Hello there! I don't own any of Harry Potter, but please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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The warm sunlight of early June warmed Hermione Granger's back as she walked through the courtyard and headed towards the Hogwarts owlery, an hour before her first class began.
"Hermione!" Parvati called, passing by her friend on the way to the Great Hall. "Want to eat together? I'm just on my way to breakfast now!"
"Thanks, but I actually just ate. Maybe we can meet tomorrow?" Hermione asked, turning to talk to Parvati but not bothering to stop.
"Sure." Parvati shrugged.
Hermione turned back around and continued on her way but Parvati blinked in confusion.
How odd........
Parvati noticed that although Hermione was headed to the owlery, she had no letter in her hand.
Parvati shrugged it off and resumed her journey to the Great Hall.
A few moments later, Hermione quickly raced up the owlery's steep steps, feeling her heart pound when she made it to the top.
Hermione checked the time.
Fifteen after seven.........
Hermione took a deep breath and quickly rushed inside the owlery before she looked.
That was a mistake.
Hermione violently collided with a tall boy dressed in his Hogwarts uniform.
The boy's hair was so blonde it was nearly white and its color contrasted sharply with the vivid green of his Slytherin tie.
"Watch it, Draco!" Hermione snapped as she and the boy both recovered from their run-in.
Draco Malfoy huffed and frowned accusingly at Hermione.
"How dare you tell me to 'watch it', Granger!" Draco hissed. "We agreed to meet at seven and I was punctual! You're the one who's late!"
—————————————————————
Hermione and Draco scowled at each other for a moment before they heard others' footsteps approaching.
Together, Hermione and Draco quickly scurried into a hidden nook in the owlery's cavernous, stone walls.
Once they were safely out of sight and earshot from any other early morning owlery visitors, Hermione and Draco could finally conduct their business.
"Don't snap at me for being late! Do you know how many lies I had to tell to get here so early without attracting attention?! I don't understand why you asked me to come anyway! What do you want, Draco?!" Hermione snipped.
"The same thing I've wanted since we were first years, Granger......" Draco replied as a wolfish grin spread across his handsome face. "......You~."
Hermione rolled her eyes in irritation and crossed her arms.
Draco smirked at Hermione and rested his hand on the stone that she laid against, standing in front of her.
"I believe we discussed this before the war........you and I are over, Draco. Everything's over." Hermione said calmly.
"You're right, Granger!" Draco said with a laugh. "Everything is over! The war's over! He's over! So......we don't have to hide anymore. It's safe for us now." Draco said with a happy smirk.
Hermione gave Draco an incredulous look and threw up her hands in frustration, "US?!? How many times do I have to tell you?!? We're done! So what, the war is over?! That doesn't change who you are and who I am, Draco! I was.......tortured by your auntie for goodness sake! Your family wants me and my family dead! How could you possibly think we could ever be together?!"
"So you don't.....want me anymore?" Draco asked Hermione with a pout.
Hermione let out an exasperated sigh, "No....that wasn't what I said! I said we can't be together because-"
"-My auntie is dead, thank you very much, and if she was alive, I'm sure she'd apologize." Draco retorted.
Hermione was not so sure about that.......
Clearing his throat, Draco went on, "Look, my parents have started to.......change their minds a bit, we're still working on that.....but that doesn't alter the way I feel about you, it never has."
Hermione's brown eyes bore into Draco's grey gaze as his stare became intense.
"I know you still love me, 'mione." Draco whispered quietly as he and Hermione unconsciously drew closer and closer together. "And you know that I always—-"
Hermione put a finger over Draco's lips to hush him and said with a heartbroken sigh, "That doesn't change it, Draco."
Draco closed his eyes and kissed the pad of Hermione's finger.
Draco's simple action made Hermione gasp.
Below them, other students filed in and out of the owlery, blissfully unaware that while they sent out their letters, just above them, Draco Malfoy was crushing his lips against Hermione Granger's.
And their kiss quickly became heated.......
Hermione's iron will lost out to the desires of her heart as Draco's hands began to roam over her body.
"Just one.......Draco......" Hermione whispered as Draco pushed her gently against the stone wall. "Just one last time and that's it.......just one last time."
"That's what you say every time~." Draco smirked arrogantly against Hermione's lips.
Hermione and Draco spent the next hour together in secret, whispering soft words to each other and exchanging gentle touches.
The pair separated only when they absolutely had to, both of them fleeing the then deserted owlery at top speed to avoid a tardy in their first class of the day.
