CONTEST WINNER THIS CHAPTER: Super-Zelda-Fanatic recommended the song, "The Right Kind of Wrong" by Leann Rimes for Draco & Hermione this go around. It perfectly reflects Hermione's thoughts here. So, this chapter is dedicated to Super-Zelda Fanatic - congratulations! Lyrics for that song appear at the bottom of this chapter. Hope you'll find this song somehow and give it a listen.
Chapter 1.0 - 2015: Thank you again so much to Unseenlibrarian for the beta work!
Revision 2.0 - 8 April, 2018
CHAPTER FIVE (#2): Draco & Hermione
Hermione could feel the negatively charged atmosphere the moment she stepped into the private suite and was, quite frankly, vexed by it.
Just who did Malfoy think he was, trying to shame her for a relationship with Teddy Nott that a.) was none of his business, b.) was in the past, and c.) was really none of his business. Despite the fact she'd shared with him some not-so-minor information about her personal, intimate experiences two rounds earlier, that didn't mean that she now owed him any explanations, excuses, or apologies for any part of her life!
Simply put, her and Teddy didn't concern him at all.
Full stop.
And that glaring fact wasn't suddenly negated by the news that Malfoy appeared to have fancied her for a few years, either. Regardless of how he felt about her, none of that gave him rights to her past, present, or future confidences. Anything she did or didn't choose to share with him was at her discretion, not his.
The end.
Speaking of the ferret, where was he, she wondered. She looked around but saw neither hide nor hair of him. However, as there was only the one piece of furniture in their private room at the present moment—the sofa—and it was turned to face the fireplace and away from the door, it was a simple matter of deduction to work out where he had gone: obviously, he was lying down on the couch, sulking.
Well, she wasn't going to indulge him his prissy fit.
Willing a floor-to-ceiling window into life against the far wall, she made her way over to the glass in silence.
She'd wait him out. Eventually, he'd have to speak to her. Besides, staring out onto the world gave her time to gather her thoughts, too.
The truth was she was wand-shy of becoming emotionally invested in the too-handsome blond who was her partner. Physical pleasure she didn't mind sharing with Draco, for she could admit to serious lust for Slytherin's Prince. Giving away pieces of her heart to the boy who had tormented her for years, however? For that, it would take more than a nice dinner, two massages, some good kisses, and a melting orgasm.
Also, there was the issue of the cards...
If the game, itself, was manipulating the players somehow, she was determined not to fall under its sway. Her emotions were her own to give away or not as she chose and she refused to become a victim of magical influence in the game of love.
While she contemplated the riddle of the cards, she took in the view outside. Before her, illuminated by the nearly-full moon, was the lake. Its gently lapping waves sparkled like small, white stars upon a black velvet backdrop, beckoning the unsuspecting.
The thought made her shudder; she pitied anyone foolish enough to go for a midnight swim in those waters, as she knew that beneath their surface, there were things in the lake that were just as likely to eat you as do the backstroke with you.
In the far distance, to the left of the lake, the boat docks met Carriage Lane, which circled the shoreline. Down that winding, well-trod path, at the far end, sat Hogsmeade's train depot and the village itself, and beyond that lay the menacing stretch of the Forbidden Forest.
In the other direction, to her right, the stone and iron-wrought walls surrounding the whole of the grounds glowed with the faint bluish-white aura of the school's protective wards. They stood out like an enchanted scar marring the green splendor of the Scottish highlands.
As she panned the horizon, noting its familiar terrain and landmarks, she realised how deeply she loved this place. Hogwarts had served as her haven for seven of her most impressionable years. Yet, as of next weekend, she would leave it all behind to begin her journey towards the rest of her life.
Rather than excited, the idea made her decidedly glum.
Draco suddenly appeared over her shoulder, and to her astonishment, his warm arms slid around her waist from behind to give her a comforting hug. "I'm going to miss it here, too," he admitted softly in her ear, his silvery gaze connecting with hers in the glass. "It's been my home in a way my parents' house never was or can be. It's going to pain me having to leave a little over seven days from now."
A lump of emotion gathered in her throat and to her horror, tears wavered in her eyes. How had he known? It was as if he'd reached right inside of her and pulled her thoughts from her.
"Me, too," she admitted, feeling the hot spill of tears down her cheeks. "I didn't think…it would hurt so much to say goodbye."
To her utter surprise, Draco pulled her deeper into the cradle of his body, as if to reassure her. "We're all grown up now, Hermione. It's time to let go of our childhood and become adults. Time to be free to discover who we really are and what we want out of life." His lips pressed against her fast-beating pulse. "Don't you want that?"
Well, of course, she wanted that, but…
Wait just a moment! How was it possible for him to touch her like this without her permission? Didn't the cards prevent any action except when required by a card?
A low growl rumbled through Draco's chest. She felt its vibrations against her back. "You're thinking too hard again, Granger," he teased. "I can smell the smoke."
Her breath hitched as his hands began tickling her hips and as his lips slid over the shell of her ear and kept going, skimming over her throat. "You don't find it odd that…you can touch me without permission?" she gasped, right as he nipped the skin over her pulse. "I thought…we couldn't act…oh!…without the cards' consent?"
