Monday morning saw Scorpius bounding into the shop.

"Hermione!" he called and Pansy directed him to the back, where Hermione was busy unpacking a shipment of new release books – just in time for Christmas.

Hermione looked up, surprised to see him, but she smiled as he barrelled towards her, engulfing her in a hug, "Hey Scorpius," she laughed and almost toppled over with the sudden force of him slamming into her.

"Dad said we're having dinner with you tomorrow," he said excitedly, "At your house! And he said maybe we can have a sleep over."

She looked towards the front of the shop and her smiled widened. Draco was chatting with Pansy and Katie at the counter, clearly trying to avoid looking at her, allowing his son's excitement to be the lead. She watched him as he talked and laughed with Pansy and Katie, and she smiled at how easily he had become friends with them. With all of them.

And then she felt the familiar pang; the tug of nerves reminding her not to fall too quickly, that he'll be just like all the rest.

And then he glanced over, smiled at her and the unsure feeling instantly disappeared.

She was curious as to what he'd told Scorpius, they'd not really discussed their new found...whatever it was they had found...with him, they'd not had the chance. He had won his last football game of the year, and was far too excited to talk about anything else after he returned. But she was sure Draco would have told him more than Hermione had a sleep over. But obviously he had told him something since a sleepover was on the cards.

"Your Dad is right," she told him, hugging him back, "You are having dinner with me."

"And he said you live right here, right upstairs," his eyes were wide, hardly able to believe his luck at being invited to her flat above the book store.

Hermione tapped him on the nose, "I do live upstairs. I just hope I can cook a well as your Dad does."

Scorpius wrinkled his nose and looked thoughtfully at her, "No one can cook as good as him, but I'm sure it'll be okay."

"Well, I'll do my best," She shook her head, laughing at his honesty, "And do you know what?" he shook his head, his eyes wide, "I have a room all set up for you, just in case you do stay."

"Really?" he looked about to burst.

"Really," Hermione told him, "James sleeps there when he stays over, and I'm sure he won't mind."

"Awesome," he said, his face lighting up and his body shaking with excitement.

"He insisted on coming in this morning, he thinks I'm lying about dinner tomorrow night." Draco said as he approached and nodded towards Scorpius.

"Da-ad," Scorpius groaned, "I never said you were lying."

"You asked me at least ten times if I was telling the truth," Draco scoffed and Scorpius' cheeks flushed pink, and he mumbled did not.

Draco laughed and then closed the distance between him and Hermione, leaning in to kiss her, not seeming to care that his son was standing right there, "Hi."

"Hi." Hermione replied and glanced at Scorpius. The smile she was greeted with when she looked at him let her know that Draco had told him something about the two of them and that Scorpius was happy about it.

"Hermione said that if we stay over, I could sleep in James' room," Scorpius informed Draco, who looked at Hermione questioningly.

"James has his own room upstairs," Hermione explained, "He claimed it when I renovated and it's been his ever since."

"He won't mind Scorp crashing there then?" Draco asked, and Hermione grinned at his assumption that the two of them would definitely be spending the night.

"I'm sure it will be fine." She said and then frowned, "Isn't it too early for him to go to school?"

Draco looked at her with an apologetic grimace, "Um, I was hoping maybe I could convince one of you to walk him to the bus stop in half an hour."

"Of course," Hermione told him, and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks," he said, "He insisted on coming in, and I didn't want to be presumptuous-"

"It's fine Draco," she assured him, "The stop's three doors down, it won't take any time at all. Besides, we love having him here."

"Can I go help Pansy and Katie?" Scorpius asked.

"Maybe not this morning," Hermione told him, "You see how busy it is?" Scorpius turned to look at the counter and the line up of people, and nodded, "But you can definitely help me."

The prospect of helping her with the books wasn't nearly as exciting as helping make coffee, and Hermione sniggered as some of the excitement left his eyes and his shoulders slumped. But he nodded, and sighed, Okay.

"Hey," Draco admonished him, "Helping Hermione with the books is just as important as making coffee, young man."

Scorpius glanced up at Hermione, "Sorry."

