Chapter Sixteen: "Enter the Dragon"

"I can't believe she touched your cock and didn't expect anything in return. God! Keep her close."

Exhaling the last of his Marlboro, he coughed out a chuckle, his throat raw with menthol, lolling his head over the back of his sofa.

Last night was a whirlwind to say the least. Hermione showed up at Draco's flat, wet from a shower in rarely worn pyjamas, while he was pouty and flustered.
That demeanour changed quite quickly once she arrived.

She held him close, and kissed him gently, and when that was all over she allowed him to vent without interruption, without any judgement. Afterwards, they cuddled on his sofa, popping in some sad records, just sharing their company. If it had been anyone else, he'd have had the urge to get dressed, be proper, but she didn't seem to care about anything but how he'd felt.

And he was thankful people like that existed. When it reached midnight, and he was exhausted, she joined him in bed, and they slept. Just slept.

It was all natural, it was all comforting, and it was pleasant.
It was almost normal, and Draco was unfathomably happy compared to how he would, and should, feel after the fiasco at Malfoy Manor.
And now he was all alone for she had plans with Ginny this morning.

"Trust me, I'm trying to," he told Georgia, stubbing out the cigarette onto the ashtray. "How're your classes, by the way?"

"Changing the subject, are we?," she asked in a coy manner. "They're extremely dull this term, I have no practical art courses, just history and the like. Ah, but it's all good. It's nice to feel academic sometimes."

"Wouldn't have any ideas on what that feels like," he grinned, when he heard her giggling.

"Oh, stop it. Hey, I almost forgot! I saw a little blurb about you in British Vogue, about up-and-comers. Mentioned Viv in there, and had a picture of that fuscia dress. Connections, connections. Climbing the ladder, you are. Hey, since Pansy's out of the picture, you think I could wear it down the runway?"

Either she had a thin grasp on tact, or she assumed this wasn't a sore spot of contention for him. Regardless, he found himself wincing at the memories that only had occurred a few weeks ago, of sitting with Pansy in shops, of gossip and less turbulent times. Comparing them to last night, where he'd experienced for the first time in his life what her backstabbing could do.

"Yeah, you can. It's not up to me, but, if Vivienne asks me about it I'll recommend you the position."

"Ey, are you alright? Am I being too direct again? You're better off without those guys, aren't you?"

Reluctantly, he had revealed to her his parents reactions, and Pansy's little confession of his offences to an audience. Which of course, being uninvolved with the concept of bloodlines, Georgia didn't fully understand. She did however 'get' the idea of dating someone who was beneath you; a lot of people had dubbed her flings and romances as such, and understood how much it could hurt the bloke she was keen on.

"I am, but I've known them my whole life, and now the smoke won't clear until I earn approval from people who loathe me. And my parents, as much as they piss me off, are still my parents."

"They'll come around! Everyone will. God, you two would be so cute together, watching Disney films and drinking tea, falling asleep together but not fucking? That's the stuff you only see in fiction and onscreen. Wow, okay, you have to make it work!"

And it was then I dawned on him that he'd never done such things, such personal intimate things, with anybody else before. It was always going out to parties, or dressing up to sit at home, or drinking in a crowd. His life up til this point was rather pretentious and lonely.

"I'm going to make it work. "

Georgia, though thousands of miles away, could sense the resolve laced in his inflection. Recalled speaking to Hermione in her flat, and Draco explaining his situation in that lounge in what seemed like ages ago.
The look they gave each other when they were at heads at her table, both oblivious to its meaning, had really solidified that they fancied each other, and hadn't opened up their minds enough to fathom it.

"You really like her, don't you?"

"I do."

"And you hated her before? Weird how those things happen. Kind of magical though, eh? Romantic."

"Yes," he felt himself smirking, "magical."

Kilburn

…I've enclosed several excerpts from the most updated law source, and explained on a separate page how you might go about defending your case in court using them. Any details about your association, any other information you can give me will be infinitely useful!

Good luck Charlie!

All the best,
Hermione

"You can finish that later, Charlie will survive one more day! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

She was concluding off a letter whilst being pestered by Ginny for the past 20 minutes. Luck was on her side again when she returned at 8 am to find her flat empty as she left it. Hungover, her roommate trudged in an hour ago, cursing her bad judgement but ready to go running as was their previous plan.

When Blaise had broken her trust, she regressed back into becoming the same self-conscious person she'd always been. Always inadequate, always having room for improvement. Ginny, instead of reassuring her she was a great catch, as she had always done, proposed instead on exercise. It made her feel good, it made her healthy, and a little bit of fighting power never hurt anyone.

Still, marching alongside a Quidditch star, red-faced and sweating profusely compared to a girl who had the gait of a gazelle (and could surpass a cheetah in short-shorts and sports bra) didn't really boost any confidence.

"One day might save lives, Ginny. Can't risk it."
She sealed it and put on several stamps. Owl mail could take time, and Charlie, though as ill-versed in Muggle-tech as Arthur was, could certainly understand how to pick up express post.

"You are one of the good ones, Hermione. Can you deliver it on the way back or is it – of course it's an emergency," she shook her head grinning, twisting her hair up into a ponytail.

