starting a slow burn

Their first week at work after the marriage ceremony had been filled with curious and downright nosy people inquiring about their new marriage.

To his credit, Draco kept his grumpiness confined to those who bothered to poke the bear. He made certain to check it at the door and not show his irritation to Hermione. One of her co-workers, Dennis Creevey had actually had the nerve to corner him in the cafeteria one day to warn him. Granted, the idea of the skinny twerp carrying through with his threat to 'hex your balls off'if he so much as touched Hermione inappropriately was amusing. Harry had sure gotten a good laugh out of it.

Yet he'd gritted his teeth and ignored it. That had been one of the more tame interactions though. He'd had to threaten Cormac McLaggen who'd made a rather lewd remark about a wedding night he'd not even had. Even Harry had jumped in on that one.

Regardless, he ignored the random comments he heard. Minus the couple of women he'd overheard discussing Hermione's rings, no one seemed to believe she'd choose to stay with him after the year was up. Not that he was any surer of such a possibility himself.

Hermione, on the other hand, hadn't been so patient.

She'd called a department meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss a bylaw she'd successfully pushed through. While she was still fighting, rather quietly, for the full required freedom of all house elves remaining under wizard care, she had succeeded in implementing house checks.

"So, effective immediately, the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures will have full authority to perform complete house checks on all magical creatures under the care of any witch or wizard, provided there is sufficient evidence of abuse or general mistreatment." She waved her wand at the meeting table and stacked binders began levitating and dispersing to each person. "Refer to the information in your binders for full details of the parameters. Any immediate questions?"

She paused to survey to the room and when no one spoke, she nodded. "All right then, meeting adjourned. Please go over the information on your own time. Submit any questions you have to either me or Katie Bell."

As everyone gathered their belongings to head home, she shuffled through her papers to take back into her office. When she looked up, a small group was gathered around her at the head of the meeting table.

"Is there…something you needed," she asked uncertainly.

Terry Boot nudged Dennis who nudged Katie. She glared at the two men but pressed on.

"Is—is everything going well, Hermione?"

She looked up and squinted at them in confusion. "Going well? You mean with the bylaw? Well, it's not exactly what I was going for but it's certainly a positive—"

"No," Terry interrupted, "we meant with…uh Malfoy."

"Yeah," Dennis added, "is he treating you alright?"

Hermione drew a calming breath and pushed her papers into her bag. "While I very much appreciate all of your concern, my marriage really isn't up for discussion."

"We weren't trying to pry, Hermione," Katie added apologetically, "it's just…well, we know the two of you never got along in school. We were worried is all."

"He nearly hexed my shoes off when I accidentally stepped on his toes last week in the mailroom," Dennis mumbled.

"You don't need to worry, Katie. Draco might be a bit surly and dark at times but so far he's been nothing but kind to me. That's all I'm saying on the matter."

She shouldered her bag and grabbed her robes, slipping out of the room without further comment.

It was already past seven by the time she made it through the floos. She intended to bypass the kitchen and go straight to her room to scream herself hoarse into the shower spray as she often did whenever people frustrated her beyond reason.

After all, today was her twenty-fifth birthday. It had been a terribly long day and it seemed like hardly anyone had remembered, minus Harry who'd sent her a box of her favorite chocolates after lunch. He'd even included a note of apology that he couldn't take her out to lunch as was their tradition since he was stuck out on assignment with Draco.

However, as she passed the kitchen doorway, Draco looked up from the dinner he was eating and she saw her place setting there waiting.

The look on her face must have given her away as he swallowed nervously and set his fork down.

"Sorry I didn't wait for you. Wasn't sure of your normal schedule yet."

She sighed, feeling somewhat deflated, and changed course for the kitchen. She set her robes and bag down in a chair and slumped down in what had become her chair.

"Rough day," he asked uncertainly as he filled her plate with roast and potatoes.

She stared at him with one raised eyebrow and kicked her heels off under the table. "Why are those people so wretchedly annoying?"

Draco laughed and tilted his head unsurely. "Ministry gossip or annoying co-workers?"

"I avoid gossip like the plague. Co-workers. Have people been giving you hell as well over…us?"

He shrugged as he sat her plate down in front of her and picked up his own fork again. "Of course, but I'm the ex-death eater asshole they married golden girl Hermione Granger off to. It was bound to be the case."

