Count Your Blessings

Kogas Hentai Luver - I'm glad you like the fic. I have a few friends who only read yaoi and are hard set in their types of fiction, so I'm honored that you enjoy it. =)

margaritama - The infirmary scene was one of my favorite ones to write, alongside Quidditch. I like Quidditch to begin with, action scenes are always the best to write.

angeles, MissKitty1990, MoonlitWorld, chunkymonkey - Thank you for your reviews. It's always nice to hear that people like the story. I tend to write more chapters when I hear such positive reviews and comments!

mhaj78 - I was debating on rewriting the story, after it's complete, to make it Hermione's perspective and then another story based on Draco's. We'll see if everyone is into the idea then it'll be good as gold.

Dreamweaver: You are one of my favorite reviewers! According to JK Rowling, Draco is known for compartmentalizing his emotions and feelings and I figure that's what he's doing. He's just as head strong as Hermione is, but she wears her heart on her sleeve whereas he tends to pull from different areas of his life. He's been through far more than Hermione has and thus has the wisdom that she doesn't, yet she's been loved and cherished for who she is, so in a way she's just as bright. Two pieces to a very complicated puzzle. Also, I wanted to give Draco a friend. Rowling also stated in an interview that he viewed Nott as his equal and so I figured, why not let Draco have a close friend who really doesn't care about blood lines.

Automatikjoy – it’s always awesome to hear some one enjoyed the story so much they read it all at one go! Thank you!

A/N: A BIG THANK YOU for everyone who commented and rated the story. It makes me miserable day bright to know that people enjoy my work!

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There was about four inches of snow on the ground by the time winter hit. Hermione hadn't felt better in years and she was finally, albeit a little bit in denial, happy. Getting up early to shower and dress, she ended up staring at herself in the mirror with her head cocked to the side. Her fingers trailed up the center of her navel and between her breasts to her collarbone.

She sighed in contentment as another hand appeared around her and followed the same path her own had. Draco's face became more prominent in the mirror, his mop of blond hair mussed from the night's sleep, and his pale skin contrasted her darker, but not too dark, skin. He hmm'd when she leaned against him and looked from her body straight into the mirror, and straight into her own eyes.

"It's late," Hermione said quietly, pulling away from him. Draco stared at himself in the mirror for a second, mussing his hair up more, before turning to Hermione.

"You always say that," he replied, pulling his boxers on and grabbing his black slacks that hung over a velvet crimson sofa.

"That's because it is. Ten thirty. I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time in the bathroom before." Hermione looked around for her blouse and found it under a pile of school books.

"Not my fault you couldn't figure out hot from cold, Granger," Draco replied, "Just had to do it the muggle way."

"You mean the non-lazy way."

"Mmm..."

He moved around the large plush chairs in the Room of Requirement and dropped onto the bed. Sighing, Draco stared up at the ceiling listening to Hermione dress quietly. She was busy buttoning up her blouse when he rolled over onto his side and stared at her with a grin. Hermione felt her self blush under his gaze and turned her back on him. He laughed.

"I've already seen everything."

"I know but that doesn't mean I don't have any self-conscious moments."

He rolled back onto his back and sighed, "I don't see why you would feel like that. Everyone drools over you when you're not looking."

He sat up just as Hermione pulled a sweat shirt on. Wrangling in his slacks, Draco stood and bounced until his feet shot out of the legs of his pants before buckling it. He grabbed his own shirt and pulled it on, leaving it open to show his chiseled chest. Hermione had the tendency to run her fingers on his exposed skin and he knew how she always blushed when he did that. He pulled his green and silver tie around his neck and wandered to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her.

He buried his head into her hair and she felt the warmth of his minty breath blush over her. Their bodies fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Draco hummed lightly as they sway back and forth and Hermione couldn’t help but blush. She leaned back into him for a moment before spinning around and bringing her eyes to his. They were lit with a little something she didn’t know he had before and they shone with the way the light cascaded over his beautiful face. He tilted her chin up with his finger and pressed his lips against the tip of her nose, her cheeks, forehead and finally her lips. Hermione sighed when he parted from her and brought her hands to the buttons of his shirt.

