Of Stodgy Old Wizards and Apologies
Hermione groaned awake Wednesday morning with a mouth that felt like cotton and a splitting headache. The sun filtering in was far too cheery for her current state and the incessant taping at her window was likely to drive her to murder if it did not cease this moment. Hermione scrubbed her eyes and glanced at the clock on her night stand to see that it was already half seven. Gods she was going to be late! She sat up far too quickly and the room swam so she closed her eyes. The tapping only seemed to increase now and when she cracked her eyes again, she realized the tapping was from an owl. Felix to be specific.
She really had sent that message.
Hermione swung her legs out of the bed and crossed to her window to allow the bird in. Felix looked disapprovingly at her and thrust his leg out. Hermione untied the parchment and summoned the treats to offer some to Felix. She may have given him several extra just to get him to stop glowering at her. Felix finally left after Crooks appeared and hissed, letting the bird know he had worn out his welcome.
"Crooks that was unkind; poor Felix was just doing his job," Hermione scolded without much authority as the sound of her own voice gave her a headache at the moment.
Crooks meowed in disagreement before jumping onto her bed to occupy the warm pillow she had just vacated. Hermione decided she needed a hangover potion and a cup of tea before she considered opening this response to a letter she had almost no memory of. She was fairly certain the salutation had been "most ardently" and that was bad enough on its own.
Hermione dug through the potions in the medicine cabinet with limited success because she was still squinting due to the offending brightness of the morning and her hands felt like she had ten thumbs. Belatedly, she remembered she had a wand and summoned the hangover potion. She downed it in one shot; it was vile, as if you didn't already want to hurl after a night of drinking that potion never ceased to induce nausea. Feeling the effects in moments, she exited the bathroom to make her way down to the kitchen. As she walked down the narrow hall she realized she would have to give this place up soon. That thought struck her, and as if he knew she was distressed, Crooks wended his way through her feet rubbing against her legs meowing his affection. Hermione smiled down at her long time familiar, she supposed it would be a new place for him too.
Hermione flicked her wand at the kettle as she grabbed a tin of food for the now yowling beast. Tutting at his impatience she placed his dish on the ground for him to devour.
"Crooks you are going to hurl if you don't slow down, you menace," Hermione warned.
Crooks grumbled but slowed his pace. Hermione smiled and walked to the screaming kettle. She set the kettle to the side to grab her the tea, this morning called for an Earl Grey, she thought to herself.
Tea in hand, she went to her kitchen table to read this gods forsaken letter. As she turned it over, she noticed Draco had sealed it with his signet, odd he hadn't done that before. She broke the seal and extracted the note. The scrap of parchment was a bit shabby considering the very crisp envelope, and Hermione soon discerned why. He had written back on the back of her note. Her eyes flew over her own drunken scrawl, and she wished for death. If one could die of humiliation, she was sure it would be her in this moment. She had remembered correctly; the salutation was indeed "most ardently".
Hermione took a fortifying sip of tea and turned the letter over to see his response. His response only had her wishing to crawl into a deeper hole of despair as she could hear his restrained laughter in every word. The signet seal now made sense, he had been poking fun at her lack of propriety and decided to respond in the most Malfoy way possible. Hermione took another sip of her tea and decided that it could be worse. At the very least he wasn't being nasty, he was jesting and that was what any friend would do. There was nothing for it now anyway, she would just meet him for dinner and apologize.
The meeting with the Board of Governors was to be at nine that morning but Draco had risen with the dawn. He wasn't nervous per se, he had every right to ask for the information he had requested. Draco also knew it might be perceived in the wrong way, he had had a dream in the night of the counsel accusing him of wanting to target and kill the Muggleborn students before they even knew they were magical. Then his brain had helpfully supplied the image of Draco in a death eater mask doing just that. All told Draco felt entirely out of sorts. He decided a morning fly would be just the thing to clear his mind. He tossed the Floo powder and called out for his room at the Manor.
Mipsy appeared moments after Draco stepped out of the hearth and asked if he wanted breakfast. Draco shooed off the elf and insisted she go back to sleep and apologized for waking her. He dressed quickly in his flying kit and Apparated to the broom shed.
Draco selected his favorite broom; it wasn't the latest model anymore but he hadn't ridden in almost a year so an old familiar would likely be best. He swung his leg over the handle and kicked off from the ground, hard. He shot into the sky and sped off to loop the property. As he flew, he executed feints and dives, getting bolder with each move he had forgotten how much he loved to fly. On his next big dive, he let out an audible whoop as he pulled up at the absolute last moment. The adrenaline had cleared the cobwebs of the night before.
