Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, GOD!
They had done it again. They had really done it again. It was no longer a crazy one night fluke, now it had happened twice, making it a pattern.
Sleeping with Malfoy was a pattern.
Oh, God.
Hermione was horrified. She was horrified that she had done it again – and been so wickedabout it too – and she was also quite horrified that she was now feeling giddy. Giddy, of all things. It must be the Peeves incident still affecting her.
Yet, even though the thought of Malfoy's face, as Peeves hit him with the slime-balloon, still made her giggle, she knew that wasn't the reason. She was giddy because she couldn't help herself but feel extremely pleased about what had happened. It was sick and twisted, she knew, and she tried quelling the feeling, but to no avail.
Sleeping with Malfoy was a tremendous ego boost. It wasn't that he lied to get her into bed (or desk, or closet, or bath) – it was very obvious that he didn't. He wasn't smart enough to be that devious. Every time he made a concession to wanting her, he seemed slightly resentful at the thought, and he clearly hadn't wanted to let her know that he didn't find Pansy appealing anymore.
That revelation alone she could live on for the rest of the year. Pansy with her crowd of Pansettes, always thinking she was so much better and yet – who was it Pansy's boyfriend turned to for passionate encounters?
Hermione knew she was smirking but was unable to help herself.
She was quite perky by the time she reached Defense Against the Dark Arts and happily ignored Harry and Ron's disgusted looks.
"It figures," Ron moaned. "She's happy to make it in time for this class. Doesn't know a good opportunity when she sees one."
"Oh, shut up, Ron," she cheerfully replied. "If I weren't here, whose notes would you copy?"
The only reply was a low grumble.
"Malfoy is probably milking it for all it's worth," Harry said. "I bet nobody sees him before lunch."
Hermione giggled again and was on the receiving end of another couple of appalled looks, which made her feel a little guilty. "Oh, come on," she said. "He did get pretty mucked up, didn't he? And since when are you sorry to not see him around?"
Just then Professor Snape came billowing in, fortunately cutting her friends off from whatever they were about to say.
Harry was right. Nobody did see Malfoy before lunch. Hermione might not have noticed him then either, if it hadn't been for the whispers and sniggering. As it was, however, she looked up, saw his annoyed frown and slightly pink cheeks, and began chuckling again. He had really had this day coming for a long, long time.
As if alerted to her presence, he looked straight at her, his eyes darkening with something other than anger, before he looked away and went to sit with his friends. Pansy, she noticed, didn't look too happy about the sort of attention he brought with him that day. Well, that was just too bad for her, wasn't it?
A few days passed without incident again. Sometimes Hermione would look up and catch Malfoy looking thoughtfully at her, but he made no attempt to approach her, and during the weekend they had no reason to be around the same places – except at meals, which hardly counted.
Malfoy still sneered and baited Ron and Harry, but, for the most part, he seemed to pretend that Hermione was beneath his notice. It was amusing in its own way, as he had been baiting her for so long that his sudden change of policy seemed rather abrupt. He was acting odd in so many other ways, however, that nobody put two and two together.
On Saturday, he even called in sick for the opening Quidditch match, making Harry extremely suspicious. Hermione tried suggesting that he might have actually been sick, but all she got for her efforts was a dirty look.
On Monday, Hermione went to Potions early and sat down on a carved-out stone bench near the classroom to get a head start on her Arithmancy homework. She had managed to forget how cold the dungeons could be in November, though, and the floor was drafty. She remedied that by pulling up her legs and placing her feet on the bench, which also enabled her to use her thighs as a rest for the book. She was happily sitting there, reading and scribbling down notes, when she heard someone drop their books. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Malfoy.
"Tonight," he mumbled, pretending to collect his books. Ah, so that was what this was about.
"I can't," she replied just as curtly.
"Why not?" He seemed wary.
"I have plans." She actually did. She had prefect duties. Of course, he needn't know that they wouldn't take all night.
"Cancel them."
"I can't."
He sighed irritably. "Fine. Tomorrow, then."
"Can't."
"Cancel!"
"No." Hermione was actually enjoying this and couldn't keep from smiling at her notes.
Malfoy dropped the pretense, snapping up his books and standing up to look down on her. "When, then?"
She gave the appearance of giving this some thought. "Next Thursday?"
His eyes glittered angrily and she expected him to object, but he surprised her. "Fine," he gritted out. "Meet me at the statue of Lachlan on 7th floor at ten." He walked on but stopped after a few steps. "Oh, and Granger?"
