Author's Note: Hello! I do apologize for no update on Wolves with Teeth this weekend! I have it started, I promise, but I ran out of time with school (70+essays to grade) and life in general. To tide you over until that is finished, I've composed this little one-shot for you! Now, here's where it gets interesting. This story can be read as a standalone story OR as a prequel to Wolves without Teeth. The pairing is HG/DM with no mention of Loki whatsoever (I know…it makes me sad too). Either way you read it, I'm sure you'll enjoy it nonetheless! Please leave a review when you're finished and have a happy Valentine's Day!

Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling. The cover photo is a mashup I created from photos found on Google. The story plot and dialogue belong to me. I do not write for profit.

Full Summary: Draco waited patiently on the sidelines while Hermione put herself back together after a devastating break from Ron. Now, Valentine's Day is upon them, and he's ready to take that next step, only; he's not sure Hermione even realizes what date it is! Will Draco be able to make her realize she's the one for him? (Prequel to Wolves without Teeth but can be read as a standalone story!)

Rose Petals and Pepper Imps
Pairing: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Rating: M (Rated Mature for adult language and sexual situations)
One Shot/Prequel to Wolves without Teeth
Song Recommendations: "You and I Both" by Jason Mraz, "Closer" by Tegan and Sara, and "At Last" cover by Julia Demato

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"You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had,
and no matter what happens to us in the future,
every day we are together is the greatest day of my life."
— The Notebook
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Rose Petals and Pepper Imps

February 11, 2005

The hustle and bustle of the Ministry always appeared much more chaotic in the Atrium, Hermione thought as she stood in line at the newly installed coffee and tea shop. Witch's Brew was quickly becoming her favorite place to visit when she had a free minute from work at the Magical Law Enforcement Office. She also managed to drag Harry and Draco down here for lunch on numerous occasions. Currently, it wasn't quite lunch time, but she'd needed a mid-morning pick-me-up to survive the rest of this hectic Friday. Glancing around as the line moved forward, Hermione could have sworn she heard someone shouting her name out in the Atrium, but a quick scan of the chaos proved useless; there were just too many people. Mentally rolling her eyes, Hermione stepped forward and ordered her basic vanilla latte with a double shot of espresso before moving to the side to wait.

Hermione pulled out her to-do list and began scanning the items she'd written down earlier as she allowed the pungent scents of espresso and tea leaves calm her frazzled nerves. Witch's Brew was busy this morning, as it was most days, and Hermione found herself once again swearing she heard someone call her name. Her brown eyes narrowed as she tucked away her list before scanning the crowds once more. However, she still saw no one. Sighing in irritation, Hermione smoothed out her white button-up blouse and charcoal pencil skirt as she heard the barista call out, "Granger!" Plastering a smile on her round face, Hermione walked to the counter and accepted her drink with a quick, "Thank you." She dropped a few sickles into the tip-cauldron and turned to leave.

As she was looking down to take a sip of the scalding latte, a broad chest appeared out of nowhere. Hermione closed her eyes, fearing the worst and already mourning the loss of her beloved coffee and the stain she would have to remove from her blouse. The blow never came though; instead, two strong hands grabbed at her shoulders and managed to hold her at arm's length, successfully avoiding a major catastrophe. Eyes flying open, Hermione gaped in wonder at her unhurt latte before dragging her stare upwards, and into the smiling face of Draco Malfoy.

"Draco! I nearly spilt my coffee all over the both of us! I'm sorry—it's a miracle your Quidditch reflexes are still so good after all these years." She teased him playfully, her nose crinkling with mischief.

"After all these years, Granger? I'm hurt; I'll have you know; I still play Quidditch every weekend!" With one last gentle squeeze, he released her shoulders and stepped back a small bit, out of her space. "Besides, I thought you heard me calling you."

"Oh! It was you!" She smiled and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "I kept hearing my name, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from in that mess." She indicated the swarming Atrium with a gesture from her free hand. "What is it that you needed?" She took a sip of her latte, enjoying the way it warmed her throat all the way down.

