Whoa! What a response! Thank you, thank you! Well, I certainly hope you enjoy the conclusion as much as I do. I'll look forward to reading the reviews. :)
What You (Do) Say
That evening, Hermione emerged from the shower and wiped the fogged up mirror with a spare towel before she began brushing her hair out. She needed a moment to cool her overheated body off before she donned her bathrobe and entered the bedroom where she knew he was dressing for dinner.
Draco always showered first because he claimed she took forever to get ready which had apparently been a shock to him after they'd married. It wasn't that she was high maintenance but that her hair required extra time to dry and appropriately tame. He'd stopped making annoying little quips about it after the first time he'd rushed her and seen the difference the extra twenty-minutes made. It was years of combining wizarding and muggle haircare products to get to the point where she was now. Ever abundant, her curls were much smoother and manageable now.
And if he thought she didn't notice when on the rare occasion he'd get lost in conversation with whichever business associate he was meeting with that he'd sling an arm casually across the back of her chair to wind a loose curl around his finger, he was bleeding mental. She noticed. Merlin, did she notice.
Hermione plucked her bathrobe from the back of the door and wrapped it securely around herself. She tidied the area where she'd been working at her hair and then reached for her rings.
Two weeks after their tumultuous first meeting upon learning of their match, and one week after he'd awkwardly run into her and her parents one afternoon in Diagon Alley, Draco had shown up at her modest flat in Muggle London and presented her with an engagement ring. Two carats of the finest diamond Malfoy money could buy had been set in pristine platinum. She'd been so shocked that she'd for once been speechless.
However, his response was that it was bad enough that they were being robbed of a normal marriage. Bad enough that they hadn't chosen each other. Even though he didn't appear even the remotest okay with any of it—especially her—he insisted that he treat her as he would have any other witch he'd intended to marry.
The ring had felt cold on her finger, devoid of emotion, except that Ginny pointed out that it was likely his way of trying. He was Draco Malfoy and likely didn't understand what it would mean to her or why it was so important. He was merely trying to save face and adhere to expectations of tradition.
Yet after their first time on their wedding night, he had remained hovering over her seeming genuinely relieved that he'd made her orgasm her first time, and gently kissing her neck before asking if she was okay. If it had been okay. It seemed he needed reassurance just as much that they could do this. That they wouldn't crash and burn.
Still mildly surprised that he cared if she climaxed or not, she'd nodded her reassurance and bravely kissed his cheek as he pulled back to meet her eyes.
"We'll make it work. We're both stubborn enough." She'd told him.+
Draco had merely reached for her left hand and kissed her knuckles pointedly above her rings before they'd separated and he collapsed next to her.
Her rings felt warm now as she slid on first the engagement ring then her diamond studded wedding band.
Pretentious. Expensive.
Hermione Granger never would have chosen it for herself.
Hermione Granger-Malfoy accepted it because of the good intentions behind them. And perhaps they were a bit beautiful as well.
Yet they oddly didn't match the simple silver band he'd chosen for himself.
"I hate that tie," she told him as she emerged from the bathroom. "I swear one of these days I'm going to burn it. Or dissolve it in a draught of living death."
Draco smirked to himself as he checked his reflection while he tied it, secretly thankful she was wrapped up in all of that terrycloth and not on display yet.
"All the more reason to wear it whenever the appropriate occasion arises," he smirked.
She sighed as she pulled her dress from the hanger in her closet and passed him again to change in the bathroom.
He always insisted on wearing that stupid green tie, the same one he'd worn when they were married which didn't match the décor she'd chosen with both of their mother's and he'd worn it at every possible get together with her friends where a suit and tie was appropriate.
"It clashes with your eyes," she called through the door as she changed.
Draco's smirk fell then and he leaned closer to the mirror to have a look. His lip curled when he realized she was right.
She reemerged from the bathroom in her red dress, the one that he hated but never told her because he actually loved it and the way it fit her like a bleeding glove. She smirked when she saw him looping another tie around his neck now, a light blue one bordering on grey.
