*Hermione POV*

I was kissing Draco Malfoy. I was kissing Draco Malfoy in a booth in a well-lit high scale restaurant, filled with people. The thing was that I was really enjoying kissing Draco Malfoy. It took me a second to process that he was kissing me. At first, it was small and gentle, as if he wasn't sure if this was the right move. Once he realized that I wasn't going to push him off the kiss changed, it was intense, more intense than I expected from him. Not that I really had expectations but it was nothing I thought it would be. From a guy like Malfoy, I thought it would be domineering, and cold but it was gentle and warm like a fresh cup of sweet hot apple cider. I felt drunk, and I know I wasn't. I felt his tongue trace my bottom lip asking for entrance, and I gave it to him. In this moment I felt that I would give him anything he wanted. I felt like I was doing something rebellious, Hermione Granger was not the type of witch to make out with a man in a crowded restaurant on the first date. But here I was, with Malfoy's tongue down my throat. His lips were soft, he tasted like the wine we were sipping, fruity and coconutty, and it was intoxicating. I couldn't get enough of him. I felt my body reacting. He gave me full control of the situation, I knew that, yet at the same time I felt as if I was powerless, which in this scenario was so dangerous. It was so dangerous to feel as if you had no power in front of a man like Malfoy. He had one arm around me pulling me close, the other hand rested on my thigh, softly caressing the skin that was peering through as my dress skid up. I bit back the moan, I felt stirring in the back of my throat. I had one hand pulling tightly on his tie and the other in his blonde hair. We were inhaling each other. This was so very unlike me, 15-year-old Hermione is frowning at my actions, ugh what does that prude know anyway. I've never been kissed this way. It was more intense, it was purposeful and it was uncontrollable. He kissed me like he wanted me, truly wanted me. We pulled away from the kiss, for the sole reason of needing to breathe. I felt blood rush to my cheeks and I chewed on my lip and moved back to take a sip of the wine, revelling in its complex notes and the familiarity to his own taste. I looked up to see a few people giving us dirty looks, Pavarti in the attendance of those who were staring. I put a hand on his knee and squeezed it to get his attention.

"People are staring" I whispered as I turned to face him, he chuckled he had his signature smirk on his face.

"I wonder why." He said leaning forward and placing a small delicate kiss in the corner of my mouth

"mhmm, I really have no clue," I said with a small smile that he mirrored,

"Would you like any dessert?" The waiter asked as he moved to grab our plate, Draco turned to look at me, I shrugged.

"Could we get a menu?" He asked,The waiter nodded as he left

"They have a great cheesecake here." He informed me, his eyes lighting up with excitement "You are not what I'd thought you would be"

"Uh thank you. I think." He said with a pause, his face scrunching up thinking over my words

"No, No it's a good thing, you just keep changing my expectations."

"Well someone's got to keep you on your toes." I felt something I haven't felt in months. I felt brand new. Draco Malfoy was not who I expected.

*Draco Malfoy *

I felt like a new man. I've never been in a serious relationship, I mean unless you count Pansy, which I certainly do not. It's not that I couldn't get a girlfriend, it's I never really wanted one. After the war, I became the poster boy for the bad boy gone good. I had the money, I had the company, I had the good looks, I had a dark mark, it was a chick magnet. So why settle down, when I could have the sex and fun without any consequence. I wasn't planning on asking Gran- Hermione to marry me, the law was in place and I was going to pay the tax, I could afford it. Blaise told me he asked her and I felt an emotion I haven't felt in years, pure unrestrained jealousy. I wasn't a jealous man by nature, I was brought up with a silver spoon in my mouth, which makes me extremely bratty but not jealous. I got anything I wanted. The last time I felt truly jealous was 2 years ago when I read in the newspaper that the golden couple Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger got engaged. Blaise was the one who pushed me to ask her. Once I discussed it with my parents expecting them to push back but they did not to my surprise. I really had no reason not to ask her, the worst case scenario she would say no. I even discussed with the wonderboy before I went through with it. I'm so glad I did. Hermione Granger was everything you thought she would be and more. She really brought the light anywhere she was as cliche and sappy as that sounds. Fuck, I was not a cliche or sappy. Last night was amazing, Last night was the start of something I would fight for till the end and I hated that. I hated that I was attached to her. This woman was going to have me wrapped around her finger and I was going to enjoy it. I walked into my office feeling oddly upbeat for Monday.

" , Your Coffee sir." I smiled at the petite blonde, who handed me a cup as she stood up from her desk.

"Thank You, Lisa, Have the files from Germany been reviewed?" She nodded

"Yes Sir, said he would have you sign it himself. He is um waiting in your office."

