The train was going to be departing soon. Two weeks was going to feel like a lifetime. Lucius was demanding Draco to go home, but she knew he would stay if she tried to convince him to. The issue was the faculty, watching her move more and more. If they were to stay or rouse suspicion, McGonagall could go after Draco. Getting kicked out of school no longer felt like a death sentence to Hermione, but Draco spoke of it like it was absolutely not an option.

The way he studied backed that up. Draco was working so hard, revising any moment that he did not dedicate to her. She loved school too, but she'd be willing to walk away if McGonagall made her choose.

Harry and Ron were waiting for her in the common room. They would all spend the holidays at the Burrow, and both boys bounced with excitement. Ginny was beaming as well, finding a loophole in the system to have her boyfriend spend the Holiday at her family home.

When she said her goodbyes to Draco the night before she sobbed. There was no part in her that bothered to be embarrassed about it. He said he would write her everyday, but it didn't feel like nearly enough. In addition to genuinely missing him, she was also terrified that the heat – as Draco was now calling it - would come for her.

There may be no books or records on what they are, but Hermione knew in her soul they should not be separated. She should have forced Draco to take her with him to his home. But he had decided, in an effort of fielding answers, to disclose to his parents what had happened between them. Apparently, the odds of that ending in the realm of 'well' were exceeding low.

Every bump of the stupid train irritated her glands. They were still mostly dormant, but she could only rub the ones on her wrist to soothe them. The only blessing was that Draco apparated from Hogsmeade and wasn't on the train.

Actually, that was a curse.

"Welcome home!" Molly cheered once they apparated to the burrow.

"I'm going to show Harry to his room, mum," Ginny announced, pulling him upstairs.

"His room, Ginevra!" Arthur yelled, but Harry disappeared behind Ginny's door anyways. He turned to Hermione and shrugged a laugh in defeat. "Young love, eh?"

Hermione groaned, her hair sticking to her face with sweat. Three days. Three days without Draco and she felt worse than she had all the weeks leading up to Halloween. It felt like withdrawal. Horny withdrawal. The passenger screamed for Draco, and she internally screamed in agreement. She made herself come four times to memories of him before the sun came up. When she finally heard movement, she gave up and headed downstairs.

The days were easier. She loved spending time with Harry and Ron, and they were heading into muggle London today to do some shopping. She wanted to pick out something for Draco. A slightly evil grin came across her face at the thought of her muggle gift being delivered to the gates of Malfoy Manor.

"Should we go to a show?" Hermione suggested as they walked downtown. "What's your favorite Harry? We can introduce Ron to muggle theater."

"I don't know, never been," Harry said, struggling it off easy. "You chose."

"We'll pick something new then," Hermione decided.

The group decided on Annie, an ode to the Weasleys for the red hair, and a nod to Harry for being an orphan.

Oliver Warbucks, a cranky rich man who grows to have a heart of gold.

Just like her Draco.

Draco would be a wonderful father right from the start. Firm and consistent with rules. Protective and strong when needed. So loving, even though he couldn't see how naturally it came to him. Lucius was always cruel to him, but Narcissa was attentive and compassionate with him.

The mother of his children would be so incredibly lucky.

The passenger growled. The mother of his children would be her.

"Anything else, Hermione?" Ron asked, pulling her from her thoughts. He was on his fourth cup of hot chocolate and was showing no signs of slowing down.

"No- I'm all set," she said.

"Are you going to mail the gift for your parents?" Harry asked.

The gift she got at the jewelers was actually for Draco, but he wouldn't want her to disclose that.

"I think I'll save it until they come back. Start a collection," she said. Harry patted her shoulder and the friends stopped by a pub before making their way back to the Burrow.

Ron was so pissed that Harry had to apparate them back and Hermione tried to distract Mrs. Weasley as Harry carried him upstairs. When they were finally in the clear, Hermione fell into a kitchen chair.

No letters had arrived for her. Maybe they got lost, or perhaps Draco's conversation with his parents went horribly. Hermione pushed her palms into her eyes, trying to stop the spinning from one too many butterbeers.

"Alright, Hermione?" Charlie spoke from the kitchen door and Hermione sat up.

"Yes- yes. Sorry, I didn't see you there," Hermione forced out.

Now that she saw him, she could detect his scent. The others' scent meant very little to her now that she was with Draco. Over her time at Hogwarts, she got used to just ignoring them.

"What has you so sad, Hermione?" he pushed further, voice full of concern.

The tenor of it reached down inside her and she started sobbing. It reminded her of Draco. He promised he wouldn't abandon her again, but here she was all alone.

