Author's Note: I own no person, no place, no thing – except the plot! If you recognize it, it probably belongs to Ms. Rowling or some other awesome super-human.

P.S.: Let the smut begin. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Chapter 12 Boyfriend-Girlfriend

"No Sue! I don't want to wear a dress. It's just not… me!" Hermione protested as her running partner/only female friend dragged her into a vintage dress shop in the center of town. It was Thursday, and instead of their regular run through the Park, Sue had elected to make sure Hermione was as uncomfortable and embarrassed as possible for Saturday's wedding.

"Oh Hermione, come on! While I've figured out that you don't particularly care for dresses, you have to give in. It's a wedding, for goodness sake! Besides, don't you want Draco panting after you like a mongrel in heat at the sight of your legs?" Sue joked as she led Hermione to the rack of pinafores, sundresses, petticoated skirts, and wiggle dresses that were reminiscent of the old movie wardrobes of women from Marilyn Monroe to Doris Day.

"Ugh, Sue. I don't know. I don't really want to call attention to myself like this. I'll be on the stage, not sitting at the tables! Besides, I don't want to give Sutton any more excuses to strip me with his eyes," Hermione groaned as Sue held up a gold satin thing that she would absolutely NEVER wear in public.

"About that. Shaun and Renny are going to talk to him, try to get him to behave. After all, you have a boyfriend now, right? And wouldn't Draco love to see you in this? It matches your eyes!" Sue said slyly as she pulled out a lime green, polyester, puff of a dress that made Hermione burst into laughter.

"Gross, Sue! It's got feathers! Get that thing away from me! And Draco's not… well, he's not my boyfriend, per se. We're just really close," Hermione tried very hard not to blush as Sue smiled widely at her.

"So Renny didn't see you and Draco snogging outside your flat after church Sunday? Or in front of the Library yesterday afternoon?" Sue asked innocently. Hermione hid her face in her hands and squeaked in embarrassment.

"You guys are awful!" Hermione wailed.

"Oh come on, Sweetie. You know how the boys love to gossip. Michael and Winnie even said they saw you two cuddled up outside that Tapas place on Monday. So just admit it already. He's your boyfriend," Sue gloated.

"Sue! Oh for goodness sake, I loathe living in a small town!" Hermione pushed her friend away and tried to make for the front door, but Sue just laughed and pulled her back to the dress racks.

/…../

"Draco, I have made up my mind. I'm going to buy a car," Hermione said decisively that evening as she scrambled eggs. He stood next to her and diced mushrooms, carrots and onions into oblivion, then measured soy sauce and oil into a heated pan.

They'd decided to try egg based dishes for the first week, since eggs were one of Draco's favorite foods. Tuesday they'd made spinach omelets and toast, Wednesday they'd made enough egg salad for dinner sandwiches and his lunch the next day, and tonight Hermione was demonstrating one of her Dad's favorites, vegetable fried rice with extra eggs.

"Really? What kind? Are you still thinking about that gigantic Lexus? The sort I've only seen very old women drive?"

"Oh, ha ha, Draco. I like them. My parents had one, so I already know they're really safe and outrageously comfortable, and they have loads of room for long-legged traveling companions," Hermione said as she refilled her wine glass before turning back to the stove top to construct the dish.

"I was rather thinking about getting a car too, but then I don't know how to drive," Draco said as he carefully placed the pot of cooked rice next to Hermione and the scarily hot frying pan. His fingers hurt just looking at it.

"I could teach you once I get mine. According to reputable sources, I am a very good teacher," Hermione said as she poured the rice into the hot oil and started adding the vegetables, soy and egg. Then she turned to Draco and handed him the wooden spatulas, instructing him to keep everything moving in the pan so it wouldn't burn.

"Yes you are, Little Girl, but are you sure you want such an enormous old lady car? Wouldn't you rather have something less huge? Like a Porsche? Much more sporting, yeh? Plus I'm pretty sure I'd look fantastic driving one. Don't you agree?" Draco heard Hermione giggle next to him and turned to look at her.

"Something you'd like to share Ms. Granger?" he asked.

"Draco, I am sometimes floored by your arrogance, but it is rather endearing," she said cheekily, then she pinched his bum.