Hermione frowned at hearing that. "You didn't really threaten to hex Dennis for stepping on your toes in the mailroom, did you?"

He sighed and reached for his glass of water. "He must have left out the part where he first purposefully kicked me in the shin after he'd threatened me in the cafeteria the other day."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. She appreciated people looking out for her but that didn't meant they had to be rude to him. Truthfully, Draco hadn't done anything at all to deserve it.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't know."

He waved it off and picked his fork up again. "Don't worry about it. I've developed fairly thick skin." He gestured towards her plate. "Better eat before it gets cold."

With a defeated sigh, she reached for her fork and did as he suggested. Thankfully, the roast was wonderful and a good meal lifted her spirits a bit. She'd not had a proper lunch after all.

She tried to help when Draco cleared their plates, sans magic, but he merely waved a hand and told her to stay put. She was busy rubbing her temples to stop the impending headache when he returned to the table and placed a lone cupcake down in front of her. The pale purple icing shimmered under the flame of a single candle.

She looked up quickly just in time for him to place a rectangular package in front of her, messily wrapped in brown paper.

She must have been staring at him like he'd grown a second head because he shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

"It is your birthday, isn't it?"

Hermione shook her head to clear her mind. "Y-yes, it is. No one besides Harry seemed to have remembered."

Draco shrugged and rested his elbows on the table.

"I remembered because your birthday was the first one that came round after we started Hogwarts. That's when we all learned that birthday desserts were especially good in the Great Hall."

Despite being a little shocked that he'd remembered her birthday all these years while they'd never been close, she chuckled at that. "That was before you'd had the opportunity to decide how much of a swot I was or learn about my background."

"Make a wish," he suggested with a forced smile.

She swallowed and nodded. She stared at the flickering flame for a moment before squeezing her eyes shut and blowing out the candle in one try.

She wished for the same thing she did every year since the war. Family.

"Don't forget the present," he gestured towards the package still waiting.

She was a bit surprised that he'd gone out and actually bought her something. They still didn't know each other very well. If she had to guess, it was likely a book. Always a safe option for her. Likely something from Flourish and Blotts' best sellers list.

"Did you wrap it yourself," she smiled as she began pulling at the paper.

"Not the best job but yes. I'm a little ashamed that it was a last minute find."

Hermione gasped when she flipped it over and read the front cover. It was indeed a book. Leather bound and obviously very old. Hogwarts: A History, 1st edition.

"Draco, how did you…where did you find it? I thought Hogwarts had the only surviving first edition."

"They had two actually. I offered a trade with Professor McGonagall for one of them. I had a first edition of another book that the Hogwarts library didn't." He shrugged, "Well that and a donation to the school for renovations to the quidditch pitch. Some first year apparently set one of the Hufflepuff stands on fire recently. I'm afraid my book alone wasn't worth quite as much."

Her throat went dry as she ran her fingers over the indented lettering on the cover. She'd had such a horrible day and there he went making it better so unexpectedly.

Who was this man she'd married?

She looked up, her eyes threatening to water as she kept her emotions in check. "Draco, thank you. I mean it. This was wonderful."

He simply nodded with a small smile. "I'm glad you like it, Hermione. Happy birthday."

~o~O~o~

Their first week of marriage was ultimately rather uneventful. Draco continued to receive various odd looks from other Ministry workers but became quite good at ignoring them. Which apparently just annoyed people further that he didn't seem to care.

"Merlin, Malfoy, you'd think you'd hexed the whole lot of them or something," Harry muttered over lunch Friday. "I've never seen Aaron Rogers look at anyone so horribly. Not even when Angelina and I pranked him at the Ministry picnic last year."

Draco shrugged and merely continued cutting the chicken on his plate. "I stopped noticing."

Ok, it was a partial truth.

Harry leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "They're jealous. You realize that, right?"

The blonde snorted and nodded. "I'm well aware. I wasn't the only one attracted to her. Now that she's off the market, albeit more than likely temporarily, they're angry they didn't take a chance and ask her out or she might have already been married."

Harry pushed his plate aside and leaned back in his chair. "You really don't plan to go for it? You're not ever going to tell her how you feel, are you?"

