A/N: Just a note, this chapter is a little intense so if you're not in the mood or the right headspace, then give yourself some time.
Y'all. Your reviews… I wish I could explain what they mean to me. All the guests, just because I can't name you doesn't mean I don't appreciate all of your reviews too! Seriously, almost 500 followers? I can't believe it.
And almost 200 reviews? Okay so here's my way of saying thanks: If we can get to 225 reviews, I'll post the next chapter early. And trust me, you'll want this one.
Soundtrack- "Break My Baby" by Kaleo and "Cringe" by Matt Maeson
Chapter 21
Okay so… Granger was the girl of his dreams.
Well…
Shit.
At least he had her. It was bad enough that it was a Muggleborn he was falling for, but at least she wanted him too.
Wanted him to tie her up and let him do whatever he wanted to her.
Sweet Salazar, it was all he could think about. She was burning in him, making it hard to think, to walk, to even breathe. And not just her body, although he certainly, definitely, wanted that, but he wanted it to be like it had been when they were hanging out. He wanted to be able to be around her, wanted to hear her thoughts, wanted to see her smile. For him.
Was it always like this? Did everyone just walk around with a bloody sun in their chest trying to burst through all the time? He had… been interested in girls before, but this… this was different. Just like her. Merlin, she was… she was everything. Everything he wanted.
If she was a Pureblood, or hell, even something like a second or third generation Halfblood, he'd throw his arm around her just like he had the other night in front of everyone and not even care. Any fallout from her being a Gryffindor or a little less Pure than him he'd deal with. His parents wouldn't be pleased and his reputation would take a hit, but she was worth it.
Most people would be too scared to speak out against him anyways. And he'd shut up the ones that did.
Her friends though… they'd want to kill him. Secretly he wanted to see Weasley's dumb face when he realized that he, Draco fucking Malfoy, had gotten there first.
He imagined watching Weasley staring slack-jawed as Granger leaned up, pushing her fingers into his hair and brushing her soft lips across his cheek to show that fucker she wanted him. She loved him.
Oh shit.
Love?
Uhm. Maybe?
He had almost found out the other night. It had been wrong, he knew that, but… it was so tempting when she was staring at him with her big doe eyes to just… skim the surface of her mind. It was entrancing, like nothing he'd ever seen. And for just a second, he had felt the… affection she had for him.
Like a warm ray of sun after a cold dark night, easing his troubled soul, making him feel a little less guilty about his own inferno that was roaring in his chest.
He hadn't been able to stay long, she had felt him almost immediately and Granger was clever enough to figure it out if he had tried to push any farther, but that small taste of her… was it love? Whatever it was, it was better than any whisky he had ever tasted and twice as addictive.
He wanted more.
If Granger loved him, it certainly would be easier to get her to come with him. If Granger loved him maybe they could find a way to make all of this work in his world. He'd take care of her, make sure she was safe and wanted for nothing. She could be happy. With him. She could… love him.
And… could he love her? Behind closed doors, where no one else had to know, he could do whatever he wanted with her. He could love… couldn't he? She was still a… Muggleborn and he still didn't understand what all this meant. People like her were little better than Muggles, little better than animals, but she was… Granger. Hermione.
Draco closed his eyes. Her-mio-ne. Her name. She had never been Hermione to him. Always Granger. Or… dirty fucking slut or pretty little whore or… he smirked to himself, Sweetheart.
His eyes shot open, staring up into the dark canopy above his bed as he had for the past few hours. What the fuck did it matter what he called her? She still answered to them all. Still did what he wanted her to.
Well if it didn't matter then why couldn't he just call her Hermione like she asked? He clenched his hands into fists. He liked her calling him Draco, after all.
"Draco! Fuck me!" Her whimpering cry echoed in his head.
Fuck.
Fuckkk.
Fuck it.
Draco dipped his hand inside the waistband of his boxer briefs and gripped himself.
Granger popped into his head, each arm and leg tied to a poster of his bed, completely naked and ready for him, like she had been there all along and patiently waiting for him to join her.
Mmm, good girl. He ran his hands up her thighs and over her hips, breathing in deeply as they traced the curve of her waist and up to her chest. She arched her back off the bed, pushing her tits up into his hands as he squeezed them, feeling their soft give under his fingers.
She smiled up at him, batting her lashes and biting her lip. Draco settled himself in between her legs, letting his dick press against her warm center. Her expression changed a little, pulling tight as desire flooded into her dark eyes. She shifted under him, rubbing herself against his length.
She felt so good under him. Her skin brushing against his and not shrouded by the darkness like he had been forced to take her in before. Here in his mind there was no mark on his arm and Granger was looking up at him with love and lust burning in her cinnamon eyes. Yes love.
Her curls splayed out on his pillow, her tits jiggling as she squirmed against the ties. Her legs open and sweet little pussy was wet as she lifted her hips, whining for him.
"You can do anything you want to me," she breathed out. "Anything. Use me. Use me for your pleasure."
Oh, Granger…
He had her moaning, panting, crying for him. Dipping himself slowly into her, he took his time. Granger was desperate, bucking her hips up and trying to get more of him, but Draco continued at a slow pace, enjoying the look of wanton desperation on her face.
Her pleas did nothing to dissuade him, only made him pinch her little pink nipples to make it even more intense for her.
Fuck, this felt so good. He pushed his underwear down on his legs, fully freeing himself and allowing his eyes to close again as the image of Granger surged forward.
"Draco! Oh, Draco, yes! Yes, please, please!"
He crashed his lips onto hers, taking her words, her breath, her tongue and sunk himself as deep as he could in her. As slow as he had gone before, now he was making up for it, pounding himself into her mercilessly as she screamed under him, writhing in the throes of pleasure.
Draco felt his body tense and his hand pumped faster. He grabbed onto her throat, applying just enough pressure as to make her gasp with a high pitched noise and her cinnamon eyes to fly open and oh- Fuck!
He stifled a deep groan as he came, head pulling up off the pillow and he stopped breathing until he had shot himself over his stomach.
Fuck… Hermione... Yes.
He gasped in a large breath, filling his chest with air again.
Oh shit.
That was…
Woah.
Draco wiped himself off with his boxers and turned aside to throw them out when he saw a pair of dark eyes watching him from the bed next to his.
Pansy.
She was on her side, the sheet lightly lying over her curvy form and her hand was curled in front of her face. Theo was snoring next to her.
Draco paused, balled up boxers in hand as they stared at each other for a moment.
"I know what you were doing." Pansy's dark eyes glittered.
"I didn't know I had an audience," Draco said drolly, reaching down to shove the boxers under his bed.
"Mystery girl not doing it for you anymore?"
He smirked at her before shoving his pillow under his head again, breathing out deeply. Draco stared up at the ceiling of his canopy again, smiling a little to himself. Granger had most definitely done it for him. "Goodnight, Pansy."
He heard her blow out a quick breath and then tossed herself over, turning her back on him.
His mind turned back to the conflicting thoughts he had been debating for the better part of the night. He'd hoped that wanking would have helped him get to sleep but after another half hour of not getting anywhere other than more lost in his own head he landed back on imaging Granger this time bent over and strapped down.
Draco groaned as he felt his cock twitch. She shook her ass at him, making small noises in her throat as she pulled at the restraints. He rubbed his hand over her round cheek, bringing his fingers down to her warmth.
"Please, sir," she whined. "Fuck my pussy."
Well, he wasn't sleeping tonight anyways. Draco glanced over to make sure Pansy was still turned away and then slid his hand back under the sheet.
He rested his head in his hand during Transfiguration, fighting his heavy lids trying to close. He had gotten a couple hours of sleep before he had to get up again. It was tempting to roll over and stay in his bed this morning, but he had missed so many classes already and the last thing he wanted was Snape to come looking for him again.
Plus, he'd miss out on seeing her.
Granger had her hair pulled back today, probably because of the heat. It was already permeating the normally cool castle even early in the morning. The sun was shining into one of the large windows across from him and Draco squinted, trying to block out the blinding light while still keeping his eyes on her.
He liked seeing her with her hair up and smirked as he imagined grabbing it and pulling hard as he fucked her over her desk.
She had left her sweater behind today, wearing only her white button down shirt and pleated skirt. This shirt was loose, hiding her sloping sides and her skirt hung over her knees. Draco vaguely wondered if she had kept the shrunken uniform or fixed it back to its regular length already.
He'd have to ask. Then he'd fuck her in it.
Or, he could buy her something to wear for him.
Granger in lace.
Granger in leather.
Granger in a long fine gown, jewels dripping down her neck.
Ugh. He had to stop that line of thinking. He'd done enough of that last night.
He needed to go back and work on the Cabinet; that's what he should have done last night when he couldn't sleep instead of sitting there, thinking about her, and beating off when he couldn't get her out of his head.