"It'll be a nice detour around the park, hm?" Hermione suggested, appreciating that she knew this was important, standing up to don her trainers.

Grabbing water, bouncing on her heels, Ginny ran to leave: "Yes."

It was rather nice to have what constituted as 'girl time.' Though they couldn't chat much, as her ginger friend liked to go full force, it nevertheless felt like bonding. Stopping to grab some fruit at a market on the way back, an hour of vigorous running later, they were discussing nice places to eat. Noticing that she'd been swamped lately, Ginny had refrained from bringing up her 'special friend' she so wished to know the identity of. She was about to finally ask, after suggesting a couples restaurant, when they climbed up the staircase to find the two last people Hermione wanted to see.

Shrieking happily, Ginny hurried over to their guests.
"Sirius! Remus! Hope you weren't waiting long. Should've rang, you should!" Ginny scolded with a grin, unlocking the door. "I'd hug you but we're sweaty, give us just a moment. We missed you last night!"

Passing Hermione knowing glances, she flushed at their smirks to her deer in headlights look, and ran to her room to find her phone.

They're here, in the flat. Sirius and Remus! Tell you what happens when they go!

She had to tell Draco straight away, hoping he was in better spirits.
Whipping off her sweats, her shirt clinging to her back, she was a bundle of nerves mixed with the body tingles that come with jogging.

As she jumped into an easy knit dress, the ting went off, and as she brushed out her hair she checked it hastily.
Oh, bollocks. Good luck. Call me later.

A hearty guffaw resonated from the kitchen, and remembering herself, chucked her phone on the bed as if it would give her away prematurely.

"Hermione!" Sirius began once she returned, walking as normally as possible to lay against the counters where they were all convened. "We were just telling Ginny about the dinner we're going to have, remember the one I told you about when I bumped into you? At….Hakkasan."

Remus shook his head and rolled his eyes at his secret partner wiggling his eyebrows for effect.

"Oooh, really? Always wanted to go there, but it's so expensive! You think Mum and Dad would be wiling to go to that?" Ginny clapped excitedly. "When would we be going?"

"Next weekend," Remus informed her. "We've already made a reservation, wanted to make sure we could get one before inviting everyone. And we'll work it out with them, Ginny, don't worry."

"Yay! Who else is invited? Fred and George? Fleur and Bill?"

"Yes, and we'll probably bring along Ted and Andromeda, err, but I have a feeling they may oblige to babysitting Victoire," Sirius corrected after viewing Hermione scowling at him with wide eyes.

The last thing she needed was Draco's aunt fainting into miso soup after finding out her nephew whom she hadn't seen in years was seeking a relationship with a muggleborn.

"Is it invite only? Can you tell Ron not to bring some sloppy date, please?" Ginny pleaded, opening up the fridge and grabbing an apple to ravage. "Because I'll probably kill myself if he shows up with one of those snotty blonde interns."

She took a bite, and while the men both looked amused, Sirius directly gazed at Hermione when he relays his reply: "Yes, invite only. Just family. And of course, close friends."

Preoccupied, Ginny failed to catch Hermione's subtle nod of understanding that Draco was meant to stay far away as possible that night. And breathed a sigh of relief that she stifled with her hand.

"Any particular reason for it?"

"Now that, is a surprise," Remus finished for him, and Hermione was now only beginning to notice how damn noticeable it was they were mad for each other. Sirius was gazing at him with obvious love, obvious comfort. How had it taken them confessing it for her to notice? Their pairing made perfect sense, it didn't seem strange at all to her.

"Aw, no fair!"

"Life never is," Sirius sang. "Now, we have many more visitations to make so we'll get out of your hair! We'll send you details in a few days, keep it open!"

"Will do, it was nice seeing you!"

And then, after hugs, they were gone.
It was a much less painful encounter than Hermione anticipated, but she supposed they were saving the awkwardness for a crowd.

"So what do you wanna do then? Or must you retreat back into Boring Laws set by Bigoted Wizards; Eastern European Edition once more?"

"Clever," Hermione jabbed, flicking Ginny's nose, who scrunched it and giggled. "I can skive for a few hours. We could do whatever you like, after I have a shower though."

"Definitely a shower. We should go shopping, damn. Tuesday nights are getting proper boring, I need to spice up our sex life."

"Are you kidding me?" Hermione scoffed. "You two were shagging for hours the other night!"

"Yes, but we were wasted. Harry always seems so shy for some reason, unless his minds half shut-off so he can loosen up. Like, I wanna be kinkier, try new things, you know? And since he's too polite I gotta be the one to suggest it. Lead by example. Maybe some stockings will ramp up his willpower."

Somehow Hermione doubted he'd be any less tongue-tied around her with the presence of lingerie, but he certainly would enjoy it and do it if it meant she'd be happy.

"Maybe. At least you two still act like you did in high school, I can't imagine sustaining a six year relationship, let alone one year."

"Eh," she shrugged, "if you find the right one, it all comes easy. Sure there have been problems, but we've never really had a row save for the time he went to Yugoslavia after those Russia wizards and I begged him not to because it was so dangerous." She frowned at the memory for a moment. "But after that it's all been trivial, fixable things like figuring out how to bang a different way. If that's all that's wrong, we're doing well."

