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elliebyrrdwrites · 1 hour

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The Heist ch. 13 snippet

The estate was quite nice. Draco appreciated the abundance of trees and debris blocking a clear path from Flamel’s home to Zabini’s.

“So many windows.” Granger expressed with a bit of awe in her voice. Windows, for a home, were good. They let in natural light, prevented the place from feeling drab and dreary.

But for their purposes, there were just a bit too many, for Draco’s liking. He would make sure to charm them all to prevent anyone from seeing in.

“The kitchen!” Ginny gasped to Granger, and the girls immediately started to explore the cabinetry and refrigerators. It was fully stocked, of course, which Draco appreciated.

“There’s a gym in here!” Harry announced from down the hall during some point of the tour led by Zabini himself. “And a pool,” Seamus had exclaimed as he looked out the massive windows overlooking the terrace and outdoor pool.

Theo rolled his eyes, often, as Zabini continued to charm all his newest tenants with the vast beauty of his (second)home.

Draco had these sort of luxuries before in his life. A time that, now, seemed so long ago. Granted, he wasn’t hurting financially as a grown man free from the constraints of a pureblood high society.

He had quite a bit of money in the bank and he did well for himself(obviously). But it wasn’t anything compared to the wealth he might have gained if he had agreed to marry Astoria. If he had gone through with it.

Granger found him in the kitchen, pulling a pack of chocolate chip cookies from the pantry.

She smiled at him and it was that bright, open smile he had become accustomed to. He had to admit, as he leaned his hip up against he grand kitchen island and watched her open the fridge, that he had had a moment of doubt last night. When her eyes had, for a brief moment, showed him something more than the usual light and joy that she exuded around him.

He had been openly flirting with her. Both he and Theo had been and it was the first time she looked flustered around them. The first time she had looked withdrawn. Even if it was for only a second.

She pulled out a bowl of fresh blueberries and strawberries and set it on the kitchen island in front of him. Her brow lifted before she accioed the cookies and sent them back into the pantry.

“Here,” Her hand pushed the bowl closer to him.

Draco grimaced but obeyed. He picked up a fat little blueberry and popped it into his mouth.

Draco watched her as she ran a hand over the counter, appreciating the intricate veins of white marble beneath the surface of the rock. He appreciated the way her lashes fanned over her cheeks as she stared down. The slight curve to her nose. The beauty mark on the the side of the bridge, near the corner of her eye.

“My family disowned me,” He said it, without really understanding why. But something about this house and the way she seemed to admire the beauty of it propelled the truth from him.

Her eyes lifted to his and they were wide with surprise.

“Because of Astoria,” he added before biting into a strawberry.

“Even your mother?”

Talk of his mother wasn’t something he did openly. Or even at all. Not in at least fifteen years. Whenever anyone of his family came up, he usually clumped everyone together into the same category. His father, his grandfather, cousins...his mother.

Because, while she had not openly expressed that he should be cut off, his mother had not fought his father. Who was viciously angry with Draco, of course. His mother had been disappointed, cried even, when he had returned to the manor after running out on Astoria. But when his father swore to disown him, she had said nothing and Draco had accepted it as his fate.

“Even my mother.”

She frowned and glanced down at the bowl of fruit he continued plucking through. “Why did you wait until the day of the wedding?” Her voice was gentle but cautious.

Draco chewed on a strawberry as he considered the promise he made to himself the other day. The day he had learned something about her she hadn’t herself shared.

He swallowed and shrugged. “I was only twenty and I was terribly stunted, emotionally that is.” She almost smiled and so he did. “Still am.”

Granger shook her head, her lips pulling up. “Aren’t we all?”

Draco nodded and looked down at his fingers as they picked up a blueberry, rolled it around between them. “I was ordered to do things, sometimes by my own family, that I never wanted to do. And the day of the wedding, I realized that it was just another thing I was being ordered to do. I was going in, blind. I realized that the rest of my life was going to be a series of things I didn’t want to do. So, I began to panic. Hyperventilate, twist your stomach in knots until I puked kind of panic. You know it?”

She nodded furiously, her lip caught between her teeth. Her bright eyes on his.

“Theo found me like that. On my hands and knees, in front of the toilet. Instead of trying to talk me out of marrying her, or trying to convince me that everything would be fine, he asked me if I wanted to go with him to Monte Carlo.”

“And you did.”

He nodded. "Not initially. I walked up to that alter, and stood there, watching her walk toward me. Then I turned to Theo, who was still standing at my side and told him that I wanted to go to Monte Carlo." He frowned, sheepishly.

"I could have been more honest with Tori but,” he paused and looked around the kitchen. The crown moldings, the large windows and fancy appliances. “She was already planning on building a home like this.” He gestured to the kitchen around them. “She was planning what kind of charity events we would go to, where to donate our money. It was like listening to my mother talk. And Just like my mother, she was also trying to ensure that my family remained in good standing, socially. And my mother was doing it, so that my father could continue to do what? Be vile? I don't know. I might be a thief but don’t want to be vile. Not anymore.”

Granger shook her head.

“I was vile to you once upon a time.”

Her eyes softened as she tilted her head. Granger’s hand reached for his. “You’re not vile.”

He smiled at her as he continued to graze and they shared a moment of quiet as her hand remained clinging to his.

“Theo is my family.” He said, smiling gently at the confession. Because no matter what, through every shitty decision Draco made, and every life altering event, Theo had been there.

“I obliviated my family.” Was her response. “When I was seventeen.”

“Because of...?” He didn’t finished. He still didn’t speak the dark wizard's name. Not out of fear, nor respect. But out of shame for a past he was unable to escape, no matter how hard he tried.

She nodded. “They don’t remember me, or who they were. I tried to reverse it but,” She shrugged. Her voice was steady, but her eyes were downcast, in shame. “I don’t have any family.”

“You do, though.” He turned his hand, so that their palms were pressed together and his thumb began to soothe the backs of her knuckles. “You have Potter and Ginny.”

She shook her head. “I sometimes have Harry.” She paused and watched as she threaded their fingers together. “I have Theo.” She admitted it, quietly. Cautiously.

“And you have me.” Draco lifted their linked hands to his mouth and grazed the tips of her fingers to his lips. “You and I have been through the wringer, yeah? I was, at one point, unworthy of your affections.”

She put his hand to her cheek and leaned into it. “Not anymore.”

Granger’s bright, brown eyes settled onto his and he knew it was only a matter of time before whatever was between them would ignite. It was like a fuse, slowly initiating a charge between two explosive components.

There was something inside of him that was growing and gnawing at him. It was uncomfortable and exciting all at once. He wanted to wrap his arms around his chest and keep whatever it was, there. Because really it felt like it might burst out of him one day. And he wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop it.

#my writing #dramione #dramione fanfic #hermione granger #draco malfoy #draco x hermione #hermione x draco #fanfic #harry potter #draco lucius malfoy #hermione granger/theo nott #draco/hermione

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elliebyrrdwrites · 16 hours

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She's not so bad

I know that my smiles, sometimes, are hard to find. But my heart is not. It is a difficult thing, at times, to hide who I really am. I guess, I thought that after all this time, that whenever she poked her head out, that maybe, you might also like her, as well. It must be wishful thinking, to assume that one day, you want her as much as you want this version of me.

