In the kitchen of Grimmauld Place Harry Potter sat with his best friend, Ron Weasley and Ron's little sister, Ginny. Harry and Ron finished Hogwarts the previous year along with their best friend, Hermione Granger. Ginny had only just finished school and now she was stuck at Order Headquarters with the others as it was deemed safer than being at home.
The war with Voldemort had been brewing since he returned to full health at the end of Harry's fourth year, but it hadn't quite taken off as many people had feared. Part of the reason was the Voldemort was losing followers on a daily basis and quite a few of his former Death Eaters and their families had turned to the Order. Despite this there were still dangers in the wizarding world and everyone knew Voldemort had to be defeated.
The trio were discussing the Order's latest plans when they heard footsteps pounding down the stairs. The three Gryffindors exchanged a groan at the noise, not wanting to see the owner of the footsteps. Apart from the three of them the only other people currently at Grimmauld Place were Hermione and Draco Malfoy. They knew it wasn't Hermione coming down the stairs as the brunette witch was in the garden, where she had been all morning brooding over something, so it had to Malfoy.
Everyone had been shocked a year ago when it was announced that the Malfoy's were joining the Order. The Gryffindors had been even more dismayed to learn that Malfoy himself would be spending the majority of his time at Grimmauld Place. Luckily the icy Slytherin had mainly kept to himself and had very little to do with everyone else. Malfoy had actually been up in his room all morning so the trio were surprised to hear him approaching.
As the trio heard the footsteps approaching the kitchen, they prepared themselves to face Malfoy. Luckily for Harry, Ron and Ginny, Malfoy didn't stay when he entered the kitchen. Malfoy didn't even acknowledge their presence as he stormed through the kitchen and headed into the garden.
"Should we go after him?" Ron asked as the door slammed shut behind the blond. "Hermione's out there."
"I think that's why he's out there." Ginny commented. From her seat at the table she could see Hermione at the bottom of the garden and she witnessed Malfoy storming up to her.
Harry and Ron jumped up from their seats so they could get a good look out of the window. Ginny also joined them and the trio watched out of the kitchen window as Hermione and Malfoy had what looked to be a blazing row.
"Should we go and break it up?" Ron questioned.
"Rather you than me, mate." Harry snorted. "I wouldn't want to come between those two when they're going at it."
"Harry's right, just leave them." Ginny told her brother as she returned to her seat at the table. "They're always arguing and they haven't hexed each other into oblivion, yet."
"But I don't trust him." Ron muttered as Harry also returned to his seat. "I'm staying here so I can keep an eye on them."
"You do that, Ron." Ginny said, sharing an amused look with Harry.
For the next five minutes Ron kept up a running commentary on the pair in the garden. Harry and Ginny had stopped listening and were talking together when Ron suddenly let out a loud curse and bolted to the back door.
"What's going on?" Harry asked, not getting up from his seat.
"They're gone." Ron declared, looking around the garden wildly. "Malfoy just grabbed her and they disappeared."
At Ron's words Harry and Ginny shot up from their chairs and joined Ron in the doorway. Sure enough the back garden was deserted and there was no sign that minutes earlier two people had been there.
"What do we do?" Ginny asked.
"We need help." Ron said. "Malfoy had kidnapped Hermione and we need to find them."
"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation." Harry said, trying to calm his friend down.
"Like what?" Ron questioned. "I saw it Harry, he grabbed onto 'Mione and they just vanished."
"Let's not jump to any conclusions." Harry soothed. "We'll call the others and we'll work out exactly what's going on."
"What the hell is going on?" Hermione demanded, pulling her arm out of Draco's grip the second she regained her sense of balance. "Where are we?"
Looking around Hermione found she was standing in the middle of a living room, decorated in beige and cream. A quick glance at the furniture revealed she was somewhere that was expensively decorated but she had no idea where that was. She guessed they were in one of the many Malfoy family properties but considering they had homes all over the world it didn't really help her deduction much.
"Somewhere we won't be disturbed." Draco replied.
"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" Hermione asked. "Harry and Ron will probably accuse you of kidnapping me."
