Chapter 10
Hermione had left the party a little earlier than everyone else. She had entered her empty room thinking about Jake. She was looking forward to their date tomorrow but not as much as she would have done a week ago. She didn't understand why though. She started thinking about what may have changed in so short a time. All Hermione could see that was different was Draco becoming a bigger presence in her life. Thinking about Draco reminded her of him and that girl. She had to admit the girl really was beautiful. She and Draco would make a lovely couple.
After putting on her pyjamas, Hermione switched the light off, climbed into bed, and lay down staring at the ceiling. Draco still hadn't come back. She checked her watch – 01:47. She mentally shrugged. It had nothing to do with her what Draco did. He could stay out all night for all she cared. Right? And thinking this she turned around in bed, facing the wall, and shortly after fell asleep.
Draco came in around 03:00am. He quietly closed the door trying his hard not to wake Hermione up. She was half falling off the bed. Her head was hanging off the side, her pillow was on the floor and her duvet looked like it was strangling her. He gently flicked his wand and slowly placed her back into the middle of the bed and arranged her bedding around her. She gracefully slept on. He quickly stripped down to his boxers and climbed into his bed. He had had a big surprise tonight when his cousin had come to the party out of nowhere. He had not seen Mia since two summers ago, when she and her mother, who was Draco's aunt from his father's side, had come to stay with them for a couple of weeks. They had been more than cousins when they were small. More like best friends, but they had lost contact when he had gone to Hogwarts and she, to Beauxbatons. Seems she had been in the area and had heard about the Halloween party and decided to drop in with her friends. He couldn't help but stop and catch up with her. When she had gone to the bar to tell her friends to go on ahead without her because she would be with him, he had looked around to find Hermione. He really wanted to introduce her to Mia. That's when he had seen her. Chatting with that..that..twat, Jake. He watched her for a moment. Then he suddenly felt a pain in his palm. Looking down into it, he saw small half moon shapes in it. Seems he had clenched his fists a little too hard. When Mia had come back, she had told him that her and her friends were going to go to another club near there and invited him along too. He turned to look at Hermione, to see what she was doing before replying but was unable to find her where he had seen her last. He looked around but didn't see her. When Mia had pushed him, he came back to his senses and decided to join them. That's where he had been all night, just catching up with his cousin.
The next day, Hermione woke up with a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was like she had had a terrible nightmare which she couldn't remember. She slowly climbed out of her bed and started getting ready for the day. As it was Sunday, there were no classes and she had caught up with all her homework so she was free to do what she wanted. She decided to visit Lucy and try and get some help from her for tonight's date with Jake.
"And that's how I woke up this morning," Hermione explained to Lucy. It was a few hours later and she and Lucy were sitting at their regular café drinking hot chocolates.
"But I thought you liked Jake Mi," Lucy said with a tiny frown. She was confused about her friend's feelings.
"I do, I just...I don't know. This is all just too confusing," Hermione said dropping her head on to her arms on the table.
"Oh I see what this is all about. You like Draco, don't you?" Lucy said smiling slightly.
"What? No! Of course not." Lucy noticed that Hermione was purposely avoiding her eyes.
"Look Mi, he's a great looking guy and from what I've heard from Blaise about him, I completely approve. He's a really nice person under that playboy front that he has," Lucy finished smiling softly at Hermione.
Hermione looked at her friend feeling slightly sick. What the hell was wrong with her? Liking Draco was completely out of the question. She was supposed to like Jake. Not Draco. But the weird thing was Hermione did still sort of like Jake. He was a really nice guy and...She shook her head.
"From your body language I'd say you've just made a decision about something," Lucy said chuckling.
"Yes. I have," Hermione said oblivious to her friends teasing. "I'm going to try and make a go of this with Jake. With Jake it would be easy and simple. I'm gonna go out with Jake tonight and damn well like my date!" she finished resolutely.
"Whatever you decide to do I'll always support you Mi," Lucy said smiling, but she was unable to stop herself from thinking that Hermione had made the wrong decision. "So, where are you going with Jake tonight?"
"I don't really know. He just said to dress nice but not too extravagant. We're going to meet up in front of our dorm at 8:00pm."
"Sounds sweet," Lucy said. "Just don't do anything I wouldn't," she said laughing.
At 8:00pm exactly, Hermione went downstairs to wait for Jake. She didn't have to wait however as he already waiting for her at the bench in front of the dorm.