He had been avoiding the Cabinet. A cold creeping guilt burrowed deep within him, knowing he was condemning his father to a longer imprisonment and shirking in his duties to his Lord. But… the idea of pointing his wand, saying those words, and ending a man's life made him feel like the earth under him was suddenly gone and he was falling into the vastness of the sky.
Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
Nothing under him.
Granger under him.
Mmm, Granger… Hermione…
"Wake up!" Blaise hissed and Draco jerked up, eyes opening wide. McGonagall was giving him a harsh look down her nose and he cleared his throat, sitting up and trying to clear his head.
Blaise shook his head, glaring at him before turning back to the front of the class. McGonagall started her lecture again and Draco folded his arms over his chest, leaning back. Maybe changing positions would help him stay awake.
A few minutes later and he was pulling his head up after his chin hit his chest for the second time. How was he going to make it through the day? And even if he did, there was no way he was going to be able to work on the Cabinet tonight either. That meant two nights he wasted, not to mention the night before last that he spent with Granger in the Library so really three.
Fuck.
He was running out of time. And if the end of the year came and he didn't have the Cabinet finished, he would just have to off the old man and then try to get out as quickly as he could. Maybe fly? But Aurors were watching the borders and he didn't think he'd make it far into the Forest on foot with only a wand.
And even if he could somehow get out, how the hell was he supposed to take Granger with him then? No, it had to be the Cabinet. He'd sleep tonight, no matter what, and then tomorrow spend every spare minute in the Room of Hidden Things and he would fix the damn Cabinet one way or another because it was his only hope of keeping Granger at his side.
And of course, commit a murder in the meantime.
Hermione stared into the low fire lighting the common room. Another evening full of heavy conversation with Harry and Ron about Horcruxes, Death Eaters, and Lord… Voldemort. She swallowed. It was getting easier, she thought, to say his name. Maybe.
Ron had already gone to bed, but Harry had stayed downstairs with her, staring into the same dark coals as she was. The low light reflected off of his glasses and dark hair, giving him a strangely haunted look.
"Harry?"
He turned towards her.
"What are we going to do?" She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder.
Harry sighed deeply, as if he had been holding the breath in all night. "I don't know. I still feel like there's so much I don't know. Everything I find out… it just leads to more questions."
"I'm sorry I haven't helped more." She had spent so much time worrying about Draco she felt like she hadn't devoted as much of herself as she normally could to helping Harry.
"I wish you believed me," he said a little bitterly and she lifted her head. "About Malfoy."
Her heart clenched in her chest.
"I know there's something going on with him. He's not acting normally. He doesn't hang out with his friends anymore, he's missing sometimes… I know you've been busy with all your classes so you haven't really noticed, but I have."
The guilt clawed into her. She knew exactly where he was going. She knew what he was doing. She knew why he was pulling away from his friends and sneaking off. But she couldn't tell Harry.
Hermione looked at him, at the concern etched on his face and the earnestness there. He wanted her to believe him so much, but… she couldn't. She knew Draco and he wouldn't… he wasn't a Death Eater. Not him.
Not the one who had kissed her the other night in the Restricted Section. Not the one who wanted to hang out with her because she was upset. Not the one who called her my girl. Not her Draco.
He wouldn't do that. He was confused, he had said so himself. He had been raised a certain way, but he… cared about her. He didn't treat her like a Mudblood anymore, he didn't act like she was less than him. Maybe… maybe he wouldn't end up like his father after all. Maybe Draco would choose his own path.
And maybe she could share it with him.
"What does Ron say about all this?" she asked, not wanting to get lost in thoughts of Draco as she so often did these days. But the blooming in her chest, well, there was nothing she could do about that.
Harry leaned back into the couch. "He doesn't think Malfoy is smart enough to be a Death Eater. But he's crafty, you know? He figured out how to get into the Room of Requirement during our D.A. meetings last year and no matter how much I try I can't get in to see whatever he's doing in there," he grumbled.
"You've tried to get in?" she asked in a breathy voice. Oh God… the idea of Harry walking in on her and Draco…
"Every chance I've gotten, but no luck. Whatever he's doing in there, he's using the Room's magic to shield it. It must be something awful if he's going to this much trouble."
"Yes, it must," she said softly, doing her best to keep her head above the deep water of her dark thoughts. He was using the Room for something else too. She had run into him enough on the seventh floor landing to know that and he seemed very comfortable using the Room's magic when he had created certain experiences for her.
Maybe Harry was onto something, but… he was probably just… she frowned. What was he doing in there?
"I've got to get bed. We've got practice tomorrow for the Ravenclaw match and if I stay up any longer I'll be useless."
"It is late." Strangely enough she had gotten used to staying up late, having had to do so so many times recently.
"Thanks for talking about all this with me again."
"Of course, Harry, you're my best friend. I'll always be here for you."
Harry smiled at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Hermione."
She smiled back. "You'll never have to find out. Like it or not you're stuck with me. I'm not going anywhere."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Draco's voice was low, but soft.
Hermione took a shaking breath and nodded. "Yes."
He moved to the side and she saw the same velvet chaise that he had conjured for her before. The fur pillow was resting against the scrolled side and the matching blanket draped over the back again. Her heart beat a little faster.
Draco's touch was cool as it trailed down her spine to rest on the small of her back. She could feel the excitement coming off him in waves, crashing against her own nerves, which were buzzing and humming under her skin.
She wanted to do this, but… it was farther than they had ever gone before. But she had slept with him. She had done things with him she couldn't even say out loud, so why did this feel so different?
Because she was going to have to trust him.
She'd be tied up and he'd… he'd be able to do anything to her. But he wouldn't humiliate her, right? He cared about her. He liked her. He wouldn't let anything happen to her because… because she was his girl.
The act itself was appalling, still, Draco made her feel special, wanted, adored in a way that no one else did. Even when he called her dirty names, they were never to hurt her, they were… for him.
And maybe… a little for her too, if she was being really honest with herself.
And maybe that was why she was equal parts nervous and excited about the prospect of being restrained and letting him have free reign over her. She could spend hours puzzling it out and probably come up with some logical reasoning as to why, but the fact remained that Hermione wanted to do this and she wanted to do this with him.
"I've charmed it," Draco spoke in that same soft low voice. "My belt. Once it's on you," he glanced nervously at her, "if you say a passphrase it will come undone. And I'll stop too."
She supposed that made her feel a little better, but her nerves were still ringing violently and all she did was nod again as she stared at the small waves in the velvet.
"What word do you want to use?"
She looked back at him. "Oh… I… I don't know."
Draco kept his stormy grey eyes on hers. "I want you to choose. That way you won't forget, like the ankle thing. If it gets too much-" he stopped and cast his eyes down. "If I get too much you'll need to stop me."
She stared wide eyed at him.
"Granger, I want this. I need this. With you." He lifted his eyes back up to hers again. "It's going to feel so good, pet, I promise, but... you've got an out if you want it."
"Out."
Draco nodded solemnly.
"That can be my word. I'll remember that. Out."
His eyes lit up and darkened all at the same time and she took another wavering breath.
"So I'll stop if you say 'out' and the belt will fall off. Understand?"
She dropped her eyes and nodded. Her mind and body were having very opposite reactions right now.
Draco reached out and took her hands in his. "You're shaking," he murmured, running his thumbs over the backs of her hands. "Are you scared?"
Hermione looked up into his rain grey eyes. "Not with you," she breathed out.
"Oh Sweetheart," his voice was hoarse and he moved his hands over her, one at the curve in her back and the other behind her neck. Sweetheart. It wasn't Hermione, but… it would do. His actions meant more than what he called her anyways. Maybe Granger and Sweetheart were as close as he could get for right now.
Their bodies were pressed together and she could smell his combination of mint and fresh parchment. Hermione took a deep breath, inhaling him and letting it calm her. Draco. The only one she'd ever let do anything like this to her. Because he was the only one she ever wanted doing anything to her. Because she loved… this. With him.
She could admit that at least.
"Have you ever done this before?" she whispered.
Draco's face lost all emotion. "Not... like this."
"What do you mean?"
Something dark moved behind his eyes.
"Pansy has a thing about ropes and none of the others..." His tone matched his expression and she knew that was all she was getting out of him right now. Plus, she wasn't really curious about Pansy's sexual preferences or what he'd done with the other girls.
"Are you ready?" he asked after another minute and Hermione bit her lip. Draco tilted her face up to his, placing two fingers under her chin so that she was looking right into his eyes again. Oh how she wished she could read his expressions, but as always, Draco's face was a picture of stony stoicism.
"As I'll ever be."
He smirked. "I'll take that as a yes. Now take off your clothes."
This was it. Hermione's hands were still shaking as she started on the buttons of her shirt. She let it fall to the floor, soon followed by the rest of her clothes. As she stepped out of her skirt, she wrapped her arms around herself.
"At your sides."
She forced her arms back to her sides and sucked in a quick breath. She felt heat rush into her face and he dragged his eyes over her, taking in her bare body, exposed for him.