A short while later, in her classroom, seated at her desk, Hermione focused on her work, trying not to draw attention to her disheveled appearance.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked his friend in concern as he and Ron stared at Hermione with worry.
"I'm fine." Hermione said solemnly. "I was up late studying and I overslept, that's all."
"You never oversleep." Ron remarked skeptically.
"I wasn't feeling well last night, Ron, that's all." Hermione replied.
Ron and Harry exchanged a look and Hermione looked down at her lap forlornly.
If only she and Draco could be........
No.
No, not that was a silly thought, a wistful daydream.
Pushing the idea from her mind, Hermione buried herself in her lesson, following along while the professor at the front of the room continued to give his lecture.
Across the castle, in his own classroom, Draco sat, perfectly happy, with a cocky sneer on his face.
Draco wasn't at all bothered by Hermione's claim.
One last time........
One last time.......
Draco had been truthful when he mentioned that Hermione had repeated that phrase several times on similar occasions.
Draco found it amusing that his lover was so stubborn.
As irritating as Hermione could be, Draco would prefer her no other way.
———————————————————————-
Just two weeks later, graduation day arrived at Hogwarts.
Hermione and Draco, along with all of their classmates, found that their school years ended all too soon.
Draco passed Hermione on several occasions that day and each time he gazed at her, but to his dismay, he never caught Hermione looking back.
On the day when Draco should have been thrilled and proud, instead, he felt rejected and empty.
.......But what Draco didn't know was that every time he looked over at Hermione, as soon as he looked away, she glanced over at him.
......And when Hermione saw that Draco wasn't staring at her, she felt just as rejected and just as empty as him.
—————————————————————
Over the summer, Draco managed to mend his broken relationship with his parents.
As an only child from a prominent family, Draco had never been exiled.
Although Draco's parents still didn't perfectly agree with his views, after graduation, Draco returned to Malfoy manor and began an apprenticeship at a very profitable potions company.
Lucius had many connections and it was easy for him to get his son taken under the wing of the company's head executive.
Just as Draco did with his schoolwork, he applied himself and proved quite successful at his new job, but.........
Hermione never left Draco's thoughts.
Draco had fallen in popularity amongst his Slytherin friends when he had changed sides during the war, but still, Draco was handsome and wealthy.
Draco continued to be invited to many parties and events.
Most of which, Draco attended.......
.......if only for hope of seeing Hermione at one of them.
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Hermione did not have Draco's level of wealth or popularity to fall back on after graduation.
Hermione returned home as well, where she restored her parents' memories, and began working towards a job in the Ministry of Magic.
Socially, Hermione was Draco's opposite.
Hermione was not outgoing.
Hermione was much more introverted and she attended very few parties.
Actually, Hermione had never felt more lonely than she did after her graduation from Hogwarts.
Harry was often busy with Ginny and things were awkward with Ron.
Hermione and Ron had gone out on a few dates.....
Ron seemed vaguely interested in going on some more, but Hermione wasn't so certain.
It wasn't that Hermione didn't like Ron.
Ron was sweet and attractive and a bit of a blunderer, which could be cute, but.....
Hermione was not in love with Ronald Weasley.
Hermione had spent a great deal of time trying to hide from the truth, trying to purge it from her heart, but still, the fact remained.........
Hermione Granger was in love with Draco Malfoy.
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One chilly winter evening, several months later, Draco had just finished having dinner with a couple of his coworkers in Hogsmeade and he was walking back to his portkey to go home.
Hermione was also in Hogsmeade that night, buying a lovely new necklace to give her mother for her birthday.
Hermione had just stepped out of the shop when someone roughly crashed into her and stole the jewelry box from her hand.
Hermione was thrown to the ground and her attacker ran off with the necklace, pulling out his wand to apparate.
Fortunately, Draco was walking up the street and he witnessed the entire attack, although he didn't get a good look at the victim........
Draco scowled.
Draco had vowed to himself that he would try to do good in the world, even if it was a simple action like stopping a thief.
Draco was quicker than Hermione's attacker and he slid his wand out, gave it a flick, and sent the man flying across the street with a yelp of surprise while a crowd gathered around him.
Hermione's box floated down into Draco's hand and he rushed over to help the mugging victim, still unaware of exactly who that was......
Draco walked up to Hermione with an arrogant smirk, feeling very satisfied with himself.
Draco chuckled under his breath.
No wonder Potter was so arrogant, if this was what being a hero felt like.......,.
