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**** DRACO ****

"Draco?" Hermione was on the couch beside me, her legs draped over mine. She smiled up at me and asked, "Is this okay?"

"Hmmm?" I murmured, "Is what okay?"

"This. Us. Reading quietly on a Saturday evening. We're not being boring?"

I lifted my eyes from my book and glanced towards the windows.

The rain was beating softly against the glass and the fire was crackling in the hearth. The quiet afternoon had slowly turned into evening without me even realising it, and we were completely relaxed together on her couch. It would have been the perfect opportunity to turn it into something romantic, to lay her on the rug by the fire, crawl over her and take her breath away over and over again.

But that was a line we still hadn't crossed.

I smiled absently and rubbed my hand across her calf. "I like the quiet. Quiet is good."

She traced a small circle on my arm with the tip of her finger, "Are you sure?"

I looked down at her and my heart skipped a beat. Her eyes had darkened, and I had the distinct feeling that the thoughts of being naked in front of the fire were not mine alone.

Her hand slid slowly up my chest, cupping the back of my neck and drawing me in closer. But before I had a chance to wrap my brain around her intentions, the universe had other plans, and a loud knock sounded on the door.

We both jumped, startled, bolting upright and turned to see Ginny and Pansy grinning like idiots, with their faces squashed against the glass, Blaise and Potter standing behind them.

"They're here again?" Hermione said quietly and clenched her jaw.

I squeezed her thigh and shifted from beneath her legs, "Sorry. I should have ordered them to stay away."

In the past two weeks, we'd fallen into an easy routine. During the day, I would go to work and she would enjoy the solitude. Most nights were spent together, alternating between her cottage and my house, kissing, touching, exploring, but never pushing the boundary that had been set.

But since the friend's discovery of where she was, most of our evenings were not spent entirely alone. They had been checking in on her, ensuring she was happy, ensuring they made her laugh, and ensuring there was no mention of Weasley. And I had been watching her become more and more agitated by their constant appearances. They meant well, of course they did, but they were once again beginning to drive her barmy.

And now that they were here again, she was far from pleased. And if I had read the look in her eyes correctly, I was none too pleased with them either.

She looked up at me, "I wanted to..."

Ignoring the continued knocking, I leaned down and kissed her, "I wanted to as well."

"Is it rude if we pretend we didn't see them?"

I brushed her hair behind her ear, "No. I'll happily ignore them."

She sighed, "Fuck," she whispered surprising me with her rare use of the word, "Let them in."

I strode across the room and yanked the door open, "Well, hello." I drawled, "What a pleasant surprise."

"We're not interrupting anything, are we?" Ginny asked with a sly grin.

"Actually you were," I said, plastering a fake smile on my face, "But it's been what? Almost twenty four hours since you've seen her, so please, come on in and check she's still breathing."

Potter cleared his throat, and I noted the look on his face as it dawned on him what they had just interrupted. "Ah, maybe we can come back tomorrow."

"No, no," I said stepping aside and ushering them in the door, "You don't want to waste all of that effort of apparating, so please, come in and ruin our entire evening."

They managed to look guilty as they filed past me, except for Blaise who was grinning and chuckling quietly as he punched my arm.

"Big plans huh?"

"Fucker," I mumbled and made my way back to Hermione. She slipped her legs back over mine, and while she had a smile on her face, her eyes told me she was pissed.

"So, this isn't at all awkward," Blaise said and a nervous chuckle went around the room.

"We can leave," Potter said again and Hermione simply rolled her eyes at him – yep, she was definitely pissed.

"No, it's perfectly fine that you're all here," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Like Draco said, you're here now." She looked at them all, "Why are you all here?"

"Ah," Pansy began and looked around at the others, "We just..."

"We haven't seen you in months," Ginny said lamely and then smiled, "We're doing it again, aren't we? Smothering you?"

Hermione sighed and then smiled at her, a genuine smile and some of her anger dissipated. She nodded, "Yeah, you are. But it's fine. I kind of deserve the hovering, I think."