I promise that she is me and I am her. We are one in the same and we are not wrong. But one of us, it seems, is never right. You could love her, I know, you could. Others have known her and loved her too. Though, she was still lonely and the jagged edges were hard to wrap your arms around, she was quite alright.

Sometimes I like her better. She is fierce and doesn’t blink when she tells the truth. But this version that you and everyone else prefers, the one who bites her tongue and questions her ideas, is not as accepted as you all might believe. She is stepped on and held down. There is a leash on her collar that is rubbing her skin raw and she thinks, “well if this is what its like to be yours, maybe she isn’t all that liked either.”

But today, I offer you again, the girl who was there before she was lost. Sometimes, she fights with you and bites at your fingertips.

But I think, in the end, she is the version that you might like the best. If, of course, I am judging it by the way she reacts to your touch or the way she wants to feel you from every angle. She has passion and heat and every time you see her again, the two of you come together and you make her unravel.

I think, one day, you might fall in love with her the way you fell in love with me.

#my writing #musings #text #random thoughts #my two moods

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elliebyrrdwrites · 24 hours

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Writing Tips Master Post

Character writing/development:

Character Arcs

Making Character Profiles

Character Development

Comic Relief Arc

Internal Conflict

Creating Distinct Characters

Suicidal Urges/Martyr Complex

Creating Likeable Characters

Writing Strong Female Characters

Writing POC Characters

Character Voices

Plot devices/development:

Intrigue in Storytelling

Enemies to Lovers

Alternatives to Killing Characters

Worldbuilding

Misdirection

Consider Before Killing Characters

Foreshadowing

Narrative:

Emphasising the Stakes

Avoid Info-Dumping

Writing Without Dialogue

1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd Perspective

Fight Scenes (More)

Transitions

Pacing

Book writing:

Connected vs. Stand-Alone Series

A & B Stories

Miscellaneous:

Overcoming Writer's Block

1000 Follower Special

Writing Fantasy

Character Ask Game

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elliebyrrdwrites · 2 days

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Me today

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elliebyrrdwrites · 2 days

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I can’t write today.

And it physically hurts/mybrain/heart/face.

I am sneering today. Literally sneering.

Help.

#my writing #fanfic #writer blog #fic writing #creative writing #writers on tumblr #writing process #writing #writers on ao3 #writer #life of a writer

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elliebyrrdwrites · 2 days

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Temptation

2 weeks left to claim prompts

@everyone Only 2 weeks left to claim a prompt for Dreomione Fest 2024 https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DreomioneFest2024/requests Open to writers and artists 500 word minimum for writers Wips allowed, must be 500 words/3 chapters No limit on claims per prompt. You can claim multiple prompts and make it into one fic if that tickles you (let Theo be Voldemort's son and Draco is a Veela, it's all good). If you have any other questions let us know! This is the 3rd year of this fest and we love having new and old folks participate.

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elliebyrrdwrites · 2 days

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Maybe I don’t have to justify what my

Heart wants to write.

Maybe that is just who I really am.

Maybe nobody will read it

But I got to write it.

#my writing #fanfic #idiots in love #dramione #dramione fanfic #theomione

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elliebyrrdwrites · 3 days

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Am I writing a polyamorous relationship? Or is it a lot more complicated than that?

#my writing #fanfic #dramione #dramione fanfic #draco x hermione #hermione x draco #hermione granger #draco malfoy #idiots in love #theo x hermione #theomione #theo nott #theo and hermione #the heist

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elliebyrrdwrites · 4 days

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The Heist

Start here if you're new to this. Or simply prefer to read from the beginning for kicks.

Chapter 12

Covert Eyes

Zabini’s rich brown eyes narrowed in on Draco.

Currently, Zabini was propped onto the arm of the couch while Draco was laid out across his favorite chair, a bowl of almonds in his lap. Dry roasted and lightly salted.

Granger had handed him the bowl upon entry before she went back to scribbling notes into a book at his desk. She had arrived early that afternoon, sometimes before Draco wandered in. Zabini had arrived five minutes later.

Theo was currently on his hands and knees, searching underneath the sofa for a ring he had dropped.

“You tripped the alarms.” Zabini stated the fact and Draco tossed an almond into his mouth and bit down.

“We did.” Theo said from under the couch.

“And you stole the Trumpington—”

“Volume, Zabini.” Draco drawled and flicked his eyes over to Granger, still furiously writing in her book. What she wrote, Draco had no clue.

Zabini reduced his voice to a whisper yell, rather than a full volume bellow. “You stole the Trumpington Cross?”

Theo pulled from under the couch, sliding a gold and ruby ring onto his thumb. “That was a rouse. We’ll return it.”

“Eventually.” Draco added with a grin.

Zabini paused and leaned back, crossing his ankle over his knee. “I want it.”

Granger scoffed. “I knew it.” She murmured the words and her pen stopped scratching over the book pages in front of her.

“You did?” Theo lifted a brow as he pushed himself to his feet.

“Of course.” She tossed her pen onto the desk and leaned back in her chair. “You want a muggle artifact. This Wand is possibly magic, though I haven’t felt a hint of magic emanating from it.”

“Why don’t we try casting with it?” Draco plucked an almond from the bowl and looked at it, the tiny specks of salt glinting off the light of her office.

“Yes, lets!” Theo grinned. “A good ol’ fashion Wingardium Leviosa!”

Granger snorted again. “I already tried.”

“When?”

“Last night, of course.” She sniffed and stood from her desk, turning her attention to Zabini. “You can’t keep it.”

“But it’s so interesting.” Blaise grinned and stood from the couch to face Granger.

“You can study it,” Granger allowed, lifting her hand and summoning the Wand. “But you have to take this.”

“I get both?” He looked skeptical.

Draco continued to enjoy his snack while Theo settled into the couch, yawning.

“You get to keep the wand, and you can borrow the Cross for an undetermined amount of time.” She lifted her other hand, summoning the cross. Draco didn’t know where she hid the Wand, but the Cross had been securely resting in his inside coat pocket. Preservation charm still intact, of course.

Zabini took a step toward her.

“But,” she held the items close to her chest. Zabini froze. “We get full access to your manor in Surrey.”

“I already agreed to that.” Zabini waved a hand, mildly impatient.

“We don’t want your staff there and we want your full cooperation.”

“Yes, Granger. Take it.” His eyes were hungry as they looked at the artifacts in her hands. “Anything else?”

She pursed her lips and her eyes were full of something cunning that caused Draco’s cock to do that thing where it twitched with desire. A bodily reaction that was connected to his brain.

“How well do you know B. Nolan Flamel?”

Theo choked. “Grang-” She shot him a look that sufficiently shut him up.

Blaise shrugged. “Only in passing. I don’t spend much time in Surrey but I have attended several events that he has attended.”

“How willing are you to get to know him a little better?”

Blaise grinned at Granger and, again, eyed those priceless artifacts she held against her bosom. “However willing I need to be, sweetheart.”

Granger nodded. “Are you attending the gala next weekend?”

“Flamels? I thought about it. Should I reconsider that trip to Spain that I was invited on?”

She nodded and held the items out to inspect them. “It would be in your best interest to attend the event and run into me while I small talked Flamel.”

