I do not own Harry Potter. I only own the plot and a few made up characters. I also want to make sure to let you know that everything is canon with the BOOKS with the exception of the 19 Years Later chapter at the end of The Deathly Hallows. I am doing my best to keep everything in the past canon in accordance with the books, not necessarily the movies.
Hermione busied herself with work, trying to focus on the cases than how her life seemed to be changing so drastically. She knew that living in Draco's home was temporary but it did give her a small amount of hope. It was also nice that he wanted to help her. He wanted to be her friend. It amazed her that someone who she used to hate and didn't want anything to do with was not a good friend.
Right before lunch Hermione dropped off the files that required Draco's attention and invited him to lunch like she usually did. However this time the conversation went a little different.
"Sure. I can go get lunch with you real quick then we can get some of your things packed," he said standing and grabbing his cloak.
"Oh! Okay. Well we can go to the Leaky Cauldron and grab some sandwiches. I love their grilled ham and cheese. It reminds me of what my mother used to make me," Hermione said remember her mother fondly.
The pair moved quickly to the floo networks to go. They grabbed a quick lunch and then apparated to Hermione's flat. Draco had lead the way into the house and made sure it was clear before telling Hermione to follow him.
"You have a nice place. It's a shame that it's been ruined. We can try to repair everything and pack it up magically. Unfortunately magic can't make the fear go away," Draco said looking at Hermione sadly.
"Thank you," She said looking down. They each cast a repairing spell but found that it wouldn't work. Even Hermione's clothes were ripped apart and would not repair themselves. Hermione almost broke down into tears. Someone had destroyed everything then charmed it so that it could not be repaired. Who hated her so much to do something like this. And it was obvious that they wanted to scare her because no harm had come to her after they had knocked her out. They just wanted her to not feel safe.
"We can get you new things later. Is there anything that you know of that might have been spared?" Draco asked trying to distract her.
"Umm. Yes, actually. I have a rather extensive library that I hid. It is in the hall. I charmed the door to be invisible to anyone but someone who I invited to enter," she explained moving into the hallway. She looked at Draco and whispered, "I allow you entry," and opened the door. Draco gasped and stepped into the room. It was obvious that she had cast and Undetectable Extension Charm on the room because it was as big as the rest of the house combined, filled with books.
Hermione cast a spell and all the books flew around the room and began shrinking. Draco conjured a couple of boxes and Hermione directed the shrunken books into the boxes. She separated the books out by subject and filled all the boxes before shrinking them.
"Do you have a floo?" Draco asked picking them up.
"Yes. In the living room. The powder is on the mantle," She explained leading the way. Hermione grabbed a handful of floo powder out of the bowl and motioned for Draco to join her. He moved into the fireplace with her before she threw the powder down and nearly yelled, "Malfoy Manor," and the pair was engulfed in green flames. After the flames died down they stepped out at Draco's home.
"Welcome to your new, temporary, home. You are welcome anywhere and the house elves will listen to you and before you freak out they are all free and they have all decided to stay. I pay them but they often sneak it back into my pockets. I still need to figure out how they do that," Draco said trailing off. Hermione thought it was sweet of him to think of the elves like that, and to reassure her that they were well cared for.
"Which room will be mine?" I asked wanting to put the books there and get back to work.
"Yes, which room?" Came a high feminine voice from the stairs not far from where they were standing. Astoria stood halfway down the staircase. She was a tall and very skinny witch with shoulder length, straight brown hair. She was rather beautiful. Hermione was suddenly very self conscious.
"If I'm intruding, I can just go find some hotel to stay in. Or the Leaky Cauldron. It's fine really," Hermione said reaching for the miniature boxes in Draco's arms. Draco moved so she couldn't reach them.
"She is a friend and she needs a place to stay for a few days. Her home was broken into and almost all her things destroyed. I don't think she'd be safe in a hotel or at the Leaky Cauldron. I said I would help her and I will. She only needs to stay here for a little while until she can find a place and replace all of her possessions. I don't think that is unreasonable, dear," Draco explained calmly trying to placate his obviously upset girlfriend.
"I will give her a week, then I want her gone," Astoria said and then turned and made her way back up the stairs. Draco turned to Hermione.
