A/N: Well I was away from this for a few days due to going back to work and getting back into reading. Not to mention helping family who are currently self-isolating and having at least one day of pure boredom because my muse had locked herself up in quarantine. But here we are with chapter 4 which I am really rather proud of. I probably went a little too wordy in places but I can't help that – Hermione and I share a dictionary. Hope you enjoy and be advised that the plan is to stop this at chapter 6. Please review. :D

Draco's mind was reeling. This was Hermione Granger; possibly… definitely… the most amazing witch of the twentieth century. In that race she'd left every other competitor in dead air. Now, for whatever, inexplicable reason, she was kissing him. No warning, no explanation or forethought; just planting a big, wet one right on him – Draco Malfoy, arguably the most unlikely candidate for her desire.

After many years of not understanding the benefit or point of the impulsiveness which seemed to radiate off any given Gryffindor, he was finally seeing and feeling the benefits. This was good. It was amazing in fact. Deciding not to turn these events over to his suspicious, over-analytical Slytherin mind, Draco brought his arms up and around the petite yet feisty little witch's waist and pulled her closer, rejoicing in the way she moaned a little at his display of wanting to be closer.

It didn't surprise him that she was a good kisser; not really, she was great at pretty much everything. Although, her studiousness of the past hardly must have left her with much time to practice. This was not the kiss of someone unpractised in the art. He refused to let his mind linger on such things though as her tongue traced the seam of his lips and he realised with much excitement that she was attempting to deepen their lip lock.

Not to be outdone by a Gryffindor, even in these peaceful times, he opened to her in what he hoped would seem like a moment of submission before allowing his own tongue to declare war on the deliciously sweet cavern of her mouth. Always so willing to cast aspersions on his character in the office, he was pleasantly rendered dumb when she backed down so willingly to his dominant kiss.

There they stood, devouring each other in public, breathless with need and lack of oxygen right outside the Three Broomsticks. Hands roaming into hair, grasping hips, around necks, down sides until finally at risk of passing out, the kiss was mutually broken and they each moved backward a half step. Both panting, they stared at each other, weighing up the situation.

Draco wasn't sure how to play the next few minutes; he wasn't even sure what to say. It seemed like she too was wondering what to do next as she took in the sight of him, looking, he assumed, more dishevelled than he had for a while.

"Granger…" He said, still a little breathless, continuing without a real plan. She'd thrown him for six and all he really knew was that he had every intention of kissing her again. "Would you care to join me for lunch with my father and Severus?"

"Erm… M-malfoy… I'm sure that would be, erm… interesting but I'm here with Ginny. I just nipped outside for erm… a breather."

He could tell she was lying. She'd always been an awful liar. Perhaps not lying about her lunch companion but definitely about why she was outside. Had she forgotten that he just helped her escape through a bathroom window?

"Granger, you seem to be forgetting that I just helped you flee from the ladies toilets." He reminded her, his trademark smirk flirting dangerously with his slightly plumped lips, amusement dancing in his eyes now. "I was second to you in school, not twentieth. I'm not stupid."

She blushed at being caught out and internally slapped herself on the forehead for not remembering. Although, in her defence, that kiss had left her brain mildly floundering in a pile lustful goo. It seemed he deserved that old nickname from school. No, not the ferret one. The Slytherin sex-god one.

I really need to test that theory. Well, there's no way out of it now.

"Ok, fine. I was fleeing something of a magical accident but now…" She paused, her eyes narrowing as an answer to her predicament finally came to mind. "…now, I can put it all right. Will you help me back into that window, please? I have a thing I need to sort out and then if you still want me; I can come over to your table."

"Why do I feel like this is a much bigger deal that you're letting on?" He asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Because Slytherins are always paranoid?" She asked, nonchalantly with a shrug. As if that closed the matter.

"Riiiight." He replied, thoroughly unconvinced as she headed back for the window; her gorgeous, curvaceous arse wiggling as she sashayed her hips in her return to the window.

That's the only reason I'm doing this. He tried to convinced himself as he once again grabbed her hips and aided her in getting back into the ladies toilets. Disappointedly realising that with the length of her skirt, he'd have got much more of an eyeful if he'd let her do the whole thing herself. Alas, the need of his hands beat the longing of his eyes, he realised as she landed on the other side of the wall from him.

"Thanks." She said quickly, leaning in for another kiss whilst he lingered over letting her go. "I'll see you in there. Give me a few minutes to chat to Gin, then come and invite me over, okay?"

"You have this all figured out, don't you?" He asked is amusement, a questioning eyebrow rising slightly.

"Well, yes." She admitted. That kiss had been exceptional and she was determined to have more and save her magic at the same time. So what that it was Malfoy and he was a humungous arse. He was a gorgeous, humungous arse and he was going to save her magic. Today. "You see, I have a reputation to uphold and I refuse to be seen as a slut when I drag you back to my flat after lunch. The least you can do is buy my meal first."

