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He looked up at her, "A bit dark don't you think, especially for children." |
"Well, yes but that story is one of the reasons we were able to defeat old Voldy and Hermione figured it out before anyone else," Harry said. Harry picked up a sleeping Albus. Ginny followed behind him carrying their jackets. Draco picked up Rose, who had also fallen asleep, and followed Hermione out the door. He took his jacket from Hermione and draped it over Rose to protect her from the cold night air. Molly and Arthur walked with them down the path outside the wards. They all said goodnight as they disapparated from the Burrow. |
"What did you talk to the Weasleys about while I was distracting the children?" Draco asked after they tucked Rose into her bed. |
Hermione looked up at him as they walked across the landing to their rooms, "Visiting with Rose mostly. I invited them over for a picnic next weekend." |
"How are they taking the separation? Are they going to give you a hard time over wanting a divorce?" Draco asked. |
Hermione leaned against the doorjamb to her room, "They're hurt, like everyone else, but Molly accepts that I shouldn't have to accept that sort of behavior from anyone. I didn't tell them everything though. Ginny was glaring at me to tell them but I just couldn't do it. We were having such a good evening with them and I didn't want to ruin it." |
Pictures of them standing outside the Burrow appeared in the paper the next day. Draco's platinum blonde hair stood out amidst all the red and brown. Rose's head peaked out over Draco's jacket. Hermione stood at his side hugging Molly while Draco shook Arthur's hand. |
"How do they manage to take a bloody picture without us seeing a flash? It was dark outside." Draco asked. He handed the paper to Hermione. |
"Whoever they are, they're good. They've taken plenty of pictures without us knowing anyone is there. Who knew were going to the Burrow for dinner?" Hermione asked. |
"No one that would say anything." Draco answered. |
"We're being followed then," Hermione concluded. |
Dancing at the Dragon's Den |
Halloween and November 1st |
"Would you like to go out dancing?" Draco asked nonchalantly as he and Hermione finished dinner. Rose was spending Halloween at the Burrow with her grandparents and Albus. |
"That sounds like fun," Hermione responded. Draco thought he caught a glint of anticipation in her eye. |
He smiled at her expression and thought that maybe she was looking forward to having a little fun, "Go get changed. Mother brought something by for you." |
She disappeared up the stairs and into her room. He followed behind her and went to get ready as well. He came down wearing a navy blazer with a light gray dress shirt, the top two buttons unbuttoned. He was waiting for her in the foyer when she came down the stairs in the dress his mother bought for her. He gaped at the sight of her as she glided down the stairs with one hand lightly brushing across the banister. |
The dress was a cobalt blue, one shoulder, sheath dress that ended just above her knees with a slit up the side to mid-thigh. The dress was fitted to accentuate her curves and it fit her like a glove. The heels that went with it were a pair of matching blue stilettos. Her hair was pulled up in a loose chignon to show off her slender neck. |
"Wow!" he exclaimed, "You look..." he fumbled for words, completely stunned, "Just...wow!" |
He took her hand and spun her around slowly so he could admire her from every angle. She was stunning. She took his breath away. She smiled up at him but didn't say anything as she let him twirl her around. |
He held onto her hand as he apparated them to the Dragon's Den. Draco wrapped an arm her around the waist. "Close your eyes," he murmured as he guided her inside once she had closed her eyes, "Now open." |
"Surprise!" The dance floor of the club was full of their friends with drinks in hand. Harry and Ginny were there, the Snakes, Luna, even Neville and Hannah had come from Hogsmeade. Jack-o-lanterns floated around the room. |
Ginny came up to them with shots of firewhiskey. "Let's start this Halloween party out right," she hollered, "You look fucking hot, Hermione!" |
Hermione blushed, took the shot from Ginny, and slammed it back. Ginny hugged Hermione and Draco in greeting before wandering back over to Harry. |
"I think we should make a game of this. Every time someone tells you you're hot, you have to take a shot," Draco said quietly after Ginny walked away. He'd noticed she hadn't said anything when he and Ginny had complimented her. |
"I'll play if you will. You can't tell people though," Hermione laughed up at him. |
"Agreed," Draco replied without hesitation. |
"Are there any stakes to this game of yours?" she asked. |
"Not this time. Let's just do it for fun since we're both taking shots for the same thing. We're going to be trashed by the time tonight is over," he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "You are so fucking hot." |
"Draco, it doesn't count if you say it," Hermione protested, smacking him on the arm. |