"That's okay," she told him, "I know reading books is way more fun than packing them on shelves, but it has to be done. And maybe next time you come, you can help Pansy."

He gave her a small smile and he agreed that would be great and he'd be happy to help her today. But she saw in his eyes that he was still annoyed at not getting to help Pansy, and he was really just putting on a pleasant face to please Draco. He was only seven, she told herself, and helping her was boring compared to helping Pansy and Katie. She wouldn't let it bother her.

Draco, however, was clearly bothered by it and was looking at his son, an eyebrow raised, "I'm not sure he deserves to help Pansy. If I knew he was going to be so rude, I would have left him at home this morning."

Scorpius' face dropped and he looked down at his feet. His mumbled apology had Hermione's heart dropping and she wanted to tell him that everything was fine and she wasn't offended by his enthusiasm for wanting to help Pansy and not her. But she knew that would be overstepping. This was Draco being his father, and it wasn't her place to interfere.

"Sorry," Draco said and she waved it away. She sensed something was off today; it was very unlike Draco to admonish Scorpius over something so trivial.

He leaned over and kissed her again, "I'll call you tonight?"

Hermione nodded, "Please do."

"And thanks for this." He squeezed his son's shoulder, "Have a good day Scorp."

Scorpius simply nodded, barely acknowledging Draco as he left. Hermione frowned, this was the first hiccup she'd seen between the two. Oh, she was sure it happened regularly, but this was her first glimpse.

She went back to unpacking the boxes and Scorpius knelt beside her, "I'm sorry Hermione," he said quietly, "I didn't mean to be rude."

She hugged his shoulders, "That's okay," she reassured him, "But sometimes we have to do the boring jobs as well as the fun ones."

"Sorry about Dad," he murmured, "He's grouchy 'coz grandma called him last night."

Hermione was surprised, from what she could tell, Draco got along famously with Scorpius' grandparents. She frowned, remembering Draco telling her that his grandparents took him for a week after Christmas. Did they want him earlier? Or even for Christmas? "Is everything okay?"

Scorpius shrugged, "They want to have Christmas with us early. They usually come in the middle of December, before they go on holidays, but Grandpa wants to go earlier this year and Dad is grouchy about it."

Oh, Hermione thought, Draco's parents, not Scorpius' mothers.

She hesitated, she didn't want to pry information out of a seven year old, but asked him carefully, "Why is he grouchy about it?"

"Because they go to Spain every Christmas and never see us," He made a face, his brows knitting together and his eyes darkening, "And I think he gets sad."

"Wait," Hermione said, fully registering what Scorpius had just told her, "They never have Christmas with you?"

Scorpius shook his head, "Nope. Never."

She was curious as to why Draco's own parents preferred to not spend the holidays with their son and grandson, but chose not to ask him. That was a conversation for her and Draco.

"Well, maybe it's okay that he's grouchy this one time." She winked at him.

He nodded and smiled up at her, "My dad kissed you."

"He did," she said nodding her head, "Is that okay?"

Scorpius nodded eagerly, "It's good that he kissed you."

"And why is that?" Hermione asked with a small laugh.

"Because he never kisses anyone and he should kiss you."

She hugged him again, "Well, I'm glad to hear you that approve."

Draco had been on Hermione's mind for most of the day. Not the sexy, naked way he usually filled her thoughts, but instead in a concerned, what the hell is wrong with his parents way.

Her conversation with Scorpius that morning had her incensed towards his parents. She had tried to keep her temper in check, she hadn't even met them, and in fact she didn't even recall him mentioning them at all. And if what Scorpius had said was true, that they never spent Christmas with them, she could see why.

She would rather have this conversation face to face with him, but when he called her that night, as he said he would she decided to ask him about it.

"How was your day?" She asked when she hit the accept button on the screen, not even bothering with Hello.

"Fine, and yours?"

She plunked herself down on the couch, folding her legs beneath her, "Oh, I got to spend the morning with a gorgeous blonde young man, so it was perfect."

"Oh really?" Draco laughed, "Well, I'm glad it was perfect, but I do hope his manners improved."

