State of the Union

Wow, all of you are completely awesome. It’s one thing to write a story for yourself and know that you’re happy with the way it turns out; it’s something else entirely to share it with others and have them enjoy it as much as you have.

I like to try to respond to everyone and answer any of the questions people asked (or comments that I felt the need to defend), so here goes:

J.S. – I’m glad you’re enjoying it! Don’t worry; Hermione’s feelings about all of this won’t be a secret forever; I kind of already have planned out how things are going to go.

Ann – Ignore you? Never! Thank you so much for the compliment, but I could never ignore the people who inspire me to keep writing!

Moonstar (formerly Given2Fly) – I’m glad you have a whole new way of looking at desks. =0) Thanks for the encouragement!

Rosei – Thank you, so much!

Salome – You’re right, it was misread; Draco spoke with her the day after her parents died, but the marriage took place a month or two later. Thank you for the compliments!

baybevoyce – Hi, again! You’re right… I generally hate Mary-Sue’s, but I couldn’t help that Hermione seemed to turn out that way, here. Thanks, and keep on reading!

kris.t!n.e – Thanks, again, and I’ll keep on posting!

moxie – I’m glad you like the story! Right now, Draco is still running with the ‘I only married her to break her out of this’ notion. Since he’s trying to treat her with indifference, ‘servicing’ her would be a step in the wrong direction, since it would indicate that he is out to please her, which is not what he wants, right now. As for getting her pregnant, Draco is just as bound by the marriage contract provisions as she is (although he didn’t realize any of it would get this far) and so to fulfill them, she’s going to have to have children within a year.

ccrawley – Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

Ayesha – I’m glad you like it, and, don’t worry; she’ll be back to normal eventually. I plan on ending the story shortly after she returns to ‘normal,’ though, so don’t hope for an ending too soon!

LadyRain – Thank you for the compliments and actually, I have what will break her out of it, already planned, and it won’t be the random physical moments…

jaqui – You have, and I appreciate each and every one! Don’t worry; when I say that I’m writing with an audience in mind, that just means that I make sure that I add details that I might not, normally, because I, as the writer, already know them. I tend to leave things out if I’m only writing for myself and I need to make sure I don’t if I’m writing for others; you all aren’t in my head to know what I’m thinking!

tank – Thanks!

georgina – Thanks and here’s your update!

Deirdre - Thank you and here you go!

savysavestheday – I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and here you are!

Ans - Thank you and thank you for the comment regarding the short chapters. They just happen sometimes...

Laura – I’m glad you’re enjoying it despite Hermione’s attitude. I can promise that she won’t always be this way!

slykitten – Thank you and I’m glad you’re enjoying them! Despite the way Draco has acted in the actual books, I really saw him as a coward and more the ‘lost little boy’ rather than the bully he makes himself out to be. As an adult, I’ve always pictured him as someone who would have done what he could in order to get a few moments of peace and contentment, which means that he wouldn’t have treated the women he’d been with unkindly, because they’d return it with fear and/or indifference toward him. Give kindness to get it.

Allison – I’m so glad you like it, and here’s your update!

Anon – Thanks, and here you go!

joanna – Sorry to disappoint you with only a single chapter, but the only reason multiple chapters were posted was because I had that much of the story already written and was just breaking them into chapters for posting. Now, however, I’m writing as I go, so you only get what I have written! Thank you for the review!

oxcab – I’m glad you like it and here you go!

kazfeist – Thank you for the compliments and the multiple reviews, even though you didn’t have to do that! Yes, I did mean erogenous; unfortunately, I have no beta reader and sometimes don’t pay attention when MS Word corrects my words… incorrectly! I had no clue what a cystitis remedy was, so I had to look it up, and although now I understand that it has something to do with a UTI, I’m not sure where you got the idea from. Clue me in…? And, while I’d normally be happy to send you e-mail updates… you didn’t leave your e-mail!

mandy-jg – Although just one of your reviews would be enough to inspire me to continue, I have to admit that it’s time that I lack; not reviews! Thank you for the review!

Nate – I’m glad you like it, despite the pairing! Thank you!

Allison – Don’t worry, she won’t be this way, forever. Thanks for the review!

lulz – Whoa, hold onto the daggers, here’s your update! =0)

vivnow – That’s so kind of you; thank you! And thank you for the review!