His eyes were on her as she went through and buttoned each one up, making sure they were smooth before moving onto the next one. Draco brought his hands to her own as she reached the top and held them. His thumb caressed the back of her hand for a second before she pulled them free and straightened his tie.

"So, Hogsmeade, yeah?" He asked her as she ran her hands through his hair. "Can I see you at Three Broomsticks?"

"I'll be there." She answered with a slight shrug.

"I'll be at the next table over, glaring daggers into Weasley as he puts his arm around you and tries to snog you silly."

"And I'll be shooting daggers at you as Pansy tries to rip your pants off and shag you on the table."

"I'd shag YOU on the table."

Hermione rolled her eyes and gave his tie an extra hard yank before parting from him. Draco grinned and followed, the lights around the room going out as they passed. He held the door open for her and looked around the room as Hermione peaked around the corners to make sure no one was around. She exited first, followed by Draco.

They stared at each other and she giggled when he wriggled his eyebrows. He bowed gentlemanly, "Till next time, Ms. Granger."

Hermione rolled her eyes again and grabbed his tie, pulling him to her. His lips crashed into hers and they met with heated passion. He tasted heavenly and she didn't want it to end, but it did. Draco pressed his lips against her lightly several times before they went in opposite directions, her to Gryffindor Tower and him to the Slytherin Dungeons.

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Hogsmeade was busy as ever. The falling snowflakes didn't matter. They really weren't obstacles. There could be a blizzard and Hermione was sure students would still go there. No one wanted to be camped up in school, especially when there was an alternative. She stood by the entrance blowing into her mittens as Harry and Ginny appeared out of the Great Hall.

They waited for a little while until Ron showed up and to Hermione's surprise Luna tagged along. She hardly wore any heavy clothing, whereas Ron looked like a marshmallow. Luna leaned over and shoved another hat onto his head.

"Nargles don't like ginger hair," Luna explained, "And I think they have an attachment to Ronald. I see signs of them everywhere around him. See, there’s a track right there!”

Luna pointed at some random spot on a bright teal jumper she had forced Ron to wear. Everyone looked at the spot in front of her finger but saw nothing. She locked arms with Ginny and both took the first steps toward Hogsmeade. Ron wobbled up to Harry and Hermione, both with amused looks on their face.

"She's mental, that one," Ron managed to say, prying off a few caps and mittens. "Can you believe it? I was walking down the corridor minding my own business when out of nowhere she jumps out telling me I was going to freeze to death. Look at her, she's not wearing anything."

He pointed to Luna, who had gone dancing in the snow, bumping into everyone. Luna wore a light blue cardigan sweater with a plaid blue skirt, white stockings and wizarding shoes similar to Chuck Taylor converse with the exception that they never got wet and resized whenever some one grew. Harry and Hermione exchanged glanced and stifled their laughter while Ron looked at them with raised eyebrows.

"Why does everyone keep laughing? Maybe I'm the only sane one here," Ron grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets after he had freed himself from his scarf, hat, and mitten prison; although he was still wearing the bright teal jumper. Hermione had a feeling he didn’t want to take it off as he went so far as to smooth the wrinkles out of it.

"Maybe." Harry replied with a shrug, "Let's get going. I'm freezing."

They made their way down to Hogsmeade in record time. By the time they got there, Ron was complaining that his hands had frozen but Ginny made a note to mention that Luna had given him plenty to wear. He grumbled about not wanting to wear a bright pink scarf or purple cap and went to Harry's side to talk about something else.

Hermione passed Draco and Theodore Nott, who were busy staring at the people inside Zonkos. Draco turned slightly and looked at Hermione, who looked back at him. He winked and gave her that signature Malfoy crooked grin. She felt her face reddening but was glad that there had been a gust of wind to make her face more red. She had an excuse to blush now.

Theodore nudged Draco just as Pansy exited a store and looked at him with glee. She ran to him and nearly knocked him over into the display but he held his ground firmly. Draco firmly held Pansy from him and said something Hermione didn’t catch but Pansy looked a little put out. It didn’t take long for her to link her arm around his slim waist and hug close to him. Nott exchanged looks with Draco and shrugged, all three heading inside for warmth.

