Lust, War and... Love?

My thanks to Meiri for her wonderful beta work on this chapter!

angeles : More twists and turns are coming! Sorry it took me so long to update but now I’m back on track. Thank you for reading and reviewing.

Violet: Yes, Hermione is a very intelligent girl, and she certainly can control herself. I’m glad you like my Hermione and Draco characterizations. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

kazfeist: Hope you will like this chapter too. Thank you for your kind words!

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Tomorrow would be the last day of school, along with Slughorn’s Christmas party, and Hermione already was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Draco had been stubbornly denying her intercourse for three days in a row, because he could not get over the idea of Hermione having a date for the party. Draco was bent on making it impossible for her to be around any male tomorrow night, thence forcing her to skip the party to shag him instead.

The bastard had been hanging around in the library, when she talked to Harry about the danger being plied with a love potion. Hermione glimpsed the blonde head behind bookshelves a couple of times, at least. The freshly minted Othello evidently seethed with jealousy over her doing homework with Harry every night in the library.

In short, Pansy’s absence only made things worse for Hermione. Without the other girl’s presence to keep Draco in check, he was now free to stalk Hermione anytime and anywhere.

Hermione reclined against the pillow on her bed. Her inflamed libido had forced her to part with Harry early and retire to the dorm. She tried to focus on the letter in her hands.

… Your mum and dad are getting along wonderfully. Don’t worry about the family gathering, sweetie. Your parents are such sweethearts now, worse than newlyweds. I’m already getting suspicious! (Only joking!!!!)

Your mum has told me you’re going to stay at school for the holidays. How come? Don’t think you can fool me by pretending that you need to study! Is a cute crush of yours staying at school too? My dear little lady, you should bring your beau to the holiday dinner! I can’t wait to see you and give you a big smooch on your cheek - you must be a really grown-up girl now.

Don’t even try to tell me he is not invited or he won’t be comfortable. I’m sure you won’t lay your eyes on someone who is not up to par. Yes, I know how picky you can be, my little bookwormie! We all will absolutely love to meet your boyfriend, so no shirking and making excuses, okay?

Make haste and let me know if we are going to see you (and hopefully your boyfriend) this Christmas!

XOXO,
Auntie Perpetua.

“A letter from home?” asked Parvati from her bed. Her voice did not sound too happy.

“From my aunt,” replied Hermione and folded the letter. “The usual stuff.” Her bubbly personality notwithstanding, Aunt Perpetua was too shrewd to be around, Hermione thought. And her parents had apparently gone to the other extreme in their unpredictable relationship, without as much as an advance warning to their own daughter.

The door opened and Lavender strutted in, swaying her hips. She glanced at the two girls on the beds, then paraded towards a mirror and started fixing her hair. Hermione unfolded her letter and stared into it again.

“Everyone is in the Common Room, only you two have holed up here,” Lavender said. “All the boys are there.”

“I have a heck of a headache,” griped Parvati. Hermione said nothing.

“Want my headache potion?” Lavender chirped sweetly and walked to her bedside stand. “Hermione, do you want to try the Miracle Hair Styler?”

“No thanks,” Hermione replied bluntly.

“Pity,” Lavender rummaged in her drawers and proffered a bottle to Parvati, who accepted it with a martyr smile. “You’d have more luck with boys if you style your hair better, Hermione. Maybe Harry would date you then!”

“Thanks for the advice,” was Hermione’s curt response.

“Won-won is so - so hot, Parvati,” Lavender exhaled exaggeratedly. “You know, when he snogs me all the way, I barely can remember where I am!”

“Yeah, Ron is awesome,” Parvati nodded with an expression of a quiet exasperation. “The best Quidditch keeper this year.”

“Some Chocolate Frogs for my sweet boy.” Lavender procured the sweets from her stand and straightened up. “He a-a-absolutely loves them!”

“Already got a date for the Slug party?” Parvati moaned and followed Lavender with her eyes, as the latter exited the dorm.

“Not yet,” Hermione said grimly. “A couple of candidates but I’m still deciding.”

“Guess, Malfoy is not among them?” Parvati whispered, visibly hoping for a thrilling sensation.

“Malfoy is the last person I’d ever consider,” grumbled Hermione.

