Hi, everyone! I've never posted an HP fic before so this will be a first. I used to write Smallville (Clark and Lana) fics back in high school and early college to sharpen my writing skills. I've been writing more lately in hopes of kick starting my creative juices to develop my original work as I'd like to publish one day. I had this idea after binge watching the movies. (Don't worry; I've read all the books first.)

The characters and backstory belong to the fabulous J.K. Rowling. I'm just a fan with an idea I couldn't put away. Please be gentle as it's been a while since I've done fan fiction. Assuming this goes well, I have a multiple chapter fic I may post. Without further ado...

The Tax

Sixteen year-old James Potter huffed as he watched Rose Granger-Malfoy flit off in the direction of the family library.

She was insufferable. A swotty little know-it-all if ever there were one and he was stuck with her every time their parents and the Weasleys got together for the holidays.

It wasn't that she was horrible to look at. She did look an awful lot like his aunt Hermione, though she wasn't really his aunt. He could begrudgingly admit that her good looks came naturally. She was just so annoyingly stuck in a book or sputtering answers to every damned question the professors asked that he couldn't stop himself from teasing her relentlessly.

He shook his head and entered the kitchen where all of the adults were still huddled around the table griping over ministry work or whatever things preoccupied their brains.

"You look like you've just seen a boggart of McGonagall," Draco Malfoy smirked at him from the table.

James knew that smirk all too well. Rose gave him the same one whenever she bested him in every class. He had to admit it looked better on her though.

"She's an annoying know-it-all, you know," he griped at them. He watched as Hermione hid her smile behind her mug of coffee.

He didn't know what that was supposed to mean really.

However, watching his 'aunt and uncle' glancing at each other he remembered the story Draco had told him just last week.

"The tax," he exclaimed suddenly. "Ha! That'll teach her!"

He turned on heel and wandered off into the house leaving six stunned adults at the kitchen table.

"What's he on about," Ron laughed.

Hermione watched as Draco's eyes lit with understanding and he stood so abruptly that he knocked his chair over.

"Draco," she warned lowly.

He looked down at her and pointed in the direction James had went off in. "That little brat's going to use my own method against me! No way, Hermione. He and I are going to have a talk before he gets too far. I'm not going to take this lying down."

Everyone else around the table watched the two with bemused expressions, not entirely certain what was going on. It was no secret that James and Rose drove each other nuts but they all felt it was a slow burning crush on James' part if anything. Draco of course was in denial about it. He refused to believe his daughter would fall for a Potter.

She snorted, "That's not what you said last night."

Harry and Ron both cringed. Neither liked the reminder of what Draco and Hermione did behind closed doors. More because of Malfoy than their best friend.

"Granger," he snarled.

Hermione rolled her eyes and finally relented. "Fine but give me your wand. I don't trust you when you're like this."

He growled but pulled it from his pocket and deposited it into his wife's waiting hands before stalking off through the Potters' house to find the brat.

She pocketed it with her own in satisfaction and took a sip of her coffee before looking up to meet everyone else's gazes.

"Only you could get Draco Malfoy to hand over his wand willingly, Hermione," Harry shook his head in amazement.

She merely shrugged as though it was nothing but no one there was stupid. They all knew he'd been wrapped so tightly around her finger since they started dating that she could tell him to stop breathing if she wanted to and he'd obey. He was a snarling git to most but to his wife, that was another story entirely.

"So are you going to tell us what that was all about," Lavender finally asked.

Hermione sighed and set her mug down on the table. "Did I never tell you about the tax Draco imposed on me fifth year?"

Fifth Year

Dinner was over and her homework was done for the entire coming week. All essays were written, projects completed, and with three weeks still to go to spring break she fully intended to use the night to read for pleasure in her favorite corner of the library. Harry and Ron would be forced to do their own homework without her help for once.

Book in hand, she was nearly to the library when suddenly an arm thrust out of the dark alcove and pulled her in.

Her inclination was to scream but she'd been at Hogwarts long enough by now to know that sometimes it was best to remain calm first to assess your surroundings.

When the person spun her around and pushed her up against the dark wall she found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy. Or rather eyes to chin. He'd grown again over the year and was nearly a full head taller than her now. Filled out some, too.

She didn't feel a wand pressing into her so she decided to proceed with caution.

"What do you want, Malfoy," she spit his name. "Need help with your potions homework since you never pay attention in class?"

"Like I'd need help from a muggle-born like you," he snarled close to her ear. He pulled back to look her in the eyes and she watched the storm brew in his cold, grey depths.

