frI do not own Harry Potter, nor it's characters. Everything belongs to the ever mysterious J K Rowling and Warner Brothers. I do not wish to gain any material benefit from this fiction, never did, never will.

This fiction has as it's inspiration in Binbir Gece, a Turkish drama.

Episode III:

~ Unorthodox offer ~

Draco Malfoy had rarely trouble sleeping. His slumber schedule usually consisted of a quick fuck with a random gold digger, sending away the said gold digger, showering and sleeping 'til approximately 6 A.M.

Today it was different. He came home from that lousy Muggle Hotel at 1 A.M., was in no mood for showering, and lay on the bed tossing and turning 'til almost 4 A.M. After one and a half hour of sleeping and unpleasant dreams, he gave up on sleeping and went to fly around London, under a Disillusionment Charm.

Flying was one of his favorite pass-times ever since childhood. It always helped him to clear his thoughts, and the adrenaline seemed to freshen his perspective.

He couldn't count how many times he wondered that night, whether he had gone too far. Images of Granger shaking with sickness entered his mind constantly. However, oppressing his great reaction of empathy, was his hurt pride. Never had a women have such a strong reaction to him. He almost admired how much Granger seemed to loathe him.

Then again, anger coursed through his body at the thought that by the end of it, she had taken the money without a word. Looking from outside it may seem that Granger was the victim here, but he felt just as victimized. She of all people, should have had more common sense, than to do such an outrageous thing. His heart seemed to pump liquid hatred whenever he thought of her and her fucking 200.000 Galleons.

All in all, he decided that she was the ultimate whore. One alike he had never even met. One that hid beyond morality and honor, acting like a saint, yet being just as rotten as the rest of the female population.

He made a quick U-turn with his broom, soaring between the highest skyscrapers, and heading to Chanter Co. As the wind was caressing his hair, he only thought of ways to avoid seeing Granger today.

~SSSSS~

'The cure has arrived via Portkey an hour ago.'

Hermione looked at this kind man, he had black circles under his eye. She wondered if this man ever slept. He was here last night, and he was still here now, early in the morning.

'How does she respond?' - she asked quietly.

'I think it would be best for yourself to see.'

She followed him with hurried steps, entering the saloon. With her breath hitched in her throat, she glanced at her mother's sleeping body.

A blush.

Jane Granger's cheeks were tinted with the most becoming shade of pink. She never imagined of seeing a lovelier color, or one that spoke of health quite like this one. It was almost as if she had always seen her mother's skin infected with that horrible yellow.

And then it occurred to her. No matter what happened last night, she would have gone through a thousand and one nights of the same horrors for her. She will live, and understanding this Hermione felt as if the weight of the world suddenly wasn't pressing on her shoulders anymore. Tiny tears of joy were pouring from her stinging, tired eyes.

It didn't matter that she had to face the jerk, who forced on her the darkest night of her life.

She hugged the Healer tightly and left with a smile gracing her face.

~SSSSS~

She felt so happy today, she even got around to joke with her colleagues. That lazy Nott was joining the table, she and some girls from the finances shared.

'Laaadies!' - he chimed with a sing song voice. 'May I have the pleasure of joining you?'

'Of course you may, Mr. Nott.' - said Rebecca, one of those giggly girls, who never ceased to talk.

'So... Have you heard about the newest gossip in the maintenance department? Apparently, someone mistook the new toilet feature with a punch bowl, and poured good ol' Odgens Firewhiskey in it. Now the whole bathroom reeks of alcohol!'

Hermione snorted in amusement.

'I sincerely hope no one was drinking from the toilet though.' - she added snickering. At this the whole table started giggling and laughing.

'Pray tell... what is so funny?' - Malfoy appeared out of nowhere with a bitter frown on his face.

'Oh, Draco!' - Nott exclaimed. 'We were just discussing the loo accident. Ms. Granger here... expressed her concern about anyone actually drinking from the toilet.' - he continued snickering, and looking at Granger amused, who gave him a halfhearted smile. She tried her hardest to not look at Malfoy. She was genuinely afraid of breaking into tears.

Malfoy on the other hand was positively fuming from anger. She had the nerve to happily flirt with Nott? Wasn't it enough that she drilled from money one of her bosses, now her ambitions led her to the other one? How unashamed could she be.