"Get on your knees."
Hermione knelt down in front of him, her heart racing with apprehension and anticipation. Somehow, Draco giving her commands was making this easier. Maybe because she didn't have to think about what to do next or maybe because it made her feel wanted… Either way, she was obeying.
"Take my belt off." He was going to make her do it. She looked up at him; Draco was clearly enjoying this the same way he had enjoyed making her admit she wanted him to kiss her when they first started all this. She reached up but as soon as her fingers touched the black leather he swatted her hands away. "No, pet. With your mouth."
Oh dear Godric… He was really making the most of this. Hermione opened her mouth and gingerly placed her teeth on his belt, tasting the leather and pulled it from the silver buckle. His gaze was intense, but oddly enough it made her feel better about doing this. She softly bit the bit of belt beside the buckle and pulled it, hearing the black leather snake through each of his belt loops until the length of it was hanging from her mouth.
"Good girl." Draco smirked down at her and brushed his fingers through a few curls. Hermione smiled around the belt still in her mouth. She wasn't going to drop it until he told her to. She was a good girl. His good girl.
Draco held out his hand and she placed the belt into it, feeling the nerves start to dissipate as desire began to spark up in her.
"Get up."
Hermione got to her feet.
"Walk over to the chaise and bend over the end of it."
Her legs were loose under her and for a moment she was worried they would not hold her, but soon she was in front of the large scrolled arm and the chaise and she glanced up at Draco who gave her a small nod before she leaned over it and waited for him.
Resting her weight on her forearms, Hermione bent her head down, letting her thick curls fall around her face. She heard Draco walking behind her and inhaled sharply as he placed his hand on her ass, rubbing her cheek and gripping it slightly.
"Your ass is mine."
A shiver ran down her spine, bringing with it the warmth of arousal.
"Spread your legs. Wider," he prompted when he was not pleased with her initial stance.
"Hands."
Oh. This was it. Last chance to turn away.
Hermione breathed in and slowly brought her hands around her back. Draco grabbed her wrists with one hand and pressed them roughly together, his fingers digging into her. She heard the belt slither before she felt him wrap it around her wrists, binding them together tightly. She was his.
Her lower stomach clenched and she moved on the chaise a little, shifting her weight since she could no longer support herself on her own.
"Do you have any idea how sexy you look right now?" Draco said in a husky voice. "Ass up, hands tied… but I want to see your face."
He leaned over her and she turned her head to the side. Draco pushed her curls out of the way, pulling them over her shoulder until she could see him out of the side of her eye. His black shirt was hanging open and his pale chest exposed. What she would give to have five minutes to explore his body.
"There," he stood up straight again. "Now, we can start."
Hermione's whole body was tense with anticipation. Draco rubbed his hand over her backside again, this time bringing his fingers down in between her legs. He explored her softly, rubbing two fingers inside her fold, spreading her slickness over her. Hermione did her best to stay still, knowing that if she fidgeted too much, he would punish her.
But… that was enticing too.
Hermione wiggled a little against his fingers, pushing herself back to extend his touch.
"Eager, are we?" She could hear the smirk in his voice, laced with an aristocratic drawl. He chuckled and pulled his hand away. The sound died and was replaced by a low moan and smack of lips. "You taste so good."
Good Lord. She was melting, turning into a puddle of desire, longing, and lust. He'd barely touched her and her blood was already surging.
His hands slid from her ass down her legs as he crouched behind her. There was a low growl of approval and she felt his breath against her. "Oh Granger…" he ran his nose along the inside of her thigh. She tried not to shake too much, but it was near impossible.
Draco pushed her open with his fingers and gave another low noise. "Such a pretty pussy… and all for me."
A little whimper escaped her and Hermione moved ever so slightly back, hoping that it would be enough to reach him.
A sharp slap to her ass made her jump and push forward again. "Stay still," he growled and grabbed her hips before biting down hard on one of her cheeks.
She cried out as sweet pain shot through her, but Draco quickly followed it with a soft kiss to the spot he had just sunk his teeth into then continued to trail the kisses down to her center.
Yes yes yes. He hovered right behind her; she could feel his breath billowing across her and… Oh God yes… he kissed her, sliding his hands down to her thighs to hold onto her and let his tongue snake forward to slip inside her fold.
This was heavenly. He swiped it over her, alternating between long soft laps and sharp small licks. Her thighs were shaking on either side of him as she panted, pulling at the ties around her wrists and squirming. Draco moaned as he wrapped his lips around her clit, flicking his tongue against it again and again.
The pressure was building up inside her quickly. Her legs stiffened and she tried to bring them together, but Draco held them firmly open, voraciously indulging in her.
She cried out, voice shaking, ready for the burst of pleasure and-
He laughed. Hermione sunk against the chaise, body still tense and ready for her release but… he had pulled away. He wasn't giving it to her. No, no… not this again!
He blew a cool stream of air against her and Hermione whimpered, pushing herself back towards him again, hoping that he would take mercy on her and finish what he started.
He smacked her ass. Hard. "Fucking whore."
She heard him stand up and did her best to look back at him, mostly just seeing his outline from her compromised position.
"Draco… please!"
He was stroking himself lightly and the thought that he had been doing that while he was eating her out made another frisson pass through her.
"I stayed up for hours thinking of all the different ways I could make you come the other night." He walked around to her head. "And unfortunately, I wasn't able to make up my mind. So I'm just going to have to do this the old fashioned way."
"What's that?" she said breathily.
Draco leaned down until he was eye to eye with her. "Try them all." She panted and Draco grinned at her, obviously pleased with her reaction. "Or maybe I should spank your ass raw and fuck you fast and hard, hmm? Which would you prefer? A slow torture or a quick beating?"
How was he able to make something so terrible sound so good? And… how was she supposed to choose?
"Both. I want both."
Draco's eyes clouded with lust. "Oh kitten," his voice was as soft as the velvet she was laying on. "That's what I was hoping you would say."
Draco pulled her face up and kissed her hard. She could feel his urgency and need for her as he snaked his tongue into her mouth and held her face in his hands. Sucking in a harsh breath he finally broke away from her and let her fall back down.
"Mmm, still so wet." Draco's hand moved over her backside down in between her legs again and Hermione inhaled deeply.
The air came rushing out of her along with a small scream when his first smack was not against her ass at all, but there.
"Draco! Oh my God!"
He chuckled and rubbed his cool fingers over her. "That's for that short little skirt and this-" he brought his palm against her again. "Is for climbing off of me the other night."
Hermione was whimpering. It hurt, but the aftershock of it was incredible. He hadn't slapped her as hard as he did when he spanked her, but enough to make her entire center quiver with pleasure and pain.
"Feel good, doesn't it, Sweetheart? You like the pain."
As always, he was right about her. Hermione nodded quickly and he rubbed his hand back up over her backside again.
"And I like giving it to you."
His palm stung as it hit her. This was different from the first time he spanked her. It wasn't as harsh, but it went on much longer. He grunted as he smacked her, palm ringing against her tender skin. Hermione jumped every time he struck her and on especially hard ones, she heard Draco chuckle a little as she whimpered or gasped.
She wasn't sure how much more she could take, but after each strike something deep in her fell away until the skin of her backside was sore and burning under his merciless palm. She loved it.
She moaned, biting her lip against the sweet pain. Her hands were balled into fists and she winced, waiting for his next smack when he rubbed both of his hands over her sore cheeks and blew out a low breath.
"How's that feel?" he asked softly, continuously running his hands over her, calming her inflamed skin.
Hermione gulped. "Good." She took a few large breaths. "I'm okay."
"You're goddamn perfect is what you are," he said hoarsely and knelt behind her again, placing soft kisses over her sore cheeks until the pain faded a little. Her breathing evened out and Hermione began to relax a little as Draco softly ran his hands over her, every now and then placing his lips against her with a controlled gentleness.
"I don't think I can fuck you like this." She felt him stand up.
"What? No! Draco…" Hermione twisted, trying to look more behind her. He better not leave her wanting again or she was going to-
"Don't worry, kitten, I just mean this way. Your ass is… shit, it's beautiful but if I fuck you from behind it's going to hurt. Bad."
"Since when do you have any problem hurting me?" Hermione quipped. His treatment of her after had been so gentle and… loving even. It had calmed not only her soreness, but her mind as well, letting deeper emotions well up. The feeling left over from the popped bubbles had not gone away. In fact it had only grown and after that display of kindness and affection, she felt it expanding in her chest.
"I like making you scream my name with pleasure, Granger," he said as he moved around to her head again. "Plus, I haven't gotten to play with your tits."
He picked her up and she winced against the pain still lingering from his hand. Shifting her around they ended up with Draco sitting on the chaise and Hermione on his lap, legs on either side of him, just as they had been in the Library except her hands were still bound behind her back. The belt was tight around her wrists and after all her wiggling it was biting into her skin some. She twisted her arms a little, getting a modicum of relief and looked down to see Draco smirking up at her, silver eyes shining darkly.