She went silent for a few beats, before telling him carefully, "He wasn't all that impolite."

"I know," he sighed, "I was just being...I don't know."

"He said your mother called." She told him, felling slightly intrusive.

And he stayed silent.

Ah, crap she thought, she definitely intruded. She should have said nothing. Just let it go. Overstepping boundaries this early on probably didn't bode well.

She heard him clear his throat. "She did." He said, his voice cool.

"He just seemed concerned that you might have been upset," she told him, "I hope everything's alright."

"Everything's fine," he said, "I just...my parents are..." he let out a frustrated growl, "They're not like most parents."

Hermione winced, "How so?"

"My father is, and always has been, more concerned about his work than his family. I don't remember a time when I was ever a priority in his life. And my mother..." he sighed. His mother loved him, and Scorpius, but she was distant, always had been, "I was raised by a nanny, and then shipped off to boarding school as soon as I was old enough."

Hermione was dumbfounded. She could not imagine what it must have been like for him. To not have a family that cared enough to spend time with you just made no sense to her. Her parents had been ripped away from her, but prior to that happening, they were a constant in her life. And now she had her friends, her surrogate family as it were, but Draco basically had Scorpius, and that was it.

"Draco, I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't have said anything. Sorry." She was kicking herself. This most definitely wasn't a phone conversation. She should have waited, had this conversation face to face.

"It's okay," he told her with a heavy sigh, "I'm used to it." But his voice was hollow, and she knew it was bothering him.

Draco confirmed exactly what Scorpius had told her, explaining that his parents leave for Spain two weeks before Christmas, and spend four weeks there. However this year they decided to extend their holiday, using the early arrival of winter – they hated the cold apparently – as an excuse. So they expected him and Scorpius to change any plans they may already have and host them for an extremely early Christmas in the last week of November.

"They don't do this on purpose," he continued, "They just don't think about anyone else, it's how they've always been. And Scorp and I are just expected to be at their beck and call whenever they feel the need to see us. It doesn't bother me, really. I mean I'm used to it after all these years. "

Hermione wanted to reach through the phone and soothe him. No matter what he said, she could hear in his voice that it did in fact bother him.

He was quiet for a few seconds, "Hermione?" She heard the nervousness in his voice, "They want to meet you."

"You told them about me?" Not that she cared, but honestly, this was newer than new and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

"No. They happened to meet Scorp's other grandparents, and they mistakenly mentioned that he had talked non-stop about you. And were curious as to whether my parents had met you or not."

"Oh," she said.

"You don't have to do this," he said and his voice turned bitter when he told her, "But they were insistent, suddenly concerned for the welfare of the grandson they haven't seen in months."

And there it was.

His anger and frustration, the short temper with his son that morning were caused by parents who cared so little throughout the year but were now suddenly showing 'concern' because of the new person in his life.

"It's fine Draco," she reassured him, although she wasn't truly sure it was. But the irritation and resentment she could hear in his voice, even though he was trying to hide it, made up her mind for her, "If that's what they want, and it makes life easier for you and Scorpius, I'll be there. It's just dinner, right?"

"Yeah, just dinner," he let out a derisive laugh, "I hope you're prepared for an extensive interrogation. They don't cope well with change. Or strangers."

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip, frowning at the prospect of meeting his parents so soon. She blew out a breath, "I'm sure that anything they throw at me won't be any worse than having to deal with Molly."

Her comment made him laugh, just as she hoped it would, and she told him it will be perfectly fine Draco, but her small attempt at humour was hiding her own nervousness.

"Draco," she said quietly, "Are you okay?"

She heard the smile when he told her yeah, I'm fine.

"Thank you," he said, "For doing this. You really don't have to."

"It's alright," she told him again, "Will I see you in the morning?"

"You will," he assured her, thanking her again and bidding her goodnight.

Hermione stared at her phone, her heart aching. Despite her internal musings throughout the day, her imagined scenarios in regards to his parents, their complete lack of interest in his life had not even crossed her mind. She knew that like herself Draco was an only child and she wondered to herself just how it was even possible that they could not want to see him or their grandson.

