Coming into consciousness, Hermione took a deep breath, holding it in as she stretched out, arching her chest forward and then curling back with an exhale. Her back touched something warm behind her, and she froze, her eyes widening. Looking over her shoulder, she saw white blonde hair and realized she wasn't in her musty room in Grimmuald.

As softly as she could with the heavy down comforter on Draco's bed, she turned to look at him. He was laid out on his stomach, one arm curled under his pillow and the other reaching for her.

Snuggling into the pillows, she raised a hand to trace her nails along his arm gently. His body shivered, and she watched goose pimples erupt along his arm. A groan rumbled into the pillow his face was squished into before he turned his head towards her.

"Princess."

"I would hope so," she smiled at him.

A frown marred his brow as he peaked an eye open. A moment later, Hermione found herself in his arms.

His voice rough with sleep, he spoke against her forehead, "There will never be anyone else in this bed, Granger."

Gently pinching his arm, she laughed when he yelped, "Don't 'Granger' me in bed, Dragon, or you'll regret it."

"Yes, witch," he chuckled, putting his chin on her hair. "How did you sleep?"

"Exceptionally," she admitted truthfully.

Grabbing their blanket, Draco tossed it over them so they were cocooned in the linens. In the darkness that enveloped them, Draco shifted down so they were face to face, "Are you alright, truly?"

His vulnerable silver eyes were impossible to miss, even in the dark. "Yes and no. But being here, with you, I'm much better."

"We're not living here longer than we have to," Hermione let out a soft noise, and Draco felt a weight lift off his chest for the first time in months, "For both our sakes, I don't think we can live in such close proximity to that room."

"Your mother was going to have it redone completely."

"That might help, but I don't think I can do it."

Interlacing their hands, Hermione nodded, "We can find our own place."

"It doesn't have to be forever," he shrugged uncertainly. "We can always resettle here, you know, later."

Hermione curled her legs between his like the night before, "If I'm not mistaken, Dragon, you promised me our house."

Using the hand not holding hers, he grabbed her chin between his thumb and pointer finger. "Oh, princess, you'll have that house if I have to build it myself." Leaning forward, hesitating just before sealing it with a kiss, he said, "Just tell me where you want to build it, and I'll make it happen."

She pouted when he didn't kiss her, stopping just a hair length away, she whimpered, "Draco Malfoy, if you don't kiss me, I might cry."

"That's blackmail, Princess."

"I am a Slytherin," she smirked.

Clicking his tongue, Draco leaned forward and nipped her bottom lip, immediately swallowing her gasp. Draco pulled back enough to meet her eyes, and Hermione watched as he tried to figure out what to do. She saw the moment he did, the hesitancy in his leeching out of him.

"Draco?"

"Don't 'Draco' me in this bed, Granger."

Grinning, she launched herself at him, surprising a laugh out of Draco as he wrapped his arms around her hips. Making sure he cushioned her landing, Draco captured the evil giggle that erupted out of her when she aimed for his ribs in an attempt to tickle him. When the kiss didn't detour her, he flipped them over, pinning her hands into their pillow.

Both of them ignored how the other was breathing heavily; they just stared at one another.

Draco broke first.

"Did you just try to tickle me, Princess?"

Hermione grinned again. "I don't know what you're talking about, Dragon."

"Is that the story you're sticking with?"

Hermione raised her chin and quirked an eyebrow in challenge.

Taking his right hand off her wrists, making sure they were still secure in his other, Draco slowly brought his right hand down to her side. Draco smirked back at her when her eyes grew wide.

"Don't you dare," she hissed.

"My love," he chuckled, "say 'mercy'."

He viciously attacked her sides, sending her into a fit of giggles, her body writhing under him. Unthinking, he pinned her hips down with his own when she tried to buck him off. A gasp left her between the involuntary giggles, and Draco's hand fell from her side into a fist on the bed by her ribs.