"No, actually you don't," Blaise said getting up and crossing to the kitchen, stopping to plant a kiss her on the top of the head on his way past, "But what you do deserve gorgeous, is a shot of the finest muggle scotch ever produced."

"I don't drink scotch," She told him over her shoulder.

"Tonight you do." He brought back six glasses, placing them on the table and a bottle from Lucius' collection appeared out of thin air.

"Blaise," I warned and he shook his head.

"Fine, I'll drink scotch, and in an hour this lot" He pointed to the other three intruders, "Can drag me away, leaving you two in peace to shag each other's brains out."

I groaned and covered my face. But beside me Hermione just laughed, "We'd already be shagging if you lot hadn't shown up."

A moment of shocked silence followed her revelation.

"Shit, Granger," Blaise looked at her in awe and tilted his glass in her direction, "I might be slightly more sorry that we're here now."

Two hours later and they had finally departed. I had wanted them, quite frankly, to fuck off the second that they had arrived, but with the verbal sparring that had gone on between Hermione and Blaise, I'd had an enjoyable evening.

She had excused herself just after I'd seen them out the door, and disappeared up the stairs. I had frowned, watching after her, wondering if she simply needed some breathing space. She had managed to keep her temper in check at their surprise arrival, and had appeared to have enjoyed their company. But her unexplained exit had me baffled.

Now I was sitting on the couch, drumming my fingers on my thigh and wondering if I should head home and give her some space.

"Draco?" her voice floated down the stairs and I sat up.

"Hermione?" I tried to keep the concern out of my voice, "Is everything alright?"

"Um, yeah. They've definitely gone?" her voice wavered and I stood, preparing myself for another tearful meltdown.

I frowned, "Yeah. They've gone. Are you sure you're okay?"

There was silence.

And then there was Hermione, coming down the stairs, wearing nothing but her underwear.

I pressed my fist to my lips and murmured "Shit..."

She reached the bottom of the stairs and looked back at me, her eyes not leaving mine, "You're staring," She said.

I remained rooted to the spot, unable to form a coherent sentence. I took in the sight before me; her perfect tits hidden behind a deep red-coloured bra, the curve of her hips, the matching lace knickers, the long expanses of her legs. I wanted to reach out and run my fingers along the smooth planes of exposed skin, but for the first time in my life I was unsure.

She stepped closer, gently - almost timidly - placed her hand on my chest and smiled shyly at me, "I'm ready."

I didn't reply, couldn't reply. My voice was lost as every other sensation exploded inside me; my skin was buzzing in anticipation, my spine tingled and my cock grew rigid in my pants. I dropped my eyes to her chest, mesmerised by the swells of her breasts that were threatening to spill out of the lace that held them. I'd never been nervous with anyone before, but now that we were finally alone, and she was almost naked, I was frozen to the spot.

"Draco?" her hand slipped from my chest and I looked up at her, her eyes wide, embarrassed. "I thought you wanted..."

She took a step back and my brain finally kicked in. My hand shot out and I grabbed her arm, stepping closer, breathing her in and, cupping her face in my palms, looked in her eyes, "You surprised me. Give me a chance to catch up here."

She giggled, "Sorry. I wanted to...before...and when they finally left, I didn't want to lose my nerve."

I traced my finger across her collar bone, "You're a Gryffindor, courage is your motto, isn't it?"

She giggled again, and I grinned. For all the shit she had been through, was still so fucking sweet and adorable.

I looked at her eyes, they were dancing with delight and mischief, and suddenly my nerves disappeared and all the pent up frustration when it came to her evaporated and I simply wanted to this to be good for her. I studied her face, her high cheekbones, the endless depths of her eyes, the tiny freckles that were dotted across her nose, and finally my eyes dropped to her mouth.

Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips, and I was done for.

I kissed her several times, just slow presses to her full lips, wanting to be gentle and careful, and to let her know that I planned to take my time. She opened her mouth, pulling my bottom lip between her teeth drawing a tight growl from me.