"Hey!" he protested in shock as rice got flicked all over the stovetop. He'd been so startled by Hermione's pinch on his arse that his arms had jerked and dinner had gone flying. But, burnt sticky rice aside, she'd just made a very forward move and he was not going to let it go un-noticed.

Hermione's laugh was cut off as Draco quickly flipped the burner to the off position and then jerked her into his arms, sweeping her legs out from under her and depositing her bottom onto the counter opposite the stovetop. His mouth was already on hers and his fingers were curling into her hair by the time she caught her breath enough to react.

And react Hermione did. She opened her legs and wrapped them around his hips, dragging him into her as she enthusiastically wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. Draco gasped, then groaned into Hermione's mouth as she flexed her hips against the front of his trousers. Fuck! That had felt so bloody good, and it had been so bloody long… Draco dropped his hands to Hermione's hips, pulling her even harder against him as he rolled his own hips against hers. Her answering whimper goaded him on, and Draco flicked his tongue across her lips and swept into her mouth as he bucked his pelvis against her, over and over again.

Hermione untucked the back of Draco's shirt from his trousers so her hands could explore the skin of his lower back. He shuddered and pushed harder into the apex of her thighs, stroking upward at her denim covered sex with his aching erection. His own hands ripped her shirt up away from her belly and back, clasping and searching across her skin for something he could hold on to. He broke away from her mouth and trailed little biting kisses down her jaw and her neckline as she leaned her head back to rest on the cupboard behind her.

"Little Girl, I'm going to eat you up one day very, very soon," Draco growled against her neck.

"But not now?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

"Not now. I'm trying to be a decent sort and at least wait a week before I try to work my way into your knickers. Aren't you proud of me?" Draco whispered in her ear as he worked his hands under her shirt to thumb the underside of her breasts. Hermione twitched, then jerked hard as the cogs in her brain put together what Draco had just said.

"Merlin, Draco! How long have we been together?" Hermione's legs dropped from his waist as she tried to pull her shirt back down, removing his tantalizing hands as she did so.

"Hey! Wait, I didn't stay I wanted to stop, Hermione," Draco whined as he tried to bat her hands out of the way so he could sneak back inside her shirt.

"Cut it out for a second, Malfoy. A week? Lord, it hasn't even been a week?" Hermione looked up at him, appalled.

Draco scratched at the scar on the side of his head, trying to think.

"No, Little Girl. This time last week I distinctly remember coming home with a dinner of take-away tea and a scone. I spent the evening staring out the window and feeling sorry for myself in my lonesome existence," he said rather ruefully. "Seems like ages ago now. We've been awfully busy," he added as he tried to pull her legs back up around him.

"But, but, but…" Hermione stuttered as Draco tried to insinuate himself against her thighs again.

"But what, Love? You came into the Library last Friday. That's a week from tomorrow. I'll be good tonight, but come tomorrow its game on," he said with a wink. He tried to dive in to kiss her again, but she put her hands against his mouth and pushed him back. His eyebrows puckered in confusion as she gazed at him with wide, slightly panicked eyes.

"Wrrt-" Draco reached up and pulled her hands off his mouth, then tried again.

"What's going on Hermione? If we're moving too fast, it's fine. I don't mind slowing down. I told you before I don't want to mess this up," he said as he clasped her hands in his.

"Oh Draco, thank you, that's really thoughtful. Sorry, I just, well, I guess I just didn't really think about how short of a time we've been around each other… like this…" Hermione wiggled her hips, causing Draco to grunt and shift against her. She could see that he was still confused, but he responded before she could explain.

"Is that bad? Am I doing something wrong? I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Draco pushed her legs down and backed away from her.

"No! Draco, that's not it at all!" Hermione cried. She saw his ashen face and immediately felt awful. He thought he'd offended her by moving too fast! Sweet Lord in Heaven, the exact OPPOSITE was her problem! Hermione hopped off the counter and leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she tried to quickly explain. But, since she was nervous, her words came out as a rapid, jumbled babble against his chest.

