……………………………………………………
Anything He Can Do I Can Do Better
……………………………………………………
We built it up
To watch it fall
Like we meant nothing at all
I gave and gave the best of me
But couldn't give you what you need
……
Hermione glared at Draco angrily, but her eyes were pleading for him to not force her to break Ron's heart again. She wiped at her tears and turned to look at Ron. She had no right to hurt him anymore, but with Malfoy there at her shoulder, there wasn't much she could say to him. Ron looked so handsome and she just now realized that she had missed him so very much.
"You should go back to Lavender, Ron. She'll be wondering where you are," Hermione said quietly. There had been so many things that she had wanted to say to him but none that she could say with Malfoy standing there behind her like some dangerous shadow.
Ron's eyes darted from her to Malfoy, then back to her. He eyed her from head to toe and shook his head once. "You really have settled into your new life easily, haven't you Hermione? I see now that I wasn't enough for you. That you needed more," he said quietly.
Hermione shook her head. "Ron—"
"No, Hermione. Just be honest with yourself. What I was offering was never enough for you, was it? At least not compared to what Malfoy was willing to give you," Ron said spitefully.
Hermione didn't reply, but she was thanking Merlin over and over that Draco hadn't said a thing to make the situation worse. He was watching her closely, wondering what she would say next. Though Ron's words hurt her, she was willing to take it if it made him feel better.
"I'm sorry, Ron. Maybe it was for the best that we ended things while we still had a chance to do so," she said, taking Draco's hand and walking back towards their seats.
"I'm sorry too, Hermione. I'm sorry we ever met," he said before she was out of hearing range.
When they turned into the short hallway leading to their seats, Hermione let go of his hand and stopped, forcing down her tears. Draco watched her and felt a twinge in his heart at the clear distress on her face. "Maybe we should leave," he suggested. Hermione nodded, not trusting her voice. "I'll go tell my parents and then we can go," he said. He was only gone for a few seconds before he was guiding her outside towards their carriage.
Draco admired her valor. She held in her tears through the whole ride. The only sign of her grief was her trembling bottom lip and her glassy eyes. He touched her hand, her gloved fingers gently, a little surprised when she didn't pull away at his touch. He took her slim hand in his and held it between both of his. When they arrived, he walked her to her room. She had been silent the whole way, though he suspected that as soon as he was gone, she would start to cry.
For some reason, he didn't want to leave her alone in such a state. "Do you want to drink something to make you relax?" he asked her softly.
Hermione shook her head and pulled off her coat, gloves, and heels. Then followed the diamond collar that she carefully placed into its velvet box. "Why are you still here?" she snapped when he didn't move away from his perch on her vanity.
"I don't want you to cry. That sod doesn't deserve your tears after what he said to you," Draco said in annoyance.
"He said them because he's hurt. Did you expect him to forgive me and ask me to be friends with him again?" she asked angrily. "Just leave me alone. I'm tired," she muttered as she pulled out a pair of red flannel pants and a white t-shirt from her dresser.
"I know that you are going to fall apart as soon as I leave and I don't want that to happen," he said as he walked over to stand behind her as she stared at herself in a full-length mirror.
Her eyes narrowed at his reflection behind hers. "Just because I let you hold my hand it doesn't mean that you're now my friend."
Draco laughed abruptly, the deep sound making her stomach flop even as she felt sick because of it. "Please, Hermione. The farthest thing from my mind is being your friend. Especially while you're wearing that dress," he murmured against her ear, breathing her in. She smelled of cherry blossoms and powder.
Hermione moved away from him and nearly tripped over her dress, but his hands were on her hips, gentle yet firm, drawing her in towards him. He was tall, Hermione mused. Her chin barely reached his shoulder without her heels on, and that had been because the heels had given her almost two inches of height. Hermione tried to push away from him, but she had been right to say that he had much more strength than her. Besides, she was feeling curiously immobile as he held her in his arms.
