Recap of Chapter Five
'We're going shopping, little mouse. Don't bother arguing with me because you don't have a say in this. If it makes you feel any better, I could buy every single book in Flourish & Blotts and it wouldn't make a dent in my vaults,' he said crisply. 'Now, let's see what's in your wardrobe,' and with a last squeeze and a quick kiss on the top of her head he shuffled off the bed to begin rummaging.
A/N: Wow. Shout-outs to repeat reviewers Lena2244 (I love you!), , riaroo400, Rissa1986, Nichole87, roon0, kimbclar, Snowflake Dazzle, LullabyTales, Virginie Cires, GeekybyNature, pgoodrichboggs, BritishTonyDinozzo, Dul'mephistos and new reviewers, Antjex3 and CieloDistante (thank you so much for your lovely long review!). Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback my lovelies, I really do appreciate it.
So, the main question that I'm being asked is who will Hermione end up with – the answer is….. I'm not telling you! Mwahahahahahahaha.
Chapter Six
Theo left Hermione to get dressed and went downstairs to report back to his friends. As expected, their reactions were similar to his own, but with more swearing (Draco) and interest in buying her a new wardrobe (Blaise).
'It's the perfect opportunity to give her what she needs and I'm not talking materially,' Blaise remarked with a wolfish grin.
'I'm going to try something while we're out, I'll tell you her reaction later, that's if it's not obvious at the time,' Theo said mysteriously, refusing to be drawn on the details.
Blaise glanced down at Draco's Dark Mark. 'Turns out that wearing a shirt didn't hide it from her after all,' he said quietly.
'No,' Draco replied ruefully. 'It's not like she didn't know it was there, but I had been hoping to keep it covered. Still, it can't be helped,' and left to get ready for the day. The remaining snakes looked at each other, they hadn't missed the sadness in his eyes. When he got to his room he could hear the shower running in the bathroom he shared with Hermione. It was strange how his feelings about her had changed, he mused. The first seed sown had been that day in third year when she slapped him; no one had ever dared to treat him like that before. The second seed didn't come until much, much later, on the day he had watched her being tortured by his fucking deranged aunt. Then there was the day of the battle, when she looked like some kind of avenging angel – bruised and bloody, burning with righteous fire in her soul. And then there was last night, when she walked into their common room, somehow looking more fragile than she had done lying on the floor of his home. Fragile yet strong. He wanted to take care of her and protect her, they all did. They all wanted her, full stop. He tried not to think about her soaping herself in the shower and failed miserably.
An hour later Hermione was getting tetchy. She was fed up of trying on new clothes and being dressed up like a doll for the Slytherins amusement. Her initial gratitude at their kindness in buying her new things was waning. Fast.
'I don't need an evening gown,' she protested. 'When would I wear it?'
'At a ball,' Draco said dryly. She glared at him.
'The last time there was a ball was in fourth year, I highly doubt there will be one this year,' she retorted.
'I hate to break it to you, little mouse, but after this year we're all going to be let loose on the outside world. There will, inevitably, be a formal occasion that you will be required to attend,' Theo smirked at her. Hermione muttered mutinously under her breath but the men paid her no heed, they were too busy entertaining thoughts of ravishing her. The dress she wore was floor-length bronze silk and sleeveless. It was backless, the fabric falling in elegant drapes on each side and pooling just above her backside. She looked glorious.
'The shoes, Granger, come on,' Draco motioned impatiently.
'I can't bloody walk in them!' Hermione protested. He rolled his eyes.
'Here, hold on to Theo while I put them on for you,' Blaise stepped in diplomatically. She pouted but acquiesced. Three male jaws proceeded to drop at the sight of Hermione Granger in the obscenely sexy evening dress complete with high heels. She strutted off to the changing room, desperate to get back into her jeans and jumper, even if they were too big on her since losing weight while being on the run (food had been in short supply then, and the boys always seemed in greater need than she). Draco, Theo and Blaise watched her back view with longing.
Blaise picked up a pair of indigo skinny jeans, a rose pink fitted Henley top and a pair of brown boots and took them to the counter. 'She's going to wear these out,' he told the sales assistant, who promptly removed the tags before returning them.
'Hang on a second,' Draco interrupted, 'she needs to get measured up for lingerie first.'
'Gods yes, how could I forget that?' Blaise was horrified at himself. The sales assistant laughed and took the clothes from him.
'I'll go and get her organised,' she offered. 'I take it you gentlemen will be choosing the items?' She had watched the men pick all of the girl's clothes while she looked a little overwhelmed, and was confident that underwear would be no exception. Draco nodded in response. A few minutes later the assistant emerged from the changing rooms, 'bra size 34D and a medium in knickers,' she reported. The snakes began their assault on the lingerie section.
Hermione came out wearing her new clothes and immediately flushed scarlet when she saw the piles of underwear being rung up at the till. 'What? I can… perfectly capable myself… I only need two…!' She spluttered incoherently.
'You're not at all capable of choosing yourself, I've seen your underwear drawer,' Theo drawled. 'We're going for sexy, not serviceable, and you need more than one black and one white bra,' he cut her off. Hermione opened and shut her mouth a few times, eyeing the rainbow colours now being packed into shopping bags. Was that a thong she saw?!
'Do I have a say in anything?' She said through gritted teeth, sorely tempted to stamp her foot; judging by Draco's smirk he knew it too.
'In a word, no, dolcezza,' Blaise grinned, taking her arm and steering her out of the shop while Draco paid and arranged for everything to be sent up to the castle.
Once outside Theo took her other arm and they strolled along the cobblestones in the direction of the bookshop. They stood outside the window for a moment.
'Would you mind stocking up on potions ingredients and whatnot?' Theo asked Blaise and Draco. He then turned to Hermione, 'since you've been such a good girl let's get you some treats in the bookshop,' he smiled down at her. The reaction was instant. She blushed, her breathing hitched and her eyes lit up, inside she felt her stomach do a somersault and her core clenched instinctively. She gave Theo a shy smile. He chuckled indulgently and took her hand to lead her into the shop. Looking back over his shoulder he winked at his friends, leaving them in no doubt that this was the 'something' he had planned on trying.
A/N: I've posted a picture of Hermione's pink top on my Facebook page (search WinterWillows) to give you a visual. I'm still searching for a pic of her evening gown, I can't find one that's exactly right.