Her palms pressed against my chest and I felt her fingers fumble with my shirt. I broke the kiss and looked down to where she was freeing my shirt buttons one by one. I looked up at her, my eyebrow raised in question.

She twisted her mouth into a shy smile, "If I'm almost naked, then you should be too."

"I have no objections to that." I told her and watched as she finished her task and then dragged my shirt over my shoulders. She tossed it across the room, and stood staring at me. I wanted to pull her against me, feel her skin against mine, but I didn't move.

Instead I let her look.

She had touched me in the days since our mutual declaration of wanting to be together, but only over my clothes. She'd still been nervous and had not yet touched my bare skin. But now, she reached out, her fingers moving slowly across my chest and moving downwards to the line of hair that started at my navel and trailed beneath the waist of my jeans.

She sucked in a breath and looked up at me, and I saw in her face the same realisation that had washed over me; this was big. This was us. This was Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger about to cross that line.

"Hi." I said quietly.

"Hi." She whispered.

I brushed her hair over her shoulder, "Nervous?"

She nodded, "A little."

"We can go as slow as you want. You're in charge here."

She nodded again and reached for my belt, unfastening it, and in probably one of the hottest things I could imagine, she bit her lip and dragged it slowly through each loop. She hesitated on the zipper, fingers fumbling, before I gently touched her wrist.

"Do you want me to help?"

She shook her head and took a steadying breath, and lowered the zipper and shoved my jeans down my legs. I kicked them away, toeing off my socks, and then stood staring at her as she reached behind her back, meeting my eyes, before unclasping her bra and sliding it from her arms.

My pulse quickened at the sight of her bare chest, her hardened nipples, her flawless skin, and my mind instantly pictured her beneath me, crying out my name as I covered her breast with my mouth, biting down on her nipple.

"Draco?" Her voice was barely a whisper, "Touch me, please."

I swallowed hard, and in yet another first for me, I hesitated. I was wrong. This wasn't big, it was monumental.

The world around me vanished and all that was left was this tiny pocket that contained me and her. Her, in all her naked glory. The her I had wanted for what seemed like an age. I wanted to be gentle, wanted to be slow, to be careful with her, but every fibre of my being was telling me to drag her to the floor and show her how good it was to simply fuck. And fuck hard.

"Draco." She whispered again, her eyes locked on mine, a tiny, reassuring smile on her lips. She took my hand and lifted it to her breast, "Touch me."

I lifted her breast, squeezing her gently, and shit, she felt so soft and lush in my hand.

She brushed her nose against mine, and echoed my words, "Are you nervous?"

"I've never been more nervous in my life."

Her hands slid up my chest and she leaned her lips against mine, "I won't break."

Her words vibrated over my lips, and all my thoughts of being gentle became blurred. A flash of heat sped down my spine, and in a second I had stepped forward and shoved her against the wall.

I squeezed her harder and bent down to suck her nipple into my mouth, scraping my teeth over the hard peak. I felt her shudder, heard her exhale a quiet moan, and winced as she dug her fingers sharply into my shoulders to steady herself.

I closed my eyes and let the taste of her skin float across my tongue as I skimmed my hands down her sides, over the curve of her arse and back up again to the sides of her breasts. I pinched one nipple while I continued to suck and bite at the other. She let out a loud groan, and I glanced up at her; her head was thrown back against the wall, her eyes closed, and her mouth open. And fuck me, if she wasn't perfection.

I leaned in and kissed her throat, asking, "Can I touch you somewhere else?"

Her voice trembling, she whispered, "Yes."

I teased my fingertips along her hip bone, and I watched as she dropped her gaze, her eyes following my hand as I slid it over her knickers and between her thighs finding her lace underwear soaked.

"Shit, Granger."

She gasped, squirming against my hand, and I looked at her. "Do you want this?" I asked, and she nodded. "Hermione, do you want this?"

"Yes," she whispered huskily, "I want this, I just…"

I paused, my finger pressing the lace of her knickers into her clit, "You just…?

Her cheeks were pink and she laughed, embarrassed, "I just like when you call me Granger."