The sun was creeping over the horizon when he headed back to the broom shed to stow the broom before Flooing back to his London flat. He found tea and his favorite scones waiting for him when he arrived in his room and smiled. Mipsy clearly did not go back to bed, that stubborn little creature. Draco had to fight back a groan though as he bit into the warm scone because damn it if it wasn't the best thing he ever tasted. Then the thought passed through his mind; he wished he could send a plate of these to Hermione so she could wake up to scones before he remembered they were scarcely speaking. Scones, delivered sneakily by a house elf would likely not be well received at the moment.
With a towel wrapped tightly around his waist Draco cleared the condensation from the mirror with a flick of his wand. The cedarwood and bergamot scent of his shaving soap enveloped his scenes as he lathered his face. He luxuriated for a moment before making quick but thorough work of shaving off the day-old stubble. After inspecting his face he decided a quick grooming charm to clean up the edges of his neckline and around his ears wouldn't be amiss. Finally, he combed his hair as he always did before casting a drying charm and running his fingers through it to give it that tousled look that Hermione apparently hated that she loved. That thought brought a smile to his face and reminded him he needed to send Felix with his note.
Draco filed through his assortment of dress robes, all in shades of black and grey, before his eyes landed on a bespoke navy colored Armani suit, one of the several he had commissioned last year. He didn't have a purpose in mind at the time, but today seemed like a perfect occasion. He considered the board of governors might see his choice in clothing as an affront to wizarding tradition, but he decided he didn't care. If they were going to deny his request based on his suit, they were going to deny it regardless.
The Hogwarts Board of Governors convened promptly at nine. Draco had turned heads when he had entered the room followed by a quiet cacophony of whispers behind hands. One portly old wizard garnered the courage to be the first to address him.
"Hello, Mr. Malfoy I presume, what with the signature blonde hair and commanding presence," the man's voice boomed jovially in the awkwardly quiet room, "I am Percival Wormwood it is nice to make your acquaintance," he said as he offered Draco his hand.
Draco shook it, feeling wary.
"I can sense you don't believe me," the man said more quietly now, "I understand that. It doesn't change the fact it is true. I think it is high time we let the younger generation take up the mantle of caring for the interests of Hogwarts. I know your family has a bit of an unsavory past at this time, but I can see that you are not the same man that once sat before the Wizengamot. I also don't think Ms. Granger really had much to do with your request though I am sure most will have believed that particular part of your letter. I am of the belief you are more like your mother, who is dedicated to her very numerous charities," he said smiling encouragingly.
Draco considered the man a moment longer before replying.
"Indeed sir I would like to claim that I am more like my mother, I think as a boy I tried very hard to be my father, as most young boys do. As I grew up though I realized I had no desire to be that type of man. The first opportunity I got to break away from the mold my father had created for me I took it. I saw the world and learned to love all of its parts. That is why I want to support a scholarship and possibly someday more. I will admit part of my motivation is Ms. Granger when she told me about her experience, that solidified my desire to pursue this matter," Draco said smoothly.
Mr. Wormwood looked at him fondly before clapping him on the shoulder.
"Excellent, well shall we set to the work of convincing the rest of them?"
Draco had smooth talked the group within an inch of their miserable lives and by the end the majority had agreed to allow Draco his rightful seat on the board and also access to the list of Muggleborn students set to attend Hogwarts in the next five years. Depending on the success of this venture the board would reconvene to discuss the renewal of this scholarship. Draco had no intention of allowing the matter to wait that long but he decided to take his earlier success and run with it for the time being. He knew Hermione would stand a much better chance of convincing the wizarding world and this lot to expand this project far beyond a mere scholarship. He had seen the twinkle in her eyes that day in McGonagall's office. She had dreams for those Muggleborn children that went beyond financial assistance and he had every intention of seeing her dreams come to fruition.
Draco had been home for thirty minutes when his wards alerted him to the presence of a visitor. A knock followed moments later. Draco opened the door and found Potter standing there with his arm raised as if he was going to knock again. Potter dropped his arm quickly and looked expectantly at Draco.
"Potter what an unwelcome surprise, didn't realize you knew where I lived. Abusing Ministry resources, are we snooping on me again?" Draco said with a sneer.
"Come off it, Malfoy, it is hardly abusing resources to look up your address," Potter defended.