"Alright, perfect. Thank you." she smiled before returning to her paperwork

"Draco" I looked at the man sitting with a knowing smile on his face

"Blaise, I take it your here to get my signature on a few things." He nodded as he got up and passed me a file.

"I am, I have reviewed it, the company is in the clear. You're good to sign it and owl it to the ministry." I opened the file looking at the highlighted sections which required my signature. Blaise and I made a good team, I know there are reservations about hiring friends to work in your company but my company wouldn't be what it was without Blaise. He was not only my personal lawyer but my company's head lawyer. I would never make a legal move without him. He was one of my best friends.

"Perfect, this is a good account for us. "I sat down at my desk

"So uh, how was your date?" he took a seat in front of me, I smiled and ran a hand through my hair

"Great, It was great. She's just" I paused searching for a word

"Great?" He asked with a chuckle, I nodded

"She is. I wish I asked her out a long time ago."

"It might have been different if you did, You're both different people now."

"Yeah, I know but I just wish I had more time."

"You will, you're marrying her and I mean It looked like you had a lot more fun than I thought you would on the first date." I looked at him puzzled, 'looked like?'

" What, what are you talking about?" His eyes widen as he realized something

"Oh, you don't know?"

"Know what Zabini?" my patience running thin

"Oh you two made a huge splash in the papers, that's all that's on the news. How deatheater turned business mogul and the golden trio's very own were sucking face in an expensive restaurant." There went my upbeat feeling, this was exactly what she didn't want.

"Fuck, really?" He nodded sympathetically.

"Some are kinda brutal." I groaned and let my head hit my desk with a small thud

"Lisa, could you bring in a few newspapers for me" I heard Blaise ask my assistant

"Sure, Mr. Zabini" I heard her say over the intercom

"I don't think anyone figured out you two were engaged. It seems her left hand didn't really make it into the shot."

"They took pictures?" I mumbled into the desk

"Yeah, is it really that bad, I mean you two did tell a reporter you were on a date. That's asking for an article."

"Here are the papers you requested ." I heard Lisa's soft footsteps as she moved towards Blaise

"Thank you, Sweetheart" I heard her walk out and close the door behind her

"Take a look at them." I looked at Blaise before grabbing the newspapers he was holding out to me. The headlines were awful.

Our Favourite Business Mogul Turns His SuperModels in for the Golden Trio Heroine!

Ex-Deatheater Bringing Out the Naughty in Our Golden Princess!

Hermione Granger's Rebound is Unbelievable, Look Out Weasley!

Looks Like Hermione Granger is Not Immune to Draco Malfoy's Charms!

Seems Draco Malfoy is the man to be! Money, looks, and Hermione?

Yeah, she was not going to like this at all. The picture was not great, she was clutching at my tie and hair, our lips attached.

"This is not good." I said pinching the bridge of my nose

"You haven't even read the article."

"I don't need to, it's full of shit anyway"

*Hermione Granger*

I hate Mondays, It's just who I was. Monday's were when bad days occurred. I got grounded for the first time when I was 8 on a Monday, I got detention for the first time on a Monday. I walked in on my fiance cheating on me on a Monday. My engagement broke on a Monday. Monday's were not good but I felt good this Monday. Perhaps it was due to a great Sunday night. The date was wonderful. I haven't had a good time like that in a long time. I walked in to work to find people staring at me, I found them whispering to each other. No one made any eye contact with me. It was odd. I was the head of this department so I was used to my employees not being at ease around me but this was different. I walked up to my office door to see Byron looking flustered.

"Good Morning Miss Granger," He said when he noticed I was standing in front of him

"Morning, Uhm Byron is it me or are people staring?" I asked in a hushed whisper, he shook his head frantically

"No one is staring Miss Granger. I have your files laid out in your office, and you have received an Owl from Mr. Shacklebolt requesting a meeting tomorrow at noon to discuss the developments in the Caldwell case, and has requested to meet you for lunch today."

"Okay update my calendar so I can meet Kingsley and write him back telling him I'll come to his office and Tell Ginny I'll meet her at the bar down the street. Uhm also could you bring me a cup of green tea, a bagel with butter and my newspaper."

"There are no Newspapers." He said more loudly than necessary.

"No newspapers?" He played with his tie nervously

"They haven't been delivered yet"

" They get delivered at 7 AM during the week. It's now 9:20, and you're telling no newspaper, not one, has been delivered yet." He bit his lip and nodded

"Yes, ." I took a minute sizing my assistant up

" , why are you acting so weird."

"I'm not . I"m going to go get you that tea and bagel." He ushered me into my office and closed the door behind him. He was always on edge but he was more on than usual. I wasn't too worried about him though.

I met Ginny at the bar. She looked excited, It looked like she had ordered my meal for me.

