2 weeks later

A Sunday morning found Hermione bent over the back of her fancy couch in her apartment. Her thin lace night gown was bunched up around her waist as Draco was heavily pounding into her from behind. Both moaning and grunting.

"Say it Granger. Tell me." Draco grunted out as he reached a hand up her stomach to roughly knead one tit and twist her nipple. She gasped at the sensation and spoke, "You….ahh.. I belong to you. All yours."

"Nobody else makes you feel like this Granger. Nobody else ever will."

"Nobody. Just you- aarrghh- just you Draco."

He roughly pulls her hair and her back arches. He spanks her loudly and her shriek turns into a moan as she comes hard. Draco pulled out and flipped her, lifting and setting her on the back of the couch and enters her from the front as she wraps her legs around him. He holds on tight to her torso and continue his rough administration while attacking her neck fervently.

"I love the sounds you make when you come. You're my perfect little slut, aren't you?"

Hermione responds through her overwhelming sensations, "I'm… your.. ahhh.. slut.. your ahhh… Draco!"

"Touch yourself" he commands

Her hand immediately slithers between them and she furiously starts rubbing herself.

Her moans are absorbed as he attacks her mouth and his pace becomes erratic. Soon enough, they both come loudly together and their bodies slump against the couch as they hold on tightly to each other.

After getting their breaths back, Draco slowly pulls out of her and kisses her lazily.

"Bath?" he asks

She nods. Too sated to speak. Or move.

He picks her up with her legs still wrapped around him as he walks towards the bathroom, kissing and licking her jaw and neck and any accessible skin.

3 weeks later

"Draco!.. I need to… aahhhh… please let me.."

Hermione is screaming through her moans as she lies on top of Draco's desk while he sits is his chair eating her out. He pinches her thigh and looks up, "We're still in the office Ms. Granger, mind your manners." He dives back with increased intensity.

"Ahhh… Mr. Malfoy.. I.. please…ahhnn…. I will rip your fucking head off if you don't let me come!...aahhhh!"

He laughs and she can feel the hum against her clit. He reaches up with a hand and harshly twists a nipple.

"And what have I told you about death threats, Granger? You're being a very bad girl today. You need to punished."

He inserts her fingers into her as her continues licking her and at this point her words are too incoherent. As he feels her to be at the edge of her orgasm he abruptly pulls away and stands. He pulls her off the table and sets her on her legs. She instinctively holds on to him to steady herself. He adjusts her dress for her and once he is sure she is steady he turns her away from him and gives her a playful smack on the ass.

"Back to work, Granger."

Hermione feels too disoriented to speak as she collects herself before turning around to see Draco casually sitting in his chair rifling through some paper.

"What?!" she shrieks

Draco just raises an eyebrow at her as his mouth quirks into an amused smile.

"You… You!"

"Yes?"

"Ugh"

She turns around, walking towards the door of his office. She stops midway and turns around.

"You are the most evil person I've ever known!", she screams and she makes to leave again.

He calls out before she leaves, "Don't let the dark lord hear you say that. I think he would be personally offended by that statement."

Another 3 weeks later

Hermione was in bed. It was almost midnight and she was lying in the dark, just about to succumb to sleep when she heard the sound of floo and then loud steps. She sat up and used her wand to lumos the room as Draco stumbled into the bedroom.

"Draco?"

He looked at her and smiled. One of those wide uninhibited smiles that had started to really warm her heart recently.

He kicked off his shoes and clumsily fell on the bed on top her. He held her around the waist, his head dropping on her breasts.

"Love your tits", he slurred.

"Draco? What are you doing here?" she asked, slightly shaking him.

"I'm here to fuck you, what else", he mumbled, his voice muffled by her nightgown

She laughed a little and ran her hands through his hair, "Yeah? Okay Mr. Malfoy, get on with it then."

"Mmmm. You're an eager little slut for me aren't you?"

"Oh yes. I am. Now please Draco, get up and fuck me," she said, unable and unwilling to hide the amusement from her voice. He was dead weight on her at this point. There was no way he was fucking anyone in this state.

Her hand fell to his shoulder. He immediately took it in his and put it back on his hair.

"Twas nice." He mumbled

She smiled at him and continued running her hands through his blonde strands.

He gave out a light moan and slurred, "My wife's a bitch…. You're nice."

