A.N. - A present for you all - I've finished the story! A thousand apologies that I forgot to update! I hope you enjoy this extra long final chapter. Warning, much mushiness ahead!

Thanks to everyone who followed and favourited this project, it gives me a happy thought when I see each one. RealRavenclaw - thanks, hope this doesn't disappoint despite the long wait!; ChrissyTRam - I do love Harry/Hermione banter :D ; GreyUnicornsRules - thank you!; Chalice13 - whoops, thanks for the reminder :) Good wishes to you too! Guest (x2) - thank you for the review :)

When Hermione arrived on Tuesday morning, only Draco was in the lab. He gave her a smile when she arrived.

'Nice flowers.'

'Thank you,' she replied.

'What for?'

'Sending them,' she answered with a smile. 'I like local wildflowers.'

'I know, I'm glad you liked them and realised they were from me – I didn't want Carla or Joan to realise.'

'Thanks for remembering. Oh, did you know Joan was at the pub on Friday?' Hermione asked.

'Hmm, no, I should have remembered about her sooner...'

'What do you mean?' Hermione asked with a furrowed brow.

Draco leaned in like he was about to share a deep secret and answered with a sardonic smile, 'Joan is my personal stalker.'

'She's what‽'

'Mm, being popping up all over the show for the last two years. The aurors won't give me a restraining order unless she is a threat and not just an annoyance… actually I think the aurors find it rather amusing.'

'She stalks you!'

'Yeah, why do you think she works for half pay just to be in this lab?'

'I didn't know she did.'

'Oh… well she does.'

'But how is that allowed that she works in the same lab as you?'

'I don't have a restraining order thanks to the auror department, so she can work wherever she pleases.'

'But—' Hermione spluttered.

'Unless she is a threat, she is around. Why do you think I still live at the Manor? No way can she get through those wards... she's tried.'

'So she just follows you?'

'And hits on me.'

'Like yesterday?' Hermione asked, feeling guilt well in her stomach as she recalled Draco's pleading face to help him out of her clutches.

'Yes.'

'Why be so nice if she is so persistent?'

'Volatile lab and potions skills, I like being in one piece.'

Hermione snorted.

'So you'll help me out next time?' he asked.

'If there is a next time, yes.'

'Oh there will be,' he promised darkly.

And in the meantime, I'll be talking to Harry about the auror department.

The door knob turned and Draco moved back to his desk.

Carla waltzed in the door. 'Morning!' she sang.

'Morning,' came Draco and Hermione's unison replies.

'I got a message from Joan just now, she is out sick for at least today.'

Hermione saw Draco's shoulders visibly relax, he caught her watching and held her eyes with his own, his eyes roving over her and darkening with lust.

Hermione felt warmth pooling low down and shifted slightly.

Carla started to work on her potion, oblivious to Hermione and Draco. Draco smirked and continued to watch her intensely.

Hermione swiftly turned to face away and start her work.

She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck and glanced over her shoulder. Draco was now at his lab table, but his eyes were watching her intently. Noticing her attention, licked his lips and rose a suggestive eyebrow, staring at her and then the table top – his meaning all too clear to Hermione on exactly what he wished to be doing.

Hermione blushed, but it didn't stop the intense arousal she felt.

Focus on the potion, only – crap – seven hours and twenty-four minutes remaining. I'm not going to think about what Draco could do with me on this table. Hermione moaned softly. No! Potion, focus on the potion… what was the potion for again?

Hermione wasn't sure how she managed it, but she succeeded in making it through the entire day under Draco's intense, suggestive eyes without caving to desire and jumping him – Carla in the room or not.

Hades, she was not looking forward to the next three days. She pondered calling in sick for only a moment, before deciding that Draco would be able to find out her address and would come to visit and be way too persuasive if they had not interruptions or supervision.

When Hermione arrived the next morning, Draco was once again already in the lab. Joan by his side fluttering her eyelashes.

'Oh Draco, you are so strong – do you work out?' Joan simpered, running her hand over his arm.

