Wow, so much positive feedback! I assure you that reading what you thought is what makes my day. Reviews are like food for my imagination, and by knowing that everyone wants to read more of it, I want to write more too. Thank you for all the compliments too!

Warning: This chapter contains a "moment" between Draco and Hermione, so if you are uncomfortable with those scenes, please skip ahead. I want to please all my readers and some like to read this type of stuff, but don't worry, I won't turn into some crazy-sex-writing-author. And besides, it's not that graphic. Thanks again!

……………………………

Jealous?

……………………………

"I take it you saw the main headline," Draco's voice was quite flat and emotionless; he really didn't care what went on with Potter, but he had known that Granger would be more than pissed. "I always knew that you felt something for Potter."

"This isn't the time," Hermione stated angrily. "Leave me alone," she yelled as she slammed her hands on the desk and kept staring at the smiling picture of Harry and that whore. "I can't believe that I had to find out from a bloody newspaper!"

"Calm down, Granger," Draco said calmly. "I think you're overreacting." He walked over to stand behind her, his eyes traveling over her curves the same way his hands had done many times over the last few days.

"Overreacting," she said calmly. "Overreacting! I don't think so!" she snapped as she stood and rounded on him. "He's supposed to be my best friend! He was supposed to tell me before all this was posted on the bloody Daily Prophet!" she ranted as she began to pace the spacious floor.

Draco rolled his eyes. Women were professional drama queens. Then she stopped and went to stand in front of him, jabbing him in the chest with her pointer finger with each word she uttered. "AND, I don't feel anything for him other than the love of a friend!"

He just smirked and snickered a bit. But in less than a second, his face sobered and became full of heat and intense. "You know, you look absolutely delectable when you're angry," he murmured before crushing his lips to hers and kissing her.

Hermione let out a small squeak of surprise before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back with equal fervor. Then she remembered where they were and she shoved at his chest repeatedly. "Ma-Malfoy!" she gasped against his lips. "Someone could see us!"

Draco reluctantly pulled away and nodded. "Come with me to my place for lunch," he said as he nipped at her lips.

"To the manor?" she asked with a frown. That place was completely creepy.

He shook his head. "No, I have a private flat nearby. We can apparate there so that we are not seen. No one knows I have it," he added as an afterthought.

Hermione stepped back to look up at him and smiled mischievously. "And I'm betting that what you have in mind has nothing to do with eating food."

"Oh we can eat, but I have a different type of dessert in mind," he stated wickedly, a smirk sliding onto his features as she blushed.

Then she remembered something. "I can't today. I promised Ginny that I would have lunch with her," Hermione said as she placed two binders into a filing cabinet that was inside the wall. Records were kept in an interestingly familiar way that muggles used. This filing method though was fire proof and safe from any other dangers, and it organized itself by alphabetizing the binders and information put into it.

"Going out with the Weaselette?" he asked with a smirk.

Hermione glared at him. "Don't call her that," she warned. "And yes. Molly told me that Ginny's been acting peculiar these days, and she asked me to spend some time with her and maybe find out what's wrong."

"Maybe it's one of those days," Draco offered.

She shook her head. "No. It's been going on far too long for her to be on one of those days."

"Then when will I see you again?" he asked, his eyes sliding down her body with a scorching look of desire.

She swallowed hard. "When Luna leaves today. I'll just owl Blaise and tell him that I'll be working late."

Draco shook his head this time. "I can't, I have somewhere to be. A meeting of some sort."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "Then if we can't today, it will have to be tomorrow." She turned her back to him and went over to pour herself a cup of tea. She nearly dropped the cup when she felt his arms wrap around her waist and the length of his tall body press to her back.

His lips were already on her neck and his hands were untucking her neat dress shirt from inside her skirt, his fingers moving feather-light against the flat skin of her stomach. "I don't think I can wait too long," he murmured as he sucked the skin of her neck.

"Not now," she said as she just stood there and allowed him to assault her senses. Malfoy had that effect on her, rendering her immobile with just his touch and that sexy voice. They were both startled apart when there was an insistent tapping against the window.

