.

**** HERMIONE ****

"Yes, Mr. Brach, I am well aware of the agreement you have with Mr Malfoy. However, since its non-binding, he has no reason to continue dealing with you." I said with an indifferent shrug, "Maybe you should consider making your contracts unbreakable...or is that all a little too above board for you?"

Our meeting with Demetruis Brach, the ingredient supplier we were here to see, was going about as well as I had expected. His name was well known in Ministry circles; he was a purist, through and through. And the look he had in his eye when I walked through the door would have been enough to kill me if, as the saying went, looks could in fact kill.

I had wandered up and down his shelves of supplies and had to hold back my laughter. It was rubbish, and I had no idea how Draco had let the man con him into buying from him. I listened while they spoke, rolling my eyes when Demetrius questioned Draco's reason for hiring the likes of me.

While my team was growing plants and herbs within Draco's company, they were just a small part of the potion making process. The list of ingredients we required was long and exhaustive. But Demetrius was not someone I wanted to deal with. Not by a long shot, and I had no idea what Draco's reasons for dealing with him were. But I did understand why Draco had insisted he come along with me; the man's dislike for me was coming off him in waves.

And the feelings were mutual. I'd thankfully, up until now, never met him, and the instant we had walked into his shop, I had taken an immediate dislike to the man.

"Drella de Hofren's is a far better company all around for our needs, Draco. Trust me. I dealt with her through The Ministry from the time I began working there. Ultimately, it's your decision, but if you want your company to be well respected, you want the best. And Mr. Brach here is far from it."

Demetrius sneered at me, "And what would you know about the best? You're a just filthy mudblood, you should know your place and shut your trap."

I reached to the shelf beside me and pulled two bottles down. "This says Acromantula Venom," I held up one bottle, "Rubeus Hagrid and Horrace Slughorn are the only two known holders of the venom. And I doubt that you have the spine to even go near a giant spider to collect this."

I swirled the liquid in the second bottle. "This one says Sal Ammoniac. Severus Snape was the last known person to have the true form of it. And it now is held safely in the vaults at The Ministry. Neither bottle holds true forms of what you would have us believe they contain. Both are the rarest ingredients known, Mr Brach, and I seriously doubt that you have the knowledge, nor the expertise, to recognise that these are fakes."

I chuckled as he swallowed hard and flicked his eyes to Draco, knowing full well he'd been caught out. I knew the second I walked in the door he had no knowledge of what it was that he was selling.

"And yes Mr. Brach, I'm well aware of my status. Bellatrix Lestrange made sure of that." I locked my eyes on his and heard Draco's sharp intake of breath as I calmly rolled up my sleeve uncovering the scar that his crazed Aunt emblazoned me with. Draco had seen it, of course he had, but I usually glamoured it or kept it hidden if I was in public; the questions and the sympathetic looks were something I hated to have to deal with. But sometimes it had the perfect effect.

Demetrius' eyes flicked down to my arm and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. And I knew that, like everyone else who saw it, he was wondering how on earth it was that I had managed to survive the torture it took to put it there.

I brushed over the word that I had looked at every day since that night in The Manor and I smiled at him, "Go ahead, call me Mudblood. It's just a word on my arm that's slowly fading over time, and I wear it with pride. It's a daily reminder of just who won the war. And you would do well to remember that."

I turned to Draco, whose eyes were like saucers staring at my arm. We had talked about that night, and he was still horrified at his own actions despite my assurances that what happened hadn't been his fault. "I can negotiate a better contract with Drella before this pathetic excuse for an ingredient supplier can say dandelion root...if he even knows what that is." I turned back to Demetrius and smiled sweetly at him, "Oh, and Draco, maybe you should ask Mr. Brach why all your suppliers are abandoning you."

Demetrius snarled at me, "What are you accusing me of, mudblood?"

I shook my head and laughed, "You truly are stupid if you don't know. You are as shady as they come, Mr. Brach, and Draco should be very suspicious. The Ministry certainly is."

Demetrius began to speak, but I held a hand up, silencing him. His eyebrows winged up when the realisation that I had silenced him without the use of a wand hit him.

