A/N: As some of you know, I've acquired an amazing Beta and am having all my stories edited. This one is finally finished and being posted as of 1/3/13. A special thank you to Rusty Weasley for being the best beta on the face of the earth. You rock and I'm forever indebted to you, sir! :) Enjoy!

Prologue

The sheet barely covered his manhood as he lay on his back, arms stretched behind his head, chest still heaving from the workout they'd both just been through. The dip of his trim waist below the sheet was something women dreamed about, but Hermione was busying herself with pulling her knickers back on.

"Granger, what's the rush?" Draco drawled, looking at her from the side.

"We shouldn't have done this. I've...I've got to go," Hermione said, looking around for her shirt. It didn't matter how many times she'd done this, she always said the same thing. She always went to him, all the same.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes, turning to face her, and propping up on one arm. "Right, of course," he said, "and, Merlin knows, you'll never do it again." The laughter in his voice irritated her, but the truth behind his words stung more.

"I won't," Hermione said, defiantly looking back at him with a cutting glare.

Draco smirked then. "Love, you and I both know that's not true. We've been doing this for, what, five years now?" he said. "It's always the same. We fight and fuck like there's no tomorrow, then you dart from the room swearing it's the last time. But it never is, and you know it," Draco said, his own gaze growing hard as he finished. "Why even fight it anymore."

"This isn't right," Hermione said, struggling to keep herself from crying. She pulled her jeans up her legs, but before she could bother with the buttons, Draco reached out and pulled her back down next to him on the bed.

"You're not talking to your pathetic husband, Granger," Draco said, his voice low and threatening. "I don't buy that 'woe is me, what am I doing' act you've perfected," he sneered.

"What do you want from me?" Hermione finally asked, looking up at him and meeting his harsh glare. "I'm married. We want to have a baby. I...I can't do this anymore."

Draco held her tightly by the arm, leveling his gaze at her. "A baby?" he asked, his voice awed and slightly concerned.

"Yes," Hermione said, not even bothering to fight from his gasp. Part of her didn't want to anyway. That was why she always ended up in this mess. "You know I want kids."

"Not his. You don't want that oaf's stupid brats," Draco bit out. Hermione scowled at him in return.

"That's my husband you are talking about!" Hermione shouted indignantly, though it was a little difficult as she was currently leaning toward him on the bed with no shirt on. It put a crimp in her indignation and self-righteousness.

"Yes," Draco sneered, sitting up to get close to her face. "I'm well aware that he's your husband, but I don't think you were giving it that much thought when you were riding me and screaming my name just moments ago."

"You're a pig," Hermione scoffed, moving away from him, but not off the bed. He wasn't wrong, but his words only turned the knife of guilt inside her guts.

"You don't want his kids, so why the hell are you having them?" Draco asked, his tone reverting to the bored quality it usually held, but Hermione knew him well enough to know he we masking rage over the thought of her leaving him for good. As much as he hurt her, she wasn't dumb enough to believe she meant nothing to him.

"I want kids," Hermione clarified again.

"But not his," Draco countered.

"What do you want from me?" Hermione cried in frustration, moving from the bed and searching for her shirt. Anything to remove herself from those piercing blue eyes.

"I want to know why you are binding yourself to him this way. You know you don't love him. You know you..." Draco said, but Hermione cut him off.

"Don't," she said, whipping around. "You don't get to say it, not after what you did."

Draco's features softened slightly and he sighed. "I'm just saying that a baby is a huge commitment. More of a commitment than that ridiculous wedding you agreed to."

"Right, and that's why this is over," Hermione said her voice holding more conviction than she actually felt.

"Don't do it, Hermione," Draco said, his eyes and tone serious.

"Why not?" Hermione snapped, pulling her shirt over her head. "You'll miss your fuck buddy? Think you might actually have to put the effort into getting another stupid girl to fall for your games?" Hermione scoffed. "Not that I have any delusions that I'm the only one who warms your bed."

Draco sighed in frustration. "We've been over this a million times."

"Yes, and we needn't rehash it," Hermione said, turning around to face him again. "This was supposed to end years ago. I should have put an end to it then."

Draco wasn't letting her go without a fight, though. He pulled the thin sheet around his waist, tucking it in at the side. "Don't do this," he said again, his voice pleading. She'd heard this tone before, but she knew she couldn't give in.

"Goodbye, Draco," Hermione said, trying so hard to fight his presence as his scent and the scent of them together enveloped her. "I won't be coming back."

"Is this some kind of punishment," Draco asked. "Because I couldn't do what you needed me to?"

"No," Hermione said. "I've given up that dream a long time ago. This is because I can't do this anymore. It's too hard for me. I've been playing this game for five years and I'm tired now. Let it go."

With that, she turned on her heel and left Draco standing in a sheet in the middle of the small Muggle hotel room they had locked themselves in for the last few hours. Never had she actually left. Usually they fought, then he coaxed her back into bed until the early morning hours when they were forced their separate ways, all the while knowing they'd meet again soon enough.

This time, though, Draco thought she might be serious. And the thought terrified him.