She found him teaching in a little school nestled into the Olympic peninsula. It wasn't a Malfoy kind of place. At least, it wasn't the kind of place she'd imagined finding Malfoy. There were little cabins situated around a larger building constructed from logs. Most of the students were recovering from obscurial removal. They're magic was wild and unpredictable. The thing that stood out most to her trained eye was that the majority of the students were muggleborn.

Definitely not where she'd expected to find Draco Malfoy.

It really wasn't so odd that his mother had been unable to find him. The older witch had cashed in her life debt with Harry to find her son, but Harry had been needed at home with his wife. Their baby was due any day. Hermione had taken on the task to free her best friend from the shackles of obligation.

She had to bring Malfoy to his mother, but this was more complicated than dragging a spoiled wastrel home. He was doing good work and was a well respected member of this community. She glanced at the small school nestled into the overwhelming green of its surroundings and considered her next move.

Failure would leave Harry as little more than a squib. She couldn't allow that, but she owed the man Draco Malfoy had become to give him a chance before she forced the issue. She took a deep breath and strolled down the path toward the school.

She was shown to a room with comfortable furniture done in soothing shades of blue. Even the paintings were soothing seascapes. She sighed. It seemed wrong to pace in this room, but the charms set in it pushed against her skin, leaving her agitated.

"I wasn't expecting you, Granger." Malfoy leaned against the door jamb and examined her from head to toe. "I wasn't expecting anyone really."

"Your mother called in Harry's life debt." Hermione shrugged and watched him saunter into the room. "She wants you to visit."

"If she called in Harry's life debt, why are you here?" Malfoy settled onto one of the over stuffed couches, completely at ease.

"Luna's due any day. He won't leave her side." Hermione fussed with her sleeve. "So, I volunteered. It's more my skill set anyway. Harry's an damn fine auror, but, after all, finding people is what I do."

"Finding people?" Draco raised one brow and sat forward.

"I'm a bounty hunter for lack of a better term." Hermione shrugged. "I joined the aurors with Harry, but it turns out I'm pants at following orders."

She felt something warm bloom inside her at his chuckle. It was such an honest response. He smiled at her and shook his head.

"You were never one to follow orders. I could have told you that." Malfoy's lips twitched. "I suppose you know why my mother sent you."

"Your father is dying. He's been released from Azkaban." She focused on the facts and didn't try to manipulate him with false sentiment. "Your mother wants you home."

"And she's willing to make a squib of Potter to get what she wants." He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Hermione watched as he clenched and relaxed his fists repeatedly.

"She is rather determined." Hermione sat next to him, leaving a few inches of space between them.

"If I politely decline to return, you will force me. Won't you?" Draco opened his eyes and stared directly into hers.

"Harry shouldn't become a squib because of this." Hermione sighed. "I will do what I must. My work doesn't leave much room for empathy. It isn't pretty. I think you deserve better, and I don't want it to come to that. I didn't sneak in and abscond with you."

"You're here to ask nicely." Draco smirked. "My mother always knows the perfect weapons to use."

"Weapons?" Hermione cocked her head to the side. "You think I'm a weapon?"

"I know you are." Draco sighed. "Will you let Potter fade magically? No. If I try to run or to fight, you will win because protecting Potter is what you do best. My mother couldn't have hired you to collect me, so she manipulated you instead."

"Why not just go back with me for an hour? Is that really too much to do for your mother?" Hermione watched as this affable man, this once was a malicious Malfoy man, and blinked. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Are you counting to ten?"

"Ten or ten thousand. It doesn't seem to matter. You lot won the bloody war, but you haven't learned a thing about the insanity of being a pureblood." Malfoy laughed low and bitter. "This won't be some quick visit. My mother plans to force my hand. She will see to the survival of her house and my father's. It's all that matters to her now. This room is designed to relax the occupants. May we continue this conversation in my lodging?"

Draco watched as Hermione Granger walked around his cabin. He could see her agile mind working as she observed his quiet, little home. It made him oddly uncomfortable as if he'd unpacked all his baggage for her to peruse. She didn't push him to talk. She just marinated in her thoughts and observations.

She had an agenda and a plan. Several plans. She probably had contingency plans for her contingency plan if he were being totally honest. Hermione Granger would not fail Harry Potter. It was probably codified in some obscure prophecy somewhere.

She was on a mission. He knew there was no fighting it. His freedom was at an end. His thoughts, his goals, his dreams simply didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

He had no desire to go back to England, but he couldn't allow Potter to be harmed by his mother's determined ambitions. He knew his mother loved him, but her affection was warped by her beliefs. There was some pureblood darling waiting for him to step foot on Malfoy land. The spell would bind him before he had a chance to take a breath.

"She's wants me there for him to make amends before the end." Draco glanced down at his hands. "But there's more."

