One Fine Line

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn\'t be searching for a job right now! Don\'t sue me!

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Chapter 4

As the trio walked towards the Potions classroom, they were greeted by the sight of a crowd of students huddled around the aged, wooden doors, which were uncharacteristically closed.

“That’s odd; I wonder why the classroom isn’t open yet.” Hermione craned her neck in attempts at getting a better look at the mass of students.

“Well, whatever is going on, it must be good because they all seem pretty excited.” Harry remarked, listening to the indistinct animated chattering.

Reaching the outer edge of the group, Hermione gritted her teeth as she heard a distinct drawl.

“Well it’s about bloody time, Granger. I should take house points for you being late.”

“What are talking about, Malfoy? I’m not late!” She shouted back, not knowing exactly where to shout, as the gathering of her classmates hid Draco’s exact whereabouts.

“You are by my clock! Just get over here and read this so we can get this over with.”

She glanced up to see a pale hand shoot up, waving a long piece of parchment in the air.

Hermione grumbled as she motioned to Ron and Harry to stay where they were. Forcing her way through the throng, she stopped next to Draco. Snatching the parchment from his hand, she began to read.

“How curious, I can’t believe that they couldn’t find a replacement potions professor...Wonder what happened to Slughorn…” Hermione murmured to herself as she scanned the parchment.

Apparently, due to the furthering complications of the impending war, it had been impossible to find a replacement for both Professor Snape and Professor Slughorn. Due to this inconvenience, the Advanced Potions class for this term will be an independent study. All students were required to pair with a member of their own house and work independently in the developments of a new potion. Respective heads of house would analyze all work and their N.E.W.T.s would be determined based on their overall performance in their project.

“Yeah well, let’s just get on with this so I can get out of here…” Draco’s lips set into a petulant pout.

“Well don’t get your knickers in a knot…” She glared up at him before lifting her wand to her throat.

“Sonorus.”

“OK LISTEN UP!” Hermione’s voice echoed across the halls.

The incessant chatter quieted as the students turned to face her.

“Please listen to me carefully. There will be no organized Potions class this semester.”

Hermione’s eye twitched as the chatter broke out once again.

“Hey! I’m not done!” Was she invisible or something?

Draco snatched the paper out of Hermione’s hand as he lifted his own wand to his throat, casting a Sonorus charm.

“If you know what’s good for you, you will shut it and listen to me!” he bellowed.

That got their attention.

“That’s better. Now just because there is no class that doesn’t mean there isn’t any work, you lazy sods. You are to pair up with a member of your house and work independently for the duration of the term. You are to create a new potion, something legal, and submit a report fully detailing your research, ingredients, effects and side effects etc etc, along with your finished product to your head of house. Your performance on this will determine if you pass your N.E.W.T.s so I suggest that you do not procrastinate. Instructions in full are already in your rooms, so refer to those if you have any questions.”

After a few seconds of silence, the group began to immediately pair off, eagerly discussing what they wanted to create.

Draco shot Hermione a smug smirk, “That’s how you command a group.”

“I could have done it if you hadn’t snatched the paper out of my hands.”

“Right…”

“’Mione!”

Hermione swung to Ron as he elbowed his way through the crowd of students.

“I’m so glad you’re my partner, I would never survive independent work without you.”

He heaved a sigh of relief as he finally stopped next to her.

“Hah, well it looks like you are going to fail, Weasel King, because she is my partner.”

Ron’s ears burned at the insult.

“What are you on about, Malfoy. Of course, she isn’t your partner! You said yourself that we had to choose partners from our own house.”

Draco let out a frustrated sigh. He didn’t particularly want to be partners with his maddening roommate, but it’s not like he was presented with much of a choice. However, at least he was getting a rise out of Weasely.

He shoved the parchment in front of Ron’s eyes, jabbing a finger towards the bottom.

“Head boy and girl are to be partners in all shared classes. I don’t want to hear any complaints from the two of you. See me if you have any questions. Sincerely, Professor McGonagall.”

Ron’s face fell as he finished reading the message aloud.

“Well, I guess your parents weren’t too poor to teach you to read. I suppose that’s refreshing.” Draco sneered as he rolled the parchment and stuffed it in his robes.

“Why you….”

