IN THE END

The first time they had sex, it took them both by surprise. Draco attended an event organised by the Ministry only because his best friend Theo had been insisting they go for weeks. By the end of that night, Draco would strongly consider he should pay for Theo's lunch for as many weeks.

They usually weren't interested in black tie events, except this time, Theo was looking for new investors. Their joint business partnership was simple. Nott Tech designed artefacts and enchantments for the Auror Department at the Ministry and Malfoy Industries supplied them with useful and enhanced potions.

It took them almost a decade after finally graduating Hogwarts to find their footing in the wizarding world, but Theo's ingenuity and Draco's potioneer talent took them on a world tour whirlwind. They now had their fair share of valuable acquaintances, influential contacts, close friendships with renowned witches and wizards…and, certainly, affairs.

Theo had become one of the most influential wizards in Europe, but he was also popular among muggles. He liked men a lot, but when it came to attractiveness, he wasn't picky about their blood.

Draco sometimes thought of the night the waters had muddled between them. It happened during a lonely week in remote Alaska while gathering new ingredients and materials. Personally, Draco was hardly ever attracted to men, but Theo had a special charm about him and, coupled with more than one firewhisky glasses, for those few hours several years ago, the blond hadn't been able to resist his friend. Luckily, their friendship and comradery had remained intact after that. As much as it'd stayed where it happened, the event had served for nothing but increase their bond even further as friends. It was a turning point when they decided to formally join their careers, go back home and present their products to the British Ministry.

Similarly, the night Draco Malfoy reconnected with Hermione Granger would change his life forever.

While working for the Ministry, managing an independent private business meant he wasn't in there as often as Theo was. Draco preferred to work from his laboratory and rely on Theo to do the PR work, as he was better respected. But even though they were associates, their companies were kept separate, because Malfoy Industries supplied all kinds of potions worldwide. The only exclusive the Ministry had to their disposal were his Veritaserum M Potion, a potent modification of the regular truth-telling liquid, and a few units of his experimental Memory M Potion, to restore damaged memories. Draco supplied hospitals and schools with healing potions and harmless practice kits, as well.

Theo led Draco around during the event, socialising with Ministry officials and their wives or husbands while everyone's champagne flutes magically refilled themselves. Draco watched her from a distance, dressed in red, impossible to miss. She'd grown out of her bookworm, big-toothed and bushy-haired persona. She was now a confident, magnetic, stunning and yet discreet woman.

Draco saw her on the Prophet from time to time, but she liked to stay private. She only gave interviews about her projects, fielding all questions about her personal life. He had no idea whether she was married, had children or where she lived. He only knew this was not the same Hermione Granger he'd said goodbye to on their last day of school.

· - ·

"What are you doing? Don't you dare stop now!"

"Wait, but I'm curious. Don't you hate me?"

"Why the bloody hell do you care?"

"Dirty Mouth Granger. I like it."

"Yes, to be clear, this is a hate-fuck. Just keep going."

"So you do hate me?"

"The more you keep still between my legs, the more I'll hate you. Move!"

"Okay, only making sure…"

"Ah, yes, thank you."

· - ·

The second time they had sex, he was the one who didn't expect it. Theo decided to celebrate his birthday by throwing a private party at the Leaky Cauldron. Hannah Abbott was the landlady there and Granger helped secure a few rooms in case someone got too intoxicated to Apparate since there was an open bar and Theo wasn't going to skimp on liquor.

Unbeknownst to Draco previously, Granger was very well-acquainted with his friend, which in retrospect, made sense, because she was a representative for many groups of creatures in the Ministry. She was the link between witches, wizards and giants, elves, merpeople, centaurs, and many more. She was powerful, assertive…and very, very fit.

After the affair they'd had at the hotel were the Ministry event was held, Draco learned she wasn't seeing anyone and she lived alone. He'd tried to get her out of his head, but it seemed as though now, more than ever, he saw her everywhere. In the three following months, he'd seen her picture in the Prophet an average of three times a week, heard her speak on the wireless at least a dozen times, and even held the door for her once at Vantage Books, a small new bookshop in Diagon Alley. She'd simply thanked him and walked in like she owned the place. It all drove him mad.

Lately, he'd had to hear Theo talk about her because she'd asked him for a tech design to adapt cages for Cornish Pixies. Only Granger would care for such annoying creatures.

Despite the open bar temptation, this time Draco decided to switch early from firewhisky to pumpkin juice, discreetly transfigured to resemble liquor. He thought he needed a clear head after he saw her appear in the pub with Ginny Potter in tow. Draco couldn't deny the redhead had grown up to become incredibly beautiful with an athletic body, but after seeing Granger in her sexy black blouse and shimmery short skirt, he couldn't take his eyes off her golden legs. The summer sun suited her, giving her a stunning glow, even in her hair, now tamed in perfectly-defined curls.

After an hour half-listening to he and Theo's friends, while watching Granger laughing with hers and slowly sipping her clear cocktail, when the redhead left for the loo, Draco couldn't take it any longer.

· - ·

"You kept me waiting too long."

"I wanted you sober. Your balls do look a bit blue from here, yes."

"I haven't been drinking for hours. You should apologise."

"How's this for an apology?"

"Ungh, fuck, yes."

"Ah, ah, no touching. Let me do my thing this time."

"Please."