“Of course, after he snogged my sister…” Parvati opened Lavender’s bottle and sniffed it. “This smells funny. I can’t understand Padma - she refuses to tell me anything. Everyone is talking about that epic snog of theirs, and she’s silent like a stone!”

“Maybe Malfoy offended her?” Hermione played along. The memory of that cursed day made her feel guilty and horny at the same time.

“I dunno. I think Padma is nuts. First Nott, then Malfoy. Now she isn’t talking to Nott at all.” Parvati poured the medicine in a tablespoon and sniffed it again. “Guess it might help.” She swallowed the potion and grimaced at the taste.

“Is your head hurting so badly?” Hermione asked compassionately.

“It’s Blaise who‘s giving me the migraines,” complained Parvati.

“What’s the problem?”

“Oh, Hermione, I don’t know what to do with him - he’s so - so insistent on it…”

“Insistent on what?”

“Well, on this thing - I mean going all the way, not just snogging and groping.” Parvati paused. “Hermione - Hermione, did you ever try it with anyone?”

“Try what?” Hermione did not like the turn the conversation was taking.

“Well, I mean that sex thing…” Parvati looked at Hermione timidly.

“Ehm… No.” Hermione loudly opened her bedside stand and deposited Aunt Perpetua’s letter in it. “I think I’m going to turn in.”

Hermione fished her toothpaste and toothbrush out from the depths of the bedside stand, and picked her towel from a wall rack. Parvati reclined on her bed with a disappointed look, but Hermione ignored it, as she headed to the bathroom.

While brushing her teeth, Hermione firmly made up her mind to get from Draco what she needed to restore her sanity. She was not going to sacrifice her life to the lust potion and skip the Slughorn‘s party.

******
“It’s rape.” Draco slowly tucked his shirt in his trousers, leaning against the cold stone wall. “You basically raped me, Hermione!”

“And what did you expect? After denying me a shag for four days? Making me get so crazed that I lost control in the Transfiguration class? The whole classroom laughed at me!” Hermione shook her unruly mane as she buttoned up her robe. “After I cried almost all afternoon in a loo?”

She had eventually managed to corner him in an empty corridor near the Slytherin quarters, push him against the wall and press her palm against his crotch. It was enough to completely undo him. Dragging him off to a dungeon to straddle him and complete the act was a mere technicality. Now Hermione’s mind was bright and clear, and she was ready to face her date for Slughorn’s party that night.

“Tell me you are going without a date,” growled Draco.

“Actually, I’ve already secured a date,” Hermione said succinctly and headed towards the door.

“Who?” In two big steps Draco was right behind her, his hand on her shoulder. No matter how much he was smitten with her, Hermione could be absolutely maddening at times. She never had a problem attaching a bloke to her skirt. Worse even, it never was an average Hogwarts dork, but always a person of certain notoriety - Potter, Krum, Weasley, whatever. No less than a Prefect.

“It’s Cormac McLaggen,” groaned Hermione. “You know full well that I can barely stand him. Can’t you get over it, Draco?”

Draco grabbed Hermione, turned her around and shoved against the wall. His lips were on hers, and his body basically flattened hers. She did not resist his embrace, letting him devour her mouth, as he asserted his rights to her charms.

When he released her, Hermione straightened her collar and said resignedly, “Honestly, don’t get all riled up over it. McLaggen is only a way to shut up the gossipers, can’t you understand that?”

She edged towards the door, giving him a light smile. Draco let her go, and Hermione slipped out into the corridor.

As Hermione walked down the gloomy underground passage, the blissful relief filled her body. The cold air cooled her flushed cheeks pleasantly. The sensation of Draco’s savage kiss still lingering on her lips elated her. Draco’s very obvious need for her was so empowering. If only she could take Draco as her date to the party… But such a heresy was definitely out of the question.

On the steps to the entrance hall, Hermione met Theo descending into the dungeons. He did not look too cheerful, and Hermione greeted him pleasantly. She felt a bit sorry about Padma giving him the cold shoulder after their ill-fated plot to neutralize Pansy.

“It’s sure easier, when Parkinson isn’t around,” Theo pronounced with a tortured smile. “I guess they lied to us about her family emergency. She must have freaked out and went home to mope over her darling fiancé’s betrayal.”

