They woke to the sun streaming through the large windows of his room. Hermione's loose curls covered his face and her slender body intertwined with his. A satisfied smirk spreading across his face he ran his hand down her bare back gently and she squirmed slightly opening her eyes.
Fluttering open her eye lashes to the sunlight she saw his grey blue eyes watching her. Oh god, she sat bolt upright scrambling for the bed sheet. "Well good morning" his deep voice and cheeky smile left her feeling nauseas as the events of last night flooded back to her. He snaked him arm around her under the covers and she almost fell of the bed trying to back away from his grasp. What had she done? He looked devastated as she jumped up and backed toward the door with the sheet still wrapped firmly around her. He followed her off the edge of the bed, oh lord he was completely naked and walking towards her. She wishes he didn't look quite as good as he did in that moment. "What's wrong?" her back hit the door as he reached her. He pressed himself against her, her hand paused for a moment against the handle as the smell of him caught her. He towered above you twisting his arms round her back and boring his nose into her hair, inhaling her he kissed gently down her collarbone.
She looked incredible as she backed away from him, that doe eyed fear was starting to be a huge turn on for him. Her chestnut curls fell over one shoulder in a mess as he followed her. He'd actually rather enjoyed waking up with Granger, he could let her go and it would make little difference to his plans today but he wanted her back, back in his bed and back in his arms. He enjoyed her, last night had been incredible a level of ecstasy he'd not reached before. He crashed his lips to hers before she had chance to run away from him anymore.
She lost her breath as she felt him lift her up to wrap her legs around his. Her pushed her back against the door as her legs wrapped around him. He felt her small hand drop down and heard her gasp as she felt him pressed against her. She was about to give in again and he couldn't wait. She looked up into his stone grey eyes and felt a familiar buzz of electricity run through her. Reaching down she touched him, she wanted him she couldn't help herself and she wasn't going to wait this time. Without pausing she guided him to her and let out a deep groan and she felt him invading her. It felt like he was made just for her they fitted together so perfectly. He rocked his hips pushing deeper into her and she felt her core tightening each time. His fingers pressed into her thighs as he gripped her and pushed her against the oak door as he drove into her. Feeling herself falling over the edge her body crashed around him and she heard him growl into her curls as he pulsed into her, holding her as his body shuddered as he filled her. After a moment he released her gently to the ground but as he did her hand slipped from its resting place on the handle. The door flew open and they fell through in a tangle of limbs and bed sheet. He twisted as he fell landing on his back on the floor as Hermione landed in a head on top of him. He let out a deep laugh and she couldn't help but do the same as they laid there on the living room floor, it was quite funny, until they heard a meek little cough and saw a bright flash in the background. Both shooting their eyes up in the direction of the light, they saw Fumri stood with a small group of stunned journalists and the headmistress who immediately took position in front of her fanning her robes to block their privacy as they bolted back into the room. A few minutes later Hermione was clad in a large jumper and jeans. Walking into the living room she found a fully dressed Malfoy bidding goodbye to the last of the journalists. Hermione hovered in the doorway for a moment, she couldn't bring herself to face him. Before she could make her presence known Fumri popped up behind Draco "Fumri sorry, all Fumri's Fault, bad elf, very back elf, they say they have interview with mistress, Fumri let them in, Fumri had disgraced Master, Fumri must be punished." The little elf was inconsolable and it broke Hermione's heart. Malfoy's expression was stern and Hermione braced herself ready to step in, it was her fault, she'd completely forgotten she was supposed to give an interview in the great hall this morning before tonight's Ball. They must have come looking for her.
Draco sat on the sofa with a thud and spoke sternly to Fumri in front of him "Mistress forgot she had an interview. That is not your fault. You did the right thing letting them in, you were not to know and there was nothing you could have done. If you needed to be punished I would punish you. You have not disgraced anyone, we disgraced ourselves. Do you remember what we talked about?" Fumri nodded "So you know, if you punish yourself I will be very, very unhappy. Only bad elves punish themselves." Draco reached into one of the deep draws in the coffee table and handed Fumri a little box. "I've been very happy with you recently Fumri, you've done a very good job" The little elf smiled widely "Hogwarts express? Master is too kind" the little elf disappeared and she couldn't help but smile to herself. She know she'd been right… Draco had changed.
As she walked into the room he turned and caught her eye. "Do you want the good news or the bad first?" she thought for a second "Bad."
"Well, I can't stop them running the story" She glowered at his words "Doesn't Malfoy industries own the Daily Prophet?" he nodded "Yes we do but we don't own all the newspapers Hermione. They won't print my name in a scandal story unless it's a sure thing because they're scared of the back lash… but having walked in on it themselves, it's pretty difficult for me to say they're lying. If I stop the Prophet it'll make no difference apart from my share prices will go down when everyone else runs the story and we don't."
"So there is no good news, it's going to be plastered on the papers no matter what?" She was on the edge of tears but honestly she didn't see the point in wallowing right now. It was going to get a lot worse before it got better.