“Sounds lovely. I look forward to it. Will these two be attending?” He hitched a thumb over his shoulder, and Draco raised an eyebrow in interest. Theo rolled his eyes, utterly over Zabini. The two, Draco recalled, never quite got along all that well in school either. Theo always found Zabini’s pretentious demeanor quite annoying. He thought his family quite important. Not in the same way Nott’s own father thought his name was something important, of course. Zabini touted money and accomplishments while Nott’s family really rode that pureblood horse around.

She nodded. “They’re my dates, of course they are.”

Zabini nodded. “Then consider me there, Granger. And consider me at your disposal.” He bowed at the waist and Granger smiled at him. It wasn’t the crooked and bright ones she lobbed at him or Theo. It was the kind of smile, he realized, she wore as a mask. Never allowing the smile to reach her eyes, she used to to disarm others, while keeping her own guard up.

When Blaise straightened, Granger held out the two items for him and allowed him to disappear with them out the door Draco's study.

“I cannot believe we just gave Blaise Zabini two priceless items we worked our asses off to get.” Theo sulked the second the floo flared with his departure.

“Look at it this way,” Draco told him. “When all of this Flamel business is over with, and we are bored and looking for something to do...”

Theo grinned. “We can get them back.” Theo raised his eyebrows at Granger as she settled onto the arm of the couch where Zabini had been moments earlier.

“We wont need to steal those. Zabini will be compliant to our needs in the future, I’m sure of it.”

Draco sent the bowl of almonds afloat, allowing them to settle on the table between him and the couch. “What spell did you try with the Wand?” He asked Granger.

“Wingardium Leviosa.” She admitted and bit into her lower lip.

Draco and Theo chuckled.

“Harry and Ginny secured an invite, by the way.”

“To the Gala?” Theo patted cushion beside him and scooted over for her to slide onto it.

“Yes,” She looked over at Draco. “Could you replicate theirs? We still need one for Teddy.”

“Of course.” Draco smiled at her.

“What about Seamus?” Theo threw his am onto the back of the sofa, just behind her as he propped his feet onto the coffee table, just beside Draco’s bowl of almonds.

“I have something planned for Seamus.” Draco pushed himself to his feet. “We need to get Seamus in before the gala.”

“What do you have planned?” Granger eyed him. And the tall form of his body, appreciatively. Her eyes dragged up his torso, brushed over his shoulders before finally settling on his mouth.

“Potter has a rather rare item in his possession that I think Seamus could put to good use on Monday.”

“How do you know about that?” She twitched in her seat causing Draco and Theo to grin.

“What good thief doesn’t know about the legend of Potter’s cloak?”

Granger looked at Theo, pointedly. “You never told me you knew.”

He shrugged and ran a finger along his lower lip. “It didn’t seem relevant. Besides, I figured if you could access it, you would have many times during our work together.”

“Well, what makes you think I can access it, now?” She glared up at Draco who smiled warmly down at her.

“Because it would really help Seamus set up the equipment he needs to access Flamel’s security cameras and keep an eye on all locks in the house.”

“Harry guards that thing with his life. It saved our lives multiple times!” She looked flustered.

Draco came around the coffee table and sat on the edge of it, putting him near eye-level with her. “You’re charming when you’re flustered.”

“I’m not flustered.” She lifted her chin.

“Even more so when you lie.” Theo lifted his brows, his grin growing to match Draco’s. He pulled his feet from the coffee table and readjusted himself to face her.

“I am not—” she shook her head. “That cloak is the only one of its kind. I cannot risk it with Seamus!” She practically shrieked.

“What’s so special about that cloak, Granger?” Draco was leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees. Her own knees so close to his hands as he lowered them.

Theo was leaning into her body from the left.

“Stop crowding me.”

“Seamus needs those things in place.” Theo pushed.

She sighed, as they refused to give her more space. “Ask Harry yourself.” She finally hissed.

Draco grinned at her but didn’t pull away.

“He may let Seamus do it if he goes with him.” She added and shifted, still unsure of how to deal with the sudden proximity of her two thieves.

“You’ll tell us, eventually, what makes that cloak so special.” Theo pulled away and leaned into the arm of the couch on his side.

Draco nodded. “You’re full of little surprises, aren’t you?”

She scoffed. “You’re one to talk.”

He lifted a brow in question.

“Knowledge of Muggle things like books and art and cell phones.” She nodded at him, almost accusingly.

“Does that bother you?” He leaned back and picked out an almond from the bowl.

“No.” She looked over at Theo. But then she — yes, there! She blushed and Draco felt unmistakable triumph.

Draco watched her, the room falling quiet as she ran her hand through her hair, over and over. Since the return of Granger into his life, he had yet to see her so...fidgety.

He found it as desirable as the lift of her lips or the spark of joy in her eyes when he would make her laugh. As endearing as her little snorts and incessant, informative ramblings.

He knew his eyes were warm as he stared down at her, he knew that around her, he tended to wear his emotions quite plainly.

And so when Theo cleared his throat, he didn’t immediately pull his gaze from her as he turned to look at Theo.

“Shall we do dinner?”

Granger looked at Theo. “What do you feel like?”

“Something sexy.” He shrugged and pushed to his feet. He held his hand out to her.

She chuckled and slid her hand into his. “What kind of food is considered sexy?” She stood, holding Theo’s hand and it put her directly in front of Draco, the warmth of her body radiating of her.

He watched her hold a breath as her chest brushed his and as he lifted a hand to run a finger over the gold chain of her necklace. He smiled when she lifted her chin, allowing him the access. “Dessert.”

Granger’s chest was now rising, the pace increasing as Theo’s fingers danced over her palm and Draco’s over her pulse.

She closed her eyes and Draco licked his lips because he knew this was an offering. The kiss he so desperately wanted to take from her, was there for him. She was practically forcing his head to lower to hers.

A sudden pecking at the window behind his desk jolted them out of their moment, Granger gasping and jumping forward. Her chest pressed into his and her hand pulled from Theo’s.

She turned to the window and they beheld a large, tawny owl perched and waiting.

Granger pulled away from them and moved to let the pest in.

In it’s talon, it held a large ornate key on a string attached to a white envelope. In an elegant script, was Granger’s name.

She opened the envelope while Theo fetched moved to find a treat for the owl.

“It’s from Zabini. He says the staff have vacated the house. Says it’s all ours.” She grinned and handed Draco the envelope.

He unhooked the key from the string and hand it to her. “What are you writing in that book of yours?” He looked down at the desk but found the open book blank, not a trace of penmanship on the pages.

She shrugged and reached over the desk to close her book. Picking it up, she slid it into her little black purse.

Draco stared at the charmed bag and remembered something. “You took my book.”

Her eyes snapped up to his as she moved to her favorite corner of the desk. His desk.

“What are you talking about?” She avoided him, watching Theo pull out a owl treat. He fed the bird with affection before sending the thing on its way.

“That day in my study, you took a particular book. You know, “ He stepped closer to her and grinned. “Green binding, lots of photographs.”

Her cheeks burned, her eyes flicking back to his. “I borrowed it. There’s a difference.”

Draco was standing in between her legs now, the corner of his desk jutting into his thigh. “For research purposes?” He lifted a brow and watched as she grinned, crooked and bright and open.

“Exactly.”