"Yes?"
"Don't be late." He walked away, and she was left feeling a little disappointed that he hadn't pushed her for a sooner meeting, yet at the same time giddy again and aware that she had made an important point.
"Don't be late for what?" a well-known voice asked, and Hermione banged her head into the wall as she jumped.
"Ow! Ron! Give some warning next time instead of sneaking up on me!" she scolded.
"Sorry," Ron said, but he was frowning. "What are you meeting with Malfoy for?"
"Homework," she replied automatically. "He, uh, really needs to pick up on his Arithmancy."
"That explains why he is doing it; why are you doing it?"
"Extra credit." Hermione was surprised at how easily the lies rolled off her tongue.
"You don't need any stupid credit, why don't you just leave him to rot?"
Hermione snapped her book shut. "Last time I checked, Ronald Weasley," she coldly said, "it was not up to you to decide what I need."
Ron merely looked at her. "You know I didn't mean it like that, I was just wondering what he could possibly offer to make you tutor him."
Hermione shrugged. "I like teaching. I might end up pursuing that line. Who better to practice on than the school's biggest prat?"
Ron shook his head, still not quite reassured, but then their classmates were all filing past them on their way to class, and Ron and Hermione found Harry and joined up.
Hermione secretly noticed that Malfoy seemed to be in a rather bad mood for the rest of the day. She would like to think that she had had something to do with that.
For the next ten days, Hermione saw surprisingly little of Malfoy. He showed up in class, but he always seemed absent-minded and he was missing meals. She had to remind herself that she didn't care what was wrong, as long as it wasn't anything she would catch.
There was one incident where he saw her coming and bent to kiss Pansy in an uncharacteristic show of affection. Hermione had first gotten angry about the show he was obviously putting on, but then she had been amused. He must obviously feel the need to make a statement, but it was really rather redundant. She had ignored the couple, and he hadn't seemed to bother doing it again.
When the time came, Hermione snuck up to the statue, and at 9.58pm she was in place waiting for him. She had considered being late, but she wasn't sure how far she wanted to push him. Yet as the minutes passed, she was regretting being on time. Where was he? Had he decided not to come? Her stomach turned with mortification at the thought. She wouldn't put it past him to do something that low. When it was 10.15, she decided to leave and never go near the bastard again.
Just as she turned to leave, he appeared, looking pale and worried. Hermione ignored this to the best of her ability. She really didn't care what he had to worry about, she didn't.
"You're late," she accused, aghast at her own relief that he hadn't stood her up. Well, of course she was relieved! It was hardly flattering to be discarded or forgotten. Maybe she shouldn't put him off for so long next time, though…
"I'm touched by your concern," he sarcastically said, taking her arm and pulling her along with him. "I must admit, I wasn't even sure you'd show up."
Hermione hadn't been completely sure she would either, but in the end she had been unable to resist. "I said I would, didn't I?" she coolly replied.
Malfoy gave a short bark of a laughter. "Indeed, you did," he answered.
She just realized where they were going. "Room of Requirement?" she asked. "Isn't that a little…" He looked at her questioningly. "… obvious?" she finished.
He gave her a humorless smile. "Yes, who wouldn't guess that I'd bring you here in order to debauch you?"
Hermione went a little pink but persisted. "Doesn't it seem like a rather immoral way to use this room? And what if we get caught?"
"How will they catch us when they don't know what we're doing in there? They probably think that you conjured up some big library, tutoring me." Hermione gave him a puzzled look, but Malfoy waved it off. "That Weasel friend of yours is going around asking questions. He doesn't seem to understand why you would help me out. He should be careful or he might get hurt."
Hermione felt embarrassed at this revelation. "I would really like it if you wouldn't threaten my friends," was, however, all she said. What was she supposed to say?
"And I would really like it if your friends would mind their own business for once, but we can't always get what we want, can we?" Malfoy walked back and forth in front of the spot where the door was to appear. Nothing happened. Then he grinned, shook his head, and tried again. This time it was successful.
"Why didn't it work?" she asked.
"I wished for a place to shag you senseless," he said, dragging her into the room and closing the door behind him. "Apparently the room isn't big on debauchery."
Hermione looked around. They were in a dimly lit bedroom with a huge, comfortable-looking bed dominating the middle of the room. "How did you convince it?" she asked, feeling a little apprehensive, as she fully realized what she had agreed to… again.
"I wished for a place where I could finally get a decent night's sleep," he replied huskily.
