Chapter 9: Man & Woman

Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then. — Katharine Hepburn


The Daily Prophet
23rd April 2004

WHAT IS GOING ON,
DRACO & HERMIONE?

Yesterday night at Donatella, famous Italian restaurant and social hub for the rich and famous, the paparazzi caught DRACO MALFOY and rumoured employee HERMIONE GRANGER arriving in a limo, looking every inch the glamorous couple. However, the two baffled the photographers by sitting at two separate tables. The photogenic billionaire shared a table with former FWF (French Wizards Federation) agent, now model FLEUR DELACOUR, while HERMIONE and Quidditch heartthrob VIKTOR KRUM enjoyed an intimate dinner...


Draco stared at his reflection grimly as he fiddled with his tie.

Even the mirror seemed to sense his sullen mood and stayed silent, obediently mirroring his every move.

He glared at the purple mark that he attempted to hide with his hair. Draco loathed to think how he came by the unsightly bruise. Let's just say it involved a frustrated man, a forehead and a wall. End of story.

What. In. Merlin's. Underpants. Was. He. Thinking.

Draco gritted his teeth as the unsettling frustration in him stirred. He had a fleeting urge to strangle himself with his 1000 galleon silk tie.

What was the world coming to? A Malfoy becoming suicidal? Over one stupid kiss?

Draco snorted and turned from the mirror. This was ridiculous. There wasn't even any tongue action involved.

He. Needed. To. Stop. Thinking. About. It.

Especially when that "it" was nothing but a chaste, spur-of-the-moment peck on the lips with Hermione Granger.

Draco kicked the door viciously.

He needed some vodka.


8 days and 16 looks to go

Hermione rubbed her eyes tiredly.

She had been working relentlessly since 4 am, when she finally gave up attempting to keep her eyes closed for more than five seconds. Every time she shut her eyes, the horrific scene of Malfoy k-kis- she couldn't even get the word out- so close to her snapped them right open. And the problem was it wasn't even as horrific as she would've liked, because then she would've been able to get it out of her mind.

Damn him.

So she got up and worked and worked and worked.

She was blissfully oblivious to everything that happened around her as she worked on the extremely detailed beading of the most extravagant gown in her collection. It was a bias-cut chiffon gown in a moody black, contoured with silver threads, which would boast an intricate map of crystals on the front when Hermione was finished with it.

She was magically sticking a tiny gem on the dress when her cell phone rang, sending her toppling over her chair and onto the thick carpet of fabrics on the floor, screaming.

Once she located the phone, she answered breathlessly, "Hello?"

"What IS going on between you and Malfoy?"

Hermione let her head fall back on the smooth satin. "Ginny, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Hermione. You two are all over the newspapers," chided Ginny. "You two looked pretty cosy."

She sighed. "Ginny, we ate at two separate tables. How in Merlin's name were we supposed to be cosy?"

Ginny sounded rather hysterical. "He had his arms around you! Wasn't that cosy enough? Or did he have to snog-"

Hermione winced. "Ginny. He was just walking me to the restaurant. I had dinner with Viktor."

"That!" She had a feeling that she had told Ginny something she didn't like. "Don't even remind me. I've been yelling at Viktor for the past thirty minutes for making you mad enough to walk out on him. What did he say to make you so angry?"

"Ginny, can't we talk about something else?"

"How about no?"

"Please?" pleaded Hermione rather exhaustedly.

Ginny huffed. "Fine. How did you resist jumping Draco Malfoy when he was looking so damned delectable in that suit?"

"GINNY!" Hermione fancied hearing two other outraged shouts other than her own.

"Blimey," snorted Ginny. "What did I say? Ron, you're burning the pancakes, and Harry, mop up that coffee spill. Hermione, are you still there?"

"I can't believe you, Ginny."

"What? Malfoy may be the nastiest person I've ever had the misfortune to meet in my life, but that doesn't stop him from being sinfully handsome- HARRY! Did you just break the plate! I swear I'll kill you if-"

"Um, Ginny? Can I talk to you later?"

Hermione could picture Ginny beaming triumphantly into the phone. "What? In a hurry to take a good long look at Malfoy to prove that I'm right?"

