Author Notes: I have a small heated scene coming up. Hopefully, it keeps in line with what you are enjoying most about the story thus far! Enjoy!
Hermione was sipping her tea and reading the newspaper while Draco was speaking of inconsequential matters with his mother. Different workers that were coming to examine the grounds for the wedding. Possible themes Astoria had talked about. Hermione paid little attention, for they were not matters that concerned her.
Well, at least until Narcissa hemmed and Draco lounged in his chair. Hermione stayed her eyes to the paper but listened; she knew that posture of Draco's well. "Darling, I just want you to be happy," she told him, and he exhaled.
"I am happy, mother. I don't want to switch wings, and I don't want you to leave. Please stop talking like that," he murmured, and Hermione glanced up at them.
"Narcissa, why would you leave?" Hermione questioned.
"My mother is worried she is going to make me look weak since I am still living with my mother." He stated and waved the other Malfoy off. "Which I told her is ridiculous. You love and respect her deeply."
Hermione's brow furrowed. "Why would that matter to me? You both had been through a tragedy and Draco would have long since withered away if he lived alone. That would be quite judgmental of me considering I want my son to live with me until he tires of me." Hermione finished with a playful smile, and Narcissa sighed.
"I just don't want to intrude on your relationship," Narcissa declared.
Hermione blushed profoundly and waved her hands. "Oh! We haven't really talked-" she couldn't continue because Draco leaned over and kissed her.
It was assertive but polite. "You are babbling, Granger," he whispered when they parted, he tugged a curl of hers.
Narcissa bit down on a smile and clapped. "This is just fantastic. I was hoping that you two would end up trying."
"Just be glad we don't live back in the day when we couldn't shag until marriage. I would have never gotten you to agree to even look at me," he snickered, and Hermione turned the color of plums.
"Draco Malfoy, your mother, is in the room," she spat, smacking his arm.
Narcissa ignored the last few comments and sipped her tea. "Regulus is going to be tickled that it finally happened. I do hope you intend on making this a real relationship." She murmured, and Hermione cleared her throat.
"Well, I suppose. However, we work together, that might pose an issue." Hermione declared as Draco's hand coiled around her shoulder.
Narcissa waved her hand and scoffed. "Severus has been Regulus's assistant for the last eight years, and they work well together. No one even notes their relationship at work until you see the pictures of them in different vacation spots on Regulus's desk." She finished with a nod.
Hermione's brows knitted. "Was everyone waiting for this?"
Narcissa laughed as Draco tugged her. "Well, yes, actually. My son is a bit clueless, and you were very open about your feelings; at least to a trained observer. It was all about time."
Hermione exhaled and rose from her chair. "I am going to get ready for the running around today. Thank you for the informative conversation, Narcissa." She said with a smile.
"Of course," the matron declared and Draco heard Hermione's footfalls fade down the hallway.
"Mother, don't get too excited, you might scare her," Draco warned.
He heard her shift in her chair. "Darling, stop being so timid. She isn't going anywhere. That girl is well on her way to being in love with you," Narcissa declared.
"You cannot be sure of that. She just wrapped her head around the idea of stomaching shagging me," he said bluntly, and Narcissa tutted.
"Don't be so crass, son. She is still a lady. I don't think she would have spent the night with you if she didn't ponder about the idea of you being a permanent fixture in her life outside of work." Narcissa finished, and Draco heard her teacup leave the table.
"Hm, well, if that is the case, I will see you shortly," he replied and climbed from his chair.
Draco made haste through the hallway and up the stairs to his wing. He listened a moment and heard the water to his shower begin. Smiling, he slowly entered the room and heard her humming as the sound of clothes toppling to the floor. "Mind if I join you?" he purred softly.
Hermione gasped and huffed. "Draco, stop scaring me so much. You are going to give me an arrhythmia," she scolded him.
He set down his cane on the counter and Hermione watched him with an amount of greed. She enjoyed his body; there was no doubt. They had spent long hours last night getting to know each other and the feelings of him knowing hers with a familiarity she hadn't experienced before. Watching him undress was an experience in the dark hours of the night she didn't get the chance to view.
