Disclaimer: No profit, J.K. Rowling. Yeah, all that :P
A/N: For lalaland89, who gave me the following prompts: Auror!Draco and Auror!Hermione, Treasure Hunt, Camping, Trapped Together, a crazy cat, blueberry pie, Smoking!Draco and Virgin!Hermione. Hopefully this suits your fancy! Merry Christmas!

x.x.x.x.x

Malfoy was nattering on about something. Hermione was nursing a headache – she didn't know how it had come about, either it was the dust that surrounded the place they were currently in or because of Malfoy's incessant complaining.

"So dusty … can't believe … Auror … not an errand boy," Malfoy muttered under his breath, brandishing his wand and casting a Cleaning Spell around the room.

They were in an old, abandoned, haunted-looking attic. Hermione's headache got better.

"I mean, can't they send some Trackers to do this? We are above all these petty assignments," he snarled, as he began unpacking his things. "I've got better things to do with my time."

Hermione's headache returned and she transfigured a pile of wood scattered around the place into a proper, sizeable chair.

"Malfoy …" she began diplomatically, rubbing her temples as she sat heavily.
"What the hell was Kingsley thinking? I will not subject myself to such an understated job, this is not why I signed up as an Auror."

And then there was silence and Hermione prayed that this time, it would last. Please, please, please, everything that is holy, please, please.

"I mean, come on!" Malfoy exclaimed.

Maybe not.

"Malfoy," Hermione warned, "Listen."
"No, Granger, this is unbelievable! The nerve -"

Hermione stood, quick as lightning, and pointed a wand at his throat, looking up at him threateningly.

Malfoy watched her with a cool demeanour, grey eyes looking almost bored.

"Listen," she said.
"I'm listening," he said half-heartedly.

She applied more pressure on her wand so that it was pressing against his pulse point.

"I'm listening very intently," he deadpanned.

"Kingsley assigned us to this job because he trusts us, okay? Otherwise we wouldn't be in this abandoned island, in this abandoned house, watching and waiting for those smugglers to come bring the stolen artefact. On cases such as these, he'd usually send an entire team but he only assigned the two of us. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"It tells me that he really doesn't give a fuck about what happens to us or what sort of assignments he gave us," he drawled.

Hermione shook her head and lowered her wand, "No, Malfoy. It just means that he trusts us with this one. Plain and simple."

"Granger, Granger," Malfoy sighed, looking out at the attic window onto the green fields wistfully. "Always believing the best in people. Do you really think everyone's got some good in them?"

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have accepted you as my partner in the beginning," Hermione replied briskly, as she too, decided to unpack her things from her camping bag.

Hermione could feel Malfoy rolling his eyes at that as she set up her sleeping bag somewhere at the corner of the attic.

Merlin, but Malfoy was terrible.

But he fit Hermione like the last piece to her puzzle. They grated each other like there was no tomorrow and all those arguments always left Hermione's adrenaline rushing and her blood boil and her face hot with exhilaration. They had absolute chemistry. Unfortunately, they'd been directing it at the wrong things all these years. That is, until they joined the Auror program together and everyone, including Kingsley, could see how well they worked together.

They made the perfect partners.

Hermione smiled at that, Malfoy wasn't that bad.

"Well, I'll go scout the area and pull sensing spells on the area to alert us when there are other people besides us around," Malfoy said from the window, "And you, well … make yourself useful and … organize the place, will you? Spruce it up a bit."

Before Hermione could even get a word out and protest with something like "organize the place? What am I, three?!", she heard a loud slam and dust fell on her head, causing her to sneeze.

Yeah, sure, he wasn't that bad when he's not being a bossy, whiny arsehole.

x.x.x.x.x

The smell of tobacco wafted into her nostrils. Hermione looked up from the heavy book she was doing light-reading on towards Malfoy who was seated by the window, currently puffing a cigarette.

The place looked more like a really cosy, romantic place rather than a stakeout for smugglers, but Hermione liked being comfortable. And she was pretty sure Malfoy was the same, although he was fussier about cleanliness and neatness, judging by the state of his ever-immaculate nails. However …

"That will yellow your teeth," Hermione pointed out, nodding towards the cigarette resting in between his slender fingers.

Malfoy said nothing, choosing instead to flash her a stunning smile, showing off his perfectly straight, white teeth before taking another drag.

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to her book.

Silence.

Sighs from Malfoy.

Sounds of pages turning.

More sighs from Malfoy.

Clearing of the throat.

A heavier sigh from Malfoy.