"Hey," he said instantly standing up to greet her with his hands stuffed deep in his jacket pockets.
"Hi," Hermione said smiling at him. He really was a great looking guy. Tonight he was wearing a white shirt with thin blue stripes, over a dark pair of jeans and a pair of white converses with a black jacket. Hermione was glad with her choice of outfit when she saw him as he wasn't overly dressed. She had chosen a high-waisted black skirt with a peach colored vest top tucked into her skirt. She also had a black jacket and flat ballet shoes.
"So, are you ready for a night of fun?" he said jokingly. Hermione laughed feeling herself relax slightly.
"Yep. So where are we going?" she questioned falling into step beside Jake, who was leading the way to a side alley so they could apparate to their proper location.
"That, is a surprise," he said cheekily. He grabbed a hold of her hand and upon her nod of approval quickly apparated them to a street that was completely unfamiliar to Hermione.
"Where are we?" she asked.
"Well we are currently in...PARIS!" he exclaimed. Hermione was shocked into speechlessness.
"But how...how on earth did you manage to apparate us so far without splinching?" she sputtered incredulously.
"Well Paris isn't as far from England as everyone thinks you know," he smiled. "Come on, we have dinner reservations at Mr Bordeux," he said starting to lead the way down the street. Shaking her head whilst giggling softly to herself she followed him, eventually catching up.
"So how was your day today?" he asked while they walked towards a small restaurant at the end of the lane.
"Good. I didn't really do much today."
"Oh yes. I remember you saying you would be free after handing your essay in. How's your grade for that by the way?"
"I haven't got it back yet. I'll probably find out tomorrow," Hermione said smiling. She didn't really want to talk about school tonight.
They walked a couple more minutes in silence, but it wasn't a hostile silence at all. Once they entered the restaurant, Hermione felt her breath catch in her throat. From the outside, Mr Bordeux looked just like an American diner. She had even started worrying that she was over-dressed for such a place. But once they entered, Hermione realised how truly wrong she had been. Inside, there was nothing reminiscent of a diner at all. Infact it was a posh place where all the tables were draped with black tablecloths with lace around the edges. The chairs were not really chairs but rather small armchairs. There were no lights but for the candles on every table. Soft music played in the background.
"Bonjour Jake," exclaimed a waiter coming towards them with his hand outstretched.
"Alex, hello how are you?" Jake said shaking his hand.
"I 'ave reserved un table pour you Jake," the waiter said with a thick French accent and started to lead the way. Jake took a hold of Hermione's hand and started following Alex.
After they were seated with their orders given, Jake leaned back in his seat and looked around the restaurant. It was comfortably full. Not too packed yet not empty.
"So what do you think?" Jake asked smiling at Hermione over the candlelight.
"It's incredible. How on earth did you find this place?" she asked with amazement in her voice.
"My parents and I come on holiday to France almost every year. My mother, she's French. All her family are in France so we visit them often. My grandmother, she lives just up the road from here so whenever we'd stay round her house, she'd take us out for a meal and bring us here. I've been coming here since I was 6 years old."
Hermione listened to him speak about his family with a small smile. The way his eyes lit up while he spoke of them could not be misjudged. He would do anything for them.
"Monsieur Jake, I forgot to take your order for drinks. Je suis desolé," the waiter apologized.
"Oh that's no problem. We'll have two glasses of red wine," Jake said placing an order for Hermione as well. Once the waiter left Jake looked at Hermione and said; "I hope you weren't insulted by that. I mean me ordering in your place. I just...I remember seeing you with a glass of red wine at the Halloween party and once when you and Lucy were at The Bell."
Hermione laughed completely un-offended when what he said registered. He had seen her at The Bell? The night where her and Lucy were hit on? Why hadn't he done anything? She looked at his face questioningly but he was looking around the restaurant again. Almost as if he was searching for someone.
"Yeah, I like red wine," she said slowly. He hadn't seemed to notice anything though as he smiled at her and promptly pulled out a small breadstick from the basket in the middle of their table and chewed on it slowly.