"Why can't you just understand that you mean to me more than just a conquest or a game?" he asked before he ran a hand up her bare back towards the back of her neck.
"Unhand me, Malfoy," she gasped when he pulled her forward forcefully, pressing their chests together. She was nearly bent backwards as she tried to push away from him, but she had to admit that the cologne he was wearing was very appealing. At that very moment as he held her, she didn't think that this was the man who had broken her life into many different pieces. All she knew was that his mouth was coming closer to hers and that she wasn't exactly fighting him.
Draco pressed their lips together and kissed her, a slight tension ebbing out of him when she didn't twist out of his grip or harm him physically the way she had done twice before. He slipped his tongue into her pliant mouth and heard her make a small noise as it rubbed against hers.
Hermione for her part was in a haze. Her brain was not cooperating with her and she was helpless to Draco's skillful attack. She wasn't even aware that they were no longer standing. He was laying her down on her own bed, his hands moving over her arms, her waist, her stomach, before venturing lower. She wasn't even conscious of the fact that her own hands were in his soft hair. He left her mouth to kiss his way over her neck and collarbone. She was breathing raggedly, her brain still stuck in that haze that she had never felt before. Not even with… with… What had she been thinking about? Hermione couldn't even remember. She gasped as his lips moved to the dip of her cleavage with gentle sweeps of his tongue.
Draco knew deep down that this night couldn't go past any heavy petting. Mostly because she wasn't ready to accept him as her lover, and because she had been distraught when they had started. If they went all the way, she would hate him even more for taking advantage of her. Though he wanted her more than anything, he would be patient, regardless of what his father had said about getting her impregnated as soon as possible. He felt that a child at this moment would be a very bad thing. Besides, he had yet to come to terms with the fact that he needed to become a father in order to get his wife to stay with him forever.
But all those things didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy the moment, he thought as he began to inch her dress up little by little. That was when Hermione froze in his arms, going tense again. "Get off me, Malfoy. Get off me now before I do something we will both regret," she said breathlessly.
Draco swallowed hard and forced his own erratic breathing to normal. He moved up her body to look at her and saw the clear anguish and hurt in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt you," he murmured as he ran a hand over her jaw gently.
Hermione shook her head and a few tears escaped her control. "Don't you understand that you already have?" she asked before she moved off the bed and walked towards her door. She opened it wide and motioned for him to leave. "Leave before you make things worse. I don't want to fight. I'm too tired," she said.
Draco sat up and ran a hand through his hair before standing and making his way out of her room without a word. Hermione shut the door, but no sooner had she done it, there was a knock. Hermione checked to see if she had no more tears on her face before she opened it.
Draco was leaning on the doorframe, watching her. "I forgot to tell you something."
"What?" she asked quietly.
"You looked beautiful tonight. And it's not just me trying to be sly or charming. Red really is your color," he said before turning and walking away.
"Thank you," Hermione muttered before shutting the door again.
Once he was gone, Hermione released a shaky breath before the tears fell. It seemed that for the past weeks all she had been doing was crying. She cried when she looked at the last remaining picture of her and Ron; right before she went to bed; when she looked at the engagement ring he had nearly thrown at her a few days before her wedding to Malfoy, when he had confessed that he had been ready to marry her. It was a true miracle that she wasn't cried out. She was tired of crying and crying, but all the things that had happened to her gave her the right to cry night and day.
What made her feel worse now was the fact that she had allowed Malfoy to get so far with her tonight. She had even forgotten about Ron when Malfoy's lips had been on her body. She shivered in remembrance and was almost sick. She couldn't betray Ron this way. She couldn't. And it wasn't going to happen again.
