XXXII.
Blaise Zabini could be the most intimidating bastard on this planet when he wants to be. His easy smile and jokes were noticeably absent from today’s meeting. Smith had granted special Floo access to his office for Zabini. Draco was already seated in the office when Zabini’s hulking figure stepped forward.
“Smith,” he nodded as he stepped around his desk toward the seat next to Draco.
He clapped Draco’s shoulder as he passed but didn’t give a single showing of friendly camaraderie between them. Blaise was named as Draco’s informant for all the Death Eater deaths. Smith wasn’t ignorant of the fighting rings, and he knew the Zabini family managed them.
“Mr. Zabini,” Smith said. “Thank you for joining us today. Malfoy has assured me you’re worth the price.”
“I love a mutually beneficial relationship, Smith.”
Smith’s mouth was in a hard line, not revealing any emotion.
“Malfoy says you have a list of Death Eaters you believe to be Inferi?”
Zabini took out an envelope and passed it over to Smith.
“Penski has been fighting for three straight weeks and walks away from every fight.”
Smith opened the envelope and sorted through pictures of Penski. Pansy had been tailing him for days. There were a few from the fighting club in there as well.
“And these photos are supposed to convince me he’s some undead nightmare?”
“No,” Draco said. “These photos supply you with a routine.”
“Malfoy and I used to beat the piss outta Penski for fun,” Zabini said. “He was a Ravenclaw, two years or so younger than us?”
Draco nodded. “Mouthy thing.”
“Always running his damned mouth,” Zabini agreed. “Not much has changed, it seems.”
“A few people have caught him muttering things about being invincible. He’s also been talking about how he’s keeping Crespo and the rest of the Ministry in his back pocket.”
Smith studied the photos again.
“You corner someone like Penski, and he sings,” Zabini said. “He’ll reveal everything.”
“We go right after the New Year,” Smith said. “I don’t want to risk losing our lead.”
“Eight days?” Draco asked.
“Eight days,” Smith said.
***
Draco did not come home to Hermione naked and waiting for him. Despite his urgings. When he arrived at the Manor after his long workday, he found Hermione, Nott, Lovegood, and his mother hovered over a cauldron in the library. He cursed to himself as he walked forward. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself between Hermione’s legs after her earlier confession. He watched her as she animatedly spoke to the others. She flipped through several pages of a book on the other side of Narcissa.
He watched her and felt his heart swell. Was this what love felt like? Her smile brought a smile to his face. Her excitement excited him. He could have been content to just sit back and watch her. The way her eyes devoured the text on the pages, her glowing smile, her lilting laugh. His soul belonged to her.
“Draco!” she said, turning to see him. “Come see!”
He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair deeply and basked in the comfort of her familiarity.
“Your mum cracked it,” Theo said. “We were missing the light.”
He looked at his mother. She maintained an air of composure at all times. She was regimented and traditional in that sense. Large emotions were looked at as a weakness. But looking at her now, she was radiating energy. Her smile overtook her face. It was like nothing he’d ever seen.
“Once more,” Luna urged her.
Narcissa raised her wand. She cast her Patronus, and a sleek black panther emerged from the silvery hues. He’d never seen his mother’s Patronus before. He’d never even asked if she could cast one. The Patronus lept toward the table and dissolved into the cauldron. The potion swirled and settled into a shimmering midnight shade.
“It’s amazing,” he smiled and kissed her cheek. “Well done, Mother.”
The realism of everything was settling. His father was gone. The plan was set in motion to bring down Kingsley and Crespo. Smith was working on getting him released as an Auror. And here in front of him stood Hermione. Here by her choice. In love with him.
“Did you get things settled with Blaise?” Theo asked.
“Yes,” he said. “After the holiday, we make our move. Which means that over the next few days, this house will be a work-free zone.”
He looked pointedly at the intoxicating witch wrapped in his arms.
“I agree,” Narcissa said. “We spend the holiday together. No work. No worries.”
“I’ll bring the dirigible plum wine,” Luna said.
***
“Turn around, Granger.”
He watched as her hair rose against her arms.
