Chapter 11

Hermione checked her delicate wrist watch again for the third time, she was on the verge of being late and she didn't care. She was a coward and she knew it.

The high she had been on yesterday was gone and the Hermione of old was back.

She was dressed in her gorgeous red dress she had bought yesterday and she knew the uncertainty she felt was all in her head but she was nervous. She was nervous and all on her own. The glass of wine she had downed to help had only assisted a little.

Hermione was sitting on her couch staring at the coffee table trying to find the courage that had gotten her through a war—to just get her to a freaking Christmas Ball for Merlins sake—when a knock sounded at the door. She stared at it for a second before getting up on her ridiculously high heels to go answer it.

'I knew you would still be here.' It was Ginny and she stormed into Hermione flat heading straight for kitchen cupboard. Ginny knew where Hermione stored the alcohol—Ginny knew too much. 'Luckily, I know you well enough to tell Harry to go on ahead without me. What would you do without me?'

'That's something I ask myself every day.' Hermione rolled her eyes, but was thankful for Ginny's presence anyway. Ginny was thankfully too busy pouring shots of Fire Whiskey into glasses to notice Hermione's semi-sarcasm. Ginny had bought her the bottle months ago, in hope that maybe it would loosen Hermione up—the bottle was still sealed. 'I can't drink that, Gin,' Hermione added, eyeing the glasses warily, 'you know I'm not exactly myself when I drink that.'

'Yes well, maybe that would be good for you. I thought you had a change of heart yesterday. Where's that Hermione? This isn't really you.'

Hermione still looked sceptical so with a pleading expression on Ginny's face she asked, 'Come on, just have a good time tonight. If anyone deserves it, it's you.'

Ginny was right, she should loosen up. Didn't she just commit to being a better person? Didn't she commit to Draco—even if that commitment was made for her own peace of mind?

Hermione was disgusted with herself. Where was her spine?

She straightened her nonexistent spine and threw back the Whiskey in one go and held back the coughing fit that wanted to overtake her.

'Thanks, Gin,' Hermione murmured, gathering her bag and shawl, 'you're absolutely right.'

Hermione was almost to the door when she stopped in her tracks.

'Hold on a moment. I've forgotten something.'

Ginny waited patiently, yet curiously, for Hermione to return and when she did Ginny's eyes widened in amazement.

'Wow, Hermione, where'd you get that?'

Hermione touched the fabulous diamond necklace around her neck with the tip of her fingers and shrugged. 'Just a family heirloom that came to me recently. Amazing, isn't it?'

Ginny's eyes were wide as she nodded absent-mindedly.

'I'd say.'

Hermione just smiled and grasped onto Ginny's hand, trusting her with their destination.

...

Ginny squeezed Hermione's hand once more for luck before making their way to the entrance of the Ballroom the Ministry of Magic were using for the event. The Ballroom was in an extremely fancy, five star hotel that although was catered for Muggles, was owned by a Wizard who allowed them with extensive wards to use the facilities.

Hermione could feel the wards as she moved into the room and her eyes widened when she took in the room.

'Wow,' Ginny murmured beside her, 'they really went all out this year.'

The room was decorated in ice blue and white, making the room look wintery. The sunken dance floor in the middle had the impression it was a massive frozen lake and as the dancers, so fluid and graceful, glided passed the vision was complete. It was snowing, but it was disintegrating before it even came close to the guests heads.

They really did go all out this year, even if she hadn't made it to the function last year.

Once Hermione had taken in the decor, she couldn't stop scanning the crowds for Draco and as she did, a blush touched her cheeks when she realised that she and Ginny were attracting many admiring stares.

No one had ever seen Hermione so beautiful before.

Whispers were beginning until Ginny took Hermione's elbow and led her to the massive bar on the other end of room. It was a long walk, and she still hadn't caught sight of the man she was going through all this for. Had he decided not to attend?

No ... Draco was trying and succeeding to get ahead in the Ministry and he would never pass up this opportunity to network his cause. He was here somewhere.

