Chapter Five: Playing Games

Cho was greatly unnerved by everything that was happening. First off, she was angry with Harry for not trusting her enough to give her the task of bringing Draco in herself. She didn't like lying about her "brother," and being dishonest to Draco was really starting to bother her.

And that was the other thing: the way she was starting to feel for Draco. It was beyond admiration and too substantial to be nothing... It was deeper than that. It was more than a physical attraction, though that was a great bonus. They had an emotional connection, though they were on opposing sides before, the war had given them similarities and they were now equals.

Screw the technicalities, Cho. You're falling in love with him.

The thought made her smile.

Could it be? Was it possible to fall in love so quickly? It was so much more than she had anticipated, this job she accepted from Harry. It was more than healing a broken mess of a man; more than the hot, moist kisses that filles her senses; more than the warm, secure arms that had held her every night. Something... she couldn't put her finger on it, but that something had drawn her to him.

Suddenly, the man of the moment walked into the kitchen where Cho was still fixing breakfast, and her breath caught in her throat. He looked adorable! Long pajama bottoms, no shirt, the heel of his hand rubbing in his eye like a sleepy child... it was ridiculous how his mere presence affected her.

"Good morning, Draco." she said cheerfully, turning back to the pepper she was cutting. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her hips, right before his lips met with the flesh of her neck. Her skin tingled and her knees went weak, but his hands held her still, for which she was grateful. When his kisses trailed to her jaw and his hands moved gently over her stomach, he poked her once, causing a giggle to escape her mouth.

"Draco," she managed to breath just before his lips took hers. It was slow and passionate, but it surprised her how responsive she was to such a simple gesture. She raised her hand to his jaw, feeling his mouth work magic on her own, and she whimpered in protest when he pulled away, making him chuckle.

"Good morning, lover." he said, making her gasp. "Looks like someone's been into the maple sausage."

She shoved him playfully towards the table before chuckling herself. "Go sit down, Mr. Malfoy. Breakfast will be done in a minute."

"So what's on the agenda for today?" he asked as he took a seat. "Broom ride? Wizard's Chess? A hot snogging session in the closet?"

Cho smiled at the thought, but ignored the comment. "Considering that I had to scrounge up breakfast this morning, I figured I'd go get some groceries."

"And what about after that? Are you sure you don't want to ride on... anything in particular?"

Cho smirked, setting a plate in front of him. "Wizard's Chess will be fine."

&

It wasn't till later on that afternoon that Cho had the opportunity to go shopping, After a long morning of cleaning and flirting together, Draco went to lay down on the sofa. Just "resting his eyes," he said. She knew he was tired after his emotional breakthrough the night before, and she wanted to let him rest. So she quietly grabbed her shoes and her list, and quietly made her way to the Dining Room, so she could Apparate away.

As she was sneaking down the hall, she felt a hand swiftly cover her mouth, and another arm gently around her waist.

"Shhhh," a voice whispered in her ear.

She knew it was Draco - who else could it be? But why was he acting so strangely?

She tried to turn and look at him to see if he was all right, but he held her captive in her arms. He suddenly shook the list and shoes from her hands and moved her back down the hall. He opened a big closet door and pulled her inside. Finally, he let go.

"What are you doing?" she questioned, only to have him push her up against the wall. The mischevious glint she could see in his eyes through the darkness told her that he was up to no good.

His lips instantly met with her in a scorching and demanding kiss, and Cho didn't know what was happening or what she should do, so she did what she wanted to do - she kissed him back.

Her hands became lost in the blond hair at the name of his neck as she fervently returned his kiss. She felt his hands all over her body, holding her close, caressing her skin. Though she wanted to revel in his touch and his kisses, she suddenly pushed him away, his breath hard on her mouth.

"Draco, what are we doing in here?" she giggled breathlessly. "There's no one else in the house, you're acting like we're gonna get caught." He grinned wickedly, and his mouth moved instantly to her neck, turning her giggles into gasps.

"We're not in here to be caught," Draco murmured on her skin between kisses. "We're in here because it's so much hotter kissing you in the dark." Then he kissed her again, but Cho pulled away, trying to deter him.

"You're just playing games with me." she said in an uneven breath.

"Never." His mouth was moist and demanding, and Cho could not resist. All reason and all caution was thrown to the wind because this is what she wanted - she wanted Draco.

She moved her hands beneath his shirt, slowly over his hot skin and Draco pulled back to whip his shirt off and throw it to the floor. He ravaged her lips with his kisses, and as his bare chest pressed against hers, she could feel emotions rising in her throat, begging to be released. She wrapped a leg around his, pulling his body even closer. Feeling his throbbing heart against her chest, his hips rolling against hers, and when his mouth worked magic on her neck, she moaned out loud.