From this position she had a good view of his chest and muscles which was something he hadn't often shared with her. Was it some sort of hard line with him? She made a mental note to ask him later, right now she just wanted to enjoy the view.
She felt his hard length under her and Hermione shifted on his lap a little, getting it in the exact right spot before she moved her hips back and forth, rubbing against it.
Draco placed his hands on her waist lightly and groaned as his head fell back to rest against the chaise. "Oh fuck, Granger, your pussy's good enough to make me come and I'm not even inside it."
Hermione couldn't help but smile a little at this. She loved the way he talked to her, saying dirty things to make her blush, but knowing that she secretly loved it. Maybe… he'd like it if she said some things to him too.
"I love how your cock feels." Draco's eyes shot open, locking onto hers with intensity. "Mmm, Draco, I love what you do to me, what you've made me."
His hands tightened on her, pushing her harder against him. "You like being my little whore?" his voice was raspy, as if he was barely able to talk.
Hermione nodded eagerly, moving faster so that her breasts shook in front of him. "I love it," she moaned and threw her head back. "Oh God, I love it!"
"Stop," he gasped. "Stop, Granger, oh fuck…" He held her up and pushed her back to where she was sitting on his legs.
Hermione glanced down, worried that she had done something wrong. Draco's face was drawn in concentration and she let her eyes fall to his groin. His dick was jumping and he let out a small moan.
"Draco, are you okay?" she asked, worried about him. His hands were shaking on her sides and the muscles of his abdomen were twitching uncontrollably.
He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and bit down hard on it. Closing his eyes tightly, Draco nodded. Eventually he exhaled and opened his eyes. They looked like ash covered coals, burning up into her.
He took a few large breaths and she waited patiently for some sort of explanation as to what just happened. "You're not getting out of this that easy." He grinned at her.
"What?"
Draco pulled her forward again, but made sure to keep his dick from in between her legs. "Trying to make me come before I even get to fuck you?" He shook his head in disapproval. "If I hadn't already spanked you, I'd bend you over my knee for that."
"I didn't… I was just-"
He pulled her against his chest and inhaled deeply. "I like hearing those naughty things come from these sweet lips." He tapped a finger against her partially open mouth.
Hermione felt her courage spark up. "And here I thought you just liked putting things in them."
He smirked at her and ran a hand up into her hair, pulling her face down to his. Right before their lips met he whispered, "If you keep talking like that, I'm never going to untie you. I'll leave you locked up in here for my personal use."
Hermione gave a small whimper and bit her lip. It felt wrong being… turned on by that, but she couldn't help it. Once again, Draco made it just sound so good…
His other hand had found its way in between her legs again and she stifled a gasp as he traced his finger in circled around her clit, teasing her again.
"Draco…" she moaned.
He slid his hand further down and dipped his fingers just barely into her entrance. Hermione immediately tried to sink down on them, but he grabbed a fistful of her hair and stopped her.
"You little slut…" his grey eyes gleamed. "You just can't help yourself can you?" He swiped his thumb over her clit and Hermione let out a high whine. "I know, kitten," Draco cooed. "Your little pussy needs to be fucked, doesn't it?"
She nodded as best she could with him still holding onto her hair and bit her lip as he ran his thumb in a circle around her.
"I want to watch you fuck yourself on my hand." Back to the low, commanding voice that she loved. "Your little clit is so swollen. I know you must need to come so bad. But you're not going to, understand? Not until I say so."
Rules. She could follow rules. Probably.
"Good girl," he smirked and let go of her hair. Leaning back, Draco's smirk widened. "Now you may start."
Permission. Why was that so… hot? Right now she didn't care. Hermione pushed down and felt his fingers slid up into her. Instantly she tightened around them, her body already knowing what it wanted.
She rocked her hips back and forth, moving herself over his fingers. Draco's eyes moved over her body, watching her breasts bounce, her hips grind, and his fingers disappear inside her over and over.
Draco curled his fingers inside her and she moaned as they hit something, making her shake.
"Don't come," he warned. "Or I'll smack your tits this time."
Oh… that was… intriguing. But no, she would follow his rules and be a good girl. For him. Hermione gathered herself as best as she could and kept grinding against his hand, feeling the pressure starting to build up in her again.
He wiggled his fingers back and forth in her and Hermione cried out, stopping as she started to shake, willing her body to obey.
The trembling subsided and she was left gasping and panting.
"Good girl," Draco cooed, running his other hand into her hair, petting her. She leaned her head into it. "My good little slut."
She tightened around him again.
"Oh?" He smirked. "You like that? You like being called a slut?"
Hermione closed her eyes as she started moving herself again. "Yes."
Draco gave a low appreciative noise. "Because you are. Such a dirty… desperate… slut."
She swallowed, opening her mouth to gasp in more air. Draco's hand moved down to her neck.
"Do you want to come, slut?"
"Yes!" She cried out. Oh God, she wanted that more than anything.
Draco rubbed his thumb down the column of her throat. "But you look so good like this… pleasing yourself with my hand. Does it feel better than yours?"
"Yes," she said breathlessly.
"Do you love it?" His eyes were boring into hers.
"Oh yes…"
He smirked. "More than my mouth?"
Oh God… he was moving his thumb against her clit again.
"No," she moaned.
"No?" Draco grinned. "You like getting your pussy licked?"
"I love it," she sped up a little. It was dangerous, but oh God, it felt so good.
"So do I kitten."
She wasn't going to be able to take much more. Especially when he was talking like this. Hermione could feel the cold silver of his ring against her as she pushed his fingers deeper in her.
"I want you inside me." She wasn't going to be able to stop this one when it rose up in her. Tonight had been too much and she wanted this too badly. Her only option was to make him give in.
Draco growled happily. "Why?"
"Because I love it," She was panting, curls brushing against her cheeks as she ground herself on his hand. He was starting to breath hard himself and she knew she was getting to him.
"What do you love?"
If saying it meant she finally got a release, fine. She had surrendered her dignity to him long ago.
"I love your cock, Draco. Please… let me have it."
He groaned and ran his hand down her arm to the belt around her wrists, pulling on it and making her sit up straighter and he pulled his hand from her.
Hermione cried out.
"Draco! No! Please! Oh God, please, Draco… please…"
He pushed her back a little and she felt something else at her entrance. Something bigger than his fingers.
"Yes yes yes! Thank you!"
"Easy," he warned, but grinned wide at her. "Just the tip at first. I'll guide you onto it." He placed his hands on her hips and lined himself up with her.
Hermione nodded although she wanted nothing more than all of him right now. Slowly he pulled her down onto him and she felt him open her. Draco hissed and she saw his muscles harden into carved lines across his body.
"Look at me."
Hermione met his storming grey eyes. The pressure inside her was growing. Oh… Godric… she wasn't going to be able to stop it. She felt something else… something behind her eyes again. She tried to focus on controlling herself, but it was all too much.
"You love it?"
"Yes."
He pushed a little farther in. This was torture. He pulled back a little and slid the same length back in. She couldn't even see straight right now. Strange things kept coming up in her mind. The other night in the Library, their reconciliation in the bathroom.
"Fuck, you're so tight."
"Please… more…"
The Forest and the way she felt when she kissed him there. Pulling away from Ron.. What? Why was she thinking about that? Draco's eyes came into focus and she was able to see properly again. He moved himself back and forth again. So close, so close.
"You love fucking my cock?"
"Yes…" she moaned.
Another inch. Draco Draco Draco. It was all him. Over and over. Flashes of him in class, hovering over her, kissing her, inside her, his arm around her, grinning at her, and then… the sudden burst of popped bubbles.
Hermione let out another high moan as he slid himself out and then back in again. Everything fell away from her brain as it quieted down to only the parts that could feel this. Feel him.
"You love me?"
"Ye-" Hermione stopped and her eyes opened wide, staring down into his storming grey.
Draco slammed her hips down onto him, burying himself in her.
Hermione cried out as her orgasm rippled through her. She couldn't even think about what he had just asked her because her brain was exploding with fireworks and bliss and everything that she had been denied so far tonight. She couldn't move, couldn't breath, couldn't do anything but feel this.
"Fuck, Granger!" Draco swore and she felt something deep in her.
His fingers dug into her hips hard and she opened her eyes just enough to see his face pull tight and his grey eyes burn up into hers like ash covered coals.
"Fuck," he said weakly. "Oh shit," his body convulsed and she felt it again. He groaned and then his muscles released, easing back down only to jump and twitch randomly. "Fuck!"
Hermione blinked in understanding.
He pulled her from him and looked up at her with wide, wary eyes, either not bothering to mask his anxiety or… not able to.
"Shit, Granger," he exhaled deeply. "I don't… that's never… I've always been able to pull out. Fuck. Fuck."
"Draco," Hermione tried to sound as calm as she could. "Draco, it's okay."