Taking his attention off the hectic display of wizards and Witch's hurrying to get wherever it was they needed to be, Draco returned his attention to Hermione. Nervously, he smiled. "I wanted to ask you a question."

"Sure. Can we talk as we walk though? I need to be back upstairs shortly." She raised her eyebrows before stepping out of Witch's Brew and heading towards the lifts. Draco followed after her, not even objecting when she held open the lift door for him. Once closed inside, she turned, facing him once more. "So what is it you wanted to ask, Draco? Do you need help preparing your side of the deposition for Monday?"

Sighing, Draco smirked and ran a hand through his blond hair. "No, I believe I can take care of my half of the deposition just fine, Granger." She reached out and playfully swatted at his arm.

"When are you going to stop calling me 'Granger'? We've been friends for ages now! After what we've been through, and you finding me like—I just thought you were able to call me 'Hermione' by now." She glanced aware, ignoring the pain that flickered through her heart.

Unable to hide the blush that colored his cheeks, Draco shrugged one shoulder. "Some habits are harder to break than others." He cleared his throat before continuing, "I wanted to ask you about Monday evening actually."

"Monday evening?" Hermione looked thoroughly confused, but before Draco could further explain, the lift doors open, and they exited out onto the floor that both the MLE and Auror Departments shared. Hermione led the way through the maze of cubicles and offices, but she slowed and then paused in front of an empty desk, her face falling slightly.

Draco tried to ignore the jealous feeling that threatened to come alive inside of his chest. Instead, he sighed and tucked his hands into his pockets. "Any idea if Weasley is going to come back?"

"Honestly? I'm not certain," she said glancing over her shoulder at him. "Ron took the loss of the baby better than I did initially, but I'm not really sure how he's coping with our separation. It was the right thing to do, but he seems a bit lost at the moment. Working with George helps him forget the pain…"

Reaching out, Draco tugged Hermione into his side. She relaxed into the embrace as he steered them down the hall towards her office. "Even though I find Weasley to be highly annoying, I must admit I miss him around here." The distraction worked, and Draco relaxed. They'd reached Hermione's office, so she untangled herself from his arms and unlocked the door before leading the way inside. "He's proven useful time and time again when we're out hunting Death Eaters and Sympathizers."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she sat down behind her desk, watching as Draco took the empty seat across from her. "You just miss bragging about all the ones you've captured and watching his face turn bright red with anger." She scolded him playfully, hiding her grin behind the rim of her latte cup. "Tell me, how many are you up to at this point?"

"You've caught me." Draco chuckled, stretching out his legs and leaning back in the uncomfortable chair. "And, I believe it's just under 90…Weasley only has about 75."

Shaking her head at their playful competition, Hermione set her latte aside, for the time being, and decided to bring their conversation back to the matter at hand. "What was it you wanted to ask me about, Draco? I really should get back to work." She made a face at the piles of research and legal papers covering her usually organized desk. The deposition they had planned for Monday was to create a special vault within Azkaban where they would house the deadliest and dangerous Death Eaters and Voldemort supporters the continued to capture on a monthly basis.

"Oh…I was just wondering…if perhaps…" Draco trailed off, uncertain how to begin. Clearing his throat at the impatiently raised eyebrow Hermione was giving him, he managed to get himself together. "I managed to get reservations at The Tower, and I wanted to know if you were interested in joining me for dinner." He said this all rather fast, and the blush from earlier returned in full force, especially when Hermione's eyes flew wide open.

"The Tower?! I heard they were booked for months! How in the world did you manage to get on the reservation list?" Her excitement was evident in the way her russet eyes flashed, and the large grin spreading across that round face. Draco felt himself returning the smile, his stomach doing a flip at her obvious enthusiasm.

Pointing at his chest, Draco smirked. "Malfoy. Remember?"

"Draco Malfoy, you absolutely slay me sometimes!" She giggled and clutched at her midsection, and Draco watched as her curls bounced around her shoulders. "It must be so nice to have the privilege of using your status as the Malfoy heir to get in all these fabulous places.