She would have replied that the room seemed a little excessive for that, when she was pulled around, and he kissed her for the first time in two weeks. It never ceased to amaze her, how the simple caress of lips against lips could make her melt so completely. She pressed up against him and stroked his back, and he pulled her closer, kissing her more deeply.
Hermione felt her eyes close as she succumbed to the sensations. How could something so wrong feel this good? Her eyes fluttered open again, when he began removing her belt, but she didn't dream of stopping him. He pulled off her robes, exposing her underwear, making her blush a little to her own chagrin. Kissing her again, he pushed her towards the bed. When they reached the bed she pushed him off, so she could remove her boots. He removed his boots, as well, and then his robes. She smiled nervously, averting her eyes, because in spite of everything, she was still feeling awkward around him in the time between them getting undressed and them actually having sex.
"Can't even look at me in spite of wanting it so very badly," he quietly mused, before covering her lips with his again and moving to cover her body with his as well.
It felt wonderful just to feel his body weighing hers down. She felt her bra loosen, and he threw it out of the way, bending to worship her breasts. She both heard and felt his groan, as she arched up against him. "You know you need release," she half-smirked half-panted, trying to goad him to take her. "I bet you barely made it through the two weeks this time."
He didn't reply immediately, but simply smiled, took one of her hands in each of his own and held them above her head while kissing her gently, moving to nibble at her ear and her neck. Then he removed one of his hands and whispered. "Who says I did?"
Something about his tone of voice was like a bucket of ice water on her senses. He had removed both his hands now, but when she tried to lower her arms to push him away, she found that she couldn't. She looked to her right and saw that the hand he had removed first was holding his wand. He had distracted her with kisses to bind her, the bastard. She struggled in vain against the binding for a few seconds and then looked accusingly at Malfoy.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, but she already knew.
"Don't be so surprised," he quietly said. "Like you said yourself – two weeks is a long time to wait."
"Bastard!" she spat out. "Release me!"
"Why would I do that?" he asked, his voice still calm. "You'd only see it as an excuse to fight me."
Damn right she would. She wasn't staying here with him for another minute. How dare he sleep with someone else when they had a rendezvous planned for tonight? She would be out of there the second she could free her hands.
She noticed that he was still caressing her, and she bucked and kicked at him to prevent it, inadvertently hitting his nose, making him utter a foul oath. This pleased her a little bit.
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, GRANGER!" he roared, eyes watering. "Isn't it enough that you keep making me wait? Do I really have to fight you every step of the way?"
Hermione looked at him aghast. How could he even consider that she would still sleep with him? "Let me GO! I don't want your used dick!" She blushed a little at her own language.
He frowned at her. "Does it really matter that much? You didn't care too much last time, before..." he shrugged. Before he'd let it slip that he hadn't had sex with Pansy since he'd had Hermione.
"Last time wasn't…" planned. "Last time was last time. Release me!"
He shook his head. "No," he hoarsely said. "You want this, too, but you would never admit it, would you?"
She immediately changed her tactics. He had been acting so odd lately. Who knew what was going on inside his head? "Just let me go. You want me to get you, remember?"
Malfoy actually smiled at her. "You did come to get me at the statue," he said. "That's all the surrender I need." He bent to kiss her, but she squirmed to avoid it and he had to settle for her neck… and her shoulders… and her breasts….
Hermione tried her best to twist away from him, but he steadied her easily, and she didn't know if she wanted to hurt him. So far he wasn't doing anything unpleasant to her. It was appalling, but she had to admit that his caresses felt really good. If she hadn't been so angry about this, she would have welcomed his touches more eagerly. Two weeks had been a long time for her too.
"Why don't you just do it with Pansy if you're on sleeping terms with her again, instead of doing this to me?" she asked, trying to keep her thoughts from getting muffled with want.
Malfoy chuckled against her belly, which he was now kissing and nibbling at. "You were the one who made me wait, my sweet. Too late to regret it now." He was moving lower.
Hermione's eyes widened and she pressed her legs hard together when she realized what he was about to do.
"Open your legs," he said silkily.
She shook her head in desperate refusal. "No, too embarrassing… Don't."
He didn't heed her objections, but simply pulled her knees apart, placing himself between them. He gingerly touched her and moaned when finding her panties soaked. Hermione's cheeks were burning with shame. She didn't want to want him. He removed this last obstacle and, keeping her knees apart, he pulled back to look at her there. Could this possibly get any more humiliating?