"It's just that today, Sue called you my boyfriend! And we started talking about sex and babies and the wedding on Saturday, and I bought a dress so I'd look nice for you and I NEVER wear dresses and then I started thinking about birth control because we're really young, you know, and I definitely don't want any kids but I know at the rate we're going we'll end up in bed together, and I want you Draco! I'm just shocked with myself that this is going so fast because I went to the clinic this afternoon and I got a prescription to get on the Pill! But I can't start taking it until late next week because I have to start it on the first day of my period and then I need to wait a couple weeks to make sure it's working and I was just thinking that's fine because we've been together for a while and we'll be together for a while because I really like you, Draco… I just… I'm sorry I didn't think that through a little more," Hermione blushed as she felt Draco chuckle against her.

"Well, that was enlightening, Little Girl. I take from the speed of the raging torrent of words that just burst out of you that you're embarrassed?" he asked as he wrapped one arm around her waist, while reaching with his other for the wine bottle and their glasses.

Hermione nodded, then let go so that she could help him refill their wine glasses. Then she followed his lead to the living room and sat on the couch next to him.

"If it makes you feel any better, Wanda's been poking fun at me all week," Draco told her.

"Uh, why?" Hermione asked as she took a large gulp of wine. She couldn't believe she'd just said all that! Out loud! To Draco Malfoy!

"Apparently I'm rather dopey and absent-minded now that I have a girlfriend," Draco said with a small smile that sent a tremendous thrill through Hermione's body. He just said girlfriend! "And accident prone too, she's forbidden me from getting on any more ladders until I get my head out of the clouds – her words, not mine. She says she doesn't want my death on her hands," he finished, rolling his eyes as he swirled the wine around in his glass.

Hermione giggled, and Draco lifted his gaze to meet hers.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"It's nothing, I just – I don't know, I'm just wrapping my head around the whole thing and I feel a bit silly. You know? I mean, we've known each other practically our whole lives, and now – well…" Hermione drifted off as Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Silly, Hermione? You feel a bit silly? Did I tell you I got lost on the way to work yesterday morning? I was apparently day-dreaming and walked straight past the Library. I think I was halfway to London before I realized what I'd done. I'm not getting nearly enough sleep at night because YOU, Little Girl, are a snuggly sleeper, and yet I can't bear to kick you out of my bed because it's bloody wonderful having you beside me. So I've spent the last two nights watching you sleep instead of getting any sleep myself, which means since I ran into you last week I've probably only slept about fifteen hours. So I'm exhausted and absent-minded and over-fed and half out of my mind with lust. Because of you. A girl I've known practically my whole life." Draco snorted, then he said, "At lunchtime today I put salt in my coffee instead of sugar. I thought Wanda was going to wet herself, she laughed so hard. I spat coffee all over the break room."

Hermione threw her head back and laughed, and Draco joined her. They laughed together over the strangeness of fate, their own crazy luck, and this new, amazing thing they'd started with the most unlikely person either one could have imagined for themselves.

/…../

Draco spent the night at Hermione's Friday. Hermione hired a cab, and they drove to the local car dealerships so that Hermione could peruse the inventory. In the end she made the most outrageous purchase of her life when she fell head over heels in love with the show room model, a deep red sparkling wonder of a 'bloody gigantic', in Draco's words, four door sedan. It had a cool navigation touch-screen display and, according to the delighted salesman, a fabulous sound system. Draco was intrigued with the sunroof, and Hermione had to forcibly remind him to behave normally until they left the dealership. Hermione got the biggest kick out of handing the stunned salesman her bank card for the purchase, as his regular customers normally didn't pay cash for seventy-thousand Pound cars. Of course his regular customers weren't typically twenty years old, either, as Draco oh so kindly pointed out again.

"I was starting to wonder if the wanker was going to ask you to marry him or something," Draco complained as they pulled out of the dealership.

"Oh, it was funny, Draco. I probably just made his sales quota for the month by paying cash for this beautiful thing. I think I'll name her… hmm…"

"Godzilla?"

"No, Draco."

"Leviathan?"

"No, Draco."

"Behemoth?"

No, Draco!"

"Goyle?"

Hermione laughed. "It's a girl car, not a boy. And she's a beautiful Gryffindor, not a great hulking ogre of a Slytherin."

"Well, you can't name her Hermione, that's already taken."

