Homeward Bound

Hermione was more nervous the next day than she had been in her whole life, including the day she stepped onto the Hogwarts Express. They were to Portkey to Malfoy Manor any minute. She was worried about Acara; she knew she could Portkey with her, but still, even when they got there, it certainly wouldn't be home.

Lucius and Draco were clearing out their guest house, Lucius having resided there for over a year as Draco studied. Hermione had keyed him in on how to keep in touch with the outside world after Draco had gone to Paruin, and Lucius had ultimately returned to taking business appointments in the mornings (afternoons in Britain), chatting with Narcissa in the afternoons (evenings in Britain), and then socialising in the colony after dinner. He was, of course, quite the social climber and was a favourite both at dinner and after.

Hermione looked around her cottage. She didn't need to pack. She had a few souvenirs in a bag for her friends, but it wasn't as though she was moving back. She was getting a whole new Malfoy-approved wardrobe when she got there. It was a very strange feeling. The contract stated that she could spend up to one third of the year away from the Colony in total, but never more than three weeks at a time. Draco could spend half a year away, but with the same duration limit on individual visits.

Their first three weeks were already planned: wedding preparations, wedding, post-wedding. Hermione was especially unsure of this part, but she tried to keep her nervousness at bay. The optimist in her just kept thinking of seeing all the familiar faces she couldn't wait to see again. Hermione softly drummed her fingers on the table in the centre of her cottage. Malfoys apparently needed all morning to get ready for a Portkey.

"You know it's autumn at home," Lucius drawled from the doorway, startling Hermione out of her reverie. "You'll be rather chilled if you show up in that sleeveless thing." He looked her over in her lavender Mage's robes. Lucius knew Draco had told her to gain weight, and they both hoped that she would comply. Watching Cissy's miscarriages had been the worst trials of his life. Cleary, Hermione had not gained an ounce although it wasn't that the girl didn't eat, because she had a hearty appetite. Perhaps a trip to Honeydukes was in order.

"London isn't home any more, and I have my Hogwarts cloak." Hermione pointed at her chair where her school cloak was laid out like an artefact. "Besides, we're going directly to the Manor, aren't we?"

Lucius chuckled. It was very hard for him to remember that this witch did not need the same designer cloak in three different colours each season. Draco tapped him on the shoulder, and the older man ducked to the side so Draco could come into the room. His dragon, Lodus, was peaking out from the flap of a customised satchel that lay across Draco's chest. It was only a hatchling, so it was about eight inches long from the end of its snout to the tip of its tail. Hermione had to fight to keep from cooing at it, but it seemed to eye her curiously, and she almost couldn't help herself.

Her fiancée was holding something behind his back and looking very smug. "It is improper to travel in this season without a proper cloak. Since you dropped out of school, we can't allow you to parade around in that. You'll have to wear this instead." Draco presented her with a bundle with a big white bow on it. Hermione looked between the two men, equal parts suspicious and intrigued. "Open it, you daft bint; we have a busy day back at home. It's nearly two o'clock!"

Hermione set the package on her table and pulled open the bow, watching as it unveiled a beautiful velvet travelling cloak in deep purple. Hermione's eyes went wide as saucers, and she let out an indelicate gasp. She lifted it up and it felt like heaven in her fingers. "Oh, this is too much!" Hermione said in earnest. She'd never even seen anything so nice in her life!

Lucius chuckled in the background. Draco relieved her of her burden and indicated for her to turn so he could put it on her. As he did, he whispered into her ear, nipping occasionally. "Malfoys always get the best." He breathed out heavily. "As Lady Malfoy, the same will apply to you." He pressed his hands down her shoulders and arms, finally enjoying his hard-earned prize.

"Oh! Thank you!" Hermione couldn't muster up the energy to be indignant about their collective arrogance. It was truly a good gift and, as such, deserved her sincere appreciation.

"Flame-proof with a repellent charm for pet hair," Lucius added sardonically. Hermione rolled her eyes at the man on the opposite side of the room. She was so distracted by him that she was unable to resist Draco's embrace.

In the time since his training had started, he'd lost all signs of boyhood, except for the freckles. Draco was strong and hard-bodied, his arms encompassing her securely. He dropped his mouth to her ear, asking, "You really like it?"