Harry was waiting for them at the bar and just seeing her best friends face was making her feel better. He already had drinks waiting for them ... bless him.

She took a few unladylike gulps of her dry, white wine and continued searching after she had kissed Harry on the cheek. She was busy scanning the dance floor and her heart began to sink. He was dancing ... with Astoria Greengrass.

They were sweeping past where Hermione was standing and as her eyes were fixed on the couple, she couldn't miss the fact he was bending down to whisper something in her ear. It looked intimate and as Astoria laughed in her annoying gurgle that Hermione assumed Astoria thought was sexy, she moved closer into his embrace.

Hermione felt her heart contract painfully at the sight. She had really thought that she had gotten through to him.

Well, if he really hadn't considered her at all tonight, Hermione was determined to have the best damned evening ever.

Even if it killed her.

...

Granger was driving him crazy. That must have been the twentieth man she's danced with tonight. Theo Nott had claimed her for numerous dances and although Theo was his best friend, he felt like tearing him limb from limb. The look in his eyes told Draco exactly what Theo wanted to do and it made him so livid, he was surprised steam was rising from his ears.

He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her and he was desperately trying to fight his attraction for her. Draco had thought ignoring her would do the trick but it was proving impossible, especially looking the way she was now. He had tried distraction also by flirting with the Greengrass chit, but the entire time they were dancing could only see her brilliant red dress form the corner of his eye.

Draco was in an abysmal mood and was standing in the shadows on the edge of the room, his eyes not once leaving Mione. No! Not Mione! Just plain old Granger. Why did he keep thinking of her in terms of that stupid endearment?

She was mousy, unattractive, nondescript ... amazing, beautiful, enchanting. Draco's scowl just got more pronounced.

Hermione Granger.

What was it that ensnared his whole mind and refused to let go? She fired his blood and grasped his entire attention like no woman had been able to do before. No woman had ever taken all of his thought space.

And the dreams...

He had had the most erotic and intense dreams he had ever in his whole life last night—dreams that felt so real, they felt like memories. And all starring her.

Draco knew there was only one thing he could do to get her out of his blood. He needed to shag her. He needed to get her out of his system so things could go back to normal.

As Draco's eyes hadn't left Hermione once, he noticed immediately when she crossed the floor and made her way out the balcony doors that led to the back gardens.

Draco's smile was predatory as he casually strolled around the perimeter of the ballroom until he came to the doors she had exited out of. He walked out onto the balcony but couldn't see her. It wouldn't be hard to spot her as her dress would stand out vividly against the snow laying heavily on the ground and trees. She must have taken the steps down into the garden and walked out of sight.

It was damned cold out here. What had she been thinking coming out here, she might catch her death.

Quite worried now, Draco walked out into the snow, the crunch of snow under his shoes loud in his ears. Where was she?

It didn't take long to find her. She was sitting on a garden bench under a large oak tree and when she noticed his approach her eyes widened in surprise. When he was only a few feet away from her, he seemed to step into a bubble of warmth. She had cast a couple warming charms ... good.

'Granger...' he murmured, taking a seat next her, close enough their thighs were nearly welded together.

'Malfoy,' she responded, her tone of voice as cold as the snow at their feet, 'what you doing here?'

Draco was going to say something like 'Taking in the air' or 'Going for a walk', but he thought the truth would probably work in his favour in this particular situation.

'I followed you.'

The look of shock on her face was worth the truth, her aggressive 'Why?' just made him smile.

'We have unfinished business you and I.'

She just turned her back on him, the little minx, 'Go back to Astoria, Draco, and leave me alone.'

Ah, so she had noticed his little act involving Greengrass and sounded jealous. How fascinating.

Draco leaned into her, his chest merging seamlessly into her back, and breathed hot air into her neck, his lips only millimetres away from her soft skin. She shivered and tilted her head unconsciously to the side, unwittingly giving him greater access.