"As if I care what Potter and Weasley think." Draco shrugged.
"You'll care when we get back and you're in trouble." Hermione retorted. "Speaking of which, if we go back now maybe no-one will even notice we've been gone."
"First of all Weasley was watching us from the kitchen so they know we're gone. And secondly we're not leaving until you agree to my demands."
"What are your demands?" Hermione asked, even though she had a fair idea of what the blond Slytherin wanted from her.
"You know what I want." Draco smirked. "And we're not leaving here until you agree to deliver."
"I've already explained this all to you." Hermione sighed. "I'm doing things in my own time."
"Well I'm getting impatient." Draco said, walking over to a nearby sofa and sitting down. "I think it's time we did things in my time."
"This won't work." Hermione folded her arms over her chest and glared at the blond. "You can't blackmail me into giving you what you want."
"Watch me." Draco grinned.
"That's it, I'm going back to Grimmauld Place." Hermione announced, pulling her wand from her pocket.
Draco watched in amusement as Hermione waved her wand as she tried to apparate. When she failed to move she stubbornly continued trying, until she stomped her foot in frustration.
"Did I forget to mention that only Malfoy's can apparate on the property?" Draco questioned with a smirk. "Sorry."
"Fine." Hermione huffed, shoving her wand back into her pocket. "I'll merely leave the house before apparating back."
"Good luck." Draco called as Hermione stomped from the room.
Hermione ignored the blond's words as she found a nearby door that led outdoors. From the looks of things they were right in the middle of the countryside and all Hermione could see for miles were fields. Tearing her eyes away from the views she began walking away from the house. She knew that the wards preventing her from apparating would run across the entire property so she would have to be free of any Malfoy land before she could try again. Unfortunately for Hermione after ten minutes she walked into an invisible force field.
"Bloody git." Hermione muttered, realising she was trapped.
Just to be sure Hermione tried to apparate again, and once again she failed to move. Also to be sure Hermione checked that the barrier surrounded the entire house and its surrounding land. Once she was a hundred per cent sure she was stuck, Hermione began to head back to the house. Upon her arrival she found Draco was still sprawled on the same sofa as when she had left him.
"You foul git." Hermione stormed. "You've trapped us here."
"Only until you agree to my conditions." Draco pointed out. "Honestly, I don't get the big problem."
"I've told you, it'll cause too many problems." Hermione sighed, sinking down on a chair opposite Draco. "Harry and Ron hate you."
"So what." Draco shrugged, totally unconcerned with the news Potter and Weasley didn't like him. "I'm not their biggest fan either. But that doesn't matter, this has nothing to do with them."
"Of course it does." Hermione protested. "We all have to live together and we don't need any more animosity."
"That's their problem, not ours. If they can't handle it then it's tough."
"I don't understand, why now?" Hermione asked. "Why are you so determined we do this now?"
"Because I'm sick." Draco declared, standing up and beginning to pace the floor in front of Hermione. "I'm sick of hiding and sneaking about. It was bad enough in school, but it's worse now."
"It's not forever." Hermione said quietly.
"That's what we said in school, but there was always another reason not to tell people." Draco retorted. "First we had to keep quiet because my father wouldn't approve, then when he joined the Order we still couldn't tell because his deflection needed to be kept secret. Now the only reason we haven't told anyone is that you're too afraid that Potter and Weasley will be mad at you."
"I'm not." Hermione argued. "I just don't want to create anymore tension in the house."
"Bull shit. You're just worried that they'll be mad at you for shagging me." Draco snorted. "Not that it's been an issue for ages." He muttered as an afterthought.
"Oh my god, that's the real problem isn't it." Hermione accused. "You're just pissed because you haven't had any in a while."
"No, I'm pissed that my own girlfriend is ashamed of me and because of that I can't even speak to her without either Potter or Weasley watching me like a hawk." Draco replied. "And just for the record, two months is longer than a while."
"It hasn't been two months. We were together a fortnight ago."
"No, we were interrupted a fortnight ago." Draco argued. "We were just about to begin when Potter and Weasley returned and you rushed off."