· - ·

The third time they had sex during the following month, Theo was already onto them, but they just ignored him. Their connection was so electrifying, they couldn't stop finding reasons to bump into each other, sometimes literally.

Ginny's presence next to Hermione had become regular in events and parties whenever her competition schedule permitted her. When she showed up to the party Theo organized in his new Manor clutching Potter's arm and sporting an undisguised pregnant belly, Draco realised that he might be seeing more of them from then on. Theo had been waiting a long time to rub shoulders with the Chosen One.

Draco and Hermione knew they were being rather obvious when, during the party, as soon as they saw each other after she came in through the Floo, they both suddenly had to get some air. They didn't care about appearances anymore.

Outdoor sex in September wasn't ideal, but they both put in enough heat to be able to tolerate it. The only difference was that instead of going for hours, they could only spare just a few minutes. Draco had always loved a challenge.

· - ·

"Did you cast a softening charm on the wall?"

"It looked rough. I don't want your back to get hurt and you resenting me."

"So considerate…This angle is off. I'm too small for you."

"Yeah, let me pick you up. Hold on tight."

"That's better."

"I think this is the closest we've ever been."

"Feels very nice."

· - ·

They'd spent the rest of Theo's housewarming party socialising and having an actual conversation for once. So now there was something else tickling him at the back of his brain. Hermione Granger was stupefyingly intelligent. He knew that way before anything between them started, but now that he had a taste of her debating topics with actual knowledge, he was impressed. She wasn't just spewing textbook paragraphs; she argued smartly and convincingly. He recognised how her beauty ran through her inside and out as it showed in how she carried herself and how she treated others. Draco was undeniably smitten.

Whenever Hermione looked at him, either while talking animatedly or while she unbuttoned his shirt, her gaze made him feel different and special. And this realisation terrified him, but he couldn't stay away and it seemed like she couldn't, either.

Draco knew it when one Saturday morning in November she sent him an invitation via owl. Vantage Books was hosting their first book launch. The book itself wasn't significant, but her invitation was.

He'd learned she was, in fact, the owner of the bookshop, which she stocked with both wizarding and muggle titles. As per her recommendations, he'd had the—admittedly—pleasure to delve into great muggle literary works. But what the small piece of parchment in his hand conveyed was that, for the first time, she wanted to see him. He knew she wasn't leaving it up to chance by inviting Theo and hoping Draco would tag along and she wasn't attending a function just in case he'd be there. This time she made sure to let him know she wanted him there. After all, she was the Gryffindor in this situation. If somebody was going to take the reins, it was her.

· - ·

"This sofa is rather comfortable. On my knees, at least."

"Glad you approve of my living room furniture. Wait till you feel the bed."

"We're already shagging here, why would we move?"

"You could spend the night."

"I'm not sleeping here, Malfoy."

"Not yet. And I didn't say anything about sleeping, did I?"

"Hmmm. Go slower? Oh, there."

· - ·

By the time they realised they lived only a block apart in London, Hermione had seen his king-sized bed, his luxurious shower and gourmet kitchen with plenty of countertops. Draco had thoroughly surprised her with his excellent cooking skills and he'd been rightfully admonished for his limited bookcase space.

At some point, weeks after, he finally saw her "proper home library", set up in the biggest room in her flat. She said it still wasn't enough to hold all her books. He took her against the stacks when she verbalised with dreamy eyes one of her fantasies.

He made them pizzas, kneading the dough from scratch to give him an extra two hours with her while it rose. Spent, satisfied and fed, they napped on her small sofa. It was the first time they'd slept together. It wouldn't be the last.

· - ·

"Are you enjoying the book?"

"It's interesting enough."

"I'm going to bed, are you staying?"

"You mean here reading or…?"

"No. Will you stay with me tonight, Malfoy?"

"I'd love to, but I don't sleep with women on the first date."

"We went to get take-out. I'd hardly call it a date."

"All the more reason. And you said we couldn't have sex with your…thing."

"My thing is called a period. And it doesn't mean I can't be turned on. We can do other stuff. Plus, sleep. All night."

"Granger?"

"Malfoy?"

"I'll spend the night with you. Sleeping or doing otherwise."

· - ·

The transition between shag-friends to dating was so seamless that even their friends didn't question it. Draco liked Ginny and he learned to tolerate Potter as they were very close to Hermione. She was still friends with the Weasel, but he'd moved to Italy after visiting Venice one summer and falling in love with someone there. Draco was only glad they weren't asked to babysit Albus Severus Potter very often. He liked the baby's personality but was at the point where he couldn't get enough of alone time with Hermione and he wanted it to stay like that for a long time.

Theo started dating Martin, a young Ministry official, and the three-couple dates turned into three-couple game nights and three-couple vacations by Easter. Then Draco and Hermione decided to move in together about a year after they'd reconnected into a house with one of the three floors almost entirely dedicated to their books. Theo and Martin eloped on Christmas.

· - ·

"Honey, we're home! We brought gifts from Iceland! Hello?"

"Fuck. I forgot to close the sodding Floo just in case. I told Theo five o'clock!"

"They did this on purpose. There, the door's locked and silenced. Let's just finish, don't stop."

"Draco? Hermione? Helloooo!"

"They're laughing, stupid gits."

"They're the worst. But keep going!"

"Ah woman, you spanked me! Are we back to hate-fucking?"

"Ungh, yes. No, I still love you."

"Thank—Oh, Merlin. I love you too."

THE END