"We didn't agree to that. You said I couldn't tell anyone, not that I couldn't say it," he smirked down at her. |
"Just like a Slytherin," she said, rolling her eyes at him. |
He snagged two shot glasses from a passing waiter. "Drink up, lioness!" He handed her a shot and drank his down. |
Draco and Hermione circulated the room, greeting people, his hand never leaving her waist. Hermione glowed with all the attention. The Snakes came up to them en masse. |
"Hermione, Happy Halloween! I love that dress. You look hot!" Daphne said, hugging Hermione. |
"Happy Birthday! That dress is very flattering on you. It compliments you nicely," said Tracey, also hugging Hermione. |
"Compliments her nicely? She's fucking hot. Where were you hiding all of that?" Helena gestured at Hermione, "Happy Halloween, dear," she said kissing her on both cheeks. |
Theo, Blaise, and Greg hugged Hermione. Draco noticed their gazes sweep down her but they refrained from saying anything to Hermione about her appearance. |
Draco stopped a passing waiter, handed her two shots, handed some around to the rest of the group, and took two himself. "To Hermione," he toasted and the rest of the group cheered, "To Hermione!" |
"Why are we toasting me?" Hermione asked as she drank her shots down. |
"Because you wouldn't let me throw you a birthday party when everyone wanted to be with you to celebrate your special day. So we got together to celebrate Halloween with you," Draco answered her. |
The band started playing. Draco grabbed Hermione's hand and led her or onto the dance floor. "Come on, I promised you dancing and no one will start dancing until you do." He spun her around on the dance floor. She laughed up at him, the alcohol helping her let go. Other couples joined them on the dance floor. Somehow the dancing morphed into who could come up with the most ridiculous dance. By the time the song ended, they were all laughing hysterically. |
After the song ended, he led her away to talk to Harry, Ginny, Neville, Hannah, and Luna. She already drunk four and he owed her three more shots after the girls were through with her. He was actually starting to worry a little bit about their game. Seven shots were a bit much for the both of them. |
The waiter arrived and Draco handed her three shots. Harry raised his glass to her, "Happy late birthday, Hermione. You've had a hell of a time the last couple of months and here you stand. To Hermione!" |
Hermione drank her shots and hugged Harry. She told Draco that she wanted to thank everyone for coming. He signaled for the band to stop after they finished their song. Draco led her to the stage, handed her the microphone, and stepped away. The waiter circulated the room, handing shots to everyone. |
While she was waiting for everyone to quiet down, Luna walked up to him. "I'm rather glad you've finally stopped fighting it. You two were taking forever. I wonder if this little party will end up in the paper tomorrow," she said in her typical dreamy voice. |
Draco looked down at the strange woman and answered her, "The club is closed tonight. No press, no cameras, just friends having fun," choosing to ignore her other comments. |
"That's good," Luna said in a singsong voice. She wandered off into the crowd, leaving Draco standing there looking bemused. Conversations with Luna were always interesting. |
"I want to thank you all for coming out tonight to celebrate Halloween and my late birthday with me," Hermione started, "We've all walked a long journey the last fifteen years. Loved and lost. Lost ourselves and were remade stronger. Found traits inside ourselves we never knew we had. Became better people than we thought we were. I want to thank you all for your support during the difficult time I've gone through. Draco, I want to thank you for saving me that day, for your support and compassion, for your protection, and for reminding me of who I am. You walked with me through the fire and helped me come out a stronger, better witch. To Draco! To good friends!" She lifted her glass to him and drunk, her eyes never leaving his. |
The party cheered and drank their shots down. The band played a slow song and she drug him onto the dance floor once again. She slipped her hands inside his jacket and ran them up his chest before she laced them around his neck. He threw his head back and closed his eyes as her hands travelled up. The smooth glide of her hands against him was exquisite torture. He pulled her flush against him, his hands tight on her waist, trying to keep himself reined in and not go exploring here on the dance floor in front of their friends. |
"That was some speech," he said quietly to her, swaying with the music, "You didn't have to thank me though." |
The smiled a little drunkenly up at him, "I did. I meant it. I wouldn't be here without you." |
He tried to look at her seriously, but he had a feeling he had a drunkenly, goofy grin on his face, "You could've done it on your own, but I would walk through a thousand fires with you. I would take every curse and hex thrown at you. Anything to keep you safe and happy." |
"I know," she answered simply. She laid her head on his chest as they finished dancing to the song. |