Draco smiled and stepped sideways. 'You know I only play Quidditch. How is your potion coming along?'

'Oh, I'm stuck at the moment. Would you join me for lunch, I need some of your expert advice.'

Draco grimaced and then quickly smoothed his face. 'I have other plans, but I'm sure Carla or Hermione would be able to advise you.'

Carla coughed a sound that sounded terribly close to a derisive snort of laughter.

Hermione's eyes shot to Carla and she caught the amusement twinkling in the orbs. Hermione frowned and Carla just shrugged in reply.

'I'd be happy to help you at lunch today,' Hermione offered. 'Or even now, given it is actually working time.'

Joan glared at her. 'Draco, are you sure you cannot help me, I'd be willing to return the favour in any way you wanted. I know how hard life can get when living with hovering parents.'

'Actually, Hermione probably has a better understanding of your issue, so best talk with her,' Draco promptly replied, ignoring the blatant innuendos.

'I haven't told you the issue yet.'

'Ah…' Draco sighed. 'What is the problem?'

'Well-'

Hermione ground her teeth as Joan moved into a very extensive diatribe of exactly the specifics of her work, which apparently required grabbing Draco by the shirt and tugging him over to her workstation where she pulled him over the fumes.

Sorry, Draco, I know I said I would help, but I need to prepare these moon petals for my potion and it is time sensitive… But I will talk with Harry this week and get Joan kicked to the shallow curb.

The notes Draco had been holding fell to the floor with a dull thud and he moaned.

Hermione's head snapped him and she was horrified to see him staring into Joan's eyes, dreamy expression on his face.

'Joan,' he whispered, leaning closer to his stalker. 'You are my world, the essence of my life.'

What!

Carla began coughing violently.

Hermione rushed over and grabbed Draco before his lips meet the deranged woman.

'What is wrong with him?' Hermione snarled.

'Nothing!' Joan answered in a scandalised tone. 'Just because he's interested in me doesn't mean there is anything wrong with him!'

'It does when the swift turnabout occurs after you shove his face in potion fumes. What is the potion?'

'A creation.'

'Obviously, to do what? It clearly isn't for memory restoration.'

'None of your business.'

Carla moved over then. 'It is designed to create feelings of commitment – to help build relationships between aurors… or at least that was the requirement.'

Hermione snorted as the image of Harry dopily chasing after his partner and professing his commitment while the crooks slipped out the back door jumped to mind.

'Well the fumes clearly elicit a different response, how long has she been working on this?'

'Five months – it was supposed to be a side project,' Carla replied as Draco pulled against Hermione's grip.

'Draco, can you understand me?' Hermione asked.

'Joan, make this beast stop screeching at me, I only want to hear your sweet voice.'

Hermione glared at Joan, vengeance promised in her eyes. 'Fix him.'

'There is nothing wrong with him.'

'Fix him or you will find out just how I managed to gain the title of "brightest witch of the age".'

'No.'

Hermione growled and shoved Joan aside with enough force to throw the stalker to the ground.

'You'll regret that,' she promised.

Swiftly stalking over to the emergency cupboard, Hermione grabbed a boazar from the kit.

'No!' Joan cried in despair, scrambling up and towards Draco who was moving to assist the knocked down woman.

Hermione sneered at Joan and stormed back over to Draco, yanked him down by the collar so he was her own height and shoved the stone down his throat. A quick swish of her wand had him swallowing it and a few moments later his eyes unglazed.

'Please tell me that was a nightmare,' his voice rasped.

Joan gasped.

'Sorry, very real,' Hermione answered.

Draco groaned and then straightened up. 'Joan, I suggest you take the day off.'

'No need, I feel quite well.'

'Well I do not, leave before I assume you did this on purpose.'

'I would never!' Joan cried. 'I thought you had finally come to your senses. Come out with me tonight and I will prove what you felt was real.'

Draco clenched his jaw and Carla stepped forward, taking Joan's arm and leading her from the lab. 'I really think you should go home, the potion is bound to rebound on Draco as the boazar takes full effect. I think it would be best for you to leave.'