Then she figured that it might be a good thing. If his parents were as selfish and as distant as he said, she wouldn't have to see them all too often.

And if they hated her – which, after hearing the hesitation and nervousness in Draco's voice, she was sure they would – well, distance would most definitely be a good thing.

"He's asleep?" Hermione asked quietly and Draco nodded.

Dinner had been a resounding success. Scorpius had been his usual delightful self and regaled Hermione with everything he'd been up to since he had seen her last. She had listened enthusiastically, laughing at his excitement, and since he was telling her every miniscule detail of the previous forty eight hours, she was feeling as though she hadn't seen him for a week, rather than the two days it actually had been.

This place is huge dad! Scorpius had exclaimed when she'd given them both a quick tour of her flat when they had arrived, explaining that she'd had the wall between her 'old' flat knocked through, and the existing flat next door had become two extra bedrooms, a bathroom and her much loved reading nook, adding to her two existing bedrooms, kitchen and living room.

She apologised to Scorpius that his room didn't have Iron Man as the main decor, but the mural of The Starry Night she had had painted on the ceiling had him wide-eyed in awe (Draco as well, truth be told), Iron Man seemingly completely forgotten.

"Out for the count, snoring in fact," Draco said, "It's all very exciting staying at Hermione's, did you know that?"

"It's fairly mundane for me." She said with an air of nonchalance. She had used Draco's own argument against him – guests didn't do the dishes – and sent him off to put his son to bed while she cleaned up.

"Well for him it's not. And he would like to know if we could stay here every night. That room is amazing, by the way."

"Thank you, James loves it, as do I," Hermione smiled, "And is it your son that wants to know if he can stay here or you?"

"I would have no objection if you agreed to that arrangement." Draco said with a grin.

"He's okay with this, us, then?"

Draco nodded, "I talked with him and he seemed happy with it."

"Okay," Hermione said slowly, curious as to exactly what Draco had told him.

"I told him that Hermione might have more sleepovers, and we might have sleepovers at her house. And I told him that I didn't actually sleep in his bed on Saturday night." Draco scratched the back of his head and smiled, "I just explained that when grownups like each other the way you and I do, sometimes they sleep in the same bed. And he casually told me I know that dad."

Hermione laughed, "He asked about you kissing me. After you left yesterday morning."

"And your response to that was?"

She smirked at him, "I asked if he was okay with that, and he told me it was perfectly fine since you never kiss anyone. Ever."

"Well, I had best rectify that." Draco stepped closer to her and cupped her face, and after what seemed to be the longest second that ever existed, he kissed her. Really kissed her. Not the chaste, everyone's watching kisses that they shared in the shop on Monday morning and then again that morning. This was heat and passion and tongues and hands in hair.

"Hey," he said, pulling back, slightly breathless.

"Hey yourself." she was grinning at him like an idiot. But then, he was doing the same. "So, no idle, after dinner chatter then? You put him to bed and we're straight into it?"

"I missed you." He said, surprising her by lifting her onto the countertop and stepping between her legs, his hands skimming lazily along her thighs.

"It's only been two days," she told him, but after two nights without him, she had already wished for him in to be in her bed permanently.

He leaned closer, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered, "Tell me you didn't miss me."

"Not in the slightest." She told him and he chuckled into her neck.

His hands slipped to her hips and squeezed, "In that case, maybe I'll stay in the spare room."

Her fingers threaded through his hair, "Hmm," she murmured thoughtfully, "I suppose you could, but I'd prefer to not have to only think of you again tonight."

The image of her touching herself while thinking of him caused Draco to groan into her neck, "Don't say that."

She sniggered, "And you didn't think of me even once in the past two days?"

"No. Not once." He looked up at her and grinned, "It was way more than once."

He popped the top two buttons on her shirt, his mouth kissing its way along her neck and his hand snaking beneath the fabric to cup her over the lace of her bra – another new addition to her collection, blood red lace and satin that she was anticipating that he would certainly approve of - and she sighed.

Her fingers had barely moved from his hair, absently brushing back and forth across the base of his skull, her mind unable to concentrate on much else than his warm fingers and wanting the full weight of him wrapped around her.

