Epilogue

Astoria Greengrass had been staying at the Allemande household and found it quite comfortable. She enjoyed it so much in fact, that she had been there for a solid two months. Her and Stefan had become all too inseparable and the love they felt for each other radiated off of their bodies. It also radiated through the walls, which Hermione could hear through and hated them each night because of it.

Their constant love making was putting her on edge. It was bad enough that she had to suffer Astoria's tacky presence in her own house in the first place, but it was even worse that she had to hear her presence after the sun went down and the lights went out. It made living there borderline impossible. She had resolved, however, to do herself a favor and make a pro/con list about Draco's offer.

He wanted them to be together and for her to move so that it would be easier. What's more was that he wanted them to live together. That part didn't seem so scary. She had been living with men her entire life and she rather liked Draco. He thought she was like an untouched gem: precious. If she took him up on his proposal then she would finally get some peace and quiet, she could take advantage of the location change and let it become her artistic muse, and she would have a whole new client base. She might even be able to sell her own art there. If she stayed here she would inevitably go bonkers. That was the only con she could think of and it was on her list of reasons to stay in Paris.

Hermione had seen Draco four times since their little extended slumber party. She had been so busy with work these days that she hardly had time to see him. Most of her time consisted of making copies of her papa's work then displaying it in the gallery. she had kept a couple of the interns she had hired to sell them for her since the demand for Ariadne pieces had gone up in Europe and some parts of Asia. She was exhausted. When she did see him it was when he came over on the weekends and whisked her away to a Parisian hotel suite, where they would try to reduce her massive stress level with waves of both passionate love making and hot sex. The room service was an added bonus. There was the time he'd forced her to take the day off for her birthday and they had spent the day in Greece, but that was over a month ago.

Her plan was to finish this last day and then she would promote one of her interns to management, cut all ties she had to the gallery, pack her bags and start a new life in London with Draco. Home didn't feel like home to her anymore ever since the Astoria invasion and she was much more comfortable when she was with him.

The only good thing about being at home was the joy she felt knowing that Astoria was too shy to walk around the house sans proper clothing. About a month ago, Hermione had put one memorial portrait of Papa Louis in the kitchen, one in the den, and another in the hallway upstairs. That way, he could travel throughout the house and Astoria would not dare leaving Stefan's room if she wasn't completely decent. Permanent sticking charms held them where they were so that no one could ever move them. Stefan had been sour about her mischievous little tactic but he got over it when she claimed in fake tears that he didn't care about their deceased father. It was a win-win for everyone; everyone being Hermione and Papa Louis, who had no reservations about seeing a vivacious young lady in his house. That fact only made Astoria that much more cautious about how she acted while she was out and about. Hermione had hoped that putting papa all over would have been enough to drive her out but she took the win with a smile regardless. She was moving out soon anyway. When she got settled in at Draco's place she would put a spot for papa to visit her there as well.

"So you really are going?" Stefan asked for the third time.

Hermione's suitcases were packed and her room was stripped bare. There was no sign that anyone used to occupy the space. "Yes. For the millionth time, I am leaving. You and Astoria could probably use the extra space anyhow."

He scrunched up his face in confusion. "Why would we need the extra space? Hermione, I see no reason why you have to go."

"Isn't she pregnant?"

"What? Of course not. We are extra careful in that aspect."

"Whatever."

"Hermione, please?"

"Please what, Stefan? I'm twenty five years old now. It's time for me to fly the coop. I don't want to live here forever with you and your little girlfriend."

He chuckled and wagged his finger. "So that's what this is about? She makes you uncomfortable." He knew in the back of his mind that Hermione had no desire to be involved with Astoria in any way. What he didn't know was why that was. "You have had a distaste for her ever since you came back from your English excursion with him. What has he told you about her?"

"Get over yourself. Draco doesn't give two craps about who she dates or shags and neither do I. I'm leaving because I want to. I told you that I wouldn't always be around to take care of you. Now you have Astoria. You don't even need me anymore." Astoria had shared with Hermione her suspicion that Stefan had abandonment issues and at first Hermione thought it was a laugh. Now she figured that it all made perfect sense. He never wanted her dating in the past and she supposed that the reason was because he would feel left out if she started seeing people and spending more time out of the house. That, and the fact that he was an overprotective git had ruined her teenage social life while they were in school. He didn't know his mother well either. Of course it was mommy issues. "Look, I'll visit. I promise. But I have no desire to live here anymore. Siblings don't grow old together in the same house, Stefan."

"Fine," he said bitterly. "Go. At least now I don't have to hear your complaints about what I do in my bedroom at night."

Hermione shuddered but hugged him nevertheless. "You were a real prat sometimes in the past but I'm so glad you're my brother."

