouldn't have imagined that her and Draco going back to Malfoy Manor after Blaise kidnapped him and Daphne, on the blissful mission of telling the Death Eaters what had happened with the Dark Lord, would lead to that.

As Snape looked at her from behind desk expectantly, as to ask why she was still in his office, Hermione shook the thought of Draco out of her head and took a seat on one of the chairs.

"I was wondering, is there any way you could enable the Floo connection on the fireplace in my room?" She went straight to the point and Snape raised an eyebrow.

"And why would I do that?"

"I need to be able to come and go from Hogwarts to the Manor in case something happens and I have to be there, seeing my new… position. There has to be a way to make it work so only I will be able to Floo back here."

Snape looked as to be considering it for a few moments. "What do I get out of this?"

Hermione almost rolled her eyes, but she needed him to open the Floo for her, so she didn't. "If I had my own Floo connection, I wouldn't have to bother you every time I need to go back and forth."

"I'll arrange it. I'll let you know when it's done."

Severus Snape looked rather happy not to have to deal with her any more than necessary, so he simply got back to his book and let her know not-so-subtly that she could go.

Hermione left his office and headed to the Great Hall, hoping she could get some breakfast before class so Draco wouldn't lecture her about it later. The thought of him brought a smile on her face and she realized that, as overly jealous and annoying as he was, she was falling. And she didn't feel guilty about it, or anxious in any way.

She was afraid that, once the moment would present itself, she would relapse into her fear of losing him over Voldemort, but she found that that ship had sailed. Maybe it was her new temporary role that gave her enough confidence not to be that anxious about the future, maybe her brain had finally accepted the idea that Voldemort just couldn't threaten the people she cared about without losing her in the process. Either way, she felt good.

Stepping into the Great Hall, she spotted Draco almost immediately, not really being hard to notice himself, and headed towards where he, Theo and Daphne were sitting.

"Good morning," she greeted them and Daphne's eyes raced to her face immediately, as if she had some dark secret to spill. Did she know? She looked at Draco, who was grinning at her like the idiot he was, and pulled her to sit in his lap.

"The table's crowded this morning," he explained, not looking even remotely sorry she had nowhere else to sit.

"It's no problem, I'm not staying. I just came by to grab something to eat. I need to get my books before class, and so should you," she said and drank some of his pumpkin juice. She noticed people were eyeing them oddly, probably due to her sitting arrangement.

Hermione ignored them, grabbed a toast from his plate, much to his disappointment, and bit into it, as Daphne was watching them without a word. She knew there was a monologue coming anyway, so she didn't even bother asking.

"Did you have any problems getting back to the castle?" She asked instead, while Draco's arms circled her to pour himself some more juice, even though she knew he was doing it just to annoy her. She was okay with his possessiveness, she understood where it came from, having met Lucius, but he also knew she wasn't okay with his displays of said possessiveness in public just for the sake of it, for the blokes only he saw to see she was taken.

"No, it was suspiciously easy." Daphne was still looking funny at her, sipping her milk and honey.

"What do you mean, suspiciously easy?"

"Exactly that. How did you know about the passage? And that thing you gave me, where did you get it? It's bloody spell-proof."

"I'll tell you everything later, I promise. There's too many ears listening, here," she murmured the last part so only they would hear it.

"The Moronic Duo really had some tricks up their sleeves, didn't they?" Theo asked and she only smirked. They did have some secrets that had helped them keep out of trouble for a few years.

"I really need to go, I don't want to be late for Arithmancy," she said and got up from Draco's lap, finding he was standing as well. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

"I need to get my books too, remember?" he smirked and she hoped he wasn't thinking her telling him he should indeed do that meant they were going to have a quickie in his room. But then again, that was Draco. She wasn't really surprised.

As they left the Great Hall, she saw Ginny coming from the opposite hallway, so she stopped and grabbed at Draco's hand to make him stop next to her. "I'll be right behind you," she said, conscious Ginny was looking at them. Draco eyed the redhead coming closer behind her, smirked and kissed her like they were alone, not in the middle of a school hallway.

As he finally pulled back, Hermione rolled her eyes at him with an amused smile and turned around, heading towards Ginny and stopping right before the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Nice," Ginny scoffed, eyeing Malfoy, still walking. "Really classy."

Hermione smiled and crossed her arms. "You touch one of my friends one more time and, I swear, you will be sorry."

"Oh, really? What are you going to do, tell your precious Dark Lord?" Ginny crossed her arms back.

Hermione smirked and took a step forward. "Haven't you heard? I'm in charge now." Ginny was visibly taken aback by that. "That's right, I now have a dozen of Death Eaters at my command, most of whom would be more than happy to kill you all in your sleep."

"That's not possible," she managed to whisper, shaking her head.

Hermione knew what she was about to say was all but true, but she just couldn't resist. She blamed Draco rubbing off on her. "Consider me the new Dark Lord."