I chuckled against her throat, dropping quick kisses along her jaw, and whispering "Granger" between each one. She jerked against my hand when I moved my fingers, brushing lightly across the tops of her thighs and back between them. "Do you like that, Granger?"

"Yes," she said and gripped my shoulders, shivering under my touch and letting out a quiet moan. "I like..."

I leaned in, pressing her against the wall, "Tell me, Granger" I said softly against her ear, "Tell me what you like."

"I..." She hiccupped, and dug her fingers deeper into my shoulders, "I've...never been...like this."

I pulled back, just enough to see her eyes. There was something there. Fear? Not fear at what we were doing, but fear of...something.

"Draco, I haven't ever been touched-"

I covered her mouth with mine, silencing her, and tamping down the white-hot anger that spiked in my chest at the thought of that arse not taking his time with her, of not worshipping the very ground she walked on. Why anyone would rush with her, chase their own pleasure before witnessing hers, was unbelievable.

I smiled and kissed her neck, her shoulder, the place directly over her heart. Her fear was her inexperience and my determination to make this perfect for her doubled. I wanted to build her up slowly and watch as she exploded repeatedly; first around my fingers, and then against my mouth, and then around my cock.

I dropped to my knees in front of her, kissing my way down her stomach, across her hips and looping my fingers into the waistband of her underwear. I paused and looked up her. She was biting her lip nervously. I placed another kiss just below her navel and slowly slid the lace down her legs.

I took a deep breath and took her in. She was bare – well, almost. A small triangle of chestnut curls lead down to the seam of her sex. I touched her lightly, brushing my fingers through the soft hair. She sucked in a breath and I looked up at her, her teeth were biting her lip again, her eyes nervous as to just what my intentions might have been.

I stood - seeing in her eyes that she wasn't ready for my mouth just yet – kissing her and I snaked my hand between us, guiding my hand slowly across her hip, her stomach, and I groaned when I slid a finger through the crease of her pussy, finding her drenched. I gently ran my fingers around her clit, down to her entrance and back up again, loving feel of her smooth skin, circling around and around, drawing gasping breaths with each pass over her clit.

And holy hell, if she wasn't getting wetter.

I brushed my nose along her jaw, "Do you like me touching you here?"

"Mmmm." She hummed and her breath hitched as I carefully slid two fingers inside her.

"Do you like my fingers here?"

She murmured a breathy "Yes," and squeezed my fingers.

"Will you come on my fingers?"

Her breath hitched and she rocked her hips, as I moved my hand faster, harder into her. I circled my thumb around her clit and a tiny, whimpering sound escaped her.

"Are you close?"

Her teeth dug into her bottom lip and she wriggled against my hand. I pressed my fingers in deeper, moving faster, tightening the circles my thumb was making and swallowing her whimpers with my mouth.

She started to lose it, her body shuddering and her whimpers became desperate and I was sure that her fingerprints would be seared into my skin. She urged me on, gasping don't stop over and over.

I stared at her face, her eyes, her mouth, watching her every reaction and I began to rock against her hip, my pulse thumping along the length of my solid cock. The soft cotton of my boxer briefs was suddenly too constricting, I wanted to feel her bare skin against my cock.

As if sensing my need, her hand sneaked between us and gripped me through my boxers, whispering my name, the tiny sound filling my chest and I groaned against her shoulder.

Her thighs trembled and she cried out, her hips jerking as her orgasm gripped my fingers and a shudder ran through her entire body. She buried her face in my neck, her breath hot and sweet against my skin. I moved my fingers inside her once, twice and at her shiver I slowly pulled my hand away, sliding my fingers along her soaked seam, and resting my hand on her hip.

"Good?" I murmured into her hair.

I heard the click of her throat as she swallowed. "Yeah," she whispered, her voice husky, "Good."

I gently pulled her from the wall, wrapping my arms around her, and nuzzled her neck. I pressed my hand gently into the curve of her lower back, and then down to her arse.

She looked up at me, her face flushed and looking more beautiful than I could have imagined, and I had to have her.

"Do you want to go back up the stairs?"

