Sleepless Nights

CHAPTER ELEVEN


Hermione found herself standing on a small platform in the middle of the Malfoy’s parlor. Draco was sprawled in a chair reading as his mother and Madam Malkin fussed over Hermione.

“I think she would look lovely in a rich copper…maybe a silk damask or brocade.” Narcissa said as she concentrated on Hermione. “Definitely dark green, and I think scarlet as well.”

“Very good Madam, you have an eye for color there is no doubt about that.” The dressmaker said as she made notes on a small pad. “Let’s just get some good measurements.”

Hermione gasped audibly when her clothes vanished and she was left standing there in a full black slip. She looked over at Draco, who’s eyes were wide with shock at seeing his girlfriend in her undergarments in his parents living room. She was blushing furiously as she looked at Narcissa.

“Oh don’t be embarrassed dear, after our last meeting I would say he has probably seen you in less.” She said rather nonchalantly. “We should probably order you new undergarments as well, nothing ruins a perfect line like the wrong knickers.” Narcissa said thoughtfully. “Do you have a preference?”

“Oh, I don’t ….”

“Not you dear, I was talking to my son.” Narcissa turned to look pointedly at Draco.

“Do I have a preference for what?” He asked.

“Hermione’s knickers dear, we need to order her new ones. Is there a particular style or color you prefer?” She watched his face as he turned almost purple.

“Why….I don’t…she wears them…..I think I hear father calling.” Draco lunged from the chair and made his way quickly from the room, closing the door forcefully behind him.

“Well, that worked beautifully, now we can actually talk.” Narcissa said, smiling cheekily up at Hermione.

“That was brilliant!” Hermione realized that Narcissa had deliberately taunted her son so that he would leave them alone.

“He was hovering, its cute really, I didn’t think my son was capable of caring for anyone but himself. I’m glad that he isn’t so like his father.”

“He’s very protective, Madame Malfoy, he only hovers to make me more at ease.” Hermione said.

“Call me, Cissy.” She said as she watched the dressmaker directing fabric around Hermione’s body with her wand. “Can I ask you a personal question Hermione?”

“Yes, go ahead.” Hermione said, flinching slightly when she felt a slight pinch around her breasts as the dressmaker designed a period costume for the ball.

“Is Draco….” She lowered her eyes slightly as her cheeks flushed. “Is he gentle with you?”

“P-p-pardon?” Surely she was misreading what the woman was asking.

“Lucius, he’s not a gentle man….he’s almost cruel at times…I just wanted to make sure that my son…..that he treats you well….” Hermione’s stomach clenched tightly. Her heart ached, despite her embarrassment at being asked about her intimacy with Draco.

“Draco is very gentle, very respectful, and he treats me so well it makes me want to cry at times.” Hermione saw the woman’s shoulders relax as she breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

“I was so afraid he would be like his father. I thought maybe the marks on his back….” Hermione flushed even redder when she saw the knowing smirk on the dressmaker’s face.

“Um, no, those weren’t because he was hurting me….oh gods.” Hermione buried her face in her hands as her embarrassment completely overwhelmed her.

“Sorry dear, I wasn’t trying to embarrass you. I just needed to know that you were consenting, it was important for me to assure myself of that.” Hermione looked up, so saddened by the look in Narcissa’s eyes. She realized how lucky she was that her first experiences with intimacy were so beautiful and tender.

“Draco would never force anything on me that I did not agree to whole heartedly. He is very much a gentleman, Cissy. You should be proud, despite all things, your son is a good man.” Hermione smiled when she saw the teary eyes look up at her, filled with such…..was that gratitude? How sad to be grateful your son wasn’t a rapist or abuser of women, to have ever had to fear that he could be? “Just so you know, what you saw….wasn’t what it looked like. We haven’t….well, things haven’t gotten that far.”

“Oh.” Narcissa looked shocked, more so than when she discovered them in bed together. “But it looked as though….” Hermione couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with Draco’s mother.

“No, we haven’t taken that step yet, we just….play.” Gods, how much stranger can her life get.

“Wouldn’t know much about that, Lucius wanted an heir and didn’t care much about the rest.” Narcissa walked around the platform and admired the way the gown was coming together. “I was thankful that Draco was conceived right away, and I never had to endure his presence in my bed again.”