"Yes, I really do, Draco." Hermione looked at him and even gave him a peck on the cheek. Draco's jaw dropped a little, but his mouth stayed shut. Hermione hated herself a little for it, but she couldn't take it back.

"How touching," Lucius cut in loudly, clearly getting impatient. "Portkey, children, Portkey!" Lucius moved the curtain of Hermione's door out of the way and strode out of the cottage. Hermione took her chance to get free of Draco and followed Lucius, Acara trailing right behind her.

Britain was unbelievably cold! Hermione, who had not had to think too much about insulation in nearly two years, was shocked to find herself shivering in the single digit temperatures. Intellectually she knew that this wasn't so cold...it was even mild for October...but Merlin's frozen knob, she was freezing!

She had survived the Manor tour and tea with the Malfoys. The paintings had stared at her in open curiosity or utter disgust, and the house-elves were... curt. Hermione kept up a mantra, listing all her friends she would see tonight with a time countdown. Three hours to go! Two hours to go! Ninety minutes! She nodded politely, trying not to be baited by her soon-to-be mother-in-law. Acara was by her side the whole time, and after one especially pointed comment, Hermione was half-tempted to let her beast drink out of the centuries-old goblin-wrought silver just for spite.

Draco seemed to pick up on this, though, and abbreviated the whole affair, to Lucius' relief and Narcissa's annoyance. "Hermione, would you like to freshen up before we see your friends?" He had laid down his silverware pre-emptively and was moving to get her before she could even voice her answer.

Draco showed her to her suite and left her to get ready himself. He would be leaving Lodus behind in a specialized addition to his father's aviary. Since the dragon was still just hatched, it would have to stay in an enclosure when it couldn't be with Draco. Isova had instructed that he not spend more than eight hours away at any given time and that Draco would have to be especially attentive in this delicate phase of the dragon's life.

Hermione's rooms were absurdly lavish and made Hermione miss her cottage and her hammock and her little clay hearth. Acara, on the other hand, jumped right to the centre of the sinfully soft bed and made herself quite at home. Hermione stripped down to her skivvies and walked to scratch Acara on the belly before she wandered into the loo. It had taken her breath away the first time, and even after knowing what to expect, Hermione was breathless as she opened the door again. The stonework, the tiles, the carvings, the everything! It was as close to being over the top without actually going over.

Coming out of an extended hot shower, Hermione towelled off and pulled a pair of denims and a t-shirt out of a secret compartment of her bag. Hermione pulled on the dark, high-waisted denims with stovepipe legs and placard front. She loved the feel of slight stretch on her backside. The colony may be her home, but she still had a little place in her heart for London's fashion scene. Next came a tissue thin t-shirt, dark red with a bright golden lion screen-printed on it. The sleeves were short enough to show off her biceps. She was looking at herself in a mirror that stretched from floor to ceiling, nearly twenty feet tall, considering cosmetics, when she heard Draco from the doorway.

"If my mother ever saw you in something so Muggle..." Draco closed the door and leaned against it. He was wearing a pale green oxford shirt and dark grey slacks. It was simple, but clearly high quality. He had a dark grey cloak over his shoulder, making him look rather dapper.

"I'm not changing."

"I am not my mother. Your arse looks great in those trousers, and it's been a long time since I took a bird out, even if it is to a Gryffindor party." Draco sneered the end.

"You don't have to go," Hermione said simply.

"And let Weasels make drunken grabs at your arse? I think not! Besides, you don't know how to get out of here without using the main doors, and I'd like to see you explain to my mother why you are walking around like that."

"Fine, but play nice." Hermione did one more thorough shake-out of her short, curly hair in the mirror. This room had lots of them, and Hermione was confused by this a little...she hadn't used a mirror since Maank had told her of the brand.

"I will if they will." Draco's reply was ominous.

"Good, I'll get my cloak." Hermione walked across the room toward the wardrobe where she'd been instructed her things were. When she opened it, not only was her purple cloak in there, but there was a rainbow of them to select from. She shot a questioning look at Draco, but he just smirked. "This is obscene! I could wear a different cloak every day of our stay here!"