Draco sighed and set his fork down. "What do you want me to say, Potter? That I have grand aspirations of wooing her into seeing me as less horrible than I am and agreeing to have my children? Well, get a new daydream."

His friend rolled his eyes behind his glances and shook his head irritably. "You're an idiot, Malfoy."

Draco picked his plate up and stood. "Tell me something I don't know, Potter."

Harry just sighed. "Quidditch tomorrow, Malfoy. Don't be late! We're on the same team this time."

He nodded his head and stalked off to get rid of his plate.

He and Hermione had developed a comfortable equilibrium over the week. They met in the kitchen every morning for a quick breakfast, she normally left for work first, and they reconvened in the evening for dinner. It was all very…civil.

His admission that he did like her as a person at least opened her to more comfortable conversation over meals. They had many a lively chat over their current reads and found that oddly they seemed to pick up many of the same subjects. Draco readily agreed to share his current reads with her when she shyly hinted that she wanted to read them when he was done.

While he no doubt wanted more, he had no idea how he'd ever obtain it like Harry seemed to think was possible. It was rather nice having someone to talk to over a meal though.

The next morning he found a note from her on the coffee table saying that she'd run out for a bit and would see him later. A bit disappointed, he shrugged and went to gather his quidditch gear.

Draco returned later than expected that evening from the quidditch match to find the house completely silent. There was a note on the counter from Bitsy and some double fudge brownies she'd made.

He checked the living room and the library but Hermione was uncharacteristically not in either place with a stack of books at her side. Perhaps she'd stepped out again but he found it odd that she hadn't left a note when she did before. He decided it was too soon to worry so he trudged up the stairs to get showered and changed.

The house was quiet and the hallway upstairs was dark so he felt a sense of relief when he saw a light coming from under her bedroom door.

He knocked on the door softly. After a quiet "come in" he opened it slowly. He found Hermione huddled in her armchair under a fuzzy blanket with a book in hand. It wasn't an odd sight except that it was in the middle of the afternoon.

"Hermione, everything alright?"

She forced a slight smile and nodded. "I'm fine. Just reading."

Draco gave her a quizzical look as he glanced at the clock on her wall. "While reading there obviously isn't abnormal for you, the time of day is. You sure?"

He watched her roll her eyes, a slight frown and warning look forming in those brown pools. "Yes, trust me. You don't want me to elaborate."

He stepped into the room more fully and glanced around. Everything was as it always was. Books stacked on her nightstand, clothes primly tucked away in her closet.

"If you're not feeling well you should tell me so I can get you something. Trust me; Potter will hex me at work if he finds out I've neglected you in some way."

Hermione heaved an exasperated sigh and tossed her book to her lap. "I'm on my period, Malfoy!"

Draco's eyes went wide and he diverted his attention to the floor for a moment. Well, he had asked her to tell him. He made eye contact again and noted that she was watching his reaction closely. Perhaps she was testing him.

His forehead wrinkled as he thought it over. "I've read something about this…somewhere…can't quite remember what it recommended. We don't have any muggle medicine…or I don't anyway. Wait, tea?" His head shot up quickly. "Hot tea?"

Hermione's eyes had widened during his little tirade and her lips parted in confusion. "Um…actually tea would be nice, yes. You've been reading about women's menstruation cycles?"

His face tinged a slight shade of pink which was something she'd never witnessed before from him. At Hogwarts, he'd never shown embarrassment in such a way. She lumped it up to him being so emotionally stunted by his parents growing up.

"Well…I didn't have a sister and my mother certainly never discussed such things. It wouldn't have been considered good form or proper pureblood manners," he spoke the last part mockingly. "I made a random comment in front of the Potters after we received our matches and before you and I had our discussion over dinner. Apparently it was unknowingly chauvinistic on my part." He frowned. "Ginny heavily suggested I read up on such things if I were to be marrying you. Said it would help keep all my limbs intact."

Hermione bit her lip to keep from grinning at him. This marriage was twice as much work as she imagined a normal one might have been given the circumstances. The fact that he was taking advice from Ginny was beyond amusing to her though. He certainly had changed in more ways than she'd already realized.

"I won't embarrass you by asking what you said but I'll accept your offer of tea. Perhaps a sandwich if you feel sympathetic enough."