The man had flung his shirt down and smirked. "You never answered me, Granger."
"Oh, yes, you can," she murmured, and he pulled down the funny rubber ducky pajama pants.
Her breath hitched at the Viking of a man in front of her. Did she shag him? My god. He yanked his feet from the constraints of the pants and ambled forward. Reaching for her and exhaling with a smile when he touched her skin. It made every hair on her body rise with anticipation when he leaned to her neck and nipped it. "Come on, let's attempt to get clean." He breathed.
Hermione opened the door to the shower, which was the most lavished shower she had ever seen. It was large enough to fit five people in it comfortably and had two shower heads with a waterfall effect. There was a crook to sit on as well as a rack to hold things off the ground. He had all of his products on the first two shelves, but the third contained a purple bottle with a soap bar.
"I had them placed in here on the off chance you would like to use my shower," he declared, guessing that her observations were of her surroundings.
She helped him inside and hummed. "That was generous of you," her voice bounced off the walls as his fingers ran over her freshly wet skin.
Hermione was enthralled by the pale-skinned Malfoy. His hands felt so deliberate on her flesh. His mouth returned to its nipping and sucked on her neck. She released a set of moans that made him growl. It was as if someone pressed fast forward on the next three seconds because soon she was coiled around him as he held her against the wall.
She watched him manhandle her in a way that was both new and thoroughly exotic. Hermione gasped at his invasion and observed his expression of heat melt to euphoria. It was breathtaking. She was small in his grasp but felt even more so when he pressed her roughly to the wall and took her. Hermione knew she would be amazingly sore after the experience; he was not going to be gentle.
Her howls echoed through the shower, and he growled in song with her. She was going to burst it was so powerful. Draco ducked down enough to grumble against her neck. "You are mine," he panted and bit into her shoulder.
It was an experience Hermione never had before. Someone wanting to possess her and own her in ways she could have only imagined before now. It unhinged the spring that kept her peak contained. Hermione belted out her agreement and his name several times before she clung to the god in front of her and he rode his own out.
She felt her limbs shake and shiver from the sheer power of their coupling. "Draco," she sighed and lulled her head against the wall.
He pulled away enough to breath slowly and smiled. "Yes, Hermione?"
"We need to have more self-control, or I am going to be bedridden," she teased and his head cast to the ceiling with laughter.
"I am making up for all the years of shagging you went without," he snickered with a bright smile and helped her untangle from him.
Hermione ran her fingers over his chest and abdomen. "We have time. But I fear it might take me days to recover if we don't at least slow down." Her voice was light, and he pressed his forehead to hers.
"Do you have any plans I don't know of for tomorrow?" he inquired, and she exhaled.
"When I leave here I have to go to the Burrow for dinner. We have Sunday dinners every other week," she declared as she reached for his soap and washcloth.
"Can I come with you?" he inquired, and she tilted her head in wonder as she wet the cloth.
"As what? My boss?" she asked carefully while lathering it up.
"As whatever you see fit, but ideally I would like to be your date," he told her as she started to scrub his skin.
She thought about it a moment as she cleansed his body. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt. I imagine regardless of when anyone finds out we will get the same reaction." She muttered.
He exhaled slowly. "You are worried about their judgment?"
"Of course, the Weasleys see me as a family member, but they are very protective. Harry will probably be spitting scorpions after he finds out." She walked around to his back and was rubbing her scratch marks with the soapy cloth.
"Yes, about that, I already asked for permission and he said it was alright," Draco told her, and her hand jerked.
"You did?"
"Yes, last Sunday. He gave me rules to follow and told me he had no problems beating up a blind man."
Hermione groaned. "I better talk to Ginny. She will have a fit if she doesn't find out first."
"Are you done? I would like to return the favor with greedy enjoyment as well," Draco declared, and Hermione made a sound of an agreement once she ran her covered fingers over the object of her pleasure.