Hermione folded and looked up at him again, "What is it, Malfoy?"

"I'm bored, Granger," he said, looking out the window again, "I've been looking at the same scenery for the past two hours. Nothing has changed. There are no animals, no birds, nothing. Why is this place abandoned again?"

"Well this island was initially bought by the Muggles a long time ago and they used it as a coal mining facility. When petroleum took over, coal mines were shut down and well, the workers started leaving this island, all of whom made up the entire population."

"And how did Kingsley know that the smugglers would bring the stolen artefact here?" Malfoy asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Malfoy, didn't you read the brief? They caught one of them after the robbery, and they placed him under Veritaserum. He told us everything. Kingsley sent him back to his group and made him swear not to tell the others that we would be coming to arrest them and retrieve the stolen artefact."

"What exactly is this stolen artefact?" Malfoy asked, narrowing his eyes at Hermione, as if he was asking her questions just to rile her up.

Hermione sighed, "We don't know. That's why we're here. Apparently it's priceless and well, we've got to return it to its rightful owner once we know what it is."
"But didn't one of the gang members reveal it?"
"No, he was a follower and he wasn't allowed to ask questions, so he doesn't know what it is. Just that it is … big."

"Big?" Malfoy parroted.
"Yes, Malfoy," Hermione growled low in her throat. "Big."
"How big?"

"Malfoy!" Hermione screeched.

And then Malfoy laughed.
A loud, musical, beautiful laugh that almost made Hermione forget that she was annoyed with him.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Granger. I was only taking the piss. Of course I read the brief. I was aware that we'd be here on some sort of treasure hunt."

Hermione rolled her eyes again, and she realized that one of these days, around Malfoy, her eyes would permanently get stuck.

"Are you that bored?" Hermione grumbled.
"Yes," Malfoy answered before plucking another cigarette from the box.

"Well, why don't you read a book?" Hermione suggested, "I brought plenty, so take your pick."
"No."

Hermione's fingernails dug into the hard cover of her book and resisted the urge to toss it at Malfoy. She shook her head. No, she wouldn't do that. That would be mean.

To the book, of course.

Why would she care what happened to Malfoy's pretty, pristine, blond head?

"Let's play Twenty Questions then?" Hermione suggested again.
"How inordinately dreary," he said flatly, blowing smoke out of the window.

"You're going to get lung cancer."

Well, maybe not his head, but his entire being. That, she cared. Not so much though, only a little. Very little.

"Fine, let's play," he said, completely ignoring her.
"So what kind of women do you like?" Hermione asked almost immediately.

Malfoy looked down at the floor as smoke blew out of his mouth slowly. Almost sensuously. Huh, that's weird.

"I like a woman who is bold, daring, almost has a dangerous air around her … sensuous, alluring," he said, and he had a faraway look on his face.

The frisson of jealousy that ran up Hermione's spine was quite unexpected. She tried to push it down but her thoughts were literally shouting at her that whatever or whoever Malfoy was talking about was clearly not her at all.

"Oh, alright then," she nodded. "Your turn."

"What inspired you to become such a bookworm, Granger?" he watched her as he took another drag from his cigarette.

"I just …" she stopped, pondering on it for a moment. "I'm not blind, Malfoy. I know I'm not the easiest on the eyes or probably the best person to talk to, so I just wanted to be different. To excel at something that not everybody can."

"Didn't date throughout Hogwarts then?"
"Is that a question?" Hermione asked. "Because it's meant to be my turn."

Malfoy shrugged.

"I did, just Ron. But we didn't make it very far."
"And you didn't date anyone after?" Malfoy pressed.
"Hey, that's three questions in a row. It's my turn now."

"I'm guessing that's a no," Malfoy grinned, "Not even flings?"
"That's four now," Hermione said, crossing her arms.

"Another no, then."
"Not everyone is like you, Malfoy," she retorted.

"Whatever do you mean, Granger?" he grinned.
"Five. That's five questions. I'm not playing this game anymore," she grumbled.

"What, don't tell me that the reason you're not interested in having lots of affairs with men is because you're just waiting for your own true love to show up at your door and then, only then, are you going to commit yourself to him and only him for the rest of your life?" he laughed. "Are you waiting for that something?"

Hermione remained quiet. So what if she did?

"Merlin's balls," Malfoy laughed, looking at Hermione with shocked eyes, "I am right."

"Sod off, Malfoy," Hermione picked up her book again, intent on drowning out Malfoy's voice with the sound of her own reading voice.