She peered over my shoulder at the fireplace and I chuckled. I kissed the juncture of her neck and shoulder, "It's like you read my mind."

I took two steps backwards, letting our arms stretch between us and allowing her to decide if this was what she really wanted. She smiled that smile I loved - the twist of her lips, the shy look as she dropped her eyes away – and then stepped towards me.

I threw some pillows from the couch onto the rug in front of the fireplace. "Lie down," I urged her softly and clenched my fist against my thigh as she lowered herself to the floor. She positioned herself on the soft rug, leaning back on the pillows, and I had to tamp down my smirk at her tightly locked together thighs.

"Let me see you." I said firmly, but she didn't move. "Granger, you came down the stairs in your underwear," I lifted my hand to my lips, flicking my tongue out to taste her orgasm on my fingers, "You came all over my hand, so I can only assume that you intended for this to happen. Now, unless you want me to put my clothes back on and go home, leaving you very unsatisfied, you'll spread your legs and let me see you."

She was looking straight at me, indecision in her eyes. I was sure that she'd never been spoken to as such when it came to sex, but the quick rise and fall of her chest let me know that she wasn't averse to it.

I reached down for my shirt, plucking it from the floor - knowing full well there was no way in hell I would leave her naked like she was. But my ploy worked.

She leaned up on her elbows and slowly, very slowly, spread her thighs, revealing herself to me and giving me a view that almost stopped my heart. She was soft and pink and her glistening arousal filled my nostrils.

Deciding to leave my boxers on for the time being, least this be over in a minute and a half, I crawled over her, taking in the smooth expanses of her pale skin. I ran my hand gently over one breast, feeling her perfect rose-coloured nipple hard against my palm. I smiled down at her and lowered myself between her hips and pressed my lips to hers, a quiet kiss, slow and gentle, as opposed to the frantic mess of just minutes ago.

I pulled back and just looked at her. "Okay?"

She nodded and I moved to kiss the hollow at the base of her throat, running my tongue along her collar bone, until I closed my mouth around her nipple. I sucked and nipped and licked at her warm skin, loving the tiny gasps and moans echoing in my ears.

I kissed my way lower; down between her breasts, across her ribs to her navel. She bucked up against me and her hand gripped my hair, halting me. I looked up at her; her eyes were wide and questioning. I smiled and nodded, gently easing her fingers from my hair.

"I want to taste you," I murmured against her skin, "Is that okay?"

She nodded quickly, and I nipped at her hip. I stroked a finger through her and pressed down hard on her clit, looking up at her when she made a strangled cry, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip.

Fuck, she's stunning, I thought, and slowly sank my finger into her. And then a deep moan reverberated from her chest when I added another finger and dropped my mouth to her pussy.

"Draco!" she gasped, her back arching and bowing of the floor.

I worked her slowly, closing my mouth over her and sucking hard, listening as she whimpered and sighed, sounds that had me clenching my stomach and telling myself not to explode there and then. Her fingers slid through my hair and she was rocking against my mouth. I glanced up at her, my mouth leaving her momentarily to kiss the curve of her hip.

"Fucking perfect," I whispered and she opened her eyes and looked down at me.

I lowered my mouth to her again, letting her watch as my tongue twisted and circled, sliding up one side of her swollen heat and back down the other. I pulled my fingers out of her, replacing them with my tongue, circling her entrance.

Her head thumped back to the floor, her hips arching into my mouth, and it felt like she would rip my hair from my head when I dipped my tongue inside her.

"Fuck," I murmured against her sweet flesh, "Fucking incredible."

She was hovering at the edge, her orgasm close, gasps of pleasure slipping from her lips and I increased the intensity, sucking harder and thrusting my fingers back inside her, pushing them deep. I curled my fingertips against her slick walls, and she cried out, contracting hard around me, her climax hitting her hard.

I moved up her body, not waiting for her to come down from her high, crashing my mouth to hers, and she moaned into my mouth as she tasted herself on my lips.