"I'm sorry. I thought she would be more understanding. Here, follow me. I'll show you your room," He said starting up the stairs.
He led her down a hallway that had what seemed like endless doors leading to unknown places. Eventually Draco stopped in front of a large wooden door that looked like carved oak. He opened it and led Hermione in.
The room was huge. It was decorated in silver and black. Hermione was speechless. There was a high ceiling with carvings and engravings. There were beautiful paintings of landscapes and gardens. The bed was a four poster that had sheer curtains that draped around the bed, which was made up in all black. Even the wood was black. It was breathtaking.
"Oh Merlin. Draco, this can't be your guest room. It's too grand," Hermione exclaimed, turning to look at Draco who had a far away look on his face. Almost as though he was thinking of something that had to do with the room.
"I insist. I'll show you the bathroom," Draco said and laid down the boxes out of the way. He lead her out back into the endless hallway and to another smaller door. This one was lighter and not carved. Draco opened it and lead her in. There was a tub bigger than any Hermione had ever seen outside of Hogwarts. The room was tiled in black and white. There was a double sink with a large mirror and a beautiful marble counter top.
"Bloody hell!" Hermione exclaimed. "Is every room in the house like this?" She whipped around and faced Draco who again seemed to be lost in thought. "Is everything alright?" She asked tentatively.
"Everything is fine, and yes. Most of the house is like this. We should be getting back to work. I have a couple of big cases coming up so I may be bringing home some work," Draco explained.
"It's no problem. I need to get some work does as well," Hermione then left the bathroom and counted the doors to her own before making her way to the floo and going back to work. She figured Draco needed to Talk to Astoria about her staying there and didn't want to cause any more problems.
Hermione finished her days work, but decided that a few files needed some extra work. She grabbed these files and then was about to leave her office when Harry appeared.
"Where were you at lunch?" He asked, concerned.
"Bollocks. I forgot to send you a memo. I don't need to stay at your place any more. I know with the babies on the way you need all the room you have and I don't want to intrude anymore. Draco offered to have me stay with him in Malfoy Manor. I have my own room and everything. We spent lunch moving what is left of my possessions to his house," Hermione explained quickly. She needed to get the the floo so she could go shopping for new clothes and then get dinner and finish her work.
"Oh. Well that's good I guess. When did he become Draco?" Harry asked.
"This afternoon when he offered me a place to stay actually," Hermione explained.
"Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Have a good night," Harry said, eager to get back home to his very pregnant wife.
Hermione flooed to Diagon Alley to shop for new robes. She visited both Twilfitt and Tatting's and Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and after all her clothing shopping she stopped at Flourish and Blotts and Obscurus Books to add to her collection. She did this every time she came to Diagon Alley.
After this ritual she apparated to the Manor's doorstep and walked inside. She followed the staircase up and counted the rooms but became lost too easily. With all of her purchases in hand she picked a door she thought she recognized and walked inside. She instantly regretted this decision and wished she had paid better attention that afternoon.
She had accidentally walked in on a naked Draco, who was apparently getting ready for dinner by changing into more comfortable clothes and was expecting Astoria.
"Oh Merlin! I am so sorry," Hermione blurted and blushed before walking out of the room and into a very angry Astoria.
"What are you doing, Mudblood?" Astoria asked angrily. She looked furious and had her hands on her hips and looked back and forth between an embarrassed Hermione and a confused and still naked Draco.
"I didn't mean to! I got lost. There are so many doors! I thought I recognized this door but obviously I was wrong. I am so sorry." Hermione said in a rush, blushing even more.
"Astoria, you know that language like that is not allowed in my presence. I hate that word. It is dirty and outdated. There is no place for it anymore in this house," Draco said in a scarily calm voice finally wrapping a towel around his waist, but leaving his defined chest on display for the two very different women. Hermione tried her best not to look but ended up peaking at him between her eyelashes.
"I don't care. I just walked in on you with another woman, Draco, and your first thought is to scold me?" Astoria asked, astonished.
"You did not walk in on me with another woman. You walked into an awkward situation that can be quickly resolved. Hermione your room is right next door. Directly to your right. Astoria she is obviously fully dressed and even has shopping bags in her arms. We were not doing anything. Now will you relax. By the way, Hermione, dinner will be downstairs and to your left in about 20 minutes. You are welcome to join us." Draco continued in that same calm voice that caused shivers to travel down Hermione's spine.