Hermione removed her dress and put on her pajamas. Her life was a complete disaster and she had no solution to her problems. She had always been so organized about everything. Her homework, her room, her books, her life. Now everything was a mess and she was so confused. Ron was moving on and she had a feeling that he would most likely end up married to Lavender before her two years with Malfoy were over. And though Malfoy had destroyed everything she had been, he had been acting strange with her for the past few days since their last argument when Lucius had interfered. Since she had returned to work, for the past four days, she had found lilies of her favorite kind waiting for her in the morning. There was no card but she knew who they were from. How he had found out what her favorite flower was, she didn't know. Hermione had simply thrown away the first bouquet, but at Neville's insistence had spared the others. Instead she had split up the bouquets and had given them to random coworkers.
Malfoy would also pop up at her office at random times and would watch her for a few minutes when he thought that she wasn't aware of it. She also knew that he enjoyed terrorizing Neville, because the poor man reverted to the young, nervous, and clumsy boy he had been whenever he came around. Having Draco come around whenever he pleased was getting tiresome. Didn't he have a life? A job? It was unnerving. He was unnerving.
Hermione just couldn't believe that they had snogged on her bed. But snog was such an immature word to use now that she was married to him and that they were no longer teenagers. She was a few months shy of twenty-two and she had to admit that this would be the first birthday she would spend without her friends since she had met them ten years ago. Of course her mother would come over, and so would Harry, but she still felt the empty void where Ron, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasley family had been. And she was loath to admit, even Lavender, who had become a close friend to her once they had graduated from Hogwarts.
As Hermione washed her face free of make-up, she stared at herself in the mirror, spotting a very red mark on her smooth, pale neck. She cursed Malfoy for marking her and retrieved her wand to remove the offending mark. She needed to get to bed.
First thing in the morning, she would get up at dawn to run a mile. She had been neglecting her cardio exercises and it had to stop. For the past four years she and the boys had had a routine of exercise and training so keep their senses sharp and ready for when the war came along. Her spars with Harry and Ron had kept her fighting techniques fresh, but since Ron no longer spoke to her, she would have to find a time and place to practice with Harry. She didn't want to lose her touch, especially with Malfoy lurking around and harassing her when she wasn't in the mood and her patience was wearing thin.
As she lay her head down on one of the many pillows on her bed, she let her eyes slide closed. But this time, she did not see Ron's sad face looking at her, those blue eyes asking her why she had broken his heart like she had every single night since she had broken up with him. No, this time all she could see where a pair of sparkling gray eyes and soft, pink lips. Lips that had made her body sizzle with heat. And Merlin help her, she fell asleep with a smile curling her lips.
She didn't cry herself to sleep that night.
………………
Hermione watched Draco from across the breakfast table, her eyes narrowed slightly in thought. Nearly two weeks had passed since the little episode in her bedroom, and Malfoy had been the perfect gentleman with her. He had taken her out to dinner twice, and sometimes had to drag her out from her office for lunch time as well. To his credit, he hadn't mentioned what had transpired in her bedroom and she was thankful. She didn't need anymore reminders.
Yesterday, she had spent the entire day with her mother, and today she would spend with her mother-in-law. Hermione just hoped that she didn't have to suffer through more endless shopping the way her last two times with Narcissa had been. Though she really enjoyed her company, Hermione simply loathed shopping. The only time she actually liked to do said activity, was when the stores were empty of costumers. She hated crowds and the inevitable shoving and groping that entailed. Especially during Christmas time. Draco wasn't even looking at her. He and his father were reading different sections of the Prophet while they sipped their coffees and there was a boring silence at the table.
Narcissa was watching her as Hermione watched her son. She knew that when she told her daughter-in-law the last bit of news she had, the girl would probably want to jump off of the highest peak of the Manor. But it had taken her a while to convince her son to accept, so convincing Hermione or better yet—trapping—her into the plan would be slightly easier.
Lucius finally set down his paper and stood, giving Narcissa his hand so that she could stand. "Come along darling, we have many things to get done," he said.
"What? I thought that we were going out today," Hermione interrupted. Inside she was jumping in happiness. Now she would get to sulk in her room all day.