Hermione remembered that occurrence vividly, and prayed it never happened again. Many tears and angry visits had happened in that horrendous week. But they got over it all, and she was once again envious. But was much too pleased for their good fortune to be with each other, and their pending wedding that was in a few months, for it to last.

Besides, there was problem to remedy at hand, and if she could help her out, for Ginny she'd oblige endlessly.

"So you want to go down to Oxford? Or where?"

"Ann Summers, I heard that place was nice and not too expensive. You don't mind do you? I'd love an opinion. Or maybe you need something for that little friend of yours?" Ginny offered with a smirk.

"We'll see. I'm going to rinse off, I'll be quick!"

"You know pretty underwear boosts self-esteem like nothing else, darling. One of these days I'm going to meet this guy because you decided to take my advice and be a sex goddess!" Ginny exclaimed heartily, cupping her hands like a megaphone.

"Oh if only you knew." Hermione muttered under her breath, snatching her mobile and finding a towel.

Nothing to worry about, you're not invited. Next weekend it's happening, oh joy. Going to shower and then out, I'll be bringing my phone but don't expect 100% focus. We're on a mission.

Relaying the news, she got up to go to the loo. As she stripped waiting for the water to heat up, and glanced at her buzzing phone she was feeling a pleased blush creep up her face. She was frightfully happy Ginny couldn't see her.

I'll be crossing my fingers, or else apparating to the Himalayas if they go on a hunt for me. And I won't expect anything, although you shouldn't expect me to have anything but full focus on the idea of you soaking wet.

PS: Mission for what, pray tell?

Lately he'd been getting brasher and brasher, and she wondered if it was hormones, or if it was just how he was naturally now they'd become closer. Nevertheless, she found his cheeky comments turned her on more than they were glaringly inappropriate.

Which likely meant she was going to cave soon, though it was the last thing she desired. Once she shagged him, she was certain there'd be no going back. She wanted him more than he knew, and was so frightened that she'd disappoint him whilst being overwhelmed at the idea she'd be his first.
Was going to get fancy bras a death sentence to her common sense?

You are ridiculous. And to get some new knickers with Ginny. You know I bought that pink set you seemed to like with your payment. Maybe if you're a good boy I'll show you, hmm? ;)

She stared at the message for longer than necessary, feeling like it was a different person who was typing this. But she clicked on the send key and hopped under the stream and there was no going back.

Oxford

"What about this one!"

For the past half hour, Ginny had been thrusting panties in Hermione's vision, and she'd yet to find one she really liked. They were all poufy, froofy pinks or lacy, studded and dark; there was no median.

"I don't know, Gin. We can focus on you for now, love."

She mustered as much of a genuine smile as she could. Truth was she was nervous, and all these possibilities were overwhelming her. She hadn't anticipated that this store would be so….erotic. It wasn't the usual La Senza, or even Agent Provocateur. This shop had vibrators, handcuffs, and leather catsuits.

"Ugh, fine. Thanks by the way for coming. You think I should try on a corset? Maybe a camisole? Oooh, garter belts, let's go!"

They wandered into the more risqué section, while Ginny rifled through all the selections unfazed.

"Green is my best colour, right? Maybe purple?"

"Finding everything alright, I hope. Want me to start you a fitting room, and do you Need any different sizes?"
The sales associate, Patrice, was offering out her hand with a jovial, professional smile while Ginny held up several hangers next to her for comparison.

"You know, I think we're doing well, but a change room would be lovely," Ginny thanked her, placing her definite elections in her hands.

"Need help?"
Hermione was caught off-guard and flushed.

"No, I'm fine…Thank you."
With a small sympathetic eyebrow raise, Patrice stalked off to the other side of the floor, leaving them to browse. When she'd rounded up a few more things, Ginny was done with being diplomatic.

"You're being lame, even the staff have noticed. Just pick something! You said you wanted to. Even if you don't buy it!"

"Alright, alright."

Huffing, Hermione went back to the more tame section, selecting black panties with a red heart cut-out on the back, and the bra to match. And then, a navy blue bustier set that was trimmed in lace, along with the exact same set in black. They were sexy enough to appease Ginny, and not too over the top that she'd feel embarrassed trying it on.

Truth be told, if she stepped behind that curtain this would all become serious, and she admitted to herself she wasn't ready.

"See, there you go! Super hot. Let's go."

She gave her less than modest friend honest opinions about her selections to stave off going in herself, and then when Ginny was trying to decide, donned hers alone.
Of course Ginny didn't need any advice, she was fortunate to be very decisive. But it helped her narrow it down, and ended up going with the most risqué options once she tried them on once more to make sure they fit. Hoping they would make Harry ravenous, knowing that he'd react by blushing and stumbling over words. A fact she both relished in and got tired of.

The drape was being drawn and Hermione caught sight of feet in front of her room.
"Hermione, can I see, can I see? I'm all set!"

"Uh…I've actually decided, so I'll be out in a moment. You can go pay."

She was a liar and they both knew it, but Ginny decided to let it go, hearing her tentative tone, and sung an unconvinced 'Okayyyy' as she walked away.

"My boobs are so small…and my arse….ugh."
Spinning around to examine her body, Hermione was poking and prodding at her insecurities, wondering how models, let alone regular people, could have the nerve to parade themselves in such clothing.

