Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

A Match Made In Convenience	By : ErisNight Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 47188 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 9
Disclaimer: The entire universe of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. I make no profit from writing these stories. I am only borrowing her inventions for my fiction.

Chapter List
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A/N:

Review Replies, Discussion and Upcoming Chapter Spoilers are up at : http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/49940-a-match-made-in-convenience-review-replies-and-discussion/

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and rated this work. It's really encouraging and helps me tremendously:)

This all being said, I'm updating much earlier than I had anticipated because I absolutely LOVE how sick you guys are of Ron and Hermione. Trust me its way worse for me as an author because every time I rather have Draco do something sexy. I'm restricted by the necessary action Hermione would have to take. I mean, yes she would love it but that won't get Draco into her knickers any time soon. So I'll admit there is only one more Ron/Hermione instance and then our lovely girl slowly begins making her way toward our favorite pureblood.

Also Thank you for being so honest haha, it lights a fire under my butt to write the later chapters, so I can update more often. Considering I'm my own Beta, I force myself to go over them multiple times before posting and since people are actually reading this I'm writing like its my job. You guys are awesome!

Enjoy Chapter Six: Welcome Home ;)

Eris

Hermione had spent the next two weeks looking for an acceptable place to stay as she got settled into her new job. She had found that she liked the extensive research her department was responsible for, it gave her something new and interesting to learn. The only thing wrong with her life was that she had nowhere to live. Who knew that finding somewhere to live was going to be so difficult? You should have been better prepared for this she admonished to herself, flipping miserably through the classified section of the Prophet. Every place she searched either tried to allow her to live there for free, if it was a wizard owned flat, which was too unpredictable for her tastes, or were in the seedier parts of muggle London. She could easily place protection around wherever she chose to live but she wanted somewhere she would feel safe and could be out of the public eye. That alone eliminated pretty much all of London. Wizards were everywhere and the moment they discovered where she lived, it was going to be something reminiscent of the media nightmare Harry had told her about.

She had spent the past couple of weeks in either a muggle hotel when the reporters began to stake out the Leaky Cauldron and then back to the cauldron when they cooled off. She hated it; all she wanted was stability and preparing for work in a hotel did not make her feel confident about her return to London. To make matters worse, Ron simply kept demanding that she live with him and was constantly upset that she preferred a hotel. She tried time and time again to explain that she wanted to branch out and that the Weasley’s hospitality was something she truly appreciated, but he kept on asking her. At this rate I might as well just bite the bullet and move in with him. She sighed, just the thought brought tears to her eyes; she had never failed at anything before. She felt panicky at the prospect of moving in with the Weasley’s, as if making a move in their direction would only solidify her impending future as Molly number two.

Hermione had been to every available apartment or rentable abode and had found something wrong. She wasn’t that picky by far but each place held little room for true privacy and there was no way that she could preserve anonymity. She had even contemplated moving to Hogsmeade, she could apparate to work in a blink of an eye and although she would be far from her friends and family, wizard travel was so simple these days that wouldn’t be too much of a barrier. But truthfully she wanted to live closer to Harry and the Weasleys. Eventually she supposed she would get a house with Ron but by that same consideration, he was clearly comfortable staying at the manor. There was more than enough space, but how could he consider them being together under his mother’s roof? Hermione thought back to how Harry had told her of Mrs. Weasley walking in on him and Ginny while she was returning her daughter’s laundry and Hermione had been mortified for him. That’s just how the Weasleys were, a family through and through, it was wonderful but she didn’t want to live under the same roof while in a full blown relationship with her son. What if they fought or broke up, she would be the odd man out no matter what they said.

She had been hiding in the dining room at Grimmauld Place on the verge of tears when Harry found her. “Hermione what’s wrong?” He dropped the towel he had been carrying and rushed to her side. She clutched the newspaper in her hands and just cried as she explained her fears and reservations about her future.