"I'm right, Draco. There was a reason you hired me to work for you and you should really listen to me, it will save you a lot of trouble," I said, ignoring the glare from the oaf standing beside him, "And if you don't want to use Drella's I can list a dozen other better suppliers that we can deal with.

"Mr. Brach here has a bunch of morons working for him, and I dare say he is the biggest moron of the lot. Drella's is a much more organised company with actual knowledge of what it is they are selling, and she will do the right thing by you. I'll contact her immediately and schedule a meeting."

I took a step closer to Demetrius, poked my finger into his chest and lowered my voice, "I have no idea who you think you are Demetrius, but you would do well to stay away from me. Because if you think that your blood means that you know more than I do, you'd be sorely mistaken. You are a rogue and a thief, and I give you fair warning; do not mess with me. Because if you do, it will be to your own detriment. And you can expect a visit from The Ministry in the coming days."

I looked at Draco, "I'll talk to you later."

I turned on my heel and left the shop, letting out a deep breath when I finally hit the street.

**** DRACO *****

I shoved the door to her office open, and found myself looking at an empty chair. I swore, loudly, and spun on my heel.

"So, I'm assuming the meeting went well then?" Pansy asked as she entered Hermione's office and sat behind her desk.

"Where is she?" I snapped.

Pansy smirked, ignoring my tone, "What'd she do? Did she finally put that rat bastard in his place?"

I gritted my teeth, but Pansy spoke before I had a chance.

"Sit down." She said and then raised an eyebrow when I didn't move. "Sit. Down."

I paused a second longer, and then sighed, resigned to the fact that I was about to be lectured by my friend.

"Did she get rid of him?"

I scrubbed my hands across my face and into my hair, balling my hands into fists and almost yanking my own hair from my head, "Yeah, spectacularly so."

"So what's the problem?"

I shrugged, and held my hands up in an I don't know gesture.

She leaned forward, "Draco, you've been trying to rid us of him for months, so if Hermione managed that in one meeting, you should be pleased."

I had left Demetrius in shock. I was in shock. She had effectively dismissed him, discontinuing any dealings with him, and left me with little choice; her or him. She didn't have to say the words, but her refusal to deal with him let me know that was the choice I had.

I had been dealing with Demetrius since we'd started the company. He said it would be his pleasure to help Lucius' son get started. I truly did not want to deal with him, but I assumed that he was somewhat trustworthy. Lucius would string him up by his balls if he was.

But as soon as she had pointed out just how shady Demetrius was, the realisation hit me.

Lucius was in jail.

Lucius was unable to stand over anyone anymore. Lucius had done his own shady deals with Merlin knows who for years, and now those people could easily get their own back at him by fucking me over.

I had stupidly missed it.

"You and Blaise tell me all the time that I'm an idiot," I said wryly, "I'm starting to think it's true."

"We only say it because we love you," Pansy said with a smile, "But it's not true. You know that."

I sighed and tilted my head back, looking up at the ceiling, "All of our suppliers are back and she's gotten rid of that bastard. How is it possible?"

"Because she's brilliant," Pansy stated, "But you already knew that. We brought her here for a reason, Draco, and it seems as though she's doing everything we hoped. We're better off without Demetrius, you know that. And everyone will know that she's the reason we've rid ourselves of him. It can only mean good things for us." She shot me a knowing look, "And she's definitely meant good things for you."

In the month since she had started with us, the atmosphere in the offices had changed from pure professionalism, to a warmth and friendliness that I had never expected. She worked hard, but she also made everyone around her feel as important as Pansy, Blaise and myself.

She smiled, she laughed, she talked with everyone one in the building. There were smiles surrounding us, and friendly hello's instead of silent nods and concentrated frowns.

And when word got out that she was now working with us, The Ministry had made a complete sweep of our premises, doing all they could to find fault and win her back. But they had underestimated her, and she explained that unless every potion maker and ingredient supplier in wizarding Britain was also scrutinised, the Aurors office would be called, and The Ministry itself would subjected to a full investigation as to why it was targeting a legitimate business and not any of the more shady ones.