Draco gave a short nod and rushed out of the room, his quidditch robes whipping behind him. When he returned with a turkey sandwich, a glass of water, a brownie, and her tea, she rewarded him with a smile before he left her to her own devices.

It wasn't that he was disgusted by the idea of a woman's period. He just had no idea what to do besides offer food and space.

Apparently, it was the right thing to do.

He was sitting on the living room sofa when she reemerged later that night after skipping dinner. Bitsy had informed him that she was soaking in the master bath and would eat later.

He'd been a bit disappointed to not have her company but he wasn't going to whine about it. He kept himself far too busy trying not to imagine her in the bath, wet and covered in bubbles. It was shameful really. How far he'd come given that she'd been the girl he'd once mocked for her appearance.

Hermione felt refreshed after her soak and the horrible cramps she'd had earlier in the day were gone. She found Draco in the living room, dressed in blue flannel pajama bottoms and a long-sleeve white t-shirt, his feet resting casually on the coffee table as he read his latest book.

The blue pajama bottoms amused her for some reason, possibly because it made him appear so casual. A part of her wanted to tell him that his shirt was a bit too small for him considering how tightly it was stretched across his chest and shoulders but she quickly nixed the idea. If she was to be stuck with him for the foreseeable future why shouldn't she enjoy the view?

She bit her lip as she approached quietly and almost jumped when his attention fell on her suddenly, marking his book as he did so.

"Sorry I missed dinner," she apologized sincerely. Truth be told, she found she was enjoying his regular company.

Draco shrugged as he took in her appearance. She, too, had put on comfortable pajamas post-bath and was now wearing striped pajama bottoms with a fitted grey Henley. Her hair was dry and falling around her shoulders in gentle waves. It was almost cruel how badly he wanted her.

Wordlessly, he reached for his wand on the end table beside him. "Are you hungry?" When she nodded, he flicked his wrist and a steaming bowl of soup came sailing gracefully through the air before it settled on the coffee table. "I made a potato soup earlier," he explained.

Hermione watched wide-eyed as a glass of water and a piece of crusty bread all followed. "It smells amazing," she complimented as she took a fluffy cushion from a nearby chair and sat on it comfortably at the coffee table. "I didn't realize you did much cooking."

He tipped his head as he watched her take the first bite and felt relieved when she seemed satisfied. "Not a bad skill to have I've found." He gathered his book again and opened to his marked page.

"What are you reading now," she asked after a moment.

Draco held up the book for her to see and waited for her reaction as she squinted to read the title. Her eyes widened considerably when it registered.

"The Lord of the Rings," she questioned, mild surprise evident in her tone as well as her expression.

He nodded, a slight smirk playing on his lips, and set the book back in his lap. "Some of the description is a bit tedious but the story is good so far. I'm almost halfway through."

She nodded in agreement. "I love Tolkien. Just never imagined you'd…well…he was a muggle," she added quietly.

Draco dropped his gaze to the aged pages of the pre-owned copy. He fingered the edges as he mulled over how much to divulge, wondering how much she'd believe. "I found it in a muggle bookshop a few months back when Potter and I were on assignment in muggle London. I've been interested lately by the fact that muggles are so intrigued by things they don't even realize are real. I never realized there were so many stories made up about creatures and magic when it's all sitting right under their noses."

A slow smile spread on Hermione's face, warming her brown eyes. "You like fantasy then. Interesting."

He bit his cheek when he met her eyes again but didn't argue. "I guess. Odd for a wizard, isn't it?"

She shook her head, loose curls bouncing around her shoulders. "I don't think so at all. It's always been one of my frustrations about this entire world is that so many people don't appreciate what we have. It's so common to you that you lose understanding of what it means to the rest of the world. Muggles can only dream about the things we can do."

Draco watched the way her eyes widened and her hands gesticulated with each impassioned word she spoke. It wasn't hard to figure out why she'd been the darling of the wizarding world for so long. Not at all difficult to see why their professors had respected her mind so greatly.

His eyes fell back to the book in his lap again and he found it hard to meet her eyes when he spoke next. "Despite what I've said in the past, I appreciate that about you, Hermione."

He missed her surprised look that quickly morphed into a shy smile before she finished her dinner.

Draco waved her off when she tried to take care of the dishes and understood when she retired early for bed. All she had to say was cramps and he agreed to whatever she needed.