Harry could only nod through her explanation of not wanting to be Ron’s housewife and although he agreed with her, admitting it would be taking sides, something he tried to avoid when both Hermione and Ron were involved. 30 minutes later, they had ended up in a heap on the floor; Hermione sitting between Harry’s lap crying for the first time in a long while. Harry brushed her hair with his fingers “You’re not a failure; you’re just in a transitional period. It’s good that you won’t accept handouts, you don’t need them.” Harry placed a kiss on the top of her head and just listened as she laid out all of her frustrations. “To make matters worse, Ron has been nothing but possessive since I’ve been back and I’m trying to accommodate him but I’m not some dull witted slag he can just take off and put on a shelf when he sees fit. Harry he cheated on me and expects me to just fall back into his arms. What kind of woman would I be if I did that?” Harry sighed “You’d be a lesser woman than you deserve. Keep taking it slow with him, Ron’s changed but he’s still mostly himself. He’s just always been a bit thick when it comes to you, give it time.” She turned her face into his chest and nodded “thank you Harry, you’re right of course, I can’t give up now.” They eventually rose to their feet and Harry placed his hands on both sides of her face and looked into her eyes. “Hermione, why don’t you just stay here with me? This isn’t a handout, and it’s not some quick fix, I mean it. I’ve been passing your black door for days on the way to my room and for some reason the floo keeps sending you to the sitting room as though you already live here. Just stay here, it’s safe and secure and a place that can be your home if you let it.”

Harry tried to read the emotion in her eyes as she took it all in. She went from shocked, to happy, then to near crying at his consideration before landing firmly on declining. He wanted to laugh; she was an open book to anyone who took a good enough look. She opened her mouth to decline but he shook his head “I’m not taking no for an answer, I’ve just decided that I need a new roommate and you’ll have to be it. Living here with Malfoy is interesting, but you’ll make it better.” Then he smiled and continued “Plus it’s not as though we haven’t lived together before, you’ll always wear barely any clothes and shamelessly crawl into bed with me if there is a thunderstorm.” Hermione had to laugh at this and shot back “And you’ll snore while you sleep keeping me awake and randomly require me to dance with you.” Harry pressed his forehead to hers and he held her face before pulling back and looking into her eyes “Don’t even bother denying me, you just spent a half hour crying and telling me how afraid you are. Let me help you.” Her smile returned and Harry felt a spark of something in his chest. She was gorgeous no doubt, long wavy brown hair and large chocolate eyes, and while he held her face in his hands he could just as easily bend forward and kiss her. It would be risky but he was sure he could love her in a way that would always keep her happy. All it would take is a single intentional kiss that pushed them over the edge. He could protect her from any and everything and do his best to help her accomplish her dreams. They would have a conveniently easy relationship and he was sure they would live a quiet peaceful life.

Harry couldn’t comprehend why he understood her so completely and yet Ron couldn’t. She would be wasted on him if he didn’t get his shit together. Harry felt the spark die down and just like always, and he knew that it just wasn’t there between them. They had settled so far into friendship that even if they tried, they would be the odd enough pair to laugh it off and go back to their friendship as though nothing ever happened. Either way though it wasn’t worth the risk, it never would be. Hermione sighed happily and he let go of her face, then crossed his arms. “Since you are forcing me, I guess I don’t have a valid argument against it Harry. But just know that I love you for looking out for me.” Harry shook away the dangerous thoughts he had been harboring from the moment before “always.”

They broke into easy conversation after that, and eventually Hermione left to go have dinner with the Weasley’s. Long after she had gone, Harry just sat at the dining room table looking at the newspaper she had been holding. He was happy, completely happy for the first time in possibly 3 years. Hermione held an important place in his life, and he hadn’t realized until he had somehow secured her being back in it. He was grateful to his godfather for leaving him this house; because of it he could help one of his oldest friends and had acquired a new one.

There was the sound of floorboards creaking in the hall. Harry looked up to see his roommate entering the room and stood. Malfoy bent to pick up the towel he had discarded and tossed it to him “ready?” Harry caught the towel midair and set it down on the table before pushing in his chair and closing the door with a wave of his wand “ready.” They both walked to the portion of the room that was mostly free of obstacles and faced each other. They began their bow in sync and never broke eye contact on their way up. Harry managed to get the first spell cast and they were off in a blaze of flashing lights and explosions.

The duel ended as a victory for Harry, he had managed to connect with his signature disarming spell before stunning Malfoy. “Rennervate” he cast just as quickly causing Malfoy to stir but he stood over the blond and grinned “this week goes to me” before helping him to his feet. Malfoy tucked his wand away “this week you were particularly instinctive, I wasn’t prepared for it. It’s a pleasant surprise but this is getting boring, you are slightly better with me than a wand but that’s really only because of your magical core, I am more creative than you are, wandless duels from now on perhaps?” Harry quirked a brow at the suggestion “is this your way of saying you’re smarter than I am?” Malfoy laughed “I’ve always been smarter, but you’re the boy who lived, you’re more powerful.” Harry found himself nodding in agreement. “That’s an interesting idea, but we both know you have better control over wandless magic than I do. It would be incredibly unbalanced until I got the hang of it.” Malfoy shrugged but his grin stayed intact “Well then I guess I’ll just be winning every week then, it’s ok if you don’t feel up to the challenge Potter” Harry shook his head and laughed “Still the same arrogant ferret, I see” Draco pretended to be hurt. “I accept” Harry added extending a hand, Draco shook it. “ I’ll even allow you more time before our next duel. In four weeks or so the challenge will be wandless, good luck preparing I have years of experience in this kind of magic” It was Harry’s turn to grin “and I have Hermione”.