Crossing a leg over his knee, Draco smirked for all he was worth as he examined Hermione's smiling face. He'd been attempting to court her for a few months now to no avail. Feeling he'd waited for an adequate amount of time after she lost the baby and her break with Ron, it was time to take things to that next level. Unfortunately, she was always so distracted with work and other sorts of things that he never had the opportunity to ask her outright. They spent an abundance of time together going to the Muggle cinema, dinners and luncheons, and just hanging out at her flat. She'd even agreed to be his date to not only his family's holiday soiree but the Ministry's lavish New Year's Eve celebration. Now, Valentine's Day was right around the corner, and Draco wanted to do something special for this beautiful woman who had suffered so much in the past year. Plus, he really wanted to kiss those plump lips of hers. Bringing his thoughts back to the present, he smiled and shrugged a shoulder.

"So what do you say, Granger? Are you interested in joining me for dinner after we kick this deposition in the arse?"

"That sounds lovely, Draco. I'd be honored to have dinner with you."

"That's settled then," he began, standing and trying to hide his obvious glee at her accepting his dinner proposal. "Make sure to wear something fancy, and I'll pick you up at seven." Draco watched her closely for any signs she realized they were more than two friends having dinner together. She was already penciling the dinner into her little notebook she carried around. Hermione glanced up, those eyes of hers sparkling.

"I look forward to it! I'll see you later!" He nodded once before disappearing out the door, ready to get back to work himself with a bit of a bounce to his step.

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February 14, 2005

Hermione paced in front of the mirror in her bedroom, the burgundy skirt of her cocktail dress flickering back and forth as she went. She was extremely nervous about this dinner with Draco, and she had absolutely no idea why. They'd completely obliterated the opposition this morning at their deposition. The Vaults would begin construction later that month, making sure the incarcerated Death Eaters and other Voldemort supports would be of no more threat to the Wizarding World. She'd even talked Draco into coming back to her flat after dinner to watch one of the new dvds her mum sent her that weekend. Most importantly, her hair was behaving itself, falling over her shoulders in soft waves instead of the usual buoyancy it exhibited.

So what could be the problem? What was she missing?

Deciding she was probably just being silly, Hermione stepped into her simple black pumps and grabbed her purse where her wand, red lipstick, and money were stashed. Snorting to herself, Hermione knew Draco would never allow her to help pay for dinner at such a prestigious restaurant, but she was still going to offer. The floo flashed to life, the green flames making the room light up, just as she stepped into the living room, allowing Draco to saunter towards her. Hermione had to grab hold of the back of Ron's old chair to stop herself from toppling over. Draco looked absolutely divine in his dark-gray suit with light pink tie. His hair was slicked back, but not overly so like he'd worn it back at Hogwarts. His stormy grey eyes warmed as they caught her chocolate ones, and Hermione couldn't help the blush that appeared on her cheeks. She opened her mouth to compliment him, but he beat her to it, moving forward in a few swift strides and offering her his hand.

"Hermione, you look absolutely beautiful tonight." Oh sweet Merlin, now her blush exploded, causing her to cast her eyes aware demurely. When she continued to stare down at their feet, Draco squeezed her hand gently causing her to glance up through her mascara coated eyelashes.

"Thank you, Draco. You look handsome, as well."

Now it was Draco's turn to blush. Feeling slightly more composed, Hermione noticed the bouquet of red roses in his other hand. She blinked up at him, a gasp leaving her mouth. "Oh Draco! Are those for me? They're absolutely stunning!" Somewhat shyly, Draco handed over the bouquet and watched as Hermione inhaled their perfume scent, a smile playing at her plump lips. Sighing happily, Hermione stared up at him, feeling happier than she'd been in quite some time. "You didn't have to bring me flowers."

"I wanted to, Granger. I saw them and immediately thought of you." She reached out and placed a warm hand on his forearm. He looked down at the gesture before meeting her gaze once more. If he wasn't such a coward, he'd swoop in and kiss those red lips that matched the roses she held, but he wanted to wait and make sure that she shared his budding feelings. Instead, he reached out and touched one of the velvety rose petals and cleared his throat. "You should get those in some water before we leave."