Hermione quickly placed herself between the two wizards before they both ended up in the care of Madame Pomfrey. Boys and their silly pissing matches.

“Ron, he’s not worth it. Just ask Harry to be your partner. I will help you as much as I can. Don’t worry.” She patted him soothingly on the arm as she glared at Draco, who merely sniggered in response.

After Ron had finally left, Hermione turned on Draco, “Why do you have to be such a git! You are head boy! You should know better than to instigate an argument with a fellow student. I should take-”

“Oh save me the lecture, Granger.” Draco cut her off, “I know perfectly well how to conduct myself. You should teach your boyfriend to respect his superiors.”

“Superiors? You have a lot of nerve! And he is not-“

“No reason to be ashamed,” he waved his had dismissively, “It seems only right for the lowest wizard on the social ladder to be getting off with the lowest witch in bloodline.”

“10 points from Slytherin for being disrespectful to a fellow student.”

“10 points from Gryffindor for insulting the head boy!”

Hermione itched to pull her wand and hex him a fat lip to go with that fat head of his.

“This is ridiculous. We shouldn’t be quarrelling like this. Just…stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours.” Hermione huffed, slowly dropping her hand away from her wand. She wouldn’t risk her position or admittance in Hogwarts for the sake of a little revenge, now matter how tempting it was.

“Fine. Just don’t let me find you snogging Weasely in the halls or I might be forced to take more house points.”

Hermione’s eyes flashed angrily as she balled her fists on her hips, “I told you that-”

She stopped when she realized that Draco had already left.

“Insufferable…incorrigible! Professor McGonagall must have a screw loose!”

“What was that, Miss Granger?”

Hermione squeaked, whipping around to find Professor McGonagall standing behind her, looking rather ominous in her deep sapphire robes.

“Uh...nothing! Just muttering to myself. I…I was curious,” she stepped closer to the headmistress, “Are you…are you sure that Malf…Draco is the best choice?”

“Do you find him incapable of meeting his duties as head boy?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Hermione fidgeted, “It’s not that I don’t find him…qualified per say,” she lowered her voice, “It just seems that he is too much of an instigator. I just had to separate him from Ron in fear that they were going to start tossing hexes at each other.”

“I see. Well, in the future, you should tell Ron to respect Mr. Malfoy’s position. I shall speak to Draco about is conduct towards other students. I appreciate your concern, but he was chosen for a reason. You will do best to deal with that accordingly. And no more taking house points from each other because of a petty argument.”

Hermione blushed as she dropped her face towards the ground. “Yes, professor.”

“Very well, I look forward to hearing your subject for your potions project. I believe that you and Mr. Malfoy are capable of coming up with something quite brilliant. Good day, Miss Granger.”

Hermione’s shoulders slumped as she watched Professor McGonagall continue down the hall. She felt completely mortified that she had been caught speaking ill of a professor, even more so that she was publicly reprimanded for her actions, which never happened. At least Draco wouldn’t go without a talking to.

She was sure she was going to hear about that later.

*~*~*~*~*

How dare she rat him out to a professor! Especially to the head of the Gryffindor house!

“Bloody Gryffindor sympathizer…” Draco muttered as he approached the portrait door to his chambers.

Not only had he been reprimanded for instigating an argument with Weasley, he also had to endure an hour long lecture on how he should focus on returning to the good graces of the wizarding world, and that should start with his relations with his classmates.

As if he was going to be civil towards the Golden Trio…please!

She wasn’t going to get away with this.

Storming through the common room, he stopped at her bedroom door, laying three stiff whacks against the wood.

“Open up, you snitch!” He bellowed into the door.

Draco gritted his teeth as his demand was met with silence.

“I know you’re in there!” he pounded the door with more force.

“Go away, ferret!” came a muffled shout from the other side of the door.

“Why don’t you come say that to my face, mudblood! Where’s your Gryffindor courage now!” he crossed his arms across his chest. There’s no way she will take a shot to the ego like that. His lips twitched into a smirk as he heard the locks of the door give.

The door cracked open enough for Hermione to poke her head out.

“Go away, ferret!” her narrowed eyes glowered at him through the chestnut curls that had fallen from the clip containing her mass of hair.

