A/N: It's taken me a while, but I finally have this chapter up. I spent a bit of time editing it, although I wrote it a while ago. Life has now been getting in the way which has meant that I'm no longer a few chapters ahead; so this is the last chapter that I wrote. I'll be writing and posting chapters as they're complete from this point until I'm ahead again.

Thank you for the reviews - I really appreciate all feedback! I'm also really glad that people have responded well to my oneshots - for some reason I've been inspired to do oneshots recently.

serenarian1 x

Chapter 7 – Dazed and Confused

Draco dropped his wand on the table, wincing as he felt his overstretched muscles protest at the sudden movement. Hermione had been training him hard. The last five days had consisted of intense duelling practice sessions interspersed with Poisons classroom training, and both his mind and body were exhausted. He gingerly lowered himself onto the sofa, letting out a sharp breath as his gluteal muscles burned in resistance. Hermione must have thighs of steel, he thought, and then shook his head in a vain attempt to banish the blush that was quickly rising up his throat at the image that the thought provoked.

As if on cue, she stepped into the archway; leaning against the pillar. "You look a little worse for wear," she commented. "It's been a difficult week. You've done well. I'm proud of you."

Draco nodded. "Thanks, Hermione." He leaned back in his seat slowly, the rush of pain echoing through his body. She noticed and immediately made her way over to him, sitting in the adjacent chair. He looked up at her and attempted a smile which came out resembling a grimace. "This really hurts," he admitted through clenched teeth. "How can I hurt so much without having been directly injured?"

She pursed her lips, trying to hide a smile. "That's muscle strain," she answered simply. "It will pass as you continue to use the muscles." She brushed off her lap and stood, regarding him with an amused look. "I'll go and make you some tea," she stated before disappearing into the kitchen.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the softness of the sofa behind his head as he listened to her movements in the kitchen. An idea popped into his head and he pondered it for a second. "Hermione?" he called. "How will the other Aurors react to me when they find out that I used to be a Death Eater?"

He heard her entering the room and opened his eyes just in time to see her carefully holding out a steaming mug to him. He accepted it and took a tentative sip, gauging the temperature. She looked perturbed. "Well," she began, twisting her fingers together. "The other new recruits have already seen you. The other experienced Aurors – well, we're going to have to work up to that."

He took another cautious sip of the hot tea, feeling it warming his chest. "They'll hate me, won't they?" he said dully. "They'll want to kill me on sight. I represent everything an Auror fights against… and here I am joining them."

Hermione shook her head. "Perhaps at first, but – Draco, the head of the Auror Office wants you there. The Minister of Magic wants you there. You have nothing to worry about." Her eyes sparkled. "Besides, they will be briefed before you are formally inducted."

Draco allowed his eyes to find her face; watching her as she continued speaking about the Auror briefings. Her large brown eyes were full of passion as she relayed the process, her face lighting up as she explained the procedure of being inducted into the Auror Office. Before he could stop himself, he reached out and caught her wrist. "You're beautiful," he murmured. "You look so beautiful when you're talking about what you love to do."

Hermione stared at him, her eyes questioning, but he was too far gone to care at that moment. His hand reached up to her face unconsciously, and he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. She closed her eyes and allowed him to gently caress her face; making no effort to move away. He heard her as she held her breath, and before he could change his mind he leaned forward and covered her mouth with his. Her lips moved against his softly; so sweetly, and Draco felt his resolve crumble as she slipped her tongue into his mouth. He met her halfway; their tongues tangling as he lifted her onto his lap. Her closeness sent shivers up his spine as he continued to kiss her deeply, his hands in her hair.

Too soon she broke the kiss and he immediately felt bereft at her withdrawal. She took his face in her hands, staring down at him with confusion in her eyes. "This is wrong," she whispered. "This is so wrong, Draco."

"I know," was all he could manage to say. His lips were still on fire from their kiss and he found himself wishing desperately that she hadn't said that. She was still sitting on his lap, his arms looped around her shoulders. Her gaze was lowered, and Draco tortured himself with ideas of what she might be thinking.

