Slow Grenade

Chapter Forty

Hermione had a tendency to detach herself from difficult moments and go into 'planning mode'; which was how she ended up leant against Draco, scribbling in a notebook, unaware that he would rather think about almost anything else.

"If you are quite done brainstorming ideas for 'how to kill but not actually kill Dumbledore'", he said eventually, "could we please stop for a while."

She looked at him consideringly, there were still numerous things they hadn't discussed yet but, she could appreciate his request.

A familiar heat crept into her cheeks as her mind drifted to ways she might be able to distract him. This did not go unnoticed.

It wasn't fantastic timing, she thought, as Draco lowered them to the ground, his body covering hers, but it had been a long summer...

"Granger," he growled, his breath hot against her ear, "stop thinking."

Hermione pushed her lips roughly against his, biting his bottom lip, suddenly feeling a desperate need to be as close to him as possible. His hand slipped up her skirt and cupped her core, he swallowed her moan. Pushing aside the damp material he slid one finger and then another inside her.

She grappled with his shirt, tearing at the buttons as he pumped in and out of her, the pad of his thumb rubbing her clit. He took one hand off her breast to pull his arm free from the sleeve, and instantly realised his mistake. Hermione had stilled, her eyes wide.

There, branded into his skin, was the Dark Mark.

Obviously, she had known it was there. He had told her just a few hours ago, but seeing it felt different, real. Now she couldn't pretend that what Draco had gone through was simply an awful dream.

He burned with shame and turned away from her, whispering, "I'm sorry."

Recovering quickly, Hermione sat up facing him and pulled the rest of his shirt off. She took his left arm in her hands and covered the mark with kisses.

"He doesn't get to make you feel like you've done something wrong," she told him. "What this mark really represents is the love you have for your family and the sacrifices you're willing to make to keep them safe."

Draco pulled her against him, his lips seizing hers. They kissed slowly and deeply, the frantic energy from earlier was gone. Hermione wanted every movement she made to convey how much she loved him.

Moving to lie on the sofa – which had, again, kindly expanded – they unhurriedly removed their remaining articles of clothing. She ran her fingers down his back, wondering at how toned he felt.

He pinned her down, attempting to kiss every part of her, sucking at her pulse points. A low groan tore from his throat as his hips positioned themselves perfectly between her thighs and heat pooled in her abdomen. He pressed his hard length against her core, and she whined involuntarily.

"Draco, please," Hermione swallowed. "I want you."

"Are – are you sure?" he rasped.

"Yes, yes."

He slid his hand slowly down her torso, to the apex of her thighs. Whimpering, she pushed her hips towards him as he stroked her slowly, testing her wetness, finger trailing along her slit.

"Please," she begged.

"Tell me, if it hurts?"

She nodded.

He ran his eyes over her, committing each curve to memory. Gently nudging her legs further apart, his body trembled as he aligned himself to her. Draco groaned as he pushed inside. He waited for her to adjust to the feeling of him before continuing.

Hermione's face flicked with discomfort and he froze. "I'm okay," she whispered. "Don't stop."

Claiming his mouth again, she ran her tongue along his bottom lip, and he thrust further; shuddering as he finally bottomed out, his pelvis flush against hers. He moved slowly, making her groan in anticipation, pulling back an inch and then pushing into her again.

"Hermione," he gasped, lengthening to long, slow strokes.

She whimpered, her legs beginning to tremble. "Faster, please."

His breathing hitched as he increased his pace, trailing kisses and nips along her skin, marking her. His gaze caught on her breasts as they bounced in time with his thrusts and he dipped his head to capture her hard nipple in his mouth.

The tension in her core wound steadily tighter, her back arched, and she kissed him furiously. Draco's hand slipped between them to circle her clit. It pushed her over the edge, and she came apart in his arms, her walls clenching tightly around him.

He panted into her neck, his hands gripping her hips as he pumped hard and fast. His cock pulsed in time with her lingering aftershocks and he poured himself into her. He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily, and Hermione pulled him close.

"I love you."

They lay pressed together for a long time, basking in the afterglow of the experience they had shared. Cocooned in this way, it was easy to forget the world around them.

Halfway through October came Hermione, Harry, and Ron's first trip of the term to Hogsmeade. It had, however, been a fairly dismal afternoon as they battled their way through sleet and bitterly cold winds to arrive at boarded up shops and an overcrowded Three Broomsticks.

On their way back to the castle, it had only gotten worse. Katie Bell and her friend Leanne were arguing about something Katie was holding in her hands. They fought over the package which lead to the Gryffindor Chaser rising into the air, her arms outstretched, as though she were about to fly. Her hair was whipped around her by the fierce wind and she let out a terrible scream.

Harry had gone for help and ran back with Hagrid, who lifted Katie into his arms and rushed towards the school.

Hermione crouched down, an ornate opal necklace was visible, poking out of the brown paper packaging.

"I've seen that before," said Harry, staring at the thing. "It was in a case at Borgin and Burkes four years ago, Malfoy knows about it. This is what he was buying that day when we followed him. He remembered it and went back for it!"

A cold shiver passed through Hermione as she, yet again, prayed Harry was wrong.