“What gives you the right to complain to McGonagall about my behaviour? I had to sit through- HEY!” Draco didn’t get to finish his berating before Hermione slammed the door in his face.

“How dare you-” he seethed as he grabbed the knob before he heard the locks close once again. Giving a forcible shove, he pitched the door open.

“You…you…” His voice dwindled with each attempt to speak. His hands fell limply by his side as he realized what faced him.

Hermione stood, her face pale and mouth agape, in the middle of the room.

Draco’s brain fumbled as he realized why she had only stuck her head out of the door earlier. His eyes roamed up the slender length of her legs, drinking in the sight of her slightly tanned flesh as he reached the gentle swell of her hips, clad with tantalizingly tight cotton knickers. He swallowed as he followed up her flat tummy and reached her pert breasts covered in a matching bra. As soon as his eyes found hers again, her face immediately flushed.

“Get OUT!” she shrieked, yanking the scarlet and gold comforter from her bed to cover herself.

Draco, finally regaining his ability to process intelligible thought, leaned against the doorframe. It really was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Besides, he was curious to figure out how Granger had been able to hide a body like that for all these years.

“I don’t know…I am kind of liking the view from over here,” he crossed his arms as a smug air fell upon him.

Wrapping the comforter around her body, she rushed to her nightstand. She grabbed her wand and spun to face him, grasping the fabric closer to her chest.

“I’m warning you, Malfoy. Get out before I force you.” Her eyes darkened as she raised her wand in warning.

Pushing himself from the doorframe, he sauntered into her room, causing her to cease her advancement. He stopped toe to toe with Hermione and placed his index finger on the tip of her wand, nudging it away from him as his grey eyes fell upon her. He attempted to make his gaze as steely as possible, yet it seemed that a traitorous insurgence of desire was beginning to grow behind his provocative gaze.

“You wouldn’t dare use magic against me. You know very well if any of the Professors sense unauthorized magic, they will be breathing down your neck before you have time to get dressed.”

“That’s ok; we muggle-borns have other methods of defence against sick prats like you.”

His gaze dropped from her eyes to the crevice between her breasts.

“And where have you been hiding those? I say, Granger, I do believe that I almost feel jealous of Potty and Weasel. To think that they’ve been privy to such a body, no wonder they guard you so carefully.” He ran his tongue across his bottom lip.

Hermione was just as surprised as Draco was at the loud clap that rang through the chamber. She hadn’t even realized that she had slapped him until she saw Draco flex his jaw muscles as he brought his face back flush with hers. The corners of her lips twitched with a satisfied smile as she watched the skin of his cheek begin to redden.

The fire that broke in Hermione’s eyes was enough to make Draco finally snap, not so much from desire for her but a desire not to let her best him. If he couldn’t use magic to make his point, he would have to find other measures.

It was almost too easy.

In on swift, fluid movement, he yanked the wand from her hand and chucked it across the room before he threw her in a scarlet heap onto the bed. Her squeal of protest was muffled by his hand as he brought his body over hers, straddling her at her waist. Before she had the chance to strike him again, her griped her wrists with his other hand and pressed them into the mass of pillows above Hermione’s head. Finally settling his weight over, he leaned back slightly, forcing her to still her flailing legs.

He had to give her credit, she was a scrappy fighter, but he simply outweighed her. Once he saw that she finally realized this, he slightly eased his grip on her wrist.

“Ow!!!”

Taking his guard down had proved a mistake. Once she felt him ease, she took the opportunity to bite him.

“Bloody hell, woman! You made me bleed!” He immediately started to suck on the inside of his finger in attempts to stop the blood flow.

“No less than you deserve, you pervert! Now GET OFF ME!” she spat at him as she attempted to wiggle out from under him.”

Draco let out a half-strangled moan as Hermione continued to squirm beneath him.

“Trust me, Granger. You don’t want to be doing that…,” he warned as he tightened his grip on her wrists and shoved her back down against the bed. He was trying to keep his cool but she wasn’t helping the matter. He was in control, and he would be damned if he was going to forfeit it to her inadvertent foreplay.

