So, this is the last and final chapter of this tale.

I really do hope you like it!

"Are you mad at me?" Draco asked as soon as they were back in their flat.

"Why do you think I would be mad at you?" Hermione asked, calmly, as she walked into the kitchen.

Draco walked after her,

"Because I'm an idiot for not knowing all magic blood is the same? For jumping to the conclusion that this was a curse? For telling Blaise and my parents fairly explicit details of our love-life, or rather, non-existing love-life?"

He gave off a forced chuckle.

Hermione turned around, facing him,

"I'm a bit sad that you, yet again, decided not to talk to me. But I'm not angry."

She turned and opened the fridge,

"Drink?"

"Why are you so casual about this?" Draco asked, now more than a little suspicious. "And yes, please. Do we have any ginger ale?"

Hermione pulled two bottles from the fridge, opened them and handed one to Draco.

"I'm not upset because I realise you need to do you. You'll talk to me when you're ready. There's no use for me pushing you." she said and hopped up on the counter, her feet dangling over the floor as she took a sip of her beverage.

Draco shoved his one hand in his pocket and took a sip as well,

"You know, I was just thinking that if this wasn't happening with you, I'd talked to you way before ever speaking to Blaise. And waaay before even considering speaking to my parents."

"Well." Hermione said, tilting her head slightly. "How come you don't, then?"

In all honesty, he did know the answer to her question, but he also knew just how ridicules it'd sound. So instead of answering her straight away he sighed and sat down at the kitchen table so that he still faced her as she sat on the counter.

"You're going to think I'm batcrap crazy when I tell you this." He chuckled dryly. "But I would talk to Granger about these sorts of things. Not to Hermione."

There was another silence as Hermione placed her bottle beside her,

"I'm not saying I think you're totally sane. But in your defence; Granger and Malfoy have known each other a hell of a lot longer than Hermione and Draco have." She paused. "Perhaps it should be Malfoy and Granger who talks about this?"

Draco looked up at her, his eyebrows raised,

"Are you saying we should press pause on this? On us?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying." She hopped off the counter and sat down in the chair beside him. "At least not for very long. All I'm saying is that maybe we still need to be Malfoy and Granger from time to time. I think that maybe we still need them."

Draco nodded slowly,

"Yeah, maybe. Granger and Malfoy are pretty great. I know Malfoy wasn't afraid to tell Granger anything, whereas Draco is scared shitless to talk to Hermione about this."

Hermione smiled,

"So do you think Malfoy could maybe talk to Granger? I mean, when he's ready?"

"I'll make sure he does." Draco said. "Promise."

Hermione gave him an appreciative smile and they both drank in silence.

"So, Granger." Draco said after putting down his bottle again. "You'll never believe what happened to me when I was with this witch a few weeks back."

Hermione couldn't help but giggle a little. But she quickly pulled herself together,

"Really? You've met someone, Malfoy?"

"Yeah, and I'll tell you, Granger; she's the mirror of my dreams." He absentmindedly turned the bottle standing on the table as a sheepish grin spread across his lips.

"Oh, look at you, all giddy when you think about her." Hermione smiled. "So tell me what happened."

"Yeah so, we the first time we were about to have sex everything felt really great until we were actually going to." Draco ran his hand through his hair. "Right when it mattered my dick went limp. It was out of the blue. Never happened to me before. But now it's happened every time we've tried since."

"Hm. That does sound strange." Hermione scratched her chin. "You know, usually when sex doesn't happen it's because one of them doesn't want it to happen. Did that thought ever occur to you?"

"Oh, she wants to." Draco assured her. "I can tell she's beginning to get frustrated it hasn't yet."

"Alright, fair enough. But I was talking about you, Malfoy." She raised an urging eyebrow at him. "Do you think it's possible you don't want to have sex with her on some level? Are you feeling a little scared, perhaps?"

There was a long moment of silence as Draco replayed almost everything that had happened ever since their trip to Croatia.

"You know what's really scary, Granger?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"No, what?" she asked, as casually as she could manage.

"The first time her and I were together I actually declined sex because, get this, I was scared. We were kissing and suddenly I was overwhelmed with emotions, which scared me a bit. And now here you are, a month later, suggesting I'm scared of something and that's what's causing this problem." Draco observed her suspiciously. "Do you want to weigh in on something here?"

Hermione merely pressed her lips together and arched one eyebrow at him,

"Malfoy, I couldn't possibly guess what's going on inside your head and what you're feeling or not feeling. But let's explore that possibility, shall we?"

Draco sighed loudly,

"If you know what's causing this; can't you just tell me? I'm sure it will go a lot faster than having me guess."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him,

"Sure, I could offer my hypothesis on the matter. But tell me; how would that make you more equipped on handling your own emotions?"

"What are you talking about? I don't have to handle my emotions. I've got you for that, Granger." Draco said. "Although, Blaise did mention earlier that you probably would get sick of me for being, and I quote, 'an emotionally unavailable cunt'."

The corner of Hermione's mouth twitched,

"Sharp man, Blaise."