Narcissa gave her a rueful look. "I'm sorry, Hermione. But something came up that Lucius and I have to get done today. We'll leave it for next weekend. But I do need you and Draco to pick up a package for me at Flourish and Blott's. Can I trust you two will not kill each other while you retrieve my package?" she asked with a smile.
Hermione looked at Draco and he just shrugged. "Why can't they just deliver the package?" she asked.
The blonde just shook her head. "It's an expensive book that needs to be signed for and given to the hands of a member of the family. Since I cannot go, you and Draco must do this favor for me," she said before turning and walking off with Lucius.
"Your mother is a terrible sneak," said Hermione before taking a sip of her orange juice.
"Now you see where I really get it from," he said with a smirk.
Hermione surprised him and herself with an abrupt, honest laugh. She looked away when he set down his paper and stood. He walked around the table and stopped beside her, giving her his hand much the same way as his father had done only a few minutes ago for his mother. Hermione stared at his graceful, long-fingered hand, with the Malfoy crest ring on his finger for a few seconds. She then took it and they stood.
Draco looked at her from head to toe and smirked. "Don't you ever wear dresses?" he asked in amusement.
She gave him a haughty look. "Do I strike you as the girly-girl type?" she asked as she motioned to her attire. She was wearing a pair of green-grey pants tucked into her knee-high boots and a black turtle-neck with a wide neck. Her black leather and velvet boots had a small, wide heel, so they didn't make her much taller and Draco could look down his nose at her. She'd pulled her hair into a messy yet stylish pony-tail, and she had opted to leave off the make-up, except for a bit of gloss for her lips.
Draco stared at her for a moment, enjoying the way her pants molded to her hips and bum perfectly, highlighting those curves and—"What?" he snapped when she waved a hand in his face.
"Stop ogling my arse!" she snapped, voice high with annoyance, and her cheeks coloring in embarrassment.
"You shouldn't have worn those pants then," he replied as he followed her to the coat closet and she pulled out a long black coat that reached her knees. "You're my wife. If I can't touch then I have a right to look."
"We should go," she snapped as she put on the coat and crossed her arms over her chest grumpily.
Draco smiled. She had no idea how endearing that look on her face was. If she did, she wouldn't make it. She was pouting slightly though her eyes were crackling with fire. It was a very attractive look on her. He saw her eyes narrow as she watched him. He smirked. "Don't be such a child, grumpy," he said before taking her hand and apparating them straight to Diagon Alley.
Hermione wanted to slap him so badly, but then she was very aware that they were now in a public place and there were people stopping to stare and whisper about them. There were a group of school-girls standing by the newspaper and magazine stand who were all talking amongst themselves and looking at her husband as if he were some sort of star or god. She had a sudden flashback to her second year at Hogwarts when she had been star struck with Gilderoy Lockhart. Geez, that had been an embarrassing stage in her life.
"Come on your highness, before they start asking for your autograph," she muttered, pulling him along.
Draco smirked and winked at the girls as they passed by, earning him an elbow in the ribs from his dear wife. "Jealous, my sweet?"
"In your twisted dreams. But we're supposed to be projecting the happy, perfect couple, aren't we?" she snapped.
He draped his arm around her shoulders, watching her grit her teeth. "Tell me something about yourself that I don't know," he said as he slowed their stride and stopped to look at random windows.
"You don't know anything about me, so it would take too damned long," she said, trying to inconspicuously shrug off his arm from around her shoulders.
"I've got time," Draco said with a teasing lilt to his tone. She didn't budge. "Come on," he cajoled.
Hermione sighed in aggravation. "Fine," she said. "My middle name is Jane and I like lilies."
Draco squeezed her. "I said tell me something I didn't know…… Tell me something about your childhood."
She gave a one shouldered shrug. "I was an only child and while I loved my parents attention, I still felt alone and I always wanted a brother," she said simply.