'Yeah, Ms. Granger is quite the funny one isn't she?' - he spat with spite. 'I just hope that she can humour us with a proper Magical Leak Project.' His smile was triumphant and bitter at the same time.

Hermione snapped her head up at him. While she could scream endless rows of prescripted insults at him, she merely turned her head in defiance, and promptly excused herself.

Later, as she was weeping sorrowfully under a Silencing Spell in the ladies room, smelling the dizzying alcohol, she could only but wonder:

How long will he continue to humiliate me?

She felt as if her pride was nonexistent at this point.

On the other hand, Malfoy's pride and ego took unprecedented growth. It was growing like a malicious tumor. Spreading hatred in his blood. His previous plan to ignore Granger had been forgotten. A new plan to submit her to the worst kind of emotional torture was devised instead. By each insult, by each scrutinizing look he gave her, he felt as if his own honor was being restored.

To think of it he had never had to pay for a woman. But he never was with a woman like Granger before either. While usually he could read women like the back of his hand, Granger almost fooled him for a minute. And for this mistake, for his mistake, she had to pay dearly.

~SSSSS~

'My Hermione! You look very bad. Are you sure your mother is okay?' asked a pretty freckled face from the ashes of her fireplace.

'Yes.' - she said quickly, giving her a weak albeit very unconvincing smile – 'I was even walking with her for a few minutes in St. Mungo's magical garden.'

'Oh! That's terrific news!' - Ginny exclaimed with a huge grin.

'Yes, it is.' - she said a tiny sigh escaping her. She looked lost and hollow. Her usual determined gleam was missing. Ginny Potter wondered why she had never seen her witty friend like this before. It was as if she was guilty. Then it crossed her mind. A question that was pushing at the back of her mind for awhile now, but which she never intoned.

'Hermione, where did you get the rest of the money?'

'From a friend.' - she answered curtly, looking away from the fireplace, then as if changing her mind, she stared directly into her eyes.

'How will you pay it back?' - Ginny hasn't meant her question to sound intrusive or hostile, but given the sum she was fairly suspicious of this friend of hers.

She shrugged and muttered an annoyed: 'I'll manage.' A moment of tense and awkward silence followed. Changing the subject seemed like an excellent idea.

'So, Mione... How's that wanker, Malfoy, treating you?'

At this she snapped her head up at Ginny violently.

She knows.

For a moment that's all it was in her mind. Ginny was no fool. She was especially talented in intuiting things. Somehow, somewhere she made a mistake. She slipped.

'Haha' – she laughed uneasily – 'I see you don't want to speak about it. I heard a ball will be held in the company's honor. The Magical Leak and all. If you ask me, it's very distasteful, but the Ministry is still a bureaucratic hell.'

The air that was held hitched in her a throat, was released with great relief. She was becoming very paranoid.

'Yes, and apparently I am required to take a date.'

'Oh!' - she exclaimed excitedly – 'Who will you take?'

'No one. They can kiss my ass with their formalities and all.' At this they both chuckled lightly.

~SSSSS~

As it would happen, no matter the pressure she was subjected to by her frilly women colleagues, she indeed didn't take anyone. The weird thing was, she expected Malfoy to be constantly bugging her to conform. He didn't.

She was fairly sure, as she glanced at him that he came alone as well. Something was bugging her about Malfoy. Something underneath the obvious situation. In a way she was strangely attracted to watch him. Enticed even. He looked every bit of the Pureblood Prince he considered himself to be. He was tall, broad, handsome and cocky. There was something in him, so cold, so vengeful, so grotesque. It was like watching an autopsy scene. Or a rape scene. Just cannot ignore. Can't look away.

She was watching him. Insistently. Why in the bloody hell did she do that? She looked fairly pretty in her burgundy silk dress. Did she think if she took quick glances, he would not notice? Well he was following her with the corner of his eye, from the moment she recognized her. She came alone. Perfect. It was clear what she wanted... Clear as Unicorn blood.

As their gazes locked over the ballroom floor – she had the unnerving image of Malfoy letting go of the guillotine rope. She was not one to be a victim, but in her every interaction with Malfoy, it seemed as if he was her murderer. Her own personal nightmare made out of cold, blue blood pumping in his shrank heart.

And now he was confidently advancing towards her. Panicking she excused herself and fled.

How naive she was, she scolded herself mentally. Of course he was coming after her, and of course he had her cornered in a dark nook of the Ministry.

Alone. The speed of her heartbeats were dizzying.

