Thank you all for your patience regarding my stories while I've been away! I'm nearly finished writing 'iniquity' and I hope you all like it as much as I do.

-a

November 27nd, 2000

Susan is hired and scheduled to work Monday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's, lightening shifts for Draco and Granger. He doesn't mind it too much, aside from the fact that he has a harder time getting her alone.

He corners her behind the Herbology section, pressing her against the end cape of the shelf, his fingers pushing her blouse up to reveal her chest. Planting light kisses across her skin, she cradles his head, hands drawing circles on his scalp as she lets out a sigh.

"Can I come over tonight?" she whispers as he takes her bottom lip in-between his teeth.

"Like you even have to ask." Draco stands snuggly between her thighs, moving his hand down to palm underneath her knee, dragging her leg upwards as he kisses her at a dizzying speed.

"Hermione, where is the packaging tape?" Susan's voice drips into the air and Draco groans. Gingerly releasing her legs, he steps back, wiping his lips with the back of his hand and Granger sighs.

"Sorry," she whispers, leaning on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his lips. It is surprisingly gentle, and it makes Draco hold his breath. "Trainer duties. I'll make it up to you later."

She most certainly did make it up to him later.

That evening, she comes to his apartment dressed in comfy sweats, and when he finally peels them back, it reveals a tight lace bra, navy in color, with matching crotchless knickers. He fucks her slowly against the door of his bedroom, keeping one leg hitched around his waist as he moves, nipping at the skin below her ear. She breathes hard, her back arching at his touch and she presses her head against the door.

"How'd Susan do today?" Draco muses, pulling out before slowly pressing back in.

Granger hissed softly, her head lulling to the side and she grabbed his chin harshly, dragging his face closer. "Boring Bones is the last thing I want to talk about right now," she scowls, pressing her lips to his as his eyebrows shoot up in amusement.

"Boring Bones?" he echos, grinning against her mouth. Moving his hand between them, he presses the pad of his thumb to her, moving in slow circular motions and she groans. "That's a rude thing to call a fellow co-worker."

"If you think that's rude..." Granger replies, dipping to lick his neck. "You should hear what I call you."

Draco grips her by her backside, picking her up before placing her on the mattress and crawling over her body. Aligning once more, he pushes in, beginning a faster pace than he had against the door, fingers tracing her collar bones up to her neck.

"And what do you call me, Granger?" he mutters, hand tightening around her throat and he watches her eyes glitter.

He leans down, swallowing her moans as he kisses her over and over, his lips puffy from the pressure, and when he pulls away, she looks at him with something other than lust. She smiles, a genuine smile, and he starts to smile back. An intense look of adoration passes over her features, and her hand incircles his wrist as she blinks slowly, eyes growing wide. Suddenly, she pulls his hand from her neck. He lets go instantly, the temporary moment of warmth in her face gone, and she pushes his chest so that he leans back, his cock sliding out of her. Avoiding his eyes, she flips over onto her stomach, arching her back so that her rear is in the air.

Her denial of endearment is almost palpable, and if he was not so frightened to return the affection, he would have asked her why she could not look at him.

His denial surges in his blood as he grabs her hips, slamming into her at a defining pace, her arched figure and tiny sighs enough to tip him over. Her groan is the sweetest sound, bouncing around in his head and he feels his irritation bubble as he comes down from his high, pulling out of her and collapsing to the mattress.

"Fuck," he says, brushing the hair out of his eyes, and glances at her.

She lays on her stomach, her hair a wild halo around her and cheeks flushed. Her eyes are wet, the glimmers of tears present under her lashes and he sucks in a breath, sitting up. "Draco..." she starts, and he can feel her shift behind him, the sound of his name ringing. "I...I think we need to stop."

He chews the inside of his cheek, knowing damn well she's right. They need to stop, before it's too late, before he gets attached and starts to care. He turns, and Granger is holding a pillow to her naked form, her lips pursed. "Why do we need to stop, Granger?" he asks, knowing the answer already. He just wants to hear her say it.

"We need to stop before this gets out of hand," she admits, her hand moving in a circular motion in the air. "We can't...I can't do this. You can't even say my name."

He looks away from her, gesturing to the door. "Then fucking leave," he spits, mentally begging her to stay.

She chokes, and he feels the mattress dip as she stands up, swatting his hand with her own and crawls into his lap, her legs on either side of him.

"Tell me you don't feel anything," she demands, her face so close he can count the constellations of freckles panning her skin, and he looks away. She maneuvers her head so she is right in front of his once more. "What's the matter, Malfoy? Don't like the way I look anymore?"

He grabs her chin, dragging her face to his so that their noses brush. "What do you want from me, Granger?" he inquires, and he sees the shimmer in her eyes begin to appear once more. "What the fuck could you possibly want from me? What changed in a few measly days?"

"I want you to say my name," she answers in a low voice, her fingers cradling his face and he nearly combusts from the sensation. "I want to call you Draco. Call me Hermione. Just say my name."

He shakes his head, the expression on her face cracking his shield, and she drags her fingers up into his hair before she yanks herself away. She wizzes around his flat, gathering her clothes in record speed, her hair a bundle of curls and knots. She's so beautiful when she's upset, and he can only imagine how gorgeous she is when she's happy.

"Granger, wait!" he chokes out, but she's still moving, pulling on her top, zipping up her bottoms in lightning movements as she tries to stifle her tears. He pulls on his boxers as she pulls open the door, her head whipping from side to side in search of her shoes, and Draco bites the inside of his cheek so hard he's sure his tongue is painted crimson. "Hermione, stop."

She stills, one shoe on, the other in hand, and he continues speaking before she can cut him off. "Hermione, don't leave. I know I'm a git but I'm just...slow. It takes me longer. I can't give you exactly what you want, or deserve but...I can say your name. That's a start, at least."

She turns, still holding her shoe, and sniffs. "You're going to hurt me, aren't you?"

Draco opens his mouth, not knowing what he should say, or what she wants to hear, so he opts for the truth. "I don't know. But I'll try not to."

Hermione nods slowly, glancing at her shoe in hand, before she drops it to the ground and steps into his arms. He cradles her to him, burying his face in her hair as her arms incircle his waist.

"That's good enough for me."