From Wiltshire, With Love

Chapter 24

Strip for me.

I already did.

Do it again. I only saw your arse last time.

Wanker.

And one breast.

...

Sodding. Wanker.

You seem upset.

What do I get in return for this striptease?

Meet with me now and I'll show you.

You're all bluster.

Say that again when I'm balls deep inside you.

Typical. No finesse at all.

Low expectations from previous experience?

Realistic expectations from current experience.

~

Hermione watched Malfoy stalk angrily across her room, shooting her the occasional glare and punctuating his words with an index finger in her direction. She was nervous, but preferred him when he was angry and yelling at her. Their last meeting had left her breathless, worried and embarrassingly worked up after he threatened to... She still didn't know exactly what that was.

Threatening snogging? Dangerous making-out? She felt a warmth between her legs just remembering how close he had been. She was terrified he'd kiss her. Terrified and then... disappointed that he hadn't.

This was all so wrong.

"You've captured two Inner Circle members with no losses and I know for a fact that several of our operations were fucked up because of knowledge you got from them. Not to mention what you learned from Dolohov because I told you about the Veritaserum, and that Scarhead hasn't had his stupid arse captured from the taboo."

Despite her efforts to appear apathetic, Malfoy knew his value as a spy. He was too intelligent to believe otherwise. Striding back and forth gave him the appearance of a predatory cat, like a tiger.

"I gave you that fucking blood, knew about the raid, and everything went smoothly. That's not a demonstration of trust?"

He had a point. But she hadn't told anyone that he knew of the raid. A lie by omission that came back to bite her in the arse in a way she hadn't predicted.

Malfoy reared on her. "I want an Unbreakable Vow for the pardons and I want it now, Granger. What is the hold up?"

Hermione had to come up with something to assuage him, but she didn't know what. Maybe Kingsley would give in, at least for him and his mother, if he understood that Malfoy was close to breaking their arrangement. She'd have to tell him and Tonks about her agreement for the blood though. A conversation she wasn't looking forward to having.

At all.

"Will you accept a promise without an Unbreakable Vow?" she offered.

Pathetic.

In response to her question, he shot her a look of such incredible disdain that if she wouldn't have witnessed how much he'd changed personally, she would have expected him to follow up by insulting her blood status next.

"Do I know even know this person?"

"I guess it's possible."

He definitely did. If Malfoy was helping his father grapple with the Ministry, he probably interacted with Kingsley quite regularly. It was highly dangerous for Malfoy to know of Kingsley's involvement even if he could be trusted with that information. Even if he was an excellent Occlumens.