AN: I know I lied, my bad… Oh and I made up Draco's middle name, sue me :)
They sat in silence, studying each other. Like some sort of prey, but it wasn't a predatory interaction, it was a mating ritual of sorts.
Hermione watched a Malfoy swirled the glass of wine, as the red drops ran down the side of the cup. She felt naked, she felt judged, but she was done letting him be the one in control. It was true that he still held the ultimate poker card. He could still say no, he could take the child from her, but he'd proven he didn't want a child and he'd proven that he'd never wanted a marriage.
The weight of the ring that had been pressing into her chest; the bones of her chest suddenly seemed to be moving more than normal.
She glanced back up into his eyes, bad idea. She looked down quickly as he looked off to the left. Hermione started at an odd pattern on the wall as the waitress set plates of hot food down in front of them.
She carefully placed her napkin in her lap, but as she glanced back up Malfoy already had spaghetti filling his mouth, she watched as noodles hit the bottom of his chin. Without thinking she grabbed her napkin and went to wipe off the sauce.
She paused almost an inch from his face and glanced up at him, his eye brow raised slightly, but she kept going. This is why she needed a bloody kid; she was trying to mother the 30 year old man in front of her. Hell, she really was mothering him, well minus what the night would end in.
He just smirked when she sat back down in her seat and started cutting the steak that sat on her plate.
Malfoy couldn't help but smirk when she literally wiped the smirk off his face. Not even his own mother had done that, he didn't really ever know what true love was but Hermione had the unconditional motherly love part down.
He shook the thoughts from his head and focused on his meal. Well he tried for a moment, and then Hermione started eating. As previous truth known to him was that eating steak was not a sexual act, it wasn't even a particularly sexy act.
But bloody hell, Granger made eating steak sexy. Malfoy could almost feel an uncomfortable tightness growing in his trousers, as she sucked the small pieces off her fork.
"Draco Livius Malfoy" Malfoy could feel tension just accumulate in the air, as Astoria Greengrass strolled over to the table.
The vindictive bitch was back, and not in the perfect scenario. How could he pass off this dinner with Granger as nothing more than work, or possibly friends? Astoria wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed but she'd know something was up. She had a talent for that.
"Astoria" Malfoy responded
"It's been too long, how are things?" She leaned over the table, her chest all but popping out of her shirt. Malfoy didn't look though; he kept his gaze focused on Granger. She blushed, and ducked her head over her food.
"Fine." He didn't need to relive his past; he didn't need to take a walk down horrid memory lane with her. He
"And who might this be," she paused taking in Hermione's frame, "Ms. Granger I presume. Now what are you too doing out together?" Astoria sneered at Hermione, and Malfoy had the sudden urge to smack the smirk off her face. But he wouldn't hit a lady, even though Astoria was surely not a lady.
"Astoria, it's a simple business meeting. Now if you please, we have more details to be discussing." Malfoy stated as Hermione raised her head.
Her head raised and focused on Astoria, and as it did a small silver chain popped from beneath her sweater, revealing the Malfoy engagement ring. The thick silver bands, the square diamond, the emeralds and the onyx; he'd know it anywhere, and unfortunately so did Astoria.
"Oh" Astoria's voice trailed off, as she and Malfoy stood frozen looking at Hermione's chest.
"Well then, I see you two do have some business to attend too." She straightened herself pulling at her suit coat, and stomping off in the opposite direction.
Malfoy didn't even respond to her walking away, he didn't need too. That wasn't the matter at hand, it wasn't the biggest shocker, but the fact that Hermione had the ring around her neck was. The emeralds sparkled like they were claiming her as a Slytherin, and at the moment Malfoy almost thought about asking her about it.
He decided against it and looked down at his plate.
Hermione watched the peculiar change in Malfoy and Astoria's behavior, and couldn't find the trigger, but they seemed to be staring at her. Did Astoria know? Hermione hadn't even told Ginny, Hermione hadn't told anyone, but what if Malfoy had.
But what could Malfoy possibly gain by divulging her secret, their secret. He wouldn't have gained anything, except maybe blood recognition, but that had seemed to lose favor as the Second war fell. That's when she felt it; she felt the lack of cold smooth metal against her fast beating heart. The ring had fallen out from behind her sweater, and that's what caused the reaction.
That meant the ring at one point had meant something to Astoria, had Malfoy almost wound up married?
Silence seemed to fall over both their table and the restaurant as they finished eating. Hermione didn't say a word, and Malfoy only talked to the waitress.
Malfoy helped her back into her coat, wordlessly. Hermione noticed the silence but it wasn't awkward, it was just quiet. She'd always liked quiet; there was a certain sincerity to it. Someone couldn't fake silence, but with Malfoy it seemed right. It seemed normal.
The pair apparated to just in front of the manor and walked into the cool manor. The lights were lit, the fires were bright; and apparently Malfoy was ready. His overcoat hit the floor, next came his suit coat, and before Granger had a since second for reference, Malfoy was standing in satin boxers next to the rug next to the fire place.
"Are we going to make a Malfoy or what Granger?" he smirked, her jaw dropped but she dropped her coat to the floor
"What about in a bed Malfoy?" She whispered
"What about on the floor Granger?"
"Malfoy" her voice suddenly got more demanding, but he ignored her and just tapped the carpet beside him.
Hermione wanted to sigh, and huff and puff; but instead she took what she wanted. She ripped off her sweater, and her tights. She wasn't even really sure where she threw her shoes but she heard them clatter across immaculately polished hard wood floors.
She walked; no she strutted across the floor to the carpet and laid down next to Malfoy. Looking up at the ceiling, she noticed moving paintings, done in incredible detail. There were swans, diamonds, lace, it was all very expensive looking, just like Malfoy.
She looked over at his chest as it rose and fell, the glimmer from the fire place glinting off his muscles. She moved closer to him and he reciprocated. She was quickly tucked under his arm. The fire continued to burn, and her leg was lifted over his.
Malfoy couldn't help but notice how she fit into his side. But he especially noticed how her breathing suddenly got heavy, she was breathing through her mouth. Like a child, he glanced down searching for her dark brown orbs, only to find pale skin.
Hermione had fallen asleep wrapped around a nearly naked Malfoy. He didn't have the heart to wake her, or maybe he didn't have the balls. But Malfoy quickly escaped to a world of dreams with a half-dressed princess at his side.
AN: Please review, I've been fighting with this ending for a while, so let me know what you think, and it's not the end of the story, just of the chapter. I love reviews :)
