The further that Monday progressed, the more Draco found he couldn't focus on anything that wasn't Her.
The memories of their shared moments at the bar, and of their night together, had him grinning like a fool now that he knew he had shared all of those things with Her – with Granger.
My Granger.
"Malfoy?" someone was calling him. "Hey! Malfoy!"
He looked up from the report on his desk towards the voice to find the green eyes of a famous specky Gryffindor on him.
"What, Potter?"
"What's wrong with you today? You've been reading that same page for the past ten minutes. And you were smiling." Potter frowned in apparent confusion. "Look, I need your department to declare the Nott Manor clear of cursed artefacts and start working on Grimmauld Place. If you're sick and can't-"
"I'm fine, mother." Draco sarcastically replied. "We'll declare your boyfriend's house officially clear and start working on yours. Have you two decided where you're going to live after the Wedding?" he asked with a mocking smirk.
"The Nott Manor." Said Potter in a small voice.
"Lovely, we'll be neighbours then- wait." Draco suddenly looked at the Gryffindor, not a hint of lingering mockery in his tone. "You're serious? You're marrying Theodore?"
"Well," Potter seemed uncomfortable and a little annoyed. "He doesn't know it yet, so keep your ferrety mouth shut until I ask him."
"Holy shit, Potter." Draco was surprised. "I can't believe it."
"Yeah." He cleared his throat and added in a near-whisper: "I'll pop the question soon. I just hope says yes."
Draco had a sudden foreign need to reassure his former arch-nemesis (who he now had to get used to calling friend).
"Listen... Theo's taken you to visit my mother. He wouldn't have taken you to pass Narcissa's scrutiny if he didn't like you."
"Only there's a difference between liking someone and wanting to marry them, Malfoy."
"Yes. I'm aware." For I want to marry your best friend. "Well, if it helps... Theo's told me that he thinks you're it for him."
Potter beamed, "He did? Really?"
"His actual words were 'he's my chosen one'." Draco grimaced at the wordplay.
Harry laughed, "Thanks, Malfoy. I feel better it all now." He smiled briefly and then turned serious, "But, are you alright? You seem a bit off."
Well, I slept with Granger. Draco wanted to say, if only to see Potter flip. But he didn't, for he had already established that if the Saviour decided to send ex-death-eater-Draco-Malfoy to Azkaban, no one would stop him.
"I met someone." Draco said instead.
Potter narrowed his eyes: "Are you even allowed to do that? Aren't all purebloods engaged to their cousins by their fifth birthday?"
The Slytherin-style banter had Draco smirking: "Look at you, Scarhead. I could say Theo's rubbing off on you – but I don't want to have to burn my brain after that imagery." his smirk quickly died and he let out an annoyed sigh, "If you must know, I was nine when my father signed a marriage contract between me and the youngest Greengrass girl – but I've already broken that off."
"Right." Said Potter, returning his gaze to the report in front of him, making no more questions.
Draco welcomed the silence as they resumed working, his mind once more drifting to thoughts of Her. And he wondered:
Would Potter know the name of the man Granger loves?
But before he could ask anything, the door of his office was opened and Theodore walked in, unannounced as usual.
"Hello, love." Theo smiled at Potter, sitting on the man's lap and ignoring Draco's rolling eyes. "Hermione told me you were here. Has he been good?" He motioned Draco across the desk as if he were a naughty kid.
"Yes, love." Potter smiled. "He was telling me about a woman he met."
Fucking stupid Gryffindor! Draco glared at him, internally groaning and bracing himself for the questions that were about to start, for there was no dissuading Theodore Nott from being nosy.
"Is that so?" Theo narrowed his eyes, looking at Draco.
"Why the tone of surprise?" Draco pretended nonchalance. "I'm not celibate."
"Who is she?" Theo asked. "I want name, surname, Hogwarts House and address."
"Jean. Muggle." Not technically a lie, but he wasn't ready to tell anyone the truth yet. "And I'm not telling you her addr-"
"Wait- MUGGLE?" Theo shouted. "Is- you mean the bar bird?"