Draco cracked a smile as he offered the box and his free hand to the woman on the ground, "Here you are, Miss, I have-"
Hermione looked up and Draco's grey eyes widened.
"Granger!" Draco gasped.
"Oh no, not you!" Hermione cried.
Draco watched as Hermione snatched the box out of his hand and struggled to stand up on her own, refusing to accept his help.
When Hermione faced him, Draco sneered, "You could at least say, thank you, you know....."
Hermione rolled her eyes and replied, "Thank you......very much.... I'm sorry, but I have to go now!"
"Mm, I don't think so, Granger, I believe it's customary to share a drink with your rescuer." Draco said slyly.
"Oh, really?" Hermione scoffed.
Hermione was trying not to think about how handsome and fit Draco looked, standing there in his black suit.........
There was nothing that Hermione wanted to do more in the world than have a drink with Draco, but she knew where that would probably lead......
"Just one drink.....Don't worry, Granger, I'll pay." Draco grinned.
"I can pay." Hermione snapped.
"I don't want you to." Draco retorted stubbornly.
"Fine." Hermione sighed.
Draco and Draco slowly started to walk down the street together, making small talk with each other, and gradually, the two drifted into the three broomsticks.
Hermione insisted on a table in the back, but Draco didn't care where they sat.
Draco was just happy to see Hermione again.....
A second later, the waitress came and took their drink order.
While they waited, Draco took the opportunity to chat with Hermione.
"Glad to see you. It's been a long time, Granger." Draco said, his grey eyes gazing at Hermione in the candlelight.
"It's been a few months, Draco." Hermione sniffed.
"That's a long time without you." Draco said.
The intensity of Draco's tone made Hermione chuckle.
"How've you been getting on since graduation?" Hermione asked.
"Fine. I'm finishing an apprenticeship and then I'll be a top executive at Bellsom and Company. How've you been?" Draco asked.
"Fine." Hermione echoed. "I'm working on a job at the Ministry of Magic. It's difficult sometimes, but....."
"My father still has a lot of clout there." Draco shrugged. "I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult for him to pull some strings for his new daughter-in-l——"
"——-Speaking of which, I imagine you're married to Pansy or Astoria by now." Hermione said challengingly, changing the subject.
"No." Draco shook his head.
Hermione wasn't going to admit it, and she certainly wasn't going to show it, but she was secretly ecstatic about Draco's response.
No, eh?
"Why not? Did they not want to live at Malfoy manor for the rest of their lives?" Hermione quipped.
"Oh no, they'd have me tonight, if I called them up. You see, the problem is that I don't want them." Draco said.
Draco leaned in towards Hermione and stared at her as he said very seriously, "I want you, Granger."
"Draco, shut it." Hermione sighed.
"Are you dating anyone?" Draco asked very matter-of-factly, silently bracing himself for her answer.
".........A few people." Hermione replied.
Draco's face fell.
"...But no one seriously." Hermione added truthfully.
"Ah," Draco said with a smile. "Then you can stop wasting time and date me."
Hermione laughed and it was a genuine, happy sound.
Draco grinned, trying to record the sound of Hermione's laughter in his memory so he could play it back to himself later.
"You're so full of yourself, Draco. Some things never change." Hermione said with a look of amusement on her face.
"You love it, though." Draco smirked.
Hermione blushed.
Yes, she did love it.
She loved him.
Some time later, Hermione and Draco both finished their one drink far too quickly.
Instead of parting company, they walked out of the three broomsticks together after Draco paid the tab.
"Well......" Hermione said as they came to a halt and stood, face to face, on the cold street. "Goodnight."
Draco watched Hermione turn and walk away for a moment before he called out, "Granger!"
Hermione stopped and turned back around, watching Draco come running towards her.
"Granger, wait!" Draco called as he caught up with Hermione.
"What?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes in concern.
Without another word, Draco moved in and captured Hermione's lips with his.
Instead of pulling away or smacking Draco off of her, Hermione closed her eyes and happily accepted his kiss, putting her hands on either side of his face.
It was all a blur to Hermione after that.
They were kissing......
Draco was kissing her........
Everything felt right.....
It was cold........
Draco murmured something......
A rush.....
A whoosh.....
It was no longer cold.
It was warm.
Hermione pulled back and broke their kiss to look around.
The room was large and the furnishings were damask but luxurious.
The bed, canopied by elegant drapes of emerald green velvet was welcoming and the fireplace crackled comfortingly.
