Hermione was more than annoyed when she realized her fatal flaw for their plans that night. Draco had patrols, and he couldn't just ignore them. They pushed off their meeting date until after he was finished, which meant she was sitting alone in her favorite spot in the library waiting for him. She slipped in before close, and he had the key to join her when he was finished.

Alone.

She hadn't been alone in the library since everything went south with Ron. She wasn't concerned about him finding her, knowing he was just released from the hospital wing this afternoon. Knowing Ginny, she was certain he was getting another earful for his actions.

There was a rumor going around that he had an audience with the headmistress early that evening, but she couldn't be bothered to listen. Harry and Ginny would tell her when Ron received punishment for his foolishness.

Maybe, tomorrow, they'd have an update on Astoria. Despite herself she hoped the girl was not permitted to return to school, at least until after the winter holiday. That would more or less derail the supposed promise between Lucius Malfoy and her late father, and would put an end to the marriage sham Draco fought since the beginning of the year.

Sitting in her favorite spot, she peered around at the books. She wanted to just get up and read something, but her mind was totally distracted. Having already cast aside two books since arriving, a third wouldn't make any difference. It shouldn't be long now since she knew it would be an easy day for rounds, but that didn't lessen her boredom.

Or nerves. She wanted to move things along, get Draco to trust in her state of mind and actually help her through the overwhelming urges she felt. She didn't trust anyone else to help her through this, which meant she had to prove to him that she could handle the help he gave.

It wasn't exactly what she had pictured, and it was so far past the deal they originally made she wasn't even sure this qualified anymore, but Hermione couldn't fight her growing attraction to Draco. Even before Astoria's misstep she'd noticed the changes, the way she liked his company and his kisses more and more.

Laying down, she closed her eyes and thought of the man who would soon be arriving. Draco knew how to make her tick, and she was hoping he'd use his hands for a little more tonight. Resting her own across her belly, she wondered how that would feel.

Ron and Victor both had a hand at her breasts before, though she wouldn't call either of them particularly skilled on the matter. Victor obviously didn't have a lot of practice at the time, pinching way too hard and pulling too much until they simply ended up stopping. Ron was too rushed, barely paying much attention to them in his never ending quest to get in her pants.

From what she knew about Draco, he had enough practice to treat her properly. She'd been thinking this over for most of the day, and the idea was thrilling. At least if he helped her, she knew the experience would be a pleasant one. She'd never put herself in the position again of letting some wanker rush her along.

She knew what she liked on the rare – very rare – occasions she felt like touching herself, and she wondered if he'd use similar techniques or try something else entirely.

Hermione blamed her thoughts on the potion running ramrod in her system. Without it she'd never have such embarrassing thoughts.

Opening her eyes, she realized he still wasn't there. Pity, she was beginning to get antsy. Closing her eyes again she acknowledged that she'd probably hear something when he approached, and cautiously slid her hands up. Maybe if she was a little more in the mood when he arrived, Draco wouldn't be so bloody hesitant about touching her.

Or kissing her. He was so stiff now, like he was afraid he'd frighten her away.

"Having fun?"

Hermione squeaked, jumping up from within the pillows and slamming her head into the back of her little cocoon. She grunted, reaching a hand back to rub the sore spot as she noticed Draco above her, peering down with a look of pure amusement.

Well, that took all of two seconds.

"I thought I'd hear you coming," she grumbled, sitting up and drawing her legs in. Instead of feeling inspired now she just felt silly, and the bemused smirk playing at his lips did nothing to help her self-confidence.

"Please, don't stop on my account," he replied, plopping down on the opposite side so he could study her. "I didn't realize telling you to take things slow would make you take matters into your own hands."

Her cheeks colored, and she sat straighter, glaring at him. "Well it's not like you're taking anything into yours!"

Draco arched an eyebrow, and she suddenly wished she'd made her last statement a bit coyer. "Whatever happened to you wanting things to be special? I thought that was part of the reason Weasel's pushiness ruined it for you."

Sighing, she glanced away. "It does need to be special, and with the right person. I care about it being in my own time more than anything."

"So are you just going to play with yourself until I decide to give in?"