Hermione faltered a bit at that admission but then continue to comb through his hair as his breathing got heavy and he passed out on top of her, holding her tightly.

One month later

"What do you think?", Draco asked. Hermione looked at him with surprise.

They were having lunch in his office, discussing a potential investment project. Hermione, at this point was very much aware of the functions of the company. She sat in meetings with Draco to take notes. And as her nature is, she paid attention. Yes, she had opinions, but she never gave them to Draco. She was a secretary, so she stuck to her job.

"Me?" she asked

"Come on, Brightest witch of her age. I'm sure you have an opinion. You do about most things." He said

"Well. Um, yeah I mean I haven't been here for long but I do have an opinion. I just didn't think you'd be interested in those."

"Are you joking? I have the great Granger brain right here in my office. You think I won't take advantage of that? Now tell me, what do you think?"

She blushed. "Well, I think if the numbers are right it is a great opportunity. But honestly, I don't really trust the numbers, they seem too good to be true. And I definitely don't trust that Wilson guy, and I'm not just saying that because he called me a mudblood during the meeting, he just seems untrustworthy in general. So, my recommendation would be to issue our own investigation on the numbers. And if the results match, we can take it from there."

Draco looked at her for a while before he spoke. "Great. That sounds like a good plan. Inform Smith, ask him to get started on it right away. I'll need a report before the weekend."

"Oh?"

Draco raised an amused eyebrow at her.

"I mean, yes… Mr Malfoy. I'll go do that."

2 weeks later

Draco and Hermione lay sweaty and exhausted on the chaise on the apartment terrace. After a particularly exhausting session, they were lounging, drinking wine, watching the sunset. Hermione was in Draco's lap, his arms wrapped around her.

She was humming lightly before she started singing softly

"Listen to the winds blow, watch the sunrise

Running in the shadows, damn your love, damn your lies

And if you don't love me now, you will never love me again

I can still hear you saying, you will never break the chain"

She looked up to see Draco watching her intently with an unreadable expression on his face. She blushed profusely and looked down.

"Sorry. It's just a song my dad used to love. It was his go-to sunset song."

"I liked it. You have a nice voice. Sing another one." He said softly and kissed her neck.

She smiled and went on to sing her favourite songs for him until the sun was set.

2 months later

Draco sat is his chair, the office was locked and silenced. Hermione sat on his lap. He had one hand under her blouse, toying with her bare breast and nipple. The other hand was under her skirt, rubbing her over her knickers.

"And I think if we….ahh… if we want it to work we need to..Draco! aahh!"

"We need to what, Granger?" He said in a husky voice as he continued stimulating her.

"We need to..oh god… we need to adopt new…new mark…fuck.."

"Tsk tsk. Language, Granger." He harshly pinched her nipple and she gasped. "Go on."

"New marketing strategy…..ahhhhhh…we…ahhh…"

"What kind of strategy?" he whispered as his tongue teased her ear and gave her goosebumps.

"focused….yeah.. on people…ugghh.. target market…ahhhh.. more focused…focus..right there…ahhhhhhhh Draco!"

She moaned his name as she came, her hand gripping his sleeve.

She panted as he righted her clothes and held her by her waist and kissed her shoulder.

"I think that's the best idea I've ever heard." He said, a little out of breath himself

She laughed and turned around to kiss him.

2 weeks later

Hermione was visiting her surrogate family at Grimmauld place. She sat with Emily as they watched the kids playing in the garden. Everyone was healthier than she had ever seen them. Well fed, well clothed. She spent a lot of the money she received from her "job" on these people. As Draco provided for her apartment, clothing and grooming, she didn't have to spend on herself much. So she spoiled the family. She didn't have much of a social life herself. Draco had been spending more and more time at her apartment recently. Between him at work, and him at home, she didn't have time for much more. Except when she visited Grimmauld.

"How is everything going with him?" asked Emily

"It's fine. He's nice. A little perverse, but nice. It's not the torture I expected it would be. And I get to take care of you guys, so I'm definitely happy about it all." She smiled at Emily.

"And you know how grateful we all are. But sometimes, I feel guilty. Thanks to the medicines you got, I feel so much better now. I think I'm ready to go back to work you know."

"Oh Emily, You don't have to sweep floors at a shady bar. If I can help it, I will not let you expose yourself to something like that. Draco obviously gives me more than enough. Let me take care of you."