Abruptly, she lifted her gaze back to his and this time Draco was under no illusions. The confusion in her eyes had been replaced by something undeniable – desire. "This is so wrong, Draco," she repeated, "but I don't care." Before he could respond she was kissing him again, hard. He fell into the contact willingly and helplessly; losing himself in her scent and her taste and the way she felt against him, her hands uncontrollably searching every inch of him from the waist up. He knew what she was about to do and reluctantly broke their kiss, sliding his hands to her shoulders.

"Wait, Hermione," he cautioned, pulling back slightly so that he could look into her face. "This is too fast – much too fast."

Her response was to back away completely, sliding off his lap and leaning her head back on the sofa. "You're right," she admitted. "I – I don't know what I was thinking."

"You weren't," he supplied. "You weren't thinking – you were feeling. Pure instinct took over. I wasn't thinking either."

She laughed hollowly. "Now what?"

The sudden rumble of Draco's stomach broke the uncomfortable silence that followed, and he chuckled. "I suppose dinner wouldn't be a bad idea," he suggested. "I'd offer to help but I've no idea how to cook."

She looked at him tiredly. "That's okay. You should rest your muscles, anyway. I'll run you a hot bath. You can soak while I cook." She made to get up but he caught her arm, turning her to face him. "What?" she demanded.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he said softly. "I shouldn't have done that. I should have just shut up and let you talk."

She shook her head sadly. "Don't apologise, Draco. Just – just don't spoil it, okay?" He nodded dumbly as she walked away, reproaching himself severely in his mind. The last ten minutes had been a blur. However certain things had been revealed now; things that couldn't be hidden away or unsaid. He grimaced to himself as he remembered his words – he hadn't been lying; nor had he meant to say those things out loud. Privately he had thought she was stunning from the day he had first met her at the Ministry but had swallowed his attraction. His reasons for doing so at the beginning were simple – he had not known anything about her or himself. They might have been related, for example, and what he had assumed was attraction might have simply been familial recognition. She might have been married or in a relationship with another. These reasons (and several others) had led Draco to push his interest in her to the back of his mind.

But now? Now it was out in the open – he had brushed off their first kiss as a mere reaction to the revelations she had provided. But their second kiss was much harder to pass off as a simple overreaction to an emotional situation. She had simply been talking, and he had given in to his – his fascination with her. He had assumed she would berate him or push him away; freeze him out. He had never in his wildest dreams imagined that she would respond.

But she had. She had responded with a fire that he had never expected and he was still feeling the heat dancing along his skin. He turned that idea over and over in his mind. Her reaction had proved to him something that was now impossible to retract – the feeling was mutual. He clenched his teeth, resisting the thrill that coursed through him at the realisation. "I can't," he muttered to himself. "I can't pursue this – I can't pursue her. She's my bloody supervisor, for Merlin's sake."

Hearing footsteps, he turned his attention to the archway as she approached. "Your bath is ready," she informed him. "I hope it's not too hot. There's some bath potions on the side that you can add to the water – they'll help with the strain."

He nodded, shifting forward slowly. "Thank you." He stood hesitantly, avoiding her gaze. Running a hand through his hair awkwardly, he began to move towards the archway and she backed away to allow him space.

"Draco?" she asked, her voice suddenly hushed. "Is cottage pie all right? For dinner, I mean?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. Oh, and Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I didn't regret that kiss, either," he divulged, before grinning slightly and walking down the corridor towards the bathroom. The room was reasonably spacious and was dominated by a large tub; from which clouds of steam were rising. Draco reached across the tub to the shelf above and retrieved a blue glass bottle labelled 'Relaxo Meditari Potion', which he poured into the water. Closing the door, he quickly slipped off his clothes and lowered himself into the tub, emitting a hiss of pleasure as the potion-infused water began to work on his muscles.

He heard a tap on the door. "Just so you know," came Hermione's voice, "neither did I."

He allowed himself a genuine smile then, laughing gently. He heard her chuckle before her footsteps faded away. Raising his arms, he slipped his hands behind his head and stretched out in the hot water, still smiling at her admission. The Aurors and their reaction to his presence could wait – for now, he was content.