Chapter 32

"Fuck off, Malfoy!" Hermione shouted over her shoulder as she stormed out of the DADA classroom. "You fucking cheated and you know it!"

"Fuck you, Granger!" He retorted, following behind her as she stalked through the deserted halls of the castle. Everyone else was still in class, but Hermione was so furious over the outcome of her own class that she'd decided she needed a bit of fresh air. Alone.

Draco, however, apparently disagreed.

"I didn't cheat, I played dirty. There's nothing in the rules against summoning!" He called after her as she pushed the heavy side door open and began her trek across the grounds and towards the greenhouses. "Slytherin, remember?"

"Oh, how could I forget?" She snapped at him over her shoulder. "What part of fuck off didn't get through your thick skull?"

The snow was so high that she thanked the maker for being a witch once again, because the drifts she was wading through were nearly knee deep. However, with the charms she'd put on her shoes and stockings, her legs stayed warm and dry. The only difficulty being that she made it nearly halfway before she thought to clear a path.

With a huff, Hermione stopped, causing Draco to bump into her in his pursuit. She waved her wand, looking up at him with a glare before turning back around and continuing on. She could hear the snow crunching under his expensive shoes, but it only made her more irritated, wanting nothing more than to get away from him.

"There must be something else you could be doing," she snarled, pushing her way through the bare branches to get to thirteen. "Collecting your winnings from Theo, perhaps? Or finding something to do with him? I don't think Luc has walked in on the two of you recently, couldn't you go for a good fuck right about now?"

"Well," Draco said, keeping so close to her that Hermione could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. "Theo is busy counting what he earned, but I do agree that I've earned a good shag."

"Then go wait on him, I'm sure he'll be much more accommodating," Hermione snarled, stepping onto the enchanted path. Neville, the herbology genius that he was, had managed to somehow ensure that everything around thirteen stayed in bloom and green year-round. He'd managed to ward off the winter, and essentially turned the space around the greenhouse into a greenhouse itself.

Draco didn't bother to reply, instead staying next to her as they walked into the greenhouse and towards the back where their bedroom was. It was quiet, no one else was here, which was odd. Usually at least Luna or Neville would be in here tending to their medicinal plants if not outright enjoying them. The silence grated on Hermione even more, as she had nothing to distract herself from her thoughts.

Hermione and Draco entered the bedroom she finally turned around to take in the wizard who'd beaten her. A first in three years. If there was anything Hermione was, it was competitive to a fault.

"Fuck off," she told him again, her arms crossed over her chest as she stared him down. "You can see yourself out," she told him, wanting a while to herself to cool her furry. She wasn't even all that upset with Draco, the truth of the matter was that she expected perfection from herself and losing a duel meant that she'd failed. It didn't matter how difficult her opponent was, she'd always managed to come out on top.

"No," Draco stated, using his foot to kick the door shut behind him. "I rather like where I'm at. And the company, while being fairly hostile at the moment, I'm sure can become more accommodating with the right incentives."

That was it, Hermione had finally had enough of him, she thought to herself as she stormed forwards with a finger pointed at him. She pressed the tip into his chest and narrowed her eyes up at him, not wanting him to think that she wasn't angry. In fact, she was furious, but he seemed as calm as ever.

She huffed, but no words came, instead just pressing her finger and driving it further into his chest. He wasn't listening to her, damnit! She wanted space, she had humiliated herself losing to him and if she wasn't the best then who the fuck would want her? She was flawed, and flaws made her undesirable and yet here he was, his long white hair brushed out of his face and his skin still flushed from the cold looking like a model. He was perfection and she was, well, just Hermione.

It was as if he'd read her thoughts and the doubts, she had of herself had him pressing his lips against hers in a searing kiss. The warmth of him engulfed her, and Hermione was even more irritated at him for bringing her this comfort. Despite her thoughts, she found herself wrapping her arms and legs around him, molding her body into his.

With her in his arms, Draco backed her up until she was perched on the desk that the boys had set up for her to study for her NEWTs in peace following her being MIA for the first few weeks at the start of term. Her pens, notebooks, and flash cards all fell to the floor and caused a bit of a ruckus, but their assault on one another didn't cease.

Draco bit down on her lip, one hand coming up to her throat, his long fingers wrapping around her with the cool rings pressing into her skin. Draco growled as Hermione gasped, their primal needs bursting and begging to be met.

His other hand dropped between them, making quick work on his pants before pulling her underwear to the side. Hermione let out a hiss as he slid into her, her head dropping back while his hand squeezed.

"Don't you dare close your eyes or look away from me," he snarled, forcing Hermione to look back at him. "I'm going to watch you come apart and then put you back together. Stronger than ever before. I beat you, that means you have room for improvement."

His thrusts were nearly painful, but Hermione rocked her hips and kept her jaw tight as she let him do exactly as he'd said. She couldn't look away from the storm that was rolling through the silver eyes in front of her and she was desperate to just hang on.

Her climax came, her body spasming around his cock, and she knew Draco was done too. He slammed into her twice more, before he pressed his pelvis to hers and pumped him inside her. It was reckless, allowing him to do such a thing, but with their emotions high, Hermione didn't care.

When he pulled away, she felt their combined juices against her inner thigh, and it only made her crave him again. Crave him and Theo, the two wizards that wanted to give her everything for now, but the more failures they saw from her, the less likely they were to stay.

However, when Draco lifted her from the desk and carried her to the bed, laying her down before curling in beside her, Hermione rested her cheek against his chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. She'd let this beat carry her until she had to take her future in her own hands and make those tough decisions to protect herself.