This time, he couldn't ignore her heavy breathing or his own. From the look on her face, neither could Hermione.

"Dragon...," Hermione whispered as she rolled her hips.

"Hermione..." he groaned when she did it again, "Are you sure?"

Wrapping her legs around his hips, Hermione gently pulled on her wrists, thankful when he let them go. Newly freed, she wrapped her hands around his neck. "Yes."

He looked pained before dropping his forehead back to hers. His body gently collapsed onto hers. "I questioned your virtue because I was jealous."

"I remember."

"I need to deserve you.."

Hermione blinked back tears, "You do."

But Draco shook his head, "I don't. Not yet. But I will. And I don't want you to offer yourself to me until I have. Because I'm weaker than you think, Princess, so much weaker." Propping himself up, Draco cupped her face, "It's for me just as much as it is for you."

"I don't want to go backward, Draco."

"I promise we won't. You will be in my bed or me in yours every night. I'm going to kiss these lips anytime we want." Leaning down, he gently kissed her lips before whispering against them, "Let me deserve you, Princess."

Closing her eyes, Hermione sighed before looking up at him with shining golden eyes.

"Lovers! It's time for you to eat something!" Theo's voice rang out, stopping her from saying anything.

Hermione didn't break eye contact with Draco, but she kissed his nose, earning a frown from him before grinning. "Theo!" she called out, "He's tickling me! HELP!"

"That was evil, Princess," Draco got out a second before he attacked her sides again.

Theo burst into the room with all the flourish that was Theo. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the love birds doing exactly what they shouldn't be. I'm going to have to tell Mother you were fornicating under her roof."

Unable to do more than laugh and wiggle around trying to escape Draco, Hermione looked at Theo as he came to the side of the bed. If she hadn't already been laughing, she probably would have laughed at what he'd said and how he had his hands on his hips.

"You're not playing fair," Theo tutted at Draco.

Hermione watched him pull out his wand and aim it at Draco. Her laugh changed for a split second as she realized what spell Theo was casting the moment before the pink light shot from his wand and hit Draco's side.

"Fuck," Draco grunted as he fell to their side. "Theo!"

Scrambling from the bed, Hermione caught her breath as she watched Draco writhe under the tickling jinx Theo had sent his way. All the while, Theo stood beside her with his hands on his hips, wand still clasped in one hand.

Summoning her wand from the bedside table, Hermione canceled the jinx, making Theo scoff.

"You're too nice to him Granger. He had you pinned."

"She loved it," Draco groaned into the bed, still recovering from the jinx.

Hermione's cheeks flared red, "Draco!"

He sat up with a sinister grin, "You can't deny it, Princess."

Tossing her hands up she called for Darcey. When the small elf appeared before them she was smiling widely and twisting her hips back and forth so her pink apron swayed around her legs.

"Mistress!"

"Could you please take me to Grimmuald so I can get my things, and Pansy. I'm worried she might be terrorizing Sirius."

Draco was off the bed quicker than Darcey had apperated into the room. "You're leaving?"

Smiling softly at the worry on his face, she touched his cheek and she shook her head, "Well yes, but only for a moment. And to give you time to prepare because Harry and Sirius will probably follow us here. Sirius has mentioned wanting to see Cissa. Do you think your mother would mind a visit from him?"

The relief that melted off of him was palpable. "Mother would be ecstatic."

"Then I'll be back."

"Hopefully properly dressed this time," Theo scoffed. "Salazar, Granger, some of us see you as a sister and don't need to be seeing that." He gestured to her exposed legs.

Draco grunted, "This is our room Theo."

Warmth spread through her chest. Taking Darcey's hand she winked at the small elf who giggled at her while the two best friends began to squabble behind her. She heard Draco call out for a kiss with a pout that made Theo laugh and call him whipped right as they popped out of the Manor and into Grimmuald.

"Thank you Darcey," Hermione chuckled, "Would you please ask Cissa and Lucius if we could floo over for breakfast?"