The woman cleaned off the washcloth and set it aside, only to grab another with her bar of soap. She handed it to him, and he chuckled. "I like this one better than the rose. A hint of playfulness to it."
"Smells like Earl Grey tea," Hermione remarked.
"It will smell better on you, I can guarantee it." He responded and handed her the bar.
She put it up and watched as his hand moved over her body with delicacy and care. Draco was many things, but the tender protector was new for her. She rather liked that about him and the swiftly evolving relationship. It was like he was reading her like a book. His free hand trailed over her skin as his working hard cleaned the surface. There was no rhyme or reason to it, and she watched as he took control of her body, manipulating it.
He bent down to run it gently between her legs, and she sighed. "When did you become so tender, Draco?" she sighed, and his hand ran around her hip to her behind.
"When you gave me the opportunity to be," he whispered, cupping her in a firm grip. "Now, Granger. Before I get too carried away, we should finish this up and go get you a dress that will make every man wish he was the one fucking you."
Hermione snorted as he released her to go under the water. "You may not like what they say."
"I may not, but they aren't bringing you home, now are they?"
"Touché, Draco. Fair enough, I will let you dress me up how you want. Even if it is a boyish drive to make others jealous." Hermione murmured.
He grinned wildly and sighed. "You are perfection, Granger." They finished up in the shower, and Draco led her to something more suitable to wear in public.
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O
Hermione spent a bulk of time being waited and doted on by lovely female workers in a pricey designer shop. Draco sat there, sipping water and listened to the women. They had been there awhile, and Hermione was still not entirely comfortable with the dresses they were bringing to her.
"No, that doesn't match his tie, Mr. Malfoy wouldn't like that," the blond woman named Darla said.
"This does, and it is low cut," the black haired girl named Maria murmured.
"Miss Granger, you would look stunning in this gown," Darla held up the one Maria brought forth.
It was a green gown with silvery trails all through the skirt. Very Anguis. Hermione frowned and looked at the build. "This has a corset in it," she remarked with a frown.
"Find another," Draco declared, and the girls flitted off to match his silvery tie.
"Draco, this is ridiculous. I hated prom dress hunting, and I despise this just as much," Hermione groaned.
"Your prom dress was gorgeous. Did you know all night I tried to walk up to you and ask you to dance with me, but you were seeing Weasley by then so I lost my nerve?" He questioned, and she blushed deeply.
"You did look devilishly handsome in your suit. One of the only seniors to wear one instead of just a dress shirt with a coat."
The girls rushed back and held out a gown. "We found it!" they shouted together in excitement.
Hermione gasped at the dress. "Wow," she whispered and ran her fingers over it.
"That's the one then. That was the reaction I was waiting for," Draco announced and rose from his chair. "Pack it up and the matching shoes." He ordered, and the girls giggled.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," Maria murmured and the young woman walked toward the counter.
Hermione frowned at their blushing face. "You come in here often?"
"No, I tipped them when I walked in and told them they had to find my lady the perfect dress," he declared and shrugged his shoulders. "Money talks, Granger," he finished and offered her his arm.
She took it and hemmed. "We should see about getting you some sunglasses that match your suit, Draco. Something black or silver."
He laughed and waved his hand. "No one will be looking at me if your reaction to the dress not put on was a gasp."
"Well, it is a stunning dress, but you are letting me buy it with my own money," she told him sternly.
"I will not. That is something you are just going to have to get used to, Granger. You aren't going to be buying anything so long as I am around. Save it for you son," he responded, and she huffed.
They reached the counter. "Draco," she started, but he pulled out a card.
"Thank you, ladies, for spending the time with her today. She is very special," Draco purred, and the girls beamed.
"You are very welcome, Mr. Malfoy. It was a pleasure, Miss Granger," Darla declared, handing her the boxed dress in a bag.
"Very lovely. You will be the talk of your party," Maria continued and handed her the bag with another box.
"She will, thank you again," Draco declared as they placed the card in his open hand and they left the shop.