"Hey Gin,"

"Hermione, Hope you like burgers!"

"I do" I said sliding into the booth

"So how was the date?" I raised an eyebrow

"I'm having a good day so far thanks for asking Gin," The redhead rolled her eyes and took a sip of the butterbear that was in her cup.

" I'm not exactly interested in your day Hermione, the date on the other hand must have been amazing for you to be snogging the ferret in the middle of a fancy place like your life depended on it." I looked at her surprised not sure how she knew that information.

"How? What?"

"What do you mean how?" She asked taking another bite of her burger

"How do you know we kissed?"

"It's in the papers haven't you seen?" I sighed shaking my head no. This explains Byron's weird behaviour, and the staring,

"Oh no," I waved down a waiter

"Excuse me, Do you have any papers in here?" He smiled, a hint of recognition in his face

"Yes, we have a few, would you like me to bring them you?" I nodded

"It's not a big deal Hermione, don't do your overthinking thing." She said casually

"No it is, this is exactly what I didn't want."

"Why? Who cares if people know? You're going to marry him." my eyes widened

"Is that in the paper?"

"No, they didn't see the ring your left hand was uhm clutching his tie so" I made a mental note to take my ring and put on a necklace and wear it on my neck.

"I just I didn't want it to be in the papers, Did Ron leave last night on his mission?" she nodded

"Do you not want him to know?"

"I just, I want to be the one to tell him."

"You don't have to feel guilty Mione, You're allowed to move on. You don't owe him a thing" I knew that, I really did. He cheated on ME. I didn't need to feel guilty.

"Here you go," the waiter handed the newspapers to me with a smug smirk. I looked at the headlines, they were awful.

"Gin, these are awful. They're so bad." She winced as I she read aloud the paper I had in my hand

" Our Favourite Business Mogul Turns His SuperModels in for the Golden Trio Heroine. Oh my god. I have no words. I didn't realize that his type was exclusively models"

"Yeah a few are a little rough,"

"Looks like the most eligible Bachelor has decided to sink his claws into the brightest witch of their generation, Is she truly bright if she falls for the playboys charms. These are all so degrading.."

"Who cares what they have to say Hermione, They aren't true, it's just gossip."

"There's a picture of me with his tongue down my mouth." I shook the paper.I looked at the picture, I was clutching his tie, one hand in his blonde hair. We looked unstoppable, It looked private, intimate. I smiled softly at the memory.

"How bout you tell me how you got there?" I sighed giving in to Ginny's nosy nature

"We were having a good time"

"Apparently," she said making a kissing motion at me with her lips

"Shut up Ginny," she giggled, I continued recalling what happened on my date

" He told me how his parents met, and I don't know it was just going really well. We were laughing and just it was fun. It was a good date. And then we were uhm interrupted by Parvati." Ginny rolled her eyes

"Let me guess she was smug and condescending"

"Of course! She also asked about Ron. Like she wasn't in the know that he was shagging Brown on the Low. and Draco bless his heart, called her out on it."

"He did? That's so weird, him coming to your aid."

"I know And she denied knowing about it"

" I love how she acts like she didn't break the fucking story."

"Yeah and she made some comment about not knowing we were friends and I was so tired of her so I said we were dating. I really shouldn't have let her rile me up. I'm positive it was her who took the picture."

"Ugh you know if you really wanted them to stop printing it you could probably ask Malfoy to put a stop to it."

"What could Malfoy do about the press?"

"Threaten them." I gave her look

" Ginny I'm not -"

"Hermione, He's done it before, remember right after the war when they would right those horrid papers about his mum because his dad was in azkaban. He threatened to buy the companies out and fire everyone and quite honestly he has the money to do so"

"Well, I'm not going to ask him to threaten people Ginny."

"He'd probably enjoy it"

"He probably would. I've been reading about him lately." She raised an eyebrow at me

"The Hermione Granger reading the gossip columns?"

'No, More like the business sections. He's kinda ruthless in a conference room."

"Not a bad thing for a businessman. Anyway let's get in to the important stuff."

"Which is?"

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Ginevera!"

"Oh come on,"

"No, I did not. It was the first date for goodness sake GIn."

"Well you weren't opposed to making out with was the last time you got laid?" I blushed. It was a while, it's been an embarrassingly long time

"I don't know, like 9 months." I mumbled

"9 months? Merlin Hermione. I would've dragged the blond tosser to bed."

"Can we talk about something else please?"

"Alright, Was he a good kisser?"

"Ginny, is this necessary?"

"Yes, I tell you everything."

"And I ask you not to. I do not want to know anything about Harry. In fact i'm positive I know too much about Harry. I beg you for no information."

" That's what bestfriends do Mione. So go on how was the smooching."