The song ended and Tracy and Daphne pulled her away to dance the next song with them. All the ladies danced in a group together and looked like they were deliberately trying to drive their men wild. Draco stood leaning against the bar with Theo, Blaise, and Greg watching them. Harry and Neville joined them, watching the ladies. Hermione was gyrating along with the rest of them. Ginny smacked her ass at one point. He couldn't wait to get his hands back on her. |
"Merlin, that is so hot," Blaise exclaimed, "Have I said how much I like these little outings? By the way, Hermione is looking good! I didn't want to say it in front of Tracey because I love my wife and I also love keeping my balls attached and in working order." Blaise kept his eyes on his wife in dancing in her little black dress. |
"I think I'm going to take Daphne home after this and spank her for teasing me like this," Theo said, watching Daphne dance with Ginny. |
"Later," Draco said, "I think we should reward them first. Get it a little hotter in here. You all ran off the last time before we could fan the flames." |
"You weren't complaining too much if that dance across the paper was any indication," Harry said, teasing him. |
The band played a bump and grind song next and Draco pulled Hermione roughly into his arms. He had his hands on the small of her back. They swayed their hips back and forth to the beat. He thought she was deliberately trying to drive him crazy as she rocked up against him. He stared down at her through half closed lids. She rubbed up against him once more and looked up at him with a mischievous grin. She spun around so her back was to his front. He put his hands at her hips and pulled her back to him, rolling his hips against her. |
She started rotating her hips, grinding her ass deliberately against him. He had to bite his lip to stifle the moan that threatened to escape. She leaned her head back against his chest as they moved together. He wrapped an arm around her just under her breasts. He ran his free hand lightly down her bared neck and shoulder. She reached her hand back and touched his face. He turned into it and kissed the palm of her hand. She swayed her hips with his grinding against him. |
"You're so sexy. You're driving me crazy," he growled low in her ear, rocking his hips up against her. |
"It's just the dress and alcohol getting to your brain," Hermione answered him dismissively, swaying back against him. |
He let his hands wander down the curves of her sides as they swayed against one another, "The dress just accentuates the beauty wearing it. I may be drunk but I know a beautiful body when it's rubbing up against me." He thrust against her again. "Do you feel how much I desire you? That's not alcohol or a pretty dress. That's desire for the beautiful, smart, courageous witch here in my arms." |
"Draco, I want you," she arched and moaned against him, "I'm just afraid it's too soon." |
What was left of his functioning brainpower jumped in jubilation at her words. "I'm not telling you we have to do anything about this right now. That you want me is enough." |
The song ended and Ginny pulled Hermione away to make a trip to the restroom. Harry walked up to him as he watched them walk off. Hermione threw a look back at him full of heat and promise. |
"What is it about girls going off to the ladies room in packs?" Draco asked, looking over at Harry. |
Harry looked at him seriously, "Probably to ask her what's going on between the two of you. It was getting pretty hot and heavy out there." |
"If this is the part where you question my intentions, save it," Draco responded curtly, glaring at Harry. |
Harry poked him in the chest, "Just so it's said, I'll kick your ass if you hurt her." |
Draco swatted at his hand impatiently, "Same as you did to Ron?" Draco retorted. He knew very well that Harry hadn't done more than yell at Ron for his actions. |
Harry had the decency to look ashamed, "Touché." |
"If your wife ruins this party for her, I'm holding you responsible," Draco threatened, poking Harry back. |
Harry nodded and then looked at him seriously, "Duly noted. Just so you know, I'm not going to stand in your way if you two want to be together. You're good for her and she seems happy with you. I saw how you were with Rose at dinner at the Burrow. You're a good father, probably better than Ron ever was as much as it pains me to say that about my best friend." |
Draco nodded his thanks to Harry. Harry was the closest thing Hermione had to a brother and his easy acceptance of them would make it easier for them when she was finally ready for a relationship with him. Hermione came back with Ginny from the ladies room. She didn't look mad or upset so he supposed the interrogation went well. |
"Ready for cake?" he asked. Food and water would probably be a good idea. |
A two-tiered cake with candles was wheeled in. They all sung happy birthday to her even though it was Halloween. "Make a wish," he said. She blew out the candles. The waiter cut slices of cake and he grabbed a slice from each tier and offered them to her. "We've got chocolate and strawberry." |