Shocked that he didn't call her a mudblood, she continued. "I don't have all day, Malfoy. Seriously, what do you want? You do realize you're touching me right? Isn't your skin going to start peeling off from the mere contact?"

Indeed, he was touching her but only slightly. He had both hands pressed into the stone behind her head, his chest pressing just slightly into her, enough that she had trouble moving.

She watched his nostrils flare and she could have sworn his eyes flicked down to her mouth but it was too fast to be sure. That would have been ridiculous anyway.

Draco smirked, a viscous look in his eyes. "Rumor has it, Granger, that you kiss like sin."

He watched her chocolate eyes widen before she sputtered out a laugh. "W-what? Do be serious, Malfoy. What do you really want with me? You know if you try to hex me I'll only retaliate and we both know I'm capable. Or do you want another punch to the nose?"

"As tempting as your offer of bodily harm is, I think I'll pass. Instead I've come to offer you a bargain."

"What do you have that I could possibly want?"

"A truce of sorts. If you're willing to pay the tax that is."

He watched Hermione swallow nervously and was pleased to know he was affecting her. He felt her stiffen against him but she stood her ground nonetheless. It was one of the qualities he admired about her. Once he got past her know-it-all bossiness.

And the fact that she was a muggle-born but that didn't seem to bother him much these days. He'd long decided his father was off his rocker on that score. It was becoming difficult to ignore. If muggles were supposed to be so far beneath them and so stupid, then explain Hermione Granger to him. She defied all of those things.

No, but he still found her annoying just for being her. It was cause to torture her still.

"What are you on about, Malfoy?"

"I have it on good authority that you, the swottiest of all goody-two-shoes Gryffindors, could snog a man senseless," he smirked.

She sighed but he could tell even in the dim lighting that she was blushing. "And what would make you think that?"

"Zabini claims you have quite a skilled mouth, and I don't mean with spells. Says he snogged you at midnight on New Year's in the Great Hall."

Draco watched her eyes widen as she swallowed. "That was an accident. I'd had a little too much spelled pumpkin juice to drink. He swore he wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, he turned to me first."

"That may be but he told me and now I'd like to find out for myself."

Hermione managed the nerve to scoff as she broke eye contact for a moment to gather her wits. This was downright shocking to say the least. Malfoy wanting to blackmail her into kissing him. Made no sense whatsoever.

"And why would you be so interested in kissing me? I'm a mudblood if you haven't forgotten. Won't your father's hair fall out just at the mere idea?"

Draco pressed a little closer, his hips now pressing into hers eliciting a quiet gasp from her. "What father doesn't know won't hurt him." He moved one of the hands he'd had pressed into the wall behind her into her hair. It was even softer than it looked and much less wild than it'd been when they were younger. "You've seen the girls Slytherin has to offer." He gave a mock shiver. "I'll pass. Pansy's the best option and frankly she kisses like a fish."

"Is Draco Malfoy actually alluding to the fact that he may find me attractive?"

He didn't like the tone in her voice and knew she was trying to turn the tables on him. Fine. He'd let her believe she was winning. Besides, he had one more embarrassing tidbit for her.

"I'm not blind, Granger. Superior to you, certainly, but not blind. Besides, I do believe it's your backside that was voted to the top of the 'tightest asses in Hogwarts' list."

Hermione blanched, her irritation running white-hot through her. She'd punched both Ron and Harry in the arm when they'd showed her a copy of it before she saw it for herself in the Great Hall last month. Ron has insisted that it was a compliment but she only found it demeaning and hit him on the other arm. The fact that he voted for her earned him a punch to the gut as well.

"Again, Malfoy, what do you want?"

"For you to pay the tax of course. My offer is simple. I'll stop sabotaging your potions and tripping you in the halls, limiting my mockery to only verbal assaults if you pay the tax."

"So if I kiss you, you'll leave me alone?"

"Well, physically. I have to maintain some semblance of myself by still throwing a few insults here and there."

Her eyes narrowed as she observed him, annoyed that his eyes gave nothing away. "Somehow I feel like there's more than just a simple kiss you want."

"Ever observant, Granger," he whispered with a feral grin. "One kiss won't do. You'll have to pay the tax weekly. Of course that's after I've sampled the goods and decided it's worth it and Zabini wasn't pulling my leg."

"And if he were," she questioned.

"Then the agreement is void."