"Draco... I was leaving for the store."

"No way, you're not going anywhere when I'm like this." he said, grabbing her thighs to pick her up. Her legs locked behind him and he kissed her in a blind passion as he pressed her against the wall. When he did pull away, it was to press his perspiring brow to her own and let out a chuckle. "I swear, Cho, I could shag you right here and now, if you'd let me."

Cho froze. Then she looked into his eyes. Part of his was teasing, she knew. But the other part of him, holding her, touching her, kissing her; she knew he wanted her physically. And that scared her. And yet... he was waiting for her consent. After all the flirting and kissing, he would not go further than she wanted, and that touched her. Why was it this damn difficult! She wanted to shout, but instead she carefully pushed him away. "Which is why I'm going to the store right now."

She opened the closet door, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the entire situation she had gotten herself in, but Draco gently caught her wrist.

"When are you going to give in, Cho?" he asked earnestly. "When are you going to throw propriety to the wind and give into the attraction we both know is there?"

She smiled as his bluntness. "Maybe after dinner."

Draco raised his eyebrows and dropped her hand. "Really?"

"No, but I really do need to go shopping if you want any dinner at all."

&

"I just may have to keep you here, after all." Draco said solemnly, looking at his empty plate in awe.

Like you was going to send me away in the first place, Cho thought. "What?" she said.

"I think that was the best meal of my life. No joke."

"Oh, hush, Draco. You're just saying that because you've been living on liquor the past few months." she chuckled as she cleared the table.

She placed the dirty dishes in the sink, and when she turned around, Draco was leering over her, his hands on either side of her, clasping the counter.

"No, there's more to it than that, Cho." he said with a smile. "And there's only one solution to the little problem of my craving for your mouth, er... I mean, food." Cho raised an eyebrow at this. "I either hire you full time as my personal afficionado, I mean, chef," and Cho gasped at this, making him chuckle, "Or... I could make you my ver own little wife and you could cook for me all the time. Now how does that sound?"

Cho didn't have time to respond before his lips covered hers in a slow, magical kiss. Cho locked her hands behind his neck and ardently replied, wanting to give into all of her past reservations. He had no idea how wonderfully perfect his idea sounded. How living with him like this amongst affectionate kisses mingled her very dreams with reality. But there was so much to take into account... her "brother" and the fact that Draco was just a "job," his past, her own past... they were living a lie, and Cho did not want to dwell on things that could never be. She had learned that lesson the hard way back as school...

She slowly pulled away before things escalated too far and shyly smiled up at him. "How about you go set up the game and I'll clean these dishes real quick?"

Draco eyed her carefully, both of them knowing she hadn't answered his question. "As you wish, Angel." he said, kissing her quickly on the cheek, then disappearing into the next room.

Cho tried to dismiss the butterflies that were fluttering in her stomach, the sensation that was making her knees weak, the feeling spreading throughout her entire body that made her smile simply at the thought of Draco... but it wouldn't leave. Try as she might, that feeling was stuck. And she loved it. The feeling of being wanted, being needed. The goofy little school girl feeling, knowing your crush was just in the other room...

It's more than some pidly little crush and you know it, was her sudden thought. And it was right, of course, and that's what scared her. She knew she was beginning to care for Draco, feel too much towards him. Harry had made it clear that they needed Draco in the Order. His experience and history in the Dark Arts, and the fact that he was still alive, made him very valuable to the Order. It had started out as just another job, he was going to be another notch on her belt on the way to the top. But she fell in love with him on the way, and that's what confused her.

The past few days, spending all the alone time with Draco, flirting and kissing, had reminded her of Cedric. Of the days when she was still so emotional and childish. She had convinced herself that she was in love with him, even at such a young age, and they had decided together that sex was okay if you really were in love. Cedric was her first, and she was his first. They'd spent a beautiful night together, right before the Tri-Wizard Tournament was announced. She had worried for his life throughout the entire program, but she never thought he'd actually...

Her fifth year at Hogwarts was one of the hardest times to live through. Going on without Cedric was painful. She cried at the littlest, stupidest things. Poor Harry, who had been smitten with her before, wanted nothing to do with a weepy girl, still grieving her lost lover. Finally, when her grades began to slip, before Umbridge had taken over, she'd had the chance to talk with Dumbledore. And he'd said something that changed her entire perspective. "It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live."

She'd realized then she couldn't live her life for someone else who was already dead. After that, she made a serious effort to change. She had fun with her friends, she planned her life ahead - she moved on. And while Cedric would always have a special place in her heart, she knew that she could live without him. She was actually excited about graduating from Hogwarts, until that one night...

"You about done in there, Angel?"

Draco's words shook her from her thoughts and caused her to smile. She had just placed the last of the clean dishes in the drying rack and then made her way into the Living Room.

