By the time lunch rolled around, Hermione was exhausted. She had already done half of the tasks Draco had assigned her to do, but she couldn’t find the energy to finish the other half that was looming over her. She began mentally ticking off the things that were yet to be done, and finally settled on dusting and alphabetizing Draco’s books.
If only I had my wand… Hermione thought tiredly as she stared at the three large bookshelves around her. But, of course, Draco had thought of that already, and made it clear that the tasks were to be done by hand. Hermione’s hand itched to reach for the wand inside her skirt pocket, but decided against it. Somehow, in some way, she was sure Draco would find out that she had used magic, and that would give him an excuse to send her back to Muggle Protection. Sighing, Hermione stood up from the floor and made her way to the first bookshelf, bringing the ladder she had spotted along with her.
Hermione set the ladder against the bookshelf and made her way to the top to start. She worked silently for many minutes, and her concentration was so intense that she didn’t notice that Draco had returned and was now sitting silently in his chair watching her work.
I can’t believe she is actually doing this by hand, Draco thought in silent awe, pressing down on his lips to stop the snicker that was bound to come out. This is going to be better than I thought. She is desperate.
Draco continued to watch as Hermione, oblivious to his presence, continued working. She had finished the first row of books and was bending over to reach the second row when Draco’s eyes began paying more attention. Each time Hermione stretched, her skirt rose up a few inches, revealing the perfect white of her thighs underneath. This went on and on, as Hermione continued bending and stretching to reach the books. Draco couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from those few inches of exposed skin, and was disgusted to find himself stirring.
Esmeralda better not be busy tonight, Draco thought to himself. I’ll be needing a good shag if I’m actually finding Granger attractive.
Draco shuddered and forced his eyes down to his desk to focus on his work. Hermione turned in surprise when she heard him shuffle his papers. Draco looked up, and the look of anger on his face sent chills down Hermione’s back, forcing her to quickly face the bookshelves once more.
Draco stared at his wand across from him and found himself imagining idly how Hermione would look if he silently magiced away a few more inches off of her skirt. Cursing himself seconds afterwards for even thinking that, Draco stuffed the wand into his cupboard, hitting himself mentally over and over again. Both of them continued working in silence, the tension growing between them with each minute that passed. Draco breathed a sigh of relief when Hermione finally finished the first bookshelf, then cringed when he remembered there were two more to go.
This is going to be a long day.
Neither of them spoke for a very long time, and Draco was startled when he felt Hermione hover over him timidly.
“What is it, Granger?” Draco asked, looking up to check the time, shocked to find that it was still four in the afternoon. Hadn’t it taken her several hours to finish those bloody bookshelves?
“I’m done,” Hermione announced, unnecessarily. “The only thing that remains now is to polish your wand.”
Draco stared at her outstretched hand and found himself grinning. After that afternoon of torture, he deserved some fun.
“Is that really the only thing that remains for you to take care of, Granger?” Draco asked. “Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember one last task that you have yet to complete.”
No emotion showed on Hermione’s face, but Draco saw the shadow of a blush cross her cheeks.
“Save it, Malfoy. Hand over your wand,” Hermione muttered, staring at him angrily.
Draco laughed. “Now, really, Granger. Here you are, demanding that I give you my wand while you’re staring at me in a way that makes me wonder if you’re imagining me dead inside your head. Do you really think it’s wise for me to hand over my wand to you right now?”
The corners of Hermione’s mouth twitched, but she didn’t allow the smile to reach her lips. “May I go, then? I’ve already finished everything.”
“Everything? Are you absolutely sure there isn’t one more thing for you to take care of, Granger?”
Hermione tried to calm down the anger inside her and nodded casually. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked me to do, Malfoy.”
Draco stretched back leisurely in his chair and looked at Hermione suggestively. “And you’re positive there isn’t one more little thing you want to take care of, Granger? Don’t hold back. I won’t tell.”
It was then that Hermione snapped.
“Stop right there, you git.” Hermione answered furiously. “Fine, I do remember you giving me one more thing to do, but the idea is so revolting that I can’t even bear to utter the correct words. Entertain you?! Don’t you get enough of that from that giant-boobed secretary of yours? Or out of Carol, another secretary? I’ve seen her sneak out of her office more than once to find her flushed and sweaty when she returns! Either call one of them, or another one of your little whores, for right now, my bones hurt and my body is sore. So you better let me go before I’m forced to hex you!”
Hermione was shaking when she was done speaking and she stared at the wand in her right hand in surprise. She couldn’t even remember taking it out, but boy did it feel good pointed at Draco’s face.
“Put the wand down, Granger.” Draco said silently, not letting on to any of the alarm he was feeling. He might have power over her job-wise, but when it came to magic, Hermione was probably the only wizard that could be any competition against him at all. And right now, he was still wandless, his wand tucked away safely in his cupboard.
“No, Malfoy,” Hermione replied, feeling strangely angry at the look of total boredom on his face. “It’s about time I showed you who’s boss.”
Draco’s one raised eyebrow was the only reaction Hermione got, and she let out an irritated huff.
Think you’re so tough now, don’t you ferret? Hermione thought. I’ll show you.
Quickly, she began mentally going over the vast amount of hexes she knew, all the while keeping her wand glued on Draco’s immobile body. Finally, she found the perfect spell she was looking for, and grinned once at Draco’s still lifeless expression.
“Incr-“
The spell never got past her lips, for as soon as Hermione had opened her mouth, Draco had jumped over his desk at her, knocked her wand out of her hand and pinned her against the only un-bookshelved wall in his office.