As he sent the dishes to the sink with a wave of his wand, a cleaning charm in place as they were scrubbed clean with magic, he glanced around the kitchen. Already there were signs of someone else living there. Boxes of various tea flavors sat on the counter near the kettle with a jar of honey he'd never used before. A funny mug with the face of an otter sat near the coffee pot. When he'd asked about the odd animal, she'd smiled shyly and showed him her patronus.

After an expectant quirk of her eyebrow he'd reciprocated and showed her his Romanian dragon. His dragon had seemed quite fond of her otter which amused her greatly. He didn't have the guts to tell her that he'd only mastered the patronus charm after realizing that the whole DA could perform one. At the time he'd not been able to stomach them harnessing magic that he couldn't.

Draco sent the clean dishes to the cupboard with another wave of his wand before he trudged up the stairs to his room to fall back into the muggle magic printed amid the pages of Tolkien's book.

~o~O~o~

Harry peered into the crack in the office door and smirked at what he saw. He pocketed his wand and cracked his knuckles before kicking the door open with a loud bang.

"Wha-? Petrificus totalus!"

Draco had been fast asleep with his head on his desk, a drop of drool at the corner of his mouth. The bang of the door had startled him awake and he'd jumped to his feet, wand in hand, throwing a spell right at the coat rack in the corner.

Harry's shoulders shook with laughter as he tried to hold it in. "Bloody hell, Malfoy! What's gotten into you?"

Draco glared at him once he realized what had happened and slumped into his desk chair. "I didn't sleep worth a damn last night, Potter. You're making my morning even worse, you git."

He pushed his way fully into the room and shut the door behind him before grabbing a seat in front of the blonde's desk. "What's happened then? Did she hex you and leave you for dead?"

Draco rolled his eyes irritably and shook his head. "No, but you certainly have some explaining to do."

"Me? What have I done? You've been married just over a week and you're already shoving off blame on other people."

He sighed and leaned forward on the desk to meet Harry's eyes. "There was a thunderstorm last night."

"And?"

"You never told me she has trouble sleeping when it storms."

Harry's eyes went wide. "That'd be because I didn't realize she still had trouble with them. Reminds her of that chandelier just before it dropped."

Draco pressed his lips into a thin line. "And everything that happened just before it."

"Yes, that, too," he admitted solemnly. "What happened then?"

He scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, you know it had rained lightly off and on all day. I always get home late on Mondays, as you well know. I thought she seemed a bit jittery when I found her alone in the library with every blasted light and lamp on but she said she was just wound up from a meeting earlier in the day."

Draco shrugged and eyed the odd muggle paperweight of a sports car on his desk as he thought through the details of the evening. "I went up for a shower before bed. Damn it, Potter, I thought my heart was going to rip right out of my chest when I heard her scream." He shook his head irritably and met his friend's eyes again to find him gnawing the corner of his mouth worriedly. "I didn't even give it a second thought before I burst right through her door and had to shake her roughly until she finally woke up. Somehow she had her wand already in her hands. A damn death grip on the thing, too."

He'd watched her chest heave as her eyes darted around the room one hand on her wand and the other twisted in her sheets. She'd gasped his name in surprise before she relaxed back into the bed with relief.

"Shit," Harry muttered to himself.

Hermione had tried to assure him that she was fine and explained the bare bones of her problem but he refused to leave her side until she was sleeping peacefully. He set up camp in her armchair and ended up falling asleep there. A bit of Granger watching for old time's sake, he'd told himself.

He'd snuck out a half hour before she usually woke to get himself ready for work. They didn't normally arrive together anyway so he left for work early.

In his delirium, he very nearly thought of replacing the pillow with himself but he wouldn't admit that to Harry or he'd likely be treated to another lecture about admitting his feelings to her.

"Sorry, mate," Harry grimaced. "I really thought she was over all that. At least that's what she told me and Ginny. I didn't realize it still bothered her."

Draco shook his head and stood to pace. "I didn't know what else to do. I thought of asking to hold her but I doubt she wants me touching her. Frankly, I don't know how much she's honestly warmed to me since I told her I do like her as a person. She's polite and friendly when we talk over dinner but she doesn't seem to have much else to say sometimes. She's always reading or working."

