Chapter 4: In which Malfoy Gets in on the Plot
"So you're telling me Hermione's only been on like two dates in her entire life?" Draco asked incredulously. "Blimey that's not on." He shook his head.
Harry smiled affectionately at his boyfriend's amazement. "It's just she's always been so. bookish. She's not the type most guys would go for." He reached out and tenderly brushed a strand of platinum blonde hair off Draco's forehead. "Ron and I tried to set her up with a guy Ron works with, but it didn't work out so well."
"What you need is someone who's been about as lucky in love as our dear little Hermy and maybe someone who's smarter than her." A delighted shiver ran through his body as Harry's hand traveled down across his bare chest. He kissed Harry gently, running a hand through the messy black hair.
"Yea, but who?" Harry asked, breaking away from the kiss.
"Severus hasn't had a girlfriend in years." Draco said, almost to himself. "We've been talking a lot since after seventh year," he explained, at Harry's confused look. "I'm sure he'd be willing to come for a visit if I asked. Of course we couldn't tell either of them the reason."
Harry pondered this for a moment. "Alright," he said, grinning, "Let's give Snape a call. What can it hurt right?"
~
The dungeons at Hogwarts were cold, but that suited Severus Snape just fine. He pulled on his thick black cloak, ran a hand through his slightly oily hair and pronounced himself ready to go. Students scurried out of his way as he strode quickly to the Great Hall for breakfast. He sent a hostile glare at a pair of Hufflepuff first years who didn't cower at the sight of him, sending them running in the opposite direction. He took great pride in his ability to cow even the toughest of students. He entered the hall in a billow of black fabric, and took his usual place at the staff table.
He had barely taken a bite of his toast when a medium sized, black eagle owl landed beside his plate. He untied the note from its leg and gave it a small chunk of his toast, with a quiet hoot it flew away. Snape unrolled the small bit of parchment and read its content.
Severus,
I'm living in London at the moment and
would be honored if you would come
up and have lunch some time soon.
~ DM
Draco Malfoy had been his favorite student when the boy was in Hogwarts, and the two of them had kept in touch constantly in the three years since Draco's seventh year had ended. He took a large bite of toast, wiped his mouth and left the hall. In his chambers once again Severus scribbled a quick affirmative and placed it in his robes to send before first class. It would be nice to see where the boy was living now.
~
Hermione looked at her friend suspiciously. "I'm not an idiot, Harry." She said, smiling at the shocked look he gave her. "I'm not falling for your trick a second time. If you want me to go to lunch with you then you'll have to pick me up yourself. I'm not going on another one of your pathetic little dates. Understood?"
Harry gaped at her. He hadn't thought the first date had gone off that badly. After all she'd set him up with Draco right afterwards, she couldn't have done that out of spite could she? "But Hermione," he whined at last, "it's Draco's flat! Obviously he'll have to be there to let you in. Isn't that good enough?" her stern look told him that it wasn't. He groaned inwardly, she could be so incredibly difficult when she wanted to be.
"So?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What'll it be Harry? Will you come pick me up, or will you just drop this pointless attempt to set me up with every single male that can read a book?"
Harry blinked again, he thought they'd been so subtle about this second attempt, apparently he was wrong. Either that, or she was suddenly very well versed in Legilimency. "Look," he said, trying desperately to back out of this entire situation. "It's just lunch. Draco's got a friend coming into town, I promise we won't abandon you, of even leave you alone with the guy unless you want us to. Ok?"
She gave him a searching look, deciding whether or not she could trust him. Finally she nodded, "Fine. If it means so much to you, I'll go."
Harry grinned at her. "Thanks 'Mione! I'll pick you up at six thirty then." With a wave he left her office.
~
"Hello." Severus smiled fondly at his favorite ex-pupil. "I like what you've done to the place."
Draco laughed. He had sent some photos of the flat to Severus before he bought hit. Back then it had been decorated in colors that he could only describe as hideous and his former professor had been more than a little shocked that he was even considering it as habitable. Now the décor was more to the taste of the two men. The floors had been stripped of their garish carpets and the hardwood that had been hidden beneath them practically sparkled. The furniture was black leather and classy and there were expensive paintings gracing the freshly painted walls.
"Come on into the dining room," he invited, "You're a little early but the others should be here soon."
"Others?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "I do believe you forgot to mention who these people were in your invitation."
"Of course not," Draco mustered an innocent look, "I never forget anything. I just wanted to surprise you."
Shaking his head Severus gave up and changed the topic.
They sat at the dining room table sipping glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon and catching up until a house elf came and told Draco his guests had arrived.
"You live in a flat, and yet you have a house elf, unbelievable," Severus said with a smirk.