"Good, Great, It was ugh, this makes me uncomfortable." She rolled her eyes

'Well do you think he'll live up to the sex god rumours."

"I wouldn't know Gin, I have not slept with him."

"Well judging by his kissing how do you think he'll fare in bed?"

"Ginny I am not answering that." I said with a smile

"He's going to be good isn't he. I mean he must be to get your prudish arse to make out with him."

"I am not a prude."

"I'll take that as a yes. And have you considered how experienced he must be in the sack, you'd definitely be a prude compared to Malfoy's whorish ways " She said with a sly smile, I rolled my eyes adding a new worry to my list and changed the subject

"So how's the quidditch career," She smiled knowing she got to me before letting me change the subject

"Good but I don't know how long it'll last."

"What do you mean? You love playing and you're one of the best players no doubt."

"Yes, I know that but uhm Harry and I are going to start trying."

"Oh my god, Gin, that's so, that's wonderful." I said moving towards to give her a hug.

"I know, I'm excited. I think I want a boy, they're easy to handle."

*Draco POV*

I felt weird. I was standing outside Granger's apartment, debating whether or not I should knock. I had a small feeling she might be freaking out about the papers, and well I just kinda wanted to see her. I've been waiting outside her apartment for 15 minutes now. It's official I was a creep. I needed to stop being a coward. I raised a fist to knock on her door, as the door flung open and she walked right into my chest.

"Oh my, i'm sor- Draco?" she looked at me puzzled my presence

"Hey, uh is this a bad time?" she smiled and shook her head no, She was dressed down, in a pair of those muggle jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair thrown up in a bun, not a lick of makeup on her face.

"No, uh come on in. I was just throwing away my trash. Just wait for a minute." I nodded stepping in to her apartment. I didn't really get a chance to look at it last night. It was nice, different than the places I was used to it. In her small flat, there were pictures all over the wall, some muggle some magical. Her place made you feel welcome, it was cozy and inviting and completely Hermione. My flat was done by some designer the rooms, other than my office I suppose, were completely impersonal.

"So what brings you here Malfoy? Missed me too much?" She asked with a suggestive wink

" A little bit, I uh actually wanted to know if you read the papers, and If you were uhm alright?"

" I did, I suppose we should have known. They're terrible."

"If they really bother you, I can handle it." She laughed,

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just Ginny said that you would be able to. I do not want you threatening the press, Draco."

"It's not a threat exactly." I mumbled, feeling oddly embarrassed that they were able to predict my actions so easily, she rolled her eyes

"Sure, it's not."

"But seriously? You okay? I heard about the Paparazzi attacking you and wesealette." I was furious when I heard. What spineless moron attacks a bunch of women because of her bloody date.

"Yeah, it was a lot. I wasn't expecting it but I'm used to press, being Harry's best friend and all" She said nervously playing with her wrist

"Right of course" We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes

"I'm sorry," I blurted out, my mouth moving before my mind had a chance to catch up with it

"For what?" She asked her brows furrowed in concern

"I don't know. Everything. For all the nasty stuff they wrote in the papers."

" You didn't write it."

"No, but if i was a better person they wouldn't have all that ammunition. I'm sorry for defacement of your golden girl character" I said the wrong thing, though I didn't know what it was. I saw anger flash through her eyes

"Malfoy, do not put me on some pedestal, How you lived your life is not and can not deface me"

"I know that, but those articles are awful because of me."

"Or me,"

'You weren't the one on booze binges, and sexcapades"

"With supermodels?" she was teasing me, There was a twinkle in her eyes that I wasn't used to. This all felt surreal, never did I think, I'd be in Granger's apartment, her teasing me about my actions

"With supermodels."

"Well maybe I should've been." She said with a shrug

"Should've been what?"

"Out on booze binges and sexaapades with supermodels." she said before shyly yet boldy wrapping an arm around my neck. I smiled and wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her closer. I leaned in to whisper in her ear

"Well, if a sexapade with a supermodel is what you're looking for, i'm sure we can make that happen." she giggled swatting my arm before plopping down into her worn-in couch

"I think i'll settle for a booze binge" I chuckled

"I can make that happen… are you sure that you're okay?"

" I am, It would be unfair of me to be upset at you for things in the past."

"You really are an angel aren't you?" She rolled her eyes with a laugh

"I expect to be invited to your next booze binge and/or sexapade." she said with a wink

"Believe me Granger, you'll be there."

"Do you want something to drink? Or have you eaten? I can order some takeout." I smiled

"That sounds lovely," and it did. I wanted to do nothing else but have takeout with granger in her tiny apartment.

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you like where this is going! Please review! They help with motivation hahaa. I hope 2019 treats you all well :)

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