Draco paused, seeming to consider that question, then shrugged. "I'd mentally already given you permission to do whatever you wanted to me for the entirety of the game, Granger. I did that the moment I drew your name."
His mouth returned to caressing her sensitive skin, angling around her halter top to reach places that made her dizzy with delight.
"But, I didn't return the sentiment," she argued, reaching back with her free hand to grasp his thigh. He bit her harder over the spot where her shoulder curved and she dug her nails into his slacks and moaned with growing desire. "Until…just this second."
He licked slowly up the length of her neck to her lobe, taking the delicate bit of flesh between his lips and teeth and lightly sucking. "Is that so?" he hummed while nibbling upon her delicate earlobe. "Anything I want?" Those long, pale fingers of his moved to gently capture her hands and began tickling the insides of her wrists with his thumbs, even as she felt the press of his erection persuasively charm its way into the crease of her backside. "Would you let me make love to you? Right now?"
Hermione's mind was mystified by her partner's expert handling. His touches were electric, his voice sinfully enticing. A lesser woman would have been easily seduced by him at that moment.
She, however, had promised herself never to be an easy mark again after Charlie…
Pulling herself with great reluctance from her seducer's arms, she moved quickly away from the window, giving herself space to regain control of the situation. Snogging Malfoy, heavy petting, perhaps even a bit more with tongues, lips, and hands was one thing, but shagging… That was quite a different matter altogether. Hermione was still on the fence about the idea when it came to this wizard, her worries stemming from the fact that she didn't want to be ridiculed by Draco come Monday morning if he reverted to his previous modus operandi. She wasn't sure she could bear being mocked or laughed at by him after sharing something so intimate.
Forcing her breathing and heart rate to return to something approaching normal took a concerted effort, especially when she could feel a pair of lusty, grey eyes burning into her very core from across the room. It took several minutes to manage her energies correctly before she felt she could turn and face him.
He was leaning one shoulder against the window, his arms crossed and his attention fully upon her. Looking luscious enough to eat, of course.
"We should play our cards before time runs out," she attempted for calm, coherent…sane. Lifting her Deeds action card, she read it aloud to him:
DEED: Lick and touch your partner's naked chest.
Malfoy didn't reply right away, so she looked up, trying to gauge his mood. His face was as hard and cold as alabaster marble.
"You're absolutely right, Granger," he said with a bite to his tone. "Let's just get this game over with, shall we?"
What had she done this time to get his hackles up? Had denying him the right to shag her angered him? Well, if it had, then she was glad she hadn't given in! No man who cared a whit about a woman would push her for sex! Teddy had done that to her once upon a time, and she'd learned her lesson but good with him. Never again would she be bullied into doing anything sexual with a man!
She glared at her partner in displeasure. "Well, then, what does your card say?"
With a prickly attitude, he lifted his card to read it. As she waited to hear what fate had in store for her, Hermione dropped her own card onto the mantle of the fireplace nearby.
DEED: Your partner must do a seductive striptease for you.
Everything in her mind seemed to shut down, with only one thought rolling over and over in her mind: she wasn't wearing a bra! And her dress was rather simple to remove: unclasp the halter, unzip from the sway of her back, slide down and voila!
Holy hell.
"Since I drew first, that means you get to entertain me to start," he announced, tossing his card casually away and walking back to the couch, taking a seat and crossing his legs and hands. "So get to stripping, princess, and make it good."
Hermione blinked in confusion, and then her self-respect felt the proper level of umbrage for the situation, snapping her out of her stupor. "Do you always treat women who tell you 'no' like they're trash for not giving you what you want, or am I a special dispensation because of our charming past history?"
He glared at her. "And the manner in which you simply dismissed me wasn't equally as offensive?"
That gave her pause.
Well, yes, he had a point. She had walked away from him in the middle of his seduction. That would have been a blow to his ego, she supposed.
Still...
"I suppose, however, that I could just write off what you did as straight-up disinterest," he continued. "Obviously, your affection lies elsewhere."
Ah, so they'd come to it at last.
It seemed they were going to have to address the elephant in the room before moving on, otherwise one of them would have to forfeit, and she knew that would only end in a screaming match that would wreck whatever equilibrium and good will they'd managed to find during this game.
Plus, Draco would probably never kiss her again. Which, she decided, would be a waste as she'd discovered she'd rather enjoyed is mouth, especially when it was preoccupied with the worshiping of hers.
Still, she didn't owe him an explanation.
Really, she didn't.
She held up a palm to stop him from saying any more, deciding to save herself a headache (and the loss of his lips) in the long run. "First, understand that whatever Teddy or I did or didn't do, it's none of your business. I'm only going to divulge the truth to you to move past this hump and get back to the game. Got it? Good. Second, let me just clarify your implied meaning: you think I rejected having sex with you a few minutes ago because I'm infatuated with your best friend?"
One golden eyebrow rose. "His name is Theo, not Teddy."
It struck her then what was really going on with her partner.
"You're jealous!"
At her accusation, his jaw clenched and his lids narrowed in warning, but she noticed he didn't actually deny it.
That knocked the wind right out of her sails. The idea that Malfoy would care enough about her to be in such a bad way truly astounded her. Yes, she'd finally accepted that he'd desired her for much longer than tonight, but she honestly hadn't believed those feelings to be so serious that he would actually be openly resentful of her exes. Yet right now, he was looking as green as the last apple on the tree!
