A/N: Hello, everyone! Merry Christmas! It's a white Christmas where I'm living, and it's wonderful! I wish you all the best, and thank you to everyone who's reviewed/alerted/reading this story, it means the world! :)

Happy reading, and merry Christmas! :D

I Slept With Draco Malfoy and It Was Amazing

Hermione woke to the sunlight streaming through the window and she blinked rapidly, sitting up with the sheet wrapped around her. She rubbed her eyes with one hand and held the sheet up with the other before she glanced sideways at Draco, who was still sleeping. She smiled at him with his disheveled hair and his sexy stubble that had freaked her out that day in Diagon Alley.

She turned away from him momentarily to grab a robe that was strewn on the floor and wrapped it around herself. Then, she climbed back onto the bed and kissed his chest, then his neck, and then his lips.

"Draco," she murmured against his lips, "Wake up."

His eyes blinked open and she smiled, leaning back a bit.

He smiled at her. "Hi." he said, his voice rough with sleep.

"Good morning." she replied, scooting over to let him sit up.

He put a hand on her cheek and leaned over, kissing her softly.

"I'm going to go make breakfast." Hermione said, smiling.

He nodded, studying her face with a slight smile. "Alright. I'll be there in a couple minutes."

She got up off the bed and walked out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen. But then she stopped in her tracks when she saw someone sitting on the living room couch.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, putting a hand on her pounding heart, "You nearly scared me to death! What are you doing here?"

Harry smiled with a raised eyebrow, standing from the couch. "I just came to check in. You must've figured I'd be here soon. I miss you - you've been spending all your time with Draco."

She raised her eyebrows. "You called him Draco." she noted.

He shrugged. "Ron came by last night and told me what you said about trying to accept who you want to be with, and I think you're absolutely right," he admitted, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "We should trust your judgement, and we were just being arses this whole time."

She grinned. "Thank you, Harry."

And she was suddenly hit by the feeling that this seemed real. Like she really did have to convince Ron and Harry to accept Draco, because he really was her boyfriend. But that was not the case. She was just doing . . . a favor. A friendly - and very hefty, she might add - favor. Was this crazy of her to do? Yes, she'd become friends with Draco - or something like friends with Draco now, but - oh, no.

"Oh, no." she murmured her thoughts, putting a hand to her face.

She never did things like this. She never slept around - ever. Well, of course she didn't, she'd only been with Ron up until five-ish months ago. But she never expected this of herself - she didn't think anyone did. She didn't want to become this kind of person.

But you do fancy him, whispered a voice inside her head, You wouldn't have done it if you didn't.

Damn you, she thought back menacingly.

"HELLO? Hermione?"

Oh.

Oh.

"Oh - oh, Harry, I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I just got lost in thought."

"Yeah, I was calling your name for, like, five minutes," he said, giving her a 'you're-crazy' kind of look. "I was hoping for a celebration or something - you finally get what you wanted, yeah?"

She swallowed and nodded, smiling tightly. "Of course, Harry, thank you."

She brought him into a hug and then let her face relax into how worried she really was behind his back, holding him tightly. Her rock - Harry was her rock. One person that would never change; he would always be like her brother, and he'd always be there for her.

"Is this a moment we're having?" he joked lightly, chuckling, "Because I figure you must be choking me for a reason."

She chuckled, too, and let him go. "I'm just really grateful for you, Harry," she said, smiling genuinely at him. "I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, too. Just be careful with Draco, alright? He is a Slytherin, for Merlin's sake." he advised half-jokingly.

She snorted. "Trust me, I know. Now, get going before Ginny starts worrying. And tell her we all need to have dinner sometime, alright?"

He nodded. "Sounds good. See you, Hermione. Tell Draco I say, er . . . hi."

She laughed. "Get out of here."

With a wink, he Disapparated, leaving Hermione alone in the living room. She bit her lip and walked into the kitchen, getting breakfast ready absentmindedly.

So, she'd finally admitted it to herself - she fancied Draco. But could never admit it to him. He was only doing the relationship thing so he'd get away from the people chasing him more effectively. And he's slept with her because . . . well, because he just thought it'd be fun? She didn't really know - she didn't think she wanted to know, really.

Because she had a sickeningly realization just then - if Ron had easily broken her heart, Draco would be able to do it even easier.

She had said it, though. No strings attached. That way, she wouldn't get hurt. She couldn't let her feelings progress for him - she'd just push them away, maybe even go out with a couple other men. . . . Except, she couldn't do that because of her little stalkers. Well, she'd figure out something. She had to. She wouldn't let herself get hurt this time - it was too painful before.