"Yes." Draco said, "Mother wouldn't dream of me cooking for myself, let alone cleaning anything." He smiled, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go greet the rest of our party.
~
Hermione spent a little more time than usual on her appearance that evening, having determined that if she were going to do this there was no point in not doing it well. She had donned the same periwinkle robes she had worn to the Yule ball in her fourth year, smoothed her frizzy brown hair into a tight chignon and even applied a miniscule amount of makeup. Slipping her wand into her hand bag she gave her reflection one last glance and moved to the living room to wait for Harry.
He was prompt as usual, arriving just inside her front entrance with a pop at exactly six thirty. He was dressed in Muggle pants and a somewhat dressy shirt; the look would have been perfect if it weren't for his hair, which still stuck up in every direction despite an obvious attempt to calm it with some of Malfoy's gel. "Ready to go then?" he held out an arm for her to take.
She smiled and nodded, "Are we aparating? Or is it close enough to walk?" she asked, taking the proffered arm.
"Aparating of course my dearest Hermione, walking is for paupers." He gave her a dazzling grin and for the first time since she had agreed to this dinner, she was glad she had. Obviously her plan to get back at Harry by making him spend time with Malfoy had backfired. Who could have guessed that Harry had been harboring a secret crush since first year? But he seemed so happy now that she was glad her plan to humiliate one of her best friends had produced one of the hottest couple in the modern wizarding world.
The friends aparated to Draco's flat in London. Hermione hadn't yet seen it and was surprised at the size of the place. She shouldn't have been, the Malfoy's were extremely rich and nothing was too good for their only son. Draco gave them a quick tour, hurrying them through the four bed rooms, five bathrooms, sitting room, library and kitchen, ending the tour at the spacious dining room where Hermione met their dinner guest.
_____________________________________________________
A/N: Thank you everyone for reading!!
Alcapacien/Quiggles - thanks for your review!!
Brittany Malfoy - thanks for sticking with me and reviewing!! :D
Queen Bonnie - as much as it would have been fun to write a scene in which Hermione convinces Harry to like Draco.. that wasn't the point in this particular fic. Hermione actually hoped to get "revenge" by pushing the two of them together. Thanks for reviewing!!!
Next chapter we'll get to see Hermione and Severus in the same room! I promise!!
and of course:
PLEASE REVIEW!!!
"So you're telling me Hermione's only been on like two dates in her entire life?" Draco asked incredulously. "Blimey that's not on." He shook his head.
Harry smiled affectionately at his boyfriend's amazement. "It's just she's always been so. bookish. She's not the type most guys would go for." He reached out and tenderly brushed a strand of platinum blonde hair off Draco's forehead. "Ron and I tried to set her up with a guy Ron works with, but it didn't work out so well."
"What you need is someone who's been about as lucky in love as our dear little Hermy and maybe someone who's smarter than her." A delighted shiver ran through his body as Harry's hand traveled down across his bare chest. He kissed Harry gently, running a hand through the messy black hair.
"Yea, but who?" Harry asked, breaking away from the kiss.
"Severus hasn't had a girlfriend in years." Draco said, almost to himself. "We've been talking a lot since after seventh year," he explained, at Harry's confused look. "I'm sure he'd be willing to come for a visit if I asked. Of course we couldn't tell either of them the reason."
Harry pondered this for a moment. "Alright," he said, grinning, "Let's give Snape a call. What can it hurt right?"
~
The dungeons at Hogwarts were cold, but that suited Severus Snape just fine. He pulled on his thick black cloak, ran a hand through his slightly oily hair and pronounced himself ready to go. Students scurried out of his way as he strode quickly to the Great Hall for breakfast. He sent a hostile glare at a pair of Hufflepuff first years who didn't cower at the sight of him, sending them running in the opposite direction. He took great pride in his ability to cow even the toughest of students. He entered the hall in a billow of black fabric, and took his usual place at the staff table.
He had barely taken a bite of his toast when a medium sized, black eagle owl landed beside his plate. He untied the note from its leg and gave it a small chunk of his toast, with a quiet hoot it flew away. Snape unrolled the small bit of parchment and read its content.
Severus,
I'm living in London at the moment and
would be honored if you would come
up and have lunch some time soon.
~ DM
Draco Malfoy had been his favorite student when the boy was in Hogwarts, and the two of them had kept in touch constantly in the three years since Draco's seventh year had ended. He took a large bite of toast, wiped his mouth and left the hall. In his chambers once again Severus scribbled a quick affirmative and placed it in his robes to send before first class. It would be nice to see where the boy was living now.