"We'd been messing around all afternoon." Hermione snorted. "Okay we may not have actually had sex, but we did indulge in other things."
"You mean I indulged you." Draco retorted. "If I remember correctly I gave you two orgasms and when you bolted I still hadn't managed one."
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't realise we were keeping count of orgasms." Hermione snapped. "But just for the record, there were plenty of times back in school when I got you off and I didn't receive the same in return."
"I've given you plenty of orgasms." Draco said. "Usually you get more than one when we're together."
"I don't believe you, now you're bragging because you're good in bed. You're unbelievable." Hermione said, shaking her head.
"I wasn't bragging, I was pointing out the facts." Draco retorted. "But the initial point still remains that because you're ashamed of me, we have to remain a secret and we never get any time together."
"I'm not ashamed of you, Draco." Hermione said, feeling guilty that Draco had ever thought she was embarrassed to be with him.
"Then prove it." Draco sighed, sitting back down on the sofa. "Agree to tell people about us. That's all I want."
"So if I agree to tell people, you'll take me home?" Hermione asked.
"Yes."
"What if I won't?"
"Then we stay here until you do." Draco shrugged.
"Well we could be here for a while, because I'm still not convinced telling people is a good idea." Hermione admitted.
"Why not? Don't you want to be able to be together without having to worry that someone might spot us together?" Draco questioned. "Would you not rather sleep in my bed, rather than sharing a room with Red?"
"Yes, I want all that." Hermione said quietly. "But I don't want the fuss us being together will cause."
"You know what, I'm going back to my original theory. You're ashamed of me." Draco said, suddenly standing up. "All you're doing is coming out with a pile of stupid excuses. Sure Potter and Weasley won't like that we're together, but you know what, they'll come round."
"You can't know that." Hermione said.
"I can. Despite my personal opinions of the dim duo, I know they care for you and just want you to be happy. While they might kick up a slight fuss, eventually they'll accept us if it's what you truly want."
"Of course it's what I want." Hermione said. "You're what I want."
"Then it's time you proved it." Draco said as he turned and started to walk out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, worried that she'd pushed Draco too far and he was walking out on her.
"For a shower. Something tells me we'll be here a while."
Hermione watched Draco leave, his words buzzing around in her head. She wasn't ashamed of him and she did want to be with him, but they had been a secret for so long she was unsure how to go about bringing their relationship into the open. Hermione didn't want to lose Draco but she also didn't want to lose Harry and Ron and she was worried that she would lose her friends once they found out she was with Draco.
Before she had started Hogwarts and befriended Harry and Ron, Hermione had never really had friends. She was a quiet child who preferred reading alone to being in the company of others. It was only when she started Hogwarts that she truly felt like she belonged, even more so when Harry and Ron had become her friends. Over the years Hermione had gotten exceptionally close to the two boys and she didn't want to lose their friendship, but she also didn't want to lose Draco.
Hermione and Draco had gotten together in fourth year, after Draco had consoled her after her fight with Ron at the Yule Ball. Initially they had kept their burgeoning romance a secret because Draco's father wouldn't approve, not to mention Hermione's friends hated the blond Slytherin. Once Voldemort returned the couple assumed their relationship was doomed but they remained together and the longer they were together the more Draco vowed to fight against Voldemort, even if that meant fighting against his own father.
Luckily it never came to that as during sixth year Draco's parents turned to the Order and switched sides. Because Lucius was spying for the Order, Draco and Hermione had continued to keep their relationship secret because as far as everyone in school was concerned the Malfoy's were on the dark side. It was only once Draco left school that the Malfoy's allegiance to the light was revealed.
Really that was when Hermione and Draco should have come clean about their relationship but Hermione had persuaded Draco to wait a bit longer. At that point Harry and Ron still distrusted Draco and his parents so she hoped that if they got to know Draco a bit they would be more receptive of their relationship. Unfortunately Harry and Ron never warmed up to the blond and Hermione just kept putting off telling her friends the truth.
