A/N: Without more hesitation on my part… Chapter 10! (Uploaded a spellchecked version of Chapter 9, it's not new!) Again, I don't own these characters (Ms. Rowling does) but I do own the interesting predicaments that they tend to get themselves into. Yet, I do not own any amusement or interest that you take in them. ;] I just hope you do 'cause it means I've done my job right. Like always, any comments/criticism or concerns are welcome.

-Jeline.

Chapter Ten: The Opposite of Sanity

"Hello, mum—dad… I want you to meet my fiancé… Draco Malfoy," I said nervously.

After actually saying that particular sentence aloud (one which I recited many times over throughout the day), I felt that it was hard to function. I could not breathe, let alone move. Draco… uh, Malfoy who had his hand on the small of my back began to rub soothing circles to bring me back to life. Unfortunately for me, considering the dream I had that very morning; it was eliciting another type of response. I was able to finally inhale and gripped my hand on the plush seat in front of me that was empty.

Looking at my parents reactions didn't surprise me but it didn't ease my nerves either. My parents' reactions were still in utter shock… I knew that it would take a few minutes for them to register. Draco ushered me into my seat and was about to sit closest to my father. I gave him a knowing look and I think he actually lost the color in his face (was there ever any?). He wisely sat next to my mother instead.

"Hermione dear, would you care to explain the aforementioned statement?" My mother asked, somewhat embarrassed.

"Yes, well—mum, dad... as you know, I had been previously been in a relationship with Jonathan but that did not work out for various reasons. I know you may think that I'm vulnerable and perhaps this relationship is moving much too fast but Draco and I are not perfect strangers… we met back in Hogwarts." I began.

It seems that he and I had never really discussed what exactly we would tell my parents. I did not want to lie to the two people who had raised me and taught me better. I silently gulped and attempted not think of the knots in my stomach. Instead, he chimed in to finish for me.

"As your beautiful daughter has mentioned, we initially met at Hogwarts. We were in different houses then, we considered each other rivals. But a mere few weeks ago I ran into Hermione at a Jazz Tavern where I play from time to time. After running into her, I asked her to a cup of coffee to reminisce over our adventures at school and we had come to realize that we had many things in common."

At this point he grasped my hand and leaned in to kiss my cheek. The same scent of sandalwood, black pepper and the mystery musk (as I have now dubbed it) permeated my senses and I felt a cloudy, relaxed sensation. How had it come to soothe me when mere hours before it caused an involuntary bodily response from me? I chanted a few simple spells in my head to keep me focused and NOT think about my dream this morning.

Draco made a motion to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear and turned to stare at me with an all-too- convincing lovingly gaze that would make any actor proud.

Glancing from the side I could see my father's lip twitch. He was not very pleased by all this. He was clearly worried about the wellbeing of his only daughter, the wizarding prodigy and sole brainiac of the Granger line. Malfoy would really have to work hard if he wanted to win the Grangers over, especially one Mr. Timothy Granger—dentist and overprotective father.

"What is it about him that makes you so certain?" My father asked.

The origins of what I was about to say next are still a mystery to me: "Unlike Jonathan… I know that Draco truly cares about my wellbeing. He is rather selfless and is undeniably patient with me. You both know how headstrong I can be, how much I throw myself into my work. Draco provides me with a balance that rivals Ron and Harry. He really allows me to experience life more. True, there are moments that he drives me mad but I am sure that I would be mad without him."

Thankfully at this point the waiter came and brought with him a beautiful bottle of wine before another line of questioning from the parental police. I was never so happy to see alcohol in my life. In retrospect, the aforementioned comment will only suggest that I am some kind of addict. It seems that agreeing to be Malfoy's fiancé also meant that I would pick up a few vices along the way. I should have seen it coming.

Draco poured the lovely red liquid and I eyed the glass and he handed it to me with a small chuckle—he kissed my cheek lightly. I ignored it and concentrated on how much longer I'd have to endure this hell.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I assure you that I am only interested in your daughter's wellbeing. She has lived her life attempting to take care of others and never allowing anyone to take care of her. I intend to take care of her for a change. I know she may not be fond of the idea at times—but I know that it is what she needs and deserves. I hope to do this for the rest of our days together."

I received an almost genuine smile and he kissed my hand tenderly. My god, even I almost believed him! My dream flooded back into my consciousness and I almost forgot how to breathe. Put yourself together Hermione!

My father began his line of questioning once again and I sat in uncomfortable silence watching Malfoy easily answer all my father's questions like a pro. He gave my parents a very PG-like synopsis of his life story—even mentioning his efforts to be the foil of his father in every way. He talked about his company and how he has always wanted to prove that although he had been given such a privileged life, he wanted to forge his own path.

I kept up my façade of the loving gaze of an enamored woman but inside I was both a nervous wreck and a guilty child. I couldn't help like I deserved a punishment for such a large lie, as if I should be put in a corner or punished by my parents. I may be a grown woman but the tinge of Granger guilt and consciousness crept in. What we were doing was not morally right… and yet again, I needed to remember that what Jonathan did to me was not morally right either.

At the end of the night, I had three—no four glasses of wine but was no where near inebriated as I was last night. Draco muttered a quick sobriety spell after my second glass to prohibit the alcohol from having such an effect on me. I realized by the fourth glass that my father's lip stopped twitched and they were actually laughing at some joke he had told. I had stopped being so guarded at this point and decided that if I was going to hell—might as well make sure I did as the most superior actress that I was.