Letting Draco take off her top was easy when she was aroused, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to relax knowingly wearing this as a 'surprise'.

"Why the hell did I send that text?"

His reply had been: If you buy knickers with the intent of showing them off to me, I don't think I can be a good boy. Glad you put the money to good use ;) I probably will be stuck lying on my couch fantasizing until you tell me if I was a nice enough lad. Can't wait.

And now she almost felt obligated to buy something, even though she could bring old things she owned and he probably would appreciate it. Yet she felt a small part of herself yelling at the back of her mind to just go for it, because this wasn't a normal relationship they'd started. Her regular manner of managing herself around Draco wasn't working, why couldn't she try something on instinct?
Trying to tell herself that she looked good in blue, that it made her breasts look nice, and was flattering to the rest of her, she threw back on her dress and marched to the cash with the bustier.

"Oh my god, you're actually buying something? Good! Those look super come-hither, by the way, don't you want some tights or something?"

Ginny was holding two fuscia carrier bags topped with black tissue paper, bounding up to her pepped with adrenaline about going to bed, and ecstatic Hermione was joining her in her exploits.

"No, I'm alright with this for now," Hermione smiled, trying to calm her stress about revealing all. "I'm glad you found stuff you like."

"Me too! Glad you came with me, I'd rather go with you than anyone else because you'll be honest. Half my mates on the team don't know what they'd be talking about, and the other half would tell me I look good in anything."

"Well you do look good in most things," Hermione winked, feeling a playful shove in response.

"Oh, you."

They walked outside into the sunlight, then found an alleyway to apparate in when the coast was clear. Once they were safely at home, they stowed their things away, brewing some tea and decided to watch Downtown Abbey, per Hermione's suggestion.

"What do you think the 'surprise' is that Sirius and Lupin are going to tell us? Think they're moving to London or something, like Luna did?"

Fighting her hardest not to freeze, Hermione grabbed the milk from the fridge and found she desperately wanted to confess everything to Ginny right here and now. Instead she feigned indifference.

"They might be."

"Guess there's no sense in slaying ourselves over it when we only have a week-long wait. Want some toast or something? Maybe tomato sandwiches?"

Thanking her lucky stars there wouldn't be guilt thrust upon her frequently (and unintentionally), she said 'yes, please', and sat down with a hot mug and let her head turn off for a little bit.

Friday; Mayfair

"I'm totally not prepared for this. They're going to yell at me, I know it."

Hermione's head was resting on Draco's lap; they were lying on his bed a literal hour before she was meant to go meet everyone. Dressed in a business suit from work, she wanted to see him before drowning herself in a pool of judgement and would be uncomfortable no matter what she wore, so why waste precious time?

"Well, just tell them it's a trial period or something. That you're setting up hurdles for me to cross before I can achieve 'dating' status."
Going through his email on his mobile, speaking nonchalant, Draco appeared unfazed. He was, most certainly, perhaps even more than Hermione. But he knew he couldn't act that way now in front of her, he had license in faking it.

"Is that what you think is happening?"
Staring up at him, he put his device down and smirked at her.

"No, I don't. But they'll probably think it's a good idea. And frankly, I don't know how you haven't considered it."

"Because I'm not a manipulative swot?" she responded, with a slight inquiry, knitting her brow.

"No, you're not," he ran his thumb along her forehead to ease her worry, then found her hand to hold it. "I guess I just can't believe it."

"Believe it?"

Leaning up, she became level with him, equally appreciating and feeling unnerved that he didn't flinch or pull back. He was so proximate, she could see the flecks of blue in his slate eyes.

"Not completely sure how to put it in words…but this separation of myself from what I'm used to is unbelievable. I feel like I'm diving off a cliff, freefalling into something I don't understand, and I'm waiting until I hit the water. And I'm not certain if the waves will be inviting when I immerse myself into it, or if I'll sink."

That boy had a way with words, and Hermione was struck for the first time with the idea he might be struggling with more than just his family issues. She thought he was doing much better than even a little while ago, but that didn't mean it all came easy.

"Do you miss everyone?"

She glanced down at their intertwined fingers, and then back up at him, to find him shaking his head slowly, pondering hard. "I dunno, really. I didn't when Blaise ditched me at school, maybe because Pansy still hung round, and after I graduated I could do whatever I wanted. It seemed liked I made the choice to be separate even though I didn't...I don't mind people like Adrian and Miles, even some of the other girls are alright on their own. But I guess I just don't know how to be amicable with other people. Being in that circle was guaranteeing 'friends', and they expected me to be mean and nasty, we don't expect to trust anyone. I don't know if the people I'd miss would be….real. If it was actually them I remembered, or their public persona."

"Isn't that miserable though?"
Moving herself so she was next to him instead of facing him, he sighed.

"Not miserable…it was just what I'm used to. And then I decided to be an idiot and come here out of fantasy land and got a very harsh reality shoved down my throat. That there exists people who don't function only for themselves. And that bloody scares me," he continued in a low voice, flexing his fingers for emphasis. "Then you came in and ruined the illusion completely."

"I ruined the illusion?'