"You see? That wasn't so hard, was it?" he asked as he kissed her temple and smirked. She looked as if she wanted to wipe the skin he had touched. "That's good to know though. I felt the same way for about a year, but then I got over it. I believe that was when I first met Crabbe and Goyle."
"They were more like your servants than friends or brothers," Hermione said with a shake of her head.
"How would you know? You didn't know me at all back then," he said as they stopped in front of the animal store where they were selling owls, rats, toads, cats, and other strange assortment of animals.
Hermione gave him a look that said that she didn't believe him. "You're telling me that you cared about those two back when you were an even bigger insufferable git?"
Draco nodded. "We spent time at each other's homes during our holidays. Though they are a bit slow-witted, they showed me what it was like to have brother's when I was an only child…… Now, let's move on. Tell me one of your biggest fears."
"I think not," she replied. "Your biggest fears are sometimes hard for you to contemplate on your own. It's even harder to say them to another person. So, I don't think so. What about you?"
"What you said. I guess it's too early in this twisted relationship to ask about our fears…… Alright, your biggest victory?" he asked as he opened the door for the bookstore for her to walk in.
Hermione thought it over for a moment, but then they were in front of the employee and Draco was telling him that they were there to pick up a package for his mother. Her eyes wandered over the many beautiful books and she couldn't contain her giddiness. As she picked up a recent edition of advanced magical spells, she heard Draco snickering behind her. "Look," he said. "You're on the cover of these magazines."
Hermione turned to look and scowled, taking the magazine that read, Hermione Granger, Man Eater? "You are kidding me," she hissed as she turned to the page and noticed who had written it. "Lavender Brown. That cow. She took a page right out of Rita Skeeter's book. She says that the only reason I married you so quickly was because I was either interested in your money, or I had gotten pregnant! She also talks dirt about my past relationships with Krum and McLaggen!"
"You actually had relationships with them?" Draco asked as he looked over her shoulder at the article.
"The former more than the latter. I visited Krum in Bulgaria during sixth year," she said but did not elaborate. "And I bet that was something you didn't know about me."
"Touché," he muttered. "So," he said with a chuckle. "Which one is it? Are you pregnant or do you just want my money?"
Hermione hit him with the magazine before placing it back where it had been. "Sore little chit. She was just jealous that I had Ron longer than she did. But I'll get her for this," she hissed.
"Can I watch if you decide to kill her?" Draco asked eagerly.
"I'm not going to kill her, you dolt. Though I am feeling pretty petty. Do you have any connections at any of these magazines?" she asked him, an evil glint in her eyes.
Draco smiled pleasantly. "Of course I do. You're talking to Draco Malfoy here. I'm the best connected man in our society," he said egotistically. "You want to retaliate with an article about her?"
Hermione nodded. "And don't you dare include Ron in this," she said as the boy taking care of their order came back with a large package. She knew that she was being immature, but Lavender had no right to talk about her that way, and besides she was still holding a grudge about the time Lavender had spent with Ron during their sixth year.
Draco was looking at her as if he had swallowed a spoonful of lemon juice. "Fine," he snapped finally.
"Mrs. Malfoy already paid for the book," the boy said. "So I only need you to sign here that you received it in your hands," he said, pointing to the line in a large, black leather book.
"Thanks," Draco said as he did and then took the package. He turned to see that Hermione was deeply engrossed in her book of advanced spells. "We'll also take that book that she's reading," he said as he handed the man three galleons when he told him the price.
"Would you like me to wrap it up?"
Hermione shook her head and smiled. "No thank you. I'll take it like this," she said before following Draco out the door. "Thank you," she said to him.
Draco shrugged. "That's something else I know about you. You love books more than anything. I suppose you have already read half of the ones in the library?" he asked her.
Hermione shook her head ruefully. "I haven't had the time. I did take a look around and see a few that I really liked. I'll get to them, maybe next week," she said as they continued to walk. "Where are we going now?"
