So sorry for the delayed update. Super crazy at work at the moment (adulting sucks sometimes)
Hermione spent the rest of the morning in the basement kitchen preparing a contraceptive potion. Rose was helping her while preparing lunch and happily humming to herself.
"You like working for Master Malfoy?" Hermione asked after a few amused minutes listening to the elf's humming.
"Oh! Yes Miss!" Rose almost sang, "Master was kind enough to bring Rose with him from the Manor. The Manor has become a dark place. Rose is happy to be here with Master."
"Are you the only elf here?" Hermione continued, stirring the potion.
"Yes Miss, the others wanted to wait for Mistress to come home." Rose said sadly, but then continued, "But Rose is so happy to be here with Master and Miss. Rose has not seen Master so calm in some time Miss."
"What do you mean calm, Rose?"
"Master has someone Miss to take care of. And Miss is here to take care of Master. Master has someone to distract from his torment. Rose knows that Master is sad of Miss's treatment in the Manor. But Rose doesn't know why Miss is here. Master just said that Miss would stay here for a while. This makes Rose very happy," Rose explained.
Hermione worked on her potion for a while, not speaking but she continued to be amused of Rose's happy humming. Once it was complete, she took a dose to prevent from the possibility of a pregnancy. She put the remaining potion into a large phial, corked it, and took it to her room after cleaning up the cauldron.
She knocked on Draco's door and then gently opened it. He was lying on a huge four-post bed, adorned with black drapes. He looked lost in thought, a dark and brooding thought.
"Am I interrupting?' she asked crossing the threshold.
"No. What's wrong?" he answered still lying down.
"Nothing. Took a potion and had a nice chat with Rose.," she said, taking a few steps toward him.
"And what did Rose say?" he asked smiling softly.
"That I'm here to take care of you. And you are happy taking care of me. Well happy wasn't the word. 'Calm' is the word she used," Hermione explained, taking a few more steps.
"And are you here to take care of me?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. I can barely take care of myself, given last night's events" she began. And finally reached the bed where Draco was lying.
Draco felt his heart sink at her words.
"But," she continued. "I will continue to help you in whatever way I can."
He smiled at her devilishly, "Such as this morning?"
She smirked back, "If you'd like."
He held his arms open to her, inviting her to be placed beside him. She climbed into the bed and allowed herself to be held. She reveled in the feeling of safety that Draco provided, and considered it a bit hypocritical considering their history. He held her for a while, thinking over her words. She had agreed to continue to sleep with him. He knew he was being used, so that she could feel something aside from her grief, but oh, what a way to be used! At that thought, he shifted her so that she was straddling his waist.
"Why did Rose say that you are tormented?" She asked looking down at him.
"I am-was a Death Eater in Voldemort's inner circle. That sort of narrows down prospects in several areas of life: careers, marriages, and friends." he explained.
"Prove them wrong then. You have already proved me wrong," she said softly.
"How so?" he smirked at her.
"You're helping me now. And I'm sure you are sorry for the things you had to do while he was at your home," she said placing a hand over his heart.
"All that I did, I did for my mother. He told me that if I didn't, he would kill her. She told me she had done all she did for me. We had to protect each other," he said looking away from her.
"What about your father?" she asked. "Did he try to protect you or your mother?"
Draco made a disgusted noise, turning to look at her again. "No, that bastard was all for whatever Voldemort wanted until Hogwarts. When he actually saw what might have happened to me. But now he's in Azkaban with no soul."
"You need to start forgiving yourself, Draco. We've all had some pretty horrible things happen to us during that time."
"Do you forgive me? I had been horrible to you since first year," Draco said turning his head to face the pillows
Hermione moved her hand from his chest and cradled his head, making him look at her and said gently. "I wouldn't be here if I hadn't forgiven you, Draco."
Lifting himself up to a sitting position, her still straddling his legs, he took her face in his hands and kissed her lightly. She kissed him back, passionately. He moved his hands down her neck, over her shoulders, down her sides and sliding his hands up her shirt to feel the smooth flesh.
There was a knock on the bedroom door, shaking Hermione from her pleasure. Draco lay back down but held his hands on either side of her waist to hold her in place.
"Yes?" Draco called, slightly irritated.
Rose peaked her head around the door. "Sorry Master Draco but an owl just came with a message for Miss," the elf squeaked.
Hermione tried to move from her spot to meet the elf and take the letter but Draco increased the pressure of his hold on her waist. Amused and embarrassed, she called to Rose, "Can you bring it to me Rose? It would appear your Master is not going to let me move."
"Damn straight," said he.
Rose skipped to the bed, handed the letter to Hermione, and bowed before leaving the room. Hermione saw the Hogwarts crest and gasped. She tore open the letter, anxious to see what message from Headmistress McGonagall could read.
Dear Ms. Granger,
I was so pleased to receive your letter, and please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. Please also accept my regrets of your subsequent treatment of the Weasley family.
As to your request, it is no request at all. I would consider it a great honor having your on our staff. We currently have three positions available:
Muggle Studies
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Transfiguration
I have had no other inquiries of possible employment here at Hogwarts; so if you could think of anyone, please bring them along with you. If you could please come to Hogwarts to go over some finer details at your earliest convenience it would be most appreciated.
I await your owl with a date and time to go over particulars.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"I got a job!" Hermione cried happily, doing a small victory dance while maintaining her place on Draco.
"That's great, Hermione," Draco said, trying to be happy. The initial deal was that she would stay until she had somewhere to go. If she had a position at Hogwarts, she would stay at the castle and would leave him. That thought brought back gloomy thoughts; he had grown so accustomed to her presence in the past few months, not to mention more recent intimacy.
