Author's Note: Well I did promise a chapter today! And I have delivered. I am curious to read your reactions to this one. No more talking, now onto the story… As always, JKR is the Chosen One.

Previously…

How could he have been so stupid? Swept up in conversation with Blaise after so long, he had completely forgotten that she was standing in the little room off the living area listening to every word they said. Which meant that she had heard every single word his friend had said. Which meant she had heard the bits about her.

Which meant that she knew he was in love with her.

….

He opened his eyes again to watch her. She had stopped a couple of metres away from him. Her eyes were wide and slightly shiny from tears that she hadn't shed yet. He felt his heart start thumping again as they stared at each other. She looked like she was in pain or something. He could see the shake in her hands as she was wringing them together, and her breathing was uneven and raspy.

"Hermione, listen-" he began in a hoarse voice, taking a step towards her. She stepped backwards away from him, shaking her head.

"Is it true?" she whispered, and Draco swallowed. He had no idea how she was going to react. She didn't exactly look happy.

"Hermione-"

"Is it true?" she asked more forcefully. In his mind he was completely panicking. His thoughts were whirring around trying to get a grip on what he should say or do without pushing her away. But outwardly he appeared calm as he answered. There was really only one thing that he could say.

"Yes. It's true."

She blinked a couple of times, obviously trying to stop any tears from forming. Her eyes darted back and forth around the room for a few moments before she looked back at him. He felt the force of her gaze crawl up his spine.

"I should have known something was wrong," she said in a croaky voice, "But you've been lying to me this whole time. And I believed you."

Draco shook his head, wanting to go wrap his arms around her and reassure her, but he knew she wouldn't want that. She looked like a scared animal searching desperately for a way out of a trap.

"No, no it wasn't like that! I didn't lie, I just didn't want to…scare you."

Hermione took a deep, shaky breath and started to pace across a small space on the rug, wringing her hands together.

"So this whole time, when I thought we were both just developing new feelings for each other…"

Draco released a heavy breath, knowing it was useless to deny it anymore, and hoping that if he answered her questions honestly she would be reassured that he meant well.

"Yes. I already had them."

He saw Hermione clench her fists by her sides.

"And when I was at Malfoy Manor, you didn't save me because you felt like it was the right thing to do. You saved me because you thought you were in love with me?"

"Saving you was the right thing to do."

She shook her head, shooting him an accusing glare.

"But if it had been Harry or Ron in that drawing room being tortured, you wouldn't have even tried."

Draco stared at her for a few beats. He wasn't sure why she was upset that he had saved her, regardless of the reason. The fact was that he did, and now things were different. Nonetheless he was determined to be honest with her for once.

"No, I wouldn't have."

He saw her swallow and spin around for a moment to face the wall, with her back to him. He took the opportunity to inch closer to her. Her passive stance was starting to aggravate him. Although he admitted that his anger was partly caused by the fact that he felt like his feelings were being thrown back in his face.

"Hermione, you know that I'm not some perfect hero. I'm not Harry fucking Potter, I don't just charge into danger like a suicidal wanker. I saved you because of how I feel about you. It's not ideal, but is it really so terrible?"

She turned back around to face him, and her eyes shone with hurt.

"No, I suppose not. But I've been living here for weeks and weeks now. I've shared things with you I've never told anyone else. I've opened up to you and started to really care for you. But now it all just seems like a farce. Like you designed this whole stupid scenario to win me over."

"That's not how it was-"

"Oh really? Did you not design this whole cottage with me in mind?"

"Well…yes…" he admitted reluctantly, knowing that she had already been suspicious of that one.

"So you create this perfect house for me, then conveniently rescue me and bring me back here. Was my wand even really broken that day? Or did you just want to keep me here?"

"No! I didn't lie to you about that," he stammered, feeling guilty even though he knew it wasn't like that. He had thought about it, trying to force her to stay around for longer, but he had always ended up doing the right thing eventually, "I mean…of course I wanted you to stay, but I would never deliberately do anything to hold you back."

Hermione crossed her arms protectively over her chest.