Draco took her hand again and apparated them to the outskirts of Hogsmeade. They were standing under a large, beautiful Weeping Willow next to the lake. The sun was still moving upwards so the weather was not as hot yet. "I'll be right back," he said before leaving her standing there alone.
Hermione leaned against the tree and nearly jumped when a red and white checkered sheet appeared in the grass with a basket on top. She rolled her eyes and found herself laughing when Draco reappeared, hands free of the package. "What is all this?" she asked, still smiling a little.
Draco shrugged. "I guess we can call this our first actual date. Going to those dinners and to the opera don't count because we couldn't really talk to each other without eavesdroppers. I know we had breakfast about an hour ago, but you barely touched your food and I didn't have much of an appetite myself. We can have tea, or butterbeer, or firewhiskey if you'd like," he said with a smirk as she made a face. "And the elves packed some croissants, scones and banana bread. I think there's more but I didn't really take a close look."
The whole scene was terribly clichéd, but she hated to admit that Ron had never done anything remotely close to this. Sure, they had gone out on romantic dinners, but at her insistence. Ron didn't have a romantic bone in him. Hermione grimaced. She needed to stop comparing the beautiful thing she'd had with Ron to her forced marriage to Malfoy.
Draco patted the spot next to him and she eyed him when she sat across from him, keeping her distance. She took out a croissant and a butterbeer. It was a strange combination, but all in all it didn't taste that unpleasant. "You know, you didn't answer my question about your greatest victory," Draco said as he had a piece of banana bread. "This is my favorite kind of bread," he said absently.
Hermione smiled slightly, but then sighed heavily. "I don't think I have a greatest victory yet," she admitted. "I think that if I would've been able to marry Ron and make him happy, that would've been my greatest victory. I don't think it's going to happen anymore, but it was a good dream while it lasted."
Draco just looked at her and for the first time since he had come up with his plan of trapping her into their marriage, he felt a pang of remorse. She wasn't happy, but he had great doubts about Weasley making her happy as well. He wanted to make her happy. He wanted to make her see that he wasn't with her just to up one on Weasley. She meant something special to him and wanted her to know.
"Haven't you stopped to think that maybe you weren't destined to be with Weasley? That maybe it was written somewhere that you and I would eventually end up together?" he asked her.
Hermione scoffed. "There's no such thing as destiny. We forge our own futures with our actions, Draco. Nothing is predetermined," she said.
Draco just shrugged and let it go. He didn't want to end up in an argument with her over something so trivial. He laid back on his elbows and looked at her for a long moment, watching her fidget with the book in her hands. "I was struck by a snake once, when I was about eight years old," he said.
Her eyes widened. "And you survived it?" It was a very unintelligent question because he was very obviously sitting in front of her thirteen years after the said accident. To his credit, he didn't tease her about it.
He just nodded. "My father had a pet snake, which happened to be poisonous. To this day we don't know how it got out of its home, but it did. I was sleeping in my room when it struck me. I just screamed loud enough to wake the dead and my father came into the room in seconds. I think that was the first time he had carried me or actually touched me since I was an infant. He floo'd us straight to Mungo's, and let me tell you that he was dressed in his pajama pants and a robe, nothing more. The healers took me in quickly and were able to counter the poison before it spread completely in my body. I was out like a light for many hours.
"My mother told me that my father just left to change his clothes and then returned. He spent the night watching over me and sent my mother home to get some rest. I remember that he was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. That was the first time I ever saw him smile at me, and the last."
Hermione frowned. "Did you find out how the snake got out?"
"No, but I suspect that my aunt Bella had something to do with it. She was staying at the Manor with my uncle Rudolphus for a few days. Though no one ever proved a thing," he replied.
Hermione smiled slightly. "You risked your life for your father's freedom. Your parents mean a great deal to you, don't they?" she murmured. He just shrugged noncommittally. She said deeply before her next words. "My mother is all I have left. My father died from a muggle illness almost two years ago. Even when he was dying, all he could think about was our well being. I miss him," she admitted, her voice cracking. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to cry.