"All it took was for Georgia to flick on the switch, just express verbally that there was some kind of tension between us when we were together in her flat for me to realize...you know, that I didn't dislike you. And though I'd long ago become indifferent to blood and all that, I wouldn't in my wildest dreams have imagined that I'd enjoy muggle life, let alone talk to you ever again after school. It was absurd that I wanted you and you hated my guts."

Her heart was constricting, the way he was so unapologetic and genuine once again killing her softly, destroying her willpower more than action could.

"I didn't hate you," she replied quietly. "I just had too many bad memories in my head. And was so shocked that you'd even kiss me, let alone like me."

"Well I do. I like you too much, it's unhealthy I think."

There it was; that spark again. The one that was lethal, the one that revealed itself when he smiled, when she chuckled, when she decided to play coy and he took the bait like he had no idea what she was on about.

"Oh, really? If I recall, you're mad about me."
She tilted herself to put her lips on his, and in a fit of daring, he lifted her gently onto him so she was sitting on his thighs.

"I am," he admitted shamelessly, pecking her on the throat when she reacted by hunching her shoulders self-consciously with a silly grin.

"I might be particularly fond of you too. Might be," she told him, embracing him to snog better. His hands were tangling in hair he'd freed from a severe bun, while she was easing off a heavy blazer to get closer to the warmth of his body.

Since their first date, they hadn't kissed like this. But they wanted to, and Hermione felt that desire brimming to the surface, his careful pushing and flattery too much to handle. The last straw for her before giving in like before, was when he pulled her in close, rubbed her back tenderly while nibbling gently on her ear. She swung her leg over his waist and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Groaning, he whispered in her ear; "You know you never showed me what you bought on the weekend. Maybe you're wearing it now?"

He was fiddling with her blouse, roaming his hands ever so slightly underneath it, so he could graze her bare hips.
"No..but maybe I'll bring it over after tonight," she breathed, scratching at his nape and hair when the feeling caused her to shiver.

"Please do."

Full on making out, they found themselves with discarded shirts, panting and wanting, and unsure of themselves and each other. She wanted to unzip his trousers, he was hard and he was tracing his fingers around her encased breasts.

They stopped for a moment, and he burned her with a question she answered unexpectedly.
Shyly, Hermione unclasped her bra, and then guided him to the straps so he could trail it off her, his lungs catching once she was bare, the air in the room ghosting her skin.

Kissing each nipple tenderly, tentatively, he brushed the middle of her chest, tracking his lips up to her mouth again, and once he got there, he stopped.

"You're beautiful."

He uttered those words with wide open eyes. And they escaped him in such an honest, almost reluctant breath. As if he were frightened she wouldn't believe him.
Instead, she attacked him.

The most inappropriate time to have Blaise in his head, he was invading him nevertheless: "She is freaky in the sheets, and she was good….not at all like I expected."
Hermione Granger was ferocious. It fitted her if Draco stopped to think about her other dominant qualities, but he didn't want to think. He wanted to massage her tits, wanted to snog her until he couldn't feel his face, and have her touch him anywhere she pleased.

And she was doing just that; scratching his back to leave lines of light red, marking him with love bites where nobody would see them, she urged him to her so he could nip and lick at the places she'd let only a few people explore.

"I want you."

In the heat of the moment, Draco wasn't entirely sure if he was delusional or not, yet her lips were moving, and when they stopped rubbing against one each other with intense vigour, he knew he'd heard her correctly when she flushed red.
But he wasn't embarrassed. Why would he be, when she'd freely admitted she wanted to fuck?

"So take me."

Skating tentative hands to her waist, to her skirt zipper, he was stopped before he began.
"It's too soon."

"Who cares?" he tried contending, pulling her ear to his face, placing stray hairs behind it. "I'm not going anywhere, Granger. You know I want you too, you know I'll wait."

Shivering, she knew it was the truth, but this decision was not based on some age-old principle, it was because she knew if she gave in to this, she'd feel the same as Draco; tumbling down a hole she wasn't prepared for.

"Not today," she shook her head, and though disappointment was clearly etched on his face, he merely drew her closer and held her, knowing soon she'd have to leave. And like the best smooth operator, didn't want her to leave in a mood. "But I don't have to rule everything out."

"W-what?"

The next thing he knew, she had slithered down his body, pushed his legs apart. She was lying in between them, dragging his trousers slowly to his knees, taking his boxers along with them.

"Hermione – "

"Shh," she hushed him when he jolted as his cock peeked out from its constraints.

She grabbed it firmly with both hands, raring to go. He thought he might cum right there. At the sight of Hermione Granger, topless in tights, with her feet bent up in the air, her back arced, arse up, head low over his hips; her tongue edging ever-closer. Kitten licks to the head, she skimmed her hands up and down his shaft until she could sense his whole frame going rigid. And then, in one swift movement, she shoved his whole length down her throat.

"Just go with it," she told him when she came back up, lips on his tip, daring to look straight in his eyes.

At the restaurant

Luckily for Hermione, Hakkasan was only a short five minute walk. So when she arrived only a bit late, looking slightly unkempt, she was able to tell them she was at the ministry.

It was frightfully fortunate that Harry was rarely in the office, otherwise she might not be able to have any secrets.

"Hermione! Over here!"
Fred was waving his arms enthusiastically to signal her over, whilst Molly bopped him on the shoulder for being disruptive.

