Chapter 3
The Article
Friend or foe?
Or perhaps something More?
The headline on page 1 of the Daily Prophet blared out ominously. The picture below it drawing the real attention.
It was Hermione and Draco descending the staircase into the ballroom the previous night.
The moving picture shows him taking her elbow and them descending a few steps before starting over again.
The worst part was, the picture showed her blush!
But the most interesting part was Malfoy himself. She didn't look at him that night, but now in the picture she could see what she missed. He looked down at her while guiding her, he looked protective. He was pressed closer to her than she had realised.
And even more awkwardly, their clothes matched coincidentally. His dress robes were black but the tie was silver silk and the dress shirt beneath was emerald green.
If people didn't know any better they would have thought they arrived together as partners.
The article itself brushed over the events of the night, including Narcissa's speech. It also gave an overview of the guest.
But no one could miss that the main news was Hermione and Draco. The article covered them in every minuscule detail. Every time they spoke, even every time they looked at each other.
The author must have watched them like a hawk the entire evening!
The article made it seem like they were in love!
Ridiculous!
Hermione slammed the newspaper down on the kitchen breakfast bar. Her hand haggardly brushing through her untamed curls.
She hated journalist.
Hermione finished her breakfast while thinking what she will do for the day. It was Saturday and she was off.
Eventually she decided to go to Diagon Alley, she wanted to go visit the new bookstore that had opened.
So after breakfast she showered and dressed in muggle clothing, tight jeans and green spaghetti top with small heeled black boots.
She aparated to the leaky cauldron and glanced about her at the dark dimly lit bar.
Why not get a quick drink first? So Hermione sat down and ordered a butterbeer.
She was halfway through her butterbeer when someone slid onto the stool next to her.
Hermione glanced at the person, the blonde hair and pale face smirking at her.
"If it isn't my 'boyfriend', to what do I owe the pleasure?" Hermione quipped sarcastically, the article really got to her. She has always hated Draco and now the press is making them off as romantically involved!
Draco instead kept his amused cocky smirk in place.
"My beautiful 'girlfriend' seems to be upset, what I can do to make her happy again!"
Draco mockingly grabbed his heart as if he was heartbroken and looked at her in mock terror.
Hermione couldn't help but give a small genuine smile. He obviously had also read the prophet.
"Well you could break up with me?" She gave a small giggle at her statement and his face of mock indignation.
"Break up with you... That could work; the press can then go on for weeks about your broken heart..." He seemed to taunt her, the smirk back in place.
Hermione realised she didn't want the press to run with her supposedly heart break and failed relationship with a pure blood Malfoy.
She had pride. No woman wants the media to flaunt her inability to maintain a relationship, especially since she was muggle born and already had a failed relationship flaunted in the past.
Hermione frowned. What to do to get the media away. Without making her seem like another failure in the romantic category.
Draco watched the frown and emotions flicker across her face. An idea formed in his mind.
Maybe he can repay her for her kindness four years ago.
"Look Granger, let's get somewhere private to talk. I've got an idea." Hermione glanced up at him, he seemed serious. No cocky smirk.
"Alright, let's go to my apartment." Without another word she took hold of his arm and side along aparated into her apartment.
Hermione showed him to the small sitting room, she noticed how he looked all over her apartment. Taking everything in her guessed.
She was glad suddenly that her place was cosy yet tidy.
After coming back from the kitchen with coffee for the both of them she sat down opposite him.
"Well Malfoy, what is your idea?" Hermione sat upright in the edge of her seat. Whereas Draco sat back, almost sprawled, in utter relaxation on his couch.
The cocky smirk on his face. As always.
"Well Granger, I must say, nice place you've got here. It's so... You." She watched him as he glanced prominently at the wall to wall floor to ceiling bookshelf on the one side of her living room. Books stacked tightly together and even stacked in neat piles on the floor, due to lack of shelf space.
Hermione tilted her head so that her chin stubbornly pressed out.
"Well it is my place Malfoy. So it should be 'me'."
Draco smirked again; his eyes seemed to hide some humour she realised.
"Cut to the chase Malfoy." Hermione looked into his eyes, forcing him back to the reason of this talk.
"Well Granger, I know how the press flaunted your relationship with the Weasel... And also how they made it out like you were the failure. I also know how they flaunted your other two relationships after the weasel. Also making you out as the massive failure." Hermione huffed.
What was his point exactly? She knew very well how the media painted her as the emotionally unavailable dragon lady.
"Your point being Malfoy." Draco sat back and twirled his wand between his fingers, intently studying her face. A slight smile on his lips.
"My point being, I can help with that." Hermione looked at him questioningly. What did he mean?
"Meaning what exactly?"
His smile went wide; she noticed that he actually had a beautiful smile, when he isn't wearing that awful smirk.
"Meaning Granger, I can help make you into the wanted girlfriend, instead of the dragon lady. And the Prophet gave us that opportunity." Hermione frowned at him. She was getting what he was saying, she thought anyway.
"Okay, go on Malfoy." He smiled again, and then sat forward in his seat to look at her intently.
"Well Granger, you probably know that even with our dark past, I am still rather... Sought after. My family is still welcomed everywhere and the Malfoy name still hold respect. If you were to be my girlfriend, which would cast you in a certain alluring light." Hermione gaped at him in surprise. She knew what he was saying of course. Draco had taken over Malfoy Enterprises in the last four years. He has been revolutionising it, integrating it into the muggle business world also. Between him and his mother they had single handedly saved the Malfoy name. His mother on the social front and him in the monetary business front.
She also knew Draco was a ladies man; social pages always flaunted him with the model of the day in his arm. And almost all marriageable mamas tried to get him married to their little princesses. And the little princesses also tried very hard to catch him for themselves. Yet he never had a steady girlfriend.
Yes if she were at his side as an actual girlfriend, everyone would want to be her and be with her.
"Okay Malfoy, what are you saying exactly?"
Draco sat back again, confidence pouring out of him like his whole scent. And his scent was spearmint and apples; she grudgingly admitted to herself that she had actually noticed.
"What I am saying is, as much as I feel uncomfortable to admit it, I owe you. And this is me trying to pay the debt, even if it's just a minuscule payment at this time. Let's play the prophet at their own game. You and me in a relationship. We keep at it for I think, about six to eight months. Then you dump me. We can figure out the particulars as we go. We make it seem like I am the one that do something wrong and you be the one that dump me. During the next few months, we make you the perfect girlfriend to have. I will help you."
Hermione stared at him wide eyed. The idea was preposterous!
Yet she couldn't help but be fascinated with it.
What could she lose? And what would she gain?
She would lose a few months of freedom, being his 'girlfriend'. She would also have to pretend to like him; also probably have to subject herself to various physical contacts with him in public. That would be difficult... She looked at him, he was handsome. And his scent felt like home? His lips looked kissable also. Oh my.
She was actually attracted to the ferret!
Okay maybe the physical parts won't be that difficult then.
And she would gain her pride again. Get rid of the stigma of emotionally unavailable dragon lady. She would be able to walk the dating world again, and even hopefully finally meet an equal who she can love.
Yes her pride would be restored. That was worth this all.
Hermione looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of a trap. But all she could see was a bit of humour and something else. Something she couldn't put a name on.
Something she didn't dare put a name on.
A deep breath and then she answered him.
"Alright Malfoy. Let us do this."
They smiled at each other. Excited anticipation filling the air between them.
