Author's Note: This chapter is a little lengthy, but I can't help it. Sorry it's still at the party scene, but it's an important part. You'll figure out why. Haha, at least, I hope you do.

Chapter Six: A Dinner For Two

Hermione couldn't believe how fast the ballroom had changed. The small round tables had been removed and replaced with long, elegant tables filled with carvings of angels and roses. The room was looking more and more like the Great Hall. The candles were put out and replaced by the light spilling from the chandeliers above the guests' heads. There must have been a hundred people there. The porcelain dishes were lined neatly in front of each red, plush chair and trimmed in gold. Even the glasses. There were bottles of whine in buckets of ice and soda for the younger guests like her. She felt like she was dinning with a king. And maybe she was.

Her parents were giggling next to her as more people entered the room. They all looked dazed, as if they were dreaming. This mansion is a dreamland, Hermione thought. Her eyes darted around, guiltily looking for a pair of blonde heads. She was curious as to where Draco went after their 'incident' in the garden. She hadn't meant to slap him, but she needed to get away from him. He was doing something to her she didn't want. Or, at least, something she wasn't sure if she wanted. The way they danced together, it felt like ecstasy. It was like the rest of the world disappeared it was just a blur of them. And the way he looked at her, she couldn't get the image of his eyes out of her mind. He never looked at her like that before. He never looked at anyone like that before. So why her? Why now? There were so many questions Hermione wanted answered. But she had a feeling they weren't going to get answered for a long time.

Her search for Malfoy ended when Russo walked over to her and her parents. He had a strut and poise of a king. He truly was royal. He gave her a smile, then turned to her parents. "William, Olivia, would you and your lovely daughter like to join me and my table?" Her dad looked like the geek who finally got asked to sit with the jocks. Hermione felt sorry for him, he was such a gentle-hearted man. And the men sitting at Russo's table looked like giants ready to rip his head off. But this was too good to pass up.

"Of course, Senior Russo! We would love to." Hermione's dad pulled back her mother's chair and held out his elbow to her. She smiled and latched onto him like a true Barbie and Ken. Hermione could only smile, and wish it was always like this. Russo held out his hand in a bow, making Hermione blush.

"May I escort you to your seat, Senora?" He used his accent to roll the R, which made her blush. Hermione giggled and placed her hand as delicately as she could in his.

"You may, Senior."

((DM))

Draco scanned the crowd, but she wasn't in sight. He didn't know what had come over him. After she slapped him on in the garden, Draco felt it was his right to explain to her the kiss was nothing. But that was the part he didn't know about, the kiss. Where did it come from? Why did he do that? She was only a Mudblood, so he shouldn't have even touched her the way he had. But the music, this place, it was all so entrancing. She looked wonderful, gorgeous even. He found it hard not to want to touch her. When they were dancing he forgot he was pureblood and she wasn't. All that mattered was finding a way to get closer to her. And it scared the living crap out of him. The second time they danced, was another thing he didn't quite understand. He didn't plan it when he walked out there to her. All he was trying to do was get her away from Russo, but somehow he ended up dancing with her and kissing her. She wasn't the only one surprised by his behavior tonight. It must be the house, Draco thought. It's the only explanation.

His father sipped lazily from his glass, annoying Draco even more. Lucius was to blame for what happened, it was his fault Draco was alone with her. If his father weren't such a conniving, sneaky worm, Draco wouldn't have had the chance to do anything stupid. Like kissing Granger. His father tapped his foot slightly, probably waiting for Russo to invite him to eat with him. Only the V.I.P guests ate with Russo. Lucius felt he deserved to be one of those. Draco didn't. But of course, the secret Death Eater came waltzing over to them with a silly grin on his face.

"Malfoy, come with me. You shouldn't be eating with commoners." His voice was above a whisper, and sounded more like the real Russo than the 'rich-and-devlishly-charming-muggle-host'. His father smirked, his mood changing in a second. He stood and Draco watched as his father transformed into the pompous bastard he was.

"I would be delighted to get away from these muggles." His father replied slyly. Draco glanced around. The muggles around them were chatting and having more fun than he was. If being a muggle meant being ignorant but happy, Draco wondered if that was what he would rather have. Being a pureblood was too depressing. "Get up Draco, and fix your tie." Draco glared at his father's back as they followed Russo to the front of the room.

There were still people coming inside the dinning room, Draco hadn't realized how many people really were here. Russo sure liked things in large scale. The table Russo kept for his special guests had larger, grander chairs and that table itself was much more elegant than the others. In the center, Russo sat whispering to a frail blonde next to him; his wife. She was a deathly skinny woman with perfectly straight hair and slightly tanned skin. Her eyes were large and dark. She was French, or so Draco heard. Her name he couldn't remember. The wives of important purebloods were always pushed back and forgotten. He swallowed hard when he thought of his own mother.

