October. 12, 2016

The O2 Arena

London

This was humiliating, thought Hermione as she pulled up the hoodie on her jacket and tried to blend her 36-year-old mother of two self into the hordes of teenagers streaming into the The O2 Arena. For the millionth time today, she chastised herself for being so impulsive and reckless.

Did she really need to come? Was she already having a midlife crisis that she had to subject herself to this humiliation? The self psychological intervention had to be put off for later for she found herself lost once she entered the arena.

"Excuse me," she tapped the shoulder of a security guard who was busy looking at his cellphone. "The parent waiting area is on the second floor, take that staircase" the man said dismissively waving his hand to the left.

Hermione grimaced, the man hadn't even bothered to listen to her inquiry. "Stupid muggle," she muttered under her breath as she hurried along the crowded corridor looking for a directional sign that could guide her to her seat.

Once she finally made it, she collapsed into her seat with a sigh. The view of the stage wasn't half bad. She felt a feeling of triumph but it was quickly overwhelmed with guilt.

She had told Ron she was going to visit her parents dentist practice. It was the perfect excuse because it was the last place Ron would want to go to. The last time she and Ron had visited her parents practice, they had bullied Ron into getting a cleaning and it had been a very traumatic experience for him. Hermione thought he was exaggerating the pain and trauma, it wasn't like he had gotten a root canal; however, her husband could be very childish.

She was pulled out of her reverie about how childish her husband was when the crowd went crazy. Hermione leaped to her feet, clasping her hands together over her heart as the crowd chanted "Justin Justin Justin."

The lights dimmed and her heart soared.

It was thrilling seeing Justin Bieber suspended in the glass cube belting out a hit, the holograms and pyrotechnic show driving the crowd into a frenzy. The experience was simply sublime and Hermione watched the big screen in complete bliss when the acoustic segment of the concert started. Justin sat on a red velvet couch in the center of the stage with an acoustic guitar perched on his lap and crooned "Love Yourself," while the crowd sang along and pulled out their cellphones and lighters and did a wave. Hermione looked at the crowd around her for the first time, fascinated at the beauty of the thousands of lights waving in the dark arena.

Self-consciously, she looked for single adults like herself among the she saw something that made her heart lurch and start beating wildly.

He was unmistakeable with the platinum blonde hair.

She only knew one family with that kind of hair and every other member of the family was dead.

Draco Malfoy was in the crowd.

The bastard even had better seats than her. Front row top and center.

After noticing Malfoy in the crowd, her eyes flitted wildly between Bieber on the stage and Draco in the crowd. She could hardly believe it. In what kind of world did Draco Malfoy, ex death-eater, rich recluse and sodding bastard go to muggle pop concerts targeted towards teenage girls. As Bieber performed his last song "Sorry" complete with acrobats and fireworks, she eagerly anticipated Malfoy walking past her to exit the arena. She had figured out his likely route several minutes ago and concluded that he was definitely going to take the same exit as her. She was going to confront him and see what he was up to.

When the concert ended with thundering applause and a standing ovation, she saw him turn to exit his row and the pale, surprisingly handsome face of Draco Malfoy came into full view. It was like he was trying to be noticed. He hadn't even bothered with a glamour while she had on five. Much to her chagrin, she lost track of his body when a group of excitable teenage girls running to the merchandise booths blocked her sightlines.

When she finally saw him again, he was right in front of her. He noticed her at the same time and spat out in lightening fast speed. "Why bother with a glamour when you aren't going to charm your hair?"

Hermione stammered for words. "I cannot believe-" "No one would believe you," he said abruptly. "No," she agreed, "because it is quite unbelievable." She took note of his person and his non-descript muggle clothing, blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Never in her wildest dreams could she have dreamed this up.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow noticing her appraisal while he not so subtly looked around her. "You came alone?" he asked, and she detected a mocking edge to his voice. "Aren't you alone?" Hermione asked, trying not to act offended.

Draco shrugged. "How did you afford tickets in this section with your meager ministry salary?" When Hermione hesitated to answer, he laughed, nearly causing Hermione to topple in her high heeled boots from the shock of it. "So you confounded a muggle to get tickets, tsk tsk, I do believe that is a violation of-"

"Don't you dare!" Hermione shouted, surprising even herself with her volume. Several muggles turned to look her way. Draco gestured her to follow him down the exit aisle to remove attention from themselves. "Well, we can make a deal, I'll keep your secret if you keep mine." Hermione nodded and stared at his outstretched hand. He shook it wildly when she didn't shake it. "Well that's rude," he muttered.

"I'm not a criminal," Hermione said defiantly, power walking ahead of him. She turned around suddenly and nearly collided with him.

"What the f-"

"Why are you here?" Hermione blurted out. Her curiosity could not be sated. Draco rubbed his nose at exaggerated injury "What?"

Hermione waved her arms impatiently, "Here! At a Justin Bieber concert!" Draco sighed. "Why do you think Granger?"

"It's Weasley," Hermione corrected him, "and you haven't answered my question."

Draco smirked. "I like his music, Weasley. That is why I am at his concert. I see that you're as insufferable as ever. I would say meeting again was pleasant but it really wasn't. Goodnight."

With that, he shoved her aside and walked away.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot. She had felt a thrill go through her at his touch. And a dozen thoughts flooded her mind at once. And she knew in an instant what she needed to do. She spied him a few yards ahead of her walking towards the end of the lineup for the merch booth. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was a gryffindor, she could do it. She saw him enter the lineup and walked right up to him.

"I have a question for you." He raised a pale blond eyebrow, expectant.

"Willyousleepwithme?" Hermione blurted out. There was a pause and she heard him let out a breath, his eyes almost imperceptibly wider.

"Will you say that again, slowly?"

"Will you sleep with me?" Hermione said again, courage and adrenaline coursing through her veins.

He raised his other eyebrow.