"Actually, an old pureblood friend of mine from school reached out to me. Now that the stigma has died down, he thinks he will be able to hire me to work at his greenhouse. We both shared a love for herbology. He told me I can come to join him anytime I want."

"Oh Emily, that's great! Are you going to do it?"

"I think so. The money is good, but also, I'll get to follow my passion. I never imagined I will have something like this in my life again."

Hermione held her hand and smiled sadly at her.

"We survived. Things are still shit. But we've reached this point, and I think that's a big deal. Nowhere to go but up now it seems."

Emily nodded her head. "You're right. After a long time, I feel hope. And I have you to thank for helping me to this point, Hermione. But listen, I know you have savings, and I'm getting a job. As I said, the stigma is dying down. So, if you ever wanna leave this whole thing with Draco, I think you have more options now than you did 6 months ago."

One month later

"I cannot believe this, Draco"

"It's just food, Granger… stop it, stop looking at me like that."

Hermione kept on beaming at him. "It's muggle food! You got me a pizza. I cannot fucking believe you."

"Ugh. You really are insufferable. Shut up, stop smiling and finish your stupid pizza."

She stood from her chair at the dining table and quickly crossed over to him and sat on his lap to give me a chaste kiss on the lips. She looked into his eyes, still smiling, and softly said, "Thank you. It's the best birthday present I've ever got."

Draco blushed. His lips quirked and he replied, "Really? This is the best birthday you EVER got? So all your friends were indeed as terrible as I claimed they were?"

Hermione put her hands around his neck and pressed her face to his chest.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Considering the circumstances, its just really very thoughtful. And I will appreciate it, whether you like it or not."

His hands stroked her waist and her hair. "Well, Ms. Granger, I for one, can assure you that this is NOT the best birthday present you have ever received."

She looked up at him, "And how would you know that?"

"I know that because this was just a nice lunch. You still haven't seen your birthday present."

With that he stood up and took her hands, "Let me show you" he said and led her to what she knew to be an empty guest room in her apartment.

Draco opened the door and led her inside. Hermione shrieked. Draco flinched.

The room had been expanded and converted into a small library. There were rows of bookshelves filled to the brim with books. There was also a desk and chair with office supplies and at the right end of the room was a small fireplace with two comfortable armchairs pushed against the window.

Hermione's wide eyes took in the room while Draco nervously watched her reaction.

She walked around touching books and the furniture. After what felt like hours, she looked around at Draco. He smiled and softly said "Happy Birthday"

After staring him for a few moments, she ran towards him and put her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely. His grabbed her ass and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Obviously, he proceeded to strip them and fuck her against one of the bookshelves.

Later in the evening, as they lay naked and entwined on the rug in front of the fireplace, finishing the pizza and talking, she said, "You didn't have to do this Draco. Why… why did you?"

Draco looked at her intensely for a few seconds and kissed her lightly.

He shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I have too much money. And I've always wanted to fuck you in a library."

"Really? Always?"

Draco shrugged again. "And also, I'm pretty sure you must have had some wild sexual fantasies surrounded by books. I wish to fulfil them for you."

Hermione gave a mock offended expression, "Mr. Malfoy, I have no idea what you're talking about."

He kissed her and rolled them over so he was on top. He then whispered in her ear, "I am going to order a Gryffindor uniform for you. And then I'm going to tear it off you and ravish you in this very library. How does that sound, Granger?"

"Mmm. Only if you get a Slytherin uniform for yourself, Malfoy."

2 weeks later

Draco and Hermione were lying on the bed in a post-orgasm bliss. It was midnight on a Saturday. They were both naked, with Hermione curled around Draco, her face on his chest, and his arm wrapped around her. She was drawing circles on his chest with her fingers as they were engulfed in silence.

After a lot of time had passed, Draco asked her something he had been wanting to ask for a very long time. "Granger?"

"Hm?"

"Does it bother you? Sleeping with a death eater?"

"Hmm. Honestly? No."

"Really?"

"Really."

"How?"

"Well, it would have bothered me if it were any other death eater. But its you, and I don't mind sleeping with you at all."

"Why?"

She looked up to him, staring intently into his eyes. "Well, Draco, let's be honest, you're a shit death eater."

Draco looked at her for a few seconds before he started laughing and she immediately joined him.

