Chapter Thirty-Six: Second Heartbeat

Chapter title taken from the Avenged Sevenfold song.

"Let's go get that dessert, shall we?"

Just a warning, this chapter gets pretty saucy!

The Golden Snidget was a quaint restaurant, the exposed brick juxtaposed with the modern art, the patio and balcony overlooking the river, roaring through conversations as the violinists played on. An impatient Draco drummed his fingers against his side, glancing up at the clock as he adjusted his cuffs.

The clicking of heels against stone distracted him, a woman's slow steps approaching the blonde man slowly. She was wearing a sky blue knee length dress, hoop earrings that brushed her shoulders, a ring for each finger on her left hand, the charm bracelet he gave her dangling on her right wrist, and a smile that immediately connected to his, bringing their surroundings to a standstill. He stayed silent but he wasn't nervous-his heart rate had decelerated, and he drank her in as he took her hand, listening to the faint chime from the bracelet.

Rosalind removed her coat, handing it to an employee before turning to Draco, dressed in navy slacks and a white button down, his pale eyes glistening in the dim light.

"Are you going to say hi or are you going to keep staring at me like we've never met?" she laughed, the hostess leading them to their table.

"I got a bit distracted," he muttered, taking a seat opposite of her. "Your earrings could double as weapons."

"And my rings as brass knuckles," she winked, taking a look at the menu. "You better watch yourself before you end up with a black eye."

"You're less than half my size, I think I can manage," he grinned.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you," she quipped. "Can't rough up that pretty face of yours too much."

He rolled his eyes, still grinning, thumbing through the menu. "Challenge accepted." A waiter stopped by with a bottle of French wine, Draco ordering a few appetizers for them as Rosalind narrowed down her choices.

"How'd your first session go?" he asked as their oysters were served.

Her face fell. "It was hard. I cried a lot. I've never had to talk about myself like that before." She stared at her hands for a moment before glancing back at him. "Let's not talk about it-or work. It's all we ever talk about. I want us to enjoy ourselves tonight."

He placed the empty shell on a plate before grabbing a second one. "Deal. Whoever brings up work first finishes the bottle of wine in one go."

She smiled. "Deal."

Course after course of small plates were delivered to their table, along with a second bottle of wine, Rosalind beginning to slur her words, swaying to the delicate music of the piano and violins.

"Pas de deux," she said softly. "This might be my favorite piece of all time."

"Why's that?" he asked, taking another sip of wine.

"It's the sound of two people falling in love."

"Be careful love, it's still our first date."

She leaned into him, their lips inches apart. "You wouldn't be able to resist me either way." She squeezed the top of his knee, pulling away with a devious smile.

Draco let out a long, slow sigh into his wine glass, the swell in his chest intensifying. Rosalind looked back at him, reaching out her hand to his. "Let's go walk around before I fall asleep from eating all this food." They alerted their server, Rosalind frowning when Draco refused to let her touch the bill.

"Thank you for dinner," she said as they entered the cold street. "I almost don't have enough room for dessert."

"We can have dessert at my place if you'd like," he said taking her hand and interlocking his fingers with hers.

"Oh?" she said innocently. "I didn't know I was on the menu."

Draco huffed out a laugh, his breath frosting. "Cheeky tonight, aren't you?"

She merely shrugged, the corner of her mouth curling into a grin. "I'm happy."

"So am I." They approached the middle of a bridge, snow beginning to fall onto their shoulders. They locked eyes, the cold around them disappearing, Draco's hands cupping her face, staring into her eyes. Rosalind's breathing slowed as his fingers laced the hair on the back of her neck, finally tracing the side of her jaw, pulling her into a slow, passionate kiss. He deepened the kiss with his tongue, causing her to grip him closer. Just as her lips were ready for more he pulled away, still caressing the side of her face with his thumb.

"Let's go get that dessert, shall we?"

"You live very very modestly compared to your parents," she observed, hanging her coat.

"I'm only one person," he said while fixing cups of tea. "And it was an easy way to rebel against what they taught me."