"Oh right!" She released her gentle hold on his arm and scurried into the kitchen to find a vase, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. Once alone, Draco let out a large breath before rolling his shoulders to try to release some of the tension. He thought for certain Hermione would realize what day it was once he gave her the roses! Digging in his pocket, Draco extracted a small pepper imp and popped it in his mouth. A favorite treat of his, he enjoyed the mint flavor and the fact that they made sure your breath was immaculate. If things went according to plan, he'd end the night with a kiss, finally securing Hermione as his girlfriend.

When Hermione returned, she the set the glass vase of roses on the end table and then turned to face Draco, a huge smile on her painted lips. "So, are you ready? I'm starving, and I heard they have the best duck à l'orange at The Tower. I've been reading up about the place all weekend."

"I'm sure you have, Granger," Draco teased as he offered her his arm. His heart skipped a beat when she accepted the gesture and snuggled closer to the warmth his body offered. Once they were tucked into the fireplace, he peered down at her and asked, "So what movie will we be watching later?"

"The Notebook." His brow crinkled as he tried to remember hearing anything about the film previously. Unable to recall any information, he questioned her further.

"What is it about?" Hermione grabbed some floo powder and passed it to Draco.

"I have no idea. My mum said I would like it though. Apparently, it's quite romantic."

"Alright then." Tossing the powder at their feet, the green flames licked warmly up their bodies. Draco shouted, "The Tower," and they were swooped off to their romantic dinner for two.

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Draco sat horrified as Hermione sobbed uncontrollably next to him on her worn couch. As the credit rolled, Hermione swiped furiously at her face with a ball of sodden tissues. Eyes wide and heart pounding frantically, Draco watched as the tears cascaded down her blotchy cheeks. Why had her mother recommended such an unbearably sad movie? Sure they ended up together in the end, but they died. Both of them. In each other's arms! And that wasn't even touching the whole they spent all that time apart, and then she gets Alzheimer's! Jean Granger was clearly a mad sort of woman. When the dvd menu screen returned in front of them, Draco glanced down at Hermione, who was nestled into his side. The tears were starting to cease, but she still seemed so heartbroken.

Using the arm that wasn't looped around her body, Draco tipped her head up, so he could see her tear-stained face. She blinked blearily up at him and shook her head, those curls bouncing to and fro. "I'm sorry, Draco. I had no idea this was going to be so sad. I should have read the book first like I normally do. My mum said it was romantic, so I thought it would be a good movie for us to watch together." Well that certainly perked him up.

"You wanted us to watch a romantic movie together?" She blushed, and he felt his own skin warm as well.

"After I penciled the dinner reservation into my planner, I realized what today was. It finally dawned on me that you asked me out on a date" She glanced away, tugging that bottom lip into between her teeth and giving it a hard nibble that sent tingles right down to Draco's crotch. Chancing a glance back in his direction, she explained, "I thought if we watched a romantic movie together that maybe you would want to kiss me."

Draco could do nothing but blink stupid down at Hermione, completely dumbstruck by her declaration. How had he missed the signs? Here he was thinking she had no idea of his romantic interest in her, and she'd felt the same the entire time. Smirking, he tipped her head further back watching as her eyes flickered. "Granger," he mumbled huskily, "I've wanted to kiss you for a very long time. I was just waiting for you to be ready."

"Ready for what?" Hermione whispered, her breath ghosting out across the small space they shared.

"I wanted to make sure you were ready to move on from Weasley and your past." It hurt to admit that he was afraid of competing with the red head that held Hermione's heart for so long. Every bone in his body ached for her to declare she was his and his alone. He watched as understanding dawned in her eyes. She sighed and scooted so that he had to let go of her chin. Kneeling next to him on the couch, Draco's left arm came down to rest at the small of her back.

Hermione smiled softly, her head tilting as she took in his appearance. There was a shy, almost bashful blush on his cheek. Those grey eyes she'd grown to love were trained on her own, and Hermione wished she could read his mind. It was embarrassing to admit she'd not realized the significance of the date when he first asked her to dinner, but when she finally figured it out, she'd hoped there would be some romance between the two of them. "Draco, I loved Ron for so long, but that is over. I'll always love him, but it's different now. We had our time, and now, well, now it's time for me to move on." She giggled, a happy little sound that made the corners of Draco's mouth turn up slightly. "I must confess, I never thought I could want you like this, but here we are." She gestured between them, sliding closer on her knees. "You were there when I needed someone the most, and I will forever be grateful of that. Falling for you…that was just a bonus."

