RP: Possession is 9/10s of the law.

[pb_draco]

Characters: Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger (with Crookshanks, Osiris, Lucifer, Fleck, and Cookoo all kibbitzing.)
Location: Granger-Malfoy flat of shouting and boxes
Date: 16 May 2000
Status/Warning: Private/Language (It's Malfoy doing manual labor, what sort of language would you expect?)
Summary: Moving day
Completion: Complete

Comments

[pb_draco]

"No photographic evidence, then. I promise. And if we get that Pensieve you wanted, we'll make sure they never get their hands on it."

Draco stifled a quiet groan and dropped her hand to cover his face as he felt that pink blush moving in from hairline to collar. "Not ... exactly. Sometimes. Not often. Pretty rare, actually. It's more...." He made a soft noise, not believing that he was about to say this, but he knew his girlfriend. She'd keep questioning and he'd give up the information eventually anyway. Better to do it voluntarily.

Draco folded his arms over his chest, hugging them to him, and stared at the far wall to avoid her eyes. He spoke fast, hoping to skip over the majority of the humiliation, and tried not to feel his shoulders tightening up. "When I'm really stressed, or I'm really upset, I have to have them. Have to. I can't even--if it's bad enough times, I can't even get going without the boots around. I mean, I don't have to-to-to, I don't have to use them, y'know, don't have to actually, um. Wank on them. They just have to be there. And it's not a lot. It's not. It's not, really, not all the time. Just-just when it's bad." Draco took a deep breath and set his jaw, eyes closed. Please, his mind whispered. Please don't freak.

[pb_hermione]

"I want to learn to make a Pensieve, not buy one. And we are not leaving memories in there except when we're viewing. Take it out, look it over, put it back. No free shows except between us. And as I said, I don't mind sexy pictures as long as I'm not nude." She grinned at him.

Malfoy let go of her hand and hid his face. Hermione could see the tips of his ears and wondered what it was that had him turning Gryffindor red. It was obvious he wasn't thrilled to be explaining but she appreciated that he was trying. She waited patiently while he gathered himself.

"Any boots or just a lady's?" Hermione thought she should understand exactly what it was he needed. "Is it the boots you think about or about the boots being on a woman?" She assumed he didn't wear them himself, at least not if he liked ladies' boots. They'd already discussed cross-dressing when she'd mistaken a joke he made for interest. "Is it only boots or other sorts of leather things, too?" She wanted to be in on any stress relief he might need, but if it was something he had to do alone, she'd try to understand.

[pb_draco]

She hadn't taken off running or started laughing at him or made some horrified sound of disgust. Draco supposed that was something. It took him a minute to unclench his jaw enough to speak again and he flushed harder when his voice wasn't properly steady and unperturbed, the way he wanted it to be. "Women's boots. Preferably on a woman. I'm not gay, Granger, I don't find anything about men attractive, including their footwear. I'm fine, usually, you know that, I haven't had any problems with you, but then you have great legs and a fantastic arse and you wear a lot of boots anyway, so I don't know. I don't know."

He moved away from her, his hands twisting together as he struggled not to go for his cigarettes. "Not leather, doesn't have to be leather. Suede, satin, whatever. Leather's best, but it doesn't have to be. Type doesn't really.... That's a lie. Tall or short, either's fine, but-but I like, um. There is a type. Loads of buckles or laces. Sort of pointed toe, a good heel." He paced away from her, grimacing. "You have no idea how tough some of our lessons were on me. Especially when you'd put your feet up in my lap, good fuck, I nearly died."

[pb_hermione]

"I know you're not gay, but I wasn't sure about the sort of boots," she replied. "I think you probably do know, Draco. Think about it. You were incredibly stressed when ... whatever it was that had you drinking like a fish and trying to keep me from being seen with you, was going on before Christmas. We weren't together at first but you've already said you'd been thinking of me since we danced on Halloween. Did you need boots then? If you did, were they imagined or do you have a real pair you like to take out? Did you think about me in them?" Hermione thought it might clarify things for him and her if he thought about it. "I won't be upset if you say no or if you say yes. I only want to know what you like."