Malfoy shrugged “between work and Weasley demanding all your free time, you won’t have enough time to utilize Granger.” Harry’s grin only widened “That’s funny because Hermione is moving in with us as of today, so prepare to lose next month. And considering I won, my request is, that you be a good little roommate Malfoy and make her feel welcome.” Then feeling more smug than he had in a long while and donning Malfoy’s trademark smirk, Harry left the room without another word.

Blaise had been worried when his best friend had come barging into his study. It was a quarter to midnight and he hadn’t even called in advance. Blaise sighed; it was probably time to pay up for the prank he had pulled. The blonde was vindictive and hated to be at the butt of the joke. But as he watched Draco go straight to the drink cabinet and pour himself a glass before pacing back and forth, he knew there had to be something else. “Your parents…”

            “They are fine.” The answer was clipped, terse; Draco was clearly agitated about something. “Well…” Draco was silent for more than 5 minutes; he just paced back in front of the cabinet and clenched his fists. Then he suddenly spoke “Potter is allowing Granger to stay with us at Grimmauld place” Blaise frowned “Well I had heard she was looking for a place, that’s charitable of…”

            “I want her.” Blaise hadn’t expected to ever hear his best friend admit that out loud, but he quickly recovered. “Yeah no shit, when did you figure that out?” Draco stopped moving and tossed back the firewhisky down his throat. “Maybe three weeks ago now”

“Well just go out with me tonight and find some pretty little brunette to…’

“I can’t” Blaise quirked a brow “Wait what? That’s the most basic way to get someone out of you system. Get someone else in.” Draco sighed and Blaise was worried “Drake…”

            “I have been trying for two weeks now and other women repel me, they bore me. I don’t find them as attractive as I once did. I even had a fair few just in spite myself not desiring them and it turned out terribly. They were satisfied but I could barely stand it.” The fact that Draco was not only being incredibly honest but talking about tipped Blaise off. This was clearly becoming more of a problem than the blonde had anticipated. “I don’t know what or how it happened. It was just like that first night I saw her flipped a fucking switch off in my head. I hate her. SHE repels me. Everything she stands for, everything she is. I hate those kinds of people.” Blaise poured himself a drink and motioned for Draco to sit down on the couch.

“She’s been back little under a month Blaise, I’ve only seen her hand full of times and it’s driving me mad and now she fucking lives with me. I can barely handle randomly seeing her when I get home from work, or having her over for dinner when Weasley fucks it up and irritates her.” Blaise wanted to laugh, he truly did but he didn’t know if he would make it out of the room alive if he teased his friend. Draco clearly wasn’t thinking straight, I mean he’s been put off sex, Blaise thought to himself. That was definitely not going to help matters, but Draco was a truly obsessive at heart and easily prone to fixate on the things he wanted. It was the syndrome of being a spoiled only child, Blaise was the same. The only difference here was that Draco refused to admit to himself that a singular witch who had the power to completely divert his attention from every and any other woman was probably something more special than a one and done.

Draco refilled his glass and took a deep swallow before refilling it again. “She probably put a spell on me, she’s friends with Weaslette and I wouldn’t put it past that one.” Blaise had to laugh at that, but quickly stopped at the glower he received “You already know Granger is too bloody good to do that plus if she was casting spells on you to make you desire her, she would have come onto you by now, and this current conversation would be meaningless.” Draco groaned at the truth of his words and took another drink. “What am I going to do Blaise? I need to fuck my way through an entire club until I forget she exists. It’s never been this way before, I think about her way more than I care to admit and as if she knows the little bint walks around the place in practically nothing. Potter swears that she’s always been that way, but can you imagine the prude bookworm Granger being that way in school? There’s no way.” Blaise shrugged “She’s older now, definitely a woman, and war changes people. We don’t know what she was like at all really.” Draco scoffed at this and finished his drink “ Blaise, I don’t need your speculations, I need a solution, I am on the verge of involuntary celibacy because of whatever magic she’s casting but still fucking bursting with the need to shag her senseless. It’s bullshit!” Blaise noticed how Draco's business dealings with Americans had altered his speech but it was all the same sentiment. Blaise took another drink and sat down across from his friend.