"Of course," Darcey clapped, "I'll set the table for fours more people!"

She was gone with a loud, excited pop that made Hermione smile.

Once she'd dressed for the morning and collected her things in her beaded bag she set out of her room. Going to the next one over, she knocked twice before waiting. When Pansy didn't answer, she opened the door to find the bed made and her friend no where in sight. Grinning to herself Hermione descended the stairs to find her in the kitchen with Harry sharing a cuppa.

"Good morning!" Her voice sang earning alarmed looks from them both. "Go get dressed, we're going to breakfast!"

"Why is she so chipper?" Pansy asked Harry without looking at him.

"I don't know," Harry whispered back.

Hermione chuckled, "I can hear you."

Like a cyclone, Sirius barged into the kitchen and planting a kiss on the crown of Hermione's head before moving to make his own cup, "Where are we headed for breakfast, Kitten?"

Using her wand she started the dishes, making Sirius gasp and put a tattooed hand at his throat and Pansy groan.

"Hermioneeeeeee."

"Let's go," she clapped her hands, "We're expected at the Manor soon."

Pansy's head popped up again but Harry is the one who took his turn being shocked, "What?"

"You heard me." Looking at Sirius she nodded at his questioning look, "You too."

"Cissy is alright with seeing me?"

"I have it on good authority that she will be thrilled."

With a whoop of excitement that made him look a decade younger, Sirius raced from the room. Hermione noted Pansy's hungry gaze following his exit. When the other witch's eyes met her's she looked smug.

"He's warming up to me."

Harry laughed as he got up from the table, "He didn't even look at you."

Though Pansy recovered quickly, Hermione saw the crestfallen look that crossed her face before she rolled her eyes. Hermione tisked at him, "Go change. Quickly."

There was a rumble on the stairs and Sirius reappeared, smooshing between Harry and Pansy as they made their way out of the kitchen. In his excitement Sirius put his hands on Pansy's sides to stabilize her as he blew into the room. He didn't even seem to notice it, and neither did Harry, as he just kept walking towards the stairs, unphased. But Hermione saw the blush tint Pansy's cheeks at the contact. The girls made eye contact and the blush got brighter as Pansy scurried from the room.

Sirius was even properly dressed. He wore black jeans, his boots were on but unlaced, and he ripped two shirts off his shoulders. He presented them to Hermione.

"Which one?"

"I like the grey, the monochrome look really works with the tattoos and 'bad boy' front you put on-"

"Watch it, kitten."

She continued like he hadn't spoken, "Pansy says green really brings out the silver in your eyes."

Momentarily stunned, his face morphed to affronted, "She's twenty years younger than me."

"Age is just a number," she countered coyly.

"She's still a student in Hogwarts, for Gordic's sake." Still, he tossed the grey shirt on the table and fumbled the dark green one on.

Walking up to him, she helped wrangle his hair into submission, adding a tie when he turned to keep the stray bits out of his face. "Tonks and Remus have thirteen years between them. Pansy graduates in a few weeks. She's seen more than most in the war, just like we did," her voice took a more serious note, her mind wandering to the night before.

Frowning at her sudden quiet, Sirius turned to face her, her hands dropping from his hair as he did. She met his worried gaze. "Kitten."

"I'm fine," she waved him off, "I spent the night at the Manor and would like to go back as soon as possible." His grin broke out again. "You don't have to entertain her, Siri," his grin dropped a fraction, "but don't act so disgusted. Let her down gently if need be. She is an adult. She can handle that conversation. But, if you feel something," smiling at his wide eyes, she continued, "It's okay. Let yourself work through it. She's young. You're in your prime. Give yourself grace. Nothing needs to happen now or soon. Just don't give her hope if there is none."

"You remind me of her sometimes."

She frowned, "Pansy?"

"Heavens no," he laughed, "Lily."

"I take that as a compliment."

"You should," he grinned.