Sisqi – I’m glad you like it and that it isn’t the same as others you’ve read!

Annika Lee – I’m glad you like it, thank you, and here you go!

the_lone_jen – I like the nickname for Hermione and I’m glad you’re enjoying it; thank you!

Annabel – There are a couple of stories that I’m always hoping for updates to and I’m glad mine is like that for you! Thanks!

Anon – Thank you, I’m glad you liked it!

WriterLady1031 – Yeah, well, that one just came to me when I started writing the scene where he took her to the library! It seems to have been a hit, though, so I’m glad I wrote it! I’m happy that you liked it and I hope you enjoyed my other story as well. Folks seem to have lost interest in it, though, so I don’t know if I’ll continue it.

Miah – I’m glad you like it and thank you! Thank you to the person who recommended you, too!

fanficmania – Thank you!

Anon – Thank you and you don’t have to wait anymore!

Bella – Sorry, I haven’t had much time to write, lately, but here’s an update for you! Thanks for the review!

leven – Don’t worry, I haven’t given up! I still have ideas for it, so I can still write. If I suddenly run out of ideas, I might have to ask you all for help!

lusi – Here is your update; I’m glad you like it!

jenny – Sorry for making you beg; here’s your update!

ccrawley – Sorry that I didn’t pick up directly after the blotter, but it rather seemed like a good place to start the next chapter, so I hope it’s alright!

vertical_limit – I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for the compliment!

errika – I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to update, more often. Occasionally, I lose my muse for awhile, but then I read all of the wonderful reviews left by all the kind readers and it picks me back up. Thank you!

Again, I owe you all a debt of gratitude; I never would have thought anyone was interested in reading a story like this without all of you. I hope you will all continue reading and even leave a review every now and again to help feed my writing!

Obligatory No Ownership Clause: I obviously don’t own a single character portrayed here, but the situations and wording are completely mine.

Chapter 8 here with bells on!

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Folder 5. Not as important as Folder 4. Folder 4 goes in front. Folder 6. More important that 5 but not as important as 4. Middle. It was Hermione’s first day back to work after the weekend of her marriage and, so far, no one had even attempted to broach the subject with her, which wasn’t surprising considering that she didn’t really associate with her office companions outside of the workplace.

Hermione continued to sort through her inbox, carefully, before stacking the folders, in the order of importance, on the corner of her desk, out of her central workspace. She had just slid the first one off of the top and flipped it open to begin reading when her assistant entered with her morning tea.

“Good morning, Ms…. ah…Mrs…”

“Ms. Granger is still fine, Maeve, although it is, technically, Mrs. Malfoy, now.” Hermione barely glanced up as the young woman murmured an affirmative answer and poured her a cup of steaming liquid. After relaying the messages she’d taken before Hermione had entered the office, she reviewed her supervisor’s schedule for the day, with her, and then waited for any further instructions. Actually, what she was waiting for was some shred of information about the wedding that had taken place the previous weekend.

As was standard for society weddings, half of the wizarding world had been invited. Maeve, too, had been on the guest list, however, due to the number of people there and the fact that her assigned seat had been so far away from the main table, she’d barely gotten a glimpse of the bride and groom before they’d left for the consummation. She hadn’t been one of guests invited to stay the night, since her flat was near enough to the Malfoy Manor that travel was easy for her, so although she’d attended the wedding, Maeve hadn’t been aware of whether not things had even gone well. All she could be sure of was that they’d occurred…

“Call Morgenstern and tell him I want to see him by 3 PM, today,” Hermione sipped her tea as she frowned over the file she was perusing. “He’s had the full year to work on the muggle technology integration project and a month more, besides. Let him know that I expect him to bring all of his research notes and also convey that if he’s not ready to present to the ministry board by tomorrow at noon, I’ll be turning the project over to someone else.”

Maeve nodded, jotting down the information in her truncated short hand and then glancing up, again, as her supervisor continued.

“Then call Hollister and arrange a meeting at 4 PM regarding the same project. Tell him the notes are extensive, but he’ll need to compile it into a useful format.”

“But what if Morgenstern is ready to present?” Maeve asked, surprise coating her features at the executive director’s presumption. A smooth voice from the door provided the answer before Hermione could speak.

“He won’t be,” Draco smirked. “Even with the extra 4 weeks of prep time, he’s been dragging his feet on the project because he’s an opponent of muggle integration. Your director, however, is quite anxious to see the recommendations set before the board and won’t tolerate any further procrastination.”

