Author Note: I apologize that it has taken me a while to get this chapter up. I figured that I better get it up soon before my birthday, which is tomorrow, cause I'm going away to celebrate. Onto the next chapter, let me know what you think.

A special thanks goes to: Trodd, RoPete, LiPgLoSs aNd LeTdOwN, Rosie1967, tmiller, hisilentreader and crookshanks the kitty for becoming followers to this story.

Another special thanks goes to: Guest, Legolas' Girl 31, LightofEvolution, Hanable-13, HarryPGinnyW4eva, Snowflake Dazzle and zoesheppard for the wonderful reviews.

WARNING: LEMONS

Chapter 20:

December 20th

Hermione's eyes cracked open. A chill crept across her bare shoulder. Sinking back into the covers further, she felt a hand slide across her stomach and pull her back. A set of warm lips pressed a tender kiss to her back. It was then that she remember exactly what happened between Draco and her and why she was completely naked in his bed. "You awake?" He mumbled softly, the breath of his words sparked warmth on her chilled skin.

"Partly..." She answered hugging the pillow closer, not really wanting to be awake just yet.

"I surprised you slept in here the whole night. I half expected you to leave and go back to your room."

A slight smile appeared on her face at the fact that even thought she would do that; but then she rolled over to meet him face to face. His hand shifted from her stomach to her back as she turned. His subtle blue-gray eyes were filled a passion she had never seen in them before. She couldn't help but wonder if it was because of her involvement with him or something else entirely.

She wasn't going to lie and say that what happened was a mistake, because it wasn't; but her fear for his safety was continuing to press into the near reaches of her mind. The fact that it had been quiet since the attack at the Christmas party worried her. Whoever was behind it wasn't going to stay quiet forever. Something was going to happen and soon, she could feel it.

Draco could see the swirl of emotion in her eyes. The fear was starting to return to the chestnut color of her beautiful orbs. Without saying a word, he pulled her even closer to his chest and pressed his lips onto her forehead. "Don't fear it. I'm not going anywhere." He spoke softly against her cheek. She knew there was truth to what he spoke; but it really didn't ease her worry any.

"Draco..."

"Hmm..."

"Thank you...for everything."

He smiled before capturing her lips with his own. His hand cupped the side of her face within seconds, tangling his fingers in her already messy hair. A slight moan escaped her parted lips as his length pressed against her abdomen. It wasn't too much of a shock to feel that he was hard, considering she was completely naked next to him.

Draco rolled her on top of him. Her legs spread across his cock; but not entering and her perfect breasts enjoyable in his eye sight. Sliding his hand over her flat stomach and dipped between her legs to find her warmth. She was wet much to his enjoyment. The tip of his finger circled her clit several times earning himself an even louder moan from her lips.

"You like that?" He questioned with a knowingly smirk.

Pulling his finger away, he eased her down upon his cock. Her walls clamped down on him, making him hiss in pleasure. She threw her head back with a cry of her own. Hermione moved her hips, leaning forward and then back down again. Draco held onto her hips tightly, allowing her to move just how she wanted to. It felt amazing no matter how she moved on his aching length.

She couldn't think straight, every single movement made was instant pleasurable shocks through her. There wasn't just lust in his eyes and something told her it was more than that. His declaration that he was going to protect her from whoever wanted her dead, made her think that maybe her believe there were feelings other than just your traditional caring emotions.

"Hermione..." He called out.

"Come with me..." She whispered in his ear, raising her hips up once more and then quickly sank back down on him.

He growled and gripped her hips even tighter, then bucked his own hips up quickly. His finger returned to her clit, creating more friction on her sensitive nub. Her nails dug into the skin of his chest. Pumping harder into tightness, he lost himself in her warmth and felt the snap of his orgasm. Fighting through, he watched her fall into her climax and it was such a beautiful sight to him.

Hermione rolled off him and lay back on the pillow she had slept upon. The realization that she had sex twice in the last twelve hours with Draco Malfoy was crashing down upon her and she loved every thought of it. He had been someone that hadn't betrayed her on any level. Sure, they never got along in school; but she also hadn't been the nicest either; plus he had to mature into thinking that muggle born witches weren't the enemy.

"I don't think I can let you go, Hermione..." Draco said suddenly.

"Then don't." She replied rolling onto her side to face him.

Friday, December 21st

Narcissa found herself walking into the cafe set to meet with the colleague of the mystery person out to rid the world of Hermione Granger. The knot in her stomach was tightening even more. It was feeling more wrong with every step she took towards the meeting place. She sat down in a chair at a table in the farthest corner of the building.

The sever approached her with a friendly smile, recognizing her almost instantly. "You're usual, Mrs. Malfoy?" He asked. She nodded and thanked him for remembering exactly what she wanted to drink. It wasn't long that he brought her the warm cup of tea with a small cup of cinnamon.

"I must say that I didn't expect you to show up." A male voice entered her ears, making the hairs on the back of her neck to stand at attention.

"So you are the colleague the letter spoke of?"

"I am."

He sat down in the chair across from her. She noticed his bright blue eyes and the defined features that resembled a statue. Far too perfect to be real. If her memory was correct, he was the American transfer Auror that her son absolutely detested. "So what is it you want from me?" Narcissa asked taking a sip from her tea cup.