Draco watched her eyes dance with unshed tears after her admission, and he couldn't help but reach up and cup her cheek. She leaned into his touch, her eyes falling closed as he brushed his thumb back and forth across her soft skin. "I've fallen for you too, Hermione." The words came out gravely in his attempt not to cry, but instead of responding, Hermione climbed into his lap, her burgundy dress riding up higher on her hips.

Taking his face in both her palms, Hermione leaned down until their lips were barely touching. They breathed each other's air for a moment, just staring into each other's hazy eyes. Finally, as if in slow motion, their eyes flickered shut and their lips brushed together slowly once, twice, and then a third time. Sitting back, Hermione's eyes flickered open to stare into his heavily lidded ones before shutting once more. This time the kiss was more heated as she sucked Draco's bottom lip into her mouth eliciting a moan from him. Instinctively, his hands grabbed at her creamy thighs, sliding her dress higher and higher until he could grip her hips.

Their mouths continued to move as Hermione's hands slid back to tangle in Draco silky hair. He shivered at the touch and ground his hips up into hers, allowing her to feel exactly how his body was responding to her touch. She arched her back, those lips freeing from his own. She licked her red, swollen lips and smiled down into his face as he brushed his thumbs back and forth across her milky thighs.

"You taste like pepper imps." He laughed huskily at her observation, using the distraction to flip her onto her back and climbing atop her body. She squealed playfully, and reached up to grip his strong arms. "Come back here…I want another taste." With a groan, Draco obliged, allowing her to lick her way back into his warm mouth. As she continued swirling her tongue around his, Draco busied himself with getting to know the soft body underneath him. He cupped Hermione's breasts with both hands, flicking his thumb against the hardening nipples. This caused Hermione to gasp into his mouth, her back arching and pushing more of her firm flesh into his awaiting palms.

Breaking away, somewhat reluctantly, from her delicious mouth, Draco began trailing wet, hot kisses down her neck, so he could suck on the sensitive skin at the base. She whimpered in response, tilting her head, so he could get at more of her skin. At the same time, she began unbuttoning his charcoal colored dress shirt, so she could slip her hands inside to caress his heated skin. When that hot mouth of his began stroking her hard nipple through her dress, Hermione cried out, her thighs opening and a sizzling sort of feeling taking hold of her.

"Oh…yes! Draco! More..." She wrapped her legs around his waist and rocked against his hard length through his trousers. His head fell upon her chest, cushioned by her breasts as they both let out a heated groan of pleasure. With a start, Hermione realized they would not last long like this. She wanted him this instant—there would be no slow lovemaking, this time at least. She wanted this beautiful man to fill her to the brim and make her see stars. Reaching for the fastening on those fancy dress pants of his, she made quick work them and reached inside to grasp his hard length.

He hissed in pleasure as her small hand wrapped around his length. Hermione squeezed softly as she ran her hand from base to tip, her thumb swiping over the tip briefly before repeated the movement. Draco trembled in her embrace, propping himself on his elbows as he watched her eyes dilate with arousal. "Hermione I am not going to last if you keep that up." When she smirked deliciously, he swooped down and captured her rouge-smudged lips again. When he broke away, he reached between their bodies to slide her lacy knickers to the side. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I want you, Draco. I want all of you." Still holding his cock, Hermione positioned him at her entrance and then slowly rocked her hips so that the tip of his cock slid up her slit and nudged at her clitoris sending a fresh wave of desire rocketing through her over sensitized body. "Please," she begged making Draco go weak with hunger for the woman in his arms. He nodded mutely before tucking his hand behind her and then sinking down into her scorching heat. Hermione threw her head back against the armrest, her hips tightening around his hips.