She plucked the plate with the chocolate slice away from him. He laughed at her greediness for the chocolate. They sat down at a table to eat. He handed her a bottle of water and insisted she drink some. |
"Do you like strawberries?" he asked. At her nod, he cut a bite onto his fork and held it out to her. "Here try a bite." |
He watched entranced as she wrapped her lips around his fork. He pulled the fork away and she moaned at the taste of the strawberry cake. She held out her own fork to him with a bite of her chocolate cake on it. She reached a finger out and wiped away some frosting from the corner of his mouth then licked it off her finger. They sat that way, eating their own slices and feeding each other occasional bits of cake, sharing heated looks as they fed each other. |
They danced, drank, and had fun with their friends until two in the morning. They had to take the Floo home and the bartender had to call out the location before they stepped in the fireplace since slurring their location might have disastrous results. They stumbled up the stairs, supporting one another and laughing, and fell into their separate beds. |
They woke up late the next morning and stumbled downstairs together, both holding their heads and grumbling about hangovers. Tansy left vials of hangover cure next to their places at the table. "Bless that elf!" Hermione said as she drunk hers down. |
The gossip column was covered in pictures of them. Prominent along them was the picture of them grinding on the dance floor. They had captured the moment when he had kissed her palm. Her head was thrown back against him, body arched, eyes half closed, slightly parted lips. His head was turned into her hand at his face, eyes closed, arm banded just under her chest. |
"How bad is it?" she asked. He had been staring at the pictures transfixed for a while. He handed the paper to her wordlessly. |
"That's what we looked like," she said in astonishment, "No wonder Ginny asked if we were sleeping together. Did you see the photographer?" she asked, looking up from the paper at him before looking back down at the paper. |
He laughed a little at her question and answered drily, "I think I was a little distracted at that particular moment and I probably wouldn't have been able to muster a brain cell to care. The club was closed though. No one should have been in there to take pictures." He saw her run her fingers lightly across the pictures. |
It was by far his favorite picture of them. He just wished it hadn't been splayed across the paper like something tawdry. |
They spent the rest of the day relaxing and recovering from the night before. Hermione apparated to the school to pick up Rose at the end of the school day. Rose played on the floor in the study while he and Hermione curled up on the couch together, reading. |
His mother surprised them by coming over in the afternoon for tea. He expected a lecture about the pictures in the paper, but she just smiled at him. Surely being caught grinding on a dance floor with a woman, even if it was Hermione, necessitated a lecture about proper behavior. This was odd for his mother. |
They all sat down in the drawing room. Hermione and his mother shared the couch. He took up an armchair close to Hermione. They sat there together talking about nothing, drinking tea. |
Rose sat coloring with them. She got up and left after a while, then came back with a stack of books and set them on the table beside him. She held out a book to him. "Will you read to me please?" she asked as she crawled up in his lap, not bothering to wait for an answer. |
Hermione and his mother were still talking, but so quietly he couldn't hear. Halfway through the third book, Rose fell asleep against him. He set the book down feeling his own eyelids droop. The murmured voices of Hermione and his mother soothed him to sleep. |
He woke slowly a little while later. He thought he heard his name and he came to the realization that his mother and Hermione were talking about him. Curious, he kept his breathing steady and his eyes closed. Rose was still curled up in his lap. He could feel her little hands fisted in his t-shirt. |
"Draco used to do that with Scorpius. I would come over and find the two of them curled up asleep in a chair and a stack of books on the table," he heard his mother say. |
"He's good with her. He plays with her, reads to her, and listens to all her stories. He's even taught her to ride a broom. If he's like that with her, I can only imagine what he was like with Scorpius at that age," Hermione said. |
"He's probably pretty similar. I would imagine he's kept himself from going into full on daddy mode to be respectful to you. You two seem to be getting on well. Did you have fun last night?" his mother asked blandly. |
"Loads. Probably best birthday slash Halloween party ever," Hermione enthused, then asked, "Are you going to ask what's going on between us too?" |
"No. Who asked you that?" |
"Ginny. Shortly after that picture was taken. She said she was surprised that I had moved on so soon. I told her that when I moved and with whom was none of her business," Hermione said firmly. |
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