"And you haven't even gone shopping yet," Draco reminded her as he walked to the wardrobe and grabbed a navy cloak to complement her denims. The clock on the mantel chimed the half hour as Draco smoothed out the perfect fabric over Hermione's strong shoulders. Hermione shivered when his hot breath tickled her neck. "You know, I could think of some other ways to occupy our time, if you like." Draco dared a kiss on her brand and enjoyed her second shiver.

"No, my friends are waiting, let's go," Hermione said, pulling the cloak around her. "Acara, come!" Acara got up and bounded through the room. Hermione shoved Draco firmly on his shoulder, and he smirked at her and her hasty need to escape. With a practised flick of his wrist, he unfurled his cloak and secured it around him, and they went out one of the dozen back doors of the Manor, Draco Apparating them to the corner nearest number twelve, Grimmauld Place.

Draco had been standing in the outside doorway, watching as Hermione got passed around the room nearly three times, receiving hugs from all of her friends, some professors, and some Order members. He seemed to have been totally forgotten until Loony Lovegood turned toward him. "Mr. Malfoy, won't you come in? I'll take your cloak."

"Thank you," Draco said, looking around. This was his cousin's old house. His great aunt's portrait was still in the foyer, but silenced these many years. She appeared to look at him, and as if smelling some horrible stink, scrunched up her nose and began shouting silently at him. He could almost hear her when her little painted mouth formed the words, 'Blood Traitor!" He rolled his eyes at the old bat and gave her the two finger salute. One of those fingers just happened to have the Malfoy Crest on it.

Draco turned from the portrait to see Luna walking toward the party in what looked to be a ballroom. It was pretty full for a party in honour of a girl who had been a quiet bookworm and a stoic heroine. Hermione was being pulled around the room so quickly that Acara had to retreat. She moved to sit by Draco where he was leaning on the doorway. Feeling her tail curl around his leg, Draco noted, "Yes, Acara, it's going to be a long evening."

When Draco had had three Firewhiskies, he started to not give a fuck that he'd spent all those months with Hermione while her friends were half a world away. They could have come to visit, so why the fuck should he spare any time for them? Giving Acara a quick scratch by the ear, he ventured to the centre of the ballroom where Hermione was surrounded by Weasels and a Potter. He rubbed his chest firmly, and Hermione's eyes shot up to look for him. She had half a drink in her hand, and it looked like she was feeling pretty loose. As he walked up to the group, she said, "'Ello, Draco! And welcome to the gun show!" She finished by flexing her arms and kissing her biceps.

Harry and a couple others laughed, but not everyone, and Draco felt better that he wasn't totally out of the joke. "Is this a Muggle thing?"

Harry, feeling drunk and ecstatic that his best friend was back, leaned over to Draco and said loudly over the music, "Yeah! Biceps... Guns... Hermione's ripped. I'm sort of intimidated!"

"You would be, Potter." Draco chuckled into his drink. He nearly choked when someone clapped his back and pulled him into a masculine hug.

"Draco Malfoy, the only prick big enough to insult the host of the party!" Blaise Zabini boomed at his long-time friend.

"Zabini? What are you doing here?" Draco breathed a sigh of relief; he'd had enough of the company of Hermione's cat for the night.

"Dating the lovely Luna...a lot has changed since you went globe-trotting." As he spoke the words, Luna sidled up on Blaise's other side, two shots and two mixed drinks in her hand. Luna and Blaise did the shots and leaned on each other, enjoying the group dynamic.

Ron rolled his eyes at Draco, not thrilled to see him, but Hermione's friends had decided as a group to put up with him for Hermione's sake. She'd be a Malfoy in a matter of days. "I bet she could beat you at arm wrestling."

Hermione shook her head, laughing. "Oh, no! Maybe before, but he's been working in a quarry for a year! He's got his own gun show, trust me." All the boys in the room turned to look at Hermione's strange declaration, while all the girls turned to Draco to validate the statement.

The music thumped a few beats before Blaise said, "Show 'em, mate!"