"I am a shit death eater. You're right. If it weren't for my father being an excellent death eater, the dark lord would have killed me after the battle of Hogwarts. Now, they're just happy to keep me away, as long as I donate money to the cause. I honestly cannot complain. I don't want anything to do with the inner circle."

"Draco... have you ever killed anyone?"

"No. I don't know how, but somehow I was never required to."

"Are you happy you never had to kill someone?"

"I am. I really am."

Hermione smiled and they were engulfed in the silence again for a while before Draco broke it again. "Do you miss them?"

She did not have to ask who he was referring to. "Everyday." She replied curtly.

After another bout of silence, he spoke again. "Do you hate me for basically forcing you into this arrangement?"

She sat up and looked at him with a smile, "You are full of questions today."

"Ehh, I'm drunk.'

Hermione giggled before sliding down his body and kissing his cheek. "No. I don't hate you. I should, but I don't."

2 months later

Draco just returned from a week-long trip to Italy with his wife and parents. After they spend half an hour snogging on the couch like randy teenagers, Hermione and Draco now sat on the bed where he gave her a gift he bought for her.

He watched her hesitantly take the velvet box from him and open it. In it, was a very beautiful and very expensive emerald locket with a white gold chain. Hermione ran her fingers on the piece of jewellery with a frown on her face.

"Do you not like it?" Draco asked

She looked at him and schooled her features into a smile. "It's not that. It's really gorgeous. Thank you, Draco." And she kissed his cheek.

But he had known her well enough to read between the lines by now. He noticed the underlying sadness in her statement. So, he took the box from her, closed it and tossed it aside on the bed. He took her in his arms and kissed her lightly. He looked into her eyes and asked, "What's wrong? Tell me."

She hesitated for a long minute before responding. "I just… It really is beautiful. And it's not the first gift you have given me. But… you know what it's just a silly thing, it's nothing, please, forget –"

He cut her off with a soft tone as he said, "Hey. Tell me, please."

She reluctantly spoke, "You've never given me jewellery before. And it just…. It just reminds me of my place in your life. I'm your mistress. It just reminds me of that. And I generally don't like to think about it. That's all."

Draco kissed her before he spoke again. "And is it so bad? Being my mistress?"

Hermione sighed. "No actually. You've been wonderful to me this past year. It's just not what I wanted for myself. You know? Before the war, I had expectations from my life. This life, with you, however good it maybe, it's not the life I wanted."

Draco looked at her for a few moments before solemnly nodding and kissing her forehead. He pulled away from her and left the room.

Hermione sat on the bed and she mildly panicked. She was just being honest; she didn't want to piss him off. He's been nice to her; he's been taking care of her. Nobody ever took care of her the way he did. It had taken her by surprise, her feelings for him. She knew it was wrong on a fundamental level, he was a married death eater who was paying her to have sex with him. But when she was moaning under him, or lying over his chest at night, or even simply having dinner with him, she never thought about those things. She just enjoyed spending time with him.

She gave him a few minutes before going out into the living room. She saw him looking out the window, nursing a fire whiskey, deep in thought.

She came to his side and hugged him around his waist as he instinctively wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry" she said softly "I didn't mean to upset you."

He kissed her hair before responding, "You didn't. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

He looked down at her and smiled. He suddenly pulled away but took her hand and led her to the bedroom. He picked up the velvet box from the bed and continued leading her into the walk-in closet and sat her down on her dressing table, in front of the mirror.

As he kneeled behind her and took the necklace out of the box as he spoke softly, but with a determined voice. "The life you wanted, the life you surely deserved, I wish I could give you that… For so many years my life has been cold. I was asked to marry someone I didn't know, someone I didn't understand, someone cold and uncaring. I was starting to make my peace with it." His fingers caressed her neck and shoulders and he looked at her in the mirror. "But then you happened. And you're so warm. You're so good. You deserve so much more than I can ever give you."

He bought the necklace around her neck and spoke as he fastened the clasp behind her hair.

"My mistress. That is a label we chose when we first started our arrangement. I don't know how much it actually stands anymore. When I saw this, I thought of you- my fearless lioness. I didn't think of it as a gift for my mistress, and I don't want you to think of it as that either. What it is, is a simple token of my love for you."

He watched her through the mirror as she looked at him intently. She tilted her head slightly as she softly whispered, "Love?"

He smiled and kissed her bare shoulder before speaking in a whisper himself, "Love."