"I thought it was just a coincidence that this house seemed so perfect for me. It made me not want to leave. I felt so guilty because all I wanted was to give up and just stay in this little world we have here. But I had no idea that you had designed it that way."

Draco grit his teeth and stared at her intently.

"It wasn't like that. I bought the house for me. You just happened to be in my mind, in my thoughts the whole time influencing everything I did, every piece of furniture I bought. But it certainly wasn't part of some nefarious plan."

Hermione sighed, raking her fingers through her heavy curls and clearly starting to think hard. She was biting her lip so hard it might bleed, and she stopped pacing to stare at him with doleful brown eyes. Draco wondered what was going on in her mind. Finally she opened her mouth a couple of times as if to speak, and on the third time, she let out a husky whisper.

"How long?"

He blinked a couple of times at the question. He quickly thought back to those moments at school which he had treasured, sitting near her in the library and being confronted with sensations he had never before experienced.

"Since just after Christmas in Fifth Year."

Hermione took in a little gasp of air in surprise. He understood exactly what she was thinking then. It was a horribly, painfully long time to be in love with someone who barely thought about you at all. The pity was clear in her gaze. And there was also plenty of confusion there. Rightly so, he thought, considering the total absurdity of the whole bloody mess he had got himself into.

"All this time? Why didn't you say anything? Or approach me when we were at school?"

Draco shook his head sadly.

"How would you have reacted?"

Hermione frowned and thought about it for a second.

"Not well. But…you were so mean to me…"

Draco shrugged one shoulder in a gesture of forced casualness.

"I had to get you to notice me somehow."

He saw Hermione shiver, and she wrapped her arms around herself as she dropped her gaze to the floor. He wasn't actually expecting some declaration of love from her in return or anything, but her response didn't exactly comfort him. She blinked a few more times, and at last a single tear fell from her lashes, skimming her cheek before it dropped onto her soft blue cardigan.

"I shouldn't stay," she muttered at last, spinning and starting to head towards the bedroom, her voice shaky and scared, "It's not fair to you, or to me. I should go. I need to find Harry and Ron."

Draco felt his gut drop with a sickening lurch, and he jolted into action. His chaotic mind buzzed for a few milliseconds in panic, but a single thought crystallised through the mess. He couldn't let her walk out of here.

In a few quick strides, Draco crossed to her, catching up with her before she reached the bedroom door. He grabbed onto her wrist and tugged her, pulling her around to face him. Her eyes were wild and her hair was spilling in a frenzy of curls around her face and shoulders.

"No," he muttered harshly, his own anger cresting, "You're not leaving like this."

"Let me go," she said fearfully, trying to pull away, but Draco just held on tighter. Using the momentum of her body's jerking motions, he pushed her backwards until she was pressed into the bedroom door. She squirmed weakly for a few seconds, but he held himself close to her, using his weight to his advantage to keep her trapped.

"Not like this, Hermione," he said, his breath ghosting over her face. They were so closely pressed together, he could feel every curve and dip of her body against his. "You're going to bloody well hear me out before you run away."

Hermione's eyes widened and focused on his. He felt a thrill of delight that she was finally giving him her whole attention, and not wrapped up in her own confused and terrified thoughts. He realised in that small moment that he had only really agreed to a vague question of hers, and an insinuation from Blaise about his feelings for her. But Hermione deserved to hear the truth from his own lips. So he took a deep breath and finally said the words that had been stuck on the tip of his tongue for weeks, if not months.

"I'm in love with you," he murmured, his lips inches away from hers. If it were possible her eyes actually widened, and he felt himself become lost in pools of despair, joy, anger, lust, and doubt, all swimming in her gaze. He grit his teeth, drawing on every last reserve of courage he had and continuing, "you deserve to know how deeply I love, admire and respect you before we both face death either together or apart if you decide to leave. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I was scared that I would never be enough for you. But it doesn't matter how you feel about me, or how angry with me you are now, or if you walk out that door tonight. I'll still love you anyway."

