Draco stared at Hermione for several minutes, mouth gaping.
She sat calmly on the couch, hands folded in her lap, waiting for him to respond.
"No," he said finally. "Absolutely not."
"Draco, please" she replied. "Be rational."
"Be rational?" He repeated, staring at her in disbelief. "BE RATIONAL?"
"Yes," Hermione told him. "You're the only person I trust to do it. You have the knowledge, the skill, you're just as invested in this research as I am. Plus if I'm right and this works we could actually heal the people in that ward, rather than just numbing their symptoms and their pain. There's no downside."
Draco's eyes bulged out of his head. "No down side? No down side?" He jumped from the couch as he raged at her. "What if you're wrong? What if I hurt you? Hermione, what if I kill you?"
"You won't," Hermione said simply. "I trust you."
"You're being naive," Draco told her, looking at her. She looked so calm, he thought. How could she look so calm?
"Draco, I've thought about this," she said, standing and walking toward him. She laid a hand on his face. "I'm right. This will work."
"How can you be sure?" He asked, pulling away from her. "How?"
"I just am," she replied, starting to get frustrated. "I know the spell will work, I know you can cast it, I know that we can cure me then we can cure the others."
"Then why not try on a patient?" Draco insisted, turning to face her again. "If you're so sure it'll work, try it on a patient."
Hermione opened her mouth to answer then closed it, realizing that her answer would have proven Draco's point. Draco saw the realization cross her face and looked at her triumphantly. "Because it's too dangerous?" He offered. "Because they could be hurt? Because they could die?"
"The reward is worth the risk," Hermione replied cryptically.
They stared at eachother, only a foot separating them but it could have been a whole Quidditch pitch.
"I can't ask a patient to do that," Hermione told him quietly. "If I am the recipient, I know for sure I'm not risking anyone else's life. That's important to me, Draco."
She crossed to him, stopping directly in front of him. She placed her hands on his chest and Draco closed his hands over hers.
"I need to test this theory," Hermione said, looking at Draco's face. "A cure is at our fingertips. I need to know if it'll work. I need to know if I can help them."
Draco looked at her face and, with a sigh, gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"Ask a patient," Draco requested grudgingly. "Ask all of them. If no one volunteers, then I'll perform the spell on you."
"Draco, I already said, I can't," Hermione began.
"Those are my conditions," Draco replied, unwavering. "Take it or leave it."
Hermione thought for a moment. "Okay," she said slowly. "You have a deal."
She sealed their deal with a kiss. Draco released her hands and wrapped his arms around her as hers slid around his waist.
"I love you," Draco said against her lips. "I can't lose you."
"I love you too," Hermione answered, giving him a quick kiss. "I'm yours as long as you want me."
Draco was staggered when the word "forever" popped into his mind in response to her statement. The shock must have reflected on his face because Hermione looked at him questioningly.
"Just realized I forgot to do something for Blaise," he lied smoothly. "I'll have to do it tomorrow."
"Why don't you go do it now?" Hermione suggested amiably.
Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "So you can sneak off and talk to all your patients?" Draco asked and nearly laughed when Hermione's face became riddled with guilt.
"Tomorrow," he said, giving her a kiss. "But I'm going with you to make sure you don't try to talk anyone out of it."
"Tomorrow," Hermione agreed, pulling out of his arms. "So how do you want to spend the rest of our evening?"
Draco grinned at her and moved down her hallway toward her bedroom. "I think I'll go to bed," he said casually.
"Oh?" Hermione asked, breezing past him and walking into her room. "I guess I'll go to bed as well."
Draco shut her bedroom door and stripped out of his clothes. "A bit warm tonight," he said glibly. "Hope this is alright."
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him and, not to be outdone, stripped out of her clothes as well. "It is quite warm," she replied, sliding onto the bed.
Draco lay down next to her, just far away so that they weren't touching but just close enough that with the smallest movement they would be. "Well, goodnight," he said pleasantly.
"Goodnight Malfoy," Hermione replied, closing her eyes.
They both lay there, unmoving, waiting for the other to cave and make the first move.
Hermione was impatient, Draco thought smugly. There's no way she wouldn't be the first to break.
He's really patient, Hermione thought, then a small smile appeared on her face. She'd channel her inner Slytherin.