"Fine. Let's explore what I'm scared of." Draco sighed. "Right now I'm scared she'll get sick of me for not being able to shag her and dump me."

"Is it possible you're scared she'll dump you even if you do manage to shag her?" Hermione asked, and very bluntly so.

Draco stared at her for a while before he answered,

"Of course I am." He swallowed. "Of course I'm scared I'll cock it up somehow. You know, she actually did warn me not to be 'all Malfoy about this'."

"Malfoy, can I tell you something?" Hermione asked.

"Anything."

"She's scared too. Terrified, even. You mean so damn much to her and she's scared shitless she'll lose you if this doesn't work-"

Draco cut her off,

"Granger, you're really not helping here."

"I wasn't finished." Hermione said, sharply, and Draco waited for her to continue. "She's scared, but she would never have gone into this if she wasn't convinced the two of you could make it."

"But how can she so sure?" he asked. "Because I always thought I'm a bit of a lose cannon."

Hermione gave him a kind smile,

"Oh, I agree. Sometimes you are." She placed her hand on top of his, resting on the table. "But I don't think you could ever do something that would be a deal breaker. She knows you well enough to know your goals and values as well as your quirks and oddities, and she can live with it. All of it."

Draco withdrew his hand and leaned back in his chair,

"Sounds to me a lot like she's settling, to be honest. I don't want that."

Hermione sighed, shaking her head,

"No, sweetie, listen to me." She leaned forward and placed one hand on his knee and smiled. "What I'm trying to say is that she knows you well enough to know there won't be any nasty surprises. When she plays out all possible scenarios of how this could go, she can't think of any which ends in disaster."

Draco raised a sceptic eyebrow, still not convinced how this was supposed to reassure him.

"Yeah, this sounds better in my head. Let me try again." Hermione bit her bottom lip. "I'm sure all days won't be wonderful, but most of them will be. The bad days still won't be something that can't be sorted out, and the good and wonderful days will give more than the bad cost. And when I say she loves you, Malfoy, I mean all of you."

And with that a stone lifted from Draco's chest,

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." She smiled at him. "But now the question remains. Forget the lack of sex for a moment; do believe the two of you will make it?"

He didn't even need to think about it,

"Granger, if I can't make it with her, I can't make it with anyone. Her and I've got all the qualifications needed for a long and happy relationship. I love her to bits and I want to show her that every way possible."

Hermione released a breath she'd been holding,

"Then there you go. That's all you need to know. Don't worry about shagging her, it'll come in due time."

"You're the greatest friend I could ever ask for. You know that right?" Draco said, a sort of sheepish smile once again spreading across his lips.

"Yeah, I deserve a fucking trophy." Hermione mocked.

Draco laughed,

"Noted. I'll get you one for your birthday."

"Well, now that you've told me you better." Hermione glanced up at the clock hanging over the table. "Oh shit, it's late. And we forgot about dinner."

"Are you hungry? I can get you something now." he offered and stood up.

"No don't bother. I had a big lunch." she said.

"I'm not that hungry either. We had a late lunch at the Manor."

"Popcorn and a movie before bedtime?" Hermione offered. "We could watch Batman."

"I'll get the movie, you'll get the popcorn." He'd barely finished the sentence before he was out of the kitchen, on his way to the telly.

…

"Yep, still the greatest movie ever made." Draco stated as the credits rolled.

"So you say." Hermione said and stretched.

She was lying down on the sofa, her legs resting in Draco's lap.

"So." he said, kneading her right foot. "Care to make it a double feature?"

"You've got another Batman movie?" she asked.

"No, I was going to suggest we watch it again." he smirked.

Hermione shook her head but couldn't stop a smile spreading across her lips,

"Normally I'd love to, but I'd rather turn in." she yawned. "Both my back and my psyche needs a bed right now after the disasters night on this very sofa."

Draco nodded absentmindedly as Hermione rose from the sofa, stretched again and picked up the popcorn bowl.

"Right, I'm off to Bedfordshire." She bent down and kissed his cheek. "Good night."

"Night, love." He watched as Hermione carried the popcorn bowl with her towards her bedroom,

"Hey, Granger?"

She stopped and turned around,

"Yes, Malfoy?"

Rising from the sofa, he took three steps towards her,

"You know, I was thinking."

Another step closer,

"That maybe you'd want to go to bed with me?"

Still carrying the popcorn bowl, Hermione swallowed,

"Yeah? Any particular reason in mind?"

He stepped closer to her, so the popcorn bowl was now the only thing between them,

"Yes." He brushed her hair back behind her shoulders so her neckline was fully visible, and as he did a whiff of her vanilla scented perfume hit him. "I want to. Maybe you do to?"

"I really do." She whispered. "I would've spilled the popcorns if you hadn't asked."

"Yeah, you would've." he murmured as he moved even closer, pressing the bowl into them both.

Now he was close enough to perceive the sent of her face cream she'd just put on. As he watched her chest heave up and down in a slightly quicker pace than normal he realised his was doing just the same.