Draco just watched her as she forced her tears down and took a deep steadying breath. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said quietly.
She nodded and took a sip of her butterbeer. "I miss my father, Draco," she said.
He scooted over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Nothing I can say will make the pain go away, but he's resting. He's not in pain anymore and I'm sure that your father wouldn't want you to be crying for him. He would want you to remember him before his illness, a strong healthy man who gave you the best memories of your life. A man who was always there for you and your mother. I can wager that he was a hundred times a better father than Lucius," he said with a small grin.
Hermione stared at him. "You're being terribly nice to me," she said.
"And I'm not pretending. You see? You've learned something more about me. That I can be honest when I really try."
At his words she laughed, feeling a great weight lift off her shoulders. She leaned back to lay flat on the ground, forcing Draco to remove his arm from around her shoulders. "What are your plans for the future?" she asked him.
Draco laid back as well, their heads touching slightly. "I want to have kids," he said, missing the look on her face. "Contrary to what my father says that having an heir is an obligation to continue the line, I want to know what it is like. I know I can be a good father; better than my own."
Hermione gave an unladylike snort. "Don't even think that you'll be having those kids with me," she said abruptly.
"And why the hell not? You're my wife!" he snapped.
"We'll be divorced in two years, either way. Find some other woman to get pregnant."
"I don't want just any woman as the mother of my children. Besides, I want them born under wedlock."
"Well, marry someone else and get her pregnant as many times as you'd like. I'll be happy to sign the divorce papers for you whenever you'd like."
"Haven't you been paying attention?" Draco asked in irritation. "I don't want just any woman as the mother of my offspring. I want my wife to be the mother. I want you, specifically you, Hermione Granger, to be the mother of my children."
"It's not going to happen in this lifetime," she informed him.
Draco smirked and leaned up on one elbow. "Remember that I still have a lot of time to convince you to change your mind," he murmured, giving her a playful look.
She gazed at him coolly, watching as he began to lean towards her. Hermione stopped him with a hand on his chest before their lips touched. His eyes were a dark grey because of the deep burgundy dress shirt he was wearing under a black jacket. Her own eyes narrowed as she stared at him, the very tips of his fringe brushing against her cheekbones.
"You've been taking many liberties with me these past few days," she said.
He just chuckled softly, and then said, "Just one kiss."
"That won't mean that I like you."
"I'll live," he said before his lips descended on hers.
It was the single longest kiss she had ever received.
……………
By the time Hermione and Draco returned to the Manor, the lunch hour had passed. As they stepped into the sitting room, they found Narcissa entertaining a guest. Hermione stood back and watched as a beautiful blonde woman with green eyes stood and smiled ruby-red lips at Draco. She was all curves and classy beauty, and Hermione despised her on sight.
Her own eyes darkened when Draco walked over to the blonde and hugged her as if she was a long lost lover, and maybe she was, Hermione mused. Narcissa motioned her over and the brunette walked over slowly. "Hermione, this is Daphne Greengrass, an old friend of Draco's," she said.
Hermione and Daphne sized each other up without a word. Then a look of disdain passed over the blonde's pretty face. "Merlin, Draco. How could you marry someone like her? I mean, it's bad enough that she's a Gryffindor, but look at her," Daphne said.
Hermione gasped in indignation and was already taking a step forward before Draco wrapped her tightly in his arms. To the two other women in the room it would've looked like a loving embrace he had her in, but the look on her face was livid, so it ruined the effect. "Respect my wife, Daphne. It's for your own safety that I am telling you," he said, slowly releasing Hermione.
"I don't appreciate you insulting me in my own house," Hermione said, voice tight with anger.
Daphne shrugged elegantly and smiled at Draco as she sashayed over to him and ran a hand up and down his chest. "I think you and I need to get reacquainted, Draco. It's been so terribly long since I last saw you," she said with a pretty pout.