She wound her legs around his hips, linking her ankles and pulling him closer. His fingers deftly opened the remaining buttons, her shirt falling open, and a groan falling from his mouth.

"Like what you see?" Hermione teased and he laughed at her repeated words from Saturday night.

"Will this be a common occurrence?" he asked, lightly brushing his fingertip along the lace.

"Do you want it to be?" she asked and he gave her a look that said are you kidding? And she laughed, "Well then yes, there will be a whole new surprise every time."

His forehead dropped to her shoulder and he sighed loudly, "Luckiest fucking bastard alive."

She kissed his temple and lifted his head off her shoulder, tugging his t-shirt over his head and kissing him fiercely. Her hands skimmed across his back, her mouth sucking kisses into his shoulder and throat, pulling a series of breathless groans from him.

And then his hands were on the move. His fingers felt like magic, tugging the lace down, squeezing her gently, her nipples pebbling the instant his thumbs brushed over them. He leaned in and kissed the swell of her breast, his mouth dropping lower to suck her nipple into his mouth.

Hermione leaned back and exhaled a deep breath, carding her fingers through his hair. She closed her eyes, savouring the feel of his mouth and tongue. Her mind wandered and she found herself imagining Draco and Scorpius in her flat every day.

"No wait!" Hermione hissed, her eyes flying open, shoving at his chest and pushing him away, "We can't do this."

Draco looked puzzled, "Why not?"

Her eyes flickered to the hallway, "Scorpius." She whispered.

"What about him?"

"He'll hear us and then we'll have to explain...grown-up naked time to him."

Draco snorted a laugh, "Grown-up naked time? Is that what they're calling it nowadays?"

"Be serious," Hermione chided.

He ran a fingertip across her cheek, studying her face, "He's asleep."

"Yeah, I've heard that before." Hermione gave him a pointed look.

"It'll be fine. I didn't plan on doing this out here," he smiled at her, "This was just the warm up."

Hermione glanced down at her open shirt and exposed breasts, and then looked at his bare chest, "Oh, really?"

Draco bit his lip and smirked, "Maybe a tiny bit more than a warm up."

Hermione gave him a lopsided grin, "Sorry, but having a child in the next room...this is all new to me."

"And me," he said with a nod, "I've not had to worry about him walking in on me for quite some time."

She leaned in and kissed him, sliding off the bench and taking his hand in hers, "The bedroom?"

He grinned, "Lead the way."

She led him in the opposite direction from where Scorpius was sleeping and they had barely crossed the threshold of her bedroom when Draco grabbed her around the waist and kicked the bedroom door shut, pressing her against it and kissing her. Hermione yelped in surprise, his mouth swallowing the sound, her hands digging into his hair.

"Two days is way too long." He murmured against her lips and dropped to his knees.

"Draco, what are-" Hermione's question broke off when his lips moved across her stomach. Her head fell back against the wall with a dull thump as Draco freed the button on her jeans, pulling the zipper down and shoving them down her legs.

Goose bumps broke out as he trailed his hands over her thighs. "I've seen the top," he told her running his fingers along the delicate satin edge of her underwear, "I needed to see these."

"And do...you...approve..?" she was breathless, swallowing a moan when he pressed his lips over her lace covered core.

"Mmm," he hummed in approval, "Red is definitely your colour." He gripped the edges of her knickers and tugged them down, adding to the pile of clothes gathered at her ankles.

She kicked her feet free, and he gripped her leg, placing it over his shoulder, kissing along the inside of her thigh. Her hands flew to his hair, gripping tightly, "Oh shit, fuck, shit!" she said, breathing hard, anticipating just what he was about to do.

She groaned as he slowly licked along her clit, his breath, hot and heavy, washing over her skin, his tongue flicking lightly at her. Her hips moved of their own accord; gently rocking against his mouth, and she wondered how she'd gone two days without him. His mouth closed over the sensitive nub he'd been worrying with his tongue and began sucking rhythmically. She hummed, relaxing into him, delighting in the tiny bursts of pleasure running through her.