Rather than experiencing the pleasure of schadenfreude, however, Hermione found that she was strangely flattered—enough to soften her irritation with him, anyway. "Draco..." She sighed. "Teddy Nott is no contender for my hand."
"Theodore," he insisted, refusing to allow her to use the more intimate nickname for his friend. "Have you fucked him?" His tone was venomous.
And her hackles went right back up.
"That is absolutely none of your business! How you dare you even ask me such a thing, anyway! Who do you think you are?" As he visibly seemed to struggle to get his anger under control, she pointed a menacing finger at him and drew the line, refusing to back down as this was non-negotiable as far as she was concerned. "Now you listen here, Draco Malfoy: you are not my owner or my god, and even if you were either of those things, I'd still owe you no explanations as to my decisions in this life! My truths and secrets are my own to keep, and I share them as I want, with whomever I want, in whatever fashion I want. That's called 'free will' and I choose to exercise it!"
Filled to the brim now with righteousness and fury, she began pacing back and forth, sure she was burning holes in the flooring where her heels tread. "You and this sodding game will not intimidate me into giving up something I don't want to share," she snarled at him, chest heaving, blood pumping, and heart aching. She turned on him again and glared at him. "And for the record, I am with you tonight, playing this foolish game because I decided to be, not because you want me to be. I chose to be here, and I choose to continue to be until I have a reason to want to leave. Give me that reason and I'm gone, and sod all this ridiculous game! Are we clear?"
It seemed that last had finally struck a chord, burrowing through her partner's insane envy and shutting down his pomposity long enough for him to become rational again, because as he sat in silence and listened to her ultimatum, he scrutinized her every move and seemed to ruminate upon her words.
When he finally replied, he was infinitely calmer and his tone was even conciliatory. "You're right. I was out of line and disrespectful. I apologise."
"You do?"
There was a part of her that mistrusted such an easy concession, especially from someone like Malfoy, but she had to admit that he did look sincere...
"I do," he replied with a small bow of his head.
"Just like that?" she asked, still wary.
"I know when I'm in the wrong, Granger."
"Are you sorry?"
"I apologised, didn't I?"
"But are you really sorry or was it merely an admittance of misbehaviour to calm me down?"
"Can't it be both?"
"Fine," she grudgingly accepted his apology, tuckered out by the whole subject, honestly. "But don't think forgiveness means forgetting."
"With your brain, I wouldn't dream of it."
Was he mocking her mind, now, too?
She frowned at him, thinking how much she'd like to squash him like a bug right then.
Draco kept his expression carefully neutral as if he knew he'd pulled the tiger's tail one time too many.
"You're the most irritating man on the planet," she growled at him.
"Only for you, love." He shifted in his seat, uncrossing and then recrossing his legs. "Would you consider answering my question now if I phrased it in a more polite manner?"
God, the man was like a Crup with a bone! She threw her hands up in the air. "Why would it even matter if I had sex with Teddy or not?"
He stared at his knees, his brow creased as if he was troubled by the question. "Wouldn't you want to know if I'd fucked Ginny Weasley or Finnigan's witch?"
Her immediate retort of, 'no' died a quick death on her lips before it could be spoken aloud as a resounding and unexpected, 'yes' followed hot on its heels and echoed around in her head like a bad prayer.
Good god, she would want to know, wouldn't she?
Lord knew why, but she would.
"But I told you my personal history last round," she reminded him, dodging that uncomfortable question. "You know I've only had two partners."
"You could have perjured," he pointed out. "After all, you lied about the sixteen-hour sex marathon with the Dragon Tamer, and the cards didn't stop you then."
She considered that point carefully. He was right; the cards hadn't stopped her from fibbing last round, so it made sense that he would have doubts about anything else she might have told him tonight... "Be that as it may, I assure you I didn't lie, Draco," she reiterated. "I've never had sexual intercourse with Theodore Nott. Though not for lack of trying on his part."
He stared at her in silence for a bit, and slowly the hard edges around him softened as he accepted her at her word this time.
Perhaps the use of Teddy's real and full name had also contributed to his grudging acceptance, as she was making it clear that she and Nott were not on good terms.
She sighed, ran a careful hand through her hair. How had everything turned around on her so that suddenly she felt the need to explain herself to her ferrety, git partner? Hadn't she just resolved earlier not to tell him too much for fear he'd use anything she said against her? So, why now did she care that, for reasons she didn't at all understand, she'd somehow hurt his feelings by initially refusing to answer his inappropriate and rudely-demanded question?
Glancing at him again, she felt her own sharp feelings begin to mollify. It was hard to stay angry at him when he looked so boyishly sullen and confused, she had to admit.
With a resigned sigh, she crossed over to the sofa and took a seat next to her partner. "It's quite a ridiculous story, but since it seems to bother you so much… In our sixth year, during the Valentine's House parties, Theo and I ran into each other at Hufflepuff's bash and began talking. By the end of the night, we'd kissed. He started pursuing me after that, and we'd arranged to meet at various places throughout the castle for the next two weeks so we could be alone to get to know each other better."
She felt the blush creeping up her face; knew Draco was measuring her carefully and undoubtedly observed it, too.