"So that would mean …" he paused. "You don't happen to still be a virgin, do you, Granger?"

Hermione sighed. She did tell him that she and Ron never made it that far, didn't she? Did he really need to rub it in her face?

"Holy fuck, you are," Malfoy laughed again. "That's incredible!"

"And how is that incredible?" Hermione snapped.
"Because … you know, women like you are rare. How does that Muggle saying go? 'You're like a unicorn', only it doesn't work in our world because unicorns do exist."

"That's a terrible joke, Malfoy," Hermione shook her head.
"I know, but you got what I meant," he chuckled. There was a merciful silence again for the next few minutes … before Malfoy shook his head and started grinning all by himself, "Granger. Virgin."

"Oh, do shut up, Malfoy," Hermione sent him a withering look before chucking her book to the side and climbing into her sleeping bag, cocooning her entire self in it.

God, Malfoy was insufferable.

x.x.x.x.x

"Granger."

Hermione shifted in her sleep.

"Granger!"

"What, Malfoy?" she snarled, pulling the cover of her sleeping bag off her head.

"I feel bad."
"So?" Hermione asked irritably.

"I feel bad that I asked you more questions and disregarded your turns."
"You're joking. You woke me up because you felt bad?"
"Yes?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow, as if talking to someone daft.

"I hope you feel worse now because you completely ruined my peaceful, Malfoy-less sleep," she gritted her teeth.

"No, no, come on," he persisted, kneeling next to her sleeping bag. "Ask me questions so I won't feel bad."

"Malfoy, you're unbelievable!"
"The quicker you ask me, the faster you can go back to sleep. I'm not the one taking the morning watch," he reminded her.

She looked out the window and found that it was still dark. She had ample time to get some proper rest before it was her turn to take watch while Malfoy had his beauty sleep.

"Fine. What do you like the most in the world?" she said without thinking. Apparently her mental faculties were still asleep.

He paused as he pondered on Hermione's question.

"Blueberry pie."

"What?"
"I like blueberry pie," Malfoy repeated.

"Oh," Hermione replied, completely dumbfounded. How does one reply to something like that anyway?

"Four more," he insisted.

"I, err … something you'd like to own one day?"
"A dog," he answered immediately.

"What would you name him?" Hermione got a little curious.
"Finn."

"Why Finn?"
"Just."

"Okay. Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. Four questions done," he said and he got up to his feet before stalking towards his window again.

x.x.x.x.x

"Granger."

Hermione groaned, almost tearing in her sleep.

"Granger!"

Oh, fucking hell, not again!

"What?!" Hermione got up, hair everywhere, completely annoyed, eyes still shut tightly.

"There's a cat."

"What?" Hermione opened her eyes to look at Malfoy incredulously.
"There's a cat, right there," he said meekly, pointing at the attic door.

She turned towards the door behind her, and true enough, there was a cat sitting at the door. It was black, and had great, big, shiny yellow eyes.

"How the fuck did it get in here?" she looked around the place. There was only that giant window that Malfoy staked claim over, and the big red attic door.

"No idea. Imagine my surprise when I looked over somewhere during the night and found it there, staring at me. It's been doing that for hours."

"Err," Hermione stared at the cat. "Didn't the sensing spell alert you?"
"No, not at all."

The cat stared back.

Hermione stood up and slowly walked towards the cat, crouching a little.

"Hello, kitty … hello there … where did you come from?" She cooed, reaching out to touch it but the cat retaliated violently by screeching and lunging at her hands with its paws, armed with sharp claws.

"What the hell!" Hermione immediately withdrew her hands.

Malfoy laughed in the background and Hermione shot him a glare. She walked over towards the door, careful to stay as far away from the cat as possible. It looked ready to kill but Hermione quickly opened the door and walked towards Malfoy.

"It's not leaving," Malfoy said.
Hermione turned and found that the cat resumed its sitting position, watching them both.

"It'd … it'd probably leave later. Just leave it alone."
"Right. It's dawn, and it's your turn to watch. Good night," Malfoy said succinctly before marching off to the other corner of the attic, where he left his sleeping bag.

Hermione sighed; cast a Breath Freshening Charm and Cleaning Spell on herself before picking up a book to read.

x.x.x.x.x

Between reading, glancing out the window and glancing at the cat at the doorway (it stayed there the entire time, watching them), she thought about Malfoy.

Malfoy was an idiot.

But the way her mind processed it was more in a fond way than anything.

Sure, several friends have teased about Hermione and Malfoy's relationship, how they bicker like an old married couple but always had each other's backs during missions.