They had scurried away leaving the three of us in awe of her.

But then, I was in awe of her already. And both Pansy and Blaise had commented on how much calmer I had been since she'd been in my life.

"I guess it was just unexpected," I slumped on my chair, "I wasn't prepared for her to be like that."

Pansy laughed, "You do know who she is, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know who she is," I gripped the back of my neck, "I'm so used to being the one in control…she surprised me."

"You don't have to be a control freak all the time," Pansy told me and leaned forward, "You know she's good for us, for you, so trust her and let her do her thing."

"I do trust her."

"Then let her do this. She's only been here a month and has already made vast improvements," She stood and made for the door, smiling back at me, "Imagine where we'll be in a year from now."

It was early in the evening and I stood in the shadows, just out of the dim glow of light. I could see her in the kitchen, cooking, and I wondered if she assumed that I would arrive at some time, or if she was pissed off at me for not showing up earlier and was only cooking for herself.

I had sat in her office for almost an hour after Pansy left, letting her words sink in. I had returned from our meeting expecting to yell, to argue with her, but after speaking with Pansy, I had been unsure of exactly what to do with myself. An ache had formed in my head, working its way across my forehead, behind my eyes and snaking down my neck and shoulders. It was my own fault; my temper had gotten the better of me, again, and I had no real idea why I was so pissed at her. She had done exactly what I should have months ago. Demetrius' attempted stand-over tactics hadn't even registered with her, and she had told him everything I had wanted to. And she did it in a manner that had blown me away.

But she hadn't returned to the office since we left, and as Blaise had pointed out much later in the day, it had been years since anyone had called her Mudblood, and that while she was resilient and strong, the term still probably cut her to the bone. And he had shaken his head at me when I told him that she had revealed her scar.

"And you're pissed at her?" Blaise had said, looking incredulous. "You may have some grovelling to do."

I had opened my mouth to protest, but he had stopped me.

"She's the best thing that has ever happened to you, and yes, you are allowed to be pissed at her for some things, this is not one of them. Demetrius is an arsehole, and he proved it beyond a doubt today. She's probably upset and hurt by his words, so you need to grow a set and get your arse home to her."

I'd been somewhat shocked at his words – my friend's usual immaturity had been nowhere to be seen - but heeded them nonetheless, and was now psyching myself up to go to her. My mind was spinning, working at full speed, the way it always did when I had a problem I wasn't sure how to solve. But over thinking it wasn't helping.

It was, as Blaise had said, a matter of growing a set and going to her.

But, maybe I could have some fun with her. Make her think I was pissed at her, get her angry with me. And angry was state that I loved her in.

I grinned and shoved the door to the cottage open, and slammed it closed behind me. Her head snapped up at the sound and she looked startled.

"What that fuck was that Granger?"

"Excuse me?" She crossed the room to stand in front of me, looking indignant.

"That stunt you pulled this afternoon?" I stepped closer, subtly angling her towards the wall, and she took a step back, "What the fuck did you think you were doing?"

"You don't need to deal with someone like him. I've already set up a meeting with Drella on Monday morning."

"Interesting," I drawled, "I wasn't aware our company was called Granger Potions."

"Maybe it should be." She shot back.

"You don't get to make decisions like that," I took another step closer and without realising how close she was, she took another step away from me and backed into the wall. I crowded her, placing my hands either side of her head and smiled. "Or was that your plan all along Granger? To seduce me and then take over my company?"

She narrowed her eyes at me and shoved her hand into my chest, "You're an arse Malfoy."

"You keep saying that," I nuzzled her neck and brought my hand up her ribs, grazing the side of her breast and cupping her jaw, "And yet, your actions prove otherwise."

She gripped the back of my hair and wrenched my head back, "Don't get any ideas, mister." Her threat was empty, and she knew it.

"Too late," I smirked at her and apparated us to her bedroom.

The room was dark except for the silvery light coming in the window from the full moon. Hermione's head was resting on my chest, her scent was all over me, seared into both my skin and my senses. She wasn't asleep; her fingers brushing in a feather-like tease over my cock let me know that.