'But-'

'No buts,' Carla answered and pulled Joan out the door. She cast a wink back at Hermione as she mouthed 'opportunity number two'.

Click.

The door closed leaving Hermione standing next to Draco.

'Erm-'

Draco smirked and swaggered closer.

'What are you doing!' Hermione squeaked as he trapped her against the table.

'You promised that you would help me next time, you didn't and I was drugged. I think you owe me for your lapse by a lapse towards the one week rule.'

He makes a good case, her mind supplied, before it immediately countered with, A week! That's all you need to wait. Hold on!

'Not going to happen.'

Draco gently brushed his fingers across her cheek and leaned forward, breath whispering on her lips.

'Are you sure?'

Hermione shuddered as she looked into his eyes that had darkened with lust.

'Yes,' she breathed shakily.

His body leaned against hers and she could feel every muscle under his robes.

'You don't sound so sure,' he whispered.

Hermione bit her lip to hold in the moan.

'You promised a week.'

'You promised to save me.'

'I did.'

'Hardly, I almost threw Joan on the table and snogged her senseless,' he replied, words seeming to caress her. 'Let me take you out to dinner.'

'Saturday.'

'Then let me take you against the table right now.'

She moaned and pushed her body against his. Somehow she managed to find her wand and with a shaky hand flicked it. Draco was gently repelled two meters away.

'Hermione,' he groaned.

'Saturday. You should go home now, Draco.'

He cast a smouldering glance at her and left, promising to have very sweet dreams while he slept off the remaining effects of the potion fumes and stone.

When he was gone and she was sure he wasn't coming back, Hermione slumped to the floor and groaned.

A few more days, that's all. I can do it! I am not such a weak fool… But why do this to myself? I'm going to date him come next week anyway!... No, I must stay strong, it's a matter of principle… I could follow him, I'm sure he hasn't gone far, or catch him at the Manor.

Lucius' knowing smirk filtered into her mind and all arousal was washed away by her remaining embarrassment.

Huh, guess I know how to handle that problem in future.

That issue solved, Hermione grabbed a quill and paper and asked Harry to have lunch with her later that day. She did after all owe Draco something after that ridiculous debacle.

Unfortunately, Harry's response didn't come back until 3pm, which meant that she spent much of her day alternatively imagining squashing Joan under her boot or pouncing on Draco the next time she saw him.

Sorry Hermione! Was on a mission.

Lunch Friday?

-H

Hermione rolled her eyes at the note, but sent back a reply agreeing to meet him then instead.

On Thursday Hermione woke flustered and dazed.

Merlin, if Draco is half as good as Dream Draco I'm in trouble.

Hermione rolled over and, brushing her hair from her warm face, sat up.

Oh Hades, this is going to make working with Draco impossible! Every time I look at him, I'll not be able to avoid imagining what we could be doing instead of working!

With a groan, she got up and walked into her lounge room.

Crookshanks sat up quickly from the corner and shuffled backwards when she entered the room. Still and watching.

'What's up Crooks?'

His tail twitched.

Looking closer, Hermione saw a feather in the edge of his mouth.

'Crooks!' Hermione scolded, rushing around to the owl window. She'd left it open and glancing around, she found a distressed owl sitting on the ceiling fan – feathers askew.

'Oh, I'm so sorry,' Hermione cried, grabbing a chair and stretching up to reach up for the owl.

It shuffled away with a morose hoot.

Hermione huffed. 'Don't do that, I can't fix you if you do that.'

She hopped down and moved the chair across. Clambering back up she reached for the owl once more.

It clicked its beak towards her fingers in warning.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and then lunged forward and grabbed the owl.

Skwark!

'Oh hush, I'm not hurting you, poor thing.'

Hermione gentle patted the owl and flicked her wand, quickly righting its feathers. She looked at the string attached to its leg and realising it was shredded. Turning, Hermione glared at her cat.