Everyone was finally in their own homes. As the night dragged on, he was nearly bursting through the seams of his trousers. Hermione’s soft hair fell over her collarbone, and he imagined every way he would kiss and suck his way over it. She kept looking at him from her spot next to him on the couch. Her lip was trapped between her teeth. His mother entertained Hermione, Nott, and Lovegood with happier tales of Draco and Nott from their younger years.
But now he had her alone in his room. And he planned on making up for lost time. Hermione had just finished washing her face in the sink. He stood before her, trousers riding low on his hips, and admired the small shorts and lacy camisole she wore.
Hermione’s eyes dragged down his torso, and she pinned her lip between her teeth again. He took her shoulder and turned her around so she was facing the mirror above the quartz sink. He stood behind her, letting his erection press up against her lower back. He took his wand out of his pocket and transfigured her some high heels so that she’d be the right height.
He gently took her chin in his hand and tipped her head toward the mirror. He looked at her through the reflection.
“I want you watching everything I am about to do to you,” he said. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, Draco.”
Her chest rose and fell with unsteady breaths as her excitement rose. He traced his fingers down her biceps and pulled the straps of her camisole with them. The loose silk fell around her waist, revealing her full breasts. He brought his hands around her, and they watched in the mirror as he took her breasts in his hands. He massaged them and rolled her nipple around in his fingers. She moaned lightly and rested her head on his chest while he worked. But she never took her eyes off the mirror.
He dragged her shorts down her legs next. Taking great care to leave a trail of hot kisses down her legs. He’d feast on her later tonight. He’d make sure she felt him all day tomorrow. He dragged his tongue up her leg. He could smell her arousal and knew she would already be wet for him. He pushed apart her legs a little more and stood once again.
“You trust me?”
She nodded. He tugged his trousers down.
“I’ve been waiting all day for you. I’m going to fuck you hard and fast this first time,” he warned. “You’re going to hold on, and you’re going to watch in this mirror.”
“Please, Draco,” she begged
He eased himself right outside of her entrance and tried to regain any self-control he had. But it was slipping drastically. He plunged inside her with a feral grunt. She moaned and bent over at the waist, giving a spectacular view of her tits. Her curly hair was splayed out all over her gorgeous skin. He looked down and admired the view of his cock sunken into her.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded and braced her arms. He moved like a madman. His lust had driven him to desperation. He looked at her in the mirror and almost came at the sight of it. She was so perfect, so beautiful. And she was finally his.
“I fucking love you so much,” he growled as he drove his cock as deep as she could take. “Do you know that?”
“I love you,” she panted beneath him. “I love you, Draco. I love you so much.”
Her words were his undoing. His mind exploded in stars as he fucked her mercilessly against the countertop. Her ass was the perfect pair of twin globes absorbing every jolt. The erotic sound of his body pounding into hers was something he was committing to memory. He needed more. He needed to devour her very soul into his and become one with it.
One hand gripped her hip, and the other fisted through her hair to the base of her scalp. Her beautiful green eyes never left his. She watched him fuck her roughly and moaned with arousal.
“More,” she begged.
He reached the hand on her hip around and began to circle her clit. She cried out against the new sensation and fought to keep her fluttering eyelids focused on the mirror.
“That’s it,” he encouraged as she pushed her ass into him.
She was panting now, desperate for the impending release he was offering her.
“Come for me, my darling,” he purred. “Show me how much you like being fucked.”
His fingers spun around her sensitive bud. There was a light sheen of sweat over them both as their bodies heated against each other. He was so close. He was going to come any second.
“Say it again, Hermione,” he grunted.
“I love you, Draco!” she cried as her orgasm splintered through her.
She never looked away from him as she trembled through the waves of ecstasy. He pounded his cock into her twice more before his orgasm crescendoed. He released her hair and wrapped his other hand around her to stabilize himself and pull her closer.
He covered her back with kisses and bites. He gripped her breasts again, and she shuddered, still sensitive from the orgasm. He turned her around and lifted her so she sat on the counter. She rested her head against his as they both fought to regulate their breathing.
“That was amazing,” she exhaled.
“I have twelve years’ worth of orgasms to make up for,” he said and kissed her lightly on the lips.