And sure, it wasn't like she detested the idea of the both of them dating; it was just that it would never happen. And she didn't like him that way, and he certainly didn't want her like that. Right?

She shook the thought of her head and glanced at the doorway again.

No cat.

Huh. It had gone.

"What the actual fuck?!" came the shocked voice of Malfoy, somewhere in the afternoon.

Hermione did nothing, just continued to read her book.
"What happened, Malfoy?" she asked in an almost sing-song voice.

She saw from the corner of her eye that Malfoy had managed to get out of his sleeping bag and on his feet in less than two seconds before looking up at the ceiling in bewilderment.

"The cat!" he exclaimed.
"It's gone."

"It's not! It's up there!"

Hermione turned towards him and frowned, "Up where?"
"There!"

Malfoy was pointing at the ceiling, and for a moment, Hermione contemplated laughing at Malfoy's just-woke-up antics (because some people tend to hallucinate just moments after waking up), but her jaw dropped the floor at the sight above Malfoy's sleeping bag.

The cat was hanging upside down from the ceiling, its sharp claws keeping itself in position. And it was watching both Hermione and Malfoy, again.

"How the fuck did it get up there?!" Hermione asked, getting to her feet before walking towards Malfoy.

"I have no idea! I woke up because I felt someone watching me," Malfoy said, still staring confusedly at the cat that was dangling off the ceiling. "That is so fucking weird!"

"I know," Hermione whispered.
"Weren't you watching it?"
"I was! But I only looked away for a moment and then it wasn't by the door anymore, so I thought it had gone!"

"Gone up the ceiling," Malfoy frowned at the cat.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked him.

Malfoy paused and shook his head.

"No idea. Just leave it there."

x.x.x.x.x

A few hours later, the cat was still hanging upside down from the ceiling.

Both Malfoy and Hermione were awake, both somehow reluctant to get some rest. Malfoy was sitting by his window, and Hermione was just a couple of feet away from him, somehow intimidated by the cat's presence.

Hermione was preparing dinner before she heard the noise.

Scratch. Creak. Scratch. Creak. Scratch. Creak.

They both glanced up to see that the cat was moving.

Across the ceiling, that is. It was moving towards where they were located, in the middle of the attic.

Malfoy and Hermione glanced at each other, both not knowing what to do.

"Maybe … maybe it wants food," Hermione said, before scooping out a small piece of their meals and placing it at a distance for the cat to take.

The cat never got down from the ceiling and just continued to watch them.

Malfoy cleared his throat uncomfortable and they both ate their meals in silence.

After dinner, Hermione had moved over to sit by Malfoy at the window. They were both keeping an eye on the cat on the ceiling while making conversations with each other.

"What do you think it wants?" Hermione asked him.
"No idea. I think it's crazy," Malfoy eyed it warily.
"Why, Malfoy, are you afraid of it?"

"No, but what if it's rabid?"
"I don't think it's rabid … just …" Hermione trailed off.
"Crazy."
"Yeah.

And soon they were on the floor, drawing in the air with their wands, using a spell that illuminated what they drawing, and both were laughing at the stupid things they ended up drawing or writing.

Soon enough, they both fell asleep, with Hermione resting on Malfoy's shoulder, and Malfoy's head resting on top of Hermione's.

x.x.x.x.x

Hermione was the first to wake. She blinked slowly, trying to get some focus into her eyes.

When she did, she recoiled and gasped, moving Malfoy in the process.

"Mmmghhh," he groaned.
"Malfoy," she shook his arm, "Malfoy."

"What?" he asked, before opening his eyes. He looked at her confusedly, probably because he realized that they fell asleep huddled against one another, before looking at that Hermione was looking at.

And he too, recoiled and tightened his arms around Hermione.

The cat was now seated in front of them.

"What the fuck," he whispered.

Before the both of them could even think about what to do, Malfoy's sensing spell went off with a high-pitched ring that echoed throughout the room, alerting them to another foreign presence.

The both of them moved immediately, getting to their feet. The cat stayed where it was.

They felt around their robes for their wands and nearly panicking to find that both their wands were missing, before –

"Meow."

It was a rusty, husky kind of meow. Almost evil-sounding but …

They froze and slowly turned towards the cat, who was, strangely enough, seated on both of their wands. It pawed the wands once it got their attention, and looked at the both of them.

"Granger, get it back," Malfoy said.
"Me? Did you see what it tried to do to me when I tried to touch it yesterday?" Hermione protested.