"If I'd known that would get you to take it off, I should have told you that years ago," she gloated.
He rolled his eyes at her as she reached for her wand to zip her dress. The zip slowly moved up her back, closing the gap in fabric from his vision.
"Come on then," he nudged her and looped her arm through his as they descended the stairs together. "I have some especially good quips lined up for Potter for his birthday. I'd like to get them in before Weasley has too many drinks to know I'm insulting them."
"Merlin, you're obnoxious sometimes."
"I'm entertaining," he corrected her with a grin.
The restaurant in Diagon Alley was busy but Ginny had made the reservation a month ago. Added with Harry's name attached and then her assuring the owner that the other two thirds of the golden trio would be present, they'd been given the best table in the house.
Ron and Lavender were already seated when Hermione and Draco arrived.
"Malfoy," Ron greeted without looking up from his menu.
"Weasley," Draco smirked mischievously as he seated his wife. He sat straighter when Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.
Ron finally looked up and smiled at his long-time friend but his smile quickly twisted into a smirk. "You finally got the prat to wear a different tie, Hermione? Never thought I'd see the day."
She smiled demurely over her triumph. "I should have taken advantage of his vanity years ago and told him it clashed with his eyes."
"It kind of does," Lavender nodded.
"Har har," Draco drawled, "everyone enjoy poking at the token Slytherin."
"It is my birthday weekend," Harry grinned as they joined them. "What better gift than that?"
Draco set his menu down and turned to look at Hermione. "Remind me again why agreed to this?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "I've got about twenty business dinners within the last six months as justification. Still want to whine about it?"
He grumbled under his breath but shook his head.
Ginny ended up seated to Draco's left and kept sending him odd looks throughout dinner. Of all of Hermione's friends, the female Potter was the one he could always tolerate the best. Their senses of humor were more in line and she appreciated more than the two wizards that he'd changed and grown over the last several years.
After dinner, Harry accepted the few gifts that his friends had gotten him. Ron had bought him a new broom cleaning kit while Hermione had given him a book (predictably) on uncommon curses he could use for auror work.
Draco merely lifted his glass in salute and smirked. "My gift to you Potter is not knocking you off your broom in next week's intramural game."
Harry rolled his eyes but laughed anyway. "Thanks, arsehole."
"Well," Ginny announced with a grin, "I have something for you but you can't have it yet."
Hermione's eyes widened in understanding as she quickly gathered the implication. Harry looked at his wife in confusion as she reached for one of his hands and drew it to her stomach.
"We agreed on two and we agreed we wanted them at Hogwarts at the same time," she smiled. "Well, in about seven months we'll be on our way because I'm pregnant again."
The table erupted with gushing congratulations as the couple drew each other into a hug and kiss. Draco watched from the outskirts, because he'd always been and always would be an outsider to them, as it happened. He kept his eyes firmly on Hermione as she congratulated her friends and nearly swore he saw sadness glaze over her brown eyes for a fraction of a moment before she returned to her normal smiling self.
A server levitated Harry's cake to the table not long after and everyone enjoyed a slice before Harry declared it was time for him to take his wife home to celebrate. Goodbyes were exchanged and before Draco could make his escape, Ginny stopped near him and accepted his awkward side hug of congratulations—as she was really the only one of Hermione's friends he might actually like.
"Women have needs, too, Malfoy." Her eyes darted pointedly towards Hermione. "Think about it a bit." Ginny muttered to him conspiratorially as they separated and she rejoined Harry's side.
Draco looked at her liked she'd just shown up in Diagon Alley in nothing but her knickers and handing out lollipops. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Hermione didn't need anything from him. She proved that every day.
He shook his head and ultimately followed Hermione onto the quiet Alley before they disapparated home.
They landed smoothly in their kitchen where Hermione promptly detached herself from him and moved to fill the kettle with water for her nightly tea. He watched as she turned her back to him, already going about her own business and likely expecting him to do the same now that their joint social obligation was over.