“Maybe.” The memory of Pansy’s suicide attempt weighted on Hermione‘s conscience like a nasty giant boulder. “Hope you’ll have a good time at home.”

“I’m not going home.” Theo’s lower jaw tensed.

“Why? Where are you going then?”

“To my Grandma’s. I’ve got no business at Father’s mansion.” Theo’s voice sounded clipped. “His newest mistress is going to be all over the place.”

“Sorry.” Hermione remembered Draco’s words about the old Nott’s harem. Now she seriously pitied the younger Nott.

In the seventh floor corridor she stopped to catch her breath after walking all the way up the stairs and spotted Parvati, lingering in the hallway. When Hermione drew even with her classmate, Parvati stepped up to her and whispered, “Seen Blaise around here?”

“No.” Hermione halted. “What’s up?”

“Ehm…” Parvati paused and looked around. “He wanted me to come to the dungeons today but I didn’t. Now I want to go to the Great Hall but I’m worried he might be waiting somewhere to grab me.”

“Why are you so afraid of him?” Hermione wondered. The Patil sisters’ love affairs had certainly taken an odd turn lately.

“Well…I’m not that afraid, really-” Parvati glanced around the corridor. A few younger students passed by but no one from the sixth year was in sight. “It’s just that I’m not sure about it - I‘ve never done it with a boyfriend…”

“You know what? Let’s go to the dorm, Parvati.”

In the Gryffindor dorm, Hermione deposited her bag by her bed and dug into her trunk. “Here.” She handed Parvati a dark blue book.

Parvati emitted a shy giggle as she read the gold lettering on the book cover, What Every Wizard and Witch Needs to Know about Safe and Healthy Sex.

“Have it for the holidays.” Hermione took books out of her bag and stuffed them on the shelf of her bedside stand. “It explains everything pretty well.”

Parvati flipped through the book. “Hermione - have you really done any of this? With Krum?”

Hermione, already near the dorm exit, pretended not to hear her. Without saying a word, she walked down to the Common Room, passed a group of older students lounging in front of the fireplace, climbed out of the portrait hole and headed to the Great Hall for dinner.

******
The Gryffindor Common Room was still dark at this early morning hour. In the dim candlelight Hermione sat in front of the fireplace petting Crookshanks who was purring contentedly on her lap. A small group of early departing students hustled past her with bags and warm coats but she ignored them.

She mused over the previous night’s events at Slughorn’s office. As she had anticipated, McLaggen was unbearable. What she hadn’t expected at all, was Draco’s appearance.

When Snape led him out, Draco shot Hermione a quick look and his expression made Hermione’s heart sink. Anger, hurt, anger, resentment, despair, passion - the mixture of his emotions was indescribable.

Hermione’s first impulse was to dash out of Slughorn’s office and follow them but, luckily for her, she spotted Harry advancing to the exit, as well. Not wanting to give herself away, she waited ten minutes or so after Harry disappeared. Then she stole out and, finding herself alone in the dark corridor, hurried upstairs to her dorm. She was not in the mood for the party anymore.

Hermione stared at the fire and absentmindedly scratched Crookshanks behind his ear. Her cat purred louder, and it soothed her a little. The prospect of being virtually alone with Draco in a deserted castle had been making Hermione slightly jittery. There would be no student crowds around them to restrict their interactions…

The door to the girls’ dorms opened, and a very sleepy Parvati descended the stairs, dragging an overstuffed satchel down the steps.

“A-ah… Morning,” Parvati yawned and stopped near Hermione’s chair. “Staying at Hogwarts for the holidays for sure?”

“Yeah,” replied Hermione. She did not recall seeing Zabini at the party, so it was safe to assume that he had opted for some very private time with his girlfriend. “Everything okay with him?”

“Ooooh-” Parvati blushed profusely and leaned close to Hermione. She glanced around to make sure no one was in the room and whispered,” You know - it wasn’t so bad… Blaise is - is something! But don‘t tell anyone, okay?”

“Really?” Hermione said distractedly. “I’m silent like a grave, no worry.”