Maeve’s eyes grew as large as the saucer Hermione’s teacup sat on and she murmured a quick reply before excusing herself to make the necessary calls, discreetly shutting the office door behind her.

“So, how goes the first day back?” Draco asked, half sitting/half draping himself over the guest chair across from her.

“It’s gone about the same as every day since I started the job,” she replied, tonelessly, having returned to the work before her after sparing him a minimal glance. Then, remembering his talk with her about coming first in all things, she put down her quill and gave him her full attention. “So far, the only bump in the road has been the few people who aren’t quite sure how to address me.”

“And what have you told them?” Hermione shrugged one shoulder, lightly.

“That my maiden name is acceptable, though my married name is Malfoy.” At his arched brow, she hastened to remind him, “You did tell me to continue on as before.”

“That I did.” He straightened and leaned over her desk to sneak a look at the daily calendar before standing and tugging on the lapels of his jacket. “Well, I suppose I ought to get back to my office. I just came by to relay the well wishes of most of the department to the both of us and to let you know that I’m joining you for lunch, today. Better be sure your schedule is clear.” And, with that, he left, leaving her office door open as he went.

Hermione sat back in her chair a moment and then called to Maeve, who came to stand against the doorframe, expectantly.
“I know that you read me my schedule, already, but refresh my memory; did I have a lunch meeting, today…?” she wanted to know, seemingly slightly apprehensive.

“No, Ms. Granger. You’re open from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM, when I’ve scheduled your meeting with Morgenstern. And, incidentally,” a slight smile crept along the corners of the young woman’s mouth, “he sounded very nervous when I spoke with him.”

“He should be nervous,” Hermione replied, sourly. “This will definitely be brought up at his next review.” She picked up her quill and began to write before adding, “And let me know when it’s about a quarter ‘til noon; I’ll be joining my husband for lunch, today.”

Once Maeve had disappeared from the doorway to make the necessary schedule changes, Hermione set about her work with her usual determination and barely noticed the time passing, with the few calls that came in, until her assistant stepped in to remind her of her lunch date.

Hermione stood, straightening the papers on her desk into organized piles, and then slid her arms through the light jacket she’d worn over the simple skirt and blouse set she’d chosen from her wardrobe, today. This morning had been organized chaos; Hermione hadn’t known the exact locations of where the houseelves had put her things away and so had spent nearly an hour trying to figure out first where her work clothing had been stored and then where they’d hidden her shoes.

Draco had insisted that she be completely moved into the manor by the date of the wedding and so Hermione had apparated a steady stream of well marked boxes and other items to the Malfoy home for a good month before the wedding. She’d ended her lease and carried the last few items with her to her new home the day of the ceremony, leaving nothing more than a few updated light fixtures and an empty shell where a comfortable, homey apartment had once been. Unfortunately, the staff at the manor had thought it helpful to try and unpack for her which, while kind, had meant that Hermione had no clue where anything was. The decision for her current outfit had been solely based on what she could find to match, that morning.

Just as Hermione was logging few reminders onto her desktop calendar, her husband sauntered through the door, precisely at noon, shutting it, firmly, behind him and drawing the shades down for privacy. From practically behind his back, he produced a large grocery bag containing two Styrofoam take-out boxes and a thermos of iced tea. Setting his parcels down on the small meeting table in the corner of her office, he beckoned her over and began removing the food containers from the bag.

Hermione brought two glasses from her conference set to the table and poured a measure of iced tea into each of them before sitting down and spreading her paper napkin over her lap. When she opened the box that Draco had set before her, the heavy garlic and tomato smell of eggplant lasagna rose around her face and she inhaled, deeply, realizing how hungry she was. As she lifted her utensils to begin eating the salad that had come with the meal, Hermione glanced over and noted that Draco had the same meal, but with meat rather than eggplant.

“Draco…?” He lifted his eyes to hers, questioningly, as he took another bite of his salad. “How did you know I’d rather have eggplant lasagna instead of the standard meat lasagna?” Draco swallowed, wiping his lips with his napkin and couldn’t help a slight grin.

