I got soooo many reviews for this last chapter! You all make me smile. :-D

Responses:

Seriyah: Please, I beseech you, be as random and crazy and long winded and funny as you can manage. Finding a kindred spirit make my day. For example?: once I was on the train and I noticed this woman listening to her iPod, and she was really into it. I do that, when I'm listening to something on my iPod I REALLY like, I have to restrain myself from singing loudly and breaking into dance (this is hard, because I REALLY like a lot of my music). Anyway, this woman was acting similarly, and I met her eyes and there was that moment, as I was nodding my head to my music and she to hers we totally got what the other was say: 'I do that too!' and we started giggling and nodding. Neither of us said anything, and she got off at the next stop, but........yeah, wow. See? Random monologues. I enjoy them. Give me one about my fic and I will bow at your feet. For serial. (PS- sleep deprived is the best way to read fanfictions *hehehehe*) BTW, how is it that we share, like, 4 favorite stories?

Writersz cramp: nice name. When I said 'that was epic' I was talking about the kissing scene, jsyk. I've never written anything remotely intimate like that, so I felt very proud of it. Thanks for reviewing!

Rob-girl: YOU ARE PHSYCIC! Nicccce. Hahaha, jk. Thanks, I liked the whole fireplace thing, too. I want it not to be purely physical for them, you know? Though, then again, there can be a fair amount of physicality. That's allowed, right? Hehehehehe. Anyway, hope you enjoy this only slightly less romantic chapter.

MysteryShadow101: Yeah, I try ti read and reread my chaps to make sure there are no errors, but no one's perfect. Once Luri (who I will introduce in my post-ch A/N) finally gets to editting them, though, the new set of eyes should help immensely. That's a good idea—maybe if I hadn't already started writing this chapter when you reviewed, I would have used it. But I do have a plan, and a cool one, if I may say so myself, so I'll just leave that for now. Thanks for the review!

Are you done being bored with my silly responses? For those of you who I don't respond to (either because you don't review or you're reviews aren't intriguing enough—sorry) you don't actually have to read those. However, sometimes I give little hints in my author's notes about upcoming events, so you might want to skim them, if you care that much.

Ummmmmm, does anyone have an idea for the name of this chapter? Hmmmmm, lemme think... Ahhhh, yes, I liked that line...

Chapter 13: Whipped

Hermione lay down on her bed, under her covers. She couldn't quite go to sleep yet. It was difficult to even think straight. She could still feel his lips on her own, taste his tongue in her mouth, remember his warmth soaking through her clothes. Now that she was alone again she felt...cold.

She shivered and snuggled farther under the covers. Closing her eyes, Hermione tried to remember his exact taste. He had tasted like...mango. That was odd. Of course she didn't mind. He was delicious one way or another, and thinking of him warmed her up a bit.

But what happened now? Her eyes, opening, stared unseeing at the wall as she lay on her side. What would this change? Not that it was an unwelcome change, but she hated the idea of things becoming awkward. Did this mean they were dating now? Were they friends who liked to snog? No, that couldn't be it—she was too attracted to him for everything to stay the same after tonight...and she assumed he felt the same way.

How serious was he? She cringed at the thought that she was just another notch on his belt. Somehow she doubted it, but with guys—especially Malfoys, one could never tell. Then again, if she was just a conquest, why had it taken him over three months to make a move? No, that didn't make much sense. He could have done the same thing weeks ago and she would have welcomed it just as much. Hermione smiled to herself at that thought. No, logically (having finally regained the use of that part of her brain) this wasn't a one time thing—which led Hermione to the conclusion that he honestly liked her.

Well she honestly liked him too. She liked how he twiddled his quill between his fingers when he was thinking. She liked how casual and funny he always was. He was never without a witty comment, and she had caught on quickly, always firing one right back at him without fail. She liked how he could make her see light of a situation when she was really upset or annoyed. She liked that his platinum hair was long enough that it would fall in front of his eyes, and she had to restrain herself from reaching out and pushing it back. And now, she liked his deep, passionate kisses that made her weak. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but there was something about Draco's presence that made her both calm and nervous.