He bent over her to kiss her again. "Relax," he whispered in her ear. "I won't hurt you. You know I won't." He then started kissing his way down again.
NO!
She bucked up against him to push him off, but he wasn't that easily discouraged. Then his mouth was on her most private place, and her eyes widened as she bucked again. Merlin, that felt so… so… "Stop, please!" she moaned.
He didn't stop.
She tried to convince herself that the reason she was writhing so much was to discourage him. Never mind the jolts of pleasure from the movements of his lips and tongue and mouth, as he was doing the most wicked things she had ever experienced to her.
She was aware that there was no way that he couldn't taste, feel and smell her arousal and it mortified her, yet at the same time it aroused her even more. She fought it every step of the way. She didn't want to like it, she didn't want to come. She didn't want his tongue to feel that good on her…
Soon she knew she had lost the battle. She arched up and cried out, just as he plunged two fingers inside her to press the spot that had made her wild before. She convulsed violently around them, and she thought she heard him make a guttural sound. Then everything disappeared in waves of pleasure.
Once she became more aware of her surroundings again, Hermione opted to keep her eyes shut. She could still feel the aftershocks going through her sated body. How could it feel that wonderful when she didn't want it? She heard Malfoy utter a short, gravelly, almost pained laugh, before she felt him lie down next to her. "Closing your eyes doesn't mean I'll go away," he said.
"More's the pity," she replied bitterly. She wondered why he hadn't taken her yet. Didn't he want to anymore? She snuck a peak that reassured her that he certainly did want it. In fact, from the way his eyes were devouring her, she was really surprised at his restraint. "Get on with it then," she said, hoping to remove a little of his pleasure. "I mean, that is the plan and the reason I'm still lying here, isn't it?"
He frowned, clearly taking exception at her words. Good. "I don't see why you're complaining," he said, trailing a hand over her belly in a soft caress. "I mean – that orgasm you just had sure seemed like something to me." His voice broke and his hand trembled a little with remembered pleasure.
"I didn't want it," she snarled. "You know I didn't."
He nodded. "And I didn't want to wait for two weeks for no reason, seems you got the better deal." His hands wandered lower, slightly caressing her folds, making her blush as she felt his effect on her again. "Besides, you know that deep down you did want it."
"Why come here at all if your needs were already seen to?" she asked, ignoring his last statement.
He smiled weakly. "Jealousy doesn't become you, Granger."
"I am not jealous!" she said, fighting a blush. The nerve!
"No?" he asked, eyeing her breasts hungrily, as she moved against her restraints. "Then why did you go livid before?"
"I… Just don't like to share, that's all. If you want to be my toy, then I want to be the only one playing. If you want to be someone else's toy, then fine. Besides, I don't remember asking you to tie me up either." She leaned back, glaring at him defiantly.
"Fidelity to the Other Woman?" Malfoy mused. "And who's the toy now?" He let the back of his hand brush over one of her nipples and her gasp made him groan. "Will you stay if I unbind you?" he whispered.
Hermione shook her head. No, she'd run as far away from him as she could.
He didn't look pleased with that. "I'll take you any way I can, but I'd much prefer you unbound myself."
She smirked at him. "Isn't that just too bad?"
She didn't miss the angry glint in his eyes. "If you prefer these little bondage games, Granger, why didn't you just say so? I can assure you that that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." Swiftly, he removed his boxers and plunged into her.
Hermione couldn't help the moan that escaped her before she bit down hard on her bottom lip. Lord, this felt good. She tried to feign indifference, but, as he thrust again, she felt her hips meeting his and her eyes rolling back. She did want this, but she refused to yield.
"Last chance, Granger," he panted. "Please let me unbind you."
She shook her head. "This… is all… you'll g—oh… get…" She knew she was gasping and moaning loudly, but she was unable to help herself. Refusing him full pleasure by not letting him unbind her was all she had at this point.
Grunting, he thrust harder and faster and caught her mouth in a fierce kiss that made her bones melt. She could feel his frustration with her in every movement. Soon, she felt the well-known tingle announcing a new climax, and she surrendered to it, vaguely aware that he joined her only a second later. Hermione was feeling better than she had in weeks, and she didn't even mind being tied up anymore. She was afraid she could get addicted to this.
Having had her didn't seem to appease him the least bit, though. As soon as his shudders stopped and he got his breath back, he rolled off her and said, "Last time was better."