However, curiosity over her friend's odd advice got the better of him and he moved closer.
"Red told me about your little conversation recently. The one about me," he lied, eyeing her carefully to see if she'd fall for his trap.
Hermione's eyes widened comically as she turned to face him and he nearly grinned when her cheeks flushed deep red. Whatever in Merlin's great beard his wife had said to Ginny Potter, it had to be good.
"I'm going to kill her," she hissed after a moment. "Just—ignore her."
He shrugged and shuffled closer, crowding her space a bit. "I can't help if you don't tell me what you need, you know."
Hermione scoffed suddenly, arms folded over her chest protectively as she leaned away from him. "As if you've ever been interested in helping any before now. You've not wanted sex from me since I told you I was pregnant with Leo."
Draco nearly fell to the floor. He fought to keep his composure after that, biting down on his tongue and fighting not to let his eyes widen with shock.
"I didn't know you wanted it," he admitted honestly, all pretenses of smoothness gone. He was a bit mortified that his voice sounded hoarse and strained.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, her gaze having been focused on their pristine floor as a distraction. "You never asked," she answered softly.
Draco drew a deep breath through his nose, letting it pass back through his mouth as he approached her again but slowly as if not to startle.
"I didn't know you enjoyed it. I kind of thought you were faking it most of the time."
Hermione huffed at him again, though she kept her eyes firmly on him as he approached her. As if she was watching a snake ready to strike.
"When have I ever cared about your ego enough to fake something?"
"Touché," he smirked just slightly. He stopped just in front of her and gently rested his hands on either side of her waist as she leaned against the counter, head tipped back to meet his eyes. Both of their hearts were beating harder in their chests, afraid and nervous of what the other would say or do. "I'm going to be out of practice, you know."
Hermione's eyes widened before she could stop them and her mouth fell open slightly. "I just assumed…"
Draco's eyes flashed indignantly for a moment. "Don't believe everything you read."
Hermione gasped against his mouth when her snake struck and pressed his mouth to hers. Her head tipped back further with the force of his kiss, the firm but gentle pressing of his lips against hers before he quickly parted them with his tongue. Her hands came up on their own accord to rest against his chest, fingers curling into the lapels of his suit as he leaned over her.
Their kisses were light at first, teasing. But once he tasted her again after so long, he wouldn't be satisfied with just a taste.
A strong arm wrapped around her waist and she felt him lift her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist, not minding as her dress hiked up her thighs. Lips still connected and searching, she felt him begin to move and climb the stairs to the bedroom they'd been sharing for the past three and a half years.
She was unaware of anything but him until he rested her on the edge of their bed. She drew in shallow breaths as she watched him shuck off his jacket and then yank stubbornly at his tie. She nearly reached up to help him when he grew frustrated with it and finally muttered a single spell before it ripped easily. Her eyes widened as he tossed the ruined tie to the side and quickly yanked his dress shirt off, ignoring the few buttons that gave way and flew across the room.
He clearly wanted her as much as she wanted him and the realization was electrifying. Her throat went dry as she took in the sight of his heaving chest, the firm definition that he'd kept hidden from her and she'd only dreamed about since the last time.
She kicked her shoes off and began scooting back on the bed. An odd flair of arousal shot through her with a secret thrill as he crawled onto the bed after her like a cat stalking its prey. She lay back against their pillows when he reached her, stretching his long torso over her and coming to rest closer as he held himself on his elbows on either side of her.
Draco growled under his breath when her small hands came up again to touch him, this time with no barrier. Her touch burned his chest as she raked her fingertips down his flesh, her eyes wide and mesmerized with the sight of him. He knew he was in good shape and had many witches try to approach him over the last couple of years but nothing would ever compare to the way she'd first touched him on their wedding night. Nothing would have ever compared to the way her dark eyes took in the sight of him.
He'd never cheated because not only was it against his family's honor, but because he also knew he'd never have sex so satisfying as he'd had with her until she became pregnant. He'd not touched her though because he assumed she'd only been doing what was expected of her. She'd only wanted him for the child he could give her and get them on their way in this mess. For whatever reason, he'd never considered that she'd want him again.