Crookshanks was mid-swipe, about to knock a small green box in front of him across the room. He froze, paw raised, and looking at her. Still watching, he smacked the box and it skittered across the room and under the sofa.

'Bad Crooks!'

The owl took off, making its escape while the cat was being scolded by the grabby lady, and Hermione immediately picked up her fluffy cat and lectured him on the importance on leaving the owls alone. When finished, she dropped him to the ground and summoned the box just as Crookshanks pounced towards it. Placing it safely on the table, she left to get her morning tea.

'No touching the box, Crooks,' Hermione called from the other room.

Crookshanks eyed the box for a moment, before turning around and stalking back to the bedroom to sleep on Hermione's warm pillow.

When Hermione returned to the table, brewing tea in hand, she smiled at the box. It didn't have a label, but she was hoping the green colour gave away the sender.

She gently pried the lid open and a note shaped as a swan flew out and unfurled in front of her.

Hermione,

'When I close my eyes, I dream of you,

your touch, your whispers, your smile,

I yearn for you by my side, your fingers tracing fire on my skin

I crave your sweet lips on mine with our tongues entwined

I want you in my arms now, tonight, tomorrow

Give yourself to me and I'll show you my all-consuming desire

Make this dream come true.'

Love,

Your secret admirer.

Hermione moaned, her vivid dreams coming back with clarity.

Maybe I should call in sick. No, he'll just send me more letters like these.

Hermione released a shuddering breath and stood. She put the note in a love poems book so if her friends did come by they wouldn't find it and then moved to the shower. She blasted herself with cold water and shrieked.

A moment later, her body temperature had dropped to appropriate work levels and quickly washing herself, pushing away thoughts of Draco helping her in the shower.

When she arrived at work, Draco wasn't there.

No one was there.

Pausing, she glanced around. A bright note was sitting on her desk. Flicking it open, she read Draco's smooth script that was becoming familiar.

Hermione,

We have headed to the department meeting – it starts at 8.30.

See you there,

Draco

The department meeting!

Hermione quickly dropped of her bag and grabbed some parchment and her quill, before darting out the door and rushing to the meeting – she only had two minutes before they started and there was no way she was letting her lust affect her career.

The meeting lasted until lunch and since Draco had been trying to avoid Joan sitting next to him, all the seats near him were full, and he was out of Hermione's eye sight, she was able to focus on the department head as he spoke about achievements, new projects, and plans for the next year.

Hermione had lunch after the meeting and by the time she returned Draco was packing up to leave for the day.

He looked up when she entered the room and a quick glanced confirmed they were alone.

Hermione gulped and Draco put his bag on his shoulder and sauntered forward, never taking his eyes from her own.

'Hello Hermione,' he drawled.

'Draco,' she replied more breathlessly than she would have liked.

Get control of yourself!

'Did you sleep well?'

Hermione felt her face flush and a smirk slid onto Draco's face.

'Good dreams?' he asked expectantly.

'They were okay.'

Draco shuffled closer, hips almost touching hers. 'Just okay, that is a shame,' he breathed, tilting his head to hers, eyes darting to her lips.

Her tongue darted out and slid over her lips, Draco's eyes followed intently. He groaned slightly before leaning backwards.

Hermione felt pride rush through her, knowing the groan was due to her and finally feeling like she had just as potent an effect on him.

Draco stepped back. 'I'll go, only because I promised to keep some distance until the week is up – but you should know that I'd really rather bend you back over the table and snog you senseless.'

'We're at work.'

'Joan and Carla are away all next week for research in Peru.'

Hermione had to bite her lip at the implication in his words.

Draco took her hand and kissed her palm firmly.

'I'll see you tomorrow,' he promised.

'I look forward to it,' Hermione answered with a small, content smile.

Draco grinned and swept out of the room.

Despite Draco's tantalising suggestion, Hermione was able to focus on her work and make good progress. She actually considered the dragon tooth Draco had mentioned as cover the day before and doing some more research realised that the right species might actually strengthen the potion she was developing – provided she balanced out the asp blood first.