“I’m so sorry, it seemed like he has changed…”

“Oh, he has dear, he has, but his tastes in that department are not going to change, and I can not provide him with what he needs there.” How sad, to live in a loveless, passionless marriage.




Several hours later, Draco and Hermione stepped hand in hand through the fireplace and back into their common room. They changed into their pajamas and curled up in Hermione’s bed, thankful that the house prefects were doing bed checks.

“I can’t believe Mum asked me what kind of knickers I prefer you to wear. I prefer that you wear none at all, but I wasn’t about to say that to her.” Draco was skating the tips of his fingers up and down her arms, causing them to prickle and her to shiver.

“She only said it to run you off.” Hermione chuckled softly.

“Why? I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

“She wanted to talk to me alone.” Hermione said as she stroked her toes along his calf.

“About what?”

“She wanted to make certain that you were being gentle with me.”

“What?” Draco stiffened and pulled back so he could look into her face.

“She wanted to know if our physical relationship was consensual….” Hermione nibbled her lower lip nervously as she watched the emotions playing across his face.

“Why on earth would she think otherwise?”

“She said that Lucius wasn’t exactly gentle with her…..and she needed to know that you weren’t like him.” She could see the mix of embarrassment that his mother was asking about his sex life, and the anger that his mother may have been abused sexually by his father.

“What did you tell her?” He asked tightly, trying to maintain his grip on his frustration. Hermione slid her hands up to cup his face, bringing his head down so that they were nose to nose.

“I told her not to worry, that you have never, and would never, force something on me that I wasn’t completely okay with. I told her you were gentle, and respectful and a perfect gentleman. She was relieved, and very happy to hear that.” Hermione kissed him softly and felt him relax beneath her touch as she stroked his neck.

“I can’t believe she asked you that.” He said.

“I don’t think they were ever together after you were conceived. She said that while he has changed, his preferences in the bedroom remained the same, and she just couldn’t provide him with what he desired.” Hermione frowned slightly. “She never clarified what those preferences were.”

“Bondage.” Draco said with the same tone as though he had just asked for someone to pass the salt.

“Bondage!” Hermione’s eyes widened a bit and she smiled slightly. “Wow, I always thought your dad was kind of drag queenish at times, never dreamed he was into that sort of play. Is he a top or a sub?” She asked.

“Wait a second. For one, Dad is not a drag queen, he’s just a little….dramatic. And how do you know so damned much about BDSM?” He asked, a little surprised by her knowledge of the subject.

“I read a book.” She said sheepishly.

“A book on Bondage?” He asked incredulously.

“Yes, and books on other topics as well.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to learn…..maybe surprise you.” She was flushing prettily as she confessed her naughty research project.

“And did any of it…interest you?” he asked, wondering if he were going to regret asking.

“Some of it.” She confessed quietly.

“Go on, I want to know.” He urged her to continue, though his brain screamed for him to run away, it wasn’t smart to torment himself further.

“Well, I sort of liked the pictures of women….tied up.” He was more than a little surprised by that, as Hermione prided herself on being in control at all times.

“We can do that, if you want to try it. I haven’t played any of those games before, but I’m up for it if you are.” He said darkly.

“I think maybe I would like it if you….” She lowered her eyes and muttered something so softly he couldn’t make out her words.

“Speak up love, I didn’t catch that. You would like for me to what?”

“Spank me.” Draco was out of the bed in a flash, stomping towards her door, almost running in his attempt to leave.

“What….where are you going?” She cried, scrambling to her knees and watching him leave. He stopped, turned abruptly and glared at her.

“Cold shower, very cold. That was completely unfair you little witch, and I promise I’ll get you back for that one.” He was out the door in a blur and Hermione smiled when she heard the shower start. So her dragon liked the idea too.

He didn’t stay away long. She was still awake when he crawled into bed and curled up behind her, his hair still damp from his shower. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her softly on the back of the neck.




***Just to be clear, I like Lucius, I like him alot and think he is extremely sexy, especially in his leather death eater garb in OOTP....Jason Isaacs is the one who originally said that Lucius was Drag Queenish Quote "Lucius flounces about in his robes and such, its all very Drag Queenie in fact" end quote....I saw it on an interview LOL