She arched her back, the movement causing Draco to open his eyes and stare as her breasts rose up next to him. Hermione tried not to smile when she watched him grow hard at the sight of her. Knowing his eyes were on her, she slid her index finger into her mouth, pulling it out with a pop. Draco felt himself harden even more. He tried to look away, stare at anything but her but he couldn't help but feel his gaze pulled back to her as he watched her slide her hand between her legs. He watched as she spread her legs and slid her finger up and down her pussy then in, moaning as she did. He felt his cock twitch in response. She was cheating, he realized, and would have been proud of he hadn't been so incredibly aroused. Hermione began to pump her finger in and out of her pussy, adding extra breathy groans and moans, watching out of the corner of her eye as Draco's hand slid to his cock. She removed her finger and ran it across her clit as a small shudder ran through her and another moan left her lips.
"I'm so close," she whispered.
Draco couldn't take it anymore, and apparently neither could Hermione because they both moved together at the exact same time, meeting in the middle. Draco pushed her back roughly and slid into her, knowing she was more than ready. She quickly cast the contraceptive charm. All it took were a few thrusts and they both came, panting as Draco rolled off of her and pulled her to his side.
"That was incredibly Slytherin of you," he managed, still out of breath.
Hermione gave a half gasp, half laugh in response. "I'd say we're both grateful for what I did," she replied. "Otherwise we could have waited forever."
There was that word again. Forever. Draco stared at the celing as he held her, wondering why all of a sudden the word was so terrifying. He was in love with her, she was his match in every way, and she loved him too. Forever with her didn't seem so terrifying.
And for some reason, when she said it, Hermione felt her heart skip. Forever, she thought. She could stay like this, be with him, forever and rather than the panic it was currently causing Draco, it made her smile. She loved him, she wanted to be with him. Forever. Hermione rolled on top of Draco and kissed him lightly.
She smiled at him, just smiled, and Draco knew. He leaned up and kissed her, slowly, sliding his mouth over hers. He'd never taken his time with her, he realized, never showed her any of the romance she deserved. He would, he vowed, starting right now. Where Hermione tried to rush, he slowed. When she tried to reach for his cock, he flipped them and held her hands over her head. He slid his tongue languidly over her body, slowly bringing her more pleasure than she'd ever felt.
"Don't move," he whispered, releasing her hands so he could slide down her body. He spread her legs and slowly placed kissing along the insides of her legs. His finger teased her entrance, sliding everywhere but where he knew she was dying to be touched.
"Draco," he heard his name strangle out of her, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please."
At her request he slid a finger inside of her, torturously sliding it in and out. Her hips rose from the bed, seeking more. He slid a second finger into her pussy and curled the tips toward him, pressing on her most sensitive spot. She groaned as the pressure began to build. She whimpered and Draco continued to pump his fingers in and out of her and, when he could tell she was close, he closed his mouth over her clit, suckling and using his tongue to drive her to an earth-shattering orgam. Hermione moaned as the orgasm shot through her body, the airbrushing out of her lungs and, before she could fully recover, Draco slid into her and she came again. Draco grunted as her pussy clamped down around his cock, threatening to make him cum right then and there. Using all of his control, he waited, resting his forehead on Hermione's. She leaned up and kissed him, tangling their tongues, pulling his body towards hers and, when he was fully absorbed in her, she rolled them.
"Let me," she whispered, rolling her hips, taking Draco's cock deeper. She cast the contraceptive charm, the familiar warm feeling of it settling on her.
She then began to ride him, moving slowly up and down, her breasts rising and falling with each thrust. Draco reached up and took her breasts in his hands, sliding her nipples into tight peaks as he filled his hands with her. Hermione leaned forward so his cock would hit her clit as she felt him growing closer and closer. Draco could barely breathe and he dropped his hands to her waist, holding on as she drove him over the edge. He came inside her, grunting as he felt himself come undone. Hermione slid down onto his chest, his cock still inside her.
Draco lay there, trying to find the words to say to her to convey the depth of his feelings for her. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't notice as her breathing evened and Hermione fell asleep on top of him.
"Hermione?" He whispered, realizing she hadn't moved or spoken.
When she didn't respond, he smiled. He carefully slid her from his chest to his side and, curling around her, fell asleep with a smile on his face.
A/N: Smut because why not? Anyway, thoughts on who will get their way, Draco or Hermione? Review, favorite, thanks!