All the while Draco was looking at Hermione, who'd just loudly revealed that she'd been keeping up on the status of his physique. She was beet red and drained her drink rather quickly. It wouldn't be the first time he'd stripped for a crowd because Blaise had required it. However, it was the first time with this crowd. Once Hermione had finished her drink and was looking at him sheepishly again, Draco began untucking his shirt, and all the girls let out a high pitched, 'Woo!' Once his shirt was off, he threw it at Hermione, who caught it numbly. She couldn't help looking at his pale, rippled torso with a slack jaw and eyes glazed with lust and whiskey. Somewhere she heard Ginny say something about grating cheese, but the noise of the party was just swirling around her ears.

Draco reached forward and pulled Hermione to him, turning her so they were back to front. "All right, Granger, flex!" Harry, Ron, and Ginny were scowling, flabbergasted as Draco put his arm around Hermione, bending just enough so that their flexed arms were together. He looked critically at their arms, Hermione giggling and blushing, very aware of Draco's bare chest behind her. "I think Granger wins. Back to the mines with me!"

Hermione was a moment behind on everything, so as she was considering Draco's self-deprecation, he had already pulled her out of the circle, taking his shirt back. He put it on but left it open and pushed Hermione toward the kitchen. Once inside, he cast a spell to keep the door still, and then he pressed Hermione against it.

"You've been watching me, Hermione?" Draco, being back in Britain, even if it was just Potty's house, felt like his old self again, and seeing all of these people brought it out even more. Hermione's face had apparently flushed pink permanently, whether it was from booze or embarrassment Draco wasn't sure, but he liked it. She nodded softly. "Are you drunk, Hermione?" She nodded again.

Draco let his hands smooth over her body for the first time since they'd fought over a year ago. He'd been as chaste as possible, but being back home spoiled his resolve. "Will you burn me again, even though I can see you like it?" Draco pushed both his hands up to grab her breasts, massaging carefully. Hermione moaned loudly in negative. "Two years is a long time to make a wizard wait, Hermione. Do you know how many times I've wanked thinking about you?" Hermione shook her head as Draco found her nipples, rolling them firmly. He leaned his mouth beside her right ear, whispering breathlessly, "Every night, Hermione. Every night, and sometimes in the mornings. Tossing off to your pretty mouth, or your tight cunt. You may not be a virgin, but you are tight, aren't you? Tight and wet for me?" Draco finished by pulling her nipples away from her body and letting her tits drop and bounce in front of him.

Draco took a few minutes to lick and bite Hermione's neck, sucking and leaving bruises like he'd been secretly planning to since fifth year. Hermione was cooing and keening beneath him, arching against the door, pleading incompletely. After a few minutes, someone pounded on the opposite side of the door, shouting, "'Mione?"

"Oh, your bodyguards want you, sounds like the Weasel," Draco whispered, reaching down and grabbing Hermione's thighs, lifting her up and pinning her between the door and his cock. "Tell them you are fine."

"'M fine, Ron!" Hermione yelled as Draco started pushing his hands up under her shirt and started working the buttons on her pants.

"Are you Imperiused?"

Draco smirked, lifting Hermione's shirt ever higher.

"One fish two fish, Ron!"

Draco's mouth sealed over her ear, licking and flicking it sinfully.

"Fine, you got five minutes 'til we storm the kitchen, and your cat's going bonkers out here!" Draco pulled back and rolled his eyes. Hermione rolled her head in the opposite direction and closed her eyes, willing her mind to catch up with her body.

"Acara! Settle!" Hermione shouted as Draco's mouth found her nipple through her bra. Hermione heard the cat run up and paw at the door. "Settle, Lady!" A heavy thump settled on the other side of the door. "Draco, ooooooh..." she moaned as his mouth switched nipples, his hard cock grinding into her. "You should stop." Draco vanished her bra and began lapping at the valley between her tits. "Do you really want Ron to find us shagging in the kitchen?"

"You want to shag me, Hermione?" Draco helped her to wrap her legs around his waist. "With all your friends in the other room?" Draco sealed their mouths together, kissing her forcefully until he felt her arms around his neck and her hips rolling against him. "Do you want me to stick my prick inside that tight cunt, Hermione?" Draco said, pulling back. His eyes were dark and glazed. He reached up and pinched her nipple. "Answer me."

"Yes, Draco, I want you," Hermione declared, rubbing her nose against his neck.