I stood quickly, shoving my boxers down my legs. She stared at me, her eyes not leaving mine, not even looking down to where my cock was standing to attention. And it took an almost Herculean effort to not to crawl over her and shove my cock inside her.

"You're staring," I said, echoing her words.

"You're perfect." She smiled and her eyes finally left mine, blazing a scorching trail across my chest, down my stomach, and finally landing on my rock hard cock. Her eyebrow arched and she dragged her bottom lip between her teeth.

I knew I was big, I'd been told on more than one occasion. But none of those times mattered anymore. The way she was looking at me made me feel like I ruled the world, and the remainder of the blood that was keeping my brain ticking over headed south, making me even harder.

"My eyes are up here," I said.

"I know," she murmured but her eyes remained where they were.

I chuckled and lowered myself between her hips, pressing my lips to hers in a quiet kiss. I positioned myself between her legs, the tip of my cock brushing against her wet flesh. But her hand on my chest stopped me.

"Draco, I need..." she was breathless, but she shoved hard at my chest.

Normally I was a control freak in bed, I liked to dominate, liked to be in charge. But this was different; I saw in her eyes what she needed and and rolled to my back, watching as she scrambled over me, her knees bracketing my hips. She gripped me in her hand, guiding me to her, and sank down slowly, taking in just the tip of my cock into her body, her eyes blinking rapidly.

She rose up, then back down again, taking more of me inside her and I couldn't stop the groan that rose in my chest and came out as a loud, guttural, guh.

I watched, fascinated, as she worked herself lower with each shift of her hips; rising up and back down, taking more and more of me into her until she finally sunk down one last time, taking me in to the hilt. I groaned; she felt fucking incredible and I felt unbelievably deep inside her. She braced her hands on my chest, and I watched, enthralled as her mouth formed an 'O' and her eyes closed. A soft, smooth sound left her lips; a sigh of pleasure, of relief.

A brief flicker of smugness swelled in my chest; the look on her face told me she wasn't used to something this big. But the feeling disappeared as soon as it came. And the realisation hit me. She'd only been with him since she left school. She'd only ever been with him. The look on her face wasn't only about the size of my dick, it was that she was experiencing something new, something different.

I gripped her hips, steadying her, letting her feel me fully inside her, stretching her. I didn't think about how tight she was, or how warm or how wet. For the first time in my life, I forgot about myself and wanted only for her to feel as much pleasure as I could give.

She exhaled and her eyes fluttered open and I smiled up at her.

"Alright?"

She nodded, "You feel..." she swallowed and closed her eyes again.

She rocked slowly, her hips pushing forward and then gently back, and I finally allowed myself to get lost in her tight, velvety heat. I reached down between us and found her clit, rubbing my thumb over it, making her breath stutter and her tongue flick out across her lip.

I couldn't take my eyes off her; she looked spectacular sitting atop me. And the look on her face let me know that the initial shock of my cock inside her had subsided. She tilted forward placing her palms on either side of my head, bending to kiss me, and I had to push every thought of bucking up into her out of my mind. She needed to control this; she needed to move at her own pace. But I needed to tell her.

"Granger, you feel so good."

She kissed me again and whispered, "So do you."

I grinned at her, unable to help myself, and squeezed her tits hard. She surprised me with a small sigh, clearly enjoying the feel of my hands on her. She kissed me again, her tongue forcing its way past my lips and taking control.

She rocked her hips again, just a tiny movement, as if experimenting at just how much she could take. I groaned at the slick slide and I gave myself to her, wanting her take complete control, and begging her take me at the same time. Shifting back, her hands once again planted on my chest and she began to move. I watched her face as something I couldn't quiet recognise at first flittered across it. It looked for all the world like she wanted to drive me to the edge in the same manner I had driven her, but wasn't quite sure how to.

She was all over the place; a staccato of thrusts and hip rolls, as if she was unsure exactly how to move on top of me. I gripped her hips, guiding her, helping her find a rhythm.

"Sorry." She whispered, "I don't know..." her breath stuttered and her fingers dug into my chest as the tip of my cock grazed that spot inside her.