The place was very swanky. Black brick walls surrounded the dining area, crevices filled with candles as the only light source, and some spread onto tables that were dark wood matching the floors. Dividers of Chinese design separated each party, and the giant one she was meant to be a part of sat by the back, on chintzy green chairs.

"Hey!"
Bill was the first to greet her, Fleur passing a polite smile to her, still probably frosty that she hadn't gone to their house a week previous. Hermione, though guilty, was frightfully glad there was no Victoire bouncing on her lap, and that Andromeda was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey. Bill, Fleur, I'm so sorry I didn't end up going out to the cottage, I got caught up at work. I didn't end up leaving until 7 and I was so drained by then."

With pursed lips, Fleur accepted her word as truth; "Eet's fine, 'Ermione, Next time."

Sirius patted a spot next to him for her by the end, and she noticed Remus was trying not to look as nervous as she felt. She was glad that at least Harry's godfather wasn't fazed by much, he seemed calm and collected as everyone else greeted her, and leaned over to her:
"Thought you might do a runner, glad you showed up."

"No, I keep my word when it's important. I'm not just scared for myself."
He squeezed her hand once under the table before pouring her some wine.

They all chatted for a bit to catch up until their already ordered dinner came; Peking duck, caviar, and stir fry.
Of course the topic changed to work soon after they'd all had a drink, and Hermione only hoped that someone else had something interesting to say.

"Any news about that wizard who was trying to sell illegal potions to minors, Harry?" Arthur was asking.

"Not yet, I'm afraid. Tonks is one of the heads on the case, she was telling me that they've got no leads," he explained, shrugging. "How's the shop, Fred? George?"

When there was no progress, Harry hated talking. It made him frightfully angry when justice failed to come, as Ginny and Hermione very well knew. Luckily the rest caught onto it, and Arthur turned a bit pink before redirecting his attention to the twins.

"Business is booming, friend," George smiled.

"Just got an affiliate deal with a big company in Dublin. They want to sell some of our stuff in store because we get so many orders from there. Busy, busy," Fred added. "Also, we want to expand our injury removal creams because oddly enough, St. Mungo's have come to us about using them for minor ouchies. Did you see them being used yet, Ron?"

Everyone turned to him, and Ron, not used to attention, looked slightly discomfited.
"Not yet, but I don't deal with emergency situations, actually. Those are mediwizard jobs. I'm mostly cleaning up excess messes…"

"Oh," Fred said, feeling a bit awkward at his embarrassed visage.

"Going to be soon that you get that robe though, eh Ron?" Sirius asked jovially. "Then you'll be full-fledged."

"Yes," Remus chimed in, passing Sirius a look of adoration for trying to make Ron feel good. "Only a few weeks, right?"
While they continued to speak, Hermione was trying to figure out why nobody else had caught the eye-fucking, until she was jolted from her contemplation.

"Hermione, you must be so busy! You look exhausted, dear. I must tell Charlie to stop pestering you," Molly pronounced, causing snickers from the twins.

"Not at all," she snapped back to life. "He's not bothering me in the slightest, his case is much more interesting than the ones I have assigned to me," she assured Molly, wondering why George looked like he knew something she didn't.

"And I bet he'd say the same thing about you," Fred added, to perplexed stares from everyone except Bill.

"What does that mean?" Ginny was the first to ask, not bothering to fuss around the issue.

"Let's just say our dear brother asked us if Miss Granger was seeing anybody."

"'Casually'", George rang in, raising his eyebrows at her. "Seems he's never found somebody as loony about magical creatures as you."

"Oh."
It was all she could say, and it was all she could do to stop from vomiting. Charlie was great, but he was in Romania, and he wasn't Draco.

"What? Did he now? Wouldn't that be precious?" Arthur asked to the table.
Tactfully, nobody said anything further at the expression on Hermione's face.

"You're making her uncomfortable, Dad," Ron said after a moment of making sure Hermione wasn't tempted by the prospect.
It would be just his luck that another inconvenient person would go after Hermione when they were just becoming friendly again.

"Maybe he is, but that would be marvellous," Molly said, beaming.

Oh no, Hermione thought.
She was in for a very rude awakening, and now it would be even more difficult to try and let everyone know this new information easily.

"Maybe," Fleur decided to weigh in. "But, deed you not break up with Viktor because it was very difficult to travel zo much?"
Who knew that she would be the savoir in all this?

"Yeah, but besides," Ginny answered for her, giving the death glare to her sister-in-law for being so brazen, "Hermione is seeing somebody. She just won't tell me who yet."

"What?"
Both Ron and Harry shot their heads to her. Thinking her foolish for diving in so soon after being humiliated.

"Who is it, Hermione?"
"Who is it, who is it?"

The twins were being, well, the twins, and everyone else was gazing expectantly at her like she would gladly spill the beans.
Her mind was racing, and her knuckles were turning white from gripping her fork so hard. Never in her life had she been so afraid of talking.
At least Harry and Ron had tolerated Blaise.

"I know who it is."