"Yes, but you've had experience with cats," Malfoy reasoned.
"I did, but Crookshanks wasn't … wasn't …" Hermione looked at the cat warily, its yellow eyes flashing briefly.

"Whatever, we need to move otherwise we'd miss the smugglers."
"You do it!" Hermione yelled.

"Oh, for fuck's – fine."

He moved to approach the cat, but the cat began to growl menacingly and its paws lunged at Malfoy every time he moved to grab the wands.

"Bugger off, you crazy cat," Malfoy hissed, and the cat hissed back.
"Malfoy, you better be quick."

Malfoy ignored her and using his boot-clad foot, he stuck it out towards the cat, which attacked it immediately with vigour.

He cringed inwardly at the fate of one of his best boots but managed to move the cat away from the wands, the cat still attacking his right foot.

Malfoy grinned triumphantly but it didn't last long before the cat started to crawl up his right leg as fast as lightning.

"Whoa, fuck -" Malfoy yowled as the cat sunk its claws into his midsection and he struggled to get it off with his hands, "Get off, you -"

"Malfoy, come on, I've got the wands!" Hermione called from the attic door.

"Just a minute, dear!" Malfoy said in an irritating imitation of a sweet voice while still furiously battling the cat.

"Come on, Malfoy! Just get it off you!" Hermione shouted.
"Yes, I'm trying," he said, wincing as the cat continued to claw at him and climbing up, until it finally reached his face and scratched the left side of his cheek. "Get the fuck off! Granger, can't you fucking hex it?!"

"I can't hex an animal, Malfoy!"
"Well, just – just," Malfoy was wrestling with the cat, keeping it at an arm's length as it tried to attack his face again, "Just do something!"

"Alright, at the count of three, I want you to throw the cat as hard as possible from you, okay?!"
"Grand!"

The cat was growling furiously and began biting at his hand.

"One … two … three!"

Malfoy immediately tossed the cat away from him as hard as possible, distinctly hearing Hermione cast a Cushioning Charm, so the cat hit the wall unharmed. Malfoy quickly made a run for it, catching Hermione's hand in his own on the way out before shutting the door.

"Fucking crazy cat!" he exclaimed, breathing heavily.

As soon as he had said that, there were heavy thumps on the door – and powerful ones that they started to crack the door a little.

"Let's just fucking go," Malfoy announced and grabbed Hermione's hand before they both ran down the house, casting Disillusionment spells on the both of them.

They both ran down the field where they saw around six men walking towards what seemed like an old abandoned factory.

One was walking ahead of them, presumably the leader, and the rest were levitating one giant, flat item, covered with a grey material. It looked to be as big as a billboard and was heavy as hell, from the looks of the men.

Malfoy immediately cast a Silencing spell around the both of them.

"Okay, so this is what we're going to do, we're going to wait until they get in there, and we sneak in from the back, alright?" Malfoy said.
Hermione nodded strongly, looking out of sorts for a moment.

"You have cuts on your face," she pointed.
"I'll heal that afterwards. But first we -"

"MEOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

They both froze as they recognized the mean-sounding devil-cat somewhere behind them. They turned and saw that the cat was at the top of the field, and it was covered in shards and bits and pieces of wood.

"What on earth?!" Hermione gasped.
"Just … don't worry about it. It can't see us since we're under a Disillusionment Charm," Malfoy reassured her.

Apparently, Malfoy spoke too soon because as he finished that sentence, the cat was sniffing at the air before its eyes landed on them.

"Draco," Hermione said, "It's looking … it's looking straight at us."
"I know, but it can't see us. Don't worr -"

The cat started sprinting towards them at full speed, with no warning whatsoever.

"HOLY SHIT!" Malfoy hissed before taking Hermione's hand again and began running down the turf, angry crazy cat in tow.

They ran and ran, and the cat ran and ran, meowing angrily all the while.

"Wait! Stop!" the leader of the smugglers called out.

Both Malfoy and Hermione froze on the spot.

The entire clan looked towards them and they both stopped breathing.

Fuck, fuck, fuck. In all these years of perfect scores and perfect missions, this would be the only time Hermione and Malfoy failed. Because of one sodding, crazy cat from hell. Malfoy squeezed Hermione's hand, and she squeezed back.

"It's just a cat," one of the followers shouted.
"It's just a cat!" the leader announced again, "Move along!"

They started moving towards the abandoned factory again.

Both Malfoy and Hermione exhaled gratefully. Malfoy turned to Hermione, about to reiterate their plan of action, before he almost jumped a foot into the air.

