A/N: Hello my lovelies. Thank you all so much for your patience on me and this chapter. I started school back up again a couple of weeks ago, but I'm in a shortened version of two of my classes, so instead of 13 weeks, they're seven weeks. Unfortunately this means a lot more homework in one week, which when you factor in a full-time job, and other general life commitments, my time has to be planned pretty heavily for the next few weeks. So expect less updates since my rule is I can only write for fun when my homework is done. I should be freer by the beginning of November. But I love you all, and appreciate all of you.

PS. Huge shoutout to my bestie Co who moved across the pond recently to the UK and is getting ready to start school in the next few days. You're going to do amazing, and I am so in awe of how awesome you are. Also, I hope you enjoy the little reference I threw in there for you. ;)

The rest of the semester went by faster than Hermione had realized, because all of a sudden there were only three days left before the Christmas Holidays. She was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in Gryffindor tower engrossed in a novel, when all of a sudden, the book was yanked out of her hands. "A novel? Not a textbook?" Ginny asked, laughing at the stunned expression on Hermione's face, and sat down in the chair across from her.

Hermione leaned forward and snatched her book back. "The teachers have stopped assigning homework."

Ginny eyed the cover of the book. "Outlander? What is that?"

Hermione shut the book. "It's a muggle novel. It's about this woman who travels in time and falls in love with a Highlander."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, bemused. "A romance novel?"

"It's historical fiction!" Hermione defended, blushing slightly.

"And how many sex scenes are there in this 'historical fiction'?" Ginny asked, clearly holding back laughter.

Hermione glared at her. "Did you want something?"

Ginny laughed loudly, ignoring the glances that her housemates were throwing her. "Malfoy not living up to his reputation then?" Hermione's blush deepened, and she stood up and started walking out of the common room, Ginny chasing after her. "You know I was kidding right?"

Hermione slowed down and sighed. "I know."

Ginny glanced at Hermione. "What's the sigh for?"

Hermione stopped walking, and looking around, then dragged Ginny into an alcove. "Because he's being a perfect fucking gentleman, and is scared to death of Theo, so he won't do anything more than kiss me."

Ginny grinned. "And these kisses leave you wanting more I'm guessing?"

Hermione looked down at her shoes. "Yes," she mumbled, her blush returning ten-fold.

Ginny grinned, and shoved Hermione playfully. "Then tell him that! I'm pretty sure he'd love to slither in your chamber of secrets."

Hermione looked up at her, her face shocked. "What the fuck Gin?"

Ginny cackled. "I overheard that one a couple of weeks ago. Some fifth year was commenting on how your brother and I have gotten close lately, and asked if he'd done that with me. I almost choked laughing, and have been waiting for an opportunity to use it on you."

Hermione shook her head, and threw her hands up in the air. "That is absolutely disgusting."

Ginny nodded. "Me and your brother, agreed."

Hermione stopped shaking her head, and walked out of the alcove, Ginny following her. "Is there anything I should know about you and Theo?" She asked all too innocently.

Ginny scrunched her face. "Absolutely not."

Hermione looked at her. "Well, I mean the two of you have been spending an awful lot of time together lately, and you seem to like each other. Would it really be so bad?"

Ginny was quiet for a moment. She'd respected Theo's request to tell Hermione about them being second cousins, but she was struggling with how to answer. "It's complicated," she finally settled on.

Hermione looked over at her. "Why? What secrets are you keeping now?"

Ginny swallowed and stopped walking, and Hermione stopped with her and folded her arms over her chest. "Hermione-"she started.

"I've already asked Draco what's going on with the two of you, and he said he wasn't getting involved, and that I should ask you two." Hermione said crossly. "Does this have any reason why Theo is begging me to not go to the Burrow for Christmas?"

Ginny gasped. "He did what?"

Hermione nodded her head. "I said that your mum had offered to host me for Christmas this summer, and asked if he'd spend any of his time visiting me there, and he begged me not to go there for the break and to come to London with him."

Ginny ground her teeth. "I'm going to kill the wanker."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "What is going on? And if you tell me to ask Theo, I will put a sticking charm on your feet and leave you here."