The people at the table were chatting with upturned noses and curled tongues. None of them truly cared about the other. Just the money they had. And that's how he spotted her. Her and her family, except her mother, were the only ones with awkward expressions and nervous movements. She was sitting next to her mother, looking just as breath-taking as before. She was slightly leaned over the table, talking to her father, who was on her other side. Her mother was laughing with the woman next to her. Mrs. Granger fit right in with the snobs of the party, or at least, knew how. But Hermione was too innocent for this crowd, and obviously so was her father. That must be where she gets it from.

His eyes lingered on her. He was waiting for her eyes to meet his, but she never looked up. He felt odd about that, and felt odd about feeling odd. This is not a good night, Draco decided.

((HG))

Hermione felt eyes on her for a second, and looked up but no one was there. Whoever it was, they were gone. She shrugged it off and straightened her dress. She felt like an insect next to the people she was sitting with. Small and unimportant, if they were to kill her, her death wouldn't affect the universe at all. She got nervous at the thought of them killing her. It was possible; these people were pretty powerful and got everything they wanted. Hermione glanced at her dad, who was now deep in a conversation over the rights of patients. He was handling himself well, and Hermione was proud. He had a lot of facts stored inside him, like a book, and he could recite them on the drop of a dime. He was a tough person to go up against in a debate. She smiled as she listened to him. He was always so confident when he argued, and he had every right to be. Hermione used to think he knew everything. Now, she thinks he needs to study some more. He can't even notice when his wife has become a mental case.

Her mother sure loved the spotlight of sitting at Russo's table. She was laughing and flaunting herself like a teenager, Hermione wondered if her and her mother has switched roles somewhere along the line. Hermione watched as her mother gossiped with two women near her. The women both looked rather overly-dressed and smelled like new dollar bills. Hermione scrunched her nose; she didn't like this very much. She wished her dad would talk to her again. But she was stuck with just biting her lip and waiting for the food.

"Good evening, my guests!" Russo's voice rung into the air like the birds in his garden. Hermione perked up and watched as everyone turned to look at him. She felt their eyes as well. Everyone at the main table was being looked at with envious and greedy eyes. She was getting that insect feeling again. "I hope you are all enjoying yourself, I know I am." Hermione's eyes fell on the woman next to Russo. She looked so frail. Hermione was worried that someone might accidentally snap the poor woman. Her eyes were darting around as if she was scared someone might pop out and scare her. She wasn't Latin like Russo. Hermione had always pictured Alden's wife to be Latin. But the more she looked at her, the more she figured out the reason Russo married her. She was easily controlled. "And now, for my favorite part of this party, it's time to eat!" The last words hung in the air and a few people cheered. The doors opened and waiters came hurrying in carrying trays and trays of food. Hermione wasn't paying attention. She spotted something, a blonde something.

Right past the head of Senora Russo, was Draco Malfoy. He couldn't see her, and she was glad about that. His head was hung, and he looked like an insect. Maybe he was feeling the same way she was. But she quickly thought otherwise, Malfoy doesn't feel anything. Especially like an insect.

((DM))

Draco couldn't feel more like an insect sitting here next to his father and Nanook Russo, the hostess of the party. She didn't speak much, and it made Draco feel nervous and awkward. She had a heavy French accent and it made Draco wonder if she shaved her armpits. He was curious and kept looking in the corner of his eye just in case he would catch her raising her arms. But she never did. She sat very rigid and kept fiddling with her napkin. It only made Draco feel more awkward. And of course his father wasn't helping. He would lean over the table to whisper to Russo, capturing Draco and Nanook between them. Why didn't they just sit closer, instead of trapping them… like insects?

After the announcement that dinner had finally started, more than enough waiters came bursting in with endless trays of food. Two came marching straight at him with blank expressions and obviously on a mission to please their boss. They began placing the food in the center of the table, working their way down each direction. Draco watched as the waiter who went in the other direct placed a large amount of rolls near Russo. And that's when his eyes met hers. She was watching him. He felt a bolt of jitters fight their way into his skin. And for the third time tonight, Draco felt everything haze over and only her face was clear to him.

((HG))

He caught her eyes, and it scared her so much she shivered. His eyes changed drastically the moment they met hers. She hadn't meant to stare at him, but now it was even harder to look away. But her stare was being matched with Draco's. His face didn't change, and she made sure hers didn't either. She wasn't going to give him the pleasure of her emotion, even though he was draining her of it. Everything was going on around them, but they never flinched from their stare.

Mr. Granger elbowed Hermione slightly, passing her a plate of warm golden rolls. The steam curled and greeted her nose. She smiled and grabbed one and passed it to her mother. She looked back at Draco, but he was no longer looking at her. She sighed and poured herself more ginger ale. She wished she could have the whine. It would be a nice help to calm her nerves. Draco had no idea what he was doing to her.