"There wasn't a lot of talking, however," she admitted. "Things never strayed below the belt, but the snogging was a bit...intense. He kept pushing for more, though. He wanted to get into my knickers, but I told him repeatedly that I wasn't ready for that sort of thing." She cleared her throat, feeling the heat in her cheeks like twin burning flames. "Honestly, that was the furthest I'd gone at that point in my life, and I was very doubtful of his intentions when he started badgering me for more than I was comfortable giving. At the end of the two weeks, when he realized I wasn't going to sleep with him, he just...moved on. He didn't even break it off formally with me when he started seeing other girls."
Biting her lip, she could still recall the hollow feeling in her belly the day she'd caught him crawling all over a female Ravenclaw student in one of the darkened nooks on the third floor. She'd never felt so used in all her life. She'd been so angry at allowing herself to be put in that position in the first place, in fact, that her wand had suddenly been in her hand and the jinx had left her mouth before she could recall it.
"I was so angry at him, you see‒"
"What spell did you use?" he asked, intuitively understanding her unspoken confession.
"Melofors."
Malfoy's mouth turned up and then he outright grinned like a fox. "Vicious."
"Well, he was acting very pumpkin-headed then," she argued. "Served him right to look it, too!"
Her partner chuckled. "My respect for you is massive right now, you realise."
Another sigh escaped her lips as the seriousness of what she'd done was followed by a whole heap of regret. "Thank you, but the fact of the matter is the entire incident left me feeling used and stupid. I've gone out of my way to avoid Ted...Theo ever since, because, honestly, I'm embarrassed by the whole thing. I let myself fall into such a cliché trap and by a boy with an already-established bad reputation, and then I'd been hurt by what should have been an obvious conclusion. It was all very foolish of me." Risking a glance at Malfoy, she let him see how truly embarrassed she was by the experience, hoping he wouldn't laugh at her for it. "It was last year, but apparently Theo is still angry about it, and worse, he seems mad at me now for finding my sexuality finally and not including him in the fun."
Draco narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Yet you admitted earlier tonight to fantasizing about him and getting yourself off to the thought, so I take it your feelings for him haven't fully waned?"
She shrugged. "Well, he is rather handsome for a prat, but just because I'm attracted to someone doesn't mean it's a good idea to go down that road with them. Theo's not good for me. We don't work. And I don't fancy being the losing side-character in a romance novel: heartbroken by dangerous fascination."
Malfoy was quiet for a bit, so she risked another glance at him out of the corner of her eye.
"Is that how you see me, too?" he asked rather bluntly. "Am I just another 'Theo' to you?"
She wasn't sure what prompted her to admit it aloud, but unexpectedly words that were best left unspoken were dislodged from her mouth as if she had no control over them. "No, but you're definitely the most perilous preoccupation I've ever had. It frightens me how much I'm aroused by you, and on so many levels."
As if her confession had rekindled his interest in her, his lids lowered, and his eyes gleamed silvery with renewed lust. The atmosphere between them changed again, reclaiming its provocative mood. Hermione felt her attraction for him once again bloom into life, pulling her back into his warm, promising circle. It was as if she couldn't help herself when she swayed closer to him.
Draco reached for her. His thumb rubbed her bottom lip as the back of his hand caressed her cheek. "What if I were to tell you that you're my greatest weakness, too?"
Her breath hitched and her blood began pounding in her ears. "I thought Malfoys didn't have an Achilles' heel."
"You've been my one vulnerability since our fourth year, beautiful. I thought I made that abundantly clear." His eyes fixated on her lips. "Do you need a reminder?"
"I think I might," she whispered, suddenly desperate to have this entire disagreement forgotten in favour of his kiss. "A rather powerful one, if you don't mind."
"Not at all."
In a quick move, he was tipping her back into the sofa cushions, leaning over her, his mouth sealed to hers with an undeniable passion. He kissed her hard, and she responded enthusiastically as if she had no control whatsoever over her body. She moaned as he thrust his tongue into her, pushed her hands into his hair and pulled him on top of her. When he dropped his hips to press intimately against hers, the hard ridge of his arousal was heavy and thick, resting between her thighs.
God, he felt good lying over her like this, and his kiss...she could willingly die in it if she allowed herself such folly.
And it was a kind of madness that had come over her right then, a lunacy brought on by the moon's sway no doubt. Or so she told herself, for the taste and feel of Draco was pure night magic, and it seduced her into insensibility. Velvet touches against her skin ignited burning, silver stars behind her eyelids, and the taste of him was smooth, red wine that tempted her heart into all manner of sin.
He kissed a path across the bottom of her jaw and down her throat, pausing over her pulse to suckle gently. "Yes," she hissed as he nipped and turned her head to give him full access. He laved over the spot like a great cat marking its territory and then sunk his teeth into the soft flesh. She jerked in his arms and held him tighter to her, whimpering. "Yes, more!"
He growled then with satisfaction, a deep resonate sound that seemed to come from deep within his chest.
The sound jolted Hermione out of the sensual haze, made her realise just how close she was to tearing off her clothes and letting him shag her into the couch. "Wait, wait!" She struggled to put some distance between them, but Malfoy seemed unwilling to let go of his hold upon her throat. "Draco, please, I need air!"
His mouth released her and then he sat up on his elbows, blinking away his own muzzy-head. "What's wrong? Am I crushing you?"
