[R: sixty six]

When Hermione's eyes fluttered open the following day, she found herself and Draco drowning under the rays of the spring Sun coming from the magical window in the corner. Her head had been nestled in Draco's chest, his arm slung loosely over her waist.

She could hear his heart beating. It was the loveliest sound to wake up to.

Hermione looked up to watch him sleep, gazing at his pale features glowing under the sunlight. She traced the angles of his face—the height of his cheeks and the sharpness of his jaw, with her fingers ever so lightly. Hermione brushed her thumb over his brow, hand carefully cupping his cheek that had turned slightly pink from the warmth of the Sun's rays. Draco seemed to lean into her touch in his sleep, his lips slightly parted to release a small breath of relief.

She loved being in his arms,

But a small thought pierced through Hermione's peaceful admiring.

What if last night had been a cruel joke?

Hermione immediately dropped her hand. What if despite their urgent kisses, burning touches and desperate murmurs of possession, Draco still wasn't back to normal? Or worse, what if he had been himself last night, but not today?

What if he wakes up cursed again today?

Hermione's eyes darted to the closet he'd pushed her against, the last time he had been in this room, and felt the fear grow in her chest.

That Draco can't possibly wake up with her naked in his bed.

He will kill her.

Hermione carefully slipped out of sheets, Draco's arm falling limp on the spot where she'd laid. No, she had to be out of this room. In case it all went wrong again, she can't be here.

Hurrying into the bathroom, Hermione wasted no time heading into the shower, letting the warm water rain on her head. Her mind was spinning—racing with the numerous ways things could go wrong once again.

The universe was cruel and vindictive. It wont ever give her something good without giving her something bad to balance it with. She had to be ready.

Hermione's face was in her hands as the shower continued to douse her with water, waking her to her senses.

she thought.

Suddenly, strong arms snaked around her waist from behind, evidently startling her from her overthinking "Your thoughts are too loud, my love."

Draco's voice was grumbling and sleepy against her ear, his blond hair tickling the side of her cheek.

Hermione breathed "My thoughts?" Her voice was small "You don't mean the—"

"The bond, yes." Draco's lips were on her jaw, pressing a soft kiss "I felt anxious in my sleep, and woke up to find you gone from my side. You know I don't like you leaving me in bed like that."

Hermione's heart almost exploded from the relief. The bond, it was back. If only she'd checked before she allowed herself to get carried away from her thinking.

"If only you'd let me speak before you seduced me last night." Draco said, agreeing with her thought.

Hermione spun around, eyes narrowing "Seduced you?"

Draco's eyes were still sleepy, a lazy smirk plastered on his face "Yes, you me, Granger."

"Excuse y—"

Draco shut her up with a kiss on her lips, abruptly pushing her against the wall of their conveniently large shower "I don't mind." He whispered, teeth tugging at Hermione's bottom lip "You can take me to bed anytime, Granger."

Hermione couldn't help the whimper that escaped her throat when Draco's thumbs grazed her nipples as he gripped her waist against him "Malfoy, we can't."

"Says who?" Draco smirked against the wet skin of her neck, kissing every little mark he'd left from the previous night.

"The others—" Hermione gripped Draco's shoulder tightly as his mouth found the spot under her jaw "The others will want to know what happened." She breathed.

"I don't care." He whispered in her ear "I've dreamt about taking you in this shower for so long, Granger. Our friends aren't going to get in the way of that." His hands slid down from her waist, to her thighs as he pressed soft kisses down her wet neck. Hermione's skin burned under every touch.

"Malfoy." She tried to make it sound strict and commanding, but it only came out as a plea. She was always putty under his touch.

"Yes, my love?" Draco was smiling against her skin. She could feel his kisses going lower, past her chest, her abdomen, until he was sunk down on the floor, pushing her thighs apart.

The sheer feeling of his hands on the apex of her thighs caused Hermione to bite back a moan, hand gripping his shoulder "Malfoy." Her voice was a whimper.

"Use your words, love." Draco's fingers grazed the lips of her core, brushing against the swollen flesh ever so lightly.

"They can wait." Hermione practically stuttered, her breath hitching as his fingers brushed over her clit once again "I'm all yours."

Draco's smirk was triumphant, eyes incredibly dark with wanting as he looked up at her "Tell me to stop." In one swift motion, he hooked one of Hermione's legs over his shoulder, his hot mouth finding itself on Hermione's swollen, wet flesh.

Hermione gasped, hand tugging at Draco's hair.

"Language." Draco smirked against her, his tongue flicking over her clit, mouth sucking lightly. Her skin was so sensitive, every flick of his tongue sent her closer to the edge. The feel of his hot mouth sucking on her clit as his hand gripped her thighs sent sparks flying all over her body.

Draco's hand moved up, inserting a finger into her as his tongue delved deeper against her clit and it was like fire "." She begged, eyes shut tightly as she felt every bit of his movement down below, the sensations sending her into overdrive "."

She tugged at his hair as his mouth kept sloppily sucking at her clit, the liquid between her thighs dripping this side of his mouth. Draco groaned against her, the vibrations burning through her core ", Draco, please." Hermione whimpered, feeling her legs slowly giving out from beneath her.

Draco kept at it, sucking, licking her from inside out, his tongue working sinfully as he pushed her over the edge. Hermione's soft whimpers turned into moans, and she found herself begging Draco for more "" She pleaded, feeling the knot inside her beginning to unwind, her legs shaking.