“Please tell me you’ve yet to test any of the information out with anyone.” He was smiling, but he meant it. If he learned of her using any sexual positions mentioned in the book with anyone but himself well, it was safe to say Draco would have been thoroughly put out.

“I haven’t.”

“Allow me to volunteer,” Theo grinned from his spot on the other side of the desk, eyeing the two of them.

Draco lifted a brow at her, not taking his gaze away from hers. “You need not even ask, Granger.” He smirked and placed his hand onto the desk behind her.

He had determined, the first time she sat her perfect read end atop his desk, that he would have to take advantage of it one day.

Perhaps the first time he kissed her would be here, with her perched on his desk, moving from her mouth to her neck to her chest, to her perfect round breasts. Or maybe he would go down on her, pulling her to the edge of the desk with him on his knees. Or maybe he would tell her all of the secrets he kept inside while he sat behind his desk and her here, sitting in her favorite spot.

She laughed and it was low and throaty. “Don't be silly.”

Draco pulled away from her and looked at the old clock over the fireplace. “We can still have dessert and be back to start packing up for Zabini’s before dinner.”

Theo chuckled and shook his head.

“I heart the Melting Cauldron has a raspberry chocolate fondue available.” Granger said thoughtfully as she hopped off his desk.

“You know the way into my heart, Granger.” He slid his hands into his pockets.

Her eyes dropped to the floor and she looked rather serious if only for a split second. It was a micromomentary expression that Draco spent the rest of the afternoon dissecting and analyzing.

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elliebyrrdwrites · 5 days

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One day, I will get on ao3 and ONLY edit my works. NOT start reading another fanfic.

#fanfic #my writing #ao3 writer #ao3 fanfic #ao3

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elliebyrrdwrites · 5 days

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P.s. I’m currently attending this LIVE zoom event

I’m so excited about hearing the insight from these authors!

#writers on tumblr #author #authors event #romance author

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elliebyrrdwrites · 5 days

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Oh crap, forgot the links!

Here you go, you beautiful world.

P.S.

I really need help finding an artist who would WANT to draw for this fic because I'm in love with these three crazy thieves. And I need to see them.

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elliebyrrdwrites · 5 days

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The Heist pt. 11

A Lovely Place To Be

Draco and Theo stared down at the cross on his desk.

Silent tension hung in the air around them as they studied the small item.

“Why, again, did we take that thing?” Ginny was strewn about the couch, nestled between the legs of her husband, who had nodded off.

“Because we had to take something to throw them off the fact that we had taken the Wand.” Theo murmured as he pulled away from the desk. He eyed Draco. “What do you think its worth?”

Draco shrugged and lifted a hand to summon a box of crackers from the kitchen.

“Granger said it is Invaluable.” He pulled out a grain covered cracker and grimaced when he realized that he really should pair this with some sort of dip. Hummus, perhaps.

“Where is Aunt Hermione?” Teddy asked from his corner of the room. He slouched, as if on some sort of self-mandated time-out and looked terribly sullen as he slid to the floor.

“She’s hiding the Wand until Zabini meets with us.”

Seamus was stretched out on the arm chair, sulking, as he was disappointed that he was unable to use his EMP’s. Plus, apparently, he had really counted on blowing something up.

Draco didn’t have any hummus, and so he continued to snack on the crackers as he obsered the group around him.

Theo was pacing the room, which Draco found was quite normal, when Granger wasn’t in it. Draco also found that it was normal of him to crave her like he did candy. He recalled the sweet tangerine scent that filled his nose when he pressed his lips to the soft, warm skin of her temple.

He should have kissed her, fully on the lips, but there was apart of him that was apprehensive. Because she was Granger, first of all. The Brightest Witch and all that. But more than that, she was difficult to pin down.

There was a side of him that knew she would reciprocate the kiss, perhaps even fall into it completely. But the other side knew that she held a bit of a torch for Theo, and even that wasn’t enough to get her to settle into any serious relationship.

Draco wouldn’t, per say, call himself the serious relationship sort of wizard. He had only been in a handful of relationships. He dated Pansy back in school, but after Astoria, the dating pool consisted of a small variety, as the wizarding community was small. So he had dated muggle women, here and there. Most of them hated his secretive nature. He couldn’t just brandish his wand or send owls when he was around them. Eventually, they had given up on him.

He had never minded.

But Granger...she was different. She was not the witch he had assumed for those torturous school years. He hadn’t, once, considered that she may be someone to even befriend him. Much less date him.

But Theo had seemed to know. Had sought her out.

Draco had been munching furiously on his crackers but swallowed his bite and looked up at Theo. “When did you first run into Granger after school?” When had they crossed paths and how had that led Theo to ask her out?

Theo stalled and looked over his shoulder at Draco, his hands clasped behind his back. “I saw her having lunch with Weasley.”

“Ron?” Ginny inquired, an eyebrow raised.

He nodded. “They were out on the terrace of a Muggle restaurant in Wiltshire.”

Ginny hummed, interested.

“You crashed their lunch?” Draco pulled out another cracker, still wishing he had a tub of hummus. Or salsa would work.

“No.” Theo scoffed. “I waited until Weasley excused himself to use the loo.” He sniffed and Draco chuckled. “She looked sad while they were talking.” He shrugged and continued pacing. “I asked her to ditch Ginger and come with me to grab a pint.”

“And she agreed?”

Theo opened his mouth then closed it. “No, but after their lunch, I followed her.”

“Stalker.” Ginny scoffed.

Teddy looked less sullen as he listened, looking more and more intrigued.

“She looked sad.” He said again, his eyes narrowing in on Ginny, as if that clearly explained his actions.

Seamus was grinning and shaking his head.

“Anyway,” He spun on his heel and paced the length of the floor again. “As it turns out, she wasn’t just out for lunch that day.” The corners of Theo’s mouth lifted and he nodded to Draco. “That is the day she took your swan.”

Draco’s laugh erupted without restraint.

“She robbed my parents home and you were there?”

“I didn’t go inside.” Theo grinned, shaking his head. “I waited for her outside and that’s when I asked her out.”

He would have done the same thing. He would have fallen in love with Granger the second he saw her sneaking the item into her bag, taking it out of spite. For what, he didn’t know. What had happened with Weasley, that had caused her to comfort herself by stealing from the Malfoy’s.

“Oh, I remember that day.” Ginny suddenly sat up straight, her elbow digging into Harry’s groin. The poor bloke grunted and shot up, now very wide awake. But Ginny was frowning. “That’s the day he met with her, to tell him that he was marrying Katie, who had just found out she was pregnant with his baby.”

“Oh fuck.” Harry gasped.

“Ronald Weasley and Katie Bell had a shotgun wedding?” Draco was shocked. He knew that Granger and Weasley hadn’t worked out, the entire wizarding world knew when the Prophet published the article on his and Katie’s engagement. But he didn’t recall reading anything about a pregnancy.

Draco never quite understood the pairing, Granger and Weasley, but it had been accepted as fact. She was brilliant, obviously, and he was...well, he was not Draco’s favorite person. But all of the hatred he once held for others had faded into an echo of shame he tied to his past.

“Ron and Hermione had been off and on for years.” Harry said around a yawn. “It was rather heartbreaking. But I think she always kind of held onto the idea of them ending up together.”

Which is why she never did serious, Draco realized with a jolt of resentment.