Ginny eyed Hermione. "I don't need a wand to do that." Hermione said, figuring out what Ginny was looking for.

Ginny sighed, and ran a hand through her long hair. "Have you asked him already?"

Hermione nodded. "He said he wanted to explain it to me over break."

Ginny rolled her eyes, and then went silent for a moment. Finally, "My mum and your mum were cousins apparently."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What? But Molly is devoted to her family. How could she hate Theo so much if they're related?"

Ginny nodded, a serious expression on her face. "First off, this means we're related too. Secondly, I'm not sure. I was going to ask Mum over the holidays. Theo said that his mum felt like Mum abandoned Emily, and didn't even come to her funeral."

Hermione shook her head. "That doesn't sound like Molly at all."

Ginny threw her arms out to her side. "That's what I've been saying! Anyways, I've been waiting till break to ask Mum about all of this in person, but Theo begged me not to say anything to you, because he wanted to do it."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why the fuck did he draw it out so over dramatically then?"

Ginny shrugged. "He really loves you Hermione. And he knows how much we all mean to you, and I think he didn't want to take any of that from you."

Hermione stood there for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face, then spun on her heels, and began walking with a renewed sense of purpose.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked, chasing after her.

Hermione gave her a sweet smile, but kept walking quickly. "To teach my darling younger brother a lesson."

Ginny followed her all the way down all the stairs until finally they were in the dungeons, standing at a blank stretch of wall. "Okay, now what? We wait for someone let us in?" Ginny asked exasperatedly, looking around for a door.

Hermione shook her head. "Theo and Draco keep bringing me down here, so I know the password," she said. She turned to the wall. "Parseltongue," she said to it, and a heavy metal door shimmered into existence. Ginny gaped as Hermione pushed the door open, and went inside.

"Are you coming?" She asked, pausing, and Ginny nodded and followed her in. Whatever Ginny had been expecting for the snake den, was not what she got. Hermione made a beeline for the leather sofas in front of the fire place, where Draco, Theo, Pansy, Blaise and Daphne were sitting.

Hermione stopped behind Draco and tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around, his face barely had time to break into a smile before Hermione bent down, and gave him one of the most passionate kisses Ginny had ever seen. Pansy and Blaise started wolf-whistling, and Daphne just shook her head. Theo meanwhile looked apoplectic.

"Oi! What the fuck do you two think you're doing?" He shouted, but all Hermione did was flip him off, as she released Draco, a smug smile on his face. She walked around the front of the couch, and sat in Draco's lap, Ginny finally coming in further to the common room, barely containing her laughter.

Hermione put an arm around Draco's neck, and smiled at him. "Happy to see me?" she asked him.

Draco wrapped an arm around her waist. "Of course I am." He glanced at Theo, who was gripping his wand so tightly, that he was a little surprised sparks weren't coming out of the tip, a murderous look on his face. "But do you want to explain why you decided to do this in front of Theo, and risk my death?" He asked.

Hermione gave him a completely innocent look. "Because I thought it was about time that he finally realized that I am fucking sick and tired of him trying to protect me from every little thing, and that includes not telling me why it was so bloody important that I not go to the Burrow for Christmas," she finished, turning away from Draco and giving Theo the stink eye.

Theo swallowed, and looked at Ginny, the grip on his wand loosening slightly. "I thought you were going to let me tell her."

Ginny shrugged, and sat on the arm of the chair Pansy was sitting in. "I thought you weren't going to drag it out. She is the cleverest witch of our age."

Daphne looked around the group. "What exactly is going on?"

Hermione leaned into Draco's chest, and looked back up at him, one of her hands going up to play with his silver hair on the back of his head. "Apparently, we are related to Ginny's mum, and Theo didn't want to tell me until Christmas because he wanted to play protective older brother and hide it from me."

Draco pursed his lips to stop the laughter from coming out, but the amusement was still evident in his eyes.

Daphne shook her head. "Aren't you the older twin?" She asked Hermione.

Hermione looked away from Draco. "Why yes I am Daphne." She answered in a completely sweet voice. In a slightly edgier tone, she looked over at Theo. "I'm the older twin, who successfully broke into Gringotts, faced down a bunch of death eaters at 15, and survived a bloody fucking war. But for some reason, Theo thinks that he has to protect me from every little thing."