I must have lost my mind, Hermione thought to herself. The allure of being left alone minus a few verbal slurs was so very tempting. Just last week he'd tripped her before arithmancy, sending her books flying and a tear up her best pair of tights. The look of pure loathing she'd given him hadn't been enough to satisfy her.

That's when it dawned on her. She could use this to her advantage as well. If she had Malfoy in her grasp, maybe, just maybe she could influence him to leave her alone completely. Her friends, too. He had no idea the kind of power he was dangling in front of her. Stupid, stupid git.

She met his tense gaze and gave a curt nod. "Fine. I accept. But I have some rules as well." He arched a pale eyebrow but nodded for her to continue. "I will give you no more than a half hour of my time once a week, no one can know about this," she narrowed her eyes when he scoffed, "and your hands must stay above the belt." She gave him a satisfied smirk of her own. "I may have the tightest ass in Hogwarts but it's mine and no one will be touching it without my express permission."

"You play dirty, Granger. But fine. Deal." He reached for the book still clutched in her hands and tossed it to the floor aimlessly. He gripped her hips roughly and pulled her flush against him. "Now come here," he growled.

Before Hermione could take a breath his lips were on hers, tugging her lower lip between his own and sucking. He was a bit more forceful than she normally liked. Not that she had kissed that many boys to compare him with. Viktor had been her first kiss and it had been like kissing a bull. Sloppy and forceful. Malfoy was forceful but not near as all over the place.

She brought her hands up to his chest and pushed gently. He broke away irritably and glared at her.

"You're going to have to relent some control if you want to enjoy this," she warned, a bit breathless.

Zabini hadn't lied about kissing her at New Year's and he obviously hadn't admitted to Malfoy how often he'd been trying to get her to relive the moment. She wasn't stupid. She knew how to kiss. Ron could attest to that fact as well but it was something they didn't speak of. Big mistake on her part.

Draco gave a sharp nod and allowed her to pull his head down to her again, conceding control.

Slow and steady wins the race, she thought to herself. She caressed both his upper and lower lip a few times before going in for the kill. He'd opened his mouth to say something, likely something vile she figured, and she took the opportunity to slip her tongue in.

He pressed them back against the wall roughly as her tongue swept the roof of his mouth slowly, taking her time before retreating as she flicked his upper lip with it. She felt his groan before she heard it, vibrating under her hands on his chest.

She pulled back abruptly and opened her eyes slowly, watching him. He stood for a short moment with his eyes closed, breathing deeply.

"Shit, Granger. Where'd you learn that? Maybe you muggle-borns really are as dirty as I thought. Been giving it up over the summer?"

Hermione breathed deeply and drove her fist into his gut.

"For your information, Malfoy, you're only the fourth boy I've ever kissed. I imagine my list is shorter than yours. And I'm not giving anything up until I'm good and married, you vile git."

Draco groaned when her fist met his stomach but kept himself upright. The girl had always had a strong punch.

"Seriously, where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

She sniffed haughtily and averted her gaze. Obviously, he'd seriously offended her this time. He made a mental note to stay away from jokes about her morals.

"Where do you think," she finally asked, turning her eyes back to him.

Both seemed oblivious to the fact that they still pressed together from the hips to chest.

"What? You mean to tell me you read about it in a book?" Her silence seemed to be the only answer he'd be getting. "Well damn, there's nothing you can't learn from reading, is there you little bookworm?"

Oddly, he felt a bit bad about offending her, and selfishly, didn't want her to go back on their agreement now that he knew Zabini hadn't been joking. In an odd moment of selflessness, he leaned down and pressed his lips to her neck, smiling when he heard her gasp. He trailed a few openmouthed kisses along her neck, dipping his tongue in the hollow of her collarbone before trailing his mouth back up to her ear where he nipped and sucked the earlobe.

He could feel her trembling beneath his hands and felt satisfied to have some of the power returned to him. "The deal is on, Granger." He dipped the tip of his tongue in her ear and felt a swell of male pride when she jerked against him.

Without another word, he was gone.

Hermione slumped against the wall. That hadn't gone exactly how she'd expected. He had as much effect on her as she had on him it seemed.

After a moment to catch her breath she retrieved her book from the floor and made her way to the library. Her mind was a swirl of thoughts and she needed time to dissect them.

And so it began, once a week Draco would seek her out for her weekly tax. She'd had to be careful of Harry and Ron seeing the notes he somehow hid in her books during class announcing the next time and place.