"Never be sorry, just do what feels good." I told her and bucked up gently, letting her know that what she was doing was perfect.

She gasped as I hit the perfect spot again and her face changed. She gazed down at me, the darkened look she had given me on the couch hours ago had returned to her eyes. She looked ready to devour me, and I would gladly let her.

My hands dropped from her hips as she found her rhythm and began to ride me. I gripped her thighs, feeling the stretch and pull of her muscles as she moved harder and faster, chasing the pleasure she had so clearly been missing.

She paused for a split second and cried out, her inner muscles fluttering and growing tighter around me. She thrust down, riding me harder, her back arching and her eyes fluttering closed.

She let out a sharp gasp, loud and un-tethered, and a litany of curses came out as choked sounds. Her pussy gripped me tightly, and my own pleasure rolled down my spine. My balls grew tight and I willed myself to hold on, but it was an almost impossible task. She was hot and wet and so fucking tight, I could barely think straight.

She cried out again, a choking sob, and I pressed my thumb against her clit. She opened her eyes and stared wide-eyed down at me, before collapsing on me, crashing her mouth to mine and coming with a loud, shuddering groan.

I gripped her hips, planting my feet on the rug and fucked up into her, chasing my own climax. She cried out again, urging me on. Her chant of harder, faster, was a hurried whisper against my ear. Several more quick thrusts and my balls grew tighter, almost painfully so. My gut clenched and I snapped my hips up once more, groaning her name and spilling into her.

Her face was pressed against my neck, her breath was hot and heavy. My own chest was rising and falling in quick succession as I tried to catch my breath. I carded my fingers through her hair and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple.

She murmured against my skin and I laughed.

I ran my hands over her back, her skin was warm and damp with sweat, "Yes, we did just do that." I said in response to her murmured question. "And it was fucking fantastic."

She lifted her head, her face was flushed and her eyes were glazed over, and she looked amazing. "Draco, that was..."

I pulled her back down so I could kiss her, "Indeed it was."

She placed her head back on my chest, and I surrounded her shoulders, hugging her tightly. I felt her relax against me, post-coital exhaustion hitting her quickly. My cock was still inside her, growing softer, but I didn't care. I wanted her near me, over me, sleeping on me.

She shifted and I gripped her tighter, "No, stay please."

She gave me a questioning look and I smiled up at her, "I like you on top of me."

She paused momentarily, and then finally realising I was serious, curled back over me, closing her eyes. I sighed, closing my own eyes and breathing her in. I began to drift, a content smile on my face.

Later, after we had dozed for little more than an hour, she was sitting crossed legged in front of me, wearing my shirt. We were now snacking on a plate of fruit and cheese that she had brought from the kitchen, after realising that we had skipped dinner.

Despite the heat of the fire, she had draped a blanket across my legs, and I had to stop my laugh. She'd been gloriously naked on top of me, but wasn't quite ready to naked with me.

I held a strawberry towards her, she bit half of it and I popped the rest into my own mouth.

"So," I said chewing thoughtfully, "I have something I need to ask you."

She coughed and made a choking sound, and when I looked up at her, her eyes were wide with shock.

I snorted a laugh. "Not that," I told her, biting back the not yet that danced on the tip of my tongue. "Unless that's what you want?"

She rolled her eyes at my teasing, "Just ask me."

"What are your plans?" I asked, "After all this."

She looked puzzled, "After all this…meaning?"

"When you have to return to the real world, as it were."

"Well, actually…" she stood and walked to the kitchen counter, returning with papers in her hand. She held them towards me and sat back down. "I got those yesterday."

I flicked through what she had given me and I let out a low whistle, "Wow."

"I know, right?"

"You got everything?" She had handed me what were essentially divorce papers, property and asset division between she and Weasley, and clearly she had been the one who had brought more to their relationship.

"Pretty much," she said with a smile. "I sold my parents house to buy our house, and I don't mean to be spiteful, but my job paid more than his," she shrugged one shoulder and popped a grape into her mouth. She chewed slowly and then grinned at me, "And he's an arse, he doesn't deserve anything."