Draco couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out finally, and Theo glared at him. "I don't think this involves you." Theo ground out.

Before Draco could answer, Hermione's hand dropped from his hair down to his shoulder, and pushed herself back up so that she was sitting up straight. With her free hand, she pointed menacingly at Theo. "Don't even start on that. Whatever you keep threatening him with? Knock it off. I'm tired of it. How am I supposed to explore whatever this is if you keep interfering? And as for the protective stuff? I'm done with it. I can take care of myself. You are my brother, not my keeper. Figure out what the difference is before we get to London."

"Wait, you're not coming to the Burrow for Christmas then?" Ginny cried out.

Hermione sighed, and leaned back into Draco's chest, his fingers coming up to play with the hem of her school skirt, and looked back over at Ginny. "I'm not going to stay there, but I'm still going to spend time there. You lot are my family, even before you two thought you could keep secrets from me."

Theo put his wand down, and rubbed his face with his hands. After a moment, he stopped, and leaned back in his armchair, grimacing at Hermione sitting on Draco's lap, but not saying anything else. "You're spending Christmas with me?" He asked, quietly.

Hermione looked back over at him, and gave him a soft smile. "Of course I am you idiot. You're my brother. But I am going to the Burrow, and I want you to come with me. I want to hear Molly's side of all this. There's no way that the woman I know would let all of our mother's letters go ignored."

Ginny held up her hand. "Hang on, I never said anything about letters."

Theo glanced at Ginny, and then both turned to look at Draco. He pushed Hermione off his lap quickly, and stood up. "Didn't you say that you wanted to show me that book in the library?" He asked her, a slight panic in his voice. Without waiting for her answer, he grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the common room, Hermione laughing, but allowing him to pull her along.

When they had left, Theo stood up, and started pacing. "When he gets back, I'm going to kill him."

Pansy snorted. "No, you're not."

Theo turned and glared at her. "Yes I am."

"No, you won't." Pansy argued.

"Give me one good reason not to kill him."

"Because he loves Hermione and she loves him." Daphne answered quietly instead of Pansy.

Theo spun and looked at Daphne. "No, they don't!" He looked around at his friends. "She can't love him."

Ginny gave Theo a pitying look. "He's the one who gave her her first ever copy of Hogwarts: A History."

Theo deflated. "But she's had her nose stuck in that book since first year and he hated her that year."

Ginny shook her head. "They met before school started in Flourish and Blotts. Apparently, they talked there, and hit it off before they even stepped foot on the train. Looking back these last couple of months, she's always had a soft spot for him."

Theo sat back down slowly into his chair. Pansy chose that moment to speak up. "Draco always did pay more attention to Granger than he did her two moronic friends. I mean Potter was always a thorn in his side, but he didn't start caring about Ron until fourth year. That was when Ronald started having a crush on her."

Ginny turned and raised an eyebrow at Pansy. "Ron?"

Pansy waved a dismissive hand. "There's too fucking many of you to keep calling all of you Weasley, it just gets confusing."

Ginny didn't look convinced. "So should I expect to see you at the shop at all over the holidays?"

Pansy shrugged disinterestedly. "He wrote and asked me to help out if I was free. Apparently, he hasn't been able to get a staff member who can properly threaten the kiddies if they try to nick something or go into a place they don't belong."

Ginny turned back around, a bemused look on her face. "Well on that odd note, I'm going back up to Gryffindor." She stood up, and looked at Theo. "Cheer up, she could be in love with Ron or Harry, and then she'd be trying to force you to get along with one of them. At least this way you already like Malfoy." And on that note, she left the common room.

Hermione followed Draco out of the Slytherin common room and up several flights of stairs, until finally they were on the fifth floor. He pulled her along, Hermione giggling the entire time, until they reached a suit of armor and Draco pulled her behind it, turning her so her back was against the wall. He leaned in towards her, resting one forearm on the wall above her head, and gave her a soft kiss. "You messed up down there." He said, running his free thumb along her lower lip.

Hermione pouted. "You broke and told me what they were hiding a month ago. I think it's a miracle I was able to get one of them to fess up before break."