Hermione managed to find a bookstore near the edge of Hogsmeade and wanted to spend her free time looking for Quality Potions. She had been meaning to look for the exact potion that was used on her but...her time and mind frame was elsewhere. Being with Draco made things more clear but it also took up a lot of time. On top of being a prefect, top of her class, and an unofficial member of the Order, Hermione's plate was quite full.

She paused at the mythical creatures aisle where she found Ron being dragged to some random spot by Luna, who was loading him up with books. He looked terrified and interested all rolled into one as Luna rambled on about animals that looked like corned beef that would melt your face off or a fruit fly the size of a dragon. Hermione tried to stifle a laugh when Ron mentioned them being in the ‘mythical’ section and that none of it was real, causing Luna’s normally bright face appeared down right offended. Her mind seemed to glaze over once she gave him a once over and realized that he wasn’t wearing her scarves, mittens or hats.

He glanced at Hermione for help, but she just shrugged and went to the next aisle. She could hear Ron groan when Luna mentioned bringing another cap with her for emergencies. Hermione continued looking down each aisle and sighed in frustration at the end of each one. She asked one of the employees but they looked at if as if she were insane and mumbled about going elsewhere or she had the wrong description.

She knew she had the right description. She was under the blasted curse! Hermione passed Ron and Luna for the third time, and to her horror, Ron was actually reading a book. Luna continued to ramble about mythical creatures and how they really weren't mythical but that people just didn't care to notice. He didn’t seem to notice how Luna would pause to look at him with adoration before continuing her tirade.

Hermione crossed the threshold to an adjacent store that held more mature books. One had to be of legal age to enter because there had been wards on the section. Of course, she knew that there really weren’t wards because either students were already wary of what kinds of wards would be on there or that normally they didn’t look up academic stuff that they could find in the Hogwarts library. Hermione ad checked the library at Hogwarts but they didn’t have what she was looking for.

Sighing sadly, Hermione was about to give up and go to the Three Broomsticks in hopes of looking at Draco being pawed at by Pansy. Not that the idea of that made her happy, it was the fact that he’d be there. She reached the end of the aisle, which so happened to be a dead end, and turned around to exit when she was pushed against the book shelf. Hands slid around her waist and lips found her own.

Hermione closed her eyes as the kiss was deepened. She felt his lips caress her own, his tongue tracing over the edge of her bottom lips before sucking it in. Hermione gasped slightly as she tasted the sweetness of sugar on his breath. He took the opportunity to push his tongue into her mouth, both silently dueling each other. They parted long enough to take a breath, their lips still touching but their breaths bathing one another. Hermione pushed him from her a little and stared into his eyes.

“Are you mad?” She snapped, looking over his shoulder.

“Maybe,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “I saw you come in here and just had to say hello.”

Hermione blushed when she felt his lips against her soft cheek, “Well, hello.”

“Hi.” He grinned, planting kisses across her face until their lips touched again.

She let out a small moan as his hands traced over her backside and slowly traveling up her shirt. She expected cold hands, as the weather outside was freezing but instead they were nice and warm. Hermione tilted her head back accidentally bumping into the book shelf which caused a small thud to echo. She pulled away, almost afraid of seeing some one catch them, but no one came.

“Draco,” she whispered, trying to pull away from him despite the growing need between her thighs for him, “Some one might see.”

“No one will find us. No one comes in here,” Draco replied, bringing his hands back around to her stomach and the hem of her sweater, tugging it upward.

Hermione brought her hands down to keep her sweater from rising over her, “No. Stop.”

“No always means yes,” he teased, watching as Hermione tried to fight off the overwhelming need for him.

“Draco. No means no. Stop it.” She almost pleaded with him but gasped when she felt his lips touch her neck, his tongue coming out to lap at her soft skin.

“Are you afraid?” He asked, bringing his hands to the buttons of her jeans, popping them open.

“I don’t want to get caught…” She tried to explain, putting her hands on his but he knocked them away.

