Pansy

"If you don't put down that stupid textbook right now I'll burn it", I threatened for the third time. When I, for the third rime, only received a grunt in reaction, I made good on my threat. A quick swish of my wand, and the remains of the book tumbled down in a pile of ashes.

"Hey!" came the undignified response, "I need this book."

"No, you don't", I answered, unable to keep the edge of annoyance out of my voice. "You need to acknowledge your wonderful girlfriend, who is just now taking you out on a picnic date at the lake, and forget about your fucking NEWTs just this once!"

I had startled her, I could see that, but I, for one, was glad to have finally voiced that thought. She had been like this the last three weeks or so, always with her nose in a book. She barely ever acknowledged me anymore. I supposed I should count myself lucky; her friends she did not acknowledge at all. I was just glad that our exams were in another three weeks already.

"Pansy, babe?" she said in that voice. I hated that voice. It clearly said: 'I am going to tell you something you are not going to like but you will still do it for me.' The same went for 'babe'.

"Yes?" I grit out.

"My NEWTs are important, and it's only another three weeks."

"Just answer me this question, and then I'll leave you alone. What is more important to you: me or whether or not you get an O in arithmancy?" It was a mean trick, I knew that, but I also knew that it would do what it was supposed to do, which was getting Hermione to spent time with me.

"You, of course." She pouted. "Why would you doubt that?"

"I hardly ever see you anymore. For all I know you could be having a sordid affair with Ginny, or maybe even that airhead, Luna, except I know you wouldn't do that. But honestly, I want to spend some time with you." I let my best wicked grin spread across my features. "I hardly even remember what you taste like."

"Wait, what?" she asked confused.

A quick swish of my wand, and she was naked in front of me, with my head buried between her legs. To my surprise she was already more than ready for me.

"You haven't been studying at all, you've been thinking of me all that while, haven't you?" I teased.

"Yes", she answered breathily, followed by a languid moan. "God, Pansy, don't stop."

I had no intention of doing so. I fact, when we finally did stop, nearly two hours had gone by. Just enough for me to cure my severe case of 'Mione-withdrawal.

"You good now?" she teased, but from the broad grin that spread across her features I could tell that she had missed our alone time just as much as I had.

I purred contentedly, leaning into her naked body. It was moments like this that I had missed even more than her body, even though that was great. I had missed just cuddling together after a good round of sex, having pointless little talks about nothing. Kissing her nose in the morning when she woke up. Hearing her laugh. Seeing a smile on my girlfriend's beautiful face. A voice in the back of my mind told me I was pathetically needy and whipped, but I ignored it.

"You promise not to forget to keep some time free for me from now on, yes?" I asked in the most un-Slytherin way possible. I did not want to be so vulnerable, really I did not, but it seemed with Hermione there were no rules that applied, and I needed her. How kitschy!

She mumbled something unintelligible into my chest and nodded.

"Good" I said, satisfied with her answer. "So" I continued in a conversational manner "do you know what you want to do afterwards by now?"

It was a subject we had talked about quite a bit, without any real satisfying results. I already knew I was going to work at the ministry's legal department as a judge. I had applied recently and gotten a positive response, despite my former involvement in the war. The main reason for this was that the legal department was trying to keep a balance between the four houses, one judge from each, and the Slytherin judge had been imprisoned once it got out he had been in cahoots with Voldemort. The job had by now been vacant for a year as there was no one how had graduated last year. I was going to graduate this year, as the only Slytherin. It was rumored that the ministry had been thinking about placing somebody from another house on the job, but I, as the only Slytherin applicant, had been the logical choice despite their inhibitions against my person.

Hermione, however, had still been thinking about what to do, so I was surprised when she answered with a yes.

"What is it?" I asked, lifting head from my chest to look her in the eyes.

"I got a letter from Gringotts. You know how they were none too happy about our little stunt with the dragon? However, they were also quite impressed with us and, it seems, especially with me. So, to repair the damage in reputation we cost them, they want to employ me to fix holes in their theft defenses. In addition, I will be part of the office for goblin relations. I can work on the acceptance of magical creatures and have an intellectually challenging job. I haven't replied yet, but it sounds good, and the salary is way bigger than anything the ministry would offer if I just got a job in the department of magical creatures." She smiled, excitement evident in her eyes. "What do you think?"

"You really want that job, don't you?" I laughed. "Well, do it then. You are the one who will have to deal with grumpy goblins, not I."

She hit my shoulder lightly. "Oh hush. So you think it's good then?"

I nodded. "At least no goblin's interested in ogling my girl." I pulled her closer.

"May I tell you that there have been quite some relations between goblins and humans?" she started, but I cut her off.

"So not the point here. Goblins or humans, you're" I sucked on her pulse point, eliciting a gasp from her "Mine!"

"Hey" she protested "I'm a free woman!"

I grinned at her cheekily. "You're my free woman." More seriously, I added "Should there ever be a time you can't love me anymore, I'll let you go. Until then, I'll keep you as close as I can."

She kissed me lightly. "Never gonna happen."

I smiled. "I certainly hope so."