"Chest to chest. Nose to nose. Palm to palm; we were always just that close. Wrist to wrist. Toe to toe, lips that felt just like the inside of a rose. So, how come when I reach out my finger, it feels like more than distance between us?"
"I'm telling you right now, Mister Lovegood, if you call for them, I will personally see to it that Luna has nothing to come back to, do you understand?" Draco threatened as he held his wand at the head of Xenophilius' Adam's apple.
Theo stood before Hermione, Harry, and Ron, his arms spread out to hold them back; Each had their wands at the ready. Hermione's eyes hardened at the scene. The only sounds in the room was of each heart beating rapidly against their chests.
"I said, do you understand?" Draco pressed the tip of his wand a bit further. The white haired man nodded and he was released.
"Good. Let's go." Draco commanded, Theo nodded and approached his friend, hoping that the endangered trio would follow suit.
"What? You just… You just expect us to go with you? After that?" Hermione asked flabbergasted, pointing at the grief-stricken wizard holding his neck dramatically. "You ought to explain yourself!" She then turned to Theo, "Both of you."
"Granger Danger," Theo clapped his hands together bringing them to his chin, "we haven't the time, we should really get going."
Hermione narrowed her eyes, "I'm not going anywhere with either of you until you explain yourselves!"
Draco breathed heavily, growing impatient, "Luna is at the Manor, she's safe. Let's go!" he said as he reached out for her arm.
Ron stepped forward with a growl, and instead of complying, Hermione swung her arm away from Draco, looking back to Theo.
"Why is she at Malfoy Manor?" she pressed.
Harry and Theo made eye contact; the two silently agreed to grab hold of Hermione and Ron. Draco took hold of her coat and before she could manage another argument, CRACK!
The unlikely crew now appeared in the middle of a building; unfamiliar to the trio, a second home to the two Slytherins. Each of the five tumbled flat on their stomachs or backs.
"Ugh, next time we should really be more prepared." Theo groaned, cracking his neck and rubbing it gingerly before popping to his feet and setting forth, warding the building.
"You complete arses! Seriously! You could have splinched one of us!" Hermione shrieked, smacking Draco across his face, "How dare you apparate us against my will!" Draco rubbed his jaw and stormed up the stairs, sensing the slap wasn't just about the apparition.
Hermione observed her surroundings, "Where… Where are we?"
"It's my place of business, remember, I told you—ahem, well, I can get you all some rooms, you can hide out here for a few days, the Death Eaters don't come here. Honoria made that very clear." Theo sauntered toward his office door, "I'll get the keys. – Well, well, well…" The door shut behind him and the sounds from within his office vanished.
Harry and Ron sat giddily at a chess table while Hermione took it upon herself to explore. She guided herself up the spiral staircase and looked over the edge at her two friends now deep in thought over their game. She noted the walls covered in shelves that were piled in books and figurines of naked Gods and Goddesses devouring one another. She found a door off to the right that was cracked open. Hermione pushed it forward and revealed Draco stewing on the edge of a four poster bed.
Draco had silently cast a glamour charm over his left arm to hide his biggest secret when he listened to a familiar echo ascending the stairs. As he heard the footsteps nearing his room, he acted as if he hadn't.
Hermione gently closed the door behind her, and Draco looked up from his brooding façade. "Granger." he gulped huskily.
"Malfoy." she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall behind her, "What type of business is Theo running here?" she asked, glancing at the 'Venus of Urbino' portrait hanging on the bedside wall.
Draco followed her eyes and smirked.
"A whore house." he stated very simply but with an expression dripping with amusement.
Hermione widened her eyes in disbelief, "That's absurd!"
Draco chuckled and shrugged casually, "Probably why he didn't mention the specifics to you."
She replied with a dramatic eye roll.
"Look, Granger… I…"
"Why is Luna Lovegood at your Manor?"
"Straight to the point, never fails." he sighed, raking his fingers though his hair, "I can't explain to you why… I wish that I could." He stood and slowly made his way toward the standing witch, as if testing the waters.