She'd kissed him in the restricted section of the library, the owlery, astronomy tower, and even the Potions classroom when he'd somehow managed to get Snape on the other side of the castle without him knowing it. However, the most irritating and daunting of all of his location requests had been the Gryffindor common room just before final exams.

Somehow he'd already known how to make it to Gryffindor tower. She didn't dare question that information. It was two in the morning when she met him at the portrait hole and begrudgingly allowed him inside.

"Why here," she snapped at him as he dropped his cloak over the back of her favorite armchair.

He dropped himself unceremoniously into that armchair and looked up at her expectantly. His eyes ran the length of her and she knew without a doubt he was undressing her with them. He seemed to do that all the time now. Even Harry had commented on it in potions the other day but she'd dismissed it as foolish.

"I have to admit," Draco smirked, "I expected an oversized fluffy robe and fuzzy slippers."

Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. There was nothing inappropriate about her attire. It was same tank and pajama pant set she always wore, granted he didn't know that. She'd made sure to keep her bra on as well not doubting that he wouldn't try something if he thought her defenses were down.

"Yuck it up, Malfoy, this is the last meeting anyway."

He lifted a pale, arrogant eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

She shrugged as though it should be obvious. "End of the year. Remember? Or did you sleep through your exam reviews and miss the memo?"

He smirked again. Did he ever not smirk? "There's always next year, Granger." He patted his lap expectantly and she snarled. A habit she had no doubt picked up from him.

"You're mental if you think I'm sitting in your lap. The couch is over there." She pointed to her left.

"Then I must be completely mental." He patted his thighs again with a satisfied grin.

Hermione clinched both fists before relenting and approached him. Whatever would get him out of there sooner. She was scared half to death that someone would come downstairs and find them. She was sure they'd have her committed…or worse, moved to Slytherin.

She began to sit across his legs when he reached for her hips suddenly and pulled her to straddle him.

"Malfoy," she warned.

Draco lifted his hips and watched with satisfaction as her eyes widened. "Relax, Granger. You've chosen the snogging position every time. Generally standing and frankly, that's boring. It's only right I get one pick for being so good this term."

True to his word, he'd merely thrown verbal insults her way since this little bargain had started and even then some of them seemed to have lost their venom.

"Let's just get this over with," she sighed.

She held his face in both hands and leaned forward to capture his lips. The now familiar warmth moved through her blood as she deepened the kiss, her tongue meeting his for a soft caress. She tried not to focus on his warm hands running the length of her spine or think about how gentle he always was with her.

Oddly, he'd taken a sort of protective streak with her. For whatever reason, he'd only allowed himself to throw any verbal attacks at her. She'd even caught him using a silencio on Pansy Parkinson last week when she tried to hex her. She still wasn't sure how he'd explained his way out of that one.

The only sounds coming from the common room were the sounds of wet lips and the occasional moan or groan they each did their best to ignore.

A sound from the stairs caught Hermione's attention and she pulled away from Draco like he was on fire. Panting, she glanced behind her and nearly shrieked when she was sure she heard footsteps.

She jumped up quickly and looked around. "Hide," she whispered harshly.

She didn't have to tell him twice. Draco looked around quickly and shrugged. Where was he supposed to go?

Hermione glanced around and spotted his cloak behind him before deciding to toss it over him and sit on his lap as though he wasn't even there, he were merely a part of the chair.

"Hermione," Ron whispered as he stepped fully into the dim room. "What are you doing up?"

She licked her lips quickly and squirmed when she felt Draco's hand sliding along her rear under the cloak. "I-I couldn't sleep. I thought I'd left a book down here but I guess it's somewhere in my room." She glanced around. "What are you doing down here?"

"I was hungry. I left half of a chocolate frog down here."

He was clearly not totally awake. She watched with bated breath as he approached the table near the far wall and grabbed the half eaten chocolate.

"Night," he muttered as he trudged back up the stairs.

She let loose a breath she'd been holding and jumped out of Draco's lap like he was about to explode.

"Ok, no more. That's it. You're out of here."

"That was barely ten minutes," he complained.

"I don't care, Malfoy. That nearly gave me a heart attack." She narrowed her eyes, "And you've developed wandering hands!"

He grinned but knew by the look on her face that she was serious. He went to grab his cloak from the back of the chair but pulled her to him first.

"Fine but use those talented lips on me one last time before I have to wait all summer."

Hermione rolled her eyes and stood on her toes, hands braced on his shoulders, and pressed her mouth against his. She tried telling herself it was merely the peace that this whole situation had bought her but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't enjoyed some aspects of it.