"I... It's too fast."
He seemed confused by that statement.
"I mean I'm in danger of losing my mind here and doing something rash," she tried again, feeding his ego at the same time so he wouldn't feel the rejection so keenly this time.
That he seemed to understand. His expression relaxed and he gave her a charming smile. "Getting to you, am I?"
She gave him a flat stare. "Don't let it go to either of your heads."
He grinned at her bawdiness, and then pushed himself off to sit back on his knees. He offered her his hand to help her up and she took it. "Come, my princess, let's do our cards and keep your virtue intact a little longer," he suggested with a wicked laugh.
She smacked him lightly on his arm, but let that crack pass.
"I want to do mine first," he told her.
His card, what had it been again?
As she suddenly remembered, all the blood drained from her face.
"Oh."
A seductive striptease.
"I'd rather do mine," she quickly countered.
Kissing his bare chest. She could easily do that without losing control. Sure.
Malfoy stared at her for a moment, clearly contemplating how eager she was not to do his card. "Shall we leave it to chance then?" he asked and reached up to pull off one of the necklaces he was wearing. On the end of it was a coin that had been drilled in the middle. He undid the knot of the leather cord and took the coin off, then held it up to her. "Heads, my card first. Tails, yours."
He offered it to her to perform the flip. She took it and let it ride, flicking it into the air.
It landed on the carpet, heads up.
"Best two out of three?" she attempted to negotiate.
Why not? It usually worked on Ron or Harry...
Malfoy laughed at her.
She glared at him.
Right, no diplomacy possible with entitled, ungentlemanly Slytherins.
She'd have to remember that for future reference.
"How about instead I won't make you dance for me," he conceded with a serpent's smile. "In fact, we'll do your strip-tease together and neither of us will move from these positions on the sofa."
She glanced at how they were currently both kneeling, doubting the plan.
"How would that even work without one of us falling onto the floor?"
"I'll show you." He reached up and toyed with the halter collar of her dress. "Tilt your head forward so I can loosen this."
Resigned to her fate, Hermione did as he asked. With nimble fingers, Malfoy quickly unbuttoned the clasp and drew the halter down. He leaned back only a little, enough for him to be able to look upon her. "Put your hands over mine and direct me."
She did what he wanted and applied gentle pressure to his wrists. The silken fabric of her dress slowly lowered until the dusky edge of her areola came into view. Her breathing increased and she began to tremble as it slipped and a nipple on one side was revealed.
Draco paused, resisting her tugging on him to keep going. She just wanted to just get it over with as quickly as possible. Didn't he understand that?
"Breathe, relax," he murmured, locking eyes with her. "Show me your courage."
She tried to do what he wanted as the dress slipped down to her waist, and fell past her hips to gather at her knees, reminding herself over and over again that she was Gryffindor and that she'd vowed before this game had begun tonight that nothing would frighten her so much that she'd cry 'enough'. The truth was, however, being stripped almost completely bare by this wizard scared her at levels that had more to do with emotional vulnerability and less with actual physical terror. She could face a three-headed dog right now with less of a panicked feeling.
Looking into Draco's eyes helped. He didn't look away to peek; he firmly kept his gaze on hers the entire time. It was as if the revealing of her body was a secondary objective for him, with the more important goal of seeing if she would really do it.
I dare you to trust me, his eyes seemed to say.
"I'm trying," she whispered.
"I know."
She reached for him, placing her hand above his heart. Under her palm, she could feel how fast the organ raced and knew he was equally as nervous and anticipatory as she was right then.
"May I look at you?"
His question asked so softly, so sincerely, left her breathless.
"Y-yes."
Draco licked his lips and let his attention drop down her mostly-nude form. She watched his eyes heat with lust and widen with awe, and felt both a bit embarrassed and prideful at the same time. "Fuck, you are so beautiful," he told her.
"I'm average," she reminded him of the truth.
"You're exquisite," he countered. "Better than any of my fantasies." He played with the ribbons on the side of her lace and satin panties. They were tied in bows, that once loosened, would allow the set to fall to her knees as well. He seemed to know it, too. "Do you want me to take these down, too?"
That brought her up short. "You're asking? But it's your card."
He glanced up at her again. "You made it clear that I don't respect you the way I should. I don't want to do that anymore, and I don't want to make you angry again either. So, if you're not ready to show me everything, I can wait."
She blinked, taken aback.
By god, he meant it, didn't he? Something she'd said to him had actually penetrated and hit its mark!
"I'm trying, too," he told her.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making a decision. Courage, she reminded herself. "Thank you for that. And I want you to know that I want to say yes, but honestly, I'd rather slow down a bit and let you first get to know these a little better." Clasping his hands, she guided them up her body to cup her breasts.
"Bloody hell, yes," he swore as he thumbed both tender nipples and then gently pinched them until they rose to hard, swollen points. Hermione's eyes closed and she arched into his touch in a silent plea for more. "I've been dying to touch you like this all night," he confessed in a ragged whisper just before he lowered his head and wrapped his lips around one pink bud, drawing it deep into the hot, wet cavern of his mouth.
Hermione's head began to spin. That quickly, and the need rose within her again, even stronger than before. She dug her nails into his shoulders, seeking an anchor, desperate to both draw him closer and to escape his hold.
