Chapter Four: The reception

Hermione was in a foul mood when she entered the house. The reception was to be held in the ball room and she headed there reluctantly, hearing the distant joyful sounds of celebration, sure that if anyone so much as looked at her she'd curse them. So she had been nothing to Draco? Well she knew that deep down but having heard it from his lips just made it ten times worse.

They had hardly spent a month together and yet a year later, that month was all she could think about. He wasn't even good for her. Hermione knew that there were better guys out for her, decent and safe but that was the problem. She didn't want safe. She wanted bloody Malfoy.

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Draco didn't go inside right away after dropping Hermione off. He drove a few times around the block trying to calm himself down. They had both said it; they were nothing to each other. But then why were they so angry? Draco's thoughts turned to the moment when Hermione had left England. He knew as well as she did, that she had seen him, but she didn't so much as hesitate when she stepped into the green flames that would allow her escape. She had certainly left like he was nothing.

But maybe she wouldn't have if he hadn't entertained the idea of making her something more to him and stupidly rejected her… No! He banished that thought. Hermione Granger had made her choice to run and he knew it was better off that way. She was too dangerous for him, all the feelings she brought up was killing him. Who knew lust could be so toxic?

Feeling a strange sense of calm Draco parked the car, stowing away his tie and jacket and headed towards Potter's manor. It didn't help that it gave him the chills as it reminded him of his parents' house and nothing good ever went on in those walls. But taking deep breaths he reminded himself like he did a million times a day the war was over and he could relax.

Smoothing down his slightly crinkled suit he composed himself at the door way, hoping he didn't look as dishevelled as he felt. Finally satisfied that he had his feelings in check, he let himself in and headed towards the sounds of celebrations.

By the time he had reached the grand ballroom, all the guests had finished eating and were dancing around the bride and groom. It seemed he had taken quite a bit longer than he had thought driving around the block. But no matter, he found that he was far from hungry and neither was he in the mood for loving speeches.

"You are such a fool Draco," Thad said as he joined him.

"Yes I am aren't i?" Draco murmured back throwing a side ways glance at his friend, who was holding out glass of scotch for him, by way of peace offering.

Draco took it obligingly and laughed at how stupid he had been behaving.

"I'm sorry."

"I know," Thad said, "Just don't do it again."

Draco smiled and shrugged taking a sip from his glass.

"Draco, by any chance do you happen to know why Miss Hermione Granger walked in here looking like she was ready to kill somebody?" Thad asked but he feared he already knew the answer.

"Oh that was my doing."

"Thought so," Thad sighed, "You'll fix it wont you?"

Thad surveyed his friend as his features abruptly darkened …suddenly Thad didn't reserve much hope that they could just work it out.

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Hermione had tried hard not to let her black mood show but so many people had asked her if she was alright, she just wanted blood by the end of it. Finally after all the toasts were made and the bride and groom had finished their first dance, she could escape. Fortunately Everyone was either too drunk or too distracted to notice as slipped out of the ballroom, She was thankful too because the last thing she wanted was to be forced to mingle with Neil and withstand being introduced as Draco's former partner.

With a sigh she made her way to the opposite part of the manor, to a room where she knew that no one would even consider venturing to for the rest of the evening, the library. Locking herself in, Hermione magicked a fire to start in the grate and pulled out her enchanted beaded bag that had served her so well over the past years. Heading over to a table near the shuttered window she sat down and took off her shoes getting herself comfortable.

With a few deep calming breaths she removed a large wad of parchments from the tiny bag and began sorting them. There was nothing like work to keep her feelings in check and she felt better knowing she was doing something constructive and useful rather than wasting her time by thinking about the always infuriating Draco Malfoy.

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Draco knew where to find Hermione. It was more of a question of did he want to? Why when Neil had approached him and question him on Hermione's whereabouts like he was her goddam babysitter, Draco had been tempted to reveal where she was hiding, but had thought better of it. Instead he had lied and told him she had gone to bed early after complaining of a head ache.

"Oh I bet you were responsible for that head ache," Jasper had commented when Neil had left, satisfied with his reply.

"Jasper, I swear this is the most talkative I've seen you," Draco said dryly, "To think I would prefer you to say hardly anything like the old days."

"I just find it interesting that you deny yourself because of your stupid pride."

"What?" Draco hissed, "It takes two to tango and I'm not the one who's always running away." Draco was quick on the defensive.

"No, but you are the one who's no doubt doing the chasing away," Jasper argued, "And now she'll miss saying goodbye to her dear friends Ronald and Luna, and it'll be all your fault."

"Why Jasper you should run for office, you have a gift with guilt trips," Draco mumbled sourly.

"Oh I think my gift is better off here," Jasper smirked before walking off, leaving Draco with his own mutinous thoughts.

Damn Jasper and his stupid rational arguments, Draco fumed, now he did feel responsible to go and tell the bloody witch that her friends were leaving soon.

Making to go to the bathroom, Draco snuck away from the party easily without attracting anyone's attention. It was a strange feeling to think that he was sneaking out of a party to go to a bloody library, but he came to think nastily, that Hermione was probably a pro at it.

Feeling his heart flutter traitorously, he stood at the door feeling like an idiot. Taking a few deep breaths however, he unlocked the door and barged in before he could change his mind… unfortunately Hermione was always alert.

Hermione was puzzled as to why Draco looked at her so exasperatingly after she had immediately disarmed him, after all it was all a side affect from the job as he should know…plus for a startled moment her mind had flashed back to the war when she heard someone unlock the library door…

"What do you want?" she spat relaxing her stance slightly, but not feeling any need at all to apologise, "Obviously it must merit barging in here like a hippogriff without knocking, it must be urgent."

Draco was a bit thrown off by her hostility, but recovered quickly picking up his wand with an exaggerated bow.

"I'm sorry your highness if I didn't naturally think that you'd react like a lunatic if I didn't knock, but I have a message," Draco was already regretting coming to the library. Not only was this proving to be a thankless task, but his wand had been jinxed straight out of his hand like he was some common criminal.

Hermione rolled her eyes but put away her paperwork giving him her full attention. He was the last person she'd expect that would come here, so it must be important.

Draco raised his eyebrows when he glimpsed the huge pile of paperwork Hermione had stuffed into her bottomless bag. She always had been ambitious.

"Busy girl."

"Get to the point Malfoy," Hermione insisted swinging her bag over her shoulder.

Draco's eyes roamed over her body, and he made sure to have a sneer on his face for her benefit. Truth was, that probably wasn't the best tactic for him to go with, for she looked even more irresistible to him than ever; her hair still fell in a disarray of waves that he found appealing, and the straps of her dress had fallen off her shoulders leaving them bare as her feet…he cursed his body as he felt his blood start to heat up…she really did look like a fallen angel.

"You done Malfoy?" She asked bitingly, "The message?" she prompted.

"Uh…oh," Draco felt like a right fool, "Weasley and Loony are leaving soon and you should say good bye."

"Are you telling me what to do?" Hermione asked hotly.

Draco rolled his eyes. She could be so damn stubborn sometimes so he lied, "No Potter asked me to find you."

Hermione nodded swallowing back a thankyou. She didn't owe Draco anything. Impatiently she waited for him to leave. Finally after a few minutes it became clear that Draco had no intention of leaving first and Hermione frowned in suspicion, what was he going to do when she walked past him? Surely nothing…

It was only after she had stalked past him glaring in suspicion that it became clear he had just been playing with her mind. Laughing loudly he called out after her, "Paranoid much?" before she left him behind in her angry strides.