"You brought me home with you?!?" Hermione cried, playfully smacking Draco on the chest.
Draco flinched in feigned offense and he gave Hermione a dangerous smirk. "I thought you seemed cold? You don't have to stay......if you really don't want to, you know......Since it's over between us and every-"
Draco was cut off when Hermione glared at him and leaned in to rekindle their kiss.
Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist and eyed the bed behind her.
Draco's heart raced with excitement over what was about to happen, but his mind was clouded with fear and doubt.
Draco wasn't worried about bringing Hermione home with him......
Draco's real dilemma was how to get Hermione to stay?
————————————————————————
Draco tried not to purr against Hermione's lips as they staggered back towards his oversized bed.
Once the back of Hermione's knees bumped against the velvet duvet cover, she whimpered as Draco pushed her down.
Draco didn't even break their kiss as he crawled over Hermione, cupping her face in his hands and holding her close.
It was a simple and surprisingly pure gesture and when Draco pulled away, Hermione gave him a look that melted him to his core.
"I'm in love you.....I'm still in love with you.......And I'll always be in love with you...." Draco whispered, leaning his forehead against Hermione's.
Hermione made a soft noise and wrapped her arms against Draco's neck, cuddling him close as she whispered back and confessed, "I miss you.....I miss you all the time.....I-"
Hermione was going to go on, but Draco moved and started kissing her again, cutting off her words.
Coat, belt, shirt, skirt.........
Hermione found it harder and harder to breathe as Draco began to use his long, elegant fingers to undress her.
Hermione silently challenged Draco, racing him as she used her own hands to undo the buttons on his shirt and unzip his trousers.
Once they were both bare, Draco pulled the bed covers back and nestled himself and Hermione underneath them.
Hermione shivered as a chill ghosted over her shoulders and Draco's eyes watched her breasts bounce, admiring the way her nipples hardened into peaks.
"Stop staring." Hermione huffed at Draco.
Draco smirked when she scolded him but made no attempts to cover herself.
"Alright then, make yourself ugly and I won't stare." Draco teased.
Hermione gasped. "Draco! You-"
Draco leaned down to once again cover Hermione's lips with his before she had a chance to berate him.
Draco enjoyed it, working Hermione up and then finding a way to silence her.
It was a game he had played for some time~.
Under the covers, Hermione parted her knees and when Draco realized she was ready, he sank his hips down between hers.
Hermione was grateful that Draco was still kissing her because her scream would surely have drawn attention from Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy.....
Hermione put her hands back behind her head and Draco laced their fingers together as he rolled his hips against Hermione's, making love to her in his slow, possessive way.
As they rode out their climaxes together some time later, still locked in their kiss, both Hermione and Draco silently let themselves pretend that their dream was real.....
Draco pretended Hermione was his wife and proud of it.
Hermione pretended that their two families could meet and get along splendidly with each other........
Just like the pleasure that pulsed through their bodies, Draco's and Hermione's daydreams were blissful but fleeting.
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Draco twitched first in the morning light that streamed through his curtain.
Slowly returning to consciousness, a smile crossed his face as he cracked his eyes open and glanced down to see Hermione sleeping on his chest.
Draco watched her for awhile, not daring to wake her and not wanting to......
Draco's grey eyes were soft as he watched his lover sleep, admiring the shimmer in Hermione's brown hair as the sunlight danced across it.
A few minutes later, Hermione writhed against Draco and slowly started to wake.
The first thing Hermione noticed was the luxurious, damask black and green color scheme of what was definitely......
Malfoy manor.
Hermione's brown eyes popped wide open.
With a start, Hermione sat bolt upright in bed and looked around.
Oh dear.......
It really was Malfoy manor!
And....
Oh no!
Draco was smiling at her!
Last night hadn't been a dream?!?
"Good morning, Granger~." Draco said with an arrogant grin as he put both of his hands behind his head and lounged back casually on his fluffy pillows.
"What's happened?!" Hermione gasped, then she scowled angrily at Draco. "What did you do to me?!?"
Draco snickered. "Considering last night, I believe a more appropriate question is what did you do to me? You were really something else, Granger~." Draco teased.
Hermione made a noise of irritation and instantly pulled the green duvet cover over her bare breasts when she realized she was still naked as Draco's gaze dipped lower.
"Sleep well?" Draco asked casually, changing the subject.
Yes, Hermione did actually sleep very well.
But Hermione wasn't going to let Draco know that.......