Wait a moment...Draco? She thought the word in her head, then mouthed it, letting his name roll of her tongue. Hermione liked it.

Draco

She repeated the name to herself while drifting off to sleep.

00000000000000000

The next morning came too early for Hermione. It felt like she had only just gone to sleep. Upon wondering why she was so tired, the contents of the previous evening rushed back to her all at once.

Hermione smiled brightly to herself even as her head began to spin with the force of the memories. Hermione couldn't help it—throughout her entire morning she couldn't stop smiling. It was the kind of smile that beamed across the room, the kind that she couldn't have hidden if she'd wanted to.

Finally, after finishing her morning routine, Hermione was calm enough to tame the bright smile on her face and put a more normal, albeit pleasant facade on.

Leaving her trunk at the end of her bed, Hermione left her room and almost skipped down to the common room. She found Draco sitting on the table she usually worked at. Upon her entrance, he looked up and she noticed his face brighten. Her own heart fluttered at the sight of him.

"Hey there," he said, jumping off of the table.

"Morning," she replied while striding towards him. Hermione wasn't sure what would happen if they got close, but she left it up to him to decide that.

And decide he did. Instead of stopping a comfortable distance away from her, he strode right up and kissed her on the mouth.

Hermione's surprise was overcome at the joy she felt at being in his arms again. Now that they were a little more sober, his kisses were less...aggressive. He was tender with her lips, licking and biting lightly. Hermione could barely command her brain to take in oxygen at all.

Draco felt her slump a bit against his body, and, without breaking the kiss, turned her around and began walking her toward the table.

Hermione, having barely realized they had moved at all, was surprised and relieved when her upper thighs hit the wooden table and she was able to take some weight off of her weak knees.

Too soon, Hermione thought, Draco pulled back. However, she was somewhat thankful. As much as she loved kissing him...over and over and over again...there was a question nagging in the back of her mind.

"Well good morning to you too." Hermione said. They both chuckled lightly, Hermione trying to regain her breathing. Having him so close wasn't helping.

"I can't seem to stop doing that can I?" His eyes glowed. "You're addictive.

She blushed and looked away, before glancing back at him and saying "Malfoy, I wanted to talk to you about something." The slightly more serious tone in her voice must have registered, for he stepped back a bit with a questioning look on his face, before turning and sitting on the table next to her.

"Shoot," he said simply.

She took a breath to steady herself and said "what does this mean...for us?"

He wasn't going to make this easy. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...I...we...we've been friends for a while. But now this...things aren't going to stay the same, are they?"

"Do you want them to?" he said, and when she glanced at him, he had a slight frown on his face.

She pushed herself up and sat on the table next to him, turning slightly toward him. "No," Hermione said, smiling a bit. "I don't. The question is, what are we now?"

Draco's face brightened a bit. "Does it have to have a name?"

"No, I guess not, but a definition might be nice."

He smirked at her. "Alright, you are the girl I love to hang out with and snog senseless. Does that work for you?"

She couldn't hide her smile from him, no matter how hard she tried. Instead, she leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek, lingering slightly on his warm skin. "That works just perfectly."

Draco smiled back at her and stood up. "Walk down to breakfast with me?"

Hermione's smile dimmed and she looked at the floor worriedly.

"What's wrong?"

"No...nothing...it's just..." she trailed off.

"Granger..." he said in a warning voice.

She looked up at him. "The last time we walked into the Great Hall together, everyone started whispering and looking at us."

"Does that really bother you?" he said, looking surprised.

"No, it's not just that, it's, well...Harry and Ron gave me a hard time about it, and I don't want to have to defend myself against them again. Besides," she added, smirking, "I'm not sure I could resist giving you a goodbye kiss, even in front of the Great Hall."