He felt something sliding against his leg and something was … something was vibrating against it.

Malfoy glanced down. Hermione glanced down.

It was the cat.

Currently winding itself around Malfoy's left leg and pushing its head against Malfoy's trousers most affectionately.

"Honestly," Malfoy whispered, "What. The. Fuck."
"I think it likes you now?" Hermione offered, the end of her sentence sounding more like a question.

"Crazy pussy," Malfoy snarled.
"Excuse me?" Hermione glared at him.

"Not you, this one," he shook the cat out of his left leg and began walking but the cat followed, meowing gently this time.

"No, you crazy cat, leave me alone!" Malfoy commanded the little thing, but it refused to listen, looking up at Malfoy with adoring eyes. "You bipolar, hell-cat! Go away!"

The group of smugglers were well inside the factory already.

"Go away, I've got work to do!" Malfoy walked away but almost tripped on the cat who was still passionately rubbing its head against Malfoy's legs.

Malfoy growled and started running down the field, with Hermione following far behind, stifling the laugh she so very wanted to let out at the image before her. Malfoy, running down the field, with a cat jumping and running after him.

"This isn't funny, Granger!" Malfoy shouted over his shoulder.

Hermione laughed.

They were outside the abandoned factory, Hermione watching the smugglers inside from the side window … while Malfoy …

Malfoy was trying to reason with the cat.

"You can't follow me in there!" he hissed at the cat, which was looking at him with the same big, yellow, innocent eyes.

The cat replied with a meow.

"No, I don't care. You're staying here, and that's that," he looked at Hermione and said, "Let's go, Granger. We'll Stun them all quickly and get this snafu done and over with. This is the stupidest mission I've ever been on, and I mean it."

Hermione shrugged, she couldn't agree more. A bunch of schoolchildren could have probably solved this mission. Without the cat, that is.

They both moved stealthily, making sure to cast spells to let them know whether the smugglers had cast any counter-spells or sensing spells around the area. There were none.

"Too easy," Malfoy shook his head and rolled his eyes.

But just as they were about to open the back door to the factory, there was a sad, forlorn-sounding meow coming from behind them.

"Fuck," Malfoy sighed and shut his eyes before looking back at the cat. It was regarding him with a sad, sort of abandoned look and its eyes were just begging.

"Fuck. Fuck," Malfoy swore, and pointed at the cat. "Fine! Fine, okay! After I'm done, I'll come pick you up and take you home with me, okay? Just stay where you are."

The cat looked positively happy at that and stood straighter, its ears no longer droopy.

"Why, Malfoy, that was so sweet," Hermione jibed.
"Ha-ha, Granger," he deadpanned.

x.x.x.x.x

The mission, as Malfoy had put it, was too bloody easy.

They had come in, Stunned each and every one of them before the lead smuggler had the chance to summon the stolen artefact's possible buyer.

While Hermione identified each and every one of the smugglers, Malfoy had gone to inspect the stolen artefact that was propped against the wall. He pulled on the grey coverings.

He stared at it for long moments, frowning at first. After much deliberation, he stepped right in front of it, and after a while, he smiled.

It was a fond smile, a knowing smile. A smile that was almost rare, Hermione knew. A shake of the head accompanied Malfoy's secret smile.

Hermione walked towards him after sending a Patronus to the Ministry and she gasped.

"The Mirror of Erised."

"Yes," Malfoy answered.
"But … but I thought it was destroyed?" Hermione was confused. Harry had told her about it before and that it was destroyed …

"Obviously not," he gave Hermione a look and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I wonder who it belongs to now."

"Reckon we'll find out soon enough," Malfoy said, not looking at Hermione.

"So did you see?"
"See what?"

"See what you desired the most in the world? Did you see blueberry pies?" Hermione grinned.
"No … not as such …"

"Oh, come on, answer me."
"We're not still playing Twenty Questions, are we?" he drawled, looking bored.

"Whatever, Malfoy," she rolled her eyes and stepped in front of the mirror, grinning broadly.

She saw herself for a moment, wondering if the mirror would show her winning multiple awards or finally owning that book café she had always fantasized about.

And then the images shifted into something else. Her grin dropped.

Her heart was pounding and she felt as if it would just stop and drop into her stomach at what she saw.

It was Malfoy.

Malfoy smiling his most beautiful smiles, the ones that were so rare that Hermione felt she didn't deserve to see it. Malfoy laughing, nose scrunching up a little. Malfoy with that same fond look and that secret smile.