Hermione looked up and noticed that Blaise's owl was at the window, tapping away, trying to get through the glass. She turned to look at Draco and he merely rolled his eyes and walked back into his office without another word.

She watched him go with a small frown before walking over to open the window. The owl swooped inside and then landed on her desk, flapping its majestic wings impatiently. She took the scroll that was tied to his foot. "Give me a second," she said as she walked over to get a piece of toast that Luna had left for her about ten minutes before. She gave it to the owl before he took it and swooped out the window.

She opened the letter and read.

Dearest,

Please don't be late tonight. I know that you have a lot of work, but please try to be here an hour before dinner. There is something that I wish to share with you. Miss you every second.

Love Always,

Blaise

Hermione let out an annoyed breath and took her wand, burning the parchment to a crisp until there was nothing left but ashes on her desk. Asshole, she thought bitterly. She honestly didn't know how long she was going to take living like this with Blaise. She still loved him for some absurd reason. But her thoughts now also revolved around another certain Ex-Slytherin.

Many times she had questioned her motives behind sleeping with him, and she found that there were many. One, he was so bloody sexy and seductive. Two, who could say no to Draco Malfoy when he was charming? Three, she wanted to get back at her husband for cheating on her. Four, he was Blaise's best friend. And five, there was something about Draco that made her catch her breath every time those amazing gray eyes met hers.

Her eyes widened at the direction her thoughts were going. "Accio Tea cup," she muttered, pointing her wand towards the cup. The cup moved to her hand and she took a sip from it, noticing how her hands were shaking a bit. She ignored those thoughts and focused on what Blaise wanted to tell her. Oh, and aside from that, she couldn't wait to see Harry again. Not in the pleasant way, though.

Her eyes narrowed as she sat at her desk and continued her work, which by the way, she thought proudly, is almost done. She was going to wring Harry's neck, regardless of the fact that he had been her best friend for ten bloody years.

…………………………

"Sweetheart, why don't you get dressed, I want to take you somewhere special tonight. I have a surprise for you," Blaise said as he stopped her on her way to her room. She was so bloody tired. All she wanted to do was take a long, hot, bubble bath and then go straight to bed.

Hermione sighed and knew that she couldn't keep ignoring him. Not if they wanted their marriage to work. But how can a marriage work when either one or the other party was being unfaithful?

"Fine. I'll go get ready," she said as she walked up the steps and went to her room. Knowing Blaise, he was probably taking her somewhere fancy. Before things had gone to hell between them, he would do that every weekend. They would get really buzzed with wine, and then they would come home and "make love." All Hermione could do was hope that that wasn't his plan tonight. She really didn't want to sleep with him anymore. Not when she had Draco Malfoy satisfying her every desire.

She took a quick shower and dressed, wearing the new dress robes that Blaise had bought for her yesterday. He had told her that he had seen that particular shade of maroon and had immediately thought of her because of the off the shoulder cut. "I absolutely love your pale freckled shoulders." Those had been his exact words the first time he had seen her shoulders bare.

The sleeves were tight and slit from her shoulder to her wrist, criss-crossing with thin straps. The material was soft and it trailed behind her like a gown. She fixed her hair into careful waves falling down her bare shoulders, and she put on very light make-up.

She pulled on a pair of matching leather knee-high boots and stood in front of the mirror. The Hermione staring back at her was a complete stranger. She just fixed herself up because she knew that Blaise expected it of her. She grabbed her wand and placed it into a hidden pocket of her robe and made her way downstairs to where Blaise was waiting.

She nearly stumbled when she saw who was there standing next to him. Bloody Blaise, why couldn't he at least consult things with her first? "Malfoy," she greeted him. Malfoy merely smirked and gave her a secretive wink.

"Oh Blaise, your mansion is delightful!" Hermione heard a woman's voice say. She looked up to see Pansy Parkinson walk into the entrance.