Hermione blinked a couple of times, her eyes going misty and unfocused. Her gaze dropped to his lips and then back to his eyes and he could see her thinking a million thoughts in her head. He felt his heart pounding painfully against his ribs as he waited for her to respond, and he had to force himself to slow his breathing down a bit because he realised he was panting with the stress and anxiety. Finally, after too many agonisingly long moments, she tilted her head up towards him.

"Show me," she whispered breathily, and Draco felt the weight lift from his chest in a single instant. A feeling of euphoria washed over him, soon to be replaced by a throbbing, all consuming need to prove it to her, and to do as she so daringly pleaded.

He crashed his lips against hers, pressing her closer into the door as he devoured her mouth. She kissed him back just as fiercely and it was unlike any other kiss they had shared before. Their lips were wild, unbridled, and almost careless in their kisses as they attacked each other. Draco shivered as he felt the blood rush from his head far too quickly, and he groaned, pushing his thigh in between her legs and making them part for him to nestle into. Not wanting to wait a single second, he grappled clumsily with her shirt and cardigan, tugging them up and pulling them over her head. The curls spilled out over her pale shoulders once the impediment was out of the way and tossed somewhere unceremoniously onto the ground.

He broke their kiss again for a moment to stare down at her torso, exposed to his gaze except for the pale blue and white bra that encased the most perfect breasts he had ever seen. The dainty, flowery pattern on the cotton only made him desire her more, seeing the innocent, feminine style. He frowned briefly when he saw a scar running diagonally across her chest, but he didn't really have time to process it as she was pulling on his hair and fusing their mouths together again. Her fingernails were scorching across his scalp, sending goose bumps down his back, and he thrust his hips into hers in response.

The next time they separated for air, Hermione looked up at him with a determined stare, her brown eyes sparkling with desire, and her lips plump from his kisses.

"Take me to bed, Draco," she said softly, and he nodded numbly, unable to really believe that this was happening. He wanted her so bad that he honestly was unable to think properly; he was just running on instinct. He pushed the door open and they stumbled through together. He kissed her once more softly on the lips before she stepped back towards the bed, taking his hand and leading him towards it. He felt his mouth go dry. There was no mistaking the intent look in her eyes. When they reached the edge of the bed, Hermione sat down quickly before pushing herself back to lean against the headboard. Draco was glad to take his weight off his shaky knees as he crawled over to her and leaned down to kiss her again. They rearranged themselves a little awkwardly, with him rolling over on top of her and Hermione spreading her legs so that he could lie nestled in between them. They were both very nervous, as he could hear the quick little breaths each of them was releasing into the other's ear. But once he was kissing her again he forget his nerves and threw himself into the feel and taste of her lips against his, and the way she released those sexy little whimpers.

Draco felt her squirming under him and he ran a few open mouth kisses down her neck and over her collarbone, making his way lower. He was just peppering soft kisses over the swell of her breasts when Hermione shifted, moving them both to sit upright.

"What's wrong?" he murmured, but she just shook her head and grabbed onto the hem of his grey shirt.

"Too many clothes," she replied distractedly as she tugged the material upwards. Draco smirked and helped her pull it over his head. He threw it to one side and kissed her fiercely again, as they fell back on the bed together.

Their lips parted in that instant in a gasp as they both felt the amazing sensation of their skin pressing together. Draco groaned and kissed down towards the curve of her chest again, alternating between little pecks and slow caresses where his tongue darted out to taste her skin. He let his mouth linger over her breasts, gently moving to kiss each one as he made his way down over her stomach and towards the top of her jeans.

"Draco," she moaned his name hoarsely as he started to undo the button and zip, before he yanked them down over her thighs, staring in wonder at the silky skin of her legs. She was so bloody perfect. He wanted to do a million different things to her body, but as he stared up at her in those innocent little white cotton panties, his mind was too blurry with that all consuming desire to be inside her, it was driving him insane.

He leaned up to kiss her again, and she practically whined into his mouth when he lowered his body just enough to rest his hips in the cradle of her legs, as the hard bulge of his cock came into contact with her centre. He reached down with one hand, and despite the tremor in his fingers, managed to brush them gently over the front of her panties before he dipped them lower to stroke between her thighs.