He made no effort to hide the confusion on his face.
"I… I'm safe. I take a potion."
"What?" he breathed out.
"Ginny convinced me to start recently. It's not important right now," she shook her head, not wanting to bog him down with the details. After their… talk, Ginny had suggested it and Hermione had been embarrassed she hadn't brewed one earlier. "But… you don't have to worry."
He breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Thank fuck." He blinked a few times, staring up at the ceiling. She watched the lump in his throat bob up and down. "For a second there…" he glanced back at her. "Yeah, that's… that's smart of you. The last thing I need is a halfbreed running around-"
Hermione's face fell. Not that she wanted that either, but Godric, halfbreed?
"Shit, Granger, I didn't mean-"
"Untie me. Now."
Draco reached around her and in a perverse embrace pulled his black leather belt from around her wrists.
Her arms were sore. Now that she could move them, she could feel the stiff muscles and the tender skin at her wrists. Hermione tried to stand up, but Draco caught her hands in his and pulled her back.
"Draco," she sighed, exasperated, sliding off him to sit on the seat beside him.
Draco shifted to face her. "Please," He rubbed his fingers lightly over her wrists, massaging them.
Hermione looked up into his eyes again. He still hadn't retreated behind his marble mask yet and he looked… contrite. Draco pulled the fur blanket down off the back of the chaise and wrapped it around her.
"I didn't… I'm sorry. I don't think you're-" he stopped talking and looked down at her wrists and the red lines where the belt had held them.
She didn't know what to say. Where would she even start?! With halfbreed, or the fact that he just came in her, or that he asked her if she… loved him? And that she might have almost said-
"It just came out." He was looking down, now running his hands up her forearms, rubbing his fingers into the stiff muscles there.
"What did?" Hermione snapped.
He looked up at her, eyes large. "Well," he tried to make his face into something like a smile. "A few things."
Hermione glared at him and pulled her arms away from him.
"Granger,"
"Hermione," she corrected.
It always came back to this. She was a Muggleborn and he was a Pureblood. No, he was a Purist. One of the people who cared about blood purity and the social structure that was based on it. He might care about her, but he cared about his blood more.
"I'm an asshole. I know that. I know… how I treat you sometimes and I know how I," he paused. "How I want to treat you."
Hermione's mouth fell open. This was not at all what she was expecting.
"I'm not as smart as you, I don't have all this," he waved his hand in between them. "Figured out. But I'm trying."
Oh wow. This was… was what she had secretly longed to hear him say, but never even let herself contemplate it. It was crazy to even entertain the idea that Draco might change his mind about her. That he might turn away from the way he was raised. That he might… love her?
"It's complicated," he frowned.
"I know."
"No," he let out a mirthless laugh. "You have no idea. You don't know-" he stopped, glancing at her again. Then he pulled his shirt closed and started to button it back up.
Hermione pulled the fur blanket around her some more. Sore was an understatement, but so was relaxed. How was it possible for her body to feel two such different things at the same time? The irony of this was not lost on her.
"I'm sorry," he said again, turning towards her. "There was a lot going on and it just came out. If it makes you feel any better I don't use… that word anymore. The one you didn't want me to say. Well, once, but… that was another emotionally charged situation."
Hermione accepted this information, not really sure what to do with it. "And this was… emotionally charged?"
"Well yeah," he ran his hand through his white blond hair. "I had just come in you, for Salazar's sake, I thought I-"
"Love me?"
Draco went impossibly still, his expression carved carefully from cold marble. Hermione held her own. She wasn't backing down, not this time.
"Do you?"
"Do you?" she retorted. He always turned things around on her, well, not this time.
"I… I don't know."
Oh goodness…
Draco looked like he might be sick. He was pale and a faint sheen of sweat was on his forehead.
"I told you, I don't have this figured out."
Hermione wasn't breathing. How many more life altering things were going to happen before she had a chance to process even one of them?!
He stood up on shaky legs and walked over to where his trousers were discarded on the floor. He slid his legs into them and then gathered her clothes up for her and brought them over to the chaise before awkwardly sitting down next to her again.
"I didn't mean to fuck tonight up."
She had almost finished dressing and was slipping her shirt back on when he finally spoke. She took a break from the buttons to look over at him.
"Do you really not say Mudblood anymore?" she asked softly.
Draco shook his head, elbows resting on his knees and eyes trained on the floor.
"Why?"
His jaw clenched. "You really want to know?"
"Yes."
He turned towards her and looked… scared. "Because you asked me not to."
Oh.
Oh.
"Don't fucking look at me like that," he snarled.
Hermione pulled back, not really sure how she had been looking at him. But now? She was smiling.
"I really like that."
Draco glanced at her from the side of his eye and then slowly turned to face her. "Yeah?"
She nodded, curls bouncing around her face. "Yeah."
His lips twitched. "I called them Muggleborns in front of Blaise. I'm pretty sure he thinks I'm under some enchantment" She giggled. Draco grinned. Then he reached out and brushed her cheek. "If I am, it's yours. This is all your fault. Your fault," he went on, still grinning. "For being so sexy and sweet."
Hermione giggled again as he pushed her back against the chaise, leaning on top of her. "For being everything I could ever ask for." He ran his nose along hers and his hand up her side.
"Draco, I… I don't think I can again." It was going to take her a while to recoup from tonight.
"I know," He smirked knowingly. "Plus, I'm pretty, uh, empty."
"I'm keenly aware," she raised her eyebrows and Draco laughed. He laughed.
"Yeah, I'm sure you are." He kissed her. "So, does this mean I get to do that again?"
"What?"
"Since you're taking that potion and all… I can…" he trailed his fingers over her and tapped her lower stomach, raising his eyebrows in question.
"It's more so for accidents, not… daily use."
"Daily?" Draco exclaimed. "You dirty girl…" He grinned and she shoved his shoulder a little.
Draco grabbed her wrist and Hermione gasped. It was still very tender. He lifted it and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.
"We can stay here tonight, if you want."
Wow. It wasn't that long ago that he had shouted at her after they accidently fell asleep and now… He really was trying. Even with the prospect of more sex off the table, he was still asking her to stay.
"I shouldn't," she said disappointed. "Lavender told Ron about the last time I was out all night and he-"
"He what?" Draco's voice dripped with venom.
Hermione paused. "He asked me about it, that's all."
"That better fucking be all," he grumbled.
"I'd just rather avoid awkward questions about where I've been and who I've been with."
"Tell him."
"What?" That was the one thing they ever mutually agreed on- making sure no one found out.
Draco narrowed his eyes. "Tell. Him."
"Are you out of your mind?!"
"That prick is trying to fuck my girl."
"Well your girl isn't fucking anyone but you so you don't need to worry about that," she snapped.
Draco's face split into a wide grin. He pulled her a little closer to him. "I like hearing that."
"You know I'd never do anything like that." Hadn't she proved that already?
"No," Draco's voice softened. "You saying you're my girl."
Hermione bit her lip to stop her smile. "Well… I am."
Draco sighed happily and pushed a few curls back from her face. Then he leaned down and softly pressed his lips against hers.
"Hermione?"
She spun around quickly and Harry's disembodied head appeared in the dark corridor.
"What are you doing up here?"
She had finally pulled herself from Draco's arms and checked the hallway before slipping out into it, but of course she hadn't seen Harry lurking a little ways down under his invisibility cloak.
Her heart was pounding in her chest. "I… was looking for you."
Harry pulled the cloak from himself and the rest of his body appeared. "Why?" he asked, clearly confused.
Why? Okay, good question. It deserved a good answer.
Oh no.
"Uhm," Hermione fidgeted, trying to think of something, anything, that sounded plausible. "I wanted to talk to you about Draco. Malfoy!"
"Did you see him up here?" He took a quick step towards her.
"No!" She squeaked. "I mean no. I was in the Room of Requirement. I was… trying to find out what he was doing in there."
"And?" Harry said, excited.
"Nothing. That's what I came to tell you."
He pushed his glasses up his nose a little. "Oh. Wait… what?"
"Uhh," Hermione bounced on her feet. Draco would be leaving soon and she didn't fancy having to avoid a confrontation between him and Harry.
"I tried to get in the room, but it was occupied. How did you get in?"
"Oh," she cringed. "That was me. I was in there."
"All night? What were you doing in there?"
Fiddlesticks. What was something he would believe?
"Reading."
"Reading?"
"I found a book."
"You were reading a book," he repeated as if he didn't fully understand the concept. Or didn't believe her.
Draco's blond head ducked around the door and stopped quickly as he saw them. Hermione widened her eyes and barely shook her head, curls trembling around her face.
"What? What is it?" Harry started to turn but Hermione grabbed his arm.
"We should head back to the common room," she said loudly. Harry looked at her like she had grown a second head. Hermione glanced over his shoulder and saw Draco frowning. "It's late and Godric, am I tired. All that reading." She enunciated the last word and saw Draco smirk as he silently closed the door behind him.