“I hate Padma - she’s refused to remain here for the holidays. Mum wouldn’t let me stay by myself. Dad insisted that we Portkey home at this ungodly hour instead of taking the train!” griped Parvati. She glanced around the empty room again, and drew closer to Hermione. “You know - Blaise told me something…”

“What did he tell?”

“Someone in his dorm has a totally outrageous book. Blaise peeped in it when the owner wasn‘t around.” Parvati paused for more dramatic effect. “Boy - there’s every sort of sex stuff in it. The title - I think - is Miraculous Joys of Kama Sutra!”

“Oh.” Hermione feigned indifference. “Well, boys can be really into that, right?”

“Know whose book it is?” Parvati made another dramatic pause, and, receiving no response from Hermione, continued,” Draco Malfoy‘s!”

“Very possible given his overall depravity,” Hermione said as coolly as she could.

“Whatever,” Parvati giggled. “Blaise is going to harass Malfoy into lending him the book. Wonder if Padma has already seen it.”

They heard the sound of a door opening, and Parvati straightened up.

“Okay, I’ve got to meet Padma at Flitwick’s office and get the Portkey.” She yawned again and headed to the portrait hole.

Harry appeared, and Hermione rose from her chair to talk to him. The moment he opened his mouth, Ron emerged from the dorms. The redhead yawned loudly, grouched about having to get up early, and yelled for Ginny to come down. When Ron reached Harry and Hermione near the fireplace Lavender ran out of the girls’ dorm and immediately assaulted him.

Harry glanced back at the couple, tightly wrapped around each other, and awkwardly muttered something about a happy Christmas for Hermione.

Ginny sauntered out with Arnold, her Pigmy Puff, on her shoulder. She gave a scathing look to the snogging couple and rolled her eyes.

Harry noticed her and flushed a little, apparently losing his ability to speak. Hermione waved at Ginny genially. Crookshanks rubbed at the girls’ ankles, looking up at Arnold hungrily.

“Wish you could come, Hermione!” Ginny gave her a hug, completely ignoring Lavender. “Maybe next time?”

“I hope so.” Hermione turned and gave Harry a hug, as well. “Have a great Christmas!”

She picked up Crookshanks and walked past Ron and Lavender to the dorm. The moment Hermione opened the door, she glanced over her shoulder and instantly met Lavender’s victorious stare. The same second Ron broke off her and dashed after Harry and Ginny to the portrait hole.

He did not bother to invite Lavender to the Burrow, Hermione thought sarcastically, as she closed the dorm door behind her. The more she observed Ron’s atrocious snogging and groping, the less regard she had for him.

Still, the sight of the two of them was not something Hermione was able to shrug off in passing. If it were someone else, like Seamus or Dean, it wouldn’t bother her in the least. But the way Ron did it made it look like a deliberate insult to Hermione. In fact, he paraded himself with Lavender in front of her in a most brazen fashion. At times she even thought that he performed his lascivious snogfests exclusively in Hermione’s presence.

Hermione wondered what Ron’s reaction would be if he found out about her much more intimate involvement with Draco Malfoy. He could very possibly end up joining Parkinson in the mental ward at St. Mungo’s.

In any case, Hermione was already getting tired of Ron’s antics. Her ploy of asking McLaggen to the Slug party gave her very little gratification. Seeing Draco’s anguished face made her regret her petty show of independence. It was not worth it. She could have gone to the party without a date just fine.

*******
Fewer than half of the Hogwarts students turned up for breakfast. The Gryffindor table was half full, and there were even fewer at the other tables. People ate in a hurry, and rushed off to board the carriages for the train station.

After breakfast Hermione reported to the greenhouses. Draco was already there, getting instructions from Sprout.

“Here you are,” proclaimed the cheery-faced witch, her pointed hat smeared with mud. “See, as the days grow longer, we need to move the spring-blooming plants so they will receive enough sunlight, especially those bulb plants.” She gestured towards dozens of clay pots sitting on shelves in the back of the greenhouse.

After finishing with instructions, Professor Sprout buttoned up her warm winter coat and departed for another greenhouse, leaving Draco and Hermione alone.

“Hide the Kama Sutra book better,” Hermione said in a low voice when Draco began rearranging the pots with flicks of his wand. “Parvati confessed that Zabini wants to get his hands on it!”