Theo scowled at the idea, clearly sympathizing with Draco.

“It caused a bit of a rift for a while.” Ginny added, and summoned a cracker from Draco’s fingers. He glared at her. But she didn’t react, she popped the cracker into her mouth and chewed. “Because ‘Mione was always supposed to be part of the family. We all considered her family. She has none of her own, now, what with the obliviating. Then there’s the whole child bearing thing and all that.”

Draco and Theo froze.

“Gin,” Harry protested, but she kept rambling.

“I mean, Harry considers her a sister and she’s my best friend but you know,” She looked at Theo and Draco, thoughtfully. “She did start to cheer up around the time you two started conspiring together.“ She said to Theo but settled her gaze on Draco, meaningfully. “And I’ve never seen her happier than she is since the start of this little cohort you three have.”

“So, Aunt Hermione is happy because she’s a bonified thief.” Teddy said, clearly missing his aunts meaning.

Theo snorted but he looked at Draco and the two shared a look. A look that told them that however they moved forward, it would be carefully and for Draco, that mean, possibly never letting her go.

“TMI, Ginny.” Harry said through gritted teeth.

“What? What does that mean?”

Harry sighed and shook his head.

The door to the study opened and Granger was breathless as she entered.

Draco set his box of crackers down. She had changed into a casual white tee that was tucked into the waistband of her jeans. Draco and Theo had dressed back into their usual clothes, but Draco had loosened the tie around his neck, the colar of his white Oxford unbuttoned.

Her eyes were lit with an thrilling sort of fire, her skin practically glowing, as she held up a hand. “It’s safe and sound.” She froze as everyone in the room stared at her. Draco felt a bit of shame for learning her story without her permission. For it should have been her that told her of her secret pains and heartaches.

He decided, then, that he would tell her all of his instead.

But for the moment, he forced a smile and plucked a cracker from the box. “Lovely.” He bit into the cracker and the momentary glimpse of hesitation in her eyes cleared. She grinned at him and headed for her favorite spot on the corner of his desk.

“What do you think about that cross?” Theo quickly asked, moving to his preferred corner.

“It’s the Trumpington Cross!” She said it as if she had been holding that bit of information in, nearly exploding with the desire to share with them. “It was found in a bed burial site outside of Cambridge with the remains of a young girl. Apparently, these type of burial bed sites are quite rare and this,” She gestured down to the artifact, encased in a preservation charm Draco had put on it. “Was laid to rest with her. They think she might have been one of the earliest converts to Christianity in England. That would make that burial site one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon Christian burial sites in all of Britain!”

Draco listened to her with a smile as he munched on his crackers and she continued to ramble on about all of the information she had managed to devour on the item.

Draco’s gaze flicked to Theo, who was staring at her with something soft and pained in his eyes. Nobody stopped her from talking. Harry fell back asleep while Ginny began to nestle into her husband like she was listening to a bed-time story.

Teddy’s eyes were growing heavy, glazing over with fatigue.

Seamus was quietly transfiguring his chair into a twin sized bed.

Draco didn’t feel the least bit tired as he listened to her. He offered the box of crackers to her and she shook her head and stopped talking.

“No thank you, but you know what I am in the mood for?” She glanced over at Theo who’s expression had brightened.

“What is that?” Draco set the box down and leaned back in his chair, glancing at the clock. It was almost four in the morning.

“Breakfast.”

Theo pushed off the desk and gestured toward the door of the study. “Draco has a kitchen and I make excellent crepes.”

Draco stood from his chair and stretched. “I make a mean cup of coffee.”

“I’ll make a fruit salad.” She hopped off his desk and waited for Draco to round his desk.

They looked around the study to find Teddy, Seamus and both Potters sleeping.

Granger snorted and Theo threw his arm around her shoulder. She looked up at Draco, expectantly.

He smiled down at her and took her hand into his. They lead her out of the study and into the kitchen on the other side of the house.

“You know,” Draco drawled as they walked the short halls that led them to the dining room. “You never did finish telling us about Amsterdam.” He lifted her hand to gaze down at her little fingers, still wishing very much, to nibble on one.

She elbowed Theo who grunted with a laugh. “I suppose Draco deserves to know how we ended up in our knickers, dancing for a group of Russian goons.”

“Oh my.” Draco grinned as he pushed the kitchen door open.

Theo pulled away and began to rummage through the pantry for the ingredients for his famous crepes. Which, Draco had to admit, were quite good.

“Please tell me how Theo managed to get you in your knickers.” Draco pleaded. “You know, for research purposes.”

She snorted and watched as he took her hand in both of his. His left hand began to traces the length of her fingers while his right hand held her palm flat against his.

“I couldn’t stupefy them all at the same time and I was afraid that if I had tried to start with one, the others would shoot me and Theo before I got to the next.” She frowned. “Guns are rather quick, despite the advantage magic can have.”

Theo began to divide flour and sugar and milk. “She started to ramble at them and somehow,” Theo shook his head. “She convinced them that we were there for their entertainment.”

“Entertainment?” Draco lifted her index finger to his mouth. He nipped it gently.

She swallowed and when she replied, her voice was low and warm. “Strippers.”

He chuckled and lowered her hand but didn’t release it from his hold. He pulled her to the counter where he kept the coffee maker. He tapped his wand to the machine and it began to grind coffee beans.

“That is...” He considered her. “Fascinating.”

“It was incredibly humiliating.” She leaned her hip against the counter, hand still in his.

“I was already down to my knickers.” Theo reminded Draco. “So, Granger had to get started and dragged it out.”

“They ended up getting us drunk on Vodka and chained us to a pipe in the warehouse.”

“For how long?” Draco tapped his machine again, and coffee began to brew.

Granger turned away, pulling her hand from his as she moved to the icebox.

“Until they all passed out, drunk.”

“We had to accio our wands from the table they left them on and, being quite drunk ourselves, wondered the streets of Amsterdam.”

“And that’s about all we remember.” Theo was already whisking the mix, by hand. “Next thing we knew, we woke up in a lavish hotel room, naked and together in bed.” He grinned broadly over at them, rather proud of himself.

“On opposite sides of the bed.” She amended.

“Still, there is no proof we did or didn’t sleep together and so we made a pact.”

“To never bring it up again.” Granger said, pointedly.

Draco shook his head, chuckling. “Why don’t you just use a pensieve?”

Theo and Granger shared a look and shook their heads. “I think we’d like the mystery.” Theo shrugged and she nodded, pulling out cantaloupe and grapes.

“Its the day I decided to tell him about Flamel. It was when we started to work on all of this.”

“And now you here.”

Draco helped her carry the fruit over to the kitchen island.

She smiled at him and nodded. “And now I’m here.”

She truly was lovely as she said those words with pride and maybe a bit of a sense of wonder.

“And how does it feel, Granger?” He leaned his elbows onto the counter as he watched her begin to work on the cantaloupe. “To have the two of us wrapped around your little finger? Two sons of horrible pureblood bigots?”

She paused and tilted her head as she looked at him. “I don’t care who your fathers are, Draco. Do you?”

He scoffed and shook his head. “Not for a long time, love.”

Theo turned the flame on the stove and sang, “Here, here!”

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elliebyrrdwrites · 5 days

Text

The Heist

chapter 10 complete.