((DM))

Hermione had no idea what she was doing to him. The moment her eyes left his, he quickly looked down at his plate. He felt the stare of his father and he began to fiddle with his fork. He didn't want to look up, he didn't want to have to explain himself. He felt safe staring at his own reflection inside his empty plate. That was, until he actually saw himself. He was a mess. Not outwardly, but on the inside. He was fighting himself not to watch Hermione, maybe meet her eyes again. He was yelling at himself for being such a bloke and getting worked up over Hermione Granger, not only his enemy, but also a Mudblood.

His father handed him a platter of noodles, which Draco took gratefully. Maybe if he filled himself up with food, he would feel better. Maybe his mind would clear up after being fed. He scooped up as much as he could in the wooden spoon and plopped it into his plate. The steam felt good against his face. He passed the plate to Nanook. Bad idea. The minute he looked up, he could see her. Her head was turned, watching her mother. Good, don't look over here, Granger. If you do… I'll never get to eat this damn food.

((HG))

Her mother spilled the sauce on the table, and a young waitress came hurrying over to clean it up. Her mother wouldn't stop apologizing, even after she left. Hermione whipped at her lap, a little had gotten on her dress. She patted it with a napkin. Her father tapped her shoulder, and gave her a sympathetic smile. She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. It didn't leave a stain, so she wasn't too upset. She glanced past her father to see that Draco was still not looking at her. She looked down at her lap, she felt foolish for even caring. She should feel disgusted to even be in the same room as him. He was vermin, and she needed to start acting like he was. She scrunched up her nose as she remembered the kiss. It was brief, but enough to scare her. She felt a jolt in her stomach. What if he plans on telling his groupie friends? What if he would turn the story around and make it seem like she was the one who kissed him? What if he had the whole school convinced she was madly in love with him? She buried her head in her hands, this couldn't be happening.

Hermione's father touched her arm and she looked back up. "Mione, is something wrong?" She tried not to look pathetic as she lied to him.

"No, dad. I'm fine. Really." She smiled her sweetest and he returned the smile. He put an arm around her and hugged her close to him. Hermione could smell the cologne and aftershave, but she didn't care. She placed her head on his shoulder, she felt better knowing he cared. It didn't help she had a good view of Draco from where she was. In the corner of her eye, she watched him. And every guilty emotion inside her bubbled to the surface.

((DM))

He ate like a starving child from Africa. It was the only thing that distracted him from looking up. She was there, so close to him. It was bothering him that he couldn't just sit next to her, and kill off that feeling that was pestering him about not being close enough to her. He couldn't get the moments they danced together out of his head. She was so graceful, and he loved the way she felt in his hands.

He stuffed a mouthful of mashed potatoes in his mouth violently. He was angry with himself for wanting something like her. A 'dirty' witch. "Draco, stop devouring your food like an animal. You're supposed to be my son, not some wild, untamed monkey." His father hissed in his ear. Draco sighed and leaned back in his chair. He felt like a wild, untamed monkey.

((HG))

She stared at her empty plate and felt her stomach ache. She hadn't eaten that much food, but it didn't take much to fill her up. Especially since she was concentrating so hard on Draco. He must have cursed her. He placed a spell on her so she would somehow become slightly, very slightly, infatuated with him. That's what Hermione decided had happened tonight. She wasn't willingly thinking of him in ways that Hermione Granger should never think of Draco Malfoy in. It's a curse. It's a curse. It's a curse. Hermione kept repeating it to herself as she watched him in the corner of her eye.

She glanced at the clock; it was almost eleven. She felt a wave a panic. She needed to get out of there, maybe escape to the garden. She needed to clear her mind. This place was driving her crazy, it was as if she had stepped foot into another realm and left reality behind at the door. She gripped the edge of her seat and decided she needed to get out of there before she hurled.

"Dad, I need to use the little girl's room." He smiled at her and nodded, knowing she really didn't have to use the bathroom. He wasn't about to ask her what she really needed to do. He never liked knowing the dirty details. She stood up, instantly feeling eyes on her. She quickly walked down the line of chairs and hurried to get out of the room. In the hall, she breathed a sigh and half ran to the garden. A wave of fresh night air drenched her the moment her feet crossed through the glass doors. She walked slowly down the stone stairs to the fountain. She felt at peace listening to the water flow. She seated herself on the edge and looked into the colorful water. She saw her reflection. She frowned and splashed the water. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, facing the stars.

It was almost time to make a wish.

((DM))

He watched her leave, his eyes never left her. He couldn't follow, his father would suspect something. He glanced at Lucius and noticed he was talking to the man next to him and not paying attention at all. Draco could leave and his father would never know he was going after Hermione. He felt a rush of excitement pass through him as he stood up from his seat. He didn't say a word as he rushed himself away from the table and through the doors. With his luck, his father wouldn't even care. Or maybe not even notice the absence of his son.