Hermione scowled when Draco didn't move away. He merely smirked and looked intrigued. "How long are you going to be staying in London?" he asked.
"A few weeks, then my dear husband and I will be going back to New York," she replied, flipping the long, shinning strands of her golden hair over her shoulder. "Why don't you and I go out for lunch? Your wife can come if she wants," said Daphne.
Draco just shook his head before Hermione had a chance to insult her as she turned down the offer. "She'll be fine here. I'm sure she has many things to do," he said instead.
Hermione felt her blood begin to simmer. Why the presumptuous sod! How dare he make decisions for her? Then an idea began to form in her mind, so she merely smiled and nodded. "Oh yes. I have many things to get done today, so I wouldn't be fortunate enough to enjoy your company," she said snidely before turning and leaving the room completely.
Narcissa gave her son a look of disgust before he shrugged and left with Daphne as well. She just hoped he knew what he was doing by making Hermione angry.
…
As the sun began to set, Hermione found that Draco had not returned from his little date with Greengrass. She was pacing her room, her plan still floating through her head slowly. If he wanted to play rough, she could play rough. She hadn't survived years with two males as her best friends for nothing. She marched over to the hearth and grabbed a handful of floo powder, shouting her destination.
Hermione smiled when Blaise popped up. "Hello, Hermione," he said with an easy grin. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Good evening, Blaise. I was wondering if you would like to take me to dinner this evening?" she asked with a smile.
Blaise raised his eyebrows in question. "Where is Draco?"
"He's out entertaining Daphne Greengrass and I don't feel like staying home alone while he goes off with that snake in the grass," she said petulantly.
Her friend smiled. "Fair enough. Shall I pick you up at seven? I have a VIP invitation at that brand new Italian restaurant that just opened in Muggle London. Pansy Parkinson owns that one," he said.
Hermione looked intrigued. "How about we meet there?" she asked. He nodded. "I will see you then. I have only forty-five minutes to get ready."
"Until then, my sweet," he said before disappearing from the flames.
Hermione grinned and stood, running over to take a very quick shower before doing her hair and getting dressed. She was done in record time with everything. Even her hair didn't offer any hindrance. She looked herself over in the mirror and smiled haughtily to herself. She was dressed in a black, satin dress that covered her cleavage completely, but was completely exposed in the back. She was showing skin from her shoulders to the small of her back with only a satin sash tying the two ends together. The dress reached her knees and she was exposing toned legs, black heels adorning her feet. Her hair was in an elaborate twist held in place by many butterfly pins.
Draco, if you could only see me now, she thought to herself before grabbing her purse and walking out of her room. If he wanted to play hardball with her, she was game. She just wondered how in the hell she was supposed to believe that he was being serious about her when he left with another woman. Hermione walked down towards the atrium and was stopped when Lucius stepped out of the study.
"Where are you going? Meeting Draco somewhere?" he asked her.
Hermione shook her head. "No. I'm going out with a friend," she said as she took out her black coat and pulled it on, her back to her father-in-law. "Draco is out with an old friend of his who came to visit, so I decided that I did not want to stay here while he goes out and has the time of his life with some wench," she said darkly.
"What should I tell him if he returns before you are back?" Lucius asked her in that scornful voice of his.
Hermione turned to look at him. "Tell him that I am having dinner with Blaise Zabini and that I don't think he should wait up for me," she said with a smirk before apparating to her destination.
Lucius raised pale eyebrows and wondered what the hell was going on with those two fools. There would be an explosion when those two returned and saw each other again. He should prepare Narcissa for the confrontation that would sure be very bothersome. He just fervently hoped that none of this reached the media.
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
How did everyone like this one? Things are heating up between Hermione and Draco and it's all about to hit the fan. I just want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter, even though I know that the alert wasn't working. I hope everyone has a great weekend and I can't wait to read what you thought about this chapter!
Byebye
!Joey!