Draco shook his head, letting the hand that had been on her lip slide down her side, stopping at her waist. He moved even closer to her, so that there was only a millimeter of space between them, and stood to his full height, looking down at her. "You mentioned your mum's letters. Neither of them said anything about that to you."

Hermione looked up at him, a completely innocent look on her face. "Oops."

Draco shook his head. "What am I going to do with you Hermione?"

Hermione smiled sweetly and moved one hand up to rest on his firm chest, and moved her other arm to loop around his neck. "You're almost as clever as me, I'm sure you can think of something."

Draco grinned at her, before leaning down and capturing her lips in a searing kiss. He moved his arm from above her head, and brought it down to her waist, and he lifted her up, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist, and moved flush against her so that the only thing holding her up against the wall was his body. He placed one hand against the wall to support himself, and then moved his other hand under her shirt, and up to her chest. Meanwhile, Hermione had groaned as she felt him flush against her, and had looped her arms around his neck, using him to hold her up.

They kissed passionately for a few moments, until finally Draco broke their kiss, and started peppering kisses along her jaw. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" He panted in her ear.

Hermione tilted her head back as far as the wall would let her, and rolled her hips against Draco's experimentally, feeling his hard length twitch against her when she did. "I might have an idea." She gasped.

Draco groaned, and moved his hand down from under her shirt to grasp her hip. "Don't start something you can't finish," He said in a dark voice.

Hermione gazed up at him, and saw that his eyes had gone from their usual dark grey to a molten silver color, and he was looking at her with such need that she thought she might burst. "Who said I won't finish?" She asked in a low, seductive voice, tilting one of her hands up so her nails could scratch his scalp.

Draco's eyes shut in determination. "Because I am not going to have our first time be here."

Hermione frowned. "You're the one who tugged me in here." She pointed out petulantly, and tried to roll her hips again, but was stopped by Draco's strong grip on her hip. He did move closer though so that his straining member was flush against her panty covered center, and she gasped at the feeling.

He opened his eyes again, and looked down at her softly. "Do you even know where we are?"

Hermione looked around. "The fifth floor?"

Draco chuckled and pressed a kiss against her neck. "We're in the same spot we had our first kiss."

Hermione gasped, and pulled his head up so that he could look her in the eyes. "You remembered where it was?"

Draco leaned down and kissed her gently. "I came back here so many times after that. This is my favorite spot in the whole castle."

Hermione started to blush. "You're just saying that."

He shook his head, and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm really not. Sixth year, when I didn't think I had a hope left, I'd come here and just sit and think about that night. About how the prettiest girl in school had gone to the ball with the bloke every girl wanted to be with, but I was the only one who knew how she tasted, the little gasps you made when you were excited, how beautiful you looked when you came undone on just my fingers, and how for one night, I was the person you trusted to make you feel special. I held on to that."

Hermione looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Draco,"

"You were my salvation Hermione, the one piece of goodness I ever had in my life. Even without this fucking contract, I think once I got over my fear of you, I would have tried for you. Because I love you." He finished, whispering the last bit to her.

Hermione let out a small sob. "I love you too."

Draco lifted her up higher so that her face was level with his and kissed her so passionately, that Hermione could feel every emotion he'd been holding onto in that kiss. When they finally separated, Hermione closed her eyes and smiled, letting her forehead rest against his. "I want you to meet my family," she said softly.

Draco chuckled. "That must have been one hell of a kiss Granger. I've met Theo remember? We've been friends since we were in nappies."

Hermione pulled her head back and detangled her legs from Draco's waist. He helped her put her feet on the ground, but stood flush against her as she leaned into the stone, watching her as she played with his loose Slytherin tie. She shook her head. "I meant the Weasley's."

Draco opened his mouth but before he could say anything, she pressed a finger against his lips. "I don't want to hear it, Harry and Ron have been like brothers to me since first year, and the Weasley's have always made me feel like one of their own. I'm not asking you to be best friends, but I am asking you to try for me." She looked up at him with her big brown eyes, and Draco knew he was in trouble.

"Alright. But if they throw me out, I'm dragging you with me so we can go make love in some inn in the countryside," He agreed.