A Night At the Museum

Draco watched his fingers play at the nape of her neck. The way her mouth parted as they stood in the middle of infrared rays of light, zig-zagging through the museum floor. He didn’t immediately let her go when they cracked onto the floor of the dark museum.

There was something magic about a dark museum. The old, adored pieces of the past watching them.

They were intruders, the artifacts knew it.

He was an intruder, as he kept her close to his body, his hand having moved from hers to the small of her back.

Granger was blushing and Draco knew then that he would give anything to feel the warmth of her skin against his lips.

But he pulled away and spoke to her, to the rest of the team. “When you apparate in between the rays, be sure to note that some are about chest level.”

Granger had turned away from him and was scanning the display of the Wand, thirty feet away. There might have been two decent gaps between the rays and themselves.

“If I get to that second gap, I can probably disarm the superficial wards around it before we apparate directly to it.” She tossed over her shoulder.

Draco looked up to the window above them and waved his wand, replacing the sheet of glass.

The Potters slid into the back entrance and began to check their side for wards placed on any nearby objects. “There’s no wards over here.”

“Nor here.” Theo’s voice came from the front of the building and in their ears.

“Time to move, Granger.” Draco said to her and she nodded. She Apparated to the first little space first, and Draco watched her land in a crouch, just avoiding the laser over her head.

She disapparated and reappeared in the second gap, flawlessly. She began to wave her wand around the wards and began to work.

“Keep telling us the story, Theo.” Seamus’ voice suddenly said into their ears.

Theo chuckled and Draco watched Granger scowl over her shoulder at him.

“You broke into a museum, Polyjuice as an old lady.” Seamus supplied.

“I did,” Theo said as he crouched to examine the red rays surrounding him and Teddy. “Unfortunately, I had no idea that there was a muggle movement sensor set near the back entrance that I had entered through.”

“You set off their alarms?” Teddy gaped at him.

Theo pushed himself back to his feet and nodded. “I did.”

“Where was Aunt Hermione?”

“I was on the lookout, as predetermined.” She sounded breathless, the wand work tedious and taxing on her magical stamina.

“Yes, so she was able to see the big Russian blokes who arrived at the museum within minutes. My fingers had just grazed the painting when they appeared, guns blazing.”

“Guns!” Ginny gasped. “How frightening.”

Theo shrugged and leaned against the wall near the back exit. “Well, needless to say the men weren’t too pleased with the attempt made on their property and so they hauled me away.”

Granger cracked the first ward. “One ward down, one more to go.”

“Granger watched them haul me away in their fancy black cars.”

“I followed you.” She added, eyes still focused on the work in front of her.

Draco lifted an eyebrow and said, “Where did you follow them to?”

“An abandoned warehouse near the Markermeer.”

“They were going to chop me up into little pieces and feed me to the fishies.”

“Good gods.” Ginny looked utterly aghast.

“And then the Polyjuice wore off as they were stripping me down, searching for weapons. They found my wand, of course.”

“Leaving him in a pair of granny panties.” Granger hummed as she removed the last layer of wards.

Draco laughed. “Well, that must have been quite a sight.”

Theo sniffed and the rest of them laughed. “It was a terrifying ordeal, mind you.”

“It was,” Granger confirmed. But she was still smiling at him.

“Ready Granger?” Draco asked

“Ready when you are.” Granger said and then added. “I apparated directly into the warehouse and scared the bejesus out of the men.”

“They trained a gun on her and I sort of...” Theo pushed off the wall.

“Freaked out.” Granger shot him a look and he shrugged. She then apparated to the display of the Wand.

Draco apparated to her side, their arms brushing. “Is there space for everyone?”

“Yes.” She jerked her head to Theo and Teddy. “Take your places.”

Draco nodded to the Potters. All four them apparated, one by one.

Theo took the spot on Granger’s other side. Harry was next to Draco, then Ginny and finally Teddy.

“This is so tricky, guys.” Granger murmured, shaking her head and pulling out a small vial of uncontaminated blood from her purse. She had set a preservation charm to it and so theoretically, the ward would believe it to be fresh and therefore, from Astoria herself.

“I’m going to dip my wand into the vial of blood and you murmure the incantation I showed you. Seamus, once we’re done bringing this ward down, you need to set that EMP off.”

“Gotcha, Hermione.”

She looked to Theo, who nodded and then to Draco. He winked at her and her tongue darted to her bottom lip before she grinned. She uncapped the bottle and dipped her wand into it, coating the end with the blood. With a shaky exhale, she began to murmur a separate incantation from them. It took fifteen seconds for them to finish and when they did, they all let out breath when the wards disappeared, sending a ripple through the air around them.

They all paused, looking at one another. Draco knew that they were all waiting for something to happen. Some sort of alert in the wards. But there were no more. Granger successfully removed them all.

She grinned, as came to the same conclusion. She looked at Draco and then to Theo. They all shared a brief moment of accomplishment.

Which, unfortunately, was very short lived. Because Teddy took a step back.

His ankle caught one of the infra red lasers and bells and lights began to blare around them.

Teddy flinched, shooting an apologetic look at his god father who closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Draco pointed to Ginny. “Get him out of here.” He said, referring to Teddy. “Potter, get to Seamus.” Ginny ran over, grabbed Teddy and quickly disapparated away. Harry followed suit, the crack of his apparation lost beneath the sound of bells ringing.

“Switch the wands, Granger.” Draco told her and vanished the glass case ver the artifact. He summoned the wand into his hand while she replaced the replica for the original, replacing the glass with a flick of her wand. Theo grabbed her hand once the original wand was snatched but Granger shook her head.

“Take something!” She slid the wand into her black purse.

“What?” Theo’s eyes widened.

“Take something else, quick. Something muggle and expensive!” She looked around. Theo looked around.

Draco turned to the small gold and red cross he had noticed from the first day at the museum. He vanished the glass it was encased in and snatched it.

He tossed it to Theo and together, they took each one of Granger’s hands and disapparated to the rooftop where Seamus and Potter waited.

Seamus was already packing up when the arrived, Potter was casting a disillusionment charm on the two of them.

Theo stumbled as their feet made contact with the rooftop.

“Are you packed up?” Draco asked Seamus, whose disillusioned body was just visible against the dark sky.

“Ready to go.”

Granger was gripping onto Draco’s fingers, her other hand reaching out for Theo’s hand. Her eyes were wide, slightly frightened, as she looked to the two of them.

“Make several stops before you meet us back at my study.” Draco told them and their only response was the crack of them disappearing.

Draco’s hand squeezed the slender hand in his grasp with reassurance before he looked to Theo.

“Where is it?” He was referring to the cross.

Theo held it up in his gloved hand, his other hand wrapping around Granger’s arm. She held up the Wand.

Draco stared at the two artifacts for several moments until Granger snorted. Draco looked at her, arching a brow at her.

But a smile was playing at his lips as she started to giggle. The kind of giggles that gave her no choice but to fall victim to the bout of hysterics.

She looked to Theo who shot her a lop-sided grin. Draco chuckled and Granger’s bright and warm eyes met his.

Together, with the alarm bells ringing across the street, they unraveled into laughter that caused their sides to ache. Tears to bloom in their eyes.

And a warmth that felt like something Draco hadn’t actually felt in a long time.