"No," said Hermione darkly.

"Whatever. Just one last thing: is there anything going on between you two?"

"For the last time, no!"

Hermione could not decide if that was a lie or not- there was that little episode outside her apartment. Not that it meant anything to her. Needless to say, it was nothing of importance. At all.

"Are you sure?" teased Ginny.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley-"

"Okay, okay, fine. But I'll be the first to know if anything-"

"Ginny!"

"Fine, bye!"


"Mr Malfoy?"

"Came to gloat in my face, Zabini?" drawled Draco, reaching for another contract waiting for his sacred signature of approval.

"Actually, that would have to wait," replied Blaise. "May I introduce to you Helen, the project manager of your big show."

Draco looked up and stared openly.

Oh yes, he liked what he saw.

She was quite a lovely creature- clear green eyes, reddish hair, milky skin- and she looked aloofly professional as she stared right back at him.

Hmmm. She should be a nice change from all those clingy models and socialites.

Blaise, undoubtedly noting the appreciative staring on Malfoy's part, interrupted. "Anyway, Helen wanted to show you some figures concerning the party. We're rather worried about the discrepancies-"

"I'm rather busy right now with a particular case," cut in Draco, looking straight at Helen. "Why don't you and I meet tonight to discuss the figures?"

"I'll be honoured," replied Helen rather fostily.

Draco smiled nonetheless. "Good, I'll send you a message when I'm ready tonight."

With a terse nod, Helen spun around to leave, but Draco said, "Do wait a second, Helen. I want you to meet Miss Granger, she's working on this party as well. Blaise, why don't you go upstairs and fetch her?"

He did not seem too thrilled to play the messenger boy. "Why don't you ask Linds to fetch her?"

"Because," answered Draco in a tight voice. "I'm giving her an afternoon break, starting this minute. Why don't you go along to inform her of this special arrangement as well?"

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Malfoy, you are impossible. Helen, if he harasses you, just hex him."

"I do love your sense of humour, Zabini," snorted Draco, leaning back in his chair.

"Don't worry, Mr Zabini, I'm sure Mr Malfoy will keep his hands to himself," said Helen solemnly. "Wouldn't you, Mr Malfoy?"

Draco thought he saw a flash of naughtiness as she glared at him. He gave her a wolfish grin. "Certainly, Ma'am. If that is what you want."

Blaise arched an eyebrow at that. "I won't count on it."

He shut the door and Draco smiled. "So, Helen, how long have you been working for me?"

"About a year," came the detached answer.

"Whoever hired you must have an eye for talent," he remarked, letting his eyes wander.

She pointedly crossed her arms. "I did graduate from Beauxbatons with top honours."

"Ah, Beauxbatons. Do you know Fleur Delacour?"

Helen nodded. "Everyone does. She graduated quite a few years before me."

"Quite a beauty, eh?" he wiggled his eyebrows.

"Not particularly," shrugged Helen nonchalantly.

"I like that attitude-"

His sentence was cut off by a very sharp staccato on the door and before any words left his lips Granger barged in.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" she asked bluntly, making no move to step any further into the room. She then spotted Helen and forced a smile. "Good afternoon." She then sent him a glare that informed that her afternoon was anything but.

Draco coolly stood up from his chair. "Yes, Granger, I want you to meet Helen, and Helen, this is Hermione Granger."

Helen stepped forward to shake Granger's hand. "Pleasure."

"Helen's in charge of the finances of the show, quite an accomplished woman she is," said Draco. "Graduated from Beauxbatons with top honours! Not unlike you, Granger."

"Impressive," muttered Granger, again looking anything but impressed.

Draco stepped close enough to mutter near her ear, "Feeling sarcastic today, aren't we?" Then brightened and addressed Helen. "Actually, Helen will be dining with me tonight to discuss some very important accounts. Where do you suggest, Helen?"

"The office?" she replied.

Draco chuckled. "What a sense of humour! What do you say to Donatella? I quite enjoyed the venison last night. In fact, I'm quite eager to try the cod Fleur ordered. It looked quite delicious."

"I assure you that won't be necessary, Mr Malfoy," said Helen flatly. "The office will be quite adequate for me."