This was the moment, and a climax of nausea was waving over Hermione's body, both stomach and head, and she knew, because it was Sirius, that he was going to expose himself and Remus along with her. And though it was a kind gesture, it would be too much of a shock from some of these people she loved. But she was rooted to the spot. She wasn't ashamed of Draco, but she was completely aware of how her best friends tended take news they disagreed with.
Everyone's heads swooped to the handsome man, wearing an easy smile, finding it all too easy. Remus must've been the one to hesitate, and likely for the sake of Harry more than himself.

"You know?" Ginny was confused, staring both questioningly at he and Hermione, feeling left out. "Is that the 'surprise' you were talking of, Sirius?"

"Yes, and I do know. Remus does as well, don't you?"
Lupin nodded non-comittally, knowing full well the game plan, probably just as uneasy as Hermione was.

"Why do they know, and we don't?" Ron exclaimed. "Why can't you tell us?"

"Oh, she can, but the thing is that we have something more important to tell you first."

"We?"

"Yes," he replied to Bill, taking a long sip of win before leisurely placing it on the table. "You see, friends, we invited you out here for more than just a nice dinner. There is some new information that needs to be delivered in an orderly, calm fashion. What happened a week or so ago was that Remus and I saw Hermione here in a café with her new little friend."

"And?"
Harry got irritated when it came to mystery, he didn't think things needed to be kept amongst the ones he called family.

"And she unfortunately found out about my little friend before I was ready to inform you lot about him."

"Your little friend?" Arthur was astonished.

"Stop beating around the bush, Sirius," Molly waved her hands impatiently. "You haven't dated in years, just tell us. You said you were with Remus, wouldn't he know who it was too?"

The light bulb flicked on for Ginny, Hermione knew it when she appeared gobsmacked.

"Yes, because it's him. And Hermione was with Draco Malfoy, but don't worry we interrogated him and will continue to do so until he see fit."

Immediate angry cries of objection would've been better.
Incredulous silence that befell on everyone's face and spread tot heir lips was what she got instead; nobody would've expected this. And Hermione didn't know if the shock was more because of her decision, or because they were gay, but she got the inkling that if she didn't leave soon, she was about to be bombarded with questions about her sanity.

"You two are dating?"

"You two are gay?"

"I thought you fancied Tonks!"

The twins were the first to speak, and oddly, they weren't even daring to look at her at all. This was not good.

"Why didn't you think you could tell us?" Harry said, directing it to his godfather, but sideways leering at Hermione, so very livid.

"We were trying to find an opportunity to inform you, but we weren't sure how you'd all react or if it would create problems when people need to live their lives," Remus explained, properly shamefaced. "We didn't mean to lie or keep it hidden, but it never came up really, and it all sort of just came about a year ago."

"A year?" Fleur stated, mouth gaping. "Deed you think we would judge you?"

"A bit. Lots of people aren't comfortable with it, despite having loved ones who aren't staight."

"Well we would never judge you, we care about you guys a lot," Ginny was saying vehemently. "I understand your qualms, but come on."

"We realized we had been a bit too cowardly, hence the ostentatious affair. As a sort of…apology."

Arthur shook his head, determined yet grave. "Well Sirius, you know we support you all in everything. Love is love. I must say I'm very surprised, but I'm sure Molly agrees that if this is how you feel, it's best you told us until it all became too late. And if you're worried about interference from outsiders, we stand by you."

Tears were pricking Hermione's eyes, but not because she was touched. She was frightfully happy they let the truth out, but she'd become the elephant in the room. She knew it by the way Ron wasn't even glancing at her, by the way they were so focused in on Sirius and Remus. By the way everyone was ignoring her, as if she were a stranger going about their business in a crowded room.

Nobody was happy about it, and nobody was going to make a scene until they left.
And now she couldn'tsimply leave, if she wanted any kind of self-preservation. At the same time, she wasn't daring to say a damn thing. Even though she felt like she was unwanted, she was well aware if she got up she'd appear to be ashamed. And she wasn't in the slightest, her old enemy had changed. He was sweet, he was smart.
But she didn't know how long it might take everyone else to notice.

She was in too deep, she'd sucked his cock. She only did that when she was certain she wanted to be with someone, it's how she could tell she wasn't shy anymore, she was starting to let her guard down. She'd even swallowed because she wanted to please him.
Maybe she wasn't ready to take all her clothes off, but she was more afraid of having sex with a virgin than actually having sex with Draco, the person. He was so ecstatic when she left, she couldn't wait to see him again and so desire to now.
God damn, she'd created a mess.

It was clarified for her how severe this was when everyone got up to leave; stiff hugs, even stiffer kisses passed to her. Lots of alcohol had been consumed, and conversation managed to become regular. The ultimate tell was that nobody ordered dessert. Not even Ron.

"It's going to be alright, there was no bloodshed," Sirius whispered in her ear when she hastened to leave, hoping Ginny wanted to spend the night with Harry.

"Thanks," she replied, squeezing him tight, afraid of what was to come.

"We'll see you later, Hermione?" Remus asked with a hint of pity. Perhaps he was feeling guilty that she had received all the cold shoulder and they got all the reassurance.

"Yeah….bye everyone."
A highly unenthusiastic 'goodbye' was heard from the rest, and she disregarded the hostess who told her to have a good night as she knew it wouldn't be.