Now, however, it looked like Draco had finally backed her into a corner. For months he had been bugging her to tell her friends about them and she had refused, but now she had to finally decide what to do. Hermione was under no illusions that Draco would keep her here until she caved and agreed to tell people. She also knew that there was a limit to Draco's patience and if she held out too long he could possibly end their relationship.
Still not totally decided if she was ready to tell people Hermione stood up and wandered off in the direction Draco had gone in. After leaving the front room Hermione found a set of stairs so she climbed them. At the top of the stairs Hermione could hear running water so she followed the sound into a large bedroom. The door to the en-suite was standing wide open and when she approached the door Hermione could see Draco through the glass walls of the shower.
Hermione watched Draco for several minutes before turning round and walking over to the bed. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress she waited for Draco to finish his shower. Less than five minutes after sitting down the shower stopped and a few minutes after that Draco emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a towel wrapped around his hips.
"Have you made a decision?" Draco asked, upon seeing Hermione.
"It's not that easy." Hermione sighed. "If things go badly I could lose Harry and Ron."
"If they take it so badly that they won't talk to you, then they weren't really very good friends in the first place, were they." Draco retorted.
Hermione sighed, wondering if that was the real reason she was reluctant to tell her friends about Draco. A part of Hermione had always wondered if Harry and Ron's friendship was partly based on the fact she helped them so much with their homework back in school. Even now she wondered if their friendship was strong enough to survive them finding out she was involved with Draco.
"I understand you don't want to lose Potter and Weasley." Draco said, sitting down next to Hermione. "But the longer we hide the harder it will be to tell them the truth."
"I know." Hermione admitted. "I also know we should have told them ages ago, but it's easier to avoid telling the truth."
"But if we tell them the truth, then our relationship will be easier." Draco pointed out.
"I know." Hermione repeated. "And I want things out in the open, I'm just worried about the repercussions."
"Well if the worst comes to the worst we can always come back here." Draco suggested.
"Maybe we should do that anyway." Hermione smiled. "It would be nice to have somewhere private to come to. Even once we tell everyone there'll still be very little privacy."
"So you're agreeing to tell people?" Draco asked with a smile.
"Yes." Hermione nodded, making a firm decision. It was time she was honest with Harry and Ron and all she could do was hope Draco was right and their friendship was strong enough for them to support her.
"Damn, this was easier than I thought." Draco said. "I had plenty more ways I was going to persuade you to tell everyone."
"What other methods of persuasion did you have up your sleeve?" Hermione asked.
"For a start I planned on making good use of this bed." Draco said, patting the large bed they were sitting on. "You're normally pretty amenable in the throes of passion."
"You know what, I may have just changed my mind." Hermione smirked. "I think you need to persuade me after all."
"Really?" Draco said, reaching out and cupping Hermione's cheek as he brought his lips closer to hers. "How much persuasion do you think you need?"
"A whole night should do the trick." Hermione replied. "And, of course, as many orgasms as you can give me."
"I think I can manage that." Draco whispered as his lips brushed briefly over Hermione's lips before travelling towards her ear. "I'll bring you so much pleasure that you'll agree to anything I say."
"You know, I think that can work both ways." Hermione said as her hand reached down to Draco's towel and pulled it open.
"I'm sure it can." Draco murmured, crashing his lips against Hermione's in a passion filled kiss.
Locked in a passionate embrace the couple fell back onto the bed. Within minutes Hermione was as naked as Draco and the couple set about making the most of the precious private time they had. Tomorrow they would deal with the Order, but tonight was all about them.
"I'm telling you, we have to do something." Ron shouted. "Hermione's being missing all night and no-one is even concerned."
Ron was currently protesting over breakfast at Grimmauld Place. The previous night Ron, Harry and Ginny had informed the Order what had happened but no-one had really reacted to the news. The common consensus was that Hermione and Draco would be back when they were ready and unless they were gone for a decent length of time everything was fine.
"Of course we're not concerned." Fred scoffed at his brother.
"Hermione is a very capable witch and I'm sure she can handle Malfoy just fine." George added.
"And I bet he's enjoying every minute of being handled by Hermione." Fred laughed, winking at his brother who laughed along with him.