“Maybe you should have her then, get her out of your system. I’m sure Weasley isn’t doing it for her and it shouldn’t be too difficult to seduce one little witch. Let her see you room at Potters; she would appreciate it more than anyone.” Draco slammed down his glass on the table “Not bloody likely, Potter will be sure to chuck me out on my ass and I’m not ready to make my move. I need to lay low and fucking Granger to pieces will not accomplish that.” Blaise was having the hardest time trying to keep himself under control. Draco didn’t just want to shag Granger, he fancied her too! He was just too thick to admit it to himself. Ordinarily Draco didn’t care what Potter would think, they all knew that the “Golden Boy” wouldn’t kick the blonde out anyway. They had moved passed that pettiness and were capable of living separate lives while in the same house, so for Draco to cite that as a reason to refrain from having Granger spoke volumes about his intentions. “So what are you going to do then? You won’t have other women but you won’t fuck Granger. That’s not going to turn out well for you and honestly, I don’t think you can last that long without some female on your knob.” Draco looked completely upset by this realization “I’ll have to avoid her until I’m back to normal. There’s something going on with me but it must be like a sudden shock because I hated her for so long but wasn’t forced to tolerate her. Now my body must be erroneously translating it into lust. If I avoid her, I should go back to normal.” Blaise didn’t really believe a word Draco was saying but he knew there would be nothing he could say to dissuade the wizard. Blaise shrugged but mentally gave it 3 months before Draco was either admitted to the mental ward at St. Mungo’s for sexual deprivation or fucking Granger out of her mind.

            Hermione sighed in contentment as she sat back in her chair after Molly’s delicious meal. She had to admit on nights like this that it seemed almost a wonderful idea to become a replica of the Weasley matriarch. Ron finished his meal and belched loudly before patting his stomach and turning to her with a satisfied grin. “Just think, you could eat like this every night if you stayed”, Hermione rolled her eyes “I’d get as big as the manor and then wouldn’t be able to fit inside the room.” George laughed “just you wait until you’re carrying a Weasley child, then you’ll be double the size of the manor.” Answering laughter rang out around the table but Hermione could only smile weakly.

Later that evening after a rather successful round of chess, Ron had pulled Hermione in his lap and brought his mouth down soundly on hers. She opened her mouth to his and allowed him this moment to have her. She had been feeling out of sorts lately, but hoped that possibly showing him affection would help him to understand her better. His kiss was warm and pleasant; this is good she thought to herself. She reached up and curled her arms round his neck and sighed against his lips, it was always so easy with him. She could handle this gentle persuasion, and think straight. It was exactly how she liked it; she felt his erection under her bum and ground down into it wickedly. Ron groaned in response and brought a hand to her bare thigh, she had worn a dress tonight to capture his attention but now that she had, she didn’t want him to take anymore liberties than she was willing to give. Turning her face slightly so the next set of kisses hit her cheek and then neck, Hermione shifted away from him “that’s enough for tonight Ron.” He sighed but let her go “will you at least spend the night then?” Hermione took his hand “sure.”

Hours later Hermione found herself awake next to a sleeping Ronald Weasley. She was lying on the inside of the bed looking up to the ceiling. She tried to resign herself to a fate just like this. If she accepted his marriage proposal, she would want a happy smooth marriage, so what would be the point in arguing over living arrangements. She knew she would end up barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen alongside Molly. Her eyes followed the shadows and eventually landed on the Chudley Cannons poster and the muggle swimsuit calendar Seamus had gotten for Ron’s last birthday. She rolled over and faced the dreaming man. She ran her fingers through his hair and cupped his cheek. She had wanted to tell him about moving in with Harry. She truly had, but she knew it would cause more trouble than it was worth. Ron still had a complex when it came to Harry. Although he was better with it now, as soon as he found out she preferred to stay at Grimmauld place than the Weasley manor, he was most certainly going to be upset. Maybe she could tell him that she accepted his marriage proposal in the morning, that way it would soften the blow. He would be comforted by the fact that she was going to definitely be his and only his for all eternity.

Hermione sighed at the thought and brought her mouth to his cheek. She kissed him softly and knew that she couldn’t accept his proposal just yet. She wasn’t comfortable spending the night with him. Much less anything else, she was sleeping in her dress for crying out loud. Hermione planted another chaste kiss on his brow “red hair, blue eyes, love of my life.” She reminded herself as she began to move. Rising slowly, Hermione braced her weight on her elbows before bringing a leg over Ron’s hip; she rolled slightly in his direction and pushed off the bed with her hands, allowing her foot to hit the floor. She swung her other leg over him carefully and stood over him looking down to his masculine frame. She knew she should stay, just get right back into bed because he was going to be hurt when he woke without her. Another sigh slipped past her lips, she genuinely wanted to return to the bed she could now claim as her own at Grimmauld place. Picking up her wand Hermione kissed the top of Ron’s head before slipping on her shoes and leaving the room.