He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her lovingly. "Moi aussi mon sœur." He let her go and smiled at her. "I'm holding you to that visit."

She backed away and waved. "I'll miss you!" she said before disapperating with all her things in tow.

Stefan still waved even after she was gone. "Moi aussi mon sœur."

Things were going well for Draco and Hermione. Only two weeks had passed after her move when her career had sky rocketed. She was popular as an artist; the new kid on the block. Her "stage name" was Louise and all the Wizarding families in London had turned it into a household name. A month later she had procured enough money to open her own gallery and filled it with all of her creations.

Draco, on the other hand, had mastered the art of seducing his critically acclaimed and artistically talented girlfriend. They made love almost every night and she loved it more and more each time they did it. He was pleased that she had found happiness with him and he even let her coax him into posing for him. Sculpting had become one of her new favorite hobbies as she always used him as a nude model, per his request.

"How much longer do you think you'll be?" he asked anxiously.

Hermione smirked and grabbed more clay for the section she was working on. He had begged her to let him be naked for her new piece and now that he was starting to see the negative effects of posing without clothes, she relished in her victory. She knew it was going to be a bad idea but now that she'd started she had to finish. "It'll take a bit longer, Draco. Why? Is something the matter?" she asked, already knowing what his problem was.

"Well, it's a bit cold, isn't it? It wouldn't exactly be accurate to portray my member as flaccid. That wouldn't be fair either." It was the end of September and he had been shivering for the past twenty minutes. They were in the art studio he'd had built on in his house and the insulation was terrible compared to that of the rest of the house. "Can't I take a break? Or better yet, if your finished with my privates I can put on a pair of trousers and then you can start my torso, in all its abdomen-like and muscular pectoral filled glory."

She rolled her eyes and kept working. His ego made and appearance on a daily basis. She didn't mind it much as he did have plenty to brag about when it came to his sexy bod. Plus, he made up for his big head while they were in the bedroom and he was pleasing her with his big head. "You can't move. It's for the sake of the place I'm in now. If I screw up here then I have to start all over. Just be patient for little longer and I can find a spot to pause and resume it later. You have to be in the complete nude until I get to your lower stomach."

"I seriously regret this," he said plainly. "I thought you would finish it in ten minutes and then we would shag once you were done. We could do it right here on the floor and I could splatter paint all over the ground, and we could roll all around in it and make something artsy while we shag. Then, we would do it again in the shower and you could hang our picture on the wall in the guest room."

"We can still do all that," she smiled slyly. "Just give me another few minutes. I don't want to stop here. It'll be too hard to pick it up later if I don't continue. Besides, you shouldn't regret it. It's going to be a lovely sculpture." He was naked so her view of things were pretty great. Not to mention that it was kind of hilarious watching him be so uncomfortable. He was trying very hard not to move, which was commendable, but she could tell his arms were getting tired. "I wish you would have let me body bind you so that you wouldn't move so much," she complained for the third time.

"I told you before that's not happening. You freeze me while I'm like this and who knows what you'll do?"

Hermione acted mock shocked. "Don't you trust me, Draco? Surely you know I have your best interests at heart. I would never do anything to you that you wouldn't like," she said with a wink. "I like you too much." She pressed her thumb along the thigh of the sculpture and redirected some of the clay until she was satisfied with how it looked. "There," she sighed. "You can relax now. We'll take a break and do more later, or in the morning if you prefer."

Draco stretched his arms out above his head and looked over at his girlfriend. She looked so cute in her little smock and there was a bit of clay on her forehead. "Thank Merlin that's done with for now." He watched transfixed as she licked her bottom lip and observed her work, and he could feel the blood rushing to his penis. Just her standing there turned him on. He waltzed over to her and picked her up bridal style.

She squealed for a second as he lifted her but let it happen. His sexual agenda always found a way into their completely non-consistent routine. "I thought we were splattering paint all over the floor and shagging in it."

"Bugger the paint. It's a mess I don't want to clean right now. Change of plans; we're going to the shower right now," he proclaimed as he kissed her up and down her neckline.

She giggled as he spoiled her with affection. These were the only circumstances in which he was allowed to boss her around. She didn't mind it the least bit as long as it was sex chat. His masculinity was such a huge turn on, and this time he was already naked.

When she thought back on the last few months she realized how lucky she was now and just how very different things were compared to her old lifestyle. She was glad that he had tried to essentially steal from her otherwise they never would have met, and she would probably still be grieving her papa and having shouting matches with Stefan every other day. Everything had turned out great and she wouldn't trade what she had for the world. She knew that much was true for Draco as well. Hermione loved him. That fact would never have come to be if not for a certain great work of art.

Fin.