At a random slow song, I exclaimed that it was my favorite song and demanded that my fiancé dance with me. He was actually reluctant at first but conceded my wishes and ushered me towards the corner of the dance floor where there was more privacy. It was within sight of our table but far enough that you could not make out our conversation.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're an alcoholic Granger." He whispered into my ear.

"The guilt that comes from lying can do many things to a woman… namely make her drink one too many glasses of wine. –But to be fair, you chose an amazing wine." I said putting my head on his shoulder.

The room started spinning slightly and he tightened his hold on me.

"You and I are not necessarily lying. We are partners…perhaps in not the conventional way that your parents would like to think but we are working together to bring Jonathan Rowe down. You are living in my home now and I did not lie to them about seeing that you are taken care of for a change. You will be; I will give you the closure you need from your wasted time with Jonathan. I will make sure you have everything you need while you are my 'partner'."

"Well Draco, if that's the tale you want to spin…"

The room started getting even more blurry and I clutched onto him even more muttering his name into his ear. I detected a shiver coming from him and he whispered to a waiter nearby to inform my parents he would take me to get some fresh air. Putting his hand on the small of my back, he ushered me outside.

"I thought that sobriety spell would do the trick but it seems you really are a lightweight with your alcohol content." He said.

"I didn't eat much before starting on the wine," I said as I leaned my back into the cool surface of the brick building.

He pulled out his wand and muttered, "Paullinin Cupana" and a steaming mug of coffee appeared in his hand. He handed this to me and I sipped quietly on the godlike beverage. I started feeling a little better but decided to finish its contents first.

"I haven't decided which you like more…alcohol or caffeine," He said smirking.

"The latter," I said taking another sip, moaning slightly as I closed my eyes at the scent of its heavenly aroma.

"You make it seem as if it is an out of body experience," He said. I swear his voice wasn't that husky prior to that.

I decided to pretend I had not heard that in his voice but I cannot deny that the sound of it made my knees buckle slightly. "Not many things in this life allow us that luxury,"

"I can think of a few…" he said, his voice nearly made me melt. He stepped closer to me, his eyes scanning my body and features.

"Perhaps we should go inside, it's rather cold out here," I mumbled.

I tried to stumble forwards towards the door but he stopped me. Gently tugging my waist back to the confines of the brick wall, I felt the cold surface of the brick against my back again. I involuntarily shivered.

I tried very, very hard not to look at his face but rather his left shoulder. I knew if I looked up at him it would probably be at his lips and I'd want to devour them. I had already kissed this man before but I made myself think of puppies, Voldemort and Ron and Harry in matching chicken costumes when they had lost a dare a few months after we graduated Hogwarts. I had never allowed myself to think that I actually desired to kiss him.

To be fair, I was a woman who hadn't had any intimacy with a man and hadn't realized how much I yearned for it until that damn dream. Perhaps it was my crazed hormones or the alcohol but Draco Malfoy didn't look half bad in the moonlight. You can even say he is painfully handsome to look at—despite the egotistical annoying nature of his. Yes, good…remember that Hermione—annoying prat who made school miserable, who can hold a tune and is an exceptionally good dancer…no!! Damn you psychology!

My one fatal mistake was to actually look up at him… He lowered his head and trailed his nose against my collar bone, then came back up and kissed the corner of my mouth and I desperately tried not to moan—I failed miserably. He parted my lips open with a flick of his tongue and in a flash of a millisecond his arms were wrapped around me and I swear my lips burned. We stood there, exploring each other's mouths for about thirty seconds when the alarm in my mind suddenly went off. CODE RED! CODE RED!

I pushed him away gently and looked down at my painfully beautiful high heels.

"My parents," I said and he nodded and ushered me back inside, this time not touching the small of my back.

After another half hour of trying to win over my parents—might I add he did rather well, we bid them goodbye. We promised to stop by for dinner at their house a week from today. We walked out of the restaurant towards the apparating zone in perfect silence. I didn't think we should address what had happened just less than an hour ago. It had become a perfect little mantra in my head: 'Don't talk about it. Don't talk about it.'

"You know we should probably talk about that little display outside of the restaurant not too long ago," he said.

DAMN! He talked about it.

"We can just say it was a momentary lapse of judgment, couldn't we?" I asked.

He wrapped his arms around my waist securely as he apparated us back to his home. We walked out of the dark room full of flaura and fauna. I closed my eyes as we entered the warm and lit hallway.

"You think it was a momentary lapse of judgment, Granger?" He asked angrily.

"No," I gulped. "I think… I think that you are a man and I am a woman… the biological urge took over. It's simple human nature that can supply us with an explanation." I said.

At this point he walked me to my door. "You don't think it can be so much more than that?" He asked. He actually looked like he had a pained expression in his eyes.

Don't fall for it Hermione, it's a bluff. He's trying to use psychology.

"I don't know," I said looking at my shoes once again.

He opened my room door and pulled me inside the dark room. He began kissing me hungrily and another bloody moan escaped me. Damn my inability to control my body! We stood there for a few minutes and he trailed his hands along my body and my hands buried themselves into his hair and I unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt. Throwing me on the bed he began to kiss me hungrily and my eyes fluttered shut.

In two seconds he was off me and off the bed walking towards the door.

"Think about that tonight Granger…" He smirked. "Was there so much more than a biological urge?"

With that he closed the door behind him and I let out a cry of frustration. I would need a very, very cold shower before going to sleep. I best not have another one of those damn dreams. This whole affair was turning out to be the opposite of sanity.