"Tell me this didn't really happen." Hermione begged quietly.
"Last night you said you wanted it to happen and I certainly did too." Draco chuckled.
"It can't! It couldn't have! I'm dating Ron!" Hermione cried.
"Weasley?" Draco asked with narrowed eyes. "That spineless scrub?"
"He is not a spineless scrub!" Hermione said defensively. "He was very brave in the war, he held me very tightly when that terrible snake came and-"
"-And I was outside fighting, trying to get inside the castle to save you.....all the while Weasley's moving in on my girl...... How do you like that?" Draco scoffed.
"I am not your girl, Draco!" Hermione insisted.
"That isn't what you said last night~." Draco repeated with a smug grin.
Hermione buried her face in her hands and Draco sat up in bed, his grey eyes softening again as he put his arm around Hermione comfortingly.
Draco frowned when he heard Hermione sobbing quietly.
"Love," Draco whispered. ".....Was it really that bad?"
Hermione laughed at Draco's joke through her sobs. "No......no, it was.....brilliant.......it's just...."
"Just what?" Draco asked gently, starting to rub Hermione's bare back.
"We can't do this." Hermione said, wiping her eyes with her bare hands.
"We already have." Draco chuckled.
Draco laid back in bed and he gently pulled Hermione down with him.
Hermione whimpered as she and Draco shared another kiss and once again, she fell into his arms.
Draco held Hermione close afterwards, whispering soft words of love to her while he gently ran his fingers through her thick hair.
Hermione closed her eyes and listened to Draco's heartbeat as she laid against his chest.
No, it still couldn't be, her and Draco..........
What kind of life could they ever have together?
No......
But that didn't mean that it wasn't fun to pretend~.
When it was time for Hermione to go to work, she rose from the bed, washed up, and dressed.
While Hermione readied for her day, Draco's eyes followed Hermione's bare figure around the room.
"Coming back tonight?" Draco asked hopefully while Hermione grabbed her purse.
"No, of course not." Hermione replied coldly.
"Oh, alright, I see....Yes, that's a better idea. Go pack your things so you can move into tomorrow. We can have the wedding on Saturday. Don't worry, we'll keep it small, I'll tell mother and father they can only invite a hundred people each." Draco smirked.
"No! Draco, stop your blabbering! Honestly!" Hermione snapped, giving Draco an irritated look.
"Granger!" Draco called, just as Hermione took out her wand to apparate.
Hermione blinked and looked over.
"I'm not blabbering......I'm asking you....please......Marry me?" Draco asked very seriously.
Hermione huffed just before she apparated away.
Draco sighed and sat up in bed, putting his feet on the floor.
Draco wasn't discouraged.
Hermione had told him two years ago it was over and look where they were now.......
Draco knew as well as Hermione that it would never be over between them.
—————————————————————
Later that afternoon, Hermione found it difficult to concentrate at her job.
That idiot........
That blasted idiot!
Hermione sighed.
If only she could be with Draco..........
How Hermione wished that she was going to spend the night with Draco again!
No.
No, Hermione knew she had to be sensible.
No, she and Draco would be an ill match.....
And what would his parents think about hers?
Draco was better off with one of those Slytherin girls and she was better off with Ron.
Hermione frowned.
She had lied to Draco,
Hermione and Ron had been on some dates, sure, but neither of them considered the other.......
Well, perhaps they would in time......
Maybe.
The only trouble was that Hermione didn't really want Ron.
And Draco certainly didn't want one of those Slytherin girls......
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"It seems that you had quite the night, Draco." Lucius Malfoy said to his son at the dinner table that evening, while the Malfoy family took their meal together.
"What do you mean, father?" Draco laughed.
"Your mother and I are aware that you had a.....guest. The new house elf informed us." Lucius revealed.
Draco's face twisted into an embarrassed sneer, "Oh, um......well, you see...."
"There's nothing to worry about, son." Lucius said, nodding to Narcissa. "Your mother and I didn't hear anything."
"Well, there was nothing to hear, anyway." Draco said, laughing at his own fib.
Narcissa and Lucius exchanged a knowing glance.
"Still, that doesn't quell our curiosity....." Lucius went on. "It isn't like you to bring someone here, she must have been quite special."
"She's very special, father." Draco said very seriously.
Lucius and Narcissa exchanged another knowing glance.
"May we ask who?" Lucius pressed.
"Pansy Parkinson?" Narcissa asked.
"No, mother." Draco replied.
"Astoria?" Lucius mused.