"They have other positions too, McGonagall said she's having trouble filling the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. You should come with me! Oh I'm sure she would be happy to have you as well," Hermione said noticing his depression. She thought playfully and moved her hips against his. "Just think, you and me as professors, sneaking around like naughty students into empty classrooms for a moment alone."
He perked up slightly at her words, and then faltered. "Me? Get a job at Hogwarts? Impossible. I'm the reason Dumbledore died. I'm the reason the other Death Eaters got in."
"McGonagall asked me to bring anyone with me when I go to meet with her," she replied. "Draco, you need to forgive yourself. You can't continue to be shut in this house or in the pub for the rest of your life. Prove everyone else wrong. I'm sure McGonagall would have happy to have you."
Hermione leaned herself down and pressed her lips to his neck. He ran his hands up over her legs and back up her shirt. She ran her tongue lazily over his skin, causing him to intake a breath sharply. She moved her mouth to nestle against his ear.
"Just think about it?" Hermione whispered.
Lifting back up to a sitting position she shifted herself down and pushed his shirt up, running her hands along his chest. Lavishly assaulting his exposed flesh with kisses and playful bites, she heard him start to moan softly. She also felt him harden under her attentions. She unfastened his belt, unbuttoned his pants, and slipped her hand down to grip him.
"Again, Draco?" she teased.
"Ah, if you only knew what you do to me," he said huskily.
"And what do I do to you?" she said running her hand slowly up and down his length. His response was moving his hips against her hand.
"Please," he said finally.
"Please what?" she said shifting a little further down his legs and pulling his pants and boxers down, releasing him from this confines of his clothes. She gripped him again and continued to stroke him slowly.
"Please," he repeated, trying to reach for her. His eyes were closed, relishing her touch. Oh he wanted her, he wanted her touch, and he wanted her mouth. She finally obliged him, taking him in her soft mouth. He nearly cried out, feeling her lips wrap around him. She cupped his balls, simultaneously pumping him and using her mouth. She could feel him grow close, and she stopped.
Draco's eyes fluttered open and looked down at her. She still had her hand on him, her mouth hovering a few inches above him. She grinned mischievously up at him, "Shall I finish you off?"
Draco nodded, his eyes pleading with her.
"Then tell me that you will come with me to Hogwarts," she said.
Hermione knew this would work, although she was trying to convince him through sexual acts. Such a jezebel she had become! However, she would get him out of his flat and get him back into the world. They could help each other heal and provide much needed education to assist in the of the healing wizarding world.
She kept her eyes on his, waiting for his response.
"You're going to be the death of me Hermione," he said at last and nodded.
She smiled genuinely at him, then took him in her mouth again and continued her attentions with renewed vigor. She heard him gasping, moaning, and finally felt his hands on either side of her head holding her in position. He tensed under her hands and finally spilled his seed into her mouth and throat, she continued to milk him until he was spent and he collapsed back against his mattress. She excused herself for a moment to get a glass of water to rinse her mouth. When she returned, Draco was at the small desk in the corner of his room writing on a piece of parchment.
"I'm writing to my mother," he said before she could inquire.
Hermione chuckled saying, "Dear Mom, best head ever. Best wishes, Draco."
Draco laughed, "No. I am, however, letting her know that you are here and you have persuaded me to seek employment at Hogwarts."
"Do you think she would be upset with my being here?" she asked suddenly. Her whole body tensed, thinking back to Malfoy Manor. Her hand flitted to her scarred arm.
"Oh no. After that incident at the Manor, she has a high regard for you. Not many people would be able to withstand my Aunt Bella's interrogations," Draco said consolingly.
Hermione blanched at the mention of Bellatrix. Draco looked up from his letter, and seeing her color change, raced to her and embraced her consolingly. He felt her relax instantly against him.
Changing the subject, Draco offered, "Don't you have your own letter to write to Hogwarts? Someone told me that I was to try to get a job there."
She chuckled at this remark and kissed his cheek, "Yes. Thank you for reminding me." Hermione disentangled herself from his embrace and turned to leave the room. Draco caught her hand gently and tugged her back to him, catching her lips with his.
"Ok. Now you can go," Draco said after ending the kiss. He smiled at her softly, resting his forehead against hers.
Hermione returned to her room and wrote the following to McGonagall:
Dear Headmistress,
Thank you for your kind letter. If it would be all right, I can visit Hogwarts by the end of the week. I will also be bringing along a candidate that I feel would be perfect for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. This candidate has extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts and would be able to educate Hogwarts students in the most extraordinary way.
Best wishes,
Hermione
She sealed the letter and called out to Rose. The elf was there within mere seconds.
"Yes Miss, you called for me?" she asked happily.
"Hello again Rose. If you could, would it be possible to send this letter to Hogwarts for me? It's for Headmistress McGonagall," Hermione said smiling. "I've accepted a job there and I'm trying to have your Master taken on as well."
"Oh no Miss!" Rose cried. "Rose cannot have Master taken away from her."
"Rose, he would continue to stay here most likely. He would travel to Hogwarts to teach and then come home at night." Hermione said soothingly.
"Would Miss be coming home with Master?" Rose said checking her tears.
"If your Master would like, I'm sure I could do that. Would that make you happy Rose?"
"Oh yes Miss! That would be wonderful," Rose said, drying her eyes on her tunic.
"I will speak to your Master about it. But first, he needs to get the job." Hermione said slyly, then winked at Rose.
"Master will get it. Rose knows that he will," the elf said stoutly. "Now, Miss can tell Master it's time for lunch."