She crept through the halls of the Weasley manor, noting how the floors didn’t creak, not even slightly. Definitely not, the Weasley’s home was immaculate, truly a thing of beauty, they had wanted everything perfect when their home was built and wouldn’t have sacrificed that one bit for security as Harry had. She took the stairs slowly and at the landing paused; she could just turn around and go back. Somehow leaving in the dead of the night felt like a betrayal, she couldn’t put her finger on why but it made her feel anxious and guilty. She was leaving Ron to return to Harry and although it wasn’t like that in the least bit, she still felt as though that is what it meant. But she couldn’t stay; she couldn’t just lay there next to him uncomfortable, uneasy, thinking about all the other women that had been in that bed. Hermione hadn’t expected that her return would be like this, Ron had been one of the major reasons for her coming back. She had wanted to claim him from all the other woman that had dared touch him, and now look at her; she was leaving, choosing to be anywhere but with him.

She brushed a shaky hand through her hair and continued to the living room. She walked slowly listening to the sounds of the quiet manor. Her thoughts consuming her, she stepped into the room where the burning fire cast orange light and dark shadows on everything it touched. Hermione went to the fireplace, and grabbed a handful of floo powder “everything alright Hermione?” She screamed out and turned on the spot to see Arthur Weasley sitting in the recliner directly in front of the fire. How had she not seen him? “I disillusion myself so as to not startle anyone usually, but you seem to be in a particular state tonight and so I decided to ask.” Hermione brought the hand holding the powder down to her side. “I’m fine Mr. Weasley, just not sleeping well so I decided to leave.” The older man rose from his seat and straightened the robe he was wearing. “I didn’t get a chance to say it before, but you’ve grown into a lovely woman Hermione. Molly and I are proud of you and happy that you’ve returned to us.” Hermione could hear the sincerity in his words and felt the guilt crashing down on her like the collapse of a building. She just stood there frozen unable to say anything, willing herself not to cry or else her earlier lie of “I’m fine” would come to light. Mr. Weasley took the steps toward her and closed his warm hand over her own that was clenching the powder. “Between the two of us, I just want for you and for Harry to be happy. Both of you came to us and became a part of our family and before I could help it I had grown to love you as my own.” Hermione could feel her eyes swell with tears as she looked into the solemn face of a wizard that had come to be like a second father to her. Mr. Weasley brought his other hand up and patted her head and the gesture was reminiscent of what her own father would do to comfort her. For the second time that day she cried and although she couldn’t voice what she was feeling, she knew the man in front of her understood. Mr. Weasley waited with her until she stopped and then wiped away her tears. “Remember this as you find your place in this new world Hermione, no matter what path you choose, no matter where you find your heart. You are always a Weasley in my eyes. I will not begrudge you your choices, and I will not abandon you. Be who you were meant to be and find love where it blossoms fully for you.” He then took the hand that was holding her own and led it to the fire, he pressed her fingers so that she would release the powder and once the flames burned a bright green, he pushed her forward gently and said “Grimmauld place”.

She fell out of the fire into the familiar place she had expected and just stayed where she had landed. Hermione brought her arms around herself and huddled on her knees for a moment crying at the kindness of Arthur Weasley. His words equally consoled her and set a weight on her heart. When she regained her composure, she stood and looked around the sitting room. The house had known since she had come back after the first visit that she belonged here. Hermione had spent 3 years finding herself and now that she knew who she was and wanted to be, she had found a place she was happy to call home.

There was just something about Grimmauld place, frozen in time and completely magical that called to her. There wasn’t anywhere else she could have possibly ended up and felt this calm. She left the room and smiled at the creaking floorboards as she went. She walked the hall that was behind the staircase and then ascended. Hermione came to the green door first and placed a hand on the cool wood; she lifted her fingers slowly and thought briefly to the man sleeping inside. It was even ok that Malfoy lived here. He was going to always be just a few feet away now and she could figure out what he was up to. She felt herself fill with purpose at the thought. She continued down to the black door that was hers now and brought her fingers to the handle. Hermione looked to the blue door not far away and her smile widened. Yes, this was right where she belonged.
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A Match Made In Convenience