"Why are you here Potter, if it's on official business I won't speak to you without my solicitor, and if this is a social call I will remind you, we are hardly friends and I have a lot to do today," Draco said impatiently.
"Fine then let me in—"
"Why would I let you in my home Potter, I have wards for a reason. I don't want people poking around my personal space," Draco spat back.
"Is this how you speak to Hermione?" Potter asked, his eyes looking a bit wild.
"Hermione is not an annoying git who showed up unannounced expecting to be invited in," Draco stopped himself before he said more, Potter didn't need to know how wrapped around her finger Draco truly was.
Potter huffed.
"Are you here to give me some bravado about hurt her and I will end you? If so shove off. You and Weasley have both tried to give me this speech and I have said all I plan to say on the matter to the likes of you two. Hermione and I are adults, no one is forcing her into this but the Ministry, I have asked nothing of her. I have treated her with the same kindness I would treat my mother. I will kindly remind you; you did nothing to support her when she started fighting this legislation and that makes me want to do terrible things to you, Potter. You and Weasley wouldn't be here without her. Hell, the Dark Lord would likely still be alive, and I would still be enslaved to him. She was an integral piece of his downfall, and you just ignored her request because it wasn't convenient for your career? It's disgraceful and somehow, I am still the villain in your story. Grow up, Potter," Draco seethed.
Potter stood there gob smacked.
"Malfoy, I," Potter stuttered and ran his hands through his hair, "you are right. I didn't help her, and I should have. I am sorry to intrude on your home, it was an overstep on my part," Harry finished quietly.
"Don't apologize to me, just do better for her, for Merlin's sake how am I telling you this," Draco groaned.
"I was thinking the same thing actually," Harry said with a small laugh, "Look Malfoy, I came here to try and move on from our past. Luna pointed out you don't seem to be an entire git anymore and I suppose if Hermione can accept that I can too," Harry conceded.
"How magnanimous of you Potter," Draco said with an eye roll. "Unless this moving on needs to start at this exact moment, I have prior engagements to get to."
"Of course, well see you both next Monday then I suppose," Harry said.
"Yes, next Monday," Draco said a bit distractedly.
It was a quarter till six and Draco realized he was still in his joggers and a tee shirt when he heard a knock at the door but no alert from the wards. Trust Granger to be fifteen minutes early. Draco flicked his wand at the door to open it. She appeared in his kitchen a few moments later. She was dressed in a simple sun dress with her curls in a wild halo around her face.
"I had gathered from your rather formal letter this dinner would be a slightly formal affair," Hermione said with a raised brow.
"The scathing tone is rich coming from the woman who sent an Owl while drunker than a skunk," Draco shot back, "additionally, you are early, I had planned to change."
Hermione had looked as though she had a quip all prepared but swallowed it with a guilty look. Draco chuckled quietly to himself as he flicked his wand setting the meal under a stasis charm and walked upstairs. He had quickly donned charcoal gray trousers and a plain white oxford shirt. He ran his hands through his hair and took a breath before heading back downstairs.
Hermione had seated herself primly at the counter eliciting another silent chuckle from Draco. Clearly, she was mortified about her letter and was entirely wrong footed.
"Is my attire more appropriate now? I can fetch a hat if you like but it didn't seem to coordinate with my outfit choice," Draco teased but she only blushed and looked at her lap.
No quip, nothing in response, maybe she was preoccupied with more than just the letter. She had said she wanted to apologize but Merlin this behavior was very out of character. Draco decided not to push that particular button at this moment however and instead poured two glasses of wine. He offered her a glass and she took it with a nod of appreciation. He took a sip savoring it and complimenting himself on his choice of wine for the meal. Draco plated the meal with precision and maybe a bit more flare than necessary but what was life without a bit extra extravagance just because, he reasoned. He levitated the plates to the table and offered his arm to Hermione. She hesitated for a moment then took his arm. Draco escorted her to the table and helped her with her seat, all of which he expected some level of fight with, but she only nodded her thanks.
Once again Draco was left wondering what was wrong with the witch across from him. They had both nearly finished their meals when Draco could not take one more mind numbing second of barely tolerable conversation about work and his meeting with the board of governors.
"Granger, what is going on?" Draco snapped, her eyes flew to his and she looked afraid, "you are the one who wanted to apologize for your behavior and here you are saying nothing. We get on so well until you suddenly shut down. I am left reeling. I know our history has not left us with a lot of common ground but I really feel like we could be good together if we try. Am I alone in this belief?"