The images altered again, and this time Hermione's heart gave a little squeeze. It was an image of both Hermione and Malfoy, dancing in the snow, both with smitten, happy looks on their faces. Like they only had eyes for each other. Like they were in love. And then they kissed.

Hermione found that she wanted that, too.

For quite a while, she suspected. Ever since she became partners with Malfoy and got to know him better.

She tore her eyes away from the mirror and chanced a look at Malfoy.

Malfoy was looking at her intently, stormy grey eyes making her face flush.

"What did you see?" He asked casually.
"I …"

Should she tell him? Should she ask him out on a date and see what happens after? Should she pursue this weird connection thing they have between them? But she's never had any experience! How does she go about this?

All of a sudden, Aurors were Apparating into the factory and things got noisy.

"Oi, Malfoy, these all?" someone called.

"Yeah, that's it," Malfoy replied, eyes not leaving Hermione's.

"Well, great job, you two," Kingsley appeared out of nowhere and glanced at the mirror, "I still expect a full report, as you both know."

"Of course," Hermione answered, looking at Malfoy's shoes as Kingsley left.

"Well, Granger, I've got to go. I'm so very tired and I'm going to grab my things and go home and rest," Malfoy said.
"Oh yeah, sure. I'll see you at work," Hermione nodded.

Malfoy walked off and Hermione was scolding herself at not being able to say anything. Granted, she had shit experience with men but …

"Oh, and Granger?" Malfoy stopped in his tracks and turned around.
"Yes?"

"I saw you, too," he said. "When I looked into the mirror."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat at that and she looked at Malfoy with widened eyes.

"Yeah, I did. So after you're well rested and hopefully after you've made up your mind, you know where I will be."

Malfoy cast her a long, long glance before leaving the factory from the back door. Hermione saw from the side window that Malfoy had bent down to pick up something.

It was the cat. Malfoy gripped it tightly in his right arm and began his journey to the attic to get his things.

Hermione smiled.

x.x.x.x.x

A few days later …

"Here, Malfoy," Hermione said forcefully, setting the package in front of her almost violently on Malfoy's desk.

Malfoy looked up at her from his paperwork, not startled at all.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Umm … err, your favourite."

He raised a fine eyebrow at her before opening the wrappings of the package in front of him to reveal …

"Blueberry pie," he stated, looking at it.
"Yeah … I made it. I, err, hope it's good … I remember you telling me you liked it so I … I … took the liberty of …"

"Possibly ruining it for me for the rest of my life?" he offered.
"No! I just … I just wanted to do something nice for you … because I … well, I … bugger it all! Ilikeyou, okay?" she huffed and then stormed away and out of their shared office.

Malfoy was startled then, frozen with his mouth open at what he had just witnessed.

And then he his lips began to form a grin.
"Virgin," he shook his head.

Perhaps that was as it should be, he thought. She was saving herself for someone worthy. And since he was the one that she desired and the one she found possibly worthy in her eyes, damn if he didn't want to be worth every bit. He will make good on that promise.

x.x.x.x.x

Hermione was lounging on the sofa, watching A Christmas Carol when the Floo in her house roared to life.

"Granger," a familiar voice called.

She scrambled to her feet and ran towards the fireplace, where the floating head of Malfoy could be seen.

"Malfoy?"
"No, your gardener," he rolled his eyes and Hermione growled.

"Are you quite busy?"
"No, not really … why?"
"I'd like to come through."

"Oh, err … okay?"

Malfoy's head disappeared into the flames and a few seconds later, the fire turned green and out stepped a perfect-looking Draco Malfoy, shaking dust from his hair and getting dirt off his shoulder.

"Yes?" she asked.

Malfoy looked at her nonchalantly for long moments before Hermione broke the silence.

"Is this about the blueberry pie? If it tasted shit then it really is not my – mmph!"

What Hermione wanted to say was left forgotten as Malfoy's lips crashed against hers. Her brain had apparently, gone out to lunch, because she couldn't decide what to do and she just let herself be kissed by Malfoy. He kissed with his entire being, he did and Hermione melted against him, kissing him back.

He brought his hands to her face, his thumbs brushing across her jaw, back and forth.

Hermione had known desire of course, but never before had it had a face – Draco Malfoy, all these years. And it took a mirror to finally, finally confirm it.

Of course there was a reason why Malfoy kept appearing at the forefront of her mind, time and time again – not just because he was annoying and all that, but because he fit her perfectly.