"You taste fucking amazing," he whispered, pulling back to look up at her. She was looking down at him, watching his every move, sucking on her bottom lip making him want to bite it for her. He stood quickly, and did just that; sucking, nibbling, biting at her mouth, simultaneously shoving her shirt down her arms. His mouth never left hers as he reached behind her and unhooked her bra, disentangling it from her arms.

He cupped her breasts, his thumbs flicking lightly back and forth over her nipples, while Hermione fumbled with his belt, finally managing to flip it open and tug his zipper down. She reached into his jeans stroking him over the soft cotton of his boxers, his mouth leaving hers with a hiss of breath when she gripped him harder.

Draco braced his hands on the wall either side of her head as she pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down in one swift move, her hand returning to him, tugging and stroking, her thumb sliding across his tip. His breathing shallowed, almost panting at the sensation of her hand, both her grip and pace increasing. He groaned and kicked his feet free of his jeans and pressed his chest flush against hers, his mouth picking up where it left off; moving over her skin, kissing, biting, sucking while his hand moved down her stomach, slipping lower and lower until he reached between her thighs, stroking her.

"Do you want to do this here?" He whispered against her ear, pressing her harder into the wall.

Her hand stopped moving over him, her breathing as shallow as his, "There's a perfectly good bed behind you."

Draco turned her around, walking her backwards and lowering her to the bed. But he didn't join her; instead he dropped to his knees and spread her thighs with his hands.

Hermione's breath caught when his mouth fell on her, his tongue sliding through her. She squirmed against him, covering her mouth with her hand and biting at her palm, fighting against the need to be loud.

Scorpius, she thought, Don't wake Scorpius. It had been mortifying enough that he had found her sleeping in his father's bed, she didn't need him to walk in on this.

"What is it?" he murmured against the inside of her thigh.

"Scorpius," she said, her breathing heavy and laboured.

"He won't hear us," Draco promised, "He's all the way across the flat." His thumb replaced his tongue, circling slowly around her clit.

A small whine left her, her hand groping at the sheets when his fingers slipped inside her and his mouth dropped back to her clit.

"Draco," she said through gritted teeth.

"Yes?" he asked teasingly, his fingers thrusting firmly in-and-out of her.

"I can't...can't be...oh!" She swallowed another moan when his fingers curled inside her and a jolt of pleasure shot through her.

"Can't be what?" he asked and she could feel the smirk against her skin.

"Can't be fucking quiet!" she growled, "Not with you doing that."

"Doing...what?" he asked her between licks.

"Draco!" she exclaimed, gripping his hair and pulling him away from her.

He sniggered and kissed his way up her torso, "He's asleep, he won't hear you." he told her again, kissing her, letting her taste herself from his mouth. Her tongue slid across his and the moan she'd been holding in tumbled into his mouth.

Draco slid his hands beneath her, easily shifting her further up the bed before settling over her, pressing his himself into her core, "Maybe I should stop," he teased, "I'd hate to not hear those beautiful sounds."

"Don't...you...fucking...dare." Hermione gasped as he dragged himself slowly through her wet folds.

His mouth moved to hers, kissing her roughly, his fingers tangling in her hair, "Do you want me inside you?" he asked and she murmured quietly against his lips, a nonsensical sound that made him smile. He pressed the head of his cock against her entrance, "Is this where you want me?"

"Yes," she whimpered, running her heels along his legs, her hips lifting, willing him to push into her, "Draco, please, yes."

He lowered his head, pressing his forehead to hers and finally pushed inside her. Hermione's breath caught and a loud moan escaped her. She gripped his hips, feeling his muscles stretch and flex as he moved in and out of her.

"Draco," she whispered, her eyes rolling closed.

"Hermione," he murmured, "I can't get enough of you." He reached back and pulled her leg along his ribs, opening her wider, and pushing in deeper, his hips driving forward and pulling moans from her as her hit that perfect spot.

He arched his back, groaning quietly as he slid in and out of her, rolling his hips at an achingly slow pace.

Hermione winced, he was so hard, so long, that she could feel him press deep into her, hitting a tender spot she never knew existed.

