"It doesn't count! I strongly object!" Hermione shook her head frantically, her bound body struggling and twisting on his legs.
She didn't want to owe Draco four favors. Three were already enough of a headache; one more and she felt like he would have her completely under his control for the rest of her life.
"Oh? It doesn't count anymore?" Draco seemed to have anticipated her reaction, a smile flashing in his eyes.
But his expression quickly turned somewhat regretful and troubled.
"Since that's the case—" He sighed softly, as if lamenting the loss of a dishonest opponent.
Draco placed his left hand on her lower back, stopping her futile squirming. "As the true victor, it seems I have no choice but to... personally carry out the punishment for the loser."
"Punish"?!
Those two words sent a sudden chill down Hermione's spine!
An ominous premonition descended!
What is he going to do?
Torture her with magic? Or... humiliate her with those utterly shameful comments, like before?
No matter what it is, Hermione can't accept it...
"No, no! Draco! How dare you—!" she cried out in terror, struggling even harder to roll off his lap, but the Binding Charm and her current position meant that all her efforts only tightened the ropes.
And her words failed to stop Draco.
Just as Hermione's voice had barely faded...
A sound was heard falling.
Moreover, it's more like a symbolic patting motion.
The slap left Hermione stunned.
" Draco Malfoy!!!" She let out a near-hysterical scream, her body twisting desperately in utter shame and anger, trying to break free from his grip and that humiliating position.
"Let me go! Don't, don't hit me there! You... you pervert! You scoundrel! Let me go—!"
But Draco ignored her screams and struggles.
He even chuckled.
To Hermione, the laughter sounded like a wicked pleasure.
And his hand didn't stop with the laughter; instead, it fell rhythmically...
The force was controlled perfectly; it wouldn't really hurt her.
But the punitive and teasing undertones made Hermione feel even more ashamed than the actual pain.
She felt like a disobedient kitten being disciplined by its owner on their lap, utterly humiliated.
Even worse,
The other person even spoke in that commentary tone.
"Tsk, I must say, the rope is tied just right." Draco's fingers traced the rope...
The sensation instantly sent chills down Hermione's spine.
He continued,
Hermione was already numb, but Draco continued talking, his tone even carrying a hint of regret:
"This rope is really annoying. It's blocking the way, making it impossible to make any real contact with... um, the target area."
He's actually lamenting that he didn't get any meat?!
Hermione was so enraged by his shameless comments that she felt dizzy and almost fainted from shame and indignation.
Lying on his lap, Hermione felt burning hot all over.
Unable to break free due to the Binding Charm, and unable to win an argument against Draco's shameless fallacies.
She could only bite her lower lip tightly, forcing herself not to let out any more shameful whimpers or pleas for mercy.
"You... you bastard! You scoundrel! You scoundrel! You pervert! Let me go—!" Hermione continued with her usual accusations.
Listening to her accusations,
Draco's mischievous pleasure reached its peak, but at the same time, an indescribable tenderness welled up within him.
So much so that the pressure from the palm became even lighter, almost turning into a soothing pat.
"The loser must obediently accept the punishment; that's the rule."
Don't move, my Miss Granger.
"If you move again, the punishment will be more severe."
Draco patted her back, like he was soothing a ruffled kitten, "Who told you to launch a sneak attack first and then refuse to admit defeat?"
Hermione was so angry at his twisted logic that she couldn't speak, and could only bury her face even deeper into the fabric of his legs.
She protested silently, which, for Hermione, felt like an eternity.
He stopped.
"Did it hurt, honey? Do you want me to rub it for you? To help with blood circulation and promote recovery?"
"Rub, rub, rub?!"
These two words were like igniting a fuse, causing Hermione's already extremely tense nerves to completely explode!
She abruptly turned her head, using all her strength to raise her small face, filled with shame and indignation, and glared at Draco.
" Draco Malfoy! If you dare touch me... I'll never see you again for the rest of my life!"
"Okay, okay, I won't touch it, I was just kidding."
Draco couldn't bear to tease her any longer, afraid of really angering her, so he sighed helplessly, helped her up from his lap, and gently untied the ropes binding her.
As soon as Hermione was freed from the ropes, she sprang up from his legs like a startled rabbit.
She stumbled before regaining her balance. Without even moving her numb limbs or fixing her disheveled hair and clothes, her first thought was...
He bit down hard on Draco's shoulder!
"Hiss--!!!" Draco, caught off guard, felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.
This little girl really doesn't hold back when she bites!
He instinctively wanted to push Hermione away, but stopped halfway through raising his hand. He just sighed helplessly and let her bite him until she felt she had punished enough.
Draco looked down at the wet patch on his shoulder and the clear teeth mark, then looked up at Hermione, whose cheeks were still flushed, but whose eyes held a hint of vengeful satisfaction.
He complained, "Wife, were you born in the Year of the Dog?"