The girl had grown. She had been this ugly pug-faced thing back in school, now she was definitely prettier. She had either grown prettier, or had gotten herself fixed. There were spells that could alter your appearance permanently. But only experienced wizards specialized in that field could cast those charms.

"Hermione," Pansy said, walking over to press a feather-light kiss to her cheek. "It is so nice to see you again. You look beautiful this evening."

Was this the same Pansy from school? Hermione snapped out of her stupor. "It is nice to see you too. It has been a long time. I had been led to believe that you were out of the country. In America?"

Pansy nodded and was about to reply before Blaise cleared his throat. "Ladies, I do believe that we are going to be late, and we have a very special place to be."

Hermione looked at Draco and he shrugged. "Don't look at me, I don't know where we're going either," he said dryly. She had to fight a blush from rising to her cheeks when she saw that look on his face as he eyed her up and down.

"Okay, we need to floo to Miel d'amour."

"And what exactly is the surprise?" Hermione couldn't help but be suspicious. She had heard about that restaurant and knew that tonight was the grand opening of it.

"That, love, is the whole point of a surprise. You're not supposed to know yet," he said as he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand and pushed her gently towards the sizeable fireplace.

Hermione gave him a look before grabbing a fist full of floo powder and stepping into the fireplace. "Miel d'amour," she called out clearly. Seconds later, she stepped out of the fireplace in what looked like a lobby at the front of the restaurant.

Seconds later Pansy, Blaise, and Draco appeared after her. They all got a good look at the restaurant and noticed that it looked exclusive and expensive.

A woman at a podium smiled at them and walked over. "Mr. Zabini, it is so great to see you again!" she said in a friendly tone.

Too friendly, Hermione thought angrily. She shot Blaise a look and he shook his head twice, flashing her the beginnings of a glare. She raised an eyebrow, giving him the I-know-how-you-are-you-sneaky-bastard look. He merely rolled his eyes and turned to the woman.

"I would like you to meet my wife, Hermione Zabini," he said proudly. Hermione gave the maitre'd a polite nod. Blaise smiled. "Is our table ready?" he asked.

"Yes it is sir, but the rest of the party has yet to arrive," she replied as she led them all to a private section located in one of the corners of the restaurant. There was a rounded table set with fancy silverware and fine china and crystal wine glasses, and putting the table apart was a row of velvet ropes, letting the other customers know that the table would be sitting very important people.

Blaise pulled out the chair for Pansy, and Draco pulled out Hermione's chair, making sure that his fingers brushed lightly against her wrist. That was when Hermione noticed that there were two extra places at the table, and she remembered that the woman who had guided them had said that the rest of the party wasn't there yet.

A slim man with a neatly trimmed gray mustache walked over and asked if they wanted anything to drink while they waited. "Please bring us the finest red wine the house offers," Blaise said. The waiter nodded and walked off to get what was asked for.

Hermione nearly jumped when she felt two fingers sliding up her leg from her knee up her thigh. She pretended to drop her menu, but instead thwacked Draco's hand away from her. Why oh why had he sat himself next to her? Pansy was beginning to look like a better option at the moment.

They couldn't risk getting caught, and Hermione was beginning to see that danger and a challenge were a turn on to Draco Malfoy. Kinky bastard. He had been wanting to shag her in the office more than once, during the day, but Hermione had had enough sense to stop him before things got out of hand.

"They're here," Blaise said with a smile. The other three people there turned towards the main entrance and Hermione's jaw literally dropped. "Stop gawking, love. This is the surprise I had for you," he said cheerily.

Hermione stood and turned to watch as Harry Potter and Fleur Delacour approached them. Harry engulfed her in a deep hug while she was still standing there stupidly, and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. She had to refrain from shoving him off and ripping Fleur's pretty blonde hair out of her scalp.

How dare she! That cheap little tramp! She's fucking my husband while stringing poor Harry along! And she had to nerve to be smiling at her!