"What, are you saying I'm a beautiful Gryffindor?" Hermione scoffed.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course. People didn't call you Gryffindor's Princess because you were some knock-kneed, hawk-nosed, wart of a girl. I believe that post was already taken by that unfortunate Midgen girl, who happened to be Goyle's girlfriend, so I actually remember her quite clearly."

Hermione was quiet for a minute or so, then she said in a small voice, "You think I'm beautiful?"

Draco turned slowly to face her, puzzled by her awkward question. "Of course I do, Hermione. You've always been beautiful, even when I hated your guts and played awful tricks on you when we were kids."

"But that doesn't make any sense! Beautiful girls don't get picked on!" Hermione wailed as they circled the streets around her flat, looking for an available parking space.

"Little Girl, I don't know what planet you grew up on, but here on Earth, that's what little boys do to little girls they fancy. Stick their pigtails in inkwells, put frogspawn in their pockets, curse them with giant beaver teeth…" Draco grinned at her glare.

"You did NOT curse me with those enormous teeth because you fancied me and you know it, Draco Malfoy," she huffed. She pulled into a parking space, then gave her steering wheel one final hug before she exited her new car and locked the doors.

"No, I don't suppose I did back then. But that doesn't mean I didn't think you were beautiful," he said as he took her key ring from her to start unlocking his way into her Fortress.

/…../

"Draco?"

"Mmmmm?" He was more than ninety percent asleep when he heard her whisper his name in the dark.

"You're the fourth person to ever tell me that in my life. That I'm beautiful, I mean," she whispered to him. Draco opened one eye to see Hermione lying next to him in her bed, with her giant down comforter tucked all around her head, like a child.

"You're beautiful, Hermione Granger. If you want me to, I'll tell you every day," he answered her, and quickly kissed her forehead before settling back down into his pillow.

"No, I don't need that. I don't have confidence issues or anything. It's just really nice to hear. Thank you, Draco."

"You're welcome, Love. So, who else told you then? Since you're keeping track," he asked. It didn't really make sense that only three other blokes had been forward enough to tell her she was beautiful. Hermione had always been one of the prettiest girls in their school – whether his younger self had wanted to admit it or not.

"My parents, and Harry. And now you," she whispered.

Draco's sleep induced fog flew away as he comprehended what she'd said. He sat up and stared down at her incredulously.

"What? That's really it?" he asked, completely nonplussed.

"Yes, why? What's wrong?" Hermione asked, and rolled onto her back so she could watch him. He didn't have a long sleeve shirt on, just a sleep vest and some pajama bottoms, so she could see his typically covered Dark Mark and Phoenix tattoos. The Dark Mark on his left forearm had shrunk and faded somewhat since Voldemort had fallen, but his Phoenix tattoo was still huge and vibrantly alive looking on his pale skin. Not that it moved anymore like it used to, it was just so life-like! The crest and top of the phoenix's head curled around the front of his collar bone, and the very bottom of its boldly shaded black, red, and yellow tail feathers curled around his Dark Mark. The entire bird curved around the expanse of his arm, each wing nearly reaching all the way around to touch the other. It was a truly beautiful work of art.

Hermione reached out with her free hand to trail her fingers along the closest edge of tail feather that she could reach, and Draco watched her carefully. No one, outside of Muggle medical professionals, had touched the bare skin of his left arm since before he'd gotten his Dark Mark. Honestly, it felt bloody wonderful to have her small fingers caress the skin there.

"Are you serious, Hermione? No one but Harry and your Mum and Dad ever told you that you're beautiful?" Draco asked. It didn't make any sense! She'd dated the Weasel for several months earlier this year, surely that wanker wasn't stupid enough to have never told her – but Hermione was shaking her head even as Draco doubted the Weasel's intelligence and sanity.

"Excuse me for saying this Hermione, but you've got to have the worst fucking taste in men – outside myself of course – I've ever known in a woman. How could you tolerate being with someone like the Weasel? He never told you that you're beautiful? No wonder why you left him! I'm surprised you didn't give up on men in general if that's your level of experience!" Draco said in disgust.

"Oh come off it, Draco. Guys don't just randomly tell girls that they're beautiful or special or whatever unless they want something like a hand-job or a shag."

Draco watched the phrase 'hand-job' fall off her lips like music notes from Heaven, and pounced.