"Like what?" she asked whilst blowing the steam from her tea.

"Like living in excess and considering ourselves superior to anyone not a Pureblood." He sat in the stool next to her, stirring in a lump of sugar. "My mother has softened quite a bit but I'm not sure if my father will ever truly change."

"That's why you fight so much."

He nodded. "He's bought or bullied his way through everything in his life. Most of my neighbors here are Muggles or Muggleborn and have treated me with a kindness I've never experienced before." He sipped his tea, adding another lump of sugar. "It was quite off putting realizing how I was raised. But at least I can be happy knowing I won't raise my kids the same."

"You think the world is ready for little Dracos to be running around?"

"You're right, that's an overwhelming amount of handsome at once," he grinned. "Do you want kids?"

She shrugged. "Maybe just one. Emma is like my child. She's a lot like our parents - she's sweet and kind and sees the good in everyone," she stared off into the kitchen with a pained expression. "I'm learning to be more like her."

"It's a process," he said handing her a bowl of French vanilla ice cream. They wolfed it down, Rosalind standing too quickly and almost toppling over, Draco catching her by the waist. "You alright there?"

She nodded, stepping her way onto his couch. "I don't think I'll be able to eat for a few days."

He laughed, taking a seat next to her as she placed her legs on his lap. "Same. I might be due for a nap soon."

She nodded in agreement. "I'll head home before I fall asleep."

"Or," he slid his hand across her thigh. "You could stay here."

She gave him that devious grin, sitting up so she was facing him, her breath meeting his. "Convince me."

Draco instantly pulled her mouth onto his, causing an immediate pulse between her thighs as she straddled him, thrusting her hips into his, his hand slithering the curve of her lower back to squeeze her bum.

"Merlin," he groaned. "Where have you been hiding that?"

"I could ask you the same thing about your friend here," she said in a low voice as he kissed the side of her neck, forcing her to let out a moan.

He stood, Rosalind's legs wrapped around his torso, pushing their bodies against the wall, knocking a vase over. Her mouth searched for his, his hand on the side of her thigh while her fingers gripped his platinum locks. He kissed her collarbone and back up to her neck, her dress rolled up to her waist. She turned around, ordering him to unzip her, as he revealed her lace underwear, the same shade of blue as her dress and lace bra, the indent of her nipples poking through.

"Damn, Rose," he said in a low voice, cupping her breast. "This is even better than I imagined."

She attempted to catch her breath, her disheveled curls skimming her eyelashes. "Don't stop."

"Never."

Her dress pooled to the floor along with his shirt and belt as Draco pushed one of her legs onto the edge of the dresser, the other leg stabilizing her while he breathed over her underwear, causing her to squirm. He grinned, kissing the crevice between her lower lips and upper thigh as Rosalind moaned, Draco skimming his fingers over her wet undergarments.

"I can't wait to taste you," he whispered, sliding his hand over her breasts and down her torso. He threw her underwear into the other room, burying his face between her legs, exploring her body with his tongue as she cried out his name, her back arching.

He picked her up to move her into the bedroom, letting her down gently on his bed. She wrapped her legs around his face as he continued to dive deep, her body pulsing against his mouth with every lick.

"Draco…" she moaned, clutching the sheets. "Don't stop…"

He kissed her inner thigh, sliding two fingers inside her, Rosalind letting out a sharp cry of pleasure. She opened her eyes, Draco now on the bed, one hand on her breast. She guided his hand to her throat, one of his fingers in her mouth. She whimpered as her skin soaked from ecstasy, his gaze connecting with hers. She pulled his fingers out and thrust them into her mouth, still staring at him, his grin widening. She nodded at him, helping him undress himself.

He kneeled before her, their breathing heavy. He positioned himself on top of her, ever so slowly sliding his thick member inside of her, Rosalind gasping, her face going from pained to absolute pleasure.

Draco swore, caressing her face with both of his hands, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Bloody hell, Rose," he said softly. "You feel perfect."