Several other Order members also laughed at Fred's remarks, including Draco's father, Lucius. Ron looked around the table, disgusted with the lack of concern, before slumping back into his seat.
"You'll not be laughing if something has happened to Hermione." Ron huffed.
"I'm sure the only thing that's happened to Hermione is an orgasm or two." Lucius said.
"What?" Ron gasped, spitting out a mouthful of cereal that he had just placed into his mouth. "What on earth do you mean by that?"
"Isn't it obvious?" George laughed.
"Yeah, surely even you're not that clueless when it comes to sex." Fred said.
"I know about sex." Ron muttered, turning red at his brother's teasing. "But why would Malfoy be giving Hermione those?"
"It tends to happen when people shag." George told his brother.
"And everyone knows that's what Hermione and Malfoy are up to." Fred added.
"At least we presume they are." Lucius said. "It does appear as though they've finally given in to that simmering sexual tension they have going on."
"Sexual tension?" Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the expression. "Hermione and Malfoy? Seriously?"
"Come on, mate. You can't have been that blind." Harry said from beside Ron. "I'm surprised we haven't woken up one morning and found them going at it on the breakfast table."
"Eew Harry." Ron crinkled his nose at his friend's insinuation and pushed his cereal away, suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore. "That's disgusting."
"But totally accurate." Ginny said. "I'm surprised they've lasted this long. I thought they would have cracked months ago."
"Why am I the only one not to have noticed this?" Ron asked. "And why has no-one told me what's been going on?"
"We didn't think we had to." Sirius Black shrugged. "It was obvious to anyone with eyes."
"Not to me." Ron muttered. "And I still think you're wrong. Hermione would never shag the ferret."
"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong, Ronald."
At the sound of Hermione's voice everyone turned to face the kitchen door, where they spotted Hermione standing with Draco. The pair had wide smiles on their faces and their hands were clasped together.
"Where have you been?" Ron demanded. "We were worried about you."
"No, we weren't." Fred called.
"We just thought you were busy getting some action." George chuckled.
"And from those smiles, I'd say they did just that." Sirius remarked.
"Seriously Hermione, have you really been shagging Malfoy?" Ron asked.
"Yes." Hermione nodded. "But last night wasn't the first time. We've actually been together for years."
"What?" Harry exclaimed as everyone's mouths fell open in shock. "Years?"
"Since fourth year." Draco answered. "Obviously we had to keep it a secret back then."
"But what about now?" Ginny asked. "Why wait this long? Why not tell us a year ago?"
"That's my fault." Hermione admitted, speaking more to Harry and Ron than anyone else. "I was afraid of how you two would react."
"How did you think we would react?" Harry questioned.
"I'm not sure." Hermione said quietly. "But I didn't want to lose your friendship."
"Don't be silly, Hermione. You would never lose our friendship." Harry replied. "Sure your taste in boyfriends is dodgy, but you're still our best friend."
"Thanks Harry." Hermione smiled at her friend as she stopped Draco reacting to his slur about her taste in men. "Ron, are we still friends?" She asked the redhead, who had yet to really respond to the news.
"Yes." Ron nodded thoughtfully. "I agree with Harry, your taste in men is appalling, but you're still our friend. Even if you are shagging the ferret."
"Will people stop calling me that." Draco growled. "It's really annoying and brings back bad memories."
"I suppose being in Crabbe's pants is a bad memory to have." Harry laughed. "I think I would have obliviated myself after that."
"I have a feeling there's a story here I haven't heard." Sirius remarked.
"You haven't heard about Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret?" George asked in amazement. "I can't believe it, how did we miss out this story, Fred?"
"I don't know George, but let's rectify the situation shall we?" Fred said in eagerness.
As Fred and George began eagerly telling the story of how Draco was transformed into a ferret in fourth year, Draco and Hermione settled down at the breakfast table.
Hermione couldn't believe she had been putting off telling everyone for a whole year. Here she was worrying about potential bad reactions and everyone had taken the news in their stride. Maybe she should have told people earlier but the important thing was they knew now. Now all they had to do was defeat Voldemort and then she and Draco could really start their lives together.
The End.