A/N: Are you impressed with my quick update? I AM!
Chapter 9
It had been a month since Hermione's attack. Malfoy had argued that she should rest, but she missed work. She wanted- no, needed to go back- and insisted to the director of St Mungos to let her return. Reluctantly, he agreed, but on the condition that she was transferred temporarily from the emergency ward to a less stressed one.
Hermione had agreed, although she was rather annoyed at everyone insistence to protect her, and joined the children's department. At first she had felt uncomfortable, but soon found herself enjoying the new experience more than she had anticipated. When she had told Malfoy, he understood her awkwardness immediately.
"I'm an only child too, so I never grew up around children." He told her as they lay together in bed after their love making, quietly joyful. Malfoy held her close to him so her body was draped over his own, his fingers running up and down her back whilst her own trailed along his bare chest. "It's natural for you to find it a bit weird at first, but now you're having a bit of fun it's good."
"I suppose," Hermione murmured sleepily, nuzzling her nose into his sticky chest and inhaling his vanilla scent. "It's only temporary anyway. I wouldn't want to get too attached."
Yet Hermione had found herself starting to get attached- to one particular little boy under her care, called Ethan. He was only three, but had had a serious operation and was going to be there for a few more weeks due to his age.
"Hello, Ethan," Hermione smiled as she entered the room, her smile widening when she saw that the boy waved and sat up straight on the bed, his legs swinging happily.
"Good morning, Miss Hermine."
She didn't bother to correct him; he had formed a habit of calling her that and she had found it rather sweet. "How are you doing today?"
"My tummy hurts," He pointed at his stomach whilst wrinkling his nose.
"Oh dear. How long has it been hurting for, Ethan?"
"Since I woke and… and I ate breakfast."
"Did you finish all your breakfast?"
"No, Miss Hermine, I only ate a bite of my toast."
"Oh Ethan, you need to eat more," She felt his forehead and instantly frowned. "You're burning up."
"Like the sun?" He asked as he beamed at her, delighted with this piece of information; Hermione restrained herself from laughing. "I read a book about the sun, Miss Hermine."
"Did you?" She murmured as she wrote some notes down, but content to listen to him chatter. "What did you find out?"
"It's hot and… and big." He raised his arms up in the air and spread them out to try to show her. She smiled at him and bent down to kiss his forehead before picking him up to put him back against the fluffy pillows.
"Yes, it is, well done. Now, I'm going to give you something to bring your temperature down and you'll need to eat all of your lunch, okay?"
"Okay, Miss Hermine."
"Do you need anything?"
"I finished all my books, Miss Hermine. May I have some more please?"
She wasn't surprised. The child never stopped reading: perhaps that was one of the reasons why she was so fond of him. "Okay, I'll ask Healer Smith to bring you some more books. Now you have to lie still, okay?"
"Okay, Miss Hermine," He repeated, leaning back and looking up at her with his big blue eyes. She smiled at him before leaving to try to find Healer Smith and ask her to bring all the books from the children's play room, and wondering how quick he would be to finish them.
"Fabius, I am paying you a bonus."
"Oh I thought as much," Fabius said smoothly as he packed away his files into a large briefcase. "I've sent a letter to Parkinson and you're both to be there at 9am sharp on Friday. Don't be late, Malfoy, you need to make a good impression." He added, before shaking his hand, biding him goodbye.
Malfoy chuckled before showing him out of the door and, looking at his watch, thought he ought to go and spread the good news.
"Malfoy, why is it so hard for you to understand that when I'm at work, I can't just leave."
"But you're finished now."
"Well… I wanted to check on Ethan."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow slightly at her, amusement lit in his bright eyes. "I think you've really taken a liking to him."
"Don't be ridiculous," Hermione snapped immediately, rolling her eyes. "He's my patient."
"Uh huh. Well, I'll come with you, then we're going to dinner."
"Fine." But Hermione was laughing as she opened the door to Ethan's room, Malfoy right behind her. "Hi, Ethan. This is… Mr Draco."
Ethan blinked up at Malfoy, turning his head a little curiously. "Are you a doctor?"
"Er," Malfoy looked at Hermione, who only looked back at him with amusement, before turning to Ethan. "Not really."
"Then why are you with Miss Hermine?"
Hermine? But at another look from Hermione, Draco ignored this. "Er, I'm a friend of hers."
"Her boyfriend?"
"Yeah," Malfoy relaxed a little, attempting a smile. "Yeah, her boyfriend."
Ethan looked from Hermione to Malfoy, puzzled. "Oh."
Hermione held back a laugh, bending down to feel Ethan's forehead. "You feeling better?"
"My tummy doesn't hurt anymore."
"That's good," Hermione smiled at him. "Did you finish all your lunch?"
"Yes, Miss Hermine. It was pasta."
"Yes, I know. Your favourite."
Malfoy watched them carefully, softening at their conversation. They really were quite sweet together. Hermione had a radiance about her now that he hadn't really seen before and it only made him warm to her even more.
"Okay," Hermione finished checking Ethan and wrote down some more notes on her clipboard. "You still have a bit of a temperature, but otherwise you're doing just fine. Now I'm going to go-
"-You're leaving?" Ethan perked up, his shoulders drooping in disappointment. "Why?"
"I'm going out with Mr Draco."
"Oh… can't you just stay here?"
She smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek. "Sorry, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow morning though. And you have things to do, right?"
"I'm reading 'The Tales of Beedlebard'."
"That's a good book," She murmured quietly as she remembered only too strongly her connection with it. "And you'll have Healer Smith and all the other Healers to look after you, but you have your bed time in one hour. Okay?"
"Okay Miss Hermine."
