The Wedding Rings

Chapter 1: The Addiction

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. The ring felt heavy around her finger and she automatically balled her left hand into a fist, exhaling slowly. She knew that this was wrong. She knew that she was risking everything because of this, but she couldn't stop it. A lump in her throat was getting bigger and for a moment she thought about turning around and ending it, but it was impossible. He made it impossible.

"Granger," he smirked.

"It's Weasley," she muttered and shot him a look of annoyance. She had always hoped that him calling her like that would make her snap out of it. It never did.

He raised one golden eyebrow and cocked his head to the side a bit, "No, Granger's fine."

You see, Hermione Granger had always been responsible, even when she was a child. She knew how to distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, fair from unfair. As a hardworking student she had always been at the top of her class, always number one, always the example child. She pushed herself through Hogwarts, hungrily taking in all the knowledge so she could be an even better person – perfect, you could say. So, how did this happen? How did someone like him manage to ruin her accomplishments like that, make her doubt herself over the simplest things, make her feel as if she had somehow betrayed her old self?

He was like a drug. And she meant it literally. She would often see, back in her Head Girl days, what Pixie Dust did to students. The stress of the exams would catch up and they would buy huge amounts of it, hoping it would help, begging her not to confiscate it. Of course, she always did. But she never knew why. Why would anyone let their body be consumed by something so much, that they crave it? Need it.

She almost smiled. The answer was right in front of her. Staring at her with those piercing gray eyes, hands clasped behind his back, a smirk on his lips. He was everywhere. In her mind, body and soul. It was as if she was addicted and couldn't get enough. His scent was on her clothes – masculine, strong, demanding. It didn't want to leave her alone. At that point, she wasn't even sure she wanted it to leave. It unnerved her.

"I'm just... " she paused when he took a step forward, his lower lip tucked under his perfect white upper teeth. He looked hungry.

"Spare me, I know why you're here again."

Her eyes narrowed and she raised her chin, "I'd advise you to behave, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood for games an-" she swallowed the rest of the line when he took another step forward, her breathing disrupted now. It was unnerving, what he did to her. She had thought about putting a stop to it many a time, but it never happened.

One more step and he was right in front of her, too close for her to think properly. He was taller than her, her head barely reaching his shoulders. She looked up at him and brought her hands up, putting them on his chest. They felt solid and firm, and it made her shiver in anticipation.

"Granger," he started, his hands on either side of her head. He bent down a bit, his lips next to her ear.

"I'm sure you're having a guilt attack right now, but I couldn't give a fuck."

She made a noise in the back of her throat and opened her mouth to snap at him, but his long index finger suddenly pressed itself against her lips.

"Shhh, let's not go through this again," he whispered a bit forcefully, his lower body slamming into hers suddenly. She let out a yelp and wiggled a bit, her back pressed too hard against the door.

"You and I know perfectly well that this won't stop, Granger." His lips slid from her ear to her neck and he let them hover there on purpose, his breath making her skin break out in goosebumps. "Whether you're with Weasley or not, you cannot let go of this. I make you crave me, I give you what you've never had before and you need me."