Hermione threw a pillow at his head, and she felt the mood around them lighten more than it had in days. Most everything about their agreement was so very serious, and Draco would almost never joke about things like this. The fact that he was pulled a smile from her lips.

He was trying to make her feel better. He may still believe she wasn't ready, but he at least wasn't going to continue holding her at an arm's length until the end of time.

She scooted across the space until she sat next to him, ignoring the jolt of electricity she felt when their shoulders touched. He didn't react, studying her movements like he always did until she was comfortable, snuggled up into his side, her face tilted so she could study his features.

"Stop being so careful," she grumbled, her fingers wrapping around his own. He didn't stiffen, and she sighed contently as she relaxed into him. "One stupid ploy from Ron and Astoria isn't going to shatter my faith in you. The fact that they were idiotic enough to do this is their own faults. But I'm not afraid of you and I'm certain you'll stop when you decide I'm not ready for more." She glared at him, giving the man a pointed look. "So stop acting like everything will be ruined if I let you do more than kissing. I'm not going to cower away Draco."

She didn't sit around waiting for him to argue with her again. Instead she tilted her face up, capturing his lips with her own. He didn't pull away, which was good as the connection immediately had her mind muddled with pure bliss.

Hermione had kissed Draco before more than enough times. But whatever haze the spell left her under seemed to be working its magic, and she felt his hand slip behind her back, supporting her when her bones started feeling like jelly. It was a kiss! It shouldn't cause her whole body to warm up with pleasure.

But it did.

Shifting, she pressed his back into the pillows so she could cup both his cheeks with her hands, deepening the kiss. She was tired of him telling her what she supposedly was and was not ready for. Hermione was a big girl; she'd decide for herself.

Annoyingly, his hand on her back rubbed smooth circles across the middle of her spine, but didn't seem eager to drift lower. Darting out her tongue, she hoped to at least tempt him. Nerves or not, she didn't possess the same fears with Draco that she did with Ron.

She trailed kisses down one side of his neck, enjoying the way he stroked her hair as she did so. But it wasn't enough. When he kissed her jaw like this she trembled beneath his touch, and it set her nerves on edge. Draco seemed to enjoy her attentions and hummed pleasantly wherever she kissed, but that was it. He wasn't losing control at her attentions.

It was bloody annoying.

Pulling back from him she frowned, her eyes glancing over his body. He kept his hand lazily on her back, continuing to trace small circles. Even that little touch had her skin tingling, and there was still fabric between their skin.

"Why can't I get you worked up?" she asked, sitting back from him. A pout pulled at her lips. "You do it so easily to me."

Draco smirked, continuing the same pattern along her back. "I never said you didn't."

"But you don't shake," she groaned, smacking his hand away. "Or moan. You're breathing hardly ever changes. You don't shake, I can't make you inhale sharply. You won't lose control around me, and I think I'm more bothered from kissing you just now than you are."

"Of course you are," he replied, wrapping both arms around her this time. "You're magically inclined to be."

Hermione huffed, trying to pull back from him. He didn't let up, which only annoyed her further. "That's not what I meant. Aren't you… don't you feel anything when I'm kissing you?"

The playful look on his face disappeared, his hands moving to smooth down the fabric of her blouse again. Studying his face she watched the mask on his face melt away a little, his eyes growing dark. "You have no idea."

"Really?" she asked, ignoring the way her heart fluttered. She knew there was something between her and Draco, but they didn't put it into so many words. She trailed her fingers along the collar of his shirt, and he rolled his neck at her touches. Hermione's eyes lifted to his. She was right, her touches didn't elicit the same noises his did, but he did seem a little bothered.

"I wouldn't work this hard to keep myself in check if you didn't make me want to do things to you," he remarked, dragging her closer again. His fingers ran up and down her back, causing little sparks to dance along her skin. "Just not yet. We've talked about this."

Rolling her eyes, she knit her arms around the back of his neck, throwing a leg over his waist so she straddled him. Draco's eyes widened, clearly surprised by the change in position. "You've asked me to tell you when to stop before, and I'll still obey. Please Draco, stop acting like I'll shatter if you touch me. I miss… I miss all those things we've been doing together."

His hands dug into the fabric of her blouse, wrinkling the material. He bit his lip, tilting his head until his lips ghosted over hers, and he drew a pleasant shudder from her at the action. "Promise you'll tell me?"