He smirked and she knew there was something else coming "Actually no, they're coming to the Ball tonight and I managed to strike a deal. If we agree to cooperate with them, give them the story, then they'll let us have a say in what they write. We can spin this in our favour. This way we both win. I agreed of course, it's not like we have an option."
Her mind was swimming, she didn't want to spin it she wanted it to go away "how can we spin it? They won't believe nothing happened." He looked amused as she finished "I think you're misunderstanding" he gestured for her to sit down with him and she obliged "Hermione, we fell naked though a door in front of a group of press. This isn't about pretending nothing happened, this is about announcing our relationship in the best way." She tried to interrupt him but he cut her off "Before you start… I know this isn't ideal but look at it sensibly, this is a delicate enough situation, if we start denying things or not playing along they could turn on us very quickly. I'm used to being despised but you're not, do you want that? Do you want to be the fallen golden girl who had a one night stand with a monster? Or do you want to be the Golden girl who reformed a monster and brought him to the light side? Because as silly as it sounds those are the two ways this is going to go with the press and honestly, it's your choice?" He stood and walked out of the front door in silence leaving her sat on the sofa drinking in all of the new information.
Hermione was many things but stupid wasn't one of them. In fact she liked to consider herself reasonably practical and this morning her head was clearer than it had been in weeks. Malfoy was right, at this stage her best option was to play along. As much as she just couldn't admit it to herself, she liked Malfoy. If it came down to a choice between publically claiming him or disowning him, she knew which she would pick.
Opening one eye she felt her body shaking as a furious Ginny stood over her. Hair up in curlers and face flushed pink… "Get up! We're going to be late to the actual ball this time!" She was already wearing the underskirt to her dress as she waddled off towards Hermione's room. Checking the time she realised she'd slept most of the afternoon. Following Ginny she peeled off her jeans and jumper "How did you get in?" Ginny flashed a wicked smile "I had a visit from a rather flustered Malfoy about an hour ago, said you were passed out on the sofa, your dress was ruined and gave me his key to come and sort you out. He looked like he was on a mission, he had his whole little posey trailing around with him scrawling things down, sending owls. At least now I understand how he keeps his business running, I've never seen the adult side of Draco… scary" Hermione remembered her sodden dress on the bathroom floor. Oh god, she ran to find it still there in its sodden puddle. "Its ruined" she walked back into the room holding it at arms length, to a scowling Ginny "I want to ask how that happened but at the same time, I don't." She stood up waddling back into the Living room before re appearing with a beautiful white cardboard box. "The elf brought this from Hogsmeade just before I finally managed to wake you. One of his minion's handy work I assume. "
Hermione pulled the ribbon that bound the box and it fell away to reveal a beautiful Golden gown, she moved to pick it up but Ginny stopped her "I'd bathe first… you smell… well you smell like a dead dragon. I don't need to ask why." Hermione couldn't help flushing pink as she headed to the bathing pool.
Standing in front of her mirror took her breath away. Ginny's eyes widened "Hermione…. You look incredible. That dress is…. There are no words for it." She wasn't wrong, the deep gold dress twisted around her body in the most enchanting way. It looked as though golden ivy had wrapped its way around her gliding over every curve and holding her perfectly. This skirt flared from her hips and glided around her ankles. She smiled to herself, she should have thought to wear gold in the first place it was only fitting after all.
Draco waited with the other men at the beginning of the procession, he, Harry and Ron waited patiently. Harry spoke a little between them and Ron even asked Draco directly if he had enjoyed a pleasant day. It was forced at best but he felt rather accomplished having forged even a basic relationship with both of them. Although Harry was much more forthcoming he knew that Ron was opening to him with gentle encouragement from Pansy. It appeared that there blossoming romance which had been building in secret ever since Pansy first heard of Draco's plan was moving rather quickly. Perhaps it was Ron being displaced with losing Hermione but he was clinging to Pansy and starting to rely on her heavily. It was good news but Pansy was struggling and he knew it. A needy Ron was a tall order and Pansy simply couldn't stand him.
He lost his train of thought when the Minister and several men arrived taking their positions. Hermione was the first to enter followed by the Minister, Harry, Mcgonagall , Ron and then the rest.
As the Minister saw Malfoy his face dropped, he spoke in a flat low tone looking around to see that no one else heard. "Lord Malfoy, your sponsorship didn't come with an invite, do you not think your presence here is inappropriate? We had an agreement, tomorrow morning the Audits begin."
Before Draco could reply they heard the music start in the great hall and the women descended from the staircase. They all looked wonderful of course but Draco watched the groups mouths gawp as Hermione descended in the dress that shone like sunlight itself. He'd enchanted it to do that himself. Sweeping past the Minister who tried to greet her but received only a polite nod she took Draco's arm and poised as the doors in front opened to a sea of people and flashing lights. Show time.
For the rest of the evening Draco wished he could have seen the Ministers face behind him through that first procession.