On Friday morning, Hermione woke early and a smile stole across her face. It was time Draco felt some of the temptation he was throwing her way.

Jumping up, she pulled out a quill and parchment. She'd never been much of a poet, and in truth she didn't think poetry would have the same effect on Draco as it did her. A cheeky smirk spread and she penned a quick note.

To my not so secret admirer,

I thought of wearing this today, but changed my mind. Would you mind looking after this until I want to wear it?

Desiring your touch… when the week is up,

Hermione

Contemplating the short note, Hermione decided that it was in no way eloquent, but she doubted he would mind when she pulled a lace, emerald green g-string from her drawer. She spritzed the item with her perfume and wrapped the letter around them. After a quick shower, she chose a knee-length fitted dress that wouldn't accidently flick up and high heels, and headed to work. Looking forward to watching Draco try to control his desire all day.

It was only 7.30am when she arrived, far earlier than her usual start time, and when she arrived she saw Draco standing with her letter and gift in hand. Stunned.

He looked up at her entrance, eyes immediately sliding over her figure, eyes widening when he realised when had no underwear line under her dress.

'Morning Draco,' Hermione lilted cheerfully.

Draco visibly swallowed.

'Hermione.'

She smiled and bent over fully to place her bag in her lowest draw.

'Fuck,' Draco muttered under his breath.

When Hermione stood, she turned around and smiled again. Innocent eyes blinked at the blond.

'Do you like my gift?'

Draco suddenly smirked. 'Oh yes.' He twirled the g-string around his rotating finger a few times and then slid it into his trouser pocket. 'Not long now.'

'Indeed,' she whispered.

What was I thinking. I just put myself alone in the lab with that gorgeous example of a man and I'm not even wearing all my underwear! Nope, calling it – time to hide in the library.

'Well I'm off to the library, see you later,' Hermione said and then swiftly retreated from the room.

She stayed hidden in the library until it was time to see Harry at lunch. Heading to the Ministry's café, she arrived five minutes early. Useless since Harry didn't stride in until fifteen minutes later.

'Hermione!' he said cheerfully, wrapping her in a tight hug after putting his plate on the table.

'Hi Harry.'

He pulled back and frowned at her.

'Have you been sleeping okay? You have bags under your eyes.'

'Thanks, Harry,' Hermione replied sarcastically. 'I'm sleeping just fine, thank you.'

'Are you sure? You're not… erm,' Harry scratched his head, 'You're not having second thoughts about Ron and Malfoy are you?'

Hermione sighed.

'Oh Merlin, you are!'

'No! I'm not… hang on why does that concern you?'

'I'm not concerned at the thought.'

'I've know you since we were eleven – I know your tells.'

'Fine, I was concerned.'

'Why? I thought you were all for a reconciliation – not that it will be happening,' Hermione warned.

'Oh, umm, well… Oh look, there's Neville, shall we ask him to join us?'

'No we won't. Harry what are you hiding?'

'Ronmovedon.'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Care to repeat that?'

'Ron's dating again. He went out with Kristie.'

'Who?'

'Right, you've probably never met her. She never goes to Ministry events or drinks after work, actually I think it's how they met as they both work so late every day.'

'Ron's found a workaholic to date?'

'Yeah. They actually seem really happy.'

Hermione raised her eyebrow in surprise. 'How long have they been together?'

'Ahm, since Wednesday.'

'So your mission was actually just your attempt to avoid telling me about Ron? If you were helping him to move on, why be worried about telling me?'

'I was helping him realise it was over, but I never expected him to move on so fast. I thought he would realise what he had lost and mope around for months!'

Hermione smiled gratefully at her friend. 'While I'm surprised that he has moved on so fast, given he wanted to stay together and claimed to love me passionately, I'm not angry or upset. I did actually want to meet with you to discuss an issue on Wednesday.'

'An issue?' Harry asked, auror-mode switching on. 'What's wrong? No one's bothering you, are they?'

'Of course not!' Hermione replied as she rolled her eyes at Harry's protective streak. 'Someone is, however, staking Draco and the aurors refuse to do anything about it. The bloody woman follows him everywhere – she's even managed to get a job working in our lab!'

