It was wrong, but it was easy to do. Every time it got easier.

Draco's slender hand stroked Hermione's cheek as he laid her down on the silk sheets of his bed. Scorpius was at Hogwarts. It was his second year, just like Rose. Astoria was at work. Malfoy women didn't work as a matter of tradition but Astoria refused to give up her job as a healer. Hermione respected her for that, just not enough to keep her away from Astoria's husband.

Astoria was at St. Mungos a lot more than she needed to be. So Hermione was here, in Malfoy Manor, twisted in cool fabric and sweating limbs.

#

It was about five years after the end of the war that Hermione saw Draco again for the first time. It was a week before Halloween and she was alone in Diagon Alley, purchasing pumpkins for the kids to carve jack-o-lanterns. It was one of her favorite times of the year and the last one they'd be spending all together as family. Hugo was headed off to Hogwarts next year.

There was a towering pyramid of bright orange pumpkins sitting on the sidewalk. Hermione was searching for a tall, skinny one. The kind Hugo liked. She stumbled forward.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The whole stack of pumpkins collapsed. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth and when she looked up from the mess, she saw bright silver eyes staring back at her.

"Malfoy?"

"Graceful, Granger," he said smoothly. Draco flicked his wand and the pumpkins reformed into their pristine stack. He was tall and thin as always, his hair slightly darker and lightly mussed. He wore shiny black shoes and well-pressed grey dress pants. Draco Malfoy was stunning. Might as well admit it.

"Uh. Thanks. And it's Weasley now."

Draco smirked. "Is it?"

As if he didn't know. Hermione rolled her eyes, grabbed the pumpkin she wanted for Hugo and one for Rose as well.

"Happy Halloween, Granger." He bowed and then turned on his heel, heading toward Quality Quidditch Supplies. Did he still play Quidditch? Ron had given up Quidditch long ago and with it anything resembling muscle tone. Still, she loved him. Pudgy gut and all.

Hermione thought she'd never see Draco Malfoy again but she was wrong.

#

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Hermione breathed as she felt Draco's kisses against her neck. He laughed. What was so funny about this? Nothing. Nothing was funny about this.

"Of course we shouldn't be doing this. What a ridiculous question," said Draco. He pressed his hot lips to her, stealing any chance for continued protesting. It was an old song and he probably tired of hearing it sung. Draco pulled his mouth away from Hermione's but just enough for him to speak. "Tell me to stop and I will."

Hermione tensed. The word stop found its way through her throat and onto to her tongue but Draco always kissed it away before it could float off her lips, into the world and become real. Before that one word could destroy all of this.

"Don't," she said. "Don't stop."

"Don't worry. I won't," Draco growled in her ear, sending shivers through her body. And he wouldn't.

#

The first time they kissed, Hermione couldn't believe it happened. She couldn't believe that she had allowed it happen, but she wasn't exactly in her right mind. Draco and Hermione had been bumping into each other on Diagon Alley for a few weeks. They'd even had a firewhiskey or two together. It wasn't anything. They both just liked to argue with each other. It was great sport. And Ron and Astoria were rarely home andRose spent a lot of nights at the Potters...

They had a couple drinks at the Leaky Cauldron and were walking down the muggle London streets to get some fresh air before going home. It was a cold night. Just above freezing. Hermione had her coat and scarf wrapped tightly around her body, protecting her from the strong wind.

"I'm sorry, but I think it's awful," snapped Hermione.

Draco just shook his head, his hair falling in front of his eyes. "What do you have against tradition?"

"Tradition? I don't have anything against tradition."

"Can't I just have my bloody house elf bring me my slippers in peace?"

"Right and if he brings you the wrong ones, you what? Hit him over the head with a hammer? No. Even better. He hits himself over the head with a hammer while you watch on gleefully."

Draco's hand cupped Hermione's cheek. His touch warmed her cold skin. She inhaled sharply. "Wow. Granger that pretty little mind of yours can think of such barbaric things."

His eyes met hers. They both froze, stunned, confused, but before Hermione could pull away, Draco crashed his lips to hers. Hermione's whole body went rigid. Someone other than her husband was kissing her and she... oh, bloody Hell, she was disgusting... it felt great. Better than any kiss had in a while. Still, she didn't kiss back. Not that she pushed him away either. Hermione chose to remain neutral in the matter.

Draco tore away from her mouth, biting her lip as they separated. She gasped at the pain.

"We're drunk," he said.

"Yes," replied Hermione. It was the firewhiskey, but they were kissing again and that time she started it.