“Now, what were you going on about, Granger?” Draco asked, grinning at the absolutely livid look on Hermione’s face.
“Let me go, Malfoy!” Hermione nearly screamed as she twisted and turned, trying to get out of the steel grip Draco’s hands had on her wrists. One hand was trapped on either side of her face, and Hermione had almost no choice but to stare at Draco, his eyes shining with amusement once more.
“Why would I want to do that?” Draco asked, smiling. “Does this position make you uncomfortable, Granger?”
“Yes, Malfoy, but not in the way you presume,” Hermione replied, hating the malicious thoughts she knew were swarming around in his mind. “Now let me go, or else.”
Draco pretended to think. “Hmmm… or else what, Granger? You’ve already tried to curse me once, and I beat you, wandless, I might add. In what ways could you possibly harm me now? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of wrestling me.” Draco laughed. “Though I might actually not object to that.”
“Let me go!” Hermione shrieked, all the while knowing her voice would never reach anybody’s ears. The whole floor they were currently on was all Draco’s offices. The one they were currently in was only the main one.
“Make me,” Draco replied, twisting his mouth to one side.
Furious, Hermione continued twisting, knowing that if Draco didn’t want to let her go, she would stay here for as long as he wanted. Hermione gasped as Draco pushed his body closer to hers.
“Stop moving so much, Granger.” Draco whispered into her ear seductively. “Though I admit the sensations you are causing aren’t that unpleasant.”
Hermione stopped moving at once, hatred pouring through her every vein. She gasped as Draco suddenly kissed her ear and was even more amazed at the shivers of pleasure it sent through her spine.
“Stop it, Draco,” Hermione said, trying terribly hard to keep her voice calm. “I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate this much when I tell him.”
It was a low try, but it stopped Draco’s lips from moving, and Hermione felt his warm chuckle in her ear.
“Let me guess… Potter?”
Draco felt her stiffen and assumed his guess to be correct. The thought made him laugh and he pulled his face away from Hermione’s just enough to see the anger return to her eyes.
“Really, Granger… Potter?”
His laughter made Hermione see red. “And why not, Malfoy? Not like this is any of your business.”
Draco shrugged nonchalantly. “I just thought that a girl with a temper as strong as yours would want a boyfriend who is more… exciting.”
“And what makes you think Harry isn’t exciting, Draco?’ Hermione lied. “He really is, actually. In fact, he is so exciting that when I’m with him I think I could just die from excitement.”
The lie was so apparent that Hermione bit her lip, but she continued staring at Draco’s shining eyes.
“But does he give you excitement in bed, Granger? That’s what I’m asking.”
Draco watched Hermione’s pink lips as they opened and closed. The soft blush returned to her cheeks, and Draco felt strangely tempted to kiss her.
“This is none of your business, Malfoy,” Hermione replied angrily. “Now let me go!”
Draco looked at her in confusion; the tone in her voice implied that she was hiding something. They stared at each other for a few moments, and suddenly Draco’s eyes turned into saucers.
“You don’t know, do you?” he whispered, the glee returning to his voice.
“What are you talking about, Malfoy?” Hermione replied, the lie just as easily detectable in her tone.
“You don’t know if he’s exciting in bed or not, because you yourself don’t know!”
Hermione replied one second too late for her answer to be the truth.
“Nonsense! Of course I know! Not that this is any of your business, Malfoy, but Harry is incredible in bed.”
Draco laughed at her open lie. “How many years have you been together, Granger?”
“It will be three years this July,” Hermione replied, her face set.
“Three years?” Draco asked in awe. “Wait… that means… you haven’t… in three years?”
“Not all people are like you, Malfoy!” Hermione replied hotly, giving in to her lie. “Not everyone needs to have sex 24 hours a day to be able to function properly.”
Draco’s mouth was still hanging open. “But… don’t you ever feel any… needs?”
The dark blush that now completely covered Hermione’s face was what finally made it click in Draco’s mind.
“No, this is too much.” He laughed. “He doesn’t want to?”
“Shut up, Malfoy,” Hermione hissed. “Unlike you, Harry is a gentleman, and I love him for that. He didn’t grab at me at the first chance he got. He respects me.”
Draco continued to chuckle. “But what about you, Granger? Isn’t it tiring living through life day after day with an itch that Potter won’t scratch?”
“I said, shut up, Malfoy!” Hermione replied, her red face giving her emotions away.
Draco ignored her completely and brought his lips down to her ear once more. His breath sent those bloody shivers down Hermione’s spine again, and she gasped when he pushed his abdomen into her stomach.
“I could scratch it for you, Granger,” he whispered into her ear, before leading his lips towards Hermione’s neck, leaving her speechless.
“Let me go, Malfoy,” she finally managed to whisper.
At that, Draco chuckled silently. “I haven’t been holding on to you since we’ve started talking, Granger.”
Hermione felt her hands and discovered they were free. She hadn’t even realized it, but now she was trapped between knowing she had to go and the disturbing fact that she wanted to stay.
Glancing at the look of confusion on her face, Draco laughed. “Go on home, Granger. You can make up your mind whether you want to be relieved of that itch of yours, or endure three more years of suffering.”
Hermione’s anger returned to her then, and she pushed Draco away as she marched to the door.
“Oh, and, Granger?” Draco’s voice called.
Hermione turned around angrily. “What, Malfoy?”
Draco smiled at her. “Thanks for keeping me entertained.”
A Popped Bubble by youngrowling
Chapter Notes: thanks once more to my fabulous beta reader. i owe you.