"Uh, yeah. I guess you're right." Harry said, nonplussed.
"Don't want to get caught wandering around," She said firmly, pushing Harry in front of her and waving her hand back at Draco to motion for him to go.
"You're a Prefect."
"And I can't abuse that power, Harry!" She chided, glancing back at Draco again to see him silently laughing at her awful attempt to distract Harry from him. Why wouldn't he just go already?!
"Yeah, it's not like confounding someone at tryouts or anything," Harry joked and Hermione looked at Draco one last time to see his brows pull together slightly in question.
Hermione gave Harry an extra hard shove.
"Ow! Okay, fine! Godric, Hermione, you're as bad as McGonagall these days."
Well if he wanted to give her a night she wouldn't soon forget, that was it. Hermione was still feeling the after effects a couple days later and made sure to pick out the comfiest chair she could in the common room. This of course was the one by the fire where her two best friends were also sitting on the adjacent couch.
The subject of the evening was Quidditch and Hermione fell into her old, comfortable role of mildly reading while they discussed maneuvers and tactics that could be incorporated in the upcoming match against Ravenclaw.
Ron was growing increasingly agitated during the conversation and Harry gracefully turned it from their team to the professional ones, making Ron cheer up as he talked animatedly about the Canons. He always used his hands a lot when he was excited and Hermione found herself glancing up from her book to watch him mime players soaring past each other.
Harry caught her eye and smiled. It was good to see him happy. The lessons he was having with Dumbledore were important, but he often came back sullen and brooding. Although, he did seem in remarkably better spirits now that Ginny and Dean were no longer together. He hadn't said anything to her in so many words, but his feelings were pretty obvious. Harry had never been good at closing off his emotions, which was one of the reasons he had never been able to properly perform Occlumency.
Hermione stared at the fire, spitting and sparking. He had described his sessions with Snape when she had prompted him last year, telling her it was like someone pushing themselves inside his head, rifting through his thoughts and making images appear. Just like...
Draco… no… he wouldn't…
Would he? Could he?
Her chest tightened and she couldn't breathe for a moment as the truth hit her.
But… why? Why would he do that?
"I'm going to try and talk to Katie," Harry said as he stood up. "See if she can tell me anymore about that day in Hogsmeade."
"Harry, she's already answered everyone's questions. I'm sure she's tired of talking about it."
"Yeah, I agree."
Hermione turned sharply towards Ron. He almost never took her side, normally agreeing with Harry over her. He threw her an encouraging smile. This was… different. Supportive. Nice.
"Well I also need to talk to talk to her about the team, make sure she's feeling up to coming back to practices."
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes as Harry walked across the common room to the group of seventh year girls Katie was sitting with.
"Thanks for backing me up."
"Of course." Ron smiled at her again, blue eyes bright.
"You're going to do great in the match. You've gotten much better this year and you were already good before. You just have to believe in yourself. I do."
His freckled face flushed with color and he glanced down, smiling wide. "Yeah, well… it helps knowing you're watching."
His blue eyes met hers again and she felt a slight shiver of awkwardness. But then again, she had told him she just wanted to be friends and he had respected that. He hadn't tried anything else with her and for the most part, treated her the same way as he had before. Well… maybe a little nicer, but she wasn't complaining about that.
"What else am I going to do rather than watch my best friend win the house cup?" She tried to sound cheerful.
Ron's face tightened. "Matches are a good time to sneak off if you need to. Harry said Malfoy hasn't been at any all year and Godric knows what he's up to these days."
Her heart gave an extra thump.
"You're still seeing him?"
"What?" Hermione whispered, barely able to breathe.
"Your… someone," Ron clarified. "I know you said it's not my business and I'm not trying to pry," he held up his hands in surrender. "But I just thought… maybe after the match, if you wanted, we could… walk down to the Lake or… something."
She closed her book in her lap and placed a shaky hand on top of it.
"Ron-"
"Why won't you tell me who he is?" Ron rounded on her.
She was temporarily thrown off by his change in demeanor.
"Do you think I'll make fun of you? Because with Krum it was different. First of all we were kids, secondly, I mean, come on," he broke another smile. "It was Krum."
"Ronald!"
He moved to the edge of his seat. "The only thing I can think of is you don't want me to know who it is because… I know him."
Hermione bit her lip.
"I've racked my brain and for the life of me I can't figure out who. I even asked Lavender if-"
"You're talking to Lavender again?" she snapped.
"Not like that," Ron placed his hand on her knee. "I just asked her if you had mentioned anything to her or Parvati and she said some crazy shit, but-"
"What? What did she say about me?" Something roared up in her and begged to be let out to go scratch Lavender's eyes out.
"She said you…" Ron looked uncomfortable. "But… no. You'd never."
Oh God. Oh God oh God oh God.
"But if you'd just tell me who it is, I could stop freaking out about this."
Oh dear God!
"I told you before-"
"Erm, Hermione? Can I talk to you?" Ginny appeared at her shoulder and sounded nervous. She was uncharacteristically dancing on her toes and twirling a lock of her long copper hair.
Hermione closed her book and jumped up from her seat, displacing Ron's hand. "Yeah, sure." She didn't waste any time following Ginny.
As soon as they were past the couch, Ginny took Hermione's hand and led her quickly into a far corner. Hermione glanced back and saw Ron looking confused and worried.
"I'm going to tell you something very strange and then I want you to explain it to me."
Hermione's stomach flipped over half a dozen times. What did Ginny know? Could she have heard something? Seen something? Did Harry mention anything to her? A million scenarios rushed through her head, but all she could do in response was nod.
"Blaise Zabini just stopped me in the hall. He was asking for you." Ginny's light brown eyes stayed locked on hers. "Hermione," She asked calmly. "Why is Blaise Zabini looking for you?"
The rightful answer was she didn't know, but Hermione was clever enough to make an educated guess. Draco. It had to be because of Draco.
She knew she had to answer and soon. Ginny's placidity would not last; she was a Weasley too, after all. Hermione swallowed and opened her mouth. No words came out.
"Is-" Ginny pursed her lips. "Is he the one you've been…?" She raised her eyebrows.
Hermione's eyes went wide. "No. No!" She shook her head violently, big curls falling over her shoulders. "There's nothing going on with Blaise and I."
Ginny sighed in relief. "Thank Godric. I was worried there for a moment."
Hermione tasted something sour. If she only knew…
"I knew it was crazy, but… he was just so insistent. I told him you wouldn't care what he had to say and he just kept saying you would if he could just talk to you. Any idea what he's on about?"
Hermione bit her lip. It must have been bad for Zabini to come and try and find her. Very bad. Had Draco done something? Why had he sent his friend instead of looking for her himself? Was something wrong with him?
"Probably something for Potions." Her mouth was dry and her palms damp.
"Is Slughorn planning on killing him?" she laughed. "Because the way he made it seem, it's a life or death situation."
A sick, cold feeling spread through Hermione. "Where was he?"
"On the fifth floor. I ran into him on my way up. You're not seriously going to help him, are you?"
She had to. She couldn't sit in here when Draco was out there doing… whatever he was doing that was bad enough that Zabini came looking for her. Did it have anything to do with what he was doing in the Room of Requirement? No… he was on the fifth floor, not seventh.
There was still so much they needed to talk about from the other night, but he had seemed fine the past few days. A little tired, maybe and… grouchy, but that was normal for Draco.
"Help who?"
Ron appeared beside them and dread filled Hermione. How was she going to get out of here now?
"Just helping someone out with some Potions homework." She shrugged, trying to play it off and hoped that Ron didn't notice the desperation seeping from her. Draco had spied into her mind, she should be furious with him and… maybe she was, but she also couldn't ignore it if he sent someone to fetch her.
"Ernie?"
"No, Zabini." Ginny answered for her.
The blue of Ron's eyes shone wildly and she could see the outrage rising up in him.
"Ron, it's not-"
"Zabini?!"
"Ron-"
"You bloody well tell me right now it's not Zabini or I'm going to-"
"Lower your voice!" Hermione hissed at him. Ron glared at her, jaw clenched. "And no, for your information, there is nothing," She glanced between Ron and Ginny, driving the point home. "Going on between me and Zabini. At all. End of story. So you can calm down, Ronald, because if you snap at me one more time that's it!"
He looked a little taken aback by her harshness, but was still too worked up to back down completely.
He glanced over at his sister. "Ginny, can you give us a moment?" She looked at Hermione then nodded, backing away from them with a few looks over her shoulder. Ron, thankfully, waited until she was out of earshot before rounding on Hermione again. "You're not going out there at this time of night to meet a damn Slytherin."
"You can't tell me what to do." Hermione crossed her arms.
Ron glared at her again. "I can't. Just like you can't stop me from coming with you if you do."
Good Godric, would she ever be able to get out of here?!
"I don't need you to take care of me!" Hermione snapped, letting her frustration come through her voice.