"Yes." Draco nodded, maintaining his aloofness, "She's beautiful, intelligent. We fucked and it was great."
Theo stared at him for a few seconds, failing to find any reason to not believe he was telling the truth. "You're not lying. I'm surprised. Are you seeing her again?"
"Yes. Probably tonight." Draco lied.
"Well, I'd like to meet this Jean." Theo declared. "We'll go with you to the bar tonight."
"No, love." Said Potter, caressing his thigh. "We already have plans, remember? We're having dinner at Hermione's."
Draco asked: "Can I go?"
Both Theo and Harry stared at him.
"Why would you want to?" Asked Theo, "Aren't you seeing Jean tonight?"
"I said probably. We haven't scheduled a date." And she won't be there since you're having dinner at hers. "Can I go or not?"
"If you promise not to insult Mione in her own home," Harry glared at him. "I don't see why not. Ginny and Pansy will be there as well."
"I'll behave, mum." Draco said, controlling his urge to smile.
That evening
Draco followed Theo and Potter down the same street he had walked beside Jean two nights ago.
What would Potter say if I told him I had Granger pinned against this mirror a few days ago? he thought after they entered Her building and stepped into the lift.
They walked out once it reached the third floor and Potter touched his wand to a door, which recognized his magical signature and opened, allowing them to walk into Her flat.
Draco smiled, feeling renewed relief as he recognized the muggleness he had noticed the other night.
"Hi, Harry! Theo!" exclaimed Granger, approaching and hugging both of them.
"Do I get a hug too?" Draco asked.
And she froze, scowling as she saw him there. "What are you doing here?"
"You know, Granger, you ask that a lot."
"He promised to behave." Harry explained. "So I let him come."
She glowered at her friend and then at Draco before turning her back on them and going to her small open-concept kitchen.
Draco didn't even pretend to not be staring as she walked away; she had chosen a lavender cashmere jumper dress that stopped an inch above her knees, her curls looked soft and she had pinned them up messily – she looked beautiful.
I want to give you a house to turn into a home, Granger.
"Close your mouth, ferret." mocked Harry.
"Shut up, Scarhead." Draco said, following her to the kitchen, removing a package from his pocket and wandlessly restoring it to its original size.
"I brought wine, Granger." He said, putting the paper bag on the island worktop and looking down the length of her body, lovesickingly admiring her sock-clad feet that complemented her lovely domestic look perfectly. "I hope you like Saignée Rosé." He added.
She glanced at the two wine bottles and rolled her eyes, "Of course you brought posh wine." then she turned to the gas oven, bending to check something in it.
His mind immediately filled up with the idea of holding onto her hips and just-
"Why did Harry bring you?" he heard her ask as she stood up.
Draco cleared his throat before speaking: "I asked if I could come, he said yes."
That caught her attention, "Why would you ask to come here?" she had both hands on her waist. "One would think you'd rather be cursed than come to dinner at my flat."
He let out a short sigh, aware that her confusion was justifiable, however he couldn't simply say: I came because I want to be near you, because I love you and you're brilliant and I want to hold and kiss you again.
So he came up with a plausible excuse: "Theo and Potter are a step away from the altar, Granger. You and Pansy have become the strangest pair of besties since Ginevra and her started fucking. Whether you like it or not, our two little groups have merged."
And I hope to merge them even more by marrying you. He mentally added.
"Fine, Malfoy." she turned to face him, "Thanks for the wine. Would you like something to drink?"
"Have you got firewhisky? The muggle equivalent would be fine too."
"Theo brought a bottle of Ogden's that I am pretty sure is yours." She pointed at their friends gathered around the coffee table in the living room, a bottle of firewhisky and three tumblers on the table.
"It looks like it." Draco smiled, glancing at her once more. "Listen, Granger. I'd like to apologize for the other day-"
She frowned at him, obviously not expecting to hear those words from him so he continued:
"My behaviour at the restaurant Friday was inexcusable. You are free to have whatever you like and-"
"I don't care about your opinion, Malfoy." She interrupted him rudely. "Just... enjoy dinner." She sighed and glared at him next: "And if you don't, keep it to yourself. Let's agree to be civil for tonight."