I looked at her with raised eyebrows, waiting for her to say just kidding, but it seemed that her ban of speaking ill of him had been lifted. Although, I held my tongue, not wanting to push my luck.

"So, you have no reason to go back any time soon then?"

She shook her head, "Not really, why?"

"Blaise, Pansy and I have been tossing around an idea for a while now," I took a breath, steadying my nerves. "We are in need of someone to head our Herbology department, and we want that someone to be you."

"Okay" She said slowly.

"You don't have to decide straight away," I said hurriedly, "You can think it over and let me know when you're ready. If you're ready."

"Why exactly is it that you want me?" She asked.

"We want you to because you're the best in your field." I told her, "You know that."

The corner of her mouth lifted into a half smile, "No actually Neville is. You should get him if you want the best."

"He's already accepted a position at Hogwarts."

"Oh, so I'm your second choice then?"

"I think I just proved that you're not my second choice." I reached over and pinched her toe, "And you never will be."

She sat staring at me, and something flickered in her eyes – surprise? - gone as quick as it came.

I sat up, "Granger, you are the most talented witch I know, you always have been, and we want you to head our Herbology Department. We trust no one else."

"No one?" she gave me a doubtful look, "What about Pansy? Or Blaise?"

I shook my head and smiled. "Pansy, as you well know, runs the Potion Department. After me, she's the best around. And Blaise, well, he's mostly there because of his stellar personality."

"And this job would entail..?"

"You would head the Herbology department, as I said. We have three Herbologists, growing as much as we can, but obviously we need other ingredients, so you would also be dealing with our suppliers and contacts."

I huffed out a breath. This was it. The second part of our plan. And it was the part that I knew she would take issue with.

"We've lost several suppliers in recent weeks, and a part of that – as I have been told – is because of my name." I took another deep breath, "And I need for the entire world to see that I am not my father. And I need your help to do that."

She sat up straight, curling her legs protectively against her chest. "My help? Help with what?

"Well, um, the thing is, I want these deserters to know that you work with us. To prove that I am not the person that they think I am." My heart was racing, but Blaise was right. I had to be completely honest about what we wanted. "The company needs a new image, and that image is you."

She gaped at me. Her eyes wide, her body motionless.

"Granger?" I wasn't sure what her reaction would be, but her silence unnerved me.

But then she smirked at me. "So you don't actually want me at all for my skills, you just want a pretty face?" She leaned towards me and ran a finger down my chest.

"No. Your pretty face is just a bonus." I grabbed her finger and kissed the tip of it, "You are by far the best in your field, and that's why we want you with us. But," I paused and looked her directly in the eyes, "People love you, you have to know that. And, I won't lie, we also want you because of that. You working for us will improve the image that we are apparently projecting."

"And what image is that?"

"People seem to think that we're still purists," I said honestly, "That we still believe in the old ways."

"And do you?"

I shook my head and kissed her fingers again, "No. And I'm certain you know that already."

She blushed and dropped her eyes again. The silence grew between us and I began to wonder if this had been a good idea. I'd been too quick, I should have waited longer, she clearly wasn't ready for any of this.

I leaned towards her and touched her knee lightly, "Granger, listen. I don't want you to do anything that you're not comfortable with. If you don't want to work with us, that's okay. But our greenhouses are hidden, you could spend every day in them, and no one would see you. Everyone will know that you work for us, but you can still hide, and Pansy, Blaise or I would be with you when you meet with any suppliers. You wouldn't have to do that on your own."

"Can I think about it?"

"Of course." I smiled at her.

She nodded slowly and then pushed the plate aside, "And how should I fill my time while I'm thinking about it?"

I reached for the buttons on my shirt, tugging it off her and rolling her beneath me. "Maybe we could just fuck," I suggested and she laughed. I swallowed the sound and slid into her, immediately lost in the feel of her.

And in a rhythm as old as the rocky cliffs outside, a rhythm so carnal, so raw, so natural, we rocked together and she claimed me in every way possible.