"I'll be right back," Hermione told Malfoy, who nodded and watched her leave, before turning back to the boy. An awkward silence fell upon them as they looked at each other.
Finally, Ethan spoke up. "Mr Draco?"
"Yeah buddy?"
"I know you're Miss Hermine's boyfriend, but she likes me better. Don't be upset though," Ethan added as he climbed into bed, picking up his book. "Miss Hermine told me I have likeable qualities."
"Oh, Malfoy. I only told him he was my best patient, he got a little confused. Anyway, so what? He's three."
"He's a threat to me." Malfoy replied indignantly. "You should've seen his smug little face!"
Hermione rolled her eyes, picking up her bag whilst choking down her laughs. "You're jealous, basically."
"I am not." He protested, but was thrilled when she kissed his cheek. "Oh, hello: Kiss me again."
"You're so spoilt." She laughed at him whilst hitting his arm, reaching for the register and signing herself out.
"Yes, but now it's time to spoil you," His arms wrapped around her waist just as his lips descended onto her neck. Hermione's eyes darted around the hospital corridor, aware of their surroundings.
"Draco, we're in a children's ward."
"So?" He murmured, but leaned up to kiss the lobe of her ear before his hot breath swept onto her sensitive skin as he whispered into it. "If I had my way, I'd take you here."
She shivered at his words; aware she was starting to become limp in his arms. "You shouldn't say stuff like that."
"Why not? It's true." He chuckled, but let her go, not wanting to embarrass her. "Come on," He offered her his hand, which she accepted, before the pair took off down the hallway.
"Where are we?"
"Blaise's favourite restaurant."
"What? Not his own? How unusual."
Malfoy chuckled at her sarcastic comment before pulling out a seat for her, to which she thanked him and sat. "I invited him to dinner with us."
"That's romantic," But Hermione was smiling and took his hand. "I'm joking. It'd be great to have dinner with him. What did you want to tell me, anyway?"
"Good evening," Blaise grinned as Malfoy opened his mouth, sauntering over and bending to quickly kiss Hermione's cheek before she could protest. "Oh, how delicious Granger. Let me kiss you again."
"Sit down, Zabini," Malfoy ordered with a glare as Hermione laughed behind her hand. Blaise grinned before plonking himself into a chair and winking at Hermione. Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"As I was about to say before someone rudely interrupted," At this Malfoy looked pointedly over at Blaise, who only blinked at him innocently. "My court date has been scheduled for this Friday."
Hermione gasped whilst Blaise smiled. "So soon?" She was ecstatic. They had been waiting for so long and now it would finally happen. "How?"
"Fabius has his ways."
"He's good," Blaise agreed, reaching over to grab a piece of bread and munch on it. "Helped me with the restaurant. Have you talked to Pansy?"
Malfoy shook his head. "Nope. Don't expect to 'till Friday, to be honest."
"Fair enough. Bitch is going to get what she deserves."
"What about the baby?" Hermione asked.
"Fabius wants more proof the baby is actually mine." Malfoy admitted quietly. Hermione's eyes widened.
"Draco, she had a DNA test."
"Which could have been forged," Blaise intervened smoothly, picking up his menu. "Anyhow, we ready to order?"
It was a good evening; the trio had plenty to talk about and even Blaise's subtle flirting with Hermione didn't actually bother Malfoy, who knew his friend's nature only too well but trusted him more than anyone. When they finished, Blaise insisted on paying, after which he only rolled his eyes at the pair who argued with him and handed over some cash to the waiter, threatening to hex Malfoy if he took out any money.
"My treat," Blaise finished off his wine before standing up. "I have to go now, I'm afraid. I have to check up on the restaurant."
He gave Malfoy a bear hug, to which Malfoy hit him but laughed, before turning to Hermione and grinning wolfishly at her when she kissed his cheek: "Granger, I'm serious, if you don't stop that, I'll take you back with me."
Malfoy looked over at Hermione when Blaise left, his eyes twinkling at her in a suggestive manner, to which she blushed, causing him to growl appreciatively.
"Let's go home," He purred at her softly, his eyes wandering over her body. "I can think of plenty of things we could be doing, can't you?"
Malfoy's foot slammed the door shut before Hermione pushed him against it, their hands impatiently tugging at each other's clothing as they kissed fiercely. He immediately grabbed her arms before swinging them around so she was the one against the door, grabbing her thigh before hoisting her upwards so they were pressed intimately against one another, her leg wound around his waist. Her arms went around his neck, tugging him closer as her tongue entwined with his; He groaned into her mouth before pulling away and pressing hot kisses down her neck, murmuring dirty obscenities, causing Hermione to grab his face and kiss him again. His hand pushed up her skirt before his fingers clawed around her knickers and in one, swift tug, they were off. Her smouldering eyes pierced into his and they didn't take their eyes off each other as, slowly, his hand travelled up her inner thigh…
BANG.
They leapt from each other, Hermione's mouth open in shock as she slid down the doorway, her eyes on the floor behind Malfoy's shoulder.
"Oh Merlin," She whispered.
"Hermione? What-
Malfoy stopped when he had followed her gaze, his arms leaving hers as he threw himself down to the floor. "Blaise? BLAISE?"
Blaise lay there, unconscious, a large wound at the side of his head and a rich ruby red colour spreading through the cream carpet and biting into it. When Malfoy removed his fingers from the wound, he found blood trickling down his skin. He turned around to look at Hermione, who was kneeling on the floor, her own eyes fixed upon Blaise in shock, unable to look away.
A/N: As always, reviews are appreciated!
The biggest thank you to:
nature love 95, penguinlover250, ebm56, Keke Koorime, CheshireCat23, BeneHime1124, Orange-Coyote