Draco stared into the face of the girl… young woman… who had once slapped him in the face in a fit of righteous rage. The woman who had, in the year they returned to Hogwarts to complete their NEWTs, caused him to lose a hundred points for Slytherin after she'd caught him getting a blow job in the library off some sixth year Ravenclaw by dragging him to McGonagall. She'd spouted something about desecrating a sacred space of learning and being a bad influence on younger students at the time. He was completely astounded that this was the same person promising to have her wicked way with him all afternoon. Maybe it was jealousy in that last year of schooling.

"Do you not like my plan, Malfoy?" She asked, biting her lip with a touch of nervousness when his arrogant little smirk hadn't appeared. He'd just stood there, mouth slightly agape, silent and staring for so many more long moments than she expected.

Ah, there it is. She thought as her shoulders relaxed watching his lips curl into his signature expression of smugness. He just wouldn't be Draco Malfoy without that look; although it seemed much more playful and mischievous than his vicious intentions in the past. Mr. 25,000 out of 10. Sweet Merlin I hope he lives up to that.

"Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" He asked teasingly; a hint of promise in how husky his voice sounded.

She grinned.

"I'll see you for lunch." She responded with a wink before backing out of the ladies.

Draco took a few deep breaths and tried to calm his growing erection. Never in his life would he have assumed that everything he ever wanted could literally fall from… well not the sky but from a window of the Three Broomsticks and land directly, or almost directly in his lap. He didn't deserve her. He knew that. But like any good Slytherin with his colours of green and silver he wasn't about to look a gift-horse in the mouth. He was going to take advantage of it and enjoy it. Casting a disillusionment charm over the bulge in his work combats, he headed for the pub.

Hermione had no idea what had come over her as she headed back towards the lounge area of the Three Broomsticks. It had all happened so fast and she'd been swept up in the unlikeliness and humour of the whole situation. When she'd propositioned him like that, she really hadn't expected him to call her bluff. Not that it was a bluff exactly, just an unlikely hypothesis. Well, she certainly had to follow through now.

"You were a long time, H. I thought you'd done a bunk." Ginny greeted as Hermione took her seat.

"No, no. I just needed to collect myself. I can't believe I swore on my magic. Maybe I'm having a quarter-life crisis and getting a temporary case of memory loss."

Ginny laughed.

"I doubt it. Probably just a blip in concentration. You were getting worked up at the time."

"And whose fault was that?" Hermione asked narrowing her eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry but I'm not going to take the blame completely. You admitted yourself you've been a bit man-poor lately. Maybe you were so agitated because you know I'm right."

Usually, this sort of comment would've worked Hermione up all over again but due to the stellar kiss she just had outside and her now very exciting plans for the afternoon, she decided to let it go and move on. After all, she was about to ditch her best friend to get laid; she had ground work to do to here to make that happen.

"I'm not even going to dignify that response. On a completely different topic though, I wonder how Harry…"

"H! H! Look who just walked in." Her best friend whispered excitedly. "The victim and cause of years of pent up sexual frustration for you. Eeeeee" She squealed, "I cannot wait to see this."

Hermione swung around in her seat, knowing it was now or never. This was it. This was the course of events that would start as lunch with three ex-Death Eaters and end with Draco Malfoy naked, horizontal and beneath her.

Show time. She thought as she caught his eye.

"Hey Granger," He began, sauntering over, cool as a cucumber. "I left those reports on your desk for Monday. I got your note but you know, you're so much better at the paperwork than me. You don't mind, right? "

Hermione rolled her eyes. She knew he was baiting her when he winked.

Arse!

"Of course not, ferret." She responded. Far too sweetly in Draco's opinion. Ginny just watched in amusement, trying to figure out how they were going to go from this to shagging. "But from now on I expect payment for doing your job as well as mine. Think of it as paying me to do your homework. Like in the last year of school, remember? When you were getting some sixth year Ravenclaw to do the same thing."

Draco smirked. He remembered only too well. So she was jealous.

"I'd expect nothing less," he replied; a sickeningly smug grin crossing his face. "I see you haven't eaten yet. Would you care to discuss terms over lunch?"

If he wasn't mistaken, Draco thought he could see the faintest of blushes stealing across her delicate cheeks, highlighting her pretty, freckled nose. He watched as she turned to her friend.

"Gin… do you mind? I've wanted to get this sorted for a while and…"

"Say no more." The other witch interrupted. "I should probably go check on my husband anyway. He's probably pulling his hair out by now."

"Ok. Thanks Gin" She said smiling as she got up and hugged her friend. "Give him my love, won't you?"

"Mine too, Potterette." Draco added sarcastically.

"Have fun, you two and please try not to kill each other. There would be a ridiculous amount of paperwork if you did and I want to keep Harry at home all weekend." She finished with a wink making Hermione roll her eyes and Draco fight the urge to gag.

With that Ginny Potter was gone and Draco placed a hand on the small of Hermione's back as she grabbed her second butter beer of the day and was guided to a table full of Slytherins.

A/N: I was going to stop this chapter just as Draco entered the pub from the outside without the Hermione/Ginny/Draco interaction but I decided I needed that extra little bit to round this chapter out. Now, I get to open chapter 5 with lots of Slytherin banter and Hermione in the snake pit. Hope you all enjoyed it.

Love and Blessings

Moon x