"Right. Civil." He repeated.
Only I don't want to be civil with you, love. I want to be a caveman, wrap my hand in your hair and drag you to that bedroom, kiss your curves, make love to you, hear you moan my name. Watch you orgasm under me, and fill you up with my seed until you're swollen with my heir.
"Malfoy?" she was calling him with the same concerned expression from that morning. "That's it, I'm owling your mother about these strange episodes you've been having."
He cleared his throat, "I'm fine, Granger. My mother is aware of my problem."
"So you are sick." She said and he noticed her concern increase.
"Don't worry." He repeated.
"Fine, Malfoy. I won't." She replied, removing all signs of concern from her face, and walked away from him.
The roasted meat and potatoes She had prepared were absolutely delicious – even though she didn't believe when Draco told her so.
After everybody had had a perfectly sweet serving of Eton mess, they all gathered in the living room; Potter and Theo sitting on the sofa, Draco on the armchair by the lit fireplace, and Pansy, Weasley and Granger on the rug.
They drank wine and firewhisky, laughing at stories from the past, making fun of each-other and of their friends.
As the night progressed, and the alcohol reached higher levels in their bloodstreams, Draco watched Granger get more and more uninhibited; she laughed openly with Pansy and Ginny, and even sat on Potter's lap, flipping Theo the bird when he complained about boyfriend-theft.
"He's been mine longer, Theodore." She told him.
"Yeah, Granger," Theo rolled his eyes. "I'm aware you had him first, but lucky for me you're lacking the right tools to give our Saviour what he needs." He winked and touched his own dick through his trousers.
Pansy and Ginny made disgusted groans and Granger wrinkled her nose, shaking her head, "No need to be gross, Theo." Then she touched her hand to Harry's hair affectionately and smiled, "It turns out you and I have similar taste in men, Harry."
"Why do you say that?" he asked.
"I met someone, and I've just realized he looks a lot like Theo."
Everyone looked at her as the room plunged into silence; Pansy and Weasley glanced at Draco in a way they probably thought was discreet but wasn't.
"Really?" Asked Ginny surprised. "You met someone and he looks like... Theo? Brunette, not blond?"
Draco barely breathed as he waited to hear what Granger was going to tell them next.
"Yes." She said. "He looks a lot like Theodore. But decent."
"Fuck off, Granger." Theo said with a smile.
"Well," said Pansy. "I know speak for Ginny too when I say I'm surprised, Mi."
"When did you meet him?" Potter asked.
"About three weeks ago." Granger continued with a smile. "We met at the nearby bar. He's so sweet. We talked and kissed the first couple of times and then last week we fucked."
"Now that sounds interesting." Said Pansy, eager to know more. "Dirty details, please!"
"No dirty details for you, Parkinson!" Granger laughed before sighing happily: "He makes me feel seen and heard and desired. Even though he was using me to forget about some fool of a woman." She shrugged. "But I was doing the same with him." She glanced at Draco so quickly that if he had blinked he'd have missed it.
"And did it work?" asked Ginny, glancing at Draco again. "Has he helped you forget- you know."
"In a way. Yeah." Hermione tilted her head, as if considering the truth of her own words.
"Good. You deserve a good man." Said Potter, caressing her back.
"Yes, I do." Granger said, staring right at Draco then. "I deserve a man, not a boy." She repeated the words from their earlier conversation.
And Draco couldn't stop himself: "He sounds just perfect."
"He is." she replied, narrowing her eyes at him. "And he's NOT imaginary!"
"Oh, I know he's not." Draco smirked, knowing his certainty would make her suspicious.
Meanwhile the four suddenly-forgotten spectators watched that strange interaction with equal parts of concern and hope.