The warmth resembled something like family.

Something like belonging.

It might have been what caused Draco to wrap his free hand around her chin. To tilt her head back. And to lower his mouth to her temple

Her giggles stalled in her throat.

When he pulled back, her smile remained and her eyes were brighter than ever.

Theo snorted but he lowered his lips and placed a quick and gentle kiss to her cheek.

Her cheeks burned and her eyes remained settled on Draco’s as she pulled both of them closer to her side.

Together, they turned to watch the scene unfold as the police began to arrive on the scene of the crime they all committed.

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elliebyrrdwrites · 5 days

Text

Eventually, you find out who you are.

The trick, however, is letting the rest of the world see who that is.

#im a writer

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elliebyrrdwrites · 6 days

Text

First Draft (poetry)

Something Like Living

Aching eyes and tired feet

These are the things I know for certain

As each day passes, my body weakens

Despite the slow decay of my bones,

my mind doesn’t seem to follow suit.

There’s a thirst

A need, really that demands

that I listen

That I feed it with things

and words

Visions and sounds

The thump thumpety thumping of my heart

is off

The tick tick ticking of the gears in my head\

are out of sync

But that irregular tick isn’t something

that will send you to the doctor

It’s something that makes you feel invincible

Heart be damned

The mind is more powerful!

The mind will win!

Except for when it doesn’t

And then sometimes,

it feels like my chest and my heart

pull at opposite sides of a rope

and there’s a constraint pushed around

my bosom and my mind feels

like a television has been left on

one of those stations that goes off air

and leaves the sound of nothingness and everything

It’s called white noise but it feels like too much

and not enough,

not even at all

#my writing #poetry #poem #poetic #words words words #poet #poetsandwriters #poets #writers and poets #living poets society #poems and poetry #poe #poems and fragments #poems on tumblr #poets on tumblr #original poem

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elliebyrrdwrites · 6 days

Text

The Heist (dramione)

I wont post this onto A03 until all parts are complete, but here's the first part of this chapter(s) just for tumblr (also this is unedited).

It's poetry week in my creative writing class so this will be worked on in between that and all of my other millions of tasks needed to be done.

A Night at the Museum, Pt. 1

“Can you hear me?” Grangers voice asked into his ear. Draco had to bite the inside of his cheek at the way it caused his body to shudder.

Theo jerked beside him and responded first. “Clear as day, love.” He clears his throat and pulled the little black earbud from his ear and stared at it in intrigue. “This is quite nifty. If I wear this at night, will you tell me a story to help me sleep better?”

Draco chuckled and ran a thumb over the earbud in his own ear.

Granger’s grin at Theo was crooked and lovely.

“We could stay up chatting about books and boys.” Theo went on, causing her to crinkle her nose.

"You mean me. I'd be the boy.” Draco finally responded as he ran his hands over his body. He found his stash of chocolate covered peanut butter bites and pulled a small handful free.

Grangers gaze slid to his, her eyes wide with amusement and that crooked smile grew as she took him in.

Draco winked at her as he tossed two of the candies into his mouth.

She shook her head, slowly, the ponytail she wore swaying with the movement.

Theo might have scoffed or choked but he didn't say anything. He only stared at Granger with the same sort of attention Draco put on her.

They were all wearing the same black on black on black outfits. Black beanie, black long sleeve shirts and black pants. Shoes, wand holsters, etc. all black.

Except, after some insistence on Ginny and Grangers part, the girls wore black tight leggings. The witches claimed it was for more flexibility but Draco thought they looked rather uncomfortable.

The problem, really, was that Granger looked like a bloody goddess in hers. Those damn tights left nothing to the imagination and when she had apparrated onto the building top with Draco and Theo, both men had been left speechless. Momentarily useless.

While Theo had shoved his fist between his teeth and looked away, Draco jammed his tongue into the inside of his cheek while his eyes took in every inch of her, greedily the sight of her in.

“Are you two done flirting with Aunt Hermione?” Teddy asked with a grin on his face, causing the Potters and Seamus to snicker.

“Not tonight.” Theo said while Draco grinned at Granger and said, “Never.” And tossed the remaining candy into his mouth.

She pursed her lips as if disappointed with her two thieves but there was a glint of something like joy or intrigue in her eyes, maybe both, as she turned toward the others.

“Do we all understand our roles?” Draco addressed the group as he tightened a buckle on his wand holster.

Ginny nodded. “Harry and I will work on the wards around the section of campus with the most superficial wards.” She had her hand running soothing lines down Harry's chest, her cheek resting on his shoulder. Draco thought, as he observed the tall, athletic woman, she seemed to be more excited about this job than the rest of them, aside from maybe Teddy.

“Why are you so excited? Aren't you a mother?” Theo asked, apparently thinking the same thing as Draco.

Ginny lifted her head off of her husbands shoulder. “And I'm not allowed to have any fun?”

“If anything,” Harry argued. “I think her being a mother explains it more than makes it difficult to understand.” When he said this, Ginny nodded and grinned at her husband with adoration.

Draco looked over at Granger, to find her smiling fondly at them, if not a little nostalgic.

“Teddy boy and I will remove the Apparation wards wrapped around the building.” Theo said, stretching his arms, fingers clasped, high above his head.

“I’ll be disarming the muggle security system.” Seamus chimed in, already pulling a sleek laptop from a bag at his feet.

"I thought your job was blowing stuff up.” Teddy asked.

Seamus grinned and it was potentially the most gleeful Draco had ever seen the wizard in years. “Who says I won't?”

"Seamus,” Granger sighed. “This is not the job for that.”

"I'm just sayin’.” He shrugged, opening the lap top and lowering himself to a transfigured bit of trash into a stool. “I'm always prepared.”

Theo narrowed his eyes on Seamus and frowned. “I’d better not trip on a bomb in there, Seamus.”

Seamus chuckled and tapped furiously away at the computer. “You wouldn’t trip on a bomb, mate. You’d trip on a wire.”

“Right.” Draco went on. “As soon as those superficial layers are lifted, Granger and I will immediately get to work on the more complex ones beneath.”

“After we lift Anti-apparation wards,” Theo joined.

“Once they do, while Malfoy and I continue to peel back the wards, you can all apparate to your entry points. Once we’ve lifted the exterior wards, we’ll all dismantle the wards at the entry points .” Granger finished as she began stretching.

“Turn that ear thingie on, darling.” Draco told her, watching as she reached her hands high up in the sky, twirling her wrists.

She dropped her hands and pressed a button on a batter pack on her waist.

“Ready?” She spoke and her little earbud picked up on it, sending her question into their ears.

Theo shuddered and Draco straightened, rolling his shoulders back. He kept his eyes pinned to hers as he smirked, “Whenever you are.”

Granger lifted her chin and grinned before turning toward the building across the street. Having apparated onto the rooftop of the building across from their target, it gave them a vantage point as the plan unfolded.

Adjusting her little black purse slung around her body, she pulled her wand out and checked the wards one more time.

After forty-five seconds, she nodded to the Potters who immediately disapparated. Theo and Teddy followed suit and the crack of their departure hung in the air.

Granger stared at the spot Theo had stood in.

“Are you worried about him?” Draco approached her, standing just behind her, looking down at her from over her shoulder.

She looked up at him and shrugged. “I’m always worried about him.”