She tried to walk past him out of the room, but he reached out a hand and grabbed her arm.

"What's wrong? Tell me please, its making me sick," Charlie commanded.

"He's… He's forgotten me," Hermione sobbed.

Charlie pulled her closer, his scent getting strong. The cedarwood was enjoyable, but his arousal smelt too acidic, and she wasn't in the mood to receive it.

"Whoever he is, he's a fool," Charlie pulled her a little closer, and eventually wrapped his arms around her to hug her. It felt nice, held. Similar to when Harry would hug her or grab her shoulder to give her support. Charlie's scent shifted, and it was more comforting and platonic, so Hermione didn't fight him when he pulled her in closer.

"He's very smart," Hermione mumbled into his shirt. "And clever. I don't know why he hasn't written me."

Charlie hummed, and then they were silent. His hands traveled up her arms, and when he got to her shoulder, he brushed his thumb against her gland.

Hermione jumped back, breaking his hold, and looking at Charlie to see him blinking heavily.

"I'm sorry-"

"It's fine! I'll be fine really, I just need to sleep," Hermione said walking past the door.

"I don't know what's coming over me. When you're around… it's like I can't think straight. What's happening to me?" Charlie said, genuinely upset.

Hermione paused, looking up the stairs to ensure no one else was around. "You know how some men have a distinct scent, and then the others all sort of run together? And the ones that are unique, you can also pick up different things like their mood or personality."

"I've never thought about that before but… yeah," Charlie nodded.

"Well, not everyone can. And with me- I can smell people like you, but I'm different as well. My designation is a complement to one's like yours, rather than a rival," Hermione explained. "That's all I know."

Charlie took a deep breath. "The man who you feel has forgotten you, is he like me, or is he a generic?"

Generic. That made Hermione smile, it was a pretty accurate way to describe them.

"He's like you."

"Do you fuck him?"

Hermione reeled. "Yes."

Charlie took a deep breath. "Liar."

"I'm going to bed," Hermione declared and ran up the stairs. She couldn't sleep so she spent the rest of the night charming the gift she got for Draco.

On Christmas morning, Hermione opened her gifts with the rest of the extended family. Her smiles fooled nearly everyone except Harry and Charlie.

The area surrounding the new Burrow was wooded heavily, and Hermione found herself at peace wandering around the trees.

An eagle owl swirled above her head, making several loops until it dipped down to drop a letter in her hands.

Ms. Granger,

My son wishes you to know he is indisposed. He will see you when you return to Hogwarts.

Happy Christmas.

N.M.

Winter break was going to last nearly another week. Hermione fell to her knees, weeping with the passenger in privacy before pulling herself together and returning to the house.

The carriage stopped and Hermione was the first to jump out in the deep sheet on snow that covered the grounds.

"Parvarti, can you take my trunk to our room?" she asked.

"Of course – go, go!" Parvati urged her and Hermione started running to the castle.

Draco and she were having so much fun before break, why would he shut her out without so much as a single letter?

It didn't matter. Not enough to keep her from needing him. His scent was already in the castle and Hermione ran to the third-floor corridor in search of him.

Only a sliver of light penetrated the corridor from the staircase. She walked for a few minutes, his scent and hers getting stronger but she couldn't determine where he was coming from. What started off as desperate arousal, began to turn aggrieved, angry. Hermione didn't know what caused the change in him.

"It's been far too long, little witch," a voice spoke from somewhere in the dark. It was possessive, overly so. "Do you have something to tell me?"

"Draco?" Hermione called out. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she spun around. "Please, I don't want to play."

"Are you alright?" He sounded from behind her, and before she could turn all the way he wrapped his arms around her, and she was home.

"You lied to me," Hermione cried in his chest, the passenger even cross with him. "You were supposed to write."

"I was detained at the Ministry without contact," Draco explained, lightening up only slightly. "I only got released this afternoon. I'm so sorry."

"What did they want?" asked Hermione. He was angry, and what felt like repulsed. It instigated a surge of anger from Hermione in return.

"McGonagall reported me. They wanted to ensure I didn't hurt you."

Hermione pulled back to look up at him in horror. "She didn't…"

"It's fine. They had no proof and had to release me after the holding limit ran up," Draco said to pacify her.

"That's not right. How can they go keep you and not even tell me? You're my- I'm you're…" Hermione choked on the words, not able to find them. "They should have told me."

"I know," Draco growled. "Granger?"

"Yeah?"

"What the fuck is that smell?"

Two weeks in confinement was hell. The interrogation techniques of the Ministry had escalated since the Dark Lord was killed. If Draco was a normal man, he would have succumbed within minutes. Unfortunately for them, he wasn't, and there was no way he was going to let them view the memories he had of Granger.