Harry rolled his eyes as he recalled the Switzerland conversation. "You're an idiot sometimes, Malfoy." He returned the glare he shot at him. "You're really not going to try at this, are you?"

Draco's eyes went wide. "We've been over this. Don't be stupid, Potter," he hissed. "She'd likely hex me into oblivion or laugh one. Probably laugh since she'd never believe me. My previous comments still stand. All I'm hoping for is to be her friend at this point."

"I'm not going lie to you. You'd have a lot of ground to cover since you spent the better part of our growing up making sure she knew you hated her. Not even just for being a muggle-born but because you told her constantly what a swot she was. It's likely enough to digest that you don't hate her and that you do indeed enjoy her company." He shook his head and stood. "Hermione is a thinker, obviously. She won't come around at the drop of a hat or an easy gesture. She'll dissect everything you say and do until she's sure she's got you figured out. And there's nothing she hates more than not having something or someone figured out."

"Just tell me what to do, Potter," Draco pleaded miserably. He hated begging. He had very little pride left after the war and he fully realized how low he'd sunk. But he still hated feeling weak.

Harry's expression softened. "She's always been hard to figure out. You'll generally always know what she thinks because she speaks her mind but she hides a lot of what she feels. You've made a good effort by correcting her and clearing the air. Now she knows you like her well enough. Do you really want her to walk away a year from now?"

He shook his head forcefully, his grey eyes hard again. That was the last thing he wanted. "But I don't have a choice."

Harry gave him an incredulous look. That was exactly Draco's problem. "You always have a choice, Malfoy. You can't keep hiding everything. She's not going to come around or even consider you if you're not giving her anything. You've got to let her in. If you let her know the truth about how you feel and she rejects you, you have nothing to regret. At least you tried."

"I can't tell her everything all at once. She'd never believe it."

"You're right about that. So go slow. She's a slow burn."

Draco ran a hand through his hair. "Do you honestly think there's a chance she'll ever look at me the way I look at her, Harry?"

Harry slipped his hands in his trouser pockets. He knew that tone well. He rarely called him by his first name unless he meant it.

"I do and I wouldn't lie about that. Hermione is my closest friend. Closer than Ron even. I wouldn't let you within an inch of her if I thought you weren't sincere. I also wouldn't lie to you knowing how sincere you are. You have a lot of qualities she likes in a person when she can see beyond the past."

"So what do I do now?"

Harry grinned. "Let's have lunch in Diagon Alley today. Maybe you can find something to help her sleep at the Apothecary. I think it's supposed to rain through the night again. We'll work on the rest."

Meanwhile, Hermione was sitting in her office rubbing her temples to ease the onset of a headache. She felt like rubbish even though she'd actually gotten some sleep. She'd felt completely terrible that Draco had stayed up with her but there was a small part of her chest that warmed at the memory.

He'd looked utterly terrified for her and she'd never seen such a look on him before. He'd actually been concerned for her.

She remembered the stubborn set of his jaw when he settled himself in the armchair and made her close her eyes to sleep as if she were a child. If she were honest with herself, his presence had been the only thing to help her get back to sleep. She usually couldn't get back to sleep at all after her nightmares.

If she were honest with herself, after his admission that he wasn't indeed Switzerland, she'd felt a bit of tension seep out. At least she knew his blank stares and seemingly cold eyes weren't about her now. That was purely just Draco Malfoy.

Hermione looked up when someone knocked on her door and nudged it open. "George," she smiled when the familiar redhead popped inside.

"Hermione," he smiled when she rounded her desk and he leaned down to give her a one armed hug. "A little birdy reminded me that you had a birthday recently and I'll be out of town collecting that git of a brother so I thought I'd bring your present before I left."

She grinned at him and accepted the lovely purple box wrapped with a pink bow. She gave him a wry expression as she fingered the bow. "If this is another bottle of itchy powder, I know just who I'm using it on first."

George chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, not that again. I think Percy learned his lesson last time when he called you a swot. He's the king of swots after all! And frankly, your devious side is frightening."

Hermione laughed and didn't argue. She pulled at the bow and gently untied it. She lifted the lid and jumped when the box mewed at her.

George smirked. "That little birdy told me that Malfoy doesn't exactly enjoy magical felines. I thought I'd help you out since you mentioned wanting another not long ago. She's a rescue."