"Astoria Greengrass." Hermione spun on the ball of her left foot and smirked at him. "I looked into it."

"Then you know it's a trap." Draco took a deep breath, but he couldn't find it in himself to rage at Granger.

"I do." She nodded. "I also don't think it's right. You should be free to pursue this life. It seems to suit you."

"It does, but my family is done indulging me." Draco sighed. "Once Miss Greengrass is attached to me, I will have to live up to my responsibilities as a Malfoy."

"There's an obvious loophole." Granger frowned. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"No." Draco shook his head. "I've always known where my life was heading. Letting myself get attached to someone seemed like a bad idea."

"So, you're resigned to a future with the witch your parents have chosen?" Granger frowned.

"I will not drag some unprepared witch into my family. My mother would destroy her." Draco sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Narcissa Malfoy is not going to step aside easily."

"Your father's health is failing. I verified his release from Azkaban was compassionate." She turned and looked out the window. He appreciated her effort to allow him some privacy in his grief. "If you want to see him, I can offer an option to see him without being trapped."

"Are you going to sneak me into St. Mungo's?" He found himself smiling at the thought. "That wouldn't save Potter. My mother will require my presence at the stones."

"I'm not offering to sneak you anywhere. You're most likely going to think I've lost my mind, and it's the kind of impulsive behavior I've always loathed." She chuckled with the warm low sound of actual amusement. "I'm offering to hand fast with you. As I understand it, that will give you a year and a day to do as you please without being vulnerable to your mother's plans."

"You're willing to marry me?" Draco blinked. "You do realize that for that to work we would have to be intimate?"

"I know it's not ideal. We barely know each other." She shrugged. "I think you've become a man that deserves options, and I don't much care for being used as a weapon."

"A hand fasting would require you to live with me for the year." Draco watched as she shifted her weight from foot to foot. "The magic involved doesn't allow you to use it. There has to be honesty in it."

"I'm aware. I'm willing to try this for a year. I'm willing to take this seriously." She clenched her fists against her sides. "No one wants me. I'm not exactly eager to please. I'm combative. I'm never going to care about my hair. I dated Viktor. We are solid friends now. The same for Ron. Adrian Pucey wanted arm candy. Blaise Zabini wanted the war heroine without the complications. He's happily married to Ginny now. I don't hex him at high holidays. After that, I quit trying. I have a good life. I have good friends. I am happy enough. I am well aware that you'll move on, but I'm a Gryffindor. We tilt at windmills."

Draco licked his lips. There was something about Hermione Granger that had always appealed to him. He could see that this was costing her. She didn't care to be vulnerable. He didn't much care for it either.

"I might want to keep you." Draco walked closer to her. "I might want to build a complicated life filled with simple pleasures with you. It's possible."

"Windmills are just asking for it, aren't they?" She smiled, and he saw the truth of it in her eyes.

"I'm a mess. I work here because it's the only thing that makes me feel human. I'm still an arse. I'm still Draco Malfoy." He cupped her cheek and stared into eyes. "I'll hex Zabini on the high holidays. It's something we can both enjoy."

"So, we are going to do this?" She tilted her head. "You're sure?"

He studied her face for a moment and nodded slowly. He knew a great deal about Hermione Granger, but there was more to her than his childhood observations and the facts of her life. There was something about her that intrigued him.

"I am not the boy you remember, and I doubt that you are anything like the witch I imagined you to be." He stroked his thumb along her cheek. "I think I am going to enjoy this year with you. I hope you feel the same way."

Waiting for more torturously slow conversation seemed pointless, so he closed that last fraction of distance between them and kissed her.

Her lips were soft against his. She made a sound deep in her throat and pressed her body to his. The flutter of her magic was warm on his skin. He felt her hands press against his waist as she curled her fingers into the cotton of his shirt.

When he broke the kiss he rested his forehead against hers. They stood there with their breath mingling. He felt no need to soothe or cajole her. It was comfortable and soothing just to be with her.

"There are no stones here." Draco frowned and dropped his hand from her face to her shoulder. "Where do we do this?"

"There are a few places to consider. We will need an in between time and an in between place." She grinned and stepped back. "It's a good thing it's summer. I'll make the arrangements. Will tomorrow at sunset work for you?"

Draco managed to nod. She stroked his cheek and apparated away without so much as a by your leave. It was decidedly odd to be swept up in a Gryffindorish plan. It was going to be a very exciting year.

Author's Note

I sat down to write more of Crazy For You. I really did. I wanted to write something to cheer my sister up. She's amazing and has far too much on her plate at the moment. I was sure my muse would cooperate, but the next chapter was not forthcoming. My muse is completely convinced that my sister needs this story.

She's a very contrary muse.

I hope you all enjoy this little romp.

-Anna