She'd gotten halfway down the nearly dead street, across the lights, fighting hard not to run to Draco, but to bed when she was right about her prediction. Someone was calling for her:
"Hermione, wait up."

It was Ron, with Ginny in steadfast tow. And they were not happy campers.

"What the bloody hell are you thinking?"
She stopped by the edge of Hyde Park, glad that there was nobody around for this surely unpleasant confrontation.

"Another Slytherin? Didn't you get the hint from the last one? Do you have amnesia or something from Hogwarts? He's a dirty, vile pig, Hermione. Why, in the name of the lord, would you go after Malfoy?"
Ron was spitting furiously, so upset that she was making these stupid mistakes again.

"It's a long story, and it doesn't make sense even now that I'm thinking about it. But I really like him so you can either accept that or be unbearably bitter forever."

Her arms were folded, and her mind was set.

"I'm not bitter!" he yelled.
He was definitely bitter.

"Hermione, we're only worried about you, don't you get it? You think it's wise dealing with him at all? How long has this been going on for? Since you did his case?" Ginny asked.

"No, if you'll remember, he was in the apartment when Georgia called to say Blaise cheated. But he actually a witness to it all, and told Georgia to phone me instead because I likely wouldn't believe him; it wasn't his business, was it?" She was still angry about him lying, actually, but she figured that since he didn't actually do anything with that video and he had apologized a million times she wouldn't mention it to them. "Georgia had dinner with him later in the week, as a thank you for help, and asked about Blaise; when Draco informed her he was with me, she confessed."

"What?"

"Yes, and when I had sex with Ron, I ran to Georgia's after I left the house, remember? She wanted to make it up to me. I got drunk there, and she invited him over because she thought we were cool. And I asked him what the hell he was playing at, basically, because I had only just found out he knew everything from the get go. And he told me in so many words that he fancied me….and then kissed me."

"What!?"
They were flabbergasted, of course they were.

"Is that why he was at Luna's?" Ginny continued, brow furrowed. "Did you leave when he did?"

"He was invited by Sergei, who dated Pansy and had an uncle who worked for the Quibbler. Draco's basically left everyone in Slytherin behind. Pansy was messing with him, and everyone else has turned their backs. He's completely different from the boy I remember."

"Did you go home with him, Hermione?"
At Ron's accusatory gaze, she was done dealing with such garbage, tiptoeing around issues because she was afraid they'd hurt or string or offend. She was Hermione fucking Granger, and she was a big girl who could make her own decisions. She knew they cared, but they were obviously blinded by hatred.

"Yes, I did. I didn't think going for him was in my best interest, but I haven't stopped thinking about him since that night, and that means I like him. I never felt like that with Blaise. I haven't felt like that since Viktor," she admitted with a quiet demeanour.

Ginny was at a loss for words, while Ron had a disgusted scrunched up face.
"Well what the fuck are we going to do about this?"

"W-what?"

Ginny had uttered the prior phrase angrily, frustrated.

"Look, Hermione, you know I try to take your side, but it's Malfoy. Malfoy, who insulted our family for years – Malfoy, who made Harry's life hell – Malfoy, who called you a mudblood. Maybe you can forgive past discrepancies, but it's not simple for me. It's not simple for us, and especially Harry. Is it really worth it?"

"I don't know, but I want to try. I want to try."

Staring at a crack on the sidewalk, she hoped to god that it might swallow her whole.

Sighing, Ginny tapped her foot, annoyed.
"We're just going to have to try and include him in an outing, aren't we? And it's going too be painful and terribly awkward. And it might end in fighting. It has to be something good."

"What? I'm not going to see ferret-face, no way."

"You know she won't give it up, Ron. Will you? Dammit, why him?"
And suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel; and it wasn't death, it was opportunity. Ginny was actually trying to create a way for everyone to come together, knowing it was going to be painful at best.

"Ginny?" she choked out stupidly, waterworks about to come on again.

"Quidditch," she snapped her fingers. "It has to be Quidditch. Not much talking, lots of physical contact. Maybe if we all be at each other on the field, we won't be off it."

"Fuck that!" Ron cried, the very idea of scrimmaging with a Slytherin a travesty.

"No, it's a great idea, you know it is. I'll convince Harry, you better inform your little idiot that if he doesn't show he's not welcome in our circle," she told Hermione.
Even though Ginny was sour, and she was begrudgingly offering this idea, Hermione couldn't be happier.

"Problem is I can't play at all, though," was all she shot back. "I can't fly."
If she wasn't able to regulate banter turning into violence, there was no telling what state they'd all end up in.

"Good, you won't be able to step in. Gotta let the boy present himself without your help, right?"

"Ginny, no. Harry will never agree!"
Ron was getting angrier by the second, knowing inevitably that she would win.

"Yes, he will. As much as he loathes Malfoy, he loves Hermione tenfold over his hate."

"Ginny, you are amazing."
And Hermione leant in to hug her, overwhelmed by affection.

Surprised, she still returned the embrace.
"I know. We'll sort it out, but I hope you know what you're doing."

"I hope so too."
Pulling back, she met the fervent brown eyes to he own worried ones. Everything would be okay, but this was certainly the calm before the storm. She was falling off the cliff along with Draco, and she supposed very soon they would find out if it was sink or swim.