"Or lots of buttons?" Hermione remembered him playing with all the little buttons that ran all the way up her pretty grey calfskin boots. "I'm sorry I made things hard for you. You could have said something. Or at least not encouraged me to put my feet up." She wasn't going to challenge his language when she wanted him to open up. "Do you have a pair you keep for times you need them or do you transfigure something? Would you show me?" Hermione asked with open curiosity.

[pb_draco]

"No, I couldn't have said something." Draco laughed under his breath, without humor, shaking his head. "I couldn't have. Because I wanted you to keep doing it. You have so many, and they're all outstanding, and buckles and laces and god, the buttons, yes." He leaned on her work table, staring at the surface. "I don't have any. I-I, um. I got rid of them. When I started dating you. Thought I might not need them anymore."

He whirled around, eyes widened, and crossed the room to cup her cheeks, suddenly terrified that she might think his attraction to her was based on that alone. "But not because you wear them, love, that's not it. Please don't think that. That's not it. It's you, I'm in love with you, and you'd never need to wear a pair of boots in your life again and I'd still love you. You turn me on. They just ... help."

[pb_hermione]

Hermione didn't think five pair constituted 'so many' but she was pleased he liked them, although for a different reason than she did. "Well, you are welcome to look at mine any time you'd like. Or ask me to wear a pair for you. I can't guarantee I'll always be in the mood, but I don't mind being asked." She certainly didn't want him thinking he had to hide it from her.

She shook her head and looped her arms around his waist. "That thought never even crossed my mind, love. Truly. I know you love me with or without the boots." No one who looked at her the way he did, boots or no, or did the things for her that Malfoy did, would possibly be in it only for her footwear. "There were no boots involved on Beltane and you seemed very happy." Hermione hugged him. "I don't mind that you like boots, Draco. You don't mind that I like watching, or like it when you pin me against doors, or hold me down in bed. Those are just things I like, but it's you I love."

[pb_draco]

Draco gave another laugh, this one slightly louder, slightly more amused. "Told you, it's not often. I don't get that stressed that much anymore. Not since the war. I doubt you'll have to worry about being in the mood to cater to that for me often." He tried on a smile for her, tension easing out of his shoulders as he began to accept that her questions were honest curiosity and wanting to help. "But, y'know, if you ever want to just to see if it's fun, I wouldn't turn that down."

He wrapped his arms around her, one hand sliding up to cradle the back of her neck. "You're too good to me, Granger. Love me, stroke my ego when I demand it, and accept my quirks. You're truly very special, you should know that. I'm never letting you go." He bent to nip at the curl of her ear and purred softly. "And believe me, everything you just said there works for me too. Especially the holding you down bit. That's, um. That's very fun."

[pb_hermione]

"You could ask me just for fun, too," she said brightly. "Your birthday boots will be ready soon and we're definitely trying them. In all sorts of positions, too. I want to try being on my hands and knees. One of my books explains it's good for getting just the right spot. We could face the mirror so we can see each other while ... Yes, well I think it would look smashing with me in those boots. We could try other positions that would let you see and feel the boots while we make love too." There were so many things left to try. Hermione was thrilled with their love making.

Hermione melted against him. "I don't want to be let go, and I am keeping you. I don't see anything wrong with you liking boots, Malfoy." She shivered at his mouth on her ear.

[pb_draco]

Good god, her powers of description were amazing. Strong. And incredibly fascinating. Draco nuzzled into her hair and stifled a soft noise of pleasure. "I think I would like that very much. Or we could use both mirrors once the other gets here. One in front and one to the side. Get a good view from a couple of directions." He twisted his fingers in her hair and tugged, very lightly, to pull her head back an inch. He placed a light kiss to the hollow below her ear, then slid across her jaw to drag his teeth over her lower lip. "We could try a good many things. Positions."

[pb_hermione]

"I was thinking the same thing," Hermione confessed when he mentioned using both mirrors. "If either one of us ever has to travel without the other, I'm charming them so we can have them to talk to each other every night we're apart." Hermione coloured up but gave him a flirty smile. "I could even make a show for you with my dancing costume or even by undoing my boots." He fisted her hair and used it to position her head, causing her to moan and her body to wickedly respond. "Oh, Draco," she breathed between shivers. It would've been unfair how quickly he could arouse her if she hadn't been convinced she held the same power over him.