He put his hands on her shoulders, moving them slowly up, around the back of her neck. With his hands on either side of her head he tilted her face up, towards his. It was a gentle motion and Hermione's lips parted slightly followed by her tongue moistening her lips. As she closed her eyes a small sigh escaped her.

Draco intertwined his fingers in her hair as he pulled her towards him. Their lips met, and as they did Hermione dropped the popcorn bowl. Truth be told, Draco half-expected her to stop what they were doing and whip out a broom, or her wand at the very least, to clean it up; but Hermione didn't even seem to notice the mess of popcorn by their feet. Instead, he suddenly felt her tongue in his mouth, an unexpected, but very welcome, intrusion.

Putting her newly freed arms to use, Hermione wrapped them around his neck and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her and pressing her closer. As he did his erection pressed against her.

"Mhm." she moaned. "Hi there."

"Shush. Don't talk to it. Might scare it away." he said between kisses. "Your bed or mine?"

"Yours."

It was a short walk from the living room to Draco's bedroom, and although their lips never truly parted during this walk somehow all of their clothes were off, leaving a trail back to the popcorn-mess, before Draco, not so tenderly, tossed Hermione on his bed. She didn't seem to mind the roughness the slightest, though, and didn't have the patience to wait for Draco to lie down so she proceeded to pull him down on top of her.

His hands flew up to her hair, tugging and puling at it as their lips joined once more. As she dragged her nails along his back he had to repress a shiver. She wrapped her legs around his midriff again, positioning his erection right where she meant.

"No foreplay, Malfoy." she murmured.

He let out a groan,

"Agreed, Granger."

Not wanting to overthink what he was doing, he pressed forward, entering. And lo and behold; his dick didn't betray him this time! With her fully wrapped around him, he stopped to look at her. As their eyes met Hermione couldn't help but let out a throaty laugh. It wasn't mockery or because she found something funny, no. This was the kind of laugh you get when anxieties leaves you after plaguing you for far too long. Draco let out the breath he'd been holding and kissed her once more.

The activity they then engaged in wasn't really sweet, tender or sensitive. It was loud, with both of them either making all sorts of guttural noises, yelling out profanities, agreeing with one another or calling some sort of higher power. It could also be described as bit rough; both of them having scratch marks, teeth marks and even a bruise here and there to show for it after. At one point Draco accidentally head-butted his headboard, not that he let that stop him, but he did feel a little dizzier than expected for a few moments. Still, it was everything Draco had hoped it would be; yet at the same time nothing like he could ever have dreamed.

Maybe Draco wouldn't really call it rough afterwards, no. He'd probably describe it as, should he ever have to, as passionate. But he wouldn't only describe it as passionate. See, passionate doesn't necessarily mean love or loving, and this was. Truth is this was all of the above; loud, a bit messy, rough, urgent, passionate, loving and very, very lovely.

And it was with that experience Hermione rolled off Draco some time later, both them drenched in sweat, panting heavily and completely spent.

"I only have one regret." Draco said, after having caught his breath.

Hermione turned to face him, resting her head on her hand,

"Really?"

"And that's not doing that to you sooner." He faced her as well.

She beamed at him, and he couldn't help but grin himself.

"It was worth the wait." She traced her fingertips along the side of his face. "And I don't just mean the sex."

"You're worth everything, and more!" He ran his fingers through her hair as he brushed his lips against hers. "But on a completely different topic; can I ask why you chose this bed?"

"Honesty I reckoned you needed a win today." she confessed. "I hoped your bed would be your win."

"Yeah, but I told you months ago." he said, as he continued playing with her hair. "You sleep here; this is your bed. That's why I could never shag women here."

"Well, you sort of just did, though." she teased.

He smirked,

"No, because you're not women, Granger. I can't tell you you're not incomparable to others."

Hermione laughed,

"That's really sweet, Malfoy. Now try it without the triple negative."

"My previous objections to having sex in my bed was that it was too intimate, but intimate is exactly what I want with you." he said. "You're my best friend and the love of my life."

She leaned in, running her fingertips along his jawline, placing a light kiss on his lips,

"That was the right answer."

She turned around, pressing her back against his front and Draco put his arm around her and started gently running his fingers through her hair.

"So, there are right and wrong answers?" he said. "Is this how it's going to be; you bossing me around?"

"I've always bossed you around, Malfoy." she said, calmly.

"No, I've always let you boss me around, Granger." he answered, equally calm. "Because I've always loved it."

It wasn't long after that they both drifted off to sleep, still in the tight embrace. Even though they'd done that so many nights before, this still felt very different and new, but at the same time extremely familiar and safe.

Well, there we go. The end of this story. I really hope you enjoyed this light-hearted story! Please, let me know your thoughts, as I really love hearing what you think!

Cheers!

Ps.

Oh, I did promise references, didn't I?

In this story there are heaps and heaps of references to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, some to BoJack Horseman, The Simpsons and a tiny nod at Game of Thrones and Django (did anyone get those? I don't think they were very clear). There are also references to a couple of Ed Sheeran songs and The Streets. I think that's it, at least. I hope I haven't missed any. Did you catch them? Did you catch any I didn't just mention?