The faculty at Hogwarts were a load of hypocrites. Speaking for the former Death Eater students to allow them to return, and then trying to turn them in the moment they stepped a toe out of line. They had nothing real on Draco. He had never hurt or poisoned Hermione. Anything he had done, was between him and his witch.

His witch, who presented herself to him after two weeks, reeking of another.

If he wasn't so desperate for her, he would have turned and hunted down the man that touched her. The smell of her nectar was untouched, but her normal scent that expressed from her glands near her throat and wrists have been invaded.

"Well?" he asked again.

"I-I don't know." Granger's cheeks blushed.

"Very well," he drawled, pushing her hair back off her shoulder and leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Passenger?"

Granger gasped. He spoke with authority he tried not to use on her outside of their games. But that was before someone else tried to touch what was his.

"Passenger," he whispered again, voice dark and controlled and Granger shivered against him. "Tell me the truth. Did someone other than me touch my witch?"

"Draco-"

"Tell me. Now," he demanded, no room for defiance.

Hermione nodded slowly.

"Who?" Draco growled. He could recognize any male student who was like him at Hogwarts, this was someone else.

Hermione shuffled on her feet, and Draco gripped the hair at the nape of her neck before tugging it to make her look up at him.

"Tell me, Passenger. I know you want to. I know you didn't approve," he goaded her.

"Charlie Weasley," Hermione said, instantly. "He was just trying to be kind, but he touched my gland."

"Did you kill him?"

"No!"

"Wait here. I'll be back."

"Draco, stop it!" Hermione cried pulling him to her. "He didn't know what it meant."

"I don't even know what it fucking means. But I still get hard with the thought of touching you there," Draco snapped back. Why the fuck was she defending him?

"Don't be cross with me," Hermione said in her wistful voice that he adored. It always worked its magic to disarm him but this time his anger remained. "I've longed for you. I waited for you."

Draco squeezed his eyes closed and took a deep breath, trying to focus on her scent but it was polluted with essence of fucking Weasley.

Soft lips pressed against his and he was helpless to resist. He pushed his tongue in her mouth and gripped her hair tighter in his fist.

"I chose you," Hermione moaned. "I've been so worried; I need a break."

The way she communicated her needs to him without shame gave him a burst of pride. But wasn't going to have her drift off with dragon-booted peasant piss smell on her.

"Be patient," Draco said as he slid his hand down the front of her trousers before pulling it back. He couldn't be gentle with her like she deserved. The urge to rip someone apart too great. The sweetness in her voice only took off the very edge. "I need a moment."

"I'm what you need," she whispered in her wistful voice. Passenger spoke so freely when Hermione let her take control. Always knowing the right thing to say. "Touch me."

"I'm in no state," he growled, gripping her hips hard. Fingers indenting her skin.

"I can take it. Use me," she gasped, and his hands flew to her hair pulling her head back while the other gripped her jaw. He stopped trying to control his natural reactions.

"No one touches my witch," he growled, and Hermione trembled.

Arousal started to flood from her glands and between her legs. Fuck, she was perfect. So smart, so right- she was all he would ever need.

He tightened his grip on her jaw. "You're dripping. What else did he do?"

Hermione nodded as much as she could through the tight grip. Eyes darkening in a way that was hungry and eager. Where she was usually sweet, Draco sensed mischief. "He called you a fool. He could tell you wouldn't fuck me."

"Won't I?" he growled.

"Prove it," she muttered back, brushing her lips against his.

It wasn't fair to punish her, so Draco told himself that's not what he was doing. He was just going to make Granger better and then help her drift away for some time at peace.

He walked her back until she was pressed against the corridor wall. Pressing her with his front, he grabbed her wrists and held them above her head. Never had he been anything but gentle and generous to her, but never had her desire smelled so strong. There was a layer of it on his tongue and he hadn't even tasted her. He squeezed her wrists tightly right over her glands and her head fell back as she cried in pleasure.

"Is that what you thought about when you touched yourself, naughty girl?" he muttered next to her ear and she whimpered. "I can still smell your cunt on your little fingers."

She was dripping and he knew if he saw her pussy it'd be glistening. They had not gone this long without coming together, and his witch must have been in so much discomfort.

"Take your clothes off," Draco instructed her, removing his hands and she hissed as she sucked air between her teeth. "Quickly."

Hermione obeyed, removing her coat and pulling her jumper. She removed her trousers next, standing in front of him in only a cotton bra and knickers.

"Touch me," she begged.