"Why are you so anxious to start this game?" she asked. He took her hand and smiled mischeviously, leading her to the table.

"I have a proposition." he said, peaking Cho's interest. "If you win, I'll do dishes for a week." Cho nodded, "but if I win... you sleep with me tonight."

Cho then frowned. "Draco, I -"

"Not sex, Cho. Just innocent sleeping." he said gently. "I like waking up with a warm body next to me."

Cho nodded again, noting the sincerity in his voice, but that was before he said, "Gee, Cho, get your mind out of the gutter."

She rolled her eyes, then stuck out her hand to shake. "Agreed."

Draco shook it firmly and smiled. "Then let the games begin."

&

It was along tedious game, neither relenting, serious poker faces for an hour. Draco eyed the board over, mulling over which piece to move, when Cho became impatient.

"It is your move, Draco." she said.

"How about we raise the stakes a little more?" he said. "Adding more to it, that is. In addition to what was previously agreed, if I win, I also get a good snog before bed, and if you win-"

"You have to go on a walk with me tomorrow." she ventured, hoping he wouldn't protest. He needed to get out of the house, if he was ever going to leave it.

"Oh, you push a hard bargain, Angel, but I accept. A walk it is."

Then he moved his piece, and the game almost ended.

"Check." he smirked.

"Wai... how did you... that's not fair!" she protested.

"The way I see it for you, Angel, it's a win/win situation." Cho realized his meaning and turned her attention once more towards the board.

"Knight to B 5." she said, and her piece moved.

Draco only shook his head and said, "Pawn to B 5."

Cho watched in horror as one of Draco's little pawns sauntered over to her Knight, jumped up and squished it into pieces, kicking the parts off of the board.

"Ugh," she grumbled. "I cannot believe this."

"You're still in check, better get a move on." Draco chuckled.

Minutes passed, and she still hadn't moved. She was just staring down the board, looking for any possible way out.

"It's your move, Angel." Draco said after a while.

"Shhhhhh," she answered.

Oh, quit acting like you'll be upset if you lose. You've been scheming all day for an excuse to get back into his bed tonight. And of course, it was true, but her pride had gotten the best of her, and she didn't want to lose to a pompous ass like Draco. Then again, she did so enjoy sleeping in his arms...

"Pawn to D 5," she finally said, shrugging her shoulders in defeat, the complications of her own emotions and the game wearing on her mind.

Cho suddenly watched in amazement as Draco's smile fell. He eyed the board over once and again.

"Damnit," he finally said. "You won."

Cho nearly fell out of her chair. "What!"

"I can't move a bloody piece!" He pointed out each piece and its immobility, and where his King was cornered. "I can't believe it."

Cho stood and cheered around the room, while Draco held his head in his hands, defeated.

"That's right, Malfoy, beaten by a girl!" she giggled. When she turned around, Draco was wearing a fake smile and making his way for the door.

"Well, it's beenn fun, but it's late and I'm tired."

Cho froze. She won, which meant Draco would do the dishes, and she could sleep in her own bed. But was that what she wanted?

She smiled up at him and took his hand, leading him towards his own bedroom. Once inside, she closed the door.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked. Cho blew out the candle that alone lit his room and then stood before him in the dark. She took hold of his shirt and pulled it off over his head. She slid her hands over his solid chest, locking her hands behind his neck.

"Kissing you is much hotter in the dark." and then she kissed him.

Oh, hell yes, this is what she wanted. His touch lit flames inside her, and it could only be squelched by his kiss. It was all she knew, all she wanted. His worshiping hands, his adorning kisses, the passion he overwhelmed her with... that was all because of Draco. His skin was hot against hers as he pushed her against the wall again and roughly his mouth took control of hers.

He slowly began tugging at her own shirt, his hands caressing the skin beneath it. She wanted nothing more than let his hands explore her, her body ached for a his touch, but she knew that she wasn't ready for that tonight. So she slowly pushed him towards the bed, until they both fell on top of it, breaking their kiss.

"Okay, that's it." she said in a ragged breath. "Time for bed." she crawled over him and under the blanket.

After a few moments, Draco followed suit and sliding under the blanket, his arm snaking around her waist. "You're a mean woman, you know that? Getting me all agitated and..."

"I know, I'm just a meanie." she chuckled, then kissed him quickly on the mouth before turning in his arms to sleep. "And you still have the dishes."

&

A/N: Sheesh, Courtney, a whole month without updating? What's wrong with you? -smacksmack- NEVER AGAIN - I SWEAR! I will update once a week (or two) from now on, and if I don't, feel free to... threaten evil things and junk like that. For now, cookies for everyone, I applaud your patience and loyalty, and I hope you enjoy the chapter, even if it is short and crappy. Adios!