"No, father." Draco replied, furrowing his brow in disgust.
"Then who?" Narcissa asked.
"She wouldn't want me to say." Draco said, giving a wry smile as he reflected on Hermione's wishes.
"We're very interested to meet her, Draco...." Lucius said.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, father." Draco replied.
Out of his respect for his lover, Draco kept her identity a secret from his family, at least, for the time being.
"Son, you've refused all of the wonderful matches your mother and I have tried to arrange for you, the least you can do is tell us who you have chosen." Lucius said.
"It doesn't really matter, Father, because she refuses to choose me." Draco said sourly.
This time, the glance that Narcissa and Lucius exchanged was a worried one.
Draco took his last bite of dinner and stood from the table, quickly stomping out of the room.
"Why is he hiding something from us, Lucius?" Narcissa asked once she was alone with her husband.
"Why do people hide anything, Cissa? Because he's afraid." Lucius said shrewdly.
"I bet it's that mudblood girl." Narcissa speculated intuitively.
"What mudblood girl?" Lucius asked.
"That bushy-haired one! The Gryffindor. Draco's liked her since I took him to the platform for the first time. I saw it in his eyes when he was a child." Narcissa explained.
"How could you possibly know that?" Lucius snapped.
"Because I'm his mother, Lucius!" Narcissa snapped back. "And if I'm right, and Draco has his heart set on her, he won't change his mind."
"Perhaps he will." Lucius shrugged.
"Severus never did." Narcissa reminded her husband.
Lucius visibly bristled at the mention of their lost friend but he remained quiet and he sat on the loveseat, sipping his wine but Narcissa stood to leave.
"I'd rather see my son married to a mudblood than not at all." Narcissa said quietly.
Lucius remained alone with his thoughts for a while and Narcissa went to bed, sighing to herself.
It didn't break Narcissa's heart that her son loved someone she didn't approve of, not anymore.
No.
What broke Narcissa Malfoy's heart was that her son still didn't trust her......
———————————————————————-
Draco resigned himself.
Why were women so difficult?
There was nothing keeping him and Hermione apart now except her own stubbornness.
Draco was certain that his family would come around once they learned more about his chosen beloved.
.......And if they didn't, well.......then they didn't.
Draco's mind was made up.
Draco wanted Hermione Granger and he knew for a fact that Hermione Granger wanted him.
Draco was determined to see to it personally that Hermione became his......
Draco was a Slytherin, from a dark wizarding family.......
Draco was sly and cunning.......
So coming up with a scheme was fairly simple for Draco Malfoy.
Draco considered the situation carefully........
Hermione loved him.
Draco loved her.
Hmm......
Hermione was sweet and kind.
Hermione felt very strongly about protecting living things.
Draco had a family legacy to uphold, as the only son, it was his obligation to sire an heir to the Malfoy name.
Hermione and Draco were both very proper people to a certain degree.
Hmm.......
There was an idea.....
Draco smirked while he thought.....
Yes.....
Regardless of whether Draco chose a pureblood or a muggle or a squib or whomever as his wife......
Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy would under no circumstances tolerate the next Malfoy heir being born illegitimately.
If Hermione conceived, Draco knew his parents would insist he marry her immediately.
Likewise, Draco was certain that Mr. and Mrs. Granger would be quite relieved to see that their beloved daughter had a handsome fiancé, who was wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, who could give their daughter and grandchild everything that they could ever wish for.
And Hermione.......
Draco was certain that Hermione would care for the child.
Draco grinned in satisfaction.
That wasn't so bad, then, the plan.
A bit old-fashioned, but not so bad.
The only question was.......how?
Draco planned on continuing to catch Hermione off guard and seduce her.
He could just let nature take its course.
Draco grinned as he remembered their night together.
Draco had no idea if Hermione was taking contraceptives or not, but he certainly hadn't used any~.
But would that work fast enough?
Draco wanted Hermione at his side as soon as possible, he had already been waiting eight years, that was long enough.
Something faster then......
On his lunch breaks at work, Draco began to research fertility potion after fertility potion.
It wouldn't be as easy as inviting Hermione over and slipping some into her drink, Draco knew that.
Hermione was no fool........
No, Draco had to come up with another, much more subtle way of administering the potion to Hermione.
Draco spent entire evenings scouring formula after formula and none of them seemed to function the way that he was hoping.
One day at work, though, during the course of his professional research, something interesting caught Draco's eye.
"Is this true?" Draco asked his mentor. "Using this technique makes any brew several times stronger?"