"Mhmm."

"Even through that haze in your eyes?"

"I still know when something's wrong," she replied, her eyes fluttering closed when he kissed her again. His hands didn't move from the fabric but they didn't need to, not when he started trailing the kisses down her cheek and neck again the same way she had, only he got her to softly moan.

Draco let one of his hands slip free from her back, coming around to toy with the top buttons of her blouse. His kisses traveled lower, licking and sucking at the skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, his fingers playing with the topmost button of her uniform.

Hermione groaned, surprised how good she suddenly felt without the man even touching her. He didn't seem to be paying her much mind in that moment, distracted by the skin he was nipping. She'd all but zoned out and let the feeling overtake her when his teeth suddenly sank down on her neck, sucking much harder than before. Gasping, her fingers tightening on his neck, her eyes widening.

He let up just as quickly, kissing the same patch of skin before flicking his wrist, letting the top button of the blouse open. "Relax. I'm not going to leave a mark unless you want me to."

She tried to think that over, but the words got lost in her mind when he returned to kissing her neck, flicking open the second button just as simply as the first. Relaxing into his grip, she let him pepper little kisses along her collar bone, popping two more buttons open until he could pull at the sleeve of her blouse and reveal her shoulder, skipping over the strap of her bra to continue on kissing there.

Hermione dimly realized she was panting, surprised such simple attentions could cause such a response. She once spent almost an hour with Ron trying foreplay and some simple kissing, and it barely caused a rise out of her. Draco had barely touched her, and already she felt like her body was alive and on fire.

He continued kissing down her chest, traveling back from her shoulder to below her jugular, kissing there before heading south. By the time he started kissing the tops of her breasts she thought her nails might dig all the skin off his neck with how much she was scratching him.

He briefly stopped, glancing up at her as he kissed the smooth skin again. His hand came up, lightly fingering the underside of her bra, his touch barely noticeable with how little pressure he applied. Still, the whole action made her want to scream.

Draco was hardly doing anything now, but with the way he was looking up at her through hooded eyes she thought she might scream.

"Tell me to stop."

It wasn't a question, more of a request. Hermione just shook her head, squirming on his lap. His grip on her shirt tightened but she didn't care, her fingers gently pulling at his short locks. "Don't stop."

Draco growled, the first real noise he'd made since Hermione threw herself at him. His gaze dropped, returning to kiss her skin above the bra before his hand shifted higher, fulling cupping her breast over the fabric.

She was embarrassed how loud she groaned from just that. He smirked against her skin, kissing her flesh one more time. When he pulled back his eyes were still unusually dark, hooded with an expression she didn't recognize. He looked her over, his fingers on her back gently rubbing again as he let the fabric go, his gaze sweeping over her more than once.

Hermione blushed under his gaze, unused to the blond man looking so directly at her for an extended period. When he met her gaze again he reached up, his fingers resting gently across his cheek as she regained her breath.

His fingers gently brushed her cheek before dragging over to her lips, running his fingertips over her bottom lip before pulling away. "It's more fun than I thought working you up."

She grinned, settling into his lap again. Hermione was feeling proud of herself; she hadn't panicked, and in fact, she felt like doing even more with Draco. The fact that he stopped was a bit of a letdown, her nerves still standing on end.

"You're not done though," she remarked, removing her hands from his reddened neck to place lightly on his chest. "I didn't tell you to stop yet."

Draco laughed at that, wrapping his arms around the brunette's slender waist, resting his forehead against her. "There's no rush Hermione; take things slow and enjoy it. There are plenty more days in the school year for us to finish this off."

And Hermione, despite herself, sank into his embrace. Even though she wanted to continue everything exactly as they had been a moment ago, there was something nice about stopping here. He still wasn't pushing, but he hadn't left her without anything either. With all the gentle touches and his kisses, Hermione had never felt more alive.

A/n: Let me know your thoughts! More romance and of course more drama are on the horizon!

I am going to be asking all the readers of my stories this next question: If I self-published a story on Amazon with an "erotic" theme, would anyone be interested in this. The story I'm currently working on is very complex, and for a while now I've been debating posting something more fun and daring beforehand. Just looking for some thoughts and input. Thanks everyone!