"Good." Draco smirked and put her back on the ground. Hermione leaned into him, confused. Draco just stepped back and buttoned his shirt a couple of times in the middle; the effect was... delish. "Mind your trousers, Granger." Hermione looked down to see how dishevelled she was. She blushed and turned around to straighten herself.

Draco was having none of that and stepped forward enough to pull her against him. "I am going to fuck you, but not in Potter's kitchen. Not the first time, at least. We'll be married in four days, you can wait, just like you made me wait." Well, not just like I waited, Draco thought...he was planning on taking ample liberties with her in the days to come.

"My bra?" Hermione looked around.

"Vanished." Draco smiled, stepping away from her and releasing the spells from the door. Acara, who had been leaning heavily against the door, fell through and rolled over, but she quickly leaped up to coil herself around Hermione's legs. "Don't keep your friends waiting." Draco waved, leering at her tits as he entered the party, making a beeline for Blaise.

Blaise was standing by himself, watching Luna and Hannah Abbott dancing Muggle-style in the centre of the room. Draco clapped his childhood friend on the back and moved to stand so they could both watch Hermione come through the kitchen door. It took a couple minutes, but eventually she came, Acara held like a baby over her shoulder. Hermione went straight to Ginny, whispered something in her ear, and then dragged the girl from the room. All the while, Hermione's one unobstructed breast swayed nicely without her bra in place to hold it still, and Draco could see his marks on her neck.

Blaise smiled broadly at Draco. "Looks like I owe you a Knut, mate. Now, let's see Granger's bra." The men adjusted their positions so they faced away from the party for the moment.

Draco, who could now do wandless magic as though he'd never used a wand in his life, flicked his fingers, and Hermione's lace bra appeared in his hands. He raised it to his nose and enjoyed the combination of Hermione's natural scent, her perfume, and the inevitable musk of a sweaty party and snogging. Draco was glad his pants were charmed to look perfect all the time, otherwise the major tent he was pitching would have caused many people in the room a good deal of dismay.

Blaise reached over and grabbed it, tagging the time, date, location, and the initials DM,HG on it. Finally he pressed his Slytherin signet ring into it. "Better late than never. I'll make sure my cousin gets it where it goes." Blaise shrank Hermione's bra, making sure it would be preserved for posterity in the secret trophy room that the Slytherin boys kept. While technically not a student conquest, since they weren't attending school, there was an empty place waiting for the evidence of Draco's victory. Now they had it.

Slamming the door to the room Ginny and Hermione had always shared at Grimmauld Place, Hermione dumped Acara on the bed and whirled around. She was a little off-kilter, what with all the booze in her system, but she and Ginny caught each other. Neither girl noticed the cat sniff disinterestedly at the lumpy mattress below her.

"Draco vanished my bra, and you have to help me with my neck, Ginny! Please!"

Ginny stood up and looked her friend over, nodding and smiling. "Of course!" Ginny pulled out her wand and flicked it at Hermione's shirt, mumbling a spell that would keep her bosom from shaking all over town. Ginny wore a lot of backless tops, so she was really good at it. "Chin up, 'Mione!"

"But everyone will see my neck. I'm sure I have loads of marks!" Hermione ran her fingers over her tender neck and shoulders.

"No, you daft chit, chin up so I can cast the spell." Ginny rolled her eyes, wavering unsteadily on her feet. With six brothers ready to pound any suitors, she was pretty good at this spell, too. Never let it be said that Miss Ginevra Weasley went anywhere with a hickey in plain view.

Hermione laughed at herself and put her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Right... okay, then." Hermione looked up at the ceiling she'd spent so many nights under and tried to keep the room from spinning too much. Soon enough she felt the cool trickle of magic over her skin.

"All set," Ginny said and pulled Hermione onto what used to her bed. "So Draco seems... not like a total bastard?"

Hermione crumpled over Ginny's lap and said something. It was totally muffled by Ginny's dress. Ginny chuckled and ran her fingers through Hermione's hair and began tracing the dragon on her neck. Hermione turned her head to the side and said, "Careful, he can feel that."