“And why is that?” Draco’s hand lifted and his fingers traced a little curl of hair that rested along her temple.

Her eyes fluttered just before she turned to face the Museum across from them. Draco's hand fell to her shoulder.

“Because he is impulsive.”

"You know I can hear you, right?” Theos voice said into all their ears.

Granger grinned and Draco chuckled.

“Don't worry about me, love. You and Draco won't let me get in over my head.”

She looked up at Draco and lifted a brow. Draco nodded in agreement. “What could he possibly get into, darling?” He grinned.

But Granger snorted and shook her head. “I thought you, of all people, would understand.”

“It was one time, love.” Theo huffed into their ears.

Harry’s voice came through next. “Our wards are lifted over here.”

There was a moment of quiet before Theo said, “All clear here. Apparate away.”

Draco looked over his shoulder to where Seamus was typing furiously onto the laptop. Seamus held up on finger while his other hand typed, his wand clenched between his teeth.

And then he stopped typing and held a thumbs up.

Draco wrapped his arm around Grangers waist and Apparated them across the street and onto the roof of the museum.

“Although,” Theo mused into their ears. “This is a little bit like Amsterdam.”

Granger made a sound in her throat. Something close to a growl. “Theo,” she sighed as her wand began to create intricate designs, her eyes following the movement.

Draco began to weave through the wards with her.

Granger had determined that the wards beneath the simpler, superficial layers were a two man job. They required precision in order to keep whoever set them from being alerted once they were removed or possibly breached.

Draco was the obvious choice for the job, seeing as he was second to her amongst the group, at ward breaking.

“Are you ever going to tell us what happened in Amsterdam?” Teddy asked.

Granger, Theo and Ginny all responded at once.

“No,”

“Maybe.”

"I already know.”

Draco laughed as Granger winced. Theo was apoplectic.

“What!” His voice distorted in their ears.

“Relax,” Granger hissed as she swept her arm in a wide arch over her head and spun to her left, flicking her arm down. “She doesn't know everything. Just...”

“That you might have shagged.” Harry snickered into their ears and Draco glanced over at her as his wand made intricate little loops, unweaving a particularly difficult part of the ward.

“So you admit it!” Theo hissed back and Draco chuckled as the space between her brows creased with equal parts annoyance and concentration.

“There’s nothing to admit.” Granger sniffed. But her focus quickly switched to the next set of wards she and Draco were working on. Meticulously pulling back each layer of the was challenging. It required a sort of synchronization. A sort of dance between the two of them.

She sidestepped towards Draco as he stepped her way, falling in behind her.

His right hand settled onto her hip as he continued casting. Granger was working on the lower section of the wards.

“Tell us a story, Aunt Hermione.” Teddy asked with a devious sort of lilt to his voice.

“Yeah, Granger.” Draco murmured, lowering his mouth close to her ear.

She stiffened, his hand tightened for a moment on her hip and then let go as they continued on their respective paths to remove the ward. She stepped further to the left, he further to the right.

It was like a dance.

“Tell us what happened in Amsterdam.” He grinned over at her when she shot him a glare.

There was a pause in their ears before Theo finally responded. “It started with a job like this.”

“Theo,” Granger sighed.

“Did you want to tell the story, love?”

She completed her end of the ward. Draco worked on the last bit of his. “I’m not the one who has anything to be ashamed of.”

“Not even the part where you threw yourself onto my -”

“If you’re going to tell the story, Theo, do it right.” She cut him off and then nodded at Draco when he lifted his wand from the edge of the ward, vanishing it completely. “Outer wards are down. Get to your entry points.”

“Let us know when the locks are disabled, Seamus” Draco moved to the skylight window in the middle of the roof.

They quickly went to removing the wards set specifically to the window.

“We could vanish it once we’re done?” Granger suggested.

“It might reappear on us, if something goes wrong.” He frowned and looked down at her. She was doing that thing with her eyes. That thing that told him she was putting together several different scenarios, calculating their outcomes and creating an equation that might best apply to whatever decision was ultimately made.

“Like I was saying,” Theo continued. “It started with a job like this one. It was my job, really, Granger just happened to be in town for some unsavory reason, I’m sure.”

She sighed through her nose and shook her head. “It was our job. His idea.”

“Hmm.” Theo’s voice hummed in their ear and Draco was fighting the smile as she lifted her wand to the window and mouthed something to herself.

“Regardless, there was a rather fascinating piece on display that would have been a lovely addittion.”

“What was the piece?” Seamus asked.

“It was a painting titled, Almond Blossoms.” Theo announced it like he were a ring master introducing the next act on the bill.

“You were trying to steal a van Gogh?” Draco laughed with a shake of his head. “What the hell caused you to do something so moronic?”

Granger was turning bright red and Theo had paused. Draco suddenly realized what word he had used and recalled what Theo had said last night in the study. About acting like a moron for her.

“Well, it was a beautiful painting, nonetheless, and I decided that I had to get it. Of course, Granger had to make it interesting.”

“How?” Ginny asked.

“I told him to polyjuice as a random muggle from the bar we had a drink in the day before.”

“Not just any random muggle.” Theo corrected her. “But a muggle woman that was quite possibly in her 60’s.”

Laughter filled their ears just before Seamus chimed in.

“Doors are unlocked, but there are active infrared laser beams that are about start about ten feet from each door.”

“Can we apparate around them?” Teddy asked.

“Not until Granger removes the interior wards that prevent disapparation.” Draco murmured the last bit of incantations as he and Granger finally removed the ward on the massive window.

“I want you to vanish the window.” She told Draco. “I can remove the anti-apparation wards from up here without the window.”

“Replace it once we’re inside?” He watched her nod her head. “As you wish.”

She snorted when he grinned at her but he did as she asked and once the glass disappeared, she immediately began to work on the wards.

“Our entry ward is removed.” Ginny announced.

“Ours, too.” Theo said as he yawned into their ears.

“Hold your positions.” Draco instructed as Granger knelt onto the ground and began to cast incantations, her wand directed into the building under their feet.

Draco pulled his candy out and tossed one into his mouth as he watched Granger, on her knees. There was something erotic about the position, obviously and he was more than grateful for the choice of legwear but more than that, her focus was charming. Her eyes were intense as he murmured incantation after incantation. Her full lips moved around the syllables and there was a tiny bead of sweat developing on the back of her neck.

Draco tossed another chocolate covered peanut butter bite into his mouth.

“Would you stop crunching in our ears, Draco!” Theo hissed into theirs.

Deliberately, Draco tossed the remaining bit of candy into his mouth and chewed slowly.

Granger looked over her shoulder and lifted a brow at him.

Draco shrugged.

“You’re a cunt.” Theo growled and Draco laughed.

Granger was smiling as she stood and nodded her head at him.

“Apparate away, team.” Draco reached out a hand to Granger.

When she took it, Draco hauled her into his side. “Where to, darling?” He lowered his face closer to hers and his voice did that thing, again. It dipped low as he breathed in her sweet, citrusy scent. She did that thing where her cheeks filled with a lovely shade of pink.

She cleared her throat. “Straight down, two feet to the left.” Her voice had softened, caressing his ears and his face.

“As you wish.” He murmured into her temple as he tightened his hold around her and diapparated them off the rooftop.

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