I stole a glance at the clock; little more than an hour had passed since I had fucked her into the mattress. I had become so enamoured with her keening cries and gasping breaths when she climaxed, I was ready to hear those sounds again.

I kissed her forehead, and she smiled up at me and whispered a quiet Hey.

"Hey there," I said equally as quiet, "What are you up to?"

She gave me a gentle squeeze, "I think your cock is my most favourite thing."

I chuckled and tilted her chin up, covering her mouth with mine. Her hand paused when my tongue slipped between her lips and fuck me, if she didn't reach down and cup my balls. Her fingers teased me, rubbing and rolling, tugging gently and I let out a shaky exhale. I wasn't sure that I had ever felt anything as perfect as her hand on me.

I reached behind her head, tangling my fingers in the mess of her hair and tilted her head back, giving me deeper access to her mouth. I felt her smile as I sucked her tongue into my mouth and she ground her hips into my side. I brought my other hand up to her jaw, holding her in place while I kissed her; a torturously slow kiss that had her grinding harder against my hip leaving the evidence of her arousal on my skin.

She rolled off me and lay on her back, beckoning me over her. I smiled and shook my head, "No. I want you on your knees."

A slow smile spread across her face and she sat up, turning over and positioning herself on her hands and knees, presenting herself to me. She peered over her shoulder at me, lifting an eyebrow and watching my hand as I stroked it over my pulsating cock, and I didn't think she had a clue as to just how incredibly sexy she was.

I wanted to shove into her there and then, wanted to fuck her hard and fast, but as wet as she was, I wanted her wetter. I ran a hand along her spine, and pressed gently when I reached the place between her shoulder blades, and she immediately lowered her chest to the bed.

I sucked in a breath. I didn't think I would ever get used to this; her arse in the air, her bare pussy glistening with the beginnings of her arousal, and on display just for me.

I ran my fingers along the backs of her thighs, drawing goose bumps along her flesh and then squeezed her cheeks, digging my fingers into her flesh, before lowering my mouth and biting down gently. She let out a deep groan as I repeated the motion, nipping and biting at her perfect arse.

I heard her sigh when my mouth went lower still and my tongue slipped out and licked a trail from her opening to her clit. I groaned, unable to hold the sound in. If she was my last meal, I would die a happy man.

Slowly, I slid my tongue down the centre of her slick folds, flicking over her clit while I continued to massage her arse with one hand and reached beneath her with the other to pinch her nipple.

She cried out, her voice full of frustration, "Draco, please."

"Not yet," I murmured, "You're not ready for me."

She growled and shoved her hips back against my face, "Yes. I. Am."

I chuckled and pulled my mouth away from her, earning myself another frustrated growl. I kissed the base of her spine and pressed my finger against her clit, slowly applying more pressure and making her buck against me, cursing and threatening parts of my anatomy that I was quite fond of. I shifted my finger from her clit and slowly circled her entrance until her threats sounded somewhat serious and I finally pushed two fingers into her tight passage, watching as they disappeared inside her.

I moved my fingers at a steady pace, feeling the wetness build, and I bit down on my lip, wondering. I flicked my gaze up to her; her head was tilted sideways on the pillow, her eyes closed. I took a breath – it was something that we hadn't even talked about, something I didn't know if she even wanted - and slipped my thumb through the crevice between her arse cheeks and pressed gently on the tight pink ring of her anus.

Her eyes flew open, and she lifted her head to look at me. I paused, waiting for her to tell me no, but she simply stared at me; her eyes wide, her lip caught between her teeth. I smiled at her, and pulled my hand away from her, laughing lightly at the small whimper at the lost of my touch.

"Patience, my sweet," I told her and dipped my thumb into the wet heat of her pussy, coating it with her own juices, before plunging my fingers back into her and resting my slicked thumb back between her cheeks.