'That's obviously not want you want, Mione,' he whispered, his lips now rubbing up and down the long, delectable column of her neck.

'You don't know what I want.' The wispy tenor of her voice gave away the lie for what it was—she did want him and he only had to push a little bit more. He brought up his hands then to cup her waist and he was in wonder on how perfectly they fit. It would feel so natural to slide his palms forward and up to cup her breasts, but he refrained. Draco knew the perfect seduction involved anticipation. He began to slowly move his thumbs in circles against the material of her dress and kiss softly down the back of her neck.

Then he froze.

She was wearing a magnificent diamond choker—of the highest quality, Draco knew—and he instantly hated it. A flare of jealously nearly overwhelmed him and he had to release her waist and grip the sides of the bench in order to control himself. If he dared lose it for a second, he knew he would rip the damned thing from her throat. He was seeing a haze of red and he didn't know why.

Hermione somehow felt he was frozen behind her, probably when he had let her go abruptly, as she turned around to face him, 'What's wrong?'

'What is that?' He asked, with the utmost disdain in his voice.

She looked down at herself in query, 'What is what?'

Draco pointed at the necklace, not trusting his voice for that moment. Hermione lifted a hand to touch the necklace softly and Draco gritted his teeth.

'You mean my necklace?'

'Take it off.'

Draco expected her to scoff and tell him to go to hell, but she surprised him by reaching round to undo the clasp, her face was set in smug amusement and her lips were upturned in a smirk which was only rivalled by a Malfoy's.

She held the diamonds loosely in her hands and when Draco held his palm up and wiggled his fingers in the universal sign to hand them over, she did so without a fuss. He was confused by her behaviour—in Draco's experience, women didn't just hand over their jewels, at least not without some plausible and reasonable explanation, of which he definitely didn't have and wouldn't even attempt to explain to her without looking an utter fool.

She just sat there placidly looking at him, as if expecting him to do some other ridiculous thing, 'I'll replace them, of course.' He stated as he slipped them into his pocket. He wanted to chuck them in the bush, but he somehow knew she wouldn't like that. All she did was shrug however and say nothing.

Draco wanted to continue his seduction, but he knew the way he was feeling now, he would shove her into the stone bench, lift her skirts and take her immediately. The feeling of rage he had felt earlier, made him want to possess her until she knew who she belonged to.

He couldn't do that though, and until he could control himself, he couldn't trust himself to touch her just yet.

Staring at her now, he wondered what it was. What was drawing him to her like this? Why now when he hadn't looked twice at her before? Was he charmed? Poisoned? He knew it wasn't a lust potion as it didn't discriminate between women. Blaise had spiked his drink once as a joke at a party a couple of years back and he had had Pansy under him within moments. And everyone knew he despised her totally and wouldn't have normally touched her for all the gold in Gringotts. It had taken a while before he had forgiven Blaise for that one.

It couldn't be Amortentia either, as he wasn't obsessively in love with her and he was in complete control of his faculties. Well mostly...

He must have been staring at her for awhile, because she shifted uncomfortably and softly said, 'What?'

'What is it about you, Granger? What the hell did you do to me?'

Hermione looked outraged, 'What the hell do you mean, 'what did I do'? You have some nerve, Malfoy.'

'Well you must have bloody well done something! Why else would I feel like this?'

'Feel like what?' She asked softly and suddenly.

He just stared at her and she knew he wasn't going to answer her. She kept looking at him anyway, hoping he would let something else slip. Her plan was foiled however when she gave herself away by shivering—her warming charm obviously wearing off.

He grasped her upper arm and gently forced her to stand up, 'Come on, you're freezing. Let's go somewhere we can talk.' And before she could protest, he had whipped out his wand and Apparated them away.

Authors Note: The next chapter is ready. I'll post it for you tomorrow as reward for waiting so long for me. I apologise for that but RL has me in her bitchy grasp.

If you feel inclined, please leave me a review. :-)