"You've really not been with anyone else," she whispered as his nose trailed across her cheek and to her neck where he nuzzled closer and began peppering soft, open-mouthed kisses along her skin.
"I haven't. I swear on my wand," he answered gruffly. "Have you?"
"Of course not," she managed to huff indignantly.
He grinned against her skin, appreciating the stubborn self-righteousness that had been hers since they were children. Some things never changed but he liked it all the same.
Draco edged his hand under her dress, slowly pushing the fabric up her thighs and allowing himself to press more firmly between her legs. He trailed the tip of his tongue along the length of her throat and appreciated her gasp when he ground himself against her.
Her breathy sighs and quiet moans had always aroused him. He'd convinced himself in the past that they must be put on because why in Merlin's name would the witch ever want him but clearly he'd been wrong. Just the sound of her voice had made him shiver in the past and he'd pretend she meant it. Knowing she really did made him even more eager to please.
"Get your trousers off," she ordered.
He growled under his breath, her authoritative order oddly arousing him more. He did as he was told and she allowed him to shed her of her dress and undergarments.
He kissed her slowly and deeply as he settled himself over her. As her tongue met his own, massaging and dancing in a pattern they naturally did so well, he vaguely wondered if she'd like to be on top. They'd only ever had sex in the one position but if all went according to his hopes, there'd be quite a bit more to their love life soon. He'd certainly let her try her hand at leading them.
Hermione nearly sobbed with relief when he finally slid inside her. She'd not been so aroused since her last trimester carrying Leo and couldn't contain her appreciation for him now. She threaded her fingers through the fine blonde hair at the back of his head and pulled his mouth back to hers.
Their kiss was short-lived as she quickly tore her mouth from him on a deep moan when he pulled his hips back only to roll them forward again.
"I like the way you do that," she sighed against his ear.
Draco groaned in response and repeated the move only to earn himself another one of hers sultry little sounds. "I've thought you were beautiful for a long time," he admitted against her ear.
Hermione trailed her fingertips along his spine, up and then down again, repeating the motion even when he shivered pleasantly. "You're the only man I've ever wanted to look at since the first time we did this," she admitted breathily, catching onto his game.
"I enjoy your mind," he muttered on a groan after a particularly good thrust.
She moaned in response, feeling it just as much. "You're far kinder than you think you are."
"You're a wonderful mother."
His hips were beginning to lose their rhythm. The feel of her was almost too much, her body being so soft but firm in the right places.
"You're a great father."
Draco met her lips in a wet kiss, lips becoming a bit sloppy the closer they both came to completion.
"I'd wanted you even more after we found out you were pregnant," he breathed against her mouth.
Hermione brushed the short hair from his forehead and her fingers rested against his cheekbones. "I knew I loved you," she shut her eyes as he hit a spot that made her body begin to tighten in preparation, "the moment I first saw you hold him."
"I knew I loved you when you told me you were having our baby."
They fell over the edge together, clinging and kissing wherever they could reach. His lips trailed along her cheeks and down her neck while her hands roved over his skin.
Draco caught his weight before he could collapse on her and rolled them gently to their sides facing each other. He pulled her close to his heaving chest and closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn't believe all the time they'd wasted because they'd just never talked, always assumed they knew what the other wanted.
"I'm sorry," he whispered against her hair, pressing a kiss to her forehead gently.
Hermione pushed back enough to meet his eyes, and lifted a hand to brush over his cheek. "Whatever for?"
"For assuming I knew what you wanted. For being the same coward I've always been and not telling you how I felt or what I wanted from you."
Hermione sighed and closed her eyes as she continued to catch her breath. She'd forgotten just how good he was and how it exhausted her. Taking care of herself alone in the bath just didn't compare.
"We're both guilty of that, Draco. In fairness, neither of us imagined we would get along. We agreed before the wedding to get the job done and then maintain our space. I didn't expect you to read my mind when I developed feelings for you."