“Remember the leaving feast, 7th year?” When Hermione looked back at him, blankly, he continued, “You were up in arms because the rest of your table had eaten all the vegetarian lasagna before you got any.” Hermione’s cheeks pinkened, realizing that she must’ve gotten fairly loud if he heard her all the way over at the Slytherin table, and gave a barely perceptible nod as she continued her meal.

The meal progressed, silently, neither party bothering to start a conversation aside from the basic pleasantries involved in sharing a meal, such as asking one another pass the salt, or inquiring after more iced tea. The comfortable silence was refreshing; neither was fond of being forced to make conversation with someone while trying to eat and since they’d seen each other only hours earlier, there wasn’t much to say. When Hermione had finished, she stood, gathering up the empty boxes from both their meals to discard them and then proceeded to re-apply the scant bit of tinted lipgloss that she normally wore.

Draco sipped the last of his tea and watched Hermione attend to her make-up. One of the things he had to admit that he liked about her was the lack of heavy cosmetics she chose to use on a daily basis. She’d worn plenty of make-up for the wedding, but had gone fairly light since then, preferring only to wear a touch of mascara, a bit of gloss on occasion and a smidgen of cover-up during the few times when her complexion decided to act up. Draco’s breath hissed through his teeth as the tip of her tongue peeked out to smooth over the gloss after she’d put the cosmetic implements away and, without a moment’s hesitation, he stood, rested his hands on the arms of her chair and leaned over to catch her newly made-up lips in a demanding kiss.

To her credit, Hermione had expected something like this. After the first time on their wedding night, the bathtub, the middle of the night and the number of odd rooms they’d ‘christened’ during the two days after their marriage, as well as the way he’d told her that he would have to be first in her eyes, even at work, she’d been fairly sure that this wasn’t far off. Even so, he’d surprised her with his timing and it took her a moment to respond.

When she finally did, he pulled her to her feet, without breaking the kiss, and shoved her, roughly, against the nearest wall. She had time only for a minute gasp of surprise before his mouth slanted over hers again, and his hands slipped beneath her to lift her against him so she was pinioned between the wall and himself, guiding her legs around him for balance. A fleeting thought ran though her mind that she should be thankful that she’d worn a skirt, today, and her arms slid around his shoulders as a soft moan escaped her lips when he pressed his pelvis against her, firmly.

Draco slid one hand along the outside of her thigh, groaning, half to himself, when he realized she wasn’t wearing pantyhose… stockings… the woman was wearing stockings, with garters. Merlin, was she trying to drive him crazy, or was it just dumb luck…? His long fingers were drifting along the edges of her stockings and poised to move further beneath her skirt, when he heard the doorknob to her office rattle through his hazed passion. Cursing himself for not locking it before they’d started eating, he quickly, but carefully, let her down and stepped back to adjust his tie and run a hand through his tousled hair.

Hermione smoothed down her skirt and tucked a few loose curls behind her ears as her assistant entered her office without notice, as she normally did, to let her know that someone was outside to see her. Maeve wisely said nothing of the mussed looking couple and simply murmured her message before leaving as swiftly as she’d come.

“I’ll leave you to your visitor,” Draco stated, heading for the door to her office. Once there, he turned and offered a slight smirk. “See you at home.” And, with that, he was gone. Hermione sank to the edge of her office chair, breathlessly, and did her utmost to shake off the shivery need he’d aroused in her before she invited her visitor in to chat and couldn’t help but wonder if this would be a daily occurrence…

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Later, Hermione set her shoulder bag and purse on a side table in the hallway of Malfoy Manor and started to climb the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Draco. Once there, her plan was to change into something a bit more comfortable and spend the afternoon on some of the work she felt she’d been getting a bit behind on. In the bedroom, Hermione pulled the jacket she’d been wearing off her shoulders, hung it up in the wardrobe, and had just shifted her weight to kick off a shoe when she heard a soft voice by her ear.

“Leave them on,” Draco ordered, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling through the curls at the base of her throat. “I intend to finish what we started in your office…” Without another word, he turned her bodily, pushed her back against the dressing room wall and had her lifted by her hips and back into the same position they’d been in when her assistant had interrupted them, earlier. Draco used his free hand to unhook the top three buttons of her blouse, tugging it open just enough to let the scalloped, lacy edges of her bra peek over as he pressed light kisses along her jaw and throat. Wedged against the wall as she was, Hermione was slightly higher than Draco which made it easy for him to switch his attention to her breasts and he gently laved his tongue over one sensitive, lace covered nipple.

