Hermione felt the pounding in her ears again. She would see him for the first time since the Great Hall, gaunt and stricken at the Slytherin table with his mother clutching his arm. She hadn't meant to look for him. Not in the corridors, not beneath the white sheets of the fallen, not on the way to the Chamber of Secrets with Ron, but she was a stupid girl.

Hermione, now in her mid-20s, is back at Hogwarts to pursue higher education. Trying to forget the trauma carved into her by the war, she spends one lust-filled night with a certain pureblood. But that night will have consequences. While her personal life unravels, a string of mysterious murders forces her to work together with Draco Malfoy, who himself seems to carry many secrets. "He scared her. Not because he wielded killing curses like they were nothing, but because he seemed to understand her in a way that even she didn't. The more she let him in, the more power he had to destroy her." Come for the smut, stay for the plot. Read if you like: - Murder mystery - Dark Arts - Hurt/ Comfort - Hermione and Draco both deal with PTSD - Angst, so much angst ‼️‼️NOT MY STORY!! ALL CREDITS TO @slytherin_after_dark ON A03!!

"You're a good friend, Hermione." She narrowed her eyes at him. "So we're on a first-name basis now?" He shrugged. "I feel it's only fair after spending every moment of our free time in a lab together. Also," he scratched at his chin in thought, "I'm pretty sure you're dating my best mate." Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OR WORLD, those belong to J.K. Rowling. I am writing this for fun, and for no monetary gain.

Please note this is not my book this book belongs to Onyx_and_Elm