Draco froze, his lips going slack against hers as his fingers made contact and he became aware of just how much she wanted this. She was so wet, she had soaked the material, and he dropped his head against hers heavily to groan as his other hand gripped the bed sheets.

"Fuck, Hermione," he grunted. He brushed the cotton to one side and stroked his fingers lazily across the velvety soft skin beneath. Hermione's breath stuttered and stopped dead as her whole body tightened in response. He loved how responsive she was. He dipped his fingers in to gather the wetness before rolling his thumb around her clit, feeling a thrill of lust jolt through him at the resulting groan he produced in her. He wondered what other sounds he could make her release. She was breathing again, only now it was more like panting as she took in deep breaths and released them heavily. He could feel the air ruffling his fringe and whispering across his ear.

He had always been selfish with women in the past, probably because they were all trying to please him so desperately, but this was different. This was beyond anything he had ever known. He so badly wanted to hear and feel Hermione's pleasure on his fingers, on his tongue, on his cock, that it was making him giddy with delight and anticipation. He kept up the motions on her clit as he used one finger to enter her slowly. He knew she was a virgin, but was pleased to note as he twisted his finger deeper that there was no barrier to break, which would thankfully make this a lot less painful for her. A girl her age, especially one who had already engaged in magical battles, and had ridden thestrals and hippogriffs would be unlikely to still have her hymen intact.

In his ear he could hear Hermione's gasps turn into moans that escalated in pitch as he increased the pace of his movements. He could feel her walls rippling around his finger, and he grit his teeth at how tight she felt. She had probably never been given this kind of pleasure before, and the thought made him want to grin with a possessive kind of pride.

"Dr…Draco…I'm gonna…" she didn't finish her sentence as she was soon spiralling into orgasm, her back arching and her eyes clenching shut as her body shook underneath him. Draco's grip on the sheets tightened and he had to close his eyes and turn his head away from her, worried that with the friction of his cock against her thigh, even from within the confines of his pants, that he would lose control like an inexperienced fourth year.

Finally he felt her body relax and he removed his hand, rolling away from her a little to catch his breath, as well as try to regain some semblance of control. Because all he wanted to do right now was take her. After a couple of moments he felt her eyes on him and he turned his head to meet her questioning stare. He saw that she was looking a little doubtful, probably because he had had his eyes shut tight and his head turned away, so he quickly smirked reassuringly and leaned down to kiss her. That turned out to be a mistake, because Hermione gripped his hair again and kissed him back fiercely, drawing his bottom lip between hers and then biting down on it. He drew back in surprise as a shock of need raced through him at the feeling of her teeth on his skin.

"I want to take you so bad right now, Hermione. Please…" he winced a bit as he heard himself pleading with her, but right now all he could think about was relieving the constrained ache in his cock which was still trapped in his pants, and feeling her wrapped around him.

Hermione nodded quickly, the lazy, satisfied look having been replaced with desire once more. She frantically reached down and began to clumsily grapple with his belt buckle and the clasp of his jeans while he grabbed his wand off the dresser and muttered a hasty contraception charm. When she took too long struggling with the clasp, even thought it was only probably a couple of seconds, Draco brushed her hands away impatiently and snapped them open himself. As he lifted his weight up on his elbows over her, he felt Hermione reach down and wrap her hand tentatively around his length. She gasped a little at the feel and size of him, but all he was really aware of was the painful throbbing he felt at her soft touch. His balls tightened a little before he grabbed her hand in his and removed it.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I'm doing…" she started to stammer, but he chuckled and kissed her hastily.

"Yes you do, I'm so bloody close right now I'm worried I won't last very long."

He saw a beautiful smile spread across her face, and she daringly lifted her legs up a little higher, spreading them a little wider so that his hips dropped down closer and the head of his cock brushed over her clit. She moaned a bit and squirmed, and Draco's eyes rolled back into his head.

"Please, Hermione…"

"I'm ready," she replied huskily, but he shook his head. Even though he was poised at her entrance and wanted nothing more than to plunge into her depths, he stilled with anxiety.