"Sure is." Draco's coworker nodded. "If you use that, you don't need a cup or a mouthful or even a drop.....you could practically rinse your teeth with it to get the desired effect."
Draco smirked.
Now, then.......
That was something interesting.
————————————————————
As time passed, though Hermione still refused to publicly acknowledge any kind of feelings for or formally defined relationship with Draco, the two spent an enormous amount of time together.
And many happy evenings and mornings tangled in each other's arms.......
All the while, Draco was secretly perfecting the fertility potion that he intended to use on Hermione.
Once Draco brewed his first quality batch, he carefully planned when to invite Hermione over next.
Draco was just about to send Hermione a note when an owl arrived carrying a message to him instead.
Draco furrowed his brow while he opened the note to read it.
Hermione often sent Draco owls, finding it a discreet way to communicate.
Draco was curious, what did his Gryfinndor princess have to say today?
Maybe Hermione was saving him a step and inviting him—-
Draco,
The past few months have been lovely, but I no longer have any spare time to spend on such follies. There are urgent personal matters I must attend instead. Good luck with your future.
Best wishes,
HG
Draco narrowed his eyes as his lips twisted into a scowl.
......What?
What?!?
Good luck with his future?!?
Personal things?!?
What personal things?!?
Draco suddenly found it hard to breathe.
This couldn't be so, surely it wasn't.......
This must be some kind of cruel joke, some kind of mocking test.....
Draco knew he had the reputation for being a villain, but he wondered how Hermione could possibly think of herself as innocent?
Hermione had always discounted his feelings for her, always denounced his love.
Draco had studied hard to impress Hermione, he was working diligently at his job to be successful so he could be a good, suitable husband for Hermione.....
Draco had gambled his life to save Hermione's and others and now........
Now she was just waving him away with a letter strapped to an owl without even a proper explanation?!
Though it went against Hermione's instructions for him to pursue her, Draco would not stand for such an injustice without at least a reason.
Draco felt that the least Hermione could do was talk to him.
Personal things......
Ha!
Draco finished his work quickly and stalked out of his office, heading straight to Hermione's apartment.
The apartment that Hermione insisted on getting last month instead of moving in with him......
If Hermione really wanted nothing more to do with him, Draco would never get over that, but he would respect her wishes.
First, though, Draco had to find out why.
—————————————————————
Knock, knock, knock.
Knock, knock, knock.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!
Hermione huffed and stood up, going to answer the door and find out who was banging so incessantly.
Surely it wasn't.......
Hermione's eyes narrowed as she opened the door and found Draco standing on her doorstep.
For a moment, the two stood and looked at each other, both silently accusing the other.
"Apparently, you didn't take the time to read my note." Hermione said, her tone less severe than Draco had expected.
"Actually, the note is why I've come." Draco replied. "If you're.....going through some kind of crisis or something, Granger, for goodness sake, let me help you. Don't shut me out!"
"I can't!" Hermione cried. "Just......just leave me alone!"
"No!" Draco refused. "Not until you give me a real explanation! After all these years, Granger, I think you owe me that much!"
Hermione surprisingly started to cry and her weeping startled Draco.
A concerned frown fell over Draco's face as Hermione put her hand over her eyes and sobbed.
"May I come in, at least?" Draco asked.
Hermione nodded and stood aside, letting Draco enter her apartment.
Instead of making himself comfortable on her couch, Draco stepped in and pulled Hermione close to him, giving her a comforting hug.
Once Hermione's hand fell away from the door, Draco shut it behind them and he held her close while she sobbed on his chest.
Draco's frown stayed while he lifted one hand to gently stroke Hermione's thick, brown hair.
"'Mione?" Draco asked in a gentle voice. "Please, darling, tell me what's wrong. The Malfoys are very wealthy, whatever it is, I'm sure that we can-"
"-I'm pregnant." Hermione interrupted.
Draco's eyes widened and his mouth fell open, gaping in shock.
".......W-What?" Draco asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm pregnant!" Hermione cried as another violent sob wracked her slender body.
Draco wrapped his arms around his lover while a bright smile lit up his face.
While Hermione sobbed, Draco held her tightly and whispered sweet, reassuring words of love to her.
Draco was suddenly distracted by daydreams of their wedding, which he was already certain would be coming soon.
How much time he had wasted!
It seemed that Draco had no need for the fertility potion after all....
———————————————————————-
"'Mione, pull yourself together, it's going to be alright." Draco said with a frown.
