She expected a level of awkwardness, now that they are out of the broom cupboard and out of the Ministry. In fact, she wouldn't even have blamed him for wanting to be discreet about this; if she thinks her friends would judge Hermione's choice in bed partners, she can't even begin to understand what his peers would say.
So she expects that answer to be a yes, and just shake on it like civil work partners, promising to not speak of this little outburst again.
What she gets instead is a kiss that steals her breath away, and makes the world go topsy-turvy. It takes a while, between grabbing onto his back with both her hands to lean into it and respond with almost eager desperation, to notice that they've already Apparated. Clever, talented Draco Malfoy.
She takes advantage of the pause in kissing to take in her surroundings (and check for safe exits, a habit picked up during the War - or maybe after the War, as a result of his aunt cornering her in Malfoy Manor) and sees they are in Diagon Alley. She recognises the bookshop, of course. She walks these streets often enough, but never once imagined that he'd be living nearby. She always thought he was somewhere lush in Wiltshire. (The reason she walks these streets often enough is simple: the nearest Apparition point to the Ministry is nearby and it just so happens that Hermione lives in a rented flat around the corner from here.)
If she finds the location interesting, it's nothing in comparison to actually being allowed into his flat. It's so very unlike Malfoy, or what her impression of him is (of course, she will allow now that it's probably mostly prejudice, an impression formed by what the Malfoy family was like when she was still growing up) but she's smiling as she gets introduced.
Home sweet home indeed.
She walks up, as is her habit, to the bookshelf, while she takes her coat off. He needs more books, she decides on the spot. Not the kind of books they have down at the shop, or research, but books to read for pleasure. Regardless of whether or not she gets Malfoy as her Secret Santa in the office draw this year, she's going to get him books.
Her coat joins his on the couch, and she walks up to him again.
"It's a nice home, Draco," she says, mostly to test out using his given name, ahead of...well, whatever it is they do end up doing. "You kiss me again."
no subject
So she expects that answer to be a yes, and just shake on it like civil work partners, promising to not speak of this little outburst again.
What she gets instead is a kiss that steals her breath away, and makes the world go topsy-turvy. It takes a while, between grabbing onto his back with both her hands to lean into it and respond with almost eager desperation, to notice that they've already Apparated. Clever, talented Draco Malfoy.
She takes advantage of the pause in kissing to take in her surroundings (and check for safe exits, a habit picked up during the War - or maybe after the War, as a result of his aunt cornering her in Malfoy Manor) and sees they are in Diagon Alley. She recognises the bookshop, of course. She walks these streets often enough, but never once imagined that he'd be living nearby. She always thought he was somewhere lush in Wiltshire. (The reason she walks these streets often enough is simple: the nearest Apparition point to the Ministry is nearby and it just so happens that Hermione lives in a rented flat around the corner from here.)
If she finds the location interesting, it's nothing in comparison to actually being allowed into his flat. It's so very unlike Malfoy, or what her impression of him is (of course, she will allow now that it's probably mostly prejudice, an impression formed by what the Malfoy family was like when she was still growing up) but she's smiling as she gets introduced.
Home sweet home indeed.
She walks up, as is her habit, to the bookshelf, while she takes her coat off. He needs more books, she decides on the spot. Not the kind of books they have down at the shop, or research, but books to read for pleasure. Regardless of whether or not she gets Malfoy as her Secret Santa in the office draw this year, she's going to get him books.
Her coat joins his on the couch, and she walks up to him again.
"It's a nice home, Draco," she says, mostly to test out using his given name, ahead of...well, whatever it is they do end up doing. "You kiss me again."