'Granger.' - he smirked condescendingly. 'You look so lovely tonight.'

'What do you want, Malfoy?' - she was pouring in her stare all the hostility she felt.

'Only what you want, Mudblood.' - he said, driving her into the wall, leaning close to her.

She swore she caught him sniffing her neck. Her brows furrowed in confusion. Every nerve of her body seemed to awaken in fear and loathing.

'Don't play coy with me.' - he whispered next to her ear, then he pressed his lips aggressively to the place just under her ear lobe.

The shock, made her paralyzed. But the thrill, oh the thrill gave her a mixture of nausea and an uncanny buzz. Her mind screamed a sound no.

She pushed him away with a new-found force, fueled by pride and hurt.

'If you ever try that again, I'll jinx you into oblivion. Don't think I won't have the courage or the will!'

A flash of surprise passed his features. But it was momentary, quickly replaced by a jeering smirk.

'Don't play hard to get.'

'I'm not playing anything, Malfoy. What the hell is wrong with you?' - she could feel her eyes tear up. She had faint suspicion where this was going. And it made her insides crumble. An awful silence followed.

For Hermione it was torturous.

For Malfoy it was victorious.

'400.000.' - he stated simply, looking lazily at Hermione. She hoped this didn't mean what she thought it meant. Because that would mean, she had her remaining pride dissolved. And she could not handle such a blow.

He looked at her expectantly. His eyes stone-cold, and his mouth pressed in a thin, firm line.

She was not one to crush. To crash. To crumble down. She was strong, a well-organized mind.

Then why did she feel tears stinging her cheek? Why did she feel despair making her body flush? For a moment she forgot who she was. She was not the strong woman. She was the victim.

Like I'm made of glass.

'No... N-no. This is not happening.' The whisper of her words had taken them both aback. It was cutting through the air, like words that defy reality usually do. 'You did not just imply that. You can't be that damned cruel. No. No. No.'

Malfoy looked at her bemusedly. He was struggling between anger and confusion. Arguably in his mind, they were the same things. She hung her head low, softly shuddering.

'You know... when we grew up I sort of envied you.' Malfoy furrowed his brows taken aback. 'You fitted so well in a world I had only little clue about. You were intelligent, with supportive wizarding parents. And you were popular. You had people's instant respect for that.'

A heavy silence followed. Malfoy opened his mouth repeatedly. But sound seemed to have stuck in his throat.

'But I was also very angry with you' she continued looking with fire in his eyes. ' I was angry, because despite all that you are miserable. Despite having everything, you can only find a kick in making others suffer. That's despicable... and very... very sad.'

All he could manage finally, was a cold and harsh laugh.

'You got me all figured out, didn't you?' he said as he approached her. 'Saint Granger, the war heroine, the one and only... Mark my words Granger. You have been at my mercy once. And you are just as rotten deep down as I am. And I'd be damned if I ever let you forget that.'

He stroke her cheek with one finger. She looked at him coldly and promptly turned from him, walking slowly away.

'Don't try too hard Malfoy. I'm already in hell.' She took a few more steps, and turned calmly to him 'But you are mistaken, if you think I will kneel before you again.'

With this she once again Disapparated, leaving a fuming and confused Malfoy behind.

'Draco buddy!' Malfoy was snapped out of his stupor by Nott's hand tapping his shoulder.

'Dude, i've been looking for you. Where is Ms. Granger?'

'Huh? G-granger? What? How should I know?' to his own surprised he seemed to stutter.

'I thought she was with you... oh, well... guess not.' he said scratching his head. He looked at the vacant expression on Malfoy's face.

'Draco, are you alright? You look sick a bit...'

Draco snapped his head at his friend and gave him a grave look.

'I am fine. I think... Um, any news from the Ball?' he tried to quickly change the subject and distract Nott.

Nott seemed to have remembered something.

'Oh! Yes, that's why I was searching for you two! I spoke with the head of the Icelandic Magical Leak research council. They have invited us to a weekend of brainstorming in Iceland. An honour if you ask me, buddy.'

'Okay, Nott... when will we go?'

'I'm not going. They've invited you and Granger.'

'Oh.' he said feeling his blood rush in his head. After a moment of peculiar silence, he looked at Nott grinning with spite. 'I have a feeling this is going to be a very interesting trip.'

AN: I know... I know... but you know... at least it's something, aye?