Hermione rolled her eyes at his grumpy mood; he had seemed to enjoy it well enough just a minute ago. "Well, it's all downhill from here, then. Be thankful that it's not happening again," she said, not sure how she felt about that resolve herself. She had to get out, though, before it was too late.
"The Hell it isn't." He frowned at her. "I thought you had gotten over that already."
"Gotten over what?"
"Being a hypocrite."
"Just so you know – you're a hypocrite too. Don't look at me like that. Like you would ever admit to anyone what we're doing! Could you perhaps release me now?"
"No." He looked a lot less than pleased with her right now.
Hermione didn't believe her own ears. "What? You can't keep me here like this."
"Sounds like I'll have to, doesn't it?" He smirked and stretched.
She stared at him. "You've got a sick sense of humor."
"Wasn't kidding."
"So, you just plan on keeping me here until you get tired of me?" she drily asked.
"That's pretty much the plan, yeah." Now he was outright grinning.
There was a pause.
"You know you're being childish, right?" she asked.
"And you're just being stubborn."
There was an even longer pause.
Hermione glanced at Malfoy, who actually seemed to be drifting off. She kicked at him. "Hey! I'm cold."
With an annoyed grunt, he got up, pulled the bedding out from under her, and covered her up. "Comfortable now, princess?" he mockingly asked.
"No," she said. "My arms are cold, too."
He took her cover and draped it over her, so her arms were covered – as was her face. "Better?" he sweetly asked.
She made a cross sound which became muffled.
"You know what you have to do," he said, slipping under the covers himself, putting an arm across her belly, and whispering in her ear. "If you want to be freed, all you have to do is agree to my terms."
"You've finally lost it, haven't you?" she answered, her eyes narrowed as she considered his motives.
He yawned sleepily. "I'm too tired to fight with you, Granger. Just promise you won't run off and start avoiding me again," he said, rearranging the covers so she could get some air.
"I bet you'd feel differently if it was you who had to share." Hermione was now fighting drowsiness herself.
"Why don't you try me?" he asked indifferently.
"I'm not as devious as you. I can't be in a relationship with one person and sneak off to have sex with another. I'm not adulterous."
"But you are… with me," he said reasonably.
"That's different. I hate Pansy."
"Then it's simple, isn't it? Be in a relationship with someone you hate." He yawned again and closed his eyes, clearly intending sleep.
Right now, she could only think of one person who would fit that bill. She narrowed her eyes. "You know, this is really all your fault. You could just have chosen to not say anything." When he didn't respond, Hermione decided to change her tactics as a boost of inspiration hit her. "You know what I think? I think the reason that you're saying these things is that you're scared that I might actually start liking you."
His eyes flew open again. "What?" Bingo.
"Yes, but the problem is you can't figure out what you want, can you?"
His eyes narrowed and he gave her an exhausted and exasperated glare. "Shut up!"
Hermione sensed she had really hit a nerve and smirked, deciding to get all she could from it. "You didn't really sleep with Pansy, did you? You just alluded that you might have to show how insignificant I am. Backfired, didn't it? You didn't like having me tied up after all, did you?"
He grabbed his wand, and she felt the bond disappear as he sat up and pointed it at her hands. "You're free to go. Don't let the door hit you in the arse on your way out."
"I'm right, aren't I?" she persisted, taking down her arms and groaning slightly at the aching.
"You know, I'm beginning to think you're right about one thing. This was a bad idea."
She snorted. "And how long will you keep that resolve? Or is this a pattern? You seduce girls until they call your bluff?"
"You talk too much, Granger- Go to sleep or at least be quiet," he said in a fatigued voice, lying back down.
Hermione studied him closely. He looked like he hadn't slept for a week. "No, it isn't a pattern, is it? You haven't—"
"Silencio!" he forcefully said, rendering her incapable of speech for the second time in as many months. "Do I really need to hex you every time I want some peace and quiet?" He looked at her pensively. "I don't mind being around you once you stop yammering, so just go to sleep, all right?"
This time she could easily remove the spell herself, of course, and did so, but she did recognize that he was in no condition for her badgering. Satisfied that she had gotten the response she wanted anyway, she got up and began searching the room for her clothes.
"Or go running off as usual, whatever," she heard him mumble before he sighed and turned away from her. Well, what did he expect?
It took her some time to find her belt and panties but finally she was good to go. She looked over at Malfoy and saw that he had actually fallen asleep now. He looked agitated even in his sleep. Shrugging it off, she left the room, sneaking back to the dormitories before she was missed.