She shivered as his hands continued caressing her heated body and clung to him unabashedly, unlike the past. He'd always been considerate in the bedroom and had allowed her whatever she needed but she'd never felt comfortable touching him for too long afterwards, afraid he'd take it the wrong way or worse, push her away.
Draco chuckled at their stupidity and rolled onto his back, pulling her to rest on his chest. "Perhaps we can view the last few years as a ridiculously long courtship of sorts because I don't know if I can handle it if you make me go cold turkey again on sex. I need to make love to you regularly now that I know you actually want me."
Hermione smiled and lifted her head enough to kiss him gently. "That makes two of us. I'd prefer to be your wife in all senses of the word."
"Good," he nodded in agreement and guided her to rest her head on his shoulder. "And if I'm oblivious to another one of my business contacts staring down your dress again, just kick me under the table and I'll hex the bastard into next year."
She pressed a kiss to his chest with a content smile and settled in finally. "I certainly will."
They slept through the night as they usually did except they were no longer abiding by the imaginary line in their bed. Hermione slept tucked into his side, Draco's arms curled protectively around her.
She woke to his lips fluttering across her neck and over her chest. She was surprised when he flipped her over and had her straddle his hips. The new position and the resulting orgasm quickly went down in her book of best wakeup calls ever.
The morning shower they shared also involved little talking but they did manage to actually get clean, though their mouths stayed connected nearly the entire time when they weren't dodging soap bubbles from their hair.
Hermione wasn't expecting how affectionate he could be and was rather pleased when he had a hard time letting her go just to dress for the day. The newness of their feelings coming to light surely played a part but she knew how Draco was with their son. He wasn't the stoic, cold façade his father was. Apparently, that would now be extended to his wife and she wasn't upset about it.
She finally shooed him away with a fit of laughter so she could dress and dry her hair in peace. When she found him again downstairs, he was in the kitchen cooking what could only be an early lunch given the time.
"Smells lovely," she commented as she stopped next to him.
Draco leaned down to kiss her and nearly succeeded again in drawing her into a full out snog session until she pushed at his chest and nodded towards the pan on the stove.
"You might be a wizard and I might be a witch but that doesn't mean I want to use magic to keep the house from burning down. Focus. My lips aren't going anywhere."
He growled playfully but did as he was told.
"You know my mother will be pleased about this," he smirked over his shoulder.
Hermione laughed and shook her head. "I'm well aware. Your father will likely be another story." She shrugged when he scowled at that. "But my parents will actually be a bit relieved. They've never understood the arrangement we had anyway."
Draco turned off the stove and approached her where she'd seated herself at the bar. "I'm sorry about that as well. I'm no longer sorry that you ended up with me though, even if you were fighting angry about it at first."
Hermione rested her hands against his chest as she met his warm gaze, so pleased to see him directing that look at her now. "Draco, there's something else I should say while we're getting things out in the open." She smiled gently and pressed a finger over his lips when an anxious look washed over his features. "It's nothing bad, or at least I don't think it is."
"Alright," he nodded for her to continue.
"I love Leo but I'd never intended to have just one child. I was never going to ask before but do you think maybe we could—"
Draco cut her off with his mouth, sucking her bottom lip gently before he pulled back to meet her eyes again. "Yes, Merlin, yes I want another child with you. I hated being an only child, despite how selfish everyone believes I am, but I was never going to suggest it given the nature of our marriage."
Hermione smiled at him then and leaned forward to kiss him again. "We really need to continue actually speaking our feelings now. We've clearly misread each other."
Narcissa knew when she came over later that afternoon to bring Leo home that something was different between her son and her daughter-in-law. She didn't comment, knowing how jumpy the two got when people talked about their relationship, but merely smiled to herself as she returned home. Lucius questioned her on it when he returned that evening from his trip and all she could say was that she imagined another grandchild would be in their future.
To say the elder Malfoy was confused would have been an understatement.