XXX

Draco whistled as he slipped into his clothes after his shower and walked with a bounce in his step to the kitchen. His plate was waiting for him at the bar, but Hermione was nowhere to be found. He frowned and took a piece of bacon with him as he went back to the hallway, knocking on her bedroom door. It opened suddenly to reveal a very frazzled-looking Hermione, who was hopping on one foot as she tried to get her other heel on. He watched in amusement as she glanced at him and was about to say something, but then seemed to forget something and quickly went back into her room to grab her purse. She hurried back to the door and stopped before him, taking a deep, short breath.

"I have work." she said decisively.

"Okay, I'll see you later than." he said, and leaned down to kiss her, but she dodged him and walked down the hallway quickly towards the fireplace.

He made a confused face at her retreating back, and he followed her slowly with a raised eyebrow.

"Hermione," he said in a knowing tone. "What's wrong?"

She stopped before the fireplace and stood there for a moment before turing back to him. She bit her lip and looked at him almost pleadingly, her hands into fists at her sides. He waited patiently, though he was curious.

"No strings attached." she said, almost like it was to herself.

He raised his eyebrow again and repeated slowly, "No strings attached."

She nodded again and went to work through the Floo.

He threw up his hands in exasperation and shook his head. "Bye, then!" he called sarcastically, then muttered, "Women."

Hermione walked quickly towards her office in her wing of the Ministry - the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, on the fourth floor. She sighed when she finally shut the door to her office, slid her bag off her shoulder and collapsed into her chair, her head in her hands. She was in a reasonably high position in her department, being one from the top - the top being a woman named Katherine Hughes - but she preferred it that way, she figured. She still got a hefty pay, if she did say so herself, and she was aware that if she did take over the top position, her workload would be doubled.

She didn't even know if she would stay in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures much longer, anyway. She'd joined after the war to have a break from all the evil wizard rubbish, but, frankly, being involved in chaos like that was sort of a part of her. She'd just been so distracted with Ron that she didn't even bother trying to transfer until a more calmer state in her life.

That way, I could get it all screwed up again, like normal, she thought sarcastically with a dry chuckle.

There was a knock on her door, and Hermione straightened, hastily busying herself with papers on her desk. Her secretary, Julie, walked in, who Hermione had to tell everyday to button her top another button. Julie was, in very loose terms, well, loose. She usually wore what would be deemed inappropiate to work, and Hermione would insist she change (though she had insinuated in many times) had she not been aware that, for almost the entirety of the day, Julie sat behind a desk. Hermione never made Julie get coffee for her or any of that rubbish - she felt horrible when she did so, and reasoned she herself could just as well get her own coffee.

"Come in." she called out, clearing her throat when she found it was stratchy.

Julie walked in with a tight black, high waisted skirt and blue silk button-up top on, and she walked over to Hermione's desk, putting some papers on her desk. Hermione glanced up at her and sighed.

"Julie, please - "

"Yeah, sorry, I'll button it up." she sighed and buttoned her blouse up appropiately. She was about to leave when she gave Hermione a double take and sported a surprised smirk, her hands on her hips.

Hermione frowned and grabbed for the papers, glancing up at her briefly again. "What?" she asked.

"Boss, you smell like sex." she said in a tone so surprised, Hermione should have very well been offended. But she wasn't - just embaressed.

"Erm - I don't know what you're talking about." she muttered, bowing her head and signing the papers she'd given her.

"Who was it with?" she asked, putting her hands on the desk.

Hermione bit her lip. "Julie, I have a boyfriend."

"Oh, my God, I totally forgot!" she exclaimed, "Draco Malfoy, duh! You guys have been in Witch Weekly nonstop! Oh, my God, he's hot! Was last night the first night you had sex with him? It's been a over month - you were really taking your time!"

"Julie!" Hermione hissed and shook her head, exasperated. "Keep your voice down!"

"C'mon, give me the details and I'll leave you alone, I promise." she pleaded, helping herself to one of the chairs across from Hermione's desk.

Hermione sighed and put her palms onto her desk, finally meeting Julie's expectant, excited gaze. "Fine," she muttered, and took a deep breath before blurting, "Itwasamazing."

Julie giggled, leaning forward. "What?"

"It was amazing!" Hermione exclaimed too loudly, and bit her lip.

Julie laughed. "Boss, you're so funny," she said, standing, "I'll bet it was amazing, I'd give anything to - "

"Julie." Hermione warned.

"Right. Sorry, boss. I'll be outside if you need me."