"Yeah, I remember. It's just weird seeing it. Seeing you. All of it. Nice trousers, by the way." Ginny finished by sliding her hand into Hermione's back pocket and kissing the brand.

"Ginevra Weasley!" Hermione chastised in mock outrage. Ginny had a thing for girls' bums, and Hermione thought that given the opportunity, Ginny would make an excellent lesbian.

"I thought you said it stings when someone touches you with lustful intent." Ginny made a point of licking the dragon on Hermione's neck slowly and carefully. "I missed you so much."

"Ginny, you are smashed and in love with Harry and..." Hermione was rationalizing when the bedroom door banged open. Draco appeared at the foot of the bed, not that Hermione could see, and Blaise hovered in the doorway. Both young men were stunned to find Ginny's long red hair flowing over Hermione's shoulders.

"Uh-oooh!" Ginny smirked and looked over at Draco like she was a cat who caught the canary.

"Weaslette." Draco was panting, relieved. He had bolted up the stairs, a rather difficult proposition given his state of arousal. Ginevra Weasley was attractive, he realized suddenly. She licked her lips as Draco rubbed the tattoo on his chest. He had thought for sure that someone else had been up there with Hermione, and the warm moistness on his chest had been alarming.

"Malfoy."

Hermione managed to push herself up to sitting on the bed next to Ginny. "She's plastered, she won't remember anything tomorrow." Hermione let her head fall heavily on her shoulder. "Ginny only snogs girls when she's pissed."

"It's true, mate," Blaise said from the doorway, noticing the heated look in Draco's eye. "I've seen her and Luna make out loads of times. It's quite hot."

"Thanks, Blaise." Ginny smiled and gave Hermione a sideways hug. "I'm so glad you're home, 'Mione." Hermione put her arm around Ginny and smiled, revelling in the unbridled affections her friends were showing her. Neither girl noticed when Draco signalled to Blaise to extract Ginny from the room, but the girls did notice when Blaise scooped Ginny up from behind, easily reaching over the little twin bed, and carried her out of the room, shouting for Harry to come take care of the youngest Weasley.

Without the support of her friend, Hermione flopped back, lying on the bed with her legs over the side.

"Hermione, you are well and truly pissed, aren't you?" Draco smirked and kicked her feet apart so he could stand in between her knees.

"Quite, Malfoy." Hermione rolled her head slowly and tried to look up at him. Oh my! Was he ever tall! "I haven't had this much to drink since the law was introduced. None at all at home."

"We should get back to the Manor." Draco shook his head.

"We can stay here. Harry said."

"I don't think so. We have a busy day tomorrow, shopping, and I have to check on Lodus." Draco paused a moment to pull her up, lifting her as though she weighed nothing. Wrapping one arm around her ribs, he cradled her neck in the other hand. Hermione's eyes were totally unfocused, as was her brain. Draco took this moment of complete defencelessness to snog her again, which he could tell she enjoyed.

After minutes of kissing her thoroughly, Draco pulled his teeth gently up her jawline so he could whisper in her ear again. "I'm going to buy you gorgeous robes to wear while you're at the Manor. I know dozens of nooks that I'm going to pull you into so I can do this again and again." Draco felt Hermione's head loll forward against his. He reached down and encouraged her to wrap her legs around him for stability.

"I'm going to vanish your knickers and take advantage of you whenever I want." He paused as Hermione clutched at him tighter, whimpering softly. "Or whenever you want. Tell me again, Princess, that you want it, and I'll give you everything you want."

"Mmm, Draco..." Hermione tried to talk but it was getting harder to focus.

"You want to go to the Manor with me, Princess? You ready?" Draco leaned back and looked at Hermione's sleepy visage. She nodded drowsily, and Draco slid her off his body, helping to keep her vertical. He whistled for Acara to follow, and they made their way down the stairs.

Harry and Ron were waiting at the landing, clearly discussing if they should go up and intervene. Draco nodded at them neutrally and asked Harry to allow them to Disapparate. As Harry changed the wards on the house, Hermione gave Ron an overly enthusiastic hug and then turned to do the same to Harry.

Draco bent down and picked up Acara, and when Hermione fell back into his arms, he held her close. With a final smirk at the witless duo, Draco took his bride-to-be home, feeling all was right with the world.