Hermione slowed as she felt the product of her writhing pressing against her stomach. Her immediate response was one of panic. Her mind began to wildly search for a way out this situation, but came up with nothing. Her body was warm from her struggles and as she watched him, she began to warm for new reasons all together. Flashes of her dream from the night before began to return once again. She swallowed as she met his eyes with hers. She didn’t want to back down from him, but the alternative seemed to be far more dangerous.

As a hunter watches his prey, Draco’s eyes bored into her, feeding off the uncertainty he saw within.

“My my, look where you’ve gotten us. I never imagined that you would have a jones for me, but I suppose all girls secretly crave the powerful…affluent…sexy type.”

His head lowered further with each articulated word. Right as his lips were about to meet hers, he leaned to the side and brought his mouth to her neck. He dropped a feather light kiss on her skin before letting his hot, moist tongue draw lazy circles over her pulse point.

Hermione gasped at the unanticipated assault on her neck. She willed her limbs to fight back, but the sensation of his tongue running over her skin shot sparks of electricity through her entire body. She felt the fight slowly leave her as he continued to suckle her neck, following a trail to her ear where he nipped at her lobe. Her lungs burned as the pace of her breathing quickened. This could not be happening. Why wouldn’t her brain function!

“Well, if this was the way to tame you…I should have attempted it a long time ago.” he whispered nibbling at her ear again. He shifted further down, drawing his tongue across her collarbone. As he felt her muscles relax further, he trapped both of her wrists with one, large hand. He trailed his fingers lightly through her now tangled mass of curls, down the side of her neck, her collarbone where his tongue had just been, continuing down the outside of her arm until he found the edge of the comforter that was still wedged between them.

He lifted himself slightly, tugging the blanket from between them. He heard Hermione’s breath hitch in her throat at the unhindered contact between their two bodies. Draco revelled only briefly in her waning objection before he lifted his hand to her breast and ran his fingers over her nipple. He smirked to himself as he watched Hermione’s pull her lower lip into her mouth.

“Admit it.” he demanded hoarsely as he gave her breast a gentle squeeze.

“Admit what,” she replied breathlessly

“That I’ve got you completely under my control, and you like it.”

“Never.”

Draco’s hand stopped at her response. He quirked an eyebrow as he cast her a mischievous glance.

“Is that so…?”

“Oh…merlin” she gasped.

He lowered his mouth to her nipple, which had hardened under his caresses. His teeth grazed over the fabric, roughly drawing her cloth covered nipple into his mouth. He suckled gently before murmuring against her skin.

“Admit it…”

Hermione shuddered as the rough grazing of his teeth sent tantalizing shivers up her spine. She had tried to quell the rising heat in her belly, but Draco’s continued ministrations were about to undo her last strand of resistance. She hated him, but as his skilled hands roamed over her body, she was able to put that aside in the pursuit of more pleasurable things. She would be damned if she would ever admit that to him.

“Ever think that it was the other way around?” she finally asked.

A whimper of disappointment escaped her lips as he pulled away from her.

“You? Controlling me? Oh please! You’re putty in my hand, Granger.”

“You’re the one who tossed me on the bed. You’re the one who started kissing me.”

Draco scowled, “I wasn’t going to let you get the best of me with that slap and smart mouth of yours.”

“Uh huh…if that’s what you want to keep telling yourself.” She rolled her eyes, “You’re still gripping my wrists.”

Draco released them immediately, completely disgusted that she had turned everything around. How does she do that!? She’s too clever for her own good.

Finally being free from his grip, she leaned up, bringing her face level with his.

“You can get off me now, that is, if you think that you can walk.” She smirked as her eyes flitted down to the bulge in the front of Draco’s trousers.

He glowered at her before he threw himself up with a frustrated shout. Without so much as another word, he stalked out of the room, slamming the door as he exited.

She smiled to herself as the door slammed. Falling back onto the bed, she felt quite pleased with herself. He may have been able to master her physically, but her keen intellect was much more powerful than his…

…incredible sexual expertise.

Hermione groaned into her hands. She hadn’t meant to let it get as far as it did. She would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy it. The ache in her core was enough to remind her of that pesky little fact. She knew what he was doing, but despite herself, she let him.

It had felt too damn good.

Hermione hoped that now he would be the one to be tortured by a highly charged sexual dream.

“Serves him right for making me all hot and bothered…”