“Fat chance.” Draco sidled to Hermione and put his hand on her hip. “He wants too much.”

“Wait till he finds a way to blackmail you again. And please take your hands off me. Sprout can walk in any minute!”

“Doubt it would surprise her too much.” Draco inhaled the scent of Hermione’s hair. His heart beat wildly. He could hardly believe that they were going to enjoy their love to the fullest for the whole break.

“Why?” Hermione shifted uncomfortably at his words.

“I’ve seen Sprout in the farther dungeons twice. Guess she has spotted us too. And she didn’t even let us know she was there.” Draco buried his face in Hermione’s hair, savouring the feel of her warm body in his hands. “Students aren’t allowed that far into the dungeons, right? Snape probably tipped off some teachers so they wouldn’t bother with us.”

Hermione’s heart sank a little. Their secret wasn’t really that much of a secret. What did other teachers think of her indulging in sex wantonly? She was certain that it wasn’t Snape but Dumbledore who had informed them all, but she was not going to tell it to Draco.

“Still, we’ve got work to do,” she said firmly and freed herself from Draco’s embrace. To compensate for her being so strict, she turned around and gave him a light peck on his cheek. His face lit up, and he attempted to catch her in his arms again, but she was now by the table, moving the pots from the shelves to it.

In about an hour a long row of pots, some with full-sized plants, some only with minuscule sprouts, and some without any green at all, was lined up on the long table along the sunny side of the greenhouse. Hermione walked along the display, reading the labels out of curiosity. Soon she noticed something.

“Draco - look at this,” she called out.

He read the label on the pot she was pointing at, and then on another pot. “Nuntius Vernus - Alban Eilirenne, right,” he muttered. Truth to be told, he’d rather not see it here. Tiny dark green tips were peeking from the rich black soil in several identical pots.

“Yes - that’s the plant necessary for the antidote.” Hermione watched his good-spirited expression vanish instantly. Unease overtook her as well.

Silence lingered between them for awhile, as they continued to inspect and rearrange the pots. Draco drew closer to Hermione again.

“It - it wouldn’t end after the antidote?” His tense pale eyes looked at her face anxiously. “It’s only that we won’t go crazy if we miss a date, right?”

“Right…” Hermione wavered. She traced the edge of a pot with her finger. In a perfect world without Lord Voldermort and Death Eaters there would be no question about her choice. In fact, she was very much tempted to throw all secrecy to the wind. Draco was already a huge part of her life and Hermione knew she was the same for him. His gate-crashing at Slughorn’s party confirmed it unequivocally.

The sight of him, looking at her with a strange expression - intense and meek at the same time - filled her heart with mushy warmth. Hermione was about to fling her arms around his neck, but the sound of Sprout entering the greenhouse prevented her from revealing her affections.

The teacher surveyed their work approvingly and immediately set to explain which fertilizer went into which pot. Her tone was friendly and detached at the same time, as if it was a perfectly normal and ordinary occurrence for Draco and Hermione to work side by side in her presence.

They were done by lunchtime, and Sprout dismissed them for the day. Draco was the first to bolt out the door, which Hermione did not mind at all. They were not to be seen together, unless there was a solid excuse for it.

The winter sun hovered low above the horizon, and the pristine white snow glittered under the clear sky. Hermione trod down the path to the castle, the lonely figure of Draco well ahead of her.

Someone called her. She turned around and saw Tonks hurrying to catch up with her, her brown fur hat slipping low on her forehead.

“Wotcher, Hermione.” Tonks clearly attempted to sound cheerful, but her forlorn face betrayed her.

Hermione wondered if Tonks had been following her all the way from the greenhouses. It would be only logical, given Dumbledore’s warnings for Hermione to be careful.

“I’m stationed in the castle for the holidays,” Tonks filled Hermione in.

“Is there an emergency?”

“No, it’s only a heightened security measure, per Dumbledore’s request. Guess we’ll be bumping into each other all the time,” Tonks smiled weakly.

“We could celebrate Christmas in the castle together!” Hermione was excited to have her for company. That is, to have her company when Draco did not keep Hermione busy.