~
Hermione looked at her friend suspiciously. "I'm not an idiot, Harry." She said, smiling at the shocked look he gave her. "I'm not falling for your trick a second time. If you want me to go to lunch with you then you'll have to pick me up yourself. I'm not going on another one of your pathetic little dates. Understood?"
Harry gaped at her. He hadn't thought the first date had gone off that badly. After all she'd set him up with Draco right afterwards, she couldn't have done that out of spite could she? "But Hermione," he whined at last, "it's Draco's flat! Obviously he'll have to be there to let you in. Isn't that good enough?" her stern look told him that it wasn't. He groaned inwardly, she could be so incredibly difficult when she wanted to be.
"So?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "What'll it be Harry? Will you come pick me up, or will you just drop this pointless attempt to set me up with every single male that can read a book?"
Harry blinked again, he thought they'd been so subtle about this second attempt, apparently he was wrong. Either that, or she was suddenly very well versed in Legilimency. "Look," he said, trying desperately to back out of this entire situation. "It's just lunch. Draco's got a friend coming into town, I promise we won't abandon you, of even leave you alone with the guy unless you want us to. Ok?"
She gave him a searching look, deciding whether or not she could trust him. Finally she nodded, "Fine. If it means so much to you, I'll go."
Harry grinned at her. "Thanks 'Mione! I'll pick you up at six thirty then." With a wave he left her office.
~
"Hello." Severus smiled fondly at his favorite ex-pupil. "I like what you've done to the place."
Draco laughed. He had sent some photos of the flat to Severus before he bought hit. Back then it had been decorated in colors that he could only describe as hideous and his former professor had been more than a little shocked that he was even considering it as habitable. Now the décor was more to the taste of the two men. The floors had been stripped of their garish carpets and the hardwood that had been hidden beneath them practically sparkled. The furniture was black leather and classy and there were expensive paintings gracing the freshly painted walls.
"Come on into the dining room," he invited, "You're a little early but the others should be here soon."
"Others?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "I do believe you forgot to mention who these people were in your invitation."
"Of course not," Draco mustered an innocent look, "I never forget anything. I just wanted to surprise you."
Shaking his head Severus gave up and changed the topic.
They sat at the dining room table sipping glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon and catching up until a house elf came and told Draco his guests had arrived.
"You live in a flat, and yet you have a house elf, unbelievable," Severus said with a smirk.
"Yes." Draco said, "Mother wouldn't dream of me cooking for myself, let alone cleaning anything." He smiled, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go greet the rest of our party.
~
Hermione spent a little more time than usual on her appearance that evening, having determined that if she were going to do this there was no point in not doing it well. She had donned the same periwinkle robes she had worn to the Yule ball in her fourth year, smoothed her frizzy brown hair into a tight chignon and even applied a miniscule amount of makeup. Slipping her wand into her hand bag she gave her reflection one last glance and moved to the living room to wait for Harry.
He was prompt as usual, arriving just inside her front entrance with a pop at exactly six thirty. He was dressed in Muggle pants and a somewhat dressy shirt; the look would have been perfect if it weren't for his hair, which still stuck up in every direction despite an obvious attempt to calm it with some of Malfoy's gel. "Ready to go then?" he held out an arm for her to take.
She smiled and nodded, "Are we aparating? Or is it close enough to walk?" she asked, taking the proffered arm.
"Aparating of course my dearest Hermione, walking is for paupers." He gave her a dazzling grin and for the first time since she had agreed to this dinner, she was glad she had. Obviously her plan to get back at Harry by making him spend time with Malfoy had backfired. Who could have guessed that Harry had been harboring a secret crush since first year? But he seemed so happy now that she was glad her plan to humiliate one of her best friends had produced one of the hottest couple in the modern wizarding world.
The friends aparated to Draco's flat in London. Hermione hadn't yet seen it and was surprised at the size of the place. She shouldn't have been, the Malfoy's were extremely rich and nothing was too good for their only son. Draco gave them a quick tour, hurrying them through the four bed rooms, five bathrooms, sitting room, library and kitchen, ending the tour at the spacious dining room where Hermione met their dinner guest.
_____________________________________________________
A/N: Thank you everyone for reading!!
Alcapacien/Quiggles - thanks for your review!!
Brittany Malfoy - thanks for sticking with me and reviewing!! :D
Queen Bonnie - as much as it would have been fun to write a scene in which Hermione convinces Harry to like Draco.. that wasn't the point in this particular fic. Hermione actually hoped to get "revenge" by pushing the two of them together. Thanks for reviewing!!!
Next chapter we'll get to see Hermione and Severus in the same room! I promise!!
and of course:
PLEASE REVIEW!!!