"We should either stop or..." Why did they need to go to the bedroom? It was their flat. They could do whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted. And she was wearing boots with her skirt. Would he like to try it mostly dressed? Would he want to in her study? Her work table was the right height for her to work at standing up, which meant it would be perfect for... Hermione buried her burning face in his chest. She really was too bold with him sometimes. It was only that he made her feel so sexy. "You um... you mentioned wanting to look at my photo album?" Hermione wished she hadn't pinned her hair back on the sides that morning, so it could hide her burning face.

[pb_draco]

Draco's smile widened and he pulled at her lip again. "You'll tempt me to take a few days off just to test out those mirrors. Toss-up, though, would I want that or would I rather not leave you behind for even a second? Tough call, really." He was fairly certain that if ap Hywel did send him off at any time, he wouldn't protest it nearly as much now - or after she did that charm work.

He tightened his grip around her waist and traveled back along her jaw to nip at her earlobe before lifting his head. She was right, they should stop. They still had the last few bits of unpacking and moving in to finish up before they allowed themselves to get distracted, no matter how delightful that distraction sounded. "I did," he murmured, keeping his voice low to keep it from going hoarse over her. "Want to see how my girl grew up. See what my daughters might look like, too."

[pb_hermione]

Hermione knew he was saying something about the mirrors but he'd tugged on her lip again and she was too distracted to catch everything he said.

Hermione liked when his voice got rumbly. "Now that I have the pen you gave me for Christmas on my desk and the last of my books put away, I can show you the pictures. I have to decide what to do with the things in my trunk, but those can wait. It's mostly things I want to save but don't need all the time. The two instruments left in the box there are ones I plan to replace. I decided not to bother finishing the reassembly of the one that burned me. I think their previous owner was a little heavy handed. I can afford to buy new ones now. You can come with me to Dervish & Banges later, if you'd like." She would like it if he did. "I wouldn't mind a sandwich or some fruit and cheese for lunch. Are you hungry? We could eat and look over the album." She was rambling but it was difficult to focus when she was still recovering from his teeth nibbling her ear.

[pb_draco]

Draco cupped her cheeks in both hands and bent to give her a light kiss. "Babbling, Granger. You're babbling." He had to release her and step away before her almond scent and her eyes drew him into his own babbling response, and he took a deep breath as he picked up the photo album. "I think that's a good idea. Little snack, little break. C'mon, let's go curl up on the sofa and have Cookoo make us some lunch. We'll buy you some new supplies later, all new equipment if you want it."

[pb_hermione]

"I can't help it. You make me forget what I'm thinking and things just pour out." Hermione had a chance to get herself under control when he stepped back to get the photo album. "Something to eat would be good. I need to wash up." She'd been very busy all morning. "Will you ask Cookoo about lunch while I do that?"

[pb_draco]

"Sounds like a plan." Draco took the photo album and his coffee cup into the lounge, then wandered through the kitchen to ask Cookoo to make a light lunch for the two of them - small sandwiches and a tray of fruit and cheese "and those little crackers, the ones, you know the ones, they're roundish and all scallopy on the edges, I like those" - and refill his coffee. Mission discharged, he stepped out onto the terrace to have a smoke while Granger washed up, and to do some mental planning for a canopy and a lounger. The only difficulty he saw would be in getting it up to the roof, and that's what magic was for.

When he finished with his cigarette, he popped one of the mints he habitually carried and sucked on it while he settled onto the sofa facing the fireplace. He decided to wait on opening the photo album until Granger was ready to go through it with him. She'd been raised Muggle, and he was certain there would be plenty of things she'd need to explain to him. Kids were kids the world over, but Muggles were a different world.

[pb_hermione]

Hermione used the loo and washed up. On her way back through the bedroom to the lounge, she stopped to change her top since the one she had on would be too warm for sitting next to Malfoy, the human furnace.

"Ready?" Hermione asked him as she sat down beside him. "There will be no making sport of my father's hair in my baby pictures," she cautioned him. Her dad kept his hair very short now, but he hadn't then. It would be very clear where she got her atrocious mane when he saw the photographs of her dad back when she was born.