A surprised gasp left her and she clenched around my thumb as I slowly, slowly, eased it past the tight ring of muscle. Her pelvis tilted forward, a slight movement, barely noticeable; not trying to escape me, but shifting from a foreign feeling. Her breathing increased, she had clearly not been touched like this. Truthfully, I'd never touched anyone like this.

"Hermione?" I whispered as I stilled both my fingers and my thumb, and she looked directly at me. A smile slowly crossed her face and she closed her eyes, relaxing completely and silently telling me she was perfectly okay with what my fingers were doing.

I took my time, fucking her slowly with my fingers, and feeling the coil inside my belly tighten as she whimpered and moaned. She rocked in time with my fingers and I felt her passage clench and the muscles surrounding my thumb pulsed with her approaching orgasm. I reached my free hand around her, pressing down on her clit as she cried out my name, bucking hard, her entire body convulsing.

Her skin was flushed and she was breathing hard, and I gently moved my fingers again inside her. She relaxed and began rocking against me, and I knew she could come again. I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her hips in place and I gently pulled my thumb out of her backside. She let out a shaky breath as I twisted my wrist and curled my fingers against that elusive spot inside her.

"Oh," she gasped as I brushed against the front wall of her pussy, over and over, watching as a flush of red washed over her skin once more and she broke apart again.

I slowly withdrew my fingers as she came down from her high. Her skin was warm, damp with sweat and I leaned down to drop tiny wet kisses along her spine.

"Shit," she groaned and then laughed, "That was...unexpected."

I laughed with her, "And that was just the warm up."

She grinned back over her shoulder at me and shifted, spreading her legs wider. I gripped her hips and lined myself up, pausing momentarily to shoot her a wicked grin.

She dragged her lower lip between her teeth before telling me, "Fuck me Draco."

I pinched her hip and sank into her with ease, both of us groaning as my pelvis came to rest against her arse. I leaned forward, kissing the middle of her back, shifting my hands from her hips and up her sides to cup her tits. I rolled her nipples between my fingers and her head lolled forward. She moaned loudly, and I clenched my stomach, the sound was rough and guttural, and unlike anything I had ever imagined coming from her.

I looked down and watched my cock slide in and out of her, she was warm and slick and I was covered with her.

"Draco, fuck!" she cried out and I gripped her hips tighter as she grasped at the sheets. "Harder!"

I pounded into her and she matched my rhythm, slamming back against me with each thrust of my hips.

"Touch yourself, Hermione." I commanded and watched as she reached down, her fingers brushing against my cock as it slid in and out of her. I paused my movements, and she flinched, but didn't protest when my hand landed with a loud smack on her bare arse cheek. "I said touch yourself, Hermione, not me."

She reached lower and grabbed my balls, and I groaned. "You'll pay for that," I growled and landed another hard smack on her arse. And Merlin help me, she actually laughed and squeezed my balls harder.

I smirked and landed yet another smack on her arse before smoothing my palm over the bright pink mark that now bloomed there. Her hand released me and I smiled.

"Are you touching yourself?"

She nodded and squeezed her inner muscles around me. I smacked my hand on her arse once more for good measure and pushed deeper into her, gripping her hips tighter, urging her back onto my cock. Her breaths grew faster and her body began to shudder as her orgasm overtook her. I moved faster, harder, feeling the clenching and unclenching of her pussy as she fell apart.

I felt her body tense and her breath caught as she tried to pull away. I held her tighter and pumped harder, "No," I said harshly, "One more. Give it to me."

"I can't...too much...Oh!..coming...oh, fuck!" She pressed her face into the pillow and her garbled cry was muffled as she tightened around my cock.

Sweat dripped from my forehead and landed on her own flushed skin, and the sense that she was mine, that Hermione Granger was mine and always would be mine, overwhelmed me. My own orgasm barrelled down my spine and I saw stars as I pushed into her one last time, coming hard inside her.

Her hips dropped to the mattress and I collapsed onto her back. She reached her arm around, digging her fingers into my side and my name dropped from her mouth on a sigh of breath.

I kissed her shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," She breathed, "I'm okay. You?"

I laughed and rolled off her, pulling her back against my chest, "Yeah. I've never been more okay in my life."