"And how exactly do you know that, Malfoy?" Granger predictably saw his words as a challenge, getting up from Potter's lap and standing in front of Draco, arms folded, glaring at him.
He sipped his firewhisky, making a mental note to make love to her by the light of the fireplace for she looked absolutely gorgeous basked in that light, then he said: "I recall you telling me his name this morning. Jake, isn't it?"
She scowled at his obvious provocation and pointed at the fireplace, growling: "You've overstayed your welcome, Malfoy. Floo the fuck out!"
But Draco smiled; the rosé wine she'd been drinking had tinted her cheeks pink, her curls were falling down her shoulders, giving her a look of what he was certain had to be just what the muggles called an Angel – only sexy and angry.
He finished his firewhisky while his eyes moved slowly up and down her body, appreciating her curves. Then he vanished his empty glass to the kitchen sink and held her gaze.
"What are you playing at, ferret?" Granger growled, the even redder blush of her cheeks letting him know she hadn't missed his hungry gaze.
No one dared say a word in the living room, only the sound of the fire crackling in the hearth filled the silent space.
Draco kept staring into her eyes, the alcohol loosening his tongue and making him a little bolder than self-preservation recommended, "You're fucking amazing, Granger."
However, his compliment infuriated her – and a furious and drunk Hermione Granger turned reckless.
He heard her mutter: "Fuck it." a second before finding his lap filled by a sexy and rather aggressive witch.
Granger straddled his hips and fisted her hands in his hair as her mouth descended on his, her tongue invading his mouth without asking for an invitation – which he obviously allowed, kissing her back just as passionately, and they snogged indecently in front of their friends.
She guided his hands under get dress and Draco moaned, pulling her closer and feeling that sense of belonging that he felt whenever he kissed and held Jean: if he still needed any confirmation about them being the same person, that was it.
Holding, touching and kissing her was fucking perfect; the need to consume her taking over him as he caressed her tits over the soft fabric of her jumper dress and she moaned.
She rolled her hips on his lap and he held her down, pressing her onto his clothed hard cock as their mouths continued to clash furiously; his tongue thrusting into her mouth, greedily, needing more of her, the tug of her hands on his hair was nearly too painful to bear but Draco wasn't going to stop her.
She moved faster on his lap, rubbing herself on him and gasping as she neared her climax, whimpering.
"Fuck, Granger." he groaned, biting her neck, "I could spend hours worshipping you." his hands caressing her arse unashamedly.
But her breath hitched and she suddenly stopped moving, freezing on his lap and breathing hard as she stared into his eyes with a mix of confusion, incredulity and pain.
And Draco knew she had finally realized there were similarities between his touches, words and kisses and Jake's.
"You-" she let out as she struggled to get off his lap as fast as possible, her mind fogged by alcohol and desire. "You're- no. You can't be." She spoke between breaths, shaking her head.
"Yes, Jean." He whispered in confirmation. "I am."
She inhaled sharply and Draco saw in her eyes that she had reached the wrong conclusion.
"Granger-" he stood up, wanting to touch her, to remove that pained expression from her face.
"Do you hate me that much, Malfoy?" she asked in a broken voice.
"What? No! I don't hate you!" he nearly shouted in fear of her believing that. "I never-"
"Can either of you tell us what's going on here?" Theo asked.
"Shut up, Theodore!" Growled Pansy. "Whatever this is, it's good drama."
"You just want to watch them snog again." scoffed Theo, rolling his eyes.
Draco glared at his friends and then looked back at Her, his heart breaking at the pain he could see in her eyes.
"Granger. Hermione, I-"
"Did you do it on purpose? To humiliate me?" she asked with a trembling voice.
"No! NO! I didn't know she was you!" he shook his head, taking a step closer to her. "Only after Friday I-"
"Friday!" she gasped, remembering what they had done.
"What happened on Friday?" asked Ginny.
But no one answered.
"You said," Draco continued, his eyes glued on Her. "That night, you said you'd be the witch hexing me from behind. And there aren't many witches wanting to hex me, so I thought- I hoped you were Jean."