Hermione squealed. "Draco! Hey! Draco, what are you-?" She felt him kiss his way down her neck and towards her chest, licking and nipping along the way. One of his hands shifted up to tangle itself in her long hair, while the other snaked its way down to the hem of her shirt, seeking to pull it up away from her stomach. Gasping for air as she watched the shifting and flexing of the muscles along his arm and shoulder, she couldn't help but marvel at the swaying form of the phoenix as it seemed to dance with Draco as he tunneled under her shirt.

"You said hand-job," he whispered against her heaving chest, "that's all I heard before my brain over-loaded and shut down. Oh, and you are the most beautiful, special and whatever girl in the entire Universe." He sat back and looked at her, grinning like a loon as she squirmed and giggled under his questing hands.

"Oh for goodness sake, is that what this is about?" Hermione sat up and stared at Draco, who indeed did look like his brain had short-circuited. Between his large goofy smile and his large glassy eyes, she couldn't remember ever seeing him look so utterly… like a young, normal, regular, healthy English male. And a gorgeous one, at that. She held up her hands, silently requesting that he stay back, and she hopped out of the bed and ducked into her bathroom.

Honestly, she was rather thrilled with the idea of touching Draco like that. She knew he was just being silly, but she was rather intrigued by the possibilities of what kind of pleasures she would be able to bring about in Draco. Hermione selected her least floral smelling lotion and a clean towel and quietly paced back into her bedroom, intent on the task ahead of her.

Draco was still sitting back on his haunches in the middle of Hermione's bed, wondering why she'd jumped out so quickly when she sauntered back into the room, wickedly grinning and carrying…

A bottle of lotion and a hand-towel.

Holy shite!

Draco held his hands up. "Wait, Hermione, I wasn't being serious! I can't believe you just went and got lotion and a towel!"

Hermione giggled, and tossed her accessories on the bed. This adorably sexy and embarrassed man in her bed thought she was beautiful, and she was determined to thank him. She just hoped she wasn't being too forward – after all they'd only been seeing each other for a week - Hermione quickly pushed that thought from her head as she took in Draco's half-panicked, half-longing expression, and jumped at him, pushing him down into the pillows.

"Merlin, Hermione, I wasn't actua-" Draco's protest was cut off by Hermione's lips as she settled herself on top of him and kissed him. Nestling her thighs just over his growing erection, she rubbed herself against him as he gasped and whined into her mouth. Hermione trailed her hands up his arms and across his tensed shoulders as she leaned up, encouraging him to rise with her. She continued kissing him as she found the bottom edge of his vest and slowly pushed it up his torso, breaking away from his mouth only long enough to pull it over his head and toss it to the side.

Draco couldn't believe Hermione was doing this to him. They'd agreed just last night to wait a few weeks to let the newness and excitement wear off before they got physical, and here she was, throwing that whole - admittedly equally erotic and disappointing - conversation out the window! Fuck. Now here he was, shirtless and rock-hard in bed with a wriggling and very determined Hermione, and Draco didn't think he'd be able to resist what she was offering so freely. But oh, he tried.

For about ten seconds.

With a sudden growl of impatience, Draco wrenched her mouth away from him and pushed her backwards until she fell back on the bed, then he clambered on top of her and settled his painfully hard cock right there, and thrust –

"Fuck!" he groaned. If there hadn't been any clothing in the way, he'd be buried in her by now. Oh Gods, just thinking about her heated center was going to send him over the edge. He rocked his hips again, and shuddered at the exquisite pleasure of being this close to her.

Hermione's eyes were open wide, watching Draco as he fought with himself. She pushed her hands into the waistband of his sleep pants, and, on his next upward thrust, pushed the pants down over his backside. She shifted her feet enough to use them to hook his pants and drag them down his legs, leaving her with a very exposed, very aroused Draco, gazing down at her with hooded black eyes.

"Now that you've got me naked, Little Girl, what are you going to do with me?" he asked in a low, rough voice.

Sweet Circe, that was probably the hottest thing Hermione had ever heard in her life! She smiled at him wantonly, then reached down and grasped the base of his straining erection in her hand, stroking once, up, and back down.