How was it Draco Malfoy could make her feel as no other man had?
Why him?
"Draco...!" she cried out as he captured the other eager, rosy tip between his teeth and nibbled upon it. A hungry growl escaped him, and wicked heat shot through her at the possessive sound, curling her toes, driving her back towards the infernal fire that tested her womanly resolve. She fought to breathe as his tongue lashed the small, perky flesh, and she jerked wildly in his arms as his lips strongly sucked upon it.
She couldn't... She shouldn't...
More, want more!
She tossed her head back with a lusty shout as he gently kneaded and plumped her breasts. All the while, her soft, curly hair slid across her spine as her head swayed back and forth creating an erotic tickle that drove her on towards madness and ignited a sexual frenzy within her blood.
With both hands she gripped Draco's soft hair in a tight clasp, scratching her nails across his skull in a silent demand. She felt mindless from the pleasure he gave her, desperate for him to unite them. It was as if both magic and lust had been perfectly blended together and thrust into her body until it burned with a need so intense, she would die if he didn't come into her right then and there. She thrust her hips against his, felt the rigid length of his cock through his pants, and rubbed over it, whimpering in frustration at the barriers that stood between her core and his sex.
With impatience and eagerness, Draco tore himself away from her and reached for the hem of his shirt. With a quick pull, he had it up and over his head, then he tossed it to the floor.
Oh, dashed!
'Stunning' didn't adequately describe how beautiful Malfoy's body was without its clothes. He was literally built like a Greek statue: sleek, muscular, with a nice athletic shape. "You're..." Her mouth couldn't form the words to adequately express her thoughts as the temptation to touch him proved too much for her to resist. "Oh."
Draco groaned as she smoothed her hands over his hot flesh and teased the small, dusky-coloured nipples into prominence. He unconsciously flexed against her palms, allowing her to trace the tight ridges of his abdomen.
"Kiss me," he begged.
Glancing up from her exploration, she reconsidered his reddened mouth.
"Not there," he whispered the naughty enticement, following her thought. He took hold of the back of her head and directed her towards his chest. "Here."
She groaned, following his direction without protest. Latching onto one small nipple, she sucked it generously between her lips. Malfoy's breath hitched. Spurred on by his reaction, she licked over the small, flat disc like it was a sugar-coated lolly and he was her favourite treat.
"Hell, yes," he groaned twining his fingers through her hair and palming her skull to hold her in place. "Your card requires it, so kiss me, beautiful girl. Kiss me hard, leave your mark on me."
She did as bade, and when he finally let her up for air, she preened a bit at the delicious purple love bite she'd given him right over his heart.
Malfoy was literally quaking now with repressed hunger. "I want your mouth all over me."
Stretching her mouth to his throat, she placed warm, wet kisses to the skin over his pulse. "Here?"
He moaned and turned his head to give her full access. "Yes."
Obliging him was an enjoyable task, she found as she left another love bite upon him. He shook and jerked in her arms as she nipped him under the jaw, and then licked her way around to the other side of his throat to give it equal attention. "Here, too?"
"Please."
Her lips curled against his ear. "Polite at last. Now I know the trick."
He tweaked her nipple, making her gasp. "Don't get smart with me."
"Never," she told him with a grin.
He huffed. "Always so mouthy."
She licked an erotic pattern down his abdomen. "But it seems you like my mouth so very much."
He groaned and plucked her little bud again. "Fuck, but I do!" His hips rolled and he thrust the bulge of his erection towards her. "I'd love it more it took care of me better."
She traced his navel with the tip of her tongue, feeling decidedly adventurous and wicked all of the sudden. "You mean here?"
"Keep going."
Kissing to the edge of his soft, cotton trousers, her chin brushed against his straining length in passing. His body gave a little jolt and he held his breath as she hovered.
"Dare you," he whispered in a voice as dark and seductive as midnight.
Never dare a Gryffindor.
Leaning forward, she mouthed the head of him through his pants, blowing a stream of hot air against him at the same moment. His fingers tightened in her hair and he hissed in pleasure.
"Sod the game," he growled. "Suck me right now and I'm yours forever."
With a wicked laugh, she pulled away, extricating his fingers from her curls with a gentle tug. Having regained much of her lost control over the past few minutes, she felt the calm that came with knowing she had such power over this man that he would risk offering her such a reckless thing.
Men will say anything in the heat of the moment to get what they want from you, a little voice whispered in the back of her head.
In her experience and observations, she'd found the preponderance of evidence to suggest that such a thing was mostly true. And she'd heard enough rumours about Malfoy over the years to think he wasn't that much different from others of his gender in that regard, either.
And yet...
"Do you like this?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms once more and simply held her. Her bare chest pressing against the heat and strength of his had her shivering with want. "Do you like the way I make you feel, my Granger?"
Hermione toyed with his soft, platinum hair again, enjoying the silken glide of his mane through her fingers. "Yes," she sighed in resigned contentment. "I like this, like you, too much, I fear."
"Me, too," he admitted, his low voice entrancing. "Am I pushing you too fast, though, like Theo?"
How did she feel about what they'd done so far? She pursed her lips. "No, I don't feel like you pushed me into anything this round. If anything, I wonder if I pushed you too hard." Her cheeks felt hot with mortification. "I...I don't usually lose control like that."