Malfoy was looking at her curiously, having noticed the way her fists had clenched, the light flush on her cheeks, and the dangerous glint in her eyes that were glued to Potter's fiancée. "I've missed you Mione! How have you been?" Harry asked as he walked around and he and the whore sat down across from her. Interesting enough, Fleur was sitting next to Blaise, who had a pleasant smile on his face.

"Thank you for inviting us. Harry had been adamant about visiting you, Hermione, before the announcement was released to the papers. But I kept him back because we were ever so busy," Fleur said sweetly, giving Harry and adoring look.

"Gag me with a spoon," Hermione grumbled under her breath. Malfoy smirked and offered his spoon to her. She turned and glared at him. She was positively livid that this woman could be so calm and collected, actually speaking to her in the way of old friends. And she was lying to Harry!

"Mione, you haven't said anything since we got here. Aren't you going to congratulate us?" Harry asked with a frown, his green eyes looking slightly hurt.

"Don't you Mione me, Harry Potter. How dare you! I am supposed to be your best friend, and I had to find out about this from the bloody paper! Is that how Ron found out too, or did you have time to tell him face to face? I refuse to share this table with you and with her!" Hermione spat as she stood and threw her napkin on the table for dramatic emphasis.

"Honey," Blaise started. "You're making a scene."

"I don't care, Blaise." She spat and then turned the brunt of her anger on her best friend. "You don't even know her! How can you make a decision like this and not consult me about it? I know that you're just my best friend, but you can't jump into hasty actions with this… this…"

"I beg your pardon!" Fleur snapped indignantly.

"Stay out of this you hussy!" Hermione growled before marching off, leaving a confused woman and couple, an embarrassed husband, and a smirking Malfoy behind. He loved it when Granger lost her cool, there was something completely sexy about the way she looked when she was pissed.

"I'll go see what's wrong with her," Harry said worriedly.

"I'd think that if I were you I'd stay away from Granger right now. She's angry enough to tear your throat out," Malfoy said flatly. Harry gave him an unfriendly look.

"And since when have you cared about what goes on with Hermione?" Harry snapped.

"I will go," Blaise said as he made to stand, trying to break up the tension between Draco and Harry.

Draco gave a soft chortle as Blaise glared at him. "She's angry enough to claw your eyes out. She doesn't trust Pansy, and she doesn't stomach your fiancée there," he said to Harry, "So I'll go," he said as he stood.

"I doubt you are the best man for the job, Draco," Blaise said dryly.

"Funny, I was thinking the same about you," Draco replied coolly, giving Blaise a look that said that he would have no qualms about divulging his disloyal ways in front of Potter. And knowing the boy wonder and how protective he was of Hermione, things would go to hell quickly.

"Fine," Blaise conceded, smiling pleasantly. "Do try to calm her and bring her back, hmm? There is still the matter of the surprise that I had for her."

Draco ignored him and stood, walking off towards the direction of the restrooms. He waited outside the door for a moment, watching as women walked in and out. Finally, it seemed that no one was inside, and he pushed the door open. He moved past the powdering room and towards a separate section where the lavatory was located. He checked the stalls and saw that in one, there were maroon robes touching the floor, but the others were empty.

He walked back towards the door and said a complex locking spell and a charm to prevent anyone from apparating into the restroom. Then he walked over to the stall. He knocked twice and waited for a response. "Granger," he drawled. "You can't hide in here for the rest of the night. Potter wants you to spend quality time with his bride-to-be." He knew that that comment would get a rise from her. And it did.

The words that left her mouth would make her mother faint.

"I love it when you talk dirty," Draco said as he put his wand to the stall lock and muttered, "Alohamora." The lock opened and he moved into the spacious stall in which Hermione was sitting. Lucky for her, the toilet had a lid she could sit upon.

"What do you want Malfoy? I am in no mood to go back out there. I just want to go home," she said as her voice cracked at the end.

"Why does Potter's woman bother you so much?" he asked as he closed the door and leaned against it. "It isn't about why he didn't tell you before. This has something to do with her."