Draco picked with the toe of his boot at a snow heap near the porch in the courtyard. He did not want to parade with Hermione in the full view of the whole castle but now he longed for a glimpse of her when she would walk past him to the entrance.

He heard sounds of voices at the gate and turned his head. To his disappointment, Hermione was not alone, but with his Auror cousin. Whatever.

“Hi Draco!” Tonks halted by him and so did Hermione. “Are you staying for the whole break?”

Draco gaped at Tonks in her atrocious shaggy brown hat. Briefly, he wondered what could be the cause of such a familial display on her part. The next second he concluded that he could pretty much take an advantage of it and join Hermione and Tonks on their way to the Great Hall..

“Yeah, till the end of the holidays,” he nodded, and entered the castle together with the two witches.

Tonks made an attempt at a small talk which turned out rather stilted. Draco noticed Hermione glance nervously around the empty entrance hall. He hardly could wait until the lunch was over and he would have his girl all to himself.

“Ok, got to go for now,” Tonks announced in front of the doors to the Great Hall. “See you in the afternoon?”

“Oh –” Hermione shifted and threw a furtive look at Draco. “I need to see Clayton, the Head Boy.” She glanced at Draco apologetically again. “I’m the only Prefect staying in the castle, so Clayton asked me to come for some instructions before he Floos home.”

“All right,” Draco said to no one in particular, which earned him a probing look from Tonks. “I’m ravenous.” With these words he quickly went into the Great Hall, leaving the witches behind.

During the lunch Draco and Hermione sat at the opposite ends of the Hufflepuff table. The small cluster of a dozen or so assorted younger Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors and Ravenclaws congregated in the middle of the table.

Draco chewed at his sandwich, deep in thought. Bellatrix had bluntly reminded him through the enchanted Galleons that the order to kill the Headmaster was still standing. Which was simply idiotic because Draco was far more visible in the almost empty school. It was obvious that the Auror surveillance had been ramped up. Draco felt very much like telling his obsessive-aggressive Auntie to try to sneak into the castle on her own and annihilate Dumbledore with her own wand.

He gulped his pumpkin juice and glanced at Hermione. She ate delicately, and he insanely craved a kiss from her sweet lips.

Then he remembered overhearing her talk in the library about love potions being smuggled into the castle. An idea hit him instantly.

Yesss! Tell Katz to have Madam Rosmerta send something as a - a what? Holiday gift, of course. That lackey of a professor, Slughorn - had he already ordered a bottle for the Headmaster? Let Katz do all the work and no one would suspect Draco!

His mood considerably improved, Draco reached for an appetizing apple tart. Compared to Malfoy Manor, the Hogwarts house-elves weren’t the best cooks but the desserts were quite decent. Draco made a mental note to procure a few fruit tarts to share with Hermione later in the day. In the meantime he could do more work on the Vanishing Cabinet. Auntie Bella had been haranguing him about it again. He already regretted enchanting the Galleons in the first place.

The good news was that Mum said no word about the Pansy incident. Apparently, the Parkinsons had done a good job hushing up the whole matter. The memory of that cursed day still made Draco slightly sick to his stomach but, at least, there seemed to be no nasty repercussions from his family.

All in all, Draco was glad to be at Hogwarts, not at Malfoy Manor. Then he thought of Mum being there with the crazy Bellatrix, and a lingering worry crept into his heart. He could only hope that the Dark Lord wouldn’t be much of a presence at the Manor.

After the lunch Draco wandered in the corridors a bit, not wanting anyone see him heading straight to the seventh floor from the Great Hall. He met no living soul, except for the Grey Lady and Fat Friar conferring solemnly in a passage near the Ravenclaw Tower. If ghosts could even qualify as living souls, Draco thought sardonically.

His steps reverberated under the vaulted ceilings but Draco had ceased to worry about being detected. The hallways were dark, cold and inhospitable. The few remaining denizens holed up in much warmer and cozier enclosures of their offices, Common Rooms and dorms.

Draco threw around a perfunctory glance and sank into his thoughts, as he walked back and forth in front of the Room of Requirement. If he could frame the despicable Slughorn by making him the obvious source of the cursed holiday gift to the Headmaster… Draco’s heart leapt from the anticipation of a sweet revenge.