Hermione stared at him for a moment then back down at her lap. Her breathing seemed shallow, and she was fidgeting. She glanced back up before rising abruptly to clear their plates. Draco gaped at her, what in Merlin's name was this witch doing?
"Have you nothing to say? Hermione Granger, the one with her hand forever knifing into the air answer poised at the tip of her tongue, is speechless," Draco sneered, he can't help it he is done with this treatment, and he will have an answer today.
Hermione is standing at the sink now rinsing their plate as Draco stalked to her. He took her by the shoulders and bodily turned her around to look at him.
"Witch, I swear to Salazar bloody Slytherin, I am beginning to worry you are Imperiused you are acting so strangely. Just talk to me, even on that first night you at least yelled at me. Anything is better than this Cold War you are waging," Draco pleaded, shaking her shoulders slightly, Hermione's eyes still firmly cast down.
"Draco I," she stuttered and looked up at him, she took a shaky breath and continued, "it's just that, I am so confused and conflicted. I know I am acting barking mad. I just can't seem to rectify my feelings and the nature of our relationship. The Ministry forced us together and I feel like I should fight until the end against it, but I can't. I should say I don't want to because you, this, us, is working. If I'm being honest, this is probably the best relationship I've ever had in my life, but admitting I love you is like admitting defeat," Hermione cried.
Draco stared in disbelief not sure if he had heard her correctly.
"What did you just say?" he asked.
Hermione's eyes go wide as she seems to mentally review what she just said.
"That admitting that this, what we have, is a good thing; feels like admitting defeat," she said nervously, purposefully omitting what Draco knew she said.
"Don't do that, don't you act like you didn't say what you just said, you told me that you love me. Do you mean it, Hermione Granger? Tell me right now. Do you mean it?" Draco said as he closed the distance between them.
"Draco I. I'm. I'm not sure. I, I'm just really—"
Draco reached out and grasped Hermione by the chin pulling her to him.
"Hermione Granger, the woman with strong opinions and full of conviction doesn't know what she just said. Bullshit, don't play with me Granger. You have driven me to the brink of madness. You infuriate me in every possible way, and you have ruined me. You have taken my heart, carved it out and claimed it as your own. I am utterly, completely, and desperately in love with you," Draco breathed.
Draco could feel her pulse hammering in her neck and her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths as he stared into her amber eyes daring her to lie to him again. She swallowed hard and wet her lips with her tongue.
"I love you Draco and I am terrified. Terrified because I don't think I've ever loved anybody the way that I love you. I've never been loved by somebody who loves me in all the small ways you have. Someone who pays such close attention to be able to anticipate my fears and needs. You overwhelm me, you consume me, and I can't fight it anymore. I surrender," Hermione choked out with a sob.
Draco stared into her eyes, then leaned his forehead down to touch hers slowly. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and they stood like that for another few moments just breathing in each other's air.
"I love you Hermione."
Draco's breath had become ragged as he tilted her chin to place a tentative kiss on her lips. They hadn't kissed since that stolen one outside of the restaurant. This kiss felt like oxygen, like taking that first breath after nearly drowning, and he had been drowning his entire life. She latched on, demanding more and Draco responded in kind.
Draco ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, and she parted for him. He threaded his fingers into her hair to pull her impossibly closer. Hermione had moved her hands to his neck to pull him down to her, as her nails scraped along his nape, he groaned which only encouraged her to do it again. Draco needed more; he slid his hand from her hip around to the curve of her ass, lifting her onto the counter.
With better access he burned a trail of kisses along her jaw just behind her ear he nipped, and she bucked slightly with a gasp. Draco smiled against her skin and did it again only this time he sucked the delicate flesh lightly before he nipped her. This elicited a moan that he wanted to bottle. So responsive, this witch of his, he wanted to discover every part of her body that could make her moan like that. Draco splayed his large hand across her back as he kissed down her neck, laving at her collarbone, before descending to the neckline of her sundress.
"Hermione," Draco whispered, his lips ghosting along the swell of her breasts.
She looked at him, and the desire in her eyes shot need, pure and hot through his entire body. He thought he had wanted her before but the way she looked at him in that moment drove him to the brink of madness.
Draco maintained eye contact as he lowered mouth to her still clothed breast and lightly bit her peaked nipple through the lightweight fabric. Her answering moan was delicious, like a drug he would never have enough of.
"Draco," Hermione gasped as she gripped the hair on the back of his head firmly.
Draco smiled up at her, "Yes?" he whispered in a low, affected voice as he let his lips trail lightly across her chest before biting the other nipple.