She cooed over the black fluffball as she lifted the small cat from inside the box. A fluffy black cat peered up at her with bright yellow eyes as it curled into the crook of her arm.

"Oh, she's lovely! Thanks, George." She shook her head with a mischievous grin, "I'm sure Draco will be thrilled."

"That's the goal then, isn't it? How's everything going? You've haven't put him in St. Mungo's yet so I assume all's ok."

She nodded and tensed when the cat decided to climb onto her shoulders and curl around her neck. She relaxed when she settled down again. "He's actually been perfectly nice."

He nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I suppose the git's alright these days. It's odd how some people can completely shock you."

"You're not lying about that," she agreed.

"Well, I hate to gift and run but I've got a portkey to catch and I promised to spend some time with Charlie and Ron before I come back with him."

"You haven't got your match yet, have you," she called once he was at the door.

"Not yet but I imagine the bloody letter will be here when I get back," he grinned and waved goodbye.

Hermione reached up to scratch the cat's ears as she took up her chair again. "I think I'll call you Mittigens for those white mittens you're sporting," she cooed to the cat.

Mittigens meowed her approval before climbing down into Hermione's lap for a nap.

"That spot actually works better for me anyway," she laughed.

Just as Harry had predicted, it rained the majority of the day. Outside of quick trip to Diagon Alley on her way home, she spent most of the day held up in her office and fending off annoying inquiries about her marriage to Draco Malfoy.

By the time she took the floo home, the storm had worsened. Mittigens joined her in the bathroom while she had a long soak. It had the calming effect she wanted but the idea of going to sleep in this storm didn't sit well.

After dressing in some comfortable pajama pants and a soft Henley top, she gathered her new cat and made for the kitchen to deal with dinner, if Bitsy hadn't already gotten to it first.

The fireplace in the living room erupted with green flames and Draco stepped out as she was rounding the corner. Her new cat hissed and ran right back up the stairs towards her room.

"Bloody hell, what was that," he asked when he caught sight of her.

Hermione folded her arms across her chest and smirked. "My new cat. A late birthday present from George."

He grimaced and stepped fully into the room. "Well, as long as I don't wake up with it trying to claw my eyes out, I'll be fine."

She rolled her eyes and made her way to the kitchen with Draco on her heels. She was well aware that they hadn't really talked since the night before and the awkwardness hadn't been lost on her.

Bitsy had left them a roasted chicken still piping hot and the table already set. Upon their presence in the room, two chunky candles lit on their own on the table.

Hermione's eyes widened while her back was still to him. That bloody elf was trying to set a mood!

Draco hid his own shocked reaction and went to change. He came back to the table to find her seated and the cat sitting in the chair next to her soaking up all the ear scratches. It glanced at him but didn't move.

"I think she's ok with you actually."

"That's good. I've heard horror stories about your old cat." He took his seat across from her and set down a small brown package.

Hermione eyed it with curiosity but didn't ask. She figured he'd tell her when he was ready.

"I wanted to thank you for last night." She bit the corner of her lip and glanced at her hands in her lap before meeting his eyes again to find him watching her intently.

"I just wish I'd known beforehand. Has it been that way since…well…" He didn't really know if he should even say it.

She licked her lips and nodded. "I lied to Harry and Ginny a few years ago about it not happening anymore. I had my flat spelled to block out the noise when it stormed."

Draco nodded but he didn't truly understand. He had no idea what that night had done to her. He only knew what it had done to him. That night in Malfoy manner had changed everything for him. His entire world as he knew had been thrown off kilter.

"I bought something in Diagon Alley today at lunch that might help." He pushed the package to her finally. He filled both of their plates with chicken while she ripped into the packaging.

Her brows furrowed as she pulled out a small jar and read the label. "Bottled Starlight. 'Enjoy a calm night's rest without the pesky drowsiness of a sleeping draught the next morning.'"

"The witch who owns the shop said it works wonders. Something new she brought in recently. Uses it herself when she can't sleep or has trouble sleeping through the night."

Hermione turned the clear jar over in her hands, mesmerized by the dark, twinkling cream within. It really did look like liquid starlight.

She finally looked up to meet his eyes again. "Thank you, Draco."

One corner of his mouth tipped up just the slightest in an almost smile. "You're welcome. Do you think you'll be able to apply it yourself?"