“No…you do. I can tell.” He teased, tracing his hand over the exposed flesh of her toned navel while pulling the flaps of her jeans apart. “You want to get caught. It’s exciting that way.”

“Draco.” She whispered, looking into his eyes, which were filled with mischief. She shook her head, “Pansy might…”

“Fuck Pansy.” He groaned, pushing his lips against hers while a hand slipped between her thighs, pressing against her centre.

Hermione moaned as she felt his fingers trace over her lips, his thumb graze her engorged clit. She brought her hands to the hem of his soft black sweater as her hips began to rock against his hand. Draco pulled her from lips and attacked her neck. He pushed two fingers into her heat, pistoning them inside her, feeling her slick walls contract around him. Hermione brought a hand to the back of his head as he sucked on part of her neck and let out another moan, feeling the ecstasy begin to build up.

She heard a noise just beyond the door and tried to push Draco away but he felt her firmly against the wall.

“Draco. Some one is coming.” She moaned, bucking her hips against his hand as he slipped another finger inside her while his thumb pushed against her sweet bundle of nerves.

“Let them come,” he whispered into her neck, pulling a hand from her waist.

Hermione let out a small stifled cry when he grabbed a book and flung it across the room. It hit the wall with a loud bang.

“Stop! What are you doing?” She tried to breath but he felt so good against her.

“Giving you what you want, what we want.”

He grabbed another book and tossed it behind him lazily. Hermione gripped onto his shoulder as her heart began to beat faster and faster. The haze of lust filled her eyes and she let out another cry, feeling his tempo quicken. She reached out as he grabbed another book to stop him but missed. It went clattering down onto the ground and she thought she heard some one call his name in the distance.

“Draco.” She moaned, leaning back against the bookshelf now, her eyes closed.

Draco brought kisses back to her lips and she pulled him to her via sucking on his lips. She felt herself rising to that climax, her body adjusting to his hand which was still planted diligently between her legs. Hermione couldn’t speak anymore, her kiss told him exactly how she felt. She hated him at that point but she loved it. All of it.

Hermione felt the explosion of relief and ecstasy flood her system just as she let out a loud cry into Draco’s mouth. There was a loud clatter and Draco pulled away from Hermione, shielding what would have been a very red Gryffindor behind his body.

“Oi. Where have you been?” Theodore asked, leaning into the room. He looked down at the books and raised an eyebrow.

Hermione quickly redid her pants, her face turning bright red when Nott realized who was behind Draco.

“Ah. Go figure,” Nott said, looking around behind him. “Better hurry mate. You-Know-Who is looking for you. Not really happy that you gave her exploding chocolates.”

Draco nodded and exchanged a grin with Nott, who tipped an invisible hat to Hermione. “Granger.”

“N-Nott.” Hermione squeaked behind him, trying to hide her blush in Draco’s back.

“I’ll distract her while you two…uh…finish up.” Nott waved his hand and left.

Draco’s shoulders jumped as he laughed and turned around to Hermione. She frowned at him and slapped his chest half-heartedly.

“What are you playing at, Malfoy?” She snapped at him, watching him take his wand out and cast a drying spell on her before shrugging.

“You loved it.”

“What? I…”

“Don’t lie.”

“Shut up, that’s not the point. We could have gotten caught!”

Draco shrugged and pulled Hermione to him. He leaned down to kiss her but she tilted her head to the side, refusing to at first. Her eyes glanced at him when he quirked a brow before grinning. Hermione felt herself being compelled to kiss him. Damn Malfoy.

“Three Broomsticks, yeah?” He asked after breaking the kiss.

“If you want me to stab you in the jugular with a fork, then sure.” She grumbled, trying to hide a laugh when he laugh.

“As long as it’s a promise.” He tilted her chin up at him and pecked her lips before mussing her hair up with his hand.

Draco turned on his heel and left. Hermione leaned against the shelf and sighed, banging her head against it. A book fell on top of her with a loud thud. She pulled it off of her head and looked at the title. Quality Potions. Groaning, Hermione slammed her head against the shelf and winced at the pain that came. She grabbed the book and picked the rest of the ones Draco had thrown around, placing them in their correct spots before heading out.