'Oh yeah, Joan! Haha, it's hilarious!'

Anger started to cloud Hermione's face.

Harry took in her face. 'You're not jealous, are you‽ Ha ha, oh Hermione, he doesn't give two tosses about Joan.'

'I'm not jealous.'

'You'd think the bloke could handle one woman – there's a pool on how long it takes until Malfoy comes back in to try and get a restraining order again! I have the longest – he is way too proud to come begging for help anytime soon. She's totally harmless though, so nothing we can do about it,' Harry chuckled, oblivious in his amusement to one of his oldest friend's fury.

Hermione's hand shot out and snatched onto Harry's collar. She yanked him forward and hissed, 'It is not funny, Harry! Your job is to protect people and this woman is stalking him! She's obsessed! Clearly there is something wrong with her.'

'Awh come on, Hermione, settle down. Like I said, Joan's harmless – she just follows him and tries to date him,' Harry placated between chuckles and he tried to pat away her hands from his shirt.

'She shoved fumes in his face on Wednesday and they induced the effect of a love potion. She drugged him with a new potion of her own creation and if Carla and I weren't there, things would have gotten physical very quickly. That would have been potion induced and thus non-consensual!'

Harry snapped upright and sobered immediately. 'What! Merlin, I'm sorry. Why weren't we notified?'

'I wanted to inform you on Wednesday, and are you sure you weren't? The aurors have been laughing it off so far.'

'Yeah, but this is serious now.'

'It was serious before. Joan is obviously mentally unwell to be doing this.'

'You're right,' Harry placated. 'I'll get the restraining order against her sorted and make sure the charms are activated, today.'

Hermione gave him a glare.

'And I'm make sure that stalking cases have the restraining order limitations reviewed.'

Hermione nodded with a smile. 'Thank you, Harry.'

'So the week deadline is almost up. I guess given your reaction just now you are going ahead with Malfoy?'

'Why wouldn't I?'

Harry shrugged. 'Wishful thinking I suppose.'

'Well you can stop wishing, it won't change anything.'

'So you're really going to sleep with him?'

Hermione raised an eyebrow and watched him for a moment. 'Do you really want me to answer that?'

'NO!'

A few heads in the café swivelled to look at them.

'No,' Harry repeated in a hushed tone. 'I most certainly do not need any hints - your blush is quite enough information. I'm leaving now, I'll see you at the Burrow on Sunday if you can drag yourself out of bed.'

Hermione waved goodbye and finished her sandwich. Walking back into the lab, she felt a sinking in her chest when she realised Draco had left for the day.

Ignoring her disappointment that he had left before making plans to meet her on the weekend, she threw herself into her work.

On a roll, Hermione stuck around until around 7 pm before finally giving the gold to the niffler, as they say, and headed home.

Tossing her work clothes on the bed, she wrapped herself in her oversized red bathrobe and ugg boots, that her parents had brought her back from Australia as apology for their strong reaction to discovering her obliviation spell.

Padding into the kitchen she opened the fridge and signed.

Draco really has turned my life upside-down. How did I forget to shop?

Flicking her wrist, the door thudded closed and she picked up her phone and dialled the local Chinese restaurant and ordered home delivery.

When the steaming delicious box of food arrived, she settled down on the sofa and placing the food in her lap, put on a movie Harry had dropped and left under the couch – Death at a Funeral.

It was hilarious – the British stars doing such an excellent job of making her laugh that Crookshanks left her side in disgust to sleep on the unmoving chair on the other side of the room.

As the credits started to roll, Hermione contemplated what to do next. While she was musing her options – watch a movie, drink some wine, visit Draco, bake something for the Burrow lunch - a knock at the door interrupted her.

Padding to the door, Hermione tucked her wand into her pocket and swung open the door.

Her eyes widened when she saw Draco casually leaning against the doorway, and twirling her g-string around his finger.

'I thought I should return your underwear.'

'How do you know my address.'