She nodded, staring into his stormy eyes. He kissed her gently, rolling his hips into her, deepening the kiss with his tongue, Rosalind's legs around his torso.

"Fuck, Draco," she moaned, their bodies rolling slowly in sync. She brought him closer to her, kissing the side of his head, his neck, inhaling their scent. He positioned her legs onto his shoulders, augmenting their pleasure.

"Fuuuck!" Rosalind's eyes widened in bliss, his hand caressing the underside of her jaw. She reached out to him and he held her hand, closing the gap between them, their torsos touching, their lips meeting once more. He kissed her, picking up his pace only slightly, Rosalind biting his lower lip as he continued to thrust inside her.

"Come for me," he whispered in her ear, her breathing accelerating. "I want to feel you come for me."

She whimpered, Draco kissing her once more, their kisses now slow and passionate, their bodies wrapped tightly together. Her head jerked as her back arched, climaxing, her walls gripping him like a vice, yelling out his name and obscenities in Spanish.

"Merlin-Rose-" Draco moaned simultaneously with her, his body clenching in frenzy. He dropped his weight on her, and Rosalind wrapped her legs around him. holding him close, kissing his jawline, their hearts beating at the same rate.

"Draco." She stared into his eyes, one hand holding his, the other stroking his hair. "That was incredible."

"Yes it was," he agreed, kissing her tenderly on the forehead, not wanting to move. "You were amazing."

She smiled sheepishly. "You did all the work."

"Next time it'll be your turn then," he laughed, his heart swelling. Normally after a shag he'd want to leave but this felt different-this moment couldn't be long enough.

"I'm ready whenever you are," she grinned, Draco rolling over next to her. She reached up to him to give him a sweet kiss. "I don't want this to end. I don't mean just for this," she added as he opened his mouth. "Being here with you feels...just right."

Draco smiled, his breathing still heavy. "It does." Her face had a different glow than usual, causing his heart to skip a beat. "It's easy."

Her smile widened, the creases in the corners of her eyes showing. "We definitely broke the rule of no sex on the first date."

"Fuck those rules," he laughed. "We're about to break them again." He pulled her on top of him, Rosalind leaning forward to kiss him. He slid himself back inside her, her body gushing.

Rosalind turned her body around with Draco still inside her, grabbing his ankles for leverage as she rocked her hips into him and he grabbed her ass cheeks, enjoying the view. She hopped off, grabbing his hand and pulling him onto his knees, with her on all fours, backing herself into him while he caressed the curves of her body. She arched her body, pushing him deeper, clutching the sheets and closing her eyes.

"Draco," she moaned. "You're going to make me come again-"

"Come for me, babe," he said, thrusting harder. "I want you to come for me all night."

Her face was to the side, mouth gaping in shameless desire, her eyes cracked open, locking with his. Her mouth curled into a smirk, her eyes rolling back once more as she was knocked wordlessly into bliss. She positioned herself on her back, Draco slowing their bodies down, his hand stroking her hair, his fingers touching the smooth skin on her face.

"Damn, you are beautiful," he said in a low voice. She pulled him into another kiss, drawing in their scent, their bodies rocking in unison. She held his face and stared into his eyes as he crescendoed his pace, her legs gripping his torso as he clenched in climax, once more dropping his weight onto her chest.

She laughed, their breathing unable to calm down. "That might have been better than the first time."

Draco smiled, kissing her forehead before kissing her on the mouth, leaving her breathless. He rolled over to change himself, handing her one of his shirts for her to slip into before climbing back in bed, tucking her under his arm.

She glanced up at him, his platinum hair a mess. "What's on your mind?"

"Honestly?" he said with a short laugh. "How surprisingly relaxed I am. Normally after a shag I want to go to sleep but I feel like I could stay up all night with you just laying here."

Rosalind's face beamed, her head now on his chest. "I can squeeze you into my schedule." She laughed as he rolled his eyes, kissing the top of his shoulder. "I like this. This feels good."