"I understand that Hermione is close with your son, perhaps a little too close for your liking. Am I wrong?"

"My son is odd enough to make his own decisions. I may not agree with some of them; but that's all part of being a parent. Children need to learn from their mistakes."

Stewart looked unimpressed by the older woman's statement. He was aware of her heritage and who she had been during the war, so he knew that he couldn't push too many buttons without consequences. It did annoy him that she didn't seem bothered by her son's closeness with Hermione. He wondered if her views on the muggle-borns had changed since the war or since her husband's incarceration in Azkaban.

"Fair enough. However, I seriously doubt you want a union to happen between them. That would taint the pure bloodline you've established. Would it not?" He asked trying to take a different approach on the subject.

"What exactly are you trying to get at Mister Lyons? Because I am fully aware of what a coupling between Draco and Hermione would mean for our line as Malfoy's." Narcissa snapped, keeping her hands on the table so as not to hold her wand between her fingers.

He could see the anger flare in her eyes and realized that he had pushed one of the those buttons that would get himself killed if he wasn't careful. Watching her take another delicate sip from her cup, he calmed his thoughts before opening his mouth to speak again. "The reason that letter was sent to you was because we thought you'd be willing to help us rid the world of Hermione Granger for the reasons I just mentioned. I will pass the message to her that you weren't interested in what I had to say." Stewart stated standing up from the chair.

Narcissa caught the word 'her' almost instantly. So the person behind all of the chaos was a woman. Now she was interested. "Please sit back down, Mister Lyons we have much to discuss." She said keeping her emotions from being able to be read by him or anyone else that would be present in the room. There was so much she needed to learn.

December 21st, Draco's Flat

Hermione finished the last dish in the sink and sat them out to air dry. Wiping her hands on the nearby towel, she turned to look into the living room and noticed it needed a good dusting. She moved to retrieve the proper tools for the job when there was a loud knock at the door. Knowing that Draco wasn't there, she moved across the room to open the door to find Harry and Ron behind it. The fact that Ron was with him surprised her. She hadn't seen him in quite some time. Though, not much had changed about him, he still looked pretty much the same.

"Harry...Ron...what a surprise..." She greeted stepping aside to allow them inside.

"Ron insisted on checking on you today." Harry answered wrapping his arms around his best friend tightly.

"I'm okay, really." She protested.

"You're living with Malfoy...you are not okay." Ron countered.

She expected as much from him. He wasn't as supportive as Harry was about Draco's change in attitude. He believed that a person couldn't change how they were raised to be. Rolling her eyes at the comment, she backed up to sit down at the table. "Listen Ron, you may not agree with everything; but he has been there for me through this entire ordeal. He's never left me alone for more than a couple hours."

"I know...it just frustrates me that it has to be him to be your personal guard."

"It's a little more than just that, Ron."

Harry eyed her curiously and then realized what she meant by the comment. Ron still looked confused, which wasn't all that surprising. "Has it been made official?" Harry asked with a smile in his voice.

"What do you mean official?" Ron asked loudly.

The door opened suddenly just as the words were spoken aloud. Hermione's eyes came in contact with Draco's and then the smile appeared on her face. Ron turned around to see the man in question in the flesh. His eyes narrowed and crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed that the conversation got interrupted. "He means us. Have we made ourselves officially exclusive to each other? Is that what you want to know, Potter?" Draco asked hanging his coat on the hook by the door.

"I suppose I do." Harry replied.

"Surely that isn't even plausible!" Ron shouted.

"It is and it definitely happened, Weasley." Draco answered with a smug look upon his face.

The red-head turned back to look at his best friend for confirmation, still hopeful that it was lie; but when she nodded her head. The hope flew away. Draco wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. Ron couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of them being together. He walked away and out the door. "Ron, please." Hermione pleaded.

"Give him some time and let me talk to him." Harry suggested.

"I knew he would be upset; but I didn't think he'd act like that." She admitted.

"It'll be okay. I'll see you at Christmas dinner, right?"

"Yeah she will." Draco said.

Hermione looked at him confused. Harry hugged her once more before leaving to chase down Ron. When they were alone, Draco moved to the living room to find the latest letter from his mother. "Why did you accept that for me?" She asked.

"I don't trust my mother, so I refuse to take you with me."

"I don't understand."

He handed her the letter. The words popped off the page at her. Now she understood why Draco wasn't entirely trusting of his mother's intentions. He was doing what was best to keep her safe and she loved that about him. "Okay...what about you though. I want to spend Christmas with you." She countered.

"You will. It just won't be the entire day. I want to keep you safe and you not going with me is the best way to do that. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize for that. I appreciate everything you do for me."

Draco touched her cheek lightly with his fingertips. He wanted to tell her the truth about what he was feeling; but he didn't want to scare her away. They hadn't been close for that long; but he knew that he was in love with her and didn't want to be with anyone else but her. Perhaps he had been in love with her in all along and never knew it until now.

Hermione smiled, pushing into his touch more. She never imagined herself craving someone's touch like she craved his. The thought that he was her's made her heart start to pound against her chest. Maybe she was in love; but she had no idea how to express that so early in the game. So she decided to keep her mouth shut on the emotion and enjoy the moments as they came.