"You need to get your head on straight. Why would you want to help a Slytherin anyways?"
"Ronald, if you don't stop questioning every one of my decisions then I'll cut you out of them entirely!" Hermione whispered fiercely at him and she felt a wave of heated irritation come off him. "Now get out of my way and stay there."
Hermione pushed past him and was out of the portrait hole before he could stop her. She made her way quickly to the fifth floor and looked around nervously, biting her lip and fiddling with her wand, trying to catch a glimpse of Zabini.
It was taking longer than she anticipated and Hermione was worried that she had missed him. Maybe he had left already. Should she try and check the dungeons or keep looking here? Was it too late? Was Draco okay? Her blood pumped into her head, carrying too many questions in and not enough answers out.
"Granger!" Zabini appeared around a door and Hermione jumped.
Blaise Zabini's dark eyes were watching her carefully and it was clear that he was uncomfortable with his current predicament.
Hermione did not have the luxury of feeling awkward and rushed towards the slightly open door. "What's going on?"
He eyed her again. "Why don't you tell me?" She had gotten used to Malfoy's arrogant attitude, but she didn't appreciate it from Zabini right now.
She glared at him. "I didn't come all the way down here to answer your questions. Now where is he?"
Zabini's lips twisted into a knowing smirk. "So it is you."
"What's me?" She snapped, her annoyance growing by the second.
"His… girl." Zabini smirked at her and opened the door the rest of the way. The classroom was a mess. Broken chairs lay across the room, scorch marks from turned over torches marked the floor, and overturned tables created a maze to a pale slumped figure at the far corner, holding a bottle.
Hermione's mouth opened as she stared up at him. She could try and deny it, say she had no idea what he was talking about, but she knew her expression had already betrayed her and she couldn't just walk away from Draco when he was like this. Her heart wouldn't let her.
"He got drunk tonight. Obviously," He led her further into the room, stepping on broken glass and scattered papers. "And very violent. I tried to stop him, calm him down or something, but," He stopped and glanced down at her. "He wasn't making sense. He kept saying your name, like, sounding it out."
Hermione glanced up at Blaise.
"Her-mio-ne," he quoted and her heart jumped into her throat. She turned back to the slumped figure on the far side of the room. He said her name. He got drunk to do it, but… he said her name.
She couldn't stop staring at him. On closer inspection she saw the bottle was almost empty and his hands were bloody. Something had happened that pushed him far enough to drink again. Her heart went out to him. She knew he was hurting, but he had been doing better, hadn't he? Hadn't things changed? Of course they had. So why had he turned back to fire whisky instead of her?
"I'll… I'll handle this." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. Draco dropped his head down to his chest. He was so drunk he didn't even realize she was here.
"Are you sure?" Zabini asked with raised eyebrows. "He's not easy to deal with when he's like this."
"I can deal with him. I've done it before."
"I can't believe it's you. I mean, I can, because," Blaise waved his hand in front of her. "But… Merlin, Granger, I thought he hated you. The way he went on about his girl… and you're so…"
"What? A know it all?" Hermione snarled, but inwardly beamed. He told his friends about her? "Yeah. I am. Which means I probably know more curses than you and all your little friends put together. So breathe a word of this to anyone, and I'll use them all on you."
Zabini looked taken aback for a moment. "Well," he blew out a low breath. "I can see the compatibility between the two of you now."
Hermione let her Gryffindor courage surge up in her and gave him a nasty sneer before she stalked past him, picking her way through the wreckage of the room until she got to Draco.
She knelt down at his side and reached out a hand before thinking better of it than to touch him right now. She looked back and saw Zabini closing the door behind him as he left.
"Granger-er?" His voice was raspy and he slurred her name heavily, adding in a few extra syllables.
"Yeah, I'm here," She said softly. His lids hung heavily over bloodshot eyes and she could smell the alcohol all over him. His shirt was partly unbuttoned and had stains from where he had spilled the whisky on himself. There was dust on his black trousers and his hair was an absolute mess, sticking in wrong directions.
"What… What are you…" He breathed heavily.
"Why are you drinking?" She asked, making sure to keep her voice clear of judgment. There wasn't any point to it at the moment, he was too far gone for any of her reprimanding to stick.
Draco didn't answer. Her question seemed to remind him that he had a bottle and he brought it back up to mouth. Hermione reached out, placing her hand over his on it and pushed it back down. She could feel the broken skin of his knuckles and the warmth of the wounds there. "I don't think you need to drink anymore."
Draco jerked his hand away from her and with great effort lifted his face to hers. "What do I need then, huh? You?" His other hand landed heavily on her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. "Need… you."
"Draco-"
"You…" His words came slow and heavy. "You're going to hate me."
"I'm not happy with you, but I don't hate you." She tried to push his hand off of her shoulder but he latched it onto the back of her neck.
Drunk Malfoy was dangerous. He said things, did things that he wouldn't normally do sober and that was saying a lot. He had destroyed this room. The last thing she wanted to talk about right now was their situation, especially after what they had almost said the other night. She didn't want to have that conversation with him right now and she didn't really want to hear what his liquored up brain thought about it either.
"You love me?" Draco leaned closer to her and she choked on the smell of whisky on his breath. Hermione tensed at the question. His hand was heavy on her, holding her in place. "Love me." It wasn't a question this time, but an order.
"Stop."
"No."
Draco pushed her back, landing on her heavily.
"Stop it!" Hermione pushed against him and shoved him to the side, wiggling out from under him.
Draco rolled over and took a swallow from the bottle. "Can never..." he was breathing heavily and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Trust me. You can never love… someone like me."
"I think you have that the wrong way around." Hermione was annoyed. With him and with herself. She had told him she wouldn't come around him if he was drunk and here she was, trying to take care of him when he was worse off than she'd ever seen him.
"Yeah…" Draco murmured and tried to push himself up into a sitting position. After a few attempts that had him falling back down on the floor he sighed. "I'm on the wrong side."
He took another drink, the fire whisky sloshing around in the bottle as he turned it up.
"Give me the bottle, Draco."
"No." Draco pulled it away from her as she reached for it. His unfocused eyes gleamed. "What will you give me for it?"
Hermione straightened her skirt out over her legs and curled them under her. "What do you want?"
"Show me your tits." His grin was slow and sloppy.
"No." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"Pussy?"
"No."
"Then leave." He drank again.
She had half a mind to do just that. Let him sit here and drink himself sick, but… she rubbed her forehead. She couldn't leave him like this and she had sent Zabini away already.
"I'm not going to leave you."
He had been so sluggish so far she was surprised by how quickly he struck. His cupped her cheek, brushing his fingers over it so softly it made her gasp. "So sweet. So good to me. My good girl…"
"Yes," She took in an uneasy breath. "So be good for me, and let's get you back to your common room."
"Don't want to go there." He shook his head.
"Well you can't stay here. If anyone finds you here, you'll have detention for the rest of the year."
"Stay with me." His hand fell down her arm to grab hers. She looked down briefly and saw the blood smeared over his pale skin.
"You can't stay here," she repeated. He wasn't even listening to her.
He pulled his hand away from her and lifted the bottle again. "It doesn't matter."
"What doesn't matter?" Hermione pressed him. "Why did you drink tonight?"
Draco's rain grey eyes were unfocused as he pulled himself a little closer to her. He grabbed her thigh and tried to push her skirt up.
"Draco, stop-"
"Let me touch it." His voice was ragged and he pushed her skirt up farther as she tried to pull his hand off of her, the blood on his hands still warm.
"No. Let go of me."
His eyes met hers and she glimpsed a moment of clarity in them. "That would be better. For me to just… just let go. Let you go…" He was slurring his speech heavily and it took a moment for Hermione to figure out exactly what he was trying to say.
"Just my leg."
"My leg," He repeated and ran his hand back down her thigh. "Mine."
It stopped at her knee and he took a deep breath. "Why are you drinking, Draco?" She asked again. If she was going to have to take care of him, he was at least going to answer that question.
"Can't let go," He mumbled, but did not lift his hand from her knee.
"It's fine there," She conceded. He looked back up at her, his expression taunt and strained, as if he was trying to say something he shouldn't, or, trying not to.
"I want you."
"I told you, I won't tolerate you when you're like this."
"Please."
The one word sent a shard of shock straight into her heart.
Pain shone in his silver eyes and she felt it's heavy weight pulling on her heartstrings. Yes, he was drunk and honestly she didn't want anything to do with him when he was in this condition, but… she did want him. Want him to be okay. Want him to not be alone.
"Give me the bottle."
He looked down at the bottle in his hand for a long moment, considering it, then handed it over to her. Hermione accepted it, shocked at how easy it was for him to give it up. She placed it as far away as she could, leaning over to make sure it was out of his reach when she felt his hands land on her body and pull her back.
He was on top of her, his whisky breath fanning out over her face and his weight bearing down on her.