No matter what this was that she and him were dancing around, it was undeniable that this was the time to finally act.

They pulled away from what felt like forever, and grey eyes were blinking at her, at last unguarded and devoid of the cool Malfoy mask that she was accustomed to, filled with so much uninhibited want that she blushed.

"Shouldn't we … go on dates or something first?" she asked timidly.

"I know you better than anyone else in the world, Granger, admit it," he replied and Hermione found herself agreeing with her entire being.

She's had a hankering for this man who knew just what to say to rile her up yet made her feel like she didn't want anyone else in the world riling her up ever again, no matter how silly that sounded.

Now, looking at Malfoy's eyes – eyes that were currently lambent – she had come to a decision.

"Back then … at the attic at that abandoned island," Hermione began.
Malfoy nodded, not stopping his stroking-thing across Hermione's jaw, and she found that she liked that very much.

"You asked if I was waiting for something."

He nodded again.

"Well, you guessed right. I am – was, waiting for something."

"Mmhmm," Malfoy hummed.
"And I think you're that something."

Malfoy smiled beautifully at that, as if there was a light at the end of his tunnel at last. It was lovely, that.

"That's good," Malfoy laughed, "That is very good, indeed."

This time, Hermione pulled him towards her and kissed him. He smelled like expensive cologne mixed with the slightest hint of tobacco, a smell that she found addictive since the very first time she caught an actual whiff of Malfoy's scent.

Lips parted and sparks flew everywhere as they poured everything they felt into the kiss, the desires, and the weird, weird connection between them that was about to become something very, very spectacular.

It was sweet, it was slow, and it was amazing.

They had finally landed on her bed, after dillydallying too much, pushing each other up against the walls and stealing kisses, following each other's lips every time they parted as if wondering how they had gone all their lives without it, and now that they have finally found it, they can't bear to let it go.

Something to that extent, Hermione's addled brain thought.

Right now, the only thing she could think about was Malfoy. Draco.

It was dark in the bedroom, the only source of light being the moon pouring in through her windows but it didn't matter.

Every sense was hyper-focused on him, seeing him in ways even eyes couldn't see.

Apparently Draco remembered that she told him (or rather, he had guessed right) that she was a virgin, because he seemed to take his time, relaxing her with caresses and touches, making her brain fizzle and toes curl and her entire body was tense with desire and too much attention.

Not that she was complaining.

This was all so foreign to her, but it was good.

By the time Draco had removed every stitch of clothing from her body, her stomach muscles were quivering with anticipation. She had no idea what to do, where to place her hands and when she tried to do something –

"Shh, don't think. Just feel," Draco's soothing voice assured her, "I'll take care of you. You know I will."

She smiled at that. She remembered the times when Draco seemed to put her first, and protected her from imminent attacks during their missions – and most recently, when he had unconsciously grabbed her hand a couple of times so that they wouldn't be separated while running away from the psycho-cat. She had been scared before they landed in her bed. Come to think of it, she had always been scared before every single mission. But every time Draco entered the briefing room before they were deployed, she found herself not scared anymore.

With that, she gave Draco carte blanche over her.

Pale fingers skimmed every inch of her skin, her face, her lips, all the curves and crevices that she had and Hermione blossomed under the touches.

The tension and desire was so thick it wafted around them, bouncing off the wall and making it hard for them to breathe.

When Draco breached her, it had hurt – only a little bit – she couldn't, for the life of her, pay attention to the pain when Draco was so very busy administering little nips to her lips like that.

"You okay?"

She opened her eyes and nodded, eyes blazing with desire.

"Perfect."

And then there was that smile again before Hermione lost all rational thought and all powers of observation, as Draco began wreaking havoc on her body.

Her every pore, every fibre of her being was so thrilled, exhilarated at this new feeling, new sensation … at Draco.

When they both tumbled over the edge, the erratic thunder of her chest was so loud in her own ears and she wouldn't stop trembling, as every muscle in Draco's went taut.

They lay still in bed, touching for hours, until they both fell asleep.

x.x.x.x.x

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked after breakfast the next morning.
"I have a cat to feed," he grinned before planting a chaste kiss on her lips. "I'll be back."

Hermione smiled at Draco's retreating back, as she glanced down at her still unfinished report for Kingsley.

Under the things listed as 'Findings', she wrote 'The Mirror of Erised'. She resisted the urge to write 'love', 'desire' and many other things that the sappy part of her brain could come up with, but she thought that as long as only she and Draco knew what they finally found that day, it was good enough.

THE END!
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