Chapter 20 Afternoon Delight

As Easter neared, Draco sequestered himself in his room frequently. A little bird named Bianca told Hermione that he did so he could study and graduate at the top of his class. Fortunately, Hogwarts and Durmstrang remained separate for graduation. Otherwise, they would be competing.

At Bianca's behest, they treated themselves to a day at the spa so Hermione could prepare for a romantic week at the beach. After the spa, Bianca dragged Hermione into a lingerie shop. Afterwards, they parted ways with Hermione returning to Durmstrang and Bianca going home to Italy. Alone in her room, Hermione studied so she could graduate at the top of her class as well.

After a couple of hours passed, Hermione packed her suitcase: first with Easter clothes and then swimsuits and vacation gear. Last she unfolded the tissue paper that contained one of the negligees she purchased. Some of her peers had already done the deed, five minutes in the back of a carriage, unintentionally painful and definitely unromantic. With Draco, she knew the latter wouldn't be true but she wondered if she would be any good. Dressing in the gossamer white negligee, Hermione looked in the mirror one last time. Taking a deep breath, she put on a dressing gown and climbed the stairs to Draco's room. Since most everyone had left for Easter already, she had no escort which suited her fine.

Timidly, Hermione knocked on Draco's door. Moments later, he answered and lightly kissed her but with a lingering promise of more to come. "I should be cross with you for not getting an escort, especially since Durmstrang seems almost abandoned."

"Don't be angry," she said sweetly. As she leaned against him, slowly she rubbed her cheek against his chest. "I don't want to wait anymore." With trembling hands, she untied the belt of her dressing gown so it fell to the floor. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Softly he kissed her before he picked her up and carried her to his bed. "Promise that I'll be your only."

In his eyes, the flickering candle light reflected more than love and lust of the moment but the promise of two souls joining forever. "Always," she whispered. With a passionate kiss, they sealed that promise as he laid her on the bed. Weeks before, she luxuriated on this bed fantasizing about her first time with him.

Tingling sensations ran down her spine as his feather light touch pushed the straps of her gown. Then he trailed delicate kisses over her shoulders, making Hermione flush with excitement and her heart to race. Anxious for more, she removed his robe to explore every nuance of his muscular torso. Beneath her fingertips, she felt each muscle tense with her touch. In a flash, he yanked her gown off of her. As he pressed her firmly against the bed, he kissed her with an animalistic passion that both greatly excited her and slightly frightened her.

When Draco looked at the naked witch beneath him, he felt his veela side slightly awaken. Though a year away from reaching full maturity, he knew what he had suspected since their first kiss; he found his soul-mate. With those innocent doe eyes holding him in their gaze, he regained control of the animalism that almost overtook him. Pulling off her dainties, he whispered, "Trust me." The moment he touched her, she tensed but then she relaxed while his nimble fingers titillated.

In awe, Draco gazed at the delicate rose whose look of utter bliss only he would see. With dew drops and meek whispers, his rosebud trembled as she unfolded. "More," she modestly pleaded still unsure of the pleasures her body would allow. Answering her plea, he stroked deeper. Gripping the sheets, her knuckles whitened as her body trembled. Only when she called for him would he answer, though he desperately wanted to conquer the witch who's back arched in ecstasy. Whispers became screams and drizzles became showers. "Draco!" Unable to resist his soul-mate's call, he joined her in the greatest pleasure they both ever knew. She quivered; she trembled and she quaked. In a pinnacle of rapture, she screamed his name and he hers.

Once rapture subsided, Draco held his soul-mate who cuddled against him, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling. Smiling, he caressed some of the long tendrils of her abundant honey colored hair that tickled his chest. "Hermione, your hair is curlier."

"Yes, it's because of you." Hermione looked into the grey eyes she adored. Draco now possessed a luminescence, making him even more handsome than normal. "Draco, you're glowing."

"So are you my love," he replied.

"No, you're really glowing." Sitting up, he looked in his dresser mirror. "We need to talk but later." Draco walked into the bathroom and tossed her a towel. "Shower and then dinner," he offered.

"Sounds great, I'm famished." Shyly, she wrapped her towel around herself. "Is that normal to be hungry?"

"Yes, it's very normal." Leaning down, he gave her a quick kiss before he snatched her towel away. "Let's shower." Looking at Hermione's futile effort to cover up, he chuckled. "Don't be embarrassed. I've seen everything." Taking her hand, he led her to his Roman shower.

While she had seen the male form nude, she had never been this up close and personal. "I've never showered with a wizard before."

"Neither have I," he added with a glint of laughter in his eyes.

That little bit of laughter made Hermione relax. Beneath the lukewarm trickle of water, strong but sometimes hesitant hands caressed her with silky suds. After she rinsed, she timidly held out her hand. A little surprised at her newfound boldness, he cocked his head a moment before he handed her the soap. With each lathering of soapsuds, Hermione felt more confident of her discoveries.

Afterwards, while Draco dashed out to grab some food, Hermione reflected on the evening she had. Though she thoroughly peaked beyond her wildest dreams, she ached a little. Moments later, Draco brought in some chicken kiev. Over a candlelit meal at a tiny table in his study, they merely stared at each other and smiled. "Draco, I want to sleep here tonight." I want to wake up next to you.

"Of course you are," he replied. "I wouldn't want you to be anywhere else."

Once they finished, he carried her to bed and caressed her negligee. "You look enchanting in that." Then he crawled in next to her. "Are you feeling…alright?"

"Just a very slight dull ache," she answered. When she saw a look of worry cross his face, she gave him a light peck. "That's much better than most as I understand."

"Good, we'll get some sleep then." Cuddling together, they slept peacefully.

When two in the morning came to pass, Hermione awakened and freshened up. Looking at the wizard sleeping next to her, seeing the six pack on silk sheets, she felt rather flushed. Then his eyes fluttered open. "Are you alright my little rose?"

"I'm fine." The candles brightened slightly when she waved her hand over them. "I'm not achy anymore."

Looking at her, the sheets raised gradually. "Good."

By the time they left for Easter late the next morning, Hermione's virginity was a distant memory.

A/N

Thank you for all the lovely reviews and support. I totally appreciate it. They keep me going. Did you like their interlude? More romance than raunch.