"God…Damn…Her…Mione…" Draco hissed between clenched teeth. He pulled his hips away from her for a second, and she instinctively stroked upwards as his velvety skin moved back in her hand. He pushed forward, and she slid her hand back to the base. With her free hand she pushed his shoulder, indicating to him that she wanted him to lie back in the bed.

He snapped his eyes open to look at her, still fully clothed, and he wanted to do something about that, get her as naked as he was and burrow his way inside her, but then she tugged on his cock again, rubbing his leaking head and spreading the moisture along his length, and all he could do was groan and give in to the overwhelming pleasure that was rippling through him in increasing waves of…

"Fuck!" he cried as the heated tension grew in his belly with every stroke. Hermione watched him intently as he fought to hold on to any thread of control, but she completely over-rode his sense of self-preservation as she quickly and… fucking efficiently as HELL… brought his shaking, aching body to the most powerful orgasm he'd had in years.

Hermione's womb clenched deliciously as she watched her – well, her boyfriend, honestly she couldn't do something like this with Draco and not want to call him her boyfriend - tense, coil up and explode under her hand. His back arched off the bed, his hands scrabbled at the sheets and he squeezed his eyes shut as he shouted and came in a torrent across his flat stomach.

He was really beautiful, in that moment, all heat and muscle and fire and bone, covered by pale skin with a light sheen of sweat and a dusting of blond hair. His chest heaved, his hands relaxed, and he cracked open one eye to look up at her.

Hermione beamed at him, and held up the towel, and Draco couldn't help but laugh. He took the towel and draped it across the mess on his stomach, then reached up and pulled Hermione down on top of him in a bear hug that crushed the air out of her lungs.

Hermione squawked, "Draco!" and he loosened his arms so that she could shift and rest comfortably against him.

"I'm not sure whether to be horribly embarrassed that this whole encounter lasted about thirty seconds, or completely impressed by your astounding efficiency, my darling Girl," Draco chuckled as he threaded his hand through her hair.

"Well, Efficiency is my middle name," Hermione said smugly as she wiggled her way up to prop herself on his chest, then she leaned in and kissed the tip of his nose.

"That's funny, I thought your middle name was Jean," Draco said as he reached with his free hand to pull the comforter up over the two of them.

Hermione blinked in surprise. "You know my middle name?" she asked.

"Of course I do. We've known each other since we were kids, remember? And I think, given what you just did to me, it would be highly inappropriate if I didn't know your middle name, don't you agree?" Draco responded, then yawned hugely.

Hermione giggled, he looked so young and innocent, yawning and rubbing at his sleepy eyes. "I agree, Mr. Malfoy. Now, go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow and I don't want to hear about you spending the night watching me sleep instead of resting."

"But, what about you? I was hoping to return the… favor?" Draco asked, but the delivery and intent were ruined by another massive yawn.

Hermione placed her hand over his eyes, feeling his lashes tickle her hand as he blinked.

"Draco, dear, you're seventy-five percent asleep. I'm perfectly content and in no way disappointed that you're not raring dive in and unlock the secrets of my body."

"Wha- damn, Love, did you have to say it like that?" Draco tried to raise himself up, but Hermione held him down with her weight still propped on his chest.

"No, Draco, I'm serious. I'm fine. Let's just sleep… okay?" Hermione's first yawn of the evening overtook her, making Draco chuckle as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You are undoubtedly the best girlfriend ever, Little Girl. Best. Girlfriend. Ever." Draco punctuated each word with a kiss, and then let his head fall back against the soft pillows as sleep carried him away.

/…../

Hermione watched Draco snoring lightly in the darkened room. Yes, she was a little… agitated… but it wasn't something she'd never felt before. And it wasn't like there was anything she could do about it anyway. She just hoped that when the time finally came, he wouldn't be too disappointed in her. She was really starting to fall for him, hard and fast. He seemed to be feeling the same way about her, and she hoped desperately that wouldn't change when he discovered her… deficiency. She sighed and looked over at her alarm clock. Cripes, it was almost midnight, and she needed to be up by six.

'Time for sleep, Little Girl,' she thought to herself, then snuggled against Draco's side and allowed the rhythm of his breaths to lull her into peaceful dreams.

To Be Continued.