"You're too smart for your own good, Malfoy," she said sarcastically. "So this is 'the meeting of some sort' that you had, hmm?" she asked with a roll of her eyes.

Draco smirked and ignored her comment. "Tell me about her."

"You and I are not friends, just acquaintances who occasionally have sex—"

"Passionate sex," he corrected with a smirk.

"Okay," she said with a small laugh. "Passionate sex—"

"Delicious passionate sex."

"Will you stop interrupting me? Geez, you'd think you were God's gift to women," she muttered as she sat there sulking.

"I am. At least I'm God's gift to you. You know you love the way I make you feel. No man has ever done what I do to you," he said wickedly.

Hermione's mouth went dry as she remembered what he had been doing to her these past few days. "I-oh… um… you are such a pompous git!" she snapped in annoyance

"You don't sound too convinced about that. But we are way off topic here, what were you going to tell me about Potter's fiancée?" Draco asked with a roll of his eyes.

Hermione looked away from him as she replied. "The point of my comment was that you and I are just lovers, not friends, so why do you care?"

"Humor me."

She let out a heavy sigh and shrugged. "That night when you found me a mess, when I found out Blaise was cheating on me again, I saw who we was cheating with this time," she sated evenly.

Draco's silvery eyes widened in a second, catching on to the implication before she even completed it herself. "Are you kidding?" The look on her face clearly told him that she was not. "Then why don't you tell Potter right now?"

"Because I don't want to humiliate him and myself in public. Besides, I don't have proof of such an accusation," she said angrily.

"Just feed Blaise some veritaserum and have him tell the boy wonder everything," Draco said as he took her hand and pulled her up, his arms winding around her slim waist tightly.

"That's not a bad idea," she said absently, her sole attention on those darkening eyes like stormy skies. "We should get back. I'll apologize to Harry and then I'll leave."

"No, not yet," he said as he whispered a spell that left her bare of all clothes. Hermione gasped.

"Not here! This isn't the time or place! Where are my clothes?" she asked as he performed the same spell on himself.

"Your clothes are just outside the door, but we still have time before someone starts to look for us, or realizes that the doors are locked," he whispered as he kissed her thoroughly, leaving her gasping in a daze as his kisses trailed down her neck and to her collarbone.

His hands trailed down her thighs and behind her knees, lifting her legs up and urging her to wrap them around his waist. "I would enjoy going agonizingly slow just to hear you say my name over and over, but I think that time is not on our side, this time," he whispered as he pressed her against the wall of the stall and united their bodies. He ran his hands over every part of her body that he could, latching his lips onto her breast, making her gasp high in pleasure.

Hermione arched her back with the sensation and gasped his name as he began. It was only at moments like this that she let down her guard and actually called him by his first name. He had done it a few times too, but afterwards, they would always go back to what they were. Polite strangers who knew a few things about each other.

Her breath was already hitching in her throat as he continued, and she could feel his breath coming in soft pants against her shoulder. His tongue was flicking over the freckled flesh there, and she remembered that he had also complimented her once, by accident, about the light freckles on her pale shoulders.

"Oh dear Merlin," she cried as her head tilted back in unadulterated delight. She could already feel her completion approaching, and it was one of the most incredible feelings she had ever experienced. Knowing that her husband was in the other room only served to heighten the moment of pleasure that raced through her, making streamers of colors dance in front of her eyes.

His lips met hers just as he felt her tighten around him, and he swallowed the throaty moan that left her lips, his fingers digging slightly into the pale skin of her back as his release followed hers by mere seconds.

His knees were shaking as the numbing sensations ended and he sunk to the floor slowly before he lost all the feeling and fell. His forehead fell onto her shoulder and he let out a shuddering breath as she ran dainty fingers through his silky, tousled hair.

"That was nice," she breathed huskily against his ear, her hands sliding down the damp skin of his back and shoulders.

He chuckled, making his whole chest and body vibrate against her, and she shivered as the last vestiges of her release left her. "Just nice?"