She wouldn't look into his eyes, knowing that she'd be spelled by him, and not magically.
"I don't want to keep anything from you, Hermione." he whispered, his breath shadowing her face.
She gazed up slowly, the tips of their noses grazing, "Then don't." her voice equally calm and sound. He pressed his lips against hers. One kiss successfully reminded her of every flutter that had inhabited the pit of her stomach all those months ago.
Draco moved his hands to the sides of her head, hardening his kiss; his fingers grew entangled in her curls. He began placing gentle kisses down her jawline, when he noticed the familiar scarf wrapped around her neck. He smiled and removed it, tossing it to the floor, continuing the light trail toward her shoulder.
Hermione leaned her head against the wall, "Dr- Draco, wait…" His fingers froze at the bottom button of her blouse, his eyes met hers once more. "I… I just… I don't want this to be like last time."
He nodded, swallowing hard, "It won't be." he lied. He needed this moment, he wanted this to last, even if it was only for a few days.
Without another word, Hermione pressed her hands against Draco's chest, grasping his shirt and hungrily returning his lips to hers. He fidgeted with her buttons once more.
He leaned forward and took her into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist longingly as he carried her over to his bed, lying her down on it's vast center.
Draco's tongue licked at her bottom lip as he moved against her, pressing his hardness into her thighs. He dipped his knee between her legs, and spread them apart, "Gods…" he panted, "I've missed you…"
Hermione gasped for air at his words. Her hands took over, dipping to the hem of his trousers and beginning to push them down. He sucked at her neck as her right foot moved up to help free him.
Draco slithered down her body, kissing her clavicles and between the vale of her breasts. Her skin began to tingle and small bumps rose to its ivory surface; he simpered at the sight.
Hermione moaned, "Just…" I need you.—she wanted to say, instead she only sighed longingly. Once he hooked his thumbs through the loops of her muggle jeans and pulled them down over her feet, he kissed the inside of her left ankle, watching as her toes curled. Draco sat up onto his knees and gazed down at the sight of her; nothing but a basic black bra and a matching pair of knickers separating them now.
Hermione leaned up onto her elbows and pouted her bottom lip, "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head with a chortle, "No, Gods, no… Hermione, there is nothing wrong with…" he flourished his hands over her body, "There is nothing wrong with you at all."
He propped forward, all weight on his hands, and power surged through their bodies when their stomachs touched. Pelvis to pelvis, Hermione bucked herself against him. A hunger burned in the pit of his soul and he starved to kiss every inch of her skin; devour every piece of flesh his lips managed to touch.
Draco bit into her neck, causing her to yelp in pleasure and frustration. He smiled triumphantly at the burgundy mark he left on her skin; marking her as if she were really his. "Mine." he whispered as she gripped tighter to his back, digging her nails into his skin.
He looked down at her and found that her eyes were now closed. He took one of his hands and moved stray curls from her face.
"Open your eyes, I want to see you." he whispered.
Hermione drew in her quivering bottom lip, "Okay." She then snaked her hands around his neck and pulled him into another burning kiss.
Draco moved his hands down her sides and around to her back to unhook her brassier. Once it was removed, he cupped a breast into his hand. He ran his nose over the risen peak. She moaned softly into his ear as he took it into his mouth and between his teeth. She tugged at his hair; he bit harder.
He began to swell tighter against her. Thrusting himself to meet lace, he could feel the wetness from the outside of her knickers. Moving a hand down to them and pushing the intruding fabric to the side, he touched her lightly with his fingertips causing her hips to roll once more.
"Fuck, Granger, you're..." he gripped onto the material, "I hope you won't miss these." he muttered desperately as he ripped them from her body and brought them to his nose, inhaling her scent. Hermione dropped her mouth, her eyes widened.
He pressed his tip against her soaked apex, sliding himself up and down, only to tease her.
"I… I need… Merlin, Draco…" Hermione whimpered, as Draco's cock convulsed at the hoarseness of her voice and her hips rolled against him again.