Draco grabbed her bra with both hands, ripping it in half to reveal her breast. The sight of her nipples made his cock twitch.

Hermione reached for him, and he took several steps back. "On your knees."

She dropped to the ground instantly, hands caressing her thighs in anticipation as she stared up at him. Any time she needed him, he would give her anything. Staring down at her, they silently agreed it was his turn to take. A smile nearly escaped him; his gorgeous girl was willing to give whatever he needed and love every moment of it.

Only him. Granger was his. Granted his wishes. Trusted him to command her and eagerly submit to him. The sight of her tamed the rage brought on by the thought of another trying to force out of his girl that which she should only give freely. Trying to take her from him.

The white panties were nearly transparent from her soaking them. They were all she wore as she sat on her knees waiting for his next instructions.

"Show me how you touched yourself," said Draco. "You are not to come until I touch you."

Hermione sat back slightly and pushed her hand under her panties. Eyes locked on him, her lips parted, and she started to pant.

"Good girl," he told her, running his fingers through her hair and watching her fingers swirl beneath the thin fabric. "This isn't what I had planned for us, Granger. I was willing to forgive the Ministry for keeping me from you, but now that I know it allowed another attempt to steal you…"

"I wouldn't let him," she vowed, and he believed her.

Rage pulsed through him again. "You wouldn't have been able to stop him if he tried."

"Then fuck me," she snapped. "Claim me."

He gripped her hair tightly in his hand and stepped forward, his belt buckle nearly touching her face and he unbuckled it. She shivered and pulled against his hold to try and suck his cock into her mouth once he was freed.

"I had days of doing nothing but planning exactly how I would take you the first time. But first, I need to get rid of that stench. Now open your fucking mouth," he growled, and her lips parted instantly.

Her eyes were closed and she opened her mouth wider and slightly stuck out her tongue while she waited. The hand rubbing herself sped up, and he could tell she was getting close. He took his cock in his hand and started stroking, close enough that the tip would bump against her tongue.

Hermione pulled against his hold to get closer but he held her back. He stroked himself faster, the base of his cock already swelling.

She was rolling her hips against her fingers, opening her eyes and staring hungrily at his cock that was just out of reach.

"Fuck me," she rasped. "Fuck my mouth. Anything."

He released his hold on her hair and she swallowed him down. Wrapping her lips around his cock and sucking like her life depended on it.

"That's it, beautiful. I can smell you're close."

She moaned and the vibration sent him to another level. He urged her down lower, holding her in place for a few seconds before releasing her and letting her set her own pace. Looking down, he cherished how hard she was working to make herself come. Taking care of them both. What a fucking angel. A perfect girl. A perfect witch. A perfect-

He pulled her off his cock, spit surrounding her lips and held her back as he started stroking himself with his hand again.

"Look at me," he commanded her, and she locked eyes with him. "You're mine."

"Yours," she choked out, throat sore.

Draco inhaled sharply through his nose as he came all over her neck and chest. He used a free hand to rub it into her gland, and the last remaining resemblance of Charlie was gone. It was just them again. As it should be.

With a wave of his wand, he vanished the rest of the mess and then fell to his knees in front of her, grabbing her face and kissing her deeply.

"You knew just what I needed even when I didn't," he praised her, and she smiled pleased.

He reached between her legs and shoved three fingers inside her. The stretch was nearly unbearable, and if he didn't just come, he would pull them out and replace them with his cock. He wrapped his other arm around her to hold her still as he fucked with his fingers until she came, hard and loud.

He laid them down on the floor, arm surrounding her head to keep her comfortable as he continued to kiss her deeply. Flooding her with the scent that helped her drift away.

"Thank you, Hermione," he whispered against her lips when she was nearly down.

"I love when you claim me," said Hermione wistfully, the tone taking full effect on him now that she had cured him from his rage. "I want you to claim me for real. Forever."

"I will. You're mine only. Forever," Draco said before kissing her deeply again.

"You're mine," she mumbled back.

"Yes."

A patronus appeared in front of them and the brightness burned his eyes.

"Granger, McGonagall is looking for you! I told her you weren't feeling well and now she's waiting in the common room for you to return. Come quickly!"

The lynx disappears and Draco tightened his grip. Granger had just finished drifting away, she usually liked to stay there for several minutes. He brushed her hair, stirring her and starting to pull her back up.

He took his time, not willing to agitate her when they only just healed each other. When he told her what the message said, she rushed to put on and repair her clothes. It was wrong. They shouldn't have to bend to the will of anyone but each other.

He walked her to Gryffindor Tower, spies be damned. He fucking missed her and was already getting what little time he had stolen away.