Harry and Pansy entered the kitchen a moment later. Pansy looked remarkably well put together for only being gone a few minutes. She also looked closed off. Hermione went to ask what was wrong when Pansy snapped her gaze to hers, barely looking at Sirius, though her gaze lingered just for a moment on his shirt.

"Let's go, Granger, I have my bags. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up. Sirius vocalized her question, "What?"

Harry groaned from behind her, "That's not what I meant."

"It's what you said," Pansy countered, glaring at him over her shoulder, "I came for Hermione. She's leaving so, naturally, I will too. Especially since I invited myself."

Looking back at Hermione, Pansy kept her chin high even though Hermione could see the hurt in her eyes. Giving Harry an unapproving look, Hermione laced her arm with Pansy's and directed them towards the living room.

Behind them, Hermione heard what she thought sounded like Sirius thumping Harry on the back of the head.

"Everyone is welcome in the Black household," Hermione tutted, "We strive to make old Walburga roll over in her grave."

Having gotten a smile out of Pansy and an affirmative from Sirius, Hermione directed began the procession through the floo and into the Manor.

After setting her bag down by the couch, Pansy and Hermione guided the two wizards through the Manor and into the formal dining room where Draco stood so abruptly his chair scraped the ground. Smiling at him, Hermione walked over to him, accepting his light kiss on lips with a bright blush as he ushered her into the chair beside his.

Theo laughed as he hugged Pansy and helped her into her own seat, "Sauve, Drake." Putting her napkin in her lap, Pansy snorted, hiding it behind a delicate hand while Theo moved to pull out a chair for Harry, who rolled his eyes.

"Thank you for having us," Harry said as he swatted Theo away.

Lucious, nodded at him, "Happy to have the company."

Beside him, Narcissa was shaking with excitement. When no one said anything else, they all turned to Sirius, who was stalled in the doorway, eyes glued on Narcissa. He looked nervous like he might shift into his Grimm and bolt from the room at any moment. Narcissa seemed to sense this because she stood up cautiously. Gentle as if not to spook him.

"Siri?"

Harry snorted, "Siri?"

Not looking at his godson, Sirius shushed him, "Don't start."

"I'm using it," Hermione chuckled.

"I'll allow it," Sirius spared her a wink. "Cissy?"

Draco cringed and looked at Theo, "Don't you dare."

Theo shook his head, "No, that one is weird."

Lucius hid a smirk behind his cuppa.

Despite the banter going on at the table beside them, Narcissa and Sirius were locked in an intense stare. It was only broken when Sirius cracked a grin and opened his arms. It was a subtle gesture but it had Narcissa launching herself into his arms. While the others watched, Hermione peeked at Lucius to find him smiling. Looking away from his father, Hermione looked at Draco to see him sharing the same smile Lucius had.

As if sensing her gaze, Draco turned to face her.

"You were gone too long," he whispered, reaching to twine their fingers together, bringing her hand up to his mouth to kiss it.

"It was only a few minutes."

"Too long."

Huffing a laugh, she turned back in time to watch Narcissa drag Sirius to the open spot beside her and immediately begin chatting in hushed tones.

"As a girl, Mother was engaged to Regulus. She was very close to them, and they developed a relationship similar to what you and Potter have. Regulus agreed to nullify their marriage contract so Father could propose. They lost contact when Sirius was banished from the family. Mother saw Regulus the day before he went missing. She was pregnant with me at the time and his mother didn't believe that something was wrong when she went to her. She told her she was being hysterical got her house elf to take her home. Father says she was inconsolable for weeks after they declared him missing."

"So this has been a long time coming."

Kissing her hand again, Draco nodded.

"What are we doing today?" Theo huffed out, ignoring the adults at the other side of the table.

Harry shrugged, "Quidditch?"

Draco grinned, "You'll have to floo call Red."

Harry had his wand out and his patronus summoned before Draco even finished. Hermione shared a look with Pansy as the three younger wizards begun planning their upcoming game.