"I don't want to hurt you," he murmured, "and I'm worried that I won't be able to control myself…"

Hermione brushed his sweaty hair off his forehead and gave him a nod of encouragement, placing a few tender kisses on his jaw. When he still didn't move she gave him one sinful opened mouth kiss before staring up at him with those glossy brown eyes.

"Tell me how you feel about me," she whispered breathily, and his eyes widened in surprise as his arms started to shake from holding himself up above her. The words rushed out of him as if they were dragged out in one heavy breath.

"I love you," he groaned, and when she smiled at him he felt a rush of acceptance, like she truly believed him and embraced his feelings for her, even if she wasn't ready to return the words herself. It was the last little push he needed, and he sank into her in one slow thrust. Distantly he heard Hermione moan and felt her arch her back up to meet him. But all he was really aware of was the tight sheath of her wrapped around him, and the steady throbbing of their bodies so intimately connected. He froze inside her for a long time just willing himself not to come like a novice, but he still wasn't sure he'd make it.

"Are you in any pain?" he murmured croakily against her neck.

"None," she murmured, her voice croaky and pleading.

"This isn't going to be very…long…" he panted against her neck, but she just stroked her fingers down his back and urged him to start moving.

"Please start moving, Draco, I want to feel you."

He couldn't deny her words even if he'd wanted to, and he slowly withdrew only to slam back into her with a groan. It took them both a few jerky movements before they found their rhythm. Even then he kept the pace slow, though each thrust was deep and hard to the point that he could feel his toes curl at the sensation of being able to feel every inch of her so exquisitely. He reached down when he felt the heat and tightness in his balls grow, and quickly found her clit again, stroking it in slow circles to match his movements. He heard her gasp again.

"Oh," she made the little noise as if she were surprised, and when he looked down at her face he saw that she was staring with wide eyes that soon turned glassy as she became aware of what pleasure could really feel like. He smirked and repeated that angle as he quickened his pace, hoping to push her over the edge again before he came.

"Fuck, Hermione, please come for me, love. I'm so close."

He wasn't normally very vocal during sexual acts with girls, but this was obviously a whole different experience. His mind was still numb with disbelief that he was making love to Hermione – his Hermione. He had wanted this for so long and now it was happening, but it was so beyond any of his tangled fantasies or dreams that he had been able to imagine. In reality she was so much more.

Thank Merlin he felt her finally start to tighten around him after a few more thrusts, and he really let himself go. He thrust into her hard and fast, loving the way her moans were turning into almost screams as she built higher and higher towards her peak. When it broke, her nails pierced into the skin of his back and he shuddered with pain even as it spurred his pleasure on, especially hearing her scream his name almost indistinctly, but still enough to hear the word Draco.

"Oh fuck, love…Hermione-"

Heat flared up his spine and through ever inch of his body as he plunged inside her one last time. His limbs were overcome by an intense feeling of lethargy as he collapsed half on top of her and half to one side.

Hermione was whimpering a little bit in his ear as she wound down from her own high. He lazily lifted his head up from the pillow to look into her face, suddenly worried that she had been hurt towards the end. But she had a satisfied grin on her face, and she blearily opened her eyes to look at him.

"Oh…shit…" she said in a breathy voice that made him chuckle sluggishly.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a soft voice, drawing slightly more away and to the side of her while still keeping his body close. He reached up and pushed a few sweaty curls off her forehead.

"Never better," she said with an indolent smile, "That was…I can't believe we haven't been doing that for the last two months. So much wasted time."

Draco laughed and watched her fondly as her eyes drooped closed again and she nestled deeper into the mattress in a sleepy pose.

"We'll have to make up for it," he murmured, leaning in to place a chaste kiss on her lips before he drew the sheets up around them. As he tucked her in, he felt his own eyelids get heavy. His whole body was exhausted and listless, and the radiating ache in his groin was an extremely pleasant reminder of what had just happened. He wanted to ask her more, or say more, or even just say goodnight, but his mind didn't co-operate as he slipped off into sleep next to Hermione, a stupidly wide grin still lingering on his face.

...

I hope I made up for my evil cliff-hanger last chapter. Oh dear. Well, this story may have just started to earn its M rating. Please review!