Draco nodded at her reasoning. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I am irresistible after all." He smirked when she rolled her eyes hit him playfully on the arm. "And as nice as it would be to have everything out in the open, I don't know if my friends or yours would react well to it, let alone the rest of the school. You may be used to everyone's scorn and whispered comments, being Potter's mate and all, but I don't really need it this year."

She decided not to comment on the last part of his statement. "The Great Draco Malfoy afraid of a little school gossip?" The both laughed, but Hermione sobered quickly. "No, you're right. For now, let's just keep this behind closed doors."

"Thank God for our own personal rooms."

She smiled at him as more...risqué thoughts sidled into the front of her brain at his words. Blushing slightly, she pushed them back as soon as they came. Not now!

"But just because we don't walk into the Great Hall together doesn't mean we can't walk down together."

"No, it doesn't...but I still won't be able to give you a goodbye kiss."

"Why don't we just take care of that now?" he said, and smirked leaning down and planting his lips on hers once again.

000000000

Draco sat on the train staring out of the window. He was sharing a compartment with Pansy and Greg, but they were both as quiet as he. No one could think of anything to say, and it didn't matter. None of them really wanted to talk—especially not Draco.

He was afraid if their conversation strayed anywhere near Hermione…anywhere near her, he would blurt out the events of the previous evening (and that morning as well). As great as his friends were, he wasn't sure exactly how they would take this…relationship he had going with Hermione. Greg was more of a pacifist, but Pansy would probably have a fit. She wasn't quite so accepting yet of non-purebloods. He hoped that she would come to terms with it eventually, but she was supposed to be his girlfriend, if for out-of-the-ordinary reasons. Maybe once she and Blaise got together and she could no longer claim the title, he could let her know that he and Hermione were…

Were what? He had avoided the question this morning not only because he didn't think it mattered, but also because he wasn't sure himself. Wasn't he the famous Slytherin bachelor (or man-whore in some eyes)? Didn't he have a reputation to uphold?. Was one girl worth losing it?

The answer came immediately.

Yes

She was worth all of it. It was insane for Draco to be so smitten with one girl, but there was something about her that drew him in, even though he couldn't say exactly what it was.

Damn, Draco, you are so whipped.

He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to the cold glass, and her face floated into his mind. He remembered her laugh, her smile, her hair, her eyes, her lips, her taste, her scent.

Draco was glad of his ability to school his outward emotions as he stopped the smile from appearing on his face. And best of all, she's mine! He thought. And I'm hers, completely.

0000000000

Hours later, Hermione sat on her bed in the room she shared with Ginny at the Burrow. Forearms on her knees, facing Ginny's bed, she waited for an answer.

"Gin, I asked you a question. What did I tell you about keeping things from me?"

Ginny rolled over and looked at Hermione, grinning. "I don't have to tell you anything." Hermione knew full well that Gin was just baiting her, and was really dying to reveal everything to her best friend. But she was gonna make her work for it.

"You don't, do you?" Hermione grinned back, picked up her pillow, and threw it at Ginny's head.

She shrieked, sat up somewhat, and threw it back. Hermione easily dodged the badly-thrown pillow, and they both dissolved into giggles, trying to stay quiet. Mrs. Weasley had come into the room only minutes ago telling them it was time for bed.

"Alright! Fine!" Ginny said after a minute. "You win! I'll tell you."

Ginny sat up in bed and Hermione scooched forward. She had been dying of curiosity ever since she had seen Ginny curl up against Harry's side on the train and mouth to her 'later.'

"Spill."

Ginny smiled. "Well, alright, where to start? Okay, so by the time you convinced me that I was being a prick," Hermione rolled her eyes at her, but she continued. "Harry was avoiding me. Of course that made me even more upset, but—"

"But once you have a quest, not much can stop you."