#

Hermione had lost count of how many times they'd done this. Not to mention all the different places they'd done it. Part of the excitement was the thrill of possibly getting caught.

They'd met up behind the Leaky Cauldron, in the Ministry of Magic elevator, once at King's Cross station, in Hermione's house and at Malfoy Manor. Though they most often frequented Malfoy Manor. Like they were now.

Draco had an ornate black four-poster king-sized bed. She loved the way his green silk sheets slid against her bare back like water as he moved her back and forth, a wave under his powerful breeze.

Her hand ran down his spine, knocking the sheets off them, and exposing their bodies to the cold air of the bedroom. Hermione drew instinctively toward Draco's heat. She placed rough kisses against his chest, her lips lightly scratched by the white-blonde hair.

'What are we doing?" asked Hermione.

"I thought that would be obvious." Draco ran a hand up her leg. Hermione shut her eyes, wanting to focus on nothing but the feel of his calloused fingers against her smooth skin.

"I just meant-"

"I know what you meant," snapped Draco. "But I'm done talking about it." He grabbed Hermione's arms roughly and pinned them against the bed. "Understand?"

Hermione nodded, feeling her hands grow numb from Draco's strong grip. "Yes." She tore out of Draco's grasp and flipped herself on top of him, smiling.

#

The first time they kissed sober was a different experience all together than their first, very intoxicated kiss.

The Ministry was throwing its annual Christmas ball. A grand foyer was decked in golds and silvers and red and greens. Bells chimed and fluttery voices sang. Snow drifted up against the white marble building and carriages trotted through the white powder, escorting people to the entrance.

Ron was an auror so he was invited to the ball for that alone, but it was likely the trio would always be invited to events like these. You defeat one Dark Lord...

Ron wore dress robes slightly too big for him while Hermione wore a tight fitting black dress held up by stripes of fabric that crossed in the back. Her hair was tied to the side and twisted in a bun. She'd even taken the time to put on evening makeup.

He was surprisingly easy to spot in the mix of people. Draco's blonde hair shimmered in the glowing fairy lights. His wife was on his arm. She looked nothing like Hermione expected. She was smiling, laughing. Astoria Malfoy seemed genuine. She was one of the best healers at St. Mungo's according to Draco and from the way people were hanging on her every word, he was probably right.

Even with Ron by her side, Hermione felt a strange jolt of jealously course through her. It was sick, wrong, but she couldn't help it. And she couldn't help staring.

Ron got caught up in a boring conversation about new paperwork procedures. Hermione took that chance to move around a little bit. She was admiring a beautiful red and gold ornament when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Gryffindor colors? How original."

She rolled her eyes and turned to face Draco. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

Draco looked around and then grabbed Hermione's wrist. "Let me show you something."

Draco Malfoy worked at the Ministry of Magic. He supervised several departments, including Ron and Harry's, but he wasn't their direct boss so he almost never came in contact with them. Draco pulled Hermione through a frosted door onto a balcony.

There was a garden of enchanted pink roses that were impervious to the cold, the perfect little blossoms flecked with ice. There was also a cement fountain with a chubby little cherub that spit a long curving trail of ice in the center.

It was lovely. Absolutely lovely.

"Wow," said Hermione.

"It's my favorite place."

"I can see why." The stars were so bright. If Hermione reached out she could pluck one right out of the sky.

"You look beautiful," said Draco, his hand gently stroking the loose tendril of her hair. "I really mean that."

Hermione's eyes searched his slender body and his cut, slightly unshaven jaw. He was absolute perfection. Draco stepped closer, his thumb running down her cheek. He placed his other hand her face as well. Gently, so gently, it seemed like only a breath, Draco placed his lips against hers. He paused, waiting for her to move. She lifted her hand to his and returned his gentle kiss.

"Draco we can't," said Hermione as she pulled away.

#

Hermione was done protesting. Now it was just her and the man she craved, moving, touching, kissing, exploring each other. She was a ravaged land, searched many times over, but Draco could always find some new part of her she didn't even know existed. He let her be so many things. Live so many lives.

"Hermione," said Draco, breathing heavily. "Hermione. Your name is so – I love saying your name." He breathed it over and over again in her ear.

Hermione. Hermione.

Nothing in the world beat the sound of an out-of-control Draco Malfoy crying her name.

"Draco," whispered Hermione.

"What the hell?" A woman's voice shouted. "What the bloody hell?"

Astoria Malfoy was home early.

Thanks for reading! I appreciate reviews. I wanted this to be as close to what could be canon Dramione as I could think of. A little out of the norm for what I write but I just liked this idea. I'll have the next part up soon. Thanks again :)