Her arms tightened around his neck and his ministrations continued as he reached down between them to fumble with the fastenings of his trousers. Once he was free of them, he slid his hands up the outside of her thighs, gathering the material of her skirt along with them as high as her waist. Doing so made his fingers brush along the tops of the stockings he noticed, earlier, and they only served to sharpen his desire. The same hand slid between Hermione’s spread legs to stroke, firmly, along the edges of her underwear, making her shift, restlessly. Once Draco was sure she was quite willing, he tugged the garment aside and, surprising Hermione considerably, slid himself inside her, very slowly and deliberately.

Once he was deeply embedded, he stilled, continuing to press soft, dry kisses on her jaw up toward her ear, trailing his fingers over the elastic band of the stockings she wore and up the garter strings to the sensitive skin along her hip.

“By Merlin, these are sexy…” he whispered into her ear, the tip of his tongue darting out to touch a soft spot just below. “What made you wear them, today….?” Hermione swallowed, hard.

“I always wear them when I’m wearing a skirt… they’re much more comfortable than pantyhose…” Draco pressed forward, violently, making Hermione gasp in shocked pleasure, and then stilled again, content to tease her with his free hand and mouth.

“If I’d have known you wore them all the time, I’d have seduced you long before now… just thinking about them kept me hard all day…” he growled out. She barely had time to register his words before he began to thrust forward, powerfully, belying his earlier gentleness and Hermione might have cried out at the sudden onslaught of sensation if Draco hadn’t forced her mouth down to his in a brutal kiss. It was only a few thrusts later that Hermione felt the warmth of his seed and she fidgeted, restlessly, having not achieved her own climax.

Draco’s movements lost intensity and his mouth teased over hers, lightly, nipping and catching her lower lip between his teeth. He was fully aware that she hadn’t come, yet, and just barely shifted his hips in response to her impatience. He repositioned her against him, so that he was bearing the brunt of her weight, and turned, carrying her towards their bed, still intimately connected. When they reached it, he pushed his trousers completely off his legs, lowered her back to the soft coverlet and then sat back just enough to help her remove the rest of her clothing. The skirt proved to be a challenge, but with some flexibility, they were successful and once she helped him tug his shirt off, she leaned to one side to start rolling one of her stockings down her thigh, but he caught her hand and pressed her back to the bed, keeping the hand imprisoned in his.

“Leave it,” he directed as his hips shifted, stroking deeply inside her. However, where the last coupling had been powerful and rough, this time Draco was tender, rocking his hips against hers, gently, as he nuzzled her lips with his, taking light sipping kisses between her soft sighs. He was slow and thorough, letting the pressure building between them, slowly, rather than allowing it to overtake them, quickly. Finally, the tightness that had been building swelled and Hermione moaned, faintly, as she contracted around him, sharply. Draco slowed even more, letting her orgasm trigger his own with a low hiss of his breath and then settled, resting his full weight on her and burrowing against her throat.

After several moments, Draco realized that one of Hermione’s hands was stroking along his back, soothingly. He lifted his head just enough to caress her cheek with his for a moment, then a bit further to rest a chaste kiss on her forehead before pulling from her arms, completely. He pulled her gently to her rather shaky feet and then moved toward their bathroom to clean up while Hermione slid into her robe and considered whether or not she had time to work on her files before dinner.

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That night, Draco entered their room, tying off his pajama bottoms, distractedly, only to find her already curled beneath the covers, dozing. Quietly, he padded toward the bed and slid between the covers next to her. As he settled, pulling the covers up around them, Hermione stirred and opened her eyes. After stretching, sleepily, she automatically sat up to start tugging off her nightgown, but Draco caught her hands and pulled her, gently, back down to face him. From there he gathered her to him, tucking her into the curve of his body, and rested his cheek against her forehead.

Hermione, while confused, was far too tired to question his odd behavior and felt perfectly content to curl against him and drift back to sleep while Draco listened to her breathing until he, himself, fell asleep.

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Well, I’m not entirely sure that I like how this chapter turned out, especially the end, but I needed more insight into the particulars of their marriage before I could start commenting on it in a general way, which I plan to do in the next chapter.

I hope you enjoyed it and I promise I’ll try to update sooner, this time! Review if you haven't, already, or would like to otherwise comment.

~§~ Duchess ~§~