Hermione giggled. "You know that we don't need an inn to have sex. We're in a perfectly private area right now."

Draco shook his head at her. "Absolutely not. When I get you completely naked for the first time, and have you writhing underneath me with need, it won't be in some alcove where any first year could happen upon us, or in the same space that your brother is in. It will be somewhere romantic."

Hermione's breath hitched. She'd been trying to push them to the next step for weeks, and Draco had kept refusing, but never saying why. "So Theo wasn't holding you back?" she asked.

Draco chuckled. "I haven't snuck you into the dorms because of Theo. The rest of it is all my amazing self-restraint. Besides, I don't want your first time to be in some broom cupboard."

Hermione looked up at him indignantly. "Who said this would be my first time?"

Draco smirked at her. "Shall we compare lists then Granger? Mine is tawdry, I'll own that, but at least I can promise you a good time."

Hermione blushed, and looked down. "Fine. I don't have anyone else on my list."

Draco pulled back slightly. "Why does that feel a bit loaded?"

Hermione bit her lip, and folded her arms over her chest. "It's nothing," she muttered.

Draco grabbed both her wrists in one of his hands, and lifted them so that he was holding them both against the wall. "You want to clarify anything for me Hermione?" He asked seductively.

Hermione's breath quickened, and she shook her head. With his free hand, Draco ran a finger along the hem of her skirt. "Have you ever fooled around with anyone besides me?" He asked her slowly. Hermione shook her head, her lips clamped shut.

Draco slipped his finger underneath her skirt, and past her underwear, and she moaned, and bucked her hip forward unconsciously. He started running his index finger through her moist heat. "Have you ever kissed anyone besides me?" He whispered in her ear.

She closed her eyes, and shook her head furiously. "No." She gasped, and he stilled his hand against her.

She opened her eyes again, and saw that he was giving her a look that she couldn't quite describe. "So you're saying that the only person who knows how these lips taste, how you feel, how absolutely delicious you are, is me?"

Hermione shuddered, and gave a small nod. Draco growled and leaned down capturing her lips in a searing kiss, and released her hands, and she immediately wrapped them around his neck. When he pulled back, she moaned, and attempted to pull him back in, but he pulled back further, and reached up and moved her hands from around his neck to his shoulders and he knelt down in front of her.

"Draco what are you-"

Draco simply looked up at her and grinned. "Do you trust me Hermione?"

Hermione's heart was pounding in her chest as she nodded. Draco winked at her, and then tore at her panties. She let out a small shriek, and Draco looked back up at her. "Those were in my way." He said. "And you are going to have to be very quiet."

Then he lifted her skirt over his head, and before she could fully comprehend what was happening, he'd swiped his tongue all the way along her sopping lower lips. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head. "Draco…" She moaned quietly, her fingers gripping his shoulders even tighter.

He kept going, tracing every inch of her with his tongue. Occasionally, he'd slip his tongue inside her, and when he did that, she thought she might lose her mind. To keep herself from making any sound, she was biting her lip so hard, that she'd probably drawn blood, but couldn't find it in herself to care. After a few moments, she felt something in her stomach start to tighten, and she moved one hand up to clutch at his silky smooth hair, and gasped. "Draco, please, I'm so close."

She tugged on his hair, but he didn't stop. Instead he moved his mouth up just a little bit so that he was sucking on her clit, and shoved two fingers inside her, and Hermione had to let go his hair to cover her mouth with her hand. She only lasted a minute like that before she hit her climax, her walls tightening around his fingers. He stayed down on her until the last vestiges of her orgasm had subsided.

He slowly made his way back up her body, her eyes hooded watching him. He leaned in and gave her a kiss, letting her taste herself on him, and she moaned into him. When he pulled away, he smirked at her. "How was that Hermione?" He asked.

Hermione lightly slapped his chest. "That was unfair."

He raised an eyebrow. "Like you haven't been wanting to go further than kissing?" She blushed, and he chuckled. "I've been wanting to too." He reassured her.

She looked up at him. "I hope you realize I'm going to expect a repeat of that sometime over break."

He let his head fall back and laughed. "I'll do whatever you want me to do to you darling. But for now let's get you back to your common room."