Hermione sucked breath in through her teeth and Draco smiled as he brought himself kiss by torturously slow kiss back to her lips. She tried to capture his mouth again but Draco gripped her hair at the base of her neck tightly. He placed feather light kisses to each cheek, then each corner of her mouth, followed by her upper lip. She was whimpering at this point, fighting his grasp. Draco pulled away just to look at her. Was this real, was she really here melting in his arms? Hermione's gaze was darting between his eyes and lips.
"What's wrong?" She asked, he realized then he had been just looking at her.
"You are just staring at me like I might disappear," she said, then added, "which is my fault I know. Draco I am not going to run again I promise."
She sat up a bit then and from a small pocket over her heart she pulled the ring he gave her and slid it on her finger. Draco captured that hand then and kissed her knuckles and swallowed hard.
"I am in this Draco Malfoy, and like we said before, I think we will fight forever but I want to fight with you, and I want to make up like this every time," Hermione said as she placed her palms against his chest.
Draco's heart raced, the sincerity in her gaze was intense.
"Hermione, I want to touch you," Draco's said in little more than a rasp.
"God yes," she gasped.
Draco leaned in to place a nervous tentative kiss on her lips, but Hermione was having none of that as she wrapped her legs around him and pulled his face into hers. Draco smiled against her lips and kissed her jaw on his way to whisper in her ear.
"So greedy, my little witch," Draco crooned.
"I have never been patient," she whispered back as she nipped his earlobe, causing him to gasp.
He felt her smile against his neck. He wrapped his arms tightly around her.
"I am terrible at sharing, so we both have our flaws I suppose," he said as he allowed his hands to drift down her back to her hips.
Draco held her gaze, her fingers threaded in his hair, she kneaded lightly at the base of his skull as his finger tips grazed to tops of her thighs and he didn't slow his pace as he pushed past the hem of her dress. Her breath hitched as he gripped her lightly where her thighs met her hips. Draco did nothing for a moment and her face had that adorable, frustrated look. He lightly swiped his left thumb over her entirely soaked knickers. That nearly was his undoing.
"So wet for me already, witchling," Draco said with a satisfied smirk.
Hermione was panting, digging her fingers into his neck. Draco brushed his thumb over her again before moving his hand, pushing her knickers to the side to swipe his other thumb over her newly exposed and dripping cunt. He couldn't hold in a groan this time.
"So perfect," he whispered as he circled her entrance with a slender finger.
She moaned at the praise, then cried out as Draco slid a single long finger in and curled it. Draco captured her lips, swallowing her next gasp as he added a second finger. He pumped his fingers in and out of her slowly, deliberately. She made a little frustrated noise in the back of her throat. Draco knew his pace and deliberate neglect of her clit was doing nothing but driving her mad. Good, feel an ounce of the frustration I have felt, little witch.
Draco withdrew his fingers and she nearly growled until she realized he merely wanted to remove her knickers. He drew them down her legs slowly, then dropped to his knees as he pushed her legs wide, and groaned when he finally saw her swollen pink pussy soaked just for him. He looked up at her hooded lust-soaked eyes. He turned his face to her inner thigh and laved a bit before biting down on the tender flesh. Hermione cried out and bucked off the counter. Draco grasped her hips and held her firmly in place and turned to lick and suck before biting down on the inside of her other thigh a bit higher that time. Closer to nirvana, he thought to himself. Draco released her hips for a moment to grasp her ass, dragging her to the very edge of the counter, both legs now over his shoulder. He met her eyes again; she had not looked away since he had dropped to his knees and that excited him more than she could possibly know. He wanted her to see how he would worship her, how he would bring her to oblivion as often as she would let him.
Draco took a shaking breath as he hovered centimeters from his prize. Hermione was already trembling, she was close already. With his thumbs, he spread her lips and blew a light stream of air over her neglected clit.
"Draco," she gasped.
Draco had intended to torture her a bit more but her gasping his name had pushed his control off a cliff. He closed his mouth over her pulling her sensitive nub between his teeth. She bucked and he tightened his grip on her hips. He would likely leave bruises, but as she clawed at his scalp, he doubted she would mind. He flattened his tongue against her moving it slowly back and forth as she began to arch rhythmically, he relaxed grip slightly to allow her to ride his face. She was groaning and gasping then as he drove his tongue into her, she arched up sharply going silent and rigid. He could feel her inner walls spasming against his tongue as she fell apart with his name on her lips.