"But not quite for me," he countered smoothly. "I'll send a car for you at seven. Don't worry about dressing up."

Helen nodded briefly. "I'll see myself out then, Mr Malfoy."

"See you later," smiled Draco as she gracefully exited. He reclined on his chair again and stretched his arms, working out the knots. "Quite a pleasant girl, isn't she?"

"What are you playing at, Malfoy?" asked Granger through gritted teeth.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "My, aren't we presumptuous?"

"Showing off your latest date, Malfoy?" sneered Granger. "Well, I'm not impressed. Neither was she."

"So what if I am?" he challenged.

"That only goes to show how bloody immature you still are, that's what," snapped Granger. "If you're done tooting your horn, I still have sixteen more looks to work on and only eight days left. In short, I'll be slaving away upstairs while you do your oh-so important things like getting into Helen's pants."

Draco smirked. "What a dirty mind you have under that prudish surface, Granger. If I didn't know you I would have thought you're jealous."

Granger rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself, Malfoy. I hate to break it to you, but not everyone swoons at your feet and worships the ground you walk on."

"Oh really?" Draco faked a surprised face. "Pray, tell me, who doesn't bend to the legendary Malfoy charm? With the exception of straight men?"

"Helen, for instance-"

Draco waved that aside. "She's just shy."

Granger snorted. "Well, how about me?"

"Are you sure?" asked Draco airily. He heard a warning bell go off in his head but he pushed on. "You sure didn't seem that steady after I kissed you last night."

He watched with a smug smirk as Granger's face went up in flames. Draco inspected his nails more calmly than he felt inside and said, "By the way, Granger, you know that it was a mistake, don't you?"

He didn't have to look up to feel Granger's eyes glare holes in his head. "Of course."

"Got a bit tipsy, that's all," he said lightly. "Well, I'm glad we got that cleaned up. Don't let me detain you. You're a very busy woman and I'm a very busy man-"

Hermione was seriously contemplating inflicting bodily harm on the slimy, insolent, disgusting, ferret-faced man looking so pleased with himself when the door behind her was violently thrown open. Her eyes widened when she recognised the girl.

"Marie?" gaped Malfoy. "What are you-"

"YOU!" screamed Marie, pointing a finger which was manicured to perfection at Malfoy. "YOU LEFT ME FOR HER?" Hermione instinctively stepped back when the finger was flung in her direction. "YOU TOOK HER TO DONATELLA! YOU PROMISED TO TAKE ME THERE!"

"Marie, why don't you calm down and-"

"NO I WILL NOT! I WILL BREAK YOUR NOSE WITH-"

Hermione didn't stay to hear the sentence out. She sprinted out of the office as the sound of shattering glass reached her ears. Screeching to a halt before Lindsay's vacant desk, she grabbed the phone and frantically scanned the list of phone numbers.

"Security, security, security," she mumbled, her hands shaking. "Ah ha!"

It took no more than two minutes for the security guards to burst out of the elevator not unlike those in Hollywood movies, and escorted a hysterical, kicking Marie from Malfoy's office.

"I LOOOOVE YOU DRAAACO!" she wailed, sobbing tearlessly as she struggled against the many pairs of hands on her arms. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO MEEE?"

"Is Mr Malfoy all right?" Hermione asked a passing guard.

"A bit banged up, but should be okay," he answered.

"Thanks," smiled Hermione.

She gingerly stepped back into his office, wincing at the broken porcelain vases and bits of broken glass on the floor. Malfoy sat at his chair, nursing a bloody nose and a black eye. Other than a few cuts he seemed to be fine.

"Quite heroic of you, really, fleeing the scene as if a bull was chasing after you," sneered Malfoy as she made her way over to his side.

"Shut up, Malfoy," shot back Hermione. "I called the guards. Or you would've ended with two black eyes."

"As if it makes any difference," he grumbled.

"I see you're highly trained in self-defence," she said sarcastically.

Malfoy glared at her. "For your information, I am a gentleman. I do not hit women."

She sighed and leant against his desk right beside his chair. "Let me look at your nose."