They chatted for a while before their food came. Once they started eating, Jake downed his wine in one go and promptly ordered another one, then another one. Hermione however sipped hers slowly, the way her father had taught her. By the time he had drank his forth glass, he had become louder and he threw his hands around more as he spoke. Hermione had been having a good time, regardless, until he started brushing his leg against hers under the table in a way that wasn't completely appropriate for their current place. She discretely moved her legs further under her chair and taking the hint he pulled his back. After their dinner was finished, Jake insisted that they go clubbing. Hermione, however, was not very happy with the amount that he had been drinking and making an excuse of her having a headache, she managed to convince him to call it a night. Seeing as he was so intoxicated, Hermione took his hand and apparated them back to the alley by the side of the university. Jake wobbled a little when they landed and grabbed Hermione around the neck painfully whilst trying to right himself.
"Sorry 'bout that," he said slurring slightly.
"Jake are you ok to go back to your dorm?" she asked with slight concern.
"I will be if you agree to go clubbing with me tomorrow night. I know it's a Monday and you probably have loads of things to do for Tuesday but come on Mione, you owe me," he said winking. For what she owed him she didn't know but she noticed that he was shuffling closer to her with his arms slightly reaching towards her. Panicking, Hermione took a step away from him but her back hit the wall. He continued prowling towards her like a predator in pursuit of its prey.
She held up her hands in front of her and said; "Yeah ok Jake, sure we'll go clubbing tomorrow."
"Great!" he exclaimed too happily and turned to walk out of the alley. "Oh I almost forgot," he said and turned back round to Hermione. He grabbed her upper arms and placed a loud sloppy kiss on both her cheeks. Hermione's heart had started beating a mile a minute when he had turned back around. Now watching him leave, she let go of the breath that she had been holding and walked back to her room quickly.
Upon entering, she leaned against the door and breathed deeply. She looked at Draco, who seemed to be snoring loudly facing the wall by his bed, and catching her breath she grabbed her pyjamas and walked into the bathroom.
Draco turned around quietly and looked at the closed door of the bathroom. He had only been feigning sleep. He had to admit, that he had been worried about Hermione. Checking his watch, he saw that the time was 11:45pm. She wasn't back as early as he had liked her to, but he had no right to say anything on the matter.
When the bathroom door swung open, he quickly closed his eyes pretending to sleep again. Sighing heavily, she put her clothes into the cupboard and slid under her covers. Draco released the breath he had been holding.
Hermione felt like the way she had when she had woken up this morning. She had always known that her sixth sense was heightened, regardless of the stupid divination lessons they had at school. She thought about tonight and Jake. Normally she would have had fun clubbing but he was far too drunk to anticipate what he might do. She had to admit that she had been a little frightened by the way he had tried to play 'footsie' with her under the table. He had seemed like the guy that would not push a girl unless she allowed him to. She couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes. She was disappointed. Tonight was supposed to be fun. She was out with a great guy who she liked. But it was obvious he had a problem with alcohol. Maybe the problem was that he liked it too much. She looked over at Draco who was soundly sleeping and couldn't help but think about what a first date with him would have been like. Draco may have been many things, but she was sure that he was definitely not an alcoholic. He would never lose control like that.
She thought about the date that she had made with him for tomorrow night. She had been scared and used her confirmation as a way out of the alleyway. Now she had to face another night with him. Maybe this time she could stop him from drinking. Or maybe she could invite Lucy and Blaise along. Yes! That was it! If Lucy and Blaise were there he wouldn't get to do any 'funny business'.
Feeling elated upon finding a good solution to her problem, Hermione turned in bed, facing Draco and fell asleep instantly, the tiredness of the day, and night, finally catching up to her.
Draco opened his eyes just slightly to see that Hermione had fallen asleep. He smiled to himself watching her snoozing. He would learn the details of her date tomorrow. That Jake character better watch out. If he heard something that he wasn't happy with, Jake was gonna get it and he was not going to like it.
Hello Everyone! I'm back..I am so sorry for not updating sooner. I have been so busy with university. This term was absolutely MENTAL! But the good news is I now have a summer holiday until the end of September so hopefully I'll finish Till It's Gone by the time my next term at uni starts up. Anyway enough chit chat..What do you guys think of this chapter? I hope it's up to your expectations..I can promise that the next chapter will be epic! Anyway..Let me know what you all think and happy reading! Oh by the way thank you to alllll of you who have commented and added me or my story as a favourite or on alert..Also to all of you who knew who Mcfly was..You all roooooccckkk! :D
Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own any of the characters or Harry Potter..That all belongs to Ms. Rowling..Only the plot is mine!