"She is not welcome. I want her out of this house now. There is no place for her kind here," Astoria said, still angry.
"And what exactly is 'My Kind'?" Hermione asked, now getting annoyed. She knew that blood status problems hadn't totally ended but she had still hoped not to encounter them again.
"You know exactly what I mean. Muggleborns are beneath us," Astoria said, gesturing to Draco and herself.
"I do believe that I actually know more about magic than you do Astoria. I even had to make up for lost time. Eleven years of it. So what is your excuse? You didn't need to learn all that because it would just come natural to a Pureblood such as yourself? Well guess what, just because you were raised in a totally magical family doesn't make you better than me. I did better in school, and in life than you have ever done. I was the top of my class in Hogwarts and I am considered one of the top in my field. So you can take our blood status bullshit and shove it up your arse!" Hermione was yelling by the end.
"Well at least I am not a lonely spinster with no family." Astoria retorted, running out of ammunition but hoping to cause pain.
"Astoria, enough!" Draco almost shouted at his girlfriend. She looked shocked.
Hermione stood, frozen, fighting tears. Astoria's remark had hit it's target. Hermione was lonely and she feared that the only person who could end that loneliness was in the room but totally unavailable.
"I think I'll retire and skip dinner. I have work to do anyway. Thank you for the invitation, Draco." Hermione said and left the room before the witch and wizard saw her cry.
Hermione sat in her room thinking about what had occurred earlier. She had seen a naked Draco and she had really liked what she had seen. It was probably a good thing Astoria had shown up to bring Hermione back to her senses, or who knows what she would have done to that mad.
She had seen the firm curve of Draco's muscular buttocks and the chiseled perfection of his chest and legs. She had seen the light dusting of blond hair that led from his belly button to his member. And she remembered that the most vividly. It had been large even though it was not totally hard. Hermione closed her eyes and remembered it. It had been an attractive dusky color and had been only partially hard but she could imagine what it would look like fully erect. She could imagine the feel of it throbbing in her hand.
She laid back in the bed and relaxed. She began moving her hand down between her legs and gently started rubbing, imagining that it was Draco who was touching her. This was something she had thought about a few times before but she had never had such provocative images to stimulate her along with her hands.
Hermione was slowly working herself to a climax when there was a knock on her door. She quickly grabbed her wand and performed a Scourgify Charm to clean herself up and then straightened her robes before answering her door.
Standing in the door with a tray of food was the man she had just been imagining. Draco held a silver tray with what looked like soup and crackers with a salad on the side and dressing. He offered it to her and smiled.
"I'm sorry about earlier. I promise she isn't always like that. She just gets a little… suspicious sometimes. May I come in?" He asked, smiling at Hermione. She hoped that she wasn't blushing too obviously, and motioned for him to enter. Thankfully Hermione had left her files on the bed and it looked like she had been working before he interrupted her.
"I was just working on some difficult files. I hate having to make these decisions sometimes. I make decisions that can make or break people's futures." She put her head in her hands. She wasn't lying. Sometimes the pressure got to her. These types of tough cases are what made her job difficult. And with what had happened recently she was starting to doubt her instincts in the tougher cases.
"Maybe I can help you with these cases and you can help me with mine," Draco suggested taking the files in hand.
"Won't Astoria get angry?" Hermione asked, not wanting to ruin someone else's relationship.
"She went to visit a friend for a few days. It'll blow over." He said dismissively.
With that they began working together. Getting second opinions and different views helped them both work through the tough cases.
"We should do this more often. I think we could both benefit from working together more often," Draco commented after they finished all the files.
"I agree. But it is late and I am exhausted. I've had a very long day. I'm going to call it a night. Goodnight Draco. Sleep well." Hermione said getting up and setting her files aside. Draco also rose and walked to the door. Before he walked out, however, he turned.
"Goodnight Hermione. I hope you sleep well, also." He replied and was gone.
Hermione undressed and got between the silky sheets. She closed her eyes and finished what she had begun before the man of her fantasies had interrupted her.