Under her ear, his chest rumbled with his soft laughter. "So you admit you're affected by me."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's difficult not to be," she emphasized with a suffering sigh. "You excel at getting under my skin."
His warm palms traced evocative patterns across the width of her back. "And in arousing it."
"Mmm, that, too."
"Does that mean you'll suck my prick now?"
She glanced up in shock at such unexpected bawdiness.
He grinned down at her and wiggled his eyebrows.
"You're impossible." She gave him a withering glare.
Undaunted, Draco bent his head and quickly pressed a kiss to her lips. "Maybe next round."
The couch unexpectedly widened underneath her and she fell back onto her rump on the expanded cushion with a surprised, 'oof!' Draco lay down next to her and indicated that she was to lie against him, in his arms.
"Now that we've done our cards, we have a few minutes to cool down," he told her as she wiggled into position, lying with her cheek pressed to his chest. His arms came around her and he snuggled her close. "We can just lie here and talk, if you want."
Her breasts crushed to his side, Hermione found to her amazement that their bodies were a natural fit. They were the perfect heights for each other, their curves locking in like puzzle pieces. Against her, her partner felt so very right.
"This feels right," he said, once more echoing aloud her thoughts. "We fit well together."
"You don't sound surprised," she noted.
"I'm not. I always knew we would."
She let that strange comment lie between them, not daring to break the silence, enjoying the sound of Draco's heart beating steadily under her ear, and the feel of his chest rising rhythmically, strongly in time with hers.
They stayed that way for several minutes before his soft whisper against her temple woke her from the lull. "I'm going to ask you something that's going to blow your knee socks off, Granger, so I want you to prepare yourself." His free hand had roamed up her spine lazily to entangle itself in her hair, and with a gentle pull, he forced her to meet his gaze. "Are you ready?"
Swallowing the thick lump of nerves that had suddenly lodged itself in her throat, Hermione gave a small nod of her head.
He stared down at her with steely regard. "I want you to know that this isn't something I'm offering just because of what we've done tonight. I've been thinking about it long before this game. I just want to establish that up-front."
Hermione blinked in confusion. "All right."
He nodded, seemed intent upon his course of action, and yet it was clear by how tense he'd gone against her that he was as nervous as she about what came next. "I have a business proposition for you."
Her spine stiffened. "A business proposition?"
"Yes."
Her heart lurched and her stomach fell.
As if he knew what she was suddenly reading into those words, he tsked and rolled his eyes. "Not that kind of business, Granger. I wouldn't dare ask you to be my mistress. You'd eat my balls for breakfast for the insult alone."
Internally, she saluted his wisdom for at least understanding that much about her and relaxed, realising she'd misread the situation.
"I'm offering you a job within my company, after graduation."
An actual employment offer had just been laid at her feet, by none other than Draco Malfoy—the boy who, just seven years ago, had thought her unworthy of even being in the wizarding world.
Ironic.
"You're referring to your idea for importing plants and herbs from Asia to the Western markets, you mean?" she asked to be sure.
He nodded. "You seemed to think it a rather interesting idea."
It had been, incredibly interesting, in fact.
She roll-tapped her fingernails on his chest as she weighed the proposal in her mind. Really, what did she have to look forward to after graduation? A career for the Ministry was the 'safe' route and most assured, but it honestly didn't seem all that thrilling to her, having to politick until her tongue turned blue all so she got what she needed to do the job properly. She'd rather not have to beg people to do the right thing or toady up to them for that same purpose. And if there was one thing she'd always wanted to do, it was to meet people from different cultures, to discover the world...
"It's a good fit for your talents," he continued his sales pitch, seemingly eager to bring her into the scheme. "You'd get to use all that knowledge stored up in your brain to earn a living, you'd get to travel like you wanted, you'd be instrumental in helping schools here in the west with their educational opportunities, and you'd be helping to open doors between the European and Asian wizarding worlds."
Hermione stared up at him, noted his apprehension. Clearly, he needed her to make his plans come to fruition, and that shifted the balance of power in this negotiation in her favour.
"A fifty-fifty partnership, or forget it."
Draco clearly hadn't expected her to agree so quickly, for he seemed astounded at the no-nonsense demand. "It would have to be twenty-five percent," he countered. "Blaise is already in. He borrowed money from his father for the venture and matched my initial stake. And my mother's agreed to back the endeavor with the personal accounts she was left by her father, so she's a full partner, too."
"I have a small bit of savings I could cash out and bring to the table, but I'm not sure I could match your buy-in," Hermione admitted. "How much was it?"
Malfoy shook his head. "Your wealth is all up here." He tapped her head. "We're going to need you to identify the potentially best and most lucrative botanical and herbal stocks on which to focus our acquisitions, determine their sources, and to teach us proper etiquette for approaching and opening up market trade with foreign cultures."
Her mind whirling with the myriad of wonderful, new possibilities opening up before her as a result of Malfoy's offer, Hermione excitedly leapt into the fray head-long. "We might want to bring Neville on-board, then. Professor Sprout says he's the best student in Herbology that she's seen in her entire teaching career. Oh! And Pansy Parkinson, too." She made a small face. "We may not get along, but she's second to Neville, and she's really good in Potions, like you. And Dumbledore, we should get his buy-in. He can easily convince the Ministry as well as Beauxbatons and Durmstrang to open their programs up for corporate sponsorship-"
Her partner chuckled, placing a hand over her mouth. "So, I take it you're on-board then?" he asked the obvious.