Draco let his head fall forward to rest on Hermione's breasts, relishing the feel of being buried deep inside her. After a moment, she started to squirm, those hips of hers moving in tantalizing circles and creating a friction that sent shivers down his spine. Realizing he was stuck in a daze, Draco began to set a rhythm—slow at first but becoming rougher and desperate the closer each of them got to their release. Hermione's fingers dug into his hips and back alternately as she mumbled incoherently, her head thrown back in ecstasy. Draco leaned forward and licked a trail across the sweat sheened skin of her neck before taking her legs and lifting them over his shoulder, so he could go deeper and harder like she was begging him to do.

Their hips were slapping together, his tight sac smacking against her perfect ass and making the most erotic of sounds. He was getting close, but he wanted her to get there first so he released one hip, grateful when she hooked her ankle on his shoulder so their pace could continue. He then reached down and massaged her clit, her hips jerking unexpectedly at the sensation. "Yes…more…," she whimpered her thrown back. When he knew she was nearing orgasm, he stopped his attention to her hard nub and gripped her hips once more, his mouth descending to capture her lips in a heated tangle of tongues.

As they continued fucking, Draco noticed the couch was sliding across the hardwood floor. Smirking, Draco picked up the momentum, hoping the downstairs neighbors were getting an earful. Hermione didn't seem to mind how loud they were being. In fact, who would have known that Gryffindor's sweetheart was such a screamer? Her shouts of pleasure echoed throughout the living room, drowning out the annoyingly sweet music from the dvd menu screen still playing on the television set. Hermione's hips started to lose their rhythm, her movement becoming frantic as she neared oblivion. With one last particularly placed thrust, Draco bit down on the sensitive skin of Hermione's neck sending her over the edge. Relishing the way her insides rippled and pulsed around his cock, Draco continued pumping his hips as Hermione rode out her orgasm, her fingernails clinging to his back. As she began to come back to her senses, Draco dropped her legs, allowing her to wrap them around his waist. The added friction was all he needed to set off his own orgasm, his vision fading to black as he collapsed on top of Hermione's warm body.

When both of their breathing returned to normal, Draco adjusted them so that they were cuddled together side by side on the couch. Opening his eyes, he had to laugh at their state of dress. Hermione's burgundy dress was pushed up above her waist and the top left was pulled down to reveal one flushed breast. His shirt was hanging back off of his shoulders, and his trousers were a sticky mess from both of their juices. He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him causing Hermione to crack one eyelid.

"What's so funny?" Her mumbled question made him want to kiss those bruised lips, so he did, gently.

"We are."

Sliding her arms around his body, she curled into his side. "How so, Draco?"

"First, we look a right mess, and second; it took us so long to acknowledge our feelings for one another." He sighed and dropped a kiss to her forehead this time. "We could have bene enjoying each other for so long."

"We had our reasons," she reasoned, reaching up to push his light hair away from his forehead. "I'm glad we waited, but I look forward to being together now." She smiled happily, her fingers trailing down his cheek before curling around his neck comfortingly.

"You're right as always." She smirked, but the smile faded as a confused look clouded those grey eyes.

"What is it?"

"You have something in your hair…" He reached out and untangled the velvet rose petal before holding it up to show her. "It's a rose petal. Where did this come from?" He looked around in confusion for a moment, before his eyes widened. "Oh!"

"What?" Hermione was starting to panic. "What's wrong?"

Draco started to laugh, dropping the rose petal onto Hermione's face and watching as she swiped it away. "We moved the couch right into the coffee table! Look—" He gestured at the floor next to the couch where the vase of roses lay. It was only then that Hermione realized there were rose petals all over the both of them. She joined Draco in his gleeful laughter, wrapping him tightly in her arms.

"Come here, you. Let me taste those pepper imps you've been eating all night, again." Draco sighed happily in Hermione's arms, his eyes falling closed as her lips sought out his once more. It may have taken them a while to get to this point, but now that Hermione was his, Draco was never going to let her go.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione," he whispered against her parted lips. He felt her lips curve upward into a smile of her own.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Draco."

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End Notes: I hope you enjoyed my little one-shot! Please make sure to leave a review! Also, keep a look out for the next chapter of Wolves without Teeth! Until next time!
xxDustNight