"You okay?" He asked and she nodded.

"You're so deep," she murmured and his jaw dropped when she clenched around him.

His open mouth moved across her chest and he lowered his head to suck on her nipple, "Look at me."

She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, his forehead shining with sweat. She watched him move, his muscles bunching with each thrust, his hand shifting over her breast, his breathing becoming ragged. She slid her hands across his chest, his abs, tracing the line from his hip to where he was buried deep inside her. Her fingers touching him, feeling him move in and out of her.

His movements became hard and sharp, a desperate cry of Fuck! Hermione burst from him and he lowered himself to her, his slick skin sliding over her, his thrusts jagged and rough, his mouth never leaving hers. Hermione clutched at his back, her fingernails dragging across his skin drawing a harsh hiss of breath against her mouth. He didn't let up, railing against her, harder and harder until they both cried out harshly, toppling over the edge together.

The room became silent save for their heavy panting breaths. Hermione clung to him, her body shaking with tiny tremors as her orgasm faded. Draco circled her head with his arms, brushing her damp hair from her forehead, He kissed her neck and shoulder, lifting his head and covering her mouth with his.

"Holy shit," Hermione said and laughed.

"Holy shit indeed," Draco agreed, rolling off her and closing his eyes.

Hermione reached down, pulling the covers over them and pressing herself into his side.

"I hope he didn't hear us." Draco said with a laugh.

Hermione snorted against his chest, "You'll have some explaining to do if he did."

"Hmm," he hummed and she felt him relax into the mattress, "I like your bed."

Hermione smiled, "I like it too."

She wanted to say I like it even more now that you're in it but swallowed the words. That sounded too close, too comfortable. As opposed to what they had just done. But as always, the tiny niggle of doubt remained in the pocket of her brain that liked to remind her to keep her guard up, to not let anyone in.

Draco mumbled her name and pulled her closer as sleep took him.

She pushed her doubts aside, at least for now, and allowed herself to be pulled into sleep with him.

"So," Pansy began grinning smugly at Hermione, "I can't help but notice that's the third time this week the Malfoy boys have come down those stairs rather than through the front door. Would you mind explaining what's going on?"

She was right. It was Friday morning and Draco and Scorpius had just left after another night at Hermione's flat. Scorpius had asked if they could stay another night when they'd woken up on Wednesday morning, and another night turned into three.

Hermione pursed her lips, and tipped her head to the side, looking thoughtfully at her friends, "You're right," she said, "I guess you'll find out soon enough...I'm selling the shop, Draco is buying my flat and I'm running off to join the circus."

Pansy shot her a death stare, "You can't even be serious just once?"

"You're the one who asked the stupid question! What the hell do you think has been going on?" Hermione asked, "Or did you want to act like a twelve year old and make me say it?"

"Twelve year old sounds good to me," Ginny said grinning at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Fine," she grumbled, "The sex is amazing...actually no, it's more than amazing, it's fucking phenomenal. So phenomenal that I'd much prefer to be in bed with him than standing here telling you about him. His son is adorable, as you both know, and I have to meet his parents in two days." Her friends were staring at her, dumbfounded. And she smiled, "What?"

"That's a lot of information to process," Pansy said slowly.

"You have to meet his parents?" Ginny asked, "Already?"

Hermione nodded, "It's a long story. Apparently they're...um, different."

"In what way?" Pansy asked, "Do they have two heads or something."

Hermione shrugged, "Truthfully, I don't really know. They don't spend Christmas with him, instead they go on holidays, and they're leaving next week. So we're all meeting this weekend."

"They don't have Christmas with him?" Ginny sounded incensed. Coming from a large family, it would be unheard of not to spend Christmas together.

"I don't know what to tell you," Hermione said, "I don't have anything to tell you. Not until I meet them."

"Well, he's completely smitten with you. So I'm sure they will be too." Pansy reassured her and then shrugged, "And if they're not, you're having great sex, so who cares?"

A/N: Again, apologies for the delay.

I had written this story almost in its entirety, but as with everything creative, it was bound to change along the way, and the tweaking process is holding things up...thanks again for reading J