Whether he knew it or not, she'd gained a modicum of control over Draco Malfoy. Her! A muggle-born he swore to hate and be disgusted by the mere thought of. That was triumph enough but she had to admit he was a good kisser. He gave as good as he got and was actually quite generous in his attention to her lips. It was rather surprising as she'd have imagined him to be a selfish kisser.

She meant to keep it short and sweet but was distracted when his hands slid down her back and grabbed a handful each of her backside and pressed her closer.

She bit his lip intentionally and swiped her tongue across it before pushing against his chest. "You broke the rules, Malfoy."

"And it was worth it," he smirked. He let her go and pulled his cloak around his shoulders.

She followed him to the portrait hole and jumped when he stole one more kiss from her.

"One for the road," he laughed before climbing through.

Five Years Later

"I don't belong to you, Parkinson!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all sitting in the Ministry's cafeteria watching the scene before them unfold. Harry and Ron were both sporting large smiles as they watched Draco Malfoy fight off Pansy Parkinson.

They didn't hate the git like they used to considering that he turned on his father sixth year and stopped the death eaters from entering through the vanishing cabinet that he'd mended. They still weren't certain what possessed him to confess everything to Dumbledore but no one bothered to question it when he willingly took a hex for Harry and Hermione during a battle that summer.

"If I belong to anyone, it's Granger! Now bugger off!"

Harry and Ron sat frozen upon hearing that declaration. Both smiles slipped from their faces and they turned their eyes to Hermione who just sat there sipping her tea quietly.

The ministry cafeteria which had been silent was now a burst of chatter as everyone began whispering rather loudly about what they'd just heard.

Draco stomped across the room and pulled out the chair next to Hermione before dropping himself into it.

"I'm assuming from that display that you finally told your father then," Hermione asked as she sipped her tea calmly.

Draco gave her a feral grin and nodded, ignoring the shocked faces of Harry and Ron sitting across from them.

"I did and his reaction was magnificent. I think the Azkaban guards were thrilled to have the opportunity to restrain him."

It'd taken three years to finally convict Lucius Malfoy but now that he was safely behind dementor protected bars, Draco felt he could finally admit what he'd been hiding without having to watch his or Hermione's backs.

"Now I can enjoy you in public all I want," he told her with a wicked smirk. It fell from his face though when she kicked his shin with one of her heels. "Damn it, you're abusive."

"How long has this been going on then," Harry asked, slack jawed. He knew they'd worked closely together during the war, Hermione being his requested point of contact while he worked with Snape as an informant. They'd had no idea of this though.

Hermione shrugged. "A while." She loved Harry and Ron like brothers but this wasn't something she wanted to get into with them. Most days they only tolerated Draco. Hell, some days she merely tolerated him, too.

"And would you put your blasted ring back on? I'm sick of watching every man in your department ogle you like you're available."

Draco pulled a large emerald cut diamond ring from his pocket and reached for her left hand where he placed it on her ring finger.

Hermione noticed that Ron was beginning to turn red all the way to the tips of his ears.

"H-how?"

Draco answered before she could open her mouth. "She kisses like sin, Weasley! Like sin! She's had me twisted around her finger for years without you two dunderheads knowing it."

Hermione sighed to herself. "And clearly I must have been mental when I agreed to let him touch me."

Present Day

"And that's what he meant by 'the tax'," Hermione explained before draining her coffee cup.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered as he sat back in his chair.

"Who knew you had it in you, Hermione," Harry agreed.

She shrugged and made eye contact with Ginny. "I've always told them not to underestimate me but they never listen."

Everyone's attention turned to the kitchen doorway suddenly as Draco stomped back into view. "My wand, Hermione. Give me my damned wand! I'm going to hex the bugger!"

"Draco," she warned, her tone bored.

"He kissed her!" His pale eyebrows were nearly up to his hairline now. "The brat kissed our daughter! Now I've got to fear the Potter invasion!"

Harry and Ginny both rolled their eyes before exchanging a knowing look. "It's a good thing Rose is half yours, Hermione. I can't fathom the evil the world would face if she were all Draco."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Draco, please just sit down. They're kids and James is harmless."

He stomped back to his seat next to her and slumped down into, crossing his arms irritably over his chest. "Like I was harmless?"

She smiled demurely. "No, you were vile. I tamed you." She tossed his wand to Ron for safekeeping until they left, knowing Draco wouldn't dare get anywhere near him. "And we both know I always get my way so just relax."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Fine, but you're paying the 'adult' tax tonight when we get home."