"You got that right," Ginny said, laughing. "But then you were in the Hospital Wing, and then there was so much work, and all those tests and essays, and even as much as I wanted to seek him out, I could barely find the time to brush my teeth, let alone have an important conversation. But then last night I finally found him after our last class, and I took him aside and told him that there were some things I wanted to say to him. He was confused, but let me lead him to the Room of Requirement. I just wanted to be alone with him, and you know how impossible it is to find anyplace private in this school."

Hermione nodded, an image flashing in her head of the events recently taking place in her own private quarters. No! This is about Gin, not me! Why does my brain keep doing that?

Ginny was talking again. "So we went to the Room of Requirement, which presented itself as just a little common room with some couches and a fireplace.

"Anyway, he was still confused. So I sat him down and told him that I was sorry for reacting the way I did. That I was a bit overwhelmed, but that didn't mean I should brush him off. That I was confused for a while, but I thought a lot about it and the truth is that I really care about him and I love him too.

"And then I stopped talking and he just stared at me for a second and then started grinning, and I was grinning back, and...well, er…happily ever after, right?"

Hermione laughed along with her friend, but then gave her a skeptical look. "That's it? Really, Gin, I know you too well for that. Come on, give me the details."

"I don't think you could handle the details, 'Mione" she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

They both laughed raucously at that. "Don't flake out on me now! Tell me!" She saw the look on Ginny's face. "Well, maybe not the gruesome details, but a general overview would be greatly appreciated."

They giggled again, and Ginny spoke. "Ok, er, well, instead of having that serious talk I imagined, all he did was tell me that he loved me too and, like, attack me. We must have snogged for a good 20 minutes. And, er, then I started taking off his shirt, and…well…you can imagine the rest."

Hermione grinned wickedly. She knew Ginny was no virgin. She and Harry had finally done it late summer, and, having just come back from Australia, the two girls had both been able to talk about their experiences with each other. Hermione prized such a relationship above all else.

"That's all you're gonna give me, Gin? Really? Come on, you know I can take it, and I know you want to tell me."

Ginny sighed and lay back horizontally on her own bed. Apparently she found it easier to talk about sex when she wasn't actually looking at Hermione, but instead reliving the scene in her head, staring at the ceiling. Hermione understood.

"Well, he kind of… basically he ravished me. God, it was even better than usual. I forget how great it is to be with him sometimes…and then, you know, be with him. I mean, it was the Room of Requirement and all, so if we'd wanted, we could have just wished for a bed and it would have appeared…but I kind of liked the idea of just doing it on the sofa. So we did…" There was a pause.

"Who was on top?"

Hermione had to bite her tongue to stop herself from laughing when Ginny raised her head and looked at Hermione, mouth open and eyebrows raised. After a second, though, she gave Hermione a friendly glower, rested her head back again, and said simply, "me."

Hermione dissolved into a fit of giggles, and Ginny joined her, before saying, "God, have I ever told you how big he is? It's amazing"

Hermione shrieked and threw the nearby pillow at her friend again. "Gin!" she exclaimed. "I did not need to know that!"

And together they dissolved into hysterics. The two friends couldn't stop laughing for an unknown amount of time.

At that moment, there was knocking and Harry walked in, looking tired, in his sleep pants. They both stopped laughing abruptly.

"What the bloody hell are you two laughing about? I'm trying to sleep here!" Hermione glanced at Ginny, who was subtly giving Harry a once-over. She grinned and then Ginny glanced at her. They looked at each other for a moment before doubling over once again.

Hermione was laughing so hard she couldn't draw breath for what seemed like hours. But every time she looked back up at Ginny, or worse, Harry, who was still standing in the doorway with a confused look on his face, she went right back into hysterics.

Finally, after regaining her composure, she looked up at Harry, and said, trying not to laugh, 'nothing, Harry. Just girl talk—go back to bed."

They snickered as he gave them one last perplexed look before stepping back and closing the door.

Still chuckling, the two lay down on their beds, still thinking amusedly about the situation.

"Now all we need is to find someone for you."

"Gin," Hermione whined, but couldn't help grinning at the ceiling. She was considering telling Ginny about this strange new…thing with Draco. Hermione never liked keeping things entirely to herself, as some people might suspect.