He eyed her, stroking her curls. "It does." He held her for a long moment, their heart rates decelerating and beating as one. Still high from their evening, they sat in bed and talked late into the night, the sunrise peeking through the window and awakening them gently. Draco slipped from under the covers, sneaking into the kitchen to make breakfast, the scent of bacon and toast enriching her nostrils. She rubbed her eyes as Draco walked into the room with a tray full of bacon, toast, and an omelette accompanied with fresh orange juice for her.

"This is thoughtful," she said taking a bite and nodding her approval. "Nice job."

He planted a kiss on her forehead. "Good morning."

"You look hungover," she observed, taking a bite of toast. "Better take some Pepper-Up Potion."

"I'm on it," he said with a sip of his tea. "I do have to head out in a bit. We overslept."

"Go," she said looking at the clock and standing to fix his tie. "I'll finish breakfast and clean up. I have a few things I need to do today."

He let out a sigh, pulling her chin and closing the gap between them for a long, tender kiss, sending her whole body into overdrive. "Stay out of trouble."

"I'm nothing but trouble," she winked, their fingers slowly sliding away from each other for one last look. He smiled, throwing Floo Powder into his fireplace, leaving her alone in his flat, still reminiscing their night with butterflies in her stomach.

"You are a sight for sore eyes."

Rosalind turned to see a tall, strapping man behind her, his silky voice booming through the bookstore.

"Blaise Zabbini," she said in greeting. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm quite the intellectual believe it or not," he said with a lift at the history book under his arm. "What're you looking for?"

She shrugged. "Something life changing. I haven't read in ages."

"In that case try this." He produced a small, leather bound book from his bag. "It's about a shepherd boy who travels to Egypt." She eyed the simple cover. "It's also about never losing hope."

"Paulo Coelho? He's a Muggle author," she responded in consternation. "I didn't think you'd read such things."

"I'm a Pureblood, not a Pureblood elitist."

"So you don't believe all that bullshit from the old folks either?"

"No," he said shaking his head. "Things changed after the war. Most of the younger generation saw first hand how ugly blood purity is. The older generation seems stuck in their ways. No amount of intellectual banter gets them to budge. They preach how we help each other out but it's on their terms. I imagine the next few decades will be much different." He sighed, leaning against a bookshelf. "I even fell in love with a Muggleborn witch once."

"What happened?"

Blaise's handsome face fell. "I wanted to propose. We got into a petty argument-I don't even remember what for-and I accidentally called her a Mudblood." He locked his tongue between his teeth. "She left me then and there. The thought of using the word hasn't crossed my mind since then."

"Wow," Rosalind said. "At least you changed, right?"

"I did," he said softly, eyeing her. "I heard about your suspension."

"You and all of London." She crossed her arms. "This is the longest I've gone without being approached."

Blaise let out a low chuckle. "Use it to your advantage. Take some time off."

"And do what?" she laughed. "I've never taken a vacation."

He pointed to The Alchemist. "Keep it. I've read it loads of times. Let me know what you think." She thanked him, and he gave her a quick nod before departing. Dr. Najjad had suggested she read something inspiring that would keep her mind going in the right direction. She flipped through the pages, a short quote standing out to her: "The secret to life, though, is to fall seven times and get up eight times."

She had fallen quite a few times in her life, this being at least six or seven, her options to either stay down or forge ahead. She flipped through the pages, leaving the bookstore and wandering the narrow cobblestone street with her nose buried in the story, a slight weight lifting from her shoulders. Upon returning home, an elegant envelope waited for her, flowery writing animating throughout the card:

You are cordially invited to the wedding celebration of Ronald Billius Weasley and Hermione Jean Granger.

So I have never written smut before and this was my first attempt - it is very different from what I normally write and I had to do some *ahem* research. I may have to re-edit at some point since it's definitely not my forte. The next chapter should be fun, it will feature Ron and Hermione's wedding. Thank you for reading! :)

Next chapter: Thnks fr th Mmrs