An hour had passed since Hermione had broken the news to Draco and since then, he had been sitting beside her on the couch with his arms around her while she sobbed.
The only words that had passed between them during that hour were the sweet, reassuring whispers that Draco kept murmuring, trying to calm Hermione down.
"Carrying on like this isn't good for the baby." Draco whispered, kissing Hermione's wet cheek when she stopped in between her sobs to wipe her eyes with her hands.
"The baby......." Hermione gasped before she began to sob again, with renewed energy.
Draco sighed to himself.
Clearly, he had chosen the wrong words.
"Listen, love....." Draco frowned as Hermione cried so forcefully that she shuddered. "I love you and I know that you love me too, yeah? You believe we can't work, but I think you're wrong and I'll prove it to you........If you'll have me, I'll marry you and.......we'll raise our family together.....and I'll stand beside you and love you every second of every day until we're both gone."
Tears were still streaming down Hermione's cheeks but she fell silent at Draco's words.
Draco was wondering how his message had been received until Hermione cuddled into his chest.
Draco held Hermione close and kissed the top of her head, his lips brushing her bushy, brown hair.
"I don't want to marry you just because I'm pregnant." Hermione sniffed.
"Alright then, marry me for some other reason." Draco shrugged. "Marry me because you love me, Granger."
Hermione wiped her eyes again as she replied, "That's not what I meant."
"You know, from my point of view, I'd marry you because I love you. And with that in mind, I could never run out of reasons why I'd marry you, Granger." Draco said, gently stroking Hermione's back with his fingers. "I'd marry you because I want to be with you, because I need you, because I want you......because it's raining outside.......because it's Tuesday......"
Draco's humor earned him a small laugh from Hermione and he smiled at the sound.
"Love me?" Draco asked.
Hermione swallowed her pride and finally, she admitted the truth to Draco Malfoy with a nod of her head.
"Say it, Granger." Draco requested, his tone was low and soft, but it was still a command......
"I love you." Hermione said, her voice muffled from the way her face was buried into the front of Draco's shirt.
"Marry me?" Draco asked with a smirk.
Hermione looked up at Draco and her brown eyes were captured by his grey stare.
Draco bent forward and pressed his lips to Hermione's in a long but loving kiss.
When they finally broke apart, Draco rested his forehead against Hermione's and waited on her answer.
It was a soft sound that made Draco's heart lift in his chest.
".......Yes." Hermione agreed quietly.
Draco moved away gently and triumphantly kissed Hermione's lips once more.
Draco had won.
Hermione was his, finally, and soon, they would be lawfully wedded and bound to one another.
Soon after, they'd be a family, the new generation of Malfoys.
Lovely~.
—————————————————————
"WWWWAAAA!"
A year later, as soon as she heard the impatient wail from down the hallway, Hermione blinked her brown eyes open just as the sun began to rise.
Hermione stood from the four-poster, canopied bed that she shared with Draco and put on her robe with a yawn.
As she walked out of the room, Hermione glanced back towards her sleeping husband and smiled.
Yes, Hermione was in Malfoy manor, but under very different circumstances.
Malfoy manor was her home now.
Hermione politely passed the maids in the hallway and walked into the nursery, picking her whimpering, blonde, baby boy up into her arms and beginning to rock him back and forth.
Hermione cooed to her little one and as he settled down, Hermione gently eased herself down into the rocking chair, cradling him close.
"It's alright, Scorp. Mummy's here......Daddy'll be up in a while." Hermione soothed, laying Scorpius Malfoy up on her shoulder and rubbing his little back soothingly.
Scorpius whined softly at first but he quieted at Hermione's voice.
Just for a moment, Hermione gazed out the window as she thought........
It had been a whirlwind year.
Hermione and Draco had married seven months before Scorpius's birth......
Trying to pass off an eight pound baby as premature was not simple, but somehow, they had managed.
Whether anyone believed their story or not, that remained to be seen......
Hermione's parents and Draco's parents were enemies on paper but when they met, and were able to set aside their differences for their grandson, they actually got along quite well.
Hermione and Draco both experienced a great peace when Scorpius was born because finally, they were together.
No more sneaking around.
No more hiding, no more secrets.
"Scorpius," Hermione smiled down at her son after she laid him in her arms.
Scorpius blinked his large, grey eyes up at his mother curiously.
"Mummy and Daddy love you very much." Hermione cooed, kissing Scorpius's little head. "You made a way for us."