Hermione's mother was the first of her parents to pick up on the change and hugged her daughter so tightly that Hermione thought she might vomit up her breakfast. Relief would be the best description of their reaction. Relief that their daughter would finally have a normal marriage—finally have the love she deserved.
The change in their public demeanor spread slowly. The Prophet caught Draco out with her in public more than just at formal business dinners. They went out more as a family as opposed to some odd semblance of business partners. A few weeks after their marriage changed, Rita Skeeter managed to get a much coveted photo of them sharing a kiss in public and blasted it all over the front page.
Oddly enough, Hermione hadn't been that upset about it, an odd sort of pride knowing that people would know he was in love with her.
Ginny, of course, had been thrilled while Harry and Ron merely jokingly questioned Hermione's sanity for voluntarily sleeping with the wizard.
It was Christmas when the first snag happened and Draco began getting rather suspicious of her behavior. She'd become secretive about the oddest things. Not wanting him showering with her, pushing his hands away from her midsection whenever he tried to touch her there at night, dressing differently, and spending a lot of time with Potter's wife, or so she said.
Though he certainly didn't want to start a fight on Christmas, he'd had enough of her hiding and brushing him off when he tried to engage her in discussion about it. After all, they'd agreed to communicate and not hide what they really wanted to say anymore.
"You're seeing someone else, aren't you," he asked bluntly Christmas Eve night after she'd put Leo to bed and returned to their bedroom.
Hermione stopped at the edge of their bed and she looked at him as if he'd just swigged polyjuice potion and turned into Pansy. Her dark eyes widened for a moment before she narrowed them into a glare.
"Have you gone completely mad, Draco? Why would you accuse me of that?"
He shrugged self-consciously from where he was seated, his back against their headboard. He'd been working on his own communication skills and he knew he wasn't good at this. Never had been comfortable with being vulnerable but he'd promised to speak his mind.
"You hardly let me touch you lately," he started slowly. "You hide in the bathroom and won't even let me see you naked. You keep saying you're spending time with Potter's wife helping her prepare for their second child but surely it can't take that long. You're both bleeding witches, for Merlin's sake." He sighed as his grey eyes finally met hers. "What else am I supposed to think?"
Hermione's eyes softened at that. Though they communicated much better now, he was still never comfortable and at home with showing his weaknesses.
She shook her head with a soft sigh and rounded the bed to his side where she stopped and faced him. "Give me your hands." When he merely eyed her skeptically, she huffed and reached for them herself. "You ruin everything, did you know?"
Draco allowed her to move his hands under her shirt and press them against her stomach. His brow lifted in surprise and he met her eyes again.
"I wasn't trying to mislead you, Draco. It was so close to the holidays when I found out that I thought it would be a nice Christmas gift." She smiled gently and framed his face with both hands. "I'm pregnant. Three months actually and safely past the first trimester. I'm not showing much but enough that I knew you'd notice."
Draco's eyes had blown wide and he hurried to lift her shirt further, to which she laughed and reached to hold it up for him so he could see. True enough, her stomach wasn't entirely flat anymore and was beginning just the slightest to round with the life growing within.
"I'm sorry," he blurted stupidly.
She laughed and leaned forward to kiss him. "You're presumptuous and a git but I love you. Are you happy?"
Draco slid his hands around her back and drew her into him. "Happy doesn't cover it."
Hermione watched as his mouth began to curl into a small smirk before she felt him lift her suddenly and plant her in the middle of the bed where he climbed over her.
"You know," his eyes traced the line of her body head to toe, "after you told me you were pregnant with Leo I wanted you so bad. Especially towards the end of that pregnancy."
Her eyes widened a fraction at his admission and she swallowed against her suddenly dry throat. "Me, too. There were times I nearly couldn't stop myself from just begging you for it."
His resulting grin could only be described as wicked as he ducked his head and kissed near her ear before he whispered, "Just say the word and I'll shag your beautiful brains out."
There wasn't much verbal communication needed after that.