She'd just taken a bite of food and had to swallow before she responded. "What do you mean?"

"The instructions are in the box. You're supposed to apply a small amount up the length of your spine just before bed. Apparently it gets straight into your central nervous system that way to calm you."

Her eyes widened and she reached for the small box she'd forgotten. Sure enough, upon closer inspection that's exactly what they recommended.

Slightly mortified, she muttered, "I don't think I can reach honestly."

It was Draco's turn to swallow nervously. His grey eyes had gone darker. "If-I mean, I can help if you'll let me."

She tore her eyes from his and stared at her plate. He'd have to touch her—skin-to-skin. He'd touched the small of her back through her clothes but outside of their short kiss to seal the marriage in Kingsley's office, they hadn't touched each other intimately since. Thus far, they'd been completely platonic.

"Yes, I believe I'll need help."

Dinner was a quiet affair after that and Hermione excused herself to her room to work on some drafts for another new bylaw. Draco sat in the library on pins and needles reading the same stupid page over and over again while he waited for her to tell him she was ready to sleep.

By eleven o'clock thunder struck so hard, the house felt the force of it and he finally stood from his chair. At least he could wait in his room. Unless she was trying to be brave and had already attempted to go to sleep without the cream. Surely the thought of his touch wasn't that repulsive.

He stood and realized for the first time that her cat had been in the room with him, sleeping on her settee. The midnight colored furball stood and ran ahead of him up the stairs and darted through her open doorway before he made it to the top of them.

Hermione was standing in her doorway just as he was stopping in front of his own.

"Ready for bed," he asked in a polite tone. Merlin help him if she knew how much he was looking forward to this. It was innocent enough but he couldn't get over the urge to finally touch her through her clothing.

She nodded and disappeared back inside her room. She'd already turned out the light besides the lamp on the nightstand.

Draco watched as she stood next to her bed, staring at it as though it might jump at her.

"If you want to go ahead and lie down, I'll apply it and leave you to sleep."

Hermione nodded and climbed on top of the bed. She lay on her stomach and pulled the covers just to her hips. She folded her arms on her pillow and rested her cheek on them, facing away from him.

Thunder and lightning struck both at the same time and he saw her eyes snap closed as she winced.

Draco spotted the jar on her nightstand and removed the lid. He sat next to her as gently as possible. She looked a bit like a scared rabbit and it leeched some of his excitement away.

He dipped two fingers into the jar and watched as the contents shimmered over his fingers and dripped into the jar.

"Doesn't look much like a cream honestly."

Always curious, Hermione turned her head just slightly to try and see. "What does it look like out of the jar?"

Ever the potions master, he thought with amusement. "Honestly? Just like liquid starlight, if you can imagine such a thing."

The distraction seemed to relax her until he used his free hand to lift her shirt up to her shoulder blades. Her skin pebbled as it met the cool air of the room and he noted that she wasn't wearing her bra as she'd been earlier. The height of her shirt revealed all of her slender back and he could even see the edge of her breasts.

He swallowed. She had two freckles along the center of her back. A stark contrast against her ivory skin.

He took a deep breath and started from her lower back and rubbed in small circles just like the instructions said. Her skin was hot against his fingertips and he felt her tense at first but she quickly relaxed under his massaging. He dipped for a bit more and worked his way up her back and between her shoulder blades.

The cream shimmered and swirled before slowly absorbing into her skin. He glanced up at her face to watch her slowly drooping eyelids.

"Alright?"

She dipped her chin just a tiny bit in a nod. "Alright," she mumbled back.

Draco indulged one more gentle pass down the length of her spine with his hand, just to be sure, before he withdrew it and screwed the lid on the jar. He pulled her shirt back down to her waist and tucked the covers around her shoulders.

"T-thank you," she mumbled. Her voice was already thick with sleep.

He watched her eyes drift shut finally and her body seemed to relax instinctively. He stood and watched her for a moment. In the past, he'd have never considered himself a romantic. Cold and selfish had been his average emotions. A decent mix of hatred could be counted on as well.

Hermione Granger had ruined him. He couldn't help but notice the way her long lashes rested against her cheek, the gentle honey curls that rested against her pillow, and best of all, how relaxed her body was compared to the last night.

For once in the last seven years, his soul felt at peace. And Merlin did he want peace.