"No, really. I wonder who's available in school?" she wondered out loud.

"Well, actually, Gin…"

She wasn't listening. "There's Louis in my year, and Harper in Hufflepuff—but I don't think he's your type—Steven and Greg in Ravenclaw. You'd liked Steven, I think."

"Ginny…"

"But I wouldn't even consider setting you up with a Slytherin." Hermione's heart dropped at the words. "That's just gross and wrong and mean and cruel. I'd never do that to you. I'd probably puke if you ever started dating a Slytherin."

Hermione stated quietly, "they're not all that bad."

"Well, admittedly a couple have changed a bit…but Slytherin is Slytherin. Look, I know you think Malfoy's cool now and you get along well enough, and I accept it, but it annoys me that you're giving him another chance after all of the times he's hurt you."

"Gin, please, just don't. I like him. Why can't you be okay with that?"

She sighed. "You're right. Sorry, 'Mione. But anyway, I'll try and think of someone to hook you up with."

"I don't need it, Gin. I can find a man on my own." Ginny didn't have to say anything for Hermione to know she had a skeptical look on her face.

"Believe me, Hermione, you need me."

Hermione laughed at her friend, but it was halfhearted. She had been hoping that Ginny would understand…would even be happy that Hermione had actually found someone. But after that conversation, she knew Ginny may never accept it. So who could she tell? Hermione's heart weighed her down even more when she thought:

No one. I can't tell anyone. It has to be a complete secret. She sighed quietly and realized, childish as it was, that she needed a hug. I wish Draco were here. Even in the darkness she felt her cheeks turn slightly pink. I miss him. How weird is that? I saw him this morning! Well, maybe it's that I know I'm not going to see him for a while. This is insane! Why am I so obsessed? I feel like I have to do something…hmmmmm, wait a minute. Hermione giggled, an idea coming to her, and thinking of the old cartoons she used to watch, and how when a character had an idea, a light bulb went on above their heads. Where was her light bulb? Well, I mean, wouldn't that be a bit forward? Maybe…but maybe he'd appreciate it. I wonder if I could get Mrs. Weasley's help? No, she'd want to ask who it was for. I mean, I can do it on my own, but when am I gonna get that space for myself?

Hermione pondered until the late hour overcame her, and she fell asleep.

Hi! Ok, so a little shorter than the last one, but that seemed like a good place to end. Can you guess what she's gonna do? Probably not, but that's ok, you'll find out soon enough.

I would like to briefly point something out to you all. In these last few chapters, TONS of people have added this story as an alert or favorite. You guys are awesome, and at some point I will browse through my thousands of fanfiction emails and find all of your names and thank you. Now, however, I am instead asking you to review. If you liked it enough to alert it, and especially to favorite it, you must have something to say! I know I always do (about everything, actually). So send me your reviews. Tell me what stupid idiotic things I'm doing and praise the few things I get right, and then tell me one random fact about you. As you can tell, I LOVE randomness.

Ooglybooglyboo!

..........soooo, yeah

So I would like to introduce you to the best person ever, Luri. She is my bff (beta fan fictioner) who has decided to take pity on my bad writing skittles and edit this story. I'll probably be republishing the previous chapters soon, once I get her awesome feedback, so that future readers will not be angered by my spelling errors and stop reading :-P and she will edit all my future chapters (not including this one) before I even publish them, giving you all the benefit of a new set of eyes in the creation process. Please give a big round of applause to Luridel, Queen of the Series of Tubes (NOT a big truck).

And now she's probably really embarrassed that I said all those cool things about her. Well, TOO BAD, luri. I will give appreciation where it's due. You're the best :-D

So, review? Yay!

-Ginger

PS - Happy Valentine's Day! And happy Friday the 13th! hehehehe. Isn't it funny how the only way to have V-day on a Saturday, which is best for everyone, is to simultaneously have a Friday the 13th? interesting....