Firm surrender

Previous night-

Zander sat in a cozy armchair in the Slytherin common room with a thick book of advanced potions sitting on his lap. His gaze skimmed across the words on the crisp, white pages, taking in the information.

His peaceful solitude didn't last long, however. Three pairs of feet walked inside the Slytherin common room from two different directions, and three figures came to a halt before him. One of them stood a little behind the other two and was the only one silent, while the other two erupted like aggressive volcanoes.

"How dare you deceive us?" asked Theodore at the same time Pansy shrieked accusingly, "You lied to us!"

Zander had already expected this confrontation, but not this belligerent outburst.

'These tantrum throwing children are descendants of those so-called noble families.' He scoffed mentally.

Zander hid his irritation and stood up from his seat after placing his books on the table near him. He walked around the table and came to stand before his two peers.

A jaunty smile uplifted the corner of his lips that moved and said, "Nott, Parkinson, what a pleasant surprise. I thought you would be asleep by now."

"Don't smile like the universe is your friend, Steven." Theo growled lowly.

He remembered clearly the first day he had met the new boy. Zander had approached him with pleasantries, his curiosity and admiration for the pure-bloods the reason. Especially the sacred twenty-eight.

Theo had proudly answered his questions. His ego satisfied by the continuous compliments and awe.

In the next few days when they talked, he mistakenly blurted out his dissatisfaction and anger at Malfoy and Zabini.

"What happened to you back in the hall just now? We were supposed to create trouble for them, not make friends with them!" Theodore gritted out.

"I don't understand." Zander faked obliviousness.

Pansy heavily waved her finger at him, "Don't act like you don't remember. You said you would talk with Draco and persuade him to not hang out with those ghastly Gryffindors anymore."

Zander opened his mouth wide, "Oh! So that's what you were speaking about. Don't be so restless, have patience and whatever you desire shall happen."

Theodore narrowed his eyes, making them appear in slits, "What do you mean?"

"Don't you know? Getting to know your enemy is the first step to win any battle. You both know much about the two- Malfoy and Blaise, but I don't. How can I speak with them, when neither I know them nor do they know me?"

Pansy interrupted him, "Draco's not the enemy. He's just bewitched by that arrogant witch. It's the so-called golden trio who are the enemies." She fumed when she thought about the increasing closeness between Draco and Granger.

"What I know about the golden trio whom you hate so much, is not enough. I already told you, since they are your enemies, they are mine as well. Today was only the first meeting." Zander smirked, "I have many plans for the future. So, you just sit back and watch."

'After all, you're my targets as well.'

_________________

"Stop," Her soft voice and light grip on his shoulder made him pause.

He didn't turn around, however, and waited for Hermione to speak.

"Are you so good a legilimens that you can read my mind?" Her question baffled him, and he rotated a hundred and eighty degrees to face her.

Hermione brought her arm back to her side and clenched her fists, fingers digging into her tender flesh painfully. Her gaze was lowered to the floor, and she saw nothing before her glassy gaze.

Her inner turmoil hadn't completely subsided. But Hermione ignored it and listened to the tiny voice of her heart, which softly whispered to her what it wanted.

'Be with him forever. It is not a bad idea.'

And Hermione agreed. Even though the period was short, the time that she had spent with Draco had made her get so used to his presence, she couldn't imagine not having him in her life anymore.

He brought her a sense of calmness and comfort. She felt protected beside him, his affectionate care spoiled her, and she loved that feeling of being pampered.

They had a lot in common, but many times they had opposing opinions. Which they solved effectively and moved forward. She liked that harmony and understanding in their relationship.

The physical attraction couldn't be ignored either. Even without the bond heightening their lust and need, she always felt a spark with him that never disappeared.

After silently pondering upon so many points, Hermione was seriously considering their future together.

"I have never spoken so brazenly about what I feel, Draco. But, I want to do so now." She lifted her head and stared straight into his eyes.

Like in a trance, the both of them got caught in each other's unwavering gazes.

"I am ever so confused about these foreign feelings that tickle my belly when you smile at me, those tingles that I get whenever you hold my hand, that euphoria that spreads through me when you confess your love for me. I know, in the beginning, I doubted you very much. But, now that I feel the same, I am absolutely certain that I fell for you, not because of the bond, but because you made me."

Hermione felt more and more confident as she spoke, her unshaking, staunch firmness about her decision reflecting so visibly in her shining eyes that Draco was left stunned.

"You make me happy just by being with me. And I want to continue looking forward to waking up with you the first thing on my mind and going to sleep with your image the last. I didn't say this before, but now I know, I love you and I want you to mark me."

Draco stared at her in disbelief, his hands shaking as he raised them and held hers.

"Hermione...."

His elation knew no bounds, for this was the first time his mate had said those three magical words that he was so desperate to hear. He couldn't have forced it out of her lips. So now, hearing her say them out of her own volition made him fall deeper in love with her.

His smile reached his eyes, which had a bright light within them that seemed to keep increasing.

"You made the horrifying change in my life worth it, Hermione. I hated it so much at first, but after meeting you for the first time at Hogwarts, I found clarity in my life, myself. The despair in me slowly burned away by the hearth of hope, and I found a new aim in my life, a new direction. My yearning for you is endless, just as is my love that knows no bounds. So I happily surrender myself to you and our fate because it brought us together, forever."

Hermione stretched her lips in a beautiful smile, the sentimental words melting her heart. She felt a warmth heat every square inch inside her and let herself be pulled closer to her mate, who pulled her in his arms.

Draco had got all the confirmation he needed, so he bent his neck and dipped his head, capturing Hermione's lips in a tantalizing kiss.

He sucked on her creamy lips and licked them with the tip of his tongue to ask for entrance, which he was soon granted.

Hermione felt him explore every crevice in her mouth, his minty breath rejuvenating her and making her faint at the same time. The previous warmth went up a lot many notches as he made his way from her lips, crossing her jaws and down her neck to a sweet spot which when he bit elicited a deep moan out of her.

Hermione blushed fiercely, for she never knew she could ever make a sound like that in all of her life.

She tensed up when she felt his fangs graze the spot. Draco, noticing her rigidness, stroked her back and arms with his hands. Hermione felt the tattoo on the back of her neck feel intensely hot when Draco's hands went near it.

Engulfing her in a hug, he carefully pushed her back till they were in the position where her back was to the wall as she faced him.

Hermione's body relaxed as she lost herself in his tight embrace, not an inch of space between them.

He pierced her delicate flesh with his sharp fangs and a painful sting shot up, making her feel as if she got bitten by a snake.

But soon the sting reduced to a sore ache before a wave of pleasure washed over her, leaving her a moaning mess.

Her arms, which previously held onto Draco's muscular biceps for support, circled his neck as he lifted her up bridal style and brought her to his bed.

Draco could now unrestrictedly love her as much as he wanted. He swore to protect and cherish her. He could now never leave his mate because he lost his sanity, his mind, his soul and his heart, all to her.