"Draco-"
"Shh," He said softly. "Don't… speak." He was slurring again. "Don't say anything. Don't stop me."
Something tightened in her chest. She should make him get off of her. She should end this. He wasn't in his right mind and he was unstable when he drank. Dangerous. Desperate.
"I need this. I need," He pulled at her skirt. "You."
He tasted like fire whisky and she fought against the urge to turn her head to escape from his kiss as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, flooding it with the sickly sweet taste. She didn't want him like this and she was still sore from the other day, but… She wanted her Draco, not this drunken mess.
He ran his hands down to her waist and fumbled with his trousers. It was wrong. More wrong than the night in the bathroom. He had invaded her mind the last time they had… and now he was trying to invade her again. Why wasn't she stopping him?
"Make you come," he breathed out, words heavy with whisky. "Come… with me."
He grabbed one of her breasts, squeezing it hard until she gasped.
"Come with me," his breath was heavy in her ear. His lips brushed against hers. "Be together."
He ground his hips into her, pushing his knee in between her legs to part them.
"Draco… I don't want-"
"Please," he breathed out. "Don't stop me."
Hermione winced as his weight fell on her. Draco got her legs open and quickly placed himself in between them.
His mouth found hers, kissing her hungrily, but his lips were sloppy and slid over her with none of their normal control.
Hermione pushed her hands into his shoulders, trying to lift him up but he was too heavy. He dragged his mouth over her cheek, running his tongue around her ear. She turned her head, trying to pull away from him.
"Stop…"
"I can't. I've tried. This… only way." He was slurring his words again.
"Draco-"
"I'll make it quick, Sweetheart," His hand moved down her body. "Painless." No… she didn't want- "For him."
Him?
She tried to make sense of what he was saying, but couldn't. Him? Who was him? She thought he was talking about sex, but… Oh no… he was going to hurt someone. Who? Is that why he was drinking? Did he not want to hurt them?
"Draco, don't," Hermione said softly. She pushed against his shoulders again and this time felt him relent.
He gave a frustrated groan and pulled himself off of her. "Can't fucking do it."
Hermione gathered herself up, pulling her legs up around her and glanced over to Draco who had hung his head in his hands, gripping his pale blond hair and pulling it.
"It's… okay," she said softly.
"Can't…" he was breathing heavily again, as if he couldn't catch his breath and leaned his back against the wall again. "Can't love you…" Hermione's eyes went wide. "And lie to you."
Love? Lie? What was he lying to her about? The Legimency? The Room of Requirement?
He looked over at her, silver eyes big and full like the moon, whites tinged with red. "I didn't mean to… got carried away."
"You stopped." Hermione reached her hand out to his.
Draco recoiled. "No. I didn't."
He wasn't making any sense and he wasn't explaining himself at all, but she had the distinct impression he wasn't talking about her. Who was he going to hurt? What had he gotten carried away with? What couldn't he do?
Draco reached for the bottle again and snagged it before she could stop him. He turned it up and began downing the rest of it as quickly as he could.
"Stop!" Hermione cried and threw herself on him, trying to wrestle it from him. He sucked down a few mouthfuls before she was able to tear it away from him. Hermione tumbled back, spilling the few ounces that Draco was not able to poison himself with over her chest.
She tossed the bottle to the side. It didn't break, but it clattered loudly before it rolled to a stop. She pulled herself away from him and sat back up, just in time to see Draco vomit all over himself.
The smell hit her, sour bile and sweet whisky invaded her nostrils. She covered her face, trying to keep it out, but couldn't stop it. Draco groaned and his hands fell to the floor, smacking loudly on the stones there. His head rolled over his shoulder and fell to his chest, a thin dribble of saliva dripping from his lips down to his shirt, stained with the alcohol and vomit.
She reached for him, pushing him back up as he began to tilt over, eyes closing. "Draco," Hermione pushed him back against the wall he had been leaning against. "Draco, you have to wake up." He slumped against her hands, his shirt wet under her palms.
Hermione steeled herself and lifted his face up, giving his head a small shake as she repeated for him to wake up. Draco's eyes fluttered a little and he groaned again, but it appeared that the whisky had taken hold of him and wasn't letting go.
"We have to get you cleaned up," She ordered, using the same tone she did when she told Ron and Harry to finish their homework before heading off the Quidditch practice. "We can't stay here. Draco- Get up!"
He groaned and lifted his hands only to have them fall again. She recognized the movement as him trying to push himself up, but his body wasn't working with him anymore. She took a large breath and pushed him upright again.
"I'm going to charm you, okay?" She said slowly. "I'm going to levitate you."
Draco made a weak noise of protest, but she ignored it. Wiping her hands on her ruined shirt, Hermione pulled out her wand and with a swish and a flick, Draco's limp form lifted into the air. She gently guided it over the broken chairs, upturned table legs, and scattered debris he had left on the floor. Opening the door, she checked the corridor and blessedly, it was empty.
She moved quickly towards the prefect's bath, the closest place she could think of to get him cleaned up. Maybe a cold bath would sober him up enough that he could get back to the Slytherin dormitory tonight and if not… well, she'd worry about how Ron would take her staying out all night again later, right now she was focused on Draco.
A very drunk Draco.
Anger burned in her and she did her best to ignore it. He had promised that he would stop drinking. She had told him that she wouldn't have anything to do with him when he was drunk, yet here she was, sneaking him through the corridor to wash vomit off of him. It was at that moment that she realized her anger was directed equally at herself as it was him.
The prefect's bathroom was large with a locker room and several different rooms with various types of tubs in them. Hermione selected the one with a shallow pool, thinking it would be quickest to submerge him instead of trying to clean it all off. She tapped the faucets and checked the temperature of the water as Draco lay on the floor next to her. She wanted it to be cool, but not cold.
When she deemed it a good level Hermione kicked off her shoes and kneeled next to Draco.
"Draco, can you hear me?"
"Hmm."
"I'm going to put you in the bath now, okay?"
"Where…" He mumbled. "Where are we?" His eyes opened slightly.
"The prefect's bath," Hermione explained.
"No…" He groaned and pulled his arms around himself.
"Yes," She said in the same tone as before. "You got sick on yourself and now I have to clean you up."
"Not… here," He forced out, as if it took great effort to speak.
"Where else do you expect me to get all this off you? Now, come on-"
"No… You…" He tightened his arm around himself. "Can't see…"
"Yes, I can see you, Draco," She said, exasperated. She was done with his drunken babble. They were going to have a very serious conversation in the morning; she didn't care how hung over he was going to be. "Now, come on."
Hermione pulled him to the edge and lowered him into the water. Draco moaned as the cool water lapped over him and Hermione sat down, fully clothed in the water with him. She could dry her clothes after and thought it might be best to keep a couple extra layers between them. The low temperature made goosebumps rise up on her skin above the water and she dipped more of herself under, where it was strangely warmer.
Draco began to stir a little and she leaned him back against the side of the bath, splashing some water onto his face and cleaning it off. She rubbed his hands and watched little trails of red spiral away into the bath water. His head rested on the edge of the pool, cheek pressed into the hard floor and soft breaths passed in and out of his open mouth.
This is exactly what she didn't want to happen; for Draco to think it was okay for him to act like this and she would just put up with it. But he had been clearly upset over something and too drunk to talk about it by the time she had shown up so taking care of him was the only way she could- could what, exactly? Show him she cared? He wouldn't remember this in the morning.
Hermione's hand fell from his chest where she was trying to clean off his shirt. She went over the things he had mumbled and let slip. It didn't add up… she couldn't figure out what he was talking about. What hadn't he stopped? What was he lying about? She glanced down at his sleeping face and brushed a few stands of his white blond hair back. What was he hiding in there?
He smacked his lips and she couldn't help but smile a little, then catching herself, stopped. Yes, she had feelings for him, but no, that did not mean she had to like him right now. But… she did. The warmth in her chest grew as she brushed her fingers against his cool cheek.
The truth was colder than the bath water as it settled over her. He was aggravating, he was awful, he was… someone important in her life and she wanted him to be a part of it. Whatever he was going through, she wanted to go through it with him. That's why she was here. Because just like her, these feelings weren't going anywhere.
They would still have a conversation about this in the morning, but tonight she wanted to get him cleaned up and taken care of. Sighing, Hermione began to unbutton his shirt.
Draco made another small noise as she started to pull it off his shoulders. He tried to lift his head, but couldn't. His mouth hung open and his eyes remained closed.
"It's okay, Draco, I just need to get this off of-"
The water turned to ice. Everything turned to ice. Hermione's heart froze and stopped beating.
She had pulled his shirt off of his arm. She had never seen his whole arm before. The skin was deathly pale and long blue veins ran up it, bulging out a little over his bicep. But that wasn't what she was staring at.
What Hermione could not tear her eyes away from, was the branded open-mouthed skull with a snake slithering down the pale flesh of his left forearm.
xx, Ik.