"I'm not going to inflate your ego, which by the way is already bigger than a full sized mountain troll, and tell you that it was wonderful and absolutely mind blowing," she stated with a light giggle.

Draco smirked and slowly lifted them back up, testing his legs and finding that they were working properly again. "Will you stay for dinner?" he asked as he slowly, almost reluctantly, set her back on her feet.

"So," she said as her eyes narrowed playfully, "That was your plan all along, wasn't it? Get me in an agreeable mood so that I would sit there and stomach my unfaithful husband and his mistress at the same table?"

Draco winked. "Little does my dear friend know that the same is happening to him. That he sits at the table with his wife and her lover. Who presently just finished banging his wife in the bathroom of the restaurant," he said naughtily.

Hermione blushed crimson. Malfoy had never been one to care on how he said things. He was most of the times sneaky, but there were those bizarre moments when he enjoyed being blunt. He murmured the counter spell of the one that removed their clothes, and in seconds they were fully clothed again.

"We should apparate outside, to the alley. That way if someone has come looking for us, they won't see us leaving a previously locked lavatory together," she stated as she walked out of the stall and checked her appearance. She wasn't too muddled. Just a few stray curls and her soft lipstick was gone, oh and the slight flush to her cheeks, but nothing too noticeable.

She fixed herself right and turned to Draco, who was regarding her solemnly. "You go first. Meet me in the designated place where customers are allowed to apparate into the restaurant. It's better than the alley. I have to unlock the door," he said. Hermione nodded and disappeared with a loud pop.

Draco let out a deep sigh when she disappeared, and glanced at himself in the mirror. A few years ago, the prospect of him sleeping with mudblood Granger would have seemed ludicrous. Granted that she hadn't looked this good when she had been at school. Or maybe she had and he just hadn't taken the time to see it. Blaise had, and that was why they were now married.

There was something about Granger that could drive a man wild. She was passionate, she was beautiful, and she was married. Three things that appealed to him greatly. Not that he went after married women all the time; just this particular married woman.

When she wasn't being a know-it-all, she was an alright person. Their whole relationship revolved around sex and nothing more. That week he had spent with her before they had become involved, after she had found Blaise cheating on her again, they had talked, and he had gotten to know a different Hermione. Lately though, it was more about satisfying his and her own hormonal needs rather than getting to know her in a deeper sort of way.

Draco knew that she was still a bit reluctant about their whole affair, but she hadn't put a stop to his advances yet, so he was quite comfortable where they were. She hadn't questioned his motives, and she didn't appear to want to stop their affair, so things were good, weren't they?

No, there was something definitely changing, shifting between them. When he had seen her as she walked down the curving staircase of her home, he had felt something twitch in his stomach. The robes she was wearing brought out the honey color of her eyes and the paleness of her skin. The soft spray of freckles on her shoulders were a particular feature that he liked about her body. Her soft curves had been highlighted by the form-fitting robes, and there had been a moment when he had forgotten that Blaise and Pansy had been there too.

Nevermind that, he didn't like where his thoughts were going. He said the counter spell for the lock and then apparated out to where he had told Hermione to go. She was standing off to the side, watching him as he settled his robes and ran a hand through his hair. He gave her a hidden smirk and then motioned towards the table.

She moved towards him and blinked those long, dark lashes at him. "I know that what I just did to you would normally have you singing a happy tune for a full day and night. But just for tonight, sulk a little and don't give anything away," he said with a smirk and a wink.

Hermione actually laughed in amusement at his comment. "No of course not. How could I even begin to explain to everyone how Draco Malfoy was able to make me, the girl he hated for seven years, Hermione Granger, feel better?"

Draco gave a graceful shrug. "That's between you and I, and the walls of your office," he murmured as they began to walk back towards the table.

She laughed again. Who would've believed that Malfoy would be the one to make her laugh about anything. My how things had changed. She fixed herself into a still angry look and crossed her arms over her chest in a sulking manner as they made it towards the table.