The door appeared, and Draco entered it unhurriedly, fingering his magic Galleon in his pocket. Halfway between the heaps of dusty and hardly recognizable cast-offs, he stopped and pulled the gold coin out, eager to set his revenge plan in motion.

Suddenly he heard steps behind him. Someone else was in the room. He hid the Galleon in his robes, whipped around and saw Hermione advancing towards him in the narrow passage.

“Uh… I thought you went to the room with the bed and chairs,” she muttered, clearly surprised. “I saw you entering the door and ran after you.”

Merlin, he had to get her out of here quickly before she discovered the Vanishing Cabinet!

“Oh, I thought I’d rummage through the stuff here. Clayton already gone home?” Draco blocked her path squarely, showcasing his best grin. In a broad sweep of his arm, he gestured towards the mountains of junk. “All sorts of fun things are here, aren’t they?”

“Clayton wasn’t back from his appointment with Professor Flitwick yet.” Hermione poked at something that looked like a lopsided console table buried under a heap of oddly shaped boxes. “See, one fourth-year and two second-year students are staying at Gryffindor, but they are to be moved in with other students in another House. I need to confirm which one - Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff.”

“Nobody is in Slytherin. I’m having the whole House to myself!” Draco beamed at her and squeezed her waist with his hands. “Let’s go have some fun in my dorm now!”

“I need to check with Clayton about moving the students before he leaves!” Hermione pressed against him slightly, sending a tremor of lust through his body. “Then I’ll have to help the students move. What are you looking for here?”

“Nothing in particular,” Draco attempted at his most casual tone. “Poking around, that’s all. Now that’s curious, isn’t it?” He nodded in the direction of a small five-legged skeleton in a rusty cage, perched on top of a stack of tattered books.

“Aren’t you morbid, Draco?” Hermione chuckled. “Well, I’d better go and see if Clayton is back. How about meeting here after dinner? I mean the bedroom version.”

“You know what? Let’s hang out at the Slytherin quarters. I’ve got a few ideas - “ He planted a kiss on her cheek, and trailed his lips down her neck. He had had these fantasies for a good while and now he couldn‘t wait to experiment together with his sexy girl. “I want to try something new with you, darling. Perverted but you‘ll love it.”

Hermione emitted a soft laughter, slightly embarrassed and amused at the same time, as she freed herself from his embrace and turned towards the exit. Draco followed her to the corridor, immensely relieved. He parted with her on the floor below under the pretence of going to a loo.

Hermione walked down the stairs, already aroused at the thought of having the whole evening with Draco. Merlin, he could be so wicked in bed but he had a talent for it. When he was not acting like a prat, of course. There was no argument anymore: Draco was the one who truly made her feel good.

Then she wondered what Harry and Ron were up to at the Burrow. It wasn’t that Ron still held a lot for her. Her affections for him had already eroded a lot. His morning show of a clumsy snog with Lavender did not help her feelings for him either.

Now she eagerly wished that Harry could make peace with Draco. Never had she wanted so much to divert Draco from his family’s Death Eater ways. He was a prisoner of Lord Voldemort, betrayed by his obstinately Pure-Blood parents.

Suddenly Hermione wondered what his real purpose was in visiting the Room of Requirement. He was so eager to get her out of there.

Did he hide a Dark object in there? Something to carry out the plot that had failed in Hogsmeade? Hermione halted in the middle of the stairs and leaned on the railing. The thought of him still plotting an assassination sent chills down her spine. What would the tool of murder be this time? And who was going to be the victim?

Hermione pondered whether to seek Dumbledore and share her suspicions. On second thought, she decided to investigate it further before reporting to the Headmaster. It could turn out to be simply an innocent case of a bored bloke wandering around… Hermione strongly hoped for the latter. In any case, she would have plenty of time to search the Room of Requirement during the holidays.

For now she would confirm her Prefect duties with Clayton, help the younger students move, and then - her heart fluttered sweetly – share an intimate evening with Draco. Hermione wondered what kind of fantasies he would want to act out this time. She let her mind wander free, while walking through gloomy hallways.

Never had the medieval castle looked so erotic to her but it was more than raw lust that filled her body. Her heart was longing for his companionship, for his conversation, for his embrace and for his affection