Hermione stopped, surprised by her strong reaction. She hadn't been this excited since...well, since her second year when she'd made Polyjuice Potion right under the nose of every teacher and student in school.
Clearly, her career with the Ministry was over before it had even begun.
"Yes, definitely. I really think this could work, Draco. I think I'd love this chance!"
His smile was one of relief and pride in her for taking the chance. "We can draw up the particulars of the job title and responsibilities next week then."
"Do you have a name for the company yet?"
"Draconis Investments."
"Subtle," she dryly stated.
He grinned at her. "I thought so." His intent shifted in record time from playful to seductive, and his free hand released its hold on her hair and glided down her bare back, ending only when cupping her arse cheek and pulling her into intimate knowledge with his newly awakened arousal. "In the spirit of new beginnings, we should christen this moment, don't you think?"
As if it was a tap one could easily turn on and off within her body, sexual anticipation returned full force and left her hungry for his kiss once more. "Absolutely."
Much to Hermione's delight, Malfoy proceeded to prove to her for the next few minutes that he very much knew how to steal the breath from her. In the back of her head, she wondered if it was smart to become this involved with a future co-worker and partner, for there were surely a ton of possible pitfalls to combining sex with business. However, at that moment, she couldn't make herself care, especially when he pressed his sizable erection between her thighs and rubbed up and down.
When the chimes rang out, they both growled and grumbled in disappointment.
"Just forget the game," he whined as she pushed him off enough for her to sit up and pull her dress back into place. "Let's stay here and shag each other senseless."
Feeling frisky, as a small sadistic part of her loving to watch him beg, Hermione firmly shook her head. "Aren't you even curious about the next cards? What if they offer us an opportunity for something truly naughty?" She purposefully spoke the last in a low, sultry tone to get his interest. It succeeded; he peeked up at her from between his fingers, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. "I've read all the cards for my side, and there are some truly creative ones in there I wouldn't mind trying out."
Sitting up on one elbow, he watched her as she got to her feet and rearranged her dress so it draped properly over her once more.
"Like?"
"Well, licking food off of your body for one, or using a feather or other type of toy on you. There's even one that requires you to orally pleasure me. Any of those would be fun."
Draco's face became as eager as a little boy's at Christmas. "Well, when you say it like that…" He got up suddenly, arctic eyes twinkling with excitement, and reached for his shirt. Fitting his arms into the armholes, he pulled it over his head.
They left the room holding hands and threw each other flirtatious, saucy smiles as they neared the couches in the main area. Before he let her go to take her seat, Malfoy stepped into Hermione's personal space, brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
"Game on then," he whispered so low that only the two of them could hear.
"Bring it on," she replied and threw him a challenging smirk before moving away and sitting across from him once more.
TO BE CONTINUED...
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
On June 13, 1998, the moon was 90% visible in the sky (it had just past its full stage by three days). So, basically, it was still really bright enough for Hermione to have seen what she did out the window.
I used JKR's hand-drawn map of Hogwarts grounds to guess where Hermione might be looking out the window. The Room of Requirement is on the Seventh Floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy (where it is said to be in the novels), and I picture it being in the southwest corner (a dead end), looking out over the lake (which JKR indicates is south of the castle), down the total opposite end of the hall from Gryffindor Tower (which is on the southeast corner).
.
Musical Selection for this Chapter: "The Right Kind of Wrong" by Leann Rimes. Lyrics are as follows…
I know all about… yeah, 'bout your reputation.
And how it's bound to be a heartbreak situation.
But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time that I'm where you are.
You walk in, and my strength walks out the door.
Say my name and I can't fight it anymore.
Oh, I know, I should go,
But I need your touch just too damn much!
Loving you…
That isn't really something I should do.
I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you.
Well, I should try to be strong.
But baby you're the right kind of wrong.
Yeah, baby, you're the right kind of wrong.
It might be a mistake…A mistake I'm makin'.
But what your giving I am happy to be taking.
Cause no one's ever made me feel the way I feel when I'm in your arms.
They say you're something I should do without.
They don't know what goes on when the lights go out.
There's no way to explain
All the pleasure is worth all the pain.
Loving you…
That isn't really something I should do.
I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you.
Well, I should try to be strong.
But baby you're the right kind of wrong.
Yeah, baby, you're the right kind of wrong.
I should try to run, but I just can't seem to,
'Cause every time I run, you're the one I run to.
Can't do without what you do to me.
I don't care if I'm in too deep, yeah!
I know all about… yeah, 'bout your reputation.
And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation.
But I can't help it if I'm helpless every time that I'm where you are.
You walk in, and my strength walks out the door.
Say my name and I can't fight it anymore.
Oh, I know, I should go,
But I need your touch just too damn much!
Loving you…
That isn't really something I should do.
I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you.
Well, I should try to be strong (I should try to be strong!)
But baby you're the right kind of wrong (right kind of wrong).
Baby, you're the right kind of wrong.
Baby, you're the right kind of wrong.
Yeah, baby, you're the right kind of wrong!