Darlings! How can I let you go the weekend without knowing what happens? I'm warning you, this is the last chapter. No more after this - you will just have to use your imaginations as to what happens next. And you will have to read my Snape romance instead, won't you! I need to concentrate on that story anyway (god, why is Snape SO sexy?).

Corditheoddball: of all the authors you could have chosen to compare me to, you chose Jilly Cooper? She is the reason I began writing. I ADORE her. (She and I, and Alan Rickman share the same birthday. I have met Jilly but, alas, not yet Mr. Rickman.) You have NO idea what your review meant to me! My heroine in 'Madness With the Bliss' is a typical JC heroine - you might enjoy the story....

Chapter Eleven

THE SHIRT

The counterpane from the bed had been spread across the floor and Draco and Hermione sat in the middle eating, and occasionally feeding each other, croissant with apricot jam and sipping coffee. Hermione realised their time was coming to and end. Lucius Malfoy would be here at nine to collect Draco.

"You look good in that shirt," Draco said, looking at her dressed in the navy silk shirt he'd been wearing the previous night. "It looks sexy."

"That's only because you know I've got no knickers on underneath."

"Hmmmm, there is that. Well, I guess it's time one of us at least looked respectable..."

He brushed crumbs from his hands, took a last sip of coffee and stood up.

"Better get dressed."

He picked up his wand and waved it over him. Immediately he was dressed, ready to meet the lawyers.

Hermione stood up, completely dismayed at this very sudden change in circumstances.

"It's only just gone eight-thirty," she said.

"Yeah, I know, but my Father has this habit of turning up early and barging into my room without knocking if he knows there's a chance I've got company," said Draco. "It gives him a kick to get an 'accidental' eyeful of naked female. If he finds I'm not in my room..."

"Oh, yes, I see..."

She tried desperately to keep her face as normal as possible but, if she was honest, she now couldn't bare the thought of him going, because she knew when he walked out of the door, that was it - it was over and she felt absurdly unhappy about that.

Draco came over to her, put his hand around the back of her neck and kissed her.

"I enjoyed last night," he smiled.

"You...you don't think of me as...as an easy lay?" She looked up at him, desperately.

He laughed.

"You?! An easy lay?! I had to run after you up three flights of stairs with a rod of granite between my legs...you think that was easy?!"

She laughed.

He held her chin and tilted her head up towards him.

"Besides..." he said, quietly. "I've also had to wait four years for this opportunity..."

She looked at him in astonishment, and felt something melt within her. She closed her eyes as they began to prickle.

He kissed her again. She felt her body responding and immediately tried to quash the reactions.

When she opened her eyes again, he was looking straight into them, searching. She could feel her eyelashes were matted with moisture.

"I was right, wasn't I," he murmured, his lips hovering just above her own. "Better to do this with someone you couldn't...possibly...fall in love with."

She swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump that had formed in her throat.

"Yes," she whispered.

They held each others gaze for a moment until,

"I've got to go."

He turned and walked towards the door.

Hermione watched, feeling her stomach lurch. Surely there was something she could say to keep him here - even for just a few more seconds.

His hand was now on the doorknob.

"Erm..." She heard the catch in her throat. "What about your shirt?"

He turned and ran his eyes over her, smiling.

"Keep it - it looks better on you."

"But it's an expensive one."

"I've got plenty of others..."

"No, I couldn't possibly..."

He stared at her for a moment; looked away and then seemed to make a decision.

Swooping over to her, he forced his mouth onto hers, ripped the shirt open and tore it from her body.

"Wha...what are you doing?" she gasped as his hands ran over her now naked flesh. She felt completely breathless; completely turned on. "You've got to go."

"I'm taking my shirt back...it's expensive..."

"You...you said I could keep it."

"I changed my mind - I want it back."

"I don't want to give it back."

"Do I have to force you?"

"Yes. Haha...no, Draco...haha...be serious...you're dressed..."

He was pushing her towards the ground and when she resisted, he quickly moved his foot behind her legs and kicked the weight from under her. She would have fallen, but he held her tightly by the upper arms.

Frantically she scrabbled for her footing, but he wasn't allowing that. He lowered her so quickly her bottom made painful contact with the floor.

"Ooooh, you've put me in the jam...Draco..!"

He was too rough; she began struggling, knowing this was exactly what she was supposed to do. Exactly what he wanted.

It didn't stop her being very shocked at how easy it was for him to overpower her, even when she put her full weight into it.

He forced her shoulders down onto the counterpane and straddled her, their tussles so vigorous, it sent coffee cups, glasses and cutlery crashing everywhere.

"Ow! I'm on a spoon - Draco you idiot, wait..."

He began raining kisses on her as he restrained her hands from hitting him, not gentle kisses of the night before, but hard, painful kisses that she was sure would bruise her.

He got his knee between her legs and forced them apart. She was still squirming and struggling with him, but even as she put her whole strength into it, she was no match.

Her hair was now soaking up a pool of spilt coffee.

There was no gentleness in his eyes now, no kindness in his face. He was kissing her, hard and furious, bruising her lips, biting her lips,

She heard the sound of a zip being undone and then her hands were pinned to the floor, level with her head - he held her there, so tight it hurt her wrists.

She cried out as he moved almost violently over her.

"I will have...my shirt back..." he demanded with each thrust of his hips. "...and you will...return it to me...here...tomorrow...at 9pm....I fucking love you...understand?"

"Yes," she gasped, her eyes finally giving in to wonderful, wonderful tears. "Oh....YES...!"

The end