"You hoped?" Granger murmured, confused.
"Yeah. And this morning you confirmed: you said his name was Jake and then this." He pointed around her flat. "I've been here before."
She shook her head. "You cannot be Jake. He is nice and honest! He sends flowers and knows how to compliment a woman..."
"I sent you flowers, Granger." Draco said with a sigh. "And romantic cards and chocolates."
"No you didn't!" she scoffed, wrinkling her nose, as if he was being absurd.
"Yes, I did!" he replied with a frown. "Right after you ended things with Weasley. I sent you presents daily for a week."
She looked at him with widened eyes and gasped, "That was you?"
"Yes." He nodded, failing to understand her surprise. "Don't play dumb, it doesn't become you, Granger. I wasn't an anonymous admirer; I signed those cards."
"I never read them!" she shouted, running her hands through her hair. "I thought they were from Ronald trying to get back together! He was following and harassing me!" she looked at Weasley and the ginger shook her head.
"Ron never sent you presents." the ginger said. "Harry and I threatened to geld him if he ever looked your way after all the shit he put you through."
Draco nodded at her, "Thank you for clarifying that, Weaslette." and turned back to Granger. "The presents were all from me."
She was shaking her head, looking at him as if he was not making any sense. "That was over a year ago, Malfoy. Why have you never said anything?"
He clenched his jaw. "I sent you flowers for a week and you never replied, Granger. How do you think I interpreted that?"
She stared at him, looking lost, "You insult me, daily. If you fancy me, why would you do that?"
"Ooh, pick me!" exclaimed Theo with his hand in the air. "Pick me! I can answer that!"
Draco growled warningly: "Theodore."
But Theo ignored him: "He's an idiot. That's why."
Granger turned to him again, "The woman Jake talked about." her voice turning into a near-whisper. "Was she- was that... me?"
"You're too smart to be asking me that, Granger." was all Draco could find within himself to say.
"But all he said..." she sounded surprised. "He sees her as a goddess."
"It was all about you." He said, looking down her body to emphasize his meaning. "You are a goddess."
She licked her lips. "And that night?"
"The best of my life." He replied softly.
"Wait a fucking minute!" Exclaimed Theo.
"Night?" shouted Pansy at the same time. "You two fucked?"
Weasley gasped: "So that's what happened on Friday!"
But neither of them replied, Draco couldn't tear his eyes away from Her, seeing that She had captured her bottom lip between her teeth – a sign she was thinking hard about something.
"Granger, listen..."
"Leave, Malfoy." she suddenly ordered. "All of you." She looked at their friends.
Draco sighed, running a hand through his hair and feeling that that was the end of everything.
"I just..." he sighed dejectedly. "I hope you make the man you love see how incredible you are."
Granger frowned, "The man I lo- what the fuck are you talking about?"
"The man Jean said she wanted to forget. The stupid man that hurt you and-"
"Are you being purposely daft now?" she asked with her arms crossed.
"What? No. Why?"
"YOU'RE the twat, Malfoy!" she shoved him hard. "You're the man that I lov-" she stopped.
Draco froze.
He was the idiot?
He was the man that she wanted to forget?
She loved him?
"Get the fuck out." She ordered again.
But he didn't move, his heart beating faster by the second as he watched his last thread of hope snap.
He had fucked up even worse than in his worst nightmare. She had feelings for him and he had hurt her – daily –, had insulted her through little provocations in his childish way to have her eyes on him.
He recalled the pain he'd heard in Jean's voice every time she talked about him.
"Leave!" Granger shouted, and he could see the tears had finally flooded her eyes beyond their capacity, marking her cheeks with wet streaks.
"Granger, I-"
She threw floo-powder into the fireplace, the green flames filling up the hearth.
"Get the fuck out of my sight, Malfoy! Now!"
He shook his head, refusing to leave even though he didn't have any plan of action, no idea what he should do next, all he knew was he had to talk to her.
But Potter put himself between them.
"Let's go, Malfoy."
And Draco saw no other option.
He left.