Harry looked up at her and Hermione saw that his eyes were hurt. She looked away from him and in the process, saw that Blaise was talking quietly with Fleur, who was laughing at what he was saying. Draco pulled her chair for her and she sat down, slamming the heel of her boot into Blaise's foot while she was at it.

Blaise gave a strangled 'ow' and his knee jerked into the table. Everyone turned to look at him because of the noisy racket and he forced a smile. "Sorry about that," he said tightly, his eyes going to Hermione and to Draco, who appeared to be hiding sniggers.

"Do try to be more careful, darling," Hermione told him sweetly. Then she turned to Pansy and to Draco. "I'm sorry for my outburst, I know that you weren't expecting something so……… unpleasant," she said.

"Mione, I think that you should be apologizing to us too," Harry said tightly.

"Sorry Harry, but you and I have a conversation pending and until then, I am not apologizing to you or to her," she said as she hitched her chin towards Fleur but didn't look at her. "Now, let's enjoy our dinner, shall we?" she said with a polite smile.

Harry, being of the peaceful type of men, decided that it was better for them to discuss this at another time. The last thing he wanted was for the whole restaurant to find out that he and Hermione were not on good terms. He wondered when that had happened. He couldn't believe that it was just the fact that she had found out about his engagement through the paper. No, something else was happening to her, and he, Harry Potter, was going to find out. He'd also ask her how it was that Malfoy, of all people, convinced her to come back to the table. Odd. Very odd.

They had a very peaceful dinner, with plenty of small talk to make Hermione want to be sick to the stomach. Right at around dessert time, Blaise stopped them and called for champagne. "I would like to say something to you Hermione."

She placed the spoon of her vanilla and caramel sorbet down and looked at him expectantly. Blaise continued. "I know that I have not been the best husband these past couple of weeks, and I want to apologize for it. I love you, and I want you to know that you are my life. Without you, I would be empty and I wouldn't have such a wonderful life. I'm sorry about everything, and as an early birthday present, I want you to have this," he said as he waved a hand and motioned to the whole restaurant.

Hermione's eyebrows rose in surprise. "The restaurant?" she asked.

He nodded. "I love you," he said as he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. That close to her ear, he whispered, "I'm sorry for hurting you, but I swear that it will never happen again. I value you above everything."

Hermione looked away from him and felt her eyes burn with tears. "I'm still hurt," she murmured back. "It's going to take time for me to heal those wounds."

"And I will give you all the time that you need," he said before kissing her lips gently.

"Oh how sweet!" Fleur said with a clap of her hands.

And that voice was enough to sour the moment for Hermione. "Thank you Blaise, I appreciate it," she said rather flatly.

"Let's have a toast!" Harry said as they champagne was served, but Hermione refused to cheer for his pending marriage.

Before they left, Pansy and Draco walked ahead with Fleur and Blaise, and Harry stayed behind to speak briefly to Hermione.

"What has been your problem all evening?" he asked, genuinely baffled by her behavior.

"How well do you know that woman Harry?" Hermione snapped as they moved to a spot where they couldn't be heard.

"I know her enough to say that I want to spend my life with her! You should understand Mione! I gave you the support you deserved when you decided to marry a Slytherin that Ron and I barely knew! And, at the time, to make matters worse, he was Malfoy's best mate. And he still is! But I stuck by you without saying a thing, and this is what I get for it?" he asked softly.

Hermione refused to feel bad about his words. What Harry was saying was exactly true. Blaise had turned out worse than Malfoy. But now with the personal experience, she knew that Fleur didn't deserve Harry. "I don't like her, Harry. And I have my reasons. I can't tell them to you now because I don't have proof, but I have seen her around. She's not a good person."

Harry actually smiled. "I know that you must be feeling jealous, but she's not going to take the place that you occupy in my heart," he said gently.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and had the sudden urge to smack him for that comment. "I am not jealous of her! Please, if you want me to beg, I'll beg. Just don't rush things with this woman. For all you know she may be cheating on you!"

"Don't say things like that Mione…… I trust her."