"Yeah. Why don't you just break it off? It feels as if it's falling off anyway," he snapped testily.

Hermione frowned and glared at him. "I'm just trying to help."

"You want to help, don't you?" he glowered. "Here's one thing you can do- stay away from me."

She made a sound that sounded like groan and a stifled grunt of frustration. "Malfoy, unless you want a crooked nose for life, I have to fix it now."

Malfoy sneered, loosening his tie, his actions jerky with anger. "Isn't that a dream come true to you?"

"Merlin, Malfoy!" exploded Hermione, throwing her hands upwards. "Just shut up, will you?"

She proceeded to push his chair back to slide in between his knees and the desk. She then conjured up a box of cotton wool and a bottle of water, and batted his hands away from his nose, which was bleeding heavily onto his white shirt. With a healing charm, the bleeding ceased. She then performed a spell that had the bones in his nose shifting back to place, and Malfoy winced as they both listened to the crack of the bones.

"Now let's have you cleaned up," said Hermione with forced cheer once the ominous sounds stopped. "Hold still."

He yelped when she poured the ice cold water over his nose, and soaked his bloodied shirt. "Bloody hell, Granger!"

"Quit whining like a baby," she retorted, shaking her head. She held his chin between her thumb and index finger, while her other hand deftly cleaned up his face, running the soft cotton over his skin.

"You just did that to see my bare chest through my wet shirt," he said accusingly.

"I did not!" She looked down. The shirt clung snugly to his chest and she caught a glimpse of the well toned muscles through the almost transparent fabric.

"Ha! I said," cried Malfoy triumphantly.

"What?" Hermione blushed, furiously scrubbing the crusted blood off his cheeks.

"Ow! What's wrong with you, woman, that hurt!" complained Malfoy, pulling away.

"What a crybaby you are," snickered Hermione. "Stop fidgeting!"

Malfoy caught her wrists and said, "I can clean myself up, thanks."

"You may be able to, but you can't take care of the black eye."

"So concerned all of a sudden, Granger?" tittered Malfoy, staring at her steadily. "I've grown on you, huh?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes, but didn't move her hands. "Just because I hate you doesn't mean I will leave you bloodied and bruised."

He tut-tutted. "Always the superhero."

"If you don't want my help, fine," she snapped. She tried to pull her arms from his grasp but to no avail. "Let me go!"

"I didn't say I don't want your help," he said quietly.

It was that silence again. That quiet calm, as if there was a hole in time and they were caught in it. She looked into the grey of his eyes again, so close, like the night before. Why was life so unfair? A bastard like him shouldn't have the face of a god. Someone up there must have made a mistake. Ginny was right, he was an attractive man, though he didn't deserve it. There was no denying the sharp nose and the intelligent eyes demanded attention. And all that hair- so soft, brushing against her fingers now. Those lips, now moving, speaking, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. Merlin, she could hardly breathe. He was too close, trapping her between him and the desk-

"Malfoy!"

The spell was broken, and Hermione jerked on arms away and stumbled from the desk, her face flushed.

Malfoy didn't even cast a look at her. "Zabini-"

"What happened, man? I heard that an old flame broke in-"

"I'm leaving now," said Hermione rather awkwardly. "Um, you still need someone to fix your eye, Malfoy."

"Whoa, that woman can throw a punch, can't she?" joked Zabini, sending Hermione a wink. "Thanks, Hermione. Malfoy owes you one."

She shook her head and was about to dash out of the door when Malfoy called her name.

"Granger," he said solmenly. "Thank you."

She nodded, then turned around and walked away.

She was pretty certain Malfoy did not revisit Donatella that night.


Edited 29 May 2012

Ooooh can you feel the tension?

Thank you so much for the reviews! I got a staggering 47 reviews for the last chapter alone- which has never, ever happened to me before! A big hug to everyone who reviewed, you guys make me so happy! I love the appreciation you show to my characters and my plot!

It will be a busy week for me next week, so I can't guarantee an update as quick as this one. As I mentioned before, I will be heading to boarding school next month, and though I have a laptop, I doubt I will have time to write there. But no worries, I have loads of holidays I can make use of! Anyway, enjoy the chapters as they come :