'Potter.'

'Harry gave you my address?' she asked in surprise.

'Eventually. It took a week of harassing him before I reminded him of the aurors lack of responsiveness to the Joan issue.'

'Draco, you can't blackmail an auror!'

'I didn't, I suggested,' he clarified as he stepped inside the doorway, body brushing passed hers as his arm wrapped around her waist and swivelled her against the wall. His other arm closed the door and flicking the lock. 'But that can wait, a week is up.'

Hermione glanced at the hallway clock and saw it now said 9:13 pm.

'Right on time.'

'No point in wasting time pretending. I want you and you want me. And after this morning's gift, I'm not waiting any longer,' he murmured against her neck.

His lips brushed towards her mouth and claimed her own with a satisfied groan, his tongue plundered her mouth. Not to be outdone, Hermione gave as good as she got and soon he hoisted her legs around his waist and ground her into the wall.

Hermione smirked and with wandless non-verbal magic, vanished all their clothes.

Draco's throat vibrated his approval and he quickly proceeded to shag her against the wall to the immense relief and satisfaction of them both.

After their initial lust had the edge taken off, they slowly made their way across the different surfaces in the room and their benefits, before eventually reaching the bedroom. They didn't get much sleep that night, but neither Draco or Hermione minded in the least.

At around 10.30 the next morning, Draco woke and watching Hermione for a moment with absolute contentment. Her hair was a riotous mass of unruly curls spread across the pillow and her lips had a small smile hovering on them. Smirking, Draco leaned forward and kissed her until she woke. With a moan, she opened her slowly blinking eyes and smiled sleepily at the passionate blond.

'Morning Draco.'

'Morning gorgeous.'

Hermione opened her arms and Draco rolled on top of her, taking his weight on his elbows.

'Ready for round six?'

'Mmm.'

As he leaned forward to capture her lips once more, a piercing shriek snapped them upwards.

Red hair stood in the bedroom doorway, freckled hand covering blue eyes.

'Ginny!' Hermione gasped, grabbing her sheet and pulling it up to hide her naked body.

'Acquaintance my ass – you own me retail therapy for this – thirty minutes,' Ginny demanded, before swivelling on her heel and leaving the room.

Draco glanced at Hermione and then flicked his wrist and wandlessly closed the still open door.

'You need better wards.'

'You distracted me last night before I locked the floo.'

'But it was a fantastic distraction.'

'Yes, it most certainly was,' Hermione replied with a smile.

'My wards are better.'

Spend the day shopping with a nosey Ginny or in bed with Draco – what a hard decision, Hermione mused sarcastically.

'Then what are we waiting for?'

Draco grinned and wrapping his arm around his naked girlfriend, apparated them from the apartment and into his bedroom at Malfoy Manor.

Arriving in the room, he grabbed a quill and parchment from his desk and wrote the interrupting Weasley a message. Passing it to his owl, Draco then picked Hermione up in his arms.

'Bath?'

'I wouldn't be opposed to you washing my back.'

Draco grinned and carried her to the bathroom, kicking the door closed behind him.

Ginny sat at Hermione's kitchen table, tapping her fingers impatiently as she waited for the brunette to come out of the bedroom dressed and with a juicy explanation.

An owl swooped through the window and dropped a note, immediately flying out with deft acrobatics to miss the crouching cat

Red,

Hermione is mine this weekend – you can try to persuade

her to go shopping next Saturday. Good luck with that.

Draco.

Eyes widening, Ginny jumped up and rushed into the bedroom.

Empty.

Sneaky snake, Ginny thought. Still, Hermione looked happy, so running damage control at the Burrow tomorrow will probably be good – Malfoy's obviously planning on keeping her distracted all weekend.

With a sigh of disappointment that she wouldn't get her gossip just yet, Ginny apparated home.

At least I now have an excuse to drag Hermione into the lingerie store as well, she mused with a grin that would have made a Slytherin proud.

-THE END-

A.N. - I hope you all enjoyed this story! I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a safe and healthy new year!