Draco reached the hall and looked around. She wasn't in sight. Maybe she went to the bathroom? Draco guessed as he headed to a little ways down the hall. And that's when a thought possessed him. He was going in the wrong direction. Something was telling him to turn around. He did. He was facing the doors that led to the garden. He smirked. Draco walked to the doors and peaked outside. The lamps that lit the garden allowed just enough light for him to see her. She was staring up at the stars, her hair slightly dancing with the breeze. Whatever had told him to come out here, he was grateful for it.

((HG&DM))

Hermione knew the second he came outside. She felt him. And that really scared her. She didn't take her eyes off of the sky. She knew it was near the time to make a wish. She felt it like she felt him. It had become a part of her after years and years of nights with the same wish at the same time. She knew when it was time, like an instinct.

"Enjoying the view?" His voice sounded near. She looked down and saw him standing at the bottom of the staircase. The moonlight kissed his skin lovingly. His eyes shone like the stars, but the rest of him reminded her of the Malfoy she dreaded. His posture and the way his hands were always shoved in his pockets, bunching up his jacket at the hips. He leaned against the railing and smirked. She wondered what his real smile looked like.

"Not anymore. What do you want, Malfoy? Don't you have someone else to pester?" Draco watched her. Her eyes were darker at night, like a black sea. Even her hair was darker. But her skin was what lured him closer. She looked delicious. With her stare and her lovely face. She was trying to hide from him. She didn't want him to see her, the real her. It frustrated him that there was more to her than books. It only made him more interested.

"No one else can hold my attention." He said matter-of-factly. "I'm looking for a little conversation. More than just politics and money." Hermione rolled her eyes. He smirked and took a couple steps further. He watched her watching him.

"I'm surprised, I thought money and politics was all you knew." Her voice had changed. It wasn't her usual snotty, "I know everything" drawl. It was tangled with emotion, even if the words were meant to be sarcastic and hurtful. It wasn't the words Draco was interested in anyways.

"You'd be shocked to know what else I know." Hermione felt a lurch in her stomach as he walked closer. This is bad, real bad. I can't let him get closer. No way, things will get crazy again. And I, Hermione Granger, have control. She attempted to glare at him as she stood up.

"You know, I highly doubt that." She replied. "I have this idea that whatever you know holds no interest to me." He smirked and walked closer. His eyes were lit with fascination. Hermione couldn't look away. This was something she wasn't use to. Someone was actually challenging her.

"You know, I highly doubt that." He quoted her as he approached her warily. He wasn't sure why he was so hesitate to touch her, he wanted to so badly. It almost ached him to be this close and not touch her, so why was he holding back? He reached out and grazed his fingertips against her arm. She was soft, like rose petals. He watched her shiver under his touch. He wanted to make her shiver more. Hermione moved her arm from him and stared at him. Is this what she wanted?

"What are you doing? Why are you here?" Draco took a step back and looked into her face. She was furrowing her eyebrows in a sexy way. Sexy? Since when did Granger do anything sexy? Draco shook his head in disbelief. It was because of this place, it does things to people. It's playing with your head, ole boy. Get a hold of yourself.

"I have no idea, Granger. The crazy thing is, it's been all night. I've never gone this long without having a single clue as to what I'm doing." He felt silly for saying that out loud. But it was time to say what they both were thinking. "Is this real? I mean, what have we been doing?" His question hung in the air like a cloud. Hermione bit her lip, trying to form complete sentences in her mind while Draco shifted uncomfortably in the silence.

"We're not doing anything. We're just at a party, doing things people do at parties. Mingling." Draco snapped his head up and glared at her. How dare she try to say this was nothing! It had to be something… it has to be…

"Mingling? You want to call this mingling?" His voice turned cold. Hermione winced a little and met his glare.

"I don't want to, I don't have a choice." He stared at her, processing what she was saying. He wasn't sure how to take that. There could be all sorts of hidden messages in that response. But he never got the chance to voice his reply.

"Mione?" Hermione and Draco both looked up at the balcony to see her father. He was looking at her awkwardly as if he had just walked in on her being intimate. "The party is over now, and your mother is tired. It's time to go." Hermione panicked and glanced around, till her eyes met Draco's. How long had they been out here?

"In a second. I have to do something first." Her father just nodded and walked back inside. Draco raised an eyebrow in curiosity. She turned around, leaving him to stare at the back of her head. Draco took a step to this side and saw her eyes were closed, facing the sky. He looked up, the stars were smiling at him like silly children. He looked back at her. Her eyes still closed. He was about to question what she was doing before she opened her eyes, gave him one last look, and walked away. "See you at school, Malfoy." He turned around and watched her go inside.

"See you… Granger."