Hermione shook her head and nearly stomped her foot childishly. "No."

Harry put a finger under her chin and made her meet his eyes. "You know, I loved you for a very long time," he confessed softly. "But you never saw me as other than your best friend. If Blaise hadn't come along, maybe you and I would've been married now. But we can't change the past. I'm sorry Mione, but I have a right to get on with my life, with whomever I see fit," he said before pressing a kiss to her cheek and walking away from her.

Hermione stood there, staring at him dumbly, and then before apparating back to her home she had burst into tears. She didn't care about anyone right now. Harry's words kept echoing through her head. I loved you for a very long time. If Blaise hadn't come along, maybe you and I would've been married now.

……………………

"You're the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

Hermione glanced at Blaise's reflection from the full length mirror she had been staring at herself for the past few minutes. She was half nude, with only a pair of panties on, and her hair falling over her shoulders and down her chest, hiding her from his view. "Leave me alone, please Blaise."

"You know, no matter how many times I run tonight through my head, I can't figure out why you reacted the way you did. Not unless you were jealous of Potter's fiancée," he stated as he came to stand behind her.

"Jealous of that woman!" she yelled turning around to glare at him. "How dare you say that to me?"

"Then you're jealous that he's getting married." His green eyes had narrowed to slits. "My mother always told me that women tended to get too attached to their first lover. It's only natural that you feel a deeper link with him because you lost your virginity to Potter," Blaise said flatly, his fingers running lightly over her collarbone.

"We had agreed that you wouldn't bring that up ever again," she hissed as she slapped his hand away. "And I asked you to leave," she said as she motioned to the door.

"Not tonight, sweetheart," he said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her to him. "I haven't felt you in a long time. I need you," he murmured as he bent down to kiss and nibble at her neck.

By that time, Hermione was pushing away from him. "I don't want to Blaise!" she yelled, pounding her small fists against his shoulders.

Blaise gave her one good shake that rattled her to her feet. "You are my wife, Hermione. I won't be denied. It's about time that we form a full family. I want a son," he growled as he took his wand and threw her onto the bed. He performed what was ironically the same spell that Draco had used earlier that night, and then advanced on her as she tried to scramble away from him.

"Blaise, don't you dare," Hermione threatened, trying to figure out where she had left her wand. Damn it! It was in her dress robes across the room on that bloody chair.

"Hermione, I don't want to force you, but you will be mine tonight. Just lay back and enjoy. I'll erase any thoughts of Potter from your mind."

Merlin, she had to go with it unless she wanted it to turn to rape. Hermione didn't want to be raped by her own husband. She stopped fighting him as he lowered that body that once upon a time had thrilled her own. Now, all she could do was compare it to a slightly slimmer, paler body. One that could make her nerves hum with excitement with just the scent of him.

She could only think of Draco as she lay there like a lifeless rock. And with every touch and every caress, she found Blaise lacking. He would never be able to make her feel the way Draco did.

Hermione let Blaise have his way, but she would be damned if she allowed him to get her pregnant. She muttered a contraceptive spell, even over one she had already been using, that she knew he knew nothing about, and tried to block him out. She thanked Merlin for wandless magic.

If only Blaise knew that as he "made love" to her, she was thinking of another man.

Her lover.

His best friend.

She had never thought that having an affair with Draco Malfoy would have been something she would be looking forward to for the next few days. Tomorrow, she was going to strangle Harry Potter, not literally of course, and she was going to fuck Draco Malfoy afterwards.

Then she would find proof to unmask that little whore Fleur. Hermione hadn't had the perfect start of the week, but she would make damn sure that she had the perfect start of the day after having such a crummy night.

Did you like? I know that the ending was very close to rape, it just depends on how you see it. So, how is Hermione going to unmask Fleur and her own husband? Has he changed and become the husband he had promised? And Harry and Hermione have a history? Very interesting things are happening now.

Thanks for reading my work and have a great week! I'm hoping to update 'Eternity With You' this week, so stay sharp.

Byebye

!Joey!