He placed his hands right below her ribs and buried himself inside of her. "Oh…" Draco groaned, "So…" Hermione wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, hooking her feet together at the small of his back as he slid in and out.
She grew tighter and wetter with each thrust. He buried his face into her neck, biting the thin skin at the edge of her shoulder, "Draco!" she purred. Sweat dripped from shoulder to shoulder; his fingers caught into her sweaty curls, their breaths elevated; hot and sweet.
"Draco… harder…" Her voice so soft and velvet. How could these words escape such an innocent mouth?
He submerged himself even deeper, and as he did, Hermione felt herself uncoil, crying out in blissful satisfaction.
He felt a wave of serene calm overwhelm his insides. At the shudder of Hermione's legs tightening around him once more, he relished in a few more thrusts and with a particularly pleasing breath escaping her lips, Draco poured himself into her and collapsed; sticky forehead against sticky forehead, Draco licked at the saltiness of her lips.
Hermione grooved her tongue around his, forcing them into one more passionate kiss. She ran her fingers over the front of his hair and gazed into his silver eyes, "Don't say anything if you can't, because I don't want you to feel pressured…"
Draco hung his head with a shallow laugh, "Alright, no pressure."
"I think I...no, I know. I love you, Draco." she whispered.
Unexpectedly the world around him paused and Draco's ears filled with compressed air; his head felt light and dizzy.
Hermione, alarmed, held his head between her hands, "Draco?" her voice began to sound garbled and distant, "Dra-"
"HELP! THEO! HELP!" Hermione screamed as Draco fell flush against her, not even moments later, Theo, Ron and Harry emerged into the room.
Ron's jaw dropped at the scene, Harry grimaced but Theo ran forward, "He's ill, Hermione."
She tugged the sheet over her naked body, and glanced over at her two friends gaping at them.
Not worrying over their judgmental stares, Hermione turned her attention back to Theo. "What do you mean he's ill?" she demanded shrilly.
"It's been… it's been going on for a while… You remember the whole ordeal that happened with me?"
She nodded. "Well, he's going through it too."
"I don't understand… Why—are you over the illness?"
"Yes." he quickly lied, "I think, I think it's just stress." he finished.
"Theodore, I am one to know the weight of stressful situations. This," she pointed at the unconscious man lying beside her, "is no result of stress."
Theo turned back to Harry and Ron, "Will you all tell Matti to bring up some towels and Pepper-Up Potion?" They nodded.
Hermione gathered the blankets at the edge of the bed and covered Draco. Theo smiled, "Its… unfortunate that he fell asleep after what seems to have been a nice… time." he tried to tease, "Silencing charms are a most useful thing, Miss Granger. I daresay you've read about them?" Hermione only replied with a snarl and a shove.
Matti entered the room with everything that was asked for and smiled warmly at Hermione.
"It's great to finally meet you." Matti said sweetly as she handed over the items to Theo, who then tended to his mate.
Hermione pulled her sheet a bit tighter against herself, "You must be Matti." she said, tucking a curl behind her ear.
"Ah, so you 'ave heard of me." Matti smiled at Theo, "He talks about you a lot too. Says you're his best pal!"
Hermione nodded, "Yeah, he's mine too."
Theo grinned at the conversation the two witches were having. Draco was taken care of, and well, asleep.
"Come on, sweetheart, let's leave them to it." Theo said reaching out for the blonde's hand. "Granger Danger, I'd hug you now that you're not so violent but it seems you're naked and that would be most inappropriate."
"Yes," Matti giggled, "and 'Ermione, I 'ave some clothes for you. I know you've been on the run, so, when you're ready, I 'ave a bag downstairs waiting."
"Thank you." she said gratefully and the couple left the room.
Hermione laid back down beside Draco and placed an arm loosely over his waist, his back turned to her.
Draco could feel the warmth of Hermione against him, but he couldn't open his eyes, he couldn't move. The feeling of her skin comforted him; he wanted to so badly